.—.—.

"Ashley Red Ketchum," Gary said with a smirk.

Ash floundered for a second.

"Gareth Blue Oak." He'd almost forgotten how he and Gary usually talked. Ash laughed first and Gary echoed. They fistbumped as Ash opened the door wider to let him in. "What are you doing here?"

Gary plopped down into an armchair and kicked his feet up onto the nearby ottoman. The Oak looked rough, Ash noted. His eyes held bags that sunk into his face from lack of sleep. Gary had always kept to a strict sleep schedule even during crunch time at the Academy, so eyebags were new. "Good to see you too."

Ash rolled his eyes.

"Joy said there weren't any rooms left," Gary said, as though that explained everything. "Not one room left for the great grandson of the great Samuel Oak. No appreciation for nepotism around here."

Ash saw where this was going. "You're crashing in mine then?"

"Always knew you had a brain in there somewhere, Ashy-boy. Dibs on the bed."

He scoffed. "You'll be lucky to get a pillow. I guess you finished your abra hunt; did you catch one?"

"Nope, couldn't get close to one of the damn things without it teleporting a mile away." Gary admitted. "I caught myself something even better, a kadabra."

"Not bad," Ash allowed. "So you have six."

"Seven," Gary corrected. "I won enough at the Game Corner to nab myself a 'mon."

Ash screwed his nose up in a scrunch. He hadn't been close to having enough to earn a pokemon when he tried and that was with a five thousand coin starter from Ana. Did he just suck? "What'd you pick out?"

"Secret."

"Prick."

Gary snorted. "You'll meet her when we battle. After dinner?"

Ash agreed immediately. There was no chance the two of them weren't gonna battle. They were rivals just as much as they were friends. A pecking order had to be established.

The cafeteria of the Saffron Pokemon Center was the largest of any pokecenter Ash had stopped at. He pulled a metal stool out with a terrible screech as dragged on the floor. Trainers across the room glared at him as he sheepishly took his seat. He pulled his hat down even as they turned back to their meals. It wasn't long before a metal tray covered in various textures and flavors of food was slapped down across from him. Gary took a second sliding into the booth. The red-leather booth had more than enough room for the both of them, but it was a silent agreement that they weren't gonna try and squeeze into it.

They were close, but they didn't need to be that close. For that same reason, they'd get extra pillows to make a divide in the bed. Ash had at first told Gary to take the chair but the Oak had whined until he'd given in.

Gary took a long, parched chug of his soda. He smacked his lips and licked the sugary liquid from them before addressing Ash. "So, still fighting random farmers and their oddish?"

"Yep, even winning some. Are you still stuck on the Boulder Badge? I hear Flint's got an onix that could use a bath."

The Oak grumbled at that. "I knew I shouldn't have let Gramps talk me into signing those release forms."

Ash cracked a grin. "If it makes you feel any better, you can go watch my battle against Surge to get an idea of how to fight him. Might even pick up a trick or two from a proper trainer."

Gary would have laughed if he hadn't just shoveled an arm's length of noodles into his mouth. He slurped them into his gullet before speaking. "A trick from Surge, maybe. Erika was a bore, I hope he's actually worth something."

Ash hadn't thought Erika would be difficult for his friend. She was underwhelming, to put it nicely. "Growlithe light the Gym on fire?"

"More like razed it to the ground." Gary snickered. "Growlithe took out her gloom and sunflora but her sawsbuck was actually pretty tough. Scyther swept up, he's a viscous fucker."

Ash tapped his finger on the table as he mentally counted. Pewter, Cerulean, Celadon. "Three badges then?"

"Yeah, same for you?"

"Yep."

Gary nodded in appreciation. "Not bad, Ashy-boy. What'd Surge use?"

"Pikachu, magneton, and an emolga," Ash answered. "Took Cove, Greed, and Nut to win. He's a brute."

"So I hear. What the hell is an emolga?"

"Electric and flying-type from Unova."

Gary frowned. "A flying-type? That'll throw trainers for a loop."

Ash agreed. It had thrown him too. "We won, that's what matters."

The Oak went rigid and put the noodles that were approaching his mouth back into the bowl. He seemed as if something occurred to him in a great epiphany. "Wait, back up. What did you say you used against him last?"

"Nut. He's the seedot my mom gifted me, he's a nuzleaf now." Ash explained, not understanding the significance. Nut had been with him since Viridian City, not much of a new addition.

Something in Gary's expression shifted. "Nut…you named him fucking Nut ."

"Yeah?"

Gary stared at him, jaw slightly open. He shook his head. "That's too easy. Low hanging fruit, even for me."

Ash's cheeks flushed. "Shut up."

"At least you finally managed to scramble together more than your three infants," Gary drawled. "I have a full team plus one, as you know, so if you could only fight me with a collection of three pokemon you'd be a piss poor rival."

Ash rolled his eyes. "I have five that fight."

Gary raised a brow at the odd wording. "So, your starter pancham, nuzleaf, graveler, plus a couple."

"Pancham, nuzleaf, graveler, corphish, rookidee." Ash listed. It felt odd to him to not call them by name. He supposed he did for Graveler in a way.

Gary stopped dead and shot him a gleefully evil look. "Corphish, as in the pre-evolution to the dark-type crawdaunt?"

Ash saw where this was going. "Don't."

The Oak laughed obnoxiously anyway. "That seals it then! You're gonna specialize in dark-types just so you can counter my psychics? I'm almost flattered, Ashy-boy. Oh, man, are you gonna get all edgy now? Please tell me you plan on getting a piercing and wearing all black. Your mom is gonna flip if you get a tattoo!"

Ash sighed. Yeah, that was about the reaction he expected.

"Don't worry," Gary snarked, "you'll grow out of this phase eventually."

"It's not a–" Ash shut his mouth mid sentence.

Gary looked the part of a villain as he leaned forward, wicked grin and all. He lacked only the mustache to twirl. "Say it. Tell me it's not a phase. Please ."

Ash was smart enough to chalk this one up as a loss.

.—.—.

