Episode 11: Charmander the Stray Pokémon
A few days had passed since adding Bulbasaur to his team and by this time, Sora, Kairi, Pikachu, and Angel were on the right track to get to Vermilion City for Sora's third Gym battle.
Sora took a look around for new Pokémon to catch, but so far there was nothing but Spearow around.
"Any luck?" Kairi asked.
"Just Spearow, Spearow, and more Spearow," Sora said, sarcastically. Sora checked the map. "But we should be close to a pathway here, and there's the nearest town, here." Sora pointed to the different spots.
"Would that take us to Vermilion City?" Kairi asked Sora.
"As long as we stay on the right track we would," Sora said reassuringly. "Should we get going?"
"Yes," Kairi said. "Let's go." Kairi grabbed her backpack and saw something on a tall rock. Something that they didn't expect to find. They feared it might be another Heartless until Sora got a closer look. It was a Charmander, but the tip at the tail was burning weak.
"A Charmander," Sora recognized.
"What is a Charmander doing out here?" Kairi asked.
"Not sure," Sora said as he took out his Pokédex and pointed at the new Pokémon.
Charmander, the Lizard Pokémon
Type: Fire
The flame that burns at the tip of its tail is an indication of its emotions. The flame wavers when Charmander is enjoying itself. If the Pokémon becomes enraged, the flame burns fiercely.
"Charmander was one of the Pokémon I couldn't get because someone took it," Sora remembered. "It looks like I have a chance to get one for my own."
"He does look like he's in bad shape," Kairi pointed out. "You probably should catch him, and we'll take it to the Pokémon Center for health."
Sora got a Pokéball ready and threw it at the Charmander. As soon as the Pokéball opens to take Charmander inside, it fails.
"No way!" Sora exclaimed. "It didn't work!"
"I think I have an idea why that is," Kairi said. "Charmander must belong to someone else. And it looks like he's waiting for his Trainer."
"I guess we should leave him here for his Trainer to come back soon," Sora said. "Come on, Pikachu."
"Pika," Pikachu nodded.
"Eevee," Angel said.
Charmander watched them grab their backpacks and leave for the Pokémon Center. Rain clouds start forming; Charmander is still waiting for his trainer to come back soon.
Sora, Kairi, Pikachu, and Angel made it to the Pokémon Center just in time as it starts raining. In the rain, Charmander grabs a large leaf to shield him from the rain. But the flame at the tip grew weaker with each second.
Inside the Pokémon Center, Kairi brings back some soup for the two of them to enjoy.
"Here Sora," Kairi said. "Have some soup." Kairi looked at Sora deeply concerned about him. "Sora?"
"Huh? Wha-?" Sora snapped back to reality.
"What's wrong?" Kairi asked, concerned.
"I was just thinking about that Charmander," Sora answered. "Do you think that his Trainer came back for him? I just don't think that Charmander would wait out there for long. Especially in this weather."
Kairi had to admit, she was worried too. So set the bowl down in front of him and sat down. She grabs his hand and gives him a reassuring smile.
"Charmander will be just fine," Kairi said kindly. "No Trainer should be that irresponsible."
Sora smiled and nodded.
"You're right," Sora said. "I guess I was worried over nothing."
They heard laughter coming just a little further from them. They saw a bunch of guys looking over a lot of Pokéballs. One of them is wearing a brown vest with a salmon-colored shirt with a red bandana at the neck. And his sunglasses are on his head and wearing black jean pants.
"That's quite a haul, Damian," one of the guys said.
"I know," Damian said, arrogantly in an Australian accent. "Caught them myself."
"Hot damn," said another.
One of the others spoke up, "I heard that you used to have a Charmander. Is that right?"
"I did," Damian said. "But that thing was so weak, it even lost to a puny Poliwag!"
Sora and Kairi definitely didn't like him or his attitude.
"Man, what a jerk," Sora said disgustedly.
"You're right," Kairi said. "He should have known his Charmander is a Fire-type and the Poliwag it went up against is a Water-type. But Fire-types can beat Water-types if their Trainers work hard enough."
"So what did you do with it?" The first guy asked.
"I just left it on some rock in the woods," Damian answered. Both Sora and Kairi realized Damian was that Charmander's Trainer. The question on their minds was why would he leave it there even before it started to rain. "That thing is so stupid! No matter what I do to it, it keeps following me around; so it got annoying. So I finally got rid of it by promising that I come back for it! It fell for it! It's probably still there waiting for me!"
