Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. I do however own Alex, and this characterization of a member of the Darkrai species.
Chapter Two:
The Exchange
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"Legends also tell us that Darkrai can cause nightmares, but it's rather unclear on the specifics." Rowan nodded, scratching at his neck. "Some say that it's a defense mechanism to chase people out of its territory, while others portray Darkrai as evil creatures who go after misbehaving children. They tend to show Darkrai as being more active on moonless nights, and last night was a crescent moon, wasn't it?" The professor sighed. "Hmm, that may bear further study. As it stands, Darkrai spent the night in its ball, and I had no nightmares."
It was the morning of the next day, and contrary to Professor Rowan's command, Alex had not slept a wink. Every time she had closed her eyes, she saw the hatred in her newest Pokémon's gaze boring into her soul. And, damn, wasn't that a thought? Her newest Pokémon. Just how in the hell had that happened? Were Moon Balls super effective against Darkrai? That kind of ball was only supposed to be good for catching Pokémon that evolved by Moon Stones… She only had that ball on her because it was a gift from a family in Oreburgh… Alex wondered what the child who had given it to her would think of the Pokémon that now resided inside it… She wondered what the Darkrai would think if it knew where the ball had come from.
"Alex," Rowan's voice broke through her reverie, "I know what you experienced last night was… upsetting," Well, that's one word for it, "but I really think you should give it a chance. A lot of Pokémon act wild before they're caught. Don't let it get to you."
"I know, it's just…" Alex bit her lip, looking into the background of the lab where the Darkrai was investigating a bookshelf. Almost as if it could sense her watching, it spared a glance over its shoulder and locked eyes with her. Then, just like yesterday, it snorted and turned away. Alex frowned. "It doesn't seem to like me much."
The professor raised an eyebrow. "It liked you enough to let itself be caught." The Pokémon in the background stilled, but didn't turn around again.
"I don't know, I mean, I used a Moon Ball, not a regular Poké Ball," Alex confided, "I mean, the legends surrounding Darkrai associate it with the phases of the moon. What if that influenced the capture?" What if it acted like a Master Ball? Alex added silently.
Rowan opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by a low growl. The Darkrai in question had turned to face them once more and was shaking in rage as it hovered a few feet off the floor, glaring daggers into her, smoky hair and tatters on its shoulders whipping as if in an invisible windstorm. Rowan glanced between the two. "Hmm, I'm getting the feeling that it doesn't agree with you."
Alex eyed the irate Pokémon. "Would it even be able to tell? I mean, we don't really know how different Poké Balls affect the psychology of the Pokémon they catch, or how Master Balls do what they do." And to study that, we'd need to catch an unwilling Pokémon with a Master Ball. Alex shuddered at the thought.
The Darkrai's eyes widened in response to her words, then steadily narrowed in contemplation, invisible wind dying down as it calmed. Eventually, it focused in on her again. It wasn't quite glaring, but it was definitely giving her a look of some sort.
Suddenly, the sound of claws clicking on the tiled floor of the Pokémon Center echoed from behind Alex, who turned to see Mightyena making his way over to them. "Hey there, Mighty. You doing okay?" she asked lightly.
The grizzled old Pokémon huffed in reply and, gathering himself, stood up on his hind legs with his front paws resting on the base of the video phone console. Wincing a bit in sympathy, Alex turned back to the screen and bit back a yelp at the sudden proximity of the Darkrai, who was now taking up half of the frame and staring intently at her Pokémon.
"Might. Mighty, ena, Ena-en, a." Mightyena barked in an almost dry manner.
"Dark." Darkrai replied pointedly, "Rai, Krai. Darkrai."
Mightyena shook his head, "Ye-ena, nana."
Darkrai glanced doubtfully at Alex and muttered flatly, "Darkrai."
Alex turned to Rowan, who was watching the two Pokémon converse amusedly. "It's not fair."
"Hmm?" He blinked.
"They can understand what we say." At this, both Pokémon snorted.
Rowan smirked. "There have been a few Pokémon capable of human speech. One of which explained it in this manner; Pokémon can understand what we say, but not why we say it, while people don't understand what Pokémon say, but can see why they say it." The professor watched the dark types talk for a few seconds before turning back to Alex. "For instance, I believe that Mightyena is trying to convince Darkrai that you're a good trainer."
Alex frowned. "But I'm not a good trainer." Both Pokémon paused to stare at her. Darkrai looked incredulous, while Mightyena was wearing the most condescending expression she'd ever seen on a Pokémon. Blushing under the scrutiny, Alex defended herself, "Hey, you're the one who followed me home, Mighty."
To which Mightyena simply snorted, "Might, yena en ena." Then he leaned towards her and gave her cheek a light lick, presumably to take the sting out of his words. Darkrai glanced between the two and shook its head. Mightyena replied with a wry, "Ena, mighty."
There was a long pause in which Darkrai did nothing but stare at Mightyena in stunned silence.
