Chapter 9: A Door Knocked by the League
The house was small.
That was the first thing Aarav noticed once the League vehicle was gone and silence settled in properly.
Not cramped—just modest. A narrow living room with a low table. A compact kitchen that looked like it had been cleaned recently but not carefully. Two rooms down a short hallway. One clearly a bedroom. The other… something else. Storage, maybe. Or once an office.
Aarav walked slowly, barefoot on cool tile.
It was on the outskirts of the city, but that had its advantages. No constant noise. No crowds. Through the window, he could see low hills and patches of green beyond the houses, the land sloping gently away from civilization.
Comfy, he decided.
Lived-in.
Not rich. Not empty.
He paused in the bedroom doorway.
The bed was neatly made. A school bag rested beside the desk, still half-packed. On the wall hung a simple calendar with days crossed out up to three days ago.
His chest tightened slightly.
This life had continued right up until it hadn't.
He sat on the bed and let himself breathe.
Whatever had happened to Aar—the boy whose body he now occupied—it hadn't been dramatic. No grand tragedy. Just loss, followed by routine, followed by one wrong step into the forest.
That made it worse somehow.
Aarav lay back and stared at the ceiling.
"I'll take care of it," he murmured, not sure who he was promising.
Sleep came easily.
Too easily.
---
The knock woke him.
Aarav sat up immediately, heart racing for half a second before he remembered where he was.
Morning light streamed through the window.
He checked the time on the wall clock.
Just past nine.
The knock came again.
"I'm coming," he called, pulling on a jacket as he stood.
He opened the door to find a man in a League jacket standing outside, posture relaxed but formal. A clipboard was tucked under one arm. A small Indeedee stood quietly at his side.
"Good morning," the man said with a polite nod. "Aar A., correct?"
Aarav hesitated for a fraction of a second.
"…Yes," he said.
"I'm Officer Ren," the man continued. "From the Pokémon League's youth support division. May I come in?"
Aarav stepped aside.
"Of course."
Ren glanced around briefly as he entered, not intrusive, just observant. He took a seat at the small table only after Aarav gestured to it.
"I won't take much of your time," Ren said. "Yesterday was… a lot. We prefer not to overwhelm minors in your situation."
Aarav nodded.
Ren adjusted his clipboard.
"Given your circumstances," he continued, "the League has reviewed your case. Loss of parents. No immediate guardians. Memory loss. Found in a hazardous area."
He looked up.
"That places you under League protection, temporarily."
Aarav stiffened slightly.
"…What does that mean?" he asked.
"It means support," Ren said calmly. "Not control. You'll remain in your home, attend school as usual, and receive periodic check-ins. We don't uproot children unless absolutely necessary."
That eased something in Aarav's chest.
"Alright," he said.
Ren smiled faintly.
"Now," he said, flipping a page, "there's another matter we wanted to discuss."
He slid the clipboard forward.
"Scholarship eligibility."
Aarav blinked.
"Scholarship?"
"Yes," Ren said. "The League maintains several programs for youths affected by loss or exceptional circumstances. Yours qualifies."
He continued smoothly.
"This includes educational support, living stipends, and—if you choose—participation in the League's Starter Pokémon Initiative."
Aarav's fingers tightened slightly on the edge of the table.
"…Starter Pokémon," he repeated.
Ren nodded.
"The League provides one registered starter Pokémon to eligible youths who wish to pursue training, research, or ranger pathways. It's optional."
Aarav kept his expression neutral.
"What if I don't want to become a trainer?" he asked.
Ren smiled.
"Then you don't," he said simply. "The Pokémon would be considered a companion, not a battle asset. Some choose Pokémon suited for assistance or emotional support instead."
Aarav absorbed that.
"And if I do?"
"Then you'll be registered when you're ready," Ren replied. "No pressure. No deadline."
Aarav looked down at his hands.
A starter Pokémon.
Official.
Legal.
Safe.
Ting-Lu stirred faintly in the subspace beneath his skin.
He pushed the thought aside.
"What kinds of Pokémon?" Aarav asked carefully.
Ren listed them calmly.
"Standard regional starters. Some nontraditional options for special cases—Pokémon with calm temperaments, high adaptability, or supportive abilities."
Indeedee's ears flicked slightly, as if in agreement.
Aarav leaned back.
"…I need time to think," he said.
"That's expected," Ren replied. "There's no obligation to decide today."
He slid a small folder across the table.
"Information packet. Contact details. Emergency numbers."
Ren stood.
"One more thing," he added.
"Yes?"
Ren met his eyes.
"You were found unusually deep in the forest," he said gently. "If you remember anything—anything at all—about how you got there, please tell us."
Aarav shook his head.
"I don't," he said honestly.
Ren nodded once.
"Alright."
He paused at the door.
"You're not alone in this, Aar," he said. "Even if it feels that way."
Then he left.
The door closed softly behind him.
Aarav sat in silence for a long moment.
Scholarship.
Starter Pokémon.
A future being offered to him—clean, official, uncomplicated.
He looked around the small but comfy house again.
Outskirts of the city. Quiet. Safe.
And somewhere beneath his sleeve, a Master Ball hidden in a mark that no one else could see.
"…Yeah," he murmured. "This is going to get complicated."
But for the first time since waking up in the forest, the complication didn't feel like a threat.
It felt like a choice.
And that was new.