After a long, deep slumber, I woke up. I wasn't in pain anymore and was even able to stand up without trouble again. However, I wasn't in the stadium anymore. Dragonite, Lance and Ash were nowhere to be seen. Instead, I was on a white bed. Next to me, I saw Pikachu on another white bed.

"Where am I?" I asked Pikachu, but he was still asleep.

"You're at the Pokemon Center on Indigo Plateau," a jolly pink Pokemon holding an egg said. "I'm Matron Blissey. Nice to meet you, Champion Bayleef!"

"Why am I here?"

Then, a human nurse with pink hair entered the room. "You collapsed after defeating Lance's Dragonite, so Ash brought you, Pikachu, Charizard, Snorlax, Bulbasaur and Heracross here to get some rest. But you're all cured now, so it's time to go back to your trainer!"

Since I was the first one to be awake, so I got to see Ash first. Nurse Joy would bring the others over when they woke up later this morning.

And so, after following Nurse Joy and noticing I could walk again, I saw Ash, Misty, Brock, Tracey, Professor Oak and Delia sitting in the lobby of the Pokemon Center. Of course, I charged into Ash with my full-power Body Slam Hug and planted my lips on his cheek.

"Bayleef, I'm so happy to see you're okay! You did so well yesterday, thank you so much! Thanks to you, I am the Champion of Kanto and Johto now!"

"Bay Bay!" I squealed. I couldn't be happier than this. Even if I was sent back to the lab forever and never saw Ash again, nobody would be able to take this experience away.

"I've got some good news for you," my trainer said.

"Bay?" I asked.

"Misty and Brock told me how much you hate being in your Poke Ball while Pikachu is on my shoulder, and Professor Oak and Tracey told me you really missed me! I want to apologize for the way I've been treating you. I love you, Bayleef!"

"Bay Bay!" I screamed. I couldn't believe my ears. Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? This was real. Ash's petting was too good to be true, but it was true.

"And I've got even better news for you," Ash said. "Now I finally understand how awful you felt at Professor Oak's lab, I decided to take you with me on all my journeys to other regions from now on. And not only that, you get to walk around with me and don't have to be in your Poke Ball anymore!"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Finally, my life of boredom was over. From now on, I would see exciting new places, fight new opponents and make new memories. Most importantly, I would get to do all of that with Ash, my best friend.

And from now on, Ash would never ignore me again when deciding who to use in League battles. I would not get shafted in favour of weaklings like Corphish and Gible anymore. From now on, I was one of Ash's true powerhouses, just like Snorlax, Pikachu and Charizard.

"Ash, wouldn't Pikachu get jealous?" Brock asked. "This means Pikachu loses its status as the only one of your Pokemon with special privileges."

"Last evening, when Pikachu regained consciousness and Bayleef was still asleep, I told Pikachu about this idea, and he was fine with it," Ash said. "Pikachu will always be my best friend and first Pokemon, I'm just giving Bayleef the treatment I should've given her fifteen years ago. If only I understood what she really needed..."

I knew I dodged the bullet. If Pikachu would have trouble with it, I could understand if Ash didn't stick to this promise. I also don't want Pikachu to feel bad. All I wanted was some recognition and more time with Ash, and I got it.

Then, Nurse Joy and Blissey brought the other five battles from yesterday over to Ash and his friends. Instantly, Pikachu jumped in Ash's arms. However, unlike fifteen years ago, I was no longer jealous or angry. First, I watched the two hug happily. When it got too much for me, I just joined in for a group hug, which both Ash and Pikachu didn't seem to mind.

An hour later, Ash said goodbye to his friends, who had to go back to work. Professor Oak and Tracey took Heracross, Bulbasaur and Snorlax back to the lab, Liza from the Charicific Valley picked up Charizard, Delia went back home to check on Mimey, the cheerful Mr. Mime who did lots of chores in the Ketchum residence. And Brock had a date with his new girlfriend Lucy in a few days, so he hurried back to Pewter City.

However, Misty refused to go back to the Gym. She decided to stay with Ash. Tracey allowed her to escape her horrible fate, why would she go back to her sisters, who mentally abused her and held her back for fifteen years? I couldn't blame Misty.

While Misty tried to convince Ash to spend a nice evening watching the night sky at Indigo Plateau before escaping to another region to avoid getting caught by her sisters who might be after her, I decided it was time to talk to Pikachu. I had some things to say.

"Pikachu, sorry I've been rude to you, pushing you away sometimes... I was just... Jealous... And I took out my anger on you, while you couldn't be blamed. Sorry for calling you a stupid rat, I hope you can forgive me..."

A tear flowed down from my eye. I wanted to be friends with Pikachu, despite all the tension.

"I don't blame you at all," the electric mouse said, much to my surprise. "I wish Ash would've never left you at Oak's lab, I even tried to talk to him before he went to Hoenn. He just didn't listen. Those stubborn humans never listen."

"You did? That's so sweet!"

"Are you sure you're okay with me staying out of my Poke Ball too from now on? I'll go back in if you want me to."

"Of course I'm okay with that," Pikachu said. "If Ash would've been smarter and more sensitive, he would've never put you in a Poke Ball to begin with! It's his fault that he gave me preferential treatment over you all these years, not your or my fault!"

Then, I used my Vine Whip to grab Ash and Pikachu and give them a group hug. "Bay Bay!"