Author's Note:

What? Another story with our favorite Pokémon Master in the making? What about Silently Broken and all its juicy madness?!

No worries folks, because Silently Broken will gain new chapters! However, I felt compelled to create this new short story. And why you may ask? Well, my SUPER AWESOME beta reader for Silently Broken, deserves a BIG thank you for all her hard work so far, and I wanted to express my gratitude through this story. ;) You are the best, girl! (I really hope this is the fic you've been itching to read!) She requested a pre-series story as her gift (that focused on mainly Ash, Gary and Delia), so here we are with Ash as a nine-year-old during summer vacation! What kind of drama will stir up in this Pallet Town tale? Well, you'll just have to read and find out!

Also, if you have not read my other stories: Silently Broken, Everything Changes, or Building a Paddock, I highly recommend you read at least one before adventuring forth. Otherwise, it might be a tad confusing (hence: I added in some originals characters like Ash's grandparents/Ash and Gary have ongoing problems in regards to jealousy and whatnot. Both of these examples are predominate in Everything Changes). By the way, this short story takes place BEFORE Everything Changes.

I think I covered everything- oh, and a disclaimer of course! :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon. If I did I'd probably do the craziest happy dance ever. lol.

Foolish Invincibility

Chapter 1

The Dare

Hide and seek.

The ultimate game of sneakiness, and withstanding long periods of time and not budging a single muscle during it. Camouflaging in nooks and crannies out in the wilderness was a trademark of Ash's, for he had become a natural at the old form of entertainment.

However, he was certainly surprised to have been invited to participate in such an old, yet lovable, form,of simple fun by an unlikely classmate.

Early that summer morning, nine-year-old Ash was left to his own devices. His mother had scurried out the door for work at the Butterfree Inn, after the first crow of the neighboring Dodrio, leaving her son with slices of blackberry jam toast, and a bowl full of sugar filled Lucky Abra cereal. Ash had accepted the daily ritual of Delia heading off to work in the early hours of summer vacation, and entertained himself till she got home around two in the afternoon, spending the rest of the day in the blistering sun gardening, or turning on the sprinkler to cool down their sweaty bodies.

After his mom had given him a quick hug and kiss goodbye, Ash grabbed his breakfast and perched himself in front of the T.V., watching a good half-hour of Saturday morning cartoons before journeying upstairs to make his bed and strip off his pajamas. That is, till the repeated ring of the doorbell drew him away from the stairwell.

Opening the door while still wearing his Wartortle bedtime shorts and matching blue tee, Ash was confronted with three smiling boys itching for him to join in on their plans for the day. When he heard the bell beckon for an answer, Ash had assumed it was his grandparents or the mail carrier with a large package. Not Gary Oak and his fellow gang.

No way.

He and Gary had ended their on and off friendship when they were eight, for Ash had gotten sick of Gary's constant picking and prodding and finger-pointing every time he did something doltish by mistake. He was growing tired of always being second best to Gary, always watching the brunette outdo him in everything in school and outside of school. Tarnishing such a friendship however, meant the raven-haired boy would lose other companions in the process. Too much loyalty and faithfulness the neighborhood boys had with Gary, considering none really wished to be on the boy's bad side, and by the coincidence of him being Sam Oak's grandson. Not being able to make trips to the Oak Lab and see all kinds of Pokémon and being teased to death, was not worth the cost of telling Gary off.

Ash was on his own with that one.

But even being considered a bit of an outcast, Ash still had a craving of being with kids his own age during break. Pallet didn't offer much in the form of expensive entertainment, like movie theaters or amusement parks. Simple outdoor pastimes of: hopscotch, jump-rope, bike riding, running, hiking, a pool in your backyard if you were lucky, and of course Pokémon training for those above the age of ten, were some of the predominate recreations in the quaint town.

And Ash had to do several of those childlike activities alone. That or he was with his mom most of the time, which he did not detest in the slightest. He always had fun renting movies from the rental store in town with her, and innocently turning the hose on her, having a water war start in the middle of their outdoor work. But still, watching Arsenic and Old Lace and Breakfast at Tiffany's were not films that could hold Ash's interest for very long. He loved Delia, but the kid in him was aching for more than just his mother's company.

