Both of them shrieked at the same time, their voices piercing the tranquil forest air like a pair of mismatched alarms.
The Zigzagoon flailed its tiny paws in the air, its striped body arching backward in exaggerated shock, while Satoshi nearly lost his balance on the slick rock, his arms windmilling wildly to keep from tumbling back into the rushing river below.
For a heartbeat, time seemed to freeze—the only sounds the distant gurgle of water and the rustle of leaves in the breeze. Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, the Zigzagoon scrambled backward, its fur puffing out like a spiky, oversized puffball, eyes wide with a mix of alarm and indignation.
Satoshi clutched his chest, his heart still racing as if it were trying to escape his ribcage.
He sucked in deep, ragged breaths, the cold river water dripping from his clothes and hair, now starting to dry in the warm afternoon sun.
"What the hell?!" he gasped, half-laughing, half-groaning. "I almost died twice today! First the sky, now a jump-scare from a raccoon Pokémon!"
The Zigzagoon shook itself off vigorously, sending droplets flying in every direction, its fur still bristling like it had been electrocuted.
"Zigzag? Zagoon!" it chattered indignantly, paws stamping the ground. (Jeez, man, what's your deal?! You scared me half to death!)
"You scared me first!" Satoshi shot back instinctively, his voice sharp with leftover adrenaline.
Then he froze, the words hanging in the air like an echo he hadn't expected.
The Zigzagoon froze too, its bushy tail halting mid-flick, ears perking up straight.
Its beady eyes went comically wide, twitching with confusion. "Zig? (Wait… what?)" It tilted its head, sniffing the air tentatively as if trying to detect some trick.
Satoshi blinked once, then twice, his brain catching up to his mouth.
"Huh?? HUH??"
He stammered, disbelief washing over him like a fresh wave from the river.
For a long, awkward moment, they just stared at each other across the short distance—the human perched on his rock, the Pokémon on the mossy bank.
The forest around them seemed to hold its breath: birdsong paused, leaves stilled, even the river's flow felt quieter. Then, hesitantly, the Zigzagoon took a small step forward, its nose wrinkling as it sniffed in Satoshi's direction, trying to puzzle out if this bizarre human was some kind of illusion or threat.
"Zigzag...? Goon," it muttered, its voice a mix of wariness and curiosity. (Did you just…? Also, you stink like wet mud and desperation.)
"—!" Satoshi's mouth opened to fire back a retort, but he clamped it shut just as quickly, cheeks flushing slightly. A second later, the full realization slammed into him like that truck from his old life.
He awkwardly nodded, avoiding the Pokémon's gaze for a moment, rubbing the back of his neck.
'Oh… right. I did wish for that. Talking to Pokémon. It's actually working.'
The Zigzagoon's fur bristled again, its eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Zigzagoon?! Zigzag!!" it exclaimed, hopping from paw to paw. (What the heck?! Humans aren't supposed to do that!! That's not normal!)
Satoshi sighed deeply, the tension easing from his shoulders as he rubbed his temples, feeling the beginnings of a headache from the day's nonstop chaos.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. It's weird for me too. But I, uh… let's just say I got some special abilities when I ended up here. One of them is being able to understand Pokémon. Like, really understand what you're saying."
The Zigzagoon gave him a long, piercing look, its head cocked to one side as if weighing whether to bolt or investigate further. After a beat, it snorted softly.
"Zigzag? (So… what, you're some kind of weird chosen stinky human? Like in those old legends?)"
"I have no idea, and don't call me that!"
Satoshi groaned loudly, though there was a hint of amusement creeping into his voice despite himself. He shifted on the rock, his damp clothes clinging uncomfortably, but the absurdity of the situation was starting to sink in—and it wasn't all bad.
"Look," he continued, gesturing vaguely at the sky and the forest around them.
"I just woke up falling from the freaking sky, almost splattered on the trees, glided down in a wingsuit, crashed into that river, and now I'm soaking wet and talking to a wild Zigzagoon. I haven't even had time to process any of this yet. Cut me some slack."
The Zigzagoon snorted again, this time with what sounded suspiciously like a chuckle.
"Zigzagoon zig," it replied, settling onto its haunches. (Hah. Sounds rough, buddy. Falling from the sky? That's a new one.)
"You have no idea..." Satoshi muttered, shaking his head. The adrenaline was fading now, leaving him bone-tired but oddly exhilarated.
This was real—the Pokémon world, complete with talking creatures and endless possibilities.
Now that the initial panic had ebbed, Satoshi took a proper moment to study the Pokémon in front of him. It was a bit scruffier than the polished versions he'd seen in games and shows back home, its brown-and-white fur matted slightly from the river mist and forest dirt.
Scratches here and there suggested a life of wild scrambles through underbrush, but its eyes sparkled with sharp intelligence and unbridled curiosity. It didn't seem aggressive, just... watchful, with a dash of mischief which he doesn't want to know.
He exhaled slowly, a small smile tugging at his lips despite the exhaustion. "Well… I guess this is my first real conversation in this world. Not exactly how I pictured it starting."
The Zigzagoon tilted its head the other way, ears flopping slightly. "Zigzagoon? (And you wasted it by screaming in my face? Smooth move, human.)"
Satoshi shot it a flat look, crossing his arms. "Not my fault you were standing way too close, idiot. Sneaking up on people like that—what were you even doing?"
The Zigzagoon let out a tiny, amused huff, its tail swishing playfully.
"Zig. Zigzagoon. (Fair enough. I was just checking out the weird splashy thing that fell from the sky. Didn't expect it to talk back.)"
Despite the bizarre circumstances—or maybe because of them—Satoshi couldn't help but crack a small, tired smile. Talking to a Pokémon felt... natural, in a way his old life never had. No more guessing at barks or meows; this was connection, raw and real.
