I know it doesn't feel like it, but this chapter is the beginning of a new arc - a long arc, maybe too long, but I hope it won't bore you.
I actually like this chapter, it doesn't look like much, but I can use this really cool trick of using Pokémon-specific elements (the idea of letting go of one's Pokémon, which is really great because it can be just as much a renunciation as it is done for the good of the Pokémon) without taking my attention away from Ash and Serena - the whole point of having a human turned into a Pokémon! Not to mention the fact that I can better picture Ash's fears x).
Which oeillet will you choose?
Serena had spent the night at the Pokemon Center while her friends recovered from exhaustion. The main hall was quiet in the early morning, and Nurse Joy was enjoying a cup of coffee. Serena had found a quiet corner to clean the scales of the reptile. The soft cloth and cream the nurse had recommended worked wonders. Ash sat on the girl's lap and enjoyed the care. If he'd been reluctant at first, he soon got used to the closeness.
"Do you like it?"
The fake pokemon leaned back against the trainer's body, letting go for good. The coordinator took the opportunity to get a better look at her red monster. His features were more angular and harder than his previous form, and his claws had easily tripled in size. Not to mention that he weighed a lot more on her knees now.
"You're growing up too fast," Serena complained.
She glanced nervously at a boy in front of Joy's counter, probably for the fifth time. It wasn't the boy's green hair that caught her eye, although that was unusual, the real problem was that he had been staring at her for quite some time. Serena looked down and continued to tend to Charmeleon. She was probably imagining things; there was no reason for him to be interested in her.
Nevertheless, the young man finally approached. His wide red jacket with yellow piping moved to the rhythm of his footsteps. Serena looked around, wondering who he could be. He finally stopped in front of her, leaving her staring at the white t-shirt under his jacket.
"Can I help you?" Serena tried.
The boy hesitated, looking left and right, then finally bowed and asked:
"How did you tame your Charmeleon?"
Serena didn't understand and just looked at her pokemon. How? She'd never had to ask herself that question before.
"Well, we became friends when he was a charmander, and then he evolved..."
"And he didn't disobey you?" the boy asked.
The ringing of the Center bell and the voice of the nurse calling for the trainer saved the young girl. It didn't take long for Serena to understand why he was asking her all these questions: he, too, owned a charmeleon, and judging by the flamethrower attack he'd just thrown at him, their relationship wasn't at its best.
The fire pokémon soon noticed his namesake on Serena's lap and charged at him, ready to a fight. The trainer stopped him just in time and caught him in his arms. The pokemon struggled, and the unfortunate boy had to be careful not to get scratched. Serena noticed the bandages around his arms - he must have seen his pokemon attack many times before. Finally, he managed to get him into his pokeball and blew out a long breath.
"Please forgive me. Charmeleon has been out of control since he evolved. When I saw how you were taking care of yours, I thought you might be able to help me."
"Did you have a fight?"
"Not really, no. He listened to me perfectly when he was a Charmander, then in our first fight after he evolved, he completely ignored my commands. And that has been going on for some time now, even though all of my other pokemons listen to me."
Joy had approached the youngsters, thinking it would be a good idea to share some of her knowledge.
"There's nothing to worry about, Sil. It's pretty common among charmeleons, and you're obviously not the only one having trouble with them."
"But she does," the boy complained.
"I think that despite what she tells you, Serena had to work very hard to achieve such a result. I'm sure your feelings will eventually reach your pokemon, too," Joy reassured him.
"Is it common for charmeleons not to listen to their trainers?" asked Serena.
"Let's just say it's in their nature. They're known to be aggressive and violent. Some can even be cruel."
Serena looked down at her pokemon. She could hardly believe it. Her friend had always behaved in a benevolent manner, far from the description he was currently given.
"You're lucky he behaves so well with you," Sil sighed. "But you won't be able to help me if you've never had any problems with him."
"Sorry."
"Don't be. It's up to me to sort it out. Sorry again for the inconvenience," the trainer finished with a reassuring smile.
The nurse watched the boy leave, then turned to the trainer and asked:
"How's your leg?"
Serena shivered. At the moment, the nurse was smiling, but that woman could be terrifying. She still remembered last night when she'd just asked Joy if she had anything for the pain, shown her leg, and the woman had suddenly gone crazy. She'd brought her medical kit with her and hadn't hesitated to scold the Kalosian for entering the competition with such injuries.
"Much better," Serena replied, not hiding her fear of another reprimand.
But she wasn't very convincing, and even Charmeleon stared at her as if to tell her to stop lying.
