AN: Hey everyone, I have the next chapter here. I am back for more of this series right before Pokemon Legends: Arceus comes out. This point in the series, all five league trainers have four Pokemon and two badges. Now, we return to the RRR group as they drop down in the Kalos region. This section is one of my favorites for series so far, I am so happy to be back to this storyline. 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 31 – Stones Throw
A Corviknight taxi just touched ground with Ruby, Rosa, and Roman exiting. The red hooded trainer looked around in amazement. "Wow!" she said at the large city, "This looks even more like Vale than Galar did." However, her eyes focused in on the large tower in the distance, "Is that-"
"Prism Tower." Rosa responded, "That confirms it, we're in Kalos now. More specifically Lumiose City." She said before having a look of confusion, "But what was that place you mentioned before?"
"Uh?" Ruby said with Roman glaring at her, causing her to point at the next thing she saw, "Look, a kid riding a goat." She said with the others looking at a child riding a brown and white fur Pokemon with leaves on its back. Its horns were like the handles of a motorbike.
"Oh, a Gogoat," Rosa said as she took out her Pokedex. "Gogoat, the Mount Pokémon. It can tell how its Trainer is feeling by subtle shifts in the grip on its horns. This empathic sense lets them run as if one being." The Pokedex informed. Rosa closed her device before seeing a sign with the image of a Gogoat on it, "I guess they use them to get around the city."
"Maybe I can ride one," Ruby spoke.
"Better yet, you can catch one," Rosa responded, "Another grass type can help with the upcoming electric gym."
"Yeah, that sounds great. Let's go and find-" Ruby was saying until Roman put his right hand on her head.
"No need Red," Roman spoke with a smirk, "I have a plan." He said with Ruby glaring at him for taking her line, "You see, I did a little research and found out that most of the Pokemon we have evolve with stones."
"He has a point," Rosa commented, "Some Pokemon will not evolve to their final form without an evolutionary stone."
"Of course, which is why I picked this spot for the taxi to drop us off," Roman said while pointing to a store nearby, one with a sign that showed a rock on it. Under the image read the name of the store, The Stone Emporium.
The trio walked up and entered the establishment. Inside was a tiled floor with multiple display cases around the walls. Ruby walked up and looked at the cases, seeing stones of all different colors and names, "Fire stone, Thunder stone, Leaf stone?" She said before turning to Rosa, "How do I know which stone to use?"
"Doesn't matter, I'm buying them all." Roman responded, turning to the cashier with a smile, "We'll take one of each."
"I'm sorry sir, but I can only allow one purchase per person." The cashier said.
"What!? Why?" Roman responded.
"World League rules to prevent people from scalping stones to other combatants." The cashier answered.
"Tsk," Roman scoffed before looking back at the display case, seeing all the stones, "Hmm."
"Roman," Ruby spoke as she moved to stand in front of him, "Don't think of stealing them."
"Do you assume that little of me, Red?" Roman asked.
"Do you?" Ruby asked.
"Fair enough," Roman said with a shrug, but Ruby scowled, "We can only get three then?"
"We'll make it work," Ruby answered but then had a look of confusion as she turned back at the case, "But, which ones do we get?"
"I'll handle this," Rosa said as she pushed Roman aside, causing him to glare at her, "We'll take one Fire Stone and one Dusk Stone." She said before holding her hand to her chin, noticing a small box in the display, "And the one in that box."
"This one, it's a new import from Alola." The cashier said before getting the box, opening it to show a light blue stone emitting a colling white smoke, "It's an Ice Stone."
"Cool," Ruby said as she looked at the stone, causing Roman to look at her with half-open eyes.
"We'll take them," Rosa said as the cashier nodded and packaged the items, then handed it to the energic trainer, "Roman, pay the man." She said with Roman glaring again before paying the cashier. After walking out of the store, Rosa reached into the bag and grabbed two of the stones, handing the dusk stone to Roman and the fire stone to Ruby, "There you go, with those, you can evolve Murkrow and Growlithe into their final evolution." Roman then took out his first pokemon's ball. He then turned to Ruby, who held out the canine pokemon's ball. The two tossed the balls into the air with the Pokemon emerging.
"Growl!" Growlithe barked upon emerging.
