AN: Hey everyone, I have the next chapter. This is big moment for the series and for Ruby Rose. She goes on to challenge her first Gym Leader. It was a lot of fun to write and has a lot of cool moments. With this as well, if you have suggestions to which Pokemon you want someone to eventually have, PM them to me with your reasoning. I cannot guarantee that it will happen, as I do a lot of planning in advance for this series. However, I have changed a lot of future lineups because to the suggestions people have already given me. Hope you enjoy this chapter, leave a review with your comments and questions, and have a nice day.
See the most recent Save State Chapter for Cover Art details.
Chapter 8 – Rock and Roll with It
After seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, Ruby exited the cave to arrive at her destination. She, Rosa, and Roman quickly knew what type of city this was. A mining city. The roads were a lighter shade of dirt, the houses all covered with a thin layer of dust, "Wow," Ruby spoke aloud, noticing a large building with a brown roof in the distance, "Is that the Gym?"
"Yep," Rosa said while leading the way, "If you're up for it, we can do the challenge now and-" She was saying until the trio saw someone in front of the entrance.
"Sorry, no challengers can enter the gym." The blocker spoke, "Roark is busy at the mines."
"Well, that sucks." Rosa said in disappointment, "I guess we'll just go to the Pokemon center and try again tomorrow."
"Why don't we go to the mines?" Ruby offered, "I've never seen how they dig up dust before."
"Dust?" Rosa asked before Ruby panicked.
"I uh-" Ruby was saying until Roman stood in front of her.
"Forget what she said. Red doesn't know the value of any mineral." Roman spoke up, "I however have a keen eye for that sort of thing, so let's take a look."
"Okay, cool." Rosa responded, "There was a similar town in my home region, so this should be fun." She said before leading the way.
Roman then looked back to Ruby, a scowl on his face, "I am getting tired of covering for your inability to keep your mouth shut." He said with her scowling back, "Now we have to visit some mine in the middle of nowhere."
"Come on, she said it might be fun." Ruby responded, "It could be like the mines in our world."
"Yeah, because mining is such a safe job people want to have." Roman sarcastically said before walking where Rosa went, "You look at the world through too pure of a lens, Red."
Ruby gritted her teeth, but then felt a wave a sadness come over her, "Weiss and Blake told me stories about the poor conditions of work for faunus at Atlas mines." She said before having a look of focus, walking towards the mines, "I hope it is not the same here for Pokemon."
Upon arriving in the mines, Roman and Ruby look on in shock. In addition to the machines moving the rubble, muscle Pokemon were carrying boulders towards a pile. Some of these Pokemon were a couple of feet tall, some at the same height as the orange-haired criminal, and others had four arms to lift even more. All people and Pokemon working had yellow hardhats on. Except for one duo, a young man wore a red helmet that almost matched his hair. He had on glasses and a gray mineworker's attire with yellow lining. Next to him was a bipedal Pokemon in the shape of a type of lizard. Its body was grey, but the tail was blue. The skull was also blue with white spikes on the sides but looked to be made of something stronger than stone. "Cranidos, use Headbutt!" he ordered the Pokemon.
"Crani," the charging Pokemon responded before crashing headfirst into a massive boulder. However, the stones shattered into bits, while the Pokémon's skull was not fractured, "Dos." The Pokemon then smiled as the man in the red helmet patted him on the head.
"Good job," the man in the red helmet said before noticing the trio nearby, "Oh, you must be here for a gym challenge?" he said before pointing to himself with a smile, "My name's Roark, I'm the gym leader of Oreburgh City."
"I'm Rosa," the energetic trainer introduced first, then pointed to the red hooded girl, "This is Ruby, the girl who wishes to challenge you." She then pointed to Roman, "This guy doesn't matter, you can ignore him."
"Rude," Roman scowled, but Rose tuck her tongue out at him.
