"Woo…"
Cresselia slowly shook her head.
Her crescent-shaped wings shimmered faintly beneath the fading moonlight. The silver glow that clung to her feathers seemed softer now, like the last reflection of a dream dissolving at dawn. Her gaze was calm—calmer than Gary expected. There was no lingering fury, no visible hostility. Only quiet resolve.
She did not pursue what had happened moments ago, nor did she question Gary about his intentions. She did not even glance at the place where the battle's traces still lingered in the air.
But one thing was unmistakable—she did not want to leave Fullmoon Island.
"If you don't want to, then I won't force you," Gary said indifferently. "But Darkrai will leave with me."
His tone was steady and flat. It carried no threat, no persuasion—only a statement of fact. As if the outcome had already been decided long ago.
Gary truly did not care much about Cresselia's decision.
To him, Cresselia was not a Pokémon he particularly favored. The reason was simple: her strengths leaned heavily toward support. Her combat style relied too much on Moonlight and auxiliary abilities. She excelled at sustaining herself and others, stabilizing chaotic battlefields, and disrupting opponents—but she lacked explosive growth potential.
Her Ability, Levitate, was powerful in theory. In games, it eliminated Ground-type weaknesses entirely. But in reality, things were more nuanced.
Levitate allowed a Pokémon to float freely, evade ground-based attacks, and maintain maneuverability across complex terrain. Yet Cresselia already possessed exceptional aerial control. Her natural speed and grace in flight were extraordinary even without the Ability's assistance. Levitate added convenience—not dominance.
More importantly, without the enhancement of Moonlight under ideal lunar conditions, she was not Darkrai's equal in raw power.
Cresselia turned her gaze toward Darkrai.
They had known each other for years.
Enemies.
Rivals.
Silent guardians of opposing forces.
They had fought countless times under the moon's pale glow. Their clashes had shaken the sea, stirred nightmares, and tested the limits of their endurance. Yet they had also restrained each other when destruction threatened to spill beyond control.
Their relationship could not be reduced to hatred.
Despite her anger over Darkrai's actions tonight, Cresselia could not deny one truth:
Someone was finally willing to accept him.
"Woo…"
She nodded slightly.
A gentle voice echoed directly in Gary's mind.
"Take good care of him. If you cannot raise him properly, send him back here. I will stay with him."
Gary blinked.
Telepathy.
So she could speak this way.
Then why had she remained silent before?
Was it pride? Distance? Or simply unwillingness to speak to a human?
"…Alright. Don't worry," Gary replied calmly.
Darkrai remained motionless. His red eyes did not flicker. His shadowed body gave no sign that he had heard anything unusual.
Gary understood immediately.
The message had been meant for him alone.
"Woo!"
Goodbye.
Cresselia slowly rose into the sky. Silver light gathered around her like flowing water. The glow intensified, and her outline gradually blurred, dissolving into countless luminous particles.
The particles drifted upward, scattered by the sea breeze. One by one, they vanished into the night.
Her presence disappeared entirely.
The shrine returned to silence.
The wind moved gently through the trees. The waves resumed their natural rhythm against the shore. It was as if nothing extraordinary had happened at all.
"I'm really curious what the secret realm where Cresselia lives looks like," Gary muttered thoughtfully. "A space that only her kind can enter…"
A hidden dimension? A lunar plane? A sanctuary beyond ordinary perception?
Darkrai hovered quietly beside him.
"Dak."
There was no sadness in his voice.
Only calm acceptance.
Perhaps he had always known this outcome.
"Alright. Let's go," Gary said.
The objectives in Canalave City had been completed.
Darkrai had been conquered.
Cresselia had been subdued—in a sense.
Even though she refused to follow him, a bond had been established. Should they meet again, that connection would remain. Gary could feel it faintly—a thin but undeniable thread of recognition.
He recalled all Pokémon except Darkrai, then released Garchomp.
The massive dragon emerged with a low rumble, wings stretching wide. Gary mounted him without hesitation.
"Back to the city."
With a powerful beat of its wings, Garchomp surged into the night sky.
The next morning.
Gary woke early.
