Pokemon Indigo League Stories Part 2

Ash's check up

Gary snapped his gloves on in his office, picking his stethoscope and looping it around his neck. He grabbed his clipboard and sighed. " Okay, here we go."

He walked to the room, took a deep breath, and walked in.

He looked at the patient and gave the nervous kid a reassuring smile. " Don't worry Ashy Boy you'll be fine."

Ash's eye twitched. " Hello."

Gary rolled his eyes. " Ash you know who I am."

Ash nodded. " Yeah so?"

Gary groaned and lightly tapped the boy's head. " So if you remember use my name! And stop acting like you're a stranger."

" I am a stranger. I am a stranger."

Gary let out a deep sigh. " Okay look Ash. You know who I am. We've been friends and rivals since we were young. So stop freezing up in front of the one guy who's seen you since you were little."

" Mhm." Ash bit his lip.

Gary sighed deeply but pulled a flashlight out of his coat's pocket. " 'Kay, Ash. I'm gonna check your eyes first, " Kay?"

Ash nodded.

Gary closed his eyes wearily but didn't say anything, gently using his gloves finger to open Ash's eyes wider.

" Easy, easy.... Follow the light Ash."

" What light?"

Gary froze, his expression blank for a moment, before realization hit him. "Ash," he said slowly, "don't play games with me. The flashlight. Right here." He moved the light closer to Ash’s face and waved it gently. "See it now?"

Ash blinked, staring off to the side. "Uh... nope."

Gary's heart skipped a beat, his professional demeanor faltering. "Ash, seriously. Can you see the light or not?"

Ash finally cracked a grin. "Relax, Gary. I can see it. Geez, you’re so easy to mess with."

Gary let out a groan, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You're impossible, you know that? One of these days, I’m going to let you believe you’ve gone blind."

Ash chuckled nervously. "Okay, okay. I’m sorry. No more jokes. Promise."

Gary sighed, moving the light across Ash’s line of sight. “Follow it with your eyes. No head movement.”

Ash complied this time, his gaze tracking the beam of light left, right, up, and down. "How am I doing, Doc?"

"Perfectly average," Gary quipped, setting the flashlight down and picking up his clipboard. He jotted down a few notes before grabbing his stethoscope. "Alright, Ashy-boy, shirt off. Time for the next part."

Ash groaned. "Do you have to call me that? It’s embarrassing."

Gary smirked, placing the stethoscope's earpieces in his ears. "What’s more embarrassing—me calling you Ashy-boy or the fact that you still can’t beat me in a Pokémon battle?"

"Low blow, Gary," Ash muttered, reluctantly pulling his shirt over his head.

Gary placed the stethoscope on Ash’s chest, listening intently. "Deep breath in."

Ash inhaled deeply.

"And out."

Ash exhaled, glancing nervously at Gary's concentrated expression. "So? Am I dying?"

Gary rolled his eyes. "Not today, drama king." He moved the stethoscope to Ash’s back. "Deep breath again."

Ash complied, and Gary nodded, satisfied. "Lungs sound fine. Heart’s good too, despite how much you put it through with your stunts."

"Hey! My stunts save lives," Ash protested.

"Sure, they do," Gary said dryly, hanging the stethoscope around his neck. "But maybe consider saving yourself once in a while? Just a thought."

Ash shrugged. "I’ve got Pokémon to protect. It’s kind of my thing."

Gary shook his head, grabbing a blood pressure cuff. "And it’s kind of my thing to make sure you don’t end up in a hospital bed. Arm out."

Ash extended his arm, muttering, "You sound like my mom."

Gary smirked, wrapping the cuff around Ash’s bicep. "Someone has to. She’d kill me if I let anything happen to you."

As the cuff tightened, Ash winced slightly. "Ow. Too tight."

"Stop whining," Gary teased, glancing at the readings. "Perfect. Not that I expected anything less from Mr. Pokémon Hero."

Ash grinned. "See? Told you I’m fine."

Gary set the cuff aside, crossing his arms. "You’re fine for now. But if you don’t start taking better care of yourself, we’re going to have a problem, Ashy-boy."

Ash rolled his eyes. "You worry too much."

"And you don’t worry enough," Gary shot back, his tone softer now. "Just... try to be a little more careful, okay? For your Pokémon. For your friends. For me."

Ash blinked, caught off guard by the genuine concern in Gary’s voice. "Yeah... okay. I’ll try."

Gary nodded, his usual smirk returning. "Good. Now, put your shirt back on before someone walks in and thinks this is something else."

Ash laughed, tossing his shirt back on. "You’re the worst."

"And yet, you keep coming back," Gary replied with a grin. "Appointment over. Get out of my office, Ashy-boy."

Ash hopped off the table, heading for the door. Just before he left, he turned back with a smirk. "Thanks, Gary."

Gary waved him off. "Yeah, yeah. Go save the world, you idiot."