Pokemon: A New Path-A world Without You- II [561]

In a quiet corner of the forest stood a towering tree, far taller than any of its neighbors. Its broad canopy stretched proudly into the sky, casting a gentle shade over the clearing below. On sunny days, this spot became a favorite gathering place for many wild Pokémon.

One of them was Pawmot.

More than anything, Pawmot loved curling up here for a nap. Soaking in the warmth of the afternoon sun, its fluffy fur would retain the heat long into the night, keeping it toasty even after sundown.

With that comforting thought, Pawmot closed its eyes and dozed off, slipping into a peaceful sleep.

But the dream that followed was anything but peaceful.

In the dream, Pawmot found itself trapped inside a dark cave. It ran desperately, finally escaping—only to fall, plummeting helplessly through the air.

Startled by the sensation of falling, Pawmot's eyes flew open in terror—just in time to glimpse a bird Pokémon above, having hurled it downward with a burst of energy.

"Pawmot!" it cried out, bracing itself for impact.

But the pain never came.

With a splash, it landed in a cold, narrow river.

Soaked but alive, Pawmot dragged itself to the riverbank, panting and shivering. Water dripped from its soaked fur as it lay there, dazed, staring up at the wide blue sky. Every limb felt like lead.

When it finally mustered the strength to move, Pawmot realized it was in a completely unfamiliar place.

It looked like an abandoned human settlement. Crumbling buildings stood half-swallowed by weeds, and the air was still with silence. No people. No trainers. Just scattered traces of what once was.

As a wild Pokémon passed nearby, Pawmot instinctively ducked into hiding.

It stayed hidden until nightfall.

Eventually, hunger gnawed at its belly. It hadn't eaten since the day before. After scouring the area, Pawmot finally discovered a few stray seeds buried in the corner of an old barn.

They weren't much, but they kept it going.

Exhausted, dirty, and alone, Pawmot curled up in the shadows of the building and drifted into an uneasy sleep.

That became its life.

Too timid to venture far, Pawmot only came out at night to scavenge for food. Over time, it grew familiar with every nook and cranny of the abandoned ranch—but not because it wanted to. It was simply afraid to leave.

Once, it had dared to explore the nearby forest in search of berries, but the wild Pokémon guarding the fruit trees had driven it off.

Terrified, Pawmot never tried again.

Instead, it learned to rely on whatever wild herbs and overgrown vegetables remained on the property—meager, tasteless, and never enough.

Time passed. Without a trainer, without friends, Pawmot grew thin and scruffy. Its once-soft fur became matted and rough. It had no time or energy to groom itself, too focused on survival.

The playful, energetic Pokémon it once was had faded.

Now, it was just a lonely little Pawmot, frail and forgotten, surviving day by day in a world that no longer cared.

Pawmot would often climb up onto the slanted rooftop of the old, crumbling wooden house and quietly gaze out over the entire ranch.

Sometimes, it missed home. It missed its parents. It missed the warm, lazy afternoons spent napping under the sun.

And other times, it found itself wondering—what had this ranch looked like in its prime?

Were the fields once lush with tall stalks of grain? Did the orchard trees used to droop with heavy, ripe fruit?

Pawmot's gaze would sometimes drift skyward, to the flocks of bird Pokémon gliding freely overhead.

It would think to itself, If only I could fly. Then maybe I could go back home and see them again. freёnovelkiss.com

And so, time went on.

One day, everything changed.

A group of humans arrived at the ranch. They brought with them massive machines and began tearing through the land, flattening it piece by piece.

Pawmot tried to stop them, running out with all the strength it could muster, but its tiny body was no match for the machines. It could only watch in helpless silence as the place it called home was razed to the ground.

Tears welled in its eyes. The only shelter it had left was gone.

It would have to wander again.

But then, just as hope was fading, a passing Pokémon Trainer spotted the trembling creature.

The trainer gently picked up the frail, dirty Pawmot and rushed it to the nearest Pokémon Center. There, under Nurse Joy's careful treatment, it slowly began to recover.

The trainer, moved by Pawmot's story and fragile condition, turned to Nurse Joy and said with compassion, "It shouldn't have to go through this again. Please, let me find it a home."

Eventually, Pawmot was relocated to a peaceful habitat at a professor's research institute—an ecological park where it would never go hungry again. There, it lived quietly among many other Pokémon, basking in the safety and serenity of its new home.

But even in that tranquil paradise, when night fell and the world was quiet, Pawmot still dreamed.

It dreamed of the old ranch.

In its sleep, it saw the ranch in full bloom. Crops swayed gently in the wind, orchards brimming with vibrant fruit. And in the middle of it all was a figure—familiar, smiling, standing among the fields and waving at it.

Pawmot stirred.

And even in sleep… it wept.

—

Outside the illusory world, the mists curled and swirled as Arceus observed the trial unfold.

The God of Creation watched quietly, his golden gaze focused on the human and Pokémon, each lost in a world where they had never met.

