"Alright, maybe things aren't as easy as I thought."

I couldn't help but sigh when the Rattata I was trying to catch broke free from its Pokéball. I had already tried to catch 15 Pokémon this way, and so far, it was the same story. I'd catch an unsuspecting Pokémon, throw a Pokéball at it, the Pokémon would break free, and escape.

"Goh's luck stat is broken, there's no doubt about it."

I took off my cap and wiped the sweat from my forehead. I was wearing three pairs of pants and two sweaters over my vest. I also had a scarf around my neck and rubber gloves over my fingerless gloves. It was the closest thing to "armor" I had at the moment, and it made me feel like I was in a sauna.

I was a fan of medieval video games, and honestly, I'd prefer plate armor over chainmail instead of a padded gambeson, but I didn't have the money to afford something like that.

My "weapons" consisted of two hunting knives I bought at a survival store. I also bought hiking boots and, as a ranged weapon, a slingshot with 10 lead balls. Before entering the forest, I took the metal lid off a trash can and pulled out the baseball bat I had in my backpack.

Now, if you're wondering why I bought two knives instead of one, the answer is that I looked cool with two in my hands, no further explanation needed.

For some reason, firearms didn't exist in this world. The closest thing was compressed air pistols, which were more for target shooting than for harming anyone. While I would have liked to buy a bow or a crossbow, again, I didn't have the darn money. And using those things would be too cumbersome, not to mention it would get me into a lot of trouble if I got caught.

I decided to venture further into the forest instead of staying on the outskirts. I had to get something now; if I stayed too long in this forest, I'd tempt some plague to attack me for dinner.

In ancient times, before Pokéballs were invented and Pokémon were domesticated, humans relied entirely on themselves for protection. However, those ancient humans traveled in groups and watched each other's backs. I, on the other hand, was completely alone.

I climbed onto a large rock and looked around for something to catch. Only the green of the leaves and the brown of the trunks surrounded me. I was about to climb down and keep walking when I saw a small red lump crawling on the ground in the distance.

Quietly, I approached and searched my pocket for the Pokédex to confirm the Pokémon's species.

"Insect-type Caterpie. These Pokémon are prey to most predators in the area. They use their suction cups to climb and stay safe," murmured the Pokédex. Luckily, I had adjusted its volume to a minimum to avoid attracting attention.

"This one is red, but the Pokédex shows a green one. How strange?"

Without further ado, I quickly climbed down from the rock and silently approached the little worm. The little one was eating leaves while I was only a few meters away when the branch I stepped on without realizing it creaked and alerted the Pokémon to my presence.

Judging by the look it gave me, I'd say it saw the devil himself in front of it, not a 10-year-old kid. I quickly let go of my shield and baseball bat while raising my hands to indicate that I wasn't going to hurt it.

"Don't be afraid, buddy... I just want to talk," I murmured, and it seemed to believe me as it just stood there staring at me.

I wanted to try a different tactic this time. So I put a hand in my pocket and pulled out the sandwich I had on me, split it in half, and offered it to him while I ate the other half.

Seeing me eat, Caterpie perked up and enjoyed the other half with something resembling a smile on its face. When it finished, it climbed onto my arm, then up to my shoulder, and rubbed its head against mine affectionately.

"Listen, buddy, how about the idea of coming with me?" I asked, seeing it tilt its head in confusion, I continued. "We'll travel, look after each other, and eat good food. We'll also become much stronger." The last two things seemed to catch its attention as it jumped excitedly on my shoulder.

"What do you say, buddy, do you accept?" I asked. Seeing it nod, I took a Pokéball from my belt and held it in front of him. Without hesitation, Caterpie hit its head on the button and was absorbed. The Pokéball shook for a moment before staying still. Thus, my capture was successful.

I held my only Pokémon in front of me as a knot of emotions invaded me.

"If I had known it would be so easy, I would have done it this way from the beginning instead of throwing Pokéballs like an idiot."

I released my only Pokémon and quickly put it on my shoulder. Like Ash did with Pikachu, I thought it wouldn't be a bad idea, as for all intents and purposes, it would be my first Pokémon from now on.

Alright, it's time to pay homage to the game's Professor Oak and ask a very important question.

"Are you male or female?" I asked my Pokémon. Realizing it couldn't give me an exact answer, I decided to change the question.

"Turn your head to the right if you're female and to the left if you're male." Caterpie turned its head to the right. "Alright buddy, for now, it's just you and me. But later on, we'll have other companions to train with," I proclaimed, to which it nodded enthusiastically.

I picked up my shield and bat. Then I started walking towards the Pokémon Center; honestly, I can't help but feel a little disappointed about not being able to use my weapons. Honestly, this felt too easy.

As I walked, I began to feel something pressing on my right leg and making it heavier. I thought I had a cramp, but when I looked down I realized it was just an Ekans biting my leg.

