"Well, James?" Jessie asked. "How near are we?"

"Well, the guide says…" James began, then trailed off. "The guide book says something, but I can't read it, because it's dark."

He frowned. "Let's see, where have we gone so far… we went down the ladder, then we went, south, east I think, probably south, then we ran away from Zubat and fell down a hole. Then we went south, east, north, west, in a circle two more times, then we woke up the Zubat again and ran away from them."

"I'm starting to think we're lost," Jessie said, gritting her teeth.

"Well, we went up a ladder after that, so we were back on the floor we started on," James said. "Then we met someone who wanted a Pokémon battle, but left them attacking the wall… then they got swarmed by the Zubat, but so did we and we fell down another hole."

"This is not a short cut," Jessie grumbled.

As it turned out, Rock Tunnel was pitch black, which should have been obvious to anyone who knew anything about the geography of Kanto.

In the Rockets' defence, they hadn't been in Kanto in a while.

"Any more bright ideas, James? Maybe battle the Twerps directly under a power line?"

"Oh, that might work," James said, pondering. "That way the power line would suck away Pikachu's electricity!"

"And then it collapses on us," Jessie replied. "Which would ruin our plan, electrocute both of us, and it would ruin our hair!"

"Oh, good point," James agreed. "So, we're agreed, no more falling in holes? Then what do we do now?"

"Now, we…" Jessie began, then stopped, and fumbled around on her belt. "Right. Now, we do… this. Arbok!"

Arbok came out of his snazzy new Luxury Ball with a white flash that illuminated them for about a quarter of a second.

"Clever idea, Jessie!" James said."Now we just need to send our Pokémon out another several hundred times and we'll know where we are!"

"No, James, my genius is much more subtle than that!" Jessie replied, striking a pose and banging her arm on the wall. "Ow!"

"It's so subtle it can't even be noticed!" James said.

Jessie tried to give James a suspicious look, but it was spoiled by how she was actually looking about six feet away from where James was.

"Anyway," Jessie resumed. "What we do is, we both hold on to Arbok, and Arbok guides us out because he can sense infra-red light! That means he can see in the dark!"

"That sounds like a great plan," James said. "Only problem is, will we both fit holding on to Arbok?"

"What's your idea, then?" Jessie asked defensively.

James sent out Weezing. "We hold on to Weezing, Arbok holds on to Weezing, Arbok gives directions, and we go the way Weezing is moving! It's fool-proof!"

The Zubat rustled overhead, and both Rockets went silent in a hard-learned reflex.

"That might actually work," Jessie conceded, much more quietly. "But how are we going to get Arbok onto Weezing?"

"I'll just pick him up," James volunteered.

"That's me you're holding!" Jessie hissed.

After several false starts and a lot of banging into walls, the Rockets eventually left Rock Tunnel as the sun set.

Along with a cloud of Zubat.

"Next time," Jessie summarized, "we take the balloon."

The next morning, James looked up from his guidebook.

"Okay, here we go," he said. "The map says that there's interesting Pokémon around here. And we need interesting Pokémon!"

"Yeah, because right now we do not have a varied team," Jessie grumbled. "Especially not for Admins, which we are now. Two Poison-types and one Fire-type just won't cut it."

"Types?" James asked. "I was mostly thinking about appearance! There's too much purple, and the only other way of fixing it is colour theory."

He shook his head. "No chance."

"Whatever," Jessie said. "Just keep a look out for a good Pokémon for us to catch, that's the point."

"Sure thing, Jessie!" James said. "Now, if I were a wild Pokémon, where would I be… oh, that's right. The wild! And that's where we are, how convenient!"

"You've got to admit, looking in a building wouldn't be a good place to start," Jessie mused.

Then James tripped over something.

"Ow," he complained. "I could swear there was nothing there when I put my foot down."

"Don't make excuses!" Jessie told him. "Hold on, did you just trip over… that's a Pokémon."

James rolled over, sitting up, and saw that there was a sleeping Abra just where he'd been trying to walk.

