My Head Almost Got Blown Off   

I reconsidered, judging that I should think carefully about my surroundings. It was about half and half. There were those who were calm, and those who seemed to not be keeping up with the situation at all. Among the former, there were already people walking away, as if bewitched by something, with a wry smile. What gave me an unpleasant feeling was the group observing such people with laughter, pointing at them, exchanging something. From what I could see, it looked like money. 

A bet? But on what?

I looked closely at the scenery. This place seemed to be quite a prosperous city, a little different from Kotobuki City and Yosuga City. Haphazard roads led through it, and in the distance, diverse crowds of people could be seen. The atmosphere was quite similar to Tobari City, where the Ginga-dan headquarters were located. 

However, the crucial part was different. No matter how much I looked around, they were absent. The existence that should be coexisting with humans. No Pokémon could be seen at all.

"Kyaaa!" Suddenly, a scream rose, and there was a popping sound. 

In the distance, a person collapsed, their head completely blown off. I almost cried out, but there was a woman next to me who was even more surprised, so I managed to endure it. Still, my quickened pulse did not return.

Those people were walking just before. Maybe they were trying to go home. For them, this city must have been their hometown. Unlike the vigilant me, they had already mistakenly assumed that they had been set free.

A person died. This easily? 

I hugged the balls I was holding even tighter. Part of me wanted to feel relieved seeing them. But on the other hand, I considered the possibility of getting caught up in this incomprehensible danger. Were they shot by something? Should I be in this place? Maybe I should escape somewhere.

When my feet started to move, there was a popping sound nearby. Different from before. Yes, just like when lightning occurs. When I looked, something was already disappearing. In the shape of a human. It was certain that he was one of the men wearing black clothes. I felt like he had glanced this way for an instant, but I couldn't confirm it.

"Lucky you, sis. I'm glad I bet on you," a buzz cut man spoke to me. I couldn't react. Instead, I gazed blankly at his face. What was this man? When a person had just died, he behaved as if it were normal. No, wrong. He was enjoying it. Even worse. And I began to understand about the bet. They probably knew this would happen.

"What happened...?" I asked.

"He went out of the stage area. Kuroame-chan decides the range. Go out with a bang! Head explodes," the laughing man replied, glaring at me again.

"Did you guys know? Why didn't you teach me? Then those people..."

"Calm down. It's called rational judgment. Even if, for example, sis was told that if you move a certain distance you will die, would you obediently follow? They were fully intent on going home. There's no way they'd listen. Why go through the effort to explain in detail to guys like that?" he explained.

I tried to retort but sank into my own thoughts. What if this place was Kanghagu Town square? Would I think everything until now was a dream and immediately start moving? Perhaps so, perhaps not.

"Even so, doing nothing is..."

"George, what are you doing?" a short-haired man approached carrying a weapon. A black sword. And in his other hand, he held a strange gadget. It looked like the visible part had a cross shape. "If I don't hurry, Captain Oka will take me out root and stem again."

"I know. Well sis, if you survive, let's exchange contact info," George said arrogantly, gesturing with his fingers before leaving. I stared at his back for a few seconds, at a loss with mixed emotions. With that inexpressible anger, my earlier fear was alleviated a little.

I understood that my judgment was right. Here, no, this world was different from the one I was in. There were no Pokémon. Did people live with something else? 

And even assuming I was in a world where my common sense did not apply, I understood that the current situation was even stranger. The reaction of those around me proved that. Even among them, there were those who couldn't keep up. What would happen if I went outside in such a situation?Top of Form

Recalling the atmosphere of the earlier men, I knew it would absolutely not turn out well. I looked around and decided to move, aiming for a place with no people around. I had to be alone. When I started walking, thinking that, hurried footsteps, as if to follow, rang out. Ignoring that, I went around the back of the building. There were almost no unknown elements regarding architecture. I just found it a little mysterious how they carried materials without using Pokémon either.

Upon reaching a spot away from prying eyes, I realized I had left behind the attaché case that came out of that black spherical object. But I didn't have much more interest in it. More than suspicious objects, I should believe in what had walked alongside me so far.

"Wait. Isn't it dangerous to be alone? It'd be better to..."

The one who followed was the woman from before. Black hair about shoulder length, and roughly a head shorter than me. Her charming eyes were also in contrast with my slender irises.

