The rhythmic rocking of the ship had become so familiar that I had almost forgotten what it was like to stand on anything that wasn't made of steel and rivets. I was dead to the world, buried under a pair of dark sunglasses and the soft weight of a napping Pokémon, when the speakers above my head crackled with a life of their own.
"Attention, passengers! The cruise ship will arrive at Vermilion City in the Kanto region in thirty minutes. Please pack your belongings and prepare for disembarkation. We hope you enjoyed your voyage!"
"Ahhh... man, finally," I groaned, stretching my arms so wide I almost knocked over my empty orange juice glass. I let out a massive, jaw-cracking Yawn, pushing my sunglasses up into my hair. "Seriously, someone needs to tell the League to invest in some regional airports. I love the sea, but I feel like I've aged five years on this ferry."
Beside me, Sylveon and Floette were also stirring. Sylveon looked up at me with half-closed eyes, her long ears twitching in confusion. She let out a small, questioning chirp.
"Yeah, I know, girl. The nap time is over," I laughed, scratching her behind the ears. "We're in Kanto. Real-deal Kanto. Let's get our stuff together. We've got a bus to catch."
"Sylve-on?" She shook her head, still looking a bit dazed from the sun, but she hopped down from the chair with her usual grace.
Because both Sylveon and Floette were extremely rare sights in the Kanto region—especially Sylveon, given the recent nature of her discovery—I decided it was best to play it safe. I didn't want to get mobbed by curious local trainers the second I stepped off the gangplank.
"Sorry, guys, but you've got to head back into the balls for a bit," I said. "Just until we get through customs. I don't want to spend four hours explaining what a Fairy-type is to every person on the pier."
With two soft clicks, they were gone. I grabbed my spatial backpack, double-checked that my Ash-model hat was safely tucked away, and headed for the exit.
Stepping off the ship felt like walking into a different world. Vermilion City was a sprawling, vibrant seaport bathed in the warm, orange glow of the afternoon sun. The air here was thicker than in Sinnoh, humid and smelling of ocean salt and heavy diesel from the various liners docked in the harbor.
This was the heart of Kanto's commerce. I saw the massive, ultra-luxurious S.S. Anne looming in the distance, a floating palace of gold and white. To the left, the Sea Rapidash was loading passengers for the Orange Islands. To the right, the Flowing Water was prepping for a run to Johto. It was a chaotic, beautiful hub of travel.
And somewhere in this city was the legendary Electric-type specialist, Lt. Surge. I knew his reputation—a war veteran who didn't play games. His Raichu was rumored to be strong enough to challenge the Elite Four. Part of me wanted to run straight to the Gym, but I had a schedule to keep.
I found a ferry staff member and asked for the bus station. After a bit of wandering, I managed to snag a ticket for the express line to Pallet Town. I had two and a half hours to kill.
"Well," I said to myself, looking at the bustling marketplace nearby. "When in Rome—or Vermilion—buy souvenirs."
I went into full-blown "tourist mode."
"Whoa, look at the detail on this Charizard wood carving!" I muttered, picking up a heavy, polished piece of mahogany. "Professor Rowan is going to love this for his desk. It's got that 'don't bother me' energy he likes."
I moved from stall to stall, picking up a Pidgeot crystal pendant for my buddy Lin He back at the lab—the guy was obsessed with bird Pokémon, so it was a no-brainer. I found a collection of rare, local Kanto flower seeds for Floette, and a beautifully scented Eevee wood carving for Sylveon. I'd wanted a Sylveon one, obviously, but the shopkeeper told me the wood used for it was out of stock.
"Eevee it is," I said. "She'll appreciate the ancestry, I guess."
I arranged for the shop to mail everything back to Sandgem Town so I wouldn't have to lug ten pounds of wood and crystals across the region. By the time I checked the clock in a nearby bakery, my heart nearly stopped.
"Fifteen minutes?! Are you kidding me?"
I sprinted toward the bus station, dodging tourists and local Rattata. My Pokédex clock was ticking down mercilessly. Eight minutes left. I could see the station at the end of the street, but as I rounded a corner, I suddenly skidded to a halt.
Across the street sat a dilapidated, crumbling villa. The garden was overgrown with weeds, the paint was peeling in long, sickly strips, and the windows looked like hollow, dark eyes.
My blood ran cold. My expression darkened instantly.
"...This house," I whispered. "I know this place. This is that house."
It was the house from the stories—the one associated with a certain "Silly Thing's" companion later in his journey. But more than that, it was a place of abandonment. I felt a surge of genuine anger looking at it. Part of me wanted to pull out a Poké Ball and have Sylveon blast the whole place with Moonblast just to wipe the bad vibes off the map.
"Destroying property is illegal, Julian. Relax," I muttered to myself, shaking my head.
But then, a thought struck me. If the timeline was right, the "hateful" owner might be gone, but someone else might still be there. Someone waiting.
I glanced at my watch. Four minutes.
I reached into my bag and pulled out three boxes of top-tier Pokéblocks—the Ghost and Poison-type blends. These were expensive, high-energy snacks I'd kept in case of emergencies. I ran to the front door of the villa, placed the boxes neatly on the porch, and looked at the dark shadows of the hallway inside.
"I know you're in there," I said quietly, though I couldn't see anything. "I can't take you with me. Your fate is tied to someone else—someone who won't ever give up on you, no matter how many times you lose. Just... hang in there. Eat well. He's coming for you eventually."
I didn't wait for a response. I turned and bolted back toward the station just as the large, blue-and-white bus pulled into the lot.
I scrambled aboard, panting for breath, and found a seat by the window. As the bus began to pull away, I looked back at the crumbling villa. For a split second, I thought I saw a pair of glowing, blood-red eyes peering out from the stairwell shadows, watching the boxes of food.
Gengar, I thought with a sad smile. I hope those Pokéblocks hold you over until Ash gets here.
I leaned back into the plush bus seat, the orange sun finally dipping below the horizon as we left the city limits. The skyscrapers of Vermilion faded into the rolling green hills and forests of the Kanto countryside.
"Stop thinking about the sad stuff," I told myself, slapping my cheeks. "You're in Kanto. You're going to Pallet Town. You're going to meet Samuel Oak!"
I pulled out my Pokédex and looked at the map. The little blue dot was moving steadily away from the coast, heading toward the quiet, legendary town where everything began.
"Wait Pallet Town, I am coming!"