+Max’s point of view+

I had come to the Sinnoh region to find Ash and show him my first pokemon. When I found him, he was a mess. Apparently training didn’t go as planned. My guess was Team Rocket and I was right. When don’t they ever leave him alone?

Anyways, one night while I was trying to get Ash’s attention, I stumbled upon his journal. I knew that it was immediately because I remembered Ash constantly writing in it before he went to sleep at night. I must have had my sister’s curiosity ‘cause I opened the forbidden book.

He was a mistake? A horrid and useless mistake? His father? Ash never spoke of his father before…at least not to our faces. But what made his father think that he was a horrid and useless mistake? I mean, I could understand his reasoning for the battles. A broken heart on that level could cause one’s entire life to end. But I couldn’t understand that part about his father.

“Max? You in there?” I heard Ash’s voice ask.

“Uh, yeah!” I called back, throwing the book underneath the bed.

“Brock said you wanted to talk with me,” he said, walking into the room.

“Oh yeah. I wanted to show you my pokemon and ask for that battle you promised me.” I said, trying to sound excited.

“Oh. Sure Max. After dinner, k?” Ash chuckled.

Ash pointed to the door.

“Speaking of dinner, Brock’s nearly got dinner ready. He actually convinced Nurse Joy to let him cook in the kitchen,” Ash laughed.

“YAY!!!” I shouted for joy.

I ran past Ash quickly in hopes that he wouldn’t see the worried look on my face. The last thing I wanted was to get Ash anymore upset than what he seemed to be from the writing.

After dinner, Brock’s best cooking might I add, Ash literally dragged me outside for the battle. The way he acted I would never be able to tell that he was the one that wrote in that journal.

“Call you battle, Max!” Ash exclaimed.

“3-3!” I answered back.

“Fun,” Ash smirked.

I must admit Ash seemed different in battle but Ash never did follow a normal strategy pattern. Still I never stood a chance. My pokemon couldn’t even get his to break a sweat. It seemed a little unfair. Then again, I had just started on my journey and I wasn’t a true trainer. I was a pokemon watcher and he was the high ranking trainer.

“Good choice in pokemon, Max,” he complemented, “Your Ralts against my Chimcar, Machop against Pikachu, and your Mudkip against my Buizel. You’ll be a great strategist.”

“Thanks Ash,” I laughed as he rubbed my hair, making it a worse mess, “But you know that I’m a pokemon watcher.”

“Yeah but that don’t mean that you can’t be a great strategist!” Ash laughed.

“Don’t listen to him, kid,” A cold voice sounded.

Ash immediately stiffened and scowled.

“What do you want Paul?” Ash basically growled.

“Nothing. Just passing by when I heard your pathetic battle,” the man said coldly. He then turned to me, “Why do you even bother trying to encourage such a weakling?”

“What you say ‘bout him?!” Ash snapped, voice filled with actual anger.

I was stunned. Yeah, I had heard Ash mad but he never had truly been angry at someone.

“Oh that’s right. You like working with weaklings, trying to prove that their worth something in the world,” Paul laughed.

Ash clenched his hand. It looked like he wanted to murder this Paul. What was going on? This wasn’t the Ash I knew.

“Let me guess. You want to battle to prove me wrong, right?” Paul stated.

“N-No. I’m not gonna battle you right now. But someday,” Ash paused, anger still rising, “SOMEDAY PAUL I’M GOING TO DEFEAT YOU AND WIPE THAT HORRID EGO OFF THE FACE OF THE PLANET!!!!!!!!”

I fell backwards, shocked at the level of anger that Ash was emitting. I watched as Ash stomped off to the bedroom, most likely to write and relieve his anger. I gulped. This was not happening.

“Max?” I heard a familiar voice.

I turned to see Misty and May standing in front of me. Walking up behind them was Tracy. I was so relieved to see my sister for once in my life. I quickly ran to her and wrapped my arms around her.

“Misty…” Brock’s voice sounded. He paused for a split second, “Ash really needs you to start traveling with him again.”