I Really Didn’t Want to Be a Trainer

The night stretched endlessly.

Suimài City lay in complete silence.

Aogen, wearing a gentleman's hat and blue suit with a Lucario following closely behind, gazed at the gloomy sky with tightly pursed lips, resisting the heavy drowsiness.

Anyone observing closely would notice the dark circles under this high-level Aura Guardian's eyes.

Aogen hadn't slept for two full days and nights.

It wasn't that he didn't want to sleep, but every time he closed his eyes, he'd plunge into nightmares before waking up drenched in cold sweat.

Aogen had traveled by ferry from Iron Island to Suimài City precisely to investigate and resolve the source of these nightmares.

"There's no trace of Darkrai at the shrine on Crescent Island," Aogen muttered, pulling his hat brim lower.

"Judging by its movements, Suimài City is most likely its destination tonight."

Over the years, the two Pokémon species inhabiting Crescent Island and Full Moon Island had developed migratory habits. Moreover, these Pokémon weren't unique individuals but had their own populations.

As the master of Iron Island and a high-level Aura Guardian... Aogen had always taken mediating their conflicts as his personal mission.

Sense of justice, mission, spirit of sacrifice...

These were the very definitions of an Aura Guardian.

Lucario remained silent, its red eyes reflecting the dark sky and a sliver of moonlight piercing through the clouds as its pupils slowly dilated.

The dark clouds quietly dispersed, revealing a sacred and noble figure beneath the bright crescent moon.

"Cresselia?!"

Aogen looked up in disbelief under the moonlight.

The crescent-shaped long horns, light blue boat-like body. Two purple-red ribbons swayed from its chest, while pink ring-shaped wings extended from its back. Those narrow eyes shimmered with silver light.

The Lunar Pokémon, Cresselia.

It floated mid-air, bathed in silver moonlight, gazing toward a particular patch of darkness.

Legend said it possessed the ability to dispel nightmares and weave beautiful dreams, bringing peace to those tormented by bad dreams.

"I never expected it to appear here," Aogen said, pressing his hat down. "Which means..."

"Darkrai must be nearby!"

...

Near the library in Suimài City, at the police station.

Officer Jenny, with heavy dark circles under her eyes, covered a yawn.

As drowsiness overwhelmed her, her head kept nodding forward.

Thud!

Officer Jenny's arms rested on the desk as her head slumped onto them, falling into deep sleep.

Clatter.

The flashlight on the desk fell to the ground, its yellow beam projecting onto the window.

The circular light spot on the window was quickly obscured by a shadowy, humanoid figure wreathed in swirling dark mist.

...

Above the tranquil Suimài City, under the bright moonlight, a few households still showed faint lights.

"Grandma, tell me another Suimài City fairy tale~" a young girl's voice chirped.

"It's late. If you don't sleep, Darkrai will come get you."

"Wow, so it's a big bad guy?"

"The world isn't just about good and evil," the grandmother said slowly.

"There are Pokémon forced into difficult situations, and those who help others selflessly."

"What matters is how you view them, and they'll view you the same way."

"Yawn..." The little girl rubbed her eyes. "I'm sleepy, grandma."

"Me too... Let Marill sing you a lullaby."

"Nooo, grandma should sing~"

A dark figure passed over the house roof, and everything returned to silence.

...

"They say this time every year marks Darkrai and Cresselia's migration period,"

Dr. Hiroshi said while steering the jeep, speaking to Professor Oak in the back seat.

In the passenger seat, Kris, wearing a white round hat, had sparkling eyes:

"Uncollected data... Professor Oak, should I prepare to catch them?"

"Lu Ye has already provided Darkrai's Pokédex data,"

Professor Oak replied with a smile. "Besides, Gym Leader Byron has confirmed there won't be any unusual situations these days."

"But I heard..."

Hiroshi scratched his curly hair, looking ahead and whispering: "Gym Leader Byron often trains at Iron Island and rarely handles matters in Suimài City."

"That's because Gym Leader Byron's son, Roark, frequently substitutes at the gym,"

Kris said with a smile. "It's probably his way of training his child."

As the jeep continued through the night, drowsiness gradually set in.

While waiting for the traffic light to change from red to green—

"Yawn—" Hiroshi covered his mouth, rubbing his eyes. "Strange, I went to bed early last night..."

Thud!

Hiroshi collapsed onto the steering wheel, fast asleep.

Kris, secured by her seatbelt, drooped her head;

Professor Oak in the back seat crossed his arms and started snoring.

In front of the jeep, Darkrai's figure slowly emerged from a dark shadow.

It glanced up at the sky, then at Cresselia bathed in moonlight.

Darkrai suddenly shot into the air.

...

"Beep beep... Detecting suspicious energy fluctuations!"

