"I've told you already, I don't own a Charmander! I don't know anything about it!" The Trainer, cornered in the Pokémon Center's hall, was growing more desperate by the minute.
Around him, four Alliance patrol officers, along with a staff member, remained focused, undeterred by his denials.
Most of the other trainers had already been asked to leave, returning to their dormitories while the investigation continued.
The patrol officers promised to announce the outcome when everything was settled.
"It doesn't matter what you say right now," one of the patrol officers responded coldly.
"If Charmander doesn't recognize you, then you have nothing to worry about. You'll be cleared, and we'll compensate you for your trouble."
A female officer sneered at the Trainer, her voice dripping with disgust.
"But if Charmander does recognize you… you'll face the full punishment from the Alliance. Trainers who abandon their Pokémon are the worst. You don't deserve to be a Trainer."
The patrol had already reported the incident to the Alliance headquarters.
Their initial investigation confirmed that the Trainer once owned a Charmander, but that alone wasn't enough to convict him of abandonment.
Charmander's identification would be crucial to proving the case.
The Trainer's face grew pale, fear creeping in. He had hoped to slip away unnoticed, but at some point, he'd been knocked unconscious.
When he woke up, he found himself under the custody of the patrol team, and now Charmander had regained consciousness.
The reality of what was about to happen weighed heavily on him. If Charmander identified him, he knew what fate awaited him.
Panic set in as he scanned the room, eyeing the exits and calculating his chances of escape. His growing desperation didn't go unnoticed by the patrol officers.
"Still thinking of running?" The leader of the patrol squad narrowed his eyes, recognizing the look of fear and plotting in the Trainer's gaze.
He exchanged a subtle glance with his team members, who knowingly stepped aside just enough to create the illusion of a potential escape route.
The Trainer hesitated for a moment but began inching towards the gap, eyeing the opportunity to make a break for it.
He knew that fleeing would add another charge to his crimes—resisting law enforcement—but at this point, he figured his only hope lay in running.
If he could escape, he planned to join Team Rocket, believing they would protect him from the Alliance's reach.
Just then, a shout interrupted the tension.
"Charrr—!" Charmander's voice echoed from the hallway. It had spotted its Trainer and rushed forward, eyes lighting up with joy as it hurried over.
But the Trainer's expression twisted in disgust as he stared at the approaching Pokémon. His heart sank further as he realized his worst fear was coming true. Charmander had recognized him.
"Get away from me! I don't know you!" the Trainer shouted, backing away towards the door as Charmander approached him eagerly.
The excitement and happiness in Charmander's eyes faded instantly.
It stood frozen, its mind struggling to process the harsh words. Its Trainer, the one it had waited for through rain and pain, was rejecting it.
"Charmander—!" Charmander cried out, its voice desperate and filled with confusion. It tried again to reach its Trainer, but the Trainer's face twisted in anger.
"I said, get away from me!" he roared, walking even faster towards the exit, hoping to distract the patrol officers.
By this point, Ash, Misty, Brock, and Pikachu had arrived, watching the scene unfold. Ash clenched his fists in anger as he saw Charmander's heartbroken expression.
"Charmander… I'm so sorry…" Ash whispered under his breath, furious at the cruelty the Trainer was displaying.
Charmander continued to call out, still unable to comprehend why its Trainer was treating it this way.
But the Trainer no longer cared. He saw the opening he needed and bolted for the door, throwing a Poké Ball over his shoulder to release a Pokémon and cover his escape.
"I've been waiting for this!" The leader of the patrol team grinned. He had anticipated this move from the start. "Primeape, stop him!"
In a flash, the leader's Primeape appeared, exuding a ferocious aura.
The other patrol officers quickly sent out their Pokémon as well, blocking the Trainer's Pokémon and allowing Primeape to charge straight towards the exit.
The Trainer skidded to a halt, his escape route cut off. Primeape stood in front of the door, glaring at him with an intensity that made the Trainer take a step back in fear.
In his panic, he tripped and fell to the ground.
"Char—!" Charmander, seeing its Trainer fall, rushed over to help.
But when Charmander reached him, the Trainer's frustration exploded. "Get away from me!" he shouted, violently shoving Charmander aside.
He then stood up and, in his blind rage, kicked Charmander as it tried to get up.
"Bang!" The blow never connected. Primeape had moved in a blur, blocking the kick with one swift motion. It grabbed the Trainer's leg, its cold eyes locking onto him.
The Trainer recoiled, his fear of Primeape's overwhelming strength paralyzing him. But even now, he turned his anger onto Charmander, shouting,
"It's all your fault! Why don't you just die already?"
Charmander froze, its wide eyes staring up at the Trainer it had so faithfully waited for. The words hit it like a physical blow, shattering the remnants of the bond it thought they shared.
"Enough!" The patrol leader stepped forward, his voice harsh.
"We've seen enough to know the truth. You've abandoned your Pokémon, and now you've resisted arrest. The charges will stack up."
The Trainer struggled briefly, cursing under his breath, but with Primeape holding him down, there was no escape.
The patrol officers quickly subdued him and escorted him out of the Pokémon Center.
As they left, the patrol leader turned to Ash, Misty, and Brock. "You did a good job reporting this. Don't hesitate to stand up for Pokémon like Charmander in the future."
Misty responded firmly, "Of course! We won't let things like this go unnoticed."
Brock nodded in agreement.
Ash, however, remained silent, his gaze fixed on Charmander. The little Pokémon stood motionless, staring at the spot where its Trainer had been taken away.
Its tail flame burned dimly, and its body trembled with a sense of loss so deep, it seemed to have lost the will to go on.
Ash knelt down beside Charmander, his heart aching for the Pokémon. "Charmander…"
This Charmander had shown loyalty and love far beyond what most Pokémon would. It had held on to hope, even in the face of betrayal. Ash knew what he had to do.
"You don't have to be alone anymore," he whispered, reaching out his hand.
Charmander turned to look at him, its eyes still filled with sorrow, but also a flicker of something else—hope.
________________
Adios