"Remember to put on the cream I gave you," the nurse reminded her.
"Char," Ash agreed.
They got along well. In fact, ever since she'd been set straight by Joy, she'd had the impression that her pokemon felt a great deal of sympathy for the woman. So much so, in fact, that the nurse had no trouble taking care of him, even though the monster was not usually easy to handle.
"You're a nice pokemon," the nurse said, stroking his head.
Your colleagues didn't think so, Serena scolded.
"What's wrong?" the nurse didn't understand.
Serena shook her head vigorously. There was no problem! After all, she was always the one telling her fiery friend to stay calm when he was being treated. Still, seeing him get along so well with someone other than her made her a little... cranky.
"You must be something special for Charmeleon to be so gentle with you," Joy remarked.
"He's the one who's special," the young girl corrected. "Besides, I don't get the impression that he's mistreating you."
The nurse laughed, realizing how jealous the trainer was of her.
"But I don't think it's me he's trying to protect," she scoffed.
The young girl immediately thought back to what had happened at the power station and the way he had struggled during his fight with Macherie. But Serena couldn't help but think that her friend's behavior had something to do with the fact that he had been torn away from his family too soon. If he had been able to talk, to explain what had happened, she might have been able to help him find his family. Serena tucked the toiletries into her bag, put her hat back on her head, and beckoned the salamander to come with her. If she couldn't find Charmeleon's family, she would at least try to be a trainer he could count on.
The protective breeze that blew constantly over Verdanturf carried the sweet smell of fresh grass. Weathervanes in the shape of swellow bowed to the zephyr's whims, following the direction it indicated with their beaks. From time to time, a taillow would land on this inanimate friend, which would soon dislodge it by abruptly turning on itself.
"It's nice here," Serena rejoiced, stretching out her arms.
When she traveled with the others, they always had to hurry to reach their next destination, especially with Ash's temper. Now she could afford to stroll around, discovering the shops and activities that made small towns so charming. Shouts in the distance made her head spin. The many colorful cars separated her from two trainers engaged in a passionate fight. And it wasn't long before Serena recognized the famous Sil she'd met earlier. She had to wait for the red light to turn green on the opposite sidewalk before she could join them. The girl kept a close eye on her young pokemon, not wanting it to cross the street carelessly. But the reptile waited beside her, also keeping an eye on the roaring car.
By the time they reached the trainer, he had stopped the match before a winner had been declared. He yelled at his pokemon, the malice and helplessness he'd felt all along turning into uncontrollable rage.
"Stop doing as you please! I'm your trainer, you have to listen to me or we'll never get out of this!"
"Charmeleon!" the pokemon shouted back with a Flamethrower attack that the trainer narrowly avoided.
"Do that again and I swear I'll..."
"Calm down, both of you!" Serena interrupted.
She had stepped between the trainer and his pokemon, arms outstretched, hoping that would be enough to stop their fight. Ash had mimicked her, trying to reason with his fire-type counterpart to keep him from attacking Serena.
"That's enough," Sil breathed.
"Please don't say that. If you talk to each other, I'm sure things will work out in the end."
"I've already tried. I did everything I could to get him to accept me, but..."
Charmeleon had turned his head to the side, all the better to scorn his trainer. Ash couldn't help but think back to his own experiences. He wanted to do something to help them, but Sil had already taken out his pokeball. He called the pokemon back, only to release him again the next second.
"There, I set you free. Are you happy now?"
The fire pokemon didn't bother to answer and walked away without even looking back. Serena watched the scene without knowing what to say; it was the first time she'd ever seen a trainer release his pokemon in such a bad way. Ash suddenly spat his flames at Sil, startling the young girl. Smoke billowed from his nostrils as he bared his fangs.
"Charmeleon, stop!" the trainer ordered.
Ash continued to show his teeth, but he also knew that if he didn't control himself, he risked sending the young man to the hospital.
"Sil, it's not too late. I can help you find him if you want," the coordinator encouraged.
The boy shook his green hair, a few burnt strands falling to the ground. He dusted off his jacket and Bermuda shorts before heading off in the opposite direction of his pokemon.
"Sil! You're not seriously going to leave him, are you?"
"Don't generalize! It's obvious that you and your pokemon get along. I don't. It's visceral, it's uncontrollable, and even a pokeball can't make it go away. That's why the best solution is to separate before we hurt each other."
Serena didn't answer. But what about her? What would she have done if Charmeleon had hated her overnight? Would she have come to the same conclusion? The salamander grabbed the girl's boot. She looked down at him, her eyes glued to the departing trainer, who shrank further and further until he was a mere shadow in the midst of the others.
