Orderneri
Youngster
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.