Hey, it's been a while. I know that May joining may seem rather odd, but I think that this choice can work out in the long run. I know that I probably should've included Max with her, but I feel like that would only make the group even more crowded. Don't worry; I'll explain why she's here once we have reached Vermillion. For those wondering, none of our members will be getting a Kay Stone for a long time, especially a Mega Stone. I want this Ash to be stronger and more capable, but giving him all the Mega Stones would've been too much for being this early in.
For anyone curious about the length of the story, I can't answer that. I don't want this story to exceed 80 chapters, but I feel like the 1-million-word mark is just unavoidable. Hopefully, we don't accidentally step into the realm of two million words. Let's also hope this chapter marks the 1/8 spot of the story.
I'll also say this now. Ash will not be getting Charmander in this story. Before you all leave me behind like your exes, I'll explain compellingly at the end of the chapter. At least wait to sharpen your pitchforks until after I'm done talking.
Disclaimer: Okay, that's it! I don't own Pokémon; Game Freak and Nintendo do! You can figure that out, but I still had to tell you. Stop assuming a teenager can have control over a franchise that makes more money than Star Wars. Consider this the last Disclaimer.
The Very Best:
Chapter 10:
A Fire-type Deserted
Opening (If you want to): Ready, Steady, Go! (From Fullmetal Alchemist, cover by AmaLee)
Beldum and Pidgey were in an intense stalemate. Pidgey used her Steel Wing to combat the Psychic type's Take Down. May and Ash stood on either side of this battle, the girl trying her best to get into this battle. "Push harder!" She called out.
Beldum followed the order, pushing hard against the surprisingly strong Pidgey. Pidgey gritted her teeth as she still held her ground. Pidgey made a risky move, angling her wings down to make Beldum falter. Beldum couldn't react as they hit the ground, their eyeball being the first to fall in. Beldum slowly got up, looking up to see Pidgey look down upon it. Beldum had sustained too much damage from Take Down, meaning the next one would be his last before he fainted.
"It looks like I won," Ash tried to sound serious as he looked upon the fallen Pokémon.
"Alright! Match over!"
Ryan, standing on the sidelines, declared as he clapped his hands together. It was revealed that this dual was just a simple spar, a way for Beldum to become more assertive with their abilities slowly. Unfortunately, that meant practically draining the poor Steel-type, as they had no other moves to work with.
Ash went up to Beldum, already knowing Pidgey was okay from the look she gave him. "You alright?" Beldum slowly nodded as it floated back up.
May groaned at another loss under her belt. "Oh, man. I'm struggling with this whole strategy thing." She complained as she petted her Pokémon. "You make it look so easy!"
"Well, for me, it was. You just need some more time and experience." Ash said as he tried to lift May's spirits, putting Pidgey away in her Poke Ball. May gave a tired sigh at this notion.
Ryan gently placed a comforting hand on the girl. "Remember, patience is what we should-"
"Treat all Pokémon with." May finished for him, having heard that advice from Brock enough times already. "I just wish that this was so much easier to do."
"Now, where would the fun in that be? I'm always up for a challenge." Ash proclaimed, causing May to look down as she crossed her arms. Beldum stuck close to her side.
"War!"
The yelling from the Water-type only meant one thing as Ash eagerly ran back to the group. Ryan offered a kind smile to May. "Maybe some food will help you out."
"...I'll give it a try." May finally replied, excited at the idea of eating Brock's food. The three all came back together.
The fresh smell of excellent food is what they were welcomed to. All the Trainers, alongside Pinsir, Bulbasaur, Horsea, Geodude, and Beldum, sat by a fire with a pot on it. Plates were being handed out as they gladly dug in, May even liking the food more than Ash himself!
"So good..." May muttered in joy with her mouth full. Brock handed out the last as he sat by May, noticing how Ryan was still seeing how the Psychic-type still ate.
"Is this a good time to talk?" May carelessly nodded. "So I think I understand your problem. You want your team to become stronger, but you don't want to put in all the time and effort it takes to get there."
May thought as she swallowed her food. "I guess it's like that. I want my team to be decent enough. Is that so hard to ask for?"
An eyeball colored blue watched the group from the plants as Misty spoke up. "Well, the first problem I see is that your only Pokémon only knows one move. A self-harming move, no less." She explained as her eyes landed on Beldum. "No offense,"
"Bel du dum," Beldum showed sass as the sadly correct statement.
"That is why catching a new Pokémon will do you some good," Brock suggested as he pointed to May's pouch, now having two Poke Balls that Misty had given her. "And this time, you won't accidentally waste your Poke Balls."
"I just forgot that you had to weaken them first!" May defended herself as she looked down at her plate, now empty. "By the way, can I have seconds?"
Brock smiled as he took the plate and added more food to it. The Pokémon in the bush still watched on, craving the food they had. Brock suddenly saw Ryan dealing with Pinsir and Geodude accusing each other of taking food from their plate. Brock knew the boy wouldn't be able to calm down this ordeal.
"Alright. What happened?"
The Pokémon then saw his chance. A Fire-type quickly emerged from the bush and promptly ran to the unguarded plate of food. He quickly grabbed it, not caring that some spilled on his escape. Everyone saw what had happened, but Bulbasaur was the one to react in time.
The Grass-type used Vine Whip To grab the Pokémon's leg, causing the thief to trip before escaping completely. "Hey!" May called out in anger.
