The Extra-dimensional Pioneer Of Fiction [Draft]

[Residential District: Quantum Cube Apartment Complex]

Arlo sat on the edge of his bed, tapping idly at his wrist device while waiting for Aria. He'd already showered, dressed, and paced his apartment twice. The anticipation was killing him—he wasn't sure what kind of training he was about to face, but the thought of being unprepared for the Pioneer life had him both anxious and excited.

His BrainLink chimed, interrupting his thoughts. 

[Email] - [Aria Hartman]: "Waiting outside. Don't make me wait."

Short and direct—exactly what he'd come to expect from his guide.

"Right on time," he muttered, grabbing his jacket and heading for the door The sleek vehicle hovered at ground level, its metallic surface reflecting the Hub's eternal twilight.

Arlo pulled open the door, sliding into the passenger seat with a respectful nod. "Morning, Miss Hartman."

"Morning." Aria's fingers danced across the hovercar's control panel. "Ready to start your real training as a Pioneer?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." Arlo straightened in his seat. "Where do we start?"

Aria guided the vehicle into the stream of morning traffic before answering. "There are three fundamental skills every Pioneer needs to master: adaptability, survival, and combat. We'll be covering all of them."

"With adaptability," Aria answered. "As a Pioneer, you'll be traveling to worlds vastly different from the Hub—and from each other. In a medieval world, for example, you'll need to know how to blend in. How to act, talk, and move like someone who belongs there."

Arlo frowned. "Why's that so important?"

"Because it makes your quests easier," Aria explained. "The less attention you draw to yourself, the smoother your quest will go. If the locals think you're an outsider or someone who doesn't belong, they'll question you or worse."

Arlo nodded, the logic clicking into place. "Got it. So, no waltzing into a medieval castle talking about hovercars and quantum physics."

"Exactly," Aria said, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

"Next is survival. As a Pioneer, you'll often be dropped into unknown environments without support. You need to know how to find water, food, and shelter—or you won't last long."

"Sounds… harsh," Arlo said, raising an eyebrow.

"It's realistic," Aria countered, her tone firm. "The System doesn't always place you in ideal conditions. Sometimes, you'll land in barren wastelands or dense jungles. Survival isn't optional it's mandatory."

Arlo felt the weight of her words and nodded again. "Alright, so survival and adaptability. What's next?"

"Combat," Aria said, her gaze steady. "You'll need to know how to defend yourself—and how to take down enemies. Not every world is peaceful, and not every quest is diplomatic."

That part actually excited Arlo. "I can handle a bit of combat," he said, grinning. "I've played enough games to know the basics."

"This isn't a game," Aria replied bluntly, though her expression softened slightly. "And there's more to it than swinging a sword or firing a gun. You don't even have a job yet."

Arlo tilted his head. "A job? What, like a profession?"

"Yes," Aria said, her tone turning instructional. "Jobs define your skill set of warrior, knight, mage, rogue, and so on. They determine your abilities and how you approach combat and quests." 

"So when do I pick one?" Arlo asked, intrigued.

"You don't 'just pick one,'" Aria said, glancing at him. "Jobs are personal choices. Once you select one, you can't change it or add a second Job until you reach level 50, when you'll be eligible for a secondary job. Choose wisely it will shape your entire Pioneer career." Arlo leaned back, letting her words sink in. The idea of committing to a single job sounded daunting. No respects, huh? he thought. Better not screw that up.

.......................

[Ataraxis:Commercial District]

The hovercar descended toward what appeared to be a massive commercial complex—a structure that made Earth's largest malls look like corner stores. "A mall?" Arlo asked, raising an eyebrow

."The Radiance Square Mega Mall," Aria corrected. "And your first lesson in adaptation starts here." She guided the vehicle into a landing zone, the engine humming to silence. "Ready to begin?"

Arlo took a deep breath, squaring his shoulders. Time to put his study habits to use in a whole new way. "Let's do this."

The building loomed before them, its crystalline architecture catching and refracting the ambient light.

As they walked toward the entrance, Arlo couldn't shake the feeling that this "shopping trip" was going to be anything but ordinary.

"Remember," Aria said as the doors slid open, "everything I'm about to teach you has a purpose. Pay attention, ask questions when necessary, but most importantly—learn to observe. Your life may depend on it."