Eventually, Mightyena broke it. "Mightyena, mighty ena, nana?" And damn if the old Pokémon didn't raise an eyebrow. Darkrai simply blinked while Mightyena continued, "Might, enenena, na yena. Yen-yena mighty; mi, might, mi-might, yen, yena, yen-yena."
Darkrai leaned back from the screen, and, after a few moments, considered Alex with such open curiosity that her previously fading blush began to creep back into her cheeks.
Mightyena gave a light cough, catching her attention. "Yena." The note in that bark was so bittersweet that, whereas Alex had just been complaining to Professor Rowan a few minutes ago that she couldn't understand her Pokémon, there was absolutely no mistaking the meaning her oldest friend was trying to convey.
Alex sighed, nodding. "I'm gonna miss you."
Mightyena snorted. I'll be back at the lab, idiot, Alex translated.
"Still." She leaned over and pulled Mightyena into a gentle hug. "I'll miss traveling with you."
Mightyena gave her ear a lick before pulling away and dropping down from the base of the video phone with a grunt.
"I take it this means that you're ready for the transfer?" Rowan broke in.
Alex nodded, pulling out Mightyena's Poké Ball. The nurse had returned her Pokémon to her last night with the warning to let them rest for a few days in their balls before letting them fight. While Alex had no problem with this, Mightyena had protested, letting himself out as soon as the nurse had left them alone, and refusing to return to his ball for the entire night. Instead, he spent the night not-sleeping on her bed with her. Alex had berated him, but, truthfully, was quite glad for his company. She really was going to miss him.
While Alex returned her Pokémon to his ball, Rowan did the same. "Now Alex," the professor said as the two humans placed the balls into their slots at the sides of the screens, "I would strongly advise against letting this Pokémon out in public. It's very rare and will attract a lot of attention, possibly from unscrupulous groups." The two balls faded in and out of view, trading places. "I know you don't like to fight, but that will be what you must do if it gets out that you have a legendary on your team." Alex picked up the Moon Ball and stared at it while Rowan continued. "Legends about Darkrai are obscure enough so that not very many people would recognize it on sight, but those that do will want to obtain it." His expression darkened. "And some of those people will stop at nothing to get what they want."
Alex hooked the ball onto her belt. "I'll be careful."
Rowan nodded sagely. "Oh, before I leave you, Canalave is know for its extensive library. You may be able to find more information on Darkrai there."
Alex smiled. "Thanks, Professor."
"Keep it secret, and you'll keep it safe." The professor reached out of frame, and the screen went blank.
Gathering her wits and wondering again how in the right hell had events played out in such a strange manner, Alex turned around to face the rest of the Pokémon Center. It was, still being early morning, empty at the moment, and Alex was suddenly grateful that there was no one around to see how misty-eyed she'd gotten over saying goodbye to her lifelong friend.
Naturally, that's when Nurse Joy took the opportunity to reenter the scene. Alex turned to hide her face, but the nurse paid no mind, retaking her post behind the counter with a freshly made mug of coffee. Shouldering her bag, Alex made a break for the exit, but was stopped mid-stride by Joy.
"I take it you retired your Mightyena?"
Alex flinched, turning back to the nurse who was calmly sipping her steaming mug. "Yeah."
Joy nodded. "Good. When I saw the state of your other Pokémon, I was concerned for it."
Alex blinked in surprise. "You knew I had an elderly Pokémon?"
The nurse raised an eyebrow. "I remember everyone who comes through for a check up." Her lips thinned as she pursed them. "Especially when they ask me where they can rent a long distance motor boat." At the trainer's confused expression, Nurse Joy explained, "There are only a few islands you can reach from here with a motor boat, and only two that require a long distance one. One of those islands is empty, and has been for years. The other…" The nurse took a long sip of her coffee. "Let's just say that you're not the first trainer who's come running back in the middle of the night with a wiped team."
"Oh." Alex paused, gears turning in her head. Joy might know more about her Darkrai's past experiences with humans, even if vicariously, but she might get suspicious if the quiet trainer started interrogating her. Then again, would it really be that unusual for a trainer to ask about other trainers? Alex didn't really know—she preferred to stay out of the trainer community—but it made sense that a normal trainer would want the dirt on a rival.
She decided to start innocently. "Other trainers have gone to that island?"
The nurse again raised an eyebrow. Uh-oh. "Well, yes. It's quite famous in certain circles for having an uncatchable Pokémon living on it." She sighed. "It's gotten to the point where I don't even bother warning trainers about it any more." Joy shook her head. "They only listen after they've been beaten. And it's their Pokémon that pay the price."
Alex frowned. "How long has this been going on?"
Joy hummed, "Almost three years, now."
Three years? "How many trainers have tried to catch it?"
The nurse huffed, clearly irritated, but not just with Alex. "Dozens, possibly hundreds. Ever since that boy won the conference three years ago, every trainer in the region, and many outside of it, have wanted a Darkrai of their own."
"Darkrai?"
