The tournesol follows the sunlight

The cries of the pokemons crackled on all sides. The rustle of wings, the scratching, the screeching, the invisible life signaled its presence. The trio followed the path that wisely wound through the forest until it split into two distinct directions.

"Which way shall we go?" Serena asked her friend.

"The one to the right. The other leads to Oldale Town."

Ash stiffened. He had to go there if he wanted to reach Professor Edivo and Pikachu. The two friends had already started down the path that led to Petalburg City, but they quickly stopped when they noticed that their new friend was not following them.

"Hurry up, Charmander! If not, we will leave without you!" shouted May.

But the pokémon remained motionless, only his eyes darting from one path to the other. Eventually, he closed his eyes, as if concentrating on the most important decision of his life. When he finally lifted his eyelids, he shook his head negatively and led the way to Oldale Town. The two trainers quickly understood that he had decided to follow his own path. May told the salamander to be careful with a sad little smile. Ash let his gaze linger on his Kalos friend before he waved goodbye and took the left path. Serena continued to look in his direction even after he was gone, a look of distress distorting her features. May tried to cheer her up:

"He's a wild pokémon, it's normal for him to choose where he goes."

"What if he gets hurt again?"

"Don't worry, I'm sure he's gone to a safe place with his pokémon friends."

Serena put her hand to her chest. She had just met this pokemon, and yet she couldn't help but worry about him. Eventually, she decided to look away and think about where she was going.

"I'm in a hurry to see your city!" she said, trying to stop thinking about the little pokémon.

I felt increasingly tired due to my short legs and the hunger that made my stomach growl. I had not eaten this morning, and the poké puff Serena had offered me, though delicious, was not a real meal. The gravel on the ground was hurting my feet, while the treacherous blackberry bushes were having fun biting my short legs. I was really tired of this form! I stopped at a waterhole and started drinking to refresh myself and fill my empty stomach. When I finished, I could see me in the smooth surface of the water. My reptilian face, orange hue, and small fangs gave no hint of my former appearance. Only my eyes still seemed a little human... and even then, they looked more like growlithe eyes. I was angry at myself for wanting to follow her. To think that I had so much faith in her when she left... but I couldn't let her go.

I slapped the surface of the water in anger. What was I thinking? In my human form, I could have really helped her, but in this weak form, what could I hope for! I had only been a nuisance and would continue to be so... So I had done well to leave!

At that thought, however, I could not prevent my certainties from wavering. I sighed, tired of thinking so much. I had better get to Pikachu as soon as possible.

Suddenly, a scream broke the silence of the forest. My blood ran cold as I recognized Serena's voice. I ran to the source of the sound. The air burned my lungs and my muscles seemed to tear with every movement. I stumbled, hurting myself on thorns, scraping against branches. Faster! I had to go faster!

Finally I found her, hanging in a net next to May. Just below me, a man of imposing size and spiky hair, accompanied by a cacturne, was picking up the capsules that had fallen to the ground and putting them in his pocket. I knew they were my friends' pokéballs the moment he got into his Jeep. I instinctively yelled, and he turned to me and smiled. The man got out quietly, followed by his cacturne, saying in a gruff tone:

"I'm in no hurry, and you are a rare pokémon in this region. You will be a nice bonus!"

I could hear Serena and May begging me to run, but leaving them behind was out of the question. I used Ember, or at least I wanted to, but nothing came out of my throat. How was I supposed to start an attack, again? If my first plan didn't work, I had to move on to the next option! I rushed in their direction to free them, but cacturne intervened. He linked his paws in front of him to make sharp spikes appear, and I stepped back at the last moment to avoid impaling myself on the trap. He understood my intentions and prevented me from approaching. I glanced at Serena, she seemed worried and was talking to May in a low voice, probably trying to find a way to escape.

