The morning came slowly to the forest, filtered sunlight painting the canopy in shades of gold and green. Carmen woke to the sound of Pikachu's cheerful chittering and the smell of something burning.
He sat up quickly, his sleeping bag rustling. Across the clearing, Ash was crouched by the fire with a pan in hand, poking at what might have once been eggs but now resembled charcoal. Pikachu stood on his shoulder, looking distinctly concerned.
"I think they're supposed to be... fluffier?" Ash said, tilting the pan as if a different angle might improve the situation.
"They're supposed to be edible," Misty said from where she sat brushing her hair. "That's the baseline you're failing to meet."
Brock emerged from the trees carrying fresh water, when he took a look at the pan, he immediately confiscated it. "Ash, you're on firewood duty from now on. Cooking is banned."
"It's not that bad!"
"It's actively smoking."
Carmen carefully extracted himself from his sleeping bag, mindful not to disturb Vulpix, who was still dozing against his side. The morning air was crisp and cool, carrying the earthy scent of damp leaves and soil. He stretched, feeling the stiffness in his shoulders from sleeping on the ground, and made his way over to the fire.
"Good morning," he said quietly.
Brock glanced up and smiled. "Morning, Carmen. Sleep well?"
"Yes, thank you." He watched as Brock salvaged what he could from Ash's cooking attempt, scraping the burned portions into the fire. "Do you need help with breakfast?"
"If you're offering, I won't say no." Brock handed him a container of berries and some bread. "Nothing fancy—we'll save the real cooking for tonight when we have more time."
They worked together in comfortable silence, preparing a simple meal of toasted bread, sliced berries, and water from the nearby stream. Ash had wandered off with Pikachu to practice Thunder Shock on a tree, the sound of crackling electricity echoing through the forest. Misty was repacking her bag, organizing everything with meticulous care.
Vulpix finally stirred, yawning wide enough to show all her teeth before padding over to Carmen and butting her head against his leg in greeting. He scratched behind her ears, and she made a pleased sound.
"Your Vulpix is really well-trained," Brock observed as he sliced berries into even pieces. "Most Fire-types are more energetic, harder to settle down. But she's calm and she listens well. You've put in a lot of work with her."
Carmen felt his face warm at the compliment. "She's always been gentle. I didn't have to train that into her—it's just who she is."
"That's the sign of a good bond," Brock said. "When a Pokémon's natural personality complements their trainer's, that's when you see real partnership." He paused, then added, "How long have you had her?"
"Three years. She was my first Pokémon." Carmen's hand moved to the pokeball at his belt, fingers brushing the smooth surface. "My starter, I guess you could say. Though I didn't get her from a professor or anything official like that."
Brock didn't press for details, which Carmen appreciated. Instead, they finished preparing breakfast and called the others over. Ash returned looking energized despite his earlier cooking disaster, and they ate quickly, eager to make progress toward Vermillion City.
The forest path was narrow and winding, forcing them to walk single file in some places. Ash led the way with Pikachu on his shoulder, followed by Misty, then Brock, with Carmen bringing up the rear. The undergrowth was thick with ferns and flowering plants, and Carmen caught glimpses of wild Pokémon darting through the shadows—a Rattata here, a Pidgey there, once what might have been a Caterpie inching its way up a tree trunk.
They'd been walking for perhaps an hour when Carmen heard it.
"Ui ui..."
He stopped, head tilting. The sound was faint, almost lost beneath the rustling of leaves and the distant calls of bird Pokémon. But it was distinct—a voice, calling out.
"Ui ui..."
There it was again. Carmen glanced ahead at the others, who were still walking, apparently not having heard anything. He hesitated, torn between calling out to them and investigating himself. The voice didn't sound distressed, exactly. More like... beckoning?
"Ui ui!"
Closer now. Definitely beckoning.
Carmen made his decision. "Hey," he called out, and the others stopped and turned. "I need to check something. There's a sound—I think there might be a Pokémon nearby that needs help."
Ash immediately perked up. "A Pokémon? What kind? Should we come with you?"
"No, it's okay. It sounds close. I'll just be a few minutes." Carmen gestured down the path. "You three keep going—I'll catch up. We can meet at the next clearing?"
Brock looked uncertain. "Are you sure? It's safer to stick together."
"I'll be careful. I promise." Carmen offered what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "If I'm not back in thirty minutes, come looking for me?"
After a moment, Brock nodded. "Alright. But be careful, and don't take any unnecessary risks. If it's a strong wild Pokémon, just come get us."
"I will."
Carmen watched them continue down the path until they disappeared around a bend, then turned and pushed into the undergrowth, following the mysterious voice. Vulpix stayed close to his heels, alert, her ears perked.
The forest was denser here, the canopy overhead blocking out most of the sunlight. Carmen had to push aside branches and step carefully over exposed roots, his eyes scanning the shadows for the source of the sound.
