With Courage I Will Face
Arc V: Green, Red & Blue
Chapter Twenty-Three: Charmander's Rock
"Now, use Fire Spin, Ponyta!" Garret commanded.
His Ponyta shot a spiraling red-orange fire from its mouth that enveloped Ash's Bulbasaur and locked it briefly in place as it burned.
"Tackle it!" Ash called back.
Bulbasaur charged forward the moment it was no longer inhibited by the swirling vortex of flames.
"Reflect!" Garret said suddenly, much to Ash's surprise.
Suddenly before Ponyta erupted a square, rainbow colored barrier twice as wide as Ponyta itself. Bulbasaur slammed into the barrier at full speed and although Ponyta winced, it remained largely unaffected from behind Reflect.
"Sleep Powder!" Ash called suddenly.
Now it was Garret's turn to be surprised as Bulbasaur released a fine powder from its bulb that easily maneuvered around the barrier and made its way to Ponyta. The Fire Horse Pokemon quickly succumbed to the effects and slumped down, having fallen asleep.
"Now, Vine Whip! Don't let up on that Reflect!" Ash called.
Bulbasaur grunted, determined to pull through. It was a war of attrition now. There was hardly a way for Bulbasaur to attack around the Reflect; it was a move dedicated to blocking physical threats, and Bulbasaur didn't know any special attacks to target Ponyta around Reflect. No matter the angle, Reflect would effectively half the damage until it wore off or took enough abuse.
Ash had to bet that Bulbasaur could break through before Sleep Powder wore off. It was a gamble, but an important one.
Bulbasaur whacked away at the reflective shield using Vine Whip while Ponyta slept on, despite Garret's cries. Just as it seemed like it was taking a bit too long, Bulbasaur put a crack in the Reflect. All it needed after was another two good, strong hits and it crumbled away. The shattering noise wasn't enough to wake Ponyta either and Bulbasaur's assault continued, striking again.
After that hit, it was clear that Ponyta was no longer just asleep; it was unable to continue battling, and Garret recalled it with a whistle.
"Well, I'll be. That's the first time we've lost a battle to a grass-type. You guys sure are impressive." Garret complimented Ash. They shook hands after Garret recalled Ponyta, and he handed Ash a small button with a stamped Ponyta image. "Congrats, Ash. Thanks for the battle. Let's do it again some time if we ever meet, yeah?"
"You bet!" Ash agreed.
Garret left after that, while Ash turned back to Misty and Brock, who seemed concerned.
"I'm glad you finished that one quick, Ash, the sky's getting really nasty out there." Brock commented.
"Yeah, and we still hardly know where the nearest Pokemon Center is." Misty added.
It had been two days since the Hidden Grotto, when Ash had added Bulbasaur to his team, and to be honest it was hard to tell how much progress they were making. Being surrounded by such dense woods without a compass hindered their ability to navigate by a lot, though they made frequent use of Butterfree, Pidgeotto and Zubat's ability to fly and navigate with landmarks.
Meanwhile, Ash had been training every chance he got. Of course, his whole team, but especially Bulbasaur. Both Misty and Brock had engaged in practice matches against them, and only Brock's Onix had been able to win after the rest of their teams had tired him out. Sure, Bulbasaur had a type-advantage against most of their Pokemon, but it was an impressive showing, nonetheless.
Garret was the second Master Trainer Bulbasaur had beaten along the way. He had been heading back to Saffron City after picking up his Ponyta at the daycare when they crossed paths, and he and Ash practically battled as soon as they met eyes.
The other was Dennis, Master Trainer of Raticate who Ash battled yesterday. He was on his way to Celadon City to purchase the TM Double Edge for Raticate. Bulbasaur won their battle too, and Dennis said he would be looking for them on his way back up to Cerulean City after teaching Raticate their new move.
"Sorry guys, maybe we are starting to over-do it." Ash apologized. "Alright Bulbasaur, return for now. You were great out there!"
Bulbasaur was recalled, and Pikachu jumped back onto Ash's shoulder as he moved back over to Brock and Misty.
"It's all right, I guess. It's not just you. I can't imagine we would've gotten much further even without your battles." Misty sighed.
"So, which way?" Ash asked Brock as he inspected the map.
"I think we go this way," Brock said, nodding his head to the right. "Route 7 should still be below us, so if this path is Route 7 then we should only be a short walk to this Pokemon Center here."
"Sounds good to me!" Misty agreed.
They followed Brock's directions, trying to head right on a bit of a diagonal line in hopes of reaching a more traveled trail. It worked after just twenty minutes, and they broke out of some brush onto a slightly more open and maintained traveling trail.
"All right! The Pokemon Center's gotta be on this path somewhere!" Misty declared hopefully.
"Hey, look at that!" Ash said suddenly, pointing.
Just on the other side of the trail was a giant rock pillar that was easily three times as tall as any one of them.
"A giant rock? So what?" Misty asked sarcastically.
"Something moved on top of it!" Ash insisted.
"Pika!" Pikachu agreed, standing on Ash's head to get a better look.
"I think I see some shadows moving around." Brock used his hand as a visor against the sun, trying to see what Ash saw.
They moved to stand in the road and took a few steps back, hoping to get a view of the creature on top of the rock.
Ash and Pikachu were proven correct; on top of the rock formation, curled into a tiny ball was an orange, lizard-like Pokemon; a Charmander.
"It's a Charmander!" Ash cried excitedly.
His cry got the Charmander's attention, and its head picked up and looked around. Its gaze settled on the trio before it huffed, gave out a weak yawn and slowly put its head back down.
"That's an… odd reaction, isn't it?" Misty asked.
"To say the least." Brock agreed.
"Y'know, I used to fight with Ritchie when we were kids about which of us was going to pick Charmander. I never could make up my mind about which starter I would choose, but Gary and Leaf had their minds made up day one, so it felt like a race between me and Ritchie to see who was gonna get the third starter Pokemon." Ash told them.
"Are you thinking about catching Charmander too?" Brock asked.
"I think I might be." Ash replied. "It already looks a little tired, I might not even have to battle it." He added, taking out a Pokeball.
He waited just another moment to make sure the Charmander wouldn't pick its head up again. Then, he stepped forward and took his shot, tossing a Pokeball straight at it.
To everyone's surprise, though, Charmander reacted quick enough to knock the ball away even with his head down and eyes closed. It seemed he had been anticipating the movement after all.
"Maybe you will have to battle it if you want it." Misty suggested.
"I don't think so; it already looks really worn out, I'm sure a battle of any kind would be overkill. Look at the flame on its tail, its hardly lit." Brock pointed out.
