When we last saw Lloyd, he had been cornered in a narrow alleyway by the infamous thief known as Black Cat. What should have ended in bruises—or worse—was prevented by the timely intervention of his partner. With danger only inches away, Lloyd had instinctively tapped into the power of the Plates and Teleported straight back to the safety of his apartment.
Now, we find him hunched slightly forward in his room, breathing heavily, one hand pressed against his chest as he tries to calm the relentless pounding of his heart. The adrenaline still courses through his veins, mixing confusingly with another, far more embarrassing reaction brought on by meeting a dangerously attractive woman face-to-face.
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Danger and lust are an intoxicating combination.
A beautiful woman had nearly mugged me in broad daylight, and if it weren't for Robin stepping in at the last possible second, I might have ended that encounter bleeding—or worse. Damn my emotions. All that time spent trapped inside a hospital room, bottling up every urge and frustration, has completely scrambled my hormones now that I have a healthy body again.
I could have been hurt. Killed. Slashed open by those claws.
And yet part of my brain was stuck replaying how beautiful and sexy she looked.
How in the world is that costume even legal in the middle of the day? That cleavage alone could cause cardiac arrest in half the adolescent male population.
Including me.
"Fucking hell… stupid hormones are making me stupid," I muttered to myself, dragging a hand down my face in frustration.
Because of my previous condition, any attempt to "relieve" myself had been impossible once the cancer spread to my lower body. I hadn't felt anything there for years. Years of numbness. Years of nothing.
Now, reincarnated into this new, absurdly healthy body, it's like someone broke open a dam. Everything came rushing back at once—instincts, urges, impulses—all crashing against the careful, calculated mindset I'd planned to maintain in this world.
If there's one thing I learned from stories where the protagonist has powers, it's this: keep them hidden. Hide your cards. Keep your trump card secret until the perfect moment to surprise your enemy.
And now?
One other person knows I can summon Pokémon.
A beam of red light burst outward from my body, taking shape in front of me. Robin materialized gracefully, his presence steady and calming as always.
"Are you alright, Lloyd?" he asked evenly. "Were you… infatuated by that woman?"
"I… I might have been," I admitted after a brief hesitation. There was no point lying. I value my bond with my team too much for that. "Sorry, Robin. I'm still not used to this new body."
He regarded me calmly before nodding once. "Then I suggest we rest for the day. Your emotions and physical state are unstable. It would be wise to regain balance before venturing outside again."
I exhaled slowly. "Yeah… yeah, you're right."
Robin dissolved back into red light, returning to me, and I could feel his presence settle within—steady, grounding, reassuring.
He's right. It's only the first day and already I've fought a super thief and revealed one of my abilities. I need to slow down.
A good night's rest never hurt anybody.
With that thought, I lay back down on the same bed I woke up in, staring at the ceiling as the events of the day replayed over and over in my mind. Gradually, the images blurred. My eyelids grew heavier. My breathing slowed.
And then—
Darkness.
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I like dreams.
Dreams are where reality loosens its grip and the mind is free to construct impossible worlds. In dreams, you are both the author and the protagonist. You make the rules. You decide the outcome.
Spending years in that hospital bed gave me plenty of time alone, and one of the few skills I developed was lucid dreaming. Controlling the dream. Bending it to my will. Walking, running, dancing—things I couldn't do in real life.
I would imagine having healthy legs again. Imagining myself keeping up with friends, laughing, moving without pain.
And every time I woke up, reality would shatter that illusion.
So when I opened my eyes this time and found myself still in this apartment, in this body, with these memories—I wondered.
Was this just another lucid dream?
That I was a Pokémon Trainer. That my team was real. That I'd been reborn in a world not my own.
It sounds like childish make-believe.
But something tells me this isn't a dream.
"If I'm not dreaming… then Nancy, slap me."
A burst of light spilled onto the floor, coalescing into a small, elegant shape. The glow faded to reveal her—small and quadrupedal, long ears adorned with bows, pinkish fur soft and pristine. Light blue eyes gazed at me with warmth and gentle affection.
Nancy, my Sylveon.
Before I could react, one of her ribbon-like feelers snapped forward—
slap
"Ow—!"
The sting bloomed instantly across my cheek.
"…Yep. That's real."
Nancy narrowed her eyes at me, voice carrying a sharp, womanly firmness despite her adorable appearance. "That's right, mister. And the next time I hear that nonsense, I will follow it up with Double Slap."
I visibly winced. Fairy-types might look cute and cuddly, but they are absolute terrors when they want to be.
"Noted. Very noted. Thank you, Nancy."
She huffed approvingly before placing a soft paw against my cheek. A gentle warmth spread from her touch, soothing the lingering sting.
Energy flowed into my skin.
Heal Pulse?
But I replaced that move with something offensive. Can they… recall previous moves? In the game, I had to manually select them. Did ROB tweak the mechanics?
"There," Nancy said gently once she pulled her paw away. "Feeling better, hon?"
"Much better."
"Good. Then let's get some food into that stomach. You haven't eaten since yesterday."
As if on cue, my stomach let out a deep, embarrassing growl, and I felt my energy dip sharply.
…Okay, yeah. I'm starving.
"Good idea. I'll grab my phone and—"
"Don't you still have that CyberNav from the Professor?" Nancy interrupted. "I recall it can access the internet."
CyberNav?
Right. The improved Pokégear.
I quickly grabbed another spare bag from the room and accessed my inventory through it. Scrolling through my Key Items, I found it.
CyberNav.
I pulled it out. It took the form of a sleek, modern watch—nothing too flashy at first glance.
Strapping it onto my left wrist, I activated it.
Instead of a normal interface, a progress bar appeared, nearly full, with bold text above it:
[RotomNav 2.0]
"A RotomNav? What is—"
The bar completed.
The screen lit up with a cheerful, cartoonish face.
{Hi! Thank you for choosing the RotomNav as your purchase. Update complete. All functions are now available!}
"…Uh. Hi?"
{I detect confusion! Allow me to introduce myself. I am RotomNav—essentially a Rotom inhabiting your CyberNav. Think RotomPhone, but better! I am here to assist Trainer Lloyd with enhanced functionality. Please state your request!}
Nancy's eyes sparkled. "Oh my, how cute."
I blinked. "Right… so what can you actually do?"
{Glad you asked! RotomNav includes: Map, Browser, Box-Link, Jukebox, Pokédex, Camera, and dynamic add-ons depending on circumstance! I am optimized for trainer convenience and superior assistance!}
My eyes widened.
This is incredible.
Thank you, ROB. Seriously.
"That's amazing," I breathed.
Nancy nodded approvingly. "Then can you teach Lloyd how to cook?"
I coughed. "Hey."
{Absolutely! With my guidance, Trainer Lloyd will achieve culinary excellence in record time!}
Its enthusiasm was infectious.
I laughed, the tension from earlier finally easing.
This world. This body. My team. Technology infused with Pokémon.
What once sounded like a ridiculous fantasy is now my reality.
And this time—
I'm not waking up.