Notes: Chapter features- Burning Ponyta! Another Trainer! And a Bigger Fight!
Chapter 10
Ash had a rough nights sleep. His cold, which had always been there, through the trauma that he'd faced yesterday, seemed to have come back with a vengeance, and was making indecent thumping sounds in the back of his head.
Tossing and turning, and with only his own thoughts to keep him company, Ash remembered something strange.
Gary had given him a pack of tissues.
It was such an obscure and pointless thought to have, but it was there, and now Ash dwelled on it, he began to realise it was a bit odd.
Gary had given him tissues, yet he'd not had a cold himself. Maybe he was the sort of trainer who carried extra stuff like that around with him?
Maybe he'd just brought them for Ash?
It had been strange at the time, Ash recalled. But he'd felt too indignant and feverish to really think about it. He'd just took the stupid tissues and had not questioned it.
Then Ash wondered why he was even questioning it now. It wasn't much of a...gesture, after all. If anyone else; Brock, Misty or Tracey had offered him tissues, he would have thought nothing of it.
But that was the point. It'd been Gary and his stupid tissues.
Ash tossed once more in his bed, and wondered if he was going a bit insane, putting so much thought into tissues.
Eventually he fell into a light sleep, and dreamt of a giant Jigglypuff which scribbled a cross on his nose with a huge black marker pen.
888
That morning, he awoke with a stinging nose, and an instinctual need to look in the mirror, and check he'd not been doodled on by giant Jigglypuffs.
He was to greet his reflection with a mixture of relief and resentment. He looked positively awful; pale and red nosed, with tired eyes.
On the plus side he'd not been doodled on.
The house was unusually quiet, considering there were so many lodgers stopping in the house. When Ash padded downstairs with Pikachu, he soon realised it was because he was quite alone.
Helping himself to a small breakfast of juice and toast, Ash peered out the window, and if he squinted, he could just make out two figures, outside of Professor Oak's lab. He knew who they were at once; Brock, tall and distinct, and the second smaller boy, who more than made up for that with his spiky hair; Gary.
Ash finished his small breakfast with a gulp, and hastened out of the house, followed by a confused Pikachu.
Brock waved him over with a smile, but Ash noticed he was quick to turn his attention back to Gary. Apparently they were both in incredibly important conversation.
"You overlay," Gary stated, and he spared Ash a withering look. "And you look like you've just been dug up from the grave,"
Ash stared at his rival. Gary was slouched lazily on his crutches. It was almost insanity that he managed to look vaguely cool even with a broken leg. But somehow, annoyingly, he had managed it.
"Nobody woke me," Ash said, and chose to look at Brock.
Gary replied anyway; "well we can't all be your personal alarm clocks,"
Before Ash could launch vicious assault on the Most Annoying Person Ever, Gary had turned back to Brock.
"I take it all back. Your Onix is Amazing again."
Brock grinned. "Well, all it had to do was save your life."
"I never knew it was strong enough to bind a Charizard," Gary said, more enthused.
Ash realised they were talking about the worst mistake of his life. Oh God...his life was turning into a string of terrible incidents, each one cultivating into uncontrolled feelings of guilt...
Avoiding an obvious glance at Gary's leg cast, Ash cleared his throat;
"Um, listen. About that..."
"-So, you were saying your demon sister wants to be a breeder too, huh?" Gary asked. He seemed to delight in dismissing Ash's existence at only the most crucial moments in his life.
"That's right."
Ash quirked an eyebrow at Brock. "Demon sister? Which one?"
"The youngest," and Brock looked proud. "It's about time too. She's the only one who's not fixated on becoming a Pokemon Master. Like their dear old dad." he said that with an obvious hint of disdain.
"Well, Pokemon Master is the more impressive title." Gary said. "Pokemon Breeder sounds a bit...um..."
"Motherly?" Brock smirked.
"Right,"
Ash noticed Gary give Brock a small smile.
It was an awful moment. Because it reminded him of Gary and Tracey; and their own secretive, knowing smiles. Like they were a part of the secretive-knowing-smile club which Ash knew infuriatingly little about.
And now Brock? Had Brock truly been converted to the side of secretive knowing smiles?
It seemed so.
Nobody seemed to acknowledge Ash's gloomy realisation of this, and Gary kept talking, as though Ash wasn't even there anyway.
"So, when do you plan on giving the lucky lady a call?" he asked, and then Brock laughed his embarrassment.
And now a secretive-knowing-conversation as well.
"Probably never. I'll be a jittery wreck before I even meet her,"
"Nonsense. Cheerleaders dig Pokemon breeders."
Brock was amused. "Do they?"
"Sure." then Gary looked a bit thoughtful. "Actually, they also dig Pokemon Trainers. And other people... I don't think they're too fussy, to be honest."
