May 21, Pallet Town…

It was a very busy day at the Pallet House restaurant. Most likely because they were going to close early; the place was reserved for a very important event tomorrow and preparations needed to be done. One of the perks of being the owner was that you could use the place whenever you needed, for whatever you wanted. Only for special occasions, of course, and this was one of those times.

"Thank you very much, come back soon!"

"Mime, mime!"

After Delia Ketchum and her Mr. Mime (or "Mimey", as she affectionately called him) waved goodbye to the last customers for the day, they went to clean up the last tables before placing the *CLOSED* sign on the entrance. Now she could finally get to work on what really mattered. After all, it was not every day that you could celebrate your son's 15th birthday.

"Mom!" She heard Ash's voice coming from upstairs. "I finished cleaning up the rooms! Are we ready to put up the decorations for the party?"

"Yes! Just give me a minute!" Delia answered. "Mimey, please go shut down the kitchen, I'll get things ready here."

"Mime." Mimey nodded and went towards the kitchen, while Delia placed on one of the tables a large box containing balloons, streamers and other decorations.

A minute or so later, Ash walked downstairs. The soon-to-be-fifteen teenager was wearing a black shirt with a red horizontal streak, blue jeans and black and blue sneakers. He shook his head slightly upon seeing his mother had begun placing the ornaments for his party by herself.

"Mom, I told you to wait for me to help you," he said.

"Ash, you know I can do this," she replied with a bright smile. "There's no need for you to trouble yourself."

"But it's my party, it's only fair that I help too." He insisted.

"Well, if that's the case, why don't you go and pay the remaining part of the catering service we ordered?" Delia proposed. "Get some money from the safe, there should be enough in it to complete the fee. You can keep the change."

"Alright," he said in resignation. The catering service was to be paid in parts, the last of which had to be cancelled the day before the event. Ash went towards the safe to get the money and left the restaurant. The place was at the other side of town, but he'd be ready to come back as soon as possible to help his mother with the party decorations.

As Delia saw Ash walking out of the restaurant, her mind suddenly began to drift into her memories. While most of them were happy, the circumstances of Ash's conception were… mostly unusual, to say the least.

Her life had taken one of the most ironic turns due to that single fateful night. Delia had many dreams for her life, being a great Pokémon trainer and a model, among other things. The one thing she didn't want to do at the time was following her parents wishes: to inherit the restaurant and continue with the family business. And yet, here she was, keeping it afloat even after almost fifteen years, but with great success, perhaps even more than when they were running it.

It wasn't like she had much of a choice. When he learned of her pregnancy, her father was not amused. He actually threw a fit, although Delia wasn't sure if the rage was directed at her, or at… that man (she always referred to him that way in private; as far as she was concerned, he didn't deserve to be called 'Ash's father'). Her mother was more understanding, though, and did her best to help her through this. Her father had always been a very short-tempered man, and Delia wondered if that somehow contributed to him suffering that stroke shortly before Ash was born. They never actually got along that well, in any case. Delia's mother did live long enough to see her grandson's birth, although she too passed on a couple years later. Fortunately, by then Delia had managed to get the hang of running the family business by herself. Even while mourning her own mother's death, she knew she had to be strong for Ash's sake.

Raising her son wasn't easy, but it paid off tremendously. Even though her own mother was only around to help her for a couple years, her teachings guided her even after she was on her own. There was a time Delia was worried about becoming embittered for abandoning her lifelong dreams. But after Ash was born, everything changed. Watching him as he grew, so healthy, so cheerful, so full of energy, it brought Delia more happiness than she could have wished for. Before she realized, Ash had become the center of her life, and she saw that she hadn't lost her dreams, she just switched them for something different, arguably even better. Being a single mother did not bother her the least. Having such a nice and sweet boy as a son made her feel more than satisfied with her life.

In elementary school, Ash was capable of befriending most kids his own age in no time. Everyone seemed to love his cheerful and energetic disposition. Academically speaking, while he was never the first of his class (barring some sports or Pokémon-related activities), he had good grades, and for the most part, he didn't go around looking for trouble. In fact, there was only one time Delia was called to school for complains related to Ash's behavior, and she soon learned that it happened because Ash had gotten into a fight with another kid, who was bullying a younger girl. Ash just tried to defend her, no matter if the bully was bigger and stronger than him, and while he didn't leave unscathed, he didn't regret his actions one bit. Just like any concerned mother, Delia told him that she didn't want him to get into fights, and if something like that happened again, there was no shame in calling for help from adults. Nevertheless, she did feel proud that her son was willing to defend his friends at such an early age.

