Living in the Shadows

CHAPTER 13 BATTLING DARKNESS P1: MORE MEMORIES/THE BATTLE

(Third)

Malamar was having trouble sleeping. He tossed and turned, but thoughts of what happened today and what Jenna said kept repeating in his head. With a sigh of defeat, he rose from the moss and looked for a spot to meditate.

If I can't sleep, I can at least get some training in.

When he first awoke after the night Darkness was expelled from him, he learned that his psychic powers had greatly decreased by more than half. Even though his psychic, not to mention his hypnosis, powers have always been weak, it still hurt his pride. He found a secluded spot and began his meditation.

He hadn't been meditating for long when he was joined by Mismagius. "Can't sleep either?" he asked without opening his eyes.

"No," she replied. "I keep thinking about what Jenna said, regarding King Darkrai and that castle."

Malamar opened his eyes and stared at her with sympathy. "You think the castle they were in was Shane's old home, don't you?"

Mismagius was silent for a minute before responding. "Why else would she say he was showing true fear?"

"Let's see if you're right," he said after a pause before getting up.

They moved quietly to the last of the red and technicolor crystals on the side of the gorge near Darkrai and Cresselia, passing the sleeping Pokémon and humans. However, they were shocked to see Gothorita wide awake with two Beheeyem.

They were setting up a barrier, and when they saw Mismagius and Malamar, Gothorita held up her hand in a "shush" gesture while pointing at the slumberers.

The two nodded before moving into the incomplete circle.

Are you going to watch the rest of Jenna and Cresselia's memories? Gothorita asked with Telepathy.

We were planning on finding a certain memory Jenna talked about just before Yveltal showed up, Mismagius answered.

Gothorita and the Beheeyem looked at the seven remaining clusters of memory crystals.

That shouldn't be too hard.

Don't you dare touch any of those crystals! A new telepathic voice added angrily.

They swerved their heads and saw Cresselia and Darkrai watching them, glaring.

"Well, excuse us for being unable to sleep!" Mismagius harshly whispered.

"I defy any Pokémon that's pure or half Psychic, Ghost, or Dark-type to be able to sleep in this place!" Cresselia hissed. "How they can is beyond me!" she added while gesturing to the other Beheeyem, Elgyem, plus the rest.

While Mismagius, Malamar, Darkrai, and Cresselia stared each other down, Gothorita swiftly finished the barrier but added Cresselia and Darkrai to the circle. And to keep them from waking anybody, she placed dark purple crystals near them. Now their powers were rendered useless. (Darkrai could still cause anyone sleeping near him to have nightmares if the barrier wasn't there.)

With any noise or sounds from the memory crystals isolated to their inner circle, the Beyeehem floated to the nearest one and broadcast it. The memory was one of Cresselia's, and it was one where she was human and singing on a stage before a large audience.

Cresselia, having still not recovered her full strength, blushed with embarrassment and hid her face.

"You're good," Gothorita commented as the memory continued. "You're not as good as Jenna, but still."

"Where did you learn to play guitar?" Mismagius asked.

"Jenna," she answered after a sigh and lifting her head from her hands. "Her brother taught her to play, and everything she learned, I learned." She paused as she looked at her hands. "Though I dare say that playing any instrument now will be very difficult, if not impossible."