Accident

I'm currently driving back into town in my little truck for some supplies for the month or so until my next run, and driving this thing a mission and a half

I have two phone books under me to see over the steering wheel, not to mention a couple of wooden blocks strapped to the peddles to make sure I can reach….it's not exactly comfortable but it's still better than walking with all my stuff…

I park just outside the entrance to the "abandoned zone" behind some thick shrubs to cover my ride..

I hop out and move around the back of the truck to see Slowpoke, who always rides in back to keep Pokémon off us, slowly levitating out of the tray, lifting my trusty cart with him…

Iv found out over the last few months that while people are comfortable with a normal adult having a Pokémon out with them as they move about in the city, they weren't comfortable with a child having a Pokémon out and about….something about not being able to control them properly or whatever…

But Slowpoke was the exception, because his species is widely known as dopey, lazy and moronic, people don't give me a second look when they see a kid walking down the street with his big idiotic dope chonk monster which makes it easier for me because while shopping i can duck into an alley with my supplies and have him teleport us back to the truck….he's decent at teleporting now…..kinda….

But as I set my cart ready for the trip, Slowpoke warbles his way into the cart to take his rightful place, not wanting to move more than he has to..*sigh*

I make my way through the wealthier part of town on my way to the pokemart pulling Slowpoke along keeping an eye out on anything interesting or maybe an easy mark for quick cash..

I say wealthier and not rich because the the "rich" part of the city is basically a big gated community where the "elite" live….mainly successful career trainers and rich family's who like to lord their wealth over everyone by not letting them into their side of town without an invitation….it's pretty well guarded so I don't even attempt look that way…..yet..

Iv got cash to spare at the moment, but how long that will last? I have no idea, between the high energy battle mon food, berries, and other things my Pokémon like, the money is burning quicker than I'd like….and all of this is before they evolve….god knows how much more money it's going to cost to keep 'em fed and watered then…

The black market is my best shot outside burglary to make some decent money but I'm not confident enough to step foot inside that place yet. My Pokémon have been training intensely for awhile now and they are pretty much unmatched in our area, even the odd arbok who used to give us a little trouble is downed pretty easy now….even one on one, for any of my mons..

It made me think back to my hit on the "darkness" base where I picked up machop and Ferroseed. Meowth and Slowpoke killed 2 mightyenas and 4 poochyenas and came out decently from that….but that was with prep time to buff themselves to max and the element of surprise on what I can only assume were some lax and sleeping Pokémon…pure luck

It was a tightrope walk I wasn't ready for and I'm not planning on walking again any time soon….I was one of those people who when they played Pokémon always over levelled to take on gyms and I don't plan on changing that now…

So when I step foot into the black market, it's going to be when I'm absolutely sure WHEN and not IF a group of thugs surrounds me to try and take my shit. I'm a ball click away from stomp theirs and their pokemons spleens into the ground…10 on 1 if necessary, and for that to happen I need meowth and probably machop to evolve….I'd like to say Slowpoke as well but he's kind of a shot in the dark as he needs a shelder to clamp his tail….so that could happen whenever, it could be tomorrow it could be 6 years from now….I have no idea….and I don't think just trying to clamp a shelder onto his tail manually would work….or maybe it does, again I don't know, I don't have a shelder test that….

But I'm sure I we'll figure it out eventually….

I take a bit of a detour on the way toward my shopping destination to scope out some of the wealthier homes and seeing if any of them would be easy enough or worth breaking into..

Most of the houses are 2 story, what I would assume 4-5 bedroom homes with manicured gardens, grass and hedges nestled behind a nice little picket fence. Houses slapped with plenty of lighter colours to give the neighbourhood an upbeat and friendly vibe..

I would call this a middle class area consisting of well off people with decent jobs and trainers who did just "ok" in their time as a trainer and ended up selling off most of their team to give up the trainer lifestyle.

Which I find pretty hard to imagine personally….I've only known my mons for a few months and I would murder anyone who would attempt to take them away from me. How people can just "sell" their team like that is mind boggling to me..

I notice a lot of garages lined next to these houses, but I know not many of them actually have cars so I guess they just use them for storage? If that was true it would make looting way easier…

I still get a bit of a kick from the fact of from an outsiders perspective I would look like an average kid pulling around his family Slowpoke on a wagon having fun and playing around outdoors , just your average kid really..

But what I'm actually doing is watching these houses to see just what I can steal to make my life a little easier, so yeah, hilarious to me..

