Chapter 9

A Gyarados of a Different Color

'I want to be the very best, like no one ever was. To catch them is my real test, to train them is my cause. My whole life has led to this. Time to test my skills.'

"I can't believe I got both Mr. Dragonite and Lance's numbers on my Pokégear!" Ruby squealed, jumping up and down while holding the watch-like device over her head like one of her beloved participant ribbons.

Weiss stepped to the side so as not to get splashed by mud. "Well I can't believe that somebody this century is actually still using a Pokégear." She wrinkled her nose at the obsolete device that had been state of the art some twenty years ago but had since fallen out of favor to Pokénavs, Pokétches, more advanced Pokédexes, cellphones, and a dozen or so other fashionable devices that had come and gone since.

"Lance, Pryce, and Mr. Dragonite were all impressed by it."

"They were only humoring you, or feeling nostalgic perhaps. I'm fairly certain that particular model was popular back when Master Pryce was a child. Or when his parents were children..."

"Shows what you know!" Ruby handed the Pokégear over to Ledian sitting on her shoulder, who struggled pressing the buttons with her oversized mitts. "This is the same model my mom, dad, and uncle used when they started their journeys. They didn't have cellphones back then, at least not ones that didn't look like walkie-talkies. Their Pokédexes couldn't do half of what they can do now, and they had to rely on actual maps to get from city to city. I wanted the authentic gym challenge experience, which means no internet and no GPS, and nothing getting between me, my Pokémon, and nature."

Weiss walked silently as she waited for Ruby to reveal this as some great elaborate prank. Perhaps their clandestine meeting was all Winter's idea. The rich and powerful did have their strange ways of amusing themselves after all, with Weiss being no exception, but she sighed when it was evident that their being together was in fact a cruel twist of fate. "Suit yourself, but I doubt its apps have been-"

"-expansion cards," she corrected.

"Whatever!" Weiss massaged the migraine she'd had since they first bumped heads. "My point is, I doubt its maps or other quality of life features, or lack thereof, have been updated since either of us were born."

"That's alright. Even if it had a GPS, I'd probably just get lost anyway. It's the journey that matters, not-"

"-not the destination," she finished, tired of hearing her companion's favorite mantra. Lately it sounded more like an excuse for why her journey was taking so long. "Just be sure not to head too far east when you're on your way to Silver Town, or else you'll wind up in Pewter City. I wouldn't trust a Pokégear if my life depended on it."

For nearly two weeks these sorts of arguments had dominated the majority of their conversations. Ruby tried not to take any of Weiss' scathing words personally as that rarely seemed to be her intention. Most of the time it seemed as though Weiss was simply thinking aloud or passing the time, not trying to bully her like the kids at school had. She'd actually gotten better since Ruby stopped trying to impress her as few things in life seemed to impress the Kalosian heiress, and her own adventures seemed boring in comparison to Weiss' who, unlike Ruby, never fumbled over her words or struggled to find them.

She on the other hand sometimes took an extra sentence or two just to start saying what she meant in the first place, and Weiss was just one of the many who didn't have patience for a rambler, stutterer, and altogether blunderer.

Ruby glanced down at her Pokégear which Ledian was still playing with, trying to press a single button to no avail. She smiled, her troubles almost all forgotten immediately. Ever since Ruby could remember, she always had a fascination with technology, and in her excitement she sometimes forgot that not everyone had the same interests as her, or obsessions in most cases.

Just like everything else, the two trainers had completely opposite views when it came to technology. Weiss practically needed the newest technology that money could afford, buying the best and latest versions every year, while Ruby preferred giving new life to unloved devices such as Pokégears, which even the inventor seemed to have forgotten about.

How much time passed walking in silence Ruby couldn't be sure. It eventually started sprinkling but she hardly noticed and pulled her hood up without thinking. Her mind was as occupied as Ledian's mitts playing Pikachu Pinball, and she only came to a halt after being yanked by the sleeve. Turning, Weiss was grinning ear to ear and looking at her expectantly. Ruby nodded as if understanding, but in reality was just as confused as Ledian.

"The rain," Weiss explained, pulling her own hood up. "It just started a moment ago, and it's getting stronger..."

Ruby nodded just as cluelessly as before, but began backing away when Froslass pointed toward the overflowing river. "Y-you think there's Gyarados nearby?"

"I should hope so. We've been following this tributary for hours now. I was beginning to think Master Pryce just wanted us out of his hair, or what's left of it I should say. What do you think? Should we lure it into a trap or try sneak attacking it?"

While Ruby babbled, unsure what to do or whether it was another trick question or not, Weiss nodded in agreement with herself. "We don't know how many there are so it'd probably be best to figure out what we're dealing with first, or else Empoleon could swim into a pod of Gyarados like the one we wandered into earlier. A trap it is. Now all we need is the bait..."

She eyed Ruby in a way that reminded her of the time Yang used her as live bait to try and catch a Kyogre, but the mischievous gleam in her eyes faded and she turned to Froslass. "Froslass, I want you to create ice sculptures like the ones back home. If the Gyarados want a target, let's give them one."

