Ash is where?………….3

Author; Arraye

Disclaimer; The Pokemon characters do not belong to me however any characters I introduce belong to me.

Chapter 3 ; Gary (did ya see that coming?)

He stared fixedly at the wall, occasionally glancing down at the magazines on the table in front of him. As much as he had tried to prevent it the rapid beating of his heart only confirmed what he had known before they had even called him. He would finally have to say it; whether the truth would do any good now or not. He owed then that much; he owed her that much. They had been friends so long ago…..it seemed so distant. It was, his mind sadly admitted….too distant and too long ago to change things, to change what happened. So many years……………. "I owe it to Ash, I guess. That part of me which still sees him as a friend owes him that much."

A nearby officer raised her head and looked at him for a moment. He dropped his head and glanced at the floor. He waited until she had turned back to the computer she was typing on before he resumed his thoughts. I've been a jerk. The realisation came sudden and true, but it was unfair. In some ways I matured didn't I, took it when I lost, coped…lied……all to help them. He wasn't a jerk, not really…he had been many things, lonely….brave…..understanding when he had to be, but no..not a jerk in the true sense of the word. He had behaved poorly, and had been many things but never this. It was more of guilt really, although he had been upset when Ash had disappeared he hadn't really suffered. No, he hadn't suffered…not like his family, or friends…..this was his punishment, to believe he was things that he wasn't, whether they be worse or better. Like a jerk or….or popular. For I was never that either, was I? But he didn't need to ask the question, deep inside it ad already been answered.

He had had the cheerleaders, the fans. But they hadn't really…..no, never. Not one of them were friends, helped me or supported me. This whole experience made you face up to that didn't it? He had already known, always known. If it had been other people, he would have gazed poorly on them, how could they allow it to continue. Allow those fakes to follow you, allow yourself to pretend? But it hadn't, and it had been easy to allow himself to pretend, sinfully easy he guess would have been words enough to describe it. And what happened when he disappeared? He could remember that clearly enough. They had been there, comforting….well as much as you can be…….when you have no sentimental or any feelings towards that person what so ever. Then all of a sudden, they drifted away. They had expected him to perk up immediately, be the Gary who ate people like Ash for breakfast and go on to the next Pokemon Gym and win. But he had refused to come out from under his black cloud, absolutely refused. They wouldn't allow him to lay in it, feel down, and he refused to feel better. Once they began to get the idea that he wouldn't be conquering gyms for quite a while they began to leave. He had vague memories of the last few remaining cheerleaders, crying, in a last ditch attempt for him to be "their Gary". Why? I hated that Gary. He was an image, a lie, he would never care bout Ash, never wonder what he's like now. No that Gary would just be pleased that that was one less opponent to face on the road to becoming a Pokemon master.

He had drifted from that road over the last few years, though having lost the road seemed to be a better metaphor really. He had gone on and had conquered a few gyms, but never any dreams. He began to question what he was doing, always a bad sign and inevitably settled in Pallet a while. He gave a few matches to passers by or those who requested but most of his days had been spent bumming round his Grandfathers lab. Not that it was enjoyable mind you, it bored the hell out of him, the guy who also hung round there……what was his name, er geesh you think I would know he still stays there…er Racey. No…no it was Tracey, yeah that seems right. Anyway he bored the hell out of him too. But it just seemed the right place to be.

The only alternative was to look for girls he guessed. For he was quite the eligible bachelor at 18. But he had seen through them…..too many times the girls he found were just as superficial and as fake as his so-called friends. Would Ash have a girlfriend? That image made him laugh. Ash? A girlfriend? That would be funny, after all those years of searching if Misty found Ash and he had a girlfriend. What would she say? Not much he guessed, she was too shy, but she'd be angry. In the short chats he had had with her after Ash's disappearance her temperament seemed one thing that was obvious from the start. She must have flamed Ash a lot. But I guess it coz she cares. That much had been obvious too. She cared for him, and somehow he doubted it was just in a friendly platonic kind of way. Afterall it was she who had been the leader in the campaign to find him, and wasn't it her who seemed to suffer the most when he disappeared. Those days I talked to her…you could see her soul right through her eyes. She was hurt.

The obvious thing for his mind to turn onto next he supposed was his jealously. But he wasn't jealous, not really. Although he would have liked someone to care for him like she obviously cared for Ash he had seen the pain. The pain their separation had caused her and probably he guessed, Ash. He didn't envy that at all.

What would she say now if she knew that the guy she had talked to all that time ago and in fact more recently a couple of days ago knew something. Knew enough to explain everything. The only thing he wasn't sure of was Ash's location, though he thought that once he had given information it wouldn't be that hard to track him down.

He had been surprised. Didn't think things would go this far, thought someone would have coughed up by now, so he wouldn't be sitting here. But everyone had been silent, and that surprised and scared him. They all cared for him so much. But they just let him go. What would have happened if that had been me? Would it have been the same? "Huh", the community who lives and dies together, will let someone die if they dare to live outside it. Almost poetic, even a hint of tragedy, he thought sadly.

No, that's a lie. The tragedy is that by telling what you've covered up for the last 8 or more years you're probably costing Ash's happiness. For he had no doubts that Ash was happy, happy with Sarah where ever she was. Have any of them thought of that? Misty who's done so much? I doubt that that idea that she might find him only for him to refuse to come back has entered her mind. For some reason, most of the reporters, officers, and town people seemed to have it in their head that Ash was a prisoner, kept against his own will and bitterly unhappy. He himself didn't let the idea enter his head, not that it was because he didn't want to believe in such a horrible fate but simply because he knew it not to be true. She would never do that, and would never do that to him.

I know I didn't imagine it. He wasn't dragged or pushed, he simply followed. He had a choice and chose. Why am I the only one to see it?

"Mister Oak". He jumped as soon as her hand touched his arm. He had been so deep in thought he hadn't even heard her move across the room. "The officer is ready to see you now." "I'm ready to see her…..", he muttered. The officer gazed at him in bewilderment, but merely shock the comment off. "She's in that room there," she said extending an arm to point. He got up slowly, and found much to his amazement he wasn't really hesitant anymore. The officer eyed him from across the room and he got the distinct idea that she thought he was going to run. Yeah, like I could escape a place full of police officers. He simply smiled in her direction and entered the room.

Whatever she says, I'm ready…. Even if she doesn't know, I'm going to tell her. I've got to. I owe it……………………..

The end

Well I way went off what I was going to write, the actual interview. Which means the next chapter will focus on Gary as well. Aren't you lucky all you Gary fans. Revelations in the next one definitely.

I had a comment in a review about Ash's injuries and although all will be explained in the next chapter (although there are many more interview to come, I'll have at least one for all of the main characters) I want to explain. Ash's injuries were bad, both mentally and physically but NO RAPE was involved.

Anyway read and review, comments welcome. After Gary's next one, who would you like to see a chapter on next?