I woke up to a smoky smell. Where was I? Was there a fire? Should I get up and check? I tried to move but pain shot through my whole body and ended in my head. If there was a fire and it reached me it would at least end the pain.
I must have yelped because a beautiful girl came over. She must have been around my age, maybe even a little younger. "Oh thank goodness. You're finally awake. I was starting to get worried," said the girl. Whoever she was she seemed like she really was worried about me.
"Where am I? How did I get here?" I asked. I wanted to ask about the fire too but if she wasn't worried then I assumed I had no reason to be either. That is, unless she started it.
"Stop kidding," she said to me. The look on my face must have told her I was serious because her smile faded and was replaced by a frown and tears welling up in her eyes. "You really don't know do you?" I slowly shook my head. She got up and walked through a flap.
I actually got to take in my surroundings now. I was in a tent. I could see the light from what I guessed to be a campfire. If I listened closely I could hear the crackling from it. There was a strong wind coming from outside as well.
I tried to get up again. There was more pain. I laid there for a second then tried again. I muscled through the pain. Before I knew it I was in immense pain but at least I was standing. I started to slowly make my way to the flap of the tent. When I got to the opening I peeked outside.
There must have been a storm coming because it was dark but you could tell it was about midday. The storm wasn't what concerned me. The girl was talking to two little monsters. One was a small brown pig and a small black dog. The dog looked familiar but I couldn't think of a name. She looked as if she had been crying and was now trying to stay strong. The creatures seemed to look up to her. She looked over to the opening and her body tensed.
"You're up. You should be lying down," she scolded.
"I figured I should get up. Maybe it will help me remember." I explained.
"Oh! That gives me an idea. Do you remember your name?" she asked.
Now that I thought about it, what I thought my name was came back to me. "Adam. Is my name Adam?" I asked.
"So you do remember some things. What about me? Do you remember my name?"
I thought and thought for a while but I couldn't remember her name. I slowly shook my head and I could see the tears well up again. "I'm sorry but I can't think of your name. You do seem very familiar though."
She wiped a tear from her eye then took a hopeful stance. "At least you think I'm familiar. That's a start." She was smiling from ear to ear now. "What about this little gal?" she asked holding up the brown pig.
It was really very familiar as well. The one word that came to mind was "Swinub. But that's not its name is it?" I asked.
"Ms. Nubsly, he remembers you! That's great." Then she patted the dog. "This is the most important test. Do you remember this little guy?"
I stared at the dog for a while and it started to come back. Memories flooded back into my mind. I started to tear up. "Buddy! Buddy, this is Buddy isn't it?" With that the dog came bounding over to me and jumped on me, licking my face.
"Yep, that's your houndour named Buddy. He was your first Pokémon, and your partner Pokémon. At least you're three for four. In time you will remember me."
"Houndour? Pokémon? I don't know what any of that means," I tried to explain.
"Wow, that landing must have really messed you up good," said a voice behind me. I hadn't realized it before but there were three tents in a circle around the campfire. "I never thought that Adam Hoffman would forget about Pokémon."
Looking at the boy brought back feelings of friendship and rivalry. "Nate? You're Nate. You're her brother," I said pointing to the girl, "and you," turning to the girl, "You're Emily." The girl started crying again. She ran to give me a hug but almost knocked me down.
"I knew you would remember me," she said through tears. "I knew you would." She stepped back and wiped her eyes.
"Now we just need to give you a refresher course and you'll be your same old self," said Nate.