I was excited today was the day.

 

I was just hours away from going on my first date. I’ve never had time to seriously start an amorous relationship because of my busy work schedule

 

Let's back up a bit. Hello, my name is Alec Reed 23 years old single just fresh out of college.

 

I figured once I landed a steady job, I could finally start getting serious about dating the ladies.

But that hope was in vain I would have to first start getting rid of my social awkwardness. Teaching school teenagers was a lot simpler than finding love.

 

Ah but I wasn't always so.

During my teenage years I attracted looks often and even got some work starring in commercials.

That all changed when I turned 17. I started losing my hair to the monster that is male pattern baldness. 

It was a gradual process but before I realized what was happening, I lost all my social credibility which I earned in high school.

 

But that changes today!

As I was driving to the private restaurant, I noticed one of my students Jethro crying sitting down at the street corner.

 

I pulled up rolled down my car window. But as I was doing that I heard screaming coming out of a nearby house.

It seems there was some kind of domestic dispute going on.

 

"Wait here Jethro I’ll sort this out"

I got a sad nod and, I was getting ready to give his parents a stern talking to.

A man starts running out the door loosened belt in one hand and a bottle of strong spirit in the other.

 

Seeing the man was completely wasted and probably ready to beat his child some more I lunged for his belt trying to get it wry it out of his child beater hands.

 

Now to be fair the smart thing to do was never setting a foot out of my car and letting child services take care of the problem.

But having experienced this exact same scenario myself as a kid I swore as teacher that I would never let such things happen to my own students.

 

We wrestled he got the best of me I was a 5'10 scrawny man trying to hold back a roided up 6'4 ex military man.

It went about as well as you could've expected I didn't even last 10 seconds before my skull hit the pavement.

But during those 10 seconds I started recalling my past. No girlfriend mired in student debt the only good thing in my life was my family.

 

"Ugh... where am I?”

I woke up on what seemed to be a poorly maintained road my face planted in the gravel.

I tried to orient myself to my current situation but it was slow going

 

After what seems to feel like about an hour I managed to sit upwards.

 

Looking around I managed to regain my bearings somewhat until I suddenly started hearing engine sounds.

 

Coming directly at me was a man riding a motorcycle reminiscent in style with an old Harley Davidson the engine was quiet as a mouse though which while under my condition I was most thankful for.

 

As the motorcyclist pulled up beside me, he turned off his bike's engine.

 

“Hey kid what are you doing over by yourself on route 3?”

 

You are way too young to have already started your journey, do you know where your parents are?

 

I immediately readied a snappy retort wanting to point out that I am a fully grown adult but, before I could I noticed my childlike arms and comparatively small stature in contrast to this talkative passer-by.

 

“I... I...”

 

Before I could get another sentence in my vision blacked out.

 

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I wake up with a heavy feeling on my chest, opening my eyes I spot a furry, grey chinchilla-like creature with scruffs of fur on its head and neck. It has large ears on the sides of its head with red insides partly covered by tufts of fur, the tail is also long and particularly furry.

 

“Cinno...?”

 

Hearing the sound it makes I am startled realizing that I somehow find myself in an alternate reality where Pokémon exist.

Recalling what happened with the biker you quickly check yourself out as fast as you can.

Noticing that the body you find yourself in is probably somewhere around 8-9 years old.

 

Whelp… time to make the best out of this situation.

 

“Excuse me little guy could I get a glass of water please?”

 

The mincinno perks up and starts running out the door probably also notifying the other residents of this house.

 

“Cinno

 

Cinno!”

 

Suddenly I heard the sounds of shuffling boots on a hardwood floor.

 

Walking in came an elderly woman whose eyes radiated kindness.

 

“Thank goodness you woke up when Charles brought you in you were severely dehydrated.”

 

Charles? Must have been that biker guy

 

“Ma'am do you mind me asking where I currently am?”

 

“You are currently at our Pokémon daycare facility run by me and my husband just off route 3.”

 

As we were talking the Mincinno came back with a glass of water clasped in its tail I offered Him/Her? my thanks and started drinking. My remaining headache cleared right up after I lessened my thirst.

“More importantly do your parents know where you are?

It is really irresponsible of them to let you wander the routes alone without a Pokémon.”

 

Already expecting the question to be asked I decided to play the amnesia card until I figured out what I want to do.

 

“I don't know who my parents are everything I know before I woke up on route 3 is a blur.”

 

“Can I stay here until I remember maybe?”

 

The lady shows me a surprised look and then starts pondering, murmuring: “Could be a strong confusion attack from a wild Pokémon.”

 

After a few more moments

 

“Okay I’ve figured out what to do for now you can stay here with my husband and me but, come tomorrow morning Charles will take you to Nacrene city so you can fill in a missing parents report with officer Jenny.”

 

“If you want to freshen up or use the lavatory before dinner our bathroom is right next to this one.”

