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.