The Pokémon World

The beauty of this world always needed strength to protect it...

"Giratina, do you intend to defy the temple's orders?"

Where there was light, there was always shadow. The god of the reverse world and Arceus stood at opposite ends of the temple, staring each other down.

"So what if I do? I'd love to slaughter you all right now, but I'll wait until that beast finishes the job before settling these scores. Then I'll tear down this eyesore of a temple, too."

"You!" With a furious roar, Arceus charged at Giratina. The two gods collided, shaking heaven and earth as a fierce battle erupted.

"Young master, you're going to be late. Hurry." Hearing the butler's voice, the boy who had been sound asleep scrambled out of bed and made himself presentable. Once he had finished washing up, he got into the butler's car and headed to school.

"Honestly! You're old enough to get yourself out of bed, young master. Acting like this will only make your parents worry about you from heaven."

The boy said nothing. He simply leaned against the car window, watching the scenery change outside, seemingly lost in thought.

The boy's parents had been wealthy, but they had both died in an accident when he was still little, leaving him and his younger brother behind. At just ten years old, he had taken over an entire corporate group. He barely had time to go out with friends, so his childhood had been limited to watching Pokémon on television.

"Xiao Yan, did you watch Pokémon XY yesterday? Ash's Greninja lost to Alain's Charizard, and Serena left Ash to go to the Hoenn Region, all because some old hag recommended she develop her career there." Xiao Yan's friend was also a Pokémon fan, and they were discussing yesterday's episode.

"Yeah, but how did Ash lose again...?" As far as Xiao Yan remembered, Ash had spent years traveling around and challenging regional leagues, yet he had never won a championship.

"If I were the main character..."

Xiao Yan was in his second year of middle school, around thirteen years old, and he absolutely loved watching Pokémon.

"Xiao Tuo, want to walk home together?"

After school, Xiao Yan went to find his younger brother, who was in his first year of middle school, so they could walk home together. But as usual, his brother pretended not to see him and walked straight past.

Still the same, huh...

A little background: before their deaths, Xiao Yan's parents had considered their sons' abilities and various other factors, then decided that Xiao Yan would inherit all their property. His younger brother was deeply unhappy about this.

Once he got home from school, Xiao Yan went straight to his room to look at the mysterious egg he had found in his bathroom a few days earlier. The boy got carried away and poked it 999 times with his finger. Suddenly, the mysterious egg began to glow, its shell peeling away in the light.

"Th-this... isn't this Arceus from Pokémon?!" Xiao Yan exclaimed, staring at what had appeared before him.

"Stop poking me!!!!" roared a white creature that resembled a horse or a qilin.

Xiao Yan's eyes lit up, and he reached out to pet Arceus.

"Wait..." As Arceus watched the child running his hands all over him, something seemed to occur to him.

"Would you... like to come somewhere with me?"

"Where?" Xiao Yan asked, stopping what he was doing.

"Uh... in your world, I believe it's called the Pokémon world. And this place..."

"I want to go!!!" Xiao Yan answered before Arceus could finish.

Arceus was a little surprised by Xiao Yan's enthusiasm, but then continued.

"All right... settle your affairs here first, then meet me in this room at nine tonight."

The people I cherished in this world are already gone. My only brother has never treated me as family. All he thinks about is how to take the company and property our parents left me. There's nothing left in this hopeless world worth staying for.

Xiao Yan called the butler over and instructed him to do something. At first, the butler looked shocked, but then he obediently went to carry out his master's orders.

Before long, the appointed hour arrived. Holding the last birthday present his parents had given him before their deaths, Xiao Yan walked up to Arceus.

"It seems your connection with Pokémon began quite some time ago." Arceus stared at the plush toy in Xiao Yan's arms.

With that, Arceus opened a gate of light in Xiao Yan's room.

"Come, child. Let's go!" Xiao Yan followed Arceus into the mysterious gate of light.

"What?! The company went bankrupt?" A boy who looked somewhat like Xiao Yan sprang from his chair in agitation.

"Yes..."

"Why did that useless idiot donate all the money? I'm going to find him!" The boy rushed to Xiao Yan's room to look for him, but it was already empty.

The butler followed him in and handed him a paper bag.

"Young Master Xiao Yan left this money for you. He said it was for your living expenses from now on."

Xiao Yan's younger brother angrily pounded the table beside him.

"Damn it! When I find you, I'm going to beat you to a pulp."

The human and the creature arrived in a forest.

"What is this place?"

"This is the Pokémon world, which will collapse in the future."

As Xiao Yan heard this, a Pidgey flew down to rest beside his feet.

"A rift has already appeared in this world. In time, it will slowly widen. My power is no longer what it once was, and I need your help."

Just then, a lively little orange-red dragon jumped out from behind Arceus.

"Roar~ roar~" The affectionate Charmander leaped into Xiao Yan's arms.

"This Pokémon is yours. In the future, he will become your strength and face hardship alongside you. I will stay by your side as well. This is a Pokémon Ball. It's used to catch Pokémon."

Xiao Yan accepted a red-and-white ball from Arceus. Charmander gently touched the Pokémon Ball and was caught inside.

"Wow!" Xiao Yan was thrilled to have a Pokémon of his own.

"Xiao Yan, you are now seven years old, because you and I have traveled six years into the past. Don't worry, you'll grow up again. If there's nothing else, I'll be heading back. I'll keep watching your exploits from now on." With that, Arceus flew into the sky.

"So this is the Pokémon world!"

Holding Charmander in his arms, Xiao Yan walked along a forest path, looking around at his new surroundings with curiosity. The lake beside him reflected his young, handsome face.

In this world, humans and Pokémon lived together peacefully. Like humans, Pokémon could cry, laugh, and get angry; they were creatures with rich emotions. They had lived in this ecosystem for thousands of years, and through frequent contact with humans, many cultures and legends about Pokémon had gradually emerged.

However, some people had begun gathering followers and forming organizations to achieve their goals, using Pokémon to commit crimes such as stealing others' property, hurting people to flaunt their strength, or even pursuing loftier ambitions... In response, the leagues established in each region-for example, the Indigo League in Kanto and the Johto League in the Johto Region-sent people to wipe out these illegal, shadowy organizations. Yet among them were several powerful groups that even the leagues dared not act against rashly. Forcing a war would only leave both sides devastated, so these organizations remained beyond the reach of the law.

After passing through the forest, he saw Pallet Town, known as the "starting point."

"Children who love Pokémon, come join Professor Oak's three-day, two-night Pokémon summer camp!"

From a short distance away, Xiao Yan saw a white-haired, middle-aged man gathering children.

"Professor Oak, I want to join, too!" Struck by a sudden idea, Xiao Yan ran up to the middle-aged man.

"Of course. What's your name, little one?" Professor Oak kindly asked the child who had suddenly appeared before him.

"My name is Xiao Yan."

"Xiao Yan, is it? You've been assigned to Team Charmander. Go meet your teammates. I'll explain the rules to everyone in a little while."

Xiao Yan wandered around the unfamiliar place.

"Where are my lovely teammates?" Though Xiao Yan looked seven, he was still thirteen mentally.

At last, Xiao Yan found his teammates and smoothly settled into the group.