not trying to hate on ash here but he can be dumb and kind of an asshole sometimes. not gonna lie. to be honest, all the 'shipping' with ash has gotten stale, like the unintended romance over time with ash because he's the chosen one and the main character and op just makes him feel like a Mary-Sue or whatever. and i don't like it, and if you're an Ash fan for nostalgia purposes, I'm not here to write about Ash, I'm here to write on the daily lives and perspectives of the characters the anime doesn't give enough screentime too. like max, bonnie, etc. the people they FORGOT about. because they wanted US to forget about. to MILK the story further. so they can make more games and SELL MORE TOYS.
ahem moving on.
"Oh – so you're my replacement." Gary, Professor Oak; the Professor Oak's grandson said with a huff, his Umbreon and Blastoise, and his own freaking Electivire stood next to him having completely obliterating Paul in that battle they just had. (Also, Oak's grandson just had to have a Magmotar on top of that. Why?)
Replacement hits hard. Paul didn't know Ash and Oak – well this Oak – knew each other that well. Ash was from Pallet Town, sure, and Ash travelled with a couple of people, but Paul didn't realize as Oak went on and on about Ash's 'friends' in a bitter tone, never-calling, always upping and leaving at the moment's chance… "So, here I am. Sinnoh's always been like a second home to me. Professor Rowan has always been like my real grandpa. I guess you could say that."
This guy beat Ketchum what, multiple times already? Granted that was at the start of their trainer career, but he's already a self-published author, Pokémon Junior Researcher (well could he be called a junior researcher at the age of eighteen? Paul digresses, but regions age restrictions vary place to place), and he got so far in his Indigo League run compared to Paul it was embarrassing that Paul could consider himself a Rival compared to Oak.
Shocking, really. Paul just upped and disappeared from the world – "Now hold on. That Tibias Toby? That loser had a Darkrai and a Latios. That's not even legal for some reason and I even spoke to Charles Goodshow on behalf of Bill, his grandson – "
"Who what, Bill who?"
"Bill, the Poke Maniac? The guy from Goldenrod who runs the PC Storage System throughout Indigo?" Paul blinked. Oak sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Something was definitely up with that League. Or else, they would have never let that Toby dude use a Legendary and freaking Mythical. That guy had his Pokémon taken from him and his trainer's licenses exempt didja know that? It was just never made public, the League, once Bill got involved, contacted Lance, thanks to moui."
The freaking jerk flipped his hair – he took time to style that mop on his head, didn't he? Arrogant jerk. "The guy never made it to Cynthia and she managed to keep her title as Champion. Keep in mind, while Cynthia is still Champion here in Sinnoh the League is run here differently than in Indigo. The League Association run by Goodshow is the one who calls the shot unless of a national emergency." Thinking to the Team Galatic disaster.
Gary bites the inside of his cheek. 'Yeah, like they called the shots on that one, they didn't want to intervene and let the Chosen One do it but Cynthia and Interpol stepped up as Lance was unavailable at the moment to speak up, really Sinnoh needs to change'. If only this guy knew what Champion and working for the League really meant. "Don't tax me for the details. I've worked for years to get to my position that I am today and to step out of Samuel Oak's shadow, and thanks to people like Lance; I've no longer had to deal with 'oh he's PROFESSOR SAMUEL OAK's grandson."
Where that came from, Gary had no idea, but it was revolutionary to speak out about either way. His grandfather could be really, really incompetent about some things. Gary had to step up at just the mere fourteen-years-old (at the time) and take his old man's place and look into a guardian in Sinnoh's Regional Professor. Advocating for years for change in the region, and now he was getting it. "I guess you could say I'm a semi-battling researcher. I don't want my Pokémon to fall behind because that brat."
Paul does a double-take to compose himself of all the information he's given, and then he realizes Oak's talking about Ash when he says 'that brat'. "I've known Ash since he was in diapers, I still have his baby pictures loaded on my phone if you wanna see em." Gary wagged a finger.
Ash Ketchum's baby pictures… Does he? The temptation. "At what cost?"
