The actual beginning

I am awoken by a stranger's voice. I can see nothing. All before me is a chasm from which no light escapes, and I am trapped forever.

An elderly man suddenly appears in a bright flash of white light and greets me - was this the voice from before? I can no longer remember.

He welcomes me into something he calls the "world of Pokémon". I have no idea what this means, but I fear for my sake if I do not comply.

My name?... My name... Was it Gold? No... I was a girl, yes... Why am I in this body? I was not a boy. There were those who thought I was - is this how they see me? Me, Frez?

Frez. Instantly it comes back to me. That is my name.

I feel as if I am being compressed on all sides. Am I shrinking? I must be... The man tells me he'll be seeing me later. Where? When? I have so many unanswered questions, but I can feel them fading along with my body. Where am I going? Why? Who am I? Who...what...why...

Zzz...Hm? Wha...? You woke me up! Oh, it's time to stop with the melodrama and get on with this thing? Fine.

Immediately, I am assaulted by a mother who does not know the meaning of "I just woke up; please leave me be so that I may get some breakfast in peace."

Nor does she get that I am no longer 5 years old. Yes Mom, I know how to use the phone.

And yet she explains it to me anyway.

As a note, she remarks on how mystical and convenient it is that my phone can store numbers in memory. I love how dated her perception of reality is.

Anyway, bored with this. Let's see how the outdoors is doing.

Oh look, there's people out at 1:30 in the morning. I love a good crowd of rational-minded folk.

Oh? Who's this kid with the red hair? Haven't seen him around before...

Your good looks, mainly.

I try to impress the young lad with my powers of levitation, but to no avail. He just goes back to staring intensely at the side of the lab building.

I have a feeling I haven't seen the last of this kid...

NEXT TIME: Frez gets a Pokémon! Sweet biscuits and gravy!