*SLAM!*
Completely awake now, professor Oak unhesitatingly slammed the door shut in Team Galactic's face as his mind raced with what to do.
"Computer! Call Red and-"
*KABOOM!*
The door that professor Oak just slammed shut exploded inwards, sending professor Oak and numerous shards of wood flying through the air as a gaping hole was opened in his newly finished lab.
"Tsk tsk tsk... I expected more manners from such a world renowned professor." The woman said as she casually entered through the hole, while the grunts around her spread out to start hacking into the numerous computers and machines around the lab.
"Though I suppose I should properly introduce myself before talking to others about manners." She added as she stopped right in front of where professor Oak was trying to push himself into a seated position.
"I am Commander Jupiter of Team Galactic, right hand of the glorious boss who will usher the entire universe into a new age! And THIS is my boss's partner, who he graciously lent to us to help in our endeavor tonight." She concluded while gesturing to the Pokemon floating in the air behind her, the Legendary Darkrai.
"What is it you want exactly?" Professor Oak demanded while fighting the urge to glance at the computer to see if his call went through.
"I already told you, Deoxys." Jupiter said as if it were obvious, before seeming to think of something. "Or were you referring to the overall goal of Team Galactic? In that case, I shall tell you!"
Jupiter then pulled up a chair so that she was sitting directly in front of Oak before launching into her story.
"My boss, or master if you will, wishes to rid the universe of the flaws that inhibit progress and enhancement. He believes that we limit ourselves with too many unnecessary burdens, and that these burdens are the source of all conflict and suffering throughout history that has prevented true peace and advancement for all!
"Not only that, he also believes that these flaws were purposely planted within us by the creators themselves! So that we may never rise to their level and become their equals!
"So, my master plans to use the powers of Creation itself to shred this universe down to the last atom, and then rebuild it in his image so that all are truly equal, without the flaws that prevent us from taking our rightful place in the universe!"
"And where does Deoxys fit in?" The professor asked to keep her talking, and stall for as much time as possible.
"The fact that it does not originate from this world, that is how." Jupiter said as if it were obvious.
"To achieve our ambitions, understanding creation itself is essential. For example, when the universe was created 18 artifacts came into being as well, plates bearing the origin of each pokemon typing!
"These plates, which were imbued with the origin of each type, were then entrusted to 18 pokemon scattered throughout the Sinnoh region. The 18 pokemon Lords!"
"Pokemon Lords?" The professor asked, genuinely intrigued despite his current situation.
"Indeed, the pokemon Lords. 18 non-Legendary pokemon that gained the power to compete with the gods themselves! But they were still mortal, so the plates were passed from parent to child throughout nearly all of history. Right up until around 200 years ago.
"During what was referred to only as the Great Calamity, all of Sinnoh was threatened as space and time began to distort the entire region. All seemed hopeless until the Hero of Sinnoh rose up alongside the 18 Lords, and saved the entire Sinnoh region, if not the world.
"But afterwards all records of the Hero of Sinnoh vanished, as did all mention of the plates. Not a single one has been found in the two centuries since, and the power of the Lords have waned as a result. So, we needed to research creation elsewhere."
"And that is why you needed Deoxys..." The professor muttered, the pieces connecting now.
Deoxys originated from deep space, an aberrant mutation that gave it power on the level of one of the greatest Legendary Pokemon in their world. It was entirely possible that the reason Deoxys even existed was because it had come into contact somehow with the origin of creation, if not made intentionally by it.
"As expected of a professor, you connected the dots fast. Which brings me to the reason why I even bothered telling you all of this." Jupiter said as she stood in front of him, her hand outstretched.
"Join us, professor Oak. Join Team Galactic, and help us put an end to all of the suffering and conflict that plagues this world. Situations like the SS. Anne never need to happen again if everything goes well. Your grandchildren can grow up and raise their own kids in a world where they never need to worry about conflict."
In the face of her impassioned speech, professor Oak sighed tiredly.
"I wish I could say yes, but there is much you don't seem to understand about human nature. It is those very 'flaws' that make us who we are. Take that away, and you take away the very things that make us human. I cannot be a part of such a plan that would bring about the end of humanity itself."
"..."
"Such a pity." Jupiter said sadly, before turning to Darkrai. "You know the drill, no survivors."
"..."
