"Sounds like it's getting pretty bad out there," said Brock as the rain pelted the domed roof of the tent.
"It's okay, Togepi," Misty reassured her frightened Pokémon. "We'll be safe here in the tent." She hugged her little Pokémon tightly and then placed it in her backpack. "And you'll be extra safe in here, Togepi."
"How's he doing, Misty?" Professor Oak asked, kneeling by Ash's side.
"Still sleeping," the girl replied. "But he acts like he's still hurting. He's really restless."
"He may be having another nightmare," said Professor Oak, holding the lantern above the twitching form of the sleeping boy. "He had a bad one while you and Brock were gone."
"Poor Ash," Misty said sympathetically. She began to rub Ash's shoulder comfortingly and the boy's fidgeting ceased. "Don't worry, Ash. I'm here. I'll watch over you."
"Ash is fortunate to have a good friend like you, Misty," Professor Oak smiled.
"Thanks, Professor," the girl replied. "I just wish I could do more to help him."
"I think you're helping him just by staying there with him, Misty. Just knowing that you're there I'm certain is reassuring to him."
Misty lay down next to Ash and began to slowly stroke his hair. "It's all right, Ash. I'm here."
Professor Oak left the two alone and went to the opposite side of the tent where Brock sat. "Poor girl. I didn't realize she was in love with Ash."
"Yeah. Even those two argue all the time and get on each other's nerves, Misty is crazy about Ash and he feels the same way about her. They just won't admit it to each other." Brock glanced at the tender scene on the other side of the tent. "Until now."
Except that now may be too late, Professor Oak thought as he watched Misty tenderly brush aside a stray lock of hair on Ash's forehead.
Pikachu, who was curled up on Ash's opposite side, lay with his head resting against Ash's chest. Suddenly, one of the Pokémon's ears perked up. "Pika?"
"What is it, Pikachu?" Misty whispered.
The Pokémon lifted its head and looked at Misty worriedly. "Pika-pikachu."
"Pikachu, is something wrong?" Misty asked.
The Pokémon nodded and pointed to Ash.
And then Misty noticed it, too. It was a faint wheezing sound. And it was coming from Ash.
"Professor! Brock!"
Brock nearly stumbled over a pile of equipment in his haste to get to the frightened girl's side. "What is it, Misty?"
"It's Ash. Listen." The two listened carefully, but then a rumble of thunder overhead obliterated all other sounds inside the tent.
Professor Oak came up behind Brock. "What is it, Misty?"
"Pika-pikachu! Pi-pika-pi," the worried Pokémon explained, pointing to Ash.
"Listen," Misty said once the thunder had died away.
"I don't hear anything, Misty," Brock said. "Other than the rain."
"You have to get closer," Misty explained, inclining her head over Ash's face. "It sounds like Ash is having trouble breathing."
Professor Oak knelt down next to Misty and then he heard it, too.
"Hear it, Professor?" Misty said, alarmed.
Professor Oak nodded. "Brock, go get me the stethoscope that's in your backpack."
The two watched anxiously as Professor Oak listened to Ash's chest. Through the stethoscope's ear pieces, he could clearly hear an ominous gurgling sound that meant that the boy's lungs were starting to fill with fluid. And on top of that, the boy's heart was racing, occasionally skipping a beat.
"Is Ash okay, Professor?" Misty asked anxiously.
But the tense expression on the older man's face clearly told her that Ash wasn't okay. The truth was that Ash was dying and there was not a thing any of them could do about it.
"Ash isn't okay, is he?" Brock had been watching Professor Oak's face closely throughout the examination.
Professor Oak removed the stethoscope's ear pieces. "No, Brock. He isn't. His lungs are starting to fill with fluid."
"Professor, isn't there anything you can do?" Misty said, voice quivering.
The scientist shook his head. "I wish I could do something, Misty."
"No…oh no…" Misty laid her head on Ash's chest and began to cry. "Oh, Ash."
"Professor, do you think Ash can hang on until Captain Silas gets here?" asked Brock.
But the expression on Professor Oak's face told him that the answer was no.
"Pikachu!" The little yellow Pokémon leapt up from his trainer's side and dashed out the door of the tent.
"Pikachu! Come back!" Brock leapt up, stuck his head outside the tent, and a flash of lightning revealed the tail of the electric Pokémon disappearing down the path.
"Brock, what do you think you're doing?" Professor Oak grabbed the boy's arm as he made an attempt to go after Pikachu.
"Pikachu wouldn't run off like that without a good reason," Brock explained. "Especially not with Ash as sick as he is. And I'm going to find out what it is."
"Brock, it's too dangerous out there with the storm going on," Professor Oak insisted.
"Pikachu wouldn't leave Ash like this without a good reason, Professor Oak! I've got to go find him!" The boy grabbed his rain jacket and dashed outside into the driving rain.
"Brock! Brock, come back here!" Professor Oak yelled as the boy ran down the path leading out of camp. But the boy either didn't hear him or didn't want to hear him and quickly disappeared into the darkness of the woods.
"Why did Pikachu take off like that, Professor?" Misty asked as a dripping Professor Oak came back into the tent.
Professor Oak wiped away the rainwater that was trickling down his hair and into his eyes. "I don't know, Misty. But right now, let's not worry about that. Let's tend to Ash and see what we can do to make him more comfortable."
To be continued…