Pokemon Freelancer

[Orderneri]

1: The Big Man​

Olivine. A modern port city surrounded by a mass of fields for export. It's in a country called Johto, with millions of people calling this place home. City planners avoided skyscrapers, so the settlement expanded out, not up.

Deep in the bustling streets of Olivine, a small feline's pink pads lightly tapped across stone paths. Countless vehicles passed by. Whipped the short fur on the cat into a frenzy. The animal stopped and waited whenever humans came and went from their office buildings or shops.

The feline noticed a smell overpowering all other odours. Fresh water. Rain. The cat became irritable as it ran. Hoped to reach vacated shelter before the skies unloaded. It waited impatiently for lights on poles to turn red. Counted the seconds by swishing its stubby tail back and forth.

The humans it waited alongside became antsy. Craned their necks to the darkened sky. Shuffled their feet. They knew what was coming, too. The light turned red. The people speed-walked across.

One of the cat's ears was hit gently and it twitched involuntarily. Let out a grumble and watched the asphalt road as dark patches appeared. The rain distracted the cat just long enough. The light switched back to green. Cars began moving.

Annoyed, the cat backtracked. Sprinted as fast as it could along a store front while being pelted by water orbs. Lights from within the shop lit the way, casting squares of yellow onto the path. The cat passed a pole with a big blue and white neon sign spinning atop it. Turned into a dark and dingy alley. The rain came down harder and faster every second that went by.

The cat was drenched. Found a spot beneath an outcropped roof. The ground was still grey. Untouched by water. The feline shook its body violently. Disposed of the water that had assaulted it. It looked up and whined. It might be stuck here until tomorrow. It curled up in its corner, looking at the ground in despair. It was cold. It was hungry. And it was going to call this dark, damp corner home for a while. All alone.

Moments later, the feline was startled to its feet. The metal backdoor of the shop creaked open. The bottom scraped across concrete and sent a chill down the cat's back. Heavy rain had masked the human's approach. The feline should've heard through the small gaps around the door. It would've hidden.

The feline looked to see a silhouette nearly as tall as the door. Light illuminated him from behind. A man with arms the size of tree trunks. He stepped out. Revealed dark brown, scruffy hair. A strong jawline with no facial hair. He wore a simple deep blue shirt, buttoned up. The cat was surprised that they made clothes for giants.

In a hand the big man held a stuffed white bag. The weight didn't seem to faze him. The feline started shaking uncontrollably at the sight of the behemoth. His size was overwhelming. Now the feline knew what it would do when faced with danger. It failed fight or flight. A secret third option. It froze. The cat was silent. Begged for the giant to leave without noticing it.

The man took strides fitting of his size to a metal container. Casually tossed the bag in like weight was subjective. He willed the bag to weigh nothing and so it came to be. He walked back to the door. His hand reached the handle. But he stopped. He took note of a green clump of fur in a corner.

Unlucky. The giant had noticed. The cat watched with big red eyes as the man approached. The feline's shivering got worse with every step the man took. Caught like a Deerling in headlights. It was shaking from fear, the cold no longer worth paying attention to.

Once the man was close enough, he crouched. Right in front of the cat. There was no mistaking what had garnered his attention. His mouth was moving. He was speaking. The cat was too scared to hear. It'd eavesdropped enough human speech to figure the language out, but it was in one ear, out the other right now.

Seconds later, large hands moved through the air. The cat thought this was the last thing it would ever see.



* * * * *



With a sigh, Joe rose from his comfortable seat behind the counter of the PokeMart. It was raining and his coworkers didn't want to take the trash out. They played rock-paper-scissors to decide someone's fate. Joe lost. His coworkers looked up at him, his tall six-foot four-inch frame putting him amongst the tallest in the city.

He grabbed a white bag at the end of the counter. It had been tied neatly by his female coworker. He headed towards the staffroom door. It would take him through storage and out into the back alley. This wasn't the first time someone would dispose of waste today, and it wouldn't be the last.

"Don't worry, I'll keep your seat warm." One of his coworkers gloated as Joe reached the staffroom. The kid. Shaun. He was fresh out of high school. Still a bit croaky. His voice hadn't broken yet.

Joe was going to retort but instead smiled to himself. The kid used to be so scared of Joe. A real life giant. Most people feared Joe due to his size. He was both tall and had broad shoulders. An imposing figure if there ever was one. But now Shaun had no problem teasing Joe. They grow up so fast.

The giant passed by lockers. Reached the backdoor. Still wore a smile. He recalled Shaun's face when he was told his phone stayed in his locker. Looked like someone was robbing him. If there were no customers then Joe didn't mind Shaun using his phone. But Shaun showed discipline. Joe respected that.

Joe opened the back door and cringed. Metal dragged on concrete. Felt it in his bones. Made him shiver. He briefly looked up. Pitch black. If someone told him it was early afternoon he wouldn't believe them. He was pelted by heavy rain. Tossed the white bag into a bin. Headed back. Right as his hand reached the handle, something caught his attention. Green in the corner of his eye. He knew for a fact there were no weeds back here. He had dealt with them. Turned his head to get a better look. A small, shivering animal. It didn't surprise him. It must be taking shelter from the bad weather.

He approached. The animal looked feline, but he was no expert. It stood on all fours. Big head, small body. Large red eyes. Ears shaped like triangles. A short, bushy tail. Fangs protruded over its lower lip. Two tone green fur, with darker shades on its face and chest.

Joe crouched before it. "You okay, buddy?" He observed for a moment, his mind already made up. He saw no collar. This was a wild Pokemon. "Come on, let's get you dry."

The giant reached out and grabbed the small cat. Grabbed its side. One hand was enough. It was soft despite being damp. Joe shifted his palm to the cat's belly. Held it pressed against his solid chest. He moved inside the store, hearing the expected screech of concrete as it was murdered.

He gripped the Pokemon tight. Didn't want it to run rampant in the storage area. A lesson he learned the hard way. What a pain that bug was to catch. Scurried around and fit into tight corners. Joe had to bother a coworker to retrieve the Pokemon. Sometimes Joe was too big for his own good.

Joe moved to a shelf. Grabbed a towel. Yanked the label off with his teeth. Ruffled his own hair. Wrapped the towel around the cat's body. Another lesson from another time. Never cut off all senses. A Pokemon was more at ease if it could see where it was going.

He stroked the cat to dry it as he walked by countless shelving units that reached the ceiling. They were stocked to the brim. Some looked close to toppling. Tents. Sleeping bags. Backpacks. Soap. Towels. Products useful for the great outdoors. The store wasn't called PokeMart for nothing. It was the Pokemon Market. Food pellets. Toys. Red and white spheres called Pokeballs. Items for the animals of this world. Pokemon.

A vast majority of Pokemon were found in the wild, away from bustling cities. That's why the store sold camping equipment. Useful for someone that wanted to be around Pokemon. In recent years Pokemon like this green feline could be found in urban areas. It was now a valid habitat. They found small nooks and crannies to call home. Places forgotten by humans. Many species of Pokemon had gotten used to human settlements.

Joe moved back onto the shop floor. The PokeMart looked like it stretched a mile in every direction. Shelves tightly packed together. Fluorescent lights buzzed overhead. His reappearance caught the attention of his coworkers. They took one look at what was in his hand and grinned. Hydie, his female coworker, approached. She was shorter than the average woman. Barely five-feet. She hopped and swiped the label from Joe's mouth. Joe needed that barcode. He could've pocketed it, but he got along with Hydie. He knew she'd handle it.

"Thanks." Joe spoke, his mouth now free.

"You just can't help yourself, can you?" Hydie spoke at Joe, not to him. Her focus immediately shifted to the cute Pokemon in Joe's hand. A lovely smile formed. She stroked the feline's ears. Joe could feel the animal purr in response.

Hydie was referring to the numerous other times Joe had brought stray Pokemon into the shop. The crazy one she always remembered was an injured bird in the road out front. Joe had burst through the automatic doors before they fully opened. Rushed into the road and scooped the bird up. He had been inches away from being hit by a car. Hydie wondered what would've happened. She glanced up. Took in Joe's massive frame. He probably would've dented the vehicle. Shrug and walk away like nothing happened.

"What is it?" Joe took this opportunity to learn.

Hydie had gotten her fill of cuteness. She stood up straight. Thought about it, a finger to her chin. "A Sprigatito, I think?"

Joe nodded. Used a finger to stroke Sprigatito under the chin. It was one of the countless species of Pokemon that called this world home. They came in all shapes and sizes, with different capabilities. A cat like this probably couldn't do much, but Joe had seen a mighty dragon in action before. He had never owned a Pokemon but he'd seen plenty around Olivine. As pets with customers. On television. Especially on TV. Pokemon battle competitions were absurdly popular. He assumed they were scheduled all day every day, on as many channels as possible. They were everywhere. He had to admit, battles got his blood pumping. He'd never had the thought to enter one himself though. He had no plans to be a Trainer.

That was a term he'd heard a lot over the years. Trainer. Anyone that raised a Pokemon for a task was a Trainer, whether it be for battle or a job. Firefighters used water-type Pokemon. Fairy-types helped soothe people at hospitals. People performed with Pokemon. There was more to them than just battling.

"Poor thing looks scared half to death." Hydie observed Sprigatito freeze up at Joe's touch.

"Are you surprised?" Shaun interjected from his seat behind the cheap plywood counter. "Joe looks like he eats bricks for breakfast."

"My diet consists entirely of metal."

"Ha, yeah, I bet." Shaun responded. Rested an elbow on the counter. Put his chin on his hand. Smiled. "Oh, I get it. Pumping iron. Good one."

Joe smirked as he brushed by Hydie. Walked along shelves. Joe had a naturally bulky build. Assumed he inherited it from his parents. It was further improved by him working out at a fitness center on a regular basis. He was noticeably muscular. Joe liked working out. Improving his body. Keeping himself in shape. Many considered Joe trouble just based on his size. That was until he was the one using his strength to save them from trouble.

He reached a shelf of Pokemon food. Small packs of brown pellets. It may look ugly, but it had all the nutrients Pokemon could ever need. He grabbed a pouch. It was a little smaller than his hand. Ignored the plastic bowls. Joe was going to personally feed Sprigatito. Wanted to bond with the Pokemon a bit if he could. If it allowed him.

Sprigatito sneezed. A cute little exhale so quiet Joe almost missed it. He scratched the cat's belly through the towel. He was trying to be affectionate, but Sprigatito took it to mean it should shut up. No more silly noises. Joe internally sighed when he felt the cat go rigid.

Joe moved to the counter. Could see his coworkers speaking in hushed voices. When he reached his destination, they went quiet. Turned his way. Hydie was the one to speak.

"Thanks for the money."

"Betting on me again?" Joe knew this happened every time he brought a Pokemon in.

Hydie nodded. The bet had been made a week in advance. "The food was an obvious one, but Shaun didn't think about a towel."

They knew Joe tended to fawn over animals. Feeding was his go-to affinity raising action. It worked most of the time so clearly he was onto something.

"You got lucky." Shaun complained. He was right. Weather forecasts were notoriously inaccurate. Betting on the towel was risky, but it paid off.

All Joe could do was smile at how predictable he was. He put the towel, cat included, on the conveyor belt. The towel label was already on there thanks to Hydie. He put the food down too. Sprigatito was apparently too scared to act. It was free of the giant, but it stood still. Didn't dare to earn the ire of Joe.

Shaun scanned them. "Sir, there appears to be a problem with your towel. It's turned into a living creature. You still want it? Well, if you insist. Defective products are heavily discounted."

"Nice."

Hydie rolled her eyes.

Joe paid for his goods. Picked up the towel, cat included, and held it underhanded again. Food packet in the other hand. Moved around the counter. Shaun groaned like standing was the biggest chore ever. Abandoned the chair so Joe could sit down. Now in his seat, Joe placed the cat on his lap. Removed the towel from Sprigatito. Thought about it. Gave it one last drying before putting the towel under the counter. Given the size difference, Sprigatito was less on his lap and more just on one meaty thigh.

He popped the pack of food open. The scent immediately wafted to Sprigatito. The cat perked up. Every Pokemon was like this. His hand barely fit into the packet. It was easier to shake food out. Shook a pellet into a hand. It was the size of half his thumb. Joe estimated that Sprigatito would only eat a few. He put the food in front of the cat. It began nibbling gently but quickly.

"I'll never get used to that." Hydie said.

"What?" Joe asked as he moved another pellet in front of Sprigatito. The cat was relaxing a little. Joe could feel less tension in the way it stood.

"A giant coddling a cute animal. These two things don't go together in my head. They should be mutually exclusive."

"Where did you learn a complex term like that?" Joe showed a toothy grin. Hydie narrowed her blue eyes. Joe knew that Hydie studied at university. Of the people currently working at the PokeMart, she was the smartest.

Sprigatito finally calmed down. Patted Joe's trousers, its claws hooking threads of fabric a couple times. It was making sure the surface was good to rest on. It was. Sprigatito rested on its belly, legs tucked in underneath it. Now it was just a torso and a head. Joe was happy. He wasn't the big, scary man anymore. Just a guy that wanted to help. Joe presented Sprigatito with another pellet and it happily ate.

"By the way, how much is my share?" Joe asked. If people were betting on him, the least they could do is give him some.

"Five dollars." Hydie spoke with a smile. On the verge of gloating. Shaun needed to cough up money before the shift ended.

"You guys are cheap." Joe said, observing the cat. It was eating more than he expected. He didn't mind. It was a calming action. Shake the bag, hold food in front of the cat, let it eat, and repeat.

The PokeMart had been quiet since the storm started. No one was out in this weather. A stray wind could knock most people over. Best to work around the weather and be safe. The store had been busy all morning with what felt like thousands of customers, so this was a pleasant break.

The small group separated after a few minutes of casual banter. They had work to do. Joe couldn't leave the checkout unmanned.

Another pellet later and Joe was worthy of stroking Sprigatito without it thinking its life was going to end. Well, more like scratch it. His hand was big, or Sprigatito was small. Or both. He could only use the tips of his fingers on Sprigatito. Unlike the pet Meowth his mother owned. A beige, lanky breed of cat. Joe could run a hand down Meowth's back. The sensation was about the same. Cats kept themselves well-groomed, so they were both soft to touch.

Sprigatito purred gently as crumbs scattered across Joe's trousers. It finally knew Joe was a good person. Pokemon could sense intent from people. Survival instincts for who to team up with. Sprigatito had been so focused on how scary Joe looked that it failed to sense the soothing aura he produced. The feline could get used to this. It'd lived on the streets for the few months it'd been alive. It'd had to fend for itself. Never had a chance to relax like this. This must be what it was like to have a family. To have parents. Sprigatito was suddenly gripped by a strong urge to retain this feeling.

Hydie and Shaun were restocking shelves. Joe was left alone with his own thoughts about the coming year. A year-long vacation he'd spent six years saving for. He'd been employed by the PokeMart when he was eighteen. Starting tomorrow he was free to do as he pleased for three hundred and sixty-five days.

He planned to visit Kanto, a neighbouring country to the east of Johto. Joe wanted to hike up and down Mt. Silver, the tallest mountain in the range separating the two countries. Once in Kanto, he would simply wander wherever his feet took him. Just him and his backpack. No obligations. His main plan was to sightsee, but if he wanted to relax on a beach for a week then he'd do that.

Joe had done this before, on a smaller scale. Saved up his paid holiday every year. Four weeks. He'd ventured around Johto during that time. Seen most of what the country had to offer. It was time to see another country. He doubted he'd be in Kanto the entire time. It was another mild country with a similar culture. Maybe a country like Hoenn or Paldea would be nice. Different people. Different foods. Different weather.

He looked down at Sprigatito happily eating food still. How much was it going to eat? The packet was nearly empty. Somehow most of the pellets had fit into the small creature.

Looking at the cat, Joe knew he'd be surrounded by fauna a lot of the time. He planned to hike from town to town. That meant walking and sleeping in nature. He'd had plenty of run-ins with wild Pokemon over the years. Expected many more. Despite not caring if he had his own Pokemon, he did consider them all either cool or cute. Depended on the species. He stroked Sprigatito. It looked up and tilted its head. Went back to eating. Cats fit into the cute category.

Joe was excited about his holiday. He expected little sleep tonight, like a child too excited the night before their birthday. But he had a concern. A friend he met a couple of years ago. Jasmine. The local Gym Leader. Not to be confused with the fitness center Joe used to stay fit. He almost laughed imagining her at a fitness center. She was a stick figure and would remain that way for life.

A Pokemon Gym was a place for people to challenge specialist Trainers to battle. Gym Leaders. Jasmine was the master of steel-types in Johto. Joe remembered her saying steel was the most defensive type. Tough to take out.

His worry stemmed from Jasmine's personality. She was a very anxious person. Joe always wondered how she ended up in a public position. But she didn't interact with the challengers much. She just focused on battling. That got her through her job. She had a grand love for Pokemon battles. She was awkward when handing challengers their Badges, trophies for winning, but she managed. Barely.

Joe started to reminisce. During her time off, Jasmine would come to hang out at the PokeMart because it was where Joe was. She was there so often that customers started paying attention to her. She struggled to get a tan and always wore white dresses. She tended to hover and watch, not saying much. A ghost bound to a location.

Jasmine had been confused for a new hire once too. That got a laugh out of Joe. Watching her stutter her way through human interaction. Gym Leaders were celebrities, but Jasmine stayed out of the limelight. She was unknown even in her own city. Olivine Gym was in rotation this year, so Jasmine wasn't here today.

Joe turned his head at the boom of thunder and a flash of lightning. Looked out the rows of windows that made up the wall. They were covered in thick rain drops. He could just about make out red lights from cars. Joe stared out the windows with his green eyes as he recalled the day he met Jasmine.

 

[Orderneri]

2: Gut Feeling​

Two years ago. Joe was on shift at the PokeMart. It started raining lightly. Could see it on the windows. Early afternoon meant few customers anyway. People were at school or working.

"You met that weirdo at the Gym? Jasmine? She's, like, so annoying. And this weather is trash. Such a pain." One of Joe's coworkers complained.

A brat. No one liked her. She blew bubbles with pink gum as her friend, another worker at the Mart, twirled her dyed blonde hair with a finger. Both were useless employees. The brat was supposed to be out delivering goods right now. The weather shouldn't stop her. Joe figured the rain would wash away her makeup. Reveal her as ugly, like her personality.

The PokeMart had been around for a century. It was a powerful brand despite dozens of companies to compete against. The Mart's owner struck a deal with the Pokemon League. The biggest tournament in the world. Exclusive rights to Trainer merchandise. In return, Gyms got products at a discount. The PokeMart being able to advertise itself as the official supplier of the Pokemon League went a long way. The brat should be delivering to the Gym right now. Monday and Friday were delivery days. Joe knew this because he needed to know why the brat disappeared during these days.

Joe sat behind the counter. Narrowed his eyes at the brat. Hoped she turned around and saw him. Maybe it'd scare some sense into her.

Joe had been relegated to cashier. Customers complained about his size. Some found him frightening. People avoided rows if he were stocking shelves. Bad for business. But the manager didn't want to fire Joe over his size. So he put Joe behind the counter. This was a bad choice too. Joe had to lean over to operate the cash register. The manager didn't want Joe to have a hunched back by the time he was thirty. Bought Joe a chair. Now Joe was a more comfortable height for customers.

The brat continued to run her mouth. Joe was about to stand up. Give her a piece of his mind. He didn't like the way she spoke about Jasmine. He didn't know the Gym Leader, but he felt defensive of her. She wasn't here to defend herself. This was different from taking jabs at a friend to their face. He had a feeling Jasmine hadn't done anything to earn this hatred.

The phone on the wall next to Joe rang before he could say something. Ancient technology. Joe forgot it was there. It rang once every couple of weeks at most. Usually an elderly person checking if an item was in stock. He picked up the sun-bleached phone. Put it to his ear. Since it was so old it fit his size.

Joe spoke a scripted line. "Olivine PokeMart. How can I help you today?"

No reply. Joe gave it a few seconds. He opened his mouth to talk but was stopped. There was someone on the other side. The softest voice he'd ever heard.

"H- Hello… When is the delivery arriving…?" The voice got quieter. Faded out.

It wasn't hard for Joe to know who was calling. Jasmine from the Gym. The delivery was on his mind too. "It'll be there soon. Don't worry." Joe said. Glared at the brat. It looked like Joe would be picking up the slack. Not for the brat. For Jasmine. It might be an important delivery. Would explain why Jasmine managed to work up the courage to call.

Jasmine sounded like she struggled with people. She would be thinking through each word. Wanted to make sure she got the point across. The silence at the beginning. The slight stutter. A lack of confidence. Explained the brat's opinion too. If someone wasn't as extroverted as she was, they were weird.

Another few seconds passed. Jasmine replied. "T- Thank you… I need medicine. My Pokemon…"

As Joe thought. Important delivery. Jasmine went silent without finishing the sentence. Thought she messed up. It wasn't her medicine. It was for a Pokemon. Joe understood. She was stuck on what she considered a mistake.

"Give me ten minutes and you'll have your medicine." Joe tried his best soothing voice. Difficult for a big, burly man.

He put the phone on its perch. Stood. Hoped Jasmine was able to calm down now that she wasn't talking to someone. It was fifty-fifty. Either she was hung up on the mistake, or she was happy with confirmation the delivery was on the way. Handling someone with anxiety could be tough, but Joe tried.

Joe standing drew attention from his coworkers. He looked at the brat with sharp eyes. "Watch the till." He growled.

To his surprise, the brat wasn't fazed by his mean look. "Sure. Whatever." She waved him off.

He bit back a response. Avoided an argument. Jasmine needed him. He moved into the storage room. Knew where the pallet of items was. Saw it before his shift. He reached it. Eyed the collection of mostly food and cleaning supplies. Saw a small box with a picture of a bottle. Medicine. It looked like an item behind the counter of a corner store. A simple product that didn't require a pharmacy.

It was a small pallet. Meant to fit in the trunk of a normal car. The entire reason the brat had been hired. She could drive and owned a small vehicle. Delivery should be ten minutes there and back. She got bonus pay for it too. Not for much longer. Joe knew the manager hated people that didn't complete tasks they were paid to do.

Joe ran through it in his head. He was sure it was possible. Ripped the plastic wrap off the pallet. Grabbed the biggest hiking backpack the store sold. Shoved the delivery items into the bag. His years of hiking paid off. He had a keen eye. Knew how to compress a bundle of items so they fit into a rucksack. He hefted the bag onto his shoulder. Held the strap. Yanked his locker open. Grabbed his phone just in case someone needed him. Slammed it shut. Barged out the back door. Winced at the sound. Metal on concrete. Like nails on a chalkboard.

He was greeted by a mere drizzle. Barely noticeable. Joe gritted his teeth and began walking. A bit of light rain never hurt anyone.

No need for a bus or taxi. Joe liked a good walk. Might as well enjoy the excursion. He always walked everywhere. Everything he needed was within a thirty-minute walk of his apartment.

Joe eyed street signed at the end of roads and then took shortcuts through alleyways. He knew what the Gym looked like, but not where it was. The rain worsened over time but was still tolerable when he arrived at the Gym.

Joe ogled the structure he walked towards. Took up a decent chunk of land. Clean tile path. Grass on either side. Then there was the building itself. A head modelled after a steel-type Pokemon. Steelix. Angular, mean face. Sharp eyes. A jawline that put Joe's to shame. Mouth open, revealing automatic glass doors. Joe walked up the stairs. Into the mouth of the beast. Each tooth was as big as Joe.

Doors opened. Joe went inside. He was dripping wet. Left a trail on the shiny marble floor. Someone was going to have to clean that up. He was apologetic in his mind. He moved to a fancy glass counter with a receptionist behind it. She had short black hair and glasses.

"Sir?" The bespectacled woman looked up at him.

"Delivery from the PokeMart." Joe said. Drew a circle with his shoulder. Let the bag fall. Caught the strap. Started unloading items onto the countertop.

The receptionist seemed to have a mental checklist. She scrutinised each item until Joe was done. Nodded afterwards. Everything was accounted for. The important one, the medicine, was at the front of the pile.

Joe shouldered the bag. Turned. Spotted a short woman peeking around a corner, hand on the wall. The arm was slender, as was the rest of her body. Brown hair so light it could be blonde. So long it touched her thighs. Simple orange accessories created wings out of her hair on either side of her head. She wore a white dress. A sun dress. Joe was familiar. He loved them. It reached her knees, revealing some leg. Didn't cover her shoulders or arms. That was what made sun dresses so appealing. Joe assumed this was Jasmine keeping an eye out for the medicine. She was a beautiful young woman. Being a Gym Leader was a profession, of course she was an adult. Children didn't work.

Joe stepped aside. Revealed the small box to her. Sure enough, she ran over. Light tapping on the floor. She swiped the medicine. Held it close to her non-existent chest. She spun and was startled that Joe was watching, an eyebrow raised.

She dipped her head in a nod and whispered. "...Thanks..." Rushed past Joe. He watched her go.

Joe exited the Gym. The rain was coming down faster and stronger. He walked to the end of the path. Watched Jasmine disappear behind buildings to his right. He walked left. Considered what to do next. Maybe he should make a nuisance of himself. Stop by his apartment to grab a change of clothes and an umbrella. If he jogged, it would only add a few minutes to his return. It might force the brat to work. He liked the idea.

Thunder and lightning made themselves known. It was distant. He was too far to see the flash. Joe stopped walking. He hadn't gotten far. Looked over his shoulder to where Jasmine had been. Blinked water out of his eyes. He had a bad feeling.

With a confident strike he walked back to the Gym to talk to the receptionist. He was going to make sure Jasmine succeeded in her mission. She'd thanked him. It made him warm up to her immediately. Manners cost nothing.

He'd subconsciously picked up on a few facts. The storm. Jasmine's rush to reach her destination. It was cause for concern. He hadn't connected the dots, but something deep within his mind had. Gave him a feeling that Jasmine was in danger. Vivillons in his stomach. He'd learnt to listen to his gut feeling a long time ago. It was usually right.

 

[Orderneri]

3: On the Edge​

Joe barged into the Gym's reception area. His shoulder struck the glass door before it could move out of his way. The assistant rose from her desk, this time clearly on edge. Her eyes widened. She took a step back. Joe was now perceived as a threat. He reached the desk.

"Where is Jasmine going?" Joe wasted no time. "She might be in trouble."

The receptionist continued to stare at him. Not sure what to think. Why did he care? How did he know she was in danger? Valid questions.

Joe half expected her to reply with, "Do you think I'm an idiot?" That would be reasonable. Joe was an unknown. He looked like trouble. And unfortunately, he was a bit of an idiot. He didn't know how to get information through smart conversation. And people didn't accept gut feeling as a reason. People forgot their origins. Instinct kept their ancestors alive until this point.

The only thing he could think of doing was using his intimidating aura to his advantage.

"I don't think th-"

He cut her off. Didn't have time. Slammed his hands on the countertop. It caused the woman to step away. Her back hit the wall. He spoke in a deeper voice than normal. "Tell me. Now."

"T- The lighthouse…" She gasped. Immediately realised she made a mistake. The response was automatic. She didn't want to give Jasmine up, but she was scared. Fear had a way of making people talk.

Before she could say anything else, Joe turned. Walked fast. Tossed the backpack aside. It landed on a leather seat by a coffee machine. This was fine. He didn't care what people thought of him. All that mattered was Jasmine being safe. Joe hoped he was wrong. He wanted to arrive at the lighthouse and see Jasmine was fine. But deep down he knew that wasn't going to happen. So instead, he'd do everything in his power to help.

Once outside, Joe started running. The rain had gotten even worse. It felt like being poked with a thousand pins. But Joe kept moving. Kept his legs pumping. He reached the last place where he saw Jasmine. Looked for a sign. Found it on a corner. Lighthouse to his right, two miles away. He ran. Up and down a hill. Passed restaurants, clothing stores, and hair salons. Eyed another sign. One more mile. He only just noticed. There were no other people out. Of course. It was a storm. Another detail he'd picked up on subconsciously. Another reason his instincts were rattled. He was curious and paid attention, but his intelligence couldn't keep up.

Joe arrived at a cliff within the city. Beneath him, a port stretched as far as he could see. Massive metal warehouses lined up side by side. Steel containers filled with goods. Cranes twisted to move those containers. Joe looked left. Water detached from his hair and was immediately replaced. Just a road down to the port. He looked right. Bingo. He could see a white and blue tower on a perilous cliff edge. No light from the top. That felt wrong. Ship captains needed light to see where they were going.

Joe approached the lighthouse. This was an untouched corner of the city. A lot of grass. No homes. The only way forward was a path running along the cliff edge. A strong wind could be dangerous. Lethal. But this was the only path forward. Joe walked along stone, grass growing through cracks. He was halfway to the lighthouse. Watched where he was stepping. Had to be careful. He stopped. Something activated his instincts. He looked around. On the left side of the path. A chunk of dirt was missing. He had a really bad feeling. He inched closer. Looked over the side. Groaned. He found Jasmine. She was sitting on a ledge thirty feet down. A ledge that was sitting above a seventy-foot drop. She wasn't looking up. Tired of getting water in her eyes.

