Disclaimer: While this seemed based from Pokemon Masters Easter 2021 Event, the story is nowhere similar to that. I decided to just use the Easter outfit as an excuse to write a franticshipping fic. The Pokemon Masters Event story may have similar story themes with this fic, but it was purely coincidental. This fic was planned and I finished writing it before I played the event.
ALSO POKEMON MASTERS DESTROYED ME WITH THE HOENNSHIPPING CONTENT THANK YOU DENA HFJKSHFSD
A huge thank you to Sree [naturaltropius] for beta reading!
Summary: Hoenn's Contest Spectacular celebrates its own Easter-themed Pokemon Contest, and Ruby and Sapphire joined to win together as a pair.
Time period: 3 years after the ORAS arc. Ruby and Sapphire are 18 years old while Emerald is 17.
Rating: T because Emerald drops the F bomb
64. Looking Forward To Our Future Together
...
...
Ruby flipped a page from his notepad, reviewing the next details written in it. He then looked at the photos, checking if everything was in its place. Luckily, they were and it better stayed exactly where it was or else...
Or else he would lose it.
He closed the notes, sighing and throwing his head back. He inclined on his rolling chair, as his eyes stared blankly at the ceiling.
He'd been working hard for the past month and now that he thought about it, why did he want this kind of event in the first place? He could plan the usual Christmas or New Year's Contest Spectacular, but why Easter of all events?
He sat up, folding his arms across his chest. He couldn't deny he had...personal reasons, and it was related to Sapphire. It may not seem that much, but he really wanted to celebrate the little moments they had, especially now that they've been together as a couple for three years.
While the other contest staff questioned his idea for this contest, he didn't give a damn about their opinions. He just needed to find good excuses.
Speaking of his girlfriend, he should finish sewing their outfits. They had two weeks left to prepare and he should get her measurements, despite knowing it by heart.
He was about to call her until someone kicked the door open to his office. He almost dropped his Pokegear but thankfully, he got to hold it close to his chest. He breathed in relief and turned around to see who the heck decided to open his door like that.
"Ruby! Big bro!" Lisia hollered, eagerly waving at him.
Ruby couldn't help but feel irked at her sudden presence. What did she want now? And why did she have to kick his door like that? "What?"
The younger girl grinned. "Guess what, bro?"
He raised an eyebrow. It was weird that she called him 'big bro' now. She often said Sapphire was her 'bestie' (which he was a little jealous of) but why call him 'big bro'? He wasn't that old, right? "What?"
"I'll be hosting the Easter-themed Pokemon Contest!"
The Charmer blinked. "What?!" he asked. "We already have a host?"
The girl balled her fists, sniggering mischievously. "He backed out, so I'm taking his place!"
The latter was confused. "What?!" he screamed. "Why didn't he tell me?! I told everyone to approach me if they have any concerns!"
"That's why I'm telling you, duh!"
"Where is he now?"
The contest idol shrugged. "No clue," she answered, trying to hide her snarky smirk.
...
At Sawsbuck Coffee, the aforementioned man was happily sipping his cup of venti mocha latte. He sighed dreamily, as he put on his sunglasses to view the clear blue skies.
...
Ruby smacked both of his hands on his face, grumbling loudly. He had no idea what Lisia had planned but she better do her job. "Okay, fine," he gave in, dropping his arms. "We have two weeks to prepare and I suggest you review the rules and your script."
Lisia gave him a thumbs up. "Please, I already know what to do. I've hosted many contests before this."
The Charmer rolled his eyes. "Fine, but aren't you supposed to be entering this contest too?"
"I'm a contest idol," she quipped, covering her mouth with her hand. Her smug reaction returned. "I will kick your sorry ass if I joined. Consider this as mercy."
He felt his eye twitching in annoyance. He swore this girl was fond of tormenting him, especially when teasing him about Sapphire and vice-versa. He rubbed his forehead. "Gee, thanks," he retorted. "Pretty sure you're not hosting this contest just to make my life miserable."
The girl chortled so loud that Ruby swore it was the most vexing and prankish laugh he'd ever heard. "Of course not!" she chirped. "Why would I?"
He rolled his eyes. "Because Sapphire's entering," his irritated demeanour dropped at the mention of his girlfriend's name. He smiled, looking down on the floor. "Sapphire is really excited about this contest to the point where she wanted to join as well."
"Then marry her already, dumbass!" Lisia shouted, gesticulating her arms. "Marry her! Make love with her! Live happily ever after! Just do it, you stupid piece of sh—"
"Okay, that's enough!" he placed his palms on her back, shoving the girl away. The younger girl rolled her eyes at his bullshit and was too stubborn to leave. Her heels were rubbing the floor, causing friction and making it harder for Ruby to kick her out.
"Just leave already! I'm busy!"
"Not until you marry Sapphire! Coward!"
Ruby removed his arms and the girl dropped on the floor. He was about to say something until his Pokegear rang. He grabbed his phone and put it closer to his ear. "Hello?"
"Hiya, Ruby!"
He smiled and somehow, all of his aggravation diminished. Lisia stood up and she could already tell that the lover boy was talking with his future wife. She smirked, slowly tiptoeing out of his office.
"I ended work early and I'm already headin' to the Contest Hall with Mandero!"
"Alright, I'll meet you in the lobby. Stay safe, okay?"
Sapphire blushed. She had to admit that she still wasn't used to it, but she was beyond delighted that Ruby was more open about his feelings compared to three years ago. "Y-Yeah, you too. See ya later!"
"Love you, Sapph," he said, before ending the call. He went back to where he was before, but the contest idol was nowhere to be found. He shook his head and just grabbed his items to meet Sapphire in the lobby.
