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

Chapter 104: Rigel's Story, Part III - The Imperfect Ideal

Rigel had been called Ion for so long that he simply thought of it as his name. He didn't even remember Abaddon's name, but the actor who played him looked just like him. It was during a scene near the end, when Abaddon told Looker that broken kids made broken adults, that Rigel's memories came rushing back to hit him like a train.

His name was Rigel. Abaddon wasn't his evil uncle. He was his grandpa. Jahzeel was the evil uncle he was warned about. That was what Cinderace and Mimikyu wanted to say before they had the words beaten out of them. Abaddon loved him and said his father did. His father was indeed that man whose Pokémon, even Krookodile, were drilled to rescue drowning people. Of course, the man on the screen was an actor, but Rigel rushed back to the castle to find that Oshawott plush and, when he hugged it tight as he did in the woods, the sensation of those loving arms around him was as visceral as it was back then. The picture that appeared in his mind was of the actor shedding a tear as he looked up at the big, blue star, but no-one could have convinced him that moment never happened in reality.

Now, he saw his father looking just like that actor when he cried as he assured his long-lost son that he looked up at that star every time the sky was clear. He looked at his pet Oshawott and a plush he gave to Jamie and, as Rigel was sure he recalled his father's arms around him, Neptune recalled the baby clinging to that plush and desperately wished he could hug him one more time. Rigel finally felt those arms around him in reality. Neptune finally held his son again. He once told Amber that Rigel would always be smiling down at him, but even after all he had been through, a 38 year-old Rigel he never expected to meet smiled, just like that little boy dreaming of the father who loved him, there on the ground. Neptune even saw him experiencing that for himself when Ace hesitantly knocked on the door.

'Just so you know... it's not you I have a... a problem with... it's my... my... biological mother... who's obsessed with... with Tance Day... she doesn't deserve my love if she could have loved me because I'm yours... but she can't love Tansy or... or Ernie... all Tansy is to her is a piece of Tance...'

'I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry...'

'Stop... stop... apologising... it's not your fault...'

Rigel burst into tears at the sight of him, because Volo already suggested that Ace was that child, but it wasn't until Ace shook Neptune's hand again that he, too, burst into tears.

'I... I... I suppose you... you were my hero... for a reason... you would have loved me... you even would have loved... loved my mum's other kids... if you had to... like you loved G-Galatea... just like... like my dads loved me...'

'Of course I would. But Milo and Koki are your family. I understand... and Rigel understands. I know that because he told me before he even dreamed of you showing up here...'

'Yes... but... I – I – um – I suffered a lot... before they – they fostered me... if I could've been with you and my dad... I wouldn't have – have suffered at all... and it's... it's all Team Plasma's fault... but... but Dad... Milo... is getting old... and if... if I ever have kids... I... I don't want you two to miss out... you... you missed out on enough already...'

'I... I... I...'

It took a while for Rigel to find his voice again, but Ace waited patiently. He would never get annoyed with a stammer.

'I... I'd love... I'd love... I'd love to be your dad...'

Pluto peered around the living room door.

'I'd really love a big brother...'

'Well... all of you are welcome... in my home... and... um... Pluto... if you're my brother... you're Yarden's brother, too... he's my big brother... and he's the nicest bloke you'll ever meet...'