The AviaChar Academy has produced a multitude of winners, including current PokéOlympic champion, Aaliyah Roboteau, and her Charizard, Aariana. Image Credit: peerimagesca
In my Charizard Guide page, I spoke about the Charizard racing circuits and how entering your Charizard into these is a great way to get rid of some of that pent-up energy. I thought I would dedicate some time to tell you about some of these races and the services available.
Before I begin, let me give you a little bit more detail about the Charizard stage of the Charmander-Charmeleon-Charizard lifecycle. As you know, wild Charizard typically have two modes: sleeping and flying. There is actually a deeper, biological reason for this. As soon as they evolve from Charmeleon, Charizard go through a number of changes (not just its wings!). For one, they get a sudden urge to want to find a mate. Pokémon can breed at any stage of their cycle, so it is unknown why the Charizard stage warrants this kind of reaction, but it does cause them a few problems.
Firstly, Charizard are rare, so finding a mate will mean a lot of searching. However, during its Charmander and Charmeleon stages, the Charizard would have formed close ties with its pack. This causes huge stress in early Charizard life, where it has many internal battles: does it stay with its family, or does it leave to seek out love and a life of its own? Nature decides to, somewhat cruelly, enforce its view of this decision by making it practically impossible for Charizard to stay in one place. Firstly, its metabolism goes into hyperdrive and it can no longer rely on the occasional hunt for food. Biologists believe this is designed to spur them to leave the nest and find a mate. Secondly, females’ eyes start to become sensitive to light and they lose fat ratio, so it is harder for them to stay warm (urging them to seek out volcanic caves). In the meanwhile, males begin to develop a deficiency for ‘kaolin-group mineral’. This mineral is a naturally occurring substance that the Charmander-Charmeleon stages produce to help protect against skin infections. A deficiency can be quite brutal for male Charizard, as any abrasions from fights have a greater chance of leading to infection. Kaolin-group mineral is found in volcanic rock, so both males and females are drawn to volcanic caves!
So, you may be wondering what this has to do with racing. Well, with dietary supplements and Pokémedicines, we can greatly reduce many of those natural changes to make life a little easier for your Charizard. However, despite these interventions, your Charizard will still be very restless and have natural instincts to fly. You, therefore, will likely need an outlet. What better than some healthy competition?
History of Charizard Racing
The first recorded Charizard race was part of the PokéOlympics in Ancient Greece, and both saddle-mounted and bareback races were popular in the Roman Empire. The precise beginnings of organized racing is unknown, but there is some evidence that early civilisations such as the Clovis people (Ancient peoples of North America), the Yayoi-era peoples of Ancient Japan, and the ancestors of the Shailendra dynasty in Java, Indonesia, had close bonds with Charizard due to the higher number of volcanoes in the region, and may have conducted Charizard racing.
Charizard Racing Today
Charizard racing is a very common sport in Charizard circles and these races are often highly popular parts of PokéSport Events and—of course—the PokéOlympics. They come in many forms but most commonly comprise single races (without a rider), saddle-mounted (with a rider), or relay races, where Charizard transports a rider for the majority of the race but the last leg is performed by the rider, who uses a glider to descend to the finishing line (usually while the Charizard performs some sort of creative element).
Charizard Flight Schools
Due to the popularity of Charizard racing, many schools have been founded worldwide to help develop the skills of both Charizard and rider. One of the most prestigious, The AviaChar Academy, is based in Italy and trains 10 students a year. Places are fiercely fought for, as this academy has produced a multitude of winners, including the current PokéOlympic champion: Belizean rider, Aaliyah Roboteau and her Charizard, Aariana. Many famous Charizard riders open their own gyms, similar to the Pokémon gyms found in traditional Pokémon battling, and Charizard trainers may challenge them to a race.
Do you love Pokémon? Well now you can dress like them too! This set of posts are designed to give you some inspirations so you can pull together some outfits based on your favourite Pokémon. The styles are all simple, so you can achieve the look no matter what your budget.
For Charmander, we have an orange, strappy dress with a bit of a flare hem and matched with a thin belt at the waist. The dress is then layered with a long, brown leather (or faux leather) jacket. Wear with white point-toe heels.
For Charmeleon, manifest his wilder side by choosing red leather (or faux leather) trousers with a black, studded, leather jacket, a black crop top and some white pumps/converse.
Finally, we have taken inspiration from Charizard’s blue wings to choose a puffy-sleeved blue crop top, worn with loose-fit beige trousers and white pumps/converse.
Found the perfect Charmander, Charmeleon or Charizard inspired items? Share them in the comments! Happy hunting.
Then, suddenly, the mountain shakes. At the same time, a deep roar echoes into the cave.Image credit: David Stehlik
Jolteon rises as if ready to pounce, hackles pointed skyward. She feels it too.
I have only a few apricorns left. My quest ends here. If I cannot capture this beast, I will perish, here in the wilds. I owe it to my tribe and to my husband. And to my majuu.
I remain still as it flies overhead. The forest masks our presence. The monster’s flame is said to burn brighter than the heat if all the forges in the land. If it finds the two of us before we are ready, our exile will end with our lives.
Jolteon relaxes and shakes herself, as if trying to maintain some sort of dignity. The times like this when the mask slips and I see through the gaps between her proud majuu never fail to make me smile.
My legs ache as we ascend the mountain. It seems to take a lot for a majuu to tire, but my human appendages can’t quite cope with as much exercise as they used to. The trees thin out as we reach an outcrop that backs onto a cave. This must be its home.
I hear the high-pitched voices of its offspring. Entering the cave, I see there are seven of them, in one nest! Unbelievable luck.
Jolteon quickly dispatches young ones and I capture them in the apricorns. No going back now, the big one will have my scent. Attacking such weak creatures is necessary, however it feels. The adults wreak only havoc; but we will fight fire with fire. Or, with electricity, at first. Jolteon eats her candies from my hand, and the two of us sit down, the cave coolly shading.
