He was alone. Nobody cared.
Darkrai mentally kept track of the differences on his island before the year ended today. He didn't find much on the borders and edges of the island, all he found was a fallen down tree, probably from last night's storm, and another Popsicle stick left behind by a certain pink cat.
He really wished Mew would have learned by now to stop leaving any trash on his island, or any other legendary territory. But, it was Mew. Adult body, kid brain. Darkrai wanted to sigh as he picked up the discarded stick, but he couldn't, and he knew that.
Tossing the stick in the air, Darkrai launched a weak Dark Pulse, landing on the target and sending it into tiny pieces. Smiling inwardly, Darkrai continued to inspect his island for changes. Then, a sudden memory came popping in his head, remembering the first time he met the cat.
"Hey, Darkrai? Why do you create nightmares?" Darkrai turned around, startled to find a pink floating cat behind him, waging his long tail as he smiled at him. "Uh…do I know you?" "Of course not, silly! We're seeing each other for the first time!" "Then, how do you know my name?" The cat did a back flip in the air. "Every legendary keeps talking about you. Saying that you create horrible nightmares. Why?" Darkrai looked at him dumbfounded. As far back he knew, not a single legendary ever asked him about his powers, or even come up to him without fear.
"Well, it's because of a balance." The cat looked at him puzzled. "Balance?" "Yes. Balance. An order to chaos. A light to the darkness. Fire and water. Nightmares and dreams. When there is one element, there's another opposite of it to balance it out to one another. See, when I create nightmares, it's to show what you have to strive for and work hard to get it or you'll never get there. Dreams help others imagine, think of knew ideas, and bring happiness." "What happens when one doesn't exist?" "Well, if nightmares didn't exist, then dreams would be constant, making everyone become lazily, and sloppy. Nightmares would just keep everyone awake."
The cat nodded his head, seeming to understand. "Oh! By the way I'm Mew." He held out one of his small hands, offering a hand shake. Darkrai looked at the small hand, then down at his own. "…Darkrai." He firmly grasped it as he shook hand with the cat.
He was alone. Nobody cared.
Darkrai looked over at his counterpart's island. It's lush, green interior was standing out against the sky as the sun began to set behind it, sending off that beautiful glow. He despised it. His island wasn't lush, it was barren with dead trees. His island wasn't green, it was dark and misty. His island didn't glow when the sun set, it was creepy and scary looking that others wouldn't give it a second thought when they looked at it.
Only his counterpart got all the beauty while here he was stuck with dead and ugly. He didn't mind not being perfect in anyway. He preferred to look a little less scary though. Being judged by looks was really bothersome. Even by…her.
"The meeting is dismissed." Darkrai sighed inwardly as he got out of his seat and stretched. He hated long meetings, but it was still important to know what was going on with the other legendries. "You know, I still wonder how Arceus keeps you alive. The world would be much better off without horrible looking demons running around giving everyone nightmares, don't you think?" Darkrai stopped in his tracks, not bothering to turn around to know who the voice. "Evening to you too, Cresselia."
He heard her huff. "And a fine howdy-do to you too." Darkrai turned to face his counterpart. She was basically the same when he last saw her. "And what brings the dream legendary to come and talk to the nightmare legendary?" "Stop fouling around Darkrai. You know everyone here despises you." "What? Even hates me now?" Mew appeared beside his, sitting himself on his left shoulder. "Neeeeeeever!" "Everyone Who Count's Darkrai! Why don't you make it easier for us all and JUMP OFF A CLIFF!" "Uh…Cresselia, you know I can fly right?"
"OH YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN! All I'm saying is that everyone is better off without you. THAT INCLUDES YOU TOO MEW!" Mew just crossed his arms and huffed. "Well I prefer a nice friend over a snooty friend!" "Easy Mew. Don't get yourself mixed up in this." Darkrai turned to leave…only to have an Ice Beam hit his back, sending Mew flying. He staggered a bit to gain some balance, summing his legs and waving his arms. Finally, he gained some ground as he looked behind himself. Icy steam was coming out of Cresselia's mouth, glaring at her counterpart.
There was a long silence between the two. Darkrai just shook his head, letting out a long sigh as he began to leave again. Again, Cresselia fired an Ice Beam at him, sending Darkrai to the floor with a pained grunt. But he didn't attack back, but simply got up and began to leave again. "GET BACK HERE COWARD!"
It went for five minutes till Arceus stopped her. "Cresselia, what has gotten in to you?" She didn't answer or look up at him. She was afraid to make him angry. It was scary to see him angry. Arceus only sighed as turned towards Darkrai. The nightmare legendary was slowly easing himself up off the ground, icicles forming on his back. "Darkrai, are you all right?" He didn't get a direct response. "Darkrai you must rest. You shouldn-.""I'M FINE ARCEUS!"
The whole room was silent as shocked eyes watched the pokemon teleport himself home exhausted.
He was alone. Nobody cared.
Darkrai looked about in the clearing. It was the same clearing with the same pond that sat in the middle of the place. It was quiet peacefuland…dare he think this to himself? Beautiful. Yes, he admitted. Beautiful. Even without the lush green serenity of plants, it was still beautiful.
Looking back at the pond, his mind went blank. He had mixed emotion bubbling in him as starred the water. He was far off not to see his reflection but yearned to at least check to make sure there were any changes. After a brief battle with himself, Darkrai began floating towards the pond, not at all ecstatic to see what was there.
