I hope everyone continues to enjoy! Time for the introduction of what will become a major, continuous B-plot and the wrap-up of the Battle of Mossgreen after this! Thanks so much for the follows and favorites, and special shout-out to SilverRockets for being an incredibly supportive and faithful reviewer!

"I am here, as agreed." An icy blue eye met equally chilly sky blue ones after the harsh, deep greeting, the damp, freezing early mountain air electrified with power and pressure that seemed to dance between the lightly swirling snowflakes. The gentle sounds of snow falling from a few tree branches and the wind seemed to be the pair's only other company, the two of them far from any Keepers or other 'mon. Even the single nearby Keeper dwelling that Darkrai had spied on the way had looked dark and lifeless, the Keeper likely away. Darkrai glanced around at the ancient ruins after they finished their curt greeting, wondering if their suspicions were wrong. Not only had the other known about the ruins, they had known of the deepest, most sacred parts of it, of the large triangular platform deep inside the ruins that the Alpha was still somewhat bound to.

Perhaps the Creator really had returned to them after all? Either way, Darkrai would finally have their answers after the other dodging a meeting for almost two full cycles of the moon.

"Thank you for coming. I know it was a long trip for you, and I hope that I can persuade you to see reason like the others that have joined me." The other's pink muzzle then slightly wrinkled in either ire or impatience, and Darkrai felt their earlier misgivings about their fellow 'mon bubble right back to the surface. "Can't we do this telepathically? I know you can, if you wanted to."

I somehow knew they would bring that up. Darkrai had already decided to refuse the request to give up their innate protections from the mental intrusions and powers of 'mon of the mind. The place of darkness in the Great Balance was to keep 'mon of the mind and those that had yet to fully pass on in their places when the need arose, but those of the darkness could willingly suppress their innate mental guards if they needed or desired to. "I will not make myself vulnerable to you until I know you are truly the Creator. I am aware of what you claim to our kin, that you were captured and unable to assist during the Great Illness, but you seem to have...changed since your return."

Darkrai could only come to one, rather unsettling, conclusion after noticing the expression on the other's face after their rejection: They really don't like that they can't simply read my mind. It only increased Darkrai's unease, Darkrai already finding themselves taking mental notes of nearby shadows they could safely slip into should the need arise. They then floated slightly closer to the other. Yes, that was definitely anger on the Creator's face and flashing in their eyes- if it was the Creator.

"I've told you I am. I've proven myself to several of the others, haven't I?" Their tone was superior, almost haughty, as they floated towards the entrance to the ruins, their long, pink tail whipping back and forth violently in the snow and gentle breeze before they turned back towards Darkrai. "The humans stripped almost everything from me while they had me trapped in that prison, but I'm still me."

"Some of our kin believe you, yes, those that you could freely manipulate with your abilities. Don't think I've failed to notice that you've also been avoiding the Deathbringer, my brother in darkness." Darkrai finally decided to perform a test they'd been planning for a while since it was finally just the two of them. If the other was truly the Creator, molded into being by the Alpha even before Darkrai themselves, then they could, and should, pass Darkrai's test easily. If they weren't, well..."[Can you understand this at all?]" Darkrai inquired in what their kin called the Old Tongue, the first language that Pokémon had ever orally communicated in countless eons ago. Darkrai had their answer when the 'Creator' just stared at them dumbly before their eyes filled with a momentary flash of apprehension, and then malice. As I thought. That's why they've been avoiding meeting those of us among the First alone. "You, whatever and whoever you are, wear their face and voice, but you are not Mew, the Creator," Darkrai finished, pointing a long, clawed finger at the other accusingly and no longer masking the contempt in their tone.

"Yes I am." A chaotic burst of violent intent that Darkrai could almost feel suddenly exploded around Mew, Darkrai actually slightly knocked back by the sheer force of it. When the snow that was spit up from the release cleared, Mew's fur had become a seafoam green color all over and their eyes had deepened several shades of blue, their tail even longer and now splitting for the last couple of feet, the split portion of Mew's tail twirling around each other tightly and forming a helix shape. Raw power now radiated off of Mew in waves, Darkrai's eyes widening as they took in the spectacle and immediately realizing the significance. This sudden, sustained surge of power could have only one source, and the drastic change in Mew's appearance after the energy had finished its work confirmed Darkrai's deepest suspicions- and fears.

Mew had Bonded. Darkrai knew their only chance of a victory now, even with their innate advantage, was to hope to the Alpha that Mew's Bond was incomplete, because if it was complete he didn't stand a Chimchar's chance on Mount Coronet.

