Chapter 5: Stranded Flame
While venturing through Viridian Forest, Ash decided to use the VS Seeker to challenge any potential Rookie Trainer. He wanted to get some battling experience with his team and begin the process of raising his rank. Now that he had three Pokémon, he could at least challenge people to the popular three-on-three format.
On the screen of his phone was a map of the forest with a radius of a mile with a few blinking dots. He clicked on the closest one to see it was a Trainer named Damian Wayne. It appeared he recently started battling with a 5-0 record. Not a large sample size, but Ash felt confident that he would be able to present a challenge at least.
With a press of a button, he sent a challenge request. He did not wait long for a reply and agreed upon a set location. Based on the map, it appeared to have been a sizeable clearing.
Ash excitedly raced to the clearing with Pikachu on his shoulder. Serena and Eevee were right beside them.
Standing in the clearing was a group of three people. Based on the profile picture, the one in a nice white suit and nicely groomed hair was Damian. Next to him seemed to be some kind of butler and a coach-type figure.
Damian smirked. "I have to say, it's surprising to see the son of a legend have a zero, zero record. Nonetheless to see you challenge me should be a great test to see if my winning streak is a fluke."
Ash paused and thought about his words carefully. "Don't expect the match to be an easy one. Let's get started."
"I can be the judge if you two wanted," Serena volunteered.
Damian ran his fingers through his hair. "As long as the match is judged fairly, I could care less. How does a three-on-three sound?"
"Sounds good." Ash nodded and checked his VS Seeker app to select the Pokémon he would be using and choosing rock. He waited for Damian to respond with the screen showing the rich boy had chosen paper.
"You can go first," Damian said, stuffing his phone into his suit pocket.
Ash took a deep breath to consider the implications here. To see a trainer defer going first means he wanted to choose the perfect counter to his Pokémon. Given he could see Pikachu, choosing another Pokémon would not be ideal. "Pikachu, I choose you!" He pointed outwards.
"Pika!" It sparked its cheeks.
"Eevee!" The Evolution Pokémon cheered on the sideline.
Damian chuckled. "I can't say I'm surprised." He tossed out his first Pokémon. "Sandshrew, battle time!"
Materializing was a Pokémon with a brick-patterned hide appeared. It stood on two legs, had a tail, and sharp claws. It flexed its muscles before being in a battle stance.
Ash frowned, knowing a ground-type put Pikachu at a major disadvantage. He decided to check his Pokédex to refresh his memory on anything important while Serena prepared herself. Sandshrew, the Mouse Pokémon. It burrows deep underground in the arid locations far from water. It only emerges to hunt for food.
He also saw that any potential ability that Sandshrew possessed required it to set up a Sandstorm. He had to be careful.
Serena looked at both trainers, checking to see if they're ready. "Let the battle begin!"
"Quick Attack!" Ash ordered.
"Defense Curl into Rollout!" Damian countered.
Pikachu rocketed towards Sandshrew; however, it rolled up into a ball to boost its defensives.
Sandshrew took the hit, rolling backward before rolling forward with great speed and force.
The Electric Mouse got smacked, flew across the clearing, and flopping on the ground. Sandshrew kept rolling, gaining momentum by the second.
"Double Team!" Ash shouted.
Copies of Pikachu appeared on the battlefield. Sandshrew started to mow down each one, making the copies disappear until it found the real Pikachu.
"Rapid Spin!" Damian yelled.
Ash's eyes widened. "Quick Attack to evade!"
Sandshrew shifted from rolling like a ball to spinning like a disk. In an instance, it managed to grind into Pikachu due to its increased speed.
Pikachu withstood the attack for a time before being overpowered. It got up while panting.
"Scratch!" Damian followed up.
"Play Rough!" Ash countered.
Sandshrew swiped downwards with its claws only to be caught by Pikachu's paws. The Electric Mouse yanked them downwards before leaping overhead and tossing Sandshrew into the air.
Damian appeared calm. "Defense Curl into Rollout!"
With amazing concentration, Sandshrew rolled up into a ball to soften its landing. Immediately hitting the ground, it rolled like a ball.
"Quick Attack!" Ash commanded.
Pikachu slammed its head against Sandshrew with Pikachu being overpowered once again.
"Return Pikachu!" Ash sighed. The battle stopped, giving Pikachu some time to get back to Ash's side. He petted his little buddy. "You did good, but you're hindered by the type disadvantage."
"Cha." It lowered its ears and panted.
Ash adjusted his hat, thinking of the best possible counter to Sandshrew. Given the moves it had used so far, he doubted it knew Sandstorm or a ground type move yet. "Nidoran, I choose you!"
Upon appearing, Nidoran dug its foot into the ground.
Serena checked with Damian to see if he wanted to substitute Pokémon. With the shake of the head, she raised her arms once more. "Battle resume!"
"Rapid Spin!" Damian shouted.
"Poison Sting!" Ash countered.
Nidoran's poisonous needles bounced off Sandshrew's spinning hide.
Ash allowed Sandshrew to get closer. "Double Kick!"
The Poison Pin Pokémon pivoted off its front legs and kicked with its back legs. It appeared Nidoran kicked in the opposite direction of the spin, causing Sandshrew to flop in front of Nidoran.
Damian growled. "Rollout!"
Sandshrew curled up and rolled with Nidoran jumping into the air to avoid it.
"Horn Attack!" Ash commanded.
Nidoran led with its head downward.
"Rapid Spin!" Damian countered.
Sandshrew spun like a disk to intercept Nidoran's attack. The Poison Pin Pokémon got spun around and crashed into the ground where Sandshrew bumped up against it several times.
"Poison Sting!" Ash panicked.
Nidoran aimed poisonous needles that bounced off the spinning hide once again. It flopped on the ground while Sandshrew uncurled with a purplish energy-consuming its body.
Damian growled at the sight of his Pokémon being poisoned. The million-dollar question was it because of Poison Sting or the Poison Point ability?
Serena had her eyes closed while raising her arm for Ash's team. "Nidoran is unable to battle!"
Ash returned his Pokémon, thanking it for its efforts. "I promise your efforts won't be wasted." He grabbed his other Pokéball. No matter what, he was going to be limited so what was the lesser of two evils? "Metapod, I choose you!"
Damian refused to substitute Pokémon, thus Serena raised her arms. "Battle resume!"
"Let's end this quickly, Rollout!" Damian shouted.
"String Shot!" Ash countered.
Metapod spat out webbing from its shell to wrap up a rolling Sandshrew to a halt.
"Poison Sting!" Damian ordered.
Sandshrew fired poisonous needles to poke a hole in the webbing. With its claws, it began taking the webbing off.
