VS Erika.

[Third Person POV]

Kaori had made his arrangements for the Gym Battle, he decided to battle Erika today, meet Ash mid-way Saffron and help him with Primeape.

'I'll go with these guys.' Kaori thought.

Kaori made his way towards the Celadon City Gym until he heard an explosion near the outskirts of the city.

*BOOM*

'The F was that?!' Kaori.

Kaori rushed at the scene and found some Rocket Grunts fighting a Flareon.

'Celadon, a powerful Flareon, Team Rocket. This is the storyline of Red's Eevee!' Kaori.

'I would've love to call Red to come here and solve this whole situation but… I have no idea where he is. Although…if I capture the Eevee and give it to Erika to protect it until Red arrives… Everything would go back to normal.' Kaori.

Kaori sends out his team and begins his attack against the Rocket grunts.

"Crap, a trainer!"

"It's just one, let's deal with him!"

"Yeah!"

"Everyone, barrage of long-range attacks!" Kaori.

The large barrage went towards the grunts and their Pokémons, after an arduous battle, Kaori called an Officer Jenny to take the grunts into custody. Kaori convinced Jenny to lend him the Eevee and take care of him.

Kaori took Eevee to the Pokémon center and let Nurse Joy heal him. Of course, Eevee is quite wary of the humans due to his past experience, so he tried to attack Nurse Joy but, Ivysaur was in the same room to prevent any type of incidents.

Kaori arrived at the room while Ivysaur was gently pinning him down.

"You are upset, and that is normal. You were hurt, and your pain is something that I cannot even fathom. However, if you remain with that hate, you'll never be able to appreciate what life has to offer."

Eevee stares angrily at Kaori and growls at him. Kaori tries to pet him but Eevee bites him and makes him bleed.

Kaori retrieves his hand and look at the Eevee with a saddened face.

"One day, you'll find a trainer that will go far and beyond for your well-being. Until that day arrives, I'll have to wish you good luck." Kaori leaves the room and enters another to get treatment for the bite.

After getting patched up, Kaori leaves the Pokémon Center and takes Eevee with him. He captured him in a Pokéball and decided to follow his plan of lending it to Erika.

Kaori arrives at the Celadon City Gym.

"Welcome to the Celadon City Gym, are you here for a Gym Battle?" Receptionist.

"Yes." Kaori.

"Step inside, Leader Erika will be ready in a few minutes."

Kaori wait a little and then enters the flowery arena with Erika on the other side.

"Welcome challenger, my name is Erika, Gym Leader of the Celadon City Gym, are you ready for the battle?" Erika.

"Of course."

"Now, this'll be a 3VS3 Pokémon Battle. The challenger may switch his Pokémons mid battle but the Leader cannot. Am I clear with the rules?" Referee.

Both Kaori and Erika Nod.

"Then, send out your first Pokémon!"

"Tangela, let us bloom!" Erika.

"Fearow, I choose you!" Kaori.

Fearow and Tangela enter the scene and the Ref announces the start of the battle.

"Tangela, use Stun Spore!"

Tangela emits some yellow spores that surrounds the area.

"Blast the spores away with Whirlwind!"

Fearow flap its wings as fast and strong as possible and manages to removes the spores before it hits him.

"Now, Drill Peck!"

Fearow's beak started to glow and he started to spin while aiming towards Tangela.

"Dodge!"

Tangela tries to move out of the way but receives a powerful Drill Peck directly. Fearow keeps his guard up and prepares for a Wing Attack.

Tangela was resting on the ground, seemingly fainted.

Fearow dropped his guard and started to boast his victory but, Kaori knew things wouldn't be that simple.

'Neither the Ref nor Erika have tried to do nor say anything about Tangela's situation.'

Kaori realizes one of Tangela's Pokédex description: 'His body is covered with bluish vines; it allows him to protect himself and escape!'

"Fearow!" Kaori tried to warn Fearow.

But it was too late, a black semi-circular body came out from the ground and released some poisonous spores that poisoned Fearow.

"Fearow!!!" Fearow grunts in pain.

Tangela enters back into the pile of vines and regrows enough parts to reconnect with them.

"Now, Vine Whip!"

Tangela controls its vines and tries to smack Fearow.

"Dodge with Quick Attack!"

Fearow's body gets covered with a white light and swiftly dodges the attack.

"Pluck!"

Fearow connects a powerful blow against Tangela. Tangela tries to get up but eventually faints.

"Tangela is unable to battle, the winner is Fearow!" Ref.

Erika sends Tangela back.

'Fearow got overconfident after believing that his evolution would make him invincible.' Kaori.

"Fearow, take a quick breath for the rest of the challenge." Kaori sends Fearow back.

"I was sure that he has more to offer." Erika.

"Oh, he does. Its just that, Fearow evolved recently and got cocky. This is just a type of…lesson if you'd like to call it like that." Kaori.

"You have a particular bond with your Pokémons." Erika giggles.

"Yeah, we're a box full of surprises."

"Weepinbell, go forth!"

"Gastly, Spook him out!"

Ghastly appears and the scenery gets a little darker upon entering.

'System, why is this happening?'

[Answer: Gastly's powerful innate Ghost energy is yet to be controlled, and due to that, it oozes out of his body and affects the area surrounding him when battling]

'Is this dangerous?'

