Every wing flap just added to the guilt.

"GO!" Ash's words echoed in Charizard's head. Ash had told him to go, and he had listened.

What had happened to Ash? He had taken Ash's other Pokemon, and Pikachu was hurt. Who could Ash rely on? The only other Pokemon was the Legendaries and that girl's Pokemon. Charizard had seen the Marill, it would be no help. And the Legendaries were Legendaries, but that didn't make them strong.

Charizard's wings hurt. He had been using them to protect himself and Ash, and now the flying was making them worse.

No. He told had not protected Ash. Maybe at first, but leaving him... That proves that he hadn't protected him, he had left him. Ran away.

Charizard looked down at the belt of Pokeballs. Ash obviously didn't want the others to be hurt. But... He couldn't leave him. He had to go back. Charizard turned around, he had to go back to Ash.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Charizard landed in the small clearing where he had last seen Ash.

It was empty.

No!

There were burnt marks on the ground and scuff marks from the fight. He lowered his nose to the ground and tried to catch Ash's scent. He caught it, but it was mixed with their scent.

Rage began to build up in Charizard. He took a step forward, and he stepped in something wet. It was red. Charizard smelled it, it was Ash's blood.

His anger pounded through him. They had Ash. He felt the flame on his tail grow bigger and hotter.

They had Ash.

Charizard let out a roar, and he felt fire explode around him. His whole body burst into flames. He charged straight towards the trees, ramming into them, setting them ablaze. Charizard turned and charged for the trees on the other side of the clearing.

Charizard feel to a knee as the recoil damage washed over him. He didn't care about it. He didn't even care that he had learned a new move, Flare Blitz. They had Ash, and it was his fault.

My fault. He thought. I left him when he needed me the most. Now he's gone.

Gone.

Charizard threw the belt of Pokeballs aside with a roar. He fired up Flare Blitz again and launched himself into the air. He dove straight down, opening his wings at the last second. He flew above the forest, skimming the upper branches of the trees, lighting them on fire.

The recoil damage hit again as he landed. He launched himself into Flare Blitz once more, ramming himself into rocks and trees. The recoil kept hitting, but he didn't care.

They had Ash.

After some time he heard sirens. Charizard whipped his head around as he watched two motorcycles pull into the flaming clearing.

"Oh my!" Officer Jenny cried, "The report was true, a rampaging Charizard. What's one doing in Unova?," She watched as Charizard let out a Flamethrower, then she turned to the other motorcycle, "Go get back up, I'll try to weaken it."

"Yes Madam!" Said the other man, he turned his motorcycle around and sped back towards the city.

"Stoutland, deploy!" Jenny cried as she threw her Pokeball. Stoutland came out, and let out a bark. Charizard turned back towards Jenny, eyes aflame. "Charizard, I don't know why you're angry, but please try to calm down, and we'll help you!"

Charizard's anger grew. She had no idea of what was going to happen to Ash, to the world. She didn't want to help him, it was her job. He was just some item she needed to take care of.

That's just how Damian treated him.

The thought of Damian fueled Charizard's anger. He let out a roar and fired Flamethrower towards the Stoutland, who dodged it.

"Stoutland, Thunder Fang!" Jenny shouted. Stoutland leaped towards Charizard, its mouth sparking with electricity. Charizard didn't wait for it to come to him. He ran forward, still using Flare Blitz, and grabbed Stoutland.

Stoutland yelped as the flames burned him, but sank its fangs into Charizard's arm. Charizard jumped into the air, rising up. Then he flung Stoutland to the ground with Seismic Toss.

Some how Stoutland got to its feet, shaking. It was covered in dirt, burns, and ashes. Charizard landed, the recoil hitting once more. Just then the backup arrived.

"Jenny, how long have you been battling?"

Jenny was staring at Charizard, "That thing has been ramming into things with Flare Blitz since before we got here, but what it did to Stoutland was just one attack, and that was after taking a Thunder Fang."

"Man," One of the officers said, "Then I guess it won't be easy to take out."

One of the other officers opened up a Pokeball, "Unfezant, lure Charizard into the air!" A female Unfezant rose up. Charizard turned to face the new opponent.

"Jenny, take a look at this!" Charizard whipped his gaze back towards the people, who were pointing towards Ash's Pokeball belt. The sense of responsibility was reawakened in Charizard. Ash had wanted him to protect the other Pokemon.

Charizard's Flare Blitz stopped short, and ignoring the recoil, Charizard dove towards the Pokeballs, landing in front of them with a roar. The officer backed away. Charizard grabbed them and tried to fly away, but the damage from the recoil, along with his previous injuries, seemed to have caught up to him. Charizard crashed to the ground in mid flight, dropping the belt of Pokeballs.

"Seems its fatigue finally caught up with it," One of the officer commented, "It also seemed to be protecting the Pokeballs."

"So it seems," Replied Officer Jenny, "Surround it, don't let it escape. Thomas, get that belt, I'll see if we can find its trainer."

Charizard tried to stand, but he was too weak. With flashes of white light he was surrounded by other Pokemon. One of the officers grabbed Ash's belt. Charizard let out a moan as it was handed to Jenny.

She examined it, then plucked off Charizard's Pokeball. He started to thrash, but Officer Jenny flashed the Pokeball, forcing Charizard inside.

"I'll take them to Juniper's, that's probably the first place their trainer will go."

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

"Wake up."

Ash moaned.

Something lightly tapped his side, "You need to wake up."

Ash felt like he had been ran over by a truck, he had no interest in waking up. He turned over and muttered something about Butterfree.

"Ash, for goodness sake!"

Ash opened his eyes. He was laying on a cement floor. There was a bare light bulb above him. Someone was standing above him, with an unreadable expression in his eyes.

"About time," He said, staring down at Ash. Ash sat up, starting at the man he hadn't seen for nearly a year.

"Dad."

Riley nodded, "Yes, now listen, we don't have much time."

A/N: Sorry that this chapter is shorter, the next one will be longer. Enjoy :D