Ch2: Team Logos.
Cresselia approached the four Pokémon protecting Darkrai.
"I don't have to explain myself here. Hand him over, now." Cresselia demanded.
"Absolutely not!" Chatot fluttered his wings, glaring daggers at the lunar Pokémon.
There was a crowd of over two dozen Pokémon in the back. There was the possibility of Wigglytuff using his rage. However, given the state Darkrai was in, his rage could end up being fatal.
"Fine then, you leave me absolutely no choice!" Cresselia and the mob charged.
The four Pokémon braced themselves. The situation was hopeless, but they were never going to abandon their friend.
"This is the end for you, Darkrai."
"Are you sure about that?"
Cresselia stopped. The sound was coming from outside the window.
"Crash!"
The glass shattered along with a blinding light emitted by a Luminous Orb.
Cresselia yelped in pain as she felt several of her feathers get plucked out at once.
Once the light faded, three strange looking Pokémon stood before Darkrai. Officer Magnezone joined them from the window, along with Magnemites carrying an apprehended Xatu.
"What is this!? What's going on here!?" Cresselia cried out.
"My team and I are an investigation team from the Exploration Team Federation." Said the silver, black and red armored Pokemon. Behind him stood a violet and blue armored Pokémon along with an orange and red armored Pokémon.
"What? Augh!"
The purple blue Pokémon broke a petrify orb. Both Cresselia and the mob were suddenly immobilized.
"I have a few questions for you, Cresselia. First of all, why are you here?" Spoke the red and silver Pokémon.
"To dispatch Darkrai before he could harm anyone!" She answered.
The silver Pokémon glanced between Cresselia and Darkrai. "A Pokémon so unwell that he wound up in a coma is dangerous to you? I don't see how he could be a danger to anyone. If anything, this mob is putting him in danger."
"You don't understand! Everyone here is in danger from him!" Cresselia insisted.
"Why?" The silver Pokémon asked.
"Because something bad is going to happen tonight if I don't put an end to this!" Cresselia struggled to speak through the paralysis.
"What will happen, and why will it happen? What will this completely unresponsive Pokémon do?" The silver Pokémon asked while gesturing to the unconscious Darkrai lying down on the straw bed.
"Everyone is going to be plunged into a nightmare so bad, that several townsfolk will perish if I don't put an end to this tonight!"
"Why tonight?" The silver Pokémon asked.
"Because it's the new moon!"
"Why on the new moon?" The silver Pokémon asked.
"Because a dark void will form around Darkrai on a new moon and engulf everyone within a large area in a lethal nightmare!"
"Only on a new moon?" The silver Pokémon asked.
"Yes!"
"How about the rest of the month?" The silver Pokémon asked.
Cresselia seemed to be getting frustrated by the questions.
"He's most dangerous before, during, and after a new moon. And he's harmless before, during, and after a full moon!"
"Does he know this?" The silver Pokémon asked.
"No!" Cresselia replied.
"But somehow you do? Yet despite being his caretaker once, you never bothered to tell him this crucial piece of information that he is currently suffering because of." The silver Pokémon said.
Cresselia felt her blood run cold.
Everyone's attention, including the mob itself, was suddenly on her.
"Do you recognize the Pokémon in custody, Cresselia?" The silver Pokémon asked.
"I…." Cresselia was at a loss for words.
"Isn't that the Pokémon that told Cresselia that Darkrai was a harbinger of doom?" Breloom asked.
"Is that correct, Cresselia?" The silver Pokémon asked.
"…" Cresselia remained silent.
"Officer Magnezone, do you recall that six years ago, Cresselia told you that Darkrai had attempted to murder her?" The silver Pokémon asked.
"Zzt, yes, I do."
"And do you recall the location of that place?" The silver Pokémon asked.
"Zzt, Suncliff peak, Zzt."
"Mmhm, and I do recall that Xatu here lived at the peak of Suncliff too until the day after the alleged incident if the census reports I pulled up were correct?" The silver Pokémon asked.
