Dreams, Nightmares, and Friendships

"Pika..." The raichu's eyes slowly opened and she groaned, finding herself in a white expanse.

"What legendary is visiting me this time?" She whined, rubbing her temple ill-temperedly. A slight scoff came to her ears and Cresselia appeared in front of her. Instantly Pika's eyes flew completely open. Cresselia looked positively emaciated. Her eyes were dull and tired, and slight bags rested under her eyes. She looked the slightest bit thinner than the last time Pika had seen her, and her lips were parched. Occasionally the psychic type would fall close to the invisible floor, another sign of exhaustion.

"Arceus eating a hamburger with no onions Cresselia, what've you been doing to yourself?" Pika asked. Cresselia flinched slightly and looked away.

"I've been searching for my opposite."

"That creep-o Darkrai dude? I thought Palkia blew him up atom by atom and scattered his tiny little molecules all over the galaxy to never be seen again." Pika commented, crossing her arms and lifting a brow. Cresselia rolled her eyes.

"That's overkill; legendaries cannot be destroyed so easily. Only the White One can do that. No, Darkrai was simply hit with a Spacial Rend. The problem is, however, that Darkrai disappeared. Dialga and Palkia have both been searching using the best of their abilities, and still my opposite and rival has evaded their detection." Cresselia said solemnly. Pika flicked her tail and huffed.

"So just use your psychic powers to find him!" She said, throwing her paws into the air.

"I've been looking for Darkrai too you know; all of the Legendaries have. None can find him. Palkia thinks he might've found where Darkrai was sent, but he isn't sure." Cresselia said.

"So go there, drag his gothic skirt wearing tail end back here, and let me lay another beating into him like I did at Dark Crater!! I'll pound any evil dude that dares to face me, and everyone in Treasure Town -no the whole freakin' region- knows that! Why do you think that crime rates have dropped so violently?" Pika loudly interrupted, her fur crackling with pink electricity as she balled her fists and clenched her teeth. Cresselia sighed disappointedly.

"If we could do that we would've already. Think, Pika; now then, onto why I am here in the first place. I need your help." She said, a slight irritation entering her voice. Pika scowled.

"Fine then, whaddya whiny little legends want this time?" She groaned, leaning backwards and staring upwards with an expression that showed only boredom and contempt.

"Palkia wants to see if the spacial-tear-remnants he found are a marker as to where Darkrai was sent. We need to know if you would go there and find out." Pika blinked and stood still for a moment before quirking a brow.

"Maybe you haven't noticed, Space Duck, but I've got my kid to take care of." She said. Cresselia dipped her head.

"The Manaphy-"

"His name is Fares; you want my help you respect the fact that I named a legendary. He's my kid, accept it already." Pika interrupted. Cresselia glared at her angrily for doing so.

"Fine fine; Fares can come with you if you so please." Pika smiled.

"Lemme run this by Riolu, see how he likes it." She said with a shrug and a grin.

~

“So this Darkrai, you say that he has amnesia?” Celestia asked as Twilight gently set the unconscious black stallion on the couch in the library.

“Yes; recently I tried to find some of his memories, but so far I’ve had no luck. All I managed to catch recently was…erm…well, a disturbing piece of torn memory. A creature that looked rather remarkably like Darkrai but in an odd form was confronting a yellow mouse-like creature with a lightning bolt shaped tail, long black tipped ears, and two brown stripes on its back, and next to said mouse was a two legged jackal with blue fur, a black mask, one tassel-like appendage on each side of his head, black legs, a black torso, and blue arms with odd white bumps on his paws. The mouse said that he was a creep and that he should just go…d-die…” Celestia’s eyes widened. Death was a topic rarely brought up except when one had actually happened, and it was a mite strange to hear it.

“And that a pony- or creature, I wasn’t sure- named Cresselia would win and that he would be defeated once and for all. By that point I was too unnerved and backed out. I'm sorry I couldn't get more information...” Celestia nodded, casting a glance at the black Pegasus.

“Hmm…he seemed friendly enough, but now that I look for it, I can feel faint waves of unsettling darkness seeping from him. It’s like he was an evil creature before acquiring amnesia.” Twilight felt a thrill of fear, partially for Darkrai, partially for her and her friends, but the biggest part of it was a fear for the town and the innocent ponies in it. What if she and the Elements had to go against him? Rarity wouldn’t like that one bit, and while Rainbow Dash would probably leap at the chance seeing as she probably still didn’t like him, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, the shop keepers that Rarity constantly sent him to, and of course Twilight herself would also be rather upset if he had to go. Despite his intimidating appearance, Darkrai was gaining himself quite a lot of popularity within Ponyville. Celestia seemed to sense this and lowered her head to meet Twilight’s gaze gently with a caring smile.

“I realize that this stallion must be a very interesting one, given his current state of mind, but Twilight, I do have to keep an eye out for something that threatens the ponies of Equestria. For a little while, I need to take this stallion back to Canterlot. He will return, I assure you, but I need to assess if he is dangerous or not.” Twilight let out a sigh.

