Chapter Text
Feeling a pang of nostalgia, Adaline or just simply Ada decided to dive into Pokémon Radical Red, a ROM hack she’d heard was as challenging as it was fun. The familiar chiptune music hit her like a warm hug as she booted up the game on her laptop.
Wanting to spice things up, she couldn’t resist using a cheat code to snag Miraidon as her starter—a futuristic, electric dragon in a world of pixelated classics felt too cool to pass up.
She spent a few minutes marveling at its sleek design and imagining the chaos she’d wreak with it, but the cozy glow of her screen and the hum of her fan eventually lulled her to sleep.
There she sat, slouched in her chair, her game still open. Meanwhile Miraidon was quietly waiting for its trainer to wake up and continue their adventure.
Ada stirred awake, blinking groggily as the warm sunlight kissed her face. She stretched and yawned, but something felt... off. The hum of her laptop was gone, replaced by the gentle lapping of water nearby and the rustling of leaves in the breeze.
Slowly, she sat up and froze. Before her stretched the shimmering waters of some lake, its surface catching the morning light in dazzling ripples.
Overhead, a flock of Starly flitted through the air, chirping joyfully as they passed. Ada rubbed her eyes, certain she was dreaming, but the scene didn’t waver. The scent of fresh grass and wildflowers filled her nose, and the crisp air felt far too real to ignore.
That’s when she noticed him. Miraidon stood beside her, its sleek, metallic form gleaming in the sunlight. Its luminous eyes locked onto hers, and it let out a soft, mechanical trill, as if to say, finally, you’re awake!
Ada gawked at the creature, her heart racing. "This... this has to be a dream," she muttered, pinching her arm for good measure. But the pinch hurt, and Miraidon tilted its head at her, looking far too real to be a figment of her imagination.
She staggered to her feet, staring between the legendary Pokémon and the idyllic scene before her. Wasn’t she just playing Radical Red? How in Arceus’s name had she ended up here?
Digressing, it had to be a dream, a very vivid one. That's the only reasonable her mind could come up with.
Ada tried to remember what happened last night. She remembered starting the game, and... that was it. The rest was a blur, but that had to be when she fell asleep and started dreaming.
"So, what now?" Ada said, glancing around. A path led off into the distance, winding between the trees and disappearing beyond the horizon. "If this is a dream, might as well explore a little. Come on!"
Miraidon gave a happy whir, bounding after its trainer. Ada smiled, feeling the tension drain from her shoulders.
Miraidon’s processors whirred quietly, his senses scanning the surroundings with methodical precision. Though Ada appeared disoriented, he understood his purpose clearly: protect and guide his trainer. That was what he was created to do, regardless of the world they found themselves in.
He tilted his head, observing Ada’s tentative movements as she took in the serene landscape. Her wide-eyed wonder amused him. Organic beings expressed their emotions so vividly—it was something he found fascinating yet foreign.
Still he could sense her confusion ebbing, replaced by curiosity and a faint spark of excitement. That was good. Trainers functioned better when calm.
Miraidon observed Ada’s steady, determined steps along the winding path, his sensors analyzing her pace and calculating how much faster they could traverse the terrain if she rode on his back.
It would be far more practical, efficient even—but seeing her smile as she took in every detail of the world around them, he decided to indulge her, matching her slow pace with patient strides.
Ada’s sudden voice startled him slightly—not because of the sound, but the nickname she gave.
"Don," she said casually, gesturing for him to follow her.
Miraidon paused. Don? He ran a quick analysis. The name didn’t match his designation, but… nicknames were common among humans, weren’t they? He accessed fragments of recorded data on human behavior—nicknames were expressions of familiarity, even affection.
His eyes flickered for a moment, softening their glow. Miraidon decided the moniker was acceptable, even if it seemed reductive for a Pokémon of his stature. He let out a low, approving hum, a sound that Ada interpreted as agreement.
“Don it is,” she grinned, giving him a small pat. Miraidon barely felt the touch, his metallic skin cool under her hand, but he noted the gesture. Humans valued tactile connections—he logged this for future interactions.
As she began walking, Miraidon moved smoothly beside her, his body adapting effortlessly to the uneven terrain. He felt a peculiar satisfaction in the name "Don." Short, simple, and oddly dignified. He could work with that.
For now, though, he focused on the task ahead: ensuring Ada’s safety in this strange, untamed land and—perhaps—enjoying this adventure alongside her.
Ada strolled down the winding path, the crunch of dirt beneath her sneakers and the occasional sound of a distant Pokémon filling her ears. The novelty of it all was exciting—Miraidon, and the surreal vividness of the dream she still couldn’t convince herself was a dream.
“Alright, Don,” she said, glancing at Miraidon, who glided beside her with a quiet hum, his sleek form gleaming under the dappled sunlight. “So far, so peaceful. Guess this world’s not too—”
She froze mid-sentence as an eerie caw echoed through the trees. A shiver ran down her spine, and she turned slowly. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw them—Murkrow. Not just one or two, but an entire murder of them perched on branches, their beady red eyes glinting like embers.
“Uh… that’s not good,” Ada whispered, taking a cautious step back.
The Murkrow cawed louder, some spreading their wings as they shifted threateningly on their perches. One dropped from the tree and landed closer, its dark feathers shimmering ominously. Then another, and another.
“Okay, okay!” Ada raised her hands defensively. “I didn’t mean to trespass or whatever—”
Before she could finish, the murder descended, swooping toward her with sharp cries.
“Don!” she shouted, instinctively ducking and covering her head.