"Tackle!" Ash ordered.
Metapod lunged forward and smacked against Sandshrew's hide.
Sandshrew grabbed ahold of Metapod until the poison had taken its toll and it collapsed.
"Sandshrew is unable to battle!" Serena declared with a cheerier tone of voice. Eevee hopped and cheered as well.
Damian silently returned his Pokémon with a grin. He was probably proud that with one Pokémon, he was able to reveal Ash's entire team. He casually brought out his next Pokémon. "Charmander, battle time!"
A lizard-like Pokémon stood on two legs with orange scales. It had a tail with a flame at the end of it and two arms with claws.
Ash wondered if he had met this Charmander before. He had helped take care of many over the years, handing them out to beginner trainers. He didn't need to check the Pokédex on this one and figure it probably had the Blaze ability. He returned Metapod due to another type disadvantage.
"Perhaps, you'll have another time to shine later," he said while placing the ball on his belt. "Pikachu, you're up."
Pikachu ran back out, appearing to be rested up. "Pika!"
"Eevee!" The Evolution Pokémon cheered.
"Battle resume!" Serena raised her arms.
"Thunder Shock!" Ash shouted.
"Ember!" Damian yelled.
The Lizard Pokémon swung its tail with shards of flames flying.
Pikachu launched a Thunder Shock.
Both attacks collided with a mini explosion with Thunder Shock breaking through the smoke and zapping Charmander.
"Shake it off and Metal Claws!" Damian hollered.
"Wait for it and Nuzzle!" Ash countered.
Damian narrowed his eyes. "Smokescreen!"
Charmander ran across the field with a shiny metallic coating encasing its claws. As it neared, it opened its mouth to release a thick layer of smoke that blocked Ash's vision. Moments later, Pikachu came flying out of the top of the smoke.
"Excellent," Damian chuckled. "Keep up the pressure with Dragon Breath!"
The Lizard Pokémon aimed a burst of mystical energy at the Electric Mouse.
"Quick Attack to dodge and hit!" Ash commanded.
Pikachu zipped and zagged, avoiding Dragon Breath after Dragon Breath. It bashed its head against Charmander's chest.
"Nuzzle!" Ash followed up.
Pikachu released a discharge from its cheeks, zapping Charmander, and then it created separation.
Electrical energy surrounded Charmander, making it hard to move.
Ash waved his arm across his body. "Electro Ball!"
"Intercept that attack with Dragon Breath!" Damian grunted.
Pikachu swung a ball of electricity that was intercepted by Dragon Breath. Unlike the Ember and Thunder Shock clash, the Electro Ball cut through the Dragon Breath and hitting Charmander with full power.
The Lizard Pokémon managed to get up.
Ash gritted his teeth. He had hoped that Electro Ball was going to be enough to take it out. Now, there was a possibility for it to activate Blaze and potentially turn the tides of the battle. "Thunder Shock!"
"Flame Charge!" Damian yelled.
Charmander surrounded itself in flames, charged forward, juking left and right as fast as it could; however, Pikachu managed to get it in the end at point-blank range. When the electrical attack faded, the Lizard Pokémon collapsed.
"Charmander is unable to battle!" Serena declared. Eevee performed a backflip in celebration.
Ash pumped his fist with a smile. He had successfully turned it all around. Though he can't rest yet. Both of his Pokémon had seen battle. Pikachu had to be tired and Metapod didn't have much coverage.
Damian furrowed his brows as he returned his Pokémon. It appeared he had a tight grip on his Pokéball and bit his lips. He appeared he wanted to say something, but he decided to grab his final Pokémon. "Weepinbell, battle time!" A bell-shaped Pokémon appeared with a pair of large leaves on its side. It had a wide, gaping mouth with pink lips.
Ash checked his Pokédex for more information. Weepinbell, the Flycatcher Pokémon. It spits out poison powder to immobilize the enemy and then finishes it with a spray of acid.
Of its two abilities, Ash was wary about Chlorophyll. With the sunlight, it could be quicker than he thinks. Of his remaining Pokémon, Metapod would be the ideal choice from a type standpoint. Though, Pikachu could limit and deal with some serious damage.
Serena raised her arms. "Battle resume!"
"Razor Leaf!" Damian ordered.
"Quick Attack into Nuzzle!" Ash countered.
Weepinbell sent out a flurry of spinning leaves.
Pikachu juked left and right and slammed into the Flycatcher Pokémon before letting out an electrical discharge.
Similarly to Charmander earlier, electrical energy sparked out of Weepinbell's body.
"Sleep Powder!" Damian grunted.
The Flycatcher Pokémon opened its mouth to release a blue powder. Pikachu began swaying back and forth before falling to the ground.
"Wake up!" Ash shouted.
"Eevee!" The Evolution Pokémon barked.
"Slam!" Damian snapped his fingers.
With its leafy arms, Weepinbell picked up Pikachu and tossed it across the field.
"Pikachu is unable to battle!" Serena sighed with her head hanging low.
Ash ran over by Pikachu and picked it off the ground. He quickly examined his little buddy to see that he had some minor bruises. He sprayed the wounds before placing it by Eevee. "You did great and don't worry. Metapod and I will win!"
Pikachu frowned with its ears hanging low.
Eevee cuddled with Pikachu.
Ash returned to his side of the field and took a moment to look at his Pokéball before tossing it out. "It's up to you, Metapod!"
Metapod appeared, staring down its opponent.
"Battle resume!"
Damian flicked his hair. "Razor Leaf!"
"Harden!" Ash countered.
Metapod toughened its shell as leaves bombarded it to little effect.
"Max out on Harden!" Ash yelled.
"Vine Whip and keep slamming it on the ground!" Damian countered.
Metapod stood there as a couple of vines grabbed a hold of it, raising it in the air, and pounding it to the ground repeatedly. The Cocoon Pokémon appeared to be toughing it out.
Ash narrowed his eyes, wondering if there was something he could do in Metapod's limited state. He noticed that Weenpinbell had stopped due to sparks flying and be paralyzed for a brief moment and then an idea hit him. "Electroweb on the vines!"
"What?" Damian gasped. "It knows Electroweb?"
Metapod shocked the vines that carried to Weepinbell. As a reflex, it let go of Metapod, causing the Cocoon Pokémon to flop on the ground.
"String Shot and pull!" Ash shouted.
The Cocoon Pokémon spit out webbing, wrapping the Flycatcher Pokémon.
Weepinbell resisted Metapod's might.
Metapod let go of its tension and lunged itself forward with Weepinbell's power.
"Jump!" Damian waved an arm across his body.
Weepinbell hopped into the air with Metapod flying by.