He looked confused. "Should I? This seems weird, and not just because we're actually trying to catch a wild Pokémon."

"Well, it'd be rude not to, right?" Jessie said.

James got out another Luxury Ball, but fumbled the process and dropped it.

With a faint bink, Abra teleported under the 'ball and got caught.

"Huh," Jessie said. "If it's normally that easy I can see why the Twerp usually does it."

James picked up the Luxury Ball, looking faintly puzzled. "Well, that's one down, now we need a new Pokémon for you, right?"

"And we need to get back to Cerulean City," Jessie pointed out. "Which is going to take ages."

Abra came out of their Pokéball. Or I could take you there.

"Whoa!" James jumped. "There's a voice in my head!"

"There's a voice in my head, too!" Jessie agreed. "Who said that?"

Me, Abra replied, eyes still closed. The Abra you just 'caught', get it? I'm psychic, which I can spell if you need it.

"Can all psychic Pokémon do this?" Jessie asked. "And are most of the other ones we met more polite?"

I don't know, I haven't met them, Abra replied. This is just quicker than spending days going somewhere. And, just so you know, I need some idea of where you're going, but I can do it a lot. Especially if it's just me… but that sounds like too much effort.

"Too much effort?" James said, thinking. "You mean, it tires you out?"

I'm lazy, Abra clarified. It's genetic, what do you want?

He pointed. Oh, and go that way for a Pokémon interested in joining you. I'm going to sleep, this was enough talking for one day.

With that, Abra returned himself.

"Did he actually say anything?" James said. "Technically, I mean."

"Well, he did say he was lazy…" Jessie replied, then shrugged. "Let's see if he actually had an idea what he was… not talking about."

Arbok slithered forwards to investigate, at Jessie's command, and when the Rockets caught up they saw that Arbok was peering with interest at a Cubone huddled under a tree.

"Oh, it looks like the little sweetie is scared," Jessie said, putting both hands together against her right cheek. "Adorable!"

Cubone glanced up at her, then smacked Arbok into the ground hard enough to leave a dent.

"And I like her attitude!" Jessie said.

"Sometimes I don't like your attitude," James groaned.

Jessie chose to ignore that.

"Well, little one?" she asked. "Want to come with us?"

Cubone cocked her head to one side, thinking it over.

Arbok woozily rose back up from the shape he'd left in the ground, and shook his head.

Cubone met his gaze steadily, then used her bone to vault into Jessie's arms.

Jessie's first Pokémon sighed. "Just my luck," he hissed, to Weezing. "Both the new team members can beat me up with type advantage…"

Weezing sniggered. It sounded a lot like his normal wheezing, but when you know a 'mon…

"Oh, shut up. Levitate isn't perfect, you know."

As the sun set near Cerulean, Ash and friends set up on a wooded hill for the evening. It was already wet, and so was the ground, but it wasn't so bad under the trees and they were used to it now.

"It's nice to be back, Ash," Bulbasaur said, stretching. "Well, nice to be back with the team? And to enjoy it before it gets a bit hectic with everyone back."

Ash chuckled. "It was a good birthday present to get you back," he agreed. "And, I don't know if I ever said it before, but… thanks for being so good at managing the Pokémon back home. I know you ended up doing a lot of it."

"It wasn't something you made me do, but I'm glad to be appreciated," Bulbasaur chuckled.

He stepped out from the cover of Ash's tent into the rain, and rolled his body a bit. "Too much rain is a bit annoying, but it's nice to get a bit," he said. "Don't you think?"

"Rain can be nice, especially after a hot day," Ash agreed.

"I don't think you celebrated your eleventh last time, though?" Bulbasaur asked. "I think I'd have noticed it… admittedly I'm not certain, but it seems like the sort of thing I'd remember."

"Yeah, we sort of… got very lost," Ash admitted. "Actually, uh… Dexter, can you do a map?"

I have Pokémon mapping software, please wait.

Ash got the Pokédex out, and Bulbasaur trotted over to have a look.

There, Dexter said, tracing out their route.

