Chapter 2: Stolen Time

Gray once again woke up to a dull ache throughout his body. He didn't want to open his eyes. He already knew what he wouldn't see if he did. He wouldn't see his home, or his office. He'd see an unfamiliar sight belonging to an unfamilar world. All he wanted to do was stay asleep and never deal with the problem.

But then, he would be a bad example to his students. He always told them that they needed to face adversity, since there would always be some throughout their life. He should follow his own advise.

So he opened his eyes, this time immediately unlike how he had done when he woke up in the forest. Just as he assumed, an unfamiliar ceiling greeted him. A groan came out of his throat as he started to sit up from the bed he found himself in.

"This is…a hospital?" He asked outloud as he looked around.

It certainly looked like one. He was in a hospital bed, though thankfully he was still in his own clothes and not a hospital gown. There was also a sink in the room, as well as a hazard waste bin he had seen before. There were hospital equipment hanging on the wall too. Just the basic things doctors use like a sethiscope. The final nail in the coffin was the heart monitor device he was hooked up to, the line beeping steadily.

Gray ran a hand down his face as he pulled off all the crap that was put on him for the machine to check his heart rate, causing the device to flatline one all of them were removed. Gray couldn't be bothered to be annoyed by the sound as he returned to his thoughts.

He remembered what had happened. How his body had started…glitching. That was the source of the indescribible pain he had felt when he first arrived in this world. Glitching. It didn't even make sense to him. How was he…? Why was…? Just…what was going on to him.

Creak…

The noise snapped Gray out of his thoughts as his head darted to the door. Wide, nervous eyes met with another pair of shocked eyes belonging to a middle-aged man with a receding hairline and a beard. The man's surprise quickly faded as a friendly smile appeared on his face as he raised a hand at Gray.

"Heya. I'm glad you're awake now." The man began in a cheery, yet calming voice. "Didn't think you'd wake up so soon after what happened to you. The doctors and nurses thought you'd be out for a few more hours at least."

"What did happen to me?" Gray asked once he calmed himself down, although he still remained on guard.

"That's the question, isn't it?" The man sighed as he sat down beside the bed in a nearby chair. "Let's me introduce myself before anything else. My name is Cedric Juniper. It's nice to meet you."

"Juniper?" Gray repeated with a raised eye brow. "As in…Professor Juniper?"

"Ah, so you've heard of me then." The man chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head. "Yes, that is correct. I am that Juniper. They call me a Pokemon Professor, and I live here in Nuvema Town."

"That…can't be right. I thought…" Gray muttered to himself as he fell silent. None of this matched up to what he remembered. Was he just wrong and remembering incorrect information, or was there something more to this.

"May I ask for your name?" Cedric asked, bring Gray back out of his thoughts. Gray thought for a moment before eventually relenting.

"I…I'm Gray. Grayson Hawthorn."

"It's nice to meet you Gray. Where are you from, and what do you do?" He asked, still in that calming, almost fatherly tone. Gray bit his lips as he thought over what he should say.

Well, as long as it didn't reveal too much, it should be fine, right?

"I'm not from here." Gray answered while keeping his gaze down toward his hands. "I'm a…was…am a professor, too."

"Oh? Another professor? Isn't that a coincedence." Cedric smiled, not asking why Gray had trouble decided whether he was or wasn't at the moment. "I don't suppose you're also a pokemon professor?"

"No. I'm not. I teach at a university where I'm from. I specialize in humanity courses like history, math, and some basic sciences, though I mainly study education myself."

"Hmm… A good foundation to give students, and you seem quite earnest. You must have worked hard for the position." Cedric noted thoughtfully.

"...What is this? Why are you asking these questions?" Gray finally asked. "Why is a pokemon professor here instead of a doctor or nurse?"

Cedric let out a tired sigh as he looked back at Gray, his cheery expression giving way to something more tense and even melancholic.

"Gray, do you know why you're here?"

"No, not a clue." Gray answered, thinking of how that answers both the questions concerning his glitching and why he was here in this world in the first place. "I was hoping someone here might give me the answer to that."

"Well, none of the doctors here had a clue as to where to even begin." Cedric sighed. "You do know remember what happened when you reached the town, correct?"

"I started…glitching. It felt like my body was ripping appart into millions of pieces. I…I don't…" Gray trembled a little before he turned back to Cedric. "What…is happening to me?"

"...I got the call from the doctors a few hours ago." Cedric began. "They had no idea what was happening to you. You were 'glitching' a little in your sleep, or so I'm told. They called me because they thought it might be something caused by pokemon, so I rushed over to see for myself. I'll be frank with you. I've never seen anything like what is happening to you. Still, I took a blood sample from you to examine."

Cedric's expression deeped with confliction as he pulled out a clipboard from the bag he was carrying.

"Here. I'll explain as you look over the results." He said solemnly.

Gray hesitently took the clipboard and slowly began taking in the information. He felt his heart sink the more he read. While he didn't fully understand everything thanks to all the science jargon, he did understand the gist of it. Words like 'cellular decay' really hit the point home for him.

"Wh-What does this mean?" Gray asked in a small, weak voice.

"Your…Your cells are decaying at a rapid rate. I don't know the reason why, but there isn't anything anyone can do to stop it." Cedric explained grimly. "I am truly sorry, but there's nothing I can do. You're dying. I'd give you a year at most."

Gray's mind screeched to a hault. A year. A year at most. He was doomed to die within the year. All because his cells were degrading rapidly. Why? He was fine just a day ago. This shouldn't be a thing. Why was he suddenly dying?

Then it hit him. The reason was obvious. It was the same damn answer for everything else. It was all because he fell into a different universe. He didn't belong here. This world was rejecting him on a fundament level. He would die if he couldn't get home.

And that wasn't even possible. He was stuck here. There was no way back. There was no way to save him.

He was a dead man.

"Ha…haha…ha."

Empty laughs began flowing out of Gray's mouth. He couldn't stop it even if he wanted to. His situation was so pathetically hopeless that he had to laugh at it.

What was this? What kind of person has to go through something so ridiculously horrible? Not only was his life up to this point worthless, but now he'd die a pointless death. A pointless death in an alien, strange world, far away from anyone who might care for him.

