Pokémon Bloodstone | An Orre Fanfiction

Chapter 47: The Gem Badge

Zileh defeated Cail with three Pokémon left. Forretress didn't even have to explode. Like Dirk and Chalcedony, she trained with the roughnecks of Pyrite Town for a week before registering. Shuppet evolved into Banette. She proudly posted a photo of her new Gem Badge on Rotogram.

Ivor was up next. Rustie stayed in the locker room. Theta was yet to arrive. Other challengers whispered that the Gym Trainers wouldn't let her leave to take a shower. Once someone began Cail's challenge, they had to complete it. Ivor scraped the win when Rillaboom snapped out of confusion. Cail loved to use Swagger to confuse his opponents while also raising their attack, so it hurt even more when they hit themselves in confusion.

Chalcedony had thought of a counter-measure. Seeing Ruhul wouldn't distract her. Not now. She'd come too far. If he really didn't consider her his daughter anymore and he was here as a test from Cail, or just to make her uncomfortable... maybe he would regret that when he saw how she battled. Though as she walked onto the battlefield, she heard his booming voice. He was cheering for her. How did he get from screaming that she was 'no daughter of mine' to that? It was Kleto who begged her to stay, not him. Her mind wandered back to that day as she battled the first Gym Trainer.

There were only three days left for Chalcedony to submit a university application. Hanila was already gone. She was studying to become an elementary school teacher at the University of Orre in Phenac City. Chalcedony's Boltund ticket was safely stowed in her pocket. She would be in Sunset City long before the deadline passed, but her parents didn't know that. Kleto had already resigned herself to having raised a 'deadbeat' who dressed like a 'Cipher reject.' Ruhul had not. He refused to accept Chalcedony's silence.

'Your grades are good! You could study a STEM subject! You could go into medicine! Are you really gonna sit on your ass, bumming off your parents and fooling around with that yeehaw Fateen wannabe for the rest of your life?! We're not blind. You didn't even try to hide what you threw in the trash. Well, I'm not paying for–'

'I'm leaving Wyatt. I already had an abortion.'

'...I don't even know what to say to that, Chalcedony.'

'And I'm leaving Orre, too. I don't want to waste the rest of my life in a desert wasteland. I'm going to Sunset City.'

'You are not–'

'What're you gonna do, tie me down?'

'I have no words for how disgusted I am with you right now. I hope you're going to give that ring back.'

'What's it to you? I'm not your property.'

'Let's get this straight – you're turning down your half of our life savings to take off to Sunset City, got pregnant out of wedlock and aborted the baby without a care in the world?! I can't stand Wyatt. You know I can't. Yet you're just going to dump him and keep that ring, probably sell it, after aborting his child?! After agreeing to marry him?! I don't know how you dare say all this with that poker face! You don't care at all! You don't care about anything! What have I raised? You're a monster! I'm ashamed!'

Chalcedony did care. Of course she did. It haunted her through all four of her Gym Trainer battles where Ruhul watched because she cared. She just didn't show it. She couldn't show it. That was how she was. It was a reflex action to protect herself, but it only enraged Ruhul more.

'You give me that ring. I'll return it since you're too much of a coward. And I'll apologise. I raised you, after all, no matter where you actually got your vile, entitled attitude from.'

'What's that even supposed to mean?'

'You're no daughter of mine, Chalcedony. I hate that fucking name, by the way.'