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Ruby slowly sat up and looked around the room. Spacious. Not too warm nor too cold, the gentle hum of the ventilation system created a sombre atmosphere fitting with the rows of beds lined up. The sterile scent of medicine and metal meant this was most likely an infirmary.

“Good to see that you can sit up by yourself. I am Maxie, leader of Team Magma,” the old man sitting next to her introduced himself.

Ruby’s mind was still shaken and it took her a moment to realize she should reply with her own name as well. “Ruby. Ruby Rose,” she said quietly.

He nodded. “Might I ask why you were wandering in the tall grass without a Pokemon?”

“Pokemon?” she questioned, tilting her head at the strange word.

“The creatures that inhabit this world alongside us,” he explained, wondering if her memory was compromised. “Hmm… can you tell me what you were doing before I found you? How you got those wounds?”

“I…” Ruby shut her eyes and thought back. “I… was running…. running…”

What… what was it she was running from?

Huh…? She was certainly running from…

“…a wolf…?” she finished slowly. Somehow the answer didn’t seem right… Every time she tried to remember, her mind blurred and static filled her vision giving her a headache.



But Maxie simply nodded again. “Yes, your wounds are consistent with a Poochyena’s attacks.”

“Poochyena?” All of these strange words… she couldn’t keep up with what was going on.

“Hmm,” Maxie also noticed her confusion. “I’ll explain from the beginning then.”

“This world is inhabited by creatures called Pokemon. We humans live alongside Pokemon. Though some work with us, others are not so kind. Thus we have developed ways to tame them, and in essence we work together.”

“Work together?” Ruby questioned. She didn’t like the sound of that. From the fragments she gathered, she felt afraid of the… creatures.

The wolf like fangs that tore into her. The howls that shook the night. She involuntarily shivered as her body remembered the fear, even if her mind didn’t.



“Ah yes, about the Poochyena that attacked you,” Maxie recalled and took out a round orb.

“This is a Pokeball. I won’t bore you with the specifics on how it operates, but know that once captured, a Pokemon will be content to reside within until you call upon it,” he held out his hand to offer it to her.



“T-that…. Pokemon… is inside?” Ruby asked hesitantly, the words strange on her tongue.

Maxie noticed her hesitation. He couldn’t blame her for being afraid. She was just attacked after all, a traumatic experience to be sure.

Nevertheless, she will need to overcome this if she expects to survive in this world.

He carefully placed the ball on a table next to her.

“I know you must be afraid,” he said calmly. “But you’ll have to face that fear one day.”

He stood and straightened his coat. “I must be off. If you should wish to reacquaint yourself with our furry little friend, simply press the button on the Pokeball.”

“Ah! But!” Ruby tried to object, but Maxie was already heading out the door.

Ruby spared a glance at the ball on the table.

Not happening.

She quickly laid back down on her pillow and turned away from the table. For extra good measure, she even threw the blanket over her head.

…

…

How long did she stay like that?

Without a clock, without the sun, the sky, the stars… time passed without her.

Days… weeks… months? Probably about three hours if her rumbling stomach was any indication.

She lifted the covers and slowly got out of bed. The floor was cold, but there were a pair of slippers left behind for her to use.

As she edged nearer to the door in hopes of finding something to eat, a thought struck her.

She turned around to face the table with the Pokeball laying still.

…How long has it been since the… dog eaten?…

She knew animals attacked when they needed food, and if it was still stuck in there… wouldn’t it get hungry?

She nearly slapped herself. She shouldn’t worry about it! She didn’t have any obligations towards its health! Besides Grimm don’t need food anyways!

Huh… Grimm ? … What were those? …This… Maxie said it was a …Pokemon?

Her head hurt from the stray thoughts.

Logic warred with kindness. She wanted to make sure that the dog had enough to eat, but she still felt afraid. What if it was hungry… for her?

Her hand was already on the door knob. All she had to do was open the door and not look back.

