"I'm just not sure it's a good idea," Wally's uncle said once more. "The path to Fallarbor is far too dangerous."
"Wally believes he is ready, and I agree with him," Wattson said tiredly, running a hand through his white hair. "The boy has a way with Pokémon I've never seen before, even if he isn't the strongest battler."
Wally felt his mind wander as the two men argued. The conversation had been going back and forth for some time now, and neither of the two seemed willing to back down. Wally didn't blame his uncle for opposing the trip. It was a long journey, difficult even for a fully fit trainer. But Wally knew he had to try, even if his insides went cold at the prospect of travelling alone. Alone except for his Pokémon, of course.
The trio was standing in Yellow Square, opposite the Mauville City gym. Mauville city, also known as the Traffic Light City, was separated into 3 main sections: Red Square, Yellow Square, and Green Square. Red Square was the eastern most district, connecting the city to Route 118. Yellow Square was the beating heart of Mauville, linking the three squares together. Apart from the gym, the Pokémon center and Pokemart were also situated there. Green Square lay to the west, and served to join Route 117, and thus Verdanturf Town, to Mauville.
The gym itself was the most intimidating building Wally had ever seen. It contrasted clearly with the character of its Gym Leader, Wattson, a pleasant old man who had been instructing Wally on Pokémon battling for the past few weeks. Dark, wooden spires reached towards the sky, matching the colour of the rest of the building. The gym was undoubtedly made from wood, but Wally knew from experience that the dark material was near indestructible. Ashwood was a tree native to the Fallarbor area. Its rich colour was enough to make it a popular building material, but what made it really special was its strength. Due to its constant exposure to ash falling from Mt. Chimney, tiny ash particles infiltrate all the empty spaces in the wood. The result was an extremely dense material. That's why it was used all over Hoenn as the perfect material for battle arenas. The fact that the entirety of the gym was wooden was an impressive display of wealth, and part of what made the structure so imposing.
"I'm sorry, Wally," His uncle said sadly, turning to look at his nephew. "You're not ready yet. Maybe you can go when your health improves."
Wally barely reacted to the news. He had expected as much. Instead, his attention was focused on the physical differences between himself and his uncle. He had noticed them before, obviously, but now after having had his journey ended before it had even begun by the man, he couldn't help but notice the distinctions. Wally's uncle was stocky and tanned. His hair was thick and dark, and his beard followed suit. He resembled his brother in many ways, except Wally's father had been slimmer and taller. Wally, on the other hand, had attained his attributes from his mother. His skin was pale, resulting from spending most of his time indoors. His hair was fair and thin, but his most astonishing feature, that had caused more than a few people to flinch when they made eye contact, were his icy blue eyes.
"I see there is no chance I will change your mind," Wattson said reluctantly to the man before him. "Can I borrow Wally for the rest of the afternoon instead?"
Wally wondered at what Wattson could want him for, but he kept his face passive. He would find out soon enough.
"Of course," Wally's uncle said smoothly in reply to the older man. A slow smile spread on his lips as he looked back at Wally. "Just make sure you're home in time for dinner, or you'll have an angry aunt to face."
With that said, the three of them exchanged goodbyes. When his uncle was out of earshot, Wally turned expectantly towards Wattson. The Gym Leader's gaze followed the leaving figure for some time, before returning to look at the boy. Unlike most people, Wattson had never had any trouble maintaining eye contact with Wally, and it was one of the main reasons Wally had grown so fond of the elderly man.
"That didn't go exactly as expected," Wattson began slowly, his voice low. "I was hoping your uncle would agree to the trip, but we can make do without his permission."
Wally waited patiently while Wattson took a deep breath and stared once more off into the distance. Almost like he was talking to himself he continued.
"I just can't shake the feeling that you're meant to go. Strange things are happening in Hoenn, and you're somehow tied up in all of it."
Wattson finally tore his gaze from whatever he had been contemplating, and returned it to the boy.
"You will go to Fallarbor, Wally," He said firmly. "That's where you will find your fate."
The pair began to discuss the journey. Wally would travel west to Rustoboro City through Rusturf Tunnel. From there, he would head north through Meteor Falls until he reached Fallarbor. They had already planned the route previously, but they went through it once more regardless. When he was sure Wally fully understood the plan, Wattson went through the basics of Pokémon battling once more to ensure Wally had remembered them.
"What's the most essential quality for a Pokémon trainer to have?" Wattson asked.