...
The Salamence roared loudly, slowly descending to the ground. Some bystanders moved out of the way to make room for the behemoth. Once the Dragon-Flying type landed safely, the Conqueror jumped off and handed him a few Pecha Berries. Mandero cried merrily, accepting the berries and munched them.
The brunette smiled and leisurely placed a hand on the Salamence's head. She caressed it and Mandero cuddled with her as a reaction. She laughed wholeheartedly and returned the embrace.
She really never thought that a Salamence could be this...lovely but she was glad Mandero was nothing like her first encounter with this species. She loved Mandero and it would stay that way.
"I'll see ya later, 'kay?" she scratched his chin, as Mandero wagged his tail in unison. He nodded once she let go and watched her enter the Contest Hall. Some people were still in awe whilst some were murmuring what the Champion was doing here.
The Salamence turned around as soon as his trainer entered the building. He grinned and instead of using his wings, he ran towards the water and jumped into it. Some people ran away from the giant wave Mandero caused while others got soaked.
...
When Sapphire got into the building, people started looking and some were muttering. She gulped, clenching her fists.
Honestly, she still wasn't used to this kind of attention despite being the Champion of two years. She should be used to it, but she still ended up being anxious.
Her uneasiness was thankfully washed away when Lisia tackled her for a hug. The force wasn't strong enough to knock the brunette on the ground, however. She patted Lisia's back and returned the bearhug. She was glad to see her younger friend.
"How was work?" the contest idol asked, letting go. "I heard you'll be entering the Easter-themed contest!"
The Hoenn Champion blushed, scratching her cheek. "Y-Yeah. How did ya know?"
Lisia winked then giggled. "A hunch!"
"Uhuh," she gave her a suspicious look, before scanning the area. "Where's Ruby?"
The younger girl shrugged. "Dunno. Most likely daydreaming about you."
The Conqueror felt her cheeks heating up, but she ignored the latter's words. In a nick of time, Ruby came in. He didn't waste a second and hugged his girlfriend. Sapphire returned it with the same passion.
"I finished work today," he muttered, kissing her hair. "we need to go home quickly."
The brunette blinked. "Why? I just got here."
He gulped, removing himself from their hug. He didn't want to mention he would take her measurements since he would never hear the end of Lisia's teasing. He grabbed her hand and went outside silently. Sapphire was still wondering why he hadn't said anything but let it slide for now.
...
...
Ruby breathed in, his arms around Sapphire tightened, silently communicating that he would never let go. He then buried his head at the crook of her neck, inhaling her fresh berry-like scent. It was soothing—enough to make him feel relaxed.
Sapphire was in front of Ruby. One hand was patting Mandero's neck while the other held Ruby's hand. She bit her lip. She really needed to ask him what was going on. "Can ya tell me why we should head home quickly?"
He hummed, pulling her closer. He lifted his head and kissed her right temple. Her heart raced in her chest, as her cheeks slowly started heating up.
"I don't want Lisia to find out that I'll be taking your measurements," he confessed then pouted. "I'll never hear the end of her teasing."
She really hated that her intuition had to be correct every single time. She exhaled with her mouth. "Makes sense," she reassured. "Are ya usin' those same designs ya showed me yesterday?"
"Yeah," he pecked her cheeks. "I already told Crystal that we'll be borrowing two of her Pokemon. I think Prof—uncle has them by now. We just need to practice with them before the event starts."
"Dad didn't tell me that he already has those Pokemon," the brunette admitted, but she wasn't mad. In fact, she liked the fact that Ruby and her father were getting along really well. "But why does it have to be those specific Pokemon?"
He chuckled. "We gotta match our outfits with them, of course! Plus, I don't think any of our Pokemon are qualified since it's supposed to be Easter-themed."
"Yeah, I guess so," she giggled, leaning closer. He embraced her unyieldingly and planted another soft smooch on her head.
"But if I see ya touchin' me on where ya shouldn't, you'll regret it."
He wasn't intimidated; in fact, he was determined to not disappoint her. He nodded. "I promise I won't do anything creepy and disgusting. You know I love and respect you."
She smiled. "I know. I love and respect ya too."
He mimicked her endearing smile. He squeezed their linked hands together, as they snuggled closer. The Salamence, on the other hand, just growled joyfully. He didn't understand why the rest of their Pokemon often rolled their eyes at them. He thought they were cute, and he was rooting for them.
...
Two Weeks After
Lilycove City
Contest Hall
Ruby and Sapphire were able to arrive 30 minutes before the show could start. They didn't waste a second and went to Ruby's office to change. Ruby finished first and he was waiting for Sapphire.
He was wearing a mint-coloured tuxedo with a tall mint-coloured hat and a red bow. His tuxedo jacket had a notch lapel design with a triangular-shaped tailcoat. It was similar to the Mad Hatter's outfit from a certain movie and while it was an odd choice for an Easter-themed one, Ruby thought it would match a Togepi's appearance.
Although, he was nervous. The Charmer swallowed the lump in his throat, as he paced around the room. The Lopunny and the Togepi he borrowed from Crystal were just standing there and watching him walk around. The bunny Pokemon was carrying the egg-like Pokemon as if it was a newborn child.
"Hey, Ruby?" Sapphire called from the dressing room, causing him to halt. "Do I have to wear this bunny ears headband?"
"Y-Yeah," he choked. "If you don't like it, I have some alternatives."
"No, no," she said. "I just think it looks heavy. Let me try it on."
"Sure, don't force yourself," he answered and a few moments passed, the door of the fitting room clicked, indicating that it was unlocked.
