A/N: I had nothing to say quite honestly. On the top of the age gap, I have to assume that Ash's aged over the time in Kalos region. He looks and acts like fifteenish or fourteenish, but the canon age is ten. Well if you're asking for the ages, here they are.
Ash: 15
May: 15
Max: 11
Steven: 25
In reply for a review; yes May is an important character, and she will travel with Ash in the near future.
Edit: In a certain review, thanks for pointing out a mistake.
Pallet Town
Kanto breeze was the perfect thing everyone wished for in terms of living. The windy weather engulfs the quiet town giving shivers and comfort to every citizen. Amongst the small town, people and Pokémon lived together making the quiet town to a bit loud.
A certain raven haired kid near the town grounds, strolling around and felling the breeze of the Pallet Town air. In his shoulder, a yellow electric mouse, happily sat and enjoying their friendship and companionship. The sun was on its bright side, especially the people around them.
Ash sighed and breathed in relief, the feeling of coming home after months of training and competing in another region that he wasn't familiar with. Memories of his previous adventures and travels still fuels his excitement of the future. He wanted to go anywhere, to achieve a single goal.
To be a Pokémon Master.
But his goal seemed to grow distance and distance, especially losing the Pokémon League 5 times already and never even had a chance of battling the Champion. He squarely lost in the Kalos league even with the support of his friends.
His goal is his desire, his passion and fuel to go forward, even in years to come. Ash seems to be relaxed knowing the experience of battling will help him to move forward. The companionship between him and Pikachu was unbeatable, and will be.
Walking down the street, Ash remembered the rough morning, with his mom waking him up early in the morning to consult Professor Oak with a matter. Silently thanking his mother for the heavy breakfast he had earlier, all his energy is full and ready to go.
Professor's laboratory had a short walking distance between their houses, but Ash took his steps slow to enjoy the Pallet Town by himself. Pikachu silently nudged his shoulder, snapping him from his thoughts, realizing that they have arrived at the Laboratory. "We're here, buddy."
"Pika!" Pikachu chipped happily, jumping in excitement to his other Pokemon friends. Ash snickered at his friend before trekking the stairs towards the lab.
"Hey, you're back." A voice spoke, stopping Ash in his steps, turning around to see who it is.
"Gary?" Ash recognized his former rival, Gary. His former rival was leaning against the tree, a Poke ball in hand tossing it up in the air and catching it out of boredom. Ash couldn't help but to smile at the sight of his friend.
The younger Oak shrugged as he stepped from the tree and walked towards Ash, with the same slouch and facial expression that he always use. "You lost again, I see?"
"I don't want to talk about it. It's been a long day, you know." Ash replied, trying to keep the positivity going all this day. Gary raised his eyebrows, almost interjects himself with some quirky remarks, but decided not to poke Ash for losing. Ash noticed Gary silence, seeing how he changed much, not some big mouthed freak back when they were rivals, guessing he must have grown since they parted ways.
Deciding to check, he asked back. "How about you, you were aspiring to be a Professor, how's the progress?"
"Not much. Gramps wanted me to travel farther than he did before settling my life to be a Pokémon Professor. But I felt like I should be better if I stayed here and do stuff to be better." Gary nonchalantly replied, tossing a Poke ball up in the air and catching it mid-air. Pikachu climbed at Ash's head, standing tall on his baseball cap.
"Mom said that Professor Oak wanted me here."
"Yeah, follow me." Gary stoically replied.
Ash simply nodded, but his smile still glued in his face. Gary raised his eyebrows, but patted Ash shoulder. Pikachu offered him a smile, which he shrugged off. "Come on, Gramps is waiting for you. He is been in a dilemma right now."
"Dilemma?" Ash asked, dumbfounded from Gary's words. As expected Gary shrugged again, with no information coming from him. Ash continued in his steps towards the laboratory until reaching the lab's door and opened it.
There were no people inside, except Professor Oak himself. Ash's mind was clouded with questions as he observed the room is dark except for the few computers illuminating the dark room. Professor Oak was in his desk, shuffling some few papers and reading it intently.
"Professor Oak?" Ash called in a small voice, as the older man eyed him in recognition.
Behind him, Gary closed the laboratory door behind him and followed the raven haired boy. Professor Oak then arranged a stack of research papers and placed them into another desk that were sitting beside him, then turned to Ash with a welcoming smile.