Ash predicted Metapod's trajectory and formulated a plan. "Electroweb!"
Metapod cast an electrified net in between a couple of trees. It pressed into the web and slingshot back towards Weepinbell.
Weepinbell landed on the ground only to be blindsided by Metapod and skidded along the ground.
"This is far from over!" Damian declared. "Acid!"
Ash widened his eyes, unable to believe that Metapod's best strategy and attack didn't do more damage.
Weepinbell rained down acidic ooze from its mouth. The first volley hit its mark, causing Metapod to hop around with the Flycatcher Pokémon keeping up.
Damian smirked. "Time to end this battle. Solar Beam!"
"Tackle!" Ash shouted before realizing that Metapod couldn't move. Acidic ooze surrounded his Pokémon and covered a wide area. "Metapod, hang in there!" He shut his eyes, not sure what he can do.
Weepinbell collected the rays of the sunlight.
Metapod hopped in place and had a look of determination. Its body started to glow that mystified Ash. The light of evolution was upon him once again and so soon.
The cocoon transformed into a purple body with stubby feet, arms, and wings on its back. When the light faded, Butterfree flapped its wings.
"Awesome Butterfree! You did it!" Ash cheered happily as he checked his Pokédex to see if it learned any new moves. He also learned that Butterfree had the Compound Eyes ability instead of Shed Skin.
Damian furrowed his brows, hands formed fists, and he had a low-key growl.
Serena checked in with both sides before raising her arms. "Battle resume!"
"Fire!" Damian ordered.
"Into the sky!" Ash countered.
Weepinbell fired off its Solar Beam.
Butterfree gained altitude and avoided the attack.
"Great!" Ash pointed at Weepinbell. "Now, Confusion!"
Butterfree's eyes glowed light blue with an outline appearing around Weepinbell. The Butterfly Pokémon levitated it off the ground and spun it around.
"End this with Gust!" Ash followed up.
Strong gusts of wind spun Weepinbell even further, crashing it into the ground.
"Weepinbell is unable to battle!" Serena cheered. "With all of Damian's Pokémon defeated, the winner of this match is Ash!"
Ash jumped into the air in celebration. The road to getting out of the Rookie class was on the right foot. He joined Butterfree who danced in the air around him. "Way to go Butterfree! I'm so proud of you!"
Pikachu joined in the celebration and climbed onto his shoulder.
Serena took a picture of the occasion. "Congrats, Ash." She had a big smile on her face.
"Thanks, Serena," Ash chuckled. He walked over to Damian and extended a hand. "Good battle!"
Damian had been talking to his coach and adjusted his tie. "I suppose congratulations are in order for that lucky victory." He lightly clapped.
Ash frowned. "Lucky?"
The rich boy scowled. "Are you blind? You clearly were at a disadvantage the entire time. Sandshrew revealed your entire team and wore out two of them before the poison effect took its toll." He closed his eyes and chuckled. "Weepinbell was going to finish the job until Metapod evolved into Butterfree and learned a couple of super-effective moves. Otherwise, it was a sitting duck for Solar Beam."
"Well it did evolve," Serena joined in the conversation. "Some Pokémon evolve in the heat of battle and it's up to the Trainer to adapt around it. You can't retroactively claim victory!"
Ash appreciated his best friend helping him. He couldn't help it if Metapod wanted to evolve. His newly evolved Pokémon appeared so happy as well. How could Damian only focus on a Pokémon evolving when his battling could have improved to ensure victory instead of defeat with the advantage?
Damian flicked his hair and turned his back on them. "No matter how you spin it in your head, it was still rather lucky. If you can't even admit it, then I doubt any criticism from you is worth hearing." He turned to his crew. "Let's go."
Ash crossed his arms. Talk about rude. "Some criticism he offered."
"Don't listen to him!" Serena placed her hand on his shoulder. "He's just being a sore loser about it. Besides, you did overcome some difficult match-ups. That says a lot about your skills!"
"I didn't overcome them alone," Ash chuckled while facing Butterfree and petting Pikachu. "My Pokémon deserve most of the credit for all of their hard work they've been doing."
"Then I say we celebrate tonight!" Serena clasped her hands together. "Let's find a place to camp and Eevee and I can show everyone what we've been working on."
"Sounds good to me!" Ash gave a thumbs up.
Butterfree flew above the trees and surveyed the area. It started to fly in a direction with the teens following closely behind on foot.
They stumbled upon a beautiful meadow with all sorts of flowers, including roses, daisies, and tulips. The Butterfly Pokémon was quick to feast upon the pollen and nectar. Pikachu and Eevee chased one another in the field. The teens released their Nidorans and they admired the flowers after Ash treated some of its wounds.
Ash was setting up tents while Serena set up their dinning situation.
Buzz. Buzz. There was a message from Gary. It was a group message with Leaf included.
Gary: What's up? Hope things have been swell. I thought you all would like to know that my first Gym Battle in Pewter City is tomorrow. Be prepared to watch a future champion handle business!
Ash sighed at the message and quickly checked the VS Seeker app. He went to the friend list to see how Gary had been doing since leaving Pallet Town. His rival appeared to had a 15-0 record. He only needed to win five more battles to rank up or if he succeeds in getting his first badge, he would rank up from that.
What weighed on his mind more was he only participated in one battle in the days since he left Pallet Town. He had a lot of catching up to do.
"Are you okay?" Serena asked.
Serena: Hey Gary! Ash and I are doing well. Thanks for letting us know. We'll be sure to watch it!
The young man scratched his cheek. "Yeah…I guess I thought Gary and I would be challenging the Gyms together in one day. I suppose that was unrealistic for me."
Ash: Good luck, Gary.
Serena slowly nodded. "Don't worry, we'll catch up to him at some point."
Gary: Don't you remember? I don't need any luck. You're going to need it assuming you managed to tame that Pikachu.
Ash sighed, how could he forget to tell his friends about it? Though he wondered why Professor Oak or Daisy hadn't told him yet.
Ash: For your information, I did. It's currently playing with Eevee.
Gary: I have to admit, I'm quite impressed given how it reacted at the lab. So how did you manage to get it to open up?
"Do you want to tell them?" Ash scratched his cheek.
"Your Pokémon," Serena giggled. "So your story."
Ash: Um, it involved some food, a promise, and a bunch of Spearow.
Gary: Fine. Don't tell us how you managed to tame Pikachu. Just know that when we meet next, I'm going to crush you.
Ash: We'll see!
Some time had gone by with Ash and Serena eating some instant noodles. They switched between looking at their phones at the latest news, their Pokémon, and having a conversation about their childhood. In particular, Ash had been explaining his thought process whenever he came to face with an abused Pokémon. Serena had been curious to know how he derives certain conclusions.
