Chapter 3

Best Friends, Better Rivals

'If you're strong you'll survive and you'll keep your dream alive.'

"Go, Beautifly! Use String Shot!"

From the tongue-like proboscis of a large, multicolored butterfly came a silky thread that wrapped around the fluttering wings of a surprised humanoid ladybug, causing it to immediately begin falling from the sky.

"Thunder Punch, Ledian!"

Electricity surged around the ladybug Pokémon's glowing fists, and grasping the silk thread caused her opponent to cry out and begin plummeting just like herself. With some effort, Ledian broke free from her restraints and caught Beautifly with its other pair of non-electrified mitts, beating her wings before they could hit the ground.

"Beautifly!" A teenage girl with magenta colored hair tied in pigtails ran onto the dirt battlefield with her hands held out to cradle her fallen partner.

Ruby came running a moment later sharing a concerned look with Ledian. "Is she alright? I'm so sorry, Sakura, I-"

"She's alright," the other girl affirmed, a sigh of relief being shared by her opponents. A pink cat-like Pokémon with a red gem embedded in its forehead appeared at their feet a moment later, its twin tails brushing up against Ruby's leg.

Weakly, Beautifly crawled up its trainers arm to her shoulder, and Ruby began rummaging through her pouch for a plastic baggy full of berries. "Here, they're tasty and good for Pokémon, especially the blue ones." As if to prove it, Ruby fed one to Ledian who had also taken residence on her own trainer's shoulder, and let out a squeal after biting into it. "See?"

Sakura nodded and held out an Oran berry for Beautifly. "It's alright. It'll make you feel better." The large butterfly Pokémon sniffed it before taking an experimental nibble, letting out a pleasurable mewl before sucking out the rest of the juices. "Here's one for you too, Espeon."

As she bent down, a brown foxlike Pokémon with a bushy tail ran to intercept, but Espeon appeared to have anticipated the sneak attack and snatched the berry out of her trainer's hand. "Here, Eevee," said Sakura. "There's enough for everyone, so no fighting."

"We should still get Beautifly to a Pokémon Center," Ruby said, watching as the pair chased each other between their legs. "Sometimes with Electric-type attacks there are aftershocks. I should know, one time I pulled the tail of a Pikachu and twitched for nearly a week. It was almost as bad as the time I sat on an Electrode thinking it was one of those exercise balls."

Sakura stifled a giggle and gestured that they sit down on a nearby bench. "That's alright. I think it just caught Beautifly by surprise is all. Thank you for the battle, Ledian. We learn a lot every time we battle you, and if you'll wait a little while I'm sure Espeon would like a rematch."

As they walked through the courtyard with traditional style Johto gardens and buildings surrounding them, the two Pokémon on the ground continued chasing each other with Espeon effortlessly moving between their legs as if knowing exactly where they would step each time while Eevee inadvertently kept nearly tripping them.

"I think that's enough training for today," Ruby said. "My team's been through a lot the past few days, and we still have our gym match with Morty tomorrow."

"That's right! Two battles with me, a handful against the other trainees and Kimono Girls, the gym trainers, and that girl you ran into outside of town. You all must be exhausted!"

"I can't believe it was just a couple days ago..." Ruby shuddered slightly, and when she noticed Sakura's curious expression she smiled weakly. "Weiss is great, really. She's just, uh..."

"Not very pleasant to be around?" Sakura finished with a wry smile.

Ruby winced and gave a slight nod. "She can't say a single nice thing about me without it coming off as a backhanded compliment and she acts like she owns the world, which she might actually, but I mean she's not all bad. Weiss is a really good trainer who loves her Pokémon and has traveled all over the world, and she can be nice when she wants to be."

Taking their seats on an ornate bench Sakura chuckled. "'When she wants to be' being the key phrase. Are you sure about traveling with her to Mahogany Town, Ruby? I think I'd rather be chased by a swarm of Beedrill than have to spend five more minutes alone with her."

"Our walk back to Ecruteak wasn't so bad, and in our short time together I've learned a lot about Pokémon from her. I don't think she's trying to be mean. I think that's just the way she is."

Again Sakura chuckled. "In that case I'm sorry I won't be coming along to help take the target off your back."

"So you made up your mind then?" she asked softly, with Sakura nodding a moment later. "I was really hoping maybe you'd have changed your mind when I got back..."

Both girls glanced down, the dance theater's inner courtyard suddenly much quieter despite the Pokémon playing.