"Hey Ash, how are you?" The professor asked, his face wrinkled into a smile.
"Pika Pika." Pikachu replied, jumping into Oak's arms and hugging it tightly. Oak and Ash laughed while Gary sighed in boredom. Oak then placed Pikachu down, and motioned Ash to follow him. Professor Oak then opened his computer, before turning to Ash.
"What do you need me for?" Ash asked. Without a word, Professor Oak pressed a button in a keyboard as a video file opened up into the computer screen. Within a moment, the image of May entered the screen, with a swift smile on her face. Pikachu jumped in excitement in recognition of his old friend from the Hoenn region. "Hey, it's May."
Oak nodded with a smile. "Yes. That's her."
With a press of the button the video clip of May played, started with a long smile from the Hoenn girl. Then a small Mudkip jumped in her shoulder, watching them intently, as May began to speak from the video. "Hey Professor Oak and Ash. I literally forgot to record the message after me and Professor Oak talked few minutes ago, so I did this in case Professor Oak forgot what we've talked for."
In a second, May's face turned serious as she began to deliver the reason. "We are under in the most desperate hour right now, Professor Birch went missing and only left a note. His note explained that he was upper handed by an unknown group which will make it difficult to search for him. He also said that to contact you would be the only hope not only for us but the Hoenn as well."
"Professor Birch went missing?" Ash asked in curiosity and confusion. Pikachu hung his head low in sadness from the news concerning a Pokemon professor. Oak placed his hand on Ash's shoulder, hoaxing him to listen more of May's message.
"Ash, when you see this message, my father, Norman and I will be waiting for you at Petalburg for your arrival. We could hope that you could help us at this desperate hour of confusion. Dad has been cutting some stress lately trying to search for this thing called Hoenn's Key. I know what you are thinking but hey, don't worry about anything, we can explain it to you once you arrived here. With love, me!" She winked at the screen before waving at the screen as the video stopped.
Ash raised his eyebrows in confusion, slowly taking everything May said to his brain. Everything was so complicated, as he just returned from Kalos and began to rest here at home. Now he was sent back to Hoenn to track down Professor Birch. Isn't Norman the best bet for the search party? Gary seemed to find Ash's confusion amusing, smiling at the corner of his lips.
"I don't get it." Ash only managed to squeak.
Professor Oak silently closed the computer screen and turned to Ash with a bit of enthusiasm, in his voice. "Ash, I know what you are thinking. You may ask for details but I can only give you bits."
"What do you mean?" Ash asked.
Oak took three research papers from its pile and placed it on the desk. One by one he showed them the contents towards the younger boy. Gary silently read the contents alongside with Ash. In the papers, showed the picture of weird looking piece of stone. Around the stone, it was carved with different signs and symbols crafted perfectly.
"If I can recall back in Johto, I saw some signs just like these." Gary managed to speak with fascination of the upcoming mystery. Ash ignored his comments, his eyes focused on the paper before placing it down to the desk.
Ash took one paper, and intentionally read its content. It was full of scientific definitions and explanation of this thing called the 'Hoenn's Key' and other papers signifying some other myths and hypothesis regarding the usage of the key.
The young trainer got lost in his thoughts. He knew something but his memory cannot give him the exact detail of what he is looking for. What's the connection between Professor Birch's disappearance, and this key?
"Hoenn's Key?" Gary asked with interest, after picking up a research paper and reading it.
Ash's aura turned dark, feeling the goosebumps in his skin. He placed the picture of the key near his eyes, and searching for anything similar. He knew the writings on the stone but it was sometimes in his childhood, even he cannot search deeper in his mind.
"Anything wrong, Ash?" Oak asked the younger boy.
Ash simply shrugged the question, his eyes focused on the stone and the signs and symbols engraved at the picture of the stone. "Some of the signs looked familiar. I think I saw this one back when I was a toddler."
Gary and Oak took a good look of the photo in order to observe the symbol which Ash pointed out. The symbol was shaped in X but with eyes at each limbs. Ash's eyes remained on the stone, his thoughts wandering all around from his past.
"I know that symbol." Oak finally spoke, breaking the silence. "I saw that sign from your father."
Hearing that exact word, Ash immediately turned to face Oak, staring at him in such wondrous curiosity of someone Ash never met for years. Gary shook his head before speaking of what he learned. "My Gramps and your father knew each other long before. My Gramps said that he was once a leader of a Pokémon Religion."
