AN: Hey everyone, I have the next chapter here. A lot has happened since the last time I posted in the Pokemon Anime world. I am not going to say anything here in case people do not want to be spoiled, but I will talk about it in the second AN. This chapter took a long time to plan because of two major decision that happen in it. However, after a lot of discussions and planning, I think I made the right call on what would be best for Ruby here. 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 50 – Training 101
At the Pokemon Laboratory's outside patio, Ruby and Rosa were sitting across Professor Oak, "I see, so you are Summer's daughter." He said with a smile to the red-hooded trainer, "You have your mother's eyes."
"Thank you," Ruby responded, "She said you may be able to help me prepare for our gym battle."
"Yeah, and maybe you can tell Ruby what she is going up against first." Rosa added, "I'm still not sure what Pokemon type she will be using. If I recall, it's a ground-type gym?"
"Well, it was." Professor Oak responded, "However, that leader left, at which point my Grandson took over the gym…Er…What was his name again?" He said with Ruby and Rosa having a look of worry, "In any case, he kept to a variety of types to truly test his challenger's adaptability. When your mother took over, she wanted to preserve that idea. Although, the Pokemon World League must register a type for a gym to be eligible. Lucky for her, she could still register as a Normal-type gym."
"Wow, lucky for us that it still works with the badges you already have." Rosa said to Ruby, "That means a fighting type might be best as your sixth Pokemon. Or at least teaching someone else on your team a fighting-type move."
"You will need more than that to beat her." Professor Oak responded, "So, you do not have all six Pokemon per the league standards to challenge the final gym?"
"Uh, no, we were hoping that you could help us with that too." Ruby responded she said before looking down in worry, "I know I'm asking a lot already, and I wish I did have those cookies I could have given you."
"You have already done more than enough saving me and the Pokemon of this lab." Professor Oak responded, "Still, I do enjoy Summer's cookies."
Suddenly, a voice called out to the trio, "Hey Red, there you are?" They turned to see it was Roman with a straw basket, "Your Mother left this at the house." He said before tossing the basket on the table. They opened the basket to see a fresh batch of cookies.
"Roman, what are you doing here? Where have you been?" Ruby asked as the others ate some of the cookies, "And why do you have this?"
"I was having a nice walk in the woods with Ana before she tripped and broke an ankle," Roman answered as he walked up.
"What were you and her doing in the woods?" Rosa asked, causing him to smirk, "Forget it, I don't want to hear your answer."
"That's for the best," Roman said before taking a seat at the table, "Getting back to the house, we found everyone else was gone and a note on this basket with directions to this place." he said before taking a cookie, "On the way here I found a destroyed hot air balloon, a torched bike, and a creepy mime. What happened?"
"Uh, a lot of stuff." Ruby responded, "And I don't think he's creepy, he's helpful."
Roman sighed, "In any case, you got your last Pokemon figured out?" He said as she broke eye contact, "What about your training to beat your mother." The orange-haired criminal said as she remained quiet.
"I think I know how to help out with the second task." Professor Oak said as he stood up, but took a cookie with him, "This can be how all the Pokemon you saved can repay you." He said as they all looked over the plains, seeing a wide-open area with multiple species of Pokemon running around, "These are all owned by another young trainer. I know he wouldn't mind returning the favor this way."
"Wow, all of these were his?" Ruby said as got up and she saw dozens of Pokemon, "Well, maybe I'll meet him at the tournament."
"I'm afraid he is a bit too experienced for the Pokemon World League." Professor Oak said with a smile, "He is taking a break, one that he and his starter deserve."
"I see," Rosa commented as she stood up, "Whelp, let's walk around."
"Come on, I just got here." Roman responded as the others walked away, "Fine, I'm staying here and eating these cookies." He said before he was about to take a bit but then had a foul smell fill his nostrils. He dropped the cookie and turned back to the door to the lab, seeing a massing pile of purple sludge with eyes.