Then, suddenly, the mountain shakes. At the same time, a deep roar echoes into the cave. Jolteon stands and I see the static electricity run down her back. I calm her, scratching the back of her neck. A large stalactite falls nearby. As I feel a rumble. It’s landed.
Weaken it with rock first, then send in my primary, that was the plan. I reach to my belt and open up the first attacker.
‘Iiiiwaaak’ cries the Onix.
I point, and it tunnels itself into the mountain, preparing to come out underneath the creature. The cave starts to collapse, as I feel it jump away. I run. Jolteon follows me to the outcrop, and that’s when we see it for the first time. The monster that terrorised my tribe. Hanging in the air, right in front of me is the Charizard. Red fire tips its tail, just like the eyewitness accounts. I see it inhale, ready to attack again, teeth glinting in the fire that builds in its belly. A roar, and another jet of flame blasts the entrance of the cave. I jump out of the way.
‘Onix, now!’ I shout.
There’s a rumble underneath me as the flames clear, and the Onix shoots out, pointed straight at the Charizard. It slams into the monster, which jolts, briefly unstable in the air. One of the greatest mysteries to me is why two majuu will never attack just one, but now I have to let Onix deal as much damage as possible, hopefully grounding the monster before Jolteon comes in and finishes the job.
Charizard slashes at Onix with its wings, but Onix stands in the air, unmoving, absorbing the full force. Charizard roars at this, and suddenly flies high into the sky. Onix fires a series of rock pellets after it. Some of them hit, damaging the Charizard even more, but soon it is too far away. The world around turns silent; I can’t even hear myself. I realise that, along with the whole world around me, I am holding my breath. What I’m waiting for I don’t know, until one of the clouds begins to glow orange. Then, so far away that it seems to be moving slowly, I see the Charizard. Surrounded by white-hot fire, tail now a deep red, it dives towards my Onix. I fumble with apricorns, trying to bring it in, but I’m too late. By the time we realise just how quickly it’s moving, the Charizard crashes into the Onix, and Onix breaks apart in the air.
I scream. At the same time, I feel something else next to me. Lightning crackles on Jolteons haunches as it jumps into the sky it brings dirt from the ground with it and whips it into the Charizard’s eye. Charizard panics and breathes another jet of fire, wasting its attack as Jolteon easily dodges, landing on the monster’s back – a silhouette backed by the midday sun. She raises herself to full height on all four legs. A thunderbolt crashes down from the sky and Jolteon’s proximity ensures accuracy in spite of the bright sun.
I can see the damage dealt as Charizard bucks and careens in the sky. Then, it begins to fall. It’s been paralysed by the lightning! It tries to more fire at Jolteon as it falls, but she simply jumps off and lands on the outcrop as the creature continues its descent into the forest below. There’s a crash, and Jolteon and I descend the mountain before it recovers. There is no sign of Onix.
*
I’ve never actually seen a majuu die in a fight before. I knew it could theoretically happen, but usually they let each other go unconscious and live to fight another day. There was a sense of loss for me, something missing from my heart, but I could feel Jolteon’s emotions stronger than mine. In fact, I could see them. She still crackled with energy, hackles raised in spite of her victory over the monster. I try to comfort her with a scratch, but a static shock jolts my hand and I pull away. She seemed completely unaware that I had tried, though she keeps pace with me as we re-enter the forest.
It doesn’t take us long to find the carnage. There is a clearing that definitely wasn’t there before, and the few trees that haven’t been burned to ash are cracked and broken. We follow the trail of broken forest and soon see the smoke of the burning forest. The Charizard lives. I can feel Jolteon wanting to bolt ahead, but I insist that we keep moving slowly, off to the side of the trail. Charizard is angry and hurt, and evidently trapped, unable to fly. A dangerous combination.
The heat grows more intense as I estimate that we’re still about half a mile from the Charizard destroying its way through the landscape. The noise of trees crackling with flame grows – the fires must be less hot as they’re not instantly incinerating them anymore. I cover my mouth as we get closer to the epicentre. Then, I see it. The Charizard, lying on the ground on its belly. It coughs and belches more flames, these a cooler orange. It lifts its head slightly as I enter its clearing, and then drops it again. Jolteon takes a stance as if ready to pounce, then relaxes and approaches the fallen titan.
I approach its head. Lying in front of me like this, I realise how small it actually is, to hold this much power. It flicks its tongue out at me, making me jump as several of my apricorns fall out. I realise they’re the ones containing the young charmanders. Charizard sniffs the air and its eyes fixate on me. I can’t read its expression, but Jolteon pushes the apricorns closer and lets Charizard nuzzle them. I reach to one of my empties to capture this one along with them, but Jolteon looks at me and shakes her head. I understand now. A creature that has lived free for this long shouldn’t be taken into captivity unless it chooses to.
The flame on Charizard’s tail burns brightly all of a sudden, then disappears. Jolteon sits next to me. Now, she lets me stroke her fur. We sit for what could be a few minutes or an hour before I stand up.
The terms of my exile were to bring back the Charizard, but I couldn’t do that if it was dead. The young Charmanders would be more than enough to make up for this, I was sure, but terms were terms. Perhaps it would be best if I didn’t go back. My family were safe from the Charizard, and Charizard was safe from, well, anything now. I look at Jolteon, who shrugs. She knows me so well. I pick up the Charmanders and store them on my belt. They are my responsibility now. And I’m excited to take them on my next adventure, whatever it might be.
Besides sport, other recreation Charizard enjoys includes spending time with friends and family, watching TV, and any competitivity generally. Image Credit: Thyfany Ron
There can be nothing more rewarding and frustrating than owning a Charizard. They can take you to new heights (quite literally, with Charizard riding classes), but they can sure bring you to your knees, too.
