Written by me and Cloud4012
Started: October 1st, 2022
Finished: October 5th, 2022
Beta Reader: cherrybombees
Chapter 9: Charmander, the Stray Pokémon
It was a calm sunny day as a few clouds slowly entered the sky.
Making their way down the path, Ash, Misty and Brock were enjoying the calm quiet scenery.
Ash just still couldn't believed he's managed to have caught a Bulbasaur, one of the three starter Pokémon he would've gotten.
"Hey Ash, I've been meaning to ask you something," Brock asked as he cleared his throat.
"What's up?" Ash asks.
"Well I know your situation with the starters, but out of curiosity, which one were you hoping to get the most?" Brock asks.
"Well, my first choice was actually gonna be Squirtle," Ash admitted.
"A water type starter?" Misty winked as she pointed a finger at Ash. "Great choice!"
"Oof, kinda glad for my sake you didn't get him," Brock said.
"But when he was gone, my second choice was indeed Bulbasaur." Ash said.
"Well lucky for you, you just caught one," Misty said.
"Tell me about it," Ash looked over and explained. "Although I'll admit even though Charmander was my last choice, it would have been awesome having a fire type on my team. I've heard a lot of people saying having one of those is the best way to go."
"Which would be a problem, seeing how the first two gyms would've given you some trouble." Misty teased.
"Every trainer has their own way of doing things; Ash beat me using nothing, but Pokemon with a disadvantage." Brock recalled.
"Oh yeah. So advantage or not, I think we all know the outcome of our battle," Ash smirked at her.
Misty mumbled to herself, gritting her teeth at both Ash's attitude and the insistence of pointing out her flaws.
"Still I really wished I didn't overslept." Ash said. "I would've been happy either one of the three instead of..he who will not be named." He hissed.
Seeing that this was probably the best stopping point, they continued through the forest, but when they reached a clearing a giant shadow descended on them.
"W-what's that?" Misty stuttered.
"Is it some kind of Pokémon?" Brock gulps as Ash reached for his belt.
As the sun moved out from behind the clouds, the figure came into view and to their confusion, the "big" shadow was just a small orange-colored reptilian Pokémon, sitting on a tall rock.
"A Charmander?" Brock said as the wild Charmander let out a yawn making them fall over.
Ash groaned as he brought his PokéDex out to scan it.
"Charmander, the Lizard Pokémon. Charmander's health can be gauged by the fire on the tip of its tail, which burns intensely when it's in good health."
"Oh man how lucky can you get? I said I wanted a fire type, and now I can catch one!" Ash cheered.
Misty peered at the Charmander and saw it was panting as it crouched down, "I dunno. It looks like it's in bad shape," she pointed out.
Brock noticed this, "Yeah. Catch it and we'll take it to the Pokémon Center for help," Brock said turning to Ash.
"Sounds like a plan." Ash threw a Pokèball at it, but to his surprise Charmander swung his tail smacking the ball back into Ash's hands.
"Looks like it's still got some fight in it." Ash said to himself,
"Char.." Charmander hissed at him with a mean glare, refusing to budge from that rock.
"Guys. Look at his flame." Ash gasped, spotting the flame at the end of his tail delicately flickered back and forth, like the candles his mother would occasionally lighten at home. "Remember what the PokéDex said? The tail is a Charmander's life force." Ash recalled.
"If it's bright and large, that means it's in good health." Misty said.
"But this one's tail here's absolutely no way it can have the energy to fight," Brock shook his head upon realizing.
"Yet it smacked my Poké Ball away. Guys, I don't think this one is wild. I think this Charmander might belong to someone." Ash assumed.
"If that's the case, then why would it's trainer leave it here? And where is he?" Misty questioned.
"I don't know, but hopefully they're not too far away." Ash said.
As they were questioning things, the wind suddenly began to pick up, giving them the chills and the skies were beginning to darken.
"Looks like a storm is coming," Misty gasped.
"Come on. If we hurry we can make it to the Pokémon Center before it comes down." Brock urges.
Ash, however looked back at the resting fire Pokémon. "But..but what about Charmander?"
"If Charmander has an owner this is not something you can fix. Charmander is someone else's responsibility." Misty pointed out.
"But..." Ash frowns, looking at Charmander with worry.
