The sun’s rays filtered through the thick canopy of trees, warming my face as I lay on the forest floor. For a moment, I wondered if I was still dreaming. But the unfamiliar sounds around me—told me otherwise.

I pushed myself up slowly, looking around, my head still spinning from... whatever had just happened. One second, I had been in my room, thinking about how out of place I felt in that world, and the next, I was here. Definitely not my room then, because first of all, the air smelled fresher, and the world seemed more vibrant as well, which was probably due to the fact I was now in the middle of a FOREST!!! and... I wasn’t alone. Looking around a bit frantically my eyes spotted something in the distance.

A small figure stood at the edge of the clearing. Yellow fur and large, round eyes stared at me curiously. I-is that a fucking Pawmo!?!?!?!?!

Was this real? My heart pounded in my chest. This wasn’t a dream, was it?

“Hey,” I called out softly, trying not to startle it.

The Pawmo tilted its head and took a few cautious steps closer.

“What am i doing?” I muttered, mostly to myself. But seeing the Pokémon standing there, so... real, it hit me. I for sure wasn’t home anymore. Somehow, I was in the world I had always dreamed about. The world of Pokémon.

I stood up, brushing dirt off my clothes, and gave Pawmo a curious look. “You don’t happen to know where I am, do you?”

Pawmo’s ears twitched, and without warning, it puffed out its chest and threw a few punches into the air, mimicking a little boxer’s stance. As if telling me that he wanted to go a few rounds even in my current state.

I couldn’t help but laugh. “You sure are an energetic pawmo, huh?”

The little Pokémon hopped in place, almost like it was agreeing with me. It wasn’t scared at all—just filled with energy and determination. “Well if this is how it's going to be, might as well make the most of it”  I thought, finally deciding what I’m about to do. 

I walked closer, crouching down so I was at eye level. “You’re a fighter, aren’t you? Well, I guess I am too. I don’t know what brought me here, but I’m not going to waste it. I’m going to become a trainer—maybe even the best there ever was. But I’ll need a partner.”

Pawmo’s eyes lit up.

“What do you say? You want to come with me? I promise I’ll make you the strongest Pawmot there ever was. A real top 1% Pawmot if I do say so myself” 

The Pawmo’s fur crackled slightly with electricity, and with a nod, it jumped toward me, tapping my leg as if to say, “Let’s go.”

I grinned. “Alright then, welcome to the team.”

As I stood up, looking at Pawmo and my surroundings the weight of it all started to settle in. This wasn’t a game anymore. It was real. I had to be smart and focused, and above all, I had to be strong—for myself and my new partner.

With Pawmo by my side, we took our first steps forward, not knowing what lay ahead but ready to face whatever came our way. That does remind me though, “Hey Pawmo, do you want a name?” I asked, since the thought occurred to me that I couldn’t just go around calling him his species name, he had to be something more, something special. 

Pawmo still the ever-energetic one, looked at me while he continued his little shadow-boxing routine as if to tell me to continue what I was trying to say. “ Well if you’re going to be the strongest Pawmo there is, you need a name. Something that separates you from the rest of the Pawmo, something that’ll make them remember you.

Slowly stopping his routine, Pawmo adopted a thoughtful look for a few moments before nodding. “How does the name Han sound?” “It was the name of someone I knew who liked to take risks and was always one who lived life on the edge and aimed to be the best”. Well, that’s what I thought of, that is when I remembered Han from Fast and the Furious, but to be honest he just looked like a Han to me. Pawmo-Han now definitely liked his new name because he immediately jumped and tackled me in a big hug well as big as a Pawmo could hug. “Alright alright, well nice to formally meet you Han,” I said grinning, as we continued to play fight in the forest, and for a moment I simply just enjoyed and let go. 

“Huh, i do wonder though, what region am i in anyways?” 

'

'

Hoenn.

I was in the goddamned Hoenn region, the place where, if you haven’t played any of the games, is where land and sea duke it out. Two literal gods causing mayhem. Okay, breathe. Maybe this place doesn’t follow game canon, or maybe I’m in a different timeline. Yeah, let’s go with that. This is fine. Totally fine.

I glanced over at Han, who seemed utterly unfazed by my little internal crisis. He just kept shadowboxing the air like we weren’t standing on the brink of potential doom.

