Okay, before we get into the chapter, let me just say this. I'm sure y'all are a bit disappointed about how abruptly 9 ended. Looking back at it, yeah it fell short but hear me out! Chapter 9 was really an amalgamation of "Where the hell am I going?" "What the hell and I doing?", editor feedback, and rearranging, clipping, pasting like three different chapters at once. The Red/Gary bits were originally much more scattered. How they ended up, left chapter 9 with the short end of the stick and me not really having an idea how I could've softened the blow without ruining what was coming. That said, I do hope this makes up for it.

Go read, and if you would kindly, let me hear your thoughts and opinions on it!

Chapter 10

Blue's Resolution

"You thought you could tear us down." Crimson feline eyes cut through the darkness. "You, a pitiful excuse for a trainer, thought you could take down Team Rocket and escape with your life."

Light broke through the darkness, blinding him. When the spots cleared from his eyes, Pikachu sat on a bloody and torn battlefield. The mouse was panting hard, burns covering his body, and his fur ruffled from too many scuffles. And yet he still stood tall, his cheeks sparking, ready for the next battle.

"For your insolence, you will watch everything you ever cared for crumble under my power." Where was the voice coming from? Who was it? How? Why?

"Pikachu!" Red called out with a voice he did not have. He needed to get to the mouse, to help him fight.

Crimson eyes separated from the darkness, revealing sleek, cream-colored fur covering strong, lithe muscles. The feline pokemon prowled just outside Pikachu's reach, the crimson gem on its forehead glowing with the same malicious intent as those eyes. When Pikachu turned in the wrong direction, it pounced.

Red sat up with a start, gasping for breath. The trainer looked around the infirmary wildly, attempting to understand what he'd just seen. After a moment, his mind registered it was a nightmare and he settled back, setting one hand on his chest while the other sought out his pokemon. When he didn't immediately find the mouse, a flash of panic crossed his expression. "Pikachu? Pikachu, where are you?!"

Where was he? He needed to find his starter. With that thought, and panic fueling him, Red struggled out of bed. Gritting his teeth against his body's complaints, the trainer trudged across the room, pushing the door open just far enough to step out. "Pikachu!" He called, worry building in his chest, gnawing at him with each moment that passed without the mouse responding. What if it hadn't been a nightmare? What if something happened to Pikachu and he wasn't aware of it?

"Pikapi!" In an instant all the what-ifs, all the questions and worries, melted away at the familiar call. Turning, Red spotted Pikachu sitting on the counter. Beside him was Tim's Furret and a small, brown, round bird pokemon with large eyes. A green spider with two black dots and a large stripe across its abdomen rounded out the motley assortment crowded on the surface. All four looked as if they'd been caught doing something they shouldn't but, judging by Nurse Joy's amused expression, it wasn't anything dangerous or truly worrisome.

"Pikachu." The trainer scowled, walking up to the electric type. "Don't scare me like that. I thought something happened to you."

Pikachu's tail and ears lowered, and he nodded in apology. "Pi, pika, chu, chu, cha, pikapi." He gestured in the direction of the pokemon he'd made friends with. While Red couldn't understand what the electric type had said, it was enough for him to get the gist. Picking up and hugging the mouse, he reassured himself that his pokemon was okay, and Pikachu responded with a shock large enough for the muscles in both arms to spasm in reaction.

"Sorry."

His starter set both paws on his cheeks, and Red's expression melted into a small smile. "Apology accepted, just promise me you won't do it again."

"Chu." Pikachu nodded.

With that, Red looked to Nurse Joy in question, and she smiled sheepishly. "The other trainers are still sleeping. The pokemon were bored and came down to find something to distract them. Pikachu joined them but made sure they didn't get into too much trouble. I have to say, Pikachu was the most responsible of the bunch. He kept them from causing any damage or wandering off."

Yeah, that seemed like his starter. Mischievous, but responsible enough to know where his limits were. Red scratched the mouse's chin in appreciation, then did something he'd been wanting to do for a couple of days now. He sat Pikachu on his shoulder. Almost immediately, the mouse settled into a familiar position, and it was as if a piece of him had finally fallen into place. It felt right having Pikachu there, instead of holding him all the time.

