I wanted to redo this fic because I felt that the original went far too dark far too fast. Xander wasn't meant to become an insane anti-hero, and Daniel wasn't supposed to be such a clown. He's supposed to be mild comic relief, yes, but not to such extremes.

My original intent was for Xander to be a somewhat cold genius who acted upon only logic, due to shutting his heart after a tragic event, and only ever opened up to Ash and Pokemon. In reality, he is a calculating genius who tries to hide the fact hat he is naturally silly.

Daniel, while meant to be comic relief, was meant to be a supporting character to everyone, offering advice and being there to comfort them. At the same time, he was also the person who was to enforce a firm hand when he felt things needed to be taught.

This, along with many other problems in the story, convinced me to start anew, and so far, I like this version far better.

1 - Where Are We?!

Xander POV

My name is Xander Bowman, and I'm sixteen. I was an honors highschooler and the most introverted person on the planet. I stand at 5' 9", have messy black hair, cold hazel eyes, a constant frown of indifference, vampire pale skin, and a lean build that was abnormally strong. I am currently wearing grey sweatpants, black sneakers, an open black windbreaker, and a silver tee underneath. Those clothes, along with my unmentionables, are the only articles of clothing I have. I'm not homeless… or I wasn't, I am just in an unfamiliar forest clearing with no clue as to where I am. I'm leaning against one of the many trees, trying to assess what the hell led to this situation and how to get out of it.

My good friend, Daniel, is not trying to assess the situation, and is instead curled up pacing back and forth rapidly, shaking in panic. He's sixteen, and an average student in highschool. He stands at 6' 0", has neatish brown hair, inquiring blue eyes, a slight smile of curiosity, a slight tan, and a lanky build. He's wearing camo jeans, grey sneakers, a red and silver jacket, and a white tee underneath that. Again, those are the last clothes he has as well.

"What are we gonna do, what are we gonna do, what are we gonna do…" Daniel chants with anxiety evident in his voice.

I sigh. "Daniel, will you shut up and let me think? If you want something to do, try gathering any large branches. We need to build a shelter, first off, as we don't know how long it will take to find any towns."

"But how will we get back?!" Daniel cried.

"I'm trying to figure that out!" I growl. "Gather the sticks in this clearing while I try to form a plan of action. Once you're done, I'll build the shelter."

"Why can't you do it?" He shot back. "You're stronger than me anyways, Mr. Cool and Collected."

I raise my hand loosely, and let my irritated friend see the rapid shaking of it. "I am anything but calm, but someone needs to keep a level head here, and since you aren't doing it, I will! I really don't think I can move without losing this calm mask and panicking!"

Daniel made to retort before sighing. "Alright… sorry. I'll get some sticks."

I shakily lean back and breathe. I can't lose control.

…

Alright… better. First, we need a place to stay for now. As we are in a forest, we'll have to make due with a makeshift shelter. Thank god I'm a Boy Scout and have taken the wilderness survival merit badge. Alright… second is food. Daniel will have to do that, I hate hunting, and while I can cook, raw meat… eugh… I can't touch it. Alright… second is also water… we'll need to find some sort of water source… a river or pond, hopefully. Then, we can start going out to find civilization… Oh for the love of god, will that buzzing noise in my head go away!

"X-X-Xander?" Daniel stuttering voice catches my attention.

"What?!" I snap, annoyed that he broke my concentration.

"There was- there- there was-"

"Out with it!" I growl. "There is no time to dilly dally and stutter!"

"There was a Weedle!"

I blink, then sigh. "Daniel, this is no time for joking."

"I'm serious!" he insisted. His eyes suddenly widened. "A-Above you… a Beedrill…"

The buzzing in my head grows as I frown. "Daniel. You're hallucinating. I know we played Pokemon for several hours before this mess, but you need to snap out of it."

He ignores me while backing away.

"S-Seriously… Beedrill… above you…"

The buzzing increases and I grasp my head in annoyance. "Will that buzzing quit!"

"Drill…"

I freeze at the raspy voice and slowly look up.

Two gleaming silver spear points are aimed at my head, and two ruby insect eyes glared death right at me. The wings flapping furiously buzz harshly, and it hits me that the buzzing wasn't in my head… but right above my head..

"Well… uh… hi?"

"DRILL!"

"RUN!" I shout as I burst away, just as the angry Beedrill drives his sharp points into the place my head was just in. I don't know if it was following me but I am not going to try and find out!

"I told you there was a Beedrill!" Daniel shouted from slightly behind me.

"Gloat later!" I snap back. "We need to get the hell outta dodge!"

"Are we… in the… clear?" Daniel asks me through his panting. He's currently collapsed against a tree. I'm looking around frantically, trying to make sure there are no Pokemon (still trying to wrap my head around that) around.

