[To keep you from being misled, let me introduce the male protagonist first: he's a black-bellied, cunning guy who insists on doing things his own way, even if it means going against common sense. If you're into this kind of character, you're in for a ride.]
Johto Region.
New Bark Town.
"Ash Ketchum, have you decided which one of these three you'd like to choose as your partner—Brock, Cilan, or Kiawe?"
In the warm glow of morning light filtering through the windows, Professor Samuel Oak stood smiling kindly in his lab, gesturing toward the three Poké Balls sitting neatly on the polished table.
But Ash didn't respond right away. He stood frozen, eyes dazed, as if he'd been pulled into another dimension altogether.
Two days ago, the world had changed forever.
Tenshin Technologies, a renowned developer in virtual reality systems, released its groundbreaking Pokémon AR Cabinet—a full-dive virtual game that allowed players to enter a Pokémon world more realistic than anything ever imagined. For diehard fans, this was a dream come true.
Ash Ketchum, a loyal Pokémon fanatic, had managed to snag a unit on the first day of release. He had spent hours preparing for launch, setting up his room, clearing his schedule, and reading every leaked guide and rumor he could find.
When the game officially launched at 7 PM, players all over the world logged in with eager hearts.
Then... something unexpected happened.
No one could log out.
The logout function was gone. Every player had been trapped inside the game world.
At first, panic spread like wildfire. But as hours passed, some players accepted their fate and tried to figure things out. After all, if they were stuck, they might as well live it out like a real Pokémon journey.
Ash, level-headed after the initial shock, decided to play along and went to Professor Oak's lab—just like everyone else—to receive his starter.
That's when everything changed again.
Just as Professor Oak began introducing the starter Pokémon, a prompt appeared in Ash's mind.
[Mythical Beast System Binding... Complete.]
A system? Like a game within the game?
Before Ash could question it, the system revealed its features:
Master's Power: Any Poké Ball touched by Ash would have a 100% success rate when used on a legendary Pokémon.
Power of the Legends: Upon capturing a legendary Pokémon, Ash would acquire one of their abilities.
Charm Aura: Any Pokémon that becomes Ash's will have its stats and capabilities continuously enhanced without limit.
Mythical Perception: Ash could sense legendary Pokémon within a one-mile radius. The closer he got, the stronger the feeling.
Ash had barely begun to wrap his mind around it when something unusual happened.
He felt it.
A strange pull, a sensation like a magnet tugging at his soul—his perception was activating.
A legendary Pokémon was nearby.
"What are you daydreaming about? Hurry up and choose. There are people waiting behind you," one of the other players behind him snapped, irritated by Ash's delay.
The line of players had grown long, each of them waiting to pick from the three classic starters—Brock, Cilan, or Kiawe. Many were visibly impatient.
Ash blinked, snapped out of his trance by the annoyed voice. He turned to Professor Oak.
"Professor, can I get a few empty Poké Balls first? I'd like to catch a wild Pokémon instead."
The room went quiet for a second.
"You don't want a starter?" Professor Oak asked, clearly surprised. "You'd rather find your first partner in the wild?"
Ash nodded. "Yes. Please, Professor. I just need a few Poké Balls."
Professor Oak studied him for a moment. Though puzzled, he saw determination in the boy's eyes. He sighed, then pulled a string of five Poké Balls from a drawer and handed them over.
"Very well. But if things don't go as planned, you can come back and choose one of the starters."
"Thank you, Professor." Ash gave a quick bow, took the Poké Balls, and dashed out the door.
As Ash passed through the crowd of waiting players, mocking voices followed behind him.
"Is this guy serious? He turned down Brock, Cilan, and Kiawe?"
"What a noob. Does he think wild Pokémon are just gonna jump into his Poké Balls? What is he, Ash Ketchum from the anime?"
"Haha! Maybe he thinks every Poké Ball he throws is a Master Ball."
"I'm gonna follow him. This should be hilarious."
Several curious or amused players peeled off from the line and trailed Ash at a distance, eager to witness his inevitable failure.
Following the tug of the system's perception, Ash made his way to a grassy lawn near the outskirts of town. Children were running about, playing with their Pokémon.
There were Nidoran playfully butting heads, Oddish soaking up the sun, and even a Growlithe chasing its tail.
But Ash ignored them all.
His gaze locked onto a small, brown-feathered bird Pokémon—Pidgey—hopping around near a patch of daisies.
That's when the perception flared.
His heart pounded.
It's here. It's right here. But it's... a Pidgey? That can't be right... unless...
Ash's mind raced.
System, you better not be trolling me. This Pidgey... it feels too strong. Could it be...? Is it a disguise? Could it be... Mew?
The small Pidgey cocked its head at Ash, watching him with innocent curiosity. The Oddish it had been playing with scattered as Ash approached, sensing something strange.
Ash's hands trembled slightly as he reached for a Poké Ball at his waist.
"Is this guy seriously going to try and catch a Pidgey with a basic Poké Ball? What a clown!" one of the players following behind him sneered.
Laughter erupted behind Ash. He ignored it.
He took a deep breath, then threw the Poké Ball with precision.
A flash of red light enveloped the Pidgey, pulling it into the ball. The ball hit the ground and began to shake.
Once. Twice. A third time.
Click.
Silence.
The laughter died immediately.
"No... way..." one of the players whispered.
Ash didn't stick around. He snatched up the Poké Ball and bolted, leaving the stunned spectators gaping in disbelief.
Ten minutes later, deep in a quiet grove surrounded by trees and sunlight, Ash finally stopped to catch his breath.
He held the Poké Ball tightly, his palms sweating.
With a nervous but excited breath, he pressed the white button.
A bright red beam shot out, and the Pokémon emerged in front of him.
It wasn't a Pidgey.
It was pink, floating, feline, and graceful.
It had large blue eyes, tiny paws, and a long, thin tail that twirled lazily in the air.
"Mew!" Ash gasped, his eyes wide with disbelief.
The mythical Pokémon blinked at him, then tilted its head and gave a soft, "Mew~" in a tone that melted the heart.
Ash fell to his knees.
"I... I actually caught Mew."
His journey had just begun. But unlike any other player in this virtual world, Ash Ketchum's first partner was not a starter.
It was a divine beast.
And this world was about to be flipped upside down.
To be continued...