The sky was still dark when I left the house. Cecilia, a childhood friend of mine, was waiting by the gate. I hadn't told her about my plans to travel, so I was fairly surprised to see her. "Cecilia. How did you know?"
"I've always been able to read you." She spoke the truth. When my Pokémon companion died, I put on the mask of bravery. Cecilia was the only person who saw through my disguise. In my time of grieving, she never left my side. Out of all of the people in my life, Cecilia was the only person whom I considered close. Even my parents seemed distant to me. "Xiang, I'm not here to stop you. I know better than anyone that you're not going to change your mind. But it's dangerous to be alone out there." Cecilia pressed a Poké Ball into my hands. "She was born a month ago. Take good care of her, okay?"
I could barely suppress a grin as I pressed the red and white Ball's button. Something about Pokémon has always made me feel giddy. A red beam of light emerged from the Poké Ball. When it subsided, a Fennekin sat before me, cocking her head in confusion. I knelt in front of the bewildered Pokémon and held my hand out in front of me. The Fennekin sniffed my fingers and pressed her head against my hand.
"Don't get too comfortable, now. I'm going to test you a little, okay?" I looked up to see Cecilia holding a Poké Ball. "Ackley! Let's go!" A Chespin erupted from the Ball. "Prepare yourself!"
I looked my new partner in the eye. "Are you ready to have a little bit of fun?" I asked her. She responded with a single nod, eyes glinting in the starlight. "Let's win this, then," I whispered into her ear. I stood and took a step back. Cecilia wasted no time in issuing orders to her Chespin. Several vines swept forward, lashing at the Fennekin. She deftly jumped aside, avoiding the brunt of the assault. "All right, girl. You have the advantage. Strike with fire!" Fennekin immediately responded, unleashing a torrent of flames from her mouth. The bulkier Chespin had no chance to dodge and fainted almost immediately. Cecilia recalled the downed Pokémon.
"Not bad for your first fight, even if you had the type advantage. You two work well together. " Cecilia gestured toward the Fennekin. "She doesn't have a name, yet, so..."
"Hilde. I'll call her Hilde." Hilde squealed happily at the sound of her new name.
"I'd say it's a fitting name considering how well she fought in her first Pokémon battle." Cecilia checked her watch. "Ah, it's getting a bit late. You should probably go before your mother wakes up. I'd come with you, but Father needs my help at the Day Care. It is mating season, you know." She wiped a tear from her eye. "Oh, damn. I told myself I wouldn't cry. It's just that we've known each other for so long. Ever since our families left Johto, you've been the only person I can talk to."
Before I could stop myself, I reached forward and placed my hand on her shoulder. I pulled closer and embraced her. Cecilia shivered slightly in my arms as she wept. "Don't cry so much. I'll visit you often. I swear it."
After a few minutes, Cecilia seemed to calm down a little. "All right. I'll hold you to that promise. Take care of Hilde, you hear? If anything happens to her, I'll never forgive you." I nodded. "One last thing before you go. I want you to have this. " Cecilia held out a Pokédex to me. "It's my Pokédex. I haven't gotten much use out of it, so here. As a farewell present."
"I've only just left my house, and you're already doing so much for me. I don't know what to say."
"Then don't say anything. Just don't you dare forget your promise."
I nodded once more. "I won't forget. We'll see each other again." I turned to Hilde. "The world awaits. Will you come with me?" Hilde pressed her body against my leg in answer. As we left Vaniville Town, the sun began to rise, casting its light across the sky as if to illuminate our path and our future.
"I've always been able to read you." She spoke the truth. When my Pokémon companion died, I put on the mask of bravery. Cecilia was the only person who saw through my disguise. In my time of grieving, she never left my side. Out of all of the people in my life, Cecilia was the only person whom I considered close. Even my parents seemed distant to me. "Xiang, I'm not here to stop you. I know better than anyone that you're not going to change your mind. But it's dangerous to be alone out there." Cecilia pressed a Poké Ball into my hands. "She was born a month ago. Take good care of her, okay?"
I could barely suppress a grin as I pressed the red and white Ball's button. Something about Pokémon has always made me feel giddy. A red beam of light emerged from the Poké Ball. When it subsided, a Fennekin sat before me, cocking her head in confusion. I knelt in front of the bewildered Pokémon and held my hand out in front of me. The Fennekin sniffed my fingers and pressed her head against my hand.
"Don't get too comfortable, now. I'm going to test you a little, okay?" I looked up to see Cecilia holding a Poké Ball. "Ackley! Let's go!" A Chespin erupted from the Ball. "Prepare yourself!"
I looked my new partner in the eye. "Are you ready to have a little bit of fun?" I asked her. She responded with a single nod, eyes glinting in the starlight. "Let's win this, then," I whispered into her ear. I stood and took a step back. Cecilia wasted no time in issuing orders to her Chespin. Several vines swept forward, lashing at the Fennekin. She deftly jumped aside, avoiding the brunt of the assault. "All right, girl. You have the advantage. Strike with fire!" Fennekin immediately responded, unleashing a torrent of flames from her mouth. The bulkier Chespin had no chance to dodge and fainted almost immediately. Cecilia recalled the downed Pokémon.
"Not bad for your first fight, even if you had the type advantage. You two work well together. " Cecilia gestured toward the Fennekin. "She doesn't have a name, yet, so..."
"Hilde. I'll call her Hilde." Hilde squealed happily at the sound of her new name.
"I'd say it's a fitting name considering how well she fought in her first Pokémon battle." Cecilia checked her watch. "Ah, it's getting a bit late. You should probably go before your mother wakes up. I'd come with you, but Father needs my help at the Day Care. It is mating season, you know." She wiped a tear from her eye. "Oh, damn. I told myself I wouldn't cry. It's just that we've known each other for so long. Ever since our families left Johto, you've been the only person I can talk to."
Before I could stop myself, I reached forward and placed my hand on her shoulder. I pulled closer and embraced her. Cecilia shivered slightly in my arms as she wept. "Don't cry so much. I'll visit you often. I swear it."
After a few minutes, Cecilia seemed to calm down a little. "All right. I'll hold you to that promise. Take care of Hilde, you hear? If anything happens to her, I'll never forgive you." I nodded. "One last thing before you go. I want you to have this. " Cecilia held out a Pokédex to me. "It's my Pokédex. I haven't gotten much use out of it, so here. As a farewell present."
"I've only just left my house, and you're already doing so much for me. I don't know what to say."
"Then don't say anything. Just don't you dare forget your promise."
I nodded once more. "I won't forget. We'll see each other again." I turned to Hilde. "The world awaits. Will you come with me?" Hilde pressed her body against my leg in answer. As we left Vaniville Town, the sun began to rise, casting its light across the sky as if to illuminate our path and our future.