1) Part-Time Pokémon

“Hm… well, we’ll get back to you, then.” 

An awkward cough from the interviewer followed, covered by his fist.

I stared at his dusty desk, unable to keep eye contact after hearing those words. “…mhm. Thanks for your time,” I mumbled, promptly getting up from my chair and leaving the cramped room.

 

I grumbled, cursing myself as I trudged out of that electronics store with another failed interview to my name. 

“Why does getting a part-time job gotta be this hard…?” I complained under my breath. 

One place says I’m overqualified—fucking how, it’s a Walmart. Actually—you know what, if anything, that feels like a compliment, like I’m above working there. That makes sense.  

I rambled to myself in my head as I walked down the street. That new boba shop has too many applicants… Chick-fil-A’s interviewer just cut me off after only, like, ten minutes… and just now I got hit with the cliché ‘we’ll get back to you’ line! What the hell? 

I tugged at my collar. Maybe my outfit was too casual—a gray button-up shirt with rolled-up sleeves and brown pants. 

I unbuttoned the shirt, revealing a pink tee underneath. It’s too hot for this. I don’t like buttoning up my shirts anyway… I’ll fix myself up before I reach the place.

It’s summer, I’m not wearing a full-on suit or something. …Do I even need to go all out for a part-time job? I wondered. Probably not. Maybe? Is that why I’ve been getting rejected?

Huffing, not about to let myself go on another thinking spree, I whipped out my phone.

 

<ceeeed> bruh I just got rejected AGAIN

<ceeeed> I got hit with the classic ‘erm we’ll get back to you’ line 💀

<gummy bear> aw man 🙁

<beniben> sheesh Ced isn’t this like the third or fourth time-

<big d> bro has really awful luck, rip 😔😔

<ceeeed> it is what it is ig

<beniben> well hopefully you’ll ace the next one!

<beniben> there are other places you can go to right?

<big d> better find a job quick… we’re goin out for kbbq in two weeks yk, we all gotta pitch in

<ceeeed> aaaaa ik ik ik

<gummy bear> yk…… there is a lil something you can try :3

<ceeeed> taffy, no get rich quick schemes

<ceeeed> not after last time with you and denver 

<big d> look if we hadnt blown our budget it would’ve kicked off 💀

<ceeeed> reselling stuff from Goodwill on eBay isn’t a job…

<ceeeed> respect the grind tho, at least

<gummy bear> 😭😭😭

<ceeeed> anyway i got one last place to try, then I’m throwing in the towel

<beniben> good luck o7

 

Shoving my phone back in my pocket, I continued down the cracked pavement until I reached the crosswalk. 

I don’t even want to get a job… well, nobody does, really. But I need that spending money when I go out with my friends, and my parents have been nagging me to just get a job instead of asking them for money again. 

I tapped my foot as I waited for the signal across the street, eyes darting around. 

It was a nice day out, but not many people walked around this area regardless. The only others waiting here were an old man with scratch tickets in his hand and a girl tapping away on her phone.

God, do I wish this town was more interesting.

Sure, we have some good hangout spots like the ice cream shop where Benji works (and where my next and final attempt at snagging a job will take place), or the park behind the middle school (with the tennis court they seriously need to renovate like come on lemme hit some balls).

But the other towns around us have a movie theater, and the Goodwill I bought this shirt from (for a steal!), and a shopping mall, and actually good tennis courts… And the buildings look prettier too! 

It’s just a pain in the ass to walk to any of those places, and I don’t have a car, so I’m stuck trying to find work close to home. 

And as you can tell, it’s going just great .

 

I shoved my hands in my pockets. It is what it is, I guess… at least I got one more shot. And if I don’t land this one, well… at least I tried. I dunno.

I stared ahead. …did either of them press the button—oop never mind. Cars came to a stop as the light changed. I lagged behind the others crossing the street.

My eyes drifted downward, and… I saw something shine.

A pendant.

I picked it up from the ground, inspecting it as my steps slowed down even more. It was golden and shaped like a star. 

“Uh… hey! Did you drop this?” I called over to the girl ahead of me. 

She was picking up the pace after looking to her right. The old man had done the same, leaving me confused.

“Oi!” I took another step forward, trying to get their attention.

Horns screamed at me from my left.

Tires screeched from my right.

The people in front of me were running away.

I finally looked to my right.

I clenched my eyes shut, putting my arms in front of me, bracing for impact with a speeding car barreling towards me.

 

 

…

 

…

 

……

 

……nothing.

 

I felt nothing.

 

I was dead.

 

Right?

 

I was pretty sure I was dead.

 

I slowly creaked my eyes open and was greeted by the front of a blue sports car. The bald guy behind the wheel looked even more shocked than me.

I spent a second analyzing my apparent killer (he’s ugly as fuck but he got a sick ride) before realizing Wait why is this car not moving why is the guy inside frozen.

Everything around me was frozen, like somebody just pressed pause at the 11th hour. 

“What the hell…” I mumbled before I suddenly began to float, like I was being grabbed and picked up like a toy. “Guh—“

I was swiftly dropped on the sidewalk.

Then… the car continued to speed down the street. 

Footsteps were scrambling away behind me as I watched the world resume like it was nothing.

