#drayton has very little to do with this i'm just proud of a joke i made

[a-tale-of-legends]

Popping That Bubble

Summary: If Ramona is good at anything, it's being blunt as hell. If she sees someone who might need a rude awakening, she'll gladly put her words to hopefully good use.

Aka: Ramona needs royal compensation for all the bullshit she's willingly putting herself into. 

Notes: This was something i was making for a short while! Some spoilers for Indigo Disk below! And also just wanna say I really like Carmine's character, but she does need a talking too, hence Ramona. I think that's everything, so I hope you enjoy!

~~~

Ramona severely underestimated how bad the situation was. Kieran's sudden- well. Maybe not sudden, they hadn't seen him since Kitakami - change was….unsettling, to say the least. But not something completely unexpected, if she was being honest. That doesn't mean she wished it didn't happen, especially when both his and Luca's already awkward situation is made more awkward….

And now, Drayton ( that fucking bitch ass motherfucker-) has pretty much forced Luca to take on their elite four to dethrone Kieran which- it just gives her such a headache thinking of how all of that could go south. But, and she hates agreeing with Drayton here, dethroning Kieran is probably the best way to pop that bubble he’s holding himself in. Drayton is still a fucking bitch though. 

Which leads them both to here. Luca just finished battling Crispin - a close battle if has ever seen one - and the two decided to take a small break with a picnic…..the sandwich making made her hungry.

Luca has been….quiet. Unnaturally so. Even before, with his anxiety of seeing Kieran again, he was always the more talkative of the two. But now he just sits in silence, watching their Pokemon play. 

Hm. 

“ So.” Ramona starts, “ How ya feelin'?” She watches Luca jump slightly, looking at her with wide eyes. 

“ Huh? What?” Luca says, causing Ramona to roll her eyes a bit. 

“ How are you feeling, Luca. About everything…. about Kieran,”

“ …..Oh,” Luca looks down, “ I….I don't know” He sighs, breaking a piece of his sandwich, and eats it. 

“ He’s changed so much. Like- you saw how he treated that league club member! And he just….there's just no light in his eyes. I want to talk to him, but I don't think I can…”

Ramona hums, taking in Luca’s worries. 

“ Hm…so. Let's say you're able to teach him to the top and talk things out. And let's say he still doesn't listen and continues to act like he is now. What would you do?”

Luca blinks again, taken aback by the question. His crown deepens, pondering on his answer. 

“ I….I want to still try. To reach out to him. He- he shouldn't be alone, you know? And maybe then I'll be able to just…reach him again” 

Ramona sighs. She doesn't like playing the bad guy. But it's a role she's way too good at. 

“ Luca,” she starts, her voice stern, “ You're not going to like what I'm about to say, but know I'm saying this for your own well-being, okay?”

Luca straightens up, “ Okay…”. Ramona takes a breath. 

“ If the hypothetically that I just described comes true, you aren't going to keep trying to reach Kieran. You’re going to leave him to handle his emotions on his own.” 

Luca's eyes widen, and a scowl appears on his face, his anger in his eyes. 

“ What?! How can you even say that-”

“ Luca,” Ramona starts again, her voice even, “ I know that sounds bad. I know the last thing you want to do is to leave Kieran hanging. But I need you to know that you aren't responsible for him. If Kieran isn't willing to change, then you’ll just let him and move on. Let him figure it out for himself,” 

Luca shakes his head defiantly, “ B-but- Kitakami-”

“ That's a conversation you both need to have, yes. But that can only happen if you both are willing to listen,” she looks Luca dead in the eye, “ Do you think he’s willing to listen, Luca?”

Luca matches her stare, and the two stare at each other for a bit….before Luca deflates, casting his eyes down 

“....No…” he sniffs, “ ….I don't want that to happen…”

“ I know. Let's hope that it doesn't. But in the case that it does….” 

“ Yeah,” Luca sighs, wiping his eyes, “ Yeah, okay…..I'll still try, though. I have to,” 

Ramona chuckles. 

“ I wouldn't expect anything less, Luca,”

~~~~

Carmine is a bitch. Ramona has said this to her face multiple times now, which often results in the two arguing their heads off. So how and why did she end up being the girl's study partner, Ramona has no clue. 

