The First (Kanto arc) Chapter 14: Fire with Water, a pokémon fanfic

Fire with Water

Ash and his friends apparently lose their way en route to Vermilion City, frustrating Misty. The group stops to consult Brock's map, and Ash determines that the trail they are following intersects Route 24, which in turn leads straight to Vermilion City. Brock is satisfied and puts the map away. As they move, a large shadow suddenly falls across their path. Soon, the sunlight's intensity dims, revealing a Charmander sitting upon a rock. After checking his Pokédex, Ash is happy that he has a chance to catch a Charmander. Brock points out how weak his tail flame is, and that he probably needs help. However, Charmander resists Ash's attempt to catch him. Brock suggests that Ash try again, but Ash's second attempt also fails. Pikachu then climbs up onto the rock and talks to the Charmander. He then comes back down and manages to communicate to Ash that Charmander is waiting for someone to come by and pick him up. Brock decides that if he belongs to someone else, it is best to leave him, and they leave.

Farther down the trail, the group discover the Pokémon Center that is on their map, and they enter just as it begins to rain. Despite Brock's concerns, Ash reassures him and points out that there is no way Charmander would have waited around that long. However, they overhear laughter nearby, and look over to see a Trainer named Damian surrounded by a group of friends. They listen in on his conversation; Damian reveals that he had a Charmander, but since he was so weak, he left him on a rock out in the middle of the woods promising to return for him, though he admits he has no intention of doing so. Ash and his friends conclude that the Charmander they saw, and the Charmander that Damian abandoned, are one and the same. This pushes the normally calm Brock over the edge, and he confronts Damian, demanding he retrieves his Charmander. Damian pushes him off, but Ash and Misty soon arrive to back up Brock. After Damian and his crew leave, Ash and his friends hurry back to find Charmander.

The three of them race back through the pouring rain towards the rock where the Charmander is and find him under attack from a gang of Spearow. Ash tries to drive them off by throwing a rock at them, but the Spearow turn their attention to him and his friends. Ash orders a Thunder Shock from Pikachu, and he obeys, scaring off the Spearow. The group quickly wrap Charmander up in their raincoats and race back to the Pokémon Center, begging Nurse Joy to help. Initially, Nurse Joy is angry at Ash and his friends, but Ash explains that it was Damian that left the Charmander there, taking advantage of Charmander's loyalty. Brock pleads with Nurse Joy to save the Charmander, and she promises to do whatever she can. After an intense and distressing wait, Nurse Joy finally comes out of the operating room and reports that Charmander has pulled through, and it will be fine by morning.

Morning arrives, and Brock's shout causes Ash to fall off the couch. It turns out Charmander has disappeared from the emergency room. Ash is certain that the Charmander has simply gone back to the rock. Brock wants to go after it again, but Misty points out that it is no use. Even though Damian does not care about it, the Charmander is still stubbornly loyal to him. Although Brock is still disappointed, Ash and his friends leave the Pokémon Center. Up ahead, Team Rocket has just finished digging another one of their pitfall traps for the twerps. However, Pikachu is too light to activate the trap. Jessie and James argue over who is responsible for this failure until Meowth silences them with scratches to the face. Ash and his friends, being a lot heavier than Pikachu, end up triggering the trap and falling into the hole. Team Rocket then appears, delighted at the fact that their trap worked. Pikachu tries to shock them, but Team Rocket's rubber uniforms insulate them against electricity. Pikachu tries to run, but they release a special ball that swallows Pikachu and further insulates his electricity.

Team Rocket prepares to leave with Pikachu in tow, though Charmander confronts them. Charmander, as translated by Meowth, orders them to give Pikachu back to Ash and the others. Team Rocket refuses and warns Charmander to beat it or else. Charmander responds by closing his eyes, focusing hard, and unleashing a massive Flamethrower, which roasts Team Rocket. They drop Pikachu and flee, all the while moaning about how Charmander roasted them. They pass Damian in the process, causing him to express shock that Charmander had managed to beat them. Ash and his friends, having gotten out of the pit, thank Charmander for his help, and Ash asks Charmander if he wants to come along with them. However, Damian arrives and claims that he has come back for Charmander, just as he promised. Damian goes on to say that abandoning Charmander had made the Lizard Pokémon stronger. Despite retorts from Ash and his friends, Damian brags about his methods of training and treatment of Pokémon. When he tries to recall Charmander by throwing his Poké Ball, it rejects him as its trainer by throwing the ball back at him with its tail. Enraged, Damian attempts to attack Charmander with all his Poké Balls. Charmander responds with a Flamethrower, followed by Pikachu's Thunder Shock, both of which are aimed at Damian and prompt him to flee. After some negotiation, Brock insists Ash should have Charmander, and the Fire-type happily jumps into Ash's Poke Ball.