 

“I- the- the fuck was that…?” I stuttered, clenching my fist. 

I opened it, revealing the star pendant still in my hand.

A million thoughts flooded my head. This is like… some sorta bad luck charm, isn’t it? Like, I picked it up and suddenly a car came outta nowhere to run me over! But then again… I’m still alive… wait how the fuck am I still alive that thing was barreling right towards me but then it was like time stopped—oh my God this thing’s magic isn’t it that’s gotta be it.

I was trying desperately to wrap my head around it all. No this is real life, Ced, no daydreaming that makes no sense at all the fuck do you mean ‘magic’ the only possible explanation is that you’re dead, that car ran you over and you’re now a ghost. Or this is a dream.

I pinched myself. Scratch that.

 

I looked up at the sky. Is this God’s way of telling me I shouldn’t get a part-time job? Am I destined for greater things than slaving away as a grocery bagger or a cashier or whatever?

I saw a yellow sparkle in the corner of my eye.

…holy fuck is God real? I turned my head to find something golden flying down the street.

My eyes kept moving between the direction of the ice cream shop and the direction of the hallucination.

I’m gonna be late for that interview… gah, but this is more interesting!! Even if I might be going crazy right now! Curiosity beating any sort of common sense I had left, I chased after the glowy thing.

 

The thing zipped down the street, looking like nothing but a yellow-and-white blur to me. 

It steered into an alleyway, and I followed suit, making more zigs and zags before cornering it at a brick wall.

I finally snagged a proper look, leaning in. 

The fairy looked like a paper doll.

It had a gold star-shaped head, with blue talismans hanging off its points.

“It’s… a Jirachi?” I wondered aloud, immediately recognizing it despite its back being turned to me.

A Pokémon… in real life. Yeah, I’ve officially lost it. Despite that, I continued to creep up on it.

Is it… actually real? I slowly reached out with my hand.

“Hiya~!” The Pokémon flipped around in an instant, greeting me with a wide smile.

“Ah—!” I retreated my hand with a jolt. “I- uh- sorry.”

“Hmm… a guy, huh…” The Jirachi narrowed its eyes, floating around me scrutinizingly. “Well, at least you seem like an interesting one… I think you’ll do fine enough~” As expected, it sounded high-pitched and cutesy. Couldn’t tell if this Jirachi was a guy or a girl or something else.

“Huh?”

“You know, human… hm, what is it your people say again? Look both ways before crossing the street? You should’ve done that~” it said with a cheeky grin.

Grimacing, I ignored that remark and got straight to asking. “So are you the one that saved me?”

“Bingo~ It was a piece of cake, if I do say so myself.” It was imitating a claw machine with its hand. “Just plucked you off the street, like that!”

The mysterious Pokémon then whipped out an antique pocket watch. “Borrowed this doodad from a friend of mine. This was how I stopped time to yoink you off the street~”

“But… why?”

“You picked up my pendant, didn’t you?” It tilted its head, looking down at my fist. “It was just a little thank you for keeping it safe~”

It winked. “Besides… you wished for this town to be more interesting, didn’t you? So I made something happen~”

“Hey, I- I meant interesting as in something fun! Nearly getting run over and fuckin’ dying isn’t something fun!” I exclaimed.

“…you know, kid, I could easily just rewind time with this watch and make it so you did get run over~”

I hesitated a little before calling its bluff. “N-no you wouldn’t, that’s stupid. Why kill me when you already went outta your way to save me? S-sounds like a waste if you asked me.”

 

“…”

Jirachi smiled at me as it turned the dial on the clock.

Suddenly I felt like I was being pushed back by some incredible force!

In an instant, I was sent back to the middle of the crosswalk—the same horns were blaring, the same tires screeching.

The blue sports car was once again zooming straight for me, and this time I got a much clearer look.

“WAIT WAIT WAIT NO GO BACK GO BACK—!!!” I screamed.

 

Jirachi was floating above, watching.

Another turn of the clock, and I was pushed forward to the present.

I fell to the concrete ground in the alleyway, scared piss-and-shitless.

“Hahahaha!” Jirachi was practically wheezing. “Man, I got you good! You were asking for it, you know! Pfft, gods, this was so worth it~” It looked at the pocket watch in its paws. “I really gotta thank that Celery Kid when I give this back to her.”

“Fuck… you…” I was panting, knees shaking as I struggled to get back up.

“I saved your life, and I have the power to un-save it. So you should be grateful and listen to what I have to say~”

“What… what do you want from me? I’m missing a shitty job interview for this… not that I wanted to go in the first place,” I grumbled.

“Looking for a job, eh~?”

“Part-time job,” I specified. “I’m still in high school… I just want some spending money, that’s all.”

“How convenient~” Jirachi hummed. “Well, I have an offer you can’t refuse~” it said, floating in closer to me.

 “What happens if I refuse it?”

“I turn back the clock and let you die.”

“…ah,” I groaned. I stood back up, sighing as I looked up at the Jirachi. “Well, what is it?”

