Gary could have thrown up as he took in the city of Jubilife for what felt like the hundredth time. His stomach was literally churning. Once my Pokemon are fed and healed and everything, I am getting right out of here! he promised. I guess while I’m waiting, I can get a couple of things done, though. He left the Pokemon Center and was now outside in the middle of the hectic city, people of all ages running or walking, screaming or talking, laughing or even a couple of folks crying. He sighed. As soon as my Pokemon are better, he thought as he gazed around and just started to walk, we’re off to Oreburgh, and there will be no reason to ever return here again. Hey, since I am here though, it’d be a pretty great chance to challenge Jupiter again! Prove I can beat her. I’m allowed to rebattle her, it just won’t count as another Badge. Still walking, still thinking on this battle proposition, Gary passed a large building that was mostly red with some yellow parts, the glass areas being blue.

His eyes ended up being stuck on a young girl.

She had a tight, bright-pink coat with a hood pulled over her head, with pink jeans and white sneakers with pink laces. A large pink backpack was behind her.

Beside her sat some kind of long cat Gary felt he recognized, but that wasn't his focus now. Frozen, his eyes widening, his eyes scanned lower to what he considered a decent bottom in very tight jeans. Swallowing, he went over her entire body, taking in all the pink. No, no, no no no no no! he panicked. Not her! In Sinnoh?? It’s Court-!

The girl turned suddenly.

“AAAAAAAHHH!!!” Gary screamed in disbelief.

Her eyes widened, her mouth dropping open. “Gary! Oh my gosh it’s been so long!!” Concern came over her face as she approached him. “You butt, how are you?”

Gary ended up frowning. “I see you haven’t changed, Aly.”

She finally smiled, but it was more sympathetic than anything else. “Gary.” Nothing more came out of her mouth.

Gary’s eyes narrowed with confusion. “Huh? What?”

Her lips pressed together, keeping words inside.

“Aly, what’s wrong? Why are you acting so weird?” The answer suddenly hit him and his shoulders slumped.

“I-” She froze up, her mouth open.

“It’s June. That’s what you’re trying to say. It’s okay.”

Aly’s lips were put together again and she lowered her gaze.

“It’s fine, Aly,” Gary insisted. “I’m fine to talk about it.”

“Do you know where she is?” Aly returned her stare to Gary’s face.

“I don’t know where she is, how she is, or anything.”

“Gary, I’m so, so sorry.” She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

Gary wasn’t used to Aly being so sincere and gentle, especially with him. He stared at her hand for a second before nodding at her, his heart’s beat pace picking up. “Thanks. We’re still looking for her. We’re gonna find her. We believe!”

Aly kept eye contact and nodded, worry on her face. “Is it true what I’ve heard? A - Poke Ball? She-”

“It wasn’t a Poke Ball. It was something else. Some new... thing altogether.” Gary was hating this conversation, though he did encourage it. But talking about that... object the monster had used on June disturbed Gary to his bones.

“Of course it wasn’t an actual Poke Ball. They can’t capture humans. But I mean, was she captured? Like a Pokemon?”

Gary closed his eyes, hearing the PONG! Seeing the blinking button stay on black. He swallowed. Just like a Poke Ball, he knew. Like she was a Pokemon... “I know it doesn’t make any sense, but-” His breath came out sharply and then he looked at Aly. “-that’s exactly what it was like. Like she was a Pokemon...”

Aly looked at Gary in horror. “So I was right. It’s an alien.”

Gary stayed quiet, listening to his friend.

“It’s using advanced, extraterrestrial technology. Maybe on its planet, they have humans that are captured instead of Pokemon! Like an alternate universe!”

Gary had no point to use against this perspective. She called it, he remembered as Aly kept talking. Back in Viridian City, after battling the new species, Aly had insisted it was an alien, and without a recognizable gender. And it wasn’t affected by the Dream Mist that Musharna put out, that affected all Pokemon. Except for the Delibird, he added. What was its nickname again? It had Insomnia. Does that argue against the claim the monster is an alien? Couldn’t it be a Pokemon with an Ability, too?

“It’s like in Alola where they study going to alternate universes and meeting aliens like the Ultra Beasts!” Aly continued.

Gary blinked, returning to what Aly was still going on about.

