Pokémon BW: Rise of Clarity (book 3 of the HBoD series)

Chapter 52: The Monster of Lacunosa Town

I slipped away from the cottage silently. Anthea and Concordia were nice and caring, but I couldn't sit still. Not while my friends were out there hunting down Team Plasma. My pokeballs bounced lightly against my waist, my gratitude towards N's sisters immense as they had taken great care of them while I had been out.

I shivered as I made my way through the pine forest. The November air was chilly, especially up here in Northern Unova. But if judging by my Pokedex's map, there was a town not far from the cottage. Lacunosa Town was where I needed to go. If Team Plasma had done something, that's where I could find out what since Anthea and Concordia were being tight lipped.

"It doesn't matter if I'm still not fully healed," I muttered. "I can still help."

Not long later I emerged from the forest and was met with a wall. Following it I soon found the archway that led into the city upon a cobblestone road. The temperature had risen only a little, so it was still pretty cold, but there were quite a number of people going about their day as usual. I made my way to the town's Pokemon Center and located the TV. I watched it for a few minutes, but nothing significant was being featured.

"They might be keeping a low profile," I muttered as I walked through Lacunosa's streets. "Ghetsis' plan is to rule and dominate, but without the Dragons, all he has is his flying frigate, and that wouldn't be enough. Heck, I don't even think the two Dragons would be enough. There has to be something else going on..."

Something silvery gleaming in the light caught my eye. I stopped, finding myself standing just outside the town's cemetery. There was an old woman wearing a brown shawl crouching in front of a gravestone off to the side, her silver gray hair gleaming in the sunlight. Something about her just felt so familiar. Then she began to speak and I could just barely hear her words.

"It's been five years now, yet it feels like yesterday I saw your smile," she said, her voice sounding strong despite her age. "You were the only one to believe me, all those years ago. Well, there is the boy. He's such a kind boy. He always loved hearing my stories. But maybe that's all they were to him. Just stories of a terrible, frightening monster of ice. But I know better. He-"

"Excuse me."

She startled, turning back to look at me behind round glasses. I smiled awkwardly. "I couldn't help but overhear-"

"Youngsters these days can't mind their own business," she glared at me, shaking her head ruefully.

"Uh, sorry-"

"I'm just pulling your leg," she gave a reedy laugh. "I was always very nosy in my youth." She smirked. "I still am. Now, what did you overhear?"

"The, uh," I rubbed the back of my head, unsure how to proceed. "This monster of ice you mentioned. Could you... describe it?"

"Oh." She eyes me as if seeing me for the first time. "You saw it, didn't you?"

"Sort of," I admitted, sitting down on the hard ground.

"Hm." She nodded. "Tell me, do you know of the legends of the Monster of Lacunosa Town?"

I shook my head. "Can't say I do."

"It's a legend that's been with this town for as long as it's stood," she spoke with a mysterious air to her words. "About a great beast that stalks the woods outside the city during the long winter months. It comes forth from the Great Chasm and steals away humans and Pokemon alike who stray beyond the edge of town. With this monster comes chilling winds that are beyond that of even the harshest winters Unova has known. That's why the citizens of the past erected the wall surrounding the town, and why no one will venture outside at night beyond even their homes, even though many claim to not believe in this story."