Dark Winter Night (One-shot)

Jeffexcellence's Yuletide gift, now for CL consumption! (please don't wig out on me, ProBoards...)

XxX

On a calm, crisp winter night a murkrow hopped across snow-covered grass under the moon's pale glow. When that wasn't getting him through the cluster of barren, icy trees fast enough, he flitted forward until, at last, the trees gave way to a hill that gradually declined toward a shoreline. White from high tide's froth met the white of snow lying atop the sand, but Murkrow wasn't interested in that. Instead, he turned his attention toward the trees.

It was tough to make out, but he eventually spotted a darkened silhouette against a tree a few yards away. He fluttered toward it, chirping, "Hey, Darkrai! Darkrai! Darkrai!"

A single crimson eye poked open and sized Murkrow up. Then Darkrai abruptly rolled over. "What do you want, Murkrow?"

Murkrow glided to Darkrai's right side and touched down. "To keep company, of course! I managed to sneak away from flock again." He puffed his chest out. "Your stealthology lessons have paid off big time. Nabbed many sparklies!"

Darkrai groaned. Those "stealthology lessons" were nothing more than Murkrow giving chase to them… even when they blended into the shadows to try and get away. Darkrai ran claws through their white, spectral hair. "I'm not one for company tonight. Go away." They waved Murkrow off.

"Go away? But I just got here."

"And if you don't leave… you'll see exactly why flocks like yours fear my kind," Darkrai said. They raised their free hand and black goo bubbled up between their claws.

"No fear. No scary. I've got Insomnia. No spooky dreams for me," Murkrow sang, swaying from side to side.

Sighing, Darkrai lowered their arm and pivoted so they were lying on their back. "Fine. You can stay. But as I told you… don't expect much out of me."

"Aww, why so gloomy?" Murkrow leaned over. "Wait… you always gloomy. So, why super-gloomy?"

The response consisted of Darkrai pointing to the sky. Murkrow followed their gaze, only to tilt his head in confusion. "Did you happen to notice that the sun set awfully fast today?" Darkrai asked. The look Murkrow gave them suggested that they didn't. Darkrai rubbed their temples. "Look, the fact is that today is something humans call the Winter Solstice. It's the shortest day and longest night here in Sinnoh."

"That good thing, right? Darkrai like nighttime because pokémon go sleepy-bye." Murkrow held his wings up by his head.

"Not in this case." Darkrai looked Murkrow over skeptically. Perhaps they had overestimated the bird's age. "The Winter Solstice is a time where pokémon will often gather to offer thanks to Cresselia for protecting them during the night and blessing them with good, peaceful dreams."

Murkrow's eyes widened. "Ohh… you mean Moon Lady! Yes, yes, flock leader mention Moon Lady much times. Say she's good and you're bad… but lots of flock mates have Insomnia, too, so we safe from spooky dreams."

"I'm aware of that, thank you." Darkrai struggled to keep their impatience in check. Out of any night, why did Murkrow have to show up and bother them tonight? They just wanted the night to be over so they wouldn't be stuck on the island.

I never should've agreed to that stupid rule that I'd stay island-bound until the Winter Solstice ends, they thought, shoulders sagging. I'm going to lose my mind if I have to keep listening to him babble.

Taking a deep breath, Darkrai said, "Why aren't you with your flock, then? Shouldn't they be having some sort of special meal or gathering?"

"Oh, yes, yes. Of course. But it boring." Murkow swayed back and forth again. "I like being here with you. You're fun! You pop in and out of shadows. Don't think Moon Lady can do that." He shook his head.

Darkrai cracked their eye open again. "You think I'm… fun?"

Murkrow nodded so vigorously it almost made Darkrai dizzy. "I like your stealthology lessons. Big fun!" He looked around. "Shame there are no sparklies to make it more interesting."

Dare I ask what constitutes a 'sparkly' for him? Darkrai wondered. Still, it was strange to hear a standard pokémon refer to them as being fun. When they snuck around Sinnoh, the most they ever heard were superstitious whispers. Things like their kind trapping pokémon in endless nightmares. Or siphoning the joy and happiness from anyone they come across.

Every year, they'd sit on their little island mulling over the latest the rumor mill had spat out about them. All while Cresselia flew about the region, dropping Lunar Wings and listening to packs and tribes sing her praises. It wasn't fair. Darkrai couldn't stop their ability from activating. They tried their best. They avoided pokémon they knew were sleeping and they only used Dark Void in self-defense. But it wasn't enough. It was never enough.

Maybe somewhere out there was another darkrai that actively took pleasure in plaguing others with nightmares. But they weren't one of those darkrai. They just wanted to be free to do something other than hide.

"Hello? Anybody home?" Murkrow waved a wing in front of Darkrai, snapping them out of their thoughts. They looked at the bird… at the kid, most likely. Here he was, saying he wanted to be around Darkrai. And on the very night pokémon were meant to offer thanks to Cresselia. It was an odd sight as far as Darkrai was concerned.

And yet… one young bird willing to spend time with them was better than nothing. Even if he did have an obnoxiously squeaky voice. A tingle spread down Darkrai's arms at the realization that, no, they didn't have to spend another Winter Solstice alone with their thoughts. They could have company. For once, they could be like a normal pokémon.

A soft chuckle escaped Darkrai. "Hey, kid, how about we try a different kind of lesson, then?"

"Different? Oh, different can be good! Different can be fun!" Murkrow's eyes sparkled and he hopped up and down.

Shoulder joints cricking, Darkrai rose from their seated position. "You're a flier… but how good are you at dodging things in the air?"

Murkrow cocked his head. "Dodging… in the air?" He tapped his beak with a wing. "Never tried. Have to think hard when flying."

"I see." Darkrai ran their claws through the ground, scooping up soft snow. They packed it down with their free hand. "Think fast."

They tossed the snowball right at Murkrow. It struck his face and showered him in snow. Murkrow fell onto his back, coughing, sputtering, and beating his wings uselessly. "Hawk… plebth… how is this fun? Cold bad! Cold bad!"

"It's how you're going to learn to dodge while flying. Sinnoh is a cold region, after all. Not so good for fliers like you," Darkrai explained, scooping up more snow to make another snowball. "If you can learn how to dodge stuff in the air… you'll be much more fearsome and the weather won't have as big an effect on you."

"Flock leader protect me from bad weather."

Darkrai froze. Clearly, they'd need to try a different train of thought. "If you learn how to dodge… you'll be able to steal sparklies even easier."

That did the trick. Murkrow bolted upright and rifled off a salute. "Then toss the freezies! I'll learn the art of dodge." He assumed a fighting stance, wings raised to take to the air when necessary.

Darkrai hurled the snowball. Murkrow jumped up and beat his wings. They weren't very large, but he managed to get enough height to where the snowball only struck his foot. Though Murkrow winced, he successfully stayed airborne.

"Nice. But I wasn't even using a fraction of my strength," Darkrai said, scooping up more snow. "Think you're ready for more?"

"Very ready!" Murkrow cawed. With a soft chuckle, Darkrai hurled the next snowball.

Sure, the Winter Solstice might've been about Cresselia. But this year, Darkrai was the one who'd gotten a gift. The gift of a student… and a friend.

This was a short, experimental piece written as a gift. I hope you enjoyed it. Happy New Year!