I didn't challenge Brawley the next day, or the day after that. In fact I spent an entire week in Dewford, remaining at Charizard's side as he continued to recover despite him telling me I should go and get that third gym badge but honestly, my heart wasn't in it. I wasn't in the mood for battling because I was so worried about Charizard.
However on a particularly beautiful looking day, I heard the door open to Charizard's recovery room as he slept and someone entered quietly. I was dozing peacefully on Charizard's bed, slumped over however when I felt someone's hand touch my shoulder I started awake and looked around. "Hey there Rubes. You're a sight for sore eyes." Gary informed me and I leaped to my feet.
"Gary!" Instantly I felt my cheeks colour and my stomach began to flutter as my heartbeat started to hammer loudly in my chest. "What are you doing here? I thought you were researching ancient Pokémon fossils somewhere." He gave me a smile.
"My grandpa got a call from Nurse Joy, saying she was worried about you and he called up your parents. They were going to come themselves, but then they elected me to go so I got a call from them asking me to come see you. I think I can now see why." He told me, turning his head to look at Charizard. "Boy, looks like you were both in a tough battle." I bowed me head in shame and sat back down.
"It was my fault. We battled this woman called Kiana and her Charizard who could mega evolve, but we were way out of our depth and Charizard just wouldn't give up." I explained, reaching out and resting my hand on my friend's snout.
"Hey it's not your fault, things like this happen." Gary told me gently as he placed his hand back on my shoulder, standing beside me but I ignored the effect his presence seemed to have on me, focusing on Charizard. "Rubes?" He questioned and suddenly, the floodgates opened and I burst into tears.
"I hate this! I can't stand it. Charizard always seemed so strong and invincible, now he's hardly able to move because I couldn't protect him! I'm hopeless!" I wailed and Gary quickly pulled me towards him, holding me close and I gripped onto his shirt as his arms wrapped around me securely, allowing me to sob into his chest and I was strangely comforted by how securely he was holding me and how his head seemed to neatly rest on top of mine.
"It's okay now Rubes, it's okay, I'm here." He soothed, swaying with me slightly to try and comfort me and I slowly calmed down, however I didn't pull away from him even after I'd stopped crying, as inside it was still like a monsoon was raging. Gary gently reached up with one hand and began to brush my hair back from my face, the loose strands sticking to my wet skin and he smoothed away the tear stains with his thumb as I leaned against him. "Feel a little better?" Nodding my head in answer he fixed his arm around me again, continuing to hug me as I closed my eyes.
For a while Gary said nothing. He just stood there and held me in silence which I was grateful for, as I didn't think my voice would be able to speak without cracking due to the large lump that was lodged in my throat. Gradually I turned my head upwards to look at him and he gave me that cocky smirk of his which made me smile back slightly, glad that he was here and not my parents, as although they would try to comfort me they would just paint everything with words of false encouragement, whereas Gary knew that what I needed now more than anything was a friend. "Come on, you need to go clean yourself up, get some real rest then I'm taking you to the beach for some fun." He informed me, making me arch an eyebrow.
"Says who?" I inquired foolishly and instantly his smirk grew. Before I could even dart back out of reach, Gary lifted me off the ground and began to carry me out the door. "Hey! Put me down right now! Gary! This is totally unfair and I will murder you unless you don't let go!" I began to yell but Gary only laughed in reply, holding me easily in his arms as he carried me up the stairs and to a dorm room whereby he then dropped me on the ground and I turned a glare at him. "I hate you."
"I know. Now come on, at least do it for Charizard." He said and I paused, thinking it over however in my hesitation, Gary pulled the door shut.
"Agh! You're worse than a vain Persian!" I yelled through the door, banging my fists but it didn't budge as Gary locked it from the outside. "Let me out of here right now!"
"Only after you've got some rest. Trust me Rubes, I'm doing it for your own good." He sang proudly from the other side so I growled and kicked the door before stomping away. I began to pace the room, stubbornly refusing to go to sleep but then my eyes drifted towards the wash room. Maybe just a quick shower, it would be nice to change my clothes.
So I had a hot shower, washed my hair then changed my clothes then sat down on the bed, however after a while, I felt my eyes began to droop. With a yawn I glanced to the pillow. Well…I guess it wouldn't hurt to lay down, but I'm not tired, so sleeping is not an option.