"How are you feeling, Red?"

The mute trainer grabbed the pen and paper sitting nearby wrote out a quick scrawl. Ok. What time is it?

Nurse Joy's expression melted slightly, as if worried. "A little after six. Normally you aren't up for another hour or so. Did you sleep well?"

Slept fine. Don't feel like I got run over by a Tauros this morning. Yeah, he wasn't about to admit to the nightmare that had him searching for Pikachu. As far as he could tell, it was just that—a nightmare. He hoped it wasn't one of his shattered memories coming back to haunt him. He didn't know what he would do if that was the case.

"Okay, if you say so." The nurse conceded after a moment.

Red nodded and then wrote, Gonna go train, for her to see before he turned away. He needed time to think, time to calm down. Something he seemed to do best when he and Pikachu were running training drills. The trainer carefully walked out the front doors, turning the corner to the battlefield. A part of him was happy he was able to do this much. Even if his body still hurt, he could get around—albeit slowly.

Stepping into the trainer's box, Red let out a silent huff. "Can't believe that just a week ago I couldn't walk by myself. I wonder what Gary will say when he gets back." He reached up, gently picked Pikachu off his shoulder, and set the mouse down at his feet. The electric type shook his head, scratching at an ear no longer covered in bandages.

"Idiot." Pikachu's voice echoed in Red's head. The mute trainer rolled his eyes. He'd only been able to make out a few words the mouse had tried to say but, even from that, he'd discovered his starter had a sassy streak an Onix length long and then some.

"Yeah, yeah. Come on." Red retorted as he clicked his tongue twice, followed by a double snap and then another double click. Except… this second set of clicks had a different tone than the first. When the pair realized this, they'd played around with it the day before during a battle with Slim and his flying type pokemon, Hoot Hoot.

Pikachu's ear twitched in recognition before he took off to the right. Leaping into the air, he flipped forward into an Iron Tail before barrel-rolling out of the attack. Red grimaced when the mouse completed the attack, making notes and adjusting his strategies. "Your rollout is slow. Instead of hitting, then rolling, try beginning your roll before you make the hit."

Once Pikachu was back in the center of the field, Red clicked. The mouse started to the left, one ear toward the trainer, and wasn't disappointed when Red double-clicked. Pikachu skidded, barely slowing down before he reversed direction. Next, when Red snapped, Pikachu jumped, his tail primed with Iron Tail before attacking an imaginary enemy. The electric type attempted to do as asked, angling his body to begin rolling before the strike, but Red could tell too much momentum was lost in the process.

"Back to the drawing board." He sighed when Pikachu eventually came to a stop. Watching the pokemon's features droop in disappointment, Red shook his head. "You did fine, bud. It's just something we'll have to practice until you get it. In the meantime, let's run through some other drills."

"Chu!" The mouse cheered, electricity sparking over his cheeks.

XxX

Pallet Town was a very small town. One of the smallest in Kanto to be exact. Everybody knew everyone else and helped out where they could. From building a new house to tending the fields, everyone chipped in. When newly fledged trainers left on their journey, the entire town came to see them off. On the other end of that spectrum...when one of their numbers died, it was an all-town event.

Atop a hill near the ranch house, Gary stood, hidden by the early morning shadows. He would have to make an appearance eventually but, for the moment, he wanted little more than to hide from the empty condolences and glaring pity. He was dressed in his finest black suit, forced on him before he could slip out the window by one very stubborn Mimey. Still, she understood he didn't want to be there any more than he had to and distracted his grandfather and Ms. Ketchum so he could escape to his current perch.

"Umbre?" The dark-type fox at his knee asked quietly.

He leaned against a tree trunk as another group approached. They would all arrive within the hour. Then Ms. Ketchum would send Mimey for him, and he would have to endure this day. "There are exactly fifteen people currently in Pallet Town, Umbreon. Two are temporary stays, three are set to become pokemon trainers in the next three weeks, one is passing through to Cinnabar, and eight are permanent residents. Myself included, that makes fifteen people who are going to be at this memorial."