Neither were the chores he was smothered with daily. Having to sit with his grandma and watch her knit or help wash three full boxes of freshly picked strawberries, or spend hours upon hours with his grandpa handing him tools to fix his mother's rundown truck or clean out Rapidash stalls, wasn't exactly ideal to the adventurous boy. Bailing hay, tending to the earth, watering many flowerpots, scrubbing dishes, and watching Tauros get corralled for the eighty-millionth time was certainly not what Ash intended for his summer to be filled of. He was longing for a chore-free summer; a break from school where he could hang out with the boys and take long hikes into the hills, and go fishing for Magikarp in nearby streams.

That sounded fine and dandy to Ash.

So the boy jumped at the chance to take part in the fun, and fled to his room to get ready. Though there was a slight problem. Delia had instructed him several times not to leave the house or yard without her permission first. Even if it was to take a jaunt over to his grandparents, his mother wanted to know where he was at all times. Safety precautions were a big deal to the single mother, and on most occasions, Ash understood his mom's wishes and followed through with them.

However, this time was much different. He had an inkling she'd tell him no (considering most outings he had with Gary did not turn over well), and being so filled with excitement, Ash couldn't take the chance at passing it up. It didn't even cross his mind as to why Gary so unexpectedly invited him or if it was his original idea in the first place. Ash was just so thrilled, it didn't matter to him. So thrilled at the thought of being accepted, possibly being able to hang out with the boys more often, that he couldn't say no.

How could he?

Once Ash found a clean pair of socks (or at least he thought they were) and slipped on his tennis-shoes, the four boys ventured off past the Oak Laboratory, and towards the forest-like area of Pallet. It was a fairly long walk before Gary was satisfied with the starting point of their game, treading deeper into the brush and flourishing trees. There were several decent hiding spots to be adopted in the peaceful area, making it an ideal challenge for all. Gary of course nominated himself as the searcher, hoping to find Ash, Tate, and Peter speedily, and show them up in the process. None of them seemed to mind, and figuring they'd make it the toughest challenge possible for the assured boy.

Flying off in different directions as they listened to Gary's loud countdown, Ash leaped and bounded across the hilly forest, his eyes darting from one idea of a hideout to another. He wanted to make it as difficult and crafty as he could, a not so ordinary place Gary would assume him to be. And he had just found that. During Gary's countdown to one-hundred, Ash discovered a brilliant hiding spot near the border of where they were allowed to settle their sanctum, and it was certainly something that could stump Gary Oak. And it did.

An hour. Ash had been hiding for a straight hour.

His knees were pulled close to his chest, and his chin was dipped down towards the scrapped dried caps, hunched tightly in the cramped opening of the tree's moss covered base. The closed area was damp and sticky, and the temperature increasing wasn't helping much either. But he refused to cave in. Crawling into an open hole in the trunk of an aging tree accompanied by a green barrier of vines to perfectly conceal the boy, was like hitting the jackpot to Ash. In his hourly wait of being uncovered, he picked up the sound of Gary's constant cackling. Clearly he had located one or two out of the three boys.

Then came the feel of the earth faintly rumbling, and mumbles afterwards. Ash could hear Gary's voice distinctively as he felt a presence walk past his hideaway. However, those thundering footsteps belonged to one of the other children. It was clear after finding them, Gary had recruited Tate and Peter in the search for Ash. And none of them were having very good luck. Ash swore someone past his spot at least over eight times. It made him wonder just how long he was going to have to stay masked till someone caught on. Or till he had to unveil himself.

Big, clumsy, and brainless, Tate roamed the surrounding area repeatedly as they searched. Creeping closely near Ash's hideout, only to give up halfheartedly and scoff in irritation. He was the first one to be found, his large frame could not be fully hidden by the tree in which he hid behind (or more like tried to hide behind), nor was it such a quick-witted spot to begin with either.