As much he hated this. They were right. Charmander belonged to someone else and he couldn't just take away another trainer's Pokémon.
"Okay.." He sighed as he walked towards the Pokémon Center.
As thunder began to rumble through the ground, a heavy downpour of rain pounded against the trainers as fast as they could to the Pokémon Center.
In the forest, the Charmander was using a huge leaf as an umbrella. It didn't want to get really wet and have his tail go out. He hoped his master got here soon.
At the Pokémon Center, Ash had decided to check with Prof. Oak.
"Did you get my Bulbasaur, Professor?" Ash asks.
"I did and I must say I'm impressed. A Bulbasaur is quite the find!" Prof. Oak nodded in approval.
"Perfect, do you mind getting him for me? There's something I never got to do." Ash asked.
Nodding, the old man walked off-screen for a second and returned with Bulbasaur in his arms. "Bulba." He replied, greeting Ash.
"Hey Bulbasaur. You settling in okay?" Ash asks.
"Bulba-bulba" He nods.
"Good because now that you're one of my Pokémon it's time I gave you a proper nickname." Ash said getting his attention.
"Saur?"
"I like to give all of the Pokémon that are mine a name for themselves. Now let's see.." Ash said thinking of a good name. "I know, Alpha!"
"Saur?" Bulbasaur chirruped in curiosity. While he had heard his fellow Bulbasaur deem themselves names like Lily or Blossom, Alpha seemed quite exotic.
"Because back in the village you were the one in charge of everyone. You were the Alpha." Ash explained as he rubbed his hand against the back of his neck.
Thinking about it, Bulbasaur took a liking to the name and nodded. "Saur-saur!" He roared.
"It's a strong name for a strong Pokémon," Prof. Oak agreed. "I have colleagues in Hoenn and Sinnoh who'd appreciate that name."
"Oh and speaking of Pokémon Prof. Oak, there's something you outta know." Ash said, getting his attention.
"Hm? And what might that be, Ash?" Prof. Oak asked as he folded his hands together.
"While on the way, we ran into a lone Charmander, just sitting all by itself on a rock in the middle of the road." Ash explained.
"A wild one?" Prof. Oak asked, one of his eyebrows raising in curiosity.
"No, I think this one had a trainer." Ash shook his head. "It didn't try to attack us at first sight like SOME Pokémon."
"A trainer?" Prof. Oak shook his head in disapproval. "Why would they leave it there in the first place?"
"That's what we said.." Ash said looking out the window to the rain outside with concern.
"Well Ash let's just hope they got Charmander after you left." Prof. Oak said.
"Yeah..hopefully.." Ash muttered before hanging up.
Making his way back to the common area, Ash sat down with Brock as Misty brought over several cups of piping-hot miso soup.
"Here you go guys, eat it while it's hot."
"Thanks Misty," Brock said, but Ash was still looking out the window where the rain appeared to be getting worse.
"Ash?" Misty calls out, snapping her fingers right next to his ears.
"Huh? Wha? Oh uh..yeah thanks," Ash said as he shook his head clear. With tense hands, he gently took the cup of soup in his hands.
"You're still thinking about Charmander, aren't you?" Brock assumes.
"I just really hope his trainer got him." Ash said.
"I'm sure he'll be fine. I can't imagine a fire type out in the rain." Misty reassured.
"Yeah I guess you're right." Ash said feeling a little better.
Just as he was about to eat, laughter filled his and his friend's ears as they looked over to see a group of rough-looking trainers gathered around. One man stood out in particular; a sleazy-looking trainer with wavy blue hair and wearing a strange outfit; white sunglasses, a pink polo shirt, black pants and a brown leather vest over his ensemble.
"Whoa look at all of them." One said looking at a table covered with red and white Poké Balls.
"You're the man Damian," The brown-haired trainer said as he nudged his friend with his elbow.
"Pretty collection if I do say so myself," Another blue-haired trainer turned his chin up in pride.
"Yo Damian, didn't you you had a Charmander too?" another kid questioned.
Damian frowned as his friend brought up that darned Pokémon, "Yeah... I had one, but that puny thing was so weak, it couldn't stand a chance against anything else. Arceus, even a Caterpie could defeat it," he scoffed.
Ash and crew frowned at this. "I don't like his attitude," Misty said with a frown crossing her arms.
