“Ugggggghhhhh.”

I awoke to a groaning coming from nearby. My mind, groggy from just waking up, takes a few seconds to calibrate itself, and I slowly realize that the groan was me. My mind feels foggy, like I’m waking up from a hangover, though I haven’t even had so much as a shot of alcohol for over a decade. My arms and legs feel itchy, and my body is heavy as I grunt, trying to sit up. I can see light attempting to filter through my eyelids, and I open them slowly with a hand over my brow to try to acclimate myself to the brightness.

As my surroundings slowly come into focus, I quickly realize why my limbs were itchy. I was laying, now sitting, on three or four inch-high grass, surrounded by a few sparse trees and greenery. The canopy isn’t very thick, and the sun is shining between branches and leaves off in the distance, forcing me to blink my eyes more to wipe the sleep out of them. It’s chilly, maybe about 45 or 50 degrees out, and I shiver a bit while continuing to look around and get my bearings. There’s nothing else immediately of note around me, though… What on earth am I wearing?

On my legs are some kind of khaki shorts, which are…not something I’ve worn since my golfing days in college. If I went out, I would either wear jeans or gym shorts for the sake of being comfortable. The shoes are also unrecognizable, being a dark navy blue athletic shoe, as opposed to my normal black and white dad shoes. A nondescript, dark gray shirt accompanies the rest of my outfit, looking just as unfamiliar to me as the rest of the outfit. That’s strange, considering not only do I not own anything like this, but as far as I know, I was wearing a pair of sweats and a hoodie…

I involuntarily inhale sharply, as everything comes flooding back. The strange guy, the guns, and the sheer pain that faded my consciousness away into nothingness. I’m no longer focusing on my surroundings, or my clothes. Instead, my eyes are shut tightly, and I’m taking controlled breaths in an attempt to calm down after that flashback. It feels like the temperature has dropped ten degrees in an instant. My shiver has turned into a sort of full-body tremor while I semi-consciously wonder if this is what PTSD is supposed to be. Probably, right?

After a minute or two of trying to calm myself down, I manage to succeed. I exhale one last time, and re-open my eyes, suddenly remembering that I’m in the middle of a…forest? A panic attack here seems like it could be dangerous. What am I doing here though? I thought I…died.

Wait, no. Right. God.”Ha,” I laugh a short syllable out, as I start to recall the other thing that I remember happening…recently, I guess.

I didn’t just die, did I? Or maybe I did, that God thing was some hallucination, and this is…hell? Heaven? Something or other? Closing my eyes for a moment again to concentrate, I think back to what the flashing lights told me about…Taylor…

Taylor! God said she was alive and well! I open my eyes again, feeling a smile on my face as I blankly look upwards in contemplation. Feeling overwhelmed from the elation of my faith being reinforced that my daughter is okay, I fall back to the ground and put my hands behind my head, facing straight up.

“Well,” I mutter aloud. “God did say she’s not exactly nearby, and I have to do something for him first…”

I think back to the spiritual conversation I had with the being I refer to as God, with an errant thought directed to the man that killed me.

Was that some sort of Fate, with a capital F? Did I need to die there, in that particular manner, to see and speak to God? Thinking back to my killer, I feel fairly confident that he’s just a random guy. My gut reaction at the time was that someone on her moms side of the family paid that guy, since he did admit to being paid to kill me… But no, I can’t help but feel as if that man was lying about being paid. He seemed too… invested. Like he knew me, or knew of me, and didn’t like what he knew. I can’t really admit that I’m completely innocent either. I’ve been over the vacation Taylor and I took together in my mind countless times, and there’s so many things that could have gone differently that it’s borderline impossible for me to not feel guilty.

That being said, if what God told me is true, then as far as I’m concerned… This needed to happen. It hurt, and I can clearly tell I’m traumatized with how I felt earlier…. But I wouldn’t trade what happened for anything, not if I’m where Taylor is now.

Gosh, that seems so absurd, doesn’t it? But…something is nagging at me in the back of my mind. What was it.. Oh!

“God said Johto,” I murmured aloud. “Heh.”

God told me to stay in the “general vicinity,” of where I ended up. So the general vicinity of this, I think, as I look around again. It’s cold outside, and the from the nearby trees appear to be growing in with vibrant greens. So… Spring, then? It was Spring back home too. I’m supposed to stay around here, but God also specified that it could mean region, or country, and then said Johto of all things. So I guess I’m in a place called Johto.

And to think I was about to play a Pokemon game and start off in Mahogany town before that guy killed me.

