The truth behind the power

James woke up to the soft sunlight filtering through the window and the melodious chirping of a Pidgey outside, marking the start of a new day. He stretched, feeling the warmth of his bed slowly fade away into the cool morning air. With a morning routine well established, he began with a series of stretches that toned his muscles and prepared him for what lay ahead. After a quick shower, he brushed his teeth and splashed cold water on his face, feeling refreshed and alert.

One of the skills he had picked up during his training was creating Poké Cubes, nutritious treats for his Pokémon. Not only were they delicious, but they were also packed with essential nutrients. He enjoyed the process, carefully mixing ingredients like berries and herbs while remembering how much his Pokémon loved them. "This will keep you all energized for training today," he commented as he placed the colorful cubes into small containers.

With Aslan, his trusty Arcanine, by his side, James gathered his Pokémon for their morning outing. Each had a unique personality: Cheshire, the mischievous Gengar, was always ready to play pranks; Eden, the wise Exeggutor, shared knowledge about nature; Goliath, the strong Tauros, was fiercely protective; Chuck, the agile Hitmonlee, thrived on competition; Sora, the graceful Pidgeot, soared above everyone with ease; and Zenith, the clever Golduck, always seemed to have a plan. Together they made a formidable team.

Once he was sure everyone was ready, James led his Pokémon into Viridian Forest. The familiar path greeted them as they entered the lush greenery. The forest was bustling with life: the rustling of leaves, the distant calls of Pokémon, and the scent of damp earth filled the air. They found a clearing where they could sit and enjoy their Poké Cubes in the sunlight.

As they happily munched on their treats, James watched his Pokémon and a wave of nostalgia washed over him. Memories flooded over him: their first encounters, battles won and lost, and moments of shared laughter.

Suddenly, his mind transported him back in time…

Flashback Begins

The scene changed to seven years ago in the opulent Morgan family mansion. The soft scent of lavender flowers filled the room lit by sunlight filtering through silk curtains. Seven-year-old James slowly opened his eyes, overwhelmed by confusion. His mother sat beside him with trembling hands caressing his forehead while his father watched from the doorway with a mix of worry and frustration. Next to him lay a small Growlithe, barking softly trying to comfort him.

"James, honey, can you hear me?" his mother asked sweetly.

He blinked slowly as blurry images flooded his mind: unfamiliar places, unfamiliar people, and decisions not made. A dull pain throbbed in his head as he tried to sit up; however, dizziness forced him back onto the mattress.

"What… what happened?" he murmured weakly.

"You had an accident," his father said firmly, but an ambiguous tone that hinted there was more to the story. "You fell while playing in the garden."

James brought a hand to his temple as if that would help him gather his thoughts. "But… this isn't what I remember," he thought as Growlie snuggled closer with a soft moan of concern.

As sleep began to take over amidst the pain in his head, James was immersed in a vivid scene that was unfolding as if he were actually experiencing it.

The hospital was plunged into a deep silence broken only by the rhythmic beeps of the monitors marking the delicate balance between life and death. In a small room with sterile white walls, Alex, a 16-year-old boy, lay on a stretcher. His pale face was scarred from weeks of struggle, reflecting both hope and fear. The doctors around him were preparing for a procedure, machines humming ominously as an operating room waited just beyond.

"Alex, this is your chance," a nurse told him kindly as she adjusted the IV connected to his arm. "Everything is going to be okay."

Alex nodded weakly, clinging to those words like a lifeline. But before he was taken into the operating room, the door was flung open. A doctor with a tense face entered alongside a man in an expensive suit who radiated authority.

"There has been a change in procedure," the doctor said without looking Alex in the eye. "The organ has been reassigned to another patient."

Alex tried to speak but words failed him; he only managed a broken whisper. The man in the suit looked at him with indifference mixed with disdain before turning away

turn and leave him behind. Everything blurred as desperation took hold of Alex; the world faded away as his heart slowed.

