Pokémon Heroes of Hoenn

An Ever Grande Reunion

During our stay in Lillycove City, Sapphire managed to participate and win her Cleverness Ribbon with Wynaut and her Beauty Ribbon with Altaria. The Contests were harder and longer than usual, but she still managed to pull through, which made us all proud. We celebrated with a nice lunch and afterwards went straight to training. The Contest Spectacular wouldn't take place for another three months, so Sapphire would have to do some practice as well. The Pokémon League wouldn't be open for another two months, leaving plenty of time for Leaf and I to buff up our Pokémon.
While we were in the area, we returned the Red and Blue Orbs to their place on Mt. Pyre, causing me to think back on how Rayquaza is doing. After we were recovered from the battle, Rayquaza had flown off with a quick roar to say goodbye, presumably returning to its home of Sky Pillar. I wonder if Pokémon like Rayquaza ever get lonely. They're​ always so separate from other people and Pokémon, I imagine that being at least a little unhealthy.
Latios and Latias remained with us for a while longer, taking Sapphire and I for short flights to help relax our minds after the battle. I found that I could learn a lot from Latios, seeing as how wise he appeared to be. He gave me many helpful words of advice while they were with us, changing my view on quite a lot of worldly problems. Unfortunately, though it had been a while, Leaf's unintentional​ trouble bringing returned, leaving Emerald with a lot of bailing and apologizing to do.
At least we can say not much has changed between us.
Currently, we're preparing to head for Ever Grande City to be closer to Victory Road. The Pokémon are much stronger in that area anyway, so it'd be a much better training ground than Lillycove City.
"Oi, Ruby!! You ready yet?" Leaf called up the stairs of the hotel we were staying in, causing me to jolt back into reality.
"Yeah, let's go!" I called back, quickly grabbing my bag and slinging it over my shoulder before running downstairs.
"Thank you for your hospitality, sir." Emerald stated softly to the hotel's owner.
"Of course, no trouble at all. Come back any time." the owner responded cheerfully as he waved us off. Climbing onto Latios' back with Leaf, I waited for Sapphire and Emerald to do the same with Latias.
"Latios, please take us to Ever Grande City." I requested.
"With pleasure, Ruby." Latios stated softly. Latios and Latias are the most jet fast Pokémon I've ever seen, only being equally matched in speed by Rayquaza. With their blinding speed, we reached Ever Grande City just within a minute's time. I wish all travel was that fast. The only problem is your legs feel like jelly when you get up, but you get used to it after awhile.
"Thanks pal. You've been a big help to us, Latios. " I stated softly.
"I'm only doing what anyone would do for a friend." Latios stated with a genuine smile. I nodded in response, knowing that Latios was too modest to accept gratitude easily. He simply did what he felt was right, so in his mind there was no need to thank him. Whoever raised Latios raised him right, seeing as how wise he is. We all headed to the Pokémon Center to get our rooms, afterwards enjoying the beauty that surrounded the small town. There were flowers everywhere you looked, giving the area a bright and vibrant look. On top of that, Ever Grande City was built on a cliff with a huge waterfall that sparkled in the sunlight, making this an ideal place for sight seeing. While Sapphire, Emerald, and Leaf, along with their Pokémon, played in the small lake that the waterfall connected to, I stood around in the flower field, taking in the scent of nature as I did so.
I suddenly felt a familiar presence, one that I haven't felt in quite some time. Curious, I glanced around the area, trying to find out who was here. I spotted someone off in the distance who was also enjoying the scent of plant life, and my eyes widened as I began to recognize him.
"W-Wally...? Hey, Wally!" I called out, earning the green haired boys attention. His eyes widened with joy as he recognized me, turning his body to face me as I ran over to him.
"Long time no see, Ruby! I was hoping to find you here." Wally stated cheerfully. I looked at him in confusion, taken aback by literally everything about him. Wally was so much different than the last time I had seen him in Mauville City, it was actually hard to recognize him up close. His pale skin was much healthier looking, now a typical light peach color, the sickly greenness of his hair was now much more brighter and lifelike too. His eyes were also bright and shimmering with hope, not to mention that his voice had sounded extremely different, as if his throat had cleared up and moistened. Overall, Wally just seemed like a regular guy with no health issues at all, like a completely​ different person. "You okay, Ruby?" Wally asked softly, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"Y-yeah you just caught me off guard. I didn't expect to see you here of all places, much less looking like that." I explained as I began to regain my composure.
"Oh, you mean like my health, right? Believe it or not I'm completely cured." Wally stated happily.
"Wh-what?! How?!" I asked out of pure shock.
"I met a Mythical Pokémon names Jirachi. See, Jirachi is known as the Wish Pokémon because it grants three wishes to people it trusts. Jirachi only stays awake for seven days every thousand years, so running into it is as lucky a you can get." Wally explained.
"Its only awake for seven days every thousand years? Talk about getting your beauty sleep. Yeesh." I muttered.
"You said it. Anyway, because Jirachi is so extremely rare, people would do anything to get their hands on it. When I found Jirachi, it was under pursuit of some people just like that, so I helped it escape. In return, Jirachi noticed that I was sickly and offered to heal my illness if I so wished. I eagerly took it upon its offer and just like that, I was healed. I protected it for the last of the seven days until Jirachi returned to its sleeping state, and then I continued on my journey to get my Gym Badges." Wally finished, interesting me deeply in his story.
"Well then, Wally, I'm glad to see you're doing well. What made you want to collect the Gym Badges though?" I asked curiously. Wally grinned in response, making me feel even more curious.
"That an easy one, I did it so I could come here for one reason," Wally paused, balling his hand into a fist and holding it out in front of him, "to compete in the Pokémon League against you." My eyes widened in surprise by his words, but my expression eventually changed to one of determination.
"I trust that you've been training hard?" I questioned with a smirk on my face.
"You bet! I poured my heart into my training just to stand here before you!" Wally exclaimed readily.
"Good. Then I look forward to competing with you, Wally. Until then, let's train together." I suggested, offering my hand for him to shake.
"You got it!" Wally agreed confidently​, taking my hand and giving it one firm shake. We stared into the fire in each other's eyes, knowing that we were heading for greater heights a of this moment.

And as of this moment, I wouldn't have it any other way then to train beside Wally in battle.