Morning settled over the quiet town of Theo with a slow, deliberate calm. The first light eased across the rows of cottages and the mist that clung to the edge of the forest. Inside one of those homes, Aaron Roberts sat awake long before the sun reached his window. Today he turned ten. Today he could finally apply for Pokémon University.
Aaron was tall for his age, lean and sharp featured. His hair was jet black and slightly unruly, the kind that fell across his forehead no matter how much he tried to brush it back. His eyes were a striking blue, not soft but clear and observant, a contrast that made people look twice. He had the kind of presence that felt older than ten, as if his thoughts ran far ahead of his age.
Across the room, a small bundle stirred. His younger sister, Lila, still slept in her tiny bed. She was six, with curly chestnut hair that never seemed to stay tied and a rounded face that always looked one thought away from a smile. Even asleep, she clutched her favourite plush Buneary, worn at the ears from years of affection.
A gentle knock sounded on the door.
His mother entered first. Elena Roberts carried a quiet strength in the way she moved, her dark brown hair tied neatly at the back, her face warm but thoughtful. She worked as a wildlife officer for the Sinnoh Forestry Department and spent half her days in the forests cataloguing habitats and caring for injured Pokémon. Her partner in work and life, a calm and sturdy Roserade, padded into the room behind her, the scent of its petals drifting gently into the air.
"You look exhausted already," she said, sitting beside Aaron on the edge of the bed. "Did you even try to sleep?"
"I was thinking," he replied, shoulders tight but eyes alert.
"That usually means you were worrying," she said. "And you know you do that more than you admit."
Before he could respond, the doorframe filled with a broader figure. James Roberts, his father, carried the imposing look of someone who had spent years in the field. His hair was a dark ash colour, trimmed close, and his jaw was lined with early stubble. He worked as a tactical coordinator with the Sinnoh Rangers, mostly assisting teams during environmental emergencies. His partner Pokémon, a stoic and battle experienced Staraptor, watched the family from the hallway with its wings slightly lowered, almost in greeting.
James studied his son with that steady, analytical expression he used before serious conversations. "You are up early," he said in a tone that revealed nothing. "That usually means you have made a decision or you are afraid to make one."
Aaron met his father's gaze. "I just want to choose right."
"That depends on what you actually want," James said. "Say it plainly."
Aaron took a breath. "I want to be the strongest trainer in the world. Not good. Not promising. The best."
His father nodded, approving but stern. "Good. That is a real answer."
Lila sat up then, rubbing her eyes and blinking at the morning light. "Is today the day you get to go to university?" she asked, her voice soft and curious.
"It is the day I choose," Aaron said, offering her a half smile. "I still need to be accepted."
"You will," she said simply, as if the matter was obvious.
The family moved downstairs for breakfast. The kitchen smelled of tea and freshly toasted bread, and sunlight now stretched across the wooden floor. Their home was small but warm, filled with framed photos of forest trails, Ranger missions, and a few of the children playing with local Pokémon.
Elena poured tea for the adults and set a plate of berries in front of the children. "Right," she said, folding her hands. "We should talk about your options before emotion makes the decision for you."
James gave a slight grunt of agreement. "There are four universities. Jubilife, Eterna, Veilstone and Hearthome. Each builds a different type of person."
Elena spoke first. "Jubilife University is the largest and the most academically polished. You will get strong foundations in medicine and breeding, and the city itself is full of opportunity. It is organised and predictable. Some people thrive in that structure."
Aaron nodded thoughtfully. "But it is not known for producing top trainers."
"It produces clever trainers," she corrected. "Sometimes that is just as important."
James continued. "Eterna specialises in research. If you want to understand ecosystems, behaviour patterns and the deeper science of Pokémon, that is the place. But it is not centred on strength or battle growth."
Aaron shook his head slightly. "Not the direction I want."
His father leaned back. "Veilstone is the hard route. Military discipline. Tactical thinking. Harsh simulations. If you ever wanted to join the army or a Ranger strike team, that is the training ground."
Lila tugged gently on Aaron's sleeve. "That one sounds scary."
"It can be," James admitted.
Elena tapped the table lightly. "Which leaves Hearthome."
James took over again. "Hearthome University exists for one purpose. Trainer excellence. The competition is relentless. The expectations are unforgiving. Many students break under the pressure. But those who endure become extraordinary."
Silence settled around the table for a moment. Even Roserade and Staraptor seemed to pause, watching the boy at the centre of it all.
Aaron finally spoke with a calm certainty that had been building inside him all morning. "I want to train where the challenges never stop. I want to earn every step. I want Hearthome."
His mother breathed out as if she had expected this. "Then you will need to be stronger than you have ever been, in mind as much as in body."
His father rested both hands on the table, leaning forward. "If this is the path you choose, you commit to it fully. No shortcuts. No laziness. No excuses."
Aaron held his father's stare. "Then I will not take any."
A slow nod of approval passed across James face.
Elena reached across the table and gently squeezed her son's hand. "Then today is the start. Whatever you become begins from this moment."
Lila climbed into her brother's lap without asking and hugged him tightly. "You better be the best," she murmured into his shirt. "Because I am telling everyone you will be."
Aaron wrapped an arm around her. "I will try."
"No," she said firmly, lifting her head. "You will be."
The morning light filled the room as the words settled. There was no grand announcement, no dramatic scene. Just a family gathered around a kitchen table in a small town, grounding one another as a boy stepped toward something larger than himself.
It was not excitement he felt. Nor fear.
It was something steadier. Something sharper.
It was the beginning.