"Wow," Bulbasaur replied. "You're right. You were very lost indeed. South, then north, then south again..."

He scratched his head with a vine. "I'd say it's not possible to get lost in time, but we are lost in time."

"What's that?" Pikachu asked, scampering over. "That Shockwave experimenting is going well, Ash… oh, is this the birthday thing?"

"Yeah, it's the birthday thing," Ash confirmed. "I guess I just think of all the friends I made as my birthday presents."

"I like that," Bulbasaur nodded. "It's a nice way of thinking about it. Plus… you know."

"Yeah," Ash agreed. "Fixing that is going to be nice."

He stretched. "It'll be nice to have Charmander back, too… well, Charizard. I don't think we worked out how to describe Pokémon who evolve when they're reminded of what happened last time yet."

"Not a problem for me," Bulbasaur said.

"It will be for Charmander, though," Pikachu said, then frowned. "Um… wait."

Ash looked up at his tone. "What's wrong, Pikachu?"

"Charmander didn't talk much about what happened, but he said he was out on the rock for days," Pikachu replied.

"Days?" Ash repeated, blanching. "Oh crap – Dexter, how does that work out?"

He would already be out there.

Ash grabbed Pidgeot and Butterfree's Pokéballs with one hand, Bulbasaur's with the other, and ran out into the rain.

The rain, which hadn't happened last time.

"Dexter, give me a direction!" he called. "Bulbasaur, return – Pidgeot, come on out, we need to hurry!"

"Huh?" Misty asked, already halfway asleep, then jerked upright as something went BOOM nearby. "What was that?"

She looked around, then out of her own tent. "Was that Ash?"

It was cold, and wet, and Charmander was trying his best.

He was curled up on a rock, in the driving rain, and he was doing exactly what Damian wanted. Damian told him to wait, and he was waiting.

His tail flame was curled up under a leaf, which was the best shelter he'd been able to find, and he'd had to leave the rock for it. Just for a moment.

And part of him wondered if that would mean he'd failed Damian.

Damian will come. I'm sure of it. He just wants me to prove myself.

Charmander sneezed, and the leaf jostled around a bit. He held it to make sure it wouldn't expose his tail flame, but his paws wobbled a little and he felt cold and weary down to his bones.

He'll come. He has to.

Inquisitive Spearow were starting to circle once more. Charmander sent them scattering again with an Ember, but he was running low on energy. They didn't flee as far as they had before.

Where are you? Charmander asked himself, or Damian, he wasn't quite sure which. I've become stronger, haven't I? I've stayed out here waiting for you… I'm cold, tired, hungry… wet… I've been here for days… I wish I knew how much longer it will take.

For you to consider me strong.

For you to consider me worthy.

The rain beat against his hide, and Charmander yawned, in that way that reached right through his whole body and exposed how weary he really was.

He didn't want to go to sleep, he might miss Damian's arrival… but he desperately wanted to go to sleep.

He was so tired.

It didn't feel as cold, when he was asleep.

Maybe… just a few minutes…

Charmander's eyes drooped, and he slipped into a kind of grey and black half-sleep. Drowsy and limp, his paws holding onto the leaf so it wouldn't fall to the side, but every muscle and bone ached of weariness.

He sort of realized that falling asleep would be a really bad idea, but…

...he couldn't focus enough to consider what to do.

And all he felt was guilt.

I'm sorry, Damian. I wasn't strong enough for you.

"There!"

Charmander dreamed, and he didn't know what he was dreaming about.

A rushing wind, a thump. The sensation of arms around him.

"He's freezing! Butterfree, get us some clear skies – I don't care what it does to the weather!"

The rain went away, fading out in moments, and Charmander's leaf slipped away from his grasp.

It was a nice dream, being rescued.

Even if it was too late to really believe it.

...then, only moments later, Charmander's eyes opened again.

It felt like only moments later, but there was an intense sun beating down on him. It had to have been hours at least.

He was still a bit vague about what had happened, but… the fact he was awake seemed like a surprise.

