“I really didn’t expect it to be like this. Maybe I underestimated the looks girls get in my old world.” I thought with a deadpan.
Sitting in a seat in the lobby of the Pokemon Center, I couldn’t help but notice the hidden glances and obvious check outs I was getting from the girls around me. I didn’t mind it, but after waking up so early after finally getting some sleep after yesterday’s events kinda made me more lethargic than normal. It was nice getting the looks from some pretty girls, I just wasn’t a morning person.
“Hey Koal! Walking in with her Growllithe at her side, Jenny looked wide awake and ready to take on the day.
“Oh God….a morning person…” However I couldn’t really let my mind completely turn that into a bad thing, not when such a good looking woman was directing a bright smile at me.
“Hey Jenny.” Standing up, I saw her do a once over me quickly before looking me in my eyes.
“I see you’re wearing some new clothes! Did Joy sort you out?” Coming to a stop in front of me, Jenny was answered by Nurse Joy speaking up behind the counter.
“Of course I did! I wouldn’t let a man go out in clothes he wore the previous night! Arceus knows my husband would throw a fit.” Handing the Pokeballs she just picked up from the restoration machine back to the trainer, she spoke to Jenny with a huff.
My attire was something I wasn’t used to wearing. A white button up shirt that I left undone just above my chest, gray slacks, and some new gray trainer shoes whose brand I couldn’t even begin to know. Going to the bathroom last night, I also noticed something very weird but forced myself not to think about.
I can’t really remember what I looked like before coming to this world.
I took the time to take a glance at myself in the mirror, but the person who looked back didn’t bring any memories from my previous world. Caramel skin, deep amber eyes, and a head of dark blue hair with the tips being a light green. The funny thing is the hairstyle reminded me of Ban from the “Seven Deadly Sins” anime. Why I found that funny at all was because of how absurd it is that I can remember what a random anime character from a show’s hair looked like, but I couldn’t begin to remember my own features. Kind of shocking, but it wasn’t anything to dwell on too deeply.
“Plus that wasn’t even the biggest problem last night.” I thought with a grimace.
After going to the bathroom, I headed to the bed and prepared to go to sleep, only I had a pain that made it pretty hard to do so. It wasn’t my back from the poison sting. That was healed by Nurse Joy. What ached was something else entirely.
“Can’t believe I got blue balls. Maybe I should have let Shia continue on for a couple seconds longer.” Seeing Nurse Joy hand back the Pokeballs to a random trainer and walk over to us, I stopped that train of thought.
“I already called the institute and let them know that Koal would be on the way.” Nurse Joy said with a cheery tone. “Apparently they call themselves “Helpful Hand”, I guess us Joy’s and Jenny’s finally have some competition when it comes to assisting the people of Kanto.”
Seeing Jenny roll her eyes, I held back a laugh.
“Please.” Putting her hands on her waist, Jenny cocked her hip. “Our families have been getting people trying to get into the medicine or guardian fields for generations. Just because these people are mixing the two doesn’t mean it’s going to stick.” Looking at me, Jenny’s voice softened. “Sure it’s nice to see someone trying to start a business that involves looking out and caring for people who need the help, but by taking on both of these roles they’re just going to stretch themself to thin and end up selling the business to one of our more business oriented family members.”
Shrugging her shoulders, Nurse Joy turned to me and held out a stack of green bills she had grabbed from her uniform pocket.
“Whatever happens, happens. Let’s just be happy that Koal here is getting the assistance he needs. Here’s the money from the bounty that those two criminals had on their heads. It should be around $6000 dollars.” She announced, putting the money in my outstretched hand.
“That much!?” I nearly shouted while staring at the wad of money.
Nodding her head, Jenny spoke up.
“That officer told you last night right? We take crimes of all nature against men very seriously and the fact that they both had two rape charges against them really made their bounties skyrocket.” Smiling a little, she explained.
“B-but I wasn’t even the one who caught them!? You were Jenny.” Confused, I went from staring at the large sum of cash to staring at her, earning a blush.
“Honestly, I don’t really need it.” Raising up her hands to shake them, she scratched the back of her head awkwardly. “Plus I think with how you’re having memory troubles, along with having gone through what you did, you really need it. Anyway, I wouldn't have ever found them if I hadn’t heard you shouting. So it’s no big deal.” She finished with a careless shrug.
“I can’t do that.’ Shaking my head, I counted out $3000 and held it up to her. “You said you’re about to finish the academy and become a full fledged Officer Jenny. I’m sure that you’re going to have some stuff to pay off. I’ve heard stories about how hard it is going to a school only for them to try to gouge every last cent out of you. I can’t have you passing on this chance to have money only to regret it when you find yourself in a tough spot.”
Looking at me stunned, I saw that it was not only Jenny looking at me like I had grown a second head, but Nurse Joy along with several women who stopped once they heard what I said also looked at me in the same way. Glancing around, I named off the random emotions that began morphing on the women’s faces.
Genuine appreciation on Jenny’s face, surprised reassessment on Nurse Joy’s, envy on a trainer who had a Weedle on her shoulder, lust on a trainer who was standing near the counter waiting for Nurse Joy to be finished with her conversation, bitterness on a trainer who was staring at Jenny with a heated glare, all of them had varying emotions playing out.
