The grass crunched beneath my shoes.
For the first time since I "woke up" here, every step felt real. The scent of flowers. The warmth of the sun. The breeze against my face that wasn't generated wind it was nature.
No code. No digital overlays.
Well, except one.
[COBBLEMON SYSTEM: Integrated Mode – Passive UI Active]
– Visual Skin: Personal only– Network: Offline– Region: Kanto – Local Sync Complete– Start Point Logged: Pallet Town
It didn't buzz, glitch, or hover invasively. The system was now like muscle memory always there, but never overwhelming.
A breeze picked up, and I turned to see Leaf standing a few feet away, brushing wind-blown hair from her face.
"Seriously," she said, raising an eyebrow. "Are you just going to stand there like a lost NPC, or do you actually have plans?"
I smiled. She didn't know how accurate that was.
"I guess I need to figure things out. Maybe even start my journey for real."
Leaf cocked her head, then reached into her satchel and tossed something my way. I caught it: a clean, crisp Pokédex red with white trim. Real hardware.
"I had a spare. Don't ask why. Let's call it a cosmic coincidence."
[Pokédex Registered – Region: Kanto]
Trainer ID: Not Yet AssignedGym Challenge: OptionalLeague Status: Open Enrollment
She stepped forward, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully.
"You've got strong Pokémon already. You're not a rookie, even if you act like one. So what's your angle?"
"I want to travel," I said simply. "Meet Pokémon. People. Start fresh."
Leaf studied me for a long moment, then gave a short nod. "That's fair. A clean start's hard to come by around here."
From down the hill, someone shouted.
"LEAF! If we miss this ferry, it's your fault!"
"Coming!" she called, then turned back to me. "Head north. Viridian Forest's got trainers, wild Pokémon, and weird rumors about a ranger station being rebuilt after a Team Rocket attack. Perfect place to cut your teeth."
I watched her go, Taillow circling above as she rejoined Ash.
Then it hit me.
Ash. Hoenn. Leaf.
This was the world I'd watched on screens. And now I lived in it.
A New Journey
I started north.
The road between Pallet Town and Viridian City was familiar, yet new. The trees whispered. A Pidgeotto circled overhead. I knelt by the grass and released Charmegabyte.
To others, he looked like a powerful Charizard lean, weathered, with glowing flame tips.
To me his original form still pulsed beneath the surface. Pixel lines. Digital glow. Like a quiet badge of where we'd been.
"Hey, buddy," I said. "We finally made it, huh?"
He growled softly and nudged my shoulder.
Then something moved in the grass ahead.
I grabbed a Pokéball but didn't throw it.
Instead, I smiled.
Because for the first time, I wasn't in a simulation. This was real.