Hello everyone, here's my late-night hysteria-inspired Fanfic. This is more of an experiment but I'm still excited to give it a shot. I hope you stick with me while I develop the story. Thank You for Reading!
Chapter 1-I Choose Who?
It was complete silence as I stared around the room just like I had been for ten or so minutes. I knew this room wasn't mine, It looked nothing like my dorm or anything in my parent's house and while there was still recognizable decor my memories were so fuzzy that I couldn't quite tell why I knew them. As I tried to place my finger on what exactly those were I also had to figure out how I'd gotten here in the first place. The last thing I could remember was driving back to school after a night out with friends and the roads were a bit slippery, no problem though because I was a safe driver. I had the school in sight but then I don't remember anything past then, everything was just blank. Had I died? I didn't feel dead nor do I remember dying.
"It must just be a dream I guess?" Then, Almost as if I'd been hit by a truck everything in the room became clear. All the toys, wall art, and nick-nacks suddenly made sense. They were from the franchise I grew up on, The shows and games I spent way too much time consuming threw my adolescence and teenage years. Hell even as I went to college I found myself emulating those same old games on my computer. It was the ever-lovable Pokémon. Except they were different, almost more real and I was not seeing these creatures animated on a television or a DS but instead as if they were real animals. The feathers, fangs, and tails that covered these creatures looked realistic.
My first thought was no way they could be real though right, I mean they were fictional animals created to sell merchandise and video games, and yet all it took was a look outside the window to be given proof. There sitting on the roof of another house was a flock of brown birds I recognized all too well, Pidgeys!
"How is that possible, Pokémon can't be real, I must be dreaming" was the first thing to mind, but unfortunately everything seemed about as real as what I'd ever seen.
"Maybe I did make it home and this some kind of crazy fever?" I thought as I felt around the room touching anything I could. The bed, the wall, the floors, and the doors. It was real, it had to be.
That's when the room started spinning, panic setting in fast. My stomach dropped like the floors fell out from beneath me, and my head got light.
"Maybe I just took something I shouldn't of and now I'm just tripping out of my mind" After what felt like an eternity of stress and anxiety a weird calmness overtook my body. I had always imagined something like this when I was little, living in the world of Pokémon. If I was still little I'd have been having a freakout for an entirely different reason. This was a seven-year-olds greatest fantasy.
"Ya definitely tripping balls."
I mean this is incredibly weird sure, but it isn't the worst-case scenario. I still had to figure out why or how I got here, and if this isn't my world how would I get back? "Then again I could ride this out and have some fun, I mean everyone deserves to live a dream sometimes."
The first thing on my list was to figure out what I looked like. Now I know that sounds strange but my memories were so fuzzy that I didn't even remember if I was a-
"boy or a girl"
Well, thankfully I found the answer to my question rather quickly. A quick trip to the mirror across the room revealed a reflection of a teenage male. Definitely, a good-looking kid, and he's got a solid build, it will do nicely. Now all that was left was to remember my-
"God dammit what's my name"
The classic questions at the beginning of a Pokémon game, that the region's very own professor would ask you in order to build your character profile. Questions burned into the mind of any one person who took part in playing these children's games on a regular.
Now to find out what the answer to that second question is. Also, it would be pretty nice to know how old I was. I mean it would be pretty boring to already be over the age of a Pokémon adventure.
A voice begins yelling up the stairs to issue a warning to the boy. "Jackson if you don't get your butt down here and get out the door your gonna be late to Oaks Laboratory." "I'm guessing that would be my mother. At least now I know I'm young now and definitely getting a Pokemon".
"On my way Momma."
Momma? Where the hell did that come from? I guess sections of my vocabulary are affected by the past of this body. Makes sense considering muscle memory and all. I rushed down the stairs rushed down the stairs to meet the woman hoping to get out of the confrontation without any awkward exchanges. Also, I guess my name's Jackson, far from the worst name you could have. Not extravagant by any means but not dull either.
As I hit the ground running it came to my attention that I was already fully dressed and combed. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a pre-loaded backpack full of supplies sitting by the door.
"I suppose this kid was basically prepared to run right out the door. Makes sense considering the beginnings of these games."
I turned to greet my placeholder mom, and I was greeted with a shockingly beautiful figure that was so real it shocked me. I guess I expected someone more generic looking, just as all the different mom's from the game series looked. What I got however was anything but generic and bland. She had her own type of mom beauty, aged but still wrinkle free and well done. And she radiated so much warm energy that my guard subconsciously dropped. "Ready to go young man?" She asked grasping my shoulders.
