"Fire Punch!"
"Bide!"
Two Pokémon clashed, lightning dancing over their forms. One glowed an ominous red as it tanked the damage, drawing in the physical force of the punch even as the lightning danced harmlessly over its tough skin. The two Pokémon disengaged.
Their Trainers stood on makeshift wooden podiums, replicating a stadium battle. In front of them, the two Pokémon sparred, their fierce clash echoing through the air, with only the Trainers' voices breaking the silence. Then, the Pokémon collided once more.
On either side of the small arena, children, barely tall enough to reach adult waistlines, cheered enthusiastically. There were also adults, many of whom were grandparents encouraging the two kids who would one day make a name for themselves.
A few men and women sat nearby, chatting quietly or munching on snacks. A Skitty curled up contentedly in one woman's lap, purring as its owner gently stroked its fur, reaching all the hard-to-reach spots. They were visitors to Celestic Town, relishing the experience of watching the Celestic Town graduation ritual.
Every year, on the same day, the children graduating from kindergarten gather to prove their skills and become the town's best before stepping into primary school.
This is because, when you enter primary school, it means you've already completed an introduction to Pokémon.
After this, you'll dive deeper into Pokémon knowledge, like learning how to interact and communicate with them. And that's why having your starter Pokémon is so important at this stage—it's like a "Welcome to the Pokémon world" moment.
It helps cement in the kids' minds that Pokémon aren't just creatures to battle, but actual friends, partners, and companions.
The ritual usually involves kids practicing with their parents' or grandparents' Pokémon, showing off that all that "Pokémon 101" wasn't a waste of time on them.
Allen sat on the stone bench, a field notebook on his lap and a pen in his hand, scribbling down his thoughts on the battle and how the two Pokémon fought. Comparisons, differences, anything that caught his eye as interesting or odd.
He was so focused on his notebook that he didn't notice someone pouting beside him, her lips stuck out in grievances, just like a Jigglypuff ready to sing you to sleep.
Seeing her friend almost in tears, the watermelon-shaped head girl could feel the anger bubbling up. She rose up valiantly before lowering her head, ready to knock someone into next week.
Her target: Allen.
The main target felt a chill down his spine as he quickly searched for the cause, only to find the little girl about to charge.
'Hey, hey, are you a human or a Tauros? Why do you always love charging at people?!' Allen thought anxiously before realizing the bigger problem.
He put his notebook and pen down and assumed a wise stance.
"You know, Cynthia, Caitlin, Pokémon can live in every environment. They trust us, and together, we can explore a world filled with wonder, adventure, and danger. We can achieve great things together."
Allen peeked over, only to see Cynthia deep in thought and Caitlin calming herself down before he sighed in relief.
"Pokémon want to grow stronger, to become better. Rare is the Pokémon who never wants to fight, but they exist! And that's not bad. You can perform with them, enter a contest, or assist with chores like carrying things, cooking, helping around the house, or gardening—"
Allen stopped and looked at Cynthia. "Hey, Cynthia, isn't your birthday coming up soon? Are you going to celebrate it?"
"Uh?" Cynthia was taken aback.
This little girl, whose birthday was coming up, and from what his grandma Dracelia had said, it seemed his grandmother or Professor Carolina had already prepared a special gift for her.
"Hmmm," and Allen knew exactly what this special gift was.
The only problem is that while Cynthia will probably get her first Pokémon egg, he still isn't allowed to receive his Pokémon yet. The privilege thing in the Pokémon world is real!
It's just like how, in the past, you'd hear stories about rich second-generation heirs or chaebols getting opportunities just because of their family. It's the same situation here, with Cynthia being the only granddaughter of Professor Carolina.
Originally, Allen thought that, since his Aunt Drasna was an elite Four member, he'd be able to use the same privilege to receive his starter Pokémon. But when he heard the rules, he decisively rejected the idea.
There's a quota for each family, meaning if his aunt used her privilege to get him a starter Pokémon, it would take up her quota. What if she had a child later on? Wouldn't that mean her quota would already be used up?
Allen knew he might be overthinking this, but he couldn't help it. He'd watched many films in his previous life that told stories about how family relationships can crumble because of favoritism or preferential treatment.