A breath of relief flew from Ash's mouth as he saw his feet stomp away. If he was going to be discovered, he hoped someone with a larger brain did the finding. That would make his hiding place twice as clever as it already was.

"I can't find him!" the dishwater-blonde haired child suddenly moaned, scuffing the ground with his sandals in annoyance. "Let's just give up and tell him to come out already, Gary!"

Give up? Those were two words that never crossed Gary Oak's mind. He was the most diligent nine-year-old that have ever lived; always wanting to impress and surpass his fellow peers every chance he got. Even at the extent of prolonging the juvenile sport of hide and seek.

The determined boy swiveled his head over at his impatient friend with narrowed brows, standing a few feet away. "No way! I'm not givin' up that easily!" Gary whipped away from a couple of bushes he had dug through and stood in a clear area, investigating his surroundings with prying eyes. He grew an obvious sly smile as he mockingly called out to the hidden boy, hoping it would tense Ash with a shudder of fear. "Oh Ashy, I know you're here somewhere!"

If it was supposed to intimidate Ash, it didn't do much good. He did let a gulp slide down his throat however.

"Forget it Gary," Peter insisted this time, wiping a heavy drop of sweat off his sticky brow. "He's probably hiding in a place we'll never find. It's gettin' too hot out here to keep searching, anyway. Let him win, and call it quits."

"Yeah!" Tate interjected. He out of all of them wanted to head back to town as soon as possible. He was extremely parched, and was about ready to pry off his sweat streaked shirt. He wished to be consumed by a big cold splash of water desperately. "Just say the game's over so we can go get some sodas at Greta's!"

Gary only huffed at their begs and furthered into the brush. "Well, you chumps can go get filled up on sugar. I wanna win this round and find Ash."

They watched him as he furthered deeper and deeper through the scratchy bushes and thorns, Gary's head darting every which way. Peter's eyebrows lowered and he sighed, looking to Tate with faint annoyance.

"Geez, it's just a game," the boy snorted with a shrug. "Who cares?"

Apparently Gary did.

He had abandoned the area in which his companions stood and waited restlessly, though his luck was running short. Looking high above in the reachable tree branches, all the long grass that sprouted from the earth in great numbers, and even a few tree logs composing into the ground didn't give him a clue to Ash's whereabouts.

But then came a rustle. A rustle in the cluster of dark green shrubs. Gary hadn't checked out that section of the area yet, and with a swift grab he pulled back chunks of the thick greenery.

"There you are!" he pounced. "Huh?!" His quarry turned out to be nothing more than a Pidgey; scouting the earth for food. Gary crinkled his nose at the bird as it flapped its small wings up towards the shady trees. He clenched his teeth together. "Darn it!" Gary swiped his arm back with disappointment, and folded his arms into his chest. Then came a low huff.

This is a lot harder than I thought it was going to be...

Ash watched Gary's feet shuffle continuously, inspecting the flourishing bushes that stretched across the woods. He could see the frustration grow on the boy's face, enraged at the thought of losing a simple game of hide and seek to the one who was always struggling to keep up. And Ash sure liked the feeling of having the upper hand. He had played his cards well, well enough to not attract any attention over to his hideout. Hardly any rustling, no temptation of stretching his legs or yawning. Just waiting ever so quietly for the so-called: "hide and seek champion, Gary Oak", to throw in the towel.

And he'd pay big bucks to see that happen.

Maybe Gary won't find me... Ash hopefully thought, feeling a twinge of delight stir up in his gut. Finally, a chance to prove Oak wrong! Oh, how he could taste victory between his dry cracked lips! Maybe I'll actually win! I can't wait to see the look on his face when he finds out-

Busted.

The prodding of Gary's fingers in the thick vines, uncovered the not so secret hideaway. He pulled the long green strands back enough for the light to catch glimmer of Ash, and boy was Gary tickled pink at the sight.

"Well, well, well, look what we have here!" The boy's grin was wide and cheeky, an irresistible one at that. "Thought ya could hide forever, didn't ya Ash?"

