Hey guys, I'm finally back with another chapter! I want to sincerely apologize for the overly long wait for this chapter. But I've been completely exhausted from work lately, which means I didn't have a whole lot of time or motivation to write. I also had to update my other fics before I got back to this one. But I'll be finishing my Naruto fic very soon, which is one less fic to update, and I won't be starting any new fics for a little while. So that means I'll likely be able to update this fic a little more frequently, I won't make any promises though. But unfortunately I will be starting college again in a few weeks, which is going to reduce my writing time as well. However, rest assured because I will always try to find time to do some writing. So even if a chapter takes a while to come out, like this one, don't worry because it will come eventually, you just have to be patient. Well this story has officially passed the 1,000 review milestone, which is simply mind-blowing to me. This fic is also nearing almost 1,500 followers, we also just passed 1,400 favorites, and we're slowly closing in 1,000,000 views. Once again, thank you all for your continued support and patience. This chapter will have the group heading to Viridian City and meeting a 'special' someone. Who is this 'special' person Ash spoke off, well you'll just have to read and see! Without any further delay, let's get to the fic!
P.S. Oh, one last thing. If you haven't already, vote in the poll on my profile for which series you'd like to possibly see a fic for next. There's no guarantee I'll write the fic, but I'd like to know what you guys want to see if I do end up starting another story. I'll leave the poll up for a few more weeks, so vote while you still can!
"Speech"
"Thoughts"
Pokemon Attack
"Telepathy/Aura Speech"
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon, or any of its characters.
(One Week Later; Viridian Forest)
"Are we almost out of this damn forest yet?" Burgundy complained for the thousandth time, as she snatched the map from Cilan. "Because I'm sick of all these bug Pokemon running around everywhere."
"For the last time, would you stop complaining Burgundy?" Ash groaned out, pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance. The purple-haired girl was really starting to get on his nerves and if she didn't stop complaining, he was seriously going to lose his cool. "Also..." Ash sighed as he looked down at the two frightened girls that were hugging his arms for dear life. "Could you two please let go? We'll be out of the forest in a few-"
"No way!" Dawn exclaimed, as she gripped Ash's arm even tighter. "This place is seriously creepy! There's bug Pokemon everywhere and it's really dark! I'm letting go until we're out of this forest!"
"Y-Yeah! I'm with Dawn!" Ash was quite surprised when he found out that Hilda had a near crippling phobia of bug-type Pokemon. After they had taken about three steps into the forest, a Weedle crossed the path in front of them. Almost instantly, Hilda had a death grip on Ash's arm, her face pale and her hands shaking slightly. Hilda was usually determined and fearless, much like Ash, but when it came to bugs she turned into a frightened child. Spotting a Kakuna hanging from a nearby tree, Hilda dug her fingers into Ash's bicep. "I fuckin hate bug Pokemon! And until there's not a bug-type within a hundred feet of me, I'm not letting go!"
"Arceus this is a pain in my ass..." Ash thought, releasing another light sigh. However, Ash's face flushed red when he felt Dawn and Hilda's breasts press against his arms. "But...I guess it's not all bad."
"Tch, you're both acting like babies." Flannery said, as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Why don't you two man up and-" Flannery was cut off when a large Ariados descended from the trees in front of her. The Long Leg Pokemon hung from a web and spun around to face Flannery. The fiery redhead locked eyes with the Pokemon, before her eyes shot open in fear. "KYAA!" With a piercing scream, Flannery ran up to Ash and buried her head into his back. "Get me the hell out of here! Now!"
"That's weird..." Ash said, rubbing his chin in confusion. "What's an Ariados doing out here?" As if on cue, a panting boy burst out of the bushes next to Ash's group. Looking around frantically, the boy's eyes lit up when he saw Ariados.
"There you are, Ariados!" The trainer said, as he ran up to the Long Leg Pokemon. "I've been looking all over for you! Don't run off like that again! I was worried sick!" Ariados looked rather embarrassed and avoided its trainer's gaze. "*Sigh* Look...I'm not mad, okay?" The trainer smiled and patted Ariados on the head. "Let's head back to camp, I made lunch."Ariados immidiately perked up and enthusiastically nodded its head. Pulling out a Pokeball, the young boy returned Ariados. After putting Ariados' Pokeball in his pocket, the boy turned to Ash's group. He nervously rubbed the back of his head when he saw Flannery hiding behind Ash. "Sorry if my Ariados scared you. He likes to run off and explore sometimes. He also really likes to meet new people, so he goes up to strangers all the time."
