“Man, if I was them, I woulda raped Lin Lardasshian,” Ish stated bluntly.

June and Gary’s eyes were wide, mouths dropped in horror at Ish’s words.

Gary forced out a short laugh. “Raped? You would have raped someone?”

“If I had her kidnapped and robbed?? Might as well,” Ish shrugged.

June came to a complete stop, watching Gary and Ish walk by.

“Ish, you can’t be serious. You can’t be seriously saying you would rape a woman!” Gary’s head was going bananas! He couldn’t be friends with someone who believed in this! Ish just had to admit it was just some crazy “guy joke” or something!

“I’m dead ass! Lin Lardasshian?? You got her tied up in some hotel in Kalos, you wouldn’t hit that?!”

“I’m...” Gary swallowed, himself stopping, Ish looking back at him blankly before stopping as well. “I...” Gary took a breath. “I’m saying I wouldn’t rape her, Ish!” Gary said, mortified.

Ish shrugged. “Well, I would.”

Gary shook his head in disgust, absolutely desperate for Ish to admit that this couldn’t be truly how he felt.

June had appeared beside Ish and grabbed his shoulder.

Salandit looked up at June from his position on Ish’s back.

She looked Ish in the eyes with a focused look. There was no anger. No sadness. Not even sternness. She was just focused. “So you mean to tell me, you would rape a woman?” she asked carefully, plainly.

“Nah, man, I wouldn’t rape a woman,” Ish denied.

“You just said you would!!” June exploded in the middle of the forest, her echoing burst causing birds to flutter and critters to scamper.

Even Salandit hid behind Ish’s back.

“Nah, like, I obviously wouldn’t rape someone. I’m saying, like; alright, look. If you kidnap a celebrity, a bad ass bitch, or a hot ass nigga for you, June, and you have them at your mercy, helpless, nothing they can do. You might as well just go for broke and fuck ‘em! When you ever gonna get that opportunity? I’m not saying it’s right, or that I would actually do it, but just, like, if you’re already a criminal and going down, you might as well go all the way, right?”

“NNOOO!!” June and Gary shouted together.

Ish laughed powerfully, leaning backwards, gripping the capsule with his Bonsly Egg in it. “Yo I’m weak!”

June was fuming, red in the face.

“I mean, like, if you already are a criminal and have done something as bad as kidnapped a world famous celebrity...” Gary said thoughtfully.

“Gary!!” June gasped, mortified.

“Not saying it’s right or that I’d do it, June!” Gary held out his hands.

“GARY!” June was furious.

“I’m only saying, if you were a bad guy and you already went there with it, I get what Ish is trying to say! I’m glad it didn’t go that far, and I would never! But they could have! It would have been terrible but it’s like, if you already are dead, yano, like, just kill yourself? I think that’s what you’re saying?” He looked at Ish, regretting pretty much everything he’d just said.

Ish laughed again. “Thank you! That’s all I mean! Not that I would do it, it’s just if I were to do something that bad, just fuck it, go all the way!”

Gary felt bad and cringey agreeing with Ish on any level of this kind of topic, but he did understand the point Ish was trying to get at?

Kind of?

June looked like she was staring at the world’s most grotesque pair of beings she could possibly have dug up. She shook her head after a moment and stormed away from the guys.

The three stood against a pleasant breeze on this gently cool day, watching her move ahead.

Salandit peeked around Ish.

“I told you, guys talk different than girls,” Ish said, shrugging, and he walked on ahead.

Gary waited for a few seconds before moving to catch up to him. “Well, had you explained yourself better before making a total three sixty.”

“Hmm,” Ish muttered.

A couple of seconds passed.

“You mean-” Ish started.

“I mean one-eighty!” Gary spoke up at the same time.

They both laughed.

“I was about to say,” Ish said.

“Yeah,” Gary nodded, smiling. “So, once we reach Dark City, you’re heading off?”

“Yup. Got a lot of work to do. Always on the move.”

“Well, you know, for what it’s worth, it was nice to have met you.”

“Same here, bro.”

The two shook hands in that strange pattern Gary didn’t quite get yet.

