AN: Hey everyone, I have the next chapter here. We are back with more as RRR is still in Kalos for Ruby to get her third badge. Before that she needs to have a quick chat with Roman after the talk she had with Rosa. This chapter also shows off a lot of my favorites from both series and was super fun to right. Also, I uploaded last chapter when Legends Arceus came out, and I have now beaten it as of posting this chapter. Game was fun, but if you are wondering if I will give any of the character here Hisuian Pokemon… you will have to wait and see. 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 33 – Testing the Limits
At the Lumiose Pokemon Center, Roman leaned against a wall near the door. His arms were crossed, but he glanced over to witness Ruby and Rosa walking up, "Took you two long enough," the orange-haired criminal said with a sigh, "Did you a least catch something for the gym? Because I don't think your bird is going to be battle raring to go for a bit."
"What happened to Staravia!?" Ruby asked in a panic.
"I don't see it, but that nurse said he was hit was a critical electric move." Roman answered, pointing to the Pokemon center, "She said he'll recover but needs a bit more time." He turned back to see Ruby glaring at him, "What!? I didn't do it, stop staring at me like that."
"…I believe you," Ruby said, her glare slightly lowering in intensity, "What about your Murkrow?"
"…" Roman narrowed his eyes before answering, "I got him back," he said before taking out the dusk stone, "But I won't need this now."
"Well, it's lucky that Ruby just caught a Pokemon that will need that stone to evolve." Rosa responded, her hand on her chin, "Go on, show him your new sword."
"Sword?" Roman said before Ruby took out her Pokeball, causing the red sword Pokemon to appear in with a shine, "What in the world is this thing?"
"She's Honedge," Ruby answered.
"Hon!" Honedge answered with the red gem eye focused on Roman.
"…" Roman stared back, "How sword can have a gender?"
"Well, she is part ghost-type," Rosa responded.
"That brings up more questions." Roman replied, then sighed, "You know what, screw it, don't care anymore." He said before taking the dusk stone and placing it onto the blade, "Now evolve." In doing so, nothing happened. Roman started to tap the dusk stone against the blade, causing the gem eye of Honedge to glare. "What gives, why isn't it evolving?" he turned to Rosa.
"It's the evolved form that evolves with a stone." Rosa answered, "So, she needs a normal evolution before doing the stone evolution."
"Why does it have to be so convoluted," Roman sighed, before tossing the stone to Ruby, "Here Red, you can try when this thing evolves into a broadsword or whatever."
"Uh, thanks." Ruby said as she looked at the stone, then glared at Roman again, "…"
"… Can I talk to you in private for a minute?" Roman responded before the two walked away from Rosa, "What's your deal? Why are you looking at me funny now?"
"I'm not," Ruby responded, "I'm just… Roman, are you going to continue to do bad things when we get back to Remnant."
"Of course, it's what I do best." Roman responded with a smile, "You going to continue to try and stop me?"
"Of course, that's why I am going to be a huntress," Ruby responded with a serious gaze as Roman sneered, "Still, why are you helping me?" she said before showing the dusk stone, "Why to give me this right now?"
"I just said why, I don't need it, and you will eventually need it for your sword Pokemon." Roman responded, "Remember, you need to win these gym badges so that your gang of gals and Neo can find us?" He said before grinning, "Besides, if I decide I want one I can get one. That's just who I am." The orange haired criminal said before noticing Ruby had a look of worry, "What now?"
"Neo, that's her name, right?" Ruby asked, "Is she as bad as you are?"
"She takes after me," Roman responded with a smirk.
"Do you…" Ruby spoke in hesitation, "Care about-?"
"Red, you need to stop." Roman responded, his voice unusually stern, "Don't go preying more into this."
"I just… never mind," Ruby responded with a sigh, "I talked with Rosa a bit and-"
"Why?" Roman asked, then had his eyes fill with rage, "Did you spill the beans to her about where we're from?" he said with her looking down.