Pawmo’s POV

His trainer sure was a weird one. Ever since they crossed the forest and passed the sign that said “Welcome to Littleroot Town,” he had been acting all jittery—like a Pawmot with too much energy stored up. Why was he breathing so hard? It wasn’t like they’d walked that far. Maybe humans were just weak? His trainer was probably just fat.

Michael’s POV

I shook my head, pushing my worries to the back of my mind. One crisis at a time, right? For now, I needed to figure out my next step. I was in Littleroot Town. But it wasn’t the Littleroot I remembered from the games. Sure, it was small, but not two-houses-and-a-lab small.

It was quaint, with houses scattered across the town in a crescent shape, open fields where people were training with their Pokémon, and shops that sold supplies. A few kids were playing with some Zigzagoon, while an elderly man sat outside a small café, sipping tea with his Gardevoir beside him. It felt alive—way more alive than what I was used to.

As I continued walking through the streets, a young woman wearing a lab coat approached me, her face lighting up with a welcoming smile.

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“Hey there! You look a little lost,” she said. “Are you one of the aspiring trainers coming to apply for the lab’s sponsorship program?”

I blinked at her, confused for a second, before something clicked in my mind. Of course. This wasn’t a game world where I could just wander around with a bag full of Poké Balls and catch whatever I wanted. Raising Pokémon in this world had to be expensive—food, medical supplies, training equipment, travel. The financial burden alone for feeding and training six Pokémon would be insane. It made sense that trainers would need sponsors to support them, especially if they were serious about making it big.

“Uh, yeah. I’m here to see Professor Birch,” I replied, trying to play it cool despite my internal realization.

She nodded. “Figures! Professor Birch is working with a lot of young trainers right now, helping them get sponsorships. If you’re serious about making it big in the League, having financial support is a must. I can take you to him if you’d like.”

I smiled back. “That’d be great, thanks.”

She led the way toward Birch’s lab, chatting as we walked. Apparently, the sponsorship program was competitive, but Birch was always on the lookout for new talent. It wasn’t just about battling strength; you had to show promise in how you trained and cared for your Pokémon.

My mind raced. This was real. This was really happening. I was about to meet Professor Birch, one of the top professors in the Pokémon world. This wasn’t just some NPC interaction. This was my chance to get serious and really start my journey.

As we approached the lab, I took a deep breath. I had no idea what lay ahead, but with Han by my side, I felt ready. Or, at least, as ready as I could be.

I stood outside Professor Birch’s lab, trying to steady my nerves. Han was bouncing on his feet, as energetic as ever, throwing a few playful punches in the air. I smiled at his enthusiasm. Today was the day we would prove ourselves.

The assistant led me inside of the rooms in the lab where Professor Birch was working, scribbling on a clipboard while talking to a researcher. When he saw me, he smiled, offering a handshake.

“Ah, you must be Michael. Welcome to the lab! What brings you here today?”

I hesitated, thinking about how much to reveal. “I, uh, was wondering if you knew anything about Ultra Wormholes?”

The change in his demeanor was instant. His smile faded, replaced by a look of deep curiosity and concern. Without another word, he motioned for me to follow him. He led me inside the lab, through the clutter of books, papers, and equipment, into a private office where we could talk alone. Birch settled into a chair, his expression serious now. I wasted no time.

“Ultra Wormholes,” he said, leaning back in his chair, “are not something the general public knows about. Only a few people—some members of the Elite Four, the Champion, and a handful of professors—are aware of their existence. So how is it that you, someone relatively unknown, have knowledge of them?”

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. This was exactly what I didn’t want—attention, especially the wrong kind. “I... I came through one,” I said, keeping my voice as calm as possible. “I don’t really know how, but I’m not from this world. I landed here, and now I’m just trying to figure out what’s going on.”

For a moment, Birch said nothing, simply tapping his fingers on his desk. “That would explain a lot,” he muttered to himself. “Yesterday, Wattson’s Claydol detected a strange energy spike. At first, we thought it might be an anomaly, but now...”

He trailed off, lost in thought, then looked back at me. “You’re an interesting case, Michael. A person from another dimension. I wonder what your perspective might bring to the world of Pokémon training. After all, if you’ve come from a place that doesn’t function like ours, your approach might be entirely different.”

I blinked. He wasn’t angry or suspicious—he was intrigued. “You’re not... freaked out?”

