Author's POV : This might be the longest and my best chapter from a feels point of you yet , not sure if some people would appreciate it from a pokemon fic point of you, but I felt this needed to be written and addressed from lavender incident.Again I know nothing of therapy and this is just a humble attempt from my side at it.
Grey's POV
The rest of the day, I went back to the gym to train with my mons, who were doing their respective training after I congratulated Bill on his capture. I also thought about it and gave my list of TMs that I wanted to Bill, who had smartly seemed to have trained his Abra with Thunder Punch, as the Pokémon originally only knew Teleport.
My TM list for this month was Protect. This was non-negotiable, and Bill did say it would take time to get, but I was okay with that. Next was Solarbeam. This was coverage for Exeggcute, and my hope was that once it learned it, it could teach it to Charmander down the line when both of them evolved. Charmander has Solar Power, making it a sun weather abuser, and Exeggcute is also a Grass-type. Having a move that uses the sun like Solarbeam would be invaluable.
Lastly, I asked for the TM Teleport. This was also for Exeggcute. The thing is, in the games this line never learned the move, but Bill was the one who told me to get the TM for it, as apparently all Psychic-types could learn the move. The only difference was that its usage and method varied between Pokémon. For example, the Abra line could teleport almost anywhere with ease and do so multiple times a day, but the Exeggcute line might only be able to pull off one or two teleports per day because it didn't align naturally with their aptitude or way of using psychic energy.
That was fine with me, as the only reason I was going for this TM was to make transportation easier. If I wanted to travel back to any previously visited city, route, or location, this move would help. Even if Exeggcute sucked at using it in battle, I didn't need it to use it that way. I had plans to use its psychic abilities in other ways.
So I gave the list to Bill, and he told me he would get back to me whenever he received them from Silph. Protect and Teleport might take some time, but Solarbeam could arrive by the weekend before I left, which worked for me. He also told me that the food would arrive by the weekend, which was nice, so a lot of things were getting sorted out for me before leaving this city.
I then proceeded to rest, tired from the day's training and even that talk with the official, while awaiting tomorrow's therapy session. I hadn't interacted with Surge much today, as he seemed very busy, but he encouraged my decision to try therapy, which was the opposite of what I thought his response would be.
He told me that he had gone through it a lot after the war, as he had lost many of his war buddies and a lot of his Pokémon had been critically injured. Take Electabuzz for example. His main team ace was so badly injured that most of its body was now made of Ditto cells and covered in scars. Yes, it could still one-shot my entire team, but in its prime that mon was capable of fighting Elite Four-level Pokémon. This was also why he was grooming his other Electabuzz, the son of his main one, as it still had a healthy body and the potential to evolve.
Well, there was no use dwelling on it. I might as well get this therapy thing over with tomorrow.
With that thought, I went to sleep.
The Next Day
Third POV
Grey had woken up, gotten dressed, taken a bath, and was now waiting at the Pokémon Center when he saw a woman teleport into the entrance using a Gardevoir. She walked in, asked Nurse Joy about him, and then came towards him as he sat in the lobby.
The therapist spoke. "My name is Amanda. I have booked a room for your therapy session. We can head there now."
Grey nodded and followed her to the therapy room to begin the session.
The room had a desk and two chairs, just like yesterday. Amanda sat in one chair, so Grey took the other.
Amanda took out a file that had a lot of contents inside and had his name written on it. She then called out another Pokémon, a Hypno, and gave it a notepad and a pencil. The Pokémon immediately started writing something down.
How did she teach a Pokémon to write? Grey wondered.
Amanda then said, "I want to start this session by addressing what I believe is the main reason you might need it. After reading your file, I have information on all the incidents you were involved in, but I want your perspective on things. You can feel free to talk. There is complete confidentiality from my end. Only something you specifically want the League to know will be shared. Everything else will remain private. If you want, I can even have Gardevoir erase both my memories and its own memories in front of you afterward."
Grey shook his head.
"That won't be necessary. I'm fine. That seems a little too extreme."
Amanda nodded.
"Very well. Then describe to me what happened that day at Lavender Town. Everything, to the best possible detail."
Grey nodded and began speaking.
He told her about the elderly man warning him, about using all of his Pokémon to clear floors, and how he pushed further into the tower.
