[attr="class","samjermain"]Harper worked her tail off, but most of it went to Daddy and the stupid crime boss guy. She got a bit of money for food and a few bucks for spending. Which didn’t really go far when you were harboring six Pokemon and a growing teenager. So, by the end of the week, her coffers started running low. It didn’t help that she loved sweets and blew most of her budget on that and pink taxes.


After an incident last week—where she pickpocketed the wrong guy—the thief was lying low. So, they’d made use of all the best restaurants in town. Or their dumpsters at least. It helped to think of it like a buffet. A little Italian here and some Chnese there. Right now, they were sampling family cuisine at an Unovan place. Or, at least, Twigs was.


Harper sat at the top of a fire escape a few stories up. Herlegs swung idly over the edge. As Selena and her Delphox approached, she leaned over to whisper into her Castform’s ‘ear.’ “Whatcha think she’s doing? She’s waaaaaaay too fancy to be digging through trash.” The Castform’s normally nervous face drooped slghtly. “ ; [ “ He didn’t like this. Not that he liked anything.


In the trash below, Harper’s Sprigatito was on the hunt for a platter of Friday’s fish and chips. His little nose twitched as she neared her prize. An excited meow erupted as she finally found it. But, just as he went to take a bite, he smelled something burning. “Tito?” He turned, only to see the tip of her tail sparking like a birthday candle.


Harper’s eyes widened when the Delphox approached. “Wait!” With the nimbleness of an Aipom, Harper swung between the levels of the fire escape, landing on the dusty floor. “My Sprigatito is—” Trash splattered her as the grass cat erupted from the trash heap with a yowl.


He raced past the Delphox, rocketing toward Selena’s legs.

[attr="class","wildtemp"]

[attr="class","wildtemp"]

[attr="class","samjermain"]Twig might be a lot of things, but stupid wasn't one of them.

As the fox raised its staff, the cat jettisoned away at a 90-degree angle. Bits of ashen fur dropped to the alley as he ran, his tail still smoldering. Once he was out of range, big red eyes lifted to glare at the older woman.

He didn't notice as a pile of scrap rose up behind him.

While others might be irritated at being overlooked, Harper took it as a point of pride. Thieves were meant to be sneaky after all. "Nobody was supposed to know she was there! “That's kinda the point, silly!" And, since they were stealing from the dumpster, it was best to keep it on the down low. People got weird about their trash.

"There's a ton of good restaurants too! That's what made Twiggy—" As Serena turned to face the Shieldon, Harper was startled by a clamor up the alley.

A Kingambit stepped from the shadows behind the Sprigatito. Its armor was cracked and its gait unsteady. It definitely didn't look like its normally regal self. The thing was so down and out that it was walking. It also didn't seem to like Twiggy squatting on its turf.

It stared angrily down at the cat. Malice filled its beady little eyes. On the bottom rung, the steel type wanted a rung to stand on. It reached down to grasp his tail. "Hey! Stupid!" Harper's call got his attention. A sticky beer can bounced off his stache as he turned to face the teenager. "Pick on somebody your own size!" He dropped the cat with a deep rumble. The blades on either side of his jaw—pockmarked by countless battles—started to glow.

It moved toward the girl. Harper waited. Just a teensy bit more! He crossed into ball distance. “Gotcha!”

The second he did, Harper tossed a PokeBall at him. She'd let him go later. Probably. Maybe dump him at a landfill first.

NOTES
Catching Kingambit

[attr="class","wildtemp"]

[attr="class","wildtemp"]

[attr="class","samjermain"]Harper turned to face Selena with her typical smile. “Raid the trash!” Harper declared proudly—like a child showing off their first scout page. “It’s the best place in town.” Her voice dropped into a conspiratorial whisper. “That’s what the critics say anyway—I just like the truffle fries.” She’d tried plenty of fancy food in her day. But it wasn’t that good.

The Sprigatito took a moment to shake off his inner paralysis. With that blade, a whisker’s width away, the little cat lived all nine lives at once. Only after he recovered did he return to his trainer, weaving in and out of her bony legs. She squeezed them a little tighter, cuddling him without being too distracted. This lady was cool.

At the compliment, the pickpocket grinned. She wasn’t used to praise. Most adults either side-eyed her or yelled at her. Those that didn’t always want her to do something. And, even when she did, they were never happy about it. Failed missions got scratches from Daddy while successful ones merely earned a nod and more work. So, to say Harper was ecstatic was an understatement. “Thanks! Always nice to show bullies who’s boss!”

As the Metagross crushes a trash can beneath its feet, a Raichu scampers out of the behemoth’s way. Terrified of the metal monstrosity, the thief moves to hide behind Selena. Trying its best not to become toe jam, the Raichu does the same. It comes to a stop right behind the Sprigatito, its labrador eyes staring fearfully at the steel spider.

As the beast vanishes in a burst of light, Harper turns to face it. Her eyes widen. “OMG! You’re like the cutest!” She scoops it up—or tries to, crushing it against her breastbone. Confused by the shrieking, the electric type hangs there limply. But the shard of a french fry she gives it makes it a lot less ambivalent.

NOTES
Catching Raichu