Night soon came as the groups arrived in the Coronet Highlands in the dead of night.
"Well…seems we have some luck on our side." Hayase said. "According to some reports, the Pearl Clan members stationed here have claimed to have nightmares in the dead of night. And then there's Melli of the Diamond Clan who claims that a Pokémon has taken residence where Electrode normally roams. His description of it matches what you all call Cresselia."
"So it's possible that it's Darkrai who could be causing the nightmares." Simon said.
"That goes without saying. There's no other Pokémon that can cause nightmares." Hope said. "Odds are, one of them has the Dread Plate. We're going to go after both either way so I guess it really doesn't matter which has what."
"Yeah, but it would be kind of ironic if Darkrai did have the Dread Plate." Mari said.
"Um… No, it wouldn't." Sectonia said.
"Yeah…I mean, Darkrai is a Dark type so it wouldn't be ironic. It would be kind of fitting." Dan said.
"The more ironic outcome would be that Cresselia had it, since… You know." Glacius said.
"Yeah…true. Okay…we should probably decide about who investigates what." Jexi said.
"I'll take a group to try and deal with Cresselia. I hear its feathers can be used to ward off bad dreams." Ayase said.
"I'll take the others after Darkrai. I've fought a number of them so I know how Darkrai battles." Jexi said.
"Then we have our plan of attack." Spade said.
They soon split into two parties as they went after their chosen targets as the Ayase team approached the arena as they peeked in to see a bird-like creature with a head shaped like a crescent moon.
"Melli wasn't blowing smoke. It really is Cresselia." Ayase said.
"Oh wow… She looks so pretty." Sectonia said.
"Yeah, those pink rings around her body make her look radiant." Shantae added.
"We need to be cautious. Cresselia is likely to attack once it sees us." Ayase said.
However, Cresselia was quick to take notice of them before letting out a cry.
"Too late. She spotted us." Sectonia said.
"No choice. We're going to have to battle." Ayase said. "Let's go, Blissey!" she said, sending out Blissey.
"Okay, um… Man, it's been a while since we've done this. Vespiquen!" Sectonia said, sending out her Perfect Link.
"Here goes, Sigil!" Simon said, sending out Sigil the Absol.
Cresselia soon realized what was going on as it gathered moonlight energy before firing it off as a Moon Blast attack.
"Blissey, use Egg Bomb!" Ayase said as Blissey hurled an egg as it collided with the Moon Blast to cancel it out.
"Now, X-Scissor!" Sectonia said.
Vespiquen flew in close and dealt it damage.
"Sigil, follow it up with Night Slash!" Simon said as Sigil's horn darkened before he launched a crescent blade of darkness.
As Cresselia took the hit, it soon let out a cry as the moon shined down on it. Its injuries quickly healing as it seemed to camoflauge.
"That was Moonlight. She used it to heal herself." Sectonia said.
"No…it's similar but that was a different move. Lunar Blessing. A move only Cresselia can learn. It heals all damage and status ailments as well as obscuring its body." Ayase said.
"Well, this just made things a little trickier." Sectonia said.
"Not quite…" Ayase said, picking up a ball of mud. She looked to the tree as she hurled it, coating part of Cresselia's body in mud. "Pokéballs aren't the only things we can toss to get an advantage."
"Oh, she is not going to like that her body is covered in mud. I know I wouldn't." Sectonia said.
"Which is why we need to be quick." Ayase said. "Attack now while I prepare the ball."
"Okay, okay. Let's see… I got it! Attack Order!" Sectonia said as Vespiquen's grubs formed a sword in her hand as she charged at Cresselia. They rammed right into her dealing some damage.
"Sigil, Night Slash!" Simon called out as Sigil unleashed another dark slash.
"Here it comes!" Ayase quickly tossing the ball before it could recover. The ball shook before letting out the fireworks. "Cresselia captured." she said before looking to find a black plate. "And we just got an added bonus."
"Yep. Totally ironic." Sectonia said.
Meanwhile on the Clamberclaw Cliffs….
"Yeah…they were right." Jexi said seeing the Darkrai floating around the area.
"Darkrai. Now isn't this nostalgic for you, Jexi." Hope said.
"For all the wrong reasons, I'd bet." David said.
"Yes. Darkrai is a powerful Pokémon. It'll try to put us to sleep using Dark Void so then it'll go on the attack." Jexi said.
