A/N- I wrote this for one of mah friends, and I also haven't uploaded a story for a while, so here you go. XD

Also, if you couldn't tell, I don't like Dawn. __

Pokamans

It was a fine, sunny day as Ash and company made their way through a forest to the next city, in which Ash would have his next Pokemon battle.

"It says here that they have the best pizza in the region in Grassberg Town. We're going to have to hit that up when we get there," Brock said, nose in a pamphlet as usual. Ash was some way ahead, and didn't seem to hear him. Dawn frowned, and sighed.

"ASH! Wait up!" she screeched, but again, Ash didn't hear.

"Hey, Pikachu, when we get to Grassberg, let's go get some pizza! I hear it's the best around!" Ash proclaimed, reaching up to pet Pikachu on his shoulder, but the yellow mouse Pokemon had other ideas. He scurried up onto Ash's head and stood straight up, looking off into the forest. Ash stopped walking, looking as well.

"Pikachu, what is-" but before Ash could finish, Pikachu grabbed his hat and sprinted off into the forest. Ash, of course, didn't even hesitate before barreling after him, calling "PIKACHU!".

By the time Brock and Dawn got to the spot where Ash and Pikachu had entered the forest from the path that they had been on, there was no sight of them.

Brock scratched his head. "If we go after them, we'll probably get lost. And look, it's getting dark," he said, pointing at the sky. Dawn nodded.

"I guess we'll just have to wait for them to come back," she said, though it was evident by her tone that she had little hope of that.

"Okay, that settles it," Brock plopped down in the path right where he was, amidst a swirl of dust.

"Brock? Come on, let's at least get off the road!" Dawn whined, but Brock was immobile, staring straight into the forest. Dawn sighed and sat next to him, hoping that Ash and Pikachu would come back before she and Brock got run over by a passing vehicle.

...........

Pikachu's mad dash through the forest ended when the trees stopped all of the sudden, and a cliff yawned up at them. Ash had to skid and slide and wave his arms madly around to prevent himself from topping over. Pikachu dropped the hat and motioned over the side.

"Pika! Pika, pika, pikachu!" he said emphatically. Ash put his hat back on.

"What is it, Pikachu?" he asked, but went to peer over the side anyway. What he saw made his eyes widen in surprise. Suspended by his backpack on a small outcrop of rock about ten feet down the cliff face hung none other than Gary Oak.

"Gary? What are you doing?" Ash called down to him. Gary looked up with a relieved expression, which soon turned mildly alarmed upon seeing that it was Ash.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Gary called back, sarcasm clearly evident in his voice.

Ash blinked. "Well, do you want help?"

There was a long moment of silence, in which all that could be heard was the wind blowing.

"....Yes. Okay, yes I need help..." Gary said, just loud enough to be heard. Ash grinned evilly and took off his backpack.

"You're in luck. I just happen to have some rope," he said as he rifled through his pack and pulled out a long length of purple rope. He tossed one end over the side and Gary caught it.

"Are you sure you can pull me up?" Gary asked doubtfully, eying Ash's tiny arms.

"HEY! You wanna get rescued, or not?" Ash demanded, taking hold of the other end of the rope. Gary tugged at it experimentally, and then slowly pulled on the rope until he was suspended by it, and not his backpack.

"Okay, pull!"

Ash began pulling, and to Gary's amazement, he began sliding upwards. He unhooked his backpack from the rock on which it had caught, and in no time, Gary's head bumped against the underside of the lip of the cliff. Ash yanked hard on the rope, and Gary went smacking into the cliff again.

"HEY! Watch it up there, idiot!" Gary yelled, rubbing his head.

Ash peeked over the cliff. "Sorry." He walked the rope with Gary over a few feet, where there wasn't a lip, and yanked as hard as he could. Gary came flying up and over and landed on Ash, who got the wind knocked out of him.

"Sorry. Thanks for helping me out back there," Gary said. He stood up and offered his hand to Ash, who looked at it skeptically before taking it and rising to his feet. Pikachu jumped onto his shoulder and made a cute face at Gary.

There was another moment of silence, and Gary was the one who broke it.

"So, where you headed?"

"Uh..." Ash said, looking like he had no idea what Gary was talking about. "We're going to Grassburg Town. Where are you going?"

"Well, I was on the way there myself when I got....waylayed. I think I'll come with you guys, just till we get to Grassburg. I know that you could use my expertize on the road," Gary said, puffing out his chest. Ash, again, looked like he didn't understand English, but then it seemed to settle in, and he furrowed his brows.

"We don't need your help!" he cried, but Gary had already started walking off back towards the road. Ash hurried after him, muttering under his breath.

...........

Once Gary and Ash had made it back to where Brock and Dawn were waiting, they all headed off down the road once again. Darkness began to fall, and Brock suggested that they find a place to camp.

Ash ran into the bushes to the side of the road, making quite a bit of racket as he did so. He found a clearing and called back to the rest of the party. Soon, a camp was made.

"So, Gary, just what are you doing out here, anyway?" Brock asked. They were all sitting around a merrily crackling fire, and all of their Pokemon were playing a short distance away.

"Well, I'd heard of a Legendary Pokemon around here, and I was looking for it. No luck so far, though." Gary said, smirking at Ash. "So now I'm going into town to get more information about it's whereabouts, and hopefully I'll be able to find it this time."

"Just what are you going to do with a Legendary Pokemon?" Ash asked.

"Study it, of course! I can't wait!" Gary proclaimed, punching a fist into the air. Ash glared at him, then abruptly got up.

"I'm going to bed, goodnight," he said and went a short distance away, rolled out his sleeping bag, and clambered inside.

............

Ash was just drifting off to sleep when he noticed movement close to him. He blinked his bleary eyes and beheld Gary, rolling out his sleeping bag right next to him.

"Hey, Ash, how's it going?" Gary whispered once he was in his own sleeping bag. Brock and Dawn were already asleep, on the other side of the fire.

"It was going great until you showed up." Ash grumbled.

"Aw, don't be like that," Gary said, reaching out and ruffling Ash's hair. Ash huffed.

"Why shouldn't I be like that? Why are you even with us? Why are you sleeping next to me? It's obvious that you don't like me, you know," Ash said.

Gary inhaled sharply. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

"Come on. Every time we see each other, you taunt me, and we battle."

"That doesn't mean that I hate you, though."

Ash narrowed his eyes. "It doesn't? Well, what does it mean, then?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Gary said, lying back with his arms under his head.

"Try me," Ash said, smirking.

Gary turned slightly towards Ash. "Alright. I like you, Ash. I always have."

"....Okay, I don't believe you," Ash said. He was quite astonished at this development, and was sure that there was no way it could be true. Gary, like him? Since when?

"I told you that you wouldn't. Here, I'll prove it instead," Gary said. He leaned over and brought their lips together. Ash was dumbfounded. Gary pulled away after a moment, smiling.

"Uhh....." Ash began.

"You don't have to say anything," Gary said, settling further into his sleeping bag.

"But.... can we do that again?"

It was Gary's turn to look surprised. "You want to do it again?"

Ash blushed, though through the darkness it was hard to see. "Yeah..."

Gary chuckled, pulled Ash closer, and kissed him again.

.............

The next morning, neither Ash nor Gary mentioned what had happened. They kept looking at each other as everyone packed up, though, and walked side by side as they continued towards Grassberg. And Brock was sure that when he looked back at them one time, they were holding hands.

End


Yeah, it was kind of short and abrupt, but I've had writer's block for like....a few months. D: