Why Hello there~! Updating the first installation of my COMASHIPPING STORY~~~ But not to worry... their love won't be for a while, as far as they are concerned, they are best friends that are missing the other after spending over a year with one another as rivals.
Disclaimer: I do not own the games, manga, or anime. I do not own any references to anything else in this story, and I do not make a prophet off of it, so not to worry... I just own the plot.
This story will start off as kind of an angsty hurt/comfort but it will evolve into a humor/romance. Not to worry. Shame they don't have four different genres in the thingy where you choose which they will be fore the story.

"Pikachu!" - Talking

Pikachu - Thinking or Chapter Prologues

How many times had he lost? How many crushing defeats at the hands of those who were just too strong? Those who made it impossible for him to attain his dream? Ash looked down at his hands, his pokemon had been given to Nurse Joy a long time ago, tears settled down his cheeks as the losses that were pushed back all came forward. He had never been good enough, usually only barely triumphing over his opponents.
His eyes remained shadowed by the brim of his hat, tears like rain to the storm that roiled and burned it's way through his chest. Iris and Brock sat in the lobby, awaiting his pokemon, but he was resting in his room. Resting... pfft, yeah. More like drowning in his own tears. He bitterly clenched a calloused hand. He was sixteen now, and had been journeying for six years now... and nothing had changed.

As the teen sat in anguish, the moon pouring in excess amounts of light into the room as Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town re-evaluated everything he thought that he had stood for. What of his dreams? His ambitions and goals? Where were they now? They drowned in the tears alongside him. And the morose trainer decided that it was time to re-challenge everything from the beginning.

That was his first mistake.

His second mistake came much later on in his journey

Paul could remember being distinctly surprised when he had flipped on the television in his room at a Pokemon Center only to see his rival on, challenging Dragon Master Lance for the title of Johto Champion. It had actually been quite a pathetic battle, Paul recalled Lance floundering for attacks, but Ash had only pressed harder, pushing Lance into a clear loss. Paul knew the now seventeen year old had won from the second the first attack was called.

Paul had thought nothing of the much more serious Ash Ketchum, it might have been the nerves. He had reasoned it to where there wasn't even an issue. He didn't mention the fact that, whereas Ash had messaged him constantly while in Unova, no one had even so much as heard from him. Paul also didn't mention the teen's eyes had grown a maroonish color, though he had never really bothered to look all that deeply anyway.

Paul was much more annoyed with the fact that with Ash currently challenging a different league, he had no true rival to battle with. Hoenn and Unova had proved to have no true rivals to test his strength... it was absolutely mind-boggling how some of them even managed to obtain the first badge in the league challenge. Though the violet haired trainer supposed it had to do with sheer dumb luck.

The Gossip Mill was no help at all. After Ash had brutally removed Team Rocket from existence, a new one had arisen, and now everyone was saying that the champion had defeated Giovanni and taken over the Crime Syndicate. Paul had scoffed, he knew the trainer better than that, and if there was anything Ash hated more that Pokemon Abuse, it was Team Rocket.

Kanto had been where he'd gone next, but some kid with a Typhlosion and his rival with a Gengar had been going through both Johto and Kanto in the league challenge, both had defeated Lance and were considered insane. They had battles anywhere they met, though perhaps Paul only thought it was insane because he no longer had a rival that he did that with. He had briefly traveled with a trainer named Steven Stone, a former champion, who had helped train his pokemon, but Paul didn't take the Hoenn Challenge. If he won, he didn't know if he could stand to be in such a temperate region for so long.

He wondered if Ash was even still in the Regions, or if he had retired somewhere tropical...

Chapter 1: My eyes are heavy

with all of the losses I have accumulated

Chapter Song: CRAWL by Veltpunch

Snow whirled through the air, there was no one with the form that stood immovably among it, waiting patiently as he always did for the challengers that might make it past all of the insanely strong pokemon that lingered around Mt Silver. All six of his pokemon were situated in their warm pokeballs, while the trainers stared blankly at that snow with bright maroon eyes. How long have I waited for a challenger to defeat me? Has it been a year of five since I first climbed this mountain? Who knew what I was striving for was a life of loneliness at the top of the world?

So few people had made it up to the summit where he stood, the last had been a pair of men, one with brown hair and brown eyes, an easy smile. He had been surprised that someone had awaited, but stated that he wasn't there for a battle.

