Greeting's again. Welcome back to my personal chaos. So glad you decided to stick around. Here's the disclaimer (again)…

Pokemon and all of its characters and creations do not belong to me. The only things in this story that are my own are original plots, characters and settings.

Thanks and Au Revior until the end of chapter two!

Chapter two- Freedom sucks, but Falling is worse

Freezing, predatory eyes met my own and my reflection stared aghast back at me from their slit like pupils. It was oddly fascinating, as I hadn't realized how scrawny I had become, or that I possessed the same fierce defiance and ice in my own bright gaze. The great eyes narrowed, analyzing me, and another chilling growl, more pronounced this time, was uttered from the mighty beast's throat. I could feel it vibrate through me, as it emerged it from the creature. I imagined myself reverberating along with the broad vocal chords, like a tuning fork, and felt chills. It was a dragon, immense and beautiful in the sparkling mid-afternoon sunlight. Its red and blue hide seemed to glow and pulse with vivid color and energy and its silver, metallic, breast plates blinded me, as they glinted. It was like looking at the sun whenever the creature moved. The creature was several feet tall and crouched patiently like a stalking liepard. It was widely built, with a flattish head, and short but powerful legs. It had two cherry red brows above its head, and a turquoise frill of thick spines along its cheeks.

The creature bared its dagger like fangs, and unfurled its wings with a powerful SNAP! The wings were huge and crimson, like my eyes, and looked sturdy enough to carry the beast around the planet twice. They looked velvety though, and I wondered if they would feel velutinous under my fingers if I could manage to touch them without being mauled. Somehow I sensed that I couldn't blast this thing off the mountain, and I didn't think that it looked in the mood for negotiations. Well duh! Unfortunately negotiating seemed my only chance of survival.

"Salamence-"I addressed the pokemon, only to be cut off by an unholy roar, of fury.

"How dare you address me human, after invading my private oasis! Your kind are rotten sinners! You have summoned my vengeance!"

Well someone's hormonal. I was shocked by the Pokémon's outright display of anger, but I made an attempt to stay composed. Weakness is not advisable when faced with an intimidating opponent. I would have to be crafty, and firm.

"Uh...I would gladly shut up and leave your territory, but you're kind of blocking me, so if you could just-"

"Dirty wraith! You think I will let you go! No…you are much too valuable as prey. You deserve it to, flaunting your pokemon slaves like disposable trophies. Taking our land and chasing us away only to hunt us down and imprison us!"

"Slow down! I'm not a trainer, I just wanted to visit the mountain!"

"Of course you are, you filthy creature! You are all the same!"

His roaring was more like a piercing shrill by now and his head was raised like a vipers. He was spraying spit all over the rocks in his madness. I ceased trying to scoot around him and retreated the few feet I was allowed by the sheer drop. I was not prepared to deal with a rampaging dragon, with a severe case of insanity. He must be mistaken. Obviously someone had scarred him badly, and he had an irreversible hate for my kind. I felt a flash of fury and abhorrence for his enemy. Who could have turned such a majestic animal into a sad, raving lunatic!

Then a spine chilling realization hit me. "You are much too valuable as prey," he had stated. I gulped as I believed I knew what had happened to that person, and to every other person who had come here. The salamence's already massive fangs and maw, seemed to become distinctly larger, and unbearably close.

"You've got it wrong, I'm not the human, who hurt you. I wouldn't do that. I'm just a girl, let me go!"

"HA! More like a clever ruse to capture me and torture me with your infernal experiments and battles yet again. No, I'll down you like the little weakling you are!"

I froze, paralyzed. He wanted to devour me! All of those people who had gone missing, had disappeared down this beast's gullet! I was condemned to their fate as well. There was no use in running off of the cliff, but I supposed being eaten by a homicidal dragon pokemon wasn't much better. I wanted to die strong if this was to be my grave, but to my dismay found myself pleading anyway in a last ditch attempt to survive.

"Please, listen, it wasn't me, I did nothing!"

"Nothing can save you pitiful human juvenile."

"Wait no," I wailed as the creatures wings stretched, like an eclipse over my head and it exposed its glistening teeth. "You can't eat me! Not here, not now!"

The dragon closed its maw and rumbled thoughtfully, "You are correct, human, I cannot eat you here."

I sighed with relief and fell shakily to the ground.

"It would be most improper to wreck my vengeance in this peaceful place," the dragon continued softly. "What a mess you would make here, I must not allow your foul blood to taint it." I looked up and shivered. I could see a horrific smirk on its draconic face, and an unpleasantly frigid glare in its eye as it leaned down to whisper into my ear, in a hot fetid breath. "That's why I'm taking you with me."

