Surmount

by HDK315

Although they travel down a long, merciless road that has overwhelmed all but the very strongest to eventually throw in the towel, they do so with unrivaled resolve and convictions. This is the story of Ash Ketchum and his beloved family of Pokemon, and how they became the greatest of all time. Cover by TigerOnMission.

37. Pincers and Jaws

The events of that night had never truly escaped Phenom's memory. It was before his first proper battle, before the team's first stay in Saffron City. He had still been so young, so small, just learning how to fight. Looking at everything else in awe as his teammates took on opponent after opponent, only two badges to their name, as the young Tyrunt's goal was solely to be a part of it all.

It was on the way to Saffron when he had been abruptly woken by the team's newest recruit. That Krabby. Tempest had picked a fight with him out of the blue. Something in the dinosaur had flared that night, and looking back at it felt sort of cloudy. Some kind of adrenaline rush. He had been powerless, though, and helpless to turn the tides until the brawl was broken up. The water type was far too strong for him, and the encounter had been nothing but painful.

The large water type was a bully. A brute who only cared about himself, and picking fights with others for no reason. The two of them had been kept apart ever since, and the young dinosaur's thoughts were never forced to linger on that night too much, but it had always been in the back of his mind. He always remembered why they were apart, and it was for the best.

For the best is what he thought. At the time. As long as he avoided the Krabby, Tempest would not get in the way of his fun. He would not have to worry about being beaten up again. It was what he had thought for quite some time.

Now, a thought such as that made Phenom growl in frustration. Why should he have to avoid Tempest or any other kind of bully just to be happy and enjoy having fun with his friends? It was because of all of that hard yet fun work training and battling that he was as strong as he was now. That drive had made him go from Tyrunt to Phenom. From baby to Phenom. Tempest did not need to be avoided, he needed to be confronted. To be made aware that the baby he had picked on for no reason had grown up, but not forgotten. He needed to be put in his place, but first, he needed to know who had their eyes on him. He needed to know ahead of time who was going to be the one to do it. And on the road to Lavender Town, he had looked Tempest in the eye to make sure that was the case.

One day, they would fight. And the river crab was going to lose.

Ever since leaving Lavender Town, however, things had become confusing. Frustrating. The events that had occurred in the tower were more than enough on their own, but… out of nowhere, Tempest of all Pokemon had saved him. And now, the young dinosaur could not stop asking himself why. That brutish Krabby was supposed to be nothing but a jerk. A violent, condescending jerk. That's what he had been the entire time, always looking down on him and the rest of his friends like he was better. Always causing trouble for no reason, just like when he had attacked him.

Trying to make sense of such a thing simply led to the dinosaur's mind going blank. And that was frustrating. It was a frustration he did not allow to keep him down, however. Fuchsia City was their next goal, and Ash and Janine were always talking about it. About the weight of the next Gym battle that they would face. Throwing himself headfirst into training was a perfect distraction from the confusing frustration that stupid bully was forcing on him.

Or at least it should have been, but the young Tyrunt was not the only one throwing himself headfirst in. So much had changed leaving Lavender Town, and it all started with Glaceon. The Eevee that Phenom had admired and adored was now so beautiful and strong. The way she mowed down her opponents was like her unstoppable tail was cleaving them in two. Every time she battled, his eyes could not leave her. The dinosaur's gaze followed her like a superhero charging in.

But there was one member of the team who perhaps gave Glaceon even more attention. Tempest had doubled and tripled down ever since Eevee had evolved. Now, as they made their way to Benver's Lodging, the Krabby would throw himself into any fight he could get himself into. The brute was showing off.

Phenom would never accept that. Now, all Tempest cared about was catching up to Glaceon. Of course he did, he only cared about himself, after all. He wanted to surpass her for his own gain. It was all that water type focused on.

But Tempest needed to pay attention to him. Phenom had not forgotten, and he would not allow Tempest to forget either.

/

Life had been simple and aimless on the Cerulean coast. It had been so easy to feel content: Go out and find food, go out and find fights. The more things Tempest found to punch, the more he realized just how fun it was. Being lucky enough to find a particularly strong opponent made it better. The young Pokemon at that researcher's Lab were not particularly strong, but they were there, and breaking in to rough them up would always scratch the itch. For a while, Tempest had not imagined much else.

The entire world had changed the moment Ash Ketchum and Pikachu had shown up. The feeling of being bested had overtaken the water type. Being caught was something he could not register at first. But in the next moment, it had been the best thing to ever happen to him. A trainer that could make him stronger. Traveling all across Indigo facing the toughest opponents possible, all for the goal of competing in the best tournament possible. Nowadays, Tempest rarely ever thought of the Cerulean coast. There was little attachment, little nostalgia. His eyes had been opened to how hopelessly bland life had been. The world he lived in now was bigger and better than everything that he had left behind.

There was a downside, however, and it was the Pokemon he was forced to travel with. Tempest cared little for their approval; it's not like he ever needed friends to have fun. Fighting was not about friends, after all. But it was still annoying, the way the others looked down on him for indulging in what was fun. Valiant, the Kirlia that never stopped kissing the bottom of Ash's feat, was the most scrutinous of the bunch, but they all gave him the same look. He would give it right back to them, and let them know exactly how he felt.

One of those five, however, had been a young Tyrunt. He was just a baby, no match for him. But there was something bubbling inside. An eagerness to fight. It had been impossible to resist; Tempest had spent all his time finding an opponent to fight whenever he saw the opportunity, and one opportunity was right there.

The scolding he had received from Ash was still in his mind. As was the threat of being released. What's more, everyone looked at him far worse now. But Tempest allowed himself to care little. He would listen to Ash's instructions not to pick fights with teammates, and that would be that. As long as he could stay on the team, and feel the thrill of such strong opponents like the Gym Leaders, his trainer's terms were not a problem. Neither were the glaring eyes of Valiant and the others. Let them glare, they were of little concern.

Ash always thought differently, however. For as much as Tempest respected his proven capable trainer, Ash's warning felt ludicrous. He tried to convince Tempest that he'd fall behind, and that Valiant and the others would all leave him in the dust together if he continued to do things alone in his own corner. None of that made sense. All five of his team "teammates" were so much softer than him. Too sensitive and irritating. What could he possibly have to gain from working with them? If anything they'd just drag him down. He had certainly held his own against Leader Erika well enough.

Then the attack on the museum had occurred, and Tempest always did his best not to look back. His trainer and teammates almost getting killed, chasing after him. How he had been the cause of it. How that blasted Mr. Mime had held Ash at gunpoint. And in addition, Ash confronting him about it afterwards.

Tempest had not been able to feel anything other than regret, and the regret frustrated him. Yet the frustration did not get rid of the regret, it only made it worse. All he had done was give chase. The blue haired kid, Damian, who had just tried to murder Ash in cold blood was getting away, and Tempest had not yet been satisfied. Chasing him was the logical thing to do. It had been a fight, and he decided when it was over. And the choice he had made that day had brought Ash even closer to death with the Mr. Mime than he had been with Damian himself, and everyone in their group, Janine and her Pokemon included, had almost died. Tempest had never regretted anything before, and he wished he never had. It wasn't adrenaline. It certainly wasn't a thrill. It was just a sickening feeling all around.

Even now, Celadon had not left his mind. It was there in full when Ash had outright forced him to start working with his teammates, teaching Valiant Icy Wind, sparring with Eevee, accepting help from Tentacruel to learn Surf. Help that he had tried to insist to himself was not needed - was only being accepted because his trainer said so - until that battle. Surf had been the only reason he had not lost outright to that Metang. It was an annoying thought, but before long, he had found himself accepting it. The memories of Celadon had not left him, and had only grown somewhat stronger after yet another Team Rocket attack. He wasn't overly fond of his teammates, but what had happened had been his fault. He wasn't going to let himself put his trainer or teammates in danger again, but it wouldn't stop him from loving to fight.

Nonetheless, Ash had been right: Being a part of a team was better than flying solo. Valiant had proved him wrong with the progress he had made with Icy Wind, and now Glaceon and her evolution became something to chase.

The young Krabby could not quite pinpoint when or why he had come to like Ash so much. At the start, wasn't this supposed to be a means to an end for both of them? Ash would make him stronger and give him the chance to fight battles he never could have hoped to imagine back at the dull Cerulean coast, and in return, Tempest would be a strong asset for his new trainer's goals. The two of them had had their fair share of differences, enough to where the Krabby could not figure out what drew him to the boy personally. He told himself that he simply respected Ash, and his starter, for that matter, for beating him back at the Lab and proving he had the tools to deliver on his promises. It had never been personal, just a means to an end. But the water type's heart had nearly stopped when the Mr. Mime held his trainer hostage, an incident that would not have happened if it had not been for him acting as such a loose cannon. And even after that, Ash had given him a second chance he may not have deserved.

…

It was yet another confusing cluster of thoughts playing out in the Krabby's mind, but as time went on he found himself somewhat less concerned over it. It felt oddly silly, making a big deal of it. Perhaps some time ago, he would have thought differently, but it felt just as silly making a big deal of that as well.

Right now, they were on their way to Fuchsia City for what promised to be the biggest Gym battle yet. Tempest's excitement was focused on that, and Fuji's statement that he would soon be ready for evolution. And when he did become a Kingler, he'd make a point to be Ash Ketchum's greatest asset.

A new detail forbade those thoughts from being the only things on his mind, however. The Tyrunt, who now called himself Phenom, had been focused on him ever since they had left Saffron. Remembering what he had done to the dinosaur such a long time ago brought another sense of guilt to the water type, the youngest member of the team's newfound confrontational spirit bringing a long past memory back to the front of his mind. But Phenom was different now, compared to back then.

Despite himself, Tempest could not fault the dinosaur's opinion of him, but now Phenom was attempting to upstage him. Glaceon's evolution and amazing power (which Tempest had quickly found himself on the receiving end of in a spar) had lit a spark in the Krabby's heart, and on the way to Benver's Lodging, he was now throwing himself into every battle that he could get involved in, digging in as deeply as he could to bring out what he needed to become a Kingler. The battles were getting harder, but so was he, and the thrill of each encounter had gone up with it.

But Tempest was no fool: Phenom was doing the same. Had responded in kind. But his sights were not on Glaceon, they were on him. The Tyrunt was specifically trying to fight better than him. And as impressed as Tempest was to watch his teammate's Dragon Pulse finish off the staggeringly tenacious Flaaffy, he would not allow himself to be outdone by the upstart runt of the group. If Phenom was going to chase him, he'd simply go faster. Either way, evolution was on his horizon.

/

The remainder of the day blended together in somewhat weird, blissful fashion. Not even halfway to the machines, a euphoric Ash had been intercepted by Beth, Jordan, and Josh, and had been midway through being bombarded with what must have been fifty questions at once before Patricia had pulled the three away. Though the overwhelming onslaught had brought him back down to earth (and not too long after leaving, at that), nothing changed when he was finally given room to breathe once more, that same elation quickly returning to him in a more grounded form. The kind where your body and mind became devoid of pressure. It did not simply feel "light", it was hard for him to describe the feeling, but it was one of unrivaled contentment.

A formal celebration of their victory would have to wait, as everyone on his team was in need of healing and rest; Nurse Joy's over the phone advice for the remainder of the day at the least. Glaceon was transported to the closest Center for more thorough treatment, having the worst injuries following her clash with Jolteon. Pikachu's body and mind had pushed themselves beyond what the electric mouse initially seemed capable of, and though he had almost certainly unlocked a new set of potential to delve into and grow until Ash could get his hands on a Thunder Stone (the true threshold standing in their way), the extreme exhaustion that now claimed his starter had led to him being transported as well.

It felt very dissonant, being without his team even in the wake of such a victory, but Ash was not alone either, gratefully enjoying Janine's company for the rest of the day. It had all gone by in a snip, though. Although it was not the case, he couldn't help but feel like only an hour or so had gone by between leaving Gary at the battlefield and eating dinner with Janine and her team before turning in for the night. Nonetheless, he found himself resting easily, his already relaxed body finding its way to a pleasant sleep as naturally as a breeze of the wind when he closed his eyes.

