Chapter Four (Sally's POV)

When I woke up, Jasmine was gone and so were her Pokémon. She left no note, but I figured she would be close. She didn't have any Pokémon that could fly, nor did she have a bike to explore any further than Celadon City within a day. I curled into a ball and stared at my wrists where I kept my Pokéballs, 3 on each. I never took off my bracelets – only in the shower, but even then, they were never far. I attached easy pulling clips onto my bracelet and Pokéballs via soldering iron. One of a kind. I also have a necklace variety, but I use it way less often than the bracelets. While I admired my work of art, Blitz appeared on ground level and jumped into Jasmine's bed.

"Blitz, get out of there. Jasmine will get mad at you for molting on her bed." I yawned and sat up. Blitz wriggled out, making the bunk beds shake and then went on his hind legs, with his front paws resting on the top bunk. I placed my hands over his paws. "Good morning to you too, sweetie."

I headed to the cafeteria after I changed my clothes and brushed my teeth, to get something to eat. I gathered food onto a tray and then I headed to a spot that was close to a pool that was deep enough for my Gyarados to be comfortable.

"Yummy?" I asked my Pokémon that were happily eating their breakfast that was prepared by special chefs. From the corner of my eye, I saw someone very pink approach.

"Excuse me for bothering you." The lady started. I looked up to see Nurse Joy of Celadon City. I think.

"Nurse Joy, good morning. How can I help you?" I asked her, placing my fork and knife down.

"May I?" She asked, pointing to the chair opposite to me. I nodded. She placed her down calmly and smiled happily as Nurse Joys always do. "I have a favour to ask of you."

"Oh?"

"My sister in Cerulean City is having problems with a young Charmeleon." She began.

"Okay…" I said, to show her that I was listening. "So, what would you like me to do?"

"Not many people have a Charizard, and not as big and powerful as Charcoal, either." She smiled at Charcoal who roared happily at the compliment. "You see, she thinks the Charmeleon was abandoned and had been treated very harshly by its previous owner. My sister is having trouble controlling it. It doesn't listen."

"In other words, you would like Charcoal to … beat some sense into it?" I murmured, somewhat unsure of the mission.

"No, no!" Nurse Joy exclaimed, surprised at my language… or something. "Maybe just… have Charcoal show the Charmeleon that not all trainers are bad. And beating weaker Pokémon will not make it feel better."

"…I'm kind of unsure of what you're on about, but I will go down there anyway. I don't have anything planned." I shrugged, smiling. "How's it sound, guys?" I asked of my Pokémon. They all made a sound of assertion, even looking a bit excited. "Alright. We'll leave right after breakfast."

"Alrighty." I fixed my backpack on my back tight as Charcoal lowered herself so I could get on her back and sit above her wings. I chose Charcoal over Avian this time around because Charcoal was a lot more easier to ride than Avian. Avian also likes to fly low – whereas Charcoal loves flying higher than the clouds and feeling the mist in her face – which I find odd because mist is essentially water. Charcoal waited for me to get comfortable and then raised herself from the ground. "To Cerulean City!' I cheered. Charcoal whipped her wings and we were off the ground. Charcoal immediately flew herself into the clouds. I looked down and imagined falling from such a height, like I always do – but I'm sure, i never will because my Pokémon will never let me, at least I hope so anyway. I could barely see the makeup of buildings from the height we were flying, but Charcoal seemed to know where we were. After flying for less than ten minutes, Charcoal started to decrease latitude. I saw a Dragonite not far ahead of us that had already started to prepare for landing. On his back, were two people. "See, the Dragonite doesn't mind two people on his back, why do you?" I asked, nudging Charcoal's shoulders with my feet. I've wanted Charcoal to let David and I on her back whilst flying but it was always one or the other. Never both, otherwise she won't fly at all. Charcoal let out a little growl to answer – which I'm sure it was translated to… 'It's fucking annoying'. I ignored the Dragonite as Charcoal started to prepare herself to land in front of the Pokémon Centre. I held onto her neck tighter, feeling myself slightly hovering away from Charcoal's shoulders. She landed smoothly. "Great flying." I patted her shoulder. She grunted, pleased. "Can you fit through the door?" I wondered, pointing at it. She attempted with her wings curled around her but failed, smashing into the doorway with her legs and shoulders. "I'll let you out soon, Char." Charcoal returned to her Pokeball before I made my way into the Pokémon Centre. The centre was not very busy, and there were scorch marks all over the walls and tables. I walked over to Nurse Joy who was scrubbing the counter. "Nurse Joy?"

"Oh sorry." She gasped, lifting her head. "Welcome to the Pokémon Centre. Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Actually, Nurse Joy from Celadon asked me over." I informed. Her eyes lit up and she clapped her hands together.