Before I could react I felt two sets of claws latch onto my shoulder, agonizingly tight, and the salamence's wings erupted above me. My feet were torn from the earth and the both of us were thrust upward into the reeling sky. I cried out as the cliff shrank behind me, and the expansive sea of the deep wild spread out like a black hole below me. It seemed to spin insanely and I kicked frantically in reaction. The winds howled around me and swept from the dragon's wings. They were laughing at me, and my dilemma. They chuckled at the irony that all I had desired this morning was, in fact, to fly away. My stomach lurched ominously as we ascended on an updraft and I thought, if flying is freedom, then freedom sucks!

I opened my mouth to scream again as we banked left, but the salamence, apparently predicting this, snarled "another sound and my claws slip." I closed my mouth with an effort but managed to choke down the offensive sound. I felt the creature's claws sinking into my flesh, and I knew that there was blood staining my shoulder. I could feel the warm wetness drip down my back and arms. I looked at affected area and saw that the straps of my bag were offering limited protection against the razor-like claws, but it would still leave a wound. The creature's initial frenzy at takeoff had been subdued and it's panting and racing heart had steadied, to a booming drumbeat. It was soaring and coasting on its broad wings that I still yearned to stroke.

My mind was short circuiting as we flew towards the blushing sun, setting after my long journey to the cliffs, and this encounter. How in heck was I going to get out of this? I was dangling two thousand feet in the air from a psychotic Pokémon's talons, so it could take me home and eat me for dinner. Beautiful, just b-e-a-utiful.

It was obviously unaware of my abilities (oddly enough since I had been speaking pokespeak to it just a minute ago), because it wasn't taking any extra precaution. Maybe mentally deranged dragons have trouble thinking about anything but wrecking vengeance? This is an advantage! If I could just surprise it with my ember attack, it would release me, and…DAMN IT! If it dropped me I would be an exploded zit on the face of the deep wild. I know! I'll wait for it to get tired and then I'll break its grip, climb over… I'm SO DEAD! I my intellect screamed and cursed at itself as despair began to creep into my mind. The salemence drifted down to a lower altitude until I could see the details on the trees. It must have been approaching home.

I shivered involuntarily, and exhaled sharply. My breath formed a vaporous cloud, before being whisked away in the wind. The air was absolutely frigid and, and now that very adrenaline that had driven me into panic, I realized, had kept me toasty. I looked to horizon pleadingly, asking the sun to warm me for just a few minutes longer before I was killed. I would prefer to die in warmth, with light and hope in my heart than perish in darkness and cold. The sunset was a painting of rich reds, pinks, oranges and golds. It was as if the sky had been set alight and the light of its flames danced on the landscape. The snow on distant mountain tops, blushed, and the clouds were gentle circles of the paintbrush. I was pacified and smiled down at the shimmering of water between the trees- WATER!

I rejoiced at the sparkling sight, but thankfully my celebration was silent. The water could be my salvation. If I could get the dragon to release me, there was a chance that I would fall into the swamp unharmed. The dragon was flying low enough for me to fall safely into deeper water, and if the depth was shallow I would perish knowing that I had made and attempt. I would use ember on its talons that gripped my shoulder. It had to be now, and I would give myself no time to comprehend the idea. Thinking would be my doom if I gained enough sense to back out.

I began the count down. 3…2…1…

"GRAAAAAWER!"

There were flashes of fire and braches and miniscule pinpricks of pain to fast to register and suddenly I was freezing and burning at the same time. Something huge and slimy was engulfing my legs and cold liquid burst into my lungs. I heard sloshing around me as I thrashed in this hostile atmosphere of impenetrable dark. My hands were completely numb and suddenly the bloody hue of my eyes drifted in smoky tendrils around me, in the murk. I was underwater….so I must be…ALIVE!

SPLASH! A foul brew of water, muck and decomposing matter was flung up as I surfaced. I thrashed as I expelled the icy mixture, from my body and reached for the branch of a nearby tree. I kicked blindly until my foot connected with the bottom and stood. I had almost drowned in 3 ½ feet of water. I would have laughed out loud if I wasn't shaking like the leaves on the autumn trees, and I didn't hear the pitiful kneeing cries of "Where are you human!"

