Short chapter this time. Just exploring another side of the story that will become much more significant later on. Enjoy
-(000)-
Discord of the Moon
The massive, imposing stone peak that was Mt. Coronet loomed overhead, jutting defiantly against the sky. Massive stone formations weathered by innumerable centuries dominated the mountainside, completely dwarfing the sparse population of scraggly bushes that had dared to take root. The mountain's rounded peak was capped with a shining layer of crystalline snow and encircled with a halo of white clouds, giving the seemingly unreachable peak an almost ethereal air. Standing next to this mountain, staring up at its sheer immensity and power, one felt pretty small in comparison.
"Who are you?" the mountain seemed to ask. "You are insignificant. I have stood the eternal test of time. I have existed before the birth of your ancestors was ever conceived, and I shall remain long after the bones of you children's children have turned to dust. I have lived ten thousand lives. I have weathered uncountable disasters. I stand here as a testament to the creation of the world itself. Who are you?"
Zephyr whistled softly as he slowly let his gaze wander up this immense stone rise. He'd always known that it was big. He'd crossed the mountain several times with Zach in the past. However, even to this day he was simply awed by the sheer massive power of this incredible natural wonder.
It was late evening, about three days after Zephyr's skirmish in the forest. Compared to his first day, his journey up until now had been uneventful at best, though that was mostly the idea. He'd deliberately stayed off the main routes and the beaten path in general. He was a very fine example of the Gallade species, and a prize that many Trainers would just love to catch for their teams. Since he would much rather not have to fight off every Trainer and his little brother from here to Canalave, he avoided towns, routes, and pretty much anyplace that a Trainer might decide to wander.
However, while being strong was something of a nuisance when it came to humans, in the wild it was an advantage. If you looked and/or acted tough, things tended to leave you alone. Zephyr hadn't gotten into a single fight since his battle with the Toxicroaks. Admittedly, he'd gotten into a shouting match with a Loudred when he'd snapped at it to please shut up, seeing as it had been around midnight and he was trying to get some sleep. He'd lost.
With a yawn and a slight stretch Zephyr ambled along the mountain's base, casting a critical eye across the landscape. He walked for about ten minutes before he came across one of the last trees to find root in this unforgiving, nutrient-drained soil. It was a mature oak, standing roughly twenty-five feet tall with a great sweeping canopy of green leaves that swayed gently in the evening breeze.
Satisfied, Zephyr took a short running leap and landed easily in one of the lower bows, nestling in for the night. It was still early evening and Zephyr could have kept going for a little while longer, but as he knew from experience the Pokemon of Mt. Coronet were extremely strong. He would much rather face them and the climb ahead fully refreshed.
As he lay in the tree, letting the energy of the day slowly drain out of him, he could not help but be captivated by the sheer peacefulness of the scene he had found himself in. The wind whispered softly as it rustled the leaves around him, creating a soothing sort of melody that was perfectly complimented by the gentle swaying of the branches. Overhead, a small family of Pidgeys cooed quietly as they settled into their nest for the evening. The sun was low on the horizon, casting long shadows from his prone form onto the ground below. The sky above was a great blaze of deep red and orange, and the harsh slopes of Mt. Coronet softened slightly as a slight golden shimmer played across its rock-strewn surface. It was just so beautiful, and yet Zephyr could not truly appreciate it, not when he knew that his mate was in mortal peril. If only she were here, lying next to him and sharing this beautiful vista.
Just before Zephyr fell asleep he made a silent prayer to Arceus begging for Rain's safety, as he did every evening. Normally, he would have known for a fact that at this moment Rain was alive and well. Gallades and Gardevoirs are extremely powerful in terms of psychic ability, and when two of them mate it creates a bond between them. This is more than a simple connection forged between minds, however. It is a melding of hearts, a truly perfect and complete union on every possible level. The very soul of each is surrendered to and accepted by the other, and they are forever entwined by unbreakable ties of deepest love.
