Pokémon Obsidian | An Orre Fanfiction

Chapter 69: Love

Amber and Laila were so stunned, so distressed at this point, they were fixed in place. Wisteria was not. Eyes alight with rage, she lunged, but Jamie effortlessly caught her wrist.

'This is the Grand Master.'

'Jamie!' Amber screamed, 'No!'

'Mission... abort. World domination... is impossible. Even Ardos knows it. XD008 is gone. Cipher is finished. Hand yourselves in. I will take responsibility for all that Cipher has done.'

Jamie cast aside the helmet once and for all. He took the knife from his belt to yank out and destroy the devices connected to his computer in Obsidian City, in case Ardos considered grabbing it; but he did not.

There was no XD008 to cause déjà vu. Ardos experienced it regardless. He once stood beside Greevil, who was helped to his feet by Eldes, at Citadark Isle as Ardos tried and failed to convince him that Cipher's survival was more important than hope or pride; let alone the lives that would be lost if they blew up Citadark Isle to dispose of Michael. Yet in the face of Michael's pure heart, Greevil could no longer ignore the evil he turned a blind eye to in his madness. His conscience won.

Ardos called them both spineless. He believed they were. Faced with Cipher's sixth defeat at the hands of love and hope, even when led by a master Trainer, hacker and scientist filled with seemingly unshakable hatred and rage; armed with the power to traverse and stop time... could Ardos, lucky to even be alive and well at 95 when his healthier brother was dead, really continue to repeat those same stale words?

Knowing, deep down, that even he felt love?

That though he was utterly loath to admit it, he knew now how Greevil felt that day at Citadark Isle, touched by Eldes' unwavering love and Michael's pure heart?

That a mere glimpse of love was lighter, brighter and more fulfilling than a lifetime of hate?

He could not repeat those words.

Jamie wasn't spineless. Greevil wasn't spineless. Nor was Eldes. They were everything but. In accepting they were wrong, that fulfillment was not in power and control but love, they were as brave as the hero who fearlessly faced their evil.

'Gr... Jamie. I will accept your final orders... whatever they are.'

'You heard what I said.'

He didn't waver. 'Hand yourself in.'

'As you wish.'

Ardos turned. The steps across the colosseum's flat floor felt like climbing a great hill, but he did climb it. He was almost run down by a screeching red car. Tahirah's Scorbunny leapt out to kick flaming sand at Ardos, but he walked on. Trip sprinted into the colosseum.

'Amber! Oh... fuck. Jamie.'

'It's OK, Trip... he's dissolved Cipher.'

Ardos paused. He looked back at Jamie, collapsing into sobs in his parents' arms. He looked at the confused Scorbunny and Tahirah, who was ready to whack him with a curtain pole if he attacked.

Maybe Jamie never did care for Ardos. Maybe the way he pierced the walls around Ardos' cold heart, as a manifestation of his dreams for Cipher, was wrong. He still did. For that, though he would probably never see Jamie or anyone but prison guards again, Ardos realised... he was grateful.

He released his Charizard. It delivered Ardos to the closest police station in Pyrite Town. The officers thought it was an attack. They all sent out their Pokémon, but Ardos held up his hands. He glanced back at Charizard.

'You may go.'

Charizard hesitated. It wasn't fear that fixed it to the spot. For the first time, he saw beyond Charizard's usefulness and strength to a loyal companion who stood by him, no matter what. That was why Charizard stayed.

No-one could believe that Ardos was peacefully handing himself in. It had to be a trick. Yet Cipher's forces were easily rounded up, by the police, military and Orre's strongest Trainers, as they found themselves lost without Jamie's leadership. Journalists descended on the police station.

The International Police met Jamie and his family. He was prepared to hand himself in, but they knew this couldn't be a clear-cut case as it wasn't for Alfie or Lyndon, especially if Jamie hadn't directly killed anyone... but Brynlee's body was still in the crematorium in Obsidian City. Jamie's fingerprints were on the knife in her throat.

Amidst the chaos, a Salamence landed at the entrance to Pyrite Town. Horace wasn't there to ask for an 'entrance fee.' Chief Johnson was about to tell the visitor they'd had enough journalists already, but though Lumir looked unlike his father with short hair, there was no mistaking who he was. Johnson let him through.

Ardos was handcuffed in his cell. It was the first time Lumir saw him wearing a jail uniform that wasn't fluorescent to mark him as an escape risk. It was also the first time they had seen each other since Lumir left him for dead in a collapsing tunnel, nearly 30 years ago.

'I was raised by an honourable man. Your brother. So, since you will die in jail now...'

'You have... grown into... an honourable man yourself. I... was also raised to respect that. For what little it is worth... I realise... I should be proud of you. That does not mean I regret my past actions. It does not mean I believe I was always wrong. But... though we will never see eye-to-eye... you represent every principle I hold dear. Honour. Strength. Tradition. Ambition. There is no use in me taking that to my grave. You take it, to discard or keep... my... son.'

'I am happy for you. I hope your remaining years will be less painful. Goodnight, Father.'