DISCLAIMER: I should mention that the green haired Drew from last chapter is NOT the same Drew from the anime. I'll be honest, I genuinely forgot the guy existed.
Chapter 2- The Soul Finds its Place
A heartbeat thrummed slowly, carefully. As the heart began its rhythm, the lungs soon followed. The sound of gasping amplified inside the tent as the pale corpse reanimated itself in a way that defied Arceus. The former corpse quickly scurried out of the sleeping bag and tent to get outside. It tried to brace itself against the high branches of the broken tree but missed because it was too short. Losing balance, the girl shifted her weight to the base of the tree and vomited.
The previous owner of the body had not eaten the night before, so what remained was mostly bile. It burned and singed at the back of the throat, leading to frequent spitting between rounds of throw-up. The girl's head was exploding with the negative memories, trying to reestablish the cycle.
But I'm a guy? Confusing thoughts were causing insane pressure on the guy's—no, girl's—head. Gagging sounds continued as the new mind and the old body were entirely out of sync. The brain was trying its best to piece together what was happening.
After rounds of spitting and waiting for anything else to come up, the person sat down hard on the grass. The black spots in their peripheral vision worsened from how dazed they were. Trying to get their bearings, they slowly crawled their way over to their tent. In the corner lay an orange wallet sticking open. It must have gotten dropped when they bolted outside. The former corpse gradually crawled over and looked at the ID card inside.
Cheyenne Lynn Laine. Age: sixteen years old. Hair, Lavender. Eyes, Red-Orange. Height: 5'2" or 157 centimeters. They read the information on their trainer identification in their head. No, this is all wrong, my name is… The thought was immediately cut short as the person could not remember their previous name. There was nothing, entirely blank. Whenever they thought of their name, only Cheyenne popped up.
But my parents… Once again, the thought cut itself short. The only image that popped up was Cheyenne's parents, who had died when she was a kid. Any efforts to remember the new mind's parents were fruitless.
"Ugh," a pronounced groan left the person's lips. They rolled over to lie atop their sleeping bag, covering their face with their arm.
As they lay there, the body and mind gradually came to accept both sets of memories. Similarly to electroshock therapy, the body would convulse when trying to remember the specifics of the new soul's past life. The few things that didn't were minor hobbies and games. When they came to terms that it wasn't worth the trouble, the new mind reviewed and sorted out what happened to the previous Cheyenne. It was like watching a movie in the first person, unable to control anything, only to watch.
Anger flared up as they realized the previous owner's stupidity. She was used; it was as clear as day. It was so obvious, but the previous Cheyenne never put it together. Maybe she wouldn't have died otherwise. Once the new brain came to this conclusion, the body became frustrated.
The mind didn't care. It's not like it's really me. The headache began again as the dysmorphia started coming back. The body was going to force the mind to come to terms with who it was.
In an attempt to affirm who it was, the girl spoke aloud. "I am in the Pokémon world." There was no sense of weirdness. The mind became extremely surprised at the revelation.
"I am a…" they tried to say boy, but the splitting headache came back. "Ha… I am a girl named Cheyenne Lynn Laine." The headache subsided as she finished saying her name.
The girl slammed her fist beside her into the fluff of her sleeping bag.
Fuck, you're telling me I somehow died, came into the World of Pokémon, which should've been the dream, and came to inhabit this stupid nobody who lost everything? And… to top it all off, I'm a girl. God, just smite me now. The new host's thoughts were unhappy with the predicament.
A deep breath came in, and a large sigh came out. "Can I at least call myself Lynn? At least then I can reinvent myself from the past me." After feeling stupid for saying it out loud, Lynn realized her body did not react to it.
"Alright, Lynn it is." The determination in those words seemed to make something click between the new and the old. The feeling of incongruity hadn't fully ceased, but it felt like there was a path to finally move forward.
Lynn remembered Cheyenne had wanted to start over. Originally, Cheyenne wanted to get another Drifloon. Lynn was vehemently against this idea. Instead, she was trying to figure out another Pokémon. Cheyenne was too attached, and yet, too broken to possibly train another. Even if Lynn had taken over, the trauma still had an effect, as her body shuddered at the thought of a Drifloon.
