Chapter 12

Heart Gold, Soul Silver

'And if you fall along the way, have the faith you'll be okay, because your friends are there for you, reaching out to pull you through.'

"Ruby!" All three girls jumped to their feet and ran to the bed where Ruby was stirring. "Quick, tell the nurses' station!" someone yelled.

Meganium bayed with joy and stuck her long neck through the window, and Arcanine howled loud enough to be heard across Mahogany Town. Ledian and Togetic cried out as well and leaped atop their trainer's chest, nuzzling close.

"Morning, sleepyhead," Yang said, ruffling her sister's unkempt hair. "You had us all worried. We were starting to think you might miss breakfast."

Ruby blinked, confused by all the attention, as well as the tears in everyone's eyes. "Yang?" she rasped. "W-where am I? What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be on Mt. Silver?"

"I got a craving for a Rage Candy Bar," she half-laughed, half-sobbed. "Don't worry, I bought enough for both of us. You won't be passing out from low blood sugar again anytime soon."

Sakura held up a bottle of water with a long, flexible straw and practically shoved it into Ruby's mouth. She drank nearly half of it before suffering a violent coughing fit that seemed to worry everyone in the room except Yang and the Pokémon. "Thanks," she said, her voice weak but no longer resembling sandpaper. "Sakura? Shouldn't you be at the theater?"

"There aren't any shows today," she said, telling the truth. All shows for the next week had been abruptly canceled.

Ruby nodded but was visibly puzzled by the teary eyed expressions looking back at her. She hugged Ledian and Togetic close to her chest, and rubbed Meganium's snout thoughtfully. Experience told her that she was lying in a hospital bed, but besides a dry mouth and feeling utterly exhausted, she felt better than she normally did after a long day of hiking in the wilderness.

A streak of white hair caught her attention, and for the first time she noticed Weiss attempting to hide behind Yang and Sakura. Painful memories gradually came back to her, one after another, and her eyes began to water just like everyone else's. "I thought you said you'd leave me behind if I slowed you down?"

*sniff*

"I say a lot of things I don't mean," Weiss' voice cracked. "Some just more egregious than others." Seeing that everyone was looking at her, Weiss turned away and rubbed something from her scarred eye. "Besides, you weren't the only one who needed medical attention."

Weiss realized her mistake almost immediately, and rushed forward to lay a hand on Ruby to keep her lying down. "I'm alright, and so are all the Pokémon."

Ruby tried to sit up but collapsed back onto the bed, and when she tried again she was pinned by her sister.

"There will be none of that, Miss Rose." Everyone turned to the young woman standing in the doorway. She was wearing a blue nurse's uniform and couldn't have been much older than Yang, but her demeanor gave the impression of someone experienced beyond their years. To fifteen-year-old Ruby Rose, practically everyone older than her had the same air of confidence and authority that she greatly admired and sorely lacked, and thus she remained frozen in her bed, afraid to even breathe.

She didn't move a muscle while the nurse went to work checking her vitals on the machine beside the bed. Instead she focused on giving Ledian and Togetic the attention they deserved and demanded. "I'm sorry for worrying you like that," she whispered. "I'm just glad you're both alright..."

Her oxygen was lowered and Ruby was glad to be rid of the tubes under her nose, but let out a loud squeak when the nurse removed the IVs. "You're a bit of a mystery around here," she said, giving her a sideways glance. "Physically you're fine, Miss Rose. In fact, you're the healthiest teenage girl the doctors have ever seen. Despite being a Pokémon trainer, your feet and hands are as soft as a newborn's, and there's no sign of the acid burns you sustained from a Victreebel earlier this year, or any other scars mentioned in your hospital record. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were born just a few days ago."

Ruby noticed the way her sister and friends looked away uncomfortably, and turned to the nurse for some sort of explanation, but she seemed to be doing the same. "Apologies, Miss Rose," she said when it became clear Ruby didn't have an answer, "but you're both a medical marvel and conundrum to us, and before you leave, we'd like your permission to take a few more blood samples for further testing."

Unsure how she could possibly refuse, Ruby nodded even though the thought of drawing blood nearly made her faint. Before her nerves could get the better of her however, a flowery scent filled the room, and a thick vine held her hand. She grinned at Meganium who had retreated back out the window to allow the humans room to move. The gentle giant bayed with tears in her eyes, which were promptly cleaned by Arcanine.

"Look how big you've gotten, Arkie!" Ruby cried. "I remember when you were just a puppy and could fit in a shoebox. Now you can't even fit in the room!" The wolf-lion yipped proudly and scooted out of the way to allow the other Pokémon crowded around the window room enough to peer inside. "Blaziken! Charizard! Hitmonchan! Ursaring! It's good to see you all again!"

Yang's well-trained Pokémon beamed at the bedridden girl, all sharing their trainer's joy and sense of relief. Barely visible off to the side however was a red mantis with several small dents in its body. It had difficulty meeting Ruby in the eye, but she smiled and nodded, understanding the ace of her team all too well. "I'm okay, Scizor, but I wouldn't be if you hadn't been protecting me. Thank you."

He turned and walked away, careful not to brush up against any of the other Pokémon even though his usually sharpened edges were exceptionally dull today. Ruby was about to call out to him but four heads popped into view. An Espeon, Glaceon, Flareon, and Eevee all stood up on their hind legs looking into the room, and seemed to be gesturing for someone to follow. A smaller Eevee's head popped up a moment later, and carefully glanced around the room as if afraid of what it might see.

Ruby gave the brightest smile she could manage. "It's okay, Eevee," she said, reminding herself of her sister. "I'll be ready to play outside just as soon as I get out of this hospital gown."