Sinking down into the comfortable and fresh smelling pillow, I felt my eyes grow even heavier. I'll just close my eyes for a moment, a few minutes won't hurt, will it? However those few minutes stretched into an entire morning of sleep and when I woke up, it was to find Gary casually laying back on the opposite bed, flicking through a Pokémon sports magazine but when he noticed that I was awake, he turned a smirk over at me. "Told you so. You're adorable when you sleep, you know that?" He questioned and instantly I was up on my feet.
"I hate you Gary Oak, you're such a pushy, bossy and arrogant brat!" I flung at him and he rolled his eyes.
"Please, you get all worked up like a Tauros that sees red when you know I'm right. Just say you're grateful I saved your smelly butt then I'll forgive you." He drawled, flicking through another page of his magazine however I was far from feeling grateful.
"At least I don't spend hours admiring myself in the mirror like some stuck up Purugly!" Gary tossed his magazine aside and got to his feet, facing me determinedly and I was slightly overwhelmed as he loomed closer, my eyes melting against his despite me desperately trying to maintain my glare, the Beautifly and Butterfree starting to flutter in my gut again.
"Oh yeah? At least I have some looks to be proud of. You always manage to look like a Bidoof that just got dragged through a forest and swamp backwards by a Fearow." Gritting my teeth I narrowed my eyes at him, quickly thinking of a comeback.
"Better that than a pampered Milotic, you'll never change Gary. You think you're the greatest at everything and that everyone thinks the same, but you're just an infuriating pain in the…" Gary pressed a finger against my lips, silencing me with a titter of his tongue.
"Now, now, let's not get too carried away Rubes. After all, the truth does hurt after all." I growled and smacked his hand away, gripping my hair which fell in loose untamed waves around my shoulders.
"Agh! I HATE you Gary OAK!" I thundered before whirling around and refusing to look at him. Gary was silent for a moment and the silence instantly made me feel guilty. I didn't mean it, I really didn't. It's just that there was something about him that always set me on edge and made me overly defensive.
Exhaling a deep breath I had been holding I let my arms drop to my sides and lowered my head, feeling ashamed. I was about to turn around and apologise when I felt gentle arms slip around my waist from behind, Gary softly drawing me a step back where he embraced me and tucked his head over my shoulder, making my heart skip a breathless beat and my cheeks grew rosy with heat. Gary turned his head to the side and tenderly touched his lips to my cheek, placing a light kiss there before lowering his head back down to rest on my shoulder.
At first I was tense, unsure of this new kind of intimacy before I gradually relaxed into it, a smile tugging at my lips as I leaned back against him. Gary held me like that for about a minute before lifting his head again. "Come on, let's go get some ice cream." Then he smirked. "It's your turn to buy." I rolled my eyes but nodded my head in agreement, allowing him to lead me out of the Pokémon Centre and down to the beach where we got ourselves some ice cream then sat down on the beach to relax, the sun warming our skin and the waves rolling over the sand tranquilly. "So, are you going to challenge Brawley?" Gary questioned as he dove into his ice cream without hesitation.
Mine remained in my hand but I didn't move to eat it, too focused on the waves. "I don't know. Maybe. Once Charizard is better again." I answered so Gary sighed.
"You know, moping around over Charizard isn't going to make him feel better sooner. If anything it's going to make things worse. If he's worried about you not taking proper care of yourself, then he's not going to get back to his old self faster than if you were training and battling like you should be." He reasoned and I looked down into my lap, feeling as hopeless as before.
"I guess you're right."
"I'm always right." He countered easily in a teasing tone before reaching out to rest his hand on my shoulder. "Charizard is okay, there's no need for you to be so concerned. All he needs is time and rest. You on the other hand still need food, sleep and something to distract you." He informed me. "Like a good old fashioned gym battle, then maybe a contest I've heard is happening on the mainland only a boat ride away from here." He suggested but I couldn't summon any enthusiasm. "Hey, your ice cream is melting." He warned so I lifted it to my face and licked it once before lowering it back down again. "Come on Rubes, can't you at least try to cheer up?" He questioned but I didn't respond. "You're still thinking about that battle, aren't you?" This time I nodded my head.
"You should have been there Gary, but in a way I'm glad you weren't. That Charizard wasn't normal. Its aura was twisted and sickening, and the way it battled was so brutal and merciless, it was like it wanted to cause my Charizard as much pain as it possibly could." I shuddered. "But Kiana, she seemed proud of it, and what she said afterward made me feel sick to my stomach."