Especially if you have bred your Charizard from a Charmander, you should have a good understanding by now that your Charizard is very independent in nature. They can be very headstrong, and you will have a hard time convincing them to change their mind. However, they are fiercely loyal to those who understand their integrity and treat them with respect.
Where to find one
Charizard have two loves in life: sleeping and flying. While I very much advise against waking a Charizard from its slumber—both due to the rage you will be confronted with, and the rather volcanic location in which this Pokémon makes its bed—catching one in flight won’t exactly be an easy option either. They may not look it from their bulky frame, but they are fast. The top speed was recorded by a Charizard owned by Sir Mark Tauras, which clocked in at astonishing 3,100 miles per hour. True, this took a lot of dedicated training, but it showcases the capabilities of these creatures. The last thing you want is your pursuit of a Charizard turning into it pursuing you!
If you are intent on capturing from the wild, I can’t stress enough how important respect and honour is in your dealings. I have seen some quite horrific-looking nets and other traps being used to help ease large-Pokémon captures, but contraptions like these are not only dangerous but will go no way towards forming a friendship and genuine connection with your new Pokémon partner.
Instead, we may be best to look to some of the successful catches in history for inspiration. For example, I’d recommend the book ‘The Memoire of James, S. Thompson’, which covers how this famous Pokémon battler and traveller located, scoped out, and used food bait to lure the Charizard from hiding in order to formally challenge him to a duel. Or, you could learn about Terri Mendella, who was an entrepreneur of Pokémon resorts who befriended her Charizard by offering it free leisure time at the hot baths.
I would recommend that the safest and most solid way of obtaining a Charizard is to raise it from a Charmander. Not only does this avoid the long search and dangerous perils of locating a wild Charizard, but the working relationship will be stronger.
Raising for battle
Charizard are powerhouses, with the firepower to burn down entire streets if they get out of hand. Safe to say you will need some tough and fire-resistant equipment.
By the time it reaches Charizard stage, this Pokémon is already a highly skilled fighter, so I’d be surprised if you still need to train base offensive/defensive. More foe-specific training is likely to be on the agenda. However, there is still likely to be some new environment-based weaknesses cropping up, compared with Charmeleon. For example, being able to fly now removes the weakness to ground types, but lighting is now an issue. Remember to make good use of any stormy weather when training to practice your electricity tolerance. I know one or two Charizard trainers that have installed lightening rods in their training yards for just this.
Outside of the yard, keep an eye on Charizard’s weight. They can become a touch lazy when not in battle, but this can hurt their game in the long run. Try to inspire your Pokémon with competition. There are several Charizard racing circuits you could get involved with, as well as other sports, ranging from hot-spring volleyball (great for getting Charizard comfortable in the water) and clay Pidgey shooting (great to keep those directional skills sharp).
Keeping Charizard happy and healthy
I’ve mentioned getting your Charizard involved with competitive sports already, but, it is worth repeating! Charizard tends to have a lot of pent-up energy and little motivation to do anything about it. This can lead to destructive habits. I visited the National Pokémon Rehabilitation Center in San José recently, which specialises in large Pokémon, and I saw cases ranging from street fighting to cow and Miltank theft, and even full-blown arson. Of course, a test Charizard won’t make for a good housemate either.
Besides sport, other recreation Charizard enjoys includes spending time with friends and family, watching TV, and any competitivity generally. I knew an elderly Charizard in New York that was practically unbeatable at Chess. Another favourite is spa days. Actually, there can be amazing training and stat benefits from spas: mud baths for rock defence, hot tubs and saunas for water defence, pools for swimming strength (find the ones with tidal settings for a surprise challenge).
Healthwise, be careful with Charizard’s teeth—especially if you heavily rely on historic Charmeleon moves like Fire Fang and Dragon Breath. While they are natural flame retardant, they can get brittle with age and are prone to cracks. You can get some great dental plans for large Pokémon that save you a lot of headache further down the line.
It is actually nigh impossible to douse a Charizard’s tail with water, so you don’t really have that worry anymore. However, best to keep up your tail health routines from the Charmander/Charmeleon days.
Overall
Overall, Charizard is an independent spirit that needs a respectful and understanding owner. You’ll need all your wit and enthusiasm to encourage them to keep active and battle-fit, but, in return, you will get a loyal and trusty companion who will adore beating you over and over at board games. They may not be for the feint of heart, but they sure capture the heart.
Straight ahead, the fires were raging at the treeline. There was a crack as one of the firs gave way and collapsed somewhere out of sight. Image Credit: Luka Ishkhneli
A hand fell on my shoulder. It shook me.
“Marie, get up.”
I lifted my head. My lips were dry, my neck stiff. Susan was over me, her eyes wide.
“What time is it?”
“Marie, they’re back.”
I threw the covers off and swung my legs over the side of the bed. A flannel shirt was flung over the back of the chair, dark crimson in the moonlight. I manoeuvred into it and moved to pick up the discarded jeans on the floor. As I zipped the fly and buckled the belt, I gestured to the wardrobe.
“Grab my gun, honey.”
Susan jumped out of bed and flung the wardrobe open.
“Which one?”
“The big one.”
*
Mount Molteau wasn’t exactly hospitable. You couldn’t fault the views. And the air was the freshest in the region. But the climate left something to be desired. On the best days it was muggy and warm, on the worst it was like living in a sauna with the heat set to maximum. You couldn’t go ten paces in either direction without sweating through your shirt – but the sheep loved it. And happy sheep are more important to sheep farmers than a few soggy shirts.