“Good luck in your battle. Dark types can be a bitch.”

Gary laughed, mostly at Ish’s open language. “I know. It’s all good. We’re ready for anything. We’re here to become Pokemon Masters, after all.”

Ish nodded. “I feel that. And, you’ll be good money with Tyrogue. That nigga is tough.”

Gary nodded. “Yeah. Thanks!”

The two then walked in silence.

The sun was high above the Earth, providing a bit of heat.

“So, how many Pokemon do you own?” Ish asked.

“Uuuuh...” Gary started counting in his head.

A loud shout came through the woods, making Ish and Gary look back.

“HEY!” yelled Gary.

“YYOO!” Ish let out.

Something little shot right by them, floating in the air! The little guy stopped and looked to Gary and Ish. It called out to them and pointed behind them, whining out some more.

Ish looked back again, but Gary had wide eyes on the mysterious creature.

“What is...?” Gary questioned, reaching for his Pokedex.

The thing took off very quickly while Gary was trying to process what it was he was seeing.

“GET OUT THE WAY!!”

“YAAAAAH!” Gary was tackled down by Ish.

Little shouts, cries, and squeaks came out by the two of them.

Gary forced himself around from the ground to see what was running by.

Yellow! Tons of yellow ran by on all fours, two darker lines on their backs.

“Pikachu!” Gary gasped.

Tons of Pikachu were tearing through the area, their names repeating constantly.

Before Gary, Ish, and Salandit could watch any further...

CRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCK!!!! Lightning struck the ground, right at the Pikachu!

Gary, Salandit, and Ish screamed as they tumbled back from the blast.

Gary’s eyes were wide as the last of the Pikachu took off with the pack, disappearing up ahead, their voices fading.

“I knew it!” Ish stood up.

Salandit remained on the ground, cautious eyes throughout the area.

Gary turned to Ish and then looked back at where the Pikachu all had been at last.

Suddenly, something else came through. This one little being was yellow and black, only a bit smaller than the Pikachu. It ran as fast as it could after the group.

“And Pichu, too!” Ish pointed.

“Pichu!” Pichu gasped, startled by Ish, and its entire body sparked!

Ish wailed out in pain as he was zapped by the little Pichu.

Pichu also was screaming out!

They both hit the ground together, their bodies shaking.

Pichu shook its head and eyed Ish, standing hunched over, its eyes tightened in pain. The little Baby Pokemon turned to Gary and then took off, following the path of the Pikachu.

“Ish!” Gary turned to his new friend, afraid to touch him. “Ish! Can you hear me?”

“Salandit!” Salandit hissed to Ish, running over.

Ish shuddered and got to his knees. He then turned to Gary seriously. He reached in his coat pocket and held out a black item. “A burned fruit,” he smiled. “I had a feeling we were living in a Pikachu habitat. And there’s scorched grass in certain places.” He pointed at the ground.

Where the Pikachu and the one Pichu had run through, a patch of ground was blackened, the spot surrounded by good grass. It was right where the lightning had struck.

“Pikachu, and Pichu,” Ish said.

“But what was that... other thing? The first thing.”

“That was an Alolan Raichu,” Ish answered.

“A-” Gary froze up on speaking, unable to even continue, not fully understanding what was said. “A what??”

“Remember where I said Salandit is from?”

They both turned to the Pokemon, who looked back to them.

“Alola. You see, Alola has Pokemon that look one way in one region, but in Alola, they become other forms, types, etcetera. Pichu and Pikachu look and are the same type there, but their evolved form, Raichu, is Electric and Psychic and look like that. There’s others, like Vulpix is Ice type there, and so is Sandshrew.”

Gary whipped out his Pokedex. “No way.” All the research I’ve done on Pokemon, and I don’t know about this? He refused to believe it.

Raichu. The Mouse Pokemon. Pikachu’s final stage. In the Alola region, they gain a new type and look. It has been said by the natives, and agreed upon these days by numerous professionals, that it is due to the diet of the Pichu and Pikachu that live there. More conclusive research continues to be done by skeptics.

