Fortunately, people in the Pokémon world were generally kind-hearted and understanding. Knowing that Ash's online clinic had just opened that afternoon, his customers didn't complain at all—instead, they expressed empathy and encouragement.
"Hang in there, Ash…"
"Get some rest after you're done…"
"We feel bad for you, little brother…"
Their words were warm, genuine, and full of care.
But it wasn't just his customers who worried about him.
At home, Delia Ketchum and his Pokémon were already helping out. While Ash focused on feeding, everyone pitched in, and soon enough, the meals for over a hundred Pokémon were distributed.
"Phew… now I can finally catch my breath."
Ash stretched slightly, then looked around with a smile.
"Pikachu, Greninja, Pidgeot, Fearow, Valor, Lumina—you guys go play for a bit."
Then he turned to the floating Rotom.
"Rotom, I bought a laptop at the digital mall in Viridian City tonight. Check if there are any issues, and install the necessary software."
He handed over the brand-new laptop.
The old desktop at home worked fine for basic tasks, but it struggled when running both the skill shop and the clinic system. And since those systems worked best on a computer, Ash had decided to get Rotom a portable setup.
After all, today proved something important—being stuck at home wasn't practical. If Rotom could stay with him, everything would run much more smoothly.
"Got it—leave it to me!"
Rotom zipped straight into the laptop, and under its control, the device floated up slightly, humming to life.
With the day's work finally winding down, Pikachu, Greninja, and the others followed Rotom upstairs, excited to explore the new gadget.
Ash, meanwhile, headed to the bathroom for a long-overdue shower.
He changed out of his dirty clothes and handed them to his mother, who tossed them into the washing machine.
Though the household only had two humans, the Pokémon were just as much part of the family.
Upstairs, laughter and playful noises echoed—Pikachu, Fearow, and the others were already messing around.
Downstairs, in the living room, a small Flabébé sat quietly watching My Little Pony: Ponyta Edition.
Once, this home had felt quiet—almost empty.
Now, it was lively, warm, and full of life.
Ash was far more capable than his original counterpart. His future as a Trainer no longer worried Delia, and at just six years old, he already had Serena, Misty, and Clarissa by his side.
There was nothing left for her to stress about.
Instead, she had begun living for herself.
Together with Mihoko, she had opened a flower shop in Viridian City, taking classes in flower arrangement. Business was booming, and recently, they had even started taking large custom orders.
Lately, she'd even been considering enrolling in driving school—getting a license and buying a small delivery truck for both commuting and work.
Ash's transformation hadn't just changed his own future.
It had changed their entire life.
What was once a struggling household had become something vibrant, full of possibility.
Back during Professor Oak's summer camp, many viewers had felt sympathy for Ash's background and even offered donations.
But now?
Everything was different.
—
After his shower, Ash spent some time downstairs watching TV with his mother before heading up to his room.
The day had ended… but his responsibilities hadn't.
In fact, they had only increased.
He no longer needed to attend training at the Pokémon Center—but that didn't mean he had free time.
If anything, his schedule had become even tighter.
Now, his afternoons were split between three major responsibilities:
Studying Pokémon knowledge through books and research
Training under Giovanni at the Viridian Gym
Running his online clinic
Each one was essential.
Studying laid the foundation—like building a skyscraper from the ground up.
Training under Giovanni raised his ceiling as a Trainer—refining his combat understanding and strategic thinking.
And the clinic?
That filled everything in between—feeding his growth through experience and strengthening his Viridian Power.
If he wanted to reach the peak of the Trainer profession…
He had to keep doing all of them.
But among the three, the one with the least flexibility was obvious—
Training with Giovanni.
Reading could be done anytime.
Clinic hours could be adjusted.
But Giovanni?
As the leader of a massive organization, his time was limited and unpredictable. He wouldn't always be at the gym, nor always available to teach.
So Ash needed to prioritize that schedule first.
After that, he could fix a consistent time slot for the clinic. Stability was important—trainers needed to know when they could send their Pokémon, instead of constantly refreshing the page.
In the future, when he started traveling, clinic hours might become irregular.
But for now—consistency was key.
As for studying?
That could be squeezed into the gaps—bits of time between everything else.
Lying on his bed, Ash exhaled slowly.
"Tomorrow… I should talk to Giovanni and set a fixed schedule."
He stared at the ceiling, his expression turning thoughtful.
"I only have four years to learn from him."
"After that… I'll set out on my journey."
"And when that happens… our teacher-student relationship probably won't last either."
A faint, unreadable smile appeared on his face.
"So… better cherish it while it lasts."
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