This sacred union creates a connection between the two so powerful that either one of the pair can sense their mate from opposite sides of the planet. Even at such an impossible distance they can know, beyond all possible doubt, that their mate is still alive. However, Zephyr had been unable to sense Rain at all because, as he had guessed, Darkrai's powerful aura of Dark energy suppressed their communication.
"Please Arceus," he murmured just before he passed out, his voice soft and almost broken. "Please keep her safe. Do whatever you like to me, but please keep her safe."
-(000)-
Night draped over Newmoon Island and the surrounding oceans like a veil. The still mostly full moon was hidden behind a small spattering of clouds. The only sources of light were the stars and the glowing figure that hovered about a hundred yards off the coast of the island.
A beautiful creature vaguely reminiscent of a swan looked toward the island with a profoundly melancholy air. Her body was a beautiful soft blue, with a pale golden underbelly, and which shone with a gentle light. Instead of the usual feathered wings found on most birds she had three lovely pink crescents, one of which was positioned over her back like a collar. The other two swept from the first and arched forward until they met her front, upon which could be seen two small, delicate paws. Her head was adorned with a magnificent crest akin to a crescent moon, and her eyes were a beautiful shade of garnet. They were sad.
He was there, floating above the beach where she was looking. He knew she was there, and he returned her gaze coolly. There was no warmth in that gaze, and it was this coldness that made her heart ache. The eyes that had once looked at her with acceptance, kindness and (dare she even for a moment think it?) possibly even tenderness for so long now held nothing but cold dislike bordering on hatred.
There had been a time once when he had looked at her like that before, but it had not bothered her then. Back then that was the best she could ever have hoped for, and she would most likely have returned the glare with interest. But that was in the past. That was before she had seen the side of him that he had hidden from everyone for so long. She hadn't seen that look in his eyes for well over two thousand years, but for the last twenty it was the only gaze he seemed to have for her, and it hurt like a knife in her heart.
This was not the New Moon Spirit that she had come to know. The one she had grown so close to would never do things like this: kidnapping, murder, and who knew what others horrors he had done. This was not even mentioning what he actually hoped to finally accomplish by doing all of this. No, this was not like him at all, and if she weren't 100% sure that this really was him, she would have believed with all her heart that this was merely an imposter. But she knew. She was his counterpart. Of course she knew that this was the true Lord of Nightmares, this person who had betrayed his role, betrayed every other Great One, betrayed the world.
Betrayed her.
"Darkrai," Cresselia whispered in a voice that could break a heart of stone. "What happened to you?"
-(000)-
Darkrai continued to glare at the lunar swan until she finally turned and began to drift away. Her presence was nothing more than an irritation to him now. Oh, there had been a time when she had done more than just float and stare. When he had first chosen this new path she had argued with him constantly, attempting to reason with him and dissuade him, but he would not be swayed.
She then tried to fight him, subdue him so that he could not pursue his new purpose. But he would not be stopped. This was the way he had chosen, and he was not going to let her interfere. Eventually he refused to suffer her irritations any longer, so he showed her exactly what she was trying to contend with. She had barely escaped his island with her life, and she had only done so because he had allowed it. She did not bother him again. Whenever she came now, she never strayed closer than seventy yards if she was feeling truly brave, and she never tried to speak to him. She only looked at him with those sad eyes.
Yet even as the thought of how he had utterly broken her filled his black heart with the deepest pleasure, there was a note of discord in his being, though he had grown too deaf to hear it. That lack of harmony had come from the part of him that had been buried twenty years ago. It was silent and unfelt, but still it was there, and still it continued to feel on its own. Somewhere, deep in a part of his soul that he hadn't listened to for two decades he reflected upon exactly how close he had come to killing her, and doing worse things than that, and he wept tears that would never be shed.
-(000)-
And thus the first hints of the LunarEclipse are planted. R & R, please.