"Uhh, ya totally ready to set out momma." There was that muscle memory again.
"So I supposed there's no way I can convince you to stay just a day longer huh?" She sighed with a soft smile. There was a playful tone she put out, but behind it was clean and obvious pain. The hurt of a child leaving home for who knew how long, considering how much time she had spent nurturing and committing to this boy for however long this he's lived. My heart said to give this lady one more day with her kin, but my brain knew that the timeframe of this opportunity was unpredictable. It would be best if I just left as soon as possible.
"I promise to visit mom, I really do." My body cringed as I lied threw my teeth.
"Then that's that sweetie, your off to start your life" She choked as she kissed my forehead." But you have to write to let me know you're okay, and when you reach new towns give me a call would ya!" We shared one more smile before I slowly slithered over to the door grabbing my bag on the way out.
"Love You Mom " I let out.
"Love You Kiddo" she squeaked as the door closed.
I knew that I had just crushed that poor woman. But then again how much guilt should I really have for not giving in to someone I shared a tiny sliver of a connection to? "I can't look back, this is a fresh start for me and this body."
As I skipped along Pallet town I took in the breathtaking views it offered. Truly it was astonishing compared to the black-and-white image represented on a Gameboy screen. The town was filled with a community of bustling families and their pet Pokémon. I was amazed at the fully alive versions of the Pokémon I loved as a kid. I Spotted Butterfrees and Rattatas, and it wasn't rare to see a Meowth propped up on window sills like a house cat.
Then the biggest building in town came into view as what was no doubt the lab of Pallet town, completely surrounded by the population of the town. I skipped across a bridge crossing the river and up the hill. At the top, I began maneuvering my way through a crowded staircase. Up at the top, there stood a group of cheerleaders cheering an all too familiar jingle.
"Gary, Gary, He's our man, If he can't do it, no one can!
Gooooo Gary!" Yes, all too familiar.
"That would mean standing in there would be none other than the Professor's own, annoyingly confident grandson, Gary Motherfucking Oak" I mumbled under my breath. It also began to make me question my position in this world."If this version of Gary is here then that all but assures Ash's existence. Of course, by that logic, that could make me one of the other two trainers. And that gave me a clue as to what Pokémon I would be receiving. Figuring Ash would still be late and get Pikachu, that would mean Gary gets his signature Blastoise. "That leaves Bulbasaur and Charmander."
I must've been staring at the lab theorizing a minute too late because I was snapped back into reality with a push on the shoulder.
"Hey, kid, you better hurry up those steps or you'll lose your spot for a Pokémon" yelled an overweight middle-aged man.
"Good thinking sir" I cheekily hummed out. I began jogging up the highly unconventional lab location. The front doors were held open by two security guards. Both of them stood emotionless, gigantic, and unwavering in size. The left one stuck his hand out palm open.
"Need your Trainer License kid, or else you won't be getting in" he announced. My heart sank and I kicked myself not believing how I'd forgotten such a key item. "Dammit if I lose my chance because of my impatient brain."
I instinctively checked my pockets hoping for an answer. After no dice in the front, I checked my back pockets and I mentally thanked this kid as I felt and grasped his wallet. Inside was the aforementioned Trainer License. After handing it over to the guards for inspection I was allowed in and directed to the Professor's Pokémon storage area. I got giddy as I walked Down the hall from both a mix of excitement and stress. This was amazing yes but what if I walk thru that door and this all ends, in the actual event of this being a dream? Still, I held my head up high and prayed I got to experience this a little longer.
As I found the Labeled storage room, I took a deep breath of air and got my head straight. This is my chance to set myself up. I have to put on a good performance so they don't suspect a thing."
I pushed the door slowly and poked my head in. There I saw three different figures.
One was a tall, pudgy old man. He was dressed in khakis and a red dress shirt tucked in. A lab coat was slipped on top of it all pulling the look together. This was Professor Oak. "Pretty legendary but still second to Professor Rowan in my eyes," I thought.
Standing a few feet away from oak was his grandchild. The spiky hair and purple shirt were recognizable a mile away. This was Gary Oak.
"Well looks like the chump finally decided to show up" Gary snoozed. So this kid is already acting snotty, great.
"Hmph he's got a point, If you were serious about Pokémon training you'd have been here bright and early" laughed the third figure in the room. However, this man was harder to recognize than the Oaks. He had long blue hair with goggles wrapped around his head. He was dressed in a pink shirt, a brown vest, and a red bandana around his neck. He also had an incredibly obnoxious and stereotypical Australian accent. Suddenly I remembered the character.