That incident did come with a bright side, though. It didn't take long for that girl to get a crush on Ash, and many others were actually quite impressed with the way he stood up to that bully by himself. So it was no surprise that this, coupled with his natural kindness and friendliness, attracted a few girls his age once they got to know him better, and growing into his looks certainly didn't hurt. Still, Ash didn't seem particularly receptive to the attraction he inspired in them. Delia wasn't in a hurry to get grandkids or anything, but part of her would have liked to see Ash in a relationship with a nice and pretty girl.

She could barely believe one and a half decade had passed. It seemed almost yesterday when she first held him in her arms; back then he looked so small, so vulnerable. Her little boy was growing into a fine young man: at age fourteen he was about the same height as her, and he had gained a few inches during the last year. Only one more day and he'd be of legal age to start his lifelong dream of becoming a Pokémon trainer, and eventually, a Pokémon Master.

In a way, Ash's dreams were now her own. She had watched over him for his entire life, but soon enough would come the time for him to forge his own path. He was no longer a child, and this was a stage he'd have to go through to grow into full-fledged adult. And she wanted to be there for him, to support him as much as she could, and stand by his side when he reached his life goals, whatever path in life he chose to take.

"Mime, mime!" Mimey called from the kitchen, pulling Delia back to Earth from her thoughts.

"Do you need some help? Alright, I'm coming."

Enough with the memories for now. There was a lot of work to be done.

May 22, in the morning…

Since the party wouldn't start until the afternoon, and having already finished the preparations, Delia told Ash that he was free to go around town and do whatever he wanted, while she sorted out some 'last minute details'.

The aspiring trainer decided to go to a popular fishing spot to kill some time. Renting a pole, he sat next to the edge of the river and waited for something to rise to the bait. After spending a couple hours in that spot, letting his thoughts drift around, all he got was a Pokéball; a very old one. The hinge was broken and rusted, so the thing had most likely been in the water for years. Definitely not functional, so it wasn't like he could keep it to himself and use it. Then again, he'd never had a Pokéball of his own until now, so he might as well keep it for sentimental value, and in case he didn't catch anything else. And that was exactly what happened, the fishes didn't seem in the mood to bite today. Half an hour later, he finally returned the pole and left to take another walk around town.

Pallet Town sometimes felt a little too peaceful and quiet when Ash didn't have his childhood friend and rival to bicker with. Both of Oak's grandchildren had been out of town for two months, after Daisy won the Kanto Grand Festival, and dragged Gary into a little vacation to celebrate his turning fifteen. He couldn't refuse; after their parents died, if Professor Oak was the one who took on the role of the paternal figure, Daisy stepped up as the maternal one. Ash remembered that she actually babysat him a few times while he was in elementary school, and he had a bit of a crush on her (she was very popular with the boys in town). That is, until Gary told him one day upfront: "Don't even think about it". Over time, he matured and outgrew that crush, and he came to see her more like his own big sister as well (not that Gary wasn't annoyed at that too). Ash sometimes wondered if Professor Oak didn't feel lonely when they weren't around; after all, they were the only close family he had. Then again, Gary had been sent to a boarding school in Viridian City for a few years to better his education at Oak's request, so maybe he was already used to it.

Oak's grandchildren could have capitalized on the scientist's fame, but they ultimately chose to forge their own paths. Daisy had made herself a name as one of the best Pokémon Coordinators Kanto had ever seen, and Gary intended to become a strong trainer in his own right once he got his license. He and Ash were still waiting for the results of the exam they took last year, during that summer camp, but if their estimation was right, they should be receiving the results very soon.

"Hey, Ash!" And speaking of Professor Oak, he came up to Ash as he passed the lab, carrying a folder full of documents.

"Professor, good morning." He greeted.

"Good morning, and happy birthday, by the way," Oak replied. "Time surely flies, doesn't it? I can't believe you're already turning fifteen. Soon you'll be able to get your own trainer license."

"Yeah. Speaking of that, do you already have the results of the Summer Camp exam?" Ash couldn't help but ask. He had been waiting for almost a year, after all. Oak simply smiled sideways and scratched the back of his neck.

"You'll find out soon enough," the scientist said. "Rest easy, I have faith in you, boy. Meanwhile, I need to sort out this paperwork for an upcoming T.A.T.O. meeting, but don't worry. I'll be sure to attend your party, maybe just a couple hours late."

"No need to hurry, Professor." Ash assured him. "We'll be sure to save you a good slice of the cake. It's the least we can do for everything you've done for us."

The scientist smiled himself. "If that's the case, do you mind if I ask you for an extra slice for Gary and Daisy? She called me last week, saying they'd come back soon. Who knows, maybe they'll bring gifts for you too?"

