Pokémon Fool's Gold | Orre & Galar Fanfiction

Chapter 98: Greatest Performance

Phenac City was as busy as if no-one ever fled Cipher. Merch stands lined streets. The Gym Challengers were on international TV. It was the first time Parvor and Grason were asked for autographs. Even Amber, Cassia and Seth weren't used to this much attention. Jaxon handled it well. He was quietly, surprisingly confident he would be the one to defeat Michael.

Parents couldn't get through the throngs to wish their kids good luck. Leon and Abbey, with Charizard and Cinderace back on its feet, settled for waving to Amber. Fayiz just nodded. Cassia groaned when she saw Flygon above. Raihan whistled.

'Go Cassia! Go Cassia!'

Inside, Wes silently took his seat amongst Gym Leaders and his fellow Elite Four members. Rui watched with Suzie on her hospital room's TV. She was disappointed she couldn't attend, but satisfied that she would be well enough to see Seth's battles at Citadark Isle.

Feet thundered. Fans began to pour in. Tightly packed crowds remained outside. They waited for autographs from Leon, Raihan and Olivia. Barriers tipped when Michael arrived. Security scrambled to hold them steady. Resix and his Camerupt struggled to control the traffic.

Trip pushed Camden's stroller to Happiny Psychiatric Hospital. Lyndon would watch the battles with him in person, but he had a guest that morning. Amber urged Trip to go. As soon as he saw Lyndon awkwardly avoiding Alfie's gaze in reception, he wanted to turn back, but he couldn't. Was it genuine, the way Alfie's face lit up when he saw Camden? Trip had no idea. Lyndon seemed surprised. Maybe it was.

Officer Johnson's back was turned. He waved dismissively when Alfie asked if he could go outside with Trip and Lyndon. He still wore his dull grey jail uniform. People stared. Lyndon didn't have much to say to his dad, but Alfie had plenty to say to Trip and Camden, asking an endless stream of questions about Camden's growth and Trip's ambitions as they walked circles around the hospital.

'Jeez,' Lyndon grumbled, 'You talk too much.'

'Sorry... I've been in jail too long. Well, not too long, because I deserve it, but... 17 years mostly talking to Ardos about world domination is... well! Now I actually want to talk, I have verbal diarrhea.'

He smiled down at sleeping Camden, clinging to his Zubat plush. 'I definitely don't deserve this... but I sure am happy about it.'

Lyndon voiced what Trip wondered. 'If you actually care... and you want to know me and Trip and Camden... why? Why did you...?'

'I... don't know.'

Alfie shrugged. He looked genuinely, unusually uncomfortable.

'I could blame my dad... for beating me up because I was too short, or because I didn't want to be a military man, or because I was "too soft" on my own kid–'

Lyndon snorted. 'Oh, yeah. You were too soft, using me to get you out of jail and promoting me to Grand Master of your criminal syndicate. Totally disappearing from my life until I was useful was real soft, too.'

'I know, Don. I know. That's why I said I could blame my dad. Because I was a terrible dad, obviously... but you aren't like me.'

'I guess I don't remember hating you before you cleared off. But you still cleared off.'

'I could blame fame. That was definitely why I disappeared. I wasn't "allowed" to have a son. I was meant to be single and desirable, not an unmarried dad. But again... I'm still to blame. I could have quit. I was so desperate to get away from my dad, I...'

His voice cracked. 'I don't have any valid excuses, Don. If I could turn back time, I would. I'd treat you better. I'd treat Abbey better. I'd help you stop Gretchen. I'd never have got involved with Cipher.'