First Encounter

Once again, sunlight fell across Xiao Yan's young, handsome face. It was another bright, pleasant morning...

"All right! Today is the last day of summer camp. We won't be holding any competitions today. Instead, you'll have free time around here. You can look for new Pokémon, but don't wander off, or your parents will worry. Come back here before sunset," Professor Oak told everyone from the front of the group.

After another ten-odd minutes, Professor Oak finished speaking and let everyone go.

"My free time is for battling beginners, gaining experience, and winning prize money!" With that, Xiao Yan immediately ran toward Viridian Forest, a place every novice Trainer had to pass through.

"Rattata, use Tackle!" A purple rat charged at Charmander. Rather than dodge, Charmander spat a ball of fire at the Rattata just as the attack was about to land.

The fireball engulfed Rattata from head to toe. A moment later, Rattata lost consciousness and collapsed, earning Xiao Yan a hundred in prize money.

"You're really strong! If we meet again, let's have another battle." The boy in the straw hat recalled Rattata and smiled at Xiao Yan.

"Sure!" Xiao Yan replied happily.

Over the course of the afternoon, Xiao Yan earned a lot of money.

"Thirty-one... thirty-two... thirty-three... thirty-four..." Xiao Yan counted the thick wad of bills in his hands.

Just then, footsteps sounded behind him...

"Poliwag, wait for me!" A familiar-looking boy ran past Xiao Yan.

"Isn't that Ash? I've got to meet him!" With that, Xiao Yan called out Charmander, intending to chase after Ash together.

"Charmander, let's catch up to him!"

Charmander did not move, remaining where he was and staring into the deeper woods in the distance. A moment later, he seemed to sense something and ran toward it. Xiao Yan immediately followed.

The trees in the forest were tall and thick with foliage, so the sunlight overhead could only filter through the narrow gaps between them.

As a result, the forest was dimly lit, with some stretches appearing downright gloomy.

Along the way, they saw many Kakuna sitting quietly nearby, seemingly waiting for their next evolution.

This looks like a Beedrill nest. Why would Charmander come here? Xiao Yan wondered as he chased after Charmander.

Charmander stopped in front of a clearing. A large banyan tree stood ahead, and a little girl leaned against its trunk. Her knee was scraped, and a Beedrill was about to attack her.

"Charmander, use Ember to drive Beedrill away!"

Beedrill dodged the Ember, glanced at Xiao Yan, and flew away. After all, no Bug-type Pokémon in the forest wanted to clash head-on with a Fire-type Pokémon.

"Are you all right?" Xiao Yan looked at the girl with concern.

"My leg hurts so much! I want to go home to Mommy!" Unable to bear the pain of her wound, the girl began to cry.

Xiao Yan took some ointment (for humans) from his pocket and applied it to the scrape on her knee. Then he took out a clean cloth (a genuinely clean one) and bandaged it for her.

"That should take care of the wound. Come on, let's head back to camp." Xiao Yan helped the girl up, but she lost her footing and accidentally fell into his arms.

At such close range, Xiao Yan could see her clearly. A faint blush colored her face in the sunset. Though she was young, her features were already exquisitely delicate, and her skin was fair and soft as fresh snow.

The girl hurriedly pushed Xiao Yan away, murmuring an apology.

"Bzzzz~"

A buzzing reached Xiao Yan's ears, and dozens of red-eyed Beedrill appeared before them.

The hot-tempered thugs raised their long spears and rushed at the group.

"Watch out!" Xiao Yan immediately pulled the girl behind him, then directed Charmander into battle.

Charmander drew in a deep breath, his belly swelling. In the next instant, he unleashed the flames within, sending a huge fireball hurtling at the swarm.

One Beedrill after another was knocked from the air by the ferocious Ember attack.

Then a Beedrill flew out of the fireball, raising its spears as it charged toward Charmander.

Charmander blocked the spears with his claws. The two traded fierce blows, sparks flying whenever claw met spear.

Hiding behind Xiao Yan, the girl did not know what to do. She reached out with a trembling hand and clutched the hem of his shirt.

