After a few minutes of marveling at the unbelievable scenery before him, Kai withdrew from the window and tugged at his cheeks. "Ouch. Okay, this is for real," he murmured. Settling down on the floor and massaging his temples, he whispered to himself, "Wooh…this is just like those transmigration manhwas and mangas I've read. But now, it's happening to me—I'm younger...and in a Pokémon world…"
Suddenly, his body tensed, and he sprang to his feet, trembling as he repeated, "In a Pokémon world…"
"WOOHOOO! I got transmigrated in a Pokémon world!" he cried, dancing and leaping about in wild excitement.
His celebration froze abruptly as a knock sounded at the door.
The door swung open to reveal a woman in her early thirties. With a sweet tone, she greeted, "Rise and shine, honey! It's time to wa—eh? You're already awake?" Her long dark brown hair, tied back in a braid that cascaded to her waist, framed her gorgeous face. Her crimson eyes, sparkling with innocence and warmth, met Kai's in a way that struck him as remarkably familiar.
Kai, still reeling from the cascade of surprises, stared at the woman, who stood taller than the 12 year old Kai—her features and eyes mirroring his own. He racked his brain, wondering how to respond. "Should I call her mother? Perhaps...I should take the gamble."
"Good morning, Mother," he said in his usual poker face as he met her gaze. The woman's expression turned to one of playful astonishment before she burst into laughter, catching Kai off guard.
As her laughter subsided, she affectionately pinched his cheeks and teased, "Ohh~, Kai, what's with you all of a sudden? Talking like a grown-up young man with such a serious face?" Despite the slight discomfort, a thought flickered in his mind: "She just called me by my original name. That confirmed one thing—my name is still Kai in this world."
After withdrawing her hands, the woman chuckled and grinned mischievously. "Aha, I know why you're acting like this. Isn't it because you're getting a new Pokémon egg? Hmm~?" Her teasing widened her smile even further.
Internally, Kai was taken aback. "What? I'm getting a Pokémon egg?" he thought. He quickly responded, "No. That's not the reason."
The teasing grin softened into a gentle, sweet smile as she caressed his head and ruffled his hair. "As your mother, I know you well, Kai. I see how happy you are. You can call me Mom, just like always."
Kai's heart swelled at her words — an alien feeling, something he had never experienced in his life. His crimson eyes, usually cold and stoic, widened, now filled with warmth as he gazed into the matching crimson eyes of the woman.
The woman withdrew her hand, placing both hands on her hips with a playful smirk. "Okay, my superhero. Now change your clothes and come down for breakfast."
Kai blinked, abruptly pulled from his emotional trance. "O-okay, Mom," he stammered, the word "Mom" leaving his lips more naturally than he expected.
She smiled, waving a hand as she left the room, leaving him alone with his racing thoughts.
Kai exhaled sharply, placing his hands on his hips. Then, without warning, he slapped his own cheek, the sound snapping through the room. "Get a grip, dawg. If this is a dream, then I definitely don't want to wake up from it."
He paused, his mind flicking back to reality — or whatever version of reality this was. "Sheesh… now the problem is, what about my university? What should I do now? That's the question, eh?"
His crimson eyes narrowed into mischievous crescents, a grin stretching from ear to ear. Then, a low, hysterical laugh erupted from his throat.
"Huehuehuehue… university can go to hell. Now I'll become a Pokémon Champion."
The laughter filled the room for a few moments before dying down. His grin faded, his face returning to its usual stoic calm. His head cocked toward the wardrobe. He walked over, yanked it open, and began ransacking for clothes.
As he changed, his mind wandered back to the woman — his mother — and her words: "As your mother, I know you well, Kai."
The sentence echoed in his head, striking something deeper than he expected.
It triggered a distant memory — one buried and forgotten.
A row of children stood in perfect lines, their eyes closed, hands clasped together in prayer. Figures dressed in pure white robes stood among them, mimicking the gesture while facing a massive cross.
The cross bore the figure of a man — alive, yet not living — his flesh and bones made of something unnatural, something beyond human. His face was serene, yet hollow.
