AN: SORRY FOR THE DELAY. WAS WORKING ON MY TWO STORIES AT ONES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
Earth-678B
Pewter City
"You did it, Ash. Thanks to you Charmeleon is awake." Joy said as they waited outside the room.
Ash sighed. "What did I even do? It was all you." Ash said.
"Why is that you never take credit when it comes to some things?" She asked looking at a neutral looking Ash. She can't read him as usual. The sex they have and the time they know each other, one would guess that she'll know everything about him. After all it's the opposite when it comes to understanding someone. Usually it's girls that hard to understand. But no matter how much they spent time with one another, Ash Ketchum is a book with no summery or exposition. The longer you read him the longer it makes him look confusing. At some point she was sure that she knows him clearly, but then he does something that she never expected him to do.
Ash shrugged. "How about I walk in there?" He asked.
She sighed. "You should. Charmeleon looks sad. It's fine physically and that's the extent I could reach. It's up to you." She said.
"Thank you. For being there for us." Ash said surprising her with the sudden appreciation.
She then smiled accepting his thankfulness. "For you." She said kissing his cheek. "You go in. I'll be returning to the duties. And I send the location of it's trainer in to your phone. It wasn't that hard to find." She said and walks away.
He watched her go and he breathed in few deep inhales and opened the door.
The feeling of being abandoned is a form of feeling of betrayed. That's probably why he understands why Charmeleon looking like that. The fire lizard sat on the bed with it's flames in the tail burning so dull. It's eyes are locked on to the window and looking up at the rainy clouds.
Charmeleon is usually an energetic type of Pokemon, but seeing it down feels wrong. Ash walked in and closed the door behind.
Charmeleon slowly looks at the stranger and the Pikachu on his shoulder. Pikachu slowly jumps on the bed to not startle the fire type and moved closer. "Pika?" Pikachu said concerned.
Charmeleon looks down at his paws and didn't made any sound. By the look on it's face showed how much it wanted to cry.
Pikachu looks up at Ash who just stood there. But eventually he talked. "Do you feel betrayed, Charmeleon?" He asked.
Charmeleon looks at the human and for some reason, this human was strange. Unlike all those times it seen people, this person was radiating an unidentifiable aura. Charmeleon didn't know what to feel, though.
Ash saw it shook it's head as if saying, no.
"As expected. It's always denial at first." Ash started earning it's attention again. "Sometimes there are places we don't belong. At least that's what your master shown you so far, right?" Ash asked again.
Charmeleon didn't avert it's eyes from him. "I've come across you two days ago. Out cold out in the rain. Your tail was nearly flickering. Out there everyone was welcome, but it's not a place you were supposed to be at that time, right?" Ash said and walked closer to the window and looks up at the dark clouds. "You get two options, here which has the practicality if thought of it seriously." Ash said and looks at the fire lizard who is looking at him.
Charmeleon somehow was seeing a strange sight it never seen before. The person who's talking to him felt so captivating. There's a bit of sunlight coming through the cracks of the thick clouds and hit the window opening. The light casted a bright outline around Ash as he turned to look at the lizard. Charmeleon saw the glow and it felt as if someone from heaven talking to it. Charmeleon have suffered, and somehow this god like person feels so familiar. His voice belongs to a strong male that has no flaws. But Charmeleon could hear the undertone of the person. It felt so different from their strong appearance. That unique aura of the person made the lizard curious and wanted to hear them out more.
"The first option is to stay in denial until the grieving process and then feel more betrayed and then let the feelings drive you." Ash started and the fire lizard is hearing it out very clearly. "And then maybe one day you'll learn to move on or the worst is that the hatred will grow and you'll watch yourself burn down the whole world in your mind. You'll be a miserable life form that never find the closure. And I know I sound harsh. But the evidence of the said circumstance is right in front of you." He said and Charmeleon saw Ash poking his own chest. Ash pointing at himself when saying that. Charmeleon looks at his eyes to find any form of lies. But there are none.
