Michael felt a squeezing sensation all around him as he felt the sensation of being pushed. He blinked his eyes rapidly, trying to make sense of his new surroundings. But all he could see was darkness. He could also feel someone kicking him.
The last thing he remembered was...well, was a violent impact as his school cab was T-boned at an intersection. He had been trapped, helpless, as he died bleeding. Or did he truly die? Was he in the hospital?
With a mighty heave, Michael felt himself being expelled from a very warm, snug place into a blindingly bright room. He squinted his tiny eyes, letting out an indignant wail at the rude awakening. "What in the world is going on?" he wanted to shout, but all that came out was an incoherent baby babble.
"It's twins! A boy and a girl!" an unfamiliar feminine voice rang out jovially. Twins? Michael managed to focus his blurry vision enough to see that he was cradled in the stumpy arms of a very strange looking pink creature.
It had a smiley face, puffy red cheeks, and an egg pouch on its belly. "Chansey chan chansey!" the creature chirped, nuzzling him affectionately with its soft down. Michael froze, his brain kicking into overdrive. A...A Chansey? As in the Pokémon?
He must be hallucinating or stuck in an extremely vivid dream. Suddenly, a wave of memories and realization came crashing back to him - his past life, his death, and being reincarnated into...the Pokémon world?
'You've got to be kidding me,' Michael thought, his newborn mind reeling. Of all the places in the multiverse, why did he end up here? Sure, he had enjoyed playing Pokémon video games and watching the anime, but living in that world for real? That was a whole other level of crazy.
Well on second thoughts, he wouldn't mind living in this world. Who has not dreamed of catching Pokémon and going on adventures? He even had mock Pokémon battles with his cousin back home when they were 8-9 year old. And to be fair, it was better than studying all day to become an engineer or a doctor. At least, he would enjoy becoming a Pokémon Trainer and exploring this strange new world.
However, Michael quickly realized that the Pokémon world would not be as simple and carefree as the anime had depicted. The anime was for kids so it was all fun and all but would it be true when the world was real?
"Maybe I can even use my knowledge of the Pokémon universe to get a head start," he mused silently. "Though I better not mess up the timeline too much. Wouldn't want to create a rift in the space-time continuum or something."
"Wait, Can I even affect the canon? What if I am born way after canon was already done? What if Ash is already champion? Or what if I am born way before canon took place? What if this world is completely different from the canon world. Shit, so much of thinking is giving my baby brain an headache." Michael
groaned and decided to first see his situation.
Michael's eyes were still in shock as he looked around the cheerful hospital room. He spied a beautiful young woman with long scarlet hair lying in the bed, smiling wearily but radiating joy. Next to her stood a tall, slim man with black hair who had tears of happiness streaming down his face. There was even someone standing in doctor uniform who had already left the room.
"They're finally here, Erza! Our precious babies!" the man exclaimed, voice thick with emotion as he placed a gentle kiss on the woman's forehead.
"Yes, Ben, our little babies are here," Erza replied, reaching out to stroke Michael's soft cheek. "Welcome to the family, you two. We've been waiting for you."
Erza? That must be...his new mother's name? Michael felt light-headed, the bizarre situation proving to be too much for his freshly reincarnated mind. "Erza and Ben, huh? Well, at least they sound like decent folks. Though I hope dear old dad learns to control those waterworks of his. I don't think I can handle living with a human Niagara Falls."
He shifted his gaze over to the other squirming bundle held by a second Chansey and saw a tiny, innocent-looking newborn baby girl. So this must be his new twin sister...
"Chansey?" The first Chansey holding him looked down inquisitively as he let out another confused wail. "Chan chansey chansey!" She bounced him gently, making nonsensical cooing sounds that only agitated Michael further.
"I think the little guy's feeling a bit overwhelmed," Ben chuckled, gently taking Michael from the Chansey's embrace. "Don't worry, son, you'll get used to all this Poké-nonsense soon enough. Though I have to say, you're already better looking than your old man!"
Erza swatted Ben's arm playfully as Ben handed the baby back to the Chansey "Be nice to your son, dear. He's just had the most exhausting day of his life! Though I have to agree, he does take after my side of the family. Sorry, Ben."
