Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon in any way, shape, or form. This story has been written purely to entertain the millions of Pokemon fans out there. Thank you.
"Boy, it's times like this I wish I was a Charizard," a lone Charmander mused to himself. "Ducking and dodging through all this vegetation is enough to make any Pokémon wish he had wings!" the small fire-type chuckled. For the past few days, young Charcoal Charmander had been on a journey. A journey to his lifelong ambition. The Exploration Guild of Cobalt City. There, he would become an apprentice and work his way towards becoming a famous and well-respected explorer. And he couldn't have picked a better place to do so, for Cobalt City's guild was the best in the land, having more celebrated explorers graduate there then many, many others.
And Charcoal planned to follow in their footsteps.
Ever since his tail flame had been no more than a mere flicker, Charcoal had dreamed of traveling the world, searching for lost relics, going on grand adventures, and looking danger right in the eye. And soon, he would get the chance to live his dream at long last. Ever since he had left his home on Mt. Cleft, that was the one thing that was always, always on his mind.
The forest in which Charcoal was traveling in was a lush area known as Maple Forest. Towering, at least to a Pokémon his size, trees made up the land, their fallen leaves forming a red, orange, and yellow carpet on the forest floor. Pokémon of all shapes scattered through the woods, foliage crunching beneath their feet. With cautious steps, the young Charmander walked, for he knew not all these Pokémon were of the friendly persuasion. Staraptor circled the air, ready to swoop down on unintentional trespassers. Rattata scurried around, large ears perked up and able to hear any and all intrusions from a fifty-foot radius. And Shroomish lay hidden underneath the leaves, ready to use the paralyzing move of Stun Spore on whoever makes the mistake of stepping on them.
Charcoal walked on, stopping every few minutes to peek over his shoulders and make sure no one was following him. Sometimes, if he thought he saw some sort of movement, the fire-type would duck behind a rock or hide inside a hollowed-out log until the danger had passed. Usually, it was just a harmless Zigzagoon, or a lazy Slakoth. At one time though, a small Weedle crawled past the orange Pokémon. While the light brown bug-type itself did not pose too much of a threat to Charcoal, a Weedle in the area almost always meant that a group of Beedrill were nearby. And those wasp-like Pokémon were not ones you wished to meet.
"So far so good," Charcoal whispered to himself. "I've been on my journey for three days, and I've not run into any trouble. I don't want anything to make me late to this year's class at the Guild." the small Charmander went on, hands clutching his backpack straps, and a smile on his face. Yes, it seemed like everything would go off without a hitch on his trip. He'd get through Maple Forest, he'd enter Cobalt City, he'd sign up to be a guild apprentice, and he'd begin his training. It was a simple as that.
Or so it seemed.
The sound of tree limbs rustling caught Charcoal's attention. The adolescent Charmander looked up to find two such branches swaying up and down. "Hmm…..I wonder what could have caused that," the orange Pokémon wondered. "It can't be the wind 'cuz there's no breeze today. Was it another Pokémon? Yeah, it must've been," Charcoal nodded to himself. "But what kind of Pokémon was it? A Mankey? Nah, they don't live around here. Do they?"
"Well Charmander don't live in this forest either and you're here."
For the first time since leaving home, Charcoal was completely caught off guard. "Who? What? Where? When? Why? Who are you? What are you doing here? Where are you? When did you come here? Why are you here?" The Charmander's heartbeat quickened until it felt like his life-giving organ would leap clear out of his chest. Like lighting, Charcoal's eyes darted in all directions, searching for the source of the voice.
Laughter came from atop the tree the orange Pokémon was situated under. Somebody was actually enjoying his plight!
"Alright, who are you?! Show yourself!" the fire-type demanded.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. You're really not from around here, are you?"
"You still haven't answered my question…" Charcoal replied, growing more annoyed by the second.
Complete silence swept over the forest as the voice's owner thought of an answer-much to Charcoal's chagrin. Finally, it spoke. "Well……I 'spose I can tell ya. Take a gander up here, pal."