Just what was the point of anything anymore?

"Hey, Cedric." Gray began in a tender tone. "I think I know why this is happening."

"You do?"

"Yeah. I don't think my atoms are real jazzed being stuck in another dimension." Gray laughed in a dull tone.

"...Pardon me?"

"It's your lucky day, Professor. I've decided I really don't care anymore, so I'll tell you everything I know. Do with it what you like." Gray began. "I'm not from here. I'm from another world entirely. Pokemon don't exist where I'm from. They're fictional creatures made for children's stories. I somehow ended up here, and because I'm from another reality, this world is rejecting me, causing my body to degrade rapidly. That is what's happening to me."

"H-Hang on for just a moment. I need to process this." Cedric said as he held up a hand as he held his head with the other. "Y-You're talking madness. You're under a lot of stress right now, so–"

"I can prove it." Gray cut him off in a deathly serious voice as he pulled out his phone and wallet, turned on his phone, and tossed them to Cedric. "See for yourself."

Cedric gave him a strange look before he eventually scanned over the items. Very quickly did his skeptism turn into mild doubt and then to full on disbelief.

"I…I don't believe this." Cedric muttered as he held Gray's phone. "I've never seen anything like this before. This is even more advance than many pokedex models right now. And your identification doesn't match up with any place I know. It's like it's…"

"From another world?" Gray prompted.

"N-No. No, there are still plenty of explanations for all of this." Cedric stated as he hardened his expression.

"Man, you're stubborn. Here, give me back my phone. I think I should have one final nail to pin in the coffin."

After Cedric figured out what the phone Gray was referring to was, he handed it back to Gray. Gray scrolled through the apps for a bit before he eventually found it. An app he hadn't touched since he was in college.

"Ah, here we go." He muttered as he loaded it up and then showed it to Cedric. "Tell me I'm lying now."

Cedric's eyes nearl popped out of his skull as he looked on at what was on Gray's phone. Gray had downloaded an emulator on his phone when he was younger, and that was how he played old games since he didn't have access to the consoles he had left home. So there, on the screen, was the title menu for Pokemon Black, the legendary black dragon Zekram proudly displayed for Cedric to see.

"Th-That is…"

"Yeah. I know. Do you believe me now?" Gray asked. Cedric's only response was with dull silence. "If you understand, then get out of here. I want to wallow and degrade away in peace, though I doubt I'll get it now that I've told you all that. Tell your fellow researchers to hurry up and lock me up for whatever experiements they want to perform. I'm already dying, so I don't really care."

With that, Gray laid back down and turned his back to the other professor. He had layed it all out in the open, and he'd accept whatevver consequences may come. What did it matter to a dying man? If he could stay here and die peacefully, wallowing in his stolen opportunites till the day he finally passed via horribly painful cellular decay.

But if he was going to die a gruesomely painful death anyway, why should he care if he gets experiemented on for the betterment of this world's field of science?

Truthfully, Grayson had already resigned himself to his fate, so he didn't care what happened to him anymore. He was doomed anyway.

Cedric might have tried to say something, but Gray had stopped listening after he had finished proving his point and saying his piece. Whatever Cedric had to say didn't last long anyway, as he left soon after, leaving Gray alone in the hospital room once again.

Gray quickly realized that time loses meaning to a man doomed to die, as days seemed to fly by. The doctors and nurses came and examined him a few times a day were the only people he saw during that time, and even then he didn't speak to them, choosing to only answer with nods or monotone 'yes's or 'no's. They didn't seem to care, as they seemed to have heard from Cedric what Gray's fate was to be.

All he did during those days was lie about witlessly. What was he supposed to do now? Perhaps if he were back home and he had been diagonst with a terminal illness, he would have tried harder to reach his dream before he died. Perhaps he would have spent time with his family before he eventually passed. Perhaps he would have tried to find love.

But what could he do in an unfamiliar, alien world in which he hadn't existed before now?

Yet Gray knew he couldn't stay like this forever. The hospital wouldn't let him. They had other patients to handle. Patients they could actually save. Sure they might be trying to treat him now, but eventually he would need to leave. With no home, no family, no job, the moment Gray was let out of the hospital, he'd have nothing.

Maybe he would just walk back into that forest he ended up in and let the wild pokemon finish him off. He didn't care anymore.

It certainly didn't help that the glitching still occurred from time to time. It had slowed down from his first day in this world, but it would still happen from time to time in brief flashes. And every time, it would hurt just as much as the first time.

Gray continued to waste in his bed as he mindlessly surfed through the channels on TV. There were a lot of similar programs in this world when compared to Gray's. There were the usual cartoons, sitcom, romcoms, action shows, detective shows, etc. But they all fit into the pokemon world by having, well, pokemon in them as actors as well. And despite Gray not being able to understand pokemon, he had to chuckle at the fact that a handful of the pokemon actors were better than their human co-stars.

Aside from the usual TV shows, there were other programs as well. News reports were the exact same as Gray's world, which meant he already didn't like it and the politics involved. Just because he knew it was required and he had to know how it all worked didn't mean he cared for it. Sports were also still here. Football, Soccer, Baseball–All the sports Gray was familiar with was there, both human divisions and pokemon divisions.

But the real gem of this world's entertainment was obvious. Pokemon Battles. It was everywhere, more than anything else. Whether it be offical league santioned battles like for the Gym Circuits that went on throughout all the regions, or just local tournaments, it was televised and it was almost always the top of the ratings. Even Pokemon Contests were reaching the peaks of views compared to normal entertainment.

This world thrived on Pokemon and Pokemon competition.

Grayson didn't know how to feel about it. If he were younger, he might have been exstatic. What kid grew up with pokemon and didn't wish they were real? All pokemon fans wanted to really experience the journey shown in the games and anime, even the older fans. Yet at this point of his life, even if the spark was still there, he wasn't sure if he wanted to go down that road.

