Garnet stared out the window, leg crossed over the other as she read the pamphlet in her hand. The train had left the station in Ocean Town about half an hour ago, travelling across the beautiful ocean. The gem gripped her leg a little, remembering what happened with Malachite. Thank goodness they found her… Garnet loosened her grip, looking down at the pamphlet again. There were many people today, she thought. Some were from Ocean Town, Empire City, Beach City, and what she assumed were the locals of the Regions she might be passing. She hadn't seen the Region in so long, it might've changed while she was gone. She would've taken the Warp Pad, but the one in the Region was broken. Against her own good instinct, she had broken a few rules to sneak on the train. Steven wouldn't have approved of it.

"Excuse me. May I sit with you, ma'am?" Garnet looked up as a man approached her. He was a very tall man with orange-red hair and a black suit. On his left middle finger was a ring bearing a rainbow-colored stone. "Of course." Garnet sat closer to the window as the man sat beside her, taking out a journal and a small device that she assumed to be a different version of the Pokedex. Different design for different Regions. He opened the journal with a flick of the thumb, the Pokédex lighting to life as it showed a lion with a large red and orange mane as if on fire. 'With fiery breath of more than 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit, they viciously threaten any challenger. The females protect the pride's cubs,' Garnet recited to herself quietly. "Beautiful day, isn't it?" The gem nodded, keeping her hands in her lap. She had seen a man with similar looks before, but that was years ago. Surely, he couldn't be related to him…

"Where are you heading today?"

"Hoenn. I haven't been there in a while."

"Mmm. It's a nice Region. Perhaps, if the chance comes up, you can see the Kalos Region. I've heard its beauty is fading quickly." Garnet closed her eyes, hand gripping her leg before placing her other hand on his shoulder. "Be careful, then. If things go the wrong way, it'll get heated quickly." The man raised a brow, shaking his head before looking up at her. "You don't seem to be one for conversation."

"I'm… nervous, that's all. I finally got around to travelling, but it's so… strange." The man nodded, shutting the journal. "I know the feeling. I was visiting these smaller towns to do some research, but it felt strange to be out of Kalos. Once you've been to a place where Pokémon do not roam, you wonder how much of the world doesn't know. Same way with going to a place where they do roam." Garnet nodded, staring out the window. She really didn't want to conversate with him, but it'll pass the time, she thought. She turned to look at him once more, adjusting her visor. "Well, I'm sure one day, everybody will know about Pokémon."

"I hope so as well." The man looked at Garnet, holding a hand out to her. "Lysandre." The gem looked at his hand, taking it carefully to avoid her gem from brushing his fingers. "Estelle."

Garnet hopped off the train, looking at a map she had in her hand. "If you head out in that direction, you'll hit Littleroot. It's a very small town with only two houses and the Pokémon lab, but if you're looking to pick one up before your journey, that's the best place to get one. It's dangerous to travel the Region without a Pokémon by your side."

"I see.. Thank you, Lysandre. I hope your research goes well," Garnet responded as she picked up a backpack, waving to Lysandre as she went south. The train had arrived to Rustboro City, home of the Rock-Type Gym and the main headquarters of Devon Corporation. Garnet would have to travel past Petalburg Woods and Petalburg City and two Routes to get to Littleroot. It wouldn't be a problem if it wasn't for blending in, but there wasn't much time. She would just catch the Pokémon, check on the Orbs, and then leave. Garnet ran across the city grounds, heading for the gate. Rustboro was still very far from Littleroot, after all.

The gem dashed across the lake separating the City and Woods, making a sharp turn as she entered the Woods. She leaped over the small hills that led to the other side of the wooded area, stepping out into the sunlight once again. Garnet hunched over, running a little faster until she ran head first into a person, falling over and hitting the ground with a thud. The thud, to her surprise, was hard enough to separate her into the two gems that made up the fusion.

