Chapter 61
Darkness Falls
Malcolm teleported Team Outriders and Cresellia them back to Treasure Town, and now a few hours later everyone was gathered in the square, citizens and guild members alike.
"So Darkrai was behind Lupin and Temporal Tower," Wallace said somberly
Cresellia nodded and said "not only that, but he had been giving Alex nightmares, using my appearance to deceive him"
Alex gave an annoyed look and asked "since you can dispel his powers and know so much about him, where have you been?"
"I...was captured and frozen in a block of ice on Blizzard Island...I could only watch as Darkrai and Kazumi taunted me and walked off" Cresselia confessed, clearly ashamed at her failure.
The newly evolved Haxorus flinched and sighed saying "I'm sorry, it's just Darkrai….he gave me nightmares…..and made me feel like I didn't belong in this world"
The former human broke down crying, much to everyone's shock. He was bottling up these feelings for months, and now that he realized he was being tricked he felt even worse.
Blaze immediately grabbed his partner's shoulder and helped him up saying "Don't ever feel that way, your my best friend...and I'm not the only one who cares about you"
Wallace gave his usual peppy smile and said "Everyone in this town cares about you! And we would all be very sad if you and Blaze weren't around...so never feel unwanted again friend!" This statement earned a nod from everyone.
Alex wiped the tears from his eyes and said "thanks Wallace...thank you all"
"That Darkrai sure is a piece of work through" Carver admitted.
Cresellia nodded and said "He is a cunning and deceitful foe, but he hardly ever does anything himself, preferring to send minions and hide behind his nightmares and illusions. He is doing something very unlike him...inviting Alex and Blaze to confront him"
"He's tough..but we can take him down together!" Chuck shouted earring a smirk from the other guild members.
Blaze and Alex were ready to take up the offer only for Cresselia to shake her hand and admit "Unfortunately, it will be best if only Alex, Blaze, and I go. If comforted by a massive group, Darkrai will undoubtedly flee. This is undoubtedly a trap, but our only chance at capturing him is to spring the trap"
All of a sudden the pressure in the air changed, then everyone in the square apart from Alex and Cresselia instantly collapsed. Even Wallace, one of the most powerful pokemon in the world instantly passed out and began shaking as nightmares consumed his mind.
Alex gasped and immediately looked to Blaze, who Cresselia was already bathing in a pinkish light..when it cleared the Infernape woke up with a gasp.
"What….is happening?" Alex demanded.
Cresselia closed her eyes for a moment to sense what was happening, then revealed "Darkrai is amplifying his powers via the distortions he caused….the entire grass continent is being enveloped in a nightmare"
Professor Malcolm appeared in his signature green flash and said "There is nothing more Palkia can do...the distortion is too great for him to stabilize without tearing the fabric of reality apart. The distortion is growing, this world's fate lies with you!"
Alex gave one last look at the sleeping inhabitants of Treasure Town, then headed to Sharpeado bluff where he and Blaze put on the silver collars containing their mega stones, Alex's went around his neck and under his green scarf while Blaze's went on his right wrist.
Blaze and Alex gave each other a nod as Malcolm warped them to the volcanic island northeast of the Grass Continent.
Dark Crater was a brutal Mystery Dungeon, but Team Outriders was more than prepared. Trouble only started after 30 minutes of tunnel crawling when a section of the cavern collapsed, separating Alex and Blaze from Cresselia.
"I'LL FIND ANOTHER WAY AROUND! KEEP GOING!" Cresellia shouted through the rubble.
Alex nodded and said "stay close and watch for a heat shadow effect...that's what it was like before Darkrai in his disguise arrived at Spatial Rift. If encounter any illusions Cresselia won't be around to dispel them"
Blaze gave a "are you serious?" look and replied "yea because heat shadows won't appear in a volcanic cave"
After 10 minutes they came to a tunnel completely filled with magma, it was so uniformly blocked that Blaze could tell the lava had been funneled here specifically. Not too impossible for a powerful pokemon to do, just blast some extra holes and cover others. He could see why Darkrai chose to hide here. Not even fire types could withstand the heat of walking through the lava
The Infernape smirked and said "not a problem" before spreading out his arms and dissipating the lava. With the molten rock removed there was a narrow path made of obsidian leading to a circular arena with jagged, pointed rocks fencing it off from the lake of lava surrounding it. The heat in the area was closely visible, but being a dragon and fire type
Alex and Blaze kept their heads on a swivel as they walked down the path, the Infernape's instincts were telling him to draw his sword on his back, but Blaze fought off the impulse.
