Pokémon: Radiant Ruby and Shining Sapphire

Chapter 5

Wally and the Forest

The two children stayed in Petalburg for a few more days to prepare for their trip through the woods. It was a two day trip through them so the two packed food and camping supplies. Upon exiting the mart there was a young boy about ten with green hair.

He had life in his eyes and stared directly up at Ruby with a look of complete admiring. The stare down ensued for about 30 seconds before Ruby finally asked, "Can I help you?"

The boy jumped up and down and exclaimed, "Yes! Can you teach me how to catch and train my own Pokémon?"

Ruby looked at Sapphire who just kind of shrugged for an answer.

Ruby looked back at the kid awkwardly laughing, "First, what's your name?"

The child stopped jumping, look at him, then said, "My name is Wally, and I have a dream to become the Pokémon League Champion!"

"Alright then, I'll help you get your first Pokémon for that dream." Ruby told him.

The boy screamed with excitement and ran up to Ruby and hugged him. Ruby shied him off and handed him one of his Pokéballs. Wally took it and ran towards Route 102. The two others followed at a much slower pace.

The Route's tall grass stood to the left of the group of three. Without any sign or warning, Wally rushed into it as he tripped on the first patch of grass. The stumble caused him to drop the Pokéball, but to everyone's surprise, it opened and a red beam flowed into it. Wally stood back up, confused as all hell, and looked at the ball as it clicked closed.

All three stood there in total awe of what just happened. Wally, returning to his hyperactive state, ran up grave the ball. He yelled into the air, "I caught my first Pokémon!"

He danced around as he skipped out of the grass. Sapphire put her hands to her hips and said, "Well that's great and all, but don't you want to know what Pokémon you caught?"

Wally stopped his dance as he blushed from embarrassment. He hit the release button on the ball to reveal a small humanoid Pokémon with a red spike sticking from its head. Ruby and Sapphire take out their Pokédexs which read:

Ralts

The Feeling Pokemon

Average Height: 1'4"

Average Weight: 14.6 lbs

This Pokémon uses it's red horn on its head to sense people's emotions. It can create a link with any mind, human or Pokémon.

Ruby turned to Sapphire and asked, "What does that mean? Like it actually knows how we feel?"

A voice answered back, "Yes I know exactly how confused you are."

Everyone stared directly at the Ralts. It was looking straight at Ruby as if it were talking to him.

Torchic noticed that everyone heard it, including him so he told Ruby, "It's telepathy."

Ralts turned to Torchic and concurred, "Yes I am a telepath, good job for catching on so fast."

Torchic brushed his feathers with his beak to act as though it was nothing.

Ruby asked, "So you can talk to us through your mind?"

"Yes, that is what telepathy is," replied Ralts with a slight disappointed tone. Then she turned to Wally and asked, "You are the one who captured me, so might I learn your name?"

Ruby, puzzled again, asked, "Wait, if you can read minds, how don't you know his name?"

Ralts gave a sigh and said, "You aren't that smart are you?"

Torchic answered, "No he really isn't."

Ruby flicked Torchic on the beak then said, "My intelligence has nothing to do with this, now answer my question."

The Pokémon answered, "I can read emotions not minds."

Wally knelt down close to Ralts and told her, "My name is Wally, and you are my first Pokémon."

Ralts responded, "Hello Wally, Solitha at your service. Nice to meet you."

Wally asked first, "So would you rather be protected in a Pokéball, or be a roaming Pokémon like Torchic?"

Solitha answered, "I'll tell you whenever I want to be in the ball, but naturally I want to be out of captivity."

Wally stood up and pointed at Sapphire saying, "I want you to be my first battle."

Sapphire was shocked and jumped a little. "Me?" She asked rather inquisitional.

Wally nodded and asked Ruby, "Can you be the referee for it?"

Ruby smiled and nodded to show that he would be fine with it. He then asked, "What are the wagers?"

Sapphire said, "Let's go a hundred."

Wally smirked and said, "Fine by me."

Both the competitors gave their money to Ruby to be the middleman. Then they separated to give each other space. Sapphire pulled the Pokéball off her belt and threw it. It opened and Mudkip completely relaxing was laying on its side snoring. Sapphire walked up and sprayed it with an Awakening, which made the fish shoot up with energy. Both Pokémon took their positions for the coming battle.

Ruby looked at both competitors then asked, "Are both sides ready?"

Both of them nodded at the same time, remaining silent to the core.

Ruby put his hand high in the air and dropped it quickly while he exclaimed, "Fight!"

Wally broke the silence first as he commanded, "Solitha use teleport."

Solitha sensed that he wanted to do something daring, teleported directly behind Mudkip in a faded blur. The Ralts also falsely took upon its own method of strike as she ran up without command.

Sapphire saw this and retaliated quickly, "Mudkip, Mud-Slap behind then Tail Whip!"

While Solitha was still swinging for the attack, Mudkip dug its tail into the ground. Then with great speed, it drug up a pile of mud, which hit its opponent directly in the head, a critical hit!

Ralts stumbled backwards only to be thrown to the side by the fish's tail. Wally then said, "Sense out Mudkip and use confusion!"

