The first few rumbles of thunder accompanied the light drizzle that pelted the two trainers and Pikachu's fur as the lodging came into view.

It was certainly fairly large, standing at what looked to be four or five stories tall with a considerable width. Despite only offering single rooms per trainer, Ash imagined (with some gratitude) that the chances of the place being full with nothing available were decently low. The building's exterior was a simple, chocolate brown, not aiming for a particularly eye-catching aesthetic whilst still being easy on the eyes nonetheless. The path leading up to the building was surrounded by trees on either side, although none quite as tall as the lodging itself; they were hardly the towering, eclipsing trees of Viridian Forest.

Ash took whatever moment he had to take in the appearance of the building, but did not bother trying to scan it thoroughly: Once he and Janine were parked in front, they quickly returned their bikes before heading inside, Pikachu on his shoulder. The drizzle had already upgraded to rainfall as they approached the door.

It was hard to pinpoint the exact feel he got as they emerged in the lobby, but "welcoming" felt like a pretty good word, even if overly general. Based on the interior of the lobby alone, one would hardly expect this to be a place you'd find in the middle of the outdoors. The sight of it gave off a bit of a cozy vibe, clearly designed as a hangout first and foremost for travelers to relax together when not in their rooms. He could see a few other trainers two or three years older lounging together further into the lobby, enjoying the sofa and cushioned chair by a table. A Delcatty leaned against a blonde boy with a tightly wrapped ponytail on the sofa, talking to a red haired girl sitting in the chair with a drink. Accompanying the two was a white haired boy watching a Furret and Minun playing nearby. A couple of vending machines and a coffee maker were also at the far end.

The man at the counter nodded at Ash and Janine as the two stopped in front of him. "You looking for rooms?"

"Yes," Ash nodded, eyes lingering on the other three trainers in the lobby for a moment before making eye contact with the man. "And we would like to use the healing machines, too."

The man did some quick calculations before giving them the go ahead. After the winning streak both trainers had garnered, the price was not too steep, although Ash found himself immediately missing the "free of charge" nature of the Centers. Until now, he had taken them for granted.

"Right now," the man went on. "The rooms are being cleaned by staff, but you should both have your keys within the next couple of hours."

Janine bowed politely. "Thank you, sir."

Pikachu was the only Pokemon within the group not placed in the healing machine with everybody else, preferring to remain out. Without much else to do, the two trainers found a spot in the lobby to sit. They could hear the thunder continuing to rumble outside, although it thankfully had not grown too loud.

Though Janine was quick to take out her book, her attention was not undivided, and the duo made light conversation as Pikachu found a comfortable position beside his trainer. The mouse eyed the other Pokemon in the lobby with some curiosity, but made no effort to approach.

Since leaving Lavender, Ash had noticed (with no complaints) that his conversations with Janine had grown more… loose. It was never rare for them to talk about whatever as a means of passing the time, but something about their more recent talks felt different in the way they flowed, in a way that always relaxed him. Usually they would reflect on a particularly noteworthy battle from earlier in the day, like this morning when Ivysaur had used Vine Whip to shove Poison Powder up an Arcanine's nose, winning a battle that both doubted Janine's chances had been very high in. Their opponents had certainly been getting much stronger as of late, likely owed to the area they were traveling through. It was almost a miracle they had managed to stay undefeated in the past few days since departing from Lavender, although the thought certainly kept Ash's spirits up. He'd cling to whatever he could after everything they had been through.

The subject of Lavender Tower was not brought up openly, but it always had an unspoken presence. Both rookies knew that it was on the other's mind, on and off, and both had had one nightmare since leaving Lavender Town behind. They had kept their promise to tell one another whenever such a thing happened, and there was always a comfortable feeling of trust whenever they talked. That vibe carried over even when it was not the subject, just being in one another's presence offering something that resembled consolation.

At the moment, such tension was thankfully absent from their conversation, which was unweighted by baggage, simply focused on the day and how eventful it had been, and sharing training plans with one another as usual. The sound of approaching footsteps after what felt like ten or fifteen minutes of casual talk ultimately interrupted the subject as unceremoniously as it had begun.

Blinking, Ash saw the white-haired boy standing near them with a somewhat uncomfortably suspicious expression. Closing her book, Janine looked up and eyed the newcomer. "May we help you?"

"I haven't seen either of you around here before," the other boy commented.

"We just got here," she replied. Glancing at her, Ash recognized the seriousness bubbling beneath his friend's exterior gaze. It was something he might not have realized if he had not been with her for as long as he had. "We came from Lavender."

The white haired boy seemed to flinch, and the mention of the town attracted the attention of the other two trainers in the room. It was no surprise; the attack on and destruction of the sacred tower was global news at this point. Even a Region as distant and isolated as Alola or Paldea likely knew of it.

