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Mr. Rhyme often enjoys spreading joy with his dancing, but to be away from his trainer was admittedly a bit strange. Sure, it might as well simply be like before he caught, but there was a bit of a difference. He had enjoyed making Ruby smile and seeing all these other pokemon only reminded the joyful soul that he truly was that this was an opportunity to make lots of people smile just like this trainer. Pulling out his cane, Mr. Rhyme began to tap his feet to the rhythm of the song. It wasn't the type of things he usually danced to, but the tap-dancing Pokemon had a knack for adjusting to various songs.

Twirling his cane, he began his signature Teeter Dance. His feet tapping with expert timing, dancing to the beat. Spinning and twirling his cane, it was a mesmerizing sight and such a lovely atmosphere. So many other Pokemon dancing their hearts out for the enjoyment of people everywhere. It's that thought that encourages a smile to his own face.

notes: Aand we should be good! 

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Ruby stared in shock as the Drampa began to swarm in town. It seemed they could hear the young child crying from across the whole forest. She didn't know what else to do. Some punk, approximately a few years older than her, was harassing a young boy. She was never particularly good with conflict outside of pokemon battles, but she couldn't just stand there and do nothing. It was making her uncomfortable. Before she could do anything, however, the Drampa had charged into town. The dragon-like pokemon reminded her of grandparents in a way, perhaps that's why it felt fitting when an old man slowly walked in front of the Drampa and halted them.

He simply glanced at the pokemon then back at the bully who had stopped and was staring at the pokemon staring him down. The elderly man cleared his throat, cracked his knuckles and moved towards thug. What happened next was a feat of strength that Ruby felt she'd never see repeated in her life by someone so elderly.



The Drampa seemed satisfied, but Ruby wasn't about to just let the tall dragon pokemon keep wandering through town like they were. Quickly tossing a pokeball, hopefully it would work and keep them from causing more havoc.

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Astral doesn't even have a chance to tell her anything before everyone else seems to have a good idea and toss the bomb into the air with the combination of their attacks. Thinking fast, Grace lets herself drop down onto the roof of a building that was still standing before it finally exploded. It was so loud Ruby immediately fell to her knees, clutching her head and covering her ears. She stayed that way for a few seconds, fearful for her life until Astral gently brushed a hand on her back.

Looking up, Ruby saw the firework-like explosion overhead and let out a nervous sob of joy. The bomb was gone... The ringing in her ears was infinitely better than actually being torn apart and burned. She slowly stood up to her feet, legs incredibly wobbly. She leaned heavily on Grace as she examined the scene before them. So many things were still going on and she didn't know what they were.

The tentacled beast from before was enraged, there seemed to be some strange other confrontation going on with some other Pokemon she didn't recognize, and that portal seemed to be swarming with more tentacles that threatened to try and escape. Ruby blinked, staring silently at all the carnage still going on before them. Soaked to the bone from the rain, slowly drying off from the hot sun, Ruby looked an absolute mess, just like the city around her.

Her eyes slowly scanned across the ruined city. So much death... So much carnage, hurt, so much chaos. It was hard to take it all in. To think not even 30 minutes ago the city was beautiful and alive and ready to welcome in the new year. Her arms slowly wrapped around her waist as she struggled to process it all. She didn't know what to do anymore. Everyone else was doing so much to help and here she was, standing still somewhere relatively safe, and about to cry. It didn't feel right.

Her fists began to clench as she stared. Everyone was fighting hard to protect the city from these abominations. Everyone was working together to be something better than they could be on their own. People were working together, as a team, to protect everyone else. She couldn't just run away now that the bomb was gone. If anyone got hurt because of something she didn't do, it was her fault. Or at least, that is what she began to tell herself.

Both Grace and Astral sensed the change in Ruby's mood and steeled their own resolves as they all stared at the carnage out in front of them. "Grace," Ruby quickly spoke, pointing a hand over at the wormhole. "Take us over there." With a sudden flash of energy, the Gardevoir used Teleport and quickly moved both her trainer and the Gothorita over towards the portal.

It was, in one word, terrifying. Like looking into the abyss and watching it stare back. Ruby gulped in fear and yet she still immediately yelled out. "Push them back! One is already too many!" Astral quickly used Hypnosis, attempting to at least weaken the grip of the terrifying beasts latching onto the portal. With that done, Grace followed up with Dazzling Gleam. A bright light flashed out from their hand, hopefully damaging every single tentacle holding it open.

