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.