Ash took note of its flame size after Brock mentioned it. There was a myth that the Charmander line would die if the flame on its tail went out, but that wasn't true; It was just that their flames were linked to their heartbeat and health, so when they did die the flame was extinguished. It just so happened that a lot of the time people only noticed the connection when a sick or injured Charmander, Charmeleon or Charizard was hit with an attack that they couldn't survive rather than observing them pass away from natural causes.
Another case of 'correlation does not equal causation' as Professor Oak had taught them. For someone who hadn't ended up picking any of the three traditional starter Pokemon, those lessons on them were really pulling their weight in gold, Ash thought to himself.
Ash tried again, throwing the ball slightly harder. This time Charmander wasn't fast enough to deflect it, but when the ball popped open to suck it in, the bright red light that surrounded it simply flashed out of existence. The Pokeball had simply failed to even absorb Charmander inside.
"That time it didn't seem like Charmander even did anything." Misty noted.
"I wonder what it's deal is." Ash mused. "Hey, Pikachu, could you go talk to Charmander for me and see what it's doing on that rock?"
Ordinarily he'd have no problem asking himself, but after two failed attempts at throwing a Pokeball he figured it best if he was not the one to directly approach Charmander. Pikachu nodded and jumped off his shoulder to make his way over to and up the large rock formation.
"Pika. Pikachu, Pikaka. Pikapi Pikachu." Pikachu could be heard saying.
"Char. Char-Charmander. Chaaaar." Charmander said back. In contrast to Pikachu, its voice was much quieter.
"Pi, PiPikachu." Pikachu nodded and jumped back down.
"Pikachu Pikaka, Ka-pika." Pikachu said to them while moving his arms wildly.
"It's waiting for… lunch?" Misty asked, unsure.
"Maybe let Ash take this one, Misty." Brock teased.
"Pika. Pikachu, Pikachu Pikapi. Pi, Ka-pika." Pikachu said, directly looking at Ash this time as he gestured.
"I think Pikachu's saying Charmander's waiting for someone. It's trainer? Is that it?" Ash asked.
"Pi!" Pikachu nodded, then took his place back on Ash's shoulder.
"Well, I guess we better leave it alone if it's expecting its trainer to come back for it." Brock said, though he was clearly still worried about the Charmander's health.
"Yeah, if we moved it, it might only make things worse." Ash added, looking at Charmander still.
"Besides, we wouldn't have anything to help it with yet; we still don't know where the Pokemon Center is or how far we are from it." Misty added.
The wind began to pick up, and it was strong enough to make everyone shiver, including Charmander.
"Guess we should get moving before the storm comes in. Be safe, Charmander!" Ash waved it goodbye as he, Misty and Brock continued on the path.
It was starting to rain now, so they picked up their speed a little. They weren't running yet, but it also wasn't totally raining yet, just a light drizzle.
They were spared from a night camping in the rain shortly after, when they crested a hill and could see the dim glow of yellow light through a few trees. As they reached the top, they could see a building; it was made of logs, but it was three times the size of any regular log cabin and had bright orange shingles covering the roof. It was the Pokemon Center they had been looking for, no doubt about it.
"I knew we couldn't have been that far, but this is a great surprise!" Misty said as they all reached the top and spotted it.
They stopped to take a breath after their slightly accelerated hike up the hill until Pikachu's cheeks began to spark. Ash felt his own start to itch, and without further ado they kept moving. Nobody wanted to be caught outside in a lightning storm.
Inside it was more different than nearly every Pokemon Center they had seen before. It was more like the lobby of an inn than a hospital, though they supposed that it came with the location.
There was a circular pit in the center of the room with fire pit lit to keep the center warm, and cushions lined up on the rim. The counter was behind that, underneath a loft that had stairs on both sides for access. Behind one staircase was a hallway that led to the bathrooms, while the other was locked behind Nurse Joy's counter and was where she stored medical supplies and food. The bedrooms were all on the second floor, and the main lobby had tables set up at each glass window so one could look out at the view.
It took them a few minutes, but they had begun to get settled in. They all handed over all their Pokemon to Nurse Joy to be refreshed, as it had been a few days without one where they were relying on regular rest or Potions to heal up. Except for Pikachu, who was given a quick refresh as usual and accompanied them to a table by a window.
A man came by soon after to ask if they wanted food, which they all of course eagerly accepted. They supposed the waiter was part of the charm of running the Pokemon Center more like an inn than a hospital.
Moments later, he returned with four bowls of soup (one for each), a basket of bread (for the table), and a grilled cheese sandwich (for Ash).
As they ate, Misty couldn't help but note that both Ash and Brock were unusually quiet. Ash might've just been busy eating, but Brock kept glancing outside through the window.
"Are you thinking of that Charmander?" Misty asked Brock, but it was Ash who answered unconsciously.
"Yeah." He said immediately, before he seemed to realize that so was Brock. "You too?" Brock nodded.
"It's getting pretty bad out there. I hope its trainer came and got it by now." Brock said.
"Me too. I'd hate to think about it out there alone in this weather." Ash agreed.
"I know, but there was nothing more we could do then. We just have to hope for the best. Besides, we might never know what happened to it; odds are, we'll never even see that Charmander again." Misty said, then took another sip of her soup.
Ash and Brock were both inclined to agree with her, despite their current attitudes, when someone barked a laugh that interrupted their whole conversation.
"Speaking of never seeing Charmander's again," A boy in the pit by the fire exclaimed loudly. "What happened to your Charmander, Damian? You did have one, right?"
Ash, Misty, and Brock turned to the fire pit where there was a small group of boys gathered around a pile of Pokeballs on the table. The boy being addressed, Damian, sat upright with his arms crossed and his eyes closed, very smug. He had blue hair and wore three layers of shirts; a red undershirt, a pink polo shirt and finally a thin brown vest, with black leather pants.
"Yeah, I used to. But that puny thing was so weak, it never won me a single battle. Even against the weakest opponents, even against grass-types, it always lost." Damian brushed it off. "These guys here are the real deal." He gestured to the pile of Pokeballs before him.
"I've heard him say ten words and I'm already sick of his attitude." Misty whispered to Ash and Brock, who nodded.
"So, wait, what'd you do with the Charmander?" The same boy asked. Damian shrugged and scoffed at the same time.
"I left it on some rock in the woods somewhere. That thing was so bloody stupid it couldn't tell I was getting rid of it, and it kept following me around. I finally got rid of it by tellin' it to just sit and wait for me." He let out a loud, obnoxious laugh. "Dumb thing's probably still out there waiting for me right now."