"…I did," Ruby responded with Roman gritting his teeth, "And she told me to change my view of a bit, to follow my heart. And now, I realize what I was blinding myself before." She said before looking back at Roman with a focused gaze, her fists clenched, "Roman, I will always stop you when you try to harm others out of malice. But I will not fight you because I see you as just as an evil person. Because … that's not all you are, is it?"
"What are you saying?" Roman asked.
"I think what she is saying is," Rosa spoke up, having been behind Roman the whole time, "You may be a bad guy, but that doesn't mean you're all evil." She said with her hand on her chin, "And I would agree. You do have a soft side when you let your guard down."
"You…Tsk!" Roman responded before walking away, "I'm going to find a place to get a drink in this town." He said before shouting, "Go and do the gym fight already, I don't care anymore!"
"…" Ruby looked on before sighing.
"I think that went well." Rosa said before turning to Ruby, "You, okay?"
"Yeah," Ruby responded.
"Is that really how you feel now?" Rosa added.
"Yeah, it is," Ruby said as she started to smile, "My Staravia was hurt, and he brought him here to be healed." She said before looking at the dusk stone in her hand, "The more I think back about our time in this world, the more I realize he's different than what I thought before." She then looked off to where Roman walked off to, "Even if it is to benefit himself, he can't let me fail, because it could mean he never sees Neo again. She's more than just a bodyguard to him."
"Yeah, now he's trying to hide it, just like a crook," Rosa responded, "But even he can't bluff every hand." She said before leading the way down the road, "Come on, let's get you that third badge."
"Right," Ruby said with a nod as she followed.
The two walked towards the tall tower, enter through the open gateway. The red hooded trainer gasped in awe at the illumination that covered the walls and floor. At the center of the room, a cylindrical black elevator was seen with a type of Pokeball symbol on it. Rosa talked with a man near the elevator before returning to Ruby, "Okay, I let him know about current badges in the league. You just have to go up the elevator, I have to wait down here." Rosa then winked, "Good luck."
"Thank you," Ruby said before she walked to the elevator, which opened with them entering. As the doors closed, she ascended before coming to a sudden stop.
The room she now stood in was completely dark but then shinned with a spotlight. Standing at a podium was a small girl with blond hair tied to one side, "So, it looks like we have a participant in Pokemon World League. One who already has two badges." She said in a poppy smile, "I'm Bonnie, little sister to the gym leader, but I run the show here. If you want a battle him, you have to pass a test."
"Test?" Ruby said in slight shock, "But, I didn't bring a pencil?"
"Don't worry, not that kind of test." Bonnie said before gesturing to her left, showing three more elevators with a kid in front of each one and a number one through three over each door, "One of these leads to the next floor, but you have to answer a question first. Go ahead and step onto that small square a few steps directly ahead of you, would you?"
"Oh okay," Ruby said before dong to a small desk with three question marks on it. On the base of the platform, a screen showed a black silhouette of a Pokemon.
"Quiz time!" Bonnie cheered, "Who's that Pokemon?"
"Uh…" Ruby said while looking down at a silhouette, seeing it as something with long ears and a zigzag tail.
"Elevator One is Emolga, Elevator Two is Dedenne, and Elevator Three is Pikachu." Bonnie informed, "Walk up to the correct answer."
"Uhhh…" Ruby spoke as she started to sweat.
On the lower level, Rosa watched from a screen that showed her friend's progress, "Oh no, this is not good." She said in a slight panic, "No way Ruby can get this right when she isn't even from this-" she said before Ruby walked to the third elevator, "Huh?"
"This one?" Ruby asked Bonnie, followed by a ding.
"Correct!" Bonnie cheered.
"How did she know that?" Rosa commented.
In Ruby's head, she recalled her big sister speaking to her, "Just remember, if you ever don't know the answer in a multiple-choice test, always pick the last option. It's most likely the right answer." The blond brawler said before winking, "That or cheat off Weiss when she isn't looking, it's what I do too." The memory ended with Ruby smiling.
"Still, to get into the elevator." The child in front of Ruby said before showing a Pokeball, "You have to get pasted me." He said before tossing the ball into the air, "Go, Magnemite!" emerging from the ball was a silver steel ball with an eye at the center. Magnets and screws we attached to the Pokemon that spun as it let out a metallic screech.
