Disclaimer: Pokémon isn't mine!

A/N: I'm crossing my fingers that Gary'll make an appearance in XY, but I highly doubt it. He was one of my favorite characters from the original series. :) Also, I'm really sorry if the quality for this chapter is poor. I had the general idea down, but I was rushing a bit… Olympics on TV. OTL

Thanks for reading!


Day 7: Write about Ash paired with one of his rivals.
Pairing:
One-sided Gary/Ash
Warnings: None.
Word Count: 1,168 words.


.: Missing You :.
~ Perhaps he's a thing of the past ~

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

"He left already?"

"I'm sorry, Gary, you just missed him. If I had known you were coming back today, I would've asked Ash to stay a day longer—"

"Don't worry about it, Mrs. Ketchum." Smiling, Gary reassures the older woman. "I'm just glad Ash came back safely; even if he only stayed for a short while."

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Gray lets out a thoughtful hum as he observes the native bird from the Unova region. The female Unfezant nips at her wings, cleaning them, before looking down at the curious Trainer from the high treetop. It's a beautiful Pokémon; Ash took great care of it. "The females really are different from the males."

Unfezant lets out a cry, showcasing its wonderful wings before flying off and all Gary can do is watch. Just disappearing like that… Ash is just like that.

"Gary!" Turning around, the young researcher sees his grandfather walking up to him, waving with a proud smile. "It's good to see you again! How is your research in the Sinnoh region going? I heard you'll be heading to Hoenn soon to gather more data."

"Yeah—I'm almost finished the first draft for my thesis, but I'm maybe you can have a look at it before I leave again, Gramps." To think Gary Oak was following the footsteps of his famed grandfather… They were big shoes to fill, but the ultimate goal of this newfound dream was to become a researcher by his own efforts. "There are still a few holes, but it's getting there."

"Wonderful! I'd be honored to have a look." His grandfather lets out a hearty chuckle before spotting Unfezant in the air with its fellow Bird Pokémon—he has a feeling he knows what Gary was up to. "Have you seen Ash's new Pokémon yet? I must say, they are a unique bunch."

"I wasn't active seeking them to be honest; I was just curious what he caught this time." Gary sighs, placing his hands on his hips and looks at the clear skies. "Still dreaming to be a Pokémon Master, right? That guy'll never change."

"But Ash is earnest. His desire to see new Pokémon and explore new regions is just admirable." The Pokémon Professor smiles earnestly, noting the thoughtful expression on his grandson's face. "It seems just like yesterday that you two were beginning your own Pokémon journeys for the first time… How you two have grown."

Gary screws up his face; mostly out of embarrassment. Rubbing the back of his neck, Gary looks away. "Aw, c'mon, Gramps—that was such a long time ago!"

He rolls his eyes when his grandfather laughs before Tracey calls him for him. Nodding, the Pokémon Professor turns back to his grandson. "Well, duty calls. A new Trainer is going to be picking her first Pokémon. Gary, when are you departing for the Hoenn region?"

"Not for another few days; I'll be in town for a bit. Why?" Gary smirks in good nature. "You're kicking me out already, Gramps?"

Another hearty laughs escapes before his grandfather heads for the laboratory. "Let's talk about your thesis over dinner tonight then; I have no doubt that you've written something interesting."

Leave it to his grandfather to be so easy-going. Gary can't help but shake his head in amusement before examining the entire field belonging to the Oak research laboratory. Wide, green pastures for miles and resources the Pokémon utilize to make a living here… The ecosystem here was impressive. Gary spots Ash's herd of Tauros running rampant through the fields; Ash's Torterra and Corphish relaxing by a small pond; and even Ash's Charizard takes it easy under the shade of a large tree.

That Charizard…it brings up old memories.

Making his way to the Flame Pokémon—already garnering its attention from a distance—Gary smiles before pulling a Poké Ball from his belt. Blastoise appears in a blast of light, letting out a proud cry before its eyes land on Charizard. Gary remains wordless; simply watching as two fully-evolved Pokémon interact through a will of stares. He feels the atmosphere shift on the heavy side before spotting what looks like a smirk touching Charizard's face. The Flame Pokémon offers a fist in greeting and Blastoise returns it with equal acknowledgement.

It's been so long since either Pokémon have battled, yet their respect for one another was still there. He decides to leave them alone for a while to catch up. Sometimes, the young researcher feels strange being around so many Pokémon that belong to his former rival. As kids, they shared the same dream…but look at them now. Ash is still travelling all over the Pokémon world and though Gary is doing the same to a smaller extent, sometimes he feels as if something is missing. Has he made a mistake of what he wanted out of life?

"Ash…he's probably in the Kalos region by now." He keeps his eyes on the sky; the clouds rolling over slowly. He lets out a smile, but it doesn't reach his eyes. Blastoise's heavy footsteps stamp behind him; the Shell Pokémon standing by after bonding with Charizard. "Maybe if I was still aiming to be a Trainer, Ash and I would still be crossing paths. That doesn't sound so bad right now…"

Sighing, he crouches down and buries his face in his hands. He hates himself for thinking this way, wondering if his choices are the right ones…because at the end of it all, Gary still thinks about him.

Is he alright?

What's he up to now?

How much has he changed…since the last time they reunited?

Maybe he worries about him—or maybe he's thinking too much—but Gary knows his concerns for Ash run deeper than anything. Ash continues to get further and further away from him with each journey…and Gary feels like he hasn't done much in comparison. Blastoise makes a noise of worry, but Gary doesn't bother to acknowledge it; he's too wrapped up in self-pity…

"Gary!"

Raising his head, the young researcher looks over his shoulder; surprised to see Mrs. Ketchum walking up to him. He immediately stands up, hoping she didn't see his pitiful state of wallowing over her son. "Mrs. Ketchum, uh…"

"Ash is on the phone right now." She elicits a laugh when Gary's eyes go wide. "He just spent his second night in the Kalos region, so he's updating your grandfather on what's going on. Why don't you say hi since you missed him yesterday?"

He only blinks, thinking the timing too good to be true. However, he soon chuckles and he doesn't know why. The response catches both Mrs. Ketchum and Blastoise off-guard, but soon enough, Gary wipes away an amused tear and nods. "Sure. I got plenty to say to Ashy-boy."

Mrs. Ketchum gives out a baffling stare, before giggling. "I'm sure he'll be glad to hear from you!"

"He better be." Gary smirks, tapping Blastoise's shell and regaining his confidence. "After all, he can't wander about without thinking of me."