Ash, Misty, and Brock collectively decided they had enough and stood up.
"It's probably wagging its tail waiting for you right now." One boy laughed.
"Maybe it'll wag it's tail so hard its flame will go out." Another added.
Damian was in the middle of laughing too, when Brock gripped onto his shirt and pulled him to his feet harshly enough to make the boy yelp.
"Go and get it." Brock said. Damian appeared confused, but Brock shook him again. "The Charmander, go and get it. It was still on that rock waiting for you when we passed it, so go. And. Get it." He clarified.
"Why should I?" Damian responded after collecting himself.
Two of Damian's friends stepped forward, as if going to help Damian, but Ash and Pikachu jumped in over the cushions and landed in their way. They both glared at the other three boys while Brock glared at Damian.
"Because your its trainer! You shouldn't lie to your Pokemon and abandon it! It's your Pokemon and it trusted you!" Misty told him.
"Cry me a river." Damian suddenly jerked and pulled out of Brock's grasp.
Brock reached out to grab Damian again, and one of his friends stepped forward again so Ash put his own hands out to stop them. Damian got away from Brock's grasp just as another tried to push through Ash, and Ash shoved one down onto the couch.
"What I do is none of your business!" Damian declared.
The guy on the couch grabbed and yanked Ash's arm, pulling him down but Ash had grabbed another boy who was trying to pass him and threw him in between them. They were in a pile on the couch, trying to resist throwing punches and keeping to only pushing and shoving.
"And you call yourself a Pokemon trainer. Pathetic." Misty said.
"You wanna fight with me?" Damian taunted, grabbing a Pokeball off the table.
"Way ahead of ya." Ash groaned as he wrestled with three of Damian's friends on the couch.
"Alright, come on now! Break it up, break it up! Come on!" Nurse Joy entered the pit the same way Ash had, landing between everyone. "You know the rules, no battling indoors! And that includes wrestling and fistfights." She sent a look at Ash and Damian's friends as they all pulled themselves apart. "If you're want to battle, take it outside. I don't recommend it, but I can't stop you from doing that. But there will be no violence inside."
"Yeah, well, they were the ones who started it all." Damian glared at them as he stepped back and began to collect his Pokeballs.
"And I'll finish it too." Ash replied.
Nurse Joy clapped her hands, getting everyone's attention again.
"Keep it moving!" She said, watching as Damian and his friends retreated from the lounge area.
She sighed after they were gone, almost with relief, although Ash, Misty or Brock had none.
"You shouldn't get mixed up with them." Nurse Joy warned them. "Those boys are nothing but trouble around here."
"Gee, really? You could've fooled me." Misty said. Joy didn't seem to take offense, just offered a wry smile and went back to her station.
The group paused for a moment and just looked at each other. They all seemed to come to the same decision at the same time.
"I'll get some raincoats." Brock said.
"I'll get my bag and a towel." Misty added.
"I'll get a flashlight from Nurse Joy." Ash finished, and the three split up.
They were going to brave the storm to rescue Charmander.
Through all the wind and rain, the trek there felt three times as long as it did earlier when they were heading towards the Pokemon Center.
They each had raincoats, which helped a lot in the downpour, but they still needed to see which the rain and darkness made extremely hard. Ash ran point, carrying the flashlight to guide their way while Pikachu resisted the urge to use his own sparks for light, risking drawing the attention of natural lightning.
Finally, as the large rock crept into view they were shocked to see Charmander curled up at the top, holding a leaf over its shivering body to provide a small relief against the pouring rain. Their hearts clenched at the scene.
Just when they thought it was as bad as it was going to get, through a flash of lightning Spearow's descended on the helpless Charmander.
"Hey!" Ash was moving before he even finished talking. "Back off!"
He scooped up a rock off the ground as he ran and hurled it as hard as he could through the air. It missed the birds entirely, completely taken away by the wind, but it got their attention. Ash's heart dropped for just a moment, remembering the last time he was in a storm with a bunch of Spearow he had hurled a rock at, but he quickly squashed his own fear down. It wasn't important right now; Charmander was.
"Pikachu, ThunderShock!" Ash called.
Pikachu seemed to hesitate for just the briefest of moments as well before lighting up. Ash was glad Pikachu trusted him enough to overcome his own hesitation. Or maybe Pikachu had done it entirely for Charmander's benefit as well.
Misty and Brock hung back just a bit, cautious of the liberal use of electricity while they were all soaked. It was a liberty Ash didn't have and wouldn't have taken anyway. He did get shocked, but once again he powered through it, gritting his teeth as his knees locked up just a bit as his body danced with electricity.
Thankfully these Spearow were either not as hell-bent on revenge as the others or they cared more about getting struck with electricity, which made sense now that Pikachu was so much stronger. The birds flew away promptly after a few near misses of ThunderShock and one getting hit.
Ash and Pikachu climbed the rock in the time it took Misty and Brock to approach. Misty took a towel out of her bag, which she used to shield it a bit as her bag was waterproof and handed it up to Ash for him to wrap Charmander in. Charmander was colder to the touch than Ash would've hoped and its flame was even smaller than before.
Ash took Charmander in his arms and Pikachu took the flashlight as they jumped down. Brock moved to help cover Charmander from the rain, when suddenly they heard rustling grass. They looked up to see a black shape with spots of red bolting for them.
They all gasped, but none more than Misty, who had her raincoat and bag ripped off in one swift motion by the creature as it disappeared into the woods. It left her soaked and angry, but most of all confused.
"It's got my bag! It's still got all my stuff in there!" Misty yelled.
Ash handed Charmander to Brock, despite the confusion on his face, and took off his own raincoat to give to Misty.
"Go, get Charmander back! It won't last much longer out here. Me and Pikachu will find that thing and get your stuff back." Ash said, shrugging off his white jacket as well. He threw it over to Misty as well. "Use that to keep the wind off Charmander's tail if you need something else."
"But, Ash," Misty started to argue, but she knew there wasn't time. "Be careful." She said instead.
He nodded back, and they split up.
Brock and Misty ran south. Brock had his raincoat open and cradled Charmander to his chest underneath it as best he could. Charmander was wrapped in a half-dry towel that helped more than one would've thought while Misty used Ash's jacket as a barrier against the wind and rain from Charmander's drooping tail.
Ash and Pikachu ran west, chasing the shadowy figure that had stolen Misty's bag right off her shoulder.
Ash almost regretted giving Misty his jacket as well, as he was shivering harshly even running. But if he was this cold, then Charmander definitely needed it more.