Gary eyed the 3D, revolving image of the Alolan Raichu with its lighter skin, yellow ears, and glowing blue eyes. It was even standing on its much more rounded, yellow tail, floating just like the one that he had seen.

“Alola is really nice. Great place to visit. Really felt like I found myself out there.”

“Where are you from?”

“I’m from Unova, boyyyyyyy!” Ish said proudly. “New Tork City damn it!”

“The Unova region? I’ve never been there before.”

“You gotta see it, man. Nothing like Kanto at all. Your mind will be blown.”

“Sounds pretty cool.” Gary got to his feet and extended a hand to help Ish up. “So they have Gyms and a League there, too, right? In Unova?”

“Of course!” Ish dusted himself off. He turned to the side and walked over to his large capsule, the Bonsly Egg inside. He picked it up and eyed it before cradling it. “Glad it didn’t break when I set it down to get you out the way.”

“Thanks for that, man.”

Salandit skittered over sharply to Ish, making Gary jump, and he crawled up Ish’s legs, remaining there. “Salandit!”

“And I’m happy you’re safe, too, man!” Ish laughed.

Gary laughed, too. “Where do you think those Pikachu were going? Just passing through?”

“I’m not sure. That Alolan Raichu was warning us of the Pikachu coming through. Kinda strange.”

“Why’s that strange?”

“Why would he care? He doesn’t know us. He shoulda just went on and let us get run over. Big deal to him, right?”

Gary nodded, his eyes squinting at Ish. “Yeah. I guess so.”

“Whatever,” Ish shrugged. “So, how many Pokemon do-?”

There was a loud eruption of noise from far up ahead, and right after, there was a rustling of grass and possible footsteps.

Gary turned to Ish, but Ish had his eyes on the path.

Something was definitely coming through the trees, unseen for the moment, but approaching quickly. “Gary?!” a voice shouted.

“June!” Gary responded.

A moment later, June came through the trees and ran up to Gary and Ish.

“June, are you okay? Hey, did you-?”

“Did you see those Pikachu and Raichu and Pichu?” June interrupted.

“Yeah, we just ran into them. Or more, they ran past us,” Gary said. “You know what-?”

“And there was another thing there, too!” June burst out. “I didn’t recognize it or get a good look at it, but it was floating in the air!”

“Yeah, that’s what I was asking you. The Alolan Raichu.”

“Alolan Rai... OH!” June smiled big. “YES! That IS what I saw, wasn’t it? Alolan Raichu! I’ve never seen one in person before! Oh, how wonderful!”

“Huh? Then, what Raichu were you just saying you saw?” Gary asked, confused now.

“There was a Raichu running in the mix of Pikachu,” June explained.

“Oh, I didn’t notice that.”

“I think the whole pack is aggravated and stressed out. That Raichu’s ears were straight up. They only do that when they’ve charged up too much electricity. It needs to release it. The other Pikachu also seemed distressed and may be in the same condition. But I don’t think the Pichu is having the same problem. She would have probably been unable to even run in such a state. They can’t control their electricity so she would have been all over the place, not running just fine.”

“Wow. You’re really smart,” Ish acknowledged. “You know your Pokemon.”

June closed her eyes and inhaled. When they opened, only her eyes moved to Ish, sharply. She let out a short, quick breath through her nose and looked back to Gary. “There’s a town up ahead. I’m pretty sure it’s actually Dark City. And those guys are gonna wreak havoc over there!”

“Then we’ve gotta try and do something!” Gary insisted. “Let’s go!” He turned to Ish.

Ish looked to him and nodded. “Let’s try and stop them.”

“Right.” Gary turned to June.

June was staring back. “I’m also concerned about the Alolan Raichu. It didn’t seem to be stressed like the others. I think it was trying to warn anyone it could about the Pikachu and Raichu that were coming.”

Gary recalled the Alolan Raichu stopping by him and Ish and pointing behind them, crying out. He nodded. “Yeah, it was. Well, let’s go then!” He led the way through the trees and grass, the blue sky an upside down, empty plain above them.