The Hoenn Champion stepped out of it and she was beyond distressed. On the other hand, Ruby's eyes slowly widened, as if it was his first time seeing an angel in front of him.
Sapphire was wearing a pink pouf dress with the skirt covering up her legs. She had white shorts, cream-coloured leggings, a butterfly-shaped tie, and a bunny ears headband. To Ruby she looked both adorable and beautiful; he wouldn't have it any other way.
The Conqueror gulped, rubbing her right arm with her left hand. She somehow found the floor interesting to look at, as the pink hue from her cheeks increased. "I look...ridiculous, don't I?"
"N-No, I..." he tried to speak, but he kept on fumbling his words. His hand rubbed the back of his neck. "Sapphire, you're—"
He ceased when the Togepi jumped on top of his hat. It almost fell but luckily, he caught it with his arms. The Fairy type placed its hands on his face and that's when Ruby realized he was crying.
It wasn't just any tears, however, it was tears of joy.
He coughed, clearing his throat. "You're...you're really beautiful in that outfit, Sapph."
Both Pokemon had no idea what was going on. Why were they suddenly shy around each other? They seemed to be getting along before this event.
Sapphire finally looked up and was able to view Ruby's outfit. Her blush deepened, before jerking her head to the side to hide her heated cheeks. "Ya...ya look good too."
He cleared his throat, also turning his head to his side. "T-Thank you."
The Togepi cried and jumped off from Ruby's arms. The Hoenn Champion was alerted and caught the little guy before it hurt itself.
"Careful there, Togee," she said, hoping she didn't sound like she was scolding the Pokemon. Thankfully, Togee snuggled closer to her. "I now understand why Crystal's willin' to let us borrow 'em. Togee's really fragile."
He chuckled. "Yeah, but I guess Lopunee's here to keep Togee in check. So far, she's been doing a great job."
Lopunnee heard it and didn't hesitate to kick Ruby's butt. The latter almost fell but his girlfriend was able to catch him. The brunette was now holding both her boyfriend and this naive little Togepi.
Ruby only felt pain, but he was ready to complain. "What was that for?!"
The Normal type glared at the Charmer and it looked like it was ready to murder him. Sapphire laughed and Ruby had no idea why.
"Lopunnee is a guy, Ruby. I guess he doesn't like it when ya call 'em a girl."
He blinked, looking closely at the rabbit-like creature. Honestly, he could not tell the differences. He sighed. "I'm guessing Togee is a girl."
Based on Togee's cheerful reaction, he seemed to be correct.
"How did you even know Lopunnee is a guy, though?" he asked, standing upright but his arms now travelled on her waist. She giggled.
"Don't worry," she assured. "I didn't know either until my dad corrected me last night. I should check my Pokedex from time to time."
He couldn't help but be proud of her. Despite being the Champion for two years so far, he admired her continuous dedication to learn.
"We should take pictures before we head backstage," he removed his arm around her to grab his camera. Togee was excited while Lopunnee still hadn't forgiven Ruby for misgendering him. The Charmer tried to apologize but the Lopunny ended up kicking the face this time.
The Charmer held his aching face whilst his girlfriend came to the rescue.
"Ruby! Ya alright?!"
...
...
A contest staff looked to his left and then to his right. They were several feet apart with a Fire type Pokemon beside them. The one in the middle raised his arm, signalling his coworkers.
"Let's light it up!"
The Pokemon blew a tiny amount of fire and once they heard the main fuse click, they backed off. The fireworks cracked and exploded into the sky, signalling the beginning of the day's event.
The employees gave each other a thumbs up and after that, they returned to the Contest Hall.
There were people of different races, shapes, and sizes from all over the world. Easter-themed items were decorated around the stage like Easter eggs, cute Pokemon silhouettes of Scorbunny, Buneary, and even Bunnelby.
The colours of the stage also resembled spring and Easter. While Hoenn didn't have the proper four-season cycle due to its tropical weather, this event perfectly showcased it. Soft colour palettes like mint, light yellow, light pink, and light blue were around the area.
Looking at it closely, the aesthetic screamed 'cute' and that was what the contest was all about.
"Good afternoon, Hoenn!" Lisia screamed, as she entered the stage. The spotlight was focused on her and the crowd cheered loudly. She was wearing a golden yellow version of her regular blue contest attire.
"I'm Lisia and I'll be your host for this year's Easter-themed Pokemon Contest! I bet you're as excited as I am!" she giggled, as her fans held their chest from the cuteness they had just witnessed. "But before we start, I'd like to introduce our judges!"
The young contest idol walked to a nearby table, located at the left of the ellipse-like stage. "The first judge is our former Champion and a Contest enthusiast—my uncle Wallace!"
The spotlight went to Wallace and he stood up, waving to the viewers. He was wearing a mint-green tuxedo that seemed too formal for this event. Nonetheless, it didn't stop the crowd from cheering at the former Champion, especially his contest entourage ladies—Elina, Ouna, Vina, and Ina.
"Go, Wallace! Go!"
"Ladies, please," Lisa laughed. "You know you have no hope."
"We know!" Elina, Ouna, Vina, and Ina screamed in unison. "We just wanna show our support!"
The bluenette rolled her eyes. "Right," she murmured. "Anyway!" she moved to the next chair beside Wallace. "Our next judge was personally invited by my uncle Wallace—mostly because the other one only cares about rocks—"
...
Somewhere in Mossdeep City, Steven spat the coffee from his mouth. He turned around to see his rare rock collection. He sighed, dropping his head. Why did she have to call him out like that?
