Nintendo and 4Kids own Pokémon not me (sigh)

Follow Your Dream
By:  Vidalark

	Ash was feeling dishearted.  He had been working hard to become the best and he had lost.  He couldn't make the cut to be in the tournament so he felt like he should just give up.  His friends tried to talk him out of it, but he wouldn't listen.  He returned home to Pallet with Gary's cruel words stuck in his mind.
	"Ash is a loser.  He could never become the best."  Gary had said to Ash as he lost.  He later found out that Gary had lost also so that made him feel a little better.
	Brock and Misty ended up following him and with Ash's mother's permission stayed with him in the Ketchum residence.  There Ash still didn't show the kind of life that had fueled him since he realized what his dream and goal in life was.  Professor Oak talked with Ash but was unable to help the young boy understand.  Ash talked to his pokémon but didn't make them fight.  He had comepeletly given up.
	"Hey Ash I hear that they are going to have a small Pokémon Tournament here in town."  Brock told his friend about a week after they had reached Pallet.
	"So, what does it mean to me?"  Ash asked as he sat in his room by himself.
	"Why don't you try out?  They say that the winner will be flown to compete with others and the main winner will get to challenge the Elite Four."  Misty said.
	"Like I could win?  You guys heard Gary, I'm a loser."  Ash said.  Tears began to well up in his eyes as he remembered his last battle.
	"That's it!  Ash you are going to compete in that tournament whether you like it or not!  You had a dream when you left this house and by George I am not going to let you tear it down like this."  Ash's Mother stormed.  She didn't like seeing her son torn like this and she knew that his friends and Pokémon were doing their best to try and make him feel better.  
	"But Mom..."  Ash began but was cut off.
	"No but's  about it mister.  You are going to comepete and that's that!  Now go and sign up and start training your Pokémon!"  Ash's Mother said.  Ash then left the house to sign up for the tournament.  He took his Pokémon with him as he left the house.  Pikachu winked at Ash's Mother as he followed Ash out the house.
	"Wow, I never thought I'd see the day that Ash would fight not to fight."  Misty said.
	"Way to pull rank Ms. Ketchum."  Brock said.
	"Now I just hope that he realizes that his dream isn't as faraway as he thinks it is."  Ash's Mother said as she thought of her son.
	Ash trained his Pokémon hard and they enjoyed it.  They liked seeing Ash seem happy.  They knew that he missed training them no matter how much he denied it.  They did as told and even Charizard did as he was told.  When they failed on something Ash coached them until every attack and move was mastered like a fine art.
	When the day of the tournament arrived Ash was psyched.  He rushed around his room the day before to make sure that he had everything ready.  In the morning Ash found his old traveling clothes neatly set out on the foot of his bed when he lef the bathroom.
	"Are you ready Pikachu?"  Ash asked.
	"Pika pi!" (You bet!)  Pikachu let some of its electricity spark out to show how excited she was.  **Author:  I still like to think of Pikachu as a girl**
	"Good.,"  Ash said.  He let all of his Pokémon out into his small room.  They all looked at him as he spoke,  "Alright guys this is the big day.  I want you all to do your best, not for me though but for yourselves."  Ash said.  His Pokémon all had talked about what they were really fighting for before and knew that they really weren't fighting for themselves but for their friend who had forgotten his dream.
	Ash won battle after battle as they went throught the competition.  His Mother and friends were all cheering him on as he fought.  When it came to the score board he was undeafeated but so was his enemy, Gary Oak.  During the break Ash was having Nurse Joy heal his Pokémon.
	"Hey loser."  Gary said as he walked up to Ash.	