Then Grey's breathing started becoming heavier as he approached that part of the story.
Amanda noticed immediately.
So did Gardevoir.
Meanwhile, Hypno continued writing notes without interruption.
Grey continued, describing how he reached that floor and saw Petrel shoot the Marowak in the head.
The moment he spoke those words, his breathing became erratic. His eyes shook slightly as the memory resurfaced.
Gardevoir gently placed a hand on his shoulder.
A soft Healing Pulse flowed through him.
Grey felt himself calm down a little.
Amanda leaned forward slightly.
"How did you feel when you saw that shot being fired? What was your response to it?"
Grey looked annoyed by the question.
"How did I feel?" he repeated.
"Of course I hated it."
His voice rose.
"If I had been a bit faster, I could have stopped that."
His hands clenched.
"If I had arrived sooner, an innocent life wouldn't have died."
His breathing sped up again.
"If I had just come faster, Mr. Fuji wouldn't have had to cry, and that innocent Cubone wouldn't have lost its mother."
Grey looked down.
"Of course I hated the gunshot."
His voice became bitter.
"And of course I wanted to beat Petrel into a pulp."
Once again, Gardevoir placed a hand on him, soothing his emotions and helping him calm down.
Amanda allowed a few moments of silence before continuing.
"What did you do after that?"
Grey took a deep breath.
"I tried fighting Petrel."
He then retold the events.
How Exeggcute defeated Crobat.
How Exeggcute had twisted Petrel's arm to stop another gunshot.
How Derek had arrived and saved him.
How Derek went after Petrel while Grey unleashed his Pokémon against the remaining Rockets.
When he finished speaking, Amanda sighed softly.
"Do you feel a little better now?"
Grey frowned.
"I don't underst—"
Then he stopped.
His breathing was steadier.
His chest no longer felt tight.
Amanda noticed the realization.
"To be honest, Grey, what you experienced at such a young age is something even veteran trainers never go through."
She folded her hands.
"Your reactions to Petrel's actions are completely justified. Honestly, I like the fact that you have such an appreciation for life."
Her expression softened.
"But you need to stop blaming yourself for arriving late."
Grey looked up.
"It wasn't in your hands."
Amanda continued before he could interrupt.
"You keep saying that if you had arrived faster, you could have saved Marowak."
She shook her head.
"Let me be frank with you. That wouldn't have happened."
Grey opened his mouth to argue.
Amanda continued before he could.
"It took an Ace Trainer with Pokémon as strong as a Gym Leader's main team to subdue Petrel, Grey."
Her voice remained calm.
"If you had arrived earlier, the only difference would have been that you died earlier."
Grey froze.
Amanda continued.
"And you say you should have been faster."
She pointed toward his file.
"You spent time freeing the civilians who were being held hostage."
She paused.
"Would you rather have ignored them and rushed upstairs?"
Grey immediately shook his head.
"No."
Amanda nodded.
"Exactly."
"Understanding your nature, I know you would have tried to save everyone."
Her gaze softened.
"But life doesn't always allow you to have everything."
The room fell silent.
Grey listened.
He had never looked at the incident from that perspective before.
Amanda continued.
"Whatever actions you took that day were very rational."
"Right until the very end."
"Yes, after the incident you allowed your emotions and rage to take control."
She shrugged slightly.
"But that was still understandable."
"You didn't overextend yourself."
"Derek arrived in time."
"And Derek only arrived because you contacted both him and the police beforehand."
Amanda tapped the table.
"That was the correct decision."
"You only had two badges at the time."
"No matter what you did or how you approached that situation, it was a lose-lose scenario if you tried handling it alone."
Grey sat quietly for several moments.
Then he spoke.
"I had a faint idea something like it would happen."
Amanda raised an eyebrow.
Grey then explained the prophecy from the ancient Ninetales.
Amanda sighed again.
She gave Gardevoir a look.
The Psychic-type once again used a gentle pulse of calming energy.
Amanda then spoke.
"Grey, prophecies are a fickle thing."
She gestured toward Gardevoir.
"Even my Gardevoir is capable of seeing glimpses of the future."
"The problem is that future visions are often nothing more than possibilities."
"There are generally two ways things go after someone learns about a future vision."
She held up a finger.