Throughout it all, Ruby stared them down despite her fear. despite the tears dripping down her cheeks. These beasts had destroyed the city. they hurt the region she had grown to love, and they had hurt innocent people. But their worst offense of all was daring to hurt her best friend, and for that, Ruby was furious.




notes: Ruby's angry. Grace teleports them over to the portal. Astral uses hypnosis to attempt and weaken/slow down the Nihilego's within and Grace blasts with Dazzling Gleam to attack every tentacle in sight.

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The voice speaks up to announce the next phase of the battle and Ruby's smile only grows wider. She couldn't quite tell what the opponent was thinking, but Whisper seemed incredibly confident. While the enemy Smeargle might have her form, moves, and ability but Whisper had already managed to set up and buff herself up. As the psychic blast was fired at her, Whisper didn't even attempt to dodge. Tanking the blast, the psychic and fairy pokemon not only resisted psychic type attacks, but her previous usages of Calm Mind weakened the blow. It still hurt, but Whisper's smug expression remained on her face.

"Let's finish this as fast as possible Whisper! Use Dazzling Gleam, blindside him!" Whisper nodded in agreement. Holding their hand up to their face, they seemed to silently chuckle at the Smeargle taking her form. Suddenly a bright flash of light, originating from her forehead, would shine brightly at her opponent. The light more powerful than it normally would be, aided by Whisper's incredible focus and clarity of mind.

notes: Tanked the damage and followed it up with Dazzling Gleam, aided by two uses of Calm Mind.

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Ruby smiled widely as the battle began. Opal wasn't fast, at least certainly not compared to his speeding bullet of a Noivern that moved incredibly fast. It was time to even up the playing field a little bit and give herself some kind of advantage. "Go, Opal! Just like we planned!" The fossil pokemon roared out, ice pouring out of their mouth as their sails shimmered with colors as the weather began to change.

Hail began to crash down from the sky above atop the battlefield, hopefully limiting the speedy Noiverns movement. Despite all that, the dragon pulse hit right on the mark. The blast slammed right into her side as she cried out in pain. Luckily, Opal was quite a tanky Pokemon and was able to take the hit and keep on going. The hail above didn't even seem to faze her one bit, bouncing off her tough skin without so much as a thought to it.

"Finally, follow up with Blizzard! You got this Opal!" Ruby shouted out to cheer on her gal. Gathering her energy, Opal's ice gems on her sides seemed to shine as she suddenly let loose a huge torrent of icy wind began to blast straight at the Noivern, empowered by the hail already raining down above.

notes: Opal uses hail! Takes the dragon pulse straight to her side and follows it up with Blizzard, empowered by the hail.

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Ruby was admittedly a bit wowed to see such a massive pokemon. She honestly... didn't know what it was, but it looked like steel and was apparently called Steelix which satisfied her curiosity for now. She stared in awe, watching the Steelix at work. It was so large, so strong, she couldn't help but smile as he so gently moved the shower. However, her eyes were quickly torn away from the Steelix as she was spoken to directly.

"O-oh! Well, alright!" She smiled, quickly moving to catch up to the gym leader and step out with her onto the battlefield itself. Of course, the nerves slowly began to grow as she continued to look at the massive steel-type pokemon. That was bound to be difficult to take down, but she hoped her plan would work out. It wasn't flawless, and it was sure to be an uphill battle, but it was all about the faith you had in your pokemon. Even through difficult situations, they could still overcome. Or at least, that was the hope.

Ruby let out a soft breath, trying to calm her nerves as she slowly moved to take her place across the field and stand tall. Grabbing two of her Pokeballs, she quickly let out Darling the Indeedee and Bubbles the Greninja. Both of the rather respectful pokemon bowed at the gym trainer across from them. Or rather, Darling curtsied, but the point remained the same.

Before anything else could happen, Darling's Psychic Surge ability activates. The battlefield around them slowly takes on a purple look as waves of psychic energy surrounded the battlefield. "Alright, I'm ready!" Ruby called out, waiting for confirmation for the fight to begin.

Notes:

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The sickening cry of Whisper shouting out in pain was more than enough to shock Ruby out of her tears. It was like nails on a chalkboard, practically ear-shattering. Ruby stared in horror as Whisper shrunk from her mega-form, falling to the ground as the pain overwhelmed her. The hair parted as she fell, revealing the relatively small form from within. Clutching herself tightly, shaking in pain... Ruby's heart suddenly panged with guilt as she kneeled down, quickly picking up the small form of Whisper in her arms, her hair trailing on the ground. "W-whisper!" She grew silent, not knowing what to do.

Luckily, Gardevoir's Wish finally came true. The healing energies would immediately flood over Whisper, but Grace was worried that even then it wouldn't be enough. She had been with Ruby for quite some time and had never seen Whisper react like that to any attack. Acting on her own will, she suddenly used Life Dew once more. The healing water suddenly spraying in all directions, striking a solid distance around the spinning Gardevoir.