Our farmhouse sat on a plateau, about halfway up Molteau, surrounded on three sides by tall firs and an abrupt drop on the fourth. It was in the trees that the fires had started. Only small at first but growing every few weeks and soon destroying whole clusters. Then the sheep had started disappearing. And only pieces of them were ever seen again. Bits of wool would be found by the treeline, unidentified limbs a bit further in. Susan decided that there had to be more than one of them doing it, as the sheep disappeared from all over the farm and the fires spread in multiple places at once. But what they were was still a mystery. In those first months, I’d traipsed all over trying to find them or their den. But to no avail.
“Next time they come,” I had said to Susan a few nights earlier, “I’m going out. If you hear them, wake me.”
She wasn’t happy, but she agreed. We had to catch them in the act. So, I found myself at the crack of dawn, gun in hand and kissing Susan goodbye.
“Bolt the door,” I said.
*
The heat felt like a slap in the face as I stepped onto the porch. It was always hot on the plateau, but now, in the middle of this inferno, it was scorching. Sweat was trickling from my pores before I had the door closed behind me. I heard the bolt clunk into place. Straight ahead, the fires were raging at the treeline. There was a crack as one of the firs gave way and collapsed somewhere out of sight. In the darkness, a flock of Noctowls hooted as they fled the blaze. Elsewhere, towards the back of the cabin, there was the bleat of sheep. I gripped the gun tighter – an ancient double-barrelled monstrosity – and walked down the small steps from the porch onto the path. The drop was on my left, somewhere off in the darkness. At the back of my mind, I had an image of our little farm as seen from the other side of Kalos. They were probably all sound asleep down there. If any of them looked out of their bedroom window, perhaps on a midnight walk to get a glass of MooMoo milk, they’d see a small flicker on the side of a great grey tooth, rising from the ground. Those two are up late again, they’d think, and burning wood at this hour!
I approached the first few trees, which had nearly burnt down completely. All that was left were blackened stumps, thrust deep into the soil. The crackle of the flames felt close to deafening. I could feel sweat pouring down my back now. The gun barrel felt heated to the touch and was growing warmer each second.
Something moved beyond the burnt-down trees. I fired. The stump disintegrated. Splinters spun off in all directions. The sound was muted against the sizzling flames, but my ears still rang. The shape appeared again. I span, tracking it in the worn-down sights atop the barrel. I held off and lowered the gun. I wasn’t going to miss again, I thought, as I navigated into the trees, taking a wide berth around the worst of the flames. The shape darted past again, then another, and then a third, all around a metre tall. My careful stride became a run as I chased them further into the trees, away from the fire. It grew dark as I lost sight of the creatures. I slowed.
Something shifted beneath my feet. With a grunt, I threw myself backwards, away from the now widening hole in the earth. But it was too late. I caught site of a spreading maw, opening underfoot. Losing my grip on the gun, I fell into the pit. I smelt wet earth and guano before I blacked out.
*
The stench of charred bark and leaves woke me. Looking up, I could see a circle of orange light a half dozen metres above. Fragments of wood lay in the soil around me. I’d fallen through into the old well, straight through the cover that the previous owners had presumably put in place. I picked up one of the pieces of debris that was half-buried beside me. The wood was rotten and there were claw marks on it. Something had been coming and going, using the well as its entrance and exit.
As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, the flames above were throwing a flickering glow down the shaft, I realised that part of the interior wall was missing. Something had clawed out a small tunnel. The smell of ancient animal excrement wafted out. It was barely big enough for a Mewtwo, never mind a person. Something glowed, perhaps ten metres into the tunnel. Shadows flickered. A cavern. But it was a tight squeeze. I considered my options. Stay there and wait for Susan to find me in the morning – assuming I didn’t choke on the smoke first – or squeeze into the tunnel.
I thought of Susan finding me the next day, dead from smoke inhalation at the bottom of a well. Or she’d find me alive and I’d never hear the end of it. I didn’t know which was worse.
I pulled my heavy boots off and wriggled my belt out from the loops. Looking at the gun, I felt a pang of sadness at having to leave the heirloom behind. But I wasn’t willing to chance anything getting caught. The thought of getting trapped in the tunnel, unable to move forwards or shimmy back… I pushed it out of my mind and squirmed into the opening on the wall. Once my head was fully in, I noticed how much more pungent it was in there. Creatures had lived down there for a while. Through the stench of living things, the scent of cooking meat wafted up from the chamber at the other end. My shoulders were in the tunnel now, scraping along the muddy walls, rocks and stones ripping my shirt. I had my hands in front of me, grasping the walls, wearing my nails down to the quick. My hips and thighs next, squeezing into the tunnel and filling the space, blocking out the last dregs of light from the well opening.
My hands dug into the dirt and clay and I pulled my body forward to the halfway point. I buried my fingers in and prepared to drag myself again. My arms burned with the effort, but I didn’t move. I kicked with my feet as best as I could, burying my toes into the dirt. But the ground had grown slick and soggy, and I couldn’t find purchase. I began trying to push myself backwards, to no avail. I tried spinning but the space was too thin. The breath caught in my throat. I tried to calm myself. My arms scrabbled, punching against the walls. I couldn’t breathe.
But then, a hand on my foot. Then one on the other. Tiny leathery paws. They pushed and I began to move. Another set pushed my legs. The exit approached, nearer and nearer. I fell out of the tunnel and into the chamber at the other end. I scrambled away from the opening and put my back to the wall, looking at the creatures that had come to my aid. Four eyes looked back at me, set back from two scaly snouts and two sets of sharp teeth. Behind them, two small flames bobbed up and down. The two Charmeleons poked their heads from the hole.
“Hey,” I moved forward. The Charmeleons edged back into the darkness of the tunnel.
“Have you guys been causing all this damage?”
They whined softly. I examined the small chamber I was in. It was no more than five meters in any direction. I could feel a breeze coming through it. In one corner of the chamber, there was a collection of bones, stripped clean. In the opposite one, two small bundles of wool made makeshift beds. Another, wider, tunnel led off in one direction.
