♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝔹𝕪 𝔻𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕪 (𝔸𝕞𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕡𝕡𝕚𝕟𝕘) ♛

Chapter 36: DARK ASSAULT

Karen continued stroking Houndoom's fur in remembrance.

"She grabbed my mentor's attention and led her to me. This magnificent Pokémon saved my life."

"After that, we trained throughout Johto. Houndour used her experience of loss of her pack as motivation to grow stronger until she evolved. Then, I had an epiphany."

"Vicious, cruel, brutal? What a joke."

"Those fools would define the Dark types with those connotations just because they are 'DARK'."

"For me, the Dark types saved me. The Dark types showed me the truth, the light. Ironic, isn't it?"

Before the second round...

Gary was listening to the interview with a cold gaze.

{ GOOD POKÉMON. BAD POKÉMON. }

{ WEAK POKÉMON. STRONG POKÉMON. }

{ THAT IS ONLY THE SELFISH PERCEPTION OF PEOPLE. }

{ TRULY SKILLED TRAINERS... }

{ SHOULD TRY TO WIN WITH THEIR FAVOURITES. }

{ I PROMISE TO SHOW YOU ALL JUST HOW BRIGHT MY DARK POKÉMON CAN SHINE. }

"Heh," Gary sneered.

"Damn right it's a joke. Win with your favourites, let your Pokémon shine…"

"How stupid."

He then released his team from their Balls for a meeting.

Exeggutor. Pidgeot. Alakazam. Rhydon. Blastoise. And the ace, Arcanine.

"But you guys are different," he said to his team.

"There may be some changes, but you all are the team I've envisioned I'd use even before I set out of Pallet Town."

"I chose you all so we could win."

"Elite Four candidate or whatever, it does not matter."

"She's the prey. And we're the hunters."

"Crush them."

{ NO WAY! MURKROW IS UNABLE TO BATTLE! }

"Don't get carried away. You merely defeated one," Gary coldly called out.

"Overconfidence is poisonous. Take this seriously if you want to keep winning."

{ GREEN HAS DEFEATED KAREN'S FIRST POKÉMON AND TAKES THE LEAD! }

The audience cried out in excitement at the surprising upset. Many would have thought the Beast Tamer would bulldoze the fledging Trainer underfoot.

Now, the tables had turned, and no one knew how the match was going to turn out.

Many supporters from Johto cheered louder for their rising star while some Kantonians began badmouthing Karen that she was merely trying to look cool whilst using mistreated Pokémon.

The first bout's unexpectedly quick match surprised the two other Pallet Town Trainers. Their two Pokémon, Pikachu and Espeon, watched alongside them in shock.

"It's amazing…" Blue muttered in bewilderment.

"Yeah, I can't believe he caught Murkrow mid-air even though it's a Flying type…" Ash agreed in astonishment.