His aunt or uncle probably didn't mind it, but what if the child later started bawling, wanting a Pokémon? Wouldn't that lead to thoughts like, 'If only the quota...' and the endless cycle of 'If only... If only...'
Isn't that a never-ending loop? Wouldn't this kind of thing build up resentment? Allen didn't want to take that chance.
"Ah, yes, my birthday!" Cynthia suddenly remembered, her face lighting up with excitement. She pulled Caitlin, who had been standing behind her like a bodyguard, and locked eyes with her. "Caitlin, can you come to my house this week? It's my birthday!" she said, her voice filled with joy.
Caitlin's eyes brightened, but then a hint of sadness flickered across her face. Her father was always caught up in his construction work, but he still wanted to attend her best friend's special day.
"Why don't you just walk over from your house? It's not far from Cynthia's, is it?" Allen asked gently, afraid her Tauros syndrome might flare up again.
'Yeah, what's there to be afraid of in Celestic Town? Unless you're out at night, then you might get a good scolding!'
Cynthia's eyes sparkled with hope, and she took Caitlin's hand in hers. "What if I, and my grandma, pick you up? If you're worried about getting lost, we can come get you! It'll be so much fun!"
"Whatever." Feeling ignored, Allen shrugged it off and turned his attention to the crowded area, pointing. "That's Mayor Monny."
The previous kindergarten children were already bored with the Pokémon battle and soon he noticed Grandpa Monny, who was already seated in his usual spot.
Behind him, standing tall like a strict teacher, was his Aggron—the ruler—whose intimidating gaze silenced any child who dared to make a noise. Instead of being scared, the kids' eyes sparkled as they looked at it.
Cynthia and Caitlin's eyes lit up like they'd seen a celebrity. Grandpa Monny always loved to tell stories about Pokémon, and they were his biggest fans.
"Let's go to Grandpa Monny!" Cynthia said, springing up from her seat and dragging Allen and Caitlin along.
Soon, the closer they got, the more they could hear it.
"Grandpa! Tell us your story!"
The children swarmed around him. The old man, sitting on a wooden bench under a large tree, chuckled.
It seemed his Aggron was completely irrelevant to the kids. Aggron, looking absolutely defeated, could only sigh dramatically like a tired babysitter.
Since Celestic Town wasn't a very busy place, being mayor wasn't too hard. Most of his duties involved maintaining traditions, organizing festivals, preventing disasters like the avalanche before, and making sure no one accidentally knocked over the ancient ruins.
"What? What story?"
The old man cupped his hand to his ear, giving the most confused look he could muster. The children groaned. They'd been through this routine before. It was just part of satisfying the old man's vanity—kids had to practically beg him for the story, like they were asking for a bedtime tale.
"Your story!"
"The story! Please tell us!"
"Ohhh, that story?" The old man blinked.
Satisfied with this, he leaned back under the expectant gaze of the children, gazing dramatically at the sky as if lost in deep thought.
The children immediately fell silent. They had no idea what he was remembering, but whatever it was, it had to be EPIC.
The old man had experienced those things just the other day, but the children knew how old the story was.
"When I was a little younger than you, the town was peaceful. There hadn't been trouble with wild Pokémon for years. It was a quiet, happy place."
The old man was lost in his old memories.
"One day, while playing in the nearby forest, I stumbled upon a small wooden box under a tree. It was beautiful, so I picked it up and brought it back to the village. The villagers, too, admired the strange and elegant box. But then—"
The old man suddenly staggered, making the children gasp. Some immediately rushed to his side, while others, wide-eyed, gripped each other's hands tightly.
The old man waved his hand, reassuring them that he was okay. Taking a deep breath, he lowered his voice as much as possible and said, "It was a monster. A mimic."
The children nodded solemnly, some of their faces pale and tense with apprehension.
"We didn't know what it was, but the box rumbled again, louder this time. And then... I saw it. A tiny creature, no bigger than my hand, sitting inside. Its body was gray, with two golden eyes staring right at me. It didn't move—it just sat there, watching."
The children listened in silence, completely absorbed in the story.
"I was mesmerized. The people, too, leaned in closer, wondering what it was. And then, something strange happened. The creature… it whispered to me."
