The Pantheon

The Wallace Cup - Part III

Gary watched from the shade of the tree he was leaning against with his arms crossed, as a young girl hurried toward Ashley the moment she spotted her. The girl nearly tripped over her own feet in her rush, only to stop just short of crashing into her, words spilling out too fast, hands moving as she spoke. Ashley listened with an easy smile, bending slightly so they were closer to eye level, answering her with the same patience she gave every young fan of hers.

Gary recognized the girl from the stories Ashley had told him.

The fan’s name was Dawn. She had traveled with her mother to attend the Kanto Grand Festival specifically to see Ashley compete in person. With Ashy now participating in a Sinnoh contest, Dawn took the opportunity to see her idol again. Compared to traveling all the way from Twinleaf Town to Kanto, attending the Wallace Cup felt like a far more accessible trip.

He watched Ashley laugh at something the girl said, reach out and steady her when her excitement got the better of her.

The pride hit him quietly.

Gary had always thought of Ashy as a little sister. He remembered when she’d still doubted herself, when wins surprised her instead of being expected. Seeing her now—calm, confident, surrounded by people who believed in her—made, it impossible not to measure the distance she’d traveled.

She’d earned every bit of it.

Still, watching Ashley with Dawn stirred something else in him. It forced Gary to think about how much he had changed.

Last year, he’d been running from his dream, pretending he didn’t know what he wanted, and burying the truth under sarcasm and half-formed plans. The idea of becoming a Pokémon Professor had felt like a trap. No matter what he did, people would compare him to his grandfather, Samuel Oak, the man who created the Pokédex. Gary hated the thought of spending his life measured against someone else’s legacy, even one he respected.

So, he’d ignored it. Pushed it aside and told himself he was still “figuring things out.”

That excuse doesn’t work anymore.

Now, he had a direction. A real one.

He will finish the Johto circuit, and Sinnoh next. He will get his college degree and intern with Professor Rowan, who specialized in evolution theory. His thesis will be on environmental adaptation and long-term changes influenced by region.

After that, he will travel to Alola, Galar, and Paldea.

If his grandfather had mapped the known world of Pokémon, then Gary would be the one to break open what came after.

Regional Variations.

Gary watched Ashley throw her head back and burst out laughing, hand resting briefly on Dawn’s shoulder, and felt the corner of his mouth lift.

She was already rewriting what contests could be.

Soon enough, he’d stand beside her, and rewrite evolution itself.

Gary straightened when he saw Ashley bid her fan goodbye. Dawn lingered for a moment longer than necessary, clearly reluctant to leave, before finally stepping back with a smile that looked equal parts awe and happiness. Ashley responded with an easy wave and a few quiet words, then turned and headed Gary’s way.

They fell into step together without needing to say much.

The walk toward the Contest Hall was short, but the energy in Lake Valor made it feel charged. The streets were crowded, voices overlapping, and the excitement was buzzing in the air as the Wallace Cup moved closer to its decisive rounds. The semifinals were only an hour away, and everyone could feel it.