 

“Alright!” It clapped its paws. “Let’s start with introductions~ The name’s Kirari, the current incarnation of Jirachi, deity of the stars! You may already know this, but I come from a world solely inhabited by creatures known as Pokémon~!” he beamed. “I’ve heard Pokémon are very popular works of fiction in this world… Anywho~ What’s your name, human?”

“…call me Ced,” I responded, before bluntly admitting, “And… the name is not helping me figure it out, are you a girl? Guy? What are you?”

“Obviously I’m a guy~” he answered.

“It’s not obvious,” I deadpanned. “Anyway, keep going. Lemme hear about this offer.”

“Ahem… as the deity of the stars, Pokémon place their faith in me in hopes that their wishes come true. I grant wishes to those I think truly deserve it, out of the kindness of my heart~” he explained. “…as annoying as it may be for a god, though, I can’t grant every single good wish on my own.”

“Kindness of your heart, sure…” I grimaced.

“I didn’t have to save you, you know.” Kirari rolled his eyes. “But anyway. All overseers of the Pokémon world abide by some… unspoken rules. Directly interfering with the lives of my world’s residents is a big no-no. I can talk to them, and give them gifts—limited to a really specific list of odd items, not sure what Big Arky was thinking when he drafted it—but that’s about it, more or less. 

“Can hardly get work done like that, but I suppose it’s understandable,” Kirari continued. “As I said, we’re ‘overseers’. We’re supposed to just be observers… But I don’t like that! A lot of us deities don’t, actually. And that’s where you come in, Ced~”

“I think I know where this is going,” I mumbled. “You want me to do things in the Pokémon world in your stead… right?”

“Ahh, you do have a brain! Good, good!” he cheered, playfully mocking me. “There’s a loophole with that law~ Humans like yourself aren’t exactly ‘residents’ of my world. Deities summon your kind to the Pokémon world all the time~ Heck, even bigger gods—Voices of Life and even Big Arky himself, funnily enough—bring humans over to tackle greater problems.”

 

Kirari extended a hand to me. “So, congratulations! You’re the lucky human who just chanced upon a job offer of a lifetime! You’ll be helping me grant wishes all around to my believers!”

I did nothing but stare at his hand.

“Come on, kid, what do you think?”

“Can… can you be more specific? Like, what kinda work do I have to do?”

“Depends on the whims of my wish-makers, to be honest~ But nothing too dangerous! Maybe.” he winked. “You’ll be properly equipped, of course! I have only the finest gear for my Part-Timer~”

“‘P-Part-Timer’?”

“Mhm~ I think it was Lil’ V that coined the name?”

 

“…Ah…” I couldn’t bring myself to say much else, my head spinning out thoughts once more.

God this feels like being hit by Truck-kun with extra steps, I’m getting sent to another world against my will because if I don’t this Jirachi can just kill me. And from the sound of it he’s not certain I won’t just die anyway in the Pokémon world, so I’m basically fucked.

I- I can’t trust this guy, this ‘god’ says he’s granting wishes out of generosity and goodwill but he’s so nonchalant about toying with me for shits and giggles.  

How the hell am I supposed to grant wishes for him anyway? I’m just some guy, that sounds impossible for somebody like me-

 

“…ah, drat, did I break you?” Kirari pouted. “Well, I’m sorry for the scare, kid~ But I promise you, this job is a lot nicer than it seems!”

“…why… why me?” I finally asked. “You’re just… ripping me away from my life to do your bidding!” I stomped my foot. “I- I didn’t do shit to deserve this!”

“Wh-wha?!” Kirari looked… oddly dumbfounded. “Wait, wait, wait, did you think this was like, a permanent thing?”

“Well, you’re holding my life in your hands and telling me you’re gonna send me away to the Pokémon world and there’s nothing I can do about it, so… YEAH!”

Kirari winced. “It… It’s a part-time job. That’s why we call you Part-Timers. It’s only for a couple hours at a time, kid.”

“…huh?” I blinked.

“And don’t think we make you do this for free! We gods pay our workers handsomely! ”

“Wait I get paid?” My eyes lit up, fear washing away. Why was I worried in the first place?

“Of course! So there’s no need to yell at me… like sheesh, you sounded like you were pleading for your life…”

“Like, physical cash?”

“Wire transfer.” He brought out a cell phone. “Started implementing these pretty recently~”

“Taxes taken into account?”

“Yes, yes, had to figure that out from one of my last Part-Timers.”

“It’s all legal?”

“Well obviously no, but I make it look like it’s legal. Magic~” 

I sighed in relief. “Well, you should’ve led with me getting paid! In that case, I’m in!”

“… seriously? You humans are so shallow… Hmm, scratch that—all mortals are shallow…”

“Do you know how fun this sounds? I get to make money by running around Pokémon land making dreams come true or whatever. Leagues better than idling behind a cash register for hours.”

Kirari slowly nodded his head. “…mm-hmm. Good to know.” He then squinted at the pocket watch he held. “All that for nothing, huh… All it took was that?”

“Yep.”

 

He grinned. “Well, you’ll be an interesting partner for sure~” He extended his hand again. “With a shake of my paw, the contract will be sealed~”

I took his hand. “When do I start?”

“Right now.”

He then closed his eyes… and a third eye opened on his belly.

The star pendant began to glow, and it floated out of my other hand. The chain wrapped around my neck, putting itself on me.

