Kapitel 23: Erika Part 2

"Ready, GO!"

The two synchronously shout, the challenge begins as Yoake and Erika threw their Pokemon into the field and prepare for a battle. Yoake throws in Fearow while Erika throws in a Pokemon that has a red flower on its head, and a round blue body, it was a Vileplume.

"I hope our training works out for the both of us," Erika stated in a serious tone as she looks at the trainer with a glaring eye. She was aware that the training wasn't enough but Yoake insisted that Fearow is already strong enough to compete with her.

"I will give you one last piece of advice, you should always be prepared," Erika stated as the battle begins.

"Vileplume use Moonblast!", "Fear use Aerial Ace!"

The flower Pokemon takes its stance as it stomps one of its feet to the ground, it slowly begins to form a sphere above it, which Yoake assumed was the moon-like object that will be hurled toward Fearow. Fearow begins to charge towards Vileplume as its strength grows to its wings. Since Fearow was faster, it was inevitable for him to hit first but Erika has a trick under her sleeves.

Vileplume quickly hurled the moon blast to the Fearow before it even managed to land its aerial ace a hit, Fearow was thrown to the ground, nearly cracking the pavement on the floor. This shocked the trainer to his core as he thought that Fearow was faster on a margin but little did he knows, Erika has something that will favor her the most.

'Is she using Quick claw?' Yoake asks himself, he decided to do some observation and saw a small claw hanging on Vileplume's arms like a bracelet.

Before Yoake even told Fearow to attack, the Pokemon quickly rises from the ground and quickly flew to Vileplume and gave it a decisive blow as the Aerial ace was still in effect. Vileplume, however, tries to stop the Pokemon by using its hand as a barrier.

"Now, use Body Slam!", "Finish your Aerial Ace, and quickly use it again afterward!"

Vileplume grabs Fearow's wings and begins to spin like it was some sort of toy, after 5 spins, it throws it to the ground, grabbed it once more, and does a Rock bottom. Vileplume gave Fearow a huge beatdown, and this was unexpected for the trainer.

"Fearow! Here use this!" Yoake trembled as he begins to take out a healing potion from his bag, removes one of the pins that is sealing it, and threw it to his Pokemon to heal himself.

"Wha- How?" Yoake asked the specialist as he was so shocked by the events that took place. Erika, on the other hand, decided to give the trainer a small lecture that will shatter most of the so-called "effective tactics".

"If you believe on the first day of being a Pokemon trainer is to use a Pokemon that has a type advantage towards specialist, then you're already a failure. Type advantages only work in video games, not in real life. In the games, grass beats water while water beats fire, right? But as long as the trainer has enough experience and knowledge, water can beat grass, while fire can beat water." Erika lectured the trainer. She decided to take a deep breath and decided to end the battle with her victory.

"Vileplume, end this now, use Rock Throw!". "Fear, don't give up! Use your Aerial Ace!"

Yoake didn't realize that Erika used a move that Vileplume, according to the Pokedex, shouldn't know yet here it is. Fearow rises once more and threw one last charge to the flower Pokemon, Vileplume on the other hand, begins to form a mossy rock, breaking it into pieces and hurls it to Fearow. Due to how weak Fearow has become, the debris managed to hit him before he even managed to hit Vileplume, and this leads him to his fainting.

Fearow was on the ground with its eyes forming a spiral shape, it was a sign that it was exhausted from the battle.

The trainer was speechless, as he thought that the speed and power of Fearow can be unmatched to Vileplume, but as the specialist said, no matter how he uses a type advantage but with no effort, skills, or proper experience, it will be useless.

"If you want to become Kanto's Pokemon champion, you should know how to become the very best, and not rely much on video game logic and using it in real life." Erika crucially stated to the trainer. She knows that he has the will and determination to become a Pokemon champion but he was blinded by fake teachings and ideas on how to be a Pokemon champion.

"I hope this will serve a lesson to you." Erika sighed. She went out of her way just to teach this trainer, breaking her kind character to a more strict one just so that Yoake can be the very best like no one could ever be, and she hoped that this was enough for him to break out of his den of fallacy.

Of course, the trainer isn't giving up yet. He took a deep breath, takes in all of words that Erika said, and use it in hopes of him becoming a champion.

"Gardevoir, are you ready?" Yoake asked Gardevoir as he looks at her, and she gave a nod as an answer. Erika noticed that the trainer is planning to use Gardevoir, and she decided to prepare for his next move.

"Vileplume, use Synthesis," Erika told her Pokemon. The Pokemon followed her orders and begins to heal itself as it prepares for the next turn. Gardevoir took a deep breath and begins to walk slowly as she enters the battlefield.

"Gardevoir, use Calm Mind!",

"Now that's what I like it, Vileplume, use Rock Throw!"

Gardevoir closes her eyes and begins to concentrate while Vileplume begins to form another mossy rock, breaking it into debris, and throws it to Gardevoir, due to Gardevoir's high reflexes, she manages to dodge all of them. Erika was already expecting that to happen, and she decided to prepare Vileplume for another body slam.

