Chasing Gold

By Lightningstrxu

Beta Elysian Emperor and ImSoAwesome

Chapter 1

Her sister's hand tousled her hair.

"Take care of dad and Zwei for me, Ruby." Yang smiled before giving a thumbs up. "Next time I see you I'm going to be the Champion."

She watched as her older sister walked down the forested path, and disappeared into the autumn leaves.

That was the last time she had ever seen Yang.

"Miss Rose!" a stern voice called snapping her out of her daydream.

"What?" she blinked her silver eyes looking around. "Yes, what is it, Doctor?"

"That is Professor Oobleck, Miss Rose." her teacher gave an exasperated sigh rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I didn't spend most of my academic studying to be a mere doctor. You weren't paying attention...again."

"Oh…" she shifted nervously in her seat. "Sorry…" she looked away from her teacher out the window once more, staring at the bright leaves of autumn. "I'll try and pay closer attention."

"See that you do." The Professor sighed again, before resuming his lesson.

Ruby tried her best to pay attention, at least enough to escape her teacher's ire.

But her heart just wasn't in it today. She usually loved learning everything she could about Pokémon. But today…

"Next time I see you I'm going to be the Champion."

Today was the anniversary of when Yang left. When her sister had seemingly vanished off the face of Remnant without a trace.

In a daze she grabbed her bag and left, meandering down the dirt path that led to her small cabin home. The sound of Spearow filling the air with a cacophony of calls.

A chorus of excited barks snapped her from her musings.

"Zwei!" Ruby knelt on the ground as her family's trusted Lillipup bounded up to her. Petting the excitable dog Pokemon, he rolled onto his back. "Who's a good boy?" He let out a small yip. "That's right you are."

"Hey, kiddo." a gravelly voice called her attention silver eyes snapping in its direction.

"Uncle Qrow!" jumping to her feet she leaped into her uncle's arms nearly knocking him off his feet. "Hi!"

"Hey," he replied before letting go of her. "Missed you too squirt."

"How's the ranger life treating you?" she asked as they moved into the cabin, Zwei in tow with them.

"Eh...you know." he shrugged. "A rampaging Rhyhorn here a nest of Seviper there."

"So the usual." walking over to the cabinet she retrieved a cup. "Want anything to drink."

"Nah I got my own," he replied taking a swig from his flask causing her to frown.

"Something other than whiskey?"

"What else is there?" another gulp of his flask. "Where's Tai?"

"Oh, dad had business in Vale." Filling her cup with some fresh moomoo milk, she drank deeply. "He said he'd be back a few days."

"And he left you all alone." He chuckled. "That's dangerous."

"Hey I can take care of myself just fine." she pouted. "In another year I'll be going out into the world just like…" her face fell. "Like Yang." she sighed. "Today's the day she left."

Ruby slumped into a nearby chair, Zwei nuzzled and whimpered at her feet.

"Qrow, You haven't heard anything about her while you're out there?"

"I hear lots of things kid." Qrow sighed. "Tales and gossip of a fiery blond going around righting wrongs and raising hell. But as far as finding her. I've got nothing."

She gazed into her glass of milk as if it had the answers she sought. "You had to have heard something; you're friends with Amber aren't you?"

"Friends is a strong word squirt." He sipped from his flask. "She wouldn't tell me anything anyway."

"I know…" she sighed. Amber Autumn was Vale's member of the Elite Four, so if Yang had challenged them, she would know. Unfortunately, matches against them were never made public so trainers would be unable to strategize in advance. The Remnant Champion was also, by law, anonymous. At least by the Champion's discretion. So even if Yang had achieved her goal and was now Champion, she'd never know unless her sister told her directly.

"Look, I know you're worried." He said reassuringly. "I'm worried, and your dad's worried too. But Yang's a big girl and unfortunately has a little too much of Raven in her. Once she gets over whatever phase she's going through, she'll come back." he took another sip of his whiskey. "Besides, in a year, you can chase her down yourself."

"Yeah…" Ruby said dejectedly leaning back in her chair.

A beeping noise caught her attention. Glancing up she saw her uncle checking his scroll.

"Sorry, Ruby." he stood from his seat. "Some kid thought it was a good idea to throw rocks a Beedrill hive; I got to go take care of this."

"Oh...I'll see you later then?"

"Yeah, if I have time I'll drop by later tonight."

And just like that Ruby was alone, she was always alone lately.

"At least you're always here for me Zwei." she patted the Lillipup on his head. Standing she made her way to her room. She should probably work on that report that Professor Oobleck had assigned, but she couldn't muster up the energy.

Collapsing on her bed, sleep soon found her. Maybe a nap would make her feel better.

######

The forested path lay before Ruby as she walked tentatively down it. In the distance, she could see her sister, her back to her.

"Yang!" she sprinted down the path towards her, but the harder she ran the further away Yang seemed to drift. "YANG!"

The ground collapsed beneath her, and she fell into darkness, Yang rising out of her reach.

"Yang!" Ruby shot up in her bed only to bang her head off the top bunk above her. "Ow!" she rubbed her head and rolled out of her bed. Glaring at the empty bunk above her own. Another stark reminder of Yang's absence.

With a clenched fist she suppressed a scream of frustration.

No more.

