Chapter 22 – The Voices
Undella Town – Hotel
A day and a half we had been in Undella Town, a nice town by the sea and of course Reversal Mountain where Team Annihilation Reborn's main building was and possibly Latias if she isn't in Black City. It would be the location for our final battle, one I had hoped all of us made it out and to return home. But until Brent was healed up we couldn't go anywhere just yet.
I was sitting on a chair on the balcony outside of our room looking out at the sea deep in thought. Espeon walked through the open door with two boxes of juice held with her Psychic. "Afternoon Zackary, enjoying the sights?"
"I guess…" I shrugged, taking one of the juice boxes from Espeon. She took a seat next to me on the chair.
"Nervous about the battle with the shiny bitch and her mind controlled army soon?" She asked, glancing up at Reversal Mountain we could see towering above the tallest of buildings within the town.
"There's that, but… I'm worried about my other ability activating when I fight against Shiny Latias or her controlled soldiers."
"Oh, that berserk like state you get into whenever you get angry?"
"Yeah." I sighed. "But if I get into a berserk like state, friends, allies, people and Pokemon who are close to me become my target until the voices die down… it's always the voice pushing me to lose control. They become so loud and that's all I can hear."
"You have heard them since you became a Dewott. You lost control a little since you became a Dewott until the fight against Team Doom had ended. You have told me about the time when you lost control when fighting several Pokemon while protecting Aqua. Or was there another time you lost control?"
"…yes." I reluctantly answered, not too happy bringing up that event again and wanting it to stay as a bad memory locked in my head forever. "There was one other when I left Nuvema Town, it was three months near Driftveil… this one the voices I heard a lot more than the rest."
"Not a bad memory for you, huh?" She nodded. "That's alright, I won't ask about it."
"Thanks Espeon."
"But you know Zackary, Shiny Latias has the same kind of thing you have; should she get angry she'll lose control and enter a berserk like state, as long as you know how to make her angry first." She said, looking at me and held my paw with hers. "Maybe you could somehow control it."
"I… I don't know…"
"Psychics can enter their mind, yes? Through The Dark place one can enter the mind to access memories, Psychic type training, maybe with the voices you hear can be found within. If you do find them, maybe you could tell the voices to go fuck themselves or something T rated as the story obviously is."
"I'm not sure about that. Whenever I access the Dark Place I don't see what's causing the voices or sense any other presence besides me in there."
"Well have you ever been angered while you are in the Dark Place?" I shook my head, I was always calm and relaxed whenever I did enter my mind using it to train with my Psychic or to look back on the memories of a happier time or the faces of Aqua, Latias and my friends I hadn't seen in a long time. I knew of the bad memories I could access, but I never used them not wanting to be reminded of how I lost them and why I was out here. Becoming enraged while I was in the Dark Place might be dangerous, I might end up going berserk and killing whatever I could after leaving it. But if I could find the voices within me, maybe I could somehow control the voices so I would never become enraged again.
Route 06 – Five Years ago
Walking along this route at this time of year was peaceful in the past, but now because for the appearance of Team Annihilation Reborn soldiers patrolling the region and searching for me made it unsafe. The first month of the year it was just the soldiers, before Shiny Latias had sent drones, tanks, mechas, and controlled Pokemon to come after me. But fighting the soldiers weren't easy at first since I had to manage all by myself. I had been with someone or in a team ever since leaving Nuvema Town when I was fourteen years old, so this was the first time I was by myself, always relying on others to help in battle.
They showed up at Driftveil Drawbridge, that was one of the first few sightings of the new 'Team' within the region, and the first place I had been ambushed by the soldiers, an ambush that had given me scars that day, the first of many to come. I had managed to at least fight off twenty of them before fleeing and running through Driftveil City and running halfway into Route 06 before coming to a stop at a log at the side of the road feeling dizzy and feeling the pain from all of the injures from the battle I had to rest.