"Zzt, that is correct, Zzt."
"The report shows that Xatu was living a very humble life with no prized possessions nor money. Yet, somehow, the day following the alleged incident, Xatu suddenly had enough means to purchase a shop in Treasure Town and have enough capital to be operational until his business picked up, is that correct?" The silver Pokémon asked.
The tension in the atmosphere rose.
"Zzt, that is also correct, Zzt."
"I'm curious Xatu, from where did you obtain all that money? Why right after Cresselia took Darkrai so you could read into his future?" The silver Pokémon asked.
"….." Xatu did not reply.
"Oh, and Cresselia, by what means did you intend to dispatch Darkrai that day?" The silver Pokémon asked.
"I wasn't trying to dispatch him!" Cresselia snapped.
"Then what were you trying to do then?" The silver Pokémon asked.
Breloom frowned and said, "he did tell me that she tried to trap him in something called an odd keystone. She tried to do so again at the hidden land."
"!"
"An odd… keystone… squawk!" Chatot fluttered his wings frantically before glaring at Cresselia.
"If this is true, then this is a major crime! It is a crime to merely own one! It's a whole different matter to attempt to use it on someone!" Said Chatot.
"Did you intend to trap Darkrai in an odd keystone, Cresselia?" The silver Pokémon asked.
"… he's a danger to everyone, and if you don't dispatch him tonight, some Pokémon could perish." Cresselia replied coldly.
"Hmm, what're these that I'm holding?" The silver Pokémon held up the feathers he plucked from Cresselia.
"..." Cresselia did not reply.
"These are Lunar Feathers!" Said Chatot.
"And what do they do?" The silver Pokémon asked.
"I have read about tales of Cressalia's wings being used to dispel nightmares."
"Is Darkrai currently having a nightmare?" The silver Pokémon asked.
"…"
The silver Pokémon plucked out a few tuffs from one of the feathers. "You there, could you quickly make a tea out of those tuffs and bring it here?" The silver Pokémon asked Spinda.
Spinda twirled around and said, "that's right!" Before taking tuffs and heading past the mob into the mess room to find the nearest hearth.
"Based on everything I have discerned here; I will conduct an experiment. Darkrai is currently unconscious and hasn't heard any of this conversation. So, if Darkrai recovers from drinking that tea, and goes on to give everyone horrific nightmares regardless, then you're right. But if Darkrai drinks this tea, and nobody in Treasure Town experiences any nightmares, then you will be put under arrest for-"
Cresselia broke out the petrified status and teleported away.
The silence in the room was deafening, nobody could believe what had just happened, but it was impossible to deny it.
"Miss Cresselia… why?"
"I believed in her my whole life!"
"Why would she frame another Pokémon like that?"
"I feel tremendous guilt, this is the second time she has had us convinced to attack this Pokémon!"
"He never wanted to harm anyone?"
"She had a permanent solution to the nightmares all along!?"
Officer Magnezone.
"Zzt, order! Zzt Everyone, go back to your homes immediately! Zzt"
"Guys! I'm back with the tea!" Spinda exclaimed. She hurried past the mob, momentarily noticing that Cresselia was gone and then handed the tea to the silver Pokémon.
Chatot fluttered his wings and addressed the crowd.
"Everyone, please leave now! Darkrai is going to have a heart attack if he wakes up and sees a mob looming over him!"
The mob glanced at each other, Chatot's words made perfect sense. They uttered words of apology before leaving the guild.
Officer Magnezone spoke briefly with Team Logos and Wigglytuff before making his leave with the Magnemites and the apprehended Xatu.
With the mob and police gone, the silver Pokémon instructed Breloom to help Darkrai drink the Lunar tea.
"Easy there Buddy, you're going to be okay." Breloom lifted half of Darkrai's backup and tilted his head back a little. He opened Darkrai's mouth and tipped the cup in, allowing his friend to drink the tea bit by bit. "You're burning up so badly Buddy, it'll be okay now."
