Pokemon Indigo League Stories Part 2

Ash's check up

Gary adjusted his gloves, the sound of the latex snapping making Ash flinch slightly. He could see Ash's leg bouncing up and down, his foot tapping a frantic rhythm against the floor. His rival—no, his best friend—was usually so full of confidence, but right now, he looked like a scared kid.

Gary sighed, stepping closer and placing a firm yet gentle hand on Ash's trembling one. "Hey," Gary said, his voice softening. "You're gonna be okay. It's me, Ashy-boy. I’m not here to hurt you. You trust me, don’t you?"

Ash swallowed hard, his eyes darting nervously between Gary's face and the tools on the counter. "I-I know," he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. "I just... I don’t like check-ups, okay?"

Gary smirked but didn’t tease him this time. He remembered the time when they were just four years old, and Ash had thrown an absolute fit during a doctor’s visit. Gary had been there, holding his hand the entire time, trying to keep him calm. Of course, it hadn’t worked—Ash ended up bolting out of the room, screaming like he was being attacked.

"Look, buddy," Gary said, crouching slightly to meet Ash’s eye level. "I know you hate this stuff. I was there, remember? But this isn’t some scary doctor with a syringe. It’s just me. We’ll go step by step, okay? If it gets too much, we stop."

Ash hesitated, his fingers clenching the edge of the examination table. Gary’s hand on his was grounding, but his heart was still racing so fast he could feel it pounding in his ears.

Gary took a step back and grabbed a small flashlight from the counter. "Alright, let’s start easy," he said, clicking it on. The light created a soft beam that Gary waved in front of Ash’s face. "Follow the light, Ashy. Just move your eyes, not your head."

Ash’s breathing hitched, but he nodded slightly, his dark brown eyes shifting to follow the movement of the flashlight. Back and forth, up and down—Gary moved it slowly, watching Ash’s pupils contract and dilate.

"You’re doing good, Ashy-boy," Gary said with a small grin. "See? Nothing scary about this, right?"

Ash gave a half-hearted chuckle. "Y-Yeah... not yet, anyway."

Gary chuckled, clicking off the flashlight. "Next up, ears." He grabbed an otoscope and tilted Ash’s head slightly. Ash stiffened, but Gary gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Relax, Ash. Just checking to make sure nothing’s living in there."

"Not funny, Gary," Ash muttered, though his lips twitched in a faint smile.

Gary peered into Ash’s ear, nodding in approval. "Looks good. Let’s see the other side." He gently tilted Ash’s head the other way, repeating the process. "All clear. You’ve been cleaning them, huh? Didn’t expect that."

Ash rolled his eyes, a bit of his usual sass returning. "I’m not a total slob, you know."

Gary grinned, putting the otoscope away. "Sure, sure. Now, say ‘ah,’ Ashy-boy."

Ash blinked, his cheeks flushing slightly. "W-What?"

Gary grabbed a tongue depressor, smirking as he held it up. "Open wide. I need to check your throat."

Reluctantly, Ash opened his mouth, sticking his tongue out slightly. Gary chuckled. "Bigger, Ash. I know you can do better than that."

Grumbling under his breath, Ash complied. Gary gently pressed the depressor down, peering into Ash’s throat. "Looks fine," he said after a moment, tossing the depressor into the bin. "Now, the fun part."

Ash froze. "W-What do you mean ‘fun part’? What are you gonna do?"

Gary smirked, pulling the stethoscope from around his neck. "Relax, Ashy. I’m just going to listen to your heart. Shirt up."

Ash hesitated, crossing his arms over his chest. "D-Do I have to?"

Gary raised an eyebrow. "Ash, come on. You’ve got nothing I haven’t seen before."

Grumbling, Ash reluctantly pulled off his jacket and lifted shirt, exposing his chest. Gary placed the stethoscope’s cold metal diaphragm against his skin, making Ash flinch.

"Cold, huh?" Gary teased, pressing it gently. "Deep breaths for me, buddy. In... and out."

Ash complied, his chest rising and falling as Gary listened intently. His heart was racing—too fast, even for someone as nervous as Ash.

Gary frowned slightly, moving the stethoscope to different areas. "Your heart’s beating like a Rapidash in a race," he muttered. "Are you feeling okay?"

Ash nodded quickly. "Y-Yeah. Just... nervous, I guess."

Gary pulled the stethoscope away, his expression serious. "We’ll check your blood pressure next, just to be safe."

Ash’s eyes widened. "D-Do we have to?"

"Yes, Ashy. Now sit still," Gary said, wrapping the cuff around Ash’s arm. He pumped it up, watching the gauge. His frown deepened.

"Uh, Ash?" Gary said, removing the cuff. "Your blood pressure’s through the roof—like, really high."

Ash’s eyes widened in panic. "W-What? Is that bad? Am I dying?"

Gary placed both hands firmly on Ash’s shoulders, forcing him to look into his eyes. "Calm down, Ash. You’re not dying. It’s probably just from all the stress. But you need to chill out, okay?"

Ash nodded shakily, hugging his arms around himself. Gary sighed and sat down on the stool in front of him. "Listen, Ashy-boy. I’m here to help you, not hurt you. You’ll be fine, I promise."

Ash took a deep breath, his leg still bouncing nervously. "Thanks, Gary," he muttered. "I guess I just... freak out sometimes."

Gary smiled, ruffling Ash’s hair. "That’s what I’m here for, buddy. Now, let’s finish this up."