Author's Note:

So here it is the final chapter of Foolish Invincibility!

First, I would just like to say how much I have appreciated all the reviews and favs/follows on this fic. It's exciting to see so many of you enjoy my dynamics between the entire Pallet Town gang, and I can't thank you guys enough. :) Thank you all for the continued support and I sincerely hope this ending will be satisfying.

Especially to my beta reader who has been very patient for the conclusion. I really REALLY hope you enjoy this last chapter. You're the best beta reader anyone could ask for. Thank you for everything! :) And just to make this story feel complete, I hope to one day have a cover of your choice up for it too! After all, the gift wouldn't be complete without a cover now would it? ;)

Now please, take a dive into our bittersweet conclusion that is HOPEFULLY combed through enough to be free of errors.

P.S. Since this is now complete, I will continue working on wrapping up Silently Broken. But due to my schedule, it looks like it will most likely be finished in early to mid July. I'm sorry for the hold up, but I've had less time to write and thorough edits need their time. :) But I promise to complete it!

Foolish Invincibility

Chapter 4

Implied Apologies

Delia was left wide eyed and speechless.

Ash's answer... It explained everything.

In one fell swoop, Delia's eyes clasped shut and her arms instinctively reached for her son's shoulders. In an instance, she wrapped him up in her tight, but soothing motherly hold and held him close to her chest with a steady breath. A breathing technique she had used to calm her unraveled nerves.

As for Ash, he kept his good arm stiff in the air, while his broken one remained gently tucked near his rib cage. He was absolutely puzzled by his mother's reaction, and was expecting her to shut down completely or dismiss the mention of his father entirely. He knew how much Delia disliked discussing his dad, and did his best to avoid bringing him up in most conversations, but this time... This time was strangely different; the boy didn't know what to make of it.

"Mom..." Ash eventually started in a muffled breath, his mouth buried below Delia's shoulder. "W-why are you hugging-"

"Because I'm sorry. So, so sorry... " Delia's voice trailed off into the silence as she closed her eyes again.

What could she say to take any of this pain away? The pain she and Ash had both been quietly enduring.

As much as the woman tried to overlook it, rumors about her marriage had spread like wild fire ever since her husband, Jay, gave her the impression that he desired to train and collect badges. And then out of the blue, he soon left with a bitter goodbye and no promises of calling any time soon or stopping by for holidays or birthdays-

It had taken a toll on Delia instantly.

Her love's immediate departure had left Delia heartbroken and depressed for a good couple of years before she stored her true feelings on the matter, and dreams of his return in the back of her mind and kept it there for several reasons.

One being Ash.

She presumed there was no point mourning over Jay's absence, seeing it made her sick just thinking about and unfortunately, had left Ash with a similar unpleasant feeling as well. So Delia soon forced herself into believing she was protecting her son, thinking talking less and less about Jay would wipe away all the hurt and loss of closure. Like he never was a part of their lives, like he hadn't even existed. But apparently, it had brought more turmoil than peace to their lives.

The strange and sudden happening still reared its ugly head without Jay even being there, which seemed as if the town's people themselves were causing more harm to the matter rather than the man who literally tore their family apart. And now, it was hitting Ash more directly than her, thanks to none other than Gary Oak who was most likely, being influenced by others' words. That seemed like the most logical assumption to Delia, but then again... he could have simply found Ash to be a weaker being to pick on. A way to make him forget about his own personal struggles with his home life or friends, or his envious and easily being threatened nature in particular.

Either way, none of it was humane, and Delia certainly wasn't going to permit such cruel and senseless words jab at her boy any longer. They didn't know Jay like she did... And though she fought immensely with her afflicted feelings on his leaving, on him as a person in general, she couldn't bear to have her son be told that he was a pathetic, worthless father, or some kind of selfish monster...

Delia breathed heavily through her nostrils as she attempted to collect her wits, gently rubbing her boy's back with a quick gaze up at the ceiling. Oh, all the trouble that had been caused over such thoughtless banter. "This- what we've had to undergo with- it..." She was struggling with her words once more, but she pressed forward anyway, swallowing each agonizing gulp down with composure.

"It isn't your fault," Delia finally spat out strongly. "None of it. And I'm sorry that you got the blunt of it. Honey…" There was soon a separation between the two; Delia's hands softly resting on Ash's shoulders while she spoke, though soon a hand dove for his untamed bangs, swooping them away gently from his eyes. She smiled weakly at him, an unreadable look Ash couldn't crack.

"Whatever Gary said about your dad, whether it was about climbing the tree or not, your dad wouldn't want you to defend him."

Ash met his mother's gaze again with a cloudy vision and lowered brows. Clearly, there was no point in explaining what he and Gary were arguing over, for Delia had quickly deciphered Jay was somehow mixed up in the whole tree incident. Yet still, the boy did not compute why he should not feel obligated to defend his father. Whether he was absent in his life or not, Jay was his father, and Ash tried desperately to keep a positive image of him locked inside his memories and for it to stay there permanently.

The boy wasn't ready to accept his mom's request. "Why not?"

"Because your father can take care of himself and-" she paused again with another subtle sigh. "That's not fair to you, and I know he would recognize that."

He would recognize that? At first, it was almost like music to Ash's ears, that Delia did indeed still see good in her estranged husband; that he wasn't all cowardly and cold as people had whispered so bravely through town.

More than anything, Ash wanted to believe and be assured by his mother's words. However, he questioned her certainty anyway with both hesitation and pure curiosity. "H-how do you know?"

A faint and somehow comforting smile returned to Delia's face. "I just do," she replied plainly.