Well as much as I hate to disappoint, bye! I thought. I needed to take cover, before I was scooped up by the salamence again. I waded quickly as possible (but somewhat sluggishly considering I was trying to run in three feet of water and probably several dozen feet of swamp gunk) to what I supposed was solid ground. I lugged myself unto the earth and grasped my shoulder when it stung. My hand came back with a mess of chilled blood dripping off of it. I couldn't let that get infected. Dear Arceus, please DECLAW THAT FREAKING SALAMENCE! Amen.

I was thankful that my bag had at least been spared. Soaking and rancid smelling, but intact. My heart stung for a moment when I thought about my notebook, but fluttered in relief when I remembered the plastic bag waterproofing it. Nothing would ever destroy that piece of my soul. I removed the bag, with a grimace, from my shoulder and observed its color to now resemble that of puke. Unzipping it as quietly as possible, I did a supply check. Iodine (I would definitely need it here), my soggy jacket, and change of undergarments, foul socks, dripping rope, my notebook, my pocket knife, now partially dried fruit, 2 energy bars, and dissolved crackers in their collapsing box. It was enough to be glad about, but I found myself yearning for my waterproof tarp/hammock, and that my matches weren't soiled (not that the surrounding wood was any drier).

I took my knife and sliced the underwear into strips for I figured they were the most useless materials with me. There was no way I was sacrificing the jacket in this weather, and I desperately needed to change socks. The resulting bandage was applied to my arm that I cleaned as best I could after purifying some of the filthy "water". I reeked of blood and swamp but I was pleased to be alive and conscious, and not in the process of digestion.

I looked down at my legs and feet, to see the adhesive muck that had been gripping them earlier. I looked like a melting clay model from my knees downward, as it dripped in globs off of my legs. I began to clear myself of grime, and shook against a willow tree. The night had stolen the last slivers of light from the sky, and the patchwork of black and rainbow through the trees had been knitted together into a tapestry of darkness. Winter's breath crept stealthily towards me and curled around my body. My wet jacket was no use and I found myself stiff and frozen on the peat. The bark of the tree was hard and freezing, offering me no solace.

I peered warily into the blacks, greys, and greens around me and began a dangerous process. I imagined. And therefore I was never alone. I had been the only creature to break the silence so far, and now that I was silent in rest an eerie stillness gripped the place. The tree branches dipped down and stroked the water but sent no ripples, their black limbs held out in salient claws for eternity. The stars were hidden by shadows, and a mist snaked over the water and between the trunks. It reminded me of the tendrils of red in the water as I had escaped. Tendrils of my blood, not unlike these silvery apparitions. It was impossible to tell solid ground from water, and mud beneath the ghostly fog, so I could not move to seek shelter. I could not sleep, but scanned the thicket alertly, wishing that something would shriek or fly or be startled from the bush, so I could know that I was not the only one left alive on this earth.

I was paralyzed by the shades and shadows that danced with the mist. I feared them and longed to leave the things that casted them behind but could not bring myself to leave the support of the willow. I let them envelop me along with fear, and the pain, and blood-scent, and adrenaline dissolved into nothing. I found myself losing the faces of Gale, and Dotty, and the little starly was flittering further and further away from me. Its feathers drifted over my head just out of reach when a little boy caught one and stood high on his-tip toes. No matter how high I jumped to catch the feather he was taller. The little starly flew back as if to retrieve its lost plumage but the boy caught it roughly by the wing. I cried as the bird writhed and melted into bloody tendrils of blackness that swamped my vision. I flailed in vain to rid myself of the abyss but it lingered in my heart.

No, no, no I whispered, but suddenly there was color. Suddenly there was light. I blinked my way into reality to see a pulsating glow of purple and pale blue, as eerie and ghostly as the swamp. It weaved in an out of the thicket like thread on a loom. Delicate blossoms and sleepy shadows appeared in its light. It felt cool and calm, not frigid as the air I breathed. It was hope come to guide me. Hope to light me to tomorrow. I was in love with the glowing beauty and involuntarily stood to seek a better view. It was beckoning, calling me in a little chiming voice like jingle bells tinkling. Suddenly my hope was fleeing into the black, and I did the only thing I could think to do. I snatched up my bags and stumbled through the dark and mist to reach it.

So…hope, fatigue or stupidity? Maybe all three at the moment. I mean who would do that? Me of course, given the circumstances and curiosity. Maybe Lauren and I both need help…Nope just me. Creating a fanfiction character is fun, especially when you get to make life difficult for them. It makes it all the greater or more awful when they triumph or fail horribly. I hope you like the story so far and that you hold out just a bit longer at least. Please review and Au Revoir!