The Legendary Pokemon silently nodded, before darkness enveloped professor Oak as well to plunge him into a nightmare fueled sleep.
Darkrai then closed his eyes as he savored the fear enveloping the entirety of Pallet town, fear that nourished him and made him stronger, even if it was only a little bit.
Cyrus truly lived up to his promise, helping Darkrai 'eat' as much as he wanted and grow ever stronger in preparation for when they finally put their plan in motion, a plan Darkrai was essential to, and very much looked forward to. Capturing the three fabled lake pokemon.
And once they had what they needed from the lake pokemon, they would be Darkrai's to do with as he pleased.
But he did not immediately snuff out the lives of Pallet town. No, Darkrai liked to savor each and every meal. Plunging his victims into the depths of despair and fear through the most horrible of nightmares. And only once they could sink no further would he snuff out their light.
"!!!"
Darkrai barely had time to react, before something smashed into his face and sent him flying through the walls of the lab and outside.
"What the-?!" Jupiter exclaimed, before she saw what had Teleported directly into the lab to punch Darkrai.
"Hmmmmmmmm!" The air itself seemed to vibrate as Deoxys floated there, psychic power radiating from his entire body as he barely managed to contain the fury of what he had returned to from his nightly flight. Everyone unconscious, thieves in the lab, and professor Oak especially unconscious and bleeding from several small wounds from when they blew up the door.
Deoxys was pissed.
"How beautiful..." Jupiter exclaimed when she saw Deoxys in person for the first time, but the Legendary extra terrestrial didn't even spare her a glance. His attention was completely on Darkrai.
Teleporting once more, Deoxys appeared directly in front of Darkrai as the two Legendary Pokemon stared each other down. And while Deoxys was completely pissed off, Darkrai regarded his opponent with a cool calculative expression.
"HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!"
The air began to vibrate with such intensity that even in the sky a borealis appeared, as Deoxys fired the most powerful Psyshock attack possible with his current abilities.
Darkrai didn't even flinch, flying directly into the Psyshock attack and ignoring it completely as he delivered a powerful Sucker Punch to his surprised opponent.
"!!!"
*BOOM!*
The force of the hit sent Deoxys flying, and inflicted the worst pain he had ever felt since his core was shattered.
Meanwhile Darkrai practically sneered at his opponent in contempt as he realized something. Deoxys knew nothing about types and matchups.
Darkrai sneered at Deoxys in contempt as he quickly shot up once more, before trying to use the move Psychic on him.
Deoxys's psychic power enveloped the entire mountainside, crushing boulders, twisting trees, and churning earth as he tried to hurt Darkrai. But of course, nothing happened.
Darkrai shot forward at Deoxys to deliver another Sucker Punch, this time even stronger than before as the darkness around him converged around his fist. Right before he could hit Deoxys though...
The alien deftly dodged to the side as if it saw Darkrai's attack coming from the very beginning, and then swung his right arm as his tendrils shifted to form a solid fist.
*BOOOOOOM!*
The entirety of Pallet town shook from the force of Darkrai hitting the ground after taking Deoxys's attack, surprising all of the Team Galactic members watching since all they knew was that he was supposed to be a psychic type. But none were more surprised than Darkrai, who realized that Deoxys had baited him in with the previous Psychic.
Maybe Deoxys would be a decent opponent after all?
Or at least it would have, if they were not currently fighting during the dead of night on the new moon.
"!!!"
Waves of darkness suddenly surged from Darkrai in the crater where he had been laying, darkness that swirled around Deoxys to completely envelope him with no way out. He couldn't even Teleport anymore.
Trapped, Deoxys tried to break out of the swirling vortex by using any and every attack in his arsenal, but none of it worked against the seemingly never ending tides of darkness. If anything, the darkness became even more suffocating as it began to enclose and bear down onto Deoxys restricting his movements more and more until he was pressed completely flat against the ground. Unable to even move.
"Good work. Now capture team, move in!" Jupiter commanded, prompting a team of grunts to hurry and surround the defeated Deoxys, where they began restraining it with constraints synthesized from Darkrai's own powers. No matter how intangible Deoxys could make his body, there was no escaping these restraints.
"Commander, we've finished copying all of the data from his servers!" One of the grunts declared as they finished restraining Deoxys, he and the other hackers presenting her with the drives that held the copied information.
"Good. That's everything we came for, now we just need to clean up and make our exit."
