Pokémon Bloodstone | An Orre Fanfiction

Chapter 52: The One

'Does Justy restrict his money or something? He can't be strapped for cash.'

'He's just a rich boy. They're like that. They have all this free money, but they won't spend it. I thought it was over. Like, I wasn't moving from Unova to some shithole like this. He took me to the Royal Unova for our "last date."'

'And asked you to marry him?'

Ruby Jane laughed. 'Are you a psychic? Like Wyatt?'

'No. But Wyatt did ask me to marry him a few months before I took off to Sunset City. We were childhood sweethearts.'

'Oh! So you know what a shock it is when a guy with "no money" whips out a big-ass platinum ring.'

'Yeah. Wasn't platinum or all that big – and Wyatt actually had no money – but yeah. I said yes. I guess you did, too?'

'What was I supposed to say? When I thought it was over, but the sun was setting over the Castelia skyline and he was on his knees, asking me to spend the rest of my life with him? I should have said no. But of course I didn't. I dropped my usher job at the theatre and followed him here like a Yamper. He must've thought I was such a lovesick fool. And I guess he wasn't wrong.'

'Were you, though? That's a lot of pressure, dropping that when he's about to go. Did he have his own place here?'

'Not at first. We stayed with his parents. It was awful. I felt like they were taking pity on a homeless girl, because that's basically what I was without them. And you know how hard it is to get a job out here. I was like, "Jet, I can't do this. It's unbearable." So what did he do? He went and told daddy. Justy got us an apartment. That was better, but it still sucked, because I felt like I was bumming off my rich boy's parents. I just wanted to go home. But he was like, "you said you'd marry me." We got into an argument about money, because I thought all he did was look for rocks, but he said he had a job.'

'That sounds ominous. Male stripper?'

'Honestly, that would've been way less weird and scary. He was looking at rocks, but not for himself... for Rose Moore, who worked for...'

Ruby Jane lowered her voice. 'Cipher.'

'Shit. Rose Moore the pedo?'

'Yeah. He runs their mines. I thought Jet didn't know the full story, but oh, he did. He was reluctant to spend money, but it was never really about that. He didn't need to finish his degree when Rose would pay him millions, because he's a 5'3" boy, to look at rocks back home. And Rose never physically bothered him. He could overlook his intentions when he was earning so much.'

'Gosh. He struck me as a player, not gonna lie, but not like someone who'd overlook a creeping pedo for money.'

'I guess it's a rich boy thing. Danger is just an edgy adventure they've heard about, but never feared.'

'And you were in the position of having no idea what you were supposed to do again.'

'Yeah. I really didn't want to marry him at this point because, like, what the fuck? He was basically Cipher.'

Chalcedony didn't notice Rustie on the stairs below. She was frozen in place. She only wanted to check on Chalcedony, but now she was hearing that Jet was a member of Cipher who conned his fiancée into moving to Orre... and the story was, inevitably, only going to get worse.

'But I didn't have a job. My parents cut me off. They hated Jet. I still loved him – and I still do – in a fucked up way, but I knew I had to get out. I turned to sex work to pay for a bus ticket to Sunset City. Anywhere that wasn't Orre. And I thought maybe I could get another job as an usher. That was when I saw you in Unovan Idiot.'

'Did you get an usher job? I feel you on the sex work. I ended up stripping when I went to Nimbasa City. That place is expensive.'

'I didn't, but I did get a few opportunities as a casting director for indie productions. It wasn't enough. And the income was way too sporadic. Jet was right about one thing... Orre is cheap. So, after being so desperate to get out, I came back. I lived in Pokémon Centers until Cipher got thrown out of The Under and I got a place here. Since then I've gradually built up my reputation as a talent scout. And when I find "the one," you know, the one who'll make us both famous, I am getting the hell out of here and never looking back. After all I've been through... I really want to scout someone who's as desperate as me to get out of Orre and make it in Sunset City.'

'Oh.'

'Yeah... you really might be the one, you know, Chalcedony. I know you're a great singer and actress. You can control Pokémon. Just like Alfie Addison.'

'I mean, yeah, he's my idol. I modelled myself on him as an actor. But it's not like I was successful. And I tried. I really, really tried. I just wasn't good enough.'

'But you can be the best actor in the world and get nowhere if you don't know the right people. Alfie was lucky he met Randal Knight. Finding him propelled them both to that totally insane level of fame. Heh... you know who my biological dad is?'

Even in her drunken state, Chalcedony felt as if her heart stopped. Could it be...?

'Is it...?'

'Randal had a kid with Sonia Magnolia, but I guess they thought I'd end up in Cipher. They let a couple from Driftveil City adopt me. And now here I am in Orre... but maybe we really can get out of here together, Chalcedony. I have connections. I could even get in touch with Randal. And we have so much in common. Either way... it's been really nice talking to you and getting all that off my chest without being judged. Thanks.'

Chalcedony thought she had 'connections.' She thought it counted for something that she once sang on regional TV. It meant absolutely nothing to the world outside of Orre. She learned that the hard way. The only stage she made it onto, by the time she got to Nimbasa City, was at the strip club. She loved Pokémon. She knew she was a decent Trainer. A career as a professional Trainer, maybe at Mt. Battle, was far preferable to another delusion of finding fame that would inevitably end in more sex work... but if she wanted to make it as a Trainer, she had to face Wyatt. She wasn't convinced she could do that.

'I mean... I'll think about it.'