As Ash waved to the people in the crowd, he motioned for Gary to join him. Gary sighed and shook his head, moving his head to the injured runner.

Suddenly, two of his friends came from the crowd. " You should go to your friend." One said. " Thank you for your help."

Gary smiled. " Glad to help."

Then he took off running up the stairs. Ash extended his arm and yanked Gary up.

Then they both waved.

Ash shot a glance at Gary. " This is nice, isn't it?"

Gary nodded. " It sure is."

Ash sighed as he sat on his bed. " Gary, it's seriously fine. I don't think team Rocket did that much damage to my shoulder. Besides, I need to play."

He moves his shoulder to prove his point.

Gary rolled his eyes. " Ashy. Stay still.*

Ash scooted away.

“Come on, let me see it,” Gary urged, stepping into the room. His expression turned serious as he approached Ash, concern evident in his green eyes. “You need to be careful. If you hurt yourself more, you won’t be able to play tomorrow. And you know how important that is.”

Reluctantly, Ash raised his shirt slightly to reveal the bruised shoulder. The skin was an angry shade of purple and blue, the edges starting to swell. Gary’s brow furrowed as he examined it, his fingers gently prodding the area.

“Ow!” Ash winced, pulling away instinctively. “That hurts, Gary!”

“Yeah, well, you’re the one who went diving headfirst into the ground like a meteor,” Gary quipped, but his voice softened as he continued to check the injury. “Seriously though, you need to ice it and take it easy tonight. No training or anything.”

“I can’t just sit around!” Ash protested, his competitive spirit flaring up. “What if I’m not at my best tomorrow? I need to be ready!”

Gary sighed, realizing he’d have to reason with Ash. “Listen, I know how much the matches mean to you, but if you keep pushing it, you could end up worse off. Just let me get some ice, okay? We can even watch some Pokémon battles to keep you focused on the game without stressing your shoulder.”

Ash hesitated, his stubbornness battling with the logic in Gary’s words. Finally, he slumped back against his pillows, letting out a defeated sigh. “Fine, but you better make sure they’re exciting battles.”

“Deal,” Gary replied with a satisfied grin. He turned to leave the room but glanced back over his shoulder. “And Ash? I’m proud of you today. You really showed what it means to be a trainer.”

Ash smiled faintly, a warmth spreading in his chest. “Thanks, Gary. That means a lot.”

As Gary left to get the ice pack, Ash couldn’t help but think that, with friends like Gary by his side, he could overcome anything—even Team Rocket.