There's nothing quite like a good old-fashioned heartbreak to make you want to drop everything, yeet yourself into the unknown, and pretend you're starring in your own sad indie movie with a lo-fi soundtrack.
I'd spent the last week pretending everything was fine. Classic Aiden move. Smile, crack a joke, dodge emotional responsibility like it was an unwanted group project. But even I couldn't joke my way through this one. Alma was gone. Like, really gone. And no amount of pretending to be busy was going to change that.
So I did the only logical thing: I decided to run away.
Okay, maybe travel is the better word. Sounds less dramatic. Less "mid-life crisis, but with magic."
Still, I knew I couldn't just disappear without saying something, which is how I ended up knocking on Makarov's office door.
"Come in," came his familiar voice—gruff, tired, and a little too knowing for my taste.
Master Makarov was behind his desk, squinting at a pile of papers, probably because of Natsu again.
He looked up, raised an eyebrow, and gestured at the chair across from him.
"You look like you haven't slept."
"Bold of you to assume I sleep at all, Master"
He raised an eyebrow, didn't bother to comment. Just waited.
I stepped inside and shut the door behind me. Took a deep breath. Let it out slow.
"I'm leaving for a while," I said, voice low but steady.
"How long is 'a while'?"
"No idea," I said. " Three years, maybe. Give or take."
There was a beat of silence. Then I continued.
"Every hallway, every bench, every damn breakfast table—she's there. In the way she laughed, or got mad, or put too much syrup on my waffles. And it hurts."
There. I said it. Feelings: 1. Aiden's Emotional Avoidance: 0.
The old man was quiet for a while. Then he got up, walked over, and set a hand on my shoulder.
"I understand."
"You've given this guild so much. No one's going to stop you from taking time for yourself. Just… don't forget where home is."
I swallowed the lump in my throat. "I won't."
"And don't do anything too stupid."
I gave him a crooked smile. "No promises."
He groaned. I grinned.
As I turned to leave, he asked, "And what should I tell everyone else when they notice you're gone?"
I paused in the doorway, looked over my shoulder, and said, "Tell them I went out for milk and never came back."
He didn't laugh.
Rough crowd.
—
I stepped out of the office, the guild still asleep behind me. For a minute, I just stood there, watching the sun stretch its arms across the horizon.
Then I pulled the portal gun from my inventory.
Yeah. That portal gun. Not the Rick and Morty knockoff version that explodes half the time. The actual one—straight from the Omniverse archives. Smooth grip, crisp trigger, and just enough cosmic power to make even the gods double-check their locks.
I stared at it for a long moment. Thumb hovering over the dial.
"Alright," I muttered, spinning the selector wheel. "Let's see where heartbreakers go when they need a long nap and some emotional damage control."
Demon Slayer? Too much blood, not enough chill.
One Piece? Tempting, but I'd end up lost in the Grand Line with Luffy trying to turn me into his first mate. Nope, not today.
My Hero Academia? Pass. I don't have the energy for all that teenage angst.
Genshin Impact? Hell no. I don't need to grind my soul away for artifacts in real life.
Twilight Universe? Shudders Absolutely not. I'd rather deal with a million exes than take a walk in that nightmare.
Stardew Valley? Huh. Tempting. Farm, speedrun the skull cavern, forget my problems… Wait. No, I'd probably get too addicted to it and be back to square one.
Pokémon... now that's an idea.
A world where you can just wander around, throw a Pokéball, and call it a day.
My chest didn't feel tight anymore.
Because, seriously, what better place to get my head right than a world where you beat up kids? No pressure. No responsibilities. Just me, my Pokémon, and probably a couple of random battles against kids who are definitely way too young to have a Ralts that strong.
I needed this—more than I was willing to admit, even to myself.
I flicked the switch, and the portal hummed to life, spinning open with that signature sci-fi whirr and a warm gust of wind that smelled like fresh air, adventure, and probably way too many rare candies.
"Alright, world of dreams and questionable child labor laws," I said to myself with a half grin, stepping toward the shimmering gateway. "Let's see if you can give me some peace of mind and a Charizard."
And with that, I walked through.