"Mur!" Murkrow squawked before purchasing on Roman's hat.
"So… How does it work?" Ruby asked, "Do they eat it or?"
"No, just touch it to the pokemon's skin," Rosa responded.
"Oh, it's that easy?" Ruby responded with Rosa nodding. She then knelt to her Pokemon, who was sniffing the road, "Growlithe, do you want to evolve?"
"Growl?" Growlithe responded in confusion, then locked eyes with the fire stone. As he gazed at the flame, something inside him felt like it was calling out. The canine Pokemon looked back to Ruby with the same determination, causing the red hooded trainer to smile and nod. She gently placed the evolutionary stone against his forehead. Suddenly, Growlithe felt something within him awaken as his body glowed in a white light. Ruby gasped as the stone vanished and her pokemon's size grew, causing her to stand and take a few steps back. As the light faded, the canine Pokemon sat taller than his trainer. The fur was the same colors but was now more disheveled and the lighter shade covered more of the face and legs, "Raaaaaa!" blazing canine Pokemon howled.
"What was in that rock!?" Roman asked Rosa with her shrugging.
"Oh," Ruby said in shock, then had a wide smile, "You're so big and fluffy!" she said before hugging her newly evolved Pokemon. Rose smiled as she took out her Pokedex, "Arcanine, Legendary Pokémon. Its proud and regal appearance has captured the hearts of people since long ago. It runs agilely as if on wings."
"Ra," Arcanine said with a smile before licking the top of Ruby's head, causing her to giggle.
"You know," Rosa commented with her hand on her chin, "This guy might prove a better ride that a Gogoat would." She said with Ruby looking back in excitement, "Maybe not around here, but I think there is a nearby route that might be open enough for the two of you to run around."
"Oh, that sounds so cool!" Ruby responded.
"Yeah, that can also help Arcanine get used to his new evolution before the gym battle." Rosa said before looking back to Roman, "That okay with you?"
"Fine," Roman said with a sigh before looking at the dusk stone, "At least we know these stones work." than at his looked up to the blackbird Pokemon, "Okay, your turn." He said to Murkrow while moving the stone towards it.
However, the blackbird Pokemon moved its body out of the way, "Mur!" He squawked.
"Hey, hold still!" Roman responded in slight rage as he tried again. Again, Murkrow moved out of the way with a raised beck, "Stop it, I need you to evolve. The last couple times I used you in a fight you sucked, and this will make you stronger-" the orange-haired criminal said before getting pecked between the eyes. He recoiled into pain with Murkrow flying off his head.
"Murkrow!" the blackbird Pokemon squawked as he flew overhead, glaring at his trainer, "Mur!" he said before flying off.
"Hey, get back here!" Roman said without his Pokemon listening. Through gritted teeth, he threw the stone into the air at the blackbird Pokemon. However, he missed as the stone hit the road a few meters away.
"Huh," Rosa responded, "I guess giving you a rock before wouldn't have done anything anyway."
"That stubborn, ungrateful, egotistical!" Roman spoke in anger seeing Murkrow disappear into an alleyway.
"You know, some say caught Pokemon will take after their trainers." Rosa responded with Roman turning back to glare at her, "What are you gonna do now?"
"Remind him whose boss." Roman said while adjusting his hat, "You two go do whatever you want. I'll find that bird brat." He said before picking up the dusk stone, "And shove this rock down his birdy throat!" The orange-haired criminal said before running off.
"Well, there he goes," Rosa said before turning to Ruby with a smile, "Come on, he has his fun, while we have ours."
"Shouldn't we help?" Ruby asked, then had an idea, "Wait, I know!" she took out a Pokeball and tossed it into the air.
"Staravia!" the starling Pokemon spoke as it expanded its wings, "Star!" he said in shock upon seeing Arcanine, who panted at him with a smile.
"Yeah, Growlithe evolve with a stone," Ruby said to her flying Pokemon before having a look of remorse, "But Murkrow flew away. If you come across him, can you help them patch things up with him and Roman?"
"Star?" Staravia tilted his head in confusion, then nodded with focus, "Staravia!"
"Awesome, I'm counting on you!" Ruby said with the starling Pokemon saluting with a wing before flying off into the city.
