Pokemon Fan Fiction / Kingdom Hearts Fan Fiction ❯ Pokémon: Sora's Journey ❯ Charmander the Stray Pokémon ( Chapter 11 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Episode 11: Charmander the Stray Pokémon

A few days had passed since adding Bulbasaur into his team and by this time, Sora, Kairi, and Pikachu were on the right track to get to Vermilion City for Sora's third Gym battle.

Sora took a look around for new Pokémon to catch, but so far there were nothing but Spearow around.

"Any luck?" Kairi asked.

"Just Spearow, Spearow, and more Spearow," Sora said sarcastically. Sora checked the map. "But we should be close to Route 24."

"Would that take us to Vermilion City?" Kairi asked Sora.

"As long as we stay on the right track we would," Sora said reassuringly. "Should we get going?"

"Yes," Kairi said. "Let's go." Kairi grabbed her backpack and saw something on a tall rock. Something that they didn't expect to find. Sora got a closer look. It was a Charmander, but the tip at the tail was burning weak.

"A Charmander," Sora recognized.

"What is a Charmander doing out here?" Kairi asked.

"Not sure," Sora said as he took out his Pokédex and pointed at the new Pokémon.

Charmander, the Lizard Pokémon

Type: Fire

The flame that burns at the tip of its tail is an indication of its emotions. The flame wavers when Charmander is enjoying itself. If the Pokémon becomes enraged, the flame burns fiercely."

"Charmander was one the Pokémon I couldn't get because someone took it," Sora remembered. "It looks like I have a chance to get one for my own."

"He does look like he's in bad shape," Kairi pointed out. "You probably should catch it and we'll take it to the Pokémon Center for health."

Sora got a Pokéball ready and threw at the Charmander. As soon the Pokéball opens to take Charmander inside, it fails.

"No way!" Sora exclaimed. "It didn't work!"

"I think I have an idea why that is," Kairi said. "Charmander must belong to someone else. And it looks like he's waiting for his trainer."

"I guess we should him here for his trainer to come back soon," Sora said. "Come on Pikachu."

"Pika," Pikachu nodded.

Charmander watched them grab their backpacks and leave for the Pokémon Center. Rain clouds starts forming; Charmander is still waiting for his trainer to come back soon.

Sora, Kairi, and Pikachu made it to the Pokémon Center just in time as it starts raining. In the rain, Charmander grabs a large leaf to shield him from the rain. But the flame at the tip grew weaker by each second.

Inside the Pokémon Center, Kairi brings back some soup for the two of them to enjoy.

"Here Sora," Kairi said. "Have some soup." Kairi looked at Sora deeply concerned about him. "Sora?"

"Huh? Wha-?" Sora snapped back to reality.

"What's wrong?" Kairi asked concerned.

"I was just thinking about that Charmander," Sora answered. "Do you think that his trainer came back for him? I just don't think that Charmander would wait out there for long. Especially in this weather."

Kairi had to admit, she was worried too. So set the bowl down in front of him and sat down. She grabs his hand and gives him a reassuring smile.

"Charmander will be just fine," Kairi said kindly. "No trainer should be that irresponsible."

Sora smiled and nodded.

"You're right," Sora said. "I guess I was worried over nothing."

They heard laughter coming just a little further from them. They saw a bunch of guys looking over a lot of Pokéballs. One of them is wearing a brown vest with a salmon colored shirt with a red bandana at the neck. And his sunglasses are his head and wearing black jean pants.

"That's quite a haul, Damian," one of the guys said.

"I know," Damian said arrogantly in an Australian accent. "Caught them myself."

"Hot damn," said another.

One of the others spoke up, "I heard that you used to have a Charmander. Is that right?"

"I did," Damian said. "But that thing was so weak, it even lost to a puny Poliwag!"

Sora and Kairi definitely didn't like him or his attitude.

"Man, what a jerk," Sora said disgusted.

