Pokémon Fool's Gold | Orre & Galar Fanfiction

Chapter 69: Hope

Bob took no chances with Brynlee and her subordinates. He drove them immediately to the high-security Wilderness Jail off Highway 3. Rosen was there, too, under 24 hour surveillance. As suspected serial killers, after their trials they would be moved to the continent's highest security jail, on an isolated island surrounded by Sharpedo in a neighbouring region. Alfie was still in Pyrite Jail. No-one, not even journalists, had enquired about him. It was as if he'd never existed.

Jovi and Hop flew to Agate Hills on his Corviknight. Scarlet sent two of Team Delta's Admins, Tabitha and Matt, to help Pierre in the event of an attack. She'd decided she could trust them. What mattered most, now, was ensuring Shadow Pokémon experts assessed the burning forest; because no matter how hard firefighters tried, water passed through the black flames.

'Y'all be careful,' the head fireman urged them, 'I've worked through all three Cipher incidents and I've never seen anything like this. Look, I'm not superstitious or anything, but that black stuff messes with your head! It's like... I don't even know how to describe it!'

'Don't worry. That's why we're here.'

Jovi strode straight in. Though she was no Trainer, she was more fearless than Hop. As wilting branches closed over them, they felt what the fireman described. The oppressive air, once the clearest in Orre, felt as if it might bury them in dread. Jovi glanced back at Hop. He, too, felt as if he heard ghostly voices, hissing at them to give up.

From the texts Pierre retrieved, Coren was confident no other scientist could possibly unravel his work. Jovi and Hop had dedicated most of their lives to Shadow Pokémon. They were one step ahead. Shadow Blitz was simulated over a year before Coren perfected it.

Jovi placed a hand in the flames before Hop could stop her. They didn't burn. The feeling was more like she imagined Venoshock. It sent sickening chills through her veins. She looked around. The forest wasn't actually burning... it was wilting.

Just as I feared... those dark clouds will gather until they engulf us forever. Now I'm sure that's what Lyndon wants. Revenge. The world has caused him so much pain, he's tired of bearing it alone... but he'd be better off just killing us all.

She shared her thoughts with shivering Hop. It was simultaneously unbearably sweaty and freezing cold. If they refused to run, but their minds weren't strong enough to withstand the flames, they knew they would succumb to them. Hop nodded.

'Unless... it's some kind of test?'

'To see if the world is capable of redeeming itself?'

'Yeah... like the power of love moves even Shadow Pokémon when they're with caring Trainers... or the Pokémon who pour their souls into reminding Shadow Pokémon of happiness in the Purify Chamber... maybe he isn't killing us all now to give the light a chance.'

To that, those ghostly voices cackled. 'Or maybe I'm giving him too much credit.'

'No. That's the fire speaking. It's not like I don't know how he feels. Cipher killed dad!'

I've wanted to run away. I've wanted to – no, I was ready just a few weeks ago – to give up and dismiss Orre as a lost cause. Watching Pokémon die because I tried to bring them here was horrible... and it's horrible to see them suffering now... feeling like I brought them here to be subjected to this. But Orre wasn't a lost cause then. It isn't a lost cause now.

'I can't give up. We can't give up. Seth caught that Virizion. Just like Michael caught Lugia. We purified Lugia, even though it was supposedly impossible. Lee and Charizard recovered. This damage isn't permanent. I know what we need to do.'