Ramona finds herself asking that same question as she watches Carmine pace back and forth in the empty classroom. They were supposed to be working on a paper together, but Carmine decided to use Ramona as her vent buddy. Unwillingly, Ramona must stress 

“ I just don't know what to do!” Carmine says for the 5th time, “ He’s just so….. different! I can’t even speak to him anymore! And now he’s causing problems for the BB league and the entire school and -” 

“ Carmine, you have been telling me the exact same thing for the past 5 minutes, are you going to help me with this research paper or not?” 

Carmine glares down at Ramona, crossing her arms. 

“ Hey! I've already done most of the work before you even came here! And can't you see I'm having a moment here?! Show some sympathy!!”

Ramona can feel herself popping a vein already. 

“ Maybe, I would have some sympathy if you just apologized to your brother and stopped being a bitch all the time!”

Carmine's face turned red, her hands shaking with anger.

“Excuse me?! Why you-”

“ Actually you know what? I’m not finished, so shut up,” Ramona huffs, crossing her arms, “You out here worrying about your little brother, hating how he’s acting, and yet you won't even acknowledge the reason why!”

“ Of course, I know why!” Carmine says, rolling her eyes, “ Luca-”

“ Wrong!” Ramona cuts her off, sitting herself up to match Carmine’s gaze, “ Carmine, he's like this because of you, ” 

“ Wha- me?! What did I do?!” 

“ You continuously bullied him. You never allowed him to do things on his own. You-” she aggressively points at Carmine, “ Was the one that even suggested Luca lie to him! There’s plenty of ways to prevent Kieran from chasing after Ogerpon, and you chose the one that’ll hurt the most.” She sighs, moving her hand to rub her temples. 

“ Hell, he’s even starting to act like you! And you don't think this is your fault?!” 

Carmine glares at Ramona, in which she glares back with equal bitterness. It only takes a minute for Carmine's glare to waver. 

“....I just…I just wanted to protect him,”

Ramona raises a brow.

“That's not an excuse, but go on.”

Carmine nervously grips the ends of her hair, looking off the side, worry in her eyes, “ W-when we were young, it was always up to me to look after Kiki and me,” 

Suddenly the animosity that Ramona has for Carmine lessens. That….that sounds too familiar. 

“ ….Okay…” Ramona says slowly, opting for Carmine to continue. 

“ And I took that role seriously! Though…” she looks down, “ I don't think I was good at it. Or qualified too…”

‘ Yeah no kidding,’ Ramona snips in her mind, but she doesn't say it out loud. Carmine is being vulnerable here. Why with her, she has no clue, but she isn't going to disrespect it. 

“ But Kiki- Kieran. He was…” Carmine takes a deep breath, “ He was always so weak-willed. So easy to boss around. I thought that would make things easier for us, you know? If he just listens to what I say, the risk of him getting himself hurt lessens 100%,”

Ramona can’t help but frown, her eyes furrowing slightly. 

“ Carmine-”

“ I know-”

“ You have to let him live, Carmine,”

“ I know! I know I…I didn't know what else to do. And I thought it was fine until…” she sighs, dropping her hands to her sides, “ ….I’m an awful sister, huh?” 

“ Kinda yeah” 

Carmine sputters, looking at Ramona with wide eyes, “ You just- why are you so blunt?!”

“ You said it. I’m simply agreeing,” Ramona shrugs and Carmine groans. 

“ You’re unbelievable,” she ‘tchs’, crossing her arms and looking off to the side, “....You know I never admitted that out loud before. Heck, I don't think I ever admitted that to myself. I….I think I get it now.” She turns back to Ramona, her eyes determined. 

“ I have to apologize to Kieran. And just talk to him about…. everything. It's something long overdue, yeah?”

“Heh,” Ramona smirks, “ Look at you. I didn't even have to say it,” 

Carmine rolls her eyes, as she finally walks towards Ramona to sit down next to her. 