Joe stood up straight. Looked around. Groaned again, this time aimed at himself. Hopped a couple times to psyche himself up. Emergency services would take too long to arrive in this weather. Joe was here and he could act. He hopped over the side. Let gravity do its job. Surfed down a forty-five-degree angle. Put a hand to mud like he was a surfer. Hopped when he was close to the ledge. Landed with a hefty thud. Jasmine startled and looked at him. Her teeth chattered as she looked up at the giant looming over her.

Jasmine was sitting down. Held an ankle with a hand. Joe wasn't surprised. It was a rough ride. Doubly so for a stick figure like her.

"Y- You-"

"Yeah, yeah. The delivery guy. I'm just here to help." Joe practically had to shout. The storm was overpowering. He crouched down on one knee. Nodded at her leg. "How is it?"

Thunder spoke before Jasmine. Lightning illuminated her shivering figure. She jumped out of her skin. Looked out to the sea. That explained how she ended up here. Startled by the storm. She misstepped. Moved onto weak soil. Fell. Landed foot first. Twisted her ankle. The ledge was lucky. But being here in the first place was unlucky.

Joe wanted to comfort Jasmine and get her attention. Put a hand on her shoulder. But he held back. Didn't know how she'd react to being touched. He patiently waited for her to reply. It took a bit of time. Eventually she remembered she'd been asked a question.

"My leg… I twisted my ankle." She gained a bit of confidence or comfort from someone being in the same situation. Spoke a bit louder. Joe still mainly had to rely on reading her lips though. Joe couldn't imagine Jasmine raising her voice.

"Figures. How bad is it? Can you walk?"

Jasmine shook her head. He accepted this. Noticed her crying. It was subtle. The rain disguised her tears. Joe only caught it by the sporadic heaving of her shoulders.

"What about the rest of you? Did you hit your head? Any cuts bleeding too much?"

Jasmine shook her head again. A few minor cuts but nothing serious. Good. The last thing Joe needed was Jasmine fainting from blood loss. Then they'd be in serious trouble. Because Joe had a plan. Before he jumped down, he'd noticed thick roots protruding from the dirt. A large tree once called this land home. Those roots were instrumental. He was going to climb up. For this to work, he needed Jasmine to remain awake so she could cling to him. His hands would be too busy to hold her.

Then it hit him. Climb up. To the lighthouse. What for? Medicine for a Pokemon. Joe couldn't see the small box. He'd never known a sun dress to have pockets. So the medicine was at the bottom of the cliff. Probably in a million pieces, the treatment washed away. A problem for the future. For now they had to get back up to the path.

Joe wanted to just confirm one thing though. "I don't suppose you have a way out of this, do you?" The right Pokemon could easily save them.

She accidentally scowled at Joe. A nasty glare. She realised and corrected herself. That was no way to act towards someone that had come to help her. Now she gave Joe puppy dog eyes. He wasn't immune. Now he really wanted to help her.

"My Pokemon… They're at the Gym. I didn't need them."

Exactly what Joe expected. She didn't need help administering a drink. He just wanted to double-check. People could forget what they were capable of during a crisis. Jasmine was the opposite. One of the few benefits of anxiety. Her brain ran a mile a minute. The thought of how to get out of this mess had already crossed her mind.

Joe nodded. His plan was the last resort, but he had to go through with it. He spun on his knee since he was still crouched. Pointed at his back and shouted over his shoulder. "Well then, hop on."

Jasmine was reluctant. Very much so. She held out for a solid minute before finally grabbing his blue shirt. He felt all her weight hit his back in one go. He said hop on, but he didn't mean literally. Given the size difference there wasn't much of a choice though. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his torso. She could feel muscles rippling through Joe's shirt. The only other man she's interacted with was her father. She paid attention to the difference in build. Joe felt strong. It reassured her.

"Hold on tight, okay? I don't want you falling."

Jasmine obeyed. Tightened her grip around Joe's neck. Barely noticeable. He had no doubt she was still on edge. He wanted to help relieve some stress. Tried a joke.

Joe tapped her arms. "Not that tight." He acted as though she was strangling him. Laid it on thick. Stopped breathing and spoke through a strained voice.

"S- Sorry…" Jasmine shrank away. Joe couldn't see her over his shoulder. But he had the impression that she didn't pick up on his humour. Oh well. It was worth a shot.

"I get it, you're scared. But don't worry. I'll get you out of this mess and to your Pokemon in no time." He stood up straight. It wasn't empty platitudes. Joe had a strong desire to act like a man in front of Jasmine. He said he'd help and he would. It wasn't bravado. Joe was confident in one aspect of himself. His strength. He worked out. Picked up the hobby four years ago when he moved to Olivine.

Joe fought the rain to look up. Observed the cliff face. Globs of mud slid down everywhere he looked. Revealed new roots. Hid ones he'd spotted from above. When he was confident in a route, he acted. Grabbed a thick root. Pulled it. Not even a centimetre of give. This was going to be easy. He pulled while digging his feet into the mud. Started climbing. Grabbed a root. Pulled it. No give. Swung to it. Moved up.

After ten feet his hands were covered in mud. Sometimes he couldn't immediately spot a root to hang onto. He waited patiently for mud to slide. No rush. Joe couldn't feel Jasmine's weight. He was convinced she weighed less than the backpack of items he delivered earlier.

This was repeated for ten minutes. It was a marathon, not a sprint. The first five minutes were easy going, but the second half was testing Joe. Pushing him to the limit. It required serious effort. He'd heard of a difference between gym tough and real tough but hadn't paid it any mind. Now he regretted that decision. Once he got out of this mess, he was going to train to be genuinely strong. He'd hate to encounter a problem he couldn't solve.

Joe was close to the top after monkey branching between two dozen roots. He was breathing heavily. Just a few more. He used an arm to wipe his face. Rain reclaimed the real estate instantly. He gritted his teeth. Is this all he amounted to? He couldn't even help Jasmine out of this situation? Useless. A man didn't go back on his word. He was getting her out of this mess no matter what. He reached for another root. But he didn't check it. A costly mistake. The root dislodged. Joe tipped backwards. He thought Jasmine screamed, but he zoned it out. Zoned everything out. Turned to a root to his left. Had to leap for it. This was a bad idea, but he had seconds to act. Not every decision could be the best. He dug his feet into dirt, his powerful legs strained. He launched himself. Grabbed the root he wanted. It gave. He cursed. Then it stopped. It'd given an inch but had otherwise remained deep in the dirt. Joe let out a heavy sigh. Looked up. He was a single root from the path. He reached for it. Tested it. It was stable. He pulled himself up.

His hand reached up. Landed on solid ground. Felt cold and wet stone on his fingertips. Pulled the corner to lift himself up. Got an elbow on the path. Then his other hand. A knee. It was over. Joe succeeded. His entire body was on a flat surface. He'd climbed up thirty feet of cliff.

Joe remained kneeling, one hand on the ground. Panted heavily. He didn't like how hard that was. He was annoyed. But returned to the moment. He'd caught his breath. He wanted to rest some more, but he had a job to do. He promised. The lighthouse was just ahead. He went to stand but he felt Jasmine shift. Her legs stretched. Her grip around his neck loosened. She was about to disembark.

He stood tall. "What are you doing? You've got a bad leg, remember?" She froze. "Just direct me. I assume the Pokemon is in the lighthouse, but I don't know where." Joe spoke as he watched mud wash off his hands. Instead of being wet and dirty he was just wet.

Jasmine thought about it. Tightened her grip. She was secured to his back again. Peered over his shoulder. "A- Amphy is at the top…"

Joe's workout wasn't over yet. He supported Jasmine's legs with his tired arms. Standard piggyback. He made a statement. "Obviously. Where else would it be."

 

[Orderneri]

4: Creative Nickname​

Joe marched to the lighthouse, Jasmine on his back. He finally realised why the light was out. Jasmine was here to treat a Pokemon. It was at the top. The light of this lighthouse was sick and unable to fulfil its duty.

He observed the building. Chipped white and blue paint in alternating rings. This place needed a refresh. But more importantly he estimated it was ten-storeys. Hundreds of steps. He was worn out. He just wanted to lie down and go to sleep. Give his arms and legs a rest. But he refused to back down.

He climbed concrete steps. Opened thick, tall wooden doors. They creaked from age. The duo were finally out of the rain. The ground floor was a wide-open space. Rectangle lights lined the walls and released a soft orange glow. On the opposite side of the room was a treat to behold. Metal doors with a button next to them. An elevator. Joe was tempted to start a victory dance, but he held himself back. Walked like a normal human instead.

"By the way, where's the medicine?" Joe asked, no longer needing to shout. He had a rough idea of what happened, but he wanted to confirm it.

Jasmine stayed silent until Joe covered most of the ground to the elevator. Finally, she spoke. "...I dropped it." She started to sob quietly.

Joe had noticed her crying earlier. Was it not for herself, but for her Pokemon? If so then she was tougher than she looked. Even though the fall would've hurt, she cared more for someone else. He admired her strength.

"So, what now? Can we get the medicine from another shop?"

Joe felt hair swish on his neck. Jasmine was shaking her head. This wasn't denial, but Joe took it as such. Jasmine's point was that she didn't know where the nearest pharmacist was. She'd gotten the medicine from the PokeMart due to the contract between the companies. Amphy had only become ill in recent months, and she cared for the Pokemon deeply. It was a family member. She had her duties as Gym Leader, so her father offered to take care of Amphy, but Jasmine said she could handle it.

"Do we call for help then?" Joe didn't know what Amphy was. If he had to, he'd carry it to the nearest veterinarian. But just in case he wanted a backup plan. He might need to run to the nearest pharmacist and grab the medicine.

Joe realised it was a stupid question. Jasmine wouldn't have her phone because of the dress. And he assumed his own phone was now dead. It'd been hit by enough water to fill a swimming pool. If it survived then the engineer of the device deserved a raise.

"...I don't know."

"We'll figure something out." Joe hoped he could carry this Amphy Pokemon to the nearest Pokemon Center. He'd been on occasion. The nurses there did an excellent job caring for sick Pokemon.

Joe arrived in front of the elevator. Reached a hand out, pointer finger aimed at the call button. The exact moment the button sunk into the panel, the room went dark. Orange lights were replaced by a dim blue hue. Emergency power. Backup lights. Joe sucked air through his teeth. Silver lining. At least they weren't in the metal box when the power decided to call it quits. He assumed the backup power couldn't run an elevator. He was back to climbing the stairs.

"Well, end of the road. I don't think I can carry you to the top. You're heavier than you look. Must be the influence of all those steel-types." Joe had never told such a bold lie. Or half-truth. Jasmine did weigh something now. Not because she was heavy. Because he was worn out.

Jasmine started to wriggle free of his arms supporting her legs. Joe automatically loosened his grip. She pushed against his back and hopped off. Joe heard a sharp intake of breath behind him. She'd landed harder than expected on her bad leg.

"It was just a joke." He faced her.

"N- No… I can't keep relying on you."

Joe took a big step forward. Put an arm around her shoulders and bent slightly to put an arm at the back of her knees. He lifted. Some called it a fireman's carry. Others a bridal carry. "You're not going to get far on that leg. It's fine to rely on others. If you need help, just ask."

Jasmine covered her face with her hands. Her ears turned red. A muffled voice came from the woman. "T- Then, can you please help me get upstairs…?" She got quieter the longer she spoke.

"Gladly." Joe let the smile into his voice. He walked to another wall. He'd already spotted the start of a spiral staircase he assumed would take him to the top.

He ascended, light clanging ringing through the enclosed space from metal steps. Every step put further strain on his legs. To one side Joe could hear rain hitting the outer wall. The storm was subsiding, the rain getting lighter as Joe felt heavier and sluggish.

At some point Jasmine removed her hands from her face. Clasped them together in front of her chest. She'd calmed down somewhat. Still, she couldn't look up. Couldn't look Joe in the eyes. Joe thought she was cute. She reminded him of cute, skittish animals. Joe was surprised by how attached to Jasmine he seemed to be. He'd had casual flings. No deeper connections. For some reason he didn't want to be casual with Jasmine. It wasn't fair to someone like her. All of a sudden a proper relationship didn't sound so bad. Joe had been domesticated, just like that. He put the thought aside. Before he started a family, he had a personal problem to fix. He'd let it fester for too long. After today he was going to speak to someone about it.

Joe had reached the top of the lighthouse without realising. Zoning out did him some good. Took his mind off how tired he was. He looked around at his new environment. An open room. Smaller than his bedroom. Walls of curved glass to let light out. In the center was a podium to amplify light. And lying next to said podium was a yellow and white Pokemon. Plump belly like a guy that drank too much at the local pub. Red gem on its head and tail. Black stripes on its ears, neck, and tail.

"Amphy!" Jasmine called, scrambling out of Joe's arms. He assisted. Dipped low to let her down. Jasmine winced at her first step, pain shooting up her leg, but she ignored it and ran to her Pokemon. She really was tough. Could ignore pain for the sake of others.

Amphy had been a member of the family for generations. Of course she cared for it and was worried about it. It was like another grandfather to her. Amphy was old and becoming sickly but was determined to fulfil its duty. A stubborn old man.

Jasmine crouched next to the Pokemon. Her hands hovered over it. Shaking. Joe checked his phone. Sure enough, it was dead. He pocketed it and walked to Jasmine. Knelt beside her. Saw her face. She was too distraught. Didn't know what to do. Joe put a hand on Jasmine's shoulder to get her attention.

"Hey, look at me." Joe said. Jasmine turned her head but kept her eyes on Amphy for a bit longer. When she finally looked at him, he spoke. "Calm down. You can't help anyone when you're flustered. Take a deep breath and think. What next?"

Jasmine obeyed. Joe assisted, breathing in and out with her. Slow and steady. In and out. A minute later she seemed calm. She wasn't breathing erratically. There was a new light of determination in her eyes. It worked.

"W- We need to get Amphy to a PokeCenter." The medicine was a product PokeCenters stocked just in case of situations like this. Jasmine looked up at Joe. The thought crossed her mind again. She couldn't keep asking for help. "But…"

Joe shrugged. "Then that's what we'll do. Going down is the easy part. You hop on my back again. I'll carry Amphy in my arms." If they ever became friends, Joe was going to make something clear to Jasmine. Tell her to make a nuisance of herself. Joe liked looking after others.

Jasmine nodded. For the first time since they met, she didn't hesitate. She climbed onto Joe's back. The breathing meditation had aided her more than she expected. Her mind was always full of thoughts. It slowed her down. Too much information to sort through. Giving herself a reset cleared her mind.

Once Jasmine was secured, Joe reached out to Amphy. Put his arms under it. Hefted it up before letting it back down. Amphy was a little smaller than Jasmine but weighed more. Must be the beer belly. Or maybe Joe was just that exhausted now. His muscles were screaming at him. Just stop. Let us rest, please. He'd listen soon. Once he'd gotten Jasmine and Amphy to the nearest PokeCenter. For now he just had to force himself to put one foot in front of the other.

Joe tried again. Pulled Amphy to its feet. Let it lean against him as it stood. Amphy let out a tired whine. Joe wanted to comment, "Me too, buddy." but he stopped himself. No complaining. Joe adjusted his grip and lifted Amphy fully. Amphy curled its head into itself. The weight of Amphy hit Joe. He stood there for a moment, collecting himself. His arms were close to shaking from the effort. When Joe was ready, he started walking.

Joe was thankful for his decision to work out, even if it wasn't doing much right now. At first it was just a whim, but it'd come in handy over the years. He'd picked up camping as a hobby for vacations and wanted as much money as he could save. The fitness center was a cheap hobby where he could also watch television. From dramas to documentaries to Pokemon battle competitions, he got to enjoy himself while at the fitness center. Before he knew it, he'd gained immense muscle.

Joe noticed other doors on his descent. A kitchen. A bedroom for Amphy, hay sticking out from under a blanket. Joe was just confused. With technology as advanced as the modern world, Amphy was still in use. Surely it was easier to rely on technology instead of an ageing Pokemon. Maybe the mayor was lazy. Didn't want to renovate. But it seemed it was time for Amphy to move on. Having pride in one's craft was fine, but this was an important job. Thousands of people on ships relied on functioning light from land.

Towards the bottom of the stairs, Joe had a dumb thought. Chuckled to himself.

Jasmine peered over his shoulder. Curious. "…Why are you laughing?"

"Jealous?" Joe hefted Amphy with his remaining strength. Brought attention to the way he carried the animal.

It took a second but Jasmine eventually understood. She shrank away. Joe could imagine her embarrassed face. Cheeks red. He smiled at the thought. Reached the ground floor. Walked out of the building. The storm had passed. Only a light drizzle remained.

Joe marched through the streets, Jasmine pointing the way over his shoulder. He vaguely knew where the nearest PokeCenter was. Not good enough. Jasmine absolutely knew so he relied on her knowledge. They wandered through streets until they reached the Pokemon hospital. Three storeys tall with smaller, two storey segments on either side. Bright red roof, heavily slanted. The roof came down lower than normal, reaching the top of the third storey windows. Above the door was a massive sign. Bigger than Joe. A circle. Frosted glass lit by interior bulbs. Top half red, bottom half white. Joe entered through automatic glass doors.

The interior was comfortable. Joe was hit by a wave of heat. Orange tiled flooring filled his vision. Long leather seats in corners so people could rest as they waited. Small plants dotted about to add life. A cafeteria in a corner, the scent of coffee reaching Joe. Dead ahead was a desk. A nurse stood behind it. She had pink hair fashioned into buns. Big, kind eyes. A smile permanently etched onto her face. Beside her, half her size, was a rather rotund Pokemon with white frills. Joe at least knew this one. Blissey. One hundred percent maternal instinct. It carried an egg in a pouch and loved caring for others.

Blissey ran off when it saw Joe. Joe reached the desk. Blissey returned right on time with a stretcher bed.

The nurse moved to the bed. Gestured to it with a hand. "Please place the Ampharos on the bed."

Joe had to stop himself from laughing. He obliged. Put Amphy down. Amphy the Ampharos. Creative nickname. Although honestly if he had Pokemon he doubted he'd give them nicknames. He was the one that lacked creativity.

Jasmine hopped off Joe's back. Winced again. Walked by Amphy's side as he was taken away by Blissey. Taken to a room to be treated.

"I hope everything goes well." He said as he watched her go. She turned and gave him a smile. It was genuine. Reached her ears. Joe liked her smile.

A stranger approached. A lanky kid growing his first moustache. Had to still be in school. No doubt he was waiting for his Pokemon to be treated. He handed Joe a towel. Joe gave his thanks. Ran his hands through the towel. Dragged it down his face. Handed the towel back.

Joe yawned deeply. Stretched his arms. He should be getting back to work. Adults had responsibilities. But he was so tired. Hoped his boss would forgive this one selfish request. He went to a leather couch. Lay down, arm under his head like a pillow. He fell asleep in seconds.

Jasmine informed the nurse of what medicine Amphy needed. She was reassured that her Pokemon would be okay. She walked to the waiting room. Saw Joe resting. Walked over to him. Smiled to herself. She struggled with people. Didn't know how to thank him properly. But she pushed her anxiety aside because he was asleep. "Thank you…" She realised she didn't even know his name. He'd done all this, saved her and stuck with her to the end, and she didn't know who he was.

The nurse returned to her desk. Saw Jasmine hovering over Joe, staring at his face with a smile. It was a little creepy. The nurse could see the duo were still drenched. She went to a room and grabbed a portable heater. She may be there to treat Pokemon, but people weren't going to fall ill on her watch. She set the heater up between Joe and another seat. Helped jasmine into said other seat. Returned to her desk and awaited the next patient.

With the storm ending, emergency services visited the lighthouse as requested by the bespectacled receptionist. She feared for Jasmine's safety. Emergency services found nothing. Not even Amphy. The Gym was thrown into panic as Jasmine was considered missing. The confusion wouldn't be corrected for another few hours.

Eventually the Gym was informed of Jasmine's whereabouts, leaving one last mess to clean up. Joe skipped work. The manager liked Joe. A man that understood if he was going to get paid then he needed to do his job. But the manager felt he had no choice. Ditching his obligation to work was a sign of bad character. Thankfully, Jasmine stuttered and stammered her way through an explanation. Joe had gone above and beyond. This all could've been avoided if the delivery was on time. Jasmine would've missed the storm. Joe wouldn't have had to cover for the brat. So naturally, the manager fired the brat. The brat's friend quit in solidarity, as if Joe or the manager cared.

Joe recognised the effort it took Jasmine to explain what had happened. He praised her. Patted her head. She turned bright red again. Joe considered if he was overstepping, but it ended up being the right choice. The praise gave Jasmine some confidence.

From this point onwards, Jasmine would only deal with Joe. She essentially got Joe a promotion. The delivery was an extra service. The position earned more money. Joe researched what it took to be genuinely strong. He needed to not just gain muscle but also use it. He signed up for mixed martial arts and boxing and any other physical sport he could find. The extra money from the promotion was gone but his holiday fund was untouched.

Every Monday and Friday, Jasmine would wait for Joe in the Gym's reception area, a smile on her face. He was reliable. Always arrived on time. She slowly opened up to him and the Gym's receptionist. Managed to hold conversations with her two new friends. She spoke slowly. Always made sure to think about what she said before she said it. As time passed, she spoke more and more. Joe had helped Jasmine come out of her shell and fight her anxiety, if only a little. She struggled with others still, but she liked Joe and the receptionist.

 

[Orderneri]

5: Spri-GOT-ito​

Joe awoke from his daydream. He shifted in his seat. Sprigatito took the hint. Jumped off Joe's leg so he could stand. Somehow the small cat had finished the entire packet of food. Joe rose. Dusted off his trousers, crumbs fell to the ground. He stretched. Sprigatito hovered around his feet. Looked up at him. Expectant eyes.

The automatics doors hadn't moved in a while. No customers. It had allowed Joe to daydream. As the superior, the manager's assistant, Joe needed to check in with his subordinates. See if they'd done a good job. He walked the aisles. Shelves were stocked neatly and there wasn't a speck of dust in sight. The tiled floor was sparkling clean too.

Joe didn't like reminders of time so he didn't have a watch. But he had a good internal clock. He could feel that his shift was almost over. One last check before he disappeared for a year.

As he walked, Sprigatito trotted along beside him. If he stopped, the cat rubbed its body against his leg. Joe knew little about this species. For all he knew it was marking territory. But categories existed. Sprigatito seemed to be a cat. Cats often brushed against people they liked for attention. Maybe it wanted more food, or maybe it wanted affection. Joe hoped for the latter. Being able to dote on an animal was reward enough for him.

Joe made it to a corner. Saw large backpacks. Covered in straps and mesh pouches. He'd used one of these for years to deliver goods to the Gym. Now he was going to use one for its actual purpose. Explore the great outdoors. Perhaps it was a man thing. Joe felt a strong desire to be in nature. A call to the wild. He'd lived in cities as long as he could remember. It wore him down. He preferred the peace and quiet of nature.

He walked back to the counter. Saw his coworkers enter the staffroom. They carried cleaning products. He was happy to have worked alongside diligent, responsible people. He expected them to be gone in a year when he returned. Hydie was studying to be a nurse and was here for simple work experience. Shaun was still young. He had plenty of time to find a job he actually liked.

When they came back onto the store floor, he praised them. "Good job, you two. The place is spotless."

Hydie gave a 'V' for victory with her fingers. Shaun gave a thumbs up. It was Joe's last day. One of the last times they'd see him. He'd been a good boss to them. They were good to him in return. Completed their tasks properly.

Light poured in through the windows. Clouds parted. Caught Joe's attention. The storm had left as fast as it'd arrived. Thanks to this distraction, Hydie and Shaun snuck back into the staffroom. Sprigatito noticed. It tilted its head. Curious. They came back. Something rested on Hydie's hands.

"Hey, Joe." She called out as she approached. He turned. He saw a little rectangle cake atop Hydie's hands. It was a foot long. Pure white icing layered on thick. "You're a difficult guy to buy for."

"If we couldn't get you a proper present, then at least you can't go wrong with cake, right?" Shaun chimed in.

Joe gave a wry smile. "You didn't have to."

"Well we did, so eat up." Hydie stated. Held it out to him.

"What, the whole thing? Right now?" Joe teased. Might be one of the last times he got to annoy Hydie with his stupid comments.

"No, silly. It's already cut into four."

Joe observed. It was subtle. He could barely see the lines. He thought about why it was split into four. "Cats are allowed to eat this?"

He grabbed a slice. Threw it into his mouth. Wonderfully sweet. As good as the cake his mother bought him for his Birthday. It might be the same brand. Joe wouldn't be surprised if Hydie contacted his mother for ideas. She'd recommend something very sweet. Some may find it sickly sweet, but Joe liked it.

"The shop advertised it as edible for Pokemon." Hydie gently bit her slice. She savoured the flavour. It wasn't her usual style, but it was a nice change of pace.

Shaun shoved his slice into his mouth. It was gone in seconds. He chewed with puffed up cheeks. Looked like half the cake had missed the target, now it was all over his face. He reached for the last slice. Hydie slapped his hand away. Joe grabbed the slice. Crouched down. Put it in front of Sprigatito.

"You still got room in there for more?" Joe asked. The cat ate happily. Joe was at a total loss. No clue how there was room for more food in the little cat.

"Of course she does. Every woman has a second stomach for sweets." Hydie replied in Sprigatito's place.

Sprigatito licked the remains of the cake from Joe's fingers. The tongue was a bit rough. Just like Meowth. Joe looked up. Something he rarely did when talking to others. "How do you know Sprigatito is a she?"

"Intuition."

Joe and Shaun gave a half-hearted, "Sure." and left it at that. But it must be true. Hydie hadn't spent much time with Sprigatito. Stroked her at the beginning and nothing more.

Joe looked back down. Saw the state of Sprigatito's face. What a mess. Of course. She was an animal. They were naturally messy eaters. What did that say about Shaun?

Hydie had thought ahead. She went around the counter and grabbed Joe's towel. Handed it to him. Joe grabbed Sprigatito by the back of her head to keep her stable. Scrubbed her face until she was clean. Pulled the towel away. Sprigatito yipped with a smile on her face.

The group bickered for a bit, the snack tucked away in everyone's stomachs. Soon the next shift arrived. The manager appeared first. His hair was entirely grey but well-groomed. His face looked like a rug that'd been pushed together from the top and bottom. His eyes were completely covered. Yet somehow he saw everything. His grandson was by his side. A prickly kid. If he weren't careful then his attitude would annoy the wrong person one day. But maybe it'd teach him some respect. A third man showed up. Looked to be in his mid-forties. Subtle wrinkles on his face. Someone Joe didn't know. His replacement for the year. They all wore black trousers and blue shirts.

Customers chose this moment to start entering the store. People were out again now that the weather had cleared up. Parents were getting their children from school. Adults like Joe were finishing their shifts. The grandson and Joe's replacement got to work. Hydie and Shaun rushed to the staffroom, not wanting to be dragged into overtime.

The manager pulled Joe aside. The old man noticed the cat at Joe's feet. Joe had a big heart so the manager wasn't surprised. Always expected to see Joe with animals. The only surprising part was how Joe still hadn't caught a Pokemon. The manager had an item on hand. A little parting gift for the giant. Put his hand out. "You enjoy yourself, kid. It's a once in a lifetime holiday. Make the most of it."

Joe nodded. Shook the outstretched hand. Felt a spherical object. Pulled his hand away. Looked. Grinned. Pocketed the small item. "That's the plan. You look after yourself, old man."

The manager smiled faintly. Shooed Joe out of the Mart. Joe never brought anything with him. He was allowed to keep his phone in his pocket and he didn't bring lunch. He'd eat when he got home. Joe walked through the glass doors, Sprigatito trailing after him. He was never going to see his portion of the bet. He'd already forgotten about it. He looked up. Shielded his eyes with a hand. From this moment he was free to go where he pleased for an entire year. It sounded like a dream.

There had been a brief discussion about going out for drinks with his coworkers. But they decided not to. Shaun was a lightweight. Hydie had a test coming up. Joe wanted to wake up early tomorrow.

Joe looked down at Sprigatito. Lowered his hand. "You look after yourself, Sprigatito."

The feline's face immediately shifted. Her cheerful smile was erased. Her eyes clouded and she looked at the ground. Joe had seen this before. Dozens of times. It was why he'd never adopted a stray animal. The first one he looked after was returned to the wild. He regretted it the next day. Wandered about. Found it. And it was happy. The Pokemon had found a family with other Pokemon. That was the best-case scenario. As long as they were happy. Chances are, Sprigatito would be happy elsewhere. Besides, he couldn't adopt every troubled Pokemon in the city. He'd end up with thousands of them.

Shelters existed. Joe thought he'd like to work at one. Something to consider when he returned. Veterinarians run shelters. It's a job that requires a lot of effort. He'd have his work cut out for him if he chose that path in life, but he did love animals. He liked having Sprigatito around, even if it wasn't for long.

He gave the cat one last smile and said goodbye. He started walking. Headed towards his modest home. His apartment. A small one-bedroom place perfect for Joe. He kept it in good condition. Always clean and tidy. Joe found it hard to make a mess.

Sprigatito watched Joe leave until he disappeared into a crowd. Sat at the corner of the Mart's door. It didn't know what to do. It wasn't for long, but Sprigatito liked Joe. Liked the soothing aura he produced. Sprigatito wanted a family. She had nobody to return to. She hoped Joe would become that family. She wished to be adopted.

