Brock was practically pulling his hair out by the roots! Frustrated he left Pryce alone with the other while he pulled at his hair and screamed. Pryce didn't seem to be frightened by any known pokémon.
"Brock stop that!" Whitney fixed her eyes on him. "What's the point of tugging out your hair out here when you could be cooking up another plan."
"Hey Brock you have a call!" Todd announced over the speaker system.
Taking his fingers from his hair he stood and strided toward the main office.
"Tracey? Hey how's it going!" Brock was glad to hear from a friend.
"Well considerably better! Listen Will is on to something big! He feels that the Amber Rod is somewhere near Pryce's gym! He has been sensing the same energy flow as the other crystals from something in or around Pryce's gym. I think that is what he's hiding Brock." Tracey was talking so fast and excited that Brock had to ask him to repeat it all.
Night again. Ash moved his team further into the woods. After Ace's little experiment they were forced inward. The Rockets increased the air surveilance. Ace managed to slip away back into town, James took after him with Meowth right behind.
Ash knew they would be in danger. He saw Ace had forgotten his pokémon trainer belt. All his monsters left back at camp he would be defenseless if trouble loomed it's head.
What could Ash do? Nothing, if he went after them he would be putting Nero in danger. He decided to expan his skills with the crystal. He tried to contact Brock. He wondered if it was possible? Gary troed to contact Misty but, wound up with Sabrina on the other side.
As he concentrated a roar exploded. He woke, he knew it was a charizard call. Draco was still in his ball so where was this other dragon. Ash felt the crystal shake in his hand but, he was worried about this charizard cries. If they belonged to a Rocket charizard it would easily sniff them out.
Ash took out Tork's ball. Releasing him he ordered Tork to keep alert. Another booming voice shattered the night. Draco launched from his pokéball.
"Draco quit roaring!" Ash was shivering, Draco was making enough noise to lead any search party toward them.
"Chaaaaar! Coooooo! Draco! Drrrrraaaaaaaaaaaco!" Draco sang. "Charcollllllllcooooo!"
When the massive lizard took to flight Ash leapt on it's back. He cursed himself for doing it, Ash had no idea what Draco was up to. He felt the dragon arch his back to send plumes of flame. Shouts from humans drifted to him from below. Ash had forgotten what it felt like to ride a dragon into battle.
Draco sang a war song before sending pillars of fire raining upon the humans. He's eyes set on the charizard they were chaining. His fire lung swelled as fuel poured into it. Once more flames sprang from his lips. He saw the scars upon the dragon's head. His heart swelled in rage.
A Rocket released a Typhlosion out of Draco's sight. It began a fire wheel, as it prepared to fire something crashed into it. The attack missed Draco by feet. Turning He saw Cynder sink his teeth into the other Tys' arm. His flame collar burning brightly. Draco spun around to send a fire spin flying from his tail.
The humans ran leaving their pokémon to fight for them. Draco almost tossed Ash from his back as a Totodile sank it's razor into his shoulder. A Scizzor crouched to strike Draco but, it never left the ground. The charizard flamed it where it stood, with a grunt the dragon tried breaking the chains.
"What is it going to take to get the truth out of you Pryce!" Brock demanded.
"Keep it up young one. A shame it is that such a bright and promising youth like you end up like this Brock." Pryce glared.
"Pryce, this is about saving Ash! Please tell us." Brock was spent. He tried everything yet the old coot would not talk.
Just then a rattling sound filled the room. Brock tried to locate the sound. It grew louder, the gym plaque trembled. Brock watched this developement with interest.
Ash had forgotten about the crystal. Draco rolled to toss off the croc and in the prossess Ash dropped the crystal. It soundlessly in the fresh grass. It began to glow.
Brock was about to lay his finger on the plaque when Pryce yelled out.
"Don't touch it! Leave that alone!" He struggled against Chikorita's vines. Bulbasaur lent out his vines to keep the old one still.
