Pokémon Bloodstone | An Orre Fanfiction

Chapter 61: Secrets

'I knew I wouldn't want to know.'

Alfie sighed. 'Forget the Battle Tower. I should've become a Pokémon with an Eject Button. Let me guess, Dad fucked around? Had 10 kids with 10 different soldiers?'

'No... they're my kids.'

'They?!' Lyndon exclaimed, 'Jeez...'

'Before marriage, I assume?'

'No. Well, one was. She's older than you. But did you really think I just ate too much when you were 13?'

'Well... Dad deserved that, I guess. Unless they are his...?'

'The thing is, Alfred...'

Janie fidgeted with her straw bag. 'Blitz couldn't have kids.'

Lyndon's eyes were as wide as his father's. Alfie's mouth opened and closed.

'You... you're telling me... I'm not his kid?'

'Not that he knew... but he jumped on me without warning often enough, when he came home unannounced and I wasn't taking the pill, that it's impossible he could actually conceive his own children.'

'So I could be his...?'

'No... I know you're not. He wasn't here when you were conceived. Fortunately he knew so little about kids and pregnancy, it never occurred to him.'

'I know I'm a miserable bastard who tried to kill someone, but first I get cut off from my son by my own manager. He teams up with Ardos. I get sucked in to Cipher. I also get locked in some woman's apartment for a week while she tortures me. Then my daughter gets murdered. I spend 17 years in jail for something that wasn't my fault. I finally find some semblance of normality only to discover my daughter was actually kidnapped, not murdered. Now my dad, who relentlessly beat me up and probably triggered my schizophrenia, isn't actually my dad. What the fuck, Mom? What the actual fuck?! No wonder I'm so screwed up!'

'I'm sorry, Alfred. If I'd told you, Blitz would've killed us both... and you were in jail when he died. There was so much going on after that mess at Citadark Isle and now you're in Galar...'

'Wait, wait, wait. He never shut the fuck up about how I didn't deserve his dad's name. Why are you so obsessed with calling me Alfred when I wasn't even his son?!'

'Your dad... your real dad... had a great-grandpa Alfred, too. We chose it together. So it meant something to us and fooled Blitz.'

'How do so many people look at innocent babies and think they look like an Alfred?! Anyway. Fate wouldn't ever consider giving me a decent dad. Who is it? Nascour?'

The stairs creaked. Fayiz was still incredulously listening. Abbey joined him. Alfie didn't notice or care.

'I'm Nascour's kid. I know it.'

'No! Arceus, no! Your dad is... well, was a decent person. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.'

'He's dead? Of course he is. I can't have a decent dad and the chance to meet him.'

'Well... you have met him.'

'...Ardos? Nolan?'

'No! I told you, your dad was a decent person! One of the most respectable men to ever come outta the Orre region!'

The front door creaked open. Leon returned from the Battle Tower with Victor, Malcolm and a giant pizza. Malcolm brought his husband Lazlo and their son, Dan. Leon's smile abruptly disappeared.

'Oh no. What is it? Cipher have finally taken over Orre?'

Abbey patted the step behind her. Her friends crammed in around the pizza, which no-one was sure they still wanted.