Gary really didn't want to do this. "Umb, eo, on." Umbreon purred in understanding, and pressed against his legs, bringing a small, if sad, smile to his lips. Kneeling, the trainer ran a hand over her head in gratitude.

"Thanks, girl." He muttered, before rising to his feet and looking in the direction of the house again. "Might as well get this over with." With a hefty sigh, he slowly began making his way down the hill, Umbreon at his heel. When he reached the house, he didn't go to greet the others with his grandfather. Instead, he slipped around back. There he found Ms. Ketchum talking to Mimey, presumably about to send the Mr. Mime out for him.

When the psychic type pointed at him, Gary knew his hunch was correct. The grieving mother turned, her eyes sad, and smiled tiredly. She wasn't her usual cheery self, dressed in bright floral colors with her hair held up in a loose ponytail. Instead, today her hair was tied up in a neat bun, and she wore a black dress with black sandals. "There you are, Gary. I was beginning to think you'd run off."

"Not today." He replied softly. No, he would stay today to help them through this, ensure they were okay, then leave the next morning. Mimey had given him a lot to think about, and he knew, if he wanted to help Red get in top shape, they needed to start as soon as possible. He just hoped the other trainer wasn't already giving Nurse Joy grey hair.

The exact moment the meaning behind his words registered, Ms. Ketchum's eyes lost the last of their light. He wouldn't be staying. He couldn't. There was too much to do, too much to see to be bound to one town for long. Already, his journey had instilled a curiosity and a sense of wanderlust he couldn't hope to touch staying in a town as small as Pallet. It was like an itch he couldn't reach because his arms simply weren't long enough. After a moment, she nodded, forcing a small, pained smile to her lips. "I understand. Thank you then for being here. I know this must have inconvenienced you."

"No." He replied sharply, cutting her off. "Whatever happened between Ash and me, I like to think we were still friends. His death hurts. I never got the chance to—" Gary stopped, blinking back tears that suddenly appeared in his eyes. He forced himself to breathe through the lump of agony in his throat. "I-I-I never got to apologize." There were so many things he wanted to say to Ash. He wanted to apologize, to give the trainer the credit he deserved, to fix that damn pokeball, and be able to call him his best friend and brother. Now, he wouldn't ever get the chance to.

Ash Ketchum was dead. All that remained was Red.

Warm arms enveloped Gary in a hug, and he broke. Hiding away from the world within the arms of the mother he wished he could call his, the trainer finally allowed the dam to break.

XxX

Quiet pervaded the house, heavy as a sleeping Snorlax. Gary hated it. It wasn't the silence accompanying research, or studying, or even when taking a five-minute nap before having to deal with pesky professors from the other side of the world. No, this silence was the grieving and unwelcoming kind that normally surrounded the Pokemon Tower in Lavender Town. And his grandfather wondered why he avoided the area with gusto.

The trainer could only stare at the ceiling above his bed while his mind churned. He'd been focused on the same swirls and grain marks in the dark oak for some hours now. An amusing thought had crossed his mind—he might find all his answers in the patterns—but that was almost two hours ago, and he was still clueless. A glance at the pokeball-shaped clock by the side of his bed told him there were still a couple of hours until the sun rose. He'd be able to leave then, but something was making him itch to get going now.

"You both will need much training and practice before you are ready to face the enemies you are after." When those words popped into his head again, Gary frowned. Ms. Ketchum's Mr. Mime was a lot wiser than he'd taken her for. While it was unfortunate he only saw the brilliance and wisdom behind the pokemon's playful expression because of Ash's death, he was also grateful. Mimey gave him a lot more information and advice than he'd thought.

The last two days, while not helping his grandfather or having to deal with the memorial service, he was busy sorting through everything the psychic type gifted him. He was positive the path he'd set himself on was the right one. Now...he just needed to get the ball rolling. I can't do that lying in bed. He thought to himself, before a small smirk curled his lips. Somehow I doubt Red will have been laying in bed this whole time. I wonder how far those two have gotten while I've been here.

