Chapter 19: Westward Bound
Kevin lay in the warm folds of the sheets. The melody was fought, but it had nearly overwhelmed him. He could feel it taunting him, even as he thought about it. Pulling himself up, he wandered from the bedside all the way to the recovery machine. He switched it on and went to lie down on it.
Kevin's own mind felt as if it were torn in two from the melody. At the moment, his Scyther mind was completely separated from him. After resting for a full hour on the machine, he sat up.
What's the use? He thought. I'm going to lose anyway. Why, I don't even know the first place to go to find Lugia!!
Kevin shook his head. No! I… Can't give up that easily. Even Celebi said I could fight it… And I did fight it. Suddenly he gripped it with his hands. And strange… I can't even hear the voices within me…
Voices? Gaah!! Kevin barely managed to stop his fist from slamming down on the machine. I must be going crazy! I just called Duo-Cevan 'voices!' Can't… seem to think straight…
No pity for Duo-Cevan? Duo-Cevan suddenly said.
The voices! They're back! Kevin exclaimed, mostly to himself.
Voices? You aren't referring your friend to an intangible object, are you?
Sorry, Kevin sighed in his own mind. The melody seems to have put damage on my brain. Sometimes I feel like I've just fallen and went boom.
I can tell by the way you talk, Duo-Cevan remarked. Even Duo-Cevan felt the pain from the melody, so don't even start to think you were the only wounded one.
It seems to have affected you too. Kevin pointed out. Boy, I feel like some idiot savant when my mind slips on banana peels… err, slips like that.
"There you are!" Nurse Joy said, walking into the room. "What do you think you are doing out of bed?"
"Naps are not my eye candy," Kevin said.
"What?"
Kevin slapped himself in the forehead. "That's not what I meant to say… I meant I couldn't rest. My mind was occupied."
"Still, you should be resting. You seemed to be having an after-effect of the hypnosis signal."
"If only you knew the truth…" Kevin sighed. He suddenly raised his voice. "But you can't handle the truth!"
They were silent for a moment. Kevin sighed. "I'm sorry… the truth is that I have some melody running through my head. Just recently it amplified so much it felt like someone was treating my mind like a loaf of bread and cutting it in two. It also seems to have affected my noodle… err, mind enough that I sometimes don't speak in swirls… umm, that is, speak straight."
"So I can tell," Nurse Joy said. "How bad is the melody in your head?"
"Very," Kevin replied. He went to lie down again.
"So how's our new hero?" a familiar voice said. Efalno walked into the room. "Looked almost like you were hit with a ten-pound sledgehammer."
"I feel more like I was standing within a twenty-foot bell and had it ring several times," Kevin sighed. "This body is more than shaken."
"His mind is, also," Nurse Joy sighed. "It almost seems as if he's slowly going crazy."
"Slowly? Hah!" Kevin sighed. "I may as well give up now. The melody has gotten so loud that I can hear it echoing in myself. I may as well have eaten dynamite to get the same effect!"
Kevin rested a little more on the machine. :Wait a second…: he thought. He suddenly sat up. "What did I just say?"
"What? About the dynamite?" Efalno wondered.
"No, before that."
"You mean 'the melody has gotten so loud that I can hear it echoing in myself?'" Nurse Joy asked.
Kevin sat on the machine for a moment. Something clicked in his mind. "Wait! There's hope!"
"Huh?" Nurse Joy said with a puzzled look.
"It's not just an echo!" Kevin shouted. "It's the melody! The real thing!" Kevin jumped up and began running to the door.
"Wait!" Nurse Joy shouted. "Where do you think you are going? You need some rest!"
"Bah!" Kevin snorted. "That rest will only bring my destruction. I must go to the sea! That's where it is calling me! Only then can I have rest!" With that, Kevin opened it and dashed out after putting on his trainer disguise.
"Looks like he finally lost his marbles," Efalno sighed. He grabbed Nurse Joy's arm and stopped her. "No use chasing him. If what he says is true, then we should just let him go. After all, he seems to have no cure that we know of."
"But…" Joy began, but then sighed. "True, we have no cure for such a thing. I sure hope you're right, though."
* * *
Kevin reached the door to the front of the Pokémon center after colliding through several people. The melody! Was Kevin's only thought as he grabbed the handle.
Kevin! Calm down! Duo-Cevan prompted. We can get to the melody, but we have to stay calm!
