POKéMON GO

Chapter Four: The Process

The sounds were like giant footsteps and they were getting louder, scaring off more people. Brit, Jack, Red and the others were the only ones standing while the people of Tokyo were running past them. The group tried to see what was happening ahead. A wall of smoke, tall and dark sluggishly made its way from afar.

"It's coming closer!" Jack said.

Between the two sides of the street, constant smoke billowed from where the other block led to. Just out of the corner from the opposite street, a large thumping occurred.

"I don't think that's 'Godzilla'." Jerry said sarcastically.

"Are you telling me that it's a pokémon?" Roger asked. "What kind of pokémon is 'that' big?!"

"You'd be surprised. Well, more surprised. You guys keep being so anyway." Red said, holding a pokéball in his hand, raising it and having it ready just in case. "It's probably a Snorlax."

"Oh, I love 'Snorlax'..." Roger said. "I always thought Snorlax and I were like kindred spirits..."

"Oh...I actually believe that." Jerry shook his head.

"I don't think it 'is' a Snorlax. It's too big to be so. Whatever it is. It's in that smoke..." Jack frowned. "And I think it's about to be revealed."

Through the smoke that was now large enough to cover the whole street, a shadow was inside, about to come out.

"Man, if only there was a Pokédex, we would know whatever the hell that thing is!" Jerry said.

"Hold on!" Red took out a small, flat device shaped like a notepad. It was so red and sleek. He opened it as if it were a book.

"An actual Pokédex!" Roger marveled.

"Wow..." Brit said.

A blinking light on top of its small screen was flashing. Apparently the device was trying to gather information, albeit in a slow pace.

"Come on..." Red whispered. "What is it?"

A soft bing was finally issued and a computer voice spoke.

'Unknown...no information is available at this time.'

"Dammit..." Jack said.

Red put the Pokédex back in his jacket.

"Also looks cooler. More realistic than the toys-" But Roger cut off.

"Rog, shut up!" Jerry shouted at him. "I mean, come on!" he said looking back at the growing smoke. "What is the holdup?!"

"It's not a pokémon..." Brit said in confusion. The thumping was intensifying.

"So then what should we do?" Roger asked. "Wait to see what it is so that it can eat us or just go with the more intelligent approach? Run?"

"He's right, Brit." Red said taking her hand to which Jack saw and felt saddened. "It's not worth knowing if it's going to kill us all! Let's go. Everyone, let's go!"

Knowing there's no way to deal with whatever that was ahead, Brit and the group followed suit with the crowd and ran as fast as they could.

"We got to get to Machida!" Brit said to the gang while they ran.

"I'm open to suggestions!" Jerry said.

"I got an idea!" Jack said and went to a random car.

"Great more carjacking!" Roger shook his head as he stood right by the vehicle while Jack was breaking in and once he did so, began to hotwire it from underneath the steering wheel. Jack tried to get the two wires to spark up.

"Might as well put grand theft auto on our resumés!"

"Dude, if I have to tell you one more time-" Jerry started.

The engine came to life. "Did it!" Jack said. "Get in!"

"Please drive fast and get us away from the otherworldly anomaly." Roger said in the backseat, almost deadpan, paralyzed with shock already.

There was no telling twice. Jack hit the gas and sped off in the unfamiliar streets of Tokyo.

"You have no idea where you're going, do you?" Jerry asked from the back.

"Not a clue!" Jack said.

"I got the layout of the streets. Thank you 'Google Maps'..." Jerry said, having taken out his phone and began guiding Jack.

The growing smoke began to follow them faster, soon it was getting difficult to see.

"I don't get it...what's with all this smoke? Did a building collapse?" Brit cried out.

"We don't have time to figure it out. We got to get out of here." Red said.

Jack sped up and even swerved to avoid any falling debris.

"Oh man!" Roger cried out as something crashed near them. "This is some Michael Bay stuff, man?"

"Who's Michael Bay?" Red had asked.

"Forget it." Jerry said. "Dude! The alleyway!" he told Jack.

Jack obeyed and went into an alleyway. The car traveled between two buildings but some of the smoke billowed in.

"It's a smokescreen!" Brit realized.

"An actual smokescreen? Like the 'Pokémon ability smokescreen'?" Roger asked.

"Whatever! Let's just get out of here!" Jerry shouted through the drive.

Jack drove out of the alley and onto another street. He honked at several people running on the street.

"Come on, move it!" Jack muttered.

The car screeched when it avoided an elderly Japanese woman. Unfortunately, Jack found himself going onto a ramp, a driveup ramp that led to the upper deck of an empty car carrier trailer. Their car stood on top as it went. The trailer tried to go as fast as it could as the driver below saw what was coming from behind.

