Chapter 13
Blessings of the Rainbow Dragon
'Stand up for what is right. Be brave, get ready to fight. Hold on tight, we're friends for life.'
The entire world stood still as Lance, Pryce, Diana, and Dragonite strolled through the hospital courtyard. All of the Pokémon both wild and tame fell silent as if to pay their respects to two of the strongest trainers in the world, as well as a dragon surrounded by myth and legend.
All were silent and still, all except for Ruby that is, and the little fairy and foxlike Pokémon crawling up her shirt.
"Make them stop! Make them stop! Make them stop!" she pleaded to no avail. Meganium and Ledian had at least stopped tickling her, but only because their rivalry for Dragonite's attention had been renewed.
Yang, Weiss, and Sakura held their breath while the four approached, occasionally glancing at the hysterical girl rolling on the ground, hoping through sheer force of will they could get her to stop screaming.
"Make her stop!" Weiss hissed. "Make her stop! Make her stop! For the love of Arceus make her stop!"
Just like the heiress, the Yang and Sakura were frozen in place, staring in absolute horror and awe.
"Well, old man," Lance said humorously, "looks like you were worried for nothing. Everybody looks fine to me."
Pryce glared back at him, but a smile tugged on his lip when he saw the adolescent trainer and Pokémon playing together.
"Master Lance. Master Pryce." Sakura bowed at the waist. "It's an honor to make your acquaintance this day."
Weiss bowed as well, though not as deeply as Sakura, but Yang merely waved. "Alola, hoaloha," she said, speaking her native tongue.
"And what am I?" Diana asked. "Chopped liver?" The substitute gym leader ran forward and embraced Sakura who barely had time to raise her head and see who it was.
"Diana!" Sakura hugged her back. After the two separated, she turned to address Yang and Weiss, who like Sakura hadn't even noticed her. "I guess you three have already met, but Diana's an old family friend, and she comes to all our major shows. It's tradition for our Glaceon understudies to train at the Mahogany Gym after their Eevee evolve, and in return they help with our winter shows. You should see their ice sculptures sometime."
"It's our time of year to shine," Diana said proudly. "Trust me, you haven't lived until you've seen the Kimono Girls' Christmas Day show. It's been our little tradition for over a hundred years."
"Funny, that's almost as long as Pryce's been gym leader," Lance teased. "I couldn't agree more, Diana, and I believe we met briefly the last time I visited the theater. Unless I'm mistaken, you're the Espeon understudy. Sayo's little sister, right?"
Sakura stiffened. "Y-yes, sir. My name's Sakura Shida, and this is my Espeon." The cat-like Pokémon walked around Diana, its twin tails curling around her leg in a familiar greeting.
"It's good to see you too, Espeon," she said, bending down to scratch her ears. "We'll battle again real soon, I promise. I-"
Whatever Diana was about to say was interrupted by a kiss on the lips that left her dizzy and dazed, but only momentarily. "Good to see you too, Smoochum..."
"Smoochum!" Sakura cried. "How many times have I told you to stop greeting people with Sweet Kiss!?" With some effort she was able to pry the kissing Pokémon's perplexing lips away from Diana's, and reached out to hold her steady. "You alright?"
"Never better," she slurred. Diana shook her head to remove the cobwebs and took Smoochum into her arms. "Every time I see you, you get bigger and bigger. You're gonna evolve before you know it!"
"Diana helped raise Smoochum," Sakura explained to Yang and Weiss, not that either were paying them any attention. "Gyms raise all kinds of Pokémon for trainers, just like the studio does with Eevee, and I fell in love with Smoochum the minute I saw her."
"It's only fair seeing how many Eevee you've helped raise for the gym," Diana said. "Besides, Smoochum's a natural dancer, isn't that right?"
"Fascinating..." Weiss didn't even attempt to hide her lack of enthusiasm, but thankfully nobody seemed to notice.
"Sup, Lance," Yang said, brushing her hair back. "You here to buy me a drink like you promised?"
The champion smirked, his grin almost as crooked as her own. "Yang Xiao Long," he said slowly, shaking his head. "I don't recall promising such a thing, but I do remember our meeting in the Charicific Valley. Your Charmeleon had just evolved. You left quite the impression to say the least."
Yang opened her mouth, no doubt having something witty already on the tip of her tongue, but blushed suddenly and brilliantly. "Oh, right. Our first flying lesson..."
Lance chuckled. "I wish you would've mentioned that Taiyang was your father, or Qrow Branwen your uncle. I might've taken you up on that battle if you had."
Yang's eyes lit up and she quickly met the gazes of her Pokémon which had since arrived, all of them nodding affirmatively. Lance however shook his head. "I'm afraid now isn't the time. My dragons all need their rest, and it appears your own Pokémon have been through quite a bit of intense training recently."
Her shoulders sank, and laughter reminiscent of sandpaper on a chalkboard caused everyone to turn and investigate the eerie sound. Pryce stepped forward, relying heavily on his cane. "Kid, if you've been training atop Mt. Silver for all these months, then it's only a matter of time before you two battle for the Tohjo Championship, or in the World League. My Mamoswine still hasn't forgiven you or your Blaziken."
