Where the Dream Began

Hooooonk-!

On the calm, azure sea, a medium-sized ship slowly approached the harbor, its horn sounding a long blast.

Although the coastal city was bustling and its docks were lively, a closer look revealed that the passengers aboard had no interest in admiring the scenery. Instead, all their attention was focused on the deck.

There, a Pokémon battle had reached its final moments!

The two Pokémon facing off were Ralts and a purple mouse, Rattata. Their Pokémon Trainers were a handsome young man of about twenty and a middle-aged man in a suit.

On the battlefield, the intense fighting had rapidly drained Rattata's stamina. Seeing that his Pokémon was at a disadvantage and could not even touch Ralts, the middle-aged man grew anxious and shouted, "Rattata, close in quickly, then use Tackle!"

At his command, Rattata waited for an opening, then accelerated on all fours. It dashed up to Ralts and slammed its head forward.

But just as it was about to hit Ralts, Ralts suddenly used Double Team, creating several illusory copies!

Unable to stop in time, Rattata shot straight through one of the illusions.

Among the onlookers were quite a few passengers who knew plenty about Pokémon, so most of them recognized this as Double Team, a Normal-type move that many Pokémon could use!

At the edge of the battlefield, Xia You watched Rattata freeze in place, at a complete loss. After all this back and forth, he knew it was time to end the battle.

"Ralts, use Confusion!"

No sooner had he spoken than all of Ralts's illusions raised their arms and pointed at Rattata. A moment later, a strange glow surrounded Rattata, lifting it into the air!

It struggled desperately, but to no avail. Unable to break free of Confusion's grip, it was sent flying backward with a sweep of Ralts's arm. With a bang, it crashed into the nearby railing.

The force was so great that everyone around could clearly see the railing had been bent out of shape!

That was more than Rattata could take. Its eyes rolled back, and it collapsed limply onto the deck.

The crew member acting as referee bent down to check on it, then shook his head, raised his right hand, and announced loudly, "Rattata is unable to battle! Ralts wins!"

At his announcement, the watching passengers applauded the thrilling battle, privately marveling at the strength Ralts had displayed.

One attractive young woman even whistled flirtatiously at Xia You.

"That was amazing!"

"Wow, that makes seven wins in a row for him, right?"

"Exactly! And his Ralts barely took any damage the whole time. It's incredible!"

With praise ringing in his ears, Xia You remained composed. He walked over to Ralts and affectionately stroked its head before approaching the middle-aged man.

The two shook hands briefly. After glancing at Ralts a few times, the middle-aged man could not help praising it. "You've really raised your Ralts well! I have no complaints about losing this battle!"

"Your Rattata is pretty good, too." Xia You remained friendly toward the opponent he had defeated, returning the compliment. "I hope we get another chance to meet!"

The middle-aged man shook his head with a chuckle, then stepped aside.

As he left the battlefield, the passengers exchanged looks, waiting to see who would be the next to challenge this handsome young man!

But just as several eager Pokémon Trainers began scrambling to step forward, Xia You suddenly took a step back.

"Sorry, everyone. I'd love to keep battling, but it looks like we've reached our destination. It's time for us to disembark!"

At his words, the passengers hurriedly looked back. Only then did they realize that the ship had docked without them noticing!

Warm, brilliant sunlight shone over the city, while waves driven by the restless sea tirelessly washed against the long, narrow breakwater.

Looking out toward the horizon, there was nothing but blue. Sea and sky blended into one, as though the entire world were a vast mirror.

The gentle sea breeze, damp and salty, felt indescribably pleasant against the skin.

This was Vermilion City, an important harbor in the Kanto Region, a southern city bathed in the orange glow of the setting sun!

When Xia You emerged from the ship's cabin and set foot on this familiar yet unfamiliar land, he could not contain his joy.

Ash, Misty, Brock, Pikachu, Professor Oak, the Kanto Region, the Indigo League... Ever since his childhood in his previous life, this place had held so many memories for him. He had never imagined that one day he would actually come here!

Although several months had passed since he arrived in this Pokémon world, it still felt unreal whenever he thought about it.

At his feet, Ralts sensed its Pokémon Trainer's feelings and gave a soft cry.

Glancing down at it, Xia You chuckled. "All right. We've made it to the Kanto Region, but before we challenge the Indigo League, we should register at a Pokémon Center."

Leaving the harbor, Xia You took out his phone, opened the map, and followed the streets toward the Pokémon Center downtown.

Along the way, he frequently saw Pokémon Trainers traveling through the city with their Pokémon. Throughout the world, Pokémon had long since become part of people's lives, whether in entertainment, food service, deliveries, or public safety. They were indispensable companions in everyday life. If they ever disappeared, that would be truly strange.

Still, quite a few people cast curious glances at the Ralts beside Xia You.

It could not be helped. Ralts was simply too rare a sight for the people of this region!

Its green hair resembled half a cabbage, covering most of its face, while its white body looked as though it were wearing an overly long pair of trousers.

As a Pokémon not native to the Kanto Region, Ralts naturally drew plenty of attention. Even in other regions, it was relatively rare, and few Pokémon Trainers owned one.

Ignoring the looks from passersby, Xia You entered the city center and crossed a few more streets before spotting the Pokémon Center's entrance in the distance.

When he entered the lobby, he saw Nurse Joy, with her curled pink hair and nurse's uniform, sorting documents at the front desk. At the sight of Xia You, she put on a friendly, professional smile.

"Hello, welcome to the Pokémon Center. How may I help you?"

"Hello, Nurse Joy." Looking at her, Xia You briefly lost himself in his memories before quickly coming back to his senses and smiling. "I'm here to compete in the Indigo Conference. Could you help me register?"

"Of course." Nurse Joy pointed toward the computer screen beside her. "Please scan your Pokédex here first."

Xia You nodded, took his Pokédex from inside his jacket, and placed it on the computer. A moment later, his information appeared on the screen, and a synthesized male voice sounded from the computer.

"Xia You from Vaniville Town in the Kalos Region has completed registration for the Indigo League. Current number of badges: 0. We wish you success in your battles."

"The Kalos Region?" Hearing the announcement, Nurse Joy gave Xia You a surprised look. "That really is a long way away!"

"Yes." Xia You nodded lightly, his words carrying a double meaning. "It really wasn't easy getting here."

While they were talking, a round, plump Chansey suddenly approached from the side.

Holding a box bearing the Indigo League's logo, it made its way over to Xia You.

Nurse Joy gestured for him to take it and smiled. "We give every registered Pokémon Trainer a Badge Case. This one is yours. Please accept it."

Xia You glanced down at it.

It looked like nothing more than an ordinary box, with no unusual features, and did not seem particularly valuable.

He thanked her and accepted the box, then asked, "By the way, Nurse Joy, my Pokédex still contains information for the Kalos Region. Is there any way to expand it to include the Kanto Region?"

"I'm very sorry..." After a brief hesitation, Nurse Joy shook her head. "We can't make changes to a Pokédex here. If you'd like to expand it, you could visit Cerise Laboratory here in the city, or Professor Oak's Laboratory in Pallet Town to the west, and ask one of the professors for help. I'm sure they'd be happy to!"

This story focuses on multiple heroines, catching Pokémon, challenging Gyms, League battles, exploring the world, and fighting villains. If that sounds like your kind of story, please add it to your favorites.

If you're looking for a story about raising and training Pokémon, there's no need to read any further.