Summary: Lars and his new pokemon face a large scale threat. Against all odds, they make it as far as they did.
Note: Another impactful chapter if I do say so myself. Enjoy.
As agreed, we shared our nightmares. Telling Hexy everything I saw, and how I broke free, she was both sorry for me and yet impressed. "I mean I'm sure you embellished some of that. But still, great job. Thanks for helping us".
I stood by my statements, "All of it was true. But how about you? What'd she make you see"?
"At first, it was my mother and father. I was happy to see them again. But something seemed off...I could tell. They weren't acting like themselves. After I resisted, she made me see not only them die in horrific ways but also you and our other pokemon". She shivered, "Thank God it was only an illusion. Because believe it or not, I do get disturbed".
I took her hand, "Well, I'm here for you, okay. What are friends for"?
She gave a light smile, "I appreciate it".
On the horizon we could finally see Canaclave. At this point it was sunset though, and being tired of berries we were looking forward to the pokemon center for food and rest.
Entering the city however, we found it all but abandoned. No one was on the streets. "This doesn't seem right. It's a city, where is everyone"?
Walking around the cobblestone streets, we literally found no one. Hexy suggested, "Let's just try to find the pokemon center".
"Sounds good". We walked past what must've been like 50 buildings before finding it on the main asphalt road. The sunset was getting more orange and casting a shadow along every building at this point. Upon finding the pokemon center, which was pretty good size, it too was seemingly closed. "What? These places never close. What is going on"?
As I complained, Hexy knocked on the glass doors and peered inside, but she couldn't see to the other side. Eventually, the door unlocked to our luck, and we were greeted by a nurse Joy. She signaled us to get in, "Hurry".
Upon getting inside the building she resealed it with the touch of a button. I went to speak up but she answered before I got any words out. "You're probably wondering why everyone in the city is locked down? Well, once a year a darkrai appears to cause nightmares and generally cause chaos. We aren't sure why, but it happens. A cresselia usually shows up to do battle, but it has been missing. So far, half the city has suffered nightmares. That said, everyone has locked themselves down in either their houses or here".
"All this for one darkrai"? Hexy asked.
The nurse Joy responded, "This pokemon is different. Usually darkrai keep themselves, but this one has done malicious deeds for hundreds of years now. It always comes back. Each time it comes back, the nightmares get worse and it seems to get stronger as well".
My thought shifted back to Ethan, "Well, since we're all stuck in here. Have you ever heard of a boy named Ethan? Has a cyndaquil and celebi with him"?
She shook her head, "No. I apologize. But listen, you are welcome to help yourself to the kitchen and other commodities while we all wait this out".
Hexy asked her, "Thanks. But, how long do you people usually wait before going back out"?
Nurse Joy answered, "It's usually a week. So far we've been cooped up in here for 3 days".
I added, "Any nightmares while you are in here"?
She shook her head, "No, fortunately".
A man then came over to us noticing my pokemon, "Hey, is that a misdreavus"?
"Uh, yeah. Why"? I asked him.
He got a hopeful look in his eyes, "Yes! Would you be willing to do the city a favor"?
Nurse Joy intervened, "Forget it Wallace. We aren't going to put a stranger, or anyone in danger for that matter".
Hexy and I were listening, "Hey, we've already dealt with nightmares and evil pokemon. What's one more"?
Nurse Joy clarified, "It's not your misdreavus' nightmares if that's what you mean. Darkrai has the ability to trap someone in a sleep state forever. Once someone falls asleep around it, there's no waking up until it decides to leave. Legend states that two people were put under. One never woke up and the other died in their sleep".
This Wallace guy told us more of his plan, "Look, no one else here has a misdreavus cause they're so few. But given they have similar powers to darkrai, it could mean a chance to defeat it".
We kept listening, "Look". He took out a dark purple gemstone out of his pocket, "I've got this".
I took a look at the pretty, precious stone, "What is it"?
Hexy explained for him, "It's a dusk stone. It could be used to evolve misdreavus".
I was interested, "Really? That's neat". I looked up at Wallace again, "So you want us, to go out there and try and beat that thing with an evolved misdreavus"?
He nodded, "That's the idea. I understand if you refuse, but all these people in here including me and even nurse Joy are sick and literally tired of the nightmares every year. If you could drive him off, especially with cresselia gone then everyone would be able to no longer live in fear. We'd all be in you two's debts".