"Are we seriously on top of a car carrier?!" Jerry asked astounded.

"Oh my God!"

"Man, my life is sucking by the second!" Roger said terrified, looking out the window and down below.

"It's coming closer!" Red looked behind.

"We're so not going to make it. We're so not going to make it. We're so not going to make it." Roger repeated.

"Jack! Do something! Get us out of here! Back up or something!"

"No wait...I got an idea."

"Oh boy..." Jerry shook his head.

Jack was eyeing a small building up ahead. The truck was larger and with Jack's car on top of it, it was a sure bet they'd land on it. Jack revved the engine.

"Jack, what are you doing...?" Brit asked worried.

Jack focused on the target.

"No! No! No!" Everyone in the car told him. Red was the only one silent.

Jack hit the gas and the car went, passing the deck area and the roof of the truck itself and finally flew. Brit and the others screaming. Their car did not land on the roof at all. It went through the building, landing on the top level of the house. The car kept going until it headed through the wall of the house ahead, going through it, crashing into it and by sheer dumb luck, landing on a freeway where it avoided the incoming traffic of cars, honking at him as Jack's car appeared. Jack managed to drive on an empty lane smoothly.

Everyone was at a loss of words and panted hard. Apparently, terrified of the whole experience.

"That was close." Red said after a while, rather calmly.

They had lost the smokescreen. They were in the clear.

"I think we made it..." Jack said breathlessly.

"Let's never do that again." Roger said. "I almost threw up."

"You 'did' throw up." Jerry said annoyed and disgusted all at once.


Half An Hour Later

Jack hated the silence in the car. Incredibly, he could see Brit wasn't asleep as the others. She mainly focused intently on the Japanese landscape through the window as the vehicle sped on. He took a chance and spoke to her.

"According to the GPS, we should arrive in Machida in about a half an hour. We should start waking the others in a few minutes." he said to her.

"Thanks for getting us here, Jack." Brit said while the others including Red were snoring in the backseat.

"You're welcome." Jack said quietly.

"I wonder what that thing was..." Brit wondered.

"Me too. I'm just glad you're safe." Jack said.

Brit looked at him in amazement.

"You...and everyone else, I mean." Jack said clearing his throat, hoping his correction was convincing to her.

Brit remained silent before Jack mustered up the courage to speak to her once more.

"I'm sorry about what I said the other day. I had no right to speak about your mother." Jack whispered. "I guess when I heard what happened to your mom, I was always worried, scared rather, that the same thing would happen to you."

"If you really think that, then you don't know me as well as you thought." Brit said.

"I guess not. But I hope I can make it up to you." Jack said. "I don't care how long it takes, I want us to..."

"To what?"

Jack chose his words carefully. He couldn't say boyfriend and girlfriend, that would have been excessive, so he went with the only other possible alternative. "To be friends again." he then waited for Brit's response.

"We're always friends, Jack." Brit whispered. "It's fine. I forgive you."

Relief was like euphoria to Jack having heard that. For the first time in a while, he felt elated.

"Thanks." he said and focused on the road once more.

The group had been woken up having been told that they were finally in the city of Machida. Everyone looked out the windows. The city seemed like any other they had seen. Not as big as New York or Tokyo but just a relatively, modern, down to Earth city.

"This doesn't look like Pallet." Red frowned.

"It's nice though." Jack suggested as he too looked out at all the wonderful things Machida had to offer.

"Unfortunately, we're not here to do any sightseeing. We're still ways from the where the probe crashed. According to this..." Through the Pokémon Go GPS, they along with Red's signal were still a few blocks away from where the probe was. "...it's in the woods."

"I don't see any..." Jack squinted up ahead and saw that there were acres of forestry up ahead. In half a mile. "There it is." he corrected himself and headed straight to the forest.

They had arrived to their destination quick enough. The car was parked out in the street. Going over a railing, the group went in through the thick trees.

They made their way through the woods by passing through bushes and walking through twigs and sticks. Through her phone, Brit could see that the signal was getting closer. Red couldn't help but be amazed at certain aspects the forest had.

"What is it?" Jack caught Red's stare.

"This place, this forest...it..."

"What?"

"It does remind me of home..." Red said in awe.

A shaking was then heard from Brit's phone now. At first, she was alert and thought it was another clue or sign. But it was something else that made her annoyed.

"Excuse me." Brit had said. A few further and suddenly her phone came up with a notification saying she had some voicemail. Judging by the number the Caller ID provided, it was her dad. "I need to take this." she sighed. "Give me a minute."