—
The apprentices came back into the guild. They were busy cleaning up the mess the mob had left behind.
"They REALLY trashed the place HUH?" Loudred boomed.
"They sure did, yup yup." Bidoof bemoaned the amount of cleaning he had to do before the last light of day faded.
"Oh my gosh! I hope nobody stole my diary!" Sunflora exclaimed, earning several jeers from her fellow apprentices.
"What? Gosh! I'm serious, you guys!" Sunflora protested.
"Do you think everything is going to be alright tonight? I mean, Darkrai has yet to wake up." Said Marill, who was doing most of the cleaning.
"Golly, we can only hope so!" Bidoof replied.
"Hey, hey! We won't know what's going to happen for sure until tomorrow morning, so let's stop worrying ourselves!" Corphish dissolved the conversation.
Chatot emerged from the lodge room hall.
"I have some news everyone."
The apprentices tensed.
"Darkrai's fever finally broke, he appears to be sleeping peacefully now. Please continue cleaning until supper. The guild will be closed off tomorrow to give everyone more time to get the guild back in shape again for operations." Chatot gave his report then headed into the Guildmaster's office.
"Well, I guess now we'll have to wait and see if this foreign team is right then." Marill mused aloud.
—
A pair of icy blue eyes cracked open.
(….. my head feels so heavy)
"Yo, Buddy, you're awake!"
(Breloom?)
Darkrai slowly turned his head to the side to see his smiling friend. Based on his surroundings, Darkrai realized that he was in his old room in the guild, which meant that Chatot and the rest of the guild knew he was back.
(It was inevitable I suppose, I can't be mad at Breloom for that. At least I didn't have that blasted nightmare again-)
(Wait… the fire is burning up in me! Did I disperse it everywhere!?)
"My dude, are you alright?" Breloom asked and checked Darkrai's forehead.
"Your fever is completely gone." He sighed in relief.
"Nightmares…. Did anyone?"
Breloom shook his head. "No Buddy, nobody had any nightmares last night."
(I don't know why, but hearing that makes me feel so happy, that I find myself resisting the urge to cry)
"Buddy? Why are you crying?" Breloom asked.
"I thought for sure that the fire within me was going to end up scorching innocent Pokemon to death, and there wouldn't have been a thing I could do to stop it. I'm scared Breloom, I'm scared to fall asleep lest I end up locking someone in an endless nightmare."
"Oh Buddy, you don't have to worry about that anymore. You see the team I told you about? They came here yesterday, and they did indeed help you!" Breloom exclaimed.
Darkrai blinked twice.
"They provided Spinda with a jar of medicine for your ailment. The instructions are with her. Past this month, the medicine should last you two years." Breloom explained.
"What? How? I don't understand?" Darkrai asked in confusion.
"You need to rest and take your medicine for two days. Once past that, then I'll explain everything that happened yesterday to you."
Darkrai nodded. "Alright Breloom. I trust your judgment."
"Two more days huh? So much for this body being stronger." Darkrai mused aloud.
"Your snark is back!" Breloom chuckled, earning a weak smile from Darkrai.
—
Breloom left the lodge rooms to meet up with Chatot, who had a serious expression on his face.
"The flier should be up on the Criminal Job Board tomorrow morning… this is going to be the highest bounty ever set in this country's history." Said Chatot.
Breloom nodded.
"You are right, this Team Lagos is exceptional. They made her confess everything right then and there. But I'm still confused about one thing. Why? Why did she do all of this?" Chatot fluttered his wings.
"She was his caretaker, yet she lied to him, manipulated him, let his sickness fester, and ultimately tried to seal him away or make him perish? What for?" Chatot grumbled.
Breloom contemplated whether or not to tell Chatot about what Giratina had told Team Lagos.
"Um… yo, Chatot, can I speak with you and Wigglytuff about something? Privately." Breloom added.
Chatot paused but gave Breloom and an approving nod.
—
"Squawk! Giratina told you that Darkrai is supposed to keep this world from plunging into chaos." Chatot shouted.
