c4: Dream?
Austin didn't know how long he was out, but when he slowly opened his eyes, he felt stiff. His body ached like he'd been run over by a Dodrio stampede. He blinked hard, his vision swimming a bit.
What a crazy dream, he thought as he rubbed his temples and sat up, dizziness making his head spin, just like how Red had felt when he was knocked out by Mew's attack in Pokémon Adventures.
"Pika!" A sudden weight jumped into his lap, startling him. His eyes snapped down, and there was Pikachu, looking relieved.
Seeing the Pokémon made it all hit him again. None of this was a dream. This was real. Just like Red's wild adventure in the manga, where reality kept throwing him into chaos.
"Hey, Pikachu," Austin muttered, his voice a little hoarse. He scanned his surroundings. They were by a stream, the sound of flowing water mixing with the rustle of leaves. Just like the clearing in Pokémon Adventures where Red nursed injured Pokémon by a stream.
"Finally awake?" a voice cut through the haze, and Austin turned to see a girl with reddish-orange hair. She was wearing a yellow shirt, blue shorts with red suspenders, and bright red tennis shoes. She had that kind of energy about her, the kind that didn't care much for nonsense, much like Misty's fierce personality in the Electric Tale of Pikachu manga, where she didn't hesitate to scold Ash for his reckless behavior.
"Y-Yeah," Austin's voice stumbled as he shook his head, trying to clear the lingering grogginess. "What happened?"
"I was riding my bike to get here when I saw you getting attacked by a flock of Spearow," she said, crossing her arms with a frown. "Next time you try to catch a Pokémon, make sure it's not part of a flock, rookie mistake."
Austin shot her a glare, feeling heat rise in his chest. "Hey, that Spearow attacked Pikachu first," he protested. Pikachu's ears twitched, his eyes darting between them like he was watching a high-speed tennis match. "Wait... how did you know I caught a Spearow?"
The girl huffed, rolling her eyes. "While you were unconscious, I checked your Pokémon to make sure they weren't injured. Your Spearow tried to peck my hand off."
Austin winced. Well, that sounds like something it'd do. Then it hit him again—he'd changed things. Ash's first catch in both the anime and Electric Tale was Caterpie. His? A Spearow. And he wasn't even trying to catch it—just stop it from calling for backup. That went well. Not.
"Hey, are you even listening?" Her voice cut through Austin's thoughts again, pulling him back to reality.
"Uh, sorry," he said, rubbing his eyes, trying to shake the fog out of his brain. She softened a bit, and he noticed a flicker of concern in her eyes. The same look Misty had given Red in Adventures after his battle with Mewtwo, though she'd tried to hide it.
"You sure you're alright?"
He nodded, forcing himself to stand. "Yeah, just... a little exhausted."
She pointed off into the distance. "Well, you're in luck. There's a Pokémon Center nearby in Viridian City."
Austin blinked. Viridian City... right. "Oh, thanks—uh…" he trailed off awkwardly. Would be real awkward if I knew her name without her telling me.
"Misty Waterflower," she sighed, like she could read his mind, just as she'd introduced herself in Electric Tale of Pikachu when she first scolded Ash.
"I'm Ash. Ash Ketchum." Austin almost slipped. That was close.
She frowned a little at his hesitation but shook her head. "Just don't get attacked by any more wild Pokémon on the way." With that, she turned back to whatever she was doing before, probably checking her bike like in Adventures where her bike was often wrecked by Pikachu.
"Right..." Austin muttered as he glanced at Pikachu, who seemed ready to go. "You good to go, buddy?"
"Pika," Pikachu nodded, trotting beside Austin as he started walking again. His eyes landed on Misty's bike for a second. At least this time I didn't fry her bike like Pikachu did in The Electric Tale of Pikachu, when Misty's bike got totaled during Ash's first battle.
About an hour later, Austin found himself pulling out Spearow's Pokéball. He rolled it in his hand, debating. "Should I?" He glanced at Pikachu, who was already shaking his head, knowing exactly what Austin was thinking. "Wait until we get to the Pokémon Center?"
"Pika," Pikachu confirmed with a nod.
"Alright, alright." Austin chuckled softly, slipping the ball back into his pocket. How different is this gonna be?
