The sun was already high when Ash stirred, blinking against the light. He yawned and stretched, muscles still heavy with sleep, before realising there was something warm pressed against him under the blankets.
Through half-lidded eyes, he caught a flash of yellow and, without thinking, pulled it closer.
"Pikachu…" he mumbled.
But when his eyes finally focused, the fog of sleep burned away in an instant.
It wasn't Pikachu curled up beside him.
It was Yellow. Fast asleep, her arms looped gently around him.
His mind stalled—then lurched into panic. He started to push her away when—
'STOP!'
Roshi's voice cracked like a whip inside his skull. Ash froze, arm suspended mid-air, heart hammering. If he had moved even an inch more, he would've shoved her off like she was a stranger.
He yanked the thought back before it could finish, face burning.
The sudden shift in the bed made Yellow stir. Her lashes fluttered, eyes opening to see Ash staring at her as if he'd just seen a Gengar in broad daylight.
She parted her lips, maybe to greet him—then doubled over, coughing hard.
That snapped him out of it.
"Hey—easy!" Ash slipped an arm behind her, steadying her upright. With his other hand, he snatched the water bottle off the desk and pressed it carefully to her lips.
Yellow drank in small, shaky sips, the tension in her shoulders easing as the cool water soothed her raw throat.
While Yellow was drinking, Ash reminisced about how they had gone to bed in the early morning/late night.
---------------------------------------
After the others had left them in the room and returned to the lobby, Ash and Yellow found themselves in a predicament.
Who is to sleep where?
Ash first told Yellow to sleep on the bed and him on the floor. It would have worked. Should have worked. Except, there was a problem.
Yellow.
After he had closed his eyes to sleep, he turned a bit to get used to the floor's hardness, and he felt his blanket being lifted from the back. Turning around, he saw Yellow trying to crawl into the blanket after coming down from the bed.
Both of them stared at each other's eyes for quite some time before he let out a long breath, got up and tucked her in the bed again.
He tried to sleep on the floor again. After some time, he felt the blanket being lifted again. He turned around to look at Yellow's deer-in-the-headlights expression again. He tucked her in bed again.
He tried to sleep on the floor. Felt the blankets being lifted. Found Yellow. Tucked her in. Went to sleep.
Again.
And again.
With his right eye twitching at the fourth happenstance, he looked at Yellow with frustration and annoyance. Seeing her shrink in on herself, he took a deep breath and gently asked, "Can't sleep?"
Yellow shook her head after looking at him.
Ash sat on the edge of the bed with a sigh as Yellow covered herself with a blanket and sat on the bed looking at him in silence, and a vulnerable look in her eyes.
Squinting his eyes at her, covered in the moonlight of the late night/early morning of nearly 2 or 3 am, he asked her a question in the comfortable silence.
"Afraid?"
A beat. Nod.
"Alone?"
A slow nod.
"I am still here." A reach of hand to hers.
A look at the floor.
Why was she afraid of him sleeping on the floor?
'She thinks that you might leave her again, and she will be alone if you are not with her.' Roshi's gentle voice reverberated in his mindscape.
'Really? But I just said that...' He mentally talked back to him.
'You know you won't, not her. She just knows that you said, and she is still scared from the ordeal that just happened a few hours ago when she was alone in the room.'
'Oh.'
Ash felt like mentally kicking himself.
He looked at the floor and thought about sleeping there with her, but he did not want her to sleep uncomfortably. He looked at the bed, which was made for a single person.
Sighing, he got up from the bed and went to the closet to get an extra blanket. Returning, he saw Yellow looking down on the bed.
After reaching the bed, he put a hand on her head to get her attention. She jolted to look at him. He got on the bed after removing his coat and shirt, which were dirty from trying to sleep on the floor and the fight from earlier in the hospital.
After tucking her in on the other side, he lay down on the other side and put a blanket on them for warmth. Opening an eyelid to look at her shocked face, he said in a whisper that she can only hear in the empty room, "I promised to never leave you again, remember. Now, sleep." He said the last words with a hint of red on his cheeks that he covered with the blanket.
Yellow just smiled softly and closed her eyes to sleep while shifting a little closer to him to get his warmth.