The ghost bowed and drifted away a short distance where it started creating lifelike sculptures with both its natural abilities and unnatural ones as well. Ruby momentarily forgot her fears and marveled at their beauty, and nearly squealed when she saw herself in the crowd of several dozen. She was so distracted that she didn't notice the figure had a finger up their nose, or that the other sculptures all had unibrows, crossed eyes, or were in similarly amusing poses.

"Looks just like them," Weiss said proudly, "though they're all still a bit too dignified if you ask me." She turned and tugged on Ruby's sleeve. "Come on, we'd better hide before the Gyarados see us. Otherwise the sculptures won't be their only targets."

They quickly found some dense foliage atop a hill to hide in while a canopy of trees protected them from above. Ruby covered her mouth to keep her teeth from chattering, but the longer they waited the less control she had over her body. She tried moving away from the always frigid Froslass but got scolded for making too much noise, and so settled on bundling up in her cloak and hugging Ledian for warmth.

Before long the rain shifted from a heavy sprinkle to a torrential downpour just like earlier, and Weiss had Froslass create for them an icy roof. "I suppose now is as good a time as any to go over our strategy," she said. "Hydro Pump and Hyper Beam are both resisted by Empoleon so let him take the lead. Froslass, you're practically invisible in this rain and you don't exactly have to worry about Hyper Beam either. See if you can't turn this Rain Dance into Hail. If not, Blizzard should freeze the water in the air as well as the ground and river, trapping the Gyarados and giving us the advantage."

"What about us?" Ruby stuttered.

Weiss blinked as if having forgotten she was there. "Your strategies rely on wearing the opponent down while continually boosting your team. That'd take too long. My plan is for Empoleon and Froslass to attack the Gyarados before they even realize they're in a battle. Should there prove to be too many Gyarados to properly ambush, I'll send out two or three more of my other Pokémon."

"W-what if it's still not enough?"

Weiss grinned, evidently hoping she'd ask. "Then I'll send out my ace in the hole. I was hoping to save as a surprise for our next battle, but I suppose I'll just have to settle for making you dread that day instead."

Ruby swallowed and laid a hand on Scizor's Pokéball. Ledian and Togetic, while tougher than their fragile appearances might lead one to believe, were too small to stand up against a pod of Gyarados head on. Meganium resisted Hydro Pump and could likely tank a Hyper Beam or two, but even in her natural environment she was too bulky to dodge more than one incoming attack at once.

That left her with Scizor, her own ace in the hole and the only reason the team had come as far as they had. He was a Steel-type like Empoleon and would resist Hyper Beam, but he could also fly and had proven he could withstand a powerful Hydro Pump even at point blank, and also wouldn't be bothered by the rain or hail. But what exactly could he do against a scaly Gyarados?

"Night Slash," Weiss said, interrupting her thoughts. "You were wondering how Scizor might be able to help? It's his only attack that won't be resisted. His help would be welcome but not necessary. Leave this to me."

Ruby nodded but kept her hand on Scizor's ball, and flinched as the rain continued beating on their little hut. In the water, a wave of crimson swam near the sculptures. "A-are those Magikarp?"

"Congratulations, you're the first person to ever be afraid of Magikarp." Weiss leaned forward expectantly, studying the peculiar shape swimming against the current. After a while the water began to bubble and she readied Empoleon's Pokéball. "It's about time. This is going to be all too easy..."

From the depths of the gorged river came a roar so terrible that both trainers covered their ears and dropped to their knees. It was the sound of thunder rumbling, glass breaking, and iron bending all at once. So terrible was the monstrous bellow that Ruby screamed and began to cry, and her sorry state only worsened when the beast breached the surface and climbed into the sky.

Overlooking the trees was a crimson serpent the likes of which no trainer had ever seen. It's roar shook the very foundations of northern Johto, and where the ice sculptures had once been became a crater when the gargantuan Pokémon unleashed a Hyper Beam that filled the entire clearing with fire and debris.

It roared again in triumph over its lifeless foes, and while Ruby lay in the mud whimpering softly to herself, a fiendish grin crept on Weiss' face. Clarity came to her just as suddenly as the Gyarados had. Every heartbreak, every obstacle, and every setback she had overcome these past three years and her entire miserable life had all been leading to this singular moment.

The moment Weiss Schnee became a Pokémon Master...

If she could catch this red Gyarados and tame it, not only would she prove herself a peer to Masters Pryce and Lance, but she would never lose another Pokémon battle to an amateur ever again. Her father would have no other choice but to allow her to continue her journey for as long as she pleased, and after all these years she would make her Papa proud...

"Empoleon! Froslass! Just like we planned!" She grabbed Ruby by the hand, practically dragging her further into the trees while Froslass turned invisible and Empoleon prepared for its assault.

"Your help would be appreciated but for the moment is not required," she said once they were adequately hidden. "If you wish to assist I won't stop you. Just don't get in my way."

"Why is it so big?" Ruby cried. "And why is it red?"

Weiss glanced out to the clearing where the Gyarados was still roaring triumphantly. "I'd assume it has something to do with the radio signal forcing it to evolve, but at the moment I don't particularly care. Empoleon, use Blizzard to get its attention!"

