Chapter 1: Downpour

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Thoughts = 'Text'

Mental Conversation = <Text >

Said Aloud = "Text"

Text/Phone Conversation = (Text)

Ilex Forest - Johto Region

The sound of water dripping, and leaves rustling resonated through the forest. By a vast lake, a solitary shack stood, its broken boards barely held together by overgrown vines. Inside, on a bed of leaves, a young man lay motionless. Abruptly, he sat up with a groan, his face etched with confusion and pain. As he grunted, he surveyed the room, noting the absence of basic furnishings except for a chair in the center, as worn and fragile as the shack itself.

"Where am I?" he uttered, striving for composure. As he rose slowly, a sharp headache struck, forcing him to bow his head. Visions swirled in his mind—familiar scenes of home and the harrowing memory of being robbed late at night, culminating in a loud bang before all turned white. Then, fantastical images emerged, reminiscent of mythical creatures from childhood TV shows and video games. These gave way to scenes from the life of a young boy named "Tyson," who was now lost. He glimpsed Tyson's past, his upbringing in Cianwood City, and his journey with his parents to Olivine City for a summer getaway.

During their voyage, their ship came under attack by a group of raging Gyarados. He witnessed the captain and crew valiantly battling the Gyarados. The conflict was intense, and passengers were directed to ready the lifeboats in case the situation worsened. Tragically, it did, and a stray Hyper Beam tore a large hole in the ship's side, causing it to founder. He watched as Tyson and his parents' boat tried to escape the fray, only to be ensnared and pulled under by one of the many whirlpools lying between the two cities. The final memory he had was of being dragged down into the abyss as darkness slowly enveloped everything. "Geez, I don't know who was less fortunate, me or this kid," he mused after recounting the tale, with the only remaining memories being those of his family and school life. "It's regrettable that the kid perished, yet it seems I've been granted a second chance at life. However, that doesn't clarify how I ended up here or why I'm covered in leaves."

"Well, there's only one way to find out," he muttered, taking a deep breath. He straightened up and strode towards the door, which suddenly swung open. A bipedal creature with a long, thin snout and a matching mustache entered the shack, holding two spoons in one arm and a bundle of berries in the other. Beside it was a small, bipedal green dinosaur with rock-like skin, a long spike atop its head, and triangular markings on its body, its red eyes piercing. Tyson's memory sparked recognition, "An Alakazam... and a Larvitar?" he said, stepping back, now on guard.

The Alakazam stared at Tyson with a wry smile, its eyes glowing pale blue. Suddenly, a voice echoed, <Worry not, child, I will not harm you. I'm glad to see you're back on your feet>. Tyson flinched; his gaze fixed on Alakazam's face. The voice was unfamiliar yet distinctly male. Memories flickered of movies where psychic Pokémon communicated telepathically. 'Is this telepathy? So, this is what it feels like,' he pondered. The Alakazam spoke again, <You are quite fortunate. This little one carried you from the beach to here, risking everything find food. During his search, he encountered my family and pleaded for our assistance with trainer. He's remarkably loyal.>

As Tyson gazed at the small dinosaur Pokémon, he reminisced about their past. His grandfather had discovered this Larvitar during an expedition on Mt. Silver and gifted it to him on his 8th birthday. For the past four years, Larvitar had been his closest companion. Tyson's eyes softened as he thanked Larvitar, who approached to check that he was safe. Comforted by patting Larvitar on the head, Tyson listened as Alakazam spoke again, <Though I am familiar with humans, most do not venture here just one Pokémon. Why were you so deep in the forest, child?> The question was fair, and Tyson saw no harm in responding. He recounted his adventures, omitting his rebirth, leaving Alakazam astonished that the boy had survived such a perilous ordeal.

After hearing Tyson's story, Alakazam understood his plight. The large, foxlike Pokémon offered Tyson three of the berries it had, and to Tyson's surprise, his stomach growled before he could respond. Bowing his head in embarrassment, he accepted the berries, sat down, and began to eat without hesitation. Once finished, Tyson looked up to find Alakazam still standing there, observing him intently. Clearing his throat with a cough, Tyson stood up and apologized, "Sorry, I didn't realize I was so hungry." Alakazam, with a smile, replied, <Do not worry, child. After what you've been through, hunger is natural. Now, come with me; I shall take you to the nearest human settlement>. Tyson, filled with relief at not having to search for the town himself, was overjoyed, yet numerous questions about his current predicament remained unanswered.

As Tyson journeyed through the forest with Alakazam, he marveled at the diverse sights. They encountered groups of Pokémon along the way, ranging from the common Caterpie and Weedle, accompanied by their evolved forms Beedrill and Butterfree, to the rarer Eevee and Scyther. Witnessing these wild Pokémon coexisting peacefully brought a smile to Tyson's face, fueling his desire for future explorations. Reminiscing about the Pokémon anime, he was thrilled by the myriads of destinations the protagonist visited and the array of people he encountered, which further ignited Tyson's sense of adventure.

As they neared the town, the path became less dense, and the trees thinned until a few houses came into view. The moon was high in the sky; the group had been traveling all day, but Alakazam had helped them avoid any danger. A smile spread across Tyson's face. 'Thank goodness, civilization at last,' he thought as he strode past Alakazam with Larvitar following, eager to explore his first town. Nearing the town's edge, Tyson stopped as a voice echoed in his mind again. <We part ways here, child.> Turning, he saw Alakazam was no longer there, only his voice lingered. <Take care of your little one, and perhaps our paths will cross again in the future,> Alakazam's voice said as it faded away. With a smile, Tyson whispered, "Thank you," and turned to enter the town, filled with a thirst for knowledge about this world and a yearning for adventure.

Ancient Tree - Ilex Forest 

At the heart of Ilex Forest stood a towering tree, its roots stretching for miles. Along these roots, a variety of Pokémon were visible, ranging from Furret to Butterfree, and even rare ones like Pineco and Abra. Perched on the thickest vine was a diminutive Pokémon, resembling a fairy with green skin and slender hands that ended in three fingers. The serene atmosphere was suddenly broken as a large Pokémon materialized beside the fairy; its vulpine features identified it as the Alakazam that had led Tyson to Azalea Town just moments earlier.

<My lord, I have guided the human as you requested,> Alakazam spoke. The fairy turned to him with a smile and replied, <Thank you. That child is but a wandering soul who found his way here by mistake. The least I can do assist him to the starting line and avoid unnecessary problems>. Alakazam's face showed a hint of confusion as he responded, "Problems? What would have happened if we hadn't interfered?"

<That answer is no longer important, and do not worry, as I mentioned before, we shall see that boy again in the distant future. At time, you might struggle to recognize him,> were the words that prompted Alakazam to nod before vanishing. 'Wandering soul destined to guide others onto the correct path, may our paths intersect... in the near future,' mused the fairy as it was engulfed by a bright green light, leaving behind nothing but silence.