New World, New Friends (1/2)

So I have decided to follow the Liepard to find food, she obviously knows her way around the city. I also get the feeling that my chances of being spotted will shrink drastically.

"Alright, so you are hungry like me, right? Are you ok with finding something to eat first and talk then? Or on the way?" - the Liepard asks that but already turned towards the city, only looking back at me.

"I'am fine with that. Hey, by the way, my name is Karl, can I ask what yours is? I don't want to call you Liepard or something." - just as I ask that I realize I might have stepped into a landmine with my question.

[I'am certain she had a hurtful past life, asking for her name might lead to her recalling some bad memories,...]

"My name? ... My name is... Cate that's my name." - She says while looking up for a second and the straight head, seemingly to avoid looking into my eyes.

[I guess that's a lie? Or she just thought of that name herself? Well it's to soon to ask for information that is to private.]

"It's nice to meet you Cate, good to meet somebody I can talk to, who can't cage me into a Pokèball.

So what's the plan? Where do you plan on getting the food now?" - I really am curious, mostly because my stomach is already making weird noises

„Well I checked some trash bins where sometimes really good stuff is thrown away, the only places left are trash containers behind Restaurants. Most of them get emptied in the morning so we got enough time to check them." - she sounds relaxed but disappointed to not find anything good in the "good" trash bins.

We arrive at the first big buildings. And what seems to be the main road. The two lanes are separated by a traffic Island with bushes, grass and some smaller and bigger trees. Even though it is a "main road" it doesn't seem too big, maybe there just isn't that much traffic?

I think for a moment.

Well obviously, when there are Pokémon on which you can fly nearly anywhere, you wouldn't need a lot of big roads. And Bicycles or Pokémon that are ridable don't need so much space either.

We jog into the bushes between the roads. As we walk in the shadow of the plants I notice that the side roads and alleys are way wider then they need to be, around 4-5 times as wide. Maybe so that you have more space as a pedestrian? Maybe to make room for bigger Pokémon and their trainers? Would make sense, a café, for example, would need more room if trainers eat there together with their Pokémon. Not only that there seem to be a lot of small parks, ... small in this world I mean, we are talking about football field size here ((soccer field, or American Football, pick what you want doesn't make much difference)).

We took a right and came towards one of these big parks, this one is mostly paved with many smaller islands filled with neatly trimmed grass and some bushes and trees that give you the shadow you need on sunny days. Some flowers here and there are giving the park the colors it needs.

The park looks good, I see enough benches for friends, families and elderly couples to sit on and even more important to hide behind in case you are in danger of getting spotted. The bushes and trees also help with that of course.

Not that it would matter right now the city is pretty empty at this hour. Other then a few people there is nearly nobody you have to hide from. We stride through the park, I wanted to look at some of the shops now that I have the chance but it seems Cate is even hungrier then I'am. I guess she has looked at most of the shops already and decided that she can't use them for anything anyway.

„Hey, how long till we are there? Are any of these shops interesting?" - I just ask her because there is nothing else to do aside from walking. And this silence is killing me, to be honest. I like silence don't get me wrong, but only if it's with people I know. The silence between almost strangers is just kinda awkward.

„Most of them sell clothing for humans other stuff, a lot of stores in this area sell accessories for Pokémon Contests because the stadium is only a few blocks away from here. Other shops are restaurants and Cafés. But getting Food from there is to difficult so I don't bother." - she tells me with an expression, that either seems bored or sad, I can't read her that well it seems.

"Oh Pokémon Contests? Do they have a GYM here, too?" *I think about what to say next, I don't want to say something dumb, or offend her but I don't want to dodge the topic much longer either* "So I guess you know about the Pokémon Contests because they are the talk of the town I guess?"

At this point I'am walking next to her, checking her expression to make sure I don't step on a landmine. She stops walking and closes her eyes for a moment. Ok, seems like I didn't ask anything too bad.

„Well yeah, I wanted to do contests once but my chances to do that are pretty much Zero now that I look like this." - she replies in a tone that lets me guess that I hit a nerve after all.

„Sorry I didn't want to ask an annoying question. But aren't there different kinds of categories? I don't see why your scar should be able to stop you from participating?"

"No, it's ok. It's about time that I talk about that stuff. You think so? " - She replies calmly.

Oof, I think I barely saved me there.

She continues: "I have been living in the wild for years, let me tell you after a while it gets monotone. Wake up, search and hunt for food, maybe travel around a bit, but mostly you want to stay in your territory. And that's pretty much it, sure the freedom you enjoy over Trainer Pokémon ist huge, but at least they experience different things. So I got excited about being trained by a human. Mostly because of Pokémon Contests, they seem to be fun from what I have heard, but I also wanted to be strong enough to battle in GYMs because I didn't know what my future Trainer preferred. I just kind of hoped she or he would like to take part in Contests."

