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"That's enough! Today isn't the time for fighting—both of you need to calm down!"
Ash stepped between Scyther and Charmeleon, holding his hands out to separate them. Both Pokémon appeared startled by his intervention. After a moment, following Ash's command, they each turned their heads away and walked off in opposite directions.
The rest of Ash's Pokémon visibly relaxed. Although Scyther was a newer team member, they were all familiar with its competitive nature.
Since losing to Charmeleon in their previous battle, Scyther had been nursing a grudge, convinced it could win in a rematch. Charmeleon, however, remained largely unbothered—only responding when provoked by Scyther's aggressive displays.
Throughout their recent travels, Ash had been rigorously training his Pokémon, taking advantage of every available opportunity. As a result, the strength of his entire team was steadily improving.
With their arrival at Cinnabar Island approaching, Ash was actively preparing for his upcoming Gym battle. For this challenge, he planned to rely primarily on Squirtle, Charmeleon, and Fraxure.
His other Pokémon would be at a disadvantage against Blaine, the Cinnabar Gym Leader. Facing a Fire-type specialist meant Ash couldn't be certain of victory based on type matchups alone.
Consequently, the training regimen for Fraxure, Squirtle, and Charmeleon had intensified. Squirtle, limited by its evolutionary stage, could only learn so many moves—so Ash focused instead on increasing the power of its existing techniques.
Fraxure faced similar constraints, though its natural attack power was already formidable.
Charmeleon had the most flexibility in developing its moveset. Since mastering Fire Pledge, Ash had been working with Charmeleon to enhance the move's potency. All this preparation was leading toward eventually learning the ultimate Fire-type technique: Blast Burn.
"Alright, let's begin today's practice session!" Ash called out to his assembled Pokémon after successfully defusing the tension between Scyther and Charmeleon.
"CHAR!"
Suddenly, Charmeleon released a low growl, turning its head sharply toward a dense section of forest not far from their position.
"What's wrong, Charmeleon?" Ash asked, noticing the fire lizard's unusual behavior.
"MELEON!"
Charmeleon's eyes narrowed with intensity as it continued growling while staring in the same direction. Ash followed its gaze toward the thick forest but couldn't see anything out of the ordinary.
"Is something over there?" Ash questioned. Charmeleon responded with a definitive nod.
Taking his Pokémon's instincts seriously, Ash decided to investigate. He headed toward the forest without hesitation, his team following closely behind.
As they entered the dense woodland, moving through patches of tall grass, nothing seemed amiss at first. But soon, Ash noticed something unusual.
"What's this?"
While traveling through the forest earlier, they had enjoyed the cool shade provided by the canopy. Despite being near a desert, the temperature difference between open terrain and the forest had been quite noticeable.
Now, however, as they ventured deeper, an uncomfortable heat began permeating the air. Even after walking just a short distance, Ash could feel sweat beginning to form on his brow.
"This temperature doesn't seem natural," he muttered, quickening his pace.
After pushing through more underbrush, they emerged near a river with a small clearing beside it. The open space glowed with an intense red light, radiating waves of heat that distorted the surrounding air.
"That's..." Ash's eyes widened in surprise as he recognized the source of the phenomenon.
"Moltres?!"
The figure bathed in red light had fine, yellowish-brown plumage covering most of its body. Its wings, tail, and crest were adorned with feathers that burned with brilliant orange-red flames. A sharp, elongated beak protruded from its face, and its eyes were tightly closed as if resting.
This magnificent creature was none other than Moltres, one of the Legendary Bird Pokémon.
Having previously encountered Zapdos, another of the Legendary Birds, Ash wasn't completely overwhelmed by Moltres's presence. Nevertheless, he certainly hadn't expected to find it in this location.
The Legendary Pokémon was emitting a powerful red aura that released intense heat. The ground beneath it had been scorched black, and the surrounding air wavered from the extreme temperature.
Moltres's temperament matched its typing perfectly. While not inherently malevolent, it possessed a notoriously volatile disposition.
One of its known traits was that when injured, its body would emit higher-temperature flames as a warning to nearby creatures to keep their distance. This defensive mechanism signaled both that Moltres was wounded and that its normally fierce temper was especially dangerous at the moment.
"CHAR!"
When Charmeleon witnessed this scene, its eyes narrowed with interest. Though many Pokémon shared the same type, those with identical elemental affinities often felt a natural connection—or rivalry.
Charmeleon, who had previously shown little concern for Scyther's challenges, now sensed Moltres's power, and its eyes began to gleam with newfound intensity. While Electric-type Pokémon might compete based on voltage and speed, Fire-types measured themselves by flame temperature and intensity. Feeling the overwhelming heat radiating from Moltres, Charmeleon's fighting spirit surged.
Ash noticed Charmeleon's reaction and smiled knowingly. No Trainer would be displeased to see such determination in their Pokémon.
Suddenly, Moltres's eyes snapped open. Ash tensed, assuming they had been discovered and worried about how the injured Legendary might react in its agitated state.
Instead, Moltres gazed sharply skyward, slowly rising to its feet and beating its flaming wings while releasing a piercing cry.
"MOLTRES!"
A powerful gust of wind suddenly swept through the clearing, and Ash felt a large shadow pass over them. Looking up, he saw an enormous black aircraft descending slowly from the sky. Emblazoned prominently on its hull was a familiar crimson "R" emblem.
"Team Rocket?" Ash recognized the symbol immediately. Not only the logo but the aircraft itself seemed familiar to him.
While he processed this surprise, the vessel hovered above the forest canopy. Moltres stared up at the aircraft with fierce intensity. The ship's hatch suddenly opened, and several spherical objects began dropping from it in rapid succession.
"They're after Moltres," Ash realized, clenching his fists. Despite its legendary status, the fire bird was clearly injured and vulnerable—making it the perfect target for Team Rocket's capturing devices.
Pikachu's cheeks sparked with electricity as it sensed the impending danger. Charmeleon's tail flame grew larger, burning more intensely as it prepared for battle. Whatever Team Rocket was planning, Ash and his Pokémon would not stand idly by while they attempted to capture a wounded Legendary Pokémon.