After defeating the Mauville Gym, John headed west toward the small town on the left, walking up to the entrance of Rusturf Tunnel. This tunnel, as he recalled, was where he had once helped the elderly man, Hatch, and the Devon Corp employee retrieve the Wingull and suitcase from Team Aqua. John smiled to himself, remembering how he had playfully beaten Hatch into a state of happiness after the rescue. Funny how such small moments stayed with you.
As John walked further west, the road led directly to Rustboro City, but he was determined to take the scenic route first, exploring the area a little more before heading back to his main objective.
Rusturf Tunnel, however, was currently blocked by a massive rock formation. Undeterred, John summoned Combusken and instructed it to use Rock Smash to break through the obstacle. The sound of cracking stone echoed through the tunnel as the barrier crumbled, revealing a clear path ahead.
At that moment, a figure emerged from the dust and debris—a construction worker, who had been watching from behind the rock. He approached John with a grateful look on his face.
He handed John a shiny new Skill TM with a smile.
[Construction Worker: Thank you for breaking the stone! As a token of my appreciation, here's a move for you!]
[You have acquired the TM "Strength"]
John accepted the TM, nodding his thanks. He knew this move could be useful later, but for now, it was something to hold on to. The man's smile faded slightly as he shifted uncomfortably, then out of nowhere, a petite girl suddenly rushed into his arms, wrapping him up in a tight hug.
John stood awkwardly to the side, watching the scene unfold. He hadn't expected this, but it was hard to ignore the charm of the couple. However, before John could leave, the girl broke away from the man and approached him with a serious expression.
[Benefactor, my wedding with my husband is in three months. Please, you must come!]
John blinked. "A wedding invite? But I barely know you two..."
Despite the awkwardness, John accepted the invitation. There was a small S.S. Ticket included, which seemed to be for the ship called the Wavebreaker.
"The Wavebreaker?" John thought, trying to recall where he had heard the name before. It sounded familiar but elusive.
The couple waved goodbye awkwardly, and John continued on his journey, exiting the Rusturf Tunnel. As he made his way down the path, he encountered a man with long hair fluttering in the wind. His appearance was striking, yet he seemed agitated as he searched frantically on the ground. John realized the man had lost his glasses, but he quickly spotted them using the treasure hunt scanner Professor Birch had given him.
To his surprise, the glasses weren't the man's, but a Pokemon item instead—Black Glasses, which increased the damage of Dark-type moves by 30%.
"Whoa, more than ten million Pokedollars worth of glasses just thrown on the ground?" John said, incredulously. "Is this guy seriously throwing away treasure?"
The discovery made John appreciate the treasure hunt scanner even more. It was a useful tool, and he couldn't help but wonder if this could lead to more valuable items down the road.
With the Black Glasses safely stored, John backtracked to Mauville City and took the route north toward Route 111. After clearing out a few trainers along the way, he came upon a small hut where an elderly man stood blocking the road.
"I'm part of the Winstrate family," the man called, introducing himself as 'Father Victor'. "I challenge you!"
John sighed. "Really? Okay, let's get this over with."
Victor's Pokemon, a Taillow and Zigzagoon, both level 16, didn't stand much of a chance. John immediately sent out Gabite, who took care of the battle in no time. Victor was speechless as he stared at the massive dragon-like Pokemon.
"Are you the devil?" he muttered, shaking his head in disbelief.
With the battle won, John tried to leave, but suddenly Victor's wife, Victoria, appeared at the door, furious.
"Who hurt my husband?!" she demanded, glaring at John. "Come fight me now!"
John felt a wave of exhaustion but stepped into the battle again. Victoria sent out Roselia, level 17. She wasn't much of a challenge for Gabite, and after a quick exchange of blows, John had won again.
However, Victoria didn't take the defeat lightly. "He hits women!" she cried, running into the house in distress.
Before John could process what had just happened, a teenage girl burst out of the door, her fists clenched.
"You! You beat my parents, now you'll face me!" Vivi declared, her eyes flashing with determination.
John raised an eyebrow. Was this family really a "winning streak" family as they claimed? It seemed more like a family of perpetual challengers, one after another.
Vivi sent out a Marill, Shroomish, and Numel, all level 15. Gabite made quick work of them, and within moments, Vivi was running back inside, crying, "Grandma! Someone bullied me!"
John just shook his head. "This family sure has a lot of spirit, but not much of a defense."
Soon enough, an elderly woman—Grandma Vicky—came out of the house, leaning on her cane. She eyed John sternly.
"In broad daylight, no less! You bullied my granddaughter?" she scolded, raising her cane. "Let me teach you a lesson, young man!"
John, feeling a little overwhelmed, sent out Gabite once again. The battle was short, as Grandma Vicky's Meditite was no match for the powerful dragon. After winning, John let out a sigh of relief, grateful that he was finally done with this "winning streak" family.
Grandma Vicky, however, wasn't done. "We have a grandson named Vito," she explained. "He's out on an adventure and currently conquering Victory Road. Only when you beat him can you truly say you've defeated the Winstrate family."
John raised an eyebrow. "Victory Road, huh? I'll be sure to meet him when I get there."
Before leaving, Victoria handed John a Macho Brace, an item that would double the effects of training but at the cost of slowing down the wearer's speed. John decided to give it to Combusken, as it seemed like a great item for improving its physical capabilities.
After saying his goodbyes to the Winstrate family, John left their home, his mind swirling with thoughts about the strange, yet endearing family. They truly were a "winning streak" family, but not in the way John had expected.
As he continued his journey, John couldn't help but wonder what the would bring. One thing was for certain—his adventures in this world were far from over.