Chapter 03 - System Interface
The screen shimmered, and a message appeared:
Welcome, Alex Trent!
The screen shifted, displaying more information:
[User Profile]
Name: Alex Trent
Age: 16
Gender: Male
Trainer Class: Beginner
Hometown: Not selected
Level: 1
EXP: 4/100
Sixteen? I'm sixteen again? The last time I was sixteen… It was a mess of foster homes and bad decisions. Another family dinner with people who didn't really care. Another forced smile. Another night sleeping on a lumpy couch. A wave of bittersweet nostalgia washed over me. But this time… this time it's different. This… this was a second chance. A chance to do things differently.
My gaze drifted to the "Hometown" entry. Not selected. Is that... a choice? Am I supposed to pick one? Pallet Town seemed like the obvious answer, it was right there and home to the world's leading Pokémon Professor. But what would I say? 'Hi, I just materialized in the woods but I totally live here, promise'? An unknown teenager appearing out of nowhere would set off every red flag. Amnesia was the go-to trope for a reason—it was a clean slate. But it was also a magnet for suspicion. Still... it might be the only card I have to play.
Another shimmer, another message:
[System Tutorial]
Think of a keyword to access features. Available features:
System Interface
Status
Skills
Think of a keyword? This was getting weirder by the second. I focused my thoughts on the word "Status."
The screen changed:
[Status]
HP: 100/100
MP: N/A
STR: 6
END: 8
DEX: 7
INT: 11
CHA: 9
LUC: 20
RPG stats? I thought, a mix of amusement and disbelief swirling within me. This is actually happening.
And my luck is pretty high compared to everything else. I guess surviving a direct lightning strike, being summoned to another world instead of just dying, and waking up with a gamer-style cheat system counts as ridiculously lucky. Or unlucky, depending on how you look at it. The jury's still out on that one.
"Skills," I muttered, testing the next keyword.
[Skills]
Observe (Passive) Lv. 1/15: Allows the user to see basic information about a target.
Lv. 1 - Basic Information:
For Pokémon: Provides name, species, and level.
For Humans: Displays name, age, and profession.
NB: More information can be obtained as the skill levels up.
Observe? I focused on the Pidgey hopping nearby.
___________________________
[Pidgey]
[Level]: 2
[HP]: 10/10
___________________________
"So that's how I saw that," I murmured. Useful.
"System Interface," I thought, returning to the main menu. There were some tabs which are still locked, one labeled "Shop" and the other "Relationships".
I shrugged. Relationships. In the games I played, that just meant how much a Pokémon liked you. But in a System this complex... I had a sinking feeling it might be for more than just tracking friendship levels. Let's... not unpack that right now. The 'Shop' tab was more intriguing, and equally frustrating. Locked. Just like 'Relationships', it required Trainer Level 5. Though, why would they be locked? Am I going through some sort of tutorial phase?
Then I noticed a message:
Further features are unlocked upon reaching Trainer Level 5.
Leveling up?
A game… that was real. A wave of dizziness washed over me. This was too much to take in.
I needed to find Emma.
I reached into my pocket and fingered the small, silver hair clip – the one she always wore. The one she wore when we were kids… My heart sank. She had to be here somewhere.
I looked around, taking in my surroundings. The trees thinned out slightly, and I could see rolling hills in the distance. The path wound its way through a field of tall grass, the stalks brushing against my legs. The air was thick with the scent of wildflowers, and I could hear the buzzing of insects. In the distance, I saw a cluster of buildings nestled amongst the trees. Pallet Town. Oak. He might know what to do.
As I started walking toward Pallet Town, a rustling in the tall grass beside the path made me jump. A small, furry creature with big, round eyes peeked out at me. A… a Cottonee? I thought, recognizing it from countless hours of gameplay. It was real. They're all real.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart.
"Observe," I muttered, focusing on the Cottonee.
The screen shimmered:
___________________________
[Cottonee]
[Level]: 3
[HP]: 12/12
___________________________
I blinked. So it works. The System's interface hovered in the corner of my vision, crisp and clear. No glitches, no static—just cold, game-like facts. The Cottonee tilted its head, fluffy white body swaying like dandelion fluff in the breeze. Its fur looked… softer, somehow, than the pixelated sprites I was used to. And the way it moved, the slight rustle of leaves as it hopped – it was all so much more… alive than any animation I'd ever seen. Its eyes sparkled with curiosity, not malice.
Level 3. Grass-type.
No moves listed yet—guess Observe needs to be upgraded to show more details.
The Cottonee hopped closer, its movements light and playful. It chirped, a sound that was both familiar and… different. It was like the game's sound effect, but with an added layer of… organic complexity, a subtle vibrato I'd never noticed before. For a wild Pokémon, it seemed oddly… friendly. Or maybe naive.
But why was a Cottonee here near Pallet Town? If I remembered correctly, which I usually do, ahem,Cottonee is usually found in the Unova region.
"Hey there," I said softly, crouching to its level. "You're a long way from your home aren't ya?"
It trilled, a sound like wind chimes, and bobbed its head.
Definitely not attacking. Maybe it's used to humans?
The Cottonee drifted closer, hovering just out of arm's reach. For a moment, I considered reaching out—then stopped myself. No Poké Balls. No supplies. And I'm not even a real trainer yet. And what if it does know a move? My game knowledge might be useless here.
"Sorry, little guy," I said, standing slowly. "Maybe next time."
It chirped, almost disappointed and sad, before floating back into the tall grass.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone. The map app was still open, guiding me towards Pallet Town. As I walked, I thought about Emma. Where was she? Was she okay? The hair clip in my pocket felt like a tangible connection to her, a promise that I wouldn't give up.
I glanced back one last time toward the ridge where the burnt summoning circle lay. Whatever had pulled me here… it wasn't here.
As I walked forward, the path sloped downwards, leading me towards the town. As I got closer, I could see a signpost, old and weathered, its paint peeling. Someone had spray-painted a crude Pikachu on it, along with the words 'Welcome to Pallet Town, Trainers!'
Trainers… The word echoed in my mind. Was I really a trainer now? Was I ready for this?
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Chapter End