Connecting - Ch. 2
Title: Connecting
Chapter: 2
Fandom: Pokemon (anime)
Character(s): Gary Oak, Tracey Sketchit
Genre: Friendship
Rating: K/G
Disclaimers: Pokemon © Nintendo
Notes: So...no matter what I did, Gary just could not keep his issues out of the story. Well...hopefully he'll be more cooperative next time.
Summary: Slowly, Gary begins to understand the mystery known as Tracey Sketchit.
[Chapter 1]
~*~*~*~
"Why did you decide to become a Pokémon watcher?"
The air around them stills, letting the question hover over their heads uncomfortably. Gary's not sure why he even tries talking anymore, because apparently he's really bad with casual conversation.
He sort of wishes that he hadn't come back that evening, but there was only so much he could talk about with Ash's mom. When he'd gotten his fill of quality time with his rival's mother, he left her place with the excuse that he needed to see if his grandfather was home yet.
Unfortunately, it was only after returning to the house that he learned his grandfather was delayed and wouldn't be back until morning…Meaning he's stuck alone with the Tracey guy overnight.
Originally he planned to avoid Tracey for the rest of the time until his grandfather's return. But he also found that Tracey had started making their dinner, and though he didn't quite understand the guilt nipping at him, it was enough to force him to stay and endure the awkwardness.
Especially since the food smells pretty good. Nothing extraordinary, but better than anything he managed to cook while traveling on his own - not that he'll ever admit it.
And since Tracey was nice enough to cook, he thought he could try some interaction once more. But honestly, given how his last attempt at conversation went, he really should know better.
Tracey hasn't forgotten how their previous discussion ended - there's no way he could have - but if it bothers him, he doesn't show it. Instead, he seems rather cheerful as he lays the food out and answers, "I like to draw."
Gary blinks, and at first wonders if he missed something. "Is that it?"
Tracey smiles as he sits down. "No. But that's how it started."
Gary remains quiet for a moment, trying to figure it out. He thinks he understands, but won't admit that he's not sure.
Movement off to his side easily breaks his concentration, and he watches the older teen gather food onto his plate. "When I was a kid," Tracey explains, "I drew Pokémon all the time, and I ended up getting pretty good at it."
Gary's seen some of Tracey's sketches before. And while he wouldn't say it in so many words, pretty good is definitely an understatement.
"I really liked drawing, and so someone suggested that I make a career out of it." Tracey shrugs. "So I did."
Confusion arches Gary's brow. "And that's it? That's how you decided to be a watcher?"
Tracey shrugs again. "Well I had to consider my options, but ultimately it came down to what I wanted to do with my life. And I really like Pokémon, and I like to draw, so I figured that this was the way to go."
Gary frowns and glares down at his plate. If only things were that easy…
"What about you?"
Looking up again, Gary gives him a curious stare. "What?"
Tracey pauses to chew his food, then swallows and replies, "What are you planning on doing?"
Gary smirks a little, showing off his best haughty expression. "You know Ash and I are rivals to become the best Pokémon trainer, right?"
Tracey ignores the condescending tone as he nods. "I remember. I just thought that, since you're asking me about how I chose my Pokémon profession, it means you were rethinking your own."
Gary blinks in surprise. "How'd you know?" he blurts out before he can stop himself.
The older teen smiles a little. "Just because I'm a Pokémon watcher, it doesn't mean I don't notice a thing or two about people."
Gary huffs softly. "Guess you'd be good at noticing things…"
"Sometimes." Placing his utensils down, Tracey focuses all his attention on Gary. "So what are you considering?"
He pauses for a moment, wondering if he's really ready to talk about this, especially to Tracey of all people. They always talk about Pokémon and things about the lab, pretty general subjects. And Tracey isn't exactly the first person he ever considered to confide in about anything…personal.
But he has asked Tracey some odd questions today, and figures that it's only fair to answer Tracey's question now. So he answers hesitantly, "I'm…thinking of going into…research…"
It's Tracey's turn to blink, giving him a surprised look. "Research? Really?"
"Yeah, so what?" Gary snaps automatically. "I'm just thinking about it, doesn't mean I will or anything."
