The brown-haired boy stepped into the light, revealing a confident smirk. “Of course I care. How else am I supposed to show you up if you just throw in the towel?”

Ash rolled his eyes and leaned back against the tree trunk, folding his arms. “What do you want, Gary?”

Gary Oak shrugged, pretending to examine his nails. “Oh, you know, just passing by. Heard some loser was thinking about giving up on being a Pokémon Trainer. Figured I’d see if it was true.”

Ash bristled, sitting up straight. “I’m not a loser! And I haven’t decided anything yet.”

Gary raised an eyebrow. “Sure sounds like you’re leaning that way, though. ‘Do you ever wish you were someone else’s Pokémon?’ Really, Ash? Since when do you start doubting yourself?”

Pikachu tilted its head, looking between the two trainers, then hopped onto Ash’s lap with a determined “Pika pika!”

Ash sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s just... I’ve been at this for so long, and I feel like I’m going nowhere. Look at you—you’re already doing all this research for Professor Oak. You’re smart, you’ve got your future all planned out. And me? I’m still running around chasing badges. It feels like I’m stuck in the same place.”

Gary crossed his arms, his smirk softening into something more genuine. “Ash, let me tell you something. Do you know why I stopped chasing badges and decided to focus on research?”

Ash blinked, caught off guard by the question. “Uh... because you realized you weren’t good enough to beat me?” he quipped half-heartedly.

Gary rolled his eyes. “Ha-ha, very funny. No, it’s because I found something I cared about more. Something that felt like it mattered to me. But you? You love battling, Ash. You love meeting new Pokémon and exploring the world. That’s who you are. Just because you haven’t won every tournament doesn’t mean you’re going nowhere.”

Ash frowned, looking down at Pikachu, who was staring up at him with a reassuring smile. “But... what if I’m not good enough? What if I’ll never be Champion?”

Gary snorted. “Who cares about being Champion? Do you know how many trainers dream of doing half the stuff you’ve done? You’ve met Legendary Pokémon, saved the world like, what, five times? You’re a walking legend, Ash. And you’re worried about some dumb title?”

Ash looked up at him, surprised. “You really think that?”

Gary smirked again. “I don’t think it. I know it. And you know it too—you’re just too busy wallowing under this tree to remember.”

Ash chuckled, feeling a bit of his usual spark return. “You’ve got a weird way of cheering people up, you know that?”

Gary shrugged. “It’s a gift. Now, stop moping and get back to training. Or don’t—whatever you decide, make sure it’s because it’s what you want, not because you think you’re not good enough.”

Ash stood, Pikachu hopping onto his shoulder. He gave Gary a small grin. “Thanks, Gary. I mean it.”

Gary waved him off, turning to leave. “Don’t mention it. Oh, and Ash?”

“Yeah?”

Gary turned back with a sly grin. “If you ever do give up, let me know so I can take your place as the greatest trainer in Pallet Town.”

Ash laughed, shaking his head. “In your dreams, Gary.”

As Gary walked away, Ash looked at Pikachu, feeling a renewed sense of purpose. “What do you say, buddy? Ready to keep going?”

“Pika!” Pikachu cheered, sparks flying from its cheeks.

Ash grinned, his doubts fading as he set his sights on the horizon once more.