As she considered what to do, her ear twitched. Through all the hustle and bustle, something in particular caught her attention. She looked at the origin of the sound. Watched a young boy be picked up by his mother, both wearing smiles. Sprigatito's eyes sparkled. She definitely, absolutely wanted a family. Needed a family. She turned back to the path ahead. Joe was there, somewhere. She was going to find him. Make him adopt her. She was done with street life. She wanted more. Wanted to be happy.

Sprigatito was still young. Born just a few months ago. She'd had to fend for herself from the start. She was miserable. That could change. She just needed to give Joe a little push.

She ran down the path. Dipped and dived between legs. Encountered a fork in the road. Looked left and right. Chose right. She didn't know why. Instinct. Gut feeling. Something told Sprigatito that Joe went that way. She became worried she might not catch up. Joe was a big man. He took less steps compared to other people.

Sprigatito ran for a while longer until she saw him. The giant was hard to miss. And that woman, Hydie, was right. He couldn't help himself. He was escorting an elderly woman across the road. The drivers didn't have to stop. But they did. Sprigatito thought the drivers stopped because they feared Joe.

Joe was big and strong. He could pick up the elderly woman. Carry her to the other side. But he didn't. People liked their independence. They appreciated assistance but didn't want every little thing done for them.

Now that Sprigatito was here watching Joe, she didn't know how to approach. Sprigatito kept her distance. Watched from the other side of the road. Ran after Joe when he continued towards his home. He arrived at a four storey building. Trees lined up in front of it. This was a nice little corner of the city. No roads attached. Less noise from vehicles. Sprigatito could hear herself think for a change.

Joe walked up stairs. He lived at the top. Sprigatito ran up a tree. She was literally in her element and cats had strong legs. She landed on a branch as Joe walked along an exposed hallway. Lower floors had the above hallways as ceilings, but the top floor had nothing. Not even a simple outcrop. Sprigatito jumped from tree to tree, lined up with Joe. She stopped when he stopped. Joe went inside his apartment. Sprigatito wondered how long he'd be inside. She made herself comfortable. She looked at the door. Willed it to open. She figured she'd jump across to the exposed hallway when Joe reappeared. It wasn't too far.

Sprigatito must've been tired. Joe was in his apartment for just twenty minutes. In that time she had fallen asleep, curled up on a branch. Being a lookout wasn't her future profession. It was boring. Thankfully Joe made enough noise closing his door. It woke Sprigatito up.

Joe paid her no mind as he locked his door and turned to leave. Sprigatito was a green cat in a tree in Summer. Perfect camouflage. He'd come home to freshen up, grab something to eat, and grab his fitness bag. He now wore denim jeans, a plain shirt and a jacket. Bag down at his hip, dangling from his shoulder.

Sprigatito was still half asleep. Groggy from a poorly timed, short nap. She smiled seeing Joe. Stepped forward. Misplaced her paw. Slipped from the branch. Yelped in response. Now she was fully awake. More importantly, she was falling.

Joe turned. He was used to hearing birds in the trees. But not… cats? He glimpsed movement. His emerald eyes widened. Looking back at him were two big red eyes he knew. Sprigatito. She was falling.

Joe didn't hesitate. It didn't matter that he was four storeys up. He put a meaty hand on the wall of the hallway. Jumped over it. His brain was playing catchup with his actions. Cats were nimble. They were fine with heights. He'd seen them fall from trees before and walk away fine. Oh well. He was committed now. As he fell, he kicked against the outer wall. Angled himself at Sprigatito as he fell. He reached out a hand. The two intersected a moment later. He grabbed the cat. Pulled her to his chest. Twisted his body and grabbed his fitness bag with his other hand. Moved it under him. He'd made one lazy decision in his life. He only needed one change of clothes, but his fitness bag was stuffed with a dozen pairs of clothes. That was now going to save him from serious injury because he couldn't recover into a roll in time.

Joe's bag hit dirt followed shortly by the man himself. He did a full body roll with the momentum once. Twice. Three times. Came to a stop at the base of a tree. Despite it being over in five seconds, Joe was panting. Adrenaline coursed through his veins. He raised his head. Sprigatito was curled up in his hand, against his stomach. He moved his hand. Allowed her to stand. She was shaking.

"You're all right." He patted her head. He sat up. Caught the cat as she slid off his torso. He winced. He'd hurt his side. Felt like he'd been struck hard by a blunt weapon. He assumed it wouldn't be too serious. Maybe a bruised rib or two. He'll take some painkillers. He'll recover.

Sprigatito was thankful to Joe. She didn't know if she could've recovered. It didn't matter. Joe had stepped in to help once again. It made her like him even more. Now she really wanted to stay with him. Joe moved in a way that suggested he wanted to stand. She jumped off of him. He rose to his feet. She watched as he dusted himself off. She saw the pain on his face as he moved. He'd been hurt because of her.

Joe looked at the cat. Smiled at her. She'd come back. This was a first. All the Pokemon he'd taken care of before had found life with others. But not this cat. She had no one to return to. No one that cared for her. In that case, Joe was happy to be chosen. He'd gladly adopt her. He reached into a pocket. Pulled out the sphere his manager gave him earlier. Red on top, white on the bottom. A Pokeball. He'd been told to make the most of his holiday. Joe intended to seise any opportunity that presented itself to him. Seemed like it was time he finally caught a Pokemon, if only for the fact that Sprigatito needed someone.

He crouched down in front of Sprigatito. She tilted her head. He pushed the center button of the Pokeball. It expanded from the size of an eye to the size of a baseball. Held it out to the cat. "How about it? Want to come with me? I promise plenty of treats."

During their time together, Jasmine had imparted an abundance of wisdom onto Joe. Mainly about Pokemon. They were animals intrinsically linked to humans. They had been for tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, of years. Even wild ones could be easily domesticated if a human proved their worth. Sometimes it was a test of strength. Sometimes it was a show of affection.

Sprigatito's face lit up. The biggest smile of her life. There was no hesitation. She wanted a parental figure and she found one. She jumped. Headbutted the Pokeball. Said ball opened. Blue energy came out, engulfed Sprigatito, and absorbed her into the ball. The lid closed. It rocked back and forth in Joe's hand. It settled. A soft ding rang out. Did this thing have a speaker?

More importantly, Joe caught his first Pokemon. A Sprigatito. A pet. He now had a responsibility. He would treat Sprigatito right. Raise her well.

He let her out immediately. The lid opened. Blue energy burst out onto the ground. When it dissipated and the ball closed, Sprigatito was standing there. She yipped her excitement. Hopped onto Joe's leg. Used claws to climb his jacket. His broad shoulders made for a perfect perch. She sat down.

Joe shrank the ball. Pocketed it. He knew it was necessary. Pokeballs were not tools of oppression. In the modern age, they were identifiers. Despite the problem of wild animals in the city, Pokemon were regulated in human settlements. Pokemon needed to be registered to a person. Almost like a family registry. Pokeballs counted as registration. It was best to be safe, so Joe caught the cat.

He reached up to his shoulder. Scratched Sprigatito under the chin. She purred. Joe still had no desire to battle. Sprigatito was a scaredy-cat anyway. He wouldn't even consider sending her into battle. She was a pet. Part of the family. Joe could handle problems himself. He'd built up his strength for years. Solved every problem he encountered.

All but one. But he preferred not to think about it these days. It seemed impossible to solve so he ignored it. If he couldn't help himself, he at least wanted to help others.

Joe bent down. Grabbed his bag. It'd come loose of his shoulder at some point. The constant pain in his side was just annoying at this point. He'd head to a corner store. Grab some pain relief before his workout. Actually, he should take it easy. Shouldn't strain his body with an injury. He considered what to do. Exploring Olivine one last time sounded good. This time it would be with his pet by his side. It would be a first. Maybe he'd see the city in a new light.

 

[Orderneri]

6: Jasmine's Goodbye​

Sprigatito took over Joe's pillow that night. No point getting a pet bed. They'd be away for a year starting tomorrow. He laid her to rest on one side. Claimed a side for himself. In the middle of the night he awoke with a sneeze. Sprigatito was curled up in front of his face. Her tail stroked his nose. He sat up. She shifted from the change. He smiled. Lay back down. Felt wet on his face and pillow. She'd licked him at some point recently. Maybe he grumbled in his sleep and she tried to comfort him. His side still hurt after all. Or maybe he was tasty food in a dream.

In the morning, Joe felt a fuzzy feeling in his belly. Anticipation. Wore his usual basic outfit. Jeans, shirt, jacket. Joe was a simple man. His wardrobe was full of similar sets of clothes and nothing more. He ate a simple breakfast and left his apartment. Pushed his keys through the letterbox. He didn't need them. His mother had spares for him to pick up when he came back.

Sprigatito's belly rested on his shoulder. Two legs dangled up front, two behind. She always rested there since he caught her yesterday. Joe was glad Hydie mentioned Sprigatito's gender. He didn't want to think of her as 'it' the entire time. Maybe the PokeCenter checked for people, because Joe certainly wasn't going to look.

Joe's destination was Olivine Gym, but he was an early riser. The Gym was still closed. So he wandered around the city for a while. Found himself at the cliff overlooking the pier. Where he saved Jasmine two years ago. The original path on the edge was sealed off. They had a new path excavated through a hill to reach the lighthouse. Local Government only acted when someone's life was at risk. Typical.

Amphy's lighthouse had been renovated too. Now the light was operated by technology. Amphy retired, not wanting to put others in danger.

Joe thought it was about time. He headed for the Gym. Double checked a mental list of items. Strapped to his back was a massive rucksack. One step away from a military pack. Tent. Sleeping bag. Clothes. Food. The essentials. He'd had to cram Pokemon food in last second. He usually had space for souvenirs. For now the cat's food could take that space.

Joe reached the familiar Steelix head. Walked inside. Greeted the bespectacled receptionist. The same woman he'd scared into giving him Jasmine's whereabouts. It turned out she was reasonable. When she heard what Joe did, she thanked him. Forgave him. Said she would've done the same thing. The receptionist had been on Jasmine's side the entire time. She always smiled warmly at Jasmine like an older sister caring for a younger sibling. The receptionist was the one that had encouraged Jasmine to phone the PokeMart and inquire about the delivery. That led to Joe and Jasmine meeting. Joe felt like he owed the receptionist for that.

"She's in the arena." The receptionist saw Joe. Knew why he was here. Directed him to Jasmine.

Joe nodded. Headed through a bright hallway. After befriending Jasmine, Joe did a bit of research on Gym Leaders. Information on obscure celebrities was easy enough to find on the Internet. That was when Joe learned Jasmine's age. Two years younger than him. So when they met she was twenty. She was one of the youngest Gym Leaders, but that just proved she was a formidable Trainer.

He picked up on the sound of battle. Walked into an open space. Floodlights hanging from the ceiling. Dirt arena. Rows of empty seats surrounded the arena. Jasmine's lack of popularity on full display.

Many people knew there was a Pokemon Gym in Olivine, but even so, they didn't visit. Jasmine's problem was her extreme focus. She put on a good battle, but that was all she did. Anyone could watch a good battle from the comfort of their home. Gym Leaders like Raihan of Galar, or Elessa of Unova, or Gary of Kanto did more. They were expressive. Purposely engaged the audience. Gale force winds from a fly-by. Actively talking to the audience. Get them involved. They have a catchphrase or a popular finishing move that the audience can shout out. They put on a show.

Massive one-hundred-inch televisions bolted to the upper walls, showing the battle. The feed was edited live. There were multiple cameras pointed at the battlefield. In one corner of the screen was Jasmine. The other corner housed a challenger. A young girl.

Surrounding Jasmine's portrait were six circles. Two were blacked out. Two looked like Pokeballs, but greyed out. Two were coloured Pokeballs. So it was a four versus four and two of her Pokemon had been knocked out.

The challenger had three greyed out. Her blue and white bunny, which Joe learnt was an Azumarill as she called out to it, was her final Pokemon.

Jasmine had a steel bird flying around the arena right now. Skarmory. It soared by Joe as he took a seat. His clothes ruffled hard. Sprigatito had to dig her claws into his jacket otherwise she'd be blown away. This was what Joe was talking about. Any of the popular Gym Leaders would take advantage of this action to engage the audience in banter, but Jasmine was too focused on the battle to realise she now had a spectator.

Skarmory reached the peak of its ascension when it was struck by a powerful water-type move. The bird fell. Hit dirt. Kicked up dust. When the dust settled, Skarmory couldn't stand back up. Jasmine used a Pokeball to retrieve Skarmory. Blue energy absorbed it.

Jasmine pocketed the ball. She favoured long, flowing dresses. Her one piece was pastel blue with white arms. Orange bow on her chest. She pulled out another Pokeball. Tossed it. Out came a red bipedal bug with wings. It had clamps for hands. Scizor.

Joe was sad that Scizor came out. He wasn't going to see the Gym's mascot today. Steelix. A shame. He liked the big guy. He'd also missed the Gym gimmick. They varied wildly. Every Gym had a different gimmick. Some were part of the battle. Some were before. Some were after. Johto's steel-type Gym had a steel cutting competition before the battle. Joe likened it to martial artists cutting wood with a hand. Being an activity before the main event, this Gym's gimmick didn't mean anything. Didn't factor into a win or loss from battling. It was an appetiser before the main course.

The massive screens changed to reflect this development. Pokemon called Rotom loved electronics. Joe had encountered them a few times. Nuisances. One took over the lights of the PokeMart for a day. It would randomly switch them on and off to scare people. For Gyms, Rotom integrated itself into the systems. Controlled everything. But there was a truce. Rotom was treated extremely well, given great comfort, and in return it had a job to do.

This meant Joe was on livestream right now. He was tempted to wave at a camera. All Pokemon battles were incredibly popular. That included Gym battles. Every country had a Gym for every type of Pokemon. They all streamed battles with challengers. An army of Rotom handled it all.

With a lull in the battle, Jasmine finally noticed Joe. Her heart rate quickened. Saw Pokemon on his shoulder. Had he finally caught one? She put on a poor display in front of Joe. Lost Skarmory. But she wasn't going to lose Scizor. She proceeded to fight well. Too well. Gym Leaders were a challenge. Challenges are supposed to be overcome.

Once the dust settled, Scizor was standing. Azumarill wasn't. It was Jasmine's win. The girl cradled her blue bunny. Tapped it with a Pokeball to return it. Met Jasmine at the side of the arena.

"Y- You fought well… You'll win next time." Jasmine comforted the girl.

The girl nodded. Walked away with a sour expression. Disappeared into a hallway. Loss affected children the worst. Teenage angst.

Joe stood as Jasmine approached. "Good job."

She smiled at his words. Always happy to receive praise from Joe. Her vision shifted to the Sprigatito on his shoulder. She had to satisfy her curiosity. "Is this another stray or have you caught a Pokemon?"

"I caught this one yesterday." Joe said, scratching the cat under the chin.

"Took you long enough." Jasmine retorted. For someone that constantly looked after Pokemon, it had taken Joe a long time to catch one. "It doesn't suit you though."

"What did you expect, a Machamp?" Joe joked. But Jasmine was serious. She nodded vigorously. "Who knows, maybe Sprigatito will evolve into a meathead like her Trainer." The cat was startled by this. Started slapping Joe's cheek. He looked at Sprigatito. She shook her head. "What? You don't evolve into a beefcake?"

Jasmine answered for the cat. "I've fought a few. Meowscarada doesn't need muscle. It attacks at range using grass-type moves. It usually keeps opponents away with its signature move. Trainers double down on what Meowscarada's signature move does, so there's no need for muscle. Energy does the heavy lifting."

There it was. Jasmine's famous battle knowledge. She excelled in the subject. At first she would talk Joe's ear off and then act bashful. Sorry for speaking about battle so much. Joe didn't mind. It was her hobby. He liked it when people got excited about things they liked. He happily listened. Absorbed the information from the passionate woman.

Joe hummed in response. He doubted Sprigatito would evolve. He had no plans to use her in battle.

A pause in the conversation allowed Jasmine's mind to race. The smile she had from when Joe arrived was now gone. She knew why Joe was here. She looked at the ground. Grabbed her dress with both hands. Gripped tightly. "Are you really going…?"

Joe had been looking forward to this day for a long time, and Jasmine had been fearing it. She'd counted the days since he told her months ago. Joe often spoke of his love for nature. He wanted to go out and see more of the world. He was leaving for a year and there was nothing Jasmine could do about it. It was selfish to want him to stay, but she couldn't help feeling this way.

"I sure am. I'd ask if you want to come with me, but then it'd be cut down to a six-month holiday." Joe grinned. Tried to lighten the mood. Joe could be stubborn on topics like chivalry. Gym Leaders earned a good wage, but he would pay for everything for Jasmine. Beyond his chivalry, they knew Jasmine wasn't cut out for adventure. She was too anxious. It was too far out of her comfort zone.

Jasmine didn't reply. Tears silently rolled down her cheeks. She sniffled. She used an arm to rub her eyes.

"Come on, don't cry. You've made other friends. You won't be alone and I'll be back before you know it. Just don't count the hours." Joe didn't want to preach. Time was limited and he wanted Jasmine to enjoy herself. Paying attention to time would only make it worse.

Jasmine looked up. Saw Joe's pearly whites. She was drawn into the moment. Her lips curved into a smile, eyes still wet. "...Be sure to keep in touch, okay?"

"You bet. I'll write you a letter every month." Joe laughed.

Jasmine started beating his chest feebly with the sides of her fists. "Use your phone! It's what technology is for!" Joe had teased her one too many times. At some point she learnt to retort. When they first met she'd just go quiet. It showed how far she'd come.

Jasmine had never voiced her thoughts, but she enjoyed her time with Joe. He was a good friend. Maybe something more. He was patient with her despite her anxiety and shy personality. Seeing him smile made her feel comfortable. He listened to her ramble. He was fun. The thought had crossed her mind. Maybe she wanted this in her life permanently.

Joe ignored the beating. Jasmine's slender arms weren't made for hurting. But he wasn't ignorant of her feelings. He wasn't a complete idiot. He liked her. She liked him. He would've acted if not for his own problem still being unsolved.

Jasmine's fake outrage ended. The duo walked to the lobby. Joe joked about how Jasmine was stuck working this year while he'd be enjoying his time off. She lashed out again. He laughed again. The receptionist heard them coming. Looked at the doorway. Smiled when she saw Jasmine. Joe noticed her. She kept up the big sister act at all times.

"Well, it's about time I go. I've got a ferry to catch." Joe patted Jasmine's head. "I'll see you later, Jasmine."

Joe walked. Waved at Jasmine. She gave a little wave, hand in front of her chest. He turned. Took a few steps. And then he was stopped. Could feel arms around him. He looked under his arm. Jasmine had grabbed him from behind. She was under his backpack. Joe couldn't get a good look at her. He took another few steps forward. Jasmine let her feet drag, all her weight on him.

For her part, Jasmine was surprised she wasn't embarrassed to be acting like this.

"What are you, a kid?" Joe wondered how to detach Jasmine from him without hurting her. "But damn, you must really be eating steel. I don't think I could carry you again. You're way too heavy."

Jasmine glared even though her face wasn't visible. Bared her fangs. Pinched Joe's sides. This earned a small grunt. She'd actually hurt Joe. Taken advantage of an existing injury. The fall from when he jumped to save Sprigatito yesterday. Joe took a few more steps. Jasmine continued to be dragged along.

Joe grabbed her arms. Pulled them apart. If Jasmine had longer arms then that would've been much harder. Even if she remained weak, she could've interlocked her arms in an annoying manner. Joe stretched her arms out as far as they could go. Let go and darted forward. Jasmine rushed to grab but her arms grasped nothing. Joe ran out the glass doors, shouting his goodbyes one last time for good measure.

Jasmine followed to the stairs leading out of Steelix's mouth. Watched Joe leave. She'd never thanked him properly for all the help. Not just with Amphy and the lighthouse. He'd assisted Jasmine in many ways over the couple of years they'd been friends. She put her hands around her mouth. Shouted for the first and only time in her life.

"I love you, Joe!" Jasmine was surprised, but not unhappy, at the words she'd spoken. She paid attention. Maybe he'd heard. Maybe he'd come back. But he didn't. He was long gone, into the sea of buildings.

People walking nearby were startled by the sudden shout. They looked her way. A lover's quarrel, perhaps? They returned to walking.

The receptionist came out. Stood beside Jasmine. Put a hand on her shoulder. "There's always next time."

Jasmine didn't know it yet, but her confession caused a stir for fans of Pokemon Trainers. People asked if she'd always been this cute. A woman in love looked different. Rumours were created. Word spread. Johto's steel-type Gym Leader had confessed to someone. This created curiosity. People realised they didn't know much about Jasmine. They started paying attention to her livestreamed battles. They saw just how crazy strong Jasmine was. She cultivated a fan base without knowing. These new fans were like the receptionist. They cheered on both her career and love life. Her fanbase steadily grew over the course of months. Jasmine had avoided the spotlight until now, but this was inevitable. She was a Gym Leader. They all became popular celebrities. It was just a matter of time.



* * * * *



Joe ran through the streets. Aimed for the sea South of Olivine. His chariot awaited. Sprigatito had never moved so fast. She was enjoying the sensation of rushing wind on her face.

Joe liked using his own feet to travel, but it'd take a month to reach Mt. Silver. He'd seen Johto. He wanted to rush and see Kanto. He was catching a ride to a town called New Bark. It sat at the base of Mt. Silver. Travelling along the sea, Joe knew of places he'd see. Goldenrod. Azalea. Cherrygrove. He'd already visited them.

He arrived just in time. One minute to spare. He walked up a long metal walkway. Reached the deck of the ship. It was a large white vessel with red accents. On the deck was a swimming pool and Pokemon battle arena. Those were just two forms of entertainment he could enjoy while aboard. He expected to get to them all eventually.

A stewardess stood at the end of the walkway. She greeted customers with a polite smile. Then Joe appeared. Her smile faltered. She looked at him with pleading eyes. Joe ignored it. He knew how he looked. She was begging him not to cause trouble.

He went below deck. Found his room. Gold numbers on the door. He ducked inside. He heard a child pass by. The boy laughed at the giant. Joe barely fit through the door. The boy's mother hushed him. Joe smiled. Looked at his room. Joe realised why the stewardess had looked at him funny. He expected a tight fit, but even he was surprised. The bed was literally too small. The end of the bed had a wall connected to the bathroom. His feet couldn't dangle over the end. He'd have to sleep on the floor. Lay the quilt on the carpet. Use a blanket from his backpack to cover himself. It'll do.

Joe tossed his bag into a corner. Left to explore the ship. Went to the deck. The ship jolted. It began to move. He stood at the railing. Watched Olivine disappear. Turned to watch a battle. Fire and water collided. Wind washed over him, pressure from attacks colliding. It was better than watching a battle on television. Feeling the attacks. The excitement from the crowd.

Once the battle finished, Joe kept moving. Found a casino. Partook for a while. Lost a bit of money. Gamble long enough and everyone's a loser. He found a cafeteria. Enjoyed an early meal. A juicy steak. Sprigatito sat on the table. Watched with wide eyes. That could've been her if Joe were as scary as he looked.

It became night. Joe was in his room doing push-ups. No fitness center on the ferry. Sprigatito sat on his back. Yipped every time Joe reached the peak of his ascension. She was frightened of Joe yesterday. Now look at her. Joe liked having someone around, even if they were an animal. He couldn't converse with her fully, but the comfort of a pet was not to be underestimated. Joe wanted a family one day. Raising Sprigatito would be like training to raise children, but without the hard work.

Joe stood up. Wiped his sweat. Looked out the oval window. Saw the moon. Got his bed on the floor ready. As he lay there, Sprigatito curled up beside him, he thought of Jasmine. He had heard her confession. He wanted to go back to her. But instead he'd run away. He liked Jasmine, but he wanted to fix his problem first. But he had no idea how to fix himself.

A couple of years ago he'd gone to his mother. Asked for help. There was something wrong with his memories. His adult years were fine. Middle school was patchy. Single digit years were unavailable. His mother was a doting parent, but in that moment she was unusually stern. Told him to drop it. Don't worry about it. Joe obeyed even though he didn't want to. He had no free will on the subject. It sounded like brainwashing. Joe was hypnotised to avoid certain topics.

He didn't feel right accepting Jasmine's feelings. What if he forgot her? What if she entered their home and he thought she was a stranger? It would ruin the relationship. He couldn't put this burden on her.

Joe sighed. Rolled over. Closed his eyes. He wanted to remove the brainwashing. Wanted to be in a relationship with Jasmine. But he knew when he woke up, he would have no desire to solve his own problem.

 

[Orderneri]

7: Sterling​

The sun rose and fell and rose again. Joe reached his destination. New Bark. A homely little town. Population of twenty thousand. Joe stood on the deck. Leaned on the railing. Watched the town come into sight. New Bark was overrun by nature. Massive fields. Lines of trees opposite rows of small red brick homes. The town was deceptively large. Unoccupied fields dotted the landscape. For every house, there was a field a mile wide.

Rising into the sky to the east was Mt. Silver. A town at the base of a mountain already felt small, but New Bark felt tiny. It was in the shadow of a mountain multiple miles tall.

Joe disembarked onto a wide concrete dock. Took a deep breath and stretched. Reached up to Sprigatito on his shoulder. Scratched under her chin. She closed her eyes and purred. Joe started walking. He'd never come this far during his ventures around Johto. He'd check it out for a bit.

He reached a road. A row of buildings faced the sea. Hotels. Tourist shops for souvenirs. Specialty fast food. A corner store of necessities. He walked right. Saw a warehouse on a pier. Just like Olivine. Big metal construct. He dipped onto a small road. Moved up a hill. Alongside a field. There were no cars passing by, but Joe did see people. A couple enjoying a picnic. A group of teens skipping school.

Buildings thinned out. Joe watched vast amounts of wildlife living their best life in the fields. Birds flew into nests hidden within trees. Bunnies burrowed into bushes. Bugs darted about, collecting nectar no doubt. There were houses within range, but both groups left each other alone. The wildlife had their field, the people their homes.

Joe continued to walk. At some point he walked in a circle. He'd taken note of a particular house. Dangling by the door was a plant pot. The pot had clearly been scribbled on by a young child. Proud parents displayed it for the world to see.

He reached another row of shops. Spotted a cafe on the corner. Went and sat down at an outdoor table, an umbrella open to create shade. He felt a chill run down his arms. Closed the umbrella. Mt. Silver already ensured the town was shaded. He looked down the road. Plenty of shops, but no big names. This wasn't the town center. Just a quiet corner of a quiet town.

The bell above the door chimed. A waitress came to take Joe's order. Brown dress, white apron. Fluffy ginger hair. Freckles. Dangerous combination. She smiled at the cat on Joe's shoulder. A charming smile.

"What can I get for you today?" She sounded as happy as she looked. Not many troubles in a place like this.

"Today's special, please." Joe had eyed a chalkboard on his approach. The cafe's menu. Nothing grabbed his attention as a must have, so he went with the generic option.

The woman didn't have to write it down. She slid her pad into a chest pocket. Clipped the pen to her apron. "It'll be with you in a minute."

For the fun of it, Joe counted. Fifty-eight seconds the bell chimed. Right on time. Impressive. She held a coffee in one hand, a selection of biscuits in the other. Put the two small plates on the table. "Enjoy. They're safe for Pokemon, too."

"Thanks."

Joe appreciated the effort as he watched the woman head back inside. He sipped the drink. Not bad. It was a little bitter, but Joe had a sweet tooth. Just personal taste. It wasn't boiling hot either. He only realised afterwards that he hadn't blown to cool it down. He appreciated that. He always found hot drinks annoying because they had to be prepared ten minutes in advance.

Snack time. Joe shifted his shoulder. Sprigatito hopped down to his lap. He looked at his shoulder. The cat had salivated onto his jacket. Of course she did. She was a glutton.

Joe bit into a circular biscuit with red jam in the center. It hid cream underneath. He grabbed a bland biscuit and noticed it shimmer. Sugar. He fed it to his cat. It was gone in three quick bites. He scratched her head. Joe reached out for another biscuit. A chocolate chip cookie. Classic.

He relaxed until the coffee was drained and the snacks were eaten. His finger spun around the saucer. Why was it called a saucer? Was it for sauce? Was it based on an alien flying saucer? It was a pointless question, but Joe was curious.

Half an hour later Joe was done doing nothing. It was a nice break. He grabbed his backpack. Walked inside the cafe. He could've left money under the saucer. The benefits of a high trust society. But he wanted to see the cafe's interior. One word descriptor: Comfy. Dark wood flooring. Tables covered by white cloth. The cloth had a pattern around the edge. The silhouette of a Pokemon Joe didn't recognise. He approached a polished wood counter. A massive cut out housed a glowing glass case. Bread. This cafe doubled as a bakery.

Joe bought some freshly baked bread. Tipped generously for the service. Left. Slowly ate the loaf as he walked. Surprised himself by eating the entire thing. He had meant to save some for later. Oh well. Best eaten fresh. Scrunched the packaging up and tossed it into the nearest bin. Carried on his way.

