1.Ash's Story (Part 2: Johto)

Chapter 13: Charizard Gate

Route 32 should have led toward Union Cave, but Johto kept putting other paths before us. Croconaw walked beside Marill with new confidence while Noctowl paced beside East.

Lillie carried Togepi against her chest. Chikorita walked between us, sometimes brushing my ankle and sometimes drifting closer to Lillie before pretending she had meant to inspect the grass.

I kept looking at the empty stretch of road where Charizard sometimes walked beside me. His wing had healed after Falkner's battle, but I kept him in his Poké Ball so he would rest instead of trying to prove he was fine.

Pikachu sat on my shoulder and flicked one ear against my cheek. "You are thinking about Charizard again, even though you have said nothing."

"I am always thinking about someone," I muttered.

Lillie looked over immediately. "Charizard?"

I nodded. "Pidgeotto hurt his wing, and he still kept fighting. I know he chose to continue, but I keep wondering whether I should have stopped him sooner."

Chikorita walked near Lillie, pretending the narrow path was the only reason she stayed there. Her leaf turned toward me. "Charizard wanted to keep fighting, and you listened when he asked."

"That does not make the choice easy afterward," I said.

Kris stopped near a rocky slope ahead. "There is someone up there."

A girl stood on the ridge above Route 32, one hand shading her eyes. She moved along the cliff edge as comfortably as Falkner had moved beneath his glider.

"Did someone down there mention Charizard?" she called.

My chest tightened. "Yeah. Who are you?"

The girl climbed down the canyon path with practiced steps. "A few days ago, a girl with honey-blonde hair named Serena asked me to help train a Charizard named Charla."

Lillie's eyes widened. "Serena was here?"

"Only briefly," the girl replied. "She had somewhere else she needed to be, but she wanted Charla to train somewhere that could challenge her properly."

I looked toward the cliffs behind her. "So Charla is nearby?"

The girl smiled and turned toward the canyon. "Sound carries well here. Watch."

She cupped her hands around her mouth. "Charla!"

For several seconds, only wind answered.

Then orange fire rose beyond the ridge in one bright, controlled column. It was not aimed at us. The Flamethrower climbed like a signal, and Pikachu leaned forward at once.

"That is Charla," Pikachu said. "I remember her fire."

Lillie checked her Rotom Phone. "This area is marked as Charicific Valley. It says the valley is a protected Charizard habitat and tourists normally cannot enter."

"That is right," the girl said. "I'm Liza. I help protect the valley and train with the Charizard that live there. Serena told me about you, Ash."

"Then she trusted you with Charla," I said.

"She did." Liza glanced at my belt. "I also heard that Falkner lost to a Charizard yesterday. If yours is well enough to travel, he might want to see this place."

Ethan blinked. Exbo's Poké Ball shifted slightly at his belt as he looked toward the ridge. "How far is it?"

"Not far by air," Liza replied. "Would you like to visit?"

I looked at Lillie. She did not answer for me, but she knew exactly why I wanted to go.

"I want to see Charla," I said. "And I think Charizard should decide whether he wants to see the valley."