Yang's trademark smirk returned. "Yeah, well, I still haven't forgiven any of you for the frostbite. It'll be a cold day in Alola before I ever set foot in your gym again."
Pryce laughed again. "I'm afraid if you're looking to settle a score out here you'll have to take it up with Diana. My next two battles will be my last as the Mahogany Town gym leader." He turned to Weiss who had been staring at him the entire time, and shuddered when she realized he was staring back at her.
"M-me?" she stuttered. "You want your last match to be against me?"
He nodded. "It seems only fitting that I'd end this stage of my journey with the granddaughter of the man it began with."
Tears welled up in Weiss' eyes. Before his passing, her Papa had told her countless stories before bedtime from his days as a trainer. His first traveling companion had been a teenage Pryce Willows, who would someday go on to become the greatest trainer in the world. The two had traveled many years together before going their separate ways, with Nicholas Schnee inheriting the world's largest Pokémon goods corporation while Pryce took over the world of competitive battling. Perhaps most importantly to Weiss however was that her late mother had been named after her Papa's best friend and greatest rival.
"I'll make you proud, Papa," she whispered. "You too, Mother..."
"Every battle is his last," Diana said, interrupting her thoughts. "Like I said the other day, every time I just get used to being gym leader, he waltzes in like nothing's happened."
"When will your Pokémon be ready to battle?" Pryce asked, eyeing Empoleon and Garchomp who had wandered nearby to get a better look at Dragonite. Garchomp in particular appeared to be sizing up the much larger dragon, who had barely been able to acknowledge the pair due to Meganium, Ledian, and a dozen other female Pokémon vying for the bashful dragon's attention.
"My Glaceon and Froslass will be ready within a couple of days," she answered. "I intend to challenge you using only Ice-types, and I have several back home waiting in reserve."
Diana couldn't help but grin, but Pryce's faltered and his face grew stern once more. "Challenging an Ice-type gym leader with Ice-type Pokémon of your own? If that's what you want, so be it. My Pokémon and I need to rest, but if you come by the gym tomorrow, we can schedule a match for later this week. Now as to why we're here, uh, is your sister alright, Miss Xiao Long?"
Everyone turned to Ruby who was still writhing on the ground, fighting with Eevee who refused to keep his tongue to himself.
"Half-sister," Yang stressed. She quickly helped Ruby to her feet and held her steady. "Ruby, stop embarrassing me in front of my future husband!" she hissed.
The caped-girl staggered but remained upright, and with Eevee's head poking out from her shirt, and Togetic's a moment later, she stared blankly at the visitors before suddenly screaming.
"Mr. Dragonite!" Ruby went to work fixing her disheveled hair and clothes, but ended up doing more harm than good. She was about to ask her Pokémon about her breath but saw that Meganium and Ledian were busy fluttering their eyelashes at Dragonite. Togetic meanwhile had been more concerned with Ruby's wellbeing, or more precisely, finding out whether she was still ticklish or not, but seeing the newcomers she flew off and greeted them with hugs and kisses.
"What a lovely Pokémon," Pryce said, with Lance nodding in agreement.
"She's adorable!" Diana cried, showering the little fairy with hugs and kisses of her own, and fighting with Smoochum over who got seconds.
Ruby yanked Eevee out of her shirt, but before setting him on the ground, asked about her breath, and took him not wanting to roll around in her mouth as a good sign.
"Oh-my-gosh-it's-so-good-to-see-you-again-Mr. Dragonite!" she said, shoving several of the Pokémon out of her way. "I've been-a-big-fan-ever-since-I-was-little-and-I've-watched-every-single-one-of-your-matches-and-I-even-rooted-for-you-against-Red-and-Leon-and-"
What everyone thought was a much needed breath of fresh air was instead a startled gasp, and with an unsteady finger she pointed at a large gash in the dragon's armor-like scales.
She touched the tender area on his chest softly. "Mr. Dragonite, you're hurt. W-what happened?"
The other girls finally took notice of the many cuts, scratches, bruises, and even burns on the trainers, and realized for the very first time just how exhausted they appeared. Pryce particularly looked as though he'd aged another ten years since they'd last seen him, and without his cane, he might've collapsed there and then.
"Gyarados," he grumbled. "A few of them were a challenge even for Dragonite. Needless to say that Diana and I, and our Pokémon, are lucky to be alive."
"Does this mean all the Gyarados are back to normal?" Weiss glanced at the sky, and realized that for the first time in days the sun was actually shining.
"As normal as Gyarados can be. Of all the gyms I had to choose, it had to be the one that's always being threatened to be burned down. Well, soon enough it'll be your problem, Diana." He turned to his protégé but found she was preoccupied fighting with Smoochum and now Sakura for Togetic's affection.
"We captured all the rampaging Gyarados," Lance said. "Some we'll return to Lake of Rage, but the stronger, more hostile specimens will be taken to the Dragon's Den in Blackthorn City. They'll be happier there I think, and they'll find the dragons and gym trainers there more than a match for them. All except one that is..."
From his coat pocket, Lance produced a green Pokéball with red and gold markings, as well as a hand painted stylized rose. The jingling of a bell caused Ruby to turn, and upon seeing the familiar-looking Pokéball, her face paled and she fell to her knees.
"Ruby!" The girls ran to her side.
