Pokémon Obsidian | An Orre Fa...

By kingrufus

2.5K 353 775

Ardos, Cipher's Grand Master, is in jail. Over 20 years have passed since Snag Machines and the Purify Chambe... More

Chapter 1: Déjà Vu
Chapter 2: Family
Chapter 3: Gale of Darkness
Chapter 4: Imposter
Chapter 5: The Escape
Chapter 6: Attack
Chapter 7: Statement
Chapter 8: Lover
Chapter 9: Personal
Chapter 10: Chipped
Chapter 12: Familiar Name
Chapter 13: Absent Guardian
Chapter 14: Misbehaving Prisoner
Chapter 15: Eternal Night
Chapter 16: Double Life
Chapter 17: Rescued
Chapter 18: Let Them Come
Chapter 19: Road Trip
Chapter 20: Betrayed
Chapter 21: XD009
Chapter 22: Upper Hand
Chapter 23: Outnumbered
Chapter 24: Not Safe
Chapter 25: Unfair
Chapter 26: Stop Trying
Chapter 27: A Haunting Vision
Chapter 28: True Friend
Chapter 29: Behind Camden's Shiny Smile
Chapter 30: Headlines
Chapter 31: Obsidian Sky
Chapter 32: The Suspects
Chapter 33: Power
Chapter 34: Hope
Chapter 35: Truant
Chapter 36: Final Goodbye
Chapter 37: Reluctant Suspicion
Chapter 38: Old Friends
Chapter 39: Boy in Black
Chapter 40: Advantage
Chapter 41: Always Wonder
Chapter 42: Normal
Chapter 43: Disguise
Chapter 44: Inside Information
Chapter 45: Duel Square
Chapter 46: Ruled Out
Chapter 47: Alive
Chapter 48: Unsettling View
Chapter 49: Drunk
Chapter 50: Only Grandchild
Chapter 51: Lookalike
Chapter 52: Pretentious
Chapter 53: Monster
Chapter 54: Obvious
Chapter 55: Father
Chapter 56: Heir
Chapter 57: Madness
Chapter 58: One Down
Chapter 59: Guilt
Chapter 60: Chase
Chapter 61: Ready
Chapter 62: The Grand Master
Chapter 63: Bright as the Sun
Chapter 64: Friends
Chapter 65: Magma Admins Vs. Cipher Admins
Chapter 66: Evergreen
Chapter 67: Trainer Vs. Commander
Chapter 68: Defeat
Chapter 69: Love
Chapter 70: Responsibility
Chapter 71: Stalkers
Chapter 72: Chief Inspector
Chapter 73: New Identity
Chapter 74: Long Gone
Chapter 75: Get Out
Chapter 76: Lasting Effect
Chapter 77: Impression
Chapter 78: Decisive Conclusions
Chapter 79: Backup
Chapter 80: Overworld
Chapter 81: New Page
Chapter 82: Problem
Chapter 83: The Interview
Chapter 84: Mess
Chapter 85: Old Friends
Chapter 86: New Mystery
Chapter 87: Deserved
Chapter 88: The Secret
Chapter 89: Nightmare
Chapter 90: Rare
Chapter 91: Answer
Chapter 92: No Concern
Chapter 93: Cold
Chapter 94: Paranoid
Chapter 95: Dangerous
Chapter 96: Never Gets a Break
Chapter 97: Warmth
Chapter 98: Trainer Vs. World Champion
Chapter 99: No Peace
Chapter 100: Closure
Chapter 101: Orre to Kanto
Chapter 102: Freedom
Chapter 103: The Trial
Chapter 104: Long Road
Chapter 105: The Defence
Chapter 106: Lonely
Chapter 107: Bravery
Chapter 108: Coexistence
Chapter 109: Yard Sale
Chapter 110: Catalyst
Chapter 111: Bad Omen
Chapter 112: Deliverance
Chapter 113: Blessing
Chapter 114: Changing
Chapter 115: The Future
Epilogue
Author's Notes: General
Author's Notes: Characters

Chapter 11: Suspicions

17 3 4
By kingrufus

Even on overcast days, Mt. Battle's threads of lava glowed through the clouds. Chatter floated from the lobby. Outside, challengers and Trainers sat on the grass with their Pokémon. No-one was surprised when Aiko's Crobat flew over their heads and into the lobby. She didn't bother knocking on the door of Lyndon's office. She let herself in. The cabinets were covered in photos of her, Kazuki, Courtney and Trip and his family.

'Hey, Dad. Can I have a fake passport?'

'Oh.'

Lyndon gestured distantly to a locked filing cabinet. 'They're in there.'

He passed Aiko the ring of keys from his belt. She flicked through the passports, looking for one that vaguely resembled her or another member of Team Magma. She frowned. There was no charger cable to trip over. When Lyndon he wasn't subjecting his Trainers and their Pokémon to rigorous drills, he was usually staring at his laptop. The charger perpetually dangled from the desk. Neither that nor the laptop were anywhere to be seen. Lyndon was staring at the wall.

'...Dad?'

He didn't even hear her that time. She hesitantly pulled an armchair from the corner to the desk.

'Is everything OK...?'

'Could we talk later, Aiko?'

Lyndon never dismissed her or Kazuki when they needed him. Aiko didn't want him to dismiss his own troubles if he needed to talk... but it was clear he wouldn't say more than he had to.

'I have to get back to work, but... if it's really serious... you will call me, right? Dad...?'

'Yeah.'