Elsewhere in the lodging, things were different.

Gary's eyes were as open as they were at noon, and any attempts at closing them did nothing to summon sleep, even as he buried himself in his covers trying every position known to mankind.

Finally, the Oak boy hissed, throwing the covers off of him. Half the blanket touched the floor as he climbed out of bed and rubbed his heavy eyes. He was tired, and yet no amount of fatigue in the world was allowing sleep to come his way. Turning on the light, his eyes stung for a second or two as the room lit up, contrasting the pitch blackness of the outside from the window.

Everyone on his team was resting overnight at the Center. Not all of them needed it (Jolteon certainly did), but he had needed to be alone. He now questioned that judgment whilst taking in the emptiness of the room, and the bubble in his chest turned to fire as his eyes landed at the clock, which read 12:42 AM.

"ERAARGH!" He did not quite register the pain the first time his fist hit the wall, which led to a second strike that he regretted far more quickly. "Ack, damnit, Ash…!"

He wanted to tell himself that the lack of sleep was simply because he was already dreaming, but he knew the fatigue in his eyes (and now, the pain in his left hand) was very much real. It had not been enough for that prick to plant unwarranted doubts in his brain back at Celadon. Doubts that were supposed to be silenced that afternoon. Now, all his brain could see were the images of Ash curled up, or teary eyed, or pale in the face, back in Pallet, and an almost looped replay of the Oak boy's first ever six on six affair.

Everything about it was an insult. Ash had never been the one studying overnight to memorize every fine detail of knowledge that could be soaked in. He wasn't the one constantly sweating to perfect himself in preparation for the journey to come, and it had shown throughout their upbringing. None of this was deserved, for either of them. None of this was right.

Gary's eyes aimlessly wandered around the room, finding nothing to land on before turning to the door and heading out into the hall. The sight of the bed was mocking him, reminding him of his inability to sleep. The hall itself was as quiet as the dead, the Oak boy imagining that he may have been the only soul awake.

Could a failure like Ash really pass him up like this? He knew for a fact that was impossible, so what had happened? Was he the problem? How the hell was he supposed to achieve anything with someone like Ash Ketchum in front of him?

…

But then what had he done wrong? He had four badges, and not a single attempt at a Gym had ended in failure. Ever since he was five, he had done everything right, while Ash threatened to put his, Angelina, and all the others' dreams in jeopardy dragging them down to his level. Nothing made sense, no matter how his mind tried to link things together, and the whirlwind of confusion pressed against the fatigue in his head like a hammer grinding against steel.

'This is his fault.' The venom filled his mind as Gary's knuckles whitened. Ash had been messing with his mind ever since Celadon, and he had been the one having to deal with it ever since. Maybe it was the exhaustion in his body and brain that forbade him from connecting the seemingly invisible dots, but that was Ash's fault too. He'd be sleeping just fine if it weren't for any of this.

The sound of a somewhat hushed voice broke his attention away from the involuntary growling in his throat, his heavy legs slowly coming to a stop. In his sleep deprived state, he had not noticed that his unplanned walk had taken him beyond the lobby and near the calling room. A female voice he was too tired to fully make out was talking on a video phone, and Gary could not help but blink once or twice. He would be up this late just to make a call?

As his thoughts died down, an additional wave of tiredness passed over him, almost like a second layer blanketing the first. For more than a split second, he wished he could sleep right there, even if it was on the floor, but instead summoned the strength to turn around and make his way back to his room, feeling his feet dragging along with each and every step as his eyelids developed the weight of a Snorlax.

He was growing too tired to even think about the bastard, and perhaps that was the key to the rest he had been seeking all night long.

Over in the calling room proper, Patricia rubbed her eyes while leaning to the side in her chair, wondering if she had simply been hearing things.

"Is something wrong, Patricia?" on the screen, Leader Erika's tired face scrunched in concern, but subsided at the teen girl's reassuring grin.

"It's nothing, I just thought I heard something. It was probably just someone on a late night walk."

/

'We won. We beat Gary.'

Sometimes you wake up in the morning, it takes you a moment to process the current situation going into the day. Maybe it's the start of the week, and you slowly realize that you have five straight days of school ahead of you. Maybe something good is about to happen. Maybe something good already has.

Those were the words that played in Ash's mind as he came to that morning. When the fuzziness of sleep began fading from his eyes and head, he was progressively treated to memories of the big battle from yesterday. From Valiant's opening bout with Meditite, to Glaceon's clashes with half of Gary's team, to Pikachu's final attack piercing through Wartortle's Torrent fueled adrenaline. As Ash remembered it all, that feeling from yesterday returned, and he felt a small smile to nobody in particular spread across his face.

The five words felt like something insurmountable. As though he had achieved something impossible, not meant to be done. The idea of beating Gary had been exactly that for just about as long as he could remember. The Oak boy was an invincible presence untainted by everything else, and consistently so at his expense.

But that had all ended yesterday. It did not erase everything else, but the present was different from the past. And the future would be too. From here on out, things were different. Everything was different, and it would stay that way. Because nobody could take yesterday away from him anymore than he could rewrite his own history and humiliation. Anymore than he could wipe away his faults and shortcomings that he had paid for multiple times over in the past. Yesterday would eventually be a part of that past itself, and it was a reminder of where he was going.

The shadow casted by Gary Oak was no longer eclipsing the horizon.

/

"I take it you're feeling well?" Across the table they had claimed in the lounge for breakfast, Janine offered him a knowing grin as he took a second bite of his donut. Surrounding them, their teams ate in high spirits, the majority of Ash's team completely recovered (although Glaceon was told to take it easy for the following day).

Now finally up and about once more, there was no member of Ash's team in particular who was not lively this morning, and Ash did not need to understand their language to know what they were talking about. All six chatted freely and brightly with both each other and Janine's team (all of whom proved open-eared) about yesterday's battle. Not separated from the others, Tempest was proudly sharing to Tentacruel and Skrelp how he had used Surf to escape from Weepinbell's hold on him twice, while the rest of the collective group mingled back and forth with one another. Nebula did a bit more listening than talking, but was still in a fairly decent mood despite her loss, the positivity proving a little bit too infectious for her to be overly disappointed in the moment; the time for reflection could come later, the next time training resumed.

Ash took in the lively sight for a moment or two before nodding at his friend with a matched expression. "Doesn't seem like I'm the only one."

"Indeed," she confirmed, lowering the piece of toast she had been about to bite into. "I hope to share a similar story at the end of the day. That obnoxious Jordan challenged me to a four on four battle on my way to bed last night, and I think your team's spirits are motivating mine."

"Best of luck," though his voice was encouraging, Ash's face fell almost neutral for a brief moment. "By the way, any dreams last night?" He had almost forgotten to ask.

Relief found a presence in his chest as she shook her head. "No bad ones. What about you?" The moment he shook his head, the subject ended, and everything was as it was once more. "So, do you have any plans yourself?"

"A few," he confirmed. "We'll be… setting off soon." It was far from the first time either of them had "set off" but speaking the words felt significantly heavier this time around. This time, the wilds of Fuchsia waited for them ahead, and the journey to the city proper would be far from short. Far from safe. Far from easygoing. "I'm going to call my mom, and Professor Oak if he's available. Some last minute advice from him wouldn't hurt, right?"

"I concur." the young poison specialist replied. "I was going to see if aunt Aya was available myself. As familiar as I am with the area immediately surrounding the city, father never took me too far out. Although he might have if it was legal." According to her, Leader Koga would usually make use of the Safari Zone to bend the rules. It was a highly diverse yet ultimately controlled environment.

Enjoying another bite of his donut, Ash's eyes found their way back to his team for a moment, swallowing before his gaze found its way back to Janine. "Also, I still need to…" leaning forward a bit, his voice softened as he nodded to the side. "Phenom and Tempest."

Her eyes narrowed in understanding. "Right. I suppose Gary set that plan back."

"He did," Ash admitted thoughtfully. "But… maybe for the best? Everyone's morale is really high now. We need that going into our journey through Fuchsia territory, but it also makes this a good opportunity."

Looking over to the crab in question, Janine hummed lightly as she observed Tempest chatting with Tentacruel and Skrelp. "Well I, for what it's worth, think I've noticed a difference from when we first joined together. And I think you're right that now is probably the best time." making eye contact with him, she added, "Your morale is not exactly low either. That plays just as much of a role."

He chuckled. "I suppose it does."

The two ate in comfortable silence for a decent while after that, simply enjoying the cheerfully spirited sounds of their teammates while consuming most of their breakfast. Nearing the end, however, Ash couldn't help but read from the look on Janine's face that she was deep in thought. "Something wrong?"

"Oh." the girl perked up. "I was just…" her tongue hesitated for a moment before locking eyes with him. "Thinking about our talk, the other night. Before the battle."

The air around Ash changed just a bit, somewhat in surprise. "Oh, I see…"

After a few seconds, she spoke again. "Listen, Ash…" shifting in her seat, her gaze fell to her plate for a moment before returning to her face. "I'm really sorry you were put through that."

He stared back at her in silence for a few seconds. As he did, his mind returned to that night. The brief talk he and Janine had had, with the encounter with Gary still fresh in his mind.

It felt foreign, to a degree, hearing someone his age say those words. But not nearly as foreign as it may have sounded in the past. Because…

"I… appreciate it," he started, and his lips curved up. "But it's fine. That was a lifetime ago."

/

He was in the video phone room shortly after breakfast. A few trainers were seated in front of monitors already, but the one closest to the door was unoccupied, which Ash quickly claimed. Pikachu, Valiant, Phenom, and Tempest were all in his company as he spoke to his mother. Then conversation lasted a good deal longer than normal, with both knowing that this would likely be the last time they spoke for a decent stretch; until Ash reached Fuchsia City, most likely. To Ash's pleasant surprise, Trucy was also there with his mother, which also likely played its own role in extending the conversation.

After saying goodbye to the two, Ash tried to get in touch with Professor Oak, who picked up just as the boy began to assume he wouldn't be available. As they began talking, Valiant excused himself, leaving the room to take a walk in the hallway. Seeing Ash's mother was always nice, but the Kirlia had found himself craving movement towards the end, and he knew there shouldn't be much issue with him wandering the lodging on his own. It was not though he planned to leave the building. So once Delia had hung up and Ash's focus shifted to the Professor, the young psychic decided that now would be the ideal moment to roam.

A few moments after exiting the room into the hallway, he heard an all too familiar set of footsteps behind him, turning his head to see Phenom curiously following. He offered the dinosaur a quick smile before continuing down the hall, no true goal in mind other than the hope for stimulation. They passed a couple of trainers going through the lobby, but stayed mostly silent.

Just as they were about to round a corner, however, Valiant halted, nearly bumping into the figure walking in his direction. The newcomer mirrored his reaction, taking a step back towards the other figure accompanying her as Phenom tensed in alert.

It was Gary's Meditite and Growlithe.

/

"Slice n' Dice, Primeape!" On his side of the battlefield, Jordan breathed through his nose as he watched his fighting type partner rush Janine's Toxtricity with claws radiating from the shine of Focus Energy. Toxtricity was bruised and cut from previous exchanges, with some blood running down his left side. Some of Primeape's fur, meanwhile, was charred from electrical shock, and the pig monkey grit his teeth in an effort to ignore the gathering pain from the poison he had recently been inflicted with.

Closing the distance, the fighting type's eyes widened with aggression while lashing out at Toxtricity with Fury Swipes. Although most of the strikes were avoided, the electric/poison type still growled in pain as a few of them cut into his skin. Before the assault could accumulate, Primeape wheezed when Janine's partner drove a Brick Break into his stomach, halting the onslaught.

Knowing she might not get another opportunity, Janine let not a second pass before giving her command. "Screech, point blank."

