An abstract trainer who taught Charmander the Incinerate move

Chapter 2 Dreams and Movies
Behind me?

This ghost story-like introduction sent a shiver down Mo Zhen's spine. Then, like the protagonist of a horror game, he slowly turned his head behind him.

Behind Mo Zhen, standing there...

A wooden barrel.

"Damn, the atmosphere's so spooky! I thought my starter Pokémon was Gastly or Gengar or something! But opening blind boxes is kind of fun. My starter Pokémon, show yourself now!"

With both hands gripping the bucket lid, Mo Zhen slowly and ritualistically lifted it, revealing...

"An orange, bald-headed lizard?!"

There, a large, bald, orange lizard was fast asleep in the wooden tub.

This orange, bald lizard hiding in the wooden barrel has a head, body, shape, and color like a small dragon, but...

There are no flames on its tail!
Therefore, Mo Zhen can be certain that it is not a small fire dragon.

It is an undeniable fact that Charmander's tail is on fire. There is only one type of Charmander whose tail is not on fire: a dead Charmander.

But the fact that the corpse snores has a Ghost-type feel to it, so it's definitely not Charmander!

Seeing this, Mo Zhen considered the matter carefully.

"Little Mengzi, hurry up and bring me the Pokédex. Rotom carries this function with them, don't tell me you don't!"

Upon hearing the order from this adult, Xiao Mengzi immediately presented Mo Zhen with the Pokédex with trepidation.

【Yes, sir! Please take a look!】

Mo Zhen saw a blur before his eyes, and a dreamlike mist appeared, slowly revealing a data panel.

[Race: Charmander]

[Attribute: Fire]

【Level: 15】

Skills mastered: catching, making noises, starting a fire by friction.

Upon seeing this nonsensical panel, Mo Zhen immediately became furious.

"Damn it, you're trying to fool me with a fake! Where do you find a Charmander without flames on its tail? The flames on its tail are the soul of a Charmander; if the flames go out, it dies! Do you think I'm some naive bug-catching kid? Humph, tough-on training!"

After Mo Zhen used his invincible bullet punch to help Xiao Mengzi rapidly increase her physical defense EVs, the opponent immediately wailed.

[My lord, I'm innocent! This is a genuine little dragon! If you don't believe me, please watch the video!]

As a wisp of dream smoke rose, Mo Zhen's eyes blurred, and he entered the dream of this bald-headed giant lizard.

When Mo Zhen regained consciousness, she was already sitting in a movie theater.

The surrounding seats were completely dark, with only the huge screen in front of me emitting bursts of white light.

Before Mo Zhen could think further, Xiao Mengzi's familiar voice immediately rang out in the empty cinema.

Welcome to Dream Cinema! Today's screening is "The Life of Hiko, the Disliked Child".

As the opening remarks of "Eat Dreams" began, the images slowly started playing on the screen.

Perhaps due to limited divine power, the image quality on the screen was even worse than that of an AV, roughly equivalent to the pixel level of a GBA.

But Mo Zhen could probably still discern the plot conveyed by the visuals.

Following the Pokémon game series' tradition of dialogue without voiceovers, Mo Zhen could only understand the dialogue by reading the subtitles below, much like watching a silent film.

In the first scene, two pixelated figures, one old and one young, are having a conversation inside a research institute-style building.

"Greenmaw, you're ten years old now. It's time to become a trainer. This Charmander is the starter Pokémon that Grandpa carefully prepared for you. Its potential is terrifying!"

[Really? I can't believe it! Grandpa, that's amazing! I'm starting my journey now, my goal is to become the league champion! Goodbye!]

The young figure in the video dashed out of the research institute, leaving only the old figure talking to himself.

This kid is still so impatient, hehe, it's time to teach him a lesson...

As the first act ended, Mo Zhen, the only audience member in the theater, couldn't help but complain.

"That old guy wouldn't happen to be Professor Oak, would he? Green... is it Green plus Green? Hahahaha, what a great name!"

In the second act, Greenmoor is engaged in a fierce battle with a bug-catching boy in the background of the forest.

[Metallicacus, hardens with use!]

In the image, the green, blocky object emits a metallic sheen.

[Charmander, use Ember!]

Non-still image.jpg

[Metallicacus, hardens with use!]

In the image, the green, blocky object emits a diamond-like brilliance.

[Charmander, use Ember!]

Non-still image.jpg

After the armored pupa hardened several times, the dazzling light on the screen became so bright that it was impossible to open one's eyes.

The armor of the armored pod has reached 13000 points!
But Mo Zhen knew that as long as Green Glow could unleash a special attack, everything would be alright!
However, having looked through the little dragon's skill list, he knew all too well that it would probably never be able to unleash the Ember Shot...

[Damn it...you worthless piece of trash, how come you can't even use Ember? I got tricked by that old man! Alright, you're free now! I need to get a new Pokémon right away, I can't fall behind that guy...]

Hey! Don't run away, you haven't paid yet!

[Get lost! I didn't lose, it's a draw, stop bothering me!]

After a classic 8-bit running sound effect, all that remained on the screen was a mass of orange-red pixels and a silent stillness.

As the second act ends, Mo Zhen gradually comes to understand everything...

The third act begins with a brown-haired girl in a blue dress tiptoeing onto the screen.

[Haha, it's a free Charmander! I'm so lucky! Poké Ball, catch it!]

The scene shifts, following a montage of a journey.

[Damn it! He can't even learn [Spark]! This good-for-nothing is going to eat my rice bowl dry! I need to find a way to cut my losses...]

