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On the way back, Mai was in high spirits, humming a cheerful tune that Luther couldn't quite recognize. With her hands clasped behind her back, she skipped along the path ahead of him. The sun, still lingering above the horizon, cast their stretched shadows across the ground.
Mai's voice was lovely, but Luther found himself feeling a little awkward as he listened.
In this world, where Pokémon shaped so much of daily life, even poetry and songs often used Pokémon metaphors. It was perfectly normal to hear lyrics that drew comparisons to Pokémon traits or powers in all kinds of artistic works.
So when Mai's voice sang out something like, "Love burns hotter than Magcargo's shell," Luther couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed, despite how pleasant her singing sounded.
He genuinely enjoyed the melody, it was beautiful, but the lyrics, steeped in emotions and symbolism unique to this world, made it hard for him to keep a straight face.
Luther wasn't the best at controlling his expressions. When Mai glanced back at him, he still had an amused smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
"Was it good?"
Mai didn't seem to notice the look on his face, and Luther quickly nodded. "Yeah, it was great."
He wasn't just saying that. Aside from lyrics that made him feel a little out of place, the song and Mai's performance were genuinely wonderful.
"Your turn," Mai said as she turned to walk backward, facing him.
Luther instinctively glanced past her, making sure there was nothing in her path she might trip on, then sighed. "I really can't sing."
Mai tilted her head at him, clearly doubtful.
"I'm serious, I have no sense of pitch."
"You don't need to be pitch-perfect," Mai said with a smile. "To me, singing's just another way to share what's in your heart. Making it sound perfect is for performers. We just need to enjoy ourselves."
"But if I sing badly, won't it make people around me uncomfortable?"
Mai raised an eyebrow. "Am I 'people around you'?"
Luther had no reply for that.
The path they were taking back to Hearthome City was a quiet, lesser-known trail. Luther had chosen it intentionally, hoping to avoid unnecessary attention. He'd stepped off the main route on purpose to keep a better eye out for anyone following them.
Mai didn't ask why. She didn't question his injuries either. Instead, she simply said, "Do you need any potion? I've got some in my bag."
Luther's half-hearted efforts to hide the awkward way he held his wrist only made it more obvious something was wrong. Mai was incredibly perceptive, she always had been.
At this point, it didn't even matter whether he could sing or not. Somehow, this had turned into an unspoken interrogation.
Luther sighed and hesitated for a moment.
"Hello darkness, my old friend, I've come to talk with you again…"
After arriving in this world, Luther realized that while he had inherited this body, he hadn't initially understood the language spoken here. But somehow, when the lyrics came to mind, they flowed in the local tongue, as if automatically translated.
He wasn't sure how strange it might sound, this song didn't exist in this world. The melody might come off as unfamiliar or even a little eerie. Maybe he shouldn't have sung at all.
But The Sound of Silence was one of Luther's favorites. He sang the version covered by a modern metal band, and during the toughest times in his past life, its haunting intensity had given him the strength to keep moving forward.
He remembered every lyric, every note, but he had never sung for anyone before. Claiming he was tone-deaf had always been an excuse. The real reason? He was afraid of being laughed at.
But today, he had to sing.
Mai had stopped walking, listening quietly as Luther finished the final lines of the song.
As the last note faded, Luther gently closed his mouth and looked over at her, his expression calm.
She handed him a bottle of water.
"Here, bet your throat's dry," She said with a smile. "A little off-key, but honestly? Not bad at all. Though... I've never heard that one before. Did you write it?"
Luther didn't respond. A clumsy lie lingered on the tip of his tongue, but he didn't want to go down that road.
Sensing his silence, Mai didn't press. She just grinned and said, "Come on, let's pick up the pace! I'm still hoping that big prize cake at the bakery hasn't been claimed yet. If it's still there, we score!"
They walked on for a bit. Then, to Luther's surprise, Mai started humming again.
She had a sharp memory, after hearing the song only once, she was already softly humming its chorus.
"Sorry," Luther said quietly.
"It's okay," Mai replied immediately.
"Aren't you curious why I apologized?"
"I've got a pretty good guess. And... I should probably apologize too. I shouldn't have asked that question."
Luther watched her figure bouncing slightly with each step, her hair dancing behind her, but he couldn't see her face.
After a pause, Mai continued, "My mom once told me that making real friends can be surprisingly hard. You might think you're close, like you can say anything, but sometimes, that feeling's just an illusion."
"She said people fall into that illusion, thinking they're super tight with someone... only to get hurt when they realize there are still things being kept secret."
