Before I get started with this next chapter, I would like to make something very clear. I have received a lot of PMs asking if this story will contain lemons, and frankly it's kind of annoying. There will not be lemons in this story unless it fits with the plot. So, those of you who keep asking can take your hands out of your pants and just enjoy the story.

Alright, now that I got that off my chest, please enjoy, and leave a review telling me how I can improve.

The High Seas

Brendan was lost in thought as he walked with May and the newly evolved Gwen to return the machine parts to the Devon Corporation. This was the second time they had encountered Team Aqua, and this time, they had just had guns pointed at them by people who would not have lost any sleep over shooting them.

"Hey, Brendan, you doing okay? You've been really quiet since we left the tunnel," May asked.

Brendan took a deep breath. "Yeah," he said. "Just thinking about what just happened to us."

Brendan, I can tell you're not alright, Gwen said with concern.

"It's just a bad feeling that any more encounters with Team Aqua will only get more dangerous. And they said that there was another group like them in Hoenn. I get the feeling that we will be running into them again."

But by then, we will be a lot stronger by then.

"Yeah, we shouldn't worry too much right now. There's nothing we can do about them now, so worrying about it won't do us any good," May said. "All we can do is to continue training and if we run into them again, we stop their plans."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. But we really do need to be careful. We really shouldn't be trying to piss off a mafia," Brendan said. May and Gwen just nodded their approval as they walked back onto the streets of Rustboro City, where they saw the Devon employee facing away from Route 116, and he was talking on his cell phone.

"Sir, I think that the goods will be fine. Those two trainers I told you about, the ones who helped me in the Petalburg Woods, went after Team Aqua. This incident shouldn't last much longer," he said as he turned around, seeing Brendan and May. "Actually, strike that, they've returned with the goods." He paused for a moment. "Understood sir, I'll tell them." He ended the call and smiled at the teenagers and Gwen. "It seems you met with success," he said.

"Yeah, it was pretty easy, to be honest," Brendan said, not wanting to tell him about what really happened.

"Well, no matter how easy it was, I have something to give you as my way of saying thanks," he said as he pulled out two Great Balls, handing one to each of the trainers. "And that's not the only reward you two are getting. For the other reward, though, you will need to follow me to Devon's building. Our president would like to meet you two."

"Wow, really?" May asked.

"Of course; you've helped the company twice without any real reason to do so," the man said.

We should go. This could be really interesting, Gwen said.

"Alright, lead the way," Brendan said.

They walked for about ten minutes, arriving at the Devon Corporation building, where security waved them in without question. Upon entering, Brendan and May were amazed at what they saw. The floor was made of granite tiles mostly, except for a glass panel over multiple fossils, as well as multiple display cases lining the walls, each one holding fossils from around the world.

"Wow, this place is very well designed," Brendan commented.

Yeah, Goldenrod is right, Gwen said, earning a slight glare from Brendan when she said the nickname. She merely stuck her tongue out in response.

"Yes, Mr. Stone and his son are both interested in fossils and rare stones. You won't find a bigger collection of fossils anywhere else, barring museums," the man said. "Even I haven't seen all of them, and I've worked here for nearly ten years now."

"That is impressive," May said.

"As much as I love giving people tours of this place, you're here to meet with Mr. Stone. Please follow me to the elevators. Otherwise you'll be walking up about fifty flights of stairs," the man said.

"You don't need to tell me twice," Brendan said, earning a giggle from May.

They all entered the elevator, where the employee hit a button and they ascended to the top floor. "I should let you know that Mr. Stone is a very friendly man, but he hates when people don't speak clearly," he said as they neared the top. "But you three should be just fine. Besides, the only thing he loves more than fossils are Pokémon." When he said that, the doors opened and they walked into what had to be the single biggest office Brendan, or May had ever seen. On the far side of the room was a red, mahogany desk with two computer monitors. There were multiple fossils in large display cases around the room. At the desk was a man who appeared to be around sixty years old with white hair styled in a slight star-shape, and he wore a dark suit.

"Ah, welcome to Devon Corporation young trainers. You two have helped Jerry here on two separate occasions, and you've saved vital parts of our company" the man said as he extended a hand, which Brendan and May shook in turn. "I am in your debt. You can call me Mr. Stone; I am the president of the company."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Stone," Brendan said. "I'm Brendan, and this is Gwen."

"And I'm May," May replied.

"Oh I know your names. You've become quite famous within this company," Mr. Stone said.

Wait, that man we helped out is named Jerry? Gwen asked, only speaking to Brendan and May. I guess we should've asked earlier, but oh well.

"Unfortunately, I fear I must ask you two for a few favors. You've proven your competence as trainers, so to keep those goods safe, would you mind taking them to the shipyard in Slateport City?" Mr. Stone asked.

"Well, we will be going there after we go to Dewford, so it shouldn't be a problem. It won't be a problem to make that delivery. It may take a week, but we can get it there," Brendan said.

"Oh, you're heading to Dewford? While you're there, could you make another delivery for me? This one is a letter for my son, Steven," Mr. Stone said as he pulled out a white envelope, holding it out.