"H-Ha!" Flannery half-heartedly laughed, stepping out from behind Ash, her face red in embarassment. The redhead smirked and confidently put her hands on her hips. "I-I wasn't scared at all!"
"But I heard you scream." The trainer said, which caused Flannery's confident facade to falter. "Plus, you were hiding behind that guy and nervously staring at Ariados." Flannery began to sputter as she tried to come up with an excuse. But before she could think of anything the trainer was already leaving. With a friendly wave the trainer turned around and began to walk back into the woods. "Sorry about that again, but I really have to go!" With those last words the trainer took off.
"Tch, stop acting like such a baby." Flannery's embarrassed blush darkened several shades when she heard Hilda say. Turning around, Flannery saw both Hilda and Dawn smirking at her. "Why don't you man up?"
"GAH! Shut up!" Flannery exclaimed, pulling on her scarlet locks. Growling slight, Flannery stormed off ahead. "Let's hurry up and get out of this damn forest!"
"Will she be okay?" Cynthia whispered, as she leaned closer to Ash.
"Yeah, just give her a little time." Ash replied, smiling softly as he watched Flannery storm off. "She's always been kind of a hothead."
"Nice pun." Cynthia said with a chuckle, as she playfully nudged Ash.
"I try..." Ash said, turning to look at the two girls who were still hugging his arms. They both seemed nervous, but seemed like the little incident with Flannery relaxed them a little. "I'll have to thank Flannery later. I know she's not afraid of bug Pokemon, she must have did that so Dawn and Hilda would start to relax. I'm so happy the girls all look out for each other."
(One Hour Later; Viridian City)
"Arceus, I'm so glad we're finally out of that stupid forest." Burgundy said, as Ash's group exited Viridian's Pokemon Center. "Let's get Ash's battle over quickly so I can take a shower."
"Don't worry Burgundy..." Ash said in a relaxed and confident tone, walking with his hands behind his head. "This battle shouldn't take very long...I plan to crush this gym."
"Hey Ash, I've been meaning to ask you something." Roxie said, as she tapped Ash on the shoulder. "Who's Viridian's gym leader? I know that they've always had trouble finding a permanent leader and usually have to hire temporary gym leaders."
"Yeah..." Anabel said, tapping her chin as she thought. "And didn't you mention that we might run into someone 'special' in Viridian?"
"Well I did some digging around and found out who the latest temporary gym leader is..." Ash replied, as a smirk spread across his face. "Let's just say he's an old friend."
"Is it someone who betrayed you?" May asked, causing Ash to chuckle lightly.
"Bingo...you, Dawn, and Iris could always read me so well." Ash said with a small smile, as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "I won't spoil who it is, but it is one of my betrayers."
"You aren't going to do anything rash or stupid, are you?" Iris asked in a warning tone, her brows furrowing as her eyes narrowed. "Because the last thing we need is you causing a big scene."
"I'm hurt that you'd think I'd do something irresponsible Iris..." Ash said in a mock offended tone, as he pretended to stare at Iris in disbelief. But Iris wasn't amused by Ash's teasing, she merely crossed her arms and tapper her shoulder as she awaited his response. "Alright, alright I wasn't going to do anything dumb...just stop staring at me like that." Seeing Iris nod her head, Ash released a soft sigh. "You guys know me, I don't like to use violence unless I think it's really necessary. I just plan on teaching this guy a lesson, that's it."
"Are you going to use any of your legendary Pokemon?" Dawn asked, tugging on Ash's sleeve.
"Oh I would love to see his face if I brought out a legendary Pokemon..." Ash said with a small smirk. "But unfortunately I didn't bring any of my legends. I want to beat this guy with normal Pokemon and show him just how strong they are."
"I wouldn't exactly call your Pokemon normal, Ash." Cynthia joked, as a small smile spread across her face. "Most of your Pokemon are in a league of their own and could take most legendary and mythical Pokemon on no problem. Hell, your Sceptile is so strong that you don't even need to give him commands, he's seriously smart and creative enough to fight on his own."
"Well I did train them all really hard during the time I was gone. Sceptile was especially eager to get stronger and worked twice as hard." Ash said, remembering all the long days of intense training he spent with his Pokemon. "After everything they've all been through, it's only natural that they'd be strong."
