The life of a voice actor wasn't easy at all.
I knew that before I even entered the field, simply because it was a field associated with the entertainment industry.
Unless you become the voice of a character that was irreplaceable in a show that was supposed to run for decades, it was going to be rocky.
And actually, I was one of those lucky fellows who landed such a job.
I could still remember the day I had gotten this job. I was only 17 years old and still in high school when my mom dragged me to one of her auditions.
She was an actress but according to her, she was a failed actress since she had only managed to land supporting roles that no one would remember. She wanted recognition; maybe because of that, she had decided that she would make me the person she always wanted to be.
She didn't ask for my consent but I just went along with it anyway, not that my consent mattered. I didn’t want to disappoint her. So, I auditioned for a lot of acting gigs, however, I didn't have a lot of luck as I failed most of my auditions. Though, that’s just how the industry worked.
But on that day, that one fateful day I would remember for the rest of my life, it seemed like the God of Luck had finally taken a liking to my clean-shaven face. When I first got to the studio, I was surprised to learn that it was a voice acting audition not an acting audition.
I was gonna be giving an audition for the role of Alain, a Charizard trainer for the show [Pokémon X and Y]. Apparently, at that point in time, they wanted a voice actor for some special episodes in the series.
I obviously knew about Pokémon as there was hardly anyone in the world who didn't.
I had even watched it religiously in my childhood, so this was actually something of a pleasant surprise amidst everything that had been going on back then in my life.
Apparently, they wanted a cool voice for the character. So, during the audition, I tried my best to sound as cool as possible with all the right emotions.
Voice acting was still new to me but I had learned voice modulation in my acting classes, so it was not out of reach. Fortunately, I landed the role and I remember my mom hugging me in delight.
It was one of the few hugs I have ever gotten from her.
It felt very good. I wish I could get a hug from her again.
It was also the start of my interest in Pokémon growing again. This time, it was more than just a childhood show I liked.
The days after that had been pretty good. Alain had soon become one of the most famous characters and one of my favorites too. He had all the right things to be famous – a cool appearance, a Charizard and him being a strong trainer.
But just like everything, it wasn’t long before this also came to an end as the series came to a close.
However, the voice director liked me, so I would be called up to dub some small roles here and there. Due to this, I kept being associated with the show.
It wasn't a lot of money but at this point in my career, I didn't have any right to complain.
This kept on going for a few years as I got more and more involved with Pokémon until one day, the sad news was about to be told to everyone in the dubbing studio.
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– Click, click, click, click, click…
A sound could be heard.
It was the sound of me mashing the keyboard and taking some notes on plot holes in the Pokémon world. Of which, a few popular ones are:
Why do all Nurse Joys and Officer Jennys look the same?
Why do Pokémon journeys start at such a young age? That just seems illogical…
How do PokéBalls work?
Why are Jessie, James, and Meowth still part of Team Rocket even after all this time?
What's the deal with Ash's father?
Why can’t levitating Pokémon participate in sky battles? More so, why are there no battles designed for air types?
Heck, why the fuck Is Ash still 10-11?
There are so many plot holes that if I sat there to write every one it would take too much time… Though I was actually mad enough to do just that… At least for the ones I remembered anyway.
I knew them in my mind, of course. I was a big Pokémon fan.
I still couldn't list them all; It is all one giant fucking plot hole after all.
Though, that begs the question, why am I writing them now?
“Well, there is a reason.”
I muttered.
“Yawwwwnnn…”
I yawned and rubbed my eyes.
They hurt; I was tired… very much so.
I had been writing this the whole night.
I wonder why I was being such an idiot over a thing like this…
Sighing, I stood up.
[07:53 AM]
I stared at the clock and felt the urge to sigh again.
‘I want to sleep.’
But…
“Well, it’s time for breakfast. Work next.”
Murmuring, I walked downstairs and had a monotonous breakfast with my mom.
There was no conversation between us, nothing aside from a “Good morning.”
We silently ate and then we were off for work.
Again, no words were exchanged.
As I made my way to the dubbing studio, I couldn't help but feel a tinge of sadness that was buried beneath the layers of habitual monotony.
To distract myself, I looked at the streets that were blurring past me, alive with the sounds of car horns and hurried footsteps, a chaotic symphony that contrasted sharply with the silence that enveloped my life.
“Fuuuh.”
I leaned back against the seat of the car, rubbing my eyes.
‘Damn, I should’ve slept.’
I thought, but my mind again went back to my life.
Every day followed the same boring fucking pattern.
At this point, it was as predictable as the script I meticulously rehearsed for my voice-acting roles every day.
The breakfast table had become a silent stage, where my mom and I played the roles of distant acquaintances, disconnected by an unspoken chasm.
