Pokémon: This Unpredictable World

Section 1: A Frightening Truth

I walked through the streets of Viridian City, surrounded by the familiar sounds of the town. The Pokémon Center was finally behind me. Bulbasaur was no longer knocked out, of course. He had recovered from our last battle against Damian. But I had this strange feeling—a kind of mental exhaustion more than physical. I knew I should be more vigilant. Now was not the time to let my guard down.

Rattata, also recovered, seemed intrigued by the world around him. I had captured him somewhat hastily, but I could see his potential. It would just take time for him to adapt to his new way of life. Kind of like me, after all. It's not Pokémon that adapt to the world—it's the world that adapts to them, to us.

As I wandered through the streets of Viridian, a sharp cry made me turn my head. Spearow. They were diving straight at an old man, who was desperately trying to fend them off with a cane. This wasn't right. It couldn't be. Something urged me to act. I grabbed Rattata and ran.

I threw the Pokémon forward, saying nothing. He understood, just like I did, that this was an emergency. A challenge. A situation that had to be handled quickly. A well-placed Tackle, and the Spearow scattered into the sky. The old man was safe, but I didn't feel satisfied. This wasn't a victory, just a reaction, an instinct. The situation could have been avoided if… No. It didn't matter. What mattered was that he was okay.

He looked at me, his eyes almost grateful. There was nothing particularly special about this old man, yet something in his gaze made me feel like he wasn't the type to accept help without saying something in return.

"Thank you… You saved my life," he said, almost softly. But I could hear the tension beneath his words. There was something behind his gaze, a weight I couldn't quite grasp.

I simply nodded. That's just what I did. This wasn't the time for unnecessary gratitude. Then, he offered me tea. Tea, really? A stranger inviting me to drink at his home? I hesitated. I had my own objectives here. But… maybe this was the kind of thing that would help me learn more about this city.

I didn't have much to lose, so I followed him.

We arrived at his small house. Nothing extraordinary. It smelled a bit of old wood, but there was a soothing warmth, a quietness. It was strange. I felt more at ease here than outside. He prepared the tea with almost ritualistic precision, as if he had done this a thousand times before. I wondered if this old man had an interesting story to tell. Or maybe he was just another quiet resident of Viridian.

He handed me a cup. The tea was soft, comforting. But one question had been on my mind since I arrived: why was the gym in this city closed? A Gym Leader was supposed to be there, right? The rules were clear. If a leader closed their gym for more than twenty days without a valid reason, there were penalties. But… the gym was closed. And everyone seemed to act like it was normal.

I decided to ask.

"Why is the gym closed? The Gym Leader is supposed to be there."

He paused for a moment, as if considering whether it was a relevant question. Then, he answered in a calm, almost resigned tone.

"Ah… Viridian's Gym Leader. Giovanni. He's famous, you know. He does whatever he wants. As long as he comes back, he can keep the gym closed for as long as he likes. It's… a matter of power."

A matter of power, huh? I suddenly felt uneasy. This kind of thing disgusted me. It was as if rules only applied to others, but not to those already at the top. A Gym Leader who could do whatever he wanted, without consequences. Was this really the world I lived in?

"But… that's not fair. He can't do that, can he?"

"For him, rules are flexible. It's not about what he can or can't do. It's about what he wants to do. Giovanni is an important man. There's no law that applies to him the same way it does to others. And everyone seems to accept it."

I sat there, slightly unsettled. This wasn't what I had expected. A blatant injustice, both obvious and accepted, and yet… so subtle. I felt both angry and powerless. Was this really the kind of world I wanted to grow in?

Then, something changed in the atmosphere. The old man's tone shifted, a slight tremor in his voice. A bad feeling.

"You know… there's something that bothers me about Giovanni. When I see him, I feel a kind of aura, something dark emanating from him. He's planning something. A great change. Something terrible—not just for humans, but for Pokémon as well. He's not like the others…"

I shivered. This wasn't the first time I had heard someone talk about Giovanni this way. But… this time, it felt different. This old man seemed deeply disturbed by the thought. Maybe what he was saying was true.

I remained silent. My tea slowly cooled in my cup. I wanted to ask more questions. But I couldn't. Too much information, too fast.

Eventually, I stood up. "Thanks for the tea."

"Remember what I told you, young man. The world is not what it seems. Soon, you'll have to face difficult choices."

I left the house, the old man's words echoing in my mind. Giovanni, a menacing aura. This was the first time I had felt such pressure in the air. I wasn't prepared for this. But now… I was worried.

What was he planning? And what would I do when the time came?