Chapter no.7 Day 2

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I awoke to the sound of a soft "Pika," only to find Pikachu staring at me with those big, expectant eyes.

"Pikachu?" I muttered, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

Suddenly, the realization that yesterday's events weren't a dream hit me like a bolt of lightning. In my shock, I jolted upright, inadvertently sending Pikachu tumbling off the bed.

Yesterday wasn't a dream?!

The smell of ozone snapped me back to the present as Pikachu sparked, clearly startled by the sudden movement.

"S-Sorry, buddy, you startled me. Did you want something?"

"Pika Pi," Pikachu murmured, rubbing his belly in a way that was impossible to misinterpret.

"Okay, buddy, let me just wash up, and then we'll go down to eat," I said, glancing over at Spearow, who was still asleep. There it was, curled up in a ball, one wing draped over its body like a makeshift blanket.

For such an aggressive Pokémon, it sure slept like a cutie.

I shuffled into the bathroom.

Under the cold shower, the chill water cascaded over me, yet it couldn't quench the barrage of questions flooding my mind. I was living a dream—literally stepping into the shoes of a Pokémon trainer, embarking on adventures, befriending Pokémon. The coolness of the water normally soothed me, sharpening my thoughts, but today it only seemed to heighten the surreal reality of my situation.

The mystery of how I ended up here hung over me like a dark cloud. Why was this world so similar to an anime I knew? Was I actually Ash Ketchum, caught in some twisted version of reality? The questions spun in my head, piling onto one another in a dizzying torrent. As the cold water continued its relentless flow, I knew I needed to ground myself.

"No need to worry over questions you won't get answers to," I murmured to the rhythm of the water, trying to shake off the dread. "Let's just enjoy this journey until you get to Sinnoh and meet God."

I snorted at the thought, the absurdity of my situation washing over me as starkly as the icy spray.

How long would it take to reach Sinnoh? I pondered, the water from the shower already turned off but the cold dampness still clinging to my skin.

If the series progression was anything to go by, and if I age—assuming Ash does age—I should be around 16 during the Sinnoh chapter. That means I might be living in the Pokémon world for about six years, assuming I could meet up with Arceus in Sinnoh.

But then, how canon are the Pokémon movies to the anime? That could throw all my calculations off.

"Shit!" I exclaimed, louder than I intended.

I pressed my forehead against the cool bathroom tiles, trying to push back the onslaught of overwhelming thoughts. "I'll deal with this when I get to Sinnoh," I told myself, my voice echoing slightly in the enclosed space. "Let's just enjoy these six years away from school and studying and..." My voice trailed off as I thought of my family. A pang of sadness hit me.

How would they cope without me?

Did they even realize I was gone?

How would they react if I come back?

How would they react if I don't?

I closed my eyes tightly, leaning harder against the tiles, willing myself not to think too much about it.

But another thought crept in, unbidden but inevitable.

Wait, since I am ten and by Sinnoh I'll be 16, that meant going through puberty all over again.

———

Spearow was jolted awake by a loud scream from the bathroom. Confused, the bird Pokémon turned its head toward the sound, its feathers ruffled. It noticed Pikachu nonchalantly licking ketchup packets and chirped questioningly, "Spear?"

Pikachu, with a ketchup packet hanging from its mouth, gave a casual shrug as if to dismiss the noise.

———

As I walked through the Pokémon Center, I couldn't help but feel a bit self-conscious. A few trainers glanced my way, their eyes curious and slightly amused.

I guess I wasn't your typical trainer yet; everything from my step to my puzzled looks must have screamed 'novice.'

"Oh, good morning," Nurse Joy greeted me with her usual cheerful tone, but her eyes quickly darted up to my head. I reached up and felt wet hair, only to realize that Spearow had decided my head was the perfect spot to make its nest.

"I don't think Spearow is going to pay you for that nest," Nurse Joy chuckled, bringing a smile to my face despite the awkwardness of the situation.

Pikachu tapped my feet to hurry me along. "I am getting to it," I murmured to him, then turned back to Nurse Joy.

"Sorry, I'm still new to this Pokémon trainer business."