"It's okay, Sis," Yang cooed, helping her up. "You're alright."
Ruby shook in her sister's arms, her eyes tightly squeezed shut and teeth gritted. Her legs suddenly hurt to stand on, and every joint in her body creaked as if needing to be oiled. Perhaps worst of all was her neck feeling as though it had been screwed on the wrong way. The phantom pains eventually subsided, but Yang remained holding her weight while Weiss and Sakura each held a hand. Togetic released Diana and floated onto Ruby's shoulder, dust from her wings tickling her nose and helping settle her nerves. Meganium and Ledian also momentarily forgot about Dragonite and nuzzled her neck.
"I-I forgot to ask earlier," Ruby mumbled. "What happened to the red Gyarados..."
She turned to Weiss who swallowed a lump in her throat. "I-I didn't have time to grab its ball," she lied. "Finding you was more important, and I was worried it might break free." In Weiss' experience, the best lies tended to be the ones that were partially true.
Lance stepped forward, holding Ruby's Friend Ball that she had attached to Eevee's Soothe Bell. She took a step backward along with Weiss, bumping into Dragonite in the process. Yang and Sakura stepped in front of them, and all their Pokémon prepared themselves for battle, with Arcanine and Blaziken leading the charge, fully expecting it to be their last.
Dragonite meanwhile laid a claw on Ruby's shoulder, squeezing it gently. "Huh?" Ruby looked up, and saw that the kindly dragon was smiling at her and shaking its head.
"There's no need for concern," Lance said. "Ordinarily a Friend Ball is as easy for a Pokémon to break out of as a regular Pokéball, but that won't be the case here. Even Dragonite would have difficulty breaking out of this ball."
"That's not very reassuring," Weiss squeaked, remembering in nightmarish detail everything that Gyarados had done to them and their Pokémon, including Lance's three Dragonair.
The girls studied the Pokéball more closely and realized there was a dark casing around it not unlike the capsules used for contest seals. "Pokéballs sustain a Pokémon's life energy as though they're hibernating," Lance continued, "and special medicine has been injected into the ball by Nurse Joy to try undo the radiation done by Team Rocket. As the radiation fades, so will Gyarados' increased muscle mass. It'll always be larger than average, but it should live a long, healthy life now thanks to you. It's a miracle it survived in the wild as long as it did. "
Weiss kept to herself that she wished it the opposite. "What about its color?" she asked aloud.
"Red Gyarados certainly aren't common, but it's not unheard of for Magikarp to retain their color upon evolution." Without warning he held the ball out in front of Ruby. "I believe this belongs to you."
She pressed herself flat against Dragonite's belly and held her hands up. "I-I don't want- I mean, I-I can't-"
"I'm not asking you to keep Gyarados," Lance said. "That's entirely up to you. What I am asking is that you take Gyarados to the Dragon's Den in Blackthorn City. It's a sanctuary for dragons and dragon-kin. Once there, Gyarados can recover in peace and won't be able to cause anyone anymore harm."
"Why her?" Weiss snapped. "Didn't you just say you're heading to the Dragon's Den yourself? Hasn't Ruby been through enough already?"
"The Pokéball belongs to her," he said calmly. "Gyarados is Ruby Pokémon, which means it's her responsibility now."
Ruby's hand continued to shake, but slowly she gained some semblance of control over herself. "I-I guess Blackthorn is on the way to New Bark Town..."
"New Bark Town?" Weiss repeated. "Why would-" She gasped and covered her mouth.
"Are you saying you're going home?" Sakura asked. When Ruby didn't immediately answer, the pair turned to Yang who nodded, knowing since her sister woke up what she was going to say.
"I wouldn't exactly call New Bark Town home," Ruby said finally. "I love Johto, and I love Professor Elm's lab, but Alola will always be home to me." She smiled weakly at her sister and friends. "I was already gonna cut it close whether I qualified for the Silver Conference in time or not, but it's gonna be weeks before I'm ready to travel again, let alone train with my Pokémon. Even then, I'd have to beat both Pryce and Clair on my first tries in order to qualify, and something tells me that isn't going to happen."
Weiss stared at her teary eyed. "Y-you're quitting?"
Ruby shook her head. "I only have two more badges to go, and my other six won't expire for a couple more years. Weiss, Yang, your dreams are to become Pokémon Masters and become the strongest trainers in the world. Sakura, you want to succeed your sister as the Espeon Kimono Girl and bring honor to your family. I'm only collecting gym badges because that's what Mom did and because it's just what trainers do. I love winning them because it's proof my Pokémon and I are getting stronger, but my only real 'goal' is to make it as far in the Silver Conference as we can. We're not gonna win, not when there are expert level trainers like you two. All I want is to travel with my Pokémon and spend every day of my life with them. What happened with Gyarados just put everything into perspective, and I have a lot to think about right now."
Blinking the tears from her eyes, Ruby turned to Lance and gave him the strongest, most determined look she could manage, and accepted Gyarados' Pokéball. She did her best to keep her hand from shaking, but she couldn't help but be very aware of what lurked inside. Weiss called it a monster, but Ruby still felt sorry for the poor Pokémon. It wasn't its fault Team Rocket had experimented on it, or that it lost control over itself like it did. Still, Ruby was also aware of every creak and pop in her body, and how even her tongue rolling over her teeth felt different from before.