"Confidence." Wally responded, his voice as soft as a summer breeze.
"And why is that?" Wattson said firmly.
"Because Pokémon respond well to strong trainers. If a command is given weakly or without certainty, the Pokémon will either not comprehend the instruction, or will choose to ignore it." Wally recited, his voice gaining volume as he answered the question.
"Good man," Wattson said fondly to the boy. He was going to miss him. "Now make sure you have everything in your pack before you leave."
Wally stood in front of Rusturf Tunnel and wondered if he had made the right choice. He felt the same feeling that Wattson had spoken about before: that he was meant to leave, but now as he faced the dark entrance to the tunnel he couldn't help but feel afraid. He couldn't turn back now. He wouldn't. Going back to Wattson with his tail between his legs would be too humiliating. It would prove once and for all that he was too weak. He knew his aunt and uncle would worry about him, but he trusted Wattson would calm them. No. It was far too late to turn back now. With a deep breath, Wally entered the tunnel.
Rusturf Tunnel was dark and damp. The air was cold and smelt like stagnant water. Massive stalagmites and stalactites grew from the ground and ceiling, making Wally feel like he was walking into the mouth of an enormous beast. Wally followed the path deeper into the tunnel, shivering at the drop in temperature. Hanging lanterns, their wires disappearing into the darkness above, dimly lit the path. The trail continued north for some time before, to Wally's relief, it began to curve westward.
A faint roar coming from deeper in the tunnel startled Wally. He had been resting on a boulder, sitting in a faint pool of light under a lantern. The stale air made it difficult for him to get his breath back. He'd had to stop twice before, and he wasn't even halfway yet. Another louder roar filled the confined space, making Wally's legs wobble. Wally waited perched on the rock for some time, straining his ears to catch any more noises coming from deeper in. Eventually, when it became clear the source of the roars had stopped at least for the time being, Wally got to his feet and continued walking.
Some time passed before Wally heard the next roar. This time it was much closer, and it echoed off the walls loudly. Wally shuddered despite himself. Whatever was roaring was obviously angry, and Wally hoped he wouldn't cross paths with it. As Wally continued walking, the path began to widen until it formed a circular room that branched off in two directions. One path continued straight ahead and was lit by hanging lanterns, just like the path Wally had been following up until then. The other turned right, and was shrouded in darkness. The room was undoubtedly the halfway point Wattson had described during their planning, and the path that continued west was undoubtedly the route Wally needed to take. And yet, Wally felt an indisputable impulse that he needed to take the path that progressed deeper into the mountainside. The urge to explore the unexplored was one many adventurers spoke of with excitement, but Wally had never felt the same. He had always preferred the safety of what was known. But the tugging on his heart could not be ignored, and almost like he were in a trace, Wally turned right into the darkness.
Once Wally's eyes had adjusted to the lack of light, progress became a lot easier. He was still walking at a slower pace than usual, but he welcomed the relaxed rate. Wally had continued in a straight line, relying on his other senses more than sight. Eventually, he reached a large clump of rocks that blocked most of his path. Wally frowned at the blockage. Even for a cave the rocks looked out of place. There must have been a cave-in, but when Wally looked up all he could see was darkness. The rocks were so perfectly positioned that there was a gap just at Wally's eye level through which he could see the other side, and the source of the roaring.
A lairon stood behind Wally's rocky cover, its four, stocky legs supporting its armoured bulk. Most of its body was gray, but its back and head were covered in segments of iron armour. Its mouth was hanging open; it was panting. Several flat protrusions stuck out from its lower jaw, and two teeth were visible in its mouth. Suddenly, almost like it was signaled, it swung its head around. Its blue eyes met Wally's, and with another angry roar it charged at the barricade.
Wally jumped back in surprise, wincing in pain as he landed badly on his ankle. With a frightening crash, the lairon hit the rocks. The boulders held, but they wouldn't hold it for long. Wally sprinted back down the way he had come, his ankle sending stabs of pain through his left leg every time he put weight on it. He wasn't taking any chances. Lairons could weigh over 200kg, a single hit from that and Wally was done for.
Wally stopped abruptly when he reentered the circular room, his lungs burning. His ankle still throbbed, but the pain had receded somewhat. A low growl sounded behind him, and he whipped around to face it. In the darkness of the tunnel, Wally could only see the lairon's blue eyes; they were narrowed and webbed with red. Wally quickly glanced at the path that would take him outside before discarding the idea. He couldn't physically run anymore. He'd have to fight. Slowly, to not provoke the large Pokémon, Wally reached for the singular pokeball in his jacket pocket.