"Charmander may be weak against Water Pokémon, but if their trainers work hard they can become strong," Brock stated.
"So what did you do with that Charmander?" the same kid questioned.
Damien smirked as he continued his confession, "Oh, I left it on some rock in the woods." The gang froze at this in shock as he continued. "That thing is so stupid no matter what I do it keeps coming back. I finally got rid of it by telling it I'd come back for it!" Damian chuckled.
Brock frowned at this and was about to get up when he and Misty heard a snarl and saw their younger friend stood up from the table.
Once they got a look at his face, they recoiled in shock.
Ash's face made him look like he was possessed and was ready to snap. "A-Ash?" Misty asks if he was alright, but he didn't answer her. Instead, he stomped right over to where Damian is.
"I bet it's still up there, wagging its tail." One of Damian's friend's said.
"It'll probably wag it for so long, it'll put the flame out!"
"Yeah for sure!" Damian laughed, not aware of what was about to happen to him. He was suddenly yanked up from his seat by the collar. "Hey, what the?!" He exclaimed before being slammed into the wall and was met face to face with a furious Ash Ketchum.
"Go and get it!" Ash snapped.
"H-huh? Hey ugly, you mind letting go of me?" Damian cringed, scowling in disgust from the scars trailing down Ash's face.
"Go and get your Charmander right..now." Ash growled through his teeth, not letting him change the subject.
"Why should I?" Damian scoffed.
"You lied to your Pokémon and abandoned it in the middle of this storm. Don't you get it? If that flame goes out Charmander is done for!" Ash ranted.
"What I do with my Pokémon is none of your business, ya two-faced twerp!" Damian glared.
"Let me tell you something Damian. I may look ugly on the outside but you're a million times uglier on the inside!" Ash counters.
"Keep talking and you're gonna be the one losing that other eye of yours," Damian snarled as he jabbed a finger against Ash's throat.
"Stop!" Entering the room, Nurse Joy separated them. "Please don't fight in my Pokémon Center."
"Hmph, he's the one who started it." Damian scorned, about to walk off, but not before giving Ash a mean look. "I'd watch my back if I were you, Kakashi."
"Oh screw you. I got someone else who needs my help more." After shoving Damian out of the way, Ash pulled a rain poncho out of his backpack.
He sprinted out of the center, and down the road to where they left Charmander. "Ash, wait!" Brock shouts, trying to stop him.
"Come on! He might need our help!" Misty yelled as she grabbed her own raincoat.
Back with Ash..
The heavy rain slowed him down, pushing him down like a mineral in the earth's core. "Gotta..make it to..Charmander." He pants when he slipped and fell into the mud.
Groaning, Ash tried to pick himself up when lightning flashed and Ash thought he saw a familiar shadow.
His eyes widened when that same shadow grinned like a Cheshire cat and mocked him. "Pi~ka."
"You." Ash growled when the thunder echoed and the shadow disappeared.
"..sh..Ash!!" Suddenly a voice was heard, calling out behind him. Turning around, Ash saw Brock and Misty in ponchos, running up to him.
"Are you okay?" Brock asked as he helped Ash to his feet.
"Y-Yeah I guess I just slipped," Ash said getting up only to see there was no sign of the shadow.
"Well come on, Charmander needs help, remember?" Misty reminds.
"Thanks guys. We better hurry this rain is getting worse by the minute." Ash said.
At the rocks, Charmander was barely holding on as the harsh winds blasted more rain into his face.
He was unaware of being watched from the tall grass from behind as four eyes were in the shadows. Then he was alerted by screeches in the air as four Spearow flew out and ambushed the poor Charmander, scratching and pecking him, trying to get him to let go of the leaf and be their next meal like a pack of violet Mandibuzz.
"Spear!" One calls out as they flew down and attacked him.
"There it is!" Brock yelled.
As they ran to the clearing, Ash froze in his tracks shaking in fear and horror. His left eyelids twitched as more unpleasant memories flashed through his mind. His heart pounded in terror, nearly beating out of his chest.
He saw the poor innocent Charmander being mauled by Spearow..just like him not too long ago.
Whimpering softly, Ash held his face remembering the agonizing pain as those sharp claws and the cries of those birds echoed through his mind.
No...no! He couldn't let someone go through the same thing he did!!
"Brock use your Zubat and Confuse them!" Ash said quickly.
