Morning sunlight pierced through Hoenn's dense woodland, scattering mottled patterns of light and shadow across the forest floor. The air was fresh and damp, carrying the clean scent of grass and leaves mixed with rich earth. Ethan walked along the narrow path with a backpack on his shoulders, his steps light. Pikachu perched on his shoulder, letting out cheerful "Pika pika" cries now and then, looking full of energy. May followed behind, with Torchic resting on her shoulder, curiously studying the unfamiliar surroundings.
"Ethan, wait up! You're walking way too fast!" May called out, panting. Fine beads of sweat formed on her forehead. Ever since they left Oldale Town, Ethan had been striding forward like he was in a rush, barely slowing down at all.
Ethan stopped and turned back with a grin. "Come on, May, push a little harder! Petalburg City is just ahead. We'll reach Hoenn's first Gym soon!"
His eyes shone with anticipation. Gym battles always lit a fire in him.
The truth was, Ethan wasn't only eager to challenge the Gym. There was another reason he was moving so fast.
He was practicing the Aura he had just awakened.
Ever since defeating Team Magma at the Pokémon Center in Oldale, Ethan had gained Aura, and it had completely changed how he understood battles and Pokémon.
As he walked, Ethan kept his awareness focused between his brows, quietly circulating that new power. He could clearly sense the Aura of everything around him. The roadside grass gave off faint but stubborn pulses. Birds in the trees carried lively, fluttering signals. Farther away, wild Pokémon each had their own distinct patterns, some gentle and harmless, some cautious, and some sharp with aggression.
Aura really is incredible, Ethan thought.
By reading those signals, he could predict what lay ahead, avoid dangerous areas, and pinpoint wild Pokémon with surprising accuracy. For traveling and training, it was a massive advantage.
He tried stretching his Aura farther, wanting to scan a wider area. At first, he could only cover a few dozen feet, and everything felt blurry. But as he kept practicing, his range expanded and the impressions became clearer.
"Pika." Pikachu seemed to feel Ethan's Aura and nuzzled his cheek affectionately. Ethan's Aura carried warmth and determination, and Pikachu clearly found it comforting.
May watched Ethan walking with his eyes half closed, his face focused, and couldn't help asking, "Ethan, what are you doing? You've been acting kind of weird."
"I'm practicing a special ability," Ethan said, opening his eyes and smiling. "It's called Aura. It lets me sense the environment and Pokémon nearby."
"Aura?" May widened her eyes in disbelief. "Like the legendary power that lets you communicate with Pokémon through your mind?"
"That's the one." Ethan nodded. "I can't fully control it yet, but I can already use it to scout paths and sense where Pokémon are."
To prove it, Ethan focused and checked the path ahead. "About five hundred meters forward, there's a small stream. Near it are a few Goldeen and Tentacool. Their Aura feels calm, no hostility."
May followed him with a doubtful expression.
Five hundred meters later, a clear stream appeared exactly where Ethan had said, and sure enough, several Goldeen and Tentacool drifted peacefully in the water.
"Whoa… that's seriously amazing!" May exclaimed. Her respect for Ethan rose another level.
With training, exploring, and constant movement, the day passed quickly. After night fell, Ethan and May found a safe spot in the forest and set up camp. They ate dinner, but Ethan didn't rest afterward. Instead, he kept practicing Aura.
He sat outside the tent, eyes closed, focusing everything on that energy. He tried condensing it into a single point, attempting a simple offensive technique. But Aura felt like mischievous mist. Every time he got it halfway formed, it scattered.
"Looks like I've still got a long way to go before I can make an Aura Sphere by hand," Ethan muttered, a little helpless.
Even so, he didn't get discouraged. If anything, he became more determined. Any ability required time and effort to master. Aura was no exception.
Pikachu sat beside him quietly, staying close. It could sense Ethan's stubborn persistence, and it released its own Aura in response, syncing with his. With Pikachu's support, Ethan's Aura steadied. He still couldn't form an attack, but his scouting became noticeably sharper.
