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Some legendary Pokémon weren't unique; there were more than one in existence. Luther had long known that.
Latios and Latias, for example, were extremely rare but not singular. Ordinary people simply had no chance of encountering them.
The same was true for Darkrai.
"It looks like everyone here, both people and Pokémon, has been dragged into a nightmare." Luther finally realized what was going on.
Darkrai cast him a brief glance, then turned its head away. Kirlia tugged at Luther's sleeve and pointed toward Darkrai's body.
That was when Luther noticed that Darkrai looked utterly exhausted. Even though it was drawing energy from the nightmares around them, it was gasping for breath.
"Kirlia, Magical Leaf! Espurr, Disarming Voice! Houndoom, Flamethrower!"
Luther couldn't tell what Darkrai had been through, but he would never allow it to drain Mai and the rookie trainers of energy through their nightmares to restore itself.
The three attacks shot forward. Before they could hit, however, Darkrai countered with a Dark Pulse, causing a violent explosion. However, Darkrai had underestimated the combined force of the attacks. Flamethrower tore straight through the dark wave and struck its target head-on.
Darkrai was blown backward by Houndoom's flames. Its eyes gleamed with fury as it landed, then it lunged at Luther with astonishing speed and murderous intent.
Luther couldn't track its movements. Only at the last second did Houndoom intercept, clamping its jaws around Darkrai with Crunch. Houndoom dragged Darkrai aside and took the blow meant for Luther.
Espurr leapt forward and pressed itself against Darkrai's shadowy form, unleashing a Thunderbolt.
A scream echoed through the forest. Luther thought it was Darkrai's cry of pain until he realized it was Houndoom howling in agony.
In its panic to protect Luther, Espurr had forgotten that Houndoom was still holding onto Darkrai; Espurr's 'Thunderbolt' hit them both.
Stunned by the electric surge, Houndoom wanted desperately to yell at Espurr for friendly fire, but the pain was too much, and it had to release its grip.
Darkrai accelerated suddenly, flinging Espurr off like a rag doll.
Free again, it charged straight for Luther, a sphere of darkness already forming in its hands, another 'Dark Pulse'.
Kirlia stepped in front and erected a 'Light Screen'. Then, it countered with another 'Magical Leaf'. The two attacks collided, and the dark energy dissipated into glittering fragments.
Luther froze. The look in Darkrai's glowing blue eyes burned with pure hatred and venom.
The shift in Darkrai's behavior was terrifying, from its earlier indifference to its current frenzy. What had happened to it? Wild Pokémon sometimes attacked humans, but never with eyes filled with such tangled, human-like emotions.
Seeing Luther nearly get ambushed again, Espurr went berserk. Gathering all its power, Espurr unleashed a Thunderbolt as fierce as Natural Thunder, striking Darkrai squarely.
Enraged, Houndoom followed up with a blazing Fire Blast.
Their timing was perfect; Darkrai had just finished launching its 'Dark Pulse', leaving it wide open. Both attacks landed cleanly.
When the dust finally cleared, Darkrai crossed its arms in front of its face and swung them wide. Three more 'Dark Pulses' shot out in different directions.
But Kirlia, Espurr, and Houndoom were ready. Each one intercepted a pulse midair and dispersed it with a precise counterattack.
In the silent forest, the sound of Darkrai's heavy breathing was unnervingly sharp—the rasp of a nightmare made flesh.
They stared each other down. The three Pokémon stood in a protective triangle around Luther, ready for Darkrai's next strike.
Darkrai's gaze never left Luther; it was cold and piercing, like a blade pressing into his skin.
Then, suddenly, Darkrai looked toward Kirlia. It hesitated for a moment, then closed its eyes.
Luther tensed, worried that it was about to lash out again. But Kirlia raised her hand, signaling him not to attack.
Moments passed.
Then, Kirlia tugged gently on Luther's sleeve and motioned for him to crouch down.
Puzzled by her behavior, he complied and knelt beside her.
Houndoom immediately stepped in front of them, growling steadily and lowly, ready to protect them both.
Kirlia pressed her forehead against Luther's.
In that instant, Luther understood what she meant to do.
Strange images began to flicker through Kirlia's telepathic link; scenes flashed by like a broken slideshow. To his astonishment, he saw Ash, Dawn, and Brock among them!
A brilliant beam of light burst forth from Cresselia, driving Darkrai from its hiding place. The psychic pain and suffocating pressure overwhelmed Darkrai, forcing it to retreat into the shadows.
The scenery blurred and rushed past in reverse. Snow-like static filled the vision, and Luther couldn't make out where he was anymore.
Then he heard, "The last Darkrai was captured by that strange man, and you idiots let him destroy our base! Don't mess it up this time!"
Luther's entire body trembled.
That voice— Evergreen!
His breathing quickened, and he clenched his fists until his knuckles cracked audibly, even within Kirlia's telepathic projection.
The distorted images and strange flickering colors made it difficult to see what was happening, but the chaotic voices around him slowly helped Luther piece it together.
It all started in Canalave City.
Team Rocket had built a nightmare-generating machine in the Iron Island steel mines. The strange radio waves it emitted lured a Darkrai that usually only appeared near the island once a year.
After being driven away and purified by Cresselia's light, the exhausted Darkrai fled, only to fall into an ambush.
Unbelievably, this operation was personally commanded by Evergreen.
Within the hazy, chaotic memory, Luther could see Darkrai surrounded by more than ten Pokémon at once. Pushed to its limit, Darkrai unleashed its remaining strength and used Dark Void to tear through the blockade. It injured several of the enemy's reinforcements before managing to escape.
Terrified that Evergreen's group would pursue it, Darkrai fled north without stopping to rest. Eventually, its body gave out. Wounded and drained, it collapsed in the dense forest between Whitewind Town and Greenpond Town.
Unfortunately for everyone, tonight was the first night that Darkrai had regained enough strength to move again, and Luther and all the other trainers camping nearby became unwilling sources of energy for its recovery.
Sensing Darkrai's confusing mix of hostility and despair toward Luther, Kirlia reached out to communicate. Through that effort, they learned the truth.
Darkrai's final message echoed faintly in Kirlia's mind: "I will release the nightmares. Just… let me leave this place."
Its condition had deteriorated badly. During Evergreen's ambush, it pushed itself beyond its limits to escape. Now, before it could recover, it ran into Luther by chance.
Having regained some rationality, Darkrai realized that Luther wasn't one of its hunters and chose to retreat.
As it spoke, the oppressive haze of nightmares lifted. The faint groans around them quieted and were replaced by the calm rhythm of peaceful sleep and soft snoring.
"You're in no shape to run anywhere," Luther said, stepping forward. "At this point, using a move must be difficult, right?"
Darkrai leaned forward sharply, baring its shadowy form in a defensive snarl. Houndoom leapt in front of Luther, growling and ready to strike back if needed.
Raising a hand to signal Houndoom to stand down, Luther said steadily,
"Don't look at me like that. I don't mean you any harm. On the contrary--"
He paused, meeting Darkrai's piercing gaze.
"--you and I have a common enemy. The man who ambushed you, Evergreen... he's my enemy too."
(End of Chapter)