Chapter Text
When Gary quit being a trainer to become a researcher like his grandfather, he had been unsure of himself. It was the first time he had ever felt lacking of confidence; he was sure he didn’t want to continue on the path of training and battling, but he wasn’t sure what he wanted out of his life either. He had spent months thinking it over, that the next time he saw Ash, around the time of the Silver Conference, he was still undecided.
Seeing Ash train and get along with his Pokémon, he knew it was what he wanted too – life beside Pokémon and continually getting better, but the battling he did no longer gave him the same rush of euphoria like before, and soon enough he found himself talking with his Pokémon about it..
Tossing his Pokéballs in the air, Gary watched as his team materialized in front of him. Blastoise came first, followed by Arcanine, Nidoqueen, Magmar, Scizor, and Golem. His Pokémon eyed him, noticing the posture of uncertainty in their trainer, and it worried them that their usually confident master now looked unsteady. Blastoise called out to their trainer, and Gary smiled.
“I’m sorry to send you all out like this at this hour. I know it’s late, but I just wanted to tell you guys something that’s been weighing on my mind.”
Blastoise looked at Gary, and Gary stared back. The Water-type knew about it, it was impossible for his trainer to hide so many things from him, and only waited for him to continue. Arcanine only had an idea, so he sat still and attentive like his Water-type friend, leveling a glance at the other Pokémon to stop fidgeting.
When Gary spoke again, he sounded more confident, but still soft-spoken. “I’m thinking the Silver Conference will be our last official League Conference. From then on, I want to become a Pokémon researcher like my grandfather.”
Gary’s Pokémon apart from Blastoise and Arcanine were surprised. Nidoqueen looked at Golem while Magmar and Scizor stood still. Gary pushed forward, explaining himself. “It’s not that I don’t want to battle anymore – I still do – nor do I think that you guys aren’t capable of battling anymore – because Arceus knows you are anything but weak – but, for the longest time, I want to be honest with myself. I like Pokémon. And I like you all. But battling isn’t something I want to do all the time. I want to study Pokémon, to know them better; to know them in ways that battling can’t grant me.”
Arcanine let out a low affectionate growl, and Blastoise nodded his head. The other four caught on quickly; their trainer was looking to them for reassurance. They all voiced their agreement, which put Gary at ease, releasing a breath he didn’t know he had been holding in. He thanked his Pokémon, for their understanding and support.
“Let’s do our best in the Silver Conference. Let’s give everyone a battle to remember!”
He lost to Ash in a spot for the top 8. But he had no bitter feelings, just a sense of finality. Later on he told Ash of his plans. Things turned awkward from there, but they managed to talk it out, and he returned his half of the Pokéball to Ash.
He had carried it with him everywhere, a reminder of his rival, and now that they were no longer on that same path, there was no need to carry it anymore. Truth be told, he felt glad to give it back to Ash – it kind of felt like giving something whole to the other boy, two halves finally together.
So when he started to leave for his new journey, he was surprised to see Ash had chased him, and having a brief conversation, he reached out to him with a bauble in his hand.
It was Gary’s half of the Pokéball.
To be honest, Gary didn’t want to take it back. He wanted to start fresh – a new beginning. It sounded cruel, but he didn’t want Ash to be part of that. They agreed on being friends, but they both knew what the halved Pokéball meant to them: it was a promise.
“Take it. It’s yours. We’re not rivals. So take it as we’re friends.”
And Gary wanted so much to say he didn’t need a broken trinket, that knowing they were on good terms was enough, but when he saw Ash’s expression he couldn’t say no. He took it and thanked the boy before leaving, Ash’s face in his mind, wearing a tired smile that tried to keep the feeling of loss behind. He pocketed the half-Pokéball, already forgotten and on his way to a new journey.
For so long, he had been mean to Ash as a child just because he was jealous. Even as a boy, Ash knew what he wanted to do in life, and being too proud of being the famous Oak’s grandson, he didn’t want to seem lackluster. So he made Ash’s ambitions his own, only for him to realize later on that he had his own ambitions outside of a child’s jealousy.
This time, he’d live out the dream he found for himself – even if it meant leaving Ash behind.
~*~*~*~
It was close to eight when they left Pewter. Just as Ash predicted, Gary felt a little uncomfortable with driving at night, so he held out his hand and took the keys from Gary.
“You know how to drive?” Gary asked, sounding like he was tired of Ash surprising him.
