Subaru's vision swirled like someone had smeared his reality across a foggy mirror. His eyes opened up, blinded by the bright light of the foreign sky above him. The air was heavier than Japan's, it was full of the scent of dust, stone, and something faintly animalistic.
His eyes began to focus, giving him access to an incredible sight. Carriages drove past, pulled by dinosaur-like creatures. Humanoid beast walked alongside humans, chatting like it was totally normal. The city was filled with foreign architecture, the roads made of cobblestone instead of the usual pavement. Everything looked like it had been ripped out of an RPG.
He stood stunned, words drowning in his throat "This stuff obviously isn't fake… So does that mean" He paused, eyes regaining a blazing shine, one he believed was long time lost
"I have been summoned to a Parallel World!"
People turned. A few stared at him like he was a weird animal. Most just shook their heads and moved on, muttering, "Another crazy one."
Subaru cleared his throat, a light blush coloring his cheeks, only to be immediately obliterated by sheer shamelessness. "Heh. That's fine. Let them stare."
Then he felt it, there was something applying pressure in his pocket. Looking down he saw the outline of a foreign object that hadn't been there before. His hand instinctively went to his pocket, fingers gripping around something strange. A small, round object, smooth and metallic. He pulled it out, examining it carefully. The top half of the sphere was red, and the bottom was white, seperated by a button on the middle.
"…A Pokéball?" Subaru muttered to himself, his gaze at the figures up ahead. "This is definitely not the world of Pokemon… Which means"
He grinned, his usual cocky expression returning. "This thing must be my OP item! Like my Excalibur! My cheat skill! My—wait, is this one of those crossover isekai? Am I gonna get to be the very best like no one ever was AND take down demon lords?"
The sheer audacity of his own thoughts didn't escape him, but Subaru was already planning how best to use his new weapon. After all, this was an isekai. His isekai adventure. What were the chances this would go badly?
He stared at the sphere, heart pounding. "Does this mean I got summoned by Arceus?"
Subaru turned the Pokeball over in his hands. The button glowed faintly. It felt real. A rush of giddy thoughts filled his head. "What if… what if this has, like, a Legendary in it? Or even a god-tier Pokemon? What if it's Arceus?" His eyes sparkled. "No, wait. Mewtwo. No—Giratina. Shadow powers, alternate dimensions. That would rule"
Lost in the clouds, he casually walked along a stone path toward an area with fewer people, taking in the sights of the strange, medieval-style world around him. The cobblestone roads. The ancient architecture. It was definitely something out of an RPG.
Alright, alright. This is it. Time to summon the Pokémon. He could already feel the confidence swelling up inside him. It'll be fine. He could handle whatever shows up. What's the worst that could happen?
Then he hesitated.
"What if it's a huge Gyarados?" Subaru muttered to himself. "Or an onyx? Or worse, what if it goes berserk and destroys everything?" Sweat dripped down, hesitation getting the better of him "Better to keep it in the Pokeball until I get a feel for things."
Still, the allure of trying it out was too strong. The thought of battling in this new world, of having a powerful creature at his side, was too tempting.
Subaru grinned again. "But no, I've been summoned. This is my adventure. Everything is designed to go in my favor." He started walking again, regaining a bit of his lost confidence
But just as he reached down to click the button on the Pokeball to release it, his foot caught on a rock.
Subaru stumbled, barely able to regain his balance. The Pokeball left the safety of his fingers, landed on the uneven ground, and rolled before stopping.
"Aw, come on!" he groaned, scrambling to his feet. "That was super close. I almost ruined the best part!"
His hand reached out for the ball with zero caution
He picked it up, wiping the dust off it. He panicked for a moment, he wasn't sure why, there was something about this that didn't feel right. As he looked down he understood the situation, the Pokeball's button was already being pressed by his thumb.
"Alright, here it goes." His heart raced. This was the start of his new adventure.
A blue light flickered, shaping into a small silhouette, quickly materializing into something physical. The little creature tilted its head, fur catching the sunlight. For a moment no one else was around. Just the boy who didn't belong here, and the tiny fox-like Pokémon who looked smarter than it should.
"Eevee?"
Subaru blinked, staring at the small, brown Pokémon with large, curious, brown eyes.
