Summer. June 9th, 2025.
The sky was a brilliant, cloudless blue.
But Valen Faelan, dead to the world in his bed, suddenly felt a chill crawl over his skin.
I've forgotten something important…
He opened his eyes, staring at the blank ceiling as he tried to rub the fog from his mind.
Then it hit him.
The Ordeals. Today was the final day.
He snatched his phone from the nightstand. The screen flared to life: 12:05 PM.
Noon?
"Did my alarm just not go off?"
Panic seized him as he dropped the phone. His heart hammered against his ribs. He'd made a promise to Seraphina yesterday—a promise to be there, to support her through her final Trial. And he'd slept through it.
He'd gone to bed early. Even without an alarm, he shouldn't have been out this late. He picked up the phone again, his mind racing for an apology that didn't sound like a pathetic excuse.
But a new message was already on the screen. It was from her.
Seraphina Thorne: The morning's combat trial was a breeze. My opponent's Pikachu was pathetically weak.
He managed a weak smile. "Well, at least she aced it."
Valen was about to type out a congratulations when the words snagged in his thoughts.
Combat trial?
Pikachu?
She's supposed to be taking the Imperial Ordeals, not playing a video game!
"I'm still dreaming," he muttered, shaking his head.
Just then, his phone buzzed again, a cascade of notifications from the Nyxoria Times feed. The first headline was so outlandish it made his skin crawl.
He frowned, scrolling down to the public comments.
DragonTamer_99: Dactyl? As in, a Dragon-type? Is this a new species of Anima? LootGoblin: The whole Liaoxi region is gonna be a gold rush now. Whoever bags that Aerodactyl is set for life. But if it took out three pros, its power level must be off the charts. StudentTears: You have GOT to be kidding me. Another new Anima? I swear, if they add this to the Bestiary exam, I'm dropping out.
A sharp pain lanced through Valen's skull. They say a Psyduck's headache can awaken psychic powers. His just unlocked a flood of memories that weren't his own.
Minutes later, the pain subsided, leaving him with a chilling, complex clarity.
He finally understood.
"I'm still Valen Faelan," he whispered, the words tasting strange. "But this isn't my world."
The Pikachu, the Aerodactyl—they were real.
It all started a century ago. Rifts to other dimensions, dubbed 'Secret Realms' by scientists, tore open across the globe. Each was a self-contained world teeming with creatures called 'Magic Beasts'—monsters wielding power that made firearms look like children's toys.
Then, the Viridian Forest Realm merged with their own, and the beasts walked the Earth for the first time. Some were peaceful. Most were not. The ensuing conflict, the 'Beast War,' reshaped civilization.
In the war's aftermath, the Valorian Empire and other world powers formed the Anima League. 'Magic Beasts' were rebranded as 'Anima.' Soon after, Dr. Ron of the Nyxorian Collegium invented the Nexus Orb, a device capable of capturing Anima. To regulate access to the Realms and their power, the government established the Summoner's Guild. The profession of the Summoner was born.
Now, in the 21st century, the Empire's future depended on cultivating powerful Summoners. Elite schools like his, Stonehaven Academy, had been forged for this single purpose. Their entire curriculum revolved around Anima lore, strategy, and combat—all leading up to the Imperial Ordeals. This summer, before his final year, Valen was scheduled to receive his first Anima and officially register as a Novice Summoner.
"So it's real," Valen breathed, splashing cold water on his face in the bathroom. His reflection stared back, familiar but now alien. His home was the same, his parents were the same, but the world he knew was gone.
Becoming a Summoner wasn't just a matter of ambition; it was a matter of wealth. The tuition for his final year at Stonehaven alone was a staggering 200,000 credits—a king's ransom designed to ensure that only the most dedicated (and well-funded) could walk the path.
A Summoner commanded the elemental fury of their Anima—lightning, fire, water, wind—as if it were their own. They were the new global elite, their power shaping every facet of modern life.
But Valen realized something else, something crucial.
In this world, without the Pokémon franchise to codify everything, humanity's knowledge was incomplete. Their Bestiary only listed 702 species of Anima. He remembered over 800. Their understanding of abilities, combat arts, breeding, and strategy was still in its infancy. For all their power, they were fumbling in the dark.
And he, Valen Faelan, was the only one with the light.
A wry smile touched his lips. He picked up his phone, his fingers flying across the screen.
Valen Faelan: Just woke up, sorry I missed it. But huge congrats! Knew you'd crush it.
She deserved the praise. An ace student from an academy like Stonehaven was on a clear path. Four years at a top collegium like Nyxoria, and she'd almost certainly earn her Professional Summoner's License. That license wasn't just a job—it was a ticket to a higher class of existence, with unparalleled benefits and access.
It was the dream his other self had been chasing. Now, it was his.