Damian and his peers just laughed as he showed no remorse whatsoever for what he had just done. Sora and Kairi couldn't believe that a Pokémon Trainer would do such a thing to a Pokémon. Unforgivable! That got Sora's blood to boil. He glares at the arrogant trainer for what he did. Sora got up and marched over to Damian.
"Sora, wait!" Kairi called to him. Sora just ignored her and headed over to him. She knew where this was heading so she went up right behind with Pikachu following.
"I bet that it's wagging its tail right now!" The second guy said.
"It'll probably wag it so much, it'll put the flame right out!" The third guy said.
"Yeah, for sure!" Damian said as he started to laugh. With one angry growl, he grabbed Damian by the collar of his shirt and held him. Sora stared at him full of rage.
"YOU HEARTLESS BASTARD!" Sora roared. "GO AND GET IT! YOUR CHARMANDER IS STILL OUT THERE WAITING FOR YOU! GO GET IT NOW!"
"Why should I?" Damian asked sarcastically.
"You lied to your Pokémon by saying that you'd come back!" Sora hissed. "Now it's waiting in the rain for you! And its flame will go out and die if you don't!"
Sora's anger never shifted as Damian broke out of his grip.
"Oy! What I do is none of your business!" Damian retorted.
"You better do what he says!" Kairi snorted at him.
"What you say to me, you little bitch?!" Damian yelled.
"You heard me!" Kairi said. "You don't deserve to be a Pokémon Trainer, you disgusting worm!"
"Pika! Pika!" Pikachu added.
"Vee!" Angel said.
Damian grabs a Pokéball ready for a battle.
"You wanna fight with me?" Damian demanded.
"You better not mess with Damian," one of his peers said.
"Let's go!" Sora was about to grab a Pokéball when Nurse Joy spoke up.
"Break it up! You know the rules!" Nurse Joy, called grabbing everyone's attention. "There is no battling in this or any Pokémon Center! In addition, Pokémon are not to be used to settle personal arguments! It's disrespectful to Pokémon and their Trainers!"
"Yeah well, those two are what's started it," Damian walked away and one of his peers grabbed the Pokéballs off the table he was sitting at.
"You shouldn't be mixed up with Damian," Nurse Joy warned. "He has a very bad reputation."
"Thanks for the advice," Sora said still angry. Nurse Joy looked at him and smiled despite Sora's anger.
Sora and Kairi put on their raincoats, his being blue, while hers is pink with Pikachu and Angel running along them to get to Charmander before it was too late. Over to Charmander is still in the rain, with a flock of wild Spearow waiting to attack. They launched their attack on the weakened Fire-type, scratching him with their talons. Sora threw a rock at the Spearow, drawing their attention.
"Get away!" Sora yelled. The Spearow started to attack the kids and Eevee. "Pikachu! Thunderbolt!"
"Pikachu!" Pikachu used this electric attack not only to shock the Spearow, but Sora, Kairi, and Angel, too. The Spearow flew away from their victim.
"Next time, Pikachu, try not to shock us, too," Sora said, dazed.
"Pikachu," Pikachu said, scratching the back of his head. Sora went over to Charmander and gasped.
"Charmander's flame is almost out! Kairi! Help me keep the tail flame stay lit!" Sora said.
"Right!" Kairi said taking off her raincoat. The two kids ran in the rain as fast as they can go. "Hold on, Charmander! We'll get you there soon!"
"You can make it!" Sora said.
Nurse Joy is watching the storm outside, seeing how worse it got. She heard the Pokémon Center's door open to see the two kids and their Pikachu run in with their raincoats around something. They were panting from the running they did.
"Nurse Joy!" Sora called. "Please help!"
"What is it? What's wrong?!" Nurse Joy asked panicking.
"This Charmander is in really bad shape," Kairi answered. "The flame at the tail is nearly out!"
The young nurse looked at the Pokémon in Kairi's arms and gasped at the sight.
"We don't have much time!" Nurse Joy said.
They rushed Charmander into the infirmary. Nurse Joy did checking on him.
"Will Charmander be okay?" Sora asked the nurse.
"Charmander is very weak," Nurse Joy said. "How could you get it in this condition?"
"It wasn't us!" Sora defended. "It was Damian! That Charmander belongs to him! He's the one who did this by abandoning him!"
"What?!" Nurse Joy asked shocked.
