Burden! The world number 1 Metapod... probably not.

"We've been walking for hours, are you sure this arrow isn't broken?"

"No, you can literally see your progress in real-time, start making sense before my hardware fries, please, for the love of god."

Glen was about to say something, but he tripped over something, and using the reflexes he honed by often tripping over things, he managed to roll, instead of faceplanting.

Looking down towards his 'assailant,' a confused metapod can be seen looking up at him.

"System, it's a wild pokemon, I think we are under attack, what should I do?"

"System, are you there?!"

...

"Looks like I'm on my own then."

Glen walked towards the creature and inspected it, the creature blinked, slightly startling Glen.

"hmmm, ah, looks like a metapod, maybe it's edible?"

Glen began poking the creature with a stick and found its shell nigh impenetrable.

"Hey system, what level is this thing? Can you also inspect it's talent or something?"

"level 5 metapod, talent grade bronze 5."

"Bronze is good right, maybe I can take this thing with me, and when it evolves, I'll have a strong butterfree or something."

"Bronze 5 is literally the worst, and you would know that if you paid attention to a thing I tell you."

Meanwhile, Glen was already lugging the green cocoon pokemon over his shoulder, as he continued following the arrow.

"I'm sure he will get a better talent when he evolves into whatever."

"No, talent doesn't change, and you already know it evolves into butterfree, why do you intentionally act stupid? You have an intellect of 10, what is literally wrong with you?"

"Yeah yeah, I'm not stupid, and you know me, I'm a chill dude, it's good to live life and not think too hard."

"It's not hard, you are just lazy, and I suggest you drop that thing, you are still five hours from the exit, and lugging that twenty-pound burden around isn't doing you any favors."

"Burden is his name??"

"Okay, sure."

Nodding to himself, Glen addresses the creature he had since laid on the ground. "It's nice to meet you Burden, do you wanna team up and conquer the first gym leader together?"

The pokemon could only blink in protest. Its eyes sending morse code signals for help.

.

Two people could be heard talking.

"Why are you still following me anyways, I said I can't pay for your stupid bike."

"Hmph, I don't care, I won't stop bothering you until you pay."

"Why do you want a bike anyways, it's useless out here, and why would a gym leader be out here anyway."

"Shut up Ass Ketchum, pay for my bike."

"I already told you to stop calling me that, my name is Andrew."

The ai's voice rang in Glen's head, "Hey idiot, there are some people up ahead, they look to be around your new body's current age, you are dehydrated, so I suggest you see if they have any food and water they can give to you. "

The ai then said something about Glen being eighteen, looking ten, and having the mental age of two, but Glen stopped listening after he heard there were people.

"Where? Where? Do I follow the arrow?"

"I said up ahead, that means the direction you were going, and you should be able to hear them talking, and if you look properly, you should be able to see them, are your five senses a joke to you?"

"Can you update the arrow just in case plz?"

"... fine."

From the trees, Glen appeared and yelled towards the two, who in turn eyed the newcomer warily.

"Hey there, you kids lost too?"

The boy wore slightly dirtied travelers gear and a large backpack, while a pikachu, presumably belonging to him or the girl, had its fur spiked up like a cat, ready to engage.

Seeing it was a kid around their age, and saw he was holding what looked to be a metapod over his right shoulder, they dropped their guard slightly, then raised it when they found he was butt naked.

"Who are you?"

"Glen," Glen scratched the side of his face, "And hey uh, I kind of got robbed of all my possessions and left for dead, think you can help me out?"

Seeing the blood on Glen's hands, and the 'honest' look, the girl took a step backward, "Uh, yeah, sure."

Glen was now equipped with some spare clothes, thanks to Andrew. He had explained what happened properly, only leaving out that his neck was slit, and how he was reincarnated, as well as the Ai's existence. He at least had the sense to avoid coming off as a complete maniac.

The plain-looking red-headed girl calling herself Sarah spoke, "That's horrible, when we get to town, I'm sure the police can help you."

Andrew inspected the metapod, its head digging into the dirt like a shovel, or a bike's kickstand, "What's with the metapod, I thought you said you were robbed of all your possessions, did they leave this one behind?"

Glen shook his head, then smiled, "Nah, I found him in the forest, and I thought I would carry him with me for protection, his names apparently called Burden."

Sarah giggled, making Andrew laugh too, then he said, "I'm not sure how well he's going to protect you, yknow, not being able to move and all, nice name though, haha."

.

Choking down a biscuit, Glen drank some water to help it down, he then asked with some confusion, "So Andrew, what were you two doing out here in the middle of nowhere?"

"Same as you were, training my pokemon," He looked down at pikachu, who lay by his side, besides this pikachu, I caught a caterpie and a pidgey some time back, but these beginner stage pokemon are going to get their asses beat if I try to take on flint."

"Ah, cool man, I thought you might be a trainer as well."

Andrew nodded, "Yeah, I was lucky enough to get sponsored by Professor Oak, over in pallet, how about yourself?"

Glen recalled his memories, then replied, "My father, my family is somewhat well off" Glen shrugged, "That's probably why I was targetted, glad I found you two though. Was this cute lady sponsored as well?"

"My mother owns the gym over in Cerulean city," Sarah then pointed at Andrew, "I traveled down here to train, and this dick here ruined my bike, and he refuses to pay for a new one!"

"I already told you I'm not paying for your shitty bike."

After some food and water, and with Andrew in the lead, the three managed to get off the growth-ridden forest, and onto a somewhat worn trail. From the way it was made, and the wooden engravings into the forest soil, he was certain it was man-made.

Glen noticed something, he was looking around for pokemon as he idly chatted, but now that he was on the trail, he strangely found the group never encountered a single pokemon. He searched his memories and recalled that pokemon were supposedly very intelligent.

His thoughts collided, and he recalled a legend that the previous (now deceased) Glen had learned from a children's story he once read.

{In a place like our own, and in a time that was lost, a time unrecorded by living memory, there was a world.

"The dominant species upon this world were called pokemon. These creatures were intelligent, and were capable of communicating among themselves."

These pokemon lived within their own ecosystem, and each pokemon accepted their place within it. The strong would devour the weak. If you were weak, you could only blame yourself.

The weak feared and respected the strong, but they did not fear this new species as they feared each other, after all, they were weaker than even the lowliest among them.

Despite their weakness, this species, through ingenuity, conquered the lands around them, carving their own place within it, this species is called humans.

They throttled the old paradigm, and nature was forever changed. Rallying the lowest rung together, the humans, as well as the pokemon that stood beside them became the new apex predators!

Pokemon, while intelligent, lacked in many ways, they could fight, but they did not farm. They were social, but only within their own groups. Pidgey with pidgey, rattata with rattata. If they overbred, they eventually starved.

Soon almost all the pokemon in this world took notice of the humans, with many seeing these humans in a good light. Many found that if they joined the humans, they would not starve, they would gain their protection, and they would break free, and live unhindered.

However, while pokemon feared each other, the humans in tern feared one another as well.

The humans clashed among themselves as they fought over lands.

The pokemon felt betrayed. Many pokemon fled from the humans. The Pokemon had become weary, and angry.

They would no longer be willing to follow a human unless they proved their strength. The humans, realizing their mistake, sent their worthy young alone, out into the wilds to train among the pokemon, and this soothed their anger. These youth were called pokemon trainers.}