“Well, you know what they say, “when in Alola…’”
“No, I don’t know what they say, and I have no desire to find out.” Gary walked over to the passenger side and opened the door. He slumped into his seat like a petulant child, and Ash only shook his head. And people said he was the immature one.
Following the researcher, he shook his head in amusement. He remembered the conversation with Brock earlier.
“You and Gary seem to be finally spending some time together.”
“This was actually the first time we went out for anything together. He just arrived last week and he’s already succeeded in holing himself in the library nose-deep in work. Like you wouldn’t even believe.”
Brock chuckled. “You seem better too. I’m glad.”
Ash shuffled his feet, feeling like he was squirming. “I’ve been better.”
“I heard you talked to Misty about Alola.”
“Just once, and not much. Misty’s been busy with her gym since then.”
“Right. Well, you know where to find me in case you want to talk. You even have my number.”
“Okay.”
“And don’t hesitate to call! Just text me or call me. Me or Misty really. Even May. We’re here for you, you got that?”
Ash was smiling now. “Yes Brock *onii-sama. Did you and Misty *onee-sama need more assurance?”
“Don’t be a wise ass. We worry about you.”
“I wish you wouldn’t so much. I really am fine.”
“I’ll believe it when I see it Ash.”
Ash walked over to the driver’s side and opened the door. Pikachu hopped from his shoulder onto Gary’s lap. The older lad didn’t seem to mind, his hands already tracing soothing circles on Pikachu’s back. Ash sat down and keyed the engine. They had waved farewell to Brock and Forrester and a few of their brothers who had stayed behind, and they made their way back to Pallet.
The highway was free of anything at the current hour. They were lucky the old vehicle’s headlights were functioning; having Rotom out and possessing the car to get working headlights would only wear out the Pokémon, and it was not a practical choice. The night was clear and cloudless, the cold summer air whipping them with cold wind; Ash patted himself on the back for the foresight of wearing jackets despite the earlier day’s heat. The stars were out, and the moon shone bright, finally beginning to wane.
Ash felt at ease at the driver’s seat. He looked towards the road in front of him, the dark forest now on their right side, and the silence of a night on the road. Gary was silent himself, Ash noticed, and was about to make some lighthearted conversation when Gary spoke up.
“So.”
Ash perked at Gary’s prompting.
“You were enrolled in Alola, right?” Gary asked. Ash suppressed a groan; he really didn’t want to talk about it. Especially not in front of someone educated and schooled like Gary.
“Yeah. I finished and passed my first year,” Ash said slowly, carefully. “I heard from the Professor that you finished a three-year course in half that time more than a year ago. Were you enrolled in Alola, too?”
Gary shook his head. “No. It was in Kalos. It wasn’t the same kind of general course school like you attended either; it was more of a school for researchers specifically. Professor Sycamore was one of our teachers.”
The brunette had never really shared anything about himself like this to Ash from the past week. The only times Ash got him to talk was when he came over to the lab and asked him for a casual battle, and most times he asked, Gary waved him off, claiming he still had stuff to work on. Life of a researcher was hard, Ash supposed, and he didn’t want to get in his way.
So they made small talk most of the time, talking about the weather, which Pokémon did what today, and what they were having for lunch or dinner, peppered with the occasional teasing and jeering that came with their friendship. But Ash knew they were really just avoiding talking about anything, and it was getting frustrating how he wanted to open up, but just didn’t know how to start. He kinda hoped Gary would start for him, like all those times before when he rose to his bait and they had arguments, but felt disappointed when the older boy retreated to silence.
And Ash didn’t know what to do.
“So Brock went to school, too?”
Ash glanced at Gary briefly, noticing how Pikachu somehow fell asleep. He nodded. “Brock finished his medical studies last year. He had a double major in Pokémon Breeding before, so instead of taking a decade to become a doctor, he finished school early. Kinda like you. I missed his graduation, but I heard Misty, Professor Oak, and my mom were present. They had a picture of it in their living room.”
Gary nodded slowly. “And your other friends?”
“You’ve heard of them earlier. They’re traveling and training, getting stronger. Well, maybe less so for Dawn, since she decided to lay low on the Contest Circuit and focus on being a fashion designer. She told me that was the reason she decided on Kalos.”
“Aside from escaping that boy named Kenny?”
Ash laughed. “Yeah. Aside from that.”
