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Time passes by when you are on the road. The trails his callused feet traced remained on every part of his body. That is why, the raven haired man can look at the top of that mountain frozen in a mixture of grief and happiness. He did it. But what now? What can he do when, literal and figuratively, the world is his? It was not a talk the trainer could get with someone more experienced than him, after all, it is accusingly visible how losing the rank can make a great difference. A certain golden eyed Champion is living that statement, opening a brand new battle installation while working as a Champion to his region, pursuing dreams that no one ever expected him to have.
But Ash, once a boy from Pallet town, a beloved Champion from the region his heart has an abode, is now the strongest trainer. Ash, slightly older than his Alolan, bubbly counterpart, recently became the world's Champion by his companions' merit. It would be nothing without them. Pikachu, his poke-soulmate, if he could say that, remembers him every single time when standing on his shoulder.
He could not do it alone. The memories of his journeys are everywhere, even in the year he traveled along no one but his large team. Every single camp following cooking tips from dear friends, the constant attempts of improvement as a battler. They are everywhere. Even the fancy combinations by the two brunettes and the one with the blue hair, or the ingenous, soft attitude from the young ones.
But now, it is becoming a torrid, unpleasant unstable path. Everyone is following their path, as they should be. The hazel eyed can get some video calls once a full moon, but it is not the same thing.
And that said, he finally decided to talk with the twenty years specialist, who stated:
"There is nothing like a rival to shake your barriers!"
It is easy to imagine the messy purple strands and goofy smile of a thirty-two year old man, proudly tearing up compliments about an existence that Ash himself had witnessed countless times. But once the journey is over, everything fades. People are different, after all.
That is why, now the ultimate Champion decided to spend his time searching for, not a rival, but a presence as striking, transformative and revolutionary as Raihan for Leon, just to find out that he kind of have it already.
Things changed when he found him. Not while battling, but in the weirdest way possible. In what seemed to be a usual, annoyingly ordinary day, the trainer met blue, not as unsophisticated or childlike as the ones he had already witnessed. A deep, contagious and determined shade of blue, different, however, inspiring as the others.
His name is Goh, actually a person he would never dream to meet and be interested in. He dealt with uncountable times with scientists, and aside Oak, Kukui and Burnet, they are not his favorite piece of berry. Always demanding, curious enough to trespass the visible line.
On the other side, the divergent to that order had always shown themselves as affectionate. Unlike, of course, that man.
They met by a simple encounter, not different from his adventures’ closest friendships. While spending time at Pallet after becoming the Alola Champion, Ash decided to pass by the lab, to see his old partners, and there was a peculiar man.
He wore, at that point, an arrogant, bold facade. Differently from his childhood friend and first rival, Gary, it was moderated. It is a finding he could only state after investing some thinking, since his modus operandi is all about doing first and asking later. Realizing how the ocean blue eyed man had changed gave his heart some weird moves that not even a dancer like Tierno, a guy he met on his Kalos journey, would be able to reproduce.
Maybe because not even Ash could understand properly, at first. The only fact he can see as entirely true is that his young adult self wanted to know him better, enough to carry an odd technological dispositive: a rotom phone. It made his friend, Rotomdex, kind of jealous at first, but come on, no one can ever take that adorable, exquisite creature’s place.
At the age of twenty three and some months, living experiences he could only dream about, the trainer keeps Goh as a current character in his existential plot. As some of the other partners he met along the way, it is important to state, however, it is visible that the researcher is the first one he calls in the morning and one of the few persons who actually knows about his life, for his mother’s displeasure.
Coming as a passerby, he stayed so long that the trainer became used to his presence. Used. Is this the best word?
He became used at spending hours reading and singing papers, to the road’s unforeseen events, at seeing his body full of bruises. For a long time, he even became used to losing, to seeing people moving away and even understanding that, sometimes, they will stay.
It was different. It had a big unusual effect. He could properly understand that now.
Also, it may be the reason why looking at Goh makes Ash want to change that thought. Now a proper part of Project Mew, he never catched the Pokémon he wanted at first, however, his friend is still happy about how much he conquered.
Ash, he is definitely not used. Not to his own desperately loud heart and blushed cheeks, or the way he can not touch him without feeling terribly embarrassed. Will he ever be when the other man insists on surprising him?
Right now, he is speechless. They are hanging out after months of texts and video calls, The difference is that his orbits are exhibiting a stormy aspect, as Goh, one of the most narcissistic and caring persons he know, is burning with nervousness.
"I like you.”
A soft, trembling tone. A rare occasion. It came from his lips, it is so pleasurable and scary to hear. What will happen now? Why is his whole body so enervated as if he was expecting it for a long time? Ash could not feel Pikachu’s weight at his shoulder, but he is pretty sure the yellow mon is there.
"Goh." Dreamy, not him at all. Ash only dreams about Pokémon battles. It was always about Pokémon and will always be. The rest are occupational aspects and risks about being a trainer.
Damn, he is in tears. His hazel eyes never accused his mind before, but look at that.
"Goh..." He had to call him again. Is it truly real? What is happening to him?
"Yes, my treasure?"
Ash’s special person is not a rival at all.