Ash's chocolate eyes hardened at Gary's intense gaze, and a sigh of defeat flew from his mouth. Just when he thought he was going to win the game, hands down! "Kind of," he finally spat back sourly, beginning to move his sore body. It took you long enough...

"C'mon out, the game's over." With a swift motion, the victor of the activity let the vines fall back into their dangling position and stood proudly in the sun with his chest out. "I found all three of ya, so I won."

"Congrats," Ash muttered bitterly in return, as he rose up and dusted the caked dirt off his shorts. He could feel the ache roar across his legs as he stood, and his knees creaked loudly from it.

He hated to watch Gary gloat. Even if it was over the most trivial things, it still made Ash's blood boil. He would have rather watched three full hours straight of his mom's sappy soap operas or do a math problem that gave him an incurable headache. That's how much Ash detested being a witness to his rival's bombastic acts and words.

Gary let a hand rise to his mouth and as he cuffed it, he allowed his lungs to expand. "Hey Tate, Peter!" the boy shouted as he maneuvered his head to the land ahead of he and Ash. In mere seconds the two boys hustled out of the thick clusters of grass and bushes, wondering what on earth Gary was hollering his head off about. "Look what the Meowth dragged in!" he finally exclaimed with a snicker.

His gesture led the two boy's eyes to fall on Ash, who was busy stretching his limbs with a lowered head. The boys blinked in disbelief. They couldn't believe Gary actually found him after all that time of searching.

"Ya really found him, Gary?" Tate repeated, stunned as he looked between the two.

"Wow Ash, you must have had a really good hiding spot!" Peter interjected, genuinely amazed by the boy's skill at the game. "Where were you the whole time?"

"I was-"

"In this rotting tree like a Rattata storing its nuts and berries for winter!"

Ash didn't need Gary to answer for him. And the brunette didn't need to put it so crudely. That Ash could do without.

"He about looked as startled as one when I dragged him out!"

Gary's obnoxious chortling made Ash's eye twitch, and with a raised fist he snapped back. "Hey, you didn't drag me out!" the raven-haired boy corrected with narrowed brows as his face inched closer to his rival's. "And it took you a century to find me! My legs were beginning to cramp up, I could hardly feel them!"

Gary stuck his nose up in the air with his hands on his hips, not fazed by Ash's irritated expression. "Humph! That's not my problem. Besides, I knew where you were the whole time! I just wanted to see how long you'd last!"

Ash's head lowered to his shoulders, his eyes darting away with a snide comeback. "Sure you did..."

There he went again. Gary had too much damn pride to ever admit he was capable of running into a problem that was unsolvable, and that someone else might have the advantage. He needed a lesson on humility.

Thankfully though, neither one of the other boys took Gary's words too seriously. They were still wildly impressed by Ash's advance hiding skills. Instead of complimenting or agreeing with the all mighty Gary Oak, Peter threw a bright smile at Ash and furthered to marvel the boy's upper hand. "That was pretty clever of you, Ash."

This caused Ash's frown to break, and it continued to strengthen as Tate threw in his own two cents too. "Yeah, I went by that tree like ten times, and I had no clue you were in there!"

Gary could see what was happening. It was the rare occurrence in which he was not the center of attention, not being the one to receive all the praise and glory. But naturally he found a way to detract those positive words away from the boy he secretly envied, making Ash's smile diminish faster than the rate of a Caterpie evolving into a Metapod.

"I guess it was smart of Ash," Gary admitted halfheartedly, almost making his rival believe his words were genuine. But Ash was gullible. Gary then retorted, "But not smart enough to outsmart me!" Ash's head hung low and his brief superiority disintegrated. The brassy boy continued, "It doesn't take that much brain power to hide. I mean, it's just an evolutionary adaptation! Even a Bellsprout has that basic function," he snickered and sneered.

Those words stung Ash. He didn't know what an evolutionary adaptation was, but it sounded demeaning. "You don't even know what that means, Gary!"