"Muuuk," The purple sludge spoke from its mouth, "Muk!" it said before pouncing.
Roman dodged out of the way of the body slam of sludge on the table, seeing it devour the cookies. He then looked back to the others, catching up to them without saying a word. Professor Oak then looked back at the orange-haired criminal, "Ah, you decided to tag along." He said before looking at Roman's attire, "Are you a professor from another region?"
"Heh, I dropped out before I could get my degree," Roman responded.
"Look!" Rosa pointed down the field seeing a horde of brown bulls in a stampede, "I think those are Tauros."
"Does he own all of them?" Ruby asked Professor Oak, who nodded, "Wow."
"I know," Roman commented, "I haven't had steak in forever." He said before looking to Professor Oak, "He won't miss one, will he?" the orange-haired criminal said with the professor giving him a stern look in response, "Kidding." Roman lied.
Ruby glared back before seeing a feather fall in front of her. She then looked up to see three bird-Pokemon sparing in the sky. One was a navy blue with white and red feathers as well. another was red with grey feathers. The third was one that the red-hooded girl had at her party as well, "He has a Staraptor too!"
"Also, a Swellow and a Talonflame," Rosa added, "This guy's been around the world it seems." She said with her hand on her chin, then looked to Ruby, "You know, these Pokemon would be very good at teaching your own fathered fighter."
Ruby nodded before tossing out her Pokeball, causing the raptor bird Pokemon to appear, "Staraptor!" her Pokemon let out a battle cry to the other flying Pokemon.
"Star!" the other Staraptor responded.
"Swellow!" the navy bird Pokemon added.
"Talon!" Talonflame commented before all four began to spar in the sky.
"I think we can leave them be to practice." Professor Oak commented before walking away.
"Right," Roman added before one of his Pokemon opened, causing Murkrow to emerge into the sky.
"Mur!" the blackbird Pokemon spoke to the four, "Murkrow."
"Looks like he doesn't want to be left out of the fun," Rosa commented.
"Whatever, suit yourself," Roman said as he waved off, then walked away, followed by the others.
"Star," Ruby's Staraptor spoke with a confident smirk, puffing out his chest.
"Mur," Murkrow responded as he flew to eye level, causing the two to stare daggers at each other, while the other three birds looked on in confusion.
Back on the ground, the group made their way toward a small forest. There, Ruby saw a familiar Pokemon, "Hey, you're the Bulbasaur from before."
"Saur!" Bulbasaur said with a smile at the red-hooded girl.
"This little one has been helping keep order around here while I'm in my lab." Professor Oak responded.
"Responsible and powerful." Ruby commented, "Maybe you can help out a plant friend of mine?" She said as she tossed out a Pokeball, causing Roserade to appear, "I remember a that seed-draining move I saw you use on that cat? Can you teach it to Roserade?"
"Saur?" Bulbasaur asked as he looked to Roserade, who bowed in the request, "Bulba." He nodded before turning to a bush, "Bulbasaur!"
Emerging from the bush was a small green snake with tiny arms and legs, which caused Rosa's eyes to light up, "Awe, he has a Snivy too!"
"Sni," Snivy said with a smile.
"Well, aren't you a smug little one?" Roman commented with a smirk, to which the garden snake responded in kind, "You remind me of someone I-" he said before he was slammed to the ground by a light yellow four-legged reptile with a leaf on her head.
"Bay!" the Pokemon spoke with an overjoyed expression, "Bay?"
"A Bayleef?" Rosa commented, "She must have confused you for someone else."
"My spine!" Roman said in anguish before Bayleef got off him. The orange-haired criminal then reaches for a Pokeball, causing Grapploct to emerge. As the blue octopus Pokemon squeezed him, the sound of cracking bones was heard, followed by an odd popping noise, "AAAAAAAA!" Roman screamed before getting up, "Ah, much better." He said as the other looked at him in confusion, wondering how that worked.