The penguin Pokémon did as commanded, supported by Froslass though she couldn't be seen. Immediately the water in the air and on the ground began to freeze, culminating in a wintry flurry that struck Gyarados directly in the back of the head. The enormous sea serpent roared to meet its challenger, and its call was answered by thunder rumbling overhead.

Ruby whimpered and covered her eyes and ears as a lightning bolt zig-zagged straight for Empoleon. She peeked just enough to watch the penguin Pokémon slide across the ice to safety, but where it had been standing was now a smoldering crater.

Weiss gritted her teeth but couldn't completely wipe away her smile. "Alright, if electricity is how you want to play. Go, Garchomp!"

Released from a white Ultra Ball appeared what looked to Ruby like a Sharpedo with arms and legs, but was in fact a dragon with razor sharp fins and the body reminiscent of a jet.

"Y-you didn't tell me you have a Garchomp!"

Weiss stepped over her to get a better vantage of the battlefield. "Consider him my secret weapon and insurance policy. Paired with Empoleon, they're virtually invincible. Go, Garchomp! Use Stone Edge!"

The pseudo-legendary roared as it took to the air and summoned several dozen sharp stones around itself before sending them sailing into Gyarados. The crimson sea serpent flinched when they struck, but it merely regarded its newest challenger with the same loathing it had for Empoleon and the ice sculptures.

Without hesitation it began gathering energy in its mouth for another Hyper Beam.

"Empoleon, use Iron Defense! Garchomp, take cover and prepare another Stone Edge!"

A massive blast of energy engulfed the pair and half the battlefield, blinding the spectators. As the attack subsided however, Empoleon was still standing, its metallic body having only lost some of its luster. "Now use Aqua Ring!" While the penguin Pokémon surrounded itself in a thin, watery shield to regain its strength, Garchomp leaped from its shoulders and summoned another volley of jagged stones into the still recovering beast's face.

Weiss laughed as its body thrashed in agony, but below her, Ruby continued cowering in fear. Although the pseudo-legendary was living up to its fearsome reputation, effortlessly dodging tail swipes and occasionally slashing the beast with Dragon Claw, she got the impression that Garchomp had only recently evolved, and may have done so prematurely. It was still a few inches shorter than the over six foot Empoleon when it should've been around the same height or taller, and hadn't quite grown out of the lean physique it'd had as a Gabite.

It was still impressive however, just as all of Weiss' Pokémon were, but despite their best efforts, he and Empoleon were hardly leaving a scratch on Gyarados' steel-like scales. It was only now that she was paying closer attention that Ruby saw the Shadow Balls and Ice Shards coming from an invisible foe behind Gyarados, but it didn't seem to have noticed yet.

"You're only making it angry," she whispered, earning her a resentful glare.

"What are you talking about? Gyarados can barely even counter at the rate we're attacking."

Ruby shook her head. "Weiss, we need to leave. Now. It's too powerful. We need Lance and Pryce. We need Diana. We need Dragonite."

Weiss huffed and turned her back to her. "Nonsense. For every Hyper Beam, Hydro Pump, or Thunder Gyarados unleashes, it tires itself out that much more, and I still have three more Pokémon at my disposal. If you wish to turn tail and run, be my guest. I'll tell Master Pryce, Lance, and your precious Dragonite that I defeated it all on my own. I'll even rub it in Diana's face while I'm at it..."

Ruby followed her line of sight, not seeing what she was seeing. Only a losing battle which she had intimate experience with. Getting to her feet and closing her eyes, she released Togetic from her Pokéball, and a moment later Ledian crawled out from under her hood. The three shared several nervous hugs and kisses together before Ruby remembered why she'd called for the tiny winged fairy.

"Weiss and her Pokémon can't do this alone," she said quietly. "Ledian, I want you to use Swords Dance and Agility until you've reached your limit, then Baton Pass out to Scizor who'll use Iron Defense. Togetic, you do the same with Curse and Baton Pass back to Ledian. Once your attack, defense, and speed can't go any higher, Baton Pass to Meganium. Then I want the same done for you, Ledian. Togetic, you'll be our support which means you go last and won't get Ledian's Agility. Understand?"

The two nodded having done this countless times before, and it wasn't long before Scizor joined the battle and Meganium stood at the ready, creating denser foliage around them while awaiting her trainer's command.

After both Ledian and Togetic signaled that their powers had plateaued, Ledian Baton Passed and released Eevee from its Pokéball. The young fox appeared to want to play using his newfound strength and speed, but Ruby quickly scooped him up while Togetic traded places with Ledian who was now glowing just as radiantly as Scizor and Meganium.

"Alright, Eevee," Ruby said, struggling to keep the rambunctious Pokémon from getting away. "Just like Togetic taught you. Use Baton Pass!"

Eevee closed its eyes and concentrated, grimacing as it focused on a peculiar ability it still didn't yet fully understand and had only just started learning a week ago. Just when Eevee appeared on the verge of giving up, it turned into a white light and traded places with Togetic, who despite seeing her trainer less than thirty seconds before, greeted her again with a shower of hugs and kisses.

After giving as much as receiving, Ruby sighed and studied the battlefield once more, giving Ledian and Togetic a reprieve after so much work. Another heartbeat passed watching the Pokémon do battle with the leviathan, and she was relieved to see Scizor staying clear of Empoleon and Garchomp who currently had Gyarados' undivided attention. Unfortunately that also meant that despite its attack being raised to the max, Scizor's Night Slashes still weren't powerful enough to get its attention.

