Pokémon Bloodstone | An Orre Fanfiction

Chapter 57: The Road Badge

The sun began to set over Highway 1. Realgam Tower lit up in the colours of Orre's eight Gym Badges. Its light painted the rolling dunes and rock formations. Signs on the exit turning to Phenac City bore Justy's face with the phrase 'the Orre League's last stronghold.'

Dirk continued on Highway 1. The cracked road ran almost the length of the Orre region until it finally terminated at a lonely gas station, the Outskirt Stand. Wagon wheels and crates surrounded a recycled train engine. Wild Pokémon cooled off in a murky pool. Dirk parked to refill the car. After hitting traffic near Realgam Tower, they were in the car for over four hours. They planned to have dinner at a café Rustie recommended in Nascott City, but they only ate snacks since breakfast and their Pokémon were as hungry as they were. They trudged wearily into the Outskirt Stand.

Plates and glasses clinked. Colourful jukebox light glinted on a cabinet stocked with Poké Balls and healing items. Taped to one of the doors was a faded sign, from when Duking discovered Poké Spots and Jovi began her project, advertising the return of wild Pokémon. A faint smell of smoke mingled with pre-cooked food. The ragtime music jingling from the jukebox was almost drowned out by the rumble of turning wheels. Sports critics on the TV were baffled by Cameron.

A pair of Ace Trainers stood to return their plates. The young challengers took their seats. At the next table, on a scuffed and faded green couch, a pink-haired man in leathers sat between two Linoone. Rustie nudged her friends.

'It's Willie!'

When the Gym Leader glanced up, he smiled. 'Oh, hey, it's you! Dirk!'

'Yo, Gym Leader! Can you believe it? Tomorrow, I'm comin' for ya!'

'I sure can!'

Willie beckoned them over. 'Y'all are challengers, too, right? What do you want? This one's on me.'

'Are you sure?' Zileh asked, 'We do have some prize money...'

'Yeah, yeah. No problem. Don't be shy! Order whatever you want.'

The food was good value. Zileh's hot dog came covered in sauce and salad with a fried egg. Dirk's burger was so big, it fell apart when he picked it up. Chalcedony and Rustie shared a 'Mega Evolved' meat feast pizza. The bowls they ordered for their Pokémon overflowed.

'Personally,' Willie said, 'I don't think any Orrean journey's complete without a visit to the Outskirt Stand.'

'Right!' Rustie exclaimed through a mouthful of pizza, 'This is where Wes started out! He drove here after blowing up the Snagem Hideout!'

'Yup. And that's the Eclo Town Gym now. Has Dirk told y'all his story?'

Dirk shook his head. 'Uh... no. You can tell 'em if you want, Gym Leader...'

'Well, about 15 years ago, I met my "biggest fans" – a little boy and his Poliwag. He came to see all my battles. And he was real proud of his signed poster. He grew up to be a great football player. Even got offered a scholarship.'

'Willie's too nice to say I was too dumb to go to college otherwise...'

'You weren't. You spent your whole life wanting to be a Trainer. You didn't want to go to college just 'cause your parents and friends expected you to. Anyway, earlier this year, that boy and his Poliwag were working as personal trainers for people and their athletic Pokémon. And he came to me in tears with his football coach's ultimatum: commit to football or never come back. So I asked him, "what are you waiting for?" He acted all confident, but he was full of doubt. He didn't think he was good enough for the Gym Challenge. But when he found out how many times I've lost to Wes and Michael, he realised it doesn't matter how many times you lose. You can do great things anyway.'