"If we can sneak up on it, maybe we can take it by surprise." Scorpia recommended.
"Surprise…crap. I almost forgot that…" Jexi said as they jumped out as a black ball hit where they had been standing. "That it's no stranger to surprise attacks." he said seeing Darkrai looking right at them with a claw out.
"Oh crap. We're not gonna get the drop on him that easily." David said.
"Yeah…kinda figured things might go this way. No other way. Gonna have to fight." Jexi said.
"I've got your back. I'll distract him while one of you gets behind him and goes for the catch." David said.
"Understood." Spade said.
"Come, Corviknight!" David said as he send out his Corviknight.
Darkrai looked right at the bird Pokémon with caution before it fired a Dark Pulse right at it.
"Go, Steel Wing!" David said.
Corviknight's Steel Wing broke through the Dark Pulse as it hit Darkrai. Before going for another strike, Corviknight was held in midair with Darkrai's Psychic before being thrown back.
"You okay, Corviknight? Your armor holding up?" David asked.
Corviknight cawed as Darkrai gathered energy before launching Dark Void across the area.
"Oh no… Corviknight, get moving!" David said.
Corviknight quickly took off as the Dark Void's were missing left and right as Corviknight flew across the sky.
"Alright! That's the stuff. Now, hone in on an Air Slash!" David said.
Corviknight then landed an Air Slash on Darkrai before Darkrai retaliated with Dark Void.
"Not good…but…that's just fine." David said.
Darkrai was confused before something hit it from behind before it was pulled inside of a Pokéball.
"Because they were just a diversion." Hope said as the ball let out its fireworks.
"Twas a conquest of will." Spade said.
"Uh…maybe between Corviknight and Darkrai but not the rest of us." Jexi said. "Hmm…Ayase must have caught Cresselia by now so I guess our work is done here." he said as they passed by a man sleeping alongside an Alolan Meowth.
"Whoa…who is this guy?" Hope asked. "Wait…I think I know him. He's one of the grunts who used to work for my family."
"And for the Assassin Association, also as a grunt." Moth said.
"Oh…so this guy was picked." Cricket said. "Terror of Groups Crow."
"I don't want to ask how he got that name." David said.
"Pretty simple really. Every group he's ever joined…was either dissolved, arrested or annihilated." Cricket said.
"Kind of like me in a sense." Esmeralda said.
"I don't think so, Esmeralda. I think that was all in your head." Glacius said.
"Huh? What do you mean by that?" Esmeralda asked.
"What I mean was… Well, yes, every master you pledged your services to met gruesome ends, but they were never on your account." Glacius said. "They were either from deals gone wrong or the enemies they have made, you had nothing to do with that. And besides, we have joined up with Mythos Hearts in Tokyo and Reformed Society in Beijing, and nothing bad has happened to them as of late, right?"
"And, just to remind you…Theodore Flux was later confirmed to be alive." Jexi said.
"Yes. But that no longer matters." Esmeralda said.
"Yeah, I can tell. Theodore messed you girls up bad… Really bad." David said. "But…when you were with Reformed Society in Beijing… I think that may be the first time in a long time that anyone has seen you smile. Am I getting this right?"
"Hmm…true." Esmeralda said. "So what's this guy's blame towards?"
"His Curse. It's called Jinx. Basically it causes the chances of misfortune to increase the more positive he is. He has acclaimed this Curse as the reason all the groups, which you all disbanded, fell apart." Cricket said.
"I think it's just like Glacius said to Esmeralda, it's all in his head." David said. "He was just basing it on the people he chose to align with."
"Maybe…if he wasn't from the Darkness Universe." Cricket said. "Whether or not he actually has an actual Curse or not remains to be seen. Could be happenstance, actual bad luck. Either way, what's bad luck for those groups has turned into good for you guys."
"Well… I suppose that's one way to put it." David said.
"Should we take him back?" Hope asked.
"Nah. Better leave him. We don't need any bad luck when we're getting close to the end game." Cricket said.
"Well, we're gonna have to pick this guy up at some point before we collect all the plates. But I think I'll go with Cricket's suggestion and leave him be for now." Leopardmon said.
"Yes…but still." Thorani said, putting a blanket over him. "May as well keep him comfy."
"Always the motherly type." Leviathan said.
Dread Plate acquired. Cresselia and Darkrai captured…