The first night in Hearthome passed more quietly than Aaron had expected. He had imagined tossing and turning, wrestling with nerves, staring at the ceiling until dawn. Instead he had slept soundly, as if exhaustion had decided the matter for him. The room still felt unfamiliar when he woke, the walls too pale, the shelves too empty, the air too still. Theo's mornings were full of rustling leaves, distant Mareep bleats and Elena's soft clatter in the kitchen. Here, the silence had a different weight.
A soft chiming sound blinked from his communicator, reminding him that he had promised to call home as soon as he woke. He sat up, raked his fingers through his unruly black hair and took a breath to steady himself. His eyes were still a little heavy with sleep but the excitement beneath them was unmistakable.
He tapped the screen.
The call connected almost instantly.
Elena appeared first, her hair tied back neatly as always, though there was a faint tiredness around her eyes. Roserade stood behind her, arranging fallen leaves on the counter with delicate precision.
"You look awake," she said, inspecting him as if she could tell everything from a single frame.
"I am," he replied. "Slept well."
"Good. The first night can be strange for many students."
Before Aaron could respond, Lila squeezed into the frame, practically climbing onto their mother's shoulder. Her Buneary plush dangled upside down from one hand.
"Aaron!" she shrieked, loud enough that he instinctively moved the device slightly away from his ear. "Did you meet any famous trainers yet? Did you see gym leaders? Did they give you a Pokémon already? What does your room look like? Is the bed soft? Did you—"
"Lila," Elena warned gently.
She huffed and leaned closer again. "Just answer one thing. Are you coming back home this weekend?"
"No," Aaron said with a small smile. "Term has barely started."
She pouted so dramatically that Roserade reached up with one green tendril and tapped her cheek as if to coax her out of it.
Then James appeared behind them, dressed in his Ranger uniform. Staraptor perched proudly behind him, its feathers catching the morning light through the window.
"You settled in?" James asked, voice firm but not unkind.
"Yes. The campus is larger than I imagined."
"It always is," he replied. "First day. Keep your head sharp. Observe everything. Listen more than you speak."
Elena folded her arms. "And do not skip meals just because you feel nervous. That happens to new students far more often than you would think."
"I will be fine," Aaron assured them. A part of him wished he could bottle the moment, hold it for later, but that would defeat the point of leaving home.
Lila leaned forward again. "Call after your first lecture. I want to know everything."
He nodded. "I will."
They all lingered for a moment longer, none of them quite willing to end the call first. Eventually, Aaron spoke quietly.
"I should get ready."
Elena's expression softened. "Go on then. And remember what I told you before you left."
"I remember."
James gave a single nod, Staraptor mirroring the gesture with its stern gaze. Lila waved furiously, her little hand moving so fast the camera blurred.
The screen faded to black.
The moment it did, the silence of the room returned, but this time it no longer felt heavy. It felt purposeful.
Aaron got ready quickly, the navy and silver accent of his Hearthome uniform giving him a subtle surge of confidence. It fitted him even better this morning, as though it belonged on him.
He stepped outside the residence building and joined the slow stream of students heading toward the main academic hall. The campus was undeniably impressive. The architecture blended age and modernity with seamless grace: grand stone façades accented by clean glass extensions, wide archways leading into sunlit courtyards, and manicured gardens filled with local grass Pokémon dozing beneath trees. In the distance, a group of Piplup waddled across a pond, splashing each other in chaotic enthusiasm.
His first lecture was scheduled in the Grand Convergence Hall, a name he initially thought too dramatic until he saw the building itself. The hall towered over the surrounding structures, its vast circular design reminiscent of a stadium but built for intellect rather than battle. Students hurried towards its wide steps in clusters, some talking animatedly, others silent with awe.
Inside, the hall opened into a spacious amphitheatre. The ceiling arched high above, dotted with soft lights that mimicked the glow of dawn. The seats climbed in smooth tiers, offering every student a clear view of the central stage.
Aaron found a spot halfway up. He settled in and watched as students filled the hall with diverse accents and excitement. Some wore uniforms from international preparatory schools, others kept glancing nervously at their tablets, rehearsing expectations of the day.
The room fell silent the moment Professor Mara stepped onto the platform.
She looked exactly as she had the previous afternoon: tall, poised and expression sharp enough to cut through steel. Her brown hair was tied back into a braided crown, and her silver framed spectacles reflected the hall's soft lights. She carried herself with the calm certainty of someone who not only knew the weight of Hearthome's legacy but also upheld it.
"Good morning," she began, her voice clear and steady, carrying easily across the hall without strain. "Welcome to Hearthome University. I hope you understand the gravity of the institution you have entered. If not, I will make it clear now."
Her tone was not unkind, simply precise — the sort that expected attention without needing to demand it.
"Hearthome University is one of the four leading institutions in Sinnoh. It also ranks in the top ten globally for Pokémon Trainer Studies." She clasped her hands behind her back as she continued. "Our alumni have gone on to become gym leaders, frontier specialists, elite battle analysts and champions throughout the world."
She paused.
"You may recognise some names."
Several screens lit up behind her.
"Jace Surge," she said. "A great grandson of Lt Surge of Kanto. Current gym leader of Olivine City in Johto."
