Pokémon: Out of the Woods | A Galar, Unova & Sinnoh Fanfiction

Chapter 101: The Reunion

When the International Police finished interviewing Neptune about all he saw at the tower summit, for the first time in his life, he finally boarded a train to see his son. He didn't feel like flying. He wanted his racing thoughts to settle first, but of course, they didn't. His head span as fast as the mountains rushing by.

Night was falling when the train pulled in to Ballonlea Station. Medical students boarded a bus to the King's Medical Centre outside. Galatea assured Neptune that she was fine and he could go to Rigel, but he hoped she really was.

He stood for a moment in the station, where he knew Rigel and Muirne once pushed Hera's pram, because Queenie saw them there. Then he walked down the high street. The shops were closed. Their lights were off for the night to reveal encroaching mushrooms in every display. They illuminated the alleyway where police tape blocked the way to Craving Books.

Someone was already there. A short man in a high-vis jacket, with black stripes in his greying ginger hair, turned as Neptune ducked under the tape.

'...Did you know him?'

'I didn't know Volo... but Rigel... Muirne's husband... is my son...'

'Ah... she's my goddaughter... Volo was my best friend... but I thought her husband's name was Ion... until today, anyway...'

'You met him...? What was he like?'

'Very quiet. Seemed sweet. Loved Pokémon and reading, like Muirne. I only met him twice. Volo and Muirne were very secretive after... well, I thought he just let himself go again, but... Team Plasma got them...'

'Yeah...'

Neptune stared in at the shelves dimly lit by mushrooms. Rigel spent enough time amongst those books to leave his scarf there, but what would become of the shop now?

'Well... I'm gonna go meet him now. Nice to meet you...'

'And you. Sayonara.'

Nereo was still there, staring into the empty shop, when Neptune walked back down the high street after going the wrong way. Like so many of the innocent people involved, he probably wondered what he could have done differently to prevent things spiralling as they did.

Neptune was going to walk to Volo's house that Muirne and Rigel returned to, as Jahzeel allowed on every Galarian and Hisuian holiday because he didn't want the noise that came with festivities at the castle. Walking was a bad idea. It was dark and Neptune's mind was too scrambled to navigate an unfamiliar city. He boarded a 21 bus instead. As it pulled away, Nereo finally left the bookshop, unlocked his bike from a lamppost and cycled off.

The curtains were shut downstairs. Light poured from the upstairs windows to illuminate the Short Munchon F.C. flag fluttering in the garden. Pluto's Zorua and Avila's Herdier, who once protected the home, jumped on the mushrooms. Neptune took a deep breath and knocked on the door. The hallway light was flicked on. Green hair appeared behind the frosted glass. Several latches were undone and two keys turned before Rigel peered around the door.

'G-good... good e-evening...'

'Hi.'

'Come in...'

Neptune took off his trainers. They joined four pairs of boots and three more pairs of trainers on the shelves by the door. A Jewel James song drifted from the record player in the living room. There was a lingering smell of katsu curry. Rigel went straight to the kitchen to make tea. Three portions of rice were kept warm in the rice cooker. Rigel served one with some remaining curry, then the tea, in silence before taking a seat opposite his father.

'I know... who... who you are... my... my... my grandpa... told me... that my... my... f-father loved me...'

Neptune didn't want to cry within a minute of talking to Rigel, but they looked identical when both of their faces crumpled.