---------------------------------------------------------
After she had stopped drinking and her coughs had stopped, he took back the bottle, took a few gulps himself to rehydrate himself and put it on the desk.
Getting out of bed, he found Yellow tugging at his vest. Looking at her concerned look, he stopped for a brief moment before asking with a raised eyebrow, "We are going to brush our teeth and take a bath or not?"
Yellow, blushing a bit, scrambled to get out of the blankets and the bed while he looked and laughed softly at her. He felt some weak hits on his chest. Opening his eyes, he saw a pouting Yellow with closed eyes, hitting him weakly on the chest. That just made him laugh a little louder, which resulted in her increasing the pace of the hits.
After she had stopped 'hitting' him, he went to his bag and brought out their toothbrushes. Yellow's was the one he had bought as a spare in the Viridian City Poké Mart. Taking out the mint-flavoured toothpaste, he put a bit of it on both of their bristles and handed Yellow hers while she was still pouting and looking away from him.
She begrudgingly accepted the brush and followed him to the basin.
At the basin while brushing, he looked at the mirror to take a peek at Yellow's expression. She was brushing slowly, but she was smiling a bit during it. It was definitely an improvement over yesterday. They brushed in the comfortable silence that followed with the brushing sounds acting as a lull in the silence, accompanied by the smell of the mint from their toothpaste and the cool tiles beneath their feet.
After they had brushed their teeth, they took turns to take a bath. He had Yellow go first, but she did not want to go.
"Are you afraid of bathing alone?"
A slow nod.
Okay. That was a problem. Looking around for anything, he remembered something and went to the desk to get it. A ball of string. Taking one end, he tied it around Yellow's little finger.
"If you feel lonely, just tug it, okay? I will tug it back to show that I am here."
After a bit of hesitation, she accepted it and went inside the bathroom. He stood outside, tugging at the string often to have a tug come back as well to show that they were still there, close to each other.
When she emerged, wrapped in the hospital gown again, Ash realised with a sinking feeling—she had no clothes. He draped his jacket over her thin shoulders. It looked too big, but it was better than nothing. They'd have to visit the market soon.
After that, he took a bath and came out with changed clothes after he washed them. Before leaving the room, he took Doduo's Poké Ball, left his clothes to dry, and took some loose cash with him.
Ash and Yellow walked down the passages to get to the lobby to meet Nurse Joy and have breakfast in the cafeteria. They were starving.
-------------------------------------------
The lobby was crowded, voices clashing in restless waves.
"—not terrorists, just some lunatic—"
"Heard he was a drifter, vanished days ago—"
"They said his face was burned past recognition—"
"Would've stopped him if I'd been there—"
Ash's stomach knotted. They spoke like it was gossip, like the dead were numbers on a scoreboard. None of them had been there. None of them had seen the wild light in that man's eyes, or felt the certainty that if they failed, Yellow would never wake again.
And yet here they were, bragging. Laughing. Making theories.
His jaw tightened, fists curling at his sides. How dare they—
A small hand slipped into his. Yellow's. She was watching him with wide, worried eyes, her grip firm but trembling.
Right. She was alive. Pikachu and the others were safe. He was safe.
Ash exhaled slowly, forcing his shoulders to drop.
'You did the best you could. Don't mind them. They would've folded in the face of danger. You are far braver than any of them could ever be.'
Roshi's quiet voice settled his anger. Ash squeezed Yellow's hand back, grounding himself, and together they walked to the front desk.
-------------------------------------------
(General POV)
Nurse Joy was running on fumes. She hadn't slept in what felt like days, and her bleary eyes kept drifting toward Ash's Chansey — a familiar face from the Viridian Centre. Maybe I should dump the desk on her and sneak a nap… The thought made her giggle under her breath, low and strange. Her hollow stare and sudden laughter sent nervous trainers inching back from the counter.
"Nurse Joy!"
The sound snapped her out of it. Her gaze slid to the doorway, locking onto the boy and girl who had just walked in. The trainers collectively exhaled in relief — then froze again when those dead-tired eyes narrowed at the children.
Her steps were slow, deliberate. One hand rose, reaching out. The kids instinctively backed away.