==================================================

As they stepped into the sprawling Mega Mall, Arlo glanced around, trying to take it all in. The building was massive, a labyrinth of sleek, modern stores and glowing signs that flickered with vibrant colors. Hovering platforms carried customers between floors, and digital advertisements floated midair, shifting as people passed.

"So what exactly are we looking for?" Arlo asked as they rode the transparent elevator up to the third floor. The massive atrium of the mall stretched out below them, a dizzying array of holographic advertisements and floating displays competing for attention.

"Skill cards," Aria replied, her eyes scanning the directory projected above their heads. "Think of them as concentrated knowledge in physical form. They'll help accelerate your training."

"Nice," Arlo muttered, his interest piqued. So basically DLC for real life. I can get behind that.

As they walked deeper into the mall, Arlo couldn't help but notice the sheer variety of stores. There were shops selling clothes, weapons, magical artifacts, and even gadgets that looked like they belonged in a sci-fi movie. It was overwhelming, and he found his gaze darting from one display to another.

Then, something caught his eye—a store with a glowing Poké Ball symbol above its entrance. He froze in place, blinking in disbelief. No way.

Aria stopped, noticing his expression. "Something wrong?" she asked, her voice breaking through his daze.

"Uh…" Arlo shook his head and pointed. "Is that… a Pokémon store?"

"Yes," Aria replied, her tone suggesting it was the most normal thing in the world. "Why?" 

"Why?" Arlo echoed, his voice rising slightly. "Because it's Pokémon! I mean… how? Why? This place gets Pokémon?"

Aria looked at him curiously, then gave a small shrug. "They've been popular here for the past three years. Many Pioneers use them as companions during their quests. They're incredibly versatile, as they can bypass most world and universe rules."

Arlo blinked, processing this. "Wait, what do you mean, bypass the rules?"

"Unlike most creatures or tools," Aria explained, "Pokémon can adapt to the fundamental laws of any world. Magic, technology, or any other system—Pokémon can function seamlessly, making them invaluable companions."

He stood there, stunned. Pokémon as extra-dimensional companions? It was like every childhood dream he'd ever had suddenly became reality.

"Man," he murmured, "if I'd known that, I'd have joined this place years ago, maybe I will buy a Pokémon in the future."

"Focus, Arlo," Aria said, her voice sharp but not unkind. "We're here for skill cards, not Pokémon."

"Right, skill cards," he said, shaking off his awe. "Lead the way."

They headed to the third floor, where the signage grew more specialized.

......................

[Shopping District: Radiance Square Mega Mall, 3rd Floor]

"The Card Vault" stood out, a large holographic display cycling through ads for various skills. Arlo followed Aria inside, taking in the rows of neatly arranged cards behind glass cases. Each one shimmered faintly, like it was alive.

"Aria!" a deep voice called The shop owner emerged from a back room—a well-built man of Mexican descent, probably in his mid-forties, with laugh lines around his eyes and forearms that spoke of regular physical work. Despite his imposing frame, his smile was warm and genuine.

"Joey," Aria acknowledged with a slight smile. "Been a while."

"And who's this?" Joey asked, turning his attention to Arlo."New Pioneer. This is Arlo Leeroy."

"Joey Alvarez," the man introduced himself, extending a callused hand. "Any friend of Aria's is welcome here."

Arlo shook his hand, noting the firm but measured grip. Definitely someone who knows how to handle himself, he thought.

"What can I do for you today?" Joey asked, moving behind the main display case."Need some basics for him," Aria replied. "Something to help with adaptation and survival."

Joey nodded thoughtfully, pulling out a selection of cards from under the counter. After a moment's consideration, he selected two that seemed to shimmer more intensely than the others. "These should do the trick. Hand-to-Hand Combat and Linguistics Mastery."

"The Linguistics card will let you understand and speak any language you encounter," Aria explained to Arlo. "Essential for adaptation. The combat skills... well, that's self-explanatory."

No respects at my level, Arlo remembered. These better be worth it."How much?" Aria asked.

"Six hundred credits," Joey replied, then smiled. "But for you? Five hundred even."

Aria nodded, tapping her wrist device to process the payment. "Thanks, Joey. Appreciate it."