The scene shifts to a landscape of towering skyscrapers. [Huge Sale! Huge Discount! Authentic Charmander, only 100,000 Kanto Coins!]

Then, a familiar figure appeared on the screen.

[Awesome! They sell Charmander here? Looks like it's time to add a Fire-type Pokémon to my team. 100,000 Kanto Coins, right? I'll buy it!]

Hehe, you really got a great deal! Bye!

Suddenly, as if remembering something, an exclamation mark appeared above Lu Mao's head.

[Oh, just in case... Charmander, use Ember!]

Non-still image.jpg

[Caw! How could this happen? It's you again! Woman, stop right there, I want a refund!]

[Hehe, once sold, no returns or exchanges. The money that ends up in my hands is mine now, hahaha!]

After a classic 8-bit running sound effect, all that remained on the screen was a mass of orange-red pixels and a silent stillness.

As the third act ended, Mo Zhen seemed to be deep in thought.

"That shameless woman must be that guy. Hmm, maybe we can work together sometime in the future..."

The fourth act begins, and it seems that a long time has passed. A fully armed pixelated person releases a bunch of orange-red pixel blocks from a Poké Ball.

【Get lost! You useless piece of trash, you only drive our rice prices up! I was wondering how there were wild starter Pokémon in Viridian Forest, turns out you're a monster that can't even use Ember! Humph, nobody wants a useless Pokémon like you!】

After countless partings and ultimately being abandoned by the elf hunter, this little fire dragon became a stray lizard.

A montage sequence transitions through the seasons, showing the little dragon's background experiencing spring, summer, autumn, and winter.

It also gradually learned to make fire by rubbing sticks together and to build nests to shelter from the rain.

The hardships of life have worn down its edges. It once dreamed of standing on the League stage, fighting alongside its trainers to claim the championship, but now it has gradually lost its dream, and the light in its eyes has faded...

Until one day, a poster blown down by the wind landed on its face.

On the poster, a white-haired man wearing a top hat with the Stars and Stripes points at people outside the poster with a resolute look in his eyes!

[The Grand Stage of Unity: If you have a dream, come and join us!]

[United Dream: Every dream can come true at United!]

[United Nations needs you!]

I want you!

Looking at the content on the poster, Charmander's dim eyes gradually brightened.

Hope for life was rekindled in its eyes!
United States needs me...

United States, here I come!

At the end of Act IV, at the dock, a small fire dragon sneaks into a cargo barrel.

What was originally its weakness of not being able to emit flames has now become its advantage in sneaking out.

Because there are no flames on its tail, it won't set the barrel on fire when it hides.

The final scene shows a ship sailing away from the harbor in the sunset, and the end!
Upon seeing this tragic film with an open ending and a Douban rating of 8.9, Mo Zhen couldn't help but have tears welling up in her eyes.

"Is it possible that it's not Charmander at all, but just an undiscovered Common-type Sceptile Pokémon? Oh well, I like players with interesting backstories, so I'm willing to turn around for you!"

At this moment, Mo Zhen transformed into the dream mentor of the "King of Misery" in China, pointed fiercely at the wooden bucket, and uttered his signature line, "I want you."

Seeing this, even the little Mengzi, whose arms were too short to join together, couldn't help but pat her belly in emotion.

[I'm so moved! This is the true bond between humans and elves! Lord Arceus certainly didn't choose the wrong person. I believe you are the destiny that can change the fate of this chaotic world...]

Before Xiaomengzi could finish feeling self-satisfied, Mo Zhen said matter-of-factly.

"Hey, Mengzi, level up our new friend!"

【Huh? I don't know how...】

"Tsk, Little Mengzi, let's train our old buddy's skills!"

【Uh? I don't know how...】

Seeing the incompetent Xiaomengzi, Mo Zhen blushed instantly and slapped her hard across the face.

"You beast! You are the embodiment of my divine power! How could you be so incompetent?! What use are you to me?!"

After being hit by Mo Zhen's powerful punch and launched into the air, bouncing around the ship like a pinball, scoring points, Xiao Mengzi finally said with a pitiful expression.

"Stop...stop hitting me! I can help you make a movie!"

"Making a movie?!"

Upon hearing about this ability, Mo Zhen's eyes lit up and he became interested.

As an artist brimming with creative inspiration, this ability seems tailor-made for him!

There is only one question left.

What does making movies have to do with training Pokémon?

Mo Zhen knew that if this little fire dragon couldn't be relied upon, their first film might be a historical documentary about overseas laborers building the United States railway...

Seeing Mo Zhenhe's kind eyes, Xiao Mengzi immediately explained.

"Ah, that's how it is. My ability allows me to guide a spirit's dreams and film movies within them. Through specific plot points in the movie, we can unleash the spirit's latent abilities..."

In an instant, Mo Zhen's face cleared up with a charming smile.

"You...you truly are the embodiment of my divine power. I knew you wouldn't let me down!"

Immediately afterward, Xiaomengzi, who had narrowly escaped disaster, added to the story.

I can help you weave your dreams, but I am merely an embodiment of your divine power, so the specific plot still requires you to perform a miracle to construct it yourself...

After raising her physical defense effort value to 255, Xiaomengzi gradually figured out the habits of this eccentric artist and started communicating using the language he liked.

Upon hearing this, Mo Zhen snapped his fingers and smiled slightly.

"Heh, I'd do it even without you saying so. I've already come up with the script, and the movie will be called..."

(End of this chapter)