"Ui ui!"
He spun toward it—and caught just a glimpse of something small and golden-brown before it vanished, reappearing twenty feet away near a cluster of mushrooms.
An Abra.
Carmen's breath caught. Abra's were rare, notoriously difficult to catch because they teleported away at the first sign of danger. But this one wasn't running. It was watching him with dark, intelligent eyes, its tail swishing slowly back and forth.
"Ui ui." The Abra tilted its head, then turned and floated deeper into the forest.
It wanted him to follow?
Carmen glanced back the way he'd come, then at Vulpix. She met his gaze and gave a small nod, as if to say she'd keep him safe. He took a breath and followed the Abra.
The Psychic-type led him on a winding path, teleporting short distances and waiting for Carmen to catch up before moving again. he somehow felt the anxiety of the little pokemon. Carmen's curiosity overcame his caution as he followed deeper into the forest, further from the main path.
Eventually, they reached a small cave which was barely more than an overhang of rock with a dark entrance half-hidden by ferns. The Abra stopped at the entrance and turned to face Carmen, gesturing with one small paw toward the interior.
"You want me to go in?" Carmen asked.
"Ui ui!" The Abra nodded franticly.
Thunder rumbled overhead, rain was soon to come. Carmen looked up through the canopy to see dark clouds gathering, the sky taking on that heavy gray quality that promised rain. He needed to be quick.
The cave was cool and dry, a welcome relief from the humid forest air. Carmen's eyes adjusted slowly to the dimness, and he could make out rough stone walls with a floor covered in dried leaves. The Abra floated past him, moving toward the back of the cave where—
Carmen's eyes widened.
A small Elekid lay curled on the ground, its yellow fur matted and dull. Even from a distance, Carmen could see it trembling. He approached slowly, carefully, not wanting to startle it.
"Hey there," he murmured, kneeling beside the Electric-type. "Are you okay?"
The Elekid's eyes fluttered open—glazed and unfocused. Its breathing was rapid. Carmen reached out slowly, letting the Pokémon see his hand before gently touching its forehead.
It was burning hot.
A fever. The Elekid was sick, possibly severely so. Carmen's mind raced through what he knew about Electric-types and illnesses. Fever, trembling, lethargy—could be a number of things. Virus, infection, overexertion leading to energy depletion...
He quickly dug through his bag and pulled out a Max Potion. It wasn't a cure-all, but it would help stabilize the Elekid and bring down the fever enough for it to rest properly. Carmen carefully lifted the Elekid's head—it barely resisted, too dazed to even process what was happening—and administered the potion.
The effect was almost immediate. The Elekid's trembling eased, and some of the tension left its body. Its breathing slowed to a more normal rhythm too. Carmen stroked its head gently, smiling a little until the Electric-type's eyes drifted closed again.
"Ui ui?" The Abra floated closer, concern evident in its expression.
"It should be okay now," Carmen said quietly. "The potion will help. It just needs rest."
The Abra nodded, visibly relieved. Then it floated over to Carmen and pressed its head against his hand in what was unmistakably a gesture of gratitude. Carmen felt warmth bloom in his chest—this Abra had trusted him to help its friend, that felt a little good.
Outside, the sky opened up followed by heavy down pour, the sound filling the cave like white noise. Carmen could see mist rolling in through the entrance, thick and grey. They were stuck here until it passed.
That was fine. The Elekid needed rest anyway, and Carmen was content to sit and wait. Vulpix curled up beside him too, her warmth a comfort in the damp chill of the cave. The Abra settled on his other side, apparently deciding Carmen's leg as a worthy coushin.
Time passed slowly and carmen could not tell when he dozed off, lulled by the sound of rain and the warmth of his Pokémon. At some point though, he woke to find the Elekid stirring, blinking slowly as it took in its surroundings.
Their eyes met.
The Elekid's expression shifted from confusion to alarm as It scrambled backward, electricity crackling across its fur in an uncontrolled haze . Carmen held up both hands in a placating gesture.
"Wait, it's okay! I'm not going to hurt you—"
The Elekid didn't wait to hear more as It bolted for the cave entrance, disappearing into the misty rain before Carmen could react.
"No—wait!" Carmen lurched to his feet. "The ravine!"
He remembered crossing it earlier on the journey with Ash and the others—a deep gorge spanned by a rickety wooden bridge. In this mist, with visibility near zero, the Elekid wouldn't see it until it was too late.
Carmen ran.
The rain soaked him instantly, sending shivers down his spine, but now was not the time to be a bitch. The forest was a grey blur around him as mist obscuring everything more than a few feet away. He could hear Vulpix and the Abra following him distant
"Elekid! Stop!" Carmen's voice was swallowed by the rain.
