Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon or any of its characters.

Warnings: Spoilers for the games, manga, anime, and movies. (Gotta eat it, live it, love it!)

Beta: Eria (who is made of awesome sauce)

Pairing: Ash/Gary. Yay Palletshipping! No flames, please. I give a good warning as to what this chapter is about. If you don't like it, then don't read it. Thanks!

Setting: Starts several years after Misty, Mai, and Dawn left. (Why is it that the female leads always leave or something?) I guess this could be seen as an AU, since the series is still going but some references will be made to Ash's and Gary's relationships to girls as the story progresses. So keep in mind that I'll be referencing a bunch of characters. Gary will also be a bit more mature in this story, seeing as this is set years after both Ash and Gary started their journey, it makes sense for him to tease Ash occasionally, but to also be a bit more grown up. He's at the stage in his life where he wants to be taken seriously.

Rating: While the beginning will be PG-13/T, my intention is to let the rating rise up to R/M.

Nothing and Nowhere

by EggDropSoup

Chapter One - New Beginnings

"I need you to come back to Pallet Town as soon as possible," his grandfather had told him gravely through the video phone, dressed in his usual suit and lab coat.

Gary had been so busy training his Pokémon for the next tournament that he hadn't been checking in with his family as often. He supposed he had been so preoccupied with everything that it had slipped his mind. Traveling continents, battling gym leaders, and sending new Pokémon types back home through the simulator had made his life rather hectic.

Over the years, Gary had become a lot like a lone ranger. He was completely self-reliant from his grandfather- and his trust fund his parents had set aside for him- as his winnings from battles and tournaments allowed him to support himself. He had learned quickly to save as much as he could, and often made due without any luxury items.

He had discovered and accomplished so much that at times he almost forgot about his family and home town completely. His parents had died when he and his sister Daisy were young, leaving them both to be raised by their grandfather, Professor Oak. His sister Daisy was probably a bit upset with him about not checking in. She was running her own grooming services in Pallet Town and always was sad when he didn't call or write. If it weren't for the video phones available at the Pokémon Center, then he probably wouldn't remember to call at all.

He hadn't even spoken to Leaf as often as he should and that had led to their inevitable breakup several weeks ago.

He guessed it was his nature as a researcher to want to experience everything he could. He imagined it'd cause some shock with his family back home. He'd even stopped riding around in his convertible, figuring he'd cover more ground by just using his Pokémon. He had outgrown his spoiled ways in the last few years, maturing in the way he conducted himself with others, which-he hoped-that his grandfather would notice.

Because he'd been training hard, he'd eventually run out of supplies or needed to rest his Pokémon at the Pokémon Center. It was while checking his messages at the simulator that he'd come across one from his grandfather asking for him to call back immediately.

"Come home? Why Gramps?" Gary asked, eyeing his grandfather curiously, clad in a dark black jacket and jeans. "I still have tons of traveling to do and I need two more badges in order to compete in the-"

"Yes, yes. I know all about the tournament. But that can wait. Your sister misses you and, as much as I wouldn't like to deter you from your adventures, I'm faced with something I can't finish by myself."

That last comment jarred Gary's attention. It wasn't like his grandfather to admit to needing help. Usually Professor Oak would spend days on end, locked up in his lab, stating that "any failure was just a bump in the road to progress" and wouldn't quit until his experiment was successful. But the sullen expression his grandfather gave him now was one of giving up.

How could he say no to the man who always encouraged him and backed him up no matter what?

"I suppose I can always compete next year."

Professor Oak lifted his face, blinking at him in surprise. Probably shocked at how quickly his grandson gave in so easily. "Do you need me to send you a Pokémon for transportation or to arrange for a train ticket?"

Gary let himself smile at that. "Nah, I think I got just the thing. I'll have to cross over water to reach the continent and then I'll just fly the rest of the way."

"How long do you think it'll take?"

Gary frowned at the question and mentally retraced all the distance he had covered. Not wanting to tire his Pokémon needlessly, he mostly travelled by foot nowadays, but, if he were to constantly switch out his Pokémon for his journey back, it would save him a lot of time.

Now let's see…subtract the circumference of a pidgeotto's wing span divide ninety miles per hour…"Four days."

It was his grandfather's turn to frown. "Isn't that cutting it a little too close?"

"It's no big deal. I can handle it. If I leave as soon as my Pokémon have rested up, then I might even be able to narrow it down to three days."

"I know I said I wanted you back as soon as possible but that doesn't mean you had to do something so drastic."