Gary was silent again for a while, so Ash focused on his hands on the wheel. It was a pleasant night, and it wouldn’t be long ‘til they arrived at Viridian and gas up, before making their way back to Pallet.
“You kept in touch with them.”
Ash nodded. “Most of the regions they’re in are places I’ve been to. We get to talking every once in a while.”
“We never did.”
The dark haired lad chuckled. “Aww, Gary, are you feeling left out?” Ash expected a sharp retort from Gary, but he was quiet, eyes facing away.
“I didn’t even know you were back in Pallet until you burst into the lab a week ago.” Gary said quietly. Ash didn’t know what to say to that and just kept driving. He didn’t know what was on Gary’s mind.
“Had you wanted to know if I was here before you came back?” Ash asked, equally serious now. “Am I… am I actually bothering you from work? Because I can leave you alone, if that’s what you want.” He remembered all those letters and postcards he sent back to Pallet Town – to the Oak’s residence. Maybe he should have placed a call in advance instead. Maybe a videophone would have been a smarter idea.
Gary let out a frustrated sound. “Ash, I didn’t even know you were in Unova. I didn’t know you went to Kalos. And the next time I got around to talk to you, you were miles away in Alola. Alola for Arceus-sake Ash Ketchum! Even my own grandfather knew more about you than I did, and I’m supposed to be your friend!”
Ash let a beat pass before answering. “To be fair, I didn’t know what you were up to all these years, not until I saw you last week. And what do you mean you didn’t know what I was up to? You sent me postcards whenever I was entering a League battle didn’t you?”
“What postcards?”
“The ones I get yearly. I get one from you, my mom, Professor Oak, and sometimes Brock and Misty.”
Gary’s face brow scrunched together. “I didn’t send those postcards.”
“What do you mean you didn’t?”
“I meant I didn’t send those postcards,” Gary’s eyes widened in realization. “That was Gramps.”
Ash received exactly one postcard from Gary while he was still Kanto. It had contained some encouraging message that pushed him for another shot at the Battle Pyramid, and from then on he kept the card, along with other mementos he had collected oh his journey as a collection of good luck charms. Ash looked back and wondered the first time when Gary’s handwriting started resembling Professor Oak’s. Now it sunk in that maybe they were written by the same person after all.
“He probably didn’t want you to feel upset that I forgot.”
“I wouldn’t be upset if you forgot.”
Gary looked at him sharply, suddenly irritated. “What, my two cents in wishing you well isn’t good enough anymore?”
The younger boy’s eyes widened in surprise at the verbal jab, forcing himself to keep his eyes on the road. “No, it’s just when I met you in Sinnoh, I figured you really had gotten busy. If you had forgotten because of work, I wouldn’t have held that against you.”
Gary stayed quiet after that, his eyes focused on the road again. Ash didn’t know where the conversation was heading, and he didn’t like it. He missed arguing with Gary, but he always hated it when they fought.
It never ended well.
Before they reached Viridian, Gary just sighed. Ash glanced at the boy beside him before the brunette spoke in volume soft for a conversation, but loud enough to be heard over the drive anyway.
“Sometimes I wonder why we even pretend like we’re still actual friends.”
And with the way Gary’s eyes widened a fraction and refused to look at him, Ash knew he was never meant to hear that.
~*~*~*~
It was a cool Saturday morning, the kind that felt nice to be out in. Ash made his way to Gary’s house, humming to himself. He couldn’t wait to go into the woods – it was around this time that Caterpie and Metapod came out to play.
He waved around a wooden stick as he half-ran to the Oak’s residence, thinking of what he and Gary would do for today. He reached Oak’s house and headed for the door. The house was pretty big, and had a wide porch with a rocking chair in it, and unlike the house he and his mom lived in, their garden was much bigger. Generally speaking, the house was very big, painted in white and weathered with time.
Ash neared the Oak residence before he realized the sound of laughter. He hid himself in by the tall fence, obscured further with garden plants, and watched through the gap in the wooden slats where the noise was coming from. He saw a group of kids from town – Alistair, Joule, and Natasha – sitting by the porch, surrounding Gary. He listened as they talked.
“Wow Gary! That’s so cool, you’re incredible!” he heard Natasha squeal.
“Does that mean we can to the Professor’s lab with you next time?” Alistair asked.
“Yeah!” Gary said, “I could show you around the place!”