Rosa then looked back at the Gym Leader's Pokemon, "I've never seen a Pokemon like that one before," She said before taking out her Pokedex, scanning the creature.
"Cranidos, The Headbutt Pokemon." The Pokedex spoke in a feminine voice, "It lived in jungles around 100 million years ago. Its skull is as hard as iron."
"Yikes," Ruby commented, "That's one strong skull." She then had a look of confusion, "Wait, how this Pokemon still around after all those years."
"It was a fossil Pokemon we resurrected." Roark answered with Ruby still having a look of confusion, causing him then to chuckled, "You must be one of the new trainers for the worldwide league. Am I the first gym you're challenging?" He asked with her nodding, "Awesome, I consider it honor to accept your challenge." Roark said before having a look of sorrow, "But, I cannot battle today. Work at the mines has tried out a lot of my Pokemon."
"It's fine, I completely understand." Ruby quickly responded. In looking around, she saw more of the muscular Pokemon sitting next to mineworkers, each eating sandwiches on their break, "It's good that you aren't overstressing anyone here."
Roman looked around as well, seeing steel blue conveyer belts pulling blacks rock into factories, "So, this is a coal mine?" he asked the gym leader.
"Yes sir," Roark responded, noticing Roman examining more of the mines, "We have a ventilation system in place so that no harmful gases can affect people or Pokemon. Trainers can even use the deeper mine to practice and, if they want to take a pickaxe, possibly find some rare stones."
"Rare stones?" Rosa spoke up, "Ruby, you should do that. I can help you out a lot in the future."
"It can?" Ruby responded, "How?"
"Trust me," Rosa replied before looking back to Roark, "We'll help out as much as we can today, but Ruby deserves a gym battle first thing in the morning."
"Of course, I look forward to it." Roark responded before pointing to his left, "You can take a hardhat, pair of gloves, and pickaxe over there." He said before adjusting his hardhat, "Thank you again for your help."
The trio gained their equipment and walked into the mine. Roman looked around, seeing the metal vents in the corners. The lights on the roof of the cave. He let out a sigh before stopping at a wall, "Well, these conditions aren't that bad." The orange-haired criminal said to himself, "At least I can breathe here."
"Were you a minework before?" Ruby asked before she started swinging her pickaxe at a rock.
"You don't need to know my past, and I don't need to know yours." Roman responded as he focused on mining, "Some things are best left unknown, Red."
Ruby looked over to Roman, seeing a look in his eyes unlike before. Unlike the usual cocky attitude, they looked of sorrow as he minded. Ruby did not say another word but looked away to continue her mining.
After a while of striking stones with a metal pick, the trio was starting to get exhausted, "There's just coal!" Rosa groaned, "Where's are all the cool stuff hidden?" She said before seeing Ruby bashing her pickaxe against the wall in a slashing motion, "Uh, isn't it kind of dangerous to swing it like that?"
"Oh, sorry." Ruby said with a giggle as she stopped, "Muscle memory must have kicked in there." She said before noticing something in her wall, "Eh?" the red hooded girl knelt to push aside some of the dirt, revealing a luminous rock with a yellow center. "What's this?" She asked as Rosa walked over.
"Wow, you found a Shiny Stone!" Rosa said before putting her hand on her chin, "Down the line, that will be very useful."
"How?" Ruby asked, "It's it just a pretty rock, right?"
"More than that," Rosa responded with a grin, "Hold onto it for right now." She then looked over to Roman, "Have you found anything?"
"No," Roman groaned as he struck nothing but dirt and stone, "Red got lucky finding something of value this high up, we would need to further down if we want to- " Suddenly, a small blue bat with no eyes appeared in front of his face, "AAHHH!" Roman screamed as he fell on his back, astonished as this creature. Behind him, he heard the giggling of the two girls as Roman gritted his teeth, "You little!" The orange-haired criminal said as picked up rocks, throwing them at the blue bat Pokemon. However, each missed as the wild Pokemon continued to screech and flap his wings.