He didn't remember every detail about the original manga or anime. But man, I've already changed a lot. He glanced at Pikachu again. Ash didn't catch a Spearow on his first day in Pokémon Adventures or the anime—he caught a Caterpie later. And his first Spearow encounter didn't end well.
Shaking his head, Austin saw the familiar outline of Viridian City in the distance. The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm orange glow across the sky, much like when Red first approached Viridian City in Adventures. "We're here," he muttered, smiling. The moment of relief quickly faded when he looked up and his eyes widened.
A bird was soaring across the sky, glowing in the fading sunlight.
He knew what it was, but he still pulled out the Pokédex, just like Red did with unknown Pokémon. "Pokémon Unknown," the electronic voice droned.
"Ho-Oh," Austin whispered, more to himself than to Pikachu. Pikachu looked up at him, confusion in his eyes, much like when Red first encountered Articuno and was awestruck.
How did I know? Austin clenched his fists as he watched the legendary bird disappear over the horizon. He couldn't stop the grin creeping onto his face. This is real.
As Austin approached Viridian City, an announcement played over the loudspeakers. "Attention, citizens of Viridian City. There have been reports of possible Pokémon thieves. Keep an eye out for suspicious-looking strangers."
The voice belonged to a blue-haired woman in a police uniform—Officer Jenny, much like the Adventures depiction where the Jenny clan always kept watch for Pokémon smugglers. Right... forgot about the Pokémon thieves, like the ones Red and Blue encountered near Viridian.
Austin held out his Pokédex as he walked up to her, trying not to draw any suspicion. "I'm from Pallet Town," he said, offering her his ID.
She checked it over, nodding as she handed it back. "You're the fourth trainer from Pallet Town today. Be careful—there are rumors of Pokémon thieves in the area. The Pokémon Center is just ahead."
"Thanks." Austin gave her a quick nod, his mind already racing. Fourth trainer... That meant Gary and the others were already ahead, just like in Adventures where multiple trainers left Pallet Town.
As they walked toward the Pokémon Center, Austin glanced down at Pikachu. "So, a deal's a deal. Do you want to stay with me or go your own way?"
Pikachu stopped, looking up at Austin with wide eyes. He actually forgot about that deal... But here Austin was, bringing it up again.
"Pika Pi?" Pikachu's head tilted in confusion, much like his reaction when Red tried to catch him in Adventures.
Austin smiled softly. "I won't force you to stay if you don't want to."
Pikachu blinked, then nodded firmly. "Pika."
Austin let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. "Alright then."
The Pokémon Center's doors slid open as Austin walked in, and Nurse Joy greeted him with a warm smile. "Welcome to the Pokémon Center. How can I help you?"
Austin handed over Spearow's Pokéball, then reached down for Pikachu, who looked shocked. "Relax," he told him. "She's just going to check if you're injured."
"Chu..." Pikachu still sounded a little skeptical, but he didn't resist, much like Pikachu's early skittish behavior in Adventures and Electric Tale.
As Nurse Joy took the Pokéball and Pikachu, Austin gave her a warning. "Spearow doesn't like Pokéballs, and I haven't let him out since I caught him earlier. He... might try to attack."
She nodded in understanding and disappeared into the back, leaving Austin alone in the waiting area. He sat down, feeling his body relax for the first time all day. His eyes slowly started to drift shut.
Finally alone...
"I wouldn't be too sure about that."
Austin's eyes snapped open, and there, standing beside him, was... Ash?!
"What the hell?!" Austin yelped, falling out of his seat as he stared at Ash. He was wearing his Sinnoh garb, and his expression was dead serious, like when Red confronted the imposter Red in Adventures.
"You don't belong here."
Austin opened his mouth to ask what he meant, but before he could, he hit the ground.
And woke up.
"...That was a weird dream," Austin muttered to himself, his hands trembling slightly. Was that his guilt? A part of him feeling like he was taking something that wasn't his, much like when Green (Blue) questioned her own role after stealing from Professor Oak in Adventures?
But then, he shook his head. No, none of this was his fault, he thought firmly. He didn't ask to be thrown into this world, but now that he was here… Maybe it was time to let go of the guilt. Maybe it was okay to enjoy this new life, to finally live out what had once been just a dream.
After all, wasn't this a dream come true?
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