A few things to note. This is a collaboration project with jlrsutton on Fiverr. I've previously worked with him on "The Fish and The Cat", a League of Legends Isekai fanfiction.
Updates may be a little slow, as the fanfiction is a work in progress. If you have anything to say about the story, we would love to see your review. Responses to reviews will be at the bottom of a chapter. All criticism is appreciated!
This story has a bit of a slower start as well. Chapters 1-4 will have a more familiar take on the Pokémon "atmosphere", while we've wanted to experiment with the term of existentialism in future chapters. We wanted to try something a little bit different.
Lastly, I'd love to give a big shoutout to Kori Arredondo for making the fantastic cover art! Check out her Twitter and DeviantArt for more of her work. She's made tons of amazing pieces for myself and I can't thank her enough.
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In the space between spaces, and the bridge between seconds, Mew hung, suspended. She enjoyed her experience in this external nothingness. From here, she could see into countless different realities, each one so slightly different from the next they may as well have been indistinguishable. Put together, however, and these minute differences caused the greatest of changes. Mew reveled in watching how these dominos fell, how the ripples in the flow of events caused exponential variation. And, as she looked on from outside of reality itself, one of the people living within those bubbles of life, was just waking up to start his day.
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Espir was going to be late for his job. Again. He could tell he was going to be late from the moment he pulled himself out of his sleep. He didn't exactly open his eyes immediately, allowing reality to sink in slowly as he watched the backs of his eyelids. He had been experiencing a wonderful dream, one that he was certain he had in the past. He had no idea whether you could dip back into the same fantasy, but he was quite sure he had done so on numerous occasions with this one.
The dream began, as many do, with the hazy drift of reality leaving Espir in an unknown location, usually dropped from a small height- but not so high as to hurt him on the impact- and he would need to find out where he had been left.
He could never quite keep a strong grip on the memory of the adventure, losing the joys he had experienced, while retaining the feelings for just a moment longer. He was certain that the trips were either similar or identical to previous dreams he had experienced.
Begrudgingly, Espir opened his eyes and took in the surroundings of his bedroom. He still lived with his family, as there were few places cheap enough for someone working his job to rent out while also attending classes at college. It was his second year of four at the college and he was doing better than expected with his grades, he had a close-knit group of friends, and his job helped him pay for his hobbies and interests. One of his primary interests was Pokémon. A couple of his friends liked to lightly tease him about how much he liked Pokémon, however the fourth member of the group, Cameron, was just as much of a fan. In truth, they all liked Pokémon and other similar interests, which was why they had become friends in the first place.
As Espir looked around his room, he saw numerous posters depicting various starter Pokémon, collected books, stacks of trading cards he needed to put away for safekeeping; the list could go on. The main thing that interjected Espir's Pokémon filled room, was his array of photo frames, showing both his friends and his family to remind him of fond times. He knew he was more sentimental than most, but he didn't mind it as he felt it meant he was more in touch with how he cared for those around him.
Espir pulled himself out of bed, knowing that it was later than planned, but not fully caring. He was still in the state of post-sleep grogginess that left him dispassionate about the things he really didn't care about- such as work.
Espir had a job in a supermarket. It wasn't a flashy job, but it put money in his pocket and that's all that mattered to him until he would be able to finish his college degree, and hopefully move on out of his parents' house.
It wasn't that he didn't like his parents, but once a certain age passed, he felt he had outgrown the living space and needed somewhere more independent to spread out and make his own. Only two more years until he could begin to realize that vision.
It was a boring dream, he could admit, but it was a necessary one. The sorts of dreams that you delved into during sleeping hours or those on the far realms of impossibility were not worth thinking about all the time- as they couldn't be realized. That didn't stop Espir from mulling over them a great deal longer than the others in his life seemed to consider their own outlandish ideals.
Espir, due to his fascination with Pokémon, wanted to become a Pokémon trainer and travel a world fighting other trainers. It was silly of course, but he wanted to imagine it was only because it wasn't possible. Espir knew, given the opportunity, that he would jump at the chance to become one.
Espir pulled on his uniform. He didn't have time for a full shower if he wanted to get to work at a respectable time, so he ran his hair under the sink tap and towel dried it before rushing out of the house. He called a quick goodbye to whoever else was in the house, but didn't have time to properly check or listen to anyone's replies.