Around the lobby, people silently bowed their heads.
We will not forget your sacrifice, o brave young ones. May your afterlife be peaceful.
Some were already picturing tomorrow's headlines: "Death by rabid, sleep-deprived nurse."
Her hand clamped down on Ash's collar. Yellow clawed at her wrist in panic.
"You…"
The trainers winced, some slapping their hands over their eyes. A squeak of "Help!" rang out.
"You are late."
A beat.
"We were sleeping," Ash muttered. "Just woke up."
The silence broke like glass. Trainers peeked through their fingers, staring as Nurse Joy scolded them like tardy students instead of ripping them apart.
A few groaned in disappointment. One or two even mourned the loss of a perfect headline.
By the time the crowd recovered, Nurse Joy was already dragging the children off toward the cafeteria. Behind the desk, Chansey scrambled to handle the rush of patients and paperwork on her own.
Why was Nurse Joy smirking at Chansey?
-----------------------------------------------------
After Nurse Joy had left them in the cafeteria, Ash watched with a soft smile as Yellow played with Pikachu and Eevee. Pidgeotto and Butterfree perched nearby, eating their feed while keeping a casual watch. Doduo nuzzled against Yellow's arm, both heads cooing happily.
Nurse Joy had insisted their Pokémon rest and avoid any training for the day. Spearow was still recovering from surgery under the staff's care, while Chansey was helping at the counter. For once, they could all simply sit and breathe. They had earned it.
Joy returned a few minutes later with a tray, setting a steaming bowl of vegetable broth on the table. She slid a folded note across to Ash before slumping into the seat opposite, her jaw cracking with a yawn.
"What's this?" Ash asked, unfolding the paper.
"List of shops… things you'll need. Didn't have time myself. You'll… handle it…" Her voice trailed off, words slurring. "Why haven't you ordered food?"
"I was waiting. Yellow's hungry too, so I couldn't just eat alone. Is this broth?"
"Yyyyyeaaahhh…"
Ash glanced at her pale face and the bags under her eyes. "Why don't you get some sleep? We'll wake you before we leave."
She didn't need convincing. Dropping her head onto her arms, she was out within seconds.
Ash blinked at her, then exchanged a look with Pikachu. Is she okay?
'After sleep, yes,' Roshi murmured in his mind. 'But don't wake her. Trust me. A sleep-deprived nurse is scarier than any opponent you've fought.'
Ash gulped at the ominous tone and turned back to the table.
Pikachu sniffed at the soup. Eevee leaned closer, tongue poking out. Ash quickly scooped him up. "Sorry, buddy. It's Yellow's. I'll make you some later." Eevee's ears perked instantly at the promise.
When Ash set him down again, Yellow had already lifted a spoonful.
"Yellow."
She froze, spoon hovering, eyes flicking to him. Ash gently took it from her hand, blew across the steaming broth, and offered it back.
She pouted at the gesture. Then, before he could stop her, she dipped a finger into the soup to prove it wasn't that hot.
A sharp squeak broke from her throat. Her eyes widened, and she clutched her neck as tears welled.
"Yellow—!" Ash seized her hand, thumb brushing the reddening fingertip. "It's okay… you'll be okay." His voice stayed low and steady, though his chest clenched tight.
He blew across her burn, but when her expression stayed pinched with pain, instinct overrode hesitation. Without thinking, he brought her hand closer and cooled her finger the way his mother had soothed him as a child — quick breaths of warmth and moisture against the sting.
Yellow's breath caught. A flush bloomed across her cheeks, but she didn't pull away. She only watched him quietly until the pain dulled into a faint throb.
Ash released her hand gently. "Better?"
She nodded, still cradling it close.
"I'll get some water." He stood, grabbed an empty glass, and disappeared into the crowd. Yellow's eyes followed him until he was out of sight, her other hand absently stroking Pikachu's fur.
When he returned, he set the glass down and carefully dipped her finger into the cool water. Relief washed over her face, and Ash let out a breath he hadn't realised he was holding.
"Let me help you, okay?" He ruffled her hair gently. She nodded, then pointed at him.
"Hm? What is it?"
She pointed at the soup. Then at him.
Ash blinked. "I am… soup?"
