"Pikachu! Electro ball!" Ash called.

"Pawniard! Use Metal Claw!" Ash's opponent, Julia, responded.

"Pikachu! Quick! Dodge!" Ash commanded.

Pikachu dodged, but Pawniard was already on the attack, accidently hitting Ash in the face instead.

Don George quickly blew a whistle as Julia and Ash's friends, Iris and Cilan, raced to the Ash's side of the battle field.

"Ash! Are you okay?" Iris called.

"Pawniard and I are so sorry! Please forgive us!" Julia cried.

Ash was holding a hand to his face, tears of pain crawling out of his eyes.

"We need to get him to the pokemon center. They can help him there." Don George said.

To Iris and Cilan's surprise, Ash was willing to go to the pokemon center even though he hadn't finished the battle, which was totally unlike him. However, he refused to take his hand off his face, and Iris had to lead him to the pokemon center by touch.

Nurse Joy was quick to lead Ash in back and give him a complete check-up while Iris, Cilan, Don George, and Julia waited in the lobby. It seemed to be forever before Nurse Joy led Ash back out front. Iris, Cilan, Don George, and Julia caught the end of what seemed to be a very upsetting conversation, because Ash was crying harder.

"-might gain it back slowly, but you're just going to have to deal with it for now." Nurse Joy was saying.

"How is he, Nurse Joy?" Julia asked anxiously. "Is he going to be okay?"

"He's going to live, if that's what you mean." Nurse Joy replied. She turned to Ash. "Would you like to be the one to tell them?" Ash shook his head as Pikachu jumped into his arms. Nurse Joy turned back to the Iris, Cilan, Don George, and Julia. "Ash has lost his vision. I'm not sure if it will come back or not, but it might be best if he returns to his hometown instead of travelling until he finds a way to be able to get around by himself."

The group was horrified.

"I'm so sorry! It's all my fault!" Julia gasped. She started begging Ash to forgive her, but was completely ignored by the boy, who was wallowing in his own self-misery.

After a little while, Cilan offered to call Professor Juniper and tell her about it. Ash responded that he didn't care.

Soon, arrangements had been made. Professor Juniper was coming to pick him up and take him to the airport, where the flight attendants would help him until the plane arrived in Pallet Town. His mother would be waiting for him at the Pallet Town airport.

Iris and Cilan were very upset about having to say goodbye to Ash, but not as upset as Ash was about saying goodbye to them.

"We'll visit. We promise." Iris said.

"Yeah." Cilan put in. "And when we do, I'll make you a fantastic meal. I can do that now too if it'll make you feel better."

Ash sighed. "You guys are great friends, but nothing you do can make me feel any better about this."

Iris and Cilan hugged him and then Professor Juniper helped him over to the car and buckled him in.

"It's going to be a long ride." She told him. "Get some sleep. It'll make you feel a little better."

Ash sighed and then nodded off to sleep.