Pikachu was by his feet, sniffing out the thief and using some sparks to light their way. With just the two of them and knowing Charmander was safely on its way to the Pokemon Center, they were more willing to risk attracting natural lightning. Ash still held the flashlight, swiveling it around to better help guide them.
Suddenly, Pikachu came to a stop. It wasn't a clearing, just more woods. They were shielded a bit from the rainfall by the thick canopy of leaves overhead, but enough still broke through to know how hard it was coming down and the wind was no better. Ash and Pikachu paused to breathe as they scanned the area.
Pikachu growled, sure the thief was nearby, and sparked his cheeks while Ash shined his flashlight into the bushes and above. Just as he moved the light over a small bush for the second time, he noticed a pair of deep yellow eyes staring back at him.
He nearly dropped the flashlight in fright but managed to instead grip it tighter while he gasped. Pikachu turned around to face it as it came out of the bush.
It stalked forward slowly and didn't shy away when Ash shined the light on it. It was a feline-like Pokemon, with black fur, yellow eyes, and red markings on its face. It seemed to glare at them as it stalked forward. Ash noted it seemed to be about the right size, but he didn't see Misty's bag anywhere.
"What's the big idea here, huh? Where's my friend's stuff?" Ash asked aloud. Pikachu dropped into a fighting stance before him as the black cat stalked closer.
"You came running all the way out here for this? This is all garbage." Someone new said.
He emerged through the trees like the cat, looking just as angry. He was a tall boy, probably a few years older than Ash, with wild orange hair that moved like flames when he stepped except for a section of bangs that crossed over each other. He wore all dark clothes, a black vest over a tan shirt and maroon jeans. He was also carrying Misty's red drawstring.
"It belongs to my friend!" Ash said simply. "Give it back!"
"Pika!" Pikachu added, sparking his cheeks again. Electricity danced off them and Ash felt his own warm up with the action.
"Or what?" The boy challenged.
"There is no or! Give it back!" Ash yelled back.
"You're in a bad place to made demands, y'know? It's two against one." He sneered at Ash.
Before Ash could either correct him or ask how, another Pokemon crept from the bushes. It was another small Pokemon, but it looked angry just like the boy and the cat. It, too, walked on four legs but was more canine-like and was brown all over. Parts of it looked darker, like its feet and muzzle, but it was hard to tell if that was natural coloration or it was caked with mud.
The dog growled as it approached, and the cat hissed. He didn't recognize either species even this close.
Ash was suddenly forced to remember that his other Pokemon were still with Nurse Joy at the Pokemon Center. He was right, they were outnumbered. That didn't mean they were afraid.
"We're not afraid of you! You're lucky we're in a hurry, or we'd take you down right now! Now, I'm not gonna ask again!" Ash insisted.
The other boy scoffed and swung Misty's bag to throw it back to Ash, dragging it along the muddy ground as he did.
"In a hurry for what? To save whatever's left of that Charmander?" He asked, his tone mocking.
Ash glared at him while he picked up Misty's bag and put it over his shoulder.
"You were there? You saw Charmander? And you didn't do anything to help it? You just let it freeze and get attacked by Spearow?" Ash was incredulous at him, but the other boy just chuckled back.
"That's the nature of things, don't you know? I was thinking about catching it, they're rare even in Alola, so I started observing it first. Imagine my surprise when the thing flinches from thunder, won't get out of the rain, and then starts crying like a baby. Those Spearow really made up my mind about how hopeless it was. Though, I guess its no surprise someone else hopeless like you would take pity on it." The boy taunted.
Ash found himself growling akin to Pikachu at the boys' words. The only reason Charmander had gotten so weak was undying loyalty. It more than likely hadn't eaten in days, refusing to leave the rock in case Damian returned, leaving it in a state too weak to naturally replenish any energy. That put it in a much more dangerous position when the storm rolled in, and it didn't have any energy to even try and keep itself warmer.
"I thought I could still get something out of it, but your friend travels real light. And boring." He added, trying to goad Ash further.
This one had the opposite effect, though, and reminded him he should return the bag to Misty.
"Don't you know? Thieves always get what's coming to them." Ash said. It was a promise.
"Oh yeah? Who's gonna give it to me? You?" He taunted Ash.
It was just after that both of his Pokemon pounced. The dog leapt at Pikachu, but the cat vaulted over him to go for Ash. Ash swung Misty's bag, knocking it out of the air quickly while Pikachu slammed into the dog.
"Light 'em up, Pikachu! ThunderShock, full power!" Ash called.
Both the cat and the dog lunged again while Pikachu gathered electricity, planning to make this ThunderShock a big one. Pikachu jumped back just as they landed where he had been and unleashed a massive ThunderShock upon them. It was easily twice the size as usual, likely boosted by the storm. They both slumped over, half-leaning against each other as they collapsed to the ground.
Ash and Pikachu didn't spare them or the boy another look before they took off running again.
By the time they got to the Pokemon Center, nearly everyone else was asleep and the building was dark. As they crept through the lobby, a door clicked open to the side.
"Ash?" Misty asked through the dark.
"Yeah, we're back." He followed her voice mostly and used the small bit of light coming from the room behind her. "How's Charmander?" He asked.
The room was small, only perfectly suitable for one Pokemon to heal back here at a time. Charmander was resting on a bed, curled underneath several blankets to ward off the shivering. Its tail hung out to be propped up by a tray and its tail flame seemed to have grown.
"Nurse Joy said it'll be a close call, but we got it here just in time. If it's strong enough, there's a chance Charmander could bounce back as soon as tomorrow after some food." Brock said.
It appeared they had both been waiting up for Charmander and for him to return.
"Is that Misty's bag?" Brock asked, pointing to the strings on Ash's shoulder.
"Oh, right. Here." Ash handed it back to her, showing her where not to grab it as half of it was caked in dirt and mud. "And you'll never believe what happened to me out there."
"Oh, I'm not so sure. I think we'd be willing to believe just about anything right now." Misty said. Her tone was teasing, but hid disbelief.
Ash didn't get to ask her what she meant, or why that was the case, when she held up his jacket for him. He and Pikachu both smiled nervously, suddenly getting an inkling where this was going. They were proven correct as Misty reached into his inside jacket pocket and took out the rainbow-colored feather.
"Is this what we think it is?" Misty asked him.
"I can explain that." Ash held his hands up. "It's a really, really unbelievable story. But I swear it's the truth."
"Come on, let's talk about it over some hot coco. I had some waiting for you when you got back." Brock suggested. "Charmander should sleep through the night, there's nothing more we can do for it right now." He added, noticing Ash's concerned gaze.