They didn't have to worry, I was going to get rid of this scarecrow and save them! At least, that's what I thought, but the opposing pokémon quickly brought me back to reality with Pin Missile. The countless spikes that split the air left me with no way out. I took the attack with all my might and rolled on the ground, the little spikes sinking deeper into my flesh. Damn it! How did pokemons get up after such painful blows? The spikes had finally disappeared, allowing me to move freely again. But the pokemon hunter was already on my level and grabbed my neck. I fought hard and managed to bite his hand. Under the pain, he threw me violently, sending me flying into the air. I could feel the blood burning in my veins, this was my chance! Still in the air, I threw flames at the nets. The explosion came at the same time as I crashed to the ground. The hunter shouted angrily:

"You will pay for this! Cacturne, finish him off with Shadow Ball!"

I saw the dark ball hurtling toward me as I was unable to move. Suddenly I felt myself being lifted up and the attack passed me by. I looked up at my savior and met her clear blue eyes.

"Are you okay?" she asked me while I was still in her arms.

"Char..." I answered with difficulty to calm her.

Cacturne threw another Pin Missile, but Serena managed to dodge it and take cover behind a tree. I had to find a solution to divert the thug's attention.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you," Serena said confidently.

I suddenly remembered one of our discussions... No experience is useless, isn't it? Even as a pokemon, I was still Ash! I only hoped that my new body would not betray me this time. I freed myself from Serena's embrace and launched another Ember attack, which the hunter and cacturne easily dodged.

"Learn to aim if you want to stop us!"

"Charmander!" I replied with a smile as another swarm of dustox came out of the woods and attacked the bandit and his ally.

May took advantage of the distraction to retrieve the pokéballs. She called her Venusaur to the rescue, and he used a powerful Frenzy Plant to blast the enemies into the air. I smiled, finally being able to do something in this form.

"Charmander? Charmander, are you okay?"

Why was Serena looking at me like that? I felt... it wasn't straight, the trees weren't straight, they bent, turned on themselves...

"Charmander! Look at me!"

I looked up. The features of his face were also distorted. My head... why was the sunlight so strong?

"He must be exhausted. My town is not far away, we can treat him at the Pokemon Center."

May's voice sounded distant, like an echo bouncing around in my head, making me dizzy. And then there was this constant background noise, so loud that it wouldn't stop, and... Huh? Wouldn't that be... That horrible noise, would that be... my breathing?

"It's going to be okay," Serena whispered.

What were you doing? I could see her crouching, her movements slow, almost broken, like a robot with badly oiled joints. I remained motionless, unable to escape the arms that encircled my body. I was in pain, there were still spikes in my skin, my legs burned, my lungs were too heavy...

"I'll carry him until we get there. Charmander, try to hold on until then!"

She stroked my head and I wanted to close my eyes, to calm the pain that was burning my retinas. Serena's voice was now a mixture of distorted sounds. What was happening to me? I felt so bad. The world around me was spinning out of control and... One last hope. Sharp, steady, fast. I had to focus on it, not lose it, keep listening to it... that warm, soft sound that was beating against me.

A wurmple was struggling to get a hold of an appetizing leaf. It had been bathed in the soft light of the morning sun, no doubt that it would be a delicacy. Movement below drew his attention, distracting him from his primary objective. But it was better to make sure it was not a rival trying to steal his food. He was immediately reassured when he saw two bipeds running along the path. He watched them for a moment, humans were always too much in a hurry for his taste. He did not linger any longer and grabbed his food.

May followed her friend closely, there was no doubt that running on the road would increase the endurance of the trainers. Still, Petalburg City was still a good distance away, and Serena's increasingly loud breathing encouraged her to stop. Her companion did the same, giving her a questioning look.

"Let me take over, you must be tired too," the coordinator said.

Serena accepted, but when May tried to grab him, she had to quickly pull her hand back to avoid being bitten.

"Why did you do that?" Serena asked, surprised at her charge's behavior.

Ash was also surprised by this purely instinctive reaction and was even more surprised when he noticed that his claws were tightening on his friend's dress.

"It seems he prefers to stay in your arms," May laughed, not in the least upset by Charmander's rejection.

Serena didn't believe her at first, but seeing the little pokemon snuggle up to her warmed her heart without her understanding why.

Petalburg City was finally visible, many buildings breaking the uniformity of the vegetation here and there. The two trainers didn't waste any time looking around the small town, and immediately went to the Pokémon Center. Nurse Joy quickly tended to the injured pokemon, and less than an hour later, the fire pokemon was back, sitting comfortably on his stretcher.

