The next day, Joe arrived at the entrance of Vast Poni Canyon, Alola. He kept his laptop in his backpack in case May was unpredictable. After journeying through the canyon, he spotted May with a Chimecho fighting off a Hakamo-o.
“Are you May?” Asked Joe.
“Yes, I am.” Said May, and her Chimecho just defeated the Scaly Pokémon. “Hey, you’re Joseph! Dad told me about you, and you defeated Brendan yesterday. Have you registered 200 Pokémon species yet?
“Of course.” Said Joe. “That’s why I’m here! If I beat you, I’ll finally have the chance to work with Birch!”
“Okay!” Replied May, returning Chimecho to his Poke Ball. “But I won’t go down as easily! Go, Swellow!” Swellow was sent out.
“I choose you!” Said Joe. “Dedenne!” Dedenne was sent out.
“Swellow!” Said May. “Use Air Slash!” Swellow attacked Dedenne with a blade of air that could even slice the sky, but luckily, the Antenna Pokémon didn’t take much damage.
“Dedenne!” Said Joe. “Use Thunderbolt!” Dedenne hit Swellow with a strong bolt of lightning, cutting her HP in half.
“Swellow!” Said May. “Use Endeavor!” Swellow attacked Dedenne with all her might until their HP was equal.
“Dedenne!” Said Joe. “Use Parabolic Charge!” Dedenne attacked everything around it with electricity, restoring his HP and knocking out Swellow in the process.
“Guess you’re as strong as they say you are.” Said May, returning Swellow to her Poke Ball. “Go, Breloom!” Breloom was sent out.
“You did a great job, Dedenne!” Said Joe, returning Dedenne to his Poke Ball. “Go, Talonflame!” Talonflame was sent out.
“Talonflame!” Said Joe. “Use Aerial Ace!” Talonflame confounded Breloom with speed and then slashed, knocking out the Mushroom Pokémon.
“That was a quick one.” Said May, returning Breloom to her Poke Ball. “Good thing my next Pokémon is tougher! Go, Torkoal!” Torkoal was sent out.
“That was excellent, Talonflame!” Said Joe, returning the Scorching Pokemon to her Poke Ball. “Go, Vaporeon!” Vaporeon was sent out.
“Vaporeon!” Said Joe. “Use Hydro Pump!” Vaporeon shot a high volume of water at Torkoal, leaving her with 30% of her HP.
“Torkoal!” Said May. “Use Smog!” Torkoal attacked Vaporeon with exhaust fumes, which didn’t do much damage, but managed to poison the Bubble Jet Pokémon.
“Vaporeon!” Said Joe. “Use Water Pulse!” Vaporeon attacked Torkoal with a pulsing blast of water, and the Coal Pokémon fainted.
“I’m already left with three Pokémon.” Said May, returning Torkoal to her Poke Ball. “Go, Swampert!” Swampert was sent out.
“You did a great job, Vaporeon!” Said Joe, returning the Bubble Jet Pokémon to his Poke Ball. “Go, Gogoat!” Gogoat was sent out.
“Gogoat!” Said Joe. “Use Grass Knot!” Gogoat snared Swampert with grass and tripped him, making the Mud Fish Pokémon lose half his HP.
“Swampert!” Said May. “Use Ice Beam!” Swampert fired an icy-cold beam of energy at Gogoat, dealing a great amount of damage.
“Gogoat!” Said Joe. “Use Horn Leech!” Gogoat drained Swampert’s energy with his horns, and the Mud Fish Pokémon fainted. It also restored some HP to Gogoat.
“I still have two left!” Said May, returning Swampert to his Poke Ball. “Go, Raichu!” Raichu was sent out.
“That was excellent, Gogoat!” Said Joe, returning the Mount Pokémon to his Poke Ball. “Go, Krookodile!” Krookodile was sent out.
“Raichu!” Said Joe. “Use Play Rough!” Pikachu played rough with Krookodile and attacked her, dealing a good amount of damage to the Intimidation Pokémon.
“Krookodile!” Said Joe. “Use Earthquake!” Krookodile shook the ground violently, leaving Raichu with half her HP.
“Raichu!” Said May. “Use Iron Tail!” Raichu hit Krookodile with her hard tail, leaving the Intimidation Pokémon with half her HP.
“Krookodile!” Said Joe. “Use Dig!” Krookodile dug into the ground and popped up right underneath Raichu, making her faint.
“Remember how I was battling with a Chimecho earlier?” May asked Joe while she returned Raichu to her Poke Ball.
“Yes, I do.” Answered Joe.
“Well, he happens to be my final Pokémon!” Said May. “Go, Chimecho!” Chimecho was sent out.
“Krookodile!” Said Joe. “Use Foul Play!” Krookodile turned Chimecho’s power against him, dealing so much damage that it made the Wind Chime Pokémon faint.