Leaf: Sorry that I didn't respond earlier! I was sketching this cute Jigglypuff singing on a rock and…fell asleep. Anyways, good luck Gary! And Ash…did you put Serena in danger?!
Ash nearly choked on his noodles at the accusation though she was not wrong in this case. He coughed and drank a glass of water.
Serena swatted the air while typing on her phone. Sort of…He was trying to get Pikachu to release its anger through a series of attacks and a Spearow ended up getting caught in the fire. A flock of them chased us through the woods. Ash saved Pikachu's life as well as mine and Eevee. That allowed Pikachu to forgive all humans, but it did end up using a lot of its power to save Ash. So Gary, what Ash said was true. It was terrifying, but we're okay. On the bright side, we saw Ho-Oh that day! She sent a photo.
Ash slapped his forehead.
Leaf: YOU WAITED UNTIL NOW TO TELL ME?!
"Maybe I shouldn't have told her…" Serena sighed.
Ash lowered his head. "We should be prepared for an earful the next time we see her."
Leaf angrily sent several walls of texts yelling at them how it was important to her to learn about every Pokémon. Considering Ho-Oh hadn't been seen for centuries, she would have liked a bigger heads up on any leads. Now it was impossible for her to track.
Gary: …I already regret this group chat.
Ash and Serena apologize to the aspiring Pokémon Professor and told her that they'll inform her of any future leads and anything that Professor Oak discovers. It appeared she accepted the apology.
Leaf: Anyways, how have your research projects coming along?
Gary: Slow…My Pokémon are nowhere close to evolving from what I can tell.
Ash smirked. My Caterpie evolved into a Metapod a few days ago after helping me catch a Nidoran and then earlier today, it evolved into a Butterfree during a battle. Rare that he had a leg up on Gary.
Serena giggled before answering Leaf's question. We haven't learned a whole lot, but we have a theory that unlocking a Pokemon's full potential might lie within completing Pokémon's goals. f the trainer and Pokémon are not on the same page, then it will be difficult to unlock it compared to when they're striving for the same goal.
Gary: Oh please! All you proved was Pokémon get stronger while battling. That's nothing new.
Ash: How do you know it wasn't for a different reason?
Leaf: That's fascinating Ash and Serena. How do you plan on proving that theory?
Gary: Clearly because you said you battled a lot with it, Ash. :P Anyways, that's a pretty basic theory if you asked me.
Serena rolled her eyes. "Is he acting like a jerk because of you?"
Ash shrugged. "Hard to tell without hearing his voice…"
Leaf: That's uncalled for considering Ash and Serena have a theory unlike you Gary.
That made Serena and Ash feel better about Gary's comment.
Ash: I'm going to figure out my Pokémon's goals and find ways to help them archive them while archiving mine…I already helped Butterfree complete its goal so I'm going to have to discover its new one.
Leaf: Sounds intriguing and can't wait to learn more!
Serena: What about you, Leaf?
Leaf: Oh right. Hahaha. I've sketched plenty of Pokémon and I've learned some major differences in genders between Pokémon. Typically female Pokémon are smaller compared to male Pokémon. Though size doesn't always matter as female Pokémon can still pack a punch.
Ash: Cool! I bet understanding some of these differences can help unlock Pokémon potential!
Leaf: DON'T GO STEALING MY TOPIC LIKE THAT!
Serena: What he means is he would be excited to read some of your notes when you organize them.
Leaf: Oh, I'll let you know when I post them.
"Thanks, Serena. You saved us from another wall of text," Ash said.
Serena smiled. "No problem. Are you ready for the new and improved Eevee's dance?"
Ash slurped the rest of his noodles and nodded. "You bet!"
Serena stood in front of Ash and the Pokémon. He worried about Ash's feedback. Not in the sense that it would be bad or rude but lack of constructive information. Still, he was on the only person she could count on so here it goes.
"Ready Eevee?" Her Pokémon nodded. "Let's start with your dance and add Swift!"
Eevee waltzed in a circle, performing twirls every third step. As it skipped, it sent a flurry of star bolts into the air that slowly descended. It was like Eevee was dancing in space.
"Great, now Quick Attack into Attract!"
The Evolution Pokémon quickened its pace and leaped into the air, performing a backflip while maintaining Swift. At the top of its height, Eevee winked and blew a few kisses outward. One accidentally hit Pikachu. Eevee landed on the ground gracefully.
"Finish!" Serena bowed. She was proud of Eevee's efforts. Though she had no idea why Eevee used Attract on Pikachu once again.
Everyone cheered with the exception of her Nidoran. Pikachu rushed up to Eevee to give a big old hug.
"Poor Pikachu…" Serena scratched her head. "So…what do you think?"
Ash crossed his arms and thought about it. "Hmm. I thought it was really fun getting to see how you evolved Eevee's dance. Reminds me of the night sky and overall cute; however, I feel like the performances the other night were longer than what you did."
Serena grinned at the analogy he had used. He was a source of inspiration. Then she thought about the Contest rules. She had five minutes to do a performance, but not required to use up the entire five minutes. "I can see what you mean. Maybe I overcompensated on time and can add another step."
"It's a good start," Ash assured her. "You still have plenty of time before a Contest occurs, right?"
"Sort of…" Serena sighed. "The one in Pewter City is happening in a couple of days. I couldn't participate in that even if I wanted to as signups closed today. I don't even have a Contest Pass either. I think the one in Cerulean City is in a few weeks."
Ash frowned. "If that's the case, let's head straight to Pewter City tomorrow so we can get you your Contest Pass."
"A-Are you sure?" Serena found it sweet, but his team was not prepared to face a rock-type Gym. "We're still quite a bit away. We would have to book it and still wouldn't arrive until late at night. By that time, we would miss Gary's match and you would have missed a chance to get a water-type or grass-type."
He looked towards the stars like he always did when it comes to making tough decisions. "Fair enough, but I don't want you to miss an opportunity because of Gary and me. At least we should try to get closer to the city so you can get your Contest Pass."
"If you're sure…" Serena frowned, feeling like a burden on Ash's dreams. Then she turned to her Nidoran and figured out a compromise. "I know Nidoran isn't a bad matchup against a rock-type Gym so I can let you burrow my Nidoran."
Ash shook his head. "I can't do that. That wouldn't be fair to my Pokémon who have been working hard. Nidoran can probably win it all with Double Kick. If not, Butterfree isn't a bad option despite its weaknesses. Its Psychic moves could more than make up for them. Besides, life isn't always going to give me good matchups."
"It would sure help wouldn't it?" Serena blinked.
