[attr="class","rubyw"]
Ruby looked at what was left of the Meteno Deoxys just in time to see
kepler brueshaber's Doublade clashing with Decker's own Deoxys for the core. She tried to facepalm, only to be met with a physical reminder that she was still wearing a space helmet.
"Kepler, what the hell are you doing?" she asked on their private channel, too stunned to even raise her voice. Holy hell, Decker was going to kill the scientist for that one, and Ruby wasn't going to guard his ass when he did. For now, though, she could at least keep an eye on him and his Beheeyem to make sure they didn't fall or something.
[break][break]Her hand grasped something solid, and she grinned to herself when she realized she'd nabbed one of those weird crystals. She still wasn't sure what they were, but they'd somehow made Arachne transform into a completely different type, and that seemed like something worth holding onto.
[break][break]She could only watch as Hoopa transformed into its legendary true form. It seemed more focused on helping people not fall to their deaths instead of using those many arms to attack, but it was still unsettling to look at. It brimmed with power, and Ruby didn't know what it could—or would—use that power for. She turned her gaze to Rayquaza and the one riding atop it,
Eva Morales. She couldn't see the transfer of power from where she was, but the fact that the head professor was riding that Legendary Pokémon had to mean something.
[break][break]Ruby held tighter to Delphi and squeezed her eyes shut as the Earth grew closer. In her weakened state, Delphi wasn't able to make a smooth landing, leaving Ruby grunting as she was jostled. It wasn't as bad as when she'd landed on the meteoroid, though. She opened her eyes to see that they'd landed in some sort of grassy field. Around her, other members of Rocket and the League alike touched down in various ways, all seeming to have avoided major harm. That, of course, included
kepler brueshaber; that Beheeyem of his was stronger than it looked.
[break][break]
"Holy shit," Ruby whispered.
"We're alive."[break][break]She slid off her groaning Garchomp's back and, not caring about her tough-girl image for once, gently stroked her Pokémon's rough hide. Delphi rumbled, still displeased about being left out of the fighting but too tired to do anything about it. Besides, this petting thing felt kinda nice. Trainer and Pokémon caught their breath, Hoenn's soil firmly beneath them. They'd made it. They'd gone into space, stood on a meteor, taken a piece of it, and made it back to Earth in one piece. It didn't feel real.
[break][break]The cry of some kind of bird caught Ruby's attention. She'd never seen one like it before; it looked like it had a pompadour on its head. What the heck was it? She remembered the shifting of dimensions she'd seen from above. Maybe that had something to do with this thing's appearance. She didn't know. She didn't care enough to think about it. Dr. Holo gave what sounded like sarcastic praise, and if Ruby had the energy, she would have gotten up and kicked the woman.
[break][break]Instead, she looked at Kepler again. He honestly didn't look too great. Physically, he seemed unhurt, but he looked like... well, like someone who had just gone through that entire hell and wanted to scream about it.
Same, though, Ruby thought. But this wasn't the time for that, not with the League right nearby. With a grunt, Ruby pulled herself to her feet.
[break][break]
"Hey," she said to
kepler brueshaber.
"You o—?"[break][break]
CRACK![break][break]The sound that shattered their respite was so powerful that it made Ruby visibly flinch. She spun around to where the fabric of reality was being clawed through, heart dropping into her stomach. A sharp jaw sealed by ice. Piercing yellow eyes. And a gale of frigid winds from a desolate dimension that her still-donned spacesuit barely protected her against.
[break][break]Dear Arceus, why this? Why now?
[break][break]
“can’t i catch a fucking break!?” [break]
"Fucking seriously!" Ruby shouted, adrenaline firing off what was left of her reserves. Already, the Kyurem's
Glaciate had frozen the strange bird and the tree it was perched in solid, and that wall of cold was coming right for them.
[break][break]
"We who are about to die salute you!” [break]
"Fuck that, I'm not dying now!" Ruby recalled Delphi back into her Ball and tossed out two more in its stead.
"Arachne, help with the Protect! Cerberus, get ready! Flamethrower!"[break][break]If there was ever a time to break out her shiny new toy, it was now. Ruby clenched her left fist, and power began to coalesce into the metallic bracelet she wore on that wrist. That power burst from the Key Stone embedded in the accessory, and the Houndoominite around Cerberus's neck reacted and engulfed him in a flaming red light. The Houndoom began to transform, his horns and the bony growths on his body growing bigger, sharper, and more dangerous.
[break][break]
[break][break]The light burst from his body, revealing his Mega form. Without a moment of hesitation, he opened his mouth, gathered all of the fire burning in his body there, and shot out the most powerful
Flamethrower he could muster. Meanwhile, Arachne hunkered down with Ruby and
kepler brueshaber and focused her power on adding to Pluto's
Protect.
[break][break]But even with Mega Evolution on Cerberus's side, it wasn't enough. The Flamethrower staved off the Glaciate for a little while, but it couldn't withstand a blizzard summoned by a god forever. Ruby gasped sharply when she saw that Cerberus was faltering. She remembered the sight of that bird frozen to the tree it had tried to fly from.
[break][break]
"CERBERUS, GET BACK!"[break][break]But the Houndoom didn't back down. His Mega Stone glowed with intense energy as he poured everything he had into his attack. Arachne cried out, begging him to join them in the Protect bubble. But he still didn't move. His Mega Stone fell into the falling snow, and he began to revert back to his normal form. Even still, he persisted.
[break][break]
"CERBERUS!"[break][break]This time, he did move, but only to turn his head just enough for Ruby to see one of his eyes. In that instant, Ruby could see every ounce of determination still burning within him, his gratitude for all she'd done for him... and his silent apology for not being strong enough. The blizzard washed over him.
[break][break]
"CERBERUUUUUUUUUUUUUS!"[break][break]
FecEPzEK
[attr="class","rubytag"]@seenotes
[attr="class","rubynotes"]
notes.
- asks kepler brueshaber what the hell he's doing with the core
- notices Eva Morales on rayquaza and wonders...
- holy crap, we're alive
- why is kyurem here?!
- araquanid used protect!
- houndoom mega evolved and used flamethrower
- cerberus the houndoom is frozen solid, and ruby is not okay