“You beat me!” Said May. “How come you turned down being Champion of Hoenn?”
“I have a different goal in mind.” Joe answered. “Any chance you know where Birch is?”
“My dad?” May asked. “Oh, he travels the region and studies Pokémon habitats! Last time I checked, he was checking Pokémon in Route 117 in Hoenn.”
“Thank you!” Said Joe, and he sent out Talonflame to ride her to Hoenn.
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After a few minutes, Joe has finally arrived in Route 117, Hoenn. Professor Birch was spying on a Marill diving for plants in a pond. Joe tapped on Birch’s shoulder to see what was going on.
“Shush!” Birch told Joe quietly. “I’m spying on Marill. This Pokémon uses its tail as a life preserver, so when it’s diving for food, it’s tail bobs along the surface.”
“I know that already.” Said Joe, lying on the ground to spy on Marill. “I read it in a book.” Joe then started thinking to himself.
‘Well, my dream has finally come true.’ He thought to himself. ‘But why does it feel that something is missing?’ Joe looked around at other Trainers engaged in Pokémon battles in the distance, like a jogger’s Dodrio fighting an Engineer’s Magnezone, two women with Hariyama and Linoone fighting an Ace Trainer’s Grumpig and Heracross, and a Pokémon Breeder’s Roserade fighting a Psychic Trainer’s Metagross. It soon dawned on Joseph that his dream wasn’t working with Birch, but participating in Pokémon battles.
“Birch?” Joe asked aloud, scaring away the Marill. “Sorry about that.”
“That’s okay.” Replied Birch. “I can always find a Seedot in a tree. You wanted to ask me something?”
“I feel that my dream all along is Pokémon battles, but not fighting wild Pokémon unless I want to catch them.” Joe explained
“Really?” Asked Birch. “But you’ve worked so hard to get here. Didn’t you want to work alongside me?”
“That’s alright.” Replied Joe. “There are plenty of Pokémon Professors out there. Trainers, on the other hand, come and go. Some retire, while some unfortunately pass away, and I want to live my life to the fullest. Besides, your daughter would make a good professor when you retire!”
“You’re right!” Said Birch. “It’s sad that you won’t be my apprentice, but I already have one in my daughter May! She’s the Aspear of my eye! Joseph, if you want to be a Pokémon Trainer, go be a Pokémon Trainer!” Joe took out Talonflame again to fly to his hometown in Vaniville Town, Kalos.
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The next day, Joe made it home to Kalos, but his parents weren’t around. He walked over to Calem’s mom so he could find out where they would be.
“Where are my parents, Jade and Jasper?” He asked.
“They’re in Aquacorde Town.” She replied. Joe took out Gogoat, mounted himself on the Grass-Type Pokémon, and rode him to Aquacorde Town. He saw Jade and Jasper in a boat in the town’s river, unaware that it’s actually connected to the sewers.
“You do know that leads to the sewers, don’t you?” He asked them.
“Who was that?” Asked Jasper.
“That sounded a bit like Joe.” Replied Jade. Suddenly, they turned around and were elated to see who was talking to them.
“Joseph!” They shouted in unison, and they peddled over to the shore to hug their son.
“I discovered my true purpose, mom.” Replied Joe. “I don’t want to be a Professor’s assistant. I want to be a Trainer! I already have nearly 100 Pokémon caught, and they need to be put to good use!”
“But I thought you don’t like fighting wild Pokémon.” Said Jasper.
“I don’t.” Replied Joe. “But I will fight other Trainers, and there are always plenty of them! I will stay in Kalos for a week to spend time with you, but after that, I’ll go Battle other Trainers. Maybe even Gym Leaders!”
“Okay.” Said Jade. “But please be safe! You’re our greatest discovery, even more so than the Rare Candy formula!” And so, Joe learned that his true purpose was Pokémon battling, and vowed to be the best Trainer alongside Red, Cynthia, and Kukui.
THE END
Author's Notes: When a Pokémon uses Endeavor, it attacks the opponent until their HP are equal.
Joe deciding to become a Pokémon Trainer instead of a Professor's assistant is inspired by this video about wants versus needs. In this video, YouTuber Pietro Schito looks at the wants vs needs in the Pixar film Onward. Just be warned that there will be spoilers for the film.
Create Good Character design with Want vs. Need PIXAR ONWARD - YouTube
May's Pokémon in this story takes more inspiration from the games rather than the anime: In Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, she has a Swellow, Shroomish (which Breloom evolves from), and Torkoal, depending on which Starter you chose. She also has a Raichu in the remakes Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, as well as a Mudkip in the mobile spinoff game Pokémon Masters EX.
When a Pokémon eats an Aspear Berry, it will be cured of a burn caused by a Fire-Type Pokémon.
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