[Takes place shortly after Wally moved to Verdanturf]
Since he had moved to Verdanturf Town, Wally's health was slowly improving. He parents had sent him to Verdanturf to live with his aunt and uncle and his cousin, Wanda, because they said the air quality was a lot better there, and it would help with Wally's condition.
"They were right!" Wally thought to himself, as he thought about what his parents had said to him about where he was going. Since he came here, his coughing had lessened and he found it easier to breathe. He also didn't feel tired as much due to this.
However, he did miss his parents, who were back in Petalburg.
"I bet they miss me too!" Wally said out loud, thinking of his house back in Petalburg.
"Who does, Wally?" Said Wanda, who peered through the doorway.
"My parents." He answered. "I was just thinking that they must miss me."
"Aren't you happy here?" Wanda asked, looking sad.
"I do like it here, but I miss my parents. I know this was their idea, and Verdanturfs clear air is a lot better for me, but I miss them, and I bet they miss me too." He added, looking sad too.
Wanda placed a hand on Wally's shoulder. "Wally, your parents love you very much. Don't forget that. Just because you live here now, it doesn't mean you can't see them. You can visit them anytime."
Wally smiled at her. Wanda always knew what to say.
"Come here, Wally." Wanda said, as she pulled him into a hug. Wally was surprised, but quickly hugged back.
"I'll have a word with my dad. He'll sort something." Wanda added, stroking Wally's hair as she held him.
"Thanks Wanda." Wally replied.
Later, as Wally lay in bed, he heard talking.
"Wally's missing his parents. He told me earlier." He heard Wanda say.
"Why didn't he tell us?" He heard his aunt say. She sounded surprised.
"He isn't miserable. He just said he would like to see them again." Wanda added.
"Wally can visit his parents soon, I promise. But he would need someone to take him. He can't go on his own." His uncle said.
"Why can't I? Brendan can go out by himself, and he is the same age as me." Wally thought. Brendan had helped his catch his Ralts. Then he answered his own question. "Brendan isn't sick like I am."
He snuggled under his blanket, suddenly feeling very tired, and soon fell fast asleep.
The next day, Wally was woken by sunlight beaming through his window.
He climbed out of bed and began to get dressed, choosing his usual white button-up shirt, tan trousers and pale blue slip-on shoes. He ran a comb through his short mousy hair, before going for breakfast.
At the table, Wally sat eating toast, when his uncle piped up.
"Wanda told me about something you'd said yesterday." He began.
"I'm sorry. That must have sounded rude." Wally said, sounding worried.
"It's OK, Wally. There's nothing wrong with missing people. I miss my brother, your dad, too. I haven't seen him in ages. But I think it's best you get settled here first, as this is where you'll be living now. Your parents want what's best for you. Do you understand?"
"Yes, I understand." Wally replied simply. He did understand.
"You can see them soon, I promise. It's just you would need someone to take you. Currently, me and your aunt are busy, so we can't at the moment."
"It's OK, I can wait." Wally replied. He finished his toast and emptied the crusts in the bin, before placing the plate on the draining board by the sink.
"I'm going for a walk this morning." Wally said.
"Good idea. The fresh air will do you good." He uncle replied, grinning.
Wally smiled back, before going out the door.
Wally walked along, and after a bit he reached Mauville City. He saw the city's Gym, and remembered when his uncle stopped him from going straight to the Gym and battling the gym leader, Wattson. Brendan had battled him, and it had shown him that he wasn't yet strong enough to battle a gym leader.
"I wonder where Brendan is?" He said to himself. He hadn't seen him since he went to Verdanturf. He had a feeling he would see him soon though. Maybe sooner than he thought...
A while later, Wally was walking up a path that lead North out of Mauville City. He had looked around Mauville properly now. He had been in the PokéMart and bought Pokéballs to catch more Pokémon, and potions, just in case his Pokémon needed them when he was between towns. He stared enviously at the bikes in Rydels Cycles. Maybe he could get a bike when he was healthier?