"Here, use this." Rose offered as she handed something to Roman. He took the item and tossed at the blue bat Pokemon, this one colliding. However, Roman gasped as what he threw was a Pokeball. It ensured the blue bat Pokemon, shaking three times, then clicked. Roman slowly turned back to Rosa with a scowl on his face, "Hey, you've fallen for that twice now." Rosa said with a smirk, "That's shame on you." She said with Roman remaining speechless, "But hey, you got a Zubat now."
Hours later.
Night had fallen over Oreburgh City. In the Pokemon Center, Roman rested in his room. His Murkrow was asleep, nesting in the bowler hat. In the upper corner of the room, the orange-haired criminal looked up at his Zubat hanging upside down. However, Roman could not tell if the blue bat Pokemon was asleep or just watching his trainer. "That thing better not bite me in the middle of the night," Roman said to himself before sleepy closing his eyes.
A few rooms over, Rosa was already asleep in her bed. Nearby, Ruby looked out the window, smiling at the unbroken moon. She then looked back on her bed. Starly was resting on the bedpost. Bedew as asleep at the red hooded girl's right hip. Eevee yawned as she laid on Ruby's stomach, "Tomorrow, we have to tackle a gym battle." She while petting Eevee on the head, "I'm counting on the three of you, and I won't let you down."
The next morning.
The trio regrouped at the entrance of the gym. This time, they were able to enter and make their way to a large rock arena. To the left-hand side, bleachers were seen. Rose and Roman walked to their seats, while Ruby took her stance at her end of the arena. On the other side, Roark stood with his arms crossed. "I hope you had a good rest, Ruby." He said before adjusting his red hardhat, smiling while doing so, "Because this will be the toughest battle you've faced so far." He said with Ruby smiling back with a look of determination.
In between the arena and bleachers, a judge for the battle stood. He wore a yellow mineworker's uniform and blue bandana, "The battle will be the Gym Leader, Roark, against the Challenger, Ruby." He addressed, "This will be a three-on-three match. The winner will be the one who defeats the other's Pokemon." He said as each battler gripped a Pokeball. "Begin!"
"Eevee, Let's go," Ruby called out she threw her ball.
"Eev!" the foxlike Pokemon spoke as she landed on the battlefield.
"Geodude, you're up first!" Roark said as he threw his ball, sending out a light brownish boulder with arms and a face.
"Geo!" Geodude said as he held up his fist.
"…" Roman had no words, looking at a rock with a face and arms.
"Let's start strong," Ruby called out, "Use Swift!" Eevee responded by shooting stars out of her mouth.
"Geodude, use Defense Curl." Roark countered.
"Dude," Geodude responded before hugging his body with his arms. The swift connected with a small explosion. However, as the smoke cleared, the rock Pokemon had taken almost no damage.
"Normal type moved are not effective against rock types." Roark said before pointing, "Geodude, use Rollout." He said before the rock Pokemon began to spin at high speed, charging towards the foxlike Pokemon.
"Then, it's time for our secret weapon." Ruby spoke up while smiling, "Eevee, use Dig!"
"Eev!" Eevee while burrowing into the ground, evading the rollout. Roark gasped as Geodude stopped his rotations. Suddenly, Eevee erupted underneath the rock Pokemon, "Eevee!" the foxlike Pokemon said as she launched Geodude into a larger rock.
Rosa smiled as she clenched her fist, "Yes, I knew teaching Eevee Dig would come in handy." She said before seeing Geodude clench his fists, "But it's still not going to be easy."
"Geodude, use Rock Throw!" Roark ordered with his Pokemon launching some nearby stones at the foxlike Pokemon.
"Eevee, dodge and go for Quick Attack," Ruby called out with Eevee following. As fast as she could, the foxlike Pokemon crashed into the rock pokemon's face. Geodude fell back slightly from the impact, causing Ruby to smile. However, the red hooded girl gasped as Geodude reached out his arms, grabbing Eevee.