"Don't worry, you'll do great. Just be patient. Pokémon, like all of us, have their own personalities. Some are easier to work with, and some are harder," Nurse Joy advised kindly.

"Thank you," I replied, feeling genuinely reassured. "I just wanted to ask a few questions." Just then, I felt a tug on my hair. "Spearow, I'll go bald if you keep pulling, and you won't have a nest," I half-joked, half-pleaded.

Spearow paused and seemed to consider this, tucking its wing beneath its beak thoughtfully.

"What were your questions?"

I cleared my throat. "I wanted to ask where the cafeteria is and if I can use the kitchen to make some snacks for my Pokémon."

"Well, the cafeteria is down the hall to the left, and as for the kitchen, you'll need to bring your own ingredients and be in the presence of a slave... I mean, intern," Nurse Joy said, her smile broadening as the three of us—me, Pikachu, and Spearow—sweatdropped at her slip.

"Thank you," I said slowly, processing her instructions.

"How's your back?" she continued, engaging in small talk as she often did to make everyone feel at ease.

"It still hurts somewhat, but I'll manage."

"I'll send you some pain relief ointment," she offered, and I nodded in appreciation.

As I was about to leave, Nurse Joy's voice stopped me in my tracks.

"Before you go, I wanted to inform you that your Rattata will be available to pick up in the next hour after Nurse Chansey assesses whether any additional post-treatment observations are necessary."

I nodded, acknowledging her update with a grateful smile.

"Oh, also," she continued, "we got a call from a Professor Oak asking about you. He asked that you video call him as soon as possible."

Pulling out my Pokédex, I began searching for any saved contacts.

"Have a nice day," Nurse Joy called out cheerfully as I waved goodbye.

I headed toward the cafeteria, my eyes still on the Pokédex.

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As I stepped into the cafeteria, my eyes were drawn to the small garden that opened up at the back. It was a serene spot, with trainers and their Pokémon lounging under small gazebos. The whole scene had a tranquil, almost pastoral vibe that immediately put me at ease.

Pikachu, on the other hand, seemed to have only one thing on its mind as it practically flew towards the food table. There, a tired-looking intern was handing out plated meals—eggs, some berries, toasted bread, and a glass of milk. For the Pokémon, there were bowls filled with what looked like kibble. Finding a quiet spot near the back of the garden, I settled down, preferring the peace and quiet.

As I gazed down at my plate, particularly at the eggs, a curious thought crossed my mind.

Are these made from Pidgey and Spearow eggs?

The anime did show Pokémon as food sources sometimes, but here, I noticed a distinct lack of meat.

Maybe the Pokémon world is like India; they don't use much meat in their cuisine.

The thought of eating Pokémon made me shudder.

Eggs and milk were fine, but eating Pokémon was a line I couldn't cross.

Taking a bite of the egg, I was taken aback. They were the creamiest eggs I'd ever tasted. I almost moaned aloud, the flavor was so rich and delightful. I quickly glanced around, hoping no one noticed my reaction—that would be embarrassing.

"Pika."

The sound snapped me back to reality. I froze as I caught Spearow and Pikachu giving me a look that clearly said, "WTF."

As I noticed Spearow and Pikachu slowly eating while giving me a look that clearly hinted at their less-than-thrilled experience with the meal, I felt a flush of embarrassment rise to my cheeks. Desperate to change the subject, I blurted out, "So, how is the weather?"

In the awkward silence that followed, with both Pokémon still eyeing me dubiously, I impulsively picked up a piece of their Pokémon food, hoping to shift the focus. "Are you two enjoying this?" I asked, my voice slightly higher than usual. Then, curiosity getting the better of me and much to the duo's shock, I popped the piece of Pokémon food into my mouth.

It was like eating styrofoam, bland and utterly tasteless. I grimaced.

"This literally tastes like nothing. Do you guys even like this?" I asked them, grimacing at the bland kibble. Both Pikachu and Spearow shook their heads in agreement.

"Must be some cheap Pokémon food," I muttered, remembering how Ash's Pokémon would devour Brock's delicious meals. Clearly, this was nothing like that.

