Erika was running through the tunnels, it was kinda hard since she was still wearing a kimono but she managed.
She didn't want to just leave Ash but he insisted and they didn't have time to spare, every second that they didn't know what was happening could be one second too long, although she didn't completely know what Team Rocket was doing that didn't matter.
Fuji was a kind old man who helped her a long time ago so she wanted to repay the favor, so despite her objections, she ran ahead leaving Ash to do whatever he did. Although she felt worried her instincts told her he would be fine.
She finally saw a light at the end of the tunnel and prepared for anything that she could face.
But when she got to the room she saw only one man, but seeing this man shocked her.
A Tall man in an expensive-looking suit talking on a phone was the only person in the room, the suit had the notorious bright red symbol of the letter R. She recognized him as Team Rocket Boss Giovanni.
Giovanni, who was talking on the phone, saw her as soon as she entered, "I'll call you back, it seems I have company." before hanging up and putting his phone on a nearby table.
Giovanni put on a smile, "Erika the newest gym leader to what I owe the honor."
Erika felt a lump in her throat but still managed to compose herself, "I'm here for Mr. Fuji."
"Oh you're here for the old man, well I am afraid to say he is not here, and I suspect you won't find out where he is."
Erika's eyes narrowed as she put her hands on her Pokemon belt, "Then tell me where he is, tell me or I'll beat it out of you!" Erika said, completely disregarding her 'elegant' persona.
Giovanni put his hands up in a mocking manner, "Oh that's not very ladylike of you, don't misunderstand he is here, it's just you are never going to leave this room to find him."
"I must say, I'm a bit surprised you barged in here all on your own. Are you brave or just reckless? I'll put that to the test. You shall face Giovanni, the greatest Trainer."
Giovanni's hand moved to his belt that had only one Pokeball, and despite Erika's warnings he didn't stop and grabbed it and threw it onto the ground revealing a Weezing holding a Black sludge, and Erika was forced to do the same.
—
Fuji was getting his Composure back, things were starting to click into place for him, at this point the only anomaly was this kid that helped him.
"So how are you feeling?" Ash said doing a quick checkup on Fuji to make sure he wasn't suffering from anything.
"I'll live, but we need to get out of here before he gets back," Fuji said finally getting back to his feet but stumbling.
Ash caught him before he fell, "Easy there, we were not in a rush we took care of all the grunts."
"Wait, we, what do you mean we, is there someone else?"
"Yes, Gym leader Erika, we met up and decided to team up to find you. We split. She went down one tunnel and I went down the other, we need to get her before we leave."
"No, no no no, we need to help her, we need to get her and get out now!" Fuji said beginning to breathe heavily.
"Wait, calm down and breathe, what is going on, who is here?" Ash said, putting his hands on Fuji's shoulders.
Fuji took a deep breath, "I thought it was Giovanni, but things didn't add up, the way he talked, his posture, the way he walked, the way he dressed, what he asked me when he said that 'he' never said anything. It was all correct but at the same time slightly wrong, and that is when I realized."
"That was not the real Giovanni," Fuji said, making Ash's eyes rise with everything he was hearing.
But Fuji continued, "There is only one person who could do this, and if I'm right that means Erika is in danger, this person will do whatever it takes, he has no morals, no consensus, and worse of all you can strategize against him because he is an absolute narcissistic idiot."
There was only one person who fit that profile, and if he was right, then things went from complicated to bad.
Ash finally realized that was who was walking down the hall, the extra Aura he sensed, he needed to act fast so he pulled out Charizard and helped Fuji get on.
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"Charizard, get Mr. Fuji out of here safely, and Fuji don't worry I'll get Erika and we'll meet up at your house alright," Ash said, but before Fuji could protest Charizard started flying to get out of the tunnel system.
Without waiting any time Ash got close to the wall he knew was parallel to Erika, he turned on his Aura vision to try and see what he could, on the other side of the wall he could see Erika's Aura and the extra person's, along with Pokemon fighting.
Ash woke up Abra who was still sleeping in his hoodie, when she woke up he pulled her out.
"Abra do you think you can get me to the other side of this wall?"
Abra looked at the wall and focused before turning back, [Master I can however this technique will take me some time due to the distance and obstacle.]
"That's fine, just start and tell me when you are ready," Ash said as he pulled out two Pokeballs to prepare.
—
"Weezing, Smokescreen [Toxic variation]" 'Giovanni' Commanded.
Weezing started spewing out thick black smoke.
Erika on the other hand had run out of the way to make sure she didn't inhale any of the smoke, meanwhile, her Pokemon, Gloom, Tangela, and Leafeon, had to separate to try and avoid breathing in the toxic smoke.
Gloom was fine but Tangela and Leafeon were at more of a disadvantage fighting the Poison type.
"Leafeon Razor leaf,"
"Weezing Dodge and Sludge Bomb at the ground."