“That necklace is now yours~ It’s my ‘Emblem’—proof to the other deities that you’ve made a pact with me. Have fun trying to take it off.

 

“Now, hold on tight~!”

I was blinded by a white light, as if his eye were a camera flash.

The ground was ripped from under my feet, and I lost my balance.

I started to fall.

 

Unable to see.

 

Or hear.

 

Or scream.

 

All I could feel was my hand desperately gripping onto the Jirachi’s, until I couldn’t hold on anymore.

 

Then, in a matter of seconds…

 

---

 

I landed on spiky blades of grass. 

My vision returned, yet my eyes were stung again by the bright sun.

Is this… the Pokémon world?

I was in the middle of a bamboo forest, the roof of leaves inconveniently opening up just enough to beam sunlight directly at my face.

“Hm~ I didn’t expect you to take on a form like this .” Kirari giggled. His voice felt more… clear? Everything around me sounded more crisp, in fact. The sound of the tall stalks creaking and swaying against the wind was oddly vivid to me… almost soothing.

I squinted, shielding my vision with my… paw… hand. It wasn’t exactly a paw, but it wasn’t my normal hand anymore either.

“Oh god my hands–” I blurted, staring at them. 

Three fingers instead of five. A short, soft coat of cream and pink fur.

“…are you—” I tugged at my big, floppy ears.

“—fucking—” I stood up on my stump-like legs.

“—kidding me??” I stared at my bushy rabbit tail, flustered and dismayed.

“Pff- hahahaha!” Kirari burst into laughter. “You weren’t expecting to become an Audino, huh?”

“Wh-why an Audino?!”

“I dunno, little Audino~ Humans brought to this world become species that resonate with their hearts… really says a lot about you as a person~”

“I mean- um…” I tried to come up with an excuse. “A-at least I still have hands, y’know! Kind of! Could be worse… it’s close enough to still being human.”

“Hey, I won’t judge~ If you’re into being an Audino, just say it—”

“Nope. Never. Moving on. Where are we.” I crossed my arms and shuddered, not used to this soft fur. I had nothing on, barring the pendant still around my neck. 

“Ehe~ Follow me, kid! My shrine is just this way~” Kirari drifted past me, floating away.

He weaved past the bamboo with ease, and while I wanted to take in the sights, I couldn’t focus. I was too busy trying to get used to running in my new Audino body (these short and stout legs are not built for this, clearly).

Besides, I was enjoying the vibrant ambiance thanks to my heightened hearing anyway. I could take in all the noise instead! 

Blades of grass crinkled by my steps, wind gently beating bamboo, its rustling reminding me of a running river, with sounds of an actual river not too far behind me… I couldn’t help but smile.

 

We reached a path paved with cobblestone cutting through the forest. I could feel the coarse, cracked tiles underneath my feet as I hustled down the road, trailing the Jirachi.

The road swiveled and curved, leading us up a hill. A clearing at the top allowed us a full view of the calm forest. Kirari paused at the top, glancing at me and gesturing at the settlement below us at the forest’s center. 

“That right there… is Hoshi Village~ One of the prettiest towns in the Air, if I do say so myself~” Kirari declared. 

“Where’s your shrine at?” I squinted. The town reminded me of rustic Japanese architecture, as if the place were plucked right out of an anime. Besides the rice paddies scattered about, all I could make out were wooden houses with straw roofs twice as tall as their paper walls. “Don’t see anything that resembles one…”

“Well, you won’t see it from here, dummy!” Kirari started flying down the road. “Come on!”

“Okay, okay!” I huffed as I made my way down the hill, following him.

 

“So, uh…” I tried to come up with a conversation while I jogged down the road with Kirari. “Where in the Pokémon world are we, exactly?”

“Like I said, we’re in the Air! Well, Air as in the Air Continent~”

“I don’t remember there being a Hoshi Village in the games…”

“Well, your world’s games probably aren’t that accurate,” he stated simply. 

“I figured… weren’t you supposed to be in Wish Cave? Had to go through the dungeon, like, nine times just to beat it once.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me.” Kirari scoffed. “Yes, I used to live deep in Wish Cave, because for a while too many people kept pestering me for wishes. I’d have my last Part-Timer on speed-dial… It got annoying. Especially when half of them would barely net me any wishpower—their wishes weren’t pure enough!”

Bamboo continued to rustle against each other, clicking and clacking.

“So I hid down in Wish Cave for a spell. I thought, ‘Hey, I could be getting some peace and quiet, sleeping at the end of a ninety-nine floor Mystery Dungeon,’ but nooooo , ‘mon these days just don’t seem to value their lives or their time,” Kirari ranted.

My ears twitched (ugh, weird feeling) as I could hear more rustling… like somebody was creeping around. I could’ve sworn I started hearing footsteps. …M-maybe it’s some wild Pokémon, like a Rattata or something.

“Or my time for that matter!” the Jirachi continued, waving his arms in the air. “So that’s why we packed our bags and hauled everything over to Hoshi Village. At least the ‘mon living here are more respectful.” Kirari nodded. “And if you were wondering, yes, shrine and all~ Plopped it down here with ease—the place had a perfect spot for it, too~ All it took was magic~ ” He did jazz hands at the end. “And I mean a lot of magic. Had to call in those Lake Girls and their Part-Timers for it, it was a huge hassle.”