"Man, they came out of nowhere. I'm guessing that was the new enemy then." I sighed. "Not even five months in and I'm already taken this much injuries… and I'm talking to myself again…." I looked down at my left leg to find it still bleeding really badly, I would've cleaned up the wound and taken care of it right then and there, but my other concern at that moment was the blood trail it had left. I turned my head up at the dark clouds. "The rain will wash the blood trail away… for now I need to find a place to lay low until the rain stops and all of my injuries have been treated."
At the time before all of the patrols Shiny Latias had set up almost on every route and settlement, the routes were full of wild Pokemon going about their day; some I had often got into friendly conversations, and others useful information about the nearest settlement, a good place to stay for the night without intruding on other Pokemon's territory, the nearest berry bush, or any soldier's had been seen. And now because of the appearance of Team Annihilation Reborn throughout the region the soldiers had scared off a lot them to go into hiding. At first I had thought Shiny Latias would not control Pokemon to fight alongside the soldiers, but boy was I wrong. I'm guessing at one point during my first year out in the region by myself she found out that I was getting such information about Team Annihilation Reborn soldiers from wild Pokemon and decided to target them.
From the bushes beside the road came out several Pokemon slowly approaching; three Deerling's winter form, and two Tranquill's all sniffing at the strong scent of blood in the air after leaving from behind the bushes to find me.
"Goodness, are you alright?" One of the Deerling had asked. They seemed alright, no sign that they were controlled.
"Just beat up… I need to rest." I didn't them about the Team Annihilation Soldier's, i suppose back then I didn't realize the actual threat they possessed at first since at first they never seemed to target anyone else except Pokemon.
"You need to find someplace where you can rest up. You can come back with us to our den until you have recovered." One of the Tranquill said, gesturing with its wing for me to follow them.
"Uh, thanks…" I slowly stood up, being held up by two of the three Deerling while we made our way over towards there den deep within the route. I remembered that we got into a short conversation, like the common question; what region was I from since they had never seen a Dewott like me before, and other questions to follow were; why I was wearing a cloak, bag and have an eye patch over my left eye, and how I ended up in a bloodied state, I answered each question without revealing too much about me and that the soldier's were after me, only lying about how I ended up all cut up by saying I was attacked by a wild Pokemon in Driftveil City.
They even told me their names… but for some reason I can't remember them. It began with a 'T' for the Tranquill's, and 'D' for the Deerling's but sounded very close to the name of the species…
Inside their den, a cave near a small pond the five Pokemon lived together as one big family knowing each other for many years, once a family of eight now reduced to five because of trainers catching them or decided to leave for other places. My injuries were healed after remembering the lessons Aqua taught me how to heal up bad cuts properly, the five Pokemon surprised how I was using Potion's on my wounds and wrapping bandages around my arms and legs, asking if I was ever a trainer's Pokemon or a nurses from a Pokemon Center. I answered honestly and told them my mate Aqua taught me how to use Potion's and clean my wounds, all things she learnt by an Audino we once knew.
Things were well during the first few hours of my stay there, finding peace and good company after three months alone. Everything seemed to be going fine, but as soon as the sun had set, soldiers had entered the route all searching for me, the blood train had not been washed away, the rain never came that day, something I forgot about the moment I was offered a pace to stay.
The Deerling's were the first to notice the footsteps of the soldiers marching through the route, flashlights searching each cave and Pokemon den for a Dewott like me. The blood trail I had left led the soldier's right outside the den, and all three Deerling's and Tranquill charged out to fight the intruders invading on their territory. I ran out of there and fought to protect them and defeat the soldiers, but after one glance towards one of the three Deerling being attacked by the many soldiers surrounding the den was the thing that had set me off. Voices in the back of my head urging me to kill, demanding for blood, to kill all who threatened my life, and I did. Everything became blurry as I used move after move on things I knew that were alive, but I couldn't tell what it was I were attacking.
I regained my senses when everything in the area was dead… including the five Pokemon by my paws, this terrible ability putting me into a berserk-like state until all life within the area was neutralized. Friend or foe, none of that mattered to the voices.