Everyone saw who the Pokémon was, and they were shocked to see a Charmander. This Charmander seemed to have a few dirt marks and scrapes across his body. His eyes showed off the lack of sleep, and he looked thin. The Charmander became scared when he saw everyone, knowing he couldn't defeat them.
Charmander covered his head, an action that was second nature to him. "Are you okay?"
The Fire-type looked up after hearing the soft voice. He saw Brock and everyone looking with concern, their prior anger and shock now gone. The Pokémon slowly nodded his head at the question. "Char,"
Brock mentally sighed, standing up as he made a smaller plate, handing it to the Fire-type. "If you just needed some food, all you had to do was ask." Charmander eyes widened at the sight of the food, reaching his small hand slowly to take it. He quickly snatched it from Brock, not realizing that this group wouldn't tease him like that.
Charmander practically stuffed the food down his throat. "Wow. You must've been starving." Ryan remarked as he saw the hungry Pokémon. Charmander didn't answer as he ate, sighing loudly when the plate was entirely done.
Brock placed a gentle hand on Charmander. Charmander, though a bit shaken at first, calmed down after a moment. "Do you want another plate?" The Fire-type seemed rather shocked at this offer, slowly nodding at it.
As Brock made another plate, everyone saw Charmander sit there in his weakened state. "Is there anything else you need?" Misty was very sympathetic to the Pokémon, Charmander shaking his head.
"Do you think it may have lost his parents," May suggested, actually feeling bad for the Pokémon clearly in need of some care.
"I don't think so. Charmanders usually don't live this far from mountains, and this one seems rather familiar with people." Ryan observed, seeing how Charmander took the second plate from Brock, actually chewing it this time. May looked at the Charmander.
Ash and Wartortle felt the need to help the Pokémon, and then they realized that Bulbasaur still kept a Vine Whip on Charmander. "Bulbasaur!" Bulbasaur looked up with a serious look. "Let Charmander go! He's not here to harm us."
Bulbasaur remained wary of the new Pokémon, letting go of the Fire-type. "Do you need anything else?" Brock asked the Fire-type as he ate; Charmander shook his head as he continued to eat the great food.
May thought about the Charmander. "Do you think it was abandoned, like everyone at the village was?" She whispered to Misty.
"Let's not jump to conclusions yet."
Ash sat next to Charmander, offering a friendly smile. "Hi! I know you probably don't want to talk right now, but it's nice to meet you." He tried to be optimistic about this whole situation for the Pokémon. Charmander didn't say anything, going back to finish his food.
Charmander finished his second plate, looking grateful to Brock and everyone else. Charmander sighed as he looked aimlessly at the ground. "Are we just going to let him go?" May asked.
"Well, we can't decide that for him. If Charmander wants to leave, then we have to respect that." Brock answered, looking at Charmander, seeing that the Fire-type was hiding his hand from them. "Are you okay?"
Ryan gently opened the Pokémon's hand, revealing a nasty cut. Ryan cringed at the sight. "That doesn't look good." He said in a low voice. "Do we have any potions left?"
"There's a Pokémon Center not too far away. We should take Charmander there instead." Misty suggestion caused Charmander to become nervous, slowly taking steps back.
Ash offered a friendly smile as he crouched down. "Don't worry. We're just trying to help." He assured the Fire-type. "I can tell you are scared and that you just need some help from someone."
"War!" Wartortle playfully said.
"Alright, you can help too." Ash rolled his eyes as he offered a hand to Charmander. "Do you trust us?" Charmander, though still scared and worried about what these people would do, knew he didn't have many options. This group was the first people to treat with any kindness after his own Trainer left him. He took the hand, trying his best to smile.
"Char,"
Everyone offered their kindness as Brock cleared his throat. "Well, we better clean this up. We got a Pokémon to go heal." He looked to May. "Can you at least help out with the plates?"
"Sure!" May was excited, always taking a liking to cleaning. As everyone quickly put everything away, Oddish approached Charmander with a kind smile. The Grass-type said that if these guys could get Bulbasaur's trust, Charmander would have nothing to worry about. Charmander merely nodded.
"Alright, let's get this show on the road!" Ash declared as the group made their way to the Pokémon Center, Charmander sticking mainly near the back.
"Hey." Charmander looked up to see Ryan looking at him. The boy bent down and offered his hand, which made Charmander raise his eyebrows. "Don't worry; this isn't a trick. I thought it'd be nice if we did something like this."
Charmander reached his injured hand out and held onto Ryan, the two walking together as Ryan tried to go at Charmander's pace. "Aww. That's so cute!" May thought to herself, Brock thinking the same when he looked away from the map to see how Charmander was.
It took some time to arrive at the Pokémon Center, rain now starting to fall slowly. The Pokémon Center looked rather cozy for being so small. The Nurse Joy there kindly greeted them when they came in. "How may I be of service to you?"
"We have a Charmander here that isn't in the best shape. We were hoping you could take a look at him." Misty explained, worried that Brock would say something flirtatious if he were doing the talking.
Ryan gently held Charmander with one hand like a child as he walked forward, showing off the arm that had the cut on it. "Could you check this out?"
Instead of agreeing, Nurse Joy gave them a bewildered look. "Besides the dirt on there, I don't see any issues."
"Huh?" Ryan looked down at Charmander's cut, or rather where it was supposed to be. There wasn't any sign of a cut there; no scar remained. "What the?"