"That was nice of you," Rosa responded, "And don't worry, I'm sure they'll be fine." She said before leading the way down the street in another direction. Ruby and Arcanine followed with the red hooded girl taking a glance back in slight worry.
The two girls and blazing canine Pokemon made their way out of Lumiose City and into a route. Rosa's eyes gleamed at a park to her right, but then was met with disappointment as she saw a new sign, "Must have roller skates to enter." She read before looking on in sorrow, moping as she led Ruby through the route. They soon reached a small town called Camphier town but did not stay long as they went up the next route. There, Ruby and Arcanine's eyes widened in amazement. Between a long pathway of trees, two open fields of tall grass were seen.
"Wow!" Ruby commented in awe.
"Raaaaaa!" Arcanine responded in kind.
"Yep, this grass is a little taller than I thought," Rosa said before smirking, "But with how big this guy is, that should be no problem."
"Okay," Ruby said with a nod before looking back to Arcanine, while crouched down. The red hooded trainer smiled as she hopped on his back, sitting on him while holding onto the mane of fur like they were handles, "Huh, this feels oddly familiar."
"Maybe you did this in a past life." Rosa commented, "Now, see how fast he can do a loop?"
"Right," Ruby said before pointing, "Arcanine, use Agility!"
"RAAAAA!" Arcanine roared before charging off at high speed. The blazing canine Pokemon ran through the tall grass as if it was nothing. As he went halfway through approaching the tree, he jumped into the sky, passing over the trees before landing on the other end, and continued running.
"Wow, the Pokedex wasn't lying," Rosa commented before noting a rippling white aura radiating off Arcanine.
"What is this?" Ruby called out, "Is he evolving again!?"
"No, I think that's a new move." Rosa called out with a smile, then saw the duo lap her position, "It looks like he forgot agility and is using Extreme Speed now!"
"Really!? No wonder this is so fast," Ruby responded as she looked back to Arcanine, "You're amazing!" she said before looking forward with a smile, "I remember when I first unlocked my semblance and could go this fast. It was almost impossible to st-." With the last word not coming out, Arcanine tripped over something that forced his body to the ground. Carrying the momentum, Ruby was rocketed off before landing in the grass a few meters away with a loud thud.
"Ruby!" Rosa gasped in horror as she ran into the field, "Are you okay?"
"Uhhh, I think?" Ruby groaned as she rubbed the top of her head, "Why does it feel like I hit something metal?" she said before looking forward, seeing something that confused her, "A sword?"
Before her was a silver short sword in an elaborate sheath. A blue scarf was attached to the handle, the color matching the spherical gem at its hilt. However, the gem had a black like at the center that seemed to blink, as if it was an eye, "Hon?" It spoke in confusion before the sword unsheathed itself, catching the sheath with the scarf, "Hon!" the sentient sword then slashed at Ruby.
The red hooded trainer barely pushed herself back from the slash, watching as a few strands of hair fell before her eyes, "Wow, is that a Pokemon?" Ruby said as Rosa stood at her side, taking out her Pokedex, "Honedge, the sword Pokemon. Honedge's soul once belonged to a person who was killed a long time ago by the sword that makes up Honedge's body. With its old cloth, it drains people's lives away."
"Wait, Pokemon can be swords?" Ruby asked, "Can they be any object, even look manufactured?"
"Yeah, I have seen a few like this," Rosa responded, "Unova is a bit infamous for some of these kinds of Pokemon. You will never look at ice cream the same way again."
"Wow," Ruby said before having an idea, "Wait, is there a scythe Pokemon?"
"Well, there is Scyther." Rosa said with Ruby getting a wide smile on her face, "You uh, don't have a weird thing for weapons, do you?"
"Uh," Ruby responded before looking back to Honedge, who went for another slash. She and Rosa jumped back to dodge, "Quick Arcanine, use Retaliate!" Ruby called out with her blazing canine Pokemon rushing the sword Pokemon, but his body passed right through it, "What?"
"According to this, Honedge is a steel and ghost type." Rosa said as she read the Pokedex in more detail, "So, normal moves like Retaliate and Extreme Speed are not going to work. And Fairy moves like Play Rough will not be very effective." She said before having a grin form, "But you know what's super effective?"
"Yeah, I can guess." Ruby responded before pointing, "Arcanine, use Flame Wheel!"
