Six years passed since Gary and Ash had beaten up the monster to an equivalent of a pulp, and Delia still couldn't imagine where her silver knife was, but didn't seem too worried about it. Her mind was occupied by the fact Ash would set out on his first Pokémon journey next day. Her only son was so brave! He was only fourteen, but he was finally able to start making his dream come true!
Professor Oak was very proud of how smart and independent his grandson had become at age sixteen. Although he could tell his "fanclub" didn't like him for him as a person, and very few people could stand his still-growing arrogance these days, he'd do well on his Pokémon journey. Maybe it could teach him a thing or two, not about Pokémon and training, or even hard work, because he was already a hard worker; but he had to learn the world didn't owe him on his own, and about humility. He'd be here if he needed support, but young people have to live their mistakes, too.
Ash was overwhelmed he'd finally go on his journey! He set the infamous Voltorb alarm clock while he thought what starter Pokémon he'd pick...
Gary couldn't sleep, so he stopped trying and went up into the Lab roof to watch the moon. He liked doing that whenever he was stressed or excited these days.
All of Pallet Town would be there to see him depart! His grandpa had even allowed him to borrow the car so he'd reach the cities easier. That wouldn't stop him from catching Pokémon on the way; this was not a way to slack off but to make things more efficient!
He had so many sponsors he could even sneak a luxury trip or two along the way... sometimes he thought he'd grown to like showing off too much, but he'd gotten all of those sponsors and admirers that way, so he saw no problem.
Only his sister, his grandfather and Ashy-boy made remarks about it, but girls thought it was cool. Not like he was interested in any of them; they were just people he sometimes got along with. He'd made a lot of acquaintances, but he'd only miss the professor, maybe his sister, and he'd hate to admit it, but something on the back of his head was arguing about Ash. As usual. He thought a lot about him. What if he hadn't decided to pay a visit to the pond the day he first met that horrible thing? What if he hadn't learned to swim before he even came to Pallet?
If he brought the issue to the front of the mind, didn't Ashy-boy start his journey next day, too? He didn't have any sponsors but his mom, and only his friends would be attending his departure. He smiled smugly at himself. And then all trace of humor was gone. He didn't want to admit it, but he could tell Ash's friends were mostly real... and he couldn't stand that.
He'd try to discourage him from even thinking he could beat him at Pokémon too; he couldn't allow him to be better than him in every field of life that mattered to him.
With hopes and dreams, both light and dark in both teenagers, they departed Pallet Town and occassionaly met up during the journey. Like during their childhood, at first they competed for everything, and Gary usually won; he'd make fun of Ash every chance he had! He even made fun of him, discreetly, on TV when he was interviewed. Ash was enraged, and his friends, Misty and Brock, often wondered why they had such an intense rivalry and fixation with each other. However, when it really mattered, they had each other's back.
Gary was mean only to Ash, but didn't like it when others were unfair or threatened him either. And so was Ash. Gary might have some personality issues and was a real prick when he put his mind to it, but he was not a bad person, and cared about Pokémon as much as he did; he had to give him at least that form of respect, and they both couldn't deny to themselves they actually cared how the other did.
Ash rarely ever spoke of him to his friends, and Gary didn't feel like talking about him to people who admired him. He'd rather talk to his family about those things, but it wasn't often either. They both thought of each other very often; they didn't know the other did as well, but they both had a Pokéball half from the same Pokéball: the one they both fished in the small river that flowed from the Pallet Town pond; they'd broken in as they fought to keep it. That was their good luck charm, but neither knew both had thought of that.
That time, they were competing about fishing and Pokémon knowledge and the usual bicker. Ash wanted to call it a tie, but Gary was very angry and said tying with Ash was as bad as losing, which enraged (and hurt) Ash as well. Gary later admitted to him he said that because he felt like a failure after he lost something so simple. Over time, they became very good friends again without dissing each other.
Mostly after Gary had gotten beaten by Mewtwo at Viridian gym after a year of travelling. He was slowly becoming more like a less arrogant version of himself, and Ash began to genuinely like him again. Even Misty and Brock took a liking to him after a few times they'd met up with him. All of the journey had to end some day, and Gary chose being a Pokémon researcher instead of a Pokémon master, because he discovered he had more passion about that than toward training, as he told Ash on the last day of the Silver Conference they'd competed in; Ash won against Gary, but he wasn't upset about it; he was rather proud of his friend, but Ash was shocked and sad he wouldn't get to compete with him on official matches anymore.
-Here you go Ash; have this Pokéball half... you've earned it! I mean it! When I lost against you back then, I felt like a failure... but this time you finally beat me fair and square; I'm not even mad I lost!
Gary held Ash's hands briefly in his and gave him the Pokéball half he owned. For the first time in their journey, they both knew they were in each other's minds. They certainly wouldn't have accomplished anything without the other. Eventually, both Gary and Ash would have the other's Pokéball half as good luck charm again, like the vibes travelled from one to the other.