"You're right," Kairi said. "He should have known his Charmander is a Fire Type and the Poliwag it went up against is a Water Type. But Fire Types can beat beat Water Types if their trainers work hard enough."

"So what did you do with it?" the first guy asked.

"I just left it on some rock in the woods," Damian answered. Both Sora and Kairi realized Damian was that Charmander's trainer. The question on their minds were why would he leave it there and even before it started to rain. "That thing is so stupid! No matter what I do to it, it keeps following me around; so it got annoying. So I finally got rid of it by promising that I come back for it! It fell for it! It's probably still there waiting for me!"

Damian and his peers just laughed as he showed no remorse whatsoever to what he just did. Sora and Kairi couldn't believe that a Pokémon trainer would do such a thing to a Pokémon. Unforgivable! That got Sora's blood to boil. He glares at the arrogant trainer for what he did. Sora got up marched over to Damian.

"Sora wait!" Kairi called to him. Sora just ignored her and headed over to him. She knew where this was heading so she went up right behind with Pikachu following.

"I bet that it's wagging its tail right now!" The second guy said.

"It'll probably wag it so much, it'll put the flame right out!" the third guy said.

"Yeah for sure!" Damian said as he started to laugh. With one angry growl he grabbed Damian by the collar of his shirt and held him. Sora stared at him full of rage.

"YOU HEARTLESS BASTARD!" Sora roared. "GO AND GET IT! YOUR CHARMANDER IS STILL OUT THERE WAITING FOR YOU! GO GET IT NOW!"

"Why should I?" Damian asked sarcastically.

"You lied to your Pokémon by saying that you'd come back!" Sora hissed. "Now it's waiting in the rain for you! And its flame will go out and die if you don't!"

Sora's anger never shifted as Damian broke out of his grip.

"Oy! What I do is none of your business!" Damian retorted.

"You better do what he says!" Kairi snorted at him.

"What you say to me, you little bitch?!" Damian yelled.

"You heard me!" Kairi said. "You don't deserve to be a Pokémon trainer you disgusting worm!"

"Pika! Pika!" Pikachu added.

Damian grabs a Pokéball ready for a battle.

"You wanna fight with me?" Damian demanded.

"You better not mess with Damian," one of his peers said.

"Let's go!" Sora was about to grab a Pokéball when Nurse Joy spoke up.

"Break it up! You know the rules!" Nurse Joy called grabbing everyone's attention. "Pokémon are never to used for personal fights! It's disrespectful to both Pokémon and their trainers!"

"Yeah well, those two are what's started it," Damian walked away and one of peers grabbed the Pokéballs off the table he was sitting at.

"You shouldn't be mixed up with Damian," Nurse Joy warned. "He has a very bad reputation."

"Thanks for the advice," Sora said still angry. Nurse Joy looked him and smiled despite Sora's anger.

Sora and Kairi put on their raincoats, his being blue, while hers is pink with Pikachu running along them to get to Charmander before it was too late. Over to Charmander is still in the rain, with a flock of wild Spearow waiting to attack. They launched their attack on the weakened Fire Type scratching him with their talons. Sora threw a rock at the Spearow, drawing their attention.

"Get away!" Sora yelled. The Spearow started to attack the kids "Pikachu! Thunderbolt!"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu used this electric attack not only to shock the Spearow, but Sora and Kairi too. The Spearow flew away from their victim.

"Next time Pikachu, try not to shock us too," Sora said dazed.

"Pikachu," Pikachu said scratching the back of his head. Sora went over to Charmander and gasped. "Charmander's flame is almost out! Kairi! Help me keep the tail flame stay lit!"

"Right!" Kairi said taking off her raincoat. The two kids ran in the rain az fast as they can go. "Hold on, Charmander! We'll get you there soon!"

"You can make it!" Sora said.

Nurse Joy is watching the storm outside seeing how worse it got. She heard the Pokémon Center's door open to see the two kids and their Pikachu run in with their raincoats around something. They were panting from the running they did.

"Nurse Joy!" Sora called. "Please help!"