My eyes darted around, trying to follow the sound I was picking up. It sounded like footsteps circling around the two of us, and I slowed down. Okay someone is definitely following us. Or maybe I’m just hearing things. Yeah I’m hearing things, these big floppy stupid Audino ears are making me paranoid. Well, more paranoid than usual, at least.

“…Were you even listening, kid?” 

“I hear someone,” I finally said.

“Eh?”

 

“I finally found you!” A high-pitched voice called out from the bamboo stalks.

“…ohhh crap.” Kirari cringed.

We both looked to our right, and a Celebi had burst out of the forest, stopping right in front of the Jirachi. Another figure had leapt out of the shadows as well—a Farfetch’d wearing a green feathered cap and a cloak. Holding his leek like a rifle, he pointed it at Kirari.

I took a couple steps back, and the bird’s aim jolted my way, making my fur stand on end. “Don’t move,” he commanded.

“T-t-that’s not, like, an actual gun, is it…?” I sheepishly asked.

BANG.

 With a click of his leek-rifle, a bullet was launched at a blinding speed, grazing past me. 

I looked behind and saw a hole burned into a bamboo stalk.

“I- I- wh-” My legs started to quake. Holy fuck why does he have a gun why does he have a gun. “…I-I didn’t do shit! T-this Jirachi kidnapped me!” I wagged a finger at Kirari. “J-just don’t kill me, I’m innocent!”

“The pendant on your neck says otherwise, Audino,” Celebi scoffed. “So you really were looking for a new Part-Timer, Kirari.” Her gaze went back to the Jirachi’s. “Mark, take aim.”

“Yes ma’am.” The Farfetch’d directed his rifle back at Kirari. His gaze, while partially obscured by his hat, was cold.

“Uh… fancy seeing you here, Celery Kid—”

“Don’t ‘Celery Kid’ me, Kirari. You know what I’m here for.”

Kirari sighed, taking out the pocket watch from earlier. “Look, Leif, I was gonna give it back, okay—”

The Celebi leaned in closer, pointing a finger in his face as she chewed him out. “You told me you needed it for five minutes. You were looking for a new human for five hours . You know my Part-Timer needs my Emblem, right?”

“…okay but in all honesty it was so worth it, you had to be there, Leif. Best laugh I’ve had in years~” he grinned. 

Leif snatched the watch out of his hands, and gave it back to her Part-Timer. “You’re off the clock now, bud,” she told the Farfetch’d. Before I could even blink, she looked back at me. “And yes, I know the irony of that statement, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star over here always likes to point it out.”

Kirari snickered.

 

“…Finally.” The duck heaved a heavy sigh as he put down his leek, loosening up. “I’m getting paid for overtime, right?”

“Yes, sorry for keeping you so long, Mark. You can blame him.”

“It’s alright. I didn’t have anything else to do today anyway.” Mark shrugged—or at least, did the best shrug a bird could do. 

He then looked at me. “Sorry for the scare, man. Gotta play the role of a hunter, you know?” He stuck out his wing to me, gaze thawing.

“Uh… y-yeah, it’s fine.” I shakily shook his wing.

You know, if I had a nickel for the amount of times I shook hands with people who almost murdered me in a single day, I’d have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice. 

“Name’s Mark. Celebi’s Part-Timer. You?”

“…Ced. I’m new here, obviously.”

“Well, good luck. You’ll need it for sure.” He smiled.

“Yeah, especially with him as your boss.” Leif crossed her arms, and Kirari pouted.

“When I first signed up, I didn’t know what the heck I was diving into. You’ll get used to it in no time though.” He tipped his hat before turning to his deity. “Going for a ride now.” He extended his wing to the Celebi.

“Good work, partner~” Celebi took his wing, and the two of them began to glow. “See you around, new kid!”

A gust of wind circled around them, and with a poof , they vanished.

“…doesn’t even say bye to me, wow…” Kirari muttered. 

 

“…so where’d that Farfetch’d get a gun and how can I get one,” I immediately asked.

“You’re not getting a gun.”

“Aw man… What do I get then?”

“You’ll see. Like I said, I have only the finest equipment prepared for my Part-Timer!” He put back on his smile.

“Do I gotta wear a costume like Mark, too?”

“Again, you’ll see! Just wait till we get to town, jeez~” Kirari continued down the road, and I followed.

 

---

 

Kirari led me through Hoshi Village’s gate, humming to himself as he paid no mind to the awestruck stares coming at him from all directions. Eyes were less on me and more on him. 

The village itself was simply gorgeous, now that I could get a closer look. It was a lot more busy than I thought, too—at least, more busy than back home. Pokémon were actually out on the streets, for one.

I could hear them clearly:

“The deity of the stars is back!”

“Thank you for watching over us, Jirachi…”

“Maybe my wish will come true soon…”

“Jirachi! May your stars shine bright!”

My eyes scanned between each passerby. So many cute Pokémon… “You’re, uh, really popular, huh? I can hear them shouting your name..”