"Well I can't wait to see what Pokemon you'll be using." Cynthia said, as she gave Ash a gentle kiss on the cheek. When Cynthia pried her lips from Ash's cheek the Viridian gym came into view. "Plus, I wanna see who this 'special' person is."
"Don't worry, we probably won't have to wait very long to see him." Ash said, walking through the gym's front doors. The group had walked a few steps into the lobby when a loud shout from down the hall caught their attention.
"GAH! Why the hell did I agree to do this!? I should be out continuing my research, not being a damn gym leader!" With each passing second the familiar voice seemed to be getting closer and closer. "Man, they better find another gym leader to take my place soon, because I'm seriously falling behind with my research! If they weren't paying me, I'd so be out of here!" A moment later, a rather annoyed looking Gary Oak stepped into the gym's lobby. "Great! On top of everything else I've got some bratty chall-" Gary stopped dead in his tracks when he spotted Ash and his group. Immidiately becoming flustered, Gary took a step back. Gary began to laugh nervously, as he casually waved at Ash. "H-Heya Ashy boy!"
"Aw come on Gary, after all this time apart that's all you have to say to me?" Ash asked with a large smile, as he took a step towards Gary. "No, 'How are you doing' or 'Long time no see?"
"O-Oh! You're totally right! My bad!" Gary exclaimed, rubbing the back of his neck. Ash couldn't help but smirk as he watched Gary break out in a cold sweat. "H-How ya doing Ash? It's be a while since I've last seen you."
"Yeah, it has been a while." Ash said, as he crossed his arms over his chest. "And to answer your question, I'm doing quite well. I'm sure you've been watching the news lately."
"I-I have...I've been keeping tabs on you ever since you got to Unova." Gary muttered, avoiding Ash's piercing gaze in embarassment. "You've...b-become a lot stronger ever since you left."
"Thanks for noticing. I guess all it took was a little 'motivation' for me to realize my true potential." Ash said, as his eyes narrowed and briefly flashed electric blue. Calming his flaring aura, Ash took a deep breath. "Since you apparently know of my recent accomplishments, you must understand why I'm here."
"I can only guess that you're here for a gym battle." Gary deduced, releasing a light sigh. "If what I saw in your previous league battles is any indication, I don't have very good odds of winning. I'm not just gonna roll over and give up without a fight though. Even though I'm more focused on my research now, I have been training my Pokemon these past few years, so I won't go down easily."
"I'm glad to hear that." Ash said, as he smirked wickedly at Gary. "I like when my opponents put up a good fight. One-sided battles are just no fun. But know this Gary...I'm not holding back on you...at all."
"*Sigh* I knew I had that coming. But let me ask one question before we get to our battle..." Gary said, nervously rubbing his arm. "How did you know I was the temporary gym leader here? I mean it wasn't really publicly broadcast and the Viridian gym switches out gym leaders quite often."
"I do have my sources, Gary." Ash replied nonchalantly, as he crossed his arms over his chest again. "You make some connections after traveling around for three years like I did. It wasn't too hard to find to find out that you were filling in as Viridian's gym leader. Once I found out, me and my group made our way here right away."
"Your group?" Gary repeated, finally noticing the large gathering of people behind Ash. Recognizing a few familiar faces amongst the group, Gary was more surprised by the sheer number of girls Ash was traveling with. He was also quite surprised to 'the' Cynthia amongst Ash's group. "May, Dawn, Iris, and Cilan...it's...nice to see you guys again." Dawn and May simply scoffed and turned their heads away from Gary. Cilan avoided Gray's gaze and rubbed his arm.
"Nice isn't exactly the word I'd use." Iris said in a harsh tone, as she glared at Gary. "After what you, and most of Ash's so called 'friends,' did to him...I'm still pretty pissed off. Ash may be a very forgiving person, but I'm not-"
"Iris..." Ash said in a hushed tone, as he put his hand on Iris' shoulder. "I get that you're upset right now, but I'll handle this. Just play nice until we're out of here."
"Fine." Iris pouted cutely, crossing her arms over her chest. "But if he thinks I'm gonna forgive him anytime soon, he's got another thing coming."
"I understand Iris. I'm not asking you to forgive him, just...tolerate him for a little while. Can you do that?" Ash asked, which caused Iris to nod her head in understanding. Smiling at Iris, Ash turned his attention back to Gary. Ash had to suppress a chuckle when he saw Gary gawking at his other girls. "What's wrong Gary? It looks like you're quite surprised."
