Pokémon Bloodstone | An Orre Fanfiction

Chapter 61: Secrets

'No, but Blitz wasn't Alfie's dad, apparently.'

'Hi,' Lyndon called through the speakers, 'Fellow trainwreck spectators.'

'It's not a trainwreck!' Janie insisted, 'Let me tell you the story from the start, before I die and it dies with me. It was 62 years ago, on a chilly New Year's Eve in Gateon Port, when I still worked at the Pokémon Day Care – and before Team Snagem burned it down and took off with all the Pokémon.'

Lyndon didn't know Janie was ever a Pokémon Day Care assistant. He was cut off from Alfie and his family before he got the chance to learn about his grandma's past.

'I was quite the little rebel, in my biker jacket and ripped jeans. The boy who collected his Eevee before we shut for the holidays was the opposite. A fresh-faced student from Laztaz Town, with hair as blue as the sky, still wearing his lab coat because it made him feel important.'

Everyone proceeded to wrack their brains for blue-haired scientists from Laztaz Town, but Janie answered for them.

'His name was Jude Mesquite.'

'My dad is Jude Mesquite?!'

'The sea air blew his hair all over the place, but we both knew he was dashing regardless. A polite chat about caring for Pokémon turned into hours of discussion. We were getting on so well, he invited me to the Krabby Klub's New Year's Eve party.'

'And I was conceived on the first date?'

'Are you 62, Alfred? No! He walked me home like the decent man he was. We didn't even kiss until the third date.'

Janie giggled. 'Although then we couldn't stop! And of course, because I still lived with my parents and I was on their health insurance, I couldn't get the pill. An accident was bound to happen. My dear old dad would've helped me hide it, but I was too scared to ask and then my mom found out. She insisted I gave the baby up for adoption and spoke of it to no-one.'

'And this is my older sister...?'

'Yes. Now, I was so proud of this, but I've never been able to show it to anyone...'

Straw rustled. Janie rummaged in her bag for a faded box. Inside was a glittering amethyst engagement ring.

'Because my mom hated him so much for knocking me up out of wedlock. As if she didn't know when she married the "strongest Trainer in Orre" that he was the biggest player in Orre, too, before he settled down! But she made it clear she'd do everything in her power to stop Jude marrying me. I guess she was scared someone would find out about the baby – or that we'd go looking for her – if we got married.'

'Why was that such a big deal?!'

'It just was back then. Especially because I was from such a "prestigious" family and Jude wasn't.'

'But you married a wife-beating soldier!'

'Well, I'm getting to that. Back then, Mom was the only person Dad would listen to. Once he got behind her, with the influence he had, we knew there was no hope. We had our child taken from us and our hopes and dreams crushed. We were both distraught. So we called it off. I left home, changed my name and never spoke to my parents or siblings again. A year later, I married Blitz. The opposite of everything my parents expected. And of Jude, because ironically, he became Orre's Pokémon Professor within one year of graduating.'

'And I guess that explains my "dead" grandparents on your side.'

'Yes. I'm sorry, Alfred. I was so bitter and perhaps a little afraid of losing you, although that was silly, because it wasn't long until my parents regretted all of this. I believe they actually took your sister in between stints at an orphanage.'

'Wait. You know who this sister is?'

'Her name is Rui Vincent.'

'I'm Jude Mesquite's son and Rui Vincent is my sister. Eagun is my grandpa. Right. No wonder so many people are out to kill Rui and me. We're Mesquites. How am I his son, anyway? If you called it off before you married Dad... Blitz?'

'Well, you and Abbey broke up and got back together once, didn't you? So did Lyndon and Courtney. Both Jude and I lived in Gateon Port. We were bound to meet again. And bound to be as drawn to each other as ever. Maybe we were destined to only be together when we shouldn't have been.'

'So you bonked him while Dad – Blitz – was away? And I'm the lucky bastard conceived in one fateful encounter?'

'It wasn't once. It was whenever Blitz was away! But yes. Same problem with getting the pill, because I didn't usually take it. Same kind of accident. If you'd come out with blue hair, I would've had to give you up. But you didn't. It was easy to pass you off as Blitz's son when his mom had red hair. And as you know... you did meet your dad. He gave you Zubat and inspired you to become a Trainer.'

'No wonder you had so many photos of that. It wasn't about me getting Zubat at all! It was about your secret boyfriend!'

'It was about how much he adored you and couldn't tell you so. He sent Michael to your school, even though it was on the other side of town, just so he had an excuse to show up to every play and concert you were in.'

'That... explains a lot. But that's insane. I played Michael in Gale of Darkness. And he's actually my brother?! Were you seeing him until he died?'

'No. He gave up on me when he married Lily. But we stayed in touch, of course, because of you. There's a lock box of his that no-one has been able to open... but I'm going to give you the key. So you can see for yourself that he loved you until the day he died.'

'You said "they,"' Lyndon blankly interjected, 'So a blue-haired kid popped out?'

'Oh, no. She isn't Jude's daughter.'

'What?!'

'My husband was a piece of shit. Jude was dead. You can't expect anyone to just accept a lifetime of misery! Although then he turned out to be Cipher and went to jail...'

'Your other lover was in Cipher?!'

'And this is where I need your expertise, Lyndon. Our daughter came out with brown eyes. There was no way she could've passed as Blitz's kid. I have no idea who, or where, she is. Nor does her father.'

'You're still in touch with him?'

'We had a child together, after all. What's done is done. And I'm not perfect, as you can see.'

'No wonder you didn't judge when I knocked Karsyn up... you can go on your hacking adventure with Don. I need some air.'

Alfie trudged out into the garden. Cigarette smoke blew over the terracotta fence. Alfie climbed on Camden's wheely Ponyta to peer over.

'Can I give you P1,000 for a cigarette?'

'You can just take one, mate.'

'Alfie!' Abbey yelled, 'Since when did you smoke?!'

'Never, but I'm starting.'

The amused neighbour threw his lighter to Alfie. Crobat knocked it out of his hands before Abbey could. Inside, Leon uncertainly held the receiver.

'Now, Lyndon, will you help this old lady find your aunt?'