Pallet Town. It was smaller than the anime made it look—more of a quiet, picturesque subdivision for the elite and the academic than a bustling town. The air smelled of sea salt and freshly cut grass, a stark contrast to the metallic tang of the Viridian slums.
I rolled in on my skateboard, the wheels clattering against the pristine pavement. As I approached the iconic windmill of the Oak Laboratory, I saw a scene that felt like high-definition déjà vu.
A red convertible was parked out front, surrounded by a literal cheerleading squad in short skirts. In the center of the chaos stood a boy with spiky hair and an air of unearned confidence—Gary Oak. And sprinting toward him, looking like he'd just lost a wrestling match with his own bedsheets, was a kid in green pajamas. Ash Ketchum.
"You're late, Ashy-boy!" Gary's voice carried over the crowd, dripping with that classic, smug Ivy League energy. "The early bird gets the Pokémon, and the latecomer gets… well, the leftovers."
Ash was panting, his face red with frustration. "Gary! You—you think you're so great just because your Gramps is the Professor!"
I hopped off my board, kicking the tail so it popped up into my hand. I stood there for a second, taking them in. Okay, real talk: the anime did not do these two justice. In this world, they weren't just cartoon characters; they were teenagers with actual jawlines. Even in pajamas, Ash had this earnest, rugged look, and Gary… well, Gary looked like he'd walked off the cover of a "Young Trainers Monthly" magazine.
But I had a job to do, and my legs were screaming for a break. Plus, seeing Ash in his PJs confirmed the timeline. This was Episode 1. The Pikachu Incident was about to go down. This was a goldmine of opportunity—if Ash was busy fumbling with a stubborn electric rat, there were dozens of powerhouse Pokémon in the wild he was going to miss. And I planned to be the one to find them.
"Um, excuse me," I said, my voice cutting through the shouting match. "But could you two please move aside? I have an appointment with Professor Oak."
The effect was instantaneous. Ash stopped mid-rant, and Gary's "cool guy" pose faltered. Both of them turned toward me.
Now, I knew I looked better since my makeover—the black cap, the denim shorts, and the layered tops actually fit my frame—but the way they stared was just weird. Their faces went from pale to a shade of red that rivaled my Torchic's feathers. They just… stood there. Frozen.
Behind Gary, the cheerleading squad started shooting actual daggers at me with their eyes. If looks could kill, I'd be a ghost-type by now.
What is with these people? I thought, my irritation bubbling up. Is it the skateboard? Is 'urban-chic' not a thing in Pallet Town?
"Can you guys please move?" I repeated, my sarcasm starting to leak through the 'polite girl' facade. "I'm already quite late, and I'm not really in the mood to stand in the sun while you two have a staring contest."
That seemed to break the spell. They stumbled aside, tripping over their own feet to give me a wide berth.
"The... uh..." Gary started, his voice surprisingly soft and lacking its usual bite. He cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure. "All the Pokémon that arrived for the new trainers... they've been given away already. You're too late for a starter."
I gave him a small, unintentional smile. "I already have my Pokémon from Professor Linda. I'm just here to deliver a package from her to Professor Oak and pick up a Pokedex."
Gary's face went a shade deeper. He looked like he was about to overheat. Even Ash was staring at me like I'd just descended from a legendary Ho-Oh.
"Ah! It's good to see you've both arrived! Ash, and Regina!"
We all turned. Professor Oak was standing in the doorway of the lab, wearing his signature lab coat and a look of immense amusement. He looked between Ash's pajamas, Gary's beet-red face, and my confused expression.
"Good morning, Professor Oak," I said, adjusting the strap of my bag.
"Good morning, indeed," Oak chuckled, his eyes twinkling with a mischievous glint as he looked at his grandson. "Why don't you both come in? You too, Gary, if you want."
Oak started smirking. Gary let out a series of forced coughs, looking anywhere but at me. "Yeah... sure. I guess I have a few minutes before my fan club gets restless."
"Whatever! I just want my Pokémon!" Ash yelled, still oblivious to everything but his dream, though he did steal one more confused glance at me as we moved toward the doors.
I followed them inside, feeling the cool blast of the lab's air conditioning. I had no idea why everyone was acting so twitchy, but I had a Pokedex to collect and a journey to start.
Just keep it professional, Regina, I told myself. You're a G-Pro recruit. You don't have time for whatever weird flu is going around Pallet Town.
I felt the weight of the Pokéball on my belt. Torchic was quiet for now, but I knew he was ready. We were in the room where it happens. Now, I just had to make sure it happened in my favor.