Pokémon : Play at home

The bell above the door jingled softly as Ayan stepped inside, Charmander padding behind him. The inside was cooler than expected, air-conditioned and brightly lit with neatly organized shelves lining the walls. There were entire aisles dedicated to everything a trainer could need:

Poké Balls of different varieties.

Rows of Potions and sprays.

Nutritional supplements for Pokémon health.

Foldable tents and camping cookware.

Books on wilderness survival and map-reading.

Waterproof hiking boots, cold-weather cloaks, and even mini solar chargers.

Ayan stopped near one of the displays labeled "Trainer Adventure Bundles." Most of it was useful—if he actually had to camp outdoors. But he didn't. Not really.He could always teleport home and sleep in his bed. Eat home-cooked food. Use his own bathroom.

And that realization made him pause.Oak had given him five thousand Poké Dollars—a generous gift, assuming Ayan would be out in the wild with nothing but his pack. It was thoughtful… but unnecessary in Ayan's case. He had something even Oak didn't fully understand.

Still, he didn't want to waste this blessing. He was going to be smart about it.

A display caught his eye:"Special Poké Ball Discount Today!"

He approached the case and skimmed the prices:

Heal Balls – 300₽ each

Ultra Ball – 1200₽ each

Lure Ball – 600₽ each

Nest Ball – 500₽ each

Timer Ball – 500₽ each

He thought for a moment, then did some quick math.Heal Balls would be great early on. A Pokémon caught with one would be instantly healed—ideal for building trust with wild ones. An Ultra Ball—always good to have for emergencies. And Lure Balls? If he ever went near water or caves, those would be gold.

After a moment of deliberation, Ayan stepped up to the counter where a young attendant greeted him with a nod.

"New trainer?" the boy asked, eyeing Ayan's PokéDex on his belt.

"Yeah. Just started today," Ayan replied.

"Well then, welcome! First purchase discount still applies if you haven't used it yet."

"Perfect," Ayan smiled. "I'll take ten Heal Balls, one Ultra Ball, and two Lure Balls."

The attendant rang it up quickly."Let's see… 10 × 300 is 3000, plus 1200 for the Ultra, and 2 × 600 is 1200. That brings your total to 5400. But! First-time discount brings it down to 3500₽."

"Seriously?" 

"We like to get new trainers hooked early. Call it a marketing strategy."

He laughed softly, pulled out his Trainer Log, and authorized the payment.

Remaining Balance: 1500₽

He carefully tucked the new Poké Balls into his backpack, while Charmander peered curiously at the colorful capsules.

"We're going to need these soon, buddy," Ayan said, patting his partner gently on the head.

"Char!" Charmander chirped, flicking his tail excitedly.

Before leaving, Ayan glanced at a rack of wilderness guides, then at the camping gear again—but he didn't reach for any of it. He had his own path. And he was ready.

"Alright," he said, gazing toward the winding road that would eventually lead out of Pallet and into Route 1. "Let's go see what the world really has to offer."

-----

There were many reasons why he went straight for the Route instead of waiting it out and search for Pokémon in the town itself, as there were Pokémon to catch. The town even had a huge pond where he saw one man sitting at the bank and holding a fishing rod. 

First was the excitement. Going to Route 1 with his physical body was his dream after he had arrived at this world, and the other being, he wanted to see how big was this Route 1. In games it didn't take more than a minute to pass Route 1 if one just walked through in a straight line. Even in the game Let's Go, it didn't take much time. 

But the game didn't convert to 1:1 in reality here. He needed to make calculations before he moved forward. Before he started stepped on the Route 1, he checked his PokeDex. 

Pokémon : Charmander 

Level : 5

Ability : Blaze 

Type : Fire

Gender : Male 

Moves : Growl, Scratch, Ember, Dragon Rush. 

Friendship : 150/255

As soon as Ayan's foot crossed the painted arch of the Route 1 entrance marker, something shifted.

The air smelled different—wilder. The trail ahead, though labeled as a "route," looked less like a maintained road and more like a wandering dirt path carved by countless feet and paws over time. Tall grass sprouted in thick tufts along both sides, buzzing softly with life. Trees arched overhead in places, forming a shifting canopy of shade. Somewhere in the distance, a Pokémon cried out—high and sharp, a warning or maybe just a greeting.

Ayan slowed his pace, realizing this wasn't the clean, corridor-like path he remembered from the games. This was a real biome.

And real terrain meant real distance. After walking about 300 meters, he still hadn't seen another soul. No other trainer. No wild Pokémon. Just the gentle hum of insects, the crunch of dirt beneath his boots, and Charmander's quiet breath beside him.

And then—He saw it. A flash of tan feathers, just beyond the edge of the tall grass.

A Pidgey.

It stood near a bush, pecking curiously at the ground. Small, no more than a foot tall, with cream-colored plumage and darker brown wings. Its round black eyes locked onto Ayan almost immediately—but instead of flying away like a startled bird, it tilted its head… curious.

Ayan's breath caught. His hand drifted toward one of the Heal Balls on his belt, but he stopped. Something in him whispered:

"Do it right."

He turned to Charmander, who was already watching the bird Pokémon intently, claws flexing in anticipation.

"Charmander," Ayan said quietly, crouching beside his partner, "you up for our first battle?"

"Char!" Charmander answered, stepping forward with a fire-flicking bounce.

Ayan stood slowly. The grass crunched under his feet. The Pidgey didn't bolt—just hopped back and fluffed its wings.

"Okay, buddy," Ayan whispered, "just like we talked about. Stay close, watch its wings, and don't rush in."