Ash conceited, and they headed back out to the lobby.
Ash took the opportunity to get changed out of his soaked clothes while Brock gathered the hot chocolates and Misty gathered some blankets. His usual black undershirt was drenched, so he switched to his usual plain white back up shirt and blue shorts. It made him feel a little cold still, still suffering from being stuck in the rain, but he already felt much better.
Misty and Brock had already changed, likely shortly after they brought Charmander back. Misty's hair was down, and she wore a thin, light-blue oversized t-shirt and dark blue shorts. Brock removed his vest but kept his orange T-shirt on and switched into a pair of grey sweatpants.
Dimly, he noted how late it probably was, but he slid into the table opposite them anyway. Pikachu jumped onto the table beside him and they both sipped their hot chocolate. Then, Ash recounted the whole experience from his very first day.
"Then all I remember is the feeling of the feather landing in my hand. I guess it was enough to wake me up, 'cause right after that I stood up and the whole sky was bright red, like it was on fire. Then we saw it; Ho-Oh, flying through the sky. You could barely see it, it was hidden in the weird colors the sky was turning, but we were so sure of it. And the feather, it's just like how Ho-Oh's looks." Ash rambled towards the end, still in disbelief.
He knew how it sounded. Ho-Oh was a Legendary Pokemon, one so rare and powerful many average people didn't believe it existed. It was only due to recent improvements in relationships between regions that there was enough evidence of definitive proof given and Ho-Oh along with various others were officially declared as Legendary Pokemon. Although that classification happened almost ten years ago, there was still hardly any sightings of Ho-Oh, let alone ones outside of Johto, its thought-to-be native region.
"How come you never said anything?" Misty spoke softer than he had heard her before. He shrugged.
"I wasn't sure if you would believe me. Who would? I didn't believe it for a while, and I still sometimes think I'm misremembering it. Or that there's something I'm missing." Ash said. "Or just that I imagined the whole thing."
"The feather makes it hard to write off, don't you think?" Brock said. Ash was silent for a long moment.
"I always had a really active imagination, y'know? I liked pretending I was friends with all these different Pokemon, and that I was going on all sorts of adventures. I knew I was just pretending, but sometimes… it all would feel so real, and I'd get lost in my own world. Sometimes for a few minutes, sometimes longer." He shrugged and sipped his hot chocolate.
"Mom was always the one to bring me back. Always. Nobody else could get through to me like she could. Sometimes I would go right back to pretending if she left me alone for long enough, I would act out these stories for days if she'd let me." Ash stared intently at his cup, avoiding his friends' eyes.
"Ritchie made fun of you for it, didn't he?" Misty asked. Ash nodded.
"It wasn't too bad. He was right, most of the time, about me spacing out. It's just… everything felt so real, and I wanted it all so bad. Hearing him laugh about it, it used to make me really mad." He told them. Misty smirked.
"Used to?" She quoted him. Ash huffed, but it turned into a chuckle.
"Ash, were you afraid we'd make fun of you?" Brock asked. Ash just shrugged.
"Dunno. I guess so. At least a little." He paused. "I was more worried about whether any of it was real. My mom and I worked really hard on getting me to focus better, and I stopped getting so lost. She took me to a doctor once, too, they said I was fine; just easily bored. We worked so hard on keeping me busy, I did everything under the sun." He smiled at some of the memories.
"It got easier when I started playing with Gary more and we got to be better friends. Then Leaf. It was like the real world was better than whatever I could make up anymore. Then we all turned ten and started studying with Professor Oak, and I haven't gotten lost since. I always had something to focus on." Ash took another sip. "I got worried that's that happened that day; that I had slipped up, gotten lost again and made the whole thing up. I don't know how to come back without my mom, and she's not here, so…" He gave a sigh.
"So, part of you was worried nobody else would be able to see the feather?" Brock surmised. Ash nodded. "Well, you don't have to worry about that. We see the same thing you do."
"And I totally believe you saw Ho-Oh! Weird things happen all the time, and they've got to happen to somebody. The Legendary Pokemon might be rare, but they still live in the world, there's got to be plenty of times they're seen by people even if the people don't know what they are. You just happened to recognize one." Misty added.
"Plus, lots of things that most people wouldn't believe have happened to us this month. That's part of traveling and exploring the world. We saw a Clefairy in Mt. Moon, we met a girl who lives in Viridian Forest with a Raticate that knows Water Gun, we've seen a talking Meowth." Brock listed. "It's been a few weeks, and all that's happened; most people would go their entire lives without any of it."
They sat in silence for a bit longer as the conversation digested with them all, and while Ash absorbed his friends' words.
"Thanks, guys." He ended up saying. It was all he felt like he could communicate. "While we're here and talking about unbelievable things that happened to me…" He began hesitantly.
They seemed confused but motioned for him to continue. He launched into the story of what had just happened after they split up when he went to retrieve Misty's bag. To say that Misty and Brock were shocked as a huge understatement.
"The Pokemon didn't look familiar to you at all?" Brock asked.
"No, I've been trying to think back to all my lessons but mostly Professor Oak had us work on Pokemon native to Kanto, sometimes Johto. They looked like a cat and a dog, but the dog wasn't a Growlithe. Their colors were all wrong, and Growlithe are bigger I think. I guess they weren't ground-types, Pikachu's ThunderShock worked on them both." Ash mused. "Can you think of anything else?" He asked Pikachu.
Pikachu thought for a moment, then he got on all fours and pressed close to the ground. He walked slowly, ears switching as he sniffed. Then he abruptly turned to Ash.
"I think Pikachu's saying that they were… tracking?" Pikachu shook his head. "Stalking? Stalking us?" Pikachu made a face, imitating a roar. "Predators! He's saying they both felt like predators hunting prey." He said, and Pikachu nodded in satisfaction. "I sure felt like prey." He added.
"Well, I guess there's no sense in worrying about it now. You'll probably never see him again, even if you do figure out what his Pokemon were." Brock said, standing up. "Come on, it's getting late. We should all turn in and get some rest, it's been a long day."
"Yeah. You go ahead, Brock, I'll put the mugs away." Misty waved him away. She stood next, collecting the four cups and running them to the sink in the back.
When she came back, Ash and Pikachu hadn't moved from the table, though he was slumped back. She sighed and slid into the seat next to him quickly enough that it got his attention.