"I… believe so?" I reply. Sadly, Daniel heard the questioning tone in my voice, and raised a skeptical eyebrow in return. I just shrug sharply and give him the 'Wanna Piss Me Off More?' Look. He backed off after that.

I sigh and lean up against the tree. "By all that is unholy, what mess have we gotten into and how?"

"That is a question I'd love an answer to as well."

"Perhaps I can help here?" a somewhat childish voice asked.

I couldn't help myself, I instantly back away from the tree and enter my old fighting stance. I hate it when people sneak up on me, and having a Beedrill do it less than half an hour ago has really frayed my nerves. Daniel quickly adopted a similar stance, though due to his lack of training in martial arts, his was less refined.

"Who's there!?" I shout.

Suddenly, a floating pink cat appeared before us.

"Don't worry, I mean you no harm!" the cat insisted instantly.

"Mew?" Daniel asks hesitantly. The pink cat nods and flicks its tail merrily.

"So… how can you help here?" I inquire, loosening my stance. I need some answers here, and appearing hostile will do me no favors.

Mew turned to me. "You both went through an Ultra Wormhole to get here, though how it got to your world… none of us really know. Arceus wants you to help his Chosen One with your knowledge of our world… but most of the other Legendaries believe it is best for you to find your own path."

"Wait, so are we near the beginning of Ash's journey then?" Daniel asked.

Mew nodded.

"How about we find our own path first, and expect to cross paths with Ash a lot?" I suggest. "Or Daniel here can travel with Ash while I make my own way around."

"Hey why me?"

"Me around younger, whinier, less intelligent people… how do you think that will end?" I ask rhetorically, my eyes rolling. Daniel winces and sighs, clearly acknowledging my point. "Yeah… shoulda remembered that Daniel."

"Mesprit said we should keep an eye on you, Xander."

"Ah, figures the emotion Pokemon would catch on to my shattered psyche…" I groan.

"Not only that, but it appears you have awakened latent psychic powers within you when you arrived here. To be honest, many Legendaries fear you as a threat, considering your high intellect and calculating mindset."

"Of course, Xander here gets all the attention, as usual," Daniel sighed.

"The Legendaries didn't ignore you either Daniel, they are quite interested in you as well, and see you as more of a potential ally and friend. Many of us enjoy your passion to see Legendaries free and unworried about capture for study or becoming a trophy."

"Huh… alright then…" my friend manages to get out through his surprise.

I, on the other hand, sigh. "Figures. Tell the Legendaries they have no need to fear me as long as they don't anger me. I may despise people, but Pokemon are not people, firstly, and I am not so cruel as to harm those who haven't wronged me at all. As long as they don't bother me in a bad way, I'll leave them alone."

"That's what Uxie said," Mew commented. "She also mentioned you think logically about 97% of the time. What worried them off was Azelf noting you had the willpower to go through with anything you put your mind to, including going against them."

"Umm… you mean I'm stubborn?"

"...Yes."

Daniel snickered. "Anyone with half a brain knows Xan here is one of the most stubborn people of all time."

"Daniel, anyone with two braincells knows I'm stubborn. And sarcastic."

Daniel sighed at that. "Very true…"

"You seem to be taking all this very well."

"Oh I'm panicking alright," I admit. "But you're offering answers to questions I've been asking, and panic can hold off until that's over. Speaking of questions, what do you mean by 'awakened latent psychic powers'?"

"You have psychic abilities. They are quite weak now, almost unnoticeable, but meditate about an hour a day and you'll feel a noticeable amount of psychic energy within you within the week."

"Okay, seriously, why does he get everything!" Daniel moaned.

"All psychic humans have one thing in common, Daniel," Mew told him, and its tone sounded far more serious, giving the childlike voice an eerie effect. "All psychics tend to have emotional problems. And sadly, many are collected by Yveltal far too early in life, driven mad by their inability to feel."

Daniel's eyes widened. "Oh god… that… that actually makes a disturbing amount of sense…"

"Besides, you have a talent of your own… though it seems it will take far longer to awaken. Your gift also comes with no backlash, so be thankful for that."

My friend drank in Mew's words before sighing and nodding. "Alright. Thanks for telling me… Xander may be my friend but… I think everyone knew I suffer an inferiority complex to him."

"Which I say is stupid," I scoff. "You know my personality in school was nothing but a mask. Hell, I've nearly been put in an asylum for my emotional instability a time or two!" I froze as I say that. Why would I say something so personal in front of a being I never met? I turn and narrow my eyes at Mew. "Are there more of you Legendaries here, subtly using their powers? Because while I don't distrust you as much, I don't like being forced to reveal private information."