"Didn't you ever go out with any of them?" Brock asked.
Ash watched on, not even sure why he was so interested.
Gary spared Brock a horrified look; "are you joking? They're my sister's friends. It would be like...incest...or something a little less worse than that. Also, I told you. I'm very picky." Gary said. "and, well, they were obviously too intimidated by my awesomeness."
"Oh really?" Brock said through a snigger.
"Obviously."Gary nodded.
"Are you sure you weren't just so blinded by your big ego to notice that they might have fancied you?"
"What?...Hey!" Gary hit Brock, lightly, with a crutch. "No, of course not. Actually, I'm sure none of them fancied me. They just thought I was cute." he pulled a face, " But that suits me just fine. Cos I didn't fancy any of them, either."
"Why not?" Ash heard himself say in a disbelieving voice. "Why wouldn't you? They were all so pretty."
Gary turned to Ash, offering him a enquiring look. "Would you like me to get you one of their numbers, Ashy?" his mouth twisted into a smirk, but not one of the more amiable ones, that Ash had kind of been liking recently.
"No!"he felt flustered.
"You're right," Gary seemed to agree, "who knows what you might do on your first date? Maybe feed her to your deranged Charizard."
Ash fumed. "It was an accident!"
"It nearly killed us."
"It's time to stop talking about that," Brock said quickly.
Both Ash and Gary blinked at him.
"Ok. But he owes me a new leg." Gary said very grudgingly.
"What do you mean? You still have your leg," Ash grumbled.
"You don't know that. What if it falls off?"
"Falls off?" Ash raised an eyebrow.
Gary glared darkly. "Yes. It could happen. And then you'll be sorry."
I already am. Ash thought absently. I am sorry. But all that seemed to come out of his mouth was;
"Well I don't think your leg will just fall off. That's a stupid thing to say."
"Your face is stupid."
"Ok. You're both stupid, faces and all other body parts, just to call it even." Brock interjected calmly. "Now can we all just stop talking about stupid things? And Gary, your leg is not going to fall off."
"It might." Gary said, sullen.
"Well, if it does you can keep my Onix."
"Is that supposed to replace my leg?" Gary didn't look very impressed.
"No. It's supposed to stop you whining about your lack of leg."
"That's never gonna happen," Ash said, and chose to ignore Gary's glare.
A short silence preceded them, in which Ash felt terribly uncomfortable, but not quite uncomfortable enough to just leave. It was stupid; but he needed to assure his tortured mind. He needed to somehow barge his way into the club of knowing smiles and secretive conversation. He needed to know what Gary knew.
"So your sister wants to be a Pokemon Breeder?" he said finally.
"Yeah," Brock nodded, but it was Gary who spared him an interested look. Ash fought not to look back at his rival, and instead kept a concentrated gaze ahead of him.
"I don't think Pokemon Breeder is unimpressive," he said. "Pokemon Breeders are the ones that are responsible for breeding these really strong Pokemon in the first place. Without them all Pokemon Trainers would have weak Pokemon,"
"That's a nice sentiment, but not at all true." Gary shook his head.
"What? Why?" Ash glared at Gary, then looked at Brock; "isn't it?"
Brock shook his head. "I'm afraid not. I can raise them to be healthy, but at the end of the day, the Pokemon Trainer determines how strong their Pokemon is in battle."
Gary sneered; "Pity. Looked like there might've been hope for you for a minute there, Ashy."
"My Pokemon are strong!" Ash clenched his fists furiously.
"Don't I know it," Gary said lightly, and Ash knew he was acknowledging the Charizard incident. Again.
It made Ash's stomach twist; "That wasn't...that was different! I wasn't in control..."
"Of course you weren't," Gary scowled. "Because your Pokemon don't respect you at all, do they? Except for that stupid Pikachu, of course. And I can't imagine why. A Pokemon with such potential shouldn't be burdened with such an incompetent trainer like you. Same with the Charizard."
Ash decided to bypass the insults, even though Pikachu itself looked ready to fry Gary into little bits of nothing."So, you think my Pokemon actually are powerful, then?"
For a second Gary seemed to hesitate, then spoke, unblinking; "well, yeah. They're powerful. Like I said, pity about the trainer they got lumbered with."
Ash shook his head. "Whatever." he looked at Brock. "Where is everyone?"
"In the lab. Having fun with wild Ponyta." Gary informed him before Brock could answer. "Gramps is trying to train them for the fete. Maybe you could help."
"Maybe I will,"
"Good. Break a leg." Gary's smirk was brilliant, and Ash could only glower at him, unable to properly verbalise his frustration for the impossibly-evil-demon-with-crutches stood so unbearably near to him.