“You know, the alien Pokemon? The alien people who live there who look completely human but they’re all aliens and live a different life than us? They have cool technology, too! The Beast Balls and stuff! And they have alien Pokemon, but even those can be caught in normal Poke Balls! It’s just harder! But this monster alien can’t be a Pokemon! She has to be like, what a human here on Earth is, for her planet! All she’s been doing has been on purpose. Pokemon don’t think like that. I mean... there may be some exceptions, but, like... What she's doing is evil! Pokemon aren’t evil! They may behave defensively at times, but-” She looked to one side, and then the other, and then behind her. “Delcatty!!”

The large cat that Gary had seen was now walking around casually, not even by the Trainer, Aly.

“Delcatty, please already!” Aly pleaded, running after it.

Delcatty turned and arched its back, hissing at Aly.

Aly stopped and crossed her arms. “Delcatty, we were doing just fine until now! Why this behavior?”

“Is this the Delcatty from the League? In the Indigo League?” Gary watched, surprised.

Aly sighed. A second sigh came out, but it sounded more like she had wanted to say something and decided to pretend she didn’t. “Yeah...” she finally answered.

Gary watched the Pokemon stroll further from them. “So she’s really just disobedient, huh?”

“She’s always been this way,” Aly said sadly, following behind her Pokemon.

Gary walked after them through the noisy, excited city.

“We were checking out the B-Button League to see if we could learn something from their methods of raising Pokemon. But-”

“B-Button League? What’s that?”

“It’s a group of Pokemon Coordinators who take part in Contests and train their unevolved Pokemon to be the best. They want to be Top Coordinator without having a fully evolved Pokemon. Some of their most famous members used a Magikarp and Feebas said to be the strongest ones. They really made a big name for themselves. You should look them up.”

“A strong Magikarp and Feebas, huh? That sounds cool. I’d like to beat them.”

Aly frowned at him and came to a stop. “Well, I’d love to see your defeat.”

Gary, also stopping, was shocked at her response. “Hey, what’s with you? Why would you want me to lose?”

Aly turned from him and continued after Delcatty, Gary following. “I don’t want you to lose, but you don’t get their point. The meaning behind it. It’s beautiful and it truly goes to show how much they love their Pokemon. It’s not about evolving your Pokemon to get stronger. It’s showing respect for the Pokemon as they are and not pressuring them into things they only would do for people like you.”

“Hey! Come on, Pokemon like to evolve!”

“And that’s up to the Pokemon! But that’s not always the situation. I want to be like them and prove an individual Pokemon that I’m friends with is just as good as they ever have been and ever will be, just by them being themselves.”

“Well, then, doesn’t that put pressure on the Pokemon to not evolve, too?” Gary challenged. “What if they wanted to evolve?”

Aly turned to Gary with a sneer and swallowed. “Just the kind of answer I’d expect out of you. If a Pokemon wanted to evolve, you let it evolve. But when you make a decision with your friends, it’s like - you-” Aly went silent and waved her hand back to Gary dismissively. “This is why boys aren’t typically Coordinators. You guys lack the most basic sense of having feelings about things. It's all about being a bigmouth with you. I’m wasting my breath with you but when I beat you with a, a, a, a Misdreavus or something, maybe when your know-it-all attitude blows up in your face in the worst way possible, you’ll shut up for once in your life.”

“I guess someone lost their sense of humor in Sinnoh. The cold weather turn your heart to ice?” Gary said in a low voice he knew Aly could still hear.

“Oh don’t act like you weren’t always pushing my patience back in Kanto.”

In Kanto, Gary repeated in his head. Back in Kanto, huh?

“OH!” Aly shrieked, covering herself.

Gary jumped and let out a startled sound. “Huh? What??”

“Don’t judge me in all this pink, okay?!! I’m returning it right away. I’m not into this girly color at all! I just - I just needed to see the latest trends going on and see for myself that it’s not for me!! Okay?! That’s all!! I HATE PINK!!”

“Uuuuhhh... Okay,” Gary replied. He scanned her over for a moment. She actually looks really... “It’s not a big deal!!” Gary said louder than he meant to, breaking his odd thought apart. “I actually was just going shopping myself. Is pink in?” Wait, what?! What are you saying?? Gary freaked out in his mind, his eyes widening, his eyebrows narrowing in confusion at his poor choice of words.

“You know, I think I’d like you more in pink,” Aly squinted teasingly with a smirk.