"Five individual battles." Gary proposed when they arrived at the battlegrounds.

"My match with Sabrina is tomorrow at noon," Ash warned.

"Plenty of time for Joy to heal your babies up after we squash 'em."

"Gary." Ash's voice was flat and allowed no argument.

Gary waved a hand. "Fine. I've been working my kadabra and growlithe pretty hard so they can sit it out. North is off roosting somewhere and Raticate has been a whine-ass today. Three battles."

Ash accepted those terms and tapped the release on the sixth pokeball on his bandolier. Gary's eyes widened as Unown buzzed a questioning rhythm when it appeared.

"Hey, Unown. That's Gary–yeah, that Gary–we're gonna have a match. Wanna watch?"

Unwon hummed an agreement as it stole Ash's hat with a violet glow. He turned back to Gary and noticed the shocked look on his face.

"What?" Ash asked.

Gary's eyes bulged at his nonchalant tone. "You have an unown? Where the hell did you get one? Even the Ruins of Alph don't see them anymore."

Unown levitated closer to Ash at the outburst. "Unown followed me from the tunnel I took to Celadon, trailed me for a while before joining the team."

Gary looked utterly stumped. "Does Gramps know? And what the hell was it doing down in an old mine?" Gary shrugged his body like he was shrugging the questions from his mind. "Whatever, questions later. Ready?"

Ash considered that. He'd definitely spoken to Professor Oak since meeting Unown. Had he ever actually told the man what his stalker was? He wasn't sure he had. That was a thought for later as Ash removed a pokeball from his bandolier. "Ready."

They released at the same time.

Graveler appeared on the field with a flash. Similarly, a green mantis appeared in front of Gary. Scyther whipped its wings back and forth, kicking up dust. The bug drew its white arm blades over each other and clicked menacingly at its opponent. Graveler leered at the mantis and grunted, unimpressed.

"Rock Throw." Ash started it off.

Brown earth wretched itself from the earth at Graveler's command. The ground hardened into rock as it was sent hurtling at the bug-type. A traditional Rock Throw was a series of smaller stones being hurled at a fast pace. Graveler had, even before joining Ash, simplified it down to a single boulder. By doing so, he was able to throw a rock nearly as large as himself. It was a great starting move to test the speed and evasion of their opponent.

"Keep your head," Gary warned. "Adjust then Recurve."

Scyther darted to the left, efficiently avoiding the Rock Throw with a speed that made Ash squint. No Agility or Quick Attack and it was still faster than Nut when he was worked up. Fast and lethal in equal measure, Ash could feel his blood pump.

If Scyther was half as good a fighter as Gary made it out to be, it could take some punishment. "Crush it."

The order made Graveler grunt, but his eyes gleamed. The rock-type didn't get many chances to fight without restrictions. Scyther flicked its thin wings as they beat on its back. A slight shimmer made Ash register the blade of wind that was forming along the edges of the bug-types' scythes too late. Scyther slashed its arms down, cutting the air with its sharp arm blades, and sent an Air Slash.

"Get close, Defense Curl and Rollout." Ash ordered hastily. Graveler could power through a single Air Slash if it meant landing a solid hit on a target like Scyther. The rock-type threw his two upmost arms over his face and tucked the lower two against himself. The Air Slash should have struck the thick, defense bolstered arms of the walking fortress. Instead, Ash watched at the air blade curved in its path.

It struck Graveler in the side in between the spaces between his arms. The boulder pokemon grunted loudly, more in surprise than true pain as the slash struck one of the only undefended parts of his body. Ash had to hand it to Gary, that was a good trick.

It would take more than one trick to take down Graveler though.

Graveler barreled forward in Rollout, rolling faster than he could ever walk.

"Up." The word from Gary sent the scyther's wings into overdrive. The mantis flew upwards as Graveler approached. Above the ground it hissed a taunt to the approaching enemy. It thought it was safe. Ash couldn't stop the smile on his face.

How wrong it was.

"Rock Ramp." Ash couldn't help but think back to the Fuchsia Gym. Scyther was Venomoth, just bigger and less poisonous to touch.

"Higher, Scyther!" Gary shouted, quicker on the uptake than his pokemon.

The green mantis hissed in annoyance at the Oak. The message was clear. Scyther was in the air, Graveler was not, therefore higher was unnecessary. It shrieked in surprise as Graveler shattered the battlefield into two as a half rock, half dirt ramp aimed the rolling graveler like a railgun at the hovering scyther. The ramp was more of a dirt slab only held together by Rock Tomb long enough for Graveler to barrel from its peak like cannonball. The ramp crumbled as its purpose was fulfilled, showering the battlefield in earthy debris. Scyther flapped its wings fast enough for them to blur, Agility activating around them with a dull purple. Ash knew it was far too late for that.

The two pokemon collided with a profound smack. They struck together hard enough that Ash, for a moment, was sure he'd see sparks. Scyther's jaw shut itself with an audible crack at the impact. If at least one fang wasn't broken, Ash would be surprised. Graveler tried to grab the mantis as he fell but the bug-type had enough sense to flap its Agility enhanced wings to change its trajectory. It fell to the ground with a thud, wings not enough to support its hovering any longer. The bug's face was in the dirt and its green exoskeleton damaged. Still, Scyther shakily rose to its legs and hissed in anger. Its previously pinpoint black eyes were now vibrant green, its body surging with energy like an adrenaline rush.

Swarm was active, Ash realized.

Just as it gained its footing, Graveler finally fell to the earth like a comet.

The battlefield shook as the boulder put a crater into the field. The near quarter ton of rocky shell made Ash lose his footing. Unown flashed a mystic violet and steadied him, The teen flashed the psychic a smile and a quick thanks. Gary wasn't as lucky and fell flat on his ass, spiky hair bobbing as he jumped back to his feet immediately.

"Last chance," Gary said hotly. "Quick Step into Cleave!"

Ash could respect the tenacity. If they were going to put everything they had into one last attack, he supposed they could do the same. It was incomplete but this was as good a test as any. "Indomitable."