“You two been living in here?”
I sniffed. It was even more pungent than I thought. The eyes in the tunnel stared at me, hesitating.
“C’mon,” I crouched down to their level in the opening. “We’ll work something out.”
*
“You should have shot them,” Susan said.
We were stood on the porch, looking out over the farm. The blackened trees looked like stakes stuck into the earth. The smell of smoke still hung in the air.
“You should have seen them, Sue. They saved me down there.” I turned to her. “Plus, we have less sheep to look after now.”
In front of us, the giant pasture had been split into two. On the one side, sheep grazed, munching on grass and slowly moving in lazy circles. In the other pasture, two Charmeleons chased each other, ducking in and out of their covered enclosure. One of them shot fire at the other, it went wide, over the sheep. They bleated in disgust. The two siblings wrestled, swiping at one another. The sun beat down on the plateau.
Aggression is a normal response in Pokémon that can make the difference between life and death in the wild. However, it can become a problem in powerful tame species such as Charmeleon when a simple claw or bite can be deadly and inflict serious injury. This discussion will look at aggression instances in Charmeleon to assess how and why we should deal with aggression in Pokémon partners.
One thing we must remember as responsible trainers is that every Charmeleon, if pushed enough, can be aggressive and that it is a natural reaction. Aggression can be the expression of emotion – be it frustration, surprise or anger. It can also be a way that the Pokémon deals with everyday situations that it is unsure about, demonstrating anxiety or a response to perceived threat. The Charmeleon uses aggressive moves such as biting and clawing to distance itself from the unusual and potentially dangerous situation. However, there is no reason why we cannot teach Charmeleon alternative reactions that are more welcome in a home environment.
Charmander will need careful training and nurturing to ensure that their Charmeleon stage does not use aggression inappropriately. If Charmeleon do not get this teaching early in life, it is much tougher to solve problems later. Without this early stimulation, a Charmeleon may appear to be constantly aggressive, but they are actually just basing their behaviours on experiences they learned early on in life. For more information on training Charmander, check out Rod Cumming’s book ‘Your Charmander and You’, which includes some excellent tips on clicker training that can be started right at egg stage.
However, while we can adjust behaviour, part of Charmeleon’s aggression is hereditary. There was an interesting study that assessed aggression frequency in 1,500 Charmeleon – half from the wild and half in captivity. It found Charmeleon that had been bred from a long line of battling partners were more prone to aggression than those caught in the wild. There were also physical differences: Charmeleon with a fighting lineage were larger, had harder bites and were quicker to use clawing attacks than fire.
Charmeleon communicate through body language, so this is a brilliant tool for assessing and negating anger before it leads to aggression. They have an extensive number of non-aggressive signals that demonstrate anger, including baring the teeth, narrowing the eyes, growling, snarling and staring. These signals will become more frequent the more persistent the threat. With these warning signs, it should be easy to spot when your Charmeleon is uncomfortable with something that is happening – a situation that could lead to aggressive behaviour. When you see these signs, act quickly. Start by removing the source of your Charmeleon’s anger and distract him with something engaging or something he enjoys. Later, when you are in a neutral environment, discuss what happened with him calmly. Setting up a routine of open discourse is the only true way of addressing ongoing triggers.
In your discussions, try and find the true source of the anger. What is your Charmeleon really angry about? If it is a knee-jerk reaction, it is likely masking another feeling that might be harder to show. Anger can also mask anxiety, so perhaps you need to consider whether your Charmeleon is feeling insecure. If this is the case, there are plenty of CBT professionals that specifically deal with fire types. CBT, or cognitive behavioural therapy, is designed to address the way your Charmeleon thinks and behaves, especially when it comes to thoughts about himself and how he feels about things happening around him.
Finally, anger is sometimes a sign of an underlying health condition. Make sure your Charmeleon’s health records are up to date and you regularly attend the Pokécentre clinics just to be sure.
Is aggression training the right thing to do for my Charmeleon?
I was once visiting a village at the base of Mount Molteau where a proud young lad by the name of Kit had caught himself a Charmeleon from the wild for security purposes and pest control on his farm. He was a fairly experienced trainer, so the Charmeleon quickly adapted to home living in all circumstances but one: the mailman. The village was fairly remote and a tight-knit community. Everyone had helped Kit train the Charmeleon and was familiar to him. However, Mr Chibbs came over from the next village to kindly distribute the mail every Sunday. Charmeleon, being quite pack-driven, just could not accept this occasional visitor into his world-view. He did everything he could to make the poor guy’s life a living hell. I have a lot of respect for that man for carrying on with his work through it all! Just imagine a fully grown 1m-high Charmeleon running at you with claws and teeth bared, all for stepping a toe over the village limits!
I was called in on behalf of the postal service to help sort the situation in 1997. It was part of this visit that Kit turned to me (in the middle of my grand introductory speech, I might add) to ask was aggression training the right thing to do? At first I was fuming – “how could he ask me that?”, I thought. But, I then paused for thought. It is actually an interesting question. Of course, the question ‘Is aggression training right for my Charmeleon?’ in relation to a situation where the Pokémon may endanger someone (or something) else should always be answered “yes”. However, it draws attention to the, perhaps, more important question of “should a Charmeleon showing aggression be kept in captivity?”.
This line of thought led me, rather than continuing with the course, to ask Kit to consider speaking with his Charmeleon about alternative living arrangements. Luckily, as they lived in the middle of no-where, close to the cave system where he caught the Charmeleon, this was easily carried out. He would come around a few times a day (when Chibbs wasn’t there) to help out on the farm in exchange for meat, but would live in the wild. The Charmeleon just wasn’t suitable to living in that sort of environment and a simple change in arrangement was enough to find a harmonious solution.