"Definitely, but Ace and Star Trainers are able to overcome disadvantages all the time!" Ash chuckled.
Serena pondered Ace and Star Coordinators doing the same in their advance formats in battling. Then she considered if Ash had told her that she could use Pikachu in a Contest. "I suppose you're right on both fronts. I couldn't fathom using Pikachu as it would undermine my Pokémon's work."
"Then it's settled! We're going to head straight for Pewter City tomorrow!" Ash declared. "If we happened to run into a Pokémon that's a good match against rock-types, then maybe we'll go and catch it."
Serena agreed to that compromise and then felt her legs being tapped by her Nidoran. It frolicked in a straight line and aimed Poison Sting in the sky with it raining down back upon it. It performed some kicks and juggled several needles upward and it fell into a heart-shape outline. It performed several backflips and landed in the center of the heart while showing it off to everyone.
The honey-blonde was impressed and clapped with Ash joining her. "Wow, Nidoran! That was a good dance. Did you also want to perform as well?" Her Pokémon nodded. "Great! We have a few things to work on so let's do some special training!"
Eevee pouted and pawed at her legs. "Vee!"
"You were included in it too," Serena clarified. "Come on!"
The honey-blonde spent the rest of the night with her Pokémon, going over different performances for different situations. Ash spent some time with his Nidoran while leaving Butterfree to enjoy the flowers. Pikachu was under Eevee's spell for some time before joining Ash in some training.
Ash ran as fast as he could while avoiding puddles on the main path. Overnight, several rainclouds rolled in and it poured without warning. With his best friend, he was searching for any kind of shelter ahead.
"This is the second time we've been caught in the rain!" Serena complained.
"I guess we shouldn't trust the weather app!" Ash exclaimed. "It seems to be wrong about when it's going to rain!"
As they ran, Ash noticed something unusual from the corner of his eye, prompting him to turn his head. Immediately he came to a stop upon seeing a Pidgeotto attacking a…Charmander. In the rain?
"What's a Charmander doing out here?" Serena asked.
"No time to ponder, we need to help it!" Ash growled. "Pikachu, Quick Attack into Nuzzle!"
Pikachu hopped from Ash's shoulder and jolted towards the Bird Pokémon. The Electric Mouse hit its target while releasing a discharge to paralyze it.
Pidgeotto maintained its altitude while focusing its attention on Pikachu. It flapped its wings that produced a strong gust of wind that carried some of the water with it.
The Electric Mouse was pushed back. "Pika!"
"Thunder Shock!" Ash shouted.
Pikachu withstood the winds and water to fire off a Thunder Shock. It zapped the Bird Pokémon.
Pidgeotto managed to shake off the attack and dove in with a Quick Attack.
The Electric Mouse ducked to evade the first pass. The Bird Pokémon came around on a second pass.
"I don't think it's letting up," Serena noted. "Eevee, help out with Quick Attack!"
Eevee hopped down her shoulder and blazed across the grass to catch Pidgeotto off guard.
Pidgeotto crashed into the ground before flying back into the air, flapping its wings once again for a Gust.
Pikachu and Eevee held their grounds.
Ash grabbed a Pokéball. "Only one way to end this." He ran around the Pokémon and tossed the Pokéball.
The Bird Pokémon's movement was locked up at the moment the Pokéball hit its mark. The ball hit the ground and wiggled three times before dinging. Ash picked it up and headed towards a stump where Charmander laid injured.
Charmander looked at Ash with a smile and excitement in its body; however, all of it quickly vanished and replaced by disappointment. It lowered its head while curling up in a tight ball, shivering from the cold.
Ash frowned, unsure what to make of its reaction. He set down his backpack and took off his jacket to wrap it around the Lizard Pokémon. "Charmander, what are you doing out here by yourself?"
"Charmander. Char," it replied with a frown.
Serena kneeled down next to Ash. "Do you think it got separated from its Trainer?"
That might explain why it was disappointed. Ash crossed his arms, wondering how that happened and how they were going to find said trainer in the rain. First, they needed to find a way to warm up Charmander. He picked it up and started to look around for a potential place to keep it out of the rain.
Charmander didn't put up much of a fight until they heard a series of footsteps. Walking along the path was Damian and his crew with umbrellas. The Lizard Pokémon broke free of Ash's hold and ran towards Damian.
Ash blinked. He didn't think it could have been the same Pokémon from yesterday. Anger filled his body wondering how Damian could have been so careless.
Damian and his crew stopped upon seeing Charmander, who looked up with a smile and hugged its Trainer's leg with all of the excitement in the world. Then the unthinkable happened. "Get off me, you worthless Pokémon!" He kicked Charmander back out into the rain.
The Lizard Pokémon flopped in a puddle, getting its tail wetter.
Ash rushed over to Charmander, using his body to shield it from the rain and taking it out of the water before its tail got any wetter. He turned to Damian who had a blank stare. "What's wrong with you? How could you say such a thing to Charmander and kick it back out in the rain? Fire-types hate being in the water! Let alone Charmander's flame is its life force."
"I guess you're dumber than I thought," Damian scowled. "That Charmander is worthless in every possible way. It had let me down time and time again and won zero battles. Even in favorable situations like that battle against your Pikachu, it finds ways to lose. It's not worth a decent trade so I released it, but it kept following me so I told it to wait over by that rock. Through its own stupidity, it stayed there instead of surviving the wild."
"You're the idiot around here!" Serena shouted as she stomped her way over to Ash. "You should be grateful for having such a loyal Pokémon like Charmander. And for your information, if you tell a trained Pokémon to wait, they'll most likely wait until they die!"
Damian rolled his eyes. "Not my problem or fault if that Charmander was dumb enough to stay out in the rain or be attacked by Pokémon. It's weak and will always remain weak. It deserves to be put out of its misery."
"That's not true!" Ash stood up. He wanted to pounce the rich boy for such logic. "Any Pokémon can be strong with enough hard work!"
Damian stared at Ash with a shake of ahead. "That's where you're wrong. Pokémon's strength comes from natural talent and power. Those that survive the wild become stronger while the weak get trance on. Simple as that."
Ash stepped forward until Serena placed a hand on his shoulder.
"We're wasting time," she told him.
He sadly had to agree with his best friend. Charmander's tail was dim.
"If you want to waste your precious time with a weakling like that, then be my guest," Damian chuckled. "I have Gyms to conquer." He began walking away.
Charmander weakly reached out for its trainer, but Damian and his crew disappeared into the forest. The Lizard Pokémon passed out with its tail becoming dimmer if that was even possible.
Ash quickly released Butterfree. "We need to find the nearest cave or shelter!"