A soft breeze hit Joe. The shadow engulfing New Bark shrunk every second. It finally caught Joe as he walked east. It was finally bright.

The closer Joe got to Mt. Silver, the less structures he saw. The final building he passed was a large cabin. Two storeys. Made of rough, uncut logs. A thick stone chimney in one corner. A standard picket fence surrounded an open field. Linked the land to the cabin. Joe saw multiple big Pokemon in the field. This fence wasn't keeping anything in or out. Just marking territory.

Joe watched the Pokemon as he walked by. Plenty Joe hadn't seen before. Some he had. He spotted the Partners of Johto quickly. And their evolutions. Everyone knew their country's Partner Pokemon. A trio of beginner friendly species.

He looked at a big green quadruped. A pink flower bloomed at the base of its long neck. Meganium. It played with a blue Pokemon with an equally long neck. Its body and wings were surrounded by plump white fur that looked like clouds. It flew around while Meganium chased it.

Joe's eyes settled on a fierce Pokemon. It had a hunchback but was still taller than Joe. At least seven-feet tall. Blue body. Red fins gave it a mohawk. Said fins fan down its back and tail. It had an elongated jaw with sharp teeth. Feraligatr. Joe felt like this one had more muscle compared to others of the species, but he was operating with limited information. Just an image from school he'd seen.

Feraligatr locked eyes with Joe. It scared Sprigatito into his jacket's hood. Joe stopped. Stared at the big alligator with narrowed eyes. Man recognised man. Feraligatr curled its arms above its head. Flexed its biceps. Joe rolled up his sleeves. Two could play at that game. It was a flex-off.

The pair switched from stance to stance, showing off various muscles. Joe took his jacket off at one point, causing Sprigatito to stand on dirt. The first time since Joe adopted her.

Joe and Feraligatr curled their arms into their torsos to show off their back muscles. Hands clasped overhead to highlight their chests. This went on for a few minutes until they exhausted all poses they knew. They stood there, unmoving. Staring at each other. They approached the fence. Gripped the other's hand like they were going to arm wrestle. But the competition was over. They accepted each other's strength. They nodded. Separated. No words needed to be spoken between men.

While Joe was messing around, Sprigatito took note of Joe's shadow. Something about it drew her attention. She approached, head dipped low. Tapped at Joe's shadow with a paw. Nothing. She sat up. Tilted her head, confused and curious. Joe's flex-off ended. She'd have to investigate another time.

Joe smirked to himself. Grabbed his clothes. Dragged his shirt over his face. Sometimes he thought he should grow up, but there was no harm in having some fun. He hoped it was a desirable trait for a partner. He'd do a good job keeping their child entertained.

He took note of his surroundings as he put an arm through his jacket. He noticed something. Someone. A woman standing at the window of the cabin. She was far away. He couldn't make out any details. But she was most definitely looking his way. Joe wondered how long she'd been watching. What expression she was wearing. Joe grabbed his bag and speed-walked away.

Joe moved further east. He reached the outskirts of New Bark. Plains ahead, followed by Mt. Silver. He walked until he encountered a river separating the town from the mountain range. It was large. Probably deep too. He looked left across the water. A cliff face overlooked the gently flowing river. He craned his head. The top of the cliff had to be one-hundred feet up. He looked right. Spotted a bridge. Headed that way. He liked the idea of enjoying some swimming in the clear water. Maybe rest on the water bank. But Mt. Silver was right in front of him. He couldn't wait any longer.

Mt. Silver was part of the sterling range. Mt. Silver's name origin was lost to time, but the range was named in recorded history. Sterling, in reference to silver being a purchasable metal currency. Sterling was the centerpiece of a triangle of countries. Sinnoh up North. Johto to the south-west. Kanto to the south-east.

Joe reached the bridge. It was made of large pale stones as big as Joe's torso. Vines crept up the columns embedded into the water. Once across the bridge, Joe was on a dirt path that twisted right. It became a gentle slope and eventually a rocky trail. He was now on Mt. Silver. The base of the mountain was full of wide-open spaces. Fields of grass and flowers.

That evening Joe found himself at a PokeCenter. Lower sections of mountains were tourist attractions. Places that attracted people would bring in Trainers. Trainers needed their Pokemon looked after. This wasn't the first time Joe had found a PokeCenter in the middle of nowhere.

PokeCenters were made based on the same blueprint. But edits were allowed. This one in particular had a massive extension at the back. A hotel. It helped fund an out of the way PokeCenter. The League had an absurd amount of money. Used it to give free care to Pokemon. But some PokeCenters, like this one, could stand alone from the League.

Day two of hiking. Joe enjoyed a cooked breakfast. He set out. Felt well rested. He'd gotten good food and the bed was perfect. Soft mattress and feather quilt. Joe took notes. He wanted the same for his apartment when he returned in a year.

Joe watched wild Pokemon as he walked, a field to his side. Small bees flew around, carefully digging into flowers. He hadn't seen this species before. He knelt at the edge of the trail, by some flowers. Watched closely as the bee swiftly but carefully caressed the center of a bright purple flower. The bug was a foot tall. It had big black eyes. Thin limbs. Yellow fuzz around its body and white on its face. What looked like a brown scarf around its neck.

It looked up at Joe. Smiled. Waved. Joe automatically waved back. It flew away via transparent wings on its back. Joe carried on walking.

Sometimes the trail dipped down for a time, and sometimes the incline was faint. Joe was thankful for the casual walk right now. He knew it'd get harder eventually.

Joe camped out for the night. He'd spotted a wooden cabin at one point. Backpacker hostel. More support for tourists. Joe would rather enjoy his time outside. He set up a small campfire. Sprigatito sat right next to it. The cold was starting to affect to her. Joe ate a simple meal. Curry. Just seeing the steam rising from his food warmed Joe up.

When hiking through a country, Joe often carried a week's worth of food with him. He was typically just a day away from a village so he usually carried a lot of food so he could prepare full, proper meals. But he didn't know how long he'd be on Mt. Silver. He estimated over a week. So he packed basic, compressed foods. He looked forward to working with fresh vegetables once he arrived in Kanto.

Joe got his sleeping bag ready. Destroyed the campfire. Sprigatito followed him inside the tent. When Joe lay down, she scurried into his shirt. Leeched off his body heat.

Day three of hiking. Joe woke up early. Went outside. Stretched. Breathed in deeply. The smell of a fresh morning. Nothing better in the world. There was still water vapour in the air. It shined off the grass as the sun rose.

He packed up, Sprigatito dangling from his collar. Only her head and front paws were outside and she was still unhappy. He understood. It was noticeably colder. He expected his jacket to handle one more day. Then he'd pull out a thick coat. Sprigatito might go inside her Pokeball until a lower elevation.

Joe had stopped at a good time yesterday. The trail was tough first thing in the morning. Big rocks on the ground. He had to be careful not to slip off one and twist an ankle. He walked along small ledges. Grass became patchy. In its place there was just dirt and rock.

Joe walked along another cliff face. Spotted a cave. He peeked inside. A car could fit inside, but nothing more. He felt a deep rumble. Grabbed his phone. Turned the light on. Aimed it inside the cave. He spotted a bulky Pokemon sleeping. Brown skin. Or was it made of rock? He couldn't quite tell. Square orange plates wrapped around the Pokemon's torso. From this angle Joe could see a horn on its head. It snored and Joe felt that rumble again. Oh, he knew this one. Rhyperior. He'd seen it on television.

Another Pokemon was here too. It rested atop the rotund belly of Rhyperior. It had a long yellow body and a black head. Blue light coursed through its droopy black ears as it breathed. Joe didn't know this small one.

The two Pokemon shifted from the light of Joe's phone. He covered the back of his phone with a hand. Moved on.

It didn't take long for the trail to get worse. Joe had to steady himself at times. Place his hands on the steep path. Green had entirely vanished.

Once he was high enough, Joe looked west. Seeing New Bark from so high up was weird. He'd never hiked up a mountain before. He didn't know what this feeling was. He couldn't see specifics, but imagining so many people going about their life in one shot made his heart rate increase a little. The hundreds, maybe thousands, of cars rushing about. Tens of thousands of people working or learning or relaxing. Joe had a hard time dragging himself away from the sight.

That night, Joe stopped right by snow. Mt. Silver was a snowcapped mountain. It had to start somewhere, but to so plainly see the border between rock and snow was odd. Joe made another campfire. Sat down. Sprigatito came out from under his shirt. She hadn't seen snow before. She moved right next to it. Tapped the white powder with a paw. Felt a chill run along her body, from her paw to her body to her tail. She rushed back to Joe. Scurried up his shirt. Stayed there. Joe grinned. Scratched her head through his shirt. Relaxed. Put a lantern on a thin pole. Pulled a book out. Watched his breath dissipate. Started reading until he was tired.

Day four of hiking. Daybreak happened a while ago. Joe wore his thick coat. Sprigatito poked her head out of the collar again. It was snowing lightly. A flake landed on the cat's nose. She sneezed. Whined. Looked up at Joe.

"Do you want to go into your Pokeball for a bit?" He asked. Sprigatito nodded so he obliged, his hand already in his pocket because he expected this. He brought the Pokeball out. He tapped her gently. She went away with a flash of blue. He pocketed the ball. Carried on. He had a strange feeling. Something was off. Couldn't pinpoint it. Another gut feeling.

Another hour passed. The path between steep and narrow. He peered down. A massive drop. Hundreds of feet. The path split. One went further up. One was along a cliff. Joe took the latter. He thought back to his earlier feelings. His instincts were still firing off, but he couldn't figure it out. He observed his surroundings. There wasn't much to look at. What was he looking for? What had triggered his subconscious?

Joe rounded a slight bend. A Pokemon came into view further up the trail. Red skin. White fur was rustled by a strong wind. Sharp green eyes. A horn ran up the right side of its head. Joe approached. He felt like he'd seen one. What was it again…? An Absol? That sounded right. He'd seen them in mountainous regions in documentaries. But this one had red skin. That seemed wrong. Joe was sure Absol had black skin.

Absol shifted. It barked at Joe multiple times. Joe kept walking. He didn't think much of it. Sometimes wild Pokemon got rowdy. And this was the only path forward. Absol lowered its body. Let out a deep, guttural growl. Its thick claws crunched snow and dug into dirt. Joe took another step forward. The horn on Absol's head glowed pink with energy.

Joe stopped. Absol was preparing an attack. From Joe's experience, confrontational wild Pokemon almost never followed through. Something had agitated Absol.

"What, you're gonna attack innocent ol' me?" Joe put on an accent. Wanted to de-escalate with humour. Bridge the gap in communication. Find out what was wrong. Maybe Joe could help.

Absol ignored his comment. Swung its head with a bark. Unleashed the pink energy from its horn. The pink arc cut through air. Struck the cliff by Joe's side. A lethal warning shot. Joe saw a gouge in the rock a foot deep. He was prepared to dodge, but where would he go? This narrow path was just about fit for two people side by side.

Joe threw his hands up. "All right, I'll back off. But if you need help, just ask. Or, well, you can't speak human language. Bark or something…?" Joe's assumption was that Absol was guarding something. Maybe an injured friend. Maybe a partner giving birth. Joe just had to wait it out. Give Absol a few hours.

Absol didn't respond. Just continued to growl and bark intermittently while glaring at Joe. Joe considered how to make himself useful. Absol gave one last extremely loud bark and spun around. Joe felt frustration from Absol. His brow furrowed but only for a moment. Something struck the mountain with a deafening crack. Joe thought he saw a flash of yellow. Electricity. Massive chunks of rock hit the path. Blocked the way forward. Kicked up snow. Created something of a fog.

Joe raised his hand. Looked through his fingers. Situational awareness. He didn't want to be blind to a threat.

It clicked. That feeling from earlier? He hadn't seen any wild Pokemon all day. He should have seen some flying around. In small nooks in the cliff. Even waddling about on the mountain path. But there had been nothing. Pokemon had intense instincts. They had sensed trouble and ran. Absol remained to scare away stragglers. Stragglers like Joe. It knew trouble was coming and wanted to help. Joe liked Absol. Selfless. His kind.

He almost wanted to laugh at the last loud bark Absol had given him. Probably calling him an idiot in Pokemon language.

Snow drifted on the wind. Joe lowered his hand. His eyes widened. A mighty beast stood atop the rubble it had created. Black, yellow, and white fur across its body. Strong legs of muscle. Four powerful paws. A long purple cape of fur across its back. Tough as diamonds fangs running down its chin. Its pink eyes were glaring at Joe.

"What the hell is Raikou doing here…?"

 

[Orderneri]

8: A Minor Problem​

A low rumble like thunder echoed around Mt. Silver. It came from Raikou simply breathing. Its narrow eyes never left Joe.

Joe was not equipped to fight a legend. Raikou. One of the Beasts. Joe learned about it in school. History class. The species was part of Johto's past. Part of grand stories and mythologies. A member of the species had achieved a tale worth telling and so the species as a whole was revered. Students also took general lessons on Pokemon. A topic they covered were classifications. Legendary Pokemon were a step above regular Pokemon in every way. Absol stood no chance. It could put up a good fight, but it would lose to Raikou. The situation was dire.

Joe was trying to figure it why Raikou would even attack. Legendary Pokemon were elusive. They rarely appeared before others. Why here? Why now? And that fierce glare. There was anger in those pink eyes. Someone had upset it.

Absol barked at Raikou. The Beast's attention shifted, but it didn't respond. Just stared at Absol with annoyance. Absol gritted its teeth. Its horn changed colour. It unleashed another pink arc of energy. Directed it at Raikou. In response, Raikou bit the arc in half. The pink energy dissipated. There was no reasoning with the frenzied Beast. Absol opened its mouth. A dark orb, a Shadow Ball, formed in front of its mouth. It barked and fired the orb at Raikou.

"I'd love to know why you think that's a good idea." Joe commented as the pink arc was negated and Absol started a second attack. Deep down he knew this was the result. Raikou was angry. It wanted a fight. Absol was trying to uphold peace. Naturally the two sides clashed.

Before Shadow Ball even struck, Absol turned, barked at Joe and bolted past him. Joe watched Shadow Ball land. Too big to bite in half. Raikou just let itself be struck in the face. The dark orb burst on contact. Created a plume of smoke. Joe took the hint. He turned. Slipped. Corrected himself. Ran. Joe wasn't one to run from a fight, but he knew his limitations. What was he going to do against Raikou, fist fight it? Granted, it wouldn't be the first time Joe personally fought a Pokemon. He'd put a few rowdy animals in their place. Wrestled with them to assert dominance. Something told Joe a fight against Raikou was one he'd lose though.

Absol looked back over its shoulder. Saw that Joe followed its lead. Good. Raikou pounced and ran after Joe. Not good.

Joe put all his effort into sprinting after Absol. Even if Sprigatito enjoyed battle, she was not fit to fight a legend. She'd be taken out in one hit. The only course of action was retreat. But where to? He couldn't draw Raikou into New Bark. Joe was between a rock and a hard place. Running was the only course of action, but he could only run for so long.

Joe heard Raikou's mighty paws striking ground behind him. Joe's legs pumped hard and fast as he aimed to catch up to Absol. He kicked rocks. Stumbled. Hand met dirt. This environment was not suited to running. He corrected himself fast and carried on. Joe needed every advantage he could get. He shifted his arms. Let his hefty rucksack tumble down the side of Mt. Silver, never to be seen again. A weight off his shoulders. Literally. He was moving faster now. The equipment in his bag could be bought again. He only had one life.

A streak of golden electricity hurtled toward Joe's back. Absol skid to a halt. Opened its mouth. Created another Shadow Ball. Joe ran by. Absol unleashed its attack. The electricity was close but ultimately met ghost-type energy. The two moves exploded on contact, their energies disagreeing with each other.

The sound of things blowing up at his back made Joe eke out every drop of strength he had. Shouted his thanks to Absol.

Absol began running again. Heard thanks on the wind. Suppressed a smile. Absol had done so much for so many people and they rarely thanked it. Finally, someone with manners. Absol stayed behind Joe. That way, any attacks were aimed at Absol instead. Absol could fight back. Deflect or counter.

Joe heard Absol running behind him. He understood the Pokemon well. It was doing all it could to keep him safe. He had great respect for this Absol. It could've fled alone. Saved itself. But it stayed and fought for his sake. He owed Absol big time.

Absol countered half a dozen attacks while Raikou closed in. A human couldn't outrun the Beast. It was inevitable.

Raikou was close enough. It could lock onto its target completely. It called forth Thunder from the skies. Dark clouds spawned out of nowhere. Whirled around each other. A giant bolt of electricity struck the mountain. Destroyed a large chunk of the path. Raikou's eyes reflected Joe and Absol as they were flung into the air, the ground underneath them crumbling.

Joe was caught up in a landslide. Rubble hit his head. He landed on his rear and began sliding down a cliff steeper than the one he'd rescued Jasmine from. He tried to grab rocks as he went but they couldn't hold his weight, or he couldn't get a good enough grip on them.

Absol didn't fall far. It dug its claws into the slope. Looked up at Raikou as the Beast peered over the ridge. Admiring its own handiwork. Absol and Raikou locked eyes. Glared at each other. Absol wanted to spit on Raikou but settled for growling. Retracted its claws. Spun and sprinted down the slope as fast as it could. Eyes focused entirely on the human. Absol watched as Joe flew over the edge.

Time seemed to stop as Joe looked down at the fatal fall. Joe cursed like a sailor. Every word he could think of. Two falls in the same month. Gravity didn't like him, apparently. He felt himself dropping. And then his descent was stopped. Briefly. Absol had kicked off the cliff. Placed itself under Joe. He now rested on Absol's back. But they were still in midair.

They fell together. Absol hit the mountain with four strong legs. Bounded forward. Used gravity to its advantage. Got a few seconds of airtime. Hit ground again. Pushed forward again. Absol ran down the mountain to create as much distance as possible.

Over a minute later they were near the base of the mountain. A minute wiped out days of hiking effort. Absol collided hard with a dirt path. Skidded along it. Dug its claws in. Came to a stop. Absol was panting heavily.

Joe flopped off Absol's back. Fell onto his hands and knees. His stomach wanted to let go of his most recent meal. Is this what it felt for people who experienced sea sickness? His stomach had lurched all over the place. Reached placed within his torso that it shouldn't be in. Breathing properly helped combat the nausea. Joe pat Absol's side. His hand sunk into lovely fur. If this wasn't life or death he'd love to enjoy the soft sensation some more.

"Thanks…" He breathed. Rose to his feet. Stood next to Absol he could get a proper sense of size. Absol had to be at least five-feet tall, not including the horn.

Absol didn't acknowledge. It looked up. Began to growl. Joe looked up. A blinding light struck the path next to Joe and Absol. Raikou had barrelled down the mountain too. Landed right next to them. The ground rumbled and cracked. The immense pressure of its landing, paired with a release of electric power, kicked dust into the air.

Despite his weight, Joe was sent flying down the path. Absol had turned to where Raikou would land last second. Dug its claws in. Absol aimed to meet Raikou straight away with an attack. Absol was blinded by the dirt in the air. It didn't matter. Raikou should be right in front of it. Absol opened its mouth. Created an orb of ice that could send three arcing beams at an opponent. But Raikou was faster. A meaty paw came in from the side. Struck both Absol's head and the start of Ice Beam. Absol was hit into a cliff face. Created a crater in the rock wall. Absol fell to the ground, dazed.

Joe stood up. Watched Absol hit the cliff. A light breeze removed the dust cloud. Raikou was shaking its paw. Getting rid of loose ice. Joe saw Absol try to stand up, but it stumbled. Of course. A hit to the head like that would be enough to take out a boxer, and they get hit in the head for a living.

Joe had a very, very bad idea. He was an idiot though, so it tracked. How far away was he? About twenty metres. Time? Six or seven seconds. It was doable. If Joe was lucky, half of that time would be Raikou figuring out a response.

"Screw it…" Joe muttered to himself. He rushed forward.

It took Raikou exactly three seconds to turn its attention to Joe and respond. Raikou roared. Unleashed electricity at Joe. Its fur bristled from static and the absurdity that a human would approach it like this. Raikou took a step back. Its animal instincts were taking over. Telling it a giant of a man sprinting towards it was not a good thing.

Bolts flew through the air. Joe ducked. Planted a hand on dirt for balance. Dove and rolled to avoid more golden sparks. He had rolled to the right. Where Absol was. He kicked the ground and maintained his momentum. Kept running. Joe was mere metres away. Another attack came. He dodged.

And that was when Joe made a mistake. Joe should've dodged straight onto Absol but he didn't think he had the space for it. So he twisted his body to the side. To the left. The opposite side of Absol. Joe rolled on the ground. Rushed to his feet. He had planned to scoop Absol up and run. Now what? Keep running as a distraction?

Absol forced itself to fight through the confusion. It prepared another Shadow Ball. Stood on unsteady legs, pupils changing size. Faced Raikou.

In those seconds of Joe being on Raikou's left and Absol gearing up to attack on Raikou's right, Raikou felt threatened. The static on its fur built up fast. It created a grand Discharge. An orb of electricity blasted out from Raikou's body. Absol was shoved back into the wall. Joe was less fortunate. He was sent flying off the mountain. The attack damaged his winter coat, cotton trailing through the air after him. The strength of a Pokemon's attack was no joke.

Joe vanished from sight. Absol watched in horror. Snapped out of its dazed state from the dump of new adrenaline. Absol rushed forward. Planned to catch Joe again. Never ignore a foe. Raikou sent a Thunderbolt into Absol's side. It was enough force to knock Absol off its feet. Steam rose from its side as it lay on the path. Absol understood gravity. Enough time had passed. The human didn't survive. For the first time in a long time Absol had failed.

Absol looked up. The Beast wasn't doing anything. It just stood there. This brief reprieve was welcome. Absol had a chance to recover. But it was odd. Like Raikou was awaiting orders. No other reason for the Beast to become inactive.

Absol curled its claws. Grit its teeth. It was angry. No one deserved the fate that had befallen Joe. If Absol just played dead then Raikou might get bored and leave. But no. Absol was angry enough to fight a legend. It was ill-advised, but Absol didn't care. Absol would avenge the human with all its power.

Raikou perked up. Faced New Bark. This was it. Absol sprang up. Caught Raikou off-guard. Jumped back. Created a beam of ice in front of its mouth. Swiped it across Raikou, from foot to face and up the cliff. Ice stuck to Raikou's face as it flexed its leg and paw to shatter the frozen water.

Before Raikou could attack in return, Absol shrouded itself in a white light. Moved rapidly across the cliff face using Quick Attack. Skid to a stop along the wall of rock. The white light dissipated. Absol's paw was engulfed in dark energy. It jumped forward. Slashed at Raikou's face. Skid to a halt on the other side of Raikou. Spun. Absol used a move with the momentum. Another Psycho Cut. As Absol spun the move was fired, striking Raikou in the side.

Raikou finally had enough time to respond. It opened its mouth. A white beam burst forth, gold electricity buzzing around it. Absol dodged. Absol hadn't encountered a Hyper Beam supercharged by electricity before. Something to keep in mind. The path along the ledge got a chunk bore out of it. The Hyper Beam continued to strike a field in New Bark.

The two stared each other down. Absol acted first. Fired another Ice Beam. The attack was dodged. Absol charged. Prepared another Night Slash, this time aimed at Raikou's neck. Absol ducked under Raikou as it wrapped its fangs in electricity and bit down hard. Launched up. Missed the neck. Hit the chin. Raikou had moved back last second. The uppercut had enough force to snap Raikou's head back.

Raikou stumbled back a step. Crouched to the ground. Brought its head down to look at Absol as its foe approached. Raikou took the hit. Retaliated with the same action. An uppercut with Thunder Punch. Absol went soaring. Absol was dazed again. Floating in the sky, by a ridge that led to a meadow. Raikou charged its electricity. Pounced. Floated in midair beside Absol.

One of Absol's eyes turned to Raikou with clouded vision. Absol was struck by a thick white beam. The land was cut up again and Absol went rolling across grass. Absol tried to get up. Failed and fell to the ground. A shadow loomed over it. Raikou. Absol saw the Beast looking down at it.

Absol grinned, one eye closed from the pain. It had been practising a new move recently. Absol was sure it understood the energy signature and how to use it. Absol planted a paw on the ground. Maybe Absol was imagining it, but it thought Raikou raised an eyebrow in curiosity. Probably thought Absol couldn't do much more. Well, Raikou was wrong. Absol still had some frustrations.

The attack was complete. Raikou couldn't it avoid even if it wanted to. Absol channelled energy through the ground. Rock-type energy. A stone pillar rose from dirt. Struck Raikou in the belly and threw it into the air.

Absol rose. Roared. Chunks out of the earth rose and surrounded Raikou. Stone Edge could be summoned from any dirt. Even rocks from Rock Slide. Absol channelled energy through the air. Said energy hit all the rocks around Raikou. More pillars burst forth, punching Raikou for all sides. Absol stepped back, unsteady.

Raikou fell to the ground. Lay there for a moment. It'd taken more damage than expected. It coughed. Stood up. Stared at Absol. Absol, while unsure how long it could keep fighting for, glared back.

 

[Orderneri]

9: Ain't No Mountain High Enough​

Joe gasped. Coughed. His eyes burst open. A rotund silhouette was in his sight. He blinked. The shadow disappeared. Maybe a fleck of dirt. He saw white clouds casually floating along. He coughed some more. Sat up, turning his attention away from the sky. Bent his legs. Placed his arms atop them. Looked down. He was drenched. Water dripped onto the grass.

Joe looked forward. The river. Gravity had a serious bone to pick with Joe. Good job it was bright out, so he had easily seen which way was up.

To his right was the stone bridge. He was back where he started. He looked up. Saw ice and electricity leak over the ridge. Absol was still fighting Raikou. His heart rate calmed. He looked blankly across the water for a moment. He was powerless in a battle between supernatural animals. What could he do against a legend?

A problem for future Joe. He rose to his feet. Ripped his thick coat off. Tossed it aside. Saw how damaged it was. It had saved him from being injured. He clambered up the canal's embankment. Sprinted across the stone bridge. Absol had fought hard to protect Joe. He didn't like the idea of leaving Absol to its fate against such a strong foe.

Joe hit the base of the mountain and kept running. He had an idea, but he needed help. He reached into a pocket. Brought a ball out, let Sprigatito onto his shoulder. She yipped, happy to see Joe even though it'd only been a few hours.

"Hey, buddy." He said through sharp breaths. "I want to help someone, but I need help to do it. I promise I won't let anything happen to you, so can you help me just this once? I'll give you all the food you want later."

Sprigatito considered. It sounded like there'd be danger. Joe was big and strong. If there was a problem he couldn't solve, then Sprigatito doubted she'd be of much use. But Joe had been good so far. Jumped off a building to save her. She wanted to help in return. Believed Joe when he said he'd keep her safe. She tightened her face. Nodded.

The action was in the corner of Joe's vision. He smiled. "Thanks. So what can you do? What moves do you have? Any ranged attacks?" Of course, not caring for battle and seeing Sprigatito as a non-combatant, Joe hadn't bothered to test her until now.

Sprigatito hissed. Stood up straight on Joe's shoulder. The fur around her neck bristled and hardened. Energy formed at three individual points. Sprigatito let out a cute shout. The energy shot into the air. Spiralled. Turned and shot forward faster than Joe expected. The three green shards of energy struck the path ahead and Joe soon ran over the target.

"Perfect."

Sprigatito felt a swell of pride at Joe's reply. It was like she'd impressed a parent. She listened as Joe explained his plan. Joe had noticed how Raikou acted. It was simple. Drawn to one thing at a time. Not in a sense that it had assessed multiple threats and chosen the correct target. No, Raikou seemed more like a robot simply reacting to the newest attention-grabbing act. The exception of Shockwave proved the rule. Every other time Raikou acted, it had purely focused on whatever attention-grabbing event had happened last.

Joe was going to grab Absol as Sprigatito drew attention, then they were going to run. It was the best he had. This wasn't a battle but a rescue mission.

Joe heard the mountain go silent. The battle must've reached a conclusion. He picked up the pace as best he could. He hoped he made it in time.

Thank Arceus for Joe's decision to take up martial arts. He had a lot of stamina. This run was rough. His lungs started to burn. His legs grew tired with every step. But he powered through it just like every other time he helped someone.

He reached a damaged dirt path. This was where Joe had fallen from. He followed scars in the ground. Looked up. Saw a damaged ridge. Heard fighting again. Joe ran further up the path. He'd swapped dripping water for dripping sweat. He arrived at the aftermath of a fight a couple of minutes later. A meadow with massive gouges across the ground. Towering shards of ice that curved into walls. Raikou loomed over a battered Absol.

Joe crouched. Wanted to catch his breath as best he could. He tapped the grass. Sprigatito hopped down. "Okay. You go left and I'll go right. When I start running, you attack Raikou with that ranged attack." He looked down. Sprigatito was looking at Raikou. She was shaking. But she nodded. He stroked her head. "It's okay to be scared. It's natural. It's the reason you made it this far. I told you I won't let anything happen to you. You'll blend into the grass. As soon as I grab Absol, meet me. You can go back inside your ball."

Joe should follow his own advice. There was a difference between being fearless or courageous. Having courage meant feeling fear yet fighting against it to save someone anyway. Even soldiers felt fear.