"Dragon's Den," she mused. "I guess taking Gyarados somewhere it'll be happy will make for a good bookmark for our journey." She wiped her eyes, and Yang gave her a hug.
"You don't know how proud I am of you, Rubes..."
Lance patted Ruby on the shoulder. "The thing about Pokémon journeys is that the journey never actually ends, and neither does training. Being together with your Pokémon means understanding one another better than the day before, and the day before that. Two beating hearts, two perspectives, but one singular goal. Pokémon journeys never truly end, but I think you already know that."
Ruby smiled. "It's never been the destination that mattered to us. It's always been the journey." She met the gazes of all her Pokémon, but lingered on Scizor who could only meet her eyes for a moment before looking away.
"You and Gyarados are now forever connected, Ruby. If you wish to put your adventure to a halt I understand, but as an official of the Pokémon League, a special agent for the G-Men, and an old friend of Summer's-" he grinned and laid his hand top her own- "I charge you with taking Gyarados to the Dragon's Den in Blackthorn City. Once there, perhaps you'll have a change of heart, about it and your journey. It's where Dragonite and I go whenever we lose a championship match and need somewhere to think."
She nodded, but was too busy trying to keep her hand from shaking to respond. Now if only she could find a way to keep from sweating in front of Mr. Dragonite...
"Gyarados might be more your sister's temperament, but that's not necessarily a bad thing." He winked at Yang. "I think you and Gyarados could learn a lot from each other, but only time will tell. Whether the two of you decide to part ways at Dragon's Den or not, be sure to make the most out of the experience. Can you do that for me?"
"Yes, sir." Wiping her eyes, Ruby minimized the Pokéball and tried attaching it to the belt she wasn't wearing. She felt naked without everyone's custom-made Pokéballs on her person, and could feel her anxiety slowly beginning to rise.
Without any pockets she decided to just hold onto Gyarados' ball with a white knuckle grip, afraid that dropping it or releasing the pressure would cause it to escape. Giving herself something to do however, she detached the Soothe Bell and called Eevee over, and reattached it to his collar. "There, now we don't have to worry about stepping on you or tripping."
The foxlike Pokémon cheered, but quickly ran off to try and find someone to play with.
"Oh, and one more thing..." From his coat pocket Lance retrieved a watch-like device that appeared as though a Snorlax had sat on it.
"My Pokégear!" Ruby nearly dropped the Pokéball and practically yanked the device out of Lance's hands.
"It's broken I'm afraid, but the expansion cards inside appear to be intact. If you can find an older model Pokégear, they might be salvageable."
"The very same model is lying in your bag," Weiss said. "I just happened to be passing a used electronics shop when I saw it in the window. The owner practically begged me to take it."
Yang chuckled. "You just can't admit to doing anything nice, can you?"
"Nice has nothing to do with it," she said. "I owe my life and the lives of my Pokémon to your sister. I'm simply paying my debts."
"Ruby, Weiss," Lance said, suddenly growing serious, "I already know everything that happened, so I'll spare you from having to retell it." He gave them both a sad smile, but particularly Ruby. "You might not believe me, but I can communicate with my dragons much like how Psychic-types communicate with their trainers." Lance spared a glance at Sakura and Espeon. "Dragonite told me about Suicune and Ho-Oh, and everything you sacrificed to save Weiss and the Pokémon."
Ruby clung to her sister a little tighter, but turned and stared up at the dragon towering over them. "You were there, Mr. Dragonite?"
He shook his head. "Not that Dragonite," Lance said with a sly grin. "I'm afraid you weren't the only one to have their life taken from them, Ruby. The four of us were in a fearsome battle of our own, but sensing an even deadlier battle being waged, my three Dragonair flew off to assist you. The eldest sister was badly injured by dragon fire but she'll recover. The middle sister saw the battle through to the end, but the youngest I'm afraid perished like yourself."
All four girls gasped, but with a tearful whimper Ruby pulled herself away from Yang and embraced Dragonite. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Dragonite. I-I-"
"She saved my life," Weiss remembered. "Oh God..."
"There's no need for tears," Lance said. "Look, here she comes right now." Dragonite hugged Ruby, but turned her around and pointed toward the sun. "I've always been rather fond of making dramatic entrances," said the Champion.
Ruby's mouth fell open as she looked to the heavens and saw a rainbow descending from the clouds. Weiss stumbled backward, reminded of the rainbow that had brought Ruby back to life, and Sakura dropped to her knees, embracing her family's Rainbow Wing tightly to her chest. "Ho-Oh," she murmured.
Two serpentine figures flanked the flying rainbow, and as it descended, Sakura realized that it wasn't a phoenix flapping its wings, but rather a dragon gliding like a jet.
"Like I said," Lance whispered, in awe just like the others, "Ruby wasn't the only one to perish, but she also wasn't the only one to be resurrected either..."
A bipedal dragon landed none-too gently in front of the gathered crowd, and everyone drew nearer to marvel at its prismatic scales.
"How-" Weiss began before losing her voice.