Ash had to hold back a chuckle at that remark. Daisy bringing him a gift? Possible, although considering how busy she had been, he wouldn't hold it against her if she didn't. Gary, on the other hand… he definitely wasn't the type to do that, unless his grandfather and sister forced him, if only out of courtesy.

"Well, I better get going. See you at the restaurant!" With this, Oak quickly entered the lab, and Ash went on his way.

The summer breeze felt nice that day. If it wasn't for all the work he, Delia and Mimey had put into decorating the restaurant, Ash wouldn't have minded to celebrate his birthday outside. He was more the outdoor type, he loved walking around town, and one of the reasons he wanted to go on a Pokémon journey was to see many places. The freedom, the adventure, those were the things he wanted. At this point, his mother probably had finished whatever she was doing, so maybe he should go back to the restaurant and wait until the party started. There was nothing else to do but relax a bit…

POP! POP! POP!

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ASH!"

As soon as Ash set foot on the restaurant, he was greeted by party poppers going off, confetti and streamers falling on top of him, and people cheering and clapping around. In such a small place as Pallet everyone knew each other's faces, and considering that they were friends with at least half the town, the restaurant would have a full house that day. In the middle of everyone, his mother flashed him her brightest smile.

"Happy 15th birthday, Ash!" She placed a party hat shaped like a king's crown with the number 15 on his head. "Come on, time's a wasting! Let's get this party started!"

While everyone patted and congratulated him, Delia dragged him into a makeshift stage in the center. They usually didn't have karaoke in the restaurant, but they would often rent it whenever they had a party event. Delia was actually a pretty good singer, so she'd often take the microphone and sing one or two songs.

"Mimey, roll the music! The celebration begins now!"

"Mime, mime!"

*CLICK!* And so, with the music playing, the party officially began.

"The magic feeling, it's growing so strong. Always leads me to a place where I belong."

Immediately, a girl joined in with her own microphone. "Won't go away, never let me down. I've got the greatest friends that ever could be found."

"Come on, birthday boy, dance with me!" Another girl grabbed Ash from behind and quickly pulled him into the dance floor. Ash wasn't quite the dancer, but he was willing to comply, if only to humor the guests…

"Hey, no fair! I wanna dance with him too!" A second girl showed up and grabbed him by the other arm.

"Wait for your turn, I got dibs." The two girls began glaring at each other, and Ash could almost swear he was seeing sparks flying out of their eyes. He tried to look at Delia for help, but either she was enjoying her song too much, or just didn't care.

After being in the middle of a tug-o-war for a bit, Ash managed to slip away using the (truthful) excuse of having one of his frequent hunger pangs and go to the snack table. It always worked, and that way he could easily walk around the restaurant greeting the guests, and accepting the gifts they brought for him.

A couple hours in, when those two girls started chasing him around again, Delia decided to organize a little Musical Chairs game to keep them busy, though he wasn't very amused when she declared that if one of them won, she'd get to dance with Ash the next song. Sure enough, the game gave him a little breather, but as promised, he had to dance the next song with the winner, and her mother just had to choose a VERY long one.

Professor Oak arrived as promised, and was warmly welcomed no matter that he was a little late. In fact, the good old scientist had prepared one of his poems for Ash. It was a little… awkward, but that was one of the few quirks Oak had, and he appreciated it anyway. It was the thought that counted, right?

Midway through, Delia decided that it was time to open the gifts. Over half the guests had brought boxes of all sizes. Some of them had gone for the simpler solutions, like buying articles of clothing. Others had chosen books, even though Ash wasn't keen on reading, most of these had topics he'd probably find interesting: "The Trainer's Guide to the Basics", "How to Survive in the Wild for Dummies", and "To be the Very Best, like No One ever was". Even Delia herself got into it; she had gotten him a Pokémon League Expo cap, although this one had the more modern logo instead of the classic one. Ash put it on immediately (perfect chance to remove the goofy crown), and once he opened the last one, he was ready to get back to party, when Delia held him by the shoulder.

"Hold on a minute, Ash. Turns out there's one more gift for you." Delia pulled out another box from her skirt pocket. "Straight from Vaniville Town, Kalos."

"It's from Serena?" Ash beamed. He couldn't believe it, his Kalosian friend had sent him a gift all the way across the ocean.