"Either they run from it, dread it, and destiny eventually arrives anyway."
Then a second finger.
"Or knowing about the future gives them the chance to change it."
Amanda leaned back.
"What that Ninetales told you did happen."
"However, you didn't know how it would happen."
"You didn't know when it would happen."
"You didn't know what exactly you were supposed to prevent."
Her lips twitched slightly.
"Frankly, from the way that old fox delivered the message, it sounds more like it was amusing itself."
Grey blinked.
Amanda continued.
"It handed you a vague warning and then watched to see how you would struggle with that knowledge."
She folded her arms.
"Sometimes knowing something will happen is a curse in itself."
Grey slowly nodded.
That actually made sense.
Amanda noticed he looked thirsty.
Without being asked, Gardevoir teleported away and returned moments later carrying a glass of water.
Grey accepted it gratefully and drank.
Once she saw he had calmed down, Amanda opened the file again.
"Now then."
She gave him a small smile.
"Let's talk about your second incident."
———————————————————————-
Amanda then asked about the S.S. Anne incident, and Grey started to describe what had happened. He had already told her that the Ninetales might have vaguely hinted at a possible problem in the future. Then there was that night when Exeggcute had suddenly spoken and warned him. From there, he began retelling the events, right up until the moment he saved Bill.
Amanda listened quietly before asking the question that hit right at the heart of the issue.
"What was going through your mind when you saved Bill? There was no need for you to put yourself in harm's way for that."
Grey thought about it for a moment.
"When I saw that Shadow Ball heading toward Bill..." he began slowly. "The scene with Marowak came back to me."
His voice lowered.
"I wasn't able to save her because I arrived too late."
He looked down at his hands.
"This time I could at least see the attack coming. I could do something."
Grey paused.
"My body just moved on instinct."
Amanda nodded.
"And you took an attack to your back that sent both of you over the railing and into the sea."
Grey frowned. He didn't like how bluntly she phrased it.
Before he could respond, Gardevoir once again used Heal Pulse to help calm him.
Amanda continued.
"Before doing this heroic act, did you stop for even a second and think about how your parents would have felt if you had died from that attack?"
Grey froze.
Amanda didn't stop.
"Or better yet, the people immediately close to you."
She pointed toward the Poké Balls attached to his belt.
"How would your Pokémon have felt finding out that their trainer had sacrificed himself while they were following his orders to keep other trainers safe and fight the Rockets?"
Grey's eyes widened slightly.
Amanda continued.
"You're lucky your Pokémon are intelligent."
She smiled faintly.
"Actually, luck isn't even the right word. You trained them well."
"Still, if I were you, I'd give that Persian plenty of treats."
Grey blinked.
Amanda chuckled slightly.
"The cat managed to piece together a solution during a crisis, remembered a vague conversation you had with Red, found a Water Stone, and essentially saved your life."
Grey slowly nodded.
He had never looked at it from that angle before.
The more he thought about it, the more he realized she was right.
His parents would have been devastated.
His Pokémon would have been devastated.
The thought alone made his chest tighten.
Tears slowly formed in his eyes.
Without him even noticing, Gardevoir somehow produced a handkerchief and gently handed it to him.
Grey accepted it and wiped his eyes.
Amanda waited for him to compose himself before speaking again.
"My job here isn't to make you feel guilty, Grey."
Her tone became softer.
"I'm trying to show you how past trauma is clouding your judgment and influencing decisions that you normally wouldn't make."
She folded her hands together.
"Saving Bill was a noble thing. The League appreciates it. Bill appreciates it."
"There is no doubt about that."
She leaned forward slightly.
"But the best possible decision in that situation would have been different."
Grey listened carefully.
"You had four Pokémon."
Amanda began counting on her fingers.
"Three could have continued fighting the Rockets."
"One could have stayed near you."
She thought for a moment.
"Preferably Exeggcute. Its Confusion would have been useful for defense."
Grey nodded slowly.
Amanda continued.
"A trainer's duty isn't just to train Pokémon or win battles."
"It's a partnership."
"A bond."
"When a trainer completely disregards their own safety, it doesn't just affect them."
She pointed at his Poké Balls again.
"It makes the Pokémon worry too."
Grey sat silently.
For the first time since the incident, he realized that his actions hadn't only affected himself.
