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The Gary fans on the PFFML really loved this chapter... I'd like to hear
what you think!
It's ironic, isn't it? That's the only thing you can say about this
crazy series of tragedies we call life. I spent the first half of my
life trying to prove that I was the greatest Pokemon master of all time.
And for the second half, I was the only one who didn't believe it. It's
almost as if I was two different people at different points in my life.
Ash thought he knew me, but he really only met the first me. The second
one emerged after that final battle... the last time I saw him for ten
years before the day that changed my life...
Whoever may read this... I hope it helps you to understand me,
understand why I must do what I am about to do. Of course I will regret
it, but I know that I would regret the alternative more.
POKEMON: The Portal - Chapter 9
I can remember that battle clearly, even now. We'd both come a long
way, but at last we stood face to face, in the final round of the
Pokemon League. The sun beat down heavily upon us as we waited to see
which one of us would throw out his Pokemon first. Then, Ash took the
initiative. "Charizard, I'm counting on you!" he shouted.
I'd heard reports that Charizard didn't obey Ash, but it seemed
rather eager to battle me. I responded to the challenge in my typical
fashion: choosing a Pokemon with a natural disadvantage. In this case,
it was my Golem. My strategy was to teach each Pokemon the most powerful
attacks, especially attacks that would do well against opponents with
natural type advantages. While Charizard took wing, preparing for an
aerial assault, Golem launched a Rock Throw attack. Normally, a
Charizard would have been only marginally weakened by such an attack,
but Golem's keen aim scored a critical hit, damaging one of Charizard's
wings, and the dragon fell to the ground hard, fainting from the impact.
"Aah!" Ash screamed. "Charizard!" He recalled his Charizard and
threw another Pokeball. "Wartortle, go!" I was surprised to see that
Ash's Squirtle had evolved. It had still been a Squirtle during the
first round of competition. I know, because I'd watched him in that
round, sizing him up. I knew my Golem didn't stand a chance, but the
rules prohibited recalling any Pokemon within five minutes of sending it
out. Golem's poor speed prevented it from dodging Ash's Wartortle's
powerful Water Gun.
I recalled Golem and briefly considered sending out Arcanine, but
decided against my old strategy and called out Jolteon instead. Ash's
Wartortle was fast, but Jolteon is one of the fastest Pokemon there is.
The two dodged blows for a few minutes, but Jolteon's Thunder Wave was
the first attack to score. Ash had to watch helplessly as Jolteon's
Thunder attack finished off his Wartortle before he could recall it.
"I choose you," shouted Ash as he released his next Pokemon,
"Kingler!" I sneered as I recognized my own strategy at work.
Fortunately, I wasn't fooled by it in the least. I immediately ordered
Jolteon to use its Electric attacks, but Kingler dodged and hit Jolteon
with a Bubble attack, which slowed it down and made using its Electric
attacks risky. Jolteon went for a Quick Attack, but Kingler caught it on
the rebound with its ultimate attack, Guillotine. Jolteon didn't have a
chance.
Well, I decided to answer my own strategy in kind by calling out
Nidoking. Ash probably expected me to go for the Horn Drill, Nidoking's
own one-hit finisher. I surprised him, however, with a technique that
I'd taught Nidoking in Vermilion City: Thunder. The most powerful
Electric move was devastating, even coming from a Ground type like
Nidoking. Ash's Kingler was out of it.
"Come on, Bulbasaur!" shouted Ash. "You've got the advantage now!"
He was right, of course. Even though he'd never evolved his Bulbasaur,
the Grass/Poison type had a decisive advantage against my Ground/Poison
Nidoking, and Nidoking's Thunder attack would do little to a Grass type.
Ash knew that there was little I could do. "Bulbasaur, Solar Beam!" He
was going for the quick finish. My only hope was Nidoking's Horn Drill.
But the inaccurate attack missed, and Bulbasaur's Solar Beam completely
overwhelmed Nidoking.
I was glad I'd saved Arcanine until now. As soon as Ash saw my
champion Fire type enter the battle, I knew he was counting the seconds
until he could recall his Bulbasaur. I never gave him the chance.
Arcanine's Fire Blast can take out even a powerful Water type; Ash's
Grass Pokemon never stood a chance.
