Morning came quietly.
Not with alarms or sudden flashes of light—but with the soft warmth of sunlight filtering through the Pokémon Center window. Shunya stirred, eyes opening slowly as the unfamiliar ceiling reminded him where he was.
"…Right," he murmured. "I'm still here."
For a moment, he lay still, listening.
Footsteps outside.
A distant Pokémon cry.
The low hum of a world already moving without him.
Pikachu lay curled beside him, chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. Shunya smiled and reached out, careful not to wake it. Even asleep, Pikachu's tail twitched faintly, a spark crackling before fading.
"You really are real," Shunya whispered.
Pikachu's eyes fluttered open.
"Pika?"
"Morning," Shunya said.
Pikachu stretched, hopped off the bed, and landed lightly on the floor. It bounced once, twice—ready. Eager.
Shunya sat up, heart feeling strangely steady.
"Let's go outside," he said. "Just… us."
---
The route beyond town was calm in the early hours.
Mist clung low to the ground, weaving between tree trunks like thin veils. Dew soaked into Shunya's shoes as he stepped off the stone path and onto earth again. Pikachu walked beside him this time, not on his shoulder—alert, attentive.
Neither of them spoke.
They didn't need to.
Shunya stopped near a small clearing where sunlight spilled through the trees in a wide, golden pool.
"This feels like a good place," he said.
Pikachu looked around, then nodded once.
"Okay," Shunya continued, taking a breath. "Let's… try something."
He didn't raise his voice. Didn't shout commands.
Instead, he moved.
He stepped forward, then back—testing his footing. Pikachu mirrored him instinctively, sparks flickering as it adjusted. Shunya lifted his arm slightly, pointing without pointing.
Pikachu darted left.
A heartbeat later, it stopped.
Shunya blinked.
"…You understood that?"
Pikachu grinned.
They tried again.
Shunya shifted his weight, rolling his shoulder. Pikachu leapt, electricity snapping harmlessly against a nearby rock. The timing wasn't perfect—but it was close.
Too close to be coincidence.
"We're syncing," Shunya breathed.
A soft chime confirmed it—not loudly, not proudly.
> Partner Coordination Improving
Shunya laughed quietly, something light and genuine rising in his chest. "So this is what being a trainer really means."
The air shifted.
Not violently.
Not threateningly.
Just… wrong.
Pikachu froze.
Its ears snapped upright, body lowering slightly.
Shunya felt it too—a pressure, like someone's gaze resting on his back.
"Someone's here," he whispered.
Footsteps crunched softly behind them.
Shunya turned.
A trainer stood at the edge of the clearing, half-hidden by shadow. Older than Shunya. Taller. Calm in a way that felt deliberate.
"I was wondering when you'd show up," the trainer said.
Shunya's throat tightened. "Do I know you?"
The trainer shook his head. "No. But I know of you."
Pikachu stepped forward protectively.
The trainer's eyes flicked to it, then back to Shunya. "Relax. I'm not here to battle."
Shunya had heard those words before.
"Then why are you here?" he asked.
The trainer smiled faintly. "Because you didn't take the easy path."
Silence stretched.
"You could've fought on patrol," the trainer continued. "Could've caught something strong. Made a name for yourself early."
Shunya clenched his fists. "I didn't want anyone hurt."
"Exactly."
The trainer's gaze sharpened. "Do you know how rare that is?"
Shunya didn't answer.
The trainer took a step back. "This world rewards power. Aggression. Results."
"Then why does it feel like it's watching me?" Shunya asked quietly.
The trainer paused.
For the first time, his smile faded.
"…Because sometimes," he said slowly, "the world looks for something it hasn't seen in a long time."
He turned away, already fading into the trees.
"Be careful, Shunya Shiraishi," he called over his shoulder. "The moment you're noticed… you're never unseen again."
Then he was gone.
---
The forest exhaled.
Shunya stood there, heart pounding.
"…Did that really just happen?"
Pikachu looked up at him, eyes steady.
Shunya crouched and placed a hand on Pikachu's head.
"I don't know what kind of trainer I'll become," he said softly. "But I know what kind I don't want to be."
Pikachu pressed its head into his palm.
"Pika."
Somewhere far beyond the clearing, unseen systems recorded nothing flashy.
No levels gained.
No battles logged.
Only a simple truth:
A choice had been made.
And it carried weight.
To Be Continued. [1]
[1] Can't say for sure, but there may be a chance that There won't be any chapter on this weekend.