"What's wrong, Charmeleon? Are you angry with me?" Ash's voice trembled slightly as he stared at the fire Pokémon that turned its back on him. Charmeleon didn't respond. Ash's heart sank, panic flashing across his face.
Charmeleon heard his trainer's worried voice and hesitated. Memories rushed into his mind—the day he met Ash, how Ash had saved him when no one else would, the bond they built through battles and adventures. But then the recent events surfaced in his thoughts, and bitterness returned. With a cold snort, Charmeleon looked away, determined to ignore Ash—at least for today.
"Tsk tsk," Robert chuckled softly, standing nearby. "Ash's Charmeleon is really a tsundere. Acting like this even before evolving into Charizard… What happens when he finally becomes one?"
Though Charmeleon's behavior was subtle, Robert had keen eyes. He noticed every twitch and glance. Still, he didn't mock—it was more amusement than judgment.
"Shh!"
A deep, annoyed grunt came from nearby. Charizard, Robert's trusted partner, was watching the entire scene unfold. It was displeased. The fire dragon had been trained since its youth to respect its trainer—no matter what. It had seen countless battles, had fought beside Robert in life-threatening situations. To see a fellow fire-type behaving so disrespectfully toward its own trainer—it was too much.
Charizard's claws dug into the ground as it began walking slowly, purposefully, toward Ash and Charmeleon.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Ash looked up in surprise, his eyes widening as the massive figure approached. Charmeleon sensed it too and turned his head slightly.
Charizard stopped right in front of them and stared down at Charmeleon. It growled low and deep. Its message was clear: What's wrong with you? How can you treat your trainer like this?
Charmeleon had no intention of listening. He snarled in return, baring his fangs. His flames flared up along his tail. You're interfering too much, big guy. I stopped bothering you, didn't I? Why are you getting involved when I'm just ignoring my own trainer? What law says you can step in like this?
"Ahhh…" the fire lizards growled at each other.
Charizard's growl turned into a series of sharp roars, stern and scolding. Charmeleon countered with shorter, sharp huffs. They weren't just fighting—they were arguing. Charizard lectured; Charmeleon retorted. They were practically shouting in their own language.
Ash rushed between them, panic returning. "Charmeleon! Charizard! Please stop fighting!"
His voice cracked as he tried to calm them down. "This is all my fault. If I hadn't been so eager to challenge Robert, things wouldn't have ended up like this. Please… I'm the one to blame."
Charmeleon turned his head to glare at Charizard. "Ah!" (See? It's your fault. You pushed him too hard.)
Charizard, utterly unfazed, scratched his chin lazily. "Ah." (No. You're the one who caused this.)
They were about to go at it again when Robert stepped forward.
"Enough," Robert said, raising a hand and stepping between the two fire-types. He turned to Ash. "Instead of letting them fight like this, how about we settle it with a battle? One-on-one. Winner gets to be right. What do you say?"
Ash blinked, caught off guard by the suggestion. Robert's tone wasn't mocking—he was offering a solution. A fair one.
Robert continued, his gaze steady. "I was going to leave it at that, but it looks like your Charmeleon hasn't fully accepted you yet. If he can find his answer through battle, maybe it's worth giving him that chance. But just so you know, Ash… this might be the last time I help."
Ash's breath caught in his throat. Robert's words weren't cruel—they were honest.
"You chose this path. Whether you stand, crawl, or kneel on it, you need to walk it. I've got my own Pokémon to train. I won't always be here to clean up your mess."
He paused, then said quietly, "Helping once is kindness. Helping twice is friendship. Helping ten times? That just makes me your babysitter—and I'm not your babysitter."
Ash nodded slowly. He turned to Charmeleon and lowered his cap, determination blazing in his eyes.
"I don't know what made you so angry with me," he said, "but I promise I'll work harder. I'll become the kind of trainer you can be proud of. I might be stupid sometimes, but I love Pokémon with all my heart, and I'll never give up."
Ash's voice shook but didn't break. His sincerity cut through the tension.
Charmeleon stared at him, conflicted. His mind played back every moment—Ash risking his life to save him, cheering for him, treating him as a friend instead of just a tool. Slowly, Charmeleon nodded. He stepped forward and stood beside Ash, looking straight at Charizard with defiance in his eyes.
Ash's heart leaped. "Charmeleon! That's the spirit! I won't let you down!"
Robert folded his arms and smiled faintly. He's a prideful one, that Charmeleon, he thought. Says no with his mouth, but his body's already charging ahead. Typical tsundere.
"Charizard," Robert called. "Let's make it quick. Dragon's Rage!"
Robert didn't hold back. There was no reason to. A battle was a battle—no matter who stood on the other side.
Charizard roared, blue flames building in his mouth, then exploded outward in a fearsome Dragon's Rage.
Ash's voice rang out immediately, "Charmeleon, use Flamethrower!"
Flames burst forth from both Pokémon. The two attacks clashed in midair, creating a massive explosion of heat and smoke.
But game mechanics didn't apply here.
In the games, Dragon Rage always did fixed damage. In reality? Charizard was simply too powerful. The energy wave engulfed Charmeleon. A cry pierced the air as Charmeleon disappeared inside a fiery whirlwind.
When the flames faded, a blackened figure lay on the ground. Charmeleon was out cold.
Charizard huffed and turned away. "Hmph. Weak. Not even worth using my full strength. What a waste of time."
Ash knelt beside his Pokémon. "Charmeleon…" he whispered. Charmeleon was burned but breathing. Ash held him carefully, his heart heavy.
Robert approached, arms crossed again. "You've lost, Ash. But don't be discouraged. You learned something today, right?"
Ash looked up and nodded. "Yeah. I knew I probably couldn't win against you… but this was too fast. Just one hit…"
Robert sighed. "It's the gap in our strength. I've been training my Charizard for years. You just got your Charmeleon. You need time—and effort."
"I'll keep working," Ash said firmly. "I swear, I'll catch up. I'll stand beside you one day."
Robert looked down at him, silent for a moment, then gave a small nod. "Then keep moving forward."
Ash gently cradled his injured Pokémon. Despite the loss, his resolve was stronger than ever.