"I'm sorry, Ruby," she said finally, "but you were only gone for a few hours, and I've been thinking about this for a while now. For my entire life all I've ever wanted to be is a Kimono Girl like my mom and my sister Sayo, but seeing so many trainers from all around the world come to Ecruteak for the gym and Kimono Girls, I started wanting to go on a journey just like them. I couldn't wait until my fourteenth birthday and get my trainer's license, and I immediately set out for Violet City and Azalea Town to challenge their gym leaders. It wasn't easy, but after just a couple of months we had two badges to show for all our hard work, and we even met a few new friends like Beautifly here."

The butterfly Pokémon let out a high-pitched squeal and fluttered its wings. Lightly petting them Sakura sighed. "But then we battled Whitney and her Miltank, and everything came to a screeching halt..."

Ruby scooted closer. "It took us three tries," she said, grabbing Sakura's hand, "and it's only because Scizor decided to evolve that we're not still in Goldenrod working odd jobs so we can afford to eat and pay the gym's entrance fee."

"But you eventually won your badge, Ruby. I gave up, and when I finally got back to Ecruteak, my sister and all the other girls got to see me lose to Morty. I didn't see any point going any further, and so I just resumed my duties as a trainee like nothing ever happened and went with them to the Whirl Cup for the opening ceremony."

"I was there! Y'all were fantastic!"

Sakura blushed but shook her head. "Thanks, but my job like the other trainees was just to make sure everything was packed and the shows ran smoothly."

"Which they did," Ruby affirmed. "I just wish you had told me that the Whirl Cup only allowed Water-type Pokémon..."

"I did, several times actually, and I also told you only trainers ranked expert and Master were allowed entry this year." She gave the caped-girl a playful nudge. "I guess some good did come from the trip though. I got to see my friend Misty again. She's the Cerulean City gym leader in Kanto. I'd met her the year before when she was passing through Ecruteak for the previous Whirl Cup, and she's the one who gave me the confidence to go on a Pokémon journey. We had a rematch and after I won she awarded me the Cascade Badge, but it wasn't an official gym match and I think she only did it to try and cheer me up. It worked, and once the Whirl Cup was over and Misty was officially crowned a Water-type Master I challenged the Cianwood City gym, and we ended up getting the Storm Badge on our very first try."

"I wished I'd known that!" Ruby pulled at her hair in frustration. "I was still looking for that giant white Mantine I saw during the Whirl Cup. Remember, the one with the long neck I told you about?"

"It's okay, Ruby. I'd told you I was going back to Ecruteak. It's only because of Misty and not wanting to disappoint her that I challenged Chuck's fighting gym, but after we got crushed by Jasmine in Olivine I decided to come back home. I just don't think I'm cut out for a Pokémon journey..."

As if sensing her thoughts, Espeon jumped in her lap while the rambunctious young Eevee chased a butterfly into a nearby garden.

Ruby scooted close and gave her a hug. "We're both barely into our second year as trainers, Sakura. We're not expected to beat every gym leader on our first try, or even our second for that matter."

*sniff*

"I know, but even if I'm just a trainee, I'm still a Kimono Girl, and just like you, I've been having Pokémon battles for years. Trainees are expected to be just as skilled as gym trainers are, and fully fledged Kimono Girls are just as skilled at battling as they are dancing. Erica, Celadon City's gym leader, she was a Kimono Girl when I was little and even won the Silver Conference. So did Valerie a few years after that, and both Kuni and Zuzu have won the Whirl Cup. I just want to be like them someday and bring honor and recognition to the Kimono Girls of Ecruteak City..."

Ruby nodded and squeezed her shoulder. "I know how you feel, Sakura. My parents and uncle were all really great trainers, and I was traveling with my sister when she completed the Alola Island Challenge and won the Orange League. She's also already collected eight Johto badges and has a real shot at winning the Silver Conference this year. You can't compare yourself to others like that. Compare yourself to who you used to be and who you want to be, and ultimately just be yourself. And remember that everyone who loves you is rooting for you to do your best!"

Sakura sniffled as both Espeon and Beautifly nuzzled closer. "You guys..." she nearly sobbed. "Thanks, Ruby. I-I needed to hear that. I can't bring myself to talk about this in front of Sayo or the other girls, and all the other trainees look up to me because I went out and won four badges, well, three technically. And because I've been here the longest. I guess in my own way I did bring some honor and recognition to the Kimono Girls."

Beside them, a trumpet blared as Ledian blew her nose on Ruby's cape. "I think you did more than that, Sakura, and don't mention it. More than once my big sis has had to remind me that the only person I have to measure up to is myself, and my opponent of course. And even though losing still stings, it's the furthest thing from failure. Did you know it took me four tries to defeat Falkner and earn the Zephyr Badge?"

"Four!?" Sakura cried out in disbelief. "YOU?"