"Bye." Ash said haltingly, making a point of looking only at Brock. "See you later,"
"See you in a bit, Ash," Brock smiled sympathetically.
888
The lab was a flurry of excitement; Misty was squealing, her hands held tight to a rearing Ponyta, and Tracey was stood nearby, laughing like some demented clown. Professor Oak and Delia, who probably should have been making it their job to supervise, were too busy flicking through a big book, and conversing between themselves.
"Uh, hey guys," Ash waved to them.
"Oh, hello Ash dear," Delia waved absently, her eyes still trained on the book before her.
"Ash, nice to see you," Professor Oak was just as robotic.
"Ash! Save me!" Misty screamed, before stumbling back away from her Ponyta, which then unleashed an ember attack."argh! It's going to kill me!" she almost fell into him, and Ash struggled not to fall himself.
"Er, what's going on?" he asked, making sure Misty was quite stable on her feet. "Is everything ok?"
"Everything is not ok!" Misty raged, more angry than terrified, apparently. "These Ponyta are lethal!"
Tracey laughed; he had grabbed a hold of the rampant Ponyta with some success. "You just have to be patient, Misty."
Misty frowned at him harshly. "Easy for you to say. You weren't just nearly burned to death."
Ash couldn't repress a short snigger, suddenly noticing the singed edges of Misty's top. Misty noticed him staring and her rage seemed to swell;
"I'd like to see you do better!"
"Well, I have come to help." Ash shrugged, his lip still trembling in amusement. He turned a brave face about the lab, and noticed several other Ponyta, all shivering in a corner and looking quite volatile; their fire manes and tails flickering vicious sparks across the room.
Ash thought that in the confides of the lab they didn't look half so threatening. Still as he approached, he remembered Gary and the reins, telling him how to tame them, and a hand hard on his own.
The nearest Ponyta reared up at the last second, hooves flying along with it's fire, and Ash ducked out the way, feeling hot marks rush across his cheeks.
"Ow," he mumbled, rubbing his face.
"Not so easy as it looks, right?" Misty was laughing at him, but she held his arm too and dragged him to relative safety. "Maybe we should be supervisors too."
"No, Ash tugged away. For some reason he needed to.
Some small and petty part of him (oh yes, he could admit that), wanted to catch one of these Ponyta, and remind Gary he wasn't such a loser. Though a much bigger part just wanted all of that to go away, so that they'd all know he wasn't just the guy who let loose raging Charizards...
He took a breath and approached the stinging face Ponyta again, taking small careful steps and remembering Gary's words at the back of his mind. Something about the way he'd moved, his light feet, and his considerate face, like he'd never hurt the Ponyta in a million years.
Imagining Gary made it easier.
"Whoo! Go Ash!"
Ash turned, startled, to see Brock and Gary in the doorway. Brock was cheering, of course. Gary was staring at him in an unreadable way that made Ash nervous, and forget what he was doing for a second.
Then he felt a tug on his hand, and he turned round to find the Ponyta jerking a bit, close to him, but fully reined, and that was all that mattered.
Ash grinned. He wasn't sure how he'd done it, or really remembered doing it, but he had.
"Well done, Ash," Professor Oak said from the corner of the room. His face was enthusiastic, as though he'd finally seen something more interesting than his mountains of books. Delia was grinning too.
Ash beamed unashamedly. This was good, only a day after all things Deadly Charizard, and he was being heaped some praise again, from Professor Oak no less.
"Amazing," Gary walked over to the computer, where he put his crutch down with more force than Ash thought he meant to. He was frowning hard. "Really amazing, Ash. You should win a prize or something."
Tracey looked concerned. He let go of the Ponyta he was currently manhandling, not seeming to care when it dashed in the vague direction of Oak and Delia.
"You okay?" he was at Gary's side in a moment, and Gary shrugged, though Ash could barely see his expression anymore, with his head turned to the computer like that.
"You did good, Ash," Brock put a hand on his shoulder, smiling gently.
"Oh, thanks," Ash said weakly. The Ponyta was still tugging against him, but in a defeated and resigned way now. Somehow Ash didn't feel quite so triumphant anymore, and he wished Gary wasn't sarcastic.
"I think this is all a fire hazard," Misty confided to Ash, close to his ear.
Ash looked round to see flames curling on the edges of Professor Oak's desk. Absently, Oak grabbed a mini fire extinguisher and put it out, before returning to his in-depth conversation with Delia. Something about Ponyta's marching, and not wanting to make them appear too soldier-ish...
"I have a feeling this is a regular occurrence," Brock said.
Tracey heard him; "oh yeah, this time last year the Professor caught a great big Magmar...must've been at least level 50, I'm pretty sure it knew fire blast...well, whatever it was it was very painful."
"That was ember, I'm pretty sure," Gary smirked at him, drawing his attention away from the computer. "And I'd say more level 15, if that."