Delia rarely ever spoke anything about her husband, much less say, anything kind about him. However no matter how difficult it was for her to stomach, Ash was in need of some reassurance; halfway sincere reassurance. Whether Ash was aware of it or not, his mother still had plenty of reasonable doubts against her absent husband, but she did not doubt however, the love he had for Ash. She just couldn't.

After seeing the look on Jay's face, when baby Ash was first placed in his arms and the smile that glowed from his lips with such purity- it was hard to deny such a love could ever be broken to Delia. Even if the worst circumstance was possible, that Jay had grown not to care for his family as he once delicately had, Delia did know at one point that he deeply treasured his only son. He cared for him so much to keep him away from his own issues, to prevent Ash from being brought into them. And that once proven fact, was going to stick in Ash's mind for as long as Delia could.

"But Mom," Ash kept on persisting anyway, "it's so hard when I'm told otherwise-"

"I know it's hard, sweetheart. Believe me, I understand."

And that was no exaggeration.

Out of all people, Delia did understand. It was bad enough that she got to hear and be told a good amount of all the lies and reminders that had spread throughout town to the point where even new residents knew about the tattering of her marriage. But for those people- For them to tell their children lies, for them to make her baby feel so low and defenseless against their insensitive cruelty, and for them to not factor in the repercussions to their actions-Delia could hardly stomach it. She was angry all right. Fed up with all the nonsense that was so unbelievably uncalled for, that she was beginning to feel some strength in confronting the problem. Well, at least with Annie and Chad Oak. That much she could and would handle.

But what did this mean for Ash? He never cared to play out the typical scenario. Tattling on Gary, and running to his 'mommy' for comfort and hope of him paying for his crimes. He was positive that's how Gary would describe it, and Ash didn't need any more bullying from being a supposed 'mamma's boy' on top of everything else too. Being without a dad was hard enough.

With a gulp, Ash's eyes focused to the coffee table near them. He figured there was no other way in resolving the matter logically besides confronting it head on. "So are- are you gonna talk to Gary's parents?"

Delia nodded without hesitation. "Yes. But I'm sure Prof. Oak has already beaten me to it."

Ash couldn't help but scoff at that. He saw that his mom was trying to make the situation lighter, but that didn't change the fact that he was aware that Gary was good at fibbing and twisting the truth when needed in his favor. "I dunno, Mom," he started with a frown. "Gary probably won't admit about mocking Dad." He then suddenly scoffed afterward, drawing his eyes away once more with a louder scoff. "Busy calling him a prissy rich boy who could never climb a tree without calling for his mommy..."

The concerned mother watched her boy's eyes focus off to the side with a deep depressed and disgusted scowl, and speedily took action in ceasing it. She didn't want to hear this heart-wrenching and ludicrous statement any longer. Not out of Ash's mouth or anyone else's.

With a firm expression, Delia beckoned for her son's attention. "Ash, look at me." He almost responded begrudgingly, though did so without a fight and instead let out an irritated huff through his mouth.

"I can image what Gary said, and I'm now assuming what he's been saying hurts and it's not right, but- What people say... what Gary has heard, or has been told, isn't true." The last part appeared to capture Ash's full attention, his eyes slowing glimmering with less darkness and more light. Like hope. "Those words about your dad, well..." How could Delia put it? With both strength and quick thinking, she finished her sentence and produced another little grin from her lips. "I want you to try to remember the good things about him."

Good things about him... His mother was doing a damn good job at leaving him stupefied. Though she was not speaking extremely high praise about Jay, there was still a hint of persuasion in her tone that Ash could identify. And he wanted to make sure it was fully true.

Without holding back, Ash flickered his brown eyes at his mom and swallowed another gulp. "There were good things about him Mom, right?"

This time, Delia couldn't resist breaking out into a sweet smile, and how it almost made her blush. She couldn't deny any of that. "Yes," she began softly, brushing a stand of lose hair behind her ear. "Yes there were."

Her dreamy expression didn't last long though, and morphed back into her typical motherly one, with both calm eyes and a loving grin. And Ash recognized that one much faster than the other one. "Now I don't want you worrying anymore. I'll talk to Gary's parents when it's appropriate," she explained firmly with both poise and kind firmness. "But as for you young man, I want you to rest. And try-" There was something else she needed to remind her son, something very important. "Try not to take what Gary has said to heart. I'm sure he doesn't always mean to come across like this."

If that was the case, if Gary didn't intend on always lashing out onto Ash that didn't change the fact that it affected him so horribly. Ash saw there may have been truth to his mother's words, though he found it practically impossible to really believe Gary Oak's actions weren't intentionally targeted at him. After all, he had made it particularly clear of his dislike towards Ash, and the result of the turmoil was enough proof in itself.

Eventually, the boy gave in and let another deep heavy stubborn breath blow from his mouth. "Yeah, I guess I see where you're coming from... but Mom?" He perked up with a residing thirst of wonder. Something was still bugging him. "If you really think Gary doesn't mean what he does then why- why does he do it?"

How could she explain this delicately to Ash? Delia soon sighed one more time, and shrugged. There wasn't much she could say. It was a fairly straight forward answer, yet the depth of it was more complex than the average nine-year-old could comprehend. Even the nine-year-olds who were going through the turbulence themselves.

"Because he's human, and no one is perfect but- that doesn't excuse any of it," Delia made sure to add. "And growing up can be tough in different ways for all people. He might be going through something."

The last thing Delia wanted was to fill her son's head with false assumptions or drop valid hints she already knew about Gary's ongoing troubles. However, she felt she had said enough to satisfy Ash's wondering mind and hoped she had made it clear to him that not just he and her were going through a difficult time. Others fought daily with their own battles, battles that could have been possibly worse than their own.

