As a coastal city, Nurse Joy already has extensive experience in dealing with ocean Pokémon situations such as these.
After hanging up May's phone call, Nurse Joy hurried over, "They're in charge of you while I'm away. Max, be careful and don't let them go outside. They're not used to the outside environment yet!"
Max agreed without any hesitation. Anyway, he thought that with Ash and Brock here, nothing could go wrong.
"Then I'll go and help Nurse Joy!" Brock, a man who is known fo forget his friends because of the opposite gender, saw this situation as a perfect opportunity to be courteous, so he followed Nurse Joy out, but his professional ability can indeed be of help there.
Ash looked at his back as he left without any second hesitation, and couldn't help but chuckle a few times, "There's really nothing we can do for him, now can we?"
Beside him, Ma looked at the three novice starter Pokémon's in front of him, with stars in his eyes, "Big Bro, I feel like I'm dreaming. I never expected to be able to take care of Pokémon's like these before I'm a Trainer!"
"Ok, the. I'll leave it to you to take care of them, and I'll also leave my Mudkip and May's Torchic to you for safety, they will help you if in need!"
Ash looked back at the baby Torchic, turned around and left.
With his Mudkip around, Ash wasn't worried and just left it to Max to experience taking care of young Pokémon's himself.
That Torchic gave him a very strange feeling. It had sharp eyes and looked like a naughty Pokémon at first glance. The most important thing was that its level was definitely higher than the Treecko and Mudkip that he was with, and his personality was also much more stronger and resolute.
Sure enough, when Ash turned around and left, something happened of the newbie Torchic.
While Max and Ash's Mudkip were taking care of the baby Mudkip and Treecko, the newbie crybaby, Torchic ran out in a flash.
"Hey, Torchic, don't run away!" Max hurriedly chased after him, "You can't run outside, Torchic, Nurse Joy told me you can't!"
Ash smiled bitterly, "Dratini, get it done!"
Ash knew something like this cousin happen, so he only walked out of the Pokémon Center and sat in the tree opposite to the building, just waiting for him to appear.
Dratini's disappeared in a flash and appeared in front of the newbie Torchic. However, the latter's small body flew up and kicked towards Dratini.
Ash knew how ruthless his innocent looking Dratini can be in moments like this.
So how could he let a little Torchic like him to kick it?
He just instantly froze it with one very weak Blizzard.
"Oh yeah, Big Bro is the coolest!" After cheering, Max became worried again, "Bug Bro, this is the Torchic that Nurse Joy entrusted to us to take care of. It would be really bad if he gets injured by us!"
However, Ahs said, "Have you forgotten Nurse Joy's main power? I'm not afraid of accidentally injury him. What I'm most afraid of is letting it run away and cause up some trouble and make him unsuitable for Rookie Trainers!"
The wild Mudkip captured by Ash at the Mudkip Breeding Center was unable to be handed over to Rookie Trainer because his level was too high. He casually melted the ice off Torchic's body and picked him up, "Little guy, stand proud, you are strong!"
This Torchic was smaller in stature than May's as it was also much younger, but his personality was definitely already much more stronger. It was held in Ash's arms, and Pikachu and Ralts just smiled and waved hello to it.
"Pika pika" Pikachu said nicely.
"Lul ral" Said Ralts calmly.
Who knew when or why the little guy opened his mouth and an Ember shot out, which made Ash's and Ralts's face shrouded in orange flames .
"Ah!" Max suddenly exclaimed in full of panic.
But Asb had been on guard against him for the longest time. His and Ralts's whole body were glowing with a faint blue light, which blocked the power and heat of Ember.
When the smoke cleared, Ash was readying casually to punch him on the head with an Iron Fist of Love.
Unexpectedly, the little guy suddenly burst into tears.
If he met Pikachu, he might have softened his heart, but Ash is just a standard chad, he doesn't discriminate against gender of age.
"Be good, stay well!" Ash simply hugged Torchic after the light punch, took the crybaby Mudkip and the shy girl Treecko back to the Pokémon Center's private room.
After a period of bonding by Ash, Torchic has really become more honest with him.
Soon, Nurse Joy completed the treatment of the sick Wailord. It only needed another rest to regain its strength and return to the sea on its own.
May, Brock and Nurse Joy returned to the Pokémon Center together, and the new Rookie Trainer who celebrated her birthday today also happened to arrive just in time.
"Come on, Stephanie, just pick the one you like the most!" Nurse Joy smiled softly, not at all tired from the busy schedule just now.
"Wow, that's great, which one should I choose..."
This little girl was accompanied by her father. Seeing how happy she was, her father smiled and said, "Just take your time and choose!"
After Ash's training, the three Royal Starters stood in a row for the little girl to choose from.
From this little girl, Ash got a sense of a full does of his nostalgia. His past self was late, so there was no process of selecting a Royal Starter, but he got his Pikachu because of that.
His Pikachu is now his most trusted partner now, he may have subconscious thoughts about this. Both his predecessor and the current Ash hoped to catch as many good Pokémon as possible in each Region.
And now, Ash has caught two of Hoenn's three Royal Starters, his Treecko has already completed his evolution of a Grovyle, and his Mudkip is not far away from evolution.
"I have decided!" The little girl seemed to have finally made up her mind about which Pokémon to choose. "I've decided on that Mudkip!"
The little girl chose the crybaby Mudkip. The shy little girl Treecko next to her suddenly felt sad, her big yellow eyes filled with tears, looking very adorable.
Her father, who was standing behind her, was also moved to see this. He seemed to have seen the look in his daughter's eyes when she was watching him leave home to work. "I have decided on that Treecko!"
Even Ash was a little stunned now.
Uncle, this is your daughter turn to choose her starter Pokémon, why are you joining in here?'
But this uncle was very serious about his decision. He really did have the qualifications to receive one of the Royal Hoenn Starters because he was a high ranking member of the Slateport City branch of the Pokémon League, but he had not tried to be a Pokémon Trainer before this.
He could have received a starter much earlier but only chose to do so now after seeing the poor sad little Treecko.
"Nurse Joy, there is no age limit to be a Pokémon Trainer, right?"
"Of course there isn't!"
After receiving Nurse Joy's affirmative answer, the uncle immediately decided, "I want to be this Treecko's Trainer!"
The father and daughter duo held their partners in their arms, as they became Pokémon Trainers at the same time.
This world sure was wonderful for some.
Now only Torchic was left on the table, as his out-of-touch personality was indeed incompatible with the father and daughter.
Be didn't care much, he moved his little chicken feet and came to Ash's side, jumping up and down!
"Huh? Big Bro, this Torchic..." Max was stunned there. He realized the intention of the Torchic in front of him, which was an incredible sight.
"Ah, Ash, looks like Torchic seems to like you very much!" Nurse Joy was not surprised by this. She knew of this Torchic's character very well. When she came back, she found that Torchic had become much more obedient, so she realized quickly that it was all Ash's credit.
"Ash, can I ask you a favor?" Nurse Joy picked up Torchic and took his Poké Ball out.
"I wish you could take this Torchic in your journey!"
Ash himself did not want to leave Torchic alone but he couldn't ask Nurse Joy for it directly; consequently , if Torchic wanted to leave with Ash, it will be a different thing all together.
Nurse Joy knows that it is right of a Pokémon to chose their own Trainers, the one they want to be with.
"Yes, thank you, Nurse Joy! I'll make sure to train him right!"