"OK, Zubat! Confuse Ray!!" Brock quickly threw the bat Pokémon out of its ball.
Firing the supersonic waves, Zubat confuses the Spearow into thinking the other was Charmander and as a result, they attacked each other.
"Misty, get them out of here!" Ash hollered as he turned to face her.
"Seel, Aurora Beam!" Calling out her Seal Pokémon, it fired a brightly colored beam blasting them away with a super effective attack.
With them gone, they turned their attention to Charmander. "Oh no! The flame on its tail is almost out!" Ash cried out in a panic.
Brock unzipped his jacket and wrapped it around Charmander to keep warm. "Quick, let's get it to the Pokémon Center!"
Ash nodded as he unzipped his jacket and used it to cover Charmander's tail. "I'll make sure its tail flame stays lit!"
Running as fast they could, Misty led the way while Brock and Ash struggled to keep Charmander safe.
"Hang on Charmander, we're almost there! You can make it!" Ash said.
Meanwhile at the center, Nurse Joy was looking out the window before the doors burst open getting very attention. She turned and saw the kids from earlier before her, looking tired and distressed.
"Joy...please help us," Ash panted as he collapsed on his knees, clutching the collar of his shirt as his damn heart wouldn't slow down.
Brock held up the fire type. "This Charmander is in bad shape," He said in worry.
Ash looked up and pointed,"The flame on..its tail."
Gasping in surprise, Nurse Joy had Chansey bring a stretcher in.
"We'll do everything we can." She assured the group, immediatly taking Charmander to the ER.
The group could only look in worry, as they hope that Charmander will be able to make it.
As the storm slowly came to a stop, we see Charmander laying on a bed.
"Charmander is in a very bad condition. How could you have let this happen?" Nurse Joy asks.
The others were taken aback by this. Ash shook his head back and forth. "It's not our fault. Damian is the one who abandoned it," Ash scowled as he shook his head, disgusted just saying the name of that sociopathic jerk.
"If it wasn't for Ash, Charmander might not be here." Brock defended.
"Damien promised Charmander he would come back for it. Charmander is loyal to Damian so it believed him," Ash said in sadness.
"Poor Charmander..." Nurse Joy said looking at the freezing lizard Pokémon with pity. She then turned to the others and said, "And unfortunately, Damien just left with the rest of them."
"So now Charmander is all alone," Misty sighed.
All alone with no one to comfort him.
As Ash looked at Charmander laying down all hurt and broken Ash saw himself in that situation.
"Is Charmander going to be okay?" Ash asks.
"Right now he needs all the rest he can get. His condition is better but let's give him until the morning," Nurse Joy suggested.
Taking a deep breath, Ash said. "Um..N-Nurse Joy? Is it alright if..if I stay with Charmander tonight?" He asks, surprising her and his friends.
"I suppose, but Charmander shouldn't be disturbed," She said.
"I promise, I'll be quiet." Ash assured her.
Putting a hand on her shoulder, Brock gestures to Misty so they could step out to talk.
As they led Nurse Joy out, Ash slowly made his way in and sat down next to Charmander.
"I know what it's like Charmander. To try and put your trust in someone hoping they'll respect you, but when things turn bad they leave you behind. It's the worst." Ash frowns.
He takes off his hat and places it next to Charmander. "I don't know if you can hear me..but I want you to know that Damian doesn't deserve you or your trust." He said.
Slowly resting his arms on the bed, Ash used them like a pillow.
"Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere until you get better," Ash vowed.
As the night went on, Ash was true to his word as he fell asleep right next to Charmander.
The next morning...
We see the light shine on the Pokémon Center.
As Charmander slowly wakes up, the flames on his tail flickered much stronger than last night. Instead of a muted maroon, they were vermillion red and goldenrod yellow.
Getting up, the lizard Pokémon stretched with a yawn feeling a million times better than how he was the other day. Looking around, he saw he wasn't outside on the rock anymore, and finally stopped when he saw Ash sleeping next to him. "Char?"
Gasping in surprise, Charmander realized that it was him who saved him last night.
Crawling over to him, Charmander laid a hand on Ash's face, making Ash turn over as his scars were now visible in Charmander's eyes.
"Char?" Charmander said in shock.
As he examined them he noticed that they were made from claws. Spearow Claws.
