@Scytherwolf; @Soups;

Episode 4: The Darkness of Space and Time

As the Pokemon finished their Berries, a lithe white humanoid Pokemon leapt from some trees. [Lucien? What is it?] the Luxio asked.

Forgive me for interrupting your afternoon of pleasure, but I sense danger in the city! the humanoid Pokemon explained before beckoning to the others to follow him.

"Come on, Tintri!" Ash called as he quickly put away the "Chambers and Charizards" pieces. Once sure everything was back in the box, he reached for his Pokedex to read up on the majectic white humanoid Pokemon guiding them through the streets:

"Gallade, the blade Pokemon. The final form of a male Ralts, it is a master of courtesy and swordsmanship. It fights using extending swords on its elbows."

A MORE... icon got Ash's attention. "Gallade is capable of Mega Evolution should its trainer have an awakened Heart Song."

"I see, so if my Ralts was a boy, that's what he would become?" Dawn mused as the gallade led the group to the town square. A large cathedral-like building with some strangely distorted pillars loomed in the distance, almost like an ancient monolith in the sea mist.

Ash nodded. "But I'm sure Satomi will look beautiful as a Gardevoir."

"May was telling me about her Gardevoir Zelda during that dance contest..." Dawn remembered as she watched people gather in the square.

Just then, an orange haired man in a regal red, gold, and white costume stepped on a platform to address the crowd. "People of Alamos! Surely you see the distortion of the Space-Time Pillars before you!"

He made a grand gesture to the distorted pillars. "I believe this is due to the vile plots of Darkrai, the Nightmare Pokemon!"

Allegra sighed as the man continued his bombastic speech. "That's Baron Alberto....while he has a good heart, he can be boastful."

The group gasped as Baron Alberto called to a large dull pink humanoid Pokemon "Lengua, use Hyper Beam!"

A familiar scream got Brock's attention as the orange beam streaked into the grass near the towers. "Tonio!"

Ash led the way over the small grassy hill, where Tonio and a floating purple Pokemon he remembered as Drifblim had scrambled to take cover. Alice was nearby, cleaning and dressing a small burn on Tonio's arm. "Are you okay?" Dawn asked Tonio.

Tonio nodded. "Just a small burn from that Hyper Beam, nothing major."

He motioned for Alice to look at the screen of a small silver laptop. "I know the reason why the two towers are distorted--the temporal disturbance readings are off the charts! But we shouldn't lose hope yet--if we can find where the disturbance is coming from, we have a chance to stop it."

Just then, Baron Alberto arrived. "Oh no, I didn't mean to hurt anyone with that attack! Allow me to help you care for your friend. maybe then we can be lovers forever more!"

Alice sighed. Lárgate!

"In other words, 'go away'." Tonio explained as Baron Alberto stormed off in a huff. "He has been trying to confess his feelings for Alice for some time, but Alice doesn't want a thing to do with him."

"What's the difference between lárgate and vete? Brock asked as he organized Alice's medical supplies on the grass. "I learned to say vete for 'go away' or 'leave me alone'."

"Lárgate is a stronger and more formal form of the word you were taught." Tonio explained. "It has the connotation of rejecting a romantic advance, like what you saw before."

"He says he loves me, but I refuse to deal with a windbag like him." Alice grumbled. Te amo más. she smiled as she finished dressing Tonio's wound.

"I love you more." Brock translated for Ash and Dawn.

Te amo también. Tonio replied as he gingerly stood up.

"I love you too." Brock translated as Tonio and Alice shared a gentle, but loving embrace.

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Meanwhile, in another dimension, a light purple theropod-like Pokémon with stripes and a dark blue sauropod-like Pokémon with some metallic spikes clashed for the fate of the world of humans.

[Dialga, why?] the theropod Pokemon pleaded as it leaped away from a spike. [Why do you want to destroy the world the Great Lord so lovingly made?]

[The humans have forgotten Lord Arceus' command, and brought ruin upon the world!] the sauropod Pokemon shot back. [Their time is up!] With that, it started charging a Hyper Beam.

[I will not allow you to wantonly destroy millions of innocents over the actions of a few!] the theropod-Pokemon vowed. [That's not what Lord Arceus would want!] It started charging a Hyper Beam of its own.

As the two beams impacted in a bright orange explosion, the effects could be felt across hundreds of dimensions...

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In the real world, Tintri suddenly heard a low boom in the distance. [What was that?]

Satomi gasped as the ground began to glow. I have a bad feeling about this...

"There's been a major disturbance in time and space." Tonio explained to the jittery Ralts. "I don't yet know what its effects will be."

Ash was snapped to attention by a dark shadow flying around the trees. "Who are you?" he challenged the shadow. "Show yourself!"

He gasped at the black and white spirit Pokemon that formed before him, nearly forgetting his Pokedex to read up on his ethereal visitor:

"Darkrai, the pitch-black Pokemon. Legend has it that on moonless nights, this Pokemon will make people see horrific nightmares."

[An astute observation, boy.] Darkrai smirked. [Let me show you a taste of my power!]

[ASH!!!!] Tintri cried as he watched Darkrai engulf Ash in a circle of dark energy...

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Ash woke up some minutes later in the park, only this time, it was nighttime. "Where am I?" he asked as he looked around the empty streets of what he believed as Alamos Town. "Dawn? Brock? Tintri? Anyone here?" he called as he started down a street.

He gasped as a huge shadow with glowing eyes appeared in front of him! "AUGH!" he yelped as a strange pink creature tried to attack him.

[Welcome to my world...] Darkrai smiled as he watched Ash running from the odd pink creature. [Here you will face your worst nightmares, and more!

[Ash, I'm here!] Tintri called as he hurried to meet Ash. [I would never leave you--we'll face this nightmare together!]

Darkrai warped away from the balcony, and reformed on the road Ash and Tintri were on. He next created a funnel of dark energy in the ground. He laughed as Ash and Tintri fell screaming into the void...

"Ash, wake up!" Dawn called as Ash thrashed about in a bed. "Ash, it's me, Dawn!"

Ash woke up with a jump to discover that he was in a room of the Alamos Pokémon Center. He heaved a relieved sigh when he saw Dawn, Brock, Maury, Kai, Allegra, Tonio, and Alice gathered around the bed. "Am I glad to see you guys..."

"You were thrashing around and screaming so much, we were afraid you were having a nervous breakdown or something." Kai explained.

"It's okay...we're here..." Brock assured Ash as he started rubbing Ash's chest to calm him down. "You're safe."

Nurse Joy arrived some moments later. "Oh, good, he's awake! Most people that get hit by a Dark Void attack never wake again..."

Tonio gasped when he saw the floor was beginning to crack. "This is worse than I thought--if we don't hurry, time and space will be destroyed!"

"Is there any way we can save the world?" Dawn gasped.

"Let's meet back at the lab--I'll tell you all more there." Tonio replied as he hurried out.

To Be Continued...