	"Oh it's just you."  Ash said coldly.  Gary was taken back by this comment.  He had never thought that Ash would disregaurd him like this.  Gary had lost most of his fan club when he lost but he was building it up slowly with his money and showing off.
	"Hey you shouldn't talk to me like that.  You see I'm going to beat you and the Elite Four and there isn't anything that you can do about it."  Gary said.
	"Listen, it is because fo you and the Elite Four that I forgot my dream.  I'm not going to take this from you or myself.  I Ash Ketchum, from the town of Pallet hear by swear that I shall never forget my dreams and will do what ever I can to get there, but not by myself, but with my friends."  Ash said as he glared at his foe.
	"And we swear that we will always be with you in one form or another to help you reach your dream."  Misty said.
	"We'll always be there for ya even if we are apart."  Brock said.
	"Ha!  I'll teach you 'cus you and I are up next and that will show the world who is the best."  Gary said as he stormed off.
	"No, I'll be the one who teaches you."  Ash said.
	Back in the arena the crowd had reassmebled.  They were all anxious to see who would win in this final round.  They all watched as the two competitors walked to the center ring and glare at each other.
	"Now the momnet that we have all been waitng for.  Gary Oak from Pallet and Ash Ketchum also from Pallet will now fight.  They will both be allowed to use only three Pokémon.  Fighters take your postions and... FIGHT!"  the announcer shouted.
	"Wartorttle go!"  Gary shout.
	"Bulbasaur go!"  Ash shouted
	"What a Bulbasaur?  Do you really think that you can beat me with that?  It isn't even evolved."  Gary laughed.  Ash growled as he thought.
	"Bulbasaur leech seed!"  Ash shouted.  
	"Bulba.  BULBASAUR!"  Bulbasaur released the  seed and it landed perfectly on Wartorttle.  The turtle pokémon felt it's strength fading fast.  It had not expected such and attack.
	"What?!  Wartorttle water gun now!"  Gary shouted in anger.  
	"Wart!"  the Wartorttle began its water gun attack but at this point it was to weak and the water barely fazed Bulbasaur.
	"AHH!  Return!  Alright Graveler go!  Squish that Bulbasaur!"  Gary commanded.  The large Graveller appeared and tried tp jump on top of Bulbasuar who managed to dodge the larger pokémon.
	"Bulbasaur return!  Squirtle go!  Hydro pump!"  
	"SQUIRTLE!"  the stream of water was to great for the rock pokémon who ended up fainting.
	"Alright Loser I am really going to make you sorry.  Graveller return.  Scyther go!  Turn that Squirtle into mince meat."
	"Sycth sychter!"  
	"Squirtle return.  Alright Pikachu nows your chance.  Pikachu go!"
	"Pika Pika, pikachu chu pi kachu!"  (Right Ash, now I'll beat you!)
	"Pikachu thunder shock!"  Ash shouted.
	"PIIIIIKAAAAACHUUUUUU!"  Pikachu shocked Sycther.  The larger Pokémon however wasn't out of the battle just yet however.  It began to slice at Pikachu.
	"Pikachu quick attack!"  Pikachu soon began to move at an increadible speed.  Every now and then Sycther would wail in pain as Pikachu hit it.  Scyther however soon began to slice blindly in hopes to hit its mark.  Gary shouted commands to Scyther, but none of the commands seemed to work against Pikachu.  Scyther was weakening slowly.
	"Alright Pikachu!  Okay finish Sycther off with your Team Rocket Special."  Ash told Pikachu.
	"Pika.  Pi chu kachu pi pi chu.  PIIIIIIKAAAAACHUUUUUUUU!"  (Right.  This is going to be good.)  Pikachu let out a large blast of electricty as soon as she stopped running around.  The blast was enough to bring the larger pokémon down.  Scyther fainted from being tired and injured.
	"Ash Ketchum wins!"  the annoucer said.
	"We won!  Alright!"  Ash cheered as he ran to Pikachu and picked up Pikachu and hugged her.  He felt the joy of victory that he had forgotten.
	"You did it Ash!"  his Mother and friends cheered as they reached him.
	"Yeah and I'm going to fulfill my dream."  Ash said.
	He then went on to rebattle the Elite Four and this time he won.  He gained the title of Pokémon Master and he fufilled his dream.  With the help of his friends he followed his dream to the very end where it no longer was a dream but it was a reality.

The End