Not that it mattered even if he did want that. He had a year to live. People spent years just attempting to get far into Pokemon Battling. It was a career to most, not just a hobby. It was a career you had to invest in and perhaps get nothing out of it. The few news stories he watched that talked about famous trainers mentioned how it was their second, third, sometimes even fourth or fifth year attempting the circuit, and it showed in their talent and experience.

He didn't have the time or passion to do that.

It was for that reason he tended to immediately flip to another channel when a battle came on. He'd rather not get invested. So he stuck to th emore normal shows. He had decided to leave the hospital the next day, as there was nothing to be done for him. He knew the doctors couldn't do anything to save him. Gray understood. Even so, he'd rather just not think about anything.

But as he mindlessly watched tv without a thought for the future, that's when he heard a strange noise he never thought he'd hear again.

"Ora, Zo."

Gray's head snapped to the side and was greeted by the familiar, white, fluffy face of Zorua. The same one he had met in the forest, it seemed. They stared at each other for a moment as Gray's mind tried to comprehend what was happening.

"Y-You… How did you get in here?!" Gray yelled in a whisper to prevent anyone from hearing.

The Zorua let out a huff before puffing out its chest with a smile that was only just barely visible beneath its neck fur. And then it sank into the shadow it was standing in. Gray's eyes widened before he blinked a few times and stared at the spot the pokemon had once been.

Suddenly, a new weight hopped onto his bed, causing him to turn and see Zorua kneeding a spot right next to him before laying down comfortably.

"How did you…?"

Zorua let out an laughing bark before she gestured to another shadow that was on the other side of the room.

"You…traveled using the shadows?" Gray asked, getting a short nod from the little fox. "That's…incredible! I didn't know you could do that. Is that a pokemon move?"

Zorua nodded again before lying its head down on its paws. Gray held back a small laugh. The Zorua looked like one of his grandma's cats when it was lying down like that.

"Well, sure, okay. Make yourself at home, I guess." Gray sighed before running a hand through his messy hair. "Didn't know you grew so attached to me." That got another haughty laugh out of the fox, but Gray figured he'd rather not argue the point considering she was lying right next to him still.

Gray just watched Zorua as she started to lick her paws to clean herself. Now that she was once again in front of Gray and he had somewhat calmed down compared to where his head was when they first met, Gray couldn't help but be intrigued by Zorua. She was a pokemon, a creature he couldn't have possibly have imagined seeing before. And now she was in front of him, for some reason.

Who wouldn't be curious in that situation?

"Uh…Zorua." Gray began in a nervous voice. Zorua stopped licking her paw and eyed him with a raised eyebrow, a very human expression despite it belonging to a fox. "Can I…May I feel your fur?" He asked.

Zorua's face immediately scrunched up, recoiling a little in disgust the moment the question came out of Gray. Gray was disappointed, but he wasn't going to push the issue, but Zorua tempered her expression for a moment. She seemed to frown as she thought, before she sighed and laid her head down further onto the bed.

"Is…is that a yes?"

Another, softer huff from the young fox confirmed Gray's question. So, after readying himself in case Zorua changed her mind and tried to bite him, Gray slowly reached out and softly rubbed his hand against the Zorua's back. She tensed, but managed to relax after a few strokes, though a low growl did rise up from her throat at first before it settled to a soft hum.

Her fur was incredibly soft and silky. Despite being a wild pokemon, she was perfectly clean that if he had seen her for the first time in the city instead of the forest, he'd think she was a trainer's and not wild. Gray smiled as he continued running a hand through Zorua's fur, now getting pleasant hums from the fox as he did.

Then, as he continued petting Zorua, Gray moved his other hand to top of her head and rub the tufts of fur that stood upward. Gray felt a painful chill when he did touch them, as they were much colder than Zorua herself, so much so he had to retract his hand.

"Geez! What the hell?" Gray muttered as he stared at the pinkish red fur. He reached out and touched it again, feeling the cold fur more thoroughly now. "Cold. Deathly cold. Why?"

The pinkish red fur was so deathly cold, it didn't feel like it belonged on Zorua. It almost felt like it belonged on a corpse.

"Corpse…Wait." Gray paused, causing Zorua to turn to look at him with a curious look. "I think I'm remembering something."

Yeah, something was clicking with him. Before he had questioned why Zorua didn't look like the normal Zorua, and he felt like the answer was on the tip of his tongue. Think. What was different. One at a time, he began thinking over each of the games he could remember.

Gen 1 in Kanto with Red, Blue, Yellow, Firered, Leafgreen, and the Let's Go games. Gen 2 in Johto with Silver, Gold, Crystal, and the remakes Heartgold and Soulsilver. Gen 3 in Hoenn with Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, Alpha Sapphire, and Omega Ruby. Gen 4 in Sinnoh with Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, Brilliant Diamond, and Shinning Pearl. Gen 5 in Unova with Black and White and their respective sequel. Gen 6 in Kalos with X and Y. Gen 7 in Alola with Sun and Moon and their Ultra remasters.

Wait, that's it! Gen 7 introduced regional variants of pokemon, like how real world animals in Gray's world would different from others in the same species depending on their environments. That's how that game got two different types of the same pokemon like a fire type Ninetales and a Ice/Fairy Ninetales. Zorua was a regional variant, but which one.

Not Alola, that was for sure. Gen 8 was in Galar, but they didn't have Zorua either. Gen 9 in Paldea only had one regional variant since it had a bunch of newer species that just looked similar to older pokemon like Wugtrio. Gen 9 was the last released before Gray fell to this world, so was he missing something? There were the gamecube games like Collaseum and XD Gale of Darkness, but those were technically Gen 3 in a new region Orre.

Wait…there was one other game. Legends Arceus, which took place in ancient Sinnoh. Or as it was known back then–

"Hisui." Gray muttered as his eyes widened. "You're a Hisuian Zorua."

"Roa?"

"You don't know what that means, huh?" Gray sighed as he leaned back against his pillows, still petting Zorua as he thought outloud. "Well, it was an ancient region. Still, I thought all those variants disappeared since they only showed up naturally in PLA. Was that not the case? Well, I suppose that hardly matters now, huh?"

"Zo."

