My Pokémon Anime Journey | BOOK ONE: KANTO

The Legend of Dratini

Baoba knew Trina was right: the lake did hold a special place in his heart, and not just because of the crystal-clear waters.
"Tell them the story, Grandad!" Insisted Trina.
Baoba felt his face burn. "I'm sure these three don't want to hear the ramblings of an old man."
"I love stories!" Ari exclaimed, immediately sitting down on a rock with Clefairy and Eevee on each knee. Baoba wondered if she was always this energetic.
Baoba cleared his throat. "When I was a boy-,"
"Was that when the world was in monochrome?" Misty quipped.
Baoba ignored her. "I came here, when this place was in this infancy. I had a camera and was taking pictures of the Pokémon. They were all blurred, or grainy, or at terrible angles, but I didn't care. I enjoyed it. I stumbled across this here lake and prepared to take a picture. Young me couldn't think of many things more impressive than this mighty big lake. I decided to take a picture, but there was something in the image - a shape dancing in the water. I went closer, and found a Pokémon named Dratini. People thought the only ones left in Kanto were so deep underwater that we wouldn't see them, but here one was, in the flesh. Those pictures got a lot of attention, and the story became something of a local legend. But I don't really care about that. I've never seen that Dratini here again. He seemed to really warm to me that day. I gave up hope of seeing my friend years ago."

Ari, Misty, and Brock regarded Baoba sympathetically. It had been a while since Baoba had seen anybody truly moved by his bittersweet story.
Trina gave him a tight hug. "Don't worry, Grandad! Your friend will come back someday. Maybe he's here now." She bent down, so her nose practically touched the water, and started splashing with her hands, as if trying to say hello to the Pokémon in the lake.
Normally, Baoba smiled at his granddaughter's quirks. This time, however, an inexplicable chill passed up his spine. "Trina..."
SPLASH!
A gigantic Tentacruel emerged from the water. It raised a tentacle, and a barrage of Poison Stings flew towards the group, like soldiers charging across a battlefield.
Ari pulled Trina out the way, pulling Baoba's granddaughter out the way. Baoba snarled. He hated it when the Pokémon in the Safari Zone got into a foul mood and went on tantrums. He guessed this Tentacruel had lost a fight to another Pokémon, and was taking it out on the weak humans.
Misty sent out a Starmie. "Use Thunderb-,"
Brock pulled her back. "No! You'll electrocute the whole lake!"
Misty shrieked as Tentacruel extended a long tentacle towards her. The ground shook from the force of the missed attack.
"There's a small cave just over there. Get  Trina out of here," Baoba hissed at Ari. Despite clearly wishing to fight, Ari nodded, hurrying away with Trina in the direction Baoba indicated.
His mind at ease, Baoba drew a Poké Ball. He had experience with calming rowdy Pokémon.

Ari, Trina, Eevee, and Clefairy dashed though the jungle. Fortunately, the wild Pokémon payed them no mind.
"We're almost there," Trina told Ari. Ari couldn't help but admire how calm this young girl was being.
Ari caught sight of the mouth of the cave - but that wasn't the only thing she saw. A long pink tail whipped across the edge of her vision.
Ari stopped.
She was certain she'd just seen a small pink Pokémon, floating between the bushes, like a bubble bobbing through the air. She was sure she's heard a sound that was both a blissful, impish laugh and unmistakably a Pokémon's cry.
Ari blinked. Not a single creature stirred.
Why was she so bothered?
It hit her. Seven years old. Floating in a dream. A voice, almost a whisper, urging her to intervene, showing her a river where a small brown Pokémon was drenched. Her mind had never retained the details of the being that had guided her dream.
Except now, when the image was embossed over her eyes - a swishing pink tail. She remembered a pink tail.
Was she remembering the same Pokémon?
"Ari!" Trina's voice came from miles away.
Eevee scratched at Ari's foot. "Ve-vee?"
Ari shook herself. Trina, Eevee, and Clefairy were all observing her expectantly.
"Sorry... got distracted," Ari said.
Trina nodded understandingly, then dashed into the cave.

