Matthew
I woke up to loud voices in the common area; it must have been pretty intense if it was able to reach my room.
The next thing I noticed was that Sabi was missing from her napping place on my chest. My shirt was still abnormally warm, so she couldn't have been gone long.
I hopped off my bed and looked out the window; the sun was high, and the trees shook from a warm afternoon wind.
Was I sleeping that long? My clock told the story: it was past two.
Shit, that's why Sabi was up; she was probably hungry!
Brittney shouted from somewhere… the living room? Yeesh, I'd never heard her yell like that before.
I decided to go check it out. Drawing closer, I could tell it was my Father she was fighting with; why were they here so early? Whatever the reason, the situation was bizarre and made me uncomfortable; our family never fought. I couldn't remember a single other instance.
The scene was… obscene. Brittney stood in front of the main doors, looking to be blocking my father from leaving, while my mother stood to the side, looking on helplessly.
Everything made more sense when I heard a pokémon crying; under his arm was Sabi, trying to escape his grasp.
"What is going on here?" I asked over their arguing. Every head turned to me, all with very different expressions.
Uh oh.
"Matthew, come on, we're leaving," my dad said.
"Oh no, you're not!" Brittney challenged. "Matthew, he was going to get rid of her while you were asleep."
"What?" I asked in disbelief. "Dad, is this true? Why would you do something like this?"
He looked me dead in the eye. "If you can't make this decision for yourself, then I will help you," he said. Sabi kept crying in his grasp, redoubling her struggle when she saw me. "Hurry up, it's getting feisty."
Seeing Sabi in such distress, hearing about my father's bold actions and his lack of remorse, I felt something coming forth again.
"Dad, have you even considered the fact that I wanted to keep her? Why do you refuse to accept this is the choice I've made."
"Matthew, listen to me. You don't want this, and it's gone far enough. Look at what it's doing to the family; everything is normal, and then this—he hoisted the little Litleo under his arm— comes along and has to cause this drama," he said.
"Why is this her fault? What did she do to deserve this?" I asked, distraught and desperate for answers.
He lowered his voice. "Son, it's for your own good. If you could've understood that and accepted my advice before she hatched, things wouldn't have to be so difficult now."
He continued to avoid my questions; I felt treated like a child. I looked to my mother, who was still as a board. "Mom, you were going to let him do this?" I asked.
She didn't give a response, looking away.
Everywhere I turned, there was no productive conversation. Was my wish to keep a pokémon I'd rescued that unreasonable?
I turned back to my father, wilted. "She lost everything, and you still want to send her away to a place she doesn't know," I said with clear disdain.
"She is going to a place where she will be cared for and loved by a trainer; it's what she wants," my father said.
His words left a bitter taste in my mouth, but I kept my cool. "How do you know what she wants?"
"Matthew, I've been working with pokémon almost my entire life. I have seen more species than you knew existed, coming from all over the world. Is that not worth something? I know what I'm talking about."
My eyes found Sabi's; they were glazed with tears and full of fear. "So that's what she needs? A trainer?" I asked.
"Yes, Matthew. Litleo aren't suitable for house life; she'll be happier with someone who will show her a life outside. Please understand this is for her own good as much as yours."
Brittney cut in and began her argument. What about, I wasn't paying enough attention. My hand reached into my pants pocket, grabbing an item I'd forgotten about when I returned from the store this morning.
"Dad… she already has a trainer." With his back to me, I threw the item in his direction.
It didn't hit him, but he wasn't the target. It hit Sabi in the rear, and in moments, she was dematerialized and pulled into the object, which fell to the floor.
Suddenly, no longer holding the pokémon, my dad looked around confused, until he saw the pokéball shaking violently on the floor before settling with a click.
"…Me."
My father stood where he was, stupified about what just transpired.
Brittney scooped up the pokéball from under him and tossed it to me while he was preoccupied, which I caught and held tightly to my chest.
He came back to reality. "Alright, if that is your choice, then I'll help you. Pack the things you'll need; I'll get you a place to stay near campus," he said—tone ambiguous—before ascending the stairs to his bedroom. "Eileen, we're calling in the rest of the day."
Brittney and I turned to our mother, looking for explanations, comfort, reassurance… anything.
"Joseph," she called to my father, following him up the stairs with a worried expression.
Now alone, we turned to each other. Was he… kicking me out? Neither of us knew what to say after that.
I looked at the pokéball cupped in my hands. Sabi was in there, in my possession, and most importantly, safe. "Thank you, again, for not letting him do that, Brittney," I said.
She only nodded in reply. I understood; she was stressed, too.
"What are you doing awake, anyway?" I asked.
"Sabi wandered in and woke me up. She was probably hungry again, and I guess you were out like a log."