Gary sneered at her. He was thinking for a moment before, finally, “I’d like you more if-”

“Too late! You had to think! You lose! Again! Against me!” She held her left hand up and made an L with her thumb and pointer finger. “Llloserrrr!”

Gary was stuck again and just growled, wanting to just shove her to the ground.

Aly was laughing in the face of danger. This died down to chuckling, and finally, still smiling, she asked, “Have you only just arrived here?”

Gary relaxed a little, glad she seemed to be done, but taken by surprise, expecting more. “Huh?”

“When did you get here? And why? We were in Sandgem Town before we left. You can’t have only gotten here. Don’t tell me you got into a fight with a horde of Mankey again and were hospitalized.”

“HEY!!” Gary burst out angrily.

Aly smiled so huge she couldn’t even keep her eyes open.

“If you think you’re such hot stuff, how about we have a Pokemon battle?” Gary demanded.

Aly’s temper started being shown, flaring up on her face. “Oh, you think you’ve got what it takes, huh? Huh? Huh? Huh? Well then let’s go!”

“How about a Full Battle, then?” Gary pursued.

“Then let’s go!”

“Great!”

There were mutters and cries as people passing came to a stop, hearing that a battle was going to take place. The first crowd to stop caused more people to stick around.

Gary stepped away a few feet.

Calling out to her Delcatty, Aly kept getting on her tiptoes repeatedly. “Delcaaaattyyyy! Delcaattyyyyy! It’s time to battle, Delcatty! Pleeeeeease!!”

“Gonna battle with a disobedient Pokemon, huh?” Gary taunted. “This’ll be a piece of cake.”

“I beat you without a word at the League!” Aly glared at Gary and then looked again for her Pokemon.

Gary’s heart skipped a painful beat, remembering the match between Aly’s Breloom and his late Hitmonchan. “Enough of the past! If I beat you now, that match meant nothing!” Gary replied angrily, ignoring the momentary pain of his heart.

Aly shot him a dirty look before - walking away from him! Even the group gasped, some stepping aside as Aly went away from her opponent.

Following after her, Gary suggested, “Let’s meet up later or something and we can actually battle properly!”

Aly glared at Gary. “We’ll battle right now, and I’ll kick your butt once again! Do not move!”

Gary huffed and crossed his arms, tilting his head. As he watched her get lost in the crowd, the crowd itself losing interest and newer people showing up to see what the initial fuss was about to begin with, he had to wonder how in the world he had lost to this girl at the League. Especially with his powerhouse of a Hitmonchan. His entire body shook as he recalled the absolutely brutal battle between Hitmonchan and Breloom, each Pokemon delivering punch after punch in the end. That Breloom, Gary mused, thinking on how Hitmonchan had the upper hand at first, completely overwhelming him. That Breloom was something! He remembered the victory Breloom managed before he took in a deep breath and let it go. Am I trying to just dismiss Aly’s hard work and training? Am I-? I’m surely still bothered with my loss. And, because it was Aly? Would I be this mad if I had lost to Rob?

There was a scream and Gary flinched out of his thoughts. He looked around to try to find his friend. “Aly?”

Everyone was staring at what was going on with Aly.

“Aly!” Gary reached the crowd but couldn’t see what everyone was muttering about.

Finally, the crowd made way as the young female got through, breathing hard. She put her hands on her knees, a furious look for her rival. “Six-on-six. Right now! Let’s go, Gary!”

“Six? But, where’s-?”

With a loud, screechy call, Delcatty squeezed through the crowd and sat away from Aly.

Aly stood tall and stared behind her at Delcatty, a weary look on her face. After turning to Gary, she said, “Let’s just... try this out. Okay?”

“Try? Aly, is Delcatty gonna even-?”

Aly snatched up a Great Ball and gripped it tight. “Umbreon, let’s start now!” She threw the ball.

“Uuuuumbreon!” the Pokemon exclaimed, staring at Gary.

They’re so beautiful, Gary admitted as he scanned the Pokemon, also surprised that Aly had one.

Umbreon. The Moonlight Pokemon. A Dark type evolution of Eevee. The yellow markings strike fear in opponents, and glow when the Pokemon is excited, or when the moon shines on it.

A Dark type. Gary backed away from them to make space. Then I’m going with- Trying to think of his team, something horrible came to his brain. You have gotta be kidding me... One hand hovered over his empty belt. No. Way.

“Come on, Gary! We don’t have all day,” Aly snapped.