Gary just smirked again, closing his eyes briefly. "I know a lot more than you think." Ash couldn't tell if that was a definite smirk of knowing the exact definition of evolutionary, or if it was just one of the many expression Gary wore to give the impressive that he was full of knowledge. Either way, it irked Ash.

Soon after however, the bully chuckled softly to himself as he flipped his bangs up in the air, ending the conversation right there. "Let's head back to town. I'm startin' to get thirsty," he suddenly said, nonchalantly strutting away with his hands folded behind his head. He then twirled on his heels, walking backwards, wearing the same sly grin. He couldn't withstand the opportunity to get Ash's goat one last time before exiting the forest entirely. "Oh and Ash, since you were the last person to be found, you get to pay for our drinks. Ahaha!"

Ash's lips immediately drooped into a frown as he shuffled behind Gary and his crew. He had no clue what Gary was expecting him to pay with. He had no cash on him.

Not even a penny.

The heat intensified as noon came along.

The smoldering walk to Greta's store however, was tamed by soft wind currents fluttering in the air, easing the sweat droplets that were in the midst of forming. Ash walked silently as he and the boys moved down the road, the sound of Gary's laughing at Tate's untimely trip over a large pebble the dominant sound in the quiet valley.

Ash was busy beating himself up on not settling in a more concealed hiding spot. He thought for sure he was going to finally win a round of the frivolous game, but instead, was found by the one person he was attempting to show-up. For once, Ash wished he could prove that he was capable of being named victor. Or at least demonstrate he wasn't the runner-up to Gary. That just made being dubbed the 'loser' all the more intolerable to the boy.

Continuing to meander down the dirt road, Peter's eyes skimmed the blooming nature surrounding them. However, he took interest in a very eye-catching and enormous life form shooting up from the grassy ground. "Hey!" He stopped in his tracks, his hand shoved in his short pockets as he slipped out a few curious blinks at the sight. Ash and the others turned their heads and stared back at the frozen boy, waiting to hear what he had to say. "How old do you think that tree is?"

Tate walked back to where his friend stood, starting to admire the leafy tree himself. "Ancient. Like when my grandpa was a kid."

Gary snorted at that as he and Ash took their stances by the two, folding his arms across his chest. "I think it's older than that for it to be that big," he corrected with a raised brow. "That tree's been around long before your grandpa was a kid, Tate. More like when our great-great-grandpas were alive. That's why it's a Pallet landmark."

As usual, Gary was the one to fill in everybody about the basic history of Pallet. What he had claimed was indeed true, for the giant oak tree was planted by the founder of dear old Pallet Town. The sprout served as a monument, the symbol for the town's founding. Ironically enough, it was actually one of Gary's past grandfathers who established the little neighborhood (that is also why the tree was an oak tree), and aided it in the beginning stages of development. And Gary was sure proud of being the descendant to the very founder who made the peaceful town what it was.

Stupefied by his friend's explanation, Tate let a goofy wide grin slip from his lips and a stunning interjection followed afterwards. "Whoa! That tree's sooo freakin' old!"

"Imagine how many times that thing has been climbed!" Peter added, his gaze shifting to the bark of the tree."No wonder why it's in such bad shape."

The grand tree was covered in plenty of scuff marks, peeling the thick layer of bark away bit by bit. It almost seemed like a Pallet Town tradition for the neighboring kids to take a whack at climbing the ginormous structure, and with its physical appearance being so battered and worn, it definitely had taken a hard beating over the years.

"My dad used to climb it all the time," Gary threw in with another cocky smile. "He's a natural born climber, you know? Used to out-do all his friends when they competed to see who could climb the highest."

That was nowhere near accurate. Gary had an unattractive talent of bending the truth at times, and this was one of those moments. His father, Chad, was never remembered at being the champion of soaring up the flourishing tree. More like, one of his close childhood buddies took that title. A father to one of the other boy's standing with Gary. And the sad part was, Gary knew which child was the spawn of the outstanding tree climber. And it bothered him a great deal.

Tate whistled in amazement at Gary's fib, and the tree's overall intimidating height. The round boy might not have been the brightest, but he had enough sense not to ascend the tree without suffering the ugly repercussions. "I wouldn't want to climb it," he huffed with a soft chuckle. "I'd break my neck taking a risk like that!"

