Pokémon Bloodstone | An Orre Fanfiction

Chapter 5: Real

Jovi shook off the shadow of Ein to turn to the frightened challengers.

'Sorry about that. Let's see who won a cool rock! And a cute little Pokémon!'

Rustie's forehead wrinkled. 'They can't really get you closed down, can they...?'

'It's Orre.'

Hop snorted. 'The cops can't do anything.'

Another challenger worriedly spoke up. 'Governor Gwin is actually going ahead with the re-training plans...'

'Then Ein'll probably get himself into trouble for wasting their time. Any claims he makes are baseless. Anyway... don't any of you worry about him. All you need to worry about is whether you've won one of these awesome Pokémon – bred by my best mate, Victor, in Galar!'

Hop released the three Pokémon. Sobble immediately began to cry. Scorbunny was running circles around the challengers before anyone's eyes focused on it. Grookey sat patiently beside Hop. Lumir sorted the entries and placed the names of those who answered correctly in mixing bowls. No-one could find a hat. There weren't many to shuffle, but he shook the bowls anyway. Jovi closed her eyes to pluck one out.

'The big winner is... Lason!'

An elated boy sprang to his feet. His 12 fellow challengers remaining politely clapped.

'Pick whichever one you like!'

Rustie held her breath. She willed Lason not to choose Scorbunny. She was already in love with the little white Pokémon and it was beaming back at her. Lason chose Sobble. Rustie was relieved.

'And second place... Ivor!'

Ivor's dark eyes lit up. He made a beeline for Grookey. It happily climbed onto his head.

'Last but not least... Chalcedony! You get adorable Scorbunny!'

Rustie's face fell. Chalcedony felt as guilty as she expected to. If Rustie hadn't given her the answer, she would have assumed Grookey bred in the Laztaz Highlands. Scorbunny leapt into her arms. Its warm feet set her shorts alight. Lason's Sobble spat Water Gun to extinguish the fire, but it didn't know its own strength. Chalcedony was drenched from head to toe. Scorbunny's excitement was doused with the water. Neither Rustie nor Chalcedony won an evolution stone.

'Well, everyone, I hope you're all as excited as I am for you!' Jovi concluded, 'The landscapes of Orre are more varied than you think. It gets pretty cold up here in the Laztaz Highlands and Agate Hills. Even the desert can get cold at night! So if you're planning to walk to Gateon Port–'

'Walk?!'

Ivor gaped. 'People walk?! How far is that?'

'That's where Jet and Nasina have run off to! Our Champion, Zane, walked too. It took him and his friends just under 24 hours. Are any of you thinking of walking?'

Ivor shook his head. 'I don't think I have that in me...'

A girl with a burst of red hair, Zileh, nervously raised her hand. She was considering it to find a rock she could use to have her Eevee evolve into Leafeon. She was the youngest after Amethyst, who must have gone straight to Gateon Port, because no-one saw her at the lab. Rustie glanced at Chalcedony.

'I've been thinking about it... especially now I have this Pokédex. I really want to meet as many Pokémon as possible! But I know it's a long way, so you don't have to come with me...'

Anything that put off facing Wyatt was fine with Chalcedony. She shrugged.

'I'll go.'

'Really? Yay!'