With his fist still buried into his opponent's abdomen, Toxtricity reached out his other arm and roughly yanked Primeape towards him. Before the fighting type could register what was happening, an unrelenting burst of agony exploded in his ears as Toxtricity let loose a horrible, seemingly deafening Screech directly into them. WIth his Punk Rock ability, the electric/poison combatant's sound based moves were all the more powerful, and this was a concentrated effort focused specifically on the opponent's ears. Jordan's face was the color of the ice his Piloswine had used earlier on in the battle as a guttural scream erupted from Primeape's throat, the fighting type's head throbbing with a fierce ache.

Janine's expression did not change as the fighting type's hands shot up to grip his ears, but her heart pounded as the feeling of victory graced her fingertips. "Almost there, Venoshock!"

Despite wanting to catch his breath, Toxtricity was as aware as his trainer how close they were to winning the match. Opening his mouth, he spat out the dark purple liquid, which burned against Primeape's body. The pig monkey let out another shout, his voice this time very uneven as his body registered the pain in his head and ears in addition to the burning of the poison, now amplified by the Venoshock itself. With his nerves overwhelmed, his legs gave out, collapsing onto his bottom. Toxtricity had to catch his breath now, but quickly began to charge electricity immediately afterwards-

Primeape disappeared in a flash of red light. It took a second or two for Toxtricity to register the departure of his opponent, and the sparks he was preparing fizzled out in a huff of frustration before taking another deep breath and sitting down to rest.

Though understanding her partner's dissatisfaction, Janine did not mirror it, taking a breath for a different reason while raising Toxtricity's Poke Ball to return him with a light smile. "Well done, now rest up."

The battle between Ash and Gary the day before had triggered a change in how the older trainers looked at the two of them, and that reaction had extended to Janine herself for the most part. Nonetheless, Jordan was not an easy person to satisfy, and after getting over the initial shock, had demanded Janine put her money where her mouth was instead of simply living vicariously through her friend. An understandable enough demand to make, and though the blonde boy's characteristics would not likely inspire confidence from an outsider, it had not been reflected in the way he battled, and the poison specialist had found herself tested in every sense of the word. She and her friends had answered that test with one of their own, however, employing all the brutal tactics in their book to contest his team's strength. As Primeape disappeared back in his ball, that realization had quickly entered her chest: The feeling of winning an uphill battle. Unlocking previous limits to find new ones. She had not seen Ivysaur fight as hard as he had against Piloswine, and despite her loss, Skrelp had not permitted Sandslash to claim her without taking a piece from him first. Was this how Ash had felt after overcoming Gary? No, she'd surely be giving herself too much credit to compare the two side by side, but she had come out of the affair fully fulfilled.

The pale expression on Jordan's face (along with his refusal to make eye contact as she approached him) gave her a different form of satisfaction, although a familiar voice in the back of her head caused her to flinch almost visibly at the girl's brow furrowed in disapproval at the idea of such vindictive gratification, but it was too late, for she had already felt it, and now her tongue felt sour.

Beth, a third party looking on, spoke before either of the two could find their own words first. The red head did not try to hide the surprise on her face when addressing her, although unlike Jordan, she hardly appeared overwhelmed.

"I have to admit, Janine, was it?" the older girl's fixed on her in thought. "There aren't many first years who… battle the way you do." As her gaze found its way to Jordan, her lips slowly curved up. "I suppose you'd know that more than me, now, huh? How's it feel?"

It was either her words or the tone she spoke them in that snapped the blonde boy out of his stupor, a hint of red breaking through the paleness in his face. "Yeah, well- real easy for you to say, isn't it?" huffing, he still had not made eye contact. "She's just lucky I was using the B team." With a sigh, his expression returned to its normal color. "But… I am willing to admit you're the real deal." His tone was a bit begrudging, but he made no further comments while taking out his Pokedex to pay the prize money.

After a few parting words, Janine was back in the building, placing her injured teammates' balls in the healing machine for treatment. She paused for a moment, considering where to go next. Ash may still be in the video phone room, and while she could drop in, they may be in the middle of a discussion that he wished to keep private. Professor Oak was from his hometown after all, and the grandfather of her friend's bully…

A sting of bitterness laced her tongue, as though she had just tasted a droplet of a strong liquid. Ash had not told her that last detail, but she knew. She had been listening in, after all, unbeknownst to either boy, and it had not taken too long to piece those fragments together; how many famous researchers in Pallet had won the Conference and changed career pursuits shortly after?

But Ash never seemed to speak ill of the Professor, whom Janine had never been given reason to not think highly of, yet did not know personally herself. That made such a situation a tad confusing, in a way that only Ash was likely to understand. And with the encounter with Gary fresh in her best friend's mind, there was no telling where a conversation with the Samuel Oak himself would go.

It was best to leave him to it, then. She would return to her room for now, and do more reading. That was the plan in her mind as she turned to start walking, only to come face to face with a spikey haired boy that had been staring at her for the past few moments. It did not take too long to recognize him, and her eyes narrowed.

"...Tch, I thought so." Gary's voice was bitter and exasperated.

/

"So," Professor Oak's expression was inviting on the other end of the screen. Next to him, Heracross (who, even on screen, Ash could swear was a decent bit bigger than last time) offered Ash a wave that the boy cheerfully returned. "You're really going through with this, huh? Diving right into Fuchsia's belly?"

He nodded back, able to ignore the brief quickening of his heart. "The time to change my mind would have been a while ago by now, right?" Pikachu remained on the table next to him, having greeted the Professor with an enthused squeak. Tempest lingered behind, not participating in the conversation, but his directed attention made it clear that he was listening.

"Of course," the Professor responded, patting the top of Heracross' horn for a moment. "Surely long before you reached the border."

"Janine and I have thought pretty long and hard about the trip on our way here," Ash continued. "But, I was wondering if you had anything to add?"

Oak nodded, assuming a more comfortable position in his seat. "I'm sure I do, but let's start with what you already know."

"Well…" Ash started, replaying past information in his mind. "Let's see… I know Fuchsia's wilderness can be decently varied depending on what section you're traveling through. We're not planning on hiking through the mountains, but the path we're hoping to follow isn't too far from them. There might be some caves that could make for shelter, but we won't explore them. More prominently, the section we're heading in is supposed to have swamps and vegetation, and the wildlife is known for being territorial. It's not the easiest terrain to traverse or navigate, and going too far off course could lead us into a nest." he suppressed a shudder. "I know a fair amount of poison types call the place home, and a lot of those are known for being territorial or having defense mechanisms that kick in whenever they feel threatened. Leader Koga's forces are fairly on top of foreign Pokemon regulation, but they usually prioritize those that don't mesh very well with the ecosystem."

"And because of that, certain species have settled down in such an area." Oak interjected.

Ash nodded. "Right, Janine mentioned the Ariados line nesting in places where the vegetation is deeper, mostly where things are a bit more moist, like a swamp being nearby. And they go out after dark to hunt, so we'd have to camp somewhere they wouldn't feel provoked. Nidoking and Nidoqueen are the big ones, but from what I know, you have to go in very deep to worry about them."

After a pause, Oak picked up on the silent offer to chime in. "Usually, Ash, but not always. The Nido line are known for being remotely nested, at least when still with their parents. This is because Nidoqueen are extremely cautious with caring for their young; They take extra precautions when sealing their burrows, and indeed do their best to isolate the nest. Having said that, if territory has already been marked, they may end up in locations more likely for a trainer to stumble upon by accident, usually taking extra measures to ensure protection, but nonetheless, they will be provoked by the thought of intrusion. The male members of the line are also less cautious; the young ones are sometimes known to wander, which will lead to parents or older siblings leaving the nest to retrieve them. And Nidoking…'

Ash felt his spine tingling. "Their temper."

"To put it lightly." Oak confirmed. "Few things can calm down a provoked Nidoking, but one consistent method: He answers to the calls of his mate. Nidoqueen are imprinted with such knowledge. If the bond is close enough, they can sometimes even sense their rampaging mate, and one of a Nidoqueen's natural instincts is to reign him in. Nonetheless, this could lead to both straying closer to where a trainer is more likely to be."

Ash's hands clenched and tightened for a moment or two. Even if his team had fully evolved, a borderline berserk Nidoking was a situation he would rather avoid altogether. "Any advice?"

"Of course," Oak's chuckle conveyed amusement, but his tone of voice soon after reflected an attempt at reassurance. "You didn't think I'd only give you reasons to be nervous, did you?" As Ash's expression lightened up, the Professor continued. Next to him, Heracross, though only hearing the subject out of context, seemed fairly content with paying attention to the conversation. "Your Glaceon, you're aware the Eevee line is something of a canine feline hybrid, correct?"

"But mostly canine," Ash responded with a nod, curious as to where the Professor was headed with this point. Next to him, Pikachu's ears had perked up at the mention of his newly evolved teammate. "When they evolve, their biological characteristics lean more heavily into that; research and observations have ruled that foxes are the closest they come to an official categorization."

The Professor's eyes and voice conveyed a small bit of pride, which was soon reflected in the pleasant feeling in Ash's chest. "Very good, Mr. Ketchum. Now then, what sort of detection skills are canine Pokemon known for, and for what reasons?" With an encouraging nod, he added, "You struggled with this for a good while in school, but on the Exam, you aced that explanation."

Ash felt a surge of drive as he consulted his memories once more. 'Memories of the Qualification Exam.' "When in the wild, canine's utilize scents for a variety of survival tasks. Communication, finding prey, predators, potential mates…" his eyes widened slightly. "Oh…"

"It sounds like you've answered your own problem." Oak nodded in praise. "You're Glaceon was found in the wild, she's not domesticated, and even if she was, some instincts are simply as natural as the way we draw a breath. She would be an effective method of staying on the lookout for marked territory and avoiding unwanted encounters. Your Pikachu could be of assistance as well. You mentioned caves being a potential shelter, and this could also determine which ones are safe. Or, which ones are safe as long as you do not venture too deep."

Ash could not help his blinking. After all this time, how had he never considered a tactic like that? It sounded so obvious with how easily the words left the Professor's mouth.

Nonetheless, his mouth curved upwards. "You're a genius, Professor! What do you think, Pikachu? I know I haven't had you do this before." Locking eyes with his starter, the electric mouse answered with a nod, clearly up to the task. And Valiant's sensitivity to emotions can gauge a wild Pokemon's hostility, right?"

"You've picked up the momentum you need, I see." Oak responded, clapping his hands together once. "If only Gary could see you now."

No sooner than the words had been spoken, Ash felt something shift in him, as though a pause button had been hit. Although it was not immediately obvious, Pikachu immediately detected the change, a brief spark appearing in his cheeks as his head turned in his trainer's direction. Soon after, Tempest was shuffling closer to his chair, looking up at the boy.

It only took a little bit longer for Oak to pick up on it. Though surprised at first, his expression softened. "I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to-"

"It's not that," Ash quickly cut in. Hearing the name now, straight from Professor's mouth, had almost been like a reminder, bringing the boy's mind to something that had been resting in the back of his head since Celadon. "It's just… I was wondering if I could ask you something?"

Oak's brow rose, but the mild confusion did not reflect hesitation. "Sure, my ears are open."

Ash nodded, but took a moment or two to speak. How did he word this in a way that did not sound accusatory…? Especially with how helpful the Professor was being right now, it almost felt wrong to bring the subject up right at this moment, but… for the same reason, maybe there was nothing to worry about. He just needed to say it.

"You remember our talk on Opening Day, right? After my first battle with Gary?" the Professor nodded. "You really helped me out a lot that day. You said that we weren't defined by our starting points, and that even you started out unremarkable, yet didn't let that stop you. It was very reassuring to hear, given where I was back then. I'm not sure how things would have turned out if you hadn't told me that." He paused for a moment, placing a hand on Pikachu's head. The mouse closed his eyes for a second or two as Ash's palm rubbed against his yellow fur. "Thing is, I… ran into Gary, back in Celadon. He said a lot of things to me, and well… he seems to think you were always on top from the start."

On the other side of the screen, Oak's face shifted in understanding, readjusting himself in his seat for a moment as Ash watched him. For a split second, the boy felt a tinge of anxiety in his chest at the Professor's silence, but it quickly evaporated as though it had never been there.

It was mildly surreal to think that this had been on his mind for more than a month by now, but it no longer mattered, he had determined that just as long ago. No matter what answer he received, it was all the same.