…

She couldn’t do it! She couldn’t just enjoy a meal while knowing that the dog could be hungry! Besides, it looked like it was still just a puppy!

Before she could convince herself otherwise, she crossed the room and grabbed the ball.

Maxie said to push the button in the center… and what else?

Thinking nothing of it, she pushed the button.

With a blinding flash, the ball snapped open, startling her and sending her to the ground. White energy streamed forth, shaping into a canid form.

“Arrroooooowww!” the creature howled as it was released.

Ruby’s eyes widened and the moment her body shook off the fear, she scurried back as fast as she could. Her hand instinctively reeled and she threw the ball as hard as she could at its head.

Being opened, the ball went wide and clattered on the ground, startling the dog.



“Grrrrr,” it snarled and whirled to face whoever tried to hit it.

Realizing what she just did, she scooted backwards even faster.



Red irises and yellow sclera followed her. It edged forward.

*Thunk!*

Ruby’s back hit the wall and she pressed on it as hard as she could, still trying to get as far away as possible from the creature.

“Arrr?” it tilted its head as it continued to pace towards her.

“S-stay away!” she screamed, holding out her hand to keep it at bay.

It stopped.

“Eh?” she squeaked.

“Arf!” it called back out to her. And then it continued on its path.

“N-no…” she whimpered. Her mind was screaming to run, but her body was frozen. The fear. The fangs. The claws. Lingering pain and shock wracked her body even though her wounds have already mostly healed. The suffocating fear strangled her thoughts and movement.

She shut her eyes as it was only a few paces away. A single lunge. Go straight for the throat. That was all it needed.

“Rrrrrrr….” soft.

Soft… furry… nuzzling.

She peeked out of the corner of her eye. The creature was carefully nuzzling her lowered hand, rubbing its gray fur back and forth in hopes that it would put her agitated heart at ease.

Her upraised arm dropped as her guard was relaxed.

It took its chance immediately! Ruby was pinned against the wall as it placed its tiny paws on her chest, its nose nearly touching hers.

Her breath halted again as she looked into its fierce eyes, straying down to the two fangs that jutted from its lower jaw.

No… two rows of sharp fangs as it opened its mouth slowly.



She felt the hot humid breath and waited for it to deliver the killing bite. One to the jugular and she would drown in her own blood!



Lick.

Lick?

“C-cut it out!” she struggled to stop the creature from licking her face. A pink and wet tongue slathered her face. Aside from drenching her in drool, its tongue occasionally poked at her neck, her very ticklish neck!

“Nooooooo!” she squealed, half laughing, half panicking. She squirmed every which way to try and escape but her back was literally already to the wall.



Several minutes of struggling in vain, she finally got away, panting heavily from how hard she laughed while it licked her.

“Arf!” it called out again.

“N-no more!” she pleaded.

The dog sat patiently while letting her regain her strength.

She took one long look at the dog. Fear and anxiety had given way to a sense of calm and understanding. She was still somewhat wary of him, but less so than before.

Her fear was well founded, but he, the he right now in front of her, wasn’t hostile. He just looked at her, waiting and hoping that she would forgive him for scaring her earlier.



She sucked in a deep breath.



“I’m sorry about how I acted earlier,” she apologized to him. Perhaps it was strange to apologize to a dog, but she felt he had an intelligence not unlike another dog she knew. “I panicked and was really scared of you.”



“Arrf!” he responded, completely forgiving her.

She smiled weakly at him and they held the gaze… until her stomach rumbled.

“Heh, let’s get some food,” she beckoned as she stood up and opened the door.

“Come on, hmm… I need to think of a name for you don’t I?” Ruby pondered while looking at him. “Can’t call you, ‘you’ all the time.”

Her face lit up at an idea. “I know, how about 'Drei’? I… think it fits…”

“Arf! Arf!”



“Hehe~ Okay, Drei it is!”

With that, Ruby and Drei took their first steps onto their journey.

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