"It's all up to you, Pikachu," said Ash as he sent out his own
champion Pokemon against mine. Arcanine tried a Flamethrower, but Ash's
Pikachu was too fast for it. Pikachu struck back with Thunderbolt again
and again until Arcanine went down. I called back Arcanine and sent out
Sandslash, praising my decision to keep three Ground types handy.
"Pikachu!" shouted Ash. "Just dodge until I can call you back!"
Pikachu dodged Sandslash's attacks as best it could, but in the end
it just got too weary and fell victim to, of all attacks, the Poison
Sting. Even in its Pokeball, Pikachu wouldn't last long poisoned, and
Ash knew it. He ordered Pikachu to attack as quickly as possible, and
Pikachu managed to take out Sandslash with a series of Quick Attacks. I
recalled Sandslash and sent out my ace-in-the-hole: Alakazam.
Ash cringed as Pikachu fell and he sent out his last Pokemon, Muk. I
breathed a sigh of relief. My Alakazam was more than prepared to battle
a Muk. "Muk, Minimize!" shouted Ash, and my stomach leapt into my
throat. Alakazam's Psychic attack was useless if it couldn't see its
target. Muk used Pound next, and I knew it was all over. Alakazam's poor
defense couldn't possibly hold up to such a powerful attack. But neither
Ash nor I had taken Muk's reduced mass into account. The attack was too
weak to finish Alakazam off, and a chance Psychic attack managed to
knock out Ash's Muk.
I thought I would die happy at that very moment, my dream fulfilled.
I had finally beaten Ash Ketchum, my greatest rival. No more stifling my
own nerves to appear to be in control while I casually insulted him. No
more struggling to remain in the lead as we raced to collect badges and
capture Pokemon. No more constant worrying that he'd catch up and
overtake me any day if I didn't work hard to beat him at everything. I
was the world's greatest Pokemon master, and Ash was second best. I had
proven it.
The next thing I new, Ash was shaking my hand. "That was a great
match, Gary," he said. "You're definitely a better trainer than I am,
and you deserved to win. Congratulations." Then he turned and walked
away. In that instant, I knew that I had proven nothing. I had crushed
Ash's spirit willingly in order to fulfill my own dream - my dream not
of becoming the best, but of beating Ash. Ash may have lost the battle,
but I was the real loser that day.
Before I could say anything, he was gone, and the crowd surrounded
me. As I was lifted onto my admirers' shoulders, I saw Ash's friends
leading him off the field, comforting him. I knew he didn't want to see
me just then, so I let myself enjoy the celebration and the award
ceremony. Ash never showed up to receive his second place badge. I guess
he couldn't accept being second best. Knowing exactly how he felt, I
accepted the badge on his behalf and kept it with me at all times, as a
reminder of what I had done to Ash and must never do again.
Now that I was the greatest Pokemon master in the world, people
challenged me regularly. I never turned down a challenge, and always
congratulated and encouraged my opponent after the match, regardless of
the outcome. Yes, I was beaten a few times over the years. I never
complained or argued, but accepted my defeat and felt happy for my
opponent, then trained harder for the next battle. Many young
up-and-coming trainers reveled in the glory of beating a Pokemon master,
and in every one of them, I saw the same spirit that I had once seen in
Ash, every time he had overcome a difficult challenge along his own
journey. And as each one of them left, I looked more and more forward to
the day when Ash would be the one to challenge me. He never did.
It was only a few days ago that Ash got to meet the new and improved
Gary Oak. He came up to meet me while I was in the garden at the Pokemon
League Villa working with my Pokemon. I was so surprised to see him that
I had my arms around him before I could collect my wits. "I've been
waiting for you for a long time, Ash," I said.
"Are you feeling okay, Gary?" he asked. "This is a little
embarrassing..."
I stepped back quickly. "Sorry. You don't know how long I've waited
for this day."
"Why?" he asked. "So you could beat me again?"
I shook my head. "Don't sell yourself short, Ash. You really are a
great trainer, and I bet you've been working hard since the Pokemon
League."
"Of course I have," he replied proudly. "But I'm not here to
challenge you. I'm here to ask you a favor."
That surprised me even more than Ash's appearance. "A favor?"
Ash nodded. "It's not easy for me to ask you, but you're my only
hope. I need your help."
It wasn't easy? I knew what he meant. He still felt inferior to me
after his loss at the Pokemon League, and asking me this favor was
hurting his pride. I would have felt horrible if I'd offered my help
freely and allowed him to keep up the illusion. "I'll help you on one
condition."