"Got you," Roark called out, "Geodude, use Seismic Toss!"
"Geo!" Geodude called out before ascending into the air, holding Eevee to prevent her from escaping. After reaching a certain height, the two rocketed back down to the arena, "Dude." The rock Pokemon called out before throwing Eevee into the ground, creating a small crater on collision. Ruby panicked as Eevee struggled to get up, when Geodude landed back on the ground with a small quake.
"Geodude, finish it off with Rollout!" Roark ordered before his Pokemon began spinning.
"Eevee, you have to use Dig!" Ruby called out as her Pokemon began to tunnel. However, a line of sweat ran down her face as Geodude was approaching faster than before. "Come on," Ruby said under breath. At the last second, Eevee took shelter underground, the hairs on her tail skimming against the rock Pokémon's spinning body, "Yes!" the red hooded girl cheered, "Now, hit him with everything you got!"
"Eevee!" the foxlike Pokemon broke out of the ground and crashed into her opponent.
"Geo!" Geodude called out as he was launched into the sky, then smashed into a large bounder. As the dust settled, the rock Pokemon's eyes were swirling, "Dude..." He said before fainting.
"Geodude is unable to battle." The judge called out as he raised his left arm.
"Awesome Ruby!" Rosa called out, "One down, two to go." She said with Ruby smiling back. However, the energetic trainer then looked to Roman, "Are you going to cheer too?"
"I'm good," Roman responded, causing Rosa to pout.
Roark returned his Pokemon, "Not bad, Ruby," he said before taking out a new ball, "Time to kick things up a bit." The gym leader said before tossing the ball, "Onix. you're up!"
Emerging from the Pokeball was a massive snake made of grey rock, "Uwar!" the Pokemon roared as Ruby and Eevee gasped.
"That thing's huge!" Ruby commented, but gritted her teeth and pointed, "Eevee, use Dig!"
"That strategy isn't going to work anymore." Roark said with a grin, "Onix, use Dig!"
"Uwar!" Onix roared before ramming into the ground, tunneling through the rock and dirt at quaking speed.
The arena shook before the floor erupted, "Eevee!" the foxlike Pokemon cried in pain as Onix launched her out of the ground and into the sky. Eevee bounced off the ground, struggling to get up as Ruby gasped.
"Onix, set up Stealth Rocks!" Roark called out as his Pokemon fired a white light of his body. The light manifest into grey jagged stones that littered the arena.
"That doesn't look good," Roman commented.
Ruby sweated as she saw Eevee finally stand up, "Eevee, t-try a Quick Attack." She said with the foxlike Pokemon rushing in as fast as she could.
"Onix, Double Edge!" Roark countered.
"Uwar!" Onix spoke as it charged forward, his body glowing in a golden aura. The two Pokemon collided head-on, but Ruby's was easily overpowered. Eevee was launched into a massive boulder, breaking through it before coming to a stop.
"Oh no, Eevee!" Ruby cried out, seeing her Pokemon had fainted.
"Eevee is unable to battle," The judge said as he raised his right arm.
Rosa had a look of worry, "That Onix is really strong," She said in while seeing the rock snake roar again.
Ruby returned her Pokemon to its ball, "You did great, leave the rest to the others." She said before taking a different Pokeball out, "Starly, come on out!" the red hooded girl said before throwing out the ball.
"Starly!" The starling Pokemon said as he emerged into battle. Ruby smiled, but then gasped as the grey stones emerged from the ground, "Star?" Stary said before the rocked crashed into his body, creating a massive explosion.
"Starly!" Ruby called in a panic as her Pokemon laid on the ground, struggling to get up. "What happened?"
"Stealth Rocks." Roark called out, "Every time you send out a new Pokemon, they will take damage from the rocks Onix set." He said before crossing his arms, "And flying Pokemon will take even more damage."