My Pokemon are all in the Pokemon Center!! Gary remembered. I was only out to gather some stuff in the meantime!

“Man, you two gonna battle or what, yo?” a voice called out from the crowd.

Now, other people started complaining and a few were even walking off.

Aly straightened up, her face softening. “Gary?”

He sighed and his shoulders slumped. “Aly, I just got here, actually. I don’t have any Pokemon to battle. They’re all recovering at the Pokemon Center.”

It seemed like the entire crowd groaned and made complaints and other noises, interrupting Gary’s next sentence.

He sucked his teeth, leering at them and watching the crowd break apart.

Aly rolled her eyes and shook her head, smirking. “Figures.”

Gary nodded and looked down in shame. No one to blame but myself here, he knew. I got so excited and forgot I don’t even have one Pokemon on me.

The city remained crowded, but none of the attention was on Gary and Aly anymore.

Delcatty yawned loudly and she suddenly glowed red. Swiftly, the red energy vanished, taken inside of a Poke Ball on Aly’s waist.

Aly frowned. “I hate when she does that.”

“She did that at the League, too,” Gary remembered.

“Yeah, yeah. Don’t remind me,” Aly said grumpily, returning Umbreon and then putting the Great Ball to her waist.

“What’s the story with you and Delcatty?”

Aly just sneered. “It’s actually nothing.”

Gary stared silently before replying, “Right.” Rather than push the issue, something else had come to Gary’s mind and he brought that up instead. “Say, how’s Ivysaur doing?”

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

“She’s great! Just like Delcatty!” Aly could have been mistaken for sounding angry. That also could have been an accurate interpretation.

Gary couldn’t tell with the harshness of her voice, her narrowed eyebrows, and, well, Aly just being Aly.

“So you’re really just walking around, as a Pokemon Trainer, with not one Pokemon? Are you stupid?”

“I was actually just going to get some stuff, like clothes and food and goods. That’s why I’m out here.”

“OH! I was considering doing the same thing. The Gym Leader here, Jupiter, is too cruel of a Trainer. I’ve already reported her to the authorities, and I’m sure she’ll be removed as a Gym Leader.”

“You did WHAT???!!” Gary blew up in disbelief.

Aly shrugged, a surprised look on her face at Gary’s reaction. “She’s mean! How is anyone supposed to defeat her?? I’m sure you’ve got at least three Badges, and think you can stop anyone in the world, but with my compassion against your blind, raging desires, I was able to defeat you, so I know I can judge whether-WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT??!!!”

Gary was holding out his open Badge case, which held the Infiltration Badge, his face holding the cockiest look.

“NO WAAAAAYYYY!!!!” Aly grabbed the Badge and held it high. “How did you win this??” She turned to Gary, and then to the Badge, and then to Gary, and then to the Badge, going back to Gary again.

Gary hesitated on answering. “We earned it. Me and my Pokemon.” There was nothing else he could say. Me and my Pokemon, he repeated in his head.

Aly kept tight eyes on Gary for a moment. She ended up putting the Badge back in the case. “So you have two Badges?”

“I’m going for my third in Oreburgh City not far from here. What about you?”

“I’m heading to Canalave City to get my fourth Badge. I beat Roark in Oreburgh already. He’s a strong guy, but he’s actually nice, unlike the witch here.”

“I just came back from Canalave, kind of...” Gary said. “Byron’s powerful! We lost!”

Aly’s eyes gaped at him. “You beat Jupiter but not Byron?!”

Gary nodded and shrugged uncomfortably, thinking about his “win.” Thinking even for a second about his first Badge. “Well, Byron pulled out Mega Evolution on me and I got caught off guard.”

“Yeah, his Mega Scizor,” Aly nodded. “I knew about that already. I plan to take that Scizor down immediately before he can Mega Evolve.”

“Wait, you’ve heard about it?” Gary was shocked.

“Duh! You don’t do your research before challenging a Gym?? We have access to the internet at the Pokemon Centers and stuff! We live in the age of information!”

“It’s hard to come by is all, when you’re surrounded by trees!” Gary argued. “My phone doesn’t work out here!”

“I didn’t know you have a phone. How’d you get one of those?? Besides, I just said, the Pokemon Centers have places to go online and look stuff up! That has nothing to do with phones. Many Pokemon Trainers tend to not have phones. But, how did you get one?”