"Raaaaaa!" Arcanine said before coiling into a blazing ball. This time, once he collided with Honedge, the sword Pokemon was sent flying back into the grass. Its scarf burned and metal scorched. Arcanine elegantly landed on the grass without setting anything on fire.
"Nice, I think you one-shotted it." Rosa said, then put her hand on her chin, "You know, that might make a good addition to your team." She said before smirking, "And lucky I helped you restock on pokeballs before we left Galar." The energetic trainer said with Ruby nodding, getting a Pokeball ready. However, as the red hooded trainer was about to throw the ball into the grass, Honedge emerged without a scratch of its body, "Huh? Didn't that sword get burnt out?"
"It's a different one," Ruby commented as she focused on the Honedge. Suddenly she heard a rustling of the grass. In turning around, she witnessed dozens of the sword Pokemon, "Uh oh, we're surrounded." She said before all of them unsheathed their sword bodies, "Arcanine, Flame Wheel as many as can!" Ruby called out with her Pokemon doing so. The blazing canine Pokemon rolled through the sky while crashing into multiple Honedges in the process. However, as one fell into the grass, three more emerged, "This is bad, there's no limit to the blades." Ruby commented as they were soon surrounded by more of the sword Pokemon than they could count.
"Hang on, maybe I can-" Rosa said before taking out her Pokeball, but then focused on the swarm of sword Pokemon, seeing something catch her eyes, "Oh my goodness, look at that!"
"Huh?" Ruby said as she looked over. In the vast crowd of a silver sword, one was seen with a crimson blade. The eye was slightly more purple, matching the tail end of the scarf that was now primarily red, "What is that Pokemon?"
"That's a shiny Honedge!" Rosa responded as Ruby was still confused, "Shiny Pokemon are rarer a versions of a pokemon's species with a different color."
"Really, how rare are they?" Ruby asked.
"Very rare, but the color is usually the only thing that separates them from the rest." Rosa said before noticing the shiny Honedge pointing its sword body, causing the other sword Pokemon to swarm in that direction, "This one look to be the leader of these blades."
"Then we take it down to stop the others," Ruby said before pointing, "Arcanine, focus that red Honedge!"
"Raaa!" Arcanine responded before retargeting the shiny Honedge. The sword Pokemon held its ground before covering in a silver aura. The Flame Wheel hit with the shiny Honedge falling near the ground.
"It didn't dodge," Ruby commented.
"It can't," Rosa said as she looked at her Pokedex, "Honedge has the ability No Guard, so all moves will hit no matter what." She said before seeing the shiny sword Pokemon repose itself, "So it used Iron Defense to withstand the attack."
"Hon!" The Shiny Honedge spoke, causing the other sword Pokemon to stop their attacks and fall to the ground. They surrounded the trainers, preventing them from leaving.
"No way out now," Ruby said before pointing, "Arcanine, Flame Wheel!" She ordered with the blazing canine Pokemon rushing in for another assault. However, the Shiny Honedge sunk into the ground, vanishing with its shadow. Ruby gasped as Arcanine could not see his target. Suddenly, the red sword Pokemon erupted from the ground in front of Arcanine, slashing him in the face. The attack staggered Arcanine as he recoiled back, the flames dissipating.
"That was Shadow Sneak, a priority move." Rosa commented then saw the Shiny Honedge glow in an orange aura as blades clashed over its head, "And now it's using Swords Dance, which sharply raises the attack stat."
"Hon!" The Shiny Honedge said before rushing in, the blade gaining a dark aura.
"RAAA!" Arcanine recoiled from the slashes as he fell back.
"Wait, wasn't that Night Slash?" Ruby said, then smiled, "If so, that's a dark-type move." She said with Arcanine's eyes glowing red, "Then Justified activates." The red hooded trainer then pointed, "Go, Extreme Speed!"
"Huh, what are you doing?" Rosa asked as Arcanine dashed in at high speed, "That move won't affect a ghost type."
"But it will be faster than shadow sneak." Ruby said as Arcanine passed through the Shiny Honedge's blade body, "Now, Flame Wheel!" she said as the blazing canine Pokemon quickly turned around and coiled his body. The red sword Pokemon could barely be turned around before the fire-type attack collided with its body. "Yes, direct hit!"