"Whisper..." She spoke with a much quieter voice this time, her tears dripping down her cheeks as she stared at the pokemon obviously in pain. The wish and the life dew clearly helped, but she wasn't sure it would be enough. The pokemon in her arms looked up at her with... what could only be described as regret. She wasn't strong enough, she couldn't protect her trainer, she failed. "Shh... Whisper I-I..." She didn't know what to say, she was stunned silent. If they had the time to mourn her injuries, perhaps Ruby could have allowed herself to relax, but as it stood there was still a bomb to take care of.

Kissing Whisper on her forehead, Ruby continued to cry as she slowly returned the injured Hatterene to her Pokeball. She wouldn't dare risk any more injuries to her again. Her own hurt slowly twisted into anger once again as she stared at the Nihilego. Her fists clenched, rage building up inside of her. How dare they hurt her... How dare they injure her best friend. As the sudden wave of earth came tumbling towards them Ruby immediately spoke. "Grace, take me and Astral in your hands. Get us out of here."

The graceful pokemon, so aptly named, gently took her Trainer and fellow pokemon alike into her arms. Suddenly teleporting up far, far into the air above the ground to hopefully avoid the attack. Ruby gripped on for dear life, but it seemed her psychic pokemon was easily able to support herself against gravity, and practically carrying the two of them wasn't too much more difficult. Even with Astral's eyes still glazed over, focus on the future, Ruby looked at her with a serious look in her own eyes.

"A-Astral... Please, tell me. Is there any way to end this for good. No matter what."





notes: Whisper is hurt real bad... Wish finally activated, healing Whisper. Grace used Life Dew once more, to heal Whisper and anyone close enough to them. Putting the hopefully mostly healed Whisper away in her Pokeball, Ruby is enraged someone hurt her best friend. Teleporting up above the ground, Astral continues to see the future as Ruby begs for an answer.

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Lavaridge Town was certainly a rather interesting destination. She had, honestly, never seen so many elderly in one place. It looked like stories of this being a great place to relax wasn't overstated. It seemed everyone around here was either rather relaxed or just about to be. Ruby couldn't help but be curious about the hot springs, despite coming here for a gym battle. Perhaps after the battle she could convince herself to be able to spend the time! However, right now, she had a gym leader to find.

The gym itself was absolutely beautiful. Stunningly gorgeous trees, flames burning on wooden pillars, the whole place had an aesthetic that Ruby certainly enjoyed. Grinning with glee, she pushed in through the front door. "Er, hello?" Ruby called out with a hint of nerves in her voice. She already had a plan for winning, but it was something she hadn't been able to test at all in the slightest. Regardless, she trusted her pokemon to see her through till the end.

"I'm uh, here for a gym badge! If that's okay!" Ruby was once again stunned. There were people in the sauna, in the gym? An audience for her battle? Almost immediately she couldn't help but grin a little bit wider, feeling like it was just a tad bit closer to the extremely televised gym battles at home, she was confident that she'd at the very least, surprise everyone with how competent she was.

Notes:

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Ruby was admittedly quite confused about why Annie didn't respond right away. Tilting her head, she slowly turned to look at whatever the girl was so focused on. Were those... Hats? On Birds? Why was her life surrounded by Pokemon that wore hats? She couldn't help but chuckle softly at the thought, turning her head back to look at Annie as she spoke about them. She honestly didn't know much about them, but Annie seemed to have enough information for the two of them. They were following him?

Ruby tucked her arms a bit closer to her chest as she walked, the cold mountain air starting to get to her a bit. "Goodness, that's quite a bit of a walk!" She hummed softly in thought, blowing hot air at her hands as she rubbed them together in an attempt to stay warm. "Well, I don't know much about Delibirds, honestly! Even though I have one myself. But I know for a fact they can fly! Or... Maybe we can convince him to let us teleport him? I mean, my Gardevoir could..." Ruby trailed off as the Delibird just seemed to huff and keep on walking, trotting down the mountain.

"Or... Maybe we just keep him company." She sighed softly, glancing up at the birds off in the distance for a few seconds as she hopped down a small rock on her way down the mountain. "You think, maybe, they'd try and attack once they do get the rest of their flock, like you said? Or when it gets darker out? I can't imagine anything good coming out of them, that's for sure." Just to be on the safe side, Ruby suddenly sent out Squishy, her Malamar. Tall and intimidating, their presence should hopefully be a bit helpful. Of course, she knew they were a big softie inside, but the wild Pokemon didn't know that.

notes: N/A