"Uwar!" Onix roared as Starly tried to stand up.
"Star…" Starly said before expanding his wings, "Ly!"
"That's right, we're not going to let a few rocks stand in our way of winning!" Ruby said as her smile returned, then pointing at the rock snake Pokemon, "Starly, use Steel Wing!" She said as her Pokemon charged in with her metal feathers.
"Oh, so that's your plan." Roark responded, "In that case, Onix, use Iron Tail."
"Uwar!" Onix spoke before swinging his tail end, causing it to glow with a silver shine.
"Star!" Starly said as he clashed his steel wing with the iron tail, causing a metallic sound to echo through the arena. While both Pokemon recoiled from the clash, Starly sorrowed in with the other wing still glowing, "Starly!" The starling Pokemon said as he collided with a direct hit to the rock snake pokemon's throat.
"Onix, Double Edge!" Roark ordered his Pokemon charged with the yellow aura.
"Dodge it," Ruby said as Starly evaded the assault, "Now, Steel Wing again."
"Starly!" the Starling Pokemon spoke before colliding with both wings on the back of Onix's head, "Star!" he spoke with a confident grin.
"Oh no," Ruby panicked, "Starly, watch ou-"
"Too late," Roark spoke up, "Use Iron Tail!"
"Star?" Starly spoke before realizing his position, the tail came from behind and slammed into his back, "Starly!" he screamed before being crashed through a boulder and skidding on the ground. the starling pokemon's body was battered and barely able to move.
"Come on, get up," Ruby called out, her pokemon's eye closed, but was twitching.
"Starly, you can do it," Rosa encouraged.
"…" Roman sat with his arms crossed but did sigh. While closing his eyes, he reached down and pressed the button on one of his pokeballs.
The judge was about to raise his hand, "Starly is unab-"
"Murkrow!" the blackbird Pokemon squawked, interrupted the judge. Everyone turned to see Murkrow standing on Roman's hat, but Murkrow was focused on Starly, "Mur Murkrow! Mur!" he called out while flapping his wings, "Murkrow!"
Suddenly, Starly's eyes shot open, "Star!" the starling Pokemon spoke as he pushed himself up, "Starly!" he spoke while expanding his wings.
"It looks like Starly still has some fight left in him," Roark commended, "Too bad Onix still going strong."
"Starly!" Starly growled, but the volume grew louder, "STARLY!" he yelled as a pulse wave ran through the arena.
"Uwar?" Onix said as he recoiled in pain.
"Onix!?" Roark said before looking to Starly, "I get it now, he just learned Endeavor."
"Endeavor?" Ruby inquired.
"It's a move that reduced the opponent's health to that of the users." Rosa commented, "Since Starly is at his limit, now Onix is as well."
"So, one shot will decide it." Ruby said before grinning, "Starly, put everything you got into one more Steel Wing!"
"Star!" Starly said before sowing into battle with his metal wings.
"Onix, finish it off with Double Edge!" Roark ordered.
"Uwar!" Onix roared as he charged in with the yellow aura. The two collided in midair, creating an explosion of black smoke. After a few seconds of silence, the rock snake pokemon's body fell onto the arena, "Uwar…" His eyes were swirling as Starly was perched on top of the head, puffing out his chest.
"Starly!" Starly spoke as he extended his wings.
"Onix is unable to battle." The judge called out.
"Starly, you did it!" Ruby cheered, seeing her Pokemon looked back to her. However, something happened. Starly's body glowed in white light, "What?"
The shape of Starly expanded. On the head, the feathers grew and coiled a bit. As the light faded, the larger bird expanded his wings, "Staravia!"
"What just happened?" Roman asked.
"Something awesome!" Rosa said as her eyes lit up, "Starly evolved into Staravia!"
"Evolved?" Ruby inquired as the starling Pokemon flew over.
"Star!" Staravia spoke, a confident grin on his face.