Knowing I can’t exactly stay here forever, and it’s probably not that safe, I slowly get up to my feet. I am…a little off balance, and only now that I’m standing up do I realize that it’s easy to move around and get to my feet. That’s…abnormal. I’ve always been on the larger side of things. Not to say I was fat, exactly, but I was overweight for a while, and even when I was in the best shape of my life, I was still pretty heavy-set. Broad and wide, big-boned and big-muscled, you know. I lost a lot of that “dad” belly while I was living in Harrison, but I was still probably over 200.

My build feels normal to me, for what it’s worth. Nothing feels off about it, and looking at my arms and skin tone, I can see that everything seems the same. I’m still rockin’ the farmers tan, and a quick look under my sleeve sees paler skin around my bicep area. All of my tattoos are in place too. If anything, I feel..energetic. Like I’m young again. Heh, maybe I am. God is all powerful, isn’t that what they say?

As that thought crosses my mind, I’m immediately reminded of how absurd this is, and that… I was shot. How am I even walking with that many gunshots? I don’t even feel pain there. I peel my shirt up to check my lower stomach, where I was shot once on either side, Looking closely, I see it… perfectly circular bits of scar tissue, notably paler than the skin around it. A bit of body hair is growing around the scar, but none on top of it. I pull my shirt up further to try to see the sides of my chest, and I have matching scars there to boot. I roll my shirt back down.

“Huh,” I grunt in confused understanding. “So…God fixed me, I guess. Thanks, God.” I look up at the blue sky when I express my gratitude, then let out a sigh and look around again.

I have to find food and water. I’m in a forest. I gotta survive. Maybe I can find civilization instead. That would certainly make things easier.

Nothing really stands out. Well, hey, if I’m feeling younger, maybe I can climb a tree again? Let’s give it a go.

I waddle my way over to a nearby tree, still barren from what I assume was the just-passed Winter. I’m just about six foot tall, and not much higher than that is a branch I can reach. I give it a grab, and… incredibly, easily, hoist myself upwards. I throw a leg over the branch once I’m chest level with it, and pull myself up. Using the trunk of the tree to balance myself, I stand on the branch, and repeat once more until I’m about 15 feet in the air. That was….easy. Nice.

Now that I have a higher vantage point, I can see above some of the shorter trees, but nothing notable in the direction I first faced, I glance right, in the direction of what I’ve determined to be the rising sun, so east I guess. I see a snow-capped mountain range maybe… 15 miles off?. I turn around to face what I assume is west, and see..another mountain range, but this one is much closer. It’s proximity makes it imposing, but I can tell it’s not as tall. I could probably make it to the foot of what I’m looking at in a couple hours, even through this forest. Looking south, I see…

“Oh, shit,” I exclaim. “It’s a building!”

I see what I can only think is some sort of a lookout tower, less than a mile away. I can’t see the bottom of it very clearly, but what’s visible appear to show a railed-off, wall-less room with an awning to protect it from the weather above it. I can barely make out the story below it, with large windows encompassing that part of the building. I remember seeing these tall hunting lookout towers in a park that Taylor and I had stopped at on our trip, and this looks like a combination of one of those and a regular building. There’s gotta be people there!

Carefully, I work my way down the tree, and end up back on flat ground. I rub my hands together to wipe the bark off, and start heading southwards in the direction of the building I saw.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

It’s quiet, but peaceful. I don’t hear many insects when I put an ear out for them, but I can hear some birds cooing and trilling in the distance. Glancing around doesn’t let me spot any, but they’re around. Not knowing what’s in this sparse forest gives me the creeps, to be honest, so I take my time walking and try to keep vigilant. The last thing I want is to be chased down by a bear.

About six or seven minutes into my walk, I can see the base of the building through the treeline, and I hear a voice to my right. I jump at the “urr?” noise I hear.

I don’t see anything, but it sounded like it was really close. Like, behind-that-tree-that’s-ten-feet-away close. I sidestep slowly in the direction of the building while keeping my eyes on where I heard the noise when…it…steps out.

“Urr!,” a creature exclaims at me with a smile on it’s face. It has its paw in its mouth and its head tilted a bit to the side, and grins at me. It’s light brown fur and crescent-shaped marking on it’s forehead are surreal to see, and it’s uncanny to confirm what I didn’t even believe enough to put to thought.

I’ve been isekai’d. That God was Arceus.

And this is a fucking Teddiursa.

“..Hey there,” I cautiously say to the ursine. “Uh, Teddiursa, right?”

“Urr! Sa!” it exclaims, mouth wide open in…happiness? “Teddi, ur, ur sa!”