"Hey," She leaned over to him and talked in almost a whisper. "I want you to know that I do believe you, about everything. And I trust you, you've never given me a reason not to. But even if I didn't, I wouldn't make you feel so bad about it. I know we like to tease, and I can be kind of mean, but…" She trailed off and sighed. "Just. Remember I'm on your side, okay? And that Ritchie or anyone else has no business making you feel bad about stuff you can't control. Especially not just being yourself." She said, smiling when Ash nodded.
"Thanks, Misty." Ash said, turning to face her as she got back up.
"Just repaying the favor. I make you feel better; you get my bag all dirty… seems like a fair trade to me." Misty teased. Ash scoffed as he got to his feet.
"I'd like to see you do a better job!" He nearly shouted but remembered the time.
"Yeah, you bet next time we save a Pokemon from pneumonia and one of us gets our bag stolen by a species of Pokemon none of us know and gets attacked by a stranger in the woods, I'll be all over it." She playfully twirled in place. "Come on." She said, gesturing to the stairs.
"You go ahead; I want to check on Charmander." Ash said. "No, really. I'll be quick." He added at her look of disbelief.
She didn't seem convinced, but didn't argue further. Instead, she wished him goodnight, and ascended the stairs.
Ash grabbed his jacket and the feather off the table, holding them tightly, as he and Pikachu headed back into Charmander's room. The Lizard Pokemon was still sleeping soundly, wrapped underneath several layers of blankets. The machines it was hooked up to all functioned normally, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
He crept closer and saw the size of its flame hadn't increased by much. It was more stable now, and looked less like it would go out at any second. Still, it was tiny compared to even today when they had first encountered it, let alone the size of a healthy Charmander. He adjusted the blankets some, careful not to disturb Charmander, and couldn't help but feel it was a bit too cold still.
His jacket was dry by now, it hadn't spent as much time in the rain as he did. So, without thinking further, he tucked the feather back into his inside jacket pocket and draped his jacket over Charmander, resting it gently on top of the blankets.
Every little bit should help, Ash thought to himself.
Finally, Ash and Pikachu turned in for the night. It was yet another long and unusual day.
The next morning came too quickly for the group. They were eager to check on Charmander's status but were equally exhausted from the previous day. Combined with going to sleep so late, they all had the idea to sleep past daybreak. It was nearly half past eight when Ash awoke, and he knew he wouldn't be able to fall back asleep quickly enough.
Pikachu followed suit, waking as he got out of bed, and Misty and Brock were just minutes behind. It seemed like they were adjusting to each other's sleep habits.
Ash got ready the fastest but still decided to wait for Misty and Brock before he rushed to check on Charmander. His friends were just as worried as he was, there was no use in being first. So just before nine, they all went to Charmander's room to check on the little guy, only to be stopped by Nurse Joy.
"I'm afraid I have some news," she said. Notably she didn't say 'bad news'. "It seems Charmander is feeling much better. And I can tell that because at some point it got enough strength back to completely disappear from the Pokemon Center."
They gasped and rushed to check the room. It wasn't that they didn't believe Nurse Joy, but they had to see for themselves.
"Why would it do that? Where would it go?" Misty asked.
"I'm certain it would've gone back to that rock to wait for Damian." Brock replied. "Though, I really can't figure out why. I really thought Charmander might've begun to understand that we're the ones who cared about it, not Damian."
"Charmander's too loyal for its own good." Ash said, shaking his head.
He walked over to the bed and noted the messiness with which Charmander had thrown its towels everywhere. His jacket had ended up half-clinging to the windowsill, caught on the edge. He felt the insides, noting the feather was still inside as he put it back on.
"If Charmander went to find Damian, I'm afraid it'll probably be too late. Damian and those boys left hours ago, before sunrise, pretty much as soon as the rain cleared up. The data on the computer transmitted perfectly fine until seven thirty; that's two hours after Damian left." Nurse Joy noted.
The group left the room, leaving Nurse Joy to make it up properly again, and thanked her for all her help. They gathered around outside the Pokemon Center and debated their next move.
Would they continue on the road towards Vermilion City, or would they backtrack in an effort to relocate Charmander?
Charmander trekked up the hill and back towards the rock. He hoped Damian hadn't come while he was gone. Slim as the chances of that were, the idea filled Charmander with a sense of urgency to get back and just hope it wasn't too late.
He thought about the strangers from yesterday. They weren't there when he woke up, which surely made his escape easier, though he did wish he could've expressed his thanks before doing so. They had taken him off his rock, but he felt much better after the night's sleep he had gotten so he supposed he should be somewhat grateful. The jacket the black-haired one specifically had placed on him seemed to radiate warmth and had almost made it impossible to crawl out of the bed in the morning.
But it would be worth it from the feeling he would get from seeing Damian again!
He was getting close now, and he could see the top of his rock just over the hill, so he picked up his pace a little. As he approached, he heard voices. Would it be those strangers again, here to remove him from his rock? Or could it possibly be…
Damian! He recognized his trainers' voice and sped up further, beginning to cry out to get his trainers' attention.
"I can't believe it's not here. Maybe it finally grew a set and wandered off." One of Damian's friends said.
"All the better. It doesn't matter where it is, as long as it's not following me. It'll never last wherever it goes, whether that's on the rock or anywhere else." Damian said.
At the same moment, his group was turning to leave the rock and encountered Charmander face-first.
Charmander's expression had dropped instantly. Damian… didn't care where he was? He hadn't come back to pick him up?
"Look, there it is! I knew it wouldn't have gone too far! It's too afraid of upsetting you!" A different friend pointed at the fire-type.
"What is it about buzz off that you don't understand?" The last friend added.
Charmander found himself sputtering, almost pleading up at Damian as he stepped towards his trainer.
But Damian kicked out at him with enough force to give Charmander a pause. He was too far away to get hit, but the action alone left him stunned.
"Don't you get it yet? I wasn't gonna come back for you because I don't want to! I don't want you! Get lost!" Damian yelled.
Charmander's eyes watered up as he looked up at Damian. He felt his heart shattering into a million pieces, with the look Damian was sending him stamped on every one of them.
"I don't think it's getting the message." One of his friends said.
"Maybe its stupid and weak!"
"Let's drive it off! For good this time!"
Suddenly Charmander was standing alone before three of Damian's friends' Pokemon. These were Pokemon he had briefly known and seen from afar, now aimed at him. Their Venonat, Drowzee and Nidorina didn't hesitate to obey their orders to attack him.
He wished he had it in himself to fight back, but he was still in shock and stupor over Damian's betrayal. All he could do was stand and watch as the person who was supposed to help train him, protect him, and befriend him let him get attacked by his own friends.
