Chapter 15

Charizard

Saffron City-

            The air was still inside the Dome of Saffron City.  Across the rooftop, Red tried to catch Green’s eye but all he got back was a strange blank stare.  Red’s green mantis, Scyther, stood in a stance with sword arms raised in preparation for any movement to come from Green’s orange winged lizard.

Charizard, Red began to read from his Pokedex, the Flame Pokémon.  It possesses a savage strength as well as elite speed to demolish its foes.  The fire it breaths is hot enough to melt solid rock.  Red felt a bead of sweat on his temple. 

Charizard flapped its wings lightly from across the roof, and Red could feel the air rush past him.  Scyther crouched down ready to spring.

“It ends here,” said Green.  “Go.” 

In an instant, Charizard flew at Scyther and snapped its fierce jaws.  Scyther leapt and hovered away, but the orange dragon turned its head and sprayed a blast of fire which narrowly missed Red’s Pokémon.  The green mantis dove back down, spinning its arms ferociously.  Charizard stood unflinching, and caught the bug Pokémon’s sword arms in its three-clawed hands. 

Scyther was completely out of its league, it couldn’t hover away from the monster.  A glint of satisfaction could be seen in Charizard’s eyes as it slammed Scyther onto the rooftop.  Charizard took to the sky as Scyther lay shaking, struggling to move on the ground.  The lizard let out a terrible roar and reared its head back.  The gigantic river of flame coming from its mouth seemed was enough to make Red cover his face from fifty feet away, the heat alone was unbearable. 

Scyther was a quick learner, though.  Even if it had not practiced the technique, it was able to emulate Venomoth’s Double-team technique, if only to make one copy.   Red peered through his fingers just in time to see the real Scyther escape the flames, while the illusion was lost to the blinding light and heat of the flame.

A smoke pillar drifted upwards towards the top of the dome, and visibility was limited.  Charizard dropped out of the sky and landed on is large legs with a crash that shook the rooftop.  It beat its wings, gusting up a wind that cleared the smoke away, it grunted in a rage as it realized its target had escaped the inferno. 

“NOW, SCYTHER!” Red yelled as Charizard scanned the area, looking for the Mantis Pokémon.  It was too late, and Scyther plunged headfirst out of the smoke pillar and slashed at Charizard’s wings.  Green’s Pokémon turned to find it at the last second however, and only the right wing was struck.  The blow was enough to make the frail wing go limp, and Scyther planted its sword arm on the ground and kicked at Charizard’s belly to regain some distance.  The flame on the dragon’s tail blazed even larger now, and its eyes seemed a fire.

“A poor move,” Green said, still in the strange monotone voice.  “Charizard was just playing before, but now you’ve woken the dragon.”

Red couldn’t believe how fast Charizard moved after that.  Even without its wings, the sheer power in its legs was enough to propel the dragon towards Scyther at a speed that Red’s eyes couldn’t even see.  Scyther tried to leap over its head, but Charizard caught its foot in its mouth and clamped down. 

Scyther shrieked as the dragon shook the green mantis from side to side, like a dog with its favorite chew toy.  Charizard tossed Scyther, limp as a rag doll, straight up in the air and barbecued it with a bright Flamethrower attack that seemed to make the Dome around Saffron City darker.  A charred, blacked Scyther was caught by the sword arm by Charizard, who threw it back at Red’s feet.  It snorted a puff of smoke from its snout.

Red was trembling but thankful as he noticed that Scyther was breathing when he recalled it into its Pokeball.  Who could I use to fight that beast? He wondered.  Charizard spread its wings intimidatingly, but Red could tell it still felt the effects of Scyther’s blow on its right wing.  The orange wing wouldn’t extend the whole way.  I don’t want anything getting near it, and I need speed.  Pidgeotto is still hurt from Green’s Fearow.  Well, when in doubt, take the type advantage!  ”Wartortle, I choose you!”

Wartortle emerged and pounded its chest, but when it caught sight of Charizard snorting embers from its snout it turned and gave Red a look as if to say “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“We’ve got to try everything we’ve got buddy!” said Red.  Wartortle put on a determined face and nodded as it turned back towards Charizard.

