Pokémon Fool's Gold | Orre & Galar Fanfiction

Chapter 13: Evolutions

'You don't mean that!' Zane slurred, 'C'mon, who are you really thinking of? Not Teenage Grandpa? Oh my gosh! It's Lumir, innit?!'

'No!'

'You've gone bright red! It's Lumir!'

'No! I'd rather fuck bloody Bianka than him! And that's saying something.'

Zane was doubled up laughing. Nothing could convince him Amber wasn't into Lumir now. Cassia's smile was distant.

'I think Zane's drunk a bit too much...'

Amber spun the bottle to change the subject. Cassia tutted when it faced her.

'We need to torture Seth some more... but I'll do a truth, this time.'

'OK, I'm getting you back. Who's the weirdest, most embarrassing person you've fantasised about?'

'Your dad.'

'What?!'

'He was a pretty boy, before he started going grey and I saw him in a Charizard onesie.'

'He's an old fogey!'

Zane chortled. 'Your type. He's kinda camp.'

Amber grimaced. She didn't get it. Leon was such an embarrassing dad! How did anyone fancy him?! Cassia placed the bottle directly in front of Seth.

'Truth.'

'What's your most embarrassing secret?'

'Uh... my dad – get the image, he had on his face paint and blue coat – sat me down for an amended version of "the talk" after he caught me looking at those leaked nudes of, uh... Siebold, from the Kalos Elite Four. I was just curious, but...'

'Oh, sure you were! Surprised he isn't your wallpaper!'

Zane was beginning to look queasy. Cassia fumbled to open the doors and thrust his head out before he threw up inside.

'I think that's enough for tonight...'

They set no alarm. It was midday when they awoke, stiff and hungover, on the van's hard floor. Even Zane's enthusiasm was doused. He'd forgotten about Kaib. Cassia promptly reminded him.

'Aww, no! Now I've gotta speak to him again to get his kids tickets...'

He grinned suddenly at Amber. 'Did you dream of your beloved Lumir?'

'Fuck off, Zane.'

Cassia nudged her. 'Or perhaps someone else... a lady? Don't look so embarrassed! Seth was looking at Siebold's nudes.'

'I was curious!'

They were startled by the sound of gently pattering rain. Zane sprang to his feet.

'Whoa! You lot know how rare rain is here, right?! I'm gonna go check out the Pokémon!'

Cassia shook her head. 'That was a short hangover... what will he catch today? Magikarp? Remoraid?'

Groggy, they shuffled out after him. He was already battling a wild Shroomish.

'That might actually be a good addition to his... oh.'

Shroomish fainted. It didn't deter him. He rushed on to an abandoned gas station where, unbeknown to them, Orre's seventh Gym Leader once trained with pregnant Abbey while Leon was unconscious. A round, yellow Pokémon charged across the road. Cassia stopped.

'You – are – so – cute!'

It was intrigued by the sound of her jangling jewellery. She sent out Poipole as it approached. Zane glanced back.

'Awesome! An Elekid!'

Rattata scuttled after him. Cassia glared.

'She's mine!'

Amber's head still ached. She sat on the van's bonnet with sleepy Fomantis, stroking Eevee and feeding it the last donut. As it cuddled up to her, it glowed white. Her eyes lit up. It was evolving! Its tail thinned and forked. The fluffy collar around its neck became tufts sprouting from its lilac cheeks. A red orb glinted on its forehead. Twice its previous size, it glanced a little nervously up at Amber, as if afraid she might not love it anymore. It was reassured when she hugged it.

'Espeon! That was exactly what I was hoping for! And that means we're besties!'

Cassia had caught Elekid. She strapped it in to the passenger seat. It headbanged to the new album by her favourite rock band, In Favour Of You, when she switched it back on.

'She's priority cargo. You lot can sit in the peasant compartment.'

Amber slid off the bonnet. 'You're not driving already, are you...?'

'I'm fine.'

Zane settled for battling a wild Sentret. He climbed back into his sleeping bag in the back. Fomantis wanted to stay outside. Amber carefully tied it to the roof rack. She and Seth took the two free seats, ensuring their seatbelts were fastened. Espeon jumped from her lap to play with Vaporeon. Heracross liked the music, too. Zane grumbled when it danced with Charmeleon in the back, stumbling over him as the van lurched forward.

Amber's head was still spinning. Her limbs were numb. The meandering descent, juddering over potholes, felt like freefall. A Boltund whizzed by. They left the dwindling rain behind. Sightseeing vans joined local buses dotting the highway as forests were interrupted by imposing sandstone formations. Cassia turned at the Quartz Town exit. She switched her music off to tune into the local country station. A melancholy banjo played. It suited the sun-scorched roads leading into the little town, where wide russet buildings and sidewalks matched the looming red cliffs. Vibrant storefronts advertised minerals and souvenirs.

'Check it out, Elekid! This is where I'll end up spending all my money!'

Tourists and Trainers sat under colourful umbrellas outside a restaurant adjacent to the Pokémon Center. Cassia parked there. They gratefully took advantage of the Pokémon Center's free shower facilities. While Cassia went crystal shopping and Zane accosted various Maractus roaming the streets, Amber and Seth went sightseeing. He took photos of her on a Tauros statue and Charmeleon shaking hands with a plastic cowboy. She didn't notice she'd left its Everstone in the van. When she defeated a Rider, her Pokémon began to glow.

'Shit! No! Charmeleon! Not yet! We have to beat Vana first!'

It was too late. Wings sprang from its back. Its red skin returned to the orange it was born with. The lone horn on its head split into two. She smiled, because she was endlessly proud of her new Charizard, but now it had a double weakness to the next Gym's Rock-type Pokémon.

'I guess it'll be a challenge...'

When they returned to the van, the ties keeping Fomantis safe on the roof rack were torn and discarded. Amber panicked. Then she saw a striped leg. Fomantis was now Lurantis, proudly showing off its new pink scythes while it sunbathed on the bonnet. Inside, enjoying the air conditioning Cassia left on for the Pokémon guarding the van, they found Seth's Teddiursa had also evolved into Ursaring. Zane, followed by a hopping Maractus, rushed out of the Pokémon Center.

'Guess what? Just checked this Gym's certified Trainers and there aren't any yet! We got here before Big-Head Bianka!'

He grinned. 'Heh! Guess Miss You're-In-Orre-Now couldn't actually take the heat!'