"Heh, yeah," I giggled before sighing. "Well, I guess I should start packing up, huh?"
Again, she nodded and approached. "Matthew, I never really told anyone this, especially not Mom or Dad, but… I'm a believer that everyone has a destiny."
She paused for a moment to collect her thoughts. "You feel it, don't you? You feel that being separated from Sabi just doesn't feel right… right? Well, if they can't accept that that is the road laid out before you, then you need to go; go and find where it takes you."
I nodded vacantly, and she walked off to her room. Destiny, huh? If I was being honest, I didn't buy it, but I did agree with her nonetheless. If Sabi wasn't welcome here, then I wasn't staying, either.
Remembering Sabi, I pocketed her pokéball and headed to the kitchen to prepare another bottle. I made her half a bottle's worth this time, seeing how she attacked the last one I gave her.
Taking the bottle back to my room, I set it on the bedside table and grabbed Sabi's pokéball to let her out… at least, that was my intention. I didn't know how actually to do that.
"Push the button!" my sister called from her room. On the front, there was indeed a button. Once pushed, the ball made a sharp pop sound—nearly giving me a heart attack—and Sabi magically reappeared before me.
I heaved a sigh. "Thanks!"
I'd never found myself so curious about the inner workings of a pokéball before today. Were they frozen in there, or could they move? Were they aware they were in there? How did this affect their basic needs?
Sabi was looking around frantically, clearly stressed. Was she scared about what I did to her? I wouldn't blame her; she was just a cub. I'd probably be freaked out, too.
But she didn't calm down, even after seeing the familiar setting of my room. It then occurred to me she was looking for my father. The last thing she likely remembered was struggling in his arms before getting caught. Maybe being in the ball was a lapse in time?
I knelt down and began petting her. "Hey now, it's alright. You're safe here, I promise. We won't let him take you again."
She still looked anxious, but the tension in her body began to fade as I sat with her for a while. How could he do something like this? Beyond all doubt, this cub deserved the world for what happened to her.
I realized her bottle was getting cold, so I scooped her up and offered it to her. The cub wasted little time accepting and fed like she hadn't done so earlier.
After all that, she made it clear she wanted to play by biting at my ankles mischievously. I tossed her one of the toys purchased from the supermart: a stuffed Patrat doll that mimicked the species' actual pelts. It was marketed to be fireproof, but I was skeptical, considering the materials it consisted of. Only time would tell, I supposed.
I sighed. Playing with the little pokémon was fun and all, but if things kept going this way, there wouldn't be any time left for academics.
Sabi knocked the toy into a corner and pounced on it; at least she was a cute and entertaining distraction. I was content knowing she was safe and happy at the end of the day.
There wasn't much activity in the house this afternoon. No one seemed to want to acknowledge what happened just hours earlier. That was fine with me, as I stayed in my room packing a suitcase with items I'd need to live on my own.
I also used this time to try house training Sabi, which proved difficult and time-consuming as she didn't seem to grasp the concept easily. Thinking about what my dad had said about Litleo not being good house pokémon, this experience led me to believe he had some merit.
Before long, six o'clock rolled around, and it was time for dinner. I quietly got up and closed the door behind my exit, leaving Sabi to nap.
I sat at the table when Brittney walked in, looking much more rested. My mother tended the stove with what was likely soup in the big pot.
My stomach growled; the food smelled good, but not good enough to make me miss that my father wasn't present.
"Soup is done!" my mom said with enthusiasm; either she ignored the lingering tension or was oblivious to it.
Brittney and I shared a look before getting up to scoop out our portions. It had a thick consistency with a variety of vegetables in it.
Sitting back down, my mind naturally wandered in the silence. Well, wandered wasn't really the word when the only thought was why my dad didn't want Sabi here. He expressed his reasons, but I could sense the undertone; there was something else.
The thoughts drifted toward the pokémon that somehow instigated it all. She had only hatched something like eight hours ago and had already become a central figure in my life. Shit, that happened when I'd stumbled out of the blazing den with her in my hands. I didn't know much about the situation I was in now, but the only thing that stood firm so far was my resolve to care for Sabi.
My spoon clinked against the bottom of the bowl, rousing me from my thoughts. Brittney had already excused herself, and my mom sat staring at her untouched food.
I got up and took care of my dirty utensils before heading back to my room. When I got there, Sabi wasn't on the bed anymore. Instead, she was curled up in my suitcase on top of all my clothes.
I smiled. If this was wrong somehow, then what was right?
Unfortunately, I needed to move her to continue packing my things, so I scooped her up gently and carried her back to the bed. She cracked an eye at the touches but quickly settled back in.
