Ash swung his legs nervously as he sat on the edge of the cold, metallic examination table. The sterile smell of sanitizer filled his nose, making his stomach churn even more. He clasped his hands together, trying to keep them from trembling.

Gary wouldn’t do anything weird, right? Sure, they were rivals on the battlefield, but Gary was still his best friend. He always had been, ever since they were little. But this was a needle. A SHOT.

And Gary had access to needles. And possibly... poison.

Ash shook his head. No, no, no. Gary wasn’t like that. He wouldn’t—couldn’t—hurt him. Not on purpose, anyway. Could he?

The door creaked open, and Ash nearly jumped out of his skin. Gary strolled in casually, carrying a small tray with the dreaded needle on it. His smirk was softer than usual, though, and he didn’t look like he was enjoying Ash’s misery.

"Relax, Ashy-boy," Gary said, setting the tray down on the counter. "It’s not as bad as you think."

Ash didn’t respond right away. His eyes were locked on the syringe like it was some venomous Pokémon ready to strike. "You’re sure this is... safe, right?" he finally asked, his voice cracking slightly.

Gary sighed, crossing his arms and leaning against the counter. "Yes, Ash. It’s safe. It’s just a routine shot. I’m not going to, like, inject you with Muk slime or something."

Ash blinked, horrified. "Muk slime?! Is that even a thing?"

Gary snorted. "No, it’s not a thing. See? You’re overthinking this." He walked over and placed a reassuring hand on Ash’s shoulder. "I get it, though. Shots aren’t fun. But you trust me, right?"

Ash hesitated but eventually nodded. "Yeah... I trust you."

"Good." Gary smiled, his tone uncharacteristically gentle. "I’m not here to mess with you, Ash. I know you’re scared, but I’m not gonna let anything bad happen to you. I’ve got your back, just like always."

Ash relaxed—just a little. Gary’s words were comforting, even if his nerves were still all over the place.

"Alright, let’s get this over with." Gary grabbed the syringe and a small vial from the tray. He flicked the needle a few times to get rid of any air bubbles, then set it down to grab a tube of numbing cream. "This’ll help. You won’t even feel a thing."

Ash watched as Gary carefully applied the cream to his upper arm. The cool sensation made him flinch at first, but it wasn’t so bad.

"There. That wasn’t too hard, was it?" Gary asked, grinning.

Ash shook his head, his confidence growing slightly. "No, I guess not."

Gary picked up the syringe again and crouched to meet Ash’s eye level. "Okay, here’s the deal. I’ll count to three, and then it’s done. Sound good?"

"Three? That’s it?"

"Yep. Three seconds, and you’re outta here."

Ash nodded, gripping the edge of the table tightly. "Alright. I’m ready."

Gary positioned the needle and gave Ash one last reassuring smile. "One..."

Ash braced himself.

"Two..."

He clenched his jaw.

And before Gary even said "three," it was over.

"Wait, that’s it?!" Ash exclaimed, looking at his arm in disbelief.

Gary chuckled, tossing the syringe into the disposal bin. "Yep. Told you it was quick."

Ash blinked, a mix of relief and confusion washing over him. "But... I didn’t even feel it!"

"That’s ‘cause of the cream," Gary said, ruffling Ash’s hair. "See? I’m not such a bad guy after all."

Ash grinned, his fear completely gone. "Thanks, Gary. You’re not as evil as I thought."

Gary rolled his eyes but smiled. "Don’t get used to it, Ashy-boy. Now get outta here before I change my mind."

With a laugh, Ash hopped off the table, feeling lighter than ever. Maybe needles weren’t so bad after all—especially with a best friend like Gary by his side.