"Okay, Honedge, I choose you!" Ruby said as she throughout her Pokeball, causing the red sword Pokemon to appear with a shine, "Let's start things off fast with a night slash!"
"Hon!" Honedge dashed in with her blood glowing in a black aura, then cut across the eye on Magnemite's body.
"Quick, use Metal Sound!" the boy said as Magnemite recovered from the hit, unleashing a cacophony of a grinding metal that caused Honedge to flinch back in the distortion. Even Bonnie recoiled in pain, but she looked over in confusion as Ruby seemed unaffected by the sound.
Back in Ruby's head, she recalled being at the Beacon Target practice range, rapid firing her sniper rifle at the wooden Grimm targets. Nearby was Blake, who had earplugs while she held down her bow against her head, "Aren't you worried about what that can do to your hearing?" She asked her leader, who wore nothing to protect her from the sound.
"Huh?" Ruby responded, causing Blake to look on with half-open eyes.
Back in the battle, the boy pointed, "Now use Thunder Shock!" he said with Magnemite unleashing a bolt of electricity from its body. It collided with Honedge, but the red sword Pokemon reposed herself.
"Hit back harder with a Shadow Sneak!" Ruby called out with her Pokemon sinking into the ground. Magnemite looked around in confusion before emerging from its shadow with another direct hit, "Finish it off with one more Night Slash!" Ruby called out before her Pokemon dash in for another cut, this time landing a critical hit. Magnemite landed near the boy with an x-shape iris, "Yes, we did it!" Ruby cheered as Honedge did a little dance in midair.
"That means you get to move on." Bonnie spoke before winking, "But the questions and battles will only get harder from here on out." She said with Ruby nodding before heading into the elevator, ascending to the next floor.
Meanwhile.
Roman walked down the streets of Lumiose City, his fist clenched, "That dumb brat," he spoke to himself, "I look away for five seconds and she tells that girl about the world we're from." The orange-haired criminal then looked around with hatred in his eyes, "And there's twenty coffee shops in this city but not one damn bar!" he said before seeing a white marble building with a mannequin in the front window. It wore a regal black suit and fedora, but Roman's eyes were fixated on the dark wood cane in its hand. "Hmmm."
After a quick purchase, Roman walked out of the store with the cane in hand. He walked with a smile, turning into an alleyway. However, once he was out of sight of the civilians, snickering was heard. The orange-haired criminal was surrounded by four thugs, two in front and two from behind, "Well, look what we got here." One thug spoke.
"You went down the wrong alley, Pretty Boy." Another thug added on, cracking his knuckles.
"Nice cane," another thug noted, "And that hat is cool too."
"Be a shame if someone took them from you." The last thug spoke before walking up to Roman
"…Heh," Roman spoke, "You know, I was hoping to run into some lowlifes like this." He said with a smile, "You four need to work on your valuation. Knowing which marks to jump and which ones to let walk by."
"Oh, what does that mean?" A thug asked.
"You're saying you can take all of us at-" the thug was in front of Roman was saying until jabbed him in the throat with the handle of his cane. The others gasped as the one thug couldn't breathe while stumbling back. The orange-haired criminal then kicked the thug's body into a trash can, toppling both onto the ground as he reposed his cane.
"All I'm saying is," Roman responded before smirking, "You picked the wrong mark." He then saw one of the thugs reach for a Pokeball. However, before he could throw it, Roman jabbed him below the belt with the end of his cane. The thug winced in pain before taking a punch to the face that sent him into the wall, "Come on, not all fights need to be between Pokemon here?" he said before looking to the two other grunts, "You have to know how to get your hands dirty first before you can tell someone else what to do."
"You little-" one thug was saying before charging in for a wild punch. However, Roman caught his wrist in the handle of the can, then lined up for a headbutt. The thug fell over unconscious with Roman adjusting his hat.
"W-what?" the last thug said as Roman started to walk towards him, "S-stay back!" he said before pulling out a knife.
"Oh, a hidden dagger, so scary," Roman taught while smirking, "A slight tip, you want to pull that out when you think your about to win, not when your struggling. It just comes across as desperate."