"It's almost noon. Let's get back to the center," she said.
Serena stirred the carrots on her plate, but didn't eat them. She couldn't stop thinking about it. Sil had waited, asked for advice, and only after careful consideration had he chosen this option. He had done it for the sake of his pokemon. No matter how many times she turned him around, she always came to the same conclusion: Sil wasn't a bad trainer. And if he wasn't bad, that meant it could happen to anyone, even her.
She turned her attention to the salamander eating right in front of her. She was lucky. Lucky that Charmeleon had a good temper, lucky that she hadn't done anything to disappoint him yet. The fork slipped from her hand and fell to the ground. Was she that desperate to ignore reality? She'd been playing the model trainer when her pokemon had run away after she'd lost the contest. He might have come back, but at that moment, when he was only a charmander, he had seriously considered leaving, never to see her again.
"Say Charmeleon," Serena began. The pokemon looked up at her. "Will you leave if I can't?"
Ash swallowed. He would have to go sometime. If he ever wanted to become a Pokemon Master, he'd have to leave her behind.
"Why don't you answer me?" moaned Serena.
The pokemon continued to eat, not even daring to look into her eyes. Serena shivered, feeling cold. She rubbed her arms to keep warm. She was next to a fire pokemon, and yet it was as if his heat avoided her. Why do you stay with me if you really want to leave, the coordinator saddened.
"Panch! Pancham!"
The panda had just jumped up on the table, pointing at the fire pokemon and talking to him at full speed. Serena guessed that her Kalos friend was trying to convince the reptile to stay with them. But Charmeleon only gave short answers and grunts, while Pancham grew louder and louder. Serena was worried; the fire reptile was trying to stay calm, but with his tail whipping through the air and the ambient temperature rising, he wouldn't last long. Braixen and Sylveon arrived as reinforcements, hoping to calm the fighting pokemon, but nothing helped.
"Cham! Panch..."
"Charme!" the pokemon shouted.
Ash had slammed his fist into the plate, shattering it. He looked down at his hand, seeing the pearly pieces stuck to his scales.
"You didn't hurt yourself?!" the trainer panicked, grabbing his paw.
She was relieved to see that his scales had protected him perfectly. Pancham had remained silent, not thinking that his words would upset the former human so much. Serena took her friend in her arms and stroked the fur on his head to comfort him.
"I know you're upset about me, but I don't want you to say mean things to Charmeleon. Even less for you to fight because of me."
"Pancha," the pokemon nodded.
"Why don't we all train together? It'll do us good. Especially since Plusle and Minun have to make their debut at the next tournament."
The two mimed a military salute before rushing outside to begin working on their routines. Ash, for his part, had left the field to sit on the grass. To forget what had just happened, he went back to his personal training: using his reptilian nose properly. At first, he'd made the mistake of simply sniffing the air, which meant that although he could smell better than a human, he was much less good at it than other pokemons. Recently, however, he had discovered that when he opened his mouth and placed his tongue against the roof of his mouth, he became sensitive to the slightest scent and was able to distinguish it accurately.
Instinctively, he searched for this Charmeleon's scent, as if he would return to the center. Of course, the scent was nowhere to be found, except for the vague traces left from this morning. Ash sighed. Seeing this abandonment had only increased Serena's worries about him, and the panda's admonitions hadn't helped. Maybe it would be better to explain who he was and then convince her that he'd be fine on his own.
"Well done, both of you!" the trainer congratulated.
The little pokemons smiled as she stroked their heads. Ash looked at her, always worrying too much and getting herself into impossible situations. If he left, even after explaining it to her, who knew what would happen to the girl. Ash imagined all the dangers she could face: angry wild pokemons, Team Aqua, Brice... Well, maybe not Brice. The shapeshifter slapped his big paws against his cheeks, a little too hard considering the intense pain he was feeling. Charmeleon hands are really muscular, he groaned inwardly. Pancham had approached, waddling on the spot, paws crossed behind his back without daring to lunge.
"Sorry for getting on your nerves earlier," he finally said, blushing.
Ash noticed that he wasn't quite finished yet.
"But..." the shapeshifter encouraged.
"If you go, Serena will be sad! Even back when you were a Charmander, she was completely desperate. If you leave for good, then..."
"As long as she's with you, everything will be okay. You'll know how to comfort her."
"Serena needs you too!" the panda cried.
"You said that before," Ash sighed. "Serena's strong, she'll be able to take care of herself."
"That doesn't change the fact that she cares about you."