"Charmander's fine now," the nurse smiled. "But I'm still a little surprised..."

"What do you mean?" asked May.

Serena had already taken the little pokémon in her arms and was waiting for Joy to explain.

"Well, Charmander seems too young to be living alone. Normally, charmanders live with their parents for a few years before they become independent, but this one..."

"Do you think something bad happened to his family?"

"I can't say for sure," the nurse sighed.

Serena looked down at the pokemon still in her arms. She'd found him injured and alone, who knows what he'd been through.

"I wonder if he thinks you're his mother," Joy said suddenly.

"What?" exclaimed Serena, mimicking the shapeshifter's cry.

"I had all the trouble in the world taking care of him because he fought when I handled him. Even Chansey had trouble calming him."

Ash looked away. It was not pleasant to be touched all over while naked, especially since he was human at the beginning. And even though he knew that the caretaker would never hurt him, he didn't feel safe. He could see the world from below now, and everything around him seemed gigantic. You couldn't blame him for being suspicious...

"It's true that he wouldn't let me carry him either," May remarked, "but with you he lets himself go."

"What do you think, Serena?" asked Joy.

"What do I think?" the Kalosian didn't immediately understand.

"The birth of this pokemon must not be very long ago. He has difficulty controlling his movements and is not very resilient. Perhaps staying with you for a while will help him become more resistant, especially since he seems to like you."

Serena didn't answer. Could she handle such a young pokemon? She was having a hard time with it herself. Joy noticed the girl's indecision and hurried to add:

"It's true that taking care of such a young charmander is quite a burden. If you prefer, I can keep him in the center."

Ash was demoralized by these words, but he couldn't prove her wrong that he wasn't very useful in this form.

"I don't see him as a burden. He helped us despite the danger, he didn't give up. He may be weak now, but I think he has all the qualities to become stronger," Serena defended him, stroking his head.

Ash felt refreshed. He found it incredible that even in his charmander form, and without her knowing his identity, Serena was able to cheer him up and give him back his confidence.

"So, you're okay with..." May guessed.

"I'm not sure I'm up to it," Serena quickly cut her off.

"Don't worry, you still have time. If you really don't feel up to it, you can come back and give it to me," Joy reassured her.

"Well, while we're waiting for you to decide, and since Charmander's cured, let's go to my place," May suggested.

She glanced at the salamander, implying that the invitation was not just for the Kalosian.

"With pleasure!" replied Serena.

"Cha!"

A short distance from the city, a house stood out from the surrounding architecture. With its large blue-tiled roof protruding from the walls and its golden pediment, the building could almost be mistaken for a temple. Serena could not hold back a gasp of surprise at this immense residence. She had not expected her friend's family to live in such a luxurious place. The Kalosian panicked, could she really show up in her dusty, muddy outfit? Noticing the girl's discomfort, May quickly offered an explanation:

"Actually, part of it is my dad's gym, we live right above it."

"Your dad runs a gym!?" cried Serena, more and more surprised.

"Yes, and he is quite famous in the region," the trainer praised. "He must still be in the battle zone, I can introduce him to you."

Once inside, Serena discovered a large dojo, the wooden floor of which was so well polished that she could see her reflection in it. At the back of the room, a man was kneeling with his eyes closed, deep in meditation. Eventually, he rose to greet his visitors. The middle-aged leader wore a stern face. But when he saw his daughter, his expression changed to a smile.

"Did your visit with Professor Birch go well?

"There were some inconveniences, but I've seen worse. And then I must introduce you to Serena: a talented trainer from Kalos," May said, turning to the girl who had stayed behind.

"I am Norman. Did you come to this gym to challenge me?" the champion exclaimed at the sight of this new challenge.

Serena rushed to clear up the misunderstanding:

"No! I want to be a coordinator. And anyway, I don't have a high enough level to do gym battles."

"Stop belittling yourself all the time!" the coordinator said gently, then added: "How about taking me on?"

"What? No, I can't... I'm not..." Serena stammered in panic.

"I remind you that there are fights during contests. Fighting May will give you a good experience," Norman said.

