Chapter 11: A Quiet Walk into Green
Aarav packed lightly.
Two wrapped sandwiches. A small bottle of water. A handful of berries he'd bought from a local stall that morning—nothing special, just fresh and safe. He hesitated for a moment, then added one extra cloth napkin, folding it carefully before slipping it into the bag.
It felt strange, packing food with intention.
Not for survival.
For a walk.
For company.
He zipped the bag and slung it over his shoulder, pausing briefly by the door. The house was quiet again, but this time it didn't feel hollow. It felt like a place he could return to.
"Alright," he murmured. "Forest it is."
The outskirts of the city gave way to greenery faster than he expected. Paved roads thinned into dirt paths, then into uneven trails marked more by Pokémon movement than human planning. Tall grass swayed gently, brushing against his legs as he walked.
This forest felt different from the one he'd woken up in days ago.
Less hostile.
More… lived in.
Bird Pokémon called overhead—Fletchling darting between branches, a Squawkabilly perched noisily on a high limb, shouting at nothing in particular. Near the ground, Smoliv rolled lazily across the path, leaves catching sunlight.
Aarav smiled faintly.
"Hey," he said, stepping around them.
After a few minutes of walking, he slowed and reached up to his sleeve.
"You ready?" he asked quietly.
The Poké Ball tattoo warmed in response.
Aarav pressed his fingers against it.
Light unfolded.
Ting-Lu emerged without drama, solidifying beside him with a soft thud of hooves against earth. The ground beneath it darkened faintly, not enough to alarm, just enough to remind the world of what stood there.
In the sunlight, Ting-Lu looked… healthy.
Not imposing.
Not monstrous.
Just present.
Its eyes moved slowly, taking in the forest with careful interest. It sniffed the air, ears twitching at distant sounds, then glanced back at Aarav as if checking whether this was acceptable.
Aarav nodded.
"It's okay," he said. "Just a walk."
Ting-Lu let out a low sound—not a growl, not a call. Something closer to acknowledgement.
They moved together.
Aarav quickly realized he had to adjust his pace. Ting-Lu wasn't slow, but it walked deliberately, stopping occasionally to inspect the ground or watch other Pokémon from a distance.
Each step left faint black marks in the soil.
They faded slowly.
Aarav watched them for a moment, then looked away.
"Still you," he said softly.
Deeper in, the forest changed.
The canopy thickened, light breaking through in fractured beams. Moss coated rocks. Roots twisted across the ground like natural obstacles. Pokémon presence increased—not aggressively, but attentively.
A Maschiff watched from behind a tree, eyes narrowed but calm. A Capsakid hopped away at the sound of Ting-Lu's hooves. Tarountula silk shimmered faintly between trunks.
Aarav didn't rush.
This wasn't about catching something fast.
It was about seeing.
He sat down on a fallen log when his legs started to ache and set the bag down between them.
"Lunch," he announced.
Ting-Lu looked at the bag, then at him.
Aarav unwrapped one sandwich and took a bite, chewing slowly. He pulled out the berries next and set them on the cloth napkin, placing it on a flat stone nearby.
"For anyone who wants them," he said quietly.
They didn't wait long.
A Smoliv approached first, cautious but curious. It rolled up, sniffed a berry, then glanced at Ting-Lu.
Ting-Lu didn't react.
The Smoliv relaxed and nudged the berry closer, nibbling carefully.
A Hoppip floated down soon after, drifting lazily as if the air itself carried it. It hovered near Aarav's shoulder before settling beside the berries.
Aarav smiled.
"Help yourselves."
Ting-Lu watched all of it silently.
Not possessive.
Not territorial.
Just observing.
Aarav leaned back against the log, finishing his sandwich and drinking water slowly. He felt something loosen in his chest—something he hadn't realized had been tight.
"This is nice," he said aloud.
Ting-Lu shifted slightly, hooves pressing deeper into the soil for a moment before settling again.
After lunch, they continued deeper.
Aarav began to notice patterns.
Pokémon that usually avoided humans didn't flee immediately. Some watched from afar. Some followed briefly before losing interest. Ting-Lu's presence didn't provoke aggression—but it did command space.
Not fear.
Respect.
They reached a small clearing where sunlight pooled warmly. Flowers grew in uneven clusters, and a narrow stream cut through the center, water clear and shallow.
Aarav crouched by the stream, washing his hands.
"This place feels… right," he murmured.
Ting-Lu stepped closer, hooves touching water. The surface darkened faintly, then returned to normal.
Aarav glanced at it.
"You don't break things unless you want to," he realized.
That thought stayed with him.
As they moved on, Aarav kept an eye out—not hunting, not forcing encounters—but open.
He wanted a Pokémon companion someday.
Not now.
Not today.
But he wanted to know what kind of Pokémon the forest offered.
A Deerling darted past, graceful and quick. A Nacli stood half-buried near a rock formation, watching quietly. High above, a Kilowattrel glided, shadow passing over the trees like a warning and a promise.
Aarav felt no urgency.
Just curiosity.
He stopped again when Ting-Lu paused suddenly.
"What is it?" Aarav asked.
Ting-Lu stared ahead.
A moment later, a small Pokémon emerged from behind a cluster of roots—Shroodle, eyes bright, posture alert. It sniffed the air, then froze when it noticed Ting-Lu.
Aarav held his breath.
The Shroodle didn't run.
It tilted its head.
Ting-Lu lowered its own slightly, posture relaxed.
After a long second, the Shroodle scurried off, disappearing into the brush.
Aarav exhaled.
"…You're good with them," he said.
Ting-Lu flicked its tail once.
The sun dipped lower by the time Aarav realized how long they'd been walking.
Golden light filtered through leaves now, painting the forest in warmer hues. His legs were tired, but not painfully so. His mind felt clearer than it had in days.
He stopped and turned to Ting-Lu.
"Thank you," he said.
Ting-Lu looked at him.
Not as a calamity.
Not as a weapon.
Just as a Pokémon listening to its trainer.
"I don't know where this path goes yet," Aarav continued. "But… I'm glad you're here."
Ting-Lu stepped closer, standing beside him rather than behind.
For the first time since waking up in Paldea, Aarav felt something settle into place.
Not a goal.
Not a plan.
A direction.
They turned back as the forest darkened, footsteps lighter now, shadows stretching long behind them.
This wasn't an expedition.
It wasn't training.
It was the beginning of a bond that didn't need words, stats, or battles to exist.