"We might as well," May said as she took the envelope. "It'll take a couple days to get to Dewford, and Brendan will likely train for a while before challenging the gym. So it will be no trouble."

"Thank you so much," Mr. Stone said. "You should know that I would never ask a favor without giving you some form of reward. So, I'd like you two to take these." He went to his desk, pushed a button and two devices that looked like cell phones, but more complex. "These are PokéNavs. They contain a Hoenn map, a Match Call feature that allows you to send rematch requests to any trainers you've already battled, it can connect to the internet and it can also be used to check on the conditions of Pokémon for contests."

"Wow, sounds expensive," May said with interest as she and Brendan took their PokéNav.

"Well, it's a small amount compared to the business deals you saved for us," Mr. Stone said with a smile.

Wow, that's a really cool piece of technology, Gwen said. Brendan, may I see it?

"Of course," Brendan said, handing the device to Gwen.

I like your gift, Mr. Stone! she said.

"Well, I'm glad it's to your liking," Mr. Stone said with a smile. "Now, before you two leave, I should warn you both that there is a gang war going on right now. It's between Team Aqua and Team Magma. Their objectives are unclear at the moment, but they seem concerned with the landscape of Hoenn. Please, be very careful, and go heal your Pokémon at the Pokémon Center before you go to Dewford."

"We will, and I promise that these deliveries will be made promptly," Brendan said.

"I trust that you will," Mr. Stone said. With that, May, Gwen and Brendan all walked to the elevator, and began their descent to the ground floor. Mr. Stone then walked over to his desk and pushed a button on the desk phone. The phone on the other end rang twice before it was answered.

"Hello?" said a young man who sounded like he was between twenty-five and thirty years old.

"Steven, it's your father. Listen, I need to ask you to go to Dewford Town in two days, and stay there for about a week. There are two new trainers heading there now, and they seem to have a lot of potential. I want you to meet them and help them when you can," Mr. Stone said.

"Oh, and what are their names?" Steven asked.

"Brendan and May are their names; Brendan has a Kirlia who walks beside him and she can talk through telepathy, her name is Gwen," Mr. Stone said.

"I think I can make time for that. Since Wallace took over as champion, I've had a lot of free time, so this will work perfectly for me," Steven said. "I'll let you know what I think once I've met them."

The next morning came, and it saw Brendan, May, and Gwen all eating breakfast in the Rustboro Pokémon Center. This time, Brendan had reluctantly allowed Gwen to have four Oran Berry pancakes with Pecha Berry syrup, which was met with a look of what could only be described as unbridled joy. Brendan and May had a more protein-filled breakfast. Brendan had a spinach, mushroom, ham, and cheese omelet, while May had scrambled eggs with a side of hash browns and pineapples, and both had a cup of coffee to drink. This was going to be their last meal in a Pokémon Center before they made their second trek through the Petalburg Woods.

"This is a really nice way to spend the morning, just relaxing with friends," May said in a contented voice.

I know, especially when you get an extra pancake to start the day! Gwen said happily as she cut and ate another piece.

"Yeah, it's a really good way to wake up and prepare for a long walk," Brendan said.

You know I could just teleport us to Mr. Briney's house, it will take us all of a few seconds, Gwen said.

"As nice as that sounds, it's probably not the best idea. It would mean taking shortcuts, and if we want to become the best in the world, we can't afford to take any shortcuts," Brendan said.

Aw, Goldenrod, you're no fun sometimes, you know that? Gwen said with a slight pouting smirk, which quickly disappeared when she continued to enjoy her pancakes.

"Well, let's finish eating and leave pretty soon so we can minimize the number of times we have to set a camp. I personally hope that we can get through the forest in less than two days, if that's possible," Brendan said.

Four hours later, they were walking along through Petalburg Woods. Gwen was skipping along merrily, doing graceful twirls in the air like a ballerina and just enjoying her time with her friends. It's so nice out today! I hope the weather stays nice while we travel, she thought to herself. She was a few yards away from Brendan and May, but she wasn't in any trouble.

"You know, I've never actually gone sailing," Brendan said. "Have you?"

"Absolutely, I live in Hoenn. It's the region with an obscene amount of water. If you ever want to travel to the eastern parts of the region, you need to either ride on a Pokémon, or you take a boat," May said.

"Oh yeah, I remember seeing that on the map of the region. It's nearly fifty percent water, right?" Brendan asked.

"Something like that, I'm not entirely sure though," May said. "Some people describe the region as one big battle between the land and the sea."

"Seems a bit poetic," Brendan said as they passed the spot where they had camped a few nights ago. Luckily, they had a lot of time to keep moving before it got dark. Gwen kept skipping and dancing as they walked, feeling an incredible sense of freedom and bliss as they kept walking toward the exit near Petalburg City.

Sure enough, just two hours later, they had left the shade of the dense canopy of Petalburg Woods, and into the bright, afternoon sunlight. May raised her arms and stretched in the warming light. "Mmmm," she sighed. "It feels so good to finally be out of the shade."

Brendan smiled in response before wrapping his arm around May's waist, pulling her closer to him, earning a different type of smile. This one was more of content relaxation as she laid her head on Brendan's shoulder. They continued to walk to the cottage next to the beach with a dock and a boat that looked like a Wingull. They assumed that this was Mr. Briney's home.

