Part 1: The Challenge

Chapter 1

Cinder screamed in pain as it was blasted to the ground by the spray of whitish-blue foam. Red ran over to overlook the Fire-type’s condition to find that it was near death. The Charmander was barely breathing, it’s eyes beginning to dilate as the red flame on the tip of its tail began to die down. He shook his head in frustration.

No use letting him die. Red thought. I have no other Pokemon...or friends.

He took the Pokeball that was adhered to his waist and returned Cinder to it. After minimizing the ball with the press of a button, the ten year old couldn’t even begin to look up from the ground. Tears began rolling down his cheeks as only one thought filled his mind.

I can’t be this weak. He thought. This must be a nightmare because otherwise...no one can take me seriously.

However, the taunt of his opponent was too harsh to ignore.

“Well, well,” Blue said. “We finally see what the prodigy is really worth. Not really much of a champ in the making.”

In anger he looked up at the boy with unkempt reddish black hair. The Squirtle that defeated his Pokemon was virtually unscathed, looking rather satisfied after its victory. Beside him was a girl with brown hair that fell to her waist with a Bulbasaur at her side. Unlike Blue’s arrogant smirk, she looked at her defeated opponent with pity.

Green had healed the Grass-type after her victory against him so that it’s wounds were no longer visible. As soon as Red looked up at her, he immediately stared back at the ground as he couldn’t bear to look his crush in the eyes after a second defeat. Behind the two of them were various other kids of the same age, all of which had gathered to watch the battle between the three trainers. Red had hoped to gain at least one victory to make up for the lowly opinion they all held of him but that was a shattered ideal now.

“To think that the son of Lance Drake was such a weakling,” Blue said. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you would have chosen the wrong Pokemon, Red. It was a waste of my grandpa to let you have one of his Pokemon.”

“I really can’t believe I won despite the type disadvantage,” Green said. “Red...you really need to improve yourself.”

“Leave me alone!” he shouted. “You guys are just jealous...jealous my dad’s done more than all of your’s!”

This outburst of anger only caused him to be laughed at. Most of the kids in the back were chuckling while Blue was so riddled with amusement he was too shocked to laugh. Green was just shaking her head in secondhand embarrassment.

“I knew he was a weakling,” a boy behind Blue said.

“He certainly cries over everything,” a girl said. “He’s a complete baby.”

“Let’s go guys,” Blue said. “Leave the crybaby to his toys. Let’s see if Green is stronger than me.”

The group kids turned around to walk down the hill. Red ran after them screaming. He couldn’t stand to be alone after that defeat, needing reassurance. However, as he clamored forward, Green turned around as she continued walking as her Bulbasaur did the same. Her stoic, calm expression stopped Red dead in his tracks.

“You need to be alone to contemplate your mistakes,” she said as everyone else began leaving. “Think about why you lost.”

Green took the potion that she had used to heal her Pokemon’s wounds in her hand and sat it on the ground. The girl then turned around and continued moving with the rest of the children. Red felt forced to take Green’s advice, even if he didn’t want to. He knew that if he tried to say anything in his defense it would only make him look worse.

He stood at the top of the hill where the battle had taken place. He looked out at the distant sunset as it reminded him of the last time Red saw his father before he left. That day, Lance left Pallet Town while the sky was as orange as his Dragonite and it felt perfectly melancholic.

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I hate you. Red wanted to say to his dad. Everyone expects me to be you. To be as good as you. To be better than you. And...and I don’t have the strength to do that.

He looked at Cinder through the transparent red top of the Pokeball.

And you deserved a better trainer. He thought.

After using the bottle of spray medicine to heal Cinder, Red refused to go home. He didn’t want to hear his mother berate him about his failing grades or bear the silence of the dinner table since his father was away. He sat there until night, staring up at the stars and full moon.

It became chilly but Cinder’s now fully lit tail flame kept Red warm. The Charmander mostly sat in silence, obviously aware of his trainer’s burden. It wasn’t until night that the Pokemon actually spoke up.

“I’m sorry,” the Fire-type said. “I should have-”

“No,” Red said.

The Lizard Pokemon’s bright blue eyes went wide at his single word.

“Wha-what?” Cinder asked.

“It’s not your fault,” Red added. “You can’t be blamed for my mistakes. You can’t be blamed for who I am.”

The Fire-type looked like he was about to cry.

“I’m not just a terrible trainer,” he continued. “I’m a terrible student, I’m not strong, I’m not handsome...nothing like Blue. Part of me is glad my father isn’t around so he can’t see how much I’ve screwed up. Everyone expected me to be some great conqueror since Lance was my father but they either laugh or are disappointed seeing someone lower than average. My father would have been happier with Blue as his son.”

“Don’t say that!” Cinder cried.

“I don’t know what happens when I encounter high stress situations,” he went on. “Whether it’s a Pokemon battle, taking a test or talking to girls but...when I’m under pressure I just fall to pieces. I suppose it’s-”

The Charmander ran toward him and hugged his side as he sat down.

“Others may not like you but I do,” he said.

The warmth of the Fire-type helped make the cold practically vanish from Red’s body.

“When the professor told me he was giving us away,” Cinder said. “I told him all I wanted was a trainer who was nice. Someone...someone who wouldn’t give up on me or throw me away. That’s why he gave me to you. Because he knew you wouldn’t be like that.”

Red gave him a faint smile before putting his hand atop the Charmander’s bald head.

“All I’ve wanted ever since I was taken from Mount Silver was someone to replace my family,” he said. “Don’t get disappointed in me because if you do...you might throw me away.”

Red sighed. The Charmander used to live in mountainous areas like the Silver mountain range and be numerous. However, humans discovered they were the best Pokemon to use to act as a living heat source when paired with human technology and soon few remained in the wild. Cinder was obviously afraid Red might use him as humans often used Pokemon as gears in their society.

“Don’t worry,” Red said. “I’m lucky just to have someone as good as you. Honestly, I thought I would be the one to be thrown away. I can’t afford to get rid of anyone as low as I am.”

“Red!” a voice called out. “Red!”

They both turned to see an older man in a white lab coat running up the hill. Once he reached the top he began panting upon reaching the top, holding his knees as he tried to steady himself. He then looked down at Red.

“Your mother was worried to death about you!” Professor Oak said. “She wanted to know where you’d gone! She thought you’d been scooped up by a Pidgeotto or something!”

“I don’t want to go home!” he said. “My mother’s just like everyone! Always complaining about how my dad made better grades than me...once she finds out what happened today she’d just berate me more…”

“Are you talking about the loss against Blue and Green today?” Oak said.

Red nodded.

“Word spreads fast in a small town,” the professor said.

“Why did you even bother giving me Cinder if you knew I was already no good at battling?” Red asked. “I make the lowest grades in school even in the subject of Pokemon.”

“Look, after I gave you three those Pokemon today I thought you might feel better and gain some confidence,” Professor Oak said. “I thought you might awaken your father’s flame of determination you inherited when you battle.”

Red’s expression was only saddened by his words.

“But I see now that you all grow at different rates,” he continued.

“Everybody sees me and looks down on me because all they expect is a second Lance,” Red said. “Why can’t I just be myself?”

Oak sighed.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I know it’s hard on you that everyone...is disappointed and mocks you. But…”

He then looked down at Cinder.

“You can make up for that by becoming stronger by bonding with your Pokemon,” Oak said. “You’d be surprised what could happen with a strong enough bond.”

“Do you think that if I bond with Cinder…” Red said. “I can become a strong trainer?”

The professor said.

“Certainly,” he said. “Bond with him closely and you’ll have a strong fighter.”