" 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."

Gary took a deep breath, kneeling down to meet Ash at eye level. The tension in the air was palpable, but his voice softened—though still firm.

"Ash, listen to me. Losing isn't the end. It's part of the journey. You’ve been through worse and came out stronger every time. Remember when you lost to me? Did you give up then?"

Ash’s fingers paused mid-doodle in the dirt, but he didn’t answer.

Gary continued, his tone rising slightly. "No, you didn’t! You trained harder. You got better. And you beat me! That’s who you are, Ash! A fighter. Not some kid who quits when things get tough."

Ash looked down, his shoulders slumped. "But the Battle Pyramid… it’s different. Brandon's way too strong. I keep losing no matter what I do. Maybe I’m not cut out to be a Pokémon Master."

Gary’s eyes narrowed, and he grabbed Ash by the shoulders, shaking him lightly. "Oh, come on! Since when do you decide who you are based on one loss? You’ve faced legendaries, taken on the toughest trainers in the world, and inspired more people than you even realize! You’re Ash Ketchum! The kid who never gives up, remember?!"

Ash blinked, Gary’s words starting to sink in.

"Do you think Pikachu would give up on you because of a loss?" Gary asked pointedly. "Or Charizard? Or any of your Pokémon? They trust you because you never stop trying, no matter what. And you're just gonna quit? What are you gonna tell them?"

Ash’s lip quivered as he thought about Pikachu, who had given his all in the battle. He thought about his other Pokémon, who had fought by his side through thick and thin.

Gary stood up and crossed his arms. "If you’re really gonna quit, then fine. Go back to Pallet Town and tell Professor Oak, your mom, and everyone who believed in you that you’re done. But don’t expect me to sit here and feel sorry for you. You’re better than this, Ash."

He heard footsteps go away. When he turned to where Ash was sitting, he froze

Ash was gone.

He looked up to see a figure running.

Gary groaned. " Ash, get back here!"

But Ash didn't turn.

Gary sighed. Great. Now he had upset his poor Ashy Boy.

Amazing.

And WHERE was he supposed to find Ash?

By following the sniffs, of course.

Wait.... Sniffs?!

Gary’s head snapped toward the faint sound of sniffs coming from behind a cluster of rocks. His heart clenched; he hadn’t meant to push Ash so hard. The last thing he wanted was for his fiery rival-turned-friend to feel even worse.

He carefully made his way toward the sound, his footsteps slow and deliberate. Peering around the rocks, Gary spotted Ash sitting with his knees hugged to his chest, his hat pulled low over his face. His shoulders trembled slightly as he sniffled.

Gary exhaled deeply, guilt washing over him. He knelt down a few feet away, giving Ash space.

“Hey,” he said softly. “Look, I didn’t mean to yell at you like that. I just… I hate seeing you give up on yourself. It’s not who you are.”

Ash didn’t reply, but Gary noticed his grip on his knees loosened slightly.

Gary shifted closer, sitting cross-legged in front of Ash. “You know, when we were kids, I always thought you were crazy. Running into danger without a second thought, battling trainers way stronger than you… But I admired that. You had this way of making the impossible seem… possible.”

Ash lifted his head slightly, his hat still shading his eyes. “I don’t feel that way anymore, Gary. I feel… small.”

Gary’s expression softened. “We all feel small sometimes. Do you know how many times I’ve messed up in the lab? Grandpa says it’s part of learning. I mean, come on, you think I was born knowing how to handle fossils and Pokémon DNA?” He chuckled lightly.

Ash’s lips twitched, almost forming a smile.

“But you know what keeps me going?” Gary continued. “It’s knowing that every mistake, every loss, gets me closer to being the best version of myself. And Ash, you’ve got something no one else does. You’ve got heart. That’s what makes you the best trainer I know.”

Ash finally looked up, his eyes red but filled with a glimmer of determination. “You really mean that?”

Gary smirked, his classic confidence shining through. “Of course I do. Now, are you gonna prove me right, or do I have to carry you back to the Battle Pyramid myself?”

Ash blinked, then stood up, brushing off his shorts. “You’re right, Gary. I can’t let one loss stop me.”

Gary stood too, clapping a hand on Ash’s shoulder. “That’s the Ash I know. Now, let’s go show Brandon what you’re made of.”

Ash grinned. “Yeah! And when I win, you’d better be there to see it!”

Gary laughed. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world, Ashy Boy.”