Normal Isn't Ordinary [Pokemon SI]

[sabbync]

Reincarnation. To many–to most–it is the realm of belief and speculation. To a few favored (or disfavored) it is something far more concrete.

I was born twice. Both times upon a floating marble of blue and green known as Earth. The first time, I was born in a world dominated by humans. I was born in perhaps the most favorable of circumstances, to well-off and caring parents in a country whose wars rarely touched the home front.

Alas, good things are not to last. History had not ended. A few decades where weeks happen does not foreclose the possibility of weeks where decades happen. Many refused to learn these lessons. To acknowledge their failings and accept that you needed more than the lie of 1% annual improvement to win hearts and minds.
I died. How does not particularly matter, not any more. For while I was born again on Earth, it was far from the same Earth. I was not born to a land dominated by humans, but to one shared by humans and creatures of stunning powers.

Creatures known as Pokemon.

It took an embarrassingly long time for me to realize this. I was not a Pokemon fan. I had watched the anime only once, when I was ten and with my cousins. I had played only one game through to completion. I enjoyed it, yes, but was I knowledgeable about it? Absolutely not. Yet in my arrogance I believed myself to be safe. There were dangerous creatures about, but I would learn to handle them in school. Learn to befriend them. I would grow up in a place of newfound sciences and mystical powers, a place where the greatest danger were the half-baked plans of criminal "Teams."

I was wrong. So very, very wrong.
The first clues came from simple observation. Though my mind remained fuzzy and uncertain throughout infancy, I could tell that the meals my new mother made were smaller than normal, despite us living on a farm. At first, I considered that a cultural difference–I had, after all, been an American in my previous life. But then there were the haggard faces when she took me shopping in Blackthorn City, barely visible to my still-developing eyes. There were the men with guns and pokemon who stood watch over the town's entrance.

I must have reacted in some way, as I remember my mother whispering "the dragons will protect us." It was one of the first concrete memories I have of this place.



Hazy and fuzzy as my brain was in those early years, I did try to get things started young. I struggled to crawl and walk, relearned to force my mouth and tongue to speak words rather than noises. I learned the written and spoken words of Johto's language–one that was share with most of the surrounding regions. I played with the family dog–and yes, the Pokemon world had regular animals too. Thank God (or was it thank Arceus now) because a world with only a few hundred species would be an ecological disaster.

By the time I was two, my siblings decided I was worth spending time with. Mostly (I assume) because I could finally talk. Even if I did ask too many questions, according to them.

Jonnie, my eldest brother, spent most of his time training. Sometimes he let me follow him, though only on the condition I watch, and not talk. There was something absurd in watching him jump rope over the vine-whips of grass types and wrestle with a geodude. I even got to throw food for his pidgey when they worked on diving, though my chubby toddler arms meant the wheat seeds mostly just scattered around me. Much to my frustration and Jonnie's amusement.

Adam was my next-eldest sibling. He'd been born under a different name, but Adam suited him much better. If Jonnie was the chad pokemon trainer, Adam was the nerd. He loved mechanics, to the point he was taking college classes in his first year of high school. He wanted to be a rocket scientist, something I couldn't help but be grateful for, since it would keep him out of the war. He was also something of a teacher made miniature, always willing to help me out with reading as I struggled to make the mental shift from an alphabetic writing system to one based on characters. There wasn't much he could do to help me with maths, but when it came to sciences (and correcting my knowledge from a Pokemon-less world) there was no one better to talk to other than his Kadabra Euclid.

My youngest (but still my elder) sibling was Janine. She was nine years older than me, but only four years younger than Jonnie. Something that told me my birth was likely the result of war rations on latex and rubber.
Janine trained as much as Jonnie and read as much as Adam. She boxed with a Machoke and borrowed stacks of books from the Blackwood Library. She worked herself as much as she could, determined to get into the Blackwood Military Academy Secondary School. With exams coming up in a few months, she was even more tense than normal. Something I tried to help her with, only to get roped into asking exam questions.

Damn myself and my need to read!
"What is the quad-er-atic form-you-la?" I asked, making sure to mispronounce the word.

"Quadratic," Janine corrected. "X=-b+/-Square Root (b2​+4ac) divided by 2a."

"Correct," I said, flipping to the next card. "What is the average airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?"

"What?" Janine asked, hurrying over to the cards. "I didn't–you little twerp!" she exclaimed, looking over the card asking what the mohs hardness scale was. "Grrr!" she exclaimed as I giggled. "That–" she huffed. "Get out of here! Didn't you want to sit with Euclid?"

