Early Kindergarten

The Dustox swarm was gone. Everything had settled—or so it seemed.

As nightfall crept closer, the entire town was thrown into an uproar. Chaos erupted once word spread that Allen had taken Cynthia and run off—only for hours to pass with no sign of their return.

"An elopement!" someone cried.

By the time the old folks heard about it, half the town was already debating wedding venues.

Professor Carolina's face darkened. With the sheer weight of an academic's fury, she slammed a book shut and stood up.

"Enough nonsense," she declared. "Organize a search party!"

And just like that, what started as gossip turned into a full-scale rescue mission—complete with torches, Pokémon, and at least three elders muttering about the "reckless youth these days."

Even the other kids, caught up in the excitement, were eager to play detective. They dropped whatever they were doing, ready to join the search.

But just as the town was about to mobilize, something unusual caught their attention. From above, descending gracefully from the sky, was an Altaria.

For the townspeople, Altaria was not an unfamiliar sight. There were at least two trainers in town known to own one, so even from a distance, they quickly recognized the majestic Pokémon. The sight alone was enough to make the crowd pause in their tracks.

Among them, the town mayor—an old man with decades of wisdom—stepped forward instinctively, raising a hand to signal everyone to stay behind his Rhydon. However, his momentary worry quickly faded the moment he recognized the person riding on Altaria's back.

"Grandma!" Cynthia's voice rang out as she eagerly waved toward her grandmother—Professor Carolina.

Meanwhile, Allen broke into a cold sweat.

From below, he could already see his own grandma, standing there with a feather duster in her hand. There was no sign of Bulla—most likely, she had already returned the Miltank to its Pokéball. He knew exactly why.

"Pappy! Where's my Grandpa? Help me! Grandma's going to beat me to death!"

Bastard, He hasn't even been punished yet!

Grandma Dracelia's face turned a dangerous shade of red. "Shut up! What nonsense are you spouting? Get over here this instant! How dare you run off and drag Cynthia into this mess?!"

"Aaaaaaaahhh! Cynthia, Cynthia! Come and save me!"

Childhood is a time filled with wonder and simplicity—a period in life that many find themselves longing for once they step into adulthood. The carefree days, the endless curiosity, and the smallest joys that once felt ordinary become cherished memories, forever etched in the heart.

Time passed, and now both Allen and Cynthia were about to turn four years old. 

Ever since their first encounter with Grandma Wilma, their daily routine had taken on a new rhythm.

Instead of spending their days playing in the courtyard as they usually did, they now found themselves heading to Grandma Wilma's house almost every day.

Professor Carolina, Grandpa Drayton, and even Grandma Dracelia had no objections to this new habit. In fact, they welcomed it.

Grandma Wilma was one of the most respected figures in town, and with her watching over them, there was little to worry about. She was also the owner of Celestic Town's only Pokémon Daycare.

If not for the town's rough terrain, her daycare would likely be overflowing with visitors. Curious, Allen once asked why she chose to open it here instead of in a big city like Veilstone or Jubilife.

Her answer was always the same:

"The air on Mt. Coronet is good for these old bones, and it's quiet—perfect for raising Pokémon properly… and children like you."

Beyond being a caretaker for Pokémon, Grandma Wilma was also the town's only early education teacher. Before starting primary school, most children in town had their first taste of learning under her strict, no-nonsense rule—or as the kids called it, "survival training."

This was yet another reason why Allen and Cynthia's families had no concerns about them spending time at her day care.

Today, Grandma Wilma was teaching the children an important lesson. She smiled warmly as she finished her story and turned to the class.

"Alright, little ones, who can tell me what this story means? What lesson does it teach us?"

The children exchanged glances, their faces filled with confusion.

After a moment, one child eagerly raised their hand. "Grandma Wilma! The story tells us not to force an Eevee to evolve too early!"

Grandma Wilma blinked, then let out a hearty laugh. "Well... that's not exactly wrong."

She asked them a few more times, but the children only came up with nonsense answers. There were all kinds of answers, but none of them were right.

At that moment, two small heads—one white, one yellow—peeked in through the door. The yellow one hesitated for a moment before timidly raising her hand.

"Grandma, I know. Can I say it?"

Grandma Wilma wasn't surprised to see them. Instead, her smile grew even warmer at their eagerness. She nodded. "Go ahead, Cynthia."

Cynthia straightened up and said, "Um… it means you can't rush things! You have to go slow and do it one by one. Like… if a Pokémon gets too strong too fast, it might not be happy because it didn't have time to make friends!"

"Well, that's..." Grandma Wilma started, but as she met Cynthia's eager eyes, she couldn't help but nod enthusiastically.

"That is exactly right," she said with a warm smile before pausing, lost in thought for a moment.

When class break arrived, the children immediately dashed outside, eager to play.

Grandma Wilma stepped out of the classroom and spotted Allen crouching on the ground, furiously scribbling on a piece of paper, using his thigh as a makeshift desk. As for Cynthia, she was poking at the dirt with a wooden stick, occasionally plucking out small blades of grass.