Joe started moving. Sprigatito did what she was told. Raikou was too busy looking down on Absol. But Absol noticed Joe from where it lay. Absol's eyes widened. This attracted Raikou's attention. The Beast followed Absol's gaze. Saw the human. Roared and opened its mouth. The jig was up. Joe dug his feet in and launched forward full speed. Avoided the scars in the ground.

A white light grew brighter in Raikou's mouth. Hyper Beam aimed right at Joe. Absol wanted to react but simply didn't have the energy. Flying leaves struck Raikou's behind. The Beast cancelled the move. Turned. Couldn't see anything. Sprigatito was so weak that Raikou couldn't pick up on her energy signature. She was right there, shaking hard enough to be the motor in a massage chair. But Raikou's eyes just swept over her.

Joe had been granted the precious seconds he needed. He reached Raikou's side. Skidded and crouched at the same time. Threw his arms around Absol's torso. Stood and tossed Absol onto a shoulder while bursting into a sprint. Kept an arm over Absol to pin the Pokemon to his shoulder. Joe estimated Absol's weight to be sixty kilograms. The average guy at a fitness center could handle more than this, but Joe has the added strain of running around.

Absol was still fighting sheer disbelief. It had been doing this for a decade. Wandering around the world, helping anyone that needed it. Not once had someone come back for Absol. Absol felt extra energy course through its body. As well as something else. The first time it'd ever felt this feeling. Absol didn't know what it was, but it didn't matter. Absol would pour this extra energy into being useful for the sake of this human.

Raikou had turned its attention back to Joe. It fired a Thunderbolt at his back. Joe came to a halt, spun, and ran in a different direction. Narrowly avoided the electricity. Another bolt came his way. He reached a curved ice wall. Used it as a shield. It shattered as electricity struck it. A particularly aggressive shard cut Joe's cheek and drew a tiny amount of blood.

Joe was desperately thinking of an out as he circled around to Sprigatito. He pulled the ball out. "Sprigatito!" He yelled. The cat was already there. She'd tracked her Trainer. She jumped up. Headbutt the ball and vanished.

Another bolt came for Joe. Absol swished a claw. A pillar rose from the earth and absorbed the hit.

"Thanks!" Joe could hear what was going on. Assumed Absol had saved him yet again. He'd been distracted. His mind was thinking of a way out of this mess. He used another ice wall as a shield and kept running. He considered hard. Thought of something. He'd seen it in movies. Jump into the river. Stay below the surface. Let the current take them away. It relied on Raikou not pursuing further, but it was the best he could come up with.

Joe noticed something at the top of his vision as he heard paws thudding behind him. The clouds changed. They got brighter. First yellow, then orange. Fire burst through clouds and struck the ground behind Joe. He felt the intense heat at his back. Stopped, panting. Turned. A wall of flames separated him and Raikou. He could see those fierce pink eyes, obscured and morphed by fire. He noticed a flicker of emotion from the Beast before everyone looked up to the source of the flames.

Joe's breath caught in his throat. He didn't expect to see one Legendary Pokemon today, let alone two. "Ho-oh…"

Batting its hefty red wings was Johto's most recognisable legend. Its white bulbous belly contained a raging fire. Its bushy yellow tail released embers behind its body. Ho-Oh descended from the Heavens, sharp eyes aimed at Raikou. It opened its beak. Cawed at the Beast as a show of force.

Raikou responded with action. Called Thunder from the skies above Ho-oh. Ho-oh aimed its beak up. Let out a grand blast of fire. Fire and electric clashed and lit up the sky. Ho-oh locked eyes with Raikou again. The Beast surrounded itself with electricity and ran away.

Joe lost sight of Raikou in seconds. It zipped across the meadow. Around the distant corner of Mt. Silver. Deeper into the mountain range. Ho-oh cawed and followed nearly as fast. It left behind a trail of embers from its tail as it went. Ho-oh had left as quickly as it had arrived but had left a present behind.

Joe realised he'd been holding his breath. He finally started breathing again. Watched the embers fall. He put a palm out. Caught one. He felt a strong jolt run through his arm and into his chest. The ember sunk into his hand. His vision shifted for a second. It evened out. Suddenly Joe was assaulted by his senses. He heard birds chirp. Saw vibrant flowers. It was like he was thinking clearly for the first time in a very long time. Like he'd been liberated.

Joe returned to the present. He crouched. Put Absol down on the ground. Heaved a sigh. Fell back onto his rear. He sat next to Absol who had also enjoyed the reinvigorating embers. For a time neither made a noise. They just sat together, watching the same sky.

Joe instinctively patted Absol's side. Enjoyed the soft fur. Absol let him, just for a minute. Eventually Absol shifted. Gave a gentle bark. Swatted Joe's hand away.

"Oh. Sorry." He said. He planted his hands into the dirt and leaned back. Stretched his legs.

Absol huffed. It'd been alone most of its life so it wasn't used to getting attention. Didn't know how to feel about it. Maybe it was okay, in moderation. Absol lay there, front legs crossed and head resting atop them. It was still processing that Joe had come back for it. People always ran from danger, not towards it. It made sense to Absol. It journeyed to protect the weak. The weak ran from danger. That was why Absol had been rough with Joe at first. Scare him off. It didn't matter if he hated Absol for scaring him. He'd be safe. To Absol's surprise, it wished it had used a gentler approach. This was out of respect. Joe had shown decency, so Absol wanted to show some in return. And Absol still had that feeling from a minute ago to consider.

Joe sat there and watched clouds drift along. Considered what to do next. Something was going on. His instincts were talking to him. In that last second, when he met Raikou's eyes through the flames, he saw a change. The Beast's expression softened. Gave Joe puppy dog eyes. Pleading. Apologetic. What did that mean? Joe could only think of one answer. Raikou's true personality broke through for a moment. Which meant this anger was not its own. It was being controlled. That was the feeling Joe got. If that were the case, then Joe had a mission. He was going to save Raikou from whoever or whatever was controlling it. He'd set his sights on an objective. Saving someone. He was going to achieve this goal no matter what.

He couldn't go after Raikou now though. It'd raced off, deeper into the Sterling mountain range. Even if Joe could track animals, he knew of the Sterling range. He could be lost in the mountains for months.

Joe considered the Pokemon that lay next to him. Absol. An animal seemingly as righteous as he was. That was a good idea.

"I get the feeling you're about to rush off to help more people." Joe commented. Looked over at Absol. It barked. He took this as an affirmation. "You're in good company. My mum's always complaining, saying I'm going to get hurt one of these days." Silence. He considered his next words. "What I'm saying is, why don't we work together? I can become a Trainer. I can create a team to support you. The stronger we get, the more people we can help."

What a coincidence. Absol had the same thought. Clearly it couldn't continue like this. To rival a legend, Absol needed support. And it'd warmed up to Joe. The first human to ever come back for it. Joe was someone with unmatched resolve. If Absol was going to fight alongside someone, it needed to be someone like Joe. So, it would be Joe. Absol barked once. Accepted Joe's proposal.

"Sorry, I don't speak Pokemon."

Absol sat up. Stood in front of Joe, which forced him to look at the Pokemon. Absol barked again and nodded. It saw a big grin spread across Joe's face. He put a fist out.

"I look forward to working with you, partner."

Absol eyed the fist. Brought its own claw up and looked at it. Turned it over. Retracted its claws. Bumped its paw into Joe's fist.

"Well then…" Joe put a hand on a knee and rose. Absol watched with a blank expression. "For now, let's go to New Bark." He pointed. Absol looked. "That town down there. I think we've earned a rest."

It'd been a tough fight. While Absol had some energy restored thanks to Ho-oh's embers, Joe was right. Absol nodded.

The pair of Trainer and Pokemon walked down the mountain. Back down the path until they crossed a bridge. Joe quickly when down the bank. Grabbed his coat. Considered patching it up. Decided to hand it off to a charity shop. They could fix it or use it for parts.

Joe and Absol reached the outskirts of town. At one point Absol was drawn to Joe's shadow. Wondered if that was the reason Joe had survived the fall. It didn't seem evil, at least.

They passed Joe's flexing Feraligatr friend at the cabin. Joe figured he'd explain himself. "Tomorrow we'll visit Professor Elm. He lives in this town. We can get information from him, and some help. After that… We'll figure it out."

Joe wanted to grab a PokeDex. He knew of them from school. They contained infinite knowledge about every known species of Pokemon. It would be invaluable to Joe.

They reached the town center. Joe caught people's attention as he walked. Maybe because he had taken a dunk in a river. Joe went into a clothes store. Grabbed some for now and tomorrow. They didn't have many items in his size, but at least they had his preferred casual style. He also found some deodorant and simple cologne in the clothes store. The only downside of being out in nature with no rivers was that Joe hadn't been able to freshen up. He bought the clothes and put them on in a changing room. Sprayed deodorant. At least now he smelled decent.

They passed a phone store. It made Joe think. He pulled out his smartphone. It was dead. Not surprising. Joe believed a phone was for two things. Calls and texts. He bought cheap. They had no waterproofing. He sighed. Went inside. Absol waited outside, by the windows. Absol yawned as the salesman tried to get Joe to sign up to a contract he didn't want.

Joe walked outside, tired from having his ear talked off for half an hour. Checked his new phone. Had his old number put on it. He'd rushed through the settings while half-listening to the salesman, so his phone was done booting up. No calls or texts came through. Good. That meant everyone important in Joe's life was okay.

All Joe's other tasks could wait. He had to buy all new hiking gear. Visit Professor Elm. He also had to go to the bank. He thought he was smart for having cash on hand. Now it was ruined. He needed to exchange it. Just another task for tomorrow.

Silver lining. At least he was safe. Needing to complete numerous mundane tasks is preferable to being in hospital, or worse.

Joe walked to the sea. Found a hotel. Decent room for the price. He freshened up, which included shaving his growing beard. Face-planted the bed. Absol had already curled up on the rug in the center of the room.

"Oh. How could I forget." Joe rolled over. Absol opened an eye and looked at the bed. "I'm Joe. Nice to meet you." Absol barked. Joe closed his eyes. The sun was still up but it didn't matter. They both fell asleep.



* * * * *



Joe had the weirdest dream that night. He watched two familiar faces from up close. Two legends.

Raikou raced through the Sterling mountain range. Despite its speed boosted via electricity, Ho-oh kept up. Any attacks Raikou sent the bird's way were simply dodged. Ho-oh was agile. The bird retaliated in kind. Raikou was fast so the bird's attacks were easily avoided too.

Ho-oh could end this fight now, but it wanted information. It did not know this Beast. That Raikou was long gone. As the legend went, Ho-oh reincarnated a trio of Pokemon into Beasts. Ho-oh remembered it. A few centuries ago. But those were not the first nor the last Beasts. Ho-oh had reincarnated those three using the image of a species it knew.

They travelled North. Passed half a dozen mountains. Ho-oh rounded the corner of a cliff. Something was there, and it was close. So it was a trap. Ho-oh instinctively let out as much fire as it could. It used Overheat. Similar to Shockwave, immense fire spawned in a sphere around the bird. They spread and circled Ho-oh, reaching out a couple dozen meters. Scorched everything in range.

A device was launched. Multiple metal cubes the size of an adult's fist. They were melted before achieving whatever they were made for. Globs of metal fell to the ground. Ho-oh hovered. Looked at its new foe. A group of humans. They had some steel machines, some bigger than the trucks that transported them here.

Ho-oh observed the people. Mainly men. All shapes and sizes. Missing teeth. Poorly cut beards. Simple leather clothes. They looked like ruffians. All except one. He wore a white business suit. Had perfectly kept combed blue hair. He eyed Ho-oh with interest. Ho-oh was not part of the plan, but they'll take it.

In their dreams. Ho-oh was a phoenix. With every reincarnation, its flames grew hotter. This Ho-oh had been around for a long, long time. It had lost track of its reincarnations.

The group of ruffians released Pokemon from Pokeballs. Probably wanted to weaken Ho-oh before forcefully capturing it. That was fine with Ho-oh. It'd been a while since it got into a good fight. Raikou hadn't been enough to get the bird's blood pumping.

Speaking of, Raikou stood on the sidelines. Waiting. This confirmed Ho-oh's suspicions. These people were controlling Raikou. Ho-oh could sense another energy signature. A psychic one. It came from the back of Raikou's neck. That was the how, at least. Useful information.

Raikou made the first move. It glowed white and gold as it pounced. The ground under it was demolished. It moved fast. Extreme Speed. Ho-oh reacted just in time. Its claws glowed brown with energy. Caught Raikou. Spun and threw the Beast into the ground. The size and power difference was too much. It didn't matter that Raikou had a type advantage. The Beast hit the ground. It lay in the center of a crater.

Ho-oh's instincts kicked in again. It flapped its heavy wings. Moved left. Saw a long pink tongue. Turned around. A big lizard with a tongue that can stretch fifty meters. Lickitung. Ho-oh wrapped itself in blue fire. Brave Bird. The bird dive bombed Lickitung. Hit it like a train hitting a car. Created a massive crater. Gave a strong flap of its wings to clear the air. Lickitung had been instantly knocked out. It rested under Ho-oh, seeing stars.

The bird saw its next foe step into the arena. A big fellow with blue legs, a hairless head, and big orange hands. Hariyama. It seemed much bigger than normal. An Alpha.

Ho-oh dug its front talons under Lickitung. Kicked it away. Met Hariyama in fair combat. Ho-oh flicked its wings. They glowed white. Hariyama held its hands in front of its body in a karate stance. Bright orange energy ran across the sides of its hands. Wing Attack vs Cross Chop. Ho-oh parried hand with wing. Brushed a hand aside and struck with the tip of its other wing. Hariyama was sturdy. Took the hit. Retaliated thrusting its palms. Ho-oh dipped its wings inside Hariyama's range. Pushed Hariyama's hands outwards. Kicked out with a claw enhanced by Superpower. Blasted Hariyama away.

There was one Ho-oh forgot. A lanky blue and black water chameleon. Inteleon. It had blended into its surroundings. Waited patiently for the right time to strike. The time was now. A powerful beam of water, Snipe Shot, left Inteleon's pointer finger. Raced towards Ho-oh. Ho-oh twisted its head last second. High pressure water grazed the bird's cheek. Took out a few feathers. Inteleon blended in again. It essentially turned invisible. It appeared behind Ho-oh, its tail engulfed by water. It swung Aqua Tail.

In the same moment, Raikou had recovered. The Beast was rushing in with an electrically charged Extreme Speed. A pincer attack of super effective moves. Not like they mattered to a legend of Ho-oh's calibre. It pumped out as much fire as it could. Overheat again. It blasted once. The water on Inteleon's tail turned to steam and drifted on the wind. Inteleon was blasted away from the force. Raikou managed to stand its ground but couldn't advance. Ho-oh blasted Overheat twice. Walked to Raikou who was somehow still standing. Ho-oh pushed Raikou down with a claw. Blasted Overheat for a third time.

The rock in the crater was close to its melting point. Everyone was taken out of the fight. Raikou's blood had boiled. Ho-oh took off into the sky with Raikou in its claw. Tossed the Beast at the humans. Let out a might caw. The humans had already retrieved their Pokemon. They retreated. On foot. Ho-oh looked around. Its Overheat had destroyed all the equipment and vehicles. It huffed in triumph. Flew away. It was satisfied with the look of annoyance on the faces of the humans. They got what they deserved.

Ho-oh decided this was enough. The tradeoff for the immense power of Legendary Pokemon compared to regular Pokemon was that it took longer to recover. Raikou would fall ill from the boiled blood. It would be out of the fight for weeks.

This information would be communicated to the man from the mountain. Joe. He was not a chosen warrior. Just a witness to what Ho-oh saw for a time. All Joe had to do was tell someone. Let the information travel until someone capable decided to fight these criminals. Ho-oh had used the power of Aura. Tapped into Joe's soul using its embers. Showed him what had happened. It was up to humans to deal with this problem. Ho-oh might be seen as callous, but it believed that humans should solve as many problems as they could. Ho-oh wanted people to grow. That couldn't happen if legends like Ho-oh coddled them and solved all their problems for them. Ho-oh looked forward to seeing humans succeed.

 

[Orderneri]

10: New Day, New Problem​

Joe awoke to his stomach grumbling. The sun hadn't graced the horizon yet but he'd gone to bed early without food.

There had been a massive Copperajah in the room, but the dream answered it. Joe had a feeling Raikou wouldn't appear again any time soon.

The dream also confirmed that people controlled Raikou. And what was a typical thing criminals did after making themselves known? Lay low. Avoid the police. They didn't want too much attention. It could lead to their capture. If they were smart they'd take it slow, even with a legend under their control.

Joe was grateful for this feeling. He needed time to get stronger. The looming threat of Raikou appearing at any moment would only be a distraction. Joe doubted he'd be ready to face the legend in time. It was at a strength level above regular Pokemon. But Joe was certainly going to try his best. He'd need strategy. A way to cut off the connection between Raikou and those controlling it.

This was too much thinking first thing in the morning. And on an empty stomach no less. Joe got up. Showered. He doubted anywhere would be open at this time. His objective, the local laboratory, was most definitely closed. Might as well go for a run before breakfast. Absol stirred from his movements. Opened an eye and watched. Joe got ready. Watched Absol stretch like a cat. Front legs laid along the ground. Hind legs straight, making Absol's tail the highest point of the Pokemon.

"Want to come for a run?"

Absol let out a sleepy bark. Joe didn't want to bother Sprigatito yet. As far as he knew, Pokeballs put Pokemon into a state of hibernation and fed them good dreams. She had earned a lazy morning and she'd also earned a mighty fine breakfast. He'd buy her whatever she wanted.

Joe and Absol left the hotel. The sun had just started peeking over the horizon, adding an orange tint to Mt. Silver. Joe took a deep breath. Early morning fresh air. Couldn't beat it. The wind coming down the mountain rustled his jacket.

Joe looked back and forth. A run along the sea was fine with him. He did some basic stretches. Started at a jog. Worked up to a run. Absol kept up easily. He was tempted to start a race. See how fast they could both go.

But it wasn't meant to be. A couple of minutes into the exercise, Absol perked up. Slowed down. Turned to a warehouse on the port. Growled. Began walking towards the building. Joe slowed and went with Absol.

The building was twice the size of Jasmine's Gym. It was made of corrugated metal sheets. A wire fence taller than Joe surrounded the structure. There was a single point of entry with a small hut for guards. Tall black lamppost behind it. It was an old post. Six glass panels to let out light in all directions. Reminded Joe of a lantern.

Joe was taken aback by what he saw standing next to the guard hut. A giant of a man, arms crossed. He had to be at least seven feet tall. The guy was taller than the average doorway.

Absol approached the behemoth, still growling. Joe considered it. He remembered the appearance of Absol but nothing else. Given its actions, maybe it could sense trouble. Which meant this behemoth of a man and the warehouse he guarded was a problem. A problem Joe would be happy to solve.

They arrived in front of the behemoth. He was all muscle. Permanent scowl on his face. Joe looked up. Now he understood. This was how people in Olivine felt when dealing with Joe. Joe leaned over. Wrapped arms around Absol's neck to hold it back. The Pokemon was prepared to just walk past the behemoth. To the trouble it must sense. Humans had to deal with problems properly. Laws and all that. So Joe had a different, dumber idea.

"Calm down, Absol." Joe said. Looked up.

"Leave." The behemoth grunted in a booming voice. It almost sounded like he didn't even say a word. His frown deepened.

Here goes nothing. "Man, look at you. What dig site did they excavate you from? You should take better care of yourself. Clean that greasy hair. Better yet, cut it. And that beard."

The man growled, annoyed. All according to plan. As Joe had said, the behemoth had a long, unkempt beard and disgusting hair reaching down his back. He was either a caveman or a metalhead. Caveman had a certain ring to it.

"You know, we're more sophisticated than growls and grunts now. We have a whole language. You should learn it."

Caveman stepped forward. Let his arms go to his side. Absol was confused. It'd stopped trying to march forward which let Joe stand up straight too. That's exactly what Joe needed because his plan was simple. Self defence.

Anger Caveman. Get him to throw the first punch. Draw police here to stop the fight. Caveman had a duty to protect this warehouse. If there was a problem here then Caveman would not be happy to see the police. Joe was hoping Caveman's anger would cloud his judgement.

"What's wrong? Can't reach back to your Pokeballs? Maybe you shouldn't be such a meathead then."

Everyone understood that people settled scores using Pokemon these days. The only way to combat a superpowered animal was another superpowered animal. Humans and Pokemon were codependents in this regard. History reported that the first person to befriend a Pokemon was actually a villain. Someone that wanted power. So good people rose up and befriended their own Pokemon to fight back. Gave those Pokemon good lives in return for security.

Caveman flexed his hands. Balled them into fists. Joe was seriously getting on Caveman's nerves. Caveman just wanted to punch Joe. Shut him up. Teach him a lesson. The contents of Joe's comments didn't matter. The problem was that he just wouldn't stop.

Joe tightened his body. Prepared himself for a fight. He was ready to duck back as soon as a fist came his way.

"There you are!"

Before a fight could start, an angelic voice rang through the area. Joe turned his head. Caveman looked out the corner of his eyes. A woman stood nearby, camera dangling from her neck. She had an athletic body. A little thicker than Jasmine. Not exactly hard to achieve. She seemed a little out of breath. Wavy ginger hair reached the middle of her back. She wore a simple white shirt with a blue blazer. Canvas trousers were a bit short, revealing her ankles.

She approached. Looked at Joe. "I told you, we're meant to be reporting on the ferry being cancelled. It's the next dock over." She grabbed Joe by the arm and looked up at Caveman. Smiled. "Sorry sir. We'll be on our way."

The woman dragged Joe along until they were a few streets away, out of sight. Absol followed and looked over its shoulder a few times on the way. It detected a problem, but it understood that Trainer and Pokemon acted together. Absol was reluctant but stuck with Joe.

The woman let go of Joe at some point but ushered him along still. When they were clear, she spoke. "That was risky. What were you doing?"

"Absol found a problem. We were going to deal with it."

"Deal with it?" She looked Joe up and down with her green eyes. He was a big guy. "Maybe you stood a chance, but I wouldn't bet on you."

Joe shrugged. "I can fight." Joe believed he had the strength to back up his words, although it would admittedly be a tough fight. He thought about what she'd said. "Are you actually a reporter or was that a cover?"

"I'm actually a reporter. That warehouse is my current target." She ran a hand through her fringe and into her ginger hair. "You're lucky I was awake. I swear I've never gotten dressed so fast in my life."

"So you have a problem with the warehouse for the same reason Absol doesn't like it." He looked down at Absol. The Pokemon nodded.

"...Straight to the point, huh? Yeah, I'm working for a detective. He received a tip that a gang was working in New Bark and wanted me to check it out. I tracked them to that warehouse. I'm close to having evidence against them." She saw Joe raise an eyebrow so continued. "It's time sensitive. Do you know the laws around humanely transporting pets when Pokeballs aren't involved?" Joe shook his head. "Pokemon are moved in cages. It's the only way to handle them. In return for not having much space, animals are only allowed to be in transport cages for twenty-four hours."

Joe understood. No crime had been committed yet so their hands were tied. "Okay. When does the timer run out?"

The woman looked at her watch. "Tonight, a bit after the sun sets."

So that meant the problem started after Joe went to the hotel. Explained why it only bothered Absol now. "Are you planning on raiding the place? Where do I sign up?" Joe's personality got him into a lot of trouble, but he couldn't switch it off. If someone needed him, he'd be there.

"A man of action. I like that. All right." She reached a hand out. They shook. "I'm Amelia."

"Joe."

"Well, Joe, I'll give you my number." They both reached into pockets. "I'll send you a location later."

"Roger that, boss."

Amelia grinned. "As your boss, maybe I should teach you how to better pick your fights."

Joe thought Amelia had a charming smile. He returned it. They parted for the day. Joe was glad that teaming up with Absol had already paid off. There was a potential problem he wouldn't have known about if not for Absol.

Joe explained the situation to an antsy Absol. Human society worked a certain way. There had been no crime yet. There was a chance Amelia was wrong. That the Pokemon were being transported properly. He doubted it because both her and Absol had a problem with the warehouse, but he had to accept it for now. If Joe decided to barge in and 'save' the Pokemon right this second, he could be seen as trespassing, destroying property, and stealing owned Pokemon. Joe would be the one to end up behind bars. Actions had consequences regardless of whether Joe thought he was doing the right thing.

Absol begrudgingly accepted waiting. Absol had run afoul of humans and their laws before. It had learned to assess and gather information first when dealing with people. Sometimes a situation wasn't what it seemed at first glance. Absol had sensed distress, but that was it. A general feeling of discomfort. Might just be a particularly whiny Pokemon that complained every time it moved from one country to another.

Joe went back to running. Needed more than a few minutes of exercise. Absol moved in alongside him. Joe opted to move away from the sea since Amelia had led him further into town. The roads were lighting up as the sun continued to rise.

Joe took the chance to consider the implications of criminals moving Pokemon illegally. It had to be to sell them. His blood boiled. He looked forward to tonight.

Joe watched a truck pull into a store. A road later he noticed a PokeCenter. Perfect. He slowed down. He'd learnt a lot of specifics from Jasmine. Pokemon couldn't fight endlessly, all day every day. They needed rest. Absol fought a legend yesterday. It needed to recover. A night's rest was a good start, but they were probably going to be fighting again tonight. It took a couple of days for Pokemon to recover naturally.

A PokeCenter sped up the process. An energy transfer from one of a few Pokemon. Typically the rotund Chansey or Blissey, but there were other healers like Audino too. These species were picked to work in PokeCenters because they had an absurd amount of spare energy and also had the ability to share it. It helped that they liked caring for others.

Joe went inside. Saw a Chansey. Pre-evolution of Blissey. It lost the white frills but otherwise looked similar. He approached the nurse behind the counter that looked like the one in Olivine. Told her Absol needed to be taken care of. Absol's head darted between Trainer and nurse. Growled.

"Hey, don't be like that. Are we fighting tonight? Yes? Then get yourself looked after."

Absol slumped. Grumbled. Walked with the nurse after a few seconds. Came back ten minutes later. They picked up where they left off. Ran again. Absol had never been to a hospital before so was shy about it. It dreaded what this place could be, but Absol wasn't against visiting in the future. Absol felt further refreshed. Ready for tonight. This was extremely helpful.

An hour after they first set out, they returned to the hotel. Joe freshened up. Put on a black t-shirt and black jacket. Looked up a place for food. A place nearby just opened. He headed there. Sat down. Brought Sprigatito out. She yawned and stretched on a cloth that covered a wooden table. Her eyes shot open. Arched her back. Looked around Joe's right. Hissed.

Absol sat on Joe's left, so the new Pokemon wasn't the problem. Joe looked over his right shoulder. Saw nothing.

"What's wrong, buddy?" He went to reach out to the cat. See if stroking her would calm her. But he heard movement. Absol moved around Joe's chair. It tapped his shadow. Barked gently a few times, first at Joe's shadow, then up at the cat. Sprigatito calmed down. Tilted her head in confusion.

Joe was confused too. But the problem was solved so he let it go for now. Not like he could ask Absol what had happened. He was headed to Professor Elm next. Maybe the scientist would have an answer.

Joe grabbed the menu. Put it in front of Sprigatito. "As thanks for your help yesterday, pick whatever you want."

Sprigatito lit up. Looked intensely at the images of food next to words she couldn't read. Saw cake. Tapped that furiously.

Joe froze. This was a family. That made him the father and Sprigatito the daughter. He couldn't let his child eat cake for breakfast. He needed to teach her to be responsible. He looked at her. He was going to refuse. But those pleading eyes…

"…O- Okay, but just this once. Do you understand? Cake is not a healthy breakfast." He watched Sprigatito nod and decided it really was fine just this once. Absol rolled its eyes. Apparently it had a pushover for a Trainer. Joe grabbed the menu. Dangled it in front of Absol. "And what do you want?"

Absol eyed some meat. Tapped the board with a claw. Joe ordered. The trio ate.

Sprigatito thought back to yesterday. She was scared just thinking about Raikou. Something told her deep down not to mess with it. That was her experience with all conflict though. She never wanted to fight. Yesterday was the one and only time. If Joe wanted to fight then he'd have to use the new team member. Sprigatito assumed that's what Absol was for. It radiated power. It seemed suited for combat. Sprigatito just wanted to enjoy life. Enjoy this holiday with her Trainer.

They left with full bellies. Sprigatito was on Joe's shoulder. Absol walked by his side. They were off to see the professor. Joe grabbed his phone. Looked at a map. Saw where the laboratory was. Got a bad feeling. Followed the directions. His heart sank. Sure enough, it was the log cabin with Feraligatr. He should've known. Maybe that woman in the window wasn't here today.

Joe approached the door. Cleared his throat. Fidgeted. Acting like a boy about to ask a girl on a date. Absol poked him. That was right. He needed to pull himself together. He knocked on the door. A woman answered. Brown eyes behind smart glasses, framed on the sides and bottom. Long brown hair tied up in a ponytail. An oval amber necklace. Open lab coat over a white and blue shirt.

"I'm here to see Professor Elm, if he's available." Joe eyed a silver nameplate. The woman was called Nia.