Espir grabbed his bicycle and began rushing down the street in the direction of his job. The sun was beating down in full swing already, letting him know that he didn't have long before he was definitely late for work.
Reaching the backdoor of the supermarket, the staff entrance, he punched in the security code to the slightly rusted lock and pulled it open. In the corridor, watching the door as Espir pulled it open, was his manager. They had a look on their face as if they had practiced and perfected the exact stare to make someone almost feel justified in being late to work.
"And what time do you call this?" Bernard said, with a voice that made it very tempting for Espir to reply sarcastically; except he knew he needed this job, so Espir just increased his already heavy breathing and worked for the pity points.
"I tried to get here as soon as possible," he said, "I wouldn't even been late if it wasn't for that crazy driver back there. I had to swerve off the road entirely. That meant I nearly hit this poor old lady, who happened to be pushing a stroller with her grandchildren in-"
"Get in and get to the till," Bernard sighed, making it clear that his bravado was just for show and he didn't really have the energy to follow through with the implied confidence.
Espir congratulated himself in his head and made his way into the corridor to lock in his bike before rushing to the shop floor to find his place at the tills.
The shift itself was long and boring. Espir couldn't get his mind off of the idea of being outside in the sun, chasing through the undergrowth after a potential rare Pokémon. He was unsure why this day, more than other days, his mind kept running back to Pokémon related themes, but he didn't bother to question it too thoroughly and just continued to enjoy his train of thought.
Finally, after what felt like weeks of his life, Espir's shift was over. He had to deal with a bit too many irritable customers, which made him irritable too. The hot weather always attracted people who were fed up and- like the phrase suggested- hot-headed.
Just as Espir was leaving, Bernard stuck his head out of the manager's office.
"Could I have a word with you, it'll only take a moment," Bernard said, smiling quickly before retreating back into the office. It wasn't a question.
"Is this about me being late?" Espir asked as he walked into the office. Bernard spun around in his chair to face Espir, leaning back to avoid bending his neck.
"Yes and no," he said, "I was taking a look through our records and, well, it looks like today was your final warning for late attendances without notice. You understand that would mean I would have to let you go, correct?"
"Wait, please, Bernard-"
"-Now, not too fast," Bernard said, holding up a hand and putting on a face that implied he was about to do something vexatious. "I am willing to waive today's offence, if and only if you're happy to come in on the early shift tomorrow."
"But it's-"
Espir was about to protest that the following day was his younger sister's birthday, but Bernard cut him off by holding up the hand again.
"Say no more," Bernard nodded, his eyes closing in a mockingly mournful state, "if you wish to sever ties with this company, you need only say."
Espir sighed. After the shift he had already gone through, this was the last thing he wanted to deal with.
"Yes, I'll do it," Espir said through gritted teeth.
"Quit?"
"No, obviously. I'll do the early tomorrow."
"Ah, now there is the sort of proactive, team-oriented attitude that I like about you, Espir," Bernard said, grinning, "now go and get yourself home and get some rest. You'll be needing it for tomorrow, I'm sure."
Bernard spun back around in his chair, the conversation clearly over. Yes, he had just blackmailed Espir into pulling overtime, but there wasn't much Espir could think of doing to stop it happening without losing his job. He would just have to break the news, somehow, to his family.
"Go fuck yourself", Espir mumbled, back turned as he headed for the door.
Espir rode home, not too pleased with how this day was already going, and knowing it was only going to get worse once he got home and told the others about his "change of plans" for tomorrow.
Espir cursed at himself for being unable to stick up for himself. He was quite normally like that. Cowardly. He would talk himself up, get himself into a state of believing he could or would do something, but, when the time came, he would give up or run away from the confrontation. It was a trait he hated about himself but it wasn't something he knew how to fix, so he just accepted it as a flaw he had.
Espir was thinking of what he was going to say to try and get across the information he needed to, without angering any of the family, but the more he thought about the potential consequences, the more he began to convince himself into the possibility of simply not telling his family.