An Eevee? A wave of disappointment hit him like a truck. "Well, you're… not what I expected," he said, scratching the back of his head. "I had expectations you know? Something flashy, like a Charizard. But… whatever. Guess I was given a starter instead of a late-game monstrosity"
Eevee let out a high-pitched ee-vee! that somehow made Subaru smile despite his ruined mood. "Not gonna lie, you're cute and small. Perfect for a sidekick."
"But you're also supposed to be my secret weapon in this Isekai world. I hope you're stronger than you look."
The Eevee hopped around his feet, nuzzling against his leg.
Subaru's cheeks gain subtle hues of pink, a dumb smile showing on his face. Signs of a cuteness overload. He crouched down, his hands showing no hesitations as they scratched behind the Eevee's long ears, earning a happy vee as a reward.
"…Okay, that's adorable." Subaru said, standing up "Alright, buddy. We'll figure this out together."
"Eevee!" It chirped, pouncing forward. It's claws attached to Subarus tracksuit, using it as support for its second jump. Now it sat on top of his right shoulder.
Deep inside, Subaru felt relieved at the familiarity. He had a Pokemon, something he was very familiar with. This was his first real connection in this unfamiliar world, the reassurance that he was the main character.
Subaru's stomach growled.
"Oh crap, I didn't even think about food..."
Luckily, the sound of shouting and the sweet, tangy scent of fruit caught his attention. Just up the street was a small stand, with a man that looked like a delinquent haggling with a customer and waving a fruit that looked suspiciously like an apple.
Subaru approached the stand, ignoring the glances directed at him.
"Hey, Boy," The green-haired man said with a smile "Those are some weird clothes you are wearing. Are you traveling and what's with the dog?"
"What are these?" Subaru ignored the questions, his hand pointing at the apple-like fruit
"Those are appas" The man replied patiently
The inhabitants of this world seemed to understand him. Did they speak Japanese or did he have a translation skill? Didn't matter, the real question was.. Subaru reached into his pocket, grabbing some yen before presenting it to the man
"Huh? What kind of money is that? You can't use that stuff in Lagunica. That means you are flat broke, huh?" The man narrowed his eyes, a frown forming as he scanned the broke boy in front of his store
"Get outta here! Don't interfere with my business" The man spoke harshly,pushing Subaru's left shoulder. All the previous 'kindness' gone. The Eevee let out a defensive growl, going completely ignored
Subaru sighed. "Figures. A new world and I'm already at the bottom of the barrel."
With no appas and no money, he wandered again, Eevee hopping down and trotting at his side. All he needed to do was find an adventurer's guild, or something similar, then all his financial troubles would disappear.
During his search, he accidentally entered the women's restroom, got kicked out of a demi-human bar, and almost fell into the canal. Bad Luck after Bad Luck… Yeah, it wasn't Subaru's obliviousness or anything...
Then he saw it, the perfect place for his adventure to begin, a dark alley.
In his mind, the tropes of the genre lit up like a neon sign. Shady alleyway? Definitely gonna get jumped. But I've got a Pokémon now. What could go wrong?
Answer: nothing. Because Subaru wasn't alone this time.
And so he entered, Eevee in tow.
He turned a corner into a shadier alleyway, the kind you'd normally avoid in any sane JRPG.
Naturally, he walked straight in.
The air grew heavier the deeper they walked. The alley was quieter than expected, but he could feel it, tension, like static in the air.
"Smells like event flags in here," Subaru muttered, flexing his fingers. "Time to show this world what a NEET can do."
Eevee kept pace, alert, and quiet. Time passed with nothing eventful happening. Subaru took his phone out, checking to see if he had a connection. None, to his disappointment.
Subaru took a breath. "Okay, Eevee—wait, I haven't named you yet."
He turned to Eevee, who looked up expectantly.
"I'll call you... Rigel. That's the name of a star. Bright, reliable, and it sounds incredibly cool. What do you think?"
Eevee chirped, tail swishing, happy with the name. He jumped onto Subaru's shoulder, licking him on the cheek.
The nice moment lasted for only a second, interrupted by sounds of muffled voices, low and threatening. Ahead, a trio of rough-looking thugs blocked the path. One of them was lanky like a snake, a knife in each hand. Another was basically an ogre and the last one was… a dwarf.