Which could have explained a lot as to why bullies, like Gary, do what they do.

"Maybe..." Ash pondered in return, twisting his mouth again as he thought. He was now-feeling some foreign acceptance to his mother's basic response, and somewhat comprehended her statements. He had seen a sparkle of goodness from time to time in his rival, not making his completely crude and impossible to get along with. Even though those incidents were once in a blue moon, Ash tried to hear his mom out. Not even Gary Oak could be totally heartless...

Ash nodded once more, appearing to be settled with the discussion. He didn't see much point going over Gary and his antics anymore, considering they would be going around in circles. And well, he had other more significant questions in mind.

"Hey Mom," he called again with a silly grin, bursting as he spoke. "Dad was a better climber than Gary's dad, right?"

Delia almost wanted to laugh out loud. She was beginning to reimagine herself as a teenager again and seeing her boyfriend's friend, the reckless Chad Oak, attempt to climb the same exact tree and land straight on his back in one loud thud. Then there was Jay, who gracefully and swiftly soared each tree branch like it was nothing. Like everything else he had done...

"Sure, honey," she giggled with a shake of her head. She was glad to see him feeling better. "But Ash, I just want you to be you. Without any comparison to anyone," she added warmly, placing her finger playfully on his nose. He chortled at that as she drew back, still smiling. Though Ash was indeed the son of Jay, Delia never expected him to be just like him, or behave or do as he did. She wanted to make sure her boy was aware that he was his own person; that he didn't need to be compared to his father, good or bad. He was just... Ash. And that's all Delia wanted.

"You're the best climber in the world in my eyes," she continued sweetly, however, narrowed her eyebrows a tad at her last comment. "Though I would prefer if you didn't climb up so high anymore." Altogether, she then thought to herself, sweat dropping, I would prefer you didn't climb at all!

Usually, Delia avoided talking about Jay like the plague, making this a truly rare occasion between the two. And though it was brief, the conversation did bring some ease to Ash's confusion over his father… well, in general. He had a somewhat solid picture of what he remembered of his dad, and how smart, witty, and kindhearted he was… And Ash distinctively remembered when he left, but never fully why.

However as of now, he wasn't going to strain his rattled mind over it. He was going to take his mom's helpful advice, and make the most of the rest of his summer. And let go of what Gary had said and done. No matter how difficult that was going to be.

Not long after his mother's reply, Ash chuckled softly with understanding. "I'll try to keep that in mind, Mom."

Even as it struck eleven o'clock and the faint sound of his parents' footsteps ventured off to bed, Gary was still wide awake and diligent as ever.

After the nail-biting and surprisingly calm discussion of Ash's accident between Prof. Oak and his folks, Gary had received one of the heaviest punishments from Annie and Chad, and did not argue their final decision. Though the boy's parents clearly recognized it was not their son's intention for Ash to end up with a broken arm, they still didn't take the issue lightly, and found it best to deliver some kind of a consequence. Gary knew he was guaranteed limited time at the lab with his grandfather, and that he was going to have the precious remote-control taken away for a reasonable fashion and most importantly above all-

Gary's parents requested for him to apologize to Ash, and to further cease speaking such harsh and untrue words about the boy's father. It was something the confident boy hadn't done before. And it was going to be hard.

However for some odd reason, Gary found his dedication to the apology strong and sincere. He had promised his folks that he would make an effort without any rebellion, for he had already felt down right terrible about the entire mess. So with that, borne a brilliant idea in his sharp mind. Gary didn't take much time to process his concept, but simply found himself locked in his room, working away on setting things right.

Setting things right through the expression of an apology gift made with his own hands. And still trying to drum up the courage to write the few sentences.

With all the glorious talents Gary was blessed with since birth, the boy was never good at admitting he was in the wrong or owning up to his actions, or really bothered to present gifts to any of his friends, much less Ash Ketchum... Yet he felt an indescribable determination to make it the best he knew how. As much as he felt jealously fume up inside every time he laid eyes on Ash, Gary did not want to give his rival the impression that he wished to see physical harm fall upon him. That's not what he wanted at all. He had not planned on letting his personal problems go to such an extreme and for Ash to land up in the hospital... To have a broken arm...

The thought of seeing Ash's tear drenched face, his arm limp and painful to touch as he squealed, made Gary's stomach churn, his conscious eating away at him in furious and huge bites. Whether there would be difficulty in swallowing his pride or not, the nine-year-old was going to have to come to terms with the outcome, and do his utmost best to make amends for his parents, for Samuel, for Ash- and of course, for himself. And though Ash may not accept the apology, at least Gary had put forth genuine effort, which was better than not trying at all.

Samuel had reminded his grandson of just that before he retired for the evening.

But soon after he began attempting to write his concept on paper, the haunting reminder, the biggest reason why Gary felt so obligated to show kindness and plea for forgiveness popped back into his head. The reason behind Ash's attempt at climbing the tree... Oh how more than anything Gary wished he had kept his big mouth shut, had he not spilled out hurtful words about his rival's father, words he knew weren't true, and had just soared the tree himself-

And the boy felt even worse for realizing why he did it; foolish and low.

But could Gary break the cycle? Could he really change for the better, for the better of him and Ash's rocky relationship? The boy wasn't sure. He didn't know if things would ever be smooth sailing for them. There was just too much... envy. Too much discreet jealousy for his own inflicted wounds to heal.

There were bound to be more bumps and troubles down the road, but as for today... Through this apology gift, Gary was trying his hardest to prevent any more future squabbles about this accident from blooming. He was in control of that much, and even though there wasn't much too this little present, there was a huge statement being made inside of it. With all his might through shockingly alert eyes and pencil in hand, Gary hoped that maybe this very breif message would deliver an honest to goodness apology, a form of a truce in a way as well.