His team had nearly lost their trainer.
Amanda gave him a small smile.
"I hope today's session has helped you understand yourself a little better."
"Will these traumas disappear overnight?"
She shook her head.
"No."
"But talking about them helps."
"It makes the burden lighter."
"And now, even subconsciously, you understand what has been influencing your decisions."
She closed the file in front of her.
"That was my goal for today."
Then she remembered something.
"Oh right."
"Liam mentioned that you had some information regarding Team Rocket that you wanted to share."
Grey nodded and cleared his mind.
"As you know, I live in Celadon City."
Amanda nodded.
"Before becoming a trainer, I used to spend a lot of time at the Game Corner."
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"I kind of had a deal with one of the cashiers there. I'd collect stray coins lying around, and he'd exchange them for Pokédollars."
Amanda smiled slightly.
"So you were doing odd jobs to save money for your journey."
Grey nodded.
"Pretty much."
Amanda could sympathize. She hadn't exactly come from wealth either.
Grey continued.
"While I was at the Game Corner, I noticed something."
His voice became more serious.
"I never actually saw any Rockets there."
"But behind a curtain near the right corner of the building, I always felt there was some kind of hidden switch."
Amanda's expression sharpened.
Grey continued.
"I never pressed it."
"I never told the police either."
He looked slightly embarrassed.
"I wasn't a trainer back then."
"I figured nobody would take me seriously."
He took a deep breath.
"So this is mostly speculation."
Amanda gestured for him to continue.
"But I feel Team Rocket is somehow connected to the Game Corner."
"Maybe there's something underneath it."
"Illegal Pokémon captures."
"A black market."
"Trafficking."
"I honestly don't know."
Grey shook his head.
"I don't have any proof."
"Not a single piece."
"But after everything I've seen, I feel like it's possible."
Amanda and Gardevoir both noticed Grey's breathing becoming uneven again.
It was almost as if he had been carrying this suspicion alone for months.
Gardevoir immediately used another Heal Pulse.
Grey relaxed slightly.
Amanda nodded.
"This information will be taken seriously."
Grey looked surprised.
Amanda continued.
"Even if it's currently speculation."
She tapped the file.
"You and Red have encountered Team Rocket far too many times for me to dismiss your concerns as coincidence."
That seemed to reassure Grey.
Amanda stood up.
"Thank you for cooperating today."
She then escorted him out of the room.
Once Grey had left, Amanda looked toward Gardevoir and Hypno.
Hypno adjusted the notepad in its hands.
"He wasn't lying about anything, as far as I can tell."
The Psychic-type handed over its notes.
"I've documented everything."
Amanda accepted the notebook.
Then she sighed.
A headache was already forming.
Now she had to explain to the League that there was a possibility Celadon's famous Game Corner was being used as a black-market hub and potentially housed Team Rocket operations.
That report was not going to be fun.
Meanwhile, Grey returned to his room.
He released all of his Pokémon.
The team looked surprised to see him back so early.
Before any of them could react, Grey dropped to his knees.
The Pokémon immediately became concerned.
Grey's voice shook.
"Thank you."
The words came out almost as a whisper.
Then louder.
"Thank all of you."
Tears began falling again.
"You saved my life."
The Pokémon froze.
Grey continued speaking through the tears.
"I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry for putting myself in danger."
"I'm sorry for not thinking about how all of you would feel."
His hands clenched.
"I never even considered it."
He lowered his head.
"I promise I'll do better."
"I'll make sure something like that doesn't happen again."
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then Axew stepped forward.
Followed by Exeggcute.
Then Charmander.
Even Cloyster carefully shuffled closer.
Finally, Persian approached.
The cat looked annoyed.
Then it rubbed against Grey anyway.
A second later, the entire team was hugging him.
Grey laughed through his tears.
At that moment, he realized just how lucky he was.
Not because he survived.
Not because he had talent.
Not because he had a sponsor.
But because he had a team that genuinely cared about him.
Later that evening, Grey also called his parents.
The conversation was short.
He simply reassured them that he was safe.
And after everything that had happened recently, he promised them he would do his best to stay out of trouble.
Authors Note : I have travelled back to workplace so yesterday went in that as for uploads I will try 3 per week from my end at least by taking out free time in between somehow .