[COMPLETE]
The words appeared on the console screen of a young man with slightly long black hair and red eyes, wearing a black t-shirt and gray shorts. He was sitting on his bed, engrossed in a game in his room.
"Finally... Finally this insane game is finished!" He shot up from his bed, immediately pulling the game cartridge from the console.
His gaze swept across the thousands of games neatly arranged on his shelves. He took the empty case, carefully slipped the cartridge back into its place, and slid it onto the shelf with the others.
"Alright," he declared, a satisfied smirk on his face. "That makes it exactly 5,000 games I've completed."
He flopped back onto his bed, letting out a long breath. A notification chimed from his device. One of his online friends had sent a message. He opened it.
[Raizer]
[ That's a solid game, Zayn. Hope you're not gonna be late today because you were up all night. Isn't today your tenth birthday? Hope you get the starter Pokémon you're after. ]
Zayn's eyes widened. His tenth birthday. The realization hit him like a truck.
"Crap! I totally forgot today's my tenth birthday!" He quickly typed back a reply.
[ Shit! I forgot it's my tenth birthday today. I gotta hurry to Professor Xeno's lab! ]
Raizer's response came almost instantly.
[ Good luck. I'm already in Ariestal City. Planning to check out the artifact exhibition tomorrow. Don't be late. Remember, it's a one-day-only thing ]
[ Got it. I'll be there as fast as I can. Wait for me ]
Zayn launched himself off the bed and bolted to his wardrobe. He threw open the doors and scanned his clothes with purpose. No more casual lounge wear. He needed something that felt like him. He swapped his t-shirt for a fresh black one, then grabbed a pair of black pants with sharp red accents. Over that, he shrugged on a black leather jacket, its lining and zippers trimmed with the same bold red.
He stepped back, glancing at his reflection in the mirror. "This should work," he said to himself, nodding. "At least now I've got some style. I won't look like some random NPC in a game."
He snatched his bag, which he'd packed the night before in a rare moment of foresight. "Alright... capsule tent, enough rations for a few days, tools… yeah, it's all here."
His eyes flicked to the clock on the wall. 8:30 AM.
"Looks like I'm gonna have to run for it..."
He swung his bag over his shoulder, strode to his bedroom door, and took the stairs down to the first floor two at a time, heading for the living room where his mother would be waiting.
In the living room, a woman with long black hair streaked with purple—tied up in a high ponytail—sat on the sofa. She wore square black-rimmed glasses that framed her sharp purple eyes. A white t-shirt and a white jacket with black accents paired with shorts gave her a deceptively casual look. She was completely absorbed in her tablet, the morning news playing on the TV behind her, a segment about the upcoming exhibition in Ariestal City.
She didn't look up as Zayn entered, but she spoke, her voice calm and even. "I suppose it's that time, then."
Zayn stopped beside her, his posture straight. "Mom, it's time for me to start my journey."
Her eyes remained fixed on her tablet. "Alright. You have my permission. Just… Keep yourself alive."
Zayn's confident expression flickered for a moment. Seriously? he thought, a bead of sweat forming on his temple. I was expecting the usual 'be careful' speech from adventure games, not a line from a survival horror title.
He cleared his throat. "…Got it."
He turned and walked toward the front door. It slid open automatically with a soft hiss. He stepped out, his sneakers hitting the asphalt driveway. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the morning air, then exhaled slowly.
"Quartz City… Alright. Time to run."
He crouched slightly, then broke into a sprint, his feet pounding against the paved sidewalk.
Quartz City was a bustling hub even at this hour. People and Pokémon moved in a steady flow along the streets, a symphony of hurried footsteps and cheerful cries. Zayn weaved through the crowds, his eyes catching glimpses of the massive screens plastered on the modern high-rises. One was showing the same news report about the Ariestal exhibition; another was showcasing footage of a newly discovered wild area, its landscapes alien and intriguing.
He pushed on, his pace unwavering, until he reached Route 21. The buildings thinned out, giving way to a more scenic path. Finally, the lab came into view. He slowed to a stop in front of its doors, a wave of emotion washing over him.