I screamed like a 5-year-old girl and fell backwards as the snake tightened its bite. I grabbed my shield with both hands as if it were Captain America's and started hitting the snake on the head several times until it let go.

The Ekans hissed angrily and threw dozens of purple needles in my direction. I used my shield to block most of them, but a few stuck in my legs. I tore them off my clothes and started running like crazy in an effort to get away from the danger.

As I ran, I felt something grabbing my knee and tripping me. I saw the Ekans pulling my leg as it dragged me along the ground. I grabbed onto a tree trunk and started kicking the damn snake to let go. I saw a red blur crash into the Ekans, finally making it let go, and I kicked it away.

I got up holding the baseball bat with both hands and on my left was Caterpie. The Ekans hissed threateningly at both of us before pouncing on us.

I tried to hit it on the head, but the snake ducked and then headbutted Caterpie, throwing it a few meters away. I threw another punch, but this time it held onto the baseball bat with its jaws, stopping me dead in my tracks. I tried to free my weapon with a struggle, but surprisingly that thing was stronger than me and snatched the bat from my hands, throwing it away.

I took the two knives from my belt and pulled them out of their sheaths. I held one in each hand and surprisingly the Ekans backed off threatened. It seems to know that the material they're made of is a danger to it.

"You're not so tough now, huh...?" I mocked. Of course, the Pokémon hissed indignantly and prepared to attack. "Now, Caterpie!" I yelled.

The Ekans turned its head back, expecting to receive some attack, but was surprised not to see anything. I took advantage of its distraction and threw myself at it. Its eyes widened as I punched it in the head followed by a kick. I threw myself onto the snake and used my knees to support its body against the ground.

"If you want to kill a snake, you have to go for the head," I remembered reading in a book.

I held my two knives high and stabbed them right into its eyes. The Ekans writhed wildly and finally stopped moving.

"At last," I murmured and then pulled my knives out of the corpse. I got up from the ground and looked confused as to how my two knives were as clean as when I bought them.

"What, shouldn't there be blood?!"

Looking at the body again, I realized that there was no blood in the wounds or on the ground. I looked at the corpse for a few seconds and then it dissipated into dust.

"It disappeared," I muttered, and then heard some hissing to my left. The Ekans lunged like a missile and crashed headfirst into my stomach. I spat saliva as my knives slipped from my grip before feeling the ground crash into my back again.

I coughed trying to breathe and all I could do was lift my head weakly.

"What the hell was that?... Substitute?"

"You little cheater," I muttered as I felt pain all over my body. I still couldn't move because of the blow and lack of air.

The snake slithered over my body until its head was inches from my face.

"Well... I tried."

I closed my eyes, expecting the final blow. But, seconds passed, and it never came. I opened my eyes again to see my executioner's head and part of its body wrapped in white silk.

I spotted Caterpie's head in a bush and gave it a grateful look. I searched my pocket and found one of the lead balls. I gripped it with both hands and began to beat Ekans with all my might, or what little I had left.

I struck again and again until I could no longer. I grabbed a Pokéball from my belt and threw it at the snake. Without waiting to see if the capture was successful, I picked up one of my knives from the ground and signaled to Caterpie to use silk again if the capture failed.

With a knife in one hand and a lead ball in the other, I still felt defenseless as Caterpie and I kept our eyes fixed on the Pokéball.

The Pokéball wobbled once... twice, and then finally stopped.

The Pokémon and I let out a sigh of relief. I fell to my knees, spitting saliva as I clutched my stomach in pain; that blow had caused more damage than I thought.

I looked at Caterpie and gently stroked its head.

"If this is what you're exposed to every day, it's no wonder you decided to come with me so easily."

Being a Caterpie must be a completely miserable existence in a world like this; basically, you're at everyone's mercy.

I quickly gathered my things and left the place. I couldn't find the trash can lid, but honestly, it didn't matter; I had already pushed my luck, and I knew the next fight would be my end. I'd probably have to sacrifice Caterpie if that were the case. Not that I'd hesitate to do so if necessary, But I would feel a little bad for doing it because she saved my life.

I crawled through the forest, and anyone who saw me would think I was stumbling thanks to three bottles of tequila. My ribs were killing me from the direct blow I received to the stomach.

It was two against one, and that Ekans almost killed us both. If ekans had found me alone who knows what would have happened.

I finally emerged from the forest and shed all the extra clothes I had on. I took the opportunity to check my body for wounds. Aside from the bruised skin around my stomach, I'd say I came out okay; the bites and needles didn't pierce my skin, so I wasn't poisoned.

Finally, I arrived at the Pokémon Center to have something warm to eat and go to sleep. But instead of being greeted by the beautiful sight of the nurse, I found something different. The nurse and a twelve-year-old red-haired girl were tied up behind the counter. They had gags in their mouths, and as soon as they saw me, they tried to shout something that I couldn't understand.

That's when I heard stereotypical evil laughter coming from another room.