“Awesome! You sure your little shadow won’t mind though?” Joule sneered.
“Huh?” Gary looked confused, “What shadow?”
“You know, that kid you’re always with. The guy with the weird cheeks!” Natasha said. Ash huffed. His cheeks were not weird.
“You mean Ash? Why would he mind?” Gary intoned.
“Well, you guys just seemed to be together all the time. Wouldn’t he be jealous if he suddenly didn’t get you all to himself?” Joule broached.
Ash was stunned. The other kids never really associated with him, so he always wished he would be able to hang out with more people other than Gary. He always longed to be part of that group of kids that played together, laughing and eating with smiles on their faces – why would he even be jealous of not monopolizing Gary?
Gary looked incensed at Joule’s jab. “Ash could take care of himself. And he’s not my shadow!”
“You know, I never did get why you hung out with him,” Alistair cut in. Gary looked at the boy’s direction questioningly. “I mean, he always gets in trouble right? And he’s pretty reckless, unlike you. Isn’t it tiring being with him? He just seems too much of a troublemaker, my mom says. I think you should stay away from him.”
“Stay away from him?” Gary looked surprised.
“Don’t you know Gary?” Natasha half-whispered, “People are saying Ash is his mom’s ‘accident’. I don’t know what that is exactly, but my mommy says it’s the reason he doesn’t have a daddy. She says stuff like not to get close to him – he’s just trouble waiting to happen.”
Ash was silent. What were they talking about him? Ash had enough of listening other people talk behind his back. He stood straighter and ventured from hiding, walking like he wasn’t eavesdropping earlier. “Hey Gary!” he called out, and instantly, four pairs of eyes were trained on him. Ash felt himself grow a little chilly.
Gary looked wary. “What do you want?”
“C’mon Gary! The Caterpie and Metapod must be out in the forest! Let’s go play!”
The brunette looked conflicted, his eyes darting from Ash to Alistair’s group. Ash knew what he was thinking: Gary needed to choose who to agree with. Gary sneered. “You really are a child Ashy-boy. You sure you got time to actually play around like that?”
Ash gawked at Gary. He heard Alistair and Joule snicker, Natasha throwing him a wicked smile. He decided to ignore it, pushing through. He and his friend Gary were going out to play.
“You’re a child too, Gary!”
“I’m older than you.”
“By a few months!”
“So what? I don’t have time to waste seeing Caterpie and Metapod with you Ash. Not today.”
Ash frowned. “Then come with me tomorrow. We’ll play then instead.” Gary threw him a look that didn’t look too kind. Alistair’s group was becoming too interested.
“No.”
“Then the next day then.”
“No.” Gary said, firmer this time. “I’m not playing with you anymore Ash. I’ve got to study.” Ash looked at him like he grew a second head. “Study? Study for what?”
“Pokémon, you dummy. Gramps got me and the other guys the go signal to do a little studying about Kanto Pokémon yesterday, and we’re studying together.”
Ash’s eyes sparkled. “That’s awesome! Can I come?”
Gary hesitated a bit, before opening his mouth to reply. Joule beat him to it though.
“Sorry, but problem kids aren’t invited!” Joule said. Ash balked. A problem kid? What did he even do? “Why don’t you just go on your own and play with Caterpie and Metapod?”
Ash wanted to protest – he didn’t come all the way here just to be turned down. He looked at Gary, waiting for him to come to his defense. Gary would often tease him, but in the end he still cared; he’d take his side, right?
“Go home Ashy-boy. The guys and I gotta do a little reading now. You go on ahead.” He said quietly. Ash was stunned; did he just blow him off?
“You heard him,” Alistair jeered, “off you go Ashy-boy. You’re not needed!” Ash hated the way Alistair called him by his pet name. He hated that ridiculous moniker, but he didn’t mind since Gary was the only one who called him that. Other people don’t get to do that.
“I’ll come by tomorrow again. You’ll be free tomorrow right? We’ll play then!” Ash persisted. He wasn’t going to give up on Gary. Joule and the rest looked on, malicious looks in their eyes, like Persian looking down on unfortunate prey.
Gary had been put in the middle of it all. He was to choose between Ash and a reputation of being a loser associated him another loser and a life where he could get everyone’s approval and admiration. He was an Oak – he shouldn’t have to choose – but somehow, he needed to. And he had to make that choice now.
