Bzzzt! Bzzzt!
"Hnnnggg... Why do alarm clocks exist?..."
The alarm clock on the nightstand was still going. The sound of it rang through my room, as if mocking me for my lack of sleep.
My eyes were gritty and heavy-lidded, my body exhausted. I was so sleepy that I could barely keep them open. It was strange how much effort it took to wake up every single day.
I closed my eyes again. Just a few more minutes...
My phone vibrated in my pocket, startling me. It was alerting me of an incoming text. I unlocked the phone, only to find out it was an ad. Fuck.
As I got out of bed, I prepared to get dressed and go to the university. I though of playing some video games before.
However, when I looked at my watch, I saw that it was already seven thirty. I groaned. My head hurt from lack of sleep, but I didn't want to miss any of my classes today.
I went into the bathroom and splashed some water on my face. Afterwards, I put on the clothes I'd laid out the night before and went to the kitchen to make breakfast.
Soon after, I walked down the stairs, feeling refreshed and ready to start the day.
But as soon as I stepped outside, my mood changed… for the worse.
It was raining. A cold rain made everything damp. I shivered and pulled my jacket tighter around me. The cold feeling of the rainy morning reflected perfectly my deepest emotions.
"So this is what you want, Arceus?" I muttered under my breath. "Nevermind..."
I shook my head and started walking toward the faculty. I had no choice but to ignore the dark cloud hanging over me.
I couldn't focus on anything else. I just needed to get to class and be there early enough to take notes.
I knew I'd feel better once I got there. That was something I always did.
When I was nervous or had trouble concentrating, I would always go back to the university and pretend like nothing happened. At least, I was temporarily oblivious of my current situation there.
And I had plenty of time to do that today. I had the first lecture in only fifteen minutes, so I could relax and get ready for the rest of the day.
That's what I told myself anyway.
I arrived at the university around seven o'clock and found my classroom. I walked in and quickly sat down at one of the desks near the window.
I opened my notebook, grabbed my pen, and focused on the schedule that I had gotten from the general direction earlier.
I was happy to see that most of my classes were in the same building as last year. We were starting with lessons about science. So far, I liked biology and chemistry. They seemed really interesting, and I loved learning about new things.
I also liked history and linguistics. Though I wasn't too good at those subjects, they helped me understand other topics better, and I thought they were pretty cool too.
But my favorite one was Pokémon battling techniques. I could spend hours reading books about the different types of fighting styles, and I absolutely loved it.
Not only did I learn more about the world of Pokémon, but it was also fun to learn what those famous battlers on TV thought while competing.
In short, my favorite class was the one where we learned about the world of Pokémon and our place in it.
After an interesting set of classes, the bell rang. I stood up and stretched. I needed to get moving. When I realized that I had forgotten my umbrella, I sighed.
I could have used one today. It was supposed to rain until later in the afternoon. And it was not even twenty degrees yet.
I finished my breakfast and left the cafeteria, heading toward home. I stopped by the shop to pick up some food, then returned to my house.
I spent the next hour eating, watching anime, and reading comics. I didn't care if I made my life boring, because at least I was doing what I wanted to do.
When it became too dark to read anymore, I settled down on the couch and tried to fall asleep. But I had a lot of work to do tomorrow, so I preferred to rest another day and started to work right away.
However, after a long day of work, I was inevitably left alone with my thoughts. It was a shame to think about my unlucky life, even though I couldn't help it.
Trying to wash away these thoughts, I went to bed right after dinner, but it was almost midnight when I finally fell asleep.
I woke up early the next morning. While I was still in bed, I relived my dream of being a Pokémon trainer. In fact, that was a recurring dream. Even now, it still comes back to me every now and then.
I smiled at the memory. That dream was the closest thing to happiness that I had experienced in a long time. With it, I could forget my problems and enjoy the moment.
"Why am I dreaming about this again?." I said to myself, sitting up in bed.
I got up and went to the bathroom. After brushing my teeth, I showered and got dressed. I walked downstairs and headed outside.
Today, I was going to buy groceries, and later, in the evening, I would go to see the aspirants' battles at the local gym.
It had been a while since I'd gone out during the week. Since I was usually busy during the weekend, I didn't have many opportunities. As I walked through the city, I noticed that it was starting to rain again.
When I reached the grocery store, I bought my usual items. After paying for everything, It was finally time to go to the local gym.
Once I got there, I walked to the main hall of the gym to wait for the event to begin. To my surprise, all the tables were full of people. They were all talking excitedly, talking about the upcoming battle.
I looked around for someone to talk to, but it was hard to find anyone alone. Apparently, everyone had come with their friends to watch the event.
I took a seat and waited. After a few minutes, the gym leader entered the room along with his assistant. He greeted the crowd and gave them a brief explanation of how the battle would work.
