Pokémon Bloodstone | An Orre Fanfiction

Chapter 35: Meeting

No-one smoking outside the 263 Cacnea Street apartment block even blinked when Lyndon took two body bags from a car's trunk. They wriggled a little. If anyone did wonder, they assumed they contained Pokémon from the sewer. It was Axley's car. His wife Volivia held Lyric in their own grandson's Regirock onesie.

Amber was playing a Pokémon wrestling video game with Courtney when they unlocked the door. Trip's Marowak ran circles around the kitchen table with Camden on its shoulders. Zubat was close behind. It was cheerful chaos.

Lyndon carefully laid one of the body bags down. He dropped the other as roughly as physically possible. Courtney giggled. She knew what was inside before Axley unzipped it and Verzant glared at Lyndon. Jazlyn sniggered when she caught Courtney's eye.

'What are you laughing at?!'

'You know exactly what I'm laughing at, Verzant.'

Trip called to Marowak to stop running. Camden had to meet his new friend. Volivia gently laid Lyric down beside him. Amber cast aside her controller to sit with them.

'Say "hello Lyric."'

'Hello! Lee-ric!'

After the day's ordeal, Lyric wasn't even a little flustered by the unfamiliar mayhem. She stared with wide eyes at Zubat. Camden beamed.

'My Zubat!'

'Ooh.'

Jazlyn knelt to offer Lyric her beloved Buneary plush. She hugged it tight.

'Now you say "hello Camden."'

'Hel-lo. Cam-den.'

She held up her plush. 'Buneary.'

'Coooooool!'

Courtney switched off the video game to play a VCR. It was Camden's favourite video of a dancing Carvanha family. He stood to dance.

'Baby Carvanha, do-do-do-do-do-do! Baby Carvanha! Mommy Sharpedo-do-do-do-do-do!'

Lyric couldn't stand for as long as Camden. She didn't get as much experience. Her parents were too afraid to let her out of the trailer, or wander around while they were at work, for more than a few minutes. Camden sat down when she did. He encouraged her to wave along instead. Jazlyn smiled.

'You got a real sweet kid there, Amber.'

'Until you ask if he farted.'

Camden scowled. 'I did not!'

'See?'

Lyndon threw their suitcase to Verzant in the spare room. He almost toppled over. For a moment, Lyndon considered locking him in, but he was distracted by his P★DA.

'Oh... I have to go.'

Amber glanced back at him. 'Now what?'

'Urgent Orre League meeting.'

Courtney and Axley received the same message. It was rare that Mt. Battle's Trainers were called to those meetings. They were governed by the Orre League now, but weren't usually needed when most discussions were about the Gym Challenge.

'Well, we know what this is gonna be about...'

Verzant was glad Lyndon didn't lock him in. It was the first time he or Jazlyn remembered being able to relax with Lyric. They felt like they might have to run at any moment while they slept in the dormitories at Mt. Battle. Lyric never had any real friends. She did meet the children of their colleagues, but she wasn't invited to parties or playdates because parents were afraid Ardos might target them. She loved playing with Camden. Their Zubat and Buneary plushies 'battled' until they both fell asleep watching a movie about a Pikachu and a magic carpet. Amber and Trip laid a blanket and pillows on the floor.