Pokemon Indigo League stories

( I don't have a title name)

" Ash!" Gary cried as he ran to Ash's side and helped him up.

Ash stirred. " Wha.... What happened?*

" You saved the world, buddy."

Ash groaned. " No I didn't. It was all the Pokemon working together. I just watched."

Gary firmly shook his head. " Not true. You jumped in and saved my Umbreon. I owe you."

Ash shot him a weak grin. " I owed you too, so I guess we're equal now."

He tried to stand on his own, but collapsed. Gary quickly supported him before he could fall.

" Come on, buddy. We're gonna visit a place called my lab."

" Hey, Crystal." Gary greeted as he helped Ash into his room.

Crystal waved. " Who's that?"

" Ash. My friend."

Ash managed a weak smile. " Hi, Crystal. Gary told me you have an Ivysaur?"

Crystal nodded. " Yep!*

" Crystal?" Her older sister called. " I need you down here!"

" Gotta go! Nice seeing you!"

" You too!" Ash called

Gary carefully helped Ash into his lab, guiding him through the hallway. Ash was still wobbly on his feet, leaning heavily on Gary for support. His body ached from the earlier battle, but his mind was buzzing with curiosity as they approached a door with a small nameplate that read "Gary Oak - Lab."

"Come on, Ashy Boy," Gary said with a grin, opening the door. "We're almost there."

Ash glanced up at Gary's words. "Hey, don't call me Ashy Boy," he muttered, though the weak smile on his face said he didn't really mind.

The door swung open to reveal a cozy room, reminiscent of Gary's bedroom back home. Ash took in the sight of the shelves lined with research papers, books on Pokémon evolution, and numerous Pokéballs. There were posters of legendary Pokémon on the walls, alongside photos of Gary with various Pokémon. The whole place screamed "Gary," from the organized desk with a few stray notes to the carefully arranged Pokédexes.

Ash looked around, wide-eyed. "This... this looks exactly like your room back home," he said, surprised.

Gary chuckled, nudging him gently toward the bed. "Told you I like to keep things familiar," he said. "Now sit down before you collapse again."

Ash gave a half-hearted protest but allowed Gary to guide him to the bed. He sat down heavily, wincing as his body protested the movement. His muscles were sore from the battle, and he felt a wave of dizziness wash over him.

Gary quickly noticed. "Easy, easy," he said, placing a steadying hand on Ash's shoulder. "Just rest for a minute, okay? I'll get the stuff you need."

Ash nodded, letting out a small groan as he leaned back on the bed. He glanced around, noticing a collection of Pokéballs on the shelf across from him. One in particular caught his eye - a Pokéball with a green leaf sticker on it.

"Is that... Crystal's Ivysaur?" Ash asked, pointing weakly toward the Pokéball.

Gary turned from rummaging through a nearby cabinet. "Yeah, that's it. She's been taking great care of Ivysaur. She's getting good with Pokémon. Reminds me of someone I know," Gary said with a smirk.

Ash grinned. "She seems nice."

"She is," Gary agreed, pulling out a first-aid kit and a small bottle of medicine from the cabinet. "But enough about that. Let's focus on you."

Gary moved to Ash's side, his expression turning serious. He set the first-aid kit down on the bed and opened it, revealing an array of medical supplies-bandages, disinfectant, ointments, and some pain-relief medication. He pulled on a pair of gloves, looking almost professional as he prepared the items.

"Alright, first thing's first," Gary said, examining Ash's bruises. "You've got some nasty bruising from that fall. And your leg looks swollen. Might be a sprain."

Ash groaned. "Great..."

Gary gave him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. I've got everything here to fix you up. Just relax, alright?"

Ash nodded, though relaxing was hard when every movement hurt. He winced as Gary began cleaning a cut on his arm with antiseptic.

"This might sting a bit," Gary warned, dabbing the wound with a cotton swab.

Ash sucked in a sharp breath as the antiseptic touched his skin, the sharp sting cutting through his exhaustion. "Ah, that does sting," he muttered through gritted teeth.

Gary chuckled softly, working quickly and efficiently. "Yeah, but it'll help. Just bear with me for a bit."

Ash watched as Gary worked with calm precision, his hands moving deftly as he cleaned the cuts and applied ointment to the bruises. It reminded Ash of all the times Nurse Joy had patched him up after battles, but somehow, it felt different having Gary doing it. It felt more personal, like Gary wasn't just helping because it was his job, but because he cared.

"Thanks, Gary," Ash said quietly as Gary wrapped a bandage around his wrist.

Gary glanced up, his expression softening. "Hey, don't mention it. You'd do the same for me."

Ash smirked. "Yeah, but you don't usually get knocked out like I do."

Gary chuckled, securing the bandage before moving on to Ash's leg. "True. But someone's gotta keep an eye on you. You're always rushing into danger headfirst."

Ash shrugged. "It's kinda my thing."

Gary shook his head, though there was a hint of fondness in his eyes. "Yeah, I know. But next time, try not to do it alone, alright? You've got friends, Ash. We can help."

Ash smiled, leaning back against the pillows. "I know. But sometimes it's hard not to jump in when I see someone in trouble. Guess I'm just stubborn like that."

Gary finished wrapping Ash's leg and sat back, wiping his hands on a towel. "Yeah, you are. But that's part of what makes you a good Trainer. Just... take care of yourself too, okay?"

Ash nodded, feeling the exhaustion finally catching up to him. "Okay. I'll try."

Gary stood up, packing away the medical supplies. "Good. Now, I want you to rest for a bit. You took a pretty hard hit out there."

Ash yawned, his eyelids growing heavy. "I'll be fine, Gary. Just need a little nap..."

Gary smiled, watching as Ash slowly drifted off to sleep. He sat down at his desk, scribbling a few notes in his notebook, but his eyes kept drifting back to Ash, making sure his friend was comfortable.

As Ash slept peacefully, Gary couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over him. Ash had always been the one jumping into danger, but seeing him so vulnerable reminded Gary just how important their friendship was. No matter how many battles they faced, no matter how many times they argued or competed, they always had each other's backs.

And that, Gary realized, was something worth protecting.