Pokemon Regression

Chapter 16: Nightmare

I still remember it like it was yesterday.

It was a warm day in the sunny Pallet Town, a big beaming smile on my face as I stormed down the stairs, excited to play with my friends. My partner Yeller bounded down with me, looking almost as excited as me. 

I was a little disappointed to have a three-legged Rattata at first, but the two of us had become fast friends, and it wasn't like I had to do Pokemon battles. I was more than happy just to play with him each day.

"Mum!" I called out as I reached our Kitchen, "Yeller and I are gonna go out for a bit, is that okay?" turning the corner I saw my mother was on the phone, and clasped my hands over my mouth. 

My mother quietly rubbed her furrowed brows as she listened to the voice on the other end. "No but... Why now, after all this time...?"

She was quiet for another moment, then snapped at whoever was on the other end. "It's not like you ever cared before!"

A moment of silence again, but she took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh. "...I'm sorry. You're right, I ought to at least ask him." She turned her gaze to me as she spoke, and then she leaned down and covered the microphone with her hand.

"...Cyan, sweetie. Did you ever want to... Meet your dad...?"

I blinked a few times. "I have a dad?" I replied excitedly. "Who is he?!"

My mother pursed her lips for a moment. "He's... A very busy, very important man. But he said that he wants to meet you. Apparently he's in Johto at the moment, so... You'd have to be brave but... Would you like to meet him?"

I nodded enthusiastically. 

The next day, my mother saw me off with a scary-looking man dressed in a suit and tie. She reassured me that the man worked for my father, and that I could trust him to protect me until we got to my father.

As we left, I overheard my mother muttering to herself. "All boys leave home someday, huh..."

The man possessed a large and powerful Pidgeot, which he used to fly us across Kanto at a breakneck pace. I was scared of him at first, but when I was scared of the height he placed a hand on my shoulder. 

"It'll be alright kid. Nothing is gonna happen to you under my watch. I stake my life on it."

I found the comment to be reassuring, in a strange way.

After a week of travel, we made it to Goldenrod city. The city was beautiful and majestic, as a boy who'd been living in a rural town until now the skyscrapers were overwhelming and breathtaking all at once. 

The man took me to a colourful building, a daycare for young children-Much to my confusion. 

"Sorry kid, all I was told was to make sure you arrived here safely. My job is done now." The man answered, climbing up onto his Pokemon. "Hope your dad comes to pick you up soon."

And without another word he flew off, leaving me with the daycare staff. 

And so I waited. I waited patiently in the lobby, never going in to play with the other kids. I didn't want to miss the chance to meet my dad. 

My mother had told me to be brave, and so I was. I would wait here until he arrived, and then I'd give him an earful about the way he'd decided to meet up with me!

And so I waited. 10 minutes turned into 30. An hour turned into two, into eight, into 12... The staff tried to convince me to leave, but I refused, stubbornly staying in the daycare lobby.