...
"She's the leader of the Hoenn Gym Leaders and the Fortree City Gym Leader to boot. The flying type Master—my auntie Winona!"
The crowd clapped loudly, especially Winona's students. She was wearing a sky blue version of her flight suit.
Lisia then went to the last chair to introduce the final judge. "And our last judge is another Contest enthusiast—our very own Pokemon Fan Club Chairman!"
The Pokemon Fan Club Chairman was wearing a pink tuxedo and waved. The entire Contest Hall's yells were unrestrained—he received more applause than Wallace and Winona, and unsurprisingly, the Pokemon Fan Club Members were responsible for such ruckus.
"And now that we know our judges," Lisia yelled into the mic, hoping she could shut up the spectators. She walked to the centre of the stage. "Let's have a quick recap of this event's rules. It's similar to a regular cute category contest, but our very own Contest Master, Ruby, insisted on some changes," she paused then sniggered. "He insisted it just to impress his wife. Isn't that cute?"
The audience calmed down and everyone—besides the children in it—let out a soft 'aww'.
Backstage, Ruby and Sapphire were peacefully sitting on the couch. They heard everything the contest idol mentioned and both were now blushing. Neither of them was looking at each other but their fingers were interlocked.
"Wait," a swimmer guy trainer mentioned curiously. "you two are married?"
Neither answered and the swimmer guy didn't understand why.
"I'll take that as a yes," he said. "How many children do you have or are you planning to have?"
Ruby released an exasperated breath. He looked intently at the swimmer guy with deadly eyes. The latter didn't flinch, however. "Sapphire and I are 18 years old."
"You're married at 18?!" his jaw dropped. "Isn't that too young?!"
"What?! No!" the Charmer cried. "I mean," he cleared his throat. "Listen, I want to marry Sapphire in the future, but not right now! Maybe in our late 20s so—" he stopped, realizing what he just said. His eyes wandered around the room and saw everyone smirking other than his girlfriend. He tried to look at Sapphire and saw her blushing face increase tenfold. He let go of her hand and covered his face with it.
He suddenly felt stupid.
"Man," Emerald cackled. "Spoiler alert."
...
...
"And now let's start with the primary judging!" Lisia pumped her fist in the air. She still remained at the centre with a stage light illuminating at a certain angle above her. "As I call in each pair, please send out your Pokemon!"
The lights dimmed after that, and the contest idol headed to the left side of the stage with the judges. "For pair 1, we have Sapphire and Ruby!"
The spotlight radiated on the couple. They looked at each other and held one another's hand. Ruby stroked her palm with his thumb whilst Sapphire squeezed his grip. Despite not exchanging any words, they already knew what the other was saying.
"Let's go!"
The pair threw two Poke Balls and once it popped open, egg-shape seals came out from it. A Lopunny came out first, tumbling around before landing on the crowd. A Togepi came after that, as she smiled and sparkled. The audience was in awe and as soon as the Fairy type landed on the Normal type, the crowd went nuts.
"Thank you, Sapphire and Ruby, aka Hoenn's number one couple!"
There were whistles in the background, causing Lisia to smirk. She knew it was from the RuSa Club members and she felt proud for teaching them well. The couple, on the other hand, just ignored the cheers. Ruby tried focusing on Sapphire and thankfully, the lights turned off.
"Our next pair is Darcy and Estebanita!"
The light shined on a Breeder Girl and an Aroma Lady. The former elegantly threw two Poke Balls, as an Exeggcute and a Mareep came out, whilst the latter mimicked her part, but she threw flower petals from the basket she was carrying. The Grass-Psychic type formed a vertical hoop and the Electric type jumped into it with the petals beautifully falling down with them.
The Mareep's wool shined and perfectly contrasted the dark red colour of the petals, entrancing the audience. Their eyes sparkled as they let out an 'ooh'.
"Amazing!" Lisia commented. "It's definitely a stunning entrance! Great job, Darcy and Estebanita!"
The pair bowed along with their Pokemon nodding at the host.
"Next pair is Ralph and Zuzu!"
The stage light went to a Kindler Guy and a Swimmer Guy. They were quiet at first until the latter screamed a 'hah'. Everyone's eyes widened when the Swimmer Guy, Zuzu, carried his partner, Ralph, like a bride. Ralph threw the Poke Balls with an Azumarill and a Torchic appearing. Both Pokemon sparkled like the stars in the sky, as Torchic landed on the Water-Fairy type's head.
Both trainers leaned their foreheads on each other to the point where they seemed in love. It rivalled Ruby and Sapphire's cute public display of affection from earlier.
For the Charmer and the Conqueror, they thought they looked so extra while Emerald tried not to walk out and quit. One couple was already too much and he couldn't handle another pair.
The audience flared with excitement with some stomping on the floor.
"So gay!" Lisia cried with tears of joy. "We stan!" she added. "Thank you, Ralph and Zuzu!"
Zuzu gently put down Ralph, with their hands now holding one another, and both bowed with their partner Pokemon.
"Our last pair is Wally and Emerald!"
The light gleamed at the duo and the exhilaration died a bit. Both were wearing a cheap onesie one could buy at the mall. They released their Pokemon—a Chansey and a Raboot—and neither put an effort into their entrance.
This concerned Sapphire. Luckily, the lights were focused on the two and she tugged her boyfriend's arm. He leaned closer to her ear.
"Did ya tell 'em to prepare?"
"I did," Ruby answered. He opted to stay closer to her, as one hand held her waist. "I don't know why Wally decided to go for a onesie. Those look horrible on them."
