Hoo boy, we're back again already! The battle continues, with a little insight from Erika!
Poke-ball 15: Fireworks
What a fiasco.
Erika watched the two boys battle from the foliage. She had always been good at hiding, especially in the wilderness. It was a sad requirement of her survival during the Kanto-Johto war. Celadon, the famous pleasure town next to the majestic Saffron City, was among the most targeted places. Surge bragged about his Electric-types paralyzing his opponents (notably leaving out what happened after his foes were incapacitated), but her Grass-types could do that too. Or they could poison enemies instead, or put them to sleep, or make them so dazed and befuddled that they had no idea what they were doing. She had scored some unintentional kills that way, but kills were never the goal. Escape was, for both herself and others.
Smoke and fire engulfed the ever-faster Arcanine, as its giant paws scorched her flowers. This only slightly bothered Erika. This was a Gym after all. She wasn't growing rare or fragile plants here. The place needed repair and replanting constantly. But this kind of showdown…
The Arcanine, now little more than a furry blazing comet, eventually snapped up thr Espeon in its jaws and threw it against one of the trees. The fiery beast spewed a Flamethrower, which the Espeon countered with a Light Screen. It blocked the fire, but not the heat, and the leaves and grass around Espeon shriveled.
Erika hadn't joined Red because she enjoyed war. She hated war. However, there were safety in numbers, especially Team Rocket numbers. Even when they were discarded from the government's graces, they had always supported her and Celadon. Giovanni, as insufferable as he could be, was a practical man and a business genius with endless connections. Celadon almost rivaled Saffron now.
The Light Screen shattered, and Espeon was swallowed up by flames. The bejeweled feline screeched, before the flames suddenly curled away as it lunged forward and latched onto the Arcanine's nose. The dog yowled and tried to shake off the tiny scorched cat, but the growling thing hung on with its teeth and claws.
This peace wouldn't have lasted anyway. There was too much anger and blood left boiling under the surface. The government was quickly falling apart under the not-so-hidden stress. If war had to happen again, she wanted to be on a stronger side with stronger people…
Espeon's eyes and forehead gem turned blue, then white, and blasted Arcanine with a point-blank Psybeam between its eyes. Tge Arcanine howled in pain, stumbling drunkenly. Its eyes were wide and wild.
Oh no, is it confused? thought Erika with dread. A Fire-type with that kind of power and speed…
Arcanine thrashed about, its flaming body ramming into and through trees in its manic state. The Espeon fell off, unconscious, as its Flame Charge aura turned into a torrid Flare Blitz. It looked more like a massive Magmar than an Arcanine now, its entire body cloaked in raging flame. It wasn't listening to orders anymore. Fire was infecting everything as it rampaged.
She had to go. Now. They all had to go now. She didn't want to lose the Gym, but if she wanted a fresh start anyway…she might as well let the old life end with fireworks.
IIIIII
...Well, that escalated quickly XD
Next update will probably come pretty fast too. We're trying to do this battle quickly, since, well, drawn-out battles work better that way :P