Subaru squinted at the trio blocking the path.
"Here it is! My compulsory event!" He pointed at the thugs "These guys look like low-level thugs. Bags of exp perfect for leveling up"
Rigel growled from his shoulder, ears twitching, tail stiff.
"Easy, Rigel," Subaru whispered. "These goons are nothing. Let's beat them up, get some loot, and maybe—"
"What are you babbling on about?" The midget said, irritatted
If you don't wanna get hurt cough up whatever you got" The lanky one demanded
Before Subaru could respond a blur of motion caught his eye, a figure darting past behind the thugs. A small girl with blonde hair and red eyes. She brushed passed him like the wind, her hand slithering into his pocket with inhuman precision. She didn't stop, rushing forward before leaping over a nearby roof.
Mid leap she looked back, a cocky grin on her face "Thanks for the gift, dumbass!"
Subaru stood stunned before checking his pocket. With realization kicking in he bolted after her, only to be stopped by a huge hand grasping his shoulder.
"Where ya think you're going, punk?" he rumbled.
"Outta my way!" Subaru snapped, trying to duck past. Snake Guy's knife caught the light as it flicked toward his chest, stopping him cold.
Subaru's breath caught. One wrong move and this would be game over.
"Huh. That mutt's kinda rare looking. Bet we could sell it for a fat pile of coin."
His thick hand reached up.
"Touch him and I'll shove that arm down your throat," Subaru hissed.
The thug grabbed for Rigel.
Bad move
Rigel snarled and lunged, his jaws clamping down on the man's wrist with shocking force
"GAAAAHH! WHAT THE HELL?!" The big thug let out a scream of pure agony
He flailed, trying to shake Rigel off. Subaru immediately took the opening, ducking under the flailing arm and driving his shoulder into the guy's gut.
"Oof!"
The ogre stumbled back, Rigel landing nimbly beside Subaru.
The knife guy hissed. "You little—! That's it, we're gonna gut you both!"
Subaru backed up, putting distance between them. "Alright, Rigel… now's our moment. Let's do this!"
He pointed like a true Trainer. "Use—uh... TACKLE!"
Rigel blinked up at him.
"…Tackle? No?"
Rigel tilted his head.
"Oh, come on! That's like the most basic move! Every starter has it!"
The thugs advanced.
Subaru's heart pounded, and his hands tightened. Then he felt it, a connection, like a thread wrapping around them. He felt it deep within his soul, a feeling that couldn't be put into words.
With no words or thoughts. Just… pure instincts and feeling. Subaru closed his eyes to focus in the deep connection.
The moves slipped into his mind
Curse. Baton Pass. Helping Hand. Copycat.
"Wait a sec… you're not an attacker."
Rigel crouched low, growling softly. Waiting for his command.
"You're support… That's fine. We fight together," Subaru grinned. "Just follow my lead."
The thugs charged.
No words were said, only flickers of pure intention guided their actions. A vague feeling that connected them, synchronized them.
Light surged from Rigel's body, flowing into Subaru like fire down his limbs. His body tensed, his reflexes sharpened, and his breath became smoother.
He dodged a knife swing from snake guy with barely an inch to spare, twisting as Rigel darted in and leaped from his arm like a springboard, glowing with a purple mist that was absorbed into his body before slamming into the dwarf's face.
"OW! MY EYE!"
Subaru continued the combo with an upper cut to the snake guy, the fist made contact, the thug's jaw clenched shut, teeth cracking under the pressure. He gained a second of air time, knives slipping from his hands, before crashing down unconscious.
And just like that, Subaru's body went back to normal, losing the buff granted by Helping Hand.
"Hell yeah!" Subaru cheered. "Rigel use Baton Pass!"
Rigel's body shimmered. He landed beside Subaru again, the purple mist leaving his body, entering Subaru like a phantom.
Subaru's body became heavy, his movements were now more sluggish. He tried to duck from an incoming punch, but he was too slow. The punch connected with his cheeks, leaving him stunned.
He felt it, it hurt alot but… It only left a bruise. He grinned, shocking the ogre who took a step back.