He burst through a line of trees and nearly went over the edge himself. The ravine yawned before him in the form of the bottom pit lost in mist and shadow. And there, on the far side, clinging to the exposed roots of a tree that overhung the edge—
The Elekid.
Its paws scrabbled against the muddy earth, roots slipping in its grip in a desperate attempt to hold on. It looked up at Carmen with wide, terrified eyes.
Carmen didn't think much before he grabbed the rope from his pack because ofcourse he had a rope, and quickly tied it around the nearest sturdy tree. He tested his weight against it, then wrapped the other end around his waist.
"Hold on!" he shouted.
Carmen jumped.
The world tilted sickeningly as he swung out over the ravine, the rope burning against his palms even through his gloves. His boots hit the muddy wall and he scrambled for purchase, digging his heels in and pushing himself sideways until he was directly above the Elekid.
"Grab my hand!" He stretched down, extending his arm as far as it would go.
The Elekid reached up—
But the root snapped.
Carmen watched in horror as the Elekid fell, its cry of terror cutting through the sound of rain as he fell into the abyss. He didn't think much, He unwrapped the rope from his waist and jumped after it.( top ten dumbest ways to die??)
Carmen felt his heart pumping adrelaline throughout him as a ethereal feeling ran down his chest. Wind rushed past his ears and rain stinged his face. He reached out, fingers straining—and caught the Elekid, pulling it against his chest and curling his body around it. If they were going to hit the bottom, at least the Elekid would survive. At least he'd done that much.
But the impact never came, thankfully
Instead, there was a flash of light and suddenly Carmen was lying on solid ground with rain pattering against his back. He gasped for air, his entire body shaking.
"Ui ui!"
The Abra appeared above him, looking exhausted but triumphant. It had teleported them, thank god! fuck that was.... fuck!!!
Carmen's arms were still wrapped around the Elekid, and he realized the Electric-type had stopped struggling. It was staring up at him with wide eyes, electricity crackling weakly across its fur
"Are you okay?" Carmen managed once he could breathe properly.
The Elekid nodded slowly.
Carmen laughed, the sound slightly hysterical. "Good. That's good. Please don't run off like that again."
They lay there in the rain for a long moment, all four of them Carmen, Vulpix, the Abra, and the Elekid, just breathing and being grateful to be alive. Eventually, Carmen sat up, still cradling the Elekid gently.
"I want to ask you both something," he said, looking between the Abra and the Elekid. "And I want you to think carefully before you answer."
Both Pokémon watched him intently.
"I'm trying to become a great trainer. I want to understand Pokémon, to work with them as partners, to help them become as strong as they can be." Carmen took a breath. "Would you both be willing to join me? To come with me on this journey?"
The silence stretched long and he almost though it was not, Then the Elekid chirped softly and pressed its head against Carmen's chest. The Abra floated closer and bumped its head against Carmen's shoulder.
Yes.
Carmen felt triumph win over his heart, so so sweet as he pulled out two empty pokeballs and held them out.
"Then let's make it official."
The Elekid touched its paw to one pokeball, the Abra to the other. Both vanished in twin flashes of red light. The balls clicked shut almost immediately too
Carmen held the pokeballs for a long moment, feeling their weight. Four Pokémon now. Vulpix, Nidorino, Abra, and Elekid. His team was growing. and it had potential
The rain was finally letting up, the mist beginning to thin. Carmen slowly got to his feet, legs still shaky, and looked around. He recognized this part of the forest too, it was not far from where they'd crossed the ravine earlier. He could make his way back to the path and catch up with the others.
Assuming they hadn't doubled back to look for him already.
It took Carmen longer than expected to find the main path. By the time he emerged from the undergrowth, the sun had broken through the clouds and was painting everything in golden afternoon light.
He could hear voices ahead, he simply followed the distant sound and in about 10 minutes, he was able to pinpoint the location. it led him to a wide clearing where an odd sight greeted him.
Ash stood at one end of a plain field, Pikachu at his side. At the other end stood a Bulbasaur, looking determined and defiant. Between them, a blue-haired girl in a pink dress was gesturing animatedly while explaining something to Misty and Brock. Behind them, Carmen could see a small cottage and what looked like a garden full of pokemon—Oddish, Paras, even a Chansey.
"Carmen!" Brock spotted him first and waved him over, relief clear on his face. "You're okay! We were about to come looking for you."
"I'm fine," Carmen said, picking his way carefully across the clearing to join them. "Sorry I took so long. I ran into some complications."
"Did you find the Pokémon you were looking for?" Ash asked, though his attention kept drifting back to the Bulbasaur.
"I did. Two of them, actually." Carmen patted the new pokeballs at his belt with a small smile. "I'll tell you about it later. What's going on here?"
