The sun peeked over the hills, coating the rolling land in golden light and painting the clouds in hues of rose and violet. Spring had bloomed in Orusa only a few days prior, and scattered patches of snow gradually melted, fading remnants of the long winter typical of the mountainous region. A tree in the distance shook, and a flock of surprised bird Pokémon darted across the sky. The sounds of creatures stirring in the hills and forests gave the impression that the landscape itself was coming to life. Sunrise at Gleaming Rock was truly a sight to behold, but this was the last time I would witness the view for a long time to come.
I stood atop a jutting outcrop of rock overlooking the beautiful region I called home. Located south of the famed Unova region, Orusa sprawled and dipped across a gem-filled mountain range, one edge stretching out to the sea. In history past, the jewel-studded hills were renowned for their abundant minerals, and the area was besieged by hard-working miners of various backgrounds. Now, the fervor for gemstones had waned, and the diverse peoples of Orusa changed with the times, building rustic towns and flourishing cities around the natural wonders of the land. Gleaming Rock was the most rural and secluded niche of the region, placed high in the hills and far from the ocean. It was so named for the rocky precipices that literally gleamed under light, the mineral-filled stones flickering and shimmering with mystical beauty.
I had spent my entire life in Gleaming Rock, never once stepping outside its limits in my twenty-one years of life. The product of a sheltered home, I shivered in anticipation of finally leaving on a journey. Moving away from the cliff and the grand view, I made my way back through the town toward the sole exit. My house was one of only a handful that made up our fair settlement, and my family consisted of the only permanent residents. The other cabins were regularly inhabited by urbanites who wanted to get away from the bustling city life, seeking to enjoy nature in a quaint mountain villa. My parents, Jacob and Ruth Oswald, functioned as welcomers and groundskeepers for Gleaming Rock, and we had gained much respect from several influential and affluent families in our cliff-side village. It was from these kindly (and usually wealthy) visitors that I gained much of my knowledge of Orusa's culture and history. A few families were seasonal, coming back the same time every year and bringing books and electronics for their favorite mountain boy in gratitude for all of the help I provided during their stays.
No one else had risen from their beds yet, all the houses still peacefully dormant as morning crawled up the hills. As I made my way to the other side town, I approached my own silent abode. I had awoken early and changed into my travelling clothes quietly, not wanting to create another emotion-charged scene with my parents. Sneaking out after planting an explanatory note was difficult with an insistent Growlithe wrapping himself around my ankles, all pleading eyes and pitiful whimpers; it was everything I could do not to scoop Caesar and his Pokéball up and run away with him in tow. I put on a brave face and continued past my house, reliving the memories of Caesar's arrival.
The only way to enter or exit Gleaming Rock on foot was by means of an expanded mining shaft. The summer before my journey's start, an eerie howling echoed out of the mine like nothing I had ever heard. Father went to investigate the sound, insisting that my mother and I stay behind. However, I was twenty years old, hard-headed, and somewhat worried for my fifty-something father. Grabbing my bag and a couple supplies, I crept around the side of the house and quickly made my way to the shaft opening before my father.
The howling sustained mournfully, occasionally dying down into a low tone before crescendoing upwards once again. I remembered reaching the mouth of the cave-like shaft, a faint light emanating from its depths. My legs shook and my mouth went dry at the prospect of stepping outside of the town and perhaps meeting a Pokémon in the shaft, and I lifted my foot slowly to place it over the town's boundary.
At that moment, a crashing sound came from the mine, a great rush of air and a cloud of dirt knocking me off balance and landing me on my back. I grunted and leaned forward, peering through the clearing dust to see the shadow of a short figure stumbling toward me. When the dust settled, I saw an orange and black striped pup Pokémon limping out of the shaft. From the books I had been given by visitors to our town, I immediately recognized the creature as a very young Growlithe. An idea began to form in my mind, and I reached into my bag to grip another visitor's gift to me: a single, regular Pokéball.
My father had called out to me and was approaching quickly, so I desperately threw the Pokéball at the very surprised Growlithe. As my father arrived and helped me to my feet, the ball rocked back and forth. Those few seconds of uncertainty were torturous, but the excitement and joy I felt when it clicked closed fully eclipsed those negative emotions. My dad had picked up the ball before I could snatch it up myself in victory, wordlessly making his way back to the house. My mother had a Pokémon healing machine in the basement, originally installed in the event of visitors bringing their Pokémon with them on their stays in Gleaming Rock. My parents said nothing as they placed the Pokéball in the machine, giving it a few moments to work its magic.
They quietly turned and smiled at me, my mother handing me the ball with an affirming nod. My hands were warmed by it, and my thumb quickly found the button in the center. As I pressed it, a light shined brightly and out came the Growlithe. He seemed at first perplexed, inspecting the three of us slowly. However, it did not take him long to realize he was now part of a home, instinctively understanding he was now part of our family. This notion seemed to excite him, and he commenced to rush around the house for a solid week. His fluffy fur and instant loyalty reminded me of the guardian shisa statues of in the East, and so I soon named him "Caesar", a name I found to be close enough in sound and quite fitting in meaning.
The assumption was made that poor Caesar somehow wandered into the mine, getting lost and panicked. The rush of dirt and air came from an off-shooting branch of the mines that fell in, but the primary ways through the caves were fortunately secure. I was deeply bothered that my first Pokémon companion would not be joining me on my travels. I didn't feel right taking him from my parents, though, so I trudged up to the mine, ready once again to make that first step. I adjusted by bag and took a final assessment of myself. I was completely decked out, wearing black and white running shoes, dark jeans, a green t-shirt covered by a hooded blue jacket, and my fully stocked messenger bag slung from one shoulder across to the opposite hip. Lifting my foot once more, I readied myself for the first real step of my journey.
The peaceful silence of my morning was broken by an all too familiar barking behind me, and there was Caesar, his Pokéball clenched in his teeth, bounding from the house straight toward me. My parents stood on their porch to see me off and waved in a final gesture of encouragement, smiling warmly while wiping their eyes. I clenched my jaw to fight back the tears, but they rolled down my cheeks anyway. My brave-natured Growlithe skidded to a halt before me, spitting out his customized black and orange ball at my feet and nudging it forward. I picked it up to find a note sticking out of it. The note read:
"Simon,
We are so proud of you, and we love you more than you will ever know. Please be careful and send us word often! Also, take good care of Caesar. You know as well as we do where he truly belongs: with his Trainer.
Take Care,
Mom & Dad"
I was moved beyond words, so I simply tucked the ball and the note into my bag, leaning down to ruffle the fur on Caesar's head. He affectionately pushed up into my hand, then running a single lap around me before taking off down the mine shaft.
"Caesar, wait!" I cried after him. I looked back once more at my parents, shouting, "I love you, too!" before chasing my partner into our adventure. I didn't realize at first that I took my much anticipated "first step" in a huge stride while attempting to catch up to Caesar, but it seemed quite fitting. I was supposed to have started this journey when I was ten years old, so I had a lot of catching up to do. Late was definitely better than never!