"Oh!" I exclaimed, and hurried off, swiftly blaming my three year-old brain rather than my long history of forgetfulness. "Euclid?" I asked as I hurried into the living room. "I'm sorry I'm late Professor Euclid."

Euclid huffed, but the title seemed to please him as ever, and he gestured for me to sit down. Carefully, I balanced myself onto the cushions.

"Today we are going to meditate," Euclid spoke into my mind. It was a little freaky, how powerful psychics were. Defending myself against them was one of the reasons that I asked Euclid to tutor me. That, and remembering there was something about auras.

Euclid had taught me more than I dared hope to learn. Though I was not a pokemon, I too possessed an aura in this world. I had yet to grasp much of an understanding of it, other than its presence.

"Breath in," Euclid told me as I closed my eyes, mind and soul retreating inwards. "Breath out. Reach in." I pictured myself diving from the skies, deep into the depths of the water. I saw the beating heart of my mind. "Reach out."

Hesitantly, tentatively, I approached. The faint ball of pale light gleamed. It hummed as I reached for it. My hand reached, brushing up against it. The pale light seemed to pop, only for my hand to clench and grasp it. Pulling it from my heart, stretching the bubble into my veins and skin.

"Let go," Euclid told me, and I did. The pale light retreated swiftly.

I returned to the world slowly. My arms were burning. My lungs struggled for breath. My three year-old body wobbled as I clenched my teeth in frustration.

"You are trying to learn as much as Abra, with a body meant for half as much sleep," Euclid chastised me. "Old soul or new, there are limits to the body and spirit."

"Yes Professor Euclid," I mentally sighed.

 

[Nicohals J Westerberg]

Interesting. So is technology wise still around our level? Or is it more 90's with some standout tech

 

[Aureus]

Well written but the formating could use more spaces between paragraphs or when someone new is talking. It improves readability on screens.

 

[Xcell]

(Great Pokemon Wars) 32 years before Canon??? The great Pokemon wars took place thousands of years before Canon.. unless you're referring to the war surge took part in. As far as I know that war was never flushed out within Canon pokemon. But from a lot of context clues it was probably world war II Pokemon version. So I'm utterly confused here.

 

[sabbync]

(Great Pokemon Wars) 32 years before Canon??? The great Pokemon wars took place thousands of years before Canon.. unless you're referring to the war surge took part in. As far as I know that war was never flushed out within Canon pokemon. But from a lot of context clues it was probably world war II Pokemon version. So I'm utterly confused here.

Click to shrink...

This is the non-canonical Great Pokemon Wars, viewed as a headcanon to some. It's the war Surge took part in (which itself alludes to WWII). You're right that it's not canon, but that's what I'm using. The 32 years is approximately how long she's born before anime canon starts.

 

[sabbync]

Well written but the formating could use more spaces between paragraphs or when someone new is talking. It improves readability on screens.

Click to shrink...

Thanks for the reminder! I'm used to AO3's formatting and forgot to double check for line spaces.

 

[sabbync]

Interesting. So is technology wise still around our level? Or is it more 90's with some standout tech

Click to shrink...

It's going to be a mix. Some things (healthcare, for example) are going to be more advanced while others (transportation) are less advanced. I'm using mid-20th century as a vague guide, and adjusting for what the Pokemon world shows as more and less advanced. Using my examples, there's hardly any trains shown, but a borderline miraculous medical system, especially for Pokemon.

 

[sabbync]

When I was five the army set up a guardpost a mile from our house. Apparently we, along with several other farms in the area, grew some of the plants needed for potions. Critical in healing both people and pokemon, the potions were understandably considered a military asset. One that needed to be guarded.

"Do you think the army's being pushed back?" I couldn't help but ask. My fingers twitched.

"Hush," Mom said sharply. "The dragons will protect us."

Biting my lip, I nodded, and hurried off to meditate with Kadabra. Nothing short of exhaustion would see me sleep that night.



In November, a month after my birthday, I saw the first wild pokemon. Rattata and zubat began to appear, where previously they had avoided the fields and storage areas guarded by Father's Murkrow. Jonnie and his Pidgey joined the family guard-duties. Janine was given a growlithe, and soon the newly-named Knightess was stalking the fields for rattata.

More pokemon came in December, geodude joining the rattata and zubat. We spotted a pack of graveler, who thankfully avoided the farm for rockier pastures. Jonnie was drafted, though he was yet to deploy. Adam, fortunately, won both an exemption and a scholarship for Goldenrod University. Janine . . . was pressing for early graduation. She slept as little as she could get away with, spending the rest of her time studying or training with her Growlithe.

Mom and Dad were busy as ever. Managing the farm became twice as hard when you had to constantly chase off wild pokemon.