Gary sneered as he tried to resist a snicker from being produced. "I wouldn't worry about your neck, Tate. You'd probably bring the entire tree tumbling down!"

That Tate didn't take lightly. He shot a harsh glare at his amused friend, pushing him back slightly with the force of his strong hands. "Shut up, Gary!" he shouted, offended by the boy's blunt remark. Tate's eyes narrowed and with an enraged temper, he quickly threw a somewhat frightening challenge at the brash boy with no hesitation. "Let's see you climb it then! You did say your dad used to climb it all the time as a kid. Prove that you're a 'natural born climber', like your old man!"

Now Gary got himself in a pinch. Shoot! His cackles suddenly diminished and a few unreadable blinks escaped from his eyelids. What was he supposed to say? He was well aware his dad was not near the gifted climber he preached, and even he heard his dad admit the fact more than once. He himself wasn't too terrible of a climber, but still... Mounting up that high of a tree? That was too big of a hazard for even the courageous Gary Oak. It was one of the very few things that honestly intimidated him, and now his abundant arrogance and big mouth made the boys believe otherwise. Panicking silently, Gary couldn't think of an answer. He knew it would be a difficult task to convince Tate with a substantial reason as to why he couldn't accept the challenge of his sudden affront. He wasn't positive if a witty comeback would redirect the boy's attention after openly insulting him in such a boorish manner, making his only defense mechanism weak.

Gary could feel the hint of sweat droplets leak from his forehead as he let a nervous gulp glide down his throat. Tate's eyes were hard as he continued to stare at him, which only made Gary's dart around all the more. If only he could think of something... "Well, I uh-"

"I'm a good climber."

Then unintentionally, a shocking and discreet idea was seeded thanks to one of the boys. Gary's stunned expression stayed the same briefly till a realization hit in, the abrupt words playing over and over in his head. An idea came to mind. And it was so perfect Gary could squeal.

Allowing a noticeably bold grin to leap from his lips, Gary's eyebrows rose at the owner of the claim. There stood Ash, all eyes staring at him in surprise, though Gary's sparked a hint of mischievousness as the unplanned antagonizing began. "Yeah right, Ash!" he huffed wittily, throwing out a counter argument, making his rival vexed easily. "You couldn't stand two minutes up there without crying for your mommy! I bet that's what your dad did. Prissy rich boy he was-"

"Shut up! That's not true!" Ash exclaimed in irritation, his fists tightly clenched together. This wasn't the first time Gary stung Ash with hurtful words about the astray Mr. Ketchum. And it also wasn't the first time Ash reacted so defensively. "I'm not afraid and neither was my dad! I've climbed plenty of trees before!"

Ash was falling for the trap. And pestering him with harsh words about his absent father was just the topper Gary was looking for. He knew what would send Ash over the edge, and what would motivate him to do the impossible himself.

The brunette simply scoffed at the boy's reaction, placing his hands on his hips with a raised brow. "Yeah, and how many times have you fallen on your face? You're a klutz, Ash!" He then started to strut past Ash, and waved a hand in the air towards the boy as if 'asking him' to stand back. "Leave this to the professionals-"

"No!" he hollered sternly in return. Ash wasn't going to give up that easily. Not this time. "I could do it, Gary."

Ash on the other hand, came from a line of climbers. As much as one would think Delia not to be, she too enjoyed the blast of traveling up trees when she was a child, soaring as high as she could go to see the beautiful sky above. Ash's father also had a love for climbing, though with his parents down his throat constantly, he was never permitted to do it like Delia was allowed. He had to be extra sneaky about it if he wanted to experience such a thrill.

And now Ash was determined to show Gary that the knack for climbing ran through his veins. Unlike him.

