The wind carried with it the whispers of the heavens. Born from dazzling stars, it stirred the heart with a quiet sense of romance. When it flowed beneath the brilliant sunlight, it brought a refreshing coolness that awakened the soul. The wind didn't just pass by—it spoke, softly telling its own secrets.
But the wind that brushed against me now wasn't the gentle kind. It wasn't just a passing breeze grazing my skin—it was deeper, heavier, as if it carried a weight within it. At first, it felt ordinary, yet beneath its surface was something dense and foreboding.
Meeting those animated characters earlier had filled me with joy, but deep down, I sensed a strange premonition—as though their laughter would soon give way to something ominous.
Even so, I kept walking. The unease that once lingered in my chest had already faded. Forcing myself to move forward had become second nature.
I walked as usual, pretending everything was normal. The path ahead narrowed, flanked by steep hillsides and cloaked in dense trees whose branches reached high into the sky. From above, I could hear the cries of wild Pokémon—soft, rhythmic calls like birdsong. It was peaceful… or at least, it should've been.
Something wasn't right. The air smelled thick with damp earth and fallen leaves, though it hadn't rained in days. The path before me was slick with mud. I tested the ground with my foot, then stopped. My shoes would be ruined if I went any farther. The opposite side wasn't far, but too far to leap across in my human form.
"Was there a Pokémon battle here?" I murmured to myself.
When trainers lock eyes, battles are inevitable—and judging by the soaked ground, someone must've used a Water-type move.
I glanced toward a narrow side path, overgrown with tall, dew-covered grass. The thought of brushing through it made me wince. Wet clothes… ugh, I hated that feeling.
So, I powered on my Pokémon PC once more. This time, I selected a Fire-type. If I couldn't avoid the mud, maybe I could dry it up instead. There were other ways—using a Flying-type to glide over, or a Grass-type to create a bridge—but fire felt simplest. And maybe a little more dramatic.
"Two should be enough," I decided, summoning Charizard and Arcanine.
"You don't have to go overboard," I told them. "Just dry the ground so we can cross."
They both gave firm nods, eyes gleaming. Flames burst from their mouths, roaring to life. Even without full control, their fiery breath was powerful—wild and beautiful. Slowly, the wet earth steamed, the mud hardening into solid ground.
When the flames settled, I smiled, the wind brushing gently past again. The path was safe now.
"Thanks, Charizard. Thanks, Windy," I whispered, returning them both to their Poké Balls.
The journey continued, one cautious step at a time.
"But you brought out a Water-type Pokémon in a place like this?"
I couldn't help but tilt my head in confusion. There wasn't a single river nearby, not even a puddle—so why summon a Water-type here? Maybe the trainer specialized in them… or maybe they just liked showing off water moves. Either way, it was strange.
Not that it was any of my business. Still, if you're going to have a battle, maybe don't do it in the middle of the road! What a mess. The path ahead was soaked, muddy, and completely ruined.
"Tch." I clicked my tongue, my expression tightening. "Please, let the nuisance end here," I muttered under my breath, as though the unseen trainer could hear me.
After a short while, the road split into two. Both paths were covered in thick grass, and the scenery looked nearly identical. With no reason to hesitate, I simply followed the trail my feet seemed to remember.
But something about the view tugged at me. It was my first time here… and yet, it felt familiar. Déjà vu? No—maybe something deeper. A memory, perhaps, from a life before this one.
A soft unease coiled in my chest. Today didn't feel like it was going to be a smooth journey. Just a little worry—it tickled at the edges of my thoughts.
Before long, the sound of rushing water reached my ears. A river came into view, flowing gently from the cliffs above. The water was crystal-clear, rippling like glass under the sunlight. I could even see Water-type Pokémon drifting lazily beneath the surface, their bodies glinting like jewels.
As I followed the bank, a wooden bridge appeared ahead, stretching across the river to the other side. It must've been built for travelers—and maybe for Pokémon too. But right in the middle of it, blocking the way entirely, was a Snorlax.
