Pallet Town – Grassy Hillside Behind the School
The grass swayed in the afternoon breeze, sun casting golden rays over the wide, open hill. Aiden was lying on his back, hands behind his head, staring up at the clouds.
Ash flopped down beside him, holding half a rice ball in one hand. "That one looks like a Gyarados," he said, pointing to a long, twisting cloud.
"That's clearly a Dragonite," Red muttered, rolling his eyes as he tossed a small pebble up and caught it repeatedly.
Blue scoffed. "You two are wrong. It looks like a Rayquaza."
Gary, half-buried in a nearby patch of clover, smirked. "Or a Wurmple that's trying too hard."
Everyone laughed.
Aiden smiled. It wasn't often he let his guard down, but with these four, he could.
They weren't just future rivals or trainers — they were friends. Real ones.
⸻
Later: A Friendly Game
They'd set up sticks in the grass for goalposts and were kicking around a ball made from old rags tied tight with string.
"Okay, Red, you're goalie!" Ash called out.
"Why me?"
"Because you've got fast reflexes!"
"That's not fair!"
"Life isn't fair!" Blue shouted, already kicking the ball toward the makeshift goal.
Aiden watched for a moment, then intercepted the ball, dribbling it past Gary and laughing as he dodged an overly dramatic tackle from Ash.
Red blocked the shot, barely.
"You almost got me there," Red admitted, panting.
"I'm just warming up," Aiden said with a grin. "Next time, I'm going straight for the top corner."
Gary flicked grass at him. "Yeah, yeah. Showoff."
⸻
After the Game: Lying in the Shade
They all collapsed under the big oak tree, sweat clinging to their foreheads.
"I'm gonna be the first one to catch a Dragon-type," Gary said confidently.
"I'm gonna get a Pokémon with a Gold-level Talent," Blue declared.
Ash sat up. "I just wanna travel the world and make lots of Pokémon friends."
Red shrugged. "As long as I get stronger every day, I don't care."
Aiden looked at them, smiling faintly. "Let's promise something."
The others turned.
"Let's all meet at the League one day — not just as friends, but as trainers who made it there ourselves."
Ash grinned wide. "Yeah! And we'll battle too!"
"You'll lose," Red said flatly, but even he was smiling.
Gary nodded. "You're on."
Blue smirked. "You better not fall behind, Aiden."
Aiden closed his eyes, letting the moment sink in. For once, the pressure of talents, reincarnation, and power didn't matter.
He was just a boy, surrounded by the people who made life feel real.