Chapter 6: One Choice
Aarav kept walking.
The space around him no longer felt endless, but it was still far from normal. The ground beneath his feet was solid now—dark soil mixed with stone—yet it didn't quite belong to any single place he recognized. The air carried a neutral stillness, neither warm nor cold, as if the void itself had decided to remain hospitable.
Behind him came a steady, soft sound.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Aarav glanced back.
Ting-Lu followed a few steps behind, moving at an unhurried pace. Its hooves touched the ground carefully, almost politely, as if it didn't want to cause trouble. Each step left behind faint black marks—thin, shadowy impressions that spread slightly, then slowly faded.
Even weakened, it couldn't fully suppress its nature.
Aarav slowed down just to watch.
The contrast was absurd.
This was a Legendary Pokémon. One of Paldea's great calamities. A being said to warp land and bring ruin simply by existing.
And yet here it was—small, compact, ears twitching as it noticed unfamiliar shapes, occasionally speeding up just enough to stay close to him.
Cute.
Ridiculously so.
Aarav shook his head.
"If anyone back home saw you like this," he muttered, "they'd think the legends were exaggerated."
Ting-Lu snorted softly, then tilted its head, clearly not understanding a word—but reacting to the tone.
They continued forward.
The terrain shifted gradually, rocks giving way to thicker roots and uneven ground. Aarav wasn't paying enough attention—his eyes kept drifting back to Ting-Lu, to the way its dark body contrasted against the muted environment, to the way its presence felt oddly grounding.
That was when something flickered in front of his vision.
A small, translucent window appeared near Ting-Lu.
Aarav stopped walking immediately.
"…Status?" he murmured.
The window stabilized.
---
POKÉMON STATUS
Name: Ting-Lu
Type: Dark / Ground
Level: 7
State: Weakened (Environmental Suppression)
HP: Moderate
Attack: Extremely High (Base Value – Restricted Output)
Defense: High (Restricted)
Special Defense: High (Restricted)
Speed: Low
Additional Notes:
– Emotional fuel absent
– Core authority intact
– Growth dependent on external world exposure
---
Aarav stared at the numbers.
Level seven.
He let out a slow breath.
"…You really are weak right now," he said quietly.
Ting-Lu looked up at him, ears flicking.
"But that attack stat," Aarav added, eyeing the line again, "is still terrifying."
Even restricted, it was listed as extremely high. Whatever this system was measuring, it clearly recognized Ting-Lu's true nature beneath the suppression.
Aarav dismissed the window with a thought and resumed walking.
The ground grew rougher.
Roots snagged at his feet. Sharp stones pressed through the thin soles of his shoes. He hissed quietly when a low branch scraped against his leg.
"Seriously?" he muttered.
He looked down.
Dark bruises had formed along his shins—nothing severe, but painful enough to remind him that this body was still human. Twelve years old or not, he wasn't built for endless wandering through hostile terrain.
He slowed, rubbing his leg.
Ting-Lu noticed immediately.
It stopped and turned, watching him with quiet concern. The faint black marks beneath its hooves darkened for a second, then faded again.
"I'm fine," Aarav said reflexively. "Just… clumsy."
As if responding to the situation, movement stirred nearby.
A soft rolling sound approached from the side.
A Smoliv emerged from behind a stone, leaves trembling slightly as it observed Aarav. Behind it came another Pokémon, moving in an awkward gliding motion—Toedscool, its long legs stretching and contracting in an almost comical rhythm.
Aarav stiffened, then relaxed.
"Hey," he said gently. "I won't hurt you."
Smoliv rolled closer, eyes warm and curious. It stopped near Aarav's bruised leg and pressed one of its leaves against the skin.
Warmth spread instantly.
Aarav inhaled sharply as the ache dulled, bruises fading to pale shadows. The soreness in his calves eased, replaced by a soothing sensation that traveled upward, relaxing tense muscles.
Toedscool shuffled forward and extended one of its legs, tapping the ground lightly. A faint green glow pulsed outward, settling over Aarav like a gentle wave.
Fatigue eased.
Not gone—but manageable.
Aarav blinked, then smiled.
"…Thank you," he said sincerely.
Smoliv wobbled happily.
Toedscool let out a pleased, breathy sound.
Aarav bowed his head slightly. "I appreciate it. Really."
The two Pokémon lingered for a moment longer, then retreated back into the environment, disappearing as quietly as they had appeared.
Aarav straightened.
"That," he murmured, "is why I love this world."
Ting-Lu watched the spot where they vanished, then looked back at Aarav.
They continued on.
The surroundings began to feel… thinner.
Not empty—just less layered. The sense of separation between habitats weakened. The air felt closer to normal, more like Paldea than the contained void he'd been walking through.
Aarav wiped dirt from his arms and sighed.
He looked down at himself.
Mud-streaked clothes. Tangled hair. Scratches along his forearms. Leaves caught in his sleeves.
"…I look like a jungle man," he muttered.
Ting-Lu snorted again.
"Don't laugh," Aarav said dryly. "You're not exactly subtle either."
The black traces beneath Ting-Lu's hooves flickered faintly, then disappeared.
Aarav slowed to a stop.
He was done wandering.
Whatever this space was, it had served its purpose. He'd learned what he needed to learn. Seen what he needed to see.
Now he needed civilization.
Food. Shelter. Answers.
He closed his eyes briefly, then focused inward.
"System," he said.
A small interface appeared.
Simple. Minimal.
He scanned it carefully until he spotted a familiar option.
LOG OUT
Aarav hesitated.
Once he left, things would become real in a different way. Laws. People. Consequences.
He exhaled.
"Yeah," he said quietly. "Time to go."
He pressed it.
The interface shifted.
A confirmation prompt appeared.
---
You may take ONE Pokémon out of this space.
Select Pokémon.
---
Aarav's chest tightened.
He didn't hesitate.
The list unfolded in front of him—names, silhouettes, levels, habitats. Hundreds. Thousands.
He scrolled past them slowly.
Past familiar faces. Past teams he remembered raising.
Then he stopped.
Ting-Lu
Level: 7
State: Weakened
He looked up.
Ting-Lu stood a few steps away, watching him patiently, head tilted slightly as if waiting for instruction.
"…Alright," Aarav said softly. "Let's see what happens."
He selected it.
The moment he did, weight appeared in his hand.
Aarav looked down.
A Poké Ball rested in his palm.
Not red and white.
Black and gold.
A Master Ball.
Perfectly smooth. Heavy with implication.
Aarav closed his fingers around it slowly.
"…Of course," he murmured.
Ting-Lu stepped closer, calm and unafraid.
Aarav met its gaze.
"If this causes problems," he said quietly, "I'll take responsibility."
The void remained silent.
The system did not object.
---
– The End –