His fist lashed outwards. A boulder splintered into pieces. His Lucario nodded next to him, flashing a facsimile of a thumbs-up.
Riley smiled back at them, wiping their face before re-looping some loose cloth back around their chest.
Mineral deposits lay shattered in the cave around them, along with dazed Pokemon. The occasional passing trainer would stop to watch the training, but only for a few moments.
Iron Island was known for that sort of thing, it wasn't too odd of a sight.
A Mid-Sinnoh Night's Dream - XXV - Once I Dreamt That I Was A Butterfly
They took to the skies at the beginning of August, leaving Hearthome far behind them as Golurk led the group across the region.
"Sadly, there's no in-flight service, so just buckle in and- Barry, where did you get that soda?" Hilbert looked over to Tropius, where Barry was holding on with one hand while drinking from a can with the other. You wouldn't think that the leaves on its back would be enough to keep it in the air, but evidently, you'd be wrong.
"Uh, I had it in my bag?"
"...Can I have one?"
No more filler necessary, they headed straight to Canalave, passing over Jubilife in less than an hour and approaching the coast.
"Do we have time for another beach episode?" Hilbert half-heartedly asked after they landed., trailing off near the end.
Dawn slapped the back of his shoulder. "We're behind schedule, Hilby, don't be stupid."
"So does that mean no date- I mean, uh, uhhhhhh…" He wildly looked for an out, and his eyes landed on a billboard.
Come to Iron Island for a top-notch training environment!
"Iron Island? Sounds good. Let's go there.
Lucas had this infuriating look on his face. "That's pretty sudden, are you sure you'd rather not do someone- excuse me, something else?"
"Lucas, shut up, let's just go."
Canalave was an interesting sort of port town once they entered the city proper. It seemed to center around a massive canal interspersed with levees, allowing the city to slope downwards towards the ocean and maintain eye contact with the water level. The buildings had all sorts of styles, generic suburban, old english, even some traditional Japanese. Hearthome may have been named to be the hearth of Sinnoh, but Canalave definitely seemed to fit the bill.
They discussed possibly going to the library while they looked for the boat that would take them to Iron Island, but the conversation ended when Hilbert snarked that Barry probably forgot how to read and was promptly tackled for his troubles.
When they finally found the port, they found a line, because a man with seaweed hair was holding it up to argue with a ship captain.
"I have the ticket right here! New Moon Island, don't you know where that is?"
"You're gonna need a bigger boat. Get out of here, this is bound for Iron Island only. Most I can do is direct you to this other guy. Look for a Wingull."
"Fine." The man pushed himself out of line, attempting not to look too frustrated, and almost passed them without a second thought.
Then he saw Hilbert.
Or he saw Shaymin on Hilbert's shoulder. Probably the latter, unfortunately for the aura-user's ego.
The man's red cloak nearly cracked like a towel the way he turned. "Is that a…"
Hilbert sighed and received no sympathy from his teammates. "I figured everyone would have gotten used to it. Yes, that's Shaymin."
The seaweed-haired man put a finger to his chin, closing his eyes and nodding to himself for a few moments.
"Mhm, mhm, mhm."
"..."
The man pulled a pair of glasses from his pocket, placed them on his face, and pushed them up, silencing all other noise in the port with the light's audible gleam.
"You know, I wish someone that actually needed the glasses would do that for once, instead of it just being a cheap joke."
"My name is Tobias. I myself am pursuing a Mythical Pokemon. I believe I could use your advice."
"Uh… I'm Black, but more importantly, I'm not the guy you want to ask. Shaymin more came out of nowhere and decided they wanted to come with us. I deal with the weird stuff on a case by case basis."
"I see. But tell me, are you knowledgeable about Darkrai?"
"I'm not from this region. Well, I mean, I am, but I wasn't raised here."
"What a coincidence, neither am I. I come from Hoenn, myself."
"Oh, cool. So that means neither of us know what you're looking for."
"I assure you, I researched the legends of this region extensively within this city's very own library."
