A week passed. Pryce was still playing sick, Gary was spying, Will resting. Sabrina was furious with Pryce. Mewtwo had a harder time trying to restrain her powers. There was nothing left for them to do but, hand out advice to Ash and his friends.
He felt tired, his part played out he helped Misty keep hope up. He frowned on Sabrina, she was becoming violent. The same destructive behavior that almost destroyed him and her in their past. He tried to help her cope but, she felt the whole situation was her fault and anything that went wrong she contributed it to herself. His teaching helped himself cope.
"Town time!" Nero shouted. "Let's go Ace!"
"Wait! Not so fast." Ace grabbed his shoulder. "You ain't going down there like that!"
"Like what?" Nero shrugged his hand away.
"How many people have white hair in their teens!" Ace pointed to his hair. "I'm going alone."
"I have a solution!" James added.
"Really?" Nero turned.
"What did I agree to!" Nero stared at his reflection.
His hair was dyed brown, cut short. His unusually long ears exposed. He groaned as he looked into the foutain. As a kid he was always getting picked on because of those ears. He was called an elf and other pointed ear creatures names.
His new do wouldn't hide those ears. Ace found the kid missing. Turning he saw him staring into the foutain. Spitting he walked back.
"It ain't that bad kid. We have a lot of ground to cover and alot of questioning to do so let it go. Come on Nero the hair ain't that bad." Ace smelled real food cooking, his stomach rolled as he smelled the scent of raw flesh grilling. "Hey! Let's get some real food not that card board James calls burritos."
Draco leapt from his ball. He snorted deeply. The smell of meat. The smell of thousands of lovely scents roared to him.
"You let him out?" Nero pointed.
"Old Draco has a tendancy to venture out on his own. He may not be a free charizard but, I try to let him have as much freedom as he wants. All my pokémon are a bit wild because I allow them alot of privileges. Now I smell a half cooked steak with my name on it!"
"Draaaa! Draco! Me coo!" Draco muttered.
"He...he talks?" Nero watched in awe.
"Tries to. He's getting close." Ace walked on with the two following.
"What was he trying to say?" Nero patted the dragon's head.
"Yeah! Draco! Me too!" He wants a steak.
"What's a party without Cynder!" Cynder flew from his ball.
"Show off!" Draco spoke in charizard.
"Hah! By Chah's fires we are home!" Cynder looked at the familar streets. "I don't get tired of saying it Drac! It feels great to be here again."
"What do you mean they aren't allowed!" Ace shouted.
"Sorry we can't have flame pokémon in this dinner." The bus boy blocked them.
"And what is that?" He pointed to the sign.
"It says pokémon allowed." Nero argued.
"Read that one." The kid tapped it.
No fire pokémon in dining area. Sighing Ace pokéballed his monsters. He promised to buy them something.
"Rare steak with the fries and cut the salad. Have no taste for greens." He put the menu down.
"Well just a burger is fine." Nero watched the food being prepared at the dinner counter.
Ace had no luck finding Philly or his parents. He sat silent. Then he recognized the waitress. The daughter of a Duke! Waiting on people at a greasy cafe!
"What has happened to Emerald." He huffed quietly.
"The Rockets ruined it that's what happened." Nero yawned.
"Hello, who are you?" A young brown haired woman rubbed Nero's ear.
Spinning around he gave her a big smile. Ace smiled too, maybe there was hope for the kid. He drank his coffee.
"You look interesting." She smiled back at him.
"As you do too." He winked at her.
"You remind me of someone famous. Who?" She kept smiling.
Ace felt a tinge of discomfort, he took a look around. A group of teens watched Nero with wicked grins. Something was coming. He tossed two bills down for the java.
"Let's go kid." He whispered.
"Why?" He glared at Ace.
"Do as I say."
"I know who you remind me of. Yeah Ernie Keebler!" She laughed as she flicked his ear.
"Great!" Ace cussed under breath.
The teens in the corner whooped and banged the table. One shouted he couldn't believe she went through with it. Ace shoved Nero to his feet. He heard the waitress yell at him that he had to pay for the food he ordered.
"Didn't even see it lady! And I'm in a hurry." Ace was blocked by the girl.
"You remind me of someone too." She took a good look. "You remind me of someone famous too."
"Who? The chupacabra! Get out of my way girl!" He shoved past her.
"Ace! This is not your fight!" Nero shouted outside.
"There is no fight kid and there won't be! Keep your eyes forward and don't look back." He hurried him on.
"Come back here freak!" Someone shouted.
"Don't look back." Ace listened to them follow.
"Hey freak! Hey long ears!" Ace kept his eyes trained ahead while making sure Nero wasn't looking back.
"Let them get away with that?" Nero snarled.
"Grow up! It's not just your neck at risk here kid! If they find out who I am we are dead and Ash and James too!" He took something from his cloak. "Just keep a level head Nero."
"They're still coming." Nero had changed attitudes in seconds.
"I know and if they don't stop they'll be sorry." He bounced the round object in his hand.
"Hey freaks wanna play with my Donphan!" A light burst behind them, Ace heard the distinct trumpet of the elephant pokémon.
"Wanna play with my dragon?" Ace spun around. "Go Draco!"
Draco roared as he emerged from the pokéball. A firespin half cooked the Donphan. In mid trumpet the thing looked balck and idiotic with trunk still waving in the air. The kids ran off without the creature. It trampled after them.
"I'm proud of you Nero! You can follow orders! Now on I won't call you kid anymore." They shook on it.
After returning Nero reenacted the whole tale. Ace sat away from the others. He had Draco at his side. He knew the dragon would follow him into battle willingly. Charizards are natural warriors with a sense of duty as strong as any Scythers. He didn't want to risk Draco's life again nor Houndour. He was thinking about leaving their pokéballs with Slims if he could find her.
Cynder shot his snout into the air. Draco snift, he felt a warm buzz float in his mind. He relaxed. Cynder began to howl. Ash was speaking to Ace in that odd gibberish only Draco understood. Cynder went right on trying to attract the females.
"Cut it out Cynder!" Draco barked.
"Why? Why should I!" He loomed over the lying dragon.
"Go on screaming your head off! When the Rockets kill everyone here you can feel happy that you mated at least." Draco yawned and rolled away.
"Fine!" He crossed his arms. "I know further in the woods would be a better spot anyways!"
Nero came to thank the fire lizard. He admired Draco's emerald wings. Draco let out a few chuckles as Nero touched his green wing scales. He studied Draco's green eyes. Draco liked the kid. He was rather amusing than annoying as he studied the green wings again, as if he didn't believe they were green.
Nero examined Draco's chest, he was unlike most charizard's he didn't have a huge pot belly. Instead his chest was very muscled, a fault of Ace's. Ace didn't know much about Charizards when Draco evolved so he worked him into a well gunned dragon. Draco learned later that was why he didn't attract too many females. No gut equals a poor hunter which equals no females.
"Oh! Draco! There's female Chars everywhere out here!" Cynder came out of the woods. "You should come out here and get some practice!"
"Grow up Cynder! Charcole is the only one I love." He felt Nero examining his ribs. "Go! Have fun Cynder!"
"Your loss!"
Draco shook his head as he watched his friend bound toward the woods. Draco turned to find Nero hadn't been examining his ribs he was slumped against his side asleep. Shrugging Draco felt a good night's sleep under the stars would work wonders on his spirit. He put a wing over Nero.
Draco fell into his dreams of Charcole, not caring to chase after the females above releasing pheremones over the Emerald Forest. He had only a heart for her.
To Be Continued........
-JLB