The Glistening Emerald

Rustboro's Depression

"That was crazy! I can't believe that we were attacked and we won!" Maddie exclaimed.

"Yea... pretty crazy." I sighed.

"Hey man, are you alright? You seem kinda glum." Maddie pointed out.

"I'm fine." I assured her. We walked across a bridge to get to the city of my first gym battle.

"Does this place seem to be... a little run down to you?" Maddie scanned the dull, dusty, deserted area.

"My dad said it was this way." We walked into the city. Out of the gray abbys, a small white bird glided through the air. There was no wind for the seagull to ride, so it fell.

"NO!" Maddie screamed as she dived to catch it.

"Lets bring it to the pokemon center!"

We ran into the building with the red roof.

"Nurse Joy! This pokemon is hurt!"

"Oh my!" She croaked as she rushed it into the intensive care unit.

"I really hope that it is all right..." Maddie shrugged.

We waited for a while until Nurse Joy came out and told us that the pokemon, known as Wingull, just needed rest.

"Is this Rustboro City?" We asked her.

"Yes. I hope you havn't come to sight see. We are a little run down because we didn't get a check last month from the HPU. We hope that Roxanne's trainer school can help us get our town ratings up." She explained.

"HPU?" I asked.

"The Hoenn Pokemon Union. They give money to towns and cities for renovations and upkeeping." Maddie clarified.

"Would you be able to point me towards the Rustboro Gym?" I asked.

"Sure. Is that how this Wingull was hurt?" Nurse Joy asked.

"No we just found it."

"Well in that case you might want to take it with you to challenge the leader since it is part water type. It knows Water Gun, Quick Attack, Wing Attack, and Water Pulse."

"Sure. If its wild. I don't want to take somebodys pokemon." I explained.

"Its wild. I'll put it in this pokeball for you." She handed me the pokeball that contained Wingull.

Maddie and I left for the gym. It was empty except for one girl sitting on some steps.

"Is everything ok?" I asked her.

"Yea, I just havn't had a challenger in months... Wait! You must be a challenger!" She exclaimed as her voice echoed through the empty gym. "I'm Roxanne! I use rock type pokemon to crush my opponents!" She held out a pokeball. "Two pokemon per person! Ready? Go!"

"Oh, ok. Well go, Mareep!" Mareep happily hopped out of its pokeball.

"Geodude, crush em!" A rock with arms rolled on the ground.

"Use Thundershock!" I commanded. Although the move hit Geodude nothing happened.

"Its half ground type, Brendan!" Maddie called out to me from the stands.

"Thanks! Now Mareep, use Thundershock on the ground!

"Wait, what?" Both Roxanne and Maddie exclaimed. Rocks began to shoot out of the ground and impale Geodude until it fainted.

"NO! Go Nosepass!" She threw a pokeball and a large pokemon with a big nose came out.

"Mareep, come back. Go Wingull! Use Water Gun!" The bird pokemon spit water in a powerful fashion and knocked Nosepass down.

"Get up and use Rock Tomb!" Roxanne ordered, but Nosepass couldn't get up.

"Yes! Use Water Pulse!" The move was stronger than a power washer on full blast! Nosepass was confused for a long time until it hurt itself and fainted.

"UNFAIR! Here, take your badge." She snapped as she handed me the Boulder Badge. "Thanks. I got that on video, and it should make us a little bit more popular. I'd go to Brawley in Dewford Town next. He's very strong, but you need to get there by boat.

"I know a guy. Lets go back to Petalberg, Brendan." Maddie suggested. We left on our way back to Petalberg with a new badge in hand. One down, seven more to go.