"Hmm? What is it, Arcanine?" Gary asked the massive dog at his side. Arcanine's reddish fur was bristling uncharacteristically, its nose sniffing the air. It turned to nudge its trainer once, then started off at a dogtrot through the woods. Slightly worried, Gary followed.
The Pokemon led its master for several long minutes before a strong, coppery scent hit Gary's nose. Wincing back disgust, he turned to his guide. "What is it? Blood doesn't usually affect you this bad."
Arcanine let loose a low howl before it led Gary through a thick patch of trees. On the other side sat two people, an unconscious third, and a very distraught Pikachu.
Pikachu looked up at the noise Gary and Arcanine made as they entered the clearing. Brock and Misty reacted to the surprised noise the electric rodent made.
"Gary?" Misty asked, shocked.
"What happened?" Gary demanded, kneeling beside his fallen rival. Blood stained bandages covered much of Ash's usually bare skin. His face was deathly pale.
Brock shrugged. "We don't know. He said something about a Pokemon in the bushes and went rushing off."
"By the time we caught up to him…" Misty trailed off sadly.
Gary gritted his teeth against their incompetence.
It's not their fault, he told himself bitterly. They don't realize what's after us. They don't know how badly our families…
He gave his head a violent shake. Either way, he had to save Ash.
"I think some of his injuries are infected," he said quietly. The smell coming off him can't be much else…
He finally settled on a course of action. "He needs a hospital."
The brunette quickly scooped his childhood friend up.
"Where are you going?" Misty demanded. "Moving him won't help; the nearest hospital is miles away."
Gary slid Ash up onto Arcanine's broad back before climbing up after him. "Arcanine and I will take him to the doctor in the village east of here."
Brock hurriedly pulled out their map, "there's nothing east of here!"
Gary resisted the urge to yell at Ash's friends. "It's too small to be on your map. We'll meet you there."
It took some time, but Brock and Misty finally located the tiny village. A small boy met them at the entrance and led them wordlessly to a small hut near the far edge of the village. Ash lay inside, bandaged very thoroughly. Gary sat calmly nearby, his eyes fixed on the sleeping form of his rival. He stood as the two trainers came in, motioning for them to follow him.
"Well? How is he?" Misty asked as soon as they were safely in the silence outside.
"He'll recover," Gary answered calmly. Both of Ash's friends breathed sighs of relief. Misty darted off to see him.
Brock and Gary sat in awkward silence for a moment before Brock spoke quietly.
"He really admires you, you know."
Gary refused to meet his gaze. "I know. But he can't."
Brock was slightly taken back, "what do you mean?"
The younger trainer flinched and hissed a curse, "none of your business."
Brock frowned, "if it involves Ash, then yes, it is my business."
"And if Ash wanted you to know, he would have told you himself," came the instant, dark reply.
The Pokemon breeder swallowed back an angry retort – a skill honed by years of taking care of twelve younger siblings. "Look, Gary, I want you to tell me what's going on, and I want you to tell me now."
Gary was slightly impressed by Brock's even, calm disposition, but he shook his head, "no."
Raising his arms in frustration, Brock finally demanded, "why not?"
"Because it's personal."
"SO? I want to help!"
"Well, you can't!" To Gary's dismay, his voice broke. Brock was on him instantly with his brotherly instincts.
"You can tell me Gary. I promise to help in any way that I can."
Defeated, Gary whispered, "Promise not to tell?" Brock nodded, so he continued. "Ash can't look up to me because he has to beat me. Our mothers are fiercely competitive. They always have been. And if I don't win…" He quickly shied away from the topic. "Which is why Ash has to win; it shouldn't be hard. He's better than me to start with, and I keep giving him reasons to…"
Brock's steady hand on his shoulder stopped his babbling.
"I understand," he began, but Gary cut him off quickly.
"No, you don't!"
"Then help me to!"
Gary sighed angrily. "Coming from a family of geniuses has some downsides. When your idiot father can invent a machine to track and kill anything…"
Realization hit Brock. "Is that what attacked Ash?"
"Probably. But he made one to track me too." Gary shuffled his feet uncomfortably.
"…But that means…"
Gary twitched. "Yes, Ash and I are half-brothers."
"Wait, let me make sure I understand this." Brock massaged his forehead. "Your father has…"
"A wife and a mistress," Gary supplied.
"A wife and a mistress," Brock echoed, "and he invented a machine to track and kill both his sons for them?"
"That's about right."
Brock shook his head in amazement and disgust. "But Ash's mom always seemed so nice."
"Hey, guys, he's waking up!" Misty called from the huts doorway.
Brock smiled, then looked at Gary. "You coming?"
Pain flashed briefly across the brunette's face, "no, go ahead." He grabbed Brock's arm as the older trainer turned to leave. "Do me a favour?"
"Sure," the breeder answered uncertainly. "What is it?"
"Don't tell Ash I was here."
"You sure?" when Gary nodded, he sighed. "Fine, he'll never know."
"Good. Take care of him for me." With that Gary turned and walked out of the village.
"Brock, you coming?" Misty called.
He watched Gary walk out of sight. "Yeah, I'm coming."
(I've lied to you The same way that I always do This is the last smile That I'll fake for the sake of being with you Everything falls apart, even the people who never frown eventually break downThe sacrifice of hiding in a lie Everything has to end, you'll soon find we're out of time left to watch it all unwindThe sacrifice is never knowing Why I never walked away Why I played myself this way Now I see your testing me pushes me away I've tried like you To do everything you wanted too This is the last time I'll take the blame for the sake of being with you We're all out of time, this is how we find how it all unwinds The sacrifice of hiding in a lie We're all out of time, this is how we find how it all unwinds The sacrifice is never knowing
Why I never walked away Why I played myself this way Now I see your testing me pushes me away)
Song Lyrics are Linkin Park's 'Pushing Me Away'. I don't own Pokemon or the characters, the title, or the song