"Do you have an appointment?"

"No."

Nia nodded. Opened the door all the way to let Joe in. "You might have to kill some time." She directed Joe with a hand, palm raised. "This way." After Nia used her hands, they went back into the pockets of her lab coat.

The cabin opened straight into a lounge area. Even scientists relax. Shelves full of books, plants, and a television facing a long couch. He walked into a hallway. Heard the clacking of keyboards through a door as he passed by. Nia opened the second door on the right. Joe walked inside. Four black leather chairs around a coffee table. He sat down facing the door. Rectangle tables lined the wall. Some had papers on them. Chairs tucked into them. When it wasn't a meeting room, this was just another place for scientists to work.

"I'll go and inform Professor Elm that someone is here to see him. Sit tight, Flex."

The door closed. Joe exhaled deeply. Heard a chuckle on the other side of the door. It faded alongside footsteps. Nia was the woman in the window. How embarrassing.

 

[Orderneri]

11: Pokemon Journey​

Joe tapped his feet as he waited. Should've known he'd need an appointment. Professors are busy people. If he'd known, he could've bought a book on his way to the lab. Minutes passed. He shifted in his seat. He was restless. Joe was about to start playing with Sprigatito, but if someone walked in on him playing tag with a Pokemon he'd be further embarrassed.

Movement caught Joe's attention. Absol bent down. Watched something. Joe felt a light tugging on his jeans. He leaned forward. Saw a Pokemon. It was a little bigger than Sprigatito. After pulling his clothes it decided to poke Joe's leg to get his attention. The Pokemon looked up. Long snout. Beige underbelly. Dark blue fur on its back. Four red pads on its back. Closed eyes. Cyndaquil. One of the three Johto Partners. It'd gotten into the room via a hatch built into the door.

Joe leaned down and picked Cyndaquil up. "Well aren't you just the cutest."

Cyndaquil squirmed a little and let out a cry of joy. It sounded happy. Sprigatito on Joe's shoulder was startled. She started rubbing against his face with her body. She wanted attention too. He laughed. Placed Cyndaquil on his lap. Wrapped an arm around it. Reached up with his other hand. Scratched at the cat.

"You're cute too, Sprigatito." Joe felt her rumble from purring.

The door burst open. A man carrying a large stack of papers hurried into the room. The papers hid him. "I'm sorry, it's been a hectic morning. I'll be with you in a moment." He moved to place the papers upon the nearest surface. One of the wooden tables along the edge of the room. He failed. He placed them at an angle. The top third of the pile fell. Scattered and flew about all over the floor. He yelped and moved forward. His arm hit the rest of the papers and those crashed down too.

The man, Joe presumed he was Professor Elm, wore thick glasses to help with poor eyesight. He was scrawny. Had short brown hair that hadn't been cared for today.

Joe rose. Elm took a step back. Joe had that effect on people. Elm recovered and saw Cyndaquil in the giant's arms. "There you are! I've told you, you can't just disappear like that."

Cyndaquil didn't seem to care about the warning. It squirmed and squealed, happy to see the Professor.

"Let me help." Joe approached. Put the fire Pokemon down. Started collecting papers. Elm did the same thing. Cyndaquil ran around, scrunching sheets together with its short arms. Sprigatito was tepid. Watched but didn't have the courage to interact with others.

"My apologies for causing trouble. I was away on a trip when I heard about an incident on Mt. Silver. I'm getting calls from a million people right now."

It sounded chaotic. Joe felt bad for the guy. He didn't seem cut out for such fast-paced work. "Are you talking about Ho-oh?"

"So you've heard the rumours? It's just my luck. I have a bit of downtime and Johto's most famous Pokemon decides to make an appearance. Ah, but enough whining. Thank you for the help."

They had collected most of the paper at this point. Joe accepted some from Cyndaquil and flattened them as best he could. "I don't know anything about rumours, but I was there."

Elm stopped shuffling sheets. Looked at Joe with wide eyes. Tried to figure out what question to ask first. Joe handed Elm the papers. "Ah, thank you."

Elm snapped out of his stunned state. Rushed to place the papers on a table as Cyndaquil started poking Joe again. Joe picked up the Pokemon and stood. Cradled it in an arm. Elm grabbed a digital tablet. Tapped furiously with one hand. The tablet had been at the top of the pile when it fell but wasn't damaged. It had a rugged case on it. Elm was what some called butter fingers.

"So you were there?" He looked at Joe with a new brightness in his eyes.

Joe nodded. "Raikou attacked us and Ho-oh chased it off."

"Raikou was there too?" Elm typed. Frowned. "It attacked you? Do you recall anything else?"

"It's rare for Pokemon to attack people, right? But it happened. Absol saved me. We were running away when Ho-oh showed up and attacked Raikou. They both went around Mt. Silver, deeper into the mountains."

Joe gave more details, but there wasn't much more to it. He wasn't going to bring up the dream. He had a strange feeling that it was legitimate. That he viewed reality. But he couldn't admit to someone that he saw the people responsible for controlling Raikou in a dream. He'd sound crazy.

Elm nodded along the entire time as he noted every word down, as well as what it could mean. "One might get territorial every now and then, but Mt. Silver isn't home to a Legendary Pokemon as far as I know." Elm started speaking aloud, mainly for himself. He didn't expect an answer. "I don't understand. What was it doing? Where was it going? There had to be a destination in mind… Instead of reaching its goal, Raikou encountered you. You were good enough."

Joe was curious too. He wanted to know what the end goal was. It was safe to assume Joe wasn't the target, which meant the objective shifted. But why? Joe couldn't think of a reasonable answer to any questions floating through his head. "Sorry I couldn't be more helpful."

"No, no! Thanks to you, I have more information than before. There were reports of electricity, but we didn't know the source."

"Oh, there was something else. How do I describe it…? It was like Raikou was on autopilot. It was just reacting to the newest thing, you know? Or like a baby had a new toy placed in front of it and it disregarded everything to go for the new toy."

Elm had good instincts about Pokemon. Something was prodding the back of his mind. He didn't like the idea, but he thought it could be true, somehow. Elm pulled up a picture of Raikou. Showed it to Joe. Didn't say much. Didn't want to influence Joe's opinion. "What do you see?"

Joe looked at the picture. Pinpointed it immediately. The eyes. He couldn't forget them. "The one that came after us had pink eyes, and they were glowing."

Elm noted it down. "But what could do that…?" He decided to explain himself. "Sorry. It's just, I'm at a loss now. The Raikou species has red eyes. For it to have glowing pink eyes means it's being controlled. It would take a powerful Psychic-type Pokemon to put reins on a legend. Maybe a Metagross could handle it…"

Someone with a brain had reached the conclusion of Raikou being controlled. Now Joe didn't need to confess he saw it in a dream or had a feeling.

Joe hadn't been shown just a picture of Raikou. There were categories next to the image. Things like height and weight. It was bugging Joe. He pointed at the tablet. "How accurate are those numbers for height?"

Elm looked up. Tilted his head. "That would be the average size of an adult within the species, although we don't have much data on Legendary Pokemon. Why?"

"What would it mean if Raikou was noticeably smaller than that?"

Elm considered it. Briefly looked beyond Joe, to Absol. "That's a hard question to answer. Just eyeballing your Absol, I can tell you it's bigger than average. I couldn't tell you why, though. It could be age. It could be the generation of excess energy. Oh, come to think of it…" Elm found a news article after the idea of age had come up. Showed it to Joe. The article detailed a treacherous storm up North in Sinnoh. Strong enough to take out multiple towns along the coast. "The Beasts are born through extreme weather events. Raikou in particular is born from storms."

"And this storm was strong enough to birth a Raikou?"

Elm shrugged. "We don't know for sure, but equal storms have birthed the species before."

Joe was annoyed now. The article was from just a few months ago. If this theory was true, then whoever was controlling Raikou had dragged a child into this. Joe couldn't wait to make these villains pay. He wasn't just going to save Raikou. He was going to dish out some righteous justice to the people ruining Raikou's life.

Elm turned the tablet off. Placed it next to the stack of paper. Took in a deep breath to center himself. He had a guest. Sometimes he failed to separate the segments of his job. "My apologises. I get caught up in my work too much. And thank you for all the information. I'm confident in the mind control theory so I understand how this problem occurred. I'll look into why this happened, but I doubt I'll find much."

"Don't worry about it. I'm glad to be of service."

Elm clapped his hands together. "Down to business. What can I help you with today? Wait, this isn't a misunderstanding, is it? Were you here to deliver this information?"

"No, actually…" Joe scratched his cheek. Gave a wry smile. "I know I'm old but I'm here to start my Pokemon journey."

Elm lit up. "Nonsense! You're never too old to start an adventure! I need to collect a few things. I'll be right back." He gestured at where Joe had risen from. "Please take a seat."

Elm vanished into the corridor. Joe sat down. Joe thought about Raikou's eyes. The last time it looked at him suddenly got him to consider it. Ho-oh's embers had reinvigorated Joe and Absol. Had it temporarily broken the control on Raikou? He couldn't forget their last contact. Raikou seemed sad. Apologetic. He was too tired to think about it at the time, but Ho-oh's ember may have briefly freed Raikou.

...Wait. Freed it from control? Joe thought about his own problem. His presumed brainwashing. Something deep down felt… different. He thought about it. And thought. And thought. There was no pushback. He marvelled at it for a moment. Really soaked it in. Tempered expectations. Thought about it again. Joe sank deep into the chair. Let out a heavy exhale. He could think more freely. The chains had loosened. The problem wasn't solved, he couldn't remember certain points in his life. He didn't know what the brainwashing was trying to stop him from finding. But thanks to Ho-oh he could investigate it now.

Elm returned. Joe sat up. If he was free to think then there'd be no harm coming back to it later. He had to focus. Closest problem first. He needed to learn as much as he could so he was ready to assist Amelia tonight.

A bright orange Pokemon buzzed around Elm's head. Rotom. Darting around Elm's feet were the other two Johtonian Partners. They ran around the room. Ducked and weaved between table legs. Hopped onto the coffee table.

There was Chikorita. A green quadruped with a leaf coming from its head and plant bulbs like a necklace. It seemed calm and collected as it stood and eyed Joe, patiently awaiting the man's decision. Then there was Totodile. Basically just a small version of Feraligatr. A small blue crocodile. Big jaw. Red fins down its back. It continued to hop on the spot from a hyperactive mind.

Elm sat opposite Joe. "First, do you mind bringing your phone out? Rotom here will go with you and act as an assistant."

Joe obeyed. Rotom flew into his phone and vanished, narrowly escaping Totodile's jump to grab it. Joe felt static run through his hand. Big white eyes appeared on the screen. The phone appeared to morph, an orange bolt-shaped feature appearing on the top and bottom. While Rotom was a ghost, it still had a body that needed to go somewhere. Rotom's body functioned as a phone case.

Rotom, now a RotoPhone, flew out of Joe's hand. Hovered in front if the new Trainer. Joe saw it install an app. It was labelled PokeDex. Joe really was old. Last he heard of a PokeDex was in school. Back then it was its own device. Professors came around to teach children and to entice them to pick up the sciences with cool gadgets. But now the PokeDex was just another app available on any phone.

Joe didn't need to come to Elm's, but he was glad he did. He managed to help Elm, and he got an assistant out of it. In a way, Jasmine was his assistant. All the knowledge she'd imparted to Joe over the years was in there somewhere. He just needed help digging it out.

"By now it should've installed the PokeDex app. Rotom, scan Absol as an example."

RotoPhone flew in front of Absol. Pointed the back camera at the wolf. Began a read out. Rotom's voice wasn't quite human, but wasn't robotic either. It was synthesised from a real person's voice. "Absol. The Disaster Pokemon. While many believe it to be a doom bringer, in actuality Absol is a foreteller. It senses natural disasters and warns people of danger."

Absol growled at the first part. Wanted to swat Rotom away like a bug. Joe put a hand on its head. Comforted it.

This was what Joe had expected given how Absol had acted. "It's all right. I know you're good. Don't worry what other people think."

To Absol's surprise, this calmed it. It barely knew Joe, but his opinion meant something. This must be what it was like to have friends. The feeling Absol had felt on Mt. Silver had returned. Absol grumbled and turned away as Rotom continued to list facts about this particular Absol.

#0359 Absol (Shiny)



Gender: Female

Height: 4' 09" (Above Average)

Weight: 59.8kg (Above Average)



Moves: Psycho Cut / Shadow Ball / Night Slash / Quick Attack / Ice Beam / Rock Slide / Stone Edge /

Ability: ???​

Shiny. That was the label for Pokemon with different pigmentation. The term was rattling around in Joe's head for a while but he couldn't grasp it. And his Absol was a female. Noted.

The phone's screen flashed red. Bold 'ERROR' text visible to Elm. "Hm, what's that for? The Ability?"

"Yes." Rotom confirmed. Elm told Rotom to scan again, so it did. An error message appeared again.

"Okay. Your Absol's Ability has not appeared on the species before. At least, not in recorded history. There are ways to learn what Ability your Absol has, but it takes time. Maybe a couple of weeks as we go through the list. I assume you don't want to be kept here for that long?" Elm watched as Joe gave a shake of his head. "Then the best you can do is pay close attention. Think changes in combat. Maybe her claws grow. That would be a sign of the Sharpness Ability. Or her fangs grow. That would be the Strong Jaw Ability. Rotom will be watching too. It'll keep track of the information and eventually come to an evidence-based conclusion."

As a proper example, Elm got Rotom to scan Sprigatito too since the cat was clearly owned by Joe.

#0906 Sprigatito



Gender: Female

Height: 1' 02" (Below Average)

Weight: 3.8kg (Below Average)



Moves: Scratch / Leafage /

Ability: Overgrow

A vibrant green aura creates leaves made of energy that float on the wind.​

Sprigatito was smaller than average. Joe expected that. Sprigatito was a fearful glutton. She only had scraps until now. Hadn't grown properly. Joe would fix that. She could have all the food she wanted.

"I brought the Johtonian Partners, but do you think you need a starter Pokemon?" Elm asked. Held up a hand before Joe could answer. "Better yet, did you know your Sprigatito is a Partner Pokemon? She's from Paldea."

Joe didn't known that. Just yesterday he finally learned one of her moves. He assumed Leafage. Joe wasn't surprised his cat was from another country. People loved cats as pets. Easily domesticated. All breeds were exported around the world. Same as dogs. "Sprigatito is a pet, not a fighter. But I have Absol."

"And that's why you're a beginner. If Absol is your only combatant then I highly recommend taking another Pokemon with you. Absol seems experienced. You are not."

A fair point. Joe didn't think about the situation correctly. Absol's an expert. They may have teamed up, but Joe should only take control of Absol when he had no other options. He needed to experience and understand what it was like to raise a Pokemon from the beginning. He looked at the bundle of joy in his lap. Cyndaquil looked up. It squirmed in excitement.

"Then I'll take this Cyndaquil if you don't mind."

"Good choice. It's already taken a liking to you."

Joe understood that as another test. One he passed. Bonding is part of the Trainer experience. If he had aimed for Chikorita or Totodile then he would've proven how beginner he really was. He had enjoyed his little interactions with Cyndaquil and it liked him. He'd already bonded with it. Nurturing the bond that had already started would benefit them both.

Elm stood. Joe mimicked him. Elm held out a bundle of six Pokeballs. Pointed to one. "This is Cyndaquil's. The other five are for personal use."

"Thanks." Joe took them. He knew that teams consisted of six Pokemon, although that was only a rule for the Gym Challenge and the League. He could have as many Pokemon on hand as he wanted. He went to pocket the orbs when Rotom dove into his jeans. It would be there whenever Joe needed assistance. It would take Joe some time to get used to having a flying phone. Joe put the balls in the other pocket.

Elm held a hand out. "You're all set for your journey now. It was nice meeting you…"

Joe shook. Realised he had a weird tendency of not introducing himself. "Joe. Thanks for the help, Professor. Good luck with your work."

Joe left the building, but not before catching a stray comment from Nia. 'Bye, Flex.' He was never going to live that down. Hopefully he never ran into Nia again.

But onto brighter pastures. Joe's Pokemon Journey. Sprigatito on his shoulder, Absol by his side, Cyndaquil in his arms. Joe had heard of the Pokemon Journey. Usually it was for late teens. A cross-country adventure. A journey of self-discovery. Some people approaching adulthood didn't know what to do with themselves, so they went on an adventure to figure it out. Maybe someone would find they really like the sport of battling and aimed to master it. Or perhaps they helped a Pokemon groomer by chance and decided they wanted to assist in fashion. Researcher, carer, explorer, even firefighter. A chance encounter changed people's lives. Helped them find their role in life.

Even if someone steered away from battling, they typically earned the right to enter the League by collecting eight Badges. So the League was like a final send off for those people. One last series of battles before retiring from combat. Go out with a bang.

Everyone's Pokemon Journey was unique. Joe wondered where he'd find himself in a year, long after he'd saved Raikou. He was excited to find out.

 

[Orderneri]

12: Eager to Impress​

Joe walked into one of the countless fields with the mountain as a backdrop. He couldn't see anyone. Perfect. He had to begin training straight away. Both for tonight and the future. Raikou wasn't going to save itself, and Joe was nowhere near strong enough to help it.

He looked around. Saw the occasional wild Pokemon. Decided to leave them alone. He was going to train Cyndaquil. The hedgehog was still in his arms. He poked its nose. It squirmed.

"Okay, buddy. You ready for some training?" Joe listened to it squeal in excitement. It rushed out of his arms. Jumped onto the ground. Being eager was good. His phone flew out of his pocket. If there was going to be combat, then Rotom would assist.

As Joe considered how exactly to train, Rotom scanned Cyndaquil. Rotom could've scanned Cyndaquil in the lab, but it had been taught well. Don't overload a beginner Trainer with information unless they ask for it. A short break to let the previous information settle before it spoke again was useful for learning.

"Cyndaquil. The Fire Mouse Pokemon. It protects itself by flaring flames on its back. The angrier it gets, the hotter the fire burns."

#0155 Cyndaquil



Gender: Male

Height: 1' 10" (Above Average)

Weight: 8.3kg (Above Average)



Moves: Tackle / Leer / Ember /

Ability: Blaze

Fire burns hotter and brighter.​

Joe eyed Absol. "Rotom, show me Absol's moves please." The phone flew in front of Joe. Pulled up Joe's personal PokeDex. Opened Absol's entry and switched to the 'Moves' tab. Joe was after something fast. The screen scrolled a little. He saw it. "Absol, can you show me Quick Attack?"

Absol demonstrated the move. She wrapped herself in white light and darted around the area. Zigzagged at unusual angles and ended up back in front of Joe. That was perfect.

"Okay, that should work. Absol, when you need to, use Quick Attack. Cyndaquil, we're going to try and hit Absol as she moves."

Both sides understood their assignment. Absol trotted some meters ahead and turned to face her foe. Cyndaquil ignited the fire on its back. No sputtering start up. The flames were at full power instantly. Joe could feel the heat from his position a couple of feet back. Rotom hovered around the bottom right of Joe's field of view and showed him what Cyndaquil was capable of. Joe had a decent memory. The moves had been read off to him moments ago. But he'd take any advantage he could get.

Joe figured it was pointless, but he started with Tackle. Cyndaquil charged forward at a decent pace. Absol jumped aside. Joe gave command to keep up the pressure.

Cyndaquil landed. Spun on a foot and directed himself at Absol before Absol had even landed. She hit the ground with Cyndaquil closer than expected. She kicked out again, this time her strong legs taking her further. Cyndaquil ran through air. He stopped and turned to face Absol.

"Not bad. Looks like you're going to have to try harder than you expected, huh, Absol?" Joe saw how she took a couple of seconds to think it through. She barked and lowered herself a little. "Good. Training is pointless if you're not taking it seriously. And you need to know the capabilities of your teammates."

Absol's eyes widened just a little before settling back into a stern expression. Joe was right. If Absol took this seriously then they all benefited. This wasn't just about Joe learning to command Cyndaquil in combat.

Joe scratched his cheek. Hoped he wasn't being too preachy. He just assumed Absol wasn't used to having others around that would back her up. She was part of the team too. He wanted Absol to fit in.

Joe turned his thoughts back to battle. Cyndaquil stomped the ground. He was ready to fight. Unfortunately it was cute, not intimidating. Joe opted to use Tackle again. They had a back and forth, with Cyndaquil inching closer and closer to hitting. When Cyndaquil was close enough, Absol started using Quick Attack. Then it truly was impossible for Cyndaquil. That speed was too much for a simple running pace.

Time to change tactics. If close range was out of the question, then it came down to long range. Cyndaquil opened his mouth. Created fire at the back of his throat until he was satisfied with the size and temperature. This took just a moment. He shot a fireball forth using Ember. The idea was to overwhelm. Just one hit against Absol would do. As soon as Cyndaquil used Ember once, Joe told him to use it again. Keep up the pressure. There were three fireballs racing towards Absol at all times. Absol had to use Quick Attack from the start.

Joe thought about strategy. It was a stalemate unless he did something. He got Cyndaquil to fire Ember at greater angles. It forced Absol to cover more distance. Cyndaquil was a stationary turret while Absol was tiring herself out by running around at top speed.

To mess with Absol, Joe got Cyndaquil to mess with timings. Stagger attacks. Feint by changing the target at the very last moment. Five minutes passed. Joe was amazed that Cyndaquil was still going strong. The little fire hedgehog could back up his eagerness with action. He had energy to burn. That was good to know.

Joe paid close attention to Absol. She always moved a certain way. Joe could predict where she would go next. In theory, he could land a hit. He pointed even though Cyndaquil wasn't looking back at him. It was done to spook Absol, and when she briefly stopped at the location Joe pointed to, it indeed shook her.

Another minute passed. Joe started giving more precise orders as Absol tried to mix up her pattern. Joe wanted Cyndaquil to land just one hit. A couple of fireballs got close to Absol. Arguably a hit as they singed the tips of her fur. But it wasn't good enough. Joe wanted a direct hit.

More time passed. Joe timed it in his head. It had to be perfect. Absol was in the center. She moved left. Not as far as Joe expected. That meant she'd go right. She did. That was when Absol made an error. Instead of following her, Joe aimed the complete opposite direction. There were trees in the distance. He lined it up. Ordered Cyndaquil to aim further left, third tree along. Cyndaquil fired, trusting his Trainer. Absol zipped left. Right into Cyndaquil's Ember. She saw the attack, but it was already right in front of her. She couldn't avoid it. Ember struck the long tuft dangling from her neck. Energies collided. The fireball burst, creating a small puff of smoke.

Cyndaquil stopped firing. The smoke was quickly swept away. Both Absol and Cyndaquil were panting heavily. Joe gave a smug grin and Absol returned a wry smile before laying down to catch her breath.

Joe crouched down beside Cyndaquil. Stroked his head. "Good job, buddy. You did well." Hearing that, Cyndaquil let out a squeak and lay down too. The fire on his back sputtered and disappeared. "You both earned a rest."

Joe couldn't ask for better training. Both sides had pushed themselves to the limit. That was what it was all about. During both his working out and his martial arts, Joe knew he couldn't just safely and happily persist with what he was capable of already. He had to push to see if he could do more. Training wasn't meant to be comfortable. If either himself or his Pokemon walked away from training completely fine, no sweat or tiredness, then they hadn't truly put any effort into it.

Joe had to admit, he'd gotten into the battle more than he expected. He assumed he'd treat this as a means to an end. Just training to help people. But he could feel his adrenaline pumping and a smile cross his face as he worked to pinpoint where Absol would appear next. Seeing Cyndaquil land a hit was satisfying not just for the Pokemon but for the Trainer too.

Joe picked up Cyndaquil. Walked over to Absol and sat next to her. Put Cyndaquil on his lap and stroked him. Pat Absol's side a bit too. She barked in response, raising her head. She'd already recovered and was laying there casually, breathing under control. Seeing as he'd stroked two of his three Pokemon, Sprigatito on Joe's shoulder demanded attention too. He gave her some.

Absol was happy Joe understood limitations. She still wasn't sure about having a Trainer, and was especially reluctant to receive his affection. She lay down fully again, chin on her front legs.

It took longer for Cyndaquil to recover, but when he did he started grumbling. Joe peered down. Saw wrinkles around the hedgehog's eyes.

"Hey, what's up?" He picked Cyndaquil up. Held it out in front of him. Cyndaquil looked away.

Rotom, still being a Pokemon, could understand both sides. The floating phone responded to Joe. "He's upset it took so long to land a hit. He feels like a disappointment."

Joe placed Cyndaquil on the ground and stroked his head before sitting up straight. "Training shouldn't be easy, Cyndaquil." The Pokemon refused to look at Joe. "You're still young and have plenty of time to grow. It took ten minutes this time, but you'll improve and it'll show. I guarantee it'll take nine minutes next time, then eight, then seven. No one is strong from the beginning. You need to earn your strength. You'll get there one day, I promise. I'll make you strong."

Cyndaquil finally looked Joe in the eyes. "And you know what? You surprised me. I didn't think you'd last that long. You have stamina. Always use what you have to your advantage. Don't worry about what you can't do. Focus on what you can do."

Wise words from some of Joe's martial arts teachers. Joe was a big guy. He wasn't as flexible as others. He couldn't perform expert techniques. But what he could do was dish out a beating. Boxing ended up being one of Joe's better fighting sports because of this.

"You're going to be a real menace in the future with all that spare energy. Keep that in mind when you train."

Cyndaquil's expression softened and its mouth opened. Seconds passed as he formulated a response, but finally he jumped for joy and full body hugged Joe's leg. Joe smiled and stroked the fire hedgehog. Cyndaquil soon climbed into Joe's lap to rest some more.

Cyndaquil's goal had been to find a human that would be happy to have him. It's why he appeared in the guest room. It's why Cyndaquil had more energy than normal. He'd been putting serious efforts into training at Elm's lab. Cyndaquil had been passed up by a dozen beginner Trainer. He had started to doubt himself. Thought he wasn't worthy of fulfilling the duty he believed he had. But for some reason he recently had a burst of courage. He was determined to make the next person that walked through those doors his Trainer. And that person was Joe. Cyndaquil couldn't have asked for better.

Joe's opinion wasn't unfounded. He's seen a lot of battling both on television and at the Olivine Gym. Jasmine had explained it to him. Pokemon had two energies, and each was limited. Offence and defence. Defence was the reason why attacks from other Pokemon didn't instantly scar. It's something of a shield around the body. It was why moves explode. Two different energies colliding causes a reaction. If defence energy runs out then it puts an immense strain on the body, which usually results in the Pokemon being knocked out.

A Pokemon couldn't exchange one energy for another either. Cyndaquil hadn't taken from his defence energy to stay in the fight. He genuinely stayed in the fight because of his massive offence energy.

In theory, if Cyndaquil evolved into a Typhlosion and used Flamethrower constantly, he'd run out of energy faster. Trainers had to be smart about energy usage. But Cyndaquil might have so much energy that Joe can afford to be reckless and brute force a fight. If Joe was really smart, then the eventual Typhlosion had many tactical paths open to it thanks to the expansive energy.

Joe had more information now. He was doing his job as Trainer. Personally, Joe felt like being agile was a great benefit in a fight. But he wasn't going to force his fighting style onto his Pokemon. He felt that his job as the Trainer was to adapt to what his Pokemon could do. He'd learn how each Pokemon fought and figure out how best to use each individual Pokemon's strengths.

As Joe thought about this, Cyndaquil seemed to have rested enough. He sprung up and landed on the grass. Started poking around. Looked up at Joe's shoulder. At Sprigatito. Cyndaquil started jumping around. He wanted to play with the cat. Sprigatito looked at Joe, unsure.

"Go on, go and play." She was hesitant but hopped onto the field. She looked up at Joe. One thing Rotom had highlighted was the age of Pokemon. Joe knew Sprigatito was young. He felt like he had a daughter going to school for the first time. She didn't know about playing with others. She needed reassurance. "It's fine, I won't go anywhere. You two have fun." He turned to Absol. "I'd say three, but this one's an old grumpy grandma." Absol struck Joe with the tips of her claws. He laughed.

He nodded at Sprigatito. That seemed to be the last nudge she needed. She tepidly walked to Cyndaquil. He started to do odd things like ripping up grass and throwing it about and running after wild Bug-type Pokemon that flew about. Sprigatito quickly adapted and started playing with all her heart. Some teamwork got them close to swatting a bug out of the sky. Sprigatito hopped on Cyndaquil's head. Cyndaquil jumped and then Sprigatito jumped, clawing at the bug before falling back to the ground.

Joe mimicked wiping a tear from an eye. "They grow up so fast, don't they, grandma?"

Absol grumbled and jabbed Joe again. He laughed harder than before as he squirmed away to protect his side. Joe was tempted to tell grandma to have her afternoon nap, but he stopped himself. Couldn't waste all his material at once.

Having been alone for so long, Absol was unsure about her response. Was jabbing Joe okay? Was she going too far? She didn't know how she should act or the boundaries she shouldn't cross. Right now she was acting instinctively. Whenever Joe annoyed her, she had the urge to poke him. She considered her actions. Felt like she should act a certain way. But then it wouldn't be genuine. If Joe didn't like what she was doing then he'd have to tell her. She wouldn't understand otherwise. As for how Absol felt about Joe's antics, she was unsure. It was annoying but it wasn't bad, if that made sense. It didn't make her angry. That was good enough.