"I...I just can't believe you have so many...beautiful women traveling with you." Gary said, leering at Flannery and Hilda. "Why would they all be traveling with a dweeb like you?"
"Oi, if you're smart, you'll keep your pervy eyes off them." Ash hissed, as he stood directly in front of Gary. "If I catch you looking at them like that again, I'll show you what happens when I get really angry." Taking the hint, Gary backed off and stopped trying ogle Ash's girls. "If you must know why they're traveling with me...it's because they love me and I'm dating them."
"Whoa, whoa, hold the fucking phone. That Hilda girl I understand, because I saw you suck face with her during the Vertress Conference." Gary said, staring at Ash in total disbelief. "But are you seriously trying to tell me that 'you' of all people managed to get a girlfriend, let alone...eight! I mean, when we were younger you were as dense as fucking osmium, Ashy boy! You couldn't figure out a girls feelings even if she spelled them out to you!"
"What can I say, people change Gary." Ash said, as he casually shrugged his shoulders. "I will admit that Dawn, May, and Iris helped me a lot when it came to reading women, but eventually I was able to pick up the signs by myself. And for your information I wasn't nearly as dense as I let on. I could tell that some of the girls I met had crushes on me, but back then I thought that a relationship would only get in my way. Now I know that way of thinking was a mistake. My girls have helped me throughout my journey and they motivate me to keep going." Ash suddenly turned around to smile at Cilan and Burgundy. "You two have been a big help as well."
"It's nothing really, Ash." Cilan said, rubbing the back of his head in embarassment. "I was just helping a friend."
"I was just going along with Cilan. I could care less about you." Burgundy shyly muttered, her face tinted red as she tightly hugged Cilan's arm.
"It's nice to have such great friends." Ash said with a hint of venom in his voice, slightly glaring at Gary. The edge in Ash's tone wasn't missed by Gary, who began to avoid Ash's piercing gaze. "Now if we're done talking I'd like to get to our battle."
"*Sigh* Fine...I know that you're hellbent on this." Gary said, as he turned his back to Ash and his group. "Follow me...I want to get this over with."
(Five Minute's Later; Viridian Gym's Battlefield)
"The Three-on-three battle between the challenger, Ash Ketchum, and the temporary gym leader, Gary Oak, will begin! Trainers, please bring out your first Pokemon!"
"Like I said earlier Ash, I have been training my Pokemon. Don't expect an easy victory." Gary said, grabbing a Pokeball from his pocket. "Come on out, Nidoking! The Drill Pokemon let out a mighty roar as it crashed onto the battlefield. "I'm starting off strong Ash, so better bring your A-game!"
"If this is your idea of starting strong then this battle will be over quickly." Ash said in a bored tone, as he grinned at Pikachu, who was perched on his shoulder. "I'll only need one Pokemon in this battle. Get in there buddy, time for you to kick some ass." With electricity sparking from his cheeks, Pikachu jumped off Ash's shoulder onto the battlefield. "Pikachu is going to wipe your team out, Gary."
"In case your forgot Ashy boy, Nidoking is part ground-type." Gary taunted, a small smirk spreading across his face. "Pikachu's electric attacks are going to be useless. So I have the advantage here."
"We'll see about that." Ash muttered, as he adjusted his cap.
"Nidoking vs. Pikachu, battle begin!"
"Since you're the challenger, I'll give you the first move Ash." Gary said in a confident tone, resting his hands on his hips. "You're gonna need all the help you can get if you wanna win this battle."
"Pikachu, let's shut this cocky bastard's big mouth." Ash said, as Pikachu nodded in agreement. "Use Agility then Quick Attack!" The Mouse Pokemon glowed briefly it shot towards Nidoking at a blinding speed, appearing as a yellow blur as it sprinted across the battlefield.
"So you're trying to overwhelm me with Pikachu's speed, eh?" Gary muttered, rubbing his chin. "Well that's not gonna work, Ashy boy! Nidoking, use Earthquake!" Letting out a piercing roar, Nidoking slammed one of its massive feet onto the ground, causing the entire gym to shake violently.