"Has this Darkrai been proven to exist?"
"Rumors are always true in fiction, I'm sure the same applies in the real world."
"Yeah, definitely. Not an ironic statement at all, by the way."
"What are you referring to?"
"Nothing, forget about it. Hey, guys, go on ahead without me, I'll catch up. Actually, Cheryl, you're with us for this mission."
Lucas nodded and pushed Barry towards the loading ramp, prompting everyone left to board as Cheryl walked over to the newly acquainted pair.
Hilbert continued talking while the ship's horn began to blare, and the anchor began retracting into the boat. "So, what are your intentions if you do find that Mythical Pokemon? Name sounds kind of evil. Is it evil?"
"It is believed to be the source of all nightmares and the harbinger of death. Relatives of elderly folk report having seen its dark cloak soon before their loved ones passed away."
"So we're dealing with a bonafide grim reaper…. Say, just for the sake of curiosity, does it have any connection to shadows?"
"It does."
"Fantastic. That means I can probably find it."
"Come again?"
"I'm something of a- I hate using this term- Aura Guardian, so as you might guess, I can see auras. Shadow Pokemon have a distinct kind that sticks out. Even if it's not artificial, I should still be able to see it."
"That is fantastic!" The man clapped his hands. "But… ah, I was hoping we could use a boat. If we fly there without a safety net, find it, and are defeated…"
"Defeat? Ha! That kind of thing doesn't happen to me."
"Maylene. Wake. Candice."
"Okay, not anymore!"
He noticed the look Tobias had on his face.
"I can talk to Pokemon. I'm about as protagonisty as you can get."
"That's not a word, Hilby."
"Not important."
"What… never mind. Just as well, there is another reason I had not wished to fly…. They tend to stand out."
"Who?"
"Latios."
Hilbert racked his brain for a moment. "Yeah, no clue. Haven't seen them in the news. You're in Sinnoh, remember?"
Tobias smacked his own forehead with his palm. "I am a fool. I should have considered that no one would take special notice."
"Happens to the best of us."
"Well, we should be off, then." Rather than going for the Pokeball on his belt, Tobias started ruffling in his travel bag.
"Is that supposed to be a Pokeball?"
Tobias had retrieved a wooden stick that curved like a hook and was lined with metal.
"No, but it will call them."
Tobias pressed the straight end of the hook to his lips, playing an inaudible note.
He realized that it was inaudible because he'd just been hit with a sonic boom.
Tobias pressed his fingers to his ears and came away blank. "Good, no blood. Thank you for holding back this time."
Latios, he presumed, was a living fighter jet, with a body covered in blue and white feathers. It was easily the size of Zapdos, but appeared less so because of the lack of frizzed plumage. It nodded to Tobias before floating lower, looking between them.
"Does he not talk much?" Hilbert asked as he recalled Shaymin got on behind Tobias, with Cheryl behind him- After taking some quick photos, of course- He was their third eye, so to speak, and would likely be able to see the Mythical's aura even if it was slightly obscured.
"On occasion. He's rather stoic, but he does appreciate gratitude."
"Always thank the bus driver, so the saying goes."
"Let's be off."
Hilbert didn't need to use his shield, as Latios appeared to use Protect against the wind as they took off. They quickly passed the boat that everyone else was on, and he was fairly certain that Barry looked up and waved.
The water became choppier the further out they went, and the color darkened, signifying that they'd passed the sand bar and were on the open ocean.
He closed his eyes and watched the water carefully for aura.
He did that for a few hours, actually. His weirdness magnet functionality only worked in cases where he wasn't seeking it out.
The sun was going to set soon, and the rain clouds from earlier that day had blown from Hearthome past the coast. The wind grew colder and the rain slid off the invisible field around them.
"I'm sorry that I haven't found anything yet, it usually happens much quicker than this."
"I apologize for keeping you so long, I could not have fairly expected you to."
"Maybe… Tobias, is Darkrai a Dark-type?"
"..."
"Dumb question, but I'm assuming that it is."
"That's correct."