Breloom growned, "Dude, be quiet, others could have heard us man!"
"But… didn't Darkrai, or the old one at least, attempt to destroy the world by plunging it into a deep slumber?" Chatot argued.
Breloom crossed his arms, "That much is true."
Wigglytuff remained calm as he heard this.
"A world where everything is at a standstill. That seems to be the opposite of a world of chaos." Wigglytuff deduced, earning surprised looks from both Breloom and Chatot.
"That…. makes sense." Chatot admitted.
"But then… What does a world of chaos look like?" Breloom asked.
"I don't know." Said Wigglytuff.
"… Breloom, thank you for sharing this information with us." Said Chatot.
Breloom seized. He still was not very fond of Chatot, and he did not know how to respond to receiving praise from him.
"Alright, I'll be heading out to do some paperwork for an upcoming survey, I'll be back in the evening with my Buddy's medicine." Breloom said before heading out.
"A world of chaos… whatever that is, it sounds more horrid than a world of absolute stillness." Said Chatot.
—
Nightfall came and went.
The next morning.
—
A pair of icy blue eyes opened.
(… I feel well rested. I haven't slept this well since… forever.)
Darkrai got up.
(I can finally move about. However, I know Breloom will be upset with me if I leave the room. Whatever! I can argue with him about it later, I'm tired of being bedridden!)
Darkrai headed out of lodge rooms and into the ground floor main room and paused.
(…!… What is this odd sensation? There's a presence here- no, three, that feels somewhat… familiar?)
Darkrai looked around.
(Where is everybody? Is it just me, or does the place look a little messy?)
The guildmaster's door swung open.
(!)
An upright Pokémon clad in dark blue and violet armor stepped out. Its head had a flame-like trail behind it, violet eyes, and one shining violet blade for a forearm and another regular black and violet armored hand.
The Pokémon stared at him, mirroring his shock… The blade arm retracted back into a normal arm, earning an audible shock from Darkrai.
"You must be… the Darkrai." The Pokémon spoke in a feminine voice.
(The Darkrai? That's right, Breloom and my partner had told them everything.)
The Pokémon turned around and addressed other Pokémon in the Guildmaster's office.
"Darkrai's here, he's awake." They spoke.
Two Pokémon stepped out, both of which evoked the same odd sensation in Darkrai.
(One of them looks so much like the purple Pokémon, except with orange and red armor, red eyes, 'blasters' for arms- no, they retracted into normal hands just like the other Pokémon. Then there's this silver and red Pokémon. They look different, yet somehow similar to the other two. They have bladed arms- not even those retracted to reveal armored hands. There's one thing for sure, all of those three Pokémon are giving me a strange sensation.)
The silver and red Pokémon smiled.
"Ah! You're finally awake!" That Pokémon said in a masculine voice.
"Who… are you?" Darkrai asked.
"The three of us are Team Logos. We're part of the Exploration Team Federation." That Pokémon said as Chatot and Wigglytuff emerged from the office.
"And… who are you?" Darkrai asked again, more harshly.
"My name is Alonso, I'm a Bisharp." The silver Pokémon introduced himself with his hand over his chest and a courteous half bow. He then gestured to the Red and orange Pokémon, "This is Asturias, he's an Armarouge." Then he gestured to the blue and violet Pokémon. "And this is Aragon, she's a Ceruledge."
"…. You have real names." Darkrai spoke.
Alonso paused.
(The only Pokémon I have met with an actual name has been my partner thus far. Everyone else seems to go by what kind of Pokémon they are rather than an actual name… something about those names is odd. I just can't seem to know why.)
Darkrai doubled down.
"Are you that foreign team Breloom told me of? Where did you come from?"
Chatot interrupted, fluttering his wings in anger. "Be polite for once! These kind Pokémon saved your life yesterday, from both your fever, and a whole mob that came out to get you!"
(Wait, what!? A mob!? Already!? Does everyone know I'm here!? Would that mean that Cresselia is going to go after me too!?)