"Come on, Gramps. It'll be no sweat at all." Not one to back down from a challenge, he felt confident he could manage the journey home. It was fun to test the limits of his Pokémon's abilities.

His grandfather sighed and gave him a little half-smile that was a mixture of affection and amusement. "Alright, take care of yourself."

Gary smirked, as if Gramps needed to tell him something like that. But the old man was always trying to look out for him, even when his own situation was troubled. "I always do. See you soon."

And with a wave, the Professor's image on the screen winked out, leaving a blank monitor in its wake. Gary hung up the video phone's receiver and checked his watch for the time.

Nurse Joy had told him it would only take a few hours to have his Pokémon reenergized. His conversation with his grandfather had gone on for several hours so he made his way to the front counter to check and see if they were ready.

As he proceeded forward, he couldn't help but notice how busy it seemed at the little town center. Many trainers had brought in their Pokémon for examination or for treatment because of the cold temperatures. He supposed it was normal for this time of year. If people can get sick, then naturally Pokémon would too. Especially the Pokémon who weren't used to different climates. He'd just have to be prepared in his journey back home and stock up on as much supplies from the store as he could carry.

Nurse Joy was there to greet him at the counter, a small smile on her face and her strawberry pig tails bouncing on her shoulders as she waved him over. "They've just finished resting up." She turned to the Chansey beside her, holding a small tray that displayed seven Pokéballs. She carefully took them from the tray, thanking the pink Pokémon, before handing them over to him. "Is there anything else you needed?" She asked sweetly, her smile widening and reaching all the way to her blue eyes.

"No, thanks. I just need to get some items and then I'll be on my way back home."

"Well, be careful Mr. Oak." She told him seriously, the medical professional in her wanting to make its point. He was always surprised at how the Nurse Joys could be so sweet at one minute, but then get solemn when the care of Pokémon was concerned. "Traveling during the wintertime is very dangerous. I'm sure your grandfather wouldn't want you doing anything reckless."

Again, with his grandfather. No matter where he went, someone always knew about his famous guardian. Though Gary loved his grandfather very much, he couldn't help being jealous. Having been traveling around for years and winning battles, he wanted the world to recognize him for his own identity, not because of his grandfather's shadow that hovered behind him. Even his sister's accomplishments as a renowned Pokétherapist made her more famous than he was.

His goal was to become a Pokémon Master and then return to Pallet Town to take over his grandfather's lab as a researcher. But how could he reach the level of the Professor Oak when he wasn't even seen as anything special.

The world outside of Pallet Town had definitely taught him humility at its finest, reminding him that even though he accomplished so much he still had a long way to go. His Pokédex still wasn't yet full enough.

The snarky side of him would have made a rude remark about the kind nurse's concern, but he just bit his tongue and smiled at her pleasantly. "Thanks. I'll keep that in mind."

He stored his Pokéballs in his Pokébelt and bowed his head in thanks before leaving the Pokémon Center. He braced himself for the cool air outside, the automatic doors opening quickly. He tightened his black jacket around himself, crossing his arms to keep the warmth near his body as he made his way to the town store.

He felt the Pokéballs in his belt jiggle for a second and smiled as he arranged for his coat to lay over them, shielding them from the wind. Nurse Joy's warning buzzed in his ears as he entered the store and alerted the clerk to the items he needed. He'd be going north if he wanted to make it home fast enough and he needed to make sure he was prepared. He wasn't a novice trainer; he knew of the dangers that the wilderness and ice covered seas had in store for him.

The rational side of him made it clear that he should be worried, but his pride wouldn't deflate enough to take any dangers seriously. He welcomed this new mindset, preferring it to the somber one he'd been experiencing.

Lately, having been wandering around from town to town for months, he had found himself feeling less motivated. It couldn't have been loneliness because he had engaged in many battles and met countless people along the way, though there was something lacking in his grand expedition that left him puzzled. It was almost like the main source of his inspiration had died out.

He shrugged the odd feeling off as he took his took his items and paid the store clerk, stuffing them into the small backpack on his shoulders.

Outside the store, he put a hand to his belt, fingers latching on to a Pokéball as he began his summons. The ball glowed brightly in his hands as he smiled. The wind was picking up, swirling his hair and clothes around his thin frame as a blast of light seemed to surround him from each angle.

If everything went according to plan, then he'd be home sooner than his grandfather thought.