"Damian promised that he'd come back for him; and because he's loyal to Damian, he believed him," Sora explained.
"Poor Charmander," Nurse Joy said sorrowly.
Kairi went up to her.
"Nurse Joy please!" Kairi begged in tears. "Help Charmander!"
Nurse Joy saw the tears coming from her eyes. The nurse could see her sadness for Charmander.
"I promise," Nurse Joy said. "I'll do what I can. Until then you have to wait outside."
They nodded as they left so that she could get to work.
Sora, Kairi, Pikachu, and Angel just waited and waited. Sora and Kairi sat on the bench. Sora held Kairi close to her, while she just cried for Charmander. He never once left her side. He could hear her whimpers on his chest as he held her. Sora hated to see her like this. All they could do is pray for a miracle. Waited for what seemed like hours, but the treatment was finished. Sora, Kairi, Pikachu, and Angel waited to see if there were good or bad news. Nurse Joy came out with a smile. They knew that was a very good sign.
"Charmander is recovering," Nurse Joy said. "It'll make a full recovery in the morning."
They took a look inside the infirmary to see the tail burning brightly. Sora and Kairi smiled warmly at that, knowing that Charmander will live to see another day.
"It's a miracle," Kairi beamed quietly.
"I knew you'd pull through, Charmander," Sora said in his thoughts.
"Charmander will be grateful for what you did," Nurse Joy said. "Now you should be off to bed."
Sora and Kairi nodded. Pikachu and Angel leapt onto their shoulder and headed to one of the guest rooms provided. Pikachu and Angel fell asleep on his shoulder; or did they?
Kairi made note of the tear stains on his jumpsuit.
"I'm sorry about crying on you like that," Kairi said. Sora looked at his jumpsuit and chuckled. "It's just I..."
"Don't apologize," Sora said. "You needed to let it out. And you can cry on my shoulder whenever you want."
"Thank you, Sora," Kairi said.
"You're welcome," Sora said, hugging her back.
Pikachu and Angel smiled with their eyes closed.
Kairi hugged Sora. Sora's heart beated rapidly as he also blushed. He hugged her back just as tight. Pikachu opened one eye with a smile. Angel has done the same thing. Once they got to the guest room, Kairi fell asleep on the top bunk, while Sora placed Pikachu next to her and Angel. Kairi and Angel were sound asleep, so Sora decided to give Kairi a kiss, but not on the lips. He kissed her on the forehead. Sora climbed into the bed beneath her and fell fast asleep.
The very next morning, Kairi woke up first. She climbed out of the top bunk and looked at Sora's sleeping face. She smiled finding him cute when he slept. She couldn't bear to wake him yet. She went to the recovery room to check on Charmander. By the time she got there, she saw Charmander was gone. She looked around the room and saw that the window was opened.
"Oh no!" Kairi exclaimed. "He didn't!" Kairi ran to the room shaking Sora awake. "Sora wake up!"
Sora stirred awake seeing Kairi in a frantic fit.
"Kairi! What's wrong?" Sora asked.
"It's Charmander! Charmander disappeared from the E.R.!" Kairi exclaimed.
Sora, Kairi, Pikachu, and Angel ran into the E.R. to see the window opened and Nurse Joy standing beside the bed worried.
"I can bet a million dollars Charmander went back to that rock to wait for Damian!" Sora guessed. "We should go looking for him."
"No, Sora," Kairi said. "Even when Damian is an irredeemable liar, we can't force Charmander to choose sides."
"She's right," Nurse Joy said. "Until Charmander realizes the truth, there's nothing you can do."
"I guess," Sora begrudgingly accepted. Sora didn't want to leave Charmander behind after what Damian did, but he didn't want to meddle in the affair either.
Just outside the Pokémon Center, Charmander makes his way back to the rock to wait for Damian to come back like he promised. He stopped and took one last look at the Pokémon Center and thought about the humans who helped him out last night. The one he especially thought of was the one with the spiky hair. Charmander proceeded to make his back to the rock.
"I know that he'll come back for me,"- Charmander subtitle.
Over to Sora, Kairi, Pikachu, and Angel, they continued on with their journey for Sora's next Gym battle, but he still couldn't get his mind off of Charmander.
"I thought Charmander understood that we care about him," Sora sighed.
"Sora," Kairi spoke up. "Charmander knew we cared. You got to realize that a Pokémon's loyalty to its Trainer is still there. He just couldn't forget about Damian. And that's why he went back."