Solitha did just that, with mud in her eyes she couldn't see, so she scanned the area to find her opponent. Once her target was acquired, she pressed her hand to the spike on her head which set out a blurred transparent beam between the two Pokémon. Once it reached Mudkip, it didn't just attack the body, but also it's mind. Mudkip thrashed around, trying to break free from the mental onslaught. In it's struggle, Mudkip manage to get out a steady stream of water to hit the Ralts and break the connection.

"Good job Mudkip!" Sapphire exclaimed, then added to Wally, "This battle isn't over yet! Mudkip, use Take-Down!"

The fish sprinted towards Solitha and threw its whole body into the defenseless Pokemon, causing it to plummet to the ground. Mudkip regained balance quickly and waited for the opponent to get back up.

Solitha then said, "Well done, but I'm not out either yet."

Wally grinned and said, "That's just what I wanted to hear, now use confusion again!"

Sapphire shook her head with disappointment, "Wally don't just rely on one move, it's so predictable. Mudkip surprise them."

The mud fish threw a berry into its mouth and swallowed it. Then it ran straight for its competition. Solitha launched another mental attack, but this time as the beam reached Mudkip, it shattered. There was no stoping Mudkip from whipping its tail around to smack Solitha's horn thus causing her to fall unconscious.

Ruby raised his left hand, the direction of Sapphire and said, "Wally's Ralts has fainted and unable to battle. Sapphire and Mudkip are the victors!"

Wally returned Solitha to the Pokéball and asked himself, "How did I lose?"

Sapphire walked up to him and said, "Simple, Persim Berry. You lost because you treated that battle like you were already an expert. You were careless about strategy and only thought 5 seconds before your attacked. You are still a beginner so remember that. I lost my first battle to Ruby for the same reason."

Wally sprung back to life, "You may have beaten me this time but that was because I didn't know how to battle. I will still become the Pokémon League Champion!" After he said this he sprinted back off into town.

Ruby shrugged his shoulders and then gave a small chuckle, "Wow, he just can't rest can he?"

Sapphire watched the boy run into his house and slam the door. The two kids couldn't tell if he was upset of overjoyed. Ruby gave the prize money to Sapphire, who took it and put it in her bag.

The two decided to return to prepare themselves to move on in there adventure. They walked the the east end of Petalburg, which is right where Route 104 begins.

Right outside there was a boy training his Pokémon in the tall grass. The further down the road there was a cabin on the shore of a beach. To the right of the kids was the entrance to the Pettalberg Forest.

The children walked up the cabin to see a rather old man with a Pokemon that looked like a seagull. The kids brought out their Pokédexs to register the bird.

Wingull

The Seagull Pokemon

This Pokemon loves to prosper in shore areas. It's call reminds most of the sound of a trumpet although sounding nothing like one.

The boy to the side had a zigzagoon out and was fighting a wild Poochyenna from the grass.

He threw a Pokeball, it shook 3 times then the center clicked to seal the dog in.

Ruby noticed a cliff right next to them which on top led directly into the Pettalburg

Woods.

He said, "We can climb this ledge and go straight into the forest."

Sapphire replied, "At the end of the route there is another entrance that's closer to Rustburrow anyway."

The two crossed the beach together and Torchic sarcastically added, "Aw, look at the couple on the beach"

Ruby didn't bother to justify it with a response. The two walked all the way to the front of the woods.

Sapphire looked at Ruby and asked, "You ready for this?"

Ruby nodded and the two walked into the woods.

The first step into the forest, the kids examined their surroundings. Tall grass to both sides and a cliff in front of them. Light glistened through the pine trees around the area.

Sapphire said, "I think we should take the path to the right, it looks like it leads up."

Ruby agreed and they went right. The children made it through the first patch of tall grass unnoticed by any Pokemon. There they did see a brown haired scientist in a lab coat talking to himself intensely.

They walked up to the man and Ruby asked, "Excuse me, could you give us some directions to Rustboro?"

The stuttering man sprang to life saying, "Why yes! I certainly could. I've been through the woods many times"

"Great!" Ruby exclaimed, "Now what would those directions be?"

The man completely ignored Ruby's statement as his eyes shifted to Sapphire. "Would you by chance be Professor Birch's daughter? I am in need of an escort through the woods and could you give me a hand with that?"

Sapphire told the man, "Yes I'm Sapphire Birch. And what do you mean by an escort?"

"I am in need of someone to protect me from thieves and murderers in these unforgiving trees. I am carrying some very important cargo. My name is Dylan, I'm a researcher and astronomer for the Devon Corporation. I'm heading to the Corps. Capitol building in Rustboro City." The man scanned Ruby and Sapphire then said, "You both seem like confident trainers. Could you help me through the forest, the exchange is that by taking me, you know the way as well."

The kids looked at each other and nodded, Torchic however had a completely different mindset.

"You guys trust people way too easily," the bird thought.

"Torchic, he knows the way, we kind of have to trust him." Ruby replied.

"He could be lying about that shit."

"You're way too paranoid."