Eevee didn't seem so sure, but Sakura walked over to the window and scooped him into her arms. "It's alright, little guy. Ruby's all better now."

The foxlike Pokémon squirmed when she tried placing him onto the bed. "I'm not your trainer anymore, Eevee. Ruby is, and she always was. And she always will be." She pried him loose and laid him atop Ruby's lap where they watched each other, both too afraid to move until Ruby's hand suddenly began petting him as if on its own accord. He leaned into her touch, and soon enough all their worries were forgotten.

Sakura glanced at Espeon and her glowing red jewel and quietly thanked her before winking at Yang's Flareon. She could recognize an Eevee raised by the Kimono Girls at a glance regardless of whether it had evolved or not, and was pleased to see Eevee and Espeon's cousin healthy and enjoying its new life away from the studio.

Since arriving earlier that morning, the playful Flareon had naturally gravitated toward its brethren and had been acting like an older sister to Ruby's Eevee. Even Glaceon who like her trainer tended to be a bit pretentious and standoffish was spending most of its time with Eevee when she should've been resting. After a quick glance at Ruby and her Pokémon, Sakura quietly thanked the three Eeveelutions and her own Eevee for a job well-done.

Ruby leaned back and closed her eyes, smiling while Ledian, Togetic, and Eevee all vied for her attention. "Would you like something to eat, Miss Rose?" the nurse asked.

Her empty stomach growling answered for her. "Now that you mention it, I could really go for a cheeseburger right about now. Make that three. And fries and a chocolate milkshake. Does it come with a toy?"

The nurse chuckled and shook her head. "I'm afraid for the time being you won't be eating anything solid. Not if you don't want it coming right back up. I could bring you some soup, pudding, and something to drink however."

"What about-"

"No coffee, sugar, caffeine, or energy drinks." Evidently she'd heard the conversation from earlier, or had been adequately warned by her patient's sister and friends.

Ruby puffed out her cheeks and looked around the room mutinously. "Fine," she grumbled. "Can I at least have some chocolate milk?"

The nurse nodded, and a few minutes later returned with a tray stacked with an assortment of soft foods. Ruby didn't waste any time digging in, savoring every bite as if sampling it for the very first time. It wasn't long however before it was clear she wouldn't be finishing, which was all the prompting her Pokémon and sister needed to start stealing food off her tray. Yang herself hadn't eaten since the day before, and Ruby's Pokémon appeared to have skipped a few meals since arriving at the hospital. Thankfully the nurse seemed to have noticed this and came prepared.

Weiss and Sakura were feeling equally famished themselves but didn't want to go to the cafeteria and leave Ruby now that she was awake, but also didn't want to import food and eat it in front of someone who couldn't eat solids. Instead they sat back and watched the sisters fight over who got to eat what, smiling and giggling to themselves as they thought of their own sisters.

After Ruby had gorged herself and the doctor had spoken to Yang on her behalf, the room grew quiet and Ruby shrank underneath her cloak. She hated being the center of attention even among friends and family. Pokémon were different of course, but she was feeling even more self-conscious than usual lying in a hospital bed. The barely there gown with a draft in the back also wasn't helping.

Her sister loved being the center of attention, thrived on it actually, and attention seemed to love her just as much. Weiss was a singer and Sakura a dancer, and both enjoyed the spotlight being on them and their crafts. And of course all Pokémon trainers wanted their legacies recorded in front of an audience.

All except Ruby that is...

She hugged her Pokémon tightly and not for the first time noticed how exhausted they seemed. She could tell Sakura had taken the time to keep Eevee well-groomed since his fur was silky smooth much like it had been before she started allowing him to jump into mud puddles, and Togetic's feathers appeared to have been recently preened. Ruby couldn't get a good look at Meganium outside the room, but besides her flower drooping and her grassy coat in need of watering, she looked healthy and happy, especially with Arcanine nuzzling with her just like when they were younger.

Scizor she knew from experience would be fine. His entire body was made of metal, and while he was incredibly agile, he already spent most of his time resting and conserving his strength. Regulating his body temperature and keeping him cool was Ruby's only real concern as his trainer.

Ledian appeared to have taken the most damage during the battle, but again Ruby wasn't overly worried. Like most if not all Bug-type Pokémon, Ledian wore an exoskeleton, and it was deceptively sturdy for such a frail-looking Pokémon. She had more than a few scratches but nothing serious, and appeared to have bruised her fists, likely from punching the red Gyarados, or perhaps something else.

Ruby sniffed and kissed them all atop their tiny heads. If she had done something different, or was a better trainer, maybe the battle would've gone differently...

"How are your Pokémon?" she asked, turning to Weiss. "A-are they alright?"

All eyes turned to the heiress who shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Rapidash and Staraptor are still receiving treatment," she said, her quivering lip betraying her. "Once they've fully recovered I intend to send them home so they can get some proper rest. Glaceon as you can see is no worse for the wear, and Froslass is already a ghost, so there's not much to worry about."

She blinked something from her eye and cleared her throat. "She can't turn invisible or incorporeal yet, so she's resting inside her Pokéball. Sunlight will only slow her recovery, and I'd rather not have a ghost wandering around a hospital." She smiled fondly at Glaceon and the white Luxury Ball attached to her belt. "Ice-type Pokémon due to their lower defenses are generally good about staying out of the heat of battle. Thankfully..."

"W-what about Empoleon and Garchomp?"