It was Damian, the Charmander trainer. Although his presence in the show was limited his overall effect on the series was massive and resulted in ash getting his most powerful weapon. Upon recognition, Gary was surpassed as my least favorite person in the room. While he was never actually stated to be from Pallet town, it was always theorized that he was one of the two unnamed trainers considering his Charmander. "Well, I guess headlore is sometimes the truth."
"All right there boys that's enough" Oak shushed "Jackson I'm glad you've arrived albeit a bit late."
"I know Professor I slept in, I apologize." It's so damn embarrassing being the last one here. "I've already started on a bad foot. I really wanna go the whole nine yards and get this right. Take on the league challenge" I have to get my game face on and really nail this.
"That's alright boy but I'm afraid to tell you that the others have ready been given their Pokémon, so you missed the ceremony" the Professor lectured with a hint of pity in his voice.
"Ya, you snooze you lose chump!" Gary yelped while sticking out his tongue. God, I haven't had half a conversation with these pukes and I'm already sick of them.
"That's on me Professor, I accept that and am just happy to be included" I chuckled. Oak raised his hand in acceptance.
"That's very mature son, now let's reveal your partner Pokémon." Of course, through the process of elimination I had already figured out who I was getting, and to be honest I was perfectly fine with it. Squirtle was always my personal favorite but I much preferred Bulbasaur over Charmander. Plus Bulbasaur is more than optimal for the first three gyms. "I can't say anything though, It would blow my cover to have too much knowledge of the Kanto region. From what I can tell these kids never left Pallet either." I chose to keep my trap shut.
Oak then picked the final Poké ball and released the remaining starter. The Pokéball cracked open and bright white energy shot out, releasing the plant dinosaur toad thing. It had greenish, blue spotted skin with a giant bulb on its back. White pupils sat in red beating eyes. The four-legged cutie let out a small growl, "Bulbaaaasaaauuuurrr."
"Bulbasaur. It bears the seed of a plant on its back from birth. The seed slowly develops. Researchers are unsure whether to Classify Bulbasaur as a plant or an animal. Bulbasaur are extremely tough and very difficult to capture in the wild" A classic old-school digital voice known as dexter played from a Pokedex in Oaks hand.
"That's your first entry into the Pokémon Encyclopedia, also known as the Pokédex" Oak explained. He then handed it over and I marveled over it for a few moments before storing it in my pocket. My attention turned back to the grass type.
"Wow, he's so cool!" I was so excited to really get a look at my partner Pokémon. I couldn't keep my smile hidden and I crouched down to meet the little guy. As I reached to the young plant, he jumped back. "Right gotta let him get used to me." This time I just stuck my hand on the floor and let him come to me. He slowly crawled over to my hand and relaxed into the calm aura. He then reached the point of contact and began rubbing his cheek into my palm. After a few seconds, he started growling again, this time just out of trust.
"Bulbaaaasaaauuur."
"Congratulations Jackson it seems earned his trust, I predict a long and promising bond for you too," Oak said and patted my shoulder.
"I certainly hope so Professor, and thank you so much." After a few more minutes of playing, I recalled Bulbasaur, quickly missing his presence. I stood up and dusted myself off, and shook the Professor's hand.
"Of course my child," he shook back "and with that, you are all set to begin your Pokémon Adventure. Boys over the next few months really attempt to find yourselves. You're going to face all sorts of adversity and great triumph. You're going to meet all sorts of exotic people and develop friendships that will last a lifetime. But most importantly value the time spent, after all, it is the journey and not the destination. and make amazing memories." He spoke with so much natural excitement and inspiration. He had all three of us hanging on to his words. "This is your time gentlemen, Grow from it, Learn from it, Thrive in it. Now go!"
After a shared rally, Damian and I began heading to the exit. Gary stayed behind to speak to his grandfather. Our walk together was quiet and awkward. "I'm guessing there was no past between us or I figured he would've said something by now right? I'm definitely glad to not have a friendship with this abuser though." Still, I have to make sure he doesn't get suspicious of me, so for now I'll be cordial. A tough pill to swallow.
"Aren't you excited to go on a journey?" I offered the icebreaker.
"I'm excited to catch strong Pokémon and kick ass." He spits at me. "And no I'm not taking applications to be in my crew bozo so bug off!" Join him? Is he kidding, this kids head is so big in surprised it doesn't have it's own gravitational pull. I better out him in his place.
