Chapter 4: The Price of Victory

As I walked toward the Pokémon Center, the air buzzed with the usual hum of trainers and their Pokémon, the echoes of battles still fresh in the distance. 

My sneakers scuffed the dirt path, my head a tangled mess of thoughts from the day. 

Battling Samurai was tough, even if I managed to scrape a win out of it. I'd learned a lot, sure, but something gnawed at me like an itch I couldn't scratch. 

"Hey, bro! Wait for me!"

I stopped dead, hearing the voice behind me. 

Turning around, I spotted Samurai jogging toward me, his hand raised in greeting, a grin plastered across his face. 

"You're going to the Pokémon Center?" he asked between heavy breaths as he finally caught up.

"Yeah, I am," I replied, trying to sound casual as if I wasn't still replaying our last battle in my head. 

"I'll go with you," he said, falling into step beside me without waiting for an invitation. 

I shrugged, not really minding the company. 

We walked for a while in silence, the sounds of the town filling the gaps. Samurai broke it first. "That's a win for you. Even though we drew in the second round, you took the first."

"That was fun. I learned a lot," I replied. 

My words felt like an understatement. 

He nodded, eyes glinting with that competitive spirit. "You're good, Real good."

As we continued walking, I found my thoughts wandering. How many points do we have now?

Ariana, chimed in. [Five points]

Five? I was dumbfounded. How?

[First battle earned you one point. The second earned four more, even though it was a draw. You still won in the end.]

But why the extra two points?

Ariana's response was quick, almost too quick. [Because Samurai's a minor character. He only appeared in one episode of the anime.]

I stopped short, nearly tripping over my own feet. What anime? What do you mean, episode?

[I'm sending memories. You'll have basic knowledge soon enough.]

The sharp, searing pain hit me before I could brace for it, like someone drilling into my skull. 

I nearly collapsed right there, but Samurai lunged forward, catching me before I could hit the ground.

"You alright, bro? You should rest," he said, concern lacing his voice. 

I pushed him away gently, trying to play it off like nothing. "I'm fine, just tired." The pounding in my head started to fade, but the confusion lingered. 

My mind buzzed with fragments of things I hadn't known just moments before. I'm in an anime? What the hell?

"I'm William Oliver," I muttered, trying to anchor myself in something real, "but you can call me Will."

Samurai nodded, a grin flashing back onto his face. "I'm Samurai. And… well, you can call me Samurai."

I blinked at him. 

That name still sounded like a joke to me, but there was no time to question it. 

My mind kept spinning with all the new information Ariana had dumped into my brain.

Alright, Ariana. Explain everything. I demanded in my head.

[Master, you'll have to buy information from the special shop.]

Special shop? I felt my eyebrow twitch.

Ariana's voice hummed with a list I hadn't asked for. [You can buy Pokémon eggs for 100 points, but they'll take a month to hatch. No legendaries. Normal anime episode summaries cost one point. Full episode info, ten points. Memories from your past life cost 10,000 points—]

Wait, what? My thoughts came to a screeching halt. 10,000 points for my own memories?

[Yes. Becoming a Psychic costs 1,000 points. You can also buy one year of experience for 50 points. Knowledge of all Pokémon of each generation costs 100 points.]

My stomach churned. Evolution stones?

[Fifty points each. Pokéballs increase by ten each time you purchase, starting with ten Pokéballs.]

I felt my mouth dry up. Master Balls?

[1,000 points.]

I gritted my teeth. 

This was insane. 

Everything came at a price. Instant healing?

[Thirty points.]

So expensive, I muttered in my head, realizing how little I actually had. Five points was a drop in an ocean.

[Yes,] Ariana agreed, with an indifference that made me want to scream.

I sighed out loud, unable to stop the weight of it from slipping out. 

This world, this bizarre reality I had been thrust into, felt more complicated by the second. 

At least there was a way to get my memories back, but the cost felt like it was designed to trap me in this place. 

Could I even afford it? 

I clenched my fists. I didn't have a choice, did I?

Samurai glanced at me out of the corner of his eye, probably sensing the storm brewing in my head but knowing better than to ask. 

I pushed my thoughts down, burying them deep under the weight of everything else.

At least for now, I could keep walking. 

"Let's get to the Center," I said, forcing myself forward. One step at a time.

---

The line at the Pokémon Center barely moved, and I could feel the minutes stretching like days. 

Samurai stood behind me, his usual silence louder than the occasional shuffle of feet around us. 

I didn't mind. 

I liked the quiet—gave me time to think. About what was coming. About what had already changed. 

My thumb traced the Pokéball in my hand, its surface cool and familiar. 

My first Pokémon. 

My Growlithe. 

