After getting calmed down by both Will's parents, which is a bit awkward as they treated me like a child, I decided to clean myself up and return to the bedroom to change into a new set of clothes.
After putting on a plain white shirt and a pair of black shorts, I decided to distract myself by trying to find out more about this world. I may know this is the Pokémon world, but I need to know if this is anime, a game, manga, or a completely different Pokémon universe.
My, I mean Will's parents, got him a computer in his own room (I wonder how they even approve this. My parents would decapitate me for asking such things), so I use it without hesitation. The first thing I need to figure out is which region I'm currently in.
What I got is not what I expected: Indus Region.
Okay...so, I expect a lot of things when I realize I'm in the Pokémon world, but a completely new region that I never heard of is another thing. When I take a look at the map, I am greeted with an image of 5 huge islands in different shapes, with one of them shaped like a 'k'.
Yeah, this is basically just Indonesia, but in Pokémon World.
I decided not think about it and continue to look for more information. I was greeted with the history of the region. Before the region was named Indus, 5 kingdom once ruled over this region, each kingdom claimed each island as its own.
The first kingdom is Iliakos (which is now the name of the island at the north side of the region), and from the historical description, they were once conquerors. They have the desire to conquer the other 4 islands through destruction. They even trained Fire-Type Pokemons and invented firearms in this region to fulfill their desires. They worship Ho-Oh for its powerful flames and twisted the definition of the Cycle of Rebirth. They see destruction not as the end, but as a new beginning.
Apparently, Arceus felt offended by the scene and sent Groudon to cause a harsh drought in the kingdom.
It wasn't implied, but I can't find a reason why Groudon randomly popped up in the kingdom and roasted the entire Iliakos population with harsh sunlight.
The second kingdom is Kyma (which is now the name of the island at the eastern side of the region), a rival kingdom of Illiakos. Like the kingdom of flames, they were also conquerors, but were the complete opposite of Iliakos. Where Iliakos preferred Fire-Type and any fire-related destruction, Kyma preferred Water-Type and destruction through flood or tsunami. They had a sick tradition of building a dam with the help of Bidoof and Bibarel, building a village near it, and flooding the entire land along with the villagers.
I swear to Arceus, what was wrong with my ancestors?
Like Iliakos, Kyma met its demise by getting its kingdom destroyed by a Legendary Pokémon. In their case, Kyogre flooded their whole civilization. The reason behind their demise is unknown, as any ancient texts carved in the ruins had deteriorated due to the flood.
The third kingdom is Gi (now the name of the 'K' shaped island located on the west side of Iliakos), and thankfully, they were not conquerors like the other two. Their civilizations were...unique to say. Their entire kingdom was underground. The royalty lived in a giant hole with a bunch of paths leading to the civilians' house, like a giant ant nest.
It may sound good at all, but tectonic plates can be found in a certain area of the Indus region, meaning earthquakes can happen anytime. The Gi Kingdom just happened to be 'that' certain area. Some people speculate that Kyogre's storm also affects that island, in which the flood collapses the entire kingdom, but most choose to believe it was caused by an earthquake.
Archaeologists found the kingdom only several years ago, including the fossils of the residents, humans, and Pokemons. The only reason they could even find the kingdom is due to a giant stone slab with an ancient text that roughly translate 'The Gi Kingdom is Here'.
Yeah, I have no words.
The next kingdom will be Fysi (now the name of the island at the western side of the region), a kingdom made of nothing but treehouses. It sounds cool until you realize the storm caused by Kyogre collapsed the entire kingdom with no mercy.
The only reason why people these days could find them is due to the local tribes, who are descendants of Fysi's residents, who live nearby and share their stories. Some people in internet didn't believe them, thinking it was just a way to make them sound cool.
Yeah, those people receive massive backlashes as the tribe manages to gain access to internets. When those people retort that the local tribe wouldn't get accessed to the internet, they retort back by saying they're not savages.
Once again, I have no words.
The last kingdom is Aeras (now the name of the island in the southern part of the region), and it's a kingdom built in a large mountain. An interesting thing is that the kingdom was built on the same island as the one we're currently living on, just hundreds of kilometers from the city. The people in that kingdom were filled with pacifists, and they worshipped Rayquaza as the protector of the sky.
During the storm brought by Kyogre, their kingdom, built with the stones found in the mountain, managed to stand tall and endure the harsh weather caused by Kyogre. Also, being a pacifist, the people of Aeras had accepted some people who migrated from other kingdoms to stay with them after hearing about the disaster that struck their kingdoms.
Of course, this led to the kingdom's downfall, as massive conflict arose in the kingdom. People from other kingdoms born with different cultures and mindsets are unable to agree with each other.
Arceus...this region's history is quite messy...
