Pokemon : Rewind

A/N: Happy Christmas to all 2 chapters extra as celebrations specials

ENJOY

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"Be careful! Those Trainers are aiming for the Southern Cross badge—they must be strong!" The warning came from the same tourist who had earlier tried to stop the three delinquents. His concern for Ash was evident.

"Lapras..." The injured Pokémon glanced at Ash with a mixture of fear and hope.

Ash turned his head slightly, giving the tourist a confident thumbs-up. "No problem," he said, his calm demeanour unwavering. What others saw as a formidable threat, Ash dismissed as mere amateurs.

Turning to Lapras, Ash's expression softened. A warm smile replaced his stern look as he knelt beside the frightened Pokémon. Gently, he reached out to pat Lapras' head, his touch filled with reassurance and kindness.

Lapras initially flinched but soon relaxed, sensing no malice from Ash. Under his care, its fear gradually faded, and it began to trust him.

With Lapras calmed, Ash rose to his feet, his expression hardening as he faced the delinquents again. His eyes burned with quiet anger.

To him, their arrogance was laughable—three Pokémon at the Bronze level weren't even close to being a threat.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Ash commanded. He had refrained from using an earlier attack for fear of hurting Lapras, but now that the bullies were at a safe distance, there was no reason to hold back.

"Pika-chu!" Pikachu cried, its body crackling with golden electricity. The sudden burst of energy dimmed the surroundings, and a powerful bolt of lightning struck the delinquents' Pokémon—Spearow, Hitmonchan, and Beedrill—simultaneously.

The three Pokémon collapsed on the sand, defeated in a single strike. The bolt's residual energy arced toward the trainers themselves, though Pikachu had reduced its intensity.

"Ahh—stop it! It hurts!" The bullies screamed as they fell to the ground, their bodies smoking lightly from the shock. Though unharmed, they were left shaken and humiliated.

"Well done!" The surrounding tourists erupted into cheers. The justice Ash had delivered was exactly what these thugs deserved.

Moments later, Officer Jenny arrived with several police officers in tow. After assessing the situation and listening to the witnesses, she thanked Ash for intervening.

While it was generally illegal for Trainers to order their Pokémon to attack humans, exceptions were made in cases like this. The law didn't protect those who deliberately harmed Pokémon, so Ash was in the clear.

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"So, Officer Jenny, what will happen to this Lapras now?" Misty asked, kneeling by the injured Pokémon with concern in her voice.

Officer Jenny frowned slightly, appearing uncertain. "Normally, we'd send it to the Pokémon Center for treatment. After it recovers, it will be released back into the sea."

At that moment, an ambulance from the Pokémon Center pulled up. Nurse Joy and her assistants rushed down the slope with a stretcher in tow. 

Accompanying them was a young man dressed in green shorts and a brown T-shirt. His anxious expression matched his hurried steps.

"Sayaka, why are you here?" Officer Jenny asked, startled to see Nurse Joy arriving so quickly.

"This Trainer called us to come." Nurse Joy gestured toward the boy beside her. "No time for questions—let me examine Lapras!" She knelt beside the injured Pokémon, quickly assessing its condition.

Officer Jenny turned to the boy and saluted. "Thank you for acting so quickly."

The boy blushed and waved his hands dismissively. "I didn't do much. Ash had already stepped in before I could do anything."

The young man explained that he'd seen the situation from afar. Though not a strong Trainer, he had been prepared to intervene. 

Seeing Ash handle the delinquents, he instead called the Pokémon Center and waited to guide Nurse Joy to the scene.

Ash met the boy's gaze, nodding in silent gratitude. Something about him seemed familiar, though Ash couldn't quite place it.

"We've stabilized Lapras, but more thorough treatment will require the Pokémon Center," Nurse Joy said after a quick examination.

However, Lapras resisted being moved. It flinched whenever the staff tried to lift it onto the stretcher, its fear evident.

"Mr. Ash," the boy said, stepping forward, "I noticed that Lapras doesn't seem afraid of you. Maybe you could help calm it down?"

"You know me?" Ash asked, surprised. He hadn't introduced himself, yet the boy addressed him by name.

"Yes," the boy admitted with a smile. "But now's not the time for introductions. Please, help Lapras."

Nodding, Ash returned to Lapras' side. Gently stroking its head again, he whispered reassuring words. The Pokémon visibly relaxed, allowing the staff to lift it onto the stretcher without resistance.

With Lapras secured, Ash, Misty, and the young man followed the ambulance back to the Pokémon Center. 

There, Nurse Joy began Lapras' treatment in earnest. Her natural affinity for Pokémon worked wonders, and Ash promised Lapras he wouldn't leave until it was better. This reassurance seemed to give Lapras the strength to accept the care it needed.

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Later, in the Pokémon Center lobby, the young man approached Ash with a polite smile.

"Hello, Mr. Ash. My name is Tracey Sketchit," he said, extending a hand. "I'm a Pokémon Watcher."

"A Pokémon Watcher?" Misty asked, intrigued.

Tracey nodded. "I observe and study Pokémon in their natural habitats. Meeting Trainers like you helps me learn even more."

Ash shook Tracey's hand, sensing his genuine enthusiasm. Now he remembered that he was the person who joined professor Oak after the orange league series.

Guess memory can be a fickle thing, remember the useless but forget the needed, sigh.

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