Pokémon Obsidian | An Orre Fanfiction

Chapter 77: Impression

The Yamper doormat was so clean, Orvil didn't want to step on it. He awkwardly reached over to knock. Ruby Jane peered around the door.

Orvil was surprised to see Jet and his other two sons, Dmitry and Granite, on the floor. Dmitry had two black eyes and a fat lip. Piruzi attacked him when she returned to their house to grab her belongings. He tried to stall her long enough to call the police, but her Shadow Pokémon were too strong. He couldn't grab his P★DA until she was gone.

Granite's junior football team were terrified when her Shadow Skarmory landed on the field. She invited him to return to Natalya's homeland. He refused. The coach did alert the police before it was physically possible for her to reach the airports, which were temporarily closed, but there was no sign of anyone resembling Natalya or Piruzi.

'I'm sure it was a distraction, sir,' Granite told Orvil, 'I don't think they're leaving Orre at all. Not yet, anyway.'

After Naaji's disappearance, the younger boys were nervous about staying in The Under. Whitby's apartment was cramped, but at least being so squashed together meant they were safer. Whitby and Randal emerged from the kitchen with cups of warm tea. Sonia was making ice-cream.

'How're you feeling, Mr. Magnolia?'

'Oh, I'm alright. And you can call me Whitby.'

Whitby was baffled by how suspicious everyone was of the 'mate' who fixed his teeth. He was easily able to prove one of his fellow running backs was a dentist, who indeed arranged an unofficial appointment to fix his teeth for Kazuki's wedding.

'He's my best mate! Clover is one of my best mates, too. I couldn't let them down twice by looking like I got hit by a bus on their pics.'

'Twice?'

'It was my missus who tried to kidnap her.'

'Ah. Mind me asking how you met Miss Gunn?'

'At the Selenite Resort, mate. The Cinnamon Bar. I was there with Camden. He used to be one of my best mates, but... I like a drink, but he's on another level. Well, he was. Sorry. I'm well impressed he's been sober for three years. But that's where I met Dixie. We got chatting and... I thought she liked me. I know I look like a convict, but I'm a big, gullible softie. It was your average relationship. We dated and moved in together. She said she worked all kinds of shifts at a gas station. I never questioned it. Why would I?'

'OK. About your teeth...'

'Oh, yeah. That was Leroy. The man bun poking out of his helmet gave him away.'

'Why didn't you report it?'

'I was hammered and in the same mood as Ilirian. I had just found out my girlfriend was a Cipher Commander and then some Mini Rose – who, let's be real, Dixie was probably shagging – breaks in and smashes my teeth in?! "I don't have time for this shit."'

'Also...'

Ruby Jane leaned in. 'I hope you don't mind me chiming in, Detective Inspector. You might think a model has to be a self-absorbed tool, but Whitby actually has a very low opinion of himself. He didn't think he mattered enough to report it. He literally told me "other people need the ER more" because he had his "mate" – and he still would've done if his "mate" hadn't been able to sort him out.'

'Thank you both. Are you happy for Leroy to be charged with aggravated battery, Whitby?'

'Yeah.'

'And the Grand Master...'

'I've had a really good think about that. And I don't think my conclusion is anything to do with my opinion of myself.'

'Mr. Hawthorn Fayed Joyner-Massey asked us to make it clear his Admins acted on his orders that night.'

'Well, look... my mum wasn't perfect. Nor was my dad. As for Grandpa here – he was directly responsible for Alfie getting stuck with Lovrina. Alfie could have him chucked back in if he wanted, but he hasn't. I think that's the right thing. He's harmless now. And yeah, I'm pissed off with Jamie, but what good will it do to lock him up?'

Whitby shrugged. 'Besides... if we lived in a different world... maybe even a slightly alternate universe beyond his warp hole... maybe it would've been me in that GoD suit.'

Jet glanced up at Ruby Jane. She shook her head. She didn't know what he meant, either.

'I know what drove him to it. It wasn't evil. It was a "fight or flight" response to a world that crushed him beyond what most souls can bear. And I know what stopped him – love. A conscience even bigger than what triggered that response in the first place. That's not something anyone should be locked up for. So no. I don't want to press charges.'

'Bloody hell,' Randal commented after a moment of silence, 'Sure you don't want to be an actor?'

'Nah, man. I'm just a guy who's seen some shit and the light at the end of it. But if I hadn't, maybe it would have been me strutting around in a stupid helmet and compression sock, trying to right the world myself because no-one's going to right it for me.'

'Admit it, mate – you practiced that.'

Whitby smirked. 'Well, if they do ever make another Grand Master movie, I've got to make an impression, haven't I?'