That's when I remembered the cookbook. "Let's make some real food. What do you say, you two?" I suggested, flipping open the cookbook to a random page. "Frozen yogurt berries covered in chocolate. That sounds..." I trailed off as I saw their mouths watering.

"Let's just quickly eat our breakfast, go to the store, and get some ingredients for the snacks. These seem simple enough to make—just chopped berries mixed with yogurt, frozen, then covered with chocolate, and frozen again. So roughly two hours to make them," I calculated aloud.

The duo began to devour their kibble-like Pokémon food with renewed vigor, excited for the promised snacks. I chuckled at their enthusiasm and began eating my own breakfast, pulling out my Pokédex almost out of habit, like I used to pull out my phone back on Earth.

"This Spearow is male, and his ability is Keen Eye. Currently, this Spearow knows Peck, Leer, Focus Energy, and Fury Attack. The age of this Spearow is one year and two months."

I was surprised.

"He didn't know Fury Attack the other day," I muttered to myself.

Then it hit me—He must've gained enough experience from that scuffle with Team Rocket to learn a new move.

I paused, my thoughts racing.

Wait, do Pokémon actually gain levels here, or was that just in the game?

The idea of a four-move limit suddenly worried me.

"That would really suck," I whispered, hoping the complexities of the game didn't apply here in the same way.

Thinking it over, I decided I could ask Professor Oak about all this.

My eyes caught a weird symbol on the Pokedex sidebar.

Curious, I swiped, revealing a label that read "Encyclopaedia."

Intrigued, I clicked on it, and a video of Professor Oak began to play.

"Hello there, looks like you finally found the secret function of the Pokedex. Well, think of this function as a fun quest, as long as you are able to encounter a Pokémon, their encyclopedia entry will be automatically unlocked for you to read. So enjoy."

I smiled, looking over at Spearow and Pikachu, who had finished eating and were now paying close attention.

"Which one should I play first?" I asked, more to engage them than anything.

"Spearow," one chirped.

"Pikachu," the other buzzed, their voices overlapping as sparks almost flew between them.

"Alright, I'll choose based on who joined the team first," I declared, hoping to settle the mini dispute amicably.

Spearow seemed to accept that reasoning, its glare softening as I selected Pikachu's entry on the Pokedex.

[ Encyclopaedia Entry Number#25 ]

Pikachu are a small species of pokemon which many people find cute, and for this reason have become quite popular as pets, even among people with little interest in pokemon battles. This is an unfortunate fact which leads to many electrocutions, for a Pikachu can be quite dangerous to handle.

Pikachu are a pokemon which store electricity in their cheeks, but this electricity must be released on a semi-regular basis lest the pokemon use powerful electric attacks at random, shocking everything in sight. Typically this is handled by occasionally hooking the rodent up to a special battery which is recharged by its shock, then using the electricity to power the household. Furthermore, they do not only use thundershock to release energy, but also when startled or angry, and they do not have especially forgiving tempers. Many a trainer has been hospitalized or worse when quarreling with their pokemon, some passing away from shock wounds which could have been properly treated were the trainer not embarrassed for how this reflected upon them as a trainer. Moreover there is the issue of weather; Pikachu can seldom be cooped up inside for long, but they are prone to causing nearby people to be electrocuted in rain, and its tail can attract lightning in thunderstorms. Proper care involves the usage of a pokeball in inclement weather, but Pikachu are often reluctant to be so confined. Many inexperienced owners are equally reluctant to use them, fearing it will mark them as pokemon trainers and force them to accept challenges and see their precious Pikachu injured.

Despite this, with a gentle spirit and proper caution, Pikachu can make for excellent pets.

...

As the encyclopedia entry played, I noticed Pikachu looking nervous, almost afraid. It struck me that despite his sometimes brash demeanor, he really did care. Reaching over, I gently placed my hand on his soft, fuzzy head. "Don't worry, we're going to train every day, so the chance of your random discharge is next to zero, okay?"

"Pika," Pikachu responded, still looking unsure. I could feel his tension beneath my hand.