Scyther gleamed a rainbow of colors across its body. Agility took a true hold on its wings, psychic energy making the thin wings look dyed purple in the evening light and more reminiscent of Butterfree wings than a scyther's. The bug entered a forward dash–Quick Attack, he thought. The mantis pokemon sped into a green blur as it all but used Super Speed.

A 'quick step' was an understatement.

The two razor sharp scythes the scyther species were most known for became black and green and tan and every color Ash's eyes could see. If this was Cleave, Ash wanted to know just what it entailed.

Graveler hunkered down and readied himself. Indomitable was a progressive technique, the more time he had to prepare himself the harder his defenses became. Harden made his shell gleam tan before Iron Defense engulfed it with a silver steel-type gleam. His rocky arms Defense Curled inwards and Rock Tomb crept up his stout legs and truly cemented the boulder into place.

Immovable object against unstoppable force. Ash held his breath and refused to blink.

Scyther let out a shriek that echoed in the air as it swung a swift downwards strike. There was a collision between the two pokemon, the dual scythes impacted the reinforced shell with what Ash could only describe as a dull ring. A moment of no movement occurred as though the impact shocked the world itself. Then a crash occurred as a piece of haulking rock broke free of Graveler's shell and fell to the battlefield.

It was an overgrown nodule, Ash could see, an outcropping of the shell more than a proper section of it. Graveler bellowed in anger all the same. An attack had punctured the rock-type's defenses and it was an insult.

The ground-type uncurled as he lashed out at the mantis. The boulder pokemon couldn't move while holding Indomitable. The strain of holding multiple defenses made any movement on Graveler's part risk undoing the whole technique. Ash could see that still held true as Iron Defense and Harden washed away from the graveler's shell like water off a golduck's back. Graveler struck only once, a single powerful Fire Punch into Scyther's thorax.

Scyther was quicker than Graveler on all accounts but hadn't even made an attempt to dodge. Quick Step and Cleave, whatever they may be, had overtaxed it severely. A breath from the ground-type would have seen the bug fall away as effectively as a punch. Ash suspected the mantis would find one more insulting than the other. The flying-type crumbled and rolled away in an unconscious heap.

Gary stared at Graveler, assessing. Ash couldn't help but do the same with Scyther. The Oak returned Scyther with a click of its pokeball.

"Scyther is pretty impressive," Ash remarked as the bug vanished in a flash of red. It was a fighter at its core, as viscous as Gary had touted, but undisciplined.

"You'd say that about a weedle." Gary snarked. "But yeah, Scyther is a badass. Once he wisens up he'll be a nightmare. Your graveler is a tank. You called that technique Indomitable? Little optimistic, ain't it? He seems very domitable to me."

"We're working on it," Ash said simply. Ash returned Graveler to his pokeball and clipped it to its slot. He grabbed the next one and hastily tapped the release button. He'd won the last round so he would release first, it seemed only fair. Cove gurgled when he appeared. The corphish nearly turned to look at Ash before realizing he was on a battlefield and staying forward. He snapped his claws at Gary menacingly.

Gary took in the corphish with a glint in his eyes. He chose his next fighter with so much glee that Ash already knew what was coming. A large wartortle appeared across from the crustacean with a bellow. Delta swept his tail from side to side and eyed Cove down.

"Fight fire with fire. Well, water but you get the idea." Gary was having entirely too much fun for having just lost the first round. "Delta, drown it."

Ash watched the wartortle shoot a Hydro Pump at Cove immediately. Ash hastily corrected himself. Not a Hydro Pump but a Water Gun strong enough that it might as well have been. He had a feeling he knew where this battle was headed. Delta's defensive shell was going to prove hard to get past and his long range abilities likely surpassed Cove's twice over. But the corphish was no slouch himself.

"Target the limbs, get physical." Ash eyed the two water-types as they circled the field. Cove scuttling out of range of the powerful Water Gun. Delta's shell was likely even stronger than Graveler's since his evolution into a wartortle. There would be no free hits in this match.

The corphish gurgled as he swung his meaty claws at the turtle. Double Hit missed the turtle's vital point as he took the hit to his shell without so much as a wince. Delta bounced away with a swish of his wispy tail, tail splashing water in Cove's face.

A slightly careless mistake to make as Cove immediately snapped at the appendage with both claws. The wartortle grunted as the crustacean latched on with Vice Grip, pressure visible even from afar. Within seconds a dark hue was overtaking the pincers, applying additional Distortional pressure.

"Rapid Spin, get it loose," Gary ordered.

Delta snapped his head into his shell, blue head vanishing. It was quickly followed by his arms and legs. The only body part still outside the safety of the shell was the feather-like tail that Cove was doing his best to crush.

"Dark Pulse! Aim for the openings inside the shell!" Ash commanded quickly.

The wartortle shell began to spin in circles, slow at first but increased exponentially and began to drag Cove along with it. The corphish tried to plant his many legs to slow the momentum, but the Rapid Spin was simply too fast. With Vice Grip being the only thing still holding the two pokemon together, Cove opened his mouth.

A dark sphere of otherworldly energy gathered, slowly. Too slowly. Ash winced as Cove's grip was lost on Delta's tail. The crustacean flew loose, gurgling in frustration even as he sent the Dark Pulse at his target. It struck the turtle's shell and Ash vaguely heard Delta bellow in pain.

Gary frowned. "Water Pulse then Dual Tail."

Delta was quick to leave his shell and gather the water for the pulse move. It gave Ash the chance to see the mark on his underbelly, softer than his shell but still tough enough to absorb the Dark Pulse without incurring significant damage. Cove had only gotten to his legs when the orb of pressured water was sent at him.

Ash's voice was definitely going to be hoarse when they were done. "Intercept with Razor Shell!"

The corphish gurgled as half a dozen hastily crafted shells gleamed and shot forward. The Razor Shell struck the Water Pulse, three shells easily streaking in and out of the orb as it exploded in a splash of condense water. Delta charged through the watery veil and planted his feet. His tail, long as it was, whipped forward with a watery layer in its softness even as it gleamed metallic silver.

