#ruby d'arbey

Capim Town's Swings

RUBY: here, stun seed!

RUBY: ouka, nova, go ahead and get the golden ball! i'll take it from here. OUKA: Gotcha!! Nova nods as the two of them approach the gold nugget, keeping it safe from the phantom Pokemon.

RUBY: alright buddy, there's no need for so much violence. we just want to help! MURAMASK: Liaagh... HONK! RUBY: i understand you're in pain, but we'll help you get better! you just have to calm down, and we'll escort you to capim. you just need to trust--

Ruby's eyes widen as she witnesses the Muramask getting pelted by poisonous daggers.

MURAMASK: HOOAAAAaaargh...! RUBY: huh?! ENVY: weak

As the waterfowl Pokemon falls, the culrprit shows herself.

ENVY: all four of you were as wimpy as i expected ENVY: don't know why i got my hopes up RUBY: what the h... what was that for?! they were subdued! ENVY: as far as you knew, glasses ENVY: you get a rampaging wild one in your face and the first thing you do is try and giving it the heart of the cards speech? ENVY: that's why you're weak, like that feral lying at our feet

Ruby grits her teeth, the disrespect getting to her nerves. Ouka and Nova approach the scene right after, the treasure fully secured.

OUKA: Hey, who's this?? RUBY: someone who i'd rather not have here right now! A fade of a smirk appears in Envy's face. ENVY: oh is that the slightest hint of anger i feel ENVY: where was that intensity before when it mattered? OUKA: This girl is rude as hell!! Ruby, don't let her get to you!! Nova lets out a growl. Clearly the Nidoran wasn't giving them good vibes, either.

ENVY: so the rest of the peanut gallery is chiming in too ENVY: you should be more grateful that i even decided to swoop in and do the job for yourselves ENVY: i'm doing it for free you know... ENVY: besides all that sweet, sweet experience RUBY: you didn't do jack squat! all your sadistic ass did was put down a faller that we already had under control! we could have helped them!! Ruby clenches her fists, more frustrated than usual but clearly trying to control herself. Similarly, the Nidoran frowns as her stoic attitude begins to crack under the Ledyba's criticism. ENVY: listen here straw hat you almost got you and your friends' heads lopped off just a few minutes ago ENVY: these weird fake pokemon just pop out of nowhere and start causing destruction and shit completely unprompted ENVY: and your first instinct is "oh i can fix them" ENVY: this whole pacifism babble is gonna get you seriously hurt sooner than later when these ferals keep attacking

A scream.

A flash of white.

Her head pounding, Envy clutches it as her mind shows her a snapshot at an unknown point in time.

"Hearts sire, this attack took out nearly all personnel! What should we do with it?"

"WE RESTRAINED IT. YE TAKE IT BACK TO ITS ROOM AND KEEP MONITORING IT"

"B-But we can't let this many casualties pile up! Shouldn't we... cut the other one out?"

"NONSENSE. THAT WILL FER SURE KILL IT. WE CAN'T LET RESEARCH LIKE THIS GO TO WASTE"

"R AIN'T GONNA DEVELOP BY ITSELF"

Envy staggers back, her mind scrambling to process that disturbing vision she saw after making contact with the oblivious Espurr.

ENVY: whu ENVY: what the hell was that ENVY: what the hell are you?! NOVA: ?

The Nidoran quickly pulls out her Nexus gadget and tries to scan Nova, more nervous than she's ever been before.

A bell loudly rings throughout the building, signaling the end of classes for today.

TRIP: 'Bout time! Hey Ouka, you up for some cards later? OUKA: Thanks but not today, I'm going to be busy!! TRIP: Hm, alright.

OUKA: Ugh!! These classes are going to be torture from now on… RUBY: alola, ouka! you seem more anxious today than usual.

OUKA: Ah, Ruby. I wanted to see you, actually!! RUBY: i see you're wearing the crystal i found, huh? OUKA: O-Oh yeah! Thanks for the present, Ruby!! I love it!! Ouka holds Ruby's hands as she smiles brightly, chipper as always. RUBY: haha, i thought you'd like it. RUBY: we find these sometimes, but i don't personally have any need for them, so i figured it'd make a good hatchday present for my friend. OUKA: You figured right! Oh, wait, about seeing you... I'm finally going to form an Exploration Team!! RUBY: oh? how come? OUKA: I finally found one!! A Human-turned Pokemon, lying right at the beach!! RUBY: ...have you? that is rather uncanny... While the Five Star Pokemon grew a bit concerned by Ouka's statement, moreso how unusual of a situation it was, Ouka kept her usual excitement. OUKA: Their name is Nova!! Actually, they should be around here, you should meet them!! NOVA: Hello I Am Here

