While our genes give us our template, our environment gives us everything else. Whether we fail to reach our full genetic potential or exceed it is all up to what we surround ourselves with and how we interact with it. Being in a new environment often brings about feelings we rarely feel when surrounded by the norm.
Standing in the top row of seats, Gary looked around himself and took in the stadium's night air. Staring at the first-class battlefield randomizer with plenty of water features, enough seats for thousands of people, and the sheer vastness of it all, Gary felt a twinge of nervousness and set his hand on the back of his neck.
"There's no place for that here." Gary exhaled and turned to Ash. Gary gestured to the stadium.
"I think if anything, this would be the place for it. I don't think even Kanto has a stadium of this caliber."
"Thinking about moving out here?" Ash asked.
"Maybe when I turn pro."
"Yeah, the pro circuit seems so close."
"Duh, compared to where we started?"
"Haha, I definitely would've chosen Squirtle if you hadn't woken up before me... I forgot how big our rivalry was back then."
"I think that's why I am where I am today...But it's not like we're not rivals anymore." Ash chuckled.
"You always get sentimental when you get nervous."
"No, I get more honest when I'm nervous." A natural silence followed.
"Then maybe I should get Misty to call you before you compete." Ash pulled out his phone.
"HEY!"
Dawn broke out over the skies and Ash returned from an early-morning run and headed immediately to the practice fields. A calm voice prompted him to remove his headphones.
"Early-morning fitness? You're literally a different person." He turned to the side and saw Dawn doing push-ups. He set up next to her and joined her in her exercises.
"Nah, you just don't see me in the morning."
"Have you decided on your team?"
"Almost, it's a little harder because there's someone here who might be able to push me to three Pokemon."
"Yeah, my friends tell me Hoenn's school isn't too shabby." Dawn moved onto some basic yoga.
"How's working with Paul?"
"Fine, he's a smart guy beneath it all and we have some fun strategies in the works."
Dawn moved into the child's pose and Ash took this opportunity to gently roll her over and lay his head on her stomach.
"Hey, I was almost finished." But she smiled and stroked his hair and together they looked up at the sunny skies.
Playing with her fingers, Ash turned his head to hers.
"A week ago, when you skipped school, were you in Celadon City?" Dawn's smile barely faltered.
"Yeah. Yeah I was." She clearly didn't feel like talking about it anymore. Ash looked away from the rising sun and closed his eyes.
"All right."
Worn out from practice, the four Kanto representatives were hanging out in Paul's room, playing blackjack.
"Yeah, Birch said there isn't any room service because this isn't a hotel. Hit." Paul handed Gary a card.
"He definitely told us that on the way here, Gary. Hit." Ash took a card then grimaced. "Damn it, Paul, burn."
"I'd rather buy groceries and make use of the kitchen than eat out."
"So were you thinking pasta or…?" Ash shook his head.
"Nah, pasta makes me feel slow." Paul opened his eyes.
"Steak," he muttered. Gary scratched his head.
"Everyone's too specific about preferences with steak." Dawn raised her hand.
"How about...burritos? I'll hold."
"Okay, ready Dawn? Whatcha got?" Gary threw down a queen, a three and a four.
"Close, but no dice!" Dawn laid down a ten and a nine.
"Noooooooooooo!" Dawn swept all the gummy bears her way and triumphantly raised her fist.
"That makes four rounds!"
"Yeah, four rounds of cheating." Ash said offhandedly.
"Hey hey hey, no reason to be salty just because you suck at something."
"I don't suck, sleight-of-hand isn't supposed to be a skill in this game." Dawn smirked.
"Oh okay, do you want to go another round? I won't even touch the cards." Ash started eating the gummy bears.
"Let's go grocery shopping."
"Burritos!"
"Steak burritos."
We are the result of our choices and the choices of others-which is what makes a grocery store super fascinating. It's an amazing intersection for the choices of millions. The items displayed are the choice of the local owner, their production is the choice of external companies. The choices of the customer interacts with the choices of the producers and suppliers to create even more choices. A poor family prioritizes price per calorie, while a well-off family is more likely to prioritize organics and more personally specific foods, yet both of these people are in the same place trying to accomplish the same overall task. Fascinating.
"Yeah, but if we buy the Taco Bell seasoning it's pre-made and only a dollar." Dawn said. Ash nodded.
"I agree, Taco Bell is delicious."
"Ugh." Paul shook his head, but spotted some discount meat and walked away. Gary was tossing tortilla shell packs, trying to determine which one was the fluffiest. Dawn grabbed the Taco Bell seasoning and added it to the basket.
