Trials of a Champion - Kanto [Pokemon x OC]

38 A Girl, A Boy, A Mother, and a Dragon

I heard a rumbling noise ahead of us but couldn't figure out what it was. The farther we walked, the louder the noise grew. We neared the end of a narrow tunnel. The eternal fog broke away, and then, suddenly, we found ourselves stepping into a small clearing.

And I discovered the source of the sound.

A cluster of waterfalls foamed and flowed over grey stones, plummeted down, and spread out like fans falling to a wide turquoise pool below. Spiked rocks jutted out in random patterns. Small bushes with petite blue flowers surrounded the lake, which was encompassed by vast cliffs on all sides.

The sight was magical.

"What in the world is this place?" My head swiveled this way and that to take in the sights and sounds. "It's...beautiful. It's like a secret spring."

"Are we even in the park anymore?"

Luxio, Pikachu, and Eevee looked upon the scenery with wide eyes.

Dratini slithered over to a flat spot near the water's edge. She observed the pool, curiously blinking at her adorable reflection. She even touched her nose against the water and got startled when she splashed herself. Then, she craned her neck, stretched her lengthy body to increase her height, and gazed about.

"What's she...doing?"

All of a sudden, Dratini released a whine that echoed throughout the valley.

The ground rumbled beneath our feet.

In a matter of seconds, dark storm clouds appeared, releasing a torrential downpour. Thunder and lightning crackled overhead, and a powerful wind kicked up huge waves on the lake's surface, forcing us to back up or risk getting swept away.

Though Dratini stayed put.

"Dratini, get back! It's dangerous!"

She ignored me, or she just couldn't hear me. Her eyes remained fixed on the lake.

At its center, bubbles rose up to the surface one by one. But, like watching a pot of water boil on the stove, the amount of bubbles quickly increased.

"Something's coming."

"Please tell me it isn't a Gyarados."

Just when I expected the lake to start boiling over, a giant whirlpool appeared and churned the choppy waters. Then, a bright blue light beamed out of the pool, followed by a massive spout. A shadow appeared from within the light, rising higher and higher.

The water spout suddenly broke away.

The light faded.

We found ourselves face-to-face with a magnificent blue serpent. It blinked at us twice before roaring up to the sky.

Where there were gloomy storm clouds two seconds ago, there were suddenly warm rays of light now casting down on the valley. But we barely noticed the dramatic weather change, for we only had eyes for the mysterious Pokémon that had just appeared.

"Is that...an evolved Dratini?!"

There was no mistaking the strong resemblance between the two serpents.

Dex gave me the Pokémon's info. "Dragonair the Dragon Pokémon, and the evolved form of Dratini. A mystical Pokémon that exudes a gentle aura. It lives in large bodies of water like the sea and lakes, and has the ability to freely control the weather."

I stared at Dragonair's catalogued image on the Pokédex. "If that's the case, does that mean that this Dragonair could very well be...?"

"Hey. Look at that mark on its head."