Red laid in his bed in the Smash Bros. mansion, nestled beneath the soft blankets. His dorm room was quiet, the soft hum of the night lulling him to sleep, his room was one of the largest accommodating him, Blue, Leaf Green and all the Pokémon save for Mewtwo. But as his eyes closed, the peaceful calm of his rest was shattered by something far more disturbing.
Red found himself standing in a vast, endless battlefield, shrouded in swirling shadows. An eerie wind blew around him, carrying with it a sense of foreboding that made his skin crawl. The air was thick with the oppressive presence of something powerful, something unstoppable.
Before him, a figure loomed mysterious foe whose form shifted constantly, morphing into one Legendary Pokémon after another. Red squinted, his mind struggling to process the shifting, nightmarish figure.
One moment, his opponent was Mewtwo, its eyes glowing an ominous violet, a twisted smirk on its face. The next, it became Lugia, then Rayquaza, then Giratina, the Yveltal each form more powerful than the last.
The opponent's laugh echoed through the darkness, low and mocking.
"Is this all you have, little trainer? Is that all you can do?"
Red tried to respond, tried to move, tried to open his mouth but his voice was drowned out by the sinister laughter. His body tingled, then glowed, as he began to transform against his will. He felt himself shift into Pikachu, his limbs shortening and his body crackling with electricity. Instinctively, he launched a Thunderbolt, but it barely fazed his opponent, who smirked, effortlessly shrugging off the attack.
The foe shifted again, transforming into Groudon, its body towering over Red, a look of pure contempt in its eyes.
"You really think a simple spark can hurt me?"
The earth beneath Red rumbled as Groudon's Earthquake attack hit, sending Red flying back. But before he could even process the pain, he felt his body contort and shift once more. Now he was Lucario, his vision sharper, his aura senses tingling. Desperately, he charged forward, unleashing a powerful Aura Sphere, hoping to land a hit.
But his opponent morphed again, now taking the form of Kyogre, lazily dodging the attack and summoning a torrential Surf that crashed over Red, overwhelming him.
The foe's laughter grew louder, colder, as Red struggled to regain his footing.
"Pathetic. You call yourself a trainer? You're nothing but a shadow of what you could be."
The taunts cut deep, fueling a desperate anger in Red. He felt himself change again, this time into Charizard. With a roar, he took to the sky, wings flapping hard, his mouth opening wide to unleash a devastating attack.
The foe merely laughed as it shifted into Kyurem, absorbing the flames with a dismissive smirk. Before Red could react, Kyurem fired back with Ice Beam, hitting Charizard and freezing his wings mid-flight. He plummeted, his heart racing as he hit the ground, transforming once more as he landed.
Now he was Greninja, his movements quicker, his reflexes sharper. Without hesitation, he launched a rapid series of Water Shurikens, his heart pounding with determination. But his foe morphed again, this time into Zapdos, effortlessly dodging his attacks and sending a crackling Thunder straight at him. The impact was intense, and Red collapsed, gasping for breath, his entire body seemed to have gone numb.
"Face it, little trainer. No matter what form you take, you will never match my power."
The opponent's voice was a twisted echo, both taunting and filled with cruel amusement. Red felt himself shift again, now into Incineroar, his body burning with fighting spirit. With a defiant roar, he charged forward, attempting to close the gap, readying his most powerful Darkest Lariat.
The foe transformed once more, this time into Dialga, its mighty roar shaking the battlefield. With a flick of its head, Dialga stopped Red in his tracks, unleashing a Roar of Time that sent Incineroar tumbling backward.
Red's mind spun in confusion and frustration. No matter what Pokémon he transformed into, his attacks were useless, and he had no idea how to transform at all. His strength was overshadowed by his opponent's overwhelming power.
Desperation clawed at his chest as he realized he was trapped in a nightmare of never-ending transformation and failure. He tried to scream, but the words wouldn't come.
Then, the figure before him began to morph one last time. Red felt his heart go into his mouth as the opponent shifted into something greater, something far more terrifying.