"What is it? What's wrong?!" Nurse Joy asked panicking.

"This Charmander is in really bad shape," Kairi answered. "The flame at the tail is nearly out!"

The young nurse looked at the Pokémon in Kairi's arms and gasped at the sight.

"We don't have much time!" Nurse Joy said.

They rushed Charmander into the infirmary. Nurse Joy did checking on him.

"Will Charmander be okay?" Sora asked the nurse.

"Charmander is very weak," Nurse Joy said. "How could you get it in this condition?"

"It wasn't us!" Sora defended. "It was Damian! That Charmander belongs to him! He's the one who did this by abandoning him!"

"What?!" Nurse Joy asked shocked.

"Damian promised that he'd come back for him; and because he's loyal to Damian, he believed him," Sora explained.

"Poor Charmander," Nurse Joy said sorrowly.

Kairi went up to her.

"Nurse Joy please!" Kairi begged in tears. "Help Charmander!"

Nurse Joy saw the tears coming from her eyes. The nurse could see the sadness for Charmander.

"I promise," Nurse Joy said. "I'll do what I can. Until then you have to wait outside."

They nodded as they left so that she could get to work.

Sora, Kairi, and Pikachu just waited and waited. Sora and Kairi sat on the bench. Sora held Kairi close to her, while she just cried for Charmander. He never once left her side. He could hear her whimpers on his chest as he held her. Sora hated to see her like this. All they could do is pray for a miracle. Waited for what seems like hours, but the treatment was finished. Sora, Kairi, and Pikachu waited to see if there were good or bad news. Nurse Joy came out with a smile. They knew that was a very good sign.

"Charmander is recovering," Nurse Joy said. "It'll make a full recovery in the morning."

They took a look inside the infirmary to see the tail burning brighty. Sora and Kairi smiled warmly at knowing that Charmander will live to see another day.

"It's a miracle," Kairi beamed quietly.

"I knew you'd pull through, Charmander," Sora said in his thoughts.

"Charmander will be grateful for what you did," Nurse Joy said. "Now you should be off to bed."

Sora and Kairi nodded. Pikachu leapt onto Sora's shoulder and headed to one of the guest rooms provided. Pikachu fell asleep on his shoulder; or did he?

Kairi made note of the tear stains on his jumpsuit.

"I'm sorry about crying on you like that," Kairi said. Sora looked at his jumpsuit and chuckled. "It's just I..."

"Don't apologize," Sora said. "You needed to let it out. And you can cry on my shoulder whenever you want."

"Thank you, Sora," Kairi said.

Kairi hugged Sora. Sora's heart beated rapidly as he also blushed. He hugged her back just as tight. Pikachu opened one eye with a smile. One they got to the guest room, Kairi fell asleep on the top bunk, while Sora placed Pikachu next to her. Kairi was sound asleep, so Sora decided to give Kairi a kiss, but not on the lips. He kissed her on the forehead. Sora climbed into the bed beneath her and fell fast asleep.

On Sora's dream, he dreamt that he was the judge and Damien was put on trail for Pokémon abandonment. Bulbasaur is the prosecuting attorney with Butterfree, Pidgeotto, Zubat and a bunch of Pikachu as the jury. Beedrill as bailiffs. Team Rocket as the defense team. And a statue of Kairi as Lady Justice.

"All rise! Court is now in session!" Beedrill buzzed. "The honorable Judge Sora presiding!"

Everyone raises as Sora enters the court room. Sora is wearing not only a black robe, but also a judge's wig. Sora bangs his gavel indicating that court is about to begin. And read the papers presented to him.

"Damian," the judge started. "You stand before this court for the crime of Pokémon abandonment, disregard for Pokémon's welfare, lying to your Pokémon and worse of all, aattempted murder. How do you plead?"

"Not guilty!" Damian said smugly.

"BOO!" The crowd behind hissed.

"Oh boo yourselves!" Damian barked back.

"Quiet in my courtroom!" Sora yelled. "Mr. Prosecutor! You may begin!"

