Heart of Steel [Pokémon Fanfiction]

11| Primal Premonitions

Meteor, Silvette, and I wandered the twisting tunnels of Granite Cave, trying to find our way out. Somehow the darkness of the cave seemed even blacker now, my PokéNav's light being more vital than ever. The light made me feel safe. I clung to the small device like it was a lifeline, the one thing keeping me from being consumed by the inky black. So when that light began to flicker and slowly fade I became truly terrified.

Calm down! Everything will be fine, Meteor picked up on my encroaching fear and tried to comfort me.

"Arn rona!" Silvette bumped her head against my leg, her steely voice reflecting Meteor's tone. They were right, there was no use in panicking. I sighed and tried to smile. I guess I was trying to make myself feel better. It did work, if only for a few minutes.

After a while, the inevitable finally happened. My PokéNav died, plunging us into complete blackness. I stopped in my tracks, not wanting to move in fear of running into something. Or worse, falling into one of the many pits that dotted the cave floor. I actually wished Winona's Combusken was here. At least some form of light was better than nothing at all.

Okay, Plan B! Meteor announced.

"A-and what is Plan B?" I asked shakily, my eyes struggling to adjust to the dark.

Scream as loud as we possibly can, and hope someone hears us, he said matter-of-factly. There has to be more than one entrance to this place.

"I... I don't think that's a good idea. Sound travels well here, sure, b-but it also echoes. If someone did hear us, it would be difficult for them to pinpoint our exact location," I replied.

Why do you have to inject logic into my ideas? Meteor sighed.

"I'm saying, we're better off using your senses to navigate than wasting more time. Wallace and the others must be worried sick by now!" I said forcefully, yet I couldn't get my legs to move. Fear and hesitance had frozen me in place.

For wanting to find a way out, you sure don't look like you want to move.

"I'm waiting for you to go first. You're the one with the extrasensory ability," I lied.

Several minutes of blind stumbling later, I saw something that made me think I was imagining things. I saw light. Not a flashlight or firelight, but actual sunlight. It was seeping through a crack in the sloping tunnel wall ahead. I was elated until I realized that it wasn't an exit.

   The jagged crack was no more than a foot wide with crumbled stone scattered around it. If I turned sideways I could probably fit through. And even if it wasn't an exit, why would there be sunlight? A cool gust of wind flowed through the crack, smelling of fresh air. There had to be an exit somewhere. At this point I was desperate to find a way out.