So bored, Ethan thought as he stared at the ceiling of his musty cell with one eye, tracing cracks in the bricks with a gloved finger. It had been a few hours since Mew unceremoniously dropped him off in Cameran Palace.
He was quickly detained and placed in a holding cell on the castle grounds. The guards confiscated his jacket, backpack, and everything in his pockets, leaving him with nothing to do but to wait for something to happen.
He couldn't care less about his stuff right now, though. When the guards detained him, they pried a terrified Eevee out of his arms and put her in a kennel, seeing that she didn't have a Pokéball. He did his best to assure her that everything would be okay, though he wished they would have let them stay together.
The two good things to come out of his predicament so far were that Ethan was away from the tree, and he narrowed down the "when" he was to a smaller window. The guards mentioning Pokéballs brought the timeline closer to the start of the anime as he knew it, assuming this wasn't some alternate universe. As they escorted him to his cell, he learned from a group of passing maids that the current monarch was Queen Ilene, which narrowed the window even more.
The groaning of a heavy door whose hinges were in desperate need of oil echoed through the small jailhouse, bringing Ethan out of his stupor. He sat up as he heard the sounds of several approaching footsteps echo off the stone walls.
Queen Ilene, led by a guard in front and two behind, walked into view before coming to a halt. A boy he hadn't noticed set up a foldable chair well out of arm's reach from the bars of the cell. The queen quietly dismissed the boy and her escort with a wave of her hand, then sat. A moment later, the door groaned as it shut.
Ethan simply bowed his head and remained silent. He racked his brain, trying to recall a late-night Google rabbit hole he once dug himself into about speaking with royalty.
The queen's green eyes studied him intently before her face softened.
"What is your name?" Queen Ilene kindly asked. "You may speak."
"M-my name is Ethan Dust," Ethan replied. "Your Majesty, is the eevee that was with me okay? I'm worried about her."
"Your eevee is under the care of Nurse Joy. She's in good hands," the queen assured him.
Some of the tenseness in Ethan's shoulders loosened as he sighed in relief. "Thank you," he said.
The queen smiled and nodded. "I usually would not have come to see you myself. However, the circumstances of your appearance warranted my visit," she said. "What were you doing with Mew?"
Ethan considered how to answer that. He couldn't think of a believable story that wasn't the truth. Even the truth might be unbelievable. He hoped that Ilene was trustworthy based on what he knew about her.
"Your Majesty, may I speak freely? It would be easier for me to answer, and I have a lot to explain," Ethan said. "Also, are we alone? I don't want what I'm about to say to reach the wrong ears."
Queen Ilene arched a brow but granted him his request. "You may speak. We are alone here."
Ethan spent the next hour recounting his experience on how he ended up at the Tree of Beginning. He told her of his escape from the Regis, meeting Eevee and saving her life, and how she and Mew rescued him in return. The queen occasionally asked clarifying questions but otherwise let him continue uninterrupted.
He told her of his experience in the heart of the tree and how he found Sir Aaron's final resting place, which piqued the queen's interest. He then told of his second near-death experience and how Mew changed him into his teenage self to save him from his untrained auratic powers.
"…then, being the prankster she is, Mew thought it would be funny to drop me off in your throne room," Ethan finished, mouth dry.
"I'm so sorry to hear that. You must have been terrified," the queen consoled after a moment.
Ethan dropped his gaze and swallowed thickly. "Yeah," he whispered hoarsely.
An awkward silence reigned for a few moments before Ilene spoke again. "You said you are capable of aura? Can you show me?"
Ethan kept his eyes down but lifted a gloved hand so the embedded crystal faced the queen. "Well, all I've figured out in the past few hours is that I can make the backs of Sir Aaron's gloves light up a little, but it's hard," he said as he focused and did just that.
The queen sat in silence, going over everything she had learned. It seemed impossible that this boy could be from another world or be older than he appeared, but she couldn't sense a trace of dishonesty in what he said.
"You said you know of this world from stories told in yours, and you seem to be familiar with who Sir Aaron is. If this is so, do you know what happened to him after he left Queen Rin?" she asked.