The blue-haired girl—Melanie, Brock quickly explained—had been caring for abandoned and injured Pokémon in this hidden haven. The Bulbasaur was their protector, chasing off any trainers who tried to catch the vulnerable Pokémon here. But Bulbasaur had come to respect Ash after he'd helped drive off some guys named team rock? and now it had agreed to a proper battle. If Ash won, Bulbasaur would join his team.
"They're about to start," Misty said, gesturing toward the field. "You got here just in time."
Carmen found a spot next to Brock and settled in to watch. His clothes were still damp and uncomfortable, but curiosity overrode his discomfort. He wanted to see how Ash battled, how his strategy compared to what Carmen had seen from other trainers.
Bulbasaur charged first, vines erupting from the bulb on its back and lashing toward Pikachu. The Electric-type weaved between them, using its agility to close the distance. He darted left, then right, staying just out of reach of the seeking vines.
Pikachu leaped infront of the bulbasaur in a burst of speed, aiming a Thunder Shock point-blank at Bulbasaur's face. The Grass-type twisted aside at the last moment, but the electricity still clipped its shoulder, leaving a scorch mark on its green skin.
Bulbasaur retaliated immediately. Its vines lashed out again, but this time they were faster. One caught Pikachu's leg and yanked him off balance. The Electric-type hit the ground hard, and before he could recover, Bulbasaur had wrapped him in a cocoon of vines, lifting him high into the air.
Carmen winced. That looked painful. But Pikachu wasn't done. Electricity built around him coursing throughout his body. The Thunder Shock discharged through the vines directly into Bulbasaur, who let out a cry of pain and dropped Pikachu reflexively.
The Electric-type hit the ground in a crouch, panting but upright. Bulbasaur was hurt, electricity still dancing across its skin from the attack. But it wasn't finished either. It planted its feet and launched a flurry of Razor Leafs, the projectiles spinning through the air like throwing stars.
Pikachu tried to dodge, but there were too many. Several leaves caught him, cutting across his fur and drawing thin lines of blood. He stumbled back slightly off balance.
But Pikachu had one more move in him. He gathered himself, managing to keep steady. Then he launched himself forward in a tackle wreathed in lightning, He hit Bulbasaur dead center, and the impact sent both Pokémon tumbling across the battlefield.
When the dust settled, they were both down.
For a long moment, neither moved. But Pikachu stirred, pushing himself up on shaking legs. Across from him, Bulbasaur remained still, eyes closed, clearly unconscious.
"Bulbasaur is unable to battle," Melanie said quietly, her voice thick with emotion. "Ash wins."
Ash ran onto the field immediately, scooping up Pikachu and checking him over. "You were amazing, buddy! Are you okay?"
"Pika pi," Pikachu replied weakly, but his tail was wagging.
Melanie approached Bulbasaur and knelt beside it, stroking its head gently. The Grass-type's eyes fluttered open after a moment, and understanding passed between them. Melanie smiled through her tears and nodded.
"Bulbasaur has decided to go with you, Ash," she said. "Please... take good care of it."
Ash approached carefully, holding out a pokeball. "I will. I promise." He looked at Bulbasaur directly. "Is this okay with you? Do you want to come with me?"
The Bulbasaur stared at him for a long moment, then nodded once, firmly.
The pokeball clicked once... twice...ding!
Carmen watched Melanie say her goodbyes to the Pokémon she'd clearly raised and cared for, and felt an ache in his chest. This was part of being a trainer too—saying goodbye, letting Pokémon make their own choices even when it hurt.
They left the hidden village as the sun began its descent toward the horizon. Melanie stood at the edge of the clearing, waving until they disappeared into the trees. Ash was louder than usual, hyped at catching another pokemon.
"That was a good battle," Carmen said after a while, falling into step beside Ash. "You and Pikachu work well together."
Ash's face brightened slightly. "Thanks! Pikachu's the best partner I could ask for." He scratched behind the Electric-type's ears, earning a happy chirp. "What about you? You said you caught two Pokémon? What kind?"
"An Abra and an Elekid." Carmen recounted the story as they walked—the Abra leading him to the sick Elekid, the healing, the panicked run toward the ravine, the fall and rescue. He left out the part where he'd nearly died, not wanting to worry them, but the important parts were all there.
"You jumped off a cliff to save an Elekid !?" Misty said incredulously. "Are you crazy?"
"It was more of a ravine," Carmen said weakly. "And I had a rope. Mostly."
Brock shook his head, but there was a smile tugging at his lips. "You're either very brave or very reckless. I'm not sure which."
"Can we see them?" Ash asked eagerly. "Your new Pokémon?"
Carmen hesitated, then nodded. They found another clearing and set up for a short rest. Carmen released Abra and Elekid from their pokeballs, both materializing in flashes of light.
"ui ui"
Ok guys Author here, i know this chapter might seemed a little fast paced and im sorry but i really... really hate the long pacing of this episode, i promise to better my pacing and writing style from the next chapter so do stick around. Peace ><