After recollecting herself, Jenny looked at the money, then to me. With a small upturn of the corners of her mouth, her eyes holding something in them I couldn’t decipher, she spoke.
“Thanks, but I really don’t need it.” She said softly.
“You really don’t know Koal?” Nurse Joy spoke up, her gaze studying me closely.
Looking back and forth between the two of them, I felt genuine confusion.
“Know what? Is the academy free or something?” Scratching the back of my head, I truly didn’t know what was going on. “Is that how it works in the world? Maybe officers are treated better or something because of how dangerous the job is.” I began to ponder.
Smiling the brightest smile I’ve seen yet after finding the thing on my face she was searching for, Nurse Joy tried her best to cover up a laugh.
“Pfffft!” Bringing her hand up to her lips, Nurse Joy’s shoulders began shaking. “Koal, the Jenny and Joy families are without a doubt the-”
“Wait!” Jenny yelled out, throwing her hands up in Nurse Joy’s direction. “D-don’t tell him!”
“Ohhhhh~” Letting her hands drop, Nurse Joy had a wicked grin in place aimed at Jenny. “Found yourself a golden egg huh~? Trying to monopolize this shiny all for yourself~?”
Face turning a deep shade of red, Jenny sent a scowl towards her and crossed her arms under her bust causing them to bounce.
I was immediately distracted.
“You know how hard it is to find someone who doesn’t know…that!” Jenny harshly whispered, however I tuned out after finding something to focus on. “The amount of guys who only want me for my name is endless! Don’t ruin this!”
“Hmmmm~! Looks like my little Jenny finally’s going through puberty~!” Nurse Joy sang out with a smile and a clap of her hands.
“Huh?” Tuning in at the last part, I tilted my head. “I don’t get it.” Scrunching up my face, I scratched the back of my head. “Couldn’t you just take it anyway? I’d feel better if you did.”
“It may be a reversed world, but growing up eighteen years with having it seen as bad at taking a girl's money is just too ingrained in me.” I thought with a sigh. “It’s going to take a while not to feel bad about it.”
Moving her eyes towards the money I still had held out, Jenny shuffled awkwardly before reaching out a hand. Eyes flickering to mine once she touched it, only to see relief and happiness, she somehow turned even redder and looked away quickly.
“T-thanks…” Mumbling, Jenny pocketed the cash swiftly and began fidgeting with her fingers. “That’s really nice of you. Most guys would just take the money as if it was their right…or just try to act like you are right now, but really hope I say no.”
“How do you know I’m not acting?” I asked with humor, a playful glint entering my eyes.
Biting her plump bottom lip at seeing my teasing, she looked at Nurse Joy as if begging for help.
“Pfffftttt!” A hand coming back up to her mouth at seeing Jenny’s desperate call for back up, Nurse Joy took a deep settling breath and explained. “We get a lot of people trying to lie to us for…reasons, Koal.” She informed me with a wide smile. “Let’s just say that all Jenny’s have a pretty good built in lie detector because of their work, and us Joy’s have something similar for figuring out abusive trainers.”
“Ohhhhh!” Nodding my head at the answer, I placed the rest of my money in my pocket. “That makes sense.”
“Yes, yes it does.” She said right back with a tone that made it seem like she found some hidden joke humorous.
“Fucking Jenny’s get all the luck.”
“Of course a guy like that would be around her. Did you see he just gave half of that money back to a Jenny!?”
“Damn it, what I wouldn’t give to pin him down and split myself on him.”
“Ughhhh. I’m never going to get a boyfriend…”
Listening to the various girls who thought they were whispering, I could only shrug my shoulders.
“I guess dudes here are just as money hungry as some women in my own world.” I thought with a laugh. “I didn’t expect it to be this big of a deal to see a man not pretending about giving some money back. I won’t act like I hate it though, it’s pretty cool to be the center of attention.”
Pulling my focus back to Jenny after seeing her send a threatening glare to the women around us, I watched her clear her throat and compose herself.
“Alright Koal, are you ready to head to Celadon?” Upon seeing my nod she gave me one in return. “Alright! We’re going to be taking a train straight there. It should only take us a couple hours, so after I drop you off at the building, I’ll be heading right back.”
Opening my mouth to protest her taking the time out of her day to help me, she lifted a hand.
“Don’t go telling me that I don’t have to help you!” Watching my face show surprise, she gave an endearing smile. “We may have only known each other a day, but I think I have a good grasp about your personality. It won’t be a problem, and I don’t have classes until tomorrow. Really. Just let me help you, I won’t see you for at least a month after, remember?”
Giving a smile back, I agreed. Truly Jenny was becoming someone I liked more and more, the pure kindness that radiated from her being was something I was rarely used to. Especially from the opposite sex. With that out of the way, I bid farewell to Nurse Joy, who gave Jenny a look filled with humor before telling me bye in return. Walking out of the Pokemon center with a beautiful woman by my side and a happy Pokemon, I looked forward to what lay ahead.