Alright, just need some pants, then figure out sleeping accommodations. Depending on what my dad found for me, the place likely wouldn't provide a bed. I opened the dresser drawer where I kept my pants and threw many pairs of shorts in my suitcase. I had a few pairs of dress pants in my closet for more formal settings. I took one, folded it, and put it in the suitcase, too.
As I did, I was blindsided by emotion. Tears spilled over as I looked over my room. Why was this happening? I've lived here all my life, and now I'm being thrown out? My own parents… did they not care about me? Content just deciding on a dime that I didn't live with them anymore?
Everything was happening so fast. I sat and cried in silence. I hoped no one would come in here, especially not Brittney. She'd been so selfless to me these past couple of days; she didn't need any more grief.
A nudge to my side startled me. I looked down to see Sabi looking up at me with beautiful, curious eyes.
She made a noise that sounded like a questioning "Woo?" and placed her front legs on my body. Did she understand emotions?
She nuzzled into my shirt, demanding my attention.
Whether she did or not was up to interpretation. I picked her up and hugged her little body tightly. She obviously didn't have a clue as to what a hug was, but she didn't struggle.
I caressed her warm fur for some time before setting her down. Well, I was a believer now when they say having a pokémon was a huge benefit to your mental and emotional health.
She bit at my arm as I tried to pull away. I laughed; she was feeling playful. I found a different toy, a fishing pole with a Magikarp attached to it with a thick string. She went crazy for it and chased it around the room. The youthful and innocent energy she radiated took my mind off my troubles, at least briefly.
How could this be wrong?
During our session, my father walked in and merely observed. I wasn't going to appeal to him in the slightest, so I disregarded him and continued playing with Sabi. After a minute of watching, he dropped a slip of paper onto my dresser.
Hesitantly, I grabbed the paper, like it would lash out at me if I came in too fast.
"I got you a nice place in the city. We'll continue to cover your living expenses for you as long as you continue to attend," he said.
Unfolding the slip, I saw it had an address: 6659 Harting Road. This didn't sound like a dorm; it was most likely an apartment in the city somewhere.
"Why can't I stay here again? None of this really makes sense to me," I said.
He sighed. "Matthew, you're an adult now. We're more than okay with you being here, but you're obviously ready to make adult decisions. This will be tough; if you can manage the task, great, but for now, this is how it has to be."
"Thanks, Dad," I said simply. I didn't feel thankful—more abandoned—but there wasn't much else to say.
"I'll be waiting outside," he said before leaving.
Well, this was it, I supposed. I wrenched the toy away from Sabi, grabbed her pokéball, and presented it to her.
"This is your pokéball. I need to keep you in here sometimes, but just know you'll always be with me, so there's no reason to panic, okay?" I explained.
"Litleo!" she exclaimed. I was unsure if she understood anything I'd said, but what difference did it make?
I pressed the button and pointed the ball at her. Sabi was consumed in a red light before being pulled into the object in my hand.
Man, it was so surreal that she was just there… I may never get used to this new power I wielded.
After collecting some last-minute things, I grabbed my suitcase and closed the bedroom door. I would need to come back to return the incubator to the professor at some point, but I'd worry about that later.
Brittney rushed out of her room to meet me. She had a big box full of stuff, and it was heavy, judging by how she strained to hold it. "Here's a bunch of things you'll need," she said, handing the box to me. It was indeed quite heavy. "I'd went through the bathroom and rounded up all the stuff from there, as well as the things you'd bought for Sabi."
"There's more than that in here if this box is as heavy as it is," I challenged.
Brittney nodded. "I also gave you my inflatable mattress."
I didn't know what to say to her generosity. "Thank you, Brittney."
She brought me into a hug. "Take good care of the little munchkin, would you? I'll always be here to help if you need anything."
She was talking like I was being sent away to some far-off place, though I supposed she might've felt sentimental given we'd lived under the same roof our whole lives. "I will."
She broke the hug and sent me on my way.
In the foyer, my mother watched me with a sad smile. She had nothing to say, and quite frankly, I didn't either. After everything that happened today, I didn't know what to think of her.
Outside, the sun had already set, and nighttime was quickly approaching. The chill in the air was hard to ignore as I made my way to my car.
The garage door was open, and, as he'd said, my dad was waiting in his car to escort me there.
I tossed my things in the back and started the engine. My father pulled out ahead of me, signaling to follow.
He took me on the highway. It wasn't a surprise; being by far the quickest way there. Once within the city, we went through more side roads than we usually did to get to the university; it must've been a ways away. Eventually, we pulled up to a large apartment complex and parked.
I got out of the car, leaving my items behind for the time being but making sure I had Sabi's pokéball.
Night had officially fallen over the city, and the natural light was replaced by streetlights and obnoxious signs all vying for your attention. Many people were walking about; I couldn't deny that this part of the city made me somewhat uncomfortable, especially at night, but I decided to trust my father and follow him in.