As Satoshi sat there, still wrapping his head around the fact that he was bantering with a Zigzagoon like old friends, another thought from his wishes bubbled up.
"Wait… I had another ability too, right?"
He whispered to himself, glancing sidelong at the Pokémon.
He squinted slightly, focusing intently on the Zigzagoon as it idly scratched an ear.
'If I remember correctly, I should be able to see a Pokémon's status without needing a Pokédex… Alright, let's test it out.'
Keeping his expression as neutral as possible to avoid tipping off the curious critter, he silently commanded in his mind: 'Open Status?'
In an instant, a translucent blue panel materialized in his vision—like a holographic overlay only he could see—framing detailed information about the Zigzagoon with crisp, digital precision.
____________________
[Pokédex Sync: Entry #263 – Status Panel Initialized]
┃Nickname: Zigzagoon
┃Species: TinyRaccoon Pokémon
┃Level: 9
┃Gender: ♂ Male
┃Nature: Jolly
┃Ability: Quick Feet
┃Type: Normal
┃Condition: Stable
— Moveset —
› Headbutt — [Normal | Physical]
› Pin Missile — [Bug | Physical]
› Sand Attack — [Ground | Status]
— Stat Matrix —
› ATK:[010]
› DEF:[012]
› Sp. ATK:[009](–)
› Sp. DEF:[012]
› SPD:[017](+)
・System Note: This Zigzagoon exhibits heightened agility. A pokémon with abundant curiosity. It shows an interest in everything, so it always zigzags. Unnamed, but temperament is balanced between joy and discipline.
____________________
Satoshi's eyes widened just a fraction, careful not to let on.
'Whoa… so this is what the status window looks like. It's like having a personal heads-up display.'
At first, he was simply impressed that the ability had activated seamlessly, pulling up stats, moves, and even a quirky system note without any external device.
But then, something jumped out at him like a red flag: the Ability. Quick Feet...
'Wait a second… isn't that a hidden ability?' he thought, his interest sharpening like a blade. From what he recalled of the games, wild Zigzagoon typically came with Pickup or Gluttony—practical, but nothing special.
Quick Feet, though? That was rare, boosting Speed by 50% under status conditions like paralysis or burn. And with a Speed stat of 17—higher than the rest, boosted further by its Jolly nature—this little guy was built for evasion and quick strikes.
His gaze flicked back to the Zigzagoon, who was now tilting its head at him curiously, paws tapping the ground impatiently.
"Zig... zag?" it asked, voice laced with suspicion. (Uh… why are you looking at me like that? You got something on your mind?)
Satoshi quickly shook off his surprise, realizing he'd been staring a bit too long. He cleared his throat, forcing a casual shrug.
"Oh, hm… no reason."
He tried not to smirk, but the corner of his mouth twitched at the Pokémon's scruffy, rascal-like face.
The Zigzagoon squinted its eyes even narrower, fur rippling with doubt. "Zigzagoon. Zig, zag!" it protested, pointing a paw accusingly. (That was not a normal look. You're up to something, stinky human!)
"No, really! And stop freaking calling me that, you lil spikeball!" Satoshi insisted, retorting with a playful edge to deflect. But internally, his mind was racing with devious excitement.
The Zigzagoon gasped dramatically, placing a paw over its chest as if mortally wounded.
"Zig!? Zag-zagoon!" it exclaimed, puffing up even more. (How dare you!? I'm a big and handsome spikeball, stinky human!)
Satoshi ignored the Pokémon's theatrical outburst, whispering to himself again under his breath. "A wild Zigzagoon with a speed-focused build and a hidden ability? That's kind of amazing. The odds of stumbling on something like this right off the bat..."
For the first time since his chaotic arrival, a genuine spark of excitement ignited in his chest, warming him against the lingering chill of his wet clothes. If this was the kind of discovery he could make just by glancing at a Pokémon and activating his status window, then maybe this adventure was going to be far more thrilling than he'd anticipated.
The Pokémon world wasn't just a game anymore—it was alive, full of surprises and potential.
But then, Satoshi let out a quiet sigh, his budding excitement fading as a more sobering thought crossed his mind. Catching a Pokémon without its consent…
it felt wrong, deep in his bones. He couldn't blame himself for hesitating; back in his old world, he'd poured his heart into running that pet shop, ensuring every animal found a loving, willing home.
Forcing a creature into battles, travels, and dangers just because it had "potential"? That went against everything he stood for. Pokémon were living beings, not tools or trophies.
Even if this Zigzagoon was fast, even if it had that rare edge, it wasn't his to claim.
'I used to catch Pokémon in games,' he reflected inwardly, 'but this isn't a game anymore. I won't start my journey by betraying my own principles.'
With that resolve firming up like steel, he pushed himself to his feet, adjusting the straps of his backpack. His clothes, once sopping wet, had mostly dried in the sun-dappled warmth of the forest, leaving him stiff but mobile.
He glanced down at the Zigzagoon, who was still eyeing him with unabashed curiosity.
"Now, if you're done asking questions, stay here," he said firmly, his tone calm but unwavering.
"You're a wild Pokémon, and I'm not your trainer, by the way. So, bye."
The Zigzagoon blinked rapidly, clearly caught off guard, its ears drooping for a split second. "Zigzag? (Huh? Just like that?)"
Satoshi didn't wait for more protests.
He turned on his heel and started walking, picking his way along the riverbank toward what he hoped was a path leading to civilization—specifically, toward Lumiose City, based on that cryptic note from the author.
The forest thickened ahead, sunlight filtering through the canopy in golden shafts, birdsong resuming as if nothing had happened.
*
To be continued...