Butterfree saw their situation and quickly rose above the trees to get a better vantage point. It started to fly in a direction that Ash and Serena followed. Ash supported Charmander while Serena used his jacket to cover the tail. Pikachu and Eevee ran out ahead not to lose track of Butterfree in the rain. They arrived at a cave.
Once entering the cave, they set down their belongings to check on Charmander. It weakly breathed and the body was cold. Serena made an emergency call to Professor Oak's Lab while Ash searched his bag for any dry clothing or towel to no avail. He decided the best course of action was to rub its body with his hands with some gloves so he wouldn't prick his fingers on the scales.
"Serena-" Daisy answered the call. "Wait, why do you look horrible? Is something wrong?"
"Daisy, a horrible Trainer left their Charmander in the rain overnight," Serena addressed while pointing her phone over to Ash. "Tail is very dim. Where's Professor Oak?"
"Gramps is in the Johto region about a radio deal," Daisy said in a somber tone. "Please tell me one of you have at least six Pokémon!"
Ash focused on his task. "I have four and Serena has two!"
"I was afraid of that," she sighed. "I wish my little bro or Leaf was with you guys. Serena, give me a closer look!"
Serena kneeled by Ash and slowly moved her phone to give Daisy a better picture of what's going on.
"You guys need to start a fire as soon as possible," Daisy instructed. "If you guys have a dry towel or something, wrapping it up is better than using your hands."
Ash turned to Butterfree. "Please head out to get some firewood and dry them with Gust when you return!"
Serena set her phone on the ground and ran to her bag to pull out a clothesline. She tied one side on a little rock and then the other on the other side. She hung different towels first and turned to Ash. "Didn't that Pidgeotto know Gust?"
Pikachu and Eevee pressed their bodies against Charmander while Ash checked his Pokédex.
Pidgeotto, the Bird Pokémon and the evolved form of Pidgey. This Pokémon is very protective of its sprawling territorial area. It will fiercely peck at any intruder.
Gender: Female
Ability: Keen Eye
Nature: Bold
"Why are flying types so territorial?" Ash muttered. He did see that it did know Gust. "Do you think it's a good time to befriend it?"
"If we want dry blankets and towels for Charmander, it'll be as good as a time as any!"
Ash couldn't argue with sound logic so he released Pidgeotto who was still under the effects of paralysis. He dug through his bag to take out a Paralyze Heal to spray and cure it.
Pidgeotto titled its head. "Otto?"
"I know we've been in your territory along with this Charmander, but we need your help," Ash pleaded. "Charmander is seriously ill and we need dry towels to keep it warm. Willing to use Gust to dry them?" He pointed out where Serena was standing.
"Pika. Pikachu. Pi. Pika!" Pikachu pleaded.
"Eevee. Eve. Vee. Eevee!" Eevee added.
The Bird Pokémon looked at Charmander and then Ash. It hovered towards Serena and started to flap its wings.
"Thanks, Pidgeotto!" Serena stated before returning to pick up her phone. "Is there anything else we can do while we wait?" Ash looked over her shoulder.
Daisy frowned. "Where are you guys at? Maybe an emergency vehicle can get to you."
"We're in Viridian Forest," Ash sighed. "Closer to Pewter City than Viridian City. Still about a couple of days away from either."
"I was afraid of that and it looks like you're in a cave," Daisy replied, typing away at a keyboard. "Looks like we're going have to improvise. Keeping its external body temperature warm isn't going to be enough to restore its life force. One of you needs to find some Tamoto Berries. They're usually used to help treat colds, but it should also help boost Charmander's internal temperature."
Ash looked up what a Tamoto Berry looked like on his phone. It was a little red berry with lumps all over it. They appear to grow in trees. "How many do we need and what do we do when we find them?"
"I say you need about ten," she answered. "Typically you would feed it, but Charmander is in no condition to eat one. You'll have to squeeze the juices from the berries and then have it drink it. Be careful when you get the juices because their spiciness can burn your hands."
Serena snatched Ash's phone while handing him hers. "I'll go out and find the berries."
Ash shook his head. "Wait a minute, I'll go out."
"No, Ash." Serena took a few steps back. "Charmander needs you more than it needs me. Besides, your jacket is a pseudo blanket right now. I don't want you catching a cold."
Ash sighed. "Be careful."
"Don't worry about me," she turned towards Charmander. "It needs your full attention." She tossed out Nidoran and showed it a picture. "We need to find this type of berry. Do you know where we can find them?"
"Nidoran!" It replied.
Together, they rushed out of the cave, leaving Ash with Daisy in finding ways to keep Charmander warm until Butterfree returns.
The rain pounded. Lightning flashed in the sky. Serena stopped breathing for a moment at the sound of thunder in the distance. With each flash, she was reminded of their first-day adventuring. Only this time, she was the one being reckless and Ash was staying put.
Nidoran guided her through the forest until they stumbled upon a tree. "Ran!"
Serena followed its gaze and she didn't see any berries. Upon closer inspection, there was a Pokémon, shaking in the tree. Its red with black spots back turned to Serena. She used Ash's Pokédex to identify it.
Ledyba, the Five Star Pokémon. It is so timid, it can't move unless it's in a swarm of others. It conveys its feelings by scent.
Could this Ledyba have been separated from its swarm? No wonder it looked scared. She knew Charmander needed her help, but she couldn't turn her back on another Pokémon in need.
"Nidoran, think you can talk to it and get it to come with us?" Serena asked.
Nidoran nodded and started to climb up the tree. With a clash of thunder, Nidoran jumped off the tree.
Serena quickly caught the Poison Pin Pokémon. "You okay?" It nodded. "Let's hurry and try again!"
Nidoran hopped back onto the tree and climbed up to the branch that Ledyba resided. "Nidoran. Ran. Ran."
Ledyba slowly turned around. "Ledy?"
"Ran. Ran." Nidoran continued and looked down at the honey-blonde.
"Ledyba, I know you're scared but you can come with us!" Serena shouted. "My friend and I are camping in a cave. You can stay with us until the storm passes."
Ledyba turned back around, seemingly declining the invitation.
Serena now wished Ash was out here instead. Maybe he could have used one of his clever tricks to figure out how to get it to follow her. Time was also of the essence. She quickly thought about her conversations with Ash and what the Pokédex had stated. She needed to find a way to relate to it or use its nature to her advantage.
"Why don't you join our swarm?" She asked.
That got Ledyba's attention, turning around fully. "Ledyba?"
"Nidoran?" Nidoran titled its head.
"Yeah, I'm part of a swarm of friends," she continued. "You'll never be alone if you stick with us!"