I didn't know what I expected, but the inside was nice. The flooring was a stylish patterned carpet, and the walls were a pleasing navy blue, holding many pieces of art depicting people, places, and pokémon. The furnishings in the lobby looked comfortable, and everything was clean.
Everything came together to create a homey atmosphere. I would've thought we'd walked into a nice hotel if I didn't know any better.
I followed my dad as he approached the reception desk. The lobby was vacated, so there was nobody to wait on.
After talking with the employee, I was given a key to my room and a booklet, most likely containing information about their amenities and what was expected of me living here; I would read it later.
Back outside, I unlocked my and pulled out what little I'd managed to pack on the short notice, as well as the box my sister had given me.
"Awfully nice of your sister to be looking out for you; need me to take that?" he asked.
I nodded and let him relieve me of the heavy box.
After grabbing everything, I locked my car and returned to the building. Remembering the tag on the room key I was given, it read '307'. It meant I would be on the top floor, which was nice; no hearing the footsteps of your upstairs neighbors.
We took the elevator to the third floor and found the room that had my number. Inside, the clean gray carpeting and beige walls greeted us. The space was, predictably, a little cramped but very livable.
There was no bed or other furniture, so I was glad Brittney had given me the inflatable mattress… though I had no pillows or blanket.
I sighed, feeling like this was the first of many things I'll find myself lacking.
The far wall by the windows had a refrigerator, an electric stove, and a sink. The appliances looked modern and in great shape. The only things missing were the machines for doing laundry, but they probably had common facilities for those.
I sat everything down and slid down the wall. I was worn out from the day it'd been. All I wanted was to crawl into bed and sleep, but the 'bed' was still folded up in a box.
"You look like you could use some rest; let's get you settled for the night," he said, pulling out the inflatable mattress and the little air pump.
Thankful for the help, I unfolded the mattress, and he began inflating it. It took several rounds of trading positions at the pump, but after ten minutes or so, I had a place to lie down.
I sat down to give it a test. It was filled to a firmness to my liking; I wouldn't have any trouble sleeping on it.
I guess my father picked up on my predicament. "You forgot to pack a blanket and pillows, didn't you,"
"Yes," I replied simply.
"Give me your room key; I'll run home and get you some," he said. I dug the key out of my pocket and gave it to him.
"Alright, I'll be back in twenty minutes. Did you need me to pick up anything else while I'm there?" he asked.
I shook my head. "If I knew, I would've grabbed them. I'm sure I'll discover those things as I go."
He nodded, and with that, the door opening and closing signaled his departure.
I let gravity take me and fell to my side. Something pressed against my right leg: Sabi's pokéball in my pocket. I didn't have the energy to do anything with her right now, but I couldn't neglect her; this was now her place, too.
Picking myself up, I rummaged through the luggage and found everything she needed: her bed, toys, house training supplies, bottles, and formula. I made a mental note to look up how long she would need to be bottle-fed.
After finding places for everything, I called it good enough and pushed the button on her pokéball. It gave the same 'pop' sound and released the pokémon within.
Once she was out, she wasted no time acclimating to the new environment. Sniffing the floor, finding her items, and debating trying to jump onto the counters.
Not wanting that to happen, I picked up her Patrat toy and smacked her on the side to get her attention. It worked, and then some; she tried to bite it and take it from me, but I raised it high and out of reach.
"Sabi," I said, capturing her attention. "We live here from now on, so make yourself comfortable, and please don't break anything."
"Litleo!" she bellowed with excitement.
I still had no clue if she could understand what I was saying, but at the very least, she knew her name. "Alright, here you go," I said, dropping the toy for her to have.
And she had at it, biting with sharp teeth and raking with even sharper claws. A child's toy wouldn't have stood a chance, but I didn't notice hardly any damage on the Patrat; apparently, pokémon toys were made to last.
I sat on the mattress and watched her play. A short while later, my father returned with more supplies, including the bedding items and foodstuffs, which I completely forgot. I made a bed of the mattress, and he put the other things away. They even spared me some cook and bakeware, as well as things to eat the food with.
"Huh, two boxes of stuff didn't begin to cover what I needed," I said.
My father nodded. "You'll discover many things," he replied. After what happened in this short time, I didn't doubt it.
Knowing how tired I was, he didn't stick around long. He left without much word, leaving me alone to figure things out.
With a sigh, I shut the lights off and crawled into bed. Sabi could still be heard flopping around with her possession; hopefully, she would tire herself out soon.
The blinds only did so much to keep out the lights from the city, and the noises were worse.
This wasn't anything like living in the subdivision.
The first night in the apartment was terrible.
Despite how tired I was, sleep didn't come easy in the new environment, and when I was allowed to drift off, it was broken and of poor quality with the light and noise pouring in.
