Redemption

Chapter 26

        "Oh thank Lugia, it's land!" Gold cried as he leaned against the railing of the ship from where he stood waiting to get off. "I'm so ready to get off this ship," he whined to himself. The cruise liner itself wasn't the problem. It was the people that made him want to leave, which was unusual since Gold knew for certain that he was a people person.

        "I didn't think you would be so eager to leave with the fortune you made over such a short period of time." Gold looked over his shoulder and shot Mr. G a scowl.

        "Easy for you to say, old man. You weren't the one surrounded by angry sore losers!" He had ended up keeping the rude nickname for the middle aged man, but by no means did he mean to be disrespectful when he called him that. His curiousity had led him to keep an eye on him which further led to how he became rich in just a week. Gold was unrivaled when it came to playing pool. He almost felt bad for his opponents who just couldn't understand how he never lost a game. In truth, Gold was bored and just wanted to have fun doing something he was familiar with. It was the crowd that started placing bets when he got to his ninth consecutive win. "As long as they don't find out that I'm only seventeen, then we'll be okay. No take backs though. I played fair and square."

        "That's true. I am pretty bad at pool. Your skill is truly remarkable young man." Mr. G had taken a liking to Gold, much to the boy's dismay. Gold just wanted the watch the guy to make sure he hadn't been lying about being a spy, but now he was pretty sure Mr. G was starting to treat him as if he were the son he had lost. It wasn't like Gold could really blame him, but it made him slightly uncomfortable for some reason.

        "You aren't too bad at pool yourself," Gold muttered. "You're just bad at choosing the right decision in the middle of the game's pressure."

        "Oh? Are you trying to give me helpful advice?"

        "No way, old man! I'm just saying that I'm much better!" Gold turned away from the laughing man with a pout.

        They finally neared the port at Ula'ula Island and were finally allowed to leave. Though it took some time, those who were stopping in Alola were finally loaded off of the ship and were free to explore as they pleased. Gold silently searched the small crowd waiting on shore for anyone that might have been Looker's superior but couldn't find her. He didn't have much information to go by even if he did see her in the crowd.

        "How long are you staying in Alola?" Gold asked Mr. G who had accompanied him all the while.

        "Two weeks. I want to visit every island before I leave. It has been quite some time since I've visited another region like this. And you?"

        "A month. I'm...visiting a good friend of mine. She heard about me winning the vacation and offered to let me stay longer," he spoke. At the very least, Gold was sure that Mr. G was not a member of Team Remnant Rocket, but he couldn't just go telling people his true reason for being in Alola.

        "Oh, so you aren't leaving when the cruise ship returns then," Mr. G realized.

        "Nope. I'm going to do my best to uh...relax my month away," Gold quickly corrected his near slip up. "You seem sad about it. Don't tell me you're going to miss me when you leave, old man."

          "It is nice having your company, but don't go getting to full of yourself. I'll probably remember you a few months later after having forgotten about the trip." Mr. G was joking as Gold had learned the man was a pretty bad liar. He was direct about everything when he was not joking and hid nothing except the details of his identity. Gold had tried asking Mr. G what his true name was, but the man elaborately avoided the subject every time.