Looking at Darkrai as she said that, the Pitch-Black pokemon nodded in affirmation as he resumed drawing the very life energy from every single person and pokemon in Pallet town.
It was at that moment...
"What's that?" One of the grunts asked, drawing everyone's attention to a fiery streak in the darkness of the night sky.
"It's coming right at us!" Another declared as it started falling down.
Darkrai irritably looked over as well from the commotion, right as the fiery comet shot down and slammed into him.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPE!"
From within the inferno emerged a figure that was wreathed in flames as they sent all of the grunts flying with a series of rapid kicks and punches, before it turned its attention to the restraints holding Deoxys.
*Smash!*
*Smash!*
*Smash!*
A couple more rapid Brick Break attacks, and the restraints shattered to release the captured Legendary.
"..."
Deoxys hummed at his savior to thank him, Infernape, who flashed him a cheeky smile back.
"Fer fer, Infernape ape! Ape ape ape!" The fire monkey declared, telling Deoxys, 'it's you they want, so get out of here! Leave the rest to us!'
Jabbing his thumb at himself as he said that, Infernape flashed another cheeky smirk at Deoxys to assure him.
"..."
Though he didn't want to, Deoxys took a single look around at all of the sleeping pokemon and people that were still trapped in their nightmares, then he looked at Darkrai, who was glaring furiously at Infernape for hitting him previously. Then, giving Infernape a single nod, Deoxys vanished as he Teleported away. But not without taking ALL of the sleeping people and pokemon of Pallet town with him, including all of Ace's pokemon that were sleeping near the lab.
Now it was just Infernape, Darkrai, and Team Galactic.
Darkrai just glared at Infernape hatefully for the previous hit. It was the first time a 'lesser' being had ever hit him, and fully intended to make sure it was the last thing the cheeky monkey ever did.
"Thbbbbbbbbbbft!"
Infernape however blew a Razzberry at the Legendary Pokemon, and gave it a thumbs down.
Darkrai's eyes narrowed at the taunt, before he suddenly vanished from where he was hovering.
*BAM!*
Infernape was suddenly sent flying as he was hit from the front, faster than he could follow.
As he skipped across the ground Infernape deftly flipped himself back up onto his feet, only to suddenly be hit again from the right side and sent flying into a tree.
*SMASH!*
Shards of wood went flying as the tree trunk disintegrated after Infernape hit it, before the tree itself toppled onto him to obscure his body.
The tree was instantly set ablaze before it went flying right at Darkrai, who batted it aside as if it was a twig. But flying immediately behind the tree was Infernape, his body raging with flames as he used Flare Blitz.
"AAAAAAAAAAPE!"
*KABOOM!*
Darkrai was bombard with intense flames as Infernape crashed into him, damaging both of them while also even making Darkrai recoil from the intense heat and light.
Infernape ignored the pain from the recoil though, and pushed his body more than he ever had before as he hammered Darkrai with several Mach Punches.
*BAM!*
The barrage came to an end though when Darkrai hit Infernape yet again, sending him flying before the Pitch-Black pokemon caught up and grabbed him by the face. The next thing Infernape knew, his body was being used to carve out a new trench across the mountainside, before he was then thrown once more back to the lab.
By this point all Infernape could do was lay there limply on the ground, his body too battered and bruised to even move. But despite all that, he still had his cheeky smile as snowflakes started to fall around them.
Darkrai was confused.
Why? Why did Infernape still smile at him like that? Didn't he know this outcome was inevitable? That he never would have been able to defeat him?
"A-ape ape...(I never meant to defeat you)" Infernape choked out, as if he knew what Darkrai was thinking.
"???"
"Infernape.(I was just buying time)"
*CRASH!*
The entire area shook as something crashed down directly behind Darkrai, a titan made of stone, but was covered in a thick layer of frost.
Regirock surveyed the area with an eerie calmness.
First the damage done to the lab.
The members of Team Galactic that were standing shell-shocked.
Then the signs of combat around them.
And finally Infernape, who was laying on the ground, beaten.
The slight snowfall turned into a small blizzard at the same time that Regirock focused on Darkrai, and recalled the words of it's master.
I'm counting on the two of you to keep everyone safe.
Keep everyone safe.
Keep everyone safe.
Keep everyone safe.
"Un un un." It groaned ominously, the yellow-white lights that made up it's face turning blood red.