Pokemon Fan Fiction / Pokemon Fan Fiction ❯ Friend or Foe? ❯ Chapter One ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

<Flashback> 6 months ago

Ash was still.

He had lost. To Gary of all people. In front of Misty.

He had shut out the crowd's cheers, but he couldn't shut out
Misty's concerned voice.

"Are you okay, Ash?!" she asked, worried that he would faint or
pass out. His face had looked so pale. She sat up so she could
go to him. She wanted to hug him and tell him that everything was
alright, that he would always have her by his side no matter what.

Brock stopped her and shook his head silently. Ash needed to be
alone this time.

Ash felt tears stinging his eyes as he rushed to Pikachu. "Are you
okay?" he asked his hurt pokemon softly.

"Pika..." the pokemon said weakly, hoping that Ash would forgive
him for failing.

Ash smiled at Pikachu, happy that he was okay.

Gary stood over Ash, who didn't notice him. "Ash?" he said softly,
catching the other boy's attention.

"That was a great battle..." Gary said, trying unsuccessfully to
suppress the genuine admiration that had somehow shown in his
voice.

"No it wasn't..." Ash whispered. "It was bad... I lost...You were
right...I am a loser."

Gary sighed. It was hard to bring down his arrogance a notch, but
he knew that it was the right thing to do. Ash had tried to comfort
him last time in the indigo league, and this time he was going to
return the favor.

"I never meant that..."

Ash stared up at him with wide eyes. "What..?"

"Besides, you always have next year to prove you're not a loser!"
Gary smirked.

"I'll show you, Gary!" Ash said with a small smile." shaking
Gary's hand.

Misty and Brock stared at the scene in confusion. Ash and Gary
were...GETTING ALONG?!

They both did an anime faint.


2 months later

Gary sighed as he sat down on his chair, reading a paper about a
possible revision of the league rules. He was the pokemon master
now, and it was important for him to read all propositions for new
league rules.

"Hey, Gary! Catch!" Ash yelled from across the field. A frisbee
suddenly hit Gary on the head.

Gary swore and glared at his rival, who he had beaten in the
indigo league finals. He and Ash still competed over everything,
but Gary hung out with Ash, Misty and Brock now.

"Ash!! I'm trying to read! Act your age!" he yelled for the tenth
time that day.

"I am!" Ash retorted, unable to think of anything better to say.

Ever since he had lost the league games to Gary, Ash had been
trying to patch up his past friendship with Gary, although their
friendship was getting better and better, there were days that
Gary was not to be bothered. Today was one of them.

"No your not! You're an immature loser who doesn't know a rattata
from a pidgey!"

Ash angrily walked away. "Hey! You forgot your..." The door to the
Ash's house slammed.

"Gary, don't you think you were a bit hard on him?" Misty
asked, after a brief silence.

Gary tried to suppress a blush at her sudden entrance. He cringed at
the reproachful tone in her voice.

"You've got to admit, he does act like a child all the time. I have
to be hard on him or he won't grow up. Besides, *you* tell him he's a
lousy trainer all the time.." Gary pointed out.

Misty felt a little guilty at that truthful comment. "Well, he knows
*I* don't mean it!" she pointed out.

"I mean it." Gary said, throwing the frisbee to the ground in anger.

Ash stood at the doorway, feeling ashamed that he had acted so
childish over a comment that Gary probably didn't mean anyways. He
was about to apologize when he saw Gary talking to Misty.

"uh..Gary.." Misty said quietly. Unfortunately, Gary didn't hear
her. "It would make everyone's life easier if he wasn't around."

Ash let out a soft gasp at these words.

"Gary, look behind you." Misty said stiffly. Gary turned around
slowly, when he saw Ash. "I...I.." he stammered.

"So that's how you feel about me?" Ash asked with a pained look on
his face.

Gary couldn't answer. "I'll make things easier for you then." He
started to run away, when Misty stopped him.

"Ash, don't go out with your feelings like this.." she said, while
trying to pull him inside.