I decided to run an agony aunt column. Image Credit: Braintechinc
At one point in my career, I was receiving so many letters from people asking for help with their Pokémon, I decided to run an agony aunt column. Here a couple of my Charmeleon-related questions and answers:
Dear Elizabeth,
I have a Charmeleon called Andy that I raised from a Charmander. He was my first Pokémon and he was so well behaved when he was a Charmander. He’d sleep at the end of my bed, walk me to school with my mum and even help out with the chores while I was at school. However, ever since he evolved, he just hasn’t been himself. We made him his own little outhouse in the yard but he slashed at it with his claws in a rage like I’ve never seen before. He has also ruined mum’s garden and he stands outside my window all night yowling at me. Funny thing is, though, that he is absolutely fine at behaviour classes. The teacher is astounded when I tell him about what a terror he is at night. Please can you help, as my mum is near giving up and I really don’t want to get rid of him.
Yours, Edna
Dear Edna,
This sounds like a classic case of anxiety disorder. You obviously love your Pokémon very much and very rightly gave your Charmander plenty of attention. You slept together, played together, and in the day he had your mum to help out. However, when he evolved, he was moved to an outhouse. Outhouses can be great ideas for some Pokémon that evolve to be too large for living in the house. However, Charmeleon is very much a pack animal. To you and your mum, the outhouse was both a loving gesture – building him a special place just for him to stay. However, to your Charmeleon, it feels as if he is being cast outside, away from his pack.
My advice would be to make every attempt to move Charmeleon’s living quarters indoors. Do you have a spare room? Or a large storage cupboard that you could repurpose? Once he has a space within the emotional safety of the family home, you can set some boundaries such as when he should stay in there and when he can come out. Set specific slots where you spend time together – preferably make this a few hours of training or exercise. Remind him that someone is always nearby – if everyone needs to leave the house, it’d be best to take him with you rather than leave him alone.
If there is no way for Charmeleon to live indoors, I would suggest finding a partner for your Pokémon. It doesn’t really matter what type of Pokémon, but preferably someone that is his level and someone he can get along with. Camp outside with your Charmeleon and his new pal for at least two weeks. Next, step this down to three nights a week for a further two weeks, and finally one night per week for a final two weeks. By this end of this gradual adjustment period, your Charmeleon’s confidence in his space should grow.
Best of luck, Elizabeth
*
Dear Elizabeth,
I have had my Charmeleon for five years now. He was a rescue from an abandoned Pokémon shelter; I think he is about 30 years old but we’re not sure. We used to train together, but he started to get less and less energy as he got older – this is normal, right?! – so I don’t particularly train him anymore. He is more of a family member and spends his days hunting rabbits in our field and his nights guarding the grain store – this was Pappa’s idea of ways to keep him active and give him a purpose. We haven’t got a room for him, but Pappa lets him sleep on the couch.
We got a new couch not too long ago and ever since, Charmeleon has been scratching it. Its made Pappa really mad, as it cost a fair bit and it is in tatters now. Why is Charmeleon scratching the new couch?
Thanks George
Hi George!
Thanks for writing in, I’m glad you decided to give Charmeleon such a loving home. Have you considered taking Charmeleon to the Pokémon Centre just to get him a check over? Charmeleon can be quite lazy, but 30-35 isn’t too old for a Charmeleon, so I’d be surprised if his fatigue was age related. If he is getting tired a lot, he may be being overworked (hunting at night then guarding in the day would be strenuous on anyone!). The destructive behaviour you described seems like a reaction to frustration. His tiredness might be causing him some stress. This may also be exacerbated by only having the couch to sleep on – he would have to wait until everyone went to bed before he could get complete peace for deep sleep. Space is often an issue for Pokémon owners, but it would be best if you could find a quiet place such as a cupboard where he can get some alone time.
When you’re not begging him to get off the couch, you’ll be screaming at him to stop tearing your training dummies apart. Image Credit: CamilaLópez
I’ve only ever seen a Charmeleon in one of two moods: lazy or vicious. Even well-trained ones, where their trainers have guided them to only target frenzied attacks at opponents in battle, have such a powerful inner kill-drive that they are very difficult to control. Many Charmeleon terrorise farmers and ranchers living near Char-territory, which have to install hefty defence systems in order to keep the Pokémon at bay.
Very much a grumpy teenager, a Charmeleon that is not at work is going to be sleeping. This can make training quite a challenge, and you’ll need to make sure you keep a strict reward system to make sure Charmeleon is motivated to better himself.
Where to find one
In the wild, Charmeleon are considered the main hunters of the Charmander family. They are lethal predators, with a single Charmeleon able to massacre a herd of sheep in just a few hours. When not hunting, they are thought to sleep deep inside the volcanic caves or mountains that the Charmander line calls home.
If you are still interested in attempting to catch a Charmeleon, your best bet is on one of its hunts – as no one has successfully got inside a Charmander-Charmeleon-Charizard nest and returned. However, expect a difficult and relentless battle, not only with the Charmeleon you are intending to fight but also his pack mates. I’m not exaggerating when I say that these Pokémon are relentless. They have strong fire-based attacks and will readily use their claws to slash. Only attempt an approach if you are a highly experienced trainer, and preferably go with a friend or two as backup.
The best way to get a Charmeleon is by raising a Charmander. This will help you maintain control, as it will be more comfortable with you and more ready to listen to you. I’d even recommend delaying evolution of your Charmander until you have enough experience with high-power Pokémon to handle this one’s tenacity.
Raising for battle
Charmander’s flame attacks get a big boost when he evolves, almost doubling in power. He also has a good range of fire attack types – using both the intensity of the flame to cause burns as well as using the heat to increase the impact of his bites and slashes.