Joe turned to Rotom, a more serious expression on his face now. "Hey Rotom." It buzzed about and directed the screen to Joe's face. Something had been bugging him since breakfast. "Do I have a Pokemon in my shadow?"

Rotom zipped around and scanned Joe's shadow. Reported an affirmative. "Yes. A Ghost-type, although I cannot discern the species. The deeper in your shadow, the fainter its energy signature."

Joe wondered if he saw the ghost yesterday. When he first woke up on the riverbank there was a rotund shadow in his sight. He blinked and it disappeared. He originally thought it was a speck of dirt, but maybe it wasn't. The ghost was checking up on him.

The ghost might be the reason why Joe had never befriended a Pokemon long term. Joe almost always cared for small, weak Pokemon. If the ghost had spooked Sprigatito this morning, then it no doubt scared other animals. It also explained why Sprigatito had only just sensed it. Joe had put himself in danger, forcing the ghost to the surface.

Joe assumed, rightly, that Absol smacking his shadow this morning made the hidden Pokemon realise it was scaring Sprigatito. That's why it had dug deeper. "Absol, is the ghost in my shadow a threat?"

Absol sat up. Looked at Joe's shadow. Shook her head.

The gears began to turn. There was a chance the ghost was unrelated, but he had a feeling it was connected. Ever since his mother was stern in her refusal of helping Joe with his brainwashing, he had speculated family was involved. The ghost confirmed it. Joe's grandmother was a Ghost-type specialist. The Pokemon in Joe's shadow was there to keep him safe. Joe's grandmother could be grumpy, but she cared.

She wasn't actually his grandmother, but it's what Joe saw her as. To be specific, she was a great-aunt. The sister of his actual grandmother.

Joe thought back to his family. Mainly his mother. She was the most doting, overprotective parent imaginable. Yet she wouldn't help her son in this one aspect. Why? Because the family knew or they were responsible for the brainwashing.

Well, since there was no pushback now, it was less brainwashing and more memory sealing.

Wait, that had to be it. This was about memories. Something he'd seen? Something he'd done? Joe wouldn't be surprised if his desire to help others had backfired. Maybe he'd gotten seriously hurt and his family, for the sake of protecting Joe, sealed his near-death experience. Believed he didn't need to remember a traumatic experience like that. But it also took good memories. Joe assumed anything slightly linked to the event. His school years with friends were gone. He didn't remember much growing up with family. He'd like those memories back. He was an adult now. He could handle the bad with the good.

Joe fell back, arms behind his head. He had little to work with. Family was involved in some way. They wouldn't help before, so he doubted they'd help now even if he confronted them about his ideas. Joe had to figure this out himself. But he lacked direction.

Joe wanted to rest, but there was something else nagging him. Ho-oh. What exactly had it done to him to free him? He had a feeling they were linked.

He also had the feeling he'd make a good scientist. He was curious. Liked knowing how things worked. Liked asking questions. So that's what he did. Asked questions.

"Hey Rotom, what kinds of powers from Pokemon can be helpful to people?"

Rotom buzzed about. "Unknown. Not enough information." Joe explained the situation and how he felt. "Evidence suggests Aura. The soul of humans. It is a unique, mouldable energy that appears to be on the same wavelength as the energies of Pokemon types."

So the memory sealing was supernatural. Done by a Pokemon. Joe appreciated knowing his Aura was fighting back against the power that had been used on him. He silently thanked Ho-oh for the boost to his Aura.

Absol listened the entire time. It sounded like her Trainer had a problem to solve. She'd help however she could, but she witnessed the light in his eyes. He seemed to be figuring it out himself.

Joe finally closed his eyes for a moment as he lay on the grass. Needed room to breathe. Once Joe's brain received a reset, he pulled his phone out. Went over the PokeDex. Committed as much to memory as he could. He'd spend more time on it in the future. For now, he just wanted to be ready for tonight. He primarily looked at Absol since she was his main fighting force, and he'd already learned what Cyndaquil could do.

Joe lay back down. Thought about Absol's PokeDex entry. Went over it again and again until the two young ones came up to Joe. Started poking and prodding him. He sat up. He was going to ask what they wanted when he heard it. Their stomachs were growling.

"All right, lunch time." Joe grabbed Cyndaquil and reached an arm out so Sprigatito could climb up to her perch. Absol rose beside him. "Oh, right." He reached for a pocket. Brought a Pokeball out. Held it out to Absol. "Do you mind being caught? Just to keep us out of trouble. Being wild means anyone can try to claim you or cities can push you out. And it doesn't tie you to me permanently. You can leave whenever you want."

Absol eyed the ball. Thought about it. The ball could be broken at any time, releasing Absol. So sure. For now she'd be caught by Joe. If anything changed and they went their separate ways then there would be no problems. She trusted Joe to accept her leaving. She nodded and barked. Joe grinned and moved the ball to her. Absol hit the button with a paw. Turned into blue energy and went inside. Just like Sprigatito, she immediately came back out. Joe pocketed the ball. Nodded in satisfaction.

"Glad to have you."

The group walked into town. Ate at a nice restaurant. Had their energy restored at a PokeCenter. Joe put his Pokemon away. Pokeballs were useful storage devices for tight areas. He went into a different clothes store compared to yesterday. Found more clothes his size. Went to the counter. His face lit up. Behind the retail worker, he spotted a bottle of his favourite cologne. Aqua Denims. His previous bottle was somewhere on Mt. Silver, never to be seen again. He needed that new bottle.

Satisfied with his cologne, Joe went to a PokeMart and grabbed a Pokeball holster. He had six Pokeballs in a pocket. He could see it being difficult to grab the right one in times of crisis. He left. Clipped the holster to the back of his belt, under his jacket.

Joe still held off on buying new equipment. He didn't know where he was going next. Assumed he was staying in Johto for Raikou, but the Beast could appear anywhere on the Triangle. Even if he wanted to go to Kanto, the ferry was out for a couple of days due to Ho-oh's appearance. Customer safety was the company's priority.

Now that Joe paid attention, he was seeing a lot of people with Pokemon. Small ones on shoulders or medium-sized animals walking beside people. The only thing Joe didn't see were massive animals like Steelix. Obviously. They were a bit too big for town.

Joe offloaded his new clothes at the hotel. Went for a walk. Found a park nearby. A lot of trees and a pond in the center. He walked around the pond. Watched Ducklett and Swanna land. Moved on.

The sun was setting. His phone dinged. Joe reached for his pocket, but Rotom flew out and put itself in front of Joe. That was going to take some time to get used to. He looked. A text from Amelia. An address. It was go time.

 

[Orderneri]

13: Target Acquired​

Rotom put the address Amelia had sent into a map. It was a few streets away from the warehouse, overlooking the entrance. It was further away than Joe expected, but after some thinking he figured it was the right choice. The further away Amelia was, the safer she was. It was better to use binoculars to spy on a foe than to get too close.

Joe texted back. Said he was on his way. Passed by a food place with order to go. Joe didn't know how long they'd be waiting to raid the warehouse, and he'd like to act on a full stomach. He texted Amelia. Asked if she wanted anything. She gave him an order.

He arrived with food. He looked around, mildly confused. Across the road was a normal corner store. He saw movement. Upstairs window. Vertical slats of blinds moved. Green eyes looked at Joe. He went inside. There was a teen girl behind the counter. A door to the girl's left burst open and hit the wall. The girl jumped out of her skin. Amelia appeared with a smile.

"This way, Joe." She said, gesturing to herself. Ushered Joe to the back.

Joe apologised to the girl as he walked into the staff area. They went around a corner and up stairs. The staircase was thin and narrow and sounded like it would collapse under Joe's weight. All the while Amelia's rear swished about in front of him. It was bigger than he first thought. He did his best not to look, but there was something captivating about the way women rolled their hips as they walked.

They moved down a hallway and into a dingy room with dust floating in the air. There was little light. Joe understood. He'd seen detective movies. When surveying a location, the detective had to keep a low profile. That meant no lights that would suggest a room was being used when it usually shouldn't be.

"Pumpkaboo, if you don't mind."

The place got a little brighter. Joe saw a table in the middle of the room. Atop it was this Pumpkaboo Pokemon. Short and round. Bottom half orange, top half brown. Its face looked like it was engulfed by thick brown hair.

Amelia grinned. Smacked a whiteboard with pictures plastered all over it. Pumpkaboo turned to the board with a playful hop, two circles on its belly letting out beams like headlights from a car.

"Well then, let's get down to business."

Joe observed the board as he placed food on the table and sat down. Pictures of Pokemon being escorted into the warehouse. Timestamps pinned to them, poorly written like they were done in a rush after a brief glance at a watch.

Amelia waited for Absol to sit before she started. "You know most of it already. Pokemon are held at this warehouse longer than the law allows and I'm certain the people operating the warehouse are part of a gang."

Joe nodded. Knew there was more to this than just transporting Pokemon. Gangs weren't known for being law-abiding citizens. If they commit one crime, they might as well commit a few more.

"This gang in particular seems to be taking rare Pokemon from both the wild and stealing them from people. They sell for a good price on the black market, so this whole thing is textbook smuggling. Get them to another country and sell them."

Joe began tapping a foot against the wooden floor to try and calm himself. He didn't like the sound of that. "Just to be sure, how certain are you that this is a gang and not a totally innocent company transporting Pokemon normally?"

"Very. In fact, I undersold it. That big guy you almost fought? A while ago he appeared in a gang in Kanto. But now he's here, with a different gang. Do you know why?"

Joe considered it. Tried to remember the word. A group of gangs working to achieve the same goal while staying somewhat disconnected. "A syndicate?"

"Yep." She gave a toothy grin. "They messed up sending this guy, it connects them. Now we know this small-time gang is part of something bigger. But…" She let out a heavy sigh. "...You remember the detective? He said that if these people are part of Rocket Syndicate, then we've got a big problem. They're heavily compartmentalised. No one can pinpoint their headquarters even though police have raided multiple bases. Low level thugs can't tell the police what they don't know, and they have no clue where HQ is. So, while we'll be helping free some Pokemon, it'll lead nowhere. No big fish at the end of the line, so to speak."

"Wait, go back. Rocket Syndicate?" Joe asked.

"Ah, right. They're not known here in Johto yet. Most gangs in Kanto seem to be united by one leader and became one group. Rocket Syndicate. They made themselves known a few months ago, mainly through odd jobs like stealing paintings, but they go after Pokemon when they can. The warehouse we're about to deal with is one of few operations outside the country."

Joe wasn't getting that holiday anytime soon. Joe and Absol looked at each other briefly. They knew what they were doing next. Fighting crime in Kanto. Sounded like good training too. Joe had no idea where Raikou would appear, so he'd just have to hope he was roughly in the right place at the right time.

He thought about it some more. Joe watched the news but hadn't heard of any other criminal organisations. Rocket Syndicate sounded like the only big group in the area. Maybe big and strong enough to control a Legendary Pokemon. It worked for Joe. The simplest answer was usually the correct one. He'd bet on it.

If Joe was wrong then there wasn't much he could do about it. Couldn't be in two places at once. He had to trust others. Joe wasn't the only do-gooder out there. Detectives. Subjugators. Macro Cosmos employees. Other independents like Joe. He might wake up tomorrow and hear that someone else had saved Raikou. The same could be said for Rocket Syndicate. No doubt there were detectives on the case. If they couldn't find Rocket HQ then Joe didn't stand a chance.

Joe would act based on the idea that he would be the one to save Raikou and stop Rocket Syndicate though. It'd push him to try his best. But the best-case scenario was someone solving these problems sooner.

"I just had a bad feeling." Amelia pointed to the two of them. "You're not thinking of fighting Rocket Syndicate, are you?"

"I can't think of anything else to do." Joe nodded.

Amelia sighed. Put a hand on her forehead and scrunched it. "Whatever. That's your problem, not mine. A syndicate is too big for my liking. I'm not prepared for that sort of trouble. I'll stick to dealing with small gangs."

"Size doesn't matter. You're dealing with bad guys all the same. Cleaning up the world." Joe was a firm believer of people understanding their limits. Going after a syndicate sounded dangerous. Amelia was right to stay away. If Joe had any sense, he'd stay away too. "I'm sure you've done good work and will continue to do good work."

"...I appreciate that. Sometimes it's a thankless job, you know? I've gotten multiple gangs arrested but I do work like this." She gestured to the room. "Working in the shadows, gathering information."

Joe understood. Working for a detective didn't involve thanks. People were doing their jobs. Nothing more, nothing less. But the occasional thank you went a long way.

"That's why I became a reporter too. I think if more people know what's happening in the world, the efforts of people like you and me can be recognised. I can't say I'm a good writer, but I'm doing what I can." Amelia shrugged. Moved to the table and rummaged around in a paper bag.

Joe wasn't hungry, but he decided to eat now to get it out of the way. During this time, Joe and Amelia spoke about life in general. Where Amelia came from and how she reached this point. Amelia was from a country called Unova. A Pokemon had been stolen in front of her eyes, so she had a particular dislike of the black market where rare Pokemon were sold to the highest bidder. She had been young and couldn't do anything about it, but someone the size of Joe stepped in and saved the day.

People called him Nomad. Tales of the Nomad stretched far and wide. No one knew his name. He never gave it. After helping someone he'd just grab his bag, sling it over a shoulder and keep walking. Sightings of him still occurred to this day.

"From that moment I knew what I had to do. Injustices need to be dealt with." She took a big bite out of a burger. "What about you? What made you want to fight crime?"

Joe thought about it. "It's the right thing to do."

"That's it? No great story? No personal investment?"

"Well, actually…" Joe spun a grand tale of. He once witnessed another Pokemon world be destroyed and he couldn't do anything about it. The universe took pity on Joe and so he was brought to this Pokemon world. He could at least save this one.

If Joe had to be honest, his reasons went back to an earlier point. Amelia appreciating a thank you. It felt good to be needed. People needed help and Joe could help. It gave him a purpose.

Amelia laughed. "That's got to be the plot of a cheesy movie." She enjoyed talking with Joe. He knew to be serious when necessary, but he could play around. Her immediate impression of Joe had been a negative one. Just another brute causing trouble, but he just so happened to clash with the right people which made him an ally. But no, Joe had a genuine heart of gold.

They cleaned up and Amelia went back to the board. Smacked it once again. "So, the plan. We're breaking in."

"Isn't that illegal?" Joe wasn't complaining. A bit of operating in the grey. Committing a crime to save others. If it benefited people or Pokemon then Joe would do it.

"It won't be. We'll be operating with the best interest of victims in mind. That means basic crimes like breaking and entering or trespassing are ignored."

Now that he thought about it, Joe had heard something like that before. Police could do it. If they saw a problem through a window of private property, they were allowed to break in if necessary. All for the wellbeing of a victim. Apparently this courtesy also extended to civilians. That was good to know. Joe could play vigilante. He finally remembered. Just cause. Having a justified reason to act for others.

Amelia continued. "So what we're going to do is enter through the back door, so to speak. I had one of my Pokemon damage the fence. Enemy guards patrol every twenty minutes, so it should be easy to enough to enter between patrols. Once inside, we'll start freeing Pokemon from cages and escorting them off the premises."

Joe was more than okay with this. He wanted to act right now. But a thought occurred to him. "Why are we the ones doing this?"

Amelia sighed. "My contact, ah, his codename is Looker, is part of the World Police. He's fighting crime in loads of countries so he's usually busy. He's worried he won't make it in time. On top of that, he can't always get others to act. Local police aren't part of the World Police and don't always like a higher power coming in and controlling them. If we take evidence to the local police, how long do you think it'll take them to act? This crime isn't a priority. 'Oh no, a company left Pokemon in cages for two minutes longer than they're legally allowed. What a terrible crime.'" She began biting the nail of her thumb. "I'm worried that if we go to local police and this gang catches wind before anyone does anything, they'll move the Pokemon. That causes more trouble for us." Amelia realised she hadn't fully answered the question. "Basically, we have permission from a detective, and I don't trust anyone else to do this."

"Roger." Joe replied. Joe didn't need the intense justification. He was going to do it regardless of what Amelia said. Joe liked rules and order, but sometimes some needed to be broken for the sake of others. It was good to know Amelia was the same. "So when do we strike?"

Amelia looked at her watch. "Now."

Time flew. Joe rose and looked through the blinds. It was indeed nighttime. Maybe it was the boyish urge within him, but he wondered if Amelia had any face masks or dark face paint to further help them blend in.

They left, Amelia once again scaring the girl at the counter and Joe apologising to her. They gave the warehouse a wide birth so they weren't spotted. Walked through streets, buildings hiding them. They arrived at the back of the warehouse. They could see it around a corner. Amelia held Joe back. Waited for a guard to walk out of sight. Then they approached.

Amelia pointed at one section of the wire fence and they crept to it. She held a hand out near the fence and a little yellow spider hopped to her palm. It fit perfectly in her hand. Joltik. It had been left here to bite through the fence and avoid detection. Joltik had done a fine job. It crawled up Amelia's arm and nestled itself in her hair. The species liked static and sometimes women with long hair could generate a buzz.

Joe moved to the fence Amelia had indicated. Pulled the corner up slowly so it didn't make too much noise. Amelia and Absol crouched through, the latter's horn almost getting caught on the fence. Joe stepped through and let the fence down gently.

Joe's senses were put on high alert. The hair on the back of his neck rose. Awareness that he was trespassing and should keep an eye out for trouble.

They moved to a metal wall. Reached a door with light shining out of a square window. They peered inside. Sure enough, rows of Pokemon in cages. All shapes and sizes. No sign the Pokemon were going to be moved. Some of the bigger Pokemon were bashing against the bars. Why were they trying to use raw strength? Even small species could pack a punch. Use a move that would devastate metal. There had to be some sort of energy dampening system.

Amelia pulled out what looked like a purse. She opened it. It now reminded Joe of a compact toolkit. That's pretty much what it was. Amelia pulled out two items with a hand and put the pack away. A thin metal rod and a screwdriver. She inserted both into the lock and began moving them. A woman of many talents. Joe hadn't expected to see lockpicking with his own two eyes.

It took over a minute, but Amelia eventually unlocked the door. They went inside. Bulbs on long dangling wires lit the warehouse.

"You take the right, I'll go left." Amelia pointed Joe to the first cage and moved to her own.

Joe followed orders. Crouched in front of a small cage. A little white bug was inside. It had dull ice spikes across most of its body. It trembled at the sight of the giant. It sunk as far into the cage as it could.

Joe couldn't pick locks. As he considered how to quietly and safely free the Pokemon, he looked around the cage. It was a box of thick metal except the front which was a door of bars instead. The single hinge keeping the door in place was old and worn out. Joe reached around the back. Felt a small cube. Peered over the box. The cube at the back had a green LED light. An energy dampener. Not like Joe knew what one looked like. He just couldn't think of another reason for there to be a device attached to the cages.

Joe didn't have many options. "Absol, break the padlock. I'll catch it so it doesn't hit the ground." The floor was concrete. He held a hand underneath the lock and Absol raised a paw. She slashed at an angle and the metal was cut into chunks. Joe caught it. Placed it on the floor gently. Opened the door. Reached a hand inside. "Come on, it's okay. We're here to help."

Absol looked at her paw. The tips of her claws. A strange sensation had assaulted her as she slashed the lock. The effect of the energy dampener leaked beyond the cage. The weird sensation was energy being channelled back into her claws.

It took a moment, but the little Pokemon realised it was being freed and crawled out. Joe moved his hand. Let the animal walk on the ground. He moved onto the next one. Repeated freeing a dozen Pokemon. The amount was increasing from Amelia's side too. They'd freed at least thirty together. The bigger Pokemon were antsy. Ready to start a fight. Amelia and Joe had barely managed to calm them. Said they didn't want the group to split up just in case. Said the group wasn't leaving until everyone was saved. The bigger Pokemon calmed down, agreeing that everyone needed to be saved.

Joe reached another small cage. Another white Pokemon, but this one stood on two legs. It had a green head, or maybe it was hair. Looked like a bowl cut. It had red horns atop its head. One up front, one facing the back. Joe felt it was vaguely familiar, but the features were wrong. He'd probably seen an evolution at some point.

"Human, it's dangerous here."

Joe perked up. Looked around. It wasn't an echo. More like his internal monologue had been hijacked. He was hearing a very clear voice in his head, but they weren't his thoughts. He must be going mad.

"In front of you."

He turned to the small white Pokemon. "You can talk?"

It nodded. Sounded like a young girl. "You're in danger."

Joe felt a chill run down his back. He put one hand on the corner of the cage. Grabbed a bar with the other. Strained. Pulled with all his strength. The singular hinge cracked and buckled. The door flew off. He let the cage door fly off and clatter to the ground as he swiped the Pokemon inside. Kicked the ground to jump back. Absol moved with him.

The wall of the warehouse behind the white Pokemon's cage was torn open. A big orange and black leg came in, a hefty paw crushing the cage.

If Joe had been any slower then the animal in his arms would've been seriously hurt. The energy dampener probably cut off defence energy too. A lack of an energy shield was how Pokemon got permanent injuries and scars.

The attacker, Joe identified as an Arcanine, had burst through the metal wall. Half its body was inside. Big front legs. Head surrounded by beige fur. A muzzle that opened to reveal embers. The embers grew into a great Flamethrower. The fire was aimed at Joe.

"Absol! Ice beam!" Joe realised his mistake fast, but the damage was done. Only seconds passed from the moment he sensed danger to the moment he commanded Absol. It could be difficult to make the right choice when the brain had limited time.

Joe's impression of Absol was based on the meadow of ice when he went back to save her from Raikou. An instinct he'd need to change. Jasmine had spoken at great length about type matchups. Joe should know better, but applying the information years after hearing it wasn't optimal in this situation.

Absol reacted automatically to the command. She wanted to be part of the team so she listened without thinking. Channelling the energy was instinctual. An orb of ice spawned in front of Absol's mouth. Arcs of frozen water flew towards Arcanine. They were engulfed by fire and melted. From the side, lanky shadow arms grabbed Arcanine's head and closed its fire-breathing mouth. The flames that had escaped struck concrete as Absol jumped.

Pumpkaboo came barrelling in, using its entire body to smash into Arcanine's head using Shadow Sneak. Arcanine's head snapped to the side and Pumpkaboo, also affected by recoil, went spinning through the air.

Sensing trouble, Rotom came out. Hovered in Joe's field of view and showed him what Absol could do. He'd memorised this information earlier, but Rotom helped Joe refocus and act correctly.

Joe picked a move inspired by the inky shadows he'd just seen. Absol's front right paw was engulfed by dark energy. Absol jumped forward and used Night Slash. Hit Arcanine in the temple and sent it skidding back. Absol landed outside and Joe followed through the hole. The little white Pokemon held on tightly to the torso of Joe's shirt.

Pumpkaboo righted itself, shook its body and flew over to Amelia. She grabbed it. Held it in both hands. Pumpkaboo looked up with a worried expression. Amelia was shaking a little. She retaliated to help Joe but now it seemed like he could handle the fight. That was for the best. There was a reason she snuck about. Who wouldn't be scared when a giant seven-foot man was their foe? Amelia forced herself to move. She left the building. Stood behind Joe and watched.

Absol kept low and growled deeply while Arcanine barked. Behind Arcanine was Caveman. Should've known it'd be him. Joe stood tall. Squared his shoulders as he walked alongside Absol. Wanted to be ready. For some reason he thought a fight between people could occur. Caveman met his eyes. They glared at each other while circling.

Absol moved first under Joe's order. Her horn glowed pink and she launched an arc. Psycho Cut. It sailed through the air and hit nothing. Absol rushed in with Quick Attack as Arcanine opened its mouth and wrapped fangs in flames. Absol ducked and fired off a point-blank Shadow Ball. No travel time meant it hit instantly. Right in the neck.

Smoke scattered as Arcanine backed off. Roared. Summoned gold stars across the air around itself. Swift. The stars flew at Absol. She used Rock Slide to grab chunks of the ground around her and threw them forward. The two moves, a dozen strong on each side, clashed and created a series of explosions that lit up the area.

Flamethrower came through the smoke. Struck Absol. She barked loudly and jumped back, shaking soot lightly off her fur. Growled. It was a lucky strike. Neither side could see through the smoke. That gave Joe an idea.

Absol took chunks out of the ground again with Rock Slide. The rocks floated further into the air. Absol ran along them. Over the smoke. By the time she was spotted in the dark, she had the advantage. Arcanine turned, about to use Flamethrower again. It opened its mouth as fire built at the back of its throat. And then it received a Stone Edge pillar to the chin. Arcanine's jaw clamped shut.

Absol pounced with immense speed. Wrapped a paw in dark energy, cancelling Quick Attack. Pokemon could not use multiple types of offence energy at the same time. It was one or the other. Absol struck Arcanine hard in the head. Took it down to the ground. Cracked the ground and kicked up dust.

Absol jumped multiple times until she was near Joe. The dust cleared. Caveman saw the state of Arcanine. It was knocked out. Caveman returned Arcanine to its ball. Joe let out his breath. Didn't realise he'd been holding it.

"Useless."

Joe waited for more. Nothing came. "As talkative as ever." Joe commented. Joe waited for another Pokemon on the enemy team.

Absol further retreated to Joe's side. She had a bad feeling and started a low grumble. Caveman put the ball in a pocket. Joe grinned smugly. As he thought, Caveman was too big for his own good. Couldn't reach a Pokeball holster on the back of his belt.

Caveman flexed his fingers. Curled them into fists. Walked forward. Joe internally sighed. So it really did come down to this. Absol's grumble turned into a deep growl. She felt like this might happen. Absol didn't want to, but she could and would incapacitate a person if necessary. She raised a paw to walk. Joe stuck a hand out in front of her. Put the little white Pokemon on her back.

"I'm not going to use a Pokemon against people." Joe stepped forward to meet Caveman. He was calm. That came from experience. In a weird way, Joe appreciated the chance to brawl. This didn't happen often. Joe wanted to make sure he was still up to par. "This one's my fight."

 

[Orderneri]

14: Battle of the Beefcakes​

Caveman threw the first punch. Joe ducked it and sent a couple quick jabs into the behemoth's side. Aimed for the liver. It was an easy way to take someone down. But Joe recoiled instead. It was like punching a brick wall.

Joe tried to step back. Caveman swung his outstretched arm aside, throwing Joe into the wall of the warehouse. Joe bounced off metal. Landed on his feet. Saw a fist coming right for his face. Twisted and rolled as Caveman's fist dented metal. As Joe suspected, this guy would deal some serious damage. One hit to the head would take Joe out.

If his foe's size matched Joe's, then Joe would be able to take some hits. A big part of boxing was anticipation. Rolling with the punches to lessen their damage. But Joe couldn't do that against Caveman. There was a reason boxing had weight classes. Caveman hit like a truck. Hit the head hard enough and the brain rattles. Hits the skull. Shuts down. One hit knock outs are very real and very dangerous.

Caring less about the danger, Joe would just be embarrassed if he went down so easily. Joe had a responsibility to win. If he was knocked out then criminals would leave to commit crimes another day and some of the Pokemon might be recaptured, shipped off, and sold.

Joe ducked another punch. Repelled one with an arm. Sidestepped to dodge. Tried a few more times to strike at weak points like the liver. The chin. Nothing was working as well as Joe hoped. He had one last shot. The legs. The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Another punch struck Joe's arm. It was going numb. Joe was going to be hurting in the morning.

Amelia watched from the sidelines. People were supposed to settle disputes via Pokemon battles. They had done so for who knew how many thousands of years. But she'd witnessed Nomad personally fight too. People trained in martial arts. There were fighting sports like boxing. The military existed too. Genuine fights between people were rare in the civilian world.

Joe was on the back foot the entire time, just taking hits and feeling his arms failing him. He needed to gain an advantage. Before Joe could lash out against Caveman's legs with a strong kick to the knee, a hefty uppercut came his way. Joe defended with both arms and was lifted off his feet. He fell back into the lamppost by the guard shack at the entrance. The black pole succumbed to Joe's full weight. Went down with him as wires inside the pole sparked. The light went out. Joe landed on his back. He heard the lamppost clatter nearby.

Caveman had been staring at the light, so his vision was shot for a few seconds. Joe had enough time. Joe reached back for the lamppost. Missed. Grabbed again. Felt metal. He rose and brought the pole with him. The tip went above Joe's head and smashed into Caveman's face. Glass shattered and gave Caveman a few minor cuts. Joe angled the pole and moved to the side. He jammed it between Caveman's legs. Leveraged one way. Caveman toppled.

Joe had two options. His martial arts trainer mentioned that taking an ankle out would stop someone, but Joe felt like Caveman had too much muscle and meat. So it was option two. Rattle the brain. Joe hoped one more hit to the head would be enough.

Joe used both hands to raise the makeshift weapon. Swung full power. As the lamppost fell, flood lights lit the area up. Blinded Joe. He stopped swinging. Heard a lot of shouting. Looked through squinted eyes. Caveman had a hand raised to grab the pole. Caveman would've grabbed the post. Yanked it from Joe's grip and restarted the fight. Joe didn't know how he'd win after that. Amelia would've been right to bet against Joe.