"Meganium," she said, "I want you to keep creating foliage in the clearing. It'll give the other Pokémon a place to hide and retreat, and us a chance to get closer. After that, do what you can to slow it down with Leech Seed."

The gentle giant bayed obediently and began making its way into the clearing, the forest seemingly following her as she went. "Ledian, I want you backing up Froslass with Thunder Punch, but don't you dare take any unnecessary risks. "

'Beh-bee!'

The ladybug Pokémon zoomed off, its large eyes able to find its invisible partner with ease. "Togetic, I want you using Future Sight. It's your strongest attack and it'll let you see glimpses of the future. Warn us or the other Pokémon if you see anything we should know about. That'll leave you free to use Heal Bell whenever necessary."

'Tic-tic!'

"Eevee-" she released the foxlike Pokémon but picked him up again before he could wander off. "I want you to use Helping Hand on anyone that gets close enough. Don't worry, I'm not letting you get anywhere near that mean ol' Gyarados."

Eevee watched while the sea serpent tried washing the other Pokémon away with a Hydro Pump nearly as wide as the river it had slithered out of. He didn't like the look of the crimson Gyarados which towered over even Meganium, but Eevee quickly grinned and hopped out of Ruby's arms, all too happy to be a part of his first battle and prove himself to his new family. Either that or play in the biggest mud puddles he had ever seen.

While all this was taking place, Weiss was busy concentrating on the battle. Her Pokémon didn't need many commands as they were experienced enough to be mostly independent of their trainer, but the longer the battle raged the more Weiss began to recognize what Ruby had at first glance.

Her Pokémon were beginning to tire. Every near dodge was nearer than their last, and their attacks were becoming even more futile. Gyarados on the other hand seemed just as powerful as ever, only much, much angrier.

Gritting her teeth, Weiss threw a pair of white Pokéballs into the air. "Go, Glaceon! Staraptor!"

Another foxlike Pokémon appeared which immediately got Eevee's attention. It's bright blue coat shimmered like snow, and atop its head sat a crown made of ice. Overhead, a massive bird of prey flapped its wings, and across the battlefield Ledian shuddered instinctively. Even Ruby felt somewhat unease as she had no doubt the sharp beaked Pokémon could've easily lifted her high into the sky if it so wished.

"Staraptor," Weiss said, "watch out for lightning. Use Double Team and Detect to keep yourself safe, and use Feather Dance to try and lower Gyarados' attack and mobility. Your job is to distract Gyarados and carry the other Pokémon to safety if they get into danger." She paused and stole a look at Ruby. "But keep your distance from Ledian if you can. Birds make her understandably uncomfortable."

The massive bird flew off and did as commanded, multiple clones of itself appearing and creating a terrifying flock that caused every bug Pokémon in the forest to seek shelter. When it neared Gyarados however, they began beating their wings so that layers upon layers of feathers weighed down on the sea serpent's body, but seemingly to no avail.

"Try getting its attention so that it leaves the other Pokémon alone!" Weiss cried, knowing Staraptor would recognize her trainer's voice over the warzone around it. She threw another Pokéball and a white unicorn emerged with an aura that Ruby vaguely recognized as psychic energy, but she was too much in awe of its beauty to fully comprehend what she was seeing.

"I thought your Rapidash was from Sinnoh, not Galar," she said, captivated by the most beautiful sight she had ever seen.

"Both are at my disposal, now hush." She brushed the unicorn's long, white mane out of its eyes and patted its snout. "Rapidash, on my signal I want you to use Wild Charge. It'll be quad-effective so get out of there with Agility as soon as you recover. Glaceon will help cover your retreat with Freeze Dry. That should get its attention, and it'll help give the other Pokémon a chance to regroup. Just be careful."

Both nodded obediently and began studying the landscape for the best possible approach and retreat.

"Eevee," Ruby said, "use Helping Hand on Rapidash then follow behind Meganium. That's where the forest will be thickest and where you'll be safest."

Eevee did as bidden, and Rapidash began glowing from the increased attack power. A moment later Weiss shouted for the others to attack and draw Gyarados' attention, and Rapidash started pawing at the mud while electricity coursed through its spiral horn and body.

All the other Pokémon attacked at once, causing Gyarados to roar and thrash erratically, but its attention was still focused on putting down Weiss' two main powerhouses. A clap of thunder preceded a bolt of lightning charging down the hill, and Gyarados' roars became screams as the unicorn's horn impaled its impenetrable hide and sent electricity throughout its body. Every Pokémon on the waterlogged ground winced as they felt the aftershocks from afar, and even those in the air suddenly had a coppery, sour taste in their mouths.

Rapidash neighed loudly from the self-sacrificial attack, but nobody could hear it over the sea serpent's cries. The other Pokémon attacked again but only to cover each other's retreat, and when there weren't any counter attacks and the battlefield began to fill with dust, Ruby crawled closer, hands atop her ears. "D-did we win?"

Gyarados' vengeful roar answered, shaking the ground and echoing throughout the forest and nearby mountains, and possibly the rest of Johto as well.