"Hey, don't ruin my moment of heroics."
"But I tell it much better. And also truthfully."
"My version has more fire."
"Fire makes everything better," Gary seemed to concede, and he smiled just as Ash remembered before, when they were kind of getting on. It was annoying how Ash missed it now.
He remembered why he was, when Tracey suddenly scooped Gary up out of his chair. The boy protested quite loudly, kicking with everything but his bad leg. But Tracey was undeterred, laughing as he approached the Ponyta Ash had just recently reined in.
"What're you doing, you maniac?"
"Something fun," Tracey placed Gary on top of the Ponyta. "See, just cos you can barely walk doesn't mean you can't help break them in." he looked very pleased with himself, and stood back as though admiring one of his latest drawings.
"I hate you," Gary said, with little enthusiasm. "I think you need to know that."
"Thanks for informing me," Tracey grinned like a lunatic, and Ash knew if it was anyone else Gary would try to kill them perhaps. Or at least really mean that he hates them.
As it was, Gary just struggled to pull his leg back over the Ponyta, lowering himself back onto the ground with a tentativeness that helped fuel Ash's guilt, and made him want to help.
When Gary teetered, Ash reached out, noticing his arm and wanting to grab it. He stopped when he saw Gary's furious scowl, aimed in his direction and definitely intended to kill.
Ash looked quickly away, annoyed at himself for thinking he could help. For thinking he should, even.
"I don't need your help," Gary said, just to verify Ash's doubts.
"Fine," was all Ash could think to say. He still hadn't put in any practise on those witty retorts. He'd make a go at that sometime this evening perhaps. He had a nice long list of choice words he thought of Gary Oak. Just a pity they seemed to die in his mouth when he actually looked at the stupid rival.
"There's someone outside," Tracey was peering out the window, as he grabbed Gary and helped him off the Ponyta. "I think he's lost,"
Ash looked out, noticing the person with brown hair, the blue baseball cap and the friendly face. Upon his shoulder was a Pikachu with tufty messy hair.
"It's Richie!" Misty said.
"Is that your boyfriend?" Gary enquired, seeming to enjoy the glare she offered him.
"No. It's Ash's friend."
"Boyfriend?"
Ash glared; "he's your boyfriend."
"That doesn't even make sense,"
Ash knew it, he seriously did need to work on those witty comebacks.
"Why don't we all say hello to nobodies boyfriend?" Misty suggested pleasantly. "He might be looking for you, Ash."
"Why would anyone want to do that?" Gary wrinkled his nose, and Tracey jabbed him in the side.
"C'mon," he hauled Gary up just as he had done when getting him to the Ponyta. "Let's go outside, hopeless cripple."
Gary looked affronted. "I am not a cripple."
"But you enjoy being carried, don't you?" Tracey smirked.
Gary looked reluctantly amused; "It's nice not having to use my legs. But remember," he said darkly; "when I can walk again I'll hunt you down and destroy you. Like all my other man servants."
"There have been others?" Tracy asked, feigning upset.
"Many others," Gary nodded sagely. "All long since gone, all dead in the ground. Cos I killed them dead, you see."
"You killed them dead?" Tracey smirked.
Ash caught himself smiling a bit, and quickly covered it up. He felt Misty's hand on his wrist, pulling him to the door. Oh yeah, Richie. They were going to see Richie.
Outside, the sun was gleaming all over the ground, making the grass seem to pop with green.
Richie stood near the ranch, and he waved enthusiastically at them all, before grabbing Ash's hand and giving it a solid shake, and then pulling him in for an unexpected hug.
His eyes were still all wide and good-natured, and yet Ash could see the marks of experience there; a trainer who'd had many battles since the last time he'd seen Ash. It was no surprise.
"It's been a long time, Ash," Richie said regretfully. "I wasn't even sure if I'd got the right place,"
"You came to see me?"
Richie nodded; "well that. And the fete. I thought while I'm here and everything." he tapped his Pikachu. "Sparky's all revved up. Your's looks much the same!"
Pikachu was twitching it's ears, in a battle-like stance, as though eager to start. It hadn't actually been the first thing to cross Ash's mind. He blamed that on other things, near death battle types of things.
"You want to battle Ash? Good luck!"
Ash winced with Gary's voice, close by. He'd forgotten he'd have to deal with that.
"I know you," Richie said. "You're Professor Oak's grandson, aren't you?"
"Right," Gary nodded, but Ash noticed he didn't seem half so amiable as he could have been. He was looking at Richie in a guarded way, as though he was suspicious of his intentions. Which was absurd. Everyone knew Richie was about as harmful as a comatose Slowpoke.
"Good luck?" Richie said curiously. "Is Ash really that good now?"
