Disclaimer: Pokemon is copyrighted to Satoshi Tajiri and Game Freak (characters, concept, and creatures).
Beginning Author Notes: This fanfic is an application of a head-canon on how Anime May would've met Wally, who's been exclusively a game character. You can blame my sudden interest in Wally on Alpha Sapphire. Therefore, this oneshot takes place shortly before AG001 (Get the Show on the Road!).
Wanderlust
May was a traveler, not a battler. She didn't like Pokemon, she liked walking around and seeing the world. Everyone expected her to follow in the footsteps of her father, Petalburg City Gym Leader Norman, but she knew better. She had no intention of doing so.
Which was why May was questioning herself. Why did she have an appointment with Professor Birch in two days so that she could get her Starter Pokemon?
The young girl was outside of her home, which doubled as the Gym itself. She watched the clouds streak across the blue skies and felt the wind blow against her, hearing the small, townsfolk chatter in the distance. This is what she liked about the world, it was beautiful, and there were many beautiful things out there she knew existed but wanted to see firsthand.
The more May thought about it, perhaps that was why she had Norman call in to Birch and schedule the appointment. For many people, it was the start of an adventure, an acceptable reason to leave home and go see the world. "So you're just using Pokemon as an excuse to escape?" Her conscience told her.
"Yeah, like that makes me feel better," May said to herself. She changed up sceneries by going into the family greenhouse. She sat against a tree and hugged her knees into her chest, resting her back against a tree. She watched the various Normal-type Pokémon belonging to the Gym play around or sleep. Even now, she had trouble approaching tamed beasts, so how would she fare against wild ones? As May let out a quiet sigh, that was when she heard someone calling her.
"May! Hey, May!" The girl in question lifted her head up, and then she turned to see Kenny, the Gym assistant, walking over to her. When he came over, she said nothing, only tilting her head quizzically. Kenny took this as a sign to explain himself. "It's your father. He wants to see you in the Gym."
"Oh. Okay." May rose to her feet, dusting off her shorts and skirt. As Kenny went to do a routine checkup of Norman's Pokemon, the brunette walked out of the greenhouse and entered the Petalburg Gym. She found her father seated at the bleachers beside the battlefield. When May walked over, Norman stood. "Hey, Dad. What did you want?"
"Since your appointment with Professor Birch is soon," Norman spoke, studying his daughter, "I wanted to make sure if you have everything you need."
Nervous under the weight of Norman's watchful eyes, May fidgeted in her spot. "I think I do." Her bike was fixed, and her mother bought all the necessary supplies. All that was left was to wait out the remaining two days. Or waste time listening to Max talk about how jealous he was.
Norman nodded with a smile. "Great to hear. I'm going to be a little sad seeing you go, but it also fills your old man with pride knowing you're going to become a Trainer like me, May." He pounded himself in the chest, smile growing wider. "That's something to look forward to!"
The entrance to the Gym opened with the quietest of creaks. "Um… E-Excuse me…" The voice was barely above a whisper. The father and daughter turned their heads to see someone peeking in. "I… I'd like to get a Pokemon please."
At first, Norman assumed him to be a challenger, for that was the door they came through, but that was a new request. He motioned the person to come over. "Come on in. No need to be shy."
The visitor finally emerged. The first thing May noticed was his bright green hair. When he stood in front of Norman, she and he were eye-level, so he was pretty short. Unlike Max when he blushed, the tinge of pink on his pale face was more noticeable. Is he sick or something?
Norman took a moment to examine the boy. He withered under his gaze, looking everywhere but at him or May. "Didn't you come by the other day? You're Wally, right?"
Recalling his manners, Wally mustered the courage to finally look at Norman through his choppy bangs. "Y-yes… I'm supposed to go stay with my relatives in Verdanturf Town for a while. But I thought I might be lonely be myself, so I wanted to bring a Pokemon with me, but I've never caught a Pokemon by myself." Gaze fell to the floor once more. "I'm not sure if I can…"
Norman cupped his in thought. "Hmm, I see." As Petalburg City Gym Leader, Norman was something of a paragon around these parts. It'd be remiss of him not to help out a trainer in need. "All right then. This makes a valuable learning experience for the both of you. May, Wally, I'm going to teach you something."
