Sunlight, filtered through thick clouds, sparingly illuminated the streets of Dark City. Ash, Xiao You, and Brock all frowned in unison as they entered the town.
"It's... so quiet here," Xiao You whispered, looking around. Most of the shops lining the streets were closed, and the few that were open were deserted. The wind swept through the empty streets, rustling a few fallen leaves.
Pikachu sat on Ash's shoulder, ears perked up alertly. "Pika... (Over there)" he chirped softly, seemingly sensing the abnormality.
"Something's definitely off," Brock said, stroking his chin. "It's ten in the morning; this should be the busiest time for a town."
Ash was about to say something when a stone suddenly flew from the side, grazing his cheek. "Whoa! What's going on?"
"Look over there!" Xiao You pointed to an alley where several children, about seven or eight years old, were hiding, still holding stones.
"Why are they attacking us?" Ash asked, puzzled, while shielding Pikachu.
Before they could react, another stone flew, this time hitting Brock's backpack. "Hey! Stop that!" Brock shouted.
Instead of stopping, the children intensified their stone-throwing, and one boy yelled, "Get out! We don't need Trainers!"
"Pikachu, use Iron Tail to block those stones!" Ash commanded. Pikachu agilely leaped from his shoulder, his tail gleaming with a metallic sheen, and shattered the incoming stones one by one.
Just then, a middle-aged man rushed out of a restaurant on the street corner. "Stop it! What are you doing!" he yelled at the children.
The children immediately stopped their attack when they saw him, but the hostility in their eyes hadn't faded. "Dad, they're Trainers!" the boy who had thrown stones the most fiercely shouted.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," the man ran up to Ash and his companions, apologizing profusely. "The children are ill-behaved; please don't take offense."
Ash lowered his fighting stance and asked, puzzled, "Why do these children dislike Trainers so much?"
The man sighed. "It's a long story... I'm the owner of this restaurant. If you don't mind, please come in and sit down, and I'll explain everything."
The restaurant was empty, save for a woman in a dark coat sitting in a corner, her hat brim pulled low, obscuring her face. Ash noticed that only a nearly untouched cup of coffee sat before her.
After serving them hot tea, the owner began to tell the story of Dark City: "This town was once very prosperous, a famous commercial center nearby. But everything changed two years ago when the Cazz Gym and the Yas Gym began to compete for official recognition."
"Two Gyms?" Xiao You asked, surprised. "Doesn't a town usually only have one official Gym?"
"Exactly," the owner nodded. "The Pokémon League stipulates that a town can only have one official Gym. The Cazz Gym was originally Dark City's official Gym, but last year the Yas Gym moved from a neighboring town, claiming they were stronger and deserved recognition."
Brock mused, "So the two Gyms have been constantly competing?"
"More than just competing," the owner said with a bitter smile. "They clash almost every week, using Pokémon battles to decide who is more qualified. The problem is, their battles are never confined to the Gym; they often break out in the streets, destroying buildings and scaring away tourists and merchants."
"No wonder the town is so desolate..." Ash looked around the empty restaurant.
"Worst of all," the owner lowered his voice, "they started forcing residents to choose sides. Supporters of the Cazz Gym couldn't go to shops on the Yas Gym's side, and vice versa. My restaurant's business plummeted because I remained neutral."
"This is too much!" Ash slammed his hand on the table. "Gym Leaders are supposed to protect the town and help Trainers, how can they do such things!"
Pikachu also nodded angrily, "Pika Pika!"
Just then, a loud "boom" echoed from outside, shaking the entire building. The restaurant owner's son—the boy who had thrown the stones earlier—screamed and ran out from the kitchen, hiding in his father's arms.
"It's starting again..." The owner's face turned pale.
Ash, Xiao You, and Brock immediately rushed out of the restaurant. At the end of the street, two groups of people in different uniforms were confronting each other, their Pokémon standing in front of them, and the battle had already begun.
"Those are... the Yas Gym's people!" Xiao You pointed to the group on the left, dressed in white uniforms. Their Pokémon—Machoke, Hitmonchan, Hitmonlee, and Mankey—were in battle stances.
The group on the right, dressed in black uniforms, were clearly members of the Cazz Gym, and their Electabuzz, Rhydon, Golem, Raticate, and Kingler were also ready for action.
"Go! Show them the strength of the Yas Gym!" a young man with a mohawk shouted.
"The Cazz Gym is the legitimate one in Dark City!" a bald strongman on the other side retorted, unwilling to be outdone.
At their commands, both sides' Pokémon launched attacks simultaneously. Hitmonchan's rapid punches collided with Electabuzz's Thunder Punch, creating dazzling sparks; Rhydon's horn attack clashed with Machoke's Machamp, shaking the ground.
But what was most infuriating was that the aftershocks of these attacks continuously impacted the surrounding buildings. A bakery's display window was shattered by the residual force of Hitmonlee's kicks; Golem's Rock Throw damaged a bicycle parked on the roadside; Kingler's Hydro Pump misfired, drenching the storefront of a clothing shop.
"Stop! You'll destroy the entire town!" Ash shouted, but the din of the battle completely drowned out his voice.
Brock pulled him back. "This won't do; we have to stop them!"
Xiao You nodded. "But there are nearly ten Pokémon combined on both sides; how can we..."
Ash had already taken a Poké Ball from his waist. "Lucario, prepare for battle! Pikachu, you too!"