The looks he got from Yellow, Pikachu, Doduo, and even Butterfree said everything.
'That was lame,' Roshi sighed.
Clearing his throat, Ash tried again. "You want me to eat too?"
Her nod was slow but firm.
"This is yours. I can eat later, I'm not that hun—"
GROWL.
His stomach betrayed him with perfect timing at that moment.
Red streaked his face as he looked at her.
"Fine..."
Grumbling a bit, he took a spoon of the broth, blew air on it and was about to take it when he felt a tug. He looked to the side, spoon still raised. Opening his mouth to ask what happened, he felt a spoon enter his mouth. Instinctively, he swallowed the warm soup that was given to him.
He looked at Yellow, who looked satisfied.
Yeah. As if he was letting that slide.
He pinched her extended arm, making her open her mouth from the small pain and gave his spoon's contents to her mouth, which she closed and took.
After removing the spoon, she looked with a pout at his smug face and then looked away.
In the comfortable silence that followed, after looking away for a few moments, she turned around slowly to come and have a spoonful of the broth being presented to her.
"Not going to eat?"
Ash looked at her with a glint of mischief in his eyes. She looked at the delicious broth on the table and the spoon and took the spoon. She sat grumbling in her seat, while he softly laughed.
She liked this atmosphere.
Yellow lifted another spoonful toward him without hesitation this time. Ash blinked at her, then leaned forward and accepted it. The warmth of the broth wasn't just on his tongue—it settled somewhere deeper.
When she sat back down, cheeks pink, he found himself smiling. Not because he was looking after her. But because she was looking after him, too.
And for the first time since the hospital, it felt like they were standing on the same ground again.
With Nurse Joy sleeping on the other side of the table, the chirps and chitters of Pidgeotto and Butterfree, Pikachu and Eevee playing on the floor, and the hum of the conversations from other tables, they ate in the shared moment.
--------------------------------------------
After finishing their shared meal, they left the cafeteria with Nurse Joy sleeping on the table.
They had returned to the lobby and were about to go out when they encountered another problem that added to their growing shopping list.
Yellow was only wearing the slippers provided by the Centre and did not have any shoes. She cannot just wear them outside. It will be uncomfortable for her. Well, there was only one thing left to do.
Bending down, he had Yellow put her legs through the gaps between his arms and torso and her hands around his neck. After making sure that she was comfortable, he tightened his hold on her legs, not as much to make her uncomfortable, and got up.
He was going to give her a piggy-back ride until they got her a new pair of shoes.
With Pikachu and Eevee in tow, they started leaving the Centre when they heard a sound.
------------------------------------------
(Meanwhile, a few seconds ago)
A trainer was looking for a table to sit down and eat. He just got here, and the conversations made him excited.
An attack on the hospital that blew up a wing.
An unknown attacker.
He thought that his journey would have been dull, but who would have thought that it would turn out to be this exciting?
Seeing the slumped figure of Nurse Joy alone on a table, he approached and put the tray on the table.
Why was she here when the others were working hard in the lobby? He even saw a poor Chansey that looked as if she was getting overwhelmed.
He shouted near her ears to wake her up.
"NURSE JOY, WHY ARE YOU SLEEPING?"
The loud noise near her ears made her wake up and jump in fright.
The trainer closed his eyes with a satisfied look of doing something important.
What was this feeling of dread? Why did he feel a chill down his spine?
Why was the cafeteria suddenly dead silent?
Opening his eyes in confusion, he was petrified by the murderous look of rage on Nurse Joy's face.
------------------------------------------
Looking at the side, they saw a table of all things being tossed out of the window of the cafeteria.
Didn't they just sit somewhere around the place where the table was thrown from?
For a beat, everything was quiet, and all the people were looking at the thrown table as if it held answers to whatever was happening. Then...
"DIEEEE"
"I AM SORRRYYYYY.AAAHHHHH..."
The squeals of someone being brutally murdered followed as the people started slowly distancing themselves from the carnage. A few even cheered with tears in their eyes.
Ash and his entourage just decided to get away from there and started walking a little fast towards the Pewter City proper.
What was that about the headlines?
