By nine in the morning, the sun had already climbed over the horizon—an enormous crimson disc glowing brightly in the sky.
Several Dodrio, belonging to either wild flocks or the townsfolk of Pallet, hopped up onto the red-tiled rooftops of the houses scattered across the hilltops.
Their three heads—each with its own mood of joy, anger, and melancholy—lifted toward the blazing sun, letting out their shrill, ear-piercing cries.
"Doooo–dooo–riooo!!"
The sound was harsh, discordant, and absolutely impossible to ignore.
No matter how deeply asleep someone might be, Dodrio's morning chorus could wrench anyone straight out of their dreams.
Inside one of those red-roofed, white-walled houses in the northern part of Pallet Town, a boy lay sprawled across his bed.
This was the same boy who, the night before, had hurled his Pidgey-shaped alarm clock across the room like a Poké Ball, smashing it to pieces—then promptly fallen back asleep.
And now, as the cries of Dodrio filled the air, his eyebrows twitched.
"Urgh…"
Ash Ketchum stirred groggily, the sunlight creeping through the window and spilling across his face. When the warmth hit his eyelids, he squinted and froze.
"Wait… why is the sun already up this high?!"
Still half-asleep, he rubbed his eyes and blinked at the light flooding his room.
"What time is it? I could've sworn I set the alarm for seven! Why didn't it ring?"
His gaze drifted toward the floor—then froze.
There it was: his poor Pidgey alarm clock, shattered in two, its mechanical bird still dangling from a spring like a fainted Pokémon.
Ash's face went pale. "Oh no… no no no no!"
"I did everything right last night—slept early, planned ahead—and this still happens?!"
He buried his face in his hands, groaning dramatically. "It's a curse… the eternal Ketchum oversleeping curse!"
Downstairs, his mother's voice floated up cheerfully.
"Ash~! Are you awake? Hurry and get dressed for breakfast! Professor Oak just called—he says the Kalos campers will be arriving soon!"
Delia's tone was light, but her eyes twinkled mischievously as she carried a laundry basket toward the backyard.
"Once you're done eating, remember to drink your milk too! You're still growing!"
From upstairs came the sound of frenzied movement—rustling clothes, hurried footsteps, and the occasional thud.
"Coming, Mom!"
Ash dashed out of his room, half-dressed, and bolted down the stairs, grabbing his toothbrush on the way.
"Why didn't you wake me up?!" he shouted through a mouthful of toothpaste foam.
Delia turned around with a perfectly innocent smile, tapping her chin with a finger. "Oh, but you told me last night not to wake you, remember? You said you'd handle it yourself!"
Ash nearly choked on his toothpaste. "You did that on purpose, didn't you…"
Her laughter rang like silver bells. "Maybe~"
Ash sighed in defeat. "You're impossible."
By the time he finished washing up and devouring the breakfast she'd left out—toast, eggs, and a tall glass of milk—Delia was already outside, humming cheerfully while hanging laundry.
…
Meanwhile, just outside the town limits, a large welcoming crowd had gathered.
The residents of Pallet Town—parents, children, even those without campers of their own—had come together to greet the visitors from Kalos.
Colorful pennants fluttered in the breeze, each bearing the symbol of this year's Kanto × Kalos Pokémon Summer Camp.
Smiles were everywhere. Excitement filled the air.
Professor Oak, dressed in casual clothes and a fisherman's hat instead of his usual lab coat, stood proudly at the front of the crowd.
"Thorne," he said to one of his assistants, "have you checked the attendance? Are all of our Pallet Town students here?"
"Yes, Professor." The assistant quickly scanned his clipboard. "Everyone's present except… Ash Ketchum."
Oak sighed, though a faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "Ah, that boy. Some things never change."
Before he could send someone to fetch him, a voice in the crowd cried out, "Look! The bus is coming!"
Everyone turned.
Down the dusty road between two small hills, a large white bus decorated with a bright rainbow emblem rolled slowly toward the town.
"Whoa!"
"They're here!"
Cheers erupted from the townspeople as the bus drew closer.
Inside the bus, the mood was just as electric.
"Finally! We made it to Pallet Town!"
"Wow, it's so beautiful here!"
"Pfft, what's so beautiful about it? It's just some countryside village! I don't get why someone as famous as Professor Oak would choose to live here."
"Look, look! That butterfly Pokémon outside—it's gorgeous!"
"Serena, look! It's nothing like our Vivillon back in Kalos!"
A soft giggle followed. "Mm-hmm…"
The girl being called turned, her sun hat tilting slightly as she smiled shyly.
Her light brown hair shimmered under the sunlight. The soft pink dress she wore matched the delicate ribbon tied around her hat.
Serena.
Her blue eyes sparkled as she pressed her hands against the window, gazing curiously at the new world outside.
Across the aisle, a chubby boy with curly hair grinned. "Hey, Shauna! Serena! Didn't I tell you I know a ton about foreign Pokémon? But, uh… what's that one called again?"
The brown-haired boy beside him, his mushroom-like haircut bobbing as he leaned forward, sighed. "You brag too much, Tierno. That's a Butterfree, a native species to Kanto."
"Riiight, I knew that," Tierno laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head. "Just testing you, Trevor!"
Shauna rolled her eyes. "You two never change."
Serena giggled softly again, pressing her hat down as the bus began to slow.
Outside, the banners of Pallet Town fluttered in the breeze.
And as the wheels screeched gently to a stop, the door hissed open—
A warm wind brushed against Serena's cheeks, carrying with it the faint scent of blooming flowers and morning dew.
Her heart skipped a beat.
"This is… Pallet Town," she whispered.
Without knowing why, her chest tightened with a strange, gentle anticipation.
Somewhere in this quiet little town, her story was about to begin.
…
…