Bulbasaur stood up and stroked his chin. "I call Damian to the stand." Damian stood up and took his seat at the stand. "Is it true that you promised to return for Charmander with no intentions of ever returning at all?"

"Yeah I said that! So what?" Damian said.

"So I thank you for the confession," Bulbasaur said. "No further questions."

"Do the defense attorneys have any questions to ask?" Judge Sora asked.

"Nope," they answered very stupidly. Jessie just drooled and James picked his nose. Meowth just scratched himself.

"I object!" Damian yelled.

"Overruled!" Sora bashed Damian on the head with the gavel. "Next witness!"

"I call Charmander to the stand!" Bulbasaur said when Beedrill kicked Damian out of the seat and back with the defense team. Charmander came into the courtroom rolling in a wheelchair and wrapped with bandages on his torso. A helio forms above his head to symbolize his innocence. Once Charmander took the stand Bulbasaur approached the lizard Pokémon. "I understand that your trainer Damian has sent you into battle with disregard for your Type weakness, is that true?"

"Yes," Charmander simply replied.

"And it also evident that you waited for him to come back even before a fierce storm broke out. Is that true?" Bulbasaur asked.

"Yes," Charmander replied again.

"Prosecution rests, your honor," Bulbasaur stated.

"Does the defense team have anything they want to contribute before we conclude?" Judge Sora asked putting his feet up.

"Na uh!" The defense team said shaking their heads.

"Okay then," Judge Sora said. "Do the jury have a verdict?"

The jury spoke amongst themselves for a moment before reaching a decision.

"GUILTY!"

Judge Sora pushed the button at his pedestal and Damian fell into the floor with flames coming out.

Back in reality, Sora smiles as he feels satisfied with Damian getting what he deserved.

Over to Kairi, she dreamt that Charmander is in her arms crying over learning the truth about how Damian just abandoned him. Kairi just soothed the crying Pokémon.

"Don't cry," Kairi said kindly. "There, there, that monster is gone and he will never bother you again. Yes." She held Charmander like a baby in her arms.

The very next morning, Kairi woke up first. She climbed out of the top bunk and looked at Sora's sleeping face. She smiled finding him cute when he slept. She couldn't bare to wake him yet. She went to the recovery room to check on Charmander. By the time she got there, she saw Charmander was gone. She looked around the room and saw that the window was opened.

"Oh no!" Kairi exclaimed. "He didn't!" Kairi ran to the room shaking Sora awake. "Sora wake up!"

Sora stirred awake seeing Kairi in a frantic fit.

"Kairi! What's wrong?" Sora asked.

"It's Charmander! Charmander disappeared from the E.R.!" Kairi exclaimed.

Sora, Kairi, and Pikachu ran into the E.R. to see the window opened and Nurse Joy standing beside the bed worried.

"I can bet a million dollars Charmander went back to that rock to wait for Damian!" Sora guessed. "We should go looking for him."

"No Sora," Kairi said. "Even when Damian is a irredeemable liar, we can't force Charmander to choose sides."

"She's right," Nurse Joy said. "Until Charmander realizes the truth, there's nothing you can do."

"I guess," Sora begrudgingly accepted. Sora didn't want to leave Charmander behind after what Damian did, but he didn't want to meddle in the affair either.

Just outside the Pokémon Center, Charmander makes his way back to the rock to wait for Damian to come back like he promised. He stopped and took one last look at the Pokémon Center and thought about the humans who helped him out last night. The one he especially thought of was the one with the spikey hair. Charmander proceeded to make his back to the rock.

"I know that he'll come back for me," - Charmander subtitle.

Over to Sora, Kairi, and Pikachu they continued on with their journey for Sora's next Gym battle, but he still couldn't get hus mind off of Charmander.

"I thought Charmander understood that we care about him," Sora sighed.

"Sora," Kairi spoke up. "Charmander knew we cared. You got to realize that a Pokémon's loyalty to its trainer is still there. He just couldn't forget about Damian. And that's why he went back."