------------------------------------------------
The morning sun was bright but gentle, spilling over the rooftops as Ash carried Yellow on his back down the cobbled street. Pikachu padded along beside him, Eevee trotting just ahead, tail swishing. The air was alive with the hum of voices, the clink of coins, and the occasional call of a merchant advertising their wares.
The market square opened up before them — a patchwork of colourful awnings and wooden stalls. The smell of fresh bread mingled with the tang of Oran berries and the faint, sweet, and tangy scent of Beedrill honey drifting from a confectioner's stand. Somewhere nearby, a group of Pidgeotto and Pidgey's rhythmic chirps blended with the chatter of trainers haggling over Pokéball polish.
There was small talk about the hospital going on here as well. Not letting that distract him, he looked at Yellow.
Ash adjusted his grip on Yellow's legs so she could see better. Her eyes darted from stall to stall, lingering on bright fabrics fluttering in the breeze and baskets piled high with berries. Doduo's Poké Ball wobbled at her hip, as if the Pokémon inside could sense the bustle and wanted to join in.
"Why don't you let him out?"
Nodding at him with a bright smile, she called out Doduo, who had not been able to properly stretch his legs.
The sight of a Pokémon being let out drew a few stares.
Doduo, upon being called out, gave a trill on seeing Yellow and started walking beside them as they explored the market.
Taking out the list of the shops where he could find the things to buy to help Yellow, he started looking for them one by one.
--------------------------------------------------
Tucked between a spice vendor and a man selling hand‑carved Poké Ball and badge cases was a cobbler's stall, The Pewter Stepworks.
The air inside was warm and faintly scented with leather and polish. Shelves lined the walls from floor to ceiling, stacked with everything from delicate slip‑ons to heavy‑soled hiking boots. In the corner, a Geodude dozed on a folded blanket, cracking one eye open lazily as Ash stepped in with Yellow still on his back.
The soft jingle of the bell drew the shopkeeper's gaze from her desk. Her eyes flicked to the Centre slippers on Yellow's feet, and one brow arched in silent question.
"…She needs something comfortable for walking," Ash explained, adjusting his hold on Yellow. "We'll be travelling, so… sturdy would be good."
The woman gave a skeptical nod and led them toward the rows of boots. Yellow's gaze wandered over the shelves until it caught on a pair tucked into the corner — ankle‑high, deep purple, the colour rich even under the shop's dim light. She leaned forward slightly and pointed.
The shopkeeper followed her gesture, blinking in mild confusion. Those weren't travel boots at all. Before she could comment, Ash tilted his head toward Yellow. "You want boots of that colour?"
Yellow nodded once, her expression soft but certain.
Something in Ash's tone must have told the shopkeeper enough, because she didn't press. Instead, she disappeared into the back room. Ash set Yellow gently down on a chair, his hands lingering just long enough to steady her before stepping back.
When the shopkeeper returned, she carried two boxes. She set them on the low bench in front of Yellow and lifted the lids.
The first pair was almost identical to the boots she'd lost in the Viridian Forest — same ankle height, same deep purple, but new and clean, the leather supple instead of cracked.
The second pair was a lighter, travel‑friendly design in warm beige, with cushioned soles and soft ankle padding.
Yellow's fingers hovered over the purple boots, brushing the smooth leather as if testing whether it was real. Ash crouched beside her, his voice low and gentle. "These will be better for long walks," he said, tapping the beige pair. "No blisters, no sore feet."
She glanced between them, her lips pressing together. Ash could see the pull in her — the comfort of the familiar against the practicality of the new.
Finally, she reached for the beige shoes… but with her other hand, she gathered the purple boots to her chest, holding them as if they might vanish if she let go.
Ash's mouth curved into a faint smile. "Alright. We'll keep them. Just… maybe not for the road."
Her eyes flicked to his, and for a moment, there was a quiet understanding between them — no words, just the shared knowledge that he'd seen what mattered to her and hadn't dismissed it.
The shopkeeper wrapped the beige pair, and Yellow slipped them on right there in the stall. Ash straightened, watching her take a few tentative steps. The shoes looked almost too clean on her, but the way her shoulders eased and the small, genuine smile that spread across her face told him everything.
"Comfy?" he asked.