Ash's Pokémon journey had come to an end nine years later from its start. Gary was living in Sinnoh, and no longer had a fanclub of any kind; just his friends and his Pokémon, especially an Umbreon that he'd raised since it was a baby Eevee.
Ash ended up having sort of a fanclub: people looked up to him because he'd won several important Pokémon tournaments. When he came home, he had to acknowledge that his mom's relationship with professor Oak was real and romantic.
He'd suspected something was going on since his journey started, but... Of course he knew this would eventually happen, but thought it was crazy until he actually saw them going out on a real date with flowers and everything togheter. He was quite surprised Gary's grandpa wasn't as old as he thought he was. What did Gary Oak think about this?
As soon as Ash's welcome parties at Pallet Town ceased and his Pikachu was in a good mood again after so many people had grabbed its electric cheeks (ooh so cute!), Ash called Gary's number in Sinnoh to announce his return.
Gary's voice, a little deeper than he remembered, answered the phone
-Hello?
-Guess who? -Gary could have sworn that voice belonged to someone he knew. He looked at his Umbreon inquisitvely, but Umbreon nodded as in "go on", and he turned on the videophone camera.
He had a skeptical look as he looked at the keyboard to press the right buttons. Ash hadn't seen him in about two years, but he was happy to see he still had that messy, brown spiky hair. Also, his style in clothing remained the same as in their teenage years save for the professor-white-robe he'd started wearing when he became an assistant at a Sinnoh lab, but this robe seemed to be a higher rank's property. Gary looked up at the screen and couldn't believe his eyes when he saw a black haired, taller guy with a cap.
-Ash! -he smiled and Umbreon jumped at the screen to greet as well, and Ash and Pikachu waved at Umbreon in return- How are you?! Long time no see!
-Everything's great! I'm in Pallet, and I plan on staying here for a while... I'm helping trainers bond with their Pokémon here for a while, and then, I'm going touring to Viridian to do the same... you could say I'm a professional at helping people get along better with their Pokémon these days! I'm full of work!
-That definetly suits you! I bet it's hard to charge money for this when that's pretty much all you've done in the past ten years, huh? -Gary laughed. Ash blushed, flattered
-Yeah... I've had trouble with that, but I'm getting used to it. What about you? Professor Oak has told me a lot about your scientist life in Sinnoh, but are you ever coming back to catch up properly?
-Actually, I have some weeks off in a few days... what do you say we have a Pokémon battle like old times? -Ash's expression revealed he had been craving just that- I planned on visiting gramps, but now I also plan on beating you! I arrive in two days. Prepare to lose again!
Gary stuck out his 25-year-old tongue at Ash as if Ash needed more motivation to want to beat his lifelong rival and friend.
Just before Gary hung up and the image faded into black, Ash got bumped by his mom's Mr. Mime with a broom, and the last image that appeared on Gary's screen was of Ash nearly falling onto the floor because of a seemingly walking broom, and Pikachu electrifying itself in scare.
-MIMEEE! -Mr. Mime shouted while pushing Ash out of his way to sweep the floor.
-Mr Mime, what the flipping hell? I was on the phone, and he saw me being thrown into the floor by you! He's so gonna make fun of me again...
-Mr. MIIIIIME! -the Pokémon kept singing to itself in joy as he swept Ash out of the surface he had been standing on like he was dust. After cleaaning the aforementioned surface, Mr. Mime was about to sweep Ash's head when Delia Ketchum came into the room
-Pikaaaa -Pikachu greeted and ran into her arms, ignoring the trampled Ash on the floor
-Aww Mr. Mime seems to be telling you you forgot to bathe yesterday and today, just as I suspected -she giggled and Ash shot a glare at broom-weilder- you haven't changed your underpants either, have you, honey?
-Mom! I'm 23! -Ash said, exasperated as he stood up- Don't tell me to change my underpants!
-Now, honey! You can be 99 if you want, but I'm still your mom! -she smiled- but since you're already dirty, how about plucking out some vegetables in the garden?
-Mimemimemimeee! -Mr Mime protested, tugging at Delia's sleeve-
-Don't worry, Mimey, you get to wash whatever Ash plucks out -more giggles and a satisfied Mr. Mime left the room as Ash tried to remember where the garden shovels were...
Ash hadn't had a good look at the garden since the last trip he'd made to Pallet two years ago. His mom kept it so well ever since he was little. Plucking out food reminded him both of his journey and his childhood.
-Look at the carrots Pikachu! It's pretty cool how they pop out of the ground, huh? -Ash knelt down to pluck one
-Pikaaa -Pikachu pulled one about as tall as himself and made Ash laugh as he tumbled around with the edible root in his tiny paws- Chu?
-I don't know what mom does to her vegetables, but they always grow super-big... She's planted stuff even since I was about three years old. Come to think of it, I've never really showed you the town I lived my childhood in, have I, Pikachu?
Ash gave his Pikachu the whole tour but felt like he had forgotten something for some reason. Something he really hadn't seen much of, but was one of the things that drove him to always want to stand out among trainers and practically be invincible. He should think harder...