I woke up slowly, enjoying the lingering memories of the dream I’d had. I used to dream all the time as a kid, but as I grew older it happened less and less often. I guess that came with the stress of being an adult. Since I had failed the interview, I didn’t have to be up at a certain time; might as well lounge around in bed for a few more minutes.

Wow, that dream was really vivid. It was like I could still smell the salt…

And…hear someone breathing…

My eyes snapped open and I found myself looking at Ripple, still asleep in his own nest, one foot kicked out to the side. I turned my head quickly to see if it’s true, and it is: I’m still back in the Pokemon world. I shake my head, the full reality hitting me. My stomach twists uncomfortably and I wonder briefly if I’m going to throw up.

It wasn’t a dream. I had suspected it, but all logic and reason told me it had to be. But I had fallen asleep and woken up again. And I was still here.

I hopped out of the bed, unable to be still a moment more. Everything suddenly felt more vivid, in a way I couldn’t help but notice. The gentle scratch of the straw bedding, the faraway sound of the waves on the beach, the gentle sunlight beginning to chase away the shadows of the night before. Even the packed dirt and grassy floor, the way it smelled earthy and fresh, it all screamed that this was reality.

And…was that really a bad thing?

Sure, I wasn’t a pro gamer. I used to play more as a kid, but as life got busier I began watching other people play the games instead, enjoying speedruns and horror walkthroughs on my lunch breaks and late at night, when I couldn’t stand to work on homework anymore. So to be living in a video game, and the beautiful world of Pokemon, at that- some might say it was a literal dream come true.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

What did I even have to go back to? The life I had been trying to build just…never really got there. I did all the right things- I did my best in school, even stressing myself to take AP classes. Then I went to college, and tried to get my degree in a field that was expected to do well. But I hated it, I hated it even more than hearing my mom’s criticism, so I dropped out. My mom told me if I didn’t finish the degree she’d picked out, she wouldn’t fund anymore of my studies and she wouldn't pay my student loans.

Mom and I fell out, and I had been struggling to find my footing since. Bouncing from job to job, trying to deal with student debt, barely able to afford housing and groceries. I was exhausted, feeling like I was barely living, just a robot moving through each day. This was a chance to escape, find something new, actually do something I wanted.

My pacing paused and I looked out the window at the lightening sky. What I wanted to do…would I even know? I’d been living so long doing everything for a supposed future that would make me happy that I never actually got the chance to think about what it might be. I assumed it would all fall into place once I did all the steps.

Pokemon, as far as I knew, was a battling game. And that didn’t really sound like what I wanted to do. The last thing I wanted was to battle to unsafe conditions, putting myself in harm’s way for pride and notoriety. I suppose I could find a human who just wants a pokemon pet. That would be nice…just living life as a souped up house pet. But that didn’t seem fulfilling either…

I didn’t even have any hobbies or anything, really. I 'd had to quit any from when I was younger to make time for classes and prep, for student council and extracurricular activities. What did I like? What did I enjoy?

In the middle of my existential crisis, I heard a small snort and some shuffling.

“Oh?” Ripple said sleepily through a yawn. “You’re already up. Good morning, Violet. Did you sleep okay?”

“I did, thanks,” I replied politely. I was appreciative of his help until now, but I wasn’t sure if I should keep staying with Ripple. What I really needed to do was find out as much as I could about this world and plan my next steps from there. The best way to find information would be going to a Pokecenter somewhere, or a town that’s close by. I’d have to ask…oh the Guildmaster! I’m sure she’d know more.

I couldn’t remember well from the games…where was the nearest town? Did we ever see them in the game I’d played?

Ripple stood and shook himself, as though he was a wet dog shaking away water.

“Ahh, that’s better,” he says happily. “We should be ready to go. I’m sure Guildmaster Eyla will want to talk to us again this morning. I hope she’ll be in a better mood this morning.”

I take a deep breath to steady myself.

“I’m ready whenever you are.”