"Bulbasaur, use Vine Whip! Pikachu, ThunderShock!" Ash didn't hesitate to intervene when he saw Damian and his friends ganging up on Charmander.
Bulbasaur used Vine Whip to grab onto Charmander and pull him out of the line of fire. Both theirs, and Pikachu's as he launched a ThunderShock straight out that arched into all three of the boys Pokemon. They writhed under the attack, each collapsing before Pikachu had even finished.
"You outta be ashamed of yourselves!" Misty called out to them. "I can't believe you call yourselves Pokemon trainers seeing the way you treat Pokemon."
"Not all Pokemon, just ones that are weak and pathetic. Like that Charmander there." Damian said. He pulled out a Pokeball and pointed it out at Charmander. "See this?" He pressed the button in the center down for a few seconds, then it popped open and released a light blue light. The color was mirrored as it washed over Charmander, leading to his confusion.
"You're not mine anymore! You're wild again!" Damian said and pulled out three Pokeballs of his own now. "Now all of you get lost, or I'll show you a real Pokemon!" He threatened them.
"You've got some nerve threatening us like that." Brock said. He and Misty primed their own Pokeballs.
"Go, everybody!" Damian lobbed two handfuls of Pokeballs into the air. "Get rid of 'em!" That was all he said.
Damian's Pokemon were Fearow, Machop, Weepinbell, Nidorino, Poliwhirl and Meowth. And they didn't hesitate to obey their trainer and all lunged forwards.
Bulbasaur put Charmander down as he and Pikachu braced for battle while Onix and Staryu appeared on the field as well. A free-for-all, it seemed.
Damian's Pokemon didn't fight with his commands, he simply stood by and observed as they took what they considered to be appropriate actions. The strategy was working well enough against a group they had outnumbered.
"Bulbasaur, Vine Whip! Throw it towards Pikachu! Pikachu, use Nuzzle!" Ash cried.
Bulbasaur caught the advancing Poliwhirl in his vines, gripping it tightly by the legs and hurled it above his head and slammed him down on top of the Meowth advancing on Pikachu.
There was a brief pause as Pikachu ducked out of the way of Nidorino using Horn Attack before lighting all three of them up using Nuzzle. Just like that, half of Damian's party would be paralyzed.
"Onix, use Rock Throw!" Brock called.
Onix immediately threw large grey boulders out at Fearow, who was descending towards Bulbasaur using Drill Peck. It dodged out of the way of several boulders and just when Brock was getting worried, one struck and knocked the bird out of the air. While Onix was distracted, though, Machop had begun wailing into Onix using Karate Chop and the Rock Snake bellowed out in pain.
"Staryu, use Swift!"
Staryu from off to the side sent out a barrage of yellow starts that slammed into Machop, knocking it over and letting Onix use Bind on it.
"Now, Water Gun!" Misty called.
Before Staryu could target the constricted Machop, Weepinbell leapt forward and shot a Razor Leaf, forcing Staryu to cancel its attack and dodge the incoming hit.
Things were about half under control. It seemed like the general confusion would spell the end of the battle rather than a straightforward victory, of which Ash was sure they could attain in normal means. But clearly Damian didn't like to play by any rules but his own.
Ash noticed Charmander beside him getting increasingly anxious.
"Don't you worry about a thing!" Ash assured him. "We've got this under control! I won't let him hurt you anymore!" He gave Charmander his best smile before commanding Pikachu again. "Quick Attack!"
Charmander felt the warm feeling inside return. It was different than before, but not dissimilar to the warmness from this morning. He looked out at the field and watched Ash, Misty and Brock's Pokemon battle against Damian's. Damian's were strong, yes, but wild and uncontrolled. The others attacked with a precision and purpose Damian's lacked.
Just as he found himself wishing he could help, he noticed the three Pokemon Pikachu had downed earlier were starting to get back up. He looked at Ash, who was looking at Bulbasaur. Nobody was watching as Nidorina darted at Pikachu, who was engaged in a stalemate with Nidorino, each trying to push the other back.
In a split second, his decision made itself. The warm feeling from before was channeled into his heart, lungs, and chest as he ran forward. He jumped over Pikachu and Nidorino and landed on the other side, blocking Nidorina's charge and let a massive Flamethrower erupt from his mouth.
It seemed like the whole battlefield stood still for a second while Charmander unleashed his attack. It burned Nidorina quickly, then Charmander swept it across the field to strike Drowzee and Venonat once again. They were easily knocked off their feet, and Charmander kept going and hit Meowth as well before he finally stopped to pant.
"Well, I'll be dammed." One of Damian's friends whistled.
"Don't be impressed with it, you buffoon! It's just a fluke!" Damian waived off.
Charmander found himself getting angry all over again and turned to Ash. They locked eyes, and Ash knew he had found another companion. They would fight together.
"Alright then, Charmander! Let's go! Use Flamethrower on Weepinbell!" Ash commanded. "Pikachu, Bulbasaur, double-team Poliwhirl! Quick Attack and Razor Leaf!"
Charmander turned and fired off another massive blast of fire that overtook Weepinbell as it struck at Onix with its vines. It didn't last three seconds before it rolled out, unable to take the heat. Pikachu and Bulbasaur had successfully sandwiched Poliwhirl; Pikachu slammed into its pack and pushed him forward directly into Bulbasaur's attack. After pushing it on the ground, Pikachu unleashed a ThunderShock just to finish the job.
"Onix, use Tackle on Nidorino!" Brock ordered, but Onix surprised Brock by disobeying and using another attack instead.
Instead of Tackle, it was Sand Tomb it used to target Nidorino. Brock cheered as Onix displayed its new attack and as Nidorino found itself covered in a torrent of sand. It was the perfect opening for Staryu to finish it off by aiming a Water Gun at its blind spot.
Onix did use Tackle after that, on the Machop that was advancing towards it. Machop jumped to avoid the attack, but was knocked out of the air by Staryu's Rapid Spin and picked off by Bulbasaur. Meowth, Poliwhirl, Weepinbell, Nidorino, Machop. One by one they all fell, until Fearow was left dive-bombing for Charmander in another Drill Peck.
"Pikachu, ThunderShock!" Ash called.
Before Charmander could even worry, Fearow dropped to the ground in a heap after being struck. Damian and his friends' Pokemon lay everywhere in varying degrees of unconsciousness. Staryu and Bulbasaur seemed the most tired, having used the most rapid-fire attacks, while Onix's breathing labored. It had taken many fighting-type strikes in the battle. Pikachu stood before Charmander, checking on him like a partner; he seemed overtly happy, despite his ruffled fur and labored breathing.
