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 reply. " They deserve better." He muttered.

Gary crouched down next to Ash, sitting on his legs. " What do you mean?"

Ash didn't respond. So Gary reached into his coat pocket and took out a tissue. He handed it to Ash, who took it and wiped his face. " They deserve you, Gary."

Gary blinked. " Ash, buddy-"

" You should have stayed a trainer, not become a scientist. You would have been happy that I finally quit."

" Ash, can you hear yourself?!" Gary yelled.

Ash flinched, surprised by the intensity in Gary’s voice. He kept his gaze down, but Gary could see the turmoil in his friend’s eyes, the quiet frustration twisting his expression. This wasn’t the Ash he knew—this wasn’t the friend who’d once challenged him to keep moving forward, no matter what.

Gary softened his voice, leaning in closer. “Ash… listen to me. Do you honestly think any of us would be happier if you just gave up? Pikachu, all your other Pokémon—they’ve been with you from the start. Why? Because they believe in you, Ash. They see the fire in you, even if you can’t right now.”

Ash clenched the tissue in his hand, his shoulders hunched. “They wouldn’t have to put up with me if I wasn’t always messing up. It’s like… every time I’m close, I blow it. Maybe I’m not cut out for this.”

Gary sighed, running a hand through his hair as he tried to gather his words. “Ash, you’re not a failure because you lost a battle, okay? Being a trainer isn’t about winning every time. It’s about having the courage to keep going, even when you lose. You know that better than anyone.”

Ash’s hands shook slightly as he spoke, voice barely above a whisper. “But… what if they’re better off with someone else?”

Gary took a deep breath, then reached out, gripping Ash’s shoulder firmly. “You think they’d be better off with someone who wouldn’t care about them like you do? Someone who wouldn’t give everything they have to help them reach their full potential? Ash, your Pokémon stay with you because they choose to. Because they know that, win or lose, you’d go to the ends of the earth for them.”

Ash’s face softened, and he finally looked at Gary. “I just… I don’t know if I can keep doing this. I don’t want to let them down.”

Gary shook his head, his gaze steady. “If you quit now, you’re letting yourself down more than anyone else. Think about why you started all this, Ash. You didn’t come this far to give up because of a few losses. You came this far because you wanted to prove you’re the best, right?”

Ash let out a small, shaky laugh. “Yeah… I guess.”

Gary patted him on the back, standing up. “So get up, then. Prove it. Show everyone—show yourself—why you don’t back down.”

Slowly, Ash got to his feet, the hint of a smile starting to tug at his lips. He looked at the lake, then back at Gary, determination creeping back into his eyes.

“Thanks, Gary,” he said, his voice steadier than before.

Gary smirked, crossing his arms. “Anytime, Ash. Now, what do you say we head back? I think your team’s waiting to see their trainer get back in the game.”

Ash nodded, his grin widening as he pulled his cap up with that familiar spark of confidence. “Let’s go. We’ve got work to do.”