A murmur of impressed whispers spread through the students.
"Clara Mistywater," she continued. "A descendant of Misty from Cerulean City. She became the youngest gym leader in the Kalos coastal circuit. And before any of you ask — no, she does not like being compared to her ancestor."
A few students laughed quietly.
"And one more for the history books: Orrin Flintstone, a descendant of the Flint family line. Now a two region champion of both Hoenn and Unova. A Hearthome graduate."
The room buzzed. Aaron felt himself sit straighter. These were names spoken with admiration across the world. Hearing they had walked the same halls he now sat in shifted something deep within him. The possibility of greatness felt less distant, more real.
Professor Mara raised a hand and the room quietened instantly.
"Hearthome University is not interested in students who rely on luck. Nor do we tolerate complacency. You were not admitted because you are talented. You were admitted because you are promising. Talent is static. Promise is potential. What you do with that potential in the next six years will decide the path you walk."
Her voice carried a calm conviction that commanded the room without force.
She switched the screen to a new display, showing the curriculum layout.
"For your first year, you will study foundational modules:
"Trainer Psychology and Bond Dynamics.
"Global Ecology and Habitat Adaptation.
"Essential Combat Theory.
"Pokémon Medical Fundamentals.
"Field Safety and Emergency Strategy.
"And of course, Practical Training."
Students around Aaron leaned forward as she continued.
"Each of you will receive a partner Pokémon by the end of this week. These Pokémon are sourced from global centres and assigned randomly. They are not toys. They are not badges of pride. They are your responsibility and the first real test of your capability."
The screens shifted again, showing dozens of Pokéballs arranged on a platform in another hall.
"Three days from now," Mara said, "you will gather in the Allocation Chamber. Each Pokéball contains one potential partner. The order in which you step forward will be decided randomly. You will choose a Pokéball blind, trusting your instincts. Your journey begins from that moment."
A ripple of excitement and anxiety swept through the hall. Aaron felt his pulse pick up slightly. The idea of receiving a completely unknown Pokémon carried its own thrill, but also weight. Whatever he chose, he would commit to it.
Professor Mara finished her introduction with a simple statement.
"The world does not need more trainers. It needs good ones. Remember that every time you set foot on this campus."
With that, she dismissed the hall for a short break before afternoon orientation.
As the students filed out, their chatter filling the corridors, Aaron stayed behind for a moment. The lecture had not overwhelmed him. If anything, it sharpened his resolve. He felt like he was stepping onto a path meant for him, shaped to test him, refine him and push him to grow.
Three days passed in a blur of campus tours, safety briefings, introductions and thick packets of reading material. Aaron absorbed everything with quiet focus, taking notes even when others seemed too distracted by excitement to do the same.
And then the day of the allocation arrived.
The Allocation Chamber was located in the heart of the academy, a circular hall with a glass ceiling that allowed sunlight to fill the room naturally. Students gathered in a wide ring around the central platform where rows of Pokéballs rested in neat lines, each identical, revealing nothing.
Professor Mara stood at the front.
"When your name is called, step forward. Choose a Pokéball. Do not overthink. There is no right or wrong. Only responsibility."
One by one, students were called. Some walked confidently. Others hesitated. A few whispered small prayers under their breath.
"Rowan, Clen."
Aaron watched as Clen stepped forward. He moved with self assurance, not arrogance, and selected a Pokéball from the middle row. When he opened it, a bright flash revealed a small Shinx, eyes wide and electric fur bristling. The room murmured with approval.
Clen smiled faintly but kept his composure as he carried the Shinx aside.
More names followed.
Then—
"Roberts, Aaron."
His heart thudded once, steady but strong.
He stepped forward.
The platform seemed larger now, the rows of Pokéballs endless, each one holding a future that could unfold in any direction.
He extended his hand.
Instinct guided him more than thought. His fingers closed around a Pokéball near the back row. It felt surprisingly warm, as if the creature inside carried its own fierce energy.
He pressed the release.
A burst of white light shot out and formed into a small, stout Pokémon with deep blue scales, a large head, red underjaw and determined eyes.
A Gible.
The room erupted with quiet admiration. Gible was not common, not by any stretch. It was powerful, temperamental and capable of evolving into the formidable Garchomp line.
The little dragon looked up at Aaron, brows furrowed in a natural expression of challenge.
Aaron met its gaze without hesitation.
Something clicked. Not loudly, not dramatically. But firmly.
Professor Mara's voice cut through the murmurs.
"Good. A difficult Pokémon. It will not tolerate indifference."
Aaron nodded. "I will not offer any."
The Gible huffed, oddly satisfied, and stepped closer as if acknowledging him.
Aaron knelt.
"Looks like we are partners now," he said quietly.
Gible tapped his knee with its small claw, almost like approval.
The hall moved on, the next name being called, the next life changing moment unfolding for another student. But Aaron stayed still for a few seconds longer, feeling the weight and promise of the creature standing beside him.
This was the beginning.
Not the dream of a child.
Not the expectation of family.
Not the legacy of Hearthome.
But his own path.
One step at a time.
And the first step had just taken shape in the form of a dragon with sharp eyes and an even sharper future.