"Ah! You're Sally! Welcome and thank you for coming on such short notice!" She exclaimed, looking extremely relieved.

"It's alright. So, the Charmeleon was busy, huh?" I chuckled, looking at the unusually smoky centre. Nurse Joy frowned, worried. "Is it alright?"

"I'm very worried about it. I'll lead you to it." She said and took the escalators down. I followed close behind, looking around…although there wasn't much to look at besides burn markings around the walls and floors. She stopped at a metal door. "He's behind here. We had to move him here because of the damage he was doing." As soon as she spoke, the metal door started to shake and behind the door, we could hear the Charmeleon attacking it with slash and probably flame thrower, along with tackle. "We didn't know what to do. He's so hard to handle. Butterfree used sleep powder a number of times but it's no longer effective. We don't know what to do. He's hurting himself physically and tiring himself out and we cannot heal him without hurting him even more."

"Tough. I wonder what happened? Where did you pick this guy up?" I asked, trying to get more information.

"We were tipped that there was a Charmeleon causing a ruckus outside of town. Officer Jenny went to see what was going on, and had to catch it with a rope. She tried using a Pokeball to catch it, but it's in so much rage that even pokéballs won't work." Nurse Joy cried, worried. "There was no one about when Charmeleon was found either."

"But… Nurse Joy from Celadon said it was abuse from humans?"

"It's a theory to why he's acting so angry towards us, but he's the same towards Pokémon too. We were hoping that it could be tamed by its evolution and my sister said you were in town."

"I'll… try my best?" I guess. I frowned. "Charcoal, out you come." I pulled her black ball from my bracelet and let her out. She grunted a greeting to Nurse Joy who gazed her, amazed at her size probably.

"Good luck you two." Nurse Joy said. I opened the door and was immediately hit with a flamethrower. I fell to the ground, covering my face.

"Gah! My hair and my face!" I cried. I hadn't had a flamethrower to the face since Charcoal was a Charmander! "Dammit!" Charcoal grabbed me by the collar to pick me up and then walked into the room. Nurse Joy closed the door behind us. She placed me back down and I went into my bag to grab wet tissues and started cleaning myself. Charcoal roared at the small red Charmeleon. Charmeleon roared back at her. Charcoal took a swipe at him. He fell and then got back up and used flamethrower. Charcoal blocked it with her wing and somehow reflected it back to him. Charmeleon hit the back of the wall. He then jumped back on his feet, raging. "What's wrong with him?" I asked anyone who could answer me, although I already knew that I wouldn't get an answer. Charcoal started grunting at me. I take it back. I won't get an answer in a language I can understand. "Charmeleon, did someone hurt you?" I asked. He opened his mouth for an attack, but stopped when Charcoal stood in front of me. I poked my head out from behind her wing. Charmeleon glared at us. Charcoal sat down, making the floor tremor. Charmeleon started pacing around without taking his eyes off us. Charcoal grunted at him and then let out a soft growl. Charmeleon returned the soft growl and then sat down also. I watched, fascinated at the two conversing. Suddenly, Charcoal got to her feet and roared. She looked angry, but the Charmeleon did not do a thing but watch her. "Charcoal?" I frowned. She started grunting at me. I couldn't understand her, but from her eyes, I could tell that she wanted me with her for what she was going to do. "Is he going to hurt anyone?" I asked her, cautious, looking back and forth from the two Pokémon. She shook her head. "Alright. I believe you. But if he does, you know I'll be the one getting into trouble." I told her. She nodded and grunted. "Okay…" I opened the door.

"How'd it go?" Nurse Joy asked.

"He needed a bit more beating up, it seems and… seems like he talked my Charizard into doing something." I said, unsure. "Do you have any doorways Charcoal can fit into?"

"Oh. Sure." Nurse Joy pressed a big blue button on the wall and the ceiling started to shift. I watched, awed and super impressed at the high tech Pokémon Centre. Can all of them do this? "What are you going to do?" She asked as Charcoal lowered herself. I climbed onto her back and onto her shoulders.

"No clue." I laughed. Charcoal gathered the Charmeleon into her arms. "I'll let you know how it goes!" I shouted just as Charcoal lifted herself off the ground and out of the centre.

Charcoal and Charmeleon continued to talk whilst I remained silent. Charcoal was following directions from Charmeleon and I found ourselves at Route 25, near the ocean and full of trees. I freaked out a little. Cluster of trees usually mean insect Pokémon… and I hate insects with a passion. They make my skin crawl. Charcoal landed in a clearing and I spotted an abandoned barn. I climbed off her and looked her. She was flaring with anger. Charcoal marched to the barn with Charmeleon and I next to her. I pressed my ear to the wooden door. I could hear groaning and painful Pokémon yelping. Without thinking, I pushed open the door. I stood in shock. There, in front of me, were two twin trainers with whips in their hands, and on the floor tied up was a man who was bleeding from being whipped. There was also a Machoke and Primape attacking a Charmander.