"You knew my father?" Ash asked.
Not wanting use any excuse. Oak hesitantly nodded, before speaking few descriptions of Ash's father. "You father was like you when I met him. Brash, strong willed and a very successful trainer to begin with. But boy he even defeated the Elite 4 using a single Raticate."
"Wow." Ash spoke in disbelief. He couldn't even believe that he couldn't pass his father's level. He even needed 6 Pokémon to complete his tournament and his father needed just one. Heck, he knew he would a Champion already if his father was there with him. Instead of admiring him more, questions about him ventured farther. "Wait, I asked Mom about my father, she just said he disappeared before my third birthday."
"I know. He just disappeared, leaving you in Delia's care." Oak explained, but more questions began to cloud Ash's mind. It was very confusing for his part to say at least. "What Gary said about him the leader of a Pokémon Religion, is not true."
"But Gramps you said it, now you're denying it?" Gary retaliated, looking like he got caught from burglary and theft. Oak shook his head, grabbing the research papers and placed them into his drawer, then locked it.
"I'm afraid my old memory has served not served me well. From the beginning your father was a member of hidden group called 'Carriers'. They are the ones that carved this stone, the Key of Hoenn." Professor Oak slowly explained, his eyes focused on the picture of the key. "He once told me that to harness the power of the key, it must be from the same bloodline."
"Which means my father's blood gave me the will to wield it?" Ash asked.
"Way to speak the obvious, Ashy boy." Gary sarcastically spoke, scratching his head in annoyance. Only for Professor Oak to nudge him on his shoulder. He winced but nodded in silent.
The old Professor heavily inhaled, totally knowing that this type of discussion will happen. "Yes, your father himself told me so. After that he left without a trace of footprints to be discovered."
"Why Hoenn?" Ash impatiently asked. Pikachu already fell asleep in the floor totally ignoring the scientific discussion and went into deep slumber. "What's the connection of my father and the Hoenn region? Did he once lived there?"
"I'm afraid that's all I know. I can say that the Hoenn's key and Professor Birch's disappearance is connected. It could be Birch is once member of this 'Carrier' group."
"Is he?" Ash picked up Pikachu before speaking the question.
Gary groaned. "That's why you have to go to Hoenn for answers, dimwit."
Ash glared at his former rival, but ignored the dimwit word and focused on Professor's eyes. "Ash, I know this journey of mystery will be a dangerous one but have courage young one. Maybe you may find answers of your father's disappearance, if anyone who could answer that, it would be Birch. But first you need to help him."
The raven haired boy, slowly taking in the words but his lips formed into a smile thinking of another adventure in front of him. Plus he could see May and Max again after years of not seeing each other. Plus Hoenn was his favorite to explore, and not to mention Serena, who is there for the Contests.
With brash confidence and excitement for more mystery, he looked at the old man's eyes. "Don't worry Professor Oak, you have my word. I'll go to Hoenn."
With a smile in his face, seeing Ash's determination and excitement. "Very well, off to Vermillon you should go. The quicker you go, the better."
"I will Professor, I'll drop by to my Mother and have everything prepared. But I have to stop somewhere first." Ash spoke in excitement, grabbing the slumbering Pikachu in his shoulder, who was busy nuzzling in his neck. Gary tossed an Ultra ball at Ash as he caught it in mid-air. "What's this?"
Gary slouched and shrugged. "Since you'll be going to Hoenn, I am asking you a favor to go catch me a Feebas."
"Hey, Feebas is hard to spot and catch!" Ash replied back with retaliation from Gary's request. Gary laughed from Ash's reaction and threw another Poke ball which as usual, Ash caught it before it touched the ground. He glared at him, and Gary glared back.
"There, I let you borrow my Growlithe." Gary spoke in a slouched way before leaving the laboratory. "Don't forget to catch me a Feebas!" Ash rolled his eyes but still kept the two Poke balls at his bag, another promise to keep.
Pikachu was already awake, nuzzling Ash's head with affection for his partner. "Say Pikachu? Are you ready for another adventure?"
"Pika Pika!" Pikachu cheered happily and excitement for another adventure.
##
"Hoenn region huh?" Brock asked, munching in some bread that he and Ash bought in Pewter City. Ash has already took off from Pallet Town towards Pewter City to drop by his old friend Brock. The travel from Virvidian City to Pewter is long but for Ash, it was shorter than he ever imagined. Brock took another bite from his bread while did the same. "I guess you have to travel back then?"
