Pokémon Obsidian | An Orre Fanfiction

Chapter 93: Cold

The news about the man by the roadside didn't last long. A VCP reporter dug out every document about Magenta's house. They were used to unearthing things that were supposed to be covered up. As soon as it became breaking news that Blue bought a house for 'an insignificant Orrean woman,' a fan who once cleaned his hotel room provided the VCP with a hair.

A forensics scientist was arrested for comparing it to Lavender's DNA. The arrest didn't matter. The payment from the VCP, for such a sensational story, would keep his family comfortable for years.

The whole family was trapped. Mallow and her sons couldn't leave their hotel rooms, let alone the hotel itself, without being accosted by fans and reporters. Blue and Magenta certainly couldn't. Even Magenta's parents and sisters were harassed. People looked up to Blue and Mallow as 'proof of true love.' They were enraged by Magenta 'interfering' with that by 'seducing' him. He opened the window once to yell at them that he was the one who pursued Magenta, but it didn't make any difference.

Even Perry understood why he was kept inside. No-one wanted to hear his insistence that he was going to be the greatest Trainer in the world. They only asked him things he didn't get. He didn't know who Lavender was and he couldn't connect the concept of Magenta the 'shameless seductress' with the nice lady who hosted them.

'Just go,' Blue urged Toru, 'You've spoken to the police. We'll be fine.'

'I'm not dragging my kids through that crowd of human Mandibuzz.'

There was a new wave of anger directed at Jamie and his family. Trip must have known. He was close to Blue. If there was ever any sympathy for Jamie having lost his girlfriend, there wasn't anymore. He must have known, too. That had to mean he was a bad person.

Mallow was broken, but she knew this was unreasonable. She asked them to let it go. That didn't make any difference, either.

Stuck inside, with Perry more subdued than usual and Fuchsia as quiet as ever, Toru couldn't help feeling inexplicably disappointed. Holly would never go anywhere near him again. Her boss forced her to take time off. Too many people were harassing her. They harassed her because she was related to Jamie, but there was no doubt that was reignited by the link to Blue and Lavender.

Or would she understand?

'Dad...'

Blue blankly stared at his son, pacing up and down. Toru stopped walking.

'How did you feel when you met Magenta?'

'...Huh? What? What do you mean?'

'How was it different to Mom? How did you "know?"'

'I... it just was. Why? Don't you go knocking up another married woman!'

'I'm not! She isn't married! That's the problem! I've only met her twice, but I can't stop thinking about it! I feel like a possessed person!'

'You answered your own question, Toru. But she's gonna run a mile at the sight of you.'

'I thought so, but... she's famous, too. Well, her family is. She's related to Jamie.'

'Toru! Fuck with his poor family and I'll have something to say! Laila does not need you right now!'

'Who? I don't even know who that is! It's Holly Jefferson!'

'Well, same thing applies! You'll be bored in a week. Leave her alone.'

'That's kinda hypocritical, Dad.'

'I might be a shitty husband, but I don't have a track record of banging married women and running away when they start to like me.'

'But you married Mom because you thought you loved her. You only found out later that it's possible to "know." And you only found that out by trying. I couldn't commit because no-one made me want to get past that fear. If I don't act on this, I'll never know!'