Suddenly, Rosa turned to Bulbasaur growling in annoyance, seeing the frog bub Pokemon on its stomach. she then had a look of disgust as a massive blue beetle Pokemon saw sucking the nectar out of the bub, "Uh, what is that Heracross doing?" She said before Grapploct leap up and slapped Heracross off Bulbasaur.
"Grap," Grapploct taunted with a scowl.
"Hera," the blue beetle responded with a glare as well.
"I'm starting to think she has a thing for fighting bugs." Roman commented, "Let's leave them be, this might get bloody…or whatever these things bleed." He said before walking away, followed by the others.
Continuing through the woods, they encountered a pond where the teal turtle emerged, "Squirtle!" he said in joy.
"Hey, nice to see you again as well," Ruby commented, then looked around. Near the pond, drinking was an orangish turtle Pokemon with a black shell, as well as a small elephant-like Pokemon with a tusk and armored in a wheel over its body. The red hooded trainer had an idea as she grabbed a Pokeball, "Doublade, come on out." She said as the twin red swords Pokemon emerged with a gleam, "Maybe these Pokemon can help strengthen your defenses."
"Good idea," Rosa commented.
"Hold on Red," Roman commented, "You think focusing on defense is the best thing for a couple of swords?"
"You do have a point," Ruby commented, then looked over to the trees.
Leaning against one was a large green gecko Pokemon as tall as the orange-haired criminal. He had a tree-like tail and yellow balls on his back. He looked up at a branch, then extended his left arm with twin leaves on it. Suddenly, they glowed a light green before slashing the branch in a perfect cut. After the light faded, he caught a small twig that had fallen off, then places it in his mouth, "Sceptile." He spoke before turning to the others.
"See, that's a guy with style." Roman commented, "Learn from that and leave the turtles in the dust."
"Squirtle," the teal turtle responded before reaching into his shell and pulling out a pair of black sunglasses. "Squirt!"
"That's so cool!" Ruby commented, causing Roman to roll his eyes. "Wait, Doublade is two swords, so one can train in attack and the other in defense."
"Perfect," Rosa responded, "Afterwards, we can use that Dusk Stone to go to her evolution."
"Dou," Doublade bowed in thanks for the request.
"Squirt," Squirtle looked at Doublade, then nodded, "Squirtle." He called out to the other Pokemon.
"Donphan!" the armored elephant Pokemon responded.
"Torkoal!" the orange turtle Pokemon added.
"Scep," Sceptile spoke as he walked over, then turned to Roman, "Tile."
"Heh, I like this one," Roman said before tipping his hat, then walking away with the others.
As they exited the forest, they made their way back toward the lab. However, in passing a lone tree, they saw the fire dragon-like Pokemon laying on his side in the shade, "Hey, maybe Charizard can help-" she said before seeing the Pokemon yawn, "…Maybe not that one." However, she turned to witness two other fire Pokemon clashing. One was a red monkey with a flame on its head, covered in a blue flame. The other was an orange bipedal pig with a crimson flame as he charged. The two collided in deadlock for their sparing match.
"An Infernape and Pignite," Rosa commented, "Those two can help Arcanine master what happened during the last gym battle." She said as Ruby nodded, tossing out the blazing canine Pokemon.
"Rrr!" Arcanine called out, gaining both pokemon's attention.
"Infernape!" the fire monkey Pokemon responded with a smile.
"Pig," Pignite added as he trotted in excited at the new training partner.
"Nice, I'm glad they're all getting along." Ruby commented as she took out her last Pokeball, "That leaves Eevee, but I still need a sixth Pokemon."
"Yeah, I know." Roman said before checking the time on his Poketch, "Which is why we need to go and meet someone." He said as she looked at him in confusion, "It was also on the note your mother left for me. Let's go." He said before walking off.
"Oh, okay." Ruby agreed.
"Can I come with?" Rosa asked.
"Actually, can you stay with Professor Oak?" Ruby asked, "With what happened, I don't think we should leave him alone in case others come back."
