rosetotheoccasion | Second Petal [video]

Second Petal [video]

[Well this is... new. For those who know Ruby, they're probably used to see her as a bouncing ball of energy and excitement. Which isn't a bad thing - Ruby's a pretty upbeat kid who just wants to keep making sure her friends always feel that way too!

But now... now she looks a bit withdrawn. Not outright upset, but she most certainly has the look of someone that's really being bugged by something.]

... Hey, guys.

[Geez, even the way she talks is a bit deflated.]

I kinda have a question. People have been talking about their friends disappearing, and it kinda got me wondering...

When someone returns home, what if they... knew things. About stuff that happened that they didn't experience yet, 'cause someone knows what happened to them in the future, and told them about it.

[... Ah. The picture is becoming clearer now...]

Do you think... could what happened to them later on change, then?

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Right, right.

[She can definitely sympathize. Ruby isn't sure what she'd do if Yang, Weiss, or Blake just disappeared one day and never came back...]

That's not really what's making me think. Not that the people I met here aren't important to me, and I'd be really upset if I forgot about them! It's just... other things that might be going on back home.

...Oh.

Oh. [ Oh, Ruby, why. They were over this! They didn't have to think about it so hard. (Like Yang has any room to talk in that regard.) ]

Well, uh, we don't know anything about how we got here or get back. There's a lack of facts. I mean, how many people do you know that have made the trip both ways and came back to report about it? [ If the answer is even "one person" then her whole defense is shot, but Yang hasn't encountered such a mystical individual herself. ]

Yeah, you have a point there...

[Ruby tries to smile, because darnit, she has to remain optimistic! That's who she is! But it's just.... hard, being reminded of what's going on back home and what she's lost.]

If anyone can figure this out... it'll probably be us, right? Nothing can stop us.

[ The confidence comes through in her tone. No doubt, Yang's grinning. ] Exactly! I don't think there's anything we can't figure out if we just put our efforts together, and get our head in the game.

—literally, if this is a game like a couple of people have said before. A game's got to have rules.

A game... do you really think this is all a game? It feels so real!

[........]

But now that I think about it, that mom lady did act a lot like an NPC....

That's what Ash was telling me. That this is almost like a game that exists back on her world.

I mean when you think about the technology, the weird limitations, and yeah that... whole creepy mess. [ Yang still prefers not to think of that. Sorry, lady. ]

[Yyyyyep Ruby feels the same way.]

If this is all just a game, then... this world isn't real, right? That means there has to be a way out. Like waking up after a long dream...!

—or getting a prize after hitting the end. Like... I figure there are two obvious goals here.

One, we collect every Pokémon under the sun.

Or two - the route I plan on taking - is beating all the Gym leaders. [ Go figure that she would take the more active (read: violent) approach. ]

[... Huh. Ruby didn't even think about that.]

Think we have to do both? I mean, collecting all the badges might be all you need to do, but if we're all from different worlds, the key to going home might be a little trickier.

I hope it's not both. [ She groaned. ] Not only will that take forever, but playing catch-and-release with animals this smart just sounds ... mean.

[ Yang hummed quietly. ] I think it's worth checking if there are records of anyone collecting all the badges before, or close to it, and seeing if they're still here. The people who've been here for years... maybe they just don't want to go home. [ Or. Can't. ]

Even if they weren't this smart, it'd still be really mean. Imagine adopting a million Zweis, then just leaving them in a pound. That's horrible...!

... B-But yeah, that sounds like a good idea. And all these gym leaders... they're kinda like celebrities, yeah? There has to be a record of people who beat them.

Well, Zwei's pretty smart too — but you're right. It's unthinkable!

[ Yang nodded. ] Right, so, it sounds like we've got some homework after all.

[Ruby lets out a groan at the word "homework".]

Don't cal it that! You're gunna make it sound boring!

[ Oh my god Ruby. ]

Uh, then I'll say ... it's ... another fun investigation?

I mean, we could dress up again? [ That was her second-favorite part of that one night. Second only to destroying that mech, and edging out threatening Junior, which is always a good time. ]

... As long as I don't have to wear heels again, I'm all for the dressing up.

[HEELS ARE TORTURE TRAPS FOR FEET. SHE REFUSES TO SUBJECT HERSELF TO THAT AGAIN.]

Heh. You did fiiine in them! Just — well, I don't we'll be getting into any fights here any time soon. [ Hopefully. Yang's still weirded out about how peaceful it is. ]

[Ruby sticks her tongue out.]

It was awful! Like my feet were trapped in bear traps!

... But yeah, that's another good thing about this place. The worst kinda fights are super intense battles, and at least those are fun.

[Like the Vytal Festival should've been.]

[ Yang conceded on the topic of heels to her sister with a raised hand. It wasn't something everyone could deal with and there was nothing wrong with that. Just that... she maybe wanted something more in common with Ruby. They were alike in some ways, but still individuals. ]

Speaking of intense battles, isn't it about time we go after our gym badges? We... kinda skipped some on the way out here. From what I heard from Penny, there's no way my crew would be ready to take on Whitney first, I dunno about everyone else's.

[Oh, right. They kinda rushed forward without thinking much when they first arrived, didn't they? Not that Ruby would complain, considering why they rushed ahead...]

Psh, you think I'm gunna say no to traveling and battling? This city is fun and all, but it can't beat that kinda fun!

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Second Petal [video]

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