A bright, scorching sun hung high in the clear blue sky as the wind gently swept across vast stretches of soft, green grass. Seen from a high vantage point, the entire landscape looked like a vibrant and picturesque painting.
Amid the tall grass lay a young boy with a youthful, unripe face, flat on his back. The wind gently rustled his dark hair. His eyes, unfocused yet thoughtful, were filled with a complex web of emotions—so many that it felt as if they were being sorted and tangled at once.
A sense of chaos lingered in the air.
The boy's name was Kiyomi Tsugumi, but that was only his name in this life. In truth, he wasn't originally from this world. In his previous life, he had been just an ordinary young man from Blue Star's Country Z. He had only attended high school before eventually dropping out.
After leaving school, he spent his days helping out at his parents' store, usually from morning until around 7 in the evening. His only real sources of joy were anime and video games, which he indulged in during his free time. Every time his parents saw him doing so, they'd tease him.
"You're just a kid who never grew up," they'd say.
Of all the anime he loved, he had a special fondness for the Pokémon series. Every time a new episode aired, he'd be watching. To support the franchise, he even donated his savings to buy a 3DS and play Sun and Moon.
Occasionally, he'd imagine himself living in the world of Pokémon, setting off on a journey to explore a colorful and exciting life. But deep down, he knew those dreams were just fantasies. What he didn't know was that fate had other plans for him—a wild, ridiculous twist of destiny.
One early morning, just like any other, he woke up at 7 a.m., washed his face and brushed his teeth, then hopped on his bicycle and rode off to his parents' shop.
The ride was calm. As he pedaled leisurely, he inhaled the fresh morning air, took in the roadside scenery, and reminisced about his carefree childhood days. The road from his house to the store was straight, with two or three intersections along the way. Trees lined both sides of the street, planted to beautify the neighborhood. But they also blocked visibility at the intersections, so most people slowed down as they approached them.
Unfortunately, Kiyomi had been too deep in thought. By the time he realized he was approaching an intersection, he was already in the middle of it. When he turned to look, he saw a white car speeding toward him. It was too late to react.
He could only watch in horror as the vehicle hurtled in his direction. His mind went blank.
The driver hit the brakes just in time—Bang!—but it was still too late. Kiyomi was flung to the ground and rolled several times. His bicycle was knocked a few meters away, and his body now lay sprawled on the asphalt. His hands and knees were scraped badly, bleeding profusely.
Just as he breathed a sigh of relief, thinking he had miraculously survived, he failed to notice an electric scooter speeding toward him. Its rider looked on in terror as they tried—and failed—to stop in time.
The scooter crushed Kiyomi's lower body.
The searing pain was unbearable. He heard two sharp crack sounds before everything went black.
He didn't know how much time had passed. But when he opened his eyes again, he found himself transformed—into a helpless newborn baby.
"Am I… reincarnated?" he thought silently.
It was only then that he recalled the absurd and tragic way he had died. "Damn it… I didn't die heroically in a car crash like some protagonist in a fantasy novel. I died because my lower body got crushed? That's just brutal."
His heart filled with bitterness that he couldn't express.
As time passed, the baby grew into a child, then a teenager. As the saying goes, death is like a lamp being extinguished. The bonds of family, friendship, love, and money from his previous life all vanished like smoke in the wind.
His parents in this world named him Tsugumi Aoki. When he was about four or five years old, his parents introduced him to the child of a family friend in their small town. The boy's name was Xiaozhi.
The moment Tsugumi heard the name, his heart skipped a beat. It sounded familiar. When he saw the boy's face, he was sure—this was Ash Ketchum, or as he was known in his world, Satoshi.
The lightning bolt-like marks on both of Ash's cheeks, the silly and cheerful grin—there was no mistaking it. His mother was even named Hanako—Ash's mom.
Before he even turned five, Tsugumi had once come across a newspaper article that mentioned Professor Yukinari Okido—Dr. Oak—while reading about Pidgeys and Pidgeottos. That was the first hint that this world wasn't just similar to Pokémon… it was the Pokémon world.
Excited, Tsugumi began searching for wild Pokémon near his house, but to his disappointment, he found none. When he asked his parents, they explained that not everyone could afford to raise Pokémon.
Elves, as they called them here, were expensive to care for. Their appetites were large, and their food cost a lot of money. Most families simply couldn't afford it. On top of that, becoming a Pokémon trainer wasn't easy. One needed a clean background, no criminal record, and had to contribute alliance currency for five consecutive years to qualify.
Luckily, Tsugumi's family owned a flower shop, and he was an only child. Money wasn't an issue. Their background was clean, and they had lived in the town for generations. With everything in order, his parents helped him obtain the necessary clearance to become a trainer.
Time flew by.
Kiyomi Tsugumi celebrated his tenth birthday, and soon after, he received the official notice and a trainer's license from the Pokémon League.
The day before his journey, a mix of excitement and anxiety bubbled inside him. That's when the scene at the beginning of the story took place—he wandered off to the grassy plains he used to visit as a child, lay on his back, and quietly reflected on his life.
"Wow… ten years flew by just like that," he muttered.
"It's great to finally go on a journey. I was such a shut-in in my previous life. I never even traveled far from home, so I'm still a bit nervous." His face showed a trace of worry.
"But whatever… no need to overthink. I'll just take things one step at a time. Judging by the sun, it's probably noon. Time to go home and eat." With that, he stood up, patted the grass off his clothes, and strolled home with a smile on his face.
"I'm back!" Kiyomi called out as he stepped inside, taking off his shoes and placing them neatly by the door.
"Time to eat. Go wash your hands," his mom said as she brought dishes out from the kitchen and arranged them on the table.
During the meal, his dad asked with concern whether he had packed everything he needed for the journey. Kiyomi replied that he had taken care of most of it. The only thing left was to visit Dr. Oak the next day and receive his first Pokémon.
The rest of the evening, Kiyomi stayed home reviewing travel tips and safety guidelines. He imagined the adventures that awaited him and couldn't help but get excited.
That night, after setting his alarm, he put on his pajamas, tucked himself under the covers, and slowly drifted off to sleep—his heart full of anticipation for the journey that lay ahead.