Pokémon Fool's Gold | Orre & Galar Fanfiction

Chapter 77: Apology

Raihan's Flygon landed in puddles in Pyrite Town. It wasn't like him to show concern, or to be especially sentimental, but he didn't want to let go of his old friend's hand when he squeezed it.

'I'll be OK, mate. Get back to Lee.'

'...No. Olivia's with him. Wes is taking Amber and Fayiz. He'll be OK, Abbey. I'm not leaving you to deal with this alone.'

He returned Flygon. Water seeped into their boots. The streets were utterly deserted and doors tightly locked.

'Bloody hell... are you sure you want to do this?'

'I'm surprisingly calm.'

'For once, I think you're calmer than me. Alright, then!'

Flygon was replaced with his Torkoal and Turtonator. 'I doubt we can do much about Kyogre-level rain, but we'll give it a try! Get that Drought going, Torkoal! Shout me if you need me, Abbey. Seriously.'

Abbey stepped towards Pyrite Jail. The door slid aside. Chief Sherles expected her. He led her past cells packed with Cipher Peons to the jail's new, ultra-secure cell. Sherles opened a window, but Abbey shut it again.

'You can let me in. I'm not scared.'

'Are you sure...?'

'I'm sure.'

'OK. I'll watch the CCTV, just in case. I'll be right there if...'

She closed the door he unlocked behind her. Alfie glanced wearily up.

'Oh. My first visitor... and it's Abbey. Been a while, hm?'

'Apologise.'

He blinked as she sat opposite him on the grimy floor. 'I have nothing to apologise for.'

'You know you do.'

'You were emotionally cheating on me with Leon long before I slept with Lovrina.'

'I don't care whether you apologise to me. I'm asking you to apologise to your son. And yeah, I loved Leon, like a lot of people never let go of their first loves. But I've had 17 years to mull it over and believe it or not, I also loved you.'

'As if. Get real. You didn't know me. No-one knows me.'

'I'd usually say that, because I want to believe it myself, but you know what? Six years is a long time. I don't think I could help it. How could we avoid dropping those masks, running down back alleys in Nimbasa City? Waiting for you at the theatre to drive off into the middle of nowhere? Drunk on Heahea Beach, laughing until we cried? Your mum showing me old photos? I know I was part of your plan and I never let Leon go. But we let our guards down.'

'I'm an actor. Nothing was ever real. All I did was trick you.'

'Maybe I wouldn't even have thought any of this, 17 years ago. But you know when I knew? When my stepdad found a piece of topazolite and–'

'He's lying!'

'So thanks for confirming you went to him to ask about the perfect stone for my engagement ring. And you thought he was such a dipshit he'd never repeat a thing to me or Nolan, so you went and told him I was your rock, that you never wanted to get married or have another kid but you thought maybe if we did, you'd be able to "fix" yourself.'

'That's not–!'

'I know you hate that I know that because you thought I never loved you and only ever loved Leon... but I'd been happily married to him for nine years when Kai remembered that. And you know what? For the first time since I found out you were a total piece of shit, I had this pang. And I wondered. I actually wondered. I actually felt nostalgic and... I actually missed you. Because I remembered those times we had that for better or worse, I'd never have again, or with anyone else. Sure, my heart belongs to Leon and my kids. It always will. But there's still a piece that was once yours. Admit it, Alfie. I have. Now it's your turn.'