Everyone was confused. "Wait? Where'd the cut go?" Ash asked.
"Char?" Not even the Pokémon that had the injury could explain this oddity.
"Perhaps you just thought there was an injury on there."
"I swear, there was a-a cut on his hand." Ryan tried to say, Joy seeing that the boy wasn't trying to lie. Nurse Joy quickly took one last look, finding no issues with the hand.
"Though I see no open wounds of any kind, I can tell when a Pokémon needs some help," Joy said proudly as she registered Charmander into the list. "I have a few other patients, so I can't take you in immediately. Please have patience until he's called."
The group nodded at this. "Thank you, Nurse Joy," Ash said gratefully, Joy offering a small smile as everyone began to seat themselves. Brock was the only one to remain at the front desk.
"You know," He began in a very romantic way. "I couldn't help but stare into your truly dreamy eyes. You are beautiful as a beach, but you probably hear that always."
Joy slowly turned to him with a very unimpressed frown. "Ew," She then walked away with some papers. Brock sighed as he walked back to the group with a defeated look.
"Another girl that didn't like your flirting?" Misty asked without even looking at the older boy.
"I don't know what I'm doing wrong." He remarked as he sat down with everyone. "Maybe it's the voice. I need to make it sound deeper."
"Yup. That's the problem." Misty sarcastically thought as she looked at Charmander, who was looking down at his hand in thought. "I think you just healed quickly, and you didn't even notice until now."
"Can Pokémon heal that quickly in such a short time?" May asked.
"It's possible, but I don't think that's it," Ryan remarked as he looked at Charmander. This healing must've occurred when they began their walk here, and he tried to think what could've happened during that time.
Ash looked around, seeing how very little talking was going on. "Does anyone want any drinks?" Ash asked the group as he stood up. "I saw a vending machine over there."
"I'll take my soda," Misty answered.
"See if there's any juice," May said as well.
"Char,"
"War," Wartortle wanted water from the vending machine.
"Got it!" Ash answered as he went to the machine, noticing how half the selection was gone. "Uh oh,"
As Ash was trying to figure out the machine, everyone began to talk. "So, how have you liked Kanto so far?"
"Well, there's more walking than I was hoping for," May answered. "The air here feels a bit cooler, and I guess it's nice that there isn't as much water here."
Misty didn't like the comment on water but let it go as she wanted to be on good terms with the girl. "It must be nice having a dad that's a Gym Leader."
"I guess so," May shrugged, Ash smacking the machine in the background. "He's always so busy with that job."
"I can speak from experience," Brock said, remembering how many long hours he had to do for the gym. "I bet he's trying his best for you and your brother. Max, was it?"
"Yep," May sighed as she thought about her brother. "I love him to death, but man, he can be snarky. I can barely handle the one little brother," May exclaimed before pointing at Brock. "How can you handle nine younger siblings, and how can Misty deal with three older sisters?" As this happened, Ash shook the machine, eating his money without anything to give him in return.
This question made the two chuckle. "Trust me; it's not easy," Brock told the girl with a smile. "But one day, they'll finally mature and grow up, and they'll show respect back to you. It's not easy being the older sibling," he said as he made May look up to him. "But as long you put effort in, everything will work out."
May listened to the advice, sitting back against her seat. In the background, Ash was losing hope in the machine as he repeatedly banged his head in defeat. "Maybe your right. I'll try it out."
"What can I say?" Brock shrugged. "I'm kind of an expert on this stuff."
Ash walked back to the table. "So, since the vending machine sucks here, we can't drink." Ash looked down at Charmander and Wartortle. "Sorry about that, guys."
Wartortle just shook his head, even Charmander doing the same. "Char char man der der." The Pokémon still showed gratitude to the boy.
As Ash sat down, another group of Trainers practically barged into the Pokémon Center. Everyone watched as many young Trainers walked in, talking and laughing obnoxiously. They all gathered around the couch as they all sat in whatever way they felt like.
The one in charge of this group was a boy with very stylized blue hair, and his outfit told you everything about him. He wore black pants with boots and a brown belt around his waist. He wore a brown vest underneath a pink button-up shirt and a red bandana around his neck—finally, some sunglasses resting on his head.
"Come on, Damian," One of the boys told the blue-haired kid. "You promised you'd show us your new Pokémon!"
"Oy! Wait a moment," Damian spoke with a heavy accent. "Can't you see me talking with someone else!"
Everyone looked on with disapproval at this group. "What a bad attitude that kid has," Misty muttered, everyone agreeing. Ash was reminded of Gary, but at least Gary treated his fans with respect.
"I'm glad we aren't like that," Ryan remarked. "What do you think, Char?" When he heard no answer, he turned to the Fire-type. "Charmander?"
Charmander glued his eyes to the group, his breathing slowly becoming more rapid as he looked at Damian. "Are you alright?" May asked the Pokémon, but Charmander didn't answer. He went away from the table and started to walk towards Damian.
"Huh? What's he doing?"
Everyone watched as Charmander came to the group of boys. The other group became too slowly become silent, Damian seeing what had caused everyone to be quiet. The once cocky look was replaced with a look of extreme annoyance. "Oh,"
Charmander seemed nervous as he spoke. "Char ander man ch," he said to Damian.
Damian stood up and looked down at Charmander. "Are you still trying to come back to me?" He questioned with a sneer. Charmander seemed scared at seeing his face.