I discovered I didn't even need a blanket; the room warmed up in the night, and I had no way to dispel the heat besides opening the window and inviting in the sounds of the city in their entirety.
Where all the heat even came from, I wasn't sure, but Sabi did feel pretty warm lying on my chest.
Again, she had forgone using the bed I had bought for her and slept on me instead. I wasn't sure how I thought about it, but right now, it just felt gross.
"Ugh," I groaned. I felt disgusting and covered in sweat. Eventually, sleep stopped coming. Without a bedside clock, I pulled out my phone.
Four A.M. This had to have been the worst night of sleep I'd ever had.
My eyes closed in another fruitless attempt to catch just five more minutes. When that didn't work, I tried to lift Sabi to place her in her bed, but she immediately began whimpering.
My desires for sleep and her comfort clashed intensely, but I ultimately set her back where she was. Perhaps Litleo cubs slept with their parents.
I stared at the ceiling and watched light dance across it as cars drove by, taking on the shape of the gaps between the closed blinds.
After another hour, I couldn't take it anymore and got up, waking Sabi in the process. "I'm sorry, but I need to take a shower. You can sleep in your bed if you want," I said, pointing it out.
She looked where I was pointing, yawned, and climbed back on the inflatable mattress.
I was concerned that she would destroy it with her sharp claws, but my main focus was getting cleaned up. I was soggy; I'd forgotten to take off my shirt last night and was paying for it.
I flicked on the room light, gathered a fresh change of clothes, and hopped into the shower. Cold water took away the nasty, lingering heat and washed away my sweaty coating. It also helped wake me up for the day ahead.
Finals week. For the first time, I wasn't looking forward to it. I wasn't confident in my preparation, and there was no time to amend that. Well, there might be some time when I get out of the bathroom.
A scratching came at the door. "Leoo!" I could hear Sabi's muffled whines through the running water.
At first, I thought she might've been curious about what was happening behind the closed door, but as she kept scratching, I realized what she actually wanted.
"Oh no, she needs to be fed," I said aloud. And after that, she'll probably need to be played with and have more lengthy house training.
I sighed. There goes my cramming session.
I went through the day in low spirits. There was no way I was leaving Sabi back at the apartment alone, so I took her to campus with me in her ball, packing the supplies I'd need for her in my already stuffed school bag.
I did my best during my exams, but my fatigue and insufficient studying left me discontented with my performance leaving the building.
After testing for five straight hours, I was finally done. The first thing I did was grab lunch at the food court, then instead of heading back to the apartment, I took a detour to the park on campus.
This was also the longest I'd left Sabi in her pokéball. I supposed I'd get some answers about how being in one affects a pokémon.
I took her out of my pocket and released her. She seemed disoriented every time, but I brushed it off as her finding herself in a new environment.
Sabi looked around at the grass beneath her paws, the cloudless sky, and the other people and pokémon enjoying the park. For a moment, I was worried that she would react negatively to the social setting, but she seemed to get excited.
"Leo!" she cried, hopping to and fro.
I pointed out the open space. "You can go play if you want; just stay in the grass and don't hurt anyone."
"Litleo!" she cried again before dashing off to explore the new space.
"Hm, looks like she can understand me, at least a little bit," I muttered thoughtfully. "And she didn't complain about being hungry at all, either."
I noted my little findings but knew there was still a lot to learn.
My eyes tracked Sabi as she pranced about. She seemed to like rolling in the grass and playing with other pokémon, even if they were over double her size.
I took some videos of her while I watched; how could one not when the little cub was chasing a massive Arcanine around the grounds?
The video was about a minute long; I sent it to my sister.
'She really likes being outside,' I'd sent along with the video.
Brittney got back instantly. 'OMG, that is the most adorable thing ever! Make sure you give her extra love for me!'
I replied with a simple thumbs-up and put my phone down to continue spectating. Sabi was radiating more energy than she would when playing with her toys.
Maybe… she does belong out here.
The thought bounced around my head. More things I'm noticing are giving my dad some merit; maybe she just wasn't made for house life.
I was lost in my sea of thoughts again; when I returned, Sabi was fighting with someone's pokémon: a Tyrogue.
I watched in in horror as she dodged a punch and swiped at it in return. Being bipedal, it was able to grab her paw and toss her a ways.
Sabi rolled a bit, but got back up with determination. She barrelled at the Tyrogue and headbutted it square in the chest, causing them to tumble over each other.
"Sabi!" I yelled finding my voice and running after her.
Her ears perked upon hearing me and she trotted over like nothing was wrong.
"Litleo!"
"What are you doing? I told you not to hurt anyone!"
Another set of footsteps approached. "Ah, there you are, Ty; found yourself a sparring partner?"