“Go away!” Gary declared. Alistair and his group smiled viciously, looking triumphant for winning over the famous Oak’s grandson. “I’m never playing with you again so don’t even bother showing up! You’re not my friend anymore! This time we’re rivals now, and when we’re trainers, I’m gonna show who’s the best!”
“Why are you being so mean Gary? Didn’t we say we’d be Pokémon Masters together?”
Alistair and his group took that as their bait to tear into Ash. They stepped in front of Gary and leered at him, all smug smiles and condescending expressions.
“What are you talking about? There can’t be two Masters; that’s why it’s called Master, there can only be one, you dummy!” Natasha said haughtily,
“Says who?”
“Everybody knows that’s the way it is!” Alistair said.
“Well that doesn’t mean we can’t be friends!”
“Does too! And besides, Gary doesn’t want to be friends with a loser like you either!” Joule intoned.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Why don’t you go home to your mommy, you loser! Such a mommy’s boy!”
“I’m not a mommy’s boy!”
“Are to!”
“Am not!”
“Are to! And she’s a loser too, can’t even keep her son a daddy!”
Ash’s ears turned pink at that. He could take insults hurled at him, endure them, but that doesn’t mean that anyone could take a swing at his mom. “Take that back! Take that back! Don’t talk about my mom like that!”
“Then just go away! Go and play in your little kiddie room and play with mommy! It’s not like you have any friends anyway!”
Ash responded before he could stop his mouth. “Oh yeah? Well I don’t wanna play with jerks like you anyway! And I’m gonna be a Pokémon Master before you know it!”
He glanced at Gary once more, willing him to side with him. Gary averted his gaze, and Ash felt his heart drop. “Well, I don’t wanna be friends with someone like you, either!” he yelled at them, panting hard after the outburst.
“Oh yeah? Just go on Ashy-boy, we’ll see. You probably won’t get very far anyway! Why don’t you go back to your mommy since she’s all you’ll ever have anyway! Smell ya later loser! C’mon guys, let’s get inside.” And with his new friends in tow, Gary shut the door in Ash’s face, leaving him on the other side of the fence with nothing but a wooden stick and friendship tossed to the side. The young boy stood straighter and saw himself off, took his stick and walked to edge of the woods.
He gripped tightly on his stick, his small knuckles turning white. He bumped into a few people on town, waving at him and greeting him, but he could only manage a small nod and kept walking, faster and faster, feeling like he couldn’t get to the woods fast enough.
Halfway there, he started to run, feeling like he couldn’t get away fast enough from the white Oak house. He eventually reached a clearing in the woods, and slumped down to sit on the ground, panting and out of breath. He looked around him and saw numerous Metapod stuck on the tree trunks, and Caterpie were looking at him warily.
“Hi! I’m Ash! Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you, I just want to play!”
He walked over slowly to the Caterpie, noticing a few Rattata with them, and he smiled. Pokémon almost always seemed to relax when he showed them a happy face. And it worked too, the Caterpie and Rattata wandering over to him.
“Rata! Rattata!”
He saw a Rattata pointing on a scratch on his hand, and Ash guessed it had probably been from gripping his wooden stick too tightly.
“Don’t worry, it’s just a scratch. I guess I was holding this stick too tighly.” The Pokémon looked on curiously, as if silently asking him what happened. “I got into a fight with my friend. His name’s Gary. I wanted him to play with me to see you guys, but I guess he doesn’t want to anymore.”
Ash smiled for the little critters, but he had grown quiet. He stared blankly at them, absently petting a Caterpie on his lap. All of a sudden he felt water on his face, and the Pokémon immediately grew concerned.
“Huh?” Ash wiped the water from his cheeks, but they didn’t stop. His eyes began to grow blurry, and he realized he was actually crying.
“Oh, umm, I’m okay,” he said to the Pokémon. “Don’t worry. I’m just…I’m fine. I guess I’m just hurt that Gary pushed me.” Ash tried for a weak laugh but something caught in his throat.
“You’re not my friend anymore!”
“Why don’t you go back to your mommy since she’s all you have anyway!”
Ash felt his smile crumble. The sides of his mouth turned downward, but he didn’t want to show the Pokémon a sad face. He came to play after all! He can’t enjoy himself if he was going to be sad. He tried to maintain his smile, blinking faster, but before he knew it, his smile slipped and he took a harsh shaky breath. The lump in his throat coiled tighter. And then his hands were on his face.
