"Ash, Chloe, I'd like you two to sit in on this one." Goh's psychologist said.
Entering the room, it was very different that how it was previously. All three chairs were night next to each other, with Goh in the middle.
"Go ahead, take a seat." Goh's psychologist said warmly.
Ash and Chloe both hesitantly took a seat. While they were both getting better at forgiving Goh, neither was comfortable being this close yet.
"Hmm, I see." Goh's psychologist said.
"What do you mean, we haven't said anything?" Ash defended.
"It's not what you've said, it's what you did." The psychologist said.
"Us being like this, isn't on Goh anymore, it's on us." Ash said. "So I'm not comfortable with being next to him, or having contact with him, what would you like me to say, that he didn't slam me to the ground and choke me? That I don't get flashbacks to all the times I've almost been killed and that's somehow one of them now?"
"Ash, she hasn't actually asked anything." Goh said.
"So you fear your life around Goh?" The psychologist said.
"No, I mean he's one of my good friends, I trust him." Ash said.
"But you just said you have flashbacks of times you've almost died, and that's one of them. Have you actually seen any help for that?" Goh's psychologist asked.
"I mean, it's not like it's anything unusual." Ash said.
"How many times have you almost died?" Goh's psychologist asked.
"Well there was the first day of my journey from hundreds of Spearow, and while I can't confirm it, I have dreams of turning to stone because of Mew; Articuno Zapdos, and Moltres fired shots at me and my Pokémon over already thin ice. A horde of Unown created a fake Entei that pushed me off a tower, my Charizard likes to hit me with flamethrower as a sign of affection, I was in two blimp crashes, I had a gun at my head once." Ash trailed off, seeing the three frightened faces in the room.
"Ash, none of that is normal." Chloe said, shaking herself out of it.
"That was just early on though, and I mean doesn't that happen to most trainers?" Ash asked.
"No, most trainers don't live through one of those, let alone all of them." Goh's psychologist said. "I'm going to have a talk with Professor Cerise about these incidents, for now you seem mostly fine, but I want to talk about your contact issue with Goh."
"Fine, maybe I'm afraid. Maybe I'm worried that I'm going to say or do something that will make it happen again. Maybe I'm afraid of what would've happened had Pikachu not been there." Ash said.
"Fear is something normal, and no one blames you or looks down on you for having it." Goh's psychologist said. "Chloe, Goh said you still don't talk with him much."
"I don't have much to say." Chloe said. "He's been awfully quiet so far though."
"We're talking about you right now Chloe." Goh's psychologist reminded.
"He spent all that time on every mission barking orders at me, blaming me for anything that went wrong, treating me like his lackey, instead of his friend. So yeah, I don't really have many friendly words to say to him." Chloe said.
"We're going to try something, I've never done it with three people, but it should still work. I need you to arrange your chairs so you're facing each other." Goh's psychologist said.
After they arranged themselves, she noticed they were still a bit spread out.
"You need to be closer for this, as close as you can get." Goh's psychologist said.
Goh and Chloe got close, but Ash still wasn't as close to Goh.
"Ash, I need you to try and get closer, the three of you can't heal if you don't try." Goh's psychologist said.
"Maybe, I can meet him the rest of the way." Goh offered.
"That's a good first step, but remember not to force it." Goh's psychologist said.
Goh nodded and schooched his chair up, only to be bounced back.
"You aura barriered me?" Goh asked, hurt from the idea of it.
"I didn't mean to." Ash defended. "It just happened."
"Goh, people put up barriers when they're hurt, you need to help them try and break those emotional blocks down." Goh's psychologist said. "Ash, can you try not pushing or kicking Goh away this time?"
"He didn't, he physically made a barrier with his mind." Goh said.
"Goh, you're talking an awful lot right now." Goh's psychologist said.
"And why not? Ever since this happened I've been asked to express every feeling except anger! Ash literally put up a shield the moment I got close to him!" Goh shouted. "You of all people! You've been saying we're in this together, that you're here for me, but when I try and get close, you push me away!"
"Because what you did was wrong and it hurt!" Ash snapped. "I'm sorry I wasn't there when you needed me, but calling me a freak, and grabbing my breast! I didn't choose to have this happen! I didn't choose to put up an aura barrier, that's linked to my emotions!"
"Aghhhh!" Goh said swinging a punch, stopping just before Ash, seeing his friend flinching in fear. "I'm sorry." Goh said, slumping down.
"Goh, I'm sorry I'm not ready for us to be physically close again, and I don't know if I ever will be, but you need to know I'm trying." Ash said, kneeling down. A shaky hand reaching out, to comfort Goh.
"What's going on? Who's hurt?" Professor Cerise said, him and Rem running in.
Ash fell back in surprise from the sudden arrival of the two.
"I hit the panic button when Goh threw the punch, I can't send a false alarm message though." Goh's psychologist said.
"Nonetheless, him trying that lets us know he's not truly ready." Professor Cerise said. "I'm sorry you two, the option is still available if you want to go just the two of you."
"Actually Professor, I need to talk to you about Ash, I think he has some stored up problems relating to what happened." Goh's psychologist said.