"You look young," the white haired boy pressed after the brief pause the mention of Lavender had given him.

Ash tried to suppress the scrunching in his nose; no doubt Janine had seen the comment coming. "We're both first years," he stated matter-of-factly.

"Isn't it a bit early for you two to be out here?" now the red haired girl chimed in. "The Season's not even half done yet. Or even close."

"We're well aware," Janine responded, keeping an even tone while looking over at the older girl. "We didn't come by accident, we're heading for Fuchsia within the next few days."

It was probably the snort from the blonde boy that annoyed Ash the most. Carefully rising from his seat to give his Delcatty time to find another comfortable position, the blonde boy shook his head while scratching at his neck. "You must be joking, there's no way you're that reckless."

As the blonde made his way over, Ash could not help the feeling that he and Janine were being ganged up on, and the thought caused his hands to tighten. Beside him, he could almost feel Pikachu's tail stiffening as his starter's eyes scrutinized all three of the older kids.

'We were warned about this.' he recalled Fuji's words before they had left Lavender. Novice trainers often avoided this section of Kanto for a reason, and those who did not were known to receive less than favorable reactions from many of the more experienced and seasoned competitors that often ventured the area.

"Simmer down, Jordan." the white haired boy spoke as the blonde stopped just shy of him. "Just let me handle this."

"You're being too nice, Josh," Jordan responded, stepping in front of the other boy to look at the pair directly. "Look, you two, I don't know if one of the fleeing ghosts from Lavender possessed you on your way out, but you have no business in a place like this. The way to Fuchsia City is way above whatever that Pikachu sitting next to you can pull off. If you're looking for badges you'd be better off hiking it back to Saffron while you have the chance."

"We appreciate the advice," Janine's coolheadedness hid her irritation as Ash fished in his backpack. "But we've already made up our minds."

"Tch," Jordan hissed a bit. "And here I assumed that other rookie who showed up here had just lost his way. You have what, two badges at this point? Koga will spit you guys out even if you survive the trip."

As if on cue, Ash pulled out his badge case and opened it. He did not like bragging, but this was more about proof than trying to boast. "I have four badges right now, and my friend's already beaten me once. Now please leave us alone."

Both of the older boys paused, blinking eyes staring at the four badges very visibly resting in the case, when the entrance to the lobby suddenly opened. Apart from the rumbling thunder briefly growing louder as the door briefly opened, nobody paid it any mind until the voice of the newcomer was heard.

"Hey guys, something going on here?"

All eyes turned to the approaching figure, and though the three older trainers seemed familiar with her, Ash and Janine's eyes progressively widened as her appearance began to register with them.

She stood taller than the others, with wavy brunette hair and shining blue eyes. She was in the process of removing a a raincoat, a piece of protective headgear being placed down beside her as her eyes scanned the other five trainers in the room.

Ash knew her face all two well: She was Patricia Racewood, a top competitor in Indigo's training scene third place in the last Conference. Hailing from Celadon, she had performed admirably in the Conference during her rookie year, placing in the Top 64 before going on to become a fan favorite in the coming years. Notably, she and Tanner Redgate had an acclaimed rivalry across tournaments that started with him defeating her in the Top 64 of the Conference in their second year. From that point on, it felt as though the two wound up facing each other in nearly every tournament where both were participants, trading wins back and forth. They were currently even, with Tanner claiming victory in the latest two matches. All in all, the two were both some of the biggest stars in Indigo, and the favorites going into the upcoming Conference at the end of this Season.

The red haired girl's attention was ripped away from Ash and Janine as she stood up to greet the older girl. "Phew, you had us worried when the storm hit before you got back."

A closed-mouth chuckle escaped Patricia's nose as she nodded at the other girl. "Don't worry, Beth. I've been caught in way worse downpours than this." a squeak from the approaching Minun caught her attention as she knelt down to pat the mouse on the head, and an observing Ash quickly realized who the electric type's trainer actually was.

/

"Here you two, try this on me."

Neither Ash nor Janine fully understood how abruptly situations had shifted up until now. One moment they were relaxing together after a long day of travel, the next they were dealing with two patronizing older trainers, and now… they were being treated to a hot, coffee-flavored drink by one of the Indigo training community's biggest celebrities.

It was somehow still less abrupt than Tanner's Slowbro removing his disguise.

"Don't worry," Patrica added, gently stroking the now peacefully slumbering Minun in her lap. The storm outside had grown a little bit louder since her arrival, yet the electric type slept undisturbed. "It's not caffeine, just coffee-flavored. Although, the actual coffee is a lodging specialty; Benver the founder had a pretty famous recipe. This drink mostly replicates the taste, but it won't jolt you wide awake the way the coffee did."

Nodding, Ash brought the mug to his lips before carefully sipping. The drink wasn't too hot, and he enjoyed the taste. Next to him, Janine watched Pikachu and Furret chase each other other for a moment before Patricia's voice brought her attention back.

