doctor problems
Running a private practice was harder than Brock had expected. It wasn't so much the actual practice of medicine – Brock rather enjoyed that.
It was everything else. The massive amount of administrative work that fell on his shoulders, since he only had three employees – two nurses, both fresh out of school, and a college student who ran the front desk for spending money during the summer – kept him up late into the night. The rent and the overhead for his clinic were high, the competition from the omnipresent Pokemon Centers and massage clinics was fierce, and it seemed that every time the phone rang, it was good news for someone else – Misty winning some award for being a gym leader, Ash being nominated for Pokemon Mastery, his family gym flourishing without him there.
It was beginning to get depressing. Brock eyed the cheap analog clock on the wall, as it ticked past midnight. His eyes were heavy, but he still hadn't figured out to pay the bills, and he was the only doctor here, so he was going to have to…going to…have…
There was a thump as his head hit the desk, and Brock snored on.
-
"Wow, so this is your office, huh? It's really cool that you finally became a Pokemon doctor."
Ash grinned. Brock's new clinic looked a lot like a Pokemon Center – white and cream and pink, with his Chansey wearing a nurse's hat and carrying a metal tray stacked with instruments. Everything looked just as Ash had imagined it would.
It did seem kind of empty, though. Other than the girl at the front desk, the one who'd asked for his autograph, Ash hadn't seen any patients or Trainers waiting for their Pokemon around. Maybe it was Brock's day off?
"I'm doing my best." Brock shrugged.
"It must be really busy when you're open." Ash mused, glancing into an examination room. There was a bank of monitors there, looking shiny and new.
"R-right." Brock agreed quickly. Ash frowned, wondering if he'd said something wrong, and let Brock continue the tour.
He did check the hours on his way out, though. They were open all day.
KANTO CHAMPION ENDORSES CLINIC ON WEBPAGE!
CHAMPION ASH DESCRIBES GYM LEADER-TURNED-DOCTOR AS 'BIGGEST INFLUENCE'
WHO IS DR. BROCK?
TOP COORDINATORS CALL HIM 'A MEDICAL SENSATION'
CERULEAN GYM LEADER RECOMMENDS NEW TRAINERS TO TAKE THEIR EGGS WHERE?
FROM GYM LEADER TO BREEDER TO DOCTOR: A ROCK-SOLID STORY
"So, how's your clinic doing?" Ash asked in what Brock was sure he thought was a subtle way.
"Great, thanks to your endorsement. And May's. And Dawn's. And all those fliers that were mysteriously posted all over the city, supposedly by a vandal in a red hat."
"…uh…" Brock watched Ash flush, and fidget, and glanced over at Pikachu, who also looked a bit embarrassed. "Hey, it worked, right?"
"People are asking whether you aren't mentally unfit to be Champion."
Ash shrugged. "It's because of you that I became a Pokemon Master, right? All that food! And, uh, help training."
"Ash—"
"So now I'm going to help you become the best Pokemon Doctor ever!" Ash finished.
"Pika!"
"Ash…" Brock said. "Thank you."
"No problem! Helping each other out is what being friends is all about!"