"Shut up!" the thug screamed before he was about to charge in, causing Roman to assume a defensive stance. However, someone grabbed the hand that held the knife.
The thug was tossed into the air with his own momentum. Roman watched him fly through the sky before landing on the other thug near the trashcan. He looked over to see the person adjust her black gloves. She wore a black business suit and have lavender hair tied in the back in a ponytail, "I presume you are the one Looker mentioned."
"Oh, the copper." Roman responded, "That's right, he sent me a message saying I would meet someone like you." He then crossed his arms, "But he only said you would find me when I got here."
"And I did," She responded, "I just needed to observe your actions a bit before making my presence known." She said before crossing her arms, "He did say you could be crude and to watch my back."
"Good advice and you got some moves for looking like a corporate girl." Roman commented, then bowed with one hand on his bowler hat, "The name's Roman Torchwick."
"My name is Anabel." She said before placing one hand on her chest and bowed.
"Nice to meet you," Roman said with a smile, "And for the record, I could have handled that last guy no problem."
"Regardless, I have information about your situation to find the others." Anabel said before walking away, "Come with me, we can discuss it in a bar nearby."
"Right to the point and offering drinks," Roman said with a smile, "I'm liking you already, Ana."
"Don't call me that, and you're the one buying. Looker said you had money on you." Anabel responded, "If you have a problem with that, you already know what I can do to people that irritate me." She said as one of the thugs nearby started to wake up, causing her to kick him in the face to render him unconscious again, "Any more questions?"
"Nope, you made your point," Roman responded causing Anabel to turn around and walk away, "I love the kind of woman that can kick my ass." He said before following her, twirling his cane in the wind.
Meanwhile.
Back at the gym, Ruby commanded her Roselia against a battle with a small yellow lizard, "Go, use Venoshock!"
"Roselia!" the rose Pokemon spoke before firing contracted streams of poison from her petals.
"Heli," the yellow lizard Pokemon recoiled in pain before fainting on the battlefield.
"It looks like you beat Helioptile." Bonnie announced, "You can now advance to the second to last floor."
"Okay," Ruby nodded as she and Roselia entered the elevator. The doors closed with her sighing, "Well, the third option was right most of the time." She said before looking down to Roselia, who smiled despite showing some bruised petals, "You're doing great, but maybe we should swap out with someone else."
"Rose!" Roselia said before reposing her flora arms.
"Okay, you can go for one more floor." Ruby said before reaching behind her back, "I think I have one of those potions left. Maybe I could-" she said before feeling something off, "Huh, what is this?" the red hooded trainer said before pulling out the shiny stone, "Oh it's the rock I got in that mine." She said with a slight giggle, "I forgot I had this." Ruby then looked down the Roselia, who was fixated on the stone in a way she saw before, "Hmmm." The red hooded trainer thought as she had an idea.
Bonnie looked over to see the elevator doors open with Ruby walking out, a smile on her face, "Okay, that final question for you." She said as Ruby walked up to see the screen and the silhouette. However, the red hooded trainer had a look of confusion as it was only a black sphere, "Who's that Pokemon? Elevator One is Voltorb, Elevator Two is Jigglypuff, and Elevator Three is a Pokeball."
"…Uh, elevator three, it's a trick question?" Ruby said before hearing a buzzing sound, "Uhhh, elevator one, it has an orb in its name." she said before hearing a buzzing sound again.
"I'm sorry, but it was elevator two." Bonnie said the image showed itself, revealing a round pink Pokemon, but the camera angle was shown from the top view. "Jigglypuff seen from this angle is what we were looking for."
"…" Rosa looked on with a blank expression, "This game's rigged."
"Oh," Ruby responded, "What does that mean for me?"
"You have to fight three against one now," Bonnie said as all three boys in front of the elevators readied a Pokeball.
"Go, Plusle!" one boy said as he tossed out a Pokeball, causing a small white rodent Pokemon with red ears and a plus-shaped tail.
"Go, Minun!" Another boy said as he tossed out a Pokeball, causing a small white rodent Pokemon with blue ears and a minus-shaped tail.
