The Arbok gang also deals with the capture and sale of Pokémon. Meaning, they have a storage where they keep a bunch of captured pokémon. Now that they are getting raided by the league, all of them are focussed on escaping and don't care about these Pokémon. It's a very risky gamble, but he has to take it.
Getting a Pokémon is not easy for an orphan like him. While in the anime it seemed like pokemon were easily accessible, in reality it isn't so. Things like starter Pokémon are only for people with a strong, established background. For a normal household, even basic Pokemon are expensive, let alone the cost of training them, which is even more expensive.
While a normal household may be able to buy a basic pokemon, they generally can't afford to train them and become an official trainer. At most these pokemon help them with basic tasks and their jobs.
If a normal civilian with medium income decides to become a trainer, and if they are very talented, they almost reach the level of an intermediate trainer. Some with exceptionally good luck and fated encounters manage to go higher, but that is more luck depended than talent.
The power of money seems even stronger in this world than on Earth. So what if you are talented. Without resources and backing, you won't be treated seriously by anyone and can never reach an elite level.
This is unacceptable for Eric. He understands the need for personal strength very well. In order to live peacefully and like he wants, he needs strength. Strength to protect him and his interests. He's had enough living at the bottom barely scraping by. So what if there is a huge risk. He has to take it, it's now or never for him.
Fueled by anger and adrenaline, Eric carefully moved through the hallways of the base he was in. The area was massively damaged from battle but thankfully, it was deserted. Eric knew where the captured Pokémons are held. He also knew that the League Police is also interested in them. They will probably take these Pokemons to test for their talent and keep the ones with high potential. So Eric has to act faster than them if he wants to grab one.
On his way to the room where the Pokemon were held, Eric made a detour and entered a deserted room of one of the gang members as the door was broken. He wanted to see if he could grab something useful, like Pokéballs which he needed. Trainers always have a lot of extra Pokéballs with them, so he was hopeful he'll find some.
And he did. He found 5 Pokéballs he could use. He found a few bottles of Potions and antitodes as well. He grabbed them and quickly put them in a bag he found lying around before being on his way again. Now all he needed was a pokemon.
But unfortunately, he was too late. Eric heard voices in the distance that were coming from the direction where the Pokemon were held. It seems the league police were much faster than he expected and already there.
He could hear them talking, "Well I hope there atleast some usable Pokemon from this bunch"
"Huh? What's wrong, Growlithe? Is there someone nearby?"
"That's not important right now. We've already met our objective. Let's grab these Pokémon first and then if they're still there we'll chase after them."
"Dammit. I was too late" Eric said as he turned around. It was foolish to try and get them now. And there was no time to think either. He had to figure out how to escape. He didn't trust these police officers. But there is nothing but a forrest outside this base. He'll have to go there if he wants to escape but that's equal to commiting suicide without a Pokémon. Even with one his chances would be slim as he'd be quite weak.
Eric quietly made his way to the exit, his eyes starting to lose hope. Why was his luck so bad. He transmigated but for what, just to be in the same situation again. Why was life so unfair to him.
As Eric went on and on in his head, cursing everything he could think of, he was suddenly startled as a shadow emerged from the wall in front of him.
"What the-"
Eric stopped himself from screaming out of shock. A black sphere covered in a thick purple Haze appeared in front of him.
Gastly!
As he looked at the Pokemon in front of him, a blue screen suddenly appeared in his head, but he couldn't afford to focus on that now as he ghastly was looking at him with intense fury in his eyes.
It was so intense that Eric could feel the fury in his bones. And yet there was a familiarity in it. It was the same kind of fury that burned within Eric.
"Gastly, wait!"
The Gastly didn't listen as he moved to attack Eric immediately. Eric ducked down in time, barely dodging the attack.
"Gastly! I can feel your fury. I know you hate humans. But you should be able to feel my emotions, my fury as well. Based on that, just listen to what I have to say, and then you can kill me if you want."
Eric barely managed to say this sentence out loud, as he dodged Gastly one more time. He didn't even know if Gastly could understand his words like in the anime. Or that he could feel his emotions. But this was all he could try, and hope for the best. If not, he'll just die.
Thankfully, Gastly stopped and moved closer to him, it's eyes still furious but not attacking for now, just staring intently at Eric. Pokemon were far more perceptive about emotions than humans, and it took could feel a similar fury inside Eric.
"To start with, I'm not with this group of humans. I was captured by them, tortured by them, and forced to work as a slave. Judging from the fury I can feel from you, you too were captured forcefully just like me." Eric stared back at Gastly intently before continuing,
"I'm furious Gastly. I hate these humans the same as you do. Heck, I hate most humans. But what I hate the most is my own weakness. These things are nobodies Gastly. Yet I can't do anything against them."
Gastly could feel the anger Eric carried as he listened. His words resonated with him. He too hated himself to be so weak that he got captured.
"You feel it too right? I want to get stronger Gastly. Strong enough to never feel these emotions. I know you do too. But we can't do this alone. Trainer and Pokémon, only when these 2 work together as partners can they achieve their true potential. So tell me, Gastly. Will you become my Pokémon, no, my partner, and get stronger with me?"
Eric said as he took out a pokeball and opened it in front of Gastly.
"Gas" Gastly could feel that this human was very similar to him. He hated humans for capturing him and locking him inside a cage for days. He couldn't pass through that cage for some reason. A repulsive energy prevented him. It was only by chance that the cage broke in the turmoil and he escaped.
He didn't trust humans, but the one in front of him resonated with his feelings deep in his core. He decided to gamble and trust this human.
Gastly went inside the Pokeball, and in a few seconds was caught. Eric then immediately released him.
Gastly suddenly became a lot more friendlier towards Eric. Even Eric felt a sort of invisible connection with Gastly. Is this because of the Pokeball? Eric couldn't. understand how this worked.
'Whatever. I'll chalk this up to Pokemon Magic'.
"Thanks for trusting me, Gastly. I won't let you down. But first, we need to make an escape. Let's head to the forest nearby. It'll be dangerous, but I'm not scared. Are you?"
"Gas!" Gastly made a motion that clearly said he wasn't scared.
"Alright then. Let's move."