Knowing he wasn't getting any more sleep, Gary sat up and gently scratched Umbreon's ears to wake her. While the dark type was usually nocturnal, she'd been sticking to Gary's side like glue and fell into his sleep schedule no matter how much it changed. Umbreon lifted her head with a yawn, red eyes locking onto her trainer. "Umbre?"

Gary held a finger to his mouth in quiet before murmuring, "Go collect the others. We're leaving a few hours earlier than expected. I want to be out of here by the time the sun rises." Even as he spoke, Umbreon was standing, stretching each leg and paw. Once he was done she nodded.

"Breon." She hummed before jumping over the bed to land on the windowsill. Gary kept a window open in case the dark type wanted to roam while he slept, but now it served a different purpose.

"Meet me in the main barn when you're done." He called, just before she leaped off the ledge. Not having to worry about his pokemon, Gary turned to the next object on his list. He'd packed his bag last night but, knowing he would have to fend for two people until Red could begin winning battles and earning his own wages, there was something he would have to do. He quickly changed out of his nightclothes, grabbed his bag, and crept out of his room.

Stalking down the hall, the trainer made sure to avoid the creaky boards, performing a masterful dance in some places. When he reached the stairs, he heaved a sigh and continued down more steadily. There were no creaky floorboards on the steps, his grandfather didn't want anyone accidentally falling through due to shoddy construction. At the bottom, Gary stepped into the living room, glancing around to ensure no one else might be awake before he stepped into the research center part of the house.

His grandfather kept everything of import here, from birth certificates to copies of trainers licenses and… On quiet feet, Gary approached the paper-filled desk. Slipping behind it, he knelt and found the small dial invisible to anyone not looking for it. Twisting the dial to input the code, the trainer heard a small click before the safe swung open. So much within the safe was valuable, some things having sentimental value, while others Gary had seen go for thousands of pokecoin in auctions.

What Gary wanted was kept at the back of the safe, well away from prying eyes. Reaching in, he was almost up to his shoulder before he felt the familiar fabric that made up his grandfather's money sack. He took hold of it, careful not to undo the ties, and was beginning to pull it out when his elbow knocked into something else. The object of his strike rolled out of its spot, and completely out the safe until his knee stopped it.

Frowning, he set the money aside and picked up the ball, raising it into the light of the moon seeping through the window. At first glance, it glittered a soft, arctic blue. But, when he turned it, he spotted a spiral of azure divided by hazel-brown in the middle. Shaking his head to set his mind back on target, the trainer tucked the marble into his bag and reached for the money bag. He could consider it later. Right now he needed to hurry up and get his stuff together.

Knowing Umbreon would most likely have gotten, if not everyone, then the majority of his other pokemon, together, Gary pulled out a handful of money, shoving that into his bag as well, before he put the coin purse back in the safe and quietly locked it. He stood, picking his bag up, and was ready to throw it over his shoulder when something on his grandfather's desk caught his attention. Under the moonlight, it was easy to tell the two objects sitting there were pokedexes. The fact the bulbs in the upper left-hand corner were not lit told Gary they were not yet registered to anyone.

He hesitated. Ash's pokemon license would be null and void in three months. He was willing to lose his own to help Red. He knew the other trainer wanted to battle the gyms and one day become the Pokemon Master. Red couldn't do that if he didn't have a license. Mew, he was already breaking the law because he had Pikachu. Taking a deep breath, Gary grabbed the pokedexes, tucking them away in his bag as well.

Sorry, Gramps. He thought solemnly, as he slipped out of the lab. But we'll make it up to you.

Gary stopped by the pantry long enough to grab a snack, and then he was opening the back door. When it creaked, he paused for a moment to listen. His grandfather was normally a heavy sleeper but, after the last few days, Gary knew the old man was having trouble sleeping. After a moment, wherein no other sounds could be heard, he stepped out, silently closing the glass door behind him.

The main barn wasn't far. The doors were easily visible from the kitchen. It made it more difficult for Gary to go unnoticed, but he'd lived here his whole life. He knew more than a few ways to get into the structure without being seen. Glancing around to ensure no one was present, Gary moved toward the side of the porch closest to the barn. He jumped the railing, landing far enough away to not rustle the bushes, then made for a small door built into the side of the bright red building. It was a service entrance no one bothered to use since the barn only ever held supplies.