May titled her head. "Teach us what, Dad?"
"First off, Wally, here. I'll lend one of my Pokemon." Norman took out a Poke Ball and laid it in Wally's hands. His ice blue widened in pleasant surprise. "May, Wally, I'm going to show you two how a catch a Pokemon."
As Norman handed over a spare Poke Ball, May stopped functioning for a moment. "Wait, what?" By the time her brain got back to work, her eyes shrunk. W-W-We're actually going out there and meeting Pokemon face-to-face?! Oh, no…
"Honey? I need you right quick!"
Norman turned his head to the voice that came from behind the opposite wall. "Ah, that's Caroline. You two go on ahead to the outskirts. I'll catch up."
The Gym Leader quickly walked off to see about his wife. For a couple of seconds, the two stood there in silence. May shuffled nervously while Wally played with his fingers. Neither of them wanted to take the first steps, but eventually, Wally's desire to be a trainer took over. "U-Uh…" His stuttering caught May's attention. Wally fully turned to her, face growing redder. "U-Um… May? Y-You will come with me, right?"
May's hands twitched, feeling the urge to pet the adorable boy on his head and tell him everything would be all right. She put on her brightest smile. "Sure, I will!" Wally nodded and hurried out the door he came through. Only after he left did May realize what she agreed to. Oh, goodness, why did I say that?!
May and Wally waited under a shade tree for Norman to arrive. The two hardly spoke, instead watching nature unfold. The blades of grass danced in the breeze. This spring green land was peaceful, resplendent, and filled with wildlife. The budding shrubs located here and there provided shelter for birds in their nests, bees in their colonies, and moles in their holes. The cloudless sky allowed the sun to cast a veil of luminosity onto the Petalburg outskirts.
"Now, this is more like it," May said to herself; although, Wally looked in her direction, having heard her. She formed an imaginary camera with her fingers, pretending to take pictures. "The grass, the trees, the flowers, the air, the whole atmosphere. It's out of this world!"
"Do you…" Wally paused to cough. "Like the outdoors?"
May looked at him and shook her head, her brown hair swaying a little. "It's more like I like travelling. I like seeing new places. Now that I'm ten I can do that."
Wally's eyebrows almost disappeared into his hairline. "R-Really?!" Deeming his outburst impolite, he lowered his tone of voice back to normal. "I-I'm the same, but my folks have always worried about my health. So, even though I'm twelve, I'm just starting out myself."
May fought back the urge to let her jaw hang. He's older than me?! "Well, congrats on making the jump," she said with a wink.
Wally bashfully averted his eyes, the blush returning full force. He then noticed something. A Ralts was playing around in the bushes. "L-Look!" He and May stood at the same time. Ralts were pretty rare around these parts. "I-I have to catch it."
May rapidly exchanged glances between Wally and the path back to the Gym. Norman was nowhere in sight. "Shouldn't we wait for Dad?" She heard a distinct popping sound and saw that Wally already released Norman's Zigzagoon. "Oh, boy." May hid herself behind Wally as the Ralts directed its attention to the growling Zigzagoon.
"Okay, s-so," Wally said, thinking about what all those books at home told him, "I'm su-supposed to try to weaken the Pokemon before I throw my Poke Ball, right?"
"I-I don't know!" A stumped May cried out, "I don't know what to do either!"
Noticing the Ralts trying to escape back into the wilderness, Wally gasped. "No! Zigzagoon, go! Stop it!" Immediately, the raccoon Pokemon sprinted for the fleeing Psychic type and threw its whole body into Ralts. The Tackle sent Ralts skidding across the ground, blades of grass flying out. It brought a smile to Wally's face. "Great! Uh, uh, do it again!" Zigzagoon dug its paws into the ground and darted out in a sudden burst of speed. This time, Ralts was prepared. It opened its mouth wide and released a loud, piercing shriek that distorted the air around it.