The only thing I heard from the voices that day and one I remembered was them saying in a mocking sort of way, "The five will help us defeat Shiny Latias and her army. Their energy is a nice welcome treat to us. It's not as though they will be missed, you must've enjoyed killing them!" I clutched my head, wanting the voices to shut up, to go back to sleep in the deepest parts of my head, they did leaving me alone and feeling terrible for what the voices made me do to the Pokemon. I had made a quick call for others to take the unconscious soldiers away, but after burying the five Pokemon just outside their den first, apologizing for what I had done.
Back inside the hotel room, Espeon and I sat face to face one another preparing to start using the Dark Place.
"Once you're inside the Dark Place, try and uh… think of angry thoughts, anything to awaken the voices." She lightly chuckled. "I know triggering the voices is like playing with a live grenade, it could explode if you're not careful. Just be careful and overdo it while you are in there, just small things and not the big things that anger you."
"I'm not sure this is a good idea. I don't want the voices to take control of me and make me hurt you, or kill you." I looked at her worryingly. "The Dark Place has helped me out a lot; strengthened my Psychic moves, helped me remember the memories I lost after losing them. How do we know we can get rid of these voices that I hear?"
"It's worth a shot. You can access the Dark Place for many things, even a lot that I know about but never tried because of the intense training involved to do so; like contacting other Psychics across the world. And some Dark Place intermediates can delve deeper into one's own mind. Maybe the voices you hear are somewhere there, lying dormant until it senses anger."
I had never used the Dark Place while angered. It may help me locate the voices from within, and yet it may do some devastating things to me like take control over me completely or destroy my mind. I had to take the risk. I wanted the voices gone to be free from them entirely should I face Shiny Latias again, I knew the voices would immediately rise upon hearing her talk. "Espeon, I'll do it." I looked her in the eyes and held her paws with mine. "Promise me you won't try to fight me if I lose control, get away from me as far as you can, I don't want to hurt you!"
She nodded. "I'll be careful, Zackary. Don't worry about a thing."
"Thanks." And with that, I prepared myself to enter the Dark Place.
I closed my eyes, breathed in and out slowly with my mind relaxed and thoughts clear, I focused on entering the Dark Place, and within seconds I was there, sitting in silence in the darkness.
I thought of a memory, a small bad memory from something little like losing a favorite toy, bullying in school, watching my friends getting hurt, I'd say that was the trigger for the voices to rise up and demand for blood, but unlike the times when I had heard them in the real world where I heard them all around me, in the Dark Place I heard them behind me. I focused and turned in the direction of the voices and quickly followed the voices in the dark void until they grew louder and louder, until the voices became one person, or should I saw one Pokemon standing in front of me.
It was another Dewott standing behind me, but different colored than an ordinary one. This Dewott's main fur was black, white ears, feet and paws, and waist fur, and one of its eyes was blue with white sclera, and the other eye was cut with a large scar across its face, this Dewott was like looking into a mirror only that we were different colors, and it was glaring at me. "Who are you?" I asked, deciding to break the long silence.
"I am you!" It said with a snarl, gritting its teeth as the eye glow a brighter blue, similar how my eye would glow a brighter red should I ever enter my enraged state. So I'm guessing this was me but taking on the form of the voices I hear, I'll just call it Negative Zack then.
"So you're the one demanding for blood every time I get angry, why?" I asked, but Negative Zack didn't respond, he instead growled, scratching into the dark floor with his nails furiously. "Why do you demand I kill people and Pokemon who anger me? Are you some kind of ability put inside my head by Shiny Latias?"
"Enough with this foolishness!" Negative Zack again growled. "Shiny Latias is still out there growing stronger with each passing moment. So quit playing with Espeon's stupid games and find the Latias and kill her already! For too long has she made us suffer, for too long has she denied our right to live in peace, but no more! Reversal Mountain is just right around the corner, so go up there and kill her already!"
"No."
"What!? Latias is up there suffering even as we speak! She'll die if we keep wasting too much time!"
"I am not going until I deal with you first!" I growled back. "For too long I have heard you every time I got angry. Every time almost nonstop would the voices flood my head telling me, demanding me to kill trapping me in a berserk like state. I want you gone for good!"