"If Ho-Oh resurrecting three Eeveelutions turned them into Raikou, Entei, and Suicune, it shouldn't be any surprise what it can do to a Dragonair," Lance explained. "What you're seeing is a very rare ability among Dragonite called Multiscale, though I've never seen one so majestic. It may even be the first instance of a Dragonite having the ability Marvel Scale, or perhaps a combination of both. There's still much testing that needs to be done."
"She's beautiful," Sakura whispered, and Yang nodded in agreement. Weiss meanwhile stepped forward, tears staining her cheeks.
The female Dragonite stood about two feet shorter than her older brother, and including her considerably slimmer build, showed all the obvious signs of evolving too early. The eldest of the Dragonair still had some years before she would be ready, but what the youngest sister lacked in size, she more than made up for in unparalleled beauty.
Weiss laid a hand on her brilliant coat which changed color depending on how the sun hit it. "Thank you for saving me and my Pokémon, Dragonite. Turns out Ruby wasn't the only one who sacrificed themself to save us." She turned to the younger of the two Dragonair, her watery eyes making it difficult to see. "You saved me too, and you distracted Gyarados even after seeing what happened to your sisters. You could've left me for dead and gone to them, maybe even save your little sister, but you didn't. I-I don't know how I could ever repay any of you..."
Dragonite wrapped her newfound arms around Weiss while the two Dragonair snaked their bodies around the pair. Weiss hadn't thought it possible to cry anymore than she already had that day, but being proven wrong had been an almost daily affair since Ruby inserted herself into her life. "I'm so glad you're all okay."
Carefully, Dragonite wiped Weiss' eyes and afterward held out a claw with something glittering in between its talons. A blue and purple scale at first glance, it was in actuality every color of the rainbow and more, and perhaps some never before seen by human eyes.
"For me?" she stuttered. Dragonite nodded and placed its shed scale into her palm. "It almost looks like a Prism Scale."
"If you ever happen to ever catch a Feebas," Lance said, "you might consider giving it that scale. We still have a lot of testing to do, but it's possible Dragonite's scales have the same properties as a Milotic's, and that it'll evolve certain kinds of Pokémon such as Feebas, or perhaps Seadra into Kingdra. That'd be more than a little ironic given that Dragonite and Kingdra are natural enemies in the wild, but stranger occurrences have happened." He gestured toward Ruby and the female Dragonite as examples.
Dragonite placed another scale into Ruby's already full hands. "For me!?" Ruby gasped. "Thank you, Miss Dragonite!" She jumped into the dragon's arms who was all too happy to lift her into the air and spin her around, forcing everyone to duck under her tail. Afterward, Dragonite waddled over to Yang and Sakura and handed them scales as well.
*sniff*
Yang turned to Sakura. "You alright?"
She nodded but quickly shook her head. In one hand she held a Rainbow Wing covered in the ashes of her best friend, and in the other a Prism Scale belonging to a Dragonite recently resurrected from the dead. "My grandmother's grandmother died looking forward to this day, and here I am, seeing it with my very own eyes. Ho-Oh's watching us, and it's coming back someday. I don't know what it's waiting for, but I know it must have something to do with Dragonite and your sister."
Sakura quietly excused herself, allowing several of the smaller Pokémon to get a closer look at Dragonite's radiance. Yang smiled at her, but like everyone else had difficulty prying her eyes off Dragonite for any more than a few seconds. Heavy footfalls caused her to briefly glance away however, and saw several of the Pokémon diving out of the way before they were trampled by Garchomp and Charizard.
The pair were staring at the beautiful dragon with half-lidded eyes and lazy smiles, and looked to Yang as though she had used a super effective Attract on them. "Uh-oh..."
"Miss Dragonite?" Ruby asked, producing a marker she'd procured from her sister's jacket. "Before you go, would you sign my shirt? I don't have anything else on me right now. Please?"
The newly evolved Dragonite nodded, and turning to face her, its cedar-like tail clumsily struck Garchomp in the back of the head, knocking it to the ground. Weiss gasped and covered her face in embarrassment, but Charizard, laughing at his rival's expense, continued forward, liking his prospects more and more.
Unfortunately Dragonite turned unexpectedly again, and Charizard soon found himself lying face first in the dirt beside Garchomp. Yang squatted down and patted him on the shoulder. "No offense, but I think she's out of your league."
Charizard raised his aching head and met Garchomp's gaze. The entire world was spinning, but they had just enough sense to growl at one another, their natural instincts replacing anything their trainers might have taught them. Yang took a step back and after making sure Ruby was far away from the approaching battle, returned to imagining what her and Lance's children would look like.
Weiss meanwhile frantically searched for Garchomp's Pokéball, not because he didn't stand a chance against Charizard in his current state, but because she was already about to die from embarrassment.
Just when it appeared that the pseudo-legendary and pseudo-dragon were about to come to blows, the much larger of the two Draconite approached and offered a helping claw to their feet. They both gladly accepted thinking it belonged to the future mother of their children, but instead found the single strongest Pokémon in the region towering over them.
Dragonite glared at the pair then gestured toward his sisters, shaking his head. Neither argued any further, and slinked away with their tails between their legs back toward the sandpits.
"Hey, Weiss," Yang laughed, "I think our Pokémon just developed a bromance."
"Swell..."