Ruby nodded, unashamed though perhaps just a little embarrassed. "And to make matters worse it was against his beginner's team. I guess a baby Chikorita from Professor Elm's lab, a Ledyba that's scared of birds, and a Scyther that refuses to listen combined with an overzealous, rookie trainer wasn't exactly the optimal team to go up against a Flying-type expert, huh?"

She laughed when Sakura did her best to politely remain silent. "It's alright. A lot of people made fun of me because even beginners usually don't have as much trouble as I did, and like you said, I'd been having Pokémon battles for years at that point. I even ran out of money and had to sleep in the lounge at the Pokemon Center because I couldn't afford a room. I thought about giving up and going home just about every day, and if I wasn't crying myself to sleep I was staying up all night worrying about tomorrow. We kept training even though my heart really wasn't in it, but thankfully my Pokémon are even more stubborn than I am." Ledian gave her a not-so-gentle pat on the head as if to say 'speak for yourself'.

"On our fourth try and over a month since we first challenged the gym, we finally won the Zephyr Badge, and it's still the badge I'm most proud of. I-I don't know if I've ever been that happy before..."

"Ruby-" she squeezed her hand, "I had no idea..."

"And it doesn't stop there. When we got to Azalea Town and challenged Bugsy, I just knew we were gonna win because Ledian here had evolved and Scyther had sorta kinda started listening to me, sometimes, but we still lost. Since challengers have to wait a mandatory one week before registering for a rematch, Bugsy invited me to train with him and later even made me an official gym trainer, and I ended up forgoing the rematch and spent another two weeks at the gym training and battling challengers. He even awarded me the Hive Badge after a practice session where my Scyther finally defeated his, and it holds a very special place in my heart."

She nuzzled her head against Ledian's who giggled and was beaming with pride, in part because the Hive Badge was modeled after a Ledyba, but also because she felt her cheerleading had gone a long way leading to her older brother's victory.

"Bugsy took me under his wing and helped make me the trainer I am today, teaching me how to think outside the box and how to find every Pokémon's untapped potential. He's the one who showed me how powerful Baton Pass can be after Ledian learned it, and being a gym trainer it was kinda nice making money to be able to afford food again. But as good and unbeatable as we felt leaving Azalea Town, you know what happened next against Whitney's Miltank. To this day we still haven't defeated a gym leader on our first try."

Sakura stared with her mouth hanging open, shaking her head. "I-I don't even know what to say, Ruby, other than I'm sorry. Here I am whining about being a quitter when I can't even imagine how hard that must've been. Thank you for telling me. That actually makes me feel a lot better, though I'm still a little mad at myself."

"You're not whining and you shouldn't be mad for feeling sad, Sakura. You just needed someone to talk to, and don't mention it." She hugged her again which was gladly reciprocated. "Seriously, could you please not mention any of that in front of Weiss? She'd probably lose what little respect she has for me."

Sakura stifled a giggle until she couldn't contain it any longer. "Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me."

"Thanks." Pulling away Ruby clapped her hands together. "Now, tell me more about Ecruteak! I promise I was listening when you gave me a tour the first time I was in the city, and the second, but I may have gotten a little distracted at certain points. Did Ho-Oh and Lugia really live here?"

Sakura's face brightened. Despite having told the legend to audiences countless times since she was a little girl, Sakura never got tired of telling the history of her home, not even when she had to repeat herself to mindless tourists.

"Yep, it's not just a legend we tell visitors. The Brass Tower was where Lugia nested whenever it flew inland, supposedly to meet up with the Legendary Birds of other regions. Ho-Oh meanwhile nested atop the Tin Tower north of Ecruteak which hasn't aged a day in seven hundred years." Sakura pointed and Ruby stared in awe of the lone tower piercing the heavens outside of the city. "They were both built to honor the legendary Pokémon and foster goodwill among the people of Johto, and the Kimono Girls served both them and their respective towers. Just don't ask me why Lugia chose the brass colored tower and Ho-Oh the tin. Even though they always got along I think it may have been a territorial kind of thing."

"That's incredible! But what happened to the Brass Tower? I can't see it from here. Are there buildings blocking it or something?"

Sakura glanced down and shook her head. "It's gone now. Nearly two centuries ago lightning supposedly struck the Brass Tower while Lugia was away. They say the smoke could be seen all across Johto, and three Pokémon trapped inside perished..." Ruby gasped and covered her mouth. "Tradition says that they were three Eevee belonging to the Kimono Girls but nobody really knows, and once the tower was nothing more than a smoldering ruin, Ho-Oh appeared and resurrected the Pokémon as Raikou, Entei, and Suicune."

"It c-can do that?"