These better not be like those overpriced DLC skills in games, Arlo thought, eyeing the cards. But given how seriously Aria took his training, he doubted she'd waste resources on anything less than essential.

After bidding Joey farewell, Aria led Arlo toward the mall's first floor, taking a service corridor that branched away from the main shopping areas. The sleek, modern aesthetics of the retail space gave way to more utilitarian design, with reinforced walls and heavy-duty flooring. 

...................

[Radiance Square Mega Mall: Pioneer Training Facility, 1st Floor]

"Pioneer training facility," Aria explained as they approached a set of armored double doors. Several people in athletic wear passed by, nodding respectfully to Aria. "One of the best-equipped gym in Ataraxis."

The doors parted with a pneumatic hiss, revealing a space that made Arlo's jaw drop. The "gym" was more like a military complex—multiple training zones stretched out before them, each dedicated to different aspects of combat and conditioning. Some areas featured high-tech training dummies, while others contained what appeared to be holographic combat simulators.

"Whoa," Arlo muttered, his eyes wide. "This place looks like something out of Dragon Ball Z. All it's missing is a gravity chamber."

"Private training area's this way," Aria said, leading him to a separate section cordoned off from the main floor. "Get changed. Gear's in the locker."

After changing into the provided athletic wear, Arlo found Aria waiting in a sparring circle. She held out the two skill cards they'd purchased from Joey.

"Time to put these to use," she said. "Take them."

Arlo accepted the cards, which felt warm to the touch. Almost immediately, the System chimed:

[New Skill Cards Detected]

Do you want to learn this skills:

[Hand-to-Hand Combat] - Accept? Y/N

[Linguistics Mastery] - Accept? Y/N

Here goes nothing, Arlo thought, mentally selecting 'Yes' for both. The rush of information hit him like a tidal wave—combat stances, pressure points, grammatical structures, phonetic patterns—all flooding into his consciousness at once. He staggered, grabbing his head.

"You'll be fine in a few seconds," Aria said, her tone calm but firm. She waited for him to regain his balance before continuing. "This is the fastest way to learn essential skills. Now, tell me—what does the linguistic skill do?"

Arlo blinked, processing the question. "It… lets me understand and speak other languages, right?"

"Try it," Aria said, crossing her arms.Arlo hesitated, then said something in Korean. The words flowed out naturally, as if he'd been speaking the language his whole life. Surprised, he switched to Russian, and the same thing happened. A notification appeared before him:

[Skill Level Up!]

[Linguistics Mastery has reached Level 2]

"Okay, that's pretty cool," Arlo said, a grin spreading across his face. "I can see how this would be useful."

"Skills under rank 5 level up quickly," Aria explained, switching languages seemingly at random. "Gets exponentially harder after that. Try keeping up with what I'm saying."

Arlo found himself understanding about seventy percent of her multilingual conversation. It's like having Google Translate hardwired into my brain, he thought.

Arlo rubbed the back of his neck, trying to process what she'd said. So, basically, early-game grinding is easy, but late-game progression is going to suck. Got it.

"Now for the combat skill," Aria said, motioning for him to step forward."Show me what you've got."

Arlo moved through several basic combinations—jabs, crosses, kicks. The knowledge was there, but his body felt clumsy trying to execute it.

"As I thought," Aria said, her expression shifting into something that made Arlo's survival instincts scream in warning. Knowledge without practice is worthless. Time to fix that.

"Which is where you come in?" Arlo guessed, feeling a slight shiver run down his spine at the look Aria gave him—a small, almost predatory smile that was anything but comforting.

"Exactly," she said. "We'll start with sparring. I'll help you improve through direct combat. It's the fastest way to level up this skill."

"Great," Arlo muttered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He couldn't help but notice the way Aria's smile widened slightly, like she was looking forward to this way too much.

"These next two weeks will be intense," she said, her tone shifting to one of authority. "You'll learn everything you need to adapt, survive, and fight. If you can keep up, you might just make it as a Pioneer."

Arlo raised his hands in a defensive stance, the combat skill card's knowledge screaming at him about all the openings in his form. Something told him these next two weeks were going to be very, very long.

Arlo took a deep breath, bracing himself. "Alright, let's do this."