"What are you doing?" Grandma Wilma asked curiously as she approached Allen.

The moment she saw what he was writing, she was shocked.

"Grandma! I'm picking grass so the Pokémon won't go hungry later!" Cynthia declared proudly, beaming with excitement over her achievement.

Grandma Wilma didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Cynthia wasn't just smart—she was endlessly curious. She asked "why" about everything and learned faster than most children her age. As for Allen… well, judging by what he was writing, there was no need to ask.

"Ah—Grandma Wilma, hello!" Allen greeted hastily before quickly folding his paper and stuffing it into his pocket.

She asked them, "Where is your grandma?"

"She's in the dining hall."

Grandma Wilma nodded, then took Allen and Cynthia's hands. "Come on, let's go find your grandma."

Ever since Allen and Cynthia started spending more time at the day care, Grandma Dracelia—who had little to do at home during the winter—quickly grew bored. To keep herself busy, she volunteered to prepare lunch for the children at school.

Every morning, she would walk Allen and Cynthia to daycare, then stay to chat with the other aunties in the kitchen until noon while helping with the meals.

"Okay, Grandma," both Allen and Cynthia nodded obediently.

As they walked, Allen's eyes remained fixed on the little Pokémon playing in the yard with the other children.

A small Cherubi bounced happily on its very short tiny legs, giggling as a group of kids took turns gently patting its leafy head. Not far from them, a Buizel darted around, weaving playfully between the children's legs.

The kids clapped and laughed as the little weasel Pokémon zipped past them, its fluffy tail bouncing with each movement.

Allen watched in silence, absorbed in the lively scene. Cynthia, on the other hand, was far from quiet. Every few steps, she would fire off another question at Grandma Wilma, her curiosity endless.

Cynthia liked Grandma Wilma. Her grandmother had once told her that if she wanted to become strong, she should spend more time with Grandma Wilma—especially learning how to care for Pokémon properly.

Arriving at the kitchen, Grandma Dracelia wasn't surprised to see them—it was lunchtime, after all.

After handing the children over to her, Grandma Wilma suddenly asked, "Allen, Cynthia, you two are the same age, right? How old are you this year?"

Cynthia blinked, then silently counted in her head before holding up three fingers. "I'm four years old this year," she declared confidently.

"Nonsense. This is four. Just now, you showed three." Without saying a word, Allen took her wrist and lifted one more finger.

Grandma Wilma laughed and patted Cynthia's head. "They're still so young, after all."

Just then, Grandma Dracelia walked over and caught the last part of the conversation. She frowned slightly and asked, "Wilma, what's going on? Did Allen and Cynthia cause trouble and disturb your class?"

"No, no," Grandma Wilma chuckled, shaking her head. "Quite the opposite. I just think Allen and Cynthia are very smart and full of potential. They could grow up to be remarkable trainers one day." She smiled kindly as she looked at the two children.

"Really?" Grandma Dracelia's eyes lit up, clearly delighted. 'See? See?? No one can say it's my fault that they turned out this way!'

Cynthia's grin was so wide that her eyes curved into crescents, while Allen simply smirked, amused by her reaction.

'Sinnoh's future powerhouse, huh? She's still pretty adorable for now…'

Grandma Wilma hesitated for a moment before turning to Grandma Dracelia. "Actually, there's something else I wanted to discuss with you."

She had been teaching in the town for many years and she had always been very tolerant of children who were eager to learn. 

In an era where Pokémon thrived, most parents prioritized Pokémon knowledge over the basic. While it was true that a deep understanding of Pokémon could lead to success, many often overlooked fundamental learning. This was what worried Grandma Wilma the most. 

For example, something as simple as measuring Gible's height today, tomorrow, and next month. She needed to ensure the measurements were accurate—not too much, not too little—so that when Gible evolved, there would be no unexpected issues. Or determining the right portion of food Gible should eat at ages one, two, and beyond.

It's the math!

Every detail mattered—calculating Gible's exact growth rate, predicting its ideal weight at each stage, and ensuring its diet provided the right balance of nutrients without overfeeding or underfeeding. The numbers told a story, revealing patterns that came down to equations and precise estimations

Not to mention the fact that Dragon-type Pokémon typically have a high metabolism, burning energy quickly and digesting food rapidly. However, one cannot ignore the possibility of medical conditions such as worms, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, or malabsorption syndromes—especially in domesticated Pokémon like Eevee, which may have different dietary needs

Understanding the meaning, Grandma Dracelia nodded vigorously and said, "Wilma, don't worry. I'll have Allen and Cynthia go to school when I have time in the future. I just don't want to trouble you."

Since Professor Carolina was often busy with her work, Allen and Cynthia were practically raised by her. She never let them feel lacking in love or care—they were the apple of her eye.

School is naturally not a bad thing, and she had no reason to refuse Wilma's offer to take Allen and Cynthia early on.