"Yep. I agree." Gray chuckled as he managed to scratch Zorua's ear like he had with his own cat, getting a light yip from the fox that was very similar to his own world's foxes whenever they were happy. "If I recall your species, unlike your dark type counterparts, you're actually a normal/ghost type, right?"

"Hm, oa."

"That's a pretty unique type. I don't think anything else shares it with you." Gray hummed. "So how'd you get here in Unova? I doubt your breed is common here considering the normal Zorua are typically found here." The little fox frowned for a moment before letting out a heavy shrug. "You don't know?" A nod, and Gray sighed once more. "That sucks. Guess we're both pretty similar in that regard. Neither of us have any idea what we're doing."

The two of them stayed like that for a while, just relaxing on the bed while the TV continued playing. It was only after about an hour of watching the pokemon world's equivalence to 'Friends' called 'Friends and Pokemon' that Gray finally spoke up again.

"Want to stay with me for while?"

Zorua turned to him with a questioning glare. Gray raised both his hands up defenesively as he explained.

"Hey, you're the one who followed me here. I haven't been outside since I met you in the forest, so I'm guessing you jumped into my shadow and followed me for some reason?" He asked, getting a sheepish nod from the fox. "So you wanted to come with me for some reason. I'm not going to ask why, but I actually enjoy your company. I'm guessing you know my situation? Since you were hiding in my shadow?"

Another nod, this time way more solemn.

"Since you know I'm dying in a year, you don't have to. It'd suck to get attached when we both know I'm not lasting long anyway, but from the looks of it, I think we're both too late when it comes to that." Gray hummed as he ran a hand through Zorua's silky fur. "Besides, I'm also dying of loneliness, but I really don't want to interact with anyone since, well, I'm dying. I'm gonna be leaving the hospital tomorrow, so why not come with me when I do? Unless you've got something else to do?"

Zorua shook her head at that last question, but she lowered her head more onto her paws as she thought. After another minute, she turned back to Gray and gave a slow nod.

"Cool. Welcome aboard, Zo." Gray smiled, though Zorua raised another eyebrow at him. "What? I'm bad with nicknames. I'll give you a better one later…maybe."

Zorua let out an amused huff before she let out a long yawn and curled up against Gray's side.

"Yeah, I'm tired too." Gray nodded as he leaned back against his pillow. "You better still be here when I wake up."

"Zo Zo oar ruo." She dismissed as she got more comfortable.

And so, night passed by peacefully. More peacefully than it had for Gray before then.

It didn't last long, as the next morning, the hospital staff woke Gray up when they all started screaming at the strange looking Zorua sleeping next to him. Gray's eyes shot open as he quickly took in the scene of two nurses freaking out as Zorua glared at them, her pinkish fur twiching angrily as she did.

"Calm down." Gray chided as he placed a hand on the fox. The fox flicnhed before looking back at him with a glare, but Gray held his firm expression. "They're just doing their job. They're not gonna bother you. Right?" He asked as he looked up at the nurses.

They immediately shook their heads, but it was mostly because Zorua was still freaking them out with that death glare and her freaky tendril-like fur. But that quickly stopped as Gray pet her more and more, causing Zorua to melt back down to the ground as he pacified her.

"S-Sir…What exactly is that?" One of the nurses asked, still nervous, but now more curious than afraid.

"Zorua. Say hi, Zo." Gray said, getting a low huff from the now calm fox, only to get a huff in return.

"I thought Zoruas were black and red." The second nurse said.

"This is a special Zorua. She's a special breed, just like other regional variances." Gray explained. "And no, she isn't mine. I met her in the forest the day I arrived and she followed me here. I only found out yesterday. Sorry if this is gonna cause problems for you."

"N-No, it's fine. After all, this is a Pokemon Center. Wouldn't make sense if Pokemon weren't allowed here." The first nurse smiled.

"Wait, really? I thought this was a normal hospital."

"You don't know? All Pokemon Centers and Hospitals merged a few decades ago. It was mostly out of convience, but it gave the Pokemon Center more rooms for patients and more staff to help around the place, while also now having an entire division around to help humans and trainers should they also be hurt."

"Most young trainers tended to go to the Pokemon Center if they were hurt since they didn't know how a hospital handled things compared to the Centers, so now they can actually be treated here if they come in while badly hurt." The second nurse added with a nod. "Honestly, the merging was a huge blessing, not just for the Centers. Trainers come in with horrible wounds gotten from wild pokemon every day, and now we can actually do something about it."

"Huh."

Gray didn't know how else to react. It made sense for the centers and hospitals to merge to combine their work force and to make so people had one place to go to should they or thekr pokemon were hurt. It was for everyone's convience and to help as many people as fast as possible by preventing people from having to go back and forth depending on what they needed when lives might be on the line.

Yet it was another reminder that Gray was so far away from his own home.

"If you want, we can do a check up on your Zorua to make sure she's healthy." One of the nurses said, knocking Gray out of his solumn thoughts.

"O-Oh. Sure, but she isn't mine." Gray told her again.

"You may not have caught her, but legally, any pokemon that chooses to follow you around are your responsiblity unless the pokemon is being harmful to you in some way." The nurse replied.

Gray bit his lip as he relented.

"Okay. Then I guess she's mine." Gray said, causing the nurse to beam happily. "Alright. Let's go get her check out then."

"Huh? But sir, you–"

"Are a lost cause." Gray cut her off. "I'm not getting any better here and there's nothing you all can do. I 'm sure I was gonna be discharged and kicked out anyway, so I might as well just go now so you have more room for patients that can be helped."

"But–"

"Let him be." The second nurse said. "He's right. We can't stop him if he wants to leave. This patient is free to leave whenever he wants should he feel up to it." The first nurse seemed to sadden at that as the second one looked back at Gray. "If you really want to come, then we'll take you to the main Center."

"Right." Gray said as he got up. "Come on, Zo. We need to get you looked at." The fox just glared at him, causing Gray to roll his eyes. "It's just to see if you're sick or injured and that kind of stuff. Don't be such a baby."

Zorua growled, but she eventually relented, hopping onto Gray's shoulder as he followed the nurses to the Pokemon Center part of the building. Once they got there, Gray managed to get Zorua to go with the nurses, and once he did he found himself collapsing onto one of the lobby's couches.

