He was falling, without hope of wing or prayer that could save him in time.  They were falling, together condemned to smash against the unyielding ground below, which was approaching swiftly, so very swiftly -

A reprieve, of sorts, for himself at least - beneath him he could hear the sickening cracks, accompanied by half-strangled groans of pain.  Even so, he knew a moment of peace: he was safe within those arms.

Relief was as short-lived as a candle flame in a blizzard.

Pain-filled noises were transformed into bellows of outrage as he clung to the warmth of his protector, who moved in sudden strikes, lashing out at those who had surrounded them.  His eyes were closed, preventing him from seeing their faces, but he could sense their presence as they attacked first singly, then in groups...

It was a hopeless battle; his protector would surely succumb to the relentless onslaught facing him -

And so he did.

He cried out as the arms cradling him slackened in their grip, almost dropping him as the heavy body slammed into the rocky earth for a second - and final - time.  The talons of fear embedded themselves deep within his heart, his breath roughening as he fought against their clutch.  Beyond hope, he opened his eyes, gazing for the first time into the face of his death.

Blue eyes stared coldly back at him as one bejeweled hand was raised, pointing at him.

There was no escape.  He could hear the last seconds of his life being counted by death's remorseless clock -

With a muffled cry he snapped fully awake, his body rigid with tension as he concentrated on slowing his breathing to a more sedate pace.  Slowly he uncurled his fingers from his pillow, wincing at the prickly sensation as he moved them, then stretching to get the blood flowing through them once more.

That same nightmare again.

He reached out one hand to switch on the bedside lamp before sitting up and glancing casually around, his actions dictated by an unreasoning fear of what might lie hidden in the shadows of his room.

Nothing.

Finally, he turned his attention to the small alarm clock positioned below the lamp.  It was still early, yes, but there would be other people awake, preparing for the day ahead.  He considered for barely an instant before sliding out of bed and gathering his clothes together.  There was no way he could relax enough to fall asleep again - and no one on staff would turn down an offer of assistance today, of all days.  The afternoon would see the conclusion of this year's tournament, and the closing ceremony seemed to grow more extravagant every year.

Smiling slightly, for he knew well the reason why this was so, he prepared himself to face the day.

The Pokemon Centre at Indigo Plateau was almost empty of both pokemon and trainers, the end of the tournament signaling the start of a most welcome respite for Nurse Joy and her family.  Only two sets of pokemon had not yet been fully restored to health and owners, but that would soon be accomplished.  She smiled at both of the boys waiting patiently in the trainers' lounge as she passed by on her way to check on their pokemon.

"It won't be long now, boys," she promised, receiving a lopsided grin and a slight smile in return.  "And my congratulations to you both for being the League Masters once again!"

"Thanks, Nurse Joy," the black haired boy replied, angling a sly grin across at his companion.  "I decided to be nice and go easy on Gary this time, to let him take the glory for once."

"Feh," Gary snorted, shaking his head even as he smiled.  "More like you're getting lazy, Ash."

"No way!" came the indignant outburst.

"You started it, Ashy-boy," Gary grinned at Ash, who rolled his eyes at the detested nickname.

"At least we didn't knock each other out before the semi-finals this time," Ash commented, relieved, in remembrance of previous years, leaning back in his seat as Nurse Joy disappeared around the corner.

"Mmm.  Means we all get to go out on a high," Gary agreed.  "The Masters League should be good, though.  There are plenty of Masters around who never bothered with the tournaments again after they won.  You're going to have to get used to losing again, oh illustrious Pokemon Master!"

"Oh, please," Ash snickered as Gary mock-bowed towards him.  "I'm not the one who ran away the first time I lost in the League."

"I did not run away!"

"Oh?  Then how come you weren't there for the closing ceremonies that time?"

"I was busy training!"

Ash's grin clearly pronounced his disbelief.

"I was!" Gary muttered emphatically under his breath as he folded his arms across his chest and sunk further into his seat, aiming his glare at the wall near Ash's head.  Ash snorted softly before turning his gaze to the ceiling with a relaxed sigh.  The minutes passed in relative silence once more, the murmur of the crowd assembling in the nearby stadium the only reminder of the outside world.

"Pikapi!"

Ash was out of his seat and on his knees in a flash, laughing as he scooped the small electric pokemon into his arms.  Gary kept one amused eye on the pair as he collected his pokeballs from the ever-smiling Nurse Joy, restoring them to their places on his belt.  After securing his own, he relieved her of the tray with Ash's pokeballs.  She bowed slightly as he thanked her, before leaving the three of them alone together.

"Glad to see you're better, Pikachuu!" Ash ran his fingers gently through its bright yellow fur.

"Chaa!" Pikachuu beamed up at him, very pleased to be healed up once more after the damage Gary's venasaur and gengar had inflicted upon it.

"Good battle, Pikachuu.  No hard feelings?" Gary asked the small pokemon as he passed the pokeball-laden tray to Ash, who started fastening them to his own belt.