"Go, Grovyle," Wally wheezed. He still hadn't recovered from the run.
With a flash, Grovyle appeared between its trainer and the lairon. Wally's Pokémon resembled a lizard, and stood on two legs. It had two clawed fingers on each hand, and its feet were bird-like. Most of its body was green, but its belly and throat were red. Dark leaves sprouted from each wrist, and one larger leaf was located on its head. Two more leaves formed its tail. The lairon roared at the newcomer, and lowered its head and charged.
Wally panicked. He didn't know what to do. Grovyle turned its head back slightly, waiting for a command. Too late. The lairon collided into Grovyle, sending it hurling backwards. Wally's attention remained focused on their attacker, but he hadn't seen a flash of light so he knew Grovyle could still fight.
"We don't want to fight you," Wally said, his voice sounding weak even to himself. The lairon ignored him, and lowered its head to charge once more. Suddenly, a burst of seeds struck the lairon's face. It roared in annoyance, and turned its focus to its attacker. Grovyle was standing with its back to the tunnel wall, still firing bursts of seeds from its mouth. The seeds weren't hurting the lairon much, but they had at least distracted it from Wally. The lairon roared once more, its eyes flashing brown.
"Grovyle! Watch out!" Wally shouted to his Pokémon, having recognised the signs of an attack.
Nothing happened instantly, but then a loud grating sound came from the ceiling. Within moments, large chunks of rock came crashing down around Grovyle. With inhuman reflexes, Grovyle jumped and weaved his way through the falling rocks, only being pelted by small debris. Wally cheered at his Pokémon's skill, before bending over in a coughing fit. He reckoned he could feel a layer of dust in his lungs.
The lairon roared in anger, and switched its attention back to Wally. Time seemed to slow, as the huge Pokémon ran towards him. Suddenly, something green collided with Wally's side, shoving him out of the way. The lairon crashed into Grovyle, who had no time to protect itself after saving Wally, and there was a bright flash of light and Grovyle disappeared.
Wally lay stunned on the ground of the tunnel. His only Pokémon had been defeated, and now his journey would come to a premature end. Strangely, as the lairon tuned its focus onto Wally again, Wally could only think about how his Pokémon had sacrificed itself for him. It had ignited a burning feeling in his stomach that was rapidly spreading to his entire body. When the sensation was too much to bear, Wally looked at the lairon and shouted one word: "Stop." Wally poured all his pain into the word. The pain from his lungs, the pain from his ankle, and the sharp pain from having watched Grovyle sacrifice itself for him.
The lairon froze. Its blue eyes locked on Wally's. Wally slowly got to his feet, his eyes never leaving the wild Pokémon's. He wanted to run, but he knew he wouldn't make it far. While still maintaining the bond, Wally approached it, stretching his hand out to touch the Pokémon's head. As his hand approached, the lairon blew air out of its nose loudly, causing Wally to snatch back his hand slightly. Slowly, Wally placed his hand on the lairon's forehead. It felt cool to the touch; its armoured head was smoother than Wally had thought. At the soft touch, the lairon closed its eyes. A white light began to glow under Wally's hand, rapidly becoming brighter, until Wally had to shield his eyes with his other hand. When the light finally faded, Wally was left standing all alone in the circular room.
Wally had no explanation for what had just occurred. Strange things had happened to him before, usually when he was alone with a Pokémon, but nothing like that. Left with little to do in the circular room, Wally continued down the path leading out of the tunnel. He stumbled as he walked, only managing to stop himself from falling at the last second. The fight had exhausted him more than he cared to admit. Wally stumbled again, this time failing to catch himself. The ground felt surprisingly comfortable, and Wally closed his eyes. He would just rest for a bit. A loud click disturbed Wally. He opened his eyes, and barely moved when he saw the lairon standing next to him.
"Where did you go?" Wally asked the Pokémon weakly, although he thought he understood what had happened. The lairon didn't reply, instead it lowered its head and nudged Wally's thin body. It kept poking Wally until he was standing up. Once up, the lairon gestured towards its back. Wally understood and climbed on its large back, his frail frame barely weighing anything to the bulky Pokémon.
"Thank you," Wally said softly, as the lairon walked west. Just before he lost consciousness, Wally checked his pokeballs and smiled. Now he had two Pokémon by his side.