Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. I do however own Alex, and this characterization of a member of the Darkrai species.

…Oh, remember when I was talking about bumping up the story rating to M? Yeah, that's this chapter—the opening scene, as a matter of fact. And that brings us to…

WARNING: This chapter contains descriptions of disturbing images.
If descriptions of living things rotting bothers you, you may wish to skip the first scene, and just imagine that something horrific has happened.

Chapter Twenty:
Angels

-o-O~OOO~O-o-

The lab door opened to reveal chaos. Purple floor panels were strewn about, torn from their normal places and thrown into the walls, gouging scars along the blue hued computer banks lining the room. Alex picked her way through the devastation and came to a stop near the door she knew led to the hatchery.

Mightyena stood at the portal, watching her evenly as she sank to her knees. "This is your fault, cub."

Alex nodded, glancing around at the destroyed lab. "I know."

The old hyena snorted. "No, not the lab."

Turning her gaze back to her oldest friend, Alex gasped at the unnatural angle Mightyena's neck was bent into.

"Yeah, cub—you did this." The dark type narrowed his eyes at her. "I wasn't strong enough to survive. Maybe if you hadn't been so quick to give up on me, I could've gotten strong enough to stay with you. I wouldn't have been here. I wouldn't be dead."

"No," Alex whispered, forcing her eyes away from the horrific sight. Spying Darkrai hovering a distance away, watching them, she realized what was going on. "This isn't real."

"The Hell it isn't!" Mightyena barked, jumping to his feet and towering over her, "You may be having a nightmare, cub, but don't think for a second this isn't real!" The Bite Pokémon took a step forward, putting his sideways snout right in her face. "This is your fault, cub! All this is on you. You wanna know something, cub?" he asked her suddenly. "You have to fight to get into heaven. And I lost. Just like last time." The broken hyena gestured with his snapped neck. "That's right," Mightyena continued as Alex's face fell further in horror, eyes filling with hate, "I'm in the other place now. Because. Of. You."

"No, Mighty—" Alex whimpered, the scene before her beginning to blur with tears, "I didn't—"

"That's right cub," Mightyena interrupted, "You didn't. I trusted you. I left my home, my pack, my family, to follow you. And how did you repay my loyalty?" The dark type spat, "You did nothing. You didn't let me fight, you didn't let me get stronger. I wasted my life on you!"

"This isn't real!" Alex screamed, pushing Mightyena back. The old hyena tripped, hitting the ground with a sickening crack!

But still, he spoke. "You know better, cub." Mightyena laughed, an ill, bloody sound. "I can't help it if your demons are stronger than you."

"Mighty…" Alex wept as her old friend got to his feet, limbs bending in ways they were never intended to.

"Oh Mighty," Mightyena mocked, "I didn't mean to~ It wasn't my fault. I tried!" He snorted at the last one. "But you didn't, did you? You were so scared of failing that you didn't even try. You perverted the title of trainer just so you could have an excuse to get away from your parents! You didn't care about us, you just didn't want to admit the truth. You were too ashamed of your own weakness to tell your parents that you didn't have the snuff to be a trainer!"

Alex hid her face in her hands, unable to comfort herself with the idea that she was sleeping. It didn't matter what the source was, after all, if the information was true.

"You're a spineless coward who runs away from every challenge you face. You've never done the hard thing. You've never tried to win. Every time the road gets even a tiny bit rough, you turn tail and run!"

"That's not true!" Alex cried, "I stood up to you!"

Mightyena snorted. "That's right. You were a brave kid. Too bad you grew up. Tell me, aren't adults supposed to be stronger than children? Then again, you can't really call yourself an adult either, can you? You've never even fought a gym battle."

"I…" Alex winced. "I didn't want you guys to get hurt."

"Don't lie to me, cub," the old dark type scoffed, "You know how hard it is for a Pokémon to get hurt in a battle. Just look at the kid over there," Mightyena pointed his snout at Darkrai, head swinging around like a balled up sock in a child's clinched fist, "Three years of constant battling, and only a few scars to show for it. You've been making up excuses for as long as you've been able to talk."

"I… I'm not weak…" Alex protested, nausea creeping up the back of her throat as Mightyena's fur began sloughing off, the stench of decay pervading the room as a stray wire caught fire.

"Even you don't believe that anymore," Mightyena continued talking even as his lower jaw rotted off, "Deluded as you are. Tell me, cub—why do you think the kid chose you?"