Ash chewed slowly, before replying at his friend. "Yeah, I know right. But this is serious, Professor Birch is missing, the Hoenn's Key, my Father's whereabouts, Brock trust me I have to go there."
His older friend nodded, while taking another bite from the bread he bought. "I see. It's the mystery that you are after, not the Pokémon League after losing again."
"Hey!" Ash called, frowning. "That's not nice for you to say, Brock."
"I guess Misty would have said the same for you." Brock joked, earning an elbow into Brock's ribs that made him to cringe at the contact. Brock took a sip from his coffee watching the sunset with deeming in the city. "I am surprised you yourself missed the opportunity to drop by and say hello to her."
Ash suddenly remembered a certain water Pokémon Gym Leader, he totally remembered her temper and attitude but she was a good friend, and most loyal other than Pikachu. In response, Ash shrugged. "Isn't she coming here?"
"Sadly no." Brock started, his mouth full with bread after biting the last big piece and chewed them slowly. "Misty went to Sinnoh for a Gym Leaders Conference."
"Why didn't you?" Ash asked and Brock cringed from the question. Brock knew his brother took his place as the Pewter Gym Leader but chose not to join the Conference to train even harder.
Sipping his coffee again, he replied. "Forrest wanted me to go, he preferred to stay home and train. I didn't, there is no way I have to skip the Doctor's School."
Ash nodded, before stacking more questions about the conference. "How about Misty, did she lasted long with some stronger trainers."
"From what I've heard, she is heading towards the Finals." Brock smugly replied, thus burning Ash's ego.
"No way? Misty in the Finals? It feels unreal, Misty never been to a Finals before." Ash and Brock shared a hearty laugh, slowly thanking that Misty isn't here to pull their ears out. Ash sipped at his drink and gave Pikachu a piece of his bread, as Pikachu thanked him and busy munching the food. "How did she lasted this long?"
Well Ash remembered the time when she bested him in a battle a plenty of times.
"Pika Pikachupi." Pikachu happily grinned.
Brock sighed. "Well I don't know. But I just heard that she trashed both Tate and Liza in the Semi-Finals round by using a Corsola."
"Pffffttttt." Ash spits his drink, totally in disbelief. "You're lying, Brock. Misty never brings Corsola to big battles, well except the Whirl Cup back in Johto. But other than that, Nah."
"Just kidding." Brock laughed swiftly. "She used a Gyarados to take them two. Now I think she would be battling this guy named Clemont in the Finals."
Ash smiled at the sake of his friend. He never seen the Lumiose City Gym Leader, Clemont in the past three days, and now he is advancing into the Gym Leaders Conference Finals against his friend, Misty. Hearing his accomplishments made Ash to smile wide for the both of his friends' accomplishment. He always remembered that Gym Leader who uses his science knowledge in almost everything. "Well when's the face off?"
"The day after tomorrow." Brock spoke, looking over the sunset the darkness engulfing the whole structure of the sun, thus the night began to cover the Pewter city. Ash and Pikachu noticed the nighttime shift, as he stood and picked Pikachu up. "You're going alone to Hoenn?"
Ash nodded, in reply. "Yes, probably for the rest of the journey, or maybe I'll bump someone on the way and we will traveling partners for the rest of the trip. Or you'll come with me, if that's okay with you."
Brock shook his head in a disappointing reply in Ash's sake of having Brock to join his quest. "Sadly, I cannot. But don't worry, I might be in Hoenn in two weeks for my Doctor School training, I might meet you there."
The two friends shook hands, one gripped the other. Brock gripped Ash's hand a bit harder, as a joke. Ash winced at the grip but laughed nonetheless. The two stared at each other, waiting for someone to say goodbye first.
"Well, I guess this is it." Ash spoke, not wanting to say goodbye to his friend yet.
"I think traveling towards Vermillon City at this rate will be dangerous for you and Pikachu. Why won't stay here for the night. I have an extra bed in my home, and dinner's on me." Brock happily offered, grabbing Ash's arm and began to steer both Pikachu and Ash towards his house. Ash gulped but nodded and followed Brock.
"Oh by the way, my brothers and sisters adores you and they're your fans." Brock added on their way home, passing some buildings and Pokémon shops along the way. "I guess bringing you home with them is a bad idea."
"Uh oh." Ash smiled. "At least I have most of my Pokémon back in Kalos to show them in your house."
