"I can't stand that guy!" Got screamed.
He and Ash had run into Gary again on a trial mission for Project Mew and, once again, Gary teased Goh.
"How could you put up with him for so long?" Goh asked Ash.
Ash shrugged. "I got used to it. It's part of who he is."
"Well, he is arrogant, obnoxious, pompous, insufferable, bigheaded, and a smart alec! An all-round jerk!"
"May said the same things about Drew." Ash recalled with a faraway look.
"He's just so unbearable!"
"You think he was bad now? He was way worse back when he was a trainer! I had to put up with him through Kanto. But he calmed down after his first defeat in the Indigo League. He changed a lot from the guy who started his Pokemon Journey with a car and a team of cheerleaders."
"He doesn't nothing but picks on me!"
"I find his remarks like constructive criticism."
"He said I wasn't good enough to be your travel companion! As if he knows! You and he never were in the same place!"
"He only met three of my friends I travelled with. He never met May, Max, Iris, Cilan, N, Clemont, Serena, Bonnie, Lana, Kiawe, Lillie, Sophocles or Mallow."
Goh stared at Ash. He had easily forgotten that the easy-going and dense boy was an experienced trainer with years of travelling, meeting new people and running into legendary Pokemon. "Wow, you have a lot of friends. Who did he meet again?"
"Brock, Misty, and Dawn."
"The Pewter Gym leader and your girlfriend?"
"MISTY IS NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!" Ash exploded.
Goh was unfazed, only concerned about his dilemma. "Who's Dawn?"
"She's a coordinator from Sinnoh. Now, she actually made Gary blushed. She used to fawn over Gary just because he's Professor Oak's grandson. She even asked him for a poem."
"So, the only person capable of teasing Professor Bighead is a pretty coordinator?" Goh rubbed his chin in thought. "I guess most guys' weaknesses are girls."
"Not mine."
"Thats because you're only attracted to hot-headed redheads in bikinis."
"STOP TEASING ME LIKE GARY DOES TO YOU!"
A few days later, Goh crossed paths with Gary and once again, Gary picked on him. Ash wasn't with Goh this time as he had to train for an upcoming battle, leaving Goh on his own to face Gary. And without Ash there to calm Goh down, the latter, well…
"THATS IT! I HAVE HAD IT!" Goh exploded.
Gary smirked at him. "What's the matter?"
"YOU! You have been picking on me for too long!"
Gary chuckled. "Oh, I was just messing with ya. You should be more like Ash, taking my jabs as homework. If you can't take the heat, you're not qualified to be his buddy."
"GAH! You rather if Brock or Misty or Dawn was back with him then since you liked them so much?"
Suddenly Gary dropped his smug smirk and his cheeks glowed redder than a Shuckle.
"Huh?"
Goh stared in confusion, wondering why the researcher blushed like that. It happened when he mentioned Ash's past travel friends.
But why?
And which one?
It couldn't be Brock and definitely not Misty so…
"Dawn?"
The very mention of the name made Gary not only blush harder but also wince and shivered.
"Now, she actually made Gary blushed. She used to fawn over Gary just because he's Professor Oak's grandson. She even asked him for a poem."
The way Ash described Dawn, it sounded like the girl had a crush on Gary.
And judging by Gary's reaction, the feeling was mutual.
"I was right. Most guys' weakness is girls. Or in this case, a girl."
Goh grew a wicked grin.
"So, Gary…How's that poem coming along?" He asked teasingly.
As he hoped, Gary exploded into embarrassment.
"Stop it!"
"I'm only curious. Did Dawn call you Professor Oak Jr or Professor Playboy?"
"She called me the poetry guy's grandson!"
"I thought you're used to fan girls since you had a team of cheerleaders praising your every move."
"Did Ash tell you this? Ashy boy's got no filter!"
"He just told me the truth."
"What truth?"
"That you blushed when you first met Dawn."
"Shut up! I only blushed because she started to fawn over me! Which is sweet and kinda cute…but she mostly talked about my grandpa!"
"Oh…Jealous of your own family, now?"
"No! I mean, yes! I mean- GAH! Just shut up!"
"Ok. Hi, Dawn!"
Gary yelped, stumbling over his feet as he spun around and tried to pose coolly.
But Dawn wasn't there.
"Oh, damn it!"
Goh laughed, practically overjoyed to finally have something to tease the cool and suave young researcher who had been picking on him for weeks…
"What about you and Chloé, Professor Cerise's daughter?"
…until Gary asked him about Chloe.
Against his will, Goh's cheek glowed pink.
"Never try to defeat the master!" Gary proclaimed.
"Hey, guys!"
Suddenly, Ash showed up, running up to his two friends.
"You never guess who's here?"
"I really don't care…" Goh said, dejected. He was upset that Gary turned the tables back on him after he turned it on the Professor's grandson.
"Nice try, Ashy-Boy. I ain't falling for that." Gary laughed it off.
"Gary!"
A sweet, feminine voice broke Gary's composure immediately.
A pretty, blue-haired girl wearing pink and a Piplup at her heels ran up to Gary and practically jumped on him for a tight hug.
"It's so good to see you again!"
Never mind Gary's face. His entire body burned red.
"…uh…" Was all he could say.
Then Dawn released Gary from her clutches and approached Goh much more calmly. She and Goh shook hands.
"Hi, I'm Dawn. Ash told me so much about you."
"He told me about you too."
Goh glanced over her shoulder. Gary had his arms folded over his chest, still blushing like mad.
Goh smirked.
"Gary told me about you."
"He did?" Dawn asked excitedly, eyes sparkling.
Gary was completely broken.
Goh did it. He defeated the master.
Even Piplup snickered.
Ash was still oblivious.
"I don't get it."