Alex looked to Darkrai, hovering impassively even as the flames began to spread across the lab. "I… I don't know."

"It chose you because you are weak. It knew you wouldn't battle it, wouldn't try to command it. It knew it could boss you around, make you do whatever it wanted. And you wouldn't even put up a fight. You'd enjoy it—face it cub, you've never been an alpha. And you never will be. You don't have the strength to lead—you're just an omega. A weak, sniveling, omega."

"You're wrong," Alex whispered, "Darkrai cares about me."

"Oh sure," Mightyena cackled, "I never said it didn't—it loves you like a little pet. It coddles you, grooms you, feeds you—it treats you like what you really are; a whining little baby. And I'm sure it'll come to your rescue," the hyena laughed harder, maggots spilling from his dangling tongue, "as long as it doesn't have to get its claws dirty!"

"Stop…"

"Oh come on! Did you seriously think that a legendary of all things would follow you? Ha! You're even more deluded than I thought."

"Stop it…"

"It's a good thing the kid's genderless, or it would've made you its bitch—not that it hasn't."

"Shut up…"

"You'd be bending over right now—"

"SHUT UP!" Alex backhanded Mightyena, sending the decaying Pokémon flying back to hit the wall. The body of her oldest friend spattered on impact, gore shooting in every direction as his gangrenous skull landed in front of her face, while fire licked along the edges of her fading vision as Mightyena's voice echoed in her ears one last time.

"I'll see you in Hell, cub."

OO OO OO OO OO OO
OO OO OO OO OO OO
OO OO OO OO OO OO

Alex woke up screaming.

Darkrai jerked its talons away from her head with a start. "Alex! Alex, stop, it's okay, it's over—"

"Get off!" Alex yelped, thrashing, "Get away!"

"Calm down!" Darkrai tried to soothe the trainer, "It was just a dream, I'm here, you're safe—"

"Don't touch me!" Alex screeched as the legendary stroked her hair with a claw, "Let me go!"

Darkrai concentrated for a moment, willing its fur to release its captive. With a ripple of darkness, all the longer fur on the dark type's body faded away, regrowing after a moment in its proper places. Darkrai ignored its own astonishment at the accomplishment as Alex immediately scooted away, curling up into a ball in the corner of the tent and shaking.

"Alex…?" Darkrai asked tentatively, reaching out.

The trainer flinched. "Stay back!"

Darkrai yanked its talon back, withdrawing as far as it could into the opposite corner of the tent.

"I… I'm sorry, I just—I can't," Alex clinched her teeth together, sucking in a breath.

"It's okay, Alex. I'm—"

"Oh gods," Alex slapped her hand over her mouth and leapt for the tent flap, yanking the zipper down and jumping outside.

"Alex?" Darkrai poked its head out of the tent as Alex began retching at the edge of the clearing. Not wanting to get too close to its distressed trainer, the legendary hovered at a distance next to the tent. "Are you okay?"

Alex coughed. "I'll be… fine. I just need a moment."

Darkrai very much doubted that a moment was all the trainer needed, but kept back from her nonetheless. The legendary debated on saying something, but decided that maybe silence would be best for now. Besides, it had said just about all it could find to say at the time, and Alex didn't look to have understood much of it.

It took a long time for Alex to straighten up and wipe her face on her sleeve. She then stared at her dirtied clothes for a moment before sighing and walking back to the tent. Darkrai backed up to give her space to get around it without touching it, watching as she bent down and rifled through her bag, pulling out a towel and wiping her sleeve off.

Alex sighed again, turning her gaze up to the still darkened sky. "It's still a bit early to travel."

She said nothing else, and neither did Darkrai—the legendary simply watched her with concern that flared when she glanced at it and flinched. Awkward silence descended on the clearing as the trainer stared at the ground, resolutely at first, then numbly as time wore on and the remnants of vomit dried on her shirt.

Alex looked like she wanted to cry, but had forgotten how, and it took all of Darkrai's willpower to not go to her and wrap her up in an embrace. Even though all of its instincts screamed for it to do something, the dark type held back, fearing harming her further. This night, on the eve of the new moon, reminded Darkrai of the night right before the full moon, when Alex had told them all that Mightyena had died. Unlike the night following, though, Darkrai very much doubted that confronting its trainer with her grief would help here. No, Alex trusted it now; if she wanted comfort, she'd ask for it. Or so the legendary hoped. There was a little voice it could just barely hear over the shouts of its instincts that advised the dark type that going against the trainer's wishes right now would be a terrible idea, and given the circumstances, Darkrai was far more inclined to listen to the little voice rather than the greater part of its being that demanded physical contact.