Gwen was waiting on the front step of the cottage when the two trainers arrived, and she was pretending to be asleep. Well, it took you two long enough to get here, she said.

"Oh hahaha, that's very funny Gwen," May said.

Yeah, I know it is. Now, let's go inside and get that ride to Dewford, Gwen said as she floated to her feet and went to the door. Mind if I knock?

"Go ahead," Brendan said. Gwen tapped on the door loudly.

"Be there in a moment!" Mr. Briney called from inside the house. In less than a minute, the sea captain opened the door. "Oh, it's good to see you two. What can I do fer ye?"

"Well, we were hoping to get a couple boat rides," Brendan said. "First to Dewford Island, then to Slateport City. We have a few deliveries to make for the Devon Corporation."

"I see, seems to me like you both have very busy lives," Mr. Briney said with a laugh. "But it'll be no problem at all. Since retiring, I've had a lot of time and not much to do besides sailing."

"Thank you very much sir," May said.

"Think nothing of it lass," Mr. Briney said before turning back into his house. "Let me grab the keys to the boat, some food fer the trip, and Peecko before we go. You can get in the boat over there and get comfortable. I'll only be a few moments." Gwen didn't waste a moment's time getting into the oddly designed watercraft, followed closely by Brendan and May. The deck was a textured surface for grip, and it was quite spacious.

"Oh, this will be perfect for getting a tan along the way!" May said.

"Yeah, and all the Pokémon will be able to move around if they need to," Brendan said.

Yeah, and the seats are really comfortable too, Gwen said from the bench that she was laying down on.

"Now then, seems everything's in order and yer all set to get moving," Mr. Briney said as he stepped into the boat with Peecko on his shoulders, couple bags of ready-made meals for the boat in one hand, and the keys in the other. He walked over to the steering block, started the ignition. "Boy, untie us from the dock!"

"No problem," Brendan said as he undid the slip knot holding the boat to the dock.

"Excellent, and we're on our way!" Mr. Briney said as the boat began to move away from the dock before racing across the waves, heading south. "We'll be on the water for about two days, give or take half a day depending on the weather. So relax, and enjoy yerselves."

We will sir, thank you! Gwen said with enthusiasm.

While they were driving, Brendan felt his phone vibrating and heard it ring from his pocket, so he pulled it out answering it. "Hello?"

"Hey Brendan, it's your father, I just heard from Roxanne that you won against her. Congrats!" Norman said.

"Thanks Dad, how is everything at the Petalburg Gym?" Brendan asked.

"Things are going smoothly. I haven't lost to a challenger yet. But enough about me, I called to see how everything is going with you."

"Well, for starters, both Clint and Gwen evolved, as did Miranda and Lily, and I caught a Slakoth named Nikki. We stopped a group called Team Aqua from robbing the Devon Corporation twice, and as a result, May and I are traveling with Mr. Briney to Dewford Town and Slateport City to make some deliveries for Mr. Stone."

Norman was silent for a short while, probably stunned, before talking. "Wow, you've had quite an experience. And it's no wonder why it's so windy where you are," he said. "And how are you and May getting along?"

"Oh, you could say that we're getting along much better than either of us anticipated," Brendan said with a smile. May heard him, giggling to herself about how Brendan subtly told Norman that they were dating.

"Well that's excellent. Remember that you still have a long way to go. Don't push yourself or your Pokémon too hard," Norman said in a fatherly tone.

"I won't Dad. Thanks for calling. Would you mind telling Mom how I'm doing?"

"No problem, Brendan," Norman said with a smile to himself. "Alright, I'll be seeing you when you get your fourth badge."

"See you then. Bye," Brendan said as he hung up. This was becoming a great day, and it was only about three in the afternoon.

Back in Petalburg, Norman chuckled to himself as he made another call. "Hey Norman, what's going on?" Professor Birch said as he answered.

"Hey Ed, you lost the bet," Norman said.

"What? Are you kidding me? Brendan and May are already dating?" the Professor said in disbelief.

"Yeah, I just got off the phone with Brendan, and when I asked about how he and May were getting along, his tone of voice gave it away. Granted, he was trying to be subtle about it," Norman said with a chuckle.

"Damn it, there go 300 PokéDollars," the Professor said as Norman was left laughing triumphantly when they ended the call. It seemed that Hoenn was being very good to his family.

"And now Brendan is raising a Slakoth. Yeah, he's definitely becoming a chip off the old block," Norman said to himself.

Thank you for reading. Before you go, however, I do have a request for all of you. I am having Brendan go through a tournament Pokémon League before the Elite Four, but I would like some input for trainers he should face, aside from Wally. So, feel free to PM me with your ideas for an OC, and should I use yours then I'll give you a shout out in that character's chapter. If you choose to send an OC to me, include the character's:

Name:

Physical Appearance:

Personality:

Team and Ace Pokémon (Please limit legendaries, if any, and keep the teams balanced):

Hometown (From any of the main games, or the Orre region):

Battle Style:

Backstory (if you want):