Pokémon Obsidian | An Orre Fanfiction

Chapter 84: Mess

While Emma interviewed Jamie, Orvil sat down with Cobalt and Lapis at a hotel in Nascott City. Lapis' Ludicolo survived. Her Pelipper and Cobalt's Sceptile were still in the ICU. Cobalt knew he would have to let Sceptile go, but he couldn't bear to say goodbye to his first Pokémon, his only friend through a childhood of abuse and neglect, so suddenly and unexpectedly.

'I know it doesn't change anything and it's no use now she's dead, but Brynlee will obviously be charged with the murders of all your Pokémon, aggravated battery, kidnapping and damage to property.'

'Yeah.'

Cobalt's eyes were empty. He was never tempted by Cipher, but he did share that blank mask, to protect himself, with Jamie.

'It won't make any difference.'

'Theta and your parents, now we've got them, on the other hand...'

'To make sure they can't hurt anyone else, yeah. But the thing is, I escaped. I recovered. I was fortunate enough to be in a position where I could choose good over evil. I know you have to ask if I want to press charges against Jamie because he was in charge, but what I want to ask is that you treat him as you'd treat me. I don't know the guy. I've heard he can be a dick. I probably wouldn't like him. But he was in a position where he had no choice. Of course power went to his head – he was what, 14?'

'And, I mean,' Lapis added, 'He killed Brynlee. Even if it's not true that he was unconscious when Ardos sent them out, we know the attacks on us and his brother had nothing to do with him, because he was so angry about it, he killed her. And to be honest... is anyone sorry? I know the court's not allowed to say he did us all a favour, but let's be real, he did.'

'I agree with you, Cobalt. I'm not allowed to comment on Brynlee's death, obviously. But I also wanted to ask you both what you knew about Theta's kids and Lavender, if anything.'

Lapis glanced at her husband. They looked worried, but they must have had something to say about both, because they also looked like they were wondering which to mention first.

'Shall we start with Lavender?'

'I didn't know her that well,' Lapis replied, 'Not as an adult, anyway. It was her mom, Magenta, I knew better. I never did the Gym Challenge or battled Lav or Jamie, so I can't say whether they were jerks. Lav was a sweet kid, the few times I babysat, if a little spoiled. That wasn't Magenta. It was her dad...'

She hesitated. There was something about Lavender's dad she clearly wasn't supposed to mention.

'Do y'all already know who he is...?'

'No. He didn't sign the birth certificate. If you don't think it's relevant to this case, you don't have to tell me.'

'I mean... I don't really know... but I feel like I'm betraying Lav and Magenta... and even him, because he's a decent guy, underneath it all... if I say...'

'It'll obviously be kept completely confidential.'

'I guess you'll find out yourselves, eventually, anyway... or someone like Trip will tell you... oh, man...'

'Shall I just ask Magenta?'

'No, it's OK. She must know one of us is going to tell you. It's... it's Blue Oak.'

If Orvil had been drinking anything, he would have spat it out. He bit his lip to hold back an incredulous smile, not because it was amusing in any way, but because it was frankly shocking. Blue was, supposedly, happily married. That explained why he visited 'family friends' in Orre so often.

'I see. Presumably, he didn't know about Cipher?'

'Oh, no, he didn't have a clue. Nor did Magenta. They both believed she wanted to be a Gym Leader. I think she really did. But Blue did spoil her. She was the Applin of his eye.'