May

Ash and Tomo were on their way to Oldale Town where Ash could register to start collecting gym badges.

"We'll need to buy food for ourselves as well as other things." Ash told Tomo. "Remember Brock is not here to cook for us, so we'll be doing the cooking on our journey."

"I understand." Tomo replied. "And it's a good thing that our backpacks are a little bigger than our old ones. We can carry a lot more stuff in them."

Just then May ran up to them.

"Hey May, what are you doing here?" Ash asked.

"Well I was wondering if I could travel with you two." May said. "The truth is, I really don't know much about Pokemon, but you two do. So would you mind if I traveled with you?"

The brothers agreed to let May accompany them.

"It will be nice to have some company on our journey." Ash said.

May explained that she wasn't really interested in becoming a Pokemon trainer, because she didn't like Pokemon that much and she just wanted to travel.

"You'll change your mind about that later." Ash told her. "I've experienced many things during my journey across the other regions for the last two and a half years and I really enjoy it."

"Same with me." Tomo added. "And you will enjoy this journey too May."

May wasn't sure about that, but she decided to believe in Ash and Tomo.

May then saw something in the grass; it was an Azurill. Azurill was the baby form of Marill.

"That Pokemon is so cute. I want it." May squealed.

The problem was she had no idea what to do; she had no idea how capturing Pokemon worked. Ash stepped in to help and he asked May to get one of her empty Poke Balls ready. He used Pikachu that he brought over from the professor's lab to use Thunderbolt on Azurill and Azurill fainted after being hit by the attack.

"You see, you have to weaken Pokemon first with your Pokemon's attack before you capture them." Ash explained. "Then it will be easy to capture them in a Poke Ball."

May quickly understood what he was saying and she captured Azurill with her Poke Ball.

"My first Pokemon capture." She said. "Thank you Ash."

She was very grateful for Ash's help. Ash also explained that he used Pikachu because Azurill can learn water type attacks.

"Your Torchic wouldn't have fared well against Azurill's water type moves because of type disadvantage." May realized that there was still a lot she had to learn about Pokemon, but Ash and Tomo agreed to tutor her.

They soon arrived in Oldale Town and were resting in the Pokemon Center. Ash explained to May that a Pokemon Center was a place where Pokemon and humans could relax and that Nurse Joy takes care of weak and sick Pokemon. While the gang was eating dinner, May had a lot of questions for Ash and Tomo.

"You two said you have been on a Pokemon journey for two and a half years right?" She asked.

"That's right." Ash nodded. "I started my journey when I was ten years old and now I am thirteen years old. Together with Tomo and my old friends Misty and Brock, we traveled through Kanto and Johto. And with another old friend Tracey, Misty, Tomo and I traveled through the Orange Islands."

"Wow you two have certainly been through a lot." May said.

Ash admitted to her that he and the others went through a lot of trouble during their journey because of what some bad people, like Team Rocket and poachers and burglars had done.

"So let us warn you now, May. You must always be careful when out on a journey. You can never be too careful with what will happen later on." May processed his words.

After spending the night and having breakfast at the Pokemon Center, it was time for them to leave. Ash opened up his Pokenav to see where they had to go.

"It says that Petalburg City isn't far away." He said. "So we'll head there first."

"Got it." Tomo nodded.

May said she got it as well, but she wasn't as enthusiastic as Tomo. So the journey began with Ash, Tomo and May.