She nodded, and without thinking, he reached out to ruffle her hair lightly. She ducked her head, cheeks faintly pink, but didn't move away.
--------------------------------------------
Just a few stalls down from The Pewter Stepworks, a narrow shopfront displayed neatly folded stacks of shirts, trousers, and jackets in earthy tones. A carved wooden sign above the door read Stone & Stitch Outfitters.
The moment they stepped inside, the scent of clean fabric and lavender sachets greeted them. Bolts of cloth in muted greens, browns, and creams lined the walls, while a rack near the front displayed travel‑ready jackets with reinforced stitching.
The shopkeeper, a middle‑aged woman with a warm smile, glanced at Yellow's hospital gown peeking out from under Ash's jacket. "Looks like you could use a proper change of clothes, dear," she said kindly.
Ash gave a small nod. "Something comfortable for walking, easy to move in — and warm enough for the road."
Yellow's gaze drifted over the racks until she spotted a pair of soft, stone-grey travel trousers. She stepped closer, running her fingers over the seams, testing the give. The fabric looked sturdy but light, with a gentle drape that wouldn't restrict her movement.
"They'll go well with just about anything," the shopkeeper said, pulling a pale yellow tunic from a nearby shelf. "This would brighten her up without losing that Pewter practicality."
Ash crouched beside Yellow so they were eye‑level. "What do you think?" he asked, his tone softer now. "These trousers will be better for travelling than tights — no snags, no cold legs."
Yellow glanced at him, then back at the trousers, then at the tunic. The soft yellow matched her hair, and the combination with the stone-grey bottoms felt… right. She held the trousers against herself, tilting her head as if trying to picture them on.
Ash smiled faintly. "Yeah… that looks like you."
Her lips curved into a small smile — not the shy, uncertain one she'd worn in the hospital, but something steadier. She reached for the tunic as well, and Ash helped her fold it neatly before handing it to the shopkeeper.
They added a light cream cardigan to the bundle — something she could layer for warmth — and the shopkeeper wrapped everything in brown paper tied with twine.
As they stepped back into the market, Yellow clutched the parcel to her chest, her new beige travel shoes tapping lightly against the cobblestones. Ash adjusted the bag on his shoulder and glanced sideways at her.
"You're starting to look like you're ready for the road again," he said with a small grin.
Yellow's cheeks warmed, and she gave him a look that was half‑bashful, half‑playful. She didn't speak, but the way she shifted a little closer to his side as they walked said enough.
For the first time since Viridian, she looked less like someone recovering from an ordeal and more like someone ready to keep moving forward — and Ash realised he was smiling without even meaning to.
-----------------------------------------
The shop, Whisperwind Instruments, was tucked away at the far end of the market, its sign a simple carving of a Pidgey perched on a flute. The air inside was cooler, dimmer, and smelled faintly of cedar and old varnish. Rows of shelves held wind instruments of every shape and size — ocarinas painted in bright patterns, polished brass whistles, and flutes of pale bamboo or dark, glossy wood.
An elderly shopkeeper looked up from behind the counter, his eyes crinkling in a smile. "Looking for something special?"
Ash nodded, glancing at Yellow. "She… has lost her voice," he said, his tone softening. "She needs something she can play."
The man's gaze shifted to Yellow, lingering for a moment on the way she stood close to Ash, her hands lightly gripping the edge of his jacket. His expression gentled. "Then you'll want something with a voice of its own."
He disappeared into the back room, the sound of rummaging and the faint clink of wood against wood drifting out. Ash glanced at Yellow, catching the faint crease in her brow.
"Don't worry," he murmured, leaning down slightly so only she could hear. "We'll find one that feels right. Something that's yours."
Her eyes flicked up to meet his, and though she didn't speak, the way her shoulders eased told him she'd heard more than just the words.
When the shopkeeper returned, he carried a long, narrow case wrapped in faded cloth. Setting it gently on the counter, he unwrapped it to reveal a flute the colour of deep forest bark. The wood was smooth but worn, its surface etched with faint, curling patterns that looked almost like vines.
"This one's been here longer than I have," the shopkeeper said quietly. "Made from the heartwood of a great tree in the Viridian Forest. The craftsman who carved it said the wood still remembers the wind through its leaves."
