A day later, we had made it out of the Moon Forest. Mew had returned to her human form.
We now had to walk through open plains. Luckily, Cerulean City was visible on the horizon, and there was even a road leading to it. Patches of tall grass dotted the landscape, and I could see Pokémon running around—either foraging for food or simply wandering.
The difference between here and the Moon Forest was like night and day. The Pokémon in the forest, while not overly aggressive, had a constant edge to them, like they were just waiting for a reason to battle. Out here, everything felt calmer. The wild Pokémon were peaceful, almost playful. We've only had three battles so far—compared to the ten we would've faced in the forest—and honestly, I was grateful for the break.
Mew was quiet today, but it was a good kind of quiet. She had that small, content smile on her face. It eased a pressure I hadn't realized I was carrying. Her mood swings were worrying me.
Ever since we drank that soup, we've all been practicing, trying to recreate the power we'd felt the day before. Mostly, it was the Pokémon who trained the hardest. Mew had warned that we would only be able to recreate a fraction of the power we displayed that night. Even so, the girls were noticeably stronger. I'd been careful with my own training, especially with psychic aura, but today I finally managed to enhance my body slightly with pure aura. It wasn't much, and it took a lot of concentration, but still—it felt good to take that step.
Vulpix seemed especially inspired. The soup must've triggered something in her, because her control over fire had improved drastically. She even learned Fire Spin this morning. I smiled watching her test the move with fierce determination. We'll start practicing some non-fire techniques once we're in town. I don't want her getting too dependent on one type.
Skitty's growth was different. She didn't learn a new move, but her mastery of Swift evolved in a surprising way—we discovered she could steer the stars after firing them. It cost a ton of energy, but the look of joy on her face when it worked made the strain worth it. I've got ideas for how to build on that, but for now, they'll have to wait.
By the time dusk rolled in, we'd made it halfway across the plains. I'd been making a habit of setting up camp early. Something about the routine helped me feel grounded. I always liked the old saying: Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. I was definitely healthy. Wealthy? Not really. Wise? I wasn't sure. I was moving forward without a plan, hoping I'd figure it out along the way. I just hoped it wouldn't catch up with me.
Dinner was a lazy berry salad. I didn't have the energy to cook a proper meal. Mew, ever helpful, had gone out and gathered a massive pile of berries. She was obviously in a good mood—humming quietly while munching on pecha berries, tail swaying gently.
After we ate and trained a little more, we all turned in early. Progress was slow for me, but the girls were getting stronger. That was enough to keep my spirits up.
■■■SAVING■■■
We reached Cerulean City around two in the afternoon. I really need to get a watch.
As we approached the city gates, we were once again stopped by an Officer Jenny.
"Hey there! You two heading into town?" she called out, walking over with a friendly smile.
"Déjà vu," I heard Mew mutter under her breath with a smirk.
"Ah! I know you," the officer said, brightening. "My cousin told me about a pair of pink-haired travelers—said you'd be showing up around now." She nodded proudly, then waved us over to her bike. "Come on. The group you're meeting has already been notified."
She beckoned us toward a sleek police motorcycle with a sidecar. As we settled in, she started rambling about alternate universes and the theory of "fallers"—people like me, from other worlds. I tried to follow, really, but I tuned out halfway through. Mew, on the other hand, leaned in, genuinely curious. I guess when you're ancient and all-powerful, interdimensional theory is just casual conversation, or maybe she was looking for mistakes to correct.
As the vehicle rolled through Cerulean City, I turned my eyes to the passing scenery.
The city was alive with motion and color, buzzing with a calm kind of energy that made me feel oddly at home.
Built between sparkling rivers and shaded tree gardens, Cerulean glowed under the afternoon sunlight. Blue was everywhere—rooftops, storefronts, street signs—each shade adding to the soothing palette that seemed to stretch across the entire town. It felt cool and soft on the eyes, like a fresh breeze after days in the dense forest.
Flowers of every color bloomed along the sidewalks and fences, and the gentle hum of life filled the air. People strolled by—trainers chatting as they walked beside their Pokémon, vendors calling out friendly greetings as they arranged berries or trinkets on their carts, children laughing near the fountains, splashing each other under the watchful eyes of their parents. Water-type Pokémon moved freely, padding through shallow streams, curling up by benches, or playfully spraying mist at one another.
The whole place smelled like clean rain and blooming flowers. I caught myself breathing deeper without realizing it.
Then my eyes caught something further off—the Cerulean Gym. Its massive, droplet-shaped dome shimmered like a jewel under the sky. It looked as if it had been sculpted from pure glass, reflecting the clouds so perfectly it blurred the line between earth and sky. It was… beautiful. I didn't even notice we were stopping until Mew tugged lightly on my sleeve.