Rotom Pokédex waved its mechanical arms in alarm:

"Analysis shows a 999% probability of Darkrai's presence, Rotom!"

Lu Ye gave Rotom a deadpan look before gesturing upward with his chin.

"Need your analysis for that?"

"Isn't Darkrai right there?!"

Rotom Pokédex: "..."

Click—

"Captured valuable photos, Rotom!" Rotom said triumphantly.

Teacher Lu: "..."

Fortunately, the flash was off, so they didn't attract attention.

At this moment.

Teacher Lu stood on a fourth-floor balcony with an unobstructed view.

Below lay a dark, dense forest.

Above the forest, two legendary Pokémon faced off.

Darkrai floated amidst swirling black clouds, arms spread wide, its shadowy shoulders fluttering in the wind.

Cresselia stood against the backdrop of a crescent moon, bathed in silver light, watching quietly.

Neither Pokémon paid any attention to Teacher Lu observing the battle.

With flashes of movement, they clashed directly.

Darkrai fired Shadow Balls from its palms, which vanished upon hitting Cresselia's Light Screen.

Raising its sharp claws high, Darkrai's cold eyes gleamed as it teleported above Cresselia, slashing down with Shadow Claw!

Suddenly, a radiant halo burst from Cresselia's body as Moonblast—condensed lunar energy—erupted in silver radial waves!

Boom!

Both Pokémon were forced back, panting heavily, before squaring off again.

[Your choice is to assist—]

[Darkrai / Cresselia?]

If this were a game, the options would've popped up by now.

But this damn system remained completely silent, making Teacher Lu grit his teeth in frustration.

Do I have to issue my own quests now?

Haunter licked its lips while jotting down notes, studying the combat techniques of both sides.

"Gengarrr~" A faint look of disappointment gradually spread across Haunter's face.

Teacher Lu fell into thought.

Darkrai and Cresselia... both had their own populations.

And their immediate fighting matched their natural tendencies.

Judging by their strength.

The Darkrai from White Poplar Town was likely the strongest, rivaling true legendaries.

This current Darkrai hovered around Elite-level, at best comparable to Darkto's legendary team.

"Looks like Mengmengda is already asleep,"

Lu Ye glanced back, touching the Lunar Wing glowing faintly in his breast pocket.

"Bringing key items when going out... definitely wasn't a mistake," he murmured.

"Eevee!"

A white light emerged from a Poké Ball as Sylveon appeared under the bright moonlight, its eyes reflecting Cresselia's form.

With a ribbon, Sylveon gently tugged at Teacher Lu's sleeve.

Lu Ye blinked in surprise.

"Eevee." Sylveon's sapphire blue eyes shone with determination to grow stronger.

If it could receive guidance from Cresselia...

Even if this Cresselia wasn't as powerful as White Poplar Town's Darkrai, it would still make progress.

"Eevee!" Sylveon's bow gleamed under the moonlight as it called out again.

"I understand."

Lu Ye smiled helplessly. "But let's be clear—no using Moonblast to wreck the house... Though blasting Professor Rowan's lab is fine, got it?"

A sweet smile spread across Sylveon's face.

"Eevee~!"

For a moment, Lu Ye felt like a proud father whose daughter had finally passed her rebellious phase.

"Well then."

Lu Ye flipped out Haunter's Poké Ball, gazing at the night sky.

"Sorry about this, little Darkrai!"

...

"We must stop their battle."

Aogen landed in the forest behind the library atop his Salamence.

By a small clearing with a babbling stream, the two Pokémon fought fiercely in the air.

Dark Pulses clashed with Moonblasts, their energy colliding and surging through the night sky.

Two radiant rings of light erupted in a dazzling explosion, forcing Aogen to shield his eyes—then they widened in shock.

At the epicenter of the collision, a Haunter floated mid-air, its body encased in the shimmering barrier of Protect.

Boom!

Energy crashed against the barrier, forming cracks.

"No way..."

Aogen's voice turned hoarse with disbelief:

"Blocking attacks from two legendary Pokémon single-handedly?"

Even with Protect's power, this was unbelievable!

"Gengarrr!"

The next moment, Haunter extended both hands, forming small rotating black holes in its palms.

The black and silver energies were drawn into the Dark Void.

Like a Big Bang reversing into a singularity, the night fell completely silent.

Darkrai and Cresselia both froze.

"Gengarrr~! (ૢ˃ꌂ˂⁎)"

Haunter grinned widely, combining the two black holes into one massive orb held above its head.

Then, it turned the super-sized Dark Void toward Darkrai.

Darkrai: "..."

"... "

Its icy expression cracked slightly, revealing a hint of terror.

Darkrai: Σ(°△°|||)︴

Why does this thing know Dark Void? And why is it better at it than me?

Isn't this my signature move?