"But there's option two." Ash said looking out of the window again. Charmeleon was keeping close attention to what he's about to say. "The second option is to be out there and find the person who abandoned you. Then the only thing to see if they actually felt that way. If they wanted to abandon you then you'll know it. The thing is. Knowing the reality is better than to keep hoping and break your heart more. That way you'll get to adjust with it right from the start and get to move on. It's harsh too. But you won't have to live with false hopes until the very end." He said.
"Someone clearly never tried the second option." Charmeleon heard him say that a if he's talking about himself.
Charmeleon wanted to know about this person more. They're kind yet intimidating. Hopeful yet broken. Familiar yet distant. As if the darkness in the person becoming alive, the glow casted by the sunlight got disappeared and Charmeleon saw the person as they really are. They're not god. They are someone who's just like itself.
Pikachu also looks at his trainer sadly. Truth to be told, he never seen the real Ash Ketchum before. Because Pikachu knows that this person isn't the one who he actually is. No matter their bond, reading his master is almost impossible. But Pikachu will try to know Ash more. And that's one of Pikachu' many wishes.
"So, Charmeleon?" Ash called the fire lizard again.
"Char?" Charmeleon' dry voice finally spoke in it's own language.
"Which one of the options you're gonna take? Both are hard, but you'll know what you want if you give it a thought." Ash asked.
Charmeleon didn't know what is the correct way to answer. But seeing it's master is probably would change this.
"Char." Charmeleon said with the little determination it has left.
Ash didn't want the translation. He gets that look of determination anywhere. Because he lacked it once when others had it. He knows how it looks like.
Charmeleon chose the second option and Ash chuckled. Not interested a mocking way. He chuckled because it was nice to see Charmeleon is dedicated to it. Because if Charmeleon didn't value it's master, then Ash wouldn't have find it. But the truth isn't gonna be worth looking forward for. But there's no other choice.
"Let me tell you this. Out there things will be a lot to handle. But you have to face it and that's the only way out of this." Ash said looking at Charmeleon in the eyes.
Charmeleon looks outside again and thought things over a second time. It's past wasn't something that worth looking forward to. But Charmeleon was hopeful.
Charmeleon then nodded not breaking eye contact with Ash.
Ash also nodded and picked up his phone and looks into it. "I have the location. I know where to go next. You gotta walk with me for a bit and we'll be there." Ash said and looks at Pikachu.
"Keep him company while we walk. Okay, Pikachu?" Ash said.
"Pika." Pikachu agreed.
"Good. Now let's go see if this person cares about any of this." Ash said clearly showing his agitation.
(PEWTER CITY MALL)
"That box is fancy." One of the girls who had green hair said to the one with red.
The red haired girl chuckled. "I recently sold the gift my brother bought for me. This one was pricy, and that's the one thing I got in my hand." She said with a wide smile.
"The top coordinator has no chill, huh?" The blue haired girl said.
The three girls chatted in the cafe portion of the mall. They're discussing about their fashion senses and such. Coordinators are usually focuses on style with their Pokemon, so the conversation was the norms for them.
"By the way, Airi?" The blue haired girl called the red head who's name is Airi.
"Mmm?" Airi hummed still adjusting her ribbon like medals inside the box she recently bought. It's basically a display case with golden rims.
"What about...you know, Charmeleon?" The green haired girl asked.
Airi shrugged. "Last time I checked, I didn't feel like going back for a look." She replied.
"But, ain't that a bit cold?" The blue haired girl said.
"And it was storming yesterday. You know that water can effect it's tail flame, right?" The green haired girl said.
Airi looks at both of them. "It's not that big of a deal and you know it. Besides, Charmeleon isn't that much of a bold one. It probably would have ran away long time ago." Airi said.
"I mean, you won half of the ribbons with it, right? Won't you feel bad for it?" The blue haired girl said.
Airi sighed. "It's true. When it was just a Charmander things were easy. But being Charmeleon is a bit less cuter than it used to be. I did both of us a favour." Airi said.
"A bit cold, don't you think?" The green haired girl said.
"Sure. But to be in top, we gotta make adjustments. Sometimes it's gonna be extreme. Like, I'm not in bad terms with my brother, but I still sold the gift he gave me. Just forget the hindrances and move on without them. That's just the short form for success." Airi said.