"Dig!" Ash tried, though he knew it was too late. Cove tried to Dig away but Delta took the opportunity to slam his tail into the corphish from above. The smack at the contact made even Gary wince. The wartortle bellowed. Cove didn't twitch as he was beaten into the ground.

Ash sighed and returned the water-type. He rubbed his partner's pokeball lightly. "You did good."

Delta disappeared in a similar crimson beam a moment later. Gary whistled. "Concede yet?"

"You wish. We're tied," Ash retorted. "Have you been learning from a gyarados? Delta's Water Gun is practically a Hydro Pump."

Gary grinned. "My team are all badasses, Ash, but Delta is my co-captain. Obviously he's the strongest."

Ash would give him that. The match was only ever gonna end one way for Cove, as annoyed as he was to admit it. The wartortle was edging his way into evolving into a blastoise, the corphish had simply been outmatched.

Gary snapped Delta's ball to his belt and gripped his last pokeball. The Oak hesitated for the first time as he looked at the pokeball. "Hey, I know it's a battle but keep it light on this next one. She's the newest."

Ash nodded even as he thought it was an odd warning. Gary did the same as Ash had done, releasing first when he'd won, but released near his feet instead of on the field. The pokemon that appeared was barely a foot tall with a small, toddler like appearance. It slowly spun its head to look around the field. Ash didn't see any eyes, obscured as they were under its helmet of green hair split by a red horn.

Ash released his last pokemon and Regal chirped to announce her arrival.

Gary's pokemon spotted Regal, who shrieked a challenge, and instead of matching the bird it hugged Gary's pant leg and bumped its red horn on his knee. Ash gawked as he recognized the creature. Its white body and green bowl cut sprouted a name in his mind.

Ralts.

Gary leaned down and smiled at the feeling pokemon. He spoke softly and offered hushed assurances. He continued his soft words until the ralts unlatched from his leg and shuffled towards the battlefield. The Oak flushed when he met Ash's grin.

"Game Corner?" Ash offered.

Gary nodded and it made all the more sense. The ralts-line had an intense sense for emotions and bonded only with select people, and when they bonded they did so deeply. Ash didn't remember there being a ralts as a prize when he was there, but the Game Corner likely had a revolving selection of pokemon to choose from. As their stock was picked by trainers and more hatched, it made sense to keep the options fresh. Ash would admit a bit of jealousy. Ralts held great potential, potential a psychic specialist could mold, that he knew Gary would mold.

Regal chirped and took to the air as Ralts finally took to the field with small, hesitant steps.

Ash gestured at his friends and Gary took the first move. "Ralts, Psybeam."

The red horn on top of the psychic's head flashed. The ralts put both of its arms out and focused. A tiny pink glow coalesced between its hands. The bright bud grew slightly larger before the ralts shot the Psybeam into the sky.

"Air Cutter," Ash prompted.

Regal's wings were flapped anew as a blade of wind shot at Ralts. The blade curved downwards at an angle, passing the streaking Psybeam as the two attacks passed each other.

Gary's hands formed a make-shift megaphone around his mouth as he said, "Teleport."

The psychic-type vanished in a flash that made Ash blink. Regal chirped in annoyance as she dived to avoid the incoming Psybeam. The pink energy missed the bird as the Air Cutter struck the dirt where the ralts had previously been standing.

Ash rubbed the last of the dots from his vision as considered the battle. Ralts was young but Teleport was inherent in many young psychics. Long range attacks weren't going to get them anywhere. Annoying, but Regal had alternatives.

"Strafing runs," Ash said after a heartbeat.

Regal chirped as she leaned into a turn and shot towards the field from the sky. Her claws lost their usual grey as black overtook them. They elongated as the rookidee made to divebomb her target.

"Psybeam again!" Gary called. Ralts hesitated for a second before its arms shakily rose to form the pink bud. Gary frowned as Regal got closer. "Teleport!"

Ralts did so in the blink of an eye.

That set the battle for the next few minutes. Regal dove towards the ralts before it could prepare an attack and it would Teleport away, rinse and repeat. Ash figured that a battle of attrition wasn't much better for Gary than it was for him, so he was content to watch even as the Oak tried to coach Ralts into getting an attack off before it fled.

Eventually, the constant Teleports took their toll on the small psychic. Its arms shook when it once again tried to form the neon energy of a Psybeam before Regal's incoming form made it abandon that hope and Teleport across the field, nearly at Gary's feet. The Oak took a few steps back as a precaution. Regal simply looped back around. Claws gleaming the void of Hone Claws while an Air Cutter arched from the tips of the her wing feathers. The wind blade slashed through the space between the two pokemon.

Ash expected the pokemon to once again Teleport away. Instead, he watched as the attack struck the little psychic directly on its horn. Ralts was sent sprawling backward and landed square on its back, green hair splayed around it. The psychic-type looked up into the sky. It sniffled and, with a shrill cry that made Ash wince, wailed pathetically.

Regal, ever the opportunist, dove forward with a glow of Dual Wingbeat ready to pound the ralts into the ground. She was mid-dive when Ralts' horn grew a vibrant red and the little pokemon began to let out a watery cry even more intense than the last.

Gary whistled loudly, two fingers in his mouth. He waved frantically as he charged the field. "That's enough, Ralts is done!"

Ash called out to Regal immediately. "Stop, Regal, it's over!"

The flying-type squawked as she awkwardly pulled up from her dive. The hue of energy encompassing her wings dissipated. Her red eyes leveled an annoyed glare at Gary, for stopping the fight, and then landed on the still crying psychic, for forfeiting. The bird glided down until she landed lightly on Ash's shoulder with a couple of soft flaps, chirping in annoyance.

Gary was quick to rush and scoop up Ralts into his arms. The psychic-type latched onto the Oak's arms as its horn rubbed at his chin. The watery cries stopped after a moment but Ash could distinctly see the pokemon's small, white body shaking like a leaf.