Kevin suddenly came to a halt in the middle of the street. Aaah! Kevin growled. What am I doing? My mind is being overwhelmed by something!
So is mine, but it doesn't take dollars… or, to be precise, sense to hold yourself together.
Kevin grabbed his head momentarily. What is this that's causing such problems to my mind? he wondered. He hoped he wasn't getting any unnecessary attention.
He suddenly got an idea. Hey, we're hearing the other melody as well, aren't we? We could try amplifying it to calm the sea in us.
Are you sure it's not a copy of the maddening song? Duo-Cevan asked.
I'm almost positive, Kevin sighed. Finding out's half of the fun, though… err, I mean--
I know what you mean, Kevin, Duo-Cevan remarked. Yeah, I guess it's worth a shot in the dark.
Kevin and Duo-Cevan targeted the faint song and attempted to amplify it. However, their hopes were in vain, as the melody wasn't embedded in the mind. Guess we'll have to seek out the source of this melody to the very core! Kevin said determinedly.
Kevin began fighting his way through the crowds to the northern portion of the city. Halfway to his destination, though, he felt a danger pang. He immediately recognized it. Dang! Duo-Cevan growled. It's Arguelles!
Forgot all about him, Kevin said in a near growl. Let's move, now.
Kevin began charging through the crowd, practically acting as a bulldozer. Eventually, they cleared a path, enough for Kevin to get through without him almost ramming them. Kevin's mind was affected so much that he almost didn't even care whether he hurt anyone or not, and it became obvious to others.
Finally, Kevin was out of the city. Immediately he discovered a side route and began traversing it, the danger pang following him in every step. Suddenly, Kevin discovered another presence nearby.
"Huh?" Kevin wondered. He looked in the direction he sensed it from, but found nothing there.
That is indeed strange, Duo-Cevan said, puzzled. Not only did we feel a presence, but also I could detect what it was. I'm almost certain that was Raikou just now.
Kevin felt the air for a moment for any more presences. Yeah, you're right, Kevin wondered thoughtfully. I can still feel it moving away, too.
We'll still have to keep moving, though, Duo-Cevan commented. We have much ground to cover.
Indeed, Kevin agreed. Cianwood is a hop, step, and a quick jump away.
Duo-Cevan sighed. Seriously, Kevin. Think about what you are going to say before you say it. Otherwise you may as well be speaking Primeape jabber.
Kevin grinned to no one. An open parachute of sage advice thrown into the wind, he remarked.
* * *
Kevin's high-speed traveling was taking him a shorter amount of time than he thought. Already Kevin had past Ecruteak City and was on his way to Olivine.
Well, our mind is certainly clearer than it was before, Duo-Cevan said, relieved. The second melody also seems to be growing, too. I think we're actually hearing it physically, rather than mentally as the first one.
I'm not sure about that, Kevin commented. After all, how would we be hearing it physically? There must be another factor involved in this…
"What the…!!" Kevin heard a voice in front of him, followed by an "Umph!" Kevin had recklessly rammed into another person in his speedy dash. Kevin managed to slow him and the person to a stop, before any injury had occurred.
Kevin helped the unknown person to his feet after coming to a stop on the ground. "Sorry there, sir…" Kevin immediately apologized. "I'm the one at fault here. I wasn't paying attention to where I was dashing."
The person brushed his cape off, and then faced Kevin. "You better be sorry, for running into me like that!" he said in a fierce tone. He then calmed down. "I never knew anyone to run so fast, though. Who are you?"
Kevin stared at the face that looked unblinking into his covered hood. "Gary? Gary Oak??" Kevin asked in surprise.
"That's me," Gary replied. He scanned Kevin's form. "But if I recognize you, then I don't remember."
Kevin removed his disguise. "It's me, Gary. I'm none other than Kevin."
Gary stared. "Kevin?!?" He exclaimed. "What are you doing here??"
"Maybe I should be asking you the same question," Kevin retaliated. He then thought for a moment. "Well, for this side route, yes, I probably would've. As for why you're in Johto, though, that's probably something I could guess. As for me, however, you could say I'm hunting for a target here."
"A target?" Gary wondered. "What kind of target are you after, anyway? Is it a Pokémon?"
"A Pokémon?" Kevin laughed. He shook his head. "…Sorry. Anyway, my target is a man who is a powerful Psychic."
"The way you put it, it sounds like it's nothing exactly to be afraid of," Gary said, noting Kevin's laugh.
