Thud. Light steps danced across the ground. A young girl shielded her baggy eyes against the harsh rays of the sun. Her messy lilac hair tumbled slightly past her shagging shoulders. Beside her a large orange dragon curled up, immediately falling into deep sleep. Cresselia knew the Pokemon to be a Charizard but she stayed out of sight for she knew not of its behavior. Would it attack her if she approached the human? Cresselia wasn't keen to find out.
She examined the girl. Shaking her head she noticed the woolen clothing. Surely the human was burning in the summer light. Though winters in Sinnoh were among the coldest even Cresselia shed dozens of feathers throughout the warm seasons. Many of the green wings littered the ground and teemed with her healing powers. The lunar swan had hoped the girl would've taken one of the and left. The girl bent down. She clutched a glittering feather in her hands and studied it before looking around, her eyes searching for something.
Her wish unfulfilled, Cresselia slid out of her cave and into the open. The girl spied her and was awestruck. She had never seen a creature like Cresselia before.
"Child." Cresselia called out with her telepathy, "Why have you come here?"
Cresselia was aware of the girl's situation even before she spoke.
"My village has been ravaged by nightmares for days. No one has gotten a wink of good sleep. I was sent here to find you, Cresselia." The girl explained. "The legends say you can cure any nightmare."
"This is true." Cresselia responded, "I can indeed cure nightmares and bring your village good dreams but tell me, have you any idea what caused them?"
The girl clutched her self tightly, fear choked her speech.
"The shadows…they have voices."
Cresselia nodded her head and came to the conclusion that a Darkrai could be the culprit. She doubted that it was her Darkrai, he tended to avoid human settlements. It was most likely a young Darkrai unused to its nightmare abilities. However she had learned to never rule out any possibility.
"I will help you." She told the girl.
The girl woke her Charizard. The orange dragon gave a sad huff before allowing the girl to climb onto its back. Together Cresselia and the duo flew towards a little village the girl called Canalave. They arrived by night. The moonlight sprinkled through the trees and onto small wooden cottages of the village. Inside the windows of the houses, candles glowed. No one would be getting sleep tonight if Cresselia didn't help them.
Bidding the girl farewell, Cresselia began her patrol of the village. Lights flickered out of houses and pleasant dreams filled the air. Cresselia sensed nothing amiss by the first hour. By the second she wondered if her trip had been in vain. But when the jagged moon was high in the sky she felt distress at the far end of the village. Cresselia rushed over to the last house at the edge of the woods. The nightmares were pouring from the shadows.
"Show yourself!" She cried, her body glowed threateningly.
Whatever it was stayed hidden and laughed at her. Immediately Cresselia knew it was not her Darkrai. The voice was too high-pitched.
"We will not come out for the silly Cresselia."
Cresselia bit her cheek in frustration.
"We? Who is we?"
"We will not tell."
Cresselia scanned the edge of the forest. The shadows almost seemed to breathe.
"Are you aware that you are hurting the people and Pokémon of this village?"
"Yes. They're dreams are quite delicious. We are always full. We enjoy the show as well, watching them fall into the darkest of dreams."
"I have a problem with that."
"Why should we care?"
"Because I don't tolerate the harm of the innocent."
Cresselia fired a psycho cut at the shadows and out popped a Gastly, two Mismagius', a Misdreavus and a Duskull. The ghost types glared at her.
"Stupid Cresselia. You will suffer for that!" the Misdreavus cried, a swirling purple ball exploded from the creature's mouth.
Cresselia effortless shielded herself from the attack before using ice beam. The Duskull and one of the Mismagius' were frozen solid which only angered the remaining ghosts more. A shadow ball hit her in the shoulder. Cresselia whirled around and aimed another psycho cut at the Gastly, who fainted when it struck. The Misdreavus slammed into her. Cresselia pushed back against it but was unable to stop the Pokémon from hurling a Shadow Ball at her. The close range of the attack left Cresselia's side hissing with pain. She jolted back to examine her situation. The two ghosts charged another set of Shadow Balls and sent them her way. She had no time to react.
Before she could be hit a dark mass came out of the ground and positioned itself in front of her. The Shadow balls dissipated against it. Both Pokémon looked at it in fear and alarm. Wisps of white hair rose from a red spiked collar. The pitch-black pokemon turned slightly towards her.
"Are you alright?"
Cresselia, too shocked to respond, merely nodded.
"So…" Darkrai's foreboding tone made Cresselia's stomach queasy.
"P-p-please don't hurt us. W-we didn't know this was y-your territory." The Mismagius spoke up.
"You unjustly harmed this village and Cresselia." Darkrai growled, "I bet she was more than polite when asking you to leave."
"We were only hungry!" the Misdreavus responded, a bit defiantly.
"Yet you made a sport of causing pathetic nightmares." A dark ball of sinister energy formed in Darkrai's claws, "Now you will suffer true nightmares."
Before the ghosts could beg, the Dark Void surrounded them. They fell to the hard ground with a crack and began to spasm violently. Cresselia's bones chilled and her stomach tightened into knots. Darkrai clenched his fists. His eyes glinted and glowed as he upped the intensity of the ghosts' nightmares. The bile rose up in Cresselia's throat.
"Darkrai that's enough." She whimpered grasping onto his arm.
He didn't even flinch when her paws dug into his skin. The ghosts cried out in terror.
"Please stop." Cresselia begged.
"Why should I?" He rasped harshly, "They hurt you."
Anger and desperation rushed into Cresselia's veins. She whipped around and pushed Darkrai back.
"Why are you so upset?" Darkrai asked, "I'm trying to protect you."
"This isn't protection, it's torture! Stop this now!" Cresselia shouted.
"Or what?" Darkrai retorted.
"Or I will make you stop." Frost began to mist out of her mouth.
Darkrai narrowed his eyes, they briefly flickered with hurt before he waved his claws and the nightmares dulled enough so that Cresselia could dissipate them. She floated by each ghost, healing their injuries. After warning them against injustice malice, the ghosts thanked Cresselia for her mercy and agreed to move on from the village.
Cresselia looked around for Darkrai only to find he had disappeared. Cresselia looked down and her paws were still trembling. She shook her head as her eyes clouded up with water and took a deep breath.
How can he be that cruel and have the gall to call it protection?
Cresselia inhaled.
He was acting just like he did when he-
Cresselia exhaled. The crater's lava swirled in her mind. She could taste the soot and feel the intense heat burrow into her soul. His single eye upon her, cold and unfeeling. Her chest constricted and ached.
Was he always like this? Was I blind to it? Dear Arceus why does it have to hurt?
Cresselia sighed heavily. Her breathing had become more and more calm but her heart began to burn.
Cresselia returned to the village. She flew past every window and felt glad when she saw the peaceful smiles on every face inside. Tonight everyone would finally get some good sleep. Staying was not an option for her, she needed to find her own peace at home. Cresselia could already imagine the coziness of her nest and the calm solitude of her cave.
Tiredness overcame her at the sight of the inky sky that slowly radiated to a warm lilac color. Luckily Cresselia's island was close enough that she didn't have to worry about dropping into the treacherous sea. Glancing around Cresselia noticed a shadowy shape a little aways. It turned towards her. The cyan eyes considered her for a moment before the creature crossed his arms and floated off towards its own island. The lunar swan sighed in frustration. She had no time for this. Shoving her annoyed feelings to the side, Cresselia disappeared into the mists.