The battle was fierce, but most importantly, it was over.
"Y'know what? You belong with that Charmander, you're both pathetic." Damian growled out. He recalled all his Pokemon. "You better hope I never see any of your faces anywhere ever again." He turned and stormed off. His friends mimicked him quickly.
Ash and Charmander watched him go with vastly different expressions.
"I hope I do see his face again; I didn't even get a chance to punch him in it." Ash said.
Charmander let out a long sigh. He gazed up at his rock, where he spent so much time idolizing Damian, wishing to see him again. Those days were much simpler. He watched Ash, Misty and Brock all praised their Pokemon and how well they did in their battle, even thanking them. It was a behavior he had witnessed before but never received from Damian. He hadn't ever thought that he'd be jealous over something like that, until he watched Ash squat down to embrace Pikachu and Bulbasaur in his arms.
His mind made up, Charmander walked forward. He was going to thank the boy and then go out and find himself a trainer that cared. One that treated him with such kindness and compassion. Charmander's thoughts were halted when he felt himself get scooped up into Ash's arms along with Pikachu and Bulbasaur.
"Charmander! You were amazing out there too! We really needed your help out there! Damian has no idea what he's talking about, that was the strongest fire-type attack I've ever seen in person!" Ash said.
"Pika, Pika!" "Bulb, Bulba!" Pikachu and Bulbasaur added happily. Pikachu patted his back briefly before moving to Ash's shoulder, leaving more room in Ash's arms for the two Starter Pokemon.
Charmander was stunned as Ash and Pikachu stared at him with such pure, elated joy.
"Y'know, I think we worked really well together out there. Would you want to come along with us? We could really use a powerhouse like you around!" Ash asked.
Charmander found himself in shock. He hadn't expected this one bit, although maybe he should have. There was a spark that passed between them on the battlefield, one that got them on the same page to be able to fight together. He looked up at Ash and Pikachu, then to Bulbasaur beside him. His gaze wandered over to the other kind strangers, Misty and Brock, who seemed happy to take the scene in.
Absolutely overcome with emotion, Charmander cried into Ash's arms.
Ash, though slightly confused, figured he should just let Charmander get his emotions out. It wasn't long until Charmander collected himself and looked back up at Ash.
Ash looked into Charmander's blue eyes. There was a fire in there, one that burned as hot as his. He knew because he saw the same thing in Pikachu's.
"Is that a yes?" Ash asked hopefully, and Charmander nodded.
Ash wasted no time catching Charmander after that. They decided to have a quick stop by the Pokemon Center to refresh all their Pokemon, just to make sure they were well-rested enough for the journey ahead. After a quick refresh and a quicker brunch, it was once again time to set their sights on Vermilion City.
Another long chapter for you guys! It's actually almost as long as the last one, both are over 10k words each and are longer than the other two. I didn't exactly expect this, but I said we had a lot to cram into this arc!
I bet nobody saw that cameo coming, huh? Yes, that was Cross from "Pokemon: I Choose You" and his Pokemon were Litten and Rockruff. Those are what he uses in the movie, I simply un-evolved them. This is kind of the beginning of acknowledging other regions, and is a stepping stone to explain the inter-regional relationships and the concept of native Pokemon a little bit later. As far as how M20 effects the continuity here, you'll have to wait a bit longer to see what else is incorporated.
I hope I made Damian adequately insufferable. I really wanted him or his friends to have basically no redeeming qualities, I think that's important to really get through to Charmander initially. I don't like the idea of Damian being redeemed at all, I think Paul fits that role much better later on so while you can expect to see Damian again (as always), don't expect good things from him! Also no, this is not a hint that Paul will be showing up soon.
As always feel free to theorize or ask any questions! There's a lot here that's deliberately a little vague to make you guys think!
And Happy Easter if you celebrate it! Happy 4/20 if you don't!
Ash's Team: Pikachu, Butterfree, Pidgeotto, Bulbasaur, Charmander
Pikachu: Electric - Male - Static - Rash | ThunderShock, Tail Whip, Growl, Nuzzle, Charm, Thunder Wave, Brick Break, Quick Attack
Butterfree: Bug/Flying - Male - Compound Eyes - Hardy | Tackle, String Shot, Harden, Gust, Supersonic, Confusion, Stun Spore, Poison Powder, Sleep Powder, Psybeam
Pidgeotto: Normal/Flying - Female - Keen Eye - Hasty | Tackle, Sand Attack, Gust, Quick Attack, Wing Attack, Twister
Bulbasaur: Grass/Poison - Male - Overgrow - Serious | Tackle, Growth, Vine Whip, Leech Seed, Razor Leaf, Sleep Powder, Poison Powder
Charmander: Fire - Male - Blaze - Brave | Scratch, Growl, Ember, Smokescreen, Scary Face, Flamethrower
Misty's Team: Staryu, Goldeen, Tentacool
Staryu: Water - N/A - Natural Cure - Modest | Tackle, Rapid Spin, Harden, Water Gun, Confuse Ray, Swift
Goldeen: Water - Female - Swift Swim - Careful | Peck, Tail Whip, Supersonic
Tentacool: Water/Poison - Male - Liquid Ooze - Hardy | Water Gun, Poison Sting, Acid, Supersonic, Wrap, Water Pulse
Brock's Team: Onix, Geodude, Zubat
Onix: Rock/Ground - Male - Rock Head - Calm | Tackle, Bind, Screech, Harden, Rock Throw
Geodude: Rock/Ground - Male - Sturdy - Relaxed | Tackle, Defense Curl, Rock Throw, Rock Polish, Mud Slap
Zubat: Poison/Flying - Male - Inner Focus - Hasty | Absorb, Supersonic, Astonish, Bite, Leech Life
Jessie's Team: Ekans, Spearow, Jynx
Ekans: Poison - Male - Shed Skin - Serious | Poison Sting, Bite, Wrap, Leer
Spearow: Normal/Flying - Male - Keen Eye - Hasty | Peck, Growl, Leer
Jynx: Ice/Psychic - Female - Oblivious - Modest | Powder Snow, Pound, Sweet Kiss, Lick, Confusion
James' Team: Koffing, Spearow, Weedle
Koffing: Poison - Male - Levitate - Bashful | Poison Gas, Tackle, Smog, Smokescreen
Spearow: Normal/Flying - Female - Keen Eye - Lax | Peck, Growl Leer
Weedle: Bug/Poison - Female - Swarm - Jolly | Poison Sting, String Shot
Meowth: Normal - Male - Pickup - Sassy | Fury Swipes, Scratch, Growl, Fake Out