"Why shouldn't I?" Brock took it into his hands, wasn't the Emerald rod hidden in Sabrina's plaque?
"Leave it alone!" Pryce snarled.
"As soon as you start cooperating with us. Now what are you hiding?" Pryce gave him a cross look. "Fine I drop it."
Brock let it fall. Pryce screamed. The plaque shattered, an Amber Rod floated in midair. Brock grabbed it, feeling it vibrate in his palm. He admired it.
"No. Fools." Pryce lowered his head.
The rod began to glow. Brock let go and backed away. A flash released from it. An image of a roaring Charizard appeared. Pryce shrieked, trying to run from it.
"Make it go away! Please! I swear to tell anything just take that foul beast away from me!" Pryce knocked the chair over as he tried to twist away.
"You swear on the honor of your ancestors!" Brock stood over him.
"I swear to that! I swear on my Ancestors honor!"
Brock remembered Misty mention how the Mentor stopped the crystal. He held it trying to cease the shaking. The dragon disappeared. Brock allowed everyone to rest. Tomorrow Pryce had a long tale to pour out to them.
The monsters had enough. Retreat the last option they ran. Draco threw back his head roaring he let a pyre lick the night sky. Cynder gusted his own victory fire.
Ash found the keys discarded during the Rocket's flight. He released the great dragon. Draco rushed over. Springing upon it. He was purring.
"I thought I would never find you!" He licked Charcole's face.
She shoved him away, grunting. She backed away. Draco's smile faded.
"Charcole? It's me Draco." He stretched out his emerald wings.
"Draco? Is it really you?" She snift at his wings. "It is you."
"I thought you would be a little more happier to see me than this." Draco felt hurt.
"Please Draco not now." She brushed aside him.
"Where are you going!" Draco wanted an answer for her reactions.
"No where in particular." She flapped her wings.
"Charcole please stay with me. Only to catch up on old times. Please?" She saw the heartache in his eyes.
"Draco, please leave me alone." She slumped her shoulders as she sulked away.
He watched her walk away. His head slouched as tears rained. Had he fought his way back here to lose her now? No! He wiped his eyes and leapt after her.
"Draco! Wait! Come back here!" Ash grabbed the crystal and followed the dragon with Cynder in tow.
"Draco go away!" She let out a small jet of flame.
"What happened to you Charcole?" New tears came to his eye when he saw the scars on her body, one horn was shorter than the other. He touched his hand upon the broken horn. "Is this what you are afraid of? That you are not perfect anymore? Charcole no matter what you look like I will always love you."
"Shut up! Everything doesn't revolve around you dumb males!" She swiped his hand away.
He saw blood welt from his paw. Draco ran his tail over it to stop the bleeding. He was shocked, he backed away. Swallowing his grief Draco padded away. He gave her one look before walking away.
"I love you Charcole. No matter what! Sit there in your troubles, you want me to help you I'll be here in Emerald Forest." He leapt into the small pond minding his tail.
Watching him swim away shocked her.
"Draco! Stop! What are you doing! Don't go!" She flew over dragging him from the water. Panting as she crumbled onto the shore after pulling him.
"What are you doing!" He roared.
"Saving your dumb hide!" She growled.
"If you knew anything about me Charcole you would know I can swim." He sat up.
"Swim? I thought....I thought you were trying to...you know what water does to us!" She slapped him.
"Oh! Now you're worried!" He shook himself off, before heeding Ash's calls. "Great knowing you Charcole!"
She sat on the shore watching. How in the world did he learn to swim without killing himself. She watched the water. If he was going swimming someone had to watch over him. She followed after him.
"Well that solves my question." AJ sat eating a burger.
"What question?" Bugsy shoved fries down then chasing them down with a shake.
"How do you make an ancient turtle talk!" He laughed.
"Yeah with a dragon's roar!" Brock answered.
To be continued.......
-JLB