From ages five to six, you started learning to read, write, count, and, of course, were introduced to Pokémon. You would begin learning Pokémon names, types, and their evolution stages.
After graduating, you entered primary school, where you would learn more about Pokémon. Here, your understanding of Pokémon deepens, as most students learn more about how Pokémon factor into the world.
You learn how to interact with them safely, their common habitats, their moves, and what to do if you encounter them in the wild—much like how you learn about animals and plants in school.
"Sit properly!"
"I am sitting properly!"
"Allen! Sit up straight! Why are you always disturbing Cynthia?" a scolding voice echoed.
Allen clicked his tongue at his mischievous childhood friend. 'It's not me', he wanted to complain.
Amidst the laughter of the children, he reluctantly followed, placing his hands on the small desk and lowering his head to listen to the teacher's lecture. The new teacher—Peony.
When everyone in Celestic Town found out that the guy who nearly froze to death from the cold was actually the little brother of one of the richest guys in the entire Pokémon world, they went absolutely wild. It was like discovering the town's hidden celebrity.
This included his accident.
When Rose, his older brother, found out, he almost had a heart attack. The next thing anyone saw was a helicopter swooping down. Yep, Rose had flown all the way from Galar just to scoop up his little brother. But Peony? He wasn't having it.
The two brothers almost started a WWE match right there. If the townsfolk hadn't stepped in, it would've probably turned into an all-out battle between two Cufants, trunks and all.
Cynthia felt guilty. What started as a simple prank had turned into something unexpected. She hadn't thought their teacher would catch on so quickly. So, after the scolding, she stared at him.
One second... two seconds... three... nine... eleven... Finally, Allen couldn't stand it anymore and stared back at her.
"Alright, that's it for today. Don't forget your homework," Peony said, noticing the staring contest between the white-haired boy and the blonde-haired girl.
Cynthia was definitely the most outstanding among them and the center of attention in kindergarten. She was the future academic overachiever, the apple of his eye. As for Allen... he sighed and left the classroom.
"Goodbye, Teacher!" all the students chorused in unison. All except for Allen and Cynthia, who were still locked in a silent stare.
Cynthia was destined to be beautiful in the future, the kind of beauty that would make flowers jealous. Her face was fair and delicate, with big, bright eyes. Her long lashes were particularly striking, and when she smiled, her cute dimples made her look even more adorable. When she spoke, her mouth would pout slightly, making her sound impossibly cute.
The blonde girl didn't look away from Allen's gaze. She held it, and after a while, Allen finally gave in, blinking and looking away.
"Yay, I won!" Cynthia exclaimed, her voice filled with triumph.
"Childish," Allen muttered, rolling his eyes. 'Who's even playing a game?'
But just as he was getting annoyed and about to think about his future plans, Cynthia grabbed his arm. Her tears started flowing like beads from a broken string. She rubbed her eyes and sobbed, as if she had suffered some great injustice.
The sound of her crying quickly drew the attention of the other kids in the classroom.
A few other children went wild. "Allen made Cynthia cry! Allen made Cynthia cry! Let's tell Teacher Peony!"
"It's not me! I didn't do anything!" Allen protested, his face turning red as a few tattletales hurried out of the classroom.
Allen was helpless. One was a crybaby, another was a busybody.
He wished he could just get away from this mess. But before he could comfort Cynthia, he felt a strong bump from behind, causing him to lose his balance and fall flat on his face.
The culprit?
He knew exactly who it was. Another short-haired blonde girl with a watermelon-shaped head. After pushing Allen away, she ran into the crowd.
Thankfully, the tattletales had already returned, of course with backing, and when Peony coincidentally saw the process of how Allen was pushed, he was taken aback.
"Caitlin, why is it always you..."
The scolding began. But instead of running, Caitlin just hid behind Cynthia.
People might think they were twin sisters.
Blonde hair, exactly the same. The only thing that set them apart was that while Cynthia's hair had already reached her shoulders, Caitlin had a slightly round face, yeah, just like a watermelon.
Also, her clothes were dirty, and she looked a bit messy, like a wild girl.
Allen fell silent as he processed all of this.
'What exactly did she experience during those years...'
In his mind, the image of the Caitlin he remembered gradually became clearer but he couldn't connect the rude, disheveled girl in front of him with that Caitlin—
Blond? Yes.
But that watermelon-shaped head?
And the Caitlin he remembered always prioritized elegance above all else. Even in battle, she refused to be anything less than graceful. Perhaps it was just a coincidence that they shared the same name.
It's really intriguing.