The trainer pulled it open, grunting when the hinges got stuck and crawled in. At least it opened that far. He thought sarcastically as he pushed a hay bale just enough to allow him to slip into the main area. What the young Oak found inside, however, did and didn't surprise him. Gary was fast coming to learn that Mimey was a pokemon with the intelligence and wit to surpass most humans—yes, that included himself.

He blinked, taking in the sight of the psychic sitting beside Umbreon and Fearow, a bag full of pokeballs resting beside her. "Mimey, what are you doing here?" Mimey smiled, getting up from her seat to approach him, and handed him the bag.

"I know many things, young Blue. I have seen you and Red raised from babes. Watched you grow into fine young trainers. It is not hard to understand what you are going through, and to guess what your next move would be."

Gary grimaced. "Right, learn mental defense."

"Not quite." The psychic tilted her head. "Yes, mental defense is an incredibly important skill to learn, but that is not this. The look you wore during the memorial yesterday. I've witnessed it before. In the expression of a Trainer whose 'mon could tear down a mountain in their rage. Twelve years ago, that Trainer walked out after the death of his brother and has not returned home since. I've long given up on him returning, but I ask that if you are to follow in his steps, then you do what he could not."

There was something about her story that rang a bell in his head. While he couldn't place it immediately, Gary knew it was important. "And what will you have me do?"

"Return." The mime's expression shattered, grief visible in her features before there was a flash and she teleported away. Her words stung, curling around the ball of grief Gary kept hidden away, deep within his chest. He'd known his choices were going to hurt the people he loved, but this needed doing. Someone had to keep Red alive, and no one was going to be able to do that except Gary.

The trainer knelt and began looking through the bag Mimey left at his feet. It was a finely made example of its type, the fabric feeling similar to silk, yet it felt sturdy. When he tilted it to look at the pokeballs inside, he discovered the fabric changed colors in the light. Whatever the bag was, Gary had a feeling it would come in handy. Once he was sure all of the pokeballs were accounted for, Gary cinched up the drawstrings, taking his backpack off to hide the special bag within it. Pulling the pack back on, he approached Fearow.

Umbreon still sat beside the bird, appearing stoic in the light, even if her eyes followed his every movement. Gary grimaced, reaching out to stroke Fearow's beak. "This is it, guys. Once we leave there's no going back. Red's goal may be to take down Team Rocket, but ours is to keep the idiot alive until he does. You think we can do that?"

"Umbre." The dark type purred.

"Fea, Fea." His flyer cawed, spreading his wings in preparation for the upcoming flight.

Gary looked between them, the knot in his chest lightening at the show of support, and his lips lifted just the slightest. "Thank you, my friends." With that he pulled Umbreon's pokeball off his belt, opening it to recall her. "Rest well, Umbreon, you did a great job." The dark fox purred and was engulfed in red light. Once her pokeball closed, Gary shrunk it and returned it to his belt. She, Blastoise, and Fearow would be the only ones he kept there. If Mimey had done what she appeared to have, then he wouldn't need to worry about his excess pokemon returning to the ranch.

Taking a deep breath, the trainer moved around Fearow's side to climb on his back, and the flying type knelt low. When he was in place, he patted the bird's shoulder. "Alright, Fearow, take me back to Azalea Town. It's time we got going."

"Fearow!" He called, before taking off. With little effort, he flew toward the open hayloft doors and shot out with a barrel roll that kept his wings from being smashed against the frame. Back in the air, Gary felt his chest lighten. As Pallet Town grew more distant, the trainer's worries and stress began to change. To protect his home, Gary could be no more. To the world, Gary Oak would soon be dead. But who would he become? Gary Oak was who he was.

But not who I will be. He thought determinedly. One phrase from his conversation with Mimey came back to him and he grinned, his hands digging into Fearow's feathers. Red needs someone who can keep up with him, is willing to fight tooth and nail to have his back. My friend, my brother, I will be that person. I will become Blue.