Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.

*****

He couldn't believe that he lost, the great Gary Oak had lost. His rival, Ash, had managed to get ahead of him. Gary would never have thought that Ash would have gotten past him. He was wrong. Like him, Ash didn't get to far in the Pokemon League, which made Gary feel a little better. Still Ash did get ahead.

He couldn't understand what was wrong. He had strong Pokemon and knew just about every strategy there was. And Ash still managed to beat him after all his taunting. Silently Gary sat in the passenger seat of his red convertible. The cheerleaders were silent. They weren't too thrilled that he had lost. Bored, Gary looked alongside the road at the passing trees, and clouds.

It was a beautiful spring day, one to take a long walk on. A flock of Pidgey flew in the sky blocking most of the sun for a second. Gary smiled a rare smile. He smiled a lot, but most of them were false. There were two sides to Gary one that most people saw, and the one he and his grandfather only saw.

Gary loved Pokemon and it was his dream to become the best Pokemon master there ever was. It was his dream to follow along his grandfather's footsteps. He just had to achieve his dream. What was he going to say to his grandfather? How was he going to face Ash? Sooner or later Ash would see through the mask he wore.

Gary sighed. It was more difficult to be a Pokemon master then he thought it would be. He wasn't about to let that stop him. Maybe it would be a good idea to take a nice walk, alone. Gary asked the driver to pull over. Silently he climbed out and walked into the tall grass. The cheerleaders appeared hurt that he didn't want them around.

"I don't get it. I have everything I need. What am I doing wrong? How can Ash beat me while hardly having nothing?" Gary asked aloud to himself. Silence was his answer. Gary frowned. He grabbed hold of a Poke Ball from his waist. He glared at it.

"Maybe it's love that you're missing," a voice suggested.

Startled, Gary spun around. Before him stood a tall man dressed in black. His brown hair was a mess of spiky hair. "Who's asking you?" Gary shot back as he glared at the intruder.

"You may know everything about Pokemon, but if you don't show you're love they won't care. It seems your friend Ash I believe cares a lot about his Pokemon. In return they show their love by fighting as hard as they can," the stranger continued, ignoring Gary's comment.

"It's easy for you to say. He only has a few Pokemon. I have many Pokemon. Its not easy raising and training all of them," Gary replied in a bitter tone. He wasn't about to let the stranger know that he was right.

"Is that so? Why don't we see if your theory is true by having a Pokemon battle."

Gary raised an eyebrow. He never expected a Pokemon battle. "I accept your challenge," he answered. He seriously doubted that this would go anywhere.

The stranger smiled. "I knew you wouldn't be able to turn a battle down.

Hopefully this will teach you a lesson of love. This will be a battle only using one Pokemon each. Since I called the battle I'll let you go first."

Gary smiled. He looked at the Poke Ball he still had in his hand. Kissing the Poke Ball he threw it out. "Go, Arcanine!"

"A fire type I see. All right, Bayleaf, go!" the trainer shouted as he threw out his Poke Ball. Gary noticed that this Poke Ball was different. It was unlike any he had seen before. The Pokemon was also different. Although he never saw this Pokemon before he did recognize that this was a grass type. Gary laughed. He couldn't believe that this trainer had sent out a grass type against a fire type, when it was weak against it. The trainer only smiled and crossed his arms.

"Arcanine, let's start out with a tackle attack," Gary ordered. The orange-striped dog barked in reply and charged at the green dinosaur like Pokemon.

"Reflect now!" the trainer, shouted just as the fire type Pokemon charged and bounced against the invisible wall that surrounded the Bayleaf.
Gary narrowed his eyes. So this trainer knew what he was doing. Now he wasn't going to go easy. That was an attempt to see how the trainer reacted. "Flame thrower now!" Easily the strange Pokemon dodged the flames and used vine whip knocking out Arcanine.

Gary couldn't believe it. His Pokemon was beaten by something that was weak to it. He was glad that his cheerleaders weren't around to witness this. This was an embarrassment. Bitterly he recalled his Pokemon. The trainer then walked over and offered his hand. Reluctantly he shook it.

"I can see that you are a strong Pokemon trainer. You know what you are doing. The one thing you lack is love. You may love them, but you need to show it. Once they see that love they will fight harder for you. For your Pokemon they only see it as a battle. It wouldn't matter if they won of lost. With love, they will see it as a challenge and will want to win for you to show their love and to prove their skills that you have taught them," the trainer explained.

"But your Pokemon was a grass type, while mine was a fire type. How could you win? I know that it really doesn't matter if one is weak against the other, but it does make it almost impossible to win," Gary questioned.

He was getting tired with the trainer preaching about love. He had gotten fairly far. It wasn't that big a deal to show it. He loved his Pokemon. Once and a while he did show it. Or maybe the trainer was right. If he did show his love maybe his Arcanine would have tried to fight harder. He wasn't about to admit that to the trainer.