“I found it. Anyway, listen-” Gary held his tongue. He didn’t know how to change the subject or move on from it.

“Excuse me, but aren’t you Gary and Alyssa Say from Kanto’s Pallet Town?” A woman appeared, holding out a microphone between the two.

Before either child knew it, another microphone was being held over their heads on a pole. The two kids blinked and stared at two adults that had appeared.

A red-haired woman was in a blue suit, and a big man in more casual clothing holding up a big camera on his shoulder was behind her.

“Hey! Wait a second now! How the crap do you know our names?? And where we’re from??” Aly cried, taking a step towards the woman.

“We’re with the Jubilife Sinnoh Today Show. My name is Abb and this is my cameraman, Dave,” the woman responded into her mic. “We recognized Gary here, and soon knew you must be Alyssa! We’d love to interview you two. Perhaps even get a battle out of you guys after?”

“Wait, so you only recognized me from first knowing him??” Aly looked disgusted.

“Uuuuh... Well...” Abb looked to Dave.

Dave smiled nervously and shrugged.

Abb turned back to Aly. “Um, so, Alyssa, uuhhh-”

“My name is Aly!! Got it?!!”

“Oh, I’m sorry!” Abb looked like she was sweating at this point. “It’s just, at the Indigo League, you had your name listed as-”

“That’s because I didn’t know I could put whatever name I wanted!! Watch this year. It’s ALY!!”

“Oh, no problem, Miss Aly!” Abb responded cautiously. “Do you think we could talk to you both here, as we are live on TV?”

“Oh? And what about?” Aly had her hands on her hips now, staring at Abb impatiently.

“Maybe some thoughts on the Indigo League?” She turned to Gary. “If perhaps you think things between you two might end differently in Sinnoh? Maybe a heated, old-fashioned rivalry battle?”

“Of course. All about the drama, huh? Huh?” Aly snapped. “That’s all it is with you media people. Just like Big Lee and 2Pots. Stoking the fire. You won’t be happy until both of us are dead!” Aly was fuming now.

Aly... Yo, chill, Gary thought.

The reporter and cameraman were looking at Aly in horror.

No one in the area was saying a word, everyone stopping to watch.

A forced smile slapped itself onto Abb’s face and she chuckled nervously. “We certainly would never wish such a thing on anyone, Miss Aly. I apologize if we-”

“Then why don’t you just beat it and stop being rude! Gary and I were having a conversation and you just butted yourself right in without an ‘excuse me!’”

“Uh, to be honest... I did say-!”

“WE ARE NOT HOSTING INTERVIEWS TODAY!! BYE!!” Aly stomped at them one time.

The two members of the news jumped. They stared at each other and then looked back to Aly. Abb’s mouth opened and she inhaled only to let her breath out and with a nod, walked off, Dave following behind her.

Shaking her head, Aly glared at Gary.

“Geez, what’s wrong, Aly? You really didn’t wanna battle on live TV?”

“And beat you in front of the world twice? For what??”

Damn it. I missed an opportunity to cut her! Gary realized. She snatched that right out from under me. I could’ve had her. Game over.

“Got nothing to say? The biggest mouth in our group is finally plugged?!” Aly taunted. A smirk finally came over her face.

Almost made me think you actually hate me, Gary thought after seeing her slight smile. He snickered. “Well, I guess we can’t battle this time, but next time, you’re dead.”

“When you lose to me again, will you quit and honor and praise me for the rest of your days? Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh?”

“I’ll never lose to you again, Aly. I promise I’ll settle our score. And it won’t be a three-on-three, either. We’re going all out.”

“I always do, Gary,” she winked.

This was another blow for Gary. And he felt it. She’s still sharp, he admitted.

“If we can’t battle, then what’s your Pokedex lookin’ like?” Aly brought up.

“Fine! A Pokedex battle!” Gary pulled out his device with great flair and drama. “YYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!”

Rolling her eyes, Aly slid hers out of her pocket with ease.

After a moment, they held out the Pokedexes and stared at the results.

Looking at his numbers alone, Gary knew he had lost. “Altogether I’m at - sixty...” he managed to admit. “How many original species do you have?” While he asked this, he kept to himself that he had counted duplicate Pokemon for himself.

Aly rolled her eyes and sneered. “Without duplicates it’s forty Pokemon, but with dupes it’s one hundred and eighteen.”

Gary flinched a little.

“You’re still way behind the rest of us, aren’t you?” Aly asked smugly.