Weiss opened her mouth to speak but promptly closed it. "Empoleon's lost a lot of his metallic feathers but they're starting to regrow," she said carefully, "and he's more exhausted than he is actually injured. Garchomp on the other hand isn't going to be battling anytime soon..."

She gave a halfhearted smile and shook her head when she saw the worry in Ruby's eyes. "He'll be alright, and he's sandbathing as we speak. Garchomp's classified as a pseudo-legendary for a reason, but he's only recently evolved and I'm afraid it might've been too soon. I don't know what's worse. Me underestimating Gyarados, or overestimating my ability as a trainer..."

Weiss hung her head and sighed, but looked up and this time made no attempt to hide the tears in her eyes. "We all owe you our lives, Ruby. I can't adequately thank you or apologize enough for how foolishly I acted. If you hadn't stepped in, I'd... and the Pokémon... but you..."

Her voice cracked and tears streamed down her cheeks. Ruby struggled not to imitate her and patted the side of her bed, and Weiss reluctantly got up and sat beside her. She waited for Ruby to speak, unable to meet her eye, and nearly cringed away when Ledian, Togetic, and Eevee crawled atop her lap and shoulders.

"Nobody blames you, Weiss," Ruby said. "How were you supposed to know that Gyarados would be so powerful?"

"You knew, and I've probably chided you a dozen times by now, that a trainer is supposed to be able to tell just from a glance how powerful a Pokémon is. Just like when I underestimated Ledian, I overestimated myself as a trainer. And because of my arrogance, our Pokémon were badly hurt and you... you-"

"Died?" Three simultaneous gasps sucked all the air out of the room, and Ruby glanced around gauging everyone's reactions before looking down. "It's not the kind of thing you forget..."

Yang collapsed atop her sister and wrapped her arms around her. "Sakura told me what happened, b-but I didn't want to believe it."

Ruby hugged her tightly and tried to ignore the way Yang was shaking. Her big sister was fearless, always had been, and had been chasing away Ruby's nightmares for as long as she could remember. She instead chose to believe Yang was merely trying to comfort her. That was the natural order of things after all. Perhaps she was also cold and trying to keep warm.

"If it makes you feel any better, it only hurt for a second." Ruby immediately regretted opening her mouth because it was clear it didn't make anyone feel better, least of all Yang. She'd never been a good liar.

Several minutes passed before Yang finally withdrew, but remained seated on the bed, sitting shoulder to shoulder with her sister. Weiss sat near her feet, Ruby's Pokémon still hanging off of her, and Sakura stood between them, unsure what to say or do, but finding herself staring at Ruby almost in awe.

Weiss had seen that look on her face for almost three days now and still didn't know fully what to make of it. Weiss had never felt worse in all her life, but Sakura seemed to almost be having a religious experience.

'She wasn't there,' Weiss thought to herself, hearing the bitterness in her voice.

Sakura and her Pokémon didn't fight the Gyarados nearly to their deaths. She didn't see Ruby's body lying in the mud, limbs twisted in impossible directions. Eyes staring blankly ahead. Or the Pokémon screaming for her to wake up. Or the look of disgust Suicune had given her. Not even Weiss' father looked at her with such vitriol.

A single tear fell from Weiss' eye without her noticing, and a hand was laid atop her own and squeezed. "None of this is your fault," Ruby said. "If it wasn't us it would've been another trainer, and who knows how many people and Pokémon would've been hurt by the time Gyarados was stopped. I don't think even Mr. Dragonite could've beaten it on his own."

Weiss rubbed her eyes and laid her other hand atop Ruby's and squeezed even harder. "Thank you," she said, struggling to get the words out. "Not for my sake, but for my Pokémon. I don't deserve them, and I don't deserve to have a traveling companion like you, or friends like these two."

Yang and Sakura grinned and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Well I for one am happy to have you as a friend and my sister's traveling companion," Yang said.

"Me too," Sakura agreed, now looking at the pair with an air of reverence. "If it wasn't for you, we might never have known Ruby was chosen by Ho-Oh, or that Suicune was following her."

"Ho-Oh?" Ruby asked. "Suicune?"

"I got her killed!" Weiss nearly spat. "If it wasn't for a miracle, Ruby would still be dead and both of you would hate me. Including Ruby's Pokémon. I don't want to be thanked, and I certainly don't want anybody's kindness. And forgive me if I don't worship Ho-Oh or Suicune like you do..."

Sakura flinched, her hand withdrawing. "W-Weiss, I'm sorry, I just meant-"

"I know what you meant," she said, struggling to control both her temper and tears, "but while I'm very thankful, I don't appreciate them standing by while our Pokémon fight for their lives. I don't know what it means to be 'chosen' by Ho-Oh, or to be found 'worthy' by Suicune, but as far as I'm concerned, it means doing their dirty work."

'You are unworthy'. Those words among others had been in Suicune's eyes, and the trouble was, Weiss knew he was right...

Ruby blinked, confused by the talk of legendary Pokémon and what it had to do with her, but for the moment her questions could wait. "Weiss," she said, "I know what it's like having someone die to protect you. My mom died almost eight years ago, and after all this time I think I finally understand how she felt. She wasn't thinking about herself, only me, and it'd break her heart if she knew how guilty I've felt for all these years because of her."

She gave her sister an apologetic smile before squeezing Weiss' hand. "It was her life to give, and it was mine to give to you and your Pokémon. All I've ever wanted was to make her proud, but now I know all she ever wanted was for me to be happy."

