Chapter 32 - The Voices in His Head, Pt. 2

Luan darted straight through two chambers, then turned left. There was a rock that he didn’t see and made him trip and roll down until he hit a wall. When he stood up, he found an opening, and took a right, followed by two more lefts.

Or was it straight for three chambers, then right, roll, and two more rights?

What side did he roll to again?

He shivered. The deeper they went, the colder it got.

“Uhh. We are lost. Really, really lost. This is bad,” Rev said, sending a wave of fear through his telepathic words. “We can still go back. Turn around. Let’s go find Lulu.”

Luan stayed silent. He knew they were in trouble and didn’t need a reminder. And yet...

“I don’t want to die alone, frozen in a dark cave.”

“I wouldn’t abandon you,” Luan stopped, scanning the darkness. He could see nothing.

“I also don’t want the two of us to die together, frozen in a dark cave,” Rev insisted. “And you’re angry at me.”

Luan sighed, feeling around for a rock to sit on. He slouched, gently reaching up to his head where Rev clung tightly to his curls. Worry, fear, regret. He couldn’t see Rev’s eyes, but he felt his starter’s emotions like they were his own.

Or were they his own?

“Rev…” Luan started, shaking himself back to the present. Conversations like this weren’t his strength, but there would be no point in bringing his Hoothoot back if things stayed as they were. “You and Lulu know I don’t want to be a type specialist, right? It was just coincidence my second Pokémon was psychic, too.”

“I know,” Rev’s voice was small in his head.

“And you know I’ll get other Pokémon eventually, right? I tried capturing that Sneasel the other day. A Dark-type, of all things.”

The Munna said nothing, but nuzzled his trainer’s arm with his trunk.

“It’s just… I don’t get why you and Lulu are so mean to Menace…” He paused, thinking he heard something. He could see nothing in the darkness around them, so he refocused on Rev. “What you said before…” he couldn’t bring himself to continue out loud. “You called her a beast… an abomination. Do you really think she’s either of those things?”

Rev was quiet for a long moment. “She is just a normal bird.”

“Then I don’t understand… why?”

“We are two, and she is one… it’s easy.”

Luan kept quiet for a while, feeling his fingers numb and Rev’s fear grow. Still, Menace was on his mind. “Can’t you just try to be three instead?” he found his voice again.

The darkness felt heavy, but a faint chirping echoed nearby. Hope sparked in Luan’s heart. Few things chirped in caves, and this didn’t sound like a zubat.

When he turned, looking for form in the darkness, he saw two red orbs glowing. Their dim glow making the shadows a little less overwhelming. This was Foresight, somehow helping Luan face his inner ghosts.

“Mena…?” Luan spoke cautiously, his gaze fixed on the round red eyes. They were sad and filled with doubt, but they were there. His Hoothoot was there, perched on a rock beside him. “H-How?”

They’d recklessly run into a dark maze. Finding her felt like too much luck.

“She saw you running and got worried,” Rev translated, begrudgingly but with relief. “She was angry, but she’s still your Pokémon. She says…” The Munna paused, rolling his trunk up in displeasure. “She says good Pokémon don’t let their trainers get lost and frozen to death in creepy dark caves…”

“So you followed us…” Luan repeated, a small smile beginning to form. “You were right to be angry, Menace. And you’re free to leave if… I want you to know I wouldn’t trade you for anything in this world.”

The Hoothoot flew closer, blinked at him a few times, and finally pecked him, more gently than usual. Luan let out a squeak but carefully touched his forehead to his bird’s.

“Are… are we okay?” he whispered. She let out a few more chirps in response. There was more energy in her voice, and passion in the way she moved her wings. But she was still hurt.

“She says you aren’t… but we’re a team, so we’ll figure this out,” Rev translated once more. He floated closer to the Hoothoot, his trunk deflated, eyes low. He let out a long “mu,” and Menace nodded slowly in response. There was no translation for this bit, but Luan felt he could breathe a little easier.

With Rev back in his head and Menace’s eyes lighting the way, Luan stood up. Before he could leave, however, two shadowy figures entered the cavern.

“What the hell is this red light?” a low, gruff voice said.

And then… Luan whimpered.

—*——*—

“What’s a kid like you doing all alone in a cave like this?” the man asked again, stepping into the dim glow of Mena’s eyes. As he drew closer, Luan saw his appearance matched his voice—big, towering, with broad shoulders that seemed three times Luan’s size. He ran a hand through his dark hair, his strong square jaw clicking.

“I-I’m lost…” Luan squeaked, trying to look as harmless as possible. The second shadowy figure stepped into the light—a boy, not much older than Luan, dressed like a ranger, but with the eyes of a psychopath.