"Heh, you're still the same Pokemon though," Ruby said before hugging Staravia.
"Mur," Murkrow spoke with a grin before Roman put him back in the Pokeball. Rosa turned to the orange hired criminal with a smirk, but he simply looked away.
"Good job, it's rare that someone could beat Onix with such a large type disadvantage." Roark said as he returned his Pokemon, "But now, here comes my ace partner." The gym leader said before tossing the ball, "Go, Cranidos!"
The headbutt Pokemon emerged, both feet landed on the ground, "Cranidos!"
Ruby finished her hug as she and Staravia looked to their opponent's last Pokemon, "One more to go," She said before looking back to her partner, "You ready?"
"Staravia!" the staling Pokemon said with a nod, then flew back into battle.
"Okay then, let's go!" Ruby said with a smile, "Staravia, use End-"
"Cranidos, Zen Headbutt!" Roark called out.
"Crani," The headbutt Pokemon said before leaping forward at high speed. The blue skull began to glow as Staravia flinched. "Dos!" The headbutt collided, launching the starling Pokemon into the wall.
Ruby gasped as she looked back, "Star…" Staravia spoke before fainting.
"Staravia is unable to battle." The judge said as he raised his right hand.
"This isn't good, Ruby only has one Pokemon left." Rosa commented as Ruby returned Staravia, "But once she sends her out, the Stealth Rocks with take effect." She said as the red hooded girl took out her last pokeball. However, Ruby paused herself before smirking, "Huh, what did she realize?"
"I need you to trust me," Ruby said before throwing her last ball, "Go, Budew!"
The bud Pokemon emerged in midair with a smile, "Budew." She spoke before seeing the stealth rocks emerge, "Bud?" Budew spoke before the rocks crashed into her body, pressing against the ground to create a dust cloud.
"A grass type, that could be dangerous." Roark commented, "Cranidos, once the dust settles, charge in with a Zen Headbutt."
"Crani," the headbutt Pokemon said before his head started to glow. A few seconds later, the dust settled. However, Budew was nowhere to be seen, "Dos?"
"W-what?" Roark responded, "Where could it have-" Roark said before his eyes widened, realizing the hole left by the Eevee's dig. He then remembered where Ruby threw the Pokeball, seeing Budew right over that hole before the rocks came down, "Oh no!" the gym leader said as his Pokemon was looking around.
Suddenly, the bud Pokemon jumped out of the hole to Cranidos' back right, "Budew!"
"Go Budew, use Mega Drain!" Ruby ordered as her Pokemon unleashed its green energy.
"Crani!" Cranidos said before ensnared by the green energy, losing his strength.
"Cranidos, use Flamethrower!" Roark called out, causing the green energy to fade. The Headbutt Pokemon opened his mouth, breathing fire towards his opponent.
"Budew, jump back in the hole," Ruby ordered with the bud Pokemon doing so, evading the flamethrower.
"That won't save her this time." Roark responded, "Cranidos, Flamethrower in the hole." He said with the headbutt Pokemon walking over to the hole Budew jumped in, the flames already at his jaws.
"I thought you would do that," Ruby said with Roark having a look of confusion, "Budew, use Water Sport!" Suddenly, a blast of water shot out of the hole and into Cranidos' mouth. The flames went out at the headbutt Pokemon coughed in pain, "We have him, let's finish this with Solar Beam!"
"Bud!" Budew said as she jumped out of a hole, charging a has her body glowed in the radiance of the sun.
"We don't think so," Roark responded while pointing, "Use Head Smash!" He said before Cranidos charged in with a powerful blue aura around his entire body.
"Hold on!" Ruby called out before the collided, which resulted in the bud Pokemon being flung into a large rock. The stones crumbled on Budew, burning her as the aura faded from Cranidos, "Budew!" Ruby cried out but was met with only silence.
