Pokémon: Raising Abandoned Pokémon into Legends

Chapter 125: The Plan to Destroy Team Rocket

Rio blinked in surprise, then glanced at Gengar. Unlike Pewter and Cerulean, the Celadon Gym challenge normally required three battles. Yet he had won after only two. The reason was obvious.

"Little girl, you’re giving up already? That’s weak," Gengar continued taunting.

Seeing Erika trembling with rage on the other side of the battlefield, Rio’s mouth twitched. He quickly pulled out the ancient Poké Ball and recalled Gengar.

"Kid—why are you putting me away?!" Gengar’s voice still echoed from the ancient ball.

"Shut up," Rio muttered under his breath. He was genuinely afraid that if that foul-mouthed ghost kept talking, Erika would throw aside her Gym Leader dignity and come at him with a mob.

"Catch." A cold voice came from the other side.

Rio looked up to see the glittering Celadon Badge being tossed toward him by a Vileplume, commanded by Erika. He was about to say thank you—but Erika had already turned and walked off the battlefield, heading out, clearly not wanting to exchange another word with him.

"Uh..." Rio didn’t even know what to say.

"Froakie~" Froakie hopped away. Rio followed its direction to the spectator area and saw that the Eevee—wagered in this battle—had been left behind. The trainee who had been looking after it had run after Erika.

Outside the battle room, the trainee who had been watching the Eevee stopped Erika.

"Gym Leader—did you forget the main purpose of this battle?"

"Main purpose? Right now, I just want to find a Gengar plushie and beat it senseless. How can there be such a foul-mouthed, insufferable Gengar in this world?!" Erika fumed, having lost all composure befitting the Celadon Gym Leader and a noble heiress.

"Uh..." The trainee cautiously spoke: "Gym Leader, you forgot—the purpose of this battle was to test Rio’s strength and character. If he passed, we’d invite him to join our plan to destroy Team Rocket. Based on the Eevee incident, his character is clearly trustworthy—he wouldn’t tolerate an evil organization like Team Rocket. And based on the battle just now, his strength is..."

The trainee didn’t need to finish; everyone knew the answer.

At the mention of destroying Team Rocket, Erika’s furious expression flickered, then quickly calmed. "You’re right—that was the purpose. Although that Gengar is insufferable, its trainer Rio has the character and strength to join this plan. Thanks, Hope—if you hadn’t reminded me, I would have forgotten from sheer rage."

The trainee named Hope smiled: "Gym Leader, maybe try looking at it from a different angle—it might make you feel better."

"What angle?" Erika asked.

"Between Gengar and Team Rocket, which do you find more detestable?" Hope said.

"Team Rocket, of course—they built a base right here in Celadon City! That’s a blatant challenge, as if they don’t take me seriously at all!" Erika said fiercely. "Gengar may be annoying, but it’s just verbal. Team Rocket is universally reviled—a cancer on the entire Kanto region, torturing an innocent Eevee like that for research."

Hope said: "Since Team Rocket is worse, if we recruit Rio, can’t we use him to get under their skin? I’m sure that Gengar’s mouth would drive Team Rocket just as crazy."

Erika paused, her eyes thoughtful. "That’s actually a great point. Recruit Rio, and have him bring that insufferable Gengar to annoy Team Rocket." Her face lit up. "Excellent—Hope, that’s a brilliant way to look at it. The frustration I suffered today—Team Rocket should get a taste of it too."

With that, Erika turned and walked back. She was determined to recruit Rio into her plan to destroy Team Rocket.

A moment later, she returned to the Gym battlefield and found Rio bonding with Froakie and Eevee. Gengar had been released again.

"Oh, little girl—you came back! Miss me already?" Gengar spotted her first.

Erika paused, mentally chanting "stay calm, stay calm" before continuing forward. Rio heard Gengar’s voice and looked up, surprised to see Erika back. He frowned, worried she might renege on the deal and still want to euthanize Eevee because of Gengar’s insults.

"Congratulations, Rio—you’ve passed my test." Her words caught him off guard.

"Huh?" Rio blinked. "Test?"

Eevee, Froakie, and Gengar also looked at her in confusion.

"Little girl, what game are you playing?" Gengar asked.

"Yes, it was a test." Erika ignored Gengar completely, keeping her eyes on Rio. "This battle, and the task of finding Eevee—all of it was a test designed to see if you’re qualified to join our plan to destroy Team Rocket."

"Destroy Team Rocket?" Rio raised an eyebrow.

"Yes—destroy Team Rocket." Erika nodded. "You passed. So now I’m asking—are you interested in joining us to root out the cancer that’s taken hold in Kanto?"

She blinked expectantly.

Rio hesitated. A thought flashed through his mind—a plotline from the original story: Erika gathering righteous trainers to dismantle Team Rocket in Kanto. So now, he was being seen as one of those righteous trainers.

Erika pressed: "Join us—unless you want more Pokémon like Eevee to suffer at Team Rocket’s hands."

"Froakie~" Froakie cried out. Rio looked down and saw the anger in its eyes—it wanted to avenge Eevee.

"Kid—Team Rocket is garbage. They tortured little Eevee like this. I want to get revenge for her!" Gengar’s voice echoed in his mind.

Rio glanced at Gengar, then back at Erika, extending his right hand with a smile. "When do we start?"

[Froakie’s friendship increased.]

[Friendship: 3 (from -25 to 3)]

[Gengar’s friendship increased.]

[Friendship: -12 (from -30 to -12)]

[Eevee’s friendship increased.]

[Friendship: -15 (from -20 to -15)]

Rio raised an eyebrow at Eevee and realized—this was the key to building its trust.

"Two months at the earliest, six months at the latest. We’re still gathering strength," Erika replied, shaking his hand.

They exchanged a smile, confirming their alliance. Ten minutes later, Rio left with his three Pokémon. Erika watched him go, smiling. Her intuition told her that with his help, destroying Team Rocket was within reach.

"Gym Leader—what should we do with the battle footage? Should we still put it on the big screen?" The trainee who had recorded the match approached cautiously.

Erika’s smile froze instantly.