"Man, you are extreme. But hey, it is what it is, huh? Let's just keep doing our best onwards." The blue haired girl encouraged themselves.
But before they lost into another conversation, they heard another female voice.
"Excuse me."
The three girls looks to their side and saw a honey blonde haired girl with red hat and dress with pink and red color scheme- standing there with a look of disapproval.
"Yes?" Airi said looking at the beautiful girl.
The girl hesitated a bit and sighed. "I heard you talking. Didn't mean to eavesdrop. But I happened to hear it." The girl said.
The three girls looks at one another and back at the blonde. "What about it?" Airi asked.
"Mmm...it's about the Charmeleon you were talking about. If I heard correctly, then you abandoned your Pokemon." The blonde said.
Airi raised a brow and nodded.
"I did. So what?"
The blonde girl shook her head.
"What do you mean, 'so what'? What you did is wrong. It's cruel." The blonde girl said concerned about the Pokemon.
Airi then stood up with an irritated look and walked towards the the blonde girl. By the looks of it, the blonde really got involved in some serious heat. "Is that right? But I don't remember giving you the right to correct me, girl. I'll do whatever I want. Your opinion has zero value and should not be spoken out loud." Airi said facing the blonde girl who felt a bit taken back by this girls outrage.
"You can't throw away your Pokemon like an object. As far as I heard it, you left it out in a storm. I don't know much about this region' Pokemon. But I have seen a Charmeleon before. It's tail shouldn't be extinguished. And you left it out in the rain?" The blonde girl said everything out of pure concern. She sounded like someone who won't speak out. But she's doing that as if her concern driving her.
Airi raised a brow realising what the girl meant and smirked. "Well, well. Ain't this shocking. You're not even from this place. And you don't even know about the Pokemon or tradition of this place. And you seriously picking up a fight the first thing you do in the foreign land? That's stupid." Airi said realising the blonde isn't the native here.
"I'm not picking up a fight. I'm only intervening in a situation where the Pokemon you abandoned is now might be in danger. And it's not about if I'm from here or not. But I have the common sense to know that a fire type Pokemon won't be able survive out in the rain." The blonde said and Airi was angry.
"Common sense, you say? You're the one lacking it, blondy. Unlike you I dream big. Pokemon is just the stepping stone and my precious Charmander gave it's all. When he was cute and small, the performance was so beautiful. Then I might have shown too much compassion, because it evolved." Airi said and looks at the blonde girl with a sickening smile. "In Pokemon contest, there's no use of a Pokemon that's past it's charming phase. So I did a favour by leaving it behind. The only place it won't follow me back was the woods and the rain was the perfect cover to hide my scent. Everything worked out just fine." Airi said making the blonde sick of her.
"Horrible. I can't believe people like you existed. Abandoning your Pokemon just because it evolved? That's the most twisted and sickening thing I ever heard." The blonde said with pure disdain. "I'll report this to the officers. You won't get away with this."
Airi' teeth clenches and gave the blonde a sinister glare. It was frightening for the blonde but she refused to back out. "Who the fuck you think you are to try and ruin my dreams, you bitch? I worked so hard for this since I could remember. To be able to stand over the world with my beautiful performance." Airi said and then pointed a finger at the blonde. "And if you think I'll let you ruin it then you're wrong. And I abandoned my first ever Pokemon. So some stranger like you shouldn't expect mercy once I started. I'll keep you quiet if I have to." Airi said threateningly.
The blonde saw the girl losing her sanity and before things escalate any further, the blonde saw something red from the corner of her eyes.
The blonde looks to the side and other three looks that way as well. What they saw was shocking.
"Charmeleon?" Airi mumbled seeing the Pokemon she abandoned- standing there with no visible emotion.
By the looks of it, Charmeleon might have heard everything it's master said.
The blonde girl felt sorry for the poor thing. She could see in it's eyes that it's entire world got shattered right before it's eyes. Charmeleon' hopeful eyes slowly turned emotionless. But the tears building up in it's eyes didn't failed to flow down.