"I was abandoned as a child, enslaved by a Pokéball, given to a human boy as a pet, forced to fight for him, and made to go on a journey with him. Moral of this story, don't talk to me about trust."

"You could've said no."

"Screw you."

"Face it, you like battling."

"Whatever."

"Winning," Ruby said victoriously.

The man turned to see another man dressed in a ridiculously menacing pirate get up. He wore a white and blue striped shirt and a black bandana on his head with a strange letter A patched to it. He walked over to Dylan and held out his hand as he said, "I was waiting to ambush you but you were taking way too long. Now hand over those parts or I'll get aggressive."

Dylan reacted quickly and ran behind Ruby and Sapphire saying, "You see! This is why I needed your help."

Both trainers called their Pokemon from their shoulders to get ready for a fight.

The mysterious man laughed, "You've got to be kidding me right? They are just a couple of kids. But if you want me to destroy them before I take the parts then fine."

He pulled out his own Pokéball and through it saying, "Go Mightyena!"

A black and gray wolf now stood before Mudkip and Torchic. Ruby and Sapphire pulled out their Pokedexs as it read:

Mightyena

The bite Pokemon

These Pokemon travel in packs in the wild and hunt using various distraction techniques. It bites savagely with its fangs, enough to rip the skin. Once it has anything pinned it is basically set in stone the creatures fate.

Mightyena stood there, growling to intimidate its opponents. Then the battle began.

Sapphire led, "Mudkip, use water gun!"

A stream of liquid burst from the Pokemon's mouth as it hit Mightyena with enough force to stagger it backwards. Ruby saw his opportunity then, "Torchic use Scratch." The bird used its talons to tear open a wound on the dog's side from its front leg to its tail. The Mightyena howled in pain.

The man yelled, "Bite now!"

The dog brushed the pain aside and ran up for a bite at Torchic. However before it could reach the bird, Mudkip bashed its head into the wolf's side which had the newly inflicted wound. The dog collapsed on its side from the pain. This battle for the children was won.

"What?!" The man said, "How could I lose to a bunch of stupid kids?"

Ruby butted in, "Watch what you're saying or we might just have to kick your ass again."

The pirate suited man raised his hand as if to say something but put it down at risk of making himself look like a bigger fool. After this happened, he made his retreat deep into the forest.

Ruby turned to Dylan and asked, "So what was that about?"

Dylan responded, " I told you I'm carrying very important cargo and some people like stealing things like that."

Sapphire asked, "What are you carrying that's so important?"

"Devon submarine parts." Dylan said, "We are figuring out how to conduct underwater exploration without scuba gear."

"So do you know that man?" She asked in response.

Dylan answered, "Not the man but the low budget pirate outfit yes. That was a member of the notorious gang known as Team Aqua. They are trying to revert the world back to its original state so that Pokemon can thrive and man can suffer for their sins. No one knows how they're planning to make the plan a reality, but that's their end goal."

The kids stood there, contemplating the motives of Team Aqua. Ruby thought, "That's just not right, Pokemon and humans live together in harmony. Why would one be more important than the other?"

Torchic answered, "It's kind of like a superiority complex there are some Pokemon that see themselves over people whereas some humans believe themselves better than Pokemon. It's a sick mentality to have on either side of it."

"It just isn't right. People and Pokemon have the same rights, one is never more important."

Dylan broke the contemplation by saying, " It's getting late. We should go a little further and then set up camp."

The three wandered about a mile when they found an open place to set up camp. They made their two tents and decided Dylan should have his own tent because they had just met him.

Sapphire casually changed in her sleeping bag. Ruby asked for her to leave while he changed to see that when she got up, she was in her underwear and a robe.

Torchic looked at Ruby starring and thought, "Oh my God, you do like her!"

"Maybe a little." Ruby thought back.

"A little? The lust in your eyes when you saw her in such little clothing, it made a chill go up my spine."

"Seriously, shut up Torchic."

"But all she is missing is a ranger whip."

"Stop!"

"Never!"

"Fine I'm starting to really like her. You happy now?"

"Happier at least."

Once Ruby was done he called Sapphire back in and watch her to the point where she laid back down. He also asked Torchic to start the lamp and he ignited it with a single small fireball. Ruby went into his own sleeping bag and laid down.

Sapphire turned to face Ruby and asked, "Be honest, have you ever liked a girl?"

Ruby, who failed his impulse check and mindlessly said, "No other than you."

Sapphire shot straight up out of her bed and half yelled, "What?!"

Torchic collapsed over and chirped in a laughing like manner as Ruby's face turned almost rose red. The awkwardness lasted a good minute before Sapphire broke it with an unexpected response.

She said, "That's cool, because I'm starting to like you too." Sapphire started to blush as well and then there was silence. Not even Torchic dared to make a sound. The two kids stared into each other's eyes and they both started to smile.

Sapphire finally broke the silence by saying, "Well. Goodnight Ruby." She gave a wink as she curled up in her sleeping bag. Ruby was still stuck on what had just happened for another minute, then he finally responded, "Goodnight Sapphire." As he curled up as well.

Torchic was too awed to say anything so the rest of the night was quiet.