At least for the time being.

"Don't write so big, Tate! There won't be room for me to write my name!"

"I left ya some room! I've just never signed a cast before, so I wanna make my first one stand out."

Not long after their late breakfast, the Ketchum doorbell had unleashed a big ring through the house, and as Delia ventured forth to answer it, she was surprised to have two sheepish grinning boys at her door wishing to see none other than Ash. Her lips thought couldn't help but return their kindness with her own grin. Even though her little boy seemed all right after their bittersweet discussion and hit the pillow without any difficulty of falling asleep, the woman was delighted for there to be a distraction for Ash. It was clear neither one of them found enjoyment in talking about the touchy subject of Jay, and that Gary's antics weren't exactly what one would call a good morning chat, it was about time for at least one of them to have some positive entertainment.

Delia was very glad and thankful for this. As she swiftly invited Peter and Tate in she hoped their presence would take some of the stress away from Ash, and for her son to simply go on like a kid with no worries of any kind. If there needed to be further discussion about Gary's behavior with his parents there would be, and Delia would handle it with maturity and poise. However, today wasn't the day for any of that. What mattered was for Ash to feel better and for him to take part in some summer fun.

Even if it meant his fun would take place with hardly any upper body mobility.

Once Delia called Ash down and greeted his surprised guests, she whipped them up a quick lunch before they stomped off to Ash's bedroom to watch who knows how many hours of Pokémon battles or talk about Pokémon in general.

Though instead of doing the same old song and dance, Peter and Tate were busy inquiring about Ash's arm's current state, and taking liberty to be the first to sign his newly wrapped cast. But Ash didn't mind. Through Ash's big smile, he was obviously glad to see Tate and Peter willingly come over on their own, and most importantly, wanted to spend time with him. He also had to admit, that he kind of liked the attention, seeing he hadn't had friends dote over him in what felt like a long time. It was a great feeling; just to kick back and relax and have casual conversation like they used to, without any random outbursts of squabbles occurring.

"Thanks for coming over guys," Ash said, his still broken arm perched off to the side as Tate worked away on his name. They hadn't been up there long, though it was long enough for Ash to have to turn on his little fan and circulate some cool air in the closed room.

"And thanks for being the first to sign my cast!" he added with another bigger grin, then his eyes diverted over to a small get well gift lying next to him. Ash was in awe of their thoughtfulness. "These stickers are really cool too Peter!"

Peter plopped down on Ash's desk chair and grinned back with enthusiasm. "Aren't they?" He was busy fiddling with some of Ash's Pokémon action figures, ones the boys greatly admired and wished to pick up for themselves. "Once Tate and I left the lab, we finally went to Greta's for some sodas. But then we saw these starter stickers at the front counter and we thought they might cheer ya up."

Ash's eyes softened, focusing on the stickers with various Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and Charmander poses. They were a typical treasure that would satisfy a child's happiness, and they certainly had brought cheer to Ash. "Thanks, they really have," he replied with appreciation again. "I actually might want to stick a few of them on my cast."

His friend nodded plainly and returned, though his smile was beginning to fade away. And patience.

With an arching of his eyebrows, Peter continued to watch Tate still work away on his signature and by looking at the time of Ash's clock, he presumed Tate had plenty of minutes to complete such a simple task.

"Hey, are you almost done yet Tate?" he questioned with a slight perturbed tone.

"Just another letter…" the boy mumbled under his breath, his tongue sticking out to the side a little as he pressed the pen of the cast with ease. "And…there! All done!" he exclaimed, finally letting his back get relief from its arched state.

Peter let an eye roll slip as he stood up. "Jeez, it about took you five minutes," he snorted back at his friend's ludicrous proud achievement as he scooted towards them.

Tate's mouth drooped into a frown and he narrowed his eyebrows. "Give me a break already!" the round boy whined with a twirl, handing off the black thick felt pen to Peter. "I want my handwriting to look nice!"

"And practicing your penmanship on Ash's cast is how you want to do it?"

The boy's frown deepened. Tate was never the sharpest one out of the bunch, but he certainly could tell when one of his friends made it clear that his ideas were a bit on the ridiculous side, much less, he didn't appreciate their tone or expression when they did so. In particular, his tolerance was shortened from a previous jab and his anger lashed out on a joking, but slightly exasperated Peter.

"Dude, don't give me a hard time!" the dishwater blonde exploded with a heavy groan. "It's bad enough Gary was pickin' on me earlier!"

The reminder made Peter's cocked brow lower, and his eyes softened with an apologetic gaze. He had forgotten how sensitive his friend was already feeling, thanks to Gary outwardly teasing Tate about his build and in no way tended on mocking him about his low IQ either. "I'm just messin' with ya Tate," the sorry boy started calmly, putting his hands up in defense. "I wasn't trying to hurt your feelings-"

"I know." The finally relaxing sigh out of Tate's mouth assured his pal that the anger was not entirely directed at him. And before they knew it, Tate shrugged it off like he normally would, and threw an inquisitive gaze at Ash over his shoulder. "Hey Ash? Speakin' of Mr. Showoff, have ya heard from him?"

Ash wondered if Tate kept in mind as to who they were referring to. Gary hardly went out of his way for anyone, and Ash was positive he was one of the very few who his rival would give a second glance too, much less check in and see how he was doing. This was the same Gary Oak who 'accidently' forgot to bring home Ash's homework on days when he was stuck home with a nasty cold or the stomach flu or didn't kind it important to wish him a happy birthday either. So if Gary could not fulfill typical acts of kindness as those, why would he bother dropping by and paying a visit?

