Aiden – Age 10, Pallet Town
⸻
The morning sun shone softly on Pallet Town. The sea breeze rolled through the trees, and the hum of distant Pidgey nests echoed across the schoolyard.
In the third-floor classroom overlooking the training fields, thirty students sat at attention — more or less.
Some whispered. Some daydreamed.
But Aiden sat perfectly still near the window. His eyes weren't just watching the lesson — they were watching everything.
Red, Ash, Blue, and Gary were all seated near him. Old friends now, though they didn't know the truth of how deep his connection to them ran.
Not in this life.
⸻
[Today's Lesson – The Known World]
Ms. Hazara tapped the projector screen. A glowing map of the League's territory unfolded.
"This," she said, "is what humanity calls the 'Known World.'"
It was smaller than you'd expect — not in size, but in coverage. The hologram showed 15% of the world fully explored. Of that, only 10% was inhabited by people.
The rest… endless wilderness.
"You live in Kanto — one of the eight stable League regions. Alongside Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Kalos, Unova, Alola, and Galar. Together, we form the League's core."
Aiden's gaze drifted past the border of the hologram — into the fog-covered unknown zones.
He already knew. Most of the world had never been walked by human feet.
At least, not ones that returned.
⸻
[Nobles, Kings, and Power]
"Now," Ms. Hazara continued, "we discuss the structure of society."
She raised her voice slightly. "There are three classes above commoners: Nobles, Kings, and League Founders."
"Nobles are families granted rights to hold power — most are allowed one Gym Leader or Elite Four member per generation."
"Kings are families who've produced Champions. They are rare and influential, though not political rulers."
"And then… there are the Founders. The ones who built the League."
Her tone lowered at that.
"The Founders were not nobles or kings. They were chosen by their Talents — and by their Pokémon."
Aiden took quiet notes.
Founder: Gold Talent Pokémon.
Cofounder: Also Gold.
No records since.
He knew what it meant — the top had been the same for over 1,000 years.
No one had surpassed them.
Yet.
⸻
[Understanding Talents]
The screen changed again, showing a massive cylindrical machine with glowing inscriptions — the Talent Core.
"When you turn 15," Hazara said, "you will be tested by this machine."
"It will identify your Talent. And from that moment on, your path will change forever."
The classroom fell silent.
Aiden felt the tension rise — he already understood what came next.
Hazara's voice dropped low.
"The Talent you receive is yours alone. You must never, ever say it aloud."
She let the silence speak for her.
Then added, "Not because of law. Because of the world itself. If you speak your Talent out loud to someone else… you will die. Instantly. Without exception."
Ash whispered, "Not even to our parents?"
Hazara shook her head. "Not even to yourself in a mirror."
Aiden felt a chill pass over his spine.
It wasn't fear. It was recognition.
That rule… is real.
⸻
[Known Talent Tiers]
The projector displayed six glowing stones, each a different color:
"There are six recognized Talent levels," Hazara said. "White, Green, Yellow, Blue, Pink… and Gold."
Blue sat up straighter. "What about anything stronger?"
Hazara smiled. "None exist."
Red tilted his head. "But what if there's more?"
"Then no one alive knows of them," she answered. "Even the strongest humans and Pokémon in history have only ever reached Gold. That includes the League Founders. And the legendaries known to us."
Aiden kept his expression blank.
But in his chest, something stirred.
He remembered that final moment before his reincarnation.
The angel's words:
"You won't have a Gold Talent, Aiden. But your karma allows you to copy and fuse the talents of others. No one else in that world can."
He didn't have a store. No infinite space. No shortcuts.
But he had potential no one else did.
And he would use it carefully.
⸻
[Lunch – Under the Oak Tree]
The five of them sat in the grass beneath a tree outside Oak's lab.
Gary was mocking Ash for not choosing a favorite starter yet.
Blue was sketching wild Pokémon on a napkin.
Red was trying to argue that Moltres could beat Zapdos in a one-on-one, no matter what the math said.
Aiden chewed his food slowly, quiet, listening.
"You're always thinking," Ash said, nudging him.
Aiden smiled slightly. "One of us has to."
They laughed.
But he never stopped watching the horizon.