May returned early the next morning, cycling all through the night. The Gym was fast asleep so she snuck into her whole room and passed out on her very comfortable bed. It had been so long since she'd slept on a real bed. She was woken up a while later by the worried voice of her mother.
Slowly she pulled herself out of bed and waddled to the kitchen.
"Norman she hasn't been alone in the wilderness for this long! We have to go look for her" Caroline said worriedly.
"Caroline, she's a Pokemon trainer now. She had Pokemon with her to protect her. She'll be fine" Norman assured his wife.
"I'm home!" May called out before an argument could break out. And knowing her parents, an argument would break out.
Both parents' heads snapped to her, eerily at the same time. Before May could say anything she was tackled into a hug by her mother.
"Welcome back," Norman said with a smile.
"Where did you go?" Max asked.
May noticed then that Max and Ash were both present in the kitchen. She almost felt bad that Ash had to almost experience her parents fighting.
May wiggled in her mom's grip and pulled out a Pokeball. Duskull popped out of it.
Max was stunned.
Ash was grinning.
"After seeing the Dusclops, I knew I had to have one of my own" May explained.
"That looks like a strong Pokemon" Norman observed up close, much to Duskull's unease. "Where did you capture it?"
"Caught him between Oldale and Littleroot. Close to the old ruins" May explained.
Recognition flashed in Norman's eyes.
"That Duskull has been around for a while. Many trainers have tried but failed to capture it" A proud smile graced his lips.
May grinned.
"Enough Pokemon talk, come it's time to have breakfast Caroline cut in, pulling her daughter to the table and filling her plate with food. May chuckled in embarrassment but dug into the food with gusto.
"How about after breakfast we have a little family battle?" Norman suggested.
May and Max both prepared themselves for an argument.
Only for them to see their mother smile.
Neither of the two had ever seen their mother do anything remotely close to Pokemon before, so to see her suddenly not only agree to it but also take part in it was a shock to them. It was going to be a double battle, parents versus children with Ash officiating the match.
Max and May expected their Mother to use Slakoth or Vigoroth. So when she called an entirely different Pokemon, they were shocked once more.
"Spinda, the Spot Panda Pokemon. All the Spinda that exist in the world are said to have utterly unique spot patterns. The shaky, tottering steps of this Pokémon give it the appearance of dancing."
"Since when do you have a Pokemon?!" Max exclaimed.
"I've always had one. Spinda just doesn't like to leave her Pokeball much" Caroline chuckled while Spinda teetered on the spot.
Norman chose Vigoroth.
Max sent out his Breloom.
May sent out her Combusken, much to Ash and Max looking surprise.
"He evolved when I was trying to catch Duskull" May grinned.
Norman looked extremely pleased.
Vigoroth charged with Slash and Breloom intercepted the attack with Mach Punch. Vigoroth jumped out of the way immediately, revealing Spinda. Spinda's glowing fist hit Breloom and the Pokemon shot back.
"Spinda may not look it but she's a strong Pokemon" Caroline teased, Spinda teetering on the spot.
"A little help please?" Max hissed at his sister.
"You dived in recklessly!" May snapped back.
Combusken used Flamethrower, which Spinda blocked with Protect. Vigoroth jumped in next and landed a clean hit with Slash before jumping back. Combusken and Breloom both charged at the same time with Sky Uppercut and Mach Punch respectively, both knocking into one another and cancelling the other out.
"You're getting in my way!" May and Max snapped at the same time.
"Focus!" Ash snapped and the two jumped. "Your Pokemon are waiting for you to lead them to victory, do not look away from them!"
Both trainers nodded.
Breloom charged at Spinda with Mach Punch, which she blocked with Protect. Vigoroth jumped out to attack, but Combusken intercepted the Slash with a Sky Uppercut, following it with a Flamethrower to blast the Pokemon back. Vigoroth got up easily and charged again with Slash. Breloom intercepted this time and Combusken got a hit in with Sky Uppercut. Vigoroth got up again, but this time it had taken heavy damage.
Both Breloom and Combusken charged for Vigoroth but Spinda jumped in next and began to dance. Combusken and Breloom soon joined in before going wild in confusion. Vigoroth used this chance to heal itself with Slack Off. Spinda quickly aimed a Psybeam at Breloom and Vigoroth swooped in with a Slash to finish him off.
Combusken snapped out of the confusion and quickly used a Fire Spin to erect a wall of spinning fire around himself. But Vigoroth and Spinda both broke through with Shadow Balls, knocking Combusken out.
Max and May both looked dejected.
But Norman and Caroline were smiling.
"For a trainer with no badges and a co-ordinator not focusing on battling, you have both done quite well" Norman complimented.
That had them both smiling slightly.
"Speaking of battles. I'll need to tinker with my team a little" May suddenly said.
The trio remained at Petaburg City for another day before deciding to leave. May had left her Skitty, Beautifly and Marill behind in the care of her parents while calling Seviper back. If the battle against Duskull had taught May anything, it was that she needed to have Pokemon good at battling in her team as well. She swapped out Beautifly for Seviper while leaving behind Marill and Skitty to train with her dad.
But she was not the only one to do so.
Ash also left behind his Loudred and Zigzagoon with the man. Norman was a Normal type expert and Ash knew he could help those two out specifically. It did pain him to do so, having never left a Pokemon for others to train for him, but he remembered Charizard and his training. There were other ways to get stronger than just relying on himself to do it.
Just as the trio stepped out of the Gym, the Egg in Max's hands glowed brightly, slowly shifting into another unseen Pokemon.
"Wynaut, the Bright Pokemon. Wynaut can always be seen with a big, happy smile on its face. Look at its tail to determine if it is angry. When angered, this Pokémon will be slapping the ground with its tail."
The Pokemon imprinted on Max immediately, clinging to him with its ear hand things. Max put it in a Pokeball to capture it (it wasn't a capture just because Max had the gg, Ash pointed out to the boy) but once the capture was confirmed Wynaut popped right back out and refused to go back into the Pokeball.
It reminded Ash of his Pikachu.
With all that excitement now gone, the trio resumed their journey.