By the time the sky began to lighten, Ethan could easily sense Aura within a one kilometer range, and he could clearly distinguish different Pokémon by their unique Aura signatures. He still couldn't shape Aura into an attack, but for scouting, avoiding danger, and finding Pokémon, he was already skilled.
"All right, Pikachu. Let's move." Ethan stood up and stretched, confidence bright in his eyes. "We're definitely reaching Petalburg City today."
"Pika!" Pikachu sprang onto his shoulder, energized and excited.
The two of them packed up camp and continued onward. With Aura helping, the trip became much smoother. They avoided several aggressive wild Pokémon and even found a shortcut.
"There it is! Petalburg City!" Ethan stood on a hillside and pointed toward the city in the distance, shouting with excitement.
A lively city spread out below. Wide streets were lined with tall trees, their thick branches forming a green canopy overhead. People moved everywhere. Young trainers in travel clothes, residents strolling with their Pokémon, and vendors pushing carts loaded with items. At the city's center stood a tall clock tower, its bell ringing out in a clear, lingering tone.
"So this is Petalburg City… It's so lively!" May smiled brightly. Even though she was from Petalburg, she had spent a long time away studying elsewhere. Seeing her hometown again filled her with a warm sense of familiarity.
"Come on, Pikachu! Let's go to the Petalburg Gym!" Ethan took off toward the city, unable to hide his excitement. Pikachu chirped happily from his shoulder.
"Ethan, wait!" May hurried after him and groaned. "You don't have to be this impatient. The Gym isn't going anywhere!"
But Ethan didn't slow down. Gym battles were always a chance to improve, and he never took them lightly.
Soon they entered Petalburg City. The buildings along the street were mostly bright, two story homes with colorful walls and flower boxes in the windows. Shops displayed every kind of Pokémon item. Poké Balls, medicine, evolution stones, Pokémon food. The sheer variety made May's eyes spin.
"Ethan…" May asked cautiously as she kept pace beside him, a hint of nervousness creeping into her voice. "Do we really have to challenge the Petalburg Gym right now?"
"Of course!" Ethan replied without hesitation. "If I want to enter the Hoenn League, I need eight Gym Badges. Petalburg is Hoenn's first Gym. Win here and I get my first Badge!"
He turned and gave May a teasing smile. "By the way, May, aren't you a local? And I remember you saying your home is near the Petalburg Gym. You should know where it is, right?"
Ethan had already sensed a strange connection between May and the Gym through Aura. And from what he knew, May was the daughter of Norman, Petalburg Gym's Leader.
He asked on purpose, just to see how she'd react.
May's face instantly turned red, and her eyes darted away. "Uh… I'm not really that familiar!" she stammered. Panic rushed through her. "Ah, I just remembered I have something to do. I'll see you later!"
Before Ethan could respond, she spun around and ran in the opposite direction, moving so fast it looked like something terrifying was chasing her.
"Definitely suspicious." Ethan watched her flee and chuckled. He glanced at Pikachu. "Right, Pikachu?"
"Pika." Pikachu nodded with an amused look. It could sense May's nervousness and flustered emotions too.
"She's just like Misty back then." Ethan remembered the Cerulean Gym in Kanto. Misty had also been a Gym Leader, yet tried to avoid admitting it until she had no choice. "This is basically the same thing."
"Pika pika." Pikachu agreed, remembering that mess clearly.
"If she won't say it, we'll find it ourselves." Ethan's eyes sharpened. "Come on, Pikachu. Let's go take a look at the Petalburg Gym."
"Pika!" Pikachu chirped excitedly, and they headed deeper into the city.
With Aura, Ethan quickly locked onto the Gym's location.
What surprised him was how hidden it was. The Petalburg Gym sat inside a quiet residential area, and from the outside it looked like a normal guesthouse. The door was wooden, and only a clear League Gym emblem hanging above it proved what it really was. Without that emblem, Ethan might never have believed this was Hoenn's first Gym.