"Go, Electrode!" the third boy said as he tossed out a ball, one with another spherical Pokemon emerging. This one was much larger and the red and white sections were flipped.
"This isn't good," Rosa commented, "How is Ruby going to deal with this?" she said before seeing Ruby smile, reaching for a Pokeball.
"Come on out!" Ruby tossed out Roselia's Pokeball.
However, emerging from it was not the same form as the rose Pokemon. She was much larger, her rose arms were now bouquets of the respective colors. Her head was that of a white rose with a green leaf as a mask and red eyes peering through it, "Roserade!" she declared before reposing its stance, causing the grassy cape to flutter.
"Wow, when did that happen!?" Rosa commented as she took out her Pokedex, "Roserade, the Bouquet Pokemon. With the movements of a dancer, it strikes with whips that are lined with poison thorns." She continued to read to discover something, "Oh, Roselia needs a Shiny Stone to evolve." The energetic trainer said with a chuckle, "I forget she already had one of those."
"Alrighty Roserade," Ruby said before pointing, "Use Magical Leaf on Electrode!"
"Rose!" Roserade said as her bouquet arms glowed a violet light before unleashing a barrage of leaves. The attack collided with Electrode's, pushing it back while it flinched in pain.
"Plusle, use Helping Hand!" one boy called out.
"Minun, also use Helping Hand!" the other boy added on.
"Plu plus!" Plusle spoke as she sparked with electricity.
"Min!" Minun said while her cheeks flushed with voltage.
Both cheered while jumping into the air, touching tails before the electrify flowed out of them and into Electrode. The ball Pokemon smirked at power flowing through its spherical body, "Electrode, use Electro Ball!" the third boy ordered with the ball Pokemon glowing with more voltage. It rolled towards Roserade a highspeed, crashing into her with an almost explosive impact.
"Rose!" the bouquet Pokemon recoiled in pain as she was flung back.
"Roserade!" Ruby called out in panic before Roserade hit the floor, "Can you get up?" she asked with her the bouquet Pokemon nodding while getting to one knee, "Okay, we need to take down one of the others first." She said before pointing, "Use Venoshock on Plusle!"
"Rose!" Roserade said as she stood up, then fired poison from her bouquet arms.
"Electrode, use light screen." The boy said as the ball Pokemon created a screen of energy. The poison hit the light screen but could not break through to reach its target.
"Plusle, use Helping Hand again!" one boy repeated.
"Minun, use Helping Hand once more!" the other boy recited.
"Plu plus!" Plusle spoke as she glowed with electrical energy.
"Min!" Minun said while she powered up for the charge.
"Not again," Ruby said as both rodent Pokemon cheered while jumping into the air, touching tails before the electrify flowed out of them and into Electrode, "We need to overpower them first. Roserade, use Growth!"
"Rose," Roserade reposed as her body pulsated in a green aura, her power growing.
"Now, start charging light," Ruby added on with her bouquet Pokemon gathering light into its flowers.
"You're too slow," the boy said before pointing, "Electrode, Charge Beam!" he said as the ball Pokemon glowed in a yellow light before firing a stream of electricity.
"Hold on," Ruby called out with Roserade taking the charge beam head-on. The bouquet Pokemon was pushed back by the stream but remained standing. Suddenly, the flowers flashed as they finished charging, "Go, use Solar Beam!"
"ROSE!" Roserade said before unleashing a blast of light towards her opponents, who remained still. The attack collided with a massive explosion, but when the dust settled, all three electric-type Pokemon were barely damaged.
"What!?" Ruby exclaimed.
"That Light Screen shields from special attacks," Bonnie pointed out, "It stays up a lot longer than attack took to charge."
"Oh no, that move is basically like an aura for them now." Ruby spoke with a line of sweat running down her face, "In that case, Roserade, use Magical Leaf and Venoshock. We need to take down that shield quickly."
"Roserade!" the bouquet Pokemon said before aiming its arms. Out of the red bouquet shot the magical leaves. While the stream of poison was shot from the red bouquet arm. Both collided with the Light Screen, but neither was able to breakthrough. However, the shield started to fade, with Ruby smiling.
