The fake Lunar Wing emitted a faint glow, trying to dispel the darkness of this icy cosmos. Yet its light was far too weak compared to the endless ages of accumulated resentment. The pitch-black orb began to change form.
It became Deoxys, but its entire body was covered in black sludge, faceless and unrecognizable.
Deoxys, a bipedal Pokémon resembling an alien, has four forms. Its true body is mainly orange-red, with a blue-green face, a purple stripe running down its chest, and a brilliant cosmic crystal embedded within.
Some believe it is a Pokémon born from the mutated DNA of a cosmic virus attached to a meteorite.
Because this world was not reality, the cosmic virus could manifest in this form. This was a nightmare world, an alternate dimension linked to the black-and-white "other's world."
"After Uxie's Void of Heart, Uxie appears at Castelia Museum because it gathers history's memories and life's wisdom. Through Uxie's power, a being's entire memory can be transmitted to another."
"In the story, Professor Juniper said they flew to places in Unova linked to knowledge, emotion, and will."
"At the museum entrance in Castelia City, atop Celestial Tower, and on Route 23, you can sense mysterious auras. Those places house their psychic power."
[Note 1: This alternate dimension is within a 'nightmare,' and simultaneously exists in the black-and-white 'other's world,' an unseen inner world people sometimes fall into. Strongly linked to dreams, it coexists with nightmares.]
[Note 2: Beings trapped in nightmares wander endlessly, unable to awaken. Their bodies weaken under torment. To break this, one must awaken them or defeat/capture the nightmare's source.]
[Note 3: Life trapped in nightmares will attack proactively.]
The Linking Tree sent this information.
Hikaru understood nightmares in the Pokémon world fairly well.
Leaving aside the famous but yet-to-occur Canalave nightmare event, aside from Darkrai, Pokémon like Hypno and Mismagius have also shown the ability to drag others into nightmare worlds. Ash often suffered from their antics.
In Sinnoh's Canalave City, an inn locked for fifty years can be entered using the Membership Card, leading to a man who forcibly puts you to sleep. You awaken on Newmoon Island to encounter Darkrai.
After defeating or capturing Darkrai, the truth of its self-imposed exile is revealed.
In another house in Canalave, Captain Eldritch's child is trapped in nightmares, requiring the Lunar Wing to awaken him.
Every year, Darkrai appears in that city, followed by Cresselia who comes to take it away.
In Mystery Dungeon, the Nightmare realm is a dream dungeon created by Darkrai, an alternate dimension one cannot awaken from.
["Life…so lonely…so painful…homeland…I will destroy you!"]
The pitch-black Deoxys shifted into Attack Forme.
"Riolu!" Hikaru ordered, "Use Protect!"
Riolu and Lilligant instantly erected Protect barriers as Deoxys' sharp tendrils unleashed a massive psychic energy ball, radiating multicolored lights with unimaginable force.
Psycho Boost!
A full-force psychic attack that greatly lowers its Sp. Atk after use—a Deoxys-exclusive move.
The Protect barriers shattered. Hikaru linked minds with his two Pokémon.
A nightmare world is a variant of a dream world, Hikaru thought. Here, there are no limits—drawbacks don't apply.
Deoxys had lost its mind, seeking only to destroy everything, then itself. Such was the nightmare's effect. Never born yet already dead—many cosmic meteorites must share its fate. Not every meteorite births a Deoxys.
Hnn—
Suddenly, Hikaru's blue crystal pendant glowed.
The ancient Tear of the Prince, containing inner power to subdue resentment, made Deoxys freeze, its mind wavering momentarily.
Now!
Lilligant placed a hand on Riolu, her flower crown glowing dazzlingly.
Dream King's Crown – in dream realms, it amplifies dreams' power. For wielders of special power, it enhances their feedback from the world.
Riolu locked onto Deoxys, forming an aura sphere of immense psychic energy.
Imitate · Boosted Psycho Boost!
The enormous psychic orb blasted Deoxys head-on. While stunned, Lilligant unleashed a gigantic Solar Blade from her leafy arm, slicing forth a radiant blade to illuminate the dark cosmos.
But Deoxys blocked it with a spherical barrier, morphing into its Defense Forme.
"Deoxys can shift forms instantly in battle. Theoretically, its base stats total 910."
Attack Forme to overwhelm foes, Defense Forme to absorb attacks, Speed Forme for swiftness, and Normal Forme for balance.
"Its Ability is Pressure. In reality, battling under Pressure doubles stamina drain. If you exhaust your stamina, you can't attack."
After blocking the Solar Blade with Protect, Deoxys shifted to Speed Forme, becoming a blindingly fast phantom.
Extreme Speed!
Lilligant spun, her blade leaves whirling with Aerial Ace to intercept. Though Extreme Speed's unpredictability made it hard to counter, guaranteed-hit moves like Aerial Ace could block it. Yet Deoxys' raw power forced her back with a pained cry.
Then Riolu launched an Aura Sphere empowered by star aura, slamming Deoxys back. It switched forms again.
Attack Forme – Zap Cannon!
A golden electric blast roared forth to paralyze its foes.
Riolu countered with:
Imitate · Zap Cannon!
The two Zap Cannons clashed, exploding into a crater.
"Deoxys is weak to Bug, Dark, and Ghost. Imitate again!"
Under Hikaru's command, Riolu fired another Zap Cannon. Deoxys shifted to Defense Forme.