"Like I'd ever want to join a bunch of second-rate trainers like you?" I rebuttaled not taking his shit. "I mean seriously why would I wanna slow myself down to the speed of an amateur?"
"Second rate, are you joking kid!" He turned a bright steeming shade of red. "I'll show you second rate, Now! Get outside were having a battle!" Good, now I've got him frustrated.
"Happily" my first battle comes so early, lucky me. I was more than stoked to show this pig up, after getting out of the lab we pushed beyond a crowd mostly waiting to see the town prized legacy, Gary.
A spare few citizens reached out to me and Damian to see who we got but we just kept walking. He led me to a field where sparring was allowed.
"Alright, wimp it's time to buck up, and get ready for some serious humiliation." I stood on the opposite side of the field and took a deep, long breath. I released Bulbasaur out to the ground and got to his level. "
"Alright bud this is our first battle, so let's make a good first impression, alright." I have a feeling this guy will be a push over but still don't underestimate him.
Damian called out Charmander and I got to see the oh-so-popular fire lizard. "Might as well record him with the dex." I grabbed my new fancy red toy, and pressed the magic ball.
"Charmander. A flame burns on the tip of its tail from birth. It is said that a Charmander dies if its flame ever goes out" Dexter recorded the valuable known.
"Enough wasting my fricking time, are we gonna duke it out or are you dodging me."
"Let's Go Bulbasaur" I shouted and he jumped into battle.
Charmander and Bulbasaur charged each other into the middle of the battlefield. Charmander got off to an early start sending out a barrage of scratches.
"Bulbasaur use Growl" best to weaken him if he's gonna be aggressive. Bulbasaur let out the stat decreasing noise and Charmander struck Bulbasaur with its claws.
"Go all out Charmander, Show him your incredible power" Damian cheered on. This punk doesn't have a clue how much power that thing has.
"Focus Jackson, He's hitting Bulbasaur!" I have to take action!
"Bulbasaur use your vines to keep him back and give yourself space" Bulbasaur then drove the fire type back around 5 yards with its retractable weapons. "Now growl some more, really weaken him."
While Bulbasaur growled at Charmander, his vines were also wrapping around the lizard to hold him in place. Charmander now in panic mode started biting and scratching at the vines trying to wiggle out.
"Alright Saur, let's finish this. Bring back your vines and start using tackle." Bulbasaur recalled its vines and began to charge. Charmander panted as he came back up to his feet. He groaned in exhaustion.
"Dammit Charmander, give it all you got and crush him" Damian commanded. Sweat rolled down his temple as Damian couldn't grasp why his Charmander was so tired so quickly.
"Then that settles it!." My victory is assured, Damian has no understanding of basic battle mechanics. "Bulbasaur let's wrap this one up." Bulbasaur charged
in against Charmander for round two but it was a lopsided affair. Bulbasaur pounded the weakened opponent into the ground. "Alright, buddy that's enough." The fight was decided and there was no reason to punish a Pokémon that did nothing wrong.
"Dammit Charmander, you sad excuse for a Fire-type, losing to a damn Grass type. Pathetic."
I recalled Bulbasaur and felt nothing but pity for Charmander. I wanted nothing more than save Charmander here and now but if I really am in this new world I have to play by their rules. I can't change too much or I risk the butterfly effect.
"For now, I'll bite my tongue, it'll be tough Charmander but stick it out and you'll be with Ash. It's the best place for you, I'm sorry."
"Your one lucky Son of Bitch is all! It was a fluke win! The next time I see you're sorry ass I'll make sure to bulldoze your team." Damian practically cried as he ran with his tail between his legs. It felt fulfilling giving that punk what he deserved, also with that my first win was locked up and it was time to celebrate.
"Hot damn this is gonna be a lot of fun!" I brought Bulbasaur out one more time and we celebrated his win. "Hey Bulbasaur, I think you and I are gonna have a lot more of those in our future.
"Bulba... Bulbasaur!"
I sat down and pulled him close. The more and more time I spend here the more incredible it feels, like this is really where I was meant to be. I could feel myself beginning to care less and less about how I got here and instead just enjoying the moment. I would have to confront that at some point but for now I think I'm okay just going with the flow. I'm about to have the time of my life adventuring and I don't wanna mess it up. "I guess we better get going pal, We have lots to do."
Bulbasaur and I traveled to the edge of town where the passageway to Route 1 was layed out. I've been given a chance to live out a dream and and this is where it starts. "This is to my new life" I muttered as we took our first steps.