"Why? What'd she say?" He asked me so I lifted my head and thought back.
"She said that I had to learn to be emotionless, then it would be impossible for anyone to hurt me. She told me that I had to fill myself with anger and hate to become the strongest I could possibly be." I reached back and pulled out a Pokéball from my belt. "The worst part was, Aurora seems to believe her. We had a fight over it and we haven't been talking since."
"Gee Rubes, I had no idea." Gary said before giving me a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault." Feeling a little better for having voiced my concerns, I slowly began to eat my half melted ice cream until it was all gone. "You know what? You are right Gary. I've been totally hopeless being a cry baby all this time. I need to get my act together." I stated before standing up and clenched a fist. "Let's go win my third badge right now!" Gary was surprised but quickly got over it, jumping up as well.
"Alright! I'll race you there." He challenged before darting off before I could even answer.
"Cheat! That's no fair! Get back here Gary Oak, or you'll regret it!" I threatened with a smile I hadn't worn for days then chased after him, easily catching up and easily overtaking him and I didn't stop until I was standing in front of the Dewford gym. I paused at the doors, second guessing my decision. Was I ready for this? In answer Gary came up behind me and gave me a little push, which was all I needed.
I flung open the doors and stepped inside. "I challenge the Dewford gym leader to a gym battle! My name is Ruby Bates and I'm here to collect a badge!" I called out determinedly and I saw Brawly lift his head from where he was working with his gym equipment.
"Well what do you know? If it isn't Ruby Bates." He laughed warmly in his surfer accent. "Welcome back, good to have you here." He said and stretched out his hand which I made to shake but he only swatted my hand before making a fist which he bumped against mine after I'd caught on. "I accept your challenge little surfer dudette, let's get this thing going!" He called before leading me to the battlefield behind his gym.
The referee was called for and Gary sat down at the side, watching us both carefully as I took a deep breath, clenching and unclenching my fists as I mentally prepared myself for the battle. After the ref had called out all the rules, Brawly instantly smiled with anticipation. "Alright! I'm going to start with an old pal of mine, Machoke!" He decided and sent out his first Pokémon, making me lift my head slightly. "That's right dudette, this Machoke is the same you met when he was a Machop. We've done a lot of training since you were last here, so don't expect this to be easy."
"Wouldn't want it any other way. Let's do this Gardevoir, its battle time!" I called and Gardevoir appeared with her eyes closed and head bowed, serenely holding her hands to her chest before she spread them out and stood at an angle, holding her head high as she faced her opponent. "Now I know you're not used to gym battles, but just keep your focus and we'll be fine." I promised and she nodded her head in understanding.
"Gardevoir." She said.
"You get the first move dudette." Brawly called so I gave a thumb's up before calling out my first move.
"Alright Gardevoir, let's start this with Magical Leaf, do it!" I cheered and she began to twirl around, holding her arms high up over her head in a pirouette as leaves with a multi-coloured glow appeared around her, surrounding her in a spin before she stopped and elegantly spread out her arms and the attack went straight for Machoke.
"Quick Machoke, use Cross Chop!" Brawly ordered and Machoke crossed his arms and they flashed with a white light before the cross pattern shot outward towards Gardevoir as Machoke was then struck by the leaves, forcing him to shield his face though the damage was insignificant.
"Teleport Gardevoir!" I called out and she quickly disappeared, avoiding the Cross Chop and remained invisible where Brawly kept a sharp eye out. When he caught a slight shimmer in the air, he quickly turned.
"Look to your left Machoke and use Dynamic Punch!" Brawly ordered as he punched the air in front of him, bouncing on his feet lightly as if he were boxing, keeping his fists held up to guard as Machoke quickly swung his fist directly to the spot where Gardevoir appeared, surprising her before she took the hit.
"Gardevoir!" She gasped, stumbling backwards and heaved for breath.
"You're okay Gardevoir, don't worry about a thing." I told her confidently. "Just stay calm." She nodded her head and turned back to Machoke who showed off his impressive muscles and Gardevoir arched an eyebrow slightly, looking rather impressed by the Machoke.
"Well if you're not going to attack then we will. Go Machoke, use Karate Chop!" He directed and Machoke ran forwards, chopping at the air with a flat hand so I smirked, relaxing as I began to get into the flow of battle.