Luan’s body shook, not from the cold this time. He took a deep breath, deciding he also couldn’t afford to look, as Rey would put it, weak. “Y-you’re the…” his voice faltered as he stared at the two figures. He didn’t want to say anything wrong, so he took a moment to carefully consider his next words. “You’re the new ranger, aren’t you? My cousin… she said she met you in… in the mayor’s office.”

Luan could feel both Rev and Menace tense. Neither Pokémon made a sound, telepathic or otherwise, but he sensed they were both ready to leap into battle. Even though any attack here would surely end in disaster.

The ranger raised an eyebrow, exchanging a curious look with the larger man. “Your cousin?”

“She usually goes by Mia,” Luan said, trying to maintain his calm. “Though that’s more of a nickname. She might have introduced herself as… huh?”

The ranger interrupted him with a loud, disturbing laugh, his eyes full of venom. “I think I remember a Mia,” he hissed. “Tell me, are you alone? Is she around here somewhere?”

Luan felt a tightness in his throat. “I got separated from my Lunatone and my… my other friend, Rey.”

The bigger man nodded and, with a grunt, turned back to the ranger. “This doesn’t seem like our problem, Ryder. I’ll get back to work. You make sure all the kids know to stay away from the cave.”

The ranger—Ryder—huffed. “You’re not in charge, Gozu,” he snarled, but his words fell on deaf ears. Gozu had already disappeared back into the darkness, leaving Luan alone with the ranger. Ryder took a device from his belt. “Which way did you come from?”

Luan felt nervous as he looked around. The device in Ryder’s hand beeped and turned on, its screen brighter than Menace’s eyes.

“I don’t know… It was dark,” Luan said quietly, but Menace poked his cheek with her beak and gestured to the path behind them. He nodded and pointed. “I guess that’s the direction we came from… I… If you can just tell me the way to the exit, we’ll leave you alone.”

“You seem nervous,” the ranger said, his voice cold. “Worried your friend got eaten by a Mamoswine?”

A shiver ran down Luan’s spine. There couldn’t be Mamoswine down here… right? “Rey knows the caves. He’s probably out already.”

Ryder’s smile was unsettling, made worse by the cold blue light of his device contrasting with the red glow of Menace’s eyes. He pressed a button, revealing a map of the cave system. The device was similar to a PokéNav but different. The map was incredibly detailed in some parts, but incomplete in some others. On top of the map, green and red dots moved erratically on the screen.

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Luan counted eighteen green dots and noticed that whenever one approached an incomplete section of the map, additional information filled in. The red dots were less active, with four clumped together in a single chamber and one located two chambers away.

Ryder zoomed in on the solitary red dot and adjusted the device further. An arrow appeared at the top of the screen, and he nodded with satisfaction. Without a word, he moved in the direction the arrow pointed. Luan hurried to keep up, following closely.

Menace let out a low chirp, looking up at Munna. “She’s asking if we should really follow him,” Rev translated in a telepathic whisper. “She thinks she could turn off her glow, and we could run… It’s not a bad idea.”

Luan discreetly shook his head, trying to convince himself as much as his Pokémon. “He won’t do anything,” he thought. “Not to us… not if we behave.”

The pair of humans turned a few corners, and soon Luan noticed the walls and rocks becoming visible. Though his fingers remained numb, he felt the cold lessen as they moved on. Finally, they arrived back at the lake Luan had been earlier in the day.

Outside the cave, Rey was pacing and shouting at the Lunatone. He seemed to blame the Pokémon for allowing Luan to run away, which, for Rey, was almost touching. “Ugh.” He rubbed his head. “You took several minutes to scout ahead, and all you found were a few Seel. Do you know what a headache it will be if your trainer ends up dying?”

Yeah. Touching.

Lulu’s eyes flared. For a moment, Luan thought the Lunatone was actually speaking to Rey, but that wasn’t something his psychic did very often. And even if it was, the conversation was cut short with a loud crackle of rock. Lulu had seen them, and a wave of pleasant emotions—or what passed for pleasant for a Lunatone—washed over him. Strangely, even Rey looked relieved. For a second, at least. Then he resumed yelling.

“What the hell were you thinking, running away like that? You are fucking stup-” Rey marched towards Luan, cutting himself off when he noticed Ryder. He frowned, then stretched his shoulders, trying to appear bigger somehow. “I hope you at least challenged him to a battle.”

Luan’s eyes bulged, and he tried to say something, but no words came out. His hopes that the ranger would laugh off such a silly idea and leave vanished when Ryder smirked.

“Is that why you went to the cave?” he asked. “I wouldn’t indulge usually, but I caught something new and I want to test it.”

Rey sneered. “Of course, you couldn’t even challenge him yourself. Pa-thetic.”

