Littleroot Town was known as the town that had yet to be dyed in any particular color!
Although it was quite small, just like Pallet Town, it was well-known throughout the Hoenn region because Professor Birch’s laboratory was located here.
——— Littleroot Town Harbor ———
Several Wingull soared through the sky!
After several days of sailing across the sea, Ash finally stepped off the ship at the harbor of Littleroot Town.
“Finally, we’ve arrived in the Hoenn region!
The air here is so fresh!” Ash said to Pikachu, who was perched on his shoulder.
“Pika-pika~” Pikachu nodded.
Good!
The goal is to win the Ever Grande Conference!
Ash’s heart was filled with excitement.
“Come on, Pikachu!
Let’s visit Professor Birch first!”
“Pika~”
Following the signposts, Ash walked along a forest trail until he reached Professor Birch’s laboratory.
“Hello!
I’m Ash from Pallet Town!
Is anyone here?”
“Pika-pika~”
Ash knocked on the door.
Click~
The person who opened it was not Professor Birch, but his assistant.
“Oh!
Welcome to the Hoenn region, Ash!
Professor Birch already told me that you were coming.
I’m terribly sorry, but Professor Birch just went out into the field behind the laboratory to conduct some research.
Why don’t you wait here until he gets back?” the assistant said.
“No need!
I’ll go find him.
I can take the opportunity to see some of Hoenn’s Pokémon too!”
After saying that, Ash ran toward the hills behind the laboratory.
“Young people these days really have no patience,” the assistant muttered, shaking his head.
Ash took Pikachu with him and wandered around the hills.
“Any one of them is fine.
Just send out a Pokémon!”
A voice suddenly came from nearby.
“That sounds like Professor Birch!
Come on, Pikachu!”
Ash immediately ran toward the sound.
“Ah?!
Okay, come out!”
A girl’s voice rang out.
“Then what?
What do I do next?”
“Use a move!”
“What move?”
“Just shout, ‘Water Gun!'”
“Water Gun.”
Mudkip promptly sprayed a stream of water straight into the girl’s face.
Ash arrived at exactly that moment and witnessed the entire scene.
If I’m not mistaken, this girl must be May.
Ash, Pikachu, and Professor Birch could only stare at the scene in utter speechlessness.
(￣▽￣|||)
“Ah?!
Why did that happen?!!” May cried out.
Seeing Professor Birch hanging from a tree because three Poochyena were chasing him, Ash immediately shouted:
“Pikachu, use Thunderbolt on those Poochyena!”
“Pika… CHUUU~!”
The Thunderbolt instantly drove the Poochyena away.
“Phew!
I’m saved!” Professor Birch sighed in relief.
He was genuinely exhausted!
“Hmm?!
Who are you?”
Professor Birch climbed down from the tree and looked at Ash.
“I’m Ash from Pallet Town, and this is my partner, Pikachu!”
“Pikachu~”
“Oh!
So you’re Ash!
Thank goodness!
Thank you so much for coming so quickly!
Come on, let’s head back to the laboratory first.
And May, what a surprise!
It’s only been a short while since I last saw you, and you’ve grown into such a beautiful girl, just like your mother!”
“No, I didn’t really help much,” May replied.
“You came here to choose your starter Pokémon, right?
Have you decided which one you want yet?”
“Ah?!
Well… not yet.”
(・_・ヾ
May lowered her head, repeatedly tapping her index fingers together.
The three of them then headed back toward the laboratory together.
“Hello!
I’m May from Petalburg City!”
May walked over beside Ash.
“Ah!
Hello!”
“Wahahaha!”
Suddenly, a mechanical arm burst out, followed by a gigantic machine shaped almost like a giant battery!
“Who are you?!” Professor Birch and May asked at the same time.
“Since you’ve so kindly asked us who we are—”
“Then we’ll gladly tell you!”
Ash immediately recognized them.
“You again, Team Rocket!
You just won’t give up!
Come out, Pidgeot!
Use Brave Bird!
Pikachu, use Iron Tail to break the mechanical arm, then follow up with Volt Tackle!”
“Pika~!”
Pikachu smashed the mechanical arm apart with Iron Tail and immediately charged forward with Volt Tackle!
BOOM!
The giant robot exploded.
