Dark clouds pressed low as rain poured down.
Charmander was still lying atop the rocky platform.
"Char…"
It panted heavily, clearly exhausted, clutching a lotus leaf that swayed uselessly in the wind.
The leaf was purely symbolic—rainwater still drenched its body.
The flame at the tip of its tail flickered weakly, as if it might go out at any moment.
"Charrr…"
When Ash and the others approached, Charmander forced itself upright and let out a warning growl.
But compared to earlier in the day, the sound was noticeably weaker.
"There's no time—bring it to the Pokémon Center now!"
Ash didn't hesitate. This was an emergency; Charmander's consent could wait.
He rushed forward, tore off his raincoat, and draped it over Charmander before hauling it up with brute force.
"Charmander, stay with me! Don't fall asleep!"
He shouted encouragement as he held it.
"Char…?"
The words were rough, but the heat in the boy's eyes made Charmander hesitate.
It had never felt this kind of warmth from its former Trainer.
Brock and Misty quickly grabbed hold as well, and the three of them ran toward the Pokémon Center together.
At that moment, a voice echoed inside Ash's mind—
cool and distant.
"The flame on its tail is its life force."
Ash instinctively glanced back.
Charmander's tail flame was exposed outside the raincoat, rain weakening it with every drop.
Without hesitation, Ash switched positions with Brock, took the rear, and pressed the tail flame tightly against his chest, shielding it completely from the rain.
Only after doing so did he respond silently:
"Thanks, Mr. Red."
Red paused.
So… he'd already noticed my presence?
They soon arrived at the Pokémon Center.
"I'll take it from here!"
Nurse Joy had already prepared the emergency room and immediately began treatment.
Daisuke and his group were nowhere to be seen, leaving Ash with a strange sense of unresolved anger.
All he could do was stare at the bright red Emergency Treatment sign outside the room.
Beep.
Thirty minutes later, the red light turned green.
The door slid open, and Ash rushed forward.
"Nurse Joy! How's Charmander?!"
"It's fine now—out of danger. A good night's rest and it'll recover fully," she said gently.
"Pokémon bodies are tougher than they look."
She ushered them toward the guest rooms.
"No point letting the Pokémon recover while the Trainers collapse."
Only then did the weight finally lift from their chests.
Yawning, they returned to their rooms to wash up and sleep.
That night, Ash lay awake.
He tapped his chest lightly.
"Hey, Red… bored. Wanna chat?"
Red: "..."
After a long pause, Red accepted the call.
"When did you realize I was here?"
"Please," Ash replied smugly.
"I'm not that dense."
Red frowned.
You absolutely are.
Ash's carefree nature returned now that Charmander was safe.
Between the strange voices in his head, the mysterious Red's Pikachu belonging to a Trainer named Red, and the extra option that had appeared on the Pokémon Center PC—
'Red's PC'
—it wasn't hard to connect the dots.
Most people would've panicked, thinking they were possessed, maybe even hired a Jynx to perform an exorcism.
Ash, however, accepted it almost immediately.
As long as my will is strong and my heart is upright, gods and ghosts can't touch me.
Red: "..."
"So, Red… are you planning to possess me or something?"
Ash asked cheerfully.
"I'm totally down to wrestle for control."
Red: "..."
No. Your willpower rivals Arceus itself.
"By the way… are you dead?"
"..."
Red immediately ended the call.
The phrase 'Red' made his temples throb.
"Red? Why'd you hang up? All I'm getting now is three dots."
Red: "..."
The next morning, Ash didn't even brush his teeth before sprinting to Charmander's room.
It was empty.
"…Did it leave?"
A wave of disappointment washed over him.
"It probably returned to the rocky platform," Nurse Joy said softly, resting a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't miss this chance—go see it."
As a Pokémon Center nurse, she had to remain impartial.
But she wasn't a machine.
And she knew no one was more suitable to be Charmander's Trainer than Ash—
certainly not that delinquent.
"I get it!"
Ash's spirit reignited.
He immediately grabbed Brock and Misty, and they rushed back to the rocky platform.
Charmander was there.
But now it looked completely different—alert, energetic, its tail flame blazing powerfully.
"CHARAAAH!!"
It threw its head back and fired a massive, dark-red fireball into the sky.
BOOOOM!!
The explosion rippled through the air with scorching force.
"Dragon Rage…" Brock said, stunned.
"That's a high-level move. Ordinary Charmander can't use that."
"Dragon Rage?!"
Ash's eyes lit up as he ran forward.
"Char—"
Before he could finish, another voice rang out.
"Charmander! Looks like you've gotten stronger. I came back to get you, just like I promised."
Daisuke had appeared on the opposite side of the platform.
He raised a Poké Ball, smug grin plastered on his face.
Guess I misjudged it—this Charmander's got talent!
I'll just take it back for free!
"Don't listen to him!" Ash shouted.
"Charmander, he abandoned you!"
"Char…?"
Charmander hesitated, glancing between them.
"I'm your Trainer!" Daisuke snapped angrily.
"Get back here—now!"
He threw the Poké Ball.
That was the moment Charmander made its choice.
Its eyes hardened.
Its tail flame flared violently.
With a sharp motion, it brought its claws down—
CRACK!!
The Poké Ball shattered midair.
The bond between Daisuke and Charmander was gone.
"You—you—!"
Seeing Charmander preparing another Dragon Rage, Daisuke cursed and fled.
"Idiot, what are you waiting for?"
Brock and Misty shoved Ash forward.
Ash took a deep breath and stepped up, Poké Ball in hand.
"Your last Trainer was trash. But not all humans are like that.
Charmander… will you travel with me?"
Charmander smiled.
Tap.
It reached out and pressed the Poké Ball itself.
Red light flashed.
The ball clicked—no shaking.
"I caught Charmander!!"
Ash jumped, spun, and cheered wildly.
The Kanto starter trio—complete!
"Beep. Data updated. Congratulations, Trainer Ash. Achievement unlocked:
Kanto Longevity Trio Bond."
Festive electronic music played from the Pokédex.
"Longevity Trio?" Ash asked, confused.
"Beep. The Pokédex includes an achievement system. Completing certain conditions unlocks records."
All three leaned in.
"Oh wow—Ash, you've already unlocked three achievements!"
"Pikachu unlocked 'Future Best Actor: Beginner Stage'!"
"Pidgeotto and Caterpie unlocked 'Food Chain: Bird & Bug'."
"'Century Fire Lizard + Millennium Turtle + Ten-Thousand-Year Turtle'—that's the Kanto Starters!"
Ash frowned.
"What kind of nonsense is this?"
He raised the Pokédex and shouted:
"Enough fancy stuff! Pokédex, delete the entire achievement system!"
"Beep. Deletion failed. Cannot remove. All functions exist to help Trainers achieve their life goals!"
"Primary objective:
Assist Trainer Ash in becoming the Pokémon Master!"
Ash: "?"
…Was I slurring my words, or did the Pokédex short-circuit?
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