I plod around for about 20 minutes finding a few places that would make a good target, one of which I watched as a family of 4 seemed to be packed for a big trip…..a prime target if ever I seen one, I'll scope it out later to see if anyone is house sitting…

As I make a mental note of a potential gold mine i feel a sudden impact on my chest that cause me to a halt my walking/skulking…

Only to turn back to the front to see a man in what looked like a mid ranged charcoal grey business suite scowling at me with a big 80s looking brick sized, what I'm going to assume is a mobile phone to his ear…

"Hang on a sec kichi, there's a brat that wasn't looking where he was walking"

He seemed to press a button that beeped and brought his phone down to his side and his nasty scowl turned into a bit of an arrogant smirk as he half glared at me…and his eyes drifted to Slowpoke, but only for a second

"Better watch where your going kid, wouldn't want you to get into an "accident" now would we"

He spoke in a VERY condescending tone and put a pretty heavy emphasis on "accident" like some subtle threat. A threat that while I didn't take seriously, I wouldn't let me guard down

Normally I would just apologise because I wasn't actually looking where i was going and I would just assume it was my fault…no need to escalate anything….but this guy was walking directly in the middle of the walking path with chest out and arms akimbo just assuming everyone would get out his way…

He was by no means a big man…maybe 5'7 mid 30s maybe early 40s with a terrible comb over trying to hide the ravages of time and poor genetics that have assaulted his scalp of brownish hair, a tad over weight, mainly in the belly department and a pokeball hanging at his waist..

This guy could be important for all I know, but he seems more like some low level bureaucrat who let his power get to his head….but I was paranoid enough to not try and cause direct confrontation with the guy…but if he's a petty as he looks this is only going to end with me snapping at him…

So I put on my biggest sad boi kid frown

" gee I'm sorry mister, I wasn't watching where I was going, I was to busy admiring that beautiful hedge over there shaped like a growlithe…please forgive me"

That smug look turned practically slimy as I thought it would….the dude looks like a con man, why wouldn't he act like one?

"That's right kid you weren't looking where you were going!, I could have been injured!? And I think you should compensate me for that don't you?"

Is he for real?, I know this is supposed to be an "anime world" but it's hard to remember that when it looks no different to real life, but these anime tropes just seem so ridiculous in real life it's hard to take it seriously

But I know one thing….he ain't getting my hard earned money that's for sure..

" sorry mister, I don't have any money to give you"

" well isn't that a shame….I suppose…..I could…..take that Slowpoke off your hands as compensation for nearly killing me….so just hand over his pokeball and we can call it even"

Wow….is this guy actually for real?

"You're not getting Slowpoke…."

I dropped the "oh gee mister" act and responded in a slightly angered voice

"Well kid I'd hate to have to get the police involved in this and tell them your Slowpoke attacked me….why don't you just make it easier on both of us and hand it over, it's only fair"

Dude….we are dead centre in the of an upper middle class neighbourhood in the afternoon and he's trying this shady shit….I look around and see no one is glancing twice at us…is this guys more important than I thought he was? or does no one give a shit that this sleazy, sweaty asshole is trying to blackmail a kid in the middle of the street in broad daylight? I know for a fact a few people heard him as he's not even trying talk all that quietly…

"No…."

"Kid….I work for the leagues city council, do have any idea what that is?"

So this guy did have some clout? Well whatever this only going to end one way now I guess….I felt numb for a day or two after killing one of the orphanage wardens but surprisingly I felt fine with it all not long after…it was her or me….

I could just give this guy my Slowpoke and everything would end there….he would probably sell Slowpoke to some shady market for a quick and easy buck that serves Slowpoke tail, which is illegal and pretty expensive…and get on with his life and forget about me….

But fuck that…..Slowpoke is family….and this guy wanted to fuck with my family….so the question that hung over me at the orphanage pops it's ugly head up again...them or me…..and again…..I choose me….

"*sigh* follow me mister, I don't have his pokeball on me….it's just around the corner"

I turn around and start leading him toward a small wooden fenced alley way in between houses for some privacy…..he grins with smug satisfaction and follows without a care in the world thinking I'm leading him to my place to grab slowpokes ball…

I get to the beginning of the enclosed wooden alley before turning to hug Slowpoke pretending to be emotional and whisper something on his ear….he shows nothing but his big goofy dull look on his face but I could tell her understood exactly what I said…..

And as I lead him into the middle of the alley Slowpoke let's out a "sloooow" which I knew meant no one could see or hear us….I slowly turn the cart around with Slowpoke in it and approach slowly and methodically with no hurry….the douche bag doesn't suspect a dam thing but looks a little clueless and frustrated that i stopped leading him to an easy paycheque and as I reached out and touched his arm

"What the hell do you think you're doi-"

Me, slowpoke, the asshole and the cart all vanish from the alley….

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