Ruby sat up right away, eyes wide as she helped Sapphire up. "Oh my gosh, Sapphire! Are you ok?! Did I hurt you?" Sapphire nodded, brushing her hair from her face. "No, no. I'm fine. Are you hurt?" The red gem teared up, kissing the blue gem's forehead. "Who cares?" Sapphire took her hand, returning the loving gesture with a chuckle. "I do." The two giggled, hugging each other tightly before turning to the person they bumped in. It was a young boy with green hair and pale skin. He let out a heavy cough with a hand on his chest, sitting up with a deep breath.

"Oh my goodness. We are so sorry," Sapphire said as she walked up to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. Ruby hurried to her side, taking out a bottle of water from their backpack, which had been thrown with them when they unfused. "Here. Drink this." The boy opened the bottle with a shaky hand, drinking the contents with a sigh. "Th-Thank you… I-I didn't see you and I-" The boy coughed again, covering his mouth. "Sorry, I don't feel so good."

"Well, here. Keep the water. We can get more later on," Ruby said as she placed a hand on the boy's hand. "We're so sorry about that. We got ahead of ourselves and we didn't see you coming. We hope we didn't hurt you." The boy chuckled, drinking the water slowly. "It's alright. I understand how it feels to get excited about going on an adventure." Sapphire nodded, smiling as the boy closed the bottle. "We were on our way to the Pokémon Lab in Littleroot to pick up our very own Pokémon."

"You don't have Pokémon yet?" The two gems shook their heads. "Well, you better get there quick and try to avoid grassy paths and Trainers. I-I'm Wally, by the way. What are your names?" Ruby smiled, pointing at herself with her thumb. "I'm Ruby and this is Sapphire." Sapphire bowed, keeping her bangs over her eyes as Wally stood. "It was nice bumping into you, Ruby and Sapphire. If you get Pokémon, be sure to battle me sometime, alright?"

"We'll make sure of it," Ruby said as she waved goodbye,taking Sapphire's hand as they walked alongside one another down the path. The two walked through the small town of Petalburg, waving to people that they passed. "So, what do you intend on getting, Sapphire? I'm thinking of something that matches me in a way. Like one of the Fire Types. Fighting Type, too. Oh, oh, oh! Fire AND Fighting!"

"You're so excited, Ruby. It's like you've been waiting for this day," Sapphire joked, giggling at the gem's hype. "Though, it's a good thing. I think,if given the chance,I would like to retrieve a Pokémon that is a Psychic Type. Like that Ralts Connie mentioned. For now, we must pick up one of the many basic Starter Pokémon of the Region. I might take the Water Type."

"Mm. I wonder what it'll be," Ruby pondered as they stepped off of Route 102 and turned to the right, heading south from Oldale Town. They were nearly there. Ruby looked at Sapphire, humming their little tune. The blue gem smiled as she joined in, spinning around Ruby with a chuckle. She turned to the gem, bowing in her direction. Might as well pass the time again."Why, hello. It's quite a surprise to meet you here in Hoenn."

"Well, I come and go. Haven't I seen you before?"

"I don't know. I don't get off planet much." The two broke into a fit of giggles, holding their sides as they arrived to a small slope on Route 101. Ruby climbed down first, reaching her arms up as Sapphire hopped down, landing in her arms. "Gotcha." The blue gem chuckled, holding on as Ruby ran through the Route, hopping over the last two slopes until she reached a small town surrounded by woods. This was Littleroot, no doubt. The red gem placed Sapphire down as they approached the Pokémon Lab, hand in hand. "This is the place. I wonder who is in charge."

"If they're anything like the old Professor from centuries before, then perhaps they might know of us through stories," Sapphire muttered, placing a hand under her chin. "I'll go in first. Will you be alright without me, Sapphy?" The blue gem nodded, placing a cheek on the red gem's cheek. "I will be. Now, go in and get a Starter." Ruby smiled at Sapphire, stepping through the door slowly as it opened.