"And I discouraged that action, Mr. Pokémon Master." Brock joked back, as the two shared a loud laugh along the way with people giving them blank stares from their actions. But Ash ignored those all but continued telling jokes to Brock.
##
Two days later, Hoenn region.
The boat travel was already degrading enough Ash and Pikachu to reach the Hoenn region. Arriving shortly at the LilyCove City, and with a short bus drive coming straight from Fortree to Vendaturf town. The duo stopped at the Pokemon Center, giving him the time to rest up and to gather up his strength for the next trip.
Ash then decided to call Professor Oak back at Kanto in order to send him his team to help him for this investigation. Since Hoenn is the place for the search, Ash needed Sceptile to be with him at this journey, but not only that.
With some decisions to make in terms of choosing 6 Pokémon out of dozen he captured in the course of his journey, he took his time to decide. Pikachu already took one spot, like hell he would never leave Pikachu behind. Now that's two, Sceptile and Pikachu to start his team, but he needed four more to complete the team.
Greninja is the best choice, but his memory remained at his departure as Ash lets him go back in Kalos and was never seen again. Thus making Talonflame an easy choice. Gary's Growlithe is also there at his arsenal, which means he only needed two more to fully complete his team.
Totodile is an easy choice as well, with his wanting for a Water type for his advantages and taking the last choice of his team to be the hardest choice. With the inclusion of Sceptile will make his Bayleaf or even his Charizard to be a difficult choice.
In the end, he ended up choosing Staraptor, to up his chances in helping Talonflame to bring the fight in the air. Especially how he like to use Staraptor back in the Sinnoh region. Thus with his decision made, he made his way towards to call Professor Oak, to send his new team into Hoenn, to help him with this investigation, before heading towards the Petalburg City.
It was nearly sundown, when Ash and his companions finally reached their destination, where the city lights began to illumine the whole place. The whole busy city, starting to get their night cycle ready, as Ash walks all alone in the road nearing to the Petalburg gym.
He felt his stomach churning from exhaustion, upon the sight of the gym nearing their eyes, with Pikachu happily calls the gym with Ash counting every steps to reach their destination. From the distance, the sight of May and her Beautifly were in the front doorsteps of the Gym, anticipating his own arrival.
May, with her telescope on, didn't even seem to notice that Ash is nearing on their gym, but ended up looking on the different direction, with a bag of snacks on her hand. Ash tried to wave to catch her attention, but she seemed focus being an outlook on the different direction.
"Pikapi!" Pikachu calls out to May, who finally let go of her telescope and glanced at her opposite direction and happily waved back at the sight of her friend that she never saw in years.
May then called someone from the house, and within seconds, a blue haired boy with a staggering height over his sister went into the scene, adjusting his glasses then happily waved at the recognition at the sight.
"May! Max!" Ash, forgetting his fatigue and hunger, ran straight at the Gym doorsteps with the siblings anticipated him with a tight hug. Max hugged the young trainer first, as Pikachu jumped into May's arms and hugged her with affection. "My word, you grew taller than the last time I saw you."
Max simply laughed before replying. "Well you see, I have been teasing May all day because she never grew an inch!"
May frowned at Max's words, and gave him a glare in which Max simple raised his arms in defense before backing away from the two. May then turned towards Ash, as Pikachu jumped down and went to Max.
Ash winked, as May jumped to Ash and hugged him tightly like no tomorrow. But not without teasing, when Ash immediately spoke. "Hey squirt, is it me or you've shrunk few inches from me?"
The brunette rolled her eyes and swiftly punched Ash's shoulder in return. "Oh stuff it, will you. I still best you in eating contest where I beat you in a mile." Max shook his head with an 'oh boy' prefix, as the brunette immediately laid down her challenge. "How about now? Since you're hungry and I'm hungry and my mom has served you food, how about a battle of stomachs then?"
"You heard that Pikachu?" Ash turned to his companion, who nodded in return. His stomach growled loudly as he took notice it. Max swiftly opened the Gym door and gestured the two to enter as Ash turns to May with a challenging look. "Well then, I hope you're going down!"
"You're on!" May immediately replied as she and Ash took off straight inside the gym like Pikachu's thunderbolt. Max simply sighed before closing the door behind him.
