The Pokémon universe, a land filled with fantastic creatures of countless shapes, sizes, and abilities.
For centuries, humans and Pokémon coexisted in relative peace. Some Pokémon chose to live alongside humans, as pets, companions, or even citizens in rare cases, while others preferred the wild, where survival was a constant struggle.
As humans and Pokémon lived and died, caught in an endless cycle, a rare few individuals defied this fate. These were the Legends, extraordinary Pokémon, and on occasion, humans, who achieved incredible feats, earning the favor of the gods themselves. In return, they were granted immense power and immortality.
On this day, one such Legend was behaving even more strangely than usual. And that was saying something, given this particular Legend's already eccentric nature. This was Mew, one of the oldest Legends in existence.
■■■SAVING■■■
Mew's POV
I lazily floated above the head of some random human walking up Mt. Moon, a "hiker," I think they were called. This one was particularly annoying, mostly due to his complete lack of spatial awareness. I'd already chased off three fully evolved Pokémon because he'd wandered into their territory without a second thought. What's worse? He didn't even notice me, despite the noise I made scaring off predators or the occasional giggle I let out to catch his attention.
My irritation only grew when I realized he didn't have a partner Pokémon with him. Usually, it's the Pokémon who sense me first, alert their trainer, and then the chase begins. That's how it always goes.
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. Honestly, I could've just left him to his fate. Nobody climbs a mountain without a Pokémon partner and expects to walk away unharmed. Was he trying to get himself killed? When I skimmed his thoughts, I found… nothing. Literally nothing. What kind of person thinks of nothing? Apparently, this guy.
My musings were cut short when he tripped—on air, of all things. How did someone this clumsy even make it up here? The mystery would have to wait, though, because his misstep sent him tumbling over the ledge he'd been walking on. He landed hard on the rocky slope below, letting out a dull, monotone scream on the way down.
I couldn't help but laugh. He was, without a doubt, the most interesting human I'd seen all week, and I'd seen a lot.
Curious, I floated down for a closer look at the fool (as I'd started calling him). He laid there face-first in the dirt, his lower half buried under loose rubble. I stared at him, wondering if he was even alive, until a low groan escaped his throat. Slowly, he pushed himself up, arms trembling, and glanced around in a daze before his eyes locked onto me.
"Mew?" he muttered, confused. Then he shook his head, as if trying to dispel the sight of me, and attempted to drag himself free from the rocks. His legs were badly bruised, and after a few failed attempts to stand, he seemed to have a minor panic attack before passing out cold.
A snort escaped me. Not the worst reaction I'd ever gotten, but definitely up there in absurdity.
Still, his behavior puzzled me. His entire trek up the mountain had been… robotic. No emotion, no hesitation—just mindless walking.
My eyes narrowed with interest. This fool might be more than he seemed.
I'd be keeping an eye on him.
■■■SAVING■■■
HIKER'S POV
Nothingness.
That was all there was before the fall. No thoughts. No pain. No joy—just an empty husk moving forward without purpose.
Then came the impact.
Agony exploded through my body as I crashed onto the ledge, rocks biting into my skin. My lungs burned, my vision swam, and for the first time in what felt like eternity,I felt something
Pain.
A flicker of confusion cut through the haze. Pain? I'd never felt pain before. Where was I? What was happening?
Gritting my teeth, I pushed myself up, every movement sending fresh jolts of fire through my limbs. My surroundings came into focus, a narrow ledge on the side of a cliff, jagged stones littering the ground. Had I fallen?
Then I heard it.
A soft, almost mischievous giggle.
My head snapped toward the noise, and my breath caught.
There, floating just inches above the ground, was something impossible. A small, pink, cat-like creature, its wide eyes gleaming with amusement as it studied me.
Instinct made the name spill from my lips before I could stop it.
"Mew?"
And then—
The memories struck.
Like a tsunami, they crashed into me, names, faces, places. A life that wasn't this one, but mine. A world of screens and games, of childhood wonder, where creatures like Mew were nothing more than fiction.
But this was Mew.
And that meant—
My chest tightened. My vision blurred. The weight of it all pressed down, crushing me beneath the sheer impossibility.
I couldn't breathe.
I couldn't—
Darkness swallowed me whole.
■■■SAVING■■■
Consciousness returned slowly, like water seeping into sand.
The pain was gone.
That was the first thing I noticed. My legs—which had been a mess of bruises and cuts—no longer throbbed. Even the scrapes on my palms had vanished.
Did I imagine the fall?
But no—the rocks around me were still disturbed, the ledge still littered with debris from my tumble. Someone (or something) had healed me.
A shadow fell over my face.
"Took you long enough."
The voice was high-pitched, playful, and unmistakably inside my head. I jerked upright to see Mew hovering above me, her tail flicking lazily. Up close, her fur shimmered like satin, her pupils thin with curiosity.
The memories of my past life surged forward again, but this time, they didn't drown me. They felt… distant. Like reading a book about someone else's life.
Because that's what they were.
This body, this world, was mine now.
Mew's grin widened. "Ooooh, you're taking this better than expected! Most humans scream when they realize they're isekai'd."
I blinked. "…You know what isekai is?"
"Pfft. I've been alive for millennia. You think interdimensional travel is new?" She did a little loop in the air. "But you? You're funny. A blank slate who suddenly got…" She tapped my forehead with her paw. "Downloaded."
I rubbed my temples. "So you knew I was… empty before?"
"Yep! Like a puppet without strings." Her tail twined around her body as she studied me. "Now the question is—what'cha gonna do with that shiny new soul of yours?"
The silence stretched between us, broken only by the distant cry of a Pidgeotto overhead.
I needed a plan.
First priority: Find civilization. A town meant food, shelter, and, hopefully, answers about where (and when) I'd landed in this world.
I pushed myself to my feet, testing my weight. No pain. Mew's healing was flawless. "Thanks for… fixing me up," I muttered.
"You're welcome~!" Mew chirped, twirling in midair. "Sooooo, where to now, Mr. Mysterious Amnesiac?"
"Town," I said, scanning the mountainside for a path. "Any idea which way's closest?"
"Mmm, Pewter's east, but it's booooring. Just rocks and nerds who like rocks." She floated upside down, grinning. "Orrrr we could find a wild Nidoking and set its tail on fire for fun—"
"Pewter's fine," I interrupted.
"Ugh, fine." She zoomed ahead, then paused. "Wait a sec. What do I call you? 'Hey, human' is soooo impersonal."
I opened my mouth—then froze.
My name.
I had one in my past life. I knew I did. But when I reached for it, there was only static. A hollow space where an identity should be.
Mew's eyes sparkled. "Ooooh, you don't know! This is perfect." She clapped her tiny paws together. "I'll name you! Let's see… How about… 'Blorbo'?"
I stared at her. "No."
"Floofbert?"
"Absolutely not."
"Hmmmm." She tapped her chin, then gasped. "I've got it! 'Ren'—short for 'renegade,' 'cause you're breaking a lot of rule just by existing!"
I sighed. But… it was better than nothing. "Ren it is."
"Yay! Now come on, Ren~" She darted toward a previously unnoticed path, her voice sing-song. "Let's go traumatize some Geodudes!"
I sighed in amusement before following after.