Journey Of The Chosen One

Chapter 3

It was the next morning. Ash's eyes fluttered open to a bright room, bandaged up. Suddenly a wave of panic washed over him:

'Wait, where am I? Where's Gary and Anahita?!' He thought as his eye frantically dashed around the room.

The raven-haired boy jumped at a person entering the room. The person was nurse Joy with her signature pink hair and her Chansey.

As soon as Chansey stepped into the room, its aura spread and Ash soon calmed down. Nurse Joy stepped forward and said:

"Hello young man, I am nurse Joy. Yesterday, you and a boy with brown hair came into my Pokemon center injured. The brown-haired boy said Spearows attacked you. Care to tell me what you did to aggravate that flock of Spearows?"

"Hi nurse Joy, my name is Ash Red Ketchum. I don't know the reason why that flock decided to attack us. Also, are Anahita and Gary alright?" He said quickly, worried about his friends.

"Assuming that Anahita is your Dratini and Gary, the brown-haired boy, yes they're fine. They have a lot of bruises and scratches but nothing permanent. They'll all heal in due time. Honestly, I'm quite impressed that you've managed to lose a flock of Spearows but that isn't the reason I came here for." Her voice got serious. "When I was doing your full body check-up, I found some injuries that weren't from the Spearows."

"What do you mean?" Ash tried to play dumb.

"I mean those scars, whip lashes, cuts, burn marks and those dark bruises on your wrists and ankles Mr. Ketchum."

Ash looked horrified and nervous as he tried to come up with an excuse.

"Um...uh.... I fell?" He said but it came out more as a question.

Nurse Joy wasn't buying it. She sighed and softly said to try and coax Ash into telling her:

"Ash, please, I only want to help you. We can turn in the person or people that hurt you and they'll get what they deserve."

"No! We can't put my mother in prison!" Ash yelled startling the nurse. Her face then morphed into one of shock.

'Shit...' he thought.

"Your mother did that to you!? What kind of mother is she? A mother is supposed to care for their children! How dare she!" Nurse Joy rambled off outraged at Ash's treatment.

"Please! Do not turn her in! I'll do anything you want! Just don't report her!" Ash begged, sounding desperate.

"Why would you save the person who hurt you?" She asked, calming down.

"She wasn't always like this. She was just another victim who didn't know how to let out her emotions properly. I think that everyone deserves a second chance, even criminals." He explained weakly, his eyes blurry from unshed tears.

The nurse's eyes softened more. "That's quite a humble opinion. Alright fine, I won't. But she's on thin ice. If your mother steps out of line even just a little, she will be arrested. No children, or anyone, should experience what you went through."

"Okay, thank you..." Ash sighed in relief and gave nurse Joy the cutest smile she had ever seen. Its brightness was equal to that of the sun. She suddenly had the urge to keep him all to herself.

The nurse then proceeded to treat a few infections and did another check-up to make sure that she didn't miss an injury. Seeing that his injuries were all treated, she let Ash go.

Stepping out of the room, he was greeted by a fully healed Anahita slithering up his body, around his neck and a bruised Gary.

"Hey Ashy, are you alright? I overheard your conversation with nurse Joy."

"I'm fine Gare-bear, don't worry." Ash gave giving him his cute and bright smile.

Gary blushed and sputtered. "Hey! What's with the nickname!"

"Since you call me 'Ashy' or 'Ashy-boy', it's long overdue." Ash laughed.

Tini~ Dratini nuzzled his face.

"Hey girl, how are you?"

Ni~

"So Ashy, what's our plan for today? The day is still young."

"Mm well, I would like to go to the Pokemart. I need to buy some supplies that weren't available in Pallet, more bandages and some canned ingredients for the road."

"Pokemart it is!"

When they were at the market, they separated ways to shop for different supplies. When Ash was shopping in the back of the store, he bumped into someone and Ash tumbled onto the ground, dropping his stuff in the process.

He stood up and bowed apologetically. "Ohmyarceusi'msosorrytohavebumperintoyou. It'llneverhappenagain,Iswear." The pre-teen apologized.

"Woah, calm down boy. It's alright." A deep voice said.

Ash looked up to see a strong-looking man with black hair and eyes. That man was the Viridian gym leader Giovanni.

Ash's eye widened. He ran into Giovanni of all people! He then started to fanboy.

"Dear Arceus! You're Giovanni, the ground-type gym leader and also the strongest gym leader! I'm a huge fan. How do you train your Pokemons? They're very strong!---"

"--d, --iD, KID!"

Ash snapped back from his fanboying. He blushed furiously.

"I'm so sorry! I must have asked you! I will no longer bother you!" The kid said quickly before turning around to run in the opposite direction.

Before he could run, however, Giovanni grabbed his shoulder. "Kid, it's fine. Don't stress over it. What's your name kid?"

Ash, still blushing replied:

"My name is Ash Ketchum Sir Giovanni."

"Ash huh."

The man looked into Ash's eyes, making him shift uncomfortably, before explaining:

"I like ya kid! You weren't intimidated by me, which most people are. You have a backbone don't you?"

Before Ash could react he continued:

"I'm a bit on a tight schedule today so I can't answer any of your questions right now but here's my number. See you around!"

He left him standing there in shock before Gary joined him.

"What's wrong Ashy? You seem bothered."

"Gary you won't believe what happened."

"Try me." Gary challenged.

"I got Gym leader Giovanni's number.

"..."

"..."

"WHAT!"