"Pikachu, jump into the air and use Iron Tail!" Just as Nidoking's foot hit the ground, Pikachu leaped into the air, dodging all damage from the attack. Pikachu used the speed it had gathered from using Agility and Quick Attack and rocketed towards Nidoking. Spinning to gain extra power, Pikachu slammed its glowing tail into the side of Nidoking's head. The colossal Pokemon howled in pain as it took several stumbling steps backwards, clutching its aching head. "Keep up the pressure Pikachu, use Brick Break!" Pikachu swiftly landed on the ground and began to race towards Nidoking once again, his front paws faintly glowing blue.
"Nidoking! Pull yourself together and use Poison Tail!" The Drill Pokemon violently shook its head to rid its dizziness. Filled with a burning rage, Nidoking snarled and swung its large, purple glowing tail at Pikachu. However, with his increased speed, Pikachu easily dodged the slow attack. Seeing an opening, Pikachu hit Nidoking several times in the back of the head with Brick Break. The attacks didn't do too much damage, but they did manage to further enrage Nidoking. Letting out another fierce roar, Nidoking tried to whip around and grab ahold of Pikachu. But the Mouse Pokemon was far too fast and deftly avoided all of Nidoking's swipes. Becoming angrier with each failed attack, Nidoking began to attack Pikachu wildly and recklessly. A small smile could be seen on Pikachu's face as he continued to dodge Nidoking's furious attacks, further enraging the Drill Pokemon. "Nidoking, you need to calm down! You're never gonna win if you just attack randomly like that!" Gary tried desperately to relax his raging Pokemon, but nothing he said or did seemed to be working. Nidoking had become enraged several times in the past, but never before had it become this bad.
After slamming its fist into the ground after another failed attack, Nidoking howled in anger. The Drill Pokemon growled before it spun around to face Pikachu. While Nidoking was panting heavily in both rage and exhaustion, Pikachu looked unscathed and ready to continue. After all its physical attacks had failed, Nidoking decided to change up its plan of attack. This time Nidoking's cheeks bulged, before it fired several balls of thick, toxic sludge.
"That's Sludge Bomb! Pikachu use Electro Ball to counter then hit Nidoking with Grass Knot!" Pikachu nodded before he charged towards Nidoking. Jumping into the air, Pikachu performed a quick front flip before he launched a sparking ball of electricity from the tip of his tail at the incoming balls of sludge. Electro Ball collided with Sludge Bomb and fried the toxic ooze, causing it to fall to the group in blackened piles. After destroying the Sludge Bombs, Electro Ball kept going and hit Nidoking. But the Drill Pokemon was unfazed by the attack, due to it being part ground type. However, Pikachu wasn't finished with his attacks. The Mouse Pokemon was briefly coated in faint green glow, before vines erupted from the ground, wrapping around Nidoking's legs. The powerful vines managed to slam Nidoking onto the ground, causing the battlefield to shake briefly. "Now finish it with Iron Tail!"
"Nidoking, get up and use Earth Power!" The Drill Pokemon tried to get back onto its feet, but it was stopped when vines once again sprouted from the ground and wrapped around its body, holding it in place. Looking up, Gary was shocked to see that Pikachu was once again bathed in a faint green glow, while his tail shimmered bright white. "Pikachu can use two moves simultaneously? That's...that's amazing. I've only see a handful of other Pokemon be able to pull that off, and all of them were fully evolved Pokemon who had been training for years. Just how strong is Ash's Pikachu?" Leaping into the air, Pikachu performed a quick front flip and slammed his tail onto Nidoking's head. A large cloud of dust and debris was kicked up when Nidoking's head smashed into the ground. Pikachu landed back onto his feet just as the dust began to settle. Once the dust had fully cleared, Gary saw that Nidoking's head was in a small crater, clearly knocked unconscious by Pikachu's powerful attack.
"Nidoking is unable to continue! The winner is Pikachu! Gary, please bring out your next Pokemon!"
"Looks like that type advantage really helped you." Ash taunted in cocky tone, as he smirked at Gary. "Pikachu is going to beat your entire team Gary, so don't think you stand a chance with simple type advantages. Underestimate my Pikachu and it's going to bite you in the ass."
"I'll wipe that smug look off your face." Gary said, returning Nidoking and grabbing another Pokeball out of his pocket. "Electivire, it's time to put Ash in his place!" After tossing the Pokeball, Electivire landed on the field, causing a small burst of electricity to flow around him. "You're the one who's underestimating me Ashy boy!"