Delia had deliberately kept this one a secret for the end. A couple weeks ago, she had received a parcel with a note addressed specifically for her, telling her what was inside and asking her to keep it hidden until the right date to give him a surprise. While Ash had never gotten that close with the girls in town, Delia had the feeling that perhaps the Kalosian could be the one who'd get him out of that shell. They had grown very close during Professor Oak's summer camp, and they had remained in contact through traditional mail for the entire year. Ash was always very happy when he received a letter from her, which was no surprise: that girl was a real sweetheart. Not many would take their time to send a birthday gift across the ocean for a pen pal. She was looking forward to the day Serena and Ash could meet again.

"Open it up! Open it up!" Everyone began clapping.

Ash pulled apart the ribbon and opened the box. The gift was rather simple: a hand-knit muffler, black with blue lightning bolts, and his name written on the edge. A very nice design, she thought. The note in the card read: "Happy 15th birthday, Ash. If you face any cold weather in your journeys ahead, I hope this can give you some warmth. Your friend, Serena."

"Well, isn't this a nice detail?" Delia smiled, and quickly took the muffler from Ash's hands. "Let's see how it looks on you."

"Mom, I can put it on myself!" Ash protested, but Delia was already wrapping it around his neck.

"Oh, don't be such a party crasher. Humor me just this once, please?" She finished. "Well, it definitely suits you, dear. Be sure to thank her for this."

The birthday boy let out a sigh. Delia just couldn't resist to treat him like a child in public just to embarrass him, could she? Everyone of course was pretty amused, and even Ash himself chuckled after a bit. Serena's gift was really nice just because it came from her, plus it would definitely come in handy for his journey whenever he had to pass through any cold area.

"Alright, everyone, I think now is a good time. Mimey, if you please?"

"Mime!" Without wasting a second, Mimey rushed to the kitchen, and came back bringing what everyone (especially Ash) was waiting for.

Delia could have included it on the catering service fee, but considering that Ash always enjoyed her food more than any other, she decided that she would bake the birthday cake herself. And it wasn't just a simple cake: she made it three-tiered, so that Ash could have one of those just for himself, and she decorated the icing in red and white with black chocolate outlines to resemble a Pokéball. The borders were decorated with many smaller Pokéballs, alternating with Great and Ultra Balls. On top, there were three small figurines of Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle made of candy. A lot of work and time, but seeing Ash's smile upon glancing at it definitely made it worth it. All that was left was to light up the fifteen candles on top of it.

"Alright, Ash, make your wish now," Delia said, assuming a conductor's stance. "Everyone, sing with me!"

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, dear Ash! Happy birthday to you!"

Just as soon as the song finished, Ash blew the candles, not leaving a single one lit. Everyone began clapping and cheering, while Delia handed her son the knife and server so he could cut the first slice. Of course, he cut a very large one, revealing the chocolate underneath, of which he took a bite as big as possible.

"Well, what do you think?" Delia asked, even though she already knew the answer.

"Delicious, mom. Thank you so much." Ash embraced his mother, still with the slice in hand. Everyone went 'Aww…' at the display of love between mother and son, but of course, someone had to spoil it by demanding their own slice, causing everyone to break into laughter.

The cake had been served, and the gifts open, but that didn't mean the party was over. There was still a lot of fun to go for that day.

Later at night…

Given that Ash wasn't still of enough age to party all night long, the celebration ended at 8:00 pm, and everyone went home. Nevertheless, he felt like he wanted to go around for a walk before turning in for the day. Delia agreed, but warned him not to stay outside too much, and to be back home within the hour.

At this point, most everyone in town had already gone back to their homes, since there weren't many business places that stayed open after the sun had set. Even Oak's laboratory had its lights off. But that was just fine. He just needed some time for himself. Finding a quiet spot where he could be alone with his thoughts, relaxing, and thinking about his future. Maybe the best place was standing by the river bank, stargazing for a while before going back home.

He was quite surprised to see a familiar figure standing on that very same spot. His back was turned, but Ash would recognize that hairdo anywhere. So he was finally back from his little vacation. He felt a little tempted to try and sneak up on him, but then he thought, if this day was a milestone of his growth, maybe he should start acting the part right away.

"You're back," he said, loud enough to be heard. The figure standing next to the river turned around, not startled at all. It seemed more like he was expecting him.

"How's it going, Ashy-boy?"

"You know that I hate when you call me that." Ash frowned slightly. That nickname wasn't funny.

Gary just shrugged as he glanced at Ash's neck. "What's with the muffler, by the way? It's not that cold today, is it?"

"A gift from Serena," Ash replied. "I thought it was fair that I wear it at least for today."

"Really? Wow, she must really like you, to send you a gift from that far away."

Ash just ignored that remark, and quickly changed the subject. "Where's Daisy, by the way?"