I asked Hexy her opinion, "What do you think"?
She pondered, "Could work. But with darkrai being a mythical pokemon, it'd still have an edge against us. It is also said to be stronger every year if they are right about that. But he is right about the similarities between misdreavus and it. So, we could have a fair shot".
I agreed, "We've beaten the odds many times so far, so I think we might be able to pull it off. I'm already sick of nightmares though. How about you Misdreavus? Would you be okay with evolving and doing battle"?
She happily nodded her 'head', 'Misdreavus'. It was settled, "Alright. If this fails though, I still have Giratina and MissingNo as fall backs".
We went over and accepted, "We'll do it".
Nurse Joy was still concerned, "Do be careful please. We wish you all the luck we can muster".
Wallace handed me the dusk stone, "When you're ready, just hold it up to her and she'll evolve".
We waited until nighttime, eating some real food and purified water. We both cleaned ourselves with warm running water as well. After my shower I waited for Hexy to come out while I bathed Mimikyu, Frillish and Banette. She came out wrapped in a towel, "Ahhh. It feels nice not to bathe in the river for a change".
I agreed, "I know what you mean. Thank God for these pokemon centers". I then bathed Misdreavus while talking with Hexy, "So. You really think we can pull it off"?
She did, "Like we talked about before. The odds might be slim, but they are still there".
After drying of Misdreavus, I raised the stone next to her, "You ready"? She smiled, 'Misdreav'.
She began to glow a bright white color, her shape changing before me and Hexy's eyes. She gained a more proper body as she extended more, forming a large 'cloak' around her bottom half. Her skin was now a dark purple with pink at the tips. The cloak gave her some kind of extension of fingerless arms. The necklace she wore became integrated into her chest and her new neck had a ball shaped bulge. Her mouth became in the shape of a W, while her eyes remained the same, though half covered by her new growth. Her head was now in the shape of a large witch hat that seemingly replaced her hair.
She raised her cloak arms, 'Mismagius'. I took out my pokedex, "Okay, let's see what it says". The chatterbox elaborated, 'Mismagius, the magical pokemon and the evolved form of misdreavus. It's cries sound like incantations, and it uses illusions and dream manipulation to torment its foes or bring them peaceful dreams'.
"Well, I've come up with a proper name for you now. How does Maggie sound"? She seemed to like it, 'Mismagius, mis'.
As we walked out, we left Sableye, Frillish and Banette in the care of nurse Joy in their pokeballs to be healed and whatnot. Besides Maggie, I took Mimikyu as darkrai was allegedly weak to fairy types and both MissingNo and Giratina as backups.
The moon reflected off the buildings and the moonlight itself shined the streets combined with the streetlights, making it ominous yet gorgeously luminous. It didn't take long to find the darkrai though, and he seemingly found us first. Maggie pointed up with her arm, 'Mismag'.
Floating up against the moon like a specter, the mythical pokemon looked the grim reaper. Its beautiful blue eyes mostly hidden by the red mouth cover. The head was a gaseous gray cloud of sorts and the shoulders also gave off the same look, though black. The entire rest of its body was black as well. It had similar three fingered hands like a gardevoir and a cloak not unlike Maggie's, while he also sprouted legs also like a gardevoir's, albeit black.
He spoke to us in a threatening, yet soothing voice telepathically. "More humans to drain of their mortality".
I wanted to know what made him tick, "What's the deal? Why do you come every years to this place"?
Darkrai indulged me, "I suppose there is no harm in explaining myself. After all, you are the first humans to properly confront me as bravely as you have. Allow me start".
"Centuries ago, this city was nothing more than nature. It was MY home, and humans encroached on it. I attempted to dissuade them from such, but they refused...in their natural, headstrong way. So, my solution was clear. If they would not leave, then I would scare them away".
He continued, "Every year I would come back and try the same thing, but these stubborn fools wouldn't heed my nightmares. With the passing centuries my powers have grown from feeding on their dreams and life force. What you don't understand, is that this has gone on long enough. I wish for this city to be purged so I may reclaim my home. I have become so strong, the cresselia they summoned decades ago to deter me, has no longer become a threat to me, as she fears me as well".