—*——*—

“Master Luan, I do not think it wise to engage in a battle right now,” Lulu advised. “You are too nervous.”

“Don’t worry, Lulu, I can take over if Luan fumbles,” Rev chimed in. “Or maybe we could all be the Hoothoot trainer? That’d be fun.”

The Lunatone hovered closer, crackling with energy. “I sense our master’s intent. He wishes for victory. The beast cannot possibly—”

Rev blew his trunk, cutting off his teammate. “Ugh, you missed a whole thing. We are… being nicer to that… to Menace.”

The moon-shaped Pokémon hovered in silence for a moment. Its red eyes—said to bring your fears to life—peering into Luan’s soul. “I do not understand this development.”

Luan sighed. Menace, still perched on his shoulder, kept her gaze fixed on the ranger, who waited a few feet away. “Are you two done?” he asked, gesturing for his team to come closer. “Ryder wants to test something new he’s caught. I’m betting it’s an Ice-type from the caves. So our best chance is to use Lulu.”

“This will be a one-on-one battle between Trainer Luan and Ranger Ryder,” Rey shouted, startling Luan. “And if the trainer keeps wasting my time, he’ll be out of a referee.”

“You’re the one who dragged me into this,” Luan grumbled, gesturing for his Lunatone to move forward. Rev blew his trunk in support, and Menace just tilted her head. Rey raised his eyebrows, shaking his head impatiently before turning to Ryder.

“Ready?” Rey asked, his voice devoid of emotion.

“Rey, was it?” the ranger responded, picking a pokéball from his belt. “Do you know the caves well?”

Rey frowned. “Shouldn’t you be focusing on the battle?”

Ryder simply laughed and released his Pokémon. Relief washed over Luan when it wasn’t a Mamoswine. But as a Sneasel materialised, dread settled in. “It’s a Dark-type… It’s a Dark-type!” he screamed in his mind.

Rey glanced at the ranger’s Pokémon and Luan’s panicking face. He chuckled and turned back to the ranger. “I know the caves well enough. Most Pokémon inside are weak Water and Ice-types, so I don’t often bother with them.” He gestured to the battle. “Shall we focus on the matter at hand?”

On the battlefield, the Sneasel looked ready. It snarled, its razor-sharp claws glinting and clicking, the feather on its right ear quivering with anticipation. This wasn’t the Sneasel Luan had encountered before—this one was a lot more vicious.

Rey signalled for the battle to begin. Strangely, it started without either battler making a sound. Ryder simply nodded, and the Sneasel launched itself at Lulu, who floated up, lifted by psychic energy.

“You won’t outspeed it, so let’s set up,” Luan sent loud thoughts toward his Pokémon. The advantage of training psychics was never revealing their moves. Keeping opponents guessing was the one thing he knew he was good at. “Fly up where it won’t reach you, then Harden followed by Rock Polish.”

The Sneasel missed its first attack, and the Lunatone let out a satisfying cracking sound. It couldn’t fly as high as a bird, but it floated just high enough to stay out of the Dark-type’s reach. Once in position, Lulu’s surface clanked, shedding a few pebbles. The rock became smooth and gleamed in the light.

“Keep attacking,” Ryder said vaguely, but his focus remained on his conversation with Rey. “So, I suppose you don’t know where the Lapras’ nest is?”

Luan glanced at the ranger, momentarily distracted by their conversation.

“I have no idea,” Rey shrugged. “Lorelei only told mother, and they don’t share the secrets of the caves with anyone else, not even me.”

Ryder frowned. “Mother…?” he muttered before shaking his head. “So, the caves have other secrets? I heard it’s unusual for Lapras to migrate here. They should go west this time of year. Towards the Orange Islands.”

“Master, the ice shards,” Lulu’s voice snapped Luan’s attention back to the battle. The Sneasel had conjured large chunks of ice and was hurling them at the opposing Lunatone. Lulu nimbly dodged a few, and the ones that made contact didn’t seem to cause much damage. “May I suggest countering with rocks?”

Luan smiled. “You read my mind. Use Rock Slide!” he commanded through his thoughts. “And keep going as long as you can.”

“Mother doesn’t share, and I don’t particularly care,” Luan overheard Rey’s comment.

On the battlefield, the Lunatone descended closer to the ground, and a wave of energy washed over the area, causing the surrounding rocks to rattle like popping corn. A larger boulder formed, and Lulu wasted no time in lunging it toward the Sneasel.

“Don’t dodge, destroy,” Ryder said, somehow paying attention to both the battle and his conversation simultaneously. He then frowned at Rey, clearly displeased with the lack of information he could provide.

