May and Max Return Home

After bidding farewell to Ash, Tomo and Brock, May and Max were back in Hoenn and they were heading back to Petalburg City.

"Oh I can't wait to get back home." May said.

"I can't wait to show my new Pokemon to dad and tell him everything that happened in Kanto." Max said.

"Try not to talk too much this time Max." May advised. "Last time we came back you spoke a lot."

"Speak for yourself May." Max retorted. "You talked like there was no tomorrow."

The brother and sister argument thing would never change.

Soon they reached home and Caroline and Norman were there to greet them.

"I'm happy to see my children return home." Caroline said.

"Welcome home May, Max." Norman said.

Max hugged Norman and May hugged Caroline.

"I'm sure you two have plenty of stories to tell us like you did when you came home last time." Caroline said. "So let's go to the living room and then you two can talk about your journey in Kanto."

Once the family entered the living room, May was greeted by her Manaphy. May sent her Manaphy to her parent's house after she caught it so most people wouldn't know she had a Manaphy and her parents had taken care of it ever since. There was also another Pokemon in the living room; it was a Togepi.

"Whose Togepi is that?" Max asked.

"That is mine." Caroline answered. "A Pokemon breeder gave it to me while it was still a egg. I feel like I'm raising more children with Togepi and Manaphy."

"People haven't found out about Manaphy, have they?" May asked, worried.

She didn't want others to know in case someone wanted to steal Manaphy.

"Don't you worry May." Norman said. "We've kept Manaphy hidden in the house ever since you sent it to us. We've also never told anyone about your Deoxys Max. We understand it's important to keep mythical Pokemon a secret in case someone tries to steal them."

May and Max were happy to hear that.

"Now then you two get on with your stories." Caroline said.

Max and May told their parents about all the Pokemon contests Ash and May, then the battle facilities Ash defeated, then about all the places they visited, then about the Pokemon they met and caught and about all the people they met during their journey. They also told them about the visit to Rota and Samiya.

"Well you two have gone through a lot." Caroline smiled.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door and Norman went to answer it. Brendan and Wally had come to see May and Max because they heard they were coming home.

"How have you been Brendan, Wally?" Caroline asked.

"Good thanks." Brendan said. "Wally and I have been traveling to new and old places and seeing new Pokemon. And of course there's our mothers being worried about us."

"That's understandable." Norman chuckled.

"What are you going to do now?" May asked.

"We've decided to go to Johto so I can participate in the Silver Conference." Brendan said.

"What a coincidence." May remarked. "I'm going to Johto too to participate in the contests there."

May and Max informed everyone else that May planned to travel to Johto alone.

"You see I want to go on a journey on my own this time." May told them. "I want to learn new things, catch new Pokemon and find my own battling style by myself."

Caroline and Norman nodded and they believed May will do well.

"What are you going to do Max?" Norman asked.

"Can you teach me how to be a gym leader?" Max asked his dad.

"Once I turn ten I want to go out and battle gym leaders and enter a Pokemon League." He said. "But I want to learn about being a gym leader so that I could take over as leader of the Petalburg Gym when you can't do it anymore."

Norman was delighted to teach Max how to be a gym leader.

"I had hoped one of you would follow my footsteps to become the leader of the gym." He said.

So May and Max's plans were accepted.

Everyone went to the greenhouse to meet up with all of May and Max's Pokemon. They were all in the greenhouse including Max's Pokemon that had been at Prof. Birch's lab. Norman's Pokemon Slakoth, Vigoroth and Slaking got along well with May and Max's Pokemon, especially with Whismur, Loudred and Exploud. May rounded up all her Pokemon; Blaziken, Beautifly, Skitty, Starmie, Azumarill, Bellossom, Altaria, Bulbasaur, Plusle and Minun, Lileep, Volbeat, Illumise, Munchlax, Squirtle, Butterfree, Manaphy and Eevee. Next Max rounded up all of his Pokemon; Zigzagoon, Linoone, Whismur, Loudred, Exploud, Spinda, Castform, Kecleon, Snorlax, Shuppet, Wingull, Ralts, Beldum, Shroomish, Seel, Anorith, Poochyena, Zangoose, two Munchlax, Rattata, Raticate, Ditto, Aipom, Deoxys, Delcatty and three Skitty. May told all of her Pokemon about her plan of participating in contests in Johto and her Pokemon looked forward to that. Max told all of his Pokemon that he was going to travel once he turned ten in a year's time, but right now he was going to learn about being a gym leader, what to do with his Pokemon and taking care of the gym. His Pokemon nodded because Max told him about his dream to become the Petalburg gym leader.

Just then Norman walked up to Max.

"Since you want to learn how to be a gym leader Max." He said. "How about you and I have a battle to see how well you and your Pokemon battle together."

"Can I really battle you dad?" Max asked.

Norman nodded yes.

"I so want to do that." An excited Max said.

So everyone went to the battlefield in the gym. Max and Norman took their places on the battlefield and Caroline, May, Brendan and Wally sat in the seats.

"I hope Max will be alright." May said, concerned. "His Pokemon aren't strong enough to beat dad."

"Yes but this will be good practice for Max." Caroline said. "Remember he did say that he wanted to challenge the gym leaders once he went on a journey."

"You're right." May said.

Norman sent out Vigoroth and Max sent out Zangoose. Brendan and Wally were surprised to see that Max's Zangoose was shiny. Vigoroth started with Scratch and Zangoose countered with it's own Scratch. Then Zangoose moved in with Crush Claw and Vigoroth was scratched.

"Max isn't doing that bad for his first gym battle." Brendan said.

Wally agreed.

"Vigoroth, Flamethrower." Norman commanded.

"Dodge that and use Brick Break Zangoose." Max said.

Zangoose dodged Flamethrower and struck Vigoroth with Brick Break. Norman thought his son was doing well.

"Nicely done Max, but you'll need to do better than that." He said.

"Vigoroth, Focus Punch." He ordered.

Vigoroth punched Zangoose really hard.

"Use Crush Claw Zangoose." Max said.

Zangoose tried to use Crush Claw, but Vigoroth dodged it and retaliated with Flamethrower. Flamethrower left Zangoose in a lot of pain, and then Vigoroth scratched it. Zangoose couldn't stand another attack and proceeded to faint. So Norman won the battle. Max went over to his Zangoose.

"You did the best you could." Max told him.

"You did well." Norman walked over to his son.

"You have learned your first lesson of losing a battle and found out you have much to learn." Norman said.

"Yes and I wish to learn more." Max said.

Caroline, May, Brendan and Wally thought this was a good first gym battle for Max.

"This makes me feel that I cannot wait to learn new things when I go to Johto." May said.

After the battle was over, Brendan and Wally left. They had to go and visit their families before heading to Johto.

"I hope I'll see you in Johto Brendan, Wally." May said.

"Same here May." Brendan replied.