"I know you have options, I didn't mean anything by it," Tracey says in a soft tone. Before Gary has a chance to feel bad for getting so defensive, the older teen continues, "I just…I never thought you'd want to be a researcher like your grandfather."
The table rumbles as Gary's hand slams down on it. "I don't want to be like him!" he retorts, his temper returning full force. "I'm not just trying to be another 'famous Oak'!"
Tracey frowns a little; though the older teen doesn't back down from his unexpected outburst, he says nothing and simply watches him sit back in his chair.
With a rough sigh that doesn't quite ease his frustration, Gary runs a hand through his hair. "God, I'm so sick of people thinking I'm just trying to copy Gramps and my parents, I -"
"Wait, what?" Tracey suddenly interrupts. "Your parents?"
Gary tenses, embarrassment burning his cheeks as his words echo back in his mind, and he realizes exactly what he said. Was he really so wound up that he couldn't control his temper or his thoughts, to let out a secret he'd been keeping to himself for so long? How could he have let something like that slip?
He glances at his side, and the confused and concerned expression on Tracey's face quells his remaining anger. With a softer sigh, Gary looks down at the food he no longer has an appetite for. "Yeah…my parents," he repeats, not meeting the other's gaze.
Tracey once again maintains silence, and Gary discovers that, now that he's mentioned it, he can't keep from talking about it. "When I was younger, y'know…I actually wanted to be a Pokémon researcher. Of course I knew Gramps was one, and I did kind of want to be like him…but both my parents were researchers too. They were out in the field conducting a study when they…well…"
"I'm sorry," Tracey says softly.
Gary frowns; he normally hates the mechanical response people give when they learn about his parents, as though they have to feel bad for him because of it. Yet there's something in Tracey's tone that's…different. He can't quite figure out why that would be, though, so he puts the matter aside to think about for a later time.
To the other, he says, "I didn't really know them, to be honest. I was too young to remember what they were like. But part of the reason I wanted to be a researcher was because that's what they were. I…I guess I kind of thought it would connect me to them somehow, y'know?"
A small, rueful laugh escapes Gary's throat as he recalls his childhood ambitions. "I mean, I liked learning about Pokémon too, of course. But I thought it'd be cool to have something in common with my parents, something that kind of linked me to them. Going out to learn, gathering information, making discoveries like my parents could have done - should have done - was just as cool to me as actually learning about Pokémon in the first place."
Suddenly feeling a little restless, Gary picks up his eating utensil and begins to play with it, just to give his hands something to do. "The problem with having a famous grandfather is that people know about him…and by association, know about you. When I used to tell people that I wanted to be a researcher, they always compared me to Grandpa…always reminded me about what Grandpa did, and what I had to live up to if I wanted to be 'as famous as him'. I couldn't talk about anything research-related without people reminding me how Grandpa did it, or what he came up with."
Though he's not really looking, he notices Tracey nodding. "That's a lot of pressure to put on a kid," the older teen said.
Gary scoffs, trying to break out of his self-pity spell. "Yeah…eventually I got so sick of Grandpa's reputation being shoved down my throat, I decided I didn't want anything to do with research, and that I'd just stick with battling and training instead."
Silence settles over them again, but only briefly before Tracey asks, "So what changed?"
Gary finally looks up at him. "What?"
"You said you were thinking of going into research now, right? Why did you change your mind?"
Hesitating, Gary's frown deepens. "I guess…it's because I never really did. I mean, I never stopped wanting to be a researcher…not really. I just got tired of people expecting me to be like Grandpa…like this is just the way things are supposed to be."
Things fall quiet again, and Gary feels just a little unnerved by the intense stare he receives from Tracey. He wonders what the other thinks of him after hearing all this, and he's not sure whether to feel nervous for venting his built up emotions, or defensive for having them at all.
Then Tracey smiles a little and drops his gaze, and Gary remembers how to breathe. "You want to hear the real reason I decided to become a Pokémon watcher?" Tracey asks in a soft voice.