"Kachuu," Pikachuu held out one paw, which Gary shook solemnly.  When he released its hand it immediately punched one fist into the air with a loud "Chuu!"

"Yeah, I know," Gary grinned down at it.  "You'll beat me next time, right?"

"Pika chuu!" Pikachuu nodded emphatically before scuttling up to Ash's shoulder, holding onto his head as he stood up.

"Of course we will," Ash added.  "We beat you three years in a row before today!"

"Two years - Richie was the one who beat me four years ago."

"And I beat Richie that time, so it's the same thing!"

"No it's not!"

"Yes it is!"

"Pikaa..."  Pikachuu covered its eyes with one paw, shaking its head in disbelief as the two trainers started pulling faces at one another.

"Oh, for crying out loud!"

"Huh?"  Tongues were quickly retracted as they both turned to the source of the exasperated remark, and blinked at the frown the red-headed young woman directed towards them.  She stood with her hands on her hips just inside the doors of the Pokecentre, her sea-blue eyes delivering a firm rebuke for their actions.

"I can't believe you two!  You're seventeen years old and you're still acting like ten-year-old brats!"

"He started it!"  The dual protestation left them scowling at one another for an instant

"Idiots," Misty sighed, shaking her head much as Pikachuu had.  Two dark-eyed gazes shifted focus onto her, momentarily solemn.  Then the tongues were back out and eyelids pulled down once more - this time in a combination effort aimed at her.  "Why do I even bother?" she groaned.  "Fine.  Be that way - and don't blame me if you miss out on your awards..."

"What do you - " Ash started to ask, only to be interrupted by his companions.

"Pikapi!" Pikachuu urgently pointed in the direction of the stadium as a muffled cheer permeated through the walls of the Pokecentre.

"The closing ceremonies have started!" Gary realised, grabbing Ash by the hand and dragging him past Misty and out the doors at a run.

"They can't start without us!" Ash protested as he stumbled along, doing his best to keep pace with Gary's longer legs and stride while Pikachuu hung on for dear life.  The roar of the crowd was a very vocal contradiction to his statement.

"They already have!"  Gary increased the pace, leaving Ash with no breath to speak as they dashed down the main street and into the tunnel leading to the main arena.  They passed Officer Jenny at the gate with a quick wave and an anxious grin before finally slowing to a walk as they joined up with the last of the trainers entering the arena.

"Where have you been?!" Richie demanded as he waited for them to catch up with him.

"It's Ash's fault," Gary declared, still somewhat short of breath.

"Why is it my fault?!"

"Because I only ever run late when I'm with you."

"Well, at least you're here now," Richie forestalled further dispute by deftly sliding between his friends as they continued on their way to the podium.  Pikachuu bounced down from Ash's head to join Richie's raichu, Sparky.  Gary glanced down at the pair, his hand moving to rest on one particular pokeball at his waist...

"Uh, Gary?" Ash queried, peering around Richie at the pokeball in question.  "Is that really such a good idea?"

"She did win the tournament for me."

"Well yeah, but..."

"I think she deserves to share in the moment," Richie contributed, leaving Ash to shrug.

"I guess so..."

The red and white ball bounced once upon the ground before releasing its inhabitant in a flash of red.  Ash eyed the newly revealed pokemon warily, but his attention was soon drawn along with that of the rest of the trainers and spectators alike to the main stage where the League President had begun his speech.

Skill.  Dedication.  Friendship.

Once again the President spoke words that echoed in the hearts of the trainers assembled before him.  Pikachuu bounded back up to Ash's shoulder to listen while Sparky leaned against Richie's leg, the pokemon as enraptured as the trainers themselves.

"He won't be able to do this next year," Gary murmured softly as he observed the President closely.  The formerly vibrant head of the Pokemon League had grown old in the several years since they had first started competing.  Age was at last winning the battle - while his emotions and intentions remained as strong as ever, his body was faltering as the demands on it gradually increased.  His limbs shook visibly as he began the task of handing out the awards.

"I heard that he'll be retiring after this," Richie spoke quietly.  "They didn't want anyone to know beforehand, though."

"It makes this tournament that much more special," Ash commented, a distant look in his eyes as he remembered the more vigorous man he'd met six years before.  Richie patted him on the shoulder, nodding once before moving forward to accept his prize, Sparky trailing at his heels.  Gary and Ash exchanged sober nods before following him up onto the stage.

"So nice to see you all here again, boys," the President smiled brightly at them all.  "The last time all three of you made the top four must have been, what, three years ago?"

"Four," Richie corrected with a smile.

"We've knocked each other out in the early rounds every other time," Ash added ruefully.

"Ah, yes, I noticed that.  Good battles, though, every one of them!  It's not every year that produces such wonderful young trainers as yourselves," the old man told them.  "You should be very proud of yourselves!"