In the wild, Charmeleon relies less on his flame than he does his teeth and claws. When raising your Charmeleon for battle, it would be wise to encourage him to be more balanced with his attacks, as the flames can provide a big advantage.
Charmeleon is a pack Pokémon and, therefore, works well in groups. He will do his best when teamed with a pal of similar size and strength, as research has found that the these aspects donates a Charmeleon’s rank within the hunting party. Partner your Charmeleon with someone who is too small or weak and he will become bossy and mistrustful; partner him with someone who is too powerful or too big and he will overwork himself and become distracted with a vie for power.
While it is good to train Charmander in teams, he does not always do too well in team battles where things are more intense – unless with other Charmeleon. Two Charmeleon have a specific way of communicating as to avoid each others attacks. Pair Charmeleon up with any other Pokémon and he can easily get over-excited and his partner can get caught up in a frenzied attack.
Keeping Charmeleon happy and healthy
It is essential that you learn to read your Charmeleon’s body language. This is another reason to raise your Charmeleon from a Charmander, as this will give you the time required to thoroughly understand your Pokémon. Some good founding knowledge of a Charmander’s body language will act as a good starting point.
Getting your Charmeleon enough exercise is another important point, as he can be quite lazy. It is inadvisable to own a Charmeleon that you do not intend to battle, as the regular motivation that training provides is one of the only ways of getting him to move.
As counter-intuitive to safety as it may sound, you should make sure Charmeleon keeps his claws sharp. He may end up making a lot of marks on your hardwood floor, but it will give him an additional edge in battle. To ensure the correct levels are maintained, you will need to make regular visits to a Pokécentre or Pokémon chiropodist with the necessary sharpening tools. In addition, make sure Charmeleon goes to the dentist often as he is prone to tooth rot.
Overall
Overall, Charmeleon is a tough character that is more than a handful. When you’re not begging him to get off the couch, you’ll be screaming at him to stop tearing your training dummies apart. His bipolar personality may be hard to handle, but the time and effort it will take to master this Pokémon will be greatly rewarded by the pure power he can hold.
Love Charmeleon? Find out how to catch and look after other members of its evolutionary line here: Charmander, Charizard
Like a demon ascending from hell, it starts to rise. Image credit: MistyPoison
This is part II of this story. If you haven’t checked it out yet, see part I first!
‘Hissssssssss’.
Charmander slowly moves to her feet and
takes a step forward, craning her head. She tries to focus some energy on her
tail, forcing the flame to increase in size. A hot ember sparks from it, and
she flexes her claws.
‘Hisssssssss’.
The unknown entity is slowly slithering,
getting unmistakably closer. The female Charmander growls and starts to extend
the claws on both her arms into Metal Claw attacks.
The slithering stops. Fthe ground, like
a demon ascending from hell, it starts to rise. Twice as tall as she is, and
with more than half its body trailing behind it, the hiss turns into a snarl.
The glare of two yellow eyes peers through the smoke. She growls again. The
eyes do not move. They almost seem dead; there’s no expression, and the
creature has gone silent.
Confused, Charmander starts to move
forwards, edging very slowly keeping her metallic claws extended and her flame
held high. A slight glint of green twinkles just above the creature, and
Charmander looks up. The glint immediately turns to red, and now she freezes in
her tracks.
Now she sees the real eyes of the
monster. For a split second they changed green, and then to red, piercing into
her mind and now little Charmander can’t move. Stuck in her tracks, a bead of
sweat travels slowly down the back of her neck as her metallic claws retreat
back into her arms.
‘Hisssssssssss’.
The creature has disappeared again, but
within seconds it’s alongside her. At least three metres long and purple, it
turns to look at her. It’s unforgiving eyes a deathly back, it runs its tongue
over her arm, hissing as it does so. Arbok rears up, showing her its hood
again. Ever so slowly, Arbok begins to coil itself around her golden, shiny
body. Taking great care to flatten her tail to the ground, while avoiding the flame.
Every breath she takes is getting more and more difficult. Closing her eyes,
she tries to force something; anything!
Just as it becomes impossible to take in
any more air, her flame reacts. A shockingly critical ember bursts out of the
tip, lighting up the monster’s hood. Snarling, Arbok pulls away, shaking in
agony; it’s hood completely ablaze with the golden flames. Arbok freezes and
then dives down, bursting into the ground.
Little Charmander collapses to the
ground, her breathing heavy. She can move her arms, but barely. She cries out
for help.
‘Chaaarrrrrrrr…. Chaarrrrrrrr’.
The ground starts to rumble again; once
again with the force of a miniature earthquake, even worse than it was before.
She closes her eyes and, once again, covers her head with her arms. The great
snake bursts out of the ground, right above her, snarling with the rage of a
dragon. Its hood is almost black; but not as black as its eyes. Its fangs
extend, as a green venom drenches them. Arbok hangs in the air for a second,
taunting poor Charmander before going to plunge in the Poison Fang.
Just before the deadly fangs can make
contact, the Arbok is blasted with a powerful flamethrower. The snake snarls
again, and pulls away, dropping down for cover. Charmander lifts her head from
the floor. Her heart almost stops. The
male, orange Charmander is there, standing tall with his flame held firmly,
burning with courage.
Arbok rears up again, not alight this
time but still badly burnt. Arbok snarls, while Charmander almost seems to
roar.
‘Chaaaarrrrrrrrrrr’.
Adrenaline pumps into the female’s body
faster than a Scyther draws swords. Jumping to her feet, the female screams in
anger.
‘Chaaaaarrrrrrr’.
Arbok turns to face her again, event
taller than before. The female Charmander looks it dead in the eyes, growling.
Arbok almost seems to pull away for a split second; then the familiar tint of
green flashes from the cold, black eyes. Charmander quickly closes her eyes. A
quick tremor passes through her body: she’s seized up for a split second, but
is still able to blast out a red-hot flamethrower, keeping her eyes closed she
does.