Instead, Lynn tried to use Cheyenne's brief memories of being a gym trainer. The memories of yesterday had a chokehold on what Cheyenne wanted; it was almost impossible to even remember before then. Lynn briefly remembered the idea of Drifloon training faster than Misdreavus. Cheyenne just assumed it was a partnership thing, but Lynn thought differently.
"What if Cheyenne had an affinity for flying types?" After saying it to herself, Lynn became more confident. Brief memories of Cheyenne peering up at the sky and dearly wishing to fly came to mind.
Alright, I can work with that. I can work with that. You yearned for flying types, huh? Alright, maybe we go catch a Starly. That could work. Thoughts started forming around trying to use Cheyenne's, now Lynn's, disposition for training flying types. As the plan started solidifying, the body and mind truly began harmonizing.
However, a brief breeze up Lynn's thighs quickly brought back that weird feeling. "Alright, we are buying shorts as soon as possible."
Packing up all the stuff was a cinch when relying on Cheyenne's memories. The main issue was that Lynn could very much feel the size difference. It wasn't just her height that posed an issue, but the size of her arms while folding the tents. If it weren't for the fact her body had done it on autopilot hundreds of times, it might have taken all day to pack it up.
As she put everything in her bag, Lynn did a cursory inspection of her supplies. She wanted to internally facepalm at the previous owner. She had run away in frustration and didn't bother to stock up on any supplies. Hell, Cheyenne had wanted to catch a Drifloon, but only had a single poke ball to do so. Cheyenne was plain delusional.
Lynn finished going through everything and was extremely surprised. The bag held far more than what the outside showed. There were entire pots and pans, entirely unimpeded by the space limitation of a normal camping bag compared to Lynn's previous world. Lynn forgot she was in the Pokémon world again; it hadn't fully set in.
Lynn grabbed her bag in glee, finally ready to tackle the Pokémon world. That was, until a few steps later, when she tripped. There was the dissonance again to rear its ugly head. Lynn was trying to take steps as if it were her old body, when it was a full foot shorter. Her body tried to accommodate and adapt, but the difference was too much, which resulted in her tripping right next to her vomit. The smell was acrid, and it felt like it was singing her nose.
Lynn shuddered. "That was a close one, that's for sure."
Lynn got up once again, where she had to relearn how to walk. She felt embarrassed that she had to imitate a toddler just to function in this new world. Lynn began with a waddle first, just to distance herself from her vomit. Then she started trudging, taking small steps as if she were on slippery terrain.
"Alright, so far, so good." Lynn tried to be optimistic and affirm both selves.
That was when she attempted the first few steps. It shouldn't have been as exciting as it was, but Lynn felt accomplished. She jumped up and down in glee before promptly falling. This time, she caught herself, which made her extremely happy.
Lynn decided it was time to pick up the pace and did a light jog. It was surprisingly easy compared to walking. Lynn relied on Cheyenne's memories to recall the path to town. It was close to noon by the point she arrived in the town proper, if it could really be called that.
Unlike the games, Floaroma town was more populated, but more spread out. There was much more than the flower shop and a few houses. Near the flower shop were a variety of fashion stores, the poke mart, the Pokémon center, a small library, a honey store, town hall, and to the side there was the scout's office. There were a couple of houses nearby, but most lived fairly far from the center, out of choice. As Lynn followed the path to arrive at the scout's office, as a picnicker was considered a girl scout, she realized the demographic of the town was heavily skewed towards women.
The women that passed by smelled of various floral aromas, which made Lynn feel a little self-conscious. Some women who passed by gave her some side-eye glances. When Lynn took a better look, she realized she was dirty, hadn't done her hair, and probably smelled like death. It was no wonder the women were judging her.
Trying to ignore the nagging feeling in her body, Lynn finally made it to the scout's office. At the helm was an older woman reading a book. She had numerous wrinkles around her eyes, mouth, and forehead, along with large swaths of gray in what used to be black hair. When Lynn entered, the woman chuckled to herself.
