Pokemon Indigo League Stories Part 2

Ash's check up

Gary closed the door gently behind him, his eyes immediately landing on Ash, who was fidgeting nervously on the examination table. His leg was bouncing up and down so fast it was like a motor, and his hands were gripping the edge of the table tightly. The usual cocky, overconfident Ash was nowhere to be found. Instead, Gary was looking at someone on the verge of a full-blown meltdown.

“Okay, Ashy-boy,” Gary said, grabbing a clipboard from the counter. “Let’s get started. First question: how many jelly donuts did you eat last week?”

Ash blinked, startled by the unexpected question. “Huh?”

Gary smirked and leaned casually against the counter, crossing his arms. “Relax, buddy. I’m just messing with you. Seriously, though, let’s get through this. You’ve survived battles with Team Rocket. A check-up isn’t going to kill you.”

Ash forced a weak laugh, but his heart was pounding in his chest like a herd of stampeding Tauros. “Y-Yeah… right…”

Gary noticed the way Ash’s fingers were trembling slightly, and he sighed. He set the clipboard down and walked over to his friend, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. “Hey,” Gary said softly. “You’re gonna be okay. It’s me, Ashy. You trust me, don’t you?”

Ash swallowed hard, his gaze darting to Gary’s hand on his shoulder. He nodded slightly but didn’t say anything. His breathing was shallow, and Gary could feel the tension radiating off of him.

“Alright,” Gary said, pulling up a stool to sit in front of Ash. “We’ll take this one step at a time, okay? Let’s start with something easy. Eyes first.”

Gary pulled on a pair of gloves, snapping them into place. “Okay, buddy. Look straight ahead.” He took out a small flashlight and held it up. “I’m gonna shine this in your eyes. Just follow the light.”

Ash’s hands were clenched tightly in his lap as he nodded, his entire body tense. Gary waved the light gently back and forth, his sharp eyes focused on Ash’s pupils. “Good. That’s it. Keep following it.”

Ash flinched slightly when Gary used his thumb to gently pull his eyelid up for a better look. “Easy, Ashy. I’m not gonna poke your eye out,” Gary teased lightly, trying to ease the tension.

Ash let out a shaky laugh, his nerves still evident. “I-I know…”

Gary finished with the eyes and set the flashlight down. “See? That wasn’t so bad. Next up—ears.” He grabbed the otoscope and leaned closer to Ash, who visibly tensed. “Relax, buddy. I’m just checking for Pikachu fur in there,” Gary joked.

Ash managed a faint smile but flinched slightly as Gary examined his ears. “Still with me, Ashy?”

“Y-Yeah…”

“Good. Alright, now open wide and say ‘ah.’”

Ash hesitated but eventually opened his mouth, and Gary inspected it quickly before moving on. “Alright, heart time. Deep breaths, buddy.”

Gary placed the cold stethoscope against Ash’s chest, causing him to jump slightly. “Whoa, sorry. Forgot to warm it up,” Gary said with a sheepish grin. “Okay, breathe in… and out.”

Ash’s breathing was rapid and shallow, and Gary frowned. “Ashy… you gotta calm down. Your heart’s racing faster than a Rapidash.”

Ash mumbled something incoherent, and Gary sighed. He set the stethoscope down and sat next to Ash on the table, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. “Hey, look at me,” Gary said softly. Ash reluctantly lifted his gaze, his brown eyes wide and glassy.

“You’re fine, okay? Nothing’s gonna happen to you. It’s just me. Your best friend. You’ve got this, Ashy.”

Ash nodded slightly, but his hands were still trembling. Gary squeezed his shoulder gently before standing. “Alright, last thing—blood pressure.”

As Gary turned to grab the cuff, he heard a small sniffle. When he turned back, Ash was curled up on the table, his knees pulled to his chest, face buried in his arms. Gary immediately noticed the telltale glint of something wet on the paper lining the table.

“Oh, Ash…” Gary said softly, walking back over. He crouched down in front of his friend, placing a hand on his knee. “Buddy… you’re okay. Talk to me.”

“I-I don’t like this,” Ash mumbled, his voice muffled by his arms.

“I know, Ashy,” Gary said gently. “But you’re almost done. Just one more thing, and then we can get out of here, okay?”

Ash hesitated before slowly uncurling, his face flushed and his eyes watery. Gary gave him a reassuring smile. “There’s the Ash I know. Come on, let’s get this over with.”

Gary wrapped the cuff around Ash’s arm and started the monitor. He frowned when the numbers popped up. “Ash… your blood pressure’s really high.”

Ash’s eyes widened. “Is that… bad?”

“It’s not great,” Gary admitted, placing a hand on Ash’s shoulder. “But I think it’s just because you’re so nervous. We’ll keep an eye on it, okay?”

Ash nodded, his breathing still a little shaky. Gary set the equipment aside and sat back down beside him, pulling him into a firm hug. “You did good, Ashy-boy. I’m proud of you.”

Ash was reluctant at first, but eventually, he leaned into the hug, half-returning it. “Thanks, Gary…”

“Anytime, buddy,” Gary said, giving him a reassuring squeeze. “Now let’s get out of here before you start thinking I’m gonna poison you or something.”

Ash let out a weak laugh, and Gary grinned. “There’s the Ash I know.”