"Coming back to him?" Misty whispered to herself. "That punk can't be the Charmander's Trainer, can he?"
Charmander was about to try and beg Damian to join, but he wasn't allowed to speak. "Wow. You are denser than I gave you credit for." Damian laughed as he said this. "Did you think I would take back a weakling like you?"
All the boys laughed at seeing how upset Charmander looked; a tear started forming in his little eye. "Hey! You don't get to talk to him like that!" Ash angrily pointed his finger as he went to protect Charmander.
"Oy! Who's this bozo?" One of the boys questioned when they saw Ash.
"I'm Ash, protecting this Charmander from you," Ash said with no hesitation. "You should be lucky to have a Pokémon as loyal as Charmander!"
Damian scoffed at this idea. "What stupid logic. If a Pokémon struggles to help themselves, why should Trainers like me bother with them." He glared down at Charmander. "You were a weak, useless Pokémon. There was no place for you with me."
This stung Charmander. The Fire-type looked down, looking down in disgust at his own hands. "You're horrible!" Misty accused in anger. She, alongside the rest of the group, joined Ash in defending the Fire-type. "Pokémon aren't just tools for your benefit!"
"But they are! And what would you know, you ugly ginger?" This line caused a deep glare from Misty, looking at Damian with a stare that would scare most boys.
Brock stepped up for Misty. "You make me sick to my stomach. I wouldn't keep that cocky look if I were you."
"Is that a threat?" One of the boys asked, taking out a Poke Ball. "We aren't scared of you."
Before the possibility of a fight could come through, Nurse Joy herself stepped in between them. "That's enough!" She said with a raised voice. "I will not allow Pokémon to be used for personal battles. It's disrespectful for the Trainer and Pokémon."
This seemed to stop the possibility of battle, but the tension could not disappear. Damian scoffed. "If you care so much about that thing, then keep it. I won't stop you."
The boys made their way out of the Pokémon Center as the two glared at one another. "Yeah! You better walk off!" May encouraged in an angry tone.
Despite everything Charmander had been told, the last shred of hope made him try to reach out to Damian. There might be a slight chance that the boy would want him back. "Char," The Fire-type said with tears in his eyes. Damian looked down, kicking Charmander away from him.
"I should've left you at the bottom of a lake," Damian said. "I wouldn't see a mistake like you walking around anymore."
A mistake. That is all Damian saw Charmander as.
Charmander looked up to the person he once idolized, now throwing away like many others before him. Damian didn't try to make amends since he meant every last word he spoke. Charmander saw Damian turn away, smiling as he approached the entrance. Emotions ran across his mind and body in every which way.
Something seemed to snap within the Fire-type as his breathing became faster, and his tears now felt hot on his face. Instead of sadness, anger and rage fueled him as he ran to Damian. His teeth were showing as Charmander began to scratch Damian with all of his power.
"Ahh!" The boy screamed out as Charmander began to attack his former Trainer in anger. Charmander didn't hold back as he caused holes in Damian's clothing, even ripping the glasses from him.
"Charmander! STOP!"
Brock grabbed onto Charmander as he tried to pull him away. Charmander was angry that he attacked aimlessly when he was removed from Damian, the boy crawling out from his former Pokémon. Charmander was so angry that he scratched across Brock's arm, causing the boy to cringe. He still didn't let go.
"Brock!" Ash called out to his friend. Charmander looked past his rage, seeing what he had just done to the people that had been so kind to him. Charmander looked at the injuries he caused, almost scared at what he had just done.
"Now you see why I didn't want you?!" Damian mocked Charmander as he stood up with the help of his friends. "You'll always be a pathetic Pokémon, and I know no one will ever want you after this!"
"That is enough!" Joy yelled at Damian in anger. Everyone was shocked, as Nurse Joy was known to have immense patience. "If you cannot remain civil here, then leave! I will not let the injured Pokémon deal with someone like you!"
Damian scoffed at this, walking off without even looking back. "Fine. This place was too good for me anyway." And just like that, Damian's group left everyone behind.
Joy quickly regained her composure as she saw what the situation was. "Does it hurt a lot?" May asked in concern as Brock held the now sad Charmander.
"I'm fine. It just stings a bit." Brock looked down at Charmander, who had tears rolling down his face at what he had done. The Fire-type was too ashamed to even look up at the group.
"Allow me to hold him." Brock handed Charmander to Joy as the nurse held the crying Pokémon with her. "I'll take care of this Pokémon. I can tell your friend has a superficial injury, so wait here until then."
Ash worryingly looked at Charmander. "Is he going to be okay?"
Joy offered a kind smile. "I'll try my best. For now, Charmander needs some time for himself." Joy walked away with the Pokémon, leaving everyone else behind.
After ensuring Brock was okay for the third time, everyone sat at the table they once were. Silence rang around as no one was sure what to say; even Ash struggled to find a good joke to cheer everyone up. The group was concerned for Charmander, looking every other minute at the door to see if Nurse Joy would come through and tell them everything was okay.
"Do you think that Nurse Joy would be able to fix this?" May asked, feeling so bad for the Pokémon.
Ash placed a comforting arm around her. "Don't worry. If anyone can heal a Pokémon, it's Nurse Joy." He said in a hopeful tone.
"War!" The Water-type ultimately agreed. May looked down at the ground, still not feeling sure even after all this hope that came from them.