"Sorry about all that," the teenage veteran commented while setting her own drink down. "I know you two probably have plenty more to be worried about without anyone trying to stick their nose into your business." Jordan shifted a bit awkwardly at her gaze.

"How was I supposed to know?" the blonde spoke up. "You hear all about those clueless first years who throw themselves at LT. Surge without giving it any thought. Next thing you know, they're scarred for life with half their team in the emergency room. It's not like it's normal for one of them to get four badges this soon."

Ash's mind flashed back for a moment. His encounter with the Vermilion had not been as fatal as Jordan had described, but it had certainly been as disastrous. It was not a mistake he would make twice, however: he was much more ready for Fuchsia than he had been for that Gym back then.

"Yeah, he actually beat Sabrina this quickly?" Beth was wide eyed. "That's amazing! She was my first challenge when I started out and it went horrific. How'd you do it? And what did you-"

"Calm down, Beth." Patricia mercifully spoke up as Ash reddened at the praise. "The kid looks a bit tired, so don't crowd him."

"Yeah, there's enough excitement going on outside…" Josh observed the window cautiously. "You sure this storm isn't going to get too bad? The wind's getting heavy."

"It's supposed to weaken in less than an hour." the man at the counter, about to go to a backroom called after overhearing. "It'll linger for most of the night, but the worst won't last long."

As the man disappeared behind the door, Patricia looked between the other trainers. "I won't be turning in for a while, so… is there anything any of you wanted to talk about?"

"How bout' Truth or Dare?" Jordan smirked. "Let's see if I can get Josh in a Team Rocket disguise this time-"

"Are you mentally derailed?!" As though she had teleported, Beth was directly behind the blonde to smack him roughly on the back of the head. "Leader Koga will have this place torched to the ground if someone gets the wrong idea! You couldn't have forgotten what happened to that juice shop already."

As Jordan nursed the back of his head, Ash's eyes glanced over at Janine before he asked "Juice shop?"

Patrica paused just before she was about to speak, but continued after a moment of thought. "It was about nine months ago," she started with a light frown. "There was a remote juice shop a few miles to the east of here. A popular stopping place for people who frequent these parts, but…" she sighed. "Well… the place was also supplying rare candy ingredients for Team Rocket in secret."

"Rare candies…" Ash tapped his chin for a moment. "He knew he'd heard of them before…"

"An illegal drug," he looked over at Janine as she clarified beside him. "It's a performance enhancer, makes Pokemon stronger for a bit, but it's physically and sometimes mentally unhealthy to consume, and really dangerous if done constantly."

Josh nodded somewhat grimly. "Yeah, the whole thing was a really big mess. Fuchsia's forces caught wind from a whistleblower. The shop doesn't exist anymore."

A chill snaked its way down Ash's spine as he looked over to a shifting Janine from the corner of his eye, but he made no comments as Patricia spoke up next.

"I feel that's only going to become more commonplace for a while, after… you know, what happened in Lavender Town." glancing at the clock for a moment, she continued. "I follow League news as closely as one can try. Numerous Rocket operations have already been shut down, and a good few quite coldly at that. Troop movements were intercepted just yesterday in southern Johto. They're as out for blood as Team Rocket themselves right now."

"Yeah…" Beth trailed off for a moment before shooting Jordan a stink eye. "So no jokes, okay?"

"You're right, you're right, I'm sorry…" Jordan sighed. "For… being insensitive."

Beth did not stop glaring at him until a few moments later before returning to her seat. Frowning at the girl's soured mood, Patricia was about to try and change the subject when Josh spoke next.

"There was even talk yesterday about how the S.S. Anne party might be cancelled…" he started. "Some people have already had their tickets refunded, but others are pushing against it. Elite Four Lorelei was already going to be there as a VIP, but the League is debating whether to keep the party docked instead of out at sea, beef up security even further, or even just ax the whole thing."

"My cousin from Kalos would be really bummed at that last one," Patricia replied. "She's going to be a VIP too."

Thankfully, the brief mention of the S.S. Anne was the last of the topic, and the conversation began shifting to more casual business. Eventually, talk shifted to…

"Isn't the expedition for Grampa Canyon in roughly a month?" Jordan perked up, as if remembering out of nowhere while glancing at Patricia. "You're in on it, right?"

"Oh, you're interested in fossils?" Ash asked curiously.

Patricia scratched her cheek. "My Persian likes them, but I'm mostly doing it to look for work. The project is looking for trainers on hand, not just people for digging. And they're paying quite well."

"The extra security will probably be even more appreciated now with everything that's going on with Team Rocket." Josh added in.

"Can we please go at least an hour or something without Team Rocket coming up?" beth grumbled.

"Sorry, I know we hear enough on the news."

