Gary stood in the middle of the Gym with the biggest grin Gladion had ever seen on a human being. The cheerleaders behind Gary were celebrating as if he had just won the Pokémon League rather than his second Gym badge.
Gary suddenly rushed toward Gladion before Gladion could even say anything. "Can you take a selfie with me now, please?"
Gladion blinked. Gary was already pulling out his phone.
"Just one! Please! This is going to be incredible. I want to send it to Ash-boy and tell him that I met you first and won the badge before him."
Gary's grin became unbearably smug as he imagined the reaction. "He's going to be so jealous. I can already hear him saying, 'Gary, that's not fair!' And I'll just tell him that maybe he should have trained harder."
One of the cheerleaders immediately nodded enthusiastically. "You absolutely have to send it to Ash!"
Another raised her pom-poms. "Make sure the badge is visible!"
The third cheerleader added, "And make sure Gladion is standing beside you so Ash knows you really met him!"
Gary looked delighted. "Exactly!"
Gladion stared at him for several seconds. "You just defeated me, and the first thing you want to do is use the victory to annoy this Ash?"
Gary placed a hand against his chest. "It's not annoying him. It's called maintaining a healthy rivalry."
The cheerleaders exchanged looks.
"He's definitely annoying Ash."
"Absolutely."
"That's literally the entire point."
Gary ignored them and held his phone toward Gladion. "Come on, Gladion. Please? Just one picture. I'll even make sure I don't look better than you."
Gladion sighed. "Fine."
Gary immediately moved beside him and raised the phone. He positioned himself beside Gladion and held up two fingers.
"Smile!"
Gladion gave the smallest possible smile. The camera flashed. Gary immediately looked at the photograph.
His eyes widened. "Oh, this is perfect!"
He turned the phone toward Gladion. Gladion looked at the picture. Gary was grinning like a man who had just discovered the greatest treasure in the world. Gladion, meanwhile, looked like someone who had been awake for thirty hours and wanted to go back to bed.
"Now I'm sending it to Ash." He quickly typed something into his phone before proudly showing the screen to Gladion.
"I wrote, 'Met Gladion before you and beat him too. Get good, Ash.'"
He put his phone away, but then his expression suddenly became curious again.
"Can my Squirtle meet your Hydros? He's also a big fan."
Gladion's eyebrow rose.
"Hydros?"
Gary nodded eagerly. "Your Blastoise! I've followed him on Pokegram for some time. It is also the reason that I wanted a Squirtle as my starter. Squirtle has been a fan ever since he heard that Hydros is one of the strongest Blastoise around."
Gladion looked toward the exit. "Fine." He paused. "But make it quick."
Gary's grin returned. "Absolutely!"
Gladion immediately regretted saying yes.
A few moments later, Hydros came walking into the Gym. The Blastoise looked slightly tired from the previous night's celebration, although he was doing a remarkably good job pretending that he had not spent the night drinking berry alcohol with the rest of the team.
Gary's Squirtle immediately froze. Its eyes widened.
Then it rushed forward. [No way! It's Hydros!]
Hydros looked down at the tiny Squirtle standing in front of him. [You are very small.]
Squirtle's eyes sparkled. [You're very big!]
Hydros nodded proudly. Squirtle stared at his cannons. [Are those real?]
Hydros slowly turned his shoulders so the cannons were more visible. [Of course they are real. Do you think I walk around carrying two decorative cannons?]
Squirtle looked impressed and amazed. [You're so cool!]
Hydros puffed out his chest. [I know.]
Hydros continued proudly, [I am also an excellent cook, a great drinker, and one of the most experienced members of Gladion's team.]
Gladion immediately looked at him. "Do not mention the drinking."
Squirtle looked at Hydros again. [Can I become like you someday?]
Hydros nodded solemnly. [With enough food, training, and some alcohol, anything is possible.]
Gladion sighed. "Please stop giving bad advice to children."
Hydros shrugged.
[He asked.]
One of Gary's cheerleaders said, "Wait. If Squirtle is getting pictures with Hydros, shouldn't Gary get pictures with the Legendary Pokémon too?"
Gary's head snapped around. His eyes immediately widened. "That's a brilliant idea."
Gladion's expression went blank. "No."
Gary clasped his hands together. "Please?"
"No."
"Just one?"
"No."
"Two?"
Finally, Gladion groaned. "Fineee. Just keep quiet. You talk too much."
Gary's face lit up.
Gladion pulled out two Poké Balls.
Latios and Latias emerged in bursts of light.
Gary's mouth fell open.
His cheerleaders went completely silent.
For once, none of them had anything to say.
Latias looked at Gary curiously. [Who is this noisy human?]
Latios glanced at Gladion. [Did you bring another one home?]
Gladion shook his head. "No. He's a Gym challenger."
Gary immediately stepped forward.
"I'm Gary Oak! Grandson of Professor Oak! Pokémon trainer! Your trainer's biggest fan! And—"
Latias raised one wing. [Stop.]
Gary froze. Latias looked at Gladion. [He talks too much.]
Gladion nodded. "Thank you."
Latios looked at Gary. [You defeated our little brother in your gym battle?]
Gary suddenly became nervous. "Uh... yes?"
Latios smiled. [Interesting.]
Gary swallowed. "Is that bad?"
Latias laughed. [No. It means you have earned the right to brag about it for approximately one day.]
Gary immediately grinned again."Excellent!"
Gladion sighed. "Just take your picture before this becomes another conversation."
Gary hurriedly stood between Latios and Latias. "Okay! Everyone smile!"
Latios and Latias exchanged amused looks before moving closer. Gary lifted his phone.
"Wait, can you both pose?"
Latias tilted her head. [Pose?]
"Yes! Like this!"
Gary struck a pose. Latias copied him.
Latios looked at Latias and then at Gary.
[Do I have to?]
Latias nodded. [Yes.]
Latios sighed before floating into position. Gary's smile became enormous. "This is going to make Ash furious."
The cheerleaders immediately gathered around. "Make sure the Legendary Pokémon are visible! Gary, don't block Latios! Move slightly to the left!"
"No, your hair is covering Latias!"
Gary tried to adjust himself. Gladion stood several feet away with his arms folded, watching the chaos with an expression of complete exhaustion.
Gladion then remembered that Gary's sister worked for him. He immediately called her to escort her brother out of the gym.
-----Author Notes------
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