Gary frowns, and he's not sure what surprises him more; the abrupt change of topic, or the fact that there is a 'real reason'. So he opts for a teasing smirk and playfully retorts, "I thought it was because you like to draw."
Tracey chuckles. "I do. But the real reason I wanted to become a watcher was because my mother was one."
"Your mom?" Gary repeats, and for a reason he doesn't understand feels a jolt course through his body.
Tracey nods once, fixing Gary with a kind smile. "There's nothing wrong with wanting to be like someone you admire. Following in their footsteps is just one more way of being closer to them."
Gary frowns. He expected a lesson would come up somewhere, but he didn't think Tracey would be so understanding…or that Tracey, of all people, could understand where he's coming from. "I just don't want people to assume I'm trying to be as famous as Grandpa, or anything like that."
"If it's something that you want to do, and it's something you enjoy, then it shouldn't matter what other people think," Tracey says. "Your reasons are your own, and this is for you, not for them. If anything, you can use it to show people that you're more than just Professor Oak's grandson. Show the world who you are."
Gary scoffs again, trying to hide his embarrassment with light teasing. "Sounds a bit corny. I feel like I'm in some after-school special."
Tracey laughs and returns his attention to his dinner. "Well, at least think about it. It'd be a shame to think you gave up on something you really wanted just because other people kept you from enjoying it."
"We'll see," Gary answers evasively.
With another nod, Tracey lets the issue drop as he resumes eating his meal.
But Gary watches the older teen for a while longer. While they were talking, Tracey managed to switch things around so quickly that he didn't have a chance to truly comprehend what the other said. But now confusion and curiosity tug at the back of his mind while he takes the opportunity to replay the conversation in his head.
Because Tracey mentioned that he became a Pokémon watcher because of his mother. But Gary can't remember the other ever mentioning his family…ever. At least not to him, and he's never overheard Tracey mentioning anything to his grandfather either.
So the fact that Tracey spoke of any member of his family is surprising enough. But what Gary really wonders is…why hadn't Tracey just said so in the first place?
If Tracey became a watcher because his mother was one…then why had he been so reluctant to reveal the fact at all?
TBC
[Chapter 3]
Chapter: 2
Fandom: Pokemon (anime)
Character(s): Gary Oak, Tracey Sketchit
Genre: Friendship
Rating: K/G
Disclaimers: Pokemon © Nintendo
Notes: So...no matter what I did, Gary just could not keep his issues out of the story. Well...hopefully he'll be more cooperative next time.
Summary: Slowly, Gary begins to understand the mystery known as Tracey Sketchit.
[Chapter 1]
~*~*~*~
"Why did you decide to become a Pokémon watcher?"
The air around them stills, letting the question hover over their heads uncomfortably. Gary's not sure why he even tries talking anymore, because apparently he's really bad with casual conversation.
He sort of wishes that he hadn't come back that evening, but there was only so much he could talk about with Ash's mom. When he'd gotten his fill of quality time with his rival's mother, he left her place with the excuse that he needed to see if his grandfather was home yet.
Unfortunately, it was only after returning to the house that he learned his grandfather was delayed and wouldn't be back until morning…Meaning he's stuck alone with the Tracey guy overnight.
Originally he planned to avoid Tracey for the rest of the time until his grandfather's return. But he also found that Tracey had started making their dinner, and though he didn't quite understand the guilt nipping at him, it was enough to force him to stay and endure the awkwardness.
Especially since the food smells pretty good. Nothing extraordinary, but better than anything he managed to cook while traveling on his own - not that he'll ever admit it.
And since Tracey was nice enough to cook, he thought he could try some interaction once more. But honestly, given how his last attempt at conversation went, he really should know better.
Tracey hasn't forgotten how their previous discussion ended - there's no way he could have - but if it bothers him, he doesn't show it. Instead, he seems rather cheerful as he lays the food out and answers, "I like to draw."
Gary blinks, and at first wonders if he missed something. "Is that it?"
Tracey smiles as he sits down. "No. But that's how it started."
Gary remains quiet for a moment, trying to figure it out. He thinks he understands, but won't admit that he's not sure.
