David woke slowly and comfortably.

The bright orange didn’t startle him. The space didn’t close in. With a large yawn he reached up and unzipped the entrance. It had rained overnight and a shower of water fell off the canvas above as he pushed the tent’s mouth open.

David pursed his lips and began an awkward shuffle to put his shoes out of the tent and rotate around in the cramped space. The ground in the clearing was damp and he wanted to avoid muddy feet. Finally out, he stretched and cracked his back in the best way. It was a good morning.

After that all he had to do was pack up. It was awkward with the puddles of water on the squidgy ground, but he didn’t have time to wait. He packed four fresh berries in last. His and Pidgey’s trip after dinner yesterday had quite literally born fruit. They had walked and hopped along to the north, heading upstream this time. There were plenty of Pokemon along the way, but they were lucky to have no close encounters like the day before.

Pidgey hadn’t been much help for spotting berries, but David enjoyed her company and it was good exercise for her. He’d filled the silence with stories of home. Pidgey would chirp back to him occasionally which was nice. It felt like a proper conversation without anyone of the issues that talking to a human about his world would create.

He’d identified three of the four berries that they’d found. Two were common Leppa and another, the smallest of the lot, was strangely familiar. Bright red with juicy bumps, it was a giant version of a raspberry. It was amusing to find out this version was called a Razz berry - close enough that it couldn’t be a coincidence. It was another link to home beyond the games. The berry hadn’t been on a bush but floating down the river which gave him hope that there was a bush a little further upstream.

He was unable to identify the last berry. The foraging manual pointed to it being either a Nomel or Grepa berry but it had characteristics of both. The berry was oval, not turnip shaped, nor spinning top. He couldn’t decide if it was electric or glow yellow.

David shook his head and sighed. Just thinking of the poor description made him annoyed. Berries, fruit in general, was never this complicated back home.

Pidgey’s ball rested still as he packed. She was not a morning bird.

 

-.-

 

He didn’t wake up as early today as yesterday and the sun was high enough in the sky that it didn’t block his sight on the way into Saffron. It was still early enough that his path through Saffron to the market was undisturbed and he was in front of Benny, the elderly stall owner, quickly enough.

“Three berries for you today Benny. I couldn’t figure out what one was though.”

“Good morning to you too, David. Let me have a look,” Benny groused, pursing his lips a bit at the low number but it was clear the challenge of an unknown berry had piqued his interest. His hands began to slip out of the deep pockets in his berry stained overalls.

David shifted his bag around. He set the Razz and Leppa berry out on the table first before lifting the unknown berry up for inspection. He was keeping the extra Leppa back to eat. If it turned out to be an expensive berry he could always bring it out later.

Benny snatched the berry from his hand and began examining it.

“I wasn’t sure if it was a Nomel or a Grepa berry.”

Benny grunted and ended his examination with a big sniff. His nose was crooked to the side, signs of a break long in the past.

“It’s a Grepa. A very long and a shinier yellow than usual, but it lacks the sour smell from a Nomel.” Benny paused to look down at the other berries. “45P for the Grepa, 35P for the Razz and 15P for the Leppa.”

“Deal,” David said, handing over the berries and taking the offered money to add to the collection of bills in his pocket. He was back in the triple digits - 120P now. Benny set the berries amongst his other stock in the stall before turning back to David.

“Any other berries that your Pidgey’s been interested in?”

David nodded, smiling down at the metal pokeball in his bag. “She demolished a Touga yesterday. She didn’t seem to mind the heat at all.”

“Hmm. A Touga and a Figy berry.” Benny rubbed his chin before turning and reaching into a box behind him.

“Does that mean something?” David asked, trying to peer over Benny’s shoulder into the box.

“Yes. One second, I know I put it somewhere.” Benny heaved a box to the side and dug into the one underneath.

“Aha!” Benny turned around and presented a small piece of paper with small handwriting on it.

“The missus and I had a brainstorm last night. She’s the berry expert. Grows all of these,” Benny said and grinned as he patted the box next to him. "Now let’s see." He began running a finger down across the writing.

“Well she’s definitely got a taste for spicy food. You know much about Natures?”

David opened his mouth, thinking of some excuse, but Oliver charged ahead without waiting for a response.

”A Berry’s taste comes from the minerals in it. A Pokemon’s taste affects the minerals that they store, and that changes their natural energy. I can’t tell you your Pidgey’s Nature yet. You’ll have to find if there's any berries she won’t get near for that - but I can narrow it down to four. Adamant, Brave, Lonely and Naughty.”

Those rung a bell in David’s mind. He had a faint recollection of a section in the game for it.

“How does it change their natural energy?” He asked.

Benny waved a hand at him. Whatever whim that made him sped through the explanation disappearing as suddenly as it had appeared. “It does a bunch of things. You find out what your Pidgey won’t eat and I’ll go through it with you.”

David nodded happily. He would take any information he could get. He made his goodbyes and turned to leave before remembering something.

“Any spare boxes?” He asked.

“What kind?”

“Something I can carry berries in. I can only carry four at a time in my arms and having something to put them in would speed foraging up.”

Benny grunted and fished out a small crate. He passed it over to David.

“How much?”

“Just take it.” Benny said and waved him away. “It’s one less thing for me to bring home.”

David thanked him and left.