"Depends on your opinion of 'good'," said Gary. "He's the brutal type. He likes most of his battles to involve possible death. It's quite exciting if you're into that sort of thing, I guess," he waved his cast leg in a subtle way, but not subtle enough for Richie, who looked at Ash with a concerned face.
"Don't listen to him, he's crazy," Tracey put in, covering Gary's mouth. "Ash is great in battle, I'm sure the two of you will have fun,"
"Actually," Richie adjusted his backpack, "I was thinking of just stopping off at a Pokemon centre for a bit. We've been on a bit of a journey. Could we maybe battle tomorrow, Ash?"
"Of course," Ash was hardly in any rush. "Would you like to come in for a bit?" he gestured behind them, and was confused when Richie's gaze became all wide and excited. "What?"
"That's..that's Professor Oak's place, isn't it?" Richie's voice quivered like he'd discovered the holy grail.
Gary nudged Tracey. "You'll get on great. A fellow fanboy."
8
It was true. Inside Oak's lab Richie was suddenly a bashful little kid, just as Ash remembered him before. It was sort of a relief too; Ash had been beginning to wonder if Richie might be too cool for him, like perhaps he'd prefer to be in Gary's 'gang' now.
As it happened Gary didn't seem too interested in Richie, nor Richie in him. It was fine with Ash, though he also thought it was a bit strange. This was the first time he'd witnessed someone not falling head over heels in fannish love with Gary, and the first time Gary seemed uninterested in trying to impress someone with his terrible ego.
Instead he sat by his trusty computer, head propped in his hands, going through Pokemon files at a rapid rate, not at all interested in accommodating for their newest guest. That hardly mattered, since everyone else was.
"You came all the way from the Johto region?" Tracey was asking, and also piling many books into Richie's unsuspecting hands. "read that one, its awesome."
"Yeah, um it wasn't too hard a journey, not compared to Hoenn anyway."
"Hoenn?" everyone's eyes lit up, and everyone paid attention to Professor Oak's impressed voice.
Gary looked sideways from the computer, apparently reluctant in his own interest.
"You must have caught quite a few new Pokemon there," Oak said.
"Oh, um yes," Richie stammered.
Ash thought it was funny; he often forgot how so many people viewed the Professor as a sort of celebrity. And it made sense, really.
"You must show me them sometime. I'm sure Gary will be happy to upload their data onto my computer."
Gary straightened in his chair a bit, but didn't bother to turn round. "Oh, I'm sure," he said, not doing a good job of hiding his bad attitude. "I'll be more than happy."
But Richie didn't seem to catch it. He sided up to Gary, his eyes eager on the computer screen. "Is this it? Is this the original one?"
Gary rolled his eyes; "haven't you ever heard of Bill?"
"Bill?"
"You know, the crazy guy in the lighthouse with a thing for dressing up as Pokemon. I think it's a bit of a fetish personally, but I don't like to judge-"
"Gary," Tracey said in a disapproving mother sort of way. "He's not crazy,"
"Odd," Gary corrected himself, as though that was better. "Anyway, Bill is strange, and also he invented the computer storage system. Learn something new everyday, huh?"
"Ah, I had heard about Bill." Richie nodded.
"Small wonders,"
"Stop it," Tracey gave Gary a surprised glance. "I'm sorry," he said to Richie. "He's very rude and annoying, I know."
Ash agreed, though he was just as surprised as Tracey really. He'd never known Gary could be quite so off with anyone like that. Ash expected the rudeness with himself...because well, it was him. But Richie hadn't done anything.
"I'm annoying you?" Gary asked Tracey. He didn't seem too amused, not like he usually was when Tracey teased him. "Perhaps I'll just leave then."
"You know I don't mean that," Tracey was exasperated.
Gary pouted, then moved away from the computer. "You know all this stuff, I'm sure you can show Richie how to do it," he looked round then, his eyes on Ash. "And you probably have lots of catching up to do."
Ash watched, vaguely bewildered, as Gary moved off onto the nearby couch, digging out one of the many books Tracey had been parading around to show Richie.
Brock, who had been trying with determination to corner one of the more lethal Ponyta, went and sat by him. He spoke in a quiet way, so Ash couldn't hear, not that he wanted to, really. He just wondered why they had to be quiet, and why Gary had to smile at Brock like he did with Tracey.
Gary made friends so easily.
"I don't think your friend likes me very much," Richie said, close to Ash.
"Don't worry about him," said Misty. "Compared to Ash, you're his best friend."
Richie was surprised. "I thought you two were good friends?"
Ash snorted. "I nearly killed him in a Pokemon Battle."
"What?" Richie said with alarm.
"By accident," Ash remembered to add. "But we did try to kill each other intentionally a few times before, I guess."
"I see," Richie looked uncertainly over at Gary.