Hesitantly, the adolescent Charmander swept his eyes up toward the tree, and it was at long last he saw the creature that had conversed with him for the past minute. Sitting on the tree's largest branch, was a Treecko. The grass-type looked to be around Charcoal's age and was dressed in a dark green vest and blue rimmed sunglasses.
"The name's Timber Treecko. Now, it's your turn to tell me who you are," the green Pokémon grinned, eyeing the red vest, and matching bandanna-wearing Charmander below him.
"What's my name? It's….uh……….Charcoal. My name is Charcoal," the fire Pokémon answered after much deliberation.
"Charcoal, eh?" Timber repeated. "It suites you, being a Charmander and all."
"And I could say something similar regarding your name," the fire type grinned. "Well, I'd better be going. See ya later, Timber." The little Lizard Pokémon waved as he resumed walking.
Timber's gaze followed him. The Wood Gecko Pokémon still had a few questions to ask the Charmander, and he wasn't about to let him go that easily. "Hey! Wait up!"
Charcoal turned around to see Timber jumping from branch to branch in an attempt to catch up with him. "Yes?" the Charmander asked, still walking.
"There are still a few things I want to know about you. Where did you come from?"
Charcoal thought for a moment. Even though Timber had not acted the least bit hostile toward him, he wasn't sure he could trust the Treecko completely. He seemed friendly enough but……
"What, you don't remember?"
"Huh?"
"Did you forget where you came from?" Timber said to the confused Charcoal.
"No, I didn't forget," the fire-type answered.
"Then where did you come from?"
"I'm from….the northernmost region," Charcoal said finally.
Timber chuckled. "See? That wasn't so hard, now was it?"
"Yeah, I suppose you're right, Timber," the Pokémon agreed. He glanced at the jumping Treecko. "Say Timber, can I ask you something?"
"Sure! Ask me anything!"
"How can you leap from branch to branch and hold a conversation with me at the same time?" the Charmander wondered.
That jinxed it. While pondering the question he was asked, Timber tumbled out of a tree. The Treecko landed on the ground with a thud, leaves crunching beneath his weight.
"You alright?" Charcoal tried to suppress a laugh.
Ugh…yeah, I'm good," the grass-type grumbled. Timber was lying on his back, a look of shame on his face.
"Need any help? The adolescent Charmander offered.
"Thanks, but I can manage," the green Pokémon said as he picked himself off the ground.
"Hmm….odd."
"What's odd?"
"I've always thought that Treecko were better in trees than that," Charcoal joked.
"A minor technicality." Timber replied. "And besides, who are you to talk? A Charmander can't do anything like that." A smirk crossed the Pokémon's face. He just knew he'd get that fire-type back.
"True," the orange fire-type agreed. "Very true. But if we could, we would at least watch where we're going," he finished calmly.
Timber's jaw dropped. Charcoal could only laugh at his expression. "Thought you could get a little payback in there, eh?"
The Treecko threw his hands up in defeat. "Okay, okay, you got me. Now we're even, right?"
"I suppose so. Yes."
Suddenly, Charcoal felt his world flip upside-down over and over again. The next thing he knew, he was lying face up in a ditch, a bruise on his chest where Timber had tackled him. With a wild look in his eyes, he kicked the grass-type off himself. Timber landed on his back a few feet away.
"What was that for?!" Charcoal asked, rage in his voice.
"I'm…I'm sorry I shoved you, but…." Timber was cut off by Charcoal.
"I knew there was something I didn't like about you the moment you surprised me back there!"
"What are you talking about?" the Treecko snapped. "I just saved you!"
"You call shoving someone into a ditch saving them?!"
"Why you…" Timber's insult was interrupted by a loud buzzing noise. Charcoal's gaze darted overhead. What he saw caused his eyes to widen.
They were surrounded on all sides. By a dozen Beedrill.