c2: Departure
Five years had passed since that fateful encounter in the forest, and now Alex was finally ten years old. Today marked the beginning of his official Pokémon journey—the long-anticipated day every trainer waited for. The mysterious egg he had discovered back then, nestled in tall Littleroot grass, had long since hatched.
From that egg had emerged a peculiar creature: a boomerang-shaped, jet-black head with magenta-tipped horns, large, glossy eyes full of innocence, and a ghostly, translucent tail. Aesthetically, its appearance fell somewhere between unsettling and adorable.
Wasn't this… Dreepy? The pseudo-legendary Ghost/Dragon Pokémon from Galar?
While Dreepy's typing was undoubtedly elite, Alex could only smile bitterly at fate's peculiar sense of humor. Pseudo-legendaries were known in both the games and the manga for being high-investment, slow-reward Pokémon. Dreepy, in particular, was infamous for being one of the slowest to mature—it doesn't evolve into Drakloak until level 50, and it only reaches its final stage, Dragapult, at level 60. In this world, where wild Pokémon encounters could be deadly, Dreepy's fragile early-stage stats made it a highly impractical starter for a new trainer.
Fortunately, Alex's family was decently well-off, regularly contributing their dues to the Hoenn Pokémon Alliance, which gave him eligibility to claim a traditional starter from Professor Birch. He wasn't sure if he could ask specifically for a Ghost-type replacement—especially since Ghost Pokémon often required special compatibility licenses but the system didn't forbid him from applying, and that alone was a relief.
Over the years, Alex and Dreepy had become inseparable. Their five-year bond ran deep, filled with quiet mornings, shared naps, and childish adventures across the Littleroot hills. This made Ruby, now also ten, insanely jealous. Watching Alex casually walk around with a fully bonded Pokémon since age five, Ruby had once declared, "You're basically cheating! Are you even human?!"
---
Pokémon: Dreepy
Level: 20
Type: Dragon / Ghost
Ability: Infiltrator
Tera Type: Ghost
Nature: Jolly (↑ Speed / ↓ Sp. Atk)
Gender: Male
IVs: 6 (Perfect)
Known Moves: Quick Attack, Bite, Infestation, Astonish
Held Item: None
Origin: Discovered in tall grass near Littleroot, hatched and raised by Alex over five years. Unusually talented and emotionally attached.
---
Alex let Dreepy perch atop his head like a wobbly, spectral hat. Despite Dreepy's future as a Dragapult an apex predator in the Pokémon hierarchy, it currently resembled an overly affectionate balloon animal. He cherished its presence in this stage, knowing full well that one day it would become too large to sit on his head without crushing his neck.
During these five years, Alex had re-embraced childhood. He had let go of adult worries, rediscovering innocence and joy. His days were filled with laughter, mischief, and lazy afternoons rather than hardcore training regimens. As a result, Dreepy's growth had been… casual at best. He had only engaged in a handful of low-stakes encounters—wild Caterpie, Zigzagoon, and even a Wurmple once. No real challenges. Certainly nothing close to the kind of battles Ruby had imagined when ranting about the power of Gym Leaders like Roxanne or Brawly.
Adding to the challenge, pseudo-legendaries level up notoriously slowly. Their experience curve, as documented in the trainer database, was brutal. Dreepy had finally reached level 20, but his power still lagged behind average wild Pokémon of the same level. According to internal system metrics, Dreepy's combat strength was closer to that of a typical level 12 Pokémon slightly better than a freshly caught Lotad, but nowhere near battle-ready against serious threats.
Still, Alex didn't regret a single moment. While he hadn't been optimizing EXP gain like a competitive player, he had spent years forming a connection that couldn't be replicated by brute-force training. Dreepy didn't just obey him—it understood him.
In the Pokémon Adventures manga, there had been characters who thrived not because of strength but because of their bonds Yellow with her Pikachu, or Sapphire with her Pokémon raised from childhood in the wild. Alex saw himself in that mold. He wasn't building a team; he was forging a family.
Now, the time had come to step into the larger world of Hoenn, to meet Gym Leaders like Roxanne, Flannery, and eventually the Elite Four. The manga had shown just how formidable they could be far more dangerous than their game counterparts. Roxanne alone had once nearly overwhelmed Ruby with a team of rock-solid strategies, and Alex had no intention of walking into that unprepared.
He looked toward the morning sky, the Littleroot breeze gently brushing past his face. Dreepy squealed softly and wobbled on his head, as if eager for what lay ahead.
"Let's do our best, partner," Alex whispered.
There was no turning back now.
