Disclaimer: I own everything shown in this story including the rights of Pokémon, Nintendo can suck my-
My imaginary lawyers have told me to not finish that sentence.
Everything was just as it had always been. I woke up at midnight and prepared myself for my job. I wasn't a drug dealer, if that's what you were thinking. I worked at a communication center and was part of the night shift. My job was simple enough - go to the center and deal with rowdy and overly entitled people. While it wasn't what I wanted to do in life, it wasn't a terrible job. I was still getting paid, and I was able to survive, the best one could hope for in the current market.
As I got ready, I tried to ignore the fact that I had been single for years and had barely ever left my tiny room, which didn't even have a toilet. The loneliness gnawed at me, but I pushed it aside. Tonight would be like any other night - a mindless routine of answering calls and placating irate, overly entitled customers. Just because you were reckless with your phone doesn't mean you get to shout at me. If only people understood that there was nothing that I could do without getting in trouble myself. Even if I could, I sure as hell wouldn't for those who would keep listening to me than bloody listen to me.
I sighed and locked the door of my house. All I had done the past few years was go to work, come home, eat unhealthy food, sleep, use my phone for several hours, eat, and go to work in an endless cycle. I felt a surge of motivation, but it died down moments later as I was reminded of the fact that this situation had happened several times already. I would recall everything wrong with me, get a surge of motivation to fix my life, and in the end, after a day, I would give up. It was such a familiar song and dance that I didn't even bother to do it anymore.
The routine had become so ingrained that everything started to blur together as I found myself inside the train as it began its departure. I idly started to scroll and check social media to pass the hour that it took for me to commute.
Without warning, the entire train violently shook as confused shouts erupted from the few of us aboard. A gaping hole materialized in the ceiling as a woman, her features indistinguishable, glowed with an eerie purple aura crackling with dark energy. Searing pain lanced through my eyes as I gazed upon the wretched figure. Maddening whispers reverberated through my mind, urging me to submit, worship, bleed, and mutilate myself. I convulsed in sheer agony as my mind was overwhelmed by a kaleidoscope of grotesque, indescribable imagery - colors and shapes that should be incomprehensible to human perception.
Suddenly, a radiant golden figure manifested, bathing the car in a warm, comforting glow. Though the sight brought me a measure of peace, the purple entity unleashed an ear-splitting shriek, looking utterly terrified. In a desperate attempt to silence the ungodly noise, I grabbed my phone and with all the strength I could muster slammed it on my ear in a vain attempt to rupture my ears. With a mere wave of his hand, the golden being banished the twisted woman, her form dissipating into fading purple sparkles.
The golden figure glanced over us, and I tried to look around, but everything hurt so much. I may have been able to make some sound as the figure glanced at me as it hovered over me, and I felt my vision darken. Just as I was about to pass out, I felt the golden energy wrap around me as I felt revitalized, and I felt everything that I had experienced so far fade away slightly, and I felt distanced from the traumatic memory.
"W-what the fuck? T-This can't be real, right? I-I'm just hallucinating," I muttered, my voice quavering. But as I glanced around at the eviscerated corpses of my fellow passengers, their eyes scratched out by their own hands, a horrified expression on their faces, dread washed over me. The night sky had been corrupted, awash in the same nauseating purple hue as the vile woman's aura.
"I apologize, but your reality was doomed the moment the Plague decided to turn her eyes on this world," the golden being spoke, the voice lacking any distinguishable gender. "Everyone in this reality has already perished. The only reason the Plague's aura didn't immediately annihilate you was my presence lessening the effects."
"W-What are you?" I stammered, desperately clinging to the naïve hope that this was merely a nightmare from which I would awaken any second.
"I'm... well, it is complicated. I'm a lot of things, really. Someone as old as me usually is," it responded with a melancholic chuckle, further eroding what little sanity I had left.
"O-oh, g-god. What am I going to do?" I shivered as I felt tears stinging at my eyes.
"Perhaps you'll do," he murmured to himself. "It'll take me a couple of favors, certainly, but I believe you'll come to appreciate the journey, and you may even discover why the Plague came to this world," he said as I felt confused. What journey? The world was gone! Just as I was about to yell in frustration at the figure, I finally lost consciousness.
I awoke in a comfortable armchair that felt and looked to have cost more than a year's worth of my rent. The rest of the room was just as luxurious, with plush chairs and carpets, and a large, beautiful chandelier hanging from the ceiling, the kind which you'd see in high-end restaurant videos.
I blinked rapidly, trying to make sense of my surroundings. The opulent decor was a stark contrast to the bare, rundown apartment I used to live in. I ran my hands along the velvety armrests, half-expecting to wake up from this apparent dream at any moment.
"Hello?" I called out tentatively, my voice seeming to echo in the spacious room. "Is anyone there?"
A tablet appeared in front of me floating as words appeared on the screen, "Welcome to Jumpchain Inc!" A cheery female voice spoke from the tablet as I yelped in surprise. Fireworks started to appear after the sentence was finished, and the tablet gently floated down to rest on the table.