“Have you seen Rob?” Gary ignored her question.

“No, but I know what he’s got. I knew what you had a little while ago, too, from talking to Kiwi. She’s doing great work in the Lab.”

Gary nodded. “Yeah. She really is,” he muttered bitterly.

A silence fell upon the duo. Things started feeling uncomfortable again.

“I miss Kiwi...” Aly finally admitted sadly.

Gary watched Aly and then placed a hand on her shoulder. “She’s still with us, Aly. Maybe not in the way she started, but she’s just as close as ever.”

“I know, I know.” Aly shifted her shoulder free from him and then swallowed, sniffling afterwards. “I just wish she were out here with us.”

Gary leaned his head back, staring at the gray sky. After a breath, he returned to Aly. “Congratulations, Aly. You still sure know how to catch and raise Pokemon, huh?”

Aly stared at Gary with tear-filled eyes. She closed her eyes and her head shook. Right after, she was smiling, a determined look in her eyes, her eyebrows narrowed. “Yeah. That’s right. I’m the best battler, and the best catcher here. You boys will never do what we girls can. You’ve got a long way to go. I’ll get Byron’s Badge and show you.”

“Yeah. You just try to stop getting mad when you lose a Badge and wasting the time of the authorities. They have enough to deal with.”

“Whatever,” Aly sneered, rolling her eyes.

She knows I’m right, Gary knew. Jupiter ain’t losing her job over that. She’s safe. She lost to me. So her job is secure.

Lost to me, huh? Gary added with a twinge in his heart.

“Well, you got lucky this time, but next time I want a battle, no matter what,” Aly stated.

“Trust me, I’ll be coming for you next time no matter what. We’ve just been through a bit and needed a bit of time off to gather ourselves.”

“Funny. I remember you criticizing me for going on vacation back in Kanto.” Aly now wore an expectant look on her face.

Gary’s eyes widened. “You were on vacation?”

“After my loss to Ozne in Fuschia City? Me and my Pokemon decided to relax and check out the sights and you called us lazy!”

“OH YEAH! Because you were!! We aren’t on vacation! We never stop! We’re just recovering at the Center!”

“Same thing, basically! I’m just surprised you even use proper recovery centers and don’t just battle to the death!”

Both Trainers stared at each other angrily, but their faces eventually softened, starting with Gary’s, Aly’s soon after.

Death... Gary thought to himself.

Aly’s eyes lowered, and she swallowed. “I should go. Gotta head to Canalave, and you’ve got things to do.”

“No need to make this weird, Aly. I know you didn’t mean anything by that. It’s like Gary Oak says: my rival should be strong to keep me sharp.”

Aly tightened her eyes on Gary.

“So don’t start going soft on me now.”

Aly stared at Gary in silence, her eyes wider than ever.

Gary stared back, a smile sliding across his face.

Aly didn’t smile back, but her mouth opened a bit.

Gary smiled just a bit more, wondering what she would say next. If she would be okay. He wanted to console her. To be the one to make her smile. He wanted to see that familiar smile from her. He desired to see her lips. To see them curve into the beautiful shape of happiness to make her face glow.

“You are such a loser.”

“Huh??” Gary shook his head hard before looking at Aly with wide eyes.

“Talk about a nerd. Quoting Gary Oak. We all always knew you tried too hard to be like him. You’ve got a long route to go, you know. HA! Anyway, I’ll battle you next time.” She slapped Gary’s shoulder and then turned. In the next instant, she was skipping away from him.

So that’s it, huh, Aly? Gary thought, watching her. But something felt wrong. Watching Aly skip away, Gary felt so grateful. Overjoyed. His heart was also beating so hard. He sniffled and then, realizing what was going on, wiped at his wet eyes. But, why? he wondered. Tears? For what? Why do I feel like this, staring at Aly? As if something is wrong?

As if...

Something, was, wrong...?

*

Kiwi removed her glasses and set them on the table, keeping her hand on them, as a smirk came over her face. “So you don’t know everything, huh?” Kiwi taunted Gary through the computer screen in the Pokemon Center.

“Huh?”

“You know so much, you read so many things, you can’t wait to exploit that others don’t know what you know, while trying to appear innocent and humble. Yet look at you now, unable to solve such a simple riddle from old Kiwi,” Kiwi grinned big now.

