“Your name’s gonna be Suika from now on.”
“Huhhh!?”
And just like that all of the names Fred had thought up for me previously had been overruled by one dodgy detective going by the name of Blain Hueber.
“If anyone asks for your family name you tell them to mind their own business, capiche?” the detective in question muttered in his baritone voice.
“I… okay…” there wasn’t really much use complaining about it, what's done has been done. Within my petite hands were my new identifications. I was officially named after a fruit.
“We’ll leave tomorrow morning, I’ve made the arrangement with Dr. Elliot already.” The investigator said as he retrieved his signature black fedora hat and headed for the doors. “Have a good night’s sleep, this could be the last peaceful night you’ll be getting.”
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Vermilion Central Hospital, Children’s Ward, Spare room #3. Approximately 6 hours ago…
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“You did good holding up till this far, leave the rest to us, the adults.” Detective Blain said as his fingers ruffled through my hair.
I didn’t fight the feelings that swelled up within me, instead, I let them all out. I sniffled in the tiny interrogation room, the edges of my vision blurred with every form of a droplet.
The detective waited patiently until I calmed down, but the way he paced awkwardly around the room was evidence enough that he was terrible at dealing with kids, especially crying ones.
It’s not like me to cry this much… Maybe, it’s got something to do with the body I’m in right now? Somehow it’s harder to conceal what I’m feeling and sometimes I even blurt stuff out unintentionally.
“It pains me to ask this of a kid we have just rescued but…” Blain finally started to talk after confirming that I no longer wiped my face with the sleeves of my hoodie, “we of the PLI… no… I, personally as well, need your assistance…”
Just for a second there, I saw a glimpse of desperation in his eyes, a look that shouldn’t have been worn by a callous investigator.
“...of course, you are more than welcome to say ‘no’, but this might be a chance for you to find out who you were again.”
“I…I’ll listen… and then decide.” I said shakily between breaths, it seems that I… or rather this body hasn’t completely calmed down yet.
“Usually we don’t disclose any information to outsiders, but you’re a special case considering that you’ve been the primary victim to their abuse as well.”
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
“... their? Who’s… they?”
“The Pokemon Liberations Army.” Blain exclaimed, “they’ve been a group of troublesome individuals that have emerged after the fall of Team Rocket, with multiple reports of their signature bird-like logo near the sightings of missing childrens.”
Bird logo… Mr. Burly Hands and his gang!
“But to think they’ve been smuggling children under our very eyes aboard the S.S. Anne… they must have someone really powerful and influential backing them up.”
So there were more of them… An entire evil organization after me? Way to start the game with maximum difficulty!
“We’ve narrowed down the suspects to the Captain of the ship and the Gym Leader of Vermilion City, Lt. Surge.” The detective explained as he sat back down near the table, “Lt. Surge especially has been involved in several questionable acts since the start of these abduction incidents. Not to mention we found you inside the same room as the shipments that were supposedly designated to the Vermilion Gym.”
Blain inched closer as he spoke the next few words in a low, rumbling voice.
“The Captain is already under custody from the accusations of hazardous ship conditions. But a Gym Leader is gonna be harder for us to interfere.”
“Is that why you need… yip… my help?” Close up, his scar looked more terrifying than I had recalled. The crevice that dug across from the top of his eyelid to the edge of his lips was maroon in color, with depths that shouldn’t be scoffed at. It’s honestly staggering that his left eye was still in working condition.
But that shouldn’t be a reason for me to start hiccuping! I’m glad I finally stopped crying but this? Hiccups!? I swear… this effing body…
“Exactly, that’s where you come in.” Blain smiled wryly as he backed off to retrieve a glass of water that seemingly appeared out of nowhere, “against a challenger, especially a kid, even a Gym Leader like Lt. Surge wouldn’t suspect as much. So the plan here is that once you defeat him, ask to follow him to his room where he retrieves his badge and whatnot, and then plant a bug there when he isn’t looking. Simple right?”
Simple my ass. Maybe if this world was modeled after the first generation of Pokemon Red and Blue, where he had 3 pokemon that were all below level 25. But the fact that Pokemon like Blissey exist must mean that this world isn’t purely based on generation I, and as such my knowledge over the game would have limited to no use. Hopefully I could always just cheese the Gym battle using ground type Pokemon that are immune to his electric type attacks. But I don’t even have any Pokemon right now!
Not to mention planting a bug? Do I look like James effing Bond to you? I’m an introvert shut-in for fuck’s sake, going outside is already a challenge for me and now you want me to infiltrate an entire Gym!?
Maybe the investigator noticed my unease, or maybe his Cleffa detected it. Whatever the case, he gave me a look of affirmation as if to say that everything will be okay.
“Don’t worry, I know a place that’ll drill you into a capable trainer. They’ll even provide you with your choice of a Pokemon after you graduate from their courses.”
“Right…yip.” I began chugging down the cup of water that was handed to me, determined to rid myself of this humiliating condition and to rehydrate myself after all the water loss.
“I’ll have your documents prepared by tonight, and a working Pokedex by tomorrow morning.” Blain concluded as he clapped his hands together. “Well? What do you say?”
Documents prepared? He means forged right!? I mean I already have an answer from the start. Gathering information on this world was only a side quest at this point, I just can’t let the people that trampled on me slide.
Mr. BH, Mr. M and his Haunter… Even Mr. Blue that I have yet to meet and now the new Lt. Surge. And mom… I’ll show them all what I’m capable of.
“I’ll do it… I wanna learn more about my past after all.” Although that wasn’t my main objective, it still sufficed as the truth, in case that Cleffa was still trying to project its psychological assaults on me somewhere.
That’s right… I’ve been given this new chance at life in the form of my favorite game. So what if it’s on the highest difficulty, so what if this body isn’t even mine. I’ll make the most out of this situation and live my life to the fullest. And now he’s offered me a chance to start it all! A chance to do everything I have ever wanted in my past life and more, and it’ll begin as soon as I get my revenge!
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I wish I had realized this sooner back then. The kidnapping and child abuse should have been a sign. But since the first few days in an isekai were always bound to be hectic, I dismissed my unease and filed them under environmental shock.
It turns out the world of Pokemon was never as tender as I had remembered… and that this wasn’t a game but reality.