"Do you ever get tired of being wrong?" Just as Weiss was about to issue another command, blue flames spewed from the dust cloud, causing the Pokémon as well as the trainers to dive for cover.

"Get out of there!" Ruby screamed.

The torrent of flames spewed from above, encircling the battlefield, burning the forest, and cutting off their means of escape. Only Meganium's cries could be heard over Gyarados', weeping over the garden she had just cultivated and the plants she had become a mother to.

One by one the trainers caught sight and lost track of their Pokémon, all of them sporting black soot if not actual scorch marks. Togetic spent nearly the entire onslaught playing its heavenly chimes for their burns, and Ruby got more than a few when she tried leading Meganium to safety.

"I'm sorry, Meganium, but there's nothing you can do!" The gentle giant was desperately trying to put out the flames, breathing on all the plants around her, and releasing Aromatherapy all to no avail. Everything in sight was burning and dying. "If you don't get out of here, there might not be any forest left to save!"

Ruby screamed as the flames threatened to engulf both her and Meganium, but a river of water intercepted, momentarily keeping them at bay if only just barely.

"Get Ruby and Meganium out of there!" Weiss yelled. Garchomp appeared by their side as if teleporting there, burned and visibly exhausted, but still had more than enough strength to force Meganium back up the hill. No sooner had they gotten a few yards away that Empoleon and his Hydro Pump were consumed by the blue flames. He fell to one knee and grimaced, but the thin veil of water kept him from getting too terribly burned.

"Froslass, where are you?" Weiss called desperately. The ghost appeared beside her, semi-corporeal now and seemingly out of breath despite not having lungs. "I don't want you getting anywhere near these flames. You, Glaceon, and Ruby's Pokémon will attack from a safe distance while Empoleon and Garchomp-"

She was interrupted by the flames being replaced by a bitter chill she hadn't felt since visiting Snowpoint City. Her heart leaped as she immediately thought of Master Pryce coming to her rescue. It might've been unnecessary of course, but she couldn't help but smile as she searched the burning trees for Mamoswine.

"No!"

She looked up and saw that the snowstorm was being created by Gyarados, and she immediately began searching for Garchomp and was relieved to find him taking shelter behind the much larger Empoleon. Some of the fires began being put out, the trees either crumbling to ash or freezing solid, but then lightning crackled and began striking the forest as if in retribution for Rapidash's attack.

She felt a tug on her sleeve and turned to see Ruby, hardly even resembling herself anymore. "Wild Pokémon are supposed to only know a handful of attacks," she cried, her entire body trembling. "So why does Gyarados know ALL of them!?"

Weiss shook her head. The entire world seemed to be burning, and further up the hill Meganium was still crying. "Must have something to do with Team Rocket's radio transmission. A-am I bleeding?"

"Weiss," Ruby said, an eerie calm settling on her. "This Gyarados isn't just stronger than usual. All our Pokémon combined are barely leaving a scratch, and when they do, they only make it madder. I'm calling Mr. Dragonite and Lance. We can't do this without them. Us and our Pokémon are going to die!"

"No!" Weiss reached out to try and grab the loathsome Pokégear, but Ruby moved too quickly and put a burning bush between them. Nearby, Scizor stood as if to guard her, but his eyes were unfocused and filled with flames.

"Lance! Mr. Dragonite, sir! Can you hear me!?" The only response was static, indicating no signal.

Weiss let out a bitter laugh. "I told you Pokégears were obsolete. Gyarados as well as the entire Lake of Rage are probably saturated with radiation."

"Quick, try your cellphone!"

Weiss moved behind Froslass before she could get near. "I will do no such thing. If you wish to run like a coward, be my guest. I'm going to see this battle through to the end, and next time we meet, I'll be the most powerful trainer in all of Johto."

Fire Blasts and Flamethrowers soared overhead, but Weiss' eyes were filled with ice as she stared daggers into her former friend and traveling companion.

"Weiss, please-" Ruby paused as a gust of wind tugged on her cape, and she screamed when she was lifted off her feet into the air. She flew several feet before slamming onto the ground, whereupon she dived under a still burning bush and grabbed fistfuls of dirt and anything else she could get her hands on. "What's happening!?"

"Gyarados is part Flying-type," Weiss yelled back, crouching underneath the flames. "If I had to guess, it's either Hurricane or Twister, or both. Or maybe-" She was cut off by pillars of blue fire reaching down from the clouds. In a heartbeat more than a dozen were carving the landscape, destroying anything and everything in their path.

Weiss turned and saw that the entire hillside was now burning, cutting off their only means of escape, and that the entire battlefield was surrounded by wind walls like the eye of a storm.

"Oh my God..." she fumbled for her phone but was tackled to the ground before she could be consumed by fire. They rolled halfway down the hill, and Ruby slapped her cape violently to put out the stubborn flames. Upon getting up, Weiss grabbed her by the hand and guided her to what little foliage was remaining. Meganium was waiting there, as well as Scizor, Ledian, Eevee, and Glaceon. Froslass had stayed near Weiss' side, but the flames had kept her from getting too close, and the other Pokémon were proving to be more difficult for their trainers to find.