They murmured thanks, which he acknowledged with a smile before preventing them with their medals.  Bronze for Richie, who had been defeated by Gary in the first semi-final, his place shared with the other defeated semi-finalist, while silver and gold were awarded to Ash and Gary respectively.

"Finally have a matching set, hmm?" Ash grinned at Gary as he stared down at his long-awaited medal.  Gary loftily ignored him, turning his gaze instead to the cheering crowd of spectators, scanning it for familiar faces.

"Ash, Gary, there is one more thing," the League President called for their attention once more as an assistant handed him an envelope.  "I know that both of you have been waiting some time for this," he said happily as he handed the envelope over to Gary.  Ash leaned in close as his companion carefully extracted the letter from its paper sheathe, unfolding it with hands that shook almost as much as the old man's.

"The Pokemon League Council hereby accepts the proposal for a new official League Gym to be located in Pallet Town under the leadership of Ash Ketchum and Gary Oak..."

"All right!" Ash cheered, flinging one arm around Gary's shoulders and clasping Richie's hand with the other in jubilant celebration.  "Thankyou so much!"  Gary stared down at the piece of paper, his slow smile contrasting against Ash's enthusiasm.

"Congratulations, boys," the President shook their hands once more, Richie echoing his words with a joyful grin.

"Sure you don't want to join us," Ash questioned his friend, his expression serious for the moment.

"No," Richie shook his head, blue eyes gently refusing the offer.  "Not right now, anyway."

Ash had barely opened his mouth to reply before being interrupted by an abrupt warning cry from Pikachuu.  The three boys spun in unison towards the direction indicated by the small, yellow paw - and stared in dismay.

Gary's tournament-winning pokemon had seen the light - in the form of the spotlight centred on the main microphone amidst the growing shadows of evening.

"No, wait - " Gary started, but it was too late.

"Jiggly puff, jigglyyyy," the rotund pink pokemon sang - and the closing ceremony came to a rather quiet and sleepy end.

The ruins were not old.  Barely two months had passed all told since the building they had known so well had been ripped apart by the elemental forces of a team of League-backed pokemon.  They had been very thorough in their destructive force, albeit unintentionally.

Intentions.  They didn't matter.  Not when the results were ultimately the same.

He stared down at the rubble, all that he had left of so many years of effort and expense.  For himself, the result was failure.  Project G was lost.  Perhaps it had been taken, but after two months his team had yet to find any sign to indicate Project G's survival.  More likely it had been destroyed along with the rest of the experimental work based in this location.

A total waste.

"Lost something?"

His head jerked around at the unexpected voice intruding into his solitary thoughts, his eyes taking a moment to locate the violet-haired boy perched carelessly on the branch of a nearby tree.  His eyes narrowed as he took in the colouring and figure of the boy, trailing his gaze from the lavender eyes to the dangling legs and back up again.

Familiar, and yet...

"Who are you?" the man snapped guardedly.  "What are you doing here?"

He received naught bar a smirk in return.

"What do you want?" he tried again, involuntarily steeping back a pace as the boy slipped off the branch, landing in a crouch several feet away.  Slowly, he rose to his full height, a good foot shorter than the man, his eyes never leaving the man's as he paced forward to within two steps of him.

"The question is, what do you want?"  The unblinking eyes bore into at him relentlessly, a glint of amusement visible in their depths.

"What do you think I want?" the man breathed icily, refusing to back down another inch to a mere child.

The boy laughed.  "Revenge," he whispered, his pale eyes lighting up as he spoke the word.  "Revenge for your Project G - correct?"  He laughed again as the man could not completely control his expression, shock and anger leaking through his normally impermeable mask.

The man bit back a snarl, glancing around for the team he had brought with him.  They were too far away to be of any assistance.  Useless, as always.

"You'll fail."

The sharpness of the words cut deep into his thoughts once again, and he found himself staring point-blank into deadly lavender eyes.

"You'll fail," the boy repeated, "and when you do, I'll be there.  I'll give you another chance, if you dare to take it."

"What do you mean?" he demanded, violence audible in his tone.

"Sir!"

The shout was the merest flicker of a distraction, but enough for the boy to disappear completely from view.  He continued to scan the area until his employee arrived, snapping to attention as he delivered his report.

"No signs of anything salvageable, sir," he declared succinctly, his voice not fully concealing his fear of reprisal.

"Then carry on as previously planned," the man ordered, glaring at the charred ruins of his buildings.

"Sir," the fear was greater still, yet the employee continued, "it seems a little harsh - "

"Harsh?" he queried in a deceptively soft tone.  "After what they did to me?"  A slight gesture towards the rubble was enough to drain the blood from the employee's face.

"I'll make the arrangements at once, Sir," he managed to say, before heading back to his partner at a pace just short of a run.

His employer remained stationary for some time, staring out into the forest that was slowly taking over what had once been his domain.  Two words echoed in his mind.

You'll fail.