Rigel darted between them, a blur of brown fur, snapping at exposed legs, drawing their attention. That one-second window was all Subaru needed, his leg rose, striking the Ogre's genitals, making him huff and crouch.
The guy's face was now at Subaru's level, a straight punch went straight to the temple. The ogre was propelled back, impacting against the dwarf before they both made a crack in a wall.
Subaru and Rigel stood panting in the silence, adrenaline still pounding.
"Did we just…" Subaru gasped, "win our first isekai fight?"
Rigel yipped proudly.
Subaru dropped to his knees, laughing and wheezing at the same time. "Okay. Okay, that was badass."
Rigel climbed into his lap, tail flicking happily.
"We make a pretty good team, huh, buddy?" Subaru asked while giving Rigel head pats
Rigel gave a soft "Vee."
A sudden drop in temperature prickled Subaru's skin.
A girl stepped into the alley, hair silver like the moonlight, violet eyes that resembled amethyst. Around her floated a ring of sharpened icicles, all poised like fangs ready to bite.
She was the most beautiful girl Subaru had ever seen, every aspect of her checked off squares in his list. She was nothing short of his type.
"Surrender and I will let this slide, so just gracefully return what you stole" The girl said before noticing the unconscious bodies "D-Did you hurt them?"
Subaru was taken aback before piecing together the misunderstanding
"Ah! No, these guys were trying to rob me" He looked up into her eyes, they enchanted him "And I think the one who stole from you was that brat, she went that way"
The silver-haired girl looked at him up and down, scanning for any untruth
"You don't seem to be lying…" Realization started to kick in "Did I take the long way?"
She sprinted past Subaru
"Hey wait up!" Subaru called out, one hand stretched towards the girl
The girl stopped, but not before pointing an icicle toward Subaru
"Don't move! You know something else don't you?" The girl stared at him intensely, it might have awakened something in him because red hues made their way into his cheeks as he tried in vain to advert his eyes
"See? You adverted your eyes because you have a guilty conscious! Looks like my judgement was spot on" Emilia smirked, her head metaphorically growing from believing she was right
"I just think that's an instinctive male reaction. I don't sense any malice from him at all" A floating grey cat with wispy fur and a huge tail curled around itself slowly materialized next to Emilia's head
Rigel growled softly and stood in front of Subaru protectively.
Emilia took a cautious step forward, but paused as she noticed the little Eevee. "Is that a spirit?"
Subaru tilted his head. "You mean Rigel? I mean, I guess? He doesn't do taxes and floats like your cat, but he does have some magical powers"
Puck floated around Rigel, peering with interest. "Never seen one of these before. Not a spirit, and definitely not a mabeast. Yet… fascinating"
"Eve" Riguel chirped awkwardly, walking closer to Subaru.
"So… That blond brat stole something from you?" Subaru asked, trying to relieve the tension
"Yes, she stole my insignia did you see her carrying it?"
"Hmm, no she was moving too fast but about the insignia do you mean one of those badges things that show you affiliation?"
"Something like that"
"Well, it just so happens that she also stole something from me. So, why don't we join forces and search for her together? You know what they say, two heads think better than one and all that"
"You want to help... But-"
"Lia, I don't sense any malice from him. I think you should accept his offer" He looked at Subaru with a teasing smile "After all, the more shields between you and ruffians the better"
"That's what you want me around for!" Subaru sharply glares at the cat, while Rigel mimicked the action with an indignant "eVE!"
They proceeded to waste a minute in back-and-forth banter, with Rigel occasionally jumping in, until Emilia accepted the proposal.
Subaru offered a thumbs-up, plastering his most charismatic smile. "Let's get your insignia back. And my ball. Rigel worked hard for that win, he deserves dramatic exits."
'Eevee eve" Rigel barked in agreement
"Anyway," he said, standing up straight and brushing himself off, not wanting to repeat the same mistake he made with Rigel "Since we're apparently fighting crime together now, I think introductions are in order. I will go first"
Subaru flexed his buttocks, and rotated hips, lowering his stance as he aimed at the sky with his right hand "My name is Natsuki Subaru. Not only am I clueless, I'm also broke beyond compare"
Rigel jumped onto his shoulder, placing a paw on his head for balance, and then proceeded to strike the same pose. Little paw extended, tiny fluff-chest puffed out, eyes sparkling, mimicking Subaru perfectly. "Eeve evee!"