Ledyba started to hover and flew down to land on her head. "Ledyba!"
Serena was happy but also feels bad for partially lying to it, especially when she wasn't heading back to the cave anytime soon. "I'll take it you'll follow us. We're currently looking for some Tamoto berries, think you can fly and help us find some?"
The Five Star Pokémon shrugged but it hovered. Then it picked up Nidoran and soared above the tree. With an aerial view, Nidoran must have recognized the area now and pointed in a direction. Serena followed closely behind, hoping there would be enough berries.
Butterfree returned with wood by using Confusion. With some time and using Gust, it was able to dry the firewood. Ash lit a fire with some matches that instantly warmed the entire area up. He placed Charmander near the fire while checking on the progress of towels. Pidgeotto did manage to dry a few them mostly. Ash decided to swap the towels and give the Bird Pokémon a break. Surprisingly it was able to continue.
Pikachu and Eevee snuggled together next to Charmander with the fire being on the other side. They acted as a wall for the heat to bounce off. Butterfree lightly flapped its wings on the other side to push the heat towards the sleeping lizard Pokémon.
"Daisy, is there anything else I can do until Serena returns?" Ash asked.
"Unfortunately all we can do is wait and keep an eye on that tail," Daisy sighed. "I still can't believe a trainer would ditch such a loyal Pokémon like that. It makes me sick."
Ash nodded. "All because it couldn't win a single battle too. Too bad he released this Pokémon or else I would call the Guardians to have him arrested."
"He's probably done it before then," Daisy remarked. "Maybe I can get in contact with the League through dad to get him banned or disqualified."
"I wouldn't bother," Ash sighed. "Damian is some rich kid. I'm sure he has a lot of connections with money. Besides, I want the opportunity to meet him again at the League and beat him again!"
Daisy frowned. "Surely a champion's word and testimony would carry a lot of weight."
"Wouldn't be any good without any proof," Ash replied, tightening his fists. "We don't want to damage your dad's image now would we?"
Daisy sighed. "Then you better make sure he's defeated! Anyone is better than a person who views Pokémon as nothing but tools."
Before Ash could promise Daisy that he'll defeat that rich boy, he heard several footsteps followed by panting. At the entrance of the cave, Serena leaned against the wall with several berries in her arms. Her Nidoran had one in its mouth while another flying Pokémon had a few in its arms as well.
"Serena? Whose that with you?" Ash ran to get the berries.
She braced herself against the wall. "This is Ledyba. It was all alone so I invited it to join us. It even helped us locate the berries and find out way back."
"Thank you, Ledyba!" Ash stated before he ran to the back of the cave to grab a bowl.
Ledyba flew upwards and back in a circular motion. "Ledy!" It spread out its legs in appreciation. Then it flew towards the other Pokémon. They all greeted one another.
Ash put on a pair of gloves as he squeezed the juice into a bowl. The juice was of hot red color. Some tears fell from Ash's eyes as the spicy scent burned the inside of his nose. Once he squeezed ten, he brought the bowl to Charmander, gently lifting its head for it to slowly drink. Everyone waited and stared at its tail. One blink and they would have missed the flame getting brighter.
"It's working Daisy!" Ash exclaimed.
Serena let out a sigh of relief while resting against the wall.
"Thank goodness," Daisy said. "I'm glad I could be of help. Charmander needs lots of rest to regain its strength. To be on the safe side, I would give another round of juice after six hours. If its tail gets dimmer in between then or after, don't hesitate to call."
"We won't. Thanks, Daisy!" Ash and Serena stated before hanging up.
The teens smiled at one another as they continued to monitor Charmander's tail. It stayed pretty consistent over the next several hours with Ash and Serena taking turns to watch over it. When they were not watching it, they attended to their Pokémon and Ledyba.
The Five Star Pokémon seemed to have made quick friends with everyone. Compared to being alone in the rain, it seemed quite active. Butterfree and Pidgeotto switched roles in drying and fanning at the top of every hour. They stopped by dinner time and it was time for Gary's match.
Ash used his phone to check out the match. The Pewter City Gym was head by Brock Harrison, a man with tanned skin and spiky brown hair who wore an orange shirt under a green vest. Gary had sent out his Squirtle against Brock's Geodude, a rock looking Pokémon with a pair of arms.
"I can watch Charmander if you wanted to watch his match," Serena offered.
He was conflicted. He could gain valuable insight and knowledge on Brock's and Gary's strategies. On the other hand, he was pretty worried about Charmander. He recalled the battle it had with Pikachu and how amazing it managed to execute Damian's plans. The mere thought of Damian upset him.
"I'm switching to the radio feature so we can listen to it," Ash sighed. "We'll know when it ends when the announcer starts praising Gary."
Serena sat next to Ash against the wall with a blanket wrapped around her. "Thankfully we managed to get to it when we did. That Damian is sure something else. Between being a sore loser to an ungrateful individual."
"He doesn't deserve the right to be a trainer," he huffed. "I can't believe people like him exist. Not only that but people who steal Pokémon from others."
She gave him a hug while rubbing his back. "Unfortunately there are people out there. We just need to remind ourselves that the good outweighs the evil. Like Gary, Leaf, you, and me. We care a lot for our Pokémon and taught many people those same lessons."
He did feel better. Together, they watched the fire crackled while listening to the radio. Their Pokémon gathered around to help keep them warm.
"What an impressive victory for the champion's son, Gary Oak," the host on the radio said. "The rising star beat Brock with just his Squirtle!"
Ash frowned and sighed. The pressure kept building on him. Now he had to be perfect like Gary to avoid being ridiculed on any news broadcast. He was happy for his friend and impressed to a degree. That little Squirtle seemed to have a lot of fight inside of it.
Ash: Way to go, Gary
Serena: Nice job! Can't believe you won with just Squirtle.
Gary: Aw chucks. Thanks guys. It was pretty easy, to be frank. Even Ashy-Boy can beat that gym with one Pokémon.
Just like that, they stopped caring to respond, except for when Leaf responded several minutes later.
Leaf: You're right Gary, it would be pretty easy for Ash to beat a rock-type Gym with a water-type. Alternatively, he could probably easily have won with a grass type too! Also Congrats.
Gary: Still, everyone knows that Brock is a pushover when it comes to battles.
Ash rolled his eyes. He couldn't tell if Gary was just being rude because of him or he truly felt that way about Brock. To be fair, his rival wasn't wrong when it comes to people's perception of the washed-up Ace Trainer. He reread the messages and wondered what had gotten into Leaf. Maybe he was looking too much into it.
Leaf: Now that's just disrespectful
Serena: You'll just have to wait and see how Ash does in a few days. :P
Gary: We'll see. Hahaha.
