The moonlight shimmered faintly across the quiet paths of Pallet Town as Tharion returned from the mountains, the newly gifted egg secured in his arms. Its faint silver glow pulsed with each step — warm, alive, mysterious.
By the time he reached the villa, the night had deepened into silence. The only sounds were the rhythmic hum of cicadas and the distant waves brushing against the cliffside. His Pokémon stationed outside — Garchomp, Lucario, and Gardevoir — all turned their heads slightly, sensing his return.
"Keep watch," Tharion murmured softly. "I'll check on them."
He stepped inside quietly, the soft light from the egg casting a pale glow on the wooden floor. Aster's crib was beside the bed, Selene sleeping peacefully beside it. He smiled faintly, that rare, genuine warmth softening his normally unreadable face.
But before he could set the egg in its containment cradle—
Selene screamed.
A piercing, terrified cry tore through the air.
Tharion froze — the egg nearly slipping from his grasp as he turned instantly toward the bed. Aster began crying uncontrollably, the infant's wails echoing through the room.
"Selene!" he called, rushing to her side.
She shot upright, eyes wide, drenched in cold sweat. Her breath came in ragged gasps as she clutched her chest."T-Tharion…?!"
"I'm here," he said, voice calm but edged with concern. He scooped up Aster gently, rocking him with practiced precision. "You're alright. It was just a nightmare."
Her trembling hand reached out toward the baby, but she hesitated, her expression haunted."I… saw shadows," she whispered. "Everywhere. Surrounding this house… and Pallet Town too. Everyone screaming — I could feel it, Tharion. It wasn't just a dream."
He gently passed Aster back to her once the child's cries softened into soft whimpers. "You've had nightmares before, but this one…" He studied her face — she was pale, frightened in a way he'd never seen. "This felt real, didn't it?"
Selene nodded shakily. "It's not just me. The neighbors have been waking up screaming too. Professor Oak's assistants came by yesterday — even they're having the same thing. Children, Pokémon, even the town guard. The entire town's been suffering from nightmares that feel too real to ignore."
Tharion frowned. The air around them seemed heavier now — colder."Mass nightmares spreading simultaneously…"
She clutched his hand tightly. "It can only mean one thing, Tharion."
He met her eyes, waiting.
"A Darkrai," she whispered.
For a moment, the name alone seemed to draw the temperature of the room down several degrees. The flickering lamplight dimmed, and even Aster whimpered faintly, as if the world itself recognized the name.
Tharion's expression hardened. "Darkrai… the Pitch-Black Pokémon. A nightmare bringer."
Selene nodded slowly. "It must be nearby — maybe even within the forests or the cliffs near Pallet. It feeds on dream energy, manifesting fear and sorrow in the minds of those sleeping within its domain. If it's losing control of its aura, the nightmares can spread unconsciously."
Tharion looked toward the window — the forest beyond the villa, where the wind was unnaturally still. His instincts prickled.
"Then it's not just feeding," he said quietly. "It's searching."
Selene tilted her head, confused. "Searching?"
He nodded once. "For something — or someone. Pokémon like Darkrai don't usually wander into peaceful towns unless drawn by emotion, imbalance… or a dimensional shift."
Selene's eyes widened slightly as the realization struck her. "You mean… because of the rift?"
Tharion exhaled, placing the silver-black egg gently into its containment cradle beside the desk. "That rift's energy might have disturbed the local reality field. The barrier between dreams and space could be thinner here now — enough for a being like Darkrai to sense and cross over."
He turned toward her, eyes calm but resolute. "Rest now. I'll handle it."
She caught his hand before he could turn away. "Tharion… be careful. If it's truly Darkrai, its power can reach you even when you're awake. Don't underestimate what nightmares can do."
He smiled faintly, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "Nightmares can't hurt me, Selene. I've lived worse ones wide awake."
She looked into his eyes — that quiet strength she always relied on — and nodded, clutching Aster close. "Then come back soon."
"I will."
Outside, the night air was colder than before. A strange mist drifted along the treeline, curling and whispering faintly.
Lucario stepped forward immediately, eyes glowing faint blue. "Aura disturbance — faint but spreading. It's real, Master."
Tharion nodded. "Darkrai's presence."
He looked up — the full moon hanging still in the sky — and felt it: a flicker of shadow moving between the stars, distant but watching.
The wind shifted, carrying a faint whisper that brushed against his mind.
"Dream… or nightmare… which world do you belong to, Tharion?"
He froze. The voice wasn't Selene's. Nor was it human.
Lucario's eyes widened. "Master—!"
But the voice was already gone.
Tharion clenched his fist, his calm expression hiding the rising storm beneath."So, you're testing me first."
He looked toward the woods beyond Pallet Town — where the shadows deepened unnaturally."Then let's see how far the darkness dares to go."
The next morning dawned under an unsettling haze. The once-joyful songs of wild Pidgey and Rattata chittering near the fences of Pallet Town had quieted, replaced by uneasy murmurs from humans and Pokémon alike. Even the air seemed heavier, like the town itself was afraid to wake.