Just as the conversation started continuing, the sign of movement coming out of the hallway caused Ash's head to turn. As it did, he froze.

Standing right by the doorway… was Gary.

About a million thoughts were racing through Ash's mind as the two boys locked eyes. When was the last time they had seen each other? Celadon? The odds of them being in the same place right now.

As Ash fought back the pit threatening to grow in his stomach, Gary was as still as he was. For however long Ash could think of, the two just stared before the Oak boy's eyes lingered over to the rest of the group. Shooting a quick scowl at Ash, he turned around, going back into the hallway.

"Hey Ash, something wrong?" a quick nudge from Janine brought him back to reality.

"Oh sorry, I'm just getting a bit tired," he half lied. Bed was sounding pretty good after the long day they'd had, but not so much that he wasn't willing to hold out. Perhaps Patricia's sudden arrival had woken him up a bit. It was crazy enough that they had met Tanner…

He wondered if Janine bought what he said, but did not take the time to study her given that they weren't alone.

"We were just talking about how you and Janine will probably be nearby once the expedition starts," Josh stated, seemingly picking up from wherever they had left off before the sight of Gary had zoned Ash out. "Grampa Canyon is not too far from Fuchsia City."

"It's not…" Ash tapped his fingers, realizing something he had not quite before. "I hadn't thought of that," he admitted. But the idea sounded tempting. He had heard bits and pieces of the project offering handsome payment, so signing on as a trainer could be an opportunity…

Despite that realization, he found himself having increasing difficulty trying to focus, his head occasionally turning back in the direction Gary had shown up in while everybody else continued to talk, as though expecting his rival to pop back out at any moment. Sooner or later, he found himself only mildly following whatever the current topic was.

Finally, he politely excused himself and exited the lounge into a different hallway. Seeing his trainer walking off, Pikachu offered Furret a quick wave before giving chase. Ash wasn't too startled when he felt his starter's weight climb up his back and onto his shoulder; if anything, he was greatly for the feeling, and ensured the electric type knew that with a gentle scratch under the chin.

"Hey buddy, just need to clear my head for a moment. Wanna come along?" as the mouse nodded, he started walking without any particular aim. The occasional rumble of thunder had grown more muffled as of recent, seeming to quiet down a bit, which did wonders fo rhis thought process.

A spaced-out group of pictures lined the hallway, depicting fighting type Pokemon that Ash assumed had been members of Leader Benver's team. He recalled noticing a portrait of the man himself in the lobby, as well.

Soon, they reached an open space, where a picture of a large building was displayed. The plaque underneath it revealed that it was the former Saffron City Gym, back before it had been repurposed into the Fighting Dojo.

"You know…" Pikachu perked up as Ash spoke for the first time since the brief walk had started. "I remember hearing about Leader Benver back in Pallet. He's long past, but Professor Oak had a really high opinion of him. Apparently they had their fair share of encounters back when he was first starting out. He was one of the top Gym Leaders back then, people credit him for being the one to bring Saffron's training scene to the prestige it's maintained ever since." An intrigued moan from pikachu filled the boy's ear, just before he scratched his starter's cheek. "... I guess you could say he was that era's equivalent of someone like Koga or Giovanni… and that's gonna be our next big challenge once we get to Fuchsia City." chuckling with a bit of a breath, he rubbed his chest, as though noticing his heart rate had begun to quicken. "Heh, it's… we've been talking about it for a long time, it feels like, but we're actually about to do it. Going for Fuchsia of all places, with the Gym Leader's daughter."

Janine's confession to being the Koga's daughter was still somewhat mind boggling, but that had come and gone. It did raise additional questions on what to expect from the city itself however, but Ash reminded himself to keep a clear head. He would not be getting the Soul Badge otherwise.

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

"Still a bit nervous about the trip," he admitted. Camping definitely did not beat being indoors, especially in an unpredictable environment like the one they were about to go into. "But… I'm kind of excited. Fuchsia is popular with the big trainers for a reason, so maybe training there will give us that same chance. We'll need every bit of it we can get for the Gym."

The electric type on his shoulder agreed with a small, quiet hum. Although the rumblings from outside still continued on occasion, Ash started feeling relaxed as he stared at the picture. Just a couple months ago, going for his fifth badge felt like it was a hundred years into the future, And even being this far from Pallet was still a surreal sensation. He had been far from home for a good while now, but Lavender had essentially been on the other side of the entire Region.

The Conference still felt almost as far away as it had when he had first set out, like the peak of a mountain not getting any closer no matter how far you climbed. But the more they did…

Ash couldn't help the smile. At times like these, the images of Lavender's events found no spare room in his thoughts.

"Hey! Ashy boy, over here!"