He loosed his Ralts out of its Pokéball, so she could walk along side him.
He hadn't walked far when he noticed his Ralts' horn glowing.
It was detecting emotions nearby. But from whom? Or what?
Wally stood still and listened carefully. Very faintly, he could hear something. It sounded like whimpering. But what was it? He decided to play hot-cold to find where it was coming from, using his Ralts' horn. When he got closer, the horn would glow brighter.
He walked around, watching his Ralts horn. The further he got up the path, the brighter the horn glowed.
Then suddenly, he saw something moving, just behind the Winstrate house. He walked over and saw that lying there, clearly injured, was an Eevee. It was struggling to stand because its back leg was hurt. Poor thing!
Wally reached down and gently picked it up. He held it in his arms and began to stroke it gently. It soon stopped squirming and settled down.
He had to help it. But who's Pokémon was it? It must be lost.
He pulled a packet of tissue out if his pocket, getting one out to wipe the wound on the Eevee's leg, and tying another around it to cover it. Now that was sorted for now, he had to find the owner. Where would he or she be?
Wally decided to walk further up the path. Maybe the Eevee's trainer was around here somewhere? They could be re-tracing their steps along this path, and he could walk right in it them.
"What have you got there, Wally?" A voice suddenly said, making Wally jump.
He looked up from the Eevee in his arms to see someone walking towards him from the desert that was on the corner.
"Brendan?" Wally said, surprised.
"Yes, it's me." He replied, grinning. There was no mistaking Brendan. "Is that an Eevee?" He asked, looking at the bundle in Wally's arms.
"Yes it is. I found her over by the Winstrate house. She has a hurt leg and I'm trying to find her trainer. I'm sure she's lost." Wally replied.
"You're doing the right thing. She must belong to someone, you don't get Eevee's in the wild in Hoenn." Brendan said. "Come on, let's try to find her owner. But first, we'll take her to a PokéCenter, they'll heal her."
So the two boys made their way to the next town, which was Lavaridge Town.
"So, how's things where you're living now?" Brendan asked.
"Good. The clear air in Verdanturf Town is better for me. I do like where I live now" Wally replied. "But I miss my parents in Petalburg." He'd said it already, but he was just being honest. No point in lying about things like that.
"Don't worry. I'm sure you'll see them again soon." Brendan comforted. "Plus, maybe you could write to them too. I've seen people put Mail on flying Pokémon and the Pokémon takes the mail to the receiving party, whoever that is. You can buy mail and put it on a Pokémon and send it to you parents. Then you can let them know how you're getting on where you live now."
"Thanks for the idea, Brendan." Wally said, smiling. "I'll do that."
Soon, they reached Lavaridge, and they went into the PokéCenter.
Wally handed the Eevee to Brendan, who in turn took it up the the counter.
"Hi Nurse Joy, we found this Eevee. She's hurt, can you help her?" Brendan asked.
"Yes, we can." Nurse Joy smiled. "Hand her over and she will be healed in no time."
Brendan did that and sat down next to Wally, and they waited for the Eevee.
Soon, the Eevee was healed. Nurse Joy handed her back to Brendan, and he and Wally got up and left. The Eevee was fine now, so she could walk along side them.
Next, they went to the PokéMart, and Brendan bought some mail.
"Here, this is for you." He said, holding it out to Wally.
"Thanks!" Wally replied. He took it and put it in his pocket. "I didn't know that you could send mail on a Pokémon."
"Well, now you do!" Brendan said."Now, let's find the owner to the Eevee!"
Brendan and Wally walked back the way they came. If anywhere, surely the Eevee's trainer would be around here. They can't have gone far without noticing the Eevee was missing.
"Maybe we should go through the desert?" Brendan suggested. "They could have gone through here."
"But I don't have any Go-Goggles" Wally replied.
"Stay behind me then. Then the sandstorm won't blow sand in your face, and you won't get it in your eyes."
"OK, but what about Eevee?" Wally asked.