Sunlight filtered through the curtains of the Pokémon Center, soft and warm. The city outside had already begun stirring. Ships moved in the harbor. Workers shouted faint instructions across the docks.
He did not go looking for Ash and his group.
Without Darkrai's interference, Ash and his companions would have slept peacefully after driving away Team Rocket. Most likely, they were already preparing to challenge the Canalave Gym.
Gary had no interest in accompanying them.
He dressed, left his room, and walked directly to the communication terminal inside the Pokémon Center.
The screen flickered to life.
"Oh! Gary!"
Professor Oak appeared on the display, adjusting his lab coat as usual.
"Grandpa," Gary said, slightly surprised. "Where's Tracey?"
"Tracey went to wake the Pokémon and arrange their morning exercises," Professor Oak replied with a warm smile. "What's the matter? You're usually not this proactive."
"I'm looking for you today," Gary said.
"Oh?" Oak's eyebrows lifted. "That's rare. What happened?"
Gary did not waste time.
"Grandpa, I encountered a Pokémon Hunter here. She uses a weapon that fires a beam of light. Any Pokémon hit by it is instantly petrified. Do you know what that is?"
Professor Oak's expression shifted.
The casual warmth faded, replaced by seriousness.
"Petrification…" he murmured. "You're referring to petrification guns."
"Yes," Gary confirmed. "You know about them?"
"I do. Ash mentioned them to me before. I've been monitoring related reports ever since."
Gary nodded inwardly.
Of course. Ash had crossed paths with Pokémon Hunter J several times. And whenever Ash encountered something beyond his understanding, he reported it to Professor Oak.
"Grandpa," Gary asked steadily, "is there a way to remove petrification?"
Oak paused for several seconds.
"There is," he said slowly. "But it's not a method that resists the beam itself."
"That's fine," Gary replied immediately. "As long as it can lift petrification afterward."
Professor Oak nodded.
"The method is Hidden Power."
"Hidden Power?" Gary repeated.
"Yes," Oak confirmed. "When Hidden Power is used on a petrified Pokémon, it can trigger a special internal energy resonance. That resonance disrupts the petrified state and restores the Pokémon."
Gary fell silent.
Hidden Power.
On the surface, it was a Normal-type move with moderate base power and no additional effects. Many trainers dismissed it as mediocre.
But that description barely scratched the surface.
Hidden Power was special.
Its attribute varied depending on the user. Fire, Ice, Grass, Electric—its manifestation differed based on internal factors unique to each Pokémon. More importantly, the energy it produced was unstable and undefined. It did not conform neatly to conventional typing.
Professor Oak continued, his tone now more academic.
"Petrification alters a Pokémon's outer structure and disrupts its energy circulation. The beam forces the surface into a hardened, crystallized state while freezing active life flow."
He adjusted his glasses.
"Hidden Power works from within. It stimulates the Pokémon's core life energy. That internal surge destabilizes the artificial petrified layer and forces it to collapse."
Gary understood at once.
"In other words, it resets the condition."
"Exactly."
Oak sighed lightly.
"But Hidden Power isn't easy to master. Few Pokémon awaken it naturally. Even fewer can control it with precision. An uncontrolled burst might fail to trigger the proper resonance."
Gary's brows furrowed.
Hidden Power was rare.
Unown were the most natural users. Their entire existence revolved around mysterious, unknown energy. They were living embodiments of unstable power.
"If you need a reliable user," Oak added, "Unown would be your best choice. But Pokémon Hunters are extremely dangerous. If you encounter one before you're prepared, avoid confrontation."
"I understand," Gary said calmly.
"Good. Stay safe."
The call ended.
The screen went dark.
Gary remained standing before the terminal, deep in thought.
Hidden Power…
He mentally reviewed his team.
Not many possessed the potential to awaken such an ability naturally.
He opened his system interface.
[System, redeem Hidden Power for me.]
[Ding! Skill redemption successful.]
A faint ripple of energy passed through his consciousness.
Fortunately, I reserved two self-selected permanent TM at the beginning, he thought. Otherwise, I would've needed to capture an Unown.