"Get me a burger and we'll think about it."
Paul doesn't know what new relationship he's struck up with this Gary Oak person, but – "Oh hey," they said over milkshakes and burgers. Oak likes it Strawberry. Paul likes his plain vanilla which of course Oak has to tease Paul about. "You're in here too."
"Dammit, I forgot to delete that one."
Paul can't stop staring at the phone and Oak doesn't seem to mind as he has already finished off his shake, then snatches some of Paul's cheese fries. "So, what's with you and Ash, tell me where you first met, where he took you on his first moonlight Swanna boat ride."
Paul said 'hey'- when he saw the greedy grandson snatch the fries and then tossed the asshole his phone back. "Eh, I've got insurance."
"None of those things happened first of all, also – my money. My food, get your own if you want seconds Mr. Rich Junior Research Assistant and Self-Published Author." Gary snorted and Paul sipped the last of his shake. "I had a Chimchar."
"Oh no. That Infernape?"
Paul breathes. "Yeah."
"Ash can overexaggerate and under-exaggerate, mainly because I think he and Pikachu hold only one brain cell together and Pikachu's the only functioning one." Gary didn't seem too hungry anymore. In fact, he seemed rather sick. He rubbed his arm and looked out the window. "That's why I detached myself from him, so I wouldn't worry about him anymore. Yet whenever I meet up with him, I couldn't help but come crawling back each time. He will never grow up."
Paul bites his lip, then takes Oak by the hand. "Come on, I've already paid. Lets' get out of here. They can clean up."
Paul can be oblivious and arrogant and hotheaded, but that doesn't mean he's stuck in a childhood fantasy like Ash goddamn Ketchum is. He really hurt Gary, and Paul takes the youngest Oak by the arm and leads him out of the diner. Suddenly feeling a heaviness on his shoulders that he didn't before.
"So, no moonlight Swanna boat rides?" They're staring at the river in Sunnyshore City, Paul doesn't know why he's here. Maybe to participate in the Sinnoh Battle Frontier. He says it's been revamped and there are things that are different now. The Flute Cup, something about that. It's been hyped about for a while now.
"Nope. Not unless you want to." Paul nudges his new – friend? Friend? What were they?
"Nah. Hey, I was thinking of heading to Hoenn and studying some Glyphs in Granite cave… Relaxing on Dewford Town's beach, they have a nice hotel there… Then my friend Steven Stone was going to meet up with me – you wanna come?"
Studying Glyphs in a weird cave where a disaster could possibly strike at any moment with a guy, he just met yet, he feels like he's known forever? Meeting the Hoenn Champion – at a probably really nice hotel? It's not for competing in a league but, "I'll see, maybe I could bring some of my Pokémon along with me."
"I'd like to see some of your other Pokémon, give them a Gary Oak-special evaluation, maybe we can even get Brawly and Steven to help with training."
Paul snorts. Though really, the only thing Paul has his eyes set on is the Oak kid right now. How weird has this day been? Detaches himself from some chains that he's been holding onto for years – Ash freaking Ketchum, for one, and makes a new… Companion. Paul has never had friends, but he wants to be Gary Oak's friend. Not Ash's friend. No matter how many time's Ketchum tried to be Paul's friend it just didn't work.
Then Ash had to go be a petty and rub Infernape's abandonment in Paul's face with his win. Reggie still goes on it.
Why don't you be more like Ash? Get out there and train some more. Go out there and try harder, your problems aren't going to solve themselves if you just stay around in the house and mope all the time. On top of that – his own brother didn't even acknowledge him as someone who was trying to 'change'. It was just Ash, Ash was the little brother that Reggie wanted, then so be it.
When Gary and Paul were stepping side by side each other, leaving towards the Sunnyshore Pokémon Center, Paul couldn't believe it – but he was crying…
"Hey – something- "Gary reached out but the purple-haired teen, who's hair had grown out and he'd grown actual facial hair, just a little stubble, brushed Oak off.
"Later. I'll tell you later." But despite the bluster of tears clogging his vision Paul felt -lighter.
He finally felt free.