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"Oh being of light, the past is a cruel thing. To experience it once is cruelty enough. To experience it twice is vile alone. But now, the truth of her past has been found. And the mistress's lover has returned. But, a meeting of good faith this is not. And in it, the true enemy shall be released."
Shawn scoured the coast of Valor Island with his partner, Vaporeon, for any signs of trouble. Initially, he saw nothing to merit worry. But then, his Vaporeon stood on its hind legs, and growled out towards the coast. When Shawn looked out to where his Vaporeon was facing, he gasped at what he saw. In the water, like a mirrored image, was a giant face surrounded by a gold-colored crown.
"Release me!" it shouted.
Cresselia struggled to open her eyes. She felt like they were glued down by something, and they were unable to open. When she did get a glimpse of something, she saw a dark figure hunched over a pit fire. There was a small opening to her left, behind the figure, and a pile of toys towards the back of the cave. She was back in Mew and Latias's cave.
But as her vision cleared, she saw she was in human form, and the man in the center of the cave was Rai. The instant she recognized him, a sudden rage welled up inside of her. She got up, and stormed over to the man.
"Cresselia, glad you're alright." Darkrai gasped, "Then again, you are the only one capable of resisting my night-" But his sentence was interrupted when Cresselia grabbed him by his shirt and pinned him to the wall. Then, she began punching him in the face in anger.
"You worthless, self-centered, two-face son of a Blaziken!" Cresselia shouted, "You would leave me alone to care for our family alone?! "
Coughing, Darkrai grunted, "It's great to see you too." Cresselia let Darkrai go as he worked to regain himself. Her anger had diminished, but it was not gone. For a time, she wanted to find Darkrai again, to let him know the news she had for him. But that all disappeared after finding out about her past, and how tightly linked she and Darkrai really were. The fact that Darkrai was learning this before her, and never once tried to let her know, infuriated her.
"Where have you been all this time?" Cresselia interrogated.
"Gallant Island. Training with the Three Swords." Darkrai answered, "To gain a better grasp on my powers."
"Your powers?" Cresselia asked, now perplexed rather than angry.
"After the lab incident, I've been having the same nightmares over and over again. I feared I was losing control of myself. If I did, what would happen to you?"
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"What would you have done? Cresselia, if I told you, you would have done everything you could to stop me. I had to do this." Cresselia didn't know what to say. Darkrai seemed sincerely worried about his power growing too much for him to maintain. But, she had to tell him something important.
That was when Darkrai noticed something. Cresselia's belly had a slight bulge to it. Something it didn't have before, even when Cressalia was in her human form the past week.
"Cresselia? Are you-" he started to ask.
"I've been wanting to tell you for some time." Cresselia told him, "Darkrai, I'm bearing."
"But when- I mean, how long-"
"About a week after you left. You needed to know." As soon as Darkrai was done investigating, he stood up just in time for Cresselia to fling herself into his embrace. Tears were pouring down her face. For the the first time in a long time, she and Darkrai were finally reunited.
"Cresselia," Darkrai spoke, "This is beyond what I expected. But it makes it even more prevalent that you return to New Moon Mountain. To keep both of you safe."
"What?" Cresselia gasped, "No, not without you. I came to get you."
"Cresselia, there is something I need to take care of. I can't go back."
"So you will just send me back home, without ever considering that I need you too?"
"Cresselia, please, try to understand."
But Cresselia had already moved away from him, hurt and distressed. She had transformed back into her Pokemon form.
"I've already tried Darkrai." Cresselia told him, "But it seems, the only one you are concerned with is yourself." Before Darkrai could convince her otherwise, Cresselia flew off. Where, she did not bother with.
At the same time, the mirror image finally shattered in the sea. The barrier had vanished at long last.
"At last, I am free!" And a vortex opened, releasing a torrent of dark energy. The shadow dragon had awakened.
Cresselia flew over the ocean, tears streaming down. Never before had she felt so betrayed, even by Darkrai. Why did this have to happen? And then, there was the flashback from the ruins. Cresselia now understood her past, what led to her becoming Cresselia, and Rai to become Darkrai. But what about that man, King Gira? What did he have to do with anything?
Then, out of nowhere, a shadow appeared in front of Cresselia. A daunting shadow the likes of which Cresselia never knew existed.
"Hello there, daughter." it chuckled in a malefic manner.
As she was claimed by a serpent like tail, Cresselia demanded, "Who are you?!"
"I am your father." And with that, Cresselia was pulled into the portal.
Once through, Cresselia had a hard time comprehending what she was seeing. In this strange place, the land seemed to float in space. Not a single piece of earth was tied down anywhere. And purple gas clouds floated around the world she was in, which she could sense were dangerous to be near. Such sights frightened the Lunar Pokemon.
"It has been many years since we have seen each other, my child." the shadow spoke, "Yet I am surprised you do not greet me with formality like you are supposed to."
"Why should I speak to you in such a manner when you have torn me from my own world?" Cresselia shot back. And for that, the shadow flung her hard into a nearby island.
"You will not speak to me with such disrespect, ingrate!" it threatened, "Try it again, and I will not be so merciful a second time."