"Oh, good, you're up," a Bulbasaur said.

Charmander rolled over onto his side, on a bed of some kind of dry wood covered with leaves, and saw that the Bulbasaur was standing next to a trio of Pokéballs – two of them empty, and one of them with the light that indicated it was full.

"Who are you?" Charmander asked, and for some reason the Bulbasaur looked sad.

"Bulbasaur," he introduced himself. "I have experience taking care of sick Pokémon, so I stayed to take care of you while Ash and his Butterfree went to look for berries."

"Who's Ash?" Charmander asked. "Does he know Damian?"

"No, he's my trainer," Bulbasaur replied. "He's the one who got to you last night… he barely got to you in time. You had a very lucky escape, Char – Charmander."

Bulbasaur's bulb glowed, confusing Charmander for a moment, until he saw that the few wisps of clouds in the sky overhead, right near the sun, were fading away.

Sunny Day?

"The best things for a Fire-type who's had a scare like you did are intense sunlight, good warmth, and this," Bulbasaur added, putting a faintly glowing blue leaf from a nearby pile onto Charmander's tail flame. It flared up, then subsided, but it was a bit larger than before.

Still not healthy, but larger.

"Magical Leaves. That's the best thing right now, anyway," Bulbasaur added. "Pidgeot kept you warm all of last night with her wings, then it's us in the morning."

"But… why are you doing this?" Charmander asked. "I failed, I'm not strong enough-"

"None of that!" Bulbasaur said, sharply.

"We're concerned, that's what it is," a Butterfree added, floating down to drop a pair of Berries in front of Charmander. "Yache and Passho. One of them helps with your body heat, the other is good against water attacks. Have some of them both."

Charmander looked at the berries, then up at the trainer standing a bit further away.

This 'Ash', he guessed… but that was for later. Now that the berries had landed there, he suddenly realized he was intensely hungry.

"Charmander? Can we talk?"

Charmander looked around, startled to see 'Ash' so close.

He'd been eating… and apparently it had taken so much of his attention he hadn't even noticed Ash moving.

"This is going to sound so strange," Ash began, crouching down. "And I guess you might not believe it, but… this isn't the first time we've met. But I know you won't remember me."

Charmander had no idea what Ash was talking about. How would that even work?

"Did you make sure I didn't see you, or something?" he asked.

"It's… well," Ash began, and took a red box out of his pocket.

A Pokédex, Charmander thought.

Ash flipped it open, and showed Charmander the image. "That's you."

Charmander looked at it.

It was a Charmander, in the middle of some kind of rocky canyon. Charmander had never seen it before, but when he looked closer… there was the tiny scar on his tail. There was the little fleck in his eye.

It was him, or it was a Pokémon so much like him that they'd have to be twins – and even that wouldn't explain the scar.

"And… Dexter?" Ash asked. "They're not organized great..."

This is also you, the Pokédex device said, and flashed up another picture.

This one was… not Charmander.

It was a Charizard, in an arena somewhere in a city, full of fire and in amazing condition. Charmander hadn't been around many Charizards in the past, but this one looked… amazing.

Full of passion and strength.

"Do… is that what I need to turn into?" Charmander asked. "Is that why Damian wanted me to toughen up?"

He frowned. "How can that be a picture of me? It sounds like that's me from the future, but I'm too weak to do that."

"I… guess you're asking about if that's the future, right?" Ash checked. "I can kind of follow that… and, yeah, it is you from the future. You became my Pokémon, and we went a long way together, and you got so strong…"

Ash swallowed. "And, we had some trouble, but we got through it. Because we were friends."

He smiled. "And, well… that's actually how Bulbasaur and Butterfree and Pidgeot know me so well. It's because I was able to remind them of the time we spent together. And I can do that to you, too. So you remember our time together."

He sank back to the ground, sitting on the grass. "But you've been in such a difficult situation, Charmander. And I don't want to force you. So… it's your choice."

Charmander looked down at the berries he'd been eating, and finished them.

"Is it because I'll be strong?" he asked.