Aiko wasn't convinced, but she did need to get back to work. Her lunch break was almost over. She had to set a good example for her employees, especially if Yan was coming.

Grunts and their Pokémon, except Camerupt, ran laps around the parking lot. Camerupt would always be too slow to move faster than most other Pokémon, so Kazuki gave them exercises to maximise their power while keeping them as slow as possible for Trick Room strategies. He watched his sweaty employees with the same vacant look as Aiko.

'Did you...?'

'Left it on your desk... and locked the door, obvs.'

'Thanks.'

Kazuki hadn't just locked the door to Aiko's office. His Camerupt guarded it. She petted it as it stood to let her through. Two files, so crammed with fresh printouts they looked about to burst, sat on the desk. Inside were records from the hospital closest to Gatas Prison. Kazuki had already marked those of interest with colourful post-it notes. One deliberately stuck out over the others. Aiko pulled it from the pile.

It was from seven years ago. A hobbyist photographer discovered a soaked and unconscious Gatas guard, Oliver Cooke, in the tunnel near the dock. He showed signs of being drugged by Sleep Powder, but was anxious about missing his shift, so chose not to file a police report. The next time he saw a doctor, he was fine.

Stapled to it was that day's employee report from Gatas. Kazuki circled two notes in fluorescent orange highlighter.



Before Aiko could get excited, she had to check the records for herself. She was partly testing Kazuki. It didn't surprise her that he was capable of hacking the hospital or prison, but if he supplied a modified record, she would know he was up to no good. The printout matched the online records. There was no evidence they were ever tampered with.

But... he did find this pretty quickly... faster than the International Police. Does that tell me something? No... why would he just hand me the details? Knowing I'll tell everyone who could pose a threat to Cipher? Unless he thinks that will put me off the scent...

Whether there was something suspicious about Kazuki – something beyond Aiko – or not, she now knew when Ardos escaped. There was no other logical explanation for this. The guard was found unconscious in the tunnel, before his shift, yet at the same time as he was at the hospital, he left work because of vomiting and diarrhea. Then, after the hospital recorded that he was anxious to return, he showed up.

GoD could have imported a Pokémon that knows Sleep Powder... but it was most likely from here. What Pokémon available in Orre can learn Sleep Powder?

Aiko took her P★DA from her pocket. She loaded the Pokédex app. There were only four Pokémon families found in Orre that could learn Sleep Powder: Oddish, Venonat, Tangela and Hoppip.

Oddish evolves into Vileplume... and Ilirian stepped on a Vileplume turd. Jamie has a Vileplume... but he was there in Phenac at the same time as GoD... so he can be ruled out. Ilirian wasn't. No... how can I suspect my best friend and my brother?

Who else owned Pokémon that could learn Sleep Powder? There was an Elite Four member, Chobin. His Jumpluff evolved from Hoppip. Suspecting him would be ridiculous. He was about to turn 71 and a foot too short to be GoD. Holly's dad Wyatt used imported Exeggutor at his Gym in The Under. They could learn Sleep Powder by breeding and Wyatt was a decent Pokémon Breeder. He was also 5'10", so almost tall enough, but... why would it be him? Rustie owned a Tangrowth. Did Chess take it to divert blame from himself? Now Aiko was suspecting her other bandmate.

This is all ridiculous. It's none of them. It's someone else. It has to be... but anyway... we know now that Ardos has been out for seven years. There's a Pokémon that knows Sleep Powder involved... and they'll be using Sleep Powder again, so we'll need Safety Goggles.

That was no problem. Team Magma's cabinets were stocked with items useful in both battles and fieldwork. There were enough Safety Goggles to protect every employee and their Pokémon.

Aiko's mind wandered back to Lyndon. She contemplated hacking him to find out what was going on, but his devices were too heavily protected.

Everyone else thinks Yan is suspicious... and I know he isn't... but maybe I should prove it.

Yan was capable of basic hacking, but he wasn't at Aiko's level. Remotely accessing any of Team Magma's devices in Hoenn, via their network, was easy for her. It made her feel bad. There were many times she almost hacked Yan just to spy on him, but guilt stopped her.

I'm doing it for a good reason now... right?

There was no doubt Yan was in Hoenn. His edifying speeches, every morning at 11AM, were indeed live from his office there. The only IP addresses currently associated with his professional and personal devices were located at Team Magma's HQ in Jagged Pass. Aiko was surprised to find that CCTV footage from his office was only as well-protected as the rest of the hideout.

He was there, working late at his computer. There was a map of Orre beside his passport on the table. Aiko couldn't hold back a giddy smile. She wanted to stare, but she forced herself to drag her eyes away to access the computer he was working at. Files were meticulously arranged on a Team Magma wallpaper. There was nothing suspicious or even personal on there. He was writing about volcanic activity. His personal laptop could only be accessed if he switched it on, but he did, to briefly add to his report before retiring to bed at exactly 10:30PM. That was equally bare. So was his Pokénav, the Hoennian equivalent of a P★DA.

See! He's not even a little suspicious... and he isn't dating anyone, either. He's married to his job. Hmm...

'What if he's got a kid?' Wisteria asked later, 'Like Maxie?'

'What?!'

'Well, no-one knew Maxie had a kid, did they? Maxie himself didn't know Yan existed, or at least that's what you said. What if his kid's a weirdo?'

'He doesn't have a child! Look... if you really don't trust Yan... we'll only take my Grunts. And I won't tell Kazuki. But first...'

Aiko picked up her fake passport. 'I'm going to check in to the Selenite Resort.'

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