Finally, Oak broke the pause. "I suppose he does think that, you're right." Suppressing a sigh, his expression was even, but laced with a solemnity that was lost on Ash in the moment. "And it is likely my fault, I can admit. Truth be told, I never told Gary that detail about my past, and since it isn't common knowledge to the public, he never found out from other sources."

Ash couldn't help the surprised brow that seemingly rose with a mind of its own. The Professor had shared that information with him of all people, but not his own grandson? Time and again Gary had parroted the countless stories that Oak had shared with him, and although a decent amount had likely gone under the radar (such as the Professor's past with Agatha as a teen), Ash had assumed that Oak had simply requested his grandson to keep some of the more private details under wraps. It was hard to imagine him keeping anything from Gary, even if it did explain things in such simple detail.

Oak predictably detected Ash's surprise before it was even shown. "I know you weren't expecting to hear that, Ash." This time he did sigh, and the guilt was visible enough for Ash to notice. "I approached my grandson's ambitions with a faulty mindset. The only reason I opened up to you about that detail regarding my past pre-success was because of where you were at the time. You were struggling in multiple ways and felt like you would always be stuck in that dead end, and I knew from experience that that was not true. I told you what I did because I felt that you would benefit from the information."

"In a way that Gary wouldn't," Ash chimed in, a sense of understanding not-so-slowly sinking in. "He's always overachieved, ever since we were half our age now. He never needed any pep talks or encouragement apart from 'you're doing great' or 'keep up the good work', right?"

"Yes…" Oak frowned before resting a gentle head atop Heracross' horn. The bug leaned into the touch, any mild confusion over the shift in tone of the conversation quickly replaced with an eager acceptance for the affection. "Had Gary struggled the way you did, I would have told him, in hopes of encouraging him, like I did with you. But he spent his entire time in the trainer prep course wowing and impressing in a way that the childhood me never could have hoped. I was so proud of him, and took pride in myself and my own legacy, for being the inspiration that drove him to excel as much as he has throughout all these years. I felt like I was a part of it, paving the way and setting the stage for the next fresh blood in my family to rise to the occasion. Sharing my past struggles in trainer prep never felt necessary to me, because he was not struggling. He didn't need the encouragement, or the reassurance, and it did not look like that would change." His second sigh was deep, as though derisively knocking down every word he had just spoken. "If Agatha were here, she'd whack me with her cane for that level of ignorance." He returned eye contact. "I was ignorant because encouragement was all that I thought that story was good for. Or, at least, it was the only lens I viewed it from in regards to Gary. There are other reasons to share something so important and personal, the lesson behind it can teach a variety of things that Gary was never taught, because I neglected to."

"Like not to assume anybody was a lost cause…" Ash broke eye contact just long enough to pet Pikachu again. The mouse was staring at Oak's face on the screen intently, his eyes neutral but deep, and his ears absorbing every word.

"Exactly." Oak's frown deepened. "I allowed my pride in my grandson to influence the way I guided him throughout his time preparing for his career, and I failed you in the process. It's been very… pleasant, to see the way you've turned yourself around in real time." A smile stretched across his lips. "And you should hear your mother sometimes. Calling her overjoyed is too simple to do any of it justice." Sighing again, he shook his head as Heracross glanced at him curiously. "But the past five years before that shouldn't have played out the way that they did. And certainly not any fault of your own; I was vicarious and allowed my own oversight to happen. I suppose that's another lesson; opposite to an underdog story, those on top are as human as everybody else. Of course, I'm not saying that as an excuse. In fact, I owe you an apology. Human or not, someone like me never should have been so neglectful."

Ash stared at the Professor for what was likely only a few seconds, but the boy was staring hard enough to feel sucked in, his perception of time going with him. The sound of Tempest shuffling next to his seat broke him out of that trance. "Professor…"

Gut instinct told him to accept the apology and be done with it. He certainly did not hold a grudge, not against Oak, at any rate. The Professor had been so helpful since his very first day as a trainer that it felt petty to blame him for Gary's bullying. Especially when he had done nothing to incite the other boy, not that Ash had ever suspected otherwise. But…

…

Ash didn't blame Professor Oak. Not even for a second. He could acknowledge the error, but that was fundamentally different from pointing the finger at him outright. If he accepted the apology, what would that be taken as? Forgiveness? Encouragement for the Professor to blame himself, for something that Ash himself did not hold him at fault for?

…

Ash's face steadied itself, keeping his eyes firmly on Professor Oak's from his side of the screen. "You don't need to tell me sorry, Professor. Back in Celadon, I learned how important it was to never forget the past, but it needs a balance, right? You still shouldn't focus on it, just use it for what's in front." his cheeks turned red, successfully suppressing a giggle as a small grin formed. "At least, that's how I started seeing it, I mean." His face turned a bit more serious, albeit not overly. "And for what it's worth, I don't think you are to blame for how long it took me, or… even Gary, entirely." his hand rested against his chest. "My mistakes are my own. Correcting them is my job. I'm a work in progress."

"And how do you currently feel about your progress?"

Ash couldn't help the smile. "Very good, Professor."

"I thought so," Oak chuckled. "I appreciate your words, Mr. Ketchum, but I have my own corrections to make. I owe my grandson a year's late conversation, although whatever we say to each other belongs in a face to face discussion. I do not know how long it will be before he returns to visit Pallet, but that gives me time to make it really count, I suppose."

'Returning to Pallet…' The words dawned on Ash as they came out of the Professor's mouth. It really did feel like a lifetime since he had left, and at the very thought of it, the boy suddenly felt a deep, near-unquenchable longing for his beautiful mother's embrace, her immaculate cooking, and Trucy's enthusiastic presence. Conversing with them from behind a screen did very little to replicate such a thing, especially when it came to his mother. Who knew when he'd ever get either of those things again?

… It would be before the Conference, he told himself. How long before was to be determined, but sometime before the Conference. The Conference that he was one hundred percent going to make it too.

But there was much to do on their way down that road. The never ending climb would not be stopping, or even slowing down, anytime soon. Right now the top priority was continuing to ensure that they were ready for anything. Speaking of which…

"Thanks for everything, Professor." Ash patted Pikachu's head. "But speaking of time, I have some other stuff I need to take care of today. Things that need to get done before Janine and I leave here."

"That's no surprise," Oak nodded in approval. "Your job is never done. I will leave you to all of that, then. Remember what we discussed regarding Fuchsia's wilderness, and best of luck going into this next stretch."

After giving their parting words, Oak's face disappeared from the screen. For a moment or two, Ash allowed himself time to sit. That time was limited, and he was soon standing, turning to face Pikachu and Tempest, now both gazing up at him side by side on the floor. His eyes gravitated towards the crab, who seemed to realize that he was getting the brunt of the attention.

"Tempest, Pikachu. Let's find the others and head outside."

A couple of blinks from his two teammates, followed by the water and electric type exchanging curious glances. Without a word, however, they obediently followed their trainer into the hallway.

/

Phenom felt his muscles tighten as the new duo came into view. In front of them, Meditite's eyes had quickly lit up in recognition before Growlithe positioned herself in front of her. The fiery canine's tail stood alert as her eyes shifted between the dinosaur and Valiant. Sensing the gesture, a rumble slowly escaped the Tyrunt's throat, and he only had time to take a step forward before Valiant's arm was in front of him. The Kirlia's head was turned just enough to fix his eyes on Phenom when the dinosaur looked at him. A light, silent shake of Valiant's head caused the Tyrunt's face to scrunch in mild doubt, before nonetheless taking a pause and stepping back.

Across from them, Meditite's hand rested against Growlithe's side, prompting her friend to move over and allow her to step in front. The fighting/psychic type's eyes deliberately found their way to Valiant's own, and the emotion Pokemon did not fight her attempt to lock gazes. Her eyes only narrowed slightly while he studied her, and for a good moment neither side made a noise.

Meditite finally spoke. Because of their trainer, Gary had not been the same since yesterday.

Now Valiant's eyes narrowed, crossing his arms as he shifted himself to face her in full. That better not be her way of blaming them, he responded.

Growlithe's gaze somewhat darkened at the Kirlia's reply, prompting a mirrored expression from Phenom, but both psychics remained in front of their teammates.

Meditite mimicked Valiant's posture, cooly raising her chin just enough to be noticeable. It wasn't just because of yesterday, Ash had been on Gary's mind ever since Celadon, and it was concerning.

That's not Ash's fault, Valiant answered firmly.

A few more moments of silence as both parties stared one another down, neither making a move. Meditite opened her mouth to verbally respond… and then closed it, her arms dropping down to her sides as her gaze grew more fixed. A step forward cleared some of the small distance between her and the duo, but she quickly paused as Phenom lowered his head, baring his teeth with another growl just before Valiant's arm appeared in front of him again. Going silent, the Tyrunt stared her down for a moment or two longer before making eye contact with the Kirlia. Valiant offered a subtle gesture of the head, and after a moment or two of consideration, Phenom eased himself. Meditite took a moment or two herself before taking another step, raising an arm to signal Growlithe not to follow her before relocking her eyes with Valiant, who's arms remained crossed.

"It's also no thanks to him."

Valiant blinked. The cool-headed, female voice, he quickly realized had not spoken out loud, but in his mind. Only his mind. He glanced back at Phenom for a split second, the young dragon none the wiser to the sudden switch in communication. As he quickly refocused himself on Meditite, his arms slowly lowered from their position across his chest, and recognition shone in his eyes.

That had been a challenge.

He made a quick signal to Phenom, who blinked in mild confusion, but remained silent, watching the Kirlia take two steps forward. He and Meditite were directly in front of one another now, gazes locked with the same commitment a Pokemon must carry with them to the battlefield.

"Whatever your trainer is going through is not our trainer's problem." Valiant's voice was only heard within Meditite's head. Neither yet had the ability to speak to more than one person at once, and from Phenom and Growlithe's perspectives, both were simply staring each other down. It would not take too long for the fiery canine to catch on, however.

"I disagree." Meditite responded simply. "'Ash Ketchum' has been in the back of Gary's mind for a while now, and he's been increasingly on edge because of it. Or do you accuse me of not paying attention to my own trainer?"

"No accusations," Valiant's words were more for clarification than reassurance. "But I don't appreciate you trying to shift the blame."

"That's an accusation." She answered coolly. "And I think the blame belongs to the source of my trainer's troubles, is that not fair?"

"And what of my trainer's troubles?" Valiant could feel the effort of maintaining this conversation; one that would be as simple as speaking from the mouth for experienced, veteran psychics. "Your trainer is petty and vindictive. We should not have to say sorry to you for that." Behind him, Phenom's head had tilted in confusion, but understanding was beginning to show on the young dinosaur's face.

"Do not insult my trainer," Meditite's reply initially carried a slight edge to it before her voice returned to normal. "I met Gary when he helped carry me to a safe place after my leg was fractured. You don't get to act like you know him."

"You don't know Ash any better," Valiant suppressed a frustrated hiss as he felt the first, tiny signs of sweat on the side of his face. "When we first met, he saved me from a trap in the forest when I was in a state of panic."

"What I do know of your trainer is how he has gotten himself under Gary's skin." Meditite pressed. "He has managed it up until now, and I do not want that to change."

"It's his own fault if it does." Valiant managed to get the sentence out without strain as a bead of sweat rolled down Meditite's face. "It sounds to me like your trainer cannot take a loss. What has Ash done to him, apart from being the better man yesterday?"

"Gary is superior."

"Yesterday begs to differ."

"There will be a rematch one day."

"And if you… lose that one too?"

Both psychics began to feel that familiar sensation in their mind. The one that came when the desire for rest or sleep began approaching. It tensed both their muscles.

"We won't." Meditite continued, conviction undeterred. "That outcome… will not be in the cards."

"I've beaten you twice."

"We've beaten you three times."

Valiant cursed under his breath as he felt his eyes going heavy, but he successfully fought back any attempts they made to close, even for a brief moment. "Does that make you… stronger, to you?"

"What if the roles were… reversed?"