“They’re not shouting, but yes, these mortals do love me dearly~” he grinned as he drifted down the street, waving at the villagers.

“Oh. Must be the Audino ears, I guess… Can I turn these things off?”

“You could always cut off those floppy ears,” Kirari suggested, making a scissor motion with his fingers. “Snip snip~”

“…ugh, now I’m imagining an Audino without ears. Horrifying.” I shuddered. “The ears are what make Audino… Audino.”

“Fair enough. Besides, you wouldn’t be able to hear me~ Now that’s horrifying.”

“Can I turn you off?”

“Nope! Never. You need a guide like me anyway, kid.” He stuck out his tongue. “Now come, come! We’re nearly there!”

 

In a secluded part of town, we crossed through a red gate with talismans plastered on its columns, leading to a small, quiet shrine surrounded by unlit stone lanterns with stars on top. Light beamed down from cracks in the forest ceiling, highlighting its worn-down wooden roof. On its walls, sheets of white paper hung from straw ropes. An offering box stood outside its doors.

“Never actually visited a shrine before… Not that we have those where I live,” I thought aloud. “…wait, are there any special rituals I gotta do? Like, bow or something? Say a prayer? Put something in the box?”

“Normally you have to clap your hands like this and bow at the gate, making a prayer to me,” Kirari explained, clapping his hands firmly and keeping them close to his chest. “You get a pass from me for today, though.”

“What do I even pray to you for? You’re not a god in my world.”

“Well, what do you wish for?”

“Money.”

“Of course, kid. Anything other than that?”

“…I guess… having fun, I suppose. I don’t wanna live a boring life.”

“That works! Okay, so you’d clap your hands and bow, and whisper to yourself, ‘Oh, Jirachi, ruler of the stars, granter of wishes, may your shining stars guide our dreams… I wish to have a fun and fulfilling time working as your loyal, humble servant, as an escape from my oh-so-dreadful and monotonous life as a human being…’” 

“Not wording it like that, but alright.”

Kirari looked at me expectantly, grin growing.

“…what?”

“So are you gonna do it~?” he asked.

“Thought you said I get a pass today.”

“Well… I still wanna see you do it!”

“…fine.” I clapped my hands together, closed my eyes and bowed. 

 

“Jirachi, ruler of the stars, I didn’t catch the rest… um, I wish to get something fun and enjoyable out of granting wishes, I suppose. And I want to make a good amount of money from this part-time job to buy nice drip and food with friends. Thank you.”

 

“How blunt… Well, I suppose it works.” The Jirachi shrugged.

“Wait, so… if I make my own wish, does that mean I have to grant it myself?” I asked, opening my eyes.

“Well, that’s for you to decide~ Especially with a wish like yours.” Kirari winked. 

I looked down and saw my star pendant glow faintly.

“That pendant reacts whenever it senses wishpower. Right now, by making that wish, a tiny bit of it just sparked inside of your heart~”

“What’s wishpower, anyway? You never told me.”

“Hmm… well, it’s easier to explain when you see it in action properly. Ooh, that reminds me~” He floated over to the shrine, peeking inside for a moment. He dug out my uniform. “Try it on! Should fit most bipedal ‘mon.

A blue apron with a big pocket that had a star pattern on it.

“…huh. At least it’s not some Robin Hood costume like that other guy. I vibe with this.” I put it on, tying the back. It fit almost perfectly. Convenient. “Do I get a cool weapon too?”

 

Kirari presented me with a broomstick.

Just a broomstick.

It had Wish Tags plastered all over the stick, and paper strips hung underneath the straw brush.

A broomstick.

“…where’s my gun.”

“Wh- oh come on! This Star Sweeper is an heirloom! I’ve had this weapon passed down from Part-Timer to Part-Timer!” He knocked on it firmly. “You know how much effort I put into getting this thing?! That wood right there comes straight from the Tree of Life! It’s as sturdy as steel!”

I took the broom. “So what, am I just some janitor? Is that the theme here?”

“You’re a shrine maiden.”

“…I’m a guy.”

“Ugh, okay, shrine keeper if you wanna keep it gender-neutral. And as my little shrine keeper, you also need to help me tidy up the place~”

Begrudgingly, I took the broom, gripping it tightly. I stuffed my other hand into my apron pocket… and felt something inside.

I ended up pulling out a set of blue slips, resembling the ones on Kirari’s head and the ones stuck onto the broom handle. Wish Tags.

Kirari winked. “You’ll be surprised what both of those things can do, trust me~ You’ll regret doubting me~”

“…I was sent to Hoshi Village and all I got was a broomstick, paper slips, and big ears,” I grumbled.

“Star Sweeper, Wish Tags, and big ears! Get it right!”

“Can you, like, at least tell me what they do if they’re more than just a broomstick and pieces of paper with fancy names?”

“When the time comes, I’ll show you~” he smirked.

I lightly smacked him on the head with the broom.

“Oof- hey!” he winced.

“You’re still paying me at least, right?”

“Yes, we’ve been over this…” Kirari sighed, paws covering his head.

“Good.” I put my supposed ‘weapon’ over my shoulder. “At least that’ll motivate me.” 

