The Wind of Beginnings

The Pokémon World was home to a great many species.

Broadly speaking, they fell into three groups: ordinary species, humans, and Pokémon.

Ordinary species reproduced the fastest, but their chances of survival were low. Humans were not allowed to hunt them indiscriminately and took measures to protect them.

The meat Dian and the others ate, for instance, was mostly synthetic. Anyone who wanted wild meat had to wait for the proper season, much like fishing restrictions on Earth.

Humans and Pokémon stood on roughly equal footing. Judging by the myths, Pokémon might even rank higher.

Neither generally thought of the other as food, though there were bound to be a few twisted exceptions.

Even Pokémon that were mortal enemies would only kill each other, not eat each other. In that respect, they were much like humans.

Battles between Trainers almost never resulted in death or serious injury. Every Pokémon possessed an energy within it that it could not use, but that protected its life.

At worst, a Pokémon would usually collapse from exhaustion. Some time recovering at a Pokémon Center would set it right.

But!!

Trainers possessed no such energy, so non-Trainers and Trainers who lacked strength should exercise caution!!

Ordinary Pokémon rarely attacked humans with serious intent, but exceptions existed.

"So it all comes down to luck..."

Dian quietly closed the webpage and began looking up other information.

"Professor Elm's latest research!!!"

A striking headline suddenly caught Dian's eye.

He clicked on it. "According to Professor Elm's theory, the birth of Ghost-type Pokémon is connected to the deaths of Pokémon. After dying, a Pokémon may become a Ghost-type Pokémon and begin a new life."

"Uh... that sounds pretty Buddhist."

Why did it remind Dian so much of Buddhist teachings back on Earth? "Hmm. This professor seems to be in the same science-and-gods camp as the great Newton. He gets a thumbs-up."

There seemed to be quite a few Buddhists in Johto. What luck. No wonder the person in charge of Dubayic's Haunted House had treated him so well.

"I used to follow Taoism, but Buddhism and Taoism are practically family, right?"

Dian was ready to switch allegiances without hesitation. It might make life in Johto a little easier.

"Wait... I've never heard of Professor Elm having a daughter. Could that be connected to Buddhism?"

His resolve wavered again. Then he remembered that the person in charge of the Haunted House had handed it over to him precisely because the man was going home to meet a prospective bride and get married.

"Misdreavus..."

Misdreavus was sleeping soundly on the bed. It seemed to dream of something, and a happy... wicked smile spread across its face.

"Misdreavus dreams too..."

Dian rested his chin on his hand and thought for a moment. "That's worth studying."

He watched Misdreavus drift through golden dreams, his gaze growing a little distant.

To look at him, Dian was a black-haired, dark-eyed boy of about sixteen. In truth, he had lived nearly twenty-seven or twenty-eight years.

He lightly touched the black markings on the computer, feeling the last of his attachment to this place.

This amusement park had been his beginning, but it was also the end of his past. The next time he walked out, he would be making a fresh start.

Perhaps he would never return.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Dian? Dian?"

A rough voice came from outside the door.

"Coming."

Dian calmly took one last look around the room, then erased every trace of his activity on the computer.

He took out a Poké Ball and recalled the still-sleeping Misdreavus. Then he turned, opened the door, and walked out without a backward glance.

"Hey, old man! You're looking more manly than ever!"

Dian grinned at the stubbly middle-aged man before him.

"Haha!! Am I? A beard makes the man!"

Tony laughed heartily, but his face soon darkened. He looked as though he had something difficult to say.

"Uncle Tony, I'm planning to go to Violet City, so I'm afraid I can't keep working at the amusement park. Sorry for the trouble, but could you settle my paperwork?"

Dian smiled and brought it up himself.

He knew that was why Tony had come.

Tony let out a breath of relief, then looked guilty. "Dian, I'm really sorry. Mr. Cappuccino has given up too, so the amusement park can't stay open. Ah..."

Tony hated to leave as well. He had worked here for a long time. "Here's this month's pay. Mr. Cappuccino said to give everyone an extra month's wages. He said he was sorry to all of us and that this was all he could do."

"All right, Uncle Tony. Please thank Mr. Cappuccino for me too."

Dian's eyes lit up, and he quickly accepted the envelope Tony held out.

The amusement park's owner was far more generous than he had expected.

Maybe bald men were all good people. Yes, good people.

"If you're going to Violet City, Dian, you can take the bus to the west. It'll be faster. I wouldn't recommend cutting through the forest nearby..."

Tony shuddered at the mention of the forest. "There are lots of Beedrill in there..."

"..."

Dian fell silent. Beedrill were big, certainly, but the real problem was how many of them there were. They had no sense of fair play, though no one could really expect it of them.

A Pokémon battle was normally a one-on-one fight. With Beedrill, it was still one against one—one whole swarm against you. They would send you flying.

And if you turned your back on them and failed to run fast enough, a certain swaying part of your body was especially likely to get hurt.

The wounds would be more than physical. They would scar your soul.

"Uncle Tony, let's leave the past in the past."

Dian tilted his head toward the white clouds. "Is that?!"

His eyes sharpened, then he quickly hid his reaction. "Altaria?"

One of the white clouds looked distinctly odd. A blue ribbon trailed behind it.

"Well, that's about everything."

Tony went on rambling for quite a while before adding, "My son Xiaotie set off on a journey this year too. Ah, I can't help worrying about him."

"Uncle Tony, do you also have a son called Xiaota?"

Dian had asked the question out of the blue.

"How did you know? He's only seven. He's still in school."

Tony stared at him in surprise.

"I heard it from someone."

Dian brushed off the question. The Xiaotie and Xiaota brothers... If Xiaota ever became an Elite, wouldn't that make Tony the father of an Elite in more ways than one?