Ethan hesitated. She was good, though he hadn't made any effort to hide what he knew. It wasn't like she asked him to divulge future knowledge, so it wouldn't do any harm to tell her what happened in the past. Celebi would stop him if he were wrong…. Right?
"I do. Would you like to know?" Ethan asked as he lowered his hand. At the queen's nod, he gathered his thoughts.
"When Aaron departed on his pidgeot, his destination was the Tree of Beginning. Partway there, his apprentice, Lucario, caught up to him, and Aaron sealed Lucario in his staff to stop him from following.
"When Aaron made it to the tree, he sought out Mew and gave her all his aura to stop the two warring armies and save the kingdom from destruction. Since Aaron gave up his aura, he died shortly after, but with no regrets," Ethan finished. He definitely could use some water now.
Ilene closed her eyes, a hint of a smile forming on her face. "I have decided to believe all you have told me," she said.
An audible thump was heard as Ethan sagged against the wall with relief. It felt nice to have someone other than Eevee to confide in and believe him.
Queen Ilene stood, and Ethan followed suit. "I'll release you and have your personal belongings returned. What will you do now?" she asked.
"I planned to come here to Rota to get information and to make preparations and more plans. I've decided to become a traveling Pokémon trainer while Eevee and I find out why I'm here. I think our first stop will be Pallet Town to see if I can enlist Professor Oak's help," he replied.
The monarch nodded. "That sounds like a good plan. Samuel is a smart man. He comes by every year for an annual Pokémon poetry competition held in the village."
Huh, interesting. That sounds like something Professor Oak might do, Ethan thought.
"I'll have a room prepared for you for the duration of your stay. You should take time to recover before you begin planning," the queen offered.
Ethan, not expecting that, could only smile and say, "That will be a big help. Thank you."
"I should thank you," she replied, smiling. "It has been millennia since an aura adept last walked the halls of the palace. Thank you for telling me about Sir Aaron."
----------------------------------------
The queen took her leave. A short time later, a guard unlocked Ethan's cell and escorted him back to the palace proper, where he was handed off to one of the palace servants.
"Good afternoon, Master Dust. My name is Jarvis. I will be your butler for the duration of your stay. Your room is undergoing preparations as we speak. Please, follow me," Jarvis said in a British – Galarian? – accent before entering the palace.
Fifteen minutes, several flights of stairs, and a brief history of Cameran Palace later, they arrived at a door in the palace's guest wing. Ethan noted that the palace's aesthetic was much like the various castles he had once visited in Germany, only with the addition of crystals growing through cracks in the bricks. Nearly every surface was decorated. Framed paintings covered most of the walls, and murals covered the arched ceilings, to name a few things. Everything screamed wealth and prosperity.
Jarvis opened the door and ushered Ethan through. "You will find your personal belongings already inside. We have left some fresh sets of clothes for you to change into after you freshen up. You will find the washroom through that door over there. Once you are clean and dressed, pull the string near the door, and I will show you to the Pokémon Center to retrieve your Pokémon."
"Thank you, Jarvis. I appreciate this," Ethan nodded. Jarvis nodded and left, closing the door behind him.
Ethan entered the washroom, turned on the shower, and began to strip down. "This is all a little too posh for my tastes. At least I have a place to stay for a while. Still a nice place, though."
----------------------------------------
A streak of brown and white was the only thing Ethan's eyes registered as he entered the Pokémon Center before the air in his lungs was forcibly removed. He found himself on the ground holding a familiar eevee with vibrant green eyes. Eevee wriggled and yipped excitedly, trying to lick Ethan's face.
"Eevee!" Ethan wheezed. "I missed you too. I'm glad you're alright. Did Nurse Joy treat you well?"
"Eevee was just fine once we got her out of that kennel. She was such a sweetheart with the nursery Pokémon. Is she yours?" Nurse Joy asked as she approached with a clipboard in hand.