Ash shook his head without hesitation. "No. I haven't seen him."

"That's not a surprise," Peter suddenly interrupted with a snort, beginning to take the pen to Ash's cast. The boys watched him closely as he began to swivel the thick pen across a free spot on the cast, carrying on without any hesitation. "Gary's just being a coward about the whole thing. He actually felt really bad after you left with your mom, Ash. You know, about your arm and everything."

Ash's mouth dropped as far as it could go. Did he hear Peter correctly? Had he actually been told that Gary Oak felt sickened for what had happened, and possibly guilty? The boy couldn't believe his ears, though he tried to wrap his rattled mind around it.

"H-he did?" Ash at last sputtered, watching Peter casually place the lid back on the pen with ease.

The boy shot a gaze back at him with certainty. "Yeah, we were all worried about you."

"But we're glad you're okay now," Tate threw in too with a gentle smile as he made himself comfortable on the foot of Ash's bed.

This had to be dream.

Never in his wildest imagination did Ash conceive the thought of being told that his on and off friend truly was concerned about his current state. There was no denying that Gary had a heart, for Ash had seen the boy take great care for the Pokémon at the lab, and had shown spurts of kindness to them with loveable pets and nuzzles, even to the weaker ones. But to show any form of care for Ash- as if they were friends stupefied him. And to top it all off, Tate and Peter seemed so certain of it! So relaxed that it was impossible to find evidence of them lying, and if they were they were doing a very good job at it.

Either way, it did bring some warmth to the injured boy. A feeling that maybe he wasn't as unimportant to Gary as he believed. Friend or foe, Gary had enough of a conscious to care about Ash's welfare, and hope he would heal up without any complications. That much had been displayed through his friend's words. And though it did not directly come from Gary, Ash didn't reject it. Shocking and hard to fathom yes, but the dark-haired boy did not ultimately deem the statement as false.

After all, it was evident that Gary hid some of his truest emotions.

"And I'm sure Gary would say the same if he had the guts to admit he was being a jerk," Peter soon said after Tate's comment, hoping it would brighten Ash's eyes. And it did, for the most part, till he added a quick nervous smile.

"Don't tell him I said that though," he immediately asked afterwards in a meek tone, rubbing the back of his head. "I still wanna see the Pokémon at Prof. Oak's lab!"

So that's how it was.

There was a glimmer Ash saw. A glimmer that not all believed Gary Oak to be the best friend anyone could have around in Pallet. Well, at least for some reasons. However because of this, Ash was starting to feel something strange stir within him. That, even though Gary may have had all the perks and gain all the desires he could want, he was still missing something. Something that he had a hard time getting without extra accessories to help him along the way. It seemed as if, Gary was the one in need of friends. Not the other way around.

This saddened Ash, and as much as he disliked his rival and all his annoying quirks he couldn't return the meanness to him. Not like that. With all this odd but reliving news pouring onto him with no time to process it, the boy wasn't sure how to exactly feel. Maybe without it being obvious, Ash was actually the one who did have a pair of decent friends standing before him. And he didn't need a highly acclaimed grandfather or bountiful amounts of Pokémon to be one. He just was himself.

And maybe, somewhere buried beneath that thick ego, Gary did have a more- human side to him, a side that rarely, but honestly shimmered.

With soft eyes Ash smiled faintly back at his friend. "Don't worry, Peter. I won't say a word."

"Are you ready?"

Gary gave a quick glance over his shoulder. He smiled. "Yeah, I think so."

He and Samuel were standing at the top of the staircase of his grandfather's lavish laboratory that early evening, a calming yet memorable moment for the two. Sam had seen how committed Gary had been to making amends with Ash up until that point, and decided to see him off while his parents were off at work. Again.

"Try not to be too long, Gary," Samuel said as he watched his grandson swing his backpack over his shoulder. "They might be having dinner right now."

Gary nodded. "I won't." The boy shifted his feet for a moment as if he was about to set off, but paused with a blink. "I'll uh- keep it short, Gramps."

Samuel nodded return without any argument.

There was a positive feeling flooding inside the two, and it was showing through their eyes.

The professor had approved of Gary's route in making a full-fledged apology, and found himself incapable of ceasing his smile. Sam couldn't begin to express his happiness with the outcome. How truly, deeply proud he was of his grandson and knew how great of stride this was for Gary's overall character. And pride. He hadn't been stubborn about fixing the issue, nor rebelled with groans or moans. There was no fear in Gary's mannerisms either, like there was no expectation riding on his shoulders. It seemed almost like he was doing it- because he wanted to; not because he was told to.

Between the dedication and lack of nerves in his preparation to head to the Ketchum home, Gary was glowing with confidence. A very humble glow of confidence. Sam wasn't exactly sure what came over the boy; if it was thanks to his words or a simple reexamine in attitude and perspective. But whatever it was, it worked, and Samuel couldn't be prouder with Gary's decision. With Gary himself.

Without thinking before speaking, the professor levitated his hand forward and abruptly spoke. He didn't want Gary to get too far. Before it was too late.

"Gary?" His grandson didn't ignore his grandfather's call, and froze down the few steps he was able to climb. Gary soon swiveled his head back around his shoulder and blinked again in confusion. This made Sam's grin widen. "I'm proud of you."

A faint shade of red about took over Gary's cheeks. Even though he had made plenty of achievements in both school and on his sport teams the boy had rarely been told those words. Gary knew, or at least believed his parents were sincerely proud of him, seeing they were never displeased with efforts and bragged about him on occasion whenever they got the chance. However, he had never been directly told such a heartwarming and self-esteem boosting praise. And to be told this by his grandfather, the one he admired above all, the one who always had his back, the Prof. Oak...