Ash didn’t know why, but he started crying, and crying, and crying ‘til he pushed his hands to his face to stop the tears from coming. The wild Pokémon tried to comfort the crying boy, but it didn’t help.
He couldn’t get it out of his head. He and Gary weren’t friends anymore.
“Gary…I guess…Gary’s not my friend any more, he said…”
At the age of nine, a year before he became a trainer, he gained a rival and lost a friend.
To him, it felt like he lost one more person who loved him.
~*~*~*~
After leaving Pallet Town, Gary worked his way into getting into a research program he could behind. It was hard; the brown-haired trainer – researcher now – had known he wanted to study Pokémon, but he didn’t know what field. He was familiar with several of his grandfather’s studies, but he didn’t want to work under him, part fearing that people would call him riding on his grandfather’s coattails, and part wanting to get away from his hometown.
It had been a few months but it felt longer; Gary found himself traveling between Saffron City and Cinnabar Island, before he finally found his place in Pewter. He had gone inside their newly restored museum, and marveled at the Pokémon fossils on display.
Gary wandered, awestruck, and marveled at the suspended skeleton of an Aerodactyl on display. It piqued his interest: how did ancient Pokémon live? What did they look like? Were they like the Pokémon in the modern days, capable of evolution? He was deeply absorbed in his musings that he didn’t feel the presence of another beside him.
“It’s a thing of beauty, isn’t it?” a deep voice said.
Gary looked over to the one who said it, taking in the man’s height and casual posture, a white lab coat over his outdoor attire lined with lime colors.
“It is.” Gary agreed. The man looked over at him, smiling.
“Let me introduce myself. My name is Saule Willow. I’m a Professor that specializes in Pokémon habitats and distribution. I recognize you, you’re Sam’s grandson, right?” the man introduced himself.
“Yeah, the one and only. Gary Oak, it’s a pleasure to meet you Professor Willow.”
“Likewise. If you don’t mind my, ah, curiosity, what brings you to Pewter City? I saw you on TV a few weeks back at the Silver Conference in Johto. Not heading out to some new region to collect badges yet, I assume?” the professor asked in a laidback manner.
“I’ve actually decided to stop pursuing competitive battling for the most part,” Gary began, “Right now, I’m looking into becoming a Pokémon researcher like my old gramps, but I haven’t stumbled upon a study I want to undertake.”
“I see,” Professor Willow mused. “Well, Pewter has a lot of books and materials about Pokémon fossils and ancient history. Although the archives on ancient history aren’t as extensive as those in Sinnoh, Pewter is home to the latest studies on fossils. Perhaps it might interest you. My lab is a quite a ways from the city center should you wish to visit.”
“Thank you, professor,” Gary said, his eyes shining a little brighter. “I think I’ll take you up on that.”
And that was how Gary began his interest and entry into research about Pokémon fossils and their revitalization. He met up with Professor Willow the next day, and got acquainted with one of his aides, Blanche. The white-haired researcher was dressed in a fitting body suit and white vest, and over it laid a meticulously-made blue lab coat. Gary noticed Blanche’s efficient way of conducting themself, and emulated them on scientific practices and studies.
Gary stayed with Professor Willow and Blanche until he had gotten most of what he needed. After a few months he got a recommendation to move his research to another lab. He thanked the professor and his aide for their generous help and willingness to teach him, and with a promise to stay in touch, he left for Sayda Island.
Gary worked with a scientist named Dora and her assistant Jared on Sayda Island. He succeeded in reviving an Aerodactyl, which caused a few problems followed by an incident with Team Rocket, but overall, it was an achievement. His grandfather and Tracey paid a visit once on the island, smack dab in the middle of the Aerodactyl fiasco.
“Congratulations on your revival of a Fossil Pokémon, Gary! I’m proud.”
“Thanks Gramps. But there’s still so much to be done.”
“Hmm, yes. Always something more. Which reminds me, Ash is doing pretty well for himself in Hoenn. He’s traveling with Brock again, and it seems he’s together with siblings, kids of a Hoenn gym leader.”
Gary heard so much about Ash from his grandfather and Tracey, and though he was glad to hear about his friend, he felt strangely detached from it. It wasn’t that he hated hearing about Ash, but the younger boy already felt like a part of a past he had left behind. Not really forgotten, but Ash had become a memory already. A friendly stranger that he could feel comfortable reminiscing about, but not totally involved with him anymore.