He had heard the phrase said for comedic effect on countless shows, but 'Better to ask for forgiveness than permission' was one cliché catchphrase that Espir lived by. It looked like he was coming up to a situation where he would need to use it.
Espir got home from work and rushed to his bedroom. He pulled out the gift he had gotten his sister, wrapped with a card on top. He wanted it ready so that when he left early the next morning, he could just leave it on the kitchen table for her to find when she woke up, hopefully, to prove he hadn't forgotten about her special day.
Espir felt awful for having to miss so much of her birthday, but he couldn't bring it up during the family dinner, as he didn't want to begin an argument and ruin the mood. Everyone was in such high spirits; he couldn't just bring that down for the sake of it. No, he would wait. So, Espir just ate, smiled and nodded throughout the meal. He felt as if he were forcing it like he did at work. His customer service smile.
After the family meal, Espir helped do some of the washing up, to the grateful surprise of his parents. He was trying to subtly add brownie points before the potential argument tomorrow. Butter up the parents for the eventual bad news.
Espir stayed up that night, only until his parents had gone to sleep, so that he could leave out the gift on the kitchen table. Espir also added a note to the birthday card, apologizing for not being there for the morning of his sister's birthday and promising to make it up to her when he got back. He made a mental note to remember to buy a few bags of candy from the store on his employee discount for her; a second gift to help make his arrival feel even better than his absence felt bad.
Espir then, finally, went to sleep.
He flopped down onto his bed, steeling himself for the day ahead and trying to forget just how poorly his day had gone. He hoped for the usual dream, still not entirely sure if he was repeating a journey, or simply imagining the feelings of doing so.
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Mew looked on from her exterior place. It wasn't so much her home as it was the absence of her home. Mew found that she was intrigued by this human's plight and interested in how often his dreaming state travelled to view other versions of himself; versions that lived lives so different from his own.
Mew was confused with how readily this human enjoyed watching these experiences, feeling the emotions and actions of those he watched. Wouldn't it be more normal for him to appreciate things like himself, instead of things that were so unlike himself?
Mew decided, while the human was sleeping, to do what she rarely ever did, and approach. She passed through, out of the external space and into his reality. Her viewpoint shifted, molding from being able to look over the entire universe, to simply looking around Espir's bedroom.
Mew noticed the Pokémon memorabilia, the variety and quantity of the Pokémon on display- many of which Mew knew about the true existence of in other realities. Mew looked over the human; sleeping, with a slightly sad expression on his face. Mew had hoped that sleeping would bring him contentment, but it seemed no matter how content in the dreamworld, he was still quite unhappy with what he was experiencing in his reality.
Mew then had an idea. It was quite brilliant really. She had never done such a thing before, but she knew that- out of all humans- this one would be grateful for her intervention.
Mew rushed back out of his reality, to go and confirm what she had been seeing before. The human, Espir, picking himself up from the ground. He was alone, standing on a hill in a wide-open field. Espir fiddled around with something at his waist and pulled it off his belt, holding the item out in front of him. There was a red flash and a Pokémon popped out, standing and looking up at him as he, too, looked down at it, smiling.
Mew continued to watch as the two beings ran off down the hill together, heading for the nearest town. Indeed, Espir was dreaming about being a Pokémon trainer, just as he had been thinking about during the day that Mew had watched over him.
Mew's mind was settled. She closed her eyes and focused on the tiniest beads of light, of life, that were Espir- currently split between the waking and the dreaming world. As she forced the two pinpricks of existence together and placed them into a third reality, not one of slumber, but a waking reality, she was about to make sure the adventure, that he had always hoped for, came true.
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Espir opened his eyes. His dream had ended abruptly, that much he knew. He had been thrust from his sleep in a manner not unlike waking from a nightmare, simply without the cold sweats that accompanied such a horrible experience.
Instead, Espir's awakening was filled with confusion, not dread. He was no longer in his bed, but on a hill, in the middle of a field.
He couldn't still be dreaming, because he had just woken up. Hadn't he? Or was this what dreaming felt like during dreaming and he would simply forget all this when he woke up?
Espir wasn't sure but, for the moment, he had to figure out where he was. To do that, the only thing he could do, was explore. Espir though, despite his confusion, was grateful for one thing.
He was free.