The thought stirred something inside me, a mix of excitement and anxiety. I glanced at the people ahead, impatiently waiting their turn. 

The fluorescent lights hummed overhead, and the faint scent of antiseptic clung to the air. 

It wasn't unpleasant, but it reminded me too much of the times I'd been here as a kid, tagging along behind my dad, watching as he handed over his battle-worn team to Nurse Joy. 

Now it was my turn. 

My team. 

My battle ahead.

The line moved forward.

I stepped up to the counter, and Nurse Joy greeted me with a warm, practiced smile. "William," she said, her voice lilting with familiarity. "You've finally become a Pokémon trainer."

I handed her the Pokéball, heart pounding. "Yeah," I managed, trying to sound casual, but I knew my voice gave me away.

She smiled knowingly, placing the ball onto the machine behind her. A soft hum filled the space between us. "I'm sure your parents are proud. How's the restaurant?"

There it was. 

The restaurant. 

Always the restaurant.

"I'm headed back after this," I said, forcing a grin. "Gotta keep my priorities straight, right?"

Nurse Joy gave me a look, like she knew something I didn't. "Don't be a stranger," she said, handing back the ball. The weight of it in my hand felt different. 

Heavier, somehow. 

I stepped aside, waiting for Samurai. He didn't take long. 

"Let's grab some lunch," I said, turning to him. "It's on me. My family's place."

Samurai raised a brow, his expression barely shifting. "Not necessary. I eat a lot."

I laughed, clapping him on the shoulder. "I can handle it. Trust me."

We left the Center and the familiar streets of Pewter City greeted us. 

The sun hung heavy in the sky, the heat pressing down, but there was something comforting about it. 

These streets, these buildings—they were part of me. 

The restaurant was as it always was. Small, warm, and smelling like home. The second I walked in, the waiter spotted me. "Will! Mark and Clara are in the kitchen."

"Thanks," I nodded, leading Samurai upstairs.

We found a table by the window, overlooking the city. 

It wasn't the best view, but it was home, and I liked seeing the rooftops stretch out towards the horizon. 

The hum of conversation and clattering dishes filled the air, but up here, it felt quieter, more peaceful. I slid into my chair and glanced up at the air conditioner. "Can you lower that thing? It's way too hot in here."

The waiter nodded, adjusting the dial before turning back to me. "What'll it be?"

I glanced at Samurai, but he just shrugged. "You can order whatever," he said.

"Alright then. Three Mushroom Risotto, three Lemon Garlic Shrimp Skewers, and something cold to drink," I said, rattling off the order.

As the waiter disappeared, I turned back to Samurai. "You're not local, are you?"

He shook his head. "I live in Viridian Forest. I come here from time to time. Battle trainers."

"Must be tough, living out there," I said, leaning back in my chair.

"It's quiet. I like quiet."

I nodded, falling silent for a moment. I couldn't imagine living out in the forest like that. 

Alone. 

Always waiting for the next battle. But I respected it.

The food came, steaming and smelling like perfection. The first bite was heaven—just like Mom made it. Samurai ate quietly, but I could see he was impressed. 

After a while, I speak in my mind. "Growlithe—teach him Ember."

I paused mid-bite, hearing Ariana's voice in my mind. [Done. Growlithe's Ember move has been mastered. Points zero.]

I nodded to myself, swallowing. "Thanks." 

Samurai took a long sip from his drink, then wiped his mouth. "I have to head back soon. Traveling at night through Viridian Forest… not a good idea."

"I get it." I took another bite. "Your Pinsir's impressive, by the way. Really well trained."

"I've spent too much time with him," Samurai said, not quite smiling, but there was something there. Something close.

We finished eating in comfortable silence. 

After lunch, we walked outside, the sun still strong overhead. 

Samurai turned to me. "It was good meeting you, Will. Maybe we'll cross paths again."

"We will," I said, with a certainty I hadn't felt earlier. He nodded once before heading off into the city.

I stood there for a moment, watching him go, before turning on my heel and heading home. 

The streets blurred into the background as I thought about what came next. My gym battle. My first real step towards being more than just Will from the restaurant.

Inside, the house was quiet. I made my way upstairs, taking out Growlithe's Pokéball as I entered my room. 

When I released him, he leapt out, licking my face before flopping down on the carpet. I laughed, rubbing his head. "Good boy."

He yawned and rolled onto his back, already half-asleep.

I sat at my desk, pulling out my old diary from the drawer. 

The pages were worn, filled with years of dreams and thoughts, but today felt different. 

Today, I wasn't just writing dreams. I was writing what was real. 

What was coming.

I wrote until the light outside started to fade, the shadows stretching long across my room. 