The negative Zack grinded his teeth and growled. "I have helped you survive all these years. If not for me you would've died long ago or caught by that evil Latias' and the world would be under her control. Your friends and family would die immediately after that, so I am not to blame here, you fool!" Negative Zack again growled, clenching its paws slightly hovering over both scalchops. "I deserve to take control over your weak form and kill the Latias myself ending this for good! No! It will not stop at just her, I will kill all who have ever hurt or betrayed us! The children at that school who bullied us, the last surviving members of the Savior's who fled like the cowards they are leaving us as the last members to do all the fighting, Ren for trying to kill us, anyone who opposes us!" Negative me growled. "Maybe Aqua if she doesn't agree with us!"
I grabbed my scalchop and glared back at my negative form. "You will not touch Aqua! Or anyone!" I yelled back, still sat on the ground, remembering not to stand up as in doing so will result with y mind breaking once again, memories, who I was, who mattered to me would all be gone.
The Dewott lunged for me using Razor Shell. Still sitting in place, I used Razor Shell to block his attack as he continuously slashed again and again at me growling. "I will do as I please. Nothing will stop me from getting that I want; I want out of this place, to live life the way I want. You are weak, too weak to save Latias from Shiny Latias!" He shouted, reaching for my neck trying to strangle me. "She will kill her and this journey will be all for nothing, just a dead Latias that'll be your reward for your weak efforts when I can do more!" He lifted his sclachop up attempting to slash at my face with his Razor Shell. Pushing him off of me with one arm, I attacked him with my move Scald right into his face before using Razor Shell.
Negative Zack gurgled as I stabbed my Razor Shell into his chest, pushing him back with a Psychic. He tried to stand back up, but failed and fell back onto the dark floor
As my negative form faded into nothing, so did the voices one after the other until I heard nothing but silence. But even with the silence I could still feel their presence, but weaker this time. And for the first time in for so long I felt as if a huge weight was finally lifted off my shoulders. I had control over the voices within me; I could get angry without fear of losing control.
I opened my eyes and I was back inside the hotel room to find myself engulfed by Espeon's Psychic, I was confused by this but before I could ask at the corner of my eye I noticed the room was in a mess, curtains cut up, the windows smashed, and the carpets all torn up.
Espeon stopped using Psychic and slowly approached. "Is that you Zackary?"
"Yeah, I'm still me."
She sighed. "Sorry about that, but not too long after you went inside the Dark Place you reached for your scalchop and used Razor Shell and started slashing whatever was in range. I had to hold you down for as long as I could or you were finished in there. So how did it go? Do you still hear the voices?"
I thought back to the memory of Shiny Latias killing my mom, Sakura and Isaac being killed right before my eyes, remembering stuff like that usually caused the voices to raise in volume all reminding me about how I should hurry up and save Latias and kill all who oppose me. I heard the voices, but this time the voices were quieter almost distant, when I had become angered be it by the smallest of things I would hear them much louder than what I was hearing. "I do." I smiled. "But they're much quieter now. When I entered the Dark Place I fought against a negative version of me. He wanted to kill, to fight all who opposed us, even hurt those around me. I defeated him and the voices quietened down. I may not have stopped the voices like I had wanted, but at least I have now eased them."
"That's good, one less thing to worry about before the battle with Shiny Latias and her controlled soldiers. If only we could stop the voices completely, maybe one day you can stop them for good."
I had hoped so soon one day I could stop the voices completely, to live a life without fear the voices may one day rise and try to control me harming all I care about may one day be. I had eased the voices down by a lot. Perhaps it would benefit me with my battle with Shiny Latias, I thought to myself. And so for the last remaining days we would be here waiting for Brent to fully heal up and get moving again towards Black City, Espeon and I trained for the upcoming battle that may be our last.
To be continued…
Trivia:
In Zack's Dark Place he would've encountered more than just his negative self. There would've been people and Pokemon he knew all trying to fight him to make him lose control.
AU: Chapter 22 down and 18 more to go. I'll see what i can do with how many chapters a week i can upload but for now 1 chapter per week is all i can do. Still trying to complete the story by either next month or the start of June. Thanks for reading the story and until next time.