Here he was, sitting in an honest to god Pokemon Center. He could see several people ranging from children to teens and young adults wandering around with their pokemon. Just what was Gray's life anymore?

After a few minutes, Gray heard his name be called out and turned to the source. He had to blink a few time when he saw the every familiar pink haired nurse and her Chansy. Nurse Joy. It made sense for her to exist here too, but it was still mind boggling.

Gray blinked before he stood up and moved over to her. He smiled when his eyes were drawn to the table they were pulling, which was exactly where Zorua was sitting.

"Hey there, Zo. You behaved for Nurse Joy, I hope?" Gray asked. Zorua huffed before leaping back onto Gray's shoulder and making herself comfortable. Gray laughed as he pet her chin while turning to Nurse Joy. "How is she?"

"Your Zorua is perfectly healthy. While no one has ever seen that particular kind of Zorua, from what we can tell she's perfect fine. She seems to like you quite a bit more than others, though. She was so tense and grolwed at everyone. We had to bribe her with some sweets to get her to calm down enough for us to do our work." Nurse Joy laughed.

"Is that so?" Gray asked as he stole a glance at Zorua, who huffed at the nurse and turned her head. "Sorry about that. I don't really know her that well yet since she's still technically wild, so I can't really say why she acted like that."

"I heard that she only appeared recently and that you haven't caught her yet, so I imagine you were still getting to know each other." Joy smiled. "Are you planning on officially capturing her?"

"I don't know. I'm not sure I'm the trainer type." Gray admitted. "Not sure I even have the time for something like that."

Nurse Joy frowned upon hearing that, as Gray imagined most workers here knew of his situation. However, that didn't stop her from stating her piece.

"You don't have to be a trainer to capture a pokemon and keep them as a companion. Others keep them to help out with jobs. Some keep them for a mixture of the two." Joy pointed out, looking over to her Chansey as she did, who smiled as she let out a sweet 'Chans!'. "Still, I wouldn't disway you if you did want to be a trainer. I'd encouage it, in fact."

"Don't you need a license to be a trainer? I don't have any of that. No ids, no money, nothing. Besides, aren't trainers supposed to be young? The only ones I've heard of are in their teens or are barely reaching their young adult years. I think I've missed my chance by this point." Gray forced out a laugh.

"Nonsense! Anyone can be a Pokemon trainer." Nurse Joy stated. "It's all up to you and whether or not you want to put the time and effort into it. Most adults feel as though they can't and would rather settle with a safer life style than the risky investment being a trainer can be. Still, that doesn't mean adults couldn't suddenly become a good trainer."

"I guess." Gray hummed. "Still, I'm not sure I should. I'm sure you know about my…unique situation. I literally don't have the time or resources to be a trainer."

"Yes, I do know. The high ranking staff here was all told in an effort to find a solution, to no avail." Nurse Joy sighed before looking Gray in the eye with a serious look. "Still, even if your time is limited, you should spend that time doing what you truly want. Live life to the fullest before your time is done."

"But…I've already lost my dream. It's impossible to go back and get it back. So what's the point?"

"Even so, that doesn't mean you should give up. There is still something only you can do. The same is true for anyone." Joy insisted.

Gray stiffened at the words. That rang oh so familiar in his ears. Those words were the same ones his own teacher told him way back when. He could still remember it, and the memory almost brought a tear to his eye.

Grayson Hawthorn felt a spark in his heart. A small piece of perserverance that still existed that wanted to keep living.

For the first time since arriving in this world, Gray wanted to live and find fullfillment again.

"...I'll think about it then." Gray admitted, a small honest smile forming on his lips as he spoke. "I would have to figure out all the logistics of it all, and I'm not even sure what I even want to do anymore, but I guess the only thing I can do is just keep moving forward."

"I think you won't have to worry too much on that front." Joy smirked.

"What do you mean?"

"That's a suprise I won't spoil for you. You'll find out once you leave the center." She smiled happily. "I believe that is all. Have a good day, Mister Hawthorn, and please come again if you need anything."

"I will. Thank you again." Gray said as he and Zo walked out of the Pokemon Center.

Gray took a deep breath. He was still lost in all definitions of the word. He was still stuck in a different world with nothing to his name aside from his name and the clothes on his back. That wasn't even adding the fact that his displacement was killing all of his atoms slowly, causing him to painfully glitch until he dies at the end of the year.

He had no where to go.

Yet deep down, he still wanted to live. Somehow.

"Heh, there's something ironic about all of this. Being stuck and lost like I was when I was younger despite all my effort and growth." Gray mused as he turned to look at Zo. "You sure you want to follow me? It's not too late to jump ship, and I am a sinking ship."

The Zorua growled at him as she let out a gruff yip, seemingly saying 'why are you asking me that again'.

"If that's what you want." Gray shrugged as he turned forward, pausing again when he saw Cedric Juniper standing outside the Center next to a car. "Cedric?"

"Ah! Grayson! Good to see you again! The staff called me and mentioned how you were heading off." Cedric said as he held a hand up in a wave while he moved toward Gray.

"Y-Yeah, that's right. I guess I got sick of wallowing away in misery while holding one the Center's room hostage." Gray awkwardly laughed. "I still don't really know what I should do now, but I'm guessing you're the 'surprise' Nurse Joy told me would help me figure that out?"

"Indeed, my good man. I want to offer you a proposition." Cedric said with a bright smile before he caught sight of Zo. "I didn't know you had a pokemon with you, and what an interesting specimen you have! I've never seen a Zorua like that!"

"She isn't technically mine. Haven't caught her yet. Not sure I should, even if she's following me for now." Grayson explained before letting out nervous chuckles as he noticed the Zorua's harsh glare aimed at the other professor. "I hope you aren't going to ask me to let you study her."

"No, of course not. I wasn't even aware of her until now. While I would love the chnace to study a potential new breed of Zorua, if neither of you are comfortable with that, I will put my own wants aside." Cerdic reassured. "But before any of that, I do believe it would be best to figure out your current living situation."

"Y-Yeah. I don't suppose you already have something planned?"