Charmeleon truly heard what it's trainer really think of it and everything made sense. All those times she caused it pain wasn't because she was working on it's pain tolerance. No. Instead she was so caught up with the fact that Charmeleon ruined it's cuteness by evolving- she thought there's no hope with contests and was causing it pain because that's the only thing she could think of. Not one time she was honest and when she left it in that heavy rain, she wanted it dead and decaying.
"Why are you here? I left you there and why didn't ran away, already? And how do you found me." Airi was the first to break out of the shock and ask it questions.
Charmeleon was silent.
"You heard everything, don't you. No matter what, I tried to at least show you mercy by simply hiding it. And your hurt now because you chose to disobey me and be here. It's your fault." Airi said.
The blonde girl looks at the girl frustrated. "How could you blame this poor Pokemon? You're sick in the head."
"What did you say, bitch?" Airi barked furiously.
"Amongst you I could only spot one bitch if you ask me." Came a male voice.
The four girls looks at the boy with a Pikachu on his shoulder and his eyes are clearly in Airi. The atmosphere changed almost immediately. That eyes of his was so cold it send shivers down their spine. It was worse than Airi'.
However the blonde girl looks at him closely. This scary newcomer is someone so familiar. Her eyes soon widened and she reaching in her pocket and retrieves a handkerchief and looks at it and then back at the boy. She recognised this boy almost immediately. But the appearance was the only familiar thing. Because she recalls everything. Those eyes of his weren't scary back then.
"That's you." He casually said pointing at Airi who was confused like the other girls.
"What did you say?" She said angrily.
"I called you bitch twice. Indirectly one time. And I'm sure I was loud enough. But if you haven't heard it then I'm calling you bitch again. Hey bitch." He said emphasizing the word bitch everytime.
They didn't know who this guy was. "Who the hell are you? You with this pain in the ass?" Airi asked pointing at the blonde girl.
Ash looks at the blonde and then chuckled giving them goosebumps again. Something about him was unsettling. "let's start with the introductions, then. I'm Ash Ketchum and I have this wonderful job of being a bounty hunter, you see. And the bonus information about me is that I usually don't give a fuck about the details while on work. And I like Pokemon in my own specific way. So yeah, that's all about me." He said.
The blonde girl was stunned. This is the same person. That name. She remembers that name. But the difference is that this person has the opposite behaviour from back then. Because now, he sounds threatening without even trying.
Each glance he sends their way was enough to show the terrifying glint he had in his eyes.
Airi' eyes twitched indicating the trouble ahead and she looks at back at the blonde. "Is this guy with you? Won't surprised if he is. You people are nosy." Airi said.
The blonde haired girl shook her head. "N...no, he's not with me." She said.
"Then who the hell are you, then?" Airi shouted at Ash who chuckled again. It still made them feel the creeps that running up their spine.
"As I said. I'm a bounty hunter. But apparently I am on the hunt. Your case to be precise." He said.
"What you mean?"
Ash slowly crouched next to the Charmeleon and looks at her. "Two days ago I ran into Charmeleon who was Inches from losing his life. It was strange to find a Charmeleon out there in route 02. An odd place for a fire type Pokemon." Ash started. "Charmeleon was waiting for someone on top of rock, when I found him and much to my shock. I saw these..." Ash said and showed his phone screen at her. It shows a wounded Charmeleon with lot of bruises in the form of boot marks.
"Those bruises. And I figured out the rest." Ash said and stood. "Not gonna lie, it was a dick move even though girls are flat down there." Ash said pointing at her crotch making the girls' cheeks go red.
"It's none of your business. I do things as I please. You can do nothing about it." She said.
He shrugged. "Turns out I can." He said with a smirk which didn't belong to someone who is amused. It was something else.
"What?" Airi said.
"That image I showed you wasn't just a piece of display. Those are what you call evidence." He said with a smirk.
