Hello readers! This is my first fanfiction so go easy on me! :3 But hey, everyone has to start somewhere. Hopefully this will be a long story and I have full intentions on finishing. So please favorite, rate, and follow! Just to let y'all know that Ash is 22 in this story, but it takes place right after the Hoenn seaons of the anime. I have always felt like it takes longer than one year on one season of the show so that's why he is so old. This story also combines elements of the games and the anime. Sooo yeah. Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pokemon or any of the brands mentioned in the story

Passion

I've traveled with two different girls, girls that I love, but don't love like him. I don't understand why, but he's all I think about. He's my passion. My interest. My obsession. I crave him. It's been three years since I've seen him, but I'm changing that right now. I have finally gathered up the courage to tell him how I feel. Hopefully he will feel the same way I do.

"Pika! Pika-chu!" Pikachu says as we see that sign that give me chills with nostalgia.

"Welcome to Pallet Town." I read the sign aloud to make it fell real. "We are almost home Pikachu!"

"Pika!" Pikachu says merrily as he jumps from my shoulder to my head.

We walk that familiar path that lead straight past my house. We would have been here yesterday if I would have let Mom pick me up from the airport, but I just love that walking that path from Viridian City to Pallet. I would go see Gary first but Mom would kill me if I didn't come straight home. That woman worries too much over me. I'm 22 years old, dammit.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I hadn't even realized that I was in the driveway. Mom's flowers were always so beautiful in May. I wonder if Gary would like some flowers. Nah, he's not sappy like that.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu squeals as he bolts to the door and tries to open it.

"Calm down Pikachu! Here let me help you with that. Mom! I'm ho-"

"Surprise!" They all yell as I'm bombarded with cheers and even a couple of catcalls.

"What's going on?"

As soon as the words left my mouth, Mom came rushing through the middle of the crowd and grabbed me in huge hug. "Oh my! You look so weathered! When was the last time you washed! Did you change your underwear?!" Delia said in an almost scolding voice.

"I'm 22 years old Mom! I can take care of myself! Now, what is going on?"

"I wanted to throw you a party since you will be competing in the League Championship tomorrow!" Delia said in her singsong voice.

I start to actually look at the faces in the crowd and notice Misty, Brock, May, Max, Tracy, and... Gary Oak. The beautiful Gary Oak. Just seeing him give me this strange kind of high. I can feel butterfrees in my stomach and my throat going dry. Oh gosh, he's walking over to me. What will he say? Will he be mad now that we are no longer rivals and I stopped contact for the last couple of months? He can't, I stopped contact with everyone, not just him.

"Hey Ashy-boy, it's been too long. Where have you been for the past three months? Why have you not called me?" He says as he's pulls me in for a quick hug. I catch that scent of vanilla and luxury cologne that keeps me up at night thinking of him. He looks so good in that Burberry polo he's wearing, but he would look good in any clothes.

"I've been in the wilderness north of Pewter City training for the Championship. I had cut off all contact with everyone so we could focus on only training. Sorry for lack of contact."

"That's okay. You better win tomorrow! I'm taking a day off at the lab so if you don't win I will go all kinds of crazy on you!" Gary replied in a jokingly angry voice that made me chuckle. He could always find a way to make me laugh.

After our conversation I start to make my way around the room greeting everyone. I wish I could talk to Gary all night but he had to leave for some unknown reason. After Gary left made my way into the kitchen to try and find Brock. It always seems like when you can't find Brock he's in the kitchen. As soon as I walk through the doorway I smell the aroma of fresh berries that reminds me I haven't eaten since breakfast. That's when I notice Brock standing over the stove talking to May.

"Hey guys," I say to get their attention "what's up?"

"Ash!" May exclaims "It's only been a couple of months since you left Hoenn and you don't even call!"

"I'm sorry, I haven't contacted anyone! I've been training since Hoenn for the League Championship!" I pleaded. Damn, maybe this not contact thing was a bad idea after all. I didn't realize that May cared this much. It's hard to see her care for something other than her hair, but that did always make her look better than most woman you would see in a crowd. Tonight was no acceptation; she was wearing a big flowing beige top with skin tight white pants and platform heels that made her just as tall as Brock.

"Then I'm expecting you to win tomorrow!"

The party lasted until nearly 12:00pm and then people started to leave the house. May, Max, and Brock all bid farewell and left for The Oak Manor. Its been a long day of traveling so I made my way up to my room and lock the door only to have someone come and bang on it and start screaming to open up. I could tell it was Misty so I began to weigh the pros and cons of not opening the door. I ultimately decide to open the door.

"Ash, why are you not helping me and Delia clean the house?" The redhead asks and throws an accusing finger on my chest.

"I just spent an entire day walking from Viridian from here. Give me a break."

"Oh Ash, Im just joking. So how did things go with Gary?" She asked. Misty is the only one who knows that I am in love with Gary. I had admitted it to her when I had finally figured it out for myself all those years ago.

"I haven't told him yet."

"And why is that?"

"I'll talk to him after the Championships tomorrow. Hopefully at the Champions Ball." I playfully tease.

"We'll then that's the perfect time because I know you are going to win!" She said as she playfully punched me in the arm. It feels so good to know all of my friends think I'm going to win.

"I will, I will. Now get out of my room unless you want to watch me get undressed."

"Oh my God, Ash!" She screamed as she ran out of the room.

While I'm undressing all I can think about is tomorrow. Tomorrow will be the stepping stone into my future. It could decide my career, my friends, and my relationship with Gary. I could Have Gary on my hip for the rest of my life, or he could not have the same feelings for me and shun me for them. That's is what I am most nervous for tomorrow.

First chapter = Done! Hope you enjoyed it! If you did, tell me in the form of a review! This chapter seems pretty upbeat but I can promise that it gets darker pretty soon. So that's that. Bye guys!