Ash reached Littleroot Town filled with excitement and determination. He was far from home, all the way across the world! New lands to leave his mark on…
Ash made his way to the nearest Pokemon Center, only to learn there was none in this small town. So instead he went to see Professor Birch at his Laboratory. Professor Oak had told Ash to visit the man and pick up his updated Pokedex from the man.
At the Laboratory Ash found Professor Birth in conversation with a young girl. The Professor looks up for a second, sees Ash and smiles.
"You must be Ash" The Professor's statement made the girl turn as well. "Professor Oak told me you would be arriving soon. I have your Pokedex and supplies ready for you."
The girl watches carefully as Professor Birch hands the things to Ash, an aide of his bringing them over for him. Ash thanked the man before his attention turned to the girl. The girl waved and Ash smiled at her.
His attention then went to the three Pokemon before her.
"Are those the Hoenn Starters?"
Professor Birch smiled at his excitement.
"Are you going to choose one too?" the girl asked.
Ash shook his head before pointing his Pokedex at the Pokemon.
"Treecko, the Wood Gecko Pokemon. Treecko is cool, calm, and
collected - it never panics under any situation. If a bigger foe were to glare at this Pokémon, it would glare right back without conceding an inch of ground.
"Torchic, the Chick Pokemon, the first stage evolution of Blaziken. Torchic has a place inside its body where it keeps its flame. Give it a hug - it will be glowing with warmth. This Pokémon is covered all over by a fluffy coat of down."
"Mudkip, the Mud Fish Pokemon. The fin on Mudkip's head acts as highly sensitive radar. Using this fin to sense movements of water and air, this Pokémon can determine what is taking place around it without using its eyes."
"You're starting your journey then!" Ash exclaimed and the girl nodded. "I remember my first day as a trainer. It must be very exciting."
The nervous smile on the girl said otherwise.
"Now, May, choose who you want" the Professor urged.
The girl turned back to the Pokemon and thought for a moment before picking Torchic, calling it the cutest of the bunch.
Professor Birch handed May her Pokedex and Pokeballs while Ash played with the Mudkip (Treecko was too cool to play).
With his work done at Littleroot Town, Ash decided to leave for Oldale Town, which according to Professor Birch was where Ash could register for the Hoenn League. Outside the Lab, May suggested she go with him since she knew the road to Oldale Town. Ash agreed seeing nothing wrong in that.
X
The first thing May did when she and Ash were out of Littleroot Town was to ask Ash for any pointers on being a Trainer. She comes clean that she only went out on a journey to travel the world and nothing more. Ash explained everything he'd learned since he'd started his journey, even pointing out the features on her Pokedex, something Ash noticed Professor Birch had not done. May gets into it right away, learning about Torchic and what kind of moves it knew.
Which came in handy when May ran into her first Pokemon.
"Azurill, the Polka Dot Pokemon. Azurill's tail is large and bouncy. It is packed full of the nutrients this Pokémon needs to grow. Azurill can be seen bouncing and playing on its big, rubbery tail."
"I want to catch it because it's so cute" May sighed before sending her Torchic out.
"Take your time and observe the Azurill before you attack" Ash advised the newbie trainer.
May nodded and told Torchic to attack with Ember. Azurill dodges it easily and May has Torchic use it again, only for Azurill to dodge again.
"Keep your eyes open for any patterns in the Pokemon's attack" Ash added and again May nodded.
Torchic fired Ember a few more times, Azurill dodging each one easily until it slammed into a tree. Torchic rushed in with Peck. This attack hits and Azurill rolls back into the tree. May threw a Pokeball and celebrated when the ball shook thrice and confirmed her capture (she had celebrated early but Ash told her to wait to see if the capture was confirmed or not).
With a new Pokemon on the team, Ash and May head for Oldale Town.
X
The duo make it to Oldale after an Archeologist points them to the Pokemon Center. While May's Pokemon heal, Ash shows May around the Pokemon Center before they go for dinner. At the Center cafeteria, they run into the Archeologist who helped them find the Pokemon Center. The man joins them for dinner and indulges them in his research, about the secret chamber in the ruins the duo had passed by.
"I have some fossil Pokemon back home. I wonder how different the ones here are" Ash says, thinking the man meant fossilised Pokemon when he talked about a bridge between the modern and ancient eras.
The man quickly corrects him.
"Not fossils. I mean actual Pokemon from those times that are still around and have not changed one bit!" the man exclaimed.
That catches Ash's attention, who is immediately excited to meet such a Pokemon. Too bad for him, the Archeologist informs him that it would take some time since they are still looking for the keys to the chamber, a total of four.
Just then the lights go out and shadows break in through the windows. One positioned itself behind Ash, another behind May while the last one grabbed hold of Nurse Joy. The leader of the group enters through the broken window slowly and stands before the man.
"Professor Alden, we require your help on a matter."
X
Ash slams his shoulder against the door and grunts in pain. The shady group had locked them in the room and had taken Professor Alden somewhere. Ash's guess was they were headed to the Ruins.
"We need to get the power back on quickly. The recovering Pokemon will need it" Nurse Joy urged.
May began to panic thinking about her Pokemon.
"Stand back" Ash said and the two stepped back. He calls out his Blastoise, making May shriek in fright at the sight of the Pokemon. Blastoise used Hydro Pump and broke the door down. Ash called his Blastoise back and the three rushed out.
"Nurse Joy and May go get the power turned back on. I'll go after Professor Aldane" Ash shouted before rushing towards the ruins. When he gets there, he finds Professor Alden on his own.
"Ash! They let you go" the man sighed in relief.
"I kinda broke out. Where are they?"
The man shrugged before pointing to four little orbs.
"Want to see what's in the secret chambers?"
Ash nods excitedly and Professor Alden places the orbs into an internal door and the combination begins to glow. The light trails throughout marked lines in the room. The giant block moves, revealing a hidden staircase leading to a basement area. The duo's curiosity leads them down the stairs and they come across an underground lake.
"A lake here?" Ash asked with a small frown. It was not like this was the strangest thing he'd seen. There was the island made of Kabutos back in the Orange Islands.
Right then some kind of Pokemon jumped out of the water. Ash pulled out his Pokedex.
"Relicanthm, the Longevity Pokemon. Relicanth is a Pokémon species that existed for a hundred million years without ever changing its form. This ancient Pokémon feeds on microscopic organisms with its toothless mouth."
Professor Alden smiled at the Pokemon.