"Dragon fire," Weiss rasped, watching the lush forest around them become a wasteland. She stole a glance at her phone which read 'No signal'. "It's from Dragon Rage. It burns quickly which means this firestorm shouldn't last much longer, but I can't say the same for the wind wall. It appears that Gyarados doesn't want us to leave just yet."

Ruby's shallow breathing quickened but Weiss continued before she had time to dwell on their impending doom. "Don't worry, you're about to prove yourself useful. Empoleon! Garchomp! To me!"

The two powerhouses had little difficulty finding their trainer, and Gyarados for the moment seemed more interested in killing the world than its opponents.

To their surprise and Ruby's, Weiss returned them to their Pokéballs and handed them to her. "Tell Scizor and Ledian to use Baton Pass," she said. "The only way any of us is making it out of this alive is with Empoleon and Garchomp. With maxed out attack, defense, and speed, not even Arceus itself could stand against them."

Ruby covered her ears as thunder rumbled overhead, but Weiss grabbed her and shook her until she had her undivided attention.

"Baton Pass," Weiss seethed. "Now. Preferably before either of us or our Pokémon dies."

Still shaking, Ruby held the unfamiliar Pokéballs up. "Scizor! Ledian! Use Baton Pass!"

The two had been too concerned with the flames to pay much attention to the humans now that they were relatively safe, but after giving confused looks to the unfamiliar Pokéballs in their trainer's hands, they did as commanded and turned into white lights, forcing the release of Empoleon and Garchomp. Upon reentry they grinned and were glowing from the many boosts Ruby's Pokémon had been stockpiling, and their entire body's seemed to shudder as their muscles got accustomed to their newfound strength.

Scizor and Ledian released themselves a moment later, kneeling on the ground now that they were suddenly left with a fraction of their former strength. All four Pokémon shared a knowing nod. A tremendous gift had just passed between them, as well as a certain intimacy after sharing their personal sanctuaries with one another.

After one final glance toward their trainer, Empoleon and Garchomp charged back into the fray and interrupted Gyarados' next assault with Drill Peck and Stone Edge. The battle continued from where it had left off, but from the relative safety of the undergrowth, Ruby's Pokémon used Baton Pass on each of Weiss' Pokémon before they re-entered the battle.

All throughout Weiss was using her Full Restores and Elixirs, using them sparingly on herself and Ruby who had their fair share of scrapes, bruises, and burns as well. Staraptor may have had them the worst however, and Weiss discovered she might've been Gyarados' target when it had been setting the forest ablaze. The red leviathan was having difficulty keeping its left eye open, and there was a tell-tell sign of blood on Staraptor's talons.

Despite many of her feathers being burned, Feather Dance allowed her to quickly molt and regrow new ones, and she eagerly rejoined the battle, likely in hopes of blinding the beast for good.

"Froslass and Glaceon are the final two," Ruby said. The two ice Pokémon returned to the battlefield awaiting orders, with an exhausted Scizor and Ledian falling to the ground shortly after.

A high pitched cry overhead caused the startled trainers to look up, and through the flames and wind walls they saw three serpentine figures flying in the air. They didn't have the strength to scream or even signal to the other Pokémon that their dooms had come.

The Gyarados had found a way of harnessing the winds...

"This is all my fault," Weiss realized, horror sinking into her chest until she felt like vomiting.

Ruby squinted as the image wasn't quite right. The bodies were sleek, elegant, and the only patch of sunlight in all northern Johto followed them.

"Dragonair!" she shouted, wiping tear streaked soot from her face. "They're Mr. Dragonite's little sisters!"

She tried calling to them but Ruby could barely hear herself over the chaos around. Weiss wiped her mouth but either her conscience or poor sight failed her.

The three shadows used several attacks to try and clear the wall of flames, flying high into the air in hopes of getting over them but to no avail. After several failed attempts the largest of the three bravely tried flying through, but screamed before it could get half its body in and was cast far away, leaving the trainers and other two Dragonair stunned.

"Dragon fire," Weiss murmured. "They can't get in."

Ruby stood trembling, but beside her Weiss fell to her knees.

"Weiss! Are you alright?"

She nodded and tried waving her off, but was assaulted by a violent coughing fit that left her gasping for air. "WEISS!"

"There's another reason I don't travel on foot all day like you or most other trainers," she said weakly. "Between all this smoke and exertion, my lungs feel like they're on fire right now, and everything hurts more than it should. I'm sorry, Ruby. This is all my fault."

Ruby watched her with growing concern, but a wounded cry from Staraptor caused her to look up as a ball of fire plummeted toward the ground. Weiss covered her face and began to sob. Wordlessly, Ruby held up Pokéballs for Meganium, Scizor, and Ledian, and returned them to the safety of their homes.

"Whatever happens, know that I love you," she whispered. She glanced around for Eevee but couldn't find him. Hopefully he'd found a safer place to hide than the rest of them. "Togetic!"

The tiny winged Pokémon floated toward her away from the battlefield. She was so small that Gyarados hadn't noticed her, and even the chimes of her Heal Bell weren't enough to get its attention. She had several scrapes and bruises, but her natural defenses coupled with Curse meant being hardier than expected.

"Togetic, I know you're tired and don't have much left, but I need one more Future Sight. I need to know how this plays out."