It was Arceus, the god-like creator of all Pokémon, its aura radiating with an overwhelming power that dwarfed anything Red had faced before. Red's entire being trembled as Arceus…no, this twisted version of it…towered over him, its voice a low, mocking rumble.
"I am the ultimate. I am every Pokémon, perfected. I am a GOD! And you, little trainer, are nothing."
The mocking laughter filled Red's mind as he felt himself shift back, his body desperately trying to keep up…and it transformed into Pichu. The small, helpless form of Pichu quivered, barely able to stand against the towering Arceus.
Just as Arceus raised one powerful limb to strike, Red's vision swirled, the nightmare finally loosening its grip. He jolted awake, his body drenched in sweat, his breathing ragged as his eyes darted around the dorm room, trying to ground himself in reality.
He sat up, hands shaking as he tried to process what he had seen. He had no idea who that mysterious foe was, or what it meant, but one thing was clear: that was no ordinary opponent. That creature, whatever it was, had toyed with him, taunted him, and nearly broken him.
Red gritted his teeth, a mixture of fear and determination in his eyes. He didn't know who or what that creature was, but the lingering sense of its unmatched power stayed with him, as did the cold, mocking laughter that still echoed in his mind. For the first time in a very long time, he felt genuinely afraid.
Nobody knew what or who they were, for all anyone knew they could be aliens, invaders from another dimension, or just some evil god who just wanted to see the world burn. But one moment the population reached the trillions in terms of lifeforms. The next it was down to just two.
Sonic found himself in his home in green hills zone, and he was surrounded by everyone he knew and loved. Tails was working on some blueprints while cream and Marine watched, knuckles was arm wrestling with shadow while rouge looked on with her signature smile, Amy, Silver and Blaze was watching TV, the chaotix were going to town on an arcade machine and right in the middle of the room gazing at everyone was…sonic blinked rapidly as if trying to understand what he was looking at, but he stared in disbelief at…himself. Sonic had had multiple strange dreams in his life but to see himself and his friends in the third person is something unorthodox. He gazed at the other sonic who looked perfectly identical to him, save for the fact that he was holding some bizzare giant looking shield
It happened all too fast. So fast that if one were to drop a pin from less than a foot in the air, by the time the pin arrived on the ground it would be all over. One of the benefits of Sonics powers is that he can see time move slower, where in certain circumstances he can see light move slower than he is. This is good when dealing with most villains, but this was something else.
The strange lights burst into the room like some kind of monster wanting to devour what was inside, Sonic and the other sonic jumped, as did the other Shadow and Silver. Sonic didn't know what it was, but it was over before it began. One of the beams flew straight at the chaotix. One moment they were there, the next they were nothing but ashes. Sonic turned, trying to move to try to defend his friends but it was as if his bones, no, his entire body had turned to steel. He turned to see Shadow immediately throw Rouge onto the floor, using his body as a shield as he tried to drag Knuckles down too, Silver practically launch himself at Blaze as a giant beam shot straight at her, and the other sonic was in the air trying to reach Tails, the other sonic was in ball form so that he was perfectly behind the shield as he threw himself at the fox...
Sonic blinked.
And it was over.
The area Sonic found himself in was indescribable. There is no word in the English language that would deliver justice to what he saw. The air was still as if every atom had turned to stone, the light was somehow too bright and too dark at the same time and the entire world seemed to have been turned to ash and dust. The only thing that told Sonic that he was in green hills zone was the half destroyed loop in the distance.
Sonic turned to see the other Sonic trembling on the ground as if his entire body had turned to jelly. And he was making the ugliest sound ever, his face overwhelming with tears. Sonic didn't know how long he stood watching the other Sonic but when he tried to put his hand on him it went straight through it like a ghost.