 

 

And so, my first day on the job was spent wiping off the dust from Kirari’s abode, sweeping away any dirt and leaves on the cobblestone path, and smacking away cobwebs stuck on the shrine.

“Don’t you live in here or something? How’d you let it become so messy?”

“It’s tradition for deities to have their followers keep their shrines in good condition, so that they may show their respects to us. I had left that job up to my last Part-Timer, but… as you can tell she’s gone, ehe~ And with no one to take care of the shrine, it’s only natural that it fell into disarray.”

“And you’re just… okay with that?”

Kirari shrugged. “My real home’s up in the stars~ This shrine is more of a break room if anything.” He floated over to the inside of the shrine—the shutter doors opened up to a tiny room and a little pedestal, with some star-themed trinkets decorating the walls. “It doubles as a cozy place to sleep, if you ignore all the— cough —dust. I’m used to it.”

“…why not just sleep up there, then?” I asked, swiping my brush against the shrine’s dusty interior.

“‘Cause the other gods bug me when I’m up in the skies. Mainly Celery Kid, Lil’ V, Big Arky, and… ugh. Hoopa. So it’s either I get pestered all the time by a pantheon of stuck-up deities or I get pestered by silly mortals down here.”

“How come Hoopa doesn’t get a cringy nickname?”

 

Kirari stared daggers into my eyes, juxtaposed by his grin. 

“We don’t talk about Hoopa.”

 

I blinked, quickly breaking eye contact with him. 

Kirari promptly shifted back to his cutesy self, closing his eyes. “Mhm~!”

“G-got it… anyway, so you’d rather deal with the ‘silly mortals’?”

“Well, yeah! You guys are more fun to be around! And fun to tease~” He circled around me, patting me on the head. “I’d say the entertainment’s worth the trouble.”

“So we’re just entertainment to you,” I frowned as I got a closer look at all the offerings and ornaments decorating the shrine’s walls—paper Jirachi dolls, wishes carved into wooden plates, and lots and lots of star stickers.

“Well, there’s more to it than that of course… but for simplicity’s sake, yep. Entertainment.”

“…then it must be a slog up in the stars, ‘cause while I dunno about Pokémon life, as a human our lives are pretty boring.” With a huff, I gave the wooden floor a final hard smack with my broom before heading back outside.

“That’s what makes it interesting!” Kirari hummed. “Boring lives like yours don’t exist up in the stars. It’s quite the change of pace~”

“ Thanks, I guess.” I rolled my eyes. 

 

Outside, Kirari guided me to the back of the shrine, where he kept more cleaning supplies. I spent some time wiping down the walls and outer floorboards with a wet rag.

It wasn’t long before I could see a big, hunched-back figure strolling towards us. It was a Pangoro with graying fur and a thick bamboo cane. As he crossed the gate he put his cane under his arm, clasped his paws together, and bowed to make a short prayer.

“Who’s that?” I asked, picking back up my broom and putting it on my shoulder again.

“That’s Hoshi Village’s chief. Guess he must’ve heard the news~” He drifted toward the giant panda to say hello. 

As we walked towards him, the Pangoro nodded back with an earnest smile. “Oh, Kirari! I see you’ve returned… Once again, I must sincerely thank you for protecting our village. May your stars shine evermore.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know you gotta do the usual spiel whenever I come back~ As always, it’s a pleasure to help you all~” Kirari waved his hand dismissively. 

“Hoho, well, traditions are important to uphold, of course!”

“I haven’t been here that long, ehe… just a couple of years.”

“That’s long enough for me to call it tradition! I believe we’ve had this talk before, no?” he laughed heartily.

“I’m surprised you remember, old man~” Kirari winked. 

He’s talking so casually with the chief… though if I think about it, I guess Kirari’s much, much older than this guy… Plus, I’m guessing they’ve known each other for a while.

The Pangoro then turned his attention to me. “I assume this is the one you were looking for? Your new shrine maiden?”

“Yup~” Kirari snickered, patting me on the back. “This kid right here’s gonna help me grant more wishes~”

The old bear leaned in closer, eyeing me. 

I awkwardly stood in place, scratching the back of my neck. The Pangoro towered over me—he was twice my size! Despite his age, he still looked like he could crush me if he wanted to…

He merely looked at me with a smile. “Mhm! Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, miss! My name is Takeo, and I’m this village’s leader. I sincerely hope you’ve enjoyed your stay in this town so far.” He stuck out his paw.

“I’m a guy,” I corrected him with a huff. I could hear Kirari stifle a burst of laughter.

The Pangoro coughed, tapping his cane. “…ah! I see! My apologies—my eyes aren’t as good as they used to be.”

I sighed with a smile, brushing it off. I’m gonna be getting this a lot, aren’t I? “Name’s Ced. Nice to meet you. I’m just… here to do my job, I guess.” I took his paw and shook it (it was ginormous compared to my hand, I was worried he’d crush mine). “Haven’t actually checked out the town… Kirari took me straight here. But it looks pretty, yeah.”

 

Kirari circled around Takeo. “So what else brings you here, chief?”

He chuckled. “I was here to make a wish, matter of fact… But I believe it’s already been granted, hoho…” He looked past us, staring at my handiwork. “I was hoping someone would step up to clean up your shrine… It was in such a sorry state when I visited last. I would do it myself, but sadly my age is getting to me.”