"Fine, if you say so," Rosa said before walking back with Professor Oak to the lab.
Walking together for a while, Ruby and Roman made their way down a path in the plans, "So, what was in the note? Do you still have it?" She asked.
"Nope, threw it away." Roman responded, "And it doesn't matter, you'll know soon enough."
"I see," Ruby responded, then noticed something missing, "Didn't you have a cane?"
"It broke." Roman responded, "It's a long story that involves an annoying theme song."
"Oh, that's…oddly familiar." Ruby said before the smile, "Maybe I should get a theme, something like This will be the Day-" she said before Roman hit her on the back of the head, "Ouch!"
"No, none of that." Roman said as she pouted, "Besides, here he is." He said with a focused gaze.
"Eh?" Ruby then looked forward, seeing a man in a black trench coat and fedora. He looked back at her with a piercing stare.
Earlier that day.
"Why do you want me to meet her?" Giovanni asked Summer as the two sat on a flat stone.
"Come on, you missed our son visiting after he got all his gym badges for the league." Summer responded, "Besides, I might have already left a note for someone else to take her to a place to meet you." She said with him glaring at her, "Please, for me?"
"…Fine," Giovanni responded with a sigh, "What do I do with her?"
"Well, she needs a sixth Pokemon, someone who can go up against my team." Summer spoke, "And if they could mega evolve, that would be great."
"You realize what you are asking of me?" Giovanni commented with half-open eyes, but sighed again, "I have one, but it will not be easy for her to master."
"I wouldn't underestimate Ruby, so don't go easy on her." Summer responded with a smile, then looked up to the sky, "I can't go easy on her either, so I need your help to make sure she's ready." She then turned to him with a wink, "If you do all of this for me, I promise to make you the best batch of cookies ever the next time you come home."
Giovanni did not respond but did crack a smile in the corner of his face, causing Summer to giggle.
Present time.
"You have silver eyes," Giovanni spoke to Ruby.
"Uh, yeah. A lot of people seem to say that the first time they meet me." Ruby responded, "But, have we met before." She said before looking at Roman, "You look kind of like you work with this guy."
"I think he's a bit more experienced than me." Roman responded, then looked back to Giovanni, "So, what did you want to do?"
Giovanni then took out a Pokeball, "This is a trail before you can challenge the Viridian City Gym Leader." He said as he pressed the button on the Pokeball, causing it to glow red, "You must catch this Pokemon, then defeat me with it." He said before releasing the Pokemon.
Emerging was a massive Landshark with legs and fin-like arms. However, the fin on its back had a chunk cut out. Its scales were purple on most of its body, but red and yellow near its stomach and head. The eyes opened with a black void surrounding a golden iris, "GGGAAAARRR!"
"What is that Pokemon!?" Ruby exclaimed.
"This is Garchomp," Giovanni said before pointing.
"Gar!" Garchomp looked before pivoting its body, then jettisoned itself at high speed.
Ruby was astonished at the speed seen before looking back to Roman, "Better start running before you lose it." He said before she got her teeth, then ran after Garchomp. The orange-haired criminal then looked back to Giovanni, "So, this should be a fun watch."
Garchomp glided above the ground before hearing something approaching, "Eev!" using Quick Attack, Eevee cut off Garchomp's path, causing both to stop.
"GAR!" Garchomp roared before turning to see Ruby running up, slightly out of breath.
"Man…you're fast…" Ruby said in between her heaving, then regained her focus, "But, I have to catch you if I want to face my next challenge. So, get ready for a fight!"
"Gar!" Garchomp roared before Eevee moved between him and Ruby, "GAR!" the Landshark Pokemon rushed in with its fangs flared.
"Eevee, use Dig!" Ruby called out while pointing.
"Eev!" Eevee burrowed into the ground, avoiding the chomp.
"Gar!" Garchomp roared before stomping with his left foot. The force of the impact was like that of an Earthquake. The shaking ground sent the foxlike Pokemon out of the depths and into the sky.