"Hey, doesn't the majority rule?" Ash asked sarcastically. Dawn laughed.
"Not in my kingdom." Ash watched her run in front of him, reaching out and examining foodstuffs. She really was cute. And talented.
"You know your legs move out to the side when you run."
"Nuh-uh." Ash lazily imitated what he saw.
"Yeah, see? Just like a baby Ducklett."
"What? Have you even seen a baby Ducklett? They walk fine."
"Of course you would say that, you're a baby Ducklett." She laughed a little bit.
"Huh, so you have a crush on a baby Ducklett? Weirdddd." Ash raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? Who said I have a crush on you?" Dawn raised a hand and clawed his shirt.
"Zangoose does." Ash sucked in air.
"Awful pun. Just awful."
"Yeah, but you're still holding my hand, right?"
"That doesn't make it a good pun."
"Hey, no PDA while the rest of us don't have anyone here." Gary set down his tortilla choice in the basket.
"Come on Gary, no one likes wheat."
While an empty stadium leaves you with a great understanding of the world's ironic vastness, a full stadium gives an understanding of the performance's vast irony. Thousands of people gather around for an experience that means thousands times more to the people involved than it ever will to them. Every performer needs an audience, but not every audience member understands that they could be a performer.
"Welcome one and all to Hoenn Tech's annual Battle Exhibition! My name is Mr. Stone and this year, the Exhibition is very excited to again be hosting Kanto's National Pokemon Academy! Representing Kanto in battle today will be a sophomore-heavy team: Gary Oak and Ash Ketchum in Singles and Dawn Berlitz and Paul Shinji in tag doubles!"
The four walked out to cheering and a few boos from die-hard Hoenn fans. Dawn yawned hard.
"What time did we go to sleep last night?" Ash rubbed her shoulder.
"Maybe 3am? I lost track after the fourteenth round of blackjack." Gary rubbed his stomach.
"I don't know about you guys, but it was the burritos that kept me up. Beans always get me." Paul didn't rub anything.
"You should've had steak."
"And representing Hoenn's number one school is senior Brandon Jacobs and freshman Kayla Kazumi in Singles and sophomores Harrison Grayson and Reia Vera in tag doubles!" At Harrison's name, the crowd screamed twice as loud.
"Thank you for greeting our exhibitioners so kindly. Allow our young people to prepare, the first battle will take place in thirty minutes: Gary Oak vs. Brandon Jacobs!"
Gary and Brandon headed to the locker rooms to make some last minute preparations. Ash grinned and offered a handshake to Harrison, the kind where your hand is raised up so the handshake looks more "cool" than respectful.
"Since when were you a tag doubles guy?"
"Ash," he accepted the handshake, "it's been months! Actually, I gave Brandon my spot because he's graduating and who doesn't want to battle with their girlfriend? But that Kayla's nasty as hell, totally snaked me for the first seed."
"Harrison, nasty makes it sound like I cheated." A black-haired girl wearing Hoenn Tech's red uniform jacket over a basic black tank and white harem pants offered her hand to Ash.
"I've heard stories, it's nice to finally meet you."
"I've heard nothing about you, but likewise." She laughed and he shook her hand.
"Well hey, I'm about to make some waves by taking you out." Harrison gestured to his girlfriend, who was talking to Paul.
"Reia, it's Ash!" The brown-haired girl wearing a uniform jacket, white racerback tank, and athletic cutoffs walked over and smiled.
"It's too bad I don't get to face you again." Ash nodded.
"Your Sylveon was already that strong last year, I'm glad our rematch can wait."
Looking on, Dawn thought it was interesting that everyone disliked Ash at school, but he seemed to have some respectable faraway friends. She smiled.
"Ash, introduce me!"
The six moved to the sidelines to watch Gary duke it out with Brandon. Kayla did some calculations in her head.
"I'll give it to Brandon with one left. Dawn?"
"I'm saying Gary wins with one left." Reia leaned back and stretched.
"I say Brandon with one. Losers buy dinner for the winners?"
"Sure, Gary with two," Harrison said. Kayla and Reia laughed; Paul nodded in agreement.
"You're supposed to root for your own team!" Harrison looked at the field with mock seriousness.
"I root for the truth," he turned, "Ash?"
Ash was sitting extremely straight, completely invested in what was happening before him. He thought for a bit.
"Gary with two."
"Let the 4v4 Singles match between Gary Oak and Brandon Jacobs begin!"