Kanto Pallet Town
At the edge of the small town stood a two-story house with a red roof.
A woman dressed in gardening overalls tended to the various crops in her garden. A Venusaur followed by her side, absorbing the vitality from weeds and channeling it back into the plants.
The woman carried a Squirtle watering can, humming a tune as she watered the crops. A morning breeze swept by, and she gently tucked a strand of bright yellow hair behind her ear.
The peaceful scene was shattered the next moment by a loud thud on the door.
"Mom! I'm ready to go! Where's my vest?"
A little boy wearing a baseball cap, sandwich in his mouth, mumbled as he pulled the vest over his shoulders.
"Alright, but come back first after choosing your Pokémon! I have something to give you!"
The woman lifted her head, revealing a delicate face adorned with a gentle smile.
"Okay!"
The boy waved as he dashed forward, vanishing from sight in an instant.
Watching the boy vanish around the bend of the forest path, the woman merely smiled and shook her head before returning to her work.
Beside her, Venusaur wore an inquiring expression.
Didn't this scene bear a striking resemblance to that day long ago when he first met the boy?
Before he could fully process the thought, a dragon's roar echoed from the distance.
Venusaur and the woman looked up together, seeing the orange-red Charizard rapidly approaching from the distance.
Three or five meters above the ground, a red figure leapt directly from Charizard's back.
"You're late. Tatsuji has already gone to claim his Pokémon."
The woman looked at the man before her, stepped forward to help him up from his half-kneeling position, and said with a smile.
"He's already left?" Red scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "I rushed back as fast as I could. I really am a terrible father..."
Yellow smiled and said, "Then give that kid a few extra words of caution later. After all, going out still carries some danger."
Red wrapped his arms around Yellow's slender waist, pulling her close as he smiled. "It's much safer than it was in our day. Now that the Covenant is officially established, everyone's grown accustomed to this way of life."
Yellow nodded thoughtfully.
The pact signed fifteen years ago had laid out the rights of both humans and Pokémon in plain terms, with both sides making significant compromises regarding their respective entitlements.
Conflicts and tensions between humans and Pokémon gradually subsided after the pact was signed, until they vanished entirely.
Now, the Alliance was considering lowering the age limit for children to travel independently.
After all, children here tended to be relatively self-reliant; by eight, they possessed a certain capacity for self-care.
Red gazed at Yellow in his arms with deep emotion. He never imagined so many years had passed in the blink of an eye.
Their children had grown up, and the world itself had changed beyond recognition.
"Did the docking go smoothly this time?"
Yellow spoke up.
"Things are going smoothly," Red nodded. "After the company lifted our trade restrictions, many factions have come to purchase supplies. Though we don't have any particularly competitive products yet, they're all developing them."
"I heard several factions want to establish industries in our world?"
Yellow voiced the matter she'd overheard from Green, Cynthia, and Daisy a few days prior.
"That's true, but the terms are extremely harsh. The company's recommendation is to decline them."
Red sounded somewhat resigned. Those clauses didn't even require the company's input—even they could spot the red flags. After all, some factions were practically laying traps right out in the open.
"Thankfully, Rope and the company gave us some basic training earlier. Otherwise, even with these traps blatantly written into the contracts, we might not have spotted them."
Yellow could hear the resignation in Red's voice. She gently cupped his face with both hands. "Everything will be okay from now on."
"As long as we grow stronger, everything will be fine!"
Red declared with unwavering confidence.
——————————
Pallet Town, Oak Research Center.
This building stood out starkly against the town's overall style.
Compared to the town's simple, rustic charm, this place felt like another world entirely...
Tatsuji jogged toward the imposing gate ahead.
Beyond the gate lay landscapes of mountains, rivers, and forests. Inside, however, a hazy, indistinct atmosphere enveloped the area.
This wasn't Tatsuji's first time here. Yet, even so, he felt a twinge of nervousness every single visit.
He stared at the gate, took a deep breath—but before he could exhale, he felt something land on his shoulder.
Tatsuji rolled his eyes. "Celebi, you rascal!"
"Mew~"
A green Celebi perched on his shoulder, tapping the brim of his cap with a playful tap.
"Hey kid, you're the last one here today!"
Ignoring the chatter, Tatsuji moved to ring the doorbell.
But before he could get close, a golden halo appeared before his eyes. Inside it, a girl with twin buns waved at him. "Tatsuji, hurry up! We're waiting for you."
Beside her stood three other kids around his age—one boy and two girls.
"Hmph! I knew you'd be the last one, you lazy Tatsuji!"
A girl with long brown hair glared at him challengingly.
"Tatsuji, you lazy bum! I knew you overslept!"
The girl with short black hair stuck out her tongue at him.
"Alright, enough messing around. Come on over, Tatsuji."
Another boy with golden hair rolled his eyes and spoke up.
Tatsuji shot the two girls a fierce glare, but it clearly didn't faze his longtime friends. Instead, they burst into triumphant laughter. He then turned to the blond boy: "I'll be right there."
With that, he stepped through the halo and materialized inside the room.
"Thanks, Hoopa."
Tatsuji addressed Hoopa, who hovered above his head.
Hoopa waved dismissively. "No big deal."
With that, it conjured another halo for itself and slipped inside. A faint pink silhouette of Celebi could be glimpsed within the halo.
They were used to Hoopa's constant comings and goings. Dad said Hoopa used to have the temperament of a child back in the day, but it had gradually matured over time.
Evidence that temperament has little to do with age, but much more with experience and exposure.
"Good morning, Aunt Whitley."
Tatsuji greeted her politely.
Whitley waved him off, signaling no need for formality.
She gestured toward the four Poké Balls on the counter.
"Pick whichever you like. First come, first served."