With the after match of the massive war between Ash and May in the dinner's table, May ended up wiping Ash out of the floor as she bested him again by a mile, with Ash could no longer handle the delicious food and desserts laid upon the table. The two slowly groaning and moaning in full stomachs, with Pikachu sharing his food with Skitty at the table below.
Max silently wished he had a camera to capture this exact moment as the sight of May and Ash in their food coma was so satisfying to see and relive again and again. Behind him, Caroline smiled at herself in such achievement that she managed to feed the Ketchum boy to the point that he couldn't go much further.
Out of the blue, she called. "Ash? May? Would you like some ice cream?"
The two groaned in exhaustion from food coma, upon hearing the ice cream. Ash moaned, as he struggled to get up from his seat. "Ice cream is my life!"
"Hey! I won against you, I must have the Ice cream!" May retaliated as she drank the whole glass of juice, before getting up from Ash and towards her mother. Max immediately took a scoop then take a big bite from ice cream, which made May furious, "Max! Don't dare to take my precious and delicious, Ice Cream!"
With a smug smile, Max took May's bowl of hot fudge ice cream before running away with the bowl in hand, with a fuming May behind him, chasing him and shrieked that almost alerted the whole house. Ash was left in the dining table, shrugging his food coma as Caroline served him his Ice cream. "I guess this is yours. Enjoy Ash."
"Thanks Caroline." He greeted back in a polite way, as Max returned to the dining table with smudges of chocolate in his face and shirt, puffing and huffing from the chase his sister gave him, ending with a massive smudges of chocolate. Ash consciously tried himself not to laugh when May returned to the dining room, gulping down the Ice cream happily, with few smudges of chocolate in her clothes.
"I see that you made your stomachs full?" Norman's voice entered the room, his face adjourned with the seriousness all around but sustained his welcoming smile for his visitor. Pikachu jumped and greeted the Gym Leader of Petalburg Gym, behind him is a Mudkip, who entered with him shyly. "How's the trip, Ash?"
"Tiring." Ash immediately replied with politeness, and Norman smiled in relief.
"Pika Pika." Pikachu happily replied, as Caroline gave him treats to feed on.
"I see. I am glad that you responded to May's call few days ago." Norman replied, gesturing his family to sit in the dining table for a bit of meeting. May and Max grabbed their respective chairs, with Caroline sat beside Ash. "Now since you are here, we shall talk about the details."
Without a word, Norman placed a piece of paper in the table and pushed it to Ash's direction. Ash absentmindedly took it, without asking anything, until Norman began to explain. "This is the letter we received on the day, Professor Birch went missing. It has no specific information, and he only wanted you to be here."
Without hesitation, Ash opened the piece of paper. Upon opening it, something solid fell into the table top, clattering in the wooden table. Ash set aside the paper as his focus turned on the fallen object. Ash couldn't tell if he is dreaming or not, because everything he saw on Professor Oak's paper, and the images were there in front of him. "This is the…"
"The Hoenn's key." Norman and May replied in unison, as Max adjusted his glasses to get a good view of the mysterious object in front of him. Ash took the key and placed it on his palm, observing every detail and its texture.
The key's texture was smooth and cool, it gave Ash some chills upon touching it in his pale skin. It's no ordinary key, it is a stone, coated in black and purple color, with signs and symbols carved in white. The stone itself was shaped into a broken triangle, but with no known color.
Max saw the whole fascination to the next level. "Hey, Ash. Can I touch it?"
"No, Max. This is thing is only for some people." Norman sternly replied.
"But you did touched it when it arrived here." May added, slightly confused from her father's words.
Norman sighed, before folding his sleeve and began to reveal something both May, Max and Ash haven't seen before. In their surprise, a mark was drawn in his shoulder, like one symbol that were carved in the key. Ash and May left their mouths open, with Max holding the bottom of the table, in shock.
Only Caroline seemed to understand the whole situation, as she never tensed even as Norman revealed the mark. The Gym leader unrolled his sleeves before explaining. "You see, in my youth, I am a member of the hidden tribe of Hoenn called 'Kathulcu' or the Carriers in today's dialect. We took an oath since we were born, to protect this key from unwanted eyes. That's when I met, Professor Birch."
May and Ash went silent, as their interest turned into curiosity, both of them nodding for Norman to continue, except Max wanted answers immediately. "Wait, Professor Birch is part of the tribe?"
"He left early, when he was your age." Norman pointed at both Ash and May. "But I remained to protect the key and tribe, there I served under the greatest leader. Your father."