"Tch, Paul's Electivire looks way stronger than your's." Ash said in a mocking tone, which caused Gary to growl in annoyance. "Beating your Electivire will be a breeze, because I know your Electivire is a little special." Ash's comment made Gary quirk an eyebrow in confusion. "You see Gary, I did a little bit of research on your Pokemon before I came here and I found out something interesting. Your Electivire doesn't have the ability Motor Drive." Gary's eyes shot open when Ash said this. "Your Electivire has the special ability Vital Spirit, which means I don't have to worry about not using electric-type attacks."
"Damn, I was hoping he wouldn't know that." Gary cursed under his breath, tightly balling his fists in annoyance.
"Electivire vs. Pikachu, battle begin!"
"Pikachu..." Ash said with an ever-widening smirk. "You can go all out now." Mirroring his trainer's smirk, Pikachu's cheeks began to spark and crackle with powerful electricity. "Now, start with a Volt Tackle and Quick Attack combo!" Electricity exploded off Pikachu's entire body as he shot towards Electivire. In the blink of an eye the Mouse Pokemon had reached the Thunderbolt Pokemon, and crashed into its stomach. Electivire's eyes shot open as all the wind was knocked out of him. With a resounding thunderclap and explosive shockwave, Electivire was sent flying across the battlefield and crashing into a wall.
"H-Holy shit..." Gary breathed out, staring at the hole in the wall Electivire had crashed through. After a few moments, a slightly shaken Electivire stepped out of the hole. The attack hadn't done a serious amount of damage, but it had definitely caught the Thunderbolt Pokemon by surprise. "You okay Electivire?" Nodding its head, Electivire walked back onto the battlefield.
"That's why you don't underestimate my Pikachu." Ash said, as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Now let's see you make some moves Gary, because this isn't much of a battle so far."
"I'll make you eat those words, Ash." Gary said, slightly glaring at his opponent. "Electivire, smash Pikachu into the ground with Fire Punch!" Letting out a fierce roar, Electivire coated its hands with searing flames and charged towards Pikachu. Pikachu didn't need any commands from Ash, as he began to swiftly dodge Electivire's attacks. After several successful dodges, Pikachu became more confident and began to taunt Electivire. Dodging another powerful jab, Pikachu hopped onto Electivire's arm and ran onto its head. Pikachu then began to run around Electivire's body, teasing the Thunderbolt Pokemon by making funny faces. Electivire became more and more agitated as it tried to snatch Pikachu. But Pikachu was very wily and nimbly avoided all of Electivire's attempts.
"Alright Pikachu, that's enough..." Ash said, as he tried, and failed, to suppress his laughter. "We need to finish this battle." Giving Electivire one last slap upside the head, Pikachu jumped back down onto the battlefield. After being treated like a fool, Electivire was now really riled up and ready to fight. "Now that you've had your fun Pikachu, use Agility once again, then follow it with Dig!" The Mouse Pokemon nodded and briefly glowed, before he dove into the ground below the battlefield.
"Get Pikachu out of the ground with Earthquake!" Electivire released a mighty roar, before he slammed both his fists onto the field. Once again the entire began to shake from the powerful attack. But Gary and Electivire were both surprised to see that Pikachu hadn't emerged from the ground. "Where did Pikachu go!?"
"Pikachu, use Slam now!" From up above Electivire, Pikachu fell from the sky and smashed his tail onto Electivire's head. The sudden powerful impact smashed Electivire's head into the ground, instantly flooring the large Pokemon.
"How the hell did Pikachu get above Electivire?!" Gary thought, frantically searching for any answers. His eyes suddenly widened when he spotted a hole in the ground behind Electivire. "Pikachu dug behind Electivire before he could even attack?! I've never seen a Pokemon cover that much distance underground so fast! That would require incredible endurance and arm strength...just how strong is Ash's Pikachu?" By now Electivire was back on, its somewhat wobbly, feet. The Thunderbolt Pokemon rubbed its sore head. "Can you keep going Electivire?" Gary smiled when he saw Electivire give him a thumbs up. "Great! We have to try and slow Pikachu down, so use Low Sweep!" With a slight growl, Electivire sprinted towards Pikachu.
"How naive you are Gary." Ash chastised, as he shook his head in disappointment. "If you want to slow Pikachu down...you have to catch him first. Pikachu...you know what to do." Nodding his head in understanding, Pikachu used his incredible and began avoid Electivire's powerful kicks. This carried on for several minutes, with Electivire chasing Pikachu all around the battlefield.
