Ruby enjoyed being alone. Solitude allowed her to drift off into her own thoughts without the constant worry of someone interrupting her. It was peaceful, comforting, and, above all, freeing. She could read anything she wanted—whether from her ever-growing collection of books or the endless troves of fanfiction available online. She could immerse herself in video games for hours or simply daydream the day away.

And she really, really loved to daydream.

It was stimulating—an escape into a world of her own creation where she could be anything or anyone. She spent countless hours whimsically crafting scenarios in her mind, each one more fantastical than the last. Unfortunately, reality had a way of pulling her back. She wasn't a child anymore. Well, okay—she was still seventeen, but she would be finishing school in a few months. That practically made her an adult. Right?

Her room, however, didn't exactly scream "mature and responsible." The unmade bed was buried under a sea of pillows and blankets, books lay scattered across the floor, and a mix of old wrappers, empty soda cans, and an army of Funko Pop figurines filled every available surface. The only illumination in the otherwise pitch-dark room came from her computer screens, their soft glow casting eerie shadows on the walls.

She liked the dark. It was cozy.

"Ruby, lunch is ready!" called a voice from the other side of her bedroom door.

To the Durant's surprise, the door creaked open to reveal a middle-aged Shuckle wearing a pair of reading glasses.

"Ruby?" he called again, his multiple yellow legs carefully pulling him into the dark room. He squinted as his eyes adjusted to the gloom. "Young lady, what have we told you about reading in the dark?"

Ruby mumbled something that vaguely resembled an apology, though her gaze remained fixed on her screens. One displayed a music video of a popular metal band, another looped her screensaver—a Mudkip struggling (and failing) to flip a pancake—and the last was open to a lengthy fanfiction she had been devouring.

The Shuckle sighed, shaking his head before shuffling toward the window. With a swift tug, he yanked back the dark purple curtains, allowing a flood of natural light to spill into the room.

Ruby hissed dramatically, shielding her eyes as if she were a vampire caught in the first rays of dawn.

"Oh, don't be such a baby," her father deadpanned, pulling the remaining curtains open despite her protests. It wasn't until he took a proper look at the state of the room that he recoiled in mild horror. "Ruby, what have we told you about cleaning up after yourself?"

"Sorry—"

"No, no, it's always like this," he groaned, rubbing his temple in frustration. "You're always glued to this computer. Why can't you just go outside and enjoy some fresh air for once?"

Ruby opened her mouth to respond, but he swiftly cut her off.

"No, actually, you will go outside." His tone left no room for negotiation. "After lunch, I want you to spend at least one hour outside. Got it?"

Before she could muster a protest, he was already making his exit, leaving her alone once more.

Ruby slumped in her chair, groaning as she stared at the now-sunlit room.

Great. Just great.

One hour later

Ruby lay sprawled on the grass in her backyard, though her red eyes remained fixed on the laptop screen in front of her. She was still reading the same fanfiction from earlier, now several chapters ahead, fully immersed in the fictional world.

"Ruby!"

She barely had time to look up before the laptop was snatched away by her father, who gave her an exasperated look.

"When I asked you to go outside, I thought you'd play or try to make some friends," he sighed, closing the laptop and glancing down at her, only to notice that her attention had shifted to her phone. "Ruby!"

With a swift motion, he grabbed the phone from her hands. In response, she seamlessly replaced it with a handheld video game console. He confiscated that too, but she quickly substituted it with a tablet. He took the tablet, only for her to pull out a CD player—where had she even gotten that? When he snatched it away, she produced a book from seemingly nowhere.

"That's it!" he declared, exasperated. Dropping everything onto the ground, he pointed a yellow tentacle at her. "Ruby, you're about to graduate. You have no job. No friends—"

She opened her mouth to protest.

"No friends that exist outside of the computer," he corrected himself. "I want you to find something that will help you grow as a person, okay? Sitting indoors all day isn't going to do that."

She looked off to the side, uncertainty flickering in her gaze. "O-Okay."

"I know it seems like I'm being hard on you, kid," the Shuckle sighed, moving closer and patting her head gently. "I just want you to have a fulfilling life, just like your older sisters."

She nodded slowly.

"If you ever need counseling or help," he added, his voice softer now, "you know you just have to ask."

"I'll be okay," she whispered, her fingers twiddling nervously.

"Alright, sweetie. And hey, thanks for at least coming outside," he chuckled weakly. "Not quite my definition of 'outside,' but at least you're getting some sun." His eyes drifted over the collection of confiscated electronics, and he sighed. "We do need to talk about this, though. Where do you even hide all of this stuff?"

Ruby chuckled in response.

"I'm going to watch that mafia movie with your mother. You're more than welcome to join us," he offered before glancing around and whispering, "I don't recommend it, though. You know how she gets when she watches action movies."

With one last affectionate pat, the Shuckle wandered back inside their cozy three-bedroom house. Ruby knew they could easily afford a more lavish home, but her parents never felt the need to flaunt their wealth. They only cared about the necessities.

And with graduation looming just a few months away, she knew she had to start figuring things out. Her dad had given her "the talk" about her future plenty of times, and she couldn't keep dodging the subject forever. But a normal job? She wasn't ready for that—not yet. The thought of dealing with people every day made her stomach twist. Not that she disliked people; it was more that she didn't quite understand them.

So what could she do to prove to her dad that she was at least trying?

Her gaze drifted to her closed laptop. Grabbing it, she flipped it open again, scrolling back to where she had left off. That's when she noticed an ad flashing on the side of the screen.

A game show.

It was offering a trip around the world with a group of strangers. But if she somehow won the competition, she could walk away with a large sum of money—enough to be comfortable for a while.

Her fingers hovered over the trackpad. It was reckless. It was ridiculous. But maybe—just maybe—it was exactly what she needed.

With a deep breath, she clicked the link.

Name: Ruby Tanner

Species: Durant

Age: 17

Sexuality: Bisexual

Hometown: Celadon City, Kanto

Created By: Soul of the Witch

Totally Real World Tour Contestants

1. Aquamarine the Floatzel

2. Dez the Mabosstiff

3. Enot the Furret

4. Finn the Togekiss

5. Frank the Pinsir

6. Jeff the Galarian Darmanitan

7. Kacey the Roserade

8. Levi the Meowstic

9. Lianne the Frosmoth

10. Loki the Yungoos

11. Molly the Gligar

12. Nina the Bergmite

13. O'Reilly the Lairon

14. Ruby the Durant

15. The Peak the Feraligatr

16. Vienna the Houndoom

17. Yuki (and Yami) the Alolan Vulpix (and Umbreon)