The Roulette of Destiny: Reincarnated in the Pokémon World

The stillness of the night was disrupted by a faint rumble. Ethan stirred awake, blinking groggily as he heard muffled voices outside. He rubbed his eyes and sat up, Sylveon lifting its head from its cozy spot at the foot of the bed.

"What now?" Ethan muttered, glancing at the clock. It was well past midnight.

Curiosity piqued, Ethan slipped on his shoes and tiptoed to the window, Sylveon padding quietly beside him. What he saw made him pause.

A giant hot air balloon shaped like a Meowth hovered above the Pokémon Center. Below it, two shadowy figures and a talking Meowth stood dramatically under the moonlight.

Ethan couldn't believe his eyes. No way… is that Team Rocket?

As if on cue, the duo struck their iconic pose.

"Prepare for trouble!" Jessie began, her voice echoing through the still night.

"And make it double!" James added, equally theatrical.

"To protect the world from devastation!" Jessie declared.

"To unite all peoples within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth, that's right!"

Ethan leaned against the window, trying not to laugh out loud. "This can't be real," he whispered to Sylveon, who looked equally amused.

Sylveon gave a soft snort, clearly entertained by the over-the-top antics.

Meanwhile, the commotion had woken Ash and his group. Bursting out of the Pokémon Center, Ash, Pikachu, Brock, and Misty stood ready to confront the intruders.

"Team Rocket!" Ash shouted, pointing dramatically. "What are you doing here?"

Jessie tossed her hair. "What do you think, twerp? We're here to capture your Pikachu!"

James chimed in, holding up a bizarre gadget that looked like a cross between a vacuum cleaner and a net launcher. "And this time, we've got the perfect device!"

Ethan crossed his arms, deciding to stay out of this one. "Well, this is going to be entertaining," he murmured to Sylveon, who nodded in agreement.

Ash and his team launched into action. Pikachu, as expected, led the charge with a thunderbolt that sent Team Rocket scrambling. Misty's Starmie and Brock's Geodude backed Pikachu up, easily countering Team Rocket's gadgets and sending their Pokémon—Ekans and Koffing—flying.

Throughout it all, Jessie and James kept up their dramatic commentary, shouting about their "brilliant" plans and how they were thwarted by "those meddling kids" once again.

Ethan couldn't help but chuckle. "They're like cartoon villains come to life."

Sylveon gave a low, amused hum as it watched Pikachu deliver the finishing blow—a massive Thunderbolt that sent Team Rocket soaring into the sky.

"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!" they shouted in unison, disappearing into the night with a twinkle.

Ethan shook his head, still smiling. "I'm not sure what's funnier: their entrance or their exit."

As the dust settled, Ash and his friends regrouped, celebrating their victory over Team Rocket. Ethan decided to stay put, preferring to keep his spectator role for now.

"Well, Sylveon," Ethan said, turning back to the bed, "that was certainly worth waking up for."

Sylveon yawned, clearly ready to return to sleep. Ethan followed suit, climbing back under the covers.

The morning sun bathed the Pokémon Center in warm light as Ethan stretched and got out of bed. Sylveon, already awake, was lounging lazily by the window, its ribbon-like feelers swaying gently in the breeze.

"Good morning, Sylveon," Ethan said with a yawn, running a hand through his messy hair.

Sylveon glanced at him and let out a soft hum in response.

After freshening up, Ethan made his way to the Pokémon Center's dining area, where he spotted Ash, Brock, and Misty finishing their breakfast. Ash waved enthusiastically.

"Hey, Ethan! Morning!"

Ethan grabbed a plate and joined them at the table. "Morning. Looks like you're in a good mood, Ash."

Ash grinned, clearly proud of himself. "Of course! I caught two new Pokémon —a Bulbasaur and a Squirtle!"

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Not bad. Guess your team's growing pretty fast."

"Yep!" Ash said, puffing his chest out. "Bulbasaur's strong, and Squirtle's got some real attitude. They're going to be great in battle!"

Brock chuckled. "Just make sure you train them properly, Ash. Catching them is only the first step."

"I know, I know!" Ash replied, waving his hand dismissively. "Anyway, we're heading out soon. We've got to keep moving if I want to earn my next badge."

Misty nodded. "Yeah, and we can't waste any more time. Who knows what kind of trouble you'll drag us into next?"

Ash laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Come on, Misty. It's not like I plan these things."

Ethan smirked but didn't say anything. After breakfast, he watched as Ash and his group prepared to leave.

"Good luck with your journey," Ethan said as Ash waved goodbye.

"You too, Ethan!" Ash called back. "Take care of that Sylveon of yours!"

As the trio disappeared into the distance, Ethan turned his attention to his own plans. He decided to take a walk through the forest near BridgeTown, hoping to explore the area and maybe spot some interesting Pokémon.

The forest was quiet, save for the occasional chirping of Pidgey and the rustle of leaves. Sylveon walked beside Ethan, its keen eyes scanning the surroundings.

Unbeknownst to Ethan, a small, green Pokémon with a bulb on its back was trailing him, hiding expertly among the bushes and trees. It was a Bulbasaur, but not just any Bulbasaur—this one had a mischievous glint in its eyes and a crafty smile on its face.

The Bulbasaur moved silently, keeping just enough distance to avoid detection. It seemed to be observing Ethan, its gaze fixed on him and Sylveon with curious intent.

Ethan, unaware of his follower, continued his walk, occasionally stopping to admire the scenery. "This forest is peaceful," he said to Sylveon. "Maybe we'll come back here to train later."

Sylveon nodded but suddenly flicked its feelers, as if sensing something. It glanced behind them briefly, but when it didn't see anything, it dismissed the feeling and continued walking.

The Bulbasaur smirked from its hiding spot, clearly enjoying its game of cat and mouse.

As Ethan reached the edge of the forest and entered BridgeTown, the Bulbasaur continued to follow, its crafty grin growing wider. Whatever it had planned, Ethan remained blissfully unaware, focused instead on finding a good place to rest and plan his next move.

Little did Ethan know, this Bulbasaur had already decided that its day was going to be anything but ordinary.