"It's all right now, everything's fine, but I wonder if Charmander will blame us when he wakes up!" Misty sighed with relief as she looked through the window, though a hint of worry still lingered.
"Let him blame us if he wants!" Ash shrugged, unconcerned. "It's for his own good."
"Let it go," Ash added, turning to leave. Misty found Ash's behavior a little odd but couldn't put her finger on it, so Brock followed quietly after noticing this.
Meanwhile, no one realized that Charmander, who was supposed to be resting in the medical room, had slowly opened its eyes.
Charmander had simply exhausted its energy, and after receiving the Performance supplement, it recovered quickly without the extended weakness seen in the anime. Its Contest Condition had also been affected by heavy rain and an attack by Spearow.
It had awakened just as Ash and the others were talking, pretending to be asleep until Ash left. Now, it opened its eyes again.
Because Charmander was facing away from the window, Misty, who was still present, didn't notice. It remained still, but there was a complicated expression in its eyes.
After leaving the medical room, Ash didn't return to his room. Instead, he headed outside the Pokémon Center. It was already dark, and the sky seemed ready to pour rain. The overcast sky blocked the stars, and the atmosphere felt gloomy, but Ash sat quietly on a bench outside.
"What are you thinking about?" Brock appeared beside Ash, having followed him outside unnoticed.
"It's nothing, really. I just feel like I've found a new goal," Ash replied calmly, his tone lighter than before.
Brock paused, sensing Ash's change in demeanor, then asked, "Isn't your goal to become the world's number one Trainer? We haven't known each other long, but in the time we've spent together, I thought that was your dream."
Ash turned to Brock and asked, "But what happens after I become the number one Trainer? What would you do after becoming the number one Pokémon breeder?"
Brock lowered his head, thoughtful. "That's true... I'm focused on caring for Pokémon, but if I really became the best breeder in the world, I'm not sure what I'd do next. It feels so distant."
Ash continued, "I've started to realize what I want. After I beat the Elite Four and the champion, that's when I'll really know what to do next."
Ever since Ash came into this world, his original dream had been to become the world's number one Pokémon Trainer. Whether in this world or in the anime, that goal remained the same.
But he had never thought about what came after reaching that dream. Now, though, his perspective had shifted. He still aimed to be the best, but there were deeper reasons behind it, not just the blind pursuit of a goal like in the anime.
The unselfish, pure chase of a dream seen in the anime was too unrealistic for someone like him, a traveler between worlds. That kind of idealistic vision was only something to be found in fiction.
Brock was quiet for a long time, absorbing Ash's words. He was grateful he had chosen to accompany Ash on this journey, feeling reassured by Ash's passion not just for being a great Trainer, but for his love of Pokémon as well.
"In my case," Brock finally said, "maybe I'll be like Melanie and take care of Pokémon hurt by humans—those who need special attention." Hearing Ash's new outlook, Brock suddenly felt inspired with his own purpose.
His idea seemed to align with Ash's. Ash hoped for a world where such harm to Pokémon wouldn't happen again, though it was not something that could be fixed quickly.
But with someone like Brock caring for these Pokémon, it felt like a step in the right direction.
"Let's work together, Ash!"
"Yeah," Ash smiled, nodding. "Let's do it."
After chatting with Brock, the night grew late, and the two returned to rest. Misty also headed back to her room, and just like that, they spent the night at the remote Pokémon Center. In the middle of the night, rain began to pour from the sky.
The proximity to the strait made the weather here unpredictable, with frequent rainstorms. Luckily, they had found the Pokémon Center before the downpour.
The night passed in silence.
By the next morning, the heavy rain had stopped, and the weather had cleared. The air was crisp and fresh after the storm.
Ash woke early, changed his clothes after washing up, and went to the hall to find Nurse Joy. She led him to the ward where Charmander was being treated.
It was still early, and Charmander hadn't woken yet. Nurse Joy carefully removed the medical equipment from its body. Despite her gentle movements, Charmander stirred and woke up.
As soon as it was awake, Charmander jumped off the bed. When it saw Ash standing at the door, its eyes were filled with a mix of emotions.
Without a word, Charmander lowered its head and walked past Ash, heading toward the exit.
"Where are you going?" Misty and Brock arrived just in time to witness the scene, and Misty immediately called out.
"Yeah, don't go back to that place," Brock added, his voice unusually stern. "Your Trainer isn't coming back. If Ash hadn't brought you here last night, you might not have made it. That kind of Trainer doesn't deserve your loyalty."
Brock, typically calm and easygoing, rarely showed such anger, but this time, his frustration was evident. He had learned more about Charmander's Trainer from Nurse Joy, and it was now clear what kind of person had abandoned it.
Charmander hesitated for a moment, stopping in its tracks, but after a brief pause, it continued walking toward the door. The group exchanged uncertain glances, unsure of how to persuade the disheartened Pokémon. Misty opened her mouth to say something, but Ash raised a hand to stop her.
"Let it go," Ash said quietly, shaking his head as he watched Charmander's retreating form.
Charmander kept moving toward the exit, but just as it reached the door, it swung open. Several figures stepped into the Pokémon Center, casting long shadows into the room.