"I can't believe those losers thought they could tell me how to be!" Damian angrily said out loud as he walked alone through the woods at night. "That weakling will not get away with harming me! They'll pay for this!"
Angry and dangerous thoughts swirled around his head as he walked through the woods. He didn't care if any wild Pokémon were to attack since he knew that he was the strongest person in this entire forest. He took a rock and angrily threw it at a tree, not caring what damage that may have caused. His rage was fueling him until he stumbled upon something.
In the distance, there appeared to be some orange light, and closer examination revealed it to be a fire in a small opening. Two people were there, and Damian's curiosity came over him. Power and strength came from the location as Damian crept into the shadows. He got close enough to see who it was.
There appeared to be a tall boy that wore a long black coat, gloves of similar color, and purple pants. His boots were black with red at the bottom, but the most striking feature was the mask he had on. The mask was black with small eye holes and a voice changer within the mask. Next to him was a slim girl the same age as the masked boy. Her skin was fair, her spiky hair tied in low bunches behind her ears, and her eyes and hair shared a deep blue color. Her outfit resembled Domino's, though her dress reached much further.
"How early do you think we should leave?" The girl asked the tall boy.
"We must leave during the morning," His voice sounded completely different from what it was meant to be due to the voice changer. His gray eyes shined through the mask as he looked at her. "The town shouldn't have anyone that could significantly threaten the mission."
"Mission?" Damian thought. "What are these morons going on about?"
Damian didn't realize it, but his stealth had not worked. The moment he blinked, the taller boy had disappeared from his line of sight. Damian was shocked as he looked around, unsure what was happening or who these people were. That is when something touched his shoulder.
"Your lack of hiding skills is alarming." Damian gasped as he turned back, seeing the boy tower over him as he fell on his butt. The boy looked at Damian on the ground. "Your curiosity seems to have brought fear into you. Leave now and make this instance a memory you will forget."
Damian angrily looked up at this boy. Who was he to talk down to him like that? "Who do you think you are?" He asked as he stood up. "I'm Damian, and I refuse to be treated this way by someone in a mask!"
"I wouldn't talk like that, kid." The sixteen-year-old girl warned the boy as she stood up. "After all, you have no hope of beating either of us."
Damian felt his ego harmed by this. "I'll show you, fakers!" He took out a Great Ball. "I'm the best in the world, and you'll see it firsthand!"
"One's perspective defines strength." The taller boy spoke in a calm tone. "If that Machoke you have in your hand is considered your best, then I implore you to have far better standards!"
Daian gasped, not believing that this boy somehow knew the exact Pokémon he was about to call. Damian scoffed, chalking it up to a lucky guess. "You'll see! I choose you, Machoke!"
Machoke was a humanoid Pokémon covered in blue-gray skin. He had a vaguely reptilian face with a short snout, narrow red eyes, and four pointed teeth in his mouth. Two teeth were in the upper jaw, while two were in the lower jaw. On top of his head were three brown ridges. His arms were truly muscular with dark red, vertical stripes on them. The lower part of his body has black markings that resemble briefs. He wore a black and gold power-save belt resembling a championship belt. "Machoke!"
Damian wanted to see what Pokémon this guy had, but he made no effort to reach for his Poke Balls. "Oy! Why aren't you reaching for your Pokémon? I demand a battle right now."
"It would be unfair to send my Pokémon on something that would waste time. I believe I should be a suitable enough challenge for your level 33 Fighting-type."
Damian couldn't believe this. This guy was willing to fight with just himself and knew the exact level that his Pokémon was at. "Fine! You'll regret being confident like that!" Damian warned him as he got into battle position. "Machoke, Close Combat!"
Machoke launched himself at the boy, begging to activate the decisive attack. The boy merely stood there as he raised his hand. Machoke suddenly began to feel extreme pain in his chest as he stopped his attack, mere inches away from his opponent. The boy's extended hand caused the Pokémon to become ice-cased, giving him a freezing status.
Damian was left in shock as he saw his strongest Pokémon stuck in the block of ice, the older boy standing near him. "W-What... are you?" Fear dripped into his voice.
"I am human, same as you. I have something many have never seen in their lifetime and strength that many Trainers could never dream of reaching." He turned the ice to face Damian, offering the boy his Pokémon. "Do you see why it was not wise to interact with me, or is your stubbornness still blinding you?"
Damian looked up at the boy, wanting to become as powerful as the person he saw. "Tell me how I can become that strong?" He demanded.
"Strength cannot be merely given. The power I have must be obtained through birth, and you lack basic control of your emotions to make yourself reach your full potential." He warned him. "We are part of an organization on a mission, and I'm not one to accept those that can't even stand with two feet."
"I will do anything you wish of me. I would be honored to be considered a member of... whatever you people are." The older boy didn't believe this loyalty, thinking about just knocking this boy out.
"If I may speak?" The girl asked, receiving a nod. "I see no problem with helping those in need." She offered an actual kind smile to the boy. "If he wishes to be with us, the least we could do is to go through with his request."
The boy looked at Damian. "Is this truly what you wish? This request is not to be taken lightly." He warned Damian. "This is your last moment to leave without trouble." Damian didn't listen to these warnings.
A dark smile appeared across the boy's face. "If it means getting revenge on those that wronged me, then I will gladly join." Damian, in a rare moment, showed respect as he knelled down to the superior Trainers. "What are your names?"