A sign appeared shortly: Welcome To Dark City, and in smaller font underneath: Tread Lightly

As the four continued, leaving the trees behind and ending up in a far wider space, they gasped and came to a stop as their view of the city became clear from the distance they were at.

People were screaming and fleeing as several groups of Pikachu tore through the city!

Some people were fleeing a Pikachu pack in one direction, while another group seemed to be running right into those same Pikachu while desperate to escape a different group of Pikachu!

Lightning struck one of the many ranch style houses that were lined up with each other, and the roof was immediately on fire.

CRAAAAAAASSSSSSSHHH!! Pikachu leaped out the window of the house in droves.

A man shouted angrily as he burst through the front door and raged, getting far away from the house.

Lightning blasted the ground by a store built from cut wood.

The entire city was in complete mayhem.

Gary also noticed the gray sky above. What stood out about it was that there was still the blue section of the sky, beginning close to the front of the city where the four came in from!

“It’s the Thunder from the Pokemon,” June explained, noticing what Gary saw. “The Pikachu using Thunder have caused a literal dark cloud over the place.”

“Daaamn, boyyyy!” Ish chimed in. “They ODin’ now.”

Lowering his sights to the overcome city, that was when Gary spotted her. And then them.

On the sandy ground that made up all of the city that Gary could see, stood a pair of imposing figures.

Her black eyes shot over the city, leering sharply at the frightened people and charging Pokemon. Her black hair reached nearly down to her ankles. She stood in thin, black, high heeled boots with noticeable, gleamy black laces. She was also wearing black slacks and a white shirt beneath a black blazer.

While she was quite something to look at for Gary, he couldn’t fully appreciate the thin and yet shapely woman due to her partner beside her.

This being’s existence just looked dangerous. It stood shorter than the woman by about a foot. Its entire body seemed to be made of metal and blades.

Bisharp. The Sword Blade Pokemon. In combat, this Pokemon shows no pity and will kill any opponent who dares to encounter it. They can often be spotted giving orders to their pre evolved form, Pawniard.

Gary was watching his Pokedex but looked back up when the data was finished.

The woman and Pokemon were looking at Gary already.

Gary held his breath, intimidated by their faces, despite how beautiful he thought the woman was.

She was standing in front of a building also in an old fashioned design, all wooden, including the single door that swung open with a bang!

A Nurse Joy had appeared, her hands in front of her face with a worried look.

Gary’s heart beat wildly at the sight of her.

The scary woman turned to Nurse Joy and said something to her, and Nurse Joy nodded and ran back inside. She then turned back to the three kids and Salandit and then to the Pikachu running rampant.

Screams from Pikachu were everywhere, and more lightning and bright flashes were sounding off at a higher consistency.

The woman pointed at a pack of Pikachu who were fighting with each other, lightning shooting off of their bodies and vanishing in the sand or the atmosphere.

The Bisharp shot forward like a bolt itself. At the lady’s words, the blades of its arms glowed purple and it swiped at the Pikachu.

They all fell apart, startled by the frightening Pokemon and rolled away. At once, they collectively screamed and sent out an Electric move at Bisharp!

The woman shouted and Bisharp was gone, appearing away from the Pikachu.

“She’s hot,” Ish mentioned.

June sucked her teeth and leered at him before rolling her eyes.

Ish merely shrugged.

The Mouse Pokemon all began to spark randomly and a thick blast from one of them collided with a store, forcing a hole into it.

June gasped and jumped.

Gary took a sharp breath and grabbed his heart.

“Fuck,” Ish frowned. “They need help. We should send out our Pokemon to try and round up these Pikachu and stop them from fighting. They can’t do it on their own.” Positioning his capsule in one arm, he grabbed a Poke Ball from his belt and held it out at his side. “Metapod, let’s go!”

“Metapod...” Metapod spoke blandly when released.

“Metapod? What is that gonna do?” Gary cried.

“Hopefully something good, soon. I’ll explain later. And now, Elekid, let’s go!” Ish threw a second Poke Ball far out.

Elekid appeared and swung his arms in circles, speaking out in a cute, determined manner.