"Ash has…" Valiant was forced to pause. "Picked himself up from numerous… losses, these past few months. Would Gary… be able to do the same…?" Behind him, Phenom's eyes narrowed in concern, but Valiant's arm rose to halt him as the dinosaur took a step forward.

"He'll come back from… this one." Gesturing an arm to signal Growlithe not to do the same, Meditite blinked, but she strained herself to lift her eyelids back up as more sweat appeared.

"You want that to… be at Ash's expense." Valiant's lips scrunched together, feeling his own sweat forming on his face, and his eyes growing tired.

"I am simply… concerned for my trainer." Meditite's firm gaze was suppressed by a growing weight in her eyes.

"Then don't take… it out on… us…" Valiant fought against his own mind, the urge to lie down and close his eyes growing stronger and more tempting. Hissing, he forced them open, glaring into the opposing psychic. "Nothing's more important…"

"Important…" Meditite's blinking mildly quickened. "Important to me…."

She stumbled, body swaying as her head drooped, slowing the pace of her telepathically spoken words. Her balance gave way shortly before her consciousness did, the fighting/psychic type's legs tilting to send her falling forward. She would have taken Valiant down with her had he not fought his own fatigue just enough to catch her in his arms. The Kirlia's face heated up as her exhausted form drifted to sleep against him.

Growlithe quickly moved, closing the little distance between them with a trot. Gently pressing her head against her teammate's side, she lifted Meditite onto her back as Valiant passed her over to the fire type. He staggered to the side, feeling a brief rush of growing tiredness attempting to claim him, but kept himself upright just long enough for Phenom to arrive at his side and support him. He muttered a quick thank you to his friend before their eyes landed on Growlithe, who returned their looks with mild caution before turning back in the direction she and her teammate had come from.

/

'Speak of the banished.' Automatically, Janine was put on alert at the sight of the Oak boy, who irritably crossed his arms whilst sizing her up.

"You thought so," she repeated, making easy eye contact. "What did you think?"

Her eyes scanned his face as she spoke. He was annoyed, above all else, as though the sight of her was a button for disgust. Taking in his expression, she felt that taste at the tip of her tongue once more.

"You were with him, weren't you?" Gary grumbled.

"With who?" was her cool response, bringing her arms to her chest.

"Stop playing dumb," Gary's brow furrowed. "I saw you two together the other night."

"So what of it?" Janine's gaze turned steel and stoic. "Ash and I have been traveling together, as trainers going the same way often do. Are you bothered by that just because you lost to him yesterday?"

There was a twitch of his face, and broken eye contact for just a split second as Gary's face barely reddened. "...Barely. None of it makes sense."

Now Janine's brow furrowed, although her expression did not change. 'It feels as though I nearly predicted that response.' "He matched you blow for blow the entire battle. Would it have made more sense if you won?"

It was probably the thinly derisive tone mixed with her unshifting expression that reddened the Oak boy's face further. "That's the part I'm talking about, idiot." he snarled. "Not just the result, you wouldn't understand."

"I think I understand more than you realize, Gary." her gaze shifted into a glare, quickly mirrored by him. "You spent as long as you can remember being untouchable while Ash was the opposite, and now that he's no longer a helpless kid being walked all over, you've gone from feeling entitled to threatened and unsure of yourself, and naturally believe he's to blame." she lowered her arms. "Or, maybe you're just entitled and are simply upset you don't have a punching bag anymore. Sometimes it can be that simple."

Gary's legs shifted as the look in his eyes darkened. Who the hell did this girl think she was, talking to him so condescendingly right out of the gate? Fitting Ash of all people would keep such company, but some random outside party had no business weighing in as though they knew everything.

"If you really think you know that much," he spat. "Then you should also know it's that prick's own fault he was so 'helpless', as you try to say, or did he only feed you whatever would make you feel sorry for him?"

'I heard it from your own mouth already,' Janine thought with displeasure as she reached up to tug on her ponytail. "And what are you trying to 'feed' me? The opposite? Because you want me to feel sorry for you instead?" her eyes narrowed. "What was it you said… that your friend was an anchor, and you were afraid of him dragging everybody down? Cutting him off was easier than helping him, right?"

"Enough of the sarcasm, I'm not in the mood for it." Gary had almost growled, but spoke the words evenly. "I'm not going to be the guy coddling somebody who can't keep up. Wouldn't have done anyone much good once we were all on our own."

"He seems to be doing pretty fine now."

"After he spent five years flopping around like a Magikarp in a desert while I busted my ass day and night to be the best I could be." Gary retorted. "Does that sound equal to you?"

"Is it supposed to-"

"Answer my question!" he barked. "Or else you're better off minding your own business."

"I decide what my business is, thank you very much." irritation seeped through her stoic tone as she crossed her arms again. "And unlike you, I think most prefer to focus on the now rather than the then. How long are you planning to use 'five years ago' as an excuse now that he's already beaten you?"

"Winning one match by one hit doesn't make him the better trainer." Gary's retort was firm with a hint of venom. "He hasn't seen the last of me."

"And I'm certain he knows that," Janine started. Her voice lost the coolness, stoicism, and irritation all at once, instead growing even, neutral, and steady. "So what is it that you're trying to say? Do you think beating him again will somehow correct everything? That everything that does not sit right with you can magically go away just because you told it to? You're trying to convince me that five years can't be erased by one day, but one battle that happened yesterday will suddenly stop mattering?"

The Oak boy's knuckles tightened, his nose scrunching as he looked the poison-specialist over. 'What does she think this is, psychoanalysis?' "Stop acting like you magically understand everything. We've never met, and you're not even from Pallet. You're just some girl Ash ran into on the road by chance. You haven't known either of us your whole life, so stay out of it."

Janine took in a breath through her nose, arms falling to the side again as she looked over the Oak boy's reddened face. 'You would really like that, wouldn't you?'

She didn't know Ash her whole life. She certainly didn't know anything about this Gary kid until two nights ago. She did not even know if Ash himself would want her to be in this conversation right now.

…

She was, however. And she wouldn't be the one to pull out, either.

"And yet," she took a small step forward, but made no further advance. "I can already tell that you think everything around you revolves like a gravitational orbit around a planet, all because you spent most of your life in a Pallet Town-shaped bubble protecting you from everything else on the outside." his glare did not deter her. "I'm not sure how I should have expected you to be, but this is not how I pictured Samuel Oak's grandson."

"Samuel Oak's grandson," Gary parroted, almost parodying the audacity. "He told you that much, and you're still trying to turn your nose up to me?"

"Perhaps more people should have." she retorted. "And before you try crying foul on Ash again, he did not need to tell me who you are. I can figure things out myself."

"Oh really," Gary's voice was laced with derisive doubt. "And what, pray tell, gave me away? You better not feed me some cop out like 'I just guessed and you confirmed it by saying it after' that they do in movies and video games to make the hero look smart." his voice deepened with a comically exaggerated flare to emphasize the statement.

"You're from Pallet Town," Janine started, unfazed at the attempted mockery. "Your grandfather won the Indigo Conference in his youth, was looked upon by the public as a future Champion who very likely would have one day claimed the mantle if he chose to pursue it, but instead retired because he wanted to become a researcher." she shrugged. "Samuel Oak's storied career is common knowledge, even from before he became a professor. Almost anyone in Indigo knows those basic details of his backstory, and not many people share it, especially in a place as small as Pallet. Once I knew that, it was pretty easy to guess who your grandfather was. Problem?"

Albeit begrudgingly, Gary was about to say "fair enough" or "you have a point" for as much as he did not wish to. But as he opened his mouth to speak whatever words of resignation his vocal cords and brain would choose to produce for him, he paused, and nothing came out. Something about this girl's explanation did not seem right. Her information was certainly accurate, perfectly summarizing the barebones gist of it, but…

…

"So you're saying you pieced that together after Ash told you?" Janine did not say anything, simply bringing her arms back to her chest as the spikey haired boy's eyes narrowed at her. "Why would he tell you that without just saying by gramps' name outright? You said yourself that it's easy to figure it out, so why would he give you everything but?"

Janine's brow furrowed. '...I suppose I might have slipped up…' She kicked herself mentally, but did her best to brush it off. She couldn't take back her miscalculation, and there was no time to berate herself, even in her head. 'It can't be helped.'

"...Yes," her thumb brushed her neck as both trainer's mutually evened their gazes. "That is correct, but I never said I got that information from Ash."

Gary's eyes narrowed. "Now you're not making any sense. Who else could have told you…" the more the gears turned in his mind, the more his voice trailed off. Where else could she have heard…

…

"My gramps was the same way; after he won the Indigo Conference, he chose not to pursue the Champion's mantle, and walked away from the trainer's life for research."

… 'Wait, but… I said that!' He had said it to Ash; the night before their battle, while in the hallway.

As everything clicked together, Gary's face tightened. He felt a split-second tingle in his spine as his gaze deepened. An odd sensation of caution lined his stomach, and he cursed himself in his mind for it.

"You snooped." he huffed the word out like an engine spitting smoke. "You were eavesdropping on us, weren't you!?"

Janine took another light step forward. In spite of herself, she could not help the tinge of mild guilt that she felt at the Oak boy's accusation. She pushed it aside as quickly as she could, however. She wouldn't be judged, and if she was, it would not be by him.

"And?" she pressed. "Do you have any proof? My friend was acting off that night, because of you, I should add, and I followwd him out of concern. It's my word against yours if you're petty enough to hold that against me. Not that I'd put it past somebody so arrogant."

If Gary were a Pokemon, his glare could probably produce a Dark Pulse. "Me, arrogant? Have you even been listening to yourself? You're such a fucking hypocrite."

Her nose scrunched for a moment, and although her gut told her to retort, she paused at the last second. When she did speak, she instead stuck to her initial course. "It explains a lot, I suppose. All that unchecked praise from your peers, and probably the adults in your life as well, coupled with having such a great man's name. Someone like you was practically conditioned to see gold in the mirror. All talent, no discipline."

"What does a bitch like you know about discipline?" Gary spat.

"Enough to actually reflect when it's clear that deflecting goes nowhere," her tone of voice was tight. "The last time I showed half your ego, my father had my bare feet standing on ice cubes."

"Sounds more like abuse than discipline," Gary scoffed. "You sure your old man doesn't belong on a list?"

"It was for my own good," she replied, insistent and firm. "I'd rather be in pain for a few minutes than turn into a bully. And unlike you, I don't plan on playing a game of judge and jury with my peers. The real reason why Ash was able to beat you yesterday, even when it 'doesn't make sense', as you thought, is because your so-called 'judgments' never meant anything in the first place. You think your own so-called friends are yours to label for life, while you have the luxury of conveniently labeling yourself."

She took another step forward, and Gary found his fists clenching again. Something in her eyes was changing; the steel stoicism was coming back, but there was something else. Deep. Piercing. He almost took a light step back, but stopped himself as his leg tried to move, as though he had not realized it until it was happening. That tingle in his spine was beginning to come back, and he shut it down as quickly as possible.

"I don't think there's much more for me to say to you," Janine fixed him with a precise, focused glare. "But someone at least needs to say this: Whatever bite-sized kingdom you have back in Pallet Town is only a tiny corner of Indigo's map, and right now, you are miles upon cities away from it. Your obnoxious entitlement has no place with people who aren't willing to tolerate it."

Gary's lips stretched into a small but bitter smirk, but his eyes were growing hostile. "And you don't 'tolerate' it, so you wanna let me down easy before someone else has the chance?"

His sarcasm washed over her as her face darkened. "Don't misunderstand, Gary Oak. Letting you down easy is the last thing I'd do." Another step left little distance remaining between the two as her gaze pierced through his own. "I'll make this clear for you only once: I stayed out of things yesterday because it was Ash's fight, and it still is. He doesn't need to be coddled, no matter what you think." her finger stopped just short of his chest. "But if you ever step over the line with him again, it will be my turn next. He was the one who let you down easy."

Her gaze and voice were heavy, as though she was placing something on his shoulders instead of talking. This time, Gary was not able to brush aside the feeling in his spine until he broke eye contact; it was only after he did that he grew wise to the color that had drained from his face.