 

As she went downstairs, I figured I should take her advice and went to make use of their bathroom mirror to take stock of my body's condition.

Looking in the mirror I was relieved to know that I am still myself just a lot younger.

Same light blond hair that will turn darker over the years, brown eyes, naturally tanned skin and about average height for my age which I figure to be around 9 years old.

After washing up I went downstairs to meet the residents of this place more specifically the Pokémon. Now that I am in this new reality the first thing I want to do is getting to know more about them.

For a Pokémon daycare there weren't that many Pokémon around to be honest besides the Mincinno I also spotted a Trubbish eating out of a garbage can.

 

“Hey buddy does that taste good?”

 

Noticing me it looked up then looked down at it's meal rummaging trough the garbage can it fished up a soiled newspaper and offered it to me.

 

“Oh no no no! that's really kind of you but I want to save space for dinner the kind lady that lives here is hosting me for tonight.”

 

Making a facial expression which I assume to be a casual shrug the trubbish continues with its meal.

 

For now I should try to learn as much as possible about this world and it's wondrous inhabitants, seeing as this is a daycare I can probably learn a thing or two about taking care of Pokémon dietary needs and exercising.

 

I open the slide doors in the living room to enter a very expansive garden.

An elderly man was taking care of a Purrloin and Lilipup with a brush, I walk up to him to introduce myself.

 

“Ahh you must be the young'un that Charles brought back the name's Anton and I run this daycare with my wife.”

He offered me his hand and I shook it.

“It's a pleasure sir.”

“Is there anything I can do to help out at the daycare? I might not know much about anything right now but, I want to be at least able to return your hospitality.”

 

“That is very responsible of you lad. Why don't we have a mock battle with these 2 Pokémon?

Part of our duties here at the daycare is getting the Pokémon a tad stronger if they have to stay with us for a long time.

These two are the principal's Pokémon from the kindergarten next door. If possible, he wants the children to experience what evolution is like before entering primary education or going to trainer's school.

We already put them trough their bodily exercises but, nothing beats battling experience. Can you still recall how battles work?”

 

"This is it! my first Pokémon battle let's see if I have what it takes to measure up to a seasoned trainer like the old man"

 

“I think so...? Which Pokémon do I get to battle with?”

 

“Since your still an inexperienced trainer it's best that you battle with Lillipup since Purrloin do tend to have a bit of an attitude towards new trainers.”

 

“Can I talk with Lillipup first to plan out our strategy?”

 

“Sure kid.”

 

I take the puppy Pokémon aside and start enquiring about its known moves.

“Hey Lillipup you know the moves tackle and leer right?”

 

“Arf!”

 

“Thought so. Can you show me if you know any other moves?”

 

“Arf Arf”

 

The Lillipup started tightening its body until what I assume to be evaporated sweat started billowing off its body.

“With work up we have a good shot at winning this Lillipup.”

 

Work up is a move that increases its attacking power.

 

“Arf!”

 

“Okay Lillipup let's try to give our best win or lose!”

 

I was surprised to discover that this daycare actually did have a battlefield, the gravel had a very fine texture with no sharp edges which made sense to me.

It would be really easy to lose an eye if a sharp rock got flung into your eye from a Pokémon attack.

Me and the old man both took our starting positions for the battle seeing as this was my first battle, he let me have the first move.

 

“Okay bud use Work up!”

 

“Purrloin fake out.”

 

Before we had the chance to do anything Anton's Purrloin leapt forwards with blazing speed and used her two paws to rattle Lillipup on its head flinching it.

 

“It's right in front of you tackle it quickly!”

 

“Purrloin use scratch!”

 

The two Pokémon collided into each other my heart started beating faster and i felt adrenaline pumping trough my veins.

So, this is what a real Pokémon battle feels like? No wonder it became such a dominant part of this society.

 

“Lillipup when it backs off use leer!”

 

Lillipup's eyes glowed red for a second and it had a noticed effect on the Purrloin, its stance lowered.

In the games this move lowered the defence of the Pokémon afflicted by it, Let's see how this pans out.

 

“Tackle!”

“Scratch!”

 

The Pokémon charged back into each other Purrloin got a hit in first Lillipup took the hit like a champ and retaliated with full body tackle.

Both Pokémon seemed to be standing on their last legs Lillipup weakly panting and Purrloin clearly dizzy from get tackled on the head twice in a row.

 

“Okay boy use tackle and finish it!”

“Quick attack.”

 

Wait what...?

Purrloin dashes forward with blinding speed and hits Lillipup before he has a chance to react.

 

“Arf!?”

 

Lillipup faints clearly out of it.

 

Anton steps up with his hand out and we shake on a good battle.

“Let's have practice matches like this every so often while your here I would ask my wife to help me but she's not into battles as much lately.”

 

“Sure! I was already planning to learn as much about Pokémon as I can battling with you will surely be of much help.”

 

“Now let's go get dinner Karena should be about ready.”