D-did he get hurt because of him? No that couldn't have been the case, he didn't hear a scream; though then again, he slept through the entire night.
Groaning softly, Ash slowly woke up.
As he raised his head he looks to see Charmander standing right in front of him.
"Cha? Char-char." Charmander smiles nervously saying good morning.
"C-Charmander?" Ash groggily said before getting up and sees his tail flame and gasp. "Your tail. How do you feel?"
"Charmander. Char." Charmander smiles softly.
"Good to know." Ash sighed in relief as he reached up to pet Charmander's head.
"Charmander. Char? Char?" Charmander asks wondering if he was okay.
"I am now. I was worried about you yesterday," Ash gently smiled.
Now it was Charmander's turn to be relieved. "Think you're well enough to get out of bed?" Ash asks.
Slowly, Charmander stood to see if anything was wrong.
"Well at least good enough to walk," Ash said.
As Charmander was about to jump down he looked out the window where the rocks were.
Ash took notice and said, "You're not thinking about going back, are you?"
"Char." Charmander said with a conflicted and confused look, tilting his head to the right.
Ash bent down to his level. "He left you out there to die. Do you really believe he cares about you?"
Frowning, Charmander didn't want to believe it, but Ash was right. Damian didn't care about him anymore.
And he felt so stupid to even believe he'd come back for him. A couple of tears began to form in its cute little eyes.
Seeing this, Ash could do the only he could do. He wrapped his arms around the fire starter and hugged him.
"There's nothing wrong with having faith in people. You just need to have it in the right ones." Ash said.
He consoled the little fire lizard as it silently cried on his shoulder.
"I know. I know. It's already hard at first." Ash sighs knowing this pain all too well.
That's when the door opened up, revealing Nurse Joy as she was about to say something until she saw the two embracing.
"Well I'll be." She smiles softly. She turned and left the room, deciding to give these guys another minute to themselves.
After breakfast, we see Misty and Brock had joined Ash and Charmander outside in the back.
"Thanks for talking Nurse Joy into letting me stay with Charmander guys." Ash said.
"Clearly he needed it." Misty said gesturing to the flame.
"So what's your plan now, Charmander?" Brock asks it. Charmander looked down, unsure on what would he do now.
"Well if you'd like, you could come with us." Ash offers surprising him.
"Char?" Charmander asks.
"Of course, no way would I say no to having a Pokemon like you on my team." Ash said.
Charmander pondered about this. "If I know Ash, he'd never make the same mistake Damian made." Brock said, backing him up.
"Yeah sure he's a little reckless, but he's got a good heart." Misty said.
"Gee thanks Misty," Ash snarked.
As he thought about this, Charmander wondered what his life would be like if he did went with Ash? How much did he differentiate himself in comparison of Damian?
"Well look who it is." Snapping out of his thoughts Charmander saw Damian on the upper porch.
And thus, the mood was shifted from lighthearted and sweet, to hell back and forth.
A nervous look appeared onto Charmander's face as he stepped back. Just the sight of him, made Ash's blood boil.
"What do you want, Damian?" Ash glared.
"Came back because one of those blokes forgot one of my Poké Balls." Damian said holding it up. "This one is a real winner."
"Can I hit him?" Ash asks.
"No." Brock and Misty said at the same time.
Damian looked over and saw Charmander behind Ash's leg. "Well, well. You actually got this little worm out of the rain?"
"This little ' worm' almost died because of your negligence," Misty said staring hard at him. "How you've been allowed to be a trainer, I'll never know."
"Yeah and being a trainer means there's no wrong way to toughen up your Pokémon. Besides what's wrong with throwing away a weak Pokémon?" Damian scowled as he looked down at the trainers.
Charmander frowned as his confidence was shut down once more at being called weak.
"That's horrible!" Misty lashed out.
"If a Pokémon is weak, then as a trainer it's your responsibility to train it to become stronger!" Brock yelled back.
"You wish," Damian sneered. "Sheesh, you're making me out to be the bad guy here. Not my fault I want stronger Pokémon."
Brock growled, "How dare you call yourself a Pokémon trainer?!"
"You don't deserve Charmander or any Pokemon you have!" Ash snapped.
"You're worse than Team Rocket!" Misty yelled as she pointed a finger at him.
