Reality Is an Illusion, Albeit a Persistent One.

Who’s That Pokemon...?!

Illusions are the greatest thing to fear in society. An illusion can be made from anyone who wants to keep the truth hidden, be it a normal man or one with power, But the greatest illusions we have to face are the ones we create ourselves.- Anonymous

Walking down the extremely pointless and huge stairs, I make my way around the marble pillars and towards the parking garage. Walking past the guard monitoring the gate, I continued my walk while giving him a prompt greeting. “Hey I’m going out, see you around.” Making my way out, I navigated my way through the winding gardens that my father insisted made the grounds more beautiful, a nuisance at best is what they are. I climbed into my Ford POS stationed in the garage at the far side of the gardens before driving down and out of our gated land, nodding to the other guard as I passed. I didn’t bother with the radio, my own thoughts satisfied me plenty as I drove my way through the multitude of towering abodes that must inevitably be passed on my way to the city, and my favourite cafe contained within.

    You may know me as Eric, and unless you are a fool you’ve inferred I’m currently accelerating away from my wealthy family's mansion and towards the city. You’re probably wondering why I’m leaving the cozy place of home to go out into the world. Well sit back cause this will take some time to explain. My father is what you call a ‘Man of Business,’ and I’m one of the usually unknown family members riding his coattails.

All my existence my father has raised me in the same fashion he had been, I’m sure you can imagine: “Wasting time is wasting money”, “If it seems like a bad idea it’s most likely a waste of your resources”, et cetera. Regardless of my wealth, my life has not been an easy one. I’ve been a black sheep for some time simply because my father and I don’t agree on some things, because of this, he has made life a personal hell at home, in the insistence that I must conform to his idea’s of what I should become.

‘What ideas do my father and I don’t see eye to eye on,’ you ask. Well for starters they way he treats others, his willingness to gain money at the most optimal moment for himself, and the way he simply carries himself. Now call me old fashioned, but I honestly believe that the majority of humans are dark, selfish, vile creatures... But few of them are kind enough to improve the world. This is the main idea my father and I argue: he believes humans are stones that need to be set down to make your path or tosses aside if they don’t fit. It is because of his view that I even exist, not because he loved my mother (I’m not even sure he can love), but because she was a stone that needed to be ‘laid’. So every free chance I receive, I venture out and interact with less fortunate society just to relax. Forcing myself from my thoughts, I turn on the radio and listen to some old school rock to try and aid my escape from reality.

Pulling off the main road, I meandered my way through traffic to a parking garage. Swiping my card through the machine, The bar was raised and I drove through to locate a position to park. Settling in my chosen location on the third floor, I climbed out and popped the trunk to retrieve my bag which held everything I need. Walking into the Texas sun, I repositioned my sunglasses and zipped up my nondescript hoodie.

Walking away fromt the parking garage, as I make my way to sixth street, I passed a local college student. He was wearing an orange and white t-shirt with a yellow jaguar on the back. ‘Dude thinks that going to college will help him later in life. Gotta admire his commitment to learning. Hope he succeeds in his goals.’  As I turned to walk away I failed to notice the raised eyebrow he threw my direction. I ignored the loud noise and clamor and instead revelled in the energy of the city. It was rejuvenating to be connected to so many with dates to meet and places to be, it charged me as well as humbled.

Hiking up the stairway to the cafe, I began my repose at a green wire table outside the establishment. After placing order for a blt with some fries, I pulled out my laptop. Turning it on, I plugged in some earbuds and began my fade from reality. As soon as I was presented with the familiar background of the TARDIS, I opened my Itunes account plus Chrome and waited for my previous pages to load. Looking around, I immersed myself in the warm Texas spring day mixed with the smell of tar and exhaust. Noticing my waiter return with a glass full of bubbly brown liquid, I pulled out an earbud and addressed him with some slight confusion in my voice.

    “‘Scuse me boss, I didn’t order a drink.”

    “Oh, but didn’t your guest?”

    “If it’s not too much trouble for you?” I lowered the screen of my laptop down to see a man wearing a white overcoat with a white fedora and a gold feather sitting across from me. As the waiter left, I prepared myself for the worst. Being the son of a wealthy family, you learn a few things about self defense and how to avoid those who would cause you harm. I slowly reached for my pocket knife as the man spoke while distracting him with my other arm by removing the other earbud. “Hello Eric, I’m sure you are wondering who I am and why I’m here?”

“Actually yes, and how did you manage to order a drink when the waiter only talked to me?” I placed my hand on my knife and gripped the handle in preparation.

The man lightly chuckled for a bit then returned to being mysterious. “I can answer the ‘who am I’ question right now if you allow me to access your laptop.” Shutting it completely, I slid it closer to me. Being my personal laptop, I have just about my entire life on it. Letting someone go through it was a big no no.