But I had grown accustomed to it, and that in itself was a source of melancholy.
The initial disappointment and longing had gradually morphed into a numb acceptance.
‘Not that I can do anything about it.’
It was as if my voice, once so expressive and capable of evoking emotions in others, had lost its resonance within the confines of my own home.
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I sighed for the umpteenth time today and entered the dubbing studio as I arrived there.
Tidying myself, I prepared to immerse myself in the world of characters once more.
It was here, in the realm of make-believe, that my voice found purpose and meaning, recognition, and some praise. Each line I delivered, and every emotion I conveyed.
Today, though, the studio had something entirely different in store than usual.
"Ash's journey is ending."
The Voice director told everyone.
This was just before the epic battle of Ash vs Leon that was going to take place.
Being a part of the dubbing team, we had the information of future episodes and knew the results of it.
Normally, the writers of the show were as ruthless to Ash as the American healthcare to its citizens. But this time, it seemed like they planned to really end it.
"So, this is the end?" one of the bulkier voice artists had asked.
"Yes, they don't plan to continue with him as they want to try out new scenarios. There will be some special episodes to end his journey and after that, he's going to be retired as a character."
“......”
A collective silence hung over the whole studio after that.
I had mixed feelings about the decision. A supposed never-ending story... was coming to an end.
I was happy that Ash was getting an end, something his character deserved. But it also felt like a part of me was going to be missing soon.
A part of me was going to end. For good.
I was restless and out of focus all day.
I nearly bumped into a cycle due to that and it wasn't until I reached home that I was able to collect my thoughts.
My mom recognized that something was wrong with me, perceptive as usual, but she didn't bother to ask. We would seldom talk unless it was about an audition or a movie.
Sitting on my bed, I scrolled through old videos of Ash I had saved on my phone. One of them was his battle with Alain in the Kalos League Final. It was also one of my favorite episodes in the whole series and although my character had won, I felt bad for Ash.
"Those were the good days."
I muttered and let out my feelings in the form of a sigh. Though, it wasn't enough.
“I really wish I could change things.”
My frustration was evident.
But even then, I had no authority, my voice did not even matter.
It was then that I received a message on Discord. It was an online friend of mine whom I had gotten very close to. He was apparently a writer and would often discuss new ideas with me.
Recently, he had asked me to do something.
[Puppet Master: Hey, how are you doing today?]
[PokéMaster69: I…]
[Puppet Master: Hmm?]
[PokéMaster69: I had a bad day… So, just hoping I feel better tomorrow morning.]
[Puppet Master: What happened?]
I talked to him about the whole thing. He already knew that I was working as a voice actor, so it wasn't something I had to hide. Moreover, there were already rumors of Ash's journey coming to an end.
I also made sure to tell him about my desire to bring about change in the Pokémon world, to fix things; to make them better, I believed that bringing about significant changes such as addressing the show's plot holes and improving the overall storytelling would bring me true happiness and contentment.
Why?
The answer was rather simple really.
Pokémon represented a significant part of my life and passion. As a voice actor for a Pokémon character, I had been immersed in the world of Pokémon for a long time and developed a deep emotional connection to the franchise.
It is not 'just' a job for me; it's something I genuinely care about.
Pokémon had been with me through thick and thin, there was a reason why I religiously gobbled up anything related to Pokémon after all.
[PokéMaster69: Puppet Master, you see, Pokémon is more than just a game — show, fiction — to me. It has the potential to be so much more than it currently is. I see the flaws and missed opportunities within the show and feel a sense of dissatisfaction because I know it CAN be better.
Way better.
I want Pokémon to leave a lasting legacy — which I know it undoubtedly already will. But, I want to make a difference within the franchise… and not leave a plot-hole-filled clusterfuck!
There’s so much to improve: the storytelling, character development, heck, even the world — it's illogical — and overall experience for both the existing fanbase and future generations of Pokémon enthusiasts.
By changing Pokémon for the better, I can make it shine the light of happiness, just as it has done for me. Sigh… If only I could make a difference within the franchise, you know? I wanna make a meaningful contribution… Pokémon… means the world to me; it has been a constant companion throughout my entire life. It has shaped me into who I am today, for better or worse.]
[Puppet Master: I see.]
My eye twitched, I was quite frustrated.
[PokéMaster69: Bruh… I rambled on for so long, and that’s all you have to say?]
Puppet Master went silent. Maybe he was thinking of something to say or he just didn't know how to reply. It was a pretty deep conversation, so it was normal.
[Puppet Master: It seems like Pokémon is pretty dear to you.]
[PokéMaster69: Yeah, no shit, Sherlock. It has become dear to me.]
