'Where am I?'
Beneath a large tree in an open field, a light brown-skinned boy who looked to be around 17 years old slowly opened his eyes, revealing dark brown pupils. A light gust of wind rustled his short black hair as he continued to look around.
In the distance, he spotted a building with a red roof and a large windmill spinning behind it.
'Why does that building feel so familiar? I swear I've seen it before.'
FLAP. FLAP. FLAP.
The sudden noise broke him from his thoughts, and he looked up. What he saw made his eyes widen in disbelief.
'Is that a Pidgey?! No… it must be a bird that just looks like one. There's no way Pokémon are real.'
He scanned his surroundings again, hoping for some explanation. In a nearby tree, he spotted another group of birds, similar to the first, but these had bright red wings.
'That's definitely a Spearow… there's no way two birds just happen to look exactly like Pokémon.'
He stared a moment longer, the pieces slowly clicking into place.
'Okay… no. This is real. I don't know how or why, but this is the Pokémon world.'
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, bringing his hands up to his face
SLAP.
A sharp sting. Then a moment of silence.
'Honestly, there are worse places to end up.' A small, almost amused smile crept onto his face. 'It's not like I haven't imagined this very scenario before. I might as well embrace it, freaking out won't help me anyway.'
His eyes drifted back toward the red roofed building in the distance.
'Now I know where I've seen that place before. If I'm right, that's Professor Oak's lab. Talking to him might help me figure out what timeline I'm in and what I'm supposed to do here.'
Dusting off his pants, he felt a spark of excitement as he began walking toward the lab he'd seen so many times on a screen.
As he got closer, he spotted a familiar brown-haired woman standing near the door, speaking with an older man in a lab coat. She bowed slightly and turned to leave. When her eyes met his, she looked surprised for a brief moment, then offered a polite smile as she passed.
The old man, noticing the boy as he turned to close the door, paused.
"Hello, young man. I don't believe I've seen you around here before. What can I do for you?"
"Hello, Professor Oak. I'm honoured to meet you. My name is Cyrus Jo Christo, and I was wondering if I could have a chat with you. I actually have a favour to ask."
"Is that so? Well then, come in," Oak replied with a curious smile. "You've come at a good time, young man. I just finished my work for the day."
Professor Oak led Cyrus through the lab, taking him to a couch in the living room.
"So, Cyrus, where are you from, young man?"
"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about," Cyrus replied with a nervous smile.
Professor Oak's eyebrows rose in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"Well, you see, I don't remember where I'm from or how I got here. When I opened my eyes, I was lying under a tree outside. I only remember a few things like my name. As I was walking through town, I saw a poster with your name on it, so I thought I'd come ask for your help."
Professor Oak looked shocked. "Well, that's definitely an unusual predicament you're in young man. How can I help you?"
Cyrus blinked, surprised by how calm the professor seemed. "Aren't you worried I'm lying? After all, I'm just a stranger, and it's not like I'm telling the most believable story. I'm 17 and don't even have a Pokémon. I wouldn't blame you for being suspicious."
"Haha, well, Cyrus, your story is suspicious, but for some reason, my old bones are telling me to trust you. And let me tell you, you don't make it as far as I have without learning to trust your instincts. If I'm wrong, then that's on me. Besides, it's not unheard of for people to get their first Pokémon later in life, and some folks never get one at all."
Cyrus's surprised expression softened into an amused smile.
'I guess I should have anticipated that.'
"If that's the case, Professor, would it be okay if I worked in your lab for a while and learned under you? I want to embark on a journey, but I know I've got a lot to learn before I can begin. I need to know how to take care of my Pokémon properly, so will you please accept my request?"
Professor Oak gave an approving smile. "Of course, young man. I'd love to help out a new trainer. It's admirable that you want to be prepared; most people rush out without thinking. There's a free room upstairs. Feel free to make yourself at home."
"Thank you, Professor." Cyrus smiled and bowed in gratitude before making his way to his new room.
'I guess I made the right choice coming here. Now I finally have a chance to make those old childhood dreams a reality.'