Leafeon shot large amounts of razor-sharp leaves through the air into the smoke, Weezing dodged most of them but still got hit with some, and then the Gas Rock shot out a thick and viscous ball of sludge aiming to hit Leafeon's feet.
"Gloom intercept, Tangela bind."
Gloom jumped in the way of the ball of poison to tank it, causing minimal damage, meanwhile, Tangela's vine shot into the smoke and managed to grab onto Weezing and pull it out of the smoke.
"Cheeky but it's useless, pull it towards you with Gyro Ball"
Weezing spins forward at a fast speed and a purple ring surrounds its body vertically, causing the vines around it to quickly wrap around him more until Tangela couldn't keep her footing and was pulled into Weezing and got slammed into the ground.
"Now Stockpile"
After Weezing got free, both heads started sucking in some of the black smoke, making them grow slightly larger, letting him get 2 stacks of Stockpile, raising its defenses and with the Black sludge it was gradually healing everything.
"Gloom Stop it with Moonblast!"
Gloom's flower opens further and gathers a pink ball of energy and fires it at the Weezing as it tries to continue, the smaller head charges a ball of gunk to try and counter it but it was overpowered causing it to be pushed back a bit.
"Weezing Gunk Shot."
Weezing's Mouth started glowing a silver color that turned into purple before Weezing started spitting out a barrage of balls of gunk and trash. Each slightly glowing purple and aiming at both Gloom and Leafeon.
"Tangela Block!"
Tangela was still on the ground but slammed its vines into the ground, the vines traveled and emerged between the Grass Pokemon and balls of Gunk to create a wall and block them. Causing more of her vines to be burned.
"Now Leafeon Swords Dance then Razor leaf, Gloom Strength Sap."
Leafeon summoned swords in the air that started spinning around her as Gloom started spitting out seeds aiming at Weezing, Weezing tried to dodge but Tangela used the last bit of her strength to hold the poison rock still.
Then the barrage of razor-sharp leaves managed to catch it off guard, leading a crit in the process, and then a vine wrapped around it and started taking away Weezing's strength along with healing Gloom.
'Giovanni' scoffed, "Your better than I thought but even still it's futile, Weezing, Smokescreen [ignition variation]"
Weezing shot thick black smoke that was mixed with a flammable substance.
"Now Flamethrower,"
Then from the big mouth, Weezing breathes out small embers that erupt into a beam of flames, and when it makes contact with the smoke it explodes engulfing the room in fire, burning the leech seed, and taking it out Tangela.
But before the wave of flames reached Erika a familiar muscular frog appeared and punched the ground causing a [Waterfall] to erupt and extinguish the rest of the fire.
Before anyone could react a familiar Buzzing was heard and a Slash mark appeared across 'Giovanni''s suit and face making him keel over and hold his face in pain.
Appearing next to Erika were Ash and Beedrill, and on Beedrill's stinger was the R symbol that was on the suit, that she handed to Ash.
"Sup, sorry I'm late but I had to get Fuji out of here safely," Ash said, snapping his fingers and giving Beedrill and Poliwrath the go-ahead.
Beedrill disappeared from line of sight and caught Weezing off guard as she delivered an Acrobatics Crit +sniper boosting the crit even more sending the poison rock flying back only to be grabbed again by a web and tossed into Poliwrath.
Poliwrath was winding up a Focus Punch that connected into a downward punch making Weezing get pushed into the concrete floors, then connected by a second Waterfall that formed a geyser and sent it flying back.
"Wait, no you should have just left that man is-" Erika tried to say before Ash interrupted her
"No it's not," Ash said waving around the piece of cloth.
Then he turned back to 'Giovanni' who was holding his face, "Drop the act, Fuji knew and he told me everything, Team Rocket Executive Petrel"
'Giovanni' stopped and started chuckling to himself, "So that old coot knew, can't say I didn't expect it, but I did at least hope I could have some fun, oh well"
Then with a swift motion, he took off his suit revealing the black executive uniform, and then reached for his face to remove what looked to be a very realistic mask, revealing his purple hair and weird mohawk.
Petrel smiled and crumbled the mask in his hand, "Executive Petrel at your service, unfortunately now that you know that I can't let you leave."
Erika finally got a grasp of what was going on, but quickly returned Tangela to her ball and held it close, "I'm sorry you did great, I'll heal you when we get home."
Then Erika looked at Petrel, "It seems like you don't have that choice, you're outnumbered and your Weezing is looking tired."
"Yes you're right," Petrel said putting his finger under his chin and looking at the ceiling, "That's not very fair is it, let's make it, Weezing swallow!"
Weezing took the gunk that he inhaled from earlier and ate the previous stacks, letting it heal a lot, and with the Black sludge, it was healed even more.
Petrel gave a huge Grin, "enough with the chit chat let's try this again, unfortunately now that you know my identity I can't let you leave. Nyahahahaha!"
Erika signed into her hands and had a deadpan expression, "Me and my big mouth."