The inside of the scout's office looked more like a camping store. There were a variety of tents, water bottles, pots, and pans; you name it; it was probably somewhere in the mess. It was also extremely tight, with the only cleanly walkable area leading to the front desk. The front desk was quite high, with a computer Lynn thought could only run Windows '95. The thing was chunky, and it likely moved at the speed of a Slowpoke.
"What can I do for you, scout?" The old lady closed the book and looked at Lynn with a smile.
Lynn smiled politely at the woman. "I'd like to buy the boy's outfit."
Adelaide gave an exaggerated surprise face. "Oh my? What seems to be the issue?"
Realizing she had not come up with an excuse, Lynn made one up. "Uh… the skirt keeps getting stuck on things when I travel." The older lady raised an eyebrow to doubt Lynn's words. Lynn internally facepalmed and remembered the best lies had some truths. "Also, I've been thinking about becoming a flying type trainer. I need something that won't flap around when basic flying moves get used. I'd also like to eventually ride some of the flying Pokémon, and I don't exactly want people looking up my skirt, even if there is something underneath them."
Lynn felt she had overly explained things. The older woman lowered her eyebrow and nodded her head. Lynn felt an internal sigh of relief until the older woman spoke. "You can just say you're a tomboy, Cheyenne."
Lynn felt like she had eaten dirt, with her mouth turned into an 'X' shape. The old woman laughed. Memories of Drew and Catherine saying Cheyenne haunted her mind, but Lynn pushed them aside; she was busy scurrying in her mind, looking for the older woman's name.
What is it. Oh no, what is it? After a moment of intense thinking, she remembered. It's on her name tag. Wait, that's not remembering her name, Cheyenne! Lynn's thoughts almost cursed out Cheyenne.
Lynn looked toward the name tag. "You caught me, Senior Adelaide." She tried to look embarrassed as she said so. Adelaide chuckled to herself.
"All the girls these days want to wear the boys' clothes." The older woman put a hand on her face, as if remembering something.
No… she's going to say back in her day. Lynn was internally dreading the next words.
"That's fine; I just wish they were a little more honest about it." Lynn staggered from the fake out. "I mean, Cheyenne, I've been stationed here for ages. You were telling people you'd become a ghost ranger ever since you got picked up by Fantina, so there's no way you'd switch now…" Adelaide paused as she saw Lynn's face go dark in anger. "What's wrong, sweetie?"
Lynn explained what had happened. There were a few points where she choked up, but Lynn refused to cry. Not for those wretches.
Once she hit the end, she finally said, "Also, I'd like to go by Lynn now. My mom chose the name carefully, and I want to use it to reinvent myself."
Adelaide was only partially paying attention to the last sentence. Her grip on the counter was ironclad, and her knuckles were white.
"Those brats better watch their heads if they know what's good for them." Adelaide looked in the distance, waving her fist.
"Senior Adelaide its…" Lynn was cut off.
"The gossip circles across Sinnoh will know this by tomorrow; don't you worry, your pretty little head off." Adelaide looked downright malicious when she ended that sentence with a smile.
Lynn was genuinely in fear of this woman's vengeful side. It was funny that Cheyenne hardly bothered to remember her, but here she was, ready to obliterate Catherine and Drew specifically for her. Lynn smiled a little bitterly as her body felt a sense of relief. Cheyenne had left this body feeling all by herself, but there was a bigger support system than she could imagine. Lynn could almost cry at the woman's genuine feelings toward her. That was quickly interrupted when Adelaide began getting a little too graphic with the details of what she would do.
After a bit of time trying to deescalate the madwoman, Lynn finally managed to calm the situation down enough to remind Adelaide why she was there. Adelaide snapped her fingers, took off her reading glasses, and went to a small room tucked in the back. A few moments later, she came out with a teal button-up shirt, teal pants, orange boots, and a black belt. Another realization struck Lynn.