It lay sprawled out, its round belly rising and falling with deep, peaceful breaths. Just my luck… another obstacle.
"A Snorlax blocking the path, huh?" I sighed. The sight stirred a memory. I'd seen this kind of thing in games before—Snorlax, or even Komala, napping right in the middle of a route until you woke them with a flute or whistle.
Was this what that uneasy feeling had been warning me about? Somehow… I expected more.
"Well," I said with a small smirk, "guess I'll just have to deal with it."
Even if I had a whistle, waking Snorlax wasn't exactly gentle business. There'd be some shaking—and maybe a few good belly pats involved. The thought made me grin. I'd been annoyed ever since that muddy road earlier… maybe this was a good way to let off some steam.
"Lucky you, Snorlax," I chuckled. "You're today's punching bag."
Normal-type Pokémon were weak to Fighting-type attacks—simple logic.
I summoned my partner without hesitation. In an instant, a towering figure materialized beside me. Its four powerful arms flexed and rotated with precision, warming up like a seasoned martial artist. The air around it seemed to vibrate with strength.
"Alright," I said, a little spark of excitement flickering in my chest. "Let's wake our sleepy friend, shall we?"
"Whoa! What's going on?!"
The powerful roar that followed shook the air. My Pokémon's cry echoed through the valley—a sound that said loud and clear: I'm ready for this!
"Send that sleepyhead flying!" I commanded.
"Hah! Isn't that my specialty?" the monster seemed to growl back. "Leave your worries to me!"
It rolled its shoulders, stretching each of its four arms one by one. I couldn't help but think—humans warm up before swimming to keep their hearts steady… was this the same thing?
Once it was ready, the creature drew back all four fists. Just one look, and I could tell it was serious. Snorlax might've been a tough one—thick layers of fat and all—but my partner's strength was something else entirely.
"Alright," I said softly, a grin tugging at my lips. "Let's end this with Close Combat!"
My Pokémon launched forward, its fist gleaming with power. The impact came with a thunderous crack—strong enough to level a small house. The sheer force rippled through the air, sending shockwaves over the bridge. Snorlax's eyes shot open wide… and then slowly rolled back.
"...Wait. Wait, wait, wait—hold on a second!"
I raised my voice, rushing to stop my partner mid-swing.
This wasn't right. That punch was way too strong.
Maybe my Pokémon overdid it… or maybe Snorlax wasn't as sturdy as I'd thought. Either way, the result was brutal. Snorlax's massive belly looked sunken in, like the air had been knocked clean out of him.
I'd thought my partner had been holding back—but maybe even that was too much.
And then… with a comically slow, floating grace, the gigantic Snorlax—who was said to eat 400 kilograms of food a day—lifted off the bridge, soaring through the air like a scene out of some martial arts novel. He arced beautifully before splashing into the river below.
I stood there, speechless.
"...Oh no," I muttered. Guilt pricked at my chest.
He'd just been sleeping peacefully, sunbathing after a good meal, and I'd sent him flying for blocking my path. I'd told myself it was just to clear the road—but maybe, just maybe, I'd taken out my frustration on him.
Poor thing.
Somewhere in my Pokémon PC, there was another Snorlax—my own "Sleeping." If he'd seen what happened just now, he'd probably look at me in horror.
I sighed, scratching the back of my neck. "Alright, you did great. Thanks for the hard work."
My partner gave a proud rumble and flexed its arms with a grin.
[Call me again next time!] it said, voice echoing with unshakable confidence.
I smiled, unable to stay mad. "Yeah, yeah… next time, maybe aim a little softer, okay?"
I returned my fighter to its Poké Ball, the air still trembling from the impact.
This time, I summoned Happiness.
The soft light faded, and there he was—Happiny's evolved form, radiating calm, gentle warmth. But his expression immediately turned curious.
"What's going on here?" she asked, tilting her head.
I pointed toward the fallen Snorlax by the riverbank. "See that poor Snorlax? Could you… take care of him?"
Honestly, it felt ridiculous—like I was handing out both the disease and the cure.