"Xander, calm down!" Daniel urges me. Apparently my voice had a dangerous edge to it.

"I apologize, I used Heal Bell before my arrival in order to help calm you both down," Mew admitted. "I did not expect it to make you comfortable enough to let slip private information. I am sorry if you feel like I violated you. As for the first question, only I am here."

I sigh. "...You are forgiven. You had the best intentions, and I sense no lie from you in the slightest." I turn to Daniel. "You ask Mew the questions from now on, I want to gather myself and make sure I don't slip up like that again." With that, he breathes deeply and closes his eyes.

Daniel POV

I nodded at my friend's reasonable caution, and turned to Mew. "So, where is the nearest town from here?"

"Pallet Town, about a mile west. If you go south about 100 feet, you will hit the trail of Viridian Forest," Mew answered. "With your intellect, I believe you could work for Professor Oak for a brief time."

"I-I'm not all that smart, Xander's the great one in our duo," I insist. It's true. Xander was an accomplished athlete, a gifted student, in the top ten for our year, he's strong, he's… everything I could never be. Honestly, I'm not sure why he even talks to me.

"You are his anchor, Daniel," Mew commented. "Mesprit believes that had you not been around for him, he would have gone mad and been taken by Yveltal. It takes strength to be the support for others. Regarding your intellect, while you may not be as academically intelligent, your knowledge regarding our world is second to very few."

I blink in surprise at Mew's words, before sighing. "But no matter what I do, I'm always overshadowed by him. I mean, he's my friend… but it gets tiring."

"He was born and bred to be a genius," Mew nodded in agreement. "However, be glad you are not as intelligent as him. Intellect like his upsets the balance of humanity within someone. His intellect isolates him from others, for he is unable to understand how what is simple to him is complex to others. His intellect makes him think things not meant to be thought, things that mortals are not meant to know, for they can never understand or accept the response to such thoughts. Those two curses merge and form a third. A curse that makes him resent everything, believing the answer he should never have asked the question to makes everything worthless."

"Are we just gonna lay my problems out on the table?" Xander suddenly interrupts with an annoyed sigh. "If you want my problems so bad, here ya go: Depression, Introversion, DRC, BPD, slight insomnia, and lack of self-confidence. Happy?"

"...I apologize, I spoke out of line."

Xander, to my surprise, waved it off. "Nah, this idiot needed to understand that the greatest people have the worst of problems. Sometimes, being average is the greatest thing there is. Sure, you don't get any gifts, but you also don't get any curses."

"I thought you'd be more upset," Mew admitted.

"Oh I am very upset, but this idiot needed to get that inferiority complex knocked outta him," Xander sighed. "Anyways, I heard something about becoming assistants for Professor Oak?"

"Yeah, Mew suggested we do that while we wait for Ash's journey to begin."

"That will happen in approximately 5 months and 22 days."

"I guess I can get behind that idea," Xander shrugged. "I was planning on taking a job this summer anyway, so meh."

"Well since I'm your anchor, I guess I'm going too," I shrug. At Xander's deadpan stare, I chuckle. "I'm kidding, I'm actually interested in this. Being able to share my knowledge will be fun. Though won't they question how we know so much?"

"Just mention that Celebi approves of you to Professor Oak, he'll vouch for you from then on."

"Ah, ok then…"

Xander sighed. "Is there anything else we should know?"

"No, but I would like to leave with some parting advice."

"Alright then, hit us," I say simply.

The floating pink cat turns to me first. "While you may reside in the shadow of your friend, be thankful for it, as you aren't blinded by the light that is forcibly shined on him."

Oh… oh… wow that was… not only did that just summarise my entire conversation earlier, but that was pretty darn poetic. Fitting too, I always did feel like I was in Xander's shadow… though maybe I should think about what Xander always has to go through.

The Mythical turned to Xander. "The mind may be powerful, but nothing is stronger than the heart."

Xander physically winced at that and looked away, his hand drifting to his pocket absently. "I know that, but…"

"Remember, 100 feet south will lead you to the path, and a mile west lies Pallet Town. Farewell." With those partin words, the Mythical Mew vanished from sight with naught but a soft pop.

"Xander…?" I ask hesitantly. "How… how long exactly have you been suffering through all that?" My friend in black and grey said nothing. Instead, he walked on. "Xander?"

"I've said enough for today, Daniel," Xander said sharply. I shivered, his voice was as cold as ice. "I have just admitted to being an emotionally unstable person with numerous mental problems. You know that my nonchalant attitude was an act."

I sigh. "Sorry. I'm just worried."

"Let's get moving to Pallet Town," Xander said simply. "It's getting late, and I would prefer to rest in a bed. At least now we know where the hell we are."