Chapter Five:
"Wally?"
The green haired kid who, ten years ago I had met and gave him the confidence to be a trainer. He was the Hoenn Champion!
"May? May! Oh my God!"
Wally ran over to me and embraced me in a huge hug. I hugged him back for a while then pulled away to look at the face I haven't seen in months.
"Wally! I can't believe it! You're the Champion! Why didn't you ever call me?"
"Well, you know, it's a big job. I'm sorry, May. I've been training my butt off, though. Ever since that first day when you helped me catch Ralts, I've never looked back. What happened to you?"
"I guess I got caught up in being a Gym Leader in training. Dad has been wanting me to take over the gym for the past ten years."
We laughed together for a while and briefly caught up. But then Wally had to go back to Champion mode.
"Alright, May... Are you ready?"
"Of course."
He cleared his throat. "You've done very well to make it this far, challenger! Now, get ready to experience the toughest battle of your life!"
I smiled at Wally's dedication. It was like he was meant to be here. He was perfect.
I got out my pokeball as he got out his. Wally threw the ball into the air and a Roselia popped out. I threw mine, and my Psyduck came out. We were just about even in this battle. I had the level advantage, but he had the type. The Roselia fainted.
"All right, Psyduck!" I cheered. But then Psyduck fell to the ground. "Oh..." I returned Psyduck to his ball.
"Don't think we're done yet!" Wally called. He got out his second pokeball. This one had a Delcatty inside. I figured I couldn't go wrong with Alakazam.
Once again we were perfectly matched. As soon as Delcatty fainted, Alakazam looked up at me, then fainted. I returned him, and Wally's third pokemon, Altaria, was already on the floor.
This Altaria was no joke. He took out my Flygon and took half of Sableye's HP. Eventually I got it down. I returned Sableye when Wally sent out his Magneton. I threw up Sandslash's ball.
Sandslash was amazing! He defeated the Magneton while only taking one serious hit. But, Wally's Linoone finished off what Magneton started...
I only had one pokemon left. My original partner. My first pokemon. My secret weapon.
My Swampert!
I grasped his pokeball in my hand. I felt all the little dents and dings in it from all it's been through.
"Here we go, buddy."
The pokeball flew from my hand and Swampert exploded out onto the field. Swampert's Surf and Waterfall attack was no match for the Linoone. And we were once again matched. One on one.
Wally threw out his final Pokemon, his Gardevior.
At first, I was kind of scared. I was actually starting to think I might not win. But Swampert has never failed me before!
I used Waterfall after Waterfall until Gardevior was slowed down. I knew I had it, I just knew.
"Swampert! Use Surf!"
And, just like that, I was the new Hoenn Champion!
"Great job May! That was amazing! I haven't had a fight that good since the last time I battled you. I remember back when we were gathering badges how you always used to beat me... I guess somethings never change, huh?"
Wally shook my hand as I smiled hugely. Swampert was still standing right next to me, like he always was.
"Can we call Brendan back? I want him to see the Hall of Fame."
"Of course," Wally smiled at me.
Brendan walked all the way to the back, then the three of us spent some time laughing and catching up. I hadn't been this happy in months. When Brendan first came to Dad's Gym a few days ago, I thought I would never make it here. I never imagined that I could be the Hoenn Champion.
"Okay, guys. Are you ready for me to pass the torch?" Wally still had a duty to do. And I had some duties to receive.
"I guess so..." I looked down at Swampert who was already walking toward the door in the back of the room. The four of us walked through the giant double doors in the back.
Inside, there was a reflective blue floor and a machine with six slots.
"Okay May, I'll register you and your pokemon in here. Then I'll tell you all the Champion stuff."
But, something didn't feel right. Something was wrong in my heart. I didn't belong here. I wanted to be home. I wanted to be a Gym Leader. If I had to be stuck here until someone beat me, I was going to go insane.
Wally never went insane. He was meant to be the Champion. He was meant to stay here and challenge everyone in the Hoenn Region. I wanted him to be Champion.
"Wally..."
"Yes, May?"
"Can I ask you for a favor?"
"Sure, anything."
"I want you to be Champion. You belong here, and you deserve this. I was too scared for months and months. I know you're the one that was born to be the Hoenn Champion. I was born to be a Gym Leader, and that's what I'm going to go home and be. But, you need to stay right here and be the Champion. Will you, please?"
Wally looked at me for a long time. I swear he was on the verge of tears. Brendan put one hand on my shoulder and one hand on Wally's. Then I pulled the three of us into a big group hug. Which Swampert then joined, knocking us all to the ground.
Wally walked us out of the Pokemon League the next day. It was a beautiful morning. The night before Wally gave me my ribbons for my pokemon, and all my own personal awards. But he still held the title. Before leaving, I gave Wally one last hug.
"Thank you so much."
"It was no problem. One of these days I'll have to come to Petalburg Gym and see what you do."
Brendan released his Salamance and we climbed on his back.
"Bye, guys!" Wally called out as we lifted off. The ride home was so much shorter than the journey there. Before I knew it, we landed outside of Dad's Gym. I jumped off Salamence and ran inside the door.
"DAD! Dad! I did it!"
Dad came out from the back room rubbing his eyes, I obviously woke him up. "Did what, honey?"
"Dad." I said shortly. I wasn't sure if he was teasing or if he really didn't know what was going on.
Suddenly the reality hit him in the face. He began opening and closing his mouth like a Magikarp, not knowing what to say.
"May! I- You- Come here!" He ran over to me in his robe and slippers, picked me up and twirled me around. "My daughter's the Champion!"
"Well Dad... There's kind of a thing..."
He put me down, "What do you mean?"
"I gave my title back to Wally."
"Wally was the champion?"
"Yeah, and I wanted him to keep it. I beat him, but I rather be here. I want to be a Gym Leader."
Dad looked at me like I was crazy for a second. But then his fatherly love took over.
"Oh, May. You don't know how proud that makes me!"
I was going to be a Gym Leader for the rest of my life. Now there was nothing holding me back!