"And now that you've pushed me to this point, you're going to have to conveniently disappear just like Victini did. I'm trying to keep this little secret under my paw for now after all, wouldn't look too good to the others of the First or the Later if they knew I'd Bonded after the things I've been saying." Mew tilted their head almost primly before their eyes narrowed threateningly and began to illuminate, quickly glowing white with power. "Victini also asked too many questions and threw around very unnecessary and untrue accusations, planting seditious ideas in our kin's heads. Just because I've forgotten some things during my captivity thanks to the humans' meddling does not mean I'm lying."

Darkrai found themselves closing their eyes for a moment, reopening them and fully focusing on their opponent, now preparing for a fight that they knew would not end in the usual polite knockout between sparring partners. So you were behind the Victorybringer's vanishing after all. Darkrai was fairly certain that Mew fully intended to remove them from the equation now as well after revealing things so openly, Darkrai cursing themselves mentally for falling into the other's trap so very easily especially since the meeting had been requested by Darkrai themselves in the first place. I'm a fool, no, more than a fool. They probably lured Victini to a place to meet alone so there were no witnesses, just like they've done with me. Darkrai knew they could hold their own against most their kin among the First, but a Bonded one...that was a chance Darkrai felt it was very unwise to take without a Bond of their own backing them up.

Mew began the expected battle without another word, gathering and unleashing a torrent of sparkling, violet-colored energy from their paws that caused Darkrai to cry out loud in agony after it hit them, Darkrai realizing with dawning horror that Mew had just used the power of the fae to deliver a devastating attack. Mew had apparently even gone to the trouble to have the fae instruct them in their ways to have a tool to keep 'mon of the darkness at bay. Of course. Trying to cover their weaknesses. Darkrai also swiftly came to the conclusion that the attack served a dual purpose: not only were those of the darkness at a disadvantage against the fae as part of the Great Balance, but the attack was also filling the area with a bright, dazzling light that was almost entirely stripping away the shadows that Darkrai had been counting on in a pinch.

Darkrai quickly felt whatever hope they'd been holding onto fleeing from them as they tried to begin rebutting with an attack of their own, but their attempt at putting Mew to sleep so Darkrai could really open up with their abilities was shaken off before Darkrai was hit by another vicious Dazzling Gleam, the feeling of being slowly torn apart coursing through them with a searing pain as the booming blast echoed around the vicinity. This was, as Darkrai had been expecting, a completely unequal, unwinnable clash without a Bond of their own to call on. Darkrai was now absolutely certain that they were going to die as another wave of the shimmering fae energy cracked through the sky towards them, Mew wearing an expression of pure malevolence. This 'meeting' has been a setup from the very beginning. Should have listened to Victini in the first place, was Darkrai's final pair of thoughts before they felt the third attack cascade through them and they became fully immersed in the darkness that they were so familiar with, falling to unconsciousness while Mew's enraged aura rapidly closed in.

Mew took their time, aimed and loosed a massively empowered Psybeam at Darkrai's prone form a few moments later, satisfied after the resounding boom of impact and the flying snow and smoke left in the wake of the attack cleared and revealed nothing but a jagged, round dirt hole ranging from a few inches to a few feet deep where Darkrai had been. They flew around slowly and scanned the area intently for several moments through the blizzard with their eyes and senses, making absolutely sure there were no unaccounted for movements in the few shadows there were or auras of other 'mon before stopping the power flow of their Bond and transforming back to normal, flying off satisfied that the other major thorn in their side had been taken care of. Mew was already formulating a spin that was quickly becoming reality in their mind: We met up and the Nightmarebringer refused to listen to reason and got very hostile and aggressive suddenly! I had to defend myself. I'm sure they'll be back after they lick their wounds from our spar; they were probably really embarrassed about losing to a 'mon of the mind, after all.

Slight jangling echoed after power rippled through a damp stone cave thousands of miles away a few moments later, the unconscious and badly scorched Darkrai now in a rather unceremonious heap in the middle of the dimly lit cavern. A grey, mitten-like hand closed a round, glowing purple portal and grasped a large, golden ring that had been forming said portal after it returned to its normal size. "Boy, do you ever owe Hoopa for that ringing, 'Rai! Close, veryvery close!"

A smirk of victory crossed Hoopa's face as they studied Darkrai before opening another portal and summoning an entire Sitrus Berry tree, the tree toppling over due to no longer having soil supporting it and falling down with a loud, creaking crash mere inches from Darkrai's head after Hoopa helped guide the descent, Hoopa beginning a process of roughly squeezing the berries that were ripe all over Darkrai, the juice and pulp salving Darkrai's wounds and somewhat healing them. "Lucky for you Hoopa was watching, and Hoopa knows just how 'Rai can pay Hoopa back after you wake up and get all better."