The morning light spilled through the curtains, warm and golden, brushing against Alex's face as he stood before the mirror.
The reflection staring back was… different.
Black hair, slightly messy but shining under the light. Deep brown eyes that seemed to hold more life than before. His body had changed too — lean, firm, athletic — the kind of frame shaped by activity rather than idleness. His skin had a natural tan, like someone who had grown up running through open fields beneath the sun.
He tilted his head slightly, then grinned.
"Not bad," he muttered, giving himself a thumbs-up. "Guess dying had some perks after all."
The boy in the mirror smiled back, confident and full of energy — a version of himself he had always wanted to become.
....
The next day arrived with the scent of fresh morning air drifting through Pallet Town.
Alex stepped out of his small home, the door creaking softly behind him. The path leading toward Professor Oak's laboratory glimmered faintly with dew, the grass on either side swaying in rhythm with the morning breeze.
He paused, closing his eyes for a moment.
Birdsong filled the air — Pidgey perched on rooftops, cooing softly; a Butterfree glided lazily past, its wings scattering flecks of light like tiny rainbows. Down the road, a Rattata darted across, pausing to nibble a fallen berry before vanishing into the grass again.
Alex couldn't help but smile.
"So they're really here…" he whispered. "Real Pokémon."
He walked forward slowly, every step making his heart race faster. The dirt path curved gently upward, and as he climbed, the view of Pallet Town stretched out behind him — small houses surrounded by wildflowers, smoke curling gently from chimneys, and the sound of laughter echoing faintly from somewhere in the distance.
It felt peaceful. Honest. Alive.
"This world…" he murmured, "…is more beautiful than I ever imagined."
Soon, the path leveled out, and in front of him stood a large, white building crowned with a wind turbine spinning lazily under the sun. The red-and-white Poké Ball emblem gleamed brightly above the entrance — Professor Oak's Laboratory.
For a moment, Alex just stood there, staring at it. The place where so many journeys began.
He took a deep breath, feeling the breeze tug gently at his hair, and smiled.
"Alright," he said softly, almost to himself. "Let's go meet the Professor."
And with that, Alex stepped forward towards laboratory.