Chapter 1: A Very Soft Landing
My first coherent thought upon waking was that a pillow should not feel this soft. It was an ethereal, downy cloud that smelled faintly of lavender and the kind of pristine cleanliness only accessible to the absurdly wealthy. This was a profound and unsettling change from the final, violent sensation of my old life: the sickening crunch of metal, the shriek of a tire losing grip, and the final, jarring impact with a very unyielding concrete pillar. I had been a man of logic and efficiency, a tech prodigy who had built a nine-figure empire from the ground up, and my last, intimate thought had been a cynical analysis of the flaw in the Bugatti's traction control. My current situation, however, defied all logic.
I slowly blinked, and the world came into focus. The ceiling was a masterpiece of polished oak, a high arch adorned with an intricate chandelier that dripped with what looked suspiciously like genuine crystal. Sunlight, filtered through a large, arching window, painted the room in hues of soft gold, illuminating specks of dancing dust. I felt small, strangely light. My hands, when I brought them into my view, were plump, pale, and unmistakably those of a child.
"System boot complete. Hello, User Ryo Tanaka. Welcome to the Pokémon world! As a reward for your successful reincarnation, you have received the starter Pokémon: Victini. Please accept your reward."
The voice in my head was bright and bubbly, a saccharine jingle from a pop song that grated against the cynical remnants of my former self. A holographic screen, visible only to me, shimmered into existence a foot from my face. It displayed a ridiculously cute, cream-colored creature with oversized ears, an infectious grin, and a fluffy tail shaped like the letter V.
My eyes, trained by years of reading data sheets and financial reports, immediately zeroed in on the text below the image.
Victini
Type: Psychic/Fire
Ability: Victory Star
Special Trait: INVINCIBLE
My mind, a place where I'd once run complex algorithms and stress-tested market forecasts, stuttered. It felt like a bad line of code, a bug in the matrix. Below the bolded trait was a short, infuriatingly simple explanation: "The very presence of this Pokémon guarantees victory. It cannot be defeated by any standard means."
This was a cosmic joke. My entire previous existence was built on competition, on overcoming challenges. Now, I was handed a cheat code to a world I hadn't even asked to join. The most basic joy of a journey, the struggle and the growth, had been preemptively stripped away. I ran a hand through my hair, which felt far too silky and soft to be my own.
A polite cough brought me back to reality. A maid, impeccably dressed in a spotless white uniform, stood by the door, holding a tray with a perfectly arranged breakfast. Pancakes stacked three high, drizzled with a rich-looking syrup, sat next to a small bowl of fresh berries and a glass of orange juice.
"Good morning, Young Master. Your parents asked me to wake you. Professor Birch is waiting," she said with a gentle, practiced smile.
My new life, it seemed, came with a maid, pancakes, and an absurdly overpowered psychic rabbit that lived in a digital hellscape in my head.
I made the pragmatic decision to eat the pancakes first. They were, predictably, excellent. While I savored each perfect bite, my new parents entered the room. My mother was a vision of grace and maternal warmth, wearing a simple yet elegant silk dress. My father, a tall, distinguished man with a gentle face, wore a tailored suit and a kind, indulgent smile. They both looked at me with an affection that felt both alien and strangely comforting.
"Are you excited, darling?" my mother asked, her voice as soft as the pillow I had just abandoned. "Professor Birch says the Treecko he found is a perfect match for you. Strong, intelligent, but with a gentle heart."
My father chuckled. "He was insistent. A Pokémon that can match your… unconventional brilliance, my boy."
Unconventional brilliance. I almost snorted. My "brilliance" was in coding complex trading algorithms, not… whatever this was. I tried to feign excitement, offering a small, practiced smile. "Yes, I'm ready. Thank you, Mother, Father."
The car ride to Professor Birch's lab was a spectacle in itself. The family's private driver navigated a winding road that passed through acres of manicured gardens and vast, open fields. The Hoenn region was a lush, vibrant tapestry of green, far more alive than any landscape I'd ever known. The air, crisp and fresh, was a world away from the smoggy urban sprawl of my former existence.
My new "starter," whom I had already christened Vic, buzzed around the car's interior. A single tap on the invisible holographic screen had completed the acceptance, and the egg had hatched in a brilliant flash of light. Now, the small, cheerful Pokémon was a white-and-red blur, a tiny force of nature completely unaware of the chaos it was causing. It zipped past the driver's head, causing him to flinch, then settled on the dashboard, staring out the window with an expression of unadulterated curiosity.
The system chirped in my mind. "First mini-quest: Do not cause your chauffeur a heart attack. Current progress: Failed. Negative points added to Lifestyle Score."
I sighed internally. The system wasn't just a cheat code; it was a bizarre, gamified life coach.
Professor Birch's lab was a beautiful, organized mess. Books were stacked precariously on tables, half-eaten sandwiches sat next to complex-looking machinery, and small, leafy plants thrived on every available surface. The professor himself was a whirlwind of energy, a plump man with a wild beard and an infectious enthusiasm.
"Ryo! My boy!" he boomed, gesturing grandly with his arms. "Welcome! Your father told me you've been looking forward to this day. You're at the perfect age to begin your journey. The world is full of wonders! Look at this!" He pointed to a small wooden table where three Poké Balls sat, shining under the lab lights.
"For you, Ryo, I have a special one! Not one of the standard three, no, no. I've heard you have a knack for… strategy. This little fellow needs a trainer who can appreciate his unique mind!"
He picked up a Poké Ball and with a flourish, released its inhabitant. A sleek, green-skinned lizard with a long, elegant tail and sharp, intelligent eyes emerged. It was a Treecko. It landed with a soft thud on the tabletop and struck a cool, confident pose, a smug little smirk on its face. It was everything I had hoped for. A classic, cool, and capable starter. A partner for a proper journey.
Then, its eyes, filled with a primal sense of superiority, landed on Vic. The Victini was currently perched on the professor's head, happily munching on a Poffin it had somehow materialized out of thin air.
Treecko's smug smirk faltered. Its eyebrow-like markings furrowed in confusion. It stared at Vic for a long, uncomfortable moment, its cool demeanor draining away in a single, fluid motion. Then, it slowly turned its head to me, its eyes wide with a very human-like look of "Is that... a legendary Pokémon? And what have I gotten myself into?"
I gave it a sheepish, apologetic smile. "Hey there, Treecko. My name's Ryo. And… that's my other Pokémon, Vic. He's… an acquired taste, I promise."
The system chirped in my head once more, a stark and jarring juxtaposition to the silence that had fallen over the room.
"New Quest Unlocked: A proper Pokémon journey! Goal: Begin a fulfilling, slice-of-life adventure with your new partner. Treecko is an excellent choice for a quiet, relaxing life. Please enjoy!"
I looked at Vic, still buzzing and chewing happily, and then at the bewildered Treecko. My dreams of a "quiet" life were already fading into a colorful, chaotic blur.