"Chu," Pikachu said.

"You're right," Sora said nodding. "We should keep moving."

Sora, Kairi, and Pikachu started walking again to get to Route 24. But meanwhile, Team Rocket are up ahead with a machine of some sorts.

"Finally!" James beamed. "A foolproof plan to capture Pikachu!"

"I am so excited, I can't wait for us to use this whatever it is!" Jessie said.

"Start it up!" Jessie and James said pushing a button on the remote control. The machine starts transforming and opens a drill. The drill digs into the ground creating a giant hole. The trap was set; and just in time. Sora, Kairi, and Pikachu were walking in their direction. They did among the floral, along with the machine. Pikachu walked over over the trap.

"It didn't work! You used too many branches," Jessie snapped at James.

"Me?! You covered it with too much dirt!" James argued back.

Meowth slashed across their faces.

"Quiet!" Meowth scolded them.

Sora and Kairi took a step on the pit trap feelimg the ground move.

"You feel that?" Sora asked.

"I did," Kairi answered.

The ground opened up and the two kids fell in the hole. Pikachu looked back and saw the two of them on the bottom. Pikachu turned and saw Pikachu in rubber suits.

"I can't believe that actually worked!" Meowth said.

"We are geniuses!" Jessie said. "Our invention worked!"

"It's time to come with us, Pikachu!" James said. "You belong to us now!"

"PIKACHU!" Pikachu shouted shocking Team Rocket. But the electricity bounced off of them. Pikachu tried to get away only for James to take out a bazooka.

"It's time to use our rubber balloon bazooka!" James stated.

"Ready? Aim. FIRE!" Jessie shouted.

James launched a giant red balloon bubble and it hones in onto Pikachu. Pikachu tries to get away from it, but it was gaining on the yellow mouse Pokémon quickly. Pikachu got trapped inside and trapped as Pikachu inside. Team Rocket stood outside taunting and gloating that they had finally got it done.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried out for help.

Sora and Kairi stood up in the hole.

"What happened?" Sora asked in a daze. He looked around the hole and couldn't find Pikachu. "Pikachu!" Sora and Kairi tried to climb up, but it was no use.

Team Rocket looks down in the hole laughing at their dismay. Sora glared at them angrily.

"Hello down there," Jessie greeted. "Thank you so much for DROPPING in."

"And don't worry about Pikachu," James said holding Pikachu in the red rubber balloon. "We won't lose Pikachu like you did."

"Chu," Pikachu said sadly.

"Give Pikachu back!" Sora demanded.

"Let's get out of here," Meowth said iignoring him.

"Charmander!" Charmander stood in front of Team Rocket.

Team Rocket stops in their tracks looking at the lizard Pokémon.

"Where did that Charmander come from?" Jessie asked.

"Char, Char, Mander, Char!" Charmander said.

"Charmander is saying to give Pikachu back to those guys or else," Meowth translated.

"Or else what?" Jessie asked sarcastically.

Charmander starts taking a big breath. They looked Charmander wondering if it's holding its breath, but Charmander lets out a powerful fire attack, singed Team Rocket. James drops Pikachu before they started running.

"I told you that we needed to make our suits fireproof too!" James argued.

"Shut up and keep running!" Jessie said panicking.

"Some geniuses you are!" Meowth scowled.

"LOOKS LIKE TEAM ROCKET'S BLASTING OFF AGAIN!"

Damian walked out of the shrubs and he was surprised by what he just saw.

"Charmander beat them?" Damian asked.

Pikachu and Charmander helped Sora and Kairi out of the hole.

"Thanks for the help, Charmander," Sora said.

"I told you that he cared," Kairi said patting his head. "That's why he's here."

Sora smiled and looked at Charmander.

"Why don't you just come with us?" Sora offered. "Your 'trainer' isn't coming back to at all."

"Hey Charmander!" a familiar voice called. They all turned to see that it's Damian. "I've been looking everywhere for ya."

