Joel sipped his coffee as he drove the near-empty streets of down town Celadon. Everyone else was where he should have been -- nursing their hangovers and spending time with loved ones. Yet here he was scouring the streets for an address that he hardly remembered.
Joel glanced around at an intersection, drove through, and he saw the remains of the previous evening’s festivities. The local shops were still adorned in their New Years decorations. With streamers and shiny ribbon dangling from second story windows and the Rayquaza statue at the local “Celadon Community Center” dressed in evergreen garlands.
Further along Mainstreet, Joel neared his own business: Game Corner. Beside his humble establishment was the two-story bakery: Goldenkrisp. A smiling Kanghaskhan adorned the signage. On the front porch, shoveling snow was a young Kanghaskhan, no older than twelve, with her adoptive cubone brother.
The Kanghaskhan looked up from her shovel and waved, eyes pearly and alight. Her cubone bronter clutched his snow shovel to his chest -- the impliment utterly alien in his palms.
Joel rolled down the windows and he pulled beside the bakery, “your mom’s already got you two working, RB?”
RB nodded, “I think she thinks vacation’s a bad word or something.”
“Or she looked it up in the wrong dictionary,” Joel pushed his glasses up his muzzle, “hey Ridge.”
The Cubone nodded attentively but said nothing.
“What are you doing down here if your nerd store’s closed?”
“Mister Harry wanted to meet me and I happened to be in the neighborhood --”
The front door creaked open and a positively massive Kanghaskhan stood in the doorway. Her broad frame cast a horned shadow on the snow. . Her face creased with stern age lines born of the hard Wild’s lifestyle. Draped across her chest as an apron woven with traditional Altan tribe symbols. She saw Joel and smiled.
“Joel!”
“Mornin’ Sarnai,” Joel waved, “sorry to bother the kids, but you know me, I can’t not say hi.”
“Pah you know better than to apologize, always nice to see you neighbor, ” Sarnai said and she sprinkled her mumbling with her native tongue, “What brings you to work, is your store not closed today?”
“Oh like I was just about to tell the kids, I’m meeting a friend somewhere down here and figured I’d say hello.”
A ringing bell set the Arcanine’s ears erect.
“Oh, oh,” RB shuffled toward her mother, “mama, the cookies.”
Sarnai gasped and bolted inside. Joel’s brow quirked and she returned a moment later. Warm smells wafted through door and sliced through the blustery winter world beyond. In her arms was a blue pastry box. An assortment of chocolate chip cookies teased a growl from the Arcanine’s belly. He hadn't eaten that morning, foolish as he was.
“Oh thanks but I really can’t dip into your profits--”
“So humble but I was waiting to give these to your tomorrow anyhow. I owe you after your help with this past Festival Eve."."
“Well Sarnai, I am grateful and I would gladly take them, but I’m sort of starting this diet and--”
“But they are the special ones made with Aspear berry sauce.”
“Aspear berry…” the Arcanine grunted, “okay maybe I can take those off your hands.”
“Wonderful!” Sarnai took the box to Joel and fed it through the passenger window of his car. The box of cookies filled the confined space with the tart yet chocolaty scent that contributed to his growing waistline over the years. Joel forced a smile as she stepped back from the window.
“Well, maybe I’d best get going, don’t want to keep Harry waiting.”
“Oof, Arceus no, he will come to pieces if he has to wait,” Sarnai chuckled, “perhaps you could stop by later. If you don’t have any other plans?”
“I’ll think about it, got a busy day ahead.”
“Well, you know how to reach me.”
“Of course. Happy New Year guys, and take care,” Joel rolled up the window and drove off. Baked temptation seated beside him. Already his New Years Resolution was dissolving as the Aspear berry scent burrowed through his will.
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