Pokemon Indigo League stories

Ash gets Bullied!

" So......" Gary said as he cut the silence hanging in the air. " What do you want to do?"

Ash sat there, staring at the floor, his expression distant. He didn't reply.

Gary turned to him, concern growing in his chest. "Ash? Hey Ash!"

Still no response. Gary furrowed his brow and walked over to his best friend, shaking his shoulder gently. "Ash?"

When Ash remained silent, Gary crouched down in front of him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Ash, what's going on?"

Suddenly, Ash threw a crumpled letter aside, grabbed Gary’s shoulders, and pulled him in for a hug, sobbing into Gary's long-sleeve purple shirt.

Gary's eyes widened in surprise but he didn’t hesitate. He sat back on his knees, allowing Ash to lean into him. “Easy, Ashy. I’m right here, Ash. I’m right here.”

Ash didn’t respond, his grip tightening on Gary’s shoulders as he tried to stifle his tears.

“Please, Ash, what happened?” Gary asked softly.

Ash shook his head, burying his face deeper into Gary's shirt, his voice muffled. “I… it’s nothing.”

Gary looked directly into Ash’s eyes, searching for the truth. “If it was nothing, we wouldn’t be doing this.”

Ash bit his lip and hiccuped slightly, finally managing to pull back a little. “Gary?”

“Hmm?”

“D... do you think I... I’m a loser?”

Gary blinked in surprise. “No. I don’t.”

“Oh,” Ash said, the weight of his concern slightly lifted, but not entirely.

Gary sighed softly, looking at Ash with a mix of empathy and determination. “Who is it, Ash?”

“Huh?” Ash looked confused.

“Who sent you this letter?” Gary asked, gesturing to the crumpled piece of paper on the ground.

Ash hesitated, glancing at the letter as if it might bite him. “It’s... it’s from a bully,” he admitted quietly.

Gary's eyes narrowed, anger flashing across his face. “That jerk! They won’t get away with this.”

“They’re just words, Gary. It’s okay,” Ash said, shaking his head, trying to brush it off.

“Nope. Not okay,” Gary replied firmly. “Come on, Ketchum. We’re going to my house.”

Ash looked up, surprised. “Your house?”

“Yeah, my grandpa will help us. I can’t just let you deal with this alone,” Gary insisted, already pulling Ash to his feet.

They walked briskly toward the observatory, the weight of Gary's resolve pushing them forward. As they arrived, Gary opened the door and stormed in, dragging Ash along. His Umbreon looked up from its resting spot, raising an eyebrow at their arrival.

“GRANDPA! ASH HAD SOMETHING TO TELL YOU!” Gary bellowed, his frustration bubbling to the surface.

Professor Oak emerged from another room, eyebrows raised in surprise. “What’s going on, Gary?”

Gary didn’t waste a moment. He walked straight to the couch, sat down, and gently pulled Ash into a seated position beside him. “Sit here, Ash,” he said, draping a soft blanket over Ash’s shoulders.

Ash looked confused but complied, sinking into the warmth of the blanket. “Gary...”

“Shh,” Gary said, rubbing Ash’s shoulders soothingly. “Just relax.”

Gary turned to Professor Oak, anger evident in his voice. “Ash got this letter from a bully. They said horrible things about him. I can’t just let this slide!”

Professor Oak looked concerned, his expression softening. “What did it say, Ash?” he asked gently.

Taking a deep breath, Ash finally spoke. “It said I’m a loser and that I’ll never be a great trainer.” His voice was barely above a whisper, and he looked down at the blanket in his lap.

“That’s ridiculous,” Gary snapped, shooting a glare at the floor as if it were to blame. “You’re an amazing trainer, Ash! You’ve battled legends! You’ve saved the world more times than I can count!”

“But...” Ash started, his voice trembling. “What if they’re right?”

“No!” Gary’s voice was firm as he shook his head. “You are not a loser, Ash. You’ve fought through every challenge and come out stronger. That person is just trying to get under your skin.”

Ash glanced at Gary, uncertainty clouding his eyes. “Really?”

“Absolutely!” Gary insisted. “You mean too much to everyone around you for anyone to call you a loser. You have friends who care about you. I care about you. We’ll handle this together.”

Professor Oak stepped closer, placing a reassuring hand on Ash’s shoulder. “Gary’s right. Bullying is never acceptable. It’s important to talk about it and confront those who do it. You’re brave for coming to us, Ash.”

Gary nodded, his expression softening as he continued rubbing Ash’s shoulders. “Yeah, Ashy. We’re going to figure this out. Together.”

A small smile began to form on Ash’s face, his heart warming at the support from his best friend and Professor Oak. “Thanks, guys. I guess I just needed a reminder.”

“Good,” Gary said, finally relaxing as he leaned back against the couch. “Now let’s come up with a plan to confront this bully together. No more freezing up!”

Ash nodded, feeling empowered. “Yeah, let’s do it.”

“Great!” Gary said with a grin. “I’m glad you’re not a potato anymore!”