"Blue alert! Blue alert!"
"An unknown spatial fluctuation has been detected near Stonefield Town, the formation of a dimensional rift is predicted..."
"Predicted location of the rift confirmed, coordinates..."
A column of blue light shot up toward the sky from the Pokémon League headquarters in Ironvale City. Even though it was broad daylight, all the passersby could see it clearly.
"Another dimensional rift?"
"How many times has it been already this year? It's getting more and more frequent!"
"Good thing this time it's only a blue alert. Hopefully there aren't any civilians in danger near the rift..."
The onlookers sighed as they watched the light piercing through the sky. Worrisome as it was, they were already quite used to these kinds of incidents.
"The Pokémon Hunters Guild has received an emergency mission..."
"The Pokémon Center has activated an urgent rescue protocol..."
After the blue alert was issued from League headquarters, all of the city's rescue units quickly sprang into action.
Soon, several giant Pidgeot could be seen flying across the sky, each carrying a Pokémon Hunter on its back, swiftly heading toward the rift's location.
...
Stonefield Town, under the jurisdiction of Ironvale City.
The sky looked like a torn rag. A black rift was slowly opening, stretching wider and wider. From inside, earthen-brown spheres were falling to the ground, as if meatballs were being thrown down from the sky.
These spheres, upon hitting the ground, took shape: they were armadillo-like creatures with brown skin—it was Sandshrew from the Pokémon world!
"Damn, it's a dimensional rift! Pokémon are crossing into this world!"
"Don't panic! Luckily the rift appeared in the air. We still have time to evacuate!"
"The League must already know. The Pokémon Hunters will be here soon!"
The villagers panicked at the sight of Sandshrew rolling down from the sky. Fortunately, the mayor and the village leaders organized the evacuation in an orderly way, moving people away from the danger zone.
In the middle of the crowd, Ethan Black froze, as if struck by lightning.
At first, he thought it was an earthquake, but he never imagined that... Pokémon were falling from the sky!
"What the hell is this...?"
"Why isn't it raining water but Pokémon?"
"I must still be dreaming!" he shouted, shaking his head.
Just as Ethan Black was about to go back to his room to sleep a little more, someone yanked him up!
Ethan Black looked carefully—it was his father, strong as a bull!
"Idiot! What are you standing there for? Run!" growled his father, Victor Black, while smacking him on the head.
"Ow! You're gonna make me even dumber!" complained Ethan Black, rubbing his head.
But before he could protest any further, he felt a sharp pain in his brain, as if something had shattered in his mind. Suddenly, a flood of memories began filling his head.
"Look, Pidgeot! The Pokémon Hunters have arrived!"
"Whew! Thank goodness! They got here just in time!"
The crowd burst into cheers. A flock of Pidgeot was rapidly approaching from the horizon, and in the blink of an eye, they were flying over Stonefield Town.
The Pidgeot began flapping their mighty wings, generating a series of tornados that swept over the ground, engulfing all the Sandshrew emerging from the rift.
Under the force of the tornados, the Sandshrew were hurled into the air and then slammed into the ground with violence, all of them instantly knocked out.
Once most were incapacitated, the Hunters riding on the Pidgeot pulled red-and-white Poké Balls from their backpacks, hurling them toward the Sandshrew on the ground.
The battle lasted several hours. In the end, almost all of the Sandshrew that had crossed through the rift were captured. The few remaining would be secured in the next stages of the operation.
The rift in the sky gradually closed, and no more Sandshrew appeared.
Thus the incident concluded: an invasion of Sandshrew through a dimensional rift, resolved efficiently by the Pokémon Hunters. Next came the task of resettling the inhabitants of Stonefield Town.
From the top of a hill, Ethan Black watched the Hunters wrapping up the operation, bewildered. He rubbed his head, trying to sort through the tangled mess of memories in his mind.
"So... Pokémon really do exist?"
Suddenly, he froze. His eyes shone brightly, and an irrepressible smile spread across his lips.
About 23 years ago, dimensional rifts began appearing all over the world. Behind these rifts lay a special, mysterious space that humanity named the Secret Kingdom.
There, creatures known as Pokémon existed. They began crossing into this world, causing numerous wars against humans.
Until, during one expedition, an ancient Pokémon research institution was discovered. By deciphering technology from that unknown civilization, humans learned how to use Poké Balls—devices capable of capturing Pokémon.
Thus the profession of Pokémon Hunter was born, and with it, the Pokémon League was organized, tasked with fighting off invasions of creatures from the rifts.
In recent years, Pokémon had integrated into human society as a new form of life. New professions arose, such as Pokémon Trainer, Pokémon Researcher, Pokémon Breeder, and many others.
Human life changed radically with the appearance of Pokémon.
Ethan Black, standing there as if he had just fallen in love at first sight, felt his heart pounding wildly.
Inside, he was shouting in desperation:
"No matter if this is a dream or not! To meet Pokémon, to grow alongside them, to explore the world together...! If this is a dream... then please, don't ever wake me up!"
(End of Chapter)