"Well," Sapphire giggled quietly. "They're kinda cute, though, especially Emerald. Using his hair as a pair of ears is kinda silly but it works."
"Hey, what about me?" he cackled, albeit jealous his younger friend got called 'cute' by his girlfriend. "I look more dashing than he is."
She rolled her eyes. "I know, silly. I'm just complimentin' them."
He pecked her cheeks. "I love you too, Sapph."
The viewers remained quiet and after a few moments, one of them played a Kricketune's cry just to mess with the last pair.
"Okay…" Lisia sniggered nervously. "Thank you, Emerald and Wally!" she stated, hoping to bring the energy back. "Now that the primary judging is over, we will move onto the second judging!"
The spotlight went back to the contest idol. "For this event, each pair will have a Pokemon battle, but they have to show their Pokemon's cute moves while attacking their opponents!" she paused for a few seconds. "There will only be two rounds for each battle and it doesn't matter who wins or loses since the winners will be determined based on how cute the Pokemon performs the attack and how well they work together with their partners!"
A contest staff handed the younger girl an envelope. She nodded at the employee and opened the piece of paper. "Our first pair to have a battle will be Darcy and Estebanita versus Ralph and Zuzu!" the lights flashed at the two partners. "To the other contestants, please head backstage so we can start the battle!"
The others did just that. Darcy and Estebanita went to the left side of the stage while Ralph and Zuzu went on the other. Once the other pairs went backstage, they sat on the couch. Ruby was about to mention how horrible the onesies his friends were wearing but Sapphire placed a hand on his chest. He looked at her and he could tell that she didn't want him to roast his friends' outfits. He sighed.
"Alright," he gave in, chuckling. His right arm went to her shoulder. "So," he began a new topic. "What do you think of the new rules? I'm not sure it'll be implemented in the future, but we'll see."
The brunette giggled. "Is this the surprise ya were talkin' about?"
He cackled. "Maybe, but you probably knew already when we were practising with Lopunnee and Togee."
She grinned. "Maybe, but I like these new rules. I dunno how makin' the attacks look cute while battlin', but I like it."
He smiled, bumping his nose on her own. He rubbed their noses together while closing his eyes. The Conqueror just giggled. They felt so lost in this world that it was bugging Emerald.
"Ugh," the blond grunted. "Get a fucking room."
"Umm," Wally rubbed a hand behind his neck. "We can just ignore them?"
"Easier said than done, Wally."
Ruby glared at the two. They just had to ruin his moment with Sapphire. "Do you mind?"
"No," Emerald retorted. "I know it's Easter but it's not mating season for crying out loud!"
The couple found themselves flushing madly. Sapphire coughed and stood up from her seat, much to Ruby's dismay.
"L-Let's just do our best later, 'kay?" she stuttered, changing the subject.
"Sure," the blond muttered. "Change the subject to save yourself from being embarrassed."
Sapphire cracked her knuckles. "Do ya want me to throw another tree at ya?"
Emerald's vexed demeanour dissipated. "NO!" he yelled. "Keep that tree in the ground where it's supposed to be!"
"What a stunning performance from both pairs!" Lisia shrieked, as the audience went wild to the point where it rivalled Galar's own fans, especially that certain fanbase called Team Yell. The remaining contestants looked at the flat-screen TV on the wall and saw a Breeder Girl and an Aroma Lady waving from the stage. Both of their Pokemon were exhausted but they still managed to look adorable despite that.
"Congrats to Darcy and Estebanita for winning this match! But fret not: we're still uncertain who will actually win this contest!" Lisia went beside the judges. She handed the mic to her uncle.
As the Water Type Master was mentioning his criticism for the match, a contest staff interrupted the four participants.
"Excuse me," he called. "Please head to your positions. The next battle starts in 10 minutes."
"Time to kick these two's ass," Emerald cracked his knuckles, his blank expression converted into a smug one.
Wally blinked. "Uhh, can we just say butt instead of that?"
"Nope," he replied, as he and Wally headed to the left side of the stage.
The ten minutes passed by too quickly and before they knew it, the next and final battle was about to begin. Lisia was on the opposite side of the stage with the critics. She raised her right hand in her air and pointed at the centre of the platform.
"And now for the next battle, it'll be Sapphire and Ruby against Emerald and Wally!"
All eyes were on the next match, whether it'd be live on stage or at home with one's TV, phones, or laptops. Two sides of the grandstand illuminated, showing the last sets of pairs.
"Let the match begin!"
"Let's go, Raboot!"
"Chansey, go!"
Ruby held Togee's Poke Ball tightly, before looking at Sapphire. He smiled, receiving Loppunne's Poke Ball. "Go, Togee and Lopunnee!"
The egg-shaped Pokemon and the rabbit-like Pokemon came out from the balls. Sapphire didn't waste a second and touched the keystone on her mega ring. Lopunnee shined brightly, almost blinding everyone watching the battle. A few seconds passed, the Normal-Fighting type landed on the ground as a Mega Lopunny. In a nick of time, the Togepi landed in his father figure's arms.
"Don't let that intimidate you!" Emerald exclaimed. "Knock them off with a Bounce!"
"Chansey, use Egg Bomb!"
The couple glanced at each other, before holding hands. They were ready.
"Use Bounce as well!" the Conqueror commanded.
"Togee!" the Charmer called. "Stay on Loppunee's shoulder!"
Raboot was fast. He ran with his head leaning forward and his arms behind him, as Chansey prepared her bombs in her pouch. Loppunee followed. He placed Togee on his shoulder before running towards the Fire type. Both rabbits bounced on time and neither was able to hit each other.