With some effort Ruby scooted across the bed, mindful of her hospital gown, and wrapped an arm around the trembling heiress. "So please, Weiss, smile and be happy for me. I'm alright, and so are all the Pokémon. I knew what I was signing up for when I became a trainer, and my luck just finally ran out is all. If you want to make it up to me, beat Pryce and become an Ice-type Master. Enter the Silver Conference and battle my sister in the finals. And most of all, enjoy every day you're with your friends and Pokémon. Do it for me, please?"

Weiss attempted to hide her face but found herself staring at Ruby's hand atop her own, tears landing on the back of impossibly soft skin. "I will," she promised. "I swear I'll be a better friend and trainer, and I'll do everything in my power to earn the second chance you've given me." Without warning she wrapped her arms around Ruby and squeezed tightly. "I swear I'll earn it."

"Love isn't something you earn," Ruby whispered. "It's something freely given. My mom taught me that..."

"I love you, Ruby, and I'm so sorry."

"I love you too, Weiss, and you're very welcome.

Yang and Sakura wiped away tears of their own, and joined the embrace along with the Pokémon. Eventually they began to separate, and with smiles plastered on their faces, everyone looked around awkwardly as if unsure what to say or do now that the elephant in the room had been addressed.

"Listen-" Ruby said, reading their minds- "everything's still a little fuzzy, and I'm more than a little confused how I'm here right now. I remember attaching a Friend Ball to Eevee's Soothe Bell and tossing it onto Gyarados' tailfin. I take it my plan worked after it, well, you know..."

Weiss was still rubbing her eyes but silently nodded.

"It can wait then," Ruby said, smiling. "If it worked, it worked. Why don't we all talk outside? I'm tired of lying in bed and we could all use some fresh air. Besides, I'd really like to say hi to all the Pokémon." She waved outside and a dozen or so Pokémon waved back.

"I'll get a wheelchair," Yang said, already starting toward the door.

Ruby grabbed her hand. "I'll just ride Meganium. I'm sure there's a table or bench to sit on, but if not I'll just sit on the grass. Except-" she blushed slightly and cupped a hand over her mouth- "would you mind helping me get dressed first?"

Yang laughed and nodded, and Sakura pointed toward the closet. "A lot of your clothes couldn't be salvaged, Ruby. I'm sorry, but Weiss went on a shopping spree and got you a new wardrobe. To be honest I'm a little jealous."

"It's nothing," Weiss said when Ruby tried to thank her. "Money is no object and it's the least I can do. Besides, it's not as though you wear designer brands. I'm pretty sure everything I purchased came off the clearance rack and had to be dusted off first."

"Ain't that the truth..." Yang muttered. "Sakura told me you bought Ruby a few new outfits back in Ecruteak, and what I saw in the closet looked a lot better than what she usually wears. Congratulations, you're officially Ruby's new stylist. We'll talk about her hair later."

Ruby patted herself atop the head, unsure what was wrong with having hair that never looked the same two days in a row.

"We're about the same size so I expect they'll fit," Weiss continued, "but I can send for a seamstress if you'd like. In the meantime you'll find plenty of casual wear while you recover, and I've also arranged to have anything you can't carry in your new backpack to be shipped alongside my belongings to the next town's Pokémon Center while we travel. Together. If you'd like..."

Ruby's face brightened. "I'd like that. Really. Thank you, Weiss. Y-you really shouldn't have."

"I told you it's nothing. I think I replaced just about everything that was lost, but if there's anything else you can think of just let me know."

"I will. Thank you."

Weiss exhaled as though a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders, but looked around the room uncomfortably when Yang started digging through the closet like a kid on Christmas morning. Sakura meanwhile made for the window and was being helped out by Meganium's vines when she glanced behind her. "Coming, Weiss?"

The heiress turned her nose. "Absolutely not. I am not climbing out a window like a burglar or teenage girl on her way to a midnight tryst. There's a door to the courtyard at the end of the hall. I shall join you in a moment." With an indignant huff she stomped out of the room mindful to not let anyone in the halls see her face, and while Yang stared at her in bemusement, the other girls shared a smile. Sakura had gotten better at seeing through Weiss' icy façade the past three days, and knew she just needed a moment to herself.

"We'll see you two in a minute," Sakura said, shutting the window behind her. Yang apologized to Meganium and pulled the curtains after finding a suitable outfit for her sister, and except for Ruby's Pokémon, the two were alone. She opened her mouth to speak but promptly closed it, and motioned for her sister to sit up.

Ruby grimaced and gritted her teeth throughout the painful process. Her entire body was sore and stiff, and while she wanted to blame it on lying in a hospital bed for three days, she knew it was much more than that. She was quite literally using muscles she had never used before.

"I broke my promise," she murmured after being helped into black sweat pants and a red tank top. "I promised you and Dad that I'd be careful and wouldn't get into trouble. I'm sorry..."

Yang sat on the bed beside her, the Pokémon climbing on top of them. "Every trainer gets in over their head, Ruby. I do it at least a couple times a week. You feel guilty for getting hurt, Weiss feels guilty because she had something to do with it, and both Sakura and I feel guilty because we should've been there with you."

"No-"

Yang raised her hand signaling she wasn't finished, and also wasn't in the mood to argue. "More importantly the Pokémon feel guilty because they weren't able to protect you." She gave Ledian, Togetic, and Eevee scratches behind the ears. "Trainers and Pokémon are more than just partners, Ruby. They look to you to be their mom, and right now they're looking to you on where they go from here. So, Little Miss Miracle, where do you go from here?"

Ruby lowered her head and shook it. "I don't know," she whispered. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do..."

"Wanna know a secret, Rubes?" Yang leaned in close. "Nobody does. Everybody just makes it up as they go and pretend they know what they're doing. You think I've ever planned anything more than a day or two ahead? I usually don't even make it that far."