"Charman, Charmander!" echoed the pokemon at her feet.

"Do you think I can do it?"

"Cha!" Ash nodded with conviction.

With this encouragement, the performer accepted the proposal. Norman lent them the field and went to sit with Charmander on a bench normally reserved for spectators. When Ash sat down next to him, the champion couldn't help but be intrigued by the pokemon.

"Serena, does this charmander belong to you?"

"No, he is a wild pokémon that I met on the road with May, and he followed us after we helped him."

The champion crossed his arms and continued to stare at the little monster, who felt increasingly uncomfortable and tried desperately to escape the inquisitive gaze. There's no way he recognizes me... I hope, Ash worried. Norman finally averted his gaze and turned his attention back to the fight that would take place in a few seconds. Indeed, Braixen and Blaziken stood face to face, waiting for the order from their respective trainers.

"Braixen, use Scratch!"

"Stop him with Sky Uppercut!"

Blaziken found himself directly in front of Braixen, and the vixen didn't have time to protect herself, taking the attack with full force. She flew several meters before crashing to the ground.

"Blaziken, continue with Overheat!"

A powerful jet of fire erupted from the fighter's mouth. Serena stood in awe for a few moments before this attack, as beautiful as it was powerful. How much time and work had it taken to achieve such a result?

"Counter with Fire Blast!"

The two attacks met in a glittering explosion, creating a cloud of smoke. May watched the show, sensing the performer's experience in embellishing an attack... a mischievous smile came to her lips as she gave a silent command to her partner.

"Cha!" the spectator shouted to warn his friend.

Serena didn't have time to understand as Blaziken came out of the smoke and found herself right in front of Braixen.

"Blaze Kick!"

The attack hit the vixen, who found herself spread out on the ground.

"So, what do you think of my pokémon?" asked May, proud of her fiery monster.

He jumped in place, flames spurting from his wrists, a sign that he was ready for another attack. Serena had to admit it, whether it was speed or power, he was far superior to her pokemons.

"Braixen, don't give up and use Flamethrower!" encouraged Serena as her friend struggled to his feet.

"Let's finish with Blaze Kick!" yelled May as Blaziken dodged the burning attack while setting his foot on fire.

Serena didn't even have time to make another move as Braixen collapsed from the fight. The artist called her Pokemon back and thanked her for her efforts, but this confrontation had shown her the difference in level that separated her from the other trainers. Her fears, far from dissipating, were reinforced. Her pokémon did not have the level to compete.

"Charman!" she heard.

The little cry snapped her out of her thoughts and she looked down to see Charmander. Even though he couldn't speak, she understood that he was trying to encourage her. She crouched down to his level and stroked his head in thanks.

"Do you want to fight as a team with Serena?" Norman suddenly asked the small pokemon.

The salamander shook his head vigorously to show his agreement.

"Wait a minute, you two!" Serena suddenly exclaimed. "Charmander is too young to fight Blaziken, and he was injured recently."

"But he's recovered now, and a pokémon can only get stronger by fighting," the gym leader replied.

"Cha!" the small pokémon confirmed.

"If you say so..." Serena sighed, not daring to contradict the imposing champion. "But, do you really want to fight with me, Charmander?"

Ash did not understand what was going through his mind. He knew Blaziken's strength, and with all his experience as a trainer, he knew he could never defeat him. It was clear, obvious, that he would just take the blows without being able to do anything, being in pain and finding himself back in the hands of Nurse Joy. For all these reasons, and because he did not want to suffer, the shifter should have calmed his fervor quickly. Still, he wanted to help Serena and also... he had a feeling that she wouldn't let him get hurt.

"Can I trust you? " he asked in his pokemon language.

Serena crouched down to get a better look at the little creature. He was young, full of energy, and unable to gauge the distance between him and Blaziken. But when she saw that determined look that reminded her of a certain trainer...

"May, would you accept a second match?" Serena asked, turning to her friend.

"I don't mind a second game, but I'm not sure if Charmander..." she stopped when she noticed the discreet sign her father was making and quickly understood what he was getting at. "No problem!" the coordinator finally agreed, followed by the motivated cry of her pokemon.