"Who are you?!"
"I told you, I am your father." Then, the shadow came into full view. It was a behemoth of a Pokemon, with a crown around its head that looked golden, and red and black stripes lining its neck. Wraith like tendrils protruded from its back like wings. The rest of its body looked almost serpent-like.
"I am your king, Giratina!" the dragon roared.
"Giratina?" Cresselia gasped. Then, the memory of King Gira flashed through her mind, completing the link.
"Yes, daughter." Giratina chuckled, "I am your king. But you abandoned your birthright when you ran off with that peasant Rai. A tragedy that you killed yourself to be with him. But, because of it, I was punished for crimes I had committed against both of you and the world. Thus, I was changed into this. And you and him became the two Pokemon of the moon. You being that of the full moon, and him of the new moon. And I was banished here, to this world, for eternity."
"Why are you coming after me now? It was so long ago."
"Oh, you forget, Lia. I never forget a wrong that was done to me. And the world shall suffer for all it has made me suffer for. But first, I must tend to the ones who wronged me first. Starting with my own flesh and blood."
It was then that a Dark Pulse attack struck Giratina in the face, causing him to look up, and spot Darkrai descending toward him.
"This fight is between you and me, Giratina." Darkrai proclaimed, "Leave my wife out of this."
"Wife?" Giratina exclaimed, but then realized, "Yes, your beloved. I had seen it happen with my very eyes. How... sickening."
Startled by his words, Darkrai challenged, "What do you know? You were banished for your tyranny. You could not have known."
"On the contrary, I see all. While I could not leave this realm physically, I have been able to glimpse back to my old world. Through those spheres floating around this place, I can see all that occurs in the other world. I saw the incident with that human scientist, and how he almost resolved my revenge for me. But, I was disappointed when he failed me. And I know how you two never knew about me or yourselves until you saw those ruins. Indeed, I saw all."
Darkrai grew tired of Giratina's taunts and rants. So he flung a Shadow Ball at the shadow dragon, but Giratina fluidly dodged the attack. Then, he vanished. Darkrai used his Calm Mind to not only strengthen his defenses, but also to sense where his opponent would strike. But even with his mind cleared, Darkrai sensed nothing. By the time he could react, it was too late. Giratina tackled him using Shadow Force, but Darkrai bore the attack, and returned with a Dark Pulse. Giratina countered with his own Shadow Ball, and cancelled out the attack. So Darkrai retreated to the shadows on the islands, sneaking his way around to Giratina's flank.
But Giratina saw the attempt, and called out, "I see you." And he let loose an Aura Sphere that knocked Darkrai out of the shadows. The effect was more devastating than if Darkrai had been out of them. But, he still held strong.
Cresselia was tired of standing aside, and launched an Aurora Beam at Giratina. The snake-like dragon swatted the attack away, and launched a Shadow Ball at her. But Cresselia caught the attack with her Psychic attack, and sent it back. Giratina disappeared once more, so the attack missed. Then, he appeared behind Cresselia, and used Shadow Force on her. But as Cresselia fell, she was caught by Darkrai, who was somewhat wounded but still able to fight.
"You can never defeat me!" Giratina proclaimed, "I am the conqueror of worlds. The destroyer of my enemies. I can not be stopped. Not even by you two fools."
"Cresselia, we need to hit him together." Darkrai whispered.
"Let's do it!" Cressalia agreed. So they unleashed a Dark Pulse and Aurora Beam combo attack. The fusion of light and dark spiraled towards Giratina, who stopped them with an Aura Sphere that continued and hit both Pokemon.
Wounded and weak, both Cresselia and Darkai looked up as Giratina laughed at their predicament. They were no longer in any shape to fight, even if they wanted to continue fighting.
"I told you. I am invincible!" Giratina boasted, "I will not be denied my revenge by two simpletons. Now, you shall perish!" Darkrai held Cresselia close to him as they both prepared for the end. But, the end never came. When they looked out, three Pokemon with swords sprouting from their foreheads were holding Giratina back. The Three Swords.
"You have been punished for your actions once, Giratina." Cobalion proclaimed, "And you shall be punished once more for your misdeeds."
"Imbeciles!" Giratina growled, "You cannot stop me. No one can."
"We're not the ones who will stop you." Terrakion grunted under the strain. Just then, three streaks dashed by Darkrai and Cresselia, taking them to safety.
"The rest is up to you, Darkrai and Cressalia." Virizion thought as there effort to hold back Giratina began to falter.
"Oh great shadow, how his fury has been unleashed. If left at it's own devices, it shall consume and destroy all it deems unworthy. Only the union of full and new moon can stop such a tyrant from completing his reign. Make haste, heroes. the world now rests in your hands."
Next time,
After recovering, Darkrai and Cresselia receive an ultimatum from Giratina. They must face him, or he would begin destroying their world. Can the two defeat the unstoppable Giratina? Or will King Gira's reign begin anew?
Well that was nuts. And it's about to get even more nuts in the final chapter of Cresselia's Pilgrimage. Stay tuned. Till then, review and fave.