She opens her eyes to see the green
dripping fangs lunging towards her. The Poison Fang catches her straight in the
midriff, pushing her into the ground. Arbok had dropped to avoid the
Flamethrower and countered with devastating effect. Crying out, the female
quickly extends her metal claws, and starts slashing randomly at the great
snake’s hood. The beast doesn’t let up.
‘Chaaaaaaaaaarrrrr’.
The snake lets go. Charmander looks up
to see the male is on the back of the snake’s hood, with his burning fangs
embedded deep in the back of the snake’s neck. Grinning, the female extends her
own Fire Fang and jumps back into the fray, biting deep into the front of the
neck. The snake thrashes its head around violently, but the two Charmander have
extended their claws into the snake and are hooked on.
The male keeps his fangs rooted into Arbok,
pressing deeper in with every passing second, while the female keeps releasing
and then biting down with fresh attacks. The snake writhes furiously, before
finally dropping to the floor and rolling ferociously sideways. Both Charmander
are caught in the gravel and ripped from the skin of the screaming snake.
The snake continues to roll, as both
Charmander jump to their feet. The snake uncoils, and starts to once again rise
from the floor, its fangs extending once again.
‘Hissssssssssss’
Before Arbok can move, two jets of fire
blast towards it. One jet is perfectly orange, the other, a bright shimmering
gold. Both flames engulf the snake: hood, coils and tail; combining into a gold
and orange display. Sparks of both colours fly from the top of the blaze,
exploding into the sky.
The Charmander cease fire. Arbok is
lying motionless on the floor, with light grey smoke hissing out of the
charred, black body. The male Charmander looks to the female. She turns to meet
his eyes. He nods. Together, they turn from the beast and start to head off
into the sunset.
Al woke up feeling like he had never felt before. The blanket underneath him was soft, the temperature toasty and the air cool. But despite all of the pleasant sensations, he felt an ingrained sense of panic. Where was his pack?
The room of the Pokécentre buzzed with a hum of working nurses as they seemed to glide from bed to bed. Al pushed himself further under the blanket and away from the glare of the lights. He felt like he had fallen through the window of Al’s Chicken Shack and landed slap bang in the middle of it all, except the cooks and smells of food had been replaced with a clinical odour. Alongside that was the smell of a wide range of different Pokémon.
Al grumbled to himself. He thought of Elvis and Scarface. He thought of the sound of their breathing and the smell of their home. He nibbled and sucked on part of the blanket as he imagined his mother finally returning to the nest and taking his brothers into her arms. In his imaginings, they mistook him for dead and ventured off as a family, leaving him alone.
*
Camille had to wait three days before the nurses would let her in to see the Charmander. He had been placed on the wild Pokémon ward, so it had taken a lot of persuading. She followed a nurse, watching the bow on the back of her pinny bounce as she walked. Next to her, a Chansey bounded holding a big pile of towels. It kept glancing back at Camille every couple of steps.
“We have good news and bad news”, said the nurse, “the Charmander has recovered from his injuries but , unfortunately, he isn’t stabilising. He won’t eat and his flame is staying low.”
Camille peered at the hospital cart and saw two eyes peeking out from under a blanket, huddled over a small wavering flame. She went to reach towards it, but Chansey tapped her hand.
“We’re going to try him on an IV, but its difficult with such a young Pokémon. He needs his mother, really. You said you didn’t see her around?”
The eyes under the blanket closed.
“No”, said Camille.
*
Al didn’t like the nurses. The tall human pricked him with a needle, which Al managed to carefully pull out with his teeth later, while the large, dumpy Pokémon kept watching him all the time. He tried moving his legs, but his muscles were stiff and sore. The blanket now felt itchy on his back.
He flipped between dosing and slowly flicking his tail. The methodical flicking soothed him. When he slept, he dreamt of rain, of nests and of mothers. He had vague memories of his egg; the moving shadows dancing on the outside of the shell. While he hadn’t yet had the capacity for thought, sometimes he remembered a guttural purring vibration as his mother cared for the eggs. Like a hum, like singing.
Somewhere in-between sleep and living, he felt his body being lifted and was only gasped back to full consciousness with a breath of fresh night-time air. He looked up with blurred eyes and scented with his nose. The oily smell of car engines and the harried breath of Camille filled his nostrils, yet it felt glorious to be outside.
*
Camille couldn’t leave the Charmander there to die. Sneaking him out was actually much easier than she thought it’d be, but she felt bad for locking Chansey in the supply cupboard. It was only a matter of time before the centre found out so she ran, Al clutched to her chest still wrapped in the hospital blanket, back towards the alley.
She’d just turned the corner by the restaurant when she heard the whine of a police bike. It may not have been coming for her, but her heart hammered anyway. She knelt down on the wet cobbles, not quite sure what to do. Charmander never wandered far from their nest, so there must be a mother around here somewhere.
She unwrapped Al, who still looked a little dozy from the medication. She rubbed his back gently to stir him, “Come on fella, make a sound for your mummy to hear”.
The Charmander looked up at her sadly, but made a noise anyway. Camille was shocked to hear a little chirrup in response, followed by a thick growl. She span towards the drainpipe, where a crash of lightening revealed the shining eyes of two more small Charmander, Scarface and Elvis – though, of course, she didn’t know their names.
Moving very slowly as to not startle the scared babies, Camille lowered the blanketed Al towards the disused drainpipe. Scarface and Elvis backed further in, allowing enough room for her to put him down out of the rain. Surrounded my familiar smells, Al seemed to perk up a bit and he murmured weakly to his brothers. Camille backed away and watched as Elvis and Scarface cuddled around him. Three babies on a rainy night, yet no mother in sight.
A Breeder's Guide to Pokémon 