"Look, I'll put this special battery on our to-buy list. We'll ask about the price and try to buy it for you, okay?" I assured him. He nodded, his eyes brightening a little with hope.

"Spearow!" came a sudden chirp, loud enough that I had to rub my ear with my pinky.

"Well, aren't you excited?"

[ Encyclopaedia Entry Number#21 ]

When children are too young to train pokemon, their mothers typically give them two pieces of advice: "Don't go into the tall grass" and "under no circumstances make a Spearow mad." It would do more trainers well to heed the second piece of advice, even once they get their first pokemon; alas, many are too hotheaded to listen.

Spearow are a rare and cowardly pokemon, but quick to anger; if a trainer is too weak to capture or kill one they antagonize (and they are quick to anger) a Spearow will call for backup from its friends, and young children who struggle with one of them now battle a whole flock.

Sometimes trainers have already captured an electric, ice, or rock pokemon and can use its type advantage to survive, albeit typically in critical condition and dire need of a pokemon center. Far more often, young trainers are pecked and scratched to death, and their bodies along with those of their pokemon feed the victorious flock for an entire week.

...

I blinked a few times, lost in thought.

Why does this world feel like it's not just the anime?

This lingering question was interrupted by Spearow's proud display as the flying type strut around proudly, puffing out his plumage as if he were the king of the tall grass.

"Well, aren't you the big bad of the tall grass?" I teased, poking Spearow gently. He seemed to bask in my sarcasm, while Pikachu barely held back his laughter.

"Well, let's get going to the snacks," I announced, standing up.

"Pika."

"Spear."

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"Are you two nervous?" I asked Pikachu and Spearow as we returned from shopping. The trip had surprisingly set me back 200 Pokédollars for berries, yogurt, chocolates, and some chips.

Pikachu and Spearow didn't seem to care about anything but the snacks, their focus unwavering.

I rolled my eyes at their indifference and released Rattata onto my bed, eager to greet her. "Hello ther—"

Before I could finish, I found myself on the ground, pain flaring across my face. I blinked in shock, trying to process what had just happened. "Pika?!" came Pikachu's alarmed cry, electricity crackling around him in the tense air.

In the chaos, Spearow, perhaps trying to defend me or simply reacting to the sudden violence, launched into action. He used Peck as he flew at Rattata, who agilely jumped aside at the last moment. With no time to correct his trajectory, Spearow's peck continued onward, striking the window instead of Rattata. The glass shattered with a loud crash, sending shards flying as the window broke apart under the force of the attack.

"Stop it!" I yelled, scrambling to my feet. My initial anger faded quickly as I saw Rattata cowering in the corner, her tiny body trembling and her eyes wide with fear.

She looked utterly terrified.

Suddenly, the door swung open and Nurse Joy rushed in with a Chansey by her side. "Look, I'm sorry about the window, I didn't realize Rattata would react like that, and—" I started to explain, but Nurse Joy cut me off.

"That's not important, you're bleeding," she said with a tone of urgency.

Confused, I touched my face and flinched at a sharp sting. Turning to the mirror, I saw blood trickling down from my nose, which was unmistakably broken.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Rattata making a break for it. Acting quickly, I pulled out her Pokéball and recalled her back before she could get far.

...

A few minutes later, Nurse Joy had treated my broken nose. She expertly adjusted the splint, explaining in her calm, professional tone, "Okay, so the fracture is clean and should heal nicely as long as you're careful not to stress it further. Just a simple fracture, nothing displaced, so you're quite lucky in that regard."

As she packed away her medical supplies, I mustered the courage to ask the question that had been gnawing at me.

"So, uh, how much do I owe for the window?" I asked, my voice tinged with anxiety as I looked down, regretting not having managed the situation better.

Of course, Rattata acted in self-defense.

She was barely surviving before I captured her.

She doesn't know any better.

Nurse Joy gave me a reassuring smile.

"I think I can give a hero a one-time pass."

I sighed with relief, gratitude washing over me.

"Thank you, but what should I do with Rattata?"

"Can you show me her Pokéball?" Nurse Joy requested.