She takes a deep breath before continuing: "So this one day about,... I guess it's been 5 years by now, I see this girl fight off a bunch of Durants with his Pokémon, I think it was a Ratatta. Don't ask me with those kids always try to go on a journey with a bunch of Ratattas. Anyway, the Ratatta lost, so I jump in trying to help her, *it's a girl, so chances being she would do a contest sooner or later* or so I thought. So I jump in between the Durants and her and her Ratatta.

Turns out that girl really was stupid.

So the Durants react all surprised, but rather then run that girl just sits there crying about her Rattata that she lost.

I was already a bit trained at that point, but there was no way I could defeat 6 of those Durants alone, so I thought after she picked up her Rattata that she would either call a new one to fight the durants together or would use the chance to run away, so I can buy a bit of time and the follow suit.

Turns out the choice was to sit there and watch me in panic after getting her Ratatta return into her Pokéball.

I couldn't talk human back then yet so I couldn't tell her to run."

At this point we sat down in one of the larger bushes in the park to talk and then continue walking after she finishes her story, so I sit there with her and nod here and there to show her that I'am indeed listening to her.

"Well, things took a turn for worse and after defending for a while, one of the Durants get me bad and I collapse. Seems like that scared the girl shitless, so bad in fact that she got her brain working again and ran away. I was only an armlength away to grab and much much smaller than now but she just left me. Luckily I survived that because the Durant ran after the girl before coming back to me.

I managed to crawl my way out of there before they came back for me."

"So you got that Scar because nobody treated that wound? Did the girl come back to get you after she calmed down? I mean you did same her life, right?" - after she finishes her story surprisingly calm I manage to say something as well.

"Yeah, I sure did but she didn't come back. So everything I did was for nothing and I barely escaped death after that. I still don't know how someone can survive a wound that deep. After I crawled for a few minutes I became unconscious."

"Well, but you did save her, so even though she didn't take you with her she is alive because of you."

- I try to make her see that although she didn't gain anything from her action, she did save a life.

"Maybe she even came back after getting a clear state of mind and just didn't find you? You'll never know I guess..." - I think I might have said something wrong here, I hope she doesn't take this comment the wrong way.

"hmm..." a few seconds of thought seem to go by before she continues with: "I guess you are right, I thought about that in the beginning as well but dismissed it very soon, don't ask me why I just seemed to think that the abandoned Idea made more sense for a human..."

"I wouldn't say that every human would act that way. Sure many would but there are good ones out there." - one of the most stereotypical lines out there, wow I really just said that.

"Well, and how do you know that?" - Cate asks tilts her head and lifts an Eyebrow in doubt and to question me, obviously, how should I a wild Wolf-Like Pokémon know that?

Shit, what now... oh.

"Well, before coming here I barely escaped death, and the ones who helped me were a Grothlith and her trainer, they got along great and they seemed to really care for each other. And then there even were those guys of Pokémon Wildlife. They travel everywhere to safe Pokémon who need help and assistance. So yeah, I'am pretty sure there are good humans out there, pretty sure there is one for you as well." - I reply I have to say I'am pretty happy with how I answered that question.

"Oh. Ehm. Well, ... I guess you are right then. Now that I think about it,... I never really tried speaking to them, even though I learned their language to come closer to them. The times I did were at night so with my size, I guess I scared most of them pretty badly." - she continues while visibly sinking into thought.

"Why did you only do it at night? Doesn't make sense to me, to be honest with you." (Karl)

"Well, I guess it's just because I sleep when the sun is out and wake up when the sunsets. I kind of started it like that because it felt easier somehow. And because of that one kid that saw me and started to cry. I thought The scar didn't look so bad until that happened, I somehow got self-conscious after that, and started to avoid most humans."

"That seems counterproductive if your only goals are getting stronger and finding a human friend..."

- I say before Cate continues with:

"Well yeah, I guess that's pretty obvious. Anyway, want to continue to search for a bite? We've been talking quite a while without moving."

"I ... (I wanted to ask her something but I guess I can also do that later on. I'm not in a hurry.) ... Yeah sure, I was hungry after all, let's go."

A few minutes go by while we sneak through the mostly empty Town, there are some people here and there but nobody seems to mind about two Pokémon sneaking through bushes from benches to benches, house corner to house corner.

When Kate suddenly stops in front of a giant cage full of gas cylinders.

"Hey, do you mind going over the roofs? This sneaking is taking to long for my taste. The Houses are close enough from here on to just jump from roof to roof." - she asks lifting an eyebrow in question

I look towards the roofs in thought - "I never did that before, do you believe I can do that?" -

(Because I am not sure I can, looking up at the roofs they are two to three meters apart, while still about the same height.)

She looks at me for a second before saying: "I'am pretty certain you can, you look healthy when you fail at something like this it would make me wonder how you made it this far in your life."