James woke abruptly in his bed drenched in sweat and shaken by what felt like more than a dream: a connection that awakened something deep within him. He took a moment to catch his breath before looking at Growlie who was still curled up beside him.

At that instant, Hopkins walked in with dinner for James and Growlie.

"Dinner is served," he announced cheerfully.

"Thank you, Hopkins," James replied accepting the tray filled with hot food. He began to eat slowly as he reflected on what he had just experienced; the haunting image of Alex lingering in his mind like a distant echo.

As he thoughtfully chewed on a piece of chicken and Growlie nibbled on his own food nearby, James realized something crucial: he was James, but he was also Alex. Questions hovered over him, but for now they remained unanswered.

Time later…

Two weeks had passed since Alex had woken up in young James' body; during this time he had been organizing his memories of both his life as Alex and his own memories as James. However, the hardest thing had been remembering why James had initially lost consciousness.

He managed to remember the following…

The bustling party echoed through the main halls of the Morgan mansion where the bright lights of the chandelier shone brightly from above. Prominent guests from the most influential families of Kanto and Johto laughed and toasted as James' mother moved among them serving everyone with grace. However, for young James of seven years, this event was an unbearable burden as he slipped through the crowd dressed in an elegant suit that tightened his neck with Growlithe behind him.

"I don't understand why I have to be here Growlie," he muttered navigating long hallways seeking refuge from the noise and inquisitive stares. "I wish I could play with you instead of enduring this."

Growlie barked softly in response as if sharing his discomfort.

The hallway where James ended up was much quieter and darker lit only by dim sconces; at the end was a half-open door that emitted deep voices that caught his attention. He cautiously looked inside making sure not to be seen next to Growlie. Inside sat his father awkwardly settled in a chair as if he were out of place while two men conversed: one corpulent with a sweaty face adorned with shiny jewels on thick fingers; another thin figure wrapped in black kept most of his features hidden save for a barely visible smile under the hood.

"The price is reasonable," the hooded man said softly but menacingly, "A specimen like this doesn't come along often."

James frowned looking where the hooded figure was pointing: a small cage hid an injured Eevee whose messy fur and lost expression broke his heart; he took a step back feeling intense indignation rising within him.

Suddenly bright eyes shone from the shadows behind him before Gengar emerged grinning sinisterly which made James stifle a scream and quickly back away, but he tripped over himself crashing into the ground hitting his head hard; Growlie barked furiously as everything went dark leaving only deep echoes resonating around him.

That was really what happened: James would never expect to find out that his father was involved in that kind of Pokémon trafficking; although he always seemed to have a serious and arrogant expression he had also shown great concern for his family and did not look down on ordinary people he did not seem to be someone capable of covering up illegal sales…

ONE YEAR LATER…

James recently turned eight years old and began to understand some truths about the world around him: The Pokémon Alliance had been in power for many years when its precursors obtained direct approval from the legendary Ho-Oh to found it; since then each region had established its own headquarters maintaining control over them under relative peace. At this time Kanto and Johto coexisted under one Alliance for reasons still uncertain.

There were also significant changes within the high command: Lance, Lorelei and Bruno were not present; only Agatha remained among those characters remembered by James in his previous life, making sense given that they seemed to share similar ages.

During this time, he had forged a strong bond with Growlie; he had always deeply loved animals in his previous life and even inherited that affection for Pokémon from the original James who had great affection for them. Sometimes he regretted not paying more attention to the Pokémon world.

During those years between surgeries and treatments, having only played up to the fifth generation and having only seen the first seasons of the anime, greatly limited any advantage coming from the knowledge accumulated previously.

Recently he noticed how his parents had meticulously planned his life without allowing him to get too involved within the Pokémon realm; perhaps this was the reason behind the escape of the original James in addition to the matter related to Jessiebelle… Therefore, he also began his own plan to escape, although he knew well that he couldn't just leave impulsively but organize everything carefully… After all, if the original James managed to survive without Pokémon for ten years before joining Team Rocket, he could do even better… Or at least that's what he thought.