Journey Through Kanto | ✅

Chapter 36: Yas Kaz

"Can we, uh, not go in there?" Emmy asked as she, along with Sky and Zia, stood at the entrance of Dark City.

Zia sighed and began to drag the Serperior inside. "We have to stop someplace, Emmy. Dark City was the closest to us, let's just get through here and we'll be out in no time." She said, trying to placate her scaredy-cat Pokemon. Sky chuckled as she followed close behind.

As they wandered around, they noticed something off about this place. "There's no one here. It's like it's deserted." Sky stated. The buildings looked like they were falling apart as well.

Suddenly, a kid ran outside, trying to play. However, his mother came and brought him back into the house. "Get back inside this house right now. What if there are Pokemon trainers out?" She scolded.

Zia stopped and tilted her head. What's wrong with the Pokemon trainers around here? That's when a barrage of rocks and pebbles began to be thrown at Zia, Sky, and Emmy. One almost hit the young girl in the face before Emmy knocked it away with one of her vines. "Thanks Emmy." Zia said as she looked at who threw them.

She only caught three figures on top of a nearby roof before they ran. "Sky, spark." Zia called as the Luxray sent a bit of electricity up there, hitting the three perpetrators. They got shocked and fell off the roof, landing in a pile of hay.

It was only then Zia realized they were all little kids. "Sorry guys. But you should've expected some retaliation if you were just going to throw rocks at random people." She scolded. "So you're a Pokemon trainer? If you work with Pokemon, you better get out of our town." One with blue hair said as he held up a bamboo stick.

"Stop it boys." A new voice ordered as an adult man showed up. "I apologize. These children don't mean to cause you any trouble. Come to my restaurant, and I'll explain everything." He promised as Zia agreed, following him.

They arrived at his restaurant as the man sat Zia, Sky, and Emmy at a table, serving them some food as well. "In Dark City, there are two Pokemon gyms: The Yas Gym and the Kaz Gym. The two gyms are in the middle of a gang war and they'll hire any wandering Pokemon trainers as soldiers to battle for them." The man explained.

"That makes sense. No wonder there's nobody on the streets." Zia muttered. "But what's the point of this gang war?" She asked afterwards. "They claim that whatever gym wins will become an official Pokemon gym." He answered. Zia nodded, becoming an official gym is a big honor.

Suddenly, a huge commotion started going on outside. "What's that?" Zia asked, concerned. "It's the Yas and Kaz gyms. If you don't want to get dragged into this, you'd better go upstairs and hide." The man warned as Zia led her two Pokemon upstairs. The three kids following behind.

They watched out the window as the Kaz's Electabuzz electrocuted the opponent while the Yas's Scyther took down some of the other team. "Is it always like this?" Zia asked the trio of boys. They nodded at her. "No wonder everyone around here dislikes Pokemon trainers. This is a street fight, not a Pokemon battle." Zia grumbled.

"Man, I'd hate to have one of those guys as my trainer." Emmy huffed, Sky nodding her head in agreement. There was suddenly a lot of noise downstairs, so Zia, her two Pokemon, and the boys all peeked down the stairs to see the man from earlier being harassed by a trio from what looks like the Kaz Gym.

Zia couldn't tell from this far away, but the three looked vaguely familiar to some other people. From this distance, though, she couldn't tell who. The Kaz trio were getting on about the man not giving them food, even when the Kaz gym hasn't paid its bills in two years.

"I don't want any trouble!" The man screamed, wanting them to leave him alone. Suddenly, the two taller forms ripped off their, now known as, disguises to show they were Jesse and James, making Zia believe the third one was Meowth.