"Look, Yang!" Ruby cried, "Miss Dragonite signed my shirt! Look how pretty her handwriting is!"
It looked more like scribbles to Yang, and one of Dragonite's talons had torn her shirt, but she supposed it had only been a few days since she grew limbs and appendages. "Looks a lot like your handwriting actually."
'You really think so?"
"Sure do." She took the marker back, suddenly getting an idea. "Hey, Lance, you wanna sign my shirt?"
Pryce grumbled something about getting old and limped over to Ruby. He was tired of all the noise and nonsense, but his cold blue eyes softened when she looked up at him. He cleared his throat and frowned. "Here, take this."
Ruby opened her hand and Pryce dropped a blue metal snowflake into her palm, and it took her several heartbeats to realize what it was.
"The Glacier Badge!" she exclaimed. "I can't take this! I-I didn't win it!"
Pryce closed her hand around the badge. Hunched over as he was, the aging gym leader wasn't much taller than she was. "No one wins gym badges, Miss Rose. They're awarded and earned, and I dare say no one has ever deserved this badge more than you. You gave your life protecting not only Miss Schnee and the Pokémon, but also Mahogany Town and its citizens. If Gyarados had been allowed to enter the city, many people would be dead right now. My gym trainers protecting the city first and foremost."
"B-but-"
"If your journey's over like you say, and if you have no intention of training Gyarados, keep the badge as a memento. Or throw it into a lake, it makes no difference to me. You've already been registered into the gym's hall of fame." He smiled faintly. "I'm an old man, Ruby, and I haven't always been the kindest. Let this old man do something kind before it's too late. If you want to earn the badge in your eyes, then earn it. Not through battle, but by caring for your Pokémon. They need you to be strong, now more than ever, and that Gyarados needs you the most."
Ruby sniffled, but after wiping her eyes she nodded. "I'll do my best, Sir"
"That's all a gym leader ever asks for. Take it from the former Champion, there's no shame in losing if you give it your best. If you don't believe me, just ask your beloved 'Mr. Dragonite'. He's not undefeated, you know."
A pair of claws laid atop her shoulder, and Ruby looked up to see both Dragonite smiling down at her. "You want me to take Gyarados to the Dragon's Den, don't you?"
The pair nodded, and Ruby took a deep breath. "Okay. I'll do it. Thank you, Mr. Dragonite, Miss Dragonite, and thank you, Mr. Pryce. I'll earn this badge someday. I promise."
A scornful laugh caused everyone to turn. "When I'm gym leader," Diana said, "maybe I'll have your name removed from our hall of fame. That way you won't have any other choice but to challenge me for the right to carry that badge."
"Why you-" Weiss walked toward her, ready for their inevitable confrontation there and then, but Diana ignored her and gave Ruby a playful wink. "Do you really think the old man knows how to work a computer? I'm the one who entered you into our record of winning trainers, Ruby. My little brother was one of the gym trainers guarding the river into town, and I can't thank you enough for all that you've done. It'll be my honor to battle you when you're ready."
Ruby smiled back halfheartedly. "I'd like that."
"So would I..." Weiss muttered.
Lance cleared his throat, getting their attention while at the same time ignoring Yang and her low cut shirt. "With all that settled, I'm afraid that I must be going. Not only do I need to make a stop in Blackthorn, but I also need to report my findings to the Pokémon League. Team Rocket's still out there somewhere, causing more trouble and plotting their next scheme. It was a pleasure seeing you all again, and I look forward to the day we battle for a championship."
While the trainers all said their goodbyes to the Champion, with none more heartbroken than Yang and Diana, Pryce grumbled about his successor making a spectacle of himself and started back the way he came.
"I think it's about time I returned to my gym," he said. "If Miss Schnee and I are to battle later this week, my Pokémon and I will need to rest, and so will she." He glanced at Ruby, and again his expression softened. "Thank you again, Miss Rose. I hope to see you at Miss Schnee's gym challenge."
"I'll be there. T-thank you for the badge."
"I hope to see Miss Shida and Xiao Long as well."
Yang shook her head. "Count me out. I didn't climb down a mountain just to get frostbite watching two Ice-type trainers go at it."
Ruby elbowed her. "She'll be there. You might not recognize her under all the coats, but I'll make sure she's in the front row."
Pryce grumbled once more about the heat and without another word, headed back to his gym. Weiss opened her mouth to speak but forgot whatever it was she was going to say. "Until then, Master Pryce," she whispered. "In a few days, you'll recognize me as the Ice-type Master that I am."
"I should probably go with him," Diana told the others, watching with a concerned expression while the old man shuffled his feet. She gave Sakura a parting hug and a wave to the others, but handed Lance what looked to be a business card. "If you ever need to contact the Mahogany Gym," she said. "My personal number's on the back..."
Lance chuckled and stuffed the card into his pocket. Seeing this, Yang fumbled with her coat until she found a similar card. "Here! This is my trainer card. Call if you need a hand taking down Team Rocket, or just wanna chat late at night. I'm usually free on weekends, but I can make time whenever. Any time's good, really."
He nodded and added the cards to his expansive collection of female trainers, but was hesitant handing over his own. "Only contact me if there's an emergency or if you have useful information regarding Team Rocket." He gave the auspicious-looking pair a seasoned look and sighed. "Another time perhaps, ladies. Dragonite?"