"Chu," Pikachu said.
"Eev," Angel said.
"You're right," Sora said, nodding. "We should keep moving."
Sora, Kairi, and Pikachu started walking again to get to Vermillion City. But meanwhile, Team Rocket are up ahead with a machine of some sorts.
"Finally!" James beamed. "A foolproof plan to capture Pikachu!"
"I am so excited, I can't wait for us to use this whatever it is!" Jessie said.
"Start it up!" Jessie and James said pushing a button on the remote control. The machine starts transforming and opens a drill. The drill digs into the ground creating a giant hole. The trap was set, and just in time. Sora, Kairi, Pikachu, and Angel were walking in their direction. They did among the floral, along with the machine. Pikachu walked over the trap.
"It didn't work! You used too many branches," Jessie snapped at James.
"Me?! You covered it with too much dirt!" James argued back.
Meowth slashed across their faces.
"Quiet!" Meowth scolded them.
Sora, Kairi, and Angel took a step on the pit trap, feeling the ground move.
"You feel that?" Sora asked.
"I did," Kairi answered.
The ground opened up and the two kids and Eevee fell into the hole. Pikachu looked back and saw all three of them on the bottom. Pikachu turned and saw Team Rocket in rubber suits.
"I can't believe that actually worked!" Meowth said.
"We are geniuses!" Jessie said. "Our invention worked!"
"It's time to come with us, Pikachu!" James said. "You belong to us now!"
"PIKACHU!" Pikachu shouted shocking Team Rocket. But the electricity bounced off of them. Pikachu tried to get away only for James to take out a bazooka.
"It's time to use our rubber balloon bazooka!" James stated.
"Ready? Aim. FIRE!" Jessie shouted.
James launched a giant red balloon bubble and it hones in onto Pikachu. Pikachu tries to get away from it, but it was gaining on the yellow mouse Pokémon quickly. Pikachu got trapped inside and trapped as Pikachu inside. Team Rocket stood outside taunting and gloating that they had finally got it done.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried out for help.
Sora, Kairi, and Angel stood up in the hole.
"What happened?" Sora asked in a daze. He looked around the hole and couldn't find Pikachu. "Pikachu!" Sora and Kairi tried to climb up, but it was no use.
Team Rocket looks down in the hole laughing at their dismay. Sora glared at them angrily.
"Hello down there," Jessie greeted. "Thank you so much for DROPPING in."
"And don't worry about Pikachu," James said, holding Pikachu in the red rubber balloon. "We won't lose Pikachu like you did."
"Chu," Pikachu said sadly.
"Give Pikachu back!" Sora demanded.
"Let's get out of here," Meowth said ignoring him.
"Charmander!" Charmander stood in front of Team Rocket.
Team Rocket stops in their tracks looking at the Lizard Pokémon.
"Where did that Charmander come from?" Jessie asked.
"Char, Char, Mander, Char!" Charmander said.
"Charmander is saying to give Pikachu back to those guys or else," Meowth translated.
"Or else what?" Jessie asked, sarcastically.
Charmander starts taking a big breath. They looked Charmander wondering if it was holding its breath, but Charmander releases a red and orange stream of fire from his mouth at Team Rocket. James drops Pikachu before they started running.
"I told you that we needed to make our suits fireproof, too!" James argued.
"Shut up and keep running!" Jessie said panicking.
"Some geniuses you are!" Meowth scowled.
"LOOKS LIKE TEAM ROCKET'S BLASTING OFF AGAIN!"
Damian walked out of the shrubs and he was surprised by what he just saw.
"Charmander beat them?" Damian asked.
Pikachu and Charmander helped Sora, Kairi, and Angel out of the hole. Pikachu held Angel by the paws and smiled.
"Thanks for the help, Charmander," Sora said.
"I told you that he cared," Kairi said, patting his head. "That's why he's here."
Sora smiled and looked at Charmander.
"Why don't you just come with us?" Sora offered. "Your 'Trainer' isn't coming back at all."
"Hey Charmander!" A familiar voice called. They all turned to see that it was Damian. "I've been looking everywhere for ya."
"You!" Sora snorted. "What do YOU want?"
"I came back for Charmander like I promised," Damian said. Sora, Kairi, Pikachu, and Angel didn't like the sound of that. Sora knew in definitely that he didn't have any good intentions at all. "So, let's go."