Next to the Tyrogue stood a trainer. The man was probably about my age, wearing jogging clothes. He seemed pretty average, except his long brown hair had two streaks of blue in it. I expected the trainer of this pokémon to be angry that there was a scuffle, but they seemed almost uninterested, like this was common.
He noticed something and knelt down to his pokémon. "Ah, did they getcha? That's definitely a burn," he said, running a finger over its pectorals, making it wince.
Burn? Sabi hasn't learned how to use fire attacks yet, but as I caught a glimpse, I came to the same conclusion; it had a burn on its chest.
"I'm sorry! I took my eyes off her for a minute and she hurt your pokémon, I can heal your-"
He put his hands up. "Woah, woah, slow down, man! What's the deal? Never seen a battle before?"
I stopped. "A battle? They were battling?"
I received a look like I was stupid. "Yeah, you know, a fight to see who's stronger. Your Litleo must've seen a worthy opponent in Ty here."
"Ty," the Tyrogue said, tenderly grazing its injury with its three-fingered hand.
"Oh, I thought they were trying to hurt each other."
"Ah, you're not a trainer trainer, are you?"
I shook my head. No, I just got her a couple days ago; that kind of lifestyle doesn't really interest me," I said truthfully.
"Huh, if that's the case, I think you chose the wrong pokémon, pal; from what I've heard, Litleo are a rowdy bunch that love to battle."
My thoughts were muddled by everything he was saying; I couldn't manage more than a nod.
The man must've had enough here. "C'mon Ty, we got some medicine back at home. Can you make it?"
"Tyrogue!" it bellowed and ran ahead, followed by its trainer.
I was left there, shook by the foreign interaction we just had. I turned to see Sabi licking her flank; she'd been doing that since the other trainer approached.
"What's wrong, Sabi? Why do you keep licking?"
I crouched to examine her. Parting her fur, I could see the beginnings of a bruise. The only attack I saw Sabi take was when she was thrown; must've been a hard landing.
"Let's go home and get that treated," I said, ushering her along.
In total, we stayed for about an hour. Apart from that incident, I was pleased with how well she got along with others and that none of them got too rough with her. I wondered if pokémon had some instincts about behaving around cubs. Maybe I'd look for a research paper online later.
Another thing I noticed was that people often had their pokéballs attached to their belts. Looking at my own belt, I eyed the small black notches. Hesitantly, I hovered Sabi's ball close to one of them.
I was surprised when I felt a pull on the ball. Releasing my hold, it attached itself to my belt like a magnet to a refrigerator.
Huh. I'd always wondered what those were for.
After rounding up Sabi, we began the drive back. I let her ride in the car with me; it didn't feel right to have her cooped up as much as I'd been doing. She enjoyed looking out the window and watching pedestrians and other cars pass by, though, on two occasions, she jumped onto the dash, which I had to address while driving down bustling city streets.
Back at the apartment, I threw my stuff against the wall and found one of the potions I brought along.
I grabbed the little feline and sat her down before me. Using the potion, I sprayed her wound until the substance was gone.
Near instantly, the bruise began to fade. Medicine for pokémon never ceased to amaze me. It reminded me that one day, I would be on the frontline to make them even better.
"Ow!" I yelled, being pulled from my basking.
Sabi was biting my wrist of the hand parting her fur; chomping down quite hard.
"Ow ow ow," I cried as I pried her little jaw off my arm. Her sharp teeth pierced skin and blood slowly ran out.
Quickly: sterilize, medicate, bandage. In less than a minute, I had washed the bite, applied some antibiotic cream. I didn't have any bandages on me, but I had some in a first aid kit I kept in the car.
I used paper towel as I ran to the car, came back wrapped properly.
All the while, Sabi watched me in confusion. What was she confused about? She just bit me!
Before jumping to the conclusion that she wanted to kill me, I thought back to what happened at the park, and what that guy said.
Litleo are a rowdy bunch.
She didn't do this to hurt me, she was looking for someone to roughhouse with.
"Alright, come here, you!" I said and grabbed her; orienting her on her back. Carefully maneuvering my hands around her dangerous claws, I gave her belly scratches.
Evidently, she enjoyed it, emitting little huffs of laughter and trying hard to escape.
She did eventually wriggle free, and she was intent on returning the favor. She bowled me over and bit me on my hand, but not hard enough to draw blood this time. She also used her back feet to rake at my arm.
It hurt, and the scratches immediately swelled, but now that I understood her a little better, it wasn't that bad. We had a repeat when I tried to brush her matted fur; she batted at the brush whenever it came close, making the task take much longer than it needed to, but I didn't actually mind. I felt like a kid playing with his first pokémon.