“Is there not a better way, like a card or something?”

“Hmm, there is another way I suppose.” The man brought up a golden glove and reached into his interior breast pocket. After a bit of rummaging, he produced a pokemon card and placed it between us.

Using my free hand, I removed my sun glasses, revealing my blue eyes, and stared at the opposing individual. “...What the hell is this?”

“My card, you did ask for it.”

I guess a couple of thing my Father taught me stuck, this was a waste of my time. “Ok, I’m going to count to three. If you’re not gone by then, well I have a few friends in high places that’ll allow me to get away with some questionable things.”

“Ah mortals and their reasoning, did you ever think that I was serious?”

“One.”

“Really, you’re going to go with violence against a god?”

“Two.”

“Humor me and pick up the card, then maybe you’ll understand who you’re speaking with.”

I paused with the “th” already formed on my mouth, (not to mention creating a way to discuss this to the authorities) and reached for the card without breaking eye contact, with my free hand I turned it over, making visible the shiny image of the god of pokemon, Arceus. Looking back at the man, I stopped. I went back to the card and look at the eyes. ‘Green with red pupils.’ Looking back at the man, I noted his eyes, green with red pupils.

“Cute, the colored contacts are a new one, you also bought yourself a few seconds. So why don’t you stop playing and tell me exactly who you are before I say three and this gets nasty.” Revealing my pocket knife and flipping it open, I placed my fist on the table, and gave the man a few moments to decide how this conversation would proceed.

“You really don’t know who I am?” Shaking my head in response, the man sighed and picked up his drink. “Figures humans remember the gods that influenced their lives in a forgotten period; yet when one shows up on a modern day beacon and basically tells them he’s a creator of worlds, he gets written off as a mentally ill freak.” He took a sip before continuing his insane rant. “Perhaps it is better that way, the fewer who know the better.”

Letting him finish, I decided to push for info. “So let’s say you’re Arceus, why aren't you looking like the card?”

“Because humans would take notice of a giant pokemon, and it would cause so much trouble, not to mention there’s also a few beings I want to avoid.” I can relate to that last statement.

“Like a trainer with a master ball?” I smirked, ‘Arceus’ put his drink hand down and sighed.

“What can I do to convince you I am who I claim to be?”

“I don’t know, stop time like you did in the movie.”

“Simple enough.” Grabbing the card off the table, he then tossed it to the waiter returning with my food causing him to lean back and fall. Suddenly time froze, the waiter stopped mid fall, even the fries were just floating in the air. Looking around, I saw a bird paused in mid flight and a bee floating above a flower. Looking back at Arceus, I saw a concerned look on his face. “Believe me now?”

Looking into his eyes once more, I saw a faint glow of red behind his pupils. “No way.” Coming back to reality, I put away my knife and started to play twenty questions. “So big question, why me?”

“I believe you want something I have, and since you have a knack for playing things to your advantage, I’d thought I’d offer you a chance to become something greater than yourself.”

Upon hearing this, I proceeded to drop the mask I wore for the public and displayed the face I use for business. Running my eyes over him, I failed to notice anything of importance. ‘This is a god, a being of ultimate power? He could easily destroy me if he desired, or just erase me from existence. So what could I offer him’?

“I see what your thinking, and you do raise a good question.”

“You can read minds?”

“A habit I started after a rocky time in my past.” Bringing up his hand again, he floated his glass back to the table and placed it in the middle.

“So you’re offering me the chance to do what exactly?”

“I’m offering you the chance to go to escape to a realm where rising to power will be a bit harder without riding the coattails of your father.” My eyes widened as he continued. “I’m offering you a chance to actually make a name for yourself, instead of traveling down the path laid before you.” Looking back on it, I should’ve paid closer attention to what he was saying. “So what will it be? Stay here and become the politician with daddy’s wealth and connections, or start over with a new body and a new chance to rise, but this time under your own power?” Staring into his eyes, I detected a small sense of urging, as if he actually wanted to help me.

“So if I accept this, I’ll become the person I want to be?” He nodded. “I accept your offer.” Outstretching my hand, Arceus grabs it and gave it a firm shake. “Now how do you propose we go about this?”

“You will see, now before you go, here are a few rules to remember. You’ll receive a new body, only one though, once you die there’s no restart. Once there you won’t be able to return, so I wouldn’t waste your time looking for an exit. Oh and one last thing, I can’t directly interfere in the world I’m sending you to, so I may need your help on more than one occasion.” After saying that my laptop flipped open and displayed a bright white light. Removing my hand from Arceus’ shake, I moved it to block the blinding light. Suddenly my vision starts to darkened as I felt the sensation of falling. As I fell into darkness, Arceus’s voice faded out near the end. “Be careful and enjoy yourself, this game is supposed to be fun... or so I’m told.”