The familiar voice snapped him and Pikachu out of their collective trance as he whirled around, a bitterness immediately taking hold in his chest as he found himself face to face with Gary. The Oak boy wore an annoyed scowl, foot tapping against the floor at an aggravated pace as Pikachu's expression quickly shifted to match that of his trainer's rival.

Despite the relaxed mood leaving his body more quickly than he had wished, Ash kept an even face, his hands only curling for a second or two as he adjusted himself to face the other boy in full. "I didn't know you were there."

"What a shock," Gary sounded more irritated than usual. More bitter than usual. Ash was used to the resentment as much as the opposite was most likely true, but it felt… different tonight. There was no smugness, just disgust. "I've been trying to get your attention for the past fifteen minutes. What's so interesting about that picture that you and your rat can tune me out?"

"We weren't here that long."

"Might as well have been."

Ash suppressed the huff, stopping it just before it could rise any further past his throat. He could feel his face shifting for a moment, eyes almost forming into a scowl, but if they had, he corrected them quickly. They weren't as even as before, however. "What do you want, Gary?"

"Tch," The other boy looked him and Pikachu over for a moment or two before saying, "I'm surprised to even see you out here. Did you get lost on your way to Cerulean when the storm hit?"

"Very funny." Ash replied, already growing tired of the conversation. "Is this how things are going to go every time we run into each other?" he felt his fists tighten for a moment. "I don't have time for this."

A small smirk finally made its way to Gary's face, but even this one felt more frustrated than smug. "I see… you come close in one battle against me and all of a sudden you think you're beyond all of it, like you've changed or something." as though it would prove a point, he took one step forward, shortening the distance between the two somewhat. "Well I don't think you've changed a bit. I think you're the same worthless pipsqueak you were before the Exam, who found himself a quick little ego boost after lucking his way through a few lousy months."

Pikachu's growl entered Ash's ears, the mouse's tail standing fully erect as his eyes stared daggers into the Oak boy, but it ceased almost immediately when Ash raised a hand.

He felt something after hearing Gary's words. Questions on how much his attitude may have been different if the past few months had gone differently. Questions about whether or not he'd still be the same person he was back on Opening Day if he had not done so well in Pewter, or Cerulean. But he realized he was letting those questions linger in his mind for just a bit too long.

"You can doubt my accomplishments all you want, Gary." he spoke with a breath. "I don't need your approval, you don't know enough about me."

"Is that so?" Gary almost sounded offended at the statement. Taking just enough steps to close the distance, he jabbed a finger in Ash's chest. "All of a sudden I'm the one who doesn't know you? Bullshit. I know you more than anyone you've met on the road these past three months, including your own team."

"And you think that means nearly as much?" Ash hissed through his nose. "At least half that time was you and your friends treating me like a bag of trash after tossing me aside like one."

"There you go with the sob story," Gary spat back. He poked Ash's chest again. "I did not just 'toss you aside', doofus. You think that's what I wanted to do? That's what I was forced to do!"

"Forced!?" The Oak boy was almost caught off guard by the hostility in Ash's voice, and even Pikachu jumped off of his shoulder, looking up at his trainer as Ash adjusted his cap, eyes finally targeting Gary with unfiltered fury. "You turned almost all of our peers against me over a few poor grades! You rubbed every great thing you ever did in my face just to remind me of how behind I was. You had your friends mocking me every time they had an excuse. I was forced to deal with all of that! What the hell were you forced to do!?"

The outburst was sudden, but Ash felt something else from it. Satisfaction? Catharsis? Something was allowed out, for just a moment.

"A few poor grades," Gary repeated in frustration. Now it was his turn to hiss through his nose. "For the sake of my sanity, I had to stop keeping count! Did you forget that you were one of my friends once?"

A few memories played in Ash's mind. Memories of Gary's gathering all of the other kids to play games at the playground, or anywhere else with open space. Memories of the pretend trainer battles. Memories of simpler times.

"I remember," Ash's anger slowed to the small degree he allowed it, more controlled now as he shot a Pikachu a brief, apologetic glance, before locking eyes with his rival once more. "Feels like it didn't mean much to you."

"Don't guilt trip me, Ashy boy." Gary snarled. "I do care about my friends. I did not want you to become a failure." crossing his arms, his eyes fell on Pikachu for just a moment. He sneered at the mouse's tightening face before meeting Ash's gaze again. "Why the hell are you even here?"

Ash did not roll his eyes. Instead, he simply said "None of your business."

"That's not what I mean, idiot. Why are you out here? Why are you a trainer? Why do you want to become Champion so badly?"

Ash blinked once or twice at the question. He had wanted to be the Champion of Indigo for just about as long as he knew professional Pokemon training was a thing. The starstruck awe he had felt when watching Karen win the Indigo Conference just a few years back. The feeling he got whenever he saw Lance or even just one of his dragons on TV.

He had wanted it. Being a part of that. Like reaching for the peak of a mountain from the foot of a hill. It was the ultimate dream.

