After their playful exchange, Ash finally stopped teasing May.
Perhaps because the atmosphere around the campfire felt warm and safe, May slowly opened up and shared the worries she had kept buried in her heart for years.
Ever since she was born, her father, Norman, had served as the Gym Leader of Petalburg City.
Not only May and her younger brother Max, but nearly everyone in Petalburg admired him deeply.
To the people of the city, Norman was more than just a Gym Leader he was a symbol of strength and pride.
In recent years, Norman had become especially famous throughout the Hoenn region due to his outstanding performances in official Gym Leader evaluations.
Many people even referred to him as the “Strongest Gym Leader in Hoenn” and a future candidate for the Elite Four.
Because of that reputation, the expectations placed upon his family only continued to grow.
Norman’s daughter.
The future heir to the Petalburg Gym.
The daughter of a Trainer destined for greatness.
At first, the praise from the townspeople sounded encouraging.
But as May grew older, those expectations gradually became a burden pressing down on her shoulders.
Her dream of traveling the world might not have come solely from curiosity and adventure.
Perhaps, deep down, it was also her way of escaping the pressure surrounding her.
That was why she had looked so uneasy when Ash mentioned heading toward Petalburg City earlier.
After all, before leaving home, she had specifically asked her family not to tell anyone she was setting out as a beginning Trainer.
“I think I understand now,” Ash said softly.
For the first time, he truly understood the uncertainty hidden beneath May’s cheerful personality.
“But May,” he continued, “have you ever watched a Wurmple evolve?”
“Wurmple?” May repeated quietly before shaking her head.
Ash looked toward the dark forest surrounding their camp.
“Wurmple are tiny and weak when they’re born.
In the wild, every day is dangerous for them.
Surviving alone is difficult.”
“When they want to grow stronger, they gather energy and evolve into either Silcoon or Cascoon.”
May listened carefully, her eyes reflecting the campfire.
“During that stage, they can barely move,” Ash continued.
“They endure everything silently while preparing for their transformation.
It’s probably the hardest period of their lives.”
“But once they overcome it…”
Ash smiled gently.
“They emerge as Beautifly or Dustox and spread their wings across the sky.”
“Beautiful…,” May whispered unconsciously.
Ash looked directly into her eyes.
“Whether you become a Trainer, a Pokémon Breeder, or discover an entirely different path someday, it’s okay not to know the answer yet.”
“What matters is continuing your journey.”
“Because eventually, you’ll discover what truly makes your heart shine.”
He paused briefly before adding:
“Your future belongs to you, May not to anyone else’s expectations.”
May’s eyes slowly brightened.
For the first time since leaving home, the confusion clouding her heart seemed to clear a little.
“I understand now!” she declared energetically.
“Then my first goal is to catch a Beautifly someday!”
Thud!
Ash immediately lost his balance and nearly fell backward onto the grass.
“…That’s not exactly the point I was making.”
“Pfft !”
May burst into laughter, the gloomy atmosphere from earlier disappearing completely.
“Thank you, Ash…”
“Hmm?
You’ve thanked me a lot today already.”
Ash smiled helplessly as he stood back up.
At that exact moment
BOOM!
A loud explosion echoed nearby.
“What was that?!”
May jumped in surprise.
Ash and Pikachu instantly turned toward the source of the sound.
Pikachu stood before the shattered remains of a massive rock, breathing heavily.
Its tail gleamed with a brilliant metallic sheen under the moonlight.
The huge boulder that had been there moments ago had completely shattered into pieces.
Iron Tail… mastered successfully!
“Well done, Pikachu!”
Ash hurried over proudly and immediately sprayed medicine on Pikachu’s tail to soothe the strain caused by repeated impacts.
“Pika pika~”
Pikachu puffed out its chest proudly.
After comforting Pikachu, Ash greeted May and went to take a quick shower before everyone settled down for the night.
The next morning, Ash woke before sunrise as usual.
While May was still asleep, he prepared breakfast and began training with Pidgeot near the riverside.
Unlike Pikachu, Pidgeot already possessed extensive battle experience from protecting the Pidgey and Pidgeotto flock in Viridian Forest for years.
Its aerial combat instincts were already exceptional.
So rather than teaching new moves immediately, Ash focused on coordinating battle rhythm and tactical synergy with it.
The morning wind swept through the forest as Pidgeot streaked through the sky like a silver arrow.
Ash used his Aura to observe its movement patterns carefully.
Once May woke up, everyone ate breakfast together before packing away the campsite and continuing toward Oldale Town.
When they passed through Oldale, Ash overheard Nurse Joy mentioning that the Pokémon Center had been attacked by a mysterious organization the previous day.
Thankfully, no one had been seriously injured, but she still warned travelers to stay cautious while journeying through Hoenn.
“That was probably Team Magma or Team Aqua…” Ash thought silently.
Those two organizations were the most notorious criminal groups in Hoenn.
Although Ash remembered fragments about them from his previous life’s memories of the anime and games, the details remained blurry.
“Mm~ This curry is delicious!”
May happily enjoyed her meal inside the Pokémon Center cafeteria.
“The Pokémon Center really has everything!”
“It’s definitely convenient,” Ash replied while holding Ralts and feeding her warm Moomoo Milk from a bottle.
Pikachu sat beside him licking milk from another container with obvious satisfaction.
Apparently, it had become fond of the taste too.
“By the way, Ash,” May asked curiously, “what exactly are Pokémon Breeders and Coordinators?
You mentioned them last night.”
Ash smiled lightly.
“A Pokémon Breeder is someone who specializes in raising and caring for Pokémon.
They focus on health, nutrition, grooming, and helping Pokémon develop properly.”
“One of my former traveling companions, Brock, was an excellent Breeder.”
“Pika pika!”
Pikachu nodded enthusiastically in agreement.
Brock had always taken wonderful care of everyone during their travels.
“Ohhh, so that’s what a Breeder does!”
May nodded thoughtfully.
“And what about Coordinators?”
Ash considered his explanation carefully before continuing.
“Coordinators are Trainers who participate in Pokémon Contests.”
“They focus less on direct battling and more on showcasing a Pokémon’s beauty, style, and creativity through moves and performances.”
“Contests evaluate elegance, coordination, and how well Trainers and Pokémon work together to create impressive combinations.”
May’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.
“That actually sounds really fun!”
Ash noticed her growing interest and smiled inwardly.
Just as he remembered
Contests truly were the stage where May’s natural talents would eventually shine brightest.
“I’ve never participated in one myself,” Ash admitted, “but Pokémon Contests are extremely popular throughout Hoenn.
We’ll probably encounter one sooner or later during our journey.”
“Then I definitely want to see one!”
May declared excitedly.
Ash simply smiled.
Sometimes, people didn’t discover their true path because someone told them.
Sometimes, they simply needed the courage to experience the world for themselves.
And perhaps
May’s real journey was only just beginning.