Michael could understand the language of his parents as they were speaking in English but he had no idea what the Chansey was saying, but he assumed she was welcoming him to the world. He let out a tiny sigh, already feeling the exhaustion of being a newborn take over.
As the two Chansey carried the newborn twins to the nearby cribs, Michael gave one more glimpse to his new parents, Erza and the tearful Ben.
This was really happening - he had been reborn into the Pokémon world under the most bizarre circumstances. Michael couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and trepidation. On one hand, this was the fulfillment of a childhood dream. But on the other, he knew the reality of this world would be far more dangerous and unpredictable than the cartoon version he was familiar with.
"I just hope I can get some answers soon, and that raising as a newborn baby won't be too much trouble for Mr. and Mrs...wait, what was their last name again?" Michael felt his overstimulated mind going blank as exhaustion overtook him. Weirdly enough, at least his new sister seemed like a normal, quiet baby...for now.
"Stop crying already, Ben," Erza said to the crying man as she tried to comfort him. "You're going to scare the children with all that blubbering. Honestly, I don't know how I ended up with such a sensitive guy."
'So my father's name is Ben. He is quite the crybaby. I hope I at least get my good looks from my mother. She is gorgeous, after all,' Michael thought, eyeing Erza with newfound appreciation.
"I-I have become a father, dear. Not of just one child but two..." Ben stammered, tears of joy still streaming down his face as Erza patted him on the back.
"That's right, dear. And you better get used to it, because I have a feeling these two are going to keep us on our toes!" Erza said with a wink. "Though if these little ones here are anything like their father, I may need to invest in some extra-strength earplugs."
Ben let out an exaggerated gasp of mock-offense. "Why, Erza! I'll have you know I have a lovely singing voice. Perhaps I'll serenade the little ones with a lullaby later." He bent down to coo at the babies, only to let out an undignified yelp as Michael's sister let out a loud, startled wail.
"Ah, the dulcet tones of a Zubat in the making," Erza chuckled, gently rocking her daughter. "See, dear? I told you the children would keep us busy."
Michael couldn't help but feel a twinge of amusement at the family's antics, despite his bewilderment at the situation. "At least they seem like a loving, if slightly eccentric, bunch. Maybe being reborn won't be so bad after all." He let out a contented gurgle.
Just then, the door burst open and a towering, muscular old man with a scarred face strode into the room walking with a cane. Unlike the emotional Ben, this newcomer radiated an aura of quiet, confident strength.
"DAD!!!" Ben exclaimed, rushing over to embrace the imposing figure. "Come meet your grandchildren!"
'Ah, so this must be my new grandfather. He looks like he could bench-press a Snorlax,' Michael mused, suddenly feeling very small and vulnerable. Those scars on the man's face and hands told him that this world was not nearly as safe and cozy as the one he had left behind.
The old man looked down at the newborn twins with a soft smile, a hint of pride and wistfulness in his eyes. "The kids look healthy. Maybe one of them would take the gym to new heights?" he rumbled in a deep, gravelly voice.
"Gym? What gym?" Michael wondered, a thousand questions swirling in his mind.
"So have you two decided on the names of your children?" the old man continued, placing a massive hand on Ben's shoulder.
"We decided that if we had a boy, then Erza would get to name him, and if it was a girl, I would name her. It looks like we both would have the opportunity to give our kids the names," Ben replied happily, puffing out his chest with fatherly pride.
"She would be Gwenyth, Gwenyth Vortex," Ben said, looking down at the baby girl in his arms. As if in response, the tiny bundle let out a soft, contented purr.
"It looks like she loves it. Well, Gwenyth's brother would be Gladion," Erza announced, gazing adoringly at the newborn boy in her arms.
Michael - or rather, Gladion - felt a sense of warmth and belonging as his new parents spoke his name with such tenderness. Despite the bewildering circumstances of his rebirth, he couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope that this strange new world might just hold wonderful possibilities.
He did not think much of his previous life as that would bring sad memories that he did not want to deal with.
"Gladion, huh? Not a bad name, I suppose," he mused drowsily. "Though I still can't get over the fact that I'm a baby Pokémon trainer-in-the-making. Wonder if I can get Pikachu as a starter..."
With that last thought, the newly christened Gladion succumbed to the sweet embrace of sleep.