"That's easy for you to say, Yang. You're an amazing trainer. You completed the Alola Island Challenge, beat the Orange League, won a bunch of gym badges, and you have a real shot at winning the Silver Conference and entering the Champion's League. It's taken me over a year just to win one gym badge on my first try, and later that week, I-I die. You don't think this is God's way of trying to tell me something, do you?"

Yang bit her lip but quickly shook her head. "I don't think you'd be here if that was the case, Sis." She gave her a hug, squishing the Pokémon in the process. Not that any of them minded. "Take all the time you need to rest and think about what you're gonna do next. Just know that I'm gonna give you a kick in the butt when you're ready to make it. You're not getting away with analysis paralysis while I'm around, got it?"

Ruby nodded, reminded of the day she started her journey. Yang practically had to chase her out of town. She didn't always appreciate it, but sometimes she needed a push and person to make the decision for her.

Yang helped her to her feet and led her toward the window now that she was dressed, but Ruby's heart skipped a beat when she sensed something was terribly wrong. Her hand instinctively reached for her cloak which she'd been using as a blanket, and immediately wrapped it around herself. She sighed and suddenly felt like herself again.

"It's brand new," she realized. "Did Weiss-"

Yang shook her head. "I had this one on me already."

"Why-"

"Cloaks come in pretty handy for traveling," Yang said. "They keep the sun off you, keep you warm and dry when it rains, and make for a good blanket at night. You can't always stay at a Pokémon Center, ranger station, rest stop, or trainer friendly house in the middle of nowhere. And-"

"But this one hasn't even been used," Ruby interrupted, "and you hate wearing cloaks. Besides, everyone nowadays just wears long jackets." She pointed at Yang's brown duster, which was almost as practical as it was fashionable.

"-and they hide your face during battles so the opponent can't read your emotions, which comes in handy when you've been known to have panic attacks." Yang smiled and gave her sister a knowing look. "I keep a spare cloak in my backpack, Sis. They might be your security blanket, but they remind me of you and Summer when I'm feeling lonely on the road. It also gets really, really cold near the summit of Mt. Silver, and I may have used it as a towel once or twice."

Ruby blushed and smiled back. "I-I'll get you another, if you want."

"Don't worry." She ruffled her sister's hair. "I've got plenty in storage. I'm the one who replaced your last two cloaks, remember? You can't battle without them."

"Thanks, Yang..." she said, embarrassed that her sister took such good care of her. "For everything..."

She stood still while Yang pinned the cloak to her collar with her cross pendants. Again she sighed in relief. Yang was here, and that meant nothing in the world could possibly harm her now.

Yang pulled back the curtains and opened the window, revealing Meganium who happily wrapped her neck around them both before lifting Ruby into the air with her vines.

"Hi, Meganium," she squeaked. "It's good to see you again."

The not-so-gentle giant bayed and settled Ruby onto her grassy back. Arcanine meanwhile helped Yang out of the window before burying his nose into Ruby and giving her a savory lick. "I missed you too, Arkie!"

"Slobber on her all you want, Arcanine," Yang teased, helping Eevee into her sister's arms while Ledian and Togetic fluttered into her lap. "We're not done hugging yet, but I already need a shower in the worst way, and Rubes could probably use a bath too." A part of her was going to miss bathing in hot springs every night, but she was also looking forward to stepping out of the shower and not having to make a mad dash for her clothes in below freezing temperatures.

"You guys wanna take a bubble bath tonight?" Ruby asked. The Pokémon all gave affirmative cries, though Meganium seemed disappointed that once again she'd be left out. "Don't worry, Meg, we'll be back to bathing in ponds, creaks, rivers, and lakes before you know it. I'll even get everybody new rubber Psyduckies. Sound good?"

Meganium stood up on her hind legs and bayed, and Ruby grinned at the not-so-scary world from atop her faithful steed, shielding her eyes from the sun after three days indoors, which might've been the most she had ever spent.

The courtyard to Ruby's pleasant surprise was actually a massive garden shared between the hospital and Pokémon Center, and was large enough for even Meganium and Arcanine to roam freely and play.

A few of the hospital staff and patients were wandering the walkways or sitting on benches, but for the most part it was the home of recovering Pokémon. The Grass and Bug-types couldn't help but tend the garden, and it appeared that Meganium's very presence was turning it into a slice of paradise. The plants were greener, the air richer, and Ruby already knew where she'd be sleeping tonight. After being bedridden for three days, she had no intention of lying in a soft bed anytime soon.

She eventually found Weiss and Sakura sitting nearby, surrounded by several dozen familiar-looking Pokémon. "Now!" Sakura cried.

Psychic energy erupted in the air like fireworks, and after Ruby was done ogling, she realized they were being accompanied by music. Sakura's Pokémon were all dancing in formation, with her Politoed and Bellossom out in front with their naturally melodic cries resembling choir singing. Just like their trainer, the Pokémon were all natural performers.

Ruby clapped excitedly when they were finished, and slid off Meganium to greet them all properly. Espeon, Eevee, Beautifly, Politoed, Bellossom, Vulpix, Skiploom, Azumarill, Flaaffy, Teddiursa, and Smoochum. She was suddenly reminded of being home or at one of the professors' ranches seeing them all, and had to be caught by Meganium's vines before she collapsed.

The vines settled her in a chair at the table Weiss and Sakura were sitting at, and Yang slid into the seat beside her. The Pokémon began another dance to the applause of everyone, and Sakura subtly gave signals to Espeon while soaking in the adoration.