“If you insist princess…m-may I ask something though?” Celestia smiled and nodded.

“Of course my faithful student.” She said.

“Could you at least send me letters on how he’s doing? Rarity and a few of the ponies here in town have really grown to like him.” Twilight asked nervously. Celestia blinked then nodded.

“I can definitely do that. Hey, every once and a while you and your friends can come and visit too.” She said calmly. With that she straightened and took a deep breath.

“Send him to the train station when he awakens. I’ll be waiting there.”

“No need to wait.” Both mares jumped at the voice and twisted their necks to look at Darkrai, who had managed to move from the couch to just three feet away without the slightest ruffle of his feathers or fur. Celestia cast an inquiring glance at Twilight, who shrugged in confusion, and then faced Darkrai.

“Ah…you heard the conversation?” She asked. Darkrai looked away and acquired an expression that made him look as though he thought he was about to lose his lunch.

“Indeed; I don’t exactly adore the idea of leaving Ponyville; especially when the Crusaders may yet wander into the Everfree Forest again; but I suppose I can’t fight with your will. I’ll come quietly.” Twilight tilted her head. It sounded as though the mere thought of leaving Ponyville ground on Darkrai’s nerves viciously. She dared not voice her thoughts though, lest she was wrong.

~-~-~

Darkrai watched uninterestedly as Celestia boarded the train; the only thing being focused on by the black stallion was the six mares that stood behind him and the filly that stood next to the white mare. Looking over his shoulder, he let out a sigh and began to speak.

“I’m sorry I can’t stay where I am; I’d like to, but I suppose that wouldn’t please your monarch very much.” He said blandly, casting a rather toxic glare at the train.

“o-oh no dear, it’s fine. Besides, Princess Celestia said that you could come back…right?” Rarity said sadly. Darkrai dipped his head to her and frowned.

“She did indeed say that…I guess prolonging farewells won’t make my departure any less difficult. I will be seeing you at a later date.” He said, turning away and beginning towards the train. A tug on his tail made him pause. Looking over his shoulder, Darkrai’s blue eyes met Sweetie Bell’s.

“You will come back, won’t you?” She asked. Darkrai smiled.

“Of course Sweetie Bell. I promise, okay?” He assured. Sweetie Bell nodded bravely.

“Atta girl. Oh and…” Darkrai leaned is, as if to be secretive.

“Take care of the girls while I’m gone okay?” He whispered. Sweetie Bell nodded and trotted back to Rarity’s side with a wave. Darkrai dipped his head then swung around and stepped onto the otherwise empty train, finding himself beckoned over by Celestia. Begrudgingly he slipped onto a seat opposite to her, suddenly finding the window much more amazing than the Solar Princess that sat across from him. Celestia fidgeted slightly as the train began its route up to Canterlot, unsure how to begin questioning the stallion.

"Save yourself the discomfort of trying to find a way to talk and just start asking your questions, Celestia; I know you have them." Darkrai suddenly said distastefully, twisting to let his eyes rest on Celestia's face. She blinked, unused to not being called by her title, then smiled uncertainly.

"If you wish; first of all I'd like to know what these...skills are that Twilight claimed that you possess. She said that you explained it as 'spells' that you can use, and that there were four of them." She said calmly. Darkrai shifted slightly then nodded.

"As far as I can tell I can know only four at a time, and the ones that I currently know are Ice Beam, Rest...and Hidden Power." He said. Celestia raised a brow in suspicion.

"I thought you knew four? Didn't you just say as such?" She asked. Darkrai flicked an ear somewhat irritably.

"I know the skills: Ice Beam, Rest, and Hidden Power." He repeated, his voice lowering into the slightest of growls. Celestia leaned back just the slightest, in case this stallion tried something violent, but none such result came. Darkrai simply cast his blue eyes towards the window again, drawing in the scenery almost greedily, as if he was barely used to the lush forests that surrounded Canterlot.

"...Fine then; you haven't remembered anything from your past, I take it?" Celestia asked. Darkrai frowned and his brows furrowed.

"Nothing. It's infuriating." He mumbled. With that he shook his head and his eyes cleared.

"Is there a particular reason why I needed to be dragged all the way to this...Canterlot Castle...just to be asked simple questions like these? I found it quite grating to have to say goodbye to that little filly Sweetie Bell." He said irritably, narrowing his eyes. Celestia readied herself again, becoming rather uncomfortable with the black stallion as his moods seemed to swing violently and quite unpredictably.

"I require far more than simple answers to questions such as the ones I am giving you. As for why Canterlot, well it is because Canterlot is my home, and my sister is there." She said firmly, determined not to flinch away from Darkrai's sharp-as-flint sapphire eyes. For a moment the two glared at each other before Darkrai let a smirk cross his face.

"Very well, Celestia."