He was engaged properly in conversation with Brock, Oak and Delia now. They were all watching him with charmed faces of course, just as Ash had come to expect.
"Oh wow, you've got a Treecko!" Tracey announced, eyes all on the computer screen.
"It looks so cute," Misty gushed too. "I really want to go to the Hoenn region."
"It is really nice there," Richie nodded. He turned to Ash then, his face determined. "So, how about that battle tomorrow then? Will you be ready?"
"Yeah, of course,"
But the familiar flame of enthusiasm couldn't quite spark inside of Ash as it usually did. Flashes of Charizard were unwillingly crossing his mind, and panicked cries, and Gary telling him he was stupid, and he was hurt.
"Good, let's have three on three, shall we?" said Richie.
"Yeah, that's fine."
Ash sagged back in his chair. For some reason his nerves were shot. Just the idea of a Pokemon battle was making his stomach turn. Well, he knew the reason. He felt unconsciously along his belt, touching the Pokeball he knew contained his best fire Pokemon.
"Ash you look unwell," Mist noticed. "Maybe you should go get some more rest. That cold hasn't gone away yet,"
"It's not that bad," Ash looked quickly over at Gary, who was petting his Eevee absently. Oak and Delia had gone back to their books, and Brock was attempting to win over that stray Ponyta again. "It's something else,"
Ash pretended not to notice Misty's enquiring face. He didn't think he could tell her, and anyway she probably knew how bad he was feeling. They all did, except for the one he really wanted to know.
"What's been happening here, anyway?" Richie was eyeing the lab with a renewed interest. "Everything's burnt."
"Crazy Ponyta," Tracey explained, like that was the best answer. "Very wild crazy Ponyta. We're training them up for the fete."
"Would you like to help?" Misty said eagerly. "I don't think I can stand another burn."
Richie looked pleased to be asked. "Sure,"
Delia heard their conversation; she was currently fanning a book free of fire; "I think we should take the Ponyta training outside."
Oak agreed; "alright, you lot have fun." he looked at Gary, who was in the process of standing up, grimacing on his cast leg as he did. "No, you stay here, Gary."
"Aw, what?"
"You know the doctor said you need to give that leg some rest. I can't have you standing around on it all the time. Especially with wild Pokemon around!"
"That's not a problem, I've got Arcanine, remember? Besides, I like standing," he added lamely. "It's my favourite thing ever."
Oak smiled faintly; "sorry Gary."
Gary huffed, and collapsed back onto the couch and folded his arms fiercely. "It's not fair."
Ash watched as Tracey neared the couch, almost as though he was approaching a wild animal. He put a hand lightly on Gary's shoulder, but Gary shrugged it away.
"Don't,"
"I'll bring back a drawing," Tracey promised. "It'll look almost like you were there."
"Why, are you going to draw me in it?" Gary sneered.
"You're always going on about how I should draw you,"
"Then you should stay here and draw me,"
Tracey shook his head; "nah. I've got a good enough memory of your smug face."
"Hah," Gary seemed like he was trying to stay angry, but clearly it wasn't working. Ash saw his mouth curve up into a smile. "Alright, but it had better be a De Vinci, at the least."
"It'll be a mini-masterpiece,"
Ash dithered at the door for some reason, as everyone else, including Brock, who was pulling his troublesome Ponyta out the door, started to leave. Ash couldn't help but notice Gary's sulk had transcended into sadness.
Ash wanted to say something, but he was useless at it, and what could he say? "Sorry I almost fried you to death," just didn't seem appropriate.
"Ash, are you coming?" Misty stood in the door, waiting for him. Her arm was held out slightly, Ash wasn't sure if she wanted him to take it. He'd never done that before. In the end he waited too long to know, and felt someone else pushing him out.
"Go on, have fun!" it was Professor Oak. "We'll be along shortly."
88
Ash didn't really have much fun, even though all his friends were there, and Richie too, who had lots to talk about. He described his recent Pokemon battles with an enthusiasm Ash could relate to so well, he almost felt like he was listening to himself at points.
And still he couldn't quite get caught up in it. That twist of his stomach, reminding him of his last battle, was still there, along with Gary's stupid face.
"They're mental," Richie commented, grinning at the others, who were mostly being abused by Ponyta tails and ember attacks. "You're so lucky, Ash."
Ash looked at him "you think?"
"Of course," Richie laughed. "Look at all this! You live right next to the Pokemon professor...two of your best friends are Gym Leaders, and even your rival is the grandson of the Professor! Does it get any better?"
Ash hadn't really thought too much about that. It wasn't that he was ungrateful; he certainly wasn't. He'd just never grouped it all together.
And Gary was his rival still, after all this time.