Dad used to say there were too many mysteries in this world, he remembered, his father's voice echoing in his mind. But that… that's my purpose now. I'm the one who's going to solve them.
He squared his shoulders and pushed the door open.
Inside, a man with semi-long, messy blonde hair and bright cerulean eyes stood hunched over a lab table. He wore a rumpled blue shirt, black pants, and a white lab coat with a Celebi emblem pinned to the lapel. He was intently examining two crystals on the table before him—one blue, one green, both pulsing with faint, internal light.
"Cronorite and Alterite…" he murmured, his fingers hovering over the green crystal. "I think I'll try this one first."
BANG!
The door swung open with a crash.
Zayn burst in, chest heaving from his run, his voice brimming with excitement. "Professor Diego! I'm here! Where's my starter Pokémon?!"
Diego didn't flinch at the sudden noise. He just turned, a lazy smile on his face. "Starter Pokémon? All out. You're thirty minutes late."
"Seriously?!" Zayn's excitement deflated into panic. "What do you mean, out?! Don't you usually have Pokémon for latecomers? Why am I the exception?!"
Diego shrugged, leaning back against the table. "Well, there are some left, technically. But I'm not sure you're cut out to handle them."
Zayn puffed out his chest, a confident grin returning. "Relax. You know me. I can handle anything you throw at me."
Diego's smile widened. "If you insist."
With a flick of his wrist, three Poké Balls materialized in his hand. One was a sleek Great Ball, while the other two were textured Dusk Balls, their dark green surfaces absorbing the light.
"Alright. What's your pick?"
Zayn frowned, rubbing his chin as he studied the three capsules. "Come on, seriously? You're not gonna give me even a hint about what's inside?"
Diego's eyes glinted with amusement. "You like games, don't you? Think of it as a gacha."
Zayn's fist clenched. A vein pulsed on his forehead. "I like gacha games," he ground out, "but NOT LIKE THIS! This decides my entire journey! At least give me a clue!"
Diego just shook his head. "Where's the fun in that? If you knew what was inside, there'd be no surprise."
This guy…! Zayn thought, his irritation spiking. Fine. No other choice.
"Alright," he said through gritted teeth. "I'll pick."
Diego placed the three Poké Balls into a small, velvet-lined starter case, arranging them in order: Great Ball, Dusk Ball, Dusk Ball.
"Okay," Diego said, his tone casual. "What's it going to be… Zayn?"
Zayn stepped forward, his gaze locked on the case. His heart was pounding. This was it. Pure, unadulterated luck. No strategy. No hints. This single choice would define everything.
I should pick the Great Ball, he reasoned internally. It's the outlier. In games, the different one is usually the rare drop.
He reached his hand out, fingers hovering over the blue-and-red sphere. Then he stopped.
Wait. Hold on. In gacha, sometimes the 'different' one is a bait. What if the other two are the real rares? What if this is the lucky pull?
His hand trembled for a second, then he made his decision. He looked at Diego.
"I'll take a Dusk Ball."
Diego's eyebrows rose slightly. "Which one?"
Zayn's hand shot out and plucked the middle Dusk Ball from the case. "This one."
Diego chuckled, a low, knowing sound. "Good choice."
With a flick of his thumb, Zayn expanded the ball and pressed the release. A burst of red light erupted, coalescing into a form on the lab floor. The light faded, revealing a Pokémon.
It was roughly the size of a small dog, its body a sleek, dark blue that seemed to absorb the light. Its underbelly was a dusty grey-white. A prominent, fin-like dorsal crest ran along its head, and its back was… strange. It was translucent, revealing a faint, skeletal structure beneath. A jagged red marking sat in the center of its forehead and another lined the dorsal fin. It opened its mouth, revealing rows of sharp, serrated teeth.
"GIBLE! "
Zayn stared, his mind going completely blank for a moment. He blinked, his eyes tracing the Pokémon's features. The dark blue, the translucent back, the red markings… this wasn't a standard Gible.
