Pokémon Obsidian | An Orre Fanfiction

Chapter 26: Stop Trying

'So, we meet again.'

Zileh sat opposite Raidne in a suburban Phenac City police station. Raidne, in a fluorescent escape risk uniform, stared at the wall.

'I'm sorry your sister betrayed you.'

Raidne snorted. 'Sure you are. I don't want your pity, Mini Dakim.'

It clearly wasn't Zileh's red hair that gave away who her grandfather was. GoD knew. He thought it important, or derogatory enough to tell his Admins... but why would that matter to him? Dakim was dead. It wasn't as if they could threaten him.

'I would've thought Dakim was your kind of guy. He killed what, seven people?'

'If you think I'm gonna turn out like your caveman grandpa – "see the light" in jail and throw a Geodude at GoD when I get out – don't waste your time.'

'Dakim didn't "see the light in jail," though. His conscience was always there. And you can pretend you don't have one, but I've been doing this job since I was 16. Don't waste your time.'

'So I have a conscience. What makes you think I'll use it on you?'

'I don't think you will, to be honest. I think you'll eventually realise that no-one in Cipher actually cares about you, if you haven't already. You're not defending them because you're delusional. It's out of irrational loyalty.'

'You're not as intuitive as you think you are. You know nothing about Cipher. Let alone me. Maybe you think I'm a mindless slave, but I actually have a brain, believe it or not. I care about Cipher's goals. And maybe I'm already using my conscience on them, because Cipher isn't what you think it is. It never has been.'

'If your intentions are good, why hide in an underground city?'

'Because change has to be forced. And wannabe heroes like you refuse to believe that.'

'I don't know, Raidne. Shame about Snattle and Gwin, but I think Governor Verzant did a pretty good job of picking up where Justy left off to achieve real change. Why doesn't GoD run for Governor? Instead of trying – and probably failing – to overthrow the government?'

'Maybe he doesn't want to overthrow the government.'

'Then what does he want? Maybe I'll understand. I saw the best in Dakim, even after living in fear of him for 14 years.'

'It's none of your business. I don't care if you think I'm hiding something, or if you think our intentions aren't actually good. Your opinion means nothing to me. I'm going to jail or I'm not.'

'But you don't think you are. You think your boyfriend will rescue you. He is your boyfriend, right? Not Leucosia's?'

Zileh felt bad playing that card, because she knew the answer was 'both' or even that GoD preferred Leucosia, but it was the only thing that came close to piercing Raidne's veil of indifference. As quickly as it was snuffed, rage flashed in her eyes.

'Fuck off.'

'I take it he is Leucosia's boyfriend, then.'

'Get fucked. Oh, wait, you can't. Even your husband didn't want you.'

'Where is GoD, if he really cares about you? He's had a few days. He blew up the Bank of Orre just for fun. It's not like he's lacking the power to get you out of here.'

'He's busy.'

'How do you know?'

'Bitch, he is not Leucosia's boyfriend. He tells me everything. I am the reason he is GoD. I would know if he was going to be busy.'

Zileh high-fived herself inside. Now she was getting somewhere.

'You're the reason he's GoD? That's interesting.'

'I told you. You think I'm a mindless slave. You know nothing. I am the siren who dragged GoD to hell. And I serve him because I want to. You don't get it and you never will.'

'Does he like being GoD?'

'Um, yes? What kind of question is that?'

'Just wondering, because you'd think if he valued his position that much, he'd be thankful for it. He wouldn't bang your sister and give her an XD-series Pokémon before you.'

'Sweetie, you know literally nothing about me or XD009. Maybe I didn't want it. Maybe a murder machine shouldn't be in the hands of anyone with a conscience. Don't be so presumptious. That won't make you a good cop.'

'If we never make guesses, we'll never progress. But you wouldn't take XD009, huh? So you know deep down that what Cipher's doing is wrong. Or is that an excuse?'

'No, it's not a bloody excuse.'

So she spends enough time around GoD to pick up his Galarian slang... or she's trained herself to sound like him. She sure sounds a whole lot less like Lovrina than Leucosia does. Is that deliberate? Does she not want to sound like them? If she 'dragged' GoD down to 'hell' – Cipher – did they bond over not wanting to be like those who came before them? Is it even possible they didn't want to be part of Cipher at first, but that was the only way to achieve whatever it is they want? Maybe I can get an answer...

'Is it really Cipher you want to be part of, with Lovrina and Ein and Ardos?'

'Duh.'

Raidne's eyes said otherwise. So she didn't think highly of at least one of those three.

'Or do you wish it was just you and GoD?'

'Life doesn't work like that.'

'No, but it's OK to wish things were different. If I could turn back time, I'd do things differently–'

'Stop trying to relate to me, you sad old bag. I'm not like you. I'll never be like you.'

But you snapped because it's true.

'And I guess you don't want to educate me? Tell me how you met GoD?'

'I told you. I am the siren who dragged him down to hell.'

'How?'

'You don't believe me, huh, Mini Dakim?'

I didn't say that, but if you want to take it that way and tell me, go for it.

'I wasn't prancing around on the Gym Challenge when I was 14.'

'There's nothing wrong with that.'

'It's not like I had a choice, is it?! You wouldn't know! There's no record of my birth! My mom's a wanted criminal! I can't show my face in public without a mask! I grew up at a resort, full of old men with delusions of grandeur, in the middle of nowhere! And he was the only friend I had!'

Her voice abruptly cracked. 'And they took him from me!'

'Your parents...?'

'No! Not just them! His nasty family, too! Leucosia had nothing to do with it, not then. He didn't know who she was. He didn't care to know. But she has to have everything I have. She raped him! And now he has to keep fucking her to take back the power! That's why he fucks Primula! It's why he fucks Brynlee! Because now he's – become – become GoD – he can't look back! Cipher is the only future! He has to be on top, because it's all he's got!'

'Raidne, I know you don't trust me. I know I'm just another cop. But I learned from Anabel. She's the reason Alfie is free, because she passionately believed that people can change, or even that they weren't always as wrong as people think they were in the first place. Evil deeds aren't always done by evil people. If I can help you, I want to. I would much, much rather help you and GoD than throw you both in Gatas. No matter what you've done.'

'You can't help me. You sure can't help him. Don't think he's the way he is because of Leucosia... or because of Cipher. He already was. Don't think I'm the way I am because of external factors. I already was. We are broken. There's nothing you, or the greatest therapist in the world, can do to change that. Stop trying.'