It took Ethan a moment to regain his breath. "Technically speaking, she's still a wild Pokémon. She wants to be my first partner, but I haven't had a chance to get her a Pokéball," he replied, standing up and draping Eevee over his shoulder, where she made herself comfortable.
Joy smiled and nodded. "That's wonderful! Do you have a trainer's license?"
"Uh… How do I get one?"
"If you have your ID card and you've passed a physical exam within the last two years, I can get you started here," she replied.
Ethan briefly wondered if he could use his driver's license before dismissing the idea. It wasn't supposed to exist in this dimension, and he didn't look like his photo anymore.
"Is there another option? I don't have any identification, and I haven't had a physical that recently," Ethan said. Nurse Joy raised an eyebrow, but it disappeared so quickly that Ethan wondered if he even saw it.
"Even without a license, you can still carry one Pokémon with you," she explained. "Though it would be best to get a license, especially if you plan on going on a Pokémon journey. The league season for next year's tournament starts in a week, after all. You can visit the post office after it opens tomorrow to apply for an ID and the health clinic next door to schedule an appointment for a physical exam.
"Follow me, and we'll get Eevee registered to you. I'll even give you a Pokéball when we're finished. Once you have an ID and have passed your physical, come see me, and I'll help you upgrade to a full license."
"Thank you. Let's get this done so we can eat," Ethan said. Eevee chimed in her agreement with a growl from her stomach.
"How about I grab something for Eevee to eat after we get you started on the forms," Nurse Joy proposed. "I'll also give her a full check-up to ensure she's healthy and up to date on her shots."
"Thanks, Nurse Joy. I would appreciate that," Ethan said, then turned to Eevee. "Do what Nurse Joy tells you to do, okay, Eevee? I'll be nearby."
"Eev eevee," Eevee nodded reluctantly.
----------------------------------------
Ethan was back in his room, having just finished a meal of bread and a potato-based stew with meat and veggies. He briefly wondered where the meat had come from but pushed the thought away when he decided it tasted good.
Eevee was already dozing off on the large bed, having buried everything from the neck down under the covers. Ethan thumbed her Pokéball in his hand, pressing the center button repeatedly to expand and shrink it, wondering how it worked.
When Nurse Joy showed him the Pokéballs, he was ecstatic, but not totally surprised, to find that standard Pokéballs didn't come just in the default red but in a selection of colors. He picked out a ball with a green top to match Eevee's eyes.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
After explaining to Eevee what the Pokéball was and how it would prevent others from capturing her, she tapped the ball's center button. It shook a few times before it went still and dinged, indicating the capture was successful.
It turned out that while Eevee didn't hate the Pokéball, she preferred to stay outside of it. That was just fine with Ethan. It would be less lonely that way and would give them more time to bond and get to know each other.
Ethan set the empty food tray on a cart outside the room and returned inside. He closed the door behind him and sat at the desk where his phone was charging. Fortunately, his charger fit the outlets here.
Ethan unlocked his phone and glanced at the date he had set. He learned at the Pokémon Center that today was Tuesday, March 25, 1997. If Ash Ketchum's journey began on the same day that the Pokémon anime premiered in Japan – assuming he even exists here – he would start his journey in one week. I hope he's a little better than the anime depicted, he idly thought.
He opened the Pokédex app to look up information on Eevee. He wanted to come up with an idea for how to train and plan what to teach her. She already knew Quick Attack, which Ethan experienced first-hand when he picked her up from the Pokémon Center.
After a few minutes, Ethan gave up on figuring out a training regimen. There were too many things he didn't know yet. Were Pokémon limited to four moves? Did Pokémon battles have a turn-based approach, or were they more realistic? He hadn't seen Eevee battle yet and didn't know her preferred fighting style or if she even had a preference. He would have to hold a training session or go into town to battle some local trainers to get a feel for her current abilities. He would also have to research what the laws and rules were regarding Pokémon battling.
While Ethan didn't have a trainer's license, he was only allowed one Pokémon and was not permitted to catch more. He wouldn't be allowed to buy Pokéballs or challenge gyms to official battles, either. He could still battle other trainers and make wagers, however.