1 PM was in the afternoon, and it was time to go home. The area outside the classroom was crowded with parents and grandparents picking up their children. However, Allen, Cynthia, and Caitlin were not allowed to go home just yet.
The three of them were held back in the teacher's room, waiting for their representatives to report first.
While waiting, Allen couldn't help but compare this Pokémon world with the one he knew from his previous life. If he is ten years old later, will he start his own journey?
The answer is both yes and no. This also includes when you can get your starter Pokémon.
He was confused at first when he read about this in his aunt's book collection.
Shouldn't every trainer start their Pokémon journey at the age of ten?
Isn't this a tradition and an aspiration for every child in the Pokémon world?
It was from a book titled "The New Era of Education—Sinnoh's Edition", or something along those lines. But the more he read, the more he began to understand.
There was a reform, though it wasn't detailed on Wiki, but this explains how Ash, Dawn, and Brock were able to attend the Summer Academy—much like how Ash later attended the Alola Pokémon Academy.
Simply put, let's say it like this: Let's be real—back in the day, kids who could barely tie their own shoelaces were suddenly handed a Pokédex and told, "Go forth, child, and battle god."
Like, seriously?
A ten-year-old, out in the wild with nothing but a backpack, a smile, and a half-trained starter Pokémon? No parental supervision? No emergency plan? Just vibes?
Then, just as he had expected.
The disappearances of young trainers were first discovered in Kanto before spreading to Johto and Hoenn.
Rumors began to spread that some aspiring trainers were being exploited by poachers and criminals.
While some managed to return home, others were never found. Many young trainers suffered injuries, psychological stress increased, protests erupted, and lawsuits were swiftly filed.
The Pokémon Association eventually apprehended those responsible, but by then, public outcry had already erupted, demanding a better solution. Then, there was one case.
Just one.
It was like opening Pandora's box for everyone in the Pokémon Association and everyone following the case. Even Allen couldn't help but facepalm as he read the summary.
A young trainer, eager to start his journey in Viridian Forest, Kanto, was stung by a wild Weedle and had no clue how to treat the poison. But here's the thing—he didn't actually need to treat it. The poison was mild, just a bit of painful swelling. Nothing serious.
But that newbie? He was crying for his mama like he'd been poisoned by Papa Beedrill!
Weedle is a typical "first-catch" option for rookie trainers, and the battle to catch one is usually trivial.
Everyone knows that if not captured quickly, the ruckus of battling a Weedle may attract angry Beedrill, and a trainer could quickly become overwhelmed.
So, who's to blame here? The Association or his family?
This is basic stuff—the absolute basics. Yet, that kid, with permission from his parents, ventured out and got defeated by a Weedle... before even coming across a Legendary Pokémon.
SHAME!
Everyone understood that there simply weren't enough veterans and rangers to patrol every route.
In fact, many parents saw this incident as an opportunity to take advantage of the Association, demanding better safety measures for their children—or whatever they could get out of it.
It's just that they never expected the kid who got stung by the Weedle. Soon, it was discovered that more than half of the aspiring trainers who had disappeared weren't victims of poachers or criminals.
They were simply foolish enough to believe they were invincible, without proper training or survival skills, underestimating the dangers that lay beyond the safety of the wild area.
One case, then two, and eventually hundreds to thousands of cases, the Association did not hold back.
People could access the information through the government website in PDF format.
Those foolish enough to be stung by a Weedle didn't dare leave their rooms because they were too embarrassed.
Each scandal brought enough shame to every family, causing them to withdraw their lawsuits, hoping this issue would pass quickly.
The Association and League survived the public onslaught, but this incident made them sweat.
They recognized the issues immediately, and each regional league was brought under strict governmental oversight in collaboration with the Pokémon Association as the governing body.
New policies were swiftly introduced to protect young trainers and ensure they were better prepared.
The entire education system and curriculum were overhauled, with a particular focus on wilderness survival and Pokémon handling before anyone could begin their Pokémon journey.
Travel permits were implemented, and everyone was required to pass rigorous exams and undergo thorough background checks—measures designed to prevent such tragedies from happening again.
Back to Allen and his little conflict—soon, he recognized his grandma and grandpa walking alongside a middle-aged man dressed in construction worker attire, complete with the helmet.
Caitlin's father kept apologizing to Grandma Dracelia and Grandpa Dayton repeatedly, his tone sincere. Although they knew each other well, this was a lesson for the kids to learn the importance of saying sorry.
After all, despite the little friction earlier that day, they were still kids, and they hoped this would set a good example.