The journey had been long and tiresome, his body feeling the strain to having gone so long without any sleep. He felt a bit self-conscious about it as he arrived in town, hoping he didn't look as exhausted as he felt. He was a bit disappointed that there weren't any people to greet him and that when he passed by the locals he only got a mediocre greeting in comparison to the big celebration he usually got. Even the girls who cheered for him weren't anywhere in sight.

Then he remembered that he forgot to update his website about this change of events. They probably thought he was still far away. Maybe when got to the research lab, he could update it a bit. They'd be sure to run over as soon as they saw the news!

Satisfied with that, he continued walking down the drive to his home, Umbreon close beside him, its dark body a drastic contrast to the light colors of the countryside. When they had been traveling in cool weather, Umbreon had taken to resting in its Pokéball. But now that they were almost home-the cold weather that had descended on Pallet Town had already made the trees naked and bare- it still wasn't as cold as the other places they travelled.

Umbreon was the only Pokémon he had ever bonded with. The others had always just been to serve his purpose in becoming a Pokémon Master. But now, he was starting to understand why Ash had been so determined about bonding with his own Pokémon and why his grandfather studied about the relationships between Pokémon and their trainers.

When he walked, his hand would sway because of momentum and occasionally brush against Umbreon's fur. He wasn't sure how the citizens of his small home town would react to seeing such a strange Pokémon. Pallet Town wasn't very advanced as the other places in the world he had visited and he had a feeling Umbreon may become some kind of tourist attraction if people weren't used to seeing it.

Not only did Umbreon's dark coloring and markings stand out, but rings on its body blinked off and on at night almost like a warning traffic sign. It was bound to attract attention somehow.

Regardless, he wouldn't let himself overreact if the others got too pushy. Umbreon was his friend and it would always be like that between them.

As if in agreement, Umbreon swiveled its head to nuzzle at his hand. Gary gave it a soft smile as he made to scratch its ear. Umbreon's crimson cat-like eyes closed at the contact, content and happy as it gave a little purr that rumbled deep in its throat.

He enjoyed the peace and quiet of their walk and was almost sad to end it when he reached the doors of his grandfather's lab. But he promised the Professor he would arrive as soon as possible-no point in dilly-dallying.

He was a man of his word after all.

He reached up and placed his hand on a panel just next to the door frame. The finger scanner made it easy for all the occupants of the lab and Professor Oak's aides to come in and out without any hassle, while it kept intruders who might be after the Professor's research out.

He supposed that he might have to be just as careful as his grandfather one day, too.

"Welcome home, Gary Oak." The monitor exclaimed through the speaker when it finished the scan, the front door sliding open.

He stepped inside, Umbreon at his side as they entered the entry room of the house. It was surprisingly quiet as he passed a stair case and continued stepping down the hallway moving from the living quarters to the research part of the lab.

Normally he would have been upset or annoyed that no one had greeted him properly upon entering, but after living with his grandfather and sister for years, he'd gotten used to his two relatives being too busy. But it was strange. Usually by now there'd be an explosion or Tracy would run by, some part of him frozen or on fire…it was definitely too quiet in his home.

A little suspicious and wanting to move forward with vigilance, Gary made eye contact with Umbreon, the silent signal telling it to be cautious in case someone or something else was here-someone that wasn't welcome at all.

In response, Umbreon seemed to hunch down on all fours in anticipation as they reached the doors to the lab. Gary moved his ear to hover just above the door, listening for any noise. The only thing he could hear was a slight rustling of papers and a chair scraping against the floor.

Adrenaline spiked through him and with a final nod to Umbreon, Gary pushed the green button that made the automatic door slide open. Both of them darting quickly inside the lab.

There was only one occupant in the room besides himself and Umbreon. The figure sat alone at the desk in front of several test tubes, reviewing each one before writing notes. An experiment, he supposed. Gary would have been curious, but the back of the head facing toward him stole his attention. He'd seen the red hat and spiky dark hair too many times to second guess their owner's identity.

"So Ashy-boy's back in Pallet Town too, huh?"

Ash jumped when his old nick-name was called, almost dropping a test tube in his haste. He put it back in the rack with the others and swiveled his chair around, glaring at Gary with a look of irritation.

"What are you doing here?"

Gary smirked in response, guessing that his grandfather hadn't informed Ash or anyone that he was dropping by. "I live here." He said it like it was obvious, and it had Ash frowning a bit as the other boy must have remembered that the research lab was indeed Gary's home. "What about you? I would have thought you'd be competing in the international championships by now. Don't tell you me- you finally realized you'd never be as great as me, and you decided to quit, hmm?"