The fairy nodded and closed its eyes, concentrating on events in the not-so-distant future. When her eyes reopened they were glowing pink with psychic energy, and when they began to fade she cried out and frantically tugged on her trainer's sleeve as if to drag her away from the battle.

"It'll be okay," Ruby said, hugging her tightly and kissing her atop the head. "Thank you for everything, Togetic. You gave me the greatest gift anyone ever could. You taught me what it means to be a mom, and I love you so very much."

With one final kiss but without another word she returned Togetic to her Pokéball and stashed it deep inside her bag with the others. "I'm sorry about this, but it's the only way. Now I know how my mom felt..."

Ruby grabbed Weiss by the hand and tried dragging her away but the heiress fell face first in the mud. She tried lifting Weiss again but she was dead weight, and Ruby could barely keep herself upright as it was.

A fireball exploded nearby, and a blazing unicorn was sent soaring overhead.

"Rapidash!" Weiss cried, attempting to stand to no avail. She looked around for Froslass and Glaceon but both were conspicuously missing.

"We need to get the Pokémon back into their Pokéballs and hide," Ruby said. "We need-"

She paused as something seemed suddenly different. All around them the chaos ceased, and for the first time since Ruby could remember, it was quiet.

"No..."

Empoleon and Garchomp were lying face first in the mud. Unconscious, or perhaps worse...

"I'm sorry," Weiss sobbed. "Ruby, everyone, I'm so sorry! I'm-" Her heart stopped.

The Gyarados slowly slithered toward the only conscious creatures on the battlefield, intrigued by the tiny humans attempting to hide, but also furious they were still alive.

"Ruby, run," Weiss whispered. "Please, just go..."

The caped-girl took a cautious step in front of Weiss, then another, but just as she was about to take a third, a brown blur ran between her legs.

"EEVEE! NO!"

The foxlike Pokémon opened its mouth wide and ethereal energy began to form, but the newly learned Shadow Ball immediately began to dissipate. Undeterred, Eevee lowered its head and struck Gyarados with a lightning fast Quick Attack, but bounced harmlessly off its scales and fell into a puddle, making a pitiful splash in the process.

Before it could try again or be crushed by the massive slithering serpent, Ruby raised Eevee's Pokéball and returned him to his home and into her bag.

"Ruby," Weiss begged. "Please run. Hide. Do anything but stay here!"

"I don't think it's seen you yet," Ruby said over her shoulder. "You're covered in mud and it looks like it's having trouble seeing. Just stay quiet and keep low to the ground."

Ruby removed her hood and continued walking forward. Dangling from her outstretched hand was the Soothe Bell that Sakura had given her, it's chimes almost as heavenly as Togetic's. "Gyarados, please stop!" She came to a respectful halt in front of it. "None of us want to hurt you, and I'm sorry that we did. We're here to help you. You have to trust me!"

The crimson beast lowered its head, the smell of death and decay from its mouth almost making her faint.

"Ruby, run..."

The Gyarados seemed almost puzzled by a girl in the red cape, grinning in the face of death with an outstretched hand, but only for half a moment. In the blink of an eye Ruby was swept off her feet by the beast's tail and sent soaring over the trees and into the dwindling wall of flames.

"RUBY!" Weiss screamed, not caring if she drew the leviathan's attention.

A strange sensation came over her, urging her to get back on her feet. Begging or dying on one's knees was not the Schnee way, and so she wiped her tears and stared death in the face just as Ruby had, only without the smile.

"Let's just get this over with..." It was what she deserved after all, after making the most terrible mistake a trainer and friend could make. At least she wouldn't be too far behind Ruby, and hopefully Gyarados would leave her Pokémon alone.

She promised herself that she wouldn't close her eyes, but they shut tightly when she felt the beast's rancid breath on her face.

"Everyone stay back!" she ordered, sensing her Pokémon beginning to stir. "I'm sorry for all the times I lost my temper and for always being so hard on you. I only did it because I already knew that you were the best and wanted the rest of the world to know it too. I was the one having to keep up with you for all these years, and I'm sorry for holding you back. I'm sorry for everything. I love you all. I love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone. Please get somewhere safe, and afterward live your lives however you wish. Masters Pryce and Lance will find you good homes if you'd like. I-I love you, and I'm sorry..."

The ground shook beneath her but Weiss' trembling had nothing to do with it. Tears fell from her closed eyes, a part of her wishing these final few moments would last forever, and another wishing it'd just skip to the end.

She could sense the tail rearing back...

High pitched cries from above caused her eyes to shoot open, and squinting she saw the two remaining Dragonair flying above, their bodies blackened from the flames.

Weiss' hair stood up just before thunder clapped and twin lightning bolts struck Gyarados, causing it to scream in anger and agony like never before. It retaliated by unleashing several golden beams of light, one of which enveloped the smaller of the two serpentine dragons and caused it to plummet from the sky.

Stunned, Weiss looked and saw all her Pokémon gathering around while the last remaining Dragonair tried drawing its attention away. She was about to order them to run when she caught sight of a broken Pokégear lying in the mud, and suddenly her Schnee blood ran cold.

She screamed like a wounded animal and pointed at the monster.

"Empoleon, Giga Impact!"

