Chapter 2

"Chu Kachu Pi Pii Pikapi!" Pikachu exclaimed, pointing furiously down the road into the Prairie, ready to start the adventure.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, you want to get moving buddy. I do too, just let me call Oak back real fast," Ash responded, laughing in exasperation at his companion's impatience. He pulled out his Pokémunicator once more and dialed the Professor's number. A few moments passed before the other end picked up. "Prof, you there?"

"Ah, hello Ash! I trust your visit with Pine went smoothly? It occurs to me I didn't really warn you about his eccentricity."

"I admit he does seem a little hyper, but nothing concerning. The meeting was pretty standard to be honest. I came, we talked, he asked me to fill out the pokédex, I left. The usual."

"I expected as much," the elderly man confirmed. "The National Pokedex is nearing completion. With you and Gary's journeys, along with the travels of your old friends, data collection has run much more smoothly than I ever could have hoped. Overall, this is one of the only regions yet to be logged into the system."

Ash's eyes widened at the news. He had known they were close, but had never anticipated hearing a confirmation like that. "Well I better get to work then. I'll be in touch Professor."

"I'm counting on it Ash." With that, the scholar ended the call, leaving Ash to his thoughts. Only a couple regions left? In reality he shouldn't be surprised… it had been six years since that fateful day with Pikachu after all… he should be elated! Yet, despite the joy he should be emanating, Ash felt strangely… depressed. After all, he had devoted the last six years of his life to this. That was almost half his life by now! What would he do once all of this was over? Of course, there was still the challenge of challenging the region leagues again, in hope of higher placement. After all, that had been a goal far longer than the Pokédex. What then? For the first time, Ash realized that there may be more to life than becoming a master, and the idea that his goals may be approaching an end was… discomforting to say the least.

Out of nowhere, a high pitched scream jostled Ash from his thoughts, emanating from down the path. It sounded strangely familiar, though he couldn't quite place it. He glanced over at Pikachu, and the two nodded in agreement before sprinting down the trail, adrenaline pumping through their veins.

They quickly came to a large ridge, the wall of which came up against the elevated path, jutting out of the prairie like a cliff breaks the constant level of the sea. Down below, a girl was backed against the wall, though her features were concealed due to the angle of vision. It was neither the scenery, nor the girl who captured the partners' attention, but the monstrosity lying before both of the aforementioned.

The beast was massive, and dragon-like in appearance. The wyvern was approximately the size of a small house, probably 10 feet in height from foot to spine, and 15 length-wise. Its scales were a deep brown, almost like mud, and gave off the luster of polished stones. Unlike the sleek look of many of the wyverns Ash had encountered until this point, its hide was jagged and rough, as if it were pieced together from shrapnel of stone after the work of a jack-hammer. Its wings were folded against its back, but contrasted to the muddy brown of the scales with a lighter tan, much like the sand of a beach appears at sunset.

Sharp ridges ran down its back, coming to a razor-sharp verge along the skyward edge, and they appeared to be made almost of stone. It's claws were a deep black, almost like the abyss of a bottomless cavern, and sharp enough to slice through a tree as if it were butter; Its teeth on the other hand were yellowish-white, and while they appeared to made of the same material, these were clearly meant for ripping and impaling, rather than the controlled slice of the claws. Most menacing of all however, were its eyes: deep yellow in color, with reptilian slits for pupils, which someone conveyed an image of pure malice in their expression.

Ash grimaced and was about to pull out his Pokédex, when he saw Pikachu sprint off the ridge, sparks jutting around its body before erupting into the blinding explosion of the Mouse Pokémon's Volt Tackle. The beast barely had time to glance up before the blow landed, but it was barely fazed from the impact. Pikachu on the other hand cried out in pain, appearing to have taken more damage from the recoil than its intended target had. The beast flicked its tail, which came to a sturdy mace-like projection at the tip, slamming Pikachu off its back before Ash could warn his friend. The mouse flew through the air before slamming into the ground 30 feet away and skidding along the earth before coming to a halt, unconscious.

The beast turned, preparing to finish its adversary for good, when Ash leapt onto its back, sliding across its back before clambering onto the behemoth's neck, using the spiked ridges of its spine as handholds. The beast growled at the minor annoyance before swaying its neck violently from side to side. Ash barely managed to keep his grip on the ridges, which cut into his hands, causing a thin trail of blood to run from his palm. The beast thrust its neck towards the wall of the ridge, attempting to flatten the boy against the precipice, but Ash leapt from its neck to the opposing side, and the monster's neck took the brunt of the impact instead.

Ash came down into a roll, winded from the landing but uninjured. The beast shook its head in disarray, and then glared down at Ash before slashing at him with the left-side paw of his front limbs. Ash rolled to his right side, avoiding the blades that whistled through the space he had previously occupied by mere inches. He came up into a crouch and gave a quick shout to the girl, who was blocked from his vision by the malevolent wyvern.

"Run!" He commanded, leaping backwards to avoid the slicing of the beast's second forelimb. "Get out of here!"

He was unable to see whether the girl followed his order, as he had been blind to the mace coming at him from his peripheral vision. The wind was knocked from his lungs for the second time in the past few minutes, and he flew through the air, slamming into the ground with a loud "Thud!" He groaned in pain, and then struggled to his feet. Every muscle in his body ached from the force of the impact. He grimaced, and turned to face the ridge. As he was rotating, he picked up a blur of movement coming his way, as the dragon sprinted toward him, appearing to be half-airborne as it came in for the final blow. There was no time to react.

The beast was within 5 yards of him when it was intercepted. Out of nowhere, a burst of flame shot through the air, sending the wyvern flying from the sheer force of the blow. The beast crashed into the ground, creating a large crater in the earth where it lay, unconscious and exhausted.

Ash turned, grasping his side as a wave of pain rushed through his gut. Standing above the behemoth, foot placed on its side in a threatening stance, was a large fire-type, alongside a very familiar brunette.

"May?"