The old man's voice dropped to a hushed whisper, making the children lean in unconsciously.
"It told me... to bring it more coins."
A shiver ran through the group.
"I didn't think much of it at first. I had a few spare coins in my pocket, so I dropped them into the box. The creature's eyes glowed, and it made this eerie rattling sound."
"But after that day… I started to feel different. Every time I saw a coin, I felt like I needed to have it. I started picking up every shiny thing I could find. I didn't even realize it at first, but my thoughts kept drifting back to that little creature in the box. I wanted to bring it more. More coins. More treasure. More, more, more... until—"
The old man paused dramatically, letting the words sink in.
He exhaled, shaking his head. "People too started to notice. I wasn't myself anymore. I didn't care about playing or helping out. I just wanted coins. Needed them. And then, one day, my father grabbed me by the shoulders and shouted, 'Snap out of it!' That's when I realized..."
One of the children gulped. "W-what happened next, Grandpa?"
The old man trailed off. The silence stretched, thick with tension. The children held their breath, waiting, but he said nothing.
The wind rustled the leaves above them. Somewhere in the distance, a Murkrow cawed.
Then, suddenly—
"WOOAAAAAAAH!!"
"AAAAAAAHHHHH!"
The old man shouted, flailing his arms, and the children screamed, causing others to jump and shriek in response. Some even burst into tears right then.
The old man threw his head back, laughing heartily. "Hahaha! You should have seen your faces!"
Some of the braver children even pointed accusing fingers at the old man.
"BAD VILLAIN! THAT WASN'T FUNNY!"
But the old man didn't budge. In fact, he laughed even harder, clutching his sides. No matter how many times he frightened them, no matter how many times they swore they wouldn't fall for it again, every week, they would still gather around—wide-eyed and eager—begging him for another story.
And just like always, by the end of it, they would be running home with tears in their eyes and sniffles in their noses.
"Hmph, Grandpa Monny's trick again!" Cynthia huffed, shaking the dust off her hands, clearly dissatisfied.
Allen could only look at her with a weird expression. 'Then why are you always so excited, then?'
As for Caitlin, she never bothered to listen to the story in the first place. She only stared in one direction, frowning, not knowing what she was thinking.
"Wait for me here," Allen said hurriedly before running toward the old man.
"Allen, what are you doing?" Cynthia asked, but Allen was already leaving.
Soon, Allen was standing in front of the old man, Mayor Monny.
"What do you want, kid?" he asked, seeing Allen already pulling out a pen and notepad, unsure of what the kid was planning—an interview?
"What happened after that?" Allen asked.
"Huh?"
"I mean, the story. It's not complete, right?"
The old man was taken aback by the serious expression on Allen's face. He realized the kid was being serious too, and he couldn't disappoint his expectations.
"Oh, right." The old man paused, collecting his thoughts. "I knew I had to stop. That night, I took the box back to the forest. I placed it under the same tree where I found it and ran back home without looking back. I never saw it again. But even now… sometimes, when I walk through the village, I swear I can hear the sound of coins rattling in the wind."
Allen was satisfied with the answer. Holding his notepad and pen like a seasoned reporter, he began questioning Mayor Monny, but the old man wasn't ready for this kind of interrogation.
"Where did you meet the Pokémon?"
The old man froze.
"Can you tell me the location?"
Mayor Monny's mouth gaped, struggling to find words.
"Old man, why aren't you answering? Do you think—"
"Allen, what are you doing?!" Cynthia dashed over, yanking Allen's ear before quickly bowing to Mayor Monny, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "Sorry, sorry, Grandpa! I don't know what's gotten into him, I swear!"
"You—" However, Mayor Monny ignored Cynthia and instead stared at Allen seriously, as if he wanted to ask, "How did you—?"
"Alright, alright, stop pulling my ear!" Allen cut him off, grumbling as their figures disappeared, leaving Mayor Monny standing alone.
"What do you mean? We have class after this!"
"Alright, alright, stop pulling my ear!"
Soon, their voices disappeared, and Mayor Monny finally sighed. He looked toward the area near Route 211 and asked himself, "Are you still there?"