It wasn't long before Gary's stupefied expression faded and slipped into a grateful smile, possibly wider, but not any softer than Sam's. His long spikes of brown hair blew peacefully in the wind as he thanked his grandpa with a simple nod.

And walked away with the best satisfying feeling he had felt in a long time.

"I told ya so! I told ya so!"

"Oh Ernest, don't give her such a hard time."

"But I was right, Leah! Dammit, I was right!"

Leah about had her fill listening to her husband gloat on about his accuracy in the circumstances between Ash and Gary at the dinner table. And Delia too was beginning to regret that she opened her mouth at all, which ended up ruining her appetite entirely.

"I knew that lil' punk had somethin' to do with it!" the farmer carried on, slamming his fist down on the table with emphasis. But then he paused, and allowed a snort to slip from his throat. An afterthought had just hit him. "Though, it's not like Jayce deserves such admirable words 'bout him-"

"I took care of the problem, Dad." Delia's voice was sharp as she interrupted her raging father, swiping Ernest's empty plate off the table with a subtle glare.

She was in mood to deal with her father rubbing his apparently accurate hypothesis in her face, and wished she had been a tad less sheepish when she admitted the truth to her folks during their meal. Delia had always been a daddy's girl, but even at that, she never appreciated Ernest's habit of badgering; as if needed to hear it. Like it would make a difference in the end.

"Now stop talking about it," the woman added sternly, as she stacked her and her mom's plates on top of his. "I already handled the situation with Annie this morning, and actually, I think it went over very well."

Leah's lips were the first to bloom into a smile. She was both relieved and delighted to hear that her daughter and her old time friend had reached a compromise in the issue with their sons, considering as of late, they had difficulty reaching any kind of agreement on problems with the boys. "I'm glad to hear so dear. The boys don't need to be bickering like this. It's not healthy for either of them."

"No it ain't healthy!" Ernest suddenly threw in with another huff. "Especially for Ash."

"But he seems to be doing okay," his wife reminded sharply, trying to look at the positive.

Delia couldn't agree more with her mother. "Oh, he is," she supported, shuffling over to the sink. From there, she turned on the faucet and permitted warm water to flow onto the place, rinsing as much residue off before loading them in the dishwasher. "We were able to straighten things out last night, and I think the surprise visit Tate and Peter paid him did some good too."

Leah nodded back understandingly. "I can imagine."

She too had recognized Ash was going through a rough period with finding true friends, and was extremely happy when she her grandson go on and on about the boy's welcoming intrusion. There was a glow about Ash Leah hadn't seen in a while, and the return of his usually chipper attitude and continuous laughs made his grandma smile with content. Children needed friends; they needed to spend time with people their age, to grow and mature with them. Leah was thankful that even with the displeasing outcome of Ash breaking a limb, the result actually showcased who the boy's real friends were. And that not even Gary Oak could manipulate Tate and Peter into not wanting to check on Ash. They just simply… cared.

"And Annie did say Gary plans on apologizing," Delia mentioned as she finally began to load the dirty plates in. She was trying to stay as optimistic as she possibly could about the entire situation, and honestly did feel her tension ease due to Annie. This time, she felt like her high school friend was stepping up to the plate in properly shorting the matter out, though it made Delia wonder if Prof. Oak had anything to do with it.

Still, Delia's words from Annie's mouth weren't enough to satisfy Ernest's suspicions. He wasn't completely sold on this sudden change in attitude through both Gary and his folks. "Just 'cause his momma says so, doesn't mean he'll do it."

Delia about snapped at him again till Leah intervened. She understood his instinctual protection of Ash, and weariness of Gary thanks to his unforgettable and sometimes unforgivable past actions. But to Leah, that was no excuse to think the worst of someone. Especially an influenced child.

"Give him a chance Ernest," she insisted with lowered brows. "I'm sure Gary feels bad about what happened."

Ernest's eyes about popped out of his head as he starred right at his wife with a few stunned blinks. "Leah, we're talkin' about Gary Oak here! The same kid who had the gull to pick on his own cousin!"

He had made a very valid point, though Leah believed there were other reasons for Ernest's sever dislike towards the child. Or more like the father of the child. "You just don't like him because of Chad."

That was partially true in Leah's defense. Besides being very displeased with Gary's treatment towards Ash, Ernest had never cared for Gary's father's behavior and well- him as a person. Even when they were toddlers, Chad always caused havoc to his 'favorite' neighbor Delia, and harassed her to death with constant pulls on her braided pigtails and splashing mud puddles on her clothes every time he rode his bike by. And when they got into their teenage years, Ernest could never forgive the hoodlum for attempting to soar up their house and raid her panty drawer for kicks. Then blame Jay on it. And as much as Ernest detested Jay too, he had enough sense to accept the fact that Jay wasn't that low and had great respect and adoration for his girlfriend. Not to mention, the hundred other silly antics Chad would drag them all into. Some in particular happening directly on the Parker Farm, which was a valid enough reason for the man to complain.

However this time around, Ernest wasn't intending on throwing Chad Oak into the mix. "That ain't it," he clarified without hesitation. "I don't care for Gary's behavior because how he treats our grandson. He's a boy without a conscious that one..."

Ernest's harsh mumble under his breath caused Delia to spin back around on her heels. Beneath his gruff and stern exterior, Ernest had a huge heart that only his close loved ones knew about. Or more like suspected him of having. The farmer always tried to make sure his grandchildren had everything they needed and wanted, considering both his daughter's children were fatherless. And that they were also treated appropriately.

