After the crisis passed...
Ethan Black followed his father among the crowd that was beginning to return to Stonefield Town.
Luckily, the Pokémon Hunters had arrived in time. His family's small two-story house had only suffered a few cracks in the walls, probably from the collateral effects of the Sandshrew.
Not long after Ethan Black and his father returned, his mother, Clara Whitmore—who had been spared because she was out buying vegetables—also came running back. Seeing that the whole family was safe, they were finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.
However, since almost every house in the village had sustained some degree of damage, the villagers didn't go back to their homes. Instead, they gathered at the entrance of the town, waiting for concrete relocation instructions from the League.
Based on past experience, the most likely outcome was that the League would first find them a temporary relocation site, and then make more detailed decisions depending on the situation on the ground.
That night, all of Stonefield Town's residents camped in makeshift tents at the entrance to the village, enduring the long night as best they could.
That night, Ethan Black also took advantage of the internet to deepen his knowledge about the current world. What he discovered shocked him: in this world, only a little more than 500 species of Pokémon had been discovered! A far cry from the more than 800 he remembered!
This was not only because some rare Pokémon had yet to be found, but also because many Pokémon with special evolution methods weren't even mentioned in the records.
Furthermore, aspects such as abilities, items, and moves were still in very early stages of research. Even exploration of civilizations from the other world had only just begun. It was clear that humanity still had a long way to go to fully understand Pokémon.
After all, the Pokémon invasion had only happened 23 years ago, and much of that time had been spent in war. So it was no wonder research was still so far behind.
In fact, much of what humans knew about Pokémon came from a Pokémon research institute discovered by chance. Much of the knowledge about species only existed in documents... real specimens hadn't even been found in the world!
On the other hand, it was also possible that the League had deliberately hidden certain discoveries. Just because they weren't available online didn't mean the League or the great families were unaware of them.
Obviously, some knowledge was strategic. If the major powers discovered something important, they would most likely keep it secret as part of their family legacy.
Knowledge was in the hands of the few!
Even so, as a Pokémon fanatic who knew it all, Ethan Black had an enormous advantage in this world. If he were to share everything he knew with the League, he would probably advance the development of this world's Pokémon civilization by hundreds of years.
Of course, that was impossible... He didn't want to reveal that he was an interdimensional traveler.
Growing in silence and caution... that was the key!
That night, he couldn't sleep. The next morning, Ethan Black left the camp full of energy. By then, the villagers had already gathered at the entrance of the town, waiting for the relocation plan to finally be announced.
Soon after, League workers arrived by bus. After a few words of comfort, they finally addressed the topic that mattered most to the villagers: relocation.
The League proposed two options:
The first option was to leave Stonefield Town and move into resettlement housing near Ironvale City.
After all, a dimensional rift had appeared above the town, which indicated that the local space was beginning to overlap with the other world. It was highly likely that something similar would happen again.
The other option was to receive a Sandshrew as compensation. Obviously, this was meant to give the villagers some defensive capability. If another incident occurred, they could form a self-defense force.
Without a doubt, the League showed great goodwill. Whether relocating or receiving a Pokémon, both offers were very attractive.
It had to be taken into account that houses near Ironvale City weren't cheap at all. Even in the outskirts, an apartment cost more than 500,000 Pokédollars. Meanwhile, a common Pokémon was worth around 100,000 Pokédollars. Of course, that was for the most ordinary ones—rare Pokémon could cost a fortune!
"Both options are great, what are you going to choose? Let's talk it over!" said one villager.
"Talk what over? My house was reduced to rubble by those damned rats! I've got no choice but to move. Damn rodents!"
"What a pity. This was a great opportunity to become a Trainer. If you go through the official route, it's a huge hassle. And the Pokémon they give you are artificially bred! Nothing like the wild ones!"
"Exactly! I want my son to have a wild Sandshrew. Look at those muscles! He'd be an expert on any construction site!"
As they heard the options, the villagers began to argue excitedly.
Ethan Black, for his part, observed in silence. The comment about using a Sandshrew for construction work seemed a bit ridiculous, but it made sense. Pokémon abilities made them perfect for many tasks humans couldn't perform.
A Sandshrew, for example, was perfect for digging tunnels, just as its name suggested. If you had one, construction companies would fight to hire you!
"Ethan, what do you think about these Sandshrew? What if we also ask for one? I just checked the house—there are only some cracks in the wall, the rest is fine, still livable," said Victor Black as he approached.
Choose a Sandshrew as his starter Pokémon?
His father's words made Ethan Black thoughtful. It was true that Sandshrew and its evolution weren't considered particularly strong. But after all, this wasn't a video game. Theoretically, any Pokémon had the potential to become powerful.
"Don't worry, Dad. I'll definitely become a great Trainer!" said Ethan Black decisively.
Hearing this, Victor Black smiled with satisfaction: "Good boy! It's good to have ambition!"
After making their decision, they went to register with the League workers. Once all the villagers made their choice, they would be able to pick the Sandshrew they liked best.
Waiting was the hardest part. To kill time and prepare for his future as a Trainer, Ethan Black decided to design a special training plan based on his knowledge of Sandshrew.
That way, as soon as he had his Pokémon, he could start training right away. After all, success only comes to those who are prepared!
(End of Chapter)