"Who cares? Doesn't matter to me." Damian waved them off. "See you round losers. You can keep Charmander if you want. A wimpy Pokémon for a mutilated freak of a trainer."
Ash was beginning to lose it as he clenched his fists til they turned white. 'He can't get away with this! He's NOT getting away with this!'
As Damian was about to open the door and leave, Ash slammed it shut.
"You're not leaving just yet." Ash said.
"And why's that?" Damian asks.
"Because you and I are going to battle." Ash declared as he pointed right at Damian's chin.
Damian stared at Ash for a couple of seconds before bursting into laughter. "Oh! Oh boy that's a good one! You almost had me there!"
"I'm serious," Ash yelled.
"Why would you wanna tussle with me, brat? You got the weakling, so what more do you lot want from me?" Damian said.
"You claim to be a trainer but you forget the first rule of battles. When one trainer extends the challenge the other must accept it. No matter what." Ash reminded.
"You really know how to get on my nerves, punk." Damian shot a cold death glare.
"It takes a punk, to know a punk." Ash scoffed back.
"Fine, I'll battle you. Anything to shut you up once and for all," Damian huffed.
As he made his way down, none of them noticed Nurse Joy watching from her office window.
"So it's true," She said as her face darkened.
Back on the field, Ash and Damian were ready to face off. "Let's make this quick, Kreuger. One Pokémon each," Damian snapped his fingers.
"More than enough to take you down." Ash said standing across from him.
"Kick his butt, Ash!" Misty calls out. "Make him never want to pick up a Pokéball again!"
"Get ready chump. Here's what a real Pokémon looks like!" Damian throws a Pokeball and from it a small gray muscular Pokemon appeared.
"Machop!" It said taking a fighting stance.
"What is that?" Ash asks taking out his Pokedex.
"Machop, the Superpower Pokemon. Machop's muscles are special-they never get sore no matter how much they are used in exercise. Even though it's the size of a human child, it can hurl over a hundred adults."
"This little guy has won me more battles way more than what Charmander could do. I got this guy from a trade, and boy was it a good deal," Damian grinned.
"A trade? So in other words someone else did all the heavy lifting for him," Misty snarked.
"Oi, mind shuttin' your trap so we can battle already, sweetie?" Damian stared at Misty in annoyance.
"You better beat him Ash, because if you don't, I will." Misty snarled as she gritted her teeth.
Brock placed a firm hand on her shoulder.
"So which one of your pathetic Pokémon are you gonna use?" Damian taunted.
"He's already out." Ash declared looking at Charmander surprising him and Damian.
Almost immediatly Damian burst into laughter.
"Oh, you're killing me! If you weren't so ugly you could be a comedian, you're so funny." Damian laughed again.
"Ash, what are you doing? You've never battled with Charmander before," Misty said.
"Not to mention he just got out of the Emergency Room this morning." Brock pointed out.
Ash looks to them and then to Charmander. "I know I'm making a big leap, but I want Charmander to prove to this guy, he made a big mistake calling you weak."
"Char." Charmander pauses before nodding his head determined. "Alright that's the spirit!" Charmander stood in front of Ash at the ready.
"This is gonna be too easy. Machop, Karate Chop!" Damian said as Machop's palm glowed and he went on the attack.
"Dodge it, Charmander!" Ash said. Ducking, Charmander narrowly avoids the attack.
"Keep throwing them off!" Damian said as Machop turned around and swung its hand around, this time striking Charmander in the face.
Tumbling backwards, Charmander groans picking himself.
Damian taunted again. "You can't win if you can't attack, Joker. Use Low Kick!"
"Jump and use Scratch!" Jumping over the leg sweep, Charmander scratches Machop across the chest making it cringe.
"You call that an attack? Please, use Superpower!" A red aura suddenly surrounded Machop as he charged towards Charmander.
"Charmander, use Ember!" Ash said as Charmander released multiple mini fireballs at Machop.
Dodging them with ease, Machop leaped up and kicked Charmander multiple times like he was in some anime.
"Hang in there Charmander!" Ash said as Charmander cringed in pain.
Already the battle was looking bad for Charmander.
'Come on there needs to be something I'm missing. I know Superpower is strong, but there was something about it that I was warned about. What was it?' Ash thought.
"Aw what's the matter Charmander? Can't put up a good fight? No wonder you're so useless." Damian mocked. "Machop, Cross Chop!"