Only the Darkrai family knows Dark Void—who the hell are you?!

Cresselia stared at Haunter, momentarily stunned.

One second, two seconds, three seconds...

Its luminous halo dimmed as Cresselia—with startling human-like mannerisms—lowered its head slightly in shyness.

Aogen stared at the night sky, utterly speechless.

The image of Haunter against the moonlit sky was forever burned into his memory.

"Just who... is its trainer?" Aogen felt his throat go dry.

"Haunter."

Suddenly, a commanding voice called from the distance.

Aogen turned to see a trainer emerging from the forest depths. The aura within him seemed to tremble and boil with instinctive fear toward this man.

His pupils shrank as if recognizing a revered senior, whispering in shock:

"T-Teacher Lu?!"

Without responding, Lu Ye looked skyward.

"Dark Void!"

Aogen whirled around to see energy churning violently within the black hole in Haunter's hands.

Impossible!

Legend said only Darkrai could master this move.

How could Haunter possibly know it?!

The next instant.

The black hole erupted from Haunter's grasp, dragging branches, rocks, and water into its vortex before exploding violently against Darkrai!

Boom!!

Teacher Lu's eyelid twitched.

He hadn't meant to nearly KO Darkrai...

Technically, Dark Void should only induce sleep without any damage.

Scaring Darkrai off would've been mission complete.

But this...

Likely because this Darkrai was far weaker than White Poplar Town's.

Plus, both Pokémon had already weakened each other.

Lu Ye: "Whatever... it's not like this is my only illegal move."

As the shockwave dissipated.

Darkrai floated in the night sky with crossed arms, its aura visibly unstable.

From Haunter, it sensed an overwhelming, elder-like pressure and fear.

And behind Haunter, that mysterious trainer...

Darkrai's eyes flickered uncertainly as it stared at Lu Ye.

"Sorry, but could you leave Suimài City for now?"

Lu Ye attempted to communicate via Aura.

"I know you mean no harm... but important people and matters are here right now."

"Please leave," Lu Ye narrowed his eyes. "Or else..."

Lu Ye thought to himself:

I'll have to give you a full spa treatment before sending you off!

Lu Ye: "And even I can barely control that forbidden technique!"

"Gengarrr!" Haunter floated beside him, hands on hips and nodding.

Darkrai felt an inexplicable chill.

Compared to those centuries-old elders, while it might be just a "little Darkrai," it was still exceptional among its peers.

Yet this Haunter used Dark Void more skillfully than it did...

This isn't right, this shouldn't be possible!

"Human, are you threatening me?" Darkrai closed its eyes coldly. "Do you truly believe you can succeed?"

Lu Ye pondered: "True, I understand legendary Pokémon have their pride..."

"Let me tell you!" Darkrai roared. "If I want to leave this place today, no one can stop me!"

Teacher Lu and Haunter: "..."

Aogen and Lucario: "..."

"I mean all of you here."

Darkrai glanced around.

"I'm leaving, and not even Arceus could stop me—that's final!"

With that, Darkrai sank into the shadows.

Only its glowing blue eyes and swirling white mist remained as it added:

"This isn't retreating in fear... it's a tactical withdrawal. Understood?"

Lu Ye: "Of course, feel free."

Darkrai sighed in relief before vanishing completely.

A final telepathic message drifted through the air:

"Hope we never meet again!"

Under the bright moonlit sky.

Aogen looked at Teacher Lu and Haunter with deep reverence, removing his hat.

"Teacher Lu, meeting you is truly an honor."

"Who are you?" Lu Ye blinked. "Did Sir Aaron get resurrected?"

Aogen: "We met before... that was my ancestor."

"Oh right." Lu Ye joked, "You're Iron Island's Aaron—no, Aogen."

"Indeed."

Aogen explained his pursuit of Darkrai and arrival in Suimài City.

Lu Ye nodded thoughtfully, feeling slightly amused.

Who knew a business trip would lead to this...

But it did bring unexpected benefits.

Lu Ye looked up at Cresselia hovering in the sky, smiling warmly:

"I think we can chat a bit more."

Cresselia gradually descended, nodding its crescent-shaped head.

[Thank you for your assistance, human.] A gentle feminine voice echoed telepathically.

"Just helping out." Lu Ye waved it off. "No need for gifts—just dance a Lunar Dance and leave some feathers."

Cresselia's signature move, Lunar Dance, could harness the crescent moon's energy to bless humans or Pokémon.

With Lunar Dance's enhancement, Sylveon could catch up to the first-tier team and reclaim its position as top boss.

[Lunar Dance: A dance invoking the new moon. While it knocks the user out, it fully restores the next Pokémon's HP and status.]

Cresselia: ???

"Just dance a Lunar Dance"...

Are you trying to kill me?!