The audience gasped at the amazing display. It was appealing and fascinating.
The Normal-Fighting type fell, but before he could land, he grabbed the Fairy type resting on his arms and threw her like a ball.
"Use Metronome!"
"Chansey, now! Aim your bombs at them!"
Chansey threw several of the grenades she had. The Mega Lopunny dodged each one, and a Thunderbolt came out from Togee's hand. The attack aimed at the bomb and it exploded, covering the stage with clouds of dust.
Raboot almost got hit, but he luckily tumbled backwards to avoid the attack. Lopunnee landed and caught Togee before the latter could hurt herself.
The place was sparkling once the smoke cleared. It felt like snow but the ones they were seeing seemed like tiny stars falling from above. The viewers cheered, enchanted with the amazing scenery they witnessed.
"Now," Sapphire yelled. "Attract!"
"Hah!" Emerald laughed. "You can't attract Chan—"
Despite how much Luponnee hated it, he returned Togee on his arms and posed adorably. He placed his arms together and used his eyes to attract Chansey. The Normal type was immediately infatuated. Her pupils turned into hearts, lowering her guard.
She was now head over heels for Lopunnee.
"What the fuck?!" Emerald whined. "Crystal's Lopunny is a guy?!"
Wally looked at him. He was as shocked as he was. "You didn't know?!"
"How am I supposed to know! I can't figure out their gender differences!"
"Well," Ruby chuckled nervously. "at least I'm not alone with that."
"Welcome to the club," Sapphire rolled eyes but giggled nonetheless. She then returned to her serious expression. "Now use Dizzy Punch!"
Luponne's cute expression dropped to an aggressive one. He was now glaring menacingly at his opponents, but it didn't change Chansey's feelings—she was still immobilized with love!
The brown-coloured rabbit hopped and aimed at the Raboot. He moved his left fist but the Fire type dodged it.
The Normal-Fighting type didn't stop, much to Raboot's dismay, and used his right fist to punch him. Thankfully, the fire bunny avoided it again. Togee and Chansey watched the two rabbits have an unrequited boxing match—Raboot kept on swerving his body to the left then the right whilst Lopunee's arms continued striking him with his fist.
"Okay, Togee, that's enough!" the Charmer yelled. "Sweet Kiss, go!"
"Dodge it, Raboot!"
"Snap out of it, Chansey!"
The Togepi climbed on the Mega Luponny's head and hopped off. She missed Raboot by a mile and instead, landed on the Normal type. She kissed Chansey's forehead and the latter was both infatuated and disoriented.
Chansey moved, trying to follow her trainer's command but she hurt herself with her confusion.
"Raboot, help Chansey, quick! Use Facade!"
"Keep punchin' Raboot!"
Raboot sprinted to the Chansey, as Lopunee followed. Togee saw her companion and leapt off Chansey. Lopunee caught his daughter with his hands, but Raboot smacked his fists and his legs at the two.
"Metronome again!"
Both Pokemon cried in pain, as they closed their eyes, enduring it. Togee managed to lift her finger and in a matter of seconds, a Hydro Pump came from it, knocking and soaking both opponents and their trainers.
Thankfully, the blast of water hit neither the host nor the judges. When it cleared, Lisia scurried to their side to check on them.
"Well," she cackled. "Looks like the winners are Sapphire and Ruby for this match."
The crowd cheered, as Lopunnee returned to his regular form. Sapphire let go of Ruby's hand to hug him while he returned it with the same enthusiasm. Slowly, he lifted her several feet from the floor and twirled. They stayed in each other's arms for a moment, now trapped in their world.
"Now that the battle is over," Lisia tried to grab everyone's attention. "we will have a 30-minute break so the judges can finalize the results!"
Everyone cheered even more, but the couple didn't care. Instead, they continued embracing for several seconds until Sapphire let go. Some contest staff came on stage to wipe the excess water on the floor.
...
...
Once Ruby and Sapphire entered backstage, the Charmer surprised his girlfriend with another hug. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. This time, he buried his head on the crook of her neck. They heard a cough but neither let go.
Another cough was heard and Sapphire turned to see Lisia smirking at them. She had an idea already of what she would say.
"So," Lisia chortled. "I heard you two are married."
The Hoenn Champion's cheeks heated up. She averted her gaze from her younger friend and found the blank white wall an interesting view. "W-What are ya talkin' 'bout?"
The contest idol's laugh increased. "Sapphy, please. I know you two are practically married since day one! Remember the 'I want to be with you until the last moment'?" she asked, mocking Ruby's behaviour. The Charmer tried to not look irritated.
"I saw everything and that sold me! Just get married already, dammit! I wanna be the maid of honour at your wedding!"
Both felt even more embarrassed, especially Ruby. He buried his head in his girlfriend's chest this time, refusing to look at everyone in the room. It didn't help, however, for Sapphire was more flustered than ever. She placed both hands on his shoulders, gently pushing him away. "Ruby! Let go!" she insisted but her boyfriend didn't budge. Instead, he heaved her closer.
He definitely did not want to see Lisia's contented reaction. He swore that girl would probably never stop even if he and Sapphire were finally married.
"Ruby!" his girlfriend complained, now more mortified. "Everyone's lookin' at us!"
While Sapphire tried her hardest to push her boyfriend away without hurting him nor using her immense strength, Lisia took this opportunity. She grabbed her latest Rotom Phone model, clicked the camera app, and turned off the flash. She focused it on Sapphire and Ruby, before snapping a photo or two.
She tried her best to hide her satisfied grin. "Okay, see you two later, bye!" she scampered off, hoping neither of those two found out she had a photo of them.