Hearing this, Charmander growled softly. Damian had been putting him down ever since he caught him, and he was sick of it.
"Charmander use Ember!" However instead of the little fireballs, Charmander breathed a powerful stream of flames instead, hitting Machop dead center.
"Machop!!" Machop screamed in pain as he hits the ground.
"What the? He never did that attack before." Damian gasps.
"A Flamethrower." Ash said amazed.
"Normally a Pokémon has to evolve before it can learn that move." Brock said.
"Guess Ash wasn't the only one who wanted to shut Damian up." Misty said.
"Char-CharmanderChar!!" Charmander roared as he glared at Damian with the fury of a thousand suns.
"Oh you want to go you little pest? I'm gonna crush you." Damian growls.
"Not if you can't hit us. Charmander use Flamethrower one more time!" Ash said as Charmander released the powerful fire attack.
"Dodge it and then use Cross Chop!" Damian said as Machop barrel-rolled out of the way and charged with his arms folded and glowing in an 'X' position.
"Dodge and Scratch low!" Rolling out of the way, Charmander scratches Machop's side making it cringe in pain.
"Low Kick!" Machop kneed Charmander in the gut, knocking him backwards.
"Charmander use Smokescreen!" Breathing a cloud of smoke, Charmander blinds Machop's vision.
Coughing, Machop tried its best to not breathe in the smoke. Looking around, it couldn't see where Charmander was.
"Leer!" He heard Ash shout. That's when it felt a presence behind it. Turning around, Machop saw two glowing eyes, glaring at it.
"Ma." Machop whimpers having its defense lowered.
"Now Scratch nonstop!!" Ash shouted as Charmander slashes Machop in the face, one by one.
"Throw them off! What are you doing?!" Damian yells as Machop tries to pull Charmander off, but he wouldn't budge easily.
"Now Flamethrower!" Jumping off, Charmander releases Flamethrower hitting Machop.
"Chop!" Machop cringed, looking severely damaged.
"What the heck is going on? We were wiping the floor with them when this match started." Damian asks confused.
Ash saw the conflicted look on the abusive trainer's face as a grin appeared on his."You wanna know why Damian? It's because you've never took the time and effort to raise your Pokémon the right way."
"What was that?" Damian growls.
"You think Pokemon are just something you're naturally good with or something you can throw away when they don't win, but they're not. They're living creatures that require training, compassion and many other things you've robbed your Pokemon of." Ash said.
"Oh you think you know everything to Pokémon, runt?! I've been a trainer WAY longer than you have!" Damian snapped. "I've collected way more Pokémon than you'll ever get!"
"Having alot of Pokémon means nothing if they don't respect you." Ash said, not fazed.
"Respect is overrated. Did whatever messed your face up respect you?" Damian counters.
"He did not just go there?" Brock growls.
It was at this very moment..Damian didn't realized, he just fucked up.
Ash didn't say nothing. The brim of his hat was shadowing his face as he stood there, motionless.
"Oh? What's wrong? Where's all of that hot shot attitude you had just now?" Damian mocked.
"Alright Damian since talking to you clearly won't work I'm just gonna have to...knock you inside and out!" Ash snaps revealing a pissed off face with a flaming aura behind him.
Misty and Brock both jumped at the outburs. "Oh he went there.." Misty gulped in fear.
"I honestly can't even feel bad for him." Brock said.
"Machop, Foc-"
"Flamethrower!" Ash cuts him off.
Before Machop could do his attack, Charmander blasts Machop with Flamethrower.
"Now Slash!!" With gleaming claws, Charmander charges in and at full speed.
"Stop it! Karate Chop!" Machop swings a glowing palm and both attacks nail the opposite Pokémon knocking them both to the ground.
"Come on Charmander, you can get up!" Ash called out in encouragement.
"Get up now!" Damian orders.
As Machop struggled to get up he suddenly felt a sharp pain making him fall to the ground with swirly eyes while Charmander was able to stand.
"Machop is unable to battle, Charmander is the winner! The victory goes to Ash!" Brock announced the results.
"Char?" Charmander blinked in shock. It won its first battle? "Char! Char!" He cheered, running up to Ash.
"You did it Charmander! I knew you could do it." Ash smiles immediately calming down.