Gary abruptly stopped and turned his upper body to look back at Ash. His expression was blank till another smile grew from his lips. Though this one was much more subtle, yet still full of mischievousness. "All right," he started after a pause, closing his eyes then letting them flash open again, "then I dare you to climb all the way up to the most secure branch above!" All four of the boy's heads darted to the leafy branches above, then watched Gary's finger extend as far as it could go, roughly pointing to a particular branch. "Let's say, right around there. Think you can do it? Or are you chicken like your old man?"

Ash bit back the urge to reply, and stood quietly with slight hesitation. It's so tall... he acknowledged, as he tousled the unexpected dare in his mind. And I've never climbed this tree before... But still...

Like your old man. That really struck a chord inside Ash. The negative talk he heard about his father that floated around Pallet like a disease, always made him feel an indescribable pang. He remembered enough about his dad to recall the wonderful qualities that were inside him, and yet- why did Gary, why did townsfolk who hardly knew him had to speak so ill about the man's characteristics? And to be silently named the bad-seed...

Ash wouldn't stand for someone to openly criticize his father, and he certainly didn't want to take the blunt of it all. Maybe the argument of whose dad was a better climber was one of the weakest confrontations the two had fought- but that acknowledgement wasn't enough to steer Ash away. They had too many fights with too many jabs to let this dispute slip on by without settling the score... Gary just had to be proven wrong. He had to. Even if climbing the tree was insignificant and didn't stop his rival from gabbing more crude things about his dad. But it would be enough to keep Gary's mouth shut for a while in regards to Ash. In regards to the endless judging and torment.

Ash's quietness and lowered head left the others waiting anxiously, except for Gary. He was under the impression that Ash was going to choke, having him give the boy another push in motivation. "Hump! I knew it!" he snorted, one last time. "You're just as big of a wuss as your dad-!"

"You're on."

Ash's serious expression almost surprised Gary, but with one more sneer he gestured towards the tree. "Then prove it."

He paused, then answered. "Fine, I will."

He stormed past Gary with determination and strutted up to the base of the tree. He then bent down to tighten the laces of his shoes and to find a good a grip on the bark of the tree. Peter and Tate watched attentively as Ash did this, though fright was beginning to build up in one of the boys.

"I don't think this is a good idea, Ash," Peter suddenly confessed. He out of all the children was the most levelheaded, and as much as preferred to stay out of Ash and Gary's squabbles, this one in particular needed some interference.

Ash glanced over his shoulder and returned his gaze to the concern child with an assuring smile. "I'll be okay, Peter. I've done this hundreds of times. Just give me a boost," he added, gesturing down to his feet.

Not seeing the point in quarreling because of Ash's headstrong nature, Peter weakly caved in and lent his assistance. "Uh, all right. If you say so." Peter eventually looked to Tate and motioned for his help, having them both support a foot of Ash's in his head start up the tree. They produced a quick supportive lift as Ash found security on the tattered bark, slowly moving up with caution. The boys then stepped back and watched with both awe and worry, eventually beginning to see Ash gain strength and confidence in his strides as he moved along.

I'll show him... Ash thought as he felt the sharpness of the bark poke at his bare hands.

"You're doing great, Ash!" Peter encouraged loudly with his hands cuffed around his mouth.

"Keep going!" Tate added, equally as supportive.

The lively boost of words his classmates gave from below, helped quicken Ash's speed. He was almost halfway up to his destination, that is, till a sudden quake struck beneath his body. Ash faltered a little, his footing loosened as he could feel a weak branch snap beneath him. An abrupt gasp leaped from his throat as he felt his feet shift, and the sudden break underneath only furthered his fast paced heartbeat. Ash wasn't sure if this was such an intelligent move after all. But down there... There stood Tate and Peter, and Gary more importantly, and after pursuing to tell the bully that he was capable of achieving the dangerous dare...

Ash didn't want to look like a fool. A big baby (in Gary's own words) who would receive a handful off jabs and jeers and plentiful laughs. It would probably end up topping on Gary's list of: 'Ash's Finest Moments', and the boy didn't want to see that happen. He had to keep soaring, he had to reach the exact branch Gary told him to hook his fingers around for the climb to count.

There was no turning back. It was now or never.