"Personal stuff, I get it." Roger nodded and sat on a log. "Gotta give her a moment. Might as well do the same, guys. Something tells me that probe is still aways."

"Who do you think it is?" Red asked Jack, regarding who Brit was being notified by.

"I think I know. Wait here." he then went off in search of Brit.

"Jack!" Jerry tried to stop him but he went passed him.

Jack saw Brit with her phone. She was playing a voicemail. The voice was her father's.

"Britney, it's dad...please...please come home. Wherever you are...please stop what you're doing. I'll even drop the charges. You kids won't be in trouble. I just want you back. Ask yourself, what are you really doing this for? To be part of a bigger world? Honey, the only way to change the world is for you to change yourself, not wanting to wish it to be so. It's fantasy. Fantasy isn't real. You're not one of those...those Pokémon trainers. I know that's how you see yourself or rather, that's how you 'want' to see yourself. This world is all we got, Brit. I'm sorry but it is. Nothing is perfect. But you know something? The closest to 'perfect' was always you. You were perfect and yes, despite our arguments, I still see you as special and strong. You're more stronger than me, that's established. I guess, what I'm saying is...I wanted you to be safe. I 'want' you to be safe. I love you. Please...please...call me."

The line then went dead.

Brit stood there. Her back to Jack, not aware that he was there listening. She looked as if she were trembling. Jack could only assumed she was starting to cry. He didn't want to get into her business. He didn't even know what to say, much less do, to make her feel better and instead, he went back to the others.

Going to another secluded area, Jack pulled out his phone and scrolled through any messages he might have received. He had none. He wanted to call his mother. Earlier before he went to Japan, he had told his mother a very convincing lie that he was going on a road trip and he decided to take it because he felt he deserved. His mother had agreed and let him. Now, he wanted nothing more than to call her and tell her the truth. Things were certainly not going the way everyone in the group wanted.

He went on his social media and sure enough, he was seeing the news. According to an article, there had been reports of people seeing otherworldly incidents. 'I just saw a creature somewhere. I don't think it looked like a rabbit.' a senior citizen said. 'Looked like one of those cartoon characters I've seen somewhere.'

Jack stopped reading and looked shocked. "My God..." he whispered. "Is this whole thing happening everywhere now?" Jack shuddered in thinking.

Footsteps were approaching from behind to which Jack sharply turned.

It was Brit.

"Hey." she said. "What are you doing?"

Jack feigned innocence by holding up his phone. "Taking a break myself. Seeing if...there was any news besides what just happened in Tokyo." he said.

"And?" she waited.

"Nothing yet. Maybe they'll just chalk it up to a building collapsing soon. What about you? You doing OK?" he asked.

Brit cleared her throat before responding. Apparently she too was going to come up with a fib herself. "I just found out that even when we do get back to the states, the cops won't do anything to us. My dad's dropping the charges. He called to...uh...to tell me that."

"Oh...that's good." Jack said nodding.

"Well, don't go crazy with joy! You might pull something!" Brit said. She couldn't believe Jack didn't seem enthused by what she just told him.

"I mean, I'm glad. I really am. This is 'me' glad. It's just-"

"Just what?"

"Not to be a sourpuss but I just hope we get everything fixed soon by the time we get back."

"Well, we know how much you love going back to your perfect little life. Until then, we just have to find more clues." Brit marched on. She was full of determination apparently. Jack caught up with her while she spoke. "We also have to find that probe now. Red is the only key, the only way of putting things back together. I have faith in him."

"But Brit-"

"What?!" she said exasperated.

"Guys!" someone called out, interrupting them.

Up ahead, Jerry appeared. "Found it!"


They had rejoined the others, Brit and Jack. Red, Roger and Jerry were standing around a large wide hole, a crater rather. From the looks of it, the area was a clearing surrounded by trees. But right now, the area looked like a bomb went off. Shards of scrap and metal were inside it.

"it's the probe..." Brit said marveling at the strange destroyed device, now in shambles.

The machine looked like a cross between a small satellite and those drones that took pictures from far away. Red went to the crash site first. The crash made a crater.

"I'm surprised no one saw this."

"We're in the middle of nowhere. Almost a few miles outside of Machida. Not a lot of people here. And you'd be surprised how many small comets hit our planet without anyone being the wiser." Jerry said to Roger.

"This could have happened in the middle of the night while everyone here was asleep." Jack suggested.

"Professor Root said that the probe might have something to help you, Red." Brit told him.

"I don't suppose you know how to work it?" Jack told Red.

"No idea." Red said looking all around it, from different angles now.

Jerry went in the small crater and put a hand to anything on the probe that could give them something. Nothing happened.

