Charizard's gaze softened, but the fire in its eyes flared as memories came unbidden.
Evolution and Early Hope
After that first small hand, the world had seemed wide and bright. Charmander had trained diligently with its trainer, stumbling, laughing, learning together. Every victory was shared. Every failure softened with care. The bond was strong, full of trust and warmth.
When the first evolution came, the joy was pure. Charmander twisted and strained, its small body growing, scales brightening, claws sharper, tail flame higher. Charmeleon emerged. The boy cheered, ruffling its head, laughter spilling into the warm air. They trained together happily, exploring the world, battling, learning. Every step forward felt mutual, every lesson shared.
For a while, nothing could dim the fire of their bond.
The Spark of Resentment
But slowly, the world outside their little bubble began to press in. Other Pokémon in the trainer's team—Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and several others—evolved quickly. They became taller, stronger, their attacks more precise, more powerful. Praise came easily for them.
Charmeleon struggled to keep up. It pushed itself, burned hotter, tried harder. But it could never match the speed and strength of the others.
The trainer's smile became rarer. Scolding grew more frequent.
"You're too slow!" the boy snapped after a failed battle. "Why can't you be like the others? Stop holding us back!"
Charmeleon's flame flickered low, wings drooping. It tried harder. It trained more, burned hotter, soared higher. Still, nothing was enough.
A quiet resentment began to grow inside the Pokémon. It hated failing. It hated the comparisons. And slowly… it began to resent its trainer too.
Charizard Emerges
Time passed. Charmeleon's body strained again, muscles thickening, wings stretching, flame roaring hotter than ever. Evolution came. Charizard had arrived—powerful, proud, capable of terrifying feats.
But the trainer's reaction was lukewarm, even disappointed.
"You're still weak," the trainer muttered, barely looking at Charizard. "I wanted a Pokémon that could dominate, not struggle like this."
Charizard's eyes blazed—not with pride, but with hurt and anger. It had given everything, burned every ounce of strength, yet it was not enough.
Sold and Broken
The final blow came when the trainer's attention drifted entirely. Charizard's victories were ignored, mistakes magnified. One day, the trainer returned not to train, but to trade. Charizard was handed over to smugglers in exchange for a newer, stronger Pokémon—someone that could win battles with ease.
Chains replaced commands. Fire roared uselessly. Wings beat against metal restraints. But it was powerless.
The betrayal cut deep. Charizard had trusted, had given its all, had evolved with hope and joy. And now it was sold, discarded, treated as nothing more than a tool.
The flames that had once burned with promise now flared with anger, sorrow, and a bitter determination: never again to be taken for granted.
Charizard's gaze returned to the present, lingering on Ash, who still cared for Caterpie, gentle, patient, steadfast.
The pain of the past had not disappeared, but the warmth of genuine care now stirred something unfamiliar—hope.
And for the first time in a long while, Charizard wondered if trust could be earned again.
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T/N:
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