Ash was struck by the image of Gary coddling the young pokemon while he held it like a toddler in his arms. It wasn't often that Ash got to see that side of his best friend. There were glimpses of it every now and then, like when Gary had helped treat an injured meowth when they were still at the academy. He slowly withdrew his pokedex and pointed its camera at the scene.

After a minute, his sedated pace let him just hear the last few words of Gary's reassurances over the ralts' sniffles.

"You did great," Gary said softly. "Thank you."

Ash cleared his throat. Ralts was no longer shaking, instead just clutching onto the material of Gary's shirt like it was the sole life preserver in the middle of a terrible ocean. The way the psychic looked at Regal made it clear that she was very much the sharpedo under the water.

Gary shifted Ralts into his left arm, leaving its little legs on his hip and green head resting against the area below his shoulder. The psychic-type's eyes were briefly visible under the green bowl cut for a moment. Its red eyes matched its red horn, however said eyes were puffy and glossy from tears. "Hey, sorry. Ralts is still getting her battling legs under her. That was a bit too much for her."

Ash waved off the apology. "Don't worry about it. Regal was a little rougher than she needed to be." The accused bird puffed her chest up in defiance and turned her beak away. "Is she okay?"

"She's just fine. Right, Ralts?" Gary addressed the pokemon with a soft tone.

The feeling pokemon slowly agreed with a nod of her head. The green hair moved out of her face and her eyes flashed a red in unison with her horn. Ralts gave one last sniffle before tapping Gary on his arm. The Oak nodded and retrieved her pokeball. He returned the little ralts and let his arms return to his sides.

"She's young." Gary explained as red crept up his neck from Ash's expression.

Pokemon were born with a certain natural skillset. Even freshly hatched pidgey had ambitions. Whether to start a flock or claim a chunk of forest, pokemon were instinctively drawn to such displays. Whether for mates, for autonomy, or for sheer power. Ralts was one of the very few pokemon that lacked that instinctual urge when they escaped their eggs. Their abilities that let them sense and intuit emotions made them abhor battling in some cases. They weren't pacifists, no pokemon he knew of truly was, but their drive to battle was entirely lost to them. It was not until those ralts grew older, often when they achieved their evolutions into kirlia, that the urges they lacked came to them.

The fact that Gary's ralts was willing to step foot into a battlefield so early said much about the trust it held in him.

"Never figured you for the teen dad." Ash knew the face he was making was predatory. How often did he get material like this on Gary so easily?

Gary blushed. "Shut up."

"I have some pictures Professor Oak might like, he's a great-grandfather now."

Gary gulped. "You wouldn't dare."

Ash touted his device with an arched eyebrow. He was nothing if not daring.

.—.—.

Gary and Ash gathered their teams for training well before sunset.

The chance to work with an entirely new set of temporary teammates was not lost on either of them. They were rivals but they were friends; they could help each other here and there.

They stood side-by-side as they both instructed their pokemon on their drills. The only pokemon missing between them were Graveler and Scyther, both being checked over by Nurse Joy. They had gotten banged up, one more than the other.

Delta was working with Cove on his water abilities. It would be good for the crustacean to try and harness his water-typing to its full extent. Greed was sparring with Growlithe, the two pokemon firing Embers and Dark Pulses at the other. Regal was in the air with North, working on Light Screen and teaching the natu better flying-type maneuvers. Raticate was chasing Nut, the normal-type needed better evasion and Nut wanted to test his new moves.

Ash appraised Gary's team they worked on their assignments. Delta was as strong as he expected from his friend's first partner, but the others were all impressive in their own rights. It was the first time he had seen Raticate in person and Ash could only gawk. He would bet the normal-type was the largest of its kind within Kanto. It was simply massive and its fangs looked dangerously efficient.

The psychic-types Gary had captured fascinated him. North seemed impressive as she worked with Regal, but Gary's kadabra was meditating. Either way, he was sure they were both equally as impressive. Ralts was next to the older psychic, sitting with her legs crossed and trying to keep focused.

Growlithe was another that caught his attention. Ash wasn't sure why the puppy pokemon was so familiar to him. It seemed a standard example of its species for the most part. It was not until the fire-type practiced its Ember that he made the connection.

It was the very same growlithe he had retrieved back in Pallet Town. The same one that had shot an Ember at him and bit his ankle. Ash felt a phantom pain in his leg at the reminder of the old injury. He couldn't tell if the hound recognized him, but he kept that fact to himself anyway. Its trainer did not need to know.

Gary might enjoy that fact a little too much.

Regal tweeted as she dropped onto his shoulder with a gentleness that he appreciated. She nudged his cheek with her beak. Ash looked at her. The bird on his shoulder chirped, clearly expecting something. The teen faked a deep sigh as he smoothed her rumpled chest feathers, her feathers now an equal mix of yellow and blue. "You did a great job, girl. You're one of a kind."

The rookidee glared at him for his tone. "Alright, you did an amazing job. Even Greed would have trouble catching an opponent that Teleports so much."

Any annoyance bled from the bird as a look of pride replaced it. She preened and chirped happily. Ash rolled his eyes and poked her lightly. "Should have called you Vanity."

Regal mulled that over and gave him the avian equivalent of a shrug. Ash huffed. He should have known she wouldn't have minded that much. "You did do great though, jokes aside. Psychics are serious threats."

Regal preened again at the compliment. She tweeted lightly before jumping down from his shoulder. She flapped her wings and landed on the grand, claws digging into the dirt. Her expression was contemplative as her eyes met his. Ash kneeled down gently.

"What's wrong?" Ash chanced a look at the others. His team was going through their motions, not paying the two of them much mind. The rookidee trilled. Ash hesitated, not understanding. "Do you want me to get Unown to translate?"

Regal shook her head. Instead, her eyes blazed. She released a loud, vocal call that captured the attention of everyone around. Greed and Nut turned from their spar as Cove began to approach from afar. Unown bled a musical note from his seclusion, not willing to approach with so many new pokemon around. Gary watched as his team all paused their drills as well.

With all eyes on her, Regal nodded in satisfaction. Then her body began to glow.