"Ho-Oh is a phoenix, Ruby. Legends say that Ho-Oh live forever and that anyone who sees one will be blessed with long life and eternal happiness. Unfortunately nobody in Johto has seen Ho-Oh since, and Lugia hasn't left the Whirl Islands to come inland again. The Three Legendary Beasts as we call them roam all of Johto protecting Pokemon and searching for something, some say their creator or a trainer powerful enough to tame them, and once a year they return to the basement of the now Burned Tower to rest, but nobody dares disturb them. Suicune seems nice enough, but Raikou and Entei supposedly have real mean streaks and don't particularly like humans."

"I-I'll be sure to keep that in mind..."

"Legend says it's because the people at the time weren't kind to the resurrected Pokémon, with some even trying to capture them to use in the war, but I don't know. Occasionally you'll hear one of them roar around Mt. Mortar and it's even more terrifying than the legends say." Sakura shivered.

"The Brass Tower burning down and our two patrons flying away was like a bad omen of things to come. It wasn't long after that the war reached Johto and half of the people emigrated elsewhere. I guess the only good thing to come out of the war for us was that the Sylveon Kimono Girl established a colony in Kalos called Laverre, and as per tradition, the gym leader is required to be the current Sylveon Kimono Girl. Meanwhile here in Johto, we went from being the servants and guardians of Ho-Oh and Lugia to dancing in a studio, sometimes with barely even an audience..."

"I think y'all are amazing!" Ruby gushed. "And you do more than just dance! The Kimono Girls do the opening ceremonies to both the Whirl Cup and Silver Conference! Plus y'all do shows all over the world! I first saw the Kimono Girls when my mom took me to a show at the Malie Garden in Alola, and watching them battle was the coolest thing ever! I may have gotten to see a lot of the world because of my dad and sister, but I'd take training to be a Kimono Girl over being a lab assistant or cheerleader any day!"

Sakura smiled and glanced around at the buildings surrounding them which belonged to the theater, then at the Tin Tower in the distance, imagining Ho-Oh descending at any moment. "I think I'm going to finish my training here in Ecruteak..."

"Are you sure?"

The other girl blushed not having realized she'd spoken aloud. "With all the trainers that come to the theater for battles it's not like I'll get rusty, and both Olivine and Goldenrod are nearby for when I'm ready for my rematches, and the Ecruteak gym is just across town. Just like last time I think I'll wait until my Eevee evolves before setting out again, this time into an Umbreon. Zuki and my sister Sayo are the current Umbreon and Espeon trainers, and they're always the two hardest spots to fill. The newest trainee, a girl named Blake, she has an Umbreon but I think the only reason she's here is because she doesn't have anywhere else to go. If she leaves, and I think she will, we'll lose Zuki's current understudy and occasional fill-in. I think that's probably my best chance at becoming an official Kimono Girl someday..."

"Doesn't sound like your heart's really in it," Ruby noted. "How about after the Silver Conference, you and I travel to Kanto together, just the two of us. Your badges won't expire for another two years, and you're bound to get a few more by the end of the year. If we hurried I'm sure we could even make the Indigo Conference next summer. What do you say?"

Sakura beamed. "I'd love that, Ruby, and this time I think I'll take you up on your offer. I'd love to see Misty again and have a proper gym battle with her, and Cerulean isn't far from where Bill lives. You met him just the other day, remember?"

Ruby had to think for a moment having never been the best at matching names with faces. "Oh! That's right, I couldn't stop pestering him about his inventions and all the Pokémon he's studied. I hope I didn't bother him during the show. I kinda do that to people sometimes..."

Sakura laughed and shook her head. "Trust me, you didn't bother him. Bill's called The Poké-Maniac for a reason. He might not be a trainer, but I don't think I've met anyone as knowledgeable and obsessed with Pokemon as him. His grandmother was actually a Kimono Girl, and he has a little sister that's a trainee like me. It'd also be nice to visit Erica and Eusine again and earn her Rainbow Badge. Celadon City's known as 'The City of Rainbows' because it's the last confirmed sighting of Ho-Oh. It was over a hundred years ago but some people hold out hope that Ho-Oh might nest there someday. Could you imagine if it nested atop Celadon's famous department store!"

"Was that the last time anybody saw Ho-Oh?"

"No, a few trainers from time to time claim to have seen it, but nearly all the sightings have been in Kanto, and I think most of them were mistaking Ho-Oh for either a giant Fearow like the one you saw in New Bark Town, or one of the other Legendary Birds of the region, particularly the other phoenix Pokémon, Moltres."

"That settles it then! After my Pokémon and I win the Silver Conference, you and I will take on Kanto's gym challenge and win the Indigo Conference together! And along the way we'll see Ho-Oh and tell it to get its tail feathers back to Ecruteak!"

