Lucki

e

The two headed onward along the Route 116 path.

"Hey," Silver mentioned. "Do you hear that?"

Lucki paused and listened. Sure enough there was a soft, whimpering sound. She moved toward it carefully. It was coming from behind a bush. The young trainer pushed aside the branches and saw a small taillow, the navy blue feathers of one wing mussed and bloody.

"Oh..." whispered Lucki. She carefully picked up the injured bird, cradling it in her arms, and started off toward the Rustboro Pokemon Center.

It didn't take long before she reached it. The Nurse Joy's chansey quickly ferried the tiny swallow pokemon away.

"Will it be okay?" asked Lucki.

"It should be," Nurse Joy stated. "We'll know in a few hours if there are any complications."

"Oh, okay. Also, my squirtle's tired, could you heal her?"

Nurse Joy nodded and accepted Silver's pokeball. A few minutes later she handed it back and Lucki headed out of the pokecenter.

Lucki cast a wistful glance toward the Rustboro Gym, but continued on southward to Route 104. Silver hadn't been strong enough to win against Atki's delcatty. They needed more training before they'd be ready to take on a gym leader.

Once there, she released Silver. "We need to do some more practice before we'll be ready to try for a badge," Lucki explained. "We'll start with your water gun."

Silver nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah."

"Let's start by practicing your targeting," Lucki stated. She looked around. "See that round knothole on that tree over there? Try to hit that."

Silver's first shot was too high, but after a few tries she could hit it right in the center.

"Okay, now switch to that rock over there."

Silver nodded. She turned to aim. This time it took her fewer tries to hit it properly.

Lucki continued switching Silver's targets, making them smaller and further off as Silver improved, until she could hit any of them on the first try.

"Great Silver, you're really getting the hang of it. Let's practice power now." Lucki set one of the small rocks from the ground on the start of the bridge over the Lilypetal Lake. "See how far you can push it."

Silver inhaled and shot a pellet of water toward the rock, sending it clattering over several feet of wooden planks.

"Good. Now, keep going until you knock it off the other side."

This took a number of tries, but finally the grey stone reached the end of the straight area of the bridge and plunked into the water. Silver sighed and sat back, tired out.

"Let's break for lunch," Lucki decided. She settled down on a patch of dry grass and pulled out the gadget her father had given her. With the press of a few buttons Silver's pokemon food and a prepacked sandwich appeared. Lucki poured out Silver's meal and handed it to the squirtle, then started on her own food. The two ate contentedly for several minutes.

When they finished, Lucki and Silver headed back to the bridge end. Lucki set a second rock down on the edge and they continued practicing until Silver could knock it off with a single water gun.

"Well, Silver," Lucki commented, "I think you've really improved. Plus, it's getting late, so let's head back, okay?"

Silver nodded. "Yeah, I'm tired.:"

Lucki recalled her and trotted back toward Rustboro.