"She's already gone, she just came to drop me off here," Gary answered. "She did tell me to wish you a happy birthday. Sorry we didn't stop by, didn't feel like dropping in without a gift. Pity I missed out on the cake."

"Professor Oak saved a slice for you, just in case." Ash walked closer to the river's edge.

Gary seemed surprised at that. "How come you didn't eat it all by yourself?"

Ash rolled his eyes. Gary would just try to find any way to tease him. He wouldn't let him live down the time he won that All-You-Can-Eat contest that caused one of Pallet House's rivals to go out of business, just because he broke the record of eating over 50 portions in less than an hour. Since then, Gary wouldn't waste the chance to point out that nobody in Pallet Town could out-eat Ash, period, if only because he himself had tried, but fainted at number 19. How Ash managed to keep from gaining additional weight was still a mystery.

"So… how was your vacation?" Ash asked, to change the topic.

"Fine, I guess," Gary replied. "Could have done without so many fans stalking and chasing her around, though."

"Did you scare them off?" Ash asked. Despite being the younger, Gary could be quite protective of his sister at times.

"Nah. She can handle herself, you know that. Anyway, so…" Gary looked above to the starry sky. "Today, you too are of legal age to become a trainer."

"Yeah. We're not very far from getting our licenses."

Gary suddenly turned at him with a grin on his face. "Grandpa might get angry if I tell you this, but I actually took a peek at his files while he was out. Turns out we're the only ones who got over 90% in his test at the camp."

"Really?" Ash was surprised at that.

"There was an average score of 80%, though. Seems like everyone did well on the camp. Well, except your Kalosian friend, and that cheater, of course."

Gary seemed pretty bitter of remembering that albino kid. At first he seemed likeable, if a bit over-competitive (even for Gary's standards) when they worked together, but when he cheated during the final exam… he regretted having accepted to be his partner for that exercise. Who said he hadn't cheated during that one too? Maybe their Munchlax eating those twins' berries wasn't a lie after all.

"Grandpa will send us the results in a week or so, so just try to look surprised when you get them, alright? Don't tell him I told you this."

"Of course," Ash replied, becoming thoughtful. "Gary… maybe there's still a gift you can give me before the day ends."

"Huh?" Gary arched an eyebrow, while Ash searched for something in his pocket. "Is that a Pokéball?"

"I fished it this morning. It's rusted and it doesn't work anymore, but… I think I can do something else with it." Ash broke it in half, and gave the red part to Gary. "Here."

"Whoah, wait, am I not the one supposed to be giving you something, not the other way around?" Gary was still confused. Also, what could he do with half a Pokéball?

"Yeah." Ash nodded. "You will give me something. A promise."

"A promise?"

"For years, I've always felt that in some things… in many things, actually, you've always been one or seven steps ahead of me." Ash couldn't quite hide the tinge of bitterness in his voice at the last part. "But from now on, that's going to change. I'll become stronger, and I will catch up to you. When the day comes, we'll face each other, as equals, and we'll see who's the stronger of the two."

Gary then understood, and couldn't help but smirk. So he was giving it as a reminder. A reminder of their eventual confrontation, when they'd face against each other, as equals. Sure, Gary knew he was ahead now, but he too knew that Ash had the potential to catch up and even surpass him if he wasn't careful. He couldn't rest on his laurels.

"So then… if you win I give it back, and if I win you give me your half, is that it? Not bad, I can use that as a way to give myself some motivation." Gary grabbed the red half, and stared at it for a bit. All of a sudden it didn't just seem just like a rusted half-Pokéball. "Very well, I'll give you that gift you're asking for. But be aware, I'm not planning on letting myself get beaten."

"Neither do I." Ash pumped his fist in determination.

Feeling it was appropriate, the two exchanged a fist-bump, staring at each other's eyes for a while. They didn't need any words; the promise had been made, and with it, they'd have a source of drive for the challenges that laid ahead in their future.

"I better get back home, Grandpa must be worried," Gary said as he looked at the time on his watch.

"Mom's waiting for me too." Ash agreed. "Thanks for the chat, though."

"For a change, I should thank you." Gary smiled again. "It… put things in perspective, I guess. Well, goodnight. Smell ya later!"

"Goodnight."

The two boys went their own ways back home. Not too long of a chat, but it definitely helped them both. In clearing their minds, and like Gary said, putting things in perspective. Now they had something to look forward. Ash glanced at Gary over his shoulder for a bit. He was below him now, but one day, that would change. He would stand face to face to him, as an equal, and he'd surpass him.

Until then, he just had work hard and bide his time. Today, a new stage of his life had begun. Whatever the future had in store for him, he would face it with courage and determination.

FIN.