"Use Psychic Gardevoir, lift Machoke off the ground!" Gardevoir closed her eyes and concentrated before her eyes flew open with a mysterious glow and Machoke was lifted easily into the air, making him blink before start to panic, flailing uselessly. "Now, toss it!"
"Gardevoir!" She answered as she swung herself around in an elegant twirl and Machoke followed her movements, being swung around in the air as Brawly quickly came up with a new strategy.
"Machoke, use Focus Energy!" He called out and Machoke instantly relaxed, closing his eyes and his body began to glow with a red tinge along with the blue as Gardevoir then slammed him into the ground with all her might, causing a rather large crater, however Machoke was quickly back on his feet.
"Machoke!"
"Alright! Awesome stuff Machoke. Okay, let's use Cross Chop, full power!" Brawly decided and Machoke didn't waste time in sending out the attack.
"Teleport!" I countered and Gardevoir disappeared from sight, however Brawly was quick to scan the surroundings but this time, I was ready for him. As Gardevoir started to shift back into shape, Brawly pointed her out to be from the right then called for Machoke to use Dynamic Punch again. "Gardevoir, use Moonblast!" As Gardevoir appeared, her hands lifted over her head and a large silvery orb began to grow quickly, becoming larger and brighter as Machoke came in close.
As he swung his Dynamic Punch, she flung her attack at Machoke and the two attacks struck one another at the same time, causing them both to be flung backwards with a collision in the middle, causing smoke to burst outward as Gardevoir and Machoke were knocked to the ground. "Gardevoir! Are you okay?" I asked and she sat up, her face contorting slightly before she relaxed and smiled at me with a nod of her head so I exhaled with relief then looked up to see Machoke climbing back to his feet again.
"Great work Machoke, you're the man. Let's finish this fast by using Cross Chop one more time!"
"Reflect Gardevoir." I answered easily and Gardevoir rose to her feet and held out her hands, forming a beautiful dark blue shimmering orb that held back the fighting type attack though Gardevoir had to push with all her strength to hold back the powerful move before finally, both moves disintegrated but Machoke was already barrelling straight towards her. "Use Karate Chop Machoke, full power!" Brawly punched the air so I thought fast.
"Dodge it, dance away from Machoke!" Gardevoir instantly spun around and began to sway as she moved, dancing away from each attack as Machoke failed to even land a hit. "Now Magical Leaf, full power as well!" I called, a focused smile on my face and Gardevoir instantly sent a storm of leaves straight at Machoke, forcing some space between them. "Now follow up with Moonblast, give it all you've got!"
"Defend with Cross Chop!" Brawly retaliated as Gardevoir formed her Moonblast attack then sent it tunnelling straight for Machoke who crossed his arms in front of him, trying to deflect the blow but it struck him full on and he was flung backwards and hit the ground, pressing his eyes tightly shut before going lax. "No! Machoke! My bro!" Brawly cried in shock before exhaling, giving a soft smile. "You were awesome Machoke, get a nice long rest now."
Gardevoir was struggling for breath and I could see her holding her arm, so I lifted her Pokéball and returned her as well. "Thank you Gardevoir, you were amazing out there." I told her before lifting my head. "Looks like things are looking in my favour Brawly, you ready for round two?"
"You bet! Come on out Hariyama, it's time to ride the waves of battle!" Brawly answered and his large, rotund Pokémon appeared so I sent out my next choice.
"Okay Pidgeot, let's show them what you're made of. Its battle time!" Pidgeot extended her wings and called out to announce her arrival before flapping her wings, hovering in the air as she faced Hariyama with a focused determination.
"Begin!" The ref called so I kicked the battle off.
"Pidgeot, use Air Slash!"
"Dodge it Hariyama, then use Arm Thrust!" Brawly countered and Hariyama rolled out of the way, moving fluidly before springing up into the air with powerful legs, drawing back a large hand as he aimed straight for Pidgeot.
"Dodge that!" I called and she instantly rolled over herself in the air, avoiding the attack and Hariyama descended back to the ground. "Quick before it lands, use Wing Attack!" I directed and Pidgeot flew down speedily however Hariyama managed to twist around and grab Pidgeot by the wing, making Brawly laugh.
"Alright, use Seismic Toss!" Pidgeot was carried back into the air, wrapped up tightly in Hariyama's grip despite her struggling to move before she was tossed to the ground and flattened by the heavy Hariyama.
