Burning the midnight oil for a test is overrated. After all, what's there to be scared of if you prepared early?
I was the type that studied weeks before an exam, often earning the nickname "Hermione" from my friends. Well, they could go screw themselves—no offense—because I didn't want to stress out with last-minute cramming.
And being called a smart person was a compliment, thank you very much.
Where was I? Right, midnight oil is overrated.
Anyways, I was in the most intense week of my whole living existence. That being the country's assessment test that students at the age of 15 are required to take.
For those who know, know, but to those unfamiliar, this test is everything career-wise. This assessment will be your future, in a sense, deciding if you enter the science stream—like doctors, engineers, and more—or the arts stream—like fitness trainers, bakers, etc.
No offense to anyone, but the science stream is the better option since you could downgrade into the arts stream if you'd like, but if you are an arts stream student, you will have an improbable chance of entering the science stream.
Needless to say, this assessment is important. Life or death even.
OK, enough rambling, it's time to get into the nitty-gritty.
(BANG BANG BANG!)
"Joseph! JOSEPH!"
The sudden knocking on my room's door jolted me awake, my mind drowsy as I moaned at the departure from dreamland. It was getting to the good part, too!
"What?" I groggily asked as I reached out, clawing the air as I tried to find my spectacles on the table next to my bed. My response seemed to piss off my mother as she started to scream.
"You are going to be late for your Chinese paper if you don't get up this instant!"
Her shriek caused me to process the information slowly due to my sleepiness. My eyes shot wide open a second later as I immediately got up from my bed, stumbling slightly.
"WHAT? I thought I set an alarm!"
Grabbing the phone on my desk, I tried to turn it on, only to curse at the dead battery. Shit, I forgot to charge my phone last night!
"Hurry up and get dressed! You've got 15 minutes!"
"Y-Yeah! Moving now!"
Grabbing the clothes and towel I had set out last night in preparation, I opened the door to my room and sprinted down the hall to our family's one bathroom, dodging my father who yelped at the moving missile that I was.
"Watch your step, Josh!"
I didn't have time to spare, so I yelled out a "Sorry!" before entering the bathroom. Stripping bare naked, I quickly freshened up without soap. Hey, I was late, alright? Besides, the test was only two and a half hours—I could properly shower later.
Dressed in my school uniform, the fabric still uncomfortable on my skin since the day I enrolled in high school, I ran back to my room to grab my bag before heading to the dining room.
There sat my father, watching the news on the living room's TV just a few feet away, while my older sister, who had just come back from university, had a shit-eating grin at my tardiness.
"Phone died?"
"Phone died."
I nodded with a sigh as my mother served a plate of toast and hot chocolate. I scarfed down my toast to save more time. Finishing my meal, I jogged with my bag in hand to the Buddha statue in the living room and prayed for a good day before sprinting out of the house.
Thankfully, our house was just a few minutes from the school, so the trip was supposed to be fast with me sprinting to the test.
"Supposed" being the keyword here.
My running halted when I reached the final stretch, a crosswalk. I pressed the button for the pedestrian signal to turn green and waited by grabbing my Gameboy Advance that I had bought a while ago to entertain myself.
I basically owned all the Pokémon game cartridges the GBA had along with some ROM hacked version of my favorites with some DIY, though I focused mainly on the official ones since they were my pride and joy.
Now, my mother and father taught me a lot of things, and one of them was to look at both sides of the road even while crossing a zebra crossing with the pedestrian light green.
I swear on my momma that I checked both sides when the light turned green. I even took a few seconds to wait for any incoming motorcycles to fly through the gaps between cars before jogging to the other end of the street.
The distance from one end to the other was so short that it would take approximately only 20 steps maximum to cross the road.
Along with that, there were cars that patiently stopped for the light to turn red, meaning there was no way there would be an accident without crashing the "barrier" around the crosswalk.
But it still happened.
I got slammed by a truck. I didn't even register that a truck was directly in my face before everything went black.
Just... How? I didn't even see it coming! This was supposed to only happen in some isekai bullshit, not in real life!
Why am I rambling about it? Well, when you suddenly die from a teleporting truck—which is my speculation of how it even slammed into me—and transmigrate into another body of yourself in a parallel world, it tends to do wonders for your perspective.
Yes, you heard me right. A parallel world. Mind-blowing, to say the least. This premise would have made a nice self-insert fanfic if it weren't for the fact that it was real. I darted up from my bed a few weeks before said incident, confused.
