Chapter Text
Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump!
Thump. Thump. Thump! Thump.
The moving van rolled along the country backroads, leaving a fine trail of dust in its wake. Every time it hit a rough patch of the unpaved trail, the boxes piled around May shook, and she felt the impact of the wheels dipping and popping back up to level ground. Even though her butt was a bit sore from sitting on the uncushioned PVC floor, she was determined to enjoy her dimly-lit ride to the new house.
"After all," she thought to herself sourly, "sitting in the back of this stupid truck is pretty much the only thing about this move I had any say in."
Ever since her father had gotten the job in Petalburg City, nothing in her life had been her choice. Of course, she was proud of him. After all, it wasn't every day your dad was chosen to be a Gym Leader, but May hadn't ever considered at the time that it would mean her family would be leaving Johto for good. Didn't her parents care that she had friends back in Violet City? That she had been happy there going to school with kids she'd grown-up with? What about her daily lunches by the pond under Sprout Tower, or watching Falkner train with his birds in the afternoon after class? Exploring Union Cave and the Ruins during summer break, shopping trips to Goldenrod City, ringing the bell at the shrine near the Burned Tower to commemorate the legendary Pokémon… Now, all of that was over. It was all so… so… frustrating!!!
"Cheer-up, honey." Her mom's words echoed in her mind. "It's not like it's middle of nowhere. And think of all the new people you'll meet, not to mention the different kinds of Pokemon. You'll be starting your journey somewhere entirely different, isn't that exciting?"
"Urghhhhhh!"
Looking up from her shoes, May let out a big, exasperated sigh, startling the movers' Machop that had been standing in the other corner of the van, trying to balance itself as it practiced its katas. "No use complaining about it now," she concluded, looking over at the little Pokémon as it went back to doing its exercises. Like it or not, Hoenn was gonna be her home for the time being. Stupid, stinky, hot, boring Hoenn.
The van slowed to a halt after what felt like hours of driving. Ensuring the truck had stopped, May’s traveling companion walked over to the back door and lifted it open, letting in the warm mid-afternoon light. She raised a hand above her eyes to adjust to the brightness before standing-up carefully on unsteady legs and making her way out of the trailer, setting her feet down on the grassy patch they’d parked the van on. Overhead, a flock of unfamiliar bird Pokémon flew by. They didn't look anything like the Pidgey or Fearow she was used to.
Littleroot Town was tiny, even compared to the smaller places she'd been to in Johto. Only a few residential homes in a quiet forest clearing. The only building of note was a Pokémon research lab, just a few minutes away from May's house. There were a few people out tending to a community garden, and some kids playing around the tall grass, but all in all, it was the furthest thing from Violet City she could conceive of. In the faint distance, May could make out the sound of waves crashing against the shoreline, no doubt just past the wooded areas at the edge of town.
It's not like it's the middle of nowhere…
"Well it sure as heck isn't somewhere," she silently remarked, nonchalantly kicking a pebble as she walked up the path to her new house. Inside, the movers' Pokemon were hauling boxes of kitchenware from the entryway into the other room, while her mom was stacking books on a large shelving unit.
"Hey honey," she said, putting down the load in her hands and giving her daughter a tight squeeze. "So how was the ride up? Do you like Littleroot so far?"
"Geez, mom, not in front of the Machamp," May exclaimed, embarrassed. "It was okay I guess. And uhhh… I mean, it's nice?" The words came out sounding less honest than she intended. It was hard to keep pretending all of this was just okay. "I mean, it seems really quiet, and I know how you and dad always said you liked New Bark Town, so I guess it's a bit like that…"
As she was not unfamiliar with the unsubtle disappointment in her daughter's voice, May could predict what her mom would say next: "Sorry that we had to move. Sorry that you didn't get to help make that decision. Sorry that you won't be getting the Cyndaquil you always wanted." Etcetera, etcetera. Deciding she'd rather be alone then listen to one more half-hearted adult apology, May began to head upstairs to her new bedroom.
"I'm gonna go get some sleep. The ride wiped me out."
"Well, alright, love" her mother replied, clearly let down by May's lack of enthusiasm. "Don't forget to set your new clock. I'll call you down for supper around 6:00pm."
"Kay."
And with nothing left to be said, she trudged up to her new room and faceplanted onto the pre-made bed. Worn-out and emotionally drained from weeks of pent-up anger, she allowed herself to cry softly into her sheets until she fell asleep.