The target was placed at a considerable distance—far enough that even seeing the bullseye clearly was challenging for normal human vision. Hitting it with an arrow required absolute confidence and skill in the art of kyūdō.
Erika stood motionless, one hand holding the arrow, the other gripping the bow, both arms hanging loosely at her sides. Like a master meditating beneath a waterfall, she remained utterly still. If not for the faint rise and fall of her chest and her quiet breathing, one might have mistaken her for a statue.
After a long pause, Erika finally moved. Drawing the bow and nocking the arrow in one fluid motion, she released with a soft twang. The arrow struck the bullseye dead center.
"Haa…"
Exhaling softly, her breath carrying the mingled scents of her perfume and natural fragrance, she waited until confirming the arrow's perfect hit before gently placing the bow and arrow on a nearby stand. Taking a clean towel from a servant, she dabbed at the light sheen of sweat on her forehead.
"Miss Erika, a call from Misty of Cerulean City."
A servant approached, kneeling as she presented a phone with both hands.
"Thank you."
Erika accepted the phone with a nod of gratitude, pressing it to her ear as the servants quietly filed out, sliding the dojo door shut behind them.
"Erika! How'd it go? Everything alright?"
The moment the phone touched her ear, Misty's lively, hurried voice burst through.
Placing the towel on a tray, Erika moved to sit cross-legged on the tatami, smiling. "...I've already given the Eevee to him."
"Whew… That's a relief! I told you the guy I recommended would be perfect!"
Though Misty's tone was brimming with confidence, Erika distinctly heard the weight lifting from her voice. Choosing not to comment, Erika sipped her tea and replied gently, "...The Eevee seems to like him too. Now that it's in his care, I can rest easy. You really did introduce me to an excellent candidate, Misty. Consider this a favor I owe you."
"No need for favors! Just knowing you're less worried is enough. Now we can focus entirely on dealing with Team Rocket."
Misty's clear laughter echoed through the phone.
"Is he still with you?"
The question was posed casually, but Erika didn't miss the underlying tone.
"He left for now. We made a one-month agreement—I'm giving him that time to train Eevee before challenging my Gym. I could tell he's already feeling the pressure. He'll probably push himself hard during this period. But—"
Erika paused, then continued in a deliberately thoughtful voice, "...Training alone has its limits. If he had someone of equal skill to spar with, his progress would likely be much faster."
The statement hung in the air, met with silence on the other end. After a long pause—as if Misty were wrestling with herself—she finally mustered the courage to blurt out, "I'll go to Celadon City and train with him!"
But before she could, Erika smoothly interjected, "...I actually know where Ryuuske is training right now. In a week, I plan to seek him out myself. Being a Gym Leader for so long, my strength hasn't declined, but it hasn't improved much either. It's about time I put in some serious training too."
Another stretch of silence followed. Feigning obliviousness, Erika tilted her head. "...Misty? Is something wrong?"
"Huh? Oh! N-no, nothing! I was just… thinking about something else."
Misty hurriedly backtracked, desperate to hide the frustration creeping into her voice.
"You know, I get the feeling Ryuuske doesn't care much about any of this. Any idea why?"
Erika mused, her lips curving into a faint smile as she took another sip of tea, deftly steering the conversation to extract information.
"Well… I've only known him for a few months, and we've barely spent any time together in person—just a few days, really. Most of our chats were online. He's always been the type to stay detached, only getting involved if something directly concerns him.
That's why I hesitated when you suggested recruiting him to our side. And now you want to rally other trainers against Team Rocket too… Isn't dragging others into this a bit much?"
Misty's voice wavered with uncertainty.
"Given Ryuuske's history with Team Rocket, he'd be dragged into this regardless of whether we involve him or not. At least this way, he can prepare and strengthen himself in the time he has left. As for the other trainers… I don't have a choice. The gap between our strength and Team Rocket's is too vast."
Erika sighed wearily. "...Even ignoring Sabrina, with the betrayals of Lt. Surge and Koga, Team Rocket's combat-ready members number in the thousands—all systematically trained, all battle-hardened. On our side, aside from you, me, and Brock of Pewter City, the only other possible ally is Blaine of Cinnabar Island, and it's unclear if he'll even participate..."
"...If we don't recruit other trainers, the combined forces of our four cities stand no chance against Team Rocket."
Her tone was calm, almost clinical, as she laid out the grim disparity in their strengths.
"Sorry… It's because Brock and I are too weak."
Misty's voice was tinged with shame. As newly appointed Gym Leaders, she and Brock were among the weakest in Kanto—while the strongest had all sided with Team Rocket.
"Erika, should we try contacting the Elite Four—"
"No." Erika cut her off firmly. "...We solve our own problems. Don't rely on others for help. I can't speak for other regions, but Kanto's Elite Four are too enigmatic—they rarely appear in public. Frankly, I suspect they're even more troublesome than Team Rocket."
Her tone was cool and analytical.
"Don't overthink it. In this war, we hold the moral high ground. The number of trainers who'd side with Team Rocket will be few—they've long been branded as terrorists. With the League's internal forces and sympathetic trainers backing us, we'll have numerical superiority. Our only real disadvantage is at the highest level of combat power."
"...The older generation of trainers has likely grown rusty from inactivity, but fortunately, this new generation has produced many exceptional talents. You've met Ash and Gary from Pallet Town—both have tremendous potential. They'll be valuable assets in this fight."
Like a strategist calmly mapping out a campaign, Erika spoke with quiet confidence.
"Thank goodness we have you coordinating everything, Erika. Without you, Kanto would truly be in danger. The League's Supreme Chairman mentioned he's trying to mobilize resources too—see if he can leverage his influence to summon reinforcements from other regions."
Misty's relief was palpable, grateful that their side had someone as capable as Erika leading the charge.
The Supreme Chairman of the Pokémon League nominally governed all regional Leagues worldwide—but in practice, each region operated autonomously, with cities largely governed by their Gym Leaders. His sole role was as a mediator, maintaining global stability.
If Team Rocket succeeded in overthrowing the League in Kanto, this fragile system could collapse entirely. Ambitious factions in other regions might follow suit, plunging the world into chaos as inter-regional tensions flared.
"Distant water can't quench a nearby fire. Like I said, we must rely on ourselves first."
Erika's lashes lowered slightly as she spoke. Then, abruptly, she shifted gears. "...Misty, if you like Ryuuske, you should take the initiative. I know it's not ideal for a girl to make the first move, but if you do nothing, you'll gain nothing."
"W-what are you talking about, Erika?! I don't like him! I'm just concerned because he's one of my few friends! Anyway, I've got things to do—gotta go! Call me if it's urgent!"
The line went dead.
Erika listened to the dial tone for a moment before a faintly devious smile curved her lips.
"...Tsunderes never win, Misty. You said it yourself—you don't like him. That settles it."
Setting the phone down, she lifted her teacup and drained the last sip. Gazing up at the dojo's ceiling, her eyes sparkled with quiet amusement.
"...There aren't many outstanding young men in this world. Some chances, once missed, are gone forever. I prefer to seize my own fate, not sit around waiting for it."
"Sorry, Misty. But we'll still be friends."
To be continued…
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