His companion had long tea green hair in a thick ponytail and bright cerulean eyes. It reminded Ash of the ocean that hadn't seen in so long. All it had been was snow... it the air, falling from the sky, covering the world in a blanket of white. Ash remembered how those oceanic eyes had seen right through to Ash's blizzard-frozen soul, and seemed to pierce through that. It had been unsettling.

They had soon left, stating that they were only travelling the world, not at all bothered by the champion's lack of words. They seemed to fill the air with conversation that Ash felt would be rude to interrupt. Ash had looked them up when they left, and had noticed that, after leaving Unova, a lot had happened, bad things. Team Plasma had tried to liberate pokemon.

Ash had remembered flying it a rage about it, leaving his pokemon in the cabin as he ventured off into the blizzard with red teeming at the edges of his vision.
He remembered screaming to the gunmetal gray sky about the unfairness at how he was doomed to remain the champion until he died.

That had been his second mistake: locking up his emotions

Pallet Town was a typical rural town, it teemed with nature and pokemon that seemed to be everywhere, and the peacefulness that radiated from it only added to its natural charm. It made Paul want to stay there forever, away from the high speed world that seemed to make Pallet Town seem so far away. It was really no wonder that Ash had enjoyed the more rural areas of Sinnoh much more than the urbanized ones.

Which brought him to why he was here; a letter. It had no return address, just told him that if he missed his rival (not that the violet haired trainer would ever admit it) to come to Professor Oak's Ranch. From where Paul stood on the ledge that over looked the town, it was pretty obvious it was the large lab on a good fifteen acres off to the left side of town, which was nothing more than a cluster of ten buildings and houses. Paul knew winter was coming with vengeance with the way his breath came out in wisps of white and wore an overly long coat to mid-shin. It was a deep black with purple rims and his usual popped collar. A fluffy white scarf was draped around his next, hiding the lower half of his face, violet hair trailed down his back and light washed jeans peaked out from his coat over trainers. His Honchcrow flew with him as he approached the small town, cooing softly to his trainer as he landed on his shoulder.

He wondered why anyone would take the time to call him to the town anyway, and to save a rival. As far as he knew, the only person he even considered a rival was Ash, and he was pretty sure the teenager (he had to be around nineteen or twenty now), was strong enough to take care of himself. Stuffing his hands into his pockets, he shrugged. There was something to be said about the prospect of an adventure... Paul scoffed, Ash had always had luckiest timing for his adventures.

The path was narrowing as he approached the lab. Honchcrow ruffled his feathers as voices from behind the door made themselves known, whoever was in there was loud and Paul had to curse Reggi for making him go. His hand had been reached out to knock, but he quickly retracted it, unsure if he really wanted to bother himself with loud idiots. He knew that if troublesome or any of his fake rivals were there, he'd leave immediately. He could just leave right then and there, save himself all the trouble, it'd probably be best to do so.

Curiosity is something that ought to be damned, because while his mind screeched that he didn't want to go in, his hand raised and knocked loudly. Paul had a split second to compose himself as the metal door opened and his amythest eyes met those of liquid silver. Crimson hair shined such a red that Paul absently wandered if it was a side effect of a pregnant mother eating Tomato Berries. The boy wore a black coat with red lining and dark pants tucked into snowboots. "Are you Paul Shinji?" He asked, sizing the other trainer up.

Paul raised a brow, "If I were anyone else, I wouldn't be here." He stated, snappy from the cold, he'd always hated Snowpoint City. And winter in general... but the cold had a way of reducing his already fragile temper into something to be feared.

In an astounding display of selective hearing, the boy ignored Paul and opened the door, turning to someone that Paul couldn't see yet, a serious expression on his face as Paul stepped through the door, returning his Honchcrow. Eventually, Paul realized that he was looking at Gary Oak, the newest Viridian City Gym Leader after Ash had decimated Giovanni in battle. Paul only recognized him from seeing him with Ash briefly in Sinnoh and some random battle show that he had watched in Veilstone briefly after travelling through Hoenn.