I handed it over, and to my surprise, she twisted the front button. The reddish top began to fade, revealing a miniature Rattata inside. My mouth fell open in astonishment. 'That's like something from the Pokémon manga!' I thought, rubbing my eyes in disbelief.

"Talk to her," Nurse Joy advised simply, handing back the Pokéball. "I need to go and do my job now," she added before departing.

An awkward silence hung in the air as I stared at the transparent Pokeball, baffled by its mechanics. How was this even possible? The soft squeak from inside the Pokeball pulled me from my thoughts.

"Ratta!" The sound echoed, small but clear.

"You pack quite the punch," I said, noticing Rattata eyeing Pikachu warily.

Pikachu's glare didn't help the tension.

"Don't worry, he's just concerned about what happened last time," I reassured her, though Pikachu's ears spiked up.

Rattata shivered slightly, clearly scared.

"Pikachu, let's not blame her," I urged gently. "She was just scared in a new environment."

"Pika," Pikachu complained, still not convinced.

"Last time I checked, you shocked me when we first met."

Pikachu huffed and turned away, while I turned back to Rattata. "Look, we got off on the wrong foot last time. Let's start over. My name is Austin, and I'm your new trainer." I smiled, trying to make the term 'trainer' sound as friendly as possible.

Rattata's face twisted in confusion at first. "Trainer... like we go on adventures, we battle, we eat..." I explained, pausing as I noticed a spark of interest light up her face.

"Do you want to eat?" I asked softly, and her response was immediate. Her eyes widened, and her tiny body leaned forward eagerly, her tail twitching in anticipation.

"Okay, I'm going to release you and give you some berries, but you have to promise not to try to run away, okay?"

After a hesitant nod, I opened the Pokeball and Rattata stepped out, more composed than before. I picked a handful of berries from the bag and held them out to her. Rattata approached cautiously, sniffed the berries, and then began nibbling. Watching her eat from the palm of my hand, her little nose twitching with each bite, filled me with a warmth I hadn't expected.

Suddenly, a loud screech broke our peaceful moment. I turned to see Spearow, his beak glowing, ready to peck at Rattata.

"Spearow, stand down or no snacks for you."

The threat of missing out on treats was enough. Spearow's posture relaxed, and he settled down begrudgingly. I looked back at Rattata, who was still nibbling berries contentedly.

"Don't worry, as long as I am here, you'll be safe," I promised her sincerely.

Spearow and Pikachu seemed taken aback by my promise.

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"Are you okay?" I asked the tired intern helping me in the kitchen. His pink hair was disheveled, shadows under his eyes betraying his exhaustion.

"Yes, now what will you be using? Dehydrator? Freeze Dryer? Or...." he trailed off, barely keeping his eyes open.

"Why would I need to use those?" I asked, glancing over at Pikachu, Spearow, and Rattata, who were all gazing around the kitchen in awe. The room was a culinary wonderland, with gleaming surfaces and every gadget imaginable, yet it all felt a bit overwhelming.

"You freeze-dry or dehydrate fruit and other things for when you go on the road. They last longer," he explained, stifling a yawn.

I nodded, mentally adding yet another item to my growing list of things to learn.

Okay, at this point, I am convinced Brock was Ash's plot armor.

"Well, I'm just going to be making some snacks with a double boiler and a freezer," I told him.

The intern's eyes widened as if I'd just revealed some ancient secret. "You are the Messiah," he blurted out, a hint of awe in his tired voice.

"What?"

"I'm going to sleep," he declared, already turning away.

"Wait, aren't you supposed to help?" I asked, slightly panicked at the thought of handling all this alone.

"You are the False Messiah," he muttered.

"Okay, man, just go to sleep."

The intern staggered a few steps and then, unbelievably, collapsed onto the floor in a heap, fast asleep.

"Thank you, oh great saint," he mumbled into the tile, completely out for the count.

I sighed, turning back to my Pokémon just in time to see Pikachu on the floor, having narrowly saved a cup from crashing down. The little electric mouse looked up at me, an 'oops' expression on his face.

I really need to get Brock to join me as soon as possible.