Season 01

Episode 07

Fiery Determination

It had been a few days since the training at Pewter Gym. Crystal and Heather couldn't return to borrow the place for training as they ended up with several Gym challengers and had to tidy the place up.

They were sat at a table in the Pokemon Centre happily munching on some sandwiches. All of the Pokemon were calmly eating bowls of Pokemon food. Brock walked in and headed over to them.

'Sorry, but it seems that you still can't use the Gym for training.' he said apologetically.

'That's alright Brock.' Crystal replied happily. 'We're thankful that you went to such an extent for us, but we've decided to continue our journey.'

'Oh. Where are you off too this time? If you don't mind me asking that is?'

'We're going to head over to Cerulean City.' Heather spoke up.

'Cerulean City? Well that's great news. My friend Misty is the Gym leader for Cerulean City. I can let her know that you will be heading her way. Well, at least to the Pokemon Centre over there. I know she would be willing to help you.' Brock clapped his hands together.

'You don't need to go to...' Crystal started talking but Brock suddenly disappeared. She looked round and saw him holding Nurse Joy's hands.

'Oh Nurse Joy. Your radiance is as beautiful as the morning sunrise. Please do me the…' he paused a moment. 'Croagunk?' he started to look behind himself. Croagunk had appeared from his Pokeball again and was readying a Poison Jab.

'Cro. Cro. Croagunk.' he jabbed Brock in the lower back. Brock groaned and collapsed. 'Cro. Cro.' Croagunk grabbed Brock by one of his legs and dragged him away while laughing.

'Well then Heather. Shall we get going?' Crystal shrugged at Brock's karma. Over the last few days they had seen this happen to Brock so many times that they no longer thing much about it.

'Yeah. Let's get going. I'll just go grab our stuff from the room.' Heather stood up.

Charmander noticing this run up to Heather. 'Char.' he spoke up in a cheery tone while tapping his fist to his chest.

'You want to come and help me?' Heather crouched down to him.

'Char.' Charmander nodded.

'Well I don't see why not. Come on then.' she patted his head. Standing up, she left the room with Charmander running ahead of her.

Crystal was watching them leave when a woman entered. 'Excuse moi Nurse Joy.'

'Yes. May I help you.' Nurse Joy walked towards her but Brock beat her to the woman.

'Such beauty gracing this Pokemon Centre. I the lovely Brock is willgaaaahhh…' Croagunk had Poison Jabbed him again.

As Croagunk was pulling him away laughing the woman looked at Nurse Joy and Crystal with a puzzled look.

'Don't mind him.' Crystal waved it off.

'Sorry about that.' Nurse Joy spoke up. 'Now then. You wanted to talk to me?'

'Oh. Oh yes.' she glanced at Brock who had just been unceremoniously dumped against a wall by Croagunk before turning to Nurse Joy. 'I wanted to ask if you can give my Pokemon a check-up before I go to the Gym for a battle.'

'Of course. Please follow me.' Nurse Joy led her to the counter where she placed her Pokemon on a Pokeball tray.

Crystal slid herself off the bench and onto Arcanine's back. She slung her leg over after Bulbasaur had reached up with her vines to steady her. 'Thank you Bulbasaur.'

'Bulba.' Bulbasaur replied with a smile.

Mudbray was watching them with a face that said he was jealous.

Crystal noticed this. 'Don't worry Mudbray. You'll get your chance in time. Even Bulbasaur and Squirtle are still young just like you. So stop with that pouting face.'

'Bray.' he lowered his head a moment then looked straight at Crystal. 'Bray. Mudbray.'

'Now that's it. Be happy that you'll get bigger and stronger. Just be patient.' Crystal smiled.

'Excuse moi, but that's an unusual Pokemon for this region. Where can I go to catch one?' the woman from earlier had walked over.

Crystal looked at her. 'I'm sorry, but which Pokemon are you asking about?'

'That one there.' she pointed at Mudbray, pulled out her Pokedex and scanned it.

'Pokemon not listed in the database.' the Pokedex responded calmly.

Crystal looked at which Pokemon she was asking about. 'Oh, you mean Mudbray.' she then looked at the woman. 'I'm sorry, but you won't find any wild Mudbray in Kanto.'

'Oh. Why not?' she tilted her head and gave a look of confusion.

'Mudbray are not native to Kanto.'

'Then how come you have one?'

'It is a sad story. Do you wish to hear it?'

'S'il vous plaît. I would like to know.'

Crystal told her how they found Mudbray, took care of it, and their thoughts on how he ended up in Kanto.

The woman clasped a hand over her mouth. 'Oh dear.' she dropped to her knees and gave Mudbray a hug. 'You poor thing.' she let him go. 'You've had a bad time, oui?' she looked at the other Pokemon. 'However, it looks like you have found good friends.'