He grimaced. That was another thing he needed to sort out. His cash and plastics were no good here. He would need money to buy equipment, supplies, and food to travel. He didn't want to bum off his host more than he already was, so he decided to wander the town tomorrow to see if he could find any small jobs to earn some cash.
Ethan let out an eye-smarting yawn. It was late, and it had been an exhausting few days. He dimmed the bedside lamp, crawled under the covers, and pulled Eevee into the crook of his arm, which she groggily wrapped her forelegs around. "Night, Eevee. We have a full day ahead of us," Ethan whispered before closing his eyes and waiting for sleep to take him.
----------------------------------------
Ethan walked through the automatic doorway of the Pokémon Center after spending most of the day in town and made his way to the training fields out back. He rubbed the bandage on his still-tender left shoulder.
After asking Jarvis for directions and a town map, Ethan made his way to the post office. He filled out some forms and had his photo taken for his ID, which he could pick up in a few days.
He was also able to schedule a same-day physical examination at the clinic. With no prior medical or vaccination records, he was required to receive several shots before the doctor would pass his physical. At least he didn't have to pay for any of it, as the government covered preventive care.
The town was beautiful and had a medieval feel, again reminding Ethan of a few places in Austria and Germany he had visited on a family vacation when he was ten. Eevee was entranced by everything in sight. There were so many new smells and people and Pokémon she had never seen before.
Ethan was able to earn some cash thanks to his education and inclination toward most things tech-related. Many family-run businesses had either an issue or an opportunity with a machine or a website or had some other menial work available. The internet here was still in its infancy, and its coding languages were primitive compared to what Ethan was used to working with, but he managed.
News of his skill set spread quickly through the small-ish community, and by the time he set off for the Pokémon Center, his skills and services were in demand. He promised to return tomorrow for more work.
"Hey, Eevee," Ethan began when they got to the training field, getting Eevee's undivided attention. "Do you like to battle?"
Eevee ran in circles around his feet and yipped an excited "Eevee!"
"Woah, calm down!" Ethan laughed. "I'll take that as 'I like to battle a lot.' I want to see what moves you know and how you fight. Let's start with your moves."
Ethan pulled out a notepad and pen he had bought earlier and pointed at a straw training dummy. "I know that you know Quick Attack. Show it to me again, but this time on that target."
Eevee spread her legs and took a stance, face set in determination, before sprinting towards her target, her form trailed by a streak of white light. She impacted the dummy, pushing it back several inches before coming to a stop.
"Wow. Pretty good, Eevee! You were holding back on me yesterday, weren't you?"
Eevee sheepishly nodded and grinned.
"Go ahead and show me another one of your moves. I'll watch," Ethan instructed.
Over the next several minutes, Eevee went through her move pool on the poor dummy. Ethan identified Tackle, Sand Attack, Growl, Tail Whip, and Quick Attack. But there was one more move he wasn't sure about.
The attack made Eevee's eyes flash green for a moment but didn't affect the dummy, making Ethan guess that it was a status move. He'd have to check his Pokédex app later to see if he could identify it. That answered the four-move limit question he had.
Ethan finished taking notes and called Eevee back. "Okay, Eevee, based on what I saw, you favor physical moves and close combat, though that could be because you don't have any ranged coverage. You also have some good speed and a standard move pool for your level of strength.
"I'm thinking we'll need to find someone to battle to get an idea of how your defenses are. It might also help me figure out what that last move you used was," he said.
Eevee bobbed her head in agreement with his assessment.
"Speaking of ranged coverage, we should teach you moves like Shadow Ball or Swift. We also need to add some type variety to your move pool. I think I want to teach you Dig first, then we can move on to other moves like Bite or Iron Tail," he continued. "But we can get started on that tomorrow. For now, let's head back to the castle. I'll race you there!"
"Hey, you! I ain't seen you 'round here before. You a trainer?" a bratty-sounding voice asked before Ethan could take a step to leave.
"Uh, yeah," Ethan replied, turning to see a kid in shorts. "Why do you ask?"