The cave was cold and cramped, but at least the floor was smooth. Ari let Trina and the Pokémon snuggle against her and sent out Charmeleon to provide warmth.
"They'll be ok," Ari assured Trina.
Trina tugged at her braid. "I know they will, silly! Grandad's the best at handling Pokémon."
"I'm sure you'll be, too!" Ari ruffled Trina's hair. Trina beamed.
A shadow fell across the entrance. Charmeleon stood defensively across the girls.
The shadow was sticthed to a serpentine Pokémon with glossy blue scales, an azure orb over its throat, and kind eyes. It hung unsuspended in the air, judging Ari and Trina.
Trina jumped up. "That's a Dragonair!"
"Dragonair..." Ari consulted the Pokédex. Dragonair, the Dragon Pokémon, and the Evolved form of Dratini. A Dragon-type. It is said to have the power to change the weather.
"Do you think that could be the Dratini Baoba met?" Ari wondered.
Dragonair floated into the cave, followed by a Dratini. Dratini retreated to the back of the cave, hiding the shadows.
Dragonair left, leaving its child behind. Ari suspected it had brought Dratini here for protection, just as Baoba had wanted to keep Trina safe.

Tentacruel couldn't be restrained for long by the Psychic-type attacks of Misty's Starmie or Baoba's Slowbro. Baoba could tell they were wearing the Jellyfish Pokémon down, but he wasn't sure they could keep this going for much longer. Slowbro was already Poisoned.
Something darted over his head - he expected a bird Pokémon, but instead witnessed a long, blue body.
His heart skipped a beat. It accommodated by racing ahead of even his senses.
The realisation dawned. His mouth went slack.
It was a Dragonair descended towards Tentacruel. A real Dragonair, stopping the rampage using Thunder Wave. With his own eyes, Baoba saw Dragonair's Hyper Beam push the Paralysed Tentacruel back beneath the water's surface.
"It c-can't be." Baoba struggled to recognise his own voice. He did not often hear it tremble.
The Dragon Pokémon turned towards him, and there was no doubt. Those were the same eyes he had seen as a boy.
Baoba went as fast as his old legs would carry him. He caressed Dragonair's face with shaking fingers, and pulled the Pokémon close. He let Dragonair nuzzle him and playfully poke him with his horn.
"It's really you, old friend..." There was no shame in his tears.
When they finally finished, Dragonair inclined his head towards the jungle. Baoba, Brock, and Misty followed the Dragon Pokémon.

Baoba's heart cracked open. He didn't just find Trina and Ari in the cave, but a young Dratini, curled up snuggly, its head resting next to Ari's Clefairy.
"You, too, got to know the joys of parenthood," Baoba remarked.
Dragonair used his tail to grab Baoba's satchel. It only contained Safari Balls.
"You want me t-to Catch you?" Gasped Baoba. "But... what about Dratini?"
Dragonair slowly turned and nodded at Ari. Baoba understood. That girl had an air about her - he had trusted her with Trina, after all. Dragonair must have saw Ari with Trina, and recognised the same admirable qualities.
Baoba gifted Ari a Poké Ball. At the same time, they pressed the buttons to the foreheads of their respective Dragon Pokémon. Two neat clicks echoed throughout the cavern.
"I have a Dratini!" Ari celebrated. Eevee, Clefairy, and Trina grinned.
"I can't wait to tell the world our story," Baoba said to Dragonair's Poké Ball. He realised just how much attention this thrilling reunion would bring to the Safari Zone - he would make enough money to carry on doing what he loved.
"All's well that ends well," said Brock.
Yet one small thing nagged at Baoba. He knew Dragonair was male - and there was no evidence of another Dratini, Dragonair, or Dragonite calling the Safrai Zone home.
So... how did it breed?
Wrapped up in his thoughts, Baoba was oblivious to the Mythical Pokémon Mew skirting through the brush.