As Paul stepped fully into the sitting room, the Gym Leader smirked, "Great, now we're all here." Paul took a brief moment to notice that the red-head from before was leaning against the wall next to a boy with jet black hair tamed by a black and yellow hat and a red jacket with gray sweats and black shoes. And then another pair off to the side: N Harmonia, the man from a news report that said he was a former leader of a criminal orginization named Plasma that had tried to liberate pokemon, and so-called hero Hilbert next to him that had single-handedly defeated the orginization.

Paul felt his eyes twitch as he realized that Ash made strange friends and then realized that the jet-haired boy had blatantly told him that they were friends after he had left continued, oblivious to mental storm that was brewing within the violet-haired Sinnoh-native,"Now that we are here, I'm here to break the news."The Gym Leader grinned in some sort of unholy glee that Paul didn't quite understand, "Gold here went up to Mt. Silver to challenge the Kanto Champion, supposedly, so the rumours say. They were true! Ashy-boy has become a hermit and we are going to bring him back to society and-"

The green-tea haired man smiled in serene happiness, "While I do believe it is wonderful that you care about the astute man, perhaps he has a reason to have isolated himself? Did he even come back home after his defeat in Unova?" The man asked, tilting his head. Paul huffed, shrugging, he hadn't heard the slightest peep out of anyone in three years, bar now. The man's eyes reminded Paul out the river near Floroma, he crossed his arms.

Gary place a finger on his chin, "I don't even know how he did in Unova, to be honest... I was pretty busy researching in Sinnoh..." The former researcher (which was more like a way to leave the gym now) tilted his head in confusion, "He never did tell me how he did in Sinnoh, either."

Paul scoffed in irritation, "And you're his rival?" He asked sarcastically, "He lost to Alder, but had him on the ropes. Tobias defeated him pretty hands down... but he did manage to draw out his second pokemon." Violet eyes narrowed, "He always did take losses to heart." Well, perhaps that was what made him different (more difficult to deal with) that other people. He shrugged, and in a mocking tone stated, "I wouldn't know, I was in Hoenn and Kanto traveling." The red-haired man gave a small smirk but remained quiet.

In yet another astounding display of extremely selective hearing, Gary shoved his hands into the pockets of his insulated research coat, "He still needs to rejoin Society, being at the summit of a mountain in the freezing cold can't be good for old Ashy-boy's mentality..."
Gold nodded, "He didn't say anything besides pokemon command, and then he just left!" Gold waved his arms to indicate how annoyed he was, "Who does that!?" He asked, "Not to mention that he's just standing there like a statue when you get there, scared the hell outta me..." He muttered, before catching sight of the red head rolling his eyes in annoyance, "Don't make that face, Silver! I'd like to see you go up against him!" He challenged, only receiving a smirk that said 'you-are-such-a-dumbass-but-because-I-pity-your-st upidity-I'll-take-up-your-idiotic-challenge.' Gold sulked.

Gary looked reaffirmed, "Besides, guess who has to take care of his pokemon while he's livin it up at the top of a mountain?" Two thumbs jabbed at his chest, "This guy!" He stated, "And the ones that knew me when I was still young, aka: a complete asshole, don't like me, and they passed the hatred around like it was some kind of STD! I feel like I might get mauled to death in that deathtrap of a ranch Gramps has. Especially that damn Meganium... she fires a razor leaf at me every day!" He sulked, shoving his hands in his pockets.

Paul was always less of a talker and more of a doer, which is why he felt this who gathering was annoying as hell. He snorted, "If you really wanted him back so bad, go get him yourself." He stated.

Hilbert smiled, "Perhaps Ash doesn't like Gary..." He teased, watching as the other brunette slumped, muttering about how they were still rivals and Ash would only battle him... no talk.

N grinned, "I see no problem," he stated, long white coat flowing as he began walking out of the lab, Hilbert following at a more sedate pace. Gary walked at the front, N and Hilbert in front of Paul and the Johto Duo in the middle. Paul trailed behind as they slowly made their way out of Pallet Town and towards Indigo Plateau.
The idiot had better be up there when they got there.

Eyes were shadowed under the brim of a black and white hat as a large bird pokemon landed gracefully next to the figure, their popped white collar of a blue and white vest ruffling in the gust that blew past him, sending snow scattering in the wind. Shadowed merlot eyes looked up as the bird cawed. It was a caw that made his mouth twist into a grim line. He only had to wonder if his reign would end soon.

He could only hope.