"Both of our Pokemon were on the same levels, but what varied was the way we trained them and our love. I know it's hard to show our love, but a true Pokemon master knows how to battle and how to respect their Pokemon. It's not just the trainer. The Pokemon are the ones who help you win and achieve your dream. You also need to believe in yourself. Cheerleaders and methods for good luck aren't needed in the world of Pokemon, Gary," the trainer said and walked off having recalled his Pokemon.

"Wait, where did you see that Pokemon?" Gary asked not realizing yet the trainer knew his name. He frowned. It was his choice if he wanted to have cheerleaders. It was none of his business what he did.

"My Bayleaf? Go to Johto, there you'll find Pokemon never seen before in Kanto and another league to compete in. It is much different then the Pokemon League. I hope to see you there and good luck!" the trainer answered and waving walked off into the grass.

New Pokemon? Gary couldn't believe it. His grandfather would know about this. This time he would win. Then he realized that this trainer he had fought knew his name. How? Then again, many people he didn't know seemed to know him. After all he was the grandson of Professor Oak. Gary shrugged and placed the Poke Ball at his waist. It was time to train. There were some things that would have to change.

Laughter filled the area. "You call yourself a Pokemon trainer," a male voice taunted.

"That was one pathetic battle if you ask me," a female voice added.

"Yeah, you make Pokemon look terrible," another person added, in thick city accent.

"What do you want? Show yourselves!" Gary shouted, he wasn't about to be made fun of; although it surprised him that someone had seen this battle. He thought that they were alone.

"Allow us to introduce ourselves," they replied.
"Prepare for trouble
And make it double!
To protect the world from devastation!
To denounce the evils of truth and love!
Jessie, James!
Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light,
Surrender now or prepare to fight!
Meowth, that's right!"

From the trees a girl in a white uniform with a bright red R printed in the center of her shirt jumped down. A boy with blue hair and a similar uniform flipped down landing before Gary. In his gloved hand he carried a rose. Between them was Meowth. They had introduced themselves as Jessie and James.

Gary had no idea what the two were babbling about, but he did get the idea they were from Team Rocket. It surprised Gary that this Meowth knew how to speak. He recognized them from somewhere. He couldn't figure out where though.

"For the grandson of the great Professor Oak you're sure are a pathetic Pokemon trainer," the Meowth commented with grin.

"Yes, being the grandson of Professor Oak I'm sure you have plenty of valuable Pokemon," Jessie said, her eyes gleaming mischievously.

James laughed. "I suggest you hand them over to us, boy if you know what's good."

"You three must be crazy!" Gary replied. "Do you honestly think I'll hand my Pokemon over to the likes of you three? What place did you guys crawl out of anyway?"

Jessie glared. "Alright, brat, you're messing with the wrong people. I suggest it's time that we teach you some manners! Go Arbok!" Angrily she tossed out the Poke Ball. A large purple snake jumped out and circled around Gary. Jessie and James laughed.

Quickly Gary reached for Poke Ball. He then tossed it and an Eevee appeared before them. Jessie and James laughed.

"The grandson of Professor Oak has an Eevee? What a joke! And here we thought you would have a Dragonite or something," Jessie said as she laughed.

Gary glared. "Alright, Eevee, let's show these two clowns what we can do!" The Eevee looked up at its master curiously. Gary smiled. The Pokemon stood posed waiting its orders.

"Poison sting attack!" Jessie ordered her Pokemon.

"Counter attack the move and return it with swift!"

James laughed as he tossed out a Pokemon. A Weezing came out and immediately sent out smog that filled the valley.

Gary coughed. The smog made it impossible to see and breathe. He wasn't about to give up. "If you're going to play that way, then I will too. Pidgeot, I choose you!" he shouted as he tossed out a Poke Ball. A large bird closely resembling a cockatoo flew out blowing the smog away with its large wings. "Wing attack now!"
The bird dived down at the two Pokemon striking them with its wings. Eevee charged in with a skull bash sending the Arbok and Wheezing back to their owners.

"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!" Jessie and James shouted.

"And we were doing so well," James moaned.

"You call that a battle? That was pathetic!" Meowth chided.

"Shut up cat!" Jessie and James both stated as they whacked the cat.

"You guys were great," Gary complimented as he kneeled down beside the two Pokemon. The Eevee wagged its tail and rubbed his head against Gary's knee. The Pidgeot spread its wings proudly. "Starting today things will be changing. We're going to all become stronger and win more battles together," Gary said smiling at his companions. I'm going to be the best Pokemon master there ever was and nothing's going to stop me. Gary thought. He then recalled his Pokemon. He didn't realize the sun was setting as he headed back to the car. The cheerleaders were still waiting. All of them appeared bored. Gary didn't care.

He didn't need them. This was his journey not theirs. Silently they traveled back to Pallet Town. Along side the road Gary thought he saw the trainer he hard fought earlier. When he tried to get a better glimpse he saw nothing.