It was disorienting because I thought I had time-traveled back before the assessment test even started. After all, my background story and family were the same. My mother, father, and older sister looked, talked, and felt the same.
I did notice some things, though, like the excessive Pokémon posters and figurines, but I humored the explanation of this parallel world's love for the hobby. I was a big fan of the media, after all, so I ignored it and walked out of the room.
But I was soon proven wrong when my father played the news on the television as he usually did every morning before heading to work. My heart skipped a beat when an advertisement played just as my eyes laid on the television.
A middle-aged man with gray hair, sporting a lab coat, waved at the camera before introducing himself, causing me to choke on air as I realized who this was.
"Hello! I'm sure most of you know me by now, but to those who don't, my name is Samuel Oak! People usually call me the Pokémon Professor, though I discourage the title since there are professors out there that are as accomplished as me!"
My jaw dropped to the ground as the person on the screen chuckled slightly before continuing.
"As you all know, this world is inhabited by creatures called Pokémon, short for Pocket Monsters!"
As he spoke, Professor Oak reached into his lab coat's pocket and pulled out a spherical object the size of a golf ball, separated into two halves of red and white by a black center line and a round button in the middle.
Professor Oak pressed the center button with his thumb, and the Pokéball enlarged a second later. He tossed it into the air, and a flash of rainbow colors illuminated the room as the light shifted into a silhouette before fading, revealing a small dog-shaped animal with rabbit-like ears and brown fur!
My knees buckled slightly as the Evolution Pokémon landed gracefully on the professor's shoulder, crying out its species' name as Professor Oak caught the falling Pokéball with ease.
"For some people, Pokémon are household pets that bring happiness and joy to a family."
A video played in a small box at the bottom right of the screen, displaying a family of three enjoying a movie alongside a Meowth laying on a child's lap.
"While others use them for fights in Pokémon battles for the rush and adrenaline that comes from teamwork and victory."
Another video played at the top left of the screen, showing a fierce battle between a Gengar and a Nidorino, with their respective trainers shouting out commands as they clashed.
"Well, I myself study and research Pokémon as a profession to learn the intricacies of their speciesas a whole! That's why I am proud to introduce my collaboration with the Pokémon Association's new interest for the betterment of people like me and you who love Pokémon!"
The two videos disappeared as another picture took their place, filling up half the screen and showing images of a large school.
"Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce to all of you, the Pokémon Academy! Funded by multiple regional governments and private enterprises such as mine, this academy is a must for future Pokémon experts to strive and enter!
With extensive training resources, amazing lecturers with brilliant guidance, chances for powerful encounters every few months, and an accredited degree in Pokémon careers, I'd say that this school will be the finest establishment for the safety and improvement of enthusiasts in this century!"
I had to take a seat to prevent myself from falling as Professor Oak continued the advertisement.
"Admissions are open now for all aspiring Pokémon Trainers, Researchers, Breeders, Coordinators, and more. Visit the school's website for more details on how to apply and take the first step towards your Pokémon journey!"
The screen transitioned to a vibrant and user-friendly website interface showcasing various features of the academy, including state-of-the-art facilities, dormitories, and a sprawling campus teeming with Pokémon of all types.
"We offer scholarships for outstanding students and financial aid options to ensure that everyone passionate about Pokémon has the opportunity to learn and grow in a supportive and enriching environment. Don't miss out on this chance to turn your dreams into reality!"
The advertisement concluded with a montage of students engaging in various activities at the academy—training their Pokémon in battles, conducting research in modern labs, and participating in friendly competitions and events.
"Join us at the Pokémon Academy, where your adventure begins!"
The screen faded to black, leaving the website link and a catchy jingle in the background. I stared at the TV, which continued playing the news after the advertisement, in silence as my mother served breakfast on the table.
"Joseph, you better start eating or else you'll be late for school."
"... Son, are you alright?"
My father looked at my blank expression and asked with a hint of worry in his tone, but my sister simply shrugged it off.
"I think he's just thinking about the ad, dad."
The words from the television echoed in my head as I struggled to process what I'd just seen. My heart raced, and I felt a wave of panic rising in my chest. I stood up abruptly, causing the chair to screech against the floor.
"Joseph, what's wrong?"
My mother asked, looking concerned.
"I... I need a moment."
I stammered, my mind racing as I paced around the living room.
