Chen Mo was awakened by the familiar sound of an alarm.
"…It hurts…"
A dull ache spread across his entire body. With his eyes still closed, Chen Mo rolled over, reached out, and instinctively turned off the alarm on his phone.
Then he muttered out of habit:
"Pikachu, time to get up for training."
He reached to the side—
But felt nothing.
His movement froze.
He opened his eyes.
Sunlight slipped through the half-open curtains, casting a glow onto the edge of a bed that felt both familiar and strange.
He looked beside him again.
There was no small yellow figure.
Only a charging cable, earphones, and a handheld console long left untouched, gathering dust.
Chen Mo stared blankly at the cramped bedroom.
After a long while, he got up and walked slowly to his desk.
The laptop screen was still on, displaying an unfinished work document.
Memories flooded back.
He remembered—
That night.
Staying up late to finish a company project.
Going to bed past midnight.
"…."
Disbelief filled his face.
He had returned—
To the world of his previous life.
The soreness in his body seemed to tell him—
That everything else—
Meeting Pokémon, traveling another world—
Had all been a dream.
No.
No, no, no—
Pikachu, Pidgeotto, Magikarp, Gengar, Absol…
He remembered being with them—
Every moment—
…
He froze.
He couldn't remember clearly anymore.
Where had he met them?
He tried to recall—
But couldn't.
Feihong Slope? Jinxiu Mountain?
Like a dream—
He remembered emotions, achievements—
But the details were slipping away.
He sat there for a long time.
Until the second alarm rang.
Then—
He moved mechanically.
Washed up.
Got dressed.
Sent his work file to his phone.
Grabbed his bag.
And went downstairs.
…
Outside—
Bright sunlight.
In the nearby park—
Elderly women danced loudly, their music clashing with traffic noise.
At the bus stop—
Chen Mo looked up at the blue sky and tall buildings.
A suffocating feeling rose in his chest.
A bus arrived.
People passed him.
Boarded.
Left.
Chen Mo turned—
And suddenly ran.
Like he had lost his mind.
Back home.
…
He thought he was sick.
He took leave.
Used all his vacation days.
Stayed in bed.
Did nothing.
Thought nothing.
Just—
Existed.
Until one morning—
He realized—
He could no longer remember their faces.
That was the breaking point.
He quit his job.
Packed his savings.
And prepared to travel.
"Let's go."
At dawn—
He left.
He planned to visit places he had always wanted to go.
Maybe—
That dream existed because—
He had been too stressed.
Maybe—
Travel would fix it.
…
As he walked—
Thinking—
Suddenly—
A small yellow figure ran past him.
His eyes widened.
He looked up.
There—
On the empty street—
A faint, flickering silhouette.
Rubbing its cheeks.
Calling softly—
"Pikachu~"
"…."
Every Pikachu was unique.
Chen Mo's suitcase dropped.
Memories surged back.
That was—
His Pikachu.
The figure turned—
And ran.
"Wait!"
Chen Mo chased it.
300 meters.
150…
Closer—
Closer—
So focused—
He didn't notice—
The world collapsing.
Buildings—
Trees—
Everything—
Fading into darkness.
Even the ground—
Gone.
Falling—
Into endless void.
"I got you!"
He reached out—
Touched it—
But—
His hand passed through.
Then—
Light.
Blinding.
He shielded his eyes.
"…Where…"
He lowered his hand.
Warm sunlight.
A small pavilion.
Overgrown weeds.
Desolate.
Yet—
He felt like crying.
He remembered.
This was where—
He met Pichu.
This place—
Hongjingpo Forest.
"Ma…sha…"
A voice behind him.
He turned.
From the shadow of a tree—
A gray-black figure emerged.
Orange-red eyes.
"…So it was you."
Memories broke free.
"Marshadow."
Marshadow—
The Gloomdweller Pokémon.
A Mythical Pokémon.
Ghost/Fighting type.
Servant of Ho-Oh, alongside Suicune, Entei, and Raikou.
It observes humans.
Tests them.
Guides them.
In legends—
Those chosen by Ho-Oh become the Rainbow Hero.
And Marshadow—
Tests their heart.
Chen Mo recalled the movie.
The illusion world.
The trial.
"…What are you trying to do?"
He frowned.
He wasn't a Rainbow Hero.
He had no Rainbow Wing.
So why—
"Ma…sha…"
Marshadow looked at him.
Then—
A voice in his mind:
"To save you."
"…What?"
Chen Mo blinked.
"Explain."
Marshadow hesitated.
Sighed internally.
Then—
Raised its hand.
The sky changed—
Like a screen.
A scene appeared.
Chen Mo looked up.
At the center—
Himself.
Struggling—
Inside Giratina's shadow.
Then—
From his chest—
Blue light burst forth.
"…That's…"
Zekrom's crystal.
Was it—
Zekrom?
The light intensified.
Clashing with red.
Then—
A black dragon emerged.
Grabbing Giratina's head.
"Zekrom!"
Chen Mo gasped.
"…Don't overthink it."
Marshadow said.
"They're just projections. Not their real forms."
"Otherwise—even I couldn't save you."
Even so—
The collision shook the ruins.
Everything collapsing.
Chen Mo—
At the center—
Took the worst impact.
His body—
Protected.
By Unown.
And Marshadow.
But—
His mind—
Was nearly destroyed.
So—
Marshadow used his deepest memories.
To protect him.
His past life.
But—
Its power—
Also drew out his weakness.
His doubts.
So—
He believed it was all a dream.
And almost—
Never returned.
"…."
Chen Mo understood.
So that's what happened.
Marshadow didn't mention—
How hard it was to wake him.
How it used Pikachu's image.
Instead—
It stayed silent.
"…I see."
Chen Mo nodded.
Then looked at it.
"…So you've been in my shadow since Evergreen Forest?"
Marshadow nodded slightly.
That explained everything.
His emotions.
Gengar's power boost.
Everything.
Then—
Chen Mo smiled.
"Thank you, Marshadow."
"For helping me realize—"
"How lucky I am…"
"To have met them."
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