Early morning.
Gary and Zinnia had already left Rustboro City and were cycling south toward Petalburg Woods. Their goal was Dewford Town, an island settlement off Hoenn's southwest coast. The only ways to reach it were by flying, Surfing, or taking a boat. Gary preferred not to rush, so he planned to catch Mr. Briney's daily ferry from the small harbor on Route 104.
To get there, they first had to cross Petalburg Woods.
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Around noon, Gary decided to break for lunch beside a stream. While he was setting up the stove, Eevee's ears twitched; the little fox turned toward the bushes.
An electric-yellow mouse emerged from the undergrowth.
"Pika!"
It was Pikachu—and the moment Eevee saw him, she stiffened in surprise.
"Vee!"
Recognizing the newcomer, Eevee instantly realized it belonged to Ash.
"What Pokémon is that?" Zinnia asked, raising her Pokédex.
Pokédex: "Pikachu, the Mouse Pokémon. An Electric-type. It stores electricity in the pouches on its cheeks. If it releases all the energy at once, it can produce enough power to cause lightning strikes."
"Amazing—an Electric-type," Zinnia breathed. It was the first time she had ever seen one.
Gary looked up; the level display in his vision confirmed what he already suspected:
[Lv. 59 Pikachu ♂ / Champion]
A Pikachu this strong could only be Ash's partner.
"Pika-pi!" Pikachu called into the forest behind him.
Moments later, Ash, May, Max, and Brock pushed through the foliage.
"Gary!"
Ash and the others were delighted; bumping into Gary in a forest this vast was quite the coincidence.
"You two know each other?" Zinnia asked, puzzled.
Introductions were quickly made.
Ash explained that they were on their way to Rustboro City so he could challenge the Gym. It was lunchtime, so they were looking for a spot near water and had sent Pikachu ahead to scout.
"I've already earned the Rustboro Badge," Gary said with a smirk.
"It's only a matter of time before I get mine," Ash replied calmly. "We'll see who's stronger at the Ever Grande Conference."
Having been teased about his badge-collecting speed more than once, Ash was learning how to handle Gary's jabs.
"But Gary has one more badge than you, and you've already lost to him twice in the League," Max pointed out.
"Max…," Ash growled through gritted teeth.
"Max, don't needle him," May scolded her little brother.
"Right, sorry!" Max said hurriedly.
Ash turned back to Gary. "So, who's your friend?"
"My name's Zinnia," she said. "I'm from a small village outside Rustboro, and I'm a rookie Trainer."
"That makes you the same as May," Brock observed.
Hearing that, Zinnia's eyes lit up and she stared at May with competitive enthusiasm.
"H-hi, I'm May," May said, a little flustered.
"If we're both rookies, how about a battle?" Zinnia suggested eagerly.
"A battle?" May blinked. She had only been a Trainer for a few days and hadn't really thought about fighting yet.
"What's wrong—afraid to accept?" Zinnia teased.
"It's a good chance to see what Torchic can do," Ash encouraged.
"Yeah, Sis, go for it!" Max added.
"All right," May agreed. "Let's do it."
"I'll handle lunch," Brock said, rolling up his sleeves.
While Brock started cooking, the others cleared a patch of grass near the river for a friendly one-on-one match. Gary volunteered to referee.
"I only have one Pokémon, so it has to be a single battle," May said.
"Same here," Zinnia nodded. "One-on-one it is."
"Trainers, send out your Pokémon!"
Zinnia moved first. "Shelgon, let's go!"
A white-armored Shelgon materialized on the field.
"Whoa, a Shelgon!" Max gasped. As a Hoenn native, he knew how powerful the Bagon line could become.
May, unfamiliar with the species, quickly scanned it.
Pokédex: "Shelgon, the Endurance Pokémon. Dragon-type. Within its hard shell, its cells are changing to create a new body. Because the shell is so heavy, it moves very slowly."
"Slow, huh?" May muttered. "Torchic should be faster, at least."
"Torchic, it's your first battle—come on out!"
The tiny chick hopped onto the field.
[Lv. 10 Torchic ♀ / Elite]
"So cute," Zinnia said, pulling out her own Pokédex.
Pokédex: "Torchic, the Chick Pokémon. Fire-type. A flame sac inside its body keeps it pleasantly warm; hugging it is said to be comforting thanks to its fluffy down."