"Let him go, Misty. He'll just come crawling back! He couldn't
survive a day on his own!" Ash looked even more hurt by these words
(If that was possible)

"Gary! You don't mean that!" Misty cried in shock. "Do you?" she
said angrily.

"He's right." Ash said sadly. "It is easier without me." He pulled
away from Misty's grasp and ran away.

When he was gone, Misty looked at Gary with anger. "Why on earth
did you do that for?!"

"To teach him some maturity. It'll make him a better trainer" Gary
said, feeling a little guilty for hurting Ash.

"By messing with his feelings?" Gary was silent. "I thought you were
his best friend." She said icily. Misty got up and walked to her
car.

"Where are you going?!"

She ignored Gary and drove away.


Misty finally found Ash sitting by the bridge. He was throwing
rocks in the water. He turned around and saw Misty. "What are you
doing here?" he asked without looking at her.

"Gary's just letting off a little steam. I'm sure he doesn't mean
it."

"He's always letting off a little steam." he said glumly. "I can't
go back. I'll just get in the way."

"Your just as good of a person as anyone else" Misty said.

He looked up, caught her eyes and looked away quickly.

"You really think so?" he said quietly.

"I really think so." she affirmed.

"So, are you coming?" Misty said, offering her hand to
help him up.

Ash took it and blushed. "OK." he said at last.


Gary didn't act surprised when he saw that Ash was back. Ash didn't
even acknowledge Gary's existence.

"Pass the salt, loser." Gary said trying to provoke a fight. Ash
only responded by giving Gary the salt he asked for. He sighed at his
failure to get Ash's attention.

Misty, however was oblivious to these events. She was busy eating
the delicious new dish Brock had prepared. Ash had finished his
dinner and was reaching for another bread roll. Misty was also
reaching for another roll when they both had a hand on the roll.

"uh..you take it.." Ash said, blushing fiercely.

Misty looked more than self conscious and stammered, "no..you..take
it.."

Pikachu, who hadn't seen any of the scene, took the last bread roll.
Brock had to suppress a laugh.

Gary watched the scene with a scowl. Who did Ash think he was?
Didn't he know there was no way Misty could like him back?

Besides, *He* was The pokemon master. There was no way that Misty
Could resist his charm. Ash was just an annoyance, a nuisance that
Had only delayed him getting together with Misty.

*But she blushed too* said an annoying thought. He pushed it away,
ignoring the instinct that had made Ash want to be his friend again.

Ash was going to be really disappointed if he got his hopes up.
Gary knew the outcome. Misty would fall in love with him. It always
worked that way. He and Ash always fought over everything, especially
girls, but Gary had always won.

"Gary!" Misty called.

*She must want to spend some time with me* he thought with a superior
smirk, walking to the kitchen.

"It's your turn to wash the clothes." she reminded him.

"Oh." Gary said deflated.

"Ash!" she called.

*He must've forgotten to do the dishes last night* Gary thought, but
he saw all the dishes stacked up, nice and clean.

Ash ran in and smiled at Misty.

"Do you want to go to the store with me to get some groceries?"

"Sure!" Ash cried eagerly.

Even Gary's confidence had to waver at this scene.


"Can you put those groceries down over there?"

Ash started towards the table when someone snuck behind them and yelled
"Hi!"

They both jumped at the sudden intrusion and saw Gary at the doorway.
Embarrassed, Misty asked what Gary wanted. Ash just started to pick up
The groceries he had dropped in his fright.

"Do you have some wood glue?" he asked, after probing for an excuse.

"Did something break?" Misty asked.

"Oh, it's nothing, just my flashlight."

Misty noticed the inconsistency with using wood glue to repair a
Flashlight and was about to point it out when Gary was gone in a flash.

*hmm..that's strange* Misty observed, but the incident was soon
forgotten as soon as she lost herself in her chores.

Gary walked away from the scene, feeling ashamed because of the stupid
excuse he had made. He couldn't believe he was acting like a fool over
some girl! He never felt like this with any of his cheerleaders.

*It must be stress.* Gary decided.

<<End Flashback>>