"I thought this thing's supposed to come up with a clue or something. The only thing we got is a mess and a crater made in the process." Jerry said irritated.

"Man, we better not have come all the way to Japan for nothing." Roger said worried.

Even Brit at this point came in to the crater and surveyed the device. Jerry was right, nothing was given to them.

"Maybe someone took it." Jack said.

"Oh, hell no!" Jerry said outraged. "You think?! If that's so, great!"

Red circled around the probe once more and finally he then put a hand to the base of the probe, touching the metal and just then Brit's phone acted up. A certain animated professor appeared on the screen.

"Guys!" she motioned for them to come see what Professor Root had to say.

The words appeared in their usual bubble above the professor's head. "Very good! You have arrived at the crash site. The item that will help you is inside the probe itself. There is a hatch on the base of it. The item is inside."

"Oh!" Red realized and went to it.

"Wished we found that out sooner." Roger said.

"I'm just glad no one stole it." Jerry said.

Red flip-opened the hatch and put his hand inside, slowly taking out a box. Everyone waited for Red to open it. He pulled out a strange device with lens on it.

"Seriously?" Jack asked as he recognized the object.

"A camera?" Jack asked rather astounded.

"Oh snap..." Roger said.

"What do I need 'this' for?" Red wondered.

Brit motioned for the others that Professor Root on the screen came up with another new response. "You have found the camera by now, I assume. This camera is unlike any that has ever been made."

"And we're going to use it for what exactly?" Jerry waited.

"It will be used in due time."

That made Jerry wince with disappointment.

"Now...I must impress upon you what has been going on. New developments have arisen and I must say they are not good. They are most troubling. The portal to our world had dissipated. That's not good news, however. Since then, people have been in a state of 'flux'. I guess you could say. People are phasing out. Disappearing. Possibly sending them into the alternate universe. The portal may be gone but its effects are still present. I presume this was part of the portal's metamorphosis. Apparently the cosmic disturbance doesn't end with the portal's development. Any traveler who interacts with someone from a different universe, runs the risk of further consolidation. That is why, Red...if you're hearing this, you must 'not' interact with anyone. At all."

"Too late for that..." Roger said, shaking his head.

Red looked alarmed nonetheless. They all tried to get their bearings after what they just heard.

"Further consolidation. What does that mean? What does that mean?!" Roger then said.

"You know exactly what it means..." Brit sighed. "Our worlds aren't going to crash into each other like we originally thought. In a way, they already are. Our world...is about to merge with the Pokémon world the more we interact with it."

"No way..." Jerry said in shock.

"So then..." Roger looked at Red. Everyone did so.

"You guys being around me...it's combining my world with yours." Red said sadly. "If that's so. I'm sorry. I-I can't be with you guys anymore. I should have done all this alone a long time ago."

"But it's too late for that, Red." Brit said. "You already are with us. And you can say whatever you want, but we still want to help you. You go off on your own, you're not going to know what to do, much less know where to go."

"There's more..." The professor continued. Everybody stopped the talking and focused on Brit's phone again.

"Any person or persons who come up against a Pokémon...and there 'will' be Pokemon coming into the other world..."

"Yeah?" Brit waited. She was impatient.

"...must not capture it. I repeat, the people in the alternate universe must 'not' capture six, I repeat, six Pokémon from our universe. If he or she gives into temptation, it'll create a permanent change to that universe. Our universe becomes 'that' universe. But thank goodness, there 'is' a way to put everything back together. The only way to reverse these changes is by utilizing the power of the amulet. The amulet is not just power. It can create a way to separate our universes."

"Is there a way though?" Roger asked tirelessly.

"There is a way." Professor said as if answering Roger's question. "In the alternate version of Pallet Town, there is a store that in our world is a pokestop. Get to it, another clue will be given. Further updates will be given as soon as you find it."

"Damn, this is going to go on forever." Roger said with his hands on his hips.

"Can't he just give us everything to fix all this mess, all at once?" Jerry said annoyed now.

"Let's go. We can complain on the way." Red said.

"Yep, we got what we came here for...a camera. Still trying to wrap my head around it." Roger shook his head. "So come on, vamonos! Or since we're in Japan...ummm...Right now!"

Jerry behind him, pinched the bridge of his nose. He was getting a headache from him.


"Six Pokemon?" Jerry asked while they were back on the road. Brit's eyes focused on her phone. Jack himself focused on the road. Red, tried to make sense of the camera he had in his hands.

"That's what he said." Roger said. "I mean, it's pretty much a no brainer. Basically "I am Root' said not to capture any pokémon and the universe may have a chance to be fixed. Now, if this were different circumstances and be a lot funner, I'd say capturing pokémon is an absolute must, the very point of the concept of pokémon and hey, count me in for that but alas...that isn't the case today, folks."

