Caleb had no parents. He had grown up in an orphanage since childhood. The word 'home' was something entirely foreign to him.
After years of struggling through life, he had learned the essential skill of speaking differently to different people.
In the past, he had always scoffed at phrases like 'nervous when approaching home'. But now, he deeply understood what it meant to feel hesitant upon returning.
'Would Cynthia and Grandma remembered me in the two years I've been gone?'
His hand froze just before knocking.
A sudden realization struck him:
'I'm no longer that four-year-old child in appearance...'
As Caleb hesitated outside the door, the aged wooden door creaked open from within. An elderly woman with silver hair but a spirited demeanor stepped out.
At the sight of Caleb, she froze for a few seconds, then furrowed her brows in disbelief, "Little Caleb? Is that you?"
Caleb opened his mouth slightly, "You… still recognize me?"
Grandma scrutinized him from head to toe before replying warmly, "You're just as cute as you were as a child. Cynthia told me everything about you after you left. No matter what, it's good that you're back!"
Then, she glanced behind him and asked, "Where's Dragonite and the others? Didn't they come back with you?"
Caleb immediately released his Pokémon from their Poké Balls, saying, "They're all here. Besides Dragonite and the others, I also made a new friend during my travels."
Without needing him to point it out, Grandma's gaze landed on Deino. She adjusted her reading glasses and smiled kindly.
"Welcome, little one!" She said, then she looked back at Caleb, "You take them into the yard for a bit to rest. I'll go into town to pick up some things."
Only then did Caleb notice the cloth bag in Grandma's hand. It suddenly dawned on him; 5 PM was when Grandma always went out to buy udon noodles.
Without hesitation, he instructed Dragonite, Lucario, and Mimikyu to show Deino around the yard while he accompanied Grandma to the local mart.
Grandma didn't refuse, her face softening into a fond smile.
"How long can you stay this time?" She asked.
Caleb glanced at his quest log. There was no time limit specified, but it likely wouldn't be short...
After a brief pause, he answered, "About a year or so."
"A year…" Grandma frowned slightly, "Will you come back after that?"
"I will." he nodded. After all, this was his designated world. Barring unforeseen circumstances, most of his future Instances would take place here.
"That's good." Grandma murmured softly.
...
After buying ingredients for dinner, the two returned home...
Seeing the empty second-floor room, Caleb headed to the kitchen and asked, "Grandma, where's Cynthia?"
Grandma was kneading dough, her mood bright as she prepared to bake cookies for Caleb as a snack.
"Her? She's probably traveling in another region right now. That girl is always so busy, she hasn't even called this old lady in three days!"
'Traveling…' Caleb felt a pang of regret.
It seemed he might not get to see Cynthia this time either. He could only stay for one night. By tomorrow morning, he'd have to return to Ecruteak City to continue his main quest.
But if he couldn't see her now, there'd always be other chances. With that thought, Caleb returned to the living room.
Soon, a lavish dinner was ready.
Grandma and Lucario emerged from the kitchen, carrying steaming bowls of udon topped with fish cakes.
She set one in front of Caleb, her voice tinged with concern as she said, "Eat up. You've gotten so thin. These past two years must have been exhausting for you, haven't they?"
...
After dinner, Caleb retreated to his old room...
Compared to when he'd left, the layout remained largely unchanged. The room was spotless, clearly maintained with regular cleaning.
The bedding carried the fresh scent of sunlight. Caleb relaxed into it with a sigh.
Deino and Mimikyu curled up on either side of him, while Lucario and Dragonite settled onto the futons Grandma had laid out for them.
A tranquil, peaceful atmosphere filled the room.
Surrounded by it all, Caleb felt a renewed surge of motivation:
'The sooner I earn enough points, the sooner I can retire to this world for good...'
....
The next morning, after breakfast, Caleb bid Grandma farewell and teleported back to his hotel room using the Warp Beacon.
Though he didn't know how Cynthia had explained things to Grandma, everything seemed to be moving in a positive direction. Except for the fact that he hadn't gotten to see Cynthia.
Cynthia, who was currently traveling, didn't carry a phone. She only called home via video phones at Pokémon Centers.
According to Grandma, her last call had been three days ago, from the Kalos region.
Since Caleb hadn't unlocked Kalos on his map yet, he couldn't teleport there directly.
The moment he returned to the hotel, a quest update notification appeared:
[Quest Updated!]
[New Objective: Follow the tour guide to visit the Burned Tower!]
Caleb opened his door and headed to the meeting spot Felix had designated the day before.
Soon, the other players began trickling out of their rooms as well.
Felix swept his gaze over the group, lingering briefly on Caleb before announcing: "Today's destination is the Burned Tower!"
The Burned Tower, also known as the Brass Tower, stood west of Ecruteak City, directly opposite the Bell Tower to the east.
Legends said it had once been the dwelling of Lugia, the Pokémon revered as the Guardian of the Seas...
"However, 150 years ago, a bolt of lightning struck the Brass Tower, engulfing the magnificent structure in flames. The fire raged for three days and three nights before a downpour finally extinguished it. By then, the tower had been reduced to charred ruins. Three unnamed Pokémon perished in that blaze. Ho-Oh descended from the heavens and resurrected them, the beings later known as Suicune, Entei, and Raikou."
Standing before the Burned Tower, Felix dutifully recounted its history to the players.
Reading about the Burned Tower on a faceless webpage and hearing its tale from a guide were two entirely different experiences.
Even though every player present already knew this lore, they found themselves captivated nonetheless.
But just then, a startled cry rang out from a passerby nearby:
"Look! What's that?!"
Following the pointing finger, the group looked up, and saw a massive lion-like Pokémon with blazing orange-red fur and a billowing cloud-like mane standing atop the Burned Tower's ruins.
Its piercing, cold golden eyes gazed down imperiously at the crowd below...