"Why is it raining again?" Ash groaned as he, Brock, and Misty hurried along the path towards the Cerulean Strait. The heavy downpour left them drenched as they frantically searched for shelter.
"I just checked the map," Brock called out, shielding his eyes from the rain. "There's a Pokémon Center not far ahead. We can rest there!"
"A Pokémon Center? Out here?" Ash blinked in surprise.
"Of course!" Misty replied as she held a makeshift cover over her head. "Although wild areas don't usually have Pokémon Centers, roads supported by the Pokémon League, like this one, often have small ones. Especially in places like this route to the Cerulean Strait, where there aren't any towns or villages nearby."
Ash nodded, recalling similar setups from the anime. "Makes sense. No wonder Pokémon Centers seem to pop up everywhere in the show, even in the middle of nowhere."
"That's right," Brock added. "These Pokémon Centers didn't always exist. They've only started appearing in the last few years thanks to advancements in technology. In the past, building a Center in the wild was too expensive and difficult. But now, it's cheaper, and the League wants to make life easier for Trainers."
Misty nodded. "Without Trainers, the League wouldn't exist. The more support they give us, the more people will be encouraged to become Trainers."
---
As the trio ran toward the Center, Ash suddenly froze. "Wait!"
"What's wrong?" Brock and Misty stopped in their tracks and followed Ash's gaze.
On a rocky outcrop near the roadside, a Charmander sat in the pouring rain, motionless. Its body was weak, and the flame on its tail, the vital sign of its life force, flickered dangerously.
"Why is there a Charmander here?" Brock's expression darkened as he noticed the severity of its condition. "Its flame is about to go out!"
Charmander clung desperately to a large leaf, trying to shield its tail from the rain, but the wind and water still reached it. Its orange body, cream-colored belly, and short limbs trembled under the assault of the storm.
Ash's heart sank. "If its flame goes out, it could die!"
"We can't leave it like this!" Brock exclaimed.
Without hesitation, Ash removed his jacket and wrapped the Charmander gently but firmly. He carefully shielded its tail, ignoring the risk of his clothes catching fire.
Charmander stirred weakly in his arms, its big blue eyes barely opening. In its hazy state, it mistook Ash for its Trainer and felt a fleeting sense of relief before it passed out completely.
"Hold on, Charmander!" Ash urged.
Misty and Brock rushed to help, using their jackets to shield Ash and the Charmander from the relentless rain. Pikachu ran alongside them, worry etched on its face.
---
After what felt like an eternity, the group finally spotted a small, three-story building up ahead. A large red "P" on the exterior confirmed it as a Pokémon Center.
"We're here!" Brock shouted, relief washing over them as they sprinted to the entrance and burst through the doors.
The lobby was filled with Trainers who had taken refuge from the storm. Some sat chatting, while others rested in the dormitories upstairs.
"What's going on?" Nurse Joy noticed the group's soaked appearance and hurried over, accompanied by a Chansey.
"Nurse Joy, please save this Charmander! It's in terrible condition!" Ash unwrapped the bundle to reveal the unconscious Pokémon.
Joy's expression darkened as she inspected Charmander. "How could you let it get this bad? Why didn't you put it back in its Poké Ball?"
"No, Nurse Joy!" Misty interjected. "This isn't Ash's Pokémon. We found it on the roadside like this!"
Joy froze, realizing her mistake. "Oh, I'm so sorry!"
"It's okay," Ash said quickly. "Please, just help Charmander!"
"Of course. I'll do everything I can," Nurse Joy assured them. She carefully lifted the Charmander and hurried toward the emergency room with Chansey close behind.
---
As the tension eased, a staff member approached the trio with towels. "Thank you for helping that Charmander. I heard what happened, and I admire your actions."
"Thank you," Ash, Misty, and Brock said, drying themselves off.
"It looks like this rain won't stop anytime soon. Let me arrange a dormitory for you to rest," the staff member offered warmly.
"Thanks," Brock replied. "That would be great."
---
As they settled in the lobby, Ash wiped the rain off Pikachu's fur. His gaze drifted to a Trainer standing nearby. The young man's face was pale and uneasy, and he avoided eye contact when he noticed Ash looking at him.
"Hmm…" Ash murmured, narrowing his eyes as the Trainer hurried toward the stairs.
"Something wrong?" Brock asked.
"I don't know," Ash replied, shaking his head. "He just seemed… off."
Before they could dwell on it, Nurse Joy returned to the lobby. "Charmander is stable for now," she announced.
Ash let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Nurse Joy."
Joy smiled gently. "It's thanks to your quick actions that we were able to save it. However, its condition was critical. It must have been abandoned for some time."
"Abandoned?" Misty's eyes widened. "How could anyone do that to their Pokémon?"
"Unfortunately, it's more common than you think," Nurse Joy said sadly. "Some Trainers see their Pokémon as tools. When they're no longer useful, they're discarded."
Ash clenched his fists. "That's horrible."
"Charmander will need time to recover," Joy continued. "But I'd like to speak to you about something once it wakes up."
Ash nodded, determination in his eyes. "I'll do whatever I can to help."
---
Later that evening, Ash sat by Charmander's bed in the recovery room. Pikachu perched on the chair beside him, watching the small Pokémon closely.
"I promise you, Charmander," Ash said softly. "You'll never have to feel abandoned again."
As the storm raged outside, a quiet resolve grew within Ash. No matter what, he would protect those who couldn't protect themselves.
Little did he know, this encounter was the start of a powerful bond that would shape his journey in ways he couldn't yet imagine.
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