"She can ride in my backpack." Brendan replied to this. "Now, let's go."
So they made their way through the desert. Brendan wore his Go-Goggles, to protect his eyes from the sandstorm, while Wally stuck desert was pretty much empty, but they made it to the other side without getting lost.
They carried on walking, asking every trainer they saw, but so far, not one of them had lost an Eevee.
Until they got further on. They spotted a young girl about their age, wearing a little green dress, who seemed very upset.
"What's wrong?" Asked Wally, with a concerned look on his face.
"I've lost her!" The girl wailed.
"Lost who?" Brendan asked.
"I've lost Fluffy! Where is she?" The girl answered, tears rolling down her face.
"Is Fluffy an Eevee?" Wally asked.
"Y-yes." The girl replied.
"Well, here she is!" Brendan grinned, taking off his backpack and getting her out. "Safe and sound."
"FLUFFY!" The girl screamed happily. "Where did you find her?"
"Actually, it was Wally who found her!" Brendan said. "I only helped him find you."
"Thanks Wally!" The girl said gladly. Wally held out his hand and she shook it.
The girl took Fluffy the Eevee from Brendan and thanked them both again.
"Glad we were able to help." Brendan replied.
The girl happily skipped off, with Fluffy in her arms.
"Isn't it good to help people?" Wally said.
"Yes, it is." Brendan said, smiling.
"I suppose I'd better be getting back." Wally said. "I don't want my aunt and uncle worrying."
"I'll come with you. That way if you're late, I can explain and you won't get into trouble." Brendan replied.
They walked back the way they came, back through the desert.
However, after they got back through the other side, Wally began to cough due to the sandstorm air. Brendan helpfully banged him on the back until his coughing stopped.
"Thanks." Wally said, in response to Brendan helping.
"You're welcome." Brendan replied to this.
Soon, they were back in Mauville City.
Wally was starting to pant. Brendan noticed and looked concerned.
"Wally? Are you ok?" He asked, looking worried.
"I'm fine." Wally replied simply.
"Not far to go now. Then you can sit down when you get back to your cousins house." Brendan assured.
Wally nodded.
They got back to Verdanturf, where Wanda was waiting.
"Wally! I was so worried! You've been hours." She said, sounding worried.
"Well, Wally has a lot to tell you." Brendan grinned, unfazed by Wanda having being obviously worked sick.
"Well, why don't you both come in for lunch and you can tell us all about it." Wanda offered.
At the table, they all ate lunch, as Wally told them everything that had happened that day.
"Thats nice that you helped the girl, Wally." His uncle said, smiling.
"And Brendan bought me these." Wally added, holding up the mail.
"That's was nice of you Brendan." Wanda said. "Wally mentioned about his parents."
"Well, now he can write to them whenever he misses them. I'm sure they'll like that as much as he will." Wally's aunt added.
And later, after lunch and after Brendan had gone home, Wally sat down with a pen and a sheet of mail paper, and began to write.
Once he was finished, he sent the letter on a Wingull that happened to be flying around their house. It was pretty tame, so Wally decided to use it.
"Take this to the house on the left of PetalBurg Gym" he said to the Wingull. It nodded, and flew away. After it had flown out of sight, Wally went back inside.
In Petalburg, Wally's mom was sitting reading a book, when she heard tapping on the window. She looked up and saw the Wingull, and got up and opened the window to loose it in. She saw the mail on it, and opened it and began to read.
To mom and dad,
I am writing to you on this mail that I have sent all the way from Verdanturf on this Wingull. I have had a great day so far. I found a hurt Eevee, and me and Brendan fixed her up and found her owner. It took ages to find her, but we got there. Luckily she wasn't too far away!
Verdanturf's clear air is helping a lot too, I'm starting to feel better already. I will write again soon when I get more mail (I'll buy lots more so I don't run out).
See you soon,
Love from Wally.
She called to Wally's dad, and he came in from the kitchen and read the letter too. He grinned at her and she grinned back. They both knew that Wally was going to be just fine.