The Poké Ball felt warmer than before.
Shunya stood there for a long moment, fingers wrapped around its smooth surface, as if afraid that opening it too soon might somehow break the miracle he'd just created. The forest around him had gone quiet—not silent, but attentive. Leaves rustled softly. Somewhere far away, a bird Pokémon cried out.
"Okay…" he murmured. "I guess… I should let you out."
His thumb hovered over the button.
Click.
A flash of light spilled into the air, gentle rather than explosive. Pikachu reappeared in front of him, landing lightly on the grass. It blinked once, then twice, as if reorienting itself.
Then its eyes met Shunya's.
For a split second, they both froze.
"Uh… hi," Shunya said awkwardly, lifting a hand in a small wave. "I'm… Shunya."
Pikachu stared at him.
"…Pika?"
The tension snapped.
Shunya laughed, the sound bubbling out of him before he could stop it. "Yeah, I know. I'm probably weird."
Pikachu took a cautious step forward, then another. It circled him slowly, tail swaying, eyes sharp but not unfriendly. When it stopped, it leaned in and sniffed his shoe.
Shunya didn't move.
Electricity crackled faintly in Pikachu's cheeks—not threatening, just… energetic. Then, to Shunya's surprise, it hopped up and landed lightly against his leg, steadying itself with tiny paws.
"Oh—!"
He nearly lost his balance.
Pikachu looked up at him, eyes bright, clearly pleased with itself.
"…You're heavy," Shunya said, though there was no complaint in his voice.
"Pika!"
Something warm settled in his chest.
A soft chime echoed, quieter than before.
> Partner Sync Stable
No fanfare. No fireworks.
Just confirmation.
"So… you're really staying with me," Shunya whispered.
Pikachu's ears twitched. Then it climbed up his side with surprising ease and perched itself on his shoulder, tail flicking happily.
Shunya froze again.
Slowly, carefully, he reached up.
Pikachu didn't move away.
"…This is unreal."
---
They began walking.
The path ahead wasn't marked by signs or glowing arrows. It was simply there—a natural trail worn into the ground, winding through trees and tall grass. Pikachu stayed close, sometimes on his shoulder, sometimes hopping ahead before circling back.
Shunya noticed things he hadn't before.
Wild Pokémon watched him now.
From bushes. From treetops. From behind rocks.
But they didn't rush him.
They didn't challenge him.
They acknowledged Pikachu.
"It's like…" Shunya murmured, watching a small bug-type retreat into the undergrowth, "…they know."
Pikachu puffed its cheeks proudly.
A faint interface shimmered briefly at the edge of Shunya's vision—barely noticeable, like a reflection on glass.
> Trainer Status: Active
That was it.
No tutorial. No explanation.
The world had simply accepted him.
As they moved deeper along the route, the sounds grew richer. Flowing water somewhere nearby. Footsteps—human footsteps.
Shunya slowed.
Ahead, a figure stood near the edge of the path, leaning against a tree. He wore practical outdoor gear, a long coat marked with subtle insignia Shunya didn't recognize. A cap shaded his eyes, but when he noticed Shunya approaching, he straightened.
"Well now," the man said, smiling faintly. "Didn't expect to see a fresh face out here."
Shunya stiffened. "S-Sorry—am I not supposed to—?"
The man chuckled. "Relax. You're fine. First day?"
Shunya nodded.
The man's gaze dropped to Pikachu, who watched him carefully.
"Good choice," he said. "Strong partner. Loyal too, if you treat it right."
"You can tell already?" Shunya asked.
"You learn to," the man replied. "Name's Rowan. I watch over this route."
A ranger, then.
Rowan's expression grew thoughtful. "Listen. Pokémon World isn't… even. Some trainers grow fast. Some don't. And some?" He paused. "Some walk paths most people never will."
Shunya swallowed. "What kind of paths?"
Rowan smiled again, but this time there was something unreadable behind it. "You'll see."
With that, he stepped aside, letting Shunya pass.
"Stay sharp," Rowan added. "And don't compare yourself to others too much. It'll only slow you down."
Shunya nodded, heart pounding as he walked on.
---
The path opened into a clearing.
And that's when he saw it.
Two trainers stood facing each other, Pokémon unleashed between them. Fire scorched the ground. Ice shattered against stone. One trainer rolled to avoid an attack while shouting commands, the other barely ducked as something flew past his head.
This wasn't staged.
This wasn't safe.
This was real.
Shunya stopped dead.
Pikachu hopped down, standing in front of him instinctively, electricity crackling faintly.
"They're… fighting," Shunya whispered.
Not a mode. Not an arena.
Just trainers crossing paths—and clashing.
The battle ended quickly. One Pokémon fell, dissolving into light as it returned to its ball. The losing trainer staggered back, breathing hard, then laughed.
"Good match," he said.
They parted ways like it was nothing.
Shunya exhaled slowly.
"So that's PvP…" he murmured.
Pikachu glanced back at him, eyes serious.
"I know," Shunya said quietly. "We're not ready."
---
The road split ahead.
One path led toward a town—rooftops visible beyond the trees, smoke rising gently into the sky.
The other vanished into deeper wilderness, darker and untamed.
Shunya stopped between them.
He looked down at Pikachu.
"Well?" he asked softly.
Pikachu tilted its head, then looked at both paths… before looking back at him.
Waiting.
Shunya smiled.
"For the first time," he said, stepping forward, "I get to choose."
And somewhere far beyond his sight, the world took note.
To be continued.[1]
[1] Oh, I forgot to add why Pikachu is his partner. Well, I wanted a character just like Ash/Satoshi in the anime. Well, I'll hope to add character development though but in the future.