[Puppet Master: I wonder why... Putting that aside, how would you like it if you could be a part of the world of Pokémon? Change it for the better? Change it in whatever way you see fit?]
At first, I treated his words as a joke.
[PokéMaster69: You shitting me? What do you mean?]
There was no way. He had to be playing with me.
[Puppet Master: Well, for now, I was thinking of that fanfic that I will be writing… Later though, who knows what the world has in store for you, maybe the Pokémon Company has something in store for you. Shrugs. There’s a lot you can do, you know. Heh.]
Despite the ridiculousness of the situation, I gave it a thought.
To be honest, I doubt my voice and opinions hold much weight in the industry or in the world of Pokémon. I’m ‘just’ a voice actor after all, my ideas and desires for change would be dismissed or ignored by the people in power.
So, I also doubted what Puppet Master said, believing it to be too good to be true.
“I mean, me? Being a part of Pokémon, and changing stuff?”
I almost scoffed at myself.
Like my insignificant voice would matter in this world…
My thoughts aside, I still replied to Puppet Master though.
[PokéMaster69: That's a nice thought. I would appreciate it if the Pokémon Company decided to feature me in it. It would be an honor.]
Honestly, I was afraid to get rejected and fail. Afraid of my voice not being heard or facing criticism and resistance from those in power as well as the audience. This fear had created a barrier, preventing me from fully expressing my desire for change, to make my dream a reality.
“What if the changes I think are best are not liked by the audience?”
[Puppet Master: That’s not what I mean, bro. You remember my offer right?]
Offer…
[PokéMaster69: You still on about that? Can you stop with the cap? No bullshit please, I’m in no mood…]
I really wasn’t.
So, I shut the Discord app and simply slumped back in bed, eyes wide, staring at the ceiling above.
Puppet Master had offered me to compile a rough list of plot holes and inconsistencies… and that he would see to it that they change.
I had called it bullshit and laughed at his delusional ass.
But still, was it just curiosity? Or did I really wish for such a thing to be true? So much so that I went through the trouble of writing such a list.
I don’t know what it was, but I had been more interested than I’d like to admit.
Why?
My life wasn’t as interesting as it used to be.
The same boring pattern repeated like any other day.
Wake up.
Eat in silence.
Record.
Audition.
Practice.
Edit.
Record.
Come home.
Eat in silence.
Sleep.
Repeat.
It was very monotonous.
So, when Puppet Master had proposed such an absurd offer, saying that if I give him a list of plotholes he’d see to it that they change, I had actually entertained the idea.
Who wouldn’t?
I pondered it like one would entertain the idea of tripping a jogger or purposely driving onto the sidewalk—a fleeting 'what if?' with no intention of ever following through whatsoever.
"Fuuuuhhh..."
I sighed, rubbing my eyes with my hands.
Even when I entertained the idea of accepting this absurd “offer” to change the Pokémon world, I might not be able to live up to the expectations or create something better. My ideas and vision for a revamped Pokémon world may not be well-received by fans or I might just inadvertently make things worse.
I sighed, groaned, opened Discord on my phone, and sent the Doc’s link to Puppet Master.
“Fuck it, why am I thinking so much anyway? Motherfucker’s capping is all. Might as well send this, I spent a few days on it…”
I had just treated it as some sort of a joke. After all, what else could it be? At most, he'd make that fanfic of his... That was my line of thought back then.
“Fuuuuh…”
Releasing another long sigh, I looked at the ceiling dazedly.
Another day would start, again…
‘For how long must I do this…?’
I was tired, really.
Puppet Master hadn’t replied and I had just thought that he had gone to sleep. I did too.
So...
How did it come to this?
When I opened my eyes, I was not in my bedroom. I wasn't even in my house. I was in some strange unknown place I had no recollection of.
“Argh!”
What awakened me from my sleep was a wet feeling on my hand.
“What the fuck…!”
To see the cause behind the weird sensation, I brought my hand up.
And there it was.
A small, quadrupedal rodent with purple fur and a cream-colored face with two notably large front teeth.
The creature nibbled on my hand and its narrow red eyes stared at me.
‘What is this?’
On closer inspection, I realized what it was.
“No way!”
Feeling my heartbeat pulsing through my ears, I yanked my hand and the rodent hissed before creeping up my arm.
“Ugh!”
I cried and thrashed my hand in panic, it lunged out of my room.
“What was that?”
I knew what it was but didn’t want to believe it. I was skeptical and surprised, to add to it I was panicking.
But as I thought more, I blinked again and again until a realization slowly but surely crept up my spine.
What's going on?
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AN: Well, I've something to say about his "over" infatuation with the Pokemon franchise. It's not a mistake, but intentional; a reason is there— one that will be explored sometime later. Anywho, I hope you liked the first chapter!