Sakura laughed as Ruby jumped to her feet and along with Ledian raised their fists as if challenging the legendary Pokémon there and then, and appeared as though she might take off running toward Kanto any second, which wouldn't have surprised Sakura the slightest. "Thanks, Ruby. I'm feeling a lot better now. It's a plan at the very least, which I think is what I've been needing the most. I-"

"I DID IT!" shouted a shrill voice across the courtyard. The girls turned to see Weiss exit one of the nearby buildings along with her Glaceon and Froslass, both looking exhausted but pleased with themselves and their trainer. "I've officially defeated all eight Kimono Girls!"

Although she seemed energetic as she approached, Weiss collapsed on the curb facing the pair, her Glaceon jumping in her lap while Froslass hovered nearby, semi-corporeal and keeping an eye on their surroundings.

"Congratulations," said Sakura, forcing a polite smile. "By all eight I take it you mean Valerie too?"

Weiss nodded impatiently as though that should've been obvious. "Of course, which means not only did I defeat all eight Kimono Girls, but I also defeated a gym leader and two former Whirl Cup winners, along with another Glaceon trainer."

Her own Glaceon mewled happily, causing Espeon's ears to perk up and for Eevee to come running to sniff its distant cousin.

"Sayo said that to mark the rare achievement I'll be presented with my very own ceremonial kimono tomorrow night after the show. I must say I much prefer the tradition to regular old gym badges." She glanced at Froslass, admiring its figure which was reminiscent of a white kimono worn with a red sash, and began imagining herself wearing one similar.

"That reminds me," Sakura said, setting Espeon on the ground before getting to her feet. "I should probably help the other trainees clean the battlefields and prepare for tomorrow night. We always schedule our biggest shows for after Morty's gym battles, and being the weekend tomorrow's should be a packed house."

"But you'll be able to make my match, right?" asked Ruby worriedly.

Sakura nodded. "Of course. I might as well be the senior trainee now, and the other girls understand how important it is for me to be there for you." After petting Espeon and Eevee behind the ears, Ruby gave Sakura a parting hug. "Good luck in your match, Ruby. You and your Pokémon get a good night's rest."

"Thanks, we will, and y'all have a great show tomorrow!"

When the pair separated Sakura left the way Weiss had come, glancing over her shoulder at the girl in white with a frown. When she'd gone back in doors along with her Pokémon, Ruby collapsed back on the bench, suddenly cold despite it being a warm afternoon.

"I'm surprised you're not training for your gym match," said Weiss coolly.

Ruby sighed hearing by her tone that as usual her companion didn't approve. "I was before you came out. Sakura and I were training while you were battling the other Kimono Girls."

"You call that training?" she scoffed. "I saw you two through the window, and while her Beautifly could certainly use the extra training, both of you were going about it all wrong. Tell me, in the three times you've been through Ecruteak, how many Kimono Girls have you defeated? Not counting the trainees, just the Kimono Girls."

"Sakura is a Kimono Girl, and so are all the other trainees," said Ruby, sitting on the edge of her seat as if ready to pounce. "They all work really hard as Pokémon trainers and as dancers and everything else that goes into being a Kimono Girl. But of the seven I've battled, I was able to beat three of them. Leafeon, Glaceon, and Umbreon."

"See? Not even half."

"I don't have as many Pokémon as you! Or at as high of levels! Seven one-on-one matches were a lot on my team."

"Were the only battles you won with Scizor's type advantage?"

"N-no! Meganium defeated Leafeon! On the second try..." she added under her breath.

"But Scizor did defeat the other two, didn't he? What happened in the battles with Jolteon, Flareon, Vaporeon, and Espeon?"

Ruby gritted her teeth. "They're all amazing trainers with really strong Pokémon! What do you think happened!?"

"I think you losing so many one-on-one matches proves that you rely too much on Baton Pass, and that you should focus less on teamwork and more on your Pokémon's individual strengths."

Ruby bit her lip, silently fuming while Ledian raised her tiny, boxing glove-like fists. "Just this week I've defeated you, Morty's gym trainers, and nearly half of the senior Kimono Girls!"

"So there is a difference between them and the trainees. I see you didn't add defeating Sakura to your list of accomplishments."

"Those were just practice matches!" Ruby yelled. She looked away again, and only after a series of deep breaths did she continue. "Alright, maybe there were a few losses along the way, and maybe we could've won a couple of those battles. All that matters now is that we win tomorrow, but if we come up short it won't be the end of the world. We've lost to gym leaders before and we've always come away stronger because of it. If that happens my Pokémon and I will get to spend another week training at the theater with Sakura and the other Kimono Girls, and maybe I'll earn my very own kimono while we're at it. What do you have to say about that!?"