He finally found his voice. "Hold on. This is a Redux Pokémon. A pseudo-legendary that evolves super late. Why is *this* a starter choice?!"
"I told you," Diego said, leaning against the table again, "the starters are gone."
"That's not an excuse!" Zayn sputtered. "Couldn't you just… go get a common starter from a breeding center? Or anything else that doesn't take an eternity to evolve?!"
Diego shrugged, a playful smirk on his face. "Hey, I'm just a substitute professor. Stuff like that isn't really my problem."
"But how does that even make sense?! You have a Redux Gible lying around, but no Chikorita or Torchic? How?! This messes up my whole plan!"
Diego let out a short laugh. "Did you really think I'd let your plans go as smoothly as you wanted? Zayn, I already know all the possible moves you're going to make."
Zayn opened his mouth to retort, but Diego was already moving, pulling a sleek device from a drawer. He tossed it underhand to Zayn.
"Here's your Pokédex. Use it well."
Zayn caught it, his anger momentarily replaced by curiosity. He turned it over. It was a simple, compact device. His face fell. "A Pokédex? Seriously? Not a RotomDex? I was expecting a RotomDex!"
"Relax," Diego said, waving a dismissive hand. "You've beaten 5,000 games, right? I'm sure you can figure it out without a talking phone."
Grumbling, Zayn pointed the device at the Gible. A screen flickered to life, displaying data.
---
Name: Gible (Redux)
Type: Water / Ghost
Level: 10
HP: 47
Attack: 35
Defense: 21
Sp. Atk: 15
Sp. Def: 30
Speed: 35
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -Sp. Atk)
---
Zayn's eyes narrowed as he scanned the data. Then they went wide. "Wait… that's it? No move data? No ability info? No flavor text? Don't tell me… this is an *Analysis-Type* Pokédex!"
He whirled around, ready to demand an explanation.
Diego was gone.
The lab was empty. The crystals on the table had vanished, leaving no trace they'd ever been there.
"Stupid professor!" Zayn yelled at the empty room. "Of all things, an analysis-type Pokédex?!"
He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves, and turned back to the Gible. It was staring at him with curious, intelligent red eyes. He sighed, pressing the button on the Great Ball to recall it.
*Click.*
The beam of light shot out, hit the Gible… and did nothing. The Pokémon just stood there, tilting its head.
"Oh, you're one of those types, huh?"
Zayn stepped forward, attempting to simply scoop the Pokémon up. As his hands closed around it, the Gible suddenly flickered, its form becoming intangible. His hands passed right through it as if it were made of smoke.
The Gible chittered with what sounded like amusement and glided over to the lab's mini-fridge. It nudged the door open with its head and began nosing around inside, presumably looking for a snack.
This thing is going to be a handful, Zayn thought, a mix of exasperation and reluctant amusement rising in his chest.
He stalked over to the fridge, his eyes fixed on the Gible. The Pokémon must have sensed his focus, because it stopped its rummaging and turned. For a moment, they just stared at each other. The Gible let out a low growl, its body tensing. It recognized the look in Zayn's eyes: it was in for an encounter.
Zayn lunged. He grabbed the incorporeal Pokémon, his grip somehow finding purchase this time, and bodily hauled it out of the lab, the Gible writhing and squirming in his arms.
"GIBLE! GIBLE! GIBLE!"
"Quiet!" Zayn grunted, struggling to hold onto the wriggling creature. "You're so much trouble!"
He finally got it pinned against his side, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He looked down at the struggling Redux Pokémon, a frustrated, bewildered, and strangely excited look on his face.
In the games, it was never like this! he screamed internally, the scene not matching any of the 5,000 scenarios he'd played through. "Damn it, Professor!"
He took a steadying breath, his grip on the Gible firming up. "Alright," he muttered, more to himself than to the Pokémon. "We're doing this the hard way."
He started down the path away from the lab, the morning sun casting long shadows behind him, carrying his disobedient, anomalous starter Pokémon towards the road that led to Ariestal City.