Pokémon were real? This wasn't some elaborate prank or a vivid dream, right? But that advertisement looked very real.
"Hey, sis, what's your favorite Pokémon?"
I asked, trying to test something. Normally, my older sister would snort and start negatively talking about me and my games, especially since I tried getting her into Pokémon and she constantly refuses, but the opposite happened.
"Me? Eevee, of course. You know how badly I want one, but Dad doesn't want to adopt it."
"And I'll say it again, Selina, taking care of a Pokémon is very expensive, especially an Eevee. 23,000 Pokédollars for just the Eevee, while food and other expenses would make my wallet bleed dry, no matter how cute it would be to have one."
My father chimed in, his eyes never leaving the TV.
"Well, I'd like a Vulpix too, but again, too expensive for us."
My sister added, pouting slightly. Even my mother entered the conversation, though her eyes were still on me pacing faster.
"It would be nice, but we have to be practical."
This conversation confirmed it. My father and mother were the old-fashioned type who wouldn't know what a Pikachu was, but here they were, talking about it as if planning to get a pet?
Pokémon were real. Holy shit.
"I—Uhhh—I think I'm skipping school today."
"Joseph, what are you talking about?" my mother demanded, clearly confused.
"Sorry, but I need to check on some things."
Without waiting for a response, I bolted to my room, grabbing my backpack and started stuffing it with my laptop, a few notebooks, and pens.
I needed to go to the library near my school to research this new world. If this was a parallel universe with Pokémon, that meant that all the general knowledge that I had must be tossed out of the window.
As I hurriedly packed, my eyes landed on my Gameboy Advance, or what was the Gameboy Advance. It looked very different, with the shape now similar to the original Gameboy, that being vertical instead of the horizontal layout.
Even the button layout was different, it now had a joystick under the four directional buttons and four face buttons—X, Y, A, and B—instead of the normal directional buttons and the two of A and B. Not only that, there was no slot to put the game cartridges.
There is still the hump for ergonomics though for more comfort when holding onto the device, with bumpers and triggers on both sides instead of the ordinary left and right shoulder buttons.
I didn't have time to examine it now, so I quickly packed it inside my bag for later. My parents watched as I sprinted back through the living room towards the door.
"Joseph, where are you going?"
My father called after me. I shouted back, not slowing down.
"To the library!"
As I ran down the street, the world around me felt both familiar and alien. The same buildings and streets I had known my whole life were exactly the same, but the new additions were the Pokémon!
Flocks of Pidgey and Spearow flew in the skies, their distinct cries filling the air. A few perched on the rooftops, pecking at the tiles or preening their feathers.
On the ground, I saw domestic Pokémon like Poochyenas and Zigzagoons walking with their trainers, their tails wagging and noses twitching as they explored their surroundings.
A young boy passed by, his Sentret perched on his shoulder, its long tail wrapped around its trainer's arm for support.
Nearby, an elderly woman fed a group of Meowth, their tails flicking back and forth as they purred in contentment.
As I continued to run, I noticed more and more Pokémon. A group of schoolchildren played with a friendly Growlithe, its fur bright orange and black stripes being gently petted by children's hands.
A pair of Machop helped a construction crew lift heavy beams without any heavy equipment other than their arms.
A Butterfree fluttered by, its wings leaving a trail of sparkling dust in the air.
I couldn't help but start cackling like a crazy person, with the passerby turning to look at me as I ran past, but I didn't care. The sheer absurdity and wonder of it all was exhilarating to say the least.
I passed a park and saw a trainer engaged in a friendly battle with his friend. His Rattata faced off against a Bidoof, their trainers shouting commands and encouragement. Both Pokémon started to glow in a white aura before they ran towards one another, slamming into each other with heavy force that caused a loud bang.
My laughter turned into a manic giggle as I felt like I was in an episode of a Pokémon anime.
Reaching the library, I quickly composed myself since I was in a library. The librarian gave me a curious glance but said nothing as I headed straight for the computer section. I found an empty workstation and dropped my bag and took out my laptop as I began typing in the search bar of Google.
["The World of Pokémon"]
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Come support me on my Pa tre on where I post early chapters (sometimes) and new story ideas not on any websites yet.
There's currently extra chapters that I haven't posted, want to stockpile them beforehand, so if you want to read early come join!
pa tre on . com /damaine_n
(remove all the spaces)
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