I couldn't help but understand his motives, "I get it. You want revenge. But killing people? Isn't that a little much"?
He was stuck in his ways, "It is all they understand. It is all you understand. In order to reclaim my home, the humans MUST be driven out one way or another. If that means I drain them of their life entirely due to the simple fact they will not leave, then so be it".
I put on my serious attitude now, "We can't let you continue this".
He glared directly at me as if staring into my soul, "I will not allow you to stop me. As for that mismagius, she will be of no help to you. I have accumulated too much power to lose to a recently evolved, simple pokemon".
I had Maggie stand aside for now and tossed out my best pal since he was part fairy, "Come on Mimikyu, let's see if we can knock a mythical down a notch".
Darkrai wasted no time attacking, "Your insolent persistence will only get you killed". He charged both his hands with a glowing purple aura, then flew straight for Mimikyu with a Sucker Punch.
"Dodge it", I yelled. Mimikyu leapt away while Darkrai ended up smashing the road instead. "Now, use Play Rough". My friend attacked the dark type and surrounded him in a little mist. Being used to the darkness though, Darkrai countered every strike from his fake tail and black claws and escaped the smoke as well.
Once the smoke cleared, he tossed the biggest Shadow Ball at had ever seen directly into Mimikyu, knocking him a large ways. I jumped into the air and managed to catch him to save him from impact, "Gotcha buddy".
Darkrai was unamused, "You're only delaying the inevitable". I lthen let Mimikyu go and let him have get one more attack in.
"Okay Mimikyu, use Dazzling Gleam". He swirled his black claws together then clapped them harshly. A blinding flash affected Darkrai's eyes and allowed for a follow up slash of his claws. Managing to get a hit off on Darkrai, I grinned, "So. You're not as invincible as you thought".
He gave a dry laugh, "Heh...heh. That was literally a scratch. You need to do better than that to drive me off".
I returned Mimikyu, "You're probably right. So, here's someone more on par with your experience". I exchanged Mimikyu for Giratina. "Okay Giratina, let's see how powerful you really are".
Darkrai generated black aura around himself and simply floated there silently, meaning he was more than likely using Nasty Plot to use for later. But I wasn't going to let him just get a free hit. "Giratina, use your Dragon Breath".
He reared up his head and shot out a concentrated stream of black fire. The fire blasted Darkrai further into the air, "Nice job". Giratina had nothing to say of my praise.
With the dark type's special attacks now enhanced, he immediately used Dark Pulse. A black ring shot out from around him and hit Giratina for a chunk of damage.
"Well, since we're using special attacks. Giratina, use Earth Power". He stomped onto the ground with his large leg and sent cracks through the ground which in turn sent pieces of asphalt careening towards Darkrai. The debris got him good and he even covered his face. "Grrrr", I heard him mutter in my mind.
He angrily charged up a large, black Hyper Beam. "No more games". Coming out of both hands, he went to blast Giratina.
"Giratina, fly away". He spread his wings and managed to get out of the initial impact, but like a laser, Darkrai followed him with it until it finally did hit him and knocked him out of the air. My dragon pokemon crashed into the ground, but he was still strong enough to get back up. "Alright. Good to see you're okay". He simply glanced over my way with his red eyes.
"At least now that equals two hits for us. Use Shadow Force". Giratina summoned one of his black portal and vanished, before returning through another right behind Darkrai and swiping at him with one of his neck spines.
Giratina flew back over to me and awaited my next command. "Give him hell. In the form of a Shadow Ball barrage". He opened up his mouth and spat out about a dozen Shadow Balls, all of which hit the currently exhausted Darkrai.
Darkrai had about enough at this point, "If I cannot simply defeat, then I will simply kill you". He jolted his head back looking up into the moonlight and outstretched both arms. Out of his mouth and both arms, came a cold mist which increased exponentially within seconds. He used Blizzard.
The ice fall surrounded us all with a haze of snow to where none of us could see, except for maybe Giratina and Darkrai himself. I called out, "Hexy? Maggie"?
I heard them relatively close, "We're fine". Maggie too acknowledged, 'Mismagius'.
"Rrrr, if this is your last attempt to beat Giratina, you're mistaken". I yelled out to him, "Use Defog". The snowstorm began to blow away as he flapped his bat like wings. He was heavily injured from the blizzard and all the attacks, but he was still going strong. "I'm glad I caught you", I told him.