Among the children stood Kai. The Kai from his original world. A 12-year-old boy, mirroring the others' gestures. His small hands were clasped tightly together, his head bowed low. The ceiling above him wasn't the comfort of a cozy room but the high, cold arches of a church.
Not just any church — an orphanage.
A church belonging only to those with no one to care for them.
For the first time since waking up, Kai felt his throat tighten. The memory clawed at his heart, but he shook it off. His crimson eyes burned once more with determination.
"Useless memories…" he muttered to himself.
After finishing his change, Kai bounded in front of the mirror like the child he truly was. He examined his reflection in a plain white t-shirt and brown half-quarter cargo pants and mused, "Hmmm, not bad."
He then walked toward the door. Approaching it, he reached for the doorknob and turned it open. Exiting the room, he made his way downstairs.
On the last step, he entered a new room—a cozy living space with a large television on a table, three sofa chairs arranged in a C-shape around a small tea table, and a door to his right, which he assumed led to another room. His crimson eyes then fell on a door to his left, one that clearly led outside, as sunlight and a blue sky filtered through its glass panes.
A new world—one he had only ever seen through a screen—awaited him on the other side. His feet moved almost involuntarily toward the door, his heartbeat quickening with each step. When he reached the door, he raised his right hand, grasped the doorknob, and slowly turned it open.
A burst of bright sunlight and fresh air flooded in, making his crimson eyes sparkle in its glow. Now, the scene he had glimpsed from the window that morning unfolded fully before him.
With excitement blazing in his heart and adrenaline surging through his veins, he ran outside, stopping a short distance from the house to turn and scan his surroundings like a child at a fair. Pokémon were everywhere—Pidgeys and Pidgeottos cutting through the air, a herd of Toruses running in a distant pasture, two Butterfrees fluttering through flower gardens, and Rattatas scurrying around fences and house bases, sniffing at the ground.
What caught his eye, however, was a purple figure: a male Nidoran carefully sniffing the dewy grass near some bushes, savoring the cool morning air.
Then, his gaze shifted to two women: a dark brown-haired woman in braids—his mother—and a middle-aged woman who looked like to be in her late therties with light brown hair. The two chuckled as they carried on their conversation.
Just then, Kai remembered that he was supposed to have breakfast before anything else. Yet his burning desire to explore this newly revealed world compelled him to decide to sneak out without his mother noticing. So, he quietly slipped away in another direction, striving to remain unnoticed by the two women engrossed in their conversation.
Tip-toeing on his toes, Kai walked until the older brown haired woman noticed him. "Ara, Charlotte, isn't that your son?" she called out. Startled, Kai immediately turned, positioning himself so that his mother, Charlotte, could see him.
"What?" Charlotte replied, glancing over to find him standing there with an awkward smile. "Kai, what are you doing here?" she asked, her brows creasing in mild disapproval. Thinking quickly, Kai stammered, "I—I'm just taking a morning stroll."
Charlotte then turned back to the older woman and said, "Thank you for your gardening advice, Madam Rubedo." With a warm smile, Madam Rubedo replied, "Oh, don't mention it, Charlotte. I'm always delighted to see someone as passionate about gardening as you." Glancing at Kai with a playful twinkle, she added, "I should excuse myself now—your son is waiting for you." With one last smiling look in his direction, Madam Rubedo turned and walked away.
Inside, Kai seethed silently, "Argh, that hag spoiled my plan."
After Madam Rubedo departed, Charlotte strode over and stopped before Kai, towering over him as she folded her arms and squinted. "So, Mister Kai Merkaba, what excuse do you have for today? Did you brush your teeth before stepping out of the house?"
Kai maintained his composure, though inside his thoughts were in turmoil, and he replied, "Um… no." Charlotte's tone grew slightly strict. "You're not allowed to go anywhere without brushing your teeth and taking your breakfast," she chided. Kai nodded silently, and together they began walking toward the house, with Charlotte leading the way.
As they walked, Kai's mind raced. He wondered why he was so submissive to this woman—whom he now called his mother—when he had always been rebellious in the past, even the day he had refused Ron's invitation to that night party that he considered a waste of time. It felt unnatural, this deference, yet oddly familiar.
