Chapter 1: The Day the Screen Disappeared
Shunya Shiraishi had replayed this moment in his head more times than he could count.
The first login.
The first step.
The moment Pokémon stopped being something you watched… and became something you lived.
His room was dark except for the faint glow of the city lights slipping through the curtains. Posters lined the walls—old, slightly faded ones. Pikachu smiling with a raised paw. Charizard mid-roar. A framed picture of Ash standing at the edge of a battlefield, eyes full of determination. Shunya had put them up years ago, back when his height barely reached the door handle.
Back when Pokémon felt like a distant dream.
"Finally…" he whispered, fingers tightening around the VR headset resting on his lap.
The announcement had dropped three months ago.
Creatures Inc.[1] and Genius Industries [2]proudly present Pokémon World[3]—an immersive virtual reality experience.
People called it impossible. A rumor. Marketing bait.
But it was real.
And tonight, after weeks of updates, downloads, and age verification[4] checks, the login screen was finally live.
Shunya was eleven now—old enough. He'd checked the rules at least five times just to be sure. Minimum age: ten. He met the requirement. Barely, maybe—but it still counted. His parents were asleep in the next room, unaware that their son was about to step into the world that had shaped his entire childhood.
He lifted the headset and placed it over his eyes.
The real world vanished.
---
Darkness.
Then—light.
A soft chime echoed, gentle and welcoming, as if the world itself was breathing him in.
> Welcome to Pokémon World.
The voice wasn't robotic. It didn't sound artificial. It sounded… warm. Almost human.
The darkness peeled away like mist, revealing a wide, endless sky painted in shades of blue Shunya had only ever seen in anime scenes. Clouds drifted slowly overhead. The wind brushed against his skin.
No—felt like it brushed against his skin.
Shunya looked down.
His hands.
They were his hands. Not controllers. Not floating gloves. When he clenched his fingers, they responded instantly. When he took a step forward, the ground shifted beneath his feet with soft resistance.
"This is…" His voice came out shaky. "This is real."
A translucent interface bloomed into existence in front of him.
> First-Time Login Rewards Acquired
One by one, the items appeared, hovering gently before dissolving into light:
1 Poké Ball
5 Berries
5 Potions
Spatial Bag Unlocked
A small satchel materialized at his side, light as air when he lifted it.
"So they weren't lying about that either," Shunya muttered, half-laughing.
The interface shifted again.
> Please select your starting region.
The world around him changed.
Maps unfolded into reality—massive, floating landscapes suspended in space. Rolling green fields, Volcanic ridges Snow-covered mountains. Coastal towns glowing under golden sunlight.
"Kanto… Johto… Hoenn…" Shunya's eyes darted across the options, heart pounding harder with each one.
He knew them all.
He'd memorized their routes. Their gym leaders. Their legends.
But knowing… and standing here… were two completely different things.
"This isn't just a game," he whispered.
He reached out.
The moment his fingers brushed one of the regions, warmth surged through his hand—like the world responding to his choice.
Before he could second-guess himself, the light swallowed him whole.
---
He stumbled forward.
Grass crunched beneath his shoes.
The scent of earth filled his nose, rich and alive. Birds chirped somewhere nearby. In the distance, something rustled through tall grass—too heavy to be wind.
Shunya froze.
His heart skipped.
Slowly, he turned his head.
The grass parted.
Two round eyes stared back at him.
For a second, neither of them moved.
Then the small creature tilted its head.
"Pika?"
Shunya's breath caught in his throat.
"…It's really you."
Not a model. Not pixels. Not a cutscene.
A Pokémon.
Standing just a few steps away from him.
The Poké Ball at his waist felt heavier than before.
Shunya swallowed, hands trembling—not with fear, but with something far stronger.
Excitement.
Wonder.
The kind of joy he'd felt as a kid, sitting cross-legged in front of a TV screen, dreaming about a world that never seemed close enough.
Until now.
Somewhere far beyond the forest, unseen and unheard, forces were already beginning to stir. Legends that had slept for centuries shifted in their slumber. Trainers far stronger than Shunya walked the same world, carrying power that bent the rules themselves.
But Shunya didn't know any of that yet.
Right now, all that mattered was the Pokémon in front of him…
…and the first step of a journey that would change everything.
To be continued[5].
[1] Creatures Inc. is a Japanese video game company affiliated with Game Freak and Nintendo and is one of the owners of the Pokémon franchise. It was founded by Tsunekazu Ishihara in November 1995, with the assistance of then-president of HAL Laboratory, Satoru Iwata, as a successor to Shigesato Itoi's company Ape Inc.
[2] If I ever plan to jump in start-up business, I'll use this name. Though its a lie because I don't even have a cent to invest in...
[3] Pokémon is a massive global franchise centered around collecting, training, and battling creatures called Pokémon, existing in video games (like Pokémon GO, Scarlet/Violet, Legends: Arceus), anime (with Ash Ketchum & Pikachu), Trading Card Games, and more, featuring over 1,000 unique species like the electric mouse Pikachu, all part of a world where humans and these magical creatures coexist.
[4] Wanted to give anime like feeling, so I decided to add minimum age requirements to become Pokemon trainer.
[5] Author's Note: You'll some comments on paragraphs and chapter. Because after writing it I got goosboombs and already read 3 times.