Snorlax groaned, his huge body twitching slightly. His face was twisted in pain, his little hands pressed against his once-proud belly.
[What on earth did you do…?] Happiness asked, her voice trembling between disbelief and disapproval.
"He was just sleeping on the bridge," I explained.
[And you killed him for that?!]
"K-Killed him?! No, no, no! Don't say it like that—people will get the wrong idea!" I protested, waving my hands frantically.
But Happiness wasn't laughing. Her eyes were serious, almost disappointed. Her calmness made me shrink a little inside.
Ugh… why does this feel familiar? Another case of déjà vu, maybe.
I sighed. My strength—and my Pokémon's—had grown a bit too much lately. Sometimes the memories of my past life pushed me to overreact. Maybe this was one of those times.
Still, my Pokémon's heart was big enough to forgive me, right? I'd only been trying to clear the road ahead… but if I said that out loud, I knew Happiness would just look at me with that same quiet judgment.
Just like before—with that other incident involving Psizer—Happiness let out a long, weary sigh and began walking toward the fallen Snorlax.
"Huh?" I blinked.
Before she could reach him, movement stirred all around us. One by one, wild Pokémon began emerging from the trees and tall grass, surrounding Snorlax.
"What's this…?" I murmured, stepping closer.
At first, the Pokémon guarding Snorlax's side just stared. Then, as they took in the sight, their expressions shifted—from shock, to sorrow, to rage.
Their eyes turned toward me.
Could it be…? That Snorlax—the so-called "sleepyhead"—was actually their leader? If that were true, then I'd just defeated their boss. From their point of view, I wasn't a traveler—I was the villain who had hurt their guardian.
If it were just me, I would've backed off and avoided a fight altogether. But they didn't only glare at me—they glared at Happiness, too.
That was enough.
They were innocent, sure, but I couldn't let them hurt my partner.
"Alright…" I whispered, reaching for another Poké Ball. "Let's end this quickly."
I threw it forward, light bursting from my hand.
"Dragonite!"
The air crackled, energy building.
"Use Hyper Beam!"
The words left my mouth, and the world lit up in a blinding flash.
Thunder cracked through the clear sky, a sound so sharp it made the world seem to pause.
I stared down at the fallen Pokémon, my jaw tight, the air heavy around me. Beside me, Happiness glared—her normally soft eyes sharpened with something closer to anger than concern.
"Don't look at me like that," I said, forcing my voice to stay steady. "If I hadn't acted, you would've been hit too."
[...…Platinum, you were wrong.]
Her words sank into me like stones.
I hadn't imagined it would come to this. I'd only attacked one Snorlax—just one. Who could have predicted that an entire swarm of Pokémon would rise up, that they'd strike back like this? I hadn't expected the chaos, the chain reaction that followed.
[What… what is this...…] Happiness murmured, trailing off, her tone somewhere between disbelief and fury.
"Shouldn't we… start treating them?" I asked quietly.
But she only looked at me, offering a bottle of medicine like it was a sentence, not a cure. The warmth in her eyes had vanished. What replaced it was wild—an untamed glare, sharp enough to cut.
[You call that talking?] she hissed.
The weight of her voice made my stomach twist. If I said one more word, I was sure she'd turn on me. For the first time, it felt like I was the one standing before a wild beast, not a partner.
I swallowed hard and pulled up my Pokémon PC, my hands shaking slightly under her silent judgment.
"Calm down," I muttered. "I'll… I'll call Audino, Jigglypuff, Lucky, and Curing." --Authors note, I can't find who the last two are. if you know let me know. Thank you ;3--
I had planned to summon four more healers to tend to the Pokémon we'd knocked out. Maybe if I could fix this, it would all go back to normal.
But then—
"W-what is going on!?"
A human voice cut through the tension. I spun around.
There, at the edge of the clearing, stood a trainer. He stared at the fallen Pokémon with wide, horrified eyes. Then his gaze snapped to me.
Anger blazed there—raw and unmistakable.
And in that instant, the truth hit me.
Those Pokémon… they weren't wild at all.