“Good timing for me to show up then,” I said. “Was just finishing up. What do you think?”

“Much better, indeed! Very nice work, young Ced.” The Pangoro nodded.

Suddenly, my pendant began to flicker again.

My eyes widened as I saw a small, blinking golden light emerge from the Pangoro’s chest. I watched as it fluttered around before finding its way into my star necklace.

“Hm? Is something the matter?” Takeo asked, not even noticing.

I looked to Kirari. “Was that… am I seeing things?”

“That, kid, was wishpower~ Well, a tiny bit of it. The wish was for something really small, so naturally it wouldn’t generate much. Only I can normally see it, but you can too, thanks to my Emblem.”

The Pangoro tilted his head before shrugging it off. “Well then! I suppose I’ll be on my way. Very nice to meet you, Ced! Good luck on your shrine maiden duties!” He turned around, walking away.

“It’s shrine keeper! ” I corrected him again.

“See ya, chief~” Kirari waved.

 

 

I looked back down at my pendant, holding the star in one of my hands. “So…” I was expecting an explanation.

“Ah, right~ You see, wishpower is, well, the power of people’s wishes, of course~ It’s the essence of a Pokémon’s aspirations—their desire to fulfill their dreams,” Kirari explained. “When a Pokémon makes a wish, it sparks a little bit of wishpower in their heart, which can grow as the wish gets closer and closer to coming true!”

“And so we’re just… taking these Pokémon’s aspirations from them?”

“Ah, no no no! What we collect is excess wishpower, released by those whose wishes have just been granted. I take those wishes to fuel my magic, which I can then use to help grant more wishes~ Very self-sufficient, no?”

“Not really, if the wishpower we get for each is as small as a pebble.”

“Like I said, the chief’s wish barely netted us any because all he merely wanted was for somebody to clean the shrine. Even though it seemed important to him, there were probably bigger things for him to worry about as the village chief. I’ve seen wishpower much larger and shinier than that, believe me~”

“If you say so…”

“To get as much wishpower as possible out of a ‘mon, we need to make the moment as satisfying as we can. So we can’t just give them what they want without question. That won’t help their wishpower grow at all!”

I raised an eyebrow. “So is that why you need a Part-Timer?”

“Mhm~ I can easily grant wishes by myself, but that isn’t any good—not for me, nor the wishmaker.”

I fiddled with my pendant again. “…can I do anything with this wishpower?”

“…perhaps~” he teased. “You’ll see~”

“At least give me a straight answer…”

“You’ll just have to see next time! For now, I think we can call it a day~ Good work, kid!” 

He brought out his phone and tapped away at it, humming to himself as he circled around me once more. “And… done! Just wire-transferred you today’s pay.”

“…really? Just like that?”

“Yes, really~ Don’t ask how I got your bank information.”

“Was it magic?” 

“It was magic~! You can check your phone once you’re back. And if it doesn’t go through you can always hit me up~” he said. “Don’t worry, I put my number into your phone, too.”

“You didn’t… look through anything on there, did you?”

“Oh, heavens no~” He put a hand on his chin. “Well… apart from your search history—woah woah don’t give me that look I was just kidding kid—”

I glared at him. My fist tightened around my broomstick.

“K-kid, you have terrifying eyes, you know that?” Kirari flinched. “I’m telling you, I didn’t do anything else with your phone…”

I huffed. “…good.”

“Sheesh, why’re you humans so defensive about those things?” the Jirachi exhaled. “Anyway. I suppose it’s time I take you home, hm? Expect some texts in the next day or two for what I’ll have you do next.”

 

I took Kirari’s hand, and his third eye opened once more…

 

---

 

A bright flash of light, and I found myself on the cold, hard concrete ground of the alleyway.

I looked down at myself. No more fur. All five fingers. Comfy clothes instead of that apron.

I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket, and I fished it out.

 

<StarChild> teehee~

<StarChild> just a test message~ remember to save this number!

 

“…glad to know all that wasn’t a hallucination,” I grumbled.

One more notification buzzed in my hand.

[You received a payment of $30.00 from KIRARI JIRACHI.]

[Note from sender: “When you officially start granting wishes you’ll be making much more than this, I promise~”]

“All that for thirty bucks, huh?” I said to myself. Well… if there’s more on the way, I guess it won’t be too bad to work for Kirari. As long as I get paid, everything’ll be fine.

Everything’ll be fine.

Everything’s fine.

…

Jesus Christ that was real, that was actually real oh my god Pokémon are real and I get to go to the Pokémon world as a job that I get paid for with real cash, everything’s not just fine everything’s fucking fantastic!! My mind raced with thoughts as a big grin grew on my face.

I stopped myself from celebrating to tap away at my phone again. Had to send a quick message.

 

<ceeeed> guess who just got the job baby

<gummy bear> congrats!! :3

<beniben> congrats ced!

<big d> RAAAAAHHHH LET’S FUCKING GOOOOOOO 🔥🔥🔥

 

Shoving my phone back in my pocket, I pumped my fists in the air. 

This was gonna be the start of something fun.