Ruby and Yang were fully engrossed just like their Pokémon, but while Weiss was mildly entertained, she was having difficulty concentrating. Sakura's Pokémon were all clearly well-trained, but only Espeon seemed to be particularly battle hardy. The others, even those fully evolved, seemed more suited for Pokémon Contests than gym battles, and Weiss as an experienced trainer had difficulty ignoring this.

Although much of their time together had been spent in contemplative silence, she and Sakura had taken the time to get to know each other the past three days, even if reluctantly sometimes. Weiss had learned that along with being a trainer, Sakura was also technically a Pokémon coordinator and had taken part in several contests over the years. Since there was no age limit like there was for trainers, Sakura had been competing since she was ten or eleven-years-old, but while she always excelled in the performance round, she never made it very far in the battle stage.

Ecruteak City's yearly contest was especially competitive due to the entire Kimono Girls studio competing, and was almost exclusively won by a Kimono Girl. The nature of putting on weekly shows and constantly battling challengers lent itself well for Pokémon Contests, but the contest circuit's difficulty was notorious due to each city only holding only one contest per year, meaning dozens if not hundreds of coordinators were competing for a small handful of ribbons each year.

Even among the world famous Kimono Girls, only a select few had gone on to compete in Johto's Grand Festival, and even fewer earned the title of 'Top Coordinator'.

Weiss had come to sympathize with Sakura living in the shadow of her family. Being a Kimono Girl meant having to be a jack of all trades, but it seemed the only thing she excelled at was dancing, the most basic element of her profession.

The SDC heiress could relate, but Weiss also felt Sakura was spreading herself too thin and expecting too much from a rookie trainer. She had told her as much, but Weiss didn't have the gift with words like Yang seemed to, or the ability to make people feel better about themselves like Ruby. She had sounded harsher than she intended. Possibly even cold and brutally honest as was her family's tendency, but Weiss was first and foremost a trainer with her eyes set on becoming a Pokémon Master. And it didn't take two good eyes to see that was Yang's goal as well.

The longer Sakura's Pokémon sang and danced, the more Weiss found herself losing interest and taking inventory of Yang's Pokémon.

Arcanine, Blaziken, Charizard, Ursaring, Hitmonchan, and Flareon...

It was an Ice-type specialist's worst nightmare. Any one of them could easily have been mistaken as the powerhouse of any other team, but Weiss knew these six were only scratching the surface of Yang's robust and exotic lineup.

Even if Weiss hadn't already known that Arcanine was Yang's childhood Pokémon and Blaziken her starter, she would've easily recognized them as her most loyal and powerful. Much to her chagrin however, she also recalled that Flareon, Charizard, Ursaring, and Hitmonchan were newer additions to Yang's team, added only in the past year or so, but were already rivaling the other two in terms of experience.

Other than their own Pokémon, very few others in the garden were worthy of Weiss' attention, besides perhaps another trainer's Rhydon occasionally sizing-up Garchomp in the sandpits. A few appeared to be recovering from ice related injuries, likely sustained at the Mahogany Gym, but besides being mildly impressed, they were of little interest to an Ice-type specialist like her.

"Bravo, Sakura," Yang said, bouncing onto her feet. "I think you're missing your calling as a Pokémon coordinator. If you want, I can get you in touch with my friend Marina. She won the Grand Festival last year, and we go way back. Her sister Crystal actually works for Professor Oak as a capture specialist, so Ruby and I've gotten to know them pretty well."

Sakura smiled politely but didn't say anything, and Yang, being sensitive to people, quickly took notice. "Or maybe you could show me some of your dance moves sometime." She imitated a few that the Pokémon had used. "I'm always on the lookout for new moves to bust out on the dance floor. Maybe you can even cure Ruby's other left foot."

"W-what!?"

Sakura's smile became genuine and she nodded. "I'd be happy to."

With conversations beginning, the Pokémon gradually began to disperse, with only a handful remaining behind. Conversations between humans were generally boring to Pokémon since most of the words didn't hold much meaning to them, and now that the excitement was over, most were content to go about their usual routines.

The four teams intermingled with each other, but as usual the Pokémon naturally gravitated toward their own kinds. Besides Flareon who seemed to enjoy bonding with her fellow Eeveelutions, and Arcanine of course, Yang's other Fire-type Pokémon wandered into the sandpits where Ground and Rock-type Pokémon were lying partially submerged. This was likely as much for their own comfort as consideration of the many Grass and Bug-type Pokémon in the garden.

Scizor was the only one of Ruby's Pokémon who wandered off, but despite appearing to be dozing in the shade with Ursaring, Ruby knew he was keeping an eye out for trouble, as well as Charizard's tail. Hitmonchan was shadowboxing nearby, likely trying to entice him into another sparring match. Scizor usually gravitated toward Yang's non-Fire-type Pokémon whenever the sisters reunited, either out of old habit or to test his strength, but Ruby couldn't help but wonder if it was his subconscious desire to return to his former trainer. She couldn't blame him if he did...

Yang unsurprisingly was dominating the conversation with Sakura while Weiss continued studying Yang's Pokémon, comparing them to Garchomp and Empoleon who was floating in the nearby pond with other Water-types. Ruby on the other hand was admiring all the Pokémon in the garden, even the weaker, less intelligent wildlings that made it their home. She especially liked the Sunkern, Oddish, and Hoppip that Weiss hadn't even noticed, and even got to pet a few that had wandered close to Meganium. Strangely, even one of the recently planted trees couldn't resist gravitating toward her.

"I never caught the Venusaur trainer's name," Yang said, digging something out of her nails. "He wasn't very talkative though, not that I can blame him. He got out of there pretty quick after Blaziken set a few petals on fire."

