For the record, no. My life didn't just go back to normal after all that. Of course it didn't, otherwise you wouldn't be reading this.

But it almost did. For a while, I had a life that made sense. I got used to where I lived. I adapted to the irony of my Eevee.

And then school started.

Likely the only reason my disappearance didn't turn into much of a problem for me was that it had happened during the summer, so I didn't have to worry about school. Now that I was back to normal, that meant that I would have to confront a new high school.

I sleepily and grudgingly stepped onto my bus. As I walked toward the seats, I used my thumb and first finger to drag some gunk from the corners of my eyes, and surveyed my possibilities.

Nobody paid me much attention. Most other students seemed to be in the same state of exhaustion as I was. I made my way down the aisle, and those that did acknowledge me made no effort to make room.

Eventually, I found myself looking at a girl in a white beanie, who looked up from the seat to notice me. Giving a quick look around, she noticed my situation and moved her backpack onto her lap to make space for me, which I humbly accepted.

The bus quickly rumbled to life again, and we sat there awkwardly for a few seconds.

She decided it was time to start the conversation. "So, do anything interesting this summer?"

I glanced over at her. "So we're just doing this?"

"Oh yeah."

I chuckled. "Well, that depends on your definition of interesting."

She gave me a skeptical look. "That sounds like you're hiding something."

"I'd say we're both doing that. You have a name?"

She smiled. "Dawn."

I extended my arm to what extent I could within one of these bus seats. "I'm Jack."

We shook hands, and leaned back against the seat in silence for a moment. She leaned forward again and asked, "So what were you gonna say? About your summer?"

I clicked my tongue. "You're persistent. I don't know if you'd believe me if I told you."

She shook her head. "Try me."

I thought carefully about how to proceed. "You know that missing person thing a couple weeks ago?"

Her face became a frown. "What about it?"

I simply pointed a thumb at my chest.

She raised an eyebrow. "Really."

"Yep. You bet. About made my mom go insane."

Dawn looked out the window for a moment. "Okay, then what does a guy do to stay undetected for multiple days?"

I laughed. Naturally, not even forced. "Now that's a different story entirely."

Dawn rolled her eyes. "You know, you're not very good at keeping people from getting curious."

The bus pulled to a stop. I hadn't even noticed we had arrived. "Shall we?"

Dawn followed close behind me as we filed off the bus. She quickly cut in front of me after we stepped off, and I now noticed the rest of her wardrobe. She wore a short pink skirt that had a black top, and a pair of pink slip on shoes. She confronted me. "Well? We've got time."

I felt a little concerned now. I was hoping to lose her before I had to explain anything, but now here I was. I had made enough of a gamble starting to tell her about it.

As I tried to come up with something, I found my attention thankfully taken by something. Around the corner of the building, I saw what seemed to be a strange Pokemon. It had a very large head, a sort of pale green color. Its body was small, hardly as big as its head. It raised a tiny arm and performed a sort of "c'mon" gesture, before ducking behind the wall.

Now you would think at this point that I would have learned not to investigate strange things. Apparently, the only thing I had learned was not to do it alone.

"What was that?" I said aloud, leaning over to try to catch another glimpse.

Dawn was annoyed. "Oh no. You are not just leaving now. I expect some sort of explanation, buddy."

"Whatever, come with if you want." I stepped aside of her and moved to the side of the building I had seen the Pokemon.

When we got there, I was surprised to find absolutely nothing but the side of a school building. "I...I could have sworn I saw something..."

Dawn grumbled. "You've got to be kidding me. What is up with you?"

There was a small huff, and I turned my attention to over Dawn's head, where the Pokemon I had seen now floated there, looking annoyed. "You know, when I did this," It did the gesture once again, "I meant just you."

Dawn, obviously hearing a voice coming from above her head, looked up and almost flipped. She stumbled back in surprise. "A Pokemon...that can talk?"

I shook my head. "It isn't just that one..."

It frowned at us. "Whatever. I know this is going to be very difficult for you to understand, but I need you to come with me, fate of the multiverse at stake and all that."

Obviously very confused, I raised an eyebrow at that statement. 

It groaned. "Look, I've had to give a lot of these speeches today. I am not in the mood."

Dawn looked over at me. "It wants you?"

I shrugged. "Don't ask me." I turned to the creature, and said, "Listen, I don't know who you think I am, but I am an ordinary guy. If you want me to save the world, you'd have to give me, I dunno, a tank or something."

It looked me dead in the eyes and said, "I think you know why I want you."

I found its message fairly quickly. I threw up my hands. "Nope! No, no no no no no no no no no. NEVER happening again. I did it once, and believe me, that was more than enough. I am not about to go through that hellscape again..."

It was about then that my stomach felt like it was getting sucked out of my body, and I opened my eyes as I was pulled away from the ground. I looked behind me to see some strange, turning void in the middle of the air.

"Oh COME ON!"

---

To be continued in Pokemon Max: Universal Delete Part 5