A breeze entered the cave that caused everyone to shiver. Ash was concerned for the Pokémon's safety so he pulled out his Pokéballs.
"Back in the ball everyone," Ash stated. "Thanks for all your hard work in keeping Charmander warm. Now it's your turn to stay warm!"
"Yeah, thanks for helping us out," Serena added. "We can manage from here."
They returned Butterfree, Pidgeotto, and the Nidorans to their balls. Before they could reach for Pikachu's and Eevee's balls, the Pokémon broke free. They all cried out to their trainer.
"Why don't they want to go into their ball?" Serena asked.
Ash smiled, feeling their concerns. Even Pidgeotto wanted to stay out despite only just meeting. "Because they care about us and Charmander. If that's how they want to be, then let's bundle up."
They rearranged their camp to allow everyone to cuddle around them. Pikachu and Eevee pressed their bodies against Charmander once again. Butterfree and Pidgeotto fanned the heat towards the group. The Nidoran nested themselves by their trainers' feet. Ledyba sat next to Serena while the two trainers held each other under a cozy blanket.
Ash cuddled with Serena under a blanket, focusing on the sparkling flames. Even if today did not go according to plan, everything seemed right with the world. Part of him wanted this feeling to last forever as Serena had nodded off on his shoulder. He stayed up as long as he could, ensuring the flames stayed strong.
His eyes snapped opened upon feeling him tipped over. Serena was on top of him and quickly got up.
"Uh…morning!" She nervously chuckled.
Ash's cheeks began burning as he rubbed his head. "I guess I must have dozed off before I could set you in a more comfortable position." He was partially lying, but he didn't want things to be weird about it.
"I-It's fine!" Serena waved her hands out in front of her. "I should have dozed off when I did to leave you to take care of Charmander by yourself."
The commotion started to wake up the rest of the Pokémon. Pikachu and Eevee climbed onto their respective Trainer's shoulders. Pidgeotto and Butterfree hovered with Ledyba. The Nidoran chased one another around the campfire and Charmander.
Ash rolled over to check on the Lizard Pokémon. The flame on its tail appeared to be normal as far as he could tell. Its eyes stuttered opened.
"Char?" It managed to say.
The Pokémon parted ways to allow Ash to unwrap the Lizard Pokémon and helped it up. "Are you okay?"
"Charmander!" It nodded before looking around the area, lowering its head once again. "Mander?"
Ash frowned, feeling its disappointment but respected Charmander's loyalty. "I'm sorry Charmander, but Damian isn't here. I'm afraid he's not coming back either."
"Charmander?" It pressed its claws against its mouth with some tears forming around the eyes.
"It's the truth…he doesn't want you. But I think you're an awesome Pokémon that can be strong and deserves a lot more from their trainer." Ash extended his hand. "Why don't you join us?"
"Char?" It looked at Ash before looking around him.
Ash could feel the conflict inside. It must have grown attached to Damian for one reason or another, but it also didn't want to be ungrateful to the people who saved its life. All of the Pokémon sung their praises and encouraged it that seemed to ease its consciousness.
It turned back to Ash and hit his hand with its paw. "Char. Charmander!"
Ash smiled and pulled out a Pokéball. He pressed it against Charmander's head. The ball wiggled once before Ding. "Alright! I just caught a Charmander!" Everyone in the room stroke a pose with him. He read the Pokédex for additional information.
Charmander, the Lizard Pokémon. The flame at the tip of its tail makes a sound as it burns. You can only hear it in quiet places. The flame also indicates its life force. When healthy, the flame burns brightly.
Gender: Male
Ability: Blaze
Nature: Rash
Ledyba buzzed around in joy while releasing a pleasant, sweet scent. Then it stopped in front of Serena. "Ledyba!" It motioned towards Ash with the Pokéball."
Serena blinked. "You want to follow me?"
It nodded. "Ledyba!"
She smiled and grabbed a Pokéball. It pressed the button and it was sucked into the ball. It wiggled three times before ding.
"Alright! I just caught a Ledyba!" Just like before, the entire group joined in the celebratory pose. Her Pokédex provided additional information.
Gender: Male
Ability: Swarm
Nature: Timid
Both Trainers were happy that they made some new friends. Together with their Pokémon, they admired the sunny skies. Ash, in particular, was looking forward to his upcoming Gym Battle.
AN: I hoped you enjoyed that chapter. Let me know some of your thoughts or questions.
Next Time: Pewter City Showdowns Part 1 ("Is this your Pikachu?")
Questions You Might Have
Q: Why is Damian a rich boy? When should we expect to see him again?
I was trying to figure out how he could be a different jerk than Cross and Paul. I figured a rich kid with a snobby attitude would fit nicely. Um, I think we see him in one of the planned tournament arcs I have planned next. I wanted to make him a rival because I feel like it'll help enrich Charmander's story that I have planned.
Q: Why did I have Ash catch Charmander this early? It won't help at all at the first two Gyms
This chapter was inspired by how Ash caught Charmander in I Choose You and I think he was in Viridian Forest. Though I could be wrong on that. At the end of the day, I wanted to space things out or rearrange certain events.
Q: Why did I have Ash catch Pidgeotto here instead of the last chapter?
I really wanted to give Ash and Serena the Nidoran to show that I'm giving them non-cannon Pokemon and I wanted to avoid giving Ash three Pokemon in one chapter with only giving Serena only one. I shifted the capture to pay tribute to both original episodes in which they're captured. Pidgeotto still attacking a Pokemon is my replacement of Spearows attacking Charmander.
Q: What was the exact requirements for Ash to rank up in trainer class?
There are multiple ways and criteria. From Rookie to Trainer, one can either win 20 battles or earn themselves a badge.
Q: Why did I give Serena a Ledyba? Is it not like one of the worst Pokemon?
Contests don't require a rigorous team of strong Pokemon like Leagues and I think I have a decent idea on how to show some growth with it.
Q: Will Gary and Leaf be contacted in every chapter?
No. Only when something is relevant, I will be having them pop up like that. I think it can add a lot of subtle context for certain elements.
Q: Wait a minute, isn't Ledyba only found in Johto?
Maybe in the games, but I'm not restricting my world to regional based Pokedex. This is something I forgot to mention in the last part but yeah, there are migration patterns among other reasons why one might find other Pokemon in different regions.
Q: How many moves to Pokemon know?
As of right now, about 6. I might increase it to 8 pending on how I feel about certain moves or battles. The increase allows me to come up with strategies more easily and use some moves you might not see otherwise.
Q: When did Rapid Spin increase speed?
I believe its Sword and Shield as I found that surprising at first.