"Garchomp, Dragon Rush!"

"Rapidash, Wild Charge!"

"Froslass, Shadow Ball!"

"Glaceon, Blizzard!"

"Staraptor, Brave Bird!"

Despite their countless injuries and utter exhaustion, Empoleon and Garchomp took the lead once more, one final time. Attack after attack struck, each Pokémon giving it everything they had left in order to protect their master, but all were tossed aside by Gyarados' flailing body.

Weiss picked up a burning branch and charged forward. "Again!" she commanded. "Don't stop until it's dead!"

Before she could strike the beast with her pitiful weapon, it let out a single roar and became enveloped in a crimson light, and in the blink of an eye disappeared.

Weiss blinked several times. Her vision was blurry, and the branch fell to the ground. Numb to the world and unsure whether she was alive or not, she dragged her feet to the path made by the sea serpent and found a green Pokéball with red marking attached to a Soothe Bell. With the battle finally over, the last remaining Dragonair drifted toward the ground, landing beside her lifeless baby sister.

"She captured it," Weiss whispered, thinking of how Ruby had held her arm out, almost as if trying to catch one of Gyarados' fins. "Ruby, she-"

Weiss took off running in the direction she had been sent flying in. She screamed Ruby's name, ignoring the many burns, bruises, and scrapes along the way, and fell several times trying to climb the hill. She limped along for several minutes, searching for any sign of where she might be.

"RUBY!"

A blast of psychic energy erupted overhead almost like a signal flare. "Future Sight," she said aloud.

Weiss took off running again but came to an abrupt halt and fell on her knees when she caught sight of a partially burned, tattered red cloak.

Underneath a blossoming tree and surrounded by her Pokémon was a girl crumbled and twisted in an unnatural position.

Meganium bayed loudly as she cradled her trainer with her vines and breathed on her face and numerous injuries. Eevee nudged her twisted arm, confused as to why she didn't want to play and why the other Pokémon were all crying. Scizor stood over her as if guarding his trainer, staring in disbelief while Togetic and Ledian screamed, cried, and nuzzled Ruby's chest like she was only sleeping.

After seemingly a lifetime together, the journey of Ruby Rose had come to an end...

(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. Before you get out your torches and pitchforks, let me just say that this isn't the first time a main character has died in Pokémon, and I did foreshadow a certain something in previous chapters (you'll find out what that is shortly). "The Road You Choose" is NOT coming to an end, and neither is Ruby's journey. I do want to apologize for any heartache this chapter might have caused, and I also apologize for the delay between updates. Chapters 7 and 8 honesty were honestly a happy accident and something I wrote and edited on a whim, and this chapter proved to be very difficult to write. I also wanted to get Chapter 10 written and the next arc outlined so that I wouldn't leave you on any major cliffhangers for too long, and I was busy finishing "The Patchwork Prodigy", working on other fics, as well as a couple of novels, so I haven't exactly been idle since the last update.

Gyarados is one of my all-time favorite Pokémon going all the way back to my first playthrough of Blue in 1998. It's called "The Atrocious Pokémon" for a reason, and I wanted to capture the sense of terror it commands. The S.S. Anne arc in the original series did a fantastic job at this, but I wanted to take it a step further seeing how the red Gyarados at Lake of Rage is stronger than the average Gyarados, and angrier as well. For all intents and purposes, this Gyarados was level 100 or beyond, and could've held its own against Legendary Pokémon. Also, back in Chapter 1, Ruby was searching for a Water-type Pokémon, and it seems she finally got her wish. Small, kind, and innocent Ruby Rose capturing a red Gyarados is just rather fitting if you ask me.

One major characteristic I wanted to portray with this chapter was Weiss' pride and bitterness compared to Ruby's humility and compassion, but also where those traits stem from. Weiss loves her Pokémon and being on a journey, and becoming a Master would mean being in control of her own life. Weiss realized too late just how powerful her opponent was, unlike Ruby who thought it was hopeless from the very beginning. Weiss' pride came back to bite her multiple times this chapter, and in the end it cost her the life of her only friend. It's very likely that the Ice Queen has finally surrendered her throne and crown for good.

As for Garchomp, I really wanted to give Weiss a pseudo-legendary, and I thought Garchomp would be a good fit seeing how she's been traveling in Sinnoh and might've been inspired by Cynthia. Being an Ice-type specialist, perhaps she sees taming and training a dragon as proof of her mastery. I also liked the hint that Weiss may have pushed it to evolve a little too soon as it fits with her impatient attitude in my opinion. As for Galarian Rapidash and Staraptor, I personally headcanon Froslass, Empoleon, Glaceon, and Rapidash as being gifted to her before or during her journey. Weiss with a unicorn just fits in my opinion, and it seems like something rich people would get for their daughters in the world of Pokémon instead of ponies. Staraptor however I headcanon as being the first Pokémon Weiss actually caught on her own (as a Starly or Staravia of course). She made mention of having another Rapidash from Sinnoh, so I'd assume she caught that one as well. She also has several others in her reserves as well, and we'll likely see them later in the story. This group of six however is her "main party", and I think she'll have a closer bond to them after this battle.

All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who has blessed me with this story and wonderful readers such as yourself. God bless)