This person is normal. I made a tentative judgment. At the very least in this situation, she had enough conscience to worry about others. It might have been good to trust her.

"I'm Shirona. You are?"

The woman blinked rapidly before speaking. "Yamazaki Anzu. A foreigner as I thought. Nice to meet you."

"Anzu. Can I ask you a favor?"

"Hmm?"

I took one of the red balls I had tucked under my arm. "Try not to be too surprised." I hesitated for a bit but eventually decided to take all seven out.

When throwing a Poké Ball, form is important. If handled poorly, it can negatively affect the relationship with the Pokémon inside. Gracefully without waste. 

A Pokémon battle begins from the throwing of the ball... Unfortunately, I was no longer the Champion. And the current situation was quite special. And right next to me was a cute spectator. Someone likely ignorant of the circumstances. So I chose "travel form" over "competition form". A simple, clumsy underhand throw.

And so, the Pokémon who accompanied me as fellow travelers to Southernami Town lined up before my eyes.

Mikaruge (Female) - Forbidden Pokémon.

A swaying purple haze, inside which floats a green orb tracing the edges of the outline. In the center portion, green eyes and a mouth were configured to make a nasty expression. However, the whole thing did not completely float, it was connected at the lower part by a rudder-like structure.

Roserade (Female) - Bouquet Pokémon.

Green torso and limbs. A white head resembling hair. Leaf-like masks were layered over the eye parts, and from its slender figure, it gave the impression of a foreign dancer. In the right hand bloomed a large red flower with instant poison. And in the left a blue flower. This one carried a slow-acting poison.

Togekiss (Male) - Blessing Pokémon.

Fluffy white wings with round tips. A three-pronged tail. Stubby two-toed feet. Red and blue triangular markings dotted about the torso, along with large innocent-looking eyes, gave it an extremely cute appearance. The soft atmosphere given by the red, white, and blue horns on its head also portrayed it as the sacred Pokémon said to bestow many blessings unto humans.

Milotic (Female) - Tender Pokémon.

A wonderful red and aqua contrast in the tail section. And a beige torso smoothly extended from there. The face with a single horn had sharply defined eyes as well. Mystery was lent to its figure by the pink antennae extending from the corners of the eyes, and it was said to be the most beautiful Pokémon.

Lucario (Male) - Aura Pokémon.

It gave the impression of a slim dog walking on two legs, but in its bearing, there was clearly a seasoned martial demeanor. The black lines crossing its face also seemed to further amplify the sharpness of its eyes. It could manipulate aura to grasp the types and emotions of organisms from over a kilometer away.

Garchomp (Female) - Mach Pokémon.

Two protrusions on its head. Extending largely from its back was something resembling an indigo cape. And the fins sticking out from both arms made it resemble an overall aggressive fighter jet. In fact, its flight speed was top-class among all Pokémon. The vivid red coloration on its abdomen also gave it a brutal image. However, I did not raise her to have such a temperament, and…

"What! What's this?" 

I crossed my arms. The last one had started slimily climbing up Anzu's body.

Gastrodon (Female) - Sea Slug Pokémon.

Two bulges at the bottom resembling horns. It has the appearance of a slug. The upper half was green with yellow striations. The lower half was light blue. Slug it may be called, but she weighs almost 30 kilograms. Of course, Anzu couldn't support her and was beautifully bowled over, happily pointing her three eyes at Anzu's cheek.

"Guh..."

"Stop that."

When I spoke, Gastrodon opened her eyes wide and released Anzu's body in a slimy manner. Then, she started rubbing her horn against my foot. She didn't build walls against unfamiliar opponents. She built them too little, often acting like this. She tends to be proactive towards women especially. And she's female.

It was certainly quite a chaotic situation. The biggest was Milotic at about six meters long. Beginning with her, most Pokémon were returned to their balls after a short bit of skinship.

"Hmmmmm..."

"What is it?"

Mikaruge seemed to want to say something. She floated unsteadily towards Lucario. Lucario turned to face me, incessantly knocking on his head. After knocking two or three times, he used both hands to mimic a small square, repeating that over and over.

"There's something on the heads?"

Lucario nodded vigorously.

Head. That word brought back ghastly images. Those who tried to go home only to have their heads blown off. As if they exploded. Perhaps a bomb or the like? Stuck to their heads.