"The girl next to me is called Crystal," He introduced as the girl stood beside him. "But to you and those under our command, she is Elite Officer Crystal. As for me, you may refer to me as 'Executive.'"
"Of course, Executive..."
Everyone was getting ready for bed in the Pokémon Center when a storm came through and forced everyone to wait inside. Charmander was now okay, but the Pokémon felt scared of himself and was dealing with many emotions. Nurse Joy recommended that no one should bother him, at least until tomorrow morning.
Everyone had difficulty falling asleep, with Ash and May finally resting around midnight. May was moving around a lot as she thought back to Charmander, unable to get it out of her head. She woke up, and she looked around, seeing that everyone else but Ash was asleep.
"Hey," She whispered as she walked over, now wearing her pajamas.
"Hey. Can't fall asleep either?" May shook her head as Ash looked down at Wartortle, taking most of his blanket. "It's about Charmander. Wartortle didn't want to sleep either, which I'd never thought I would say."
May nodded as she looked at the ground. "Do you think that Charmander is still awake?"
"Probably not." They looked at each other as if they had the same goal. "I want to help him too, but he probably wouldn't want to see any of us right now."
A sad look appeared on May's face. "I always heard about Pokémon being abandoned, but I never thought I would see it. How could people be that cruel?" She asked.
"I don't have an answer for that," Ash admitted as he turned to look at the doors, his thoughts coming over him as he stood up. He made sure Wartortle was still comfortable. "I can't sleep unless I check on him."
"Can I come with you?"
"You don't have to ask me to follow me," Ash told May with a small smile. "We're a team, after all." May smiled at this idea.
The two went over to see Joy still up, about to head to bed herself, when she saw the two kids. "What are you still doing up?" Joy asked in a hushed voice.
"I just wanted to make sure Charmander was okay," Ash admitted, Joy giving off a soft sigh.
"Charmander is all right, but I don't think he's ready to be seen by anyone just yet." Joy looked at the doors that the Pokémon was behind. "He's still up, but all he's been doing is just staring outside the window."
May felt pain in her heart after hearing that. "Please. I promise we want to see him."
Joy looked at the boy, seeing compassionate eyes look upon her. "...Alright," She sighed. Ash silently cheered as Joy opened the door for them. "Don't spend too much time. I want you asleep as soon as you leave."
"Thank you, Nurse Joy," both said gratefully as they found the room, Ash slowly opening the door to peek inside. A small bed sat next to a window, showing the rain falling. Charmander was there as his tail somewhat illuminated the dark room. The Pokémon didn't notice anyone stepping in as he looked at the falling water.
"Hey," May softly said. Charmander turned around, seeing the two at the door. Though the Pokémon had stopped crying, his sad look remained as his eyes showed off how tired he was. "Can we come in?"
Charmander just shrugged his shoulders, the two Trainers walking over and coming to his bed. They sat on either side of the bed as Charmander had his legs dangling over the side, looking down at the ground in shame. May didn't know what to say, but Ash was there to start it at least off.
"Can I just tell you one thing?" Ash asked, Charmander aimlessly nodding. "I think that you are pretty great."
Charmander was surprised, looking up at the kid. "Char?" Why would Ash say that after what he did to his past Trainer?
Ash offered a friendly smile. "I understand that you were angry back then. I know I would've done the same thing if I were you, and I think what that boy said to you was very wrong." Ash sounded angry at the mention of Damian but quickly calmed down. "You're going through a lot, and it's okay if it's overwhelming."
May decided to build upon this. "I think you just need someone to help you get through all this," May said as Charmander looked at her. "Believe me. It's tempting to take out all your anger in one moment. I've probably beaten a kid up when I was younger and just forgot." She admitted, Charmander being surprised that the kind girl would be like that.
"Charmander char man?"
"It's okay to angry, but it's not okay to harm someone because you're angry," Ash remembered Delia's exact words. "If you have any problems, you can just tell us. Do you still think we're going to hurt you?" Charmander wasn't sure how to respond. Despite the group's hospitality, the fear that they would hurt him was still there.
May placed a comforting arm around Charmander. The Fire-type was stunned momentarily but quickly calmed down at May's soft touch. "When I saw how hurt you were today... I felt pain too." May admitted, causing the two to be surprised. "I just thought you were another wild Pokémon when I saw you, and I regret thinking that way."
Charmander felt a tear form in his eye as Ash wrapped a hand around his other side. "I've seen how Pokémon can be scared of their Trainers and aren't treated well. I think you're already a great Pokémon, Charmander," Ash complimented in a comforting way. "And I don't want you to listen to anyone that tells you otherwise."
Charmander just sat there, tearing up again from the comfort these two were willing to give. No one made any real movement as they held the Pokémon, Charmander returning the favor by putting a hand on each of their legs. Charmander felt something warm in his heart as he looked at the two treating him like a person.
They stayed like this for three whole minutes, until May had to get up. "Come on, Ash," She softly called out. "We can't stay in here forever."
Ash knew May was right as he sat up, touching Charmander's head. "We'll see you first thing in the morning, okay?" Charmander nodded. "Don't be afraid to ask Nurse Joy for anything."
As Charmander saw them walk away, he reached his arm out. "Char!" The two stopped, now focused on Charmander as he looked lonely.
"You don't want to sleep alone?" Charmander nodded as May began to think. "I'll see if Nurse Joy can let Ash sleep with you."
