Pokemon Indigo League Stories Part 2

The Unbeatable light of Seeing

" You're tellin me you're gonna hang it up over this?"

No reply.

Gary opened his eyes and blinked. " Ash? I... I asked you a question. You're gonna hang it up over this?"

When there was no reply, Gary glanced over at Ash.

Ash was sitting on the grass, staring at the lake before them, hat pulled down. " What's the point?" He muttered. " I never win, anyway."

" That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard from you!" Gary exclaimed.

Ash didn’t react, just kept his gaze fixed on the shimmering lake, shoulders slumped and hands loosely resting on his knees. His silence was a foreign thing, and it made Gary shift uneasily. This wasn’t the Ash he knew—the kid who leaped into action, who never backed down. The quiet, defeated look on Ash’s face felt wrong.

"Come on, Ash!" Gary pressed, leaning forward. "You’re the guy who took on the Elite Four, who’s battled legendary Pokémon! And now you’re thinking of giving up just because of a few losses?"

Ash scoffed quietly, barely lifting his head. "It’s not a few, Gary. Every time I think I’m close, every time I push myself, it’s like I hit a wall. Maybe… maybe I’m just not cut out for it."

Gary’s brows knitted in frustration as he looked at his friend. "Since when do you quit because of one ‘wall’? How many times did you lose to me before you finally beat me? Or lose to Brock? Or Surge?"

Ash didn’t respond, and Gary’s voice softened. "Listen, losing is part of it. It’s why you’ve got your team with you. Your Pokémon believe in you, even when you don’t believe in yourself."

Ash’s eyes flickered for a moment, but his voice was low and uncertain. "They deserve better."

Gary clenched his fists, clearly losing patience with Ash’s self-pity. "Better? Seriously, Ash? Your Pokémon have been with you through everything! Do you think they’d stick with you if they thought you weren’t the best person to help them reach their potential?"

Ash looked down, still unconvinced, and Gary took a deep breath, trying a different approach. "Let me tell you something, Ash. You’ve pushed through some of the hardest challenges any trainer could face. And yeah, maybe you didn’t always come out on top, but who cares? You’re still one of the most incredible trainers I know."

For the first time, Ash looked up at Gary, his expression conflicted. Gary met his gaze, unwavering. "If you quit now, you’re just proving to everyone who ever doubted you that they were right. Is that what you want?"

Ash’s eyes narrowed slightly, a spark of defiance finally breaking through. "No…"

"Then stop sitting here moping and remember why you started this journey in the first place!" Gary said, his voice intense and earnest. "Winning or losing doesn’t make you a great trainer, Ash. It’s never giving up that does."

Ash sat there, mulling over Gary’s words, his eyes moving back to the lake. After a long silence, he took a deep breath and stood up, brushing the dirt off his jeans. His eyes had regained a glimmer of determination as he adjusted his cap, turning to Gary with a faint smile.

"Thanks, Gary."

Gary smirked, clapping him on the back. "That’s more like it. Now, are we going to stand here all day, or are we going to show everyone why Ash Ketchum doesn’t quit?"

Ash’s grin grew wider, the familiar fire back in his eyes. "Let’s go, Gary. We’ve got some training to do."

But Gary was walking into the fog. " Good. I don't have any time.tk waste on some Ashy Loser Boy anyway. Hahahaha!"