"He's really climbing fast, isn't he?" Peter observed as he used his hand to shield his eyes from the sun's strong rays.

Tate nodded in agreement. "Hmhm!"

Ash was doing well. Very well, it was starting to make Gary look like he was not the child of the great tree climber of Pallet. That little twig that broke underneath Ash's feet wasn't enough to make the boy give up. After taking a moment to glance down at his shoes, and let them glide over to a more sturdy limb, he regained the desire to journey up, only making Gary feel worse. Ash was shockingly doing well, something Gary didn't expect. He thought for sure Ash would become too fearful after his attempt at just grabbing for a branch. But he hadn't. He hadn't quit, and there was no stopping him now. Gary was so confident that Ash was going to show him up, that he felt compelled to just call Ash back down before he-

"I'm slipping!"

The startling unforeseen cry, snapped the boys below out of their state of amazement. Ash had only made it halfway up to where the branch he was supposed to grab hung, when he finally lost his lucky streak. Another thinner branch snapped thanks to the weight of his body, and his hands had difficulty gripping a smoother branch, compared to the rougher ones he grappled below. His heart was racing so fast, he felt panic rise to his head, and scary images flashed through his mind. Never mind that he might not make it to the limb he was supposed to touch, the terrifying thought of loosing what grip he had left was the boy's primary thought. His legs were now dangling all on their own, with no obtainable branch below for Ash's feet to crash upon. Not even a close one beside him, where his arms could stretch out and take hold of. He was hanging there helplessly near the edge of a short limb, trying not to let the worst circumstance cloud his mind, though it was hard not to.

Then to make matters twice as worse and twice as alarming, Ash's left hand was barely clinging on for dear life and soon slipped, having his right hand being the only form of security. He winced in pain and gasped profoundly as he struggled to cling tightly, the pressure in his arm building up with an unbearable strain. He couldn't let go- if he did, he'd feel an even more terrible pain than he already was experiencing. But he couldn't hold on forever, and with the seconds ticking by faster than the speed of a stampeding herd of Tauros, Ash's final bit of strength vanished.

The boy's overly sweaty hand slithered off the uneven bark, and soon gravity took its toll with a loud ear-splitting scream.

Accompanied by a throat tearing gasp, Peter's eyes grew dramatically as he screeched: "Look out!"

Ash was starting to tumble down. Falling pathetically as he tried to fight the air against him.

Tate too let a cry jump out of his throat, feeling himself shake. "Oh, no!"

"He's gonna crash!" Gary suddenly exclaimed, having his head rush in sheer shock and horror.

"We gotta catch, him!" Peter said, jumping into action.

None of them wanted to see Ash plummet to the ground, and none of them wished for the boy to get hurt in the process. In unison the three boys took charge and scurried around the surrounding area in where Ash was determined to land. They were panicking heavily with their arms wide open, hoping to God they'd catch their peer in the nick of time.

Sadly they hadn't.

The fast paced, unpredictable incident finally struck with a hard thud into the grassy plain, and the repercussions began taking effect immediately.

Between the loud slurring cries for help, and exclaims of hysteria and confusion on what to do, shared among Gary and his companions, Ash was beginning to be submersed in a pain he had never experienced before. It was excruciating to say the least; an insufferable strike of discomfort that cruised through his body, though mainly, it all derived from his left arm. Tears started to shed from Ash's blurry eyes with dramatic wails following after. He had landed smack dab on his left arm, and the attempt at moving him only furthered his aching body. He was badly hurt- so hurt he didn't know what to do or think... It was beyond the soreness of a sprained wrist or bruised kneecap, that much Ash knew... Everyone around him was nothing but dark blurs, and the hands that reached for him only seemed to worsen the agony rather than lighten it. Ash couldn't even properly respond when the boys asked him what was severely hurting, and answer when they asked if they should go get his mother.

No- the result of the crash was far too powerful for Ash to even spill out intelligible words. He just wanted that unendurable misery to cease, for them to have never walked by that damn forsaken tree...

Ash just wished he hadn't taken that haunting dare.

TO BE CONTINUED...