'Damn the Guardian, who the fuck is this girl?' When Ash grew confrontational with him, it was audacious. Insulting. Insufferable. When most people his age did, like an aggressive trainer on the road, or a spat in the cafeteria of a Pokemon Center, it was irritating, like an inconvenient obstacle that should not have been there, but certainly could be knocked down.

Where was this feeling of vulnerability coming from? She was a rookie like him. She had no high ground over him; not morally as a person, and certainly not as a trainer. What reason did he have to feel this exposed?

His knuckles whitened from the tight clenching of his fists. Had she noticed? The way his face had changed, the near-attempt at backing off, both of which had been quickly corrected? Had she caught onto them before he had? And how had it even happened in the first place?

…

Glaring at her, he exhaled through his nose. Forceful in attempt, but perhaps not as much in result as he had wanted. Her gaze had not left him, and for a split second or two, he wondered if he might shrink.

…

He broke away, turning entirely. "I don't have time for your mind games, there are better things to do. Tell your friend that this isn't over. I'll only warn him once, and I'm not waiting for him to be ready." He did not know if she wanted to respond, or if she wanted to continue, but he cared very little. Having spoken the final word, he walked off, away from her, and took whatever satisfaction she sought with him.

Janine's eyes remained wordlessly planted on Gary's retreating form, and hung in place for a few seconds longer when he was out of sight.

Finally, she broke it off with a breath and a light shake of the head. "Inexcusable."

/

"So, how was your late night chat with Leader Erika?" Beth sat down in her seat as Minun snuggled up in Patricia's lap. "She didn't keep you up too late, did she?"

"These things happen," the teen brunette shook her head. "Things in Celadon may have wound down since that awful museum incident, but she's had her hands full recently since Lavender Tower was destroyed." she sighed through her nose. "It's been felt all over Indigo. The ghosts that resided in that tower were immeasurable in numbers, and now they're scattering all across the region in mass panic after the Marauder destroyed their home. There was an incident on Erika's turf last evening so it ended up being a late night for her."

"And for you by extension," Beth's nose scrunched with worry. "Couldn't you have just rescheduled the call?"

"We could have, but I wanted to speak to her anyway. We go back." she rubbed the back of Minun's neck. "Besides, I wanted to let her know that I was asked to start helping patrol this area for the time being, once the League caught wind of me being here. The ghost sightings have been happening almost everywhere in Kanto's mainland, but the League's hands are full flushing out the Rockets and reorganizing precautions for the S.S. Anne party. Not even they have infinite manpower. I told her I can be her eyes and ears around here if she was curious."

"And how did she react to you telling her you were working Fuchsia's border?" the younger girl pressed."

With a sigh, Patricia's eyes rolled. "I know what you're getting at, Beth. Those are exaggerations."

"About Leader Erika and Koga's dislike for each other?" at Patricia's concerned expression, the red head girl frowned somewhat guiltily. "Sorry, I just… got curious, given some of the hearsay I've heard. But you have the connections with her, so I thought you might have something a bit more…" she hesitated for a moment, looking for the right word. "...Concrete?"

The older girl appeared uneasy for a moment or two, looking around the currently empty lobby before sighing quietly. "...Just, keep this to yourself, please? I don't want to be the one inflating drama." at the younger girl's quick nod, she paused for a moment before continuing. "Not every Gym Leader in Indigo sees eye to eye. I know that's inevitable, but some cases are more notable than others. Leader Blaine has gotten plenty of criticism given his more recent practices are more about making a challenger's life difficult than actually testing them, but he gets by with seniority. Erika and Koga… have a history." she bit her tongue for another moment, feeling her thoughts second guessing before her eyes scanned the lobby again. Stille empty, but as if on instinct, she leaned forward, which Beth took as an invitation to do the same, before continuing in a slightly hushed tone. "It sort of started back when Erika was first promoted. Leader Koga… well, he always had his reservations. He was somewhat vocal about viewing her as unfit."

"Unfit?" Beth raised a brow. "Erika of all people?"

"Erika is a fantastic leader," Patricia said with a firm notion. "But, different standards. The fact that Cerulean is such a tame territory might be the main reason the sisters are able to hold their position, along with them being three people instead of one, although the ghost sightings will likely compromise that smoothness." she sighed. "And of course, Leader Whitney needs all the help she can get. As for Erika… from what I know, at least, Koga views her as soft. Lenient. She has massive approval, but in Koga's eyes, her leadership qualities and ways of doing things aren't Gym Leader material."

"And that's why she doesn't like him?" Beth scratched her cheek. The answer almost felt anticlimactic.

But Patricia shook her head. "Erika can handle criticism," she reassured. "She's… perhaps even more critical of how Koga conducts himself." her voice lowered further. "Please don't repeat this, but… in her opinion, his methods can border on police brutality. He was always known as one of the most ruthless of the League's Gym Leaders, and certain practices have her uncomfortable."

"Which might also be why he sees her as soft." Beth bit her lip.

"The recent attack on Celadon did not help matters." Patricia sat back in her seat with a sigh. Minun stirred from the motion, but did not wake. She gently caressed his fur. "I don't know the details, but something important was stolen from Celadon Gym. Koga was incensed. Worse, whatever was stolen was apparently supposed to be under his custody originally, but plans had to change for some reason. That's all I know, though."

Beth crossed her arms. Now she seemed somewhat uncomfortable too. "Hmmm… I, wasn't aware of that."

"Most aren't; I might even know more than I'm supposed to and I barely know anything about it." Patricia shook her head. "I'm not trying to color your opinion on either of them, just so you know."

"It's fine," after a moment, Beth offered her a small smile. "I'm the one who asked…" something on the other side of the lobby caught her attention. "Hm, is that Ash?"

Patricia turned her head as both girls watched the boy in question, leading a few members of his team outside. "Guess he's going out. Oh, that reminds me, how'd Jordan's battle with Janine go?"

The red head chuckled. "Well, that's a story…"

/

Although not unbearable, the silence was somewhat awkward as Ash led Pikachu, Valiant, Phenom, and Tempest away from the lodging. After finding Phenom and Valiant, Ash was somewhat alarmed by how tired the Kirlia was. Apparently, Valiant had been practicing his telepathic speech and worn himself out. Ash was going to recall him, but Valiant, likely determining that his trainer was planning something important, had convinced him to keep him out, albeit with the promise that he would relax and not push himself.

Had it not been for what was on his mind, Ash may have pressed the subject further. It wasn't that Valiant was wrong to practice his endurance, but if he was going to, Ash wished the emotion Pokemon had let him know ahead of time, just to avoid concern. Valiant himself had already apologized for that, however, and Ash certainly was not going to guilt trip his friend.

No one present knew what their trainer's plan was, and when Pikachu tried to ask, Ash simply reassured him that they would know soon. Although he did not stray too far, he nonetheless put a considerable distance between themselves and the building before stopping and releasing Nebula and Glaceon.

"This should be enough," he told himself as his team lined up in front of him. Turning back to them, the boy could not help but fall silent as he looked them over. The battle against Gary just the day prior was beyond fresh in everybody's minds, and he could not be more proud of his team. He could tell they felt the same as well, but the ecstasy from their victory did not change everything that was coming up, and he did his best to remind himself of that, just as much as the rest of them.

"Everyone," as he started, the six Pokemon (who had been lightly chatting amongst themselves while waiting for him to speak) immediately perked up, their undivided attention falling straight onto him. "I know we can all agree; there's a lot that can be said about our battle from yesterday." as his friends smiled in agreement, he took a moment to pause and consider his words. He would like to think that he was getting better at these announcements and speeches, but the pressure was still most certainly there. This was hardly the most difficult announcement he'd ever had to make, however, so things did not feel nearly as heavy. "I'm… proud of all six of you, and you should be proud of yourselves. The fact we're even at Fuchsia's border at all feels crazy, to be honest." Though his smile did not entirely fade, his overall expression did still turn more serious. "Of course, I've already told you all how big of a deal that is. We're going to be facing a lot. Not just on the way to Fuchsia City, of course. It's everything going on up to this point. Leader Koga is one of a kind, but he's hardly our last obstacle." as a memory flashed through his mind, his face tightened, but not for too long. "Once we've won the Soul Badge, we're returning to Vermilion next. When we do, we're going to have a rematch with LT. Surge."

He highly doubted such a declaration surprised his team. It was more like an inevitable truth finally being acknowledged; no longer unspoken. And the weight that came with it.

"I know he's a sore subject," Ash confirmed with them. "And that was my screwup. I was trying to at least test us, and gauge how ready we were, but… I miscalculated. We weren't ready at all, but we will be the next time we get there. And even he's not going to be our last challenge on the way to the Conference. There's still so much to do, even after everything we've already gone through, and sooner or later we're going to be recruiting new teammates. That means our team is going to be getting even bigger than just me and the six of you. And after everything we've done, you all will be leading the charge by example." he paused a moment or two to let everything sink in before continuing. "The point is, things are going to be very different once we start crossing this border into Koga's domain. From here, all the way up to the Indigo Plateau. Everything is going to be harder. More intense. Our opponents. The rest of you will be evolving, like Glaceon," his eyes fell on her for a moment, and his lips slightly curved up as she raised her head. "We're finally starting to enter that period where a trainer and their team is truly challenged, and we all need to be together if we're going to pull it off. So… before we leave, there's a reason I brought you all here."

His six teammates all looked at him with straight postures, their curiosity mixing in with loyal patience.

'Well,' Ash told himself. 'No time like the present.'

"Phenom, Tempest, come up here."

The two in question perked up in surprise, their responses somewhat delayed. Tempest shuffled over first, and Phenom's eyes followed the Krabby for a moment or two before doing the same as the rest of the team looked on. Ash watched their expressions carefully; confusion was collective amongst the other four members of the team, with Valiant seeming somewhat alert as his tired eyes attempted to decide between which of the two to focus on. Meanwhile, Tempest looked up at him in curiosity, while the Tyrunt's gaze remained locked onto the Krabby for a moment longer before finding its way to their trainer.

Ash's eyes scanned the observing four, falling back on the two of them as he began to speak again. "I don't need to give us a summary of the history between you guys, or any other incidents we've had in the past." His gaze briefly focused on Tempest, who's awkward expression only lasted a moment or two before he righted himself. "But I do know that things have started to change, even if it's happened slowly. That's why I want us to clear up our baggage as best we can. Now," he turned to Phenom. "Phenom, I know what you've been wanting to do. And Tempest," he turned to the Krabby next. "I know you wouldn't say no, so…" he nodded to both. "Get it out of your systems."

He was expecting the reactions. Everyone, even Phenom, was caught off guard by how… bluntly their trainer had given the green light. Looking at Tempest, not even he seemed to know what to think, even if neither he nor the dinosaur seemed to protest.

Pushing his hands into his pockets, he continued. "You've been indirectly getting into it since Lavender. Constantly trying to upstage each other. You pretty much ran yourselves ragged on our way here, and we all know why." with a breath, he looked back at Phenom. "You're angry, and I'm not saying you're wrong, but bottling it up isn't healthy. Neither is being careless about it, of course, which is why I felt like we needed to wait until the right time." he turned to Tempest next. "Normally, I wouldn't want to settle things this way, but… you guys are Pokemon. Pokemon fight, but there's a difference between a careless fight and a sanctioned battle."

To Ash's own surprise, his words were not accompanied by any real hesitance or doubt. He had been a little bit nervous on his way here, but when the time had come, he was confident in the choice he had made. Setting things up the way he currently was, was little different from simply organizing an official match. Phenom's grudge against Tempest, while far from unjustified, would only prove destructive if it continued to fester and bubble. The dinosaur was no longer a baby, and the aggressive and untamed side of his instincts that Ash and the group had previously worked to suppress were no longer so easily concealed. Elacia's notes had been very clear regarding the dangers of a Tyrunt whose temper could not be controlled, not too different from other dragons, Ash assumed.