Birch chuckled. “Oh, I’m very curious, believe me. But I’m also a researcher. New discoveries are part of the job. I’m more interested in seeing what kind of trainer you’ll become.”

I stared at him in surprise. “You’d... sponsor me?”

“Yes. But remember, this isn’t a free ride. I expect to see results. And one more thing,” Birch added, his tone darkening, “you can’t tell anyone about the Ultra Wormholes, at least not yet. It’s too risky.”

I nodded. “I understand.”

Birch smiled, standing up from his desk. “There’s one more thing I want to see before we seal the deal. Let’s step outside. I want to see how you and your Pawmo battle.”

My heart pounded with excitement as we moved to an open field behind the lab. The sunlight hit us in full force, casting long shadows across the grassy terrain. Birch tossed a Pokéball into the air, and in a flash of light, a Lotad appeared. It blinked, adjusting to the sunlight, its lilypad hat bobbing slightly as it waddled forward. Han was already in motion, his fur crackling with electricity as he threw a few warm-up punches. 

“I’m glad I asked Han to demonstrate what moves he knew earlier, at least i won’t be going in blind,” I thought thankful that my foresight saved me from potentially blundering this first match against the Professor.

“Alright, Han, let’s do this!” I called, my heart racing.

Birch called out first. “Lotad, Absorb!”

Green energy tendrils shot out from Lotad toward Han, but he was too quick. “Dodge it and hit back with Quick Attack!” I shouted.

Han moved like lightning, sidestepping the energy tendrils with ease before closing the distance in a heartbeat. His body collided with Lotad, sending it skidding backward across the field. Lotad winced but recovered quickly.

“Water Gun, Lotad!” Birch called.

A powerful stream of water blasted toward Han, but he darted left, then right, zigzagging to avoid the attack. His speed was incredible, and I could see the surprise on Birch’s face.

“Keep moving, Han! Hit it with a Wild Charge!”

Han’s fur crackled with electricity before shrouding himself with electricity and smashing into Lotad dead-on. The Lotad shuddered and wobbled clearly in pain and disoriented from the hit, its movements slowing as paralysis took hold.

“Lotad, don’t give up! Mega Drain!”

Lotad summoned a surge of green light, latching onto Han’s energy and sapping his strength. Han staggered slightly, the effects of the drain starting to show.

“Stay strong, Han! Let’s finish this with another Wild Charge!”

Despite the energy drain, Han pushed forward with sheer determination, his body a blur as he sped toward Lotad. With a final burst of speed, he slammed into the water-grass type, sending it tumbling across the field. This time, Lotad didn’t get up.

Birch smiled as he recalled his Pokémon. “You and your Pawmo are quite the team. That was impressive—your command of him, his speed, and his power. You’ve got real potential, Michael.”

I grinned, reaching down to ruffle Han’s fur. “We did it, buddy.”

Birch approached, placing a hand on my shoulder. “As a lab-sponsored trainer, you’ll have access to resources and financial backing. You’ll be able to raise your Pokémon the right way, but remember—it’s not just about battling. It’s about growing alongside your team. You’ll help with research, assist in fieldwork, and represent the lab in various capacities.”

He turned and led me back into the lab, opening a drawer filled with supplies. He handed me a new backpack, filled with everything I’d need: a set of Pokéballs, a shiny new Pokédex, and a few other basic trainer items.

“These should get you started,” Birch said. “As a sponsored trainer, you’ll also be expected to participate in research projects. If we need data from rare Pokémon, or if we’re studying migration patterns, you might be called to assist. There will be times when your job involves more than just battling.”

I nodded, feeling the weight of responsibility settle on my shoulders. “I’ll do my best.”

“One more thing,” Birch added, looking at me seriously. “I’ll be informing Champion Drake about your arrival. He’ll want to know about someone coming through an Ultra Wormhole. Don’t worry—if he has any questions, I’ll give you a heads-up. But be prepared. He’s a serious man, and he doesn’t take surprises lightly.”

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my nerves in check. “I understand. Thanks for the warning.”

Birch gave me a reassuring pat on the back. “You’ll be fine. Just take it one step at a time.”

With that, I stepped out of the lab, Han by my side, a new journey ahead of us. The world felt bigger now, more real. I wasn’t just a player in a game anymore. I was a trainer, with real responsibilities, and a whole world to explore.