“Is that really how you guys think of me?” Gary asked, trying to sound less offended than he actually felt. He reflected back on some things Aly had said earlier. There was some hesitation before Kiwi finally spoke, and Gary’s face reacted to the silence first, tightening his eyes and slanting his mouth.

“We love you, Gary,” she answered.

Gary raised his middle finger at her through the computer screen.

Kiwi just smiled sinisterly. “Gary, I left it to you because you were in Sinnoh, and I had nothing I could do with it here. And I didn’t know what I should advise to whoever I gave the book to. But I knew you’d react the most rationally.”

“What? You did?”

“No, stupid. You’re the least ‘rational’ of us all. I just thought you’d like to hear such a thing. You’re so conceited.” Kiwi had a silent smile.

Gary was fuming now. “KIWI!”

“I regretted giving it to you the minute I handed it over to your friend. I was concerned your passionate behavior, and recent losses in life, would lead you down a bad path. Death, even. But the reason I initially decided I wanted you to have it was because of June.”

“June? What do you mean?” Gary responded, surprise coming over his face.

“Before I gave the book to Scientist Gary, I had a lot of time to think about you three. Aly’s stubbornness, Rob’s more... reckless behavior, and you and your childish determination. You all three have faults, but at least you were the most focused, I’ll give you that.”

“You think I’m the most focused out of the group?”

“It’s not really that much of a compliment. After all, Aly is kind and thoughtful, and Rob is... well-” She looked to the ceiling for a bit and then smiled at Gary. “He’s got the looks out of the boys in the group.”

“Hey!” Gary glared.

“But seriously, if it weren’t for June, I probably would have kept it under lock and key, if not burned it. The information there is too crucial. In the wrong hands, it would be catastrophic.”

“So I’m not only better than you, Aly, and Rob, I stopped a catastrophe you three woulda caused.”

“Do you even listen?! It’s because of June that I gave you the book! You’re a complete bonehead sometimes and prideful as a Piplup!” Kiwi ridiculed her friend. “And I’m honestly convinced you’re unaware of it. That, or putting on a too-cool show for everyone. But I could always see through you. But, you being you is also why I gave the book to you. You’re good, but you’re too much sometimes. June really reigns you back to Earth. If she can put up with you, she’s the security I needed to know who to give the book to.”

Gary pouted, frowning, soaking in every word she had told him.

“But then, June was taken,” Kiwi said just as a similar thought hit Gary’s mind. “But I still decided that you should have it. It changed the entire dynamic. You without June is not you before June. I thought it was okay. I regretted it later, knowing I was taking a gamble, but, I trusted you and knew - there was nothing I could do anyway. Scientist Gary was gone. But I did live in a bit of fear of what you might do, and the regrets I would have should particular things happen.”

“What things??” Gary was so confused about how Kiwi was admitting she had been thinking about him.

“That’s just it! I don’t know! You make stupid decisions, but you had the chance to add unpredictability to the mix! All I had in the end to keep me calm was faith.”

“But, why did you give it to Scientist Gary? He read the book and tried to get Jirachi, himself!”

“Because he’s your friend. And I like the guy. He’s really nice. I felt like, even if he did get Jirachi somehow, he'd tell me and you. He’d admit that he stole the information. There’s good qualities to that guy. He’s an interesting guy.”

“Yeah. Isn’t it that his methods for raising Stats is finally gaining acceptance, now?”

“Yes. He could be on the road to something altogether groundbreaking that could shift the entire way the Pokemon world is looked at, forever.”

“Can you explain it a bit to me? Is this really okay? This isn’t like, cheating? It isn’t bad for the Pokemon?” Gary wanted to know what this whole thing was about. He needed a conclusive answer for what this was all about.

“Gary, if it were, you wouldn’t have even asked me those questions. You’d have known the answer immediately. A long time ago. A long time ago! He’d have never gotten the book!”

Right, Gary kept to himself. Of course.

“Scientist Gary’s work is phenomenal, and like all phenomenal things, doesn’t come without its controversy and pushback. Odds are, the future will, maybe, feature his as the supreme style of training Pokemon. Maybe even better than Vitamins.”

“But is that right to do? To the Pokemon? Doesn’t that lower their value as a priceless species? That each of them is so special and that that’s what the point is of caring for Pokemon? Like we people care about each other?”

“It’s been argued that that perspective changed hundreds of years ago, when man first uncovered a possible connection between Berries and Pokemon Stats.”