Airi blinked and then laughed a bit. "Evidence for what? That I abandoned that useless Pokemon? That I stomped it and left it to die? Great, idea genius." She said laughing. "But sorry for breaking things up for you. A picture with a Pokemon and some bruises aren't called evidence. Because I'm not even in the picture. Grow up." She laughed again and Ash chuckled again.
"Sure. It's useless as you say. But only if it's the only thing I have." He said and Airi stopped laughing.
"What?" She said.
Ash then pressed something on his phone and showed her the screen. "Two minutes of your genius exclaims are captured with sound recording." He said. "Well I have the whole video of arguing with that girl over there too. Just to show the voice belongs to you." He said pointing at the blonde girl.
Airi' eyes widened and he continued.
"It's just for the procedure. I usually don't care about evidences. But hey I wanna see you rot in some rehabilitation center or something. Just because of the circumstances I decided to report you with the the evidences. And about the legality of handling you I have the bounty contract with the agreement of capturing you." He finished.
"There. Like a movie villain I explained my master plan. Just to be fair." He said and they're just speechless.
"W...why-" Airi was cut off immediately.
"I have a soft corner for Pokemon. Seeing a dying Pokemon filled me with this mindset to handle the person responsible. I usually start with breaking bones, but I think you'll better off with officer jenny. We already discussed about your future plans. And your contest performance thing is also fucked. That's pretty much the whole thing you should know." Ash said.
Airi clenches her fist and points at Charmeleon. "IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF YOU, YOU USELESS SHIT. YOU RUINED EVERYTHING." She yelled at Charmeleon.
And then she looks at Ash. "YOU THINK YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT? LIKE HELL I WOULD LET YOU RUIN MY LIFE. MOTHERFUCKER." She yelled. And the last part was a mistake by her side. Motherfucker. And that's exactly when it happened.
Ash was immediately in front of her and Airi felt something powerful coiling around her neck. Ash grabbed her by the throat and pushed her against the wall next to him and raised her with one arm and her whole body is dangling up from the air.
The blonde girl and other two girls including some of the customers looks at the scene with pure shock. More importantly, the blonde haired girl held the kerchief closer when seeing this. This is different. This isn't the same person she saw back then. That person was kind.
Ash had a grin on his face the whole time. But that grin wasn't caused by amusement or happiness. It was just the form of his losing mind.
"I hate when people yell at me like that. It's annoying." He said in a crazed tone and brought her ear closer. "Next time I might kill you. Who knows? Your life lost all the value in my eyes." He said and nobody dared to intervene. His tone was bone chilling and everyone wanted to be out of his sight.
But then they heard a growl. Looking down it was Charmeleon.
Ash lowered Airi who gasped for air and she took lung full of oxygen.
Ash looks at Charmeleon and it was still growling. Airi eventually regained her composure and the first thing to process in her mind was that Charmeleon is growling.
She misinterpreted the situation and thought that the useless Pokemon is still under her command and is growling at Ash.
She wanted to utilise the situation and ordered. "He hurt me, Charmeleon. Burn him, now." She ordered.
Ash didn't move. He just looks at Charmeleon in the eyes and moved out of the way.
Airi' eyes widened when seeing that Charmeleon didn't look at Ash when he moved. Instead Charmeleon was glaring at her with growling.
"What are you doing? Attack him." She shouted at the fire lizard who still didn't listen and Charmeleon moved closer to her and she almost screamed when seeing Charmeleon building up a flamethrower in his mouth, about to torch her.
The pain it gone through. And the truth was enough. Charmeleon isn't delusional. He knows the truth now.
However Ash crouched next to Charmeleon and said. "You don't want to badly injure her not kill her. Trust me, if you torch get with that flamethrower now, they'll never get the closure. The demons will haunt you forever. Trust me. I know. You don't want that guilt. You don't want to be like her." Ash said and Charmeleon hesitated and tears flowed down it's cheeks again. The flamethrower gut died down.
But Charmeleon didn't want to let her go that easily. And the only thing it did was jump up and slammed it's tail on to her cheek. Without hurting her permanently, Charmeleon managed to put it's full hatred on that slap as well.
That slap started a new chapter in it's life. And this horrible person just become it's former trainer.