The two monsters took their places, and the first order was not long in coming.

"Blaziken, Sky Uppercut!"

"Dodge Charmander!" Serena shouted, hoping to limit the damage.

Thanks to his small size, Ash managed to dodge his opponent's fist. Considering the disparity in power, he would not be able to defeat him by sheer force, but at least he could control his movements and his tail. Blaziken threw punches while the shapeshifter ran and jumped in all directions, sometimes finding himself in completely absurd positions. Ash slipped and fell to the ground, a perfect target for May's pokemon, but it missed. The boy stared in horror at the cracked arena floor right next to his skull. If he had taken the attack... well, why didn't he take it directly?

"Don't tell me you and Blaziken were faking it," a distraught Serena stammered.

May scratched her head before clasping her hands in apology.

"If we fought seriously, it would be too dangerous," May explained.

The Kalosian could not prove her friend wrong, but she could see Charmander's pained face. He was unconsciously scratching at the floor, his tail having landed on the slats. He had had so much trouble holding his ground against his opponent, only to find out that he was sparing him. Serena could understand the pokemon's frustration. She herself had naively believed that Charmander was special, that their duo was special, when she had only known him for a short time. The pokémon came back to her, fists clenched, face down. He didn't dare look her in the eyes because of the shame he felt. Are you sad because you were underestimated or...

"Mander!" the salamander suddenly shouted, raising its head.

Serena brought her hand close to her band. The little reptile didn't want the fight to end. Why do you want to win so badly? Serena asked herself, unable to resist the monster's glowing eyes.

"I don't want him to get hurt either," Serena began, "but Charmander has put all his energy into this battle and... I want to give it all at his side!"

May didn't know what to do, she silently called out to her father for help, but he just crossed his arms. It was up to her to make the decision. Serena and Charmander wanted a real fight, they even needed one. But if she let herself be persuaded, they would all regret it.

"You must not be influenced. A good trainer must respect the will of his pokemon, but he must also set limits," she decided.

But Ash had an idea, he looked at his friend and showed that he wanted to start an attack. Serena understood immediately, and even though she knew there was little chance of winning, she felt safe at Charmander's side.

"Ember!"

The orange pokemon did so immediately, except that he only spat out a few drops of saliva.

"That's really not a good idea," May confirmed.

"Try it again," the girl continued.

This time he managed a decent attack, although Blaziken had no trouble dodging.

"Stop being so stubborn, both of you," May complained.

"If you don't want to fight seriously, we'll have to force you to."

"You leave me no choice. Blaziken, end this fight with Blaze Kick!"

The pokemon leapt into the air. He clearly limited his flames, but at least this time he intended to hit the reptile. Just as he was about to strike, Ash dodged the attack and used his tail to knock Blaziken off balance. The fighter was unable to regain his balance as he landed and fell to the ground. May didn't even have time to call out her pokemon's name before Serena gave another order. Ash wasted no time and managed to hit Blaziken with his claws. Of course, the blaze pokémon barely felt the attack, but May had not seen it coming.

"How could they coordinate so quickly?" she stammered.

Now Ash and Serena wore the same defiant smile. May clenched her fist, feeling that if she did not fight seriously, she would lose this battle. However, the coordinator quickly came to her senses. Her opponent had only made a weak attack, and that was enough to make her question her judgment. She should have no doubt, Charmander had no chance against her pokemon. But I'm not just fighting Charmander, May reminded herself. She stared at the blue-eyed girl for a moment, it was a strange feeling, a blurred certainty that arose in the Blaziken trainer's mind: he needs Serena to get ahead.

Ash only waited for another order to attack again, but it was a much deeper voice he heard.

"That's enough," Norman stopped them, placing himself between the two pokemons.

In front of his imposing presence, the fighters had no choice but to accept. Charmander hurried back to his friend with a smile on his face.

"You were amazing!" complimented Serena.

"It's the fact that you were able to fight with such great harmony while only knowing each other for a short time that is incredible," Norman said as he approached the teammates.

"It was a stroke of luck," Serena tried, a little embarrassed.

