"Woo~!"
Cresselia let out a startled cry the moment Gengar's red glare locked onto her. The Mean Look did not injure her, but she immediately sensed the spatial distortion around her. The air tightened, and the surrounding moonlight seemed slightly constrained.
She tried to shift backward instinctively—
But something invisible blocked her.
"Gengar, get the Lunar Wing back," Gary ordered calmly.
"Gengaaaar!"
Gengar shot forward like a streak of shadow. In an instant, it appeared beside the shrine hall steps, opened its wide grin, and swallowed the Lunar Wing in one smooth motion.
The Lunar Wing was essential.
It suppressed Darkrai's Nightmare Ability.
If it fell into Cresselia's hands, Darkrai might lose control again.
Cresselia barely glanced at Gengar.
Her attention was fixed on Darkrai.
"Woo…"
Her voice carried confusion and faint disappointment.
Why were you with humans?
Why did you bring them here?
Darkrai felt an unfamiliar pressure.
For years, it had been the one driven back.
The one watched.
The one restricted.
Now the situation had reversed.
But seeing Cresselia's questioning gaze, it hesitated for a brief second.
Gary stood behind it.
That gave Darkrai courage.
"Dak…"
Darkrai straightened slightly.
This time—
I brought them.
You kept suppressing me all these years.
Cresselia's eyes widened.
"Woo?!!"
Her aura flared instantly.
Rage.
She had not expected Darkrai to challenge her openly.
And with humans no less.
Gary did not give her time to respond.
"Tyranitar, Stone Edge!"
Tyranitar stepped forward heavily.
"GRAAAAAH!"
The ground trembled as sharp conical stone blades condensed around its body. The air cracked with Rock-type energy.
With a powerful sweep of its arms, the blades launched toward the sky.
Cresselia reacted immediately.
Her crescent wings shimmered.
Psychic light surged outward in a concentrated beam.
The collision happened mid-air.
Crack!
The Psychic light shattered under the sheer density of Stone Edge.
Several rock blades pierced through and struck Cresselia directly.
"Woo—!"
The impact sent her spinning backward.
Her body trembled violently.
She was only level 55—quasi-Elite tier strength.
Tyranitar, however, was far beyond that.
Darkrai watched silently.
For the first time—
Cresselia was the one losing ground.
"Woo!"
Cresselia steadied herself and let out a sharp cry.
Moonlight descended from above, enveloping her in radiant silver.
The wounds closed instantly.
Her aura stabilized.
Moonlight restored her completely.
Gary narrowed his eyes.
"I forgot about that."
Cresselia's Moonlight healing was powerful enough to restore her to peak condition under a full moon.
But—
"Tyranitar, Sandstorm."
Tyranitar inhaled deeply.
"GRAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
A violent Sandstorm erupted instantly.
Winds roared across Fullmoon Island.
Sand and dust spiraled upward, swallowing the sky.
The full moon was obscured.
Moonlight dimmed.
Cresselia froze.
"Woo?!!"
Her healing source weakened significantly.
The environment had changed.
Tyranitar stood at the center of the storm like a mountain.
Its body radiated dominance.
Gary did not pause.
"Dark Pulse."
Tyranitar opened its jaws.
A dense wave of dark energy condensed and shot upward.
Cresselia reacted with Psychic again.
Two beams collided.
BOOM!
Dark Pulse tore through Psychic with overwhelming force.
The attack struck Cresselia squarely.
"Woo!!"
She fell from the sky toward the ground.
"Stone Edge," Gary ordered immediately.
Tyranitar stomped once.
Rock-type energy traveled beneath the ground at high speed.
Just as Cresselia descended—
CRACK!
A massive stone blade erupted upward from beneath her.
"Woo—!!"
The impact slammed her into the ancestral hall ruins.
Dust and broken stone scattered everywhere.
Her eyes rolled slightly.
The Sandstorm continued raging.
Gary raised a hand.
"Tyranitar, end Sandstorm."
"GRAAH."
With a low rumble, Tyranitar lifted its arm.
The storm gradually dissipated.
The moon became visible again—but the battlefield was already decided.
Gary walked forward calmly and threw an Ultra Ball.
The ball struck Cresselia.
Red light enveloped her.
The Ultra Ball fell to the ground.
Shake.
Shake.
Shake.
Click.
Silence.
[Ding! The task is completed. The reward has been distributed to the space backpack.]
Gary smiled faintly.
He walked to the ancestral hall and picked up the Ultra Ball.
He projected Cresselia's data.
[Pokémon: Cresselia]
[Type: Psychic]
[Level: 55]
[Potential: Legendary]
[Ability: Levitate]
[Moves: Confusion, Double Team, Mist, Aurora Beam, Psybeam, Ally Switch, Slash, Psycho Cut, Moonlight, Safeguard, Psychic]
[Friendliness: 80 / 255]
"The Friendliness is decent."
Gary released her immediately.
Cresselia appeared in mid-air, wings shimmering weakly.
"Woo…"
Her expression was wary.
Gary stepped closer and gently placed his hand on her body.
He began teaching moves.
One after another.
Calm Mind.
Ice Beam.
Thunder Wave.
Energy Ball.
Stored Power.
Light Screen.
Reflect.
Helping Hand.
Trick Room.
Future Sight.
Moonblast.
Shadow Ball.
Protect.
Thirteen moves in total.
Just like Darkrai.
For some reason, both Mythical Pokémon had identical teaching limits.
After finishing, Gary handed the Ultra Ball to Tyranitar.
"Tyranitar. Crush it."
Tyranitar tilted its head slightly.
"GRAAH?"
But it obeyed.
With one powerful squeeze—
CRACK.
The Ultra Ball shattered into fragments.
Cresselia was technically released.
Gary then took out a pink Heal Ball.
He threw it gently.
The Heal Ball absorbed Cresselia smoothly.
Click.
Captured again.
The Heal Ball's healing mechanism activated instantly.
After the green indicator light faded, Gary released her again.
"Woo…"
Cresselia opened her eyes.
This time—
Her aura was stable.
Her injuries gone.
But her gaze was cautious.
She looked at Gary.
At Tyranitar.
At Gengar.
At Darkrai.
She wanted to fight back.
But something felt different.
Gary's tone.
The lack of killing intent.
The taught skills flowing inside her body.
"Cresselia," Gary said calmly, "don't misunderstand. I just taught you a lesson on behalf of Darkrai."
Darkrai: (O_O)??
When did I say that?
Cresselia immediately turned her gaze toward Darkrai.
"Woo."
There was clear displeasure in her eyes.
Darkrai: -_-||
I didn't ask for this.
But Gary continued speaking smoothly.
"You've suppressed him for years. He brought me here to settle it."
Darkrai stared at Gary silently.
He clearly did not say that.
But somehow—
He did not deny it either.
Cresselia's expression softened slightly.
She examined Darkrai carefully.
The Nightmare aura around Darkrai was controlled.
Stable.
It no longer leaked.
"Woo…?"
You can control it now?
"Dak."
Darkrai nodded slowly.
Cresselia looked surprised.
Then her gaze returned to Gary.
She sensed the Lunar Wing inside Gengar.
She sensed the change in Darkrai.
Her hostility decreased slightly.
Gary crossed his arms.
"So. Are you staying on Fullmoon Island…"
He paused.
"…or coming with me?"
Cresselia remained silent for several seconds.
Her Friendliness with Gary had already surpassed 200 due to the skill teaching and capture cycle.