Unfortunately, the explosion happened to catch May’s bicycle as well.
And just like that, the second victim of the Bicycle Killer had been claimed!
“Hey, wait!
You little brat!
That’s not fair!
We haven’t even finished our motto yet!”
“Exactly!
Meowth hasn’t even gotten to say a single line!”
“Wobbuffet~ (╥﹏╥)…””
“What a truly annoying feeling~”
Professor Birch and May had barely recovered from what had happened when the battle was already over!
“Ah!
My bicycle!”
T^T
May burst into tears.
“Ah!
I’m sorry!
I’ll pay for it.”
“Pika-pika~”
Ash quickly recalled Pidgeot, while he and Pikachu hurriedly apologized.
“Forget it.
I know you didn’t do it on purpose.
But who exactly is Team Rocket?
And was that Meowth actually speaking human language?”
After being sad for a while, May waved it off, then asked curiously.
Professor Birch also came over, clearly interested.
He knew that Team Rocket was a criminal organization from the Kanto region, but the fact that their Meowth could actually speak human language was genuinely fascinating.
“Team Rocket are bad guys who steal other people’s Pokémon!
As for why that Meowth can talk… apparently, Meowth taught himself how to speak!”
Ash answered.
“That’s awful!
They actually steal other people’s Pokémon!”
“All right, May!
It’s time for you to choose your starter Pokémon!”
After hearing about Meowth, Professor Birch led the two of them into the laboratory.
“Come on, May.
Choose your starter Pokémon!”
Professor Birch took three Poké Balls from his bag and placed them in front of her.
“Okay!”
“Good!
Inside these are three beginner Pokémon.
The first one is Treecko!”
A small green lizard Pokémon appeared, with large yellow eyes.
However, the moment Treecko looked at May, she shuddered and immediately stepped backward.
“It’s glaring at me!”
Uh… is there a possibility that it’s simply looking at you?
Ash silently complained in his heart.
“Then the second one—Mudkip!”
“But Mudkip doesn’t really listen to me…”
May took another step backward as she hurriedly explained.
The problem is clearly your instructions.
(￢_￢)
“Then this is the final one—Torchic!”
This was the Pokémon that would eventually evolve into Blaziken, the same Blaziken that had defeated Ash’s old Charizard!
The little Torchic, with three silly tufts of feathers sticking up from its head, seemed to take an immediate liking to May.
It ran straight over to her feet and rubbed itself against her legs!
“So cute!
Okay!
I choose you, Torchic!”
May happily picked Torchic up into her arms.
“Chamo~ Chamo~” (=^▽^=)
“Here you go.
This is a Pokédex and six empty Poké Balls.
Work hard, and I’m sure you can become a Pokémon Trainer who surpasses your father!”
Professor Birch handed the items over after seeing that May had made her choice, encouraging her as he did so.
“Then let’s work hard together!” Ash said.
May answered somewhat reluctantly, “Yeah.”
“Though… I say that, but honestly, I don’t really want to become a Trainer,” May muttered quietly.
“Huh?
What did you say?”
“Ah!
Nothing!
Haha!
I’ll definitely work hard!”
Just as Ash was about to say his goodbyes, Professor Birch spoke up.
“If the two of you want to participate in the Hoenn League, you’ll need to register at a Pokémon Center.
The nearest one is in Oldale Town.
If you leave now, you should be able to reach it by evening!”
“Got it.
Thank you, Professor!” Ash replied.
“Ugh… just thinking about walking all the way there makes me a little nervous.
It would be nice if I had a bicycle…”
Hearing that, the corner of Ash’s mouth twitched.
“How about we travel there together?
That way, we can look out for each other!”
“Yay!”
May happily jumped into the air.
“Pika-pika~”
Pikachu awkwardly scratched the back of his head.
Ash knew this wasn’t Pikachu’s fault.
It was simply fate!
Besides, Ash had always liked May, the heroine of the Advanced Generation era.
And traveling together with such a cute girl would certainly make the journey much more lively!
“All right!
It’s good for the two of you to travel together so you can look after one another.
Work hard!
Have a pleasant journey, and be careful on the road!”
“Got it!
Thank you, Professor Birch!
Then we’re off!”
The two of them waved goodbye before turning around and leaving.
To be continued…
….