It took Ash a while to answer, but finally he shook his head and said:
"I don't want to be a pokemon for the rest of my life, and I don't want to bother Serena with my problems. That's why I have to leave soon."
"Ash... Do you care about Serena?"
It wasn't a question the former boy had the right to answer with his hollow phrases that were meant to calm others but meant nothing. The reptile's tail hit the ground in a steady rhythm, of course he cared about her. Serena was his precious friend and... Ash's attention was drawn to the trainer doing a strange dance under a tree. Intrigued, he left Pancham to take a closer look. He soon realized that the large, uncoordinated arm movements were no new choreography when he noticed the shadow of a pokemon in the tree and heard Serena scream:
"Give me back my bag!"
Ash grinned; it must have been an aipom playing a trick on her. The pokemon frowned as he got a better look at the thief: it wasn't an aipom, it was much bigger, and most importantly... it took off without a second thought. A zangoose is much more dangerous than an aipom, he panicked.
Serena didn't care about the menacing red eyes of the white-coated pokemon. Her change of clothes, brush, medicine, poke puffs, and most importantly, her ribbon box were all in her bag, so leaving them was out of the question. Zangoose wiggled his ear, then quickly rummaged through the bag, knocking off the girl's pajamas in the process.
"I did the laundry yesterday," she complained.
The two rabbits on her shoulders were only waiting for her command to climb the tree and retrieve the stolen goods, but the trainer quickly dissuaded them:
"There's no point in fighting unnecessarily and risking injury. Let's try diplomacy," she finished with a wink.
The pokemon found the sweet-smelling basket and was delighted to discover the cakes inside. He plunged his hand in and didn't hesitate to devour the contents. When he finished, he wiped the few crumbs that had stuck to his fur with the back of his long black claw.
"Now that you're full, will you give it back to me?" Serena asked.
Zangoose wiggled his red ear and stood up on his hind legs, still balanced on the branch. This gave the young girl a better view of the red fur that marked his cheek and belly like scars. Serena took a step back, as this pokemon clearly showed her a threatening face.
"Charme!" she heard behind her.
The trainer turned around, her fire pokemon facing her, his expression unmistakable. He wasn't going to attack her ?! Why would he... The pokemon leapt into the air, his claws glinting in the sunlight. Serena screamed, convinced the blow was meant for her. She soon realized her mistake when she opened her eyes and looked up.
Zangoose had leapt from his tree, and his claws had collided with Charmeleon's. The two pokemons fell to the ground without losing contact. Now, palm to palm, they were engaged in a fierce battle to see who would retreat first. Serena had barely recovered from her emotion when she noticed her friend's face. Anger, even rage, was distorting his features. The two pokemons drew away from each other, ready to launch their next attack. The fire pokemon's paws rivaled Zangoose's, and he didn't hesitate to swing his tail in an attempt to knock his opponent down. His current fighting style was very different from what he'd shown in the contest. Violent, savage, that was the best way to describe this confrontation. Serena couldn't understand why Charmeleon was so angry, especially since he must have known the danger this species posed, given his reaction time. Are they the reason you lost your family? Is that why you're so angry?
Serena was wrong. Ash was angry, but not for the reasons she'd given. It was much simpler: Zangoose wanted to hurt Serena, Ash wouldn't let him. In the heat of the moment, his thought hadn't gone any further, and he himself didn't realize the state the idea had put him in.
The temperature rose, his flame crackled, his fangs covered in flame. Zangoose swallowed; he wasn't used to running, but he hesitated to continue this fight. The white pokemon pulled himself together, ruffling his fur to make himself more imposing. However, the claws that narrowly missed turning him into a one-eyed decided him to retreat.
The trainer wanted to thank her pokemon, but given her friend's condition, she feared she might accidentally get clawed herself. Nevertheless, she mustered the courage to call out to the red pokemon. When he turned around, Serena expected his hateful gaze to fall on her, but it didn't. It was as if he had calmed down immediately upon seeing her. Well, she was probably a little too optimistic, because the pokemon bared his teeth as he pointed at her.
"Charmele, Charmele!" he roared.
He continued his monologue, which the trainer obviously couldn't understand.
"Are you scolding me?" she asked, unsure of herself.
"Mel!" irritated the pokemon, as if it were self-evident.
The young girl continued to watch the monster wave in all directions, especially the tail, which no longer followed a logical trajectory. Were you mad because I almost got hurt? the trainer wondered. She was suddenly seized by an uncontrollable fit of giggling. Ash stopped talking, unable to understand what was suddenly happening to her.
"Sorry, I know you're serious, but..."