"Actually, he's far more dangerous than you can imagine, Gary," Kevin said, his expression grim. He quickly thought up a plan. "In fact, right now, he's got an entire army chasing me."
"Whoa!" Gary said, surprised. "Are you serious?"
"I'm as serious as a stubborn Marowak, Gary," Kevin said, not moving a muscle. "And as far as I'm concerned, if we don't move soon, they'll be on top of us."
"I guess I better start heading back to the main route then," Gary sighed.
"Don't worry," Kevin commented. "I'll teleport you. I first have to know, though… I had intended on luring them to the sea routes. Is there anything in the sea routes that I should keep an eye out for?"
"Well, if you're talking about a place to hide, you could head to whirlpool islands," Gary suggested. "They lie along the second route to Cianwood, but they are completely surrounded by sharp rocks and, obviously, whirlpools. Don't ask me what's in there, though."
"Why not?" Kevin asked. "Haven't you gone in them?"
"Actually, no," Gary answered. "I did have the ability to get over the whirlpools, but something about that island scares me. Something in it tells me that I don't belong in there."
Lugia, Duo-Cevan said. It's got to be him.
How can you be sure? Kevin wondered.
It sounds like a thing that a legend would do.
"All right," Kevin finally said to Gary. "Thanks for the information. I'll teleport you to the main route so you won't be attacked by the army after me. It may be unsettling, but it's safer." Kevin concentrated for a moment, and soon Gary was gone.
That's one more lie on the list, Duo-Cevan commented.
What about our life? Kevin sighed. We practically live a lie. We hide ourself to keep hidden from others. Soon, though, that will change. With that, Kevin continued to the west.
* * *
Suicune paced the ground in the clearing. Entei stood near the forest wall of the clearing, keeping a lookout for anything that could endanger their presence.
Suicune looked up at Entei. {Has Raikou arrived yet?} Suicune suddenly asked.
Entei glanced over at Suicune. {I have seen nothing of him since the last time you have asked.}
Suicune looked down at the ground again and began pacing once more. Entei, who went back to watching the forest, asked, {Do you suppose Raikou was caught by a trainer?}
{That is absurd!} Suicune said furiously, looking back up at Entei. {Raikou may not have the defense of me or the strength of you, Entei, but he is undoubtedly the most agile of us all. Certainly you of all the legends would not believe that a human caught him!}
{Regardless, Suicune, I have my doubts,} Entei sighed. {Ever since that Scyther-human Kevin had arrived, we have had to leave our sanctuary twice due to intruders!}
{Entei! Suicune!} Raikou suddenly shouted, dashing into the center of the clearing. {I bring news.}
{What of it?}
{Kevin is traveling very far with great speed,} Raikou stated. {If he is to continue at this pace, he should be at the Whirlpool Islands within the space of three hours.}
{That is good news.} Suicune breathed a sigh of relief.
{However,} Raikou added, {Kevin is also becoming very dangerous. Since the last of when we saw him, his energy levels have grown significantly.}
{Dangerous?} Entei asked. {He could not be as dangerous as Lugia himself when angered!}
{Perhaps, perhaps not,} Raikou said, shaking his head. {However, I do know that his energy has grown to such an amount that it is nearly twenty fold of what he was originally. His entire body is becoming poisoned to the tremendous increases.}
{I have never heard of such a case,} Entei said, puzzled. {What is the cause of this?}
{It is because of Lugia's Curse,} Raikou confirmed. {He fights the melody, and as he fights it, it expands what his body is capable of holding. It could be a danger to us all if he is able to unleash it all.}
Raikou then turned to Suicune. {The Great Ones also have news to bring to you… you are to assist Kevin in his negotiations. They are finding his power becoming too great for their understanding, and so he is to be monitored until it is determined whether he can use such energies at his degree or not.}
Suicune backed away from Raikou, startled. {What? The Great Ones want me to follow Kevin?!?}
{Yes,} Raikou confirmed. {Being one of water, you are the only one who can cross the sea to the Whirlpool Islands. Your presence there may help Kevin persuade Lugia into granting us assistance in addition to monitoring Kevin.}
{And what of being detected?} Suicune asked. {What if he finds that I am following him?}
{Kevin should know better than to attack a legend,} Entei answered. {The only way he would even dare to do such a thing is if he were already insane.}
{Very well, if the Great Ones send me on the task, I shall do so.}
{Then make haste,} Raikou urged. {Kevin is already far past the city of Ecruteak.}