As for me . . .

"Focus," Euclid reminded me. My Professor of Auras had grown as well. He would be leaving with Adam in the next school year, and would likely evolve beforehand. Already there were hints of a mustache, and his skill at crafting spoons was improving.

I at last dismissed my thoughts, casting my mind into my Aura. It pulsed, dark and pale tan, matching my breaths. I focused upon it. I focused inside it. For it was I and I was it and I could see all it could see–

My mind blurred, the sight of my aura fading from me.

I need this! I started at Janine's voice, nearly losing the thread connecting us only to grasp it tightly. If I don't make top of the class, that SOB Darian will, and him as an officer–

–more milk, said my mother's voice. After the last raid prices are bound to–

"That's enough," Euclid interrupted. He pulled on my, my consciousness snapping back into place.

I opened my eyes with a gasp. "I–that–"

"Congratulations," Euclid said dryly. "You have managed that which an Abra can do from birth."

"But I'm not an Abra," I shot back. "And that energy–it wasn't psychic."

"It was when you reached into their minds," Euclid corrected me. "But it is not at the start."

"I wonder–" my words faltered as a series of images arose in my mind. Me, punching like a Machamp. Lightning called from the sky at my very words. Darkness flowing around my like a cape–

"Perhaps in time," Euclid said. "For now, you have only started to learn."

"Jessica!" Mother called, interrupting our lesson. "Dinner time!"



One Year Later

My aura expanded, tan light shining through my veins. A tendril of light reached out, growing paler and brighter until it turned a light pink as it moved through the air. It tapped on Euclid's mind, seeking entry.

"More force," Euclid demanded before kicking me back out. I grit my teeth as the tendril whipped around to slap me, a sting ringing through my brain. I grunted as it shifted, throbbing pain running through the left of my head. Still I continued on, the pain manageable compared to the constant migraines of my previous life.

BOOM.

Suddenly I stopped, the tendril cut off half formed. "What was–"

BOOM.

"Kids!" that was Dad. He never shouted. "Up, up, grab your pokemon–"

"My papers!" Adam protested. "My–"

"Now!" Dad shouted. "Your mother–"

"She's–

BOOM

–field!"

"Adam, Euclid, make sure they get out! I'm goin–

BOOM

–"

"Let me–"

"Not now Janine!"

"Knightess–"

BOOM

"Fine!" Dad shouted. "Adam, get Jessica out of–"

CAW!

We all froze.

CAW!

Ice ran down our spines. Paling, we looked to the window.

MOLTRES

The sky was on fire. Pokemon were sprinting down from the mountains. Not just small ones. Grown Onix, Ursaring, Golems–even a Machamp–were fleeing from the burning sky above. They were not orderly either. Raticate pounced on Zigzagoon, Machop were crushed beneath Graveler–

"Mom!" Janine yelled, sprinting for the back door.

"Janine!" Dad yelled and rushed after her. Adam sprinted after them, Euclid following.

I froze for a moment. There was a stampede of pokemon. Animals dangerous enough to force humanity into cohabitation, and there was a stampede.

I drew on my aura as best I could and rushed after them, grabbing a kitchen knife on my way out. What I meant to do with it, I still don't know.

"Mom!" Janine shouted. "We need to go–"

"Why are you here?" Mom demanded. "Edgar, are things packed?"

"The go bags are ready, we need to–"

CAW!

Something heavy and flaming dropped from the sky.

"DIVE!" Dad demanded, and we did. My knife buried into the ground as the flaming something crashed onto our field, sending dust and dirt soaring into the air.

We started to get up, rubbing dust and dirt from our eyes.

ROAR.

We looked toward the something.

"Was that–"

"Murkrow!" Dad shouted, throwing his pokeball into the air. "Get the kids–"

A dozen stones, honed by the pokemon's aura, crashed into Murkrow. It dodged as best it could. A wing was clipped, and Murkrow plummeted.

"Aerial Ace!" Dad shouted. "Kids, run!"

"Dad–"

"NOW!"

I started running towards the house.

There was a flash behind us.

Something soared overhead, then crashed into the house.

"DIVE!" Janine shouted, and once more I obeyed.

A flash of light, visible even to my closed eyes.

A deafening roar.

My ears rung, hearing little else as I stumbled to my feet.

"Janine?" I asked, not hearing my own words. I stumbled around, unable to find her. "Janine! Adam!"

There was a faint sound. I turned, only to see Dad knocked down by a massive Onix.

Run.

I turned from the scene and ran. I ran from the stampede of pokemon, from the burning farm, from my siblings' unknown fate and my father's all but certain one. I ran as fast as I could, not knowing where I was headed.