Bidding farewell to his easygoing father and ever-chatty mother—whom he respected but still couldn't fully embrace as "parents" in the emotional sense, Alex stepped out with a conflicted heart. Although they had raised him in this life, it was still difficult to suddenly accept two strangers as real family, even after ten years of shared memories.
But to everyone else in Littleroot Town, Alex was seen as a remarkably responsible child mature beyond his years, always dependable, and seemingly born to take care of others. Let them believe what they wanted. He didn't have the energy to correct their assumptions.
As he walked toward Professor Birch's lab, the sound of someone exiting the building caught his attention. It was Ruby, holding a stack of field notes and looking somewhat flustered.
"Hey! Clumsy! Is the Professor in?" Alex called out, casually throwing in Ruby's childhood nickname. On his head, Dreepy chimed in with a sharp "Dree!"—its small voice full of attitude, mimicking Alex's tone.
Alex hadn't returned Dreepy to its Poké Ball. It was still too young and small to cause trouble, and there was no point in confining it. In a few years, when it evolved into a 3-meter-long Dragapult that could launch baby Dreepy from its horns like missiles, it wouldn't be able to sit on his head anymore. So for now, he let it enjoy its freedom.
Ruby frowned dramatically, brushing his bangs aside like a theater actor. "Little Alex, no can do. The Professor went off into the wild again. He was muttering about tracking a migrating group of Wurmple or something. Wanna go find him together?"
They agreed and headed for the outskirts of town. The route was familiar—Alex had walked it many times, both in his past life memories of playing the game and in his current childhood. As they left Littleroot and stepped onto Route 101, the sounds of the wild grew louder: distant chirps, rustling leaves, and the occasional call of a Tailow or Zigzagoon.
Suddenly, they heard a familiar panicked voice. "Hey! Ruby! Alex! Quick, help me!"
They spotted Professor Birch sprinting down a slope, pursued not by a single Pokémon like in the game, but by a whole pack of Poochyena. He was sweating and panting heavily, clutching his satchel. "My bag! The Poké Balls! Use them quickly!"
Alex froze. This wasn't how it happened in the original Ruby/Sapphire storyline. Back then, it was just one lone Poochyena. But now? Twenty of them. This wasn't a random encounter it was practically a full-blown raid.
They could see the level indicators from the system interface:
---
Pokémon: Poochyena
Level: 5
Type: Dark
Known Moves: Tackle, Howl
---
"No Dark-type moves, huh?" Alex narrowed his eyes. "Tsk. So they're just glorified mutts with Tackle spam."
Despite the overwhelming numbers, Alex saw through the chaos. None of the Poochyena could harm Dreepy. They were Normal-type attackers. Tackle had no effect on a Ghost-type like Dreepy. It was practically a cheat code.
And unlike Ruby, who was hesitating between panic and bravery, Alex didn't waste time.
"Dreepy, you're up!"
The small ghost-dragon leapt from his head midair and immediately used Astonish, phasing through the lead Poochyena with eerie speed. A chorus of startled yelps followed as Dreepy darted and weaved through the pack. They couldn't land a single hit.
It wasn't even a battle. It was target practice.
Today, only the Poochyena would suffer.
When it was over, the surviving Pokémon scattered, whimpering into the tall grass. Professor Birch collapsed to his knees, catching his breath. "Whew… That was close…"
"Nice work, Dreepy," Alex said with a smirk, catching the little guy as it fluttered back and latched onto his head like a hat again. He gave Dreepy a soft pat on the head, and Dreepy made a pleased clicking noise.
Ruby scowled, arms crossed. "Tch. Show-off."
In truth, he was impressed. But watching Alex steal the spotlight yet again made him feel like nothing more than a side character. Ruby from the manga would never admit that, of course—not out loud.
Back at the lab, Professor Birch thanked them profusely. "You two really saved my hide out there. I should've known better than to chase Poochyena without a proper escort."
Then, with a grin, he clapped his hands together. "Now, on to more exciting things! Both of you have officially come of age. As ten-year-olds, you're eligible to receive a starter Pokémon from the regional lab. Consider it a reward for saving an old man's life."
He tossed three Poké Balls onto the ground, and with a flash of red light, three tiny creatures emerged.
---
"Bari!"
"Chamo!"
"Gamo!"
---
There they were: Treecko, Torchic, and Mudkip the traditional Hoenn starters. In the Pokémon Adventures manga, each had their own unique traits. Sapphire's Torchic, for instance, evolved into a powerful Blaziken that grew alongside her fierce battling style. Alex wondered if he'd get one like that.
But he already had a Dreepy. The question now wasn't which starter to take—it was how to build a team around the ghost dragon floating atop his head.
His journey had officially begun.
—