Charmander looked back to Sora and Kairi, not knowing what to do.
"You should be careful," Kairi said. "He already abandoned you once before."
"Charmander is mine," Damian reminded them. "I'm the one who caught it, remember?"
"You bragged about how you abandoned him!" Sora hissed.
"And it was a good thing that I did," Damian admitted. "That only toughened it up. And besides, what's the harm of dumping off a weak Pokémon?"
"Char?" Charmander was shocked and appalled by what he just heard. Charmander finally knew the truth. He couldn't believe that he was ever loyal to a trainer who just ended up lying and leaving him out to die.
"I wasn't going to come back for it, but after seeing what it could do, I'm really glad that I ran into you kids," Damian said. Charmander was saddened by what Damian just said and knew he had a very dishonest intention in store. "The best thing is, I didn't have to raise it myself!"
"That's awful!" Kairi exclaimed disgusted by what Damian just said.
"So that's how it is with you?!" Sora asked in a very angry tone. "You just leave your Pokémon in the middle of nowhere and leave it for dead all because it's weak?! You're supposed to raise a Pokémon! That's what being a Pokémon Trainer is all about!"
"You wish!" Damian mocked. "It's the most boring part of the job!"
"And you call yourself a Pokémon Trainer?!" Sora snapped at him.
"Now do you see that he doesn't care about you at all?" Kairi asked Charmander. "He's just a lazy Pokémon Trainer who only cares about winning battles and having strong Pokémon! He doesn't deserve you or any other Pokémon at all!"
Charmander thought for a moment before Damian took out Charmander's Pokéball, but Charmander ran towards Damian and knocked the Pokéball out of his hand, and smashed it. Sora, Kairi, Pikachu, and Angel were surprised by what they saw. But Damian was angered by this act of insubordination.
"You damn, ungrateful, little shit!" Damian yelled. "That's it! I'll crush you with every Pokémon I've got!"
"CHAR!" Charmander shouted unleashing his fire attack.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu chipped in, using Thunderbolt.
Both Pokémon ceased their attacks and Damian stood there singed before he ran off crying. "Oh, mummy!"
"That's showing him!" Sora cheered. "Good work!"
Charmander turned to Sora. Kairi knew Charmander had chosen Sora as his new Trainer.
"It looks like Charmander made up his mind," Kairi said. "Charmander wants to go with you."
"Are you sure, Kairi?" Sora asked her.
"You kept his tail lit," Kairi reminded him "And I know Charmander will be a good addition to the team."
"You're right," Sora said taking out a Pokéball. Sora looked at Charmander. "What do you say, Charmander? You in?"
"Char! Char!" Charmander said before Sora threw the Pokéball in the air. Charmander tapped the button on the Pokéball and flowed inside. Stars swirled around the Pokéball confirming the catch. Sora's Pokémon Box goes off asking him if he wants to keep Charmander with him. He chose to send Charmander over in exchange for Meowth.
Sora, Kairi, Pikachu, and Angel continued with their journey but made a quick stop for lunch. Pikachu, Angel, Pidgeotto, Bulbasaur, Charmander, Weepinbell, Paras, Raichu, Igglybuff, Cleffa, Oddish, and Happiny enjoyed the Pokémon food that Kairi had prepared for them.
"I'm glad to be part of the team, guys." - Charmander subtitle.
"We're happy that you're a part of it, Charmander." - Pikachu subtitle.
"We're just sorry that you had to find out the awful truth." - Angel subtitle.
"Don't be sorry. I should be sorry for not seeing it for myself. I can't believe I waited for Damian to come back." - Charmander subtitle.
"Damian can't hurt you anymore, so it should be alright. Also, with Sora, you'll be the best Pokémon you can be." - Pikachu subtitle. That made Charmander smile.
"Thanks, Pikachu, Angel. I think I'm gonna like being a part of the team." - Charmander subtitle. Charmander enjoyed the food in his bowl and smiled.
"There are seconds if anyone wants some," Kairi said, holding up some more Pokémon food.
The Pokémon all beamed at having to enjoy some more of Kairi's homemade Pokémon food.
The Pokémon ate and talked amongst themselves in their language. Sora enjoyed the lunch that she made for the two of them and Kairi is so happy to see Sora enjoy it so much. She thought maybe getting lost wasn't such a bad thing; especially when it's with your friends. But it'll be better if you got to where you're going!