Weiss set Glaceon down and got to her feet. "What's your strategy to countering Morty's Ghost-type Pokémon?" she asked calmly, arms folded over her chest. "Specifically his Gengar?"

"Well, uh, we're gonna-"

"That doesn't include Baton Pass?"

Ruby's face soured and she blew hot air out of her puffed out cheeks. "I have a plan. A good plan! We'll just have to wait until tomorrow to see if it works..." She glanced down not wanting Weiss to see the uncertainty in her eyes, the hope that tomorrow's gym match would be different from the others, but cracked a smile at Ledian when she began rubbing her shoulder reassuringly. Weiss meanwhile continued staring at her expectantly, waiting for an answer.

"I'm gonna head back to the Pokémon Center," said Ruby at last. "Ledian could use one last checkup before tomorrow, and some of the trainers there probably have some tips for battling Morty."

Weiss sighed and shook her head. "I suppose I should come along as well." She returned Glaceon to it's custom white Luxury Ball but allowed Froslass to remain floating by her side. "With all the money I gave you, I still don't understand why you insist on staying at the Pokémon Center rather than a hotel."

Perhaps it wasn't the girl's intent, but Ruby couldn't help but feel as though she was constantly being accused of something, and just barely managed to sigh instead of scream. "Because for licensed trainers it's practically free to stay at, there's usually plenty of room for Pokémon, and it's a good place to meet people and talk strategy and Pokémon."

'Mainly to talk strategy and Pokémon,' Ruby thought to herself. She had no qualms with sleeping in a tent or just a sleeping bag under the stars, and had occasionally done so when she didn't feel like staying inside a crowded Pokémon Center. People weren't always the easiest for her to be around, and unfortunately Weiss was proving herself to be particularly difficult. A feeling she thought was probably mutual.

"I also don't have your kind of money. I used most of what you paid me to restock on supplies and replace a lot of items that I'd just been making due with, and after all of your deductions- which once again I'm perfectly fine with and am very grateful you decided to give me anything, I just don't have the kind of money to splurge on hotels and fancy restaurants right now."

"I see." Weiss looked her up and down, slightly less displeased by her appearance since buying Ruby's new outfit, which of course had been on the list of deductions. "You were telling me about wanting to catch a Water-type Pokémon in the near future. Did you pick up any Ultra Balls? Or at least Great Balls?"

Ruby shook her head. "All of my Pokémon joined the team willingly so there's no point in going broke. Plus I worked for Kurt while I was in Azalea Town and he paid me in apricorn balls."

"Suit yourself, I-"

Both girls froze mid-step as their breaths plumed in the air and a shiver went up their spines, both imagining someone or some-thing having just stepped over their graves. Without hesitation Froslass took a defensive posture in front of them, scanning the surrounding area while dark ethereal energy started gathering in its palms.

"What is it?" Ruby stuttered, her teeth chattering. She grabbed hold of Ledian whose body was shaking nearly as badly as her own.

"Either a ghost or Ghost-type Pokémon," said Weiss quietly, also moving in front of the caped-girl. "A very powerful, possibly malicious ghost by the feel of it. Froslass, do you see anything?"

She pointed to the area they had just been sitting, a shadow now cast over the benches.

"T-that wasn't there a minute ago," Ruby whimpered. "W-what's casting that shadow, and w-why is it so cold?"

"Ghosts and ghost-type Pokémon can fill you with a sense of malaise and anxiety just by being in their presence if you're not careful, but it's not Froslass' doing. She knows I'm not very fond of such nonsense. Judging by the fact it's coming from that shadow and what city we're in, I'd hazard a guess and say its coming from a-"

"Gengar!" shouted a male voice exiting the theater. "Cut that out right now! What have I told you about scaring people like that? Especially kids?"

Almost reluctantly the shadow began to shrink before taking physical form, which to the girls' surprise and alarm was nearly the same height as them. The creature was black as night with crimson eyes and a mouth full of teeth that engulfed its entire body. It also had short, stubby limbs that might've been comical if not for the razor sharp claws at the end. As Ruby got a better look from behind Weiss and Froslass, she almost laughed as the living shadow looked as though it had just been caught with its hand in the cookie jar, something she could relate to and sympathize with.

"Sorry about that," called the young man with blond hair and a blue headband. "Gengar can get pretty restless during the day, and he enjoys reenacting scenes from horror movies a bit too much."

"H-horror movies?" Ruby squeaked. Glancing back at Gengar it gave her a playful wink. "EEEK!"

"Gengar," he chided, shaking his head. After giving the ghost Pokémon a pat on the head he bowed as was the custom there in Johto before holding out his hand to the travelers. "I'm the Ecruteak City gym leader, Morty Matsuba."