"No, Eevee!" Ruby panicked before gritting her teeth, "Use Swift!"
"Eev!" Eevee said before shooting stars from its mouth. They hit Garchomp, but the damage was minimal.
"Tsk, Quick Attack!" Ruby called out, causing Eevee to dash down into Garchomp, but it seem like the foxlike Pokemon bounced off with more damage dealt to her, "What!?"
"That Garchomp has Rough Skin as its ability." Giovanni called out, "Is that all you have?"
"Eevee…use growl," Ruby called out.
"Eev…vee…" Eevee tried but, was wobbling while Garchomp was not intimated.
The red hooded trainer looked in remorse. "We can't do this, it's too strong for us," Ruby said as she resided to recall her Pokemon, causing Giovanni to scowl.
"Red, come on already, that's it!?" Roman called out, "You're far too annoying and persistent to give up this early."
"What can we do, Eevee and I can't beat something like this on our own," Ruby called out, looking back at Garchomp, "This is not wild, its trained and malicious. We can't do anything to damage it."
"Is that what Eevee thinks?" Roman said with a focused gaze as Ruby gasped. The red hooded trainer looked back to see Eevee starting down the approaching Garchomp, but not backing down herself, "You need to be a leader, not a babysitter. So, lead her to victory."
"But…" Ruby said as she recalled the last moments of her match with Silver, "We won't always win, I'll make mistakes and push them too far."
"Little girl," Giovanni called out, causing her to look at him, "Pokemon are meant to push their limits so they can reach a new state of being. It's the role of trainers to help their Pokemon achieve that state, and in the same way, they help us achieve our goals." He said before looking back to Garchomp approaching, "There are times when you only have one shot to win, and you have to make it count."
"So Red, what will you do now?" Roman added on.
Ruby remained silent before looking back to her Pokemon, "Eevee." She said before gritting her teeth, then putting the Pokeball away, "I know you can win; I believe in you!" the red hooded trainer said, "Don't let this Pokemon push you back." she said as her hand was shaking, "You're brave, but that doesn't mean you don't feel fear." Ruby said as she called out with determination in her eyes, "It means you fight on despite fear!"
"Eev!" Eevee responded as she tried to growl again, her eyes focused more than before with tears pouring down, "EEVEE!" she let out a battle cry that seemed different than the growls prior, one that pulsated with a pink wave of energy.
"Gar," Garchomp was taken back by the wave, his eyes filling with rage before rushing in for a final draconic impact with its left arm, "GAR!"
"EEVEE!" Ruby called out right before impact, but in the split second, she saw a white light, "Huh?"
A cloud of dust filled the area before slowly fading. Garchomp was seen where he once was, still in mid-swing assuming a direct hit. However, Eevee was not there. Rather a slightly larger foxlike Pokemon was seen. Its fur was white and pink with ribbons from its neck and left ear. The Landshark pokemon's arm hit the bow on her neck but left no mark. Garchomp had a look of confusion, while the ribbon fox Pokemon glared back with her blue eyes, "Sylveon!"
"Eevee, you evolved!" Ruby called out, a smile forming on her face, "And you didn't even need a stone to do it."
"Gar!" Garchomp glared in anger before attempting a chomp. However, in biting into Sylveon's body, it had no effect, "Gar?"
"Syl!" Sylveon responded by using a Quick Attack, rushing out of Garchomp's maw and into his chest with a pink impact.
"Gar!" Garchomp skidded back before coming to a stop as Sylveon landed on her feet.
"Wow, you're amazing! He can't even hurt you." Ruby called out before seeing Garchomp about to stomp again, "Sylveon, jump!" the red-hooded trainer called out as the ribbon fox Pokemon evaded the earthquake, "Now Swift!"
"Syl!" Sylveon unleashed the stars from its mouth, but they now had a pinkish color to them. Upon hitting Garchomp's body, then exploded on impact.