"Of course! It wouldn't be right of me to ask you for something without having something for you in exchange. I'll drive you over to my place. You can stay there for a while." Cedric said as he motioned Gray to follow him.

"Your place? Are you sure? I mean, we're practically strangers." Gray asked hesitantly.

"Of course. I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't think I could trust you." Cedric replied immediately.

"Huh." Gray let out a noise of bewilderment before he started following after the professor. "If you're so sure, I guess I shouldn't complain."

Gray got in the car, and Cedric drove over to a large house surrounded by an even larger field. Cedric's home was still within Nuvema Town, but it was quite removed from anything else. For good reason, too, considering what all these open fields were for. Gray felt his breath be stolen away as he stared at the numerous pokemon grazing the fields.

There were dozens, maybe even hundreds, all around to be seen. It was breathe taking. There were purrlion and lillipups running around, as well as birds like pidoves, rufflets, and duckletts flying around in flocks, along with other typical Unovan pokemon. But it wasn't just Unovan pokemon. There were also pidgey, rattata, bidoofs, caterpie, seedots, hoothoots, and more all over the place. There were even some rare pokemon like a golett, a durant, a kingler, and even a dratini!

Pokemon. This was their world, and Gray was only seeing a small fraction of it.

"Wow…" He muttered as he and Zo stared out the car window. Even Zo was amazed by the sight. Perhaps she never saw this many different pokemon living together like this.

Cedric seemed to notice Gray's stunned look as he smiled at Gray, but he didn't say anything. Then, after a bit more driving, they made it to the house's driveway.

"Welcome to my humble obode. Make yourself at home." Cedric said as he parked next to a second car he had. "Sorry we're a bit out of the way compared to the rest of the town, but if you ever need something in town feel free to take one of the cars. I assume you know how to drive?"

"Y-Yeah, probably if the cars are the same here, but my license probably doesn't mean anything here." Gray pointed out.

"True, but that can be fixed." Cedric said before flashing Gray a smile. "So, you liked the pokemon I have around here."

"Yeah. I mean, it's just incredible. I've never seen anything like this, not even at zoos back home. I've never seen animals roaming around free like this before. Well, here they're pokemon, but the point still stands." Gray breathed out as he stared out at the open plains, still seeing a few pokemon gazing around. "Is it really safe to let them roam wherever they want, though? Some of them must be aggressive, right? And there's nothing stopping them from coming to the house, too. I mean, I'm not familiar with pokemon because…y'know…but don't some pokemon, er, eat other pokemon and…people?"

"Yes, that is true. While amazing creatures, pokemon can certainly be dangerous. Some far more than others." Cedric nodded. "However, there is no need to be worried, Grayson. All the pokemon here are tame. Most of them have lived here long enough to know the ground rules I've layed out, and for those who haven't been here long enough for that or are naturally more aggressive, they're handled by my own team."

"Team?" Gray asked. "You mean…you have your own personal pokemon?"

"Of course! I went on my own personal journey back when I was younger, and my partners have been my steadfast friends and co-workers ever since." Cedric proudly stated. "They're the alphas here, and everyone knows it. They can handle any of these hatchlings who think they're strong enough to take on the world."

"Wow. I guess that's one way to keep the rambunctious ones under control." Gray chuckled.

"Yes, I don't know what I'd do without them." Cedric noted. "Oh, there's one other thing you should know. I have a daughter living with me."

"Daughter?" Grayson questioned. "Wait, do you mean–"

Gray never got to finish before the front door to the house flew open.

"Mincooooo!"

Gray didn't even have time to react as a blur of grey rushed at his face. He let out a yelp that was quickly cut short when something latched onto his face. Zorua was so startled that she was knocked off of Gray's shoulder, falling into his shadow to hide from whatever was attacking the poor professor.

Whatever it wasthat had jumped onto Grayson, it was fluffy and giggling at he stumpled back in a startled fashion. Thankfully, the face hug only lasted a moment before the creature used Gray's face as a launch board to jump over to Cedric, who caught it in his arms before it could do the same to him.

"Now Cino, what did I tell you about jumping at people?" Cedric scolded lightly as he held the fluffy menace in his hands. Gray regained his composure enough to see what had launched itself onto his face and then used it as another launch pad.

Gray recongized the little gray mouse-like creature being held by Cedric. A Mincinno, a pokemon that used its fluffy tail to sweep away messes. Gray had always thought of them as sophisicated little beings due ot how their depicted as clean freaks or cleaners in the series, but this little one seemed to be childishly mischievous if the way its giggling hadn't stopped even after Cedric caught it.

"Sorry! Sorry! Cino was too quick for me to stop." A new, young femine voice suddenly called out.

Gray blinked a few times after he heard the newcomer, his brain slowing as wires figuratively started to connect to each other. He knew who this was. Cedric mentioned he was living with his daughter, and Gray knew who that was. He was referring to the Professor Juniper he knew from the series, Aurea Juniper. But that voice was so young. It couldn't be her, and yet…

Upon turning to the source of the voice, Gray felt his throat tighten when he saw a teenage girl who had a striking resemblance to Cedric and the Profossor Juniper he knew. Gray's heart stopped as once again confusion about the world he was in began to consume his mind.

What did this mean? Why was Professor Juniper so young? She couldn't be a professor now! Not when she didn't even look like she was eighteen years old! What did this mean for the world at large? Could Gray be remembering things wrong? That couldn't be the case. He had a good memory, and Juniper was a very prominent character in gen five. So why…?

"Gray?"

Grayson snapped out of his torrent of thoughts when Cedric called out to him. He looked up from the ground he was staring at back to the older man, who was shooting him a worried look. Stealing a glance at Zorua, she also seemed to notice that something was bothering Gray. Despite that, Gray shook his head and put on a smile.

"Sorry, was thinking about something. What were you saying?"

"I was introducing you to my daughter, Aurea Juniper." Cedric explained, his concern never leaving his features as he spoke.

"Ah, right. Sorry." Gray quickly said as he turned back to Aurea. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Grayson Hawthorn. Sorry for intruding."