'Bray.'

'Char.' Charmander came running over to them while carrying a backpack.

'Oh, Charmander, you've returned.' Crystal reached down and accepted the bag. 'Thanks for your help.'

'Chaaarr.' Charmander looked positively happy that he had done something good for Crystal.

At that very moment, Charmander started to glow.

'Oh. Charmander is evolving.' Heather walked up to them.

The glowing form of Charmander grew while its shape changed a little. Eventually the glow faded to reveal that Charmander was no more.

'Char. Charmeleon.' he had evolved into a Charmeleon.

'Charmeleon?' Crystal looked confused. 'Why? How did you evolve so soon?'

'I think he was very determined to help you. I've been noticing that he was eager to help you and a little down when he was unable to help.' Heather spoke up.

'Charmeleon. Is this true? Were you so eager to help me that you were willing to push yourself into evolving for me?' Crystal looked down towards him.

'Char.' Charmeleon's voice was no longer the sweet tone, but became more gruff, but not menacing.

Crystal patted Arcanine who laid down. She rolled off him and crawled over to him. Sat up facing him and pulled him into a hug. 'You idiot.' she stopped the hug, but gripped his shoulders and faced him, tears in her eyes. 'You idiot. There was no need for you to go this far for me. I was willing to wait for you to evolve. I also told you not to be so eager. Did I not tell you all to not be eager as it could cloud your thoughts and cause you to do more harm than good?' Charmeleon looked saddened. 'Well, what is done, is done. Now I need you to promise me that you will not be so eager to please me. Just like Arcanine, now that you've evolved, I need you to be grown up and be a good example to the others. Do you promise Charmeleon?'

Charmeleon stood up straight and thumped fist to chest. 'Char.'

'Excuse moi, but why did you not walk just now? Are you not able?' the young woman asked.

'I am unable to walk because my legs are paralysed.'

'Oh dear. I'm so sorry.' she covered her mouth in shock.

'Don't worry about it.'

'Excuse me for interrupting but, who are you?' Heather chimed in.

'Cher moi. Where are my manners.' the woman looked surprised.

'Excuse me, I have your Pokemon here. They're all healthy.' Nurse Joy came over with a tray of Pokeballs.

'Merci Nurse Joy.' she grabbed her Pokeballs and let her Pokemon out.

There was a Pidgie, Spearow, Rattata, Psyduck, Vulpix, and another Pokemon which Crystal and Heather didn't recognise.

'Hello my friends.' the woman patted a couple of the Pokemon on the head. 'You're good and strong for our next gym battle.'

'You're a strange person.' Crystal spoke up.

'Huh? Pardon moi.' the woman looked at Crystal.

'Heather asked you who you were only for you to turn to your Pokemon. Not only that but you have a Pokemon that is also not native to Kanto.'

'Cher moi. I did it again.' the woman slapped a hand to her forehead. 'Forgive me. I tend to get sidetracked and end up with a one track mind. I am Francesca, and this Pokemon…' she patted the strange Pokemon's head 'is my very first Pokemon, Furfrou.'

'Frou.' the furry Pokemon barked.

'Furfrou and me come from Lumiose City in the Kalos region. Furfrou are common there. Almost half the people in the city has a Furfrou. I tended to treat him to a Star or Diamond Trim. Or if I'm really generous I treated him to a Kabuki Trim. He loves the Kabuki trim. Sadly there's no boutiques that can do such trims in Kanto. Good thing he doesn't mind his Natural look.'

'You're getting sidetracked again.' Crystal spoke up.

'Cher moi. I'm sorry. I got a little enthusiastic in my excitement.'

'I am Crystal Jenny.'

'I am Heather.'

'Hello.' Francesca gestured to her Pokemon. 'Say hello everyone.'

Pidgie and Spearow waved a wing. Rattata jumped for joy. Psyduck bowed. Vulpix and Furfrou barked in their own way.

'I'm sorry if I seem rude, but don't you have a Gym battle to go to?' Heather spoke up.

'Oh. Merci Heather. I had forgotten for a moment.' she turned round to her Pokemon 'We better get going.' she then put them in their balls.

'We're going to Cerulean City. I hope that we meet again.' Crystal spoke up.

'I hope we meet again. Au revoir my friends.' Francesca waved as she left.

Crystal climbed up onto Arcanine. 'Shall we get going then?'

'Yeah. Let's get going.' Heather replied.

'We're going Brock. Thanks for letting us stay here Nurse Joy.' Crystal called out.

'Take care.' Nurse Joy waved.

Brock barely waved in response. He was still out of it from the Poison Jab.

Crystal, Heather and their Pokemon also left the Pokemon Centre.