[Not yet, however, the energy will become stronger as he evolves]

'Ok, a problem for later and hopefully I can find a way for him to control his energy.'

"Weepinbell, Razor Leaf!"

"Ghastly, Will-O-Wisp!"

The sharp leaves go towards Gastly, he was already told that he would battle but, it was still nervous and his Will-O-Wisp misses the leaves and receives the impact.

Weepinbell gets burned and Gastly receives a critical hit.

"Hex!"

Gastly recovers from the impact and summons a dark purple fog that was shoot towards Weepinbell.

"Use Razor Leaf again!"

Weepinbell shoots a barrage of leaves and tries to counter the Hex.

"Dodge it with Sucker Punch!"

Gastly disappears and reappears behind Weepinbell. A Dark energy fist gets created and Gastly punches Weepinbell, causing some damage.

"Weepinbell, raise your attack with Growth!"

"Nu-uh! Gastly, Clear Smog!"

Weepinbell used Growth and enhanced his attack but unfortunately for him, Gastly's Clear Smog nullified his stat changes.

"Now, Night Shade!"

Gastly creates a giant shadow-like wave that impacts on Weepinbell.

"Weepinbell, recover with Giga Drain!"

Weepinbell shoots a big green ball towards Gastly.

"Too late, Sludge Wave!"

Gastly generates a small tsunami of poisonous waters that engulf both the Giga Drain and Weepinbell.

The water dries out and Weepinbell is seen fainted on the floor.

"Weepinbell is unable to battle, Gastly is the winner of this battle!" Ref.

Erika sends back Weepinbell.

"Thank you for that battle. Gloom, let us bloom!"

Gloom appears on scene and immediately emits a horrendous aroma that affect Gastly.

"Urgh! Such stench!" Kaori.

"That's just his usual smell, don't mind him. Gloom, Sludge Bomb!"

Gloom shoots a big purple sphere of poison towards Gastly.

"Gastly, dodge with Sucker Punch!"

Gastly disappears and reappears near Gloom but, his stench stops Gastly from delivering the blow. Gloom then shoots another Sludge Bomb against Gastly, and lands.

Gastly fall to the ground but levitates once again. Gastly is not used to battle so he's never actually known how to use properly his energy.

Because of that, he is getting tired more easily and is panting. Gastly looks at Kaori with a tired look, as if he was begging for a change.

"If you really can't or don't want to battle, just say it." Kaori.

Gastly gets shocked by the statement, in all honesty, Gastly isn't very good in battles. After all of his misdeeds. he doesn't feel good hurting others and his battling senses have grown dull from spending his whole life as an introvert.

"I have no idea what are you have gone through so don't feel pressured. Just say the word and Monferno will sweep the rest."

Gastly looks into Kaori's eyes and takes a deep breath. He got Psyched Up for the battle and took a battle position.

"Good, now Will-O-Wisp!"

Eight purple flames appear surrounding Gastly and he sends them towards Gloom.

"Destroy them with Sludge Bomb!"

Gloom rapid-fires eight poisonous spheres that clash against the purple fire.

"Now, Sunny Day!"

Gloom changes the weather to a bright sunlight.

"Solar Beam!"

"Crap, Disable!"

The moment Gloom tries to charge the attack it instantly gets disabled and he becomes unable to use them.

"Sludge!"

Gastly spews a barrage of sludges to wear down Gloom.

"Razor Leaf"

Gloom sends a barrage of sharp leaves towards Gastly.

"Sucker Punch!"

Gastly was preparing to deliver the final blow.

"Stun Spore!"

Gloom emits the spores that paralyzed Gastly in the very moment he was going to connect the Sucker Punch.

The effects of the Disable ended and Gastly couldn't move.

"Gloom, Solar Beam!"

Gloom charges in no time a powerful Solar Beam.

"Gastly, move out of the way, now!"

But it was too late, Gastly received the attack too close and got blasted away. The arena was surrounded by smoke, no one could see a thing. The smoke dissipated, and Gloom appeared going back to Erika but Gastly was on the ground with a pained expression.

Kaori was a bit sad for his first lost and was prepared for the announcement.

"Gastly can no longer…"

The referee was interrupted by a dark colored light that engulfed Gastly's body. The gas surrounding him disappeared and his whole body was black, his eyes have red sclera and dark purple pupils. Hin newly formed hands have a red-wined aura surrounding them, and his tongue got a magenta coloring.

Gastly evolved into Haunter. Kaori could feel that something was off with Gastly and that he had to verify what it is.

'System, allow me to synchronize with Haunter.'

[Understood]

[Destroy, destroy, destroy, destroy, destroy, destroy, destroy, destroy, destroy, destroy, destroy, destroy, destroy, destroy, destroy, destroy, destroy, destroy, destroy, destroy, destroy] Haunter.

'What in the…'

Before Kaori could even think about what happened, Haunter used his next move.

[Shadow End!] Haunter.

'!!!' Kaori gets shocked by the name of the move.

Haunter compresses a black ball with his hands and then releases it. The small ball travels some distance before exploding.

*BOOM*

The explosion greatly affected Gloom and sends him flying towards the wall. Gloom faints and Haunter starts to laugh maniacally before Kaori sends him back to his Pokéball.

The battle ends with a weird aftertaste but the Referee knew that the result was clear.

"Gloom can no longer continue, the winner of this Gym Battle is…Challenger Kaori!"