Ash and his friends are walking down the road when they fall into a pit. A quintet of Squirtle wearing sunglasses peer into the hole, laughing. Ash angrily climbs out of the hole and checks his Pokédex for details on the Squirtle. He orders Pikachu to use a Thunder Shock on them, but one of the Squirtle takes the hit for the one that seems to be the leader. A battle ensues, but Officer Jenny's arrival scares the Squirtle away.

At the police station, Jenny explains that the group of Squirtle are called the Squirtle Squad. She feels sympathy for them, as they were abandoned by their Trainers, and all they do is run wild and play pranks on everyone. Meanwhile, Team Rocket is accosted by the Squirtle Squad, tied to a tree, and all of their food is stolen and eaten. Taking advantage of the Squirtle's mistrust of humans, Meowth tricks them into helping him with Team Rocket's latest plan to finally steal Pikachu. Elsewhere, Misty is fishing while Ash and Brock lie on the riverbank. One of the Squirtle Squad members pops up and soaks them with a Water Gun. Ash, tired of the Squirtle Squad's antics, confronts the Squirtle when it jumps out of the water. Pikachu charges to attack, but the Squirtle withdraws into its shell and tackles him, knocking Pikachu into the water, where it is attacked by a wild Goldneen.

Ash yells for Pikachu to swim to shore, though he cannot outswim the Goldeen. Pikachu gets hurt by Goldeen's horn and knocked out of the water. Ash runs to his friend's side, but three of the Squirtle quickly tie him up, along with Misty and Brock. Later, the three of them are tied to a rock in a cave, with Pikachu in a cage nearby. Meowth taunts Ash about Team Rocket's plan; Ash tries to appeal to the Squirtle not to believe Meowth, but Meowth retaliates and refutes everything Ash says to keep the Squirtle on Team Rocket's side. Brock realizes that Pikachu is in bad shape, and that they need to heal him. The Squirtle reluctantly accept Ash's pleas to retrieve medicine. They release Ash and threaten to dye Misty's hair if he does not return in time. Ash sprints to a nearby rope bridge, but it breaks, causing him to fall into the water below and receive a Horn Attack from a Goldeen.

Ash eventually makes it to the nearest town. There, he is knocked out when Gary slams a shop door into him, and wakes up the next day to overhear Team Rocket holding up the store. Jessie and James make a successful getaway with their stash aboard their Meowth balloon. Before Ash can chase them down, he attempts to get a Super Potion. Though the townspeople pull their guns on Ash, Officer Jenny intervenes. Ash manages to obtain the medicine and get a ride back to the cave with Officer Jenny.

With the bridge to town broken, Jenny and Ash find another way into the cave, but it is too narrow for an adult, so Ash has to go through it alone. However, he finds that everyone is gone, and he quickly races out of the cave to find his friends completely unhurt. Apparently, the Squirtle were bluffing earlier; they may play tricks, but they would never do anything nasty. Pikachu is then promptly healed by Misty. Suddenly, Team Rocket announces their arrival with several explosions and their motto. They throw down a few more flash bombs, and drop a ladder for Meowth to climb up with Pikachu, whom he nabbed while everyone else was distracted. As everyone runs for cover, Ash looks back and sees that the Squirtle Squad leader has fallen on its back and is unable to move. Ash quickly races back and dives on top of the Squirtle, protecting it from the ensuing explosions. Another pair of bombs are dropped, and Ash tells the Squirtle to save itself. The Squirtle, however, lifts Ash up over its head and runs for the cave, saving them both.

Team Rocket starts celebrating early, but Ash interrupts them. Ash orders Squirtle to use its Water Gun, which blows a hole in Team Rocket's balloon, sending them blasting off, and Pikachu is saved. However, Team Rocket's attack started a fire that could burn down the whole town. Fortunately, with Ash's command, the Squirtle Squad steps in and puts out the fire with their Water-type attacks. Their heroism is commended and Officer Jenny gifts the Squirtle Squad with a certificate and the title of local firefighters, complete with a uniform. Soon, as Ash and his friends prepare to resume their journey, Misty realizes that the Squirtle Squad boss is following them. Ash offers the Squirtle the opportunity to join his team. Squirtle happily accepts, removing its black glasses to reveal its eyes, and it jumps into Ash's arms.

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