The boy smirked before pulling out a Pokéball. "You look weak. Come on, let's battle!" he said.
Eevee growled. No one calls her best friend weak and gets away with it!
Ethan looked to Eevee, who met his eyes. "What do you think, Eevee? We wanted to battle someone anyway."
Eevee nodded in affirmation, and Ethan walked to one end of the field while the brat went to the other box.
"Eevee's my only Pokémon, so let's make this a one-on-one," Ethan called over as the boy sent out his Pokémon.
"Fine by me. I only need one to beat you anyway. My rattata is in the top percentage of all rattata!" Brat boasted.
"Sure, kid. Are we gonna start or what?" Ethan asked as his heart began to beat faster.
"I ain't no kid! Rattata, use Tackle!" Brat yelled.
"Eevee, Growl and dodge!" Ethan countered.
Rattata's attack seemed to slow as Eevee curled her lips back and growled before she dodged to the side.
"Knock it off balance with Tail Whip, then use Tackle!"
Eevee got a running start, then pivoted on her front paws, bringing her tail around to whack the rattata as it turned to face her, dazing it. She set her hind paws back on the ground and rammed her body into her foe, who kicked up dirt as they rolled toward Ethan.
Brat ground his teeth in frustration. "Rattata, use Super Fang!"
Ethan's heart skipped a beat. "Don't get hit by that!"
Eevee grinned and stood her ground, waiting for the rattata to get closer as its fangs began to glow and elongate.
Why isn't she dodging?! Ethan asked himself.
When it looked like Rattata would land a hit, Eevee's eyes flashed green, and she blurred to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack. She then took advantage of the new opening to Tackle the rattata away.
Ethan blinked, trying to figure out what just happened. There was that flash in Eevee's eyes again, and she avoided the attack. Then it clicked. "Eevee, was that Detect?! How did you learn Detect?"
Eevee turned to Ethan with a cheeky grin before returning her focus to the battle, which was unnecessary as Brat's rattata was out cold.
"Huh. Must have hit a weak spot," Ethan said. "Eevee, you're amazing!"
Eevee ran and jumped into Ethan's arms. "It's so awesome that you know Detect! You must have had a fighting-type parent," Ethan remarked.
"Vee, vee," she replied, beaming in pride.
I wonder if this means she could learn Double Kick, Ethan mused.
"You just got lucky. There's no way you'd beat my rattata in a fair fight," Brat said.
Ethan just rolled his eyes and shooed him away. "Sure, kid. Why don't you take your rattata and get it to Nurse Joy."
Brat huffed and left after returning his Pokémon.
"So, Eevee. Still want to race?"
Eevee yawned and shifted, perfectly comfortable in Ethan's arms. He chuckled. "I guess you deserve it this time. You did well." With Eevee cradled in his arms, Ethan made his way to the bridge north of town.
----------------------------------------
Ethan spent his free time over the next week at the Pokémon Center learning basic Pokémon medicine and training Eevee or at the library finalizing his plans and filling his knowledge gaps, particularly in the care and dietary needs of Pokémon. He noted that there was no mention of TM's in any books or on the internet. It looked like he'd have to teach moves the old-fashioned way.
He also learned that Pokémon weren't well documented. Professor Oak and Professor Westwood V created a joint 'Pokédex Initiative' a few years back to begin documenting the known Pokémon species of the world, starting with the Pokémon native to Kanto. The last number of recorded species was closing in on 150. They had only had recent success in getting the Johto and Hoenn regions involved with the initiative.
Professor Oak would have a heart attack if Ethan showed him the Pokédex app. Even though it contained data based on the games, it still had over 900 Pokémon species – if you counted regional variants – from Kanto to Galar.
Ethan received his ID and was able to get his trainer's license. There was a small processing fee, but thanks to all the work that kept him busy, he had earned more than enough to pay it.
When he saw that he was making more money than he could reasonably carry, he deposited most of his earnings into his trainer account. It turned out that registered trainers had something akin to bank accounts with the league, which he decided to put to use.