With a flash of light, Lucario appeared before everyone in a battle stance. "Rio!" His sharp gaze swept across the battlefield.
"Lucario will deal with the Cazz Gym's Pokémon, and Pikachu will take care of the Yas Gym's side," Ash quickly assigned tasks. "Remember, the goal is to stop them, not to harm the Pokémon!"
"Understood!" Xiao You and Brock responded simultaneously.
Lucario moved first, using Agility to quickly move among the Cazz Gym's Pokémon. Blue Aura Spheres condensed in his hands. "Lucario—!" With a battle cry, five Aura Spheres shot out simultaneously,
precisely hitting Electabuzz, Rhydon, Golem, Raticate, and Kingler. These Pokémon didn't even have time to react before they were repelled by the power of the Aura Spheres, one after another losing their ability to battle.
On the other side, Pikachu leaped into the air, the electric sacs on his cheeks shining with dazzling golden light. "Pika—chu—!" A thick bolt of lightning struck down, splitting into four branches in the air, hitting Machoke, Hitmonchan, Hitmonlee, and Mankey respectively. The Yas Gym's Pokémon twitched and fell, smoke still rising from their bodies.
The entire battle lasted no more than ten seconds. The street suddenly fell silent, with only the faint groans of the Pokémon remaining.
Both Gyms' people were stunned, their mouths agape, unable to believe what had just happened.
"W-what happened?" the mohawked youth stammered.
"Our Pokémon... were all defeated in one move?" the bald strongman was equally shocked.
Ash stepped forward, his expression serious. "Can you listen to us now?"
The bald man from the Cazz Gym was the first to react. "Who are you? By what right do you interfere in matters between our Gyms?"
"I am Ash from Pallet Town," Ash said loudly. "As a Trainer, I cannot stand by and watch you use Pokémon to destroy the town and harm innocent people!"
"Ash is right," Xiao You added. "The duty of a Gym Leader is to protect the town and help Trainers grow, not to coerce residents with force."
Brock nodded. "Look around you. What has this town become because of your feuding? The streets are deserted, shops are closed, and even the children live in fear."
The people from both Gyms exchanged glances, speechless for a moment. Just then, a low female voice came from behind them: "Well said."
Everyone turned to see the woman in the coat from the restaurant. She took off her hat, revealing short pink hair and a familiar face.
"J-Joy?" Ash exclaimed in surprise.
The woman smiled slightly. "To be precise, I am Joy White, a Pokémon Prosecutor for the Kanto League." She showed a shining badge. "I've been secretly investigating the situation in Dark City for two weeks."
The faces of the people from both Gyms instantly turned pale. "L-League Prosecutor?" The bald strongman's voice was distorted.
Joy walked between the two groups, her expression stern. "Gym Leader Cazz, Gym Leader Yas, your actions have severely violated League regulations. The primary duty of a Gym Leader is to protect the town and its residents, yet you have turned all of Dark City into a battlefield for the sake of official certification."
The mohawked youth—clearly Gym Leader Yas—defended himself. "We just wanted to prove that the Yas Gym is more qualified..."
"Qualified?" Joy sneered. "True qualification isn't about how many opponents you can defeat, but how much you can contribute to the community. Look at what you've done! Intimidating residents, destroying property, making children afraid of Pokémon!"
Her words were like a bucket of cold water poured over the heads of the two Gym Leaders. The bald Gym Leader Cazz lowered his head. "We... we didn't mean to harm the town..."
"But the harm has already been done," Ash interjected. "Now the most important thing is to make amends."
Joy nodded. "The League will not revoke your Gym qualifications for now, but on one condition—you must stop fighting and work together to repair the damaged town."
The two Gym Leaders exchanged glances, and after a brief silence, Gym Leader Cazz extended his hand. "For Dark City..."
Gym Leader Yas hesitated for a moment, then finally shook the other's hand. "For Dark City."
Joy showed a satisfied smile. "Good. I will periodically check on your progress. As for official certification..." She gave them a meaningful look. "We'll talk about that when you prove you deserve the title."
Ash breathed a sigh of relief and turned to the restaurant owner and his son. "Now you don't have to be afraid."
The boy timidly looked at Pikachu and Lucario. "Your Pokémon... are so powerful. They won't hurt us, will they?"
Pikachu jumped onto Ash's shoulder and waved his paw in a friendly manner. "Pika Pika! (Of course not!)"
Ash smiled. "Pokémon are our friends and partners. As long as you treat them with love, they will become your most loyal guardians."
A glimmer of longing flashed in the boy's eyes. "Can I... can I become a Trainer someday too?"
"Of course you can," Xiao You knelt down to his level. "But remember, a true Trainer never uses Pokémon to harm others."
As the sun set, the residents of Dark City gradually emerged from their homes, surprised to find the two Gyms' people working together to clean the streets and repair damaged buildings. A long-lost vitality seemed to return to the town.
"We should continue our journey," Ash said to Joy. "We'll leave Dark City in your hands."
Joy nodded. "You've done very well. The League needs more upright Trainers like you."
As they left Dark City, Xiao You looked back at the town, which was gradually returning to life, and smiled. "I feel like we did a good thing."
Brock nodded. "This is the meaning of travel, not just to become stronger, but also to help those in need."
Pikachu jumped onto Ash's head. "Pikachu!"
Ash smiled and adjusted his hat. "Let's go, partners, the next town is waiting for us!"
The three figures gradually faded into the distance under the setting sun, behind them Dark City, transformed by them—a town about to embrace the light.