"Gym leader!?" Ruby glanced back at Gengar who better behaved himself this time. "I-I mean, I'm Ruby Rose, and this here is Ledian."

'Beh-be!' The humanoid ladybug shook his hand followed by her trainer after a bit of clever puppetry with her cape.

"Pleased to meet you, Ruby and Ledian. I saw a couple of your matches with the Kimono Girls the other day. Very impressive. You're also the one who defeated my gym trainers, aren't you?" Ruby nodded, stiffening when she caught Gengar's hungry gaze. "Don't worry, I make it a point never to ask them about my opponent's strategies or their Pokémon. Watching you battle the Kimono Girls is one thing, but ghost Pokémon are something else entirely as I'm sure you're well aware. I'm looking forward to our match tomorrow, almost as much as Gengar. Good luck."

"T-thanks." She gave a slight bow, her eyes darting toward Gengar every few seconds.

He turned to Weiss, his smile widening. "No introductions are necessary, Miss Schnee. Your reputation precedes you, and it's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance."

"The pleasure is all mine," she said graciously, her voice becoming more courtly and polite than when it was just her and Ruby.

"I watched your battles with the Kimono Girls a little while ago. Very impressive. Each of them are strong enough to be a gym leader in their own right, and sometimes when I'm without an opponent and their attendance isn't what it should be we'll challenge each other to help bring some excitement to the city, and all of them have earned the Fog Badge. What about you? Are you challenging the gym after your friend? From what the other gym leaders have told me you're, very nearly an expert level trainer."

"Unfortunately she'll be your only opponent." Weiss gestured toward Ruby as though apologizing on her behalf. "I need only two more gym badges to qualify for both the Silver Conference and Lily of the Valley Conferences, and as an aspiring Ice-type Master, I'd like my final two badges to be the Glacier and Rising Badges."

"I can't say that I'm not disappointed, but regardless good luck to you and your teammates. Both Pryce and Clair are Masters in their respective fields and far stronger than Gengar and I, but having watched your battles I have confidence you can defeat even their strongest Pokémon."

"Save the luck for your next opponent," she said with a smirk. "She's going to need it."

Ruby didn't seem to notice the slight jab as she continued gazing at Gengar, goosebumps multiplying and feeling a knot twisting in her stomach. Slowly she began backing away but forced a bright smile on her face. "I-I really need to be going now. I still have some strategizing to do and need to get to the Pokémon Center, p-preferably before dark. And would you look at that, it's gonna be dark later today. Better hurry. It was nice meeting you, Mr. Morty. BYE!"

She took off running with Ledian holding onto her cape, encouraging her trainer to run faster while occasionally stealing glances back at Gengar who waved back with an impossibly wide grin.

"How rude," Weiss huffed.

Morty gave his Gengar a stern look, causing it to look down and twiddle its thumbs. "You know, if you stopped scaring people like, that they'd probably be more willing to play with you."

The shadow Pokémon smiled sheepishly before hanging its head. The scene was almost comical to Weiss, but she continued regarding the large ghost Pokémon with an air of apprehension, Froslass still at her side and keeping a close eye on the mischievous shadow.

"Mr. Matsuba," she said, "I-"

"Please, just Morty."

She nodded. "Morty, sir, there's something about Ruby I think you should know before your match tomorrow."

Morty eyed her curiously, arms crossed over his chest. "Oh? And what's that?"

"She relies on the move Baton Pass in order to-"

He held up a hand signaling for her to stop. "That's enough. In the spirit of fairness I prefer going into gym matches as blindly as possible, especially when my opponent is a beginner or intermediate level trainer."

"I'm not trying to give you any kind of advantage against her. Quite frankly I don't think you need it. I just want Ruby to learn not to rely on cheap tricks in her battles."

"Most of what we Ghost-type trainers do are cheap tricks," said Morty with a grin. "Let me guess, Miss Rose used a Baton Pass strategy against you, and you lost because of it?"

Looking down at the ground Weiss bit her lip, and with the gym leader waiting for an answer she slowly nodded. "The fault was my own."

"And that bothers you because you're a more experienced trainer, and your Pokémon better trained and more powerful." It wasn't a question, and again Weiss nodded.

"She got lucky..."

"Maybe, but in my experience luck favors the bold. Miss Rose will be the first of three gym challengers this coming week. Win or lose tomorrow doesn't matter much to me, but to her and her Pokémon I'm sure it feels as though the entire world is on their shoulders. Winning tomorrow will be proof that all their hard work is paying off, and in front of a large crowd with friends in attendance that can be the confidence booster that many young trainers lack. Losing however can be devastating and set them back weeks if not months, possibly even cause them to give up, and from what I hear, Miss Rose knows a thing or two about setbacks. Unless I'm mistaken, she's never defeated a gym leader on her first try."