She laughed again and Ash looked at her. He felt his cheeks heat up from staring at her and hurried to turn his head away, lest it get worse. Pancham approached with his villainous grin and a leaf between his teeth. He nudged the reptile and muttered a few words. The fire pokemon stopped, looked at the panda, then at his trainer. Finally, he grabbed his head between his hands and yelled in annoyance.
"What did he say to him?" Serena asked her other pokemon friends.
Braixen just shrugged with a small sigh, while Sylveon tilted her head to the side with a wide, knowing smile.
"You know I can't understand what you're saying, and you're taking advantage of me," the young girl complained.
"Sylv," the fairy type reassured, wrapping one of her ribbons around the trainer's arm.
Ash had had enough. Serena was his friend, nothing more. He felt nothing more! But right now he wasn't completely convinced of this paradigm. He needed to distract himself, and there was only one way to do it. He waved his paw, inviting Pancham to join him.
"Are you sure? You just fought."
"Pancha!" the little pokemon accepted.
Ash dodged without thinking of a counterattack or a strategy to win. I can't leave her alone, he repeated to himself for the third time. He narrowly avoided a Dark Pulse attack and countered with Flamethrower. Why was he so afraid of leaving her? After all, he wasn't worried about his other friends, and Serena still knew how to defend herself, even if she had given him quite a scare this time. He electrified his fists and launched himself into hand-to-hand combat with the fighting type. Why was he so worried now, when without this metamorphosis, he would have continued his journey without a thought for the girl. The Arm Thrust attack interrupted his train of thought. His cheeks were already sore, and the pokemon's blow didn't help.
"It's rare that you don't concentrate during a fight," Serena remarked.
"Charme..."
The afternoon passed quietly to the rhythm of battle simulations and the execution of new performances. It was already dark when they finally stopped. Serena drew her last breath, exhausted from the intense hours. She went up to her room to take a shower, leaving her pokemons to eat. When she came back downstairs, she noticed that one of her monsters was missing. She rushed outside, convinced that what had happened to the fellow monster earlier had caused him to leave. Serena was reassured to see him sitting on the steps. He was staring off into the distance, oblivious to his surroundings.
The trainer was sure that he was thinking about the moment when he would leave her. Serena thought about returning to the Center. If her friend was so anxious to leave, she had to respect him. She clenched her fist and commanded herself to leave him, telling herself that one day he would react like the other Charmeleon. But the trainer didn't go home, despite all the curses she hurled at herself. She walked over to her pokemon and sat down right next to him. Ash looked up at her, surprised to see her there.
"With your new power, you must want a trainer to match it," Serena muttered, clasping her hands over her dress.
"Mel, charm!" the pokemon refused.
"Don't try to comfort me if you're going to leave afterwards," the young girl replied.
The situation was much more complicated than the trainer had thought. This time, Ash was motivated to tell her the truth. If he wanted to leave her without hurting her feelings, he had no choice. He was ready to start miming or even call Birch if she didn't understand.
"I'll do everything I can not to disappoint you," she decreed, looking him in the eye.
Her determination cut the former human off. He opened and closed his mouth without making a sound. Why did she care about him so much?
"Then stay with me. And if you don't think I'm worthy of you despite all my efforts, then you can leave. But at least give me a chance to prove to you that I'm capable of being your trainer!"
She said these last words with a strong, confident voice. But under the glow of his flame, he could see the tremors running through his friend. Ash stood and extended his paw, inviting the coordinator to join the others.
The former human turned his back to the young girl sleeping beside him. The blankets covered his head like an impenetrable barrier. He opened his mouth, his tongue bringing the molecules to his palate to reveal a new world. The objects bore the imprint of the trainers who had stayed here during the week. The sheets, on the other hand, were new, and as the chemical scent of the detergent faded, the silk became impregnated with the perfume of the young woman.
Ash quickly closed his mouth and moved away from his friend's body. The idea of sleeping on the floor was tempting at the moment.
"Don't... let... don't... me..." he heard murmuring.
The girl was talking in her sleep, and even Ash could understand what she was dreaming. He rolled onto his back and stretched out his red hands. His long claws could tear her apart at any moment, his flames, his jaws, his whole body was capable of hurting her. And yet she slept peacefully beside him, her only fear being that he would disappear the moment she opened her eyes.
You keep coming closer to me when you know I'm going to hurt you in the end... He had definitely turned back to his trainer and brought his face closer. Just a little longer. I'll stay a little longer. The boy's face burned slightly, as if he could feel the shape of the mask on his face as he pressed his forehead against Serena's.