After consulting Jarvis on what he would need for his journey, Ethan bought what he needed and replaced his waterlogged and irreparable items. He wanted to get a new backpack as well but decided against it. His pack was still fit enough to use.
Ethan decided on an outfit for himself: a simple green button-down shirt, a blue zip-up hoodie with gold stripes for when it gets chilly, some gray jeans, and a few other changes of clothes. After some thought, he grabbed socks made from wooloo wool.
He also bought a Pokémon grooming kit with tools and brushes to groom and clean Pokémon with fur, scales, or feathers. Eevee was a big fan of that purchase.
On the evening before his departure, Queen Ilene summoned Ethan to her throne room.
"Greetings, Ethan. I know you've had a productive week. Are you ready to depart?" Ilene inquired.
Ethan nodded. "I am, Your Majesty. I plan on taking a bus tomorrow morning to Pewter City, which will take most of the day. After that, I'll make my way to Pallet Town on foot."
"Very good. I have something for you," the queen said, nodding to Jarvis, who walked into a side room before coming back out.
In his arms was a sapphire-blue satchel with simple yellow highlights and an embedded crystal in one corner, matching the pattern on his gloves. It had several pockets on the outside and an opening on the top. Jarvis approached and offered Ethan the satchel.
"Open it," Ilene said, smiling. Curious about the gift, Ethan unzipped the top. His eyes widened, unable to believe what he was seeing.
"I-it's bigger on the inside?! What? But how?" Ethan confusedly exclaimed, checking the other pockets and confirming that the same phenomenon was present.
This is some Doctor Who and Mary Poppins-level stuff, he thought. Each pocket and opening seemed to have its own space that should have conflicted with the others. He could fit everything he owned in here with plenty of room to spare.
Jarvis explained. "Master Dust, this bag is a product of the Devon Corporation. It uses similar technology to that of the Pokéball in that it makes items easier to carry. You can also holster your Pokéballs on the strap. Her Majesty had this custom ordered and imported for you as a way to support you on your journey."
Ethan nodded dumbly. He didn't know what to say.
"Ethan, like Rota Kingdom's aura guardians of old, this is your home," Ilene said. "When you visit Rota again, you will be welcome here."
The stunned Ethan managed to find his voice. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I accept these gifts."
"I have one more thing to ask you," she said. "You said Sir Aaron's Lucario is sealed within his staff. Do you know how to get him out?"
Ethan thought through her question before deciding it should be okay to tell her. "In the story, Lucario breaks out of the staff when he mistakes someone else's aura for Sir Aaron's. I know who this person is, but I'm not yet sure if they exist. I can find that out while I'm on my journey and, circumstances permitting, bring them to next year's Guardian of the Aura tournament."
"Thank you. Remember to nurture and develop your aura as well. You may not have a teacher, but do the best you can," Ilene requested. "I will send word to Samuel Oak to expect you. Now, go and rest. Tomorrow is a new month, and the day your journey begins."
Ethan nodded and bowed. "Thank you for everything you've done for me," he said before standing and shouldering his new satchel. He was genuinely grateful for the bag. He had wanted to buy one, and this one looked awesome! He couldn't imagine how much it had cost.
----------------------------------------
Ethan released Eevee from her Pokéball once he was back in the room. Eevee curiously sniffed the new bag. "Eevee, no chewing or playing with this, okay? I can't replace it," he told her.
Eevee scoffed dramatically. It was only one time, and she hadn't done anything like that since.
After sorting and moving his supplies and items to the new bag, Ethan tested the weight. To his delight, it was lighter than when he had it in his pack. Satisfied, Ethan set it down, changed into some pajamas, and crawled into his bed, accompanied by Eevee.
"Tomorrow's the day! We're finally going to see the world I've always wanted to see," Ethan said, excited.
"Eevee Eeveev vee eev!" Eevee cheered before crawling to Ethan's chest and lying down. Ethan ran his fingers through the fur on her back, causing Eevee to purr.
That night, their dreams were of the journey that lay ahead.