How am I going to pay for this? Lynn's thoughts caused her to break out in a cold sweat as she gripped her wallet. Adelaide was entirely unaware of her conundrum as she put some information on an old dinosaur of a computer.
Adelaide finished putting everything in, looked at Lynn, and smiled. "I put it in the system that your current outfit was tattered beyond repair and needed a new one, so the scouts will take the cost. You've paid your yearly dues every year and haven't required a new outfit in a while." She winked and put a finger to her mouth. "This will be our little secret." Lynn was in complete shock at the woman's kindness.
Before Lynn could leave, Adelaide brought out a ranger's map of Floaroma town and the nearby routes. The woman brought out her reading glasses and began looking a little intensely at the map.
"Okay. If you're going for flying types, I am assuming you're looking for some notable ones in the nearby area, correct?" Adelaide had entirely switched demeanor as she spoke. Lynn would've thought the woman was bipolar with how quickly her emotions changed, but she nodded in order to not anger her.
"Starly would be the most common, but I don't recommend catching any old one in town. Not every Starly can become a Staraptor, and the ones around town are the least likely to listen to a trainer." Adelaide squinted and put one hand to her face, thinking. "My memory isn't the best, but I do recall a ranger talking about a Staraptor's pack on the west side of Floaroma meadow." She pointed to the general area.
The area was quite a bit off-route, which wasn't recommended. However, the ranger's response time in the area was extremely quick, if there was truly anything notable. Plus, Lynn figured she would look for a Starly that was ready to move beyond the nest anyway, so she might find one in Floaroma Meadow.
Adelaide moved her hand south. "Zubat on Route 204 is not as great as a starter, but would be a decent option. They come out at night, which is incredibly dangerous without a Pokémon, so I would bet on a Starly. Personally, I think the Zubat inside Ravaged Path are stronger, so I am putting it below Starly. If you can afford it, get a guide to Ravage Path."
Lynn felt she should be taking notes on this woman's advice. She was shocked; she knew so much for a senior scout, yet it made so much sense to know the local Pokémon in the vicinity. She also made tiers for what to focus on. It was like watching a tier-list video from a professional.
"Murkrow would be the third-strongest option, one that I do not recommend as a starter. Dark types can be ruthless and spiteful. Like Zubat, you will only find them at night, except they're outside Eterna Forest." Adelaide pointed to the south side of Eterna Forest. "They are incredibly stubborn and very powerful for their size. They are incredibly attracted to shiny things, which might be useful if you want to catch one. If one wants you, then take it; otherwise, give up now." Lynn nodded grimly.
"Hoothoot is below Murkrow. While they are a wonderful starter and relatively easy to train, they have some peculiarities and dangers that make obtaining and training them rather tricky. Like both Zubat and Murkrow, Hoothoot are only found at night, but they are deep into Eterna Forest." Adelaide pointed extremely far north-west of Eterna Forest. "As a senior scout, it is my duty to never make you go that deep without major precautions. They also require you to almost exclusively train them at night for the best results. While Noctowl can be strong, there are some serious drawbacks you need to wrestle."
Lynn's mind was gradually taking in the advice. It seemed Adelaide had either known a Noctowl trainer or had been one herself. Lynn made a mental note to ask about it once she came back with her starter.
"Since you're excluding Drifloon, the last options could be Beautifly, Combee, or Mothim. I do not recommend them. While Wurmple might be an easy capture, the ways to evolve it into Silcoon elude even Professor Rowan. Catching a Beautifly is tantamount to suicide, as they have nasty personalities. Mothim is much the same as Beautifly, while identifying the sex of a Burmy on the fly is tough even for a senior scout like me. Finally, Combee is the least likely Pokémon to evolve. Most you'll find are male, at which point give up, and the females are usually mutilated so they cannot evolve." Adelaide focused on Lynn, making sure she was paying attention. "Alas, I love to hear myself talk, but to sum up their weaknesses, they're bugs. Only Aaron can make them work."
