Isaac stared blankly at the endless spreadsheets glowing on his office monitor, the faint hum of fluorescent lights buzzing above him. His shoulders ached, his eyes burned, and his cold coffee sat untouched on his desk.
The clock read 2:43 a.m.
Another late night. Another meaningless day.
Ever since graduating university, Isaac had thrown himself into the grind of a corporate tech company, hoping the stable paycheck would make him happy. But it hadn't. Deadlines loomed endlessly, managers barked orders without empathy, and friends he once laughed with had drifted away one by one.
It felt like he was drowning — slowly, quietly.
The only thing that gave him a fleeting sense of freedom was his phone, specifically the Pokémon GO app. After work, he would roam the streets late at night, chasing digital Pokémon and pretending he was on an adventure, if only for a few moments.
Sometimes, in his loneliest nights, he whispered to himself:
"If only I could live in the Pokémon world… I'd never complain again."
⸻
It was a stormy Friday night. Isaac had just left the office after sixteen exhausting hours. His boss yelled at him, the project deadline got moved up again, and the city streets were slick with rain.
Huddled under the awning of a closed café, he opened Pokémon GO. At least here, he had control. At least here, he could win.
A notification popped up:
Raid Nearby: Rayquaza (Shiny Possible!)
Isaac's tired lips curved into a faint smile. "Alright… give me something good, at least."
He tapped into the raid, tossing Ultra Balls with practiced precision despite the drizzle soaking his sleeves.
"C'mon… stay in the ball," he muttered.
One… two… three…
Ding!
Rayquaza was caught!
"Yes!" he whispered. But just as relief washed over him—
⚡ CRACK!
A blinding flash of lightning lit up the night sky. His phone vibrated violently, the screen glowing an unnatural white before the world tilted beneath him. His chest tightened, his stomach dropped…
Then, everything went black.
⸻
When Isaac opened his eyes, he was lying on soft grass.
The rain was gone. The oppressive city lights were gone.
Instead, a perfect blue sky stretched endlessly overhead, clouds drifting lazily across a warm sun. A gentle breeze carried the sweet scent of wildflowers and earth.
Isaac sat up slowly, blinking at the sunlight. He was surrounded by rolling green fields, distant forests, and glittering streams — a world untouched by skyscrapers or honking cars.
"Where… am I?" he whispered.
Then he heard it.
"Pidgeeeeyyy~!"
A small brown bird Pokémon swooped overhead, wings catching the sunlight. A flock of them danced in the sky, chirping playfully as they darted between trees.
Isaac's breath caught.
"No… way. No freaking way."
⸻
A vibration in his pocket made him jolt. He pulled out his phone — but the interface wasn't Pokémon GO anymore. It was something… new.
[Pokémon GO System v2.0 Initialized]
Welcome, Trainer Isaac!
Your account has successfully synchronized with the Pokémon World Network.
Access granted to exclusive system functions.
Trainer Level: 24
PokéCoins: 320
Pokémon Stored: 67
Energy: 100/100
Unlocked Features:
• Pokémon Summoning
• Wild Scan & Appraisal
• Quest System
• Pokédex Integration
Isaac's hands trembled as he scrolled through his Pokémon list. Every single one of his Pokémon from Pokémon GO was here. His shiny Gyarados. His Eevee army. His newly caught Rayquaza.
Charmander (CP: 432) — Summon?
He froze, heart pounding. "…Summon?"
Taking a shaky breath, he tapped the option.
⸻
A soft hum filled the air, and the Poké Ball symbol on his phone began to glow. A small orb of red light materialized on the grass before him, pulsing brighter and brighter until —
Flash!
There, standing where the light had been, was a tiny orange lizard Pokémon with a flickering flame on its tail. Its bright blue eyes blinked up at him curiously, head tilting as it let out a soft:
"Char?"
Isaac's throat tightened. His vision blurred as tears welled in his eyes.
This wasn't just a game anymore. This was real. Charmander was real.
He hesitated before reaching out a hand, moving slowly so as not to scare it.
"Hey, little guy," he said softly, his voice trembling. "I… I guess I'm your trainer now."
Charmander sniffed his fingertips, then chirped happily and pressed its warm forehead against his palm.
Isaac let out a shaky laugh, wiping at his eyes with his free hand. "I… I can't believe this is happening. I finally get to meet you."
The tail flame crackled gently, casting a warm glow between them. In that moment, beneath the endless blue sky, Isaac made a silent promise:
No more spreadsheets.
No more meaningless nights.
No more quiet suffering.
He was going to live.
With Charmander by his side.
⸻
A soft chime from his phone broke the moment.
[Quest Unlocked!]
Title: Welcome to Kanto
Objective: Reach Pallet Town and meet Professor Oak
Reward: 500 PokéCoins + Starter Bundle
Penalty: None
"Kanto," Isaac whispered, staring at the screen. "This is… really happening."
Charmander tugged gently at his sleeve and chirped, "Char!"
Isaac smiled, ruffling the top of its head.
"Alright, partner. Let's go meet Professor Oak."
Above them, a flock of Pidgey scattered into the clear blue sky, and for the first time in years, Isaac felt a weight lift off his chest.
This was his second chance.
And this time, he wasn't going to waste it