"Are we there yet?" Roger asked tirelessly.


Having tracked down the place using the map on the Pokémon Go app, they arrived in surprisingly, a short amount of time. As they got out of the car, some of the citizens couldn't help but wanting to stare at the American tourists.

Some of the vendors stared at Jack.

"Kon'nichiwa." Jack said.

An old lady in one of the vendors smiled kindly at Jack. Brit picked up on it.

"You know Japanese?"

Jack smiled. "No. Not really. I just shot my entire Japanese dictionary saying 'hi'."

"You're doing better than us, though." Red said beside him.

Everyone hoped that the store was going to be one of the newer ones, a modest-looking one. Instead, they found themselves standing in front of a dump.

"Guys...this...is...it?" Brit and the group stood in front of a not-to-charming store.

"This is..." Jerry tried to say.

"A Pokestop?" Roger finished in asking.

"It's a store. A crappy-looking one." Roger said.

"Pokestops are mostly stores." Jerry reminded him.

"Gotta love 'augmented reality'." Roger said.

As she stood with the others from behind, Brit suddenly felt as if she got hit with a wave of nausea. Also, her vision blurred drastically. She tried to focus and saw that the store was changing. Its design was different than how she just saw it a second ago. She shook her head. The store was now its usual dilapidated looking state once more. Brit thought she was seeing things and paid it no mind.

"What the-?" she whispered.

"Your airport did have a character from a different Pokemon universe, how's this any different?" Red asked ahead.

"You got a point, Red..." Brit said with much determination. She was ready to go in. "We shouldn't be acting so surprised any more."

"Can we go in already?" Jerry said going in through the door first.

Everyone else followed suit. Inside, the place was dim, almost dark save for a few rays of light from outside to come through. It didn't look like the store sold much. Brit at first thought the store sold souvenirs but it was all antiques and no one was at the counter.

"Hello?" Red asked.

"Yeah, Conchita?" Roger asked out loud.

"It's Kon'nichiwa." Jack rolled his eyes.

"Sorry..."

Brit was still looking around. "It's safe to say this place is out of business."

"Well kudos to the previous owners for leaving this place unlocked." Jerry said looking around the area.

Jack saw something sparkle in the back area, which served as an abandoned laundry room of some sort. He went to the back. The group unaware, he wandered off. The object lay on a shelf, almost covered by a dirty rag, and it looked new as well which gave the impression that it was recently placed there. Jack took it without giving it a second thought.

"I found something!" Jerry's voice was heard.

"What is it? How do you know it's the item?" Red asked beside him. Jerry was holding the object in his hand.

"It's the only thing that sticks out in this sorry excuse of a store."

Jack wanted to say something but thought against it.

"So what is it?" Roger asked trying to see.

"It's..." Jack frowned.

"I've seen this before." Red said taking the object from Jerry. "It's a Heiroscope."

"A what?" Brit asked. Everyone else wanted to scratch their heads as well.

"It was recently made. Professor Root had one. He basically send me it. It was made the same company that made the Silph Scope."

"The item that helps a trainer find ghosts in the games." Jack said.

Red nodded. "Precisely. But this device helps the trainer or scientist translate hieroglyphics."

"Heiroglyphics." Brit then thought of something else. Something in the Pokémon world that reminded her of hieroglyphics. "Does that mean it has something to do with the...Unown?"

"Yes. as a matter of fact. Recently in the Pokémon world, Root discovered the Unown were acting strange. They were conducting scriptures. Placing themselves in caves. Giving secrets. Giving instructions. This device was created so it can translate whatever the Unown are saying, easily."

"OK, wait. Why would he send you this stuff if it's only going to make our universes connect further?" Jerry asked.

"Gasoline to the flame." Roger nodded.

"I guess in a way, Root's snowballing philosophy isn't deliberate. He knows there's risks. The only stuff that can help us are items from Red's world. Assuming we succeed in our 'whatever'..." Brit said. "...everything will go back to the way it was."

"Also, it's not like we're going to catch pokémon any time soon." Roger said.

"I don't know. None of this makes any sense. I mean, we're going on theories and speculation." Jerry said.

"It's all we have." Jack said and looked at Brit, hoping she'd catch the fact that he was trying to defend her.

"Let's go." she nodded.


"Uh...guys?" Roger asked the group in front of the spot where they parked the car.

The spot was empty.

"We came in a car, right?" Roger asked the group.

Jack saw up ahead that their car had been stolen by a bunch of hoodlums. Everyone saw, much to their dismay.

"Come on, I remember the forest. Where it is."