"We're not...we don't really battle anymore. I don't think we're rivals," he said, not really sure why. It wasn't even true. They'd had that disaster of a battle just the other day.
"You're not?" Richie was interested. "Then what? Doesn't he battle anymore?"
"No, he does," Well. Ash added in his head. "But it's more like...I dunno. I feel like I don't want to be his rival anymore. Do you get that?"
Richie nodded slightly. "I think so. But I've never really had a rival. They've all been...well, friends."
"That's what I mean," Ash said, with a new feeling of enthusiasm. "Friends, that's what it is."
"You want to be friends with him?" Richie deduced.
"I...no-I..." Ash slipped over his words. As Richie's idea sank into his mind he began to realise how much sense it made. How he enjoyed Gary playing cards, and messing with laundry, and training Ponyta. And Just laughing. It was exactly what he wanted.
There was nothing wrong with that, was there?
Everyone else was Gary's friend, it wasn't against the law or anything.
"Yeah," he experimented with the words. "I'd like to be friends."
"You should talk to him about that," Richie said wryly. "I don't think he knows."
Ash stared at Richie, confused for a moment. Then he realised he was probably right. He smiled, feeling eternally grateful for the other trainer's very existence.
"Thanks," he said, and broke back into a run to the Pokemon Lab.
88
Gary was curled up on the couch. When he wasn't amongst the strange entanglements which were Tracey and Misty he looked quite small and childish, and his leg cast looked far too big for his scrawny-yes it was very scrawny- body.
Obviously, Gary was not sleeping very deeply, because he was roused by Ash's shifting, and he blinked up at Ash with hostility.
"Oh, hello," he said in a voice which tried to be cold, but ended up much more cracked and sleepy. "What're you doing here? Ponyta's frazzle you?"
"Um. No."
It had all been so easy in Ash's head. Even at the door he'd been confident, sure he could do it. But just as he found it so hard to toss a competent insult back at Gary, nor could he find it in him to do the opposite. How infuriating it was.
Gary was heaving his cast back up on the couch. He caught Ash looking.
"What? Do you want a good gloat?"
"No, I.." Ash was startled onto the defence, "I wasn't thinking..."
"Hah, what a surprise! Ash wasn't thinking. Ash being Ash."
"Shut up," Ash snapped, and thought he knew what Gary was referring to. Of course he did, it was the cause of all this.
Gary straightened some more on the couch, as though getting ready for something important. A nasty smirk crossed his mouth; "is that all you can say to me? Shut up? You just don't want to hear it, do you? What an idiot you are?"
Ash grinded his teeth, curling his hands; "I didn't mean any of it to happen,"
"You could've killed us!"
"I didn't mean for that to happen! I didn't want that to happen! You have no idea...you have no idea how bad I'm feeling about all this!"
"Bad for you?" Gary looked incredulous. "You didn't get so much as a scratch! I thought I was going to die!"
"So did I!" Ash cried, and could feel strange stinging at the back of his eyes.
He was suddenly standing right in front of Gary, his breath ripped and ragged with his shouting. All he could see was Gary, who looked shocked and furious at the same time. "I thought you were going to die, too! I thought we both would! And I never wanted it to happen!"
"Then why did you put Charizard out?"
"I wanted to beat you, I've never beat you! I wanted to prove I was good! That I was worth it!" and Ash couldn't recall how it happened so fast, but suddenly he had his hands wrapped tight on the neck of Gary's top, and was shaking it fiercely.
Gary struggled against him, and shoved Ash sharply back in the chest. "Get off, you moron!"
"No! Not until you accept my apology!"
"No!" Gary yelled, and he'd staggered upright and lunged at Ash.
They both landed on the ground, in a clumsy heap, and Ash could feel Gary's hands grasping about his jacket collar, and trying to pin him. But Ash had the advantage; he knew, and managed to roll over Gary. His leg struggling and then finding Gary's cast, and pinning it down with some force.
"Argh-get off!" Gary screamed. He plunged a fist into Ash, catching him unawares.
Ash yelled out, and felt himself being flung backwards. Next minute, Gary was on top of him, hitting him again.
Ash managed to catch one of his rapid fists, and pull it back, before punching him in the stomach. He twisted his leg tight about Gary's, knowing it was the cheapest shot, but Gary was the taller, stronger boy overall, and Ash had been nastily surprised by the boys strength, so he had to take his best shot.
He twisted his leg tighter about Gary's broken one and kicked it.
Gary cried out and pulled back his violent grip on Ash. Ash flung himself forwards, back on top of Gary, but kept his leg entwined in the cast leg.
"Stop it!" Gary gasped; his eyes scrunched shut, but his hands still tight about Ash's jacket. "Stop it!"'
