Pokemon Indigo League Stories Part 2

Ash's check up

Gary stood there, smirking like the confident rival Ash always knew him to be. But beneath the teasing smile, there was something more—an undercurrent of concern that Gary didn’t usually show.

Ash, however, was too far gone in his nervous spiral to notice. His leg bounced uncontrollably, his fingers gripping the edge of the examination table like his life depended on it. His heart was racing so fast it felt like it might burst out of his chest. The sterile smell of the room and the sharp glint of the medical tools on the counter didn’t help.

"Gary, I…" Ash started, fumbling over his words. "I don’t like this. I don’t like any of this."

Gary sighed and stepped closer, placing a hand on Ash’s trembling knee to still it. "Ashy-boy, you’ve gotta calm down. It’s just me. Nothing bad’s gonna happen. You trust me, right?"

Ash hesitated, biting his lip. Did he trust Gary? He wanted to, but the anxiety was making everything foggy. His heart thudded painfully in his chest. Gary noticed Ash’s hesitation and frowned slightly before grabbing a rolling stool and sitting directly in front of him.

"Hey," Gary said gently, placing a hand on top of Ash’s shaking ones. "You’re gonna be okay. It’s me, Ash. Just me. Remember when we were four, and I went with you to your check-up? I didn’t let them stick you with that needle alone, did I?"

Ash blinked, his gaze snapping to Gary’s face. The memory trickled in—the way Gary had stood next to him back then, holding his hand and glaring at the nurse when Ash started crying. Ash had clung to Gary like a lifeline that day.

Gary smiled softly, clearly remembering the same thing. "See? I got you, buddy. I’m not gonna let anything bad happen to you. Promise."

Ash exhaled shakily, his muscles relaxing just a fraction. Gary squeezed his hands once before letting go and pulling on a pair of gloves with a snap. "Alright, let’s get started. First things first, I’m gonna check your eyes. Sit up straight for me, okay?"

Ash nodded reluctantly, his body stiff as he straightened his posture. Gary pulled a small flashlight from his pocket and clicked it on. He leaned in closer, holding Ash’s chin lightly to steady him.

"Follow the light, Ashy," Gary instructed, waving the flashlight back and forth in front of Ash’s eyes. "Don’t move your head, just your eyes."

Ash did as he was told, his pupils darting back and forth in time with the light. Gary hummed thoughtfully before clicking off the flashlight and stepping back. "Eyes look good. Now let’s check your ears."

Ash flinched slightly as Gary grabbed an otoscope. "Relax, Ashy-boy," Gary said, his tone teasing but still gentle. "This won’t hurt."

He tilted Ash’s head to the side and carefully examined one ear, then the other. "Clean as a whistle," Gary announced, stepping back. "Alright, open wide and say ‘ah.’"

Ash hesitated but eventually complied, opening his mouth as Gary used a tongue depressor to check his throat. "Looks good. No Pikachu fur stuck in there or anything."

Ash rolled his eyes, a small smile tugging at his lips despite himself. Gary grinned. "There’s the Ash I know. Now, let’s check that heart of yours."

Gary pulled the stethoscope from around his neck and placed the earpieces in his ears. He pressed the cold metal of the chest piece against Ash’s chest, making him flinch. "Sorry, buddy," Gary said, adjusting the stethoscope. "Take a deep breath for me."

Ash inhaled shakily, his chest rising and falling under Gary’s watchful gaze. The rapid thudding of Ash’s heart echoed through the stethoscope, and Gary frowned slightly. He moved the stethoscope to different spots, listening intently. "Your heart’s racing like crazy, Ashy. You nervous or something?"

Ash glared weakly at him. "What do you think?"

Gary chuckled, his eyes softening. "Alright, let’s check your blood pressure next."

He grabbed the cuff and wrapped it around Ash’s arm. Ash winced as Gary pumped it up, the pressure making him even more uncomfortable. Gary watched the monitor closely, his frown deepening as the numbers climbed.

"Uh, Ash…" Gary said, his voice unusually serious. "Your blood pressure’s really high. Like, really high."

Ash swallowed hard, his anxiety spiking again. "Is that bad?"

Gary quickly deflated the cuff and placed a reassuring hand on Ash’s shoulder. "It’s probably just because you’re nervous. We’ll check it again in a bit, okay? But for now, let’s keep going."

Ash nodded reluctantly, his leg bouncing again. Gary sighed and sat down behind him on the table, wrapping his arms around Ash’s trembling form.

"Hey," Gary said softly, his voice right next to Ash’s ear. "Breathe with me, Ashy. In… and out. You’re okay. I’m here."

Ash hesitated, but eventually, he leaned against Gary, letting his best friend’s steady presence ground him. His breaths slowed, and his heart rate began to even out. For the first time since entering the room, Ash felt like he might actually survive this check-up.