“Elekid, get out there and help out the Pikachu!” Ish ordered.

Lightning crashed from a distance and Elekid ran towards it, where a group of Pikachu were.

The woman who was ordering Bisharp now threw two Poke Balls at the ground.

From one appeared a Houndoom, and from the other was a Pokemon unfamiliar to Gary, but quite scary looking.

Drapion. The Ogre Scorp Pokemon and the evolved form of Skorupi. A Pokemon proud of its strength, some will battle foes without the use of its powerful poison to prove how strong it is, while others prefer using their toxins to finish their enemies.

The woman gave her orders, and Houndoom sent out flames from its jaws, separating the Pikachu that Bisharp was dealing with.

At the woman’s next orders, Drapion stomped away, going towards a group of Pikachu who were already on the move, their bodies sparking.

Amongst that group, Gary spotted the Raichu June had mentioned earlier, its ears pointed straight up.

This Raichu stopped running with the Pikachu and turned to Drapion, looking very angry. It bared its teeth and without any hesitation towards the taller foe, leaped at it the instant its body was surrounded by a yellow, electrical glow.

Drapion wailed out as it was taken down by the move Raichu used, but it got up quickly, its stretchy arms prepped and its claws opening and closing, ready for combat.

Raichu seemed to flinch in pain, its body sparking, but it didn’t hesitate to jump forward again, but without the electric glow this time.

Elekid was surrounded by a lightning-yellow glow, his eyes closed but a smile on his face. A group of Pikachu were shocking him with an Electric move, but Elekid seemed to be taking it well.

June got on her knees and unzipped her duffel bag, digging through it.

Maybe I can use Charmeleon from a distance to break apart these guys, like Houndoom, Gary considered. Or, wait! Gary grabbed a Poke Ball and tossed it. “Come out!”

“Toooooyyyyyyy!!” Baltoy sang.

“Baltoy! Um...” Gary stopped, unsure of what his plan was. Yeah, it’s Ground, so it can’t be hurt by Electricity, but... what do I do with it now?

Instantly, Baltoy began twirling and moved away.

“Baltoy, where are you going??” Gary reached out.

“Blitzle, Lanturn, take in some of this electricity!” June tossed two Poke Balls.

“Bllllitzle!” Blitzle appeared and galloped forward.

Lanturn called out and bounced uneasily on the ground.

Both Pokemon split up towards separate groups of Pikachu and leaped into the middle of their Electric outbursts and absorbed the excess Electricity without damage.

Baltoy can use its Psychic powers to maybe... Gary tried to make up.

“Pika!”

“Pikacha!”

A pair of Pikachu had begun to fight elsewhere! They both were on top of one another, biting and pulling at each other’s fur and skin.

Houndoom was using Flamethrower while chasing a group of Pikachu, all of them disappearing around a building.

Other Pikachu had taken off, some of their bodies flashing with electricity.

Others were on their backs, seemingly screaming in pain, their arms and legs flailing in the air.

Some more Pikachu at other parts of the city were just zapping randomly at things.

BAAAAAAAAMMMM!!! The front of a house was blasted apart, the rest of the house now on fire.

Two streetlights were struck, the glass exploding and raining down sparks.

“Try and just... jump in there, Baltoy! Take the Electric moves and help them let it all out!” Gary spoke out.

Baltoy spun faster and moved towards a traveling pack of Pikachu.

A loud snarl made Gary turn to see Drapion shaking its head. It raised one claw that began to spark with a dark color, dark spirals circling it as well.

Raichu leaped up, its tail shining like it was now made of metal, and whipped the long tail around.

Drapion swung on Raichu.

The moves slammed into each other and both Pokemon were sent back. Immediately, they went after each other again.

“Sharp! Sharp! Bisharp!” Bisharp was swinging at Pikachu after Pikachu, separating one after the other, but they would just return back to chasing after people, destroying property with their lightning, or a few even attacking Bisharp!

