Paul had decided to try winning the league one more time. It had been years when he had last been in the Kanto region and now he was here again in Indigo Plateu. He had almost decided to come through the Pallet Town, but then decided against it. He wasn't sure he wanted to meet a certain someone. They hadn't kept in touch. Paul wasn't really sure why. He wasn't that good at keeping in touch with anybody. Ash hadn't called him either, so that had to mean that he didn't want to keep in touch.

Paul had decided that if he didn't succeed now, he would stop being a trainer. He hadn't been able to win any important matches recently. It felt like he hadn't progressed at all. Traveling around, challenging other trainers had become lonely and boresome. It was stupid that he hadn't ever considered any other things to do than being a trainer. He would have to figure something out.

He was waiting in line to register to Indigo league, when he saw him. He wasn't sure at first, because it had been years. Idiot didn't have his hat or there didn't seem to be Pikachu in his head either. Ash had noticed him too.

"Paul?"

"You don't have your hat." That was all Paul could think to say.

"What?" Ash seemed really confused.

"Nothing." It didn't really matter, that he didn't have his hat.

"Okay... Well it is nice to see you!" Ash smiled at him radiantly.

"It has been a long time."

"Yeah." Ash looked away. He looked little hurt.

"Are you going to participate too?" Paul blurted hastily.

"Of course. I am going to become the Pokemon Master!"

"You haven't changed." Paul smirked to himself.

"You look different with your hair in ponytail."

"You don't have your hat." Somehow Paul was really fixated on the hat. He had never before seen Ash without it.

"Yeah. I left it with my stuff."

"Your hair looks odd."

"My hair looks odd? You have yours in ponytail." Ash was flustered and little pissed at all the comments. Paul laughed.

"You really haven't changed."

Ash's annoyance left him as fast as it came. He joined Paul in his chuckling.

"Sir, are you going to register?" The woman behind the counter asked Ash. Ash turned away from Paul and went to register. Paul was next in his line and turned also toward the counter. Soon it was his turn. After registering he couldn't see Ash anywhere. It seemed he had left already. Paul felt disappointed. 'Stupid, why would Ash want to spent time with me, when he hadn't contacted him in years?' Paul gloomily started to walk towards his lodging place.

"Pikachiuuu!" Paul looked up. It was very familiar pikachu that had hopped in his shoulder.

"PAUL! There you are. Pikachu, nice job, you found him!" Pikachu hopped to Ash's head, but it seemed to Paul that it wasn't watching him very nicely. He didn't care.

"I thought we could hang out today, except if you already have something?" Paul looked at him. Ash continued little less enthusiastically "I mean our matches doesn't start until tomorrow?"

Paul nodded his agreement. They did hang out. Ash told him all about his grand adventures. Paul listened mostly, he wasn't sure he believed everything, but hanging out with Ash wasn't too bad.

Next day his matches went better than Paul expected. He won so easily. It was all probably thanks to Ash. Back in the day Ash hade proclaimed Paul to be his rival and nobody else had never done that. Just meeting his rival had made Paul to push himself harder than in years. He couldn't lose to Ash. His bad progress before had probably been because there was nobody to challenge him to be better.

Paul was smiling while he was battling. Ash was probably watching him in audience or he better be. Paul glanced surreptiously around. There was only one person who would be standing pikachu on their head. He was there. Paul's smile widened. He would win this whole damn league.

"Gongratulations, Paul! That was awesome! You were awesome!"

"Of course, I was."

"I am trying to be nice here..."

"Saying obvious doesn't mean you are nice."

"Damn, Paul, you can annoy me so easily."

Paul smiled, that was the point.

"My match starts in an hour, will you come see it?"

"..."

"Hey! I was there cheering you, so you should come to see my match. That's the least you could do, because you probably won thanks to my amazing support."

"You have too high opinion of yourself and your cheering."

"Argh! Paul! Fine. Don't come then." Ash turned around and angrily started to walk away.

Paul hastily catched his hand.

"I'll come." Paul said, released his hand and walked away. Ash turned and stared at him, confused. Watching Paul walk away he could see his neck had flushed red. Wide smile appeared to Ash's face.

Somehow watching Ash 's match had made Paul's spirit raise even more. He felt like burning with enthusiasm. He couldn't wait to be back to battling.

"Paul, did you see me? I was awesome."

Paul silently agreed to himself, but ignored Ash.

"Paul! It won't kill you to say a couple of nice words about me."

"Maybe it will." Paul proceeded to watch Ash being all angry at him. It was just too funny to rile Ash up.

Right before they would have challenged each other, Ash lost his match. He made it to top four. It would have been amazing to challenge Ash in final, but it didn't happen. Paul was seething. Ash was still smiling.

"That was nice battle!"

"How can you say that, you lost!"

"That doesn't diminish the greatness of the battle."

"You are an idiot! You lost, you shouldn't be happy, you should curse that bastard for winning!"

"But he was better than me. I lost fair and square."

"You are stupid."

"I am happy that you are angry at my benefit. You can take revenge if it matters to you so much." Paul looked at him scathingly and walked away.

"Damn. Why can't he admit that he is actually nice?"

The Final was spectacular. Paul was there so it made it even more interesting for Ash. Paul couldn't really remember anything else from the battle than Ash's face in the audience. It come to him as a shock that he actually won. He got his revenge against the bastard at least.

"Paul! You did it! You are the new champion! I am so jealous." Ash proclaimed. He didn't look jealous at all thought. His face looked like it could split from the smiling. He actually hopped and and put his arms around Paul's neck and hugged him. Paul froze for a second and hastily shaked himself from Ash's embrace and dragged him away.

"What do you think you are doing?" Paul whispered, he didn't know why he was whispering. Ash looked baffled.

"It's called a hug. I am sure you have heard of them before."

"You can't do that in public!"

"Why?"

"Because... It is embarassing!"

"You are hilarious Paul. Hugging is expected after winning the league."

"No, it isn't."

"Yes, it is."

"No."

"Yes."

And this went on for a while. Ash eventually got bored with it and smacked his lips to Paul's just as Paul was saying vehemently 'no'. Paul didn't argue against that.