Yo, friends of fanfiction! I'm back with chapter 12 of LPAOD. It's been a little bit since I've updated this story, but, hey, I'm back now!

Enjoy the chapter!

RR

"AHHHH, Freedom!" Ash exclaimed as he rode the tiny, engine powered, boat, his hair flowing in the wind as he stretched out his arms like an eagle.

James joined him is his excitement, and arm motions. "I've never felt so good!"

Moewth hopped onto James's head and mimic the other two boys. "Yeah'z this iz the best'z!"

"Glad to see you three or enjoying this!" Jessie yelled, as she was keeled over the edge, sea sick. "Twerp, you better know that once we are back on land, we go back to the way things were!"

Ash smiled at the older women. "I wouldn't have it any other way..."

The kind fisherman was so very confused, but he tried his best to ignore it. "We're nearing mainland!" He shouted when he noticed the end of the sea.

It's time for the Johto Pokemon League, and Paul was ready! He checked his belt, all his poke friends were there, he let out a slight chuckle at the thought of calling his pokemon his "friends" before meeting Ash, he just used them as tools, a way to victory... Paul just wanted to be strong... like his brother, Reggie. The purple haired trainer thought about his brother briefly, and remembered a conversation they had before Paul left for Johto...

Paul threw his pack over his shoulder, and looked behind him to see his brother, with an unreadable face. "Alright, I'm off." Paul declared, but as he took his first step, Reggie grabbed his arm, stopping his movement. The younger of the two looked back at his brother and asked, "What?"

Reggie just stared for time, his purple hair, longer than it used to be, his eyes, slightly glazed over... "You may lose..." Was all he said.

Paul wore a very confused face. "Huh? Of course I "may lose" but, so what?"

Reggie looked to the shelves of him and Paul's home, they housed Reggie's badges from Kanto, Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh, as well as his Frontier Symbols, the one of brave... still missing. A sigh escaped his mouth when he let go of Paul's arm, and he looked his right in the eye and said, "Remember to have unique tactics, brother." His eyes still had a hollow look to them, as if reminiscing about something...

Paul's eyes went wide when he heard his brother's words, he knew what he was talking about. He knew his brother better than anyone, and the same could be said the other way around too, Paul knew that Reggie lost to Brandon all those years ago... still haunts him. He puts on a face of peace, acceptance and tranquility, but... under that, like Paul himself, Reggie hated losing... and that defeat he suffered still hurts. Paul tried to give his older brother a smile and said, "Don't worry, I've got a few up here." He pointed to his head.

Reggie cracked a grin and let out a small laugh. "Good one..." He patted his little brother on the shoulder, "Now go, don't miss your plane."

Paul nodded and dashed off. "See yea!" Was all he said. Paul could feel Reggie's eyes on him until he was out a few, and he also felt like he said something... But he couldn't hear him.

Paul let out a sigh as he recounted the tale... He didn't know why his brother was acting... like that, and he didn't have time to think about it. Paul had to think about winning this league... and maybe Dawn. "Damn... two people I can't get out of my head..." He mumbled, but before he knew it, he heard his name be called over the intercom, it was time for his first battle of the league.

Gary, Brock and Max were currently walking through the snow cover town, trying to think about many things... "So," Gary was the first to speak up. "What do we do?"

Brock looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Gary took a left into a shop, the other two went in with him. "I mean, without Ash." He said, grabbing some potions.

Max fixed his glasses. "You two got separated from him in the crash, right?"

Gary nodded, throwing some food into the basket he was now carrying. "Yeah."

Brock grabbed some of the things he wanted and replied. "What's the question? We wait for Ash."

Gary sighed. "I knew you'd say that..."

"What? Do you want to go home, or something?" Brock asked.

Gary groaned, and looked at Brock. "No. We need to see this whole thing through." He let out another sigh. "For better or worse."

Gary's attitude was slightly getting on Brock nerves, and as a side effect, a question popped into his head, one he'd been meaning to ask. "Gary, why did you even go with Ash?"

Gary laughed, and ran his hand through his hair. "I was waiting for one of you two to ask that." He put his hand into his pocket and fished for something.

The two looked at him in confusion. "Ummm, what are you doing?" Max asked.

"J-just give me a second!" Gary was still digging in his pocket, all while mumbling things like, "Dammit, where are you?" and "Stupid paper!"

Gary was now getting a few looking in the store. Bewilderment from the men. Disgust from the women. Mothers and fathers turned their kids away. Brock didn't get why at first, but... He got it. "Dude, it looks like you're... pleasuring what's in your pants!" Brock whispered into Gary's ear.

Gary stopped for a second and looked around. Brock was right, everyone who passed him gave him very dirty looks. "Oops..."

"That's all you have to say..." Max muttered.

Gary shook off the looks and pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket, and uncrumbled it, and showed it to his friends. "See this?"

"Very old paper?" Brock said, looking at the paper, very perplexed.

"What?! No!" Gary pulled the paper away from Brock and read it out. "This says that I'm a psychologist in training!"

Max decided to leave this conversation and buy the thing they all put into their baskets, and left it to Brock.

"Cool... Why?"

"What do you mean "Why?" Brock?!"

"I mean... Why are you studying Psychology?"

Gary sighed. "I was tired of being just a pokemon trainer, don't get me wrong, I still love pokemon and battling, but..." He paused, trying to find the right words. "I want to do more with my life..." He looked Brock right in the eye, best he could. "I want to help people."

Brock gave Gary a smile and patted him on the shoulder. "Heh, that's cool." Gary returned that smile. "So, that's why you went with Ash? To study his Psyche?"

"Bingo. Full marks!"

Ash and team Rocket had finally made it back to the mainland, before they hopped off the boat, Ash asked the fishermen where they were, and he said "Snow-Point City." Ash knew right away, he was in Sinnoh.

"Well, I guess this is where we part ways, Twerp." James said, outstretching his arm. "Thanks for the help." He said, sincerely.

Ash let out a laugh, but still shook James's hand. "No problem." He looked to the other two members, whom seem to be planning a get away somehow. "I'm sure I'll see you all soon."

"Betterz believe it!" Meowth said, hopping onto James's head.

Jessie grabbed the other two Rocket members by the collars and dragged them away. "Come on, let's get out of here!"

Ash laughed as he watched them go. "Never change, you three..." He mumbled, and walked away, asking himself a question. "What will I find here?!"

Whooo! Chapter 13 of LPAOD is done! I hope you enjoyed... I did. Hopefully, I'll see you all later, friends of fanfiction!