Journey Through Kanto | ✅

Chapter 59: One Step Closer

After her victory in the fifth round against Ash, Zia has prepared for the sixth round against her next opponent, who is still undecided.

It's been a few days since the match and she, KC, Emmy, Sky, Kirlia, and Kaida had just come back from eating in the village. Zia hasn't really talked to Ash much since the match and she feels as if she has done something wrong.

Hugging her Dratini closer to her, she enters the cabin they're staying in to hear arguing. Zia and KC glance at each other in confusion as they quietly go see what's happening. "With the way you were training, you're lucky you even made it through the first round, Ash!" They heard Misty yell. "Oh, yeah?! Well, I didn't see you out there wining any matches!" Ash shouted back.

"This isn't my fault, is it?" Zia asked as she looked down at the floor, feeling guilty for the drama. "What? Zia, no, you didn't do anything. Them arguing isn't your fault." KC said as he brushed some of the hair out of her face, making her look up at him.

"Really?" She asked as he nodded, smiling. "When are you gonna get over yourself, Ash? You haven't even talked to Zia since the match, how do you think she feels?" Misty continued to scream at Ash. "What do you mean? She won, she doesn't have a reason to feel anything. If someone gets to feel bad, it's me. Who cares if I ignore her for a while? I'm upset. Why don't you just-" Ash said back before Misty cut him off. "Why don't I what?" She asked, upset.

"Yeah... Not my fault, huh?" Zia questioned as she ran outside, ignoring KC's calls, trying to keep in the tears.

KC watched her go, along with Kaida who she was carrying, and sighed. "Should we go after her?" Emmy asked, Kirlia translating for KC. "No, we probably wouldn't be able to make her feel better right now. However, I'm going to have a little talk with someone." KC mumbled angrily as he went up to Ash, Misty, and Brock's room where the first two where arguing.

They had moved on to Ash being lazy when Pikachu electrocuted all of them, shutting them up. They all got up, groaning, as KC and the Pokemon walked in. "Ash." He basically growled out. The mentioned snapped his head up towards KC. "What's up?" He asked, confused.

"What's up? You just made Zia run out of here crying and you ask me what's up?! I ought to-" KC said angrily as Sky bit his shirt, keeping him from charging the ravenette. "What? Why would she be crying?" Ask asked.

"She heard your all's argument. Especially the part where you basically said you were ignoring her because she beat you. She thinks you hate her now, and now she's outside somewhere balling her eyes out!" The brunette yelled as he stepped closer to Ash, making him back up. "She thinks that? Ash, you better go apologize right now! Zia's match is today too and she can't go out onto the field looking like a mess." Misty ordered him.

He looked between everyone for a second. "Fine. Come on, Pikachu." He relented and left, allowing Pikachu to track her scent as they went to find her.

Meanwhile, Zia was sitting on a hill that overlooked the Indigo Stadium. She sniffled for the nth time as Kaida licked the salty tears that fell onto her cheeks. "What did I do wrong, Kaida? Was I not supposed to win?" She asked, not really expecting an answer from the baby Pokemon. However, the Dratini still nuzzled her, sensing her sadness in her tone.

"No, I was wrong, Zia. You had every right to win. You were the better trainer." A voice said from behind her, startling her. She sniffled once more and wiped her tears away as someone sat next to her. She looked over to see Ash with Pikachu on his shoulder. "Oh, hi, Ash. How've you been?" She asked, plastering a smile onto her face.