Joe's eyes adjusted. Everything came into focus. It was the police. He'd been too caught up in the fight to hear them approach. They were yelling at him to stop. Some had hands on holsters. Some pointed tasers at Joe. Pokemon of various shapes and sizes stood by their Trainers, barking and growling.

Absol rushed in. Began barking back. Looked around at the Pokemon that surrounded her Trainer. Joe tossed the lamppost aside. Heard it clatter. Put his hands up in surrender. Worked to get his breathing under control. Fights had a way of winding people.

"Absol, it's fine. Calm down."

Joe had no desire to fight the police. The officers seemed competent. They stood ten feet away so he couldn't easily get to them. The ones with their hands on holsters were opposite ones with tasers pointed at Joe. And they were slightly offset. Not perfectly opposite each other. If Joe moved, they weren't going to tase their teammates by accident.

Joe knew of these tasers. Don't ask how. They were bulky things. They had to be. There was a Pokemon called Pincurchin. It naturally shed its pins. Said pins retained electrical charges. Police forces around the world looked after hordes of Pincurchin. Treated them well. Collected the shed pins over time.

Parts of Pokemon that still held power were called Remnants. The cannon from a Blastoise to fire high pressure water. The gauntlet from a Ceruledge that could create a sword. The cape from an Oranguru to create a psychic shield. Remnants retained their original owner's powers to some degree.

Amelia came running in, waving her hands. "Wait, wait! He's with me!"

A man wearing a brown trench coat stepped into the circle of officers after Amelia. Put a hand on a coworker's taser. Lowered it. "There's no need for that now." He looked to Joe. Didn't expect to see the young man here. But then again, Joe always barged into other people's problems.

"Detective Looker." Looker pulled out a wallet. Dropped one side to reveal a badge. It was an automatic response from decades as a detective. "Amelia told me what happened. This giant threw the first punch, and you acted to protect everyone here. Is she correct?"

Joe lowered his arms. Could feel the fizz of adrenaline starting to wear off. Nodded. "Yes, sir." Couldn't disguise a faint grin. "I let him act first."

Looker returned the smirk. "Well then that's settled. It was just self-defence. We have much more pressing matters to attend to."

As it should be. Joe believed in the absolute right of self-defence. People had a right to not be harmed. Joe would fight back. He didn't mind having to harm a criminal. This could've been avoided if the criminal had been a better person. Karma. Simple as.

Looker barked orders. Officers came in and handcuffed Caveman. Took him away. Went into the warehouse and started freeing Pokemon. Catalogued the species. Compared them to records of stolen pets from nearby towns and villages.

Joe knelt to meet Absol. Used his big hands to ruffle Absol's fur. He brushed her chest tuft and reached around to her sides. Dusted the soot off her. He grabbed her face with both hands and scrubbed. Absol's cheeks scrunched under Joe's grip and her eyebrows flared. This was the limit. Absol headbutt Joe. Joe laughed and stood.

The little white Pokemon reached up to Joe. Wanted to be picked up. He obliged. Cradled it in his arms. He just now noticed how absurdly light the little white Pokemon was. And it was soft to touch. Felt, and in a way looked, like it was wearing loose-fitting clothes.

Amelia punched his arm. "You're a big softie, huh? Thanks for the help, Joe."

"Anytime. I know if I see you again then there's trouble around."

Amelia scoffed. "You're not wrong. Maybe I'll call you in if I ever run into a meathead that needs a beating."

She was calling Joe a brute that spoke with his fists. He couldn't deny it. It was the warrior blood coursing through his veins. He was built for fighting and he had a desire to protect his tribe.

Looker stood before Joe. He put a hand out. Joe shook it. "Amelia told me what happened. You're a civilian. You didn't need to assist. You have my thanks."

"Just doing what I can, sir."

"Drop the sir. No need for it." Looker nodded at the Pokemon in Joe's arms. "As if we needed any other reason to trust you. Ralts are good judges of character."

So that's what it was. Joe looked down. Poked Ralts' cheek. It cried out happily. "Ralts was in the warehouse with the others. You'll need to check if it had a Trainer too."

Looker nodded. Called in someone that held a tablet. Checked through a list. No Ralts. "There are no reports of one. Ralts may be wild."

"Yes, I lived in a forest."

Looker took a moment to compose himself. It wasn't everyday a Pokemon spoke to him telepathically. That explained why it was here, though. A Ralts with Telepathy was rare. It would sell for good money on the black market.

"Okay, so you're a wild Pokemon. We'll return you to your home."

"No." Ralts clambered up Joe's jacket. Sat on his shoulder. Hugged his head. "I will go with Joe."

"I see…" Looker put a hand to his chin. Accepted this answer.

The Ralts species lived along forest edges or on plains near human civilisation because they had bonded to humans. This one was young. It didn't understand the emotions of others properly. It had been fooled by Rocket into revealing its Telepathy Ability. A rare power that would sell well. Ralts now used criminals as a basis to compare to Joe and saw Joe was the one with the genuinely good emotions.

"If that's what you want then we'll check you off the list."

Ralts nodded. It could only enter the mind of one person at a time so relayed its desire to Joe through the young girlish voice Joe had heard before. Ralts gently gripped the giant's hair. Waddled around to stand on the collar of his jacket. Put its arms around Joe's head. Puts its chin on his hair. Joe reached up. Scratched the Pokemon's head. It let out a happy squeal and rubbed its cheek across Joe's hair. Joe had earned the favour of another young Pokemon. It put into perspective that he really was raising children.

Looker remained in his thinking pose, considering something. A way to support Joe. He knew Joe would keep involving himself in the problems of others. He'd known Joe for fifteen years and had bailed the boy out of trouble countless times.

Joe noticed the continued thinking of the detective. "Is there a problem?"

"No, no. I just had a thought." Looker looked Joe in the eyes. Looker was a smaller man, five-feet eight-inches. "I have a proposal for you, young man."

"Oh nice, yeah that's a good idea." Amelia knew what Looker was thinking. She was part of it. Joe clearly wanted to help so he was a perfect fit.

"It is, isn't it?" Looker responded. Pointed to Joe's pocket. "Can I borrow your phone for a moment please?"

"Rotom." Joe called. The phone flew from the back of Absol's neck. It didn't have a chance to return to Joe's pocket between Absol's fight ending and Joe's beginning.

"Ah, one of those RotoPhones." Looker gestured for it to come to him. Once it was close enough he gently swiped it. Started tapping. Started explaining. "So you don't have it. There's an app called Nomads. Inspired by-"

"I already told him that part." Amelia interjected.

Looker fast-forwarded a little. "Right. Nomad. He helped a very wealthy man about a year ago. That wealthy man was so enamoured by the idea of Nomad that he created this application. It allows people to post jobs, and for do-gooders such as yourself to find employment." Looker finished tapping. Let Rotom go. Watched it fly to Joe and show the giant the application. "I've used myself as a reference which gives you a good standing by default. I'm trusting you won't abuse this privilege."

Joe gave a mock salute. Raised his hand to his forehead. Palm flat and facing the ground. Ralts mimicked Joe. "I won't let you down, sir."

Looker nodded. "I have no doubt you're a good candidate for Nomads. There are always people that need help. Nomads helps fill gaps. Like today. We may have been late, but you and Amelia bought us enough time. If you see a problem and you can deal with it, you should."

Joe loved the idea. Over the years, he'd gained the ability to know someone in distress when he saw them. Joe knew when he was needed. But what if he couldn't see troubled people? Cities were big places. How many millions of people had Joe never encountered in Olivine? How many of those people needed help and Joe wasn't there to provide? Nomads sounded like it partially solved that problem.

Joe couldn't wait to look at the app. But it was getting late. Ralts yawned. Slumped onto Joe's shoulder. He reached up. Picked up the Pokemon. Cradled it in his arms. Ralts smiled with closed eyes and within moments was asleep.

"One last thing. Police will pay you for jobs like this." Looker gestured at the warehouse. "You did good and should be rewarded. Part of the police budget every year is for civilians that help us. Independents are something of a community service. We want to be on your good side, so we pay you."

"Back in Unova you'd be granted the role of deputy." Amelia chimed in. "A low rank in the police that's given to trusted civilians. Nomads is basically the same thing. You have permission to kick some ass."

It wouldn't be the first time Joe had been paid for his good deeds. He'd received a reward from Macro Cosmos, the company that ran the Gym Challenge and the League, for what he did for Jasmine. And that bird he rushed into the road to save? Every month or so it left trinkets on Joe's apartment balcony. Joe would receive good food from the elderly for tasks like mowing their lawn or shopping for them.

At first, Joe was hesitant to receive payment for what he felt was the natural and right thing to do, but his mother had explained it to him. The world was about give and take. Joe shouldn't just give. He had earned the right to take. Beyond that, people had their pride. Refusal of a reward was an insult. They were serious about giving back. Joe just needed to accept it and move on. Paying for a job well done was a way of people showing they were serious about needing help and being thankful.

"I appreciate the opportunity. I won't let you down." Joe stood up just a little straighter.

Looker nodded. "Well, I believe we've kept you long enough. You're free to leave, Joe."

Amelia put a hand out. Joe shook it. "Until next time."

"See you later, boss." Joe took a few steps. Turned. "You have my number. If you ever bite off more than you can chew, just call. I'll be there."

Amelia looked at Joe, surprised. She smiled. She appreciated it, but the impact was lessened with the big guy cradling a young, sleeping Ralts in his arms. "If you really are going to fight Rocket Syndicate then you've already got your hands full."

Joe shrugged. "It doesn't matter. If someone needs me, I can always make time for them."

Joe continued on his way. Left the area. When Looker was sure Joe was gone, he let out a deep sigh. Pinched the bridge of his nose. Looker was sure his poker face slipped at some point, but if Joe noticed, he didn't draw attention to it. That was good. Looker never knew how to handle Joe. Looker didn't want to lie to Joe any more than he already had. Looker was already approaching fifty. It was a miracle his hair hadn't turned white from the stress of dealing with Joe's family.

Amelia noticed. "Something wrong?"

Looker turned to the sky. Took in a deep breath. "...No. Come on, let's get this wrapped up with a report."

There was a lot wrong. Looker was haunted by the ghosts of his past. In his defence, Looker had tried to fight the opinion of brainwashing Joe. But he'd lost to powerful people. He just had to go along with it.

And now the kid was going to fight a syndicate. It didn't surprise the ageing detective. Looker would do what he could to look out for Joe. That was one of the reasons why he signed Joe up for Nomads. The job history was public. Looker now had the ability to track Joe to some degree. Another reason to sign Joe up for Nomads was simply that it suited him. If Joe wanted to help others, then Looker gave him the best tool available.

Seeing Joe again ignited something within Looker. Joe's family said they'd remove the brainwashing when Joe was an adult, but the fact that Joe didn't remember Looker meant his memories were still sealed. Looker cursed himself. He should've checked in when Joe turned twenty. He should've made sure the boy's family removed the brainwashing.

Joe's family didn't hold up their end of the bargain, so Looker didn't need to hold up his own. Looker knew Joe's grandmother had always disagreed with the brainwashing. She was the reason there was a clause about removing it when Joe reached adulthood. A clause that had been ignored. If Looker was going to fight this then he needed like-minded allies. First stop, Bertha in Sinnoh.



* * * * *



Joe walked to his hotel a few streets away. He'd done good. He felt good because of it. He reached over. Ruffled the fur on Absol's head. "All in a days' work. Good job."

Joe reflected on their battle together. There were some hiccups. He started poorly. He had relied heavily on his idea of Absol which led to the Ice Beam mistake. And then he was influenced by Shadow Sneak from Pumpkaboo. He didn't come up with a strategy himself until he used Rock Slide to counter Swift. Running along Rock Slide was good, but something he saw on TV once. Not his own idea or tactic, although he supposed half a point was fair. He had made the right call to use it due to it being night and smoke lingering between both sides.

Only Arceus knew how badly Joe would lose if he faced Jasmine right now. He liked that. His goal for strength. Jasmine was a strong Trainer. He needed to be more like her.

Absol barked. She had been unsure of Joe until the moment he fought Caveman. He had proven himself. Joe went above and beyond to help. Not many humans would personally fight a problem.

Their next stop was Kanto to stop a criminal organisation known as Rocket Syndicate. They walked side by side, Trainer and Pokemon. Like-minded individuals simply out to make the world a better place.

 

[Orderneri]

15: Enjoy Life​

Sun poured in through gaps around the curtains. Joe awoke and was too scared to move. Ralts was grabbing his head. Sprigatito was curled up on his chest. Cyndaquil had wrapped himself in Joe's hand. If he moved, he'd wake his children.

Joe yawned as lightly as he could. He had some aches and pains, but he was lucky to get away unscathed. He really had to run to the bathroom. He hated to do it, but he started shifting. His Pokemon grumbled and awoke. Joe sorted himself out. Today he wore a white shirt with a dark blue jacket. By the time he focused on the bed, everyone was standing.

Joe went to Ralts. Crouched in front of it. "I know you said you wanted to come with me yesterday, but are you sure?"

Ralts sleepily nodded on unsteady feet. "I like your emotions. They're warm."

Joe took out a Pokeball. "Then welcome to the team. We're happy to have you." He put the ball in front of Ralts. Still unsteady, the Pokemon stepped forward and stumbled. Put both hands on the button. Got absorbed into the ball and came back out. Joe smiled. "Okay, but I can't have you all out all the time. We spoke about this yesterday. For now, get some rest in your Pokeballs. I'll bring you out for food."

They all nodded at different tempos that showed how awake they were. Rotom picked itself up off the bedside table. Scanned Ralts before it went away. "Ralts. The Feeling Pokemon. The horn atop its head allows it to sense the emotions of people. It likes those with a happy disposition."

#0280 Ralts



Gender: Female

Height: 1' 01" (Below Average)

Weight: 6.1kg (Below Average)



Moves: Confusion /

Ability: Telepathy

Eyes glow blue when sending thoughts to someone's mind.​

Rotom continued yapping. Psychic and fairy Pokemon were more attuned to the good in people. They were drawn to humans. Ralts being female meant that if she evolved, she would become a Gardevoir. Males evolved into Gallade. True gendered counterparts. Rotom also emphasised how rare Telepathy was, but that because of the green hair covering the eyes, it was hard to see the effect.

This Ralts was young, so she felt like another child to raise, like Sprigatito. An expansion to the family. Another daughter.

Joe grabbed his phone. Wanted to confirm his suspicions. Looked up Gardevoir. Sure enough, he'd seen one at some point. It had been nagging him since he saw Ralts. She reminded him of a Pokemon he couldn't quite recall.

He sat on the bed. Before he went out for the day, Joe wanted to check Nomads. He tapped the app icon, a patchwork white and red blanket stuffed with goods dangling from a stick. The stick crossed over a large 'N.' It immediately opened into a map of the area. Different coloured pins highlighted the locations of other people. Green were other Nomads workers. Blue were people that had the app installed. Red was like an alert, highlighting someone with a job. The map was fully live. Pins moved at different paces to suggest walking or driving.

Joe could decide what radius he wanted for visible pins. He set it to three miles for now. Saw the handful of red pins turn purple. Requests had been accepted. People were waking up and getting to work. To gain an idea of what people asked of fellow civilians, Joe tapped a purple pin. He chuckled. Help getting a cat out of a tree.

Joe explored the app some more. The highlights included an 'About' section, detailing how one-hundred percent of proceeds were paid to freelancers. The rich man behind the app didn't need any more money. The gentleman also remained anonymous, taking a bit too much inspiration from Nomad.

There was a 'Help' tab in which Joe discovered urgent requests. Red pins would flash a bright orange. Urgent requests could have a different range, so Joe set alerts to ten miles. They had a different, much louder, notification sound. Urgent requests also lacked detail, understandably. It was like a flare. Just an indicator that someone was in trouble.

A blank profile picture in a corner took Joe to his account. Next to the picture slot was his name. Under his name was a number. A big fat zero. Joe discovered in the 'Help' tab what the number represented. Jobs completed. If and when a freelancer failed, another number would appear to show accepted vs completed. A percentage in brackets would also appear. There was a notepad at the end of his name. Tapping it revealed references, so in Joe's case, Looker's account was linked.

There were milestones for job completions that gave titles, changed the profile picture border, and changed the colour of a user's name. It let people see someone's capabilities at a glance.

Other than that, there were no guiding systems. No intense ranks that locked people out of difficult jobs. Freelancers had to understand their own abilities and pick jobs accordingly.

Joe was curious. He was about to research the man that inspired the app. But Joe received a notification. His attention shifted away from Nomad. He checked his account. His number changed to one.

Looker had told Joe this would happen, but Joe hadn't completely believed it. The proof was in front of him now. Joe messed around some more. Found a 'History' tab. Saw a pending payment. Joe needed to add his credentials. The job was from the World Police. It was good pay. Better than Joe expected. This amount could fuel him for a few weeks.

Vigilante work paid. Well, more like contractor work. It was officially sanctioned. But a man could dream. Working as a vigilante sounded cooler.

Maybe Joe could turn his holiday fund into an emergency fund and live off contractor payments.

Joe looked forward. How much would he earn for stopping Rocket Syndicate, or criminal gangs in general? Being a freelancer who was paid by the Government could be Joe's permanent job. He was optimistic but also realistic. He understood there were always problems to be solved. Criminals that needed arresting. With a strong enough team he could likely go out for a few days, take out a heinous criminal, earn enough pay to last a few months, and return home.

Joe wanted to make sure he earned enough to support the future family he wanted. Eventually there'd be more than himself to worry about. Being a man, he had a strong desire to give his family comfort. And he was already twenty-four years old. People usually had children before they were thirty. Joe was eager, so chances were high that he would have children earlier than the average. He needed to be in a stable position by then. The thought crossed his mind. When would Jasmine want children?

Another benefit of Nomads was that, if Joe earned a living helping others, he could focus on it entirely. Right now, most of his time was taken by working at the PokeMart. But if helping others was the only thing he did, he'd be able to put a lot more good into the world.

It was good to dream, to look to the future and plan ahead, but Joe put it to the back of his mind. He was getting ahead of himself. First things first, he needed to get stronger. Then he could worry about saving Legendary Pokemon, destroying criminal organisations, and turning it into a job.

If all else failed, Joe was at least built for tough physical labour. There was an application similar to Nomads that Joe had used for a couple of years. A handyman job hunting app. It was for learning new trades. Joe had clocked time at construction sites, laying bricks and fitting windows. He'd taken plumbing jobs. Carpentry. Maintenance. Woodworking. It was the entry point he needed for a better job.

"Rotom, keep an eye on the small requests, will you? If someone's close enough and their job goes a while without being accepted, I'll do it." Joe said. Trusted Rotom to understand his capabilities based on his PokeDex. He hadn't fully explored Nomads, but Joe would later find he wasn't far off the mark. Nomads allowed linking to the PokeDex app so an employer could thoroughly research freelancers before hiring them. Some specialist jobs required certain types of Pokemon, or if it was a difficult job then the employer could look at the strongest Pokemon a Trainer had.

Joe left the hotel. The ferry wouldn't be here until tomorrow. For now, he decided to relax. Rest was necessary and he didn't know how often he'd have a chance to relax in the future.

He ventured around New Bark. Found a market. Stalls lined up on either side of a road. Most sold food. He went around buying way too much. He noticed a park nearby. Went and sat on a bench with his big bags of edibles. Fed his Pokemon. Ate the rest himself. He felt close to bursting. He lay on the bench, groaning. Absol rolled her eyes as she sat on the ground. Joe was motivated to do good, but he could be annoying sometimes. He only had himself to blame for his food coma. Absol had to take the good with the bad.

Once Joe recovered from his overdose, he wandered until he found an art gallery. Went and bought some glasses from a nearby shop. Because smart people observing art all wore glasses, right? He walked into the gallery. Most people weren't wearing glasses.

He left a little embarrassed. Pocketed the glasses. As they walked, Absol became agitated. Poked Joe's side. He expected this. Stopped walking and turned to her. "We're resting today. You can't train and fight all the time. You need to let your body rest and recover so you can come back stronger next time." She didn't seem satisfied. Joe knelt so he was on her level. "We're going to fight Rocket Syndicate, right? If this becomes a war then we don't know how often we'll be able to rest. So we take breaks when we can."

Absol considered it. Grumbled but nodded. If this was Joe's one condition, then so be it.

"Trust me. I trained as often as I could for years. I learned early on that you can't push yourself endlessly. Eventually you need to take a step back and have a break. Good rest is important. And beyond that, people like to have fun."

Joe left it at that. Continued walking. Absol thought about what Joe had said. She didn't notice Joe moving for a time. She ran to catch up. Eventually they came across a theatre. Banners advertised a Pokemon beauty contest. Joe scratched his cheek. Shrugged to himself. Went inside.

The building was fancier than he expected for a small town. Bright red carpet. Gold accents. He waited in line in front of a desk. An energetic young man came around with a board and pen.

"Are you here for the contest?"

Joe nodded.

"Then could I ask you to fill this out please?" He held the board and pen to Joe.

Joe took them. Looked over the sheet of paper. They were collecting information earlier so when people arrived at the desk, the process was faster and smoother. He filled in a few boxes like his name and age. Then it was time for the big one. Which Pokemon was he submitting? He considered Ralts. She was cute. That's what these contests would be about, right? He subtly eyed Absol. Wrote down his applicant. Handed it back to the man.

"Thank you, sir." He moved to the next in line.

That was a nice change. Joe wasn't feared or looked at weirdly for his size. Joe reached the counter. Gave his name. The receptionist had received his entry paper.

She looked at him and down to his Absol. Joe winked. She understood. "Okay, sir. Ralts has been submitted for the Pokemon beauty contest. Go through those doors and take a seat. When you're called, please lead your Pokemon to the stage."

"Roger."

Joe melded into a small group. Walked through big wooden doors into a dimly lit room. This wasn't usually his scene so he couldn't think of the name. An auditorium? It was a large room. The colour scheme from the lobby carried through to here. There were balconies for wealthy patrons and intricate patterns carved into pillars. He took a seat at the end of a row and Absol sat on the carpet next to him.

Up front was a wooden stage with lights aimed at it. Massive curtains blocked behind the scenes. In front of the stage was a long desk. A trio sat there, facing the stage. Judges. Two women, one man. There was another man. He stood in front of the judges. Spoke to them. He held a microphone. He was the announcer. The guide for the event.

Once everyone had settled, the lights dimmed further. The announcer rattled off a speech, welcoming people and thanking them for coming.

Joe vaguely knew of performance contests. This was different. A simple beauty contest. The Pokemon stepped on stage, acted cute for a minute, then went back to their Trainer. This was a good thing. The event wouldn't overstay its welcome. Joe had entered on a whim. He didn't want to be here all day.

Halfway through the event, it was Joe's turn.

"And now we have a special entrant!" The announcer started. "Our next contestant is an Absol. But it's not just any Absol, ladies and gentlemen. It's a shiny Absol!"

A round of applause. Absol perked up. What were the chances that two red Absol appeared in the same place at the same time? She looked around until she saw Joe. He wore the smuggest grin imaginable. Absol understood. Joe hadn't entered Ralts. He'd entered Absol.

"Go on, don't keep them waiting." Joe gave a sharp breath as claws dug into the top of his foot. He watched Absol run up the walkway beside the audience. She awkwardly moved onto stage. Joe's grin somehow deepened.

Something caught Joe's eye. One of the judges. She had long white hair so Joe assumed she was old. She looked around until she spotted the giant of a man. He was one of few men in the auditorium, and he was the biggest of the lot. She smiled and gave Joe a small wave. She turned around before Joe could respond. He wondered what that was about.

Joe looked back at the stage. Saw Absol moving like a robot. Clunky, awkward movements. She didn't know what to do with herself. She met Joe's eyes. He was still grinning. She let out a fierce growl aimed at her Trainer.

After a moment the presenter started a round of applause. "And that was a shiny Absol, ladies and gentlemen. A ferocious one, huh? And next…"

Absol ran back to Joe's side. Sat beside him. Turned her head away. Joe stroked her head and she swatted him away without looking. She was mad.

"Aw, come on. You looked super cool up there."

Absol huffed. Lay down. She'd been out in the world saving people for a dozen years, yet this was somehow the hardest thing she'd ever done. To have an audience. It wasn't for her. And now, despite her age, she was sulking like a child.

Joe leaned over. Kept his voice low to not annoy the audience. "It didn't hurt, did it? To experience something new. It's not so bad. Loosen up just a bit. Enjoy the moment. There's no one that needs saving so you're allowed to have fun. It's okay to have a life outside of being a hero. Live for yourself every now and then."

Absol huffed again. Joe left her to calm down. Maybe he was pushing too hard too fast. But he stood by what he said. As much as he liked helping others, it was necessary to have downtime and to live for oneself. Joe rightfully assumed Absol had been a lone wolf up until now, so in a way she was like Jasmine. Absol needed help coming out of her shell. If this contest was too much for her, that was fine. They could find an activity with less people.

The contest wrapped up. The announcer called the top three contestants to the stage. Starting with third place. Absol. She rushed to her feet. Looked at Joe.

"Go and collect your prize. You earned it."

Absol looked between Joe and the stage a few times. She was unsure. Eventually took a step forward, which quickly and easily became a walk. Absol received a bronze badge with a '3' on it. It was pinned to the ruff dangling from her neck using a magnet. On top of that was some premium Pokemon food she could eat later. Absol had won based on her fierce display. These contests were always full of cute Pokemon. Having a cool shiny was unusual and stood out to the judges. First and second place were cute Pokemon, as expected.

The lights turned on. People started to rise. Absol grabbed the handle of a basket with her mouth. Walked to Joe. Handed the basket of food to her Trainer. Looked at the ground. Looked up at Joe. Nodded.

Absol had thought through what Joe was saying as she cooled off. A break was about having fun. Cyndaquil had displayed extra energy yesterday as he played with Sprigatito. Absol felt like if Cyndaquil had energy to spare then he could train. But Absol realised that people worked hard so they could have downtime. Beyond the pragmatic side of the body needing rest, part of the reward for effort was having fun. Absol needed to consider the thoughts, feelings, and motivations of the team. She had spent a long time alone. She wasn't used to the way others acted or what they thought.

However, this didn't mean Joe could get her to engage with activities like contests. It wasn't the end of the world. Absol was fretting over nothing. But even so, she didn't want to do that again.

Joe smiled. Absol huffed and walked to the exit. Joe walked beside her. They reached the lobby. A woman called out to them.

"Are you Joe?"

Joe turned. He saw the female judge with long hair. She was a foot shorter than Joe. Joe had assumed she was old due to her hair colour, but no. Her white skin had no wrinkles. She was Joe's age. Platinum hair. Her revealing dress struggled to contain the meat on her bones, her chest sticking out at least a foot. There was a cut out revealing one leg while the other was covered to the ankle.

Joe was instantly captivated by the woman. Looked into her deep blue eyes. "Yes, that's right. Who do I have the pleasure of speaking to?"

She chuckled. "My name is Melony. I hear I have you to thank for rescuing my Pokemon yesterday." Melony heard the full story from the police officer that had returned her Snom. There was a giant of a man on the scene named Joe. He had a shiny Absol. They were a unique duo. Easy to spot.

Joe had to do a double take. Melony? Was she serious? With a chest like that? Joe was about to start sweating. They had to be, what 'M' size? He was doing his best not to look, but he was pretty sure he could see veins at the bottom of his view.

"Well I'm glad to be of service."

"You saved me a lot of hassle." Melony put a hand on her cheek. Closed her eyes and gave an icy cold smile. "I was so close to destroying this town for my cute little Snom."

A term popped into Joe's mind. Mama bear. Don't mess with a mother. His own mother was the same. And he had scars to prove animal mothers were especially fearsome.

"Well I'm glad you didn't destroy the town. I like it here."

"Right? It's a cosy place. I like this atmosphere. My work takes me all around the world and small towns are always the best places to visit."

She smiled. Clasped her hands together in front of her belly. Pushed her chest together with her arms. Was she doing it on purpose? Joe was begging her to give him a break. Okay, not really. He was a man. There was nothing wrong with being attracted to a woman. Women found men attractive all the time for various reasons. As far as Joe was concerned, it was okay to appreciate when a woman put effort into her looks.

"Ah, but enough about it. There's a cafe nearby. If you have time, I would like to treat you. As thanks for saving my Pokemon."

"I think you've already treated me enough."

Melony put a hand to her mouth and chuckled. Her arm pushed into the top of her chest. Joe had been more forward than she expected. Melony was a woman who was happy with her appearance and wanted to show off. Wanted others to appreciate her. "I'm glad to hear that. Please, wait here a moment. I like this dress, but I don't have the courage to walk the streets in it."

"I'd wait forever if I had to."

They both froze for a moment. Joe liked the way it sounded in his head, but only when he spoke did he realise how forward it was. He worried he was pushing his luck, but Melony smiled warmly. His flirting appeared to pay off.

Melony turned with another chuckle, which hid the growing heat on her face. She disappeared around a corner. Aimed for her changing room. A man had never been so bold to her face. Joe was confident and seemed interested. Maybe it was natural. A chance encounter. She'd approached with the intention of thanking him. That would lead to them talking. Befriending each other. She liked the sound of that.