Movement off to his side easily breaks his concentration, and he watches the older teen gather food onto his plate. "When I was a kid," Tracey explains, "I drew Pokémon all the time, and I ended up getting pretty good at it."
Gary's seen some of Tracey's sketches before. And while he wouldn't say it in so many words, pretty good is definitely an understatement.
"I really liked drawing, and so someone suggested that I make a career out of it." Tracey shrugs. "So I did."
Confusion arches Gary's brow. "And that's it? That's how you decided to be a watcher?"
Tracey shrugs again. "Well I had to consider my options, but ultimately it came down to what I wanted to do with my life. And I really like Pokémon, and I like to draw, so I figured that this was the way to go."
Gary frowns and glares down at his plate. If only things were that easy…
"What about you?"
Looking up again, Gary gives him a curious stare. "What?"
Tracey pauses to chew his food, then swallows and replies, "What are you planning on doing?"
Gary smirks a little, showing off his best haughty expression. "You know Ash and I are rivals to become the best Pokémon trainer, right?"
Tracey ignores the condescending tone as he nods. "I remember. I just thought that, since you're asking me about how I chose my Pokémon profession, it means you were rethinking your own."
Gary blinks in surprise. "How'd you know?" he blurts out before he can stop himself.
The older teen smiles a little. "Just because I'm a Pokémon watcher, it doesn't mean I don't notice a thing or two about people."
Gary huffs softly. "Guess you'd be good at noticing things…"
"Sometimes." Placing his utensils down, Tracey focuses all his attention on Gary. "So what are you considering?"
He pauses for a moment, wondering if he's really ready to talk about this, especially to Tracey of all people. They always talk about Pokémon and things about the lab, pretty general subjects. And Tracey isn't exactly the first person he ever considered to confide in about anything…personal.
But he has asked Tracey some odd questions today, and figures that it's only fair to answer Tracey's question now. So he answers hesitantly, "I'm…thinking of going into…research…"
It's Tracey's turn to blink, giving him a surprised look. "Research? Really?"
"Yeah, so what?" Gary snaps automatically. "I'm just thinking about it, doesn't mean I will or anything."
"I know you have options, I didn't mean anything by it," Tracey says in a soft tone. Before Gary has a chance to feel bad for getting so defensive, the older teen continues, "I just…I never thought you'd want to be a researcher like your grandfather."
The table rumbles as Gary's hand slams down on it. "I don't want to be like him!" he retorts, his temper returning full force. "I'm not just trying to be another 'famous Oak'!"
Tracey frowns a little; though the older teen doesn't back down from his unexpected outburst, he says nothing and simply watches him sit back in his chair.
With a rough sigh that doesn't quite ease his frustration, Gary runs a hand through his hair. "God, I'm so sick of people thinking I'm just trying to copy Gramps and my parents, I -"
"Wait, what?" Tracey suddenly interrupts. "Your parents?"
Gary tenses, embarrassment burning his cheeks as his words echo back in his mind, and he realizes exactly what he said. Was he really so wound up that he couldn't control his temper or his thoughts, to let out a secret he'd been keeping to himself for so long? How could he have let something like that slip?
He glances at his side, and the confused and concerned expression on Tracey's face quells his remaining anger. With a softer sigh, Gary looks down at the food he no longer has an appetite for. "Yeah…my parents," he repeats, not meeting the other's gaze.
Tracey once again maintains silence, and Gary discovers that, now that he's mentioned it, he can't keep from talking about it. "When I was younger, y'know…I actually wanted to be a Pokémon researcher. Of course I knew Gramps was one, and I did kind of want to be like him…but both my parents were researchers too. They were out in the field conducting a study when they…well…"
"I'm sorry," Tracey says softly.
Gary frowns; he normally hates the mechanical response people give when they learn about his parents, as though they have to feel bad for him because of it. Yet there's something in Tracey's tone that's…different. He can't quite figure out why that would be, though, so he puts the matter aside to think about for a later time.
To the other, he says, "I didn't really know them, to be honest. I was too young to remember what they were like. But part of the reason I wanted to be a researcher was because that's what they were. I…I guess I kind of thought it would connect me to them somehow, y'know?"