Tharion stood on the veranda of his villa, Aster's soft coos muffled against his shoulder. His gaze swept over the distant rooftops of Pallet, the town he'd come to love like home — now veiled in a sense of dread. Behind him, Selene leaned on the doorframe, her tired eyes still showing traces of fear.
"The nightmares aren't just affecting people anymore," she whispered, clutching her robe tightly. "Even the Pokémon are screaming in their sleep. I heard one of the farmers say his Tauros herd broke through the fence last night — terrified by something they couldn't see."
Tharion turned slightly, expression calm but eyes sharp. "So it's spreading faster than I thought…"
Gardevoir appeared beside him, her psychic aura flickering like disturbed water. [My Lord… the fear in this region grows each night. Even the youngest minds tremble. Whatever stalks their dreams… is no ordinary presence.]
Tharion's jaw tightened. "Darkrai."
The name alone seemed to make the wind shiver.
Selene frowned. "But why here, of all places? Pallet Town's always been peaceful. There's never been a reason for something like that to come…"
He gently handed Aster back to her and adjusted his coat, the emblem of his status — The Undefeated Champion of Three Regions — stitched in silver at the shoulder. "Sometimes peace itself attracts the dark. Shadows envy the light, Selene. But I'll handle this."
She reached for his hand, worry evident in her trembling fingers. "Tharion, if it really is Darkrai, be careful. It's not evil — just… misunderstood. You saw what the legends said."
He smiled faintly, brushing a thumb along her knuckles. "If that's true, I'll talk. If not, I'll end it before it hurts anyone else."
By noon, Pallet Town was in a state of controlled panic. Rumors spread faster than the wind — people claimed they saw black mist near the lake, others said the shadows moved on their own.
But when Tharion walked down the main road toward the square, every voice went silent. His presence was like a beacon — the man who had defeated three Champions, unified regions, and held the respect of even the most stubborn Gym Leaders.
Professor Oak was already there, trying to calm the gathered crowd. "Everyone, please! We mustn't panic—"
"Professor," Tharion interrupted gently, stepping beside him. "Let me handle this."
Oak's tired eyes met his, then he nodded with visible relief. "If anyone can, it's you, Tharion. The town trusts you more than anyone."
That trust was immediately visible. People exhaled, tension easing from their shoulders. A few even smiled weakly, whispering, "The Champion will fix this."
Tharion's gaze swept over them. "Listen," he said, voice steady but commanding. "No one is to wander out at night. Keep your Pokémon indoors — especially those showing signs of restlessness. My team and I will investigate personally. You have my word — no harm will come to you or your families."
Murmurs of relief spread like ripples. And yet, from the corner of the crowd, a group of younger trainers stepped forward.
"We'll help!" one of them said. "We can form watch groups,If something's out there, we'll find it!"
Tharion's lips twitched into a faint smile. "Courage is good… but rashness isn't. If you want to help, keep watch on your neighborhoods. Report anything strange to Professor Oak."
Gardevoir's eyes glowed faintly, projecting calm through her psychic field, and the crowd slowly dispersed — fear replaced with purpose.
As night fell, Tharion stood alone at the edge of Pallet's northern forest, the wind whispering through the trees. His aura pulsed faintly — every sense sharpened, attuned to the darkness.
Lucario appeared beside him, blue fur glinting in the moonlight, eyes glowing. "(Aura disturbance… it's everywhere. This forest reeks of distorted dreams.)"
Tharion nodded, summoning his Pokégear to display the dream energy readings he'd configured earlier. The readings spiked off the charts near the old lakebed — the same place where the villagers had seen black mist.
He spoke quietly, "Darkrai… if you're here, show yourself. I don't want to fight you. But if your nightmares threaten my people…"
The night itself seemed to answer. Shadows stretched unnaturally long across the clearing, and the moon dimmed as if swallowed. A cold, almost sorrowful whisper brushed his mind.
"I… never meant… harm."
Tharion froze. The voice wasn't hostile — it was trembling, almost pained.
He took a step forward, eyes narrowing. "Then why the nightmares?"
The mist coalesced — black energy forming a silhouette. The shape was unmistakable: flowing white mane, dark body, and a single piercing blue eye that shimmered with guilt.
"I am… hunted. Wounded. I tried… to hide here. But… my power leaks into dreams. I cannot stop it…"
Gardevoir's eyes widened. [Master, it speaks truth. It's not attacking — it's suffering.]
Tharion's expression softened. He extended his hand slowly. "Then let me help you."
Darkrai flinched — unused to compassion — but didn't flee.
"I'll find out who hurt you," Tharion promised quietly. "But for now… rest. You're safe in Pallet. Just like everyone else here."
The night breeze stilled.
The black mist shimmered once, then slowly receded into the forest's heart, leaving only silence behind.
And far in the distance, Professor Oak's sensors began to register something else — another reading.
Another shadowed signature.
This one… not Darkrai.