Pokémon Obsidian | An Orre Fanfiction

Chapter 51: Lookalike

Agate Village was dusted with fresh snow. Ice clattered as frozen streams fought to break free, only to freeze again when the night came. Dirk and his Pokémon were shovelling snow when Laila's Charizard landed. He waved.

'Hey, Laila! What's up?'

'I've just...'

Laila couldn't force a smile. 'I've just come to get Lavender's Pokémon.'

Shortly before she died, Lavender began training to become a Poison-type Gym Leader or Elite Four member. While she focused on her Poison-types – which were now in the care of her grandpa, Purpsix – she left her Sylveon, Milotic and Cinccino at the Day Care.

'Ah... of course. I won't hold you up.'

Laila nodded. Ice cracked as she shoved the Day Care's sliding door. It was comfortably warm inside. The Friend Ball doormat was soggy with snow. Rubber boots were lined up in front of a bookcase filled with colourful Pokémon books. A marching Pikachu screensaver scrolled by on the PC. The Name Rater, an old man who rated and officially changed Pokémon nicknames, was asleep in his rocking chair. Muffled singing, accompanied by a banjo, floated from the back yard. Laila reached to ring a Ditto-shaped bell.

The music stopped. Footsteps squelched. Keys jingled as the door was unlocked. Chess, wearing a baggy black winter coat with a fluffy hood, peered out. He put his banjo down. He was expecting Laila. She took out her holographic wallet.

'Jamie said it'd be, like, P3,500.'

Chess shook his head. 'Forget it. They were a pleasure to have.'

'No. Take it. I'll feel bad if I don't pay you.'

'I'll just go get–'

'Take it!'

Laila slid the crumpled notes towards him. He put them in the Battle Against Abuse donation pot.

'I'll go get the Pokémon.'

Chess returned with three Love Balls. Laila stowed them in an Underworld tote bag. She hesitated before turning to leave.

'...I don't know what we're going to do with them, to be honest. I thought one of them might like to be around Idir, but he's already got a Trapinch.'

'I mean... we can keep them, if you want. I don't mind. I love Pokémon. Even the Shadow Pokémon. They're still Pokémon that need love and care like all the rest.'

As more Cipher Peons were arrested, the Purify Chamber at the Pokémon HQ Lab filled up. Chess took some of the Shadow Pokémon in. They still had to be returned to the lab for the purification ceremonies, now the Relic Stone was stripped of its power.

'I... I don't know. I'll ask Jamie. And Lavender's family. But thanks.'

'No problem. Let me know if I can help.'

'Thanks. See ya.'

Laila stood for a moment in the icy air. Rapidly melting snowflakes dribbled down the sleeves of her leather jacket. Her breath formed clouds in front of her face. She loved The Under, but the snow was a refreshing change to the stuffy cavern that barely saw day and night, let alone seasons. She began to walk. Chilled grass crunched under her feet.

Behind the Day Care's rustic fence, a thick blanket of snow still covered the yard. Dirk only cleared the paths where aged citizens could slip. Laila shuddered, but it wasn't the cold. Amongst the playing Pokémon, their colourful toys and training equipment, were fizzing black auras. Chess sat on the back steps with his banjo. His Flygon cheerfully shook a tambourine. Its teammate Tauros, who was fearsome in battle, looked incapable of ever causing harm as it tapped one of Ilirian's discarded snare drums. They played a Jimmy Don song, That's That.

'And that was that, but too bad, the original singer's a twat. ♪'

The regular Pokémon giggled. No matter how much Chess smiled and doted on them, the Shadow Pokémon only glared. If it bothered him, he didn't show it.

Flygon offered its tambourine to a Shadow Weavile. It attacked. Blood stained the snow. If that had been Laila, she might have sent in another one of her Pokémon to intervene, but Chess stood between them himself. He stared Weavile down until it backed off.

Laila stopped walking. She leaned over the fence.

'Hey, Chess... you know Jimmy Don?'

'Oh, yeah? Sorry. They love that song. At least they accept the amended lyric.'

'I'm not bothered. Does he remind you of anyone?'

'Uh... Wes, maybe?'

'Yes! Thank you! I thought I was going nuts! Everyone keeps saying he looks like us – the Fayeds – but it's just the eye colour, innit? Everything else is like Wes.'

'Yeah. Wes has similar eyes to y'all. So does Horace. But... you don't think...?'

'Oh, I've no idea. It was just annoying me. I guess he's a distant relative or something. See ya.'

Laila took off on Charizard. The Pokémon expectantly waited for Chess to resume singing, but his thoughts wandered. Jimmy Don did look like Wes. He couldn't be his son. There was no doubt that Wes never cheated on Rui. As far as anyone knew, Wes had no siblings, but his dad was never there. It was entirely possible he had kids no-one knew about. Chess petted a concerned Mareep.

'Well, aren't people just a load of unnecessary stress? No wonder I prefer Pokémon.'