It seemed to Gary that Bisharp may have been restraining itself for a couple of reasons. It hadn’t landed a true hit with any of its swings at the Pikachu. It was only shaking off or shoving the Pikachu who had jumped on it in their confused rage. It looked like Bisharp was merely trying to stop the damage being done to the city, but without harming the Pikachu.

There was a nonstop series of crackling not far off. From that direction, a sight to behold was taking place.

A bunch of Pikachu had gathered and were encircled at a distance around a large tornado of some kind! This tornado was made up of electricity! The skinny foot of the tornado, all the way up to the gaping mouth, was twirling, sparkling, glittery electricity!

Pikachu after Pikachu were approaching this structure and sending out beams of their stored up electricity at it. Some of the Pikachu even walked into the thing! Perhaps a minute later, if not sooner, the Pikachu would walk away looking refreshed and much happier. Some Pikachu groups had to drag a more rambunctious, or sometimes a confused, or even at times completely knocked out Pikachu over to the lightning tornado. They wouldn’t go in themselves, but they would toss the friend in. A bit later, the Pikachu would come out in smiles to celebration.

“What’s going on?” Gary wondered out loud. “What caused this?”

“METAPOOOD!” Ish suddenly screamed. “YES! It’s time! Enough Experience for ya finally?”

Gary turned, confused at what Ish was talking about. Far more concerned with the phenomenon taking place, he turned from Ish, only to end up doing a double take. His eyes squinted at the bright light.

June gasped.

Ish’s Metapod was evolving! Just like when Gary’s Metapod had evolved, there was a slit in Metapod’s body, and a bright light shone from it. From the body of Metapod came a huge, fluttering being.

“FREEEEEEEE!” Butterfree appeared, fluttering about beautifully. It twirled in the air, flapping wildly.

Gary’s skin shuddered and he backed up several feet. He forced a smile and rubbed at both his arms. “Nice,” he spoke through tightened teeth.

Ish cheered and hollered, thrilled with his new Pokemon.

Gary took a moment, keeping his eye on Butterfree uncomfortably, and then he noticed something was wrong. “It’s face...” he muttered.

Ish held out his arm and Butterfree landed on it. He rubbed Butterfree’s head, Butterfree closing one eye and smiling, grunting out a cute little noise.

June was going back and forth between Butterfree and the electric tornado, her eyes remaining wide both ways.

Bisharp now stood still, watching the show, no Pikachu around to trouble it.

Drapion looked exhausted, actually sitting down as even it watched the sight.

Raichu was approaching the tornado.

One Pikachu was just feet away from entering, a weary smile on its face.

Raichu grabbed it by the back of the neck. “Rai.” Raichu casually tossed it back.

“Pikaaaa!” the Pikachu called out.

“That Raichu’s a bitch. He being a dick,” Ish said, upset.

As Raichu got closer, his cheeks suddenly sparked.

The tornado itself began to shift and move!

Raichu moved even closer, one step at a time.

The strange electric occurrence tilted, now on an angle! It was as if it were toppling over onto Raichu!

“Raichaaaaa!” Raichu leaped into it!

Everyone gasped, watching and waiting in silence.

“When Raichu store up too much electricity, they become highly aggressive,” June explained. “It seems like the Pikachu are all becoming better when they step out of that thing. I think they’re relieving their electricity in that. So, if that’s so, Raichu should be all good when he comes out?”

“But what is that thing?” Gary asked.

The spinning structure sparked extra hard in several flashes as bright as sudden lightning, causing everyone to squint and shield their eyes. At once, the tornado dwindled, shrinking, thinning out, and finally went out like a match.

Standing there was a smiling Raichu. “Rai Raichu!”

Gary pointed in disbelief. “BALTOY! BALTOY??”

“RAAAAAI!!” The Alolan Raichu suddenly appeared and flew right into the Kantonian Raichu.

Kanto Raichu looked stunned at first but hugged the Alolan Raichu back after a couple of seconds. They both released each other and began talking excitedly. The Kanto Raichu nodded. “Raichu!”

The Alolan Raichu smiled and nodded back. “Rai!”

The Kanto Raichu then ran off, disappearing into the city.

The Alolan Raichu turned to Baltoy.