Joy sighed, taking a long sip of her coffee before setting the mug down. "A legendary Pokémon. There used to be one that would come around every year and give everybody nightmares. The last time it did this, three years ago, a trainer came and caught it. I doubt he would have succeeded, but the Darkrai was weakened from an event that had taken place a month prior, one that ended in a battle with another legendary, and he was able to catch it without much fuss." A half smile played across the nurse's lips. "He took it to the Pokémon Center to have it examined. It was one of my very first patients." The smile faded. "He challenged the Canalave Gym the next day, and completely stomped Byron. Then he went on to collect seven other gym badges and win the Lily of the Valley Conference.
"A few months after he disappeared again, after winning the Conference, word got out that he had caught his Darkrai near Canalave. And the trainers started pouring in. One of them was smart enough to research the history of the Pokémon and its relationship to the town at the library and found an old reference to an island up north. That trainer came back with a wiped team and a story."
"So it's been fighting off trainers for three years?" That would explain its initial hostility.
Joy gave her a pointed look. "Yes."
The trainer had the grace to look ashamed. "Poor Darkrai."
The nurse looked surprised by her admission, but before she could comment, the front door to the Center slid open and a young trainer strode forth. Alex, who had migrated over to the counter, stepped aside to let the boy pass. Despite his age, the trainer placed a full team of six Poké Balls onto the counter.
"I'd like to get my Pokémon checked up," the boy stated, then added as an afterthought, "please." As Nurse Joy scooped the balls onto a tray and swept into the back, the boy turned to her and asked, "You wouldn't happen to know where I could rent a long distance motor boat, would you?"
Alex stared at him. "I don't think you're old enough to drive a boat, kid." Or chase after a legendary nightmare Pokémon. She added silently. Hell, I'm not sure I'm old enough for that.
The young trainer took offense to that. "I'm not a kid!" He puffed out his chest. "I'm a Pokémon trainer! I even have five badges!"
Alex bit her tongue to keep from commenting on how his voice cracked on the word 'Pokémon'. Then she thought. If anyone knew that she was the last person to go to the island before the Darkrai mysteriously disappeared, someone would eventually connect the dots and figure out that she caught it. Then, in some form or another, they would come after her. Or, rather, they would come after Darkrai.
Alex did a mental tally on how many people knew she had gone to the island. Luckily, she was a naturally shy and cautious person, so the list wasn't too long. There was Nurse Joy, of course; then the man she had rented the boat from; the dockworker she had tossed the line to on her flight back to the Center might be able to put two and two together—but then, it had been quite dark; the Pokémon Center had been empty on the two occasions she had talked to Joy about it, so she probably didn't have anything to worry about there; the young trainer back in Oreburgh she had originally heard the rumor from—though, again, Alex didn't think that that was anything to worry over; and finally, Professor Rowan. If he sold her out, she'd flee the region on the next outbound flying Tepig.
When Nurse Joy reentered the room with the boy's Pokémon, Alex made a decision. "Yeah, I know where you can rent a long distance motor boat. I rented one myself to go investigate some rumors about a powerful Pokémon, but I made a pit stop at Iron Island and got into a tough battle with some wild Pokémon so I had to turn around."
Nurse Joy narrowed her eyes at Alex but didn't say anything. The young trainer winced in sympathy. "I hate it when that happens! It's like, you get all the way there and your raring to go, but then you have to go running all the way back to the Pokémon Center just because you forgot potions!" the boy huffed. "It's so frustrating."
Alex kept an eye on Joy while the young trainer ranted. After a few moments of contemplation, the nurse's eyes widened and locked onto Alex's. The female trainer put on her most pleading expression and shook her head 'no'. After a few tense moments filled with the oblivious boy's continued ranting, Joy's face turned solemn and she nodded. Alex had no idea how she had managed to figure out the truth of the situation, but at least it seemed like she would keep it quite. The trainer mouthed a thank-you to the nurse and shifted her attention back to the youngster, who, it seemed, was just finishing up a soliloquy about the virtues of being well stocked for any emergency.
"—so you never have to file your own teeth," he ended sagely.
"Right." Alex half wished she had been paying attention to whatever story had befitted that piece of advice. "So, you wanted to know where you could rent a boat?"
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End Chapter.
To my very first reviewer who practically threatened to harm me if Alex turned out to be a Mary Sue; I do try very hard to avoid such things, so every character I introduce to a story will have at least one deep-seated flaw. It might not be apparent for a long time—as most of the people I know tend to hide their weaknesses when amongst both strangers and family—but there will be true character development for both Alex and Darkrai (at the very least).
Oh, in case any of you care, I just finished writing chapter fifteen (as of the morning of Wednesday), and I expect there to be around thirty or so chapters in this story.
Also, FFnet keeps eating my indentations :( I like to tab my paragraphs (makes them easier for me to read) so the fact that such things won't display is rather irritating, and I'd like to know if there's a way around this.
Questions? Comments? …Concerns? Well, not even Darkrai can read your mind (yet), so if there's something you want to say, make sure to post a review to let me know.