After what must have been several seconds of silence, Gary shook his head, something that sounded like a mixture of a snarl and a hiss escaping his mouth. "There it is again." he put his finger against Ash's chest for the third time. "That's another reason why I hate you. Look around you, you ignorant waste of space! People like Patricia Racewood are actually working to achieve something. They didn't just make a commitment on a whim, it's personal to them. My gramps was the same way; after he won the Indigo Conference, he chose not to pursue the Champion mantle, and walked away from the trainer's life for research. Not because he was better at one than the other, but because he knew which one meant the most to him." a vindictive sneer covered his face. "But you never had a dream, did you? Not a real one. You're just a small child chasing after some delusional fantasy. Sure, the rest of us were like that when we were younger, but most of us grew out of it. You never did, and you wonder why you were so pathetic growing up."

For the first time in the conversation, Ash flinched. All of a sudden, it felt like Gary was taller than him. His mouth half-opened for a response, but shut shortly after. However, he did not allow himself to break eye contact.

Staring Ash down for a moment longer, Gary continued. "Do you know why I want to be Champion?"

"Why?" Ash kept his voice even. The illusion of Gary looming over him was a bit more difficult to keep his gaze on, but he did nonetheless.

"because," Gary started. "Being a researcher would work out just fine for me, and I've definitely considered it in the past. But my number one goal, from the moment I stepped out of Pallet's gates, was to complete my gramps' legacy, by winning the title that he chose not to pursue, but could have won if he had. For me, winning is about family, and mine is the best. I'm going to prove that when I start breaking records, starting with that ludicrous statistic that no rookie has ever made it to the six-on-six rounds of the Conference. And it's only going to keep getting bigger from there." he jabbed his finger against Ash's chest again, and this time was more forceful than the previous three. "But I never could have done that if I had kept you around! I gave you as many chances as I could tolerate to shape up and start improving, because you were my friend! But you never took those chances. All you ever did was prove that you were an anchor weighing me down on my way to the mountaintop. I couldn't let you drag my friends down with you, and I sure as hell wasn't going to let you do that to me!"

Pikachu's cheeks sparked for a moment before looking back up at his trainer. Ash's face was pale, his fists tightening as his body wanted to take a step back. Gary was still there, looking taller than he actually was. But he was no longer all that Ash saw.

He saw Angelina. And Mark. And Jake. And Sarah. One by one, all of Gary's friends were appearing behind him, and they were all giving Ash the same stare. It was a familiar look, one that he had gotten for years, almost every time he was in school, or the same place as any given member of Gary's circle.

His body asked him to take a step back. Told him to.

But he did not move. Instead, he simply looked. As if giving himself a chance to look everyone in the eye, he looked, and looked, and looked.

"What's going on? Did we both get the same thing!?"

"I had it first Gary, it's mine!"

"Like hell you did, loser! Your rod just got tangled on! Now stop pulling already!"

Yelping in surprise, Ash fell over onto the grass as he lost his grip.

…

Memories came back, but the images stayed the same. Until he saw something else…

…

Marauder was there. Standing in the cavern. The guy in the silver mask, his Feraligatr leering down looking for a meal. Ghosts were whispering loudly, rocks were falling, and a Tyranitar's roar echoed throughout an endless space like boundless thunder.

And then it was back to Gary. Somewhere down the line, Ash realized his face wasn't pale anymore, and Gary wasn't so tall. Not looming over him, just in front of him.

He felt his fists tightening once more. He let them tighten. He let the fury return to his eyes as well, but he did not unleash it. Instead, he simply spoke.

"And what did you ever do to help me?"

Gary's nose scrunched. "What?"

"You heard me, golden boy." Ash jabbed his finger into his rival's chest, and he made sure it was as forceful as possible. "What did you ever do to help me? All you ever did back then was stop me in the hallway, or sit down with me at lunch, constantly reminding me that I couldn't succeed if I kept getting bad grades, or performing poorly on exercises. And looking back, it almost felt more like a threat, in hindsight." he pushed his finger against the other boy's shirt. "Did you ever stop to think how I felt? How embarrassed I was whenever an assignment or exercise went badly for me? How much your little warnings and reminders kept piling on the stress? Did you even try to see things from my point of view? Or did you only ever care about your perspective because your so used to Pallet's world revolving around you and everything you do!?"

He almost shoved Gary away, but he didn't. Instead he simply lowered his finger, gazing into the Oak boy's glowering eyes.

"All I wanted was the support the rest of you kept giving each other. Instead, you shut me out and took every chance you had to embarrass me in front of everyone else." He took a breath, but continued before Gary had the chance to respond. "And I was an idiot back then, so for a while I was so obsessed with proving you wrong. Maybe thinking I might feel better about myself if I did, but that just dug me deeper. That stupid incident with the Poke Ball and the fishing rods broke me, and I know you loved it so much."