He drifted closer to the edge, he slowed his pace till he was directly over the pond. Slowly, he gazed down at his refection. The first he saw starring back at him in the moonlight was the grim scar across his chest. It reached up to his growth all the way down to his midsection. It was pretty bad, with a bit of de-color, getting red/black in the middle. The next scar was across his right arm, as three claw marks were imbedded in his skin for eternity. Not as bad as his chest scar. As he looked further on, he dreaded on what he was about to see next.
Slowly, he reached up to his growth, pulling it down a bit, revealing a ghastly scar, worse than the other scars, on the base were his head connected with his body. It was the worst out of the rest, and stung whenever someone tried to touch it. And the memory of how it was placed there still haunted him. Sending him into eternal silence. Shaking his head, Darkrai lifted his growth back up and went on his way (after checking the pond of course.)
As his image line left the clearing, a lone feather, glistening in the moonlight as tiny particles was radiating off it, landed gently on the ponds surface, disrupting it images as someone floated over the pond and followed Darkrai, keeping a far distance between the two and staying undetected.
(Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.)
The faint sound of the heart monitor was the first thing he heard, give or take the faint sounds of someone talking. He tired opening his eyes, but his eyelids wouldn't reply. "He's…weak. But… …serious." Mustering as much strength as he could, he began forcing his eyes to open. At first, they wouldn't open, but after two tires, his eyes finally obeyed. At first, his vision was blurry, but after blinking a few times, his vision got better.
At first all he could see was white, then images came into view. "His life line should be stable, but…"Hearing voices, he turned his head sideways. A Mas dressed in white and gold stood by Nurse Joy as she read him the condition, (he guessed his), and told him how serious it was. "He's lucky to be alive. That attack should have killed him on the spot giving how deep it was." "Darkrai is a strong pokemon. He's taken a lot of hits in the past. Big or small." "But jumping in front of an attack meant to kill?" "He's never done that before. But I assure you he'll never do that again. Right Darkrai?"
Darkrai jumped a bit when the stranger looked him. It was his eyes that Darkrai finally recognized him. "Please don't stress him Arceus. He needs rest after what happened." Arceus gave her a quick glance before walking over to the bedside. "Darkrai, do you remember much?" Darkrai gave a puzzled stare. Arceus sighed. "Do you remember the human, Drake?" That name brought images, quick as a flash to his eyes. Of course he remembered him! The human in black clothing with dark purple hair and blue eyes. How could he not forget the powers that human possessed? He nodded his head a little, wincing at the pain. "Do you remember the battle you had with him?" Flashes of memories came back.
He nodded again. Then he notice Arceus face fall a bit, "Then…you might remembered what happened afterwards." At first he didn't understand, till a memory came crashing down on him like an anvil. He had jumped in the way of attack sent by Drake that was meant for his counterpart. He had gotten in the way and saved her. And he had paid the price. "Cresselia was worried sick once you jumped in front of that attack. She stayed by your side till we were able to get you to a center. You did die for a minute though." Darkrai's eyes widen with fear. HE DIED!? "O-only for a minute! You somehow held on long enough to pull yourself back in." Nurse Joy came up next to Arceus, holding the clipboard closer to her. "It wasn't enough to do any damage to your brain, thank goodness. But…"
Darkrai looked at both of them in confusion. {Why are they so sad?} He tried asking them, but when he didn't hear his voice, a sudden sickening realization came upon him. "Darkrai…I'm so sorry." He reached up to his throat, feeling bandages and cotton swabs and horrible pain once he pressed down a bit. "We couldn't save your vocal cords. I'm sorry." Waves of sadness came down on him. He…can't…talk? He…can't…talk. {I can't…talk?!} Tears threatened to fall as reality hit him in the gut.
"…come. Let's give him a moment. I need to inform the others." They left the room leavening the nightmare pokemon to the reality of his eternal silence.
He was alone, till someone cared.
He kept feeling it. That strange presence behind him. But he knew who it was, so he didn't worry. He made his way to the shore line, gazing out on a pacific spot. The sun was about to rise on the first day of the new year pretty soon. Darkrai had always done this routine. Check his island for any changes, tidy it up a bit, then go watch the sun rise.
Though…he did wish for some company for this advent. It was always breath taking when the sun rose to start the day, and…lonely too. "Darkrai?" He looked behind himself, seeing Cresselia hovering there. "Do…do you mind, if…maybe I…joined you to watch the sun rise? I-I do it every year, but it's a bit…lonely without company." He looked at her, surprised she even came here and talked to him.
He waved her over though. Better to have company than being alone. Cresselia floated next to him, gazing out over the horizon. There was an awkward silence between them. One having no idea to say to the other, and the other mute. Then Cresselia placed her head on his shoulder. Darkrai flinched at the sudden contact.
"Three years. Three, whole, silent, years. You never said a word. I'm…I'm sorry. I'm sorry that you can't talk because of me. I, I should have taken that hit. I-I never meant-!" It was her turn to be surprised. Darkrai had taken one of her paws in his hands, giving it a reassured squeeze. She looked at him as he looked at her. Then they smiled at each other. Turning their site back on the rising sun, it was the start of not only a new day to the New Year, but a begging of a new relationship.
Beep, beep, beep, beep.
She watched as he slept, feeling at ease at the sound of the heart monitor. Darkrai was back asleep with a tear stained face when she came to check on him. He was so peaceful when he slept, she was almost scarred to think he was dead. When he had died in her arms that very moment, her world became a blank. His body was cold to touch. "No…please. Come back." She didn't remember what she said after that, but once she said it, his heart started to beat again.
It was a major relief to her. And now, she'll wait. She wait for him to get better. She wait for him to wake up. She'll wait…till she'll confess her true feelings to him.
He was no longer alone, she was there for him now.
