Mark arrived at the mountain the boy had mentioned. The terrain wasn't high, but the trails were rugged and the air heavy and suffocating—exactly the kind of environment fire-type Pokémon would thrive in. It seemed they hadn't gone astray.
"Hey, who are you people? This place is off-limits," an old man called out as he walked toward them.
"Hello, Grandpa. We heard there are lots of Charmanders here, so we came hoping to catch one," Mark replied politely.
"No, no! The Charmanders here were entrusted to me by the Pokémon League for breeding. They're meant to be distributed as starter Pokémon across the regions. How could I possibly let you catch them?" the old man responded firmly.
"That's strange," Mark said thoughtfully, "someone else told me his Charmander was caught nearby."
"Ahh, that explains why two days ago, when I counted the Charmanders, one was missing! Someone really got lucky—he caught one of the top-tier ones around here. I hope it wasn't some poacher… perhaps he just happened upon a stray one. Even so, we can't go asking for it back. I just hope he raises it well," the elder sighed.
"Heh, raise it well? That guy just abandoned it!" Giselle muttered beside him.
"What? Where's that scoundrel? I'll beat him senseless!" The [Old Man's Name was Elder]elder's eyes flared with anger. He was clearly hot-tempered.
"Grandpa, don't worry. Even though that guy didn't know better and abandoned the Charmander, the trainer meant for it will arrive soon. It'll be taken care of properly—you can rest easy," Mark assured him.
"Really?" The elder's eyes still held doubt.
"Of course it's true! If you don't believe me, leave me your contact info. The next time I meet him, I'll have him video call you with the Charmander. That'll ease your mind, right?"
"Alright then, but if you trick me, I'll report you to the League!" The elder warned fiercely. Mark quickly recorded the old man's contact information.
"Grandpa, since this is a Charmander breeding area, I won't push it. We'll be on our way now. Goodbye!" Mark said, though a hint of disappointment lingered in his tone. There was nothing else he could do.
"Wait! You said you came to catch a Charmander? I won't let you catch one, but... I can give you a chance to catch a Charmeleon! Interested?" The elder suddenly spoke.
"What? Charmeleon?! Of course I'm interested! Grandpa, do you know where it is?" Mark's eyes lit up.
"That Charmeleon was once the strongest among the Charmanders I bred—top-class potential and aptitude. But it's too aggressive. Every day it drags other Charmanders into battle and wins repeatedly. Before I knew it, it evolved into a Charmeleon! Now, no rookie trainer can handle it. But you seem capable, so I'll give you a shot—try and see if you can catch it."
"Really?! That's amazing! Thank you so much, Grandpa!" Mark grinned.
"Follow me," the elder beckoned, and Mark followed him to the back of the mountain. There, numerous Charmanders roamed—some newly hatched, others in the process of being trained for future trainers. But what drew Mark's eyes most was the strong, imposing Charmeleon standing proudly in the middle.
"Charmeleon! Come here! A trainer is challenging you to be caught! Do you accept?" the elder called out. The Charmeleon turned toward Mark.
"Your potential is extraordinary. But staying here will waste it. If you want to be the strongest, you should go out and explore the world," the elder urged.
The Charmeleon paused for a moment before nodding firmly.
Charmeleon, male, flame Pokémon, ability Solar Power, nature Brave (boost Speed, reduce Special Defense), height 1.3m, weight 21kg, mythic aptitude, champion-level potential, currently elite mid-tier strength, knows Dragon Dance, Flamethrower, Fire Fang, Smokescreen, Dragon Claw.
A Charmeleon with the dream ability Solar Power, equipped with inherited moves like Dragon Dance and rare moves like Dragon Claw—moves only teachable by machines or tutors. This was clearly the elder's deliberate effort. Its potential even reached champion-level—truly extraordinary! Mark's resolve to catch it strengthened tenfold.
"Go! Scyther!" Mark sent out his Scyther. There was no choice. In this rocky area, Feebas couldn't move at all, and his other three Pokémon's types were all weak against fire. Mark felt as though he was walking the same perilous path as Ash toward becoming a master of disadvantageous types. But victory wasn't impossible—Scyther's flying ability gave it superior mobility, and its strength had reached the peak of elite-level training. It was practically a Gym-level Pokémon in the making. It had trained hard recently and learned two new moves—it was the perfect moment to put them to use.
Charmeleon blasted a Flamethrower at once, but Scyther swung its scythes to cut through the flames. Charmeleon then used Smokescreen, instantly shrouding the battlefield.
"Scyther, use Swords Dance while spinning and blow away the smoke!" Mark commanded. Scyther spun rapidly in place, its air currents dispersing the smokescreen—but Charmeleon was nowhere to be seen. It had likely used the terrain to hide. Growing up here, Charmeleon would know the area intimately. But don't forget—Scyther could fly! It immediately soared into the sky to search for Charmeleon's position. But as it ascended, a massive rock suddenly crashed toward it! This was Charmeleon's trap, meant to lure Scyther into becoming the target. Though not a rock-type move, being hit by such a huge boulder would deal serious damage. That Charmeleon could lift it at all spoke volumes about its strength.
"Scyther, use Brick Break!" Mark commanded. Scyther gathered its fighting energy and smashed the rock into pieces. With its rising level, Scyther had naturally learned Cross Chop and Double Team. But Brick Break was a move Mark had specifically trained it with to counter steel and rock types—and it proved invaluable now.
Blocked once, Charmeleon spun in place, gathering its draconic energy to perform Dragon Dance, boosting its speed and attack—clearly preparing for close combat! But Scyther wasn't afraid of such battles, having faced similar situations before, and its recent use of Swords Dance had also increased its power.
After the dance, Charmeleon's speed skyrocketed. It charged forward with Dragon Claw, while Scyther responded with Cross Chop. The clash of strength was exhilarating—for Pokémon too, it was a moment of thrill. Charmeleon had already forgotten this was a capture battle; it fought with all its might to win!
A Fire Fang clamped down on Scyther's scythe blades—equivalent to hitting its hands! The fiery attack must have hurt, but Scyther's willpower was unshaken—it advanced, even stronger, raising its scythes and slamming Charmeleon into a boulder. Charmeleon, injured badly, retaliated with Flamethrower, aiming at Scyther.
"Scyther, use Double Team!" Mark ordered. Scyther instantly created dozens of copies of itself. Charmeleon, lacking guidance and battle experience, panicked at the sight!
"Now's the time! Defeat it with Brick Break!" Mark chose the fighting move over bug-type ones to ensure normal damage. The real Scyther among dozens of copies charged toward Charmeleon, which couldn't distinguish it—trapped and hit directly.
"Perfect chance! Go, Ultra Ball!" Mark hurled an Ultra Ball. It swallowed Charmeleon whole. Moments later, the ball stopped shaking—it was a success! Mark had caught the Charmeleon, expanding his team's strength even further.
"It worked! Amazing! Congratulations, Mark! You caught a Charmeleon!" Giselle rushed over, beaming with joy.
"Ah, Charmeleon… it's destined for greater horizons. I hope you take good care of it!" the elder sighed, reluctant to let it go.
"Grandpa, I've saved your contact information. I'll stay in touch and keep you updated about both Charmeleon and the little Charmander. Don't worry—I'll make sure to share their progress with you," Mark said gratefully. The old man's heart had been poured into raising Charmeleon, and he hadn't tried to hold it back. Now, showing him the Pokémon's growth was the best way Mark could express his appreciation.
"Good boy…" the Old Man's eyes softened.
After helping Charmeleon recover, Mark and his new Pokémon bid farewell to the elder and left the valley, their spirits soaring as their adventure continued.
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