First Person POV – Sophia (Shido)

  Six years.

  It’s been six whole years since I got reborn into this world. Six years since I, Shido, died in my old world and woke up screaming and crying in a hospital bed, wrapped in a pink blanket, with people calling me “Sophia” like it was the most natural thing in the world.

  And I won’t lie—it’s been one hell of a weird ride.

  My mom’s name is Reina Kairen, and she’s the definition of a powerhouse woman. Works outside, commands every room she enters, and always looks like she stepped out of some boss-woman fashion magazine. She’s confident, sharp-tongued, and takes no crap from anyone. She’s also the one who handles all the “serious” stuff around the house. You’d think that would make her the scarier one—but no.

  That honor goes to Banette.

  Yes, her Pokémon. A prankster ghost who seems to have made it his life mission to drive me insane.

  But we’ll get to that walking plushie from hell in a second.

  My dad—Leo Kairen—is the complete opposite of Mom. He’s a stay-at-home sweetheart with the softest heart imaginable. And honestly, he’s way too adorable for his own good. Red eyes that shine like rubies, and this gentle way of speaking that makes you feel like everything’s gonna be okay even when the world’s burning around you. If Mom is a queen, Dad is a cinnamon roll prince. I swear, it should be illegal for a man to be that cute. He cooks, cleans, hums lullabies, and somehow makes you feel warm just by smiling.

  And somehow, somehow, this marshmallow of a man is partnered with Ember—a freakin’ Druddigon.

  Let me be clear: Druddigon are not exactly known for being gentle creatures. They’re cave-dwelling dragons with sharp claws, jagged wings, and a temper to match their rocky homes. But Ember? She’s a total sweetheart. She lets me ride on her back like I’m some baby champion off to save the world. She watches over me like a protective mama bear, especially when I sneak off on my little “adventures” into the woods behind our house or the rocky shoreline near Lilycove’s edge.

  At first, I thought she was just spying on me. Like maybe Papa had asked her to keep tabs on me whenever I slipped out. But nope. She never ratted me out. Not once. Even when I tripped into a muddy tidepool and came back looking like a drowned Whiscash. She just watched over me, helped me up, and walked behind me like a silent guardian.

  Compared to that, Mama’s Banette is the literal devil.

  God. Bany, as my mom calls him, is the absolute worst. He hides under my bed and jumps out when I’m getting ready to sleep. Swaps my socks so I wear mismatched ones. Once, he even replaced my lunch with a rock shaped like a sandwich.

  A rock.

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  A funking rock.

  And every time I go to complain, he looks at me with those stupid zippered eyes and does that creepy little laugh like it’s the funniest thing in the world. And the worst part? Mom laughs too. Like it’s some adorable bonding moment between her demon plushie and her daughter. No. It’s not.

  Ember would never.

  Ember is like my second mom. My godmother. My protector. She makes me feel safe even when Banette is hovering near my closet door with his creepy smile. I don’t get how she and Dad ended up together, but I swear it wasn’t one of those cheesy “secret champion” tropes from fanfics where the dad turns out to be some ex-Elite Four member or undercover badass. No. My dad is just Dad. Soft. Sweet. Loving.

  But somehow, Ember—the queen of sweethearts—chose him. And honestly, I’m grateful.

  So yeah. Ember? Queen. Bany? Trash.

  Anyway… moving on to the real problem in my life.

  School.

  Yup. The curse of every child since the dawn of time. And now, it was my turn.

  We live in Lilycove City—beautiful, breezy Lilycove. Our house is right near the beach. The waves crash so close, I can hear them when I sleep. And yeah, that part’s magical. But apparently even paradise isn’t safe from the evil clutches of the education system.

  So there I was, sitting at the breakfast table, staring down at my oatmeal like it personally offended me.

  “Papa, I don’t wanna go to school,” I muttered, stirring the bowl lazily.

  Papa stood in the kitchen, pouring oran berry juice into my lunchbox thermos with that serene little smile of his. “I know, dear. But you have to socialize.”

  “I do socialize!” I argued. “With Pokémon! Ember, the Wingulls at the beach, that Gardevoir who lives down the street…”

  He turned around and gave me that knowing dad look. “When I said socialize, Sophia, I meant with your species. Other kids.”

  “But Papa, they’re idiots,” I groaned, pulling a pillow over my face. “Snot-nosed, whiny, loud little monsters. You know it’s true!”

  “Sophia, don’t be rude.”

  I peeked out from under the pillow, pouting. “Can’t I skip just this one year? I already know more about Pokémon than any kid in that classroom. I’ve studied, I’ve trained, I—”

  “Nope,” he said, cutting me off gently. “You know the rule. If you want to become a Pokémon Trainer and Coordinator like Mama and me, you have to go to school. Get your basic trainer education, make friends, learn teamwork.”

  “Teamwork is overrated.”

  He walked over and crouched next to me, brushing my hair behind my ear. “Sophia, sweetie, you’re brilliant. But part of being a trainer isn’t just knowing facts—it’s about learning to work with others. You’ll need partners. Allies. People you trust. That all starts here.”

  I sighed and sat up. “Fine… but just so you know, I’m doing this under protest.”

  “I’ll write it in your record,” he said with a chuckle.

  ---

  School was… exactly what I expected.

  After papa dropped me off.

  “Good luck,” Papa said, kissing my forehead.

  “Pray for me,” I muttered as I stepped out.

  I stared at the school building for a moment. It looked so normal. Brick walls, colorful banners, kids running around shouting, teachers trying (and failing) to maintain order. My worst nightmare in physical form.

  It was loud. Kids running around. Teachers trying to gain control. Some kid in the back was already talking about catching a Magikarp with his bare hands. (Good luck with that, genius.)

  Inside, I found my classroom and slipped into a seat near the window. I always liked sitting by the window—made me feel a little less trapped.

  A few seconds later, someone sat down next to me.

  I turned my head and blinked.

  Silver hair. Soft, pale skin. Green eyes that shimmered like polished jade. A boy around my age, clutching his backpack like it might run away.

  “Hey,” I said, trying to sound casual.

  He jumped a little. “H-Hi…”

  I tilted my head. “Looks like we’re seatmates. I’m Sophia Kairen. You?”

  He looked down shyly. “M…my name… is Kael. Kael Johnson.”

  I offered him a smile. “Nice to meet you, Kael. Let’s hope we become friends.”

  He glanced at me, eyes wide, and nodded. “M-Me too.”

  Okay. So maybe I could try socializing. Just for Papa’s sake.

  The rest of the day was… tolerable. We went over basic Pokémon care, survival skills in the wild, and how to handle emergency situations like an injured Pokémon or getting lost in the woods. It wasn’t anything I didn’t already know, but at least Kael seemed interested. He kept scribbling notes like his life depended on it.

  When the final bell rang, I practically flew out the door.

  And there he was—Papa, waiting by the gates, waving like an excited child.

  “Hii Papa!” I shouted, running up to him.

  “Welcome back, sweetheart! How was your day?”

  “It was… good,” I admitted with a tiny smile. “I met someone. Kael. He’s quiet but kinda cute.”

  Papa beamed. “I’m proud of you.”

  We walked home together, hand in hand, with the sun dipping low over Lilycove and the sea breeze brushing against our cheeks.

  I looked up at him.

  “Hey Papa?”

  “Hm?”

  “Thanks for making me go.”

  He looked down, surprised. “Oh? That’s new.”

  I grinned. “Don’t get used to it.”