OUKA: Hi Nova, hi Mr. Maeda!! RUBY: greetings, sir. and nova...? MAEDA: Hope you all had fun today! I have some good news for you, Ouka. We have arranged a few things today so that Nova can join you in class. OUKA: Oh my gosh, really?? That's awesome, thank you, Mr. Maeda!! RUBY: something tells me if he wasn't such a nice pokemon, you'd have been begging constantly for nova to get a seat with us... OUKA: Shut!! Maeda laughs softly, both the chemistry between his students and the respect they have for him making the Wigglytuff ever prouder. MAEDA: That's it for me today. I will see you next time, and remember; smiles go for miles! Ruby crosses her upper pair of arms as their teacher leaves. RUBY: have to wonder if he always says that out of obligation... OUKA: Never mind that, look Nova, this is Ruby, one of my best friends!! NOVA: Hello Ruby I Am Called Nova RUBY: hi! glad to meet ouka's "human" buddy, you seem like a nice 'mon. NOVA: Thank You OUKA: Let's get outta here already, I'll tell you more on the way back!

ENVY: what do you mean no data? ENVY: that cant be youre an espurr ENVY: this piece of shit thing must be broken

Envy shakes the D-Nexus in an attempt to get it "working". Ouka and Nova just look at her in confusion.

OUKA: What's your deal now?? Why do you suddenly look so... jittery??

ENVY: ...yeah thats right ENVY: i think im getting too stressed today i should go back home and relax OUKA: So... Uh...

As the Poison Pin Pokemon starts walking out of the scene, Ouka extends a claw at her, smiling.

OUKA: Are we friends now?? ENVY: listen here yotsuba

Envy glares at Ouka behind her sunglasses as she points at her.

ENVY: you may have proved you and your new friend jeremy aren't quite useless OUKA: Their name is Nova!! ENVY: whatever it is ENVY: i still dont associate with pokemon like you ENVY: your endless optimism is still a sign of weakness OUKA: No it isn't. What you need is just some friends, and we WILL be the first!! Envy spits before turning around and absconding into the horizon. ENVY: shut up yotsuba! ENVY: "i just need some friends" ENVY: tch. i dont need anyone else ENVY: ...

OUKA: ...Hm. One day you'll be part of my team, Envy... As Ouka stares at where Envy was mere seconds ago, Nova starts poking at Ruby's sleeping figure. NOVA: Ruby Is Still Sleepy OUKA: Oh!! Right. We should try and wake her up. The bat Pokemon joins in and pokes the snoring Ledyba slightly. OUKA: Come ooon, Ruby!! Surely you aren't that heavy of a sleeper?? RUBY: grhfhflf... Ruby slowly flutters her eyes open, groggily trying to sit upright as she's greeted by Ouka and Nova. RUBY: oh, hello you two... what happened? are you okay? OUKA: Envy's gone so don't worry about that, we'll fill you in on things while we walk back home!! Right now, we have something to deliver!! RUBY: envy? that's her name? hmm... alright.

As Jagi starts walking away from the Center, Ruby arrives, passing by him.

RUBY: alola, grandpa! sorry i'm late. is that pokemon from team rocket? HARP: Alola, Ruby. Seems so. Was in a rather bad spot last night. I'm hopeful he knows what he's doing, delelele.

Jagi squints his eyes as he overhears the familiar duo, both frustration and sadness welling up within the Pawniard.

JAGI: Bah. (I'm NOT weak! ...Am I? That thing... It just got lucky!) JAGI: (Everyone on that ship is gone... But I'M here. I'll avenge them and show everyone else in Team Rocket what I'm made of!) JAGI: (MEGIDDO! I'll get you!!)

JAGI: ? ????: (Eep! Scary new Pokemon!) JAGI: ...Whatever, must be my imagination.

Envy, still witnessing the conflict from a comfortable spot, tries to scan the new Pokemon with her D-Nexus.

ENVY: no info huh ENVY: i wonder ENVY: how will these three fare?

As she grins, the combatants in the distance waste no time in charging towards the Muramask.

OUKA: Come on!! NOVA: Grr! RUBY: wait, you two, watch ou--

The duo just barely manage to dodge the Wild Goose Pokemon's Air Slash and avoid getting cleaved in half.

MURAMASK: LIGGAAAAGH! OUKA: Eep

The surrounding stones and foliage aren't so lucky, something Ouka is not happy to find out.

OUKA: GEEZ!!

OUKA: I didn't sign up for this!! RUBY: i think you very much did... Ruby fiddles with her hat, thinking. RUBY: alright, find some way to distract them! OUKA: U-Uh, sure!! NOVA: Danger!

Rapidly, the wild Pokemon jumps to strike with their sharpened spring onion...

...Which Nova stops with a Light Screen just in time.

OUKA: Wow, that's really cool!! RUBY: yes, now's my chance!