Still, it is quite interesting to learn. I glance at the time and sigh. I had spent an hour looking into the history of the region, and I still had to wait for another hour before Will's parents called to celebrate his birthday.
I still can't call them my parents, even though they are their multiversal counterparts. The guilt in my heart won't allow me to do so. I clearly had stolen a child's life, and that fact will never change.
I shake my thoughts off and continue with my research. I found quite an interesting discovery. The education system in this world is quite similar to the one in my country. There are a few different things, like science focus on Pokémon, specifically Biology. Physical Education also involves Pokémon, but it only starts when you're in 4th grade. That is the year when a child is allowed to have a Pokémon, and school will teach them how to properly treat them.
To get their Pokémon, children will go to the city's sanctuary to get one. People in there will provide recommendations based on the child's personality, either described by parents or observed through short conversations.
Of course, you can still catch wild Pokemons, but you have to go to the sanctuary to register yourself and your Pokémon. Any registered child will be provided a Pokedex for information and for registering any future Pokémon they plan to catch.
Sanctuary Pokemons aren't cheap, but for any first timer, they will receive their starter Pokemons for free. Any Pokemons you plan to buy will depend on their species. This leads to people choosing to catch a wild Pokémon, but from some internet comments, it's safe to say that it ain't an easy task.
Why? Well, from my observation, most people from this region...aren't a friendly bunch...
Based on the social media videos, it was mostly their fault that they weren't able to catch a wild Pokémon. They have no one but themselves to blame. People had tried to provide proper advice, and their responses?
'Instead of yapping, why don't you try it yourself, huh!?'
I swear, I feel embarrassed, and people from other regions will assume all of us are as rude as this bozo.
I take a deep breath before I decide to visit the backyard, holding a plate of grapes while eating them. I remember how Will's parents were baffled that I accepted the plate of grapes without any complaints. At first, I was confused, but I overheard how Will never liked fruits.
Oh, Will, what kind of monster are you?! Disliking one type of fruit is one thing, but all of them!?! No wonder your body is nothing but bones wrapped in skin!
As I walk into the backyard, I can't help but let out a breath. It was quite a large backyard with a small pond at the left edge of the fence. I can see a Tauros munching grass near the door, a Chansey treating a Fletchling, a Cinccino gently places a bunch of acorns into the tree hole, and a Furfrou sleeping under the tree.
The Tauros belongs to Will's dad, who brought it from his home village. He used to live in a small village in Iliakos Island before moving to Aeros Island and meeting Will's mom, who used to be from Kyma Island.
Based on this region's history, I can see the irony.
The Tauros has been Dad's, I mean Will's dad's companion since childhood, helping him with chores back when he lived in the village. Chansey and Cinccino belong to Will's mom. Her Chansey is a gift from Will's grandmother, and it has been her caretaker since. Cinccino, on the other hand, is a unique case, and I honestly wonder how it even makes sense.
Furfrou belongs to Will's sis, and she caught the Pokémon by herself. People who hear this will expect her to catch the Pokémon by befriending the canine, but nope. She straight up wrestling with it, forcing the poor pup into submission.
I blame her older cousins for that.
I can't help but smile at the peaceful scene in the backyard as I slowly sit on the ground and place the plate filled with grapes. I try to grab the grapes, but I feel like something is trying to pull the grapes away. I turn to see a Cyndaquil trying to take it away, but it froze upon noticing me.
What are the chances...
I didn't say a word before letting the grape go. The little Cyndaquil takes it away before glancing at me warily. I simply smile at the little guy, which causes it to tilt its head curiously.
I wonder if I could gain this little guy's trust and make it my first partner? Cyndaquil and all the official regional starters were very expensive if bought in the sanctuary and very rare to encounter. Even the sanctuary had warned others that getting one might take months.
Not to mention, Cyndaquil is my favorite starter, despite its final evolution sparking a controversy on the internet.
As I glance at the Cyndaquil, who realizes I'm not hostile and eats the grape, I can't help but wonder about my future goals. I know I have stolen a child's life, but at the same time, I am too much of a coward to pull the alternative, so all I can do is live this life.
The child's goal is to be a future Pokémon battler and beat the champion, and I always wanted to be a Pokémon trainer. I guess I could fulfill his dream along the way...
j̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶b̶l̶a̶t̶a̶n̶t̶l̶y̶ ̶p̶u̶s̶h̶e̶d̶ ̶m̶y̶ ̶g̶u̶i̶l̶t̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶s̶u̶i̶c̶i̶d̶a̶l̶ ̶t̶h̶o̶u̶g̶h̶t̶s̶ ̶i̶n̶t̶o̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶d̶e̶e̶p̶ ̶p̶a̶r̶t̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶m̶y̶ ̶m̶i̶n̶d̶
But first, let's try to befriend this little guy...
To be Continued