"Chatot, you didn't have to throw all that news at him, I made myself clear that he should rest before being told what had transpired. Look, he's already stressed out from hearing this news!" Alonso politely scolded Chatot.
Chatot lowered his head and said nothing.
"If you don't mind me asking, what is your name?" Asturias asked.
(My name? Come to think of it, I no longer refer to myself by the name I had gone by. That was someone else's name. Some have already started to refer to me as Darkrai, but I don't feel too right about that either… Do I have a name?)
"….. I don't know…. I don't know my name…"
Alonso followed up Asturias with another question, "Is that as in you are only called Darkrai, or do you have a real name?"
Wigglytuff looked shocked by this question.
(… Do I have a real name? I don't know…. All I know, all I remember is a-)
"A 'lighthouse'…." Darkrai said before passing out.
Aragon was quick to hold Darkrai before he hit the ground.
Chatot grumbled at Alonso, "was interrogating him now really necessary!? And you told me that I had stressed him out?"
"I needed confirmation, and now I got it." Alonso stated.
"Confirmation for what?" Wigglytuff asked.
"That he really doesn't know anything about himself." Alonso replied.
"The word 'Aitous', whatever that means, is that his name then?" Chatot asked.
Alonso shook his head and said, "I don't know."
"Aragon, could you please take Darkrai back to his lodge room?" Alonso asked Aragon.
"At once." Aragon replied and carried the semi-unconscious Darkrai back into the lodge.
Aragon looked at the pile of straws being used for bedding and scowled. She returned back to the ground floor with Darkrai still in her arms.
"Hmm, what's the matter?" Asturias asked.
"That bedding must have been hampering his recovery, no wonder he isn't improving." Said Aragon.
Chatot fluttered his wings and said, "what is wrong with the bedding!?"
"It's just a pile of straw." Aragon replied.
"… so?" said Chatot.
Aragon scowled again, but Alonso answered for her.
"Pokemon of my team and Darkrai's body type cannot rest well on this kind of bedding. It injures our backs. We have suitable bedding back at a base we built not far from the Hot Springs. We can bring this kind of bedding here for him to rest on instead."
"…. This is the first time I have ever heard of this." Said Chatot.
"But it is true. I cannot rest easy on straw. I need something puffy, and fluffy! Like back at mom and dad's house!" Wigglytuff exclaimed happily.
Chatot squinted his eyes, "Breloom isn't going to like this."
"Aragon, you hurry ahead and bring that bedding. Asturias and I will make the straw bedding more suitable for him in the meantime." Said Alonso as Aragon handed Darkrai over to him.
"Goodness he's a bit light…" Alonso mused.
"Oh, Aragon, please make sure to bring something suitable for him to eat as well." Asturias told Aragon.
Aragon nodded slowly before sprinting out at astounding speed.
—
(…. Am I dreaming? I feel… comfortable… like I'm surrounded by something familiar.)
(My head doesn't hurt as much…. And my back feels at ease….)
(Something smells tantalizing and…. And…. Familiar…)
(There's a presence here… no, several….)
—
A pair of icy blue eyes opened.
Darkrai tried to move his arms but noticed that they were enveloped by a soft fabric. Beneath him was a fluffy sensation encased in fabric, and under his head was a firm, yet comfortable object.
"Finally awake again! You need to eat something, you look unwell."
Darkrai heard Aragon's voice.
(I do not recall the last time I have slept this well… Not since-)
"Augh!" Darkrai groaned from a sudden headache.
"Easy… here, drink your medicine." Aragon encouraged.
Darkrai tilted his head to look at Aragon. He nodded slowly and pushed away the blanket.
(Wait, how do I know what that is?)
Darkrai looked at the teacup. It was white, with a golden colored handle, and blue flowers engraved in the cup. The design of it seemed vaguely familiar.
(I have seen something like this before.)
Darkrai instinctively grasped the tea cub by the handle using three fingers and lifted it to take a sip.
(This tea… it's what's been making me feel better?)
