"Are these the skeletons?"
The potential for good was there. The Pokémon present were actually eager to here what both candidates had to say. It's just that things do not always happen in accordance with prior plans. It is the result of some awesome phenomenon called Life.
Charizard wasted no time in voicing his opinion on the meaning of events. He released a great roar and flew off the dais without further comment to the thousands of Pokémon who gathered to hear Ketchum and Sketchit speak.
As the Vote Ketchum Mobile sped away, one staff member was left behind. Once Ketchum said, "Um Charizard?" Campaign Manager Gary put his special force to work. Once his candidate steamed away, which had been an obvious foreseeable consequence, Jiggly Puff would sing. It was a relatively easy thing for a mind as great as Gary's to manage. All he
had to do was give the little attention hog a microphone, then turn it on by remote from the limo. By morning that would be the highlight of the disastrous debate, not anything either of the candidates said.
"Well I knew that was a screw- up waiting to happen," Gary proclaimed as Ketchum sat down almost steam cleaning the interior with his anger.
"Or was this somehow your master plan. Manipulating Pokémon so that Charizard would be moderator and then feigning righteous indignation when he betrayed you, as you knew he would?" Gary sank in the plush leather like a king on his throne. He should have been running for President but Ash had the passion. Unfortunately that was also the primary problem with Ash's candidacy. That passion.
I wasn't feigning Gary," replied a sullen Ash Ketchum. Ash was shoved in the right corner, almost as if his entourage had suddenly realized that he hadn't entered the vehicle yet. "Charizard is a good Pokémon and for all his faults I know we can still be friends."
"Ha! But for all your faults, why would he want to be your friend?" Gary smiled more so to prevent him from striking Ash than for any other reason.
"You just don't understand Gary. I'm a Pokémon Master. Sure, you may be one too, but you never really understood the subtleties behind the relationship between human and Pokémon."
"Oh, is that it. So explain to me, if you please Master, what it means when your Charmeleon has his own intentions and fries you like a side of beef ever chance he gets."
"Darn it Gary! You're thinking about the far past. No one thinks about things so far into the past. They aren't important. No one cares what happened when I was just a kid."
"It matters if you are going to continue to act like a child."
There was silence for the rest of the ride to the Oak Estate. Not even the secretaries broke it with nervous laughter or praise. Most disturbing was the absence of any "Gary is great" cheers. Ketchum felt sorry for Gary, that he could not understand how seriously he took Pikachu and his other Pokémon.
Lying in his bed, face down on his "I chose you Pikachu" pillowcase, Ketchum could not help but beat himself up. He knew he should stop but he couldn't. If only Misty was still here, he thought. But she had left years ago. Nor was his former friend Brock by his side when he was needed most. Ketchum fell asleep all alone. He dreamt of the day. The day he failed to sew up the support he needed and knock Sketchit out of the race for good.