"It's a dead-end….where Darkrai.." Alex questioned.
In response the air got heavier, a cruising feeling of dread filling the area as a black spot formed out of the ground. It grew until Darkrai emerged from it, floating out the void with his arms crossed and his blue eyes glowing.
"You kept me waiting…." the pitch-black Pokemon scoffed.
Alex scowled and replied "what's your deal anyway? You tried so hard to break my spirit rather than confronting me…scared?"
Darkrai's gaze hardened as he replied "I had no desire to pick a direct fight with you two...but you forced my hand….you pests"
Blaze looked confused at the unmistakable venom in his voice and asked "why do you hate us so much...we don't even know you?"
"Oh...but I know you all too well...especially you Alex," Darkrai said coldly, the deep hatred confusing even Alex. Sure Alex had stopped Temporal Tower from collapsing, but that still didn't explain Darkrai's undeniably personal vendetta.
Darkrai looked directly at Alex and said "When you first came to this world Alex, you were caught up in an accident, correct?"
The former human looked even more confused and said "yes...why do you bring that up specifically? I was thrown from the passage of time and lost my memories along with becoming a pokemon"
Darkrai nodded and asked "Does it not strike you how odd that accident was?
"How...odd?" Alex repeated back, completely unsure at what Darkrai was getting at.
"Yes, think about how the incident occurred, something went wrong at the exact moment you were traveling back in time with Nigel, just before you finished your trip through the passage of time, that fails to strike you as odd?" Darkrai inquired.
Alex still was unsure of why Darkrai was bringing this up, but Blaze had realized the connection. The Infernape's face tightened as he accused "Darkrai...you know something about it...don't you"
A smirk formed behind the Pitch Black Pokemon's teeth like growth as he answered "Naturally, that very accident was caused by none other than myself.."
Team Outriders gasped as Darkrai continued with "I was hated and cast out by everyone who ever saw me, so I made it my mission for everyone to live in constant darkness and fear as I had. I set my sights on Temporal Tower, due to its power over time. I sabotaged the arbiter right under Dialga's nose. That eventually led to the planet's paralysis, where Dialga became my puppet, for over 150 years I ruled the darkened future unchallenged"
Alex and Blaze were at a loss for words, everything, everything they had been through, Alex's memory loss, Ivan's betrayal and attempts to kill them, it all led back to Darkrai.
The prideful tone in Darkrai's voice lessened as continued with "Unfortunately Nigel and Alex decided to meddle, I learned fo their plan and attacked them as they tried to escape via the passage of time...but an unforeseen event made it impossible for me to end your lives"
Alex was still in shock, he couldn't believe that he was finally learning the entire truth of what caused his transformation…
"It should've been enough….but you shielded Nigel from my attack. Since you were already an anomaly as the only human in this world, the attack blasted you through multiple layers of reality, turning you into a pokemon and taking your memories. I wasn't able to locate you now that you were completely different from before, so I had my puppet send Ivan to dispose of Nigel. I assumed what I had done was sufficient. I thought I had rendered you incapable of preventing the planet's paralysis. However I underestimate your resourcefulness, you met with Blaze and Nigel, then together you stopped the destruction of time. Because I disregarded the slightest possibility that you could pose a threat, the dark world I ruled for over a century was wiped from existence" Darkrai finished.
Alex was still processing what Darkrai had said, but Blaze spoke up with "How do you even exist then?
Darkrai chuckled and replied "I absorbed all of Primal Dialga's power to re-enforce my existence...even then the travel through the unstable dimensional hole nearly killed me"
Alex finally snapped out of his daze and spoke with authority "So then you hid and the shadows, distorting space and tormenting me….so you could shroud the world in a nightmare and lure us here to bump us off "
"Precisely….but I have considered an alternative, why not join me?" Darkrai offered.