"Who did he think he was?" Weiss said sharply. "Red Ketchum? Honestly, Red defeats Gary Oak's Charizard to win the World Championship, and now everyone with a grass starter thinks they can do the same."

Meganium bayed and shuddered at the thought of her prized flower being set on fire, and received a comforting lick from Arcanine. "Don't worry, Meganium," Ruby said. "I'm sure Venusaur was just fine. Right, Yang?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, just fine," she said, slapping Meganium on her back haunches. "Not even crispy. Great battle though. Totally won." Yang gave Arcanine and Flareon threatening looks, daring them to say anything to the contrary. "Anyway, Charizard still has a little trouble flying at high altitudes, but everyone's fire attacks are stronger than ever!"

To prove her point, Arcanine and Flareon turned toward the sky and released simultaneous Flamethrowers, causing every Grass, Bug, and Ice-type in the garden to run for cover. Ruby's Pokémon appeared to be the only ones who seemed more awed than concerned, though everyone but Togetic did shrink away from the sudden warmth.

Yang rubbed both of her Pokémon's snouts much to their delight. "Wait until you see their Flare Blitz, or Blaziken and Charizard's Overheat, or Hitmonchan and Ursaring's Fire Punch. I don't think even a Water-type Master could stand against us now!"

Absently, the other three trainers turned toward the east, facing the mountains that surrounded not only Mahogany Town and Blackthorn City, but also bisected the Johto and Kanto regions. In the midst of the jagged mountain range was its tallest peak, Mt. Silver, with the eponymously named Silver Conference set to take place near its base. The elevation however was still high enough that many Pokémon had difficulty flying during the tournament, and Fire attacks were noticeably weaker than usual due to the thin air.

That was why Yang had been training near Mt. Silver's summit and why so many other trainers tested themselves against the mountain in the weeks and months preceding the tournament. Not only would it strengthen the trainer and Pokémon's bodies, but they'd also have the advantage when they returned to normal elevations. Unfortunately, since every trainer accepted the challenge, it meant the competitors were merely evening the playing field.

"You're gonna have to do the same with your fliers, Rubes," Yang said. "Ledian, Togetic, and Scizor won't be able to climb as quickly, and with the oxygen being thinner, it'll be harder to breathe. Grass-type Pokémon tend to do pretty well though since they don't have to breathe oxygen like we do. I think that's how it works anyway."

Ruby remained silent, and as usual someone else spoke for her. "The Kimono Girls usually have to practice an extra week just to get used to the elevation," Sakura said. "We're pretty busy during the entire tournament, and put on shows every day and night. It's a lot like during the Whirl Cup, except it's colder and there aren't any beaches."

"I wouldn't mind if they swapped places," Yang said, glancing at the expansive mountain range. "I miss the beach, and I'm not looking forward to climbing Mt. Silver again..."

"Me neither..." Weiss murmured. She had climbed parts of Mt. Coronet in Sinnoh multiple times to get across the expansive region, and wasn't excited by the idea of having to climb another mountain, much less spending enough time near the summit to get accustomed to the elevation. Although she did her best to hide it, she was frailer than most trainers, which was why she preferred riding once her feet grew tired, and had a dreadful feeling that the worst of her training was still yet to come.

"Guys," Ruby said quietly, shrinking into her cloak when she realized she'd gotten their attention, "I've been avoiding it as much as you have, but what happened? I-I died, so how can I be here right now?"

The other girls fell silent, and even the garden seemed to hush. Yang grabbed her sister's hand and squeezed, and turned to Weiss expectantly. The heiress' mouth hung open as if she'd forgotten how to speak, but on the other side of the table, Sakura produced a silver and gold embroidered handkerchief which she carefully unfolded, revealing a gray feather covered in ash.

"Your Rainbow Wing!" Ruby gasped. "Sakura, I-I'm so sorry, I-"

Sakura held up her hand and shook her head, fighting back tears. "Ruby," her voice cracked, "Ho-Oh brought you back to life using the Rainbow Wing I gave you. For almost two centuries this feather has been passed down in my family. Daughter to daughter, Kimono Girl to Kimono Girl, and after all these years it finally had some use besides being worn at ceremonies. I'm sorry, but I've already told my sister what happened, and she's told the other Kimono Girls. We may own a dance studio, but we are first and foremost servants of Ho-Oh and Lugia, and the Legendary Beasts."

Sakura looked at her with a sense of reverence that made Ruby uncomfortable, and Sakura choked back a laugh. "Also, I'm sorry to tell you, but someone dug your clothes out of the trash. They were covered in ashes like this feather. Y-your ashes." With some difficulty she swallowed the lump in her throat. "They're going to be kept in a special room at the theater. Is that alright?"

Ruby nodded, unsure what she was supposed to say. Sakura didn't say it, but the seven Kimono Girls along with several trainees and Morty had ridden to the place where Ruby and Weiss battled the red Gyarados, and planned to build an altar to Ho-Oh in the place of Ruby's resurrection.

"That explains why my hands look different," Ruby said, wiggling her fingers. "Even my tongue and teeth feel different. H-how do you know that I'm the same Ruby as before? What if I've changed or-" she was on the verge of hyperventilating but shut her mouth when Yang suddenly got to her feet.

"Wanna know how I know you're my Ruby?" she asked. "Nobody but my baby sister worries half as much as you. Nobody's more self-conscious or scared of what others think of them, but there's also nobody braver. How do I know that you're my baby sister? Because I love you, that's how..."