He couldn't help the cynical voice he directed towards his childhood friend; he was irritated that while he had been trying so hard to keep up their rivalry, Ash had been at the lab doing projects for his grandfather.

His comment seemed to have elicited a defiant response in Ash, as the other young man stood up from his chair. "No, I haven't given up on that! There's no way I would!"

Gary scoffed instinctively at the lame explanation. Why was it that Ash always inspired such cruel intentions from him? He definitely never teased anyone else as much as he teased the other boy. "Really? Then what are you doing here?"

Ash sputtered when put on the spot like that, and Gary saw that even though he was normally dressed in his shirt and jeans, the boy was wearing a lab coat with a name tag.

Ash Ketchum, Research Assistant.

When Ash couldn't offer any reason for him being there, Gary spoke for him, "So you're helping my grandfather?"

"Eh?" Ash's eyes narrowed in confusion. "How did you-I didn't say anything."

"You didn't have too; your name tag explained it all." he said broadly, taking his jacket off and placing it on the rack by the door. He stepped over to one of the adjacent chairs and sat down. Umbreon scampered over to a nearby cushion bed and curled up, wanting to rest just as much as its trainer.

Ash looked down and flushed. "Your grandfather asked me to come back home to help him with his recent experiment. Professor Oak has done so much for me; there was no way I could refuse."

So the old man found some other volunteers for his project, Gary thought to himself, sinking down further in his chair. It would have been nice if his grandfather had warned him, but the older man must have thought Gary would have lost interest and not shown up.

Maybe, but it still didn't explain what the heck was going on here.

"Where's Gramps now?" he finally said at length, the silence in the small lab making him oddly uncomfortable. By the way his friend was shuffling, resting his weight on one leg and then the other; he could guess that Ash felt as awkward as he did.

"He's out back taking care of the Pokémon."

Gary looked at Ash for a brief second, before standing up again. "Alright, I'll be back. I need to have a word with him."

Umbreon lifted its head from the cushion and started to get up to follow him, but Gary waved his hand in dismissal. "It's okay, Umbreon. You can stay here and rest."

Umbreon snuggled down into the cushion, its eyes fluttering closed.

"Keep an eye on Umbreon, won't you?" Gary said, not bothering to wait for Ash to agree as he grabbed his jacket and made his way into the hall. Instead of going back the way he came, he moved farther to the back of the research center, where the Pokémon were being kept.

"Gary!" Ash's voice called out to him, his voice breathy as he must have ran to catch up with him.

"What?" He turned around, half-annoyed and half-curious as to what his childhood friend would chase after him.

"It's just- Please don't be angry with Professor Oak. Seeing you here was a surprise for me too." Ash looked at him earnestly, wringing his hands together nervously. "I know we don't always get along, but the Professor needs us now. Both of us. We have to work together and do our best for him okay?"

Leave it to Ash Ketchum to be preoccupied about other people's feelings. The boy was too selfless for his own good at times. It was both a trait Gary hated and admired. But he never understood why it always bothered him whenever Ash would show compassion to others.

"It's fine. I'm not upset about that." he finally admitted, allowing Ash's worried expression to finally soothe the mild anger he'd felt like a balm. "I'm just going to check in with Gramps and let him know I've arrived."

"Oh." Ash breathed, relieved, and he gave Gary a bright smile. "Alright, see you later then. I'll keep an eye on Umbreon until you get back." He turned around and made his way back to the small lab, leaving Gary alone in the hallway.

Though Gary no longer felt upset about the issue, he still wanted answers. Just what was his grandfather's experiment? Were things so bad back at home that even Gramps had to recruit Ashy-boy for help?

He stalked out the backdoor that led to the fields of pens of Pokémon. He reached in his pocket momentarily, tracing his fingers along the edge of the half-Pokéball he had always carried with him. Drawing strength from it just as he always did.

He could hear voices to his right, over by where the herding Pokémon were being kept. He straightened up, removing his hand from his pockets. He had every intention of getting answers from his grandfather.

Nothing would stop him from getting his explanation.

To be continued.

A/N: This is my first fanfic for Pokémon. :) I hope to continue this story as soon as my exams are over. Please wish me luck and please review if you enjoyed this at all. There will be lots of angst and more GaryXAsh to come in future chapters.

Next time: Where is Pikachu—isn't he always at Ash's side or something? And what kind of experiment is Professor Oak having trouble with?