Tempest was changing. Not changing himself fundamentally, but in ways that counted. Ash was proud of the river crab, but that alone would not solve the problem. Although no longer outwardly hostile, the hesitance to trust the water type was still understandably hanging within the rest of the group outside of Phenom. Phenom himself needed an outlet; a means to unleash this pent up aggression in a controlled environment where they could keep things from going too far if need be. And Tempest, Ash knew for a fact, would be completely on board with it.

After all, he never said no to a battle.

"Ash…?" Valiant's tired mental voice brought Ash's attention to the other four. The Kirlia was rubbing his head, clearly still a bit drowsy from whatever practice he had put himself through. Glaceon was fixing Tempest with a mildly distrustful gaze while Nebula's eyes cautiously rested on Phenom. Pikachu, like Valiant, was looking at their trainer with a somewhat unsure expression.

"Don't push yourself, pal." Ash reminded, walking over to them. "And none of you have to worry. I know this all started with their first fight, not too long after Tempest was caught, but that's why this is the best way to try and lay it to rest. Things are different now, Phenom is not the baby of our team. He's grown a great deal, and you've all seen it. He finished the job against Erika all the way back in Celadon, and on our way here he racked up a number of hard fought wins." smiling a bit, he nodded in approval at the Tyrunt, whose head slightly rose at the praise. "And how can we forget yesterday? Gary's Jolteon was something else, if Phenom hadn't beaten him, we might not have won. I couldn't be prouder; he's on his way to becoming a real powerhouse." He nodded at Tempest next. "And Tempest is tough enough to take it. This isn't a mismatch like the last time, and it's also not going to be a reckless fight. This is a battle, a match, and it's going to be fully supervised. Valiant's worn out, but if I ever think things are getting out of hand, I can recall them, or the rest of you can step in and put a stop to it. That's just an extreme, though. Either way, it's safe. No different from any matches we've had against other trainers." he looked back at the observing four. "You guys okay with that?"

Pikachu, Nebula, Valiant, and Glaceon exchanged looks for a few moments, clearly debating in their heads. The electric mouse was the first to step forward, offering his trainer an assuring, convinced nod that was soon mirrored by Nebula. Glaceon still bit her lip, somewhat narrowed eyes falling on Phenom before Valiant prodded her side. Looking at her best friend, she blinked as the Kirlia offered her a steady nod. She studied him for a couple of moments before turning back to Ash with an affirmative bark.

Ash smiled gratefully at his team, giving a quick thumbs up before turning back to Tempest and Phenom. "Well, how does that sound to you two? No building tension, no competition… why not just settle this with a match? It's what we do, right?"

Phenom and Tempest made eye contact. Clearly convinced, the dinosaur's eyes narrowed slightly, just enough to be noticed. The crab saw the challenge as clear as the blue sky over their heads, and after a brief moment or two, clicked his pincers while nodding back at Ash.

"Alright then, back up, both of you. Everyone else, give them some space."

Distance was quickly cleared between the group, Phenom and Tempest both positioning themselves several feet from one another across the grass while the rest of the team backed away a decent amount. The two soon to be combatants assumed their usual battle stances; Phenom was crouched, knees bent and head lowered with his teeth bared like a predator. Tempest's narrowed eyes fixed onto his opponent's as he held his clicking pincers in front of his face.

"Alright," Ash announced, backing away a few steps. "As a quick ground rule, this battle will not leave the immediate area. We don't want to startle or provoke any wild Pokemon. Apart from that, the rules are simple and exactly what you know. You'll fight until one side surrenders or is defeated. I'll call the battle off if I think things are going too far, but that's a last resort for if somebody gets too badly injured or if continuing feels dangerous for whatever reason. You don't need to worry about that unless I say so, so don't hold back." he backed away some more, making sure he was at an appropriately safe distance before raising his voice. "Alright then, you can start now!"

Phenom immediately moved. Eyes widening, the small dinosaur's legs shot him forward, sprinting straight for the water type with a loud cry erupting from his throat. Tempest fired a Mud Shot to intercept him, but the Dragon Pulse was already being let loose from the Tyrunt's jaws. The blast of draconic energy easily overtook the glob of mud, only slightly fazed by the collision. Hurriedly, Tempest crossed two Metal Claws together to block the blast, which exploded against him, pushing him back across the grass. Phenom continued his advance without slowing down, but as the distance between them began to close further, he suddenly stopped to smack the ground, sending an Earth Power Tempest's way. Unprepared, the Krabby cried out as the attack exploded underneath him, knocking him back more while Phenom broke into another sprint.

Tempest recovered quickly, taking aim at the rapidly approaching dinosaur to fire Frozen Bullets with his pincer. The barrage of frozen bubbles was quickly met with an onslaught of rocks fired from the Tyrunt's mouth. As they smashed into each other, the projectiles shattered, and Phenom continued to run even as he fired the Rock Blast, charging straight through the cold mist produced in the aftermath.

Now Tempest was beginning to run as well, ready to meet Phenom head on with a Metal Claw, swinging his other pincer. Phenom was ready for the strike, opening his mouth wide with a Thunder Fang, and clamping down on the Metal Claw.

Tempest instantly felt the force behind his dinosaur opponent's bite; Strong Jaw clashed with Shell Armor as Phenom's teeth ruthlessly squeezed against the metal coating protecting his pincer. Even with the solid metal layer, he could feel the force of the Tyrunt's grip, and could not help mildly wincing. The dinosaur's jaws binded his pincer with unfathomable strength, somehow growing even tighter still as he attempted to resist the hold and pull his pincer out. Phenom was almost pulled forward by Tempest's struggle to yank his appendage away from his teeth, but quickly fought back with a pull of his own, leaving both combatants stationary, and Tempest's pincer helplessly trapped inside of the jaws locked around it. It was not only the strength of Phenom's bite that was felt, however: the electricity from Thunder Wave made itself known as well, dancing along the Krabby's arm, which began to mildly numb.

Giving up on the effort to free his pincer by force, Tempest quickly opened his other, free pincer, prepared to fire a point-blank Ice Beam. Although Phenom's eyes widened, he either saw the counterattack coming, or responded faster than his river crab opponent could execute it. Releasing his hold on the metallic pincer, he let loose a point-blank Roar, the shockwaves knocking a startled Tempest over, and causing him to roll backwards, head over the grass in a full rotation before landing on his bottom. Some ice left his pincer as it happened, the now interrupted and thoroughly botched Ice Beam weakly releasing onto the grass, frosting them over. Phenom felt a mild chill as he lunged for the Krabby, but it was hardly enough to deter him. With another loud cry, he swung a Dragon Tail into the river crab's durable abdomen with as much force as his body could muster. The impact was forceful, and Tempest gave a pained grunt as he was knocked back yet again. Even as he was, however, Phenom took aim, planting his feet firmly against the grassy dirt and opening his jaws wide for a second Dragon Pulse, fired with just as much effort and vigor as the first. Tempest only had time for his eyes to widen before he was hit with the full force of the blast, crying out as the explosion launched him.

Ash watched the Tyrunt sprint forward once more, not giving the Krabby any chance to recover (and potentially forgetting to catch his own breath first). He had not been completely sure what to expect from this battle or how it would turn out; only that it would definitely be hard fought. But the moment he had given the signal, Phenom had been like a living explosion. As the dinosaur leapt forward with another Thunder Fang (which Tempest barely blocked with another Metal Claw that Phenom's electrical jaws latched onto), he was rushing his water type opponent with a never ending offense that had Tempest shockingly overwhelmed. It was everything the river crab could do just to defend. Tempest, of all Pokemon…

Whatever game plan Phenom may have had, caution had been thrown to the wind, and the unrelenting burst of offense had forced Tempest onto the backfoot from the moment the light turned green. It was nothing like their first fight from so long ago, and the Tyrunt's speed, power, and tenacity were all on full display like a giant screen in the cinema. All of which the group had watched develop right in front of them throughout their travels.

Nobody could see that better than his teammates, however. Even in his tired state, Valiant's eyes were somewhat widening through their heaviness as he and the rest of the team looked on in a borderline trance. They had seen Phenom grow step by step, and had watched him fight battle after battle. But something about this was different, as though all of that progress had been unleashed in a single burst to open the fight, against the fighter of their team.

Once more, Tempest found himself wincing from Phenom's crushing grip, the Strong Jaw boosted force of the Thunder Fang grinding mercilessly against the durable but struggling protective coating of the Metal Claw. More sparks danced across the Krabby's arm as he once more tried to pull himself free, to no avail as Phenom pulled back in hostile defiance.

For a good moment or two, it was a second stalemate, and Ash wondered if Tempest would attempt an Ice Beam like last time, and if Phenom would counter it with another Roar. His heart skipped a beat when Phenom's eyes widened with a blaze, and…

Roaring through the clenched, electrical teeth still squeezing against the Metal Claw, Phenom reared back, hoisting a doubly startled Tempest over his head, and smashed the large Krabby down onto the ground behind him.

"HOLY-" Ash's hand shot to his mouth in amazement. It was almost like Phenom had suplexed Tempest… with his freaking mouth!

At his side, the rest of his team gaped in similar fashion and shock- except Glaceon, who was grinning.

As Tempest's side collided with the grassy dirt, Phenom, having released his hold, quickly turned and let loose a Play Rough, assaulting his opponent with a series of kicks and tail strikes before knocking him away. As Tempest bounced back from the barrage of blows, the Tyrunt prepared to lunge forward again, firing another Dragon Pulse. This time, Tempest, with fire in his eyes, recovered in time to launch an Ice Beam from his pincers, colliding with the blast of draconic energy and stopping it in its tracks. Even as it did, however, Phenom was stampeding across the grass with his jaws filled with lightning once more…

A pillar of water erupted from beneath Tempest's feat, swerving him to the side just barely enough to carry him out of the Tyrunt's path as the dinosaur lunged for him with a mighty bite. His powerful teeth chomped on air this time, and with the Surf being maintained just long enough to avoid the Thunder Fang, Tempest lunged off of the collapsing pillar with a shout. Pent up frustration and tenacity was expelled with a single Crabhammer that struck the side of Phenom's head and sent him somersaulting in midair, colliding painfully with the ground in a rough, wince worthy bounce.

Finally, there was a pause. With Phenom's momentum momentarily broken, Tempest shifted himself to take in a breath, eyes never leaving the Tyrunt. With a grunt, Phenom lifted himself up, this time not rushing in for another attack and finally taking a breath of his own to collect himself. Scanning the dragon's face, Tempest found a bruise on his head from where his Crabhammer had struck. The pincer that Phenom had bitten down on was not totally numbed, and was regaining whatever feeling had been lost prior; that numbness had compromised the water type's effort in the tug-o-war, allowing Phenom to lift him. Acting on the safe side, the Krabby altered his stance to point his other, currently better pincer in his rival's direction.

Phenom dodged a Scald, before advancing forward with a Rock Blast. The barrage was easily blocked, but the Tyrunt picked up speed, pushing Tempest back with a Brick Breakbefore sending another Earth Power his way. Tempest avoided the attack with another split second Surf, and responded with an Ice Beam that smashed into another barrage of rocks. Taking the initiative, Tempest ran forward, not as fast as Tyrunt, but still impressive for his species, shooting a barrage of bubbles from both pincers. The Bubble Beam pelted against Phenom's chest and sent him staggering, and he only just barely stayed balanced on one foot as his opponent closed in with a Night Slash.

The dinosaur's eyes flashed, recollecting himself just in time to swerve away from the strike. His eyes squeezed shut for a moment as the Night Slash still struck him, but no longer a direct hit, clipping his side. Powering through, he swung a Dragon Tail into Tempest's stomach, eliciting another pained grunt and knocking the Krabby back while the dinosaur turned to face him in full, firing another Dragon Pulse. Eyes widening, a slightly desperate Tempest launched an Ice Beam into the draconic blast, thankfully intercepting it before he could fall victim to a direct hit.

There was another pause in the action, and this time, Tempest took a bit longer to gather his breath than his opponent. At this point, his shell was bruised and slightly charred in certain areas, and though his tank was certainly not empty, he could feel the close call he had just gone through. Letting out an exhale, he sank back into a stance, and, almost involuntarily, felt a small smile forming on his face.

