When failed actress Chalcedony gives up on the neon lights and crowds to challenge the Orre League, it isn't just the champion title she's after. She's discovered she was adopted under strange circumstances. Her biological family must be out there s...
Lyndon shrugged. 'Not saying I think about you day in, day out. But obviously I think about it. Four years is a long time for a pair of immature teenage boys in Cipher.'
'Yes. It is.'
'Well, I'm not in denial. I was once. I felt ashamed of loving anyone but Laila. But I'm 33. I've been through hell. I'm too old and too tired for that. Laila would've been rolling her eyes the whole time I thought I shouldn't love anyone else, ever.'
'So... you are saying you loved me.'
'And?'
Verzant admittedly dreamed of Lyndon confessing that. He didn't dream of him saying it so casually, as if it was as unimportant as the weather, but that was how he should have imagined it. Lyndon never would give him exactly what he wanted.
'You go ahead and act like that means nothing, Don. But we both know it does.'
'And?'
'You haven't changed. Well, you've changed from the delusional Grand Master. But you haven't changed even a little from the obnoxious jock who humiliated me outside the Pokémon Center in Agate Village.'
'I thought you didn't have it in you to call me a conceited jock anymore? You haven't changed, either. If you don't need anything else from me, I'm gonna go talk to those kids. They looked like I was about to eat them. Go train your shitty Pokémon.'
The challengers still looked like they worried Lyndon might eat them for lunch, but Verzant's smug smile behind him baffled them. When Jazlyn nudged him again, she looked equally satisfied. They had no idea what was going on there. Lyndon sat next to Axley.
'You guys are Gym Challengers, right? Are you here to train?'
Chalcedony nodded. She was still conscious she was staring at Lyndon, but now he was looking at her, too.
'Why do I feel like I recognise you from somewhere?'
'Idid make it onto TV for winning a talent show when I was six. Me and Wyatt Jefferson. But I seriously doubt anyone remembers that. It's probably best forgotten.'
'Are you from Pyrite?'
'Yeah, but I don't think we were at school together. I'm 21.'
'Oh, well. This is a great place to train. Gym Challengers get double Poké Coupons.'
'Uh, Mt. Battle Master...'
Rustie nervously produced her Orre League program. 'Could I be, like, really annoying and ask you if there's any chance you'd sign this...?'
'Of course.'
Lyndon reached into his pockets, but they were empty. Zileh passed him a marker.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