"Some folks are just... insecure. They overthink things, get anxious that their friends are hiding stuff, especially if it feels like it might be about them. But they don't have the courage to ask directly. Because if the answer's fake, it hurts. And if it's honest, well... that might hurt even more."
"So instead of asking, they just guess. And worry."
"That sounds kinda lonely," Luther said softly.
"I used to have a lot of friends," Mai said. "But I think... I lost them all."
"What happened?"
"I realized they didn't actually care about me. They just saw me as a Meowth who could use Pay Day."
Luther chuckled. "That's a weird metaphor… sounds like a bunch of fake friends."
Mai burst out laughing. "Fake friends, plastic sisterhood, right? I like your metaphor better. Plastic sisterhood! Hahaha!"
Luther didn't really get what was so funny about it, but Mai's laughter was so genuine, so bright, that he found himself smiling. It even looked like she had tears in her eyes.
It really was kind of funny, in a sad way.
"I got jumped," Luther said once her laughter had settled. "The guy might've been with the International Police."
As he spoke, he rolled up his sleeve. The scent of disinfectant and herbal ointment wafted from the tightly wrapped bandage.
Mai poked it gently, and Luther winced in pain.
"What happened?"
The fact that she didn't react at all to the words International Police made something inside Luther soften. Her calm acceptance made him feel unexpectedly warm.
"Vine Whip. The guy had a really strong Cacturne."
Mai looked up sharply, her bright blue eyes flickering with confusion.
"What is it?" Luther asked, throat suddenly dry.
Without a word, Mai pulled out her Pokédex and began typing. She spent a long time scrolling through the data. Then, with furrowed brows, she turned the screen toward Luther.
"Cacturne can't learn Vine Whip."
Luther stared at the Pokédex screen in shock, his hand trembling slightly as he began unwrapping the bandage on his arm.
Both he and Mai could clearly see the purplish bruise beneath. An injury like that couldn't be faked.
"Maybe that guy used Hypnosis first and then had another Pokémon attack you. That would explain the confusion," Mai suggested.
"Then why not just knock me out and leave?" Luther shook his head, unconvinced. "Why go through all that extra effort?"
As he fumbled with the bandage, Mai gently took over and helped rewrap it with practiced hands.
"It doesn't really matter for now," She said calmly. "If he's following you, odds are we'll run into him again. Then we'll figure out the truth."
"And what if he really is with the International Police?"
"Then we take him down!" Mai said with surprising fire. "Slowbro will use Ice Punch. Pachirisu will follow up with Thunderbolt while Eevee cut off his escape. If he tries to run, Corsola will use Sandstorm to block his path!"
Luther facepalmed. "That counts as assaulting a law enforcement officer."
"Did you do anything wrong?"
"Not a thing," Luther answered instantly.
"Then we're fine," Mai said with a shrug. "If he comes after you, we've got every right to defend ourselves. We just say he didn't show any ID, followed us without explanation, and we got scared. Easy."
Luther had no response to that.
"What? Is my plan not good?" Mai asked, scratching her head.
"No, no, it's great," Luther replied quickly. "Let's go with that. Next time he shows up, we hit first!"
Mai laughed and went right back to humming, and Luther trailed behind her, unsure how much time had passed. As night began to settle over the forest path, they finally emerged from the nature park. In the distance, Hearthome City stood quietly under the evening sky.
"Next time," Luther said suddenly, interrupting her song, "Just ask directly."
Mai paused mid-step. It took her a moment, but she understood what he meant.
"I don't like guessing either. So if I ask, you'll answer?" She asked softly.
"As long as it's not something I've gotta keep to myself," Luther replied. "Everyone has a few secrets."
"Like your song?"
"Maybe a few more songs, too."
Mai gave a knowing smile. "That's not a big deal. Who doesn't have their own secrets?"
They walked in silence for a few more steps before Mai stopped and turned to look at him, her expression gentle.
"I've got a secret, too, one I can't tell you. So if someday you find out I've lied to you... please don't be mad."
"Getting lied to by you and not getting mad, huh..." Luther began playfully, but the words softened as he noticed the seriousness in her eyes. She wasn't joking.
"Then make it a good lie," He said after a moment. "Don't be clumsy about it. I'm kind of slow anyway. It'll probably take me a while to even realize it."
"I'll try my best," Mai replied with a lazy stretch, her voice light again.
The streetlamps lining the edge of the park flickered on, one by one, as if guiding two wandering souls back home to Hearthome City.
(End of Chapter)