Twenty minutes later, the group went back to where the probe was settled. Brit didn't get anything on her phone yet.

"Thank God, I brought my charger." she said hooking her phone up to the portable device.

Jack tried to set up camp. He was underneath some rocks.

"Where's Roger?" he asked Brit.

"Went off somewhere. He knows his way back." Brit shrugged as she looked at her phone.

"Brit..."

"I don't want to talk right now. Please."

"But why-?"

"Just please!"

Jack went off somewhere to give Brit some space. He assumed she was still thinking about her dad. Her conflicted feelings for him.


Elsewhere in the forest, Roger sat on a boulder that stood on a small hill with a small lake below. The entire day, or rather the entire week was taking a toll on him. Jerry came up to him.

"Let me guess...you're trying to take it all in, huh? The view. The scenery. The beauty of it. There's nothing like it back home, right?"

Roger said nothing. He still look morose.

"Well, where's the guy who wouldn't shut up?" Jerry said looking surprised. "You'd normally crack a joke by now and a terrible one at that, now you're looking like you could give a statue a run for its money."

"Sorry, it's just that everything that's been happening this week...well, I think it's safe to say, it's starting to catch up to me. I act like an idiot to get an handle on the moment but truthfully, I...I can't. Want to know why I went as far as I did? I did all this for the love of Pokémon..." Roger shook his head.

"What?" Jerry shook his head, trying to make sense at where Roger was going with this.

"It's like that one line in that pokémon song."

"What line?"

"We all live in a pokémon world."

"Dude, this isn't a pokémon world. This is reality that...kind of got a kick from some otherworldly stuff." Jerry said. "We're going to put everything back the way it was, OK? So please, man...do yourself a favor and don't lose 'it', alright? You lose your mind because over this, then it'll be difficult for all of us and mostly for you."

Roger looked at Jerry sincerely. He was able to get his bearings.

"I'm giving you permission to be annoying, if it helps you." Jerry added with much reluctance.

"Thanks. Sorry, let's go back."

"Now you're talking sense."


A campfire was made. Jack and all the others regroup. Some of them sat. Brit had dozed off. Some of them lay on the ground. Red being one of them. He was busy talking to Jack.

"So...Japan is Kanto." Red said. "I wonder what's Johto?"

"Oh, it's still...Japan. I guess you could say it's in..." Jack thought hard. "In the Kyoto region. Far though. West from Tokyo."

The bushes shook. Everyone immediately looked in the direction of the noise. A growling was then issued.

"Please tell me that was somebody's stomach growling?" Roger asked terrified even though deep down he knew that wasn't the case. The growling was getting louder. Everyone stood up alert.

"I hope it's a deer." Roger said. "Please be a deer." he whispered.

Up ahead through a narrow path, a creature appeared. It was not a bear, much less a deer.

"Guys?" Jack wanted to say.

"I know what that is." Brit said.

"It's a Rhydon." Roger marveled.

Indeed the creature almost look like a Rhinoceros, only it had a metallic-gray hue and a horn for nose. It also stood on its hind legs.

"And a wild one at that." Red added.

The Rhydon eyed them, gave a snarl and bared its teeth. Then without warning, it charged right at them.

"Run!" Brit said.

"Where?" Jack asked.

"We should calm it down." Brit suggested.

"Uh guys! Remember it's coming at us?!" Roger reminded them.

It sped up. Without giving it a second thought, Jerry went in front of the group.

"What are you doing?!" Jack asked him.

"Handling this. OK...I know you're not real." Jerry said to the approaching creature. "I know you're not real. I know you're not real! You're not real!"

The creature charged further. Jerry could feel the heat.

"OK...maybe it is." he evaded the tackle and jumped out of the way.

It stopped and eventually eyed everyone including Brit menacingly.

"Stop, we're not trying to hurt you!" she told it.

"No, Brit!" Red came to her rescue. He shielded her and wanted to take something out from his backpocket. He tried to search it but grew alarmed when he felt nothing.

"What are you doing?" Brit asked him as the Rhydon continue to eye them with a hiss.

"My pokémon!" Red pointed at where his backpack with his pokémon were. Brit saw it was sitting beneath a tree. Just a few feet away from them. Only the creature stood between them.

"Oh great!" Brit said. Red tried to take Brit and he and run. But he was knocked away.

"Red!"

Brit tried to shake him awake. But he wouldn't. It was about to charge at them. Brit shielded him from it.

"HEY!" Jack called out to it and threw a rock between its eyes, infuriating it even more. It ran towards Jack now.