Eventually, our fun moment had to come to an end. She still needed to be fed, so I did just that before returning to my next task.
It'd quickly become apparent how much of a balancing act living alone was; so many things to do, but the only person around to do them is yourself. There wasn't a lot of time to do everything needed, let alone anything for leisure.
Skipping my own dinner, seeing as there was nothing readily available to eat, I was able to focus until eight, when exhaustion finally took hold.
I'd slept in nothing but my underwear, but it was still uncomfortably warm and sweaty with Sabi taking her usual place on my chest. I was thankful, however, that I was able to get some quality sleep.
The following day was the same routine: Shower, feed Sabi, play with Sabi, try to house train Sabi, go to school. However, since I was famished at that point, I'd made time for a small breakfast of eggs.
The day fared more or less the same as yesterday. I wasn't as prepared as I'd wanted and wasn't sure of my results. That was okay, though. I couldn't get caught up with what's already done, there was one more exam for tomorrow: my pokémon biology class.
We were back at the apartment by about three after Sabi's play time in the park again. I still didn't want to make anything, so I ordered a pizza for delivery as I tended to Sabi.
She was quite dirty from today's session, so I brushed her again. This time around, she was more accepting and even began to purr after feeling the bristles through her fur.
The delivery came twenty minutes later. I paid with a nice tip and placed the box on the counter. It was a plain sausage pizza, my favorite when I got to have it, which was rarely. Homecooked meals were the norm when I lived with my parents, but now I felt like I was getting the authentic college kid experience.
My little Litleo was very interested, sniffing the air and trying to climb onto the countertop. I grabbed a plate and a couple of slices before sitting on the floor.
She was all over me, curious of the smell. I took a bite of the pizza and offered it to her. She took another sniff but backed off. I guessed she was turned away by the dough, cheese, and sauce; she was a carnivore, after all.
I picked off a piece of sausage and she accepted it, making a happy noise and asking for more.
I was unsure whether feeding a newhatch solid food was a good idea. She had the teeth to chew it, but it certainly didn't provide the same nutrients as the formula.
Ultimately, I shrugged and was left with a slice barren of sausage. We ate all but a few slices, so I figured that would be breakfast covered for tomorrow.
Tuesday had came and went without much fanfare, and the night had left me with another nasty coating of sweat on my body. Sabi didn't mind in the slightest, though. I really should buy a fan or something.
At least today was the last day of final exams. The relief came with some surprise; school was always enjoyable, but now it seemed more like a job with Sabi to take care of… as well as myself.
Shower. Feed. Play. I grabbed the leftover pizza and ate it cold before driving to school. The commute to campus from the apartment wasn't terrible, but with the traffic, it still wasn't much faster than biking from the subdivision house despite being much closer.
My final wasn't until noon, so I had time to cram beforehand, not that I needed to this time; pokémon biology was the class I was by far most comfortable with.
I pounded through the study guide to kill time until noon. When the time came, I threw the bag over my shoulder, grabbed my keys, and put Sabi back into her pokéball. She was used to the protocol at this point, so she didn't fuss.
Putting the ball to my belt, it, once again, was pulled and held in place at one of the notches. Still, I made sure it was secure before heading out.
Most of the class was already there when I arrived, so seats were limited. I was forced to take one closer to the middle, all the front seats being taken.
I looked up at the professor to see him eyeing me with interest. Perhaps he was wanting to ask when he'd get the equipment back.
I should get that done soon, too.
When noon rolled around, the professor got up and shut the door. "Alright, everyone seems to be accounted for, so let's not waste any time," he said.
The front row received the exam packets, took one, and passed the rest back. The room fell into complete silence when everyone had their own.
Examining the packet, I saw five pages, front and back. I was relieved not to find anything that caught me up.
When I got started, time melted away, being replaced by facts, knowledge, and the sounds of a pen to paper.
I was going through the test like it was nothing, flipping the pages one after the other until there were no more pages to flip. When I arrived at the final question on the back, my flow abruptly ceased when I saw it wasn't a question but a note.
'Matthew, please stay until the end of class.'
It was a personal message for me, obviously from the professor. Maybe he wanted to discuss some more about my prospects at Diamond Labs.
Now, my focusing energy turned to excitement. I glanced around to find everyone was still working, and then at the clock. Only a half-hour had passed; there would be some time to wait.
Standing up quietly, I headed to the professor's desk and handed him my exam. He eyed it with curiosity and then me. I nodded to him, wordlessly signaling that his message was received.
The class was allotted to go for two hours. I had nothing else to do, so I sat there while the others finished. One by one, my classmates handed in their work and left. I fidgeted with the pokéball on my belt to pass the time. Sabi would love some extra time outside, and now that the semester was over, I felt obligated to give it to her.
