Chapter Eleven: The Night Watch of Charmander in the Evergreen Forest—A Fire F

Chen Ou gazed at the forest before him, listening to the chorus of insects and birds at his ears, and felt an irrepressible surge of pride. Five years—did you know how I spent these past five years? He exhaled deeply, rolled his shoulders, and hefted his backpack higher.

With long strides, he walked into the dim, vast Viridian Forest, formally embarking on his first adventure as a Pokémon trainer.

As he moved through the woods, the calls of Spearows and Pidgeys drifted to his ears now and then. The deeper he ventured, the more unsettled he felt. Damn it, why did no one tell me the forest was this terrifying?

To be fair, the deeper reaches of the dense woods were hardly sunlit, and teemed with wild creatures: Hoothoots and Noctowls napped in the trees, Ekans slithered at his feet, and a Rattata he accidentally stepped on leapt up, baring its teeth at him.

Damn, so this so-called adventure is the real thing after all.

Wiping the sweat from his brow, Chen Ou swept his gaze around and found himself watched by a number of Pokémon, each with a fierce glint in its eyes. Only now did he realize that the animated world had painted a far more harmonious picture, and even the comics had softened reality. In the end, this was a real world, one where the law of the jungle reigned.

Along the way, he’d seen a Persian devouring a Rattata and an Arbok swallowing a Pidgey. Once, an Arbok even seemed intent to make him its lunch, which left him with a strange feeling.

What was it with him and attracting Arboks? Why did they all want to eat him?

He responded with a Fire Punch, burning it to death.

Gazing at the lifeless Arbok at his feet, Chen Ou was filled with complicated emotions. For the first time, he realized he was facing a real world—a world with blood and danger, not just warmth and heroics.

Light and shadow, heat and cold, always existing together. How could he have overlooked such an obvious truth?

With a self-mocking smile, he walked through the forest with growing ease.

Chen Ou wandered the forest at leisure—he truly had little to do. Viridian Forest was vast, and he had no intention of covering it all. He simply wanted to find a suitable starter Pokémon. Preferably a Fire type—he felt he was best at training them. Yet, influenced by the likes of Cynthia, Red, and Green, he wouldn't limit himself to just one type.

Still, a Fire-type starter was ideal.

But after wandering here for a day or two, he still hadn’t found a suitable Pokémon. Green had said there were Charmanders in Viridian Forest, even Growlithes.

Maybe he should go back and just ask for one. At worst, he’d lose face.

Chen Ou shook his head to dispel the thought. Losing face was secondary—he simply disliked the practice of distributing starter Pokémon, likening it to arranged marriages. Kids needed assigned Pokémon because they had no ability to catch their own. Not everyone, after all, could wrestle with Pokémon directly.

Yet after these days in the forest, Chen Ou found most wild Pokémon were no match for him. He’d even soloed both a Nidoking and a Nidoqueen when he encountered their family—nothing short of heroic.

If official battles didn’t prohibit trainers from fighting themselves, he could probably compete in the Indigo League without even using Pokémon.

So, given his ability to capture one himself, there was no way he would give up his advantage. To him, finding a partner that truly resonated with him was of utmost importance.

He pitched his tent, built a campfire, and cooked a delicious curry meal. After eating, he prepared for sleep.

He’d camped here for three nights. At first, wild Pokémon attacked, but after the surrounding trees were burnt bare, there were no more night raids. He enjoyed the peace.

His cooking gear sat carelessly on the ground, half a pot of curry left inside—something of a bait. Yet after days with no results, he didn’t expect any Pokémon to take the bait.

Late at night, the bright moon illuminated the camp, and Pokémon cries echoed now and then. Chen Ou slept soundly in his tent, but remained alert. So when he heard the clatter of his cookware outside, his eyes snapped open.

Through a slit he’d cut in his tent, he saw a Pokémon with an orange tail aflame, clutching the pot of curry and eating ravenously, as if it hadn’t eaten in days.

Chen Ou kept perfectly still; the Charmander didn’t notice him and quickly finished the curry. It licked its lips, glanced around, and saw the tent and Chen Ou’s silhouette inside.

The Charmander’s expression was cold as it approached the tent.

Drawing closer, it heard Chen Ou’s faint snores, and a mocking smirk appeared at the corner of its mouth.

Foolish humans, to be so careless in the forest.

Then, the Charmander simply sat beside Chen Ou’s tent, alertly watching the surroundings.

Since I’ve eaten your food, let me stand watch for you. I’m not one of those weak humans—I’d never let down anyone who’s shown me kindness.

So thought the Charmander as it kept vigil, unaware that Chen Ou was watching its every move and ready, should it try anything, to land a Fire Punch right on its head—to show it just how black charcoal gets.

But seeing the Charmander sit and stand guard, Chen Ou was first surprised, then delighted.

This was the spirit he wanted.

He’d have to observe further, to see how it reacted to strong foes. He wasn’t worried about the Charmander’s potential; he noticed that, beyond its wildness, it carried a certain discipline—usually a sign of having once been trained as a starter. Perhaps it had once been someone’s first Pokémon.

Whether it was abandoned by its trainer or vice versa, that he did not know.

Feigning sleep in his tent, Chen Ou wished for a powerful Pokémon to crash into camp that night, so he could see what the Charmander was truly capable of—and show Charmander his own strength as a trainer.

Unfortunately, the night passed uneventfully. Only when the Charmander, exhausted from a day’s search for food, succumbed to sleep before dawn, did he stir. He couldn’t blame it—it was impressive enough that it had kept watch so long.

In the morning, the rich aroma of food roused the Charmander. Drowsy, it opened its eyes, then suddenly realized it had fallen asleep. Furious and ashamed, it clenched its teeth. How could I be so weak, unable even to keep watch through the night!

“Hey, you’re awake?”

The human’s voice—soft and unimposing.

“Come eat something.”

No way—there’s no way I, Charmander, would eat from a weak human.

“It’s fresh curry, straight from the pot.”

Is… is it the same delicious food as last night?

“Mmm~” (So tasty!)

Watching the Charmander wolf down curry from a bowl, Chen Ou’s face broke into a satisfied smile. Of course it’s tasty—Charizard-level curry. He’d spent so long perfecting his recipe.

“Hey, Charmander, be my partner,” Chen Ou said with a gentle smile.

The Charmander glanced at his gentle smile, and gave a look that was part mocking, part indifferent, part careless.

Looking at it, Chen Ou couldn’t help but picture a pie chart in his head.

“Hey, Charmander, be my partner.”

“Mmm~” (No, I refuse. Don’t you have anything else to say?)

Before the words were out, Charmander felt a wave of heat sweep past its head. Even as a fire-type Pokémon, it felt like it was being roasted—no, not roasted—incinerated.

Wh-where did that Charizard come from?

The young Charmander was utterly shaken.

It looked at Chen Ou’s gentle smile, then at his hand wreathed in flames, then at the flaming crater nearby. Its gaze was blank as it swallowed the mouthful of curry.

“Hey, Charmander, be my partner.”

Chen Ou’s tone was as cheerful as before.

Maybe I should just agree, Charmander thought. After all, this guy is so… “enthusiastic.”