"You'll be strong, yeah," Ash replied. "But… it's not because of that, if that's what you're asking. Dexter, can you show us Cleopatra Island?"

The Pokédex screen changed, showing Charizard – the same one from before – lying on a beach, with a pair of hands rubbing his side.

"You lost a battle," Ash explained. "And, it went really badly, but that's when we really learned how to work with one another."

He swallowed again. "I'm not saying it was all great, but… a lot of it was, and I think you came out of it such a strong Pokémon. And happy."

"Ash-" Bulbasaur began.

"It's up to Charmander," Ash said, firmly. "So, what do you think?"

"Are we sure he went this way?" Misty asked. "Really, really sure?"

"Well, that's what Pikachu and Riolu are pointing to," Brock replied. "I know it's way off the main routes, but I can't remember exactly which way we were going when we met Charmander."

He shrugged, then winced as Steelix smashed through a tangle of undergrowth. "And at least we don't have to break trail ourselves."

"I guess," Misty agreed, sighing. "And… yeah, you're right, Ash did have to rush off and find Charmander. It's just… how do we manage to get so lost?"

"It's Ash," Brock said. "Has to be. You guys kept getting turned around in the Orange Islands, right? So it's not me, and it's not you… he's a good friend, but he could get lost on a straight road. And has."

"It's some kind of area effect, it has to be," Misty grumbled. "All of this is only a couple of days from where I grew up! Going through towns I've visited before! And… oh, I can't believe this."

"What?" Brock asked.

"I'm angry at myself now, and also Ash again," Misty explained. "I completely forgot to get him to check for that Magikarp in Cerulean Gym. I want Gyarados back, that way I've got another heavy hitter, even if he is really vulnerable to electricity."

She sighed. "It's a pity sometimes being a type specialist, right, Brock?"

Brock tried his best to think of a way to distract Misty from how he was in line to have a team consisting of Steel, Ground, Rock, Poison, Flying, Bug, Grass, Water, Fighting, Normal and Fire-types, then was saved by a whoop from up ahead.

Riolu was pointing into the distance, and Pikachu was jumping up and down on his branch with enough energy that it looked like it was going to break.

"Steelix, hold on!" Brock called. "Can you see what's going on?"

Steelix reared up, rising above a lot of the undergrowth, then made a noise. "-teelix!"

Then Charizard flew overhead with a mighty roar, wings cupping the air, and banked around in a steep spiral before landing with a whoosh of air in some of the space Steelix had cleared for them – Ash laughing and waving, clinging onto Charizard's neck with one arm and both legs.

Elsewhere, a great battle raged.

The opponents were evenly matched, in strength, but not in tactics, as an attack slipped far past the defences and hit the defenders in their vulnerable and poorly protected interior. A decisive blow that would soon see the defeat of-

"I'm quite sure that's not how this game works," Sir Aaron said. "Lord of Creation, I request a rules adjudication."

About what? Arceus inquired.

Sir Aaron gave the Creator a look.

"Palkia has just sent fourteen armies to attack my troops in Unova," he said. "It's a very effective strategy, spoiled mostly by the fact he sent them through a wormhole and skipped four regions in between there and Kalos."

He looked over to the side. "And, while I'm at it, Lord of Creation, I should point out that I don't think it's especially legal for Dialga to be also playing on a separate board in the past."

When it's your turn to decide what to play, you can pick a different game, Arceus said. That is fair. Though I must admit that Palkia should probably create wormholes at the end of their turn. Is that acceptable?

"It'll do," Sir Aaron decided.

AN:

The abandonment of Charmander by Damian is probably the single most reprehensible act in the early series. Even more so now that it's much clearer Pokemon are every bit as smart as humans.

It's somewhere between a murder attempt and a really vicious betrayal/abandonment.

Also note the butterfly effect kicking in, specifically because a certain butterfly has been messing with the weather.

Rewrite adjustments include the underground comedy scene, some of the recruitment scene for the Rockets, and minor details around Ash's conversation with Charmander.