"Accept my apology!" Ash demanded; his eyes were prickling madly. "I didn't mean for you to get hurt! It was my fault and I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
"You...I don't accept!" Gary squirmed, and managed to free a hand from Ash's sharp grip for a brief moment. He plunged it back into Ash's chest.
Ash caught it, and knew he'd gained a clear victory in this fight. Although, when he gazed down at Gary; who was shaking, his eyes tight shut and his mouth set in a nasty scowl, Ash could feel no sense of satisfaction at all.
"Please..." Ash's voice trembled in his own urgency. He could feel the shaky chest beneath him, and it was almost bizarre that it should be Gary's. But Ash couldn't help that, now. He was just so angry and upset. "...Believe me. I'm sorry. I just want you to accept it..."
Gary's struggles against him, which were becoming weaker by the second, halted, and his eyes blinked open. They were watery green pools, but were so defiant; Ash knew Gary wasn't going to let himself cry.
Then a rush of unexpected weight coursed into Ash; throwing him backwards.
Gary heaved himself upright in a rush; "Just get off me!" and he sprang back on Ash, apparently having been injected with a new lease of violent energy.
Ash whimpered and winced against the fists which ploughed into his stomach, but managed to drive his own clenched fist into Gary; knocking him cleanly in the jaw.
At that same moment, there was a shriek, and it belonged to neither of them.
Ash could see, through scrunched eyes, that Gary was looking up; his lip bleeding brilliant blood, and his eyes wide. Ash followed his startled gaze.
His mother was standing in the doorway; pale and aghast.
"Mo-mom..." Ash choked, and struggled from under Gary's weight. Gary scrambled off of him.
"What...what's been going on here?" Delia asked, sounding disbelieving.
"Mom...I'm sorry..." Ash tripped to his feet, and watched, uninclined to help, as Gary struggled upright too, and winced against his broken leg.
Delia walked slowly forward, and helped Gary, clutching his elbow. But he pulled away.
"It's okay, Mrs Ketchum." he said dully, and didn't look at her.
"What's been going on here?" Delia repeated more furiously.
"It was...Gary wouldn't accept my apology, for what happened..."
"That's cos you wanted it to happen!" Gary yelled, outraged.
"Shut up! Both of you, shut up!" then Delia was purely angry, and nothing else. "I can't leave you...either of you alone for five minutes! Without you trying to murder each other! What am I supposed to do with you?"
Despair hung all over Delia's voice, and Ash found he couldn't look at her anymore.
"Mrs Ketchum, I'm sorry I-"
"Just sit down," Delia half pulled Gary onto the sofa. "I'll fetch you some tissue and you can clean up that lip."
Gary touched a finger to his mouth and saw the blood drip onto it. He looked up at Ash and a small sneer seemed to cross his face.
Ash scowled back then watched as his mother disappeared into the kitchen.
"You go to bed at once, Ash." she called to him. "It's bad enough getting into fights. But picking fights on someone with a broken leg?"
Ash gaped; "Mom, that's not fair!"
"Don't worry, you're not getting all the blame," Mrs Ketchum's glare rested on Gary. "You're both as bad as each other. And Gary, I'm telling your grandfather about this, tomorrow. You should know...I wish you'd know better than to get into fights. With everything that's happening..."
Then Delia looked teary, and shook her head very quickly.
Ash watched on in vague confusion as Gary seemed to pale, and swallow deeply. His gaze fell to the ground.
"Mom-" Ash started.
"To bed, Ash." Delia instructed, turning to him with an unyielding face. "Now."
Ash wanted to argue, but aching bones, an aching chest and a sore cheek, prevented him.
He left the lab feeling like he'd just left another world. Outside, where the sky was dimming into night, his friends were all laughing, totally oblivious to anything involving Ash and Gary. They were all too far away to notice him, and Richie wasn't even there anymore.
"Friends..." he muttered the word. It seemed so stupid now, when his cheek burned and he remembered Gary's nasty face.
He kicked at the grass, and was mildly comforted when Pikachu greeted him at the door of his house.
As he went upstairs and collapsed onto the bed; cringing with new bruises, he couldn't quite bring himself to hate Gary again. When he closed his eyes all that came to mind was Gary's pale face, and how upset he'd looked with Delia's words.
888
Notes: a new chapter? I lost my mind! Well not really. First I have to say; SORRY. Such a looooong hiatus. I got all disheartened with this fic when I lost all my plans for it on my old computer...since then it's been hard to pick up. But I'm in a writing sort of mood lately, and my muse does attack at weird times (read: half three in the morning). So who knows, maybe I can *finally* get to finish this fic!
Anyway I'm surprised i fell so easily back into writing this, considering how long it's been. I'm worried I'm a little too much like this Ash. Or this Gary. Or both! Hah.
Most important; thank you to everyone who has reviewed! Gaaah it means a lot!