"My father?" Ash asked dumbfounded again.
"Your father is a young man when he became the head of the tribe, he created thousand keys for our tribe, and he brought the tribe into the golden years." Norman explained, trying to sort his memory in his youth. "Until one day, the whole tribe was split into two, one faction wanted to rule over the tribe and the other, led by your father."
"That went bad?" Max asked silently, waiting for his father to continue.
"Well, I left the tribe when the war was raging, I took refuge here in Petalburg until Caroline took me in and took care of me. Not until your father fled to Kanto, but the last remains of the tribe went into ashes went the new leader with the name of the Phantom, took over." Ash and May turned to each other, despair flashed their eyes.
Ash already knew where the story is heading. "He fled to Kanto and then met my mom."
"Delia knew his roots and heritage, she only tried her best to keep it from you, at your father's request." Caroline spoke out of the blue, which shocked Ash upon hearing it. He never knew that his own mother would hide secrets from him, neither is Professor Oak.
"Years later, your father wanted to rebuild the whole tribe from the ashes as he went back here from Kanto, but that's the last sign I ever heard of him. I was already the Gym leader of this place when I heard him coming back." Norman hung his head low, recounting his last encounter with the man. "Other than that, Birch and I had to move on with our lives until Birch went missing and left this letter. Read it."
Ash took the letter and read its contents. "He said that I am the last capable bloodline of the tribe to protect the key from wandering eye."
"Birch trusted you for this, but he needed to be rescued in whatever situation he is right now." Norman turned to Ash with seriousness in his voice and stare. "Ash, you hold the key that will lead to the center of Hoenn, the one that hold the balance between the Pokémon and Humans. Don't' ask me how to find it, neither I nor Birch knew where it was."
"Do I need to find it? For what?" Ash, of all the people in the table asked. Norman remained his posture of calmness in himself, with full trust he knew this kid will to what it takes. May and Max gazed on Ash's moment of transcription of everything he just heard.
"In right time Ash, you will understand the purpose of your bloodline." Norman replied, finally standing up from his seat after a few brief explanations for the younger. Truth be told, Ash still has questions in his mind but he knew Norman has done his part. Not all questions can be answered in one night. "I guess you have to save your strength for tomorrow when you start to track Professor Birch, we have a spare bed for you and Pikachu to sleep."
"Pikapi." Pikachu tiredly gawked.
"Thanks Norman." Ash thanked the Gym Leader but made no response as he went on his way, through the other side of the gym. Ash sighed in exhaustion as May tapped his shoulder, grabbing his attention fully.
"I guess, I have to guide you to your beds. Follow me." May gestured them to follow her, with Max on her tail. Pikachu swiftly landed on the ground and took his steps. Ash absentmindedly followed the siblings, before May spoke. "Tomorrow will be a long day for you, I hope you won't get lost."
"It would be easy if I had a companion." Ash muttered to himself, but May heard it.
"I know what you are thinking." May interjected, stopping before a lone door at the hallway of the gym as she inserted a key and unlocked it. "You want me and Max to come with you?"
Ash never expected for May to ask first at this rate, she had no usual reasons not for her to join in his journey just like last time. "Well, I am not implying but I can work better if I had someone on my side."
Max shrugged but shook his head. "Dad wants me to stay in the gym and train more before going to Unova."
In turn, May silently shook her head as well, implying the negative side of the answer. "Dad has been busy for a while, and I had to take care of the gym for him, if any mediocre trainer wants him, I'll be the one kicking their butts."
"Well I am alone." Ash sarcastically spoke the obvious.
"Come on, Pikachu is with you." Max replied back.
"Pika Pika." Pikachu happile nuzzled Ash legs.
Ash sighed at his mouse Pokemon. "Well thanks for the support Pikachu."
May and Max giggled at Ash but gave him a supporting smile for his journey. May patted his shoulder, giving assurance and confidence to what he is facing. "Don't worry, if Dad isn't busy anymore, I'll give you a call and I'll be there, but not this time."
"Guess this is it." Ash replied, placing his bag on the floor. "I have to leave early in the morning."
May silently nodded before closing the door behind her, leaving Ash and Pikachu in the room as the trainer changed his clothes into Pajamas. The thoughts of going alone in this trip clouded his mind, as it was unusual for him.
He then turned to Pikachu. "I guess it's just you and me."
"Pikapi Pikachu."