Sonic didn't know how long he stood there, it could have been minutes, hours, days, weeks, who knows. But before Sonic knew it, the other Sonic stood up and he ran, he just ran. And Sonic felt himself following the other Sonic as if he was handcuffed to him. Sonic saw flashes of destroyed places, the smash manor and facility was nothing but rubble, The mushroom kingdom was flattened. The only thing left was a ruined peaches castle. The various Pokémon regions were nothing more than a pile of ash the only thing that remained was a mere pokemart, on and on the other sonic ran until it arrived at Hyrule.
Sonic blinked and he soon found himself staring at the other Sonic looking down at a seriously injured Link who looked as if he was just on fire. The other Link was hideously injured and alive. The other sonic picked up the other Link and vanished before Sonics eye. Sonic stared at where his other self was as if trying to understand what on earth he is seeing, and that was when he saw it.
A figure, standing motionless in the distance, half-shrouded in shadow but unmistakably dangerous. Sonic's blood ran cold as he took in the sight of the creature it looked like both like himself and Link, but horribly, grotesquely twisted.
Its skin and quills were a pale cyan, and its body was some unholy monstrous fusion of both of their forms. It was tall and distorted, with spiked quills like Sonic's, but they were jagged, almost broken. The figure radiated an energy that made Sonic's heart race. And even though sonic couldn't see its face he knew it was something indescribable.
Sonic couldn't explain how he knew it was dangerous, but every instinct screamed that this creature was a threat beyond anything he had ever faced, and Sonic had managed to flatten Gods like Tabuu and Mephelus the dark who can destroy entire galaxies on whim. Hell he even fought evil versions of himself more than 3 times. Yet this foe felt different.
It stood silently, watching the scene with cold, unfeeling eyes, as if it had witnessed the destruction and felt nothing. Its presence was a looming shadow over the already shattered world.
Sonic tried to shout, but his voice didn't come. He was trapped in the dream, a silent observer, powerless to stop what was unfolding.
It tilted its head slightly, as if sensing something. Then, it turned, its glowing cyan eyes locking directly onto Sonic.
For a moment, the world seemed to stop.
Sonic's breath hitched. He wasn't supposed to be part of this vision, he was just watching. But somehow, it had seen him. It was as if the creature knew it was being watched, and now, it was aware of Sonic's presence in the dream. Its eyes narrowed, and a slow, eerie smile twisted across its distorted face. It took a step forward, toward Sonic, its gaze unrelenting, predatory.
Sonic's heart pounded in his chest; his body frozen in place. He tried to run, to escape the nightmare, but his legs wouldn't move it felt as if his legs had turned to stone, his shoes had merged with the earth, his feet had fused into his shoes and all of his bones had turned to steel. The closer it came, the heavier the air around him felt, as though the creature's very presence was suffocating him.
The air crackled with unnatural energy as it reached out, its arm stretching toward Sonic with claws that seemed to ripple through the dream itself, distorting reality around it. Sonic gasped, trying desperately to break free from the nightmare, his pulse racing. He knew this thing was coming for him.
Just as the thing was about to reach him, Sonic felt himself jolt awake.
He shot up in bed, breathing heavily, his fur damp with cold sweat. His heart pounded in his chest as he looked around his room, trying to reorient himself. The familiar surroundings of the Smash Bros. mansion slowly came into focus, but the terror of the nightmare still clung to him.
He didn't know who or what that twisted figure was, but the feeling that lingered was undeniable it was real, and it was dangerous.
Sonic buried his face in his hands for a moment, trying to calm his breathing. He couldn't shake the vision of that apocalyptic event, or the twisted fusion of himself and Link that had stared him down.
"What the hell was that…?" he whispered to himself.
Whatever it was, Sonic had a sinking feeling that this nightmare was more than just a bad dream.
Cloud stood in the middle of a village, though it felt less like he was standing there and more like he was floating, a spectator trapped in his own dream. The sky was ablaze, painted a hellish red as flames licked up from the buildings around him. The heat was oppressive, as if he was in some giant oven, the smoke was thick in the air as if it was trying to choke him, and the deafening sounds of crackling fire echoed all around, accompanied by the faint screams of villagers caught in the destruction.