"So low key," Ethan muttered in disbelief. Every Gym he had challenged before had been grand and obvious, with huge battle arenas and dramatic architecture. A Gym disguised as a guesthouse was new.
He stepped forward and knocked.
"Hello? Anyone home?" Ethan called. "I'm Ethan from Pallet Town. I'm here to challenge the Gym!"
A moment later, the door clicked open.
A boy in a green T shirt and khaki shorts came out, rubbing his eyes. He wore round glasses and held a thick book, looking like he had just been dragged out of bed.
He looked about ten, not tall, pale skinned, and his expression carried a cocky edge.
It was May's younger brother, Max.
"You're so loud," Max yawned irritably. "I was watching recordings of the Silver Conference. I finally found rare footage, and you ruined it!"
"Sorry about that!" Ethan apologized quickly. "I didn't mean to disturb you."
Max scanned Ethan from head to toe. Suddenly his eyes lit up, then his expression twisted into smug disdain. He jabbed a finger at Ethan.
"Wait… you!" he shouted. "You're that guy from the Silver Conference! You got knocked out in the second round, right!"
Ethan sighed and scratched his head. He hadn't expected a kid to recognize him. "Yeah, I competed."
"I knew it!" Max crossed his arms proudly. "Your name is… Jimmy, right! You lost to that Blaziken! I remember it perfectly. You fought terribly. If it were me, I wouldn't have lost. I'd use better tactics so Blaziken wouldn't even get the chance!"
Ethan's eye twitched.
"First, my name is Ethan, not Jimmy," he corrected. "Second, I lost, but I learned a lot from it. Also, battling isn't the same as talking about battles. You only understand how intense it is when you're actually on the field."
Through Aura, Ethan could feel Max's emotions clearly. The boy loved battling and had a lot of confidence, but there was also childish arrogance and inexperience mixed in. Max had plenty of theory. Not much real practice.
Then Max's eyes landed on Pikachu.
His expression instantly brightened. He ignored everything Ethan just said, lunged forward, and hugged Pikachu tightly, pressing his cheek against it.
"Pikachu! You're so cute!" Max squealed. "Hi! I'm Max! I'm your biggest fan!"
"Pika…!" Pikachu froze, startled. It didn't like strangers touching it, and Max's sudden face shoving was the worst kind of unwanted contact.
Pikachu released a weak burst of electricity.
"Ah!" Max screamed as his whole body spasmed. His hair stood straight up as he toppled onto the ground.
Pikachu immediately broke free, darted back to Ethan's shoulder, and stared at Max warily.
"You… you shocked me!" Max scrambled up, furious.
But he didn't look truly angry. If anything, he seemed even more excited.
"Awesome! Pikachu really does have strong electricity!"
He straightened his clothes, planted his hands on his hips, puffed his chest out, and declared loudly, "You came to challenge the Gym, right! Well, I'm the Petalburg Gym's Gym Leader!"
Ethan looked him up and down, openly unimpressed.
"You?" Ethan said. "You look like you're ten. You probably don't even have a Trainer License yet. Gym Leader? Don't joke with me."
"What did you say!" Max exploded. "I might not have a license, but I know more about battling than you do! I've watched every League recording, studied countless top trainer strategies! And my dad is the Petalburg Gym Leader. I've been learning Gym Leader knowledge since I was a kid. I'm totally qualified to be a temporary Gym Leader!"
"Max, what are you doing?" A familiar voice came from a nearby window.
Ethan turned and saw May leaning out, looking exhausted and embarrassed. So she hadn't really left. She had been hiding nearby and watching.
"Ah, Sis!" Max immediately pointed at Ethan. "It's him! He came to kick the Gym! He interrupted my recording, and his Pikachu shocked me!"
Ethan rolled his eyes. He didn't mention how Max had started it by grabbing Pikachu without permission.
May sighed, her face full of helplessness as the situation spiraled out of control.
(End of Chapter)
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