"What type is Latios?"
"Dragon and Psychic…" Tobias realized their folly and facepalmed. "I should have taken the immunity into account, it's likely hiding from us."
"Again, it happens to the best of us. You probably know a lot more than I do, I just kinda intuit these things."
"Hey, Arceus, do you think I can add wings to my moveset?"
At his mental question, a hole in the heavens opened up, shining a bright ray of light onto them.
"NO. YOU ARE ALREADY OVERPOWERED. YOU'RE ALREADY A LUCARIO, YOU DON'T NEED A BUFF."
None of that actually happened. Hilbert made up most of it in his head. That's probably how the conversation would go anyway.
"So, have you ever ridden on a Golurk?"
"A what?"
Hilbert grabbed the golem's Pokeball, holding it closer to his mouth. "Hey, Golurk, start flying as soon as you get out."
Golurk appeared in a blast of light, fell about a hundred feet, blasted back up to their level, and clanked in Hilbert's general direction.
"Don't whine about it, you're fine."
Hilbert, in his infinite intelligence, jumped from one incredibly fast moving Pokemon to another incredibly fast moving Pokemon, and miraculously didn't break any of his bones at a ninety-degree angle. A hole in Golurk's back opened up, exposing him to the endless bright within until he entered, and it swelled up behind him.
Black. White. Black. Hilbert's vision opened up to the stormy sky and dark seas.
"Get on."
"Excuse me, did you…"
"Yes. Turn your brain off for a few minutes, you'll have an easier time. Now get on, my Aura Sight probably gets better when I'm in here."
Rather than just jumping, Tobias had Latios fly on top of Golurk and reach the exact same speed before the Dragon-type disappeared with a boom, allowing him and Cheryl to fall without risk. Cheryl took up the left shoulder while Tobias took up the right.
Once his passenger was situated and he realized that he was aware of that without even turning around, he reinforced Golurk's already-existing shields and sped up.
They saw Iron Island off to their left again as he began taking a closer look at the waters and not just relying on Aura Sight.
"I can't see anything when I close my eyes," he said, slowing to a hover.
"The sky is blue and water is wet," Cheryl reminded him.
"...Yeah, that did sound pretty dumb. I mean, I can't see any aura. Not even yours, now that I'm looking. There used to be fish a hundred feet back."
"What if the aura is so large that it blocks you from seeing anything else?"
Golurk-Black shuddered. "That's something I don't want to think about. I mean, if it's larger than the Legendary Birds', I don't think I can match that in a fight."
"Could it possibly be spread out? A masking attempt?"
"I've never seen something like that before… but I guess it is."
Tobias took both of their words into account and nodded. "In the case of stealth, we should examine the sea bed. Darkrai resides on an island, that much I'm sure of. Therefore, even if the land is hidden, we should be able to locate irregularities."
"I think I can do that. Have a Water-type? Me and Golurk don't do too well underwater, we could use a shield."
"Golurk and I, Hilby."
"Yeah, whatever."
"My partner is a Swampert," Tobias offered. "Water and Ground."
"That should work well," he responded before slowly descending to water level in a sideways loop, pushing through the pouring rain, until they floated just above. "I'm assuming they can swim."
"That's correct." Tobias grabbed the only Pokeball on his belt and held it out to the air. In a blast of light, a blue quadrupedal… frog… thing, appeared. It was still cute even if he couldn't put a finger on exactly what it was.
"Swaaa…."
"That's not a word, dude."
"It would be rude not to greet new friends," Swampert responded. "Who's the girl? Your trainer?"
"Ah, the thing is... I'm also a trainer. As in… you know what, never mind. We're going to the sea bed, can you keep us from drowning?"
"Sure thing. Four-meter sphere of air? I'll see what I can do."
"I'll reinforce it with a Protect, but still try your best."
"Hey, who the hell do you think I am?"
Cosmic irony, at your service.
He shook off the feeling of nausea the memetic mutation gave him and began to float towards the waterline, and as he did, Swampert pushed the water apart with its two front arms.