Nurse Joy was just about to shut everything down for the night before being confronted by May, the girl asking the question. "Hmm. I'll allow you to keep Charmander with you for the night but notify me if something goes wrong."
"Thank you, Nurse Joy," May said gratefully. "Are our other Pokémon fully healed?"
"They're all in tip-top shape, but please wait until morning to claim them back." Joy offered one last smile before walking off. "Good night,"
"Good night," May saw Ash and Charmander head out of the room, walking over to them with a smile. "Guess who gets to sleep with Ash tonight?"
Though Charmander was happy, he didn't want to sleep with Ash. Charmander went over to May and tapped her leg. "Char! Mander der."
Ash had a little smile. "Well, it looks like you have the honor of caring for Charmander for the night."
May slightly frowned, not wanting this to happen. She still tried to make herself look happy. "Oh! Lucky me." She said with forced enthusiasm. May picked up Charmander, shivering as she held the Pokémon under her arm.
Ash smiled, thinking that May was just nervous about this idea. "May," She turned to him. "You know, you're pretty decent with Pokémon."
The girl wasn't expecting this kind of compliment. "It's probably just beginner's luck." She admitted.
"I guess that's how you look at it, but I prefer to think of it as skill." Ash offered a smile as the two shook hands. "Good night May, Charmander. Hope you sleep well."
"Night," May went to her makeshift bed, having Charmander with her as she began considering the ramifications. "Just one night, May. You can do this." May said to herself as she got ready for bed.
Charmander had decided to sleep around the girl's chest and stomach. "Char!" He said excitedly, which is not a word you could use to describe May right now. The girl seemed highly uncomfortable with where Charmander was.
May took a deep breath. "Just one night. Just one night!" Charmander made himself comfortable on her, the girl falling asleep faster than the Fire-type.
During the night, Charmander began to whimper, moving around slightly. May slowly opened her eyes to see how scared the Pokémon was. She started lightly making circles on his back, just like her father always did for her. This worked as Charmander became calm once again, a faint smile as he slept again.
May offered a soft smile to the Pokémon. "Wow. You're a lot cuter than I thought." She thought as she made sure that Charmander wouldn't accidentally slip off.
Brock was watching from afar, having woken up from being thirsty. He had a broad smile when he saw the once-distressed Charmander being comfortable with May. "If only I brought my camera." He said to himself.
May woke up with a big yawn, opening her eyes lazily as she looked up. She felt a warm presence near her, shocked when she saw Charmander curled up next to her. The memories of last night came to her. "Aww."
May turned to see that Brock was watching them, a cute smile to the two. "Oh, Brock," May said in surprise as she sat up. "I know you didn't want me to disturb Charmander, but I just felt-"
"It's okay." He replied as he looked at the two. "You shouldn't apologize for helping someone in need, right?" May nodded. "Stay there. I'll go get some food for us."
Everyone was surprised to see Charmander seemed well, but it was still clear that the Fire-type was still feeling a lot. "Would it make you feel better if I offered up my table seat to you?" Ryan asked him.
Charmander thought for a moment. "Char," He nodded, wishing to be close to the people that had helped him a lot.
After a small breakfast, one that Ryan had to sit out of, everyone had their Pokémon healed and were ready to leave. But there was still one last issue before they could go.
"Do you think that Charmander would want to leave with us?" Misty asked the group as Nurse Joy was part of the talk. Brock was the one holding Charmander. "I mean, it would be a very sudden change for the Pokémon."
"Well, we can't just leave him out in the wild again. What if he gets a Trainer like Paul or Damian?" Ash countered. Wartortle was writing on a piece of paper that he claimed was to deduce what possible solutions they could use. Instead, he was doodling on the thing.
"Is it possible for Charmander to stay here, Nurse Joy?"
Nurse Joy thought for a moment before shaking her head. "I can simply tell that Charmander no longer wishes to remain here. It would be unfair to him, and I don't need anyone else's help."
This seemingly left one option. "Well... I think that Charmander should come with us." May said as she looked at the Fire-type. "I know you may not want a Trainer after all that happened, but I don't want to see you hurt again, either."
Everyone was surprised to see the girl that usually seemed dismissive to Pokémon say this. "I agree with May," Ash spoke up as he placed a gentle hand on Charmander. "We promise to treat you with kindness, and you'll be able to have all of Brock's cooking!"
This last part got a chuckle from the older boy as he went to Charmander. "It's your choice, Charmander. Do what your heart and mind agree with."
Charmander looked at the group, remembering how they all cared for each other. Charmander didn't have experience with good Trainers, so seeing them cracking jokes and having a good time during breakfast felt rather foreign to the Pokémon. But seeing everyone happy also made the Charmander happy, and that is a feeling he didn't want to give up.
With a determined look, he nodded. "Char mander! Char char!" Everyone began to cheer for the Pokémon after he decided to come with them.
"It would be great to have you, Charmander. Our group is crazy, but you'll get used to it." Brock ensured the Fire-type. "Charmander should decide who to go with. Let's give him a chance to pick his Trainer."
Everyone lined up as Charmande was placed a few feet away, being allowed to pick who should have him. "Pick me! I'm the cool one!" Ash jokingly said.
"Oh, please." Misty bumped Ash's arm to make him go quiet, having a small smile at that joke. Wartortle stood next to Charmander, encouraging the Pokémon to take his time.