Emerald and Wally made it backstage and both were drench. Sapphire stopped to look at the two boys.
The Calmer angrily pointed his index finger at the couple. "You're both treating me at Sawsbuck and I'm not taking 'no' for an answer!"
"But—"
"Zip it, pretty but scary lady!" he interrupted, grabbing his left pigtail-like ear to squeeze water from it.
Ruby furrowed his eyebrows and finally let go. "Did you just call my girlfriend pretty but scary?"
"Shut the fuck up! I'm drying my hair!"
...
The 30-minute break galloped faster than a Rapidash. The hype was more intense where the audience couldn't stand still. The host entered the stage a few moments after, and she once again stood beside the judges. The judges, this time, were standing with the contest idol with one of them holding an envelope while the two were holding the Easter-themed prize ribbons for both the trainers and their Pokemon.
"And we're back!" Lisia yelled. "Before we tally up each pair's score, let's call on the participants to enter the stage first!"
Each pair went to their places with their partner Pokemon. The applause was loud despite the fact that Wally and Emerald were still soaking wet.
"And now, may I have everyone focus on the screen!"
The screen turned on, showing each pair in order: Ruby and Sapphire, Darcy and Estebanita, Ralph and Zuzu, and then, Wally and Emerald.
"Let's see who got the most score in the preliminary round!"
The chart moved forward and despite the close scores with the first three contestants, Ralph and Zuzu won with 5 points ahead.
"As you can see, Ralph and Zuzu's performance was so amazing that they have the preliminary round all to themselves. Darcy and Estebanita came in at second place, followed by Sapphire and Ruby, and Emerald and Wally!"
Ruby felt his eyebrows twitch annoyingly. He suddenly felt offended that those random participants defeated him and Sapphire. He could've sworn their presentation was perfect! The audience obviously had horrible taste! Shame on them!
"And now for the secondary judging! Let's hear our judges' comments first!"
The girl handed the mic to the Pokemon Fan Club Chairman. They exchanged items, with Lisia now having the envelope the latter was holding.
"Thank you, Lisia!" the older man exclaimed. "Every battle and presentation was remarkable! While the last one was a bit chaotic, we—the judges—did our very best to not have any biased opinions. Without further ado, let's see who won!"
The screen showed Darcy and Estebanita leading the first half until Ruby and Sapphire came in closer. Both pairs were nervous, but when the scoring finally stopped, it showed Ruby and Sapphire winning with a difference of 0.1.
The final results were Ruby and Sapphire in first place with a score of 8.9, Darcy and Estebanita with an 8.8, Ralph and Zuzu with an 8.6, and Wally and Emerald with a 3.6.
"The scores were so close, but the winners are obvious!" the Chairman handed the mic back to Lisia.
"Congratulations to the winners of this year's Easter-themed contest—Sapphire and Ruby!"
The crowd cheered like feral Pokemon battling in the wild. The sounds almost blared one's hearing. The spotlight came in front of Ruby and Sapphire and their partners with the judges approaching them. Wallace placed the ribbons on Togee and Lopunnee whilst Winona handed the ribbons to the couple.
"Congratulations!" the Pokemon Fan Club Chairman screamed with the crowd. Wallace and Winona stepped back as cameras started flashing to take pictures of the winners.
"Congratulations, Sapphire and Ruby!" Lisia screamed. "And that concludes this year's Easter-themed contest! We might host another next year once we get your feedback! Oh, and also, this is my part of the event!" she placed a hand to cover her mouth. She tittered sneakily. "There are some hidden eggs in the corners of the Contest Hall. Whoever gets it will have an exclusive autograph of this new fashion magazine with Elesa and Nessa on the cover!"
Some audience members were enthralled. They looked at the younger contest idol. "You have 6 hours to get it before it ends. Good luck!"
They didn't waste a second and looked around the contest hall—be it inside the place or outside, they all effortlessly tried to find those eggs.
...
...
It was a struggle getting away from the paparazzi and the onlookers but Ruby and Sapphire managed to reach the former's office to change back to their casual outfits.
Once Ruby finished changing, he sent out Togee and Lopunnee from their Poke Balls. He grabbed his Pokeblock case and handed each to the pair—a red pokeblock for Lopunnee due to his Adamant Nature and a green pokeblock for Togee due to her Naive Nature.
The Pokemon didn't hesitate to munch their meals. Sapphire went out of the fitting room after that. She was wearing her casual red sleeveless shirt and black tight shorts with white shorts covering them. Ruby looked at her and was surprised she wasn't wearing her headband. He approached her and encircled his arms around her.
"That bandanna is a little old, though," he pointed out, letting go of their hug, but his arms remained on her waist. "Want me to make a new one?"
She shook her head. "'Tis fine," she reassured with a grin. "This is the first one ya made for me, so I cherish it. It still fits my head, so don't worry 'bout it."
He nodded, his right hand went to caress her cheek. Despite hating fancy clothes in the past, he was beyond elated that she appreciated it now. "You were amazing on the stage earlier. Well," he chuckled arrogantly. "you always are."
Her cheeks flushed, holding the hand on her cheek. "To be fair, I was performin' with ya," she corrected with a fanged smile. "I don't think I can perform a contest on my own."
He chuckled. "I don't mind performing another one with you," he tiptoed a tad to kiss her forehead and slowly moved down to peck her lips.
But before he could do that, Togee smacked his cheek with Lopunnee following, knocking him on the floor. Both Pokemon were trying to grab the Pokeblock case from the Charmer.
