What is this luck?

Ayan walked back into the apartment still damp with sweat, towel slung around his neck, after running on the treadmill. His mom was already plating up breakfast—scrambled eggs, toasted multigrain bread, a bowl of sliced apples. His dad sat at the table, sipping tea and reading something off his tablet.

"Morning, sleepyhead," his mom said without turning.

"You slept like a Snorlax," his dad added. 

"Yeah… guess I needed it." Aya chuckled. 

"You're smiling more today," his mom noted, finally placing a plate in front of him. "Did something good happen?"

"You look like you won the lottery," his dad said.

Ayan paused mid-bite, then shrugged.

"I dunno. I just feel… grateful today. Like everything's finally clicking." Of course he was happy, who wouldn't be. "Also… I might have a surprise for you guys later."

"Oh?" His mom raised a brow. "You're not failing gym class, are you? Because if that's your idea of a surprise—"

"No, nothing like that," Ayan laughed. "Just… something I've been working on. You'll see."

"Teenagers. Always with their mysterious arcs." His dad said. Today was off since he had gone to work the previous day and the Trainers Association would like to check if there were any more dangerous and wild Pokémon that could hinder on their progress. 

After finishing breakfast and thanking his mom, Ayan grabbed his bag, with two Poké Balls clipped inside the inner pocket. Charmander and Pidgey, both resting. His heart gave a little flutter just thinking about that.

The apartment elevator gave a soft ding as it opened. On his way down, he passed an elderly woman with a Growlithe calmly sitting at her feet and a kid barely five years old clumsily clutching a Poké Puff while a Pichu trailed behind him, sparking with impatience.

Outside, the city was alive in a way that could only happen in this version of Earth.

A massive Fearow flew overhead, its wings kicking up a breeze strong enough to rustle his hair. Down the street, a muscular man with a Machoke casually hauling delivery crates was exchanging pleasantries with a florist whose Bellossom danced between rows of tulips. Ayan stepped onto the pavement, glancing around at the morning bustle.

Some people rode on Pokémon—he spotted a teenager balancing on the back of a large Tauros, its horns gleaming in the morning sun. Others were using Pokémon as taxis. One woman had a Gligar flying beside her at shoulder level, helping shield her from the sun with a soft breeze from its wings. Another man casually walked with a Herdier at his heel, the loyal pup scanning ahead like a personal assistant.

Ayan pulled out his transit card and boarded the public bus as it arrived with a low hiss. Ayan settled into a window seat. He didn't pull out his phone or check the net. He just stared out the window, watching the city unfold like something out of a dream that he'd somehow stepped into.

This wasn't the home city which he had lived in his previous life. The name of the city was Shillong and it was a city on the mountains. In fact, though he had the same parents, there were many things that were different in this world too, apart from his different home city. 

The country that he previously lived in was India but now it was a part of the South East Alliance. It included countries like Myanmar, Thailand and it even extended till Indonesia. It was a huge alliance along other alliances, like the Chinese Alliance, Japanese, Korean, European, American, South American, African, Middle Eastern and the Oceanic Alliance. 

Even the name of some of cities were changed and not the same. For example, the name of the city which he previously lived in was now renamed as Convergence City. His parents had moved to Shillong just around his birth because there were better opportunities here as it was coming up fast and needed hands for construction and his father's Pokémon helped. 

As he came out of the bus and waked his way to the school he thought for a minute before taking out the heal ball and then releasing the Pokémon. The Pidgey came out and after making a turn. This Pidgey was quite small and could settle on the shoulder of Ayan. 

She looked around and for the first time she was looking at the new world. 

"Pidgey" 

"You like it here?" 

"Pidgey" It nodded and then began to prune his hair which made Ayan happy and thus petted the bird. These Pokémon were supposed to be powerful and dangerous and even a low level Pokémon could easily hurt anyone. 

"Sorry that I kept you inside the Poke ball for a long time. Now you can always be with me and fly around. Just don't go too far, okay?" Ayan said. 

"Pidgey"

The Pokémon didn't fly away and just stayed on his shoulder while taking the scenes in through her eyes. He soon reached the gates of Shillong High—steel and glass, stylized with the Alliance insignia. 

Ayan adjusted the strap of his bag and strolled in casually. Then came the voice.

"BRO! You ghosted me!"

Ayan turned just in time to see Neil, his best friend since primary, jogging up. He was lean, slightly taller, and wearing the standard-issue navy school track jacket unzipped over a custom shirt with an Aegislash print. His thick black hair was a bit of a mess, like always.

"You didn't reply to anything yesterday, man! I sent you memes, battle leaks, even that clip from the last qualifiers—"

He stopped mid-rant. His eyes dropped to Ayan's shoulder.

"…the hell is that?"

Neil's jaw practically dislocated.

"Is that a— Pidgey!?"

Ayan blinked innocently. "Hm? Oh, yeah. This is mine."

Neil just stared.

"In what reality do you get a Pokémon before I do? Your parents said no. My parents said no. The Alliance doesn't distribute starter-class 'mons till the end of the year And you're telling me you casually walk in with a Pidgey sitting on your shoulder like you're some main character?!"

"I am the main character."

"No, no, no. This isn't normal. Where did you get him or..." 

"She.." Ayan corrected him as one couldn't just point out the gender just by looking at a Pokémon in many cases. "She came to me." Of course he lied. He would never reveal his secret to anyone. Never.