In the center of it all stood a mysterious figure. Though partially obscured by the smoke and flames, Cloud could make out just enough to see that the figure had an eerie resemblance to Link…but not the Link he knew. This figure was taller, with a hardened, almost twisted expression, his hair a strange, ethereal blend of blond and silver. His eyes glowed with a malevolent Mako energy, and a long, dark cloak billowed around him, bearing symbols that seemed a twisted cruel amalgamation of Hyrule, SHINRA and SOLDIER insignias.
The sight of him sent a shiver down Cloud's spine. He couldn't explain why, but there was something deeply unsettling about this figure, something that made Cloud instinctively want to step back. He tried to summon his Buster Sword in his dream, but his body wouldn't respond, he might as well stand there butt naked and slowly turning to stone, and it would have made no difference. He can't move a muscle.
The mysterious figure held a dark, jagged sword, its blade crackling with a mix of Mako energy and a faint, otherworldly glow. He looked down at the destruction with an expression of cold satisfaction, as if reveling in the chaos he had wrought.
Cloud's heart pounded as he watched, feeling a sense of dread creep up his spine. He didn't know who, or what, this figure was, but something in his mind screamed that this figure was dangerous beyond anything he'd encountered. And he had to fight Sephiroth God knows how many times. Not to mention all those other countless villains. This. This felt different.
Suddenly, there was a flash of movement. Three figures emerged from the smoke, striding with purpose toward the mysterious figure.
Cloud's eyes fell out of his skull as he recognized them. Another version of himself, alongside Zack and Aerith. Their appearances were almost perfectly identical to the friends he had lost, yet they radiated a calm confidence and strength that felt almost unreal.
The mysterious figure's eyes narrowed as he spotted them, a look of recognition…and contempt, flickering across his face. He raised his sword, pointing it at the trio as if daring them to approach.
"You think you can stop me? I am... perfection incarnate."
The words hung in the air, dripping with an arrogance that made Cloud's skin crawl. But the other Cloud simply smirked, his eyes focused, unshaken by the figure's bravado.
Without a word, other Cloud charged forward, his Buster Sword gleaming in the firelight as he swung it with immense power. In one swift motion, he struck the mysterious figure, cutting through the defenses he'd put up as though they were nothing.
The figure staggered, clutching his side, his eyes wide in shock and anger. He barely had a chance to react or even move a limb, before Zack followed, another Buster Sword spinning in a whirlwind of strikes, each one finding its mark. The mysterious figure stumbled, his once-cocky demeanor cracking under the onslaught.
Finally, Aerith stepped forward, her face calm but her eyes filled with a quiet determination. She lifted her staff, channeling a bright, healing energy that pulsed with warmth even in the midst of the burning chaos. With a single, focused burst of energy, she released it, the force slamming into the mysterious figure and sending him crashing to the ground.
The mysterious figure groaned, trying to lift himself, but the strength had left his body. He looked up at the trio with a mixture of hatred and disbelief, his eyes glowing with Mako energy that seemed to flicker, dimming with each passing second.
"…This... can't be... I was supposed to be... unstoppable."
The other Cloud lowered his sword, giving the defeated figure a cold, steady gaze. He said nothing, only watching as the figure's aura faded, his form slumping into the dust.
Cloud's heart pounded as he watched the scene unfold, feeling an overwhelming sense of unease. There was something wrong with this Link like figure, something almost... nightmarish, twisted and corrupted.
The mysterious figure looked up one last time, his gaze locking onto Cloud…not the other Cloud in his dream, but the real Cloud, watching as a distant observer. His lips curled into a smirk, his eyes glowing with a final, sinister light.
And then, just as the dream began to dissolve, he whispered, his voice low and filled with malice. The voice of Link.
"I'll be waiting."