"Yeah, it's nice to meet you too." Aurea smiled back at him, seemingly unbothered by Gray staring off into space earlier. "So you're guy my dad is gonne be working with, huh? I wasn't so sure about having a stranger living and working with my dad, but if Cino likes you enough to jump on you, then maybe you're not so bad."

"Well, thank you for having me." Gray laughed before he paused as his brain registered what the young teen said. "Wait, what do you mean working with?"

"Huh? You don't know? Dad never told you?" Aurea asked before shooting her dad a confused look, one that Gray mimiced as he turned to face Cedric, though Gray's expression had a twinge of annoyance and anger in it as well.

Cedric chuckled nervously as he set the Mincinno down and nodded.

"Yes. I was planning on discussing things further with you once we were in my lab, Gray, but yes, that is part of what I was going to propose to you." Cedric said before held his arms up defensively. "Now before you say anything, that's not all that I wanted to speak to you about. There's more to this than just that. Come in, and we can discuss this further."

Gray stared at Cedric for a good long while before he eventually sighed and shook his head.

"Sure. I don't know what exactly it is that you're planning, but I suppose I'll hear you out since I'm already here." Gray said. He then looked around a bit, searching for Zorua. After noticing the small, sharp eyes hiding within his shadow, Gray turned back to Cedric and followed him into the house. "So where's your lab?"

"This way. Follow me."

Cedric guided Gray through the house, Aurea not following them as she took Mincinno and went off to somewhere else, probably her room. After a bit of walking, Cedric led Gray into his lab, which looked like a seriotypical scientific lab one might see in science shows or science fiction. Gray looked around, visibily impressed at the lab, as Cedric gestured him to sit in a nearby chair.

"So what's this about, Cedric. You want me to be your assistant or something? Why?" Gray asked in a no-nonsense tone.

"Easy there. I'll explain everything." Cedric said as he sat down across from Gray. "We both know of your…condition, yes? What is it that you plan to do now that you're here in this world? Back when I met you, you seemed to have given up upon being told what would happen to you. Has something changed?"

"I…I don't know." Gray honestly replied. "I know that I want to live, at least with the time I have left, but I'm not sure what it is I can do when I only have a year to live and when I'm stuck in an entirely different world. I don't know anything about this place other than things from the stories I vaguely recall, and with a year, what can I feesibly learn or do? I'm sort of stuck in that way. Apologies, but I'm not sure I could accept working with you because of those reasons, too. I'm not sure what I'd be able to do if I were to work under you."

"I see, but allow me to explain what it is exactly I want to propose to you." Cedric said. "You see, I don't wish to take you on as an assistant or apprentice. Instead, I want to give you the chance and opportunitity to do something with that limited time frame you have."

"Oh? And what would that be?" Gray asked with a raised eyebrow. Cedric smiled as he leanedd back into his chair and cupped his hands in his lap.

"You say you only recall vague details about this world. What details do you recall from those games from your world?" Cedric asked.

"Oh, well…I recall a few stories beats that stand out, I guess. Characters, some events, certain pokemon, that sort of stuff." Grayson nervously replied. "I guess the thing I remember most clearly was the gameplay loop. In the games, you'd always play as a character who is just starting their journey, and you'd go around the region defeating the eight gym leaders, some evil team of pokemon kidnappers or other some such, and then you'd fight the pokemon league to become the champion."

"Yes. They gym circuits, the confrence, the pokemon league–all of that exists here. While I'm not sure about the 'evil team of pokemon kidnappers' you've mentioned, at least in Unova, what you describe is the typical journey that is expected nowadays." Cedric nodded. "Do you know about any other details? Things like sponsorships in terms of a trainer's journey?"

"Sponsorship? No, the games never mentioned anything like that. That might have been in the show, though. Actually, I think the Galar game had sponsorships that were required to enter the circuit." Gray hummed as he did his best to pull what little knowledge of the modern games back into the forefront of his mind. "What about it?"

"Allow me to explain. Most trainers are expected to fund their own journeys, at least at the start. Despite how young some might start their journey, that remains a constant. Being a trainer is hard and expensive. It takes a lot to raise one pokemon for battle, let alone six or more, and things like pokeballs, potions, ethers, and basic necessities make it an expensive venture. That's not even including things like TMs, vitamins, and evolutionary items."

"That makes sense. I watched reports and documentaries of popular trainers while at the hospital. It looked like a difficult career path to follow instead of some hobby one might pick up." Grayson nodded. "It was part of the reason wy I figured that I couldn't and shouldn't become a trainer in this world. I don't have the time or passion to follow that path."

"That may be, but not all trainers have to provide for themselves for all these things." Cedric added. "Many trainers, whether popular or not, take on odd jobs or, more importantly, sponsorships in order to help provide for their journey."

"Ah. So it works just like how a business might sponsor someone to promote their business?"

"Yes, though there is a bit more to it than that when it comes to trainers." Cedric nodded. "You see, sponsorships for trainers mean more than just a paycheck for adorsing a company. Sponsorships are not just given out by businesses. Influential figures may also sponsor trainers, and each sponsor will offer their ward various benefits. Companies that make TMs might offer free samples to their trainers, while other businesses might offer discounts or other free products. Sponsorships are the main way that trainers who wish to take battling serious turn their hobby into a feesable career path."

"I see…" Gray nodded before he realized something. "Why are you explaining this to me? What does this have to do with me?"

Gray wasn't stupid. He could read in between the lines. There was only one good reason as to why Cedric Juniper, a influential pokemon professor, would be explaining how sponsorships work to him. Yet despite knowing that, Gray still couldn't believe it. Was Cedric really going to do what Gray believed he would? That would be absurd!

Yet as Cedric blew Gray away with what he said next.

"As Unova's Pokemon Professor myself, I am also able to sponsor trainers. I was planning on sponsor my daughter this year, obviously, however, I was hoping to help you out on a journey by sponsoring you too."

Gray just stared at the fellow professor, completely befuddled by what was just spoken. Eventually, Gray's mind snapped back to reality as shock painted his expression.

