A New Line Through The Lives Of Kanto

Get This Or Die Tryin'

Gary stared at his Poke Ball, his hand tightened as much as possible.

"You'll be helping June out a whole lot, and we'll still be around each other all the time, hanging out," Gary recalled a little earlier in the day when he was talking to one of his Pokemon. "So, as long as you're cool with this, as I am, this is all for the better."

His Pokemon nodded and seemed excited about the trade about to take place.

"Y'all heard about Team Solace in the news the other day?" Ish brought up. Out of nowhere.

Taking Gary out of his head.

June whipped her head to Ish.

Ish was just as calm as ever. "They actually managed to capture a Victini and use it for themselves."

"A what?" Gary's full attention was on Ish now more than ever before.

"It's a Mythical Pokemon from Unova. Sadly the footage isn't any good, but that was definitely a Victini they had. I know it. It can grant unlimited power to those it chooses. They were using that power to destroy the National Park in Unova, where it's said a bunch of other Mythical Pokemon, Genesect, reside. The story goes that Team Solace used a Victini, or its powers, to power up weapons they had and attack the park, and this triggered retaliation from the Genesect. Luckily, a really powerful Trainer appeared and helped put a stop to it all before it got out of hand and went way beyond the park."

"A Trainer intervened?" Gary asked.

Ish nodded. "Some guy, yeah. And he just left after. We don't have great footage of him from the cameras at the park, but you can see him. Some white nigga."

June and Gary stared at Ish silently for a second.

"I like Team Solace, though," Ish went on.

While it was silent, it was the loudest silence ever.

June and Gary had hard eyes on Ish.

He shrugged. "I don't agree with what they're doing. Killing Pokemon and triggering Pokemon to attack, but I understand what they're representin'. I feel what they're about."

Sure, birds chirped from hidden spots. Wind blew lightly, the sky not entirely gray, the sun trying to show itself through the gloom.

"That guy's a hero. Saved a lot of lives. Only a couple were lost in the struggle. But, man, taking on a pack of angry Genesect while fighting Team Solace powered up by Victini? Unova got lucky. They lucky that nigga figured something out."

"What'd he do?" Gary questioned.

Ish just shrugged. "You can't make out much from the chaos in the footage. And the dude left immediately after it was all good."

Wonder who that was, Gary thought.

"Well, good luck with your trade, you two." Ish held out his hand, giving Gary that strange handshake he still couldn't pull off.

There wasn't much to it. Just slapping palms and clinging to the other by the fingers, pulling back, pushing forward, and then locking together the four fingers and flicking away. But Gary always got lost somewhere along the way.

"Also, if you lose to Aurora, consider the Gym in Viridian City, since it's so close to here."

"Wait, what do you mean? If I lose? I lost to her a while back. Like a year ago. I'm ready now!"

"Yeah, well, her track record remains the same. Nearly five years and not one lost match. She's been training harder than you to maintain that score. I'm telling you, skip Pewter. Viridian City, man. Peace mah nigga. And June." He nodded and gave her a wave, turning away without waiting for her response.