He decided not to dwell on it further. His eyes drifted to the back of Charlotte's head as he mused internally, "So, her name is Charlotte… Merkaba, just like mine—Kai Merkaba. Not a bad name at all."
Then, another thought pricked his mind: "But who was that plan-spoiling hag? She seemed oddly familiar." Unable to contain his curiosity any longer, he asked, "Mom, who was that lady?"
Charlotte continued walking without looking back. "Hmm? How can you not know the mother of the Kanto region's undefeated Pokémon champion?" she replied.
A slight frown tugged at Kai's forehead as he pressed, "Who's that, Mom?"
With a touch of exasperation, Charlotte replied, "Seriously? Of course I'm talking about Red—Red Rubedo, the undefeated Pokémon champion who vanished after defeating the Elite Four."
As realization washed over Kai, his eyes widened and an inner scream echoed, "I knew it! This place… it's Pallet Town! And that woman who seemed oddly familiar— that means… oh damn, now I'm feeling guilty for cussing Red's mom. And now I'm in the world of Pokémon Fire Red… sorry for cussing your mom, Red." Overwhelmed by guilt, he silently apologized to the missing champion, known in his world as the Ultimate Pokémon Champion.
At that very moment, they halted in front of the door. Charlotte grasped the doorknob and, as she slowly turned it open, she murmured, "Poor lady, she must be missing her son. I hope he comes back soon." Sensing the sorrow in her tone, Kai fell silent for a moment. Then, something ignited within him, and he said confidently, "He'll be back."
Charlotte paused abruptly, the door only half-open, and turned her head to look at him. "What?" she asked. Kai simply smiled and repeated, "He'll be back," his crimson eyes gleaming with resolute assurance that left Charlotte visibly astonished. Reassured by his words, she smiled, turned her attention back to the door, and stepped inside. As Kai followed, he silently finished his thought, "Because I know where he is."
After spending an hour inside, Kai burst out through the same door he had entered. He ran outside with the unbridled joy of a child yearning to be free in nature—indeed, he was still a child in body, even if his mind had been that of a 19‑year‑old engineering student until last night.
Not long after, Charlotte emerged, worry etched on her face as she called out loudly, "Take care of yourself, Kai! Don't go too far!" But Kai had already sprinted away, too absorbed in his newfound freedom to hear her words. With a bitter smile, Charlotte muttered, "He's too energetic."
Down the dirt path that wound through the heart of Pallet Town, the young boy ran, his crimson eyes sparkling with excitement and his obsidian hair slicked back by the wind. As he ran, he passed by dozens of Pokémon—some on the ground, others in the trees or soaring overhead. His eyes darted left and right as he took in every creature, and he shouted joyfully to himself, "It feels good to be a kid again!"
Yet his true target wasn't the Pokémon he encountered along the path; it was the wild creatures deep within the forest ahead.
After a few minutes of running, he reached Viridian Forest and paused, gasping for breath. "Wow…huff...huff...that was quite the run," he murmured, sitting down on the grass as his heavy breathing slowly subsided.
Murmuring to himself, he recalled the information he had gathered: "According to my intel, it's been two years since Red went missing. He's probably at Silver Mountain right now. But…" His eyes narrowed as he continued, "I still have no word on Ethan. If Ethan manages to beat Red before I reach Mt. Silver, he'll disappear again. Of course, that's bound to happen in this Pokémon world, and…I'm the hardcore Pokémon fan who knows everything!" He struck a peculiar pose to punctuate his excitement.
After a pause, he added, "But another thing—will this world follow the story of the manga or the game? We'll find out soon enough." As he stroked his chin, lost in thought on the patch of grass, his head suddenly tilted to the right at the sound rustling in the bushes. Instantly alert, he sprang to his feet and assumed a defensive stance, prepared to face whatever might emerge. "Shit, I don't even have a Pokémon," he fretted silently. "What if it's an Ekans? Or maybe…Nidoking?! I'm screwed if that happens."
Anxiety clawed at him, and he broke into a cold sweat. In the next few seconds, the creature that emerged from the bushes took him by surprise. "Pichu?" he muttered. The little Pokémon fixed him with big, curious eyes and, in a high-pitched voice, echoed, "Pichu?"