"What's that?"
"We're going to have a match. If you win, I'll help you. If you
lose, I'll have to think about it."
"There's no time for thinking!" protested Ash. "Misty and Brock are
in danger!"
"Trust me, Ash," I said, grabbing a Pokeball. "You'll thank me for
this later. It's one-on-one. No time limit. You'll know which Pokemon to
use." I wound up and threw the Pokeball. "Alakazam, go!"
"Raika!" shouted Pikachu, stepping forward to meet the challenge.
But something was wrong.
"No, Raikachu," said Ash. "Gary's right. I know which Pokemon to
use."
"What happened to your Pikachu?" I asked.
"She was forced to evolve," answered Ash. "She tried to resist it,
and ended up like this."
"Rai raikachu," moaned Pikachu.
"If we have to battle, then I'll do it," said Ash, turning the brim
of his cap backwards. "Muk, go!"
"Raika?" asked Pikachu - or should I say Raikachu?
"Muk, Minimize!" ordered Ash, ignoring Raikachu.
"Alakazam, Confusion!" I shouted.
"We're not going to make the same mistake we made last time," said
Ash. "Muk, Sludge attack!" Ash's diminutive Muk spat hundreds of times
its own weight in toxic sludge at Alakazam, covering it from head to
toe.
"Alakazam, Recover!"
"Muk, Screech!" shouted Ash. The normally high-pitched sound attack
was even higher than usual due to Muk's decreased size. Alakazam reeled.
"Now, Muk! Disable its Recover ability!"
I growled. "Alakazam, use Reflect!"
"Reflect only blocks physical attacks!" shouted Ash. "Muk, use
Poison Gas!" The poisonous cloud surrounded Alakazam.
"Alakazam, Teleport away!"
"Now's our chance! Muk, Maximize and Pound!" Although Alakazam's
Reflect offered some protection from the powerful attack, the Screech
and Sludge attacks had weakened it. Muk's normal mass was more than
enough to knock Alakazam out when it reappeared beside the poisonous
cloud. Ash froze for a full ten seconds before leaping into the air with
his fist held high. "I did it! I beat Gary!"
"Raikarai!" cheered Raikachu.
I solemnly held out the Pokeball to recall my Alakazam. "You did it,
all right."
Ash's eyes narrowed. "You sound like you're about to do something."
"I am," I replied. "I'm going to do something that I should have
done a long time ago." I removed the badge from my shirt front, where it
had hung for ten years, and handed it to Ash.
"A badge?" he asked. "I've already collected all eight..." He looked
at the badge for the first time. "Wait a second! This is the Pokemon
League First Place Badge!"
"That's right," I said. "This badge belongs to the world's greatest
Pokemon trainer."
"But that's you!" he protested. "You won that badge fair and
square!"
"In the final round of the Pokemon League, I played fairly," I
agreed. "But before that, I teased you every step of the way. I made you
feel insignificant and weak just to boost my own ego."
"But that's what made me stronger! Always trying to catch up to
you!"
"There are better people to look up to than me. There's a lot more
to being a Pokemon Master than winning battles. A true Pokemon Master
has to take the time to learn about his Pokemon and the world around
him. He has to gain the trust of his Pokemon and treat them as equals.
He has to accept every challenge without backing down, and be willing to
continue on in the face of defeat. Most importantly, he has to be a
friend to other trainers. I never did any of those things, but you did
them all."
"Gary..."
I took the second place badge out of my pocket and pinned it to my
shirt. "I may be a good battler, but you're the better Pokemon trainer
in every way. I'm proud to be second best."
He turned away to wipe the tears from his eyes. "Thank you, Gary.
You don't know how much this means to me."
"Does this mean we can still be friends?" I asked hopefully.
"Of course."
"Great!" I said with a smile. "Now... I believe I owe you a favor."
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Welcome to "Whose Line is it Anyway?" where we make things up as we go
along, whether they make sense or badger.
JOHNNY BRAVO: *sigh* The only woman I ever really loved... and she's
gone. I wonder if I'll ever get over - Hey! Nuggets!
JACKIE CHAN: Oh, sorry. I broke your spy camera! (pause) SPY CAMERA?!
My webpage: http://www.rose-hulman.edu/~katinamp