Kakuna Wars: Chapter Seven



“MISTY!” Abe yelled into the Cerulean gym. “I’m here to talk -- to challenge you!”



The red-haired gym leader stared him down curiously. “Oh? Like you came to ‘talk to’ Brock about the… what was it again? The “Wartortle” that’s really a Vaporeon wearing the shell of the Squirtle it murdered? Only wait, you didn’t tell him any of that, you just beat up his Pokemon to get his badge because those damn Voices in your head wouldn’t shut up until you did. And even then, they wouldn’t shut up.”



Abe pulled back in surprise. “Ma’am…?”



“Oh, don’t act that surprised, kid. You’re a history nut, right? You’re not the first one on the planet to get Voice Syndrome -- I think that’s what the other guy called it? Invisible eldritch spirits whispering in your head?”



The Voices took offense at this, buzzing furiously. Up A GUYS WE NEED TO BET MISTY BloodTrail PogChamp and other suggestions that were far too horrible for Abe to dwell on.



“The actions of the Voices started the Great Carbuncle War,” Misty went on. “Although they called it something considerably worse. Kanto and Almia fought viciously, and lucky for us, the Voices chose Kanto’s side. I heard them briefly, during the Blitzle-krieg operation to sink Almia’s battleships. I think part of them stuck with me, and their powers never really went away.” She paused. “Not that I mind, not strictly. After all, they… tell me things.”



“T-tell you things?” Abe asked.



“Oh, yes -- quite interesting things. For instance, you recently beat Nugget Bridge, and refused the offer to join Team Rocket. Such a good boy you are!” she mocked condescendingly. “Except that they also told me that your little fire snake was the one that killed and ate that poor Oddish back on Route One. Murder, cannibalism, and food poisoning! You’ll be lucky if either of you last another day.”



“She’s a Charizard, not a snake!” Abe yelled above the din of the Voices in his head. Normally this wouldn’t be necessary, but he could tell, somehow, from Misty’s crazed expression, that the sounds of chaos were just as loud for her as they were for him.



“Same difference,” Misty taunted. “Nothing personal… to you, kid. Your Voices, though… they don’t like me. And the feeling is mutual. And I’m getting a strong sense that you defeating me is going to be good for them and not so good for me.”



Abe found himself nodding despite himself, since she wasn’t wrong, not really. He wasn’t honestly sure what exactly the Voices wanted out of him, but judging from their eagerness to do unspeakable things to the Gym Leader, he wasn’t going to guess benevolence.



“So, what’s it going to be, Champ?” Misty asked. “Beat, or get beaten?” She pulled out a Poke Ball, releasing a Lapras. “All right, Princess. Go get ‘em.”



GUYS WE NEED TO BEAT -- HELIXDOMEIT THAT’S STROOOOOONG!!!!!