"Red, about that Charmander..." Gary began, his usual bravado tempered by genuine curiosity. "What's the plan?"
Red didn't answer him directly. He turned to the Professor. "Professor Oak, may I borrow the battle arena in your backyard?"
A knowing look passed over the Professor's face. "Of course. Follow me."
He led the three new trainers through the lab to a sprawling, open-air field behind the main building. It was a well-maintained arena, perfect for what Red had in mind. He took his place on one side of the field and threw Charmander's Poké Ball.
This time, there was no surprise Flamethrower. The powerful Charmander emerged and stood its ground, its crimson eyes fixed on Red, watching him with a keen, analytical gaze. It had not yet accepted him, but the display of Aura earlier had earned Red a sliver of its respect.
"Be careful, Red," Professor Oak warned, his tone serious. "This Charmander's level is far higher than a typical starter. Don't take it lightly."
"Don't worry, Professor. I have no intention of failing," Red replied calmly, his hand resting on the other Poké Ball at his waist. "It's your turn. Come on out, Beedrill."
Red didn't even need to throw the ball. With a flash of light, Beedrill materialized beside him, its sheer presence altering the atmosphere of the arena. Its stinger-arms, honed to a razor's edge, scraped against each other with a dry, menacing rasp.
"It really is Beedrill," Leaf murmured, her eyes wide. She knew it was Red's first Pokémon, a partner whose strength he trusted implicitly.
"That Beedrill is on another level," Gary said, his expression unusually grim. "I've never seen it lose a fight." He knew that three years of intensive, secret training had elevated the Bug-type into a terrifying powerhouse.
Sensing the immense pressure from its opponent, Charmander wisely opted for tactics over brute force. It opened its mouth and exhaled a thick cloud of black smoke, instantly shrouding its side of the field and obscuring Beedrill's vision.
"Excellent battle instincts," Red praised under his breath. He gave Beedrill a subtle nod—an unspoken command to fight independently.
Beedrill didn't need to see its target. It began to move, its wings beating in a complex, rhythmic pattern—Swords Dance. The rapid movements created a powerful vortex of wind that tore through the Smoke Screen, ripping it apart and leaving Charmander completely exposed.
Seeing its tactic fail, Charmander let out a furious roar and unleashed its full power. Its body ignited with draconic energy as it triggered Outrage, throwing itself into a berserk state, determined to overwhelm the insectoid opponent before it.
"Remarkable talent," Red noted, impressed that it had mastered a move as potent as Outrage. "But its temperament is still too impulsive." To use such a draining, uncontrollable move so early was a sign of desperation, not strategy.
Beedrill met the enraged Pokémon's charge with a look of cold contempt. An empowered Charmander was still a Charmander. An irrational one was nothing more than a living target.
"Roooar!"
The berserk Charmander began spewing a relentless stream of Flamethrowers, but Beedrill weaved between the torrents of fire with effortless grace, using Agility to become a near-invisible blur. As Charmander's stamina began to plummet, the flame on its tail suddenly erupted, burning with a ferocious intensity. It had triggered its Blaze ability. With a look of grim determination, it gathered its remaining power, clearly intending to take Beedrill down with it in one final, explosive attack.
Beedrill remained perfectly still, its sharp eyes watching, unimpressed. The combined power of Outrage and Blaze fueled a final, magnificent Flamethrower, a blast of fire so intense it could rival that of a fully evolved Charizard.
"That talent is just insane!" Gary exclaimed in disbelief. "Even a Charmeleon would struggle to do that!"
"It's fate," Leaf said, her voice filled with awe. "Red and that Charmander were meant to find each other. If it were us, it probably would have been sent back to the League or released into Charizard Valley."
"Indeed," Professor Oak agreed, a hint of his own machinations in his voice. "Destiny has a funny way of working. And I know Red; he never backs down from a Pokémon with this much power and personality."
As Charmander's final attack faded, it stood panting, completely exhausted. "Finish it," Red commanded softly.
The Charmander, refusing to admit defeat, tried to muster one last flame but only managed to cough up a puff of black smoke. In that instant, Beedrill moved. It appeared behind the exhausted Pokémon and brought its arm down in a swift, precise X-Scissor, knocking it unconscious.
The battle won, Beedrill silently returned to Red's side. Red walked over to the fallen Charmander and knelt, taking a healing spray from his backpack. He carefully treated the minor wounds from the fall. At first, the Pokémon whimpered, but the cool spray quickly soothed its injuries, and it began to make soft, happy sounds.
Red gently stroked its head. This time, there was no resistance. The Charmander leaned into his touch, rubbing its head against his cheek in a clear sign of acceptance. It had been defeated, but it had also been respected. It finally recognized Red as its trainer.
"I knew I made the right choice," Professor Oak said, beaming with relief.
Red recalled the now-docile Charmander to its Poké Ball. Just as he was about to turn and leave, Gary stepped forward.
"Red! Let's have a battle!" he challenged, his competitive fire reignited.
"Okay," Red agreed without hesitation.
He sent Charmander back out. The moment it appeared, it locked its eyes on Beedrill, assuming it was time for round two.
"Hey, hey, little guy, your opponent is over here!" Gary said, exasperated. He threw his own Poké Ball. Squirtle appeared, immediately tensing as it saw the infamous "tyrant" from the lab. It had been on the receiving end of this Charmander's bullying before, but its trainer's first battle request gave it the courage to stand its ground.
"Leaf, you should send out Bulbasaur, too," Red said, glancing at her and sensing the fighting spirit in her eyes. "Let's make it a one-on-two."
"Hey! Are you underestimating me and Squirtle?!" Gary shouted, offended. His Squirtle pouted, equally insulted.
"Gary, your Squirtle can't beat this Charmander alone," Red stated plainly, squatting down to place a hand on Charmander's head. "Its power has already surpassed the standard for a starter Pokémon. Besides," he added with a mysterious smile, "you're about to witness a brand new Charmander."
As he spoke, the system's voice echoed in his mind.
[Ding! Identify Pokémon: Charmander. Overlay Solar Power ability?]
(Yes,) Red thought, agreeing without hesitation.
[Overlaying Solar Power ability!]
Under the stunned gazes of Gary, Leaf, and Professor Oak, Charmander's body began to change. Tiny, brilliant sparks of golden energy crackled across its orange scales. The flame on its tail flared, burning brighter and hotter than a simple Blaze, pulsing with raw solar energy.
Professor Oak stared, trying to reconcile what he was seeing. He knew about Red's psychic abilities, and subconsciously assumed this was another application of his powers, a way to physically enhance his Pokémon.
"I'm counting on you, Bulbasaur!" Leaf said, shaking off her surprise and getting into a battle stance. She sent her Pokémon onto the field.
Facing the combined hostility of Squirtle and Bulbasaur, Charmander held its head high, utterly fearless. These two were prey, Pokémon that had trembled at the mere sight of it just hours ago. Now, with a trainer who believed in its strength, its confidence was absolute.
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