Asturias stepped in with a warm, and savory smelling dish.
Darkrai looked up to see an odd-looking cooked food that he hadn't seen anything like before for as long as he could remember.
"What's that?" Darkrai asked.
"It's a 'quesadilla', a very common dish from our land." Asturias replied.
Darkrai was cautious at first, but the smell of the food was somewhat familiar to him.
"… thank you."
(Here, let me try one.)
Darkrai gazed down at the food that seemed very 'bread' like with two savory smelling items in the center.
(I've seen something like this before… I'm having that burning sensation again… not from the fever though… that sensation… that something is somehow wrong about what I'm doing…)
Alonso grabbed one of the 'quesadillas' and began eating it. "Delicious as ever."
Asturias and Aragon followed suit in grabbing and eating a 'quesadilla' themselves. They seemed very pleased with the food.
(Well, at least it doesn't seem to be poisoned… What is wrong with me for even thinking that? No… it's not suspicions of it being poisoned… it's something else that I can't seem to pinpoint.)
Darkrai grabbed a bite.
(!)
(There is no mistaking it, I have eaten something that tastes similar to this in the past!)
Darkrai quickly ate the 'quesadilla', and then another two.
"I heard from your friend that you haven't eaten anything in several days. I'm glad your appetite is back." Asturias chuckled.
Darkrai nodded and said,
"Thank you… I apologize if I came off as hostile earlier. It's a habit of mine."
"No worries! All Pokémon of our complexion have it! It's normal!" Alonso reassured Darkrai.
"Just eat, drink your medicine, and tomorrow we will fill you in on everything, alright?" Said Alonso.
(They're a strange bunch. But, so far, I seem to have felt more natural around them than around anyone else for as long as I can remember.)
—
Later that evening
—
Team Logos walked through the main road to the Hot Springs. Asturias began using telepathy to converse with Alonso and Aragon.
"Bunch of animals." Was the first thought Asturias shared.
"Tell me that again. They slept on piles of straw. And the smell, my God, the smell. How do they even live like this?" Aragon added.
"They're animals, that's why. It's no wonder that Darkrai wasn't getting any better until he slept on an actual bedding." Asturias added.
"He isn't what we expected him to be… I thought he was just another Fairy Pokemon, but there he was, walking upright, standing on two legs, knowing words that he doesn't remember, using utensils, and not gagging at the taste of meat. He caught on to us having 'real' names rather quickly." Shared Alonso.
"I still cannot believe how stupid that duck thing was. She really incriminated herself so quickly just by pressing her to speak." Shared Aragon.
"Again, they're animals. They're too stupid to be cunning. They always tell you what they're thinking. That Darkrai was clearly wary of us, and carefully selective in his wording despite us doing everything to appear friendly. He's smart." Shared Asturias.
"That much is true. However, he clearly feels comfortable around us. I had initially aimed to find him out of hopes that he might show us how to find Mew. But now things have changed. Instead of focusing on Mew for now, let us focus on finding Cresselia and getting as much information on Darkrai from her as possible. We know that she was his caretaker and had practically omitted everything about his life from him. The young man clearly has distant memories, and if my hunch is true, then our goal could be met much more quickly than we had anticipated." Shared Alonso.
"However, we need to approach things in secrecy. We need to confirm if he is what I think he is in a way that doesn't rouse too much suspicion." Alonso added.
"We need to earn not his trust, but his instincts." Shared Asturias.
"I'll provide him with the delights of knowledge, and power." Shared Alonso.
"I'll provide him with the delights of indulgence, and art." Shared Asturias.
"And I'll provide him with the delights of desire, and opulence." Shared Aragon.
"…. Keep walking normally after I tell you this… we're being followed." Shared Asturias.
"Is it the same Pokemon that has been following us from time to time?" asked Alonso.
"Yes… just keep on walking naturally. It's not like anyone can come near where we live." Shared Asturias.
"True, but better safe than sorry. Once we get the chance, we will eliminate this Pokémon." Shared Aragon.