Our ride slowed to a gentle stop. I blinked and sat up straighter. Guess we were here.
Honestly? I had expected something dramatic. A tall, shining skyscraper with some over-the-top fountain, maybe flanked by two giant statues. You know—something that screamed, "Welcome, otherworldly travellers!" Instead… we were parked in front of a plain, three-story office building. Rectangular. Concrete. Slightly faded paint.
"…Huh," I muttered. "Bit anticlimactic."
I didn't say it too loud, but Mew heard me and gave a small snort of amusement. I shrugged. That's what I get for letting my imagination run wild.
The place seemed quiet. Not many people walked by this part of town. I figured that made sense, most people probably didn't have a reason to visit a place dealing with interdimensional travel or weird cosmic accidents.
Jenny led us inside, and, yep, it was just as plain on the inside. Gray tiles, a couple of plastic chairs, and a pot of fake flowers that had definitely seen better days.
We approached the reception desk. Sitting there was a bald man with a mustache so cartoonishly wide and frayed, it instantly reminded me of someone. The one from that old game with the red suit and the floating machines. He just needed the glasses, and a blue hedgehog.
"Hey, Robo Man! I brought the new fallers," Jenny called out casually.
The man looked up from his computer. His eyes widened when he saw us, and a grin spread across his face, transforming his otherwise serious appearance into something unexpectedly warm.
"Ah, Jenny! Good to see you," he said warmly, then turned his attention fully on us. "And you must be this year's latest fallers. It's somewhat rare to get two at once."
There was something comforting in his voice—an ease, like he'd seen this before. Like he knew exactly what we were feeling without us saying a word.
Mew gently slipped her hand into mine. I hadn't realized how tightly I was gripping my thoughts until then. She must've sensed the swirl of unease inside me. The man's eyes flicked down, then back up, his expression softening just a touch more. He didn't say anything about it.
"Anyway!" he said, clapping his hands lightly, shifting the mood. "The two of you can follow me. We'll go through some quick procedures—won't take long. We'll get you settled real quick."
He turned briskly, motioning for us to follow, then paused to exchange a few quiet words with Jenny. I didn't catch what they were saying—not that I was really trying. My thoughts were elsewhere.
The building was quiet, our footsteps echoing gently as we followed him. Soon, all three of us stepped into the elevator. The doors slid shut with a soft hiss.
The elevator hummed softly as it ascended. For a few seconds, no one spoke. Just the quiet whir of machinery and the gentle flicker of floor indicators above the doors.
Then the man turned to us, folding his hands behind his back in a relaxed stance. "So," he began, with a small, thoughtful smile, "how are you two adapting so far? Culture shock? Weird dreams? Anything you'd like to share?"
His tone was light, almost teasing, but there was a genuine curiosity underneath it. He wasn't just making small talk.
I blinked at the question, not quite sure how to answer. I mean… how was I adapting? Everything had been a blur of forests, aura training, wild Pokémon, and Mew dragging me into strange situations. I hadn't had much time to stop and feel anything.
"I think I'm... managing," I said after a pause. "A bit weirded out, sure. But I'm getting by."
Mew gave a small nod beside me. "It's been... fun," she said, her tone light, but I could feel the squeeze of her fingers again. She was covering for me, as usual.
The man chuckled. "That's good to hear. Some people come in completely panicked. Others act like they've landed in a dream come true. You two seem... alright, not the worst that's been here."
He tapped the elevator panel idly. "Things'll get easier once you settle in. Cerulean's a good city—plenty of people, decent food, very few forest-dwelling monsters trying to bite your ankles."
I gave a half-laugh at that, thinking back to the Moon Forest. "Yeah... that'd be nice."
With a soft ding, the elevator doors slid open to reveal a quiet hallway with soft blue carpeting and pale walls. A few framed photos hung neatly along the sides—pictures of smiling trainers, calm Pokémon, and a group shot that looked like it belonged in a staff yearbook.
"This way," the man said, stepping out. "First stop's orientation—just a quick scan, some paperwork, and you'll get your ID chips. Don't worry, it doesn't hurt."
Mew tilted her head. "Do we get stickers?"
He blinked, then laughed. "If you ask nicely, I'm sure someone can arrange that."
________________________________________________________________________________
AN: We have arrived at Cerulean City, Ren and Mew will soon have ID's, also I'm planning on spending a few chapters in the city, really work on my character interactions, and to have some proper training.
I hope you're enjoying this, whoever is reading this, if you have any suggestions on improvements or see any mistakes, please inform me.