"I don't think so," one boy called out, "Use Light Screen." He said as her shields faded, but a new one formed before Roserade's attacks could hit it.
"Plusle, Minun, use Helping Hand," the two other boys said in combination as their Pokemon began to cheer again.
"Come on, think Ruby, think." The red hooded trainer racketed her brain for a solution, thinking back to every fight she had ever been in, "Their teamwork is too good against one opponent, its light when I fought JNPR in the café-" she thought before having an idea, "Roserade, you need to trust me. Continue your attacks on the shield, but start running circles around them as fast as you can."
"Rose?" Roserade looked back to her trainer in confusion, then saw the determination in Ruby's eyes, "…Roserade!" The bouquet Pokemon nodded before following her orders. While attacking with poison and magical leaves, the light screen remained viable.
"Plus?" Plusle said in confusion.
"Min?" Minun added in the bewilderment.
"Elec?" Electrode said as well, then gasped, "Electrode!" it shouted as the light screen now surrounded them in a full circle. The mixture of the poison and grass-type attacks had dirtied the screens, making all the electric Pokemon unable to see from the outside.
"Keep running around then," Ruby called out, "Go as fast as you can!"
"Rose," Roserade responded as it continued to do so, circling the barrier. Suddenly, her body began to glow in a green aura. With it, green petal began to flutter off her leafy cape during her dash. The three electric Pokemon started to hoover in the air. Bonnie and the three boys gasped in amazement at the sight of the green tornado of speed, while Ruby remained focused.
"Oh, I think that's a new move." Rose commented as she watched on, "Yeah, that's Petal Blizzard! Not only is it a powerful attack, but it can break through the light screen!" She cheered with arms in the air, "Go get them!"
"Now, run towards that wall and then stop!" Ruby called out.
"ROSERADE!" the bouquet Pokemon followed the orders. In charging towards a wall, she carried the trio of electric types with her in the petal blizzard. Roserade then spun around and skidded on the floor, stopping just before hitting the wall. A shockwave pulsated behind her before the petal blizzard and light screen slammed into the wall, as well as all the Pokemon inside. The bouquet Pokemon reposed herself as the three electric Pokemon fell beside her.
"Plus…" Plusle spoke before fainting.
"Min…" Minun commented in delirium.
"Elec…trode." Electrode said with swirling eyes.
"We did it," Ruby cheered as she ran over to her Pokemon, "You did amazing!"
"Roserade…Rose." Roserade said before falling to one knee, "Rose…"
"Oh no," Ruby commented as she closely examined the bouquet Pokemon. "That last move used up everything you had." She said with a smile before taking out her Pokeball, "It's okay, you did your best, leave the rest to the others." The red hooded trainer said with Roserade looking back to her with a smile before returning to its ball.
"You can move on to the final challenge now." Bonnie spoke to Ruby, "But be warned, my big brother is no pushover."
"In that case," Ruby responded, "I won't hold back," she said before looking towards the elevator, entering it as she ascended to her next gym battle.
AN: There you go, Ruby talks with Roman a bit. It is a start to the two understanding one another more, but Roman cuts it short as he leaves. On his venting, he not only gets a cane, beats up more thugs (it's always fun to write this for him) and meets the Ultimate Detective herself, Kiri…I mean Anabel. Still one of my favorite Pokemon character designs and one of the pivotal characters going forward in this series. She and Roman are going to have an interesting conversation next chapter. Before that, Ruby had some fun going through the Lumiose Gym and showing off her pokemon's power. With it, she also used the Shiny Stone she got back in the Oreburgh mines to make her Roselia a Roserade, which is one of my favorite grass types Pokemon and possibly the closest Pokemon to looking like Ruby as well. She gets to use her experiences at Beacon to help her Pokemon learn Petal Blizzard, which basically what Ruby does on a regular basis. Also, because of this gym, I had to reference that episode of the anime. And with the gym leader next, I am going to add another element that the anime gave to the next battle. That is all for now, thanks for reading, and hope to see you in the next chapter.