Chapter Nine: The Rest of the Birthday.

Brendan and I decided to take the underpass of tte bike road. Considering neither of us had a bicycle. Besides, I wanted to explore everything about this region... Although I wasn't really sure if I had the time... Either way, I was pushing Brendan to hurry up. It looked like a really long walk.

"Don't worry, May. I just want to catch one pokemon... I know he's here somewhere." Being raised by a pokemon professor meant that Brendan knew where every pokemon was. It was very useful, but times like this, it was very annoying.

"Fine, what are you looking for?"

"A Gulpin! I know one has to be around."

It was pretty cute how much Brendan loved to catch pokemon. It was also adorable how excited he got when he finally found one.

"May! Look! There he is! He's mine!" Brendan threw a pokeball into the air revealing his Shroomish, who then used Stun Spore. Brendan finished by throwing a greatball. "Yes! Flawless!"

"Alright, let's keep going!"

"Okay, okay," we bagan to walk. "You know, I've been meaning to ask you, what's your deal lately with the hurrying?"

I didn't know how to answer. My mind was shuffling through every excuse, but none of them seemed to be good enough... What was I going to say?

"I don't know Brendan... I'm just excited is all. And I don't exactly want my mom to find me when I'm half way through my journey... I want to get it done before she stops me."

"I understand, but you need to loosen up. You escaped. I seriously doubt that she will find you. We're having an adventure. You should try to enjoy it."

"You're right, I'll try." I faked a smile as I lied. I just couldn't tell him the truth. At least, not yet.

Mauville city actually took quite a lot of adventuring. It was just around sunset when we reached the pokemon center, and I was completely beat. All in all though, it was a pretty great birthday. I was able to tell Brendan that as we checked into the pokemon center.

"Hello, would you two like a room?" The friendly nurse asked.

"Yes, we would," I replied. When I wrote my name down, the nurse made me jump out of my skin.

"Oh! I have a package for you dear!"

"Who's it from?" I was still shaking slightly from her sudden shriek.

"Well, it doesn't say. But don't worry, sweetie, we don't let anything dangerous get to our guests. Here you go!" She handed me this gigantic box. But it wasn't ordinary, it was bright yellow.

"Thank you," I said. Then we walked back our room. All pokemon centers were the same, and we basically got the same room, so it was no problem to find it.

"What did you get?" Brendan asked as soon as he shut the door.

"I don't know..." I gently tore away the golden paper to reveal a cardboard box. Then I cut through the tape with a pen on the nightstand. Inside, it was full of clothes. "Oh my god!"

"What is it?"

"Clothes!" I was very excited, but Brendan didn't get it.

"What?"

"I've never had new clothes that fit me before! There's so many of them! And they all are the right size! This is great!"

"Who sent them?"

"...I don't know... There's no card, no note, not anything..."

Happy Birthday May...

The voice filled up my head. I gasped but covered my mouth so Brendan wouldn't hear.

Thank you, so much... I thought. This was definitely the best birthday of my entire life.

The next morning, I woke up even earlier. I couldn't wait to break in my new clothes! I immediately showered then stood in front of the mirror looking at my perfect outfit. I was so excited. The only thing that was really wrong was my shoes. But it was okay, shoes are meant to get dirty.

It was a good thing my bag was so spacious, especially when I threw away all of my old shirts and ripped jeans. When I was done repacking, I decided to let Marshtomp and Magikarp play around in the tub. I thought I could let Brendan sleep in for a day.

After filling up the tub, I released them both into it. Marshtomp was more interested in just laying on the bathroom floor. I guess he was tired too. Anyway I continued to play with Magikarp, he was so cool! Brendan was completely wrong about catching him.

"I knew you would be great. You're going to be amazing, my little Magikarp." I patted his steel scales. He began to flop around harder than ever. I stood up. "Are you okay?" I asked. I got my answer when he began to glow. "Holy-"

I don't exactly know how or why. But Magikarp decided to evolve, right then and there. His new gigantic body filled up the entire bathroom, breaking most of the lights and the mirror. My arm was sliced by a piece of falling glass as I reached for his pokeball and returned him. Then it was just me, Marshtomp, a lot of blood, and a mess.

I fell to my knees and grabbed a towel on the floor. My arm was gushing blood. Marshtomp came over and helped me apply pressure to the wound.

"Well, that was interesting, right?" I said with a little laugh to Marshtomp, who looked at me like I was crazy. "I think it stopped bleeding... We should go wake up Brendan." I stood up, but was a little woozy. Luckily, Marshtomp was there to open the door and hold my hand. Marshtomp then went over to wake up Brendan while I sat on the bed. When he stirred and looked over at me, he gave me a weird look.

"What in the world happened to you?"

"Well... Magikarp evolved in the bathroom... Then he broke the mirror and I got hit..."

"Oh my god! Are you okay? He didn't hurt you did he?"

"No, the mirror did." Brendan and I had read horror stories about Gyarados. But mine was different, and I knew it.

"May, you can't confine yourself with that thing! You don't know what he'll do!"

"I know he didn't mean it. Brendan, this one is different. I promise."

"But you-"

"I'm not talking about this anymore. I'm going to te front desk and explaining everything to Nurse Joy. I'm sure she'll understand." I turned on my heel and left the room with Marshtomp following me. I was sick of Brendan thinking my Magikarp was useless. Now that he thought my Gyarados would hurt me I was really mad.

I got to the front desk. Lucky for me, it was still very early and nobody was up except the nurse. "Good morning," I said weakly.

"Good morning, dear. Oh my! What happened?"

"A little mishap with a Gyarados, he kind of... Prematurely evolved in the bathroom and broke your mirror. I'm so sorry."

"Honey, do you know how many broken windows, furniture, walls, and everything in that room we go through. It's completely okay. Now come on, let's get that arm looked at."

Nurse Joy treated my arm in minutes. As she said, she was used to trainer injuries. When I was all bandaged, I went back to the room. Brendan was there waiting for me.

"May, I'm really sorry... I didn't really realize how much you loved that Gyarados. I'm sorry." He walked over to me, like he wanted a hug. I put my hand out and stopped him.

"If you're truly sorry, then you will never, ever bad talk my Gyarados again. Do you promise?"

"Yes, I promise." Now I accepted his hug. When he let go, we packed up and I returned Marshtomp. I explained to him everything the nurse had told me, then we were off. I couldn't wait to get my third badge!