Gary arms were crossed now, his cruel eyes still fixed on Ash. he was not saying anything yet, and Ash knew he probably had about a million words waiting to come out of his mouth. He did not give him a chance.

"But you know what happened, Gary?" Ash did not hiss. His tone of voice was beginning to return to normal. "I did become a trainer, and that gave me a reality check. I probably hit five or ten missteps in my first week alone, but when I got to Pewter, I knew things needed to change." As though sensing something from his trainer, Pikachu climbed back onto his shoulder, and was welcome with a quick scratch beneath the chin. "I wasn't going to risk dragging my team down, like you just said I'd do to you and your friends. So I stepped up, I got my first Gym badge fair and square, and then I got three more. You can call it luck or a fluke all you want. The only reason you keep saying I haven't changed is because you haven't changed at all."

Something in Gary's pupils was set ablaze. "I'm not the one who needed to change, you leech. Whatever grand epiphany you had came five years too late. I was better than you then, and I still am now. A single lucky near victory isn't going to change that."

"Luck, luck, luck," Ash repeated. The fire in Gary's eyes did not make him look away; if anything, it only kept his own gaze locked in. "You don't know what I've been through, so you're wrong. You don't know me any better than the people I've met on the road. You know a version of me that isn't here anymore, and to be honest, your excuses are pathetic."

The Oak boy's face darkened. "Say that again."

"Why should I?" Ash crossed his arms. His hand almost touched his belt, but apart from Pikachu, he remembered that his Poke Balls were in the healing machine, not there. "I don't think there should be anything left to say. We're both trainers and there's a battlefield outside. Let's settle this tomorrow."

Gary lips twisted up, and it might have been the cruelest expression Ash had ever seen from a person his age. "Well what do you know? You actually-"

"I'm not done," Gary glowered as Ash cut him off. Unclipping Pikachu's (empty) Poke Ball from his belt, Ash looked down at the small orb for a moment before showing it to Gary. "If you and I are doing this, then we're doing it. That means six on six. We'll use our full teams and leave it all on the line. If you say no, we're not battling at all."

Gary stared at Ash for a moment. His expression did not convey hesitance, he just looked. Finally, his face evened out into a steady glare. "As I was trying to say, you actually had a good idea for once. For once, I don't think I could have said it better." Unclipping a ball from his belt, the Oak boy held it in front of him, tapping the Poke Ball in Ash's hand. "The battlefield at this lodging needs to be registered ahead of time, and the storm's supposed to be done by morning. Tomorrow afternoon, at 2:00 PM. Let's tell them now."

No more words were spoken between the two boys from Pallet Town, both simply went back into the hallway to talk to the man at the counter. But there were two entrances to the hallway from where they stood, and their conversation had not been private.

Her face entirely stoic, Janine waited until several seconds after both boys had disappeared before leaving her position behind the wall.

/

"And that's that," now in their private room, Ash sat on his bed in front of his entire team. They were all ready to turn in for the night, but first he needed to share the news. "We've never been in a six on six match before, it's the biggest kind of battle you can have. And that's why we're doing it, because it's against him and his full team."

The collective reaction among his Pokemon family was easy to summarize: Nobody was nervous. Not too nervous, anyway. Most wore the same expression: Pikachu, Nebula, Valiant, Glaceon…

It was Phenom's face that was the most difficult to read: a strange combination of anxiety and unrivaled eagerness. Tempest only wore the latter.

Ash allowed his team to chat amongst themselves for a few minutes. He'd signal for them to get to bed soon enough, but whatever thoughts they had needed to be gotten out of their systems now, before turning in for the night. Even as they talked, a few thoughts already ran through his mind.

'I really haven't been in a match where I used my full team. Not since getting a full group of six, anyway. This whole match is going to be paced and structured differently than anything we've ever done, with no reserves whatsoever. I wonder if Gary's ever done this before.' as if by accident, his eyes fell on Glaceon. 'He has an Eevee, and mine has evolved now. To be safe, I should assume his has too. No way to know which, though-'

A knock on the door broke him from his thoughts. Signaling for his friends to stay put, he opened it to see Janine.

/

"I hope you don't mind me asking," Janine scratched the top of her forehead, just beneath her hair. The two were in her private room now, just across from his own. Each member of her team was doing their own thing, getting ready to turn in as the two trainers sat side by side on her bed. Ash had kept his Pokemon in his room, telling them he'll be back soon. "I just noticed something seemed to be bothering you tonight. I just wanted to check on you before we turned in."

Ash gave his best friend a grateful look. "Thanks, I'll admit I was being a bit weird back there. I didn't want to worry you."

After a few moments, she looked him in the eye. "Do you want to talk about anything?"

