Chapter 93: Charmander's Trainer

"Stop!" Ash shouted abruptly, standing up as the Trainer headed for the stairs.

His voice startled not only Brock and Misty but also the other trainers and staff in the Pokémon Center, who turned to see what was happening.

The Trainer froze midway up the stairs and glanced back at Ash. With a forced tone of annoyance, he said, "What's your problem? I'm just going upstairs to rest. How is that any of your business?"

Ash frowned, his suspicions growing. "Why were you so panicked when you saw us?" he asked, his voice firm.

Ash recalled a similar moment from the original anime and felt certain that this was the Trainer who had abandoned the Charmander they had found.

"Panic? I wasn't panicking! You're imagining things," the Trainer snapped, his voice laced with nervousness. "I just want to get some rest."

The other people in the Center exchanged skeptical glances, clearly picking up on the Trainer's unease.

"That Charmander we found — it's your Pokémon, isn't it?" Ash asked directly, his tone sharper now.

The Trainer's eyes widened for a brief second before he quickly regained his composure.

"I don't know what you're talking about! I've never had a Charmander," he lied, his voice louder now, as if trying to convince everyone in the room.

Brock stepped forward, his eyes narrowed. "If it wasn't your Charmander, why are you acting so nervous?"

The Trainer sputtered for a moment before forcing a laugh. "I was just startled, that's all! Anyone would be if someone shouted out of nowhere in a quiet place like this," he said, trying to sound casual.

"And I don't even know you, so of course I'd be surprised."

The more the Trainer spoke, the more convinced Ash, Brock, and Misty became. This was definitely the person who had abandoned Charmander in the rain.

Thunder rumbled outside, the sound echoing through the Center. A flash of lightning illuminated the room, casting deep shadows across the walls.

In the dim light, Ash's intense, fiery gaze bore into the Trainer, who still tried to maintain his composure.

"Look, I've explained myself," the Trainer said, turning to leave. "I don't owe you anything. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to rest. I've had a long day catching Pokémon."

"You're just going to let him go?" Misty asked Ash, visibly frustrated as the Trainer walked away.

Ash gritted his teeth, feeling the same anger. "We don't have any proof," he said quietly, watching the Trainer ascend the stairs. "We can't just accuse him without evidence."

The other trainers in the lobby frowned. They all knew Ash was right. Even though it was clear that the Trainer had abandoned Charmander, without solid proof, there was nothing they could do to hold him accountable.

"Once Charmander wakes up, we'll have our proof," Ash said, his voice steady but full of resolve. He turned to address the other trainers and staff.

"Please, until then, help us make sure this Trainer doesn't leave the Center. If it turns out I'm wrong, I'll apologize to him personally and to everyone here."

One of the other trainers immediately stepped forward. "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. If he tries to leave, I'll stop him."

"Same here!" said another. "We won't let him get away."

"I'll notify the League patrol in the area," a staff member added. "They should be able to help keep an eye on things."

"Thank you all," Ash said gratefully, bowing slightly as Misty and Brock joined him in thanking the group. They then headed upstairs to their dormitory to change out of their soaked clothes.

---

Meanwhile, in the Trainer's dormitory, the suspected Charmander Trainer was seething.

"Damn it, damn it, DAMN IT!"

He cursed, punching the bed. His face twisted with rage, bloodshot eyes glaring as if possessed by some dark force.

"Why did they have to interfere?! And why didn't that worthless Charmander die in the rain?!"

Suddenly, a sinister thought crossed his mind, and his lips curled into a malicious grin.

"Yes... die. If it dies, there's no proof I'm its trainer," he muttered, the idea growing more tempting by the second.

The Trainer paced the room, his plan forming. "If I cut the power to the emergency room, Nurse Joy won't be able to save it. It'll die, and no one will know it was mine."

His twisted smile widened as he peered out at the storm. The rain and thunder would make a power outage seem perfectly natural.

"Hahahaha, I'm a genius! No one will suspect a thing," he laughed darkly, his voice growing eerily maniacal.

Just as the Trainer moved toward the door to execute his plan, something stirred in the shadows behind him.

A dark, smokescreen-like figure slipped silently from the shadows, watching him closely.

The Trainer reached for the door handle, but before he could turn it, a shadowy Pokémon lunged at him from behind.

It struck the back of his neck with precision, and the Trainer crumpled to the floor, unconscious, before he even realized what had happened.

The smokescreen-like Pokémon looked down at the Trainer, its eyes glowing with a fiery intensity.

Then, just as silently as it had appeared, it vanished back into the shadows, leaving no trace of its presence. The room fell eerily quiet, except for the sound of rain beating against the windows.

Unbeknownst to the Trainer, his sinister plan had been stopped before it even began.

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Adios

Who is this pokemon here?

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