I stared at it in disbelief. I'm on a Jumpchain? I vaguely knew what it was because of the countless CYOAs I had played through online. It was a fun concept where you would build a character and "jump" to different worlds and fictional settings for a ten-year period or longer depending on your choices.
I cautiously picked up the tablet and saw that it showed an interactive version of the Pokémon Trainer CYOA. It was the first Jump that most Jumpers went through as it was an easy introduction to the other settings since Pokémon usually isn't a grimdark world unless it is the manga variant.
I looked at the tablet and felt myself sink deeper into the plush, enveloping armchair. A part of me didn't want to be here, in this strange room - but with this opportunity, I could be so much more than the forgettable, insignificant person I previously was. I could be more than just one of the countless drones, mindlessly working, eating, and repeating that soul-crushing cycle until the bitter end. The possibilities before me were endless - I could become anything I wanted to be. A surge of motivation coursed through me, and the feeling this time wouldn't end. With this, I could truly be anything that I wanted to be. Perhaps I could become the greatest of heroes, a legend whose name would echo through eternity. Or I could indulge my darker impulses as the most feared, tyrannical villain, bringing entire realms to their knees in misery. Maybe I'd be the ultimate chaotic trickster, acting solely to amuse myself with madcap antics. I could choose to be one archetype - or I could be all of them if I wanted to.
I picked up the tablet and read through it. First of all, I would start with a Backpack that would be bigger on the inside, a Pokédex, a Pokégear, and five Pokéballs paired with three Potions and a stylish red cap alongside 1,000 CP.
After that was a section for me to roll a Location to start off. Alternatively, I could pay 100 CP for me to select the location myself. With some thought, I decided to roll for my location as I roughly knew the storyline for each of the locations on the list. A hologram of an eight-sided die appeared as it started to roll. To my surprise, I was lucky and landed on an eight which was marked as 'Free Choice'. I decided to take Kanto; generic? Sure, but it was also the generation that I was most familiar with.
As for my Identity, I decided to roll my age and leave my gender the same, as I was well-satisfied with it. The dice appeared in front of me once again as it landed on a seven, making my age sixteen. Phew, I was glad I wasn't a child, but then again, puberty.
As soon as I read about the fact that my thought process could be affected by the origin I choose, I immediately selected Drop-In. I would not like to have the way I think be altered in any way whatsoever. It wasn't as if I wouldn't have an Identity; I would have a trainer card after all. I wasn't sure what would count as the "First Town" - it could either be Pallet Town or Viridian City.
Then came the part that really conflicted me. I discarded the other options. I could have a Larvitar and a Tyranitar in the future for sure, but I'm sure that they would be extremely high maintenance. While starters are meant just for those who are starting out, that isn't even to mention that the Starter option will allow you to have outside-region Pokémon, if only limited to starters. But there were so many good choices that it practically hurt selecting one.
I could have a Charmander for sure, but I could catch one in the region as well! I definitely wanted one, but it just wasn't worth wasting this opportunity. In the end, while I could have had a Blaziken, my heart truly was with Froakie, more specifically with Greninja. That wasn't even to mention its amazing mega evolution. Just the thought of Mega Greninja had me grinning like I was a kid again, which technically I was.
I moved onto the next section, the one that I had been waiting for: Skills Abilities. With a small wince at the price, I took Psionic which for 600 CP allows me to use Telepathy Telekinesis on the same scale as a Gardevoir. I didn't want a Pokémon to control me or another Psychic to ruffle around in my mind in this world or any future one.
I glanced at my visibly large belly and decided to take Physical Fitness as well. I would gain near Captain America level of fitness, which would be insanely useful as I doubt I could walk more than a kilometer without getting exhausted all for a 100 CP.
With the remaining 300 CP, I took Savant, which would give me a perfect memory, calculator-like mental math, and better understanding of spatial awareness. I really wanted to pair this with Technician so that I could truly understand and replicate the tech of this world and use it for other useful tasks for future Jumps.
I ignored the Equipment section for now and looked at the Flaws Future. All of them were terrible, so I decided to let go of the Technician Perk. I took Silenced for an extra 100 CP, which would leave me unable to speak, but since I had taken Psionic, I could communicate through it. I also took x3 Master Balls from the Items Equipment Section.
As I clicked 'Finish', I heard the same cheery voice, "Good luck and be entertaining!" And for the second time that day, I fell unconscious.
Author's Note: I've always been a fan of Jumpchain even have one of my own called "Wider Wizarding World '' You'll find it in the Reddit Drive. This story will have the Jumper be a Hero, Villain or just a chaotic little shit. That to me is the essence of Jumpchain to do everything.
I have a ( . com /spiderlite) It's the first of May and the perfect chance to become a . I'll be uploading fics on a cycle from now on as well and Patrons get to vote on what fic should be updated more! Thank you to Bishop7053 and Will for becoming Antagonist Tier Members!
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As usual, Spider-Lite out!