"Stop it!" I cried out.

"Oh. Look bro, the Charmeleon came back with backup." One trainer with a bandana on his head laughed.

"Welcome back, Charmeleon." The other guy, whom I associated with the nose ring, grinned. Charmeleon charged, using tackle. "Machoke, grab him." The Machoke grabbed the Charmeleon effortlessly. Charcoal started growling.

"Please, save my Pokémon!" The injured man on the floor cried out. "Charmander needs to get to the Pokémon Centre!"

"Shut up, you!" The bandana trainer kicked the man in the stomach.

"Charcoal, slash them into pieces!" Charcoal lifted herself off the floor and charged. She went for the Pokémon first, knocking them off their feet and into their trainers.

"Dammit, Machoke, use seismic toss!" Nose ring dude shouted.

"Blast burn them out of here, Charcoal!" I called out. Charcoal's body temperature raised which made heat waves visible to the eye. A big fireball formed in her mouth. The two trainers as well as their Pokémon froze in shock and horror before the fireball burst into them, shooting them out of the broken barn. I ran to the tied up man and released him. Without saying a word, he rushed to his injured Charmander.

"Charmander!" He hugged his injured Charmander and his Charmeleon stood by close. "Good work Charmeleon." The man laid a hand on Charmeleon's head. I looked up at Charcoal, proud of her. She also looked proud, and also touched. So touched that she reached for me and hugged me with one arm.

"Good work, Charcoal." I praised.

Whilst Lucus, the injured guy and his Pokémon was taken into care, I hung around the office to tell Nurse Joy what had happened.

"Oh my. How can anyone be so cruel!" She cried, shocked. "Those poor Pokémon. I'm glad the Charmeleon could talk to your Charizard. I can't believe we tried to contain him when he just wanted to go and help his trainer."

"Yeah." I murmured. Although, what I was puzzled about was why Charmeleon told Charcoal. Was it because she beat him? I'm sure there were plenty of Pokémon able to knock out the Charmeleon… like any water Pokémon for example… Or was it when Charcoal stood in front of me to protect me? Was Charmeleon touched by that? Or am I just babbling in my head? "I was glad to help. I'm sure Charcoal was too."

"Will you be going back to Celadon now?"

"Not yet. I want to visit Carlos. It's been a while." I smiled.

"Okay. Thank you for helping us out, Sally."

"It's alright. I'll see you later." I strolled out of the Pokémon Centre and headed for the bike shop where Carlos worked and also resided. He was an old man. He reminded me of my own dad. I tugged open the door. "Hello!" I shouted.

"Welcome!" Carlos appeared with loose shorts and a white singlet and gasped.

"Long time, Carlos." I greeted the old man. He bounded to me and gave me a tight hug. I've known Carlos since I was ten when I first left home. I always came to visit him when Avian first learned fly.

"Have you gone to the Pokémon league yet?" He asked. I laughed and shook my head. "Why not! You're overdue by at least 10 years!"

"You make me sound so old."

"Imagine how I feel!" Carlos chuckled. I smiled. "How have you been dear?"

"Fine. How's business?" I asked, wandering around his shop, looking at his bikes.

"It's doing fantastic!" He beamed. I stopped at his notice board.

"Do you know her?" I pointed to the photo of my cousin with Carlos.

"I sure do!" Carlos grinned. "She won the latest Pokémon Contest, you know! I was so surprised when I heard it on the news! I was so sure you were going to win again. And then I found out that you didn't participate at all."

"Yep." I nodded. "When did she come by?" I questioned.

"Umm… About an hour ago." Carlos replied, sitting down next to me, behind his counter. "Do you know her too?"

"She's my cousin." I informed. "How in the world did she get here?"

"She was with my son." Carlos grinned. "They make quite a pair."

"Jasmine knows Acel?"

"I think they're dating." Carlos chuckled. "I wonder how Acel finds time to date when he's in the league."

"Oh, is he now?"

"Oh! Yeah! Acel is working as one of the elite four now!" Carlos informed, beaming.

"Good for him." I smiled. I remember the small brown haired, green eyed kid that used to help around the shop with Carlos. I remember him looking at me with envious eyes when I first came here. He was 7 and I was 10. He was a tiny ass little boy. Quiet too. Haven't seen him since he was 15. "I was thinking of going to the Pokémon League sometimes soon. Think he'll remember me?"

"He wouldn't forget a pretty face like yours." Carlos teased. I laughed.

"You flirt." I smiled. "I'll see you around, Carlos. I'm going to go back before dark. I don't like flying in the dark."

"Visit soon, okay?" Carlos smiled as he saw me to the door.

"Always."