He got out of the way in time. He got to a rocky area. The wall was made of rocks and boulders. The Rhydon was about to get him by just a few feet when Jack jumped out of the way. Looking back, the creature fast as it went couldn't stop in time and hit the rocky wall. It lay on the ground now. It shook a bit, rather wearily. It was about to get up once more. Jack realized it was in a weak state but could get up and running again. It was about to. No other option, Jack took out the object he found at the Pokéstop. A pokéball.

Red came to and focused on what he was seeing behind Brit, who was tending to him. He looked horrified at what he was seeing. "No, Jack!"

It was too late. Jack threw the Pokéball. The Rhydon was absorbed when the ball touched its skin. The ball landed to the ground, shaking once, twice...

Everyone grew stunned.

Three times. It stopped. The Rhydon was captured. Jack slowly as if in a daze, walked to it and picked it up.

"A Pokéball?" Brit said. She was amazed looking at the red and silver orb in Jack's hand.

"Where did you get that?" Red asked. "Why did you get that?"

"I don't know. I liked it. I got it from the Pokéstop." Jack said shyly.

"How?!" Roger asked amazed. "Did you steal it or did you all of a sudden gain some Poké-currency?"

"No...it was...in the back. It wasn't on the shelves or anything. I don't know...I-I took it without thinking...it looked nice..."

"Jack, you heard that the more we interact with all things 'Pokémon', we run the risk of merging this world with 'that' one even more!" Jerry said.

"Look, I can't explain it...there was something in my mind...that told me to get it."

"Did that 'thing' in your mind also tell you to capture a living, breathing Pokémon?!" Brit said outraged.

"Five more to go and adios, universe..." Roger said bummed out.

"It was going to attack us! I didn't have a choice! It tried to hurt Red..." Jack shook his head.

Red spoke up. "Look. I'm...grateful, Jack. I really am. You...you saved my life but you could have further endangered both our worlds."

"You weren't thinking man..." Jerry shook his head.

"You caught a live pokémon though...that's...I don't know if that's scary and exciting." Roger said.

"Jack..." Brit wanted to say something.

"Just leave me alone..." Jack went away from the group. He felt like everyone, the world included, was against him.


Awhile later. Alone and sitting somewhere near a lake, Jack eyed the metallic red and silver ball in his hand, going over it.

"I went on impulse. I didn't know what else to do. I don't know how else I can explain. I have half a mind to chuck this thing into the water."

"Don't do that."

"Why? It's just a reminder of how I screwed everything up."

"A pokémon trainer is often face with difficult challenges. I think this is one of them."

"But I'm 'not' a pokémon trainer. Even if I wanted to be. Besides, I don't have what it takes." a miserable Jack said.

"If anything, I think you're more of a pokémon trainer than Brit." Red told him.

"Why do you say that?"

"Brit is a nice girl but...she tries too hard to be someone she's clearly not. You're unique, Jack. You try to be you. You accept reality."

"Thanks."

"But why are you really doing this?"

"To tell you the truth, I don't know."

"I think you do. Come on." Red led Jack back to the site.

"Just tell me...all of you...why did you guys just up and go along with this?" Red asked them once they were reassembled.

"What do you mean?" Brit asked.

"You know exactly what I mean. Look, it's my turn to ask questions. You all went through this without question. Never thinking about what you'd be leaving behind. Do you even know what you're getting ourselves into? Are you that desperate to risk your lives?"

"We didn't exactly wake up one morning and decide 'oh we should be superheroes', dude." Jack said.

"I did that once. Never became a superhero though." Roger shrugged.

Brit spoke up. "I'm doing this because even before all that trouble back in the US, I had 'no' life. Whatever this is going to lead me...I know it's going to lead me to the place I've always wanted."

"You 'don't' know that." Jack said. "How can you? That's beyond naïve of you."

"And what exactly are you doing this for, Jack?!" she yelled at him. "You had everything going for you back home. A scholarship. You were going to go to a good college. A job at your father's business. Why'd you come with us at all?!"

"I don't know..." Jack frowned.

Brit turned back to Red. "You ask us why we're doing this? Well...because I'd like to think I was a trainer in a different life. I live for this. Pokémon is in my blood. It's in my heart. It's in my soul."

Jerry then spoke. Something was on his mind. Something did not feel right. "Wait a minute...not to destroy that heartfelt sentiment but...you went along with this for a reason, I get that. You had your reasons. You hated how crappy this world has gotten. You wanted excitement. But what about us? I mean, I get we're all friends and there's nothing we wouldn't do for each other but...we didn't stop to think of the consequences that could arise and...there's always consequences to everything-"

"Jerry, what are you getting at?" Brit asked.

"We...we just said yes to all this easily. Too easily."