"You!" Sora snorted. "What do YOU want?"

"I came back for Charmander, like I promised," Damian said. "Just like I promised." Sora, Kairi, and Pokachu didn't like the sound of that. Sora knew in definitely that he didn't have any good intentions at all. "So let's go."

Charmander looked back to Sora and Kairi, not knowing what to do.

"You should be careful," Kairi said. "He already abandoned you once before."

"Charmander is mine," Damian reminded them. "I'm the one who caught it, remember?"

"You bragged about how you abandoned him!" Sora hissed.

"And it was a good thing that I did," Damian admitted. "That only toughen it up. And besides, what's the harm of dumping off a weak Pokémon?"

"Char?" Charmander was shocked and appalled by what he just heard. Charmander finally knew the truth. He couldn't believe that he was ever loyal to a trainer who just ended up lying and leaving him out to die.

"I wasn't going to come back for it, but after seeing what it could do, I'm really glad that I ran into you kids," Damian said. Charmander was saddened by what Damian just said and knew he had a very dishonest intention in store. "The best thing is, I didn't have to raise it myself!"

"That's awful!" Kairi exclaimed disgusted.

"So that's how it is with you?!" Sora asked in a very angry tone. "You just leave your Pokémon in the middle of nowhere and leave it for dead all beacuse it's weak?! You're supposed to raise a Pokémon! That's what being a Pokémon trainer is all about!"

"You wish!" Damian mocked. "It's the most boring part of the job!"

"And you call yourself a Pokémon trainer?!" Sora snapped at him.

"Now do you see that he dosen't care about you at all?" Kairi asked Charmander. "He's just a lazy Pokémon trainer who only cares about winning battles and having strong Pokémon! He dosen't deserve you or any other Pokémon at all!"

Charmander thought for a moment before Damian took out Charmander's Pokéball, but Charmander ran towards Damian and knocked the Pokéball out of his hand and smashed it. Sora, Kairi, and Pikachu were surprised by what they saw. But Damian was angered by this act of insubordination.

"You damn ungrateful little shit!" Damian yelled. "That's it! I'll crush you with every Pokémon I've got!"

"CHAR!" Charmander shouted unleashing his fire attack.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu chipped in using Thunderbolt.

Damian stood there singed, before he ran off crying. "Oh mummy!"

"That's showing him!" Sora cheered. "Good work!"

Charmander turned to Sora. Kairi knew Charmander had chosen Sora as his new trainer.

"It looks like Charmander made up his mind," Kairi said. "Charmander wants to go with you."

"Are you sure, Kairi?" Sora asked her.

"You kept his tail lit," Kairi reminded him "And I know Charmander will be a good addition to the team."

"You're right," Sora said taking out a Pokéball. Sora looked at Charmander. "What do you say, Charmander? You in?"

"Char! Char!" Charmander said before Sora threw the Pokéball in the air. Charmander tapped tbe button on the Pokéball, flowing inside. Stars swirled around the Pokéball confirming the catch.

Sora, Kairi, and Pikachu continued on with their journey, but made a quick stop for lunch. Charmander along with Pikachu, Pidgeotto, Bulbasaur, and Butterfree enjoyed the Pokémon food that Kairi had prepared for him. Charmander looked at the two humans. Charmander looked at Pikachu.

"What's up with them? Are they mates or something?" - Charmander subtitle.

"Well no, but you know that they love each other. But they didn't admit that yet." - Pikachu subtitle. Pikachu snickered.

"You mean they're not mates yet?" - Charmander subtitle. Charmander tilted his head.

"Not yet." - Pikachu subtitle.

"I haven't been with the group for very long, but I got the full grasp of it." - Bulbasaur subtitle. Bulbasaur chuckled.

The Pokémon talked amongst themselves in their language. Sora enjoyed the lunch that she made for the two of them and Kairi is so happy to see Sora enjoy it so much. She thought maybe getting lost wasn't such a bad thing; especially when it's with your friends. But it'll be better if you got to where you're going!