"It's so good to be home!"  I lean back in my chair, patting my stomach.  Brock's cooking has always been good, but there's just nothing that can compare to Mom's...  "Thanks for everything, Mom!  Dinner was great!"

"Thankyou for dinner, Ms. Ketchum," Misty chimes in, while Brock follows Mom into the kitchen, asking about the recipe.  I close my eyes and sigh in contentment.  There's no place like home to relax -

"Argh!"  I swat away the wet cloth that's rubbed against my face.  "What's the big idea -?!"

"Mr. Mime!"

I glare at him.  He grins me with that stupid smile of his and continues cleaning up the table.

"Looks like somebody thought you could use a little freshening up," Misty laughs.

"Misty - " I start, only to be interrupted.

"You really could do with a bath, sweetie," Mom calls from the kitchen.  Figures she'd hear.

"I'm just going out for a walk, Mom!" I excuse myself quickly.  "I'll be back in a bit!"

"Don't be long, now, honey!  You should get a good night's rest before the party, and it's getting dark out there!"

"I'll be fine!" I assure her.  She always worries way too much about me.  "Want to come, Misty?" I ask as I pull on my cap.

"Uh-uh," she shakes her head.  "I'm going to put my feet up and enjoy not having to walk somewhere for once!"

"Hey, walking's good for you!"

"So is cycling," she replies, with an edge to her tone and a spark in her eye.

"Uh, right," I mumble and skirt around her and out the door, praying she'll let it drop.  I'd been kind of hoping she'd forgotten about that whole bike thing.  I don't think she's all that serious about it, but she does like to nag...  "I'll see you later!  Coming, Pikachuu?"

 "Chuu!"

I hold the door open just long enough for her to squeeze through, then shut it.

It's kinda strange how different it is inside compared to outdoors.  This place will always be my home, but I find looking up at the stars almost as comforting.  I guess it's 'cause they're the same stars, no matter where I look at them from...

"Pikapi?"

"Mm?  Oh yeah.  Let's go."

I let my feet choose the way.  It doesn't really make that much difference where I go - it's just being able to walk around someplace I'm familiar with.  Visiting new places can be fun, and I've made a whole heap of new friends, but still...

Pikachuu climbs up to my shoulder, and I brace myself to support her slight weight.  She's one burden that's quite nice to bear.  I turn my head to smile at her as I run one hand through her fur.

"There really is no place like home, Pikachuu."

"Chuu."

I take my time wandering through the streets, making note of little changes that have been made while I was away, things I didn't really pay attention to while training for the Pokemon League.  There are a few more houses along our street; the corner shop I bought ice-cream at has repainted its signs; the school has planted a new lot of trees to replace the old one that had to be cut down after that storm...

Seeing the school makes me wonder about the other kids who went on Pokemon journeys.  There were three others who left on the same day as I did, but Gary and I were the only ones who made it as far as the Pokemon League.  The other two just gave up.  I guess they returned home, settled back into life as 'normal' people...

I could never do that.  Even after losing in the Pokemon League, this isn't something I can just toss away.  This is what I want to do, this is who I want to be -

This is the only connection I have with my father.

Mom and Professor Oak both say that he was a great trainer.  Of course, that's about all they say about him.

"Pikapi, pikachuu?"  A little paw pats my cheek, and I raise my head, opening my eyes.  I hadn't realised that I'd shut them.  "Pikaa, chuu."

"I'm okay, Pikachuu," I promise, and blink back the water from my eyes.  "Mom was right, I am a bit tired.  Maybe we should go back now, huh?"

"Chuu!" she nods.  I look around to get my bearings - I'd forgotten to pay attention to where we were going - and it turns out we're near Professor Oak's place.

We're not alone, either.

"Gary?"

He's just standing there, in the middle of the road, watching me and Pikachuu.

"Ash," he greets me rather soberly.  It's kinda strange not to see him smirking at me.  Not that I'm objecting, or anything.  "Congratulations."

"Huh?"  I stare at him, double-checking that to see if it is Gary Oak standing in front of me.  Well, he has that pendant, at least...  I'm wondering what happened to his attitude, though.

"On the Pokemon League," he clarifies.  "I hear you did pretty well."

"I, uh..."  I don't get it - I was only one round ahead of him, and Gary has never really complimented me before...  "Thanks, but you did really well, too."

"Not as good as you," he states.  I don't know what to say.

"Pika pika?"  I peer through the darkness to see what Pikachuu's pointing out - the backpack that Gary's carrying.

"Hey, where are you going?" I ask.  "You're not staying for the party?"

He shrugs.  I guess not.  He was always so sure he was going to win, he must be pretty disappointed that he didn't.  I know I was.

He didn't turn up for the closing ceremony, I remember suddenly.  I almost ask him about that, but something about his expression stops me.  He looks like he feels bad enough as it is.

"Are you going to do some more training, for the next League gathering?" I ask instead.

He starts to shrug again, but stops.  "I don't think so."

"Why not?  Don't you want to face me to become a Pokemon Master?  You'll make it next time!"  Much as I hate to admit it, Gary is good.  It was a real shock to find out he'd lost before I had.

He has the weirdest look on his face - like he's sort of happy and upset both at once.  I guess he doesn't like being reminded about losing.  I don't like it either, but after travelling with Misty and Brock for so long I've sort of built up an immunity to it or something.  Considering how those cheerleaders of his fell apart the one time I did see him lose, I doubt he's having as easy a time coping.  I should be rubbing it in, I suppose, but I just can't do it.  Gary's always had a huge ego, but I guess he's paying for it now.

Before I know what I'm doing, my hand is on his shoulder.  We both stare at it for a moment.  I don't know what he's thinking, but I'm wondering why it's there.  It's like the way I automatically pat Pikachuu when she curls up against me - but why on earth would I have that reaction to Gary of all people?!