"Why isn't he counterattacking?" Gary thought, closely watching the battle unfold. "He's had several opportunities to attack, but he just keeps on dodging...Wait..." Gary began to closely inspect Electivire. It was then that he started to notice the signs. The slight panting, slowing attacks with less power, sweat dripping off Electivire's forehead. It was clear that Electivire was exhausted and would be able to keep battling much longer. Now Gary understood why Ash wasn't attacking. "You're such a clever bastard Ashy boy."
"Okay Pikachu, I think it's time now, use Grass Knot." Suddenly leaping backwards, Pikachu put some distance between him and Electivire. Then Pikachu's body began to glow faint green. Vines emerged from the ground and wrapped around Electivire's legs, causing the Thunderbolt Pokemon to fall down. Electivire tried to tear away from the vines and get back onto its feet, but it was too exhausted to really fight back. "Gary...I suggest you forfeit Electivire, or..." A large amount of intense lighting exploded off Pikachu, filling the entire gym with static electricity. "Do you want it to get hurt even further?"
Gary seemed to hesitate as he glanced from Pikachu to Electivire several times. The Thunderbolt Pokemon was panting heavily and had given up fighting against Grass Knot. One more attack, especially one as powerful as Pikachu was preparing, would seriously injure Electivire. Gary hated the thought of forfeiting a battle to Ash, and he knew it would hurt Electivire's pride, but he didn't want to see his Pokemon hurt any further. So with a heavy heart, Gary reluctantly raised his arm. "I forfeit Electivire!"
"Electivire forfeits the battle! The winner is Pikachu! Gary, please bring out your next Pokemon!"
"You know Gary, I have a pretty good idea what Pokemon you're gonna use next." Ash said, as he saw Gary suddenly stiffen. "You should probably just forfeit the whole battle Gary. If thought Electivire was going to get badly hurt...I can only imagine what's going to happen to Blastoise."
Gary's eyes widened, as his grip on the Pokeball in his hand tightened. He began to shake slightly in both fear and anger. "How...How did he know my last Pokemon was Blastoise!? How could he have become so strong in only a few years?! But...if what I saw earlier was indication..." Gary's eyes saddened as he gazed down at the Blastoise's Pokeball. "Blastoise doesn't stand a chance."
As if reading Gary's mind, Ash spoke up once again. "Pikachu won't hold back Gary..." Gary slowly raised his head and locked eyes with Ash. "If you send Blastoise out, Pikachu is going to attack him without mercy...But, I guess your choice...I hope you make the right one."
"What should I do..." Gary thought, gazing down at the Pokeball in his hand. Looking back up at Pikachu, Gary could tell that Ash wasn't lying. Pikachu still looked invigorated and ready to battle for quite a while longer. Blastoise may be Gary's strongest Pokemon, but he knew it would be at a massive disadvantage in this battle. Pikachu was much faster and had the type advantage. Plus, Gary knew that Ash was telling the truth and that Pikachu wouldn't hold back at all. The Mouse Pokemon would bombard Blastoise with electrical attacks and Gary couldn't think of any way to really counter. "I guess there's no other choice then..." Gary hated to admit it, but Ash had not only bested him in this battle, he had completely destroyed him. So after swallowing his pride, Gary slowly raised his arm into the air. "I forfeit the match."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes..." Gary muttered, as he hung his head in shame. "I'm sure."
"Gary has forfeited the battle! The winner is the challenger, Ash Ketchum!"
"Awesome job buddy. You really showed him who's boss." Ash said with a warm smile, allowing Pikachu to jump up onto his shoulder. The raven-haired trainer's smile widened as he affectionately patted Pikachu on the head. "Was it fun to battle after such a long time?" The Mouse Pokemon energetically nodded his head and returned Ash's smile. "Good I'm glad to hear that." Turning his attention back to Gary, Ash saw that the young man had fell onto his knees, and was staring up at the gym's ceiling. "*Sigh* Well, might as well get this over with..."
Gary could faintly hear approaching footsteps as he continued to blankly stare at the ceiling. He knew that it was Ash, so he took a deep breath to calm his nerves before he spoke. "I know you want to hit me Ash...and I don't blame you. What I did was terrible and I'm an awful friend for not supporting you. So..." Gary tightly clenched his eyes shut and turned his head away from Ash. "I'll give you a free shot. Go ahead, punch me." Gary waited for several agonizing seconds, sweat beginning to form on his brow. But...nothing ever came. No punch, slap, any physical pain whatsoever. So after a few more tense moments, Gary hesitantly cracked an eye open. The first thing he saw was Ash standing right in front of him. However, he was shocked to see that Ash was offering him his hand. Looking in Ash's eyes, Gary didn't see anger or a desire for vengeance. Instead...he saw sadness and...relief?