"You're right. You were right..." Jack looked at Brit. "I made a huge decision leaving my home coming here. Close to sacrificing everything I worked hard to do. It was too sudden."

"Yeah..." Roger blinked in surprise. "Yeah! What was in it for me, wanting to do this? I could have just said thanks but no thanks. It's as if-"

"Something, not someone pushed us to do this." Jack replied.

"Yeah, there was!" Brit began to remind them. "Pokémon! Our love for it. Wanting to fix what we caused!"

"But...we're not capable." Jack shook his head. "We've never done anything like this before. I think something's driving us. Something elusive. Maybe it has something to do with the Pokémon Go app."

"Other forces at work here pulling the strings?" Brit asked astounded. "I don't think so. I like to think we make our own choices."

"Point is...we're in way over our heads." Jack said. "I don't think things will ever be the way they were before. Even once we send him back." he turned to look at Red.

"Dude, I think we already established that." Roger said. "Look...I know I'm an idiot sometimes but...if this is going to be the way things are-"

"Hell no!" Jerry stopped him. "Things are not going to change. We talked about this, Rog! We're going to fix this. As much as I love Pokémon, I don't want this world to have all this craziness, it'll mess everything up."

Brit didn't say anything but seemed pensive, as if she were trying to make up her mind about something.

"What is it?"

"There's something to be learned here though..." she said.

"There is?" Jack asked surprised.

"Yeah. You see, Jack...Pandora's box is opened, you really think you can close it?"


It was getting dark and the rest of the group was asleep. Jack sat on a boulder somewhere beside the lake, still awake. He could feel Brit approaching him. He assumed she wanted to chastise him again. For anything.

"I take it you're here to tell me how disappointed you are?" Jack said. "How...sucky I am when it comes to helping? How I let you down over and over again and never showing any sign of improvement?"

"Shut up, Jack..." Brit said softly.

Even in that soft tone, Jack hung his head. Surprisingly, Brit sat next to Jack.

"I know you had no other choice. I know we're going on impulse or...whatever...and if it makes you feel any better. I'm glad you did what you did. You saved me and Red's lives. I appreciate that."

"Really? Even though I may have caused this world to go even more crazy now?"

"Maybe it needs to."

"Maybe. Or maybe I just want this world to be like it once was."

Brit looked taken aback.

"I wish all this craziness would stop. There was a time when I wanted to catch these amazing creatures, use them to fight and train but...I'm out of my depth. Even when I was at the convention...when I lost. I thought to myself, what is this leading me to? Maybe...maybe this isn't for me. The same goes for this situation." Jack sighed, stood up and left Brit alone on the boulder.

As Jack got to the site, he saw Jerry and Roger were asleep. Red was right by them. He sat on the ground, looking up at the stars. Having been awake this whole time. Jack noticed and went over. He sat beside him.

"I think you did have a reason for wanting to do this, Jack." Red whispered.

"What reason would that be?" Jack asked.

"Brit."

She was away from the group. She didn't care what Jack and her father said to her about this world. 'This world is not mine!' she thought. Looking from the large boulder in front of her to her phone, she raised it high and prepared to smash it onto the boulder.


Satoshi Tajiri Residence

"I'm telling you, Ken." Satoshi was on his phone while he was cooking. It relaxed him when he multitasked but under current circumstances, he was anything but at ease. He was the opposite. "This dream seemed real."

"I think this job is getting to you, Satoshi." Ken's voice was heard at the other line. "That or you may be bringing your work home with you."

"Everything felt real though." Satoshi said. "The sounds. The interaction. The environment. It felt more than a dream."

"But it was just that, Satoshi. A dream. It doesn't mean anything. Pokémon is something you created. 'We' created! It is not real. You need to lighten up."

"But what about what's been going on lately? Did you see the news in Tokyo?"

"What does that have to do with your dream?"

"The news said people saw something, Ken. Something that was not of this world. A wall of smoke, Ken! Something was inside it. I don't know for sure, Ken. But something tells me the incident was related to my dream."

"A building fell, Satoshi. Nothing more. Please calm yourself. You're under a lot of stress. Perhaps you should think about getting another week off. Try and clear your mind."

"Ken, please-"

He turned to see someone in the kitchen. A man. A well-suited man wearing a dark gray suit with a light gray version on the inside. Satoshi's eyes eventually locked onto the red R on the left side of the man's chest.

"Hello, Satoshi." The man said smugly. "Good to see you. Such an honor to meet...a...oh...never mind. The title I have in mind for you would only shock you. It is really in your best interest that you hang up that phone and talk to me." he grinned.

Satoshi was stunned. He knew who he was. After all, he in a way, created him.