The gym battle had been confusing for May and Max, not because of the battle format. For most of May's life and almost all of Max's life, they had known that a trainer must defeat a Gym Leader to earn their badge. And now they were seeing Brawly just hand his badge even though no Pokemon was standing.
Max of course brought it up.
Brawly explained it to Max in simple words, those that are acknowledged will earn a badge. Even if the trainer loses the fight they might get the badge or vice versa, where even a victory would not equate to a badge earned.
May and Max got the gist of it, but they were still confused and shocked by the outcome.
Regardless, Ash and Co left the Gym with a badge richer. Mr Briney was waiting for the trio and once they arrived, they set out for Slateport (from where they'll head to Mauvile for the next Gym). Halfway there they run into an abandoned Ship that Ash and Max were adamant about exploring.
Mr Briney parked his beat right next to the ship and the trio entered the wrecked and abandoned ship, May walked ahead of the group, pretending that she was shooting some exploration show. That was until a Golduck passing by spooked her and she rushed back and clung to Ash.
"The ship must have been here a while if a Golduck is living here" Ash said out loud, Max nodding beside him.
The trio continued their exploration, running into a Marill, two Azurills, and a Wooper that May tried to catch but was blasted in the face with Water Gun instead.
The trio eventually arrives at the lowest explorable part of the ship. Water was gushing in from the hole so the trio decided to leave before the whole thing went underwater. Just as the three were almost out onto the deck, something roared from behind them. The three turned and saw a shadow rushing towards them. May was the first to break into a run with a scream, Ash right behind her with Max under his arm. The shadow jumps over them just as they exit the ship and lands before them with a loud bang. Sunlight fell on the now no longer shadow and the three realize that it was a Pokemon.
"Swampert, the Mud Fish Pokemon, final stage evolution of Mudkip. Swampert is very strong. It has enough power to easily drag a boulder weighing more than a ton. This Pokémon also has powerful vision that lets it see even in murky water."
Swampert took a step forward threateningly. But knowing that it was a Pokemon, all three of them gained some confidence in themselves. Ash sent his Blastoise, Cacnea and Treecko out, while Max sent out his Shroomish and May sent out her Seviper.
Swampert rained down on them with Mud Shot and Blastoise between the Pokemon and the move to block with Protect. Cacnea, Treecko and Shroomish jumped in at that moment to shoot Pin Missile and Bullet Seed at the Swampert. Ash grinned seeing Treecko's successful Bullet Seed (Ash had asked Max and Shroomish to help Treecko with that move and the boy was ecstatic to help). Swampert took the hit before firing a Muddy Watter at the ground, sending a wave towards the Pokemon. Blastoise blasted Ice Beam at the wave, freezing it in place. Swampert broke through it and charged with Iron Tail. Seviper intercepted and met Iron Tail with Poison Tail. Swampert pushed away from Seviper and was wrapped with odd green vines from Cacnea. Ash thought it was a new move until he noticed Cacnea sucking energy away from the Pokemon. Ash remembered seeing his Crobat use that move but in a completely different manner. Swampert broke from it easily and launched a Hydro Pump at them, which Blastoice blocked with a Hydro Pump of his own. The two Hydro Pumps colliding caused a burst of misty water to obscure everyone's vision. When the mist settled, the Swampert had vanished.
The trio did not find any trace of the Swampert again and decided to continue their journey to Slateport City. It didn't take them long to arrive at the Port City from the Abandoned Ship. Immediately May rushed to the nearest Pokemon Contests Hall (Mr Briney had told them Slateport hosted Pokemon Contests) and registered herself as a coordinator, receiving a Contest Pass and a Pokeblock Case in the process.
The Contest would not be held for another two days, and so May began training with her Marill at the beach (who would be taking part in the contest). As the duo train with Ash overseeing the whole thing, Max spots something unusual close by. He leaves the others to take a closer look, coming back a moment later looking panicked.
"Someone stop that Torchic!" Nurse Joy's shout stops Ash, May and Max on the spot. A small red blur is rushing towards them and instinctively Ash grabs it and holds on tightly. The Pokemon struggles in the boy's arms before going limp. Nurse Joy rushes forward then.
"Thank you" she pants as Ash hands the Pokemon back to her, a Torchic.
The Nurse takes the Pokemon back, rushing back to a room behind the counter. She comes out again and smiles at the trio.
"Here to heal?" she asks and the trio suddenly remember why they had rushed over.
Nurse Joy was out of the Pokemon Center immediately, leaving Ash, Max and May to look after the trio of Pokemon in the back.
"This City has no Laboratory of its own, so the Pokemon league sends me the Pokemon for new trainers" Nurse Joy had told them before she'd stormed away.
It was the same trio as those Professor Birch offered, except they looked different than the one the man had the day May picked her starter Pokemon. The Torchic looked determined, the Mudkip burst into tears immediately seeing them and the Treecko clasped its hands together and simpered.
Ash's Mudkip consoled the other one right away, while the Treecko remained on its own doing its own thing. It was the Torchic who was being a nuisance, attempting its escape the moment the Nurse was gone. Loudred stopped the first attempt, while Taillow and Cacnea stopped the next two. Treecko stopped the next one, but it was Blastoise's presence that kept the Torchic in check.
That was until Blastoise looked away and the Pokemon made a run outside.
Taillow swooped in and tripped the Torchic with a Quick Attack at its feet. Torchic got up right away and fired an Ember at Taillow, who dodged using Quick Attack and flew circles around the Pokemon. Torchic dashed at Taillow with Peck when Taillow got to the ground level to use Peck of his own. The two Pokemon clashed before they both began glowing. Just as Nurse Joy reappeared near the Pokemon Center, both Pokemon evolved.
"Certain things happened that had Torchic evolve" Nurse explained to the girl and her father, who were here to pick out a Pokemon. "I believe Combusken may not be the perfect choice for a starting trainer, so please, choose from Mudkip or Treecko. Unless you want a Torchic. I can contact the Pokemon League but it will take some time for the Pokemon to get here."
"That's okay," the girl said with a smile. "I pick Mudkip."
The nervous wreck Mudkip cried out with happiness and jumped into the girl's arms.
Treecko teared up at not being chosen, which caught the father's eyes.
"Nurse Joy, is it alright if I choose a Pokemon as well?" the man asked, to the shock of his daughter.
"You are never too old to pick your starter" Nurse Joy assured him with a smile.
The man picked Treecko and the Pokemon jumped into his arms happily.
All the while Combusken watched from the side with a frown.
"You wanted to experience the world out there didn't you" Ash's voice made the Pokemon turn to him. "I can't blame you. Even I was like that before I started my journey."
Combusken shrugged.
Ash paused for a moment.
"Would you like to join my team?"
Combusken's shock was mirrored in Nurse Joy, who had overheard the two's conversation.
"It's alright, right?" Ash asked Nurse Joy. "Combusken would not be a good fit for a starting trainer. But with me he'd fit right in, right?"
Cumbusken turned to Nurse Joy with hopeful eyes.
"I was thinking of keeping you to help with security" the Nurse sighed. "But yes, you are right Ash, it's not a problem."
Combusken did a cheer before it was returned to its Pokeball. Ash sent his Loudred to Professor Oak before accepting the Pokemon to the Team.