They continued until the waves broke above them and sealed them completely within the ocean. The crack in Golurk-Black's chest pulsed, creating a bright light and allowing them to see the water rippling.
"How exactly are you doing that?" He asked the Swampert below them, who was leading the way downwards.
"Whaddya mean? I'm a Water-type. That's like asking a Fire-type how they breathe fire."
"Yeah, I know, but like… Is it a psychic thing or an aura thing?"
"It's a Swampert thing," it croaked.
"I would appreciate some actual answers, you know."
"I just can, alright? It's like flexing a muscle that's outside your body."
"Right, that's fair. I was asking because I don't have any powers like that. I only have a few types of moves."
"Only? Most Pokemon only get three, you're lucky."
"Ah… that's fair."
They soon touched down at the sea floor, almost completely immersed in darkness. Golurk-Black's legs reemerged and slowly sank in next to Swampert.
"Tobias, what's the move now?"
"If my guess is correct, the ground will become denser where the island should be. Even if the land itself is invisible and untouchable, it must have an effect on the earth below because of gravity. It should be incredibly dense the closer to the center we get."
"Let's not do that, I have a better idea. Why don't I punch the aura at the base of the island really hard and tear a hole in reality?"
"I feel like that's foreshadowing for something but I don't know what. I suppose that could work, but I advise you to be careful."
"Right. This is where I get off."
Hilbert soon after fell out from in between Golurk's legs, a situation which he found hilarious, and kicked against the sea gravel.
"I can probably breathe underwater," he said, before walking into the wall of water.
"OH $%*& THAT'S COLD!"
He nearly went into shock before he heated himself up with his bastardization of Fire Punch. Then he realized that he could not, in fact, breathe underwater, and threw himself back through the barrier and into the air pocket.
"Okay, damn. Shaymin, come on out."
The grass-covered Legendary appeared on his shoulder, and promptly shuddered from the ice-cold water soaking his clothes.
"What can I do for you?"
"Set up a Protect around my body. It's really cold and I can't breathe underwater, apparently."
"Right. The plan is to tear a hole in Darkrai's aura?"
"You were listening in, good. Return yourself if anything goes wrong, I'll swim to the surface if I have to."
"How deep are we?"
"Uh… don't worry about it, I'll figure it out."
He jumped back through Swampert's barrier, and thankfully he wasn't soaked again, and was rather able to continue. Instead of using his eyes, he paid attention to the earth beneath his feet. The gravel turned to rocks, the rocks turned to boulders, and the boulders turned to stones.
Remembering what he was supposed to do, he backed up to where the gravel initially faded to denser ground.
"Hey, Darkrai, listen up!" He yelled at nothing like an insane person, while forcing his aura into his fist. "You Legendaries should know by now that you can't hide from me!"
The air around his fist turned into a transparent aural drill, spinning like a chainsaw.
"I'll punch you out if I have to!"
It expanded outwards, reaching into the ocean and freezing the water into solid ice, sharpening the tip.
"So, OPEN UP!"
He reared back, tearing his arm through the water.
"Get ready for this, it should be an honor!"
The air began collapsing, and Shaymin disappeared into its Pokeball.
"GIGA…"
The water rushed into his lungs, but was pushed out and turned to steam as it contacted his skin. His shoes melted into puddles of rubber and cloth.
"DRILLLLLL…"
The steam funneled behind his drill, forming into a spiraling heat that made the ocean boil. A dark fog began to form into a wall that hoped to stop him.
"BREAAAAAAAAK!"
Don't examine this too closely.
The sound of glass shattering echoed across the seas of Canalave, reaching far and wide, as an island unseen ever before blinked in and out of existence.
Hilbert woke in a hazy expanse that was black above him, white below, and faded to gray in between. He was still human, that much he was sure of, but he felt like his clothes were made of Golurk's body, almost like armor. His torso and legs were covered in carved stone, though when he moved it melded like sand.
