" wow! Sounds like Gary's working hard too!"

Ash looked at the postcard and closed his eyes

When he opened them again, he was standing in a grey area with a boy wearing a lab coat and had spooky brown hair.

" Everything's cool. Just hang in there."

The figure turned, and Ash gasped

" Oh, Gary?"

" Hey, don't forget you managed to beat me." Gary looked away. " You're tellin me you're gonna hang it up over this?!"

When no one replied, Gary's eyes widened. " Wait, you're gonna hang it up over this?!"

He turned to Ash, who was sitting on the ground drawing in the dirt.

" Well I have no other-"

" YOU'RE GONNA HANG IT UP OVER THIS?!" Gary yelled.

Ash winced. " Easy Gary. No need to yell."

" Oh, there is a very good reason to yell, young man. And you had better start talking right. Now."

Ash flinched at Gary's stern tone, his hand pausing mid-doodle in the dirt. "What do you mean, 'talk right now'? It's not like you ever had to deal with something like this..."

Gary crossed his arms, his brown eyes sharp. "Oh, don't you dare. You think you're the only one who's faced failure? You think you're the only one who's felt like giving up? Newsflash, Ash—I've been there too."

Ash looked up, startled. "You? But... you're Gary Oak. You're always confident. Always winning."

Gary scoffed, running a hand through his unruly hair. "Yeah, that's what I wanted everyone to think. But do you know how many times I felt like a fraud? Like I was living in Grandpa's shadow? Like I wasn't good enough? The only difference is I didn't quit!" He knelt down, meeting Ash's eyes.

"You've come too far to throw in the towel now," Gary said, his voice softening but still firm. "You're Ash Ketchum. You’ve faced worse odds and come out stronger every time. So why is this time any different?"

Ash frowned, staring at his half-finished drawing in the dirt. "Because this time... it feels like I don't have what it takes. Like I hit my limit."

Gary grabbed Ash's shoulder, giving it a shake. "Limits are in your head, Ash. The Ash Ketchum I know doesn't give up, no matter what. He finds a way. So stop sitting here and start being that guy again."

Ash looked at Gary, the fire in his friend's words lighting something deep within him. Slowly, he stood up, brushing the dirt off his hands.

"You're right," Ash said, a determined glint returning to his eyes. "I can't give up. Not now, not ever."

Gary smirked, standing too. "That's more like it. Now, go show the world what you're made of, Ketchum."

As Ash blinked, the grey world around him began to fade, and when he opened his eyes again, he was back in the Pokemon center, clutching the postcard from Gary.

"Thanks, Gary," Ash whispered, a small smile on his face. "I needed that."