She bent down and gave her sister a kiss on the cheek followed by a hug, and when they finally parted, Ruby's face was pink with embarrassment but she was breathing normally again.

"I love you too, Sis," was all she could say.

"You better." Yang hugged her again, but this time didn't release her. She gave the other girls a devilish smirk. "I know how we can find out if you're the real Ruby or not..."

"H-how?"

Yang glanced at Togetic, Ledian, and Meganium who all nodded and got into position. "We find out if you're still ticklish!"

"What!? NO!"

Before she could plead any further, Yang tackled her onto the grass and held her down. "Consider this payback for worrying me half to death!"

While Ruby screamed and laughed hysterically, Yang and the Pokémon went to work. Eevee didn't need an invitation, and ran up her shirt which sent the caped-girl into further hysterics, especially when a tongue slipped into her ear and Ledian's Ice Punch numbed her nether regions.

A kick to Yang's face allowed Ruby to roll onto her feet, and she might've ran all the way back to New Bark Town had it not been for Meganium's vines slowing her down, or the recently planted tree moving in her way.

"Quick, Sudowoodo!" Sakura cried. "Use Tickle!"

To Ruby and Weiss' complete surprise, the weird tree shook violently, shedding its branches and bark, and revealing a body made of rock sculpted into the shape of a tree. A pair of stone branches grabbed her by the armpits, and Ruby screamed as the attack did exactly as advertised.

"Sakura, how could you!?"

Yang rescued her sister by suplexing her back onto the grass, and climbed on top of her so that there'd be no chance of escaping this time.

"Ah! No! Meganium, leave my pants on! Ledian, stop using Ice Punch! Not the tongue! Eep!"

Sakura and Weiss laughed hysterically alongside the Pokémon, but Espeon's red jewel began to glow and she got her trainer's attention. Sakura's eyes widened and she jumped to her feet.

"What are you-" Weiss stopped laughing and got to her feet as well, and they both laid hands on Yang to try and haul her up.

"Hold on! She hasn't wet herself yet!" A not-so-gentle kick from Weiss finally got her attention, but by then the four figures were already almost upon them.

Only Ruby, still writhing and screaming from her Pokémon's continued administrations, didn't notice the approach of Lance, Pryce, Diana, and Dragonite...

(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. One of the goals for this chapter was to wrap-up the previous story arc and prepare for the next. Ruby dying and coming back to life is going to have lasting consequences, but I wanted her out of the hospital as quickly as possible since this is more of an adventure story rather than "hurt and comfort". I think Ruby feeling disheartened and lost fits with everything that she's been through (and her personality), but she also wouldn't want anyone to blame themselves. Sakura and Yang having some degree of survivor's guilt and thinking they could've/should've been there for her, but Ho-Oh and Suicune making an appearance is practically divine intervention as far as a Kimono Girl is concerned. I think Sakura's going to have to learn to view Ruby as she is, not as Ho-Oh's chosen, but we'll see. We'll be seeing the fallout of Ruby's death and resurrection for some time, but it won't necessarily be the focus of the story.

As for Weiss, she blames herself for the death of her best friend, and knows she and her Pokémon one their lives to her. She's going through a LOT, but Ruby's been in Weiss' very same position when her mother died, and is now looking at it from her mother's perspective. All she cares about is that Weiss and the Pokémon are alive, but it breaks her heart seeing Weiss unhappy. And now Ruby knows how her mother would feel knowing how much guilt Ruby has carried with her over the years. Weiss has also had her ego shattered multiple times now, and this time I think it's going to take some help restoring her confidence.

Apologies for the serious turn in the story, friends, but Ruby dying and being brought back to life was a story I wanted to tell, and I also wanted to give it the respect it deserves. The tone of "The Road You Choose" will be lightening up, and I hope you enjoy. On that note, the idea of Ruby taking bubble baths with her Pokémon is absolutely adorable to me, as well as Ruby's "punishment" for dying and worrying everyone being tickled by her sister and Pokémon. Although Ruby may be their trainer, I like to think Yang's influence has rubbed off on them, and that Ruby's Pokémon tease her more than normal due to them being more like a family.

As a side note, I hope you liked Sakura and Yang's roster of Pokémon. A lot of Sakura's Pokémon can be found near or around Ecruteak, or are Pokémon that have been shown dancing in Pokémon media, and I thought it would be fitting for a dancer like her. They're also Pokémon I imagine would be useful for putting on shows as seen in "Pokémon Evolutions: The Show" (which I highly recommend). Sakura having a larger roster of Pokémon would also help explain why she's had some struggles as a trainer. From Weiss' perspective, Sakura has spread herself too thin, and I think there's probably some truth to that. I also liked the idea of Sakura trying Pokémon Contests because they would be right up her alley, but the Contest circuit realistically should be very, very competitive, and as we've learned she's not the strongest battler (yet). Luckily for her, Ruby, and Weiss, a bunch of mentor type characters just arrived ;)

Yang specializing in Fire and Fighting-types just seemed natural, and along with Arcanine, Blaziken, and Ursaring which we already knew about, Charizard, Hitmonchan, and Flareon all seemed like natural choices. Her receiving Flareon from the Kimono Girls on her journey is also fitting in my opinion, and it means the main cast all have Eevee/Eeveelutions. She does have more Pokémon however, and I like how Yang and Weiss have a natural rivalry. I also liked that Weiss can't help but judge Pokémon on their battle potential while Ruby is unashamedly in love with Pokémon. To use the "Pokémon Adventures" titles for the characters, Weiss is a "Battler", Yang is a "Trainer", Sakura is an "Entertainer", and Ruby is a "Raiser".

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