Mornings in Hoenn always seemed wrapped in a thin layer of mist.
Deep in the forest, sunlight filtered through gaps in the leaves, scattering patches of light across the ground. The air was fresh with grass and damp earth, and every so often, the clear cries of wild Pokémon echoed through the trees.
Ethan and May walked along the narrow woodland path, heading toward Oldale Town.
Ethan wore his usual outfit. A red and white cap, a black undershirt with a blue and white short-sleeved jacket, light blue pants, green gloves, and black and white sneakers. Pikachu lay on his shoulder, its small yellow body swaying slightly with each step, occasionally chirping "Pika pika," looking full of energy.
May wore a pink dress and carried a yellow backpack, her face bright with excitement. She was a brand-new Trainer, curious about everything. It was her first time leaving home and starting a journey, and she was nervous and thrilled all at once.
"Ethan, how much longer until we reach Oldale Town?" May asked as she walked. Her stamina was not great, and after going for this long, she was already a little out of breath.
Ethan glanced back at her and smiled. "Not much longer. About another hour and we'll be there. Oldale Town is the first town we'll reach in Hoenn. There's a Pokémon Center where we can rest, then register for the Hoenn League."
He knew May was a beginner, and she was not used to long walks like this yet. Kids from Pallet Town always seemed to have ridiculous endurance, like they could walk forever and still battle nonstop.
"Got it." May nodded. Even though she was tired, she was still smiling. "Traveling is really great. Everything feels so new, and there are Pokémon everywhere."
Seeing how excited she was warmed Ethan a little. He remembered his own first journey, that same mix of excitement and anticipation. Back then, just like May, he had been full of curiosity about the world and obsessed with becoming the greatest Pokémon Trainer.
"By the way," Ethan said, "if your pace is going to be tough, we can train while we travel. It'll help our Pokémon build endurance, and it'll help you get used to the rhythm of the road."
"Yes, yes!" May agreed immediately, eyes lighting up. "I want Torchic to get stronger too!"
Ethan nodded and pulled out two Poké Balls. "Come on out. Eevee, Phanpy!"
"Vee!" "Phan!"
Two flashes of red light, and Eevee and Phanpy appeared in front of them.
Eevee's fur was soft and brown, its eyes large, its ears long, with darker tips. The moment it appeared, it lifted its head proudly, glanced at Ethan, then walked aside with elegant arrogance, like it did not care about anything. It was clearly the tsundere type, always acting proud, but secretly clinging to Ethan more than it wanted to admit.
Phanpy was the complete opposite. With its round gray body, big ears, and long trunk, it immediately ran circles around Ethan, then bumped his leg with its trunk, letting out happy little cries.
"Wow! These are yours too, Ethan?" May's eyes sparkled. She quickly took out her Pokédex and scanned them.
The Pokédex gave its standard description, explaining Eevee as the Evolution Pokémon with multiple possible evolutions, and Phanpy as a Ground-type Pokémon that could grow into Donphan, known for strength and durability.
"Of course. They're my partners," Ethan said with a grin. He took out two silver devices from his bag. "These are forced training devices. Wearing one adds resistance while moving, so it's great for building stamina."
He fitted one onto Eevee and one onto Phanpy.
Eevee flicked its tail in annoyance, clearly not thrilled, but it still accepted it. Phanpy looked excited instead, turning in place a few times like it had just gotten a new toy.
"Oh, training time?" May raised her own Poké Ball, refusing to be left out. "Come on out, Torchic!"
"Tor!"
Torchic appeared in a flash of red light, its small orange body looking lively and bright. It glanced around, not seeing any enemies, and tilted its head like it was asking why it had been called out.
May laughed. "No battle. Just walk with us. Think of it as training."
"Tor!" Torchic chirped and nodded, as if it understood.
Ethan's system information popped up in his head automatically.
Torchic. Male. Ability: Blaze. Strength: early Normal tier. Tera Type: Fire. Moves: Ember, Peck, Growl.
Its talent was decent. With Blaze, its Fire-type attacks would surge when it was pushed to the edge. If May raised it properly and it eventually became Blaziken, it would definitely become a reliable partner.
"Alright," Ethan said. "Let's go."
He led the way.
Eevee and Phanpy followed behind, moving steadily even with the resistance devices. Torchic kept close to May, constantly looking around at the forest like everything was interesting. Pikachu lounged on Ethan's shoulder, lazily enjoying the sun when it broke through the canopy, occasionally interacting with Eevee just to mess with it.
The two of them, along with their Pokémon, moved deeper through the woods.
On the road, May's curiosity about Ethan's past adventures completely exploded, and her questions never stopped.
"Ethan, what were the funniest things you saw while traveling?"
"Have you ever met a Legendary Pokémon?"
"What were your old partners like?"
Ethan answered patiently, telling her about his journeys through Kanto and Johto, piece by piece.
He talked about meeting Pikachu for the first time. He talked about the disappointment of losing at the Indigo Plateau Conference. He talked about fighting his way through the Johto League. He even mentioned the different companions and rivals he had run into in Sinnoh.
"Wow…" May listened like she could not get enough, her eyes shining with admiration. "So your companions were Gym Trainers and stuff? That's amazing. And so many things happened. Traveling really is the best!"
Her heart filled with longing. She wanted to meet people like that too, experience adventures like that, and become a capable Trainer in her own way.
"If you stick with it, you can do it too," Ethan encouraged her. "A journey is full of challenges, but it's full of happiness too. If you really pay attention, and you really connect with your Pokémon, you'll gain more than you expect."
"Yes." May nodded hard, determination finally lighting up in her eyes. "I will."
They kept walking and talking, and without realizing it, an entire hour passed.
(End of Chapter)
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