Plus seeing Ernest struggled with local bullies himself as a kid (though, he was brave enough to tell them off), he could relate to Ash and understand his grandson's frustrations and anger. Though, he was teased more so for being a low-income farmer. Not for having a supposed deadbeat dad.

With a fold of her arms Delia cut into her father's mumbling, and soon she leaned against the kitchen counter. There was something important he was forgetting. "Dad whatever the case may be, the important thing is that Ash is handling it all well. And if Gary doesn't apologize, well then, that's his loss. Wouldn't you rather have Ash be the bigger person than hold a grudge?" she questioned, almost as if he should know the answer, with a raised brow.

"Well of course I would, Delia!" Ernest bellowed, fighting between which stance he could choose on the situation. "But that kid can't get away with everything-"

"I finished watering the potted plants!"

A blast of warm air flew into the house as Ash buoyantly returned from his outdoor chores. Delia watched a little surprised as he closed the front door and scurried over to the kitchen table.

"You're done already?" she asked with wide eyes.

Delia had originally asked her father to give a hand and check the plants before dessert arrived on the table, but Ash willingly volunteered to take charge of the task. That not only caught Delia off guard, but that he also didn't struggle with the hose and his only good arm. And that he supposedly got the job done without any complications.

Ash's smile widened with assurance as he drew closer, nodding to his mom. "Yup, and now I'm gonna go watch the Pokémon League!"

Watch the Pokémon League? Delia remained standing near the sink befuddled as her son's feet maneuvered for the stairs, that is, till she hurriedly processed his words. "Wait a minute, slow down!" she ordered speedily, having Ash's feet stop at the first step of the stairs. She ventured around the entryway and into the living room, persuading Ash to finish his meal up with them. Delia was well aware how much of a fondness and intrigue Ash had for the magnificent creatures, but she didn't think he would pass dessert for a silly match on T.V.

"We haven't even had dessert yet!" Ash's mother made sure to remind. "Don't you want a piece of grandma's cake, honey?"

Even though he was going to miss out on something sweet, Ash passed without any second thoughts. "I'll have some later, Mom! Bruno's gonna be on tonight, and he's supposed to go against this super big Lapras! I can't miss it!"

Delia of course naturally caved in and sighed. There was a tiny grin on her face though as she permitted her son to be dismissed from dinner, and enjoy his recreational time. When Ash's mind was dead set on Pokémon, there was nothing in the world that could detract his attention, and Delia knew that better than anyone.

Still seated in the kitchen, but could hear every word that was being spoken in the living room, Ernest carried on with his grumbling again; though it was out if amazement more so than annoyance. "Damn, that kid loves Pokémon…"

Then to surprise his daughter even further, the man swiveled his head over his shoulder, cocking a look she was used to but didn't think he would throw out that minute. "I wonder where he gets it?" he questioned loudly, a sarcastic note obviously there in his vocal cords.

Delia knew what her dad was getting at. However, instead of becoming peeved or engaging in the conversation, her attention remained elsewhere. She stood near the opening between the kitchen and living room, focused on Ash as he glided giddily up the stairs. And soon, she sighed with a gentle breath and certainty, her hand resting on her cheek.

She knew the answer without a doubt. And it didn't bother her. "I know..."

Once Ash made it upstairs, he closed his bedroom door with a soft thud and an excitable grin. The boy then bounded over to his bed with only the determination to watch the match, and soon searched aimlessly across his comforter for the remote with his good arm. He couldn't wait to see the ultimate battle play out between the Elite Four member and a high ranked trainer after Peter and Tate ranted on about how amazingly action-packed it was supposed to be. Anything about Pokémon or involving Pokémon raised the boy's excitement more than anything else in the world, and considering he was still fulfill his longtime dream of training, he couldn't let the opportunity to watch an epic battle slip away.

Not even for a slice of his grandma's strawberry ice-cream cake.

Once he had discovered the remote tucked underneath his pillow Ash let a big sigh of relief out, and flashed on the T.V., cranked up the volume, and anxiously bounced on the bed. That is, till a sudden and sharp tap hit his bedroom window. The boy's ears immediately picked up at the sound and his attention was diverted over to the glass. The match was about to begin in just a couple of minutes, however, since there would be a good few set of commercials playing through before it began, Ash didn't see the harm in investigating.

What was that? he thought puzzled, rising from his bed with a few blinks and a fast heartbeat.

Whatever had hit the glass, it sure had startled him enough to provoke a large amount of intrigue to venture forth, and for him to abandon the remote. Soon he quickly glided over only to hear the sharp sound again; though this time he was able to identify the source. From what he could tell, the projectile was nothing more than a small pebble, but as to who was throwing the rock... it was hard to tell. Ash supposed it could have been a Pidgey, then again, it didn't make sense to him as to why a bird would be carrying a rock in its grasp. Unless- was someone trying to get his attention?

His pace quickened with each step as he drew closer to the window, soon able to gleam out of it and seem somewhat of the land beneath him.

There was no one. No person, no Pokémon.

But there was something.

What Ash found was the unbelievable, something he would have never guessed to be there near the outside wall of his house. Rising speedily to the upper level of the house was a blue balloon, accompanied by a long string. And strangely enough, there was something attached to it. But he couldn't make it out.

Ash's eyes widened in both shock and befuddlement as questions flew through his head. Where did this balloon come from? Did a child out in the fields loose it, or was- Was this balloon meant for him? Then with that connection came the most baffling question of all- was this from who he thought? From the one person who never went out of his way to be kind to him? It sounded preposterous to believe it was indeed his ultimate rival, but Ash couldn't think of anyone else. And his assumption whether he realized it or not, was making logical sense.