Alex and Blaze gave a confused look as Darkrai continued his offer with "What fight to stop a distortion of space when Palkia was ready to kill you on a whim, why not join me in ruling a world where we don't have to rely on Dialga and Palkia to maintain balance?"
Alex immediately shook his head but Blaze bowed his head and replied "Maybe….Maybe Darkrai is right…"
"Wait are you serious?" Alex demanded with a shocked look at his partner.
Blaze looked into his eyes and said "we don't stand a chance against Darkrai, Palkia can't even come close to him...what can we do? Joining him is the best chance to survive"
The Infernape walked away and stood next to Darkrai with a defeated look on his face. Alex was too stunned to even say anything.
Darkrai gave Blaze an approving look as he said "Logic over emotion, a very wise choice Blaze"
"Alex, please join him...he won't just want me, if you don't join him Darkrai will kill me?" The Infernape pleaded.
Alex couldn't believe what was happening, but his legs began to move, his emotions were getting the best of him.
Alex got face to face with Darkrai as he said "ok…I'll..."
The Haxorus was cut off by a voice saying "DON'T BE FOOLED!"
The former human instantly recognized his partner's voice, and it all clicked.
Alex shook his head and announced, "this is all…..this is all a NIGHTMARE!"
The world around him shattered like glass, revealing Blaze pinned to the ground by black tendrils of smoke 10 feet behind him.
Darkrai's blue eyes were wide, Alex had shattered his illusion by sheer willpower. The Haxorus delived a punch to his face in rage, Darkrai still too stunned to react.
"INSOLENT WURMPLE!" Darkrai yelled as he unleashed black lightning from his hand throwing Alex back to being side by side with Blaze
Just then Cressella arrived and unleashed a shockwave of pink energy destroying the smoky tendrils.
"sorry I'm late" Cresselia apologized, Alex gave a nod as he took a fighting stance.
Darkrai was shaking with rage as he said "CURSES, I WAS ON THE VERGE OF SUCCESS!"
Alex's eyes burned with determination as he said "You will pay for Nigel, Celebi, and everyone else you've hurt. I WOULD DIE BEFORE I WOULD EVER HELP YOU!
Darkrai sighed and replied "so be it...You've made the wrong choice, there's nothing more to say, I will be rid of you three now"
One cue 12 beta Rhinos appeared around them in their signature puff of smoke, they were completely surrounded.
"Coward…" Blaze scoffed.
"I knew you wouldn't face us alone" Cresselia scolded.
Darkrai shrugged his shoulders and said "say what you will, this is where I will finally dispose of you three meddlers...I will seize control of the darkened world, as it's king! KILL CRESSELIA, these two are mine!"
The Betas gave a feral roar as a response, then Darkrai spawned a shadowy veil around them, when it vanished Alex, Blaze, and Darkrai were standing 10 feet apart in the massive lava flats that Dark Crater was beneath.
Blaze drew his sword while Alex summoned white matter around his tusks, the two were ready and waiting for anything Darkrai threw at them.
Darkrai noticed their confident faces and said "You have no idea of the power I command...death awaits!"
Author's Note- to be contiuned...
1. This final fight has been planned out since chapter 1, and I hope you like it, I had to change the location for the sake of the upcoming massive action scene...hehe
2. Thoughts on my changes to the status of Treasure Town? I think it kinda needed to be done so they would have a reason hurry off to Dark Crater.
3. Did my best to explain how Darkrai comes from the erased future, he still existed before the Dark Future so it makes some sense he survived the time paradox. The games imply he was controlling Dialga in the future after all, so I had him bring it up, also his present self was erased becuase of the paradox, as the only one could still be anchored to reality after history was changed.
3. I made a few changes to dark crater, mainly Cresselia being absent during the illusion fake out, considering Cresselia shows in Spacial Rift that she can dispell Darkrai's tricks in a blink of eye white flash, how could he ever suck you into an illusion with her right there? I really like that fake out but it contradicts what we know about Cresselia. My version works better!
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