Singed rubbed the back of his head as he walked into the gate. Houndoom was snickering, commenting on Singed's lack of balance. They both stopped speaking to each other when they found quite a few people in the gate, all of them wide-eyed. Singed recognized them as the group he had seen on the bridge. After he walked past them, it only took one glare to send them dashing back to the bridge. Singed chuckled, it was ridiculous how easy that was. Singed took one look at the screen, half-heartedly reading part of a warning. 'TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS IF TRAVELING THROUGH PINWHEEL'
Singed didn't have the patience to read the rest of it, besides he knew what it must have meant. He was impressed that they had gotten out the warning for his location that fast, though. With no more thought about the warning the two of them left the gate in order to go into Pinwheel forest. He and Houndoom quickly began to travel through, using the road as their guide. Singed at first noted how empty the road was, but then remembered the warning. It was strange though, only a few hours ago he had learned of the Dreamyard. Oh, whatever.
Houndoom soon looked up at Singed, and spoke. Singed roughly translated it to 'what did the boy with blue eyes do?', and Singed sighed. "I really don't know. I just . . . he smiled at me. I-it's been so long since I've seen another person do that . . ." Houndoom gave Singed a smile, and didn't push the matter. Singed really was grateful for Houndoom, she meant so much to him. Ever since he had found himself alone, Houndoom was the one that helped him through everything.
Singed refused to make a decision without knowing if it was what Houndoom wanted him to do, she just meant that much to him. When Singed heard the grass behind him rustle, he didn't think much of it. It was just a curious Pokémon. It wouldn't be stupid enough to fight. It was a bit before he realized Houndoom had stopped walking, and he soon went back to see her giving a low growl at the grass. "What is it Houndoom?"
Houndoom stated that she was starting to wonder if the warning really was for Singed, which got Singed's attention. "You think that whatever is in that grass is the reason for the warning?" Houndoom nodded, and Singed wondered . . . Houndoom's sense of smell was far better than Singed's. "So what do you think we should do?" Houndoom made her answer obvious when she glared at the grass. Singed got the idea, and stood next to Houndoom, both of them keeping the grass in their sights. He spoke to whatever was hiding in the grass. "Show yourself!"
The grass went quiet, but just when Singed was wondering if it was the wind a figure rose from the grass. Singed had never seen this creature, it was some sort of large serpent. Its skin looked much like an impressive set of robes. The creature's white head even appeared to be part of royalty, and the vicious gleam in its eyes matched the same gleam Singed saw whenever he looked at his own reflection.
The serpent gave a cold, hard glare of pure fury to Singed and Houndoom. When it spoke, Singed was almost convinced the voice itself could poison an enemy. "Serperior!" Ah, so that was its name. This was called a Serperior. Houndoom immediately readied a snarl. However, the Serperior moved too fast for Houndoom to hit it, the tip of the Serperior's tail twitched as the Snarl missed. The Serperior grinned as its tail began to glow a vibrant green, and Singed was shocked when the Serperior used Leaf Blade on Houndoom.
While it was a Grass-type move, meaning it shouldn't have had such a deadly effect on Houndoom, Singed could only watch in shock as Houndoom went flying into the forest. Then the Serperior turned around, and Singed quickly tried to dart past it. The Serperior expected that though, and Singed earned a hard hit to the gut from the Serperior's tail. As he rolled to a stop, he cursed. Singed had to make sure Houndoom was ok, he couldn't let himself fail her!
The Serperior chuckled cruelly as Singed got slapped on the side of his head by the Serperior's tail. So that was how it was going to be. As the Serperior tried to follow up, Singed caught the tail and grinned cruelly at the startled Serperior. "Very well, if you're going to attack then I'll fight back!" Singed let go of the Serperior's tail and aimed his fist at the creature's head.
The Serperior dodged him, its vicious glare back as its tail began to glow yet again. Singed acted quickly. Before the Serperior could dodge again Singed slammed his fist into the right side of Serperior's head. As the Serperior cried out in pain and shock Singed followed up with a strong kick to the other side of the Serperior's head. Before it could recover from the hit, Singed wrapped his arms around the Serperior's neck and held on tight. The Serperior, clearly enraged now, attempted multiple times to throw Singed off. However Singed refused to let it, there was too much at stake to let it win!
It felt like hours before the Serperior grew exhausted of fighting, taking deep breaths as Singed did as well. It was only when the Serperior suddenly grinned that Singed realized it had thought of a way to get him off. Singed's eyes opened wide as Serperior began to glow, the glow soon extending to Singed. He only realized after the attack started that this was Giga Drain. He felt his strength slipping away through his hands, into the Serperior. The Serperior's expression turned cruel as Singed shuddered.
The attack took forever for Singed. Once it was done, he unwillingly let go and fell to the ground, no longer having the strength to stand. As he weakly coughed, he heard the Serperior chuckle. He looked up into its eyes, and was certain he saw death looking back at him. The Serperior's tail began to glow again, and Singed knew he wouldn't be able to stop it. But as the tail closed in on Singed's face, a large fire-ball came into view and slammed into the Serperior. As the Serperior went flying through the air, unconscious even before it landed, Singed looked at the Pokémon that had saved him.
It wasn't Houndoom, he knew that the instant he saw the fire-ball. Houndoom didn't know Flare Blitz. This Pokémon though . . . he knew it from Johto. Not this specific one, but . . . but he knew a Rapidash when he saw one. However, he didn't get to see it for long. That Giga drain had taken just about all of his energy, and he soon lost the fight to stay conscious.