I do not own May or Professor Birch our the pokemon. This is just something I wrote about them a year ago when I got a pokemon game for Christmas from my silly brother. It's a fanfic about the Emerald version of the game, NOT the movie, tv series, or the books.

May shuffled her feet on the ground. "It's… nice. Really, it is." She muttered to her mother, staring up at the brand new two-story house. She gazed around at the forest-like area that made up Petalburg Town. May wanted to be cooperative, but she couldn't see herself living in a forest. It was a quaint land with woody buildings. Alien noises could be heard from the outskirting trees. Sunrays melted through the leaves above like butter. So this was her new home.

May wandered inside and found her room. Though the walls were blank, the pleasant appeal was made up by the extensive space. Her computer, desk, TV, and bed were already inside. After setting her clock, something she always made sure to do, May trudged down the stairs to find her mother gawking at the large pokemon moving the furniture. She loved pokemon just as her father did, but her mother had always been slightly nervous about letting them around the house. May took after her father in many ways even though she received her looks from her brunette mother.

"May, I know you'll just love it." May's mother turned towards her and forced a smile. "You're father is so happy to be moving here. He's finally going to live out his dream. You know he's trained hard for this. Imagine him, a pokemon gym leader!" She paused hesitantly. "Why don't you walk around and meet our neighbors, but don't venture too far. There are wild pokemon running about."

"Yes, Mom." May tramped out the door, not in any mood to meet new people. Her father had told May that their neighbors had a boy her age, but May was still completely bewildered by the move. She decided to be excited to meet the boy later.

It was not long before May was far into an unfamiliar path called route 102. Suddenly, she heard shouting. A man's voice was crying out, "Help! Help me, anyone!"

May dashed towards the voice in alarm. She stopped abruptly when she saw a man being chased by a pokemon that she knew was named Poochyena. Cute, but with viscous fangs the little gray dog-like creature was trying to bite at the man's ankles.

"Please, little girl." The man gazed at her with pleading eyes. He was older than her father by the look of his graying hair, but not by much. Dressed in a scientist's cloak, he might've looked highly professional if he weren't running from a small animal. "Take my bag near the tree and use a pokemon to fight this creature away!"

May glanced at a large oak tree nearby. At the foot of it, was a brown leather messenger bag. She unlatched the front and found three half red and half white balls inside. May knew they were called poke balls. On the poke balls, there were three different labels with the names Treecko, Mudkip, and Torchic scribbled on white pieces of paper. May remembered these pokemon vaguely from a story her father told her when she was younger.

With a quivering voice, May yelled out, "Go Torchic!" She threw the poke ball into the air like her father had always done. Out of the poke ball popped an orange little chick with dark eyes. It said it's own name in something of a peeping sound.

The Poochyena's ears perked and he turned around, staring at the little chick as if challenging it. The chick stamped its feet, angrily, ready to attack.

"Torchic," May paused. It looked like a fire pokemon. "Ember attack, now!"

An immense flame came shooting out of Torchic's beak. May would have never known that so much power could come out of such a petite animal. The flame licked dangerously at the Poochyena's fur. The little dog barked in fright and bounded into the forest.

"Come back, Torchic." May whispered, holding out the poke ball as the pokemon disappeared inside.

"Thank you so much." The man smiled, truly grateful as he made his way towards May. "My name is Professor Birch. You see, I was looking at odd pokemon tracks, but I forgot my bag near that tree. That's when that viscous little creature attacked me. I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't come. Thanks again."

"Oh… Y-you're welcome, Professor," May stammered. "I've never… done that before…battled with pokemon, I mean."

The professor looked surprised, "Really? Well, you are a natural! What's your name? I must know how to thank you."

"I'm May. I learned a bit from my father. He is the new gym leader." May looked into the trees as if she wasn't sure the Poochyena was truly gone.

"May? As in the May that just moved here? You must be my neighbor! Yes, I know your father! I can see where you get your natural talent." Professor Birch headed over to his leather bag and packed up the two other poke balls. He slung the bag over his shoulder. "You must meet my boy, Brandon. He's your age. Well, I must be going. Drop by my office sometime! It's just a little farther into town." He started down the path, back to where May had come from.

"Oh, Professor!" May hurried after him, waving the poke ball, that now had Torchic inside. "You forgot this one!"

Professor Birch grinned, slyly. "No, that one is for you. You deserve a pokemon for your efforts. May, you were very brave today. Good bye." And he left her standing there in the middle of the bright forest.