Tapu Fini hovered silently beside him, its initial apprehension slowly giving way to curiosity.

Then, Arceus spoke, his tone laced with a mixture of wonder and solemnity.

"Even with their memories sealed… that one remembered. Such deep longing… The will of that Pokémon is truly extraordinary."

"Fini…" Tapu Fini murmured in soft agreement, eyes wide with quiet awe.

Neither said anything more.

Arceus turned once again, this time shifting his gaze toward the remaining illusions—toward the other two Pokémon whose hearts were now being tested.

...

Dragonite had been troubled lately.

It had fallen in love with another Dragonite from the island, but unfortunately, it was the one everyone knew as the clueless one. While the others had mastered countless moves and soared with confidence, this particular Dragonite didn't.

Though its friends never mocked it, Dragonite couldn't help but feel inferior. The gap between itself and the others gnawed at its heart.

Each night, when the world grew quiet and the stars blanketed the sky, Dragonite found it hard to sleep.

One evening, it gazed up at the crescent moon, shining like a silver hook in the dark sky. Something stirred in its heart, a quiet yearning. It spread its wings and took off, flying in the direction of the moon, seeking solace somewhere far away, somewhere it could be alone.

Across the sea it flew, gliding through clouds and wind, until it arrived at a vast, unfamiliar land. There, it found a steep cliff that rose high above the ocean. Dragonite landed and settled onto the edge, staring up at the moon.

A thin crescent, just like its feelings. Fragile. Unfinished. Incomplete.

So Dragonite sat there in silence.

One day. Two days. Three.

A full year passed.

Time didn't heal anything. It only deepened the ache in Dragonite's chest.

When it finally returned to Dragonite Island and saw how strong and graceful the others had become, Dragonite fell into a quiet sadness.

It no longer chased after love or dreams. It drifted through each day with empty eyes, going through the motions of life. Everything felt dull and meaningless.

But still, every evening without fail, it flew back to the same cliff.

To stare at the same moon.

Day after day. Year after year. Never missing a night.

Even Dragonite didn't fully understand why.

But Dragonite had a vague feeling in its heart that it must go there!

—

Near Casseroya Lake under the bright midday sun.

Gogoat and two of its herd companions were munching lazily on grass and soaking in the warm sunshine.

Yet something felt off.

The taste of the grass didn't feel the same anymore.

Gogoat paused, raised its head, and looked around. The sky was still a clear blue. The lake sparkled in the light. The sun was warm and golden.

Everything was the same.

So why did it feel so different?

Maybe it was just its imagination.

With a small shake of its horns, Gogoat tossed the thought away and focused on something more important.

Where should we go for lunch today?

The grass here had already been grazed to nothing. If they wanted something fresh and tender, they would need to look farther.

Its gaze drifted across the lake to the far side, where a patch of untouched green flourished. A small grove of fruit trees stood tall nearby, their branches heavy with colorful berries.

Delicious.

"Meaa" Gogoat let out a happy bleat. Let's go check it out.

...

"Hey, Naoki, you've been out of it at work lately."

Back at the office, Naoki was snapped out of his daze by the coworker seated beside him.

"You should be careful. If the boss catches you spacing out like that, you'll be in trouble."

Naoki blinked, then muttered, "Oh, yeah."

The coworker gave him a curious look. "Don't tell me you were up all night playing games again."

Naoki didn't answer at first. Instead, he stared at his screen, then murmured, "Do you ever feel like none of this is real?"

That caught the other man off guard. "Huh? What are you even talking about?"

Naoki turned to him, eyes distant. "I've just been wondering. What if this life isn't the real one?"

The coworker narrowed his eyes. "You feeling okay, man? This is reality. What else would it be? This is just life."

Naoki didn't respond.

After a pause, he muttered, "Lately, I keep dreaming. Vivid dreams. Of another world. In them, I'm a rancher taking care of Pokémon, living in the countryside. It feels real. More real than this."

The coworker leaned back in his chair and sighed.

"You're starting to sound like one of those weird online forums again."

"It's not even evening yet. Save the daydreaming for later."

But Naoki just smiled faintly.

Because deep down, he didn't think he was daydreaming at all.

'Was it really just a dream?'

If it was, then why did he remember every detail so vividly?

Naoki didn't have to work overtime that day. After finishing up at the office, he returned to his apartment, switched on his console, and stared blankly at the story unfolding on screen.

But that night, the same dream came again.

It was as vivid as ever. Within the dream, Naoki knew the name and habits of every Pokémon. He remembered what they liked, how they moved, how they lived.

When morning came, he opened his eyes with a start. The feeling was stronger now, undeniable.

He hadn't imagined it.

He had truly lived alongside those Pokémon.

And the instant that thought crossed his mind, the world around him began to shift.

Skyscrapers and neon lights faded like mist at dawn. In their place, a familiar fog rolled in thick and quiet, swallowing the city in an instant.