In front of him, two beings floated. One was pink and crescent-shaped, surrounded by planetary rings, and the other was the upper half of a black cloak, a red ring of arrowheads separating its white head that billowed like fire and the rest of its body.
"It is much closer to the half moon than the new moon, therefore I should take over the island," said a feminine voice, seemingly the crescent.
"No, I'm not done having my fun yet."
"To the afterlife with you. You have no place among the realm of the living."
"I have no place among the dead. Neither of us do. We've argued this same point for millennia, over and over. Your purpose is to grant dreams, mine is to take them away. If you don't like that I enjoy my work, that's your problem."
They both turned towards Hilbert.
"You're not supposed to be here," said the crescent.
The cloak leered at him with its blue eyes. If it had a mouth, it would be smiling. "This is more than a dream or a nightmare. Better wake up before you forget how to."
He spit out a mouthful of sand and seawater as soon as he realized he had washed up on a quiet and sunny beach.
"That'll teach me to break the laws of physics below sea level… blech."
Something nudged at his shoulder, and when he looked up, he saw Shaymin poking him.
"Good, you're awake. Heal Pulse can only do so much when you're unconscious."
"Well, at least I'm not sea sic- hurp-"
The hedgehog wisely got out of dodge, so to speak, and disappeared as Hilbert threw up in the sand.
"Ack," he coughed, wiping his mouth with a gritty sleeve. Time to buy another set of clothes. He already had a good half-dozen stockpiled, but it's always good to be prepared.
The island was round enough, but covered in weirdly identical trees and possessing an odd sort of symmetry. After thumping his chest to make sure the worst of it was gone, he got up and began looking for the center.
And at the center, there was the crescent Pokemon, floating in the middle of a clearing.
"Guess Mom said it was your turn on the island?" He called out to it.
"You were listening to that? I presumed you were in a state of half-consciousness."
"Takes a lot more than… whatever you did… to keep me down." He looked up at the clear sky. "This is another dream, isn't it?"
"You have yet to experience your true dream, that I can already tell." The crescent tilted its head to the side, peering at him with purple beads instead of eyes. "But yours… it is one that can never be fulfilled."
"Pfft. Me? 'Never'? Damn word's not in my vocabulary!"
"You've appeared in your companion's dreams as well. It is my area of expertise, you see. Who is that other girl? The third one that always shows up inexplicably."
"Are you talking about Cheryl?"
"If that is the young one with green hair, then yes."
"The girl with the blue-gray hair is Dawn."
"I see. I don't dislike your human dreams, however, the ones of the more… energetic… variety have a tendency to make me uncomfortable."
"What do you mean by energetic?"
"Carnal."
"That word is also not in my vocabulary. Because I just forgot what it meant. Wait, it means, uh…"
"Best not to let your mind dwell," the crescent said, speeding through its words. "Let us speak of your dreams."
"Who's asking?"
"I am Cresselia, if that was not obvious enough. I swear, I'm not even Mythical to you humans."
"Oh. I probably should have recognized you. So are you also the one I heard about sometimes back in Unova, or…"
"Lots of questions with you," it hummed. "But the answer is yes and no. You see, Darkrai and I… we are not 'real' in the literal sense of the word. Our essence can be spread far and wide, and we continue to be. We only exist in the realm of the mind and places where the barrier between the real and the spiritual is weak. The latter is much safer for times of rest, when no action is needed. Darkrai seeks out the weak-willed, plagues them with nightmares; I give them dreams to create strength from that weakness. After all, what is strength without any drive?"
"Very true."
"I find you fascinating for that reason. I gaze into your dreams, and there is no limit. They've left the realm of your mind and taken hold on reality. You are no god, do not confuse it, however, your ability to exert your will is uncanny."
"Well, if you're so smart, what is my dream?"
"Isn't that obvious? It's the sort of dream that never ends, never stops, because there will always be part of it left unfulfilled."
"I'm a decently intelligent guy, except when the author finds it funny, so I'm guessing that's a riddle?"
"No, only a statement. After all, if I were to give you my own opinion instead of letting your mind shape your dreams, well, that wouldn't be fun at all, now would it?"