Subaru's heart melted. "That's right! This is Rigel my partner, the Copycat King! Small in size, enormous in soul!"
"And I'm Puck! Nice to meet you!" The floating cat introduced himself as he flew to Subaru's open palm, shaking it
The girl blinked, perplexed at the scene occurring in front of her, and then she smiled.
"…I'm Satella," she said finally. "Just Satella."
Subaru tilted his head. "Satella, huh… ?" He scratched his cheek. "That's a beautiful name"
The air was getting colder, everything was pitch black, poverty depriving the unfortunate of the light. The streets were quieter here in the slums. They stood in front of the Loot House, a wooden building where stolen merchandise was sold to the highest bidder.
"Why do I have to pay money to get back something stolen from me?" Emilia asked
"Well, at any rate, leave this one to me. I will negotiate with him" Subaru said, as he looked at the menacing building
"Are you sure? What if it's dangerous?" Emilia frowned
"That's why you're staying here with our MVP. No offense to your ice powers, but Rigel's got something even better" He paused, creating suspense "Emotional support fur."
He looked down at Rigel, who was staring up with wide, uncertain eyes.
Subaru crouched and scratched behind Rigel's ears. "Hey buddy. I'm going in. Just me, alright? I need you to keep Emilia safe."
Rigel let out a low, anxious "Vee…", clearly not liking this plan.
Subaru gave him a small smile. "I'll be fine. Just a quick talk and back out."
Rigel suddenly glowed.
A soft shimmer of aura radiated from the Eevee as he used Helping Hand, instinctively boosting Subaru. Subaru blinked as warmth pulsed through him, a white light brushing over his skin.
He smirked "Heh. Thanks for the assist."
Then Rigel crouched, tail high, and mimicked an adjusted signature pose. His arms crossed, one paw to the chest, chin tilted upward, full "broke beyond compare" energy.
Subaru burst out laughing. "You little show-off."
He turned to Emilia and pointed. "See? That's why he's my partner."
Emilia giggled softly, her concern easing just a bit.
Subaru turned around, placing a hand on the door handle.
"Subaru…" He stopped
"Do your best" Emilia said with a smile
Subaru's eyes opened wide like dinner plates. "I will. Don't come in until I say it's all right, Satella"
He opened the door with wary, but determination guided him forward. He didn't look back, not seeing the way the silver-haired girl flinch when he said her name.
The inside of the loot house was deathly silent, the only sound came from Subaru's sneakers pushing off old wooden planks, making them creak and echo. It was devoid of any other light besides Subaru's lamp and a lingering aura from his buffs.
Subaru moved the lamp around, illuminating various items, ranging from weapons of war to toys for kids.
"This is all stolen loot? And why isn't there anyone here? A place that deals with stolen goods can only afford to be so careless"
He continued walking, the creaking suddenly replaced by the sound of a splash. He looked down to see a puddle of crimson. Immediately his breath quickned. Subconsciously he rose the lamp, his gaze lingering on the blood before he looked forward.
There he saw it, the body of a giant bald man covered in blood, big quantities still leaking from his cut face. Subaru stumbled back slightly, fear plaguing his mind.
"Oh dear you found that? I have no choice then" A feminine voice filled the room, the location of the source, unknown.
Subaru looked back
"Yes, I have no choice"
A force struck him, sending his body rolling across the floor, the lamp getting tossed to a corner, leaving him in the dark.
"Ow, that burns.." he said as he looked down, his abdomen was spilling blood. He threw up blood, as his body weakened.
To Subaru everything went quiet. Then–
With a thump, Emilia's body fell to his side, her left-hand landing on a circle made by the bluish moonlight. He stared, his hand instictabily reaching for hers
"I-I'm goi..ng to"
Another thump
Subaru's hand stopped from shock. The small body of Rigel had landed next to his face, its midsection cut open, churning organs slipping out. The blood pooled, reaching Subaru's face in its warm tender embrace. His eyes-opened wide, the one touching the floor getting tainted crimson. Then–
Death