Dragonite gave Ruby a pat on the shoulder before following his trainer, and Lance climbed aboard his back. The disproportionately small wings on such a large creature were comical at first sight, but expanded tenfold, and with a single flap of his massive wings, Dragonite was suddenly high in the air, and disappeared from view a moment later.
The trainers all stared in awe, with the majority of female Pokémon all sighing in disappointment much like Diana and Yang. The female Dragonite gave Ruby a parting hug before taking to the air like her older brother and sisters, though it took multiple attempts to actually get her considerable bulk off the ground.
"Bye-bye, Miss Dragonite!" Ruby waved. "Thank you for everything! I can't wait to read your book!"
It didn't take long before the family disappeared into the skies, leaving the trainers and Pokémon down below wondering whether it had all been a dream or not. Diana said a final goodbye before catching up with her mentor, and afterward the courtyard was eerily quiet, with most of the Pokémon returning to their normal routines.
Ruby looked down at her hands. In them she held her broken Pokégear, something resembling a Prism Scale, the Glacier Badge, and a Friend Ball with a protective case that kept a rampaging monster locked inside.
"Ruby," Weiss asked suddenly, "were you serious about not wanting to continue our journey? Y-your journey, I mean. You're not serious, are you?"
The caped-girl took a deep breath. "I don't know." Ruby glanced around at her friends and Pokémon. "But isn't that kinda exciting?" She stooped down and whistled for Eevee, and scooped him into her arms. Ledian and Togetic fluttered onto her shoulders, and once again Ruby's nose tingled from the little fairy's dust, as well as Meganium's Aromatherapy, who nuzzled close. Only Scizor kept his distance, but he gave his trainer an understanding nod.
Yang clapped her on the back. "That's the right idea, Rubes! What's the point of worrying about tomorrow or next week when today isn't even half-over? You're finally awake and earned your seventh gym badge, and I got to see my future husband again. Today's a win in my book."
Sakura nodded, still clutching her Rainbow Wing and Prism Scale, and still staring at Ruby in awe. "Best day of my life," she sniffed.
Weiss wasn't so sure if she agreed, but had to admit it had been interesting to say the least. "Well, it looks as though we'll still be traveling to Blackthorn City together. I suppose it was only inevitable that we'd split up on the way to the Silver Conference, but-" she couldn't finish her sentence. Weiss had spent three years journeying alone with her Pokémon, and after finally finding a traveling companion and making her first real friend in all her life, it was quickly coming to an end. It simply wasn't fair, but then again nothing in Weiss' life seemed to be fair.
"Let's just enjoy the rest of today," Ruby suggested. "You've got a gym match against Pryce to train for, and I still can't stand on my own yet." She gestured toward Meganium who she was leaning against. "By the time you earn the Glacier Badge, I'll be ready to follow you to Blackthorn City. Hopefully. After that, well, it might be best if you travel without me."
Weiss was about to argue but Ruby continued. "That goes for you too, Yang. I'll be alright, and if you really want to make it up to me, Weiss, leave me behind like you said you would."
"W-what!? I couldn't possibly do that now, and I never would have either!"
Ruby gave her a knowing smile. "Eventually you would have run out of excuses to keep me around. If it wasn't for me, you would've already won the Glacier Badge, and maybe even the Rising Badge. I shouldn't slow you down too much getting to Blackthorn City, but after that you need to climb Mt. Silver and train like never before. Otherwise you won't be ready to take on my sister and other expert level trainers."
"I don't care," Weiss snapped. "If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have made the only friends I've ever had." She briefly glanced at Yang and Sakura. "I also wouldn't have the opinion of Ledian and Baton Pass that I do now. Every Pokémon has potential when they're partnered with someone that can see that potential and bring it out of them. I've also learned to stop and smell the roses more, and take the roads less traveled. It's because of you that I met a legendary Pokémon, and I have a feeling this is just the beginning."
Weiss stepped forward and held Ruby's hands. "I'm a better person for having met you, Ruby, and I'm thankful I've been given a second chance to tell you all this now."
Without a second thought or hesitation she gave Ruby a hug. "I'll win the Glacier Badge for both of us, and then we'll head for Blackthorn City, together. Even if you don't want to challenge Clair, I'll beat her for us both as well. Then you can come with me to Silver Town if you'd like, and help me train for the Conference, and cheer me on as I beat your sister."
Ruby laughed, and Eevee seemed to quite enjoy being squished between them. "It's a deal."
Sakura cheered behind them while Yang pretended to be offended. "Traitor," she teased.
"If you two don't mind, I mean, that is if-"
"You can come with us if you'd like, Sakura," Ruby said. "I know the Kimono Girls are really busy during the Silver Conference, but you can come with us to Blackthorn and still have time to head home for practice."
"Really!? You'd let me come with you?" She turned to Weiss who nodded, and threw her arms around the pair. "I should've come with you the first time you left Ecruteak! I'm not making that mistake again!"
"Yang, do you-"
Yang shook her head. "Nah, this is your journey, not mine. Besides, I'm not big on traveling to places I've already been. By the way, can I see your badge for a second?" Ruby nodded and held out her hand. "Cool, thanks."