Miraidon sprang into action. His eyes glowed fiercely, and an electrical charge crackled along his metallic body. With a deep, mechanical trill, he released a dazzling bolt of electricity into the air. The lightning forked and sparked, illuminating the forest in blinding flashes.
The Murkrow scattered instantly, their cries turning from menacing to panicked as they fled in all directions. Some vanished into the canopy, while others flapped away into the horizon, their ominous presence replaced by a strange, sudden silence.
Ada slowly peeked out from behind her arms, her heart still hammering in her chest. “They’re… gone?” She straightened, brushing off her shirt and looking at Miraidon, who stood tall and unbothered, his form still faintly sparking.
“Okay, note to self,” Ada muttered, her voice shaky as she caught her breath. “Don’t mess with the local wildlife. And don’t underestimate you.” She placed a hand on her chest, trying to steady her nerves. “Thanks, Don. You saved my skin there.”
Miraidon tilted his head slightly, letting out a soft trill that sounded almost smug. Ada chuckled weakly, shaking her head. “Of course you’re proud of yourself. Come on, let’s keep moving before they decide to come back with reinforcements.”
The metallic dragon Pokemon took his place beside her again. His presence a reassuring constant as they ventured further into the unknown.
The midday sun hung high in the sky, its warmth filtering through the canopy of trees. Ada wiped a bead of sweat from her brow, glancing up at the leaves overhead. The vibrant blue berries clustered above her were unmistakable—oran berries.
Ada had seen plenty of them in games, but here, they looked so much more real, with tiny imperfections on their smooth skins and a faint, citrusy scent hanging in the air.
“This spot looks good,” she said, plopping down against the sturdy trunk of the tree. Her legs ached from the hike, and the soft grass beneath her was a welcome reprieve. “We’ll rest here for a bit, Don.”
Miraidon settled nearby, his tail curling slightly as he lay down. Though his form was sleek and metallic, he moved with an organic ease, his luminous eyes scanning the surroundings as if on constant alert. Ada noticed how his gaze lingered on the berries above them.
“Hungry?” she asked, following his line of sight. She reached up, standing on her tiptoes to pluck a few of the ripe oran berries. Their cool surface pressed against her palm as she held them out to him. “Here. I think these are safe. Right?”
Miraidon blinked at her offering before leaning forward, sniffing the berries delicately. With a quiet trill, he carefully took one in his mouth. Sparks crackled faintly as he bit down, the berry’s juices sizzling slightly against his metallic jaw. He paused, processing the taste, then hummed softly in approval.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Ada said, grinning as she popped one into her own mouth. The tangy, sweet flavor burst on her tongue, and her eyes widened. “Whoa, that’s way better than I expected! Who knew berries here would taste this good?”
She leaned back against the tree, savoring another berry as Miraidon quietly munched beside her. The gentle rustling of leaves and distant calls of wild Pokémon created a soothing symphony, lulling Ada into a sense of peace.
She glanced at Miraidon, who seemed to relax for the first time since their journey began, his sleek body gleaming in the dappled sunlight.
“You know,” she said, her voice soft, “this feels… kind of perfect. I mean, sure, I don’t know how I got here, and it’s all a little terrifying. But moments like this? I could get used to them.”
Miraidon tilted his head, watching her intently. He let out a low, mechanical trill that almost sounded like agreement.
Ada chuckled, tossing him another berry. “You’re a good listener, you know that? Definitely the best dream companion I could’ve asked for.” She paused, looking at the berries in her lap. “Or maybe this isn’t a dream. I don’t know. But if it’s not, I guess we’ll figure it out together, huh?”
Miraidon gave a soft hum, his glowing eyes narrowing in what Ada liked to think was an affectionate gesture. She smiled, leaning back against the tree and closing her eyes for a moment, letting the tranquility of the moment wash over her.
The afternoon sun filtered warmly through the leaves, casting golden patches of light across the forest floor. Ada stretched out beneath the oran berry tree, her back against its sturdy trunk. The soft hum of Miraidon resting beside her, paired with the gentle rustling of the leaves, made her eyelids grow heavy.
She stifled a yawn, her legs sprawled out and her arms crossed behind her head. “Just… a quick nap,” she mumbled to herself, the words slurring as sleep crept closer. “Nothing’ll happen with you here, right, Don?”
Miraidon tilted his head at her, his luminous eyes narrowing slightly. His protective instincts flared momentarily, but seeing her relaxed state, he emitted a soft trill of reassurance. It wasn’t like anything could truly threaten them with his power at the ready.
Ada’s breathing slowed, her chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm as she slipped into a peaceful slumber. Miraidon remained upright for a while, his gaze scanning the surroundings with methodical precision. The occasional chirp of a distant Pokémon or the rustle of a small creature in the underbrush kept him vigilant, but the tranquility of the moment began to lull even him into a rare sense of calm.
After a while, Miraidon shifted, his sleek form lowering onto the soft grass beside her. His tail curled slightly, and he tucked his legs neatly beneath him, still watching the perimeter.
A gentle breeze rustled the oran berry tree, causing a few ripe berries to drop to the ground with a soft thud. Miraidon glanced at the berries and then at Ada, who murmured faintly in her sleep, her lips curving into the hint of a smile.
He let out a low, mechanical hum, his gaze softening. Ada seemed so fragile, so vulnerable compared to him, yet she exuded a quiet resilience that he found intriguing.
Time passed slowly under the tree, the forest alive with the peaceful cadence of nature. Miraidon remained by Ada’s side, his metallic body gleaming faintly in the dappled sunlight, a silent sentinel guarding her dreamlike repose.