"Mikaruge, can you do anything with Psychokinesis?"

"...Nooooo."

Apparently, it was impossible. Rather than it being dangerous to interfere, it seemed she simply could not interfere to begin with.

I shuddered. Something was set up in their heads without them noticing. And it could not be removed, protected thoroughly. Technology beyond my common sense. Highly advanced. Between the transfer and what was happening now, the mastermind was mighty.

"I understand. Thank you."

I returned Mikaruge and faced the two Pokémon.

"Don't let your guard down. It seems we have an enemy."

Lucario and Garchomp vigilantly began surveying their surroundings. Reliable wings for when it comes to battle. For now, with their peace of mind, I would try to shed light on the situation. And I faced Anzu gaping in amazement.

"As I thought, your first time?"

"Wha-, what are these? A new species of animal..."

"It's called Pokémon. You don't know them?"

"My first time seeing them."

"I see."

I rested my index finger and thumb on my chin. There was no lie in Anzu's words. Which means, now it's certain. Unless this place was some truly isolated frontier region she didn't know of, it was clear this was a world without Pokémon.

"Dobutsu?"

"Huh?"

"What's a Dobutsu?"

"An-, animals. Giraffes and such. Living creatures that move..."

Correction. Here, instead of Pokémon, other creatures exits called Dobutsu. For whatever reason, I ended up coming here. Whatever the cause, I would need to find a way to return somehow.

"Don't worry. They're all good kids. They'll protect us."

Anzu gazed intently at my face before breathing out. "A mysterious person, aren't you sis?"

"Shall we move for now?"

Upon returning to the parking lot from earlier, almost all of the people had already moved on. I felt a small sense of relief. It was good the group in black wasn't here. Something about them felt dangerous. The type to harm unfamiliar organisms without hesitation.

Lucario's ears twitched. Glancing back sharply, he glowered at the depth of the street. I also turned my eyes there. His senses were reliable. And I gradually realized something was approaching.

A regular human. Male. Wearing a suit, holding a bag in one hand. Seemingly on his way home from something, yawning as he walked to my parking lot.

At first, I gazed at him quizzically, but soon my eyes shot open. The same. As the image displayed on that black spherical object. A Salada alien or something like that.

That's what I have to defeat?

It didn't seem that way at all. Because he was truly an ordinary human. Without so much as glancing at Lucario and Garchomp's presence, he tried to pass between my group. Strange. It's as if he completely can't see them. When clearly he should at least look their way in this situation.

The man simply gazed ahead blankly, moving his feet. Even when I stared fixedly at him, there was no reaction. He passed right by me, and soon only his back was visible to my eyes.

What was that about? With a feeling of having the rug pulled out from under me, I exchanged glances with Anzu.

"Woof!" Lucario's cry.

In the moment I comprehended that, I felt wind near the back of my head. When I turned my body, Lucario had already landed. And he was glaring at something that had smashed into the wall.

A creature resembling a cord. Oozing black liquid, seemingly in anguish. What was unusual was that thin blades were layered all over its body. Something I had never seen before.

"Lucario"

In the distance, the man had collapsed. And I realized blood was gushing from the back of his head.

Could it be it was inside him?

And it targeted my head. Noticing that, Lucario defended me. It was truly dangerous. My guard was completely down.

I immediately headed for my trunk and took out a Potion. Blowing it onto the cut on Lucario's leg. The bleeding stopped in no time and the scar would probably vanish after a bit.

"Thank you."

When I expressed my gratitude, Lucario stuck his head out towards me. And glancing up pleadingly, he demanded something.

I smiled as I gently patted his head. Boasting slightly to the vexed Garchomp after being praised, he puffed out his chest.

"Huh, where'd it go?"

Reacting to Anzu's voice, I looked towards the wall the creature smashed into. There was no corpse or anything left there. Though the Pokémon immediately surrounded me, nothing else moved, and several tens of seconds passed.

No matter how much I looked around the vicinity, no such creature could be found. It escaped. Or disappeared perhaps? Had I managed to defeat the so-called alien?

Amid only silence, the laughter of men could be heard from afar. I didn't feel like it, but will probably have no choice but to draw out information from them.

"Let's get away from here." After a final quick look around, I left the parking lot.