The Pokémon:Isekai

Route 3 stretched before me, a rugged expanse of uneven ground and scattered boulders that made every step of mine unbalanced. The air was dry, carrying the scent of sunbaked rock and the distant hum of battling trainers.

Trainers were everywhere—some lounging on picnic blankets, others tending to their Pokémon, and many more eager for a fight. With Aria and Oddy,we fought through battle after battle.

By the time the sun started dipping below the cliffs, we were exhausted.

Rotom floated beside me, Oddy walked beside me with tired steps and Aria sat on my shoulder, his small body slumped in exhaustion.

I exhaled, glancing up at the darkening sky. The PokéCenter was not in sight.

Looks like we're roughing it tonight

We found a small, sheltered alcove nestled between two large boulders—far enough from the road to avoid unwanted attention but still open enough to keep an eye on our surroundings.

"Alright, let's set up here for the night," I said, setting my Tent down with a tired sigh.

Aria curled up beside me,Oddy wobbled onto the softest patch of dirt he could find before flopping down with a tiny, content sigh.

Rotom, still hovering lazily in the air, let out a digital hum. [Alex Carter, you sure you don't want to push through to the PokéCenter?]

I shook my head. "Not worth it. We don't know exactly where is it and ı don't think we have the energy to take another step."

Rotom buzzed in understanding. [Fair point,Alex Carter.]

A small holographic display flickered in the air as Rotom activated a makeshift light source, illuminating our little hideout just enough to make things feel less eerie.

I secretly pulled out some berrys from the inventory for Aria and Oddy, handing Aria and Oddy their portions while I also tasted it myself before I spitting it out the mixed flavoured berry.

The night stretched on, quiet except for the distant calls of nocturnal Pokémon. The wind carried the soft rustling of dust, and somewhere in the distance, I heard the low hoot of some birds.

As exhaustion crept in, I lay down inside the tent. Staring up at the star-filled sky from inside the tent before falling sleep.

As I woke up, the first thing I did was look around. Oddy and Aria were sleeping in a… weird position? Aria was sprawled out on top of Oddy, using him like a pillow, while Rotomdex was just laying there,it's screen dim, looking like a closed phone.

I sighed and carefully stepped out of the tent, stretching as the morning light warmed my face. Looking around, I opened the red screen, retrieved a bottle of water from inside, and splashed my face to wake myself up.

Once I felt a little more refreshed, I turned back to the tent, calling out, "Alright, time to wake up!"

Oddy mumbled something in his sleep before rolling off Aria, who groggily blinked at me with half-lidded red eyes. Rotom's screen flickered to life, its usual buzzing sound filling the air.

[Finally! I thought you were gonna sleep all day, Alex Carter!] Rotom teased.

I ignored it and quickly worked on tidying up the tent, getting some help from the others. After packing up, we set off again, walking through Route 3 for what felt like hours.

The route was rough, filled with battles against trainers who seemed to pop out of nowhere. Aria and Oddy handled themselves well, though by the time we finally reached the Pokémon Center, we were all hungry and exhausted.

But just as I was about to step inside, I spotted a familiar face.

"Sammy?" I called out, walking toward him.

He turned at the sound of my voice, his clothes completely torn up covered with blood,dirt. Scratches covered his face, and his expression looked—

Well, traumatized.

"Hey!" I greeted, stopping in front of him. "What happened to you...?"

The moment he recognized me, his eyes widened in horror.

"ALEX!" he shouted, grabbing my shoulders, his hands shaking.

I barely had time to react before he leaned in, his dead-serious gaze piercing into me.

"Zubats! I hate them!" he blurted out, panting.

I blinked, trying to process what he just said. "Wait, what happened?"

He took a deep breath, then suddenly shouted at the top of his lungs,

"SO MANY ZUBATS! THEY ALMOST KILLED ME!!"

"Can you tell me what's going on?" I asked, watching as Sammy slumped onto a bench, his clothes still a mess.

He let out a deep sigh before launching into his story.

"I entered Mt. Moon and walked around in complete darkness for, like, an hour or so. Then my flashlight died then Rotom lighted the area little bit but out of nowhere, a swarm of Zubats attacked me!" He gripped his head like he was reliving the trauma. "I ran for hours before finally getting out! Tusk and Rotom tried to fight and Abra distracted them but there were just too many of them! And this new guy is completely useless!"