A small, rueful laugh escapes Gary's throat as he recalls his childhood ambitions. "I mean, I liked learning about Pokémon too, of course. But I thought it'd be cool to have something in common with my parents, something that kind of linked me to them. Going out to learn, gathering information, making discoveries like my parents could have done - should have done - was just as cool to me as actually learning about Pokémon in the first place."
Suddenly feeling a little restless, Gary picks up his eating utensil and begins to play with it, just to give his hands something to do. "The problem with having a famous grandfather is that people know about him…and by association, know about you. When I used to tell people that I wanted to be a researcher, they always compared me to Grandpa…always reminded me about what Grandpa did, and what I had to live up to if I wanted to be 'as famous as him'. I couldn't talk about anything research-related without people reminding me how Grandpa did it, or what he came up with."
Though he's not really looking, he notices Tracey nodding. "That's a lot of pressure to put on a kid," the older teen said.
Gary scoffs, trying to break out of his self-pity spell. "Yeah…eventually I got so sick of Grandpa's reputation being shoved down my throat, I decided I didn't want anything to do with research, and that I'd just stick with battling and training instead."
Silence settles over them again, but only briefly before Tracey asks, "So what changed?"
Gary finally looks up at him. "What?"
"You said you were thinking of going into research now, right? Why did you change your mind?"
Hesitating, Gary's frown deepens. "I guess…it's because I never really did. I mean, I never stopped wanting to be a researcher…not really. I just got tired of people expecting me to be like Grandpa…like this is just the way things are supposed to be."
Things fall quiet again, and Gary feels just a little unnerved by the intense stare he receives from Tracey. He wonders what the other thinks of him after hearing all this, and he's not sure whether to feel nervous for venting his built up emotions, or defensive for having them at all.
Then Tracey smiles a little and drops his gaze, and Gary remembers how to breathe. "You want to hear the real reason I decided to become a Pokémon watcher?" Tracey asks in a soft voice.
Gary frowns, and he's not sure what surprises him more; the abrupt change of topic, or the fact that there is a 'real reason'. So he opts for a teasing smirk and playfully retorts, "I thought it was because you like to draw."
Tracey chuckles. "I do. But the real reason I wanted to become a watcher was because my mother was one."
"Your mom?" Gary repeats, and for a reason he doesn't understand feels a jolt course through his body.
Tracey nods once, fixing Gary with a kind smile. "There's nothing wrong with wanting to be like someone you admire. Following in their footsteps is just one more way of being closer to them."
Gary frowns. He expected a lesson would come up somewhere, but he didn't think Tracey would be so understanding…or that Tracey, of all people, could understand where he's coming from. "I just don't want people to assume I'm trying to be as famous as Grandpa, or anything like that."
"If it's something that you want to do, and it's something you enjoy, then it shouldn't matter what other people think," Tracey says. "Your reasons are your own, and this is for you, not for them. If anything, you can use it to show people that you're more than just Professor Oak's grandson. Show the world who you are."
Gary scoffs again, trying to hide his embarrassment with light teasing. "Sounds a bit corny. I feel like I'm in some after-school special."
Tracey laughs and returns his attention to his dinner. "Well, at least think about it. It'd be a shame to think you gave up on something you really wanted just because other people kept you from enjoying it."
"We'll see," Gary answers evasively.
With another nod, Tracey lets the issue drop as he resumes eating his meal.
But Gary watches the older teen for a while longer. While they were talking, Tracey managed to switch things around so quickly that he didn't have a chance to truly comprehend what the other said. But now confusion and curiosity tug at the back of his mind while he takes the opportunity to replay the conversation in his head.
Because Tracey mentioned that he became a Pokémon watcher because of his mother. But Gary can't remember the other ever mentioning his family…ever. At least not to him, and he's never overheard Tracey mentioning anything to his grandfather either.
So the fact that Tracey spoke of any member of his family is surprising enough. But what Gary really wonders is…why hadn't Tracey just said so in the first place?
If Tracey became a watcher because his mother was one…then why had he been so reluctant to reveal the fact at all?
TBC
[Chapter 3]