Pokemon Indigo League Stories Part 2

Ash's check up

Ash’s hands shook as he fumbled with the clipboard, his mind racing. Every little sound in the room seemed to echo—his foot tapping nervously, the crinkling of paper, the hum of the fluorescent lights. He kept glancing at the door, his heart hammering. What if something went wrong? What if Gary—

“Ashy-boy, you’re looking a little green around the gills,” Gary teased, leaning against the doorframe with his usual smug grin.

Ash managed a half-hearted chuckle. "I’m fine, just… just a little... y’know, nervous."

Gary’s smirk only widened as he stepped closer, his hands casually slipping into his lab coat pockets. "Nervous? Come on, Ash. You’ve been through a million battles. A little check-up shouldn’t make you this jittery."

Ash swallowed hard, his hands trembling slightly as he set the clipboard down. “Yeah, but, uh... check-ups are different, Gary. They’re… they’re not battles.”

Gary raised an eyebrow, his smirk softening just a little as he saw the tension in Ash’s posture. "Well, buddy, I’ve been through this with you before. Remember when we were four and I helped you get through your first check-up? It didn’t go so well, but look at us now."

Ash stiffened, his thoughts drifting back to that long-ago memory. He remembered how much he had hated it, how his legs had shaken under him, how he had nearly cried when the doctor had stuck a needle in his arm. Gary had been there, though, right beside him, trying to make him laugh, distract him from the fear. But it hadn’t worked. It never worked. He had hated it then, and he hated it now.

“Ash,” Gary said, his voice a little softer now, “hey.” He placed a hand on Ash’s trembling one, his fingers warm and steady against Ash’s nervousness. “You’re gonna be okay. It’s me, Ashy. Nothing to be scared of.”

Ash’s breath hitched in his throat as Gary’s words seemed to sink into him. His heart was still racing, his chest tight. His leg bounced up and down uncontrollably. He forced a weak smile, trying to look brave. "Yeah… okay, Gary. Just… just get it over with, I guess."

Gary nodded, pulling up a stool and sitting down in front of Ash, who was still staring at the floor. "Alright, let’s get started. Eyes first."

Ash froze. His mind went blank as Gary grabbed a flashlight, his fingers expertly pulling a pair of gloves on. "Look at me, Ash," Gary said gently, lifting Ash’s chin with one hand. "Just follow the light, okay?"

Ash stared at the light as Gary waved it in front of his face, trying his best to follow its movement with his eyes. It was harder than he expected; his eyes kept darting nervously back and forth, his heart hammering against his chest.

“Good. Now, let’s see those reflexes,” Gary said with a playful smirk as he grabbed the reflex hammer from the counter.

Ash flinched at the sound of the hammer tapping against the metal. "W-wait, reflexes?" His voice cracked, nerves overtaking him.

“Relax, Ashy-boy,” Gary said, tapping his knee with the hammer. "It’s not going to bite."

Ash’s leg jumped at the light tap, but it was more out of surprise than anything else. Gary smiled, marking something down on his clipboard. “Reflexes are good, just as I expected."

"Great," Ash muttered, trying to steady his breathing.

"Now, let’s check your ears." Gary lifted one of Ash's hands to guide him to the otoscope, checking his ears for any sign of infection or irritation. Ash could feel the tension creeping back into his shoulders, his chest tightening with every movement Gary made.

Gary paused, glancing at Ash. "You okay?"

Ash nodded quickly. "Yeah, yeah. Just… just checking my ears. No big deal."

Gary raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that? You look like you might pass out."

Ash’s mouth went dry. He didn’t want to seem weak in front of Gary, didn’t want to show just how much he hated all of this. But the truth was, every second that ticked by felt like an eternity. His heart was pounding in his chest, faster than it should. His hands were still shaking, and his legs were bouncing uncontrollably.

"Okay, next up, we’ll check your blood pressure," Gary said as he pulled out the blood pressure cuff and wrapped it around Ash’s arm. The pressure felt tight around Ash’s skin, but that wasn’t what worried him.

What worried him was the steady rhythm of his own heart, thudding louder in his ears with every passing second.

Gary pumped the cuff, his eyes narrowing slightly. Ash’s heart rate spiked, and he could feel it in his chest. The beeping sound of the cuff’s gauge grew louder, and Gary glanced up at Ash, his expression changing from teasing to concerned.

"Buddy… you’re, uh… you’re a little high here."

Ash’s eyes widened. "What? High? High how?"

Gary didn’t sugarcoat it. "Your blood pressure’s through the roof, Ash. I’m talking the 400s here."

Ash’s breath hitched. “The 400s?!” His voice cracked with panic, but Gary quickly placed a calming hand on his shoulder.

“Hey, hey, calm down, Ash. You’re stressing yourself out too much. Let me help you."

Gary leaned forward, his hands gently pressing on Ash’s shoulders. "It’s okay. Breathe with me, alright?"

Ash swallowed hard, his heart still pounding in his chest. He felt like he was suffocating, but Gary’s steady presence was like an anchor. He could hear Gary’s voice soothing him, his gentle, low words cutting through the haze of panic.

"Just breathe, buddy," Gary murmured, his voice like a lifeline. "In and out. Slow and steady. You’ve got this."

Gary moved behind him, wrapping his arms around Ash’s shoulders, pulling him back against his chest in a protective embrace. "I’ve got you, Ashy. You’re not alone. I’m here."

Ash hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do, but then he let out a shaky breath, his body relaxing ever so slightly. He didn’t know why, but something about the way Gary held him made the world feel just a little bit less scary.

"Thanks, Gary," Ash muttered, his voice soft and vulnerable.

Gary squeezed him tighter, his grip reassuring. "Anytime, Ash. Now, let’s get this check-up done, K?"

Ash nodded, still trembling but feeling a little safer. He knew Gary wasn’t going to hurt him. He wasn’t alone. And with that knowledge, he took a deep breath, ready to face whatever came next.