Suddenly, light began to shine through the gaps in the stones. The rocks began to move as Budew emerged, "Bud…" she spoke as her radiance still glowed, despite her heavy damage. Cranidos had a look of panicked as Budew grinned, "DEW!" Budew screamed before launching the solar beam from his head.
A blast of solar energy rocketed at the gym leader's Pokemon. "Cranidos!" Roark called out, but it was too late. The beam collided with the headbutt Pokémon's entire body, carrying him through multiple pillars of stones before blasting into the wall. As the beam settled, Cranidos laid on his back, fainted, and unable to speak.
"Cranidos is unable to battle," the judge said before pointing to the red hooded trainer, "The winner is the challenger, Ruby!"
"She did it!" Rosa cheered as she was jumping with joy. She then looked over to Roman, who had his arms crossed, "Did I see you crack a smile?"
"No, you didn't," Roman responded.
"I think I did," Rosa said with her hand on her chin.
"No. You. Did. Not." Roman articulated before looking away, but Rosa was still smirking.
In the arena, Budew was wobbling before falling back. However, she did not hit the ground as Ruby caught her. The bud Pokemon looked up at her trainer, both smiling at their victory.
"That was an impressing battle." Roark said as he walked over to Ruby, "You came in with a plan, but more importantly, you knew how to adapt when your plan wasn't working." He said before offering his right hand, "I am pleased to give you the Coal Badge as proof of your victory." He said a small brown badge in the shape of a boulder and Pokeball combined.
"Thank you," Ruby said with a smile as she took the badge in her left hand, holding Budew in her right. "We did it!" Ruby said to the bud Pokemon, "We won a gym battle!" the red hooded trainer cheered.
"Budew!" the bub Pokemon cheered as well.
Later that day.
The trio regrouped at the Pokemon center, waiting at a table as Ruby's Pokemon were getting healed, "So, that's one out of four, right?" Roman asked Rosa.
"Yep," Rosa said before crossing her arms, "Back in my day, we needed to collect twice that." She said before looking to Ruby, "But, the second gym battle will be harder the first. The best thing for you to do now is train before we go to the next region."
"Okay, that sounds like a plan." Ruby said before hearing her name on the intercom, "Oh, everyone is all healed up." She said leaving her seat, "I'll be right back."
After she left, Roman turned to Rosa, "Hey, I kind of want to keep the travel train going." He said with Rosa raising an eyebrow, "I checked her ranking, but she barely shows up in polls."
"Well, yeah, it's only her first badge." Rosa responded, "Give her time, and more people will see her potential grow."
"I'd rather speed it up." Roman said, "What region would give her the most publicity during a gym battle?"
"Hmmm," Rosa said with her hand on her chin, "I know one that might work." She said as Ruby walked over with her three pokeballs, "Hey Ruby, I think I know a good place to train before your next Gym Battle."
"Hey," Roman interrupted, "Were you listening to me?"
"I was, reluctantly." Rosa responded with a smirk, "Don't worry, this place is in that same region. The gym battles there are BIG!" The energetic trainer said before crossing her arms, "We're going to Galar."
AN: There you go, a big chapter for a lot of reasons. Roman catches a Zubat, one that already creeps him out. But more than that, Ruby takes on Roark. (A lot of characters whose names start with R in this section). With him, I gave his Pokemon more of the moves they had in the anime to make the battle more intense. (Also, I know Cranidos is technically the Head Butt Pokemon. However, that is stupid and obviously a typo, so it is Headbutt Pokemon for this series). Still, Ruby was able to pull through. Eevee shows that she knows dig. Starly pulls off Endeavor and evolves, the first time Ruby has seen such a thing here. And Budew secures the win, finally landing her solar beam. Next time we come back to them; the Rs Trio will be heading to Galar for training before a Gym battle. However, we need to go back to Yang, Neo, and Leaf. They make it to a different region, ready to take on a couple of Gyms and expand their parties. That is all for now, thanks for reading, and hope to see you in the next chapter.