“Baltoooooooooyyy!” Baltoy began twirling in place.

Alolan Raichu closed its eyes and its cheeks sparked before sending out a big blast of Electricity at Baltoy!

Baltoy continued spinning, the Electricity coating its body, swirling around it, and the towering tornado formed once again!

The Pokemon erupted in cheers.

Gary, June, and Ish were dumbfounded.

The Alolan Raichu flew to the Pikachu that the Kanto Raichu had tossed back and helped it into the tornado.

This caused even more, louder celebration from all the Pikachu.

The last Pikachu was quick, entering and exiting within seconds, and the party really started.

As the Pikachu were all screaming and clapping and dancing, the tornado began to go out again.

“Baltooooy!” Baltoy was twirling, finally stopping. “Baltoy!”

Gary ran up to his Pokemon. “Baltoy! You did this? Dude!”

“Baltoy!” Baltoy circled its Trainer before stopping and falling over, leaning against his leg.

The Pikachu and Alolan Raichu all surrounded Gary and Baltoy, chanting and raving.

Gary laughed and looked about at all of them.

Many people had returned, staring at the Pokemon with disapproval, their city still in flames and destruction.

As Gary gazed back upon the Pokemon, he noticed he couldn’t see Pichu among them. The beautiful woman and her Bisharp, Drapion, and Houndoom were also nowhere in his sight.

He also saw Ish’s Butterfree, the left eye with a white film over the red of it, the other eye bruised shut, an indent next to it. The middle of its body had a healed over wound.

*

“The ever openmouthed Senator Slowking speaks out in favor of religion, in general," the newswoman said from the TV in the Pokemon Center.

“Senator Slowking?” Gary muttered, confused.

An image of a scowling Slowking appeared in the upper right hand corner of the screen. It had a hand outstretched, frowning eyes, and an open mouth as if shouting.

“This mah nigga right here! I respect him!” Ish nodded with approval.

The woman on the screen was replaced by a video of Slowking shouting from a podium at a crowd of news reporters. “I do believe that, in the matter of religious worship, organized religion is fundamental to human society! It is up to every one person to find that answer in life, which is indeed a God to serve! There is no acceptable argument, by pure common sense, in this day and age, for there to be a lack of religion within everyone. And there cannot be an acceptable God without a foundation and education of religion! To say otherwise is the very path of destruction and self-worship!”

“What’s going on?” Gary turned to Ish.

“You don’t know about Senator Slowking?” Ish gasped.

Gary’s mouth opened, but he didn’t know what to say to the absurd name Ish had just spoken. He ended up just shaking his head, not believing it.

“Son, you need to watch the news. Senator Slowking is the man! He’s been fighting for the real, forever now! I don’t agree with everything he says, but someone like you oughta know about this Pokemon. He has strong opinions, and even when I feel he’s wrong, I feel where he’s coming from and I like what he’s got to say.”

“But, a Pokemon in politics?”

“Nigga! This Pokemon is Slowking! Do you not know of Congressmon Oranguru, then??”

“Congress...? Mon...?”

“Aaahhh man. Oranguru is another Pokemon from Alola. These two are like, the smartest Pokemon on the planet! Even smarter than an Alakazam! Their debates are the shit! I’m Team Slowking, though. That’s my nigga. You need to follow up on them. Someone as smart as you would be into this kind of stuff.”

“I don’t really do politics, ha ha.”

“I’m telling you, listen out for these guys. What they talk about is craaaaazy. Good stuff. I highly recommend you pay attention.” Ish looked up at the TV. “Aaaaaaah, fuck! I missed it! Damn it!”

“In other news, the entirety of Pacifidlog Town remains in shambles as all of the Corsola have been found dead under mysterious circumstances,” the newswoman was saying as a video of an ocean full of logs bobbing in it were shown in the top right corner again. “The Pokemon that holds all of the town afloat, no longer alive to do so, resulted in the town collapsing and killing so far a confirmed number of forty people. While not confirmed, experts are almost certain it’s the work of Team Solace.” The white newscaster with blonde hair and dark blue eyes wearing a red suit was replaced by a full screen view of a camera panning the ocean.

