“Finally, you’re setting out again!
May, have you forgotten to bring anything?” Caroline asked May with concern.
“I’m all set!” May said, patting her chest confidently.
May had decided to continue traveling with Ash, and Norman and Caroline both supported her decision.
“Wait for me!
My sister doesn’t know anything about Pokémon, so I’m coming with you too.
Besides, I understand what Dad said now.
I want to go out and see the world!” Max said as he came running out with a backpack on his shoulders.
“Hmm, it’ll be good for Max to go out and broaden his horizons,” Norman said after thinking for a moment.
“And Max knows a lot about Pokémon, so we’ll feel more at ease this way.”
“Yeah!” Caroline agreed.
“Ash, I’m sorry, but I hope you can take Max along on your journey,” Norman asked Ash.
“No problem!
After all, traveling is more lively and fun when there are more people!” Ash had already expected that he would be traveling with May and Max.
Besides, with Max around, he could use him as a tool to drag Brock away whenever Brock started getting lovestruck; otherwise, Ash would have to step in himself!
“Alright then!
Max, you have to listen to the others.”
“Great!
Please take care of me.”
“Then, take these with you as well.” Norman took out two grayish-blue cases and handed one each to Ash and May.
“These are Badge Cases for storing Gym Badges.”
Ash and May accepted the Badge Cases and thanked him.
“And take this too.” Norman then brought out a small device.
“Ah!
This is…” (☆▽☆)
Max’s eyes lit up as he immediately snatched the device.
“This is a PokéNav.
With it, you’ll be able to tell your current location,” Norman explained.
“I’ll carry this one,” Max said, immediately putting it away.
“Oh, and the closest Gym from here is in Rustboro City.
You three can head there first,” Norman added.
After saying their goodbyes, the three set off toward Rustboro City, where the next Gym was located!
“Great!
Now that the kids have all gone traveling, we can finally enjoy some time alone together.”
“Yeah!”
Watching the three gradually disappear into the distance, Norman and Caroline quietly discussed their plans.
After awakening his Aura, Ash’s hearing had become far sharper than normal, and he just barely caught those two sentences.
The corner of his mouth twitched.
Sure enough, parents were true love, and children were just accidents!
——Petalburg Woods——
“How strange…
I can’t see any Pokémon at all,” Max said disappointedly as he looked around through his binoculars.
“We’re traveling along a man-made mountain path.
There aren’t many Pokémon here; you’ll find more deep inside the forest,” Ash explained helplessly.
“More importantly, I’m starving.
Can we eat lunch first?” May was already tired from walking, and all she could think about was resting and having lunch.
Ash nodded.
“Sure!
Let’s eat first.
We’ll let all the Pokémon out too!”
He then took out the bentos and Pokémon food he had prepared beforehand.
He had also mixed an appropriate amount of Energy Cubes into the food, making it both nutritious and delicious!
Pikachu and the other Pokémon each took their food and began eating.
As for May and Max…
“What are you two doing?” May and Max didn’t go to get their lunches.
Instead, they stared fixedly at Ash’s bentos.
“Uh…
don’t tell me you didn’t prepare lunch?”
“W-Well, I thought my sister would prepare it,” Max scratched his head.
“I didn’t think we’d be eating like this, so I forgot.” (｡•́︿•̀｡)
May looked at Ash with a pitiful expression.
“Sigh…
These are the last two portions.
You can have them.
If we don’t find a Pokémon Center before dark, we’ll have to go hungry.”
Fortunately, Ash knew these siblings were unreliable, so he had prepared two extra portions.
As for dinner, he wasn’t worried—Brock should be arriving soon.
“Ah!
Thanks, Ash.
You’re the best!” May and Max began eating happily!
“Vee!” “Pika, Pika!”
Bang!
Suddenly, a commotion came from where the Pokémon were eating.
The three turned to look and saw a bird-like Pokémon stealing the Normal-type Energy Cubes from Eevee’s food.
Eevee immediately snapped and fired a Swift attack at it.
May quickly scanned it with her Pokédex.
“Taillow…”
It was Hoenn’s regional bird Pokémon—Taillow, nicknamed the BUG Taillow.
It truly had pride in its bones.
[Taillow]
[Type: Normal/Flying]
[Ability: Guts (When afflicted with a non-fainting status condition, its Attack increases by 50%, and its Attack is not reduced by burns.)]
[Strength: Early Elite]
[Moves: Quick Attack, Wing Attack, Double Team, Endure, Supersonic]
[Tera Type: Flying]
“Siba~”
Taillow faced Eevee and the others without showing the slightest bit of fear.
“Taillow, how about a capture battle?
If you lose, these Energy Cubes are yours!”
Ash took out some Flying-type Energy Cubes from his backpack.
“Siba~”
The moment Taillow saw the Energy Cubes, it agreed without hesitation.
“Go, Eevee!
Let’s catch it!”
“Vee~!”
Eevee had already been itching to fight and immediately charged forward.
Whoosh!
White light appeared on Taillow’s wings as it attacked Eevee.
“Eevee, use Agility to dodge!”
Although Taillow had reached the early Elite level and was a minor realm stronger, Eevee’s strength was no joke.
“Vee!”
Eevee quickly dodged.
“Eevee, Swift!”
Stars flashed from Eevee’s tail as the attack shot toward Taillow.
The battle continued back and forth.
Eevee agilely dodged while repeatedly using its moves to wear Taillow down.
Taillow gradually began panting, clearly having consumed a great deal of stamina.
“Good!
Eevee, give it the finishing blow!”
Ash activated the Z-Ring on his wrist.
‘A finishing blow?’ (⊙_⊙)?
Even though Taillow was already exhausted, there was no way Eevee could defeat it in a single hit.
How could that possibly be a one-hit knockout?
Max was utterly confused!
Then, Ash and Eevee began their pose.
“Go, Eevee!
Breakneck Blitz!”
“Vee~!”
A brilliant white light erupted from Eevee as it charged straight toward Taillow.
“Siba~!”
“Go!
Poké Ball!”
Red light flashed from the Poké Ball.
Bang!
Taillow burst out and landed on a rock, panting heavily.
“Very good!
I like that spirit!
Eevee, hit it with Swift!”
Bang!
That finally became the last straw that broke Taillow’s resistance!
Ash threw another Poké Ball!
This time, the Poké Ball shook three times, flashed with three stars, and the capture was successful.
Ash was relieved that Taillow didn’t have a Trainer.
Otherwise, defeating it with Eevee definitely wouldn’t have been so easy; they would have had to pay a considerable price!
“Vee~!”
Eevee brought the Poké Ball to Ash.
Ash took it.
“Great!
I caught Taillow!”
“Vee~!” “Pika, Pika~!”
“I’m so jealous!
I want to catch a new Pokémon too!”
“I want a Pokémon too!!”.
✧(≧▽≦)✧
May and Max looked at Ash with envious eyes.
Clap!
Clap!
Clap!
“Ash, long time no see.
I didn’t expect you to become this strong!”
To be continued…