Yellow's breath caught almost imperceptibly. She reached out, her fingers brushing the flute's surface. It was warm — not from the shop's air, but as if it had been waiting for her. Ash noticed the way her touch lingered, her thumb tracing one of the vine‑like carvings.
"It's a little old," the man admitted, "but the tone… the tone is clear as a Pidgeotto's call."
Ash stepped back slightly, giving her space, but his eyes stayed on her. "Go on," he said quietly, almost encouragingly.
Yellow lifted the flute, the weight settling naturally in her hands. She raised it to her lips and blew a tentative note. The sound that emerged was soft, low, and haunting — like the sigh of wind through trees. Pikachu's ears twitched, and Doduo tilted his heads, listening intently.
Ash felt something stir in his chest. It wasn't just the sound — it was the way she seemed to breathe with it, as if the flute had been part of her all along.
When she lowered it, a faint smile tugged at her lips. She didn't need to say anything; Ash could see it in her eyes. This wasn't just an instrument. It was a piece of home.
He smiled back, a small, knowing curve of his mouth. "Looks like it found you."
The shopkeeper wrapped it again, but more carefully this time, as if recognising it had found its new owner. He even gave a discount, murmuring that it would serve its purpose better with the girl.
As they stepped back into the sunlight, Ash adjusted the bag on his shoulder and glanced at her. She was holding the wrapped flute close, almost protectively. Without thinking, he reached over and gave her hand a light squeeze. She squeezed back, and for a moment, neither of them needed words.
-----------------------------------------------
The market's noise faded as Ash and Yellow turned down a narrow side street paved with uneven cobblestones. Here, the air felt calmer, touched by the faint aroma of tea drifting from a café next door. At the end of the lane stood a weathered wooden sign painted with a quill and an open book: The Viridian Quill.
Its tall front windows displayed neatly stacked books, a few sketchpads, and a hand‑lettered sign that read: Guides, Journals, and Stories for the Road. The bell above the door gave a soft chime as they stepped inside.
The shop smelled of paper, ink, and a hint of lavender. Shelves stretched to the ceiling, crammed with travel guides, field manuals, and storybooks. A low table near the front held stacks of blank journals and notebooks, their covers in muted greens, browns, and creams — colours that reminded Ash of the forests they'd passed through.
Yellow's eyes lingered on the table, her fingers twitching slightly as if she wanted to touch the smooth covers but wasn't sure if she should. Ash noticed and gave her a small nudge toward it. "Go on," he murmured. "They're meant to be picked up."
A bespectacled shopkeeper looked up from behind the counter. "Looking for anything in particular?"
Ash nodded. "A few notebooks, some beginner reading books… and a guide to sign language."
The man's brows lifted slightly, but he didn't ask questions. Instead, he led them to a quiet corner where the shelves were filled with educational texts. Ash's fingers paused on a slim, slightly worn volume bound in soft brown leather: Hands to Words: A Beginner's Guide to Sign Language. The edges were yellowed, but the binding was strong.
"This one's been here a while," the shopkeeper said with a small smile. "Not many ask for it, but it's clear and easy to learn from."
Ash glanced at Yellow. "What do you think? We can learn together."
Her gaze softened, and she gave a small nod — the kind that said more than words could.
Ash tucked the book under his arm, then picked out two sturdy notebooks with smooth, cream‑colored pages — one for Yellow to practice writing, the other for him to jot down lessons. He added a small stack of simple storybooks, their illustrations bright and inviting.
Yellow reached out and ran her fingers over the cover of one of the notebooks, tracing the embossed edge. She looked up at him, her eyes warm with gratitude. Ash smiled back and, without thinking, rested his hand lightly over hers for a moment before letting go.
At the counter, the shopkeeper wrapped their purchases in brown paper and tied them with twine. Ash took the bundle at first, but Yellow reached for it, hugging it to her chest alongside the flute from earlier.
As they stepped back into the sunlight, Ash glanced at her — the way she held the bundle close, the faint smile on her lips. He adjusted the strap of his bag and walked a little closer, so their shoulders brushed.