The orange monster almost seemed to smile as it began to spit fire-balls at Wartortle.  The furry tailed turtle Pokémon dodged over some with deceptive agility, withdrew into its shell to avoid others, and some it vanquished with a spray of water.  As it landed, Charizard turned its head to the side, beckoning Wartortle to come in and make a move.

“Don’t fall for it, Wartortle!” Red coached, but it was too late and his starter Pokémon was already closing in on Charizard.  Red wanted to hide his face. Doesn’t it see that Charizard is at least five times its size?   Fifty feet away from the Flame Pokémon, Wartortle leapt up and pulled into its shell.  The shell went in the same direction as Wartortle was running, and Red could tell Charizard was predicting the trajectory so as to catch it.  Or fry it…

Just as Charizard leaned back to fire a blast, Red saw a dark blue blur extend out of the shell and he smiled.  Wartortle had flung its arm out in an effort to create a curveball effect, as the fire ball sailed just over the shell and into a nearby rooftop. Meanwhile, the shell had slid underneath Charizard’s legs and Wartortle poked its head out and fired a high-pressure stream of water at the lizard’s hurt wing. 

Charizard roared and stumbled forward in pain.  Its body steamed as the remaining soak evaporated off of its hot body.  It turned around, slammed onto all fours, spread its wings and roared at Wartortle, who launched its most powerful spray of water at Charizard.  The Flame Pokémon, however, matched it with its own Flamethrower attack. 

The seconds seemed like minutes to Red, as the two elements of water and fire collided in mid-air, shrouding the whole rooftop in a hot steam bath. 

“Stop playing,” Green commanded stoically.  Charizard obeyed its master’s command, and its body glowed with a fierce red light, and an explosion of flame neutralized Wartortle’s attack.  The flame flowed over Wartortle’s shell as it withdrew, and cooked the turtle from the inside.  When Charizard stood up and roared, Wartortle was unconscious.  Red rushed over to his friend.  “It’s alright, buddy,” he tried to console the unresponsive Pokémon, before realizing it was futile and recalled the fainted Pokémon into its Pokeball. 

Red turned back to Green.  “We can do this another time!  You have to help me stop Team Rocket!” His spiky haired rival didn’t change his blank expression.

“Who do you think sent me to stop you?”

Somehow, it didn’t surprise Red.  He looked back towards the Silph Tower and wondered how Lorelei, Erika, and Blue were doing.  Blue especially he worried about.  I hope that they’re having more luck than I am, he thought as he looked up at the dome.  The storm still raged outside the dome and he could hear the faint whisper of rain kissing the invisible force field.  Team Rocket thinks they’re keeping me away, but if I can keep Green here as long as I can then maybe Blue and the others can break the barrier.  He pulled out his second to last Pokémon’s ball.

Machop appeared in a flash of light.  The little grey Pokémon looked at Charizard and bowed. Charizard responded with the nostril-fires. 

“Wear it down as long as you can,” said Red.  “If you can tire it out, Pikachu might be able to finish the job with a Thunderbolt attack.”  Machop shook its head at Red, and slapped a fist on its chest.  Red understood: Machop was in it to win it, its pride wouldn’t let it be just a warm-up.

It made a dash towards Charizard, but it couldn’t get within twenty feet without running into a burst of flames.  Machop changed its strategy, zigzagging left and right.  It’s leading Charizard’s Flamethrower! thought Red.  Sure enough, Machop was inching closer with its zigzags as it avoided the dragon’s fiery breath.  Since Charizard couldn’t predict where Machop was going to run to, it had to trail the grey Fighting-type Pokémon with the fires. 

Machop was right next to Charizard now.  It threw a Karate Chop that Charizard promptly blocked with its arm, but it was a feint.  Machop seized on the opportunity and grabbed the lizard’s arm, somersaulting its way onto Charizard’s long neck.  The Fire-type monster couldn’t reach Red’s Pokémon now, or even aim at it to send a Flamethrower attack at it.  Machop crawled its way onto Charizard’s head, and like a wrestler, and clamped the dragon’s jaws shut. 

Charizard looked like it was wearing Machop as a little grey helmet.  It flung its head from side to side, trying to shake off the grey fighter, but Machop’s grip was unrelenting.  The orange lizard leapt high into the air, and crashed down.  Red expected Machop to be lying on the ground, and let out a cheer when his Pokémon was still holding on. 