"I don't think so. You already seem to have a great deal of trust in each other, without forgetting that Charmander has a good fighting instinct. I have no doubt that he will be a great help to you in your fights," the gym leader explained.

"I agree with Dad! However, I have a feeling that Charmander is more suited for gym fights than contests."

"Don't worry, I'm sure he'll be fine with a little training!"

Ash stared at her words, did this mean that she...

"What do you think? Do you want to come with me and take part in the pokémon contests?" she asked him.

No doubt, she was determined to capture him. As a human, he had to prevent that from happening. Accepting to be captured meant accepting to be bound to the girl, to follow her to the end. Except that he wanted to leave as soon as his friend regained her trust. He could not become her pokémon! Confident in his decision, he lifted his head, drowning in Serena's irises. Why am I hesitating? The memory of the airport came to tease him, as if it were on his lips, preventing him from expressing himself.

"You make a funny head," Serena remarked.

"Cha, Charmander, Charmander! Cha!" said the boy in a hurry.

"I can't really understand you, you know," Serena explained.

In fact, even Ash didn't understand his own words because they were so confusing. He didn't want to understand, let alone admit what he was feeling right now. He had to leave, get away from her as fast as possible, before... I can still help her to the contests, to make sure she'll be okay, he heard a part of him whisper. Besides, it'll be more convenient if I officially become her pokémon for a while, he told himself as he tried to ignore the wind of happiness rising in his small chest.

Serena had pulled out a pokéball, and when she saw that he didn't move, she gently placed it against the pokémon's head. The ball moved three times in the trainer's hands before stopping with a small ding accompanied by a few stars.

"Tadam! I've captured Charmander!" she exclaimed happily.

The trainer quickly put the orb back into her pocket, so she didn't notice that the button on the front of the capsule had started blinking again. The light alternated between blue, yellow, and green before returning to its usual red and disappeared, leaving no trace of the malfunction.

After the grueling battle, the two trainers returned to the Pokémon Center for a break. As soon as Serena got her new pokémon, she rushed to introduce him to the rest of her team. As usual, her old partners were all smiles, happy to have a new companion. But something was wrong, their faces fell when the little salamander began to speak. Incomprehension, fear, astonishment and curiosity were all mixed on their faces, without the trainer understanding the reason. Ash, after removing the paws and ribbons that touched his face, hastened to ask them to keep his identity a secret. This was a good idea, as Serena was quick to question them about the sudden excitement. Of course, everyone feigned innocence and incomprehension. The girl frowned. She knew them well enough to know that they were hiding something. She didn't question them any further, but promised herself that she would get to the bottom of it.

"Well, it's time to get back to your pokéballs," Serena said.

When it was Charmander's turn, he nimbly dodged the red ray that was supposed to return him to his ball under Serena's surprised look. Ash understood his Pikachu better: the balls, though comfortable, remained capsules far too narrow for his taste. When his trainer finally managed to get him inside, he immediately emerged from his prison.

"Charmander..." Serena sighed at the little monster's stubbornness.

He gave her a dejected look that made her hesitate. She felt she could hardly resist those big brown irises.

"Maybe he doesn't like to stay in his pokéball. I knew a pokémon that never wanted to get inside it and always traveled on its trainer's shoulder," May interjected.

"That's right, I knew a Pikachu like that too," Serena confirmed.

"And this trainer, did he want to become a Pokemon Master?"

"Uh... yes. And he was from Kanto," Serena continued, surprised that her friend had guessed so well, but beginning to understand.

"From Pallet Town..."

"Ash!" they shouted together.

The two trainers stared at each other, amazed that the world could be so small.

"Do you know him?" Serena asked in amazement.

"Of course, I've been with him all over Hoenn."

"And I've been all over Kalos."

"May, your mother is expecting you for dinner," Norman interrupted.

The two trainers and the pokemon gasped. They had all nearly had heart attacks from the sudden appearance.

"You came all the way to the center to tell me that!"

"It's important for a trainer to have a healthy lifestyle," the gym leader replied simply. "If you want to join us Serena, you are welcome."

"I don't want to bother you!"

"Don't worry about it. And I want to hear from Ash!" May said, forcing Serena to follow her out of the center.