"Matthew," I heard from across the room. Professor Manchineel was staring at me expectingly. "Care for a chat?"
The classroom had emptied at some point without me noticing. I stood up and pulled a chair to his desk.
The look he was giving didn't fade. "Well, don't keep me in suspense; I saw what you have," he stated, pointing to my midsection.
"Oh, the pokéball!" I said excitedly. "You were right, Professor; it hatched only about a day later."
"I've been working with pokémon since I was your age, Matthew. You learn much when you study these creatures, and to think there is still much still to learn."
I pulled the ball from my belt and placed it on the desk. He reached over and pushed the button.
When she took form, she looked between the room and the two of us. She'd never been inside any of the campus buildings, at least not after she'd hatched. This place was a lot different than the other places she knew.
"A healthy-looking specimen, impressive considering the conditions in which she came," the professor mused. "I assume you've examined her yourself?"
"Well, yes and no," I said, watching Sabi hop off the desk and explore the room. "I did what I could, but I've been more worried about making sure she's being taken care of."
I looked back to see the Professor laser-focused on me; I was slightly uncomfortable.
"No matter, you're the son of the most revered veterinarians in the nation; surely they would help you if you aren't comfortable doing it yourself?"
I nodded slowly. "You're right, I'll ask them sometime," I said, not wanting to talk about family issues with the Pokémon Professor of all people.
Thankfully, he didn't press and found another subject matter, though he didn't give up his stare… it was almost predatory. "I have some news that you'd be ecstatic about; it's regarding a potential job at Diamond Laboratories."
He couldn't be more correct. "I'm listening."
They said they were always welcoming for internship positions, and from there, you would be assigned to work under their senior scientists. With your aptitude, I wouldn't think you'd have much difficulty finding your place."
Excitement overtook me easily; I was going to work for Diamond Labs! It was a dream come true!
The image faded away as something brushed against my leg. Sabi was there and smiling up at me.
"Leo!" she exclaimed. She must've been picking up on my energy.
Shit, she was still a factor.
I reached down and petted her, which she happily accepted.
"You seem troubled, Matthew; what could be the matter?"
I turned my attention back to the professor; his gaze softened. "It's just that now I have a pokémon to care for. I've been having trouble balancing school and caring for her since she'd hatched, and I'm not sure if I can balance those for much longer, let alone an internship on top of all that."
The professor ran a hand through his wiry beard. "I see. You're concerned she won't get the care she needs at home?"
"No, and as my dad said, she's more attuned to outdoor living, and I can see that whenever I have the chance to let her roam the park on campus. My household is just… busy. She deserves the best life she could have for what happened to her, but I'm not confident that I can give it to her anymore."
"That is quite the conundrum," he said, continuing to stroke his facial hair. Have you considered placing her in an orphanage?"
I sighed. "Yes, but it just seems like… like I'm betraying her somehow. I don't think I could do it."
As if she knew we were talking about her, she jumped onto my lap and back onto the professor's desk, sitting and looking at me.
"I understand this could be the most difficult decision you've ever had to make, but I could offer a recommendation."
The professor pulled out a rolodex and began cycling through it. He found the entry he sought and wrote down some information on a sticky note before handing it to me.
"Here is the information for a place in Ferta, highly rated, and works under a program affiliated with Diamond Laboratories. There is no obligation to do so, but it's good to have options."
I accepted the note wearily. It had someone's contact information and an address in the Ferta Province, which bordered Idian to the south. Is this truly what it had to come down to?
Looking at the professor, he nodded. "The decision weighs heavy, but you're a smart young man, Matthew. No one can tell you what to do here; only you know the answer."
Nodding sadly, I picked up Sabi, who nuzzled my face. The answer wasn't clear yet. I grabbed my things and stood up.
"Oh, Matthew, I didn't give you this."
He slid a business card across the desk. This one was someone with Diamond Labs. "There's your contact if you want to apply."
Judging by the chest-up photo on the card, the man had to have been huge. He could've doubled as an Orrean bodybuilder in an obviously custom-tailored suit.
I checked the name: Conand Ryker. He had multiple doctorates to his name; this must have been someone higher up.
"Take your time; they're always looking for talent like yours," he said.
I grabbed the card and pocketed it. "Thanks, professor, for everything. Oh, and I'll return the incubator sometime soon," I said.
He waved me off. "I'm not too bothered. Return it when you can. Drop it off at the front, and I can get it from there."
With that, we bid each other farewell, and I carried Sabi down the network of hallways.
She wasn't having it, however, squirming in my grasp.
"Alright, alright, you can get down, but follow me, okay?"
She didn't say anything, caught up in taking in the new place and watching the people walk down the hall, but she did stick with me as we went.
What do I do? This dilemma kept coming back, and it would keep doing so until I found a way through it.