I let my hand drop, and watch his eyes follow its course, then glance back up at me.  It's kinda strange for me to want to comfort him like this - but he's just not himself!  He's way too nice for one thing, and it's creeping me out!

"Did I say something wrong?" I ask dubiously, trying to ignore my actions.  He's still staring at me funny.

Just a shake of his head for an answer.  Did he get tired of hearing his own voice all of a sudden?  He's not talking as much as usual...

"What are you going to do after you become a Pokemon Master?"

"Do?  After?"  I blink a little.  When I become a Pokemon Master...  "Uh, gee, I guess keep training to be the best," I answer, rubbing at my neck.  I hadn't really thought beyond actually getting there...  "Maybe... maybe I'll start my own Gym or something."  That doesn't sound too bad, now that I think about it.

I picture myself as a Gym Leader, accepting challenges from hopeful kids looking to earn a badge for the Pokemon League.  They won't win of course, due to my enormous skill, and my badge will be the hardest to get in the entire League.  People will queue up for miles, just begging me to teach them my special techniques and strategies; other Gym Leaders will come to ask my advice -

- and there are a pair of yellow paws being waved in my face.

"Pikapi, pikachuu?!"

I shake my head as Pikachuu climbs back down to my shoulder.  Gary's looking like he wants to laugh at me.

"What?" I demand defensively.  I'm surprised he hasn't already laughed at my ambitions.  I'm glad that he hasn't, though.

"Don't get too carried away already," he tells me, his lips quirking.  "You're not there yet."

"I will be!" I vow.  I half-expect him to say that I'm dreaming or something, but he just nods his head and smiles.

"I know," he says simply.  He's being weird again.  I don't know how to answer, so we stand in silence for a few moments.

It's too quiet.  Standing this close to Gary is making me a little nervous, especially after the hand thing, and that look in his eyes.  It's like he's measuring me up, somehow, and I just know I'll fail.  I hate it when he puts me down, mostly because there's always a bit of truth in what he says.

Okay, sometimes a lot of truth.

He hasn't said anything like that this time.  I have to wonder if he's storing it up.  I hope not.  I did beat him in the Pokemon League, even if I didn't win myself.  Maybe he's seen that I really am trying to be a good pokemon trainer, after all!  I know I've been lucky in some cases - but I couldn't have come so far just because of that.  I've been working hard, mostly trying to catch up with him.  He's always been the one in front, ever since I slept in that first day - but now, I am...

"What about you?" I find myself asking.  He frowns at me, like he hasn't thought about it either; but he said he wasn't going to try for the Pokemon League again...  So what else is there?

I guess he doesn't know, because he's not answering.  He can't be meaning to give up, can he?  He may have been my main rival for this past year, but I don't like that idea one bit.  What would I do without him?  I don't even want to think about it.

"What happened to the car, and the girls?" I ask after a couple of minutes.

"Don't need 'em anymore," he shrugs.

What did he need them for in the first place, is what I want to know!  I can't say I'm sorry to hear they're gone.  The car was kinda nice, though...

"I was just saying goodbye to Gramps," he says, taking his turn to break the quiet.  "I wasn't expecting to see anyone else."

"Oh."  Did I interrupt him, or something?  "You're travelling at night?"

"I kinda like it under the stars.  They're peaceful."

I nod at that.  So does Pikachuu.

"Pikaa!"  She thinks they're pretty.

"Well, I should get going," he says at last.  "Good luck!  I'm sure you'll make a Master next time around!"

"Hey, I'll see you before then, right?"  We're kinda bound to - we always seem to be running into one another...

"Maybe."

"Maybe?!"  The way he says it makes it sound like we'll never see each other again - and the thought makes my stomach twist.  I don't want that to happen!  "Whaddya mean 'maybe?!"

He blinks at me briefly, then his lips curve upwards once more.  Everything's okay again, and I know that 'maybe' means 'yes' this time.  Why is that so reassuring to me?

"See you later, Ashy-boy," he says as he walks past me, down the road that leads away from town.

"Don't call me that!"

He pauses, glancing back and grinning slyly at me.  "You're so cute when you're angry," he informs me in that condescending tone he normally uses when talking to me.  I clench my fists, my chest tightening as he seems to go back to acting like the same old Gary who made me feel like such a loser.

Then I notice his smile.

It isn't like the superior smirk I've seen far too much of over the past year.  This one is - nicer, somehow, and it reaches his eyes like it never has before.  I find myself smiling back, and waving as he walks off down the road.  It isn't until he's out of sight that I realize that he'd called me cute - and meant it.

Cute?!

"Pikapi?"

"He called me... cute?!"  I stare into her dark eyes, trying to work out exactly what kind of 'cute' he meant - and trying to catch all the butterflies that are swirling around in my stomach.

"Pikaa, pika kachuu," she pats one paw against my cheek.  "Pi kaachuu, pikapi!"  Another pat, then she's bounding down the road, back in the direction of home.

"Hey, wait up!" I chase after her, but she's already far ahead of me.

Right before we turn the corner, I pause to look back down the road.  There's no sign that Gary was ever there, but I can picture him in my mind as he smiles at me...

One step, then another...

"Pikapi!"

I'm going the wrong way.

So how come it feels so right?

"Pikaa chuu," Pikachuu pats my leg this time.  I bend down to pick her up, and she scrambles onto my shoulder again.

"Yeah, I know."  I head back home, but I can't help looking over my shoulder once more.  I wonder where it is Gary's going, when I'll see him again...

What do I say to him when I do?!

I don't know...

Sighing, I tilt my head back and turn my gaze to the stars.

Maybe Gary's looking up at them, too.