In which a swollen ankle puts a halt on plans.
Not my best work but I couldn't resist the prompt.
"Come on, Pikachu!" Ash shouted happily as he and Pikachu ran around, playing.
"Careful, there's a cliff right there," Paul shouted. In that moment he heard shouting as Ash fell down the cliff. Paul sweatdropped and ran to the edge and looked down.
"Ash! Are you okay?!" Paul shouted.
"Yeah! AH!"
"No you're not, I'm coming!" Paul began to panic a little. He ran over to the pokéballs. He knew none of his pokémon would be of any help so he reached for one of Ash's pokéballs. He released the pokémon inside to reveal Bayleef.
"Bay!" the pokémon called as she appeared.
"Bayleef, Ash fell down that cliff! I need you to use Vine Whip to help me get down there to help him," Paul pleaded. Bayleef nodded and her vines extended, wrapping around Paul's waist and sending him gently down to where Ash had landed.
"Ash, I'm here," Paul said as Bayleef's vines unwrapped from his waist. "Let me see."
"I-I'm fine!" Ash said, trying to stand, but crying out when he did and sat back down.
"You are not, let me see," Paul said calmly. Ash pouted and pointed to his leg, that didn't look fine to him.
"Ash, that ankle's swollen pretty badly," Paul said calmly. He grabbed Ash's arm and placed it over his shoulder, helping him up.
"I'm fine, Paul!" Ash said, taking his arm back and trying to walk away, only to grab onto Paul to keep from falling when his ankle surged with pain.
"Let me help you," Paul said. It was in that moment Paul knew he had no idea how to get back up to the campsite. He looked up at the cliff while trying to think. Bayleef!
"Tell Bayleef to use Vine Whip," Paul said.
"Bayleef, Vine Whip!"
"Bay!"
Two vines came down, and Paul guided them to wrap around Ash first. Bayleef lifted her trainer up first, gently placing him in a chair. Then she reached down again, wrapped her vines around Paul, and lifted him up, too, setting him on his feet.
"Thanks, Bayleef," Ash said with a smile as he returned her to her pokéball. Paul went over to his bag and pulled out some bandages for Ash's ankle.
"Thanks," Ash said with a smile as Paul finished wrapping his ankle.
"We're gonna have to stay here for a couple of days so you can heal," Paul explained. Ash pouted.
"But the next gym is so close!"
"You really want to battle with that ankle?"
"I guess you're right…"
"It's okay, it gives us a little break from traveling. We've got enough supplies to last us a few more days," Paul said with a gentle smile.
"Okay, if we have to…"