Not soon after his silent conversation with himself did Ash take action, and open his bedroom window fully. He was waiting with his arms stretched out to snatch the balloon and get a good look at what was tied to the string. And to see who it was from.

He waited anxiously, only to have his fingers slip and slide on the string once its end got close to the window, making his grip on the thin piece difficult to hold. However, the boy was able to get a fairly firm grasp on it, and soon gently tucked the balloon through the opening, having the helium inflated object bump into the top of the window as it squeezed its way through. It was a good thing Delia hadn't gotten around to putting a new screen on the window, Ash thought with a small grin as he continued to pull.

Once he got the mysterious balloon into his room, Ash let go of the string and speedily shut the window with his one arm. After all the work it took just to get the thing in with his only good arm, it would have been a huge disappointment to let it escape outside again.

He let a sigh of relief fly from his mouth as the window clicked shut, and soon his eyes diverted behind him. The floating object swayed peacefully in midair as Ash examined it, having it appear to be nothing more than an average balloon anyone could buy. Except this one came with what looked like- a letter. A letter that had been hole-punched on one of the upper corners, so that the string could be tied to it for security. It was a strange find indeed, and difficult to imagine where it came from with only a few possibilities in mind. Most in which, were farfetched in Ash's eyes.

It had to be from him. There was no denying it.

After all, Ash's mother had mentioned to him that Annie promised there would be an apology from her son sooner than later. But why a balloon? Was it simply a 'get well gift', and the letter attached had something like 'gotcha!' on it? Or something on the lines of: 'you should have seen the way you fell!' or, 'I've seen newborn Meowth who can land better on their feet than you!'

Or maybe another harsh jab about Ash's father.

Ash lowered his eyebrows with suspicion, his heart beginning to race quicker and quicker. He wanted to believe otherwise, he really did. But Gary had too much of a reputation to make it possible.

Unless this letter contained a true and meaningful apology.

Seeing there was no point in letting the note go unread, Ash ventured forth and grabbed the end of the string, nervously untying the message with a flood of worries. If this was another trick of his rival's, Ash swore to himself that he'd give Gary a good punch once his arm healed up. And he wouldn't hold back.

However, there was no need for things to escalate to a brawl. For as Ash teared open the nicely sealed envelope, he uncovered the most unexpected, and unexplainable letter yet it left him speechless.

Dear Ash,

You're the best tree climber in Pallet. You won this round and- I'm sorry. For daring you, for your arm, and well, what I said. It wasn't right, and if you can't accept my apology I understand. But I do hope the next time we meet up, Tate, Peter, and I- and you, can do something. Whatever you want. Until then, hope you feel better.

Oh and, smell ya later Ashy!

There was no signature, no detail telling who it was from. But Ash didn't need that to be certain. It was obvious enough who wrote the brief letter thanks to the classic line left at the end; that might as well have been his signature. And more importantly, it was obvious how the writer felt.

No way... The dark haired boy said to himself in disbelief, attempting to shake the blast of shock off. Did he really write this? And- mean it?

Ash was stupefied. Now he really felt like he was in a wild dream! Though it was no surprise that his rival didn't present it to Ash face to face, the boy still would have never thought that the Gary Oak would take the trouble to make this short and sweet apology, much less one at all. And Ash couldn't believe how much he appreciated it. How it made him feel good and calm inside. It was rather odd, but too relieving to notice.

To think, Gary was actually sorry for something that he had done. Sorry to have hurt Ash's feelings, to see him end up the way he did. Gary hardly ever admitted his faults whether it would be watching his mouth or missing some questions on a math test. There was usually some kind of excuse; an excuse to get him out of fixes. But not this time. He owned up to his half, and made a real attempt at bringing closure between he and Ash. Closure Ash thought would have never existed until then.

He never thought, that Gary was even capable of doing such a humbling act. It was all so bold and sudden that it about made Ash's head dizzy. So what did this letter mean? Were there going to be less squabbles occurring at school? Was Ash allowed to go back to playing baseball at Sam's lab and look at all the neat Pokémon? Was he now on the guest list for birthday parties and sleepovers? Were he and Gary finally going to mend their wounded friendship?

That might have been a stretch in Ash's eyes. Nonetheless, this was at least- progress. Possibly a step forward in the right direction rather than a step back. Ash hoped with all his might that it was, so hopeful that he felt the need to fight off abrupt tears of happiness. He didn't understand why he was crying, however a part of him subconscious did.

He felt acceptance from Gary. A realization that maybe his rival wasn't as bad as he seemed. That Gary did have legitimate reasons for his behavior; for why he was so unhappy, that maybe Ash wasn't the real source of his antics. Like how Delia had hypothesized.

There was a peaceful smile taking over Ash's face. It was impossible to think things would magically turn around in mere days, but Ash couldn't deny that there was no hope. It would take time and patience before the boys could fully work things out and mutually respect one another, though currently, Ash couldn't be more satisfied. Stress was being lifted away, and a promise of a positively event-filled summer was ahead.

Plus, the boy wasn't going to ruin it by interrogating his rival about it. There was a slight chance that Gary might deny he ever did such a thing; most likely to keep his confident image in check. But Ash didn't care. Even if it was done discreetly, Gary was honest in his note. And as long as Ash knew that, no one else needed to know.

Before long Ash's content mind began to wonder... maybe the next time he would take a stroll, he would be able to stop by and play a few rounds of catch out in the field of Sam Oak's lab. And see few intriguing Pokémon too. Inside the lab corridors... without any arguments over trivial things or notions of committing such extreme acts out of spite. Or at least fewer.

Right there and then, Ash promised himself he wouldn't do anything so foolishly invincible again out of urge or pressure by Gary. Well, he at least tried to promise himself that.

THE END