Pokemon Indigo League stories

Seasonal Allergies!

" Achoo!" Ash sneezed. " Achoo! Achoo!"

Ash rubbed his eye and let out a sigh, but it was followed by two more sneezes. 

Gary, who was setting a box down, raised a brow as he turned to his friend. " Hey Ash. You okay?"

Ash set the box he was carrying down and leaned on the wall. " Yea-"

" ACHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Gary gently took Ash's arm. " Come on, Ashy. Let's go to my room."

Ash rubbed his eye. " W... why?"

" Because I'm gonna see why you're all sneezy."

" I- ACHOOOOOOO!"

Gary grimaced. " And we might have to figure out fast because if this keeps up you're gonna get weak!"



" Take a deep breath, Ashy. In and out." Gary guided as he moved the stethoscope.

Ash took a deep breath, but it was interrupted with a rude sneeze.

" ACHOOOOOOOOO!"

Gary switched a flashlight on and held a tongue depresser out. " Open wide, Ash."

Ash opened wide and sniffed a little as Gary checked his mouth.

" Hmm......" Gary mused as he removed the wooden stick. " Your throat's irritated, but not red."

He looked at his medical records. " I wond-"

He stopped when he heard muffled sneezes.

Ash was trying his level best to try and keep the sneezes as discreet as possible, but that was impossible. With a fond sigh, Gary handed Ash a tissue from his bedside. " Easy, Ash."

Ash blew his nose. " S... Sorry."

Gary sighed. " It's okay, Ash. It's okay."

He held a thermometer up. " Here, put this in your mouth and under your tongue."

Ash obeyed and Gary helped him stick it under his tongue as Gary placed a cool cloth on Ash's head.

" Now, lie down." Gary advised. " I have to do something."

Ash watched as Gar went to the bathroom and came out, adjusting gloves on his hand.

Before Ash could ask, the thermometer beeped. Gary pulled it out and read the numbers.

' 93. 34...... That's good." He muttered.

Then he turned to Ash. " Okay Ashy lift your shirt."

Ash widened his eyes slightly.

Gary noticed and smirked. " Don't worry Ashy.  I just want to palpate it."

" W... What does that mean? Is it a new Pokemon?"

Gary chuckled, shaking his head. "No, Ash. It's not a new Pokémon. Palpation is just a fancy way of saying I’m going to check your abdomen to make sure everything feels normal."

Ash blinked, still a bit wary. "So, like, you’re gonna poke my stomach?"

"Exactly," Gary confirmed, moving closer. "Just relax. If anything feels off, I'll know."

Ash hesitated for a moment before lifting his shirt, exposing his stomach. He looked a bit sheepish, glancing up at Gary. "You’re not going to poke too hard, right?"

"Just a gentle touch, I promise," Gary assured him. "Now, take a deep breath."

As Ash inhaled, Gary pressed his fingers lightly on different parts of Ash’s abdomen, gauging the firmness and sensitivity. Ash squirmed a bit but tried to stay still.

"Anything hurt?" Gary asked, observing Ash's reactions.

"N-no, it feels fine," Ash replied, a little unsure.

"Good," Gary said, pulling his hands back. "That’s a relief. You might just have a cold or seasonal allergies. You should be able to recover quickly."

"Wait, allergies? Like when my nose gets all stuffy?" Ash asked, rubbing his nose with the tissue.

"Exactly," Gary nodded. "You’ve been sneezing a lot. It could just be something in the air or maybe something you ate."

Ash grimaced. "So, I’m not actually sick? Just... allergic?"

"Right," Gary confirmed, pulling out a notebook. "But we should probably keep track of your symptoms. I’ll write down when you sneeze, cough, or feel any other weird sensations. Sound good?"

Ash nodded, relieved. "Yeah, that sounds good. At least I’m not dying."

Gary laughed. "You’re not dying, just a bit sneezy." He glanced at the clock. "How about I get you some herbal tea to help soothe your throat? It’ll be good for you."

Ash grinned. "Can you add honey? I love honey!"

"Of course," Gary replied, heading toward the kitchen. "But first, try to keep those sneezes at bay. You’re sounding like a herd of Jigglypuff over here."

"Hey!" Ash exclaimed, giving Gary a playful shove as he made his way to the kitchen.

A moment later, Ash sneezed again, followed by a dramatic “ACHOO!” that echoed through the room.

Gary poked his head back in, shaking his head with an amused grin. "Just admit it, Ashy. You're a walking Pokémon soundboard."

"Very funny, Gary," Ash retorted, trying to suppress a grin.

As Gary started boiling water for the tea, he called out, “You might want to keep a tissue handy, Ash. Just in case.”

"Yeah, yeah," Ash mumbled, rolling his eyes but smiling as he grabbed another tissue. He settled back on the bed, feeling grateful for his friend’s care, even if it came with some playful teasing.

A few moments later, Gary returned with a steaming cup of tea. “Here you go! One honey-infused herbal tea, just for you.”

Ash took the cup, the warmth comforting. “Thanks, Gary. You’re the best.”

“Just doing my job,” Gary replied, leaning back against the wall. “Now drink that, and let’s see if you can keep those sneezes under control while I keep an eye on you.”

“Deal,” Ash said, taking a sip of the tea. The sweet, warm liquid felt good against his sore throat. “And if I do sneeze again, at least it’ll be with style, right?”

Gary chuckled, shaking his head. “Only you, Ash. Only you.”