Ai no ondo de

At Love's Temperature

Part One- Hot Blooded

By Ainorei

"Welcome to Mc Oak's, how may I help you?"

"Umm…I'll get two Charizard-grilled Mc Oak burgers, a large coke and a large Fanta."

"So that's two Charizard-grilled Mc Oak burgers, a large coke and a large Fanta. Would you like fries with that?"

"Yeh, ok."

"Small or Large?"

"What?"

"Fries."

"Oh, large."

"Dine in or take away?"

"Take away."

"That's eight pokenoe."

"Ok, here."

"Wait…it'd be cheaper if you just got two Mc Oak Value Meals with a Fanta instead of a coke.."

"Yeh, whatever, just hurry up."

"Ok then, that's seven pokenoe ninety."

"Wow, heaps cheaper."

"I live to serve."

"Thanks. Hang on, I gave you a twenty, and I only got two pokenoe ten back."

"No, it was a ten."

"I swear I gave you a twenty."

"Maybe you're delusional."

"Excuse me?!"

"I said, maybe you're del…"

"I know exactly what you said!"

"Then why did you imply that you didn't?"

"I was implying that you'd better give me the correct change."

"I did."

"That's it, I want to speak to the manager."

"He's out."

"Then I'll wait."

"Do you want a tray?"

"Why?"

"Because I suppose you'll be dining in now, unless you like cold burgers."

"Look, I'm on a date."

"Oooh, Mc Oaks, very fancy indeed."

"Shut up, I'm on a budget."

"Budget date, lucky girl, or boy."

"I'm not gay."

"Never said you were."

"You implied it."

"Here we go again. Who's that?"

"My date."

"She's on a budget too isn't she?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"The amount of material covering her body. Here, I'll chuck in a couple of napkins."

"SHUT UP!! What have you got against me anyway?."

"Don't pretend you don't know."

"Is it because of my grandpa? The fact that he can fire your sorry ass?"

"No, Gary. It's because you ruined us. Your stinking lying ruined everything."

"Misty? Is that you?"

"Ash hasn't been the same since."

"Like I care. What, isn't Ashy-poo giving you any?"

"That's none of your business."

"Really Misty, you should have stuck with me and you wouldn't be in this predicament."

"And stoop that low? No thanks."

"It's higher than you are right now."

"No thanks to you. Look, you've got your burgers, and I've got customers, so go."

"Fine. And I'll be back about that money."

"You're such a Meowth, hoarding money."

"At least I've got something to hoard," he grabs his tray, "Bai-bai snookums."

"Whatever, ugly turd."

What a creep. I slip the twenty into my pocket and turn to serve my last customer. My shift is almost over, I wish it wasn't though, I don't want to go home, it's full of negative energy, negative people. Better than staying here though, and watching that loser flirt with his bimbo of a girlfriend. I pull my identity card out of the till, take off my tie and hat, and lift my turquoise jumper off of the rack next to the back door. Gary's girlfriend's giggles are drowned out by the icy wind that greets me as I leave the store, the icy wind that mocks my trapped existence. Walking home I start to think why I'm even returning, Ash wouldn't notice if I didn't, he doesn't care about anything any more, not since he stopped battling. But I love him, I'm loyal, no matter what happens he'll always own my soul, and inside I know he loves me, although it wouldn't hurt if he told me so…once in a while. I suppose that's why I'm walking home, to beg him to love me like he used to, to beg him to want me, admit that he needs me. Plus I'd have to walk against that icy wind if I were going the other way.

          It's starting to rain so I find the nearest undercover area, a deli a few blocks away from my flat. Seeing as I have twenty pokenoe spare, courtesy of the personification of idiot itself, I decide to pick up a few groceries. The electronic doors open and I walk over to an ESB (Electronic Shopping Booth) and swipe my card, an electronic voice welcomes me and asks for my selection. As I scroll through the products I check the ingredients of various tinned foods, everything is made from some kind of hasseino kankin, it's like a genetically engineered bacteria that can be made to taste, smell, and appear like anything. Since the eating of Pokémon was banned by Poke-activists, nothing is real food, except for fruit and vegetables, so I suppose now food at Mc Oaks really is 0% real meat. Kind of disconcerting. I decide on two tins of discount Pokémon food, a bag of rice, a tin of Pidgey flavoured hasseino kankin, and some Teriyaki sauce. The electronic voice thanks me, takes my money, and gives me one pokenoe fifty change. I'll find that my groceries have been transferred, much the way Pokémon are, to my fridge at home. Funny, they'll transfer Pokémon by particle beam risking their lives with an unsafe technology, but wouldn't dare do it to humans. Once I came home to an inside out orange, just imagine the effect it could have on a Pokémon, they'd probably prefer to be eaten.

          Outside the shop the rain has stopped and the wind is blowing harder than ever, pushing me home. I feel a strange shiver go down my spine, it's hot and pain is pulsing throughout my entire body. As it stops I fall to my knees and I feel like I'm glowing with warmth, but it quickly leaves and the cold returns, it was like a demon passing through me, and now I know that I have to get back to my flat before 'it' does. Something is wrong.