Ash gasped as evolutionary light flooded the grounds. In front of his eyes, she grew and shaped and changed from the chick she once was. Her wings were held out to their full span as they elongated and darkened, her new feathers now accented matte black. Her grey feet grew black talons, larger and sharper than her previous ones. Her face morphed as her beak became more pronounced and gained a more significant hook.

The light died to a glow and then vanished. Ash stared at the pokemon with awe. Where a rookidee once stood was a corvisquire in all its glory. The yellow feathers and unsteadiness of a chick was gone. In their place were blue and black and stalwart resolve. Regal's ruby red eyes still continued to stare at him.

Ash smiled and smoother down her blue chest feathers. "You had to make a spectacle, didn't you?"

Regal crowed in amusement.

.—.—.

Ash had gone to bed with a large smile on his face, Regal's evolution fresh on his mind.

When he walked into the cafeteria the next morning, it was with an age old annoyance. He had forgotten what rooming with Gary was like. His cheek hurt from where the Oak had smacked it in the middle of the night. On top of that, he was frozen to the bone. Gary had turned down the thermostat in the middle of the night and then took the shower before Ash could. And Ash's was a very cold shower since Gary ran all the hot water down the drain.

He should've kicked him out when he had the chance.

He found his friend at the same spot they'd eaten dinner at the night before. Ash slid into the booth after getting his own breakfast, oatmeal with berries. "Leaving today?"

The Oak stopped his spoon short of his mouth, milk dripping back over his cereal bowl. "Yeah, Surge needs an ass whooping and he won't get it with me in Saffron."

"When?"

"After this. I gotta grab a few potions and then hit the road." Gary clicked his spoon into his bowl. "Your battle…it's at noon?"

"Yep." Ash made sure to pop the 'p' like Gary usually did. "The Marsh Badge is practically mine."

"Sure, and Lance named me his successor."

"Surge is gonna fry your ass."

"Sabrina is gonna thrash you." Gary chuckled and slid his bowl to the side. "Alright, jokes aside now. Serious talk time. Who knows how long it's gonna be before we see each other again, you know?"

Gary and serious weren't exactly opposites but they weren't synonymous either. Ash was skeptical. "Alright?"

"I want to take on Sabrina. My team isn't ready just yet but she's my target after Surge," Gary admitted. "Your dark-types are gonna be a pain in the ass for any psychic and it really pisses me off you get a free leg up on me. I fought a trainer a few days ago and my kadabra couldn't do shit to his sneasel. An outright immunity is such bullshit. "

Ash forced himself not to smirk at the saltiness in his friend's tone. That was bound to come sooner or later. "Making excuses already?"

Gary gave him a flat look. "What I'm saying is that Sabrina's psychics are gonna have a hell of a time with your nuzleaf, but my team doesn't have that advantage. No wonder you decided to specialize in 'em, my team is gonna have a hell of a learning curve."

Ash tapped his spoon on the side of his bowl, thinking. "You have a good team. A kadabra, natu, and ralts are good steps for a psychic specialist. You got more plans for future team members?"

"Yeah, a few. I don't mind going over my carry limit. I'll just have to rotate my team often."

"Any specifics?" Ash prodded.

"An electric-type is probably a good idea. I want to limit the number of non-psychics I catch now." Gary loudly slurped the last of the milk in his bowl before continuing, milk mustache still on his lip. "It's pretty common for specialists to still have pokemon outside of their focus, but I'm toeing the line a bit with less than half of my team being psychics."

"It's not that bad," Ash said. "I only have the one dark-type."

"With two more ready to pick it up when they evolve." Gary flipped his hand nonchalantly. "If we seriously plan on specializing, we both have a hell of a long way to go. Some prodigies we are, huh?"

Ash shrugged and shoveled another spoonful of oatmeal into his gullet. "We aren't that bad."

Gary paused and leaned back in his seat. "Nah, we're not."

They stayed in silence for a minute until Gary broke it again. "I'm gonna be running around Kanto after Vermilion."

Ash considered that with a hum. Trainers taking time after earning half the Gym Badges was common enough. There was still a good bit of time before the Indigo Conference so the odds of Gary falling behind were slim.

Indigo was dissimilar to any other League given that it was truly two regions rather than one. Hoenn's League hosted an Ever Grande Conference every year, and the same was true in Sinnoh and Unova and Kalos. Indigo, being made up of both Kanto and Johto, couldn't do a single conference a year. The preliminaries alone on a tournament of that size would take weeks. Instead, the Silver Conference and Indigo Conference were held in alternating years. The Silver Conference was seven months away and the next Indigo Conference was a year past that. Ash and the other Pallet trainers still had over a year and a half before they clashed at those gilded halls, the variable trainer elite from across Kanto meeting them head on.

"You gonna go sightseeing?"

Ash was taken by surprise by Gary's scowl. "I wish. The League wants a face for the next generation of rookies and they want the grandson of Samuel Oak. Gramps put them off for a while but I can't keep asking him to for much longer. I figured I'd do the first four gyms before they got their hooks in me."

"You have to do it?" Ash asked. "The Professor wouldn't force you–"

"Yeah, I know," Gary bit out. "Gramps says I can turn it down and do what I want. But I can't ."

"Why?" Ash asked.

"How would that play out? Gramps spent his whole life working with the League and building his reputation, and they don't like hearing the word 'no'. On top of that, if the media got wind that the grandson of the Great Oak doesnt wanna play ball with the League?" Gary clenched his fist, skin turning white at the pressure, before exhaling deeply. "I get a lot of perks from being sponsored by Gramps, we both do. If I need to take a few months and run around Kanto then so be it."

Ash knew that. Of course he knew that. The increased carry limit, among other reasons, was why he had no issue with Unown joining them. He had the slot to spare. "What kind of things are they wanting you to do? "

Gary hesitated before answering. "I don't know everything but Gramps told me it's mostly PR. A ribbon cutting here and there, interviews with columnists about being a rookie, guest star on some radio show, meeting some League representatives and kissing ass, that sort of thing. I've done a couple small things already. Meeting with a few researcher acquaintances of his and doing a few favors for them. I warded off some zubat swarms in Mt. Moon for this Seymour guy, and delivered a pokemon egg to Bill from Cerulean City. None of that was really bad."