"Pidgeot no! Can you keep battling?" I asked her as she got back up then shook herself off, flapping her wings once to take off into the air again, chirping in reassurance. "Great, in that case use Air Slash again!" However Hariyama dodged, almost too easily then came in for a Force Palm attack and Pidgeot made a sharp dive to avoid the attack. There was a time of blow exchanges and dodging, neither of us managing to land a hit until finally, Hariyama used Ice Punch and managed to catch Pidgeot, forming ice on her feathers and her flight pattern was instantly thrown off and she spiralled towards the ground. "Pidgeot!"
"Quick Hariyama, use Seismic Toss and make it the finishing move!" Brawly called and instantly the Pokémon readied to catch Pidgeot. Knowing that if Pidgeot took that attack, she might not be able to get back up as she was swiftly becoming exhausted.
"Pidgeot shake it off, hurry! Peck at the ice with your beak!" I instructed and instantly she began to stab at it as she tumbled down and not a moment too soon, managed to break through and she freed her wing which then enabled her to glide easily past Hariyama. "Okay Pidgeot, this is it." I told her before spreading both my hands outward. "Use Hurricane!"
"Pidgeot! Pidge Pidgeot!" She chanted before starting to sweep around in a tight circle, her wingtips glowing a luminous gold as the twister formed within the area she was flying before it formed a complete hurricane which was so powerful that everyone had to either grab onto something to keep grounded or anchor themselves down. Pidgeot's voice rang out and I opened my eyes through the blistering wind as Hariyama took the full attack, crying out before finally Pidgeot twirled around in a tight spin then flapped out her wings, expelling all the wind and the sudden calm that filled the gym took a moment to adjust to as my heart hammered in my chest.
"Hariyama is unable to battle. Therefore the winner is Ruby and her Pidgeot!" The ref called, making me blink and look to where Hariyama had fainted on the ground.
"Huh? We won?" I questioned as Pidgeot landed before me and spread her wings joyously, chirping happily before putting her wings around me. "We won! Way to go Pidgeot, you're the greatest!" I cheered, hugging her back however when she stepped back, I turned just in time to see Gary as he ran over to me and lifted me up by the waist into the air.
"That was amazing Rubes! You were totally incredible!" He declared as I got over my surprise and laughed as he spun me around before letting go, making me squeak as I dropped down into his arms where he embraced me securely. "I knew you could do it." He told me smugly so I rolled my eyes and jokingly pushed him away from me as Brawly approached, rubbing the back of his head with a bashful expression.
"Well, I gotta say, I've always been looking forward to this battle, but I never guessed you'd hit me with so much power. That was an awesome Hurricane attack, no one's ever brought a move like that to my gym before. Just goes to show how well you raised your Pidgeot." He said to me and I rested a hand proudly on Pidgeot's shoulder.
"We've been together a long time." I answered and she turned her head to nuzzle me affectionately, making me giggle as Brawly drew out the Knuckle Badge.
"Here you go dudette, proof that you beat me in a gym battle. Congrats." He said to me as I took it with a grateful bow of my head.
"Thank you, I'll be sure to battle you again someday." I promised and he grinned.
"You bet! I'll be waiting for that rematch, and next time we'll be even tougher to beat." He vowed so I clenched a fist with a smile and held it out to him, fist bumping before saying a final goodbye. "Good luck out there!" He called as he held the door for us as we walked out, Pidgeot returning to her Pokéball. "Make sure you and your boyfriend stay out of trouble!" Instantly my jaw dropped.
"He's not my…!" But Brawly had already shut the door. "…boyfriend." Gary, of course, found it hilarious. "What's so funny?! People shouldn't be getting the wrong idea about us Gary, there's no way I'd ever date a self absorbed jerk like you!" I retaliated though I was blushing heavily and I knew Gary could see, as this time I didn't have my hat to hide under.
"Don't be embarrassed Rubes, you should feel honoured. After all, people think you look like girlfriend material for me, and that's not easy. I have very high standards and naturally my good charms and attractiveness are of the greatest quality that can only be matched by someone of equal standing to be worthy of me." He drawled and I glared at him hotly before lunging for him, though he smartly dodged back out of my reach.
"I HATE you Gary! Wait until I get my hands on you!" I thundered before chasing after him all the way to the beach and all around the island before finally, I gave up.