Piece by piece, she was getting her voice back. And he realised, with a quiet certainty, that he'd do whatever it took to help her find the rest of it.
------------------------------------------
The afternoon sun slanted lower over Pewter's rooftops, painting the cobblestones in long, golden shadows. The market's noise faded behind them, replaced by the steady rhythm of Ash's footsteps and the soft scuff of Yellow's new beige shoes.
Pikachu padded along at his side, tail swaying lazily, while Eevee trotted ahead with a jaunty bounce, occasionally glancing back to make sure they were keeping up. Doduo walked close to Yellow, one head watching the street ahead, the other occasionally leaning down to nudge her arm — a silent check‑in that made her lips curve faintly.
Yellow's arms were full — the brown‑paper parcel from The Viridian Quill tucked securely against her chest, the flute case resting on top. Ash carried the bag with her new clothes, the weight light but the meaning heavy in his mind. Piece by piece, she was regaining the tools to move forward.
They passed a row of stone‑fronted houses, their window boxes spilling with hardy mountain flowers. Somewhere nearby, a blacksmith's hammer rang out in steady rhythm, and the faint scent of baking bread drifted from a side street.
Ash glanced sideways at Yellow. She was looking around quietly, taking in the city with a calm curiosity — not the guarded, wary glances she'd worn when they first met. The sight made something in his chest ease.
"You're getting used to this place," he said softly, not wanting to break the peace.
She looked at him, tilting her head slightly, then gave a small nod. Her eyes lingered on his for a moment longer than usual before drifting back to the street.
Without thinking, Ash shifted the bag to his other shoulder and reached out to steady the flute case where it wobbled atop her parcel. His fingers brushed hers, and she adjusted her grip, holding it a little closer.
"Don't want to drop that," he murmured with a faint smile.
Yellow's answering smile was small but warm, and she stepped just a little closer so their arms brushed as they walked.
The familiar red‑tiled roof of the Pokémon Centre came into view at the end of the street. Ash slowed his pace, letting the moment. The day had been theirs — simple, quiet, and theirs alone — and he wasn't quite ready to let it go.
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When they entered the Centre together, they saw that the people in the Centre had dwindled from the time they left previously.
There were the sounds of light chatter coming from the various trainers and people nestled in the lobby.
"Chansey!"
Suddenly, they found that Ash's Chansey had jumped from the counter and was running to them with a relieved expression.
Just as she had jumped at them with tears in her eyes, she was caught by a lasso and fell. Following the rope, they saw Nurse Joy pulling the rope while Chansey was trying to crawl away and was failing miserably.
"Nurse Joy, you shouldn't..."
The empty eyes and the smile that Nurse Joy sent at them made them stop in sheer fright. They started backing away as Chansey's desperate attempts became more frantic.
Ash took out her Poké Ball to call her back, while Nurse Joy gave a "Hmmm?" and smiled too widely to be a happy expression.
Putting Chansey's Poké Ball back in his belt, he gave an apologetic look to her. "I am sorry."
Ash, Yellow, Pikachu, and Eevee looked on with pity as the look of betrayal and tears streaming down her face would not have been comical in any other scenario, as she was pulled back to the desk.
The door to the side opened to let out a trainer bandaged to the patient cart, where he said, "Finally, freeee..."
His look of triumph turned to despair as he saw Nurse Joy. She just smiled at him before kicking him in the groin, into the room and dragged Chansey back there as well.
With the door closing, two shouts could be heard.
"HHEEELLLPPPP MMEEEEEE...ACK!"
"CCCHHAAANNNSSEEEYYYY!"
The door clicked shut.
In the awkward silence that followed in the lobby, everyone decided that those two did not exist.
Ash, Yellow, Pikachu, and Eevee went to their room, trying to get the scene out of their heads and rest for the night.
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Later that night, when they were going to sleep after getting dinner, Ash looked at everyone in his team present there and then at Yellow.
He thought of only one thing:
Piece by piece, she was coming back. And maybe… so was he.
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(AN: Sorry for the late update. I spent a lot of time making it okay. So, another big chapter.
How was it?
Were there any places that would have been better?
Should I go to the Gym Battle next or a chapter where they spend time learning together?)