The girl's hand trembled, and Xiao Yan's body shook as well. He knew this was a battle with their lives at stake, nothing like the children's battle games at summer camp.

Beedrill suddenly beat its wings and rose into the sky, putting some distance between itself and Charmander.

A faint purple glow gradually lit up Beedrill's two spears. Poison Point activated, gathering Poison-type energy along them.

The purple spears met Charmander's claws.

By then, Charmander's strength had clearly reached its limit. His guard faltered, and a purple spear sliced open his right shoulder.

Blood flowed steadily from the wound, staining the green grass scarlet.

"Rooar..." Charmander let out a young dragon's low growl. He endured the pain. Even badly wounded, he still wanted to protect his friend, his family!

"Enough... This time, I'll protect you!" Xiao Yan rushed out and stood in front of Charmander, spreading his arms to shield him from Beedrill's next attack.

Just then, a beam of white light shot down. Before anyone could react, the last Beedrill fell.

"It seems I arrived too late." Arceus stared at Charmander lying in a pool of blood, then at the two children covered in injuries.

"Let me take you back."

When Xiao Yan came to his senses, they were already outside Professor Oak's Laboratory.

He rushed inside with Charmander in his arms, and the girl followed close behind.

Hearing the commotion, Professor Oak immediately came out of the laboratory to investigate.

"Professor, please save Charmander..." Tears streaked the boy's face as he handed Charmander to Professor Oak.

Professor Oak's expression changed sharply when he saw Charmander's injuries. He immediately carried him into a room farther inside.

Xiao Yan sat helplessly in a chair, terrified that something might happen to Charmander. Charmander was his only family in this world.

The girl sat beside Xiao Yan, wanting to comfort him. But when she saw the large tears rolling down his cheeks, she fell silent and simply stayed by his side.

"That should do it." Professor Oak gave Charmander a Pecha Berry and some medicine, then carried him to a nearby bed to let him sleep.

Looking at Charmander wrapped in bandages, he seemed to recall the boy and his Pokémon from long ago.

"Charmander is all right now. He just needs some sleep to recover from the exhaustion of battle," Professor Oak said as he came out of the room.

At those words, Xiao Yan finally felt the weight lift from his heart.

"Go outside and join the others!"

"Yes!"

"It looks like everyone returned before sunset. Well done! Now, let's present the prizes to our first-place winners, Team Charmander. Your prize is five Pokémon Balls each." Professor Oak handed five Poké Balls to every member of the team.

"Once you turn ten, you can come to the laboratory to get your starter Pokémon from me," Professor Oak said with a smile.

And so the Pokémon summer camp came to a successful close.

"Um... thank you for saving me." A girl with a cloth wrapped around her knee slowly approached Xiao Yan.

"Of course. Teammates are supposed to help each other."

"My name is Serena. What's yours?"

"Xiao Yan."

Just then, a woman standing some distance away called for Serena.

"I have to go..." Serena said goodbye to Xiao Yan and ran toward her mother. After a few steps, she suddenly turned back to look at him.

"Will we see each other again?"

"We definitely will!" Xiao Yan gave her a reassuring smile.

"Let's pinky promise." Serena walked back and took Xiao Yan's hand to link their little fingers.

"Well... this time, it really is goodbye." With that, Serena left with her mother, leaving Xiao Yan standing alone in a daze.

Watching a plane cross the sky, Xiao Yan made a vow to the heavens.

"Before we meet again, I'll definitely get stronger! Together with my Pokémon!"

Night crept in quietly, and the moon hung overhead.

The boy sat alone on the shore of Pallet Lake.

The lake reflected the boy's youthful face, as well as Arceus behind him.

"You and Charmander are still too weak."

"Yeah..." Xiao Yan did not argue, because everything Arceus said was true.

"I'll stay with you for a while. Get stronger, quickly!" With that, Arceus entered a Poké Ball.

Xiao Yan looked at the Poké Ball in his hand, and something suddenly occurred to him.

And so, the adventure began...