Morning sunlight filtered through the thin mist of Petalburg City and fell across Norman's courtyard, tinting the stone path with a warm golden edge. In the yard, May wore a brand new red backpack and spun in place excitedly, her pink hair swaying with each turn, eyes full of anticipation for the journey ahead. Caroline stood at the doorway with a small bundle in hand, carefully looking her over as she spoke with concern.
"You're finally heading out, May. Did you forget anything? A change of clothes, common medicine, and emergency Pokémon food. I packed it all into this bundle for you."
May stopped and patted her chest with a confident grin. "Don't worry, Mom. I checked everything three times. No way I missed anything!" She turned to Ethan nearby, excitement shining in her eyes. "Ethan, let's go! I can't wait to see Hoenn's Gym challenges!"
Ethan nodded. Beneath the brim of his red cap, his eyes were bright and steady. He was already packed. Along with the essentials, his bag held plenty of Pokémon food and energy blocks. He had originally thought he and May would set off alone, but with Norman and Caroline openly supporting May's trip, he felt a lot less worried.
Just as they were about to leave, hurried footsteps came from inside.
"Wait for me!"
Max dashed out, panting, with a blue backpack that looked almost too big for him. Sweat dotted his forehead, but his excitement was impossible to hide.
"My sister doesn't know anything about Pokémon. I have to go with you! And I get what Dad said. Instead of staying home with books, I should go see the real Pokémon world myself!"
May blinked, then sighed with a helpless look. "Max, traveling isn't a game. There's danger, and we'll be walking a lot. Are you sure you can keep up?" Even so, there was no real annoyance in her eyes, only a hint of affection.
Norman stepped closer and patted Max's head. After a moment of thought, he spoke.
"Letting Max go out and see things isn't a bad idea. He's loved studying Pokémon since he was little, and his knowledge is solid. With him along, you'll have extra support on the road. Your mother and I will feel more at ease."
Caroline quickly agreed, stepping forward to straighten the crooked strap on Max's backpack. "Yeah. Max is young, but he's sensible. With him traveling with you two, we can worry less. But Max, you have to listen to your sister and Ethan, okay? No acting spoiled."
Max nodded hard, eyes determined. "I know, Mom. I'll behave!" He turned to Ethan, hands behind his back, and gave a small bow. "Ethan, please take care of me!"
Norman looked to Ethan with an apologetic, earnest tone. "Ethan, sorry about this. I'm hoping you can take Max along with you."
"No problem!" Ethan agreed easily, smiling. "Traveling is way more fun when it's lively. And having a partner who knows Pokémon as well as Max does means we'll avoid a lot of mistakes."
He had expected Max would follow anyway, since Max was meant to be May's travel partner. And Ethan had his own little plan, too. If Brock showed up later and started getting distracted around pretty older girls, having Max around to drag Brock away would save Ethan a lot of trouble.
"Awesome!" Max jumped in place. May finally relaxed and smiled. "Fine. But you better mean it, Max. No quitting halfway, and don't cause us problems."
"I know, sis!"
Seeing the three of them full of energy, Norman nodded in satisfaction. He went inside and returned with two gray blue cases, handing one to Ethan and one to May.
"Then take these. They're badge cases for holding Gym Badges. Hoenn has eight Gyms. I hope you'll earn your badges with your own strength."
Ethan took the case. It felt cool in his hands, with an elegant pattern carved into the surface. When he opened it, there were eight neat slots inside, perfect for badges. He carefully put it into his backpack and bowed to Norman.
"Thank you, Norman. I'll collect all the badges and get a great result in the Hoenn League!"
May accepted hers as well, eyes sparkling as she stroked it fondly. "Wow, it's so pretty! Thanks, Dad! I'll use it well and earn my first badge!"
"And take this too." Norman pulled out a small device. It was silver with a tiny display screen, sleek and delicate.
"Ah, this is…" Max's eyes lit up instantly. He dashed over and took it, hugging it like treasure. "This is the PokéNav, right? I've seen it in books!"
Norman smiled and nodded. "That's right. With this, you can always check where you are. You can also look up nearby cities, Gyms, and Pokémon Centers. It's very helpful for traveling."
"I'll carry it!" Max immediately stuffed the PokéNav into his backpack protectively. "I know how to use it. I'll handle directions!"
May and Ethan exchanged a look and both laughed. May sighed. "Fine, fine. Then it's yours, Max the navigator."
"Leave it to me!" Max patted his chest proudly.
Norman glanced at the sky and spoke to the three of them. "It's getting late. You should head out. Also, the closest Gym to Petalburg City is in Rustboro City. You three can go there first. The Gym Leader is Roxanne, and she specializes in Rock type Pokémon. Be careful on the way."
"Got it!" all three answered together.
"Dad, Mom, we're going!" May and Max waved.
"Bye! Stay safe!" Caroline's eyes were slightly red as she waved back. Norman stood at the doorway too, watching their backs with a gentle expression and a quiet nod.
Ethan, May, and Max turned and walked side by side toward the road leading out of Petalburg City, officially beginning their Hoenn journey.
As the three of them gradually disappeared into the distance, Caroline looped her arm through Norman's and smiled sweetly.
"This is great. The kids are traveling now, and we can finally have time for just the two of us. We never really got to go on proper dates while we were busy taking care of them."
Norman held her hand, warmth in his eyes. "Yeah. The next stretch belongs to us. We could take a trip to the beach, or visit Gyms in other regions. Let's enjoy some time together."
They spoke softly about their plans, voices full of anticipation.
Up ahead, Ethan suddenly paused, the corner of his mouth twitching. Ever since his aura power awakened, his hearing had become unusually sharp. Even though Norman and Caroline were speaking quietly, Ethan still caught a couple of their lines. Inside his head, he couldn't help complaining: So parents are the true love, and kids are the accident, huh. Still, it was fine. At least Norman and Caroline could enjoy their lives without worrying too much about them.
"Ethan, what's wrong?" May noticed and asked, confused.
"Nothing." Ethan shook his head and smiled. "Let's go. If we hurry, we can enter Petalburg Woods before noon and reach a Pokémon Center near Rustboro City before night."
"Okay!" May and Max immediately kept pace. Max excitedly pulled out the PokéNav and studied the route. "According to this, it's three kilometers to the entrance of Petalburg Woods. If we speed up, we'll be there soon!"
The three walked and chatted, laughing along the way. Max kept moving ahead, enthusiastically explaining Hoenn Pokémon to Ethan and May, from common ones like Taillow and Lotad to rare ones like Latias and Latios. He spoke with confidence and detail that impressed May, and even Ethan nodded in approval. May, in turn, eagerly planned her travel goals, saying she wanted to catch pretty Pokémon, then talking about winning the Pokémon Contests, her face full of excitement for the future.
About an hour later, the three finally reached the entrance of Petalburg Woods. It was one of Hoenn's well known forests, wide and dense, with tall trees and thick leaves. Sunlight slipped through the canopy and painted the ground with shifting patches of light. The air was fresh, filled with the scent of plants, and now and then, crisp birdsong rang out from deeper within.
(End of Chapter)
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