“Is that so? Well, it’s nice to meet you regardless,” I say, having an uncanny feeling I understood what this bear told me. Yes! I’m a Teddiursa! And you’re a human! I haven’t seen one up close before! “Unforunately, Teddiursa, I can’t hang out long. I’m on my way over there,” as I point towards the building off in the distance through the trees. “So I’m going to have to get going now.”

“Teddi? Ur,” it pouts. “Teddy urs ursa ted ursa teddiur ursa!”

Already? Agh. Well, before you go, mom said humans have Pokemon friends they train! Can we have a battle first?

“I uh… I’m sorry,” I apologize, baffled that I can very clearly understand it’s babbling. “I don’t actually have any Pokemon companions with me.”

“Urr?,” the Pokemon questions, pointing at my stomach. “Teddiursa? Ur.”

Really? But… aren’t they in that ball?

“That… ball?” I question, looking down at where it was pointing. “I don’t have a…” I go to deny Teddiursa’s claims, as I..see… a Pokeball… on the belt of my shorts I still don’t have a clue regarding it’s origin.

I grab the red and white piece of cool metal, about the size of a golf ball. I… have an uncanny sense that this Pokeball is not empty, one that I’m positive about, as if it’s instinctual. I have no idea what’s in it, but I can tell… this ball is mine.

“Um, Teddiursa?” I call out. “I… am actually having a very confusing day. I don’t know where I am, or how I got here. I didn’t even know this Pokemon was on my waist. So… as much as I’d love to battle, first, I have to see exactly who is in this ball and talk to them first. If they want to battle you, then that’s fine, but do you mind letting me talk to them first?”

“Teddi! Urs!” it says, before leaning against a tree and sliding down to sit on its rear. Really? That’s insane! Go for it. I can wait.

…This is absurd. Everything is absurd. Oh well. I nod my head towards the Teddiursa, and face away from it a bit. I look at the Pokeball, and press the button in the center, as it miraculously yet naturally expands to the size of a grapefruit. This is crazy too, wow. So how do I… Nope, How to do this feels natural too. What the heck?

I lob the ball underhanded a few feet away and, just before it hits the ground, it opens up in mid-air to shed a dull red and white light towards the ground, as if it was full of light and it’s all coming out. Once the ball is empty of light, it closes, and shoots back to my hand. I, naturally, catch it. Because it’s natural. Why is this natural? How do I know how to…no way.

The light forms into a solid being and interrupts my thoughts, as a canine about two feet tall becomes visible. It’s coat is a dark orange with a few black stripes on it, and it has a big tuft of cream-colored fur on it’s chest. It’s tail is the same color, poofy with natural swirls in it, and there’s a similarly colored puff of hair on top of its head, covering it’s eyes and half of it’s face. It woofs at….me?

“Growl!”

You!

“I, um, yes. Me,” I stutter. “You are a Growlithe. Hi. I’m Silas.”

“Grow! Lithe,” it barks out, then panting. “Growl row, rufff, awooo.” It howls at the end of it’s statement, as if to declare and that’s that.

Yes! You are my human! I do not know who you are, but you are mine, that you are.

I can’t even blink in the face of this absurdity. I raise a hand up to scratch my head absentmindedly, belatedly (and happily) realizing that something else was done to my body when I can’t feel my bald spot anymore, and kneel down to get closer to eye level with my..companion, I guess.

“So, buddy,” I say. “Do you know how you got here? Or how I got here?” I’m fishing for some answers, wondering if this Growlithe knows anything about my little…afterlife experience.

“Growlithe!”

No!

…That’s all you're gonna give me, huh? I wonder… “Growlithe, have you ever been outside your ball before?”

“Growlithe!”

No!

“You sure are taking your introduction with the outside world pretty well, huh?”

“Grow, lithe lit, ruff aruff ruff.”

If you think I am, then yes, I am! Thank you, my human!

“You’re a good boy, aren’t you?”

Growlithe immediately starts to wag it’s tail violently, to the point that I can feel a bit of a breeze in front of the canine Pokemon. “Aroooooooo!” It lops it’s tongue out and pants after it’s howl.

YES I AM!

…This is adorable. Okay. He knows nothing. That’s fine. He’s a good boy and somehow he knows he should be with me. That’s enough for me. I’ll treat him right.

“Mind if I give you a name?” I ask the Growlithe. It’s ears perk up, and nods without saying anything. “How about Buddy? Buddy’s a good name, and…we’re gonna be buddies, right?”

I’ve never seen a dog actually smile before, but something about the anatomy of a Pokemon dog versus a regular dog means that Pokedogs can smile. Growlithe smiled at me, gave a positive affirmation with a “Lithe!,” and that was that.

Out of sheer joy in being named, Buddy used Tackle!

I whited out.