So Darkrai forced itself to stand by as its trainer—beautiful, vivacious Alex—appeared to slowly die right before its eyes.

Then Alex's rucksack rustled.

Both the Pokémon and the human jumped at the noise, turning as one to gaze in surprise at the bag as the sound repeated. Frowning, Alex opened the sack and sifted through it, pausing after a few seconds to stare in shock at the apparent source of the disturbance. Slowly, she withdrew a yellowish Poké Ball with light green splotches on it, holding it in her hands and watching it as if it would disappear if she looked away.

Then it wiggled again.

Alex gasped, closing her hands around the ball to keep it from rolling out of her grasp, and pointed it at the ground. She mumbled something that sounded like a prayer, and pushed the button.

A beam of red light shot from the ball and solidified in front of her into an egg. The unborn Pokémon had a light gray shell with black fur-like patterns on the top and bottom, and Darkrai felt a familiar pull coming from it that signified a dark type.

She and her Pokémon held their breaths as the egg sat there, still as a rock.

Then it shook.

Darkrai stayed back from the event, not wanting to interfere or draw its trainer's attention away from the sight before her as she knelt on the ground, watching the egg with a mix of stupefaction and awe.

Suddenly, a crack appeared on the egg, a beam of blinding light spilling from within. Then, it split open, and a small form tumbled out.

"Mama?" a tiny voice said as the light faded.

Alex stared dumbly at the newly born Poochyena, mouth slightly agape as the little thing stared back at her with huge yellow eyes.

The tiny Bite Pokémon cocked its head at her and repeated, "Mama?"

Tears filling her eyes, Alex forwent the towel and scooped up the newborn into her arms, holding it against her chest and burying her face into its slightly gooey fur as sobs wracked her body.

"Mama…" Poochyena twisted around in her grasp and began licking her tearstained cheeks. "Don't cry, Mama—I'll protect you."

Alex cried harder. "Oh Mighty…" She pulled back to look over the little hyena. "Poochy… My little Poochy…" Entire face wavering on the cusp of another sob, the trainer lifted her head to gaze at Darkrai. "Darkrai… come here… Please?"

Hesitant, the legendary hovered over to the pair curled up in front of the tent. "What do you need?"

Alex sniffed, blinking away the tears in her eyes. "Hold me?"

The words were so brittle, so fragile that Darkrai was almost too afraid to move, feeling that any sudden motion may break them, sending them back into the ether in shattered pieces, never to be heard again.

"Of course, Alex," Darkrai spoke softly, coming to rest behind its trainer and gently gathering her up into its arms, careful not to disturb the tiny life she held, "Whatever you need."

Alex's stiff form slowly relaxed in the nightmare king's grip. "I can't let this beat me," she murmured into its fur, "Darkrai," she looked up, locking eyes with the larger dark type, "We can't let this beat us." Casting her gaze back down to the Poochyena in her arms, the trainer let out a shuddering sigh. "Not now… Darkrai," she addressed it, tone more firm than the legendary had heard in several days, "We have to get to Alamos. Today." Darkrai nodded in assent. "You'll have to carry me. I don't think I'll be strong enough to bike all the way there after tonight."

"I will."

"Mama?" Poochyena interrupted.

Alex lifted a hand to stroke the baby Pokémon's fur. "Yes, my patient little one?"

"I'm hungry."

Alex smiled.

-o-O~OOO~O-o-

After Alex fed and cleaned up Poochyena, still praising the gods that the little egg had been in her bag when the Raichu had attacked, she captured the newborn in a Nest Ball and hooked it onto her belt. While she was doing that, Darkrai packed away the campsite and readied their own breakfasts. The two then ate quickly, in a silence born not of fear, but of determination, and once they were done, Darkrai scooped up its trainer and flew as fast as it could in the direction they had been traveling.

The pink-streaked skies of dawn slowly bled into the saturated light of morning, paling ever so slightly as the day passed. The pair had decided earlier to not stop for lunch, and instead pushed on as the sun traveled overhead, pausing somewhere behind them before once more beginning its descent, painting the heavens with splashes of orange and gold, red and purple, finally leaving them with a fading indigo as Darkrai ultimately began to flag.

"I thought it was closer." Having been quiet for most of their journey, Alex's sudden admission made Darkrai jolt.

