When I woke again, I found myself lying beneath a towering tree, surrounded by an endless sea of trees. Although I had already started learning about travel, I couldn't identify any of the trees here. There were unfamiliar bird Pokémon, too, and tiny insects crawled past me that looked nothing like Bug-type Pokémon. Oh, and I also saw a snake climbing a tree trunk toward a bird's nest on a branch... Everything here was so unfamiliar.
I was frightened and lost. I wanted to go home. I cried and called for Mom, but only birdsong and the rustling of insects answered me. After crying and shouting until I was exhausted, I leaned against the tree and fell asleep.
The next time I woke, I was jolted awake. Opening my eyes, I discovered that my hands had been bound behind my back and a strip of cloth had been stuffed into my mouth. Someone wearing what looked like sheet-metal clothing was carrying me in one hand, leaping from branch to branch as easily as walking on level ground. Instinctively sensing that this person meant me harm, I struggled and tried to call for help, but all I could make were muffled sounds.
My struggles only made the person carrying me laugh, and more laughter came from behind me. From their conversation, I learned that they thought I was a rich man's child because of my clothes and wanted to extort a sizable sum from my parents. Even if they couldn't find my parents, they could sell me as a slave and still make plenty of money.
Although I was young, I knew what slaves were: people in ancient times who had no rights. They weren't like our servants at home, who received meals, lodging, and wages for their work. I didn't