"You want to sponsor me?! Wait, you want me to go on a journey!? You want me to be a trainer?!" Gray yelled as he nearly jumped out of his seat. "Why?! I've only got a year to live?! I wouldn't be able to beat the circuit or the conference or the league or whatever the heck you expect me to beat on my first and only year! What do you expect me to do on a journey anyway?!"

"Whatever you like." Cedric answered simply, causing Gray to pause as Cedric continued. "You said it yourself. You are unsure as to what you should do now due to your precarious situation regarding your limited lifespan. So, if that is the case, why not go on a journey. Journeys are not just for trainers wishing to become champions."

"Many, if not most, people who work with pokemon or in that field go on a journey, and while most do not become champions, the journey itself provided many crucial experiences. For myself, my journey was what led me to wanting to become a profesor. It was something many consider necessary in the development of young adults, since battling is so popular with that age group of people and journeying grants them the opportunity to grow, adapt, and learn more about themselves and the world."

"So…you want me to go on a journey so that I can grow and learn?" Gray questioned.

"I wish for you to go on a journey to give you the chance to experience this new world you are in and to give you the chance to decide what it is you want to do with the time you have left." Cedric answered. "A journey is a learning experience above all else. Perhaps you might even discover something to help you. Whatever the case, I am willing to sponsor you and give you that opportunity. Who knows? Maybe you'll even win the conference. Battling offers a lot of money if you're sucessful at it, and you could use that money to leave a lasting mark on the world should you so wish."

That got Gray to think again. Everything Cedric said was tectnically true. Going on a journey would give him experience and allow him to familiarize himself with this new world. The pokemon world was always depicted as fantastical, so that would be fun to explore if Gray was being honest. Cedric was also correct that it would provide Grayson with many opportunities, whether that be helping decide what he should do with the remainder of his life or opportunities to maybe perhaps cure his condition if that is at all possible.

Who knows? Maybe there is some pokemon out there that could fix his cells to allow him to live in this world or, even better, a way to get back to his own world.

But the most eye-catching detail Cedric had mentioned was, surprisingly, the money aspect of partaking in the gym challenge. Professional battling provided money to the winner. Lots of it when near the top. If Gray managed to get far into the challenge or even the conference, he would gain a lot of prize money.

Grayson was not an avarisious person, but the money alone was quiet tempting, if only for the fact that many more opportunies would open up to him if he had a lot of money. If he became a popular trainer and got that prize money, even if he couldn't save himself, perhaps he could do some good for this world. He could fund charities. He could start ophenages and schools. That's when a particular idea stood out in Grayson's mind.

He could fund research with that money. He was already experienced as a professor and researching as one. Perhaps he could do some research and use the journey as a way to do that, and by winning the prize money, he could fund whatever research he was doing. Even if he was doomed to die, if he could start and fund research that could improve the lives of people, even in this world…Gray could want nothing more than that.

That's when Gray realized he was zoning out again. He berated himself for getting distracted and actually consider the idea presented to him. Looking back at Cedric, he found the older man smiling at him. He must have noticed how Gray fell into deep thought once he explained what Gray would gain by going on the journey. However, there was one aspect he hadn't mentioned yet.

"What's the catch?" Gray asked with narrowed eyes. "You can't be doing this out of the goodness of your heart, right?" Cedric sighed at the question.

"I suppose not entirely, no." Cedric replied. "What you told me at the hospital…about how you were from another reality in which the world of pokemon were only fictional stories…"

Gray felt goosebumps form on his body as sweat began to form on his brow. This was it, the moment he was expecting. Cedric was going to want to eperiment on him or something. Gray bite his lips as he prepared himself for the harsh truth.

"I was hoping that, since you were able to view our world from such a separate view point, you could perhaps aid this world in its development."

"Huh?" Gray blinked after Cedric finished, not quite sure he heard the older man correctly. "What do you mean?"

"I wish for you to aid this world in however way you can. Research, sharing information, any way that you can, I would like you to share with us if at all possible. As someone from another reality, perhaps techniques and technology from your world could help improve ours, or perhaps the perspective you were given by viewing our world from your games have given you a fresh outloook on this world that you can use to make something no one had ever thought of."

"W-Wait…so your catch for sponsoring me on a journey…is just for me to aid you guys if possible?" Grayson asked. "Don't you want something more? Like, I don't know, to pick my brain of all the knowledge I have? Or perhaps to experiement on me and my body to figure out what makes me different?"

"Absolutely not. Myself and any other professor, if they were in this situation, would ever do that to another sentient living being." Cedric answered without hesitation. "Even with your limited life span, you are a living breathing human. Just as I will not do anything to your Zorua friend that she is not comfortable with, I would never do anything to you that would harm you or make you uncomfortable."

"So…that's all your asking for?" Gray asked.

"Yes. I can't ask for anything else." Cedric answered as he offered Gray a smile. "Gray, I wasn't lying with anything I have told you. I want you to have a chance to enjoy this life you have, even if it's been shortened. I hope that you can experience wonderful moments and do things that make you feel fulfilled before the end. What happened to you was tragic, but that does not mean you can't enjoy the time you have now, and I wish to help you do just that if at all possible."

Gray wasn't sure what to make of any of this. He was left staring blankly as he tried to piece together what it was he was supposed to do now. He wanted to say yes. To accept and go on an adventure he would have loved if he was a bit younger, but fear and hesitation still kept a strong hold of him. Was that the right thing to do? What else was he supposed to do if not for that? But…

It was while he was stuck in that torent of confused thoughts that he felt something brush up against his leg. Looking down, he saw Zorua back out of his shadow, pressing up against his leg with her side. She was looking up at Gray with her big, stoic eyes. It was as though she was staring through him, right into his soul.

Grayson didn't know how, but he felt as though he could understand what Zorua was trying to convey to him. That look on her face seemed to say, "Why are you hesitating? You aren't doing anything else, are you?" Perhaps that was just Grayson trying to project onto the little ghost fox, but he couldn't help but think the Zorua was trying to push him to agree to the deal with that look she was aiming at him. And by looking back at the little fox, Grayson couldn't help but remember that at the very least, he wouldn't be alone, no matter what happened.

"Okay." Grayson began as he turned back to Cedric. "I'll go on a journey. Where do we begin?"