—
"I wanna be the very best…"
Yeah, that song hits different when you're actually in the Pokémon world.
With my power, honestly, nobody here could really challenge me. But here's the thing—I have zero clue what I'm doing. I came here to clear my head, sure, but beyond that? Nada. Zip. Total blank.
I glanced around, trying to get my bearings. Forest. Trees. More trees. Not a single sign of civilization. Classic.
Guess that's what I get for using the portal gun without setting specific coordinates. Just punched in "Pokémon world" and hit go. Genius move, right?
Still… there's something nostalgic about all this. The rustle of leaves, the quiet breeze, the chirping in the distance—birds? Or Pokémon?
Funny. When I first landed in the Fairy Tail world, it was in a forest just like this one. Apparently, getting dumped into new realities via forests is my signature move now. I should put that on a résumé.
Welp.
Just as I was debating whether to start walking or yell for a Pikachu like an absolute lunatic, I saw it.
A Pidgey.
An actual, honest-to-Arceus Pidgey.
My brain short-circuited.
"Oh my god, it's real," I whispered, crouching down.
It looked exactly like the anime. Brown feathers, cream belly, little stubby beak.—and for some reason, it hit me right in the childhood. I felt this stupid grin spread across my face, and I swear, my inner 10-year-old just did a victory lap around my soul.
Forget stress. Forget portals. Forget the mess I left behind. For one perfect moment, everything was just… magic.
The kind of magic only a Pidgey can bring.
I reached into my Celestial Inventory and pulled out a Luxury Ball. Clean, sleek, top-tier style. I thought about grabbing a Master Ball for the flex, but nah—imagine the headlines.
As I stepped forward, the Pidgey finally noticed me. Its tiny eyes locked on like it had something to prove.
"Pid-pid!" it chirped, wings puffing out like it was about to throw down.
Then it charged.
Well, "charged" might be generous—it fluttered at me with the energy of an angry feather duster. I just stood there, arms crossed, watching it commit to the bit.
Bap.
I didn't move. I didn't flinch. I barely blinked.
Pidgey flapped backward midair, blinking in confusion. "Gey?"
"Yeah," I said, crouching down. "I know, bud. Not quite the reaction you were hoping for, huh?"
"You've got guts, though. I like that"
I held up the Luxury Ball.
"You wanna come with me?
It stared.
No chirping this time. Just a long, thoughtful look—then a subtle nod. Or maybe it sneezed. Hard to tell.
Either way, I gently tossed the ball. Boop—it hit, popped open in a flash of red, and the Pidgey disappeared inside.
One wiggle.
Two.
Three.
Click.
I picked up the ball, holding it like I'd just caught lightning in a bottle.
"My first Pokémon," I whispered.
Then—naturally—I struck the most dramatic pose I could think of. One knee bent, Luxury Ball held high above my head. Wind? Check. Leaves swirling around me like I was in a shōnen opening? Check. Music playing in my head? Also check. (It was the Pokémon theme, obviously.)
"You'll be more than just another Pokémon. You'll soar above legends. You'll battle gods. You'll stand side by side with the creation trio and make Palkia question his entire existence."
"From this moment on," I declared, pointing dramatically at nothing in particular, "you shall be known as—Zephyr."
"Pid?"
Zephyr blinked.
Then, after a long pause, he gave me a single approving "Pid."
I beamed.
"Glad you like it, 'cause you're stuck with me now.
I plopped down on the grass, legs crossed, tossing the Luxury Ball in one hand.
I looked up at the sky. "Let's speedrun this shit."
I grinned. "Get a badge, take out a Champion, catch some legendaries, and then—maybe—go home. Maybe."
Zephyr flapped his wings like he agreed, or at least he liked the sound of "speedrun."
"Yeah," I muttered, smirking. "You're definitely my kind of bird."
I stared at Zephyr for a moment, cant help but feel that familiar rush of excitement—this was the beginning of something legen-wait for it- dary.
Legendary.
----
Author's Note:
Well, I guess there's no better time for a vacation than when your heart's in pieces.
Don't worry though, this arc won't last long, around 10 chapters only!
The rest of Aiden's journey in the Pokémon world will be side stories.
Anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter!
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