He wanted to step out of the shadow that Ash the Pokémon Trainer and traveler had cast, and he wanted his own path, and so he drove himself into his research, catching tidbits of news about the younger boy. He liked listening how people talked about his former rival, but he didn’t demand details. If it was important, Ash would call him directly, he thought.
It felt weird, how he wanted to keep Ash away from him and close to him. He felt conflicted. How do you place someone you wanted out of your life into a place in your life that was still close to him? It sounded ridiculous he stopped thinking about it.
A few months after his Aerodactyl revival project, he was recruited by Professor Rowan and thus moved to the Sinnoh region.
~*~*~*~
[Here in the Kalos region now. I met up with Professor Sycamore and helped him out. I got a Froakie now too. Oh, and have you learned about Mega-Evolution? It’s pretty cool!]
[Hey, do you remember that girl, Serena, from Pallet Town whose family moved out before we became trainers? I met her today. She runs a Rhyhorn farm with her mom. It’s nice seeing a sort-of familiar face, even if it was years ago.]
[Clemont is a pretty smart kid. All about science. I think you guys would get along well.]
[Almost ready for the Kalos League! There are a lot of strong trainers here. Clemont, Bonnie, and Serena are all pumped up for my upcoming matches. Can’t wait to start!]
[Lost to Alain in the championship match. Then the thing with Zygarde happened. We’re all good though. Heading back to Pallet in a bit. See you whenever I guess.]
~*~*~*~
The first time Ash got called in by the League for an official meeting, he had been nervous. He was instated as an Elite Trainer only a few weeks ago, and meetings like this with League-promoted trainers were rare, which means whatever the meeting was about was important.
Ash entered the familiar compounds of the Indigo Plateau Stadium. A lot has changed since the last time he had competed for the Indigo Plateau Conference, and up ahead he saw one of the regional headquarters for the Pokémon League. It was a tall tower painted in a deep color, and the surrounding area was manicured to perfection, exuding the League’s power, money, and influence.
He stepped through the automatic doors and went up the reception desk. The interior was impressive; minimalistic design with touches of tasteful accents – it screamed money and elitism. Pikachu squirmed on his shoulders, and Ash patted his long-time companion for reassurance.
“Good morning. I’m Ash Ketchum, I have a meeting scheduled for 10 am?”
One of the girls at the reception perked at his name, and proceeded to furiously type at her laptop. “Of course. Please key in your license by the log machine and follow me.” Ash did as told, logging in at the machine which displayed his picture and name along with the time of his time in. He and the girl who entertained him went into an elevator and pushed for the top floor, Ash silently wondering what the meeting was actually about.
At the soft ding of the elevator, Ash exited it and was pointed to the room at the end of the hall. The girl then pushed for the elevator back down, and so Ash and Pikachu were left to their devices. The dark-haired trainer went over to the room he was to enter and steeled his nerves. He was nervous of course, it’s not like he got into these kinds of serious meetings before, but he was also curious and excited, wondering what he was actually needed for.
Ash turned the knob and entered. The first thing Ash could tell was that the room was big: high ceiling, chandelier hanging in the middle of the room, and whole row of shelves on one side of the room. An entire wall was made of glass instead of having windows – the glass wall overlooking Indigo Plateau. A long table was at the center of the room, and seated at the center were the Kanto Elite Four – Lorelei, Bruno, Agatha, and Lance, who currently held three League positions.
“Welcome Ash, PIkachu. I’m sorry if the meeting was sudden, but we just couldn’t postpone this discussion when it came up,” Lance addressed him, sitting at the head of the table. The Dragon specialist and acting Champion wore his usual dark uniform, his cloak hanging from his shoulders. A Deino was visible from where Ash stood, probably sleeping on the champion’s lap. Ash noted he looked exhausted.
“It’s okay. I’m surprised you called me into one of your meetings so soon after just getting promoted, and it seems I’m the only one invited today, but I can’t say it’s an inconvenience for me,” Ash answered politely.
“Oh-ho, so the boy finally learned how to be polite and calm down. I quite remember seeing you in your hot-headed youth, and you’ve quite matured, haven’t you?” Agatha, the Ghost-type specialist, looked at him.
“More or less, Agatha,” Ash quirked, a smile on his lips. He saw Lorelei smiled.