(Well, at least she is pretty confident in my abilities. I wasn't a total nerd in my last life while my endurance was pretty much non-existent my physical abilities were about average. Thinking about it in this way,... I really should be able to manage. I'am way fitter then in my last life and I got the body of a big Wolfdog-Pokémon...)

"Hmm... you might be right. I guess I should be able to do so, ... alright! Lead the way! I'm already wondering what kind of food you have in mind."

"Haha, well let me show you, we'll be lucky if there is any left. Alright, let's go!" - she says jumping on top of the metal cage with the gas cylinders. - "Just do as I do and it'll be easy." - she says with a smile then proceeds to jump onto of the roof of the first building.

I nod and follow her up the room, after jumping up the cage and then up to the roof, I already feel relief jumping up this high, really wasn't much of a challenge.

Cate waited for me to come up and continues the roof journey by running towards the roofs edge all four of her paws touching the edge of the roof, then pressing off the edge with all her might, her front paws stretching and reaching for the next rooftop. The big cat landing comfortably and elegantly on the next roof.

She turns around and waits for me to do the same. "Alright now you, I'll wait." She sits down.

(How long does she expect me to take for this jump? Do I look this insecure? Well, in hindsight, I sure act like it. Wow. I only just realized.)

Judging by how far in the middle of the roof she landed let's me guess that I don't have to jump off that close to the ledge. I begin sprinting towards the end of the roof and jump off about 30 centimeters (~1 foot) away from the ledge.

"Ohhhh myyy Goooodd!!!"

(I'm flllyyyying)

After mere seconds in the air, I land save and soundly on the other roof. And not anywhere but just about where Cate landed aswell. I turn towards Kate.

"Holy Sh*t that was amazing?! Why didn't I try that before?! I just jump like.. what? 3 and a half meters? What the hell? Is that normal?" - "This is dope! It's... kind of easy? Why did I think this was harder? Do you do this all the time?!"

Cate just sits in front of me with wide eyes and a frown. "That jump got you that excited? I mean sure it's cool and all, but it's not that special you know?" - She looks at me in doubt.

"What?" - I just can't believe she isn't as excited as me about these jumps. Being able to do this as a Human is damn near impossible, I mean sure people who do parkour might be able to make a jump like this, but only from higher ground downwards. This is on a whole different level. I have to train this a lot more, this surely has to help me traveling this world.

- "Well. Of course, this is amazing for me, it felt like flying for a second. Who doesn't dream of that?"

Cate looks at me for a second tilts her head to the left and nods "I guess you are right, I might just have done this way to often to make it feel special in any way." - she stops talking for a second before she continues: "Have you calmed down now?"

"eh,.. yes, yeah, of course, let's continue." - I shake off the excitement and continue to follow Cate without making jumps that seem too risky for me yet, after all, she even said how often she has done this. No need for me to overestimate my skills. I don't want to end up paralyzed for life a few weeks after my new life begun.

After climbing up the houses for 2 more times we covered about 5 blocks of houses.

(Sh*t this is exhausting. My endurance still could need some work.... this food better be worth all this trouble.)

"Alright. Here we are. Just gotta jump down this roof. Hopefully, there is something good." - Cate says and jumps down.

"Finally! - Wait. You mean there is a chance we don't find anything good - ?" - I follow suit and jump down aswell.

And what I see is really something else. A restaurant. Bright pink neon lights adorn the edge of the roof. Followed by letters reading "KFD" under which you can read in smaller pink neon letters: "Kanto Fried Doduo, Kantos finest!"

(So we got this Worlds KFC here, interesting. So they raise Doduos like chicken in this world?)

"Alright! Let's get to it! After all, you aren't the only hungry one here." - Cate says and skips towards the trash container that is standing to the right of the building, right around the corner where the big windowed front of the restaurant ends.

At this point, I just follow her she clearly knows how stuff works in this city, so I just shut up and see what happens. But how in the world does she want to open that trash container?

Just as I ask myself that question, it answers itself.

Cate sprinted the last 3 meters towards the container but jumped at the wall behind the container. Front Claws glowing white for just the second after she pushed herself off the wall again and hit the container. While the move itself looked impressive, the attack itself didn't look that strong. But the container seemed to think differently, as it falls over with a huge bang, the lid flies open and the content spilling out.

Just a moment later Cate lands turns around and shouts: "Alright great! Quickly grab the best- I mean fullest cardboard bucket you can find and follow me!" - turns around bits the 3rd bucket on her right and jumps onto the container and from there up again onto the roof.

"Holy what? Leaving me no time I quickly search for the fullest bucket, right when I bit into it the main door of the KFD flies open with a clearly pissed employee shouting:"Who the f*ck?! AGAIN!?"

"Uhhf!" - I jump onto the container and then onto the roof just like Cate, losing a piece of my fried Doduo and the way, seems like I can still learn a thing or two.

...to be continued...