"I don't get it, your duty is to give dreams but you can't define them?"
"I create opportunities for dreamers like you. Perhaps you met my essence in a dream, once or twice, and held onto that feeling. I give hope. But as you know, hope is not a finite resource, nor is it definite. All must make of it what they wish. One person's dream of utopia is another's dystopian nightmare."
"I don't really get that, the world's pretty alright as is."
"There are many who do not believe so. But they are as deserving of dreams and motivations as any other. I simply provide the spark."
"Isn't that a little irresponsible?"
"I have seen your memories as well, and you are well aware of the irony."
"Sure, sure, but doesn't that mean you're enabling the bad guys?"
"There are no bad people, young one. Only misguided ones."
"That's really optimistic, but I've seen people blow up a lake full of Pokemon."
"And were they not young, almost as young as you? Can you blame them for being influenced by darkness in a world where they are not a protagonist in their own story? Not everyone can be an Aura Guardian, not everyone can be you."
"Ah, that's Bouffalant-shit. Sure, I've had a lot of opportunities, you think that excuses it? Because they were normal? I wish I was normal sometimes. It's hard to believe, I know, but the way things are going, I'm probably going to have gray hair by the end of the year. I mean, I'm here, aren't I? That's evidence enough that I'm some sort of weirdness magnet. I get it, my dream's impossible, but by fate or Arceus or Lord Helix or frickin' whatever, that's the responsibility I was given. It's not all it's cracked up to be. I'd be dead a few times over by now if I didn't have luck. You know how close I was to pissing myself when I nearly got hit with a Blast Burn? I was fine, but it still burned my skin off for a good few seconds. I'm doing more for the dreams of good people than you ever could. I have fun with this sometimes, I really do, but I'm leading by example. What I really wanted to do was have a bit of fun, like I'm in some teenage romantic comedy or some junk, but I got stuck with this. I don't regret any of it, really, but my point is, sometimes dreams aren't worth it, and when people get burnt out on their dreams, they turn into others' nightmares."
Cresselia was quiet for a good few moments. "I see your point. But it is my duty to I always have. Even if you do not believe in others, I always will."
"Oh, don't even try that 'believing in others' crap. I believe in myself and my partners, of course I do, but that only applies to actual fighting. Sure, Barry's got two Legendaries now, but one stray attack from one of them during sparring, I mean… he's done for, y'know? I think everyone has the capacity to be good, but groups like Team Galactic need to be shown they're wrong, not given false dreams for the sake of it. The world is a good place, even with its flaws, and if there are people who embody those flaws but claim to hate them, I won't accept their dreams. Those kinds of people, I don't mind giving nightmares."
"Very well. Your friend seems more agreeable."
"Cheryl's naive, as much as I hate to say it. She walked in on me shirtless once, and you'd think she was going to pass out then and there. And it's not just her, it's all of them. Barry means well and in a straight battle, he could probably beat me, but he's not as smart as Lucas, and as intelligent as he is, he's a little lacking in the drive department. Marley… I haven't actually spoken with her one on one before, she just sort of showed up. She's the Lucas to Cheryl's Barry, that's my best guess. Dawn's persistent, I'll give her that, cute as hell, that too, but she has no idea how hurt she could get by associating with someone like me."
"Do you really believe yourself to be unlike them?"
"Me? Hell no. I'm just a kid from Nuvema Town. I'm sixteen for Arceus's sake, I have no damn clue whatsoever what I'm doing! And speaking of Arceus, couldn't he have given someone else superpowers and let them deal with it? I mean, seriously!"
"It seems this rant has been building up steam for quite a while."
"I... " He stopped. "Does this… does it really seem like a rant to you? Really? I mean…" He trailed off, subdued by his conscience.
"This is the realm of the mind. You are not limited by the people around you. Perhaps this was all subconscious."
"I… I really didn't mean all of that."
"Sure you didn't. Would you like to speak with Darkrai? Gain a contrasting perspective before returning?"