“At least you’re still funny, if not in a young and stupid way at least.” Ash rolled his eyes at the Ice-type specialist, whom he last met several years ago in the Orange Isles.
Lance cleared his throat to grab everyone’s attention.
“Let’s not waste time and get down to business,” Lance began. “Ash, how much are you aware of the League’s situation in Kanto?”
Ash hesitated. “I just got back from Alola less than four months ago. I’ve only been to Pewter and Cerulean visiting my friends, and a few other cities where Battle Frontier facilities are located. There doesn’t seem to be anything out of place from what I could tell you, except that Sabrina’s Gym has grown really strong.”
“The Kanto League has been floundering for a long time now,” Lorelei began, “ever since Koga had been promoted to the Johto Elite Four and left the Fuchsia Gym to his daughter, the Kanto Gyms had been facing a dilemma. There are no problems with the Gym leaders themselves, but even you must know that they can’t be leaders forever.”
Ash agreed. Pewter Gym went through Brock, his father, and then Forrester in less than a decade. Cerulean Gym was mostly managed by Misty, but a few years back the sisters had agreed on sharing responsibility. And he was aware that Lt. Surge was looking for a successor among his relatives, which he knew since Spark told him once that he was invited for it, which he declined to continue working for Professor Willow.
“Then a major problem occurred a few years back,” Lance continued from Lorelei, “which exposed Giovanni’s involvement with Team Rocket that lead to the Viridian Gym’s cease of operations.”
This was news to Ash. “Wait, the Viridian Gym is no longer a gym?”
“Yes and no,” Agatha answered, “As Elite Four, we are required to fill in the balance that the Kanto Gyms are responsible for. In that regard, Bruno and I had been tasked to temporarily run the Viridian Gym on schedules, to ensure that there is no shortage of Gyms handing out official and certified badges to trainers. It’s still a Gym, but not one that operates like the rest.”
“But that has become a problem in itself,” Bruno began, “because people have started questioning if the Viridian Gym will actually have a permanent Gym leader once more. And me and Agatha have duties as Elite Four to fulfill as well.”
“Not mention I’m not getting any younger, which means my position as Elite Four member will have to be considered at a later date. But that of course, is an entirely different matter.” Agatha smirked at Ash, a kind of smile that seemed to say I’m-not-dying-just-yet-don’t-start-getting-ideas.
“So we have come up with the solution: we need to find a qualified trainer to become the Viridian Gym Leader. Someone reliable, a native of Kanto, and of Elite Trainer status,” Lance said. Ash caught on quick to what Lance was implying.
“Me?”
“You, among other of the few barely qualifying candidates. But it seems you’re a favorite,” Agatha cackled. Ash was flattered at the comment, but he was suddenly overwhelmed. He knew he wanted to stay in one place, but Gym Leader? He didn’t feel right for the job. It sounded like a job that would better suit someone like…
Lance’s eyes softened at Ash’s discomfort. “The League is discouraged from playing favorites Ash. What Agatha meant was that among the candidates, you possess the highest placement – Orange League champion and Runner-up in the Lumiose Conference. You even have a year of school from Alola and a key participation role in its regional Conference. The kahunas from Alola speak fondly of you. And you have recommendations from regional Champions. Your credentials are top-notch.”
The Elite Four looked at Ash expectantly.
“Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town, by the authority vested by the Pokémon League, we, the Kanto Elite Four are hereby offering you a position as Viridian City Gym Leader. It would please us if you would consider. We’ll send over the details to your residence a few days later.”
Ash didn’t know how he got home that day – he was in a daze. He remembered Pikachu’s worried behavior, giving weak electric jolts to constantly shake him from his mind from going blank. As Lance had said, a parcel was delivered to his home containing documents and a book containing the implementing rules and regulations of Kanto Gyms. It was like they wanted – expected – him to accept. He called Lance a few days later saying he couldn’t give a reply yet, coming up with a flimsy excuse he couldn’t even remember.
“I’ve talked to Professor Kukui about your…stay in Alola.” Ash remembered trying to look unaffected by that revelation. He doesn’t need Lance’s pitying looks. “Look, I get it. We understand. I know it seemed urgent with the way we summoned you for that meeting, but take your time to decide. Please.”
Months later and Lance and the Kanto League were still waiting, and Ash still hasn’t given a reply. Ash didn’t tell anyone about the offer: it just became another secret he chose to hide.