"That's it!" she stamped the ground. She had to know what happened to Yang, but the only way she could do that is if she left on her own Pokémon journey, and that was still a year away. Another furtive glance at Yang's vacant bunk. Silver eyes narrowed in anger. "Screw it!"

Stomping over to her closet, she retrieved a large backpack. Her adventurer's pack. While her Pokémon journey was a year away, still she had decided to prepare in advance. While it might have made her a huge dork, it also meant she could leave right now.

"I'm going now." Racing out of her room and down the stairs. A worried bark caught her attention. "I'm going out Zwei." the Lillipup's eyes narrowed as it looked at the clock and then back at her. "Yeah I know it's late." another annoyed growl. "What's it matter to you?" Silver eyes glared at the small dog Pokémon. But Zwei stood resolutely. "Ugh fine you can come with me alright."

With a bark of agreement, the Lillipup nodded his head. She swore that dad may have trained Zwei a little too well. With the Pokémon in tow, she made her way down the path. If she was going to be a trainer she needed a Pokémon to call her own. Well, she had Zwei, but technically he belonged to dad. Either way, there was only one place she was going to get a Pokémon.

Professor Ozpin's lab.

The Lab was a landmark in the small town of Patch, and it was responsible for giving Pokémon eggs to all new trainers. Slinking off the path and into the woods near the lab she peered into the window.

Zwei whined and rubbed his head against her legs.

"What?" she looked down at him. "I'm just borrowing my egg a little early." the pup rolled his eyes. "Okay fine I'm stealing it. But don't you want to know what happened to Yang?"

Zwei paused, seeming to ponder the statement for quite a while before finally nodding.

"Good." Ruby patted the Lillipup oh his head. Looking through the window, she could see the egg room. Checking the window, she found it unlocked. That was...surprising. She would have expected security to be tighter. Then again it's not like there were many people stupid enough to steal from a highly respected Pokémon professor.

Unless their name happened to be named Ruby Rose.

Slipping into the room, it was lined with eggs arranged on different shelves.

"There's so many." tiptoeing to the nearest set of shelves. Egg of all different colors and patterns called to her. Inspecting each one carefully she debated over which one she should pick. She had no way of knowing which Pokémon would come from which egg, she wished she had paid more attention to Professor Peach's lessons on breeding.

Closing her eyes, she reached out. "Speak to me oh spirit Pokémon. Tell me who you are." taking a step forward she had hoped that somehow the right egg would call to her. However, with her eyes closed, she stumbled, her eyes shooting open she reached out to stop her fall. A glass beaker fell to the floor and shattered.

"Who's there?" a light came on in the hallway, footsteps drew ever near the lab.

"Crap!" Ruby panicked, grabbing the nearest egg. She leaped out the window immediately breaking into a sprint. "Come on Zwei!" the Lillipup gave chase to his charge. Running wildly into the woods for what seemed like hours Ruby's legs finally gave out. She collapsed onto the ground still gripping the egg tightly as she drifted off into an exhausted slumber.

######

Something sharp poked at her cheek.

"Go away," Ruby mumbled another poke. "Zwei, stop!"

"Scy?" a small voice caught her attention. That wasn't Zwei. Her eyes snapping open she was face to face with a green figure only about a foot tall, the shattered remains of the egg she had stolen the previous night lay on the ground around it. Sitting up, she blinked, looking down at the newborn bug Pokémon. "Scyther?" the little mantis cocked its head to the side in confusion.

"Are you...my Pokémon?" Ruby asked hesitantly before reaching out to it slowly. Zwei nipped at her sleeve and whined in a concerned tone. "It's fine Zwei; he's a baby. It's harmless."

The Lillipup gave the Scyther a furtive glance. Those blades certainly didn't look harmless. But Ruby seemed to be confident. Letting go she reached out to the newborn.

"Hey there, little guy." she whispered.

"Scy." the mantis sniffed at her hand before nuzzling it. A wide smile formed on her face.

"You're adorable." her silver eyes shining with joy she pet the young Scyther's head. It trilled in contentment. "Aww!" she scooped the little Pokémon up and hugged it. "Ow!" she let it go.

"Scy?" It looked up at her curiously.

"Right blades for arms." she groaned holding her side, luckily the Scyther hadn't caused any damage. "You'll have to settle for head pats little guy." she reached down to pet the Scyther again."

"Scy." it nuzzled her hand.

Ruby had never been happier. She finally had a Pokémon to call her own. A sudden panicked barking caught her attention.

"What is it…" her gaze fell on the target of the Lillipup's focus. A Pokémon had emerged from the woods; it was covered with white fur, a crescent horn jutted from the side of its head.

An Absol, a Pokémon that was said to be the harbinger of misfortune and downfall. A bringer of bad luck that was not in any way native to the forests around Patch. So where did it...that's when she noticed the chip in the Pokémon's horn.

"You're in a lot of trouble kiddo." Qrow said sternly as he walked out of the trees to stand next to his Absol.

"Crap." Ruby sighed.

Her journey was over before it could start.

Whats this starting another new project when both Last Resort and Disillusioned are waiting. How Dare? Don't worry Last Resort is on the way. But i've been staring at a half-finished chapter for the past few weeks and thought something lighter was in order. If you want to see more let me know.