He also told them that he would be giving a special badge for the contestant who defeated his strongest Pokémon.
To my surprise, the gym leader talked and interacted with the crowd quite well. It was great to see him be so friendly. It wasn't a common sight to see a gym leader interacting with the public like that.
Soon after, the assistant announced the first round. "First round will start in five minutes," she said. "Pokémon should be brought to the front line. "Don't be afraid to switch trainers for a battle! Or even fight independently! Don't be shy!"
Without waiting for further instructions, the gym leader started to walk toward the waiting Pokémon. I followed his movement closely.
Quite a number of trainers were gathering around him, eager to meet the Pokémon he was going to use against them.
The gym leader then let his Pokémon out. Immediately, the contestants started to call their own Pokémon out. Some of them were familiar to me, but others were new to me.
I watched closely as they each fought their opponent. It was amazing to see them go up against their rivals. Every single battle ended in victory for the champion.
I was impressed with the skills of the participants. There were so many talented trainers here. However, I was even more eager to see the independent Pokémon fighting. It was incredible to see Pokémon battling on their own!
Sure enough, another round started. The gym leader called out a new challenger. This time, a mighty Tyranitar appeared in the middle of the ring. I felt excited to see its powerful moves.
My heart pounded as it raised its arm and growled at the crowd. Everyone seemed
However, the gym leader remained calm as he approached the giant creature. He tapped on its shoulder and pointed at the ground.
Tyranitar nodded and got ready to battle.
The cheers of the audience echoed throughout the building. I clapped along with them. I couldn't believe that I was actually cheering for a Pokémon!
The gym leader summoned Aggron and motioned for Tyranitar to attack. As expected, the Tyranitar immediately charged at the Aggron.
As the two beasts clashed, I cheered louder than ever. The sound of the crowd grew louder and louder, drowning out any noise that the Pokémon were making. I clapped harder than I ever had before. I was enjoying this moment, which was rare for me.
The two beasts traded blows. Their attacks were fierce and powerful. They looked like they could kill any regular Pokémon with ease.
Aggron and Tyranitar were locked in combat, their bodies whirling like a tornado. They kept pounding each other, trying to knock each other into oblivion.
It was incredible to watch them tear each other apart. They were both strong, able to withstand the impact of each other's moves. But eventually, Aggron managed to land a devastating blow.
With a loud roar, Tyranitar was knocked down. Its body crumbled under the force of the hit. Then, the stadium went silent once again.
I looked around to see the public's reaction. Then, I saw that the gym leader was looking at the fallen Tyranitar with compassion.
He moved over to the monster and gently helped him up. He helped the Tyranitar up, and then, he handed the special badge and gave it to him. The Tyranitar bowed to thank him.
Once it had done so, the gym leader spoke: "That was an impressive display of strength and courage. You proved yourself worthy to receive this special badge, Tyranitar."
Tyranitar listened attentively as the gym leader talked.
The gym leader grinned and waved goodbye to the Tyranitar. "Good luck, Tyranitar. I hope to see you soon."
The Tyranitar nodded politely and walked out of the arena.
I sighed, feeling disappointed. What was wrong with me?! I had just witnessed one of the best battles of the week, and I was already sad because I was thinking about my life again. How pathetic.
The gym leader walked back to his spot. He addressed the crowd again. "Well, that concludes our first round of events. See you next week!"
The crowd applauded and cheered as the gym leader and his assistant left the arena.
I was excited to attend the event, but I wasn't happy. I just didn't want to think about my life anymore. I stood up and started walking toward the exit. I didn't look back.
I knew there was no point in checking the scoreboard or keeping track of the number of rounds completed. It would only make me feel worse. So, I ignored it and headed straight home.
In spite of my lack of enthusiasm, I did enjoy the experience. I enjoyed watching the battles play out.
I also enjoyed observing the spectators. Seeing everyone enjoying themselves made me smile. It reminded me of the good times I used to have in my life.
As I walked home, I stopped by the grocery store to get something to eat. I grabbed a plate of the cheapest food and sat down on the curb outside. I ate slowly, savoring every bite.
After finishing my meal, I arrived home and rested on the sofa. I closed my eyes. I wanted to relax and enjoy the moment.
I decided to give myself a break from my own thoughts. Moments like earlier this night are what kept me alive. At least, that's what I told myself.
I thought about the past and remembered when I was younger. I remembered how much fun I used to have. The things I looked forward to do. The adventures I would live.
There were so many happy illusions that I can recall. I'm not sure why I chose to remember these moments. Maybe it was because I wanted to avoid the pain I was experiencing right now.
But the truth is, my childhood meant so much to me. They were the happiest times of my life. I fell asleep on the couch, hugging my pillow.