"GAR!" Garchomp recoiled again before glaring at Sylveon. He then dashed in at high speed before brutally swinging his tail, smacking Sylveon into the ground.
"Sylveon!" Ruby called out before the ribbon fox Pokemon recovered, but was panting in exhaustion, "We need to finish this now, time to hit them with everything you got!"
"Syl!" Sylveon responded before its body glowed in a light resembling the shine of a moon. The light gathered in an orb over Sylveon's head, "SYLVEON!" she unleashed the Moonblast towards Garchomp, whose eyes flashed in dread before impact.
"GAAARRR!" Garchomp's body was scorched from the Moonblast, the light ripping through his scales. While the light faded, the body was still steaming from the attack, "Gar…" the Landshark Pokemon fell to one knee, unable to move its arms or raise his head.
"This is it," Ruby said as she readied an empty Pokeball, "Your mine!" She said before tossing the Pokeball, seeing it bounce off Garchomp's head and open. The Landshark Pokemon looked back to Giovanni, who looked back at him with a focused gaze before the Pokeball finished its ensnarement. The Pokeball hit the ground before shaking three times. As the red hooded trainer held her breath, a small click was heard, "We, did it?" Ruby questioned it herself before smiling, "We did it!" she said before picking up the Pokeball and jumping into the air, "We caught a Garchomp!"
"Syl!" Sylveon cheered as well.
"Heh, lucky brat," Roman said before tipping his hat, then noticed Giovanni walking up.
"That was only the first part of the challenge before the gym leader." Giovanni spoke to Ruby, "After you have Garchomp healed, you must defeat me in a one-on-one match before you will be allowed to face Summer."
"Yeah, I know." Ruby responded, "But, who are you?"
"To you," Giovanni said before adjusting his hat, "I'm only a stranger." He said as Ruby still had a look of confusion, but Roman smirked.
AN: There you go, Ruby now has a team of six. The last member was a huge challenge to pick. Other options were Beedrill, Lucario, and even Gyarados. All mega potential, but when coming up with the way she could get one, this seem liked the best method and most thematically appropriate. Plus, this mega has scythe arms, so she will love it. This does mean she has three Gen four Pokemon, but Ruby is also one of the only members to use Gen four Pokemon. Before all of that, we had a host of cameos for Ruby's team to get training before her final gym battle. My favorite has to be Sceptile, who even Roman acknowledges is cool. Ruby then meets what I guess you would consider her interdimensional stepfather. And with his release of his own Garchomp, she had a challenge for her last Pokemon. This lead to the other big choice here of what Eevee evolves into. Still, Sylveon is perfect for Ruby in every way possible. To give more context to the ending here since it goes by so fast. Eevee's last growl was her learning Baby-doll eyes, a fairy type move. Which, thanks to having already high friendship with Ruby, allowed her to evolve into Sylveon. Not only was she immune to all Garchomp's Dragon Rush's and Dual Chomps, she also has Pixilate as her ability now since she had the hidden ability as Eevee. That makes all her normal move fairy type and more damaging. In the last move, she forgot Baby-Doll Eyes to learn Moonblast. In the end, Ruby's team is training, and she must take down the mob boss himself before she can face her mother again. She may have a Garchomp on her side, but Giovanni's Pokemon is one you really cannot underestimate. That is all for now, thanks for reading, and hope to see you in the next chapter.
Now, I will take this time to talk a bit about the Pokemon anime new. For those that do not know, Ash did it and won big. Now, after all these years, he is done and ready to hang up his hat for a new protagonist to take over. Like everyone else, I'm sad that a character who was a big part of my childhood is leaving the media format. However, I'm also happy with the ending and think this is for the best for everyone. I never want anything to go on forever, an ending give closure and allows you to reflect on what has happened to lead to this moment. I'm grateful to have found this show as a kid, it taught me how to keep trying and moving forwards, getting better each time, until finally reaching the top. For that, I thank Ash and Pikachu for their hard work, and wish them well in however their journey concludes.