The Sneasel hissed and wasted no time. Swiftly, it tore through every rock Lulu threw, as if they were made of butter. The Dark-type was fierce, but as more boulders were hurled toward it, the Sneasel grew annoyed. Perhaps it was time for Luan to switch things up.

“Psyshock,” he instructed Lulu. “Throw off its rhythm, then follow up with another Rock Throw.”

“Yeah! Show them we’re not afraid of the dark,” Rev chimed in, cheering for his psychic friend. “And uh… Menace is telling you to attack from above.”

Lulu made a clicking sound at the mention of the Hoothoot and didn’t bother flying up. It hovered back instead and unleashed a large wave of psychic energy towards the opponent. While it didn’t inflict significant damage, it caused the Sneasel to pause in confusion. Taking advantage of the opportunity, the Lunatone swiftly threw another rock, knocking the Sneasel back and closer to the ranger.

Ryder clicked his tongue. “Pull yourself together and finish this quickly. Aim for the Lunatone’s core.”

The Sneasel’s eyes glinted, and it sprang from the ground, launching itself toward the Lunatone in an instant. Lulu threw another rock, but the Dark-type didn’t bother dodging this time. It leapt onto the rock, using it as a platform to reach Lulu.

The Lunatone couldn’t ascend high enough in time.

There was a swooshing sound, followed by a metallic click and a clack. A disturbing screech filled the area, followed by a loud thump. In the end, Lulu lay in a small crater, its core cracked and its eyes dimmed.

Luan sighed, feeling a void where his Lunatone’s presence had been. Menace awkwardly tapped her wing against her trainer’s head, while Rev shared his disappointment that the psychic move hadn’t been enough in the end.

“Win some, lose some,” Luan told his Pokémon as he recalled Lulu. He smiled weakly at his pokéball. “You did good.”

Rey snorted. “The battle goes to Ranger Ryder. Shocker.”

Barely acknowledging Luan, the ranger recalled his Sneasel without a word and turned back to Rey, now able to fully focus on their conversation. “So, in short, you know nothing about the cave?”

Rey shrugged. “Like I said, what is the point?” He ran his hands through his hair and let out a charming smile. “Look, I rebelled against this whole Ice-type motif when I was a kid. There is no—”

Ryder interrupted him with a high-pitched laugh. “That is cute,” he said, and Luan could see the ranger was getting under Rey’s skin. “Let me guess. You’re the bad-boy rebel everyone thinks is just the greatest.”

Rey groaned, sounding a lot like his mother.

“There is a big bad secret in the cave, but Mister Sunshine can’t be bothered because it doesn’t revolve around him?” The ranger continued, too amused to stop. Rey was huffing with anger, and though Luan tried to reach him, Rey just brushed his hand away.

“Where the fuck did that come from?” he hissed. “You don’t even know me.”

“There are plenty of you where I come from,” Ryder said with a large grin on his face. “Assholes who think they are special. You… you are unoriginal. Pathetic.”

Rey gritted his teeth. “Rattling me so I spill some big secret, is that it? And you call me unoriginal? Please. At least I’m not plain stupid.”

Ryder crossed his arms, still smirking. “Is that what I’m doing?”

“Look, I don’t know about any secret. But at least I can see what is right on my face.” Rey forced out a laugh. “I mean, don’t you think it’s strange that it got far too cold suddenly?”

The ranger glanced at the cave. “Everyone tells me the cold on this island comes from the Pokémon inside the cave… what are you suggesting exactly?”

Rey tossed his hair back. “I dunno. Maybe some new Swinub hatched.”

An uncomfortable silence fell among the three boys, and Ryder simply scoffed before turning around and leaving without a word. Luan could sense that his Pokémon were relieved the ranger was gone, even though he still felt uneasy himself.

“W-what is in the cave, Rey?” Luan asked carefully, hoping not to trigger him any further.

“Mother never told me, no matter how much I asked,” Rey muttered. “All I know is this.” He motioned toward the sky. “Every festival season, it’s the same. There’s a freaky storm, and after it clears, the temperature keeps dropping for a few more days. Then there’s some light snow, and eventually, a big snowstorm hits. After that, everything goes back to normal.”

“You think it’s because of a Pokémon?”

Rey shrugged. “If it is, it’s a hell of a Pokémon.” He looked at the sky for a moment longer and then turned back to Luan. “Come on, let’s find you a trainer that you can actually challenge to a battle… and maybe try to actually win this time around? Seriously. Psyshock against a Dark-type?”

Rey was already leaving when Luan glanced in silence at his Pokémon. Menace peered into his eyes, and Rev gazed into his mind. They had questions, and Luan hed no answers. Finally, he turned around to see the icy darkness into which Ranger Ryder had disappeared.

His heart pounded in his chest.

Something told him this wouldn’t be the last he’d see of the Icefall Cave.