The rooftop cracked as Charizard slammed its head onto it again and again.  Red flinched with each smack and he could hear his Pokémon grunt in pain.  Still, Machop’s grip held true.  Charizard stopped slamming its head.  It must be taking too much collateral damage, Red thought.  He was wrong.

Charizard started glowing, and the flame on its tail grew larger and larger until finally it engulfed its whole body.  The orange lizard had become a blazing star on top of the Saffron City rooftop.  Suddenly, the star flew into a nearby building, and a Pokémon stood where the star had blazed seconds earlier. 

Machop had evolved.  The intense heat had combined with Machop’s thirst for victory and the necessity for more power, and now it had grown three feet taller.  This Pokémon was much more defined, with huge biceps, thighs, and a buff upper body.  Machoke, Red read from his Pokedex, the middle stage of the Machop family.  It possesses the raw strength to toss a large truck without breaking a sweat.

Machoke stood ready as it looked on towards the building the star had fallen into, its roof had begun to burn.  On the roof of the other building, Charizard appeared and with the strength of its leap alone, was able to land on the same rooftop.  The two large Pokémon stared at each other, waiting for one to make the first move when a huge lightning bolt struck the Silph Tower, blinding Trainers and Pokémon alike in a flash.

The water that had covered the invisible dome from the rain came crashing down, along with the rain.  Charizard shut one eye and seemed to wince as the rain steamed when it hit is body.  Machoke smiled.  They did it! They broke the barrier! Red thought. Let’s see how that Fire-type Pokémon likes the rain!

Machoke flipped and attempted a kick at Charizard’s neck, but the dragon whipped its tail around to strike back.  Machoke caught hold of it with one hand and flung the dragon away.  Without both of its wings fully functional, it was hard for Charizard to gather itself and regain its balance.  Machoke dropped back into its ready stance.  The orange lizard turned back around, and its body glowed once again. The steam from the rain became a cloud drifting high into the sky.

Charizard spit out the largest fireball yet, and it shone like a meteor as it hurled towards Machoke.  The evolved Pokémon focused on the fireball, and with a mighty grunt deflected the flaming sphere back into the building behind it that had already started to burn considerably. 

Machoke was not without harm, however.  The mighty muscled arm that had deflected the blast hung limp at its side, smoking and burned.  Charizard sprang into action.  The ensuing fist fight started even, but soon the scales tipped.   Machoke had used every ounce of martial arts instinct it knew to make up for its lack of a usable arm, but Charizard had two arms, two thick legs, a tail thick as a small tree trunk, and the threat of a scorching fire blast at any moment. 

Charizard slashed at Machoke’s hurt arm, and Red’s Pokémon dropped to its knees.  Charizard reared its head back, and head-butted Machoke’s head viciously.  Impossible, thought Red, this Pokémon is… unbeatable. He already had his last Pokeball ready. A hopeless fight…

Charizard opened its mouth, and Red could see the fierce glow coming up from inside when he recalled Machoke into its Pokeball, and sent out Pikachu in a final stand.  For the first time, Green’s expression changed to a smile, and Red thought he heard the faintest laugh.  Pikachu was shaking, but it didn’t back down as Charizard and the yellow mouse locked eyes.  The rain beat down on the rooftop.

“Pikachu, it’s raining! Let’s hope this overgrown gecko makes a good conductor!” Almost as soon as the last word came out of his mouth, the rain stopped, and the last of the wetness evaporated from Charizard’s body.  The clouds darkened even more as Charizard leapt and came down hard twenty feet from Pikachu.  The whole building shook with the force of impact.

Pikachu unleashed all the electricity it could at Charizard, but for some reason, its aim wasn’t on target.  The bright yellow sparks changed direction in flight and disappeared into the ever-darkening sky.  Red, Green, Pikachu, and even Charizard looked up, unsure of what just happened.

Red didn’t have time to cover his ears when a shrieking, rolling thunder echoed throughout the city.  A pillar of lightning blinded all on the rooftop as both Pokémon were hit.  Red, dumbfounded reached out with the Poke-ball to call Pikachu back when the shriek returned, and all he could feel was a vicious, intense pain course through his body.