Pokémon Bloodstone | An Orre Fanfiction

Chapter 63: Samples

It was Chalcedony's turn to stare silently at her untouched food as her friends celebrated. Only Justy and his Palm Badge stood between them and Citadark Isle. The waiter transferred Chalcedony's pasta to a container. They boarded the student bus to GOSS to pick up Dirk's car. Zileh couldn't resist pulling her friends into a selfie there, too, because that diamond-shaped building was once Cipher's Key Lair.

'Y'know, when you take the time to travel all over Orre for the Gym Challenge... even if Cipher are coming back as we speak... you really do see how we get knocked down and get straight back up again. All that "rising from the ashes stronger" stuff isn't just cheesy Gym Leader talk. It's true. And it's true for people, like Agrev and, well... Eldes, too, I guess.'

Chalcedony managed a smile. 'You're wiser than all of us.'

The slamming car doors echoed around the parking lot circled by striped rock formations. Dirk's new Trevenant sat in the passenger seat. It was well-trained by Nasina, but it could only evolve when traded. Until Dirk eagerly accepted it, she couldn't find anyone who wanted it. He loved it. He still had to hastily return the Ghost-type when it terrified the driver behind into almost hitting them.

'So... to Phenac City? Ahh! I'm so excited! I'm goin' to Phenac whether y'all like it or not!'

'It's nothing to be ashamed of,' Rustie gently assured Chalcedony, 'If you're Eldes and Leden's kid.'

'I know. It's just weird. And it would make me a Luvaro which, let's be honest, isn't going to make anyone feel good. Uncle Ardos, anyone?'

Zileh offered a fist-bump. 'Weird uncle solidarity.'

'Eldes is a really nice guy,' Rustie continued, 'And I don't think he's a player or anything. He genuinely loved Leden, from what I've heard, but he was promised to his wife Ivyra when they were really young. I think they're all into geology, too. Lumir's always posting fossils and stuff on Rotogram. So they might have chosen your name.'

Chalcedony didn't know what to make of any of it. She didn't want to get hopeful that it did mean her parents loved her if it wasn't true. Yet why else would Eldes even know what Pokémon she used? Did the Elite Four always give out Key Stones? She didn't know enough about the Orre League to say. Roto-Search only provided an eight year-old article complaining that Lovrina didn't 'connect' with the fans.

'I don't know about you,' Rustie said, 'But I'd rather be a Luvaro than a Gallego...'

'What a choice. Creator of Shadow Pokémon or professional psychopath.'

Flags that glittered in the sunlight, bearing all eight Badges, hung over the highway as Phenac City drew closer. There was hardly any room for commercials amongst posters of Justy's face and silhouettes of the Elite Four at Citadark Isle.

Dirk switched the country music station on. None of them were especially big country fans, but it was the essential soundtrack to the Orrean Gym Challenge. Frantic banjo cut to news.

'The staff of the Pokémon HQ Lab remain under house arrest in Gateon Port...'

The challengers heard that story over and over. There were never any new developments.

'In Gym Challenge news, Chief Sherles confirmed this morning that The Under's Gym Leader Wyatt is now considered missing. Officers found his apartment empty after several days of absence due to "food poisoning." Concern is rising for his welfare as Ardos Luvaro and Nascour Fusto remain at large.'

'This is just getting worse.'

Chalcedony sighed as she stared out at the highway. 'What next? Eldes kidnapped him because he knocked me up?'