Capítulo 2: There's Something Off About My Pokémon. [2]
Just barely making it before the bell, Lu Cheng sat in the classroom, secretly browsing news on his phone. He had to quickly figure out what kind of world he had woken up to.
In this version of reality, Pokémon were an integral part of society. New industries had emerged, like Pokémon beauty salons, training centers, and care services. Traditional sectors also integrated Pokémon. Civil engineering students now worked with Timburrs, programmers preferred Porygon, and artists often raised Smeargle.
Overall, Pokémon had significantly boosted productivity. However, raising Pokémon required substantial financial and material resources. For most families, raising one or two Pokémon was the limit, and the price of Pokéballs made acquiring more difficult. In Country C, a standard red-and-white Pokéball cost 10,000 yuan.
While becoming a trainer was the most popular dream, the number of actual trainers was small. To promote this career, the government provided subsidies in various regions. Universities even offered new majors like Pokémon Breeding and Pokémon Care, with the highest bar set for the coveted Pokémon Trainer program.
"So, study hard if you want a shot at a good university!" the nearly bald homeroom teacher lectured earnestly from the podium. "Remember, don't aim too high! Be practical and choose majors you can actually get into!"
"Hey, Cheng, what major are you thinking of?" Lu Cheng's deskmate, A Le, a chubby guy with glasses, nudged him.
"My mind's a bit of a mess right now," Lu Cheng replied, still not fully adjusted to the timeline shift.
A Le gave him a sympathetic look. "Yeah, it's understandable to be stressed out about something this big."
"That's not what's bothering me," Lu Cheng muttered, pulling at his hair. He quietly showed A Le a screenshot from a video on his phone, taken under the desk. "Look at this—what do you think of this Pikachu?"
"Pikachu?" A Le gave Lu Cheng a suspicious glance. He had noticed all morning that his deskmate was acting a bit off—barely paying attention in class, constantly glued to his phone, with an expression that shifted unpredictably. Squinting, he inspected the screenshot.
"This is Pikachu, what's the big deal?"
"Don't you think… it looks a little off?"
Lu Cheng's face twisted.
A Le trembled slightly, holding the phone as if afraid to miss any detail. "This Pikachu... uh, it's very cute!"
Looking at the Pikachu, its body covered in dark yellow blotches and its limbs chubby and oversized, Lu Cheng couldn't reconcile it with the word "cute."
"Is... is there something wrong with it?" A Le stammered.
"It's fine," Lu Cheng slumped weakly in his chair. It seemed like he was the only one seeing these Pokémon in freak-show mode. Was he really going to live alongside these bizarre creatures now? The thought sent a chill down his spine.
Though sensing something was off with Lu Cheng, A Le still continued the conversation. "Oh right, Cheng, I heard that once you're 18, you can register at the Pokémon Bureau on your street, and they'll give you a free Pokéball!"
"Really? That good of a deal?" Lu Cheng asked in surprise. After all, he had just checked, and a single Pokéball cost 10,000 yuan!
"I heard it's a government subsidy. Everyone gets one Pokéball, but you'll have to figure out how to catch a Pokémon yourself."
"Didn't you notice how all those rich kids in our class have already started preparing? Buying a Pokéball is nothing to them, but the law says you can only register and legally own a Pokémon once you're 18."
For wealthier students, their families had long since prepared suitable Pokémon for them. But legally, only those over 18 could own Pokémon, and each one had to be registered. Merely owning a Pokémon didn't make someone a trainer, though. At 18, you were given the right to legally use a Pokémon, but to officially become a trainer, you had to pass an exam and be approved by the Pokémon Association. Only then could trainers and their Pokémon participate in battles and gym challenges. Otherwise, they were considered unregistered.
"So, once we're 18, we can have Pokémon too?" Lu Cheng asked.
"In theory, yes. But my family can't afford a Pokéball, so I'll just have to wait for the free one," A Le said with a bitter smile.
Lu Cheng's family was pretty average, and besides, raising too many Pokémon would be overwhelming. Most trainers could only manage two or three at a time—six was the limit. The Pokémon Association even enforced a rule: trainers could only own six Pokémon at most, though Pokémon uploaded to the database didn't count towards that limit.
Lu Cheng still had a month to go before turning 18. Until then, he had plenty of time to decide on a starter Pokémon. In this strange world, finding one that wasn't too creepy felt like a real challenge.
"So what Pokémon are you thinking of raising?" Lu Cheng asked casually.
"I don't really want to be a trainer. My dad wants me to take over his delivery business, so I might go to the daycare and buy a Wingull egg," A Le replied.
A Le's family ran a small delivery service, and on his application form, he had filled in "Pokémon Logistics" as his major. "Once Wingull evolves, it can carry a lot of cargo. Smaller packages can even be delivered directly to high-rise residents."
Lu Cheng nodded. He was gradually starting to accept the reality of Pokémon being integrated into daily life. There were many like A Le who didn't aim to be trainers but still owned Pokémon. His own father was a chef, yet he had a Magmar.
However—
"I've made up my mind!" Lu Cheng suddenly declared.
"Made up your mind about what?" A Le asked, confused.
With newfound determination, Lu Cheng wrote "Pokémon Trainer" as his major on the application form for Jiangnan University.
In a world with real Pokémon, if you don't become a trainer, what's the point of life? As for how the Pokémon looked... well, for a true fan, that was just a minor detail!
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