He pulled out a Pokéball and tossed it to me. I caught it and pressed the button, releasing—

A Magikarp.

It flopped weakly on the ground, making a soft plop sound before staring blankly at us.

"...Where did you even find a Magikarp?" I asked, holding up the Pokéball.

"A guy inside the Pokémon Center sold it to me for 10,000 Pokédollars!" Sammy practically screamed. "He told me it was the strongest Pokémon that ever lived! So, I bought it, but—" He threw his hands up in frustration. "It sucks! And now that man is nowhere to be seen!!"

I stared at him for a moment before a realization hit me.

He got tricked Just like me.

I suddenly remembered the time I played FireRed, falling for the exact same scam.

I chuckled and handed the Pokéball back. "Haha, don't worry! Magikarp might be weak now, but its evolution is insanely strong!"

Sammy squinted at me, clearly still skeptical, before I pointed at the scratches and bruises covering him. "By the way, did you even get treated for those?"

He glanced down at himself before awkwardly rubbing his arm. "No, I didn't."

I sighed. "Then go inside and get checked out. You look like you barely survived a war."

He nodded and stood up, still staring at the Pokéball in his hand as he returned magikarp to it before hearing my growling stomach. "By the way, if you're hungry, there's a Poké Mart nearby that sells sandwiches."

"Really? I don't remember a Poké Mart being here when I played the—" I caught myself mid-sentence. "Uh, never mind! Thanks!"

He gave me a small wave as he walked into the Pokémon Center.

"Take care," he said.

"You too," I replied before dashing toward the Poké Mart, clutching my stomach.

After walking for a minute or so, I spotted the Poké Mart up ahead. Unlike the standard marts I was used to, this one looked like a mix between a café, hotel, and market—a full three-story building.

Without hesitation, I dashed inside, my stomach practically screaming for food.

Inside, I saw an older couple, both around their sixties,working behind the counter. The man, with his mix of blue and white hair, was handling some ingredients, while the woman, likely his wife who had white hair,weared glasses and a apron were wiping down the counters.

"Hello! Is there something quick and tasty you can recommend?" I asked, barely able to stand the hunger anymore.

The old man glanced up, giving me a friendly smile.

"We've got some great sandwiches if you'd like," he offered.

I nodded eagerly. "I'd love some!"

He pointed to a table near the window, and I made my way over, my team in tow. The café was mostly empty, aside from two couples enjoying their meals. It felt peaceful—a sharp contrast to the chaos I had dealt with all morning.

I sat down, gazing out the large window, while Rotom hovered beside me. Oddy, waddled onto the seat across from me, while Aria, curiously peeked outside.

[So, what's the plan, Alex Carter?] Rotom asked, its screen flashing as it hovered in place.

I leaned back in my chair. "The plan is simple—we enter Mt. Moon, get through it as fast as possible, and then challenge the Cerulean Gym."

[Why don't you ask me about the gym? I have all the details for it!] Rotom buzzed excitedly.

I sighed but gave in. "Fine. Tell me about it."

[Of course, Alex Carter! The Cerulean Gym specializes in Water-type Pokémon and has one Gym Leader—Misty, also known as the Water's Mermaid!]

I raised an eyebrow at the nickname but let Rotom continue.

[The gym used to have three leaders, Misty's older sisters, but after losing to their youngest sibling, they decided to retire and become full-time dancers. Now, Misty is considered the strongest Water-type Gym Leader the city has ever had! But don't worry, Alex Carter. I believe Oddy has a great chance against her!]

I crossed my arms. "That was... a lot of unnecessary information."

Still, I couldn't help but smirk. So Misty rebelled and took over the gym, and her sisters became dancers? A win-win situation for both sides, I guess...

Just then, the old woman arrived, carrying a tray with three sandwiches. The delicious aroma instantly made my stomach growl.

Before I could dig in,Rotom continued.

[But before that, we need to go through Mt. Moon and reach Cerulean City, Alex Carter!]

As I reached for my sandwich, the old woman suddenly spoke up.

"Young man, are you headed towards the Cerulean City?" she asked, her tone filled with curiosity.

I paused, my hand hovering over my sandwich, and looked up at her.

"Yeah… why?"