"I'm not floating in the middle of the ocean dead now, am I?"
"Mere seconds have passed in your world. We are not limited by factors such as time and space. Case in point."
The sky turned black, the waters gray, and the island was illuminated by a single white star above them.
Cresselia had disappeared, and been replaced by Darkrai, who bled with menace simply by floating in the air.
"What an interesting human. I must say, for a being that proves Cresselia correct, you sure don't get along with them."
"I don't know what came over me."
"Au contraire, I completely agree with you. There are people that deserve the nightmares I give them as they sleep. That's what gives me satisfaction in my work."
"You enjoy giving people nightmares?"
"Do you enjoy fighting Team Galactic? I have seen your thoughts as well. I may be considered Dark-type, but Cresselia and I are more alike than they would like to admit. Do you not feel energized when you knock out an enemy Pokemon? Are you not satisfied by the impact of your fist in the flesh of your opponents? Are you not fueled by your sense of justice?"
"...I do. I am."
"There are many others like you, who wish to do good in the world. Those people perish when they act as you do."
"Are you saying that-"
"No, not yet. No one has died because of your actions. However, reality does constrict those who cannot push back against it. You truly are fascinating. Your mentality, if you look deeper, is ultimately one of a selfish child that I would reward with a shattered dream, but I cannot find the will to do so. There is no end to your dream, and you seem perfectly capable of attaining it; What purpose would there be in crushing an attainable dream?"
"So you give people nightmares to keep them down?"
"That's a simplification you're trying to use to make yourself angry." The blue eyes glared at him. "You can't confuse me into giving you my intentions in black and white. There are those, both people and Pokemon, that have impossible dreams. It is better to break those dreams before they hurt the dreamers. Not everyone can become a Pokemon Master, or a Hero, or a God. You seem to be an exception, and should you reach far enough, you will make my existence meaningless."
"What does that mean?"
"You will blaze a trail through the world, just as the Lucario believed you would, and leave a path for those that follow."
"Well, that's just the reasoning they gave me when they named me."
"And yet, they may be proven correct. If the world you desire comes to fruition, then all will be able to attain their dreams."
"I don't get it."
"There is much untapped potential in this world. Not this dream world, but your world, and the next world, and the world after that. If people and Pokemon become able to access that potential, your dream of 'heaven' may be achieved."
"I don't dream of heaven or hell, I just want the world to be good."
"You miss the point. You are nearly able to match Legendary Pokemon on your own. Think of the implications. Beings of time, space, shadows, etcetera, you have a good chance of defeating."
"I'm flattered."
"If you were anyone else, I would have broken your dreams long ago. But alas, you have the potential to make my dream reality."
"What is your dream, Darkrai?"
"A world where I don't have to create nightmares."
"But isn't that your purpose?"
"I can find another. There is always another. There is no purpose given to you that keeps you from creating your own."
"Fairly certain my purpose was to protect people. I mean, ugh, Aura Guardian and all that."
"You could have been a villain. Had you stayed in Unova, you would have become bitter. The worst of the world makes itself clear when shown in a reflection. Pollution is created by man, and man despises pollution, the cycle has continued as such for centuries. You could have done nothing with your power, and become a bystander as you watch the world cannibalize itself."
"I'm not going to let that happen. This responsibility might be a lot, but it's what I have to bear."
"You will wish I had given you nightmares."
"I can accept that. I don't intend to lead the heavens, only create them."
"And yet, you say you do not dream?"
"If you have a dream and succeed in making it a reality, it was never a dream. Only a goal. And my goal, well, you know damn well what it is."
"Then attain it, prove me wrong. I welcome it."
Hilbert gathered another clump of aura in his arm, throwing it outwards and pulling it into a cone.
"Then you already know what comes next."
AN:
I'm a huge asshole, I know. I have two and a half weeks to finish this story, and by god, I'm going to accomplish it by that self-imposed deadline.
Stuff's not about to get dark, per say, but it's going to turn into something of a Gainax ending, if you get my drift.