To my surprise he finally said something, "You are a worthy trainer, I must admit". I smiled at the praise, especially hearing that come from Giratina, an ancient pokemon himself.
Dakrai at this point looked as battered as Giratina, but worse. "Time to finish you off. Giratina, use Shadow Claw".
The dark type managed to fly up among the moonlight with what little strength he had left. "NO. I WILL NOT YIELD"! He put his hands together and formed a big black, purple glowing orb; similar to a Shadow Ball. He then raised it above his head and it exploded into multiple of them, which came at all of us. "Embrace the Dark Void"!
Giratina was hit and he collapsed upon the impact. Hexy was also hit ans sent into slumber, although Maggie was still awake. The last one hit me and my eyes began to shut rapidly, "What...can't let myself...lose. Get up...Hexy...Giratina".
The last thing I saw before collapsing was Darkrai hovering over me, "Now you'll be in MY world". Sure enough when I opened my eyes, or at least I did in a dream, I was now in a world where the sky was a shifting dark purple and the ground was solid rock among endless horizon. I couldn't see the end of it, and there was nothing but the sky and ground other than obviously myself. No Hexy, Giratina or Mimikyu. Nothing.
I called out, "Come out Darkrai. You want to kill me, then do it"! My voice echoed throughout the dreamscape. To my disgust, I then felt a cold hand on my ankle and through my jeans. Looking down, a hand with purple nails was sticking out of the ground and grabbing me.
I started trying to pull me down but I kicked it away. Suddenly, a large wing burst out of the ground, followed by a tentacle grabbing my leg and a plushy hand. I felt to the ground, and above me, saw a floating Mimikyu with a broken costume neck.
Finally, the owners of the hands rose up, as did I. I made some distance, and out of the ground fully, came Hexy, Frillish, Banette and Giratina. Hexy's eyes were completely black and her skin was dirtied and deathly pale even more than it usually was. Giratina had one wing missing and several legs as well. Frillish's face was half ripped apart to where I could see her eyeless skull socket. Banette was torn and ripped at the chest and neck, with stuffing and a violet glow emitting out.
Hexy spoke, "Why didn't you save us…? We had so much faith in you Larson...I had so much faith in you".
I snapped, "NO! You're NOT the real Hexy, and none of you are my real friends. As for you, zombie. The real Hexy would never become like you. An empty shell who has no care for me. She means a lot to me, and I'd sooner be dead myself than see her become what you are".
The fake Giratina went to breathe its Dragon Breathe at me, but as I shielded myself with my arms in vain, I quickly noticed the flames didn't hit me. Opening them up, I was happy to see none other than Maggie, blocking the black fire. She even spoke, "Master, are you alright"?
I nodded my head, "Thanks to you I am". She returned her focus onto the Giratina and pushed the flames aside before blasting it with a large Shadow Ball. She then proceeded to destroy the other copies as well, before floating down to me.
"Maggie, am I glad to see you". She felt likewise, "As am I master".
"I knew you'd come through. But, how are you talking"? She responded, "As I did in the last nightmare I gave you. In the dream world I can speak your language well enough, but outside I am limited to my own". Her voice was a soothing husky sound.
I asked, "Where is Darkrai"? She seemed unsure herself, "He could be anywhere, but he's definitely inside your head pulling the strings. But with both your willpower and my interference, we can defeat him. He is most likely feeding off your life energy and regaining his strength with Dream Eater".
"What now then"? I asked Maggie. She took my hand with her cloak arm, "Follow me".
She explained on the way, "If he is haunting you and your friend's dream, then more likely than not he'll be at the center of your brain. That would be this way". She pointed off into the distance.
I was so confused, "How the hell do you know where we're going? This is my head and even I don't know. Everything looks the same".
Maggie reassured me, "Trust me, I know. Dreams and nightmares are my specialty. I know human's brains inside and out. After years of entering them I'm more prolific in here than I am even in the real world".
I said nothing, until she finally spoke to me this time. "I'm sorry". I wasn't fully listening, "Huh"? She reiterated, "I apologize".
"For what"? I should've know what she meant, I guess, "For invading your dreams. I really did want you and your friends happy...but I realize now that mischievous behavior was more in my old nature".