"Gardevoir, strengthen yourself, Calm Mind."

"Vileplume, Body Slam!"

As she continues to concentrate her inner strength, she slowly begins to feel a weird connection, she couldn't tell what it was or what for, but all she knows is that if this connection slowly becomes stronger, her powers will drastically change. On the other hand, Vileplume charged towards her with full strength, as it readies to give a slam that is stronger than what Fearow felt. When Vileplume was now at a near-distant, Gardevoir opened her eyes to dodge it but Yoake shouted for the next move.

"Psychic, now!" Yoake told the Pokemon. Vileplume was in her range, and she threw a powerful psychic to the Pokemon as an act of revenge for Fearow. However, it's not yet enough to completely faint the Pokemon.

The Flower Pokemon was thrown back to its original place, standing up once more but weaker than before. It gasped for breath as it nearly felt its end but it was lucky that it managed to get out in time.

"Let's end this, Gardevor, Psychic!"

"Vileplume, Synthesis!"

Vileplume stood tall as it begins to heal itself but Gardevoir quickly threw psychic energy to it and finally fainting it in the process. Erika was aware that Gardevoir is the strongest in his team, and add the fact he made her grow stronger in the battle, it's a no-brainer at this point.

"You did well Vileplume but it is time for you to take some rest," Erika whispered to the Pokeball as she withdraws the fainted Vileplume from the battle.

"We did it!" Yoake shouted across the room in joy as he gives Gardevoir a high-five. Erika looked at him with a proud smile.

'You raised him well Leaf.' Erika uttered in her thoughts as she continues to look at them.

One of the maids slowly walked toward her with a case in her hand, and on that case holds the Rainbow badge, his fourth badge. She takes the case and handed it to Yoake as a token of his victory.

"Congrats on winning, and for the two of you, here is a token for your victory." She said as she opens the case and reveals the Rainbow badge to the trainer. Yoake was speechless as he sees the badge, eight petals colored from the colors of the rainbow, and an octagon for its center.

"Thanks." Yoake thanked the specialist as he takes the badge, and places it in his badge case.

Later that day, they went back to her house to take some rest. Yoake went to his room and noticed a piece of paper that is lying on top of his desk. He looked at it suspiciously and saw there were written words in it.

"The poster." He read. He was curious about why is there a piece of paper that is lying on his desk. He was planning to tell this to Erika but he heard his name being called from the living room.

"Mister Katsuragi, can you come here for a moment," Erika called out his name, he places the note on one of his pockets and walked to the living room.

"Hm?" Yoake uttered as he walks into the living room, he was greeted with an Erika holding a mysterious box.

"What's that?" Yoake asked her.

"I'm not sure but it seems to be a microphone." She said as she tries to guess what the box is. Erika felt unease as she realizes that someone is spying on them, and she knows the culprit is but not the person who places it in the first place.

'Who could it be? I doubt Brock and Misty would do it, Ellix on the other hand usually places his hand on his bag, and Ren's hands are on top of the table.' She thought as she tries to identify who could have placed the box under the table.

"Uhmm Miss Erika, do you know anything about this?" Yoake interrupted the specialist as he handed her the piece of paper he found earlier.

"Huh… The poster…. Wait a minute." Erika begins to connect the dots, as the two may be part of the same culprit, and there is one place that the said paper may be referencing.

"Come, follow me. Gardevoir, ready yourself." Erika told the two to follow, and they did.

After a long walk, they enter an abandoned place, it was none other than the arcade center. It was considered a casino to some while it's an arcade to others, but none of that matters now as the old joy in the place is long gone. Erika pushed one of the doors of the entrance, Yoake decided to assist her as well but it seems that the door was already opened.

"It's already opened…." Yoake said. Erika didn't hesitate and walks inside of the arcade as she begins to find the poster.

"Yoake, can you help me find the poster? I think it's just here." Erika asked the trainer, he nodded as an answer and begins to help the specialist to find it.

Gardevoir also helped them find the poster, and it didn't take long enough for them to find it. She manages to find it after suspiciously looking at it and saw a gray button near its corners.

"Did you find it?" Yoake asked the Pokemon, and she nodded. Yoake looked at the poster and saw the gray button, as his curiosity begins to manifest inside of him, he decided to push it and heard a latch opened.

At the corner, an entrance appeared it was an entrance of a lift. Erika walked to them after hearing the latch opened and looked at the lift.

'The past wants to hunt the present huh.' Erika thought as she remembers the many horrors that lift guides to, poor Pokemon being used and abused for illegal experiments and sale. It was a past that everyone wants to move on, but as long as they are still here, it won't be going away.

"Let's go." Erika sighed as she enters the lift. The two followed her even though they know nothing about the horrors below, she knows that she will be held responsible for what will happen to the two but the past must be buried away, and that past is hidden on an area below the surface, a basement.

To be continued.