Arrival in Blue City
"J-Jiwoo...."
"Hm? What's the matter, Isul?"
Before we even reached Blue City, Isul started calling out to me.
She asked if I was really planning to go to Blue City, and I told her of course I was. After all, I had a gym battle to win there and three of her older sisters to claim for myself.
I tilted Isul's chin up with my fingers as I spoke.
"You haven't forgotten the promise we made before, right?"
"Yes... I remember...."
Isul avoided my gaze as she answered, her voice soft.
The promise in question was that once I captured her sisters, I would treat them like normal people instead of slaves.
When I asked how much farther we had to go, she told me it would take about thirty minutes on foot from where we were.
Following the path Isul indicated, we soon arrived at Blue City.
The moment we stepped into town, a crowd had gathered. From the murmurs around us, it sounded like a thief had broken into the engine shop.
The female officer from Blue City approached me, suspicious of the newcomer, and tried to place me under arrest. But the second I showed her my Pokédex, she apologized profusely.
She explained that last night a thief had broken into the shop and stolen a massive engine along with some pumping equipment. Then she waved me, Yeongja, and Isul away, telling us to move along.
I'll turn you into Furniture just like Mizuho for daring to try and arrest me over nothing but suspicion.
Once the crowd dispersed and the rude officer slipped behind the building alone, I challenged her to a Pokémon battle, crushed her, and sent her straight into the Exclusive Dimension.
The Blue City police force would probably fill her position with some relative or family member now.
That aside, it looked like the Rocket Trio—Rosa, Roy, and Meowth—had already passed through here.
Or rather, they were probably hiding somewhere in Blue City.
I really needed to capture Rosa.....
But for now...
It was time to head for the Blue City Gym.
That's where Isul's older sisters—Choi Hana, Choi Duna, and Choi Sena—would be waiting.
With Isul guiding us, we made our way there and soon spotted a large building with a Juregon sign out front.
"Isul, is that the Blue City Gym?"
"Y-yeah.... That's the Blue City Gym...."
Isul stood behind me with an expression that screamed she didn't want to go inside.
I told her to come on, took her hand, and walked into the Blue City Gym together with Yeongja.
The interior looked like a giant aquarium. Easy-to-catch Water-type Pokémon like Magikarp and Horsea swam lazily through the tanks all around us.
And there, performing on stage, were three stunning beauties.
(These are adult versions.)
Oh ho! They looked pretty in the anime, but seeing them in real life? They're even more beautiful.
Watching Isul's sisters perform, I was genuinely impressed. Even Yeongja seemed to enjoy the aquatic show. Isul, however, stared at her older sisters with clear discomfort written across her face.
A few minutes later, once the performance ended, I walked over to the three sisters.
The moment they saw me, the youngest—Choi Sena—spoke first.
"Hmm? What do you want? If this is for an interview, go through our manager."
"And we're not giving out autographs either."
Hearing the third sister's words, I replied calmly.
"I'm Jiwoo from Pallet Town. I've come to challenge the Blue City Gym. We can have a Pokémon battle, right?"
The three sisters exchanged glances, then told me to follow them as they turned and headed back toward the performance stage.
I trailed after them.
Once I battled these sisters, would they become mine?
But then something annoying happened.
"We won't be battling anymore...."
The oldest, Choi Hana, dropped those words on me.
I stared at her in disbelief and asked, "Why not?" The middle sister, Choi Duna, answered.
"Before you got here, we were absolutely destroyed by three trainers from Pallet Town and one from Viridian City."
"Already?"
I looked at the three sisters with a completely deflated expression. Choi Duna waved both hands dramatically and said, "We got wrecked so badly our eyes were spinning in circles, totally seeing stars."
Choi Hana continued right after.
"On top of that, our Pokémon are all still being treated at the Pokémon Center right now."
Choi Sena pulled out a Horsea as she spoke.
"This is the only one we have left."
"Though if it evolves into a Kingdra, maybe things would be different."
Choi Hana called out for Juju.
She then pulled a badge from between her lips, but I shook my head and told her there was no way I would accept a badge like that.
"That won't do at all. I'll come back another time for the gym battle. But three trainers from Pallet Town and one from Viridian City, you said?"
Choi Hana nodded and explained.
"That's right... I think his name was O Baram? He came first. After him was a woman named Blue and another named Boyeon. Then finally a woman called Yellow showed up and got crushed just as badly."
Yellow? Isn't she the heroine from the Special manga? She's here too?
Listening to the three sisters, I learned of Yellow's presence in this world.
I asked when they would be available for a gym battle. But wait a second—according to my modified information, women were supposed to accept my battle requests no matter the circumstances, right?
"So when can we battle? I really want to have a Pokémon match with all three of you."
For a moment the sisters' faces went blank. After thinking it over, they told me to come back tomorrow morning at nine.
I left the Blue City Gym with Yeongja.
Outside, Isul was waiting. It seemed she had slipped out while we were inside because she truly couldn't stand her sisters.
"Jiwoo, how did it go?"
"They said to come back tomorrow morning at nine."
"Really?"
Isul looked visibly relieved at my answer.
Since we had time until tomorrow morning, I figured we might as well enjoy a date around Blue City together—me, Isul, and Yeongja.
I wrapped one arm around Isul's waist and the other around Yeongja's, then began walking through the streets of Blue City.