Born of Sacred Fire

Chapter 18

Pokémon HQ Lab, Orre Region

Erika got off her Altaria after the long flight. Unknown to her, Gary had followed Erika on his Fearow. His Fearow was rather strong but since most of the flying wild Pokémon were acting strangely, the flight was rather long and tiring. Erika's Altaria felt the same way, panting.

Erika recalled the Humming Pokémon. Gary did the same with the Beak Pokémon and that's when he saw that Erika had seen him. And she looked pissed.

She asked, placing her hands on her hips, "What in the Distortion World are you doing here?"

Gary answered, retorting back, "Well, excuse me, I thought we were supposed to stay with the team. Not go off and do what miss bossy pants wants to do!"

Erika yelled, "What did you just say?!"

Gary and Erika both stared at each other with that same fire in their eyes. Erika was about to ask Gary for a Pokémon battle but instead, she got a surprise. Gary was holding a Pokeball in his hand. He showed it to Erika and while the oldest Jones child thought that he was going to ask for a battle, he smirked instead.

He questioned, "What is this?"

Erika looked at Gary and answered, with a question of her own, "You are asking a seasoned veteran trainer what a Pokeball is? And your supposed to be a researcher?"

Gary pointed out, hissing, "I know what a Pokeball is, damn it. It is used to capture a Pokémon. But what else can it do besides that?"

Erika rolled her eyes and replied, "It can send Pokémon out to battle, duh."

Gary responded, "Right and it can also send Pokémon out to help their trainers like you just did. A Pokeball, like Pokémon, are the trainers responsibility. They have to be held accountable for what happens to their Pokémon at all times."

Erika started to say, "Now hold on a minute..."

Gary interrupted, "But no where does it say to hide secrets from people you've known for years! Pokémon don't lie, Erika. But apparently people do."

Erika looked over at Gary, seeing the hurt in his eyes. Apparently, Gary had overheard her conversation with Jovi and connected the dots. Erika sighed sadly, knowing that she had been caught.

She stated simply, "You overheard us."

He commented, "I shouldn't even have to eavesdrop, I should know everything about you, Erika. Apparently, I was wrong."

The brown hair girl couldn't argue him but the time she tried to come up with something, Jovi came running over. Professor Krane was with her. Erika looked and forced a smile.

She knew that once she went back to Kanto, there was no way of facing Ash or even Gary ever again. Jovi hugged Erika's waist and giggled.

Jovi gushed, "It's so good to see you, big sis!"

Krane greeted, "Welcome back to Orre. And I see you brought your boyfriend."

Erika was too sad to argue with Professor Krane and simply nodded. Gary was also too mad with Erika to point out her and Professor Krane's mistake. Instead, the Pokémon researcher looked at the senior Pokémon researcher.

Gary questioned, "So what's this all about Professor?"

Krane started to explain, "Well, it started when Michael was 10 years old and had only an Eevee on his team..."

...

A few years ago, Orre Region

Within the hold of a giant rock hand, crowds cheered as two large Pokémon faced off against each other: a Salamence and a Metagross. The Salamence hovered in the air, circling the Metagross menacingly, while the Steel/Psychic type watched its opponent warily from the ground.