“Team Solace, mah niggas.” Ish stood up, nodding.

June and Gary both whipped their heads sharply to Ish.

What did he just say? Gary wondered, repeating in his head what had just happened.

Ish turned back to Gary. “I really respect what they’re up to, you know? Trying to make the world better and safer. I think they’re crazy, don’t get me wrong. But I feel what they’re about.”

June, unable to even react aside from a hanging mouth and gaping eyes, could only turn to see what Gary would do.

Gary couldn’t tear his eyes from Ish. His mouth was cracked open. “The Pokemon killing, terrorist group, Team Solace?” Gary had to be sure of what he was hearing. “You support them??”

“Not like, support. I don’t want Pokemon to die or anything, plus they’re killing people in the process, and blaming it on Pokemon. That’s crazy. I’m just saying like, they may be crazy, and stupid as fuck, but the group has been through a lot. The members have got to be people who have suffered by Pokemon. It’s like they’re out for revenge. To avenge the world for people like them who have suffered, too. I could respect the ideal. Even if I don’t agree with it necessarily.”

Ish was talking a foreign language. From a foreign planet. With foreign, and horrific philosophies. At least, that was how Gary felt listening to this. How could anyone feel this way about Team Solace??

“Excuse me, your Pokemon are all well!” a voice called out. They all turned to see Nurse Joy and a pair of Chansey come out from the wooden double doors at the back, each of them pushing a cart.

The doors were on hinges and didn’t even reach the floor, swinging back and forth a few times.

The nurse smiled with her Pokemon, two trays containing six Poke Balls, one containing ten. One of the trays with six balls held a Salandit on it. “Thanks for entrusting their care to us!”

Ish, Gary and June all ran to the trays.

“Salandit!” Salandit landed on Ish’s shirt, slithering around his body and stopping on his left shoulder.

“Heeyyyy, mah man!” Ish smiled. “You good?”

“Salaaandit!” Salandit lifted his arms and flexed them, showing off his muscles.

Gary and June collected their Poke Balls.

“And, Ish, that call you asked about earlier from your school came in, ab-” Nurse Joy started.

“OOOOH YEEAAAAAAHH!!” Ish boomed. “We out of here, boy!” Ish told Salandit.

“Salandit!” Salandit seemed happy as well.

“I’m outta here, guys,” Ish said to Gary and June. He extended a hand.

Hesitantly, Gary took it, though he felt he moved against his own will and mostly out of reaction.

They shared that new handshake that Gary still didn’t get the grasp of and made awkward.

June’s face tightened as Ish’s hand reached out for her, next. She didn’t move.

After a while, Ish just shrugged. “Whatever.” He turned to Gary. “Good luck, bro.” And with that, he ran off and out the building of the Pokemon Center.

June and Gary kept their eyes on the door long after Ish was gone.

“And, Gary, right?”

Gary turned to Nurse Joy. He ended up smiling, captivated by her looks, physique, soft look of her skin, and much more. “Yes?” he spoke in a stupid, giddy voice.

“You have a phone call from your grandmother,” she said, concern coming over her face and voice.

Gary snapped back to reality. “Huh?? My grandmother??”

“She said she needs to speak with you right away. Her, your aunt, and your mother.”

Gary’s heart was yanked right out of his chest by nothing but words. He began to sway on the spot. He immediately knew what this was about.

Truth be told, he wasn’t at all surprised. This had been a long time coming, and he knew it. If they hadn’t called for him, he was sure he’d have called them, one way or another. How could he not?

Gary stared at the ground, also eyeing Nurse Joy’s sockless feet in white sandals. It’s been about a week, after all. We all know the truth. Or, I guess, I know a little more...

The hair atop the creature reached out on its own, coated in sparking, blue electricity, and connected with Melissa’s face.

She screamed at the top of her lungs as her body was lit by the blue lightning, and her body jumped.

“MELISSAAAAAAA!!” Gary exploded, and charged in a rage.

Melissa hit the ground and didn’t move.

Or nothing at all...