To be honest, Lucy barely remembered what she felt the moment she saw a living Dreepy.
Her mind had gone completely blank.
Shock? Fear? Disbelief?
All of it.
The impact was overwhelming.
For nearly twenty years, she had believed firmly in a rational, material world.
Then suddenly—
A creature straight out of fantasy was floating in front of her.
She almost felt like she had lived her life in vain.
After calming down, she finally got to interact with Dreepy up close under Luna's introduction.
It was gentle.
Cute.
Surprisingly affectionate.
That was the moment Lucy made up her mind.
She had to get one too.
---
Pokémon House
"Most people react the same way at first," Ren said with a smile, handing Lucy the store manager Pokédex.
"Go ahead. Let's see what your first draw gives you."
"Okay."
Lucy took it carefully.
She had read the Beginner Guide, but aside from basic types like Electric or Fire, she still didn't fully understand everything.
Still—
She tapped Go.
The screen flashed with shadow after shadow.
Her heart pounded.
Luna got a pseudo-legendary.
Why couldn't she?
Maybe even a Legendary…
Please.
Please.
---
Meanwhile – Western Suburbs
A group of students were having a picnic under the sun.
"So cute!" one girl squealed, hugging Charmander tightly and rubbing her cheek against its head.
Charmander looked helpless.
It tried pushing her away with its tiny claws.
Too close.
Another girl crouched beside Trapinch.
"It's adorable too! Why is its head so big?"
Lily stood nearby, proud.
Her Pokémon were wildly popular among her classmates.
Emma watched quietly, a faint smile on her face as her Squirtle received endless compliments.
"It feels good, doesn't it?" Lily teased.
Emma rolled her eyes.
"Don't get ahead of yourself."
One of the girls sighed.
"I went to Pokémon House yesterday."
"And?"
"I saw Ponyta. It was amazing. But… 180,000…"
Another chimed in.
"I wanted Eevee. 170,000."
"Pichu was 160,000! My dad almost fainted when I told him!"
Lily blinked.
For her, that amount was just pocket money.
But for most families—
It was enormous.
Emma quietly understood the difference.
Lily looked toward the distant hills.
"When do you think they'll evolve?"
Emma shrugged.
"It's only been a few days."
Lily sighed dramatically.
"I can't wait for Charmander to evolve."
Emma's expression grew thoughtful.
"It depends on whether the government officially supports this."
"If the state backs it publicly, everything changes."
Lily tilted her head.
Before she could reply—
A scream pierced the air.
"HELP! THERE'S A TIGER!"
Everyone froze.
A roar echoed from the woods.
Deep. Wild. Violent.
Then—
A massive striped tiger burst out of the trees.
"Are you kidding me?!" Lily shouted.
Emma's face darkened.
"That escaped zoo tiger…"
Apparently it hadn't gone to the southern mountains after all.
The teachers turned pale.
"Everyone retreat! Stay calm!"
But panic spread fast.
Then—
A girl with glasses was shoved in the chaos.
She fell hard.
Twisted ankle.
She tried to stand—
Pain shot up her leg.
The tiger's cold eyes locked onto her.
It started walking closer.
Four meters.
Three.
The girl's heart nearly stopped.
"HELP!"
A teacher grabbed a folding chair and ran forward despite shaking legs.
He was terrified.
But he couldn't abandon a student.
"Charmander! Ember!"
Small fireballs shot forward.
The tiger leapt backward instinctively, avoiding the flames.
The teacher stopped mid-run.
The fire had come from—
That little red lizard.
What… was that thing?
Lily rushed forward.
"Beibei! Are you okay?"
The glasses girl clung to her, sobbing.
"I'm so scared…"
"It's just a big cat," Lily said, though her eyes stayed locked on the tiger.
The tiger wasn't retreating.
It was circling.
Waiting.
"Emma," Lily said quietly, "I'll pressure it. You control."
Emma nodded immediately.
She threw her Poké Ball.
White light flashed.
Lapras appeared.
The teacher nearly dropped the chair.
First a fire-breathing lizard.
Now—
A creature that looked like a living plesiosaur.
His brain refused to process it.
Was this still Earth?
The tiger growled, now clearly uneasy.
Lapras let out a deep cry.
The ground seemed to vibrate.
The tiger's confidence began to falter.
Lily stepped forward slightly.
"Let's show it."
Charmander's tail flame burned brighter.
Emma's voice was calm.
"Lapras. Ice Beam."
Cold light gathered in front of Lapras' mouth—
The air temperature dropped instantly.
The tiger's pupils shrank.
For the first time—
It hesitated.
-------------Author---------------
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