Gary was unable to reply to this. He inhaled as if he would say something, but nothing ever came out except his own breath.

“So how are you holding up with so many Pokemon, including June’s,” Kiwi brought up.

Gary inhaled and then said, “Oh.” He was caught off guard by this inquiry, his eyes wide on Kiwi. “We’re fine. Thanks.”

Kiwi nodded. “Just remember, you can send those guys over to me here at the Lab easily. If you ever need a break.” Her face then went dead serious. “Preferably without a hole in their heads.”

Gary’s heart dropped like a bird shot out of the sky. “Hey, come on, Kiwi. Give me a break already. You don’t think I feel bad enough as it is?”

“I told you I’d never let you live this down, didn’t I?” she continued harshly. “Never would I have thought you’d send me back a Pokemon in such poor condition, and entirely your fault.”

“Is Deino doing okay...?” At this point, Gary couldn’t even stare at his long-time friend. It was as if she were a stranger to him.

“He’s ready when you are,” Kiwi responded more gently. “Just be careful next time,” she then added more gruffly. “It’s beyond me how you’re raising sixteen Pokemon.”

Gary stared up at Kiwi again. “Yeah. Same here. I like June’s guys. It’d feel so weird if I just sent them to you. At least with them, I feel like I’m not alone. It’s a pain worrying about them all, sure, but having June with me was always a pain in itself.” Gary smirked a little. “Joking, of course, but I’m okay to keep her Pokemon for now.”

Not smiling, Kiwi asked, “How’s Electivire?”

“He’s cool. Lately we’ve been getting along a lot better. It took a while, but I-” Gary had intended on the sentence ending in a happy way. He wanted to state that how once they recovered June, she’d be able to join in enjoying the new, friendlier Electivire who didn’t need to fight all the time and attack his Trainer.

But now, it seemed that this was actually all June’s fault, in ways Gary didn’t know previously.

In ways June never admitted to.

Blinking, Gary stared at Kiwi, who was watching him with stern eyes.

She was waiting.

“I - I just think we’ve gotten closer lately.”

“Since you got Jupiter’s Badge, isn’t that right? Back then?”

“Huh? Jupiter?”

“You said you had an Electivire battle her. I knew you didn’t have one, Gary. You used one of June’s Pokemon to battle that Gym Leader.”

“Y-y-you... knew? You knew it wasn’t mine?”

“You don’t have that many Pokemon, Gary. It’s easier to keep track of your progress than Rob or Aly.”

Gary nearly fell out of his seat with embarrassment.

“I’m just surprised someone as stubborn as you would use assistance like that. I’m not condemning you, it’s just not like you.”

“Yeah...” Gary wondered if he should tell her exactly what happened.

“It’s not like he came out on his own, beat her, and you got the Badge, right?” Kiwi continued.

Against his will, regretting it instantly, Gary’s eyes widened.

“Again,” Kiwi smiled sneakily, “that’s just not you, Gary.”

“Kiwi,” Gary frowned now. “Just stop.”

“So you did!” Kiwi gasped, her smile now wide open. “I can’t believe you! And you accepted it?? Of all people!”

“I just! I... It was crazy! How Electivire did it on his own like that! He was all I had left, to take down all of Jupiter’s Pokemon! I convinced myself it was okay. That Electivire is mine, kind of. I took him with me! But, I hated, above all, that Electivire didn’t listen to what I told him. It really ate me up.” He went quiet, but only because he was now thinking about his first Badge, the Phobia Badge, that he had actually lost, but had less issues denying it than anything else!

“How about now? Does Electivire listen to you now?”

Gary sniffled a little, thinking about his answer. “Yeah...”

“How? Why?” Kiwi pressed on so calmly.

To Gary, it almost seemed like, based on the tone of her voice, she knew the answer already. But that was impossible.

Right?

“Honestly, I guess I just...” His eyes lowered. I can’t tell her about June. Not yet. Not until I hear June’s side. He stared at Kiwi. “I understood how important the Badge was to him, and that he knew what it meant to me. I accepted it, from him. We’ve never been closer, since.” That’s not a lie. I just left out some stuff.

Kiwi nodded, grinning warmly. “You Trainers have some of the best stories to tell from your journeys.”

Gary opened his mouth to take in a big breath and then say something, but instead, he let the breath back out.

At a cost, he kept to himself, grinning back.