Two

“Able! Don’t make me count to three.”

I regain my consciousness after collecting my thoughts, I’ve been in this world for 4 years already. All you need to know is that, this place is the real thing, Pokemon actually exist. The region of Koryn has a similar build to Pangea, one big landform. While it’s cool and all, it’s been difficult to gather information at all, being in a 3rd grade classroom doesn’t give you access to the best resources. Furthermore, if my parents find out they gave birth to some kind of genius, there’s no telling what they’d do. During my time in this world, I was thankful to be born into a wealthy family, and throughout these 5 years of starting a new life, my parents Gabriel and Tiana Oxford, had another son, only a year younger than me. However, he doesn’t seem to be reincarnated like me, I tried communicating with him.

Flashback to when it was past bedtime and they were both in our respective beds.

“Nicholas, are you still awake?” I whispered.

“Yeah Able what’s up!”

“Keep your voice down, mom and dad will find out we’re awake.”

He covered his mouth with his hands and let out a giggle.

“I have a really important question for you Nick.”

“Uhhh yeah what’s up.”

I tensed.

I had no idea what to expect.

“What’s your opinion on trump winning the election?”

He goes silent, and we sit in it for a few moments that felt like forever. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do if I find the other reincarnated people so soon, professor didn’t tell me what to do. Do I befriend them, battle them?.” But my train of thought is answered as he began to speak,

“Uh i really like trumpets, but i like flutes and stuff because they’re fun!”

I let out a sigh of relief.

Fast forward back to present day. I’m 5 years old and Nick is 4, Our parents have enrolled us into school to learn about Pokemon. Our dad has been determined to raise us into an aspiring Pokemon trainer, to go to the prestigious, Pokemon academy. I’ve only heard so much, but he’s been drilling trying to drill Pokemon into our skulls, while our mother only wants us to pursue our dreams, whether it be education or Pokemon, whatever makes us happy. And I would be lying if I said my little brother didn’t have potential, he listens to dad constantly soaking up Pokemon tactics like a sponge. 

I’d often overhear Gabriel talk to mom about his progress by the time I was 14 and he was 13.

“Our boy has real potential Tiana, he just might be able to-“

But Mom would always make the same argument,

“He might change what he wants to do in the future, don’t go enforcing your ideals on him. And what about Able? Why don’t you spend time with your oldest son?”

He didn’t know how to respond, but it was obvious that I wasn’t the favorite to him. But it looked like he took it to heart and when I got home from school he pulled me aside.

“Able, you’re reaching that age and you’re becoming a teenager. When kids turn into teens, they can choose their first starter Pokemon at 16, that’s only in 3 months. So I’m gonna train you so you can be ready to get your first Pokemon friend.”

And from then I started training with nick and my dad, of course the learning curve was difficult, with both of them training together being a daily routine for as long as I can remember. It was fun, but also sometimes easy because I knew all the type weaknesses already. The physical labor was brutal but Nick did most of it with ease received praise accordingly while I just got a look of indifference from my Dad.

Every day I’d walk with Nicholas to and from school, the breeze was nostalgic, the trees rustling with every gust. I walked in silence facing forward, as I turn to my right, my brother, whistling kicking a rock as we walk on the dirt path to the main road.

We’d laugh and talk about the rumors we’d hear at each others school, he’d always be like

“Wow so that’s what highschool is like. Not sure if I should be concerned or excited.”

I’d laugh, “be both because the world is too big to only feel one emotion.”

Finally, the day came. the place to our towns professor is quite the travel away, so we used transportation via corvinight to get there in a matter of hours. There were dozens of kids trying to get their first Pokemon but due to our wealth, we were one of the first with the luxury to pick, giving us the opportunity to pick any starter with all of them being available.

The professor wasn’t oak or any I remember, just a basic dude in a lab coat.

“Welcome welcom, you must be the Oxford family correct?”

We all collectively nod

“Amazing! Let’s continue with choosing your starter! Nickolas Oxford first, by personal request.” He flashes a look at my father then at me, and I just shrug.

Nickolas can’t contain his excitement, as he walks up to the table displaying numerous pokeballs.

“Enie-mineie-moe! This one!”

“Wow Chimchar? You have great taste my friend.”

He turns and runs to Dad holding up the pokeball.

“That’s great Nick! What are you gonna name it?

Watching them bond over this, fills me with some form of nostalgia, distant but familiar. I have all my memories from my past but…

After realizing I was starting a little too long I turn back to the professor, who I caught looking at me, he jumps then continues.

“Last but definitely not least Able Oxford!”

I heard applause from behind me I turned thinking it was my father but it was actually my mother.

“Mom? I thought you couldn’t come?”

Gabriel was equally confused.

“Tiana you shouldn’t be traveling such distances, you’re sick.”

She lifts a hand between her face and his.

“I have to make sure my baby boy makes the choice he wants to.”

She smiled at me, and I can’t help but return the favor, her energy is contagious and it’s rather respectable despite my age. I’m close to the point where I’ve lived longer in this world than my previous one, where I lived as Sowisi, the shiny hunter. I lock eyes with my father

“You know what to do.”

I turn back facing the table of pokeballs, I take a step forward. I make eye contact with the professor, I’m not sure if he’s the thing I met before I came into this world, I never got his name nor this professor’s name.

Now I’m face to face with the array of pokeballs. They’re all neatly organized with the Pokemon name, photo, and description. I turn around, on my left, my mom flashes me a thumbs up. While on the right, an insanely large but silent line of children with their parents awaiting their turn to have their children take their first step into this world’s definition of freedom.

I turn back around, met with the pokeballs, every name familiar, sprigatito, charmander, mudkip, turtwig, froakie. I hover my hand above the table, embracing the suspense and pressure I feel. But I take a breath and come to a decision.

I lower my hand as it falls and lands on something, not any something. 

But it returned to my side. Every pokeball completely untouched.

I turn to face my family and others watching.

“I don’t plan on choosing a starter Pokemon.”

I walked away from the table refusing to make eye contact with my parents and the other people in the stands. For I have done something that goes against their very way of life, they wouldn’t understand my reasoning, the reason to question what you call freedom.