I kept listening, "As a mismagius, I feel more...matured. I understand I've only been one for maybe an hour. Yet my outlook on things has already changed. Seeing this cruel pokemon at work, my misdeeds seem minor. I promise to reform under your leadership master".
I appreciated it, "Thank you Maggie. I promise to be the best trainer I can be. That is if we make it out of here". She was confident, "I have no doubt of my abilities. We will make it out of here".
We arrived at the center, I assume, because right before us was finally Darkrai. I called his attention, "Darkrai"! He turned around to face us, looking down as he hovered in the air. "Either get out of my head, or we'll force you out"!
He refused, "You have no power over me. What makes you believe I will give into your demands"?
I proudly waved my arm to Maggie, "She's why". He stared her down, but she didn't waver. "You may have centuries of experience, but I do have decades of it".
Darkrai changed his tone to her. "Surely as a pokemon yourself, you must realize that you are but a slave to this human. They are below us. I lost my home because of these creatures". He went on, "You and I both have control of their very minds. Help me in my endeavor, and we will both have a proper home and be free as well".
I said nothing. Maggie made up her mind, "I am no slave. Even in the short time I have been caught, this human has shown me more compassion than even my own kind. You are a malicious entity who could easily claim a new home for himself. Instead you resort to wasted centuries of your life trying to reclaim what you lost. I am willing to assume you haven't even spoken to a newer generation of the humans living in Canaclave to see if they have changed their ways".
He counter argued, "If their ancestors condemned me, what makes you believe their descendants wouldn't refuse me as well? You are incredibly naive for one with your abilities. But so be it. You will perish just the same. I here, I am just as strong, if not more in my element".
He shot her with a Shadow Ball without a second thought. She crashed into me, sending us both to the ground. "Maggie. Are you alright"? She floated off of me and helped me up, "I am fine master".
"I may be only a ghost type, but I can still fight against a dark type". I agreed, "Yeah. Okay Maggie, use Astonish". I covered my ears as she screeched loudly at Darkrai, causing him to stagger even in the air.
He went ahead and used Focus Punch. Channeling his strength, he concentrated, and then came at her with a hard punch to the chest. Maggie flew across the dreamscape, but came back a moment later to tackle him.
He shook his head and shrugged it off. "Maggie, use Mystical Fire". She raised one of her cloak arms and summoned a large fireball out of it that set Darkrai ablaze. He then put it out using Haze; spraying an icy mist upon himself.
"Maggie, use Calm Mind. Quickly". She focused her energy and her hand began to glow a mix of pretty white and other assorted colored lights. Darkrai again used Dark Pulse, with the wave of black rings crashing into Maggie, but her beforehand Calm Mind saved her a bit of injuries.
"Use Aerial Ace", I ordered. She flew right into him with a crash that sent him a good distance back and impacted him hard. His patience was now nonexistent, "You force my hand".
His hands glowed pink and black, grabbing Maggie telekinetically then slamming her into the ground, hard. Before she could even get her bearings after, he grabbed her again and did the same. He did it again and again.
I cried out, "NO! MAGGIE"! He must've done it at least 5 times until discarding her. She was close to fainting. Darkrai hovered close to her near the ground, "This is my world. You simply never stood a chance".
I corrected him, "NO, this is MY world"! He went to blast me with a Shadow Ball as I ran over to him, but I actually dodged in it my adrenaline filled rage. His eyes widened as I physically, or mentally, socked him right in the face.
He fell to the ground and I jumped onto him, repeatedly punching him over and over. Each time I did, the dreamscape flashed and shattered around us. With one more punch, a blinding flash hit all of us.
I found myself back in the real world, awake, but with everyone else asleep. Maggie was back but still hurt severely. But also, still in my grasp, I held Darkrai to the ground and by the chest.
His eyes were still widened, "Not possible". I glared at him, "Now it's your turn to go to sleep scumbag"! I knocked him out with one more blow to the face. After tossing him aside, I ran over to Maggie to check on her.
"Maggie, are you okay"? She was despondent, "Come on, wake up. Please". I put an ear to her chest, and fortunately her heart was still beating. Hexy and the others woke up and found me holding her.
"Lars, you did it"? I shook my head, "No, me and Maggie did". I returned Giratina into his ball and we rushed Maggie back to the pokemon center. Hexy handled Darkrai.