Instead of the badge, Yang relieved her sister of Gyarados' Pokéball. "Yang, what are you-"
"Once I'm sure it can't break free I'll give it back." She studied the casing to make sure it didn't have any faults. "I'm not taking any chances, and I'm also gonna go to the Pokémon Center and ask Dad to send over Manectric and Ampharos. If this thing escapes and goes on a rampage, I'm gonna try some electroshock therapy for its radiation."
Ruby wanted to argue, but she couldn't deny that it felt as though the world had just been lifted off her shoulders. Yang was the strongest trainer in the world as far as Ruby was concerned, and Gyarados couldn't be in better hands. Neither Weiss nor Sakura had any complaints, and seemed more relieved than even Ruby to see it in Yang's possession.
"Alright, but only if you promise to give it back."
"Sure. The Pokéball will be all yours."
"Yang," Ruby said sharply, knowing her sister all too well. "Gyarados is my Pokémon, and Lance asked me to take him to Dragon's Den. So did Mr. and Miss Dragonite. You're not flying there tonight and giving me back an empty Pokéball in the morning. If you do that, I might as well just ask you to fly me home now. This is my journey, and I'm gonna be the one to release him back into the wild."
Yang narrowed her eyes, looking ready for a fight, but laughed instead. "Good for you, Sis. Standing up to me like that. A year ago I would've practically had to drag you to Blackthorn." She attached the ball to her belt. "I won't take Gyarados to Dragon's Den without you, but I'm also not leaving you alone with it. From Dragon's Den I can give you a ride home if you want. Route 45 connects Blackthorn to New Bark Town, but isn't exactly a walk in the park, especially on foot. Looks like your threesome's now a foursome. That alright with you two?"
Weiss and Sakura nodded fervently. "We'd love to have you come along."
"The more the merrier really!"
Ruby hugged the pair who embraced her and each other in return, and after being tackled by Yang, they were all lifted high into the air by Meganium.
"You were right, Sakura," Weiss said. "This really is the best day ever!"
(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. There were a lot of moving parts this chapter, with plot threads being wrapped up and new ones starting up. Ruby not being sure whether she wants to continue her gym challenge makes sense to me considering all that she's been through, and how difficult the journey has been thus far, but she'd have to reach New Bark Town in order for her journey to "officially" be over, and it just so happens to align with Blackthorn City, the Dragon's Den, the Rising Badge, and where Weiss is currently headed. Her journey isn't over yet, not by a longshot, but I consider Ruby a "reluctant hero" in this story, so her needing an occasional kick in the pants is sometimes necessary.
Gyarados being Ruby's Pokémon and Lance charging her with its care makes sense in-universe, and I feel like it's Lance's way of "kicking her in the pants". He's just trying to help, and I'd imagine being around Ruby would do Gyarados a world of good. Speaking of, all the way back in Chapter 1 I foreshadowed Ruby searching for a Water-type Pokémon, specifically Marill, but sweet, innocent Ruby Rose catching the red Gyarados from Lake of Rage is a match made in Heaven in my opinion. I doubt Ruby could control ANY Gyarados at the moment, much less the red Gyarados, so if she decides to keep it they'll have to do lots of training together, but you can probably guess which way I'm leaning.
Ruby having her broken Pokégear returned to her was important to me given its significance in Chapter 9, and just because something is broken doesn't mean it's obsolete to Ruby. Also, since Weiss' gym battle with Pryce has been foreshadowed since the beginning of the story, I decided Pryce giving Ruby the Glacier Badge made more sense than having TWO gym battles. The Pokémon Pryce used would be different since Ruby and Weiss are at different skill levels, but given what's going on with Ruby, I thought it best to have her sit it out. Pryce freely giving her the gym badge made sense in my mind because she certainly earned it in his eyes, and he wants her to enter the Silver Conference in time. With that said, if you feel Ruby didn't "earn" it, don't worry, she'll get the opportunity in the near future.
Fun fact, but Pryce's name in Japanese means "Willow", and in English it's canonically his middle name. I thought Nicholas naming his daughter after his best friend (his surname anyway) would be a fun layer to add to Weiss' story, and it was too perfect not to mention. I also liked the idea of Diana and Sakura being friends, and Diana gifting her a Smoochum much like how Sakura gifted Ruby an Eevee. Probably gives you an idea of what her ace could be. While the world of Pokémon is massive, it's also fairly close knit in a lot of ways. I'd imagine that a LOT of people come and visit the Kimono Girls, so Sakura being acquainted with them is something I thought would be fun, especially compared to Ruby who isn't exactly a people person.
If you've enjoyed reading "The Road You Choose" and would like to read another Pokémon adventure written by me, you might enjoy "Electric Tale of Pikachu". It follows the story of a teenage girl going by the name "Yellow" who takes custody of Red's Pikachu after it returns beaten and badly injured to Professor Oak's lab. Together they go in search of the greatest trainer in the world to discover his fate. The story is an abridged retelling of the "Pokémon Adventures" manga, specifically the Yellow Chapter, and includes twists even fans of the manga will be surprised by. Yellow is one of my all-time favorite characters, and she's even more of a cinnamon roll than Ruby if you can believe it. Thank you for all the love and support, and I hope you enjoy.
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)