"I'm not going to hit you Gary, you should know that's not my style." Ash said, gently gripping one of Gary's hands and hoisting him back onto his feet. "Now get back onto your feet. A Pokemon researcher like you shouldn't be seen like that."
"A-Ash?" Gary breathed out, as he stared at the raven-haired trainer with wide eyes.
"I'm not gonna lie to you Gary, but for a long time I was really pissed at you, and all of the people that betrayed me. A part of me deep down still is. And if we had, had this battle a two years ago, I would have definitely hit you." Ash said, placing a hand on Gary's shoulder. "But I've learned to let go of that anger inside of me Gary. I just came here to show you that you were wrong to doubt me, not to hurt you. My revenge was showing you that I do have what it takes to be a Pokemon Master, and that you should have never tried to crush my dreams." Ash's grip on Gary's shoulder tightened ever so slightly. "You were my first rival Gary, and I considered you one of my closest friends." By now Gary had a few tears falling down his cheeks. "What you did hurt me deeply and it's going to take a long time before I can fully trust you again. But, if you want we can take this step-by-step, because my forgiveness isn't going to be easy to earn. Then maybe in a few years we can truly be friends again and go back to how things used to be."
"Thank you Ash..." Gary said, as he wiped the tears from his eyes. "All I want is a chance to make things right with you. I'll never be able to live down what I did to you, but I will do everything I can to fix our friendship."
"Good, I look forward to it." Ash said, extending his hand for Gary to shake. "Well we have to get out of here Gary, but I'll try to visit you once I finish challenging all of the leagues."
"You can count on me rooting for you from now on." Gary said, as he shook Ash's hand. "I won't make that mistake again."
"Catch you later Gary." Ash said, turning to head back to his group. However, Ash suddenly stopped and turned to Gary once again. "Oh! One quick thing before I forget. You should really go visit Professor Oak, Gary. There's something there that will really surprise you."
"Huh?" Gary said, as he quirked an eyebrow in confusion. "What are you talking about, Ashy boy?"
"Ah, I don't want to spoil to surprise." Ash said, waving to Gary as he turned back around. "Just head over to the Professor's lab soon."
"A surprised at gramp's lab?" Gary asked himself, as he rubbed the back of his head. "Hmm, I guess I can give him a call."
(Two Minutes Later; Outside Viridian's Gym)
"I'm so proud of you Ash." Iris said, hugging one of Ash's free arms. "I was half expecting you to knock Gary's lights out."
"I told you I wouldn't do that, didn't I?" Ash asked, as he released a low sigh of annoyance. "You never seem to trust me."
"Well how can I trust a little kid like you?" Iris teased, causing a fire to burn in Ash's eyes.
"Want me to show how much of a 'kid' I am tonight?" Ash whispered hotly into Iris' ear, which caused the ebony-skinned girl's cheeks to burn bright red.
"Alright, that's enough flirting!" Burgundy exclaimed, pushing Ash and Iris apart. "Please, save it until we get back to the Pokemon Center." Releasing an annoyed huff, Burgundy turned to Ash. "So, our 'oh so valiant leader,' where are we heading next?"
"Well..." Ash muttered, as he rubbed his chin. "I figured I could treat you all before my next gym battle. I mean I have all my winnings from the leagues I've won, so I figured we could go to Celadon City next." Ash knew he would immediately regret this decision when he saw all of his girls' eyes light up. "Shit, why do I even open my big mouth? Goodbye money, I'll miss you."
And done! This chapter is finally finished! So Gary has finally been dealt with and the group is heading to Celadon City next, with Ash promising everyone a nice shopping trip. So what did you guys think? Let me know in your review. Remember to follow/favorite if you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW I NEED YOUR FEEDBACK, and PM me any ideas for any of my fics. Also don't forget to vote in the poll if haven't already.
P.S. I've finished quite a few anime since the last chapter came out, they're all listed on my profile so if you want to see them all, and my personal score, go check them all out. I also listed my favorite pairings from various series, so if you want to see that to check out my profile.
So until next time, I'm outta here!