"May, Max, this is Grandpa Ranger of Petalburg Woods. Say hello," Mr. Norman told his two children.
"Hello, Grandpa Ranger," the two kids said in unison.
"Hehe, good, good," Old Man Akino responded with a smile.
Shortly after, Terrance came into Mr. Norman's view. Although he was following behind the Ranger, Terrance's identity puzzled Norman.
"Mr. Norman, hello. I've heard much about you. I'm Terrance from Fallarbor Town," Terrance introduced himself.
Noticing the Poké Balls at Terrance's waist and hearing his introduction, Mr. Norman realized, "A Trainer, I see. You're welcome to visit the Petalburg Gym anytime."
Terrance readily agreed, "I'll definitely visit when I have the chance."
With that, Terrance turned his attention to the two children.
May and Max should be part of the future main character's team; this much he knew. Especially May—Terrance remembered she would become a Coordinator, though she hadn't discovered her path yet. With a famous Trainer as her father, her current goal, if not uncertain, seems to be to become a powerful Trainer like him.
"Wow—" Max's attention was fixed on the Pokémon. While Terrance and the others chatted, some Cascoon and Silcoon began to glow, their evolution seemingly ignited. One after another, dozens to hundreds of white lights flashed, illuminating the area brilliantly.
"They're evolving! They're evolving!" Max exclaimed excitedly.
May also watched the cocoons curiously, awaiting their transformation.
Mr. Norman and Old Man Akino remained calm; they had seen this scene many times before. As for Terrance, he also observed the evolution process with great interest.
In a moment, numerous cocoons began to break open. The newly evolved butterfly Pokémon flapped their wings tentatively before taking flight one by one. At this moment, half of the forest canopy was soon covered by the green wings of Dustox and the gray and yellow wings of Beautifly, creating an enchanting, fairy-tale-like scene.
As they gazed at the colorful sky, everyone wore an appreciative expression, each feeling differently. Max looked around excitedly, while May's eyes shone with an indescribable light as she watched the Beautifly.
The two children, not yet of the age to become Trainers, were instantly captivated by the beautiful scene, their spirits soaring with the butterflies.
This spectacle lasted a long time before the Beautifly and Dustox began to disperse. Watching the Pokémon fly away, May and Max felt reluctant but it couldn't be helped. Seeing this, Mr. Norman couldn't help but laugh, "There are so many Pokémon in the Gym, but I've never seen you react like this."
Max said unhappily, "We're already familiar with the Gym's Pokémon. I want one of my own."
"You're only five; it's still a long way before you can become a Trainer," May said, dampening his spirits.
"Ugh... I've already learned all the basic Trainer knowledge. Why can't I become a Trainer now?" Max complained bitterly.
Watching the playful banter among the family of three, Terrance smiled. Glancing at the time, he said to Akino, "Old man, it's getting late. I should head to Petalburg City. Thanks for your hospitality these past few days."
"You're leaving..." Old Man Akino smacked his lips and waved his hand, "Go on, take care on your way."
Terrance nodded and was about to bid Mr. Norman and others farewell when he remembered they were also from Petalburg City.
"Why don't we leave together?" Mr. Norman invited Terrance.
"That sounds good," Terrance agreed.
Mr. Norman had brought his two children to witness the scene of the cocoons transforming into butterflies. Once it was over, there was nothing more to do, so he planned to return to Petalburg City.
On the way back, because Terrance was a foreign Trainer, Max stuck close to him, asking Terrance about his Trainer experiences. Terrance found that this kid was quite sharp, asking some strange questions, but fortunately he managed to handle it, avoiding embarrassment.
However, during their conversation, he was quite impressed. Max didn't seem like a typical five-year-old; his knowledge could even rival some Trainers who had already been on their journeys.
"Terrance, you mentioned you're planning to participate in the Pokémon Contest in Petalburg City?" Mr. Norman pondered for a moment before saying, "In that case, why don't you stay at the Petalburg Gym during this time?"
Terrance was surprised and a bit puzzled as to why Mr. Norman would invite him like this….
"Petalburg Gym is quite large, and there are places for guests to rest," Mr. Norman explained with a smile.
Despite this explanation, May and Max found it strange. Norman had met many Trainers, but he didn't often take the initiative to invite them to rest at the Gym.
Norman had his own reasons. He didn't invite just any Trainer, nor did he pass every Trainer who challenged the Petalburg Gym. For that, the Trainer had to show potential and earn his recognition.
Even though this was his first meeting with Terrance, he wasn't unfamiliar with Terrance. After some interaction, Norman finally remembered why Terrance looked familiar.
It was from a highly popular battle that had taken place in the Hoenn Desert some time ago.
Terrance... was one of the protagonists of that event.
With Mr. Norman's keen eye, he could see that those four Trainers were not ordinary, especially the youngest, Terrance, who had the most potential. Most Gyms were large, with enough space to accommodate guests, and how that space was used depended on the Gym Leader's discretion.
Terrance probably hadn't expected that video to bring him so much convenience and attention.
"Coordinator... what's that?" May asked, puzzled.
"Don't you remember? When you were little, your mother took you to many Pokémon Contests, but you weren't interested, so she stopped taking you," Mr. Norman said.
"When I was little...?" May looked bewildered, her memories of childhood fuzzy.
"Sis, you're so dumb, you don't even know what a Coordinator is!" Max jumped in, saying.
Norman invited Terrance, and Terrance couldn't refuse, so he agreed to stay at the Petalburg Gym for the time being. There was just over a week left until the Petalburg Contest, and time was running short.
He planned to use this week to finalize the preparations for Mismagius for the Pokémon Contest. This performance style was a significant challenge for Mismagius and, since its evolution, an innovative attempt to gradually improve its energy control and refine its illusion skills.
Hey everyone, please vote and review. Thank you.
****Please support on pat*eon for extra chapters.
https://www.pat*eon.com/dmtranslations [7-day trial is available.]