 

-.-

 

David was tempted to swing by the library or head into the city to another round of job searching, but he wanted to get two training sessions with Pidgey in today and he still needed to pop in to see Beth. First however, there was a stop he needed to make.

Pidgey’s ball started to shake as he stepped into the park. Right on time.

David took her ball out of his bag and released her, remembering to close his eyes for the bright flash. When he opened his eyes Pidgey was tilting her head back for a shrill call. After she’d finished her attempt to blow out his eardrums, she started her routine of hopping in a circle to check out the area.

While she surveyed the park David dug into his bag and pulled out the Flying type sachet he had bought the day before. He had no bowl for Pidgey yet so he pulled out his cutlery and cut the bag open along its side. The wrapper would do as a plate.

As he set it down Pidgey hopped over to inspect it. After a sniff and a short peck, she let out a chirp and settled into a roosting position leaving the food untouched. A few of the feathers on her crest sat out of place and fluttered in the gentle breeze flowing through the park.

“Huh. You’re not hungry?”

Pidgey buried her beak into her wing and let out another chirp.

“You just don’t like that food?”

Pidgey pecked forward in the same way she had for the training yesterday.

‘Shit.’ David's thoughts started to race. The three packs he’d bought had burned through the majority of his savings. If Pidgey didn’t want to eat it that meant he needed to buy more. What would he do with the extra st-.

‘Wait.’

David eyed Pidgey. His family’s cats had never wanted to eat packet food. They always wanted cooked meat or fish.

He considered the bird for a moment. It was worth a try.

‘What was Pidgey’s next evolution called again?’

“That’s a shame. I was told that this is what Pidgeyoytoes ate.” David leant forward and reached for the packet of food.

A beak came down on the wrapper. David looked up and met the sharp eyes of Pidgey. A chill ran down his spine under her sharp gaze. David held fast.

’Show no fear’.

The pressure lessened and Pidgey pecked forward again, at the food this time.

David turned back to fiddle with something in his bag and to hide his smirk. Intelligent for sure, but how intelligent?

 

-.-

 

A small bell tinkled as David entered the league office. There was already someone in the booth with Beth, so he waited to the side. By the time they left no one else had arrived so David walked forward.

“Hello Beth. Would you have a minute?”

Beth looked up blankly from her computer before recognising him and breaking into a smile. She shook her head and her eyes gained a little life.

“David! How are you? Everything okay? Is your Pidgey giving you any trouble?” Beth’s face was starting to furrow as she began to spout question after question.

David cut across her quickly to try and stop the babble. “All's well with myself and Pidgey. In fact, I’m here about her.” He rubbed his head as if embarrassed. ”Do you know how old she is?”

“Hmm.” Beth tapped her fingers against the desk and peered over David’s shoulder. ”Well, it looks like I have a no show, so I believe I have the time. I don’t know off the top of my head though.” She turned to the corner of the room where the nest of paper was.

“Fuzzy! Could I get the last Pokemon delivery receipt?” Beth pronounced the request slowly.

A loud “Piiiiiiiie” rang out and with a swish a piece of paper was shot over on a light string.

“I swear he’s getting lazy in his old age. He uses String Shot for everything these days.” Beth said with a sigh and a wry smile.

David smiled back at her, but Beth’s smile fell and her face grew drawn as she stared at her Pokemon.

“Ehm.. is that a new poster?” David asked quickly, pointing out a motivational quote hanging up on the inside of Beth’s booth. It was one of those classic office space decorations, odd only in the fact it was hung inside Beth’s personal booth.

The distraction worked and Beth’s face lit up.

“Yes! Do you recognise it? It’s from Veteran Karen’s last interview! She trained under Heroine Agatha.”

David turned to examine the poster closer. Shiny purple writing against a dark black and gray background that clashed with the plain booth.

Strong Pokémon. Weak Pokémon. That is only the selfish perception of people. Truly skilled trainers should try to win with the Pokémon they love best.

If a ‘Veteran‘ trainer’s quotes were turned into decorations, did that make them celebrities or closer to politicians? And that name, Agatha, had popped up before.

“No, but I do know Agatha.”

“Oh who doesn’t. She’s one of the best trainers out there. And with such common Pokemon!” Beth said, happily distracted now from whatever gloom a conversation about Fuzzy’s age had stirred.

David didn’t know enough about Agatha to hold a conversation so he just nodded along while Beth started reading Pidgey’s delivery receipt.

“Hmm. It says here she was laid early enough. About 1 month into the off season which makes her about two and a half months old now.” Beth turned to him with a smile. “I bet she still has some of her nestling fluff. Is she very soft?”

David suddenly realized he hadn’t touched Pidgey yet. It was an unsettling revelation. He’d had her for two days now and… the thought of her talons, the thought of the monsters in the street, the thought of what she really was.. It was holding him back.

“I haven’t given her a full check up yet,” David said finally, dragging himself away from his thoughts before the question lingered.

“Ah,” Beth said with a knowing smile. “I’m sure you’re too busy trying all the moves you can think of. I remember the days.”

She pushed back her chair and looked to the stack of papers in the corner, a wistful smile growing on her face.

Then the bell above the door chimed as someone rushed in.

“And that’s my no show.” Her smile was gone. Her eyes dulled. Beth pulled herself back into the table. She was all business again.

“It was nice seeing you David. Please pop in again and let me know how you and Pidgey are getting on.”