Phenom had collected himself as well; when he reassumed his own stance, the fire in his eyes, while still fierce, was not as raging. A bit more focused as he breathed through his nose. The two combatants studied each other once more as Ash and the rest of the team looked on, before electricity once more formed in the Tyrunt's jaws.

Ash watched as Tempest prepared a Metal Claw, moving to shield himself as the dragon pounced. Once more, the electrical fangs latched onto the metallic pincer, binding it without relent. After the previous exchanges had gone in Phenom's favor, what was Tempest's plan here?

He got his answer when Tempest summoned another pillar of water beneath his feet, and realization flashed across his face as Surf carried him upwards, Phenom still latching onto him. The dinosaur's eyes widened in surprise as he was lifted off of the ground without warning, the only warning he got before Tempest lunged off of the pillar and slammed the Tyrunt onto the ground. Tyrunt wheezed as his back roughly made impact, and a sharp pain shot through his jaw, forcing it open and freeing the Krabby's pincer.

It had only taken Ash a brief second to catch onto Tempest's strategy: It was somewhat similar to how they had utilized Surf against Gary's Weepinbell. An approving grin flashed across his face.

With Phenom grounded and still blindsided by the pain, Tempest snatched the dragon's sides in either pincer, forcing his opponent into a standing position before rearing back another Metal Claw and socking him in the still aching jaw. The blow roughly tossed Phenom a couple of meters away, but the crab's eyes widened as the dinosaur landed on his feet. The Tyrunt maintained a dull glare before stepping forward and charging another Dragon Pulse. Whether it was from fatigue or the pain in his jaw working against him, the blast took longer to fire this time, giving Tempest ample opportunity to cross two Metal Claws together and block the attack, but the move still sent him sliding backwards as it detonated against him.

A frustrated snarl escaped Phenom's throat as another sharp pain shot through his jaws. The force behind firing the Dragon Pulse had aggravated the aching left behind by the Krabby's stunt. His eyes flared as he stamped the grass before making another rush for his opponent.

"He's hurt," Ash commented out loud. He knew Phenom's pained growls when he heard them. He wouldn't stop the fight yet; some degree of injury was almost inevitable in high effort battles, but it was a reminder to keep vigilant and pay attention to the way things escalated.

The Tyrunt dodged a cleanly aimed barrage of Frozen Bullets while raising a glowing Dragon Tail. Tempest had not moved, instead waiting for the dragon to come to him before lunging forward with a Razor Shell. After a brief clash, the water blade shoved the Dragon Tail away and forced Phenom staggering backwards. Sensing an opening, Tempest fired a quick Ice Beam, only for it to be met with a Rock Blast that once more irritated the lingering jaw pain.

A desperate grumble left Phenom's throat as he barely escaped the attack, feeling a brief, cold blast of air rushing against him as the Ice Beam shattered against his rocky barrage. He was given little time to gather himself before Tempest drove a Metal Claw into his abdomen. The air left Phenom for a moment as he bent over from the blow, but as he saw the Krabby rearing back his other pincer for a second consecutive Metal Claw, a surge shot through his chest, and he lunged. Electricity filled his jaws once more as he latched onto the metallic pincer with yet another Thunder Fang.

Tempest's eyes conveyed surprise at the abrupt reaction, but as Phenom's jaws chomped down onto their target, the Tyrunt's eyes briefly squeezed shut as another surge of pain shot through his jawbone. Powering through the ache, he clenched down as hard as he could, but something did not feel right…

'If Phenom's jaw is hurt, his grip won't be as strong this time.' Ash told himself. No doubt a sore set of jaws would still be fairly powerful if his dragon friend was the one taking a bite, but against Tempest, the decrease in strength could make all the difference.

…

It did.

Tempest could feel the reduced force behind Phenom's bite this time. It was not comfortable, but it wasn't inescapable. It wasn't unrelenting. And as he pulled back against the dragon's efforts, his opponent had a harder time resisting him.

Gradually, Phenom was lifted off the ground, eyes flashing in surprise. It took him a moment too long to think to use Roar; with a passionate shout, Tempest hoisted the dinosaur fully over his head and suplexed him onto the ground. Phenom did his best to curl his body and prevent himself from landing face first, but the collision still shook him as his side struck the earth.

As his rival landed, Tempest's instincts forced him to take a breath, feeling an annoying wave of fatigue rushing through him. He forced it down as quickly as he could, turning around to fire an Ice Beam directly into the young Tyrunt's back. Phenom wailed as the icy blast struck him, and the frigid attack burned into his hide before his back grew somewhat numb. Crystals formed in a thin layer across the exterior, persisting the burning sensation as he hunched over. Feeling a follow up attack incoming, he forced himself up, only for Tempest's pincer to snatch him in a painful Vise Grip and shove into the grass, aggravating the back burning further. The Vise Grip held him in place as Tempest raised his other pincer, activating Crabhammer, the knockout blow seconds away…

…

…

…

The blow did not come.

Tempest's grip on his opponent remained hard and firm as he stared his opponent down, one strike away from ending the fight and standing tall. After what could have been a few moments or several, his grip slightly loosened, and he saw the gradual confusion pass over the Tyrunt's face as the glow from Crabhammer progressively started to vanish.

Finally, after some hesitance, he released his hold on the young dragon, backing away a step or two as Phenom's claw massaged his side where the Vise Grip had been holding him. With some difficulty, the Tyrunt rose into a sitting position, the aggressive eagerness replaced with bewilderment and curiosity.

Tempest's face scrunched for a moment or two as both Pokemon studied one another, trying to determine if the other would make a move. When none came, the Krabby scrunched further, before releasing the growing tension in his face with an exhale. With an awkward pit making itself known in his stomach, the water type lowered his head and mumbled an apology.

The young dragon blinked at the tone of the river crab's voice, and the foreign facial expression accompanying it. After a moment or two of processing his opponent's words, he caught onto the meaning, and his mind flashed back to that day once more. His face fell for a second or two, before perking up as the Krabby approached him. His grip wasn't painful as his pincers carefully latched onto the Tyrunt, pulling him to his feat. Phenom stumbled as he stood, still feeling in the burning in his back, and a general wave of fatigue going through his body, but Tempest, while catching a breath of his own, kept the dinosaur propped up.

He thankfully did not need to for long; the sound of quick footsteps brought both of their attention to Ash, who jogged over to them with the rest of the team following him. He had two oran berries in his hands, which he quickly showed as he knelt down beside them.

"Hear, eat these real quick. Phenom, I have an Ice Heal in my backpack."

The two Pokemon gladly welcomed the blue berries, as well as the relieving feeling that came over them as they munched on the quick, refreshing snack. Though it stung, the crystals frozen over Phenom's back thawed off from the spray.

"There buddy, you feeling better?" the young trainer smiled as Phenom nodded back, rubbing the dinosaur's head. "You're gonna make a heck of a Tyrantrum one of these days, you know that?" his words got a small grin out of his friend, who closed his eyes to briefly lean into his hand.

Tempest watched the exchange, an annoying discomfort making itself known to him as the rest of the team's eyes fell on him. He felt somewhat relieved as Ash stood back up to speak.

"So… how are you guys feeling? It was a good battle, wasn't it?"

The Krabby shifted for a moment, before Phenom's eyes found their way back to him. An unreadable expression lined the Tyrunt's features; but it felt calmer. Standing up straight, the dinosaur nodded, making sure he was making eye contact with the water type when he did. Tempest blinked, before returning the gesture.

"Phenom," Ash's eyes comfortably fell on the dragon. "Your… instincts are a part of who you are. Just about any member of your species has them, and they can be quite the tool. I'd say someone wiser than me would say that you're starting to become a true dragon. And Tempest," he turned his attention to the river crab. "You love to fight, and for a Pokemon, that's good. It was never the problem on its own, it was always about control. As your trainer, I'm responsible for the poor job I did in the past. Letting this team be divided was never the right thing to do, it was just easy. But you all heard what I said before," he turned back to the rest of the team for a moment. "There is no "easy" way of doing things from now on. Not if we want to reach the Indigo Plateau. Certainly not if we want to make history in the Top 16. We're a family, brothers and sisters don't always see eye to eye, but out there, we're still one whole, and we're only complete working together. So…" he looked between them and Tempest. "I don't want to ramble or repeat myself too much, the important part is… our challenges are about to ramp up, whether we're ready or not. So to be ready, we should make this a fresh start, and go into Fuchsia as a complete team. Is that reasonable to you guys?"

His words sunk in as he spoke them, and as the team's eyes focused on the river crab, Nebula was the first to respond, raising a wing with an affirmative chirp. Encouraged by her gesture, Pikachu mimicked her motions.

Valiant remained focused on Tempest for a bit longer before giving Glaceon a curious look. She offered her trainer a nod; though it came slowly, her face seemed fairly confident as she did. He could feel the rest of the group's eyes landing on him next as his eyes studied the water type. A few memories flashed through his mind as he took a breath… before nodding as well.

Ash's expression conveyed gratitude before he redirected his focus back to Phenom and Tempest, the former approaching his legs as the young trainer signaled the latter over to him. "That's good… so, what do you two say?"

After a couple seconds of silence, Phenom sighed before taking a step to the Krabby. He raised an outstretched claw, holding it forward in offer. A moment later, Tempest mirrored the action, his much larger pincer meeting the claw as the two shook.

Tempest ate dinner with the rest of the group that night.

/

"Nice to see you guys confident," Patricia smiled. "Good luck out there, you two."

It was 10:00 AM the next morning, and after an early breakfast and a few final preparations, Ash and Janine were outside the lodging, finally ready to continue on into Fuchsia proper. Glaceon and Ivysaur stood next to their respective trainers, while Nebula carried Pikachu on her back above them, prepared to survey the surrounding area when it was time to set off.

"Thanks," Ash nodded, gripping the straps of his backpack. "And thanks for your suggestion about Grampa Canyon, too. I'll consider it."

"No pressure," the older girl assured. "But, I'll see you there if you decide. For now, focus on the Soul Badge."

"You keep it up too," Janine crossed her arms. "So you don't lose to your cousin."

"Heh, wouldn't dream of that."

After a few more quick words, Patricia was back inside, leaving the group out alone. Looking over to his best friend, Ash saw Janine's expression changing as she sucked in a breath of air. He had a feeling he knew what was on her mind; she was about to be in Fuchsia's territory for the first time since Opening Day, after all.

He wondered if he'd get a similar feeling when the time came to pay Pallet the visit he promised.

"You ready, Janine?" he lightly prodded her side to get her attention.

"...Yeah," she made eye contact before responding. "We should start right away, we have a lot of ground after all."

That was the understatement of his entire travels. The most efficient path did not stop at any settlements, meaning it would be a good while before they reached civilization once more if they stuck to it. Certainly the longest stretch thus far.

It was a stressful thought, and it would have been far more stressful at the start, back when he and Pikachu were walking into Viridian Forest all that time ago. But now, he had no choice but to welcome it. Just as Janine had said a good while back.

"Glaceon, you ready to head out," looking down at the ice type, he made eye contact with his friend. His lips curved up at her gaze; cold as she was by nature, her character was as hot as ever, and it was complimented with a confident nod from the quadruped. "Alright then," looking up above, he raised his voice. "Nebula, Pikachu! We're leaving now!" A loud chirp was let out in response, and the Staravia slightly lowered herself to circle around the group as they finally turned around to set off.

Benver's Lodging was a popular pit stop and trainer hangout built by a retired Gym Leader that even Samuel Oak had admired in his youth. The perfect place to regroup at the border of one of Indigo's most notorious territories.

But they had done more than just regroup. Now, things had changed.

/

"Excuse me, Gary Oak?" With a narrowed expression, Gary watched the group's retreating forms from a window before his attention was briefly stolen away by a staff member. "There's a caller looking for you, she said her name's Angelina."

He offered the man a quick nod. "Thanks, tell her I'll be there in a few minutes." As the man walked off, the Oak boy redirected his attention to the window, eyes piercing as their forms, his form, grew too small to recognize.

"Real happy for now, I'll bet. But just you wait…"