But Charmander quickly made his choice. The Fire-type walked over to May, placing his hand on May's leg. "Char," he said, sure of himself.
May was shocked, taking a step back. "What? No, no, no!" May quickly warned him. "You do not want me to be your Trainer."
"I don't know. He seems pretty sure of himself." Ash remarked. Despite feeling disappointed that he wasn't picked, he would still support his friend no matter what.
"I mean, there are better Trainers in this group than me. Brock was literally a former Gym Leader!" None of this made Charmander change his mind, as he still stuck with his choice. May just looked down at her seemingly new Pokémon.
"Char,"
May thought for a moment before finally giving in to this. "Alright. I guess you'll be my Pokémon now." May brought her arms out. "Come her-"
May was caught off guard when Charmander jumped into her arms, hugging his new Trainer. May kept an arm around him as she gave a confused look to the group. "Don't be like that. He's just trying to warm up to you." Ryan explained.
May just went with it as she looked down at Charmander, the Pokémon looking back at her. "Well, time to capture you. I got a Poke Ball."
"Char!" Charmander stopped May's arm, looking up at the girl. "Char mander. Char ar man,"
"Uh... I don't speak Pokémon."
"Charmander doesn't want to be inside a Poke Ball just yet." Brock deduced as he looked at May. "He probably just wants to spend some more time with you. Maybe you should let him be in your arms."
May made Charmander face her. "Do I look like a personal ride to you?" To her annoyance, Charmander nodded at the question. "Sorry. You were given two legs for a reason."
"Char," Charmander looked down and then back up with a face of pure innocence. May seemed shocked at the face her brother would always use on her. It was an expression to make someone feel sympathy and cause a warm feeling in their hearts, and Charmander's was shockingly good.
Despite her resilience to such a move, she couldn't hold it in anymore. "Ugh," She softly said. "Fine. You get to ride with me for one hour. Am I clear?" She said rather stingily.
"Char," Charmander moved around until he held onto the back of her shirt, giving a thumbs up to the group. May rolled her eyes at the situation she found herself in.
Misty lightly chuckled at seeing how the two were. "You have something to say?"
"Nope. I didn't say anything." Misty still kept her smile as the group was about to start the journey for the day. "I think it's about time we head out."
Their walk began as usual, although this time with much more mud and moisture in the air. The path was still clear as everyone got their shoes dirty, May being the only one to openly complain about how dirty they now were. Charmander was still with her but had fallen asleep during this time. This forced the girl to hold the Fire-type close to her chest, May feeling the same warmth as last night as she held him.
"According to the map, we should arrive at a town tomorrow," Brock said as he pointed to a marked spot on the map. "Hopefully, there will be a place where we can finally stock up on supplies."
"I can pay for all of it." Ash offered. "After all, I am the one with the most money here, and because I am just that kind."
"Wow!" Ryan said with fake shock. "We were probably going to force you to do it anyways, but thank you for taking one for the team." Ash playfully rolled his eyes at this light sarcasm. Ryan turned to May, seeing how the girl hadn't spoken up during this travel. "You okay?"
The girl was slightly startled as she looked up. May then looked at Charmander, a smile on her face as she saw the Pokémon softly snoring. "Yeah. I think we will be..."
END OF CHAPTER 10
Please let me finish this paragraph before you start planning my murder. I know that me giving Charmander to May could be the worst decision imaginable, but I have a reason for this. You see, Ash will still get a Fire-type in this story, just not Charmander. Yes, Ash will be getting Chimchar in this fanfic, as Paul will still abandon him, but we'll have to wait before we get there. I always wanted Chimchar to be with Ash in this story, but that left Charizard still in the mix. Giving Ash two extremely powerful Fire-type Starters before even getting four badges would've been highly redundant and might make it too easy for Ash. It also doesn't help that I only planned for Ash to get a single Fire-type across the whole story.
Ultimately, I sadly had to give Charmander to someone else. Out of all the options, May would be the most interesting and unique to work with. Giving The inexperienced Pokémon Trainer a Pokémon that even Ash struggled to control would make a fascinating plot point. You guys would've preferred me to give her Squirtle from the next episode, but I wanted this story to diverge as much as possible. Also, Misty is literally right their guys; it would be a fool's mistake not to give her the Water-type. If you hate this decision, then that is okay. You are entitled to your opinion, and my author's job is to respect that.
I ask that you don't take this anger to an extreme and that you at least pretend to give this thing a chance. The last thing anyone wants is enemies, and I'm just someone that wants to write on my silly little laptop. Thanks for reading this little explanation for me.
Edit 6/08/23: I hope you like the twist at the end with Damian. That guy isn't going anywhere, and he'll be an actual antagonist for the rest of the story. Those two new Team Rocket members are part of something big, and they aren't OCs of any kind. Things will be going down in the next chapter. Nothing downright horrible, but something that I hope will genuinely make everyone surprised. Good day to you all!
Ash's Team: Wartortle (M), Pidgey (F), Nidoran (M), Bulbasaur (M)
Misty's Team: Starmie (N/G), Azumarill (M), Horsea (F), Magikarp (M), Jigglypuff (F)
Misty's Other Members: Seaking (F)
Ryan's Team: Pinsir (M), Butterfree (M), Jangmo-o (M), Oddish (M)
Brock's Team: Geodude (M), Onix (M), Zubat (M)
May's Team: Beldum (Shiny, N/G), Charmander (M)