Chapter 02: The Awakening
A faint warmth brushed my cheek. Was I… outside? The void had been so empty, so silent. Now, a gentle rustling, like whispers in a language I didn't understand, tickled my ears. I tried to open my eyes, but my eyelids felt heavy, as if glued shut. A cool, earthy scent filled my nostrils, mingling with something… floral? Something wild. My fingers twitched. They felt… different. Smaller.
Then, a sharp tap on my forehead jolted me awake. "Ow!" I blinked, squinting against the sudden brightness. The world swam into focus, a kaleidoscope of greens and blues. A small, brown creature stared back at me, its head cocked inquisitively. A… bird? No… As my vision cleared, I recognized the distinctive markings, the plump body, the tuft of feathers on its head.
The bird chirped, tilting its head. It was then that I noticed the blue, translucent screen flickering in the corner of my vision. It was almost… an overlay, like a HUD in a video game. My heart pounded. This couldn't be real.
My breath hitched. A Pidgey. Here.
"It's... a Pidgey?" I blurted out, my voice cracking. The Pidgey startled, chirping in alarm, and took flight, its wings rustling the air.
The screen vanished as quickly as it appeared. I rubbed my forehead where the Pidgey had pecked me, a dull ache throbbing. "Freaking Pidgey…" I muttered.
This isn't happening. I sat up slowly, my head swimming. The soft blades of grass tickled my skin, a stark contrast to the sterile emptiness of… wherever I had been. I looked down at my hands. Smaller. I tried to make a fist, but my fingers felt stubby and unfamiliar. My clothes felt loose, baggy. I glanced down at my jeans. They used to fit me perfectly; now, the waistband sagged around my hips. Had I shrunk? How is this even possible? Panic began to bubble in my chest.
I scrambled to my feet, the ground swaying beneath me. The air was alive with the sounds of nature – rustling leaves, distant bird calls, the buzzing of unseen insects. It was… overwhelming. I looked around, trying to get my bearings. Trees, tall and ancient, surrounded me, their leaves dappled with sunlight. They looked like a mix of oak and maple, but there were other trees I didn't recognize, with strange, vibrant leaves, some almost glowing a faint blue. The air smelled of pine and damp earth, mixed with the sweet, almost overpowering scent of some kind of flowering bush with bright red berries. It was… beautiful. And terrifying.
My mind raced. Where am I?
My gaze fell on a charred symbol etched into the ground nearby. It was a circle, intricate patterns burned into the earth, the black scorch marks stark against the green grass. That's a summoning circle… isn't it? A shiver ran down my spine. The symbol pulsed faintly, like a heartbeat. It smelled faintly of ozone, and the ground around it was still warm to the touch. For a moment, I swore I heard a Pokémon's cry—high-pitched, almost mechanical.
I reached into my pocket, my fingers brushing against the familiar shape of my phone. It was still there. How? I pulled it out, half expecting it to be a useless brick. No burns, no damage. It was as if the lightning strike hadn't happened. I pressed the power button. The screen flickered to life.
Only two apps were there: Map and Trainer ID.
"Trainer ID?" I muttered, a chill creeping down my spine. Where were all my other apps? I opened the Map app. A familiar layout appeared, the names and shapes triggering half-forgotten memories.
Pallet Town.
My breath hitched. Holy shit. The thought echoed in my head, bouncing between disbelief and a giddy, almost manic excitement. This is insane. This is impossible. This is… like that time I glitched out of bounds in FireRed… only this time, the glitch is real. No. No, focus. This is also terrifying. What if this isn't some kind of dream? What if this is real?
A faint blue shimmer flickered in the corner of my vision, so subtle I almost dismissed it as a trick of the light.
[Quest Completed]:
• Open Map App.
* Reward:
EXP Gained: +2
Quests? A system? This was insane. I shook my head, trying to clear the fog in my brain. This had to be some kind of… elaborate hallucination. But the smell of the pine needles, the feel of the grass beneath my feet, the sting of the Pidgey's peck – it all felt so real.
Another faint blue shimmer.
[New Quest(s)]:
• Open the Trainer ID App.
• Open System Interface.
I stared at the notifications, my heart pounding in my chest. This was too much. Just breathe, Alex. I took a deep breath, the scent of pine and earth grounding me. I opened the Trainer ID app. The system interface seemed to be integrated into the app itself, a separate tab I hadn't noticed before.
[Trainer ID]
Name: [Alex]
Age: [ ]
Hometown: [ ]
₽: 0
[Quest Completed]:
• Open Trainer ID App.
* Reward:
EXP Gained: +2
This… this is actually happening, I thought, a wave of disbelief washing over me. What am I supposed to do? My gaze drifted back to the charred symbol. A thought, unbidden, popped into my head.
Emma. She was there too. When the lightning struck… I shuddered. Where is she? I reached into my pocket and pulled out my hand. Clutched in my fingers was a small, silver hair clip – the one she wore when we were kids, playing in the Fosters' backyard… My heart sank. She had to be here somewhere. I clenched the clip tighter. Emma was out there. And I'd find her—no matter what.
Another faint blue shimmer.
[New Quest(s)]:
• Unlock System Interface.
I ignored it. I needed to think. Pallet Town. Professor Oak. He might have some answers. It was the only lead I had. I turned and started walking, the map app guiding me along a path cushioned with fallen leaves and soft earth. The trees thinned out slightly, and I could see rolling hills in the distance. A flash of blue caught my eye. It was a small, lizard-like creature darting through the undergrowth. A… Scraggy? It looked like one, but I couldn't be absolutely certain from this distance, and I don't think I have ever seen a Scraggy before. The path wound its way through a field of tall grass, and I heard the distinct rustling and chirping of unseen Pokémon. Just like in the games… gotta be careful…
The thought of unlocking the System Interface nagged at me. Fine, I thought, annoyance lacing my thoughts. Might as well see what this is all about. I tapped the system interface tab on the trainer ID app.
[System Interface Unlocked]:
Welcome, Alex Trent!
Please wait until the System Integration is completed.
System Integration: Loading...
A strange warmth pulsed through me, starting in my fingertips and spreading rapidly through my body. It wasn't painful, more like... a download? Or maybe an upload? I wasn't sure. Information flooded my mind – concepts, rules, a whole framework for... something. It was overwhelming, but strangely familiar, like remembering something I'd forgotten I knew.
System Integration: Complete.
Well, I guess it's official, I thought. I've been isekai'd into the Pokémon world.
***
Chapter End