"Hon…" The Shiny Honedge struggled to get itself up, but its gem eyes focused on its opponent, "Hon!"
"Resilient little sword." Rosa commented, seeing the Shiny Honedge gaining the silver aura again, "He can keep doing that for its defenses, but eventually your Pokemon will win out on damage."
"Yeah, but…" Ruby responded in worry, "This Honedge might get really hurt that way." She said before looking at the Pokeball in her hand, "It won't stay in if I throw now, so I need at least one more hit." She said before the Shiny Honedge used Swords Dance again, then rushed in with Shadow Sneak, "Arcanine, hold your ground."
"Ra," Arcanine responded before doing so. Suddenly, the Shiny Honedge emerged from the shadows to slash the blazing canine in the face.
"Now," Ruby called out, "Catch with your teeth!"
"Eh?" Rosa commented.
"Ra!" Arcanine focused before biting down on the handle of the red sword Pokemon.
"Hon!" the Shiny Honedge screeched in pain before the gem eye focused in. With its scarf, it covered the eyes of the blazing canine Pokemon.
"Don't let go just yet, use Flame Wheel in place." Ruby said with Arcanine downing so, spinning in one position with the red sword Pokemon engulfed in the fire as well, "Now!"
"RAAA!" Arcanine stopped his flame wheel and tossed the Shiny Honedge into a nearby hillside. The red blade sticking into the stone with the gem eye swirling.
"Here we go," Ruby said before throwing the Pokeball. It collided with the Shiny Honedge and ensnared it inside. All eyes were on the ball on the ground, which started to shake. After three rolls, a small click was heard, "Yes! We did it!" Ruby cheered as she ran up and picked the ball of the ground, "We caught a Honedge!" the red hooded trainer jumped with joy.
"Ra!" Arcanine jumped as well.
"I'm so proud of you," Rosa said as was about to run over for a hug, but then stopped as the other Honedge started to fly overhead again, "Uh oh, I forget about the rest of them."
Ruby gritted her teeth as Arcanine readied to continue is attacks. However, the Shiny Honedge emerged from the Pokeball, appearing with a slight sparkle for a second, "Hon!" the red sword Pokemon spoke to the others, causing all to go silent, "Hon." With that commented, the other Honedges sheathed themselves before sinking back into the grass.
"Wow," Ruby said in awe, "I guess they respect you." She said as the Shiny Honedge turned towards her, "But you still want to come along with me?"
"Hon," the Shiny Honedge said with the gem eye having a look of joy. It then repositioned its blade to gently tap Ruby's right shoulder, then her left shoulder.
"I think that's a yes," Rosa said with her hand on her chin.
"Hehe," Ruby giggle before recalling her newest partner back to its ball. As she looked down at it, she recalled her Crescent Rose in its place, causing a soft smile to form, "You know, my mentor used to say that even though you pick the weapon you will have as a huntress, the weapon is what decides what kind of huntress you will be." She said before giggling again, "Granted, I don't think my uncle ever meant anything like this."
"Huh," Rosa responded as Ruby gasped, "What are you talking about, what's a Huntress?"
"Uh…" Ruby responded.
"Ruby, are you hiding something from me?" Rosa asked.
"Uhhh…" Ruby said as she started sweating, then sighed, "I'm sorry Rosa, there's something I need to come clean with you about." She said with an energetic trainer having a look of focus.
AN: There you go, Ruby evolves and catches a Pokemon this chapter. After a bit of shopping, Growlithe becomes the blazing Arcanine. Which is not the first time I have had Ruby getting a ridable dog as a partner in a fanfic, hence the reference in this chapter. More than that, she doesn't just catch a Honedge, but a shiny one. Since the Pokemon anime gave Ash one shiny, I wanted to give one of the characters here a shiny as well. For it, I really like Honedge's shiny form, and as a crimson weapon, it only makes sense that Ruby catches one. The knighting moment was a suggestion from a reader that was too cute to pass up on. However, her reminiscing on Crescent Rose caused her to slip up without Roman to save face. Rosa now is about to learn the truth, but how will she take it. This will be explored next chapter as well as Roman's quest to get Murkrow back. That is all for now, thanks for reading, and hope to see you in the next chapter.