Weiss nearly smirked but it was quickly replaced by a sour expression, and eventually something a little more gentle. "I wasn't aware of that..."

"Your friend has everything to gain but also a lot to lose tomorrow, which is appropriate for a Baton Pass trainer. Even outside of gym matches, my Pokémon and I have lost to trainers much less experienced than ourselves, and together we've defeated trainers we had had no business even battling, usually through cheap tricks. However..." Morty's countenance changed slightly, and Gengar grinned at the girl in white. "As a gym leader it's my duty to test my challengers' skill and see how they adapt to new situations. I'll test Miss Rose to the best of my abilities and keep what you said to me today a secret, but if she defeats me and my Pokémon tomorrow, I expect you to tell her the truth."

"WHAT!?"

"Otherwise I'll play dumb and battle her as though I didn't know about her using Baton Pass. I'll also consider reporting you to the Pokémon League for attempting to tamper with an official gym match."

"I-I-" Weiss stared wide-eyed but quickly regained her composure as she recognized the threat as being half-hearted. "Honestly, sir, I'm not telling you this because I want some measure of payback. I simply wish for her to improve as a trainer and not rely on cheap tricks and luck to win battles."

Morty smiled and nodded. "Sometimes there's a thin line between friends and rivals, and it sounds like you two are good for each other."

"Believe me, we are not friends, and she's certainly not my rival."

"Really? Could've fooled me." He turned to leave with his Gengar. "Cheer Miss Rose on tomorrow and root for her to win. That's what good friends and rivals do for each other."

He waved goodbye and Weiss waved back, the knots in her stomach remaining even after Gengar disappeared. Standing in the courtyard all alone except for Froslass she reminded herself that she ought to be pleased with herself. She'd paid her debt to Ruby, and despite her interference, she highly doubted she had stood a chance against Morty anyway. Even if a part of her did want some measure of retribution, in the long run Ruby would thank her, and she would be better off traveling with someone that wasn't such an ice queen...

(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. Not gonna lie, I rather enjoy this version of Weiss. She may be a little bitter about losing to Ruby in the previous chapter but her intentions don't appear to be entirely selfish. She does seem to honestly care about Ruby, as seen when she put herself in between her and Gengar, but as Morty said there's sometimes a fine line between friends and rivals in the world of Pokémon. And while Weiss appears to want a traveling companion, I think just like canon she has a touch of self-loathing to her. While her plan may not be entirely benevolent, in her mind Ruby is better off without her, which I find to be rather sad.

Sakura was a "character of the day" that appeared in the anime and proved popular enough that she appeared in two more episodes, one of which was the Ash-less "Pokémon Chronicles". I've always had a soft spot for her, and I thought she'd make a great supporting character in this story. Seeing how in Chronicles Sakura was missing Whitney, Morty, and Jasmine's gym badges but had Chuck's, it can presumed that she had some major setbacks on her journey, and her viewing herself as a "failure" seemed like a good contrast to Ruby who's had her own fair share of "failures". Ruby not wanting to share her poor history with gym battles with Weiss made sense in my mind, which furthered the need for a character like Sakura. I don't think Weiss would share her hardships with Ruby at this point, and as a trainer I don't think she's had the same setbacks as Ruby.

On that note, I wanted gym battles to feel like major milestones in a trainer's journey, and while it would appear that Weiss (and possibly Yang) take them for granted, to Ruby they're truly major accomplishments to be proud of. She basically set out on her journey on "hard mode" given her team composition, and I think all of her struggles with Falkner, Bugsy, and Whitney make sense, as do Chuck and Jasmine. Ice/Fire/Thunder Punch and Focus Punch probably gave Ruby's team fits (though they appear to have inspired Ledian's moveset) and I can just imagine the roadblock that Steelix must've been for her. For me I can see her progression from before and after every major hurdle, and while we're jumping into the story after she's already gotten five gym badges I hope this comes across while reading.

As you may have been able to tell it sounds as though Ruby saw Suicune running around Mt. Mortar, Ho-Oh when she set out from her journey in New Bark Town, and Lugia swimming around the Whirl Islands. For whatever reason I really like the idea that by the time Ruby ends her journey she'll have seen every single legendary Pokémon without even realizing it. I can just imagine her stumbling across Arceus drinking from a stream and thinking it's a giant, shiny Stantler. As for her not recognizing them, I like to think that reports of most legendary Pokémon aren't always the most reliable so it's not exactly common knowledge what they look like, but it's also just amusing to me to think of Ruby being that oblivious. I can totally imagine Ruby making friends with a Celebi and time traveling together without ever realizing what's happened.

All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who has blessed me with this story and with all of you wonderful readers. God bless)