Seven days.It had been only seven days since the world ended… and began again.
The first merge was subtle—just a shimmering distortion above the Arabian Sea on a quiet midnight. Most people dismissed it as atmospheric refraction.
By the second night, it swallowed an entire oil tanker.
By the third, a forest of giant redwoods appeared in the middle of Shanghai, crushing a five-lane highway beneath roots thicker than buses.
By the fourth, a floating chunk of land—complete with waterfalls pouring into empty sky—hovered above Brazil.
By day seven, everyone knew the truth:
Earth was expanding… and something else was expanding into it.
Mumbai was no different.
Mumbai, One Week After the Merge
Goregaon West was unusually quiet. The kind of quiet that happens only when everyone is collectively freaking out.
Families were gathered on balconies. Kids were glued to TV news. Vendors had shut down early. Strangers talked like old friends because everyone shared the same fear.
Our city skyline looked wrong—like a jigsaw puzzle with extra pieces shoved in. I could see a massive cluster of purple-lit clouds over the horizon, hovering above the sea. A floating island—an actual floating landmass—had appeared there two days ago. Now, waterfalls were pouring off its edge like silver ribbons into nothingness.
If it weren't terrifying, it would've been beautiful.
People around me kept whispering the same things:
"Did you hear? A huge forest appeared near Hyderabad out of nowhere.""My cousin in Delhi says one of those creatures melted a car!""The government isn't saying anything. They're clueless.""Someone said magic has returned to the Earth."
Magic.Mutant beasts.Spiritual entities.
Everyone was giving these creatures a new name.
"HEY! Hey—NEW LIVE VIDEO!" someone shouted from behind.
A bunch of society uncles and teens crowding around one guy with a phone. Another neighbor whispered frantically:
"Someone's livestreaming one of those monsters!"
The phone screen showed a shaky NewTube livestream—apparently broadcasting from Kolkata. The cameraman was hiding behind a metal rubbish bin, breathing heavily.
On the other end of the alley, a small green creature hopped around curiously.
It wasn't threatening.It wasn't monstrous.In fact—
"Arre, what the hell is that?" a teenager beside me whispered.
The creature had a round body, with tiny legs and a short tail. Around its neck is a collar of small buds, a small leaf swaying on it's head and glowing red eyes. It chirped in a melodious tone, almost like it was singing.
People murmured:
"It looks cute…""Cute? That thing appeared out of thin air!""Someone said these are alien animals."
The Creature sniffed a street lamp, then squeaked happily and headbutted it.
The lamp pole bent at a 45° angle with a metallic groan.
Half the terrace collectively gasped.
"HAI RAM!""Look at its strength!""That thing just—""That's too dangerous!"
Humans. First instinct: fear.
And honestly? Fair.
Then the livestreamer whispered into the mic:
"Guys… people online are calling these creatures Pokémon. I… I don't really know why. Maybe it's a joke?"
Someone in the chat spammed:
POKEY-MON ?PKMN?Pocket monsters?sounds fake
Suddenly, the creature in the stream stopped moving.
Its head lifted. Eyes sharpened. Leaves tensed.
It sensed something.
The streamer didn't.
"Uh… is it looking at—OH GOD—"
The creature dashed forward, tackling the man with the force of a motorbike.
The phone flew. Viewers screamed. The screen spun, hitting the ground. I saw only blurry motion and heard pained groans.
Then—
The livestream cut off.
Silence wrapped the terrace.
Someone whispered in a trembling voice:
"…Did it kill him?"
A little girl clutching her mother's kurta whimpered.
A neighbor uncle whispered, "These beasts must be hunted."
Another said, "Government should send the army."
Another muttered, "This is end times."
Fear spread through the crowd like smoke.
Mumbai had changed drastically in just seven days.Earth itself was expanding—new kilometers appearing at the edges of continents like reality was unfolding from a tightly packed scroll.
At night, we could see alien constellations mixed with our own.Satellite systems were glitching.GPS apps kept redrawing maps.
And occasionally, a brand-new patch of foreign terrain popped up in the middle of a crowded street, forcing rickshaw drivers to reroute in total panic.
Two days ago, part of a tiny meadow—complete with crystal-clear ponds and oversized flowers—materialized right near Film City. Bollywood actors had panic-attacked their way out of a shoot.
The world was shifting.
Literally.
"Beta," an older neighbor uncle turned to a young boy, no a young man around 17 years of age , "you seem calm. Aren't you scared?"
A dozen eyes focused on the guy.
He just shrugged. "Scared? Sure. But panicking won't help, right?"
A few people nodded.
Another aunty said, "Do you think we should leave the city?"
boy paused, then shook his head. "No. If these… creatures are appearing randomly, there's no safe place. Better to stay somewhere familiar and informed."
He tried to keep my tone neutral. Realistic. Not too knowledgeable.
One teenager said, "I heard they're demons."
"No," he replied automatically, then caught myself. "I mean… they don't seem evil by nature. That one in the video looked startled."
"Startled enough to kill someone?" someone muttered.
"He's alive," he said under my breath.
"What?"
"Nothing."
he sighed. "Look, we don't know enough yet. We need more information before assumptions."
MC pov
That was the best I could do for now.A little guidance.Nothing suspicious.
People returned to murmuring, slightly calmer.
And I mentally promised myself:
Tomorrow, I start preparing.
No more waiting.No more hiding.
I'd gather knowledge.Start cataloging Pokémon appearances and behavior.Maybe even search for early fragments of Pokémon ecosystems merging nearby.
Hell, maybe I'd even try to tame one—safely.
Because if others started capturing or killing Pokémon…
I needed to be ahead.For my sake.For everyone's sake.
The crowd thinned eventually. Phones buzzed with more news alerts. People drifted back to their apartments, some praying, some arguing, some crying quietly.
I stayed behind, watching the horizon.
The floating island shimmered under moonlight.The violet-lit sky pulsed faintly.A faint roar echoed across the city—distant, maybe from the new terrain beyond Aarey Colony.
My heart skipped.
There's already something big roaming nearby.
Wonderful.
I lowered myself onto the parapet again and rubbed my face.
"Alright, system," I muttered softly. "You dropped me in this mess. I hope you've got some instructions."
As if on cue—
Field Scan
Status Screen
Pokémon Behavioral Codex (Locked)
Crafting Module (Locked)
Berry Blender (Locked)
This… this is how I survive.
Not just survive.
Thrive.
If I used this system wisely, then even as the world spiraled into chaos, I could stay ahead. Maybe even change the course of what was coming.
But for tonight?
Tonight I was tired.Confused.A little scared.Reluctant as hell.
But I had no choice.
Tomorrow, I would begin.
My old life was gone.My exams felt like a joke now.Pokémon were here.
If I hesitated, someone else would seize the advantage.Anyone reckless enough might trigger a disaster.
And I… could not let that happen.
Not when I had the knowledge.Not when I had a second chance.
I clenched my fists.
"Alright. Tomorrow begins my first step."
The wind brushed past me, warm and salty from the sea.Near the bedroom window a soft bird call reached my ears.
I looked out the window at the large tree behind apartment buildings.
and said "Good night my friend. Tomorrow our adventure begins."