With that, the dream shattered. Cloud jolted awake, gasping, his body drenched in cold sweat. He lay there for a moment, heart pounding, the image of the mysterious figure still etched in his mind. He didn't know who that figure was, or why he had appeared in his dream, but the memory of that twisted smirk and the burning village lingered. The room was quiet, but he noticed the faint sound of movement coming from the other side of the room.
Link, lying in his bed but clearly not asleep, turned his head as he noticed Cloud stirring, as Link placed his phone down in concern for his freind. His eyes were tired, almost haunted, as if he, too, had been wrestling with restless thoughts.
Cloud took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair, before deciding to speak up.
"…Hey, Link… you awake?"
Link nodded, his expression serious. "Yeah. Can't seem to sleep tonight. You look like you're having a hard time, too."
Cloud hesitated, unsure if he should bring up what he'd seen. But the image of that mysterious figure…that twisted, distorted version of Link, or at least someone who looked like Link, was fresh in his mind. He needed to talk about it, if only to make sense of it.
"I… had a nightmare. Weird one. There was this… person," he began slowly, still trying to piece it together. "Looked a little like you, actually. But… different. Darker."
Link's brow furrowed, and he sat up a bit, watching Cloud intently. His face was filled with worry and concern, as if what Cloud said was the last thing he wanted to hear.
"The whole place was burning—like a village, or maybe even a whole town, just completely wiped out. And he was standing there, in the middle of it all, like he'd… caused it." Cloud swallowed, the image flashing back in his mind. "But then these… people showed up. Another version of me, and another version of Zack and Aerith. And they… took him down. But it was terrifying, Link. This… guy, he just seemed wrong, like something twisted."
Link's face went white, his grip on the edge of his blanket tightening as Cloud spoke. He took a moment, glancing down, processing the details Cloud was describing.
Then Link spoke as if trying to control himself "You're… sure he looked like me?" His voice was barely above a whisper, but Cloud could sense the tension building.
Cloud nodded slowly. "Yeah. Not exactly like you, but close enough. Enough to give me that feeling. He had this weird energy around him, something like… Mako, but twisted. And his eyes—they looked… hollow. Like he was only half-alive."
Link's hands clenched as he processed Cloud's words, his own thoughts racing. His nightmares and visons had been unsettling enough, but to hear Cloud describe a dark version of him, hell even hearing that Cloud had a vision just like him…it hit close to home.
"That sounds… like it could be from one of those…those…places I had dreams of..." His voice shook slightly, speaking more to himself than Cloud and he quickly looked away. "It's not just me and Zelda and the other Links who had it now…"
A chill went down Cloud's spine. "So, you think this… 'dark Link,' or whatever he was, what do you think…" But Link raised his hand as if to stop his roommate.
Link's gaze dropped, the weight of Cloud's question settled heavily on him. "I don't know. But the idea that there could be… versions of us like..." Cloud paused as if he foiund what he was saying to be so wrong and yet so right at the same time.
Cloud leaned back against his headboard, letting out a deep breath. He hadn't expected Link to have a similar experience and knowing that he wasn't the only one experiencing these dark visions was both a relief and a growing source of dread.
Cloud sighed "It just… felt so real, you know? Like he was someone I might actually face someday. And…" He paused, glancing over at Link. "You think there's any chance that these…" But Cloud shook his head as if trying to shake the thought out of his mind.
Link took a long moment to answer, his face pale. "If these visions are more than just nightmares, then we have to assume it's a warning...But..."
Cloud sighed, feeling a heavy weight settle on his chest. As he gave Link a look that told him everything he needed to know.
Link nodded, his expression grim but determined. "We'll have to find answers. Maybe Zelda can help us make sense of it all. But Cloud…" Link paused as if he struggled to find the right words but Cloud raised up a hand to stop him.
Cloud clenched his fists, the memory of that twisted figure and the burning village still vivid in his mind. He didn't know who this dark version of Link was or what he wanted, but he was certain of one thing, whatever was coming, it was more dangerous than anything they had ever faced before.
The two heroes sat in silence, the weight of their shared fears pressing down on them