Chapter 25: Shining-Star Berserker

Eri screamed at the top of her lungs and started dragging her feet like a raging Taruos would when threatening to charge.

Mela and Tinkatuff prepared themselves as Nemona pulled her Pokéball out and Kai whipped out his tera ball. Eri bellowed a cry as she started charging. Kai, Quaxly and Nemona retreated as Mela and Tinkatuff stood their ground. Mela and Tinkatuff ran in, the fire-type trainer leapt into the air before diving foot-first after her opponent. The massive girl grabbed her fellow team star member by the leg as Tinkatuff drew near and used the Fire-trainer's body as a weapon to smack Tinkatuff away.

Tinkatuff was sent flying into the air only to be returned to her Pokeball by Kai, who was rushing in with a water-katana in his hand alongside Nemona, wielding a fire great-sword. Kai kept running as Nemona leapt into the air.

Kai dropped Tinkatuff's Pokeball in front of him and kicked it as hard as he could as Eri started to slam Mela onto the ground by her leg. Just as the berserker lifted Mela up, Tinkatuff's Pokeball flew past her cheek and opened, unleashing the fairy-steel type who flew like an arrow and raised her hammer to strike.

Eri slammed the Fairy-type with her elbow before turning and punching the Pokémon away. Just then, Kai roared, preparing to swing his katana at Eri- only for the berserker to raise Mela in front of her as a shield. Kai grinned- swinging his sword at Mela on purpose so he could ignite Mela's flames and make her stronger. As Kai passed by Mela and Eri, a flaming aura exploded around the fire-trainer's body and broke Eri's grip. Mela fell toward the ground head-first, caught her fall with her hands, and then swerved her body to kick Eri toward the sky with both of her feet.

"Up here!" Nemona cried. Eri looked up and saw Nemona high into the sky with her fire greatsword above her head and a battle cry. Eri raised her arm to defend against Nemona's attack- which was powerful enough to make a blazing explosion around them both.

Meanwhile, Mela flipped onto her feet, landed with a crouch and looked up. She saw Nemona and Eri clashing with one another as the explosion cleared. Nemona swung her sword at Eri as Eri deflected her attacks with her arms, punched Nemona in the face then tackled her toward the ground. Both girls started falling toward the ground like a meteor. Eri and Nemona landed with a crash, with the larger girl on top of the smaller one. Eri raised her arm to punch the downed Nemona, and just before she did, Tinkatuff's hammer slammed onto Eri's face. Eri recoiled as Tinkatuff swung twice more, landing both hits before being grabbed by the face by Eri, slammed into the ground then thrown away like a ragdoll. Eri then looked down at Nemona, who grinned as she raised her fist again- only for Mela's drop-kick to land directly on Eri's face. Eri was sent flying like a blazing arrow into a distant crevice.

"Thanks for the save… Again." Nemona said, taking Mela's hand and standing up. Kai joined the two girls.

"So- Nemona," Kai said, "I know you said you don't like going all out…"

"What, you want me to go all out against her?" Nemona asked. "No way. I'm saving that for when you-"

Mela looked ahead, seeing the dust cloud that arose from Eri crashing into the crevice. Sparks of red-fighting type lightning sparked around it.

"Guys..?"

"This isn't a game, Nemona!" Kai cried as Tinkatuff finally came to join them. "She could actually seriously hurt us," Kai continued, "Or worse!"

"Guys?" Mela chimed.

"We'll be fiiiine!" Nemona cried. "We've got this!"

"We barely were able to get her off of you! If I didn't power up Mela there, I think we'd be-"

"GUYS!" Mela cried.

Eri cried at the top of her lungs as the dust cloud around her disappeared. The red aura
around Eri was expanding, and taking the shape and form of a Combat-Breed Taruos, who roared loudly.
Eri then marched forward slowly, every step she took cracked the earth below her heel. Smoke started coming out of her open mouth, which were now fanged.

"Eri's Shining Star Ability… is that the more she gets hurt… the more powerful she becomes...!" Mela roared as wind exploded, blowing against Eri's enemies. "If we keep fighting her as she is now… then she'll become powerful enough to surpass me even when I'm at full power...!"

"Oh-..." Kai shook in fear. If Mela was able to defeat Kai in one punch when she was in full power… and Eri was to surpass that…!

"This isn't good… The only way to stop her is if we finish her in one attack...!" Mela cried.
Nemona sighed to herself and lowered her head.

"I really, really didn't want to go all out here..." Nemona said. "But-"

"There's no need."

All three trainers gasped in shock upon hearing a woman's voice.

"Active Flow."

A shadow moved past the three trainers like an arrow, and toward Eri- and the sound of a metal katana being unsheathed rang like an alarm. Eri's eyes widened in shock as several, purple colored hair-thin slashes appeared around her body all at once.
Nemona's eyes widened in sheer surprise and awe.

"El-El Diabla Azul!" Nemona shouted.

The shadow revealed itself to be the one and only, Geeta. She had her invoker on, and donned the armor of her now signature Pokemon, Kingambit.

"Kowtow Cleave," Geeta sheathed her katana, and in an instant, the slashes on Eri exploded, and a large explosion followed along with it, kicking up a cloud of dust and smoke. The wind flowed against Geeta, and her hair flowed gracefully.

The smoke cleared, and Eri was covered in smoke, yet still standing. Eri coughed up some smoke, then fell to her knees.

Eri's horns faded away and turned into a red orb that fell to the ground beside Eri, which then transformed into an unconscious Combat-breed Taruos. Eri, no longer having fangs, fell to the ground.

Mela immediately ran over to Eri's side, then pulled out her phone. "Guys, we need people to help me move Eri's body, STAT! She's unconscious!" She cried. She looked up at Geeta, who turned around.

"She'll be fine," Geeta said.

"...Thank you." Mela said.

Both girls exchanged a nod as Geeta walked past the two Team Star members. Nemona came running in. She was fangirl-squealing and jumping up and down at this point.

"THAT WAS SO COOOOOOL!" Nemona said, pumping her fists and hopping toward Geeta like a scorbunny. "You've gotten EVEN STRONGER than the last time we fought!"

"It's good to see you too, Nemona." Geeta replied. "And yes, I have. I've got to get stronger, even as I am now."

"Man, you're so friggen COOL! Kai- did you see that?! You saw that, right?!"
Kai, who lagged behind along with Tinkatuff, who was grumbling because she was whacked, nodded while looking genuinely surprised.

"Ah, it's you, Kai." Geeta said.

Kai's eyes widened as his head swung over to Geeta.

"H- How do you know my name?!" Kai cried.

"I know all the names of the trainers who attend Uva academy." Geeta said.

"Really..?" Kai's eyes widened with respect and admiration. Geeta looked at the Katana in the boy's hand, nodded and smiled. "I see we wield similar weapons," Geeta said. "Good for you. Practice well, and-"

"Um, Actually...?" Kai clenched his sword. "C-Can you… can you teach me how to do what you did? That… flow ability...? Please?!"

Geeta smiled.