Defense Forme – Mirror Coat!
It would reflect special attack damage back at double strength.
But Hikaru needed that gap. Lilligant used Encore, locking Deoxys into Mirror Coat.
Now!
Riolu's eyes gleamed.
Mind Reader + Quick Attack!
It zipped past Mirror Coat's counter, clawing downwards with Shadow Claw, exploiting its Ghost weakness. Deoxys shuddered, and a Lunar Wing appeared in Riolu's paw.
"Riolu!" Hikaru shouted, "Use it!"
The Lunar Wing was pressed onto Deoxys—but it shifted forms, smashing the fake feather apart with its tendrils.
Lilligant's Encore could only lock moves, not form changes. Riolu flipped midair, surprised by the shattered feather but quickly adjusting. Landing, it lifted a giant boulder:
Mind Reader + Fling!
Thud! The massive rock slammed Deoxys for huge damage.
Deoxys writhed, black sludge squirming as sorrowful aura washed over Riolu, paralyzing it in empathy.
Aura could read minds and emotions. Deoxys' agonized howls echoed within Riolu.
The Lunar Wing hadn't been useless—it weakened it. Should they try again?
While Riolu hesitated, Deoxys switched back to Attack Forme.
Psycho Boost!
Riolu dodged, but Deoxys immediately shifted to Speed Forme for Extreme Speed, smashing Riolu hard.
Then Attack Forme again:
Extreme Speed + Superpower!
A devastating punch launched Riolu away. Lilligant's Solar Blade cut across, only for Deoxys to impale her leaf with an icy tendril.
Ice Punch from the cosmos!
The freezing malice seeped into her body and spirit. But her flower crown shone, empowering her Sunny Day + Synthesis combo to restore health under intense sunlight.
Yet Deoxys regenerated too, using Recover to heal half its HP.
"Under Pressure, Synthesis drains stamina faster. Pressure is a terrifying Ability in real battles."
Hikaru set down his backpack.
Now it was time for a Trainer to fight too.
He pulled out a gun—not a laser rifle, but a special crafted tool from Hoenn's Gadget King.
In dream worlds, any item could be used. Nightmare worlds were no different.
[Item: E·Pellet Gun]
[Description: A tool used by Pokédex Holder Emerald, crafted by Hoenn's gadget king. Loading soils from various regions, it draws seals on the ground to pacify frenzied Pokémon.]
[Effect: Homeland Pacification. Uses native soil's power to calm enraged Pokémon.]
Though Emerald was not the most likable character, his tool excelled at calming wild Pokémon.
"The cosmos is defined as all space, time, and energy. I don't know your homeland, but in our world, there is a place infused with the same spacetime aura."
"This is soil from the Light Stage in Sinnoh, where Time, Space, and Antimatter were born. We're all children of the stars."
[Note: Deoxys holds Star Power (VSTAR)! "Stellar Deity Power!" usable once per battle, dealing 60% of total Pokémon battle damage.]
The Linking Tree sensed Deoxys' anomaly. As Hikaru loaded the E Pellet Gun, Deoxys radiated powerful cosmic aura like the Trial Rock's.
The power gifted by Arceus—the might of heaven.
Deoxys lashed out. Riolu, battered, gulped down emergency jelly to recover.
Full revive!
"Riolu!" Hikaru called. Riolu focused its aura, merging its inner aura, Linking aura, and cosmic aura.
Deoxys gathered a massive dark energy in its chest.
Nasty Plot…then Dark Pulse!
A black cosmic wave roared toward them. Riolu absorbed it, learning:
[Riolu learned "Psych Up"!]
Psych Up copied Deoxys' stat boosts. Riolu's Sp. Atk sharply rose.
Riolu had copied Deoxys' Stellar Deity Power!
If Deoxys' power was fueled by hatred, Riolu's version shone with hope.
"Lilli!"
Lilligant amplified Riolu with her flower crown, channeling the hope of countless Grass-types across dreams and reality.
Even Torterra, sleeping in reality, sensed the call. As the Linking Tree's vessel, it lent its power.
With their combined might, Riolu created a massive golden Aura Sphere, smashing into Deoxys' darkness.
["Life…what is this…so bright, so warm, so radiant!"]
["Light!"]
As Deoxys unleashed Dark Pulse, the golden light engulfed it, cleansing away the sludge.
It felt an unprecedented peace.
Hikaru seized the moment. As Deoxys fell, he used the E Pellet Gun to draw a sigil of homeland pacification beneath it.
The golden Aura Sphere faded into starlight, illuminating the cold dark cosmos with warmth.
["So this is life…to battle is proof of existence. Though I may never be born, and I shall die, at least…I gained what I sought. Though this is a nightmare, here, I truly lived as life."]
["The universe is cold…but life is so very warm."]
Deoxys prepared to fade, but Hikaru stopped it:
"Wait! Maybe you don't have to die. I might have a way to let you be born. If you're willing, I'll help you."
Connecting hearts with an alien…was this not "sharing the human heart"?
Hikaru thought of how Deoxys embodied Gnostic myth—beings not of the material world, but of the divine light realm.
"Anyway, let's wake up now."
As Hikaru vanished from the nightmare, Deoxys gazed into the cosmic void.
There, a yellow mushroom-headed Pokémon spoke softly:
Welcome to our world. This is…Beyond the Heavens.
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My Patreon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][www.p@treon.com/zaelum]
[+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[Thank You For Your Support!]