Gary clicked his tongue. "Well, Bill was odd. Cooped up too much, I think. He kept talking about a goblin stealing his stuff and a dragonite the size of Mt. Silver. But he still wasn't bad and the PR stuff doesn't sound too terrible. There's even a couple of tournaments they want me to enter."

"Tournaments?" Ash asked with a gleam in his eye.

"Everything else I just said went out the window." Gary was sarcastic, but Ash could see he appreciated talking less about his coming commitments. "Yeah, a couple of tournaments. The Nugget Bridge has one a few times a year that's pretty popular and the St. Anne will be swinging around into Vermilion Harbor in a few weeks."

"The St. Anne? As in the cruise ship?" Ash asked. The St. Anne was one of the largest cruise ships in the world, but it was a world famous tourist ship first and foremost. It was known to sail to every major port on its voyages. From Indigo to Hoenn, even to Alola.

"The same. The League is completely outfitting it while it's parked in Olivine City. New battlefields, new training rooms, a top of the line trainer store. Anything a trainer could need, the League is gonna have it installed."

"All for a single tournament?" Ash asked incredulously. The sheer costs of that blew his mind.

"They haven't announced it yet, but I think they want to make it a Battle Ship, Kanto's version of Unova's Battle Subway or Johto's Battle Tower. Once the St. Anne is decked out with the facilities they're gonna sail it to Vermilion and get as many trainers on board as possible for its first proper Battle Voyage."

That sounded promising. "Prizes?"

"Pokemon, money, evolution items, whatever else you can think of. League-sponsored tournaments usually have good prizes and they'll have great ones for the first ever Battle Voyage," Gary said. "They'll have all that advertised to hell and back when they announce it publicly."

"Wait, if the League hasn't announced anything about this yet, shouldn't you keep that to yourself? The League will kill you if they know you're spreading that around."

"Sure, probably," Gary agreed. "They don't know though, and they're making the announcement sooner than you'd think."

"When?"

"Day after tomorrow. You'll need to hop to it if you want a ticket. General admission is still gonna cost you more than a ferry to Cinnabar. My ticket is VIP, obviously," Gary said, stressing 'VIP' with the proper amount of pomp. "'Not sure how they're going about handing out the tickets to other trainers though, a lottery maybe. You should talk to Gramps about swinging you one."

Ash intended to. He wondered just how much pleading it would take to have the Professor get him a slot in the tournament. "Definitely. Any idea where it's headed when it leaves port? Cinnabar Island?"

Gary snickered. "It's a longer haul than that, Ashy-boy. It sets out to Cinnabar from Vermillion, then onwards towards the open sea. Suppose to stop in the Sevii Islands, Seafoam, Alto Mare, the Orange Islands, all before coming to port in Vermilion City."

Ash was struck silent for a moment. "That'll take weeks."

"Months," Gary corrected. "Well, over a month but it's not like we'll have to stay on the entire trip. I'll hop off at Cinnabar. It'll give me a chance to take on Blaine."

"That'll be a hard fight." Ash unwillingly remembered Harrison's thoughts on the Gym Leader. Nevertheless, he couldn't stop the excitement that raced in him. The notion of taking part in a tournament aboard the St. Anne and winning top prize, then immediately challenging Blaine with Gary. Ash was sure he could dream up a more believable premise.

"Yeah, but we'll be ready by then." Gary sighed. "You gotta get on that ship, Ash. If I can't fight a trainer worth their salt more than once every four months I might actually end up institutionalized."

"Didn't you say you lost to a sneasel?" Ash jabbed.

Gary scoffed. "I said Mystic had trouble with it, not that I lost."

"Mystic?" Ash questioned.

"My kadabra. Full name being Golden-Arcane-Mystic-of-Wooded-Plains." Gary showed his distaste at the name as Ash laughed. "His choice, not mine. North chose her name too, and Ralts will choose one eventually. Psychics find names to be either completely unnecessary or entirely sacred, so I leave it to them to choose their own."

Ash nodded at the information as Gary took a sip of his drink. Psychics and names made Ash wonder just what name Unown would choose for itself. Any name was better than…

"Doorknob the Slowpoke," Ash said abruptly.

Gary choked on his drink.

A coughing fit struck the Oak as he cleared his airway. He inhaled deeply and finally coughed the last of the liquid from his throat. When he was breathing again, Gary peeled into laughter. "Poor Doorknob. He's gotta be what, seven now?"

Ash grinned. "Something like that."

When they were eight, they'd taken an entire afternoon and thought of names for every possible pokemon they could possibly catch. The list was so long ago that Ash couldn't remember any of the actual names, but somehow Doorknob the Slowpoke had stuck with both of them for years. Ash remembered a specific instant when they were listening to a lecture from Mathers at Pallet Academy. When the instructor mentioned slowpoke–something about their tails being prized on illegal markets, if Ash recalled correctly–Gary leaned into his ear and simply said, "Doorknob."

The resulting laugh had earned him a mark and Gary a punch to the arm.

Good times.

.—.—.

Gary took the initiative and smacked Ash on the back. "Nice seeing you and all, Red. I'll be sure to kick your ass on the Anne."

Ash scoffed and knuckled his friend in the shoulder. "Sure thing. Try and tie up the score, Blue."

Gary huffed and adjusted his bag as a round bird sat on his shoulder. North reminded him of a rookidee physically, but a look from her beady, black eyes unsettled him enough to make him disregard the comparison. "You did call Gramps, right?"

Ash hadn't looked forward to that. It had been a very long call. "Yeah, he knew my roster was updated but I don't think he believed it until he saw it himself. He wants to look at Unown when I get back to Pallet Town."

Gary rolled his eyes. "I meant about the Anne."