“ Ugh, yeah, because if you said it, it would have been annoying!” she huffs as she takes her seat, though her expression is much softer, “ ….thanks. For uh. Listening. And not taking any bullshit,”

“ Someone has to,” Ramona snorts, feeling herself smile a little, “ Gotta keep that ego in check, right?” 

Carmine merely tchs, and Ramona giggles. 

“ ….If you don't follow through on your word to talk to Kieran, and apologize to him, I will kick your ass,”

“ Wh- kick my ass?! What makes you think you can do that?!”

Ramona’s grin widens, cracking her knuckles. 

“ Wanna find out-”

“ Aaaaaaaaaw,” Drayton’s voice breaks between the banter. The two look to the side to see Drayton leaning on the door frame, smirking lazily at the two. 

“ Never in my life would I have thought to see you two get along! It's a beautiful sight, I tell ya!” 

Ramona looks at Carmine. Carmine looks at Ramona. They both glared daggers at Drayton. 

“ SHUT UP YOU TOOTHPASTE BOZO!”

“ GET THE FUCK OUT!”

~~~

Watching from the sidelines as Kieran be an ass is tough. Being in the same room with other people as Kieran is an ass is tough. But by far the hardest thing is being in the same elevator with Kieran. Alone. No one to share the awkwardness, no one for her to give emotional support to, nothing. Just her and Kieran. Alone. In an elevator.

…. Can't this thing go any faster???

She wonders if she should talk to him. She glances at him quickly, then back to the closed elevator door. 

….fuck it. 

“ Look,” she starts, not going to bother with any sweet talk, “ I won't sugarcoat it. You're being an asshole. Both to others and yourself. I get that you want to be strong, but you’re not only pushing others away but also pushing yourself to an unhealthy degree,”

She pauses, looking at Kieran to see any sort of reaction. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. He doesn't even look at her, simply staring at the elevator door. It's…. honestly scary. How blank his expression is. Ramona feels herself frown more. 

“ Whatever narrative that you think is being placed, it doesn't have to be that way. We’re all worried for you. You can talk to us. Luca-”

“ I don't need to hear unwanted advice from someone weak,”

Ramona's eyes widen just as the elevator door rings, opening to the terrarium. Kieran walks out, not even giving Ramona another glance, and she just glares into his back. 

This. Fucking. Kid. 

“ Luca will beat you,” she says without thinking, voice dripped with venom. That causes Kieran to stop. Flinch even. Good. 

“ He’ll beat you to the ground,” she grits out. Kieran turns around as the elevator door closes. The last thing Ramona sees is Kieran's yellow eye glaring back at her. 

The elevator closes, and she's by her lonesome. The anger is gone as quickly as it rises, and Ramona couldn't help but grimace at the interaction she just had. 

“ Shit…. shouldn't have said that,” she sighs, rubbing her temples, “ I probably made the situation worse now….fuck. Luca doesn't need that,”. 

She presses a button to go back up to the top floor. She was supposed to meet Luca at the terrarium, but she's not gonna risk running into Kieran again. Not after that. 

… She also might need some time to calm down a bit more. That too. 

She sends Luca a quick text, saying she'll be late. Yet another sign escaped her lips. Why is school so dramatic? Jeez. 

~~~

Watching Luca and Kieran hug after yet another shit show in Area Zero was nice. Very nice, actually, Ramona is glad that their weird drama is over now. She smiles as they run up to her and Carmine, the two smiling widely. Kieran catches her eye, and he bashfully smiles at her. Ramona smirks. They can talk later. But first-

“ Alright, let's hurry up and get inside. I need a fucking nap,” 

“ Ugh, tell me about it,” Carmine groans in agreement. 

“ I dunno, I feel kinda energized now…” Luca mumbles and Ramona stares into his soul. 

“ Luca.”

Luca raises his arms up, snickering. 

“ Kidding! I’m kidding,” he quickly rebuttals, and Kieran giggles a bit at their antics. 

“ Hmph,” she huffs, rolling her eyes. But a small smile reaches her face. 

Things worked out for the better. It was long and convoluted, but whatever. That's just life for ya. It's just a matter of popping that bubble.