Seeing Charmander happy instantly made Ash calm down. Unfortunately, Damian wasn't calm in the slightest.
"No way! You had to have cheated! No way a weakling like that could beat me!" Damian snaps.
Wow so not only is he a terrible trainer, but he's also a sore loser.
"You are pathetic." Misty said.
"Maybe you should try training yourself before you even think about training Pokémon." Brock said.
"Oh he won't be doing any training for a long time." Walking out of the Pokemon Center alongside Nurse Joy was a policewoman with blue hair.
"Officer Jenny?" Brock turns with a bright blush on his face.
"What are you doing here?" Misty asks.
"Nurse Joy contacted me the second I heard about a trainer that has neglected his responsibilities and duties as a trainer, and has almost gotten a Pokémon killed because of his outright stupidity." Officer Jenny explained while glaring daggers at certain trainer.
"You heard us?" Ash said surprised.
"Every word. Including his views on how to handle Pokémon." Nurse Joy glares.
"Damian Daisuke, you are hereby under arrest for Pokémon abuse and neglect!" Officer Jenny shouts flashing her badge and pulling out a pair of handcuffs. "Your trainer license is hereby revoked and all of the Pokémon in your possession are to be surrounded, immediately!"
"What?! You can't do that!" Damian said as he backed up. "I have my rights!"
"Yeah, the right to remain silent." Ash snarked back.
Panicking, Damian sprints towards the forest across from them.
"Oh no you don't!" Officer Jenny snapped about to whip about a Pokéball until Charmander ran in front of Damian.
"Out of my way, wimpy!" Damian snapped.
Having enough of him, Charmander reals his head back and opened fire, "CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!!" With a might roar, he blasts Damian with Flamethrower burning him and his clothes from head to toe.
"Ah...mommy.." Damian coughed up smoke before falling over, unconscious.
"Char Char." Charmander said.
He had stood up to his lousy trainer and won.
"Looks like she can add resisting arrest to the list of charges," Misty grinned.
"Come on you." Officer Jenny said cuffing him.
"What's going to happen to his Pokémon?" Brock asks concerned.
"We'll be putting them through our program and help detoxify all of Damian's lessons." She explains.
"And then we'll be sending them to Pokémon preserves, where they'll be living a peaceful live without ever having to deal with a trainer abusing them again." Nurse Joy added.
"That's a relief," Misty said.
Charmander however had mixed thoughts about that. Slowly turning his head he looked up at Ash.
Ash had the same mixed feelings on his face as well.
Seeing this Nurse Joy smiles softly. "Although it appears one Pokémon might not need all that."
The two turned their heads to her with astonished looks as Ash said, "Y-you mean..?"
"Assuming Charmander wants to." She gestures.
"Charmander Char." Charmander smiles nodding his head.
Smiling, Ash turned to the lizard, "I'd be glad to have you on the team, Charmander."
"Charmander!" Charmander smiles about to go to him.
"However. If you want to be on my team you're going to need a name first." Ash said stopping him.
The fire lizard tilts his head in confusion. A name? That's a first.
"One thing about me is I love giving my Pokémon nicknames. Makes them feel like friends of mine. Now let's see…" Pausing Ash looks at Charmander and slowly turns his gaze towards the tail. "How about Torch?"
Taking a minute to think about it, Charmander seem to be fond of the name, Torch. Simple yet efficent! "Charmander!" He nodded.
Ash laughed at his enthusiasm, and pulls out a Pokéball. "Welcome to the team, Torch!" He tosses it and Torch tapped himself onto the ball, letting himself be caught. The ball clicked automatically and teleported away.
"You got a Pokèmon and a new friend." Misty declares.
"Yeah." Ash said with a proud smile, still on his face.
Ash didn't think he would get Charmander at first, but after saving him and putting Damian in his place, Ash's future much like Torch's flame, is burning brighter.
What new adventures await Ash and friends, as the journey continues!
Party Data:
Ash:Spearow (Talon), Magikarp (Mystic), Meowth (Bastet), Ekans (Naga), Beedrill (Videl) and Sandshrew(Quake)
Oak's lab:Bulbasaur (Alpha) and Charmander (Torch)
Sent to his mother:Pidgeotto and Clefable
Misty:Staryu, Goldeen, Starmie, Seel and Oddish
Brock:Geodude, Onix, Zubat and Paras