The Growl attack stopped Zigzagoon dead in its tracks. Wally's expression did a 180. "No! Don't let it beat you!" Giving no time for a retaliation, Ralts held out its stubby arms, projecting a multicolored aura. The Confusion hit Zigzagoon with enough force to send the raccoon flying back. "Zigzag—" The Normal type hit Wally in his chest, causing his back to hit May, which made her stumble backwards.
"W-Whoa!" May flailed her arms, trying to regain her balance. Her body turned, and she tripped on a rock, her head going right into the waiting pond.
"M-May!" Wally hurried to pull her out, the girl coughing up water. "I-I-I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!"
"Vigoroth, use Scratch attack!"
Hearing the Ralts cry out, Wally whirled around to see a large white ape attack the Psychic-type with a simple swipe of its claws. Norman ran up and knelt beside them. "Now, Wally. Throw that empty Poke Ball right at Ralts."
"R-Right!" Wally stood back up and took out the Poke Ball. Thinking a silent prayer, he chucked it with all his might. The device tapped the downed Ralts on its head, opened up, and drew the creature into it. The Poke Ball plopped on the ground and shook several times, the button blinking in unison. A few seconds later, it stopped. His eyes widened. "I did it…" He slowly walked up and took the Poke Ball in his hands. It was all his. Another smile broke out, bigger than any other today. Wally jumped up and down. "I caught my own Pokemon!"
May wringed out her damp hair with a blank expression. At least one of us is happy.
The next day, May got all of her gear packed up. The appointment was first thing in the morning, and she had a long bike ride ahead of her. She stood in her room, examining her items on her bed. She really had everything she needed. With a nod, she went to her mirror and checked herself out. Not a stitch nor hair out of place. Nobody said I couldn't look my best on an adventure. She smiled brightly. "Perfect."
Someone knocked on her bedroom room. "May, you have a visitor at the front door."
"Okay, Mom!" She quickly made it to the front of the household. To her surprise, it was Wally, and he was looking at her in the eyes. "Oh, Wally. I thought you left."
"Well, I was about to…" It was at that point May noticed his hands were behind his back. Wally chewed on his bottom lip, unable to form more words after his voice trailed off. Again came the head-patting urge, but Wally finally moved. He held out a neatly folded piece of cloth in his hands. "I feel guilty about what happened, so… I got you this." May took it and let it hang. It was a red bandanna with a white Poke Ball print, one that matched her outfit. "It'll protect most of your hair."
Her eyes lit up at the sight. "Aww, thanks, Wally! I love it!" She walked up to the nearest window, Wally following behind her, and used the reflection to help her put it on. In her opinion, she looked even better. "Better than perfect." May turned to Wally, who was glad she liked her gift. "So, Wally? What are you going to do from here?"
"Well, I have to go back to Verdanturf Town," he answered, pausing to cough, "My folks want to see my Ralts, and I have to get a couple of things before I start my journey. I'm going to start collecting Gym Badges." Wally placed a hand over his heart. "I'm hoping I can make it… I want to see the world like I've read about in books."
May placed a hand on his shoulder. "Then do it." She winked at him with a smile. "Where there's a will, there's a way."
Wally smiled softly and nodded. "Y-yes. You're right. So, May, when we meet again, I-I hope I'm a better trainer. Someone you can be proud of."
May grinned. Not even on an official adventure yet, and she already made a companion. "I'll be looking forward to that." She saw him out and watched him disappear over the horizon. After closing the door, the girl's gaze dropped to the floor. She wished as she shared Wally's certainty. She wanted to travel, but she had no clue what to do and no idea where her heart truly was.
"I really hope I find something," she said with a touch of despair, returning to her room before anyone saw her like this.
Ending Author Notes: Boy, it was tough writing May's early characterization. I'm just so used to how she is later in the series. Anyway, in an attempt not to make this a carbon-copy of game!Wally, I revealed the origins of anime!May's bandana. I don't recall if a flashback in the Advanced series showed her with it already (Harley's doesn't count because we aren't sure that's her). Also, I made Wally 12-years-old because that's the canon age of the player characters in ORAS.
So there. Hope this was a nice, little read.