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Holding his breath, Folly peeked around the corner of the building again, scanning the pier. By now the behavior of the lone ticket inspector was obvious. He totally had a crush on that cute girl selling ice cream at the stand down the way, and if they timed it just right, they could probably sneak past him easily the next time there was a lull in the ice cream line and he started up a conversation again…
“I don’t know. Isn’t the S.S. Anne or whatever a fancy cruise ship? There’s no way we won’t get caught when we’re aboard.” For what seemed like the millionth time in the last ten minutes, Trudly couldn’t help but bring up yet another possible snag in his friend’s plan.
Folly huffed and whirled around to face his companion. Trudly had his arms crossed sullenly, looking back and forth as Wingulls wheeled around in the sky above them. He leaned against the nearby wall, his eyes inscrutable behind colored sunglasses.
“It ain’t that fancy,” Folly argued, running a hand back self-consciously along his wild attempt at a mohawk, the blond strands dyed fiery red at the ends. “Trainers of all ages are supposed’ta board from all over the world! Long as you have a ticket, you can get on! That’s the only part we’re skippin’.”
“Right…”
Folly grinned, fists clenching in excitement as he watched the ice cream line dwindle to one last customer. After this, that infatuated ticket guy would head over to hit the vendor up… and then they could jump the rope barriers and run up the gangplank before anyone noticed. It was perfect!
“Ok, after this guy, this is it. If we move fast, that idiot will never notice us!” Folly whispered, nudging Trudly. “Ready…?”
Trudly heaved a sigh, looking around again. Then he slowly reached over to squeeze his friend’s shoulder. The enthusiastic tension in Folly’s body melted immediately, and he turned in confusion. “Hey… uh, listen. I know how eager you are to get on board…”
Folly nodded, a grin spreading across his face at the thought. “Hell yeah. I’ve been planning this for the last three months! S.S. Anne’s final stop in Orre before they take Gateon Port off their itinerary for good. If we’re gonna get outta Orre… might as well do it in style, huh?”
“Uh… yeah. About that.” Trudly scratched the back of his head, mussing at the mop of greenish hair that spilled out of his hat. “I… I understand why you want to leave. I really do. But… aren’t you gonna miss it?”
“Miss Orre? No way,” Folly scoffed. He crossed his arms and turned away, still keeping an eye on the people near the docked ship. “Ain’t nothing but strugglin’, ever since before we was born. Both our parents worked themselves into the ground tryin’ to stay afloat after the mines dried up. And as for me? I’m gettin’ real tired of stealin’ and fightin’ for a living. Ain’t you?”
Trudly shifted uncomfortably. “Well, sure…” he mumbled. “Only…” He took a deep breath, then finally pulled off his sunglasses, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. “I dunno if we belong in Johto. Or Kanto. Or hell, anywhere. This is all we know, right? We’re not gonna fit in anywhere else.”
Folly turned to face Trudly again, looking shocked and affronted. “W-Whaddaya mean? Pal, ya ain’t… like… flakin’ out, are ya? This is our opportunity to start fresh! Once we step off that boat, the sky’s the limit! Maybe we can even have a normal life! Like… ya know, catch some Pokémon, become trainers or something? That’d be fun…”
Swallowing, Trudly couldn’t help but look away from his friend’s crestfallen tone of voice. “I-I know, Folly. Really. But like… Orre’s my home. Warts and all. Maybe…” He hesitated, partly unsure of how to say what he wanted to say next… and partly because of the sudden lump that threatened to choke off the words in his throat. “M-Maybe you should go ahead. I bet you’d be happy in Johto or wherever. Hell, bet you’d be a great trainer too.”
Folly flinched at the suggestion, like he’d been punched. For a while, he didn’t even say anything… and when he did, his voice was a lot smaller. Uncertain. As if they were kids again. “I… I ain’t leavin’ without ya, Trudly. If ya ain’t there… then there’s no point.”
“What… Hey… d-don’t say that…” Trudly clenched his teeth, trying to push past this foreign feeling, something between panic and guilt and anger. “Don’t be stupid. Go ahead, get on that boat—”
“Forget it.”
Shoulders slumped, Folly took a resolved breath and shoved his hands in his pockets, turning away from the S.S. Anne and walking away. Trudly was too startled to do anything but follow, his footsteps mirroring his friend’s.
The two of them never mentioned it again.
Five years later
“…to say nothing of the opportunity for upward mobility! Cipher takes care of its own, so long as you bring us results.” Beneath a pair of large golden sunglasses and an even larger red-and-white afro, a pearly white smile stretched wide, awaiting the responses of his two new applicants seated before him. “What do you say, friends?”
Trudly inhaled slowly, glancing over at Folly sitting next to him. The blond man shrugged, prompting Trudly to look back up with a resolved expression.
“I say… we’re in. You can count on us, Master Miror B.”
“Splendid!” Miror B. exclaimed, with a pleased laugh. “Cipher is delighted to have you aboard!”
As their new boss switched some celebratory music on and his Ludicolos began a festive welcome dance, Trudly glanced over at Folly, his mouth curling into a slight, reassuring smile. The tightness in his chest eased when Folly smiled back.
I know I screwed everything up then. But I promise I won’t let this chance pass us by. Not this time.