"Will! Dinner's ready, sweetheart!" Mom's voice echoed from downstairs.

"I'm coming!" I shouted back, closing the diary with a soft thud.

---

I sat at the table, the dim glow of the kitchen lights reflecting off the plates of sushi rolls and bowls of miso soup neatly arranged before us. 

My chair creaked as I leaned forward, reaching for a piece of sushi, careful not to disrupt the stillness that clung to the air between us. 

Mom's eyes flickered towards me, breaking the silence. "I hear you came to the restaurant today," she said, her voice soft but with an edge that caught my attention. 

She picked at her food absentmindedly. "But you didn't come to say hello."

I swallowed my bite, glancing between the two of them—Mom and Dad, sitting across from me, their eyes expectant. "I was with a new friend," I said, reaching for another sushi roll. "Met him today."

Mom raised an eyebrow, tapping her chopsticks lightly on the edge of her bowl. "And this... weird guy's name?"

I took another bite, chewing slower this time. "Samurai."

She set her chopsticks down, her lips tightening slightly. "That's the one. The guy who carries a katana everywhere."

Dad's deep voice rumbled in. "Everyone's different, Clara," he said, shrugging as he scooped some miso soup. "People do what they think is right."

We ate in silence for a moment, the only sound the faint clinking of chopsticks and bowls. 

I felt the weight of what I was about to say tugging at the back of my mind, but I went ahead anyway. "I'm going to challenge Brock," I said, the words slipping out with more force than I intended. "And after that... maybe leave Pewter."

Mom's reaction was instant. "No." The word hung in the air like a command, her tone sharp, final.

I looked at Dad for backup, hoping he'd say something, anything. 

His mouth opened, but before he could get a word out, Mom's glare shut him down. He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat, staying silent.

"You're not leaving tomorrow," she said firmly, her voice a little softer now but still holding that iron edge. "At the very least, we have to celebrate if you win the gym badge."

Dad and I exchanged a quick glance, both of us caught off guard. 

We blinked at each other, thinking the same thing: Why is she so mad, then?

We shrugged in unison and took another bite.

Mom's voice softened even further. "How's the food? Do you like it?" She smiled a little, the tension loosening from her face. "I made it special for you."

I grinned despite myself. "It's really good. I want more."

Her smile widened, and she reached over, piling more sushi onto my plate. Dad took a sip of his soup, the steam curling up toward his face.

"So," Dad said after a moment, "how was your first day as a Pokémon Trainer?"

I paused, letting the taste of the sushi linger on my tongue before answering. "It was... amazing. Tough, though. My first battle, I had to play really defensively, but we won in the end."

Dad nodded, understanding in his eyes. Mom kept eating, but I could tell she was listening carefully.

"The second battle was different," I continued. "With Samurai, I got so... focused. I was aggressive—won the first match fast, but the second was a draw. It was weird. I felt like I zoned in completely."

We all took another bite. The food was good, but my mind was still replaying the battles.

I could feel the rush again, that intensity that had washed over me during the fight.

Dad leaned back, his expression thoughtful. "It's normal," he said, his voice low. "It's in our bloodline. When we feel like we're about to lose... something snaps. It can last a whole battle, sometimes just a few minutes." He paused, his gaze meeting mine. "But it has side effects."

I nodded slowly, piecing it together. "I felt... exhausted afterward."

Mom's voice cut in, gentle this time. "Then eat, sleep, and wake up late tomorrow. You need rest."

I blinked, surprised , but nodded. We ate in silence for a while longer, the tension melting away with each bite.

"So," Mom said, her voice light again, "that's how you met Samurai and became friends?"

I nodded, swallowing the last bite of sushi. "Yeah. He lives in the Viridian Forest."

Mom and Dad exchanged a glance, something unspoken passing between them. 

They didn't say anything, though, just continued eating. 

I didn't ask what they were thinking. 

Whatever it was, they weren't going to tell me now.

Dinner finished quietly, the clinking of bowls and chopsticks slowing as we polished off the last bits of food. 

I stood up, my chair scraping against the floor, and muttered a quick "goodnight" before heading upstairs.

My room was dim, only a sliver of moonlight sneaking through the curtains. 

I smiled as I spotted Growlithe curled up on the carpet, his soft snoring barely audible. 

I tiptoed around him and made my way to the bathroom.

After brushing my teeth and changing into my sleep clothes, I collapsed onto the bed. 

My body ached, the weight of the day finally catching up to me. 

But my mind... it raced with thoughts of battles, strategies, and the path ahead. Brock's gym was just the start.

As I drifted off, one thought lingered: tomorrow would be another step closer to proving myself, to stepping out of Dad's shadow. 

I just had to win.