Ash returned the look, mind flashing back to their conversation back in Lavender Town. Where she had told him that she was Koga's daughter… and they had asked one another to open up about any nightmares they had. This was not a bad dream, but…

…

As he spoke, the words left his mouth with an ease that made his chest feel light. As though no weight had been there in the first place. "I saw somebody from my hometown tonight, and spoke to him. We're going to be battling tomorrow afternoon." The look on her face, though accepting, told him that she knew that was not the full story. He was hardly surprised; that much would have been obvious to almost anyone. "His name is Gary, and… we used to be friends."

"Used to be?"

After a moment or two, Ash looked away, to nothing in particular. Since leaving Pallet, he had never told anyone before, but back in Lavender, he had already told Janine something that he hadn't come forward about to anyone else. And she had done the same.

It felt… strangely easy.

"A lifetime ago, honestly." he continued. "We were all in this big… group, basically. He was the leader, and he was the best of all of us since day number one. The smartest, most competent, most likely to make it big in the future, everything." Although he looked down for a moment, his face wasn't solemn. Instead, he smiled a little bit, a short chuckle escaping his mouth along with the breath he had let out. "You remember when we first met back in Viridian? Back when we did not know each other very well?"

Although he did not look at her, Janine hadn't taken her eyes off of him. As she scanned his face, her expression was one of stoic understanding, as though a few pieces had materialized out of nowhere, all finding their spots without any need for input. "Yes."

"You remember how different I was back then," Ash commented. "Compared to when we met again in Celadon. And now." his head lifted, turning again to look her in the eye. He could see the analytical tone in her face. Evaluating every look he gave and every word he said, and prepared to keep doing so. But it was not judgmental. "Back at home, I was… well, I was at the bottom, basically. I did really well on the Qualification Exam, after busting my behind studying as hard as I could, but before that, I was pretty poor. I didn't do well in school; in class, on tests, or most of the hands-on exercises. I was just skirting my way by. I did get better, but not very quickly. I was always left behind." removing his cap, he looked at it for a few moments. "Gary, never took kindly to that. He didn't want someone like me around, so he kicked me out of the group. And everyone agreed with him, because all of the other kids looked up to him. He was always so smart, so his friends thought he was right about everything. After that, they all ganged up on me. They labeled me as worthless, and kept labeling. They made sure I knew how far behind I was compared to where I should be."

Crossing her arms, Janine's face softened a bit, but she did not say anything, or even gesture for him to continue. Instead, she waited.

Looking back at her, Ash found his friend's eyes again. Looking at them made the words come easier. "It's not that they were wrong, in fact, they were mostly right. I was doing badly, and it was looking like I'd never get to become a trainer, and live out my dream. But…" he took a breath, and took his time doing so. "No one deserved to hear it the way I heard it from them. And it put me in a really bad place. I let it warp me for a while, and Pikachu and I both paid for it on Opening Day. Especially Pikachu. I didn't know what I was doing and I let my starter down. You saw the result."

She nodded back at him. As the two sat together, the silence grew progressively comfortable. By now, her team had mostly gone to bed, and the only sounds came from the rain outside, the water sliding down the window.

He wasn't sure how much time had passed when she said, "Have you two battled before?"

"Three times," Ash nodded. "He won all of them. The first battle might have been the most embarrassing moment of my life, but the other two weren't so bad." he looked to the door, knowing that his team rested in the room across from them. "It's six on six tomorrow. We reserved the battlefield outside."

She nodded back. After a moment, she added, "I won't go, then. Do what you need to."

He smiled as she nudged him. "Thanks." The two shared a quick hug before he left the room.

When he got back to his, it was equally silent. Everybody was already asleep, except for the mouse that greeted him as he sat down on his bed. Lying on his pillow, Ash reached up to pat the back of Pikachu's head.

The Pichu emerged from the Poke Ball, flinching just before he could pet him.

Pichu's body battered and bruised from the group of Spearow.

Onix collapsing from Pikachu's final attack.

A small, closed-mouth chuckle sounded from Ash as Pikachu laid down next to him. "We'll need all the rest we can get for tomorrow, buddy."

His grinning starter simply hummed with a nod.

/

Gary's room was comfortably dark as he observed his sleeping team from his bed, each finding different places to spend the night. On different sides, Wartortle and Meditite both slumbered in tiny, makeshift beds next to his own as the spiky-haired boy pulled the covers over him.

The images of that Kirlia almost, almost, almost, landing the finishing blow on Skarmory played in his mind. Just before Skarmory landed her final attack instead. It had been like dodging a punch from death, more of an escape than a victory.

The Oak boy's fists tightened beneath the covers. He could feel his heart speed up for just a short moment before he relaxed, breathing as he closed his eyes.

Ash Ketchum was a leech. An anchor constantly trying to chain itself to his leg.

Tomorrow afternoon, that chain would be severed forever.