Lynn nodded at the bug knowledge but hadn't fully been paying attention because she started packing the clothes away. Beautifly and Mothim were immediately ignored based on the fact they don't scale well with the games. A Vespiquen could've been powerful, but it was too far out of reach; the knowledge of female Combee evolution suppression was also something Lynn had never heard of.
Adelaide snapped her fingers to catch Lynn's attention away from packing. The older woman's face got intense. "I don't think I need to remind you to stay away from alpha Pokémon. Do not get near them; do not capture them; don't even grab their offspring. While they can be incredibly big and powerful, even the Bug Elite Four Aaron struggles to keep his Alpha Dustox in check. That's a bug he raised himself. It will only get worse the more powerful the Pokémon is. Got it?"
"Yes, ma'am!" Lynn went on autopilot to scout salute Adelaide. "I think I will go for Starly. Sorry for wasting your time."
Lynn hadn't even realized that alpha Pokémon existed, but it must have carried over from the Legends Arceus games.
"Oh dear, it's not a waste. You'll need to know what flying types are throughout Sinnoh even after you get your Starly." Adelaide smiled. "Since you won't need help for a Starly, I will wish you luck. I better hear an update from you."
Lynn smiled and nodded, putting her backpack back on and walking off.
Adelaide waved goodbye. "Goodbye Lynn. I hope the clothes fit well." The woman went back to reading her book.
Lynn almost felt a tear coming. She was paying attention.
Lynn made her way to the Pokémon center to clean herself up and get something to eat. She still looked awful, and her stomach could not stop rumbling while talking to Adelaide. When she finally entered, a front desk clerk greeted her.
"Trainer ID, please." Adelaide gave her ID to the woman. The woman briefly scanned it on her side.
"Ah, excuse me. It requires a brief update." Lynn stopped the woman before she went forward with the changes.
"Since it's being changed anyway, could you change the preferred name to Lynn? It is my middle name." The woman gave a stiff customer service smile at first; it gradually softened to a genuine smile when the reason was fully explained.
"Not at an issue. Sorry, I thought you were going to change it to Cynthia or the next champion. You have no idea how many kids come in asking for it." The clerk groaned before they both laughed in unison.
After a few moments, the information changed, and the clerk gave back the ID card.
"Ah, it seems you were just changed from gym trainer to trainer without any Pokémon registered. You will have a brief window to register another Pokémon before the Pokémon Center resources are unavailable and cost money. Now, what can I do for you?"
After an explanation, Lynn grabbed the shower card and took off. Showering in the hot water made her feel like an entirely new person. The dirt and negativity from the previous day were washed away. That all came crashing back down when Lynn looked at herself in the mirror. The body was hers, and it wasn't.
This isn't me. Lynn's thoughts betrayed her body. Lynn was extremely lithe, with little fat anywhere on her body. She quickly looked away before the discomfort could take hold.
The boy's camper outfit was much more Lynn's speed. Although the shorts were extremely short, they beat the skirt any day. In the mirror, Lynn still looked very feminine, but the discomfort wasn't quite as bad. Everything fit extremely well, which meant Adelaide must have done this for Lynn before. After adjusting the outfit, Lynn made her way to the small mess hall in the Pokémon center.
Lynn grabbed the quickest item available and scarfed it down. The hunger didn't seem to end, though. The lady behind the cafeteria looked in fear after Lynn downed the third plate. Afterward, Lynn's stomach finally felt complete again, and she assessed what to do.
There were around 3500 pokédollars in her wallet, which was higher than most newbie trainers, but it wouldn't last. There was also little in the way of supplies in her bag, so most of the money would go towards long-lasting food items. Lynn tried to calculate how much things would cost before finally giving up.
It would be better to figure it out once I have my starter. She pushed the thoughts for later. Whatever starter she ended up with dictated how much she would need to spend on Pokémon supplies.
Seeing as it was a little past noon, Lynn made her way out of the Pokémon center and went to Floaroma Meadow to hopefully meet her new partner. She was giddy, imagining the strongest Starly falling into her Poke ball. Once she finally got there, a different scene played out.