"He said he'll get in touch about a ticket," Ash relayed with a shrug. "The tickets are limited and even he doesn't just have one he can give out. He also asked how I know about it when they haven't announced it yet."

The Oak paled. "What'd you tell him?"

"Heard it from a Gym Leader I met–Sparky."

Gary shuddered in relief. "Thanks. He'd kill me if he knew I was already leaking state secrets."

"You could just not do that."

"Yeah right, and risk not being able to beat you in front of everybody?" The Oak shrugged, threw a grin on his face and waved a hand lazily behind him. "Well, smell ya' later, Ashy-boy!"

Ash bit his tongue and continued on his path. Gary always had to have the last word. And that nickname…Ash hated it every time he heard it. And Gary knew it, so he continued using it.

Gary was an ass.

His best friend, but an absolute ass.

Ash snuggled his cap tighter to his head as Unown tried to take it from him. "Gonna have to try harder than that."

His hand was immediately jerked to the side and Ash blinked as his hat was forced from his head.

"That's cheating," Ash complained goodnaturedly. His hat fell over Unown's form and obscured it as the headwear always did. He thought it might be a way for the psychic to keep some form of anonymity while in more populated areas. The symbol pokemon was already making a large effort in even being in a city with him, so Ash would let it have his hat as much as it wanted. "So, what'd you think of Gary?"

Unown sent a happy rainbow across their bond even as it was tinged in a strange monochrome. Ash hummed. "You like him, but not completely?"

Unown buzzed agreement.

Friend-Enemy.

Ash laughed. Yeah, that summed them up pretty well. "Yeah, that's Gary for you." The teen tapped the brim of his floating hat. Unown droned. "Speaking of, Gary's psychics all chose their own names like you are. Have you decided on anything yet?"

The psychic didn't respond immediately. When Ash looked at the pokemon, it finally buzzed.

No.

Ash expected as much, if he was honest. Unown had its own little quirks that had shown themselves so far, behavioral or otherwise. One thing that was consistent was the symbol pokemon's constant avoidance of individuality. Pokemon that were a part of a collective sometimes had problems adjusting to being their own person. Ash had been ecstatic when Unown had shown interest in a name. A name made it unique, marked it as its own pokemon. Unown had never once referred to itself as a being, never once had it used the word 'I' in their telepathic conversations.

Information on Unown was both frustratingly sparse and annoyingly ample. Ash knew they were often found in clusters and not on their lonesome. Hiveminds in all but designation. They were incredibly intelligent and revered in Johto's traditional sector, but they were not battlers. Thinkers, though, they certainly could be.

Ash smiled. "Do you have any ideas of names you'd like?"

Unown radiated a hesitant marigold. Nervousness, if Ash guessed right.

No.

Ash tapped the brim of the hat once more. A name was a large step for Unown, pushing the entire process onto the psychic may have been too much to ask this early on. "How about I whip up a list? I can compile a short list of names and you can pick from those, If you'd prefer?"

Unown's nervousness bled from their bond and vibrant lilac replaced it.

Yes, Ur-Hakon.

"Alright, I'll get working on it. Give me a day to whip a few up." Ash clicked his tongue in thought. A question itched under his skin. "That thing you keep calling me…what does it mean?"

Unown buzzed for him to continue.

"I remember you said it when we first met too, although you sounded a little rustier with your communication. Ur-Hakon, what name is that? What does it mean?" Ash asked one of the many questions he had for the unown.

Unown droned a musical melody along their bond at the question. It hummed and buzzed before finally pushing an image along their bond. Ash saw himself, his team at his back as they ventured out of the mining tunnel and onto Route 16. He was himself facing down the wild feraligatr, he saw himself welcoming Graveler to the team, he saw himself through Unown's eye.

Ash felt reverence. Ash felt trust.

The teen shuttered and his arm hair stood on end. Unown let the mental connection drop and Ash could think freely.

Dreyfus the Unifier, the first presumptive Champion of Pre-League Indigo that had brought Kanto under a single banner. Doran the Unbowed, the legendary leader that threw the Dragonkin from their pedestal and established the foundations of the League structure.

Stories of legendary men that he had spoken to Unown in his own reverence.

Ur-Hakon. Unifier. Unbowed. He Who Dares.

Ash understood it, right then.

Ur-Hakon wasn't a name.

It was a designation, a title. Something that had to be earned.

Ash closed his eyes.

A deep breath in, a slow exhale out. Over and over again. In and out, measured and controlled.

He opened his eyes and found Unown gazing into him.

Ash wiped his eyes from the pooling wetness. "Thank you."

Unown buzzed.

Thank you.

.—.—.

This chapter has been in the works a while, ooh boy. I really wanted to get Sabrina in this chapter, but if I did then this wouldn't be getting out until next year. I didn't think I would get this up before then anyway, but writing Uproar really got my mind going on this story too.

By the way, you should all go check out my other story, Uproar. I have fun with it. Johto doesn't get enough love.

And, for those that mentioned it, the St. Anne IS happening as we hear in this chapter, just a bit differently than usual or in canon. It'll be a bit before we climb aboard, but it's there.

Reviews are appreciated! Replies:

HDK: Thanks, hope it lived up.

CallMeHeyo: The growth of the team is something I look forward to. Glad you enjoyed it.

Darthwolf: Definitely some potential for any future captures, especially as a specialist now. The St. Anne is a bit away but it will be an interesting arc, no doubt.

Dman09: Thanks, glad the interlude was so well received. Daisy and Gary's relationship is something I look forward to touching upon in the (probably far) future. And Saffron is far from over, so who knows where he'll go.

SpeedReader: Thanks. Gary is an ass, but that's the best part of his character lol.

Razorbackmike: Not necessarily, if there is a feasible way to introduce them then they could be future options. I would look at them a little more harshly though.

Fuck Names: Unown joining was definitely a high point of that chapter. As for the TM bit, yeah I wrote that while medicated and tired. I'll end up rewriting that bit eventually to make it sound more natural. And Gary, like most of us, will cringe when he thinks of what he did as a teen lol.

RegulusCetus: Glad you enjoyed.