"Hey! Come on!" he tried to move them away but both were persistent to get their treat. "I'll give you the Pokeblock Case! Just give me and my girlfriend some privacy!" he grabbed the item from his pocket and Lopunnee didn't hesitate to grab it. Togee followed as both Pokemon happily chewed the Pokeblocks.
Ruby was finally able to stand up and dusted off his outfit. Sapphire laughed, causing him to raise an eyebrow.
"What's funny?"
She giggled for a few more seconds before calming down. "Yer like their dad!" she wheezed and he thought she was beautiful. "Ya know how to keep 'em quiet."
His features softened, along with his eyes and his smile. He went back to placing his arms around her waist and closed the tiny distance between them. "Does that make you their mom?"
Her laughter dropped and she was now blushing madly. "Wh-What?! I..."
His smile widened. "I'm serious about marrying you in the future," his right hand went back to stroking her cheek. His thumb moved circularly, as he slowly leaned closer. "I said I want to be with you until the last moment, and I mean that. Is it...okay with you?"
She swallowed the lump in her throat. She...didn't know what to say. She knew Ruby wanted to spend his last moments with her, but she didn't know marriage was one of them. They were still young, though, but she was glad that Ruby wasn't rushing it. She took a deep breath. "'Course," she stuttered. "I'm okay with it," she muttered, closing her eyes.
"I assure you," he too closed his eyes. "I'll ask your hand in marriage when we're both ready," he breathed in, smiling even more. "I love you, Sapphire."
"I love ya too, Ruby," she answered and Ruby didn't waste a second. He tilted his head and pressed his soft lips against hers for a passionate kiss.
Lopunnee saw this and immediately covered Togee's eyes. Though, the Togepi continued eating her treat without a care in the world.
Bonus:
A few days passed
Emerald was happily sipping his Sawsbuck coffee while Ruby just watched him with Sapphire sitting beside him.
"Why did we even agree with this?" he asked, still baffled that he wasted his and Sapphire's money again to pay for this extremely expensive café. Couldn't he have just chosen a cheaper one? He heard that bubble tea place in Fortree City was much more affordable than this corporate machine.
Emerald placed his cup of coffee on the coaster. "You both embarrassed me at the Easter contest the other day and you're just paying the damages."
The Charmer was about to talk back, but the Conqueror placed a hand on his chest, stopping him. "It's fine," she said. "We did win."
"Yeah!" the blond exclaimed. "and it's Ruby's turn to buy me a chocolate cake!"
"You should know by now that I can't control what move Metro—"
"Chocolate cake, now!"
Ruby: Misgenders Lopunnee
Lopunnee: And I took that personally
I swear I have to check this fic from time to time just to correct Lopunny and Lopunnee's spelling djgkdf
Lopunnee went from baby mode to angry mode sfklsssd
Yes, I have to research terminologies for a tux and a dress because this stupid idiot has a horrible fashion sense and only knows t-shirts, shorts, pants, jeans, and sleeveless shirts. I never liked the Easter outfits at first but after working on a collab art based on this, I've grown to like it. The Easter outfit looks cute on Pokemon Masters May,,,
I'm soft for sibling dynamics and despite how uninterested I am with Lisia as a character in general, I want her to be like a younger sibling for Ruby and Sapphire,,,, Screw canon. I don't get paid when writing all of my fics so I'm doing whatever I want as long as it's not hateful/problematic.
Steven is having some alone time with his rocks. Don't judge him, Lisia ;-; /hj
I finally finished Pokemon Master's event and it's funny how the themes of this fic and the story event are similar. Pokemon Masters Brendan is worried about Pokemon Masters May permanently stopping to be a trainer [but she ended up reassuring him that whatever decision she'll make, he'll be the first ones to know] whilst Pokespe Ruby wants to spend the little moments he had with Sapphire before stepping into a much bigger future with her. Honestly, it's a coincidence and I doubt the writers of the Pokemon Masters Easter event read my works, lol. It's a cute parallel and it's something I did not expect :'D
The cover art of this fic will be posted tomorrow and I'll update this section of the author's notes just in case people are curious to see the cover art of this fic!
Update: April 7, 2021: the art is posted!
Reference list:
- Mandero the Salamence [from my time travel fic. In which ending? Well, I don't wanna spoil :'D]
- I stuck to the little detail of: "All of Ruby's Pokemon are females, except his Swampert, whilst all of Sapphire's Pokemon are males, except her Blaziken." So, Luponny being a boy and Togepi being a girl is a must.
- Lopunnee kicking Ruby's butt is a reference in the Emerald arc where Sceptile beat the crap out of him. [We accept no Sceptile slander, smh, Ruby]
- Lisia's outfit here is her EX outfit. I don't have her in Pokemon Masters and I just did a quick google since this idea came at the last minute. Please, feel free to correct me since I'm colour blind in certain colours jdhkjgf
- I honestly forgot Wallace has that entourage of girls or whatever they're called but hey, this is the good thing about researching. You get to notice stuff you miss, haha
- The 3 contest judges are an anime reference
- The seals coming out from Togepi and Luponny are the Pokeball seals from Sinnoh
- The battle portion of the contest is also an anime reference with a twist of not having any winners or losers
- Zuzu = ATLA Zuko except he's from the water tribe, jk
- Darcy = MCU / latest appearance in WandaVision [That show destroyed me,,,]
- Raboot does the Naruto run because memes
- Emerald angrily pointing at Ruby and Sapphire is a cat meme reference I just realized it while proofreading I'm crying djfghdkfj
- Sawsbuck Coffee = Starbucks Coffee
I had a lot of fun writing this and I'm glad to say that my writing motivation is back. All I need now is to balance writing and art dfhgdjk