The legendary looked down at the trainer in its arms and noted how limp she felt. "Don't fall asleep, Alex. We'll get there soon."

Alex hummed, shifting in its grip in an effort to ward off unconsciousness. "I know, I won't."

The remaining light of dusk abandoned the pair to their fates, without even a glimmer from a crescent moon to aid the stars in guiding the dark type along the path. Suddenly, Darkrai felt its instincts intensify.

"Alex!" the legendary barked, shaking the trainer in its grasp, "Stay awake!"

Alex yelped in alarm at the jostling, eyelids snapping open as her heart thumped against Darkrai's chest. "I'm awake!" She yawned, settling back down quickly. "At least, I think I am."

"You're awake," the nightmare king assured her.

Alex hummed, not making any further comment as Darkrai felt her slowly drift off again.

"Alex, talk to me," Darkrai demanded, raising further off the ground to scan the horizon for any hint of city lights in the distance.

"What?" She yawned again.

"Tell me a story." There, about eight miles ahead. "Just keep talking."

"You want me to keep talking so I don't sleep?" Alex shifted, rubbing her eyes.

"Yes." Darkrai summoned its will and pushed on, picking up speed once more.

"Ok. How about I tell you a story?"

The dark type adjusted Alex so that her head was resting near its own so it could hear her tired voice above the gusts of the night winds. "That sounds wonderful, Alex."

"Ok…" The trainer thought for a moment. "This is a story I read in a book a long time ago, about a place where there were no humans, only Pokémon. Long ago, there was a very powerful, very lonely…" Darkrai glanced down as Alex trailed off, concern fading as it saw her smile. "Actually, now that I think about it, the Pokémon in the story… was a Darkrai. I was so little, I was only just learning to read and I didn't recognize the name of the Pokémon… Huh."

"So the story was about a lonely Darkrai," said legendary prompted. Seven miles to go.

"Right. Darkrai lived in a place outside of places, and could do anything in its realm," Alex leaned back in the nightmare king's hold, "It could make buildings and objects appear out of thin air. It built towers and spires, castles and palaces, bridges and plazas… A whole kingdom."

"That's amazing, Alex." Six miles.

"But there was one thing it couldn't make; the one thing it truly wanted. You see, Darkrai was the master of its realm, but even it couldn't create life. It longed for the companionship of another—anyone, anyone at all. But there was no one around."

"What did it do?" Five miles.

"So it made a window to another world, a world filled with Pokémon. It saw all the Pokémon dancing and playing with each other and wanted to join them. But it was afraid to leave its own world. So it created doors between the two worlds and invited the Pokémon to come and play."

"That was nice of it." Four miles.

"But the Pokémon were frightened. They had never seen a place like Darkrai's world before, and they avoided the doors it had made for them. Saddened, Darkrai watched the Pokémon through its window for awhile. It saw how they played games with each other and had an idea. If Darkrai could make a fun enough game, the Pokémon that came to its world would never want to leave."

"So it made games for them?" Three miles.

"It took a long time, and a lot of experimenting, but Darkrai eventually made a game that was so much fun that after having played it only once, all the Pokémon that came to visit it never left. Or so it thought. In reality, the games were hypnotizing the Pokémon, making it so they couldn't leave. Darkrai was so lonely that it didn't care if its new friends acted a bit odd after playing its games—it was just happy to not be alone."

"I can… understand that." Two miles.

"The Pokémon in the real world missed their friends, and went to find them. When they saw what Darkrai was doing, they were horrified. They begged Darkrai to let their friends go home, but Darkrai didn't understand… or refused to understand… what the problem was. So the Pokémon all gathered up their friends and left Darkrai's world, leaving it alone with only echoes…"

Darkrai's instincts spiked again as Alex trailed off. "Alex!" The legendary shook its trainer, to no avail. "Wake up!"

Nothing. Alex was asleep.

"Krai!" Darkrai winced as its instincts demanded that it land, threatening the nightmare king with a sharp pain in its skull. They were so close, just one mile left…

Darkrai blacked out.

-o-O~OOO~O-o-

End chapter.

…So, how about that M rating?

One cookie if you can figure out what that story is about, and another dozen if you can see where I'm going with this theme.

Questions? Comments? …Concerns? Well, not even Darkrai can read your mind (not this one…), so if there's something you want to say, make sure to post a review to let me know. I welcome constructive criticism. I will never yell at you for stating your opinion-but please include a reason if you're going to flame.

Next chapter: New Moon.