A Boy and His Dragon Book 1: The Journey Begins

Book 1: Chapter 19

"What is with our luck and storms?" Jack yelled as the group sprinted along the road ignoring the downpour around them. Emma held tight to Chimchar in an attempt to keep the water off the fire type. Treecko clung to Jack's neck. Purrloin was gripping Ryder's arms as he held tight to the pokemon hoping not to lose her. Frogadier rushed ahead of them covering his eyes and trying to keep the group on the path and not veering off it.

    "Why does it always have to rain!" Izzy screamed as she pushed the water away from her eyes. Izzy grabbed Jack's hand trying not to lose her brother in the downpour.

    "There has to be a center here soon." Emma shouted at the group. 

    "It's getting worse. We have to stop soon." Ryder stated as he grabbed Frogadier's hand trying to find the pokemon.

    "Ryder?" Emma yelled as she reached for him but found nothing.

    "Jack stop!" She screamed as Jack actually rushed into her, not able to see before it was too late. He crashed into Emma and the group fell to the ground.

    "Why did you stop?" Jack asked as he looked around expecting to see Ryder but didn't.

    "Where's Ryder?" Izzy asked.

    "Jack, Emma, Izzy?" Ryder yelled as he pulled Frogadier to a stop. Frogadier looked around the area for the rest of the group but didn't see them anywhere.

    "We need to get out of the rain." Ryder stated as he pulled Frogadier under a nearby tree. Purrloin shook herself getting as much of the water off her as possible as Ryder shook his own head.

    "You okay?" Ryder asked as he pulled Purrloin closer. She nodded her head as Frogadier looked around the area, still looking for the others.

    "We won't find them in the rain, so let's get dry." Frogadier nodded his head as Ryder leaned against the tree. Taking a deep breath, Ryder reclined his head against the tree.

    "I guess we can only wait." A faint noise came from Ryder's left catching his attention. A pair of blue ears appeared from the bush as amber eyes looked at him.

    "A riolu." Ryder stated as he put Purrloin down and crawled towards it. As quickly as they had appeared, the eyes were gone.

    "Wait, riolu." Ryder yelled as he got to his feet and rushed after the small pokemon, ignoring the rain. He pushed past the brush and ran after the small creature as he saw the eyes rushing. Purrloin and Frogadier kept close to him not daring to lose their trainer. He stopped looking around the area and noticed the eyes watching him.

    "I don't want you to be afraid." Ryder stated as the riolu walked out of the bush. "See, I mean you no harm." Ryder said as he pulled a berry out of his bag. The riolu looked up at him for a few moments as Ryder met the pokemon's eyes. The realization overcame him as he stared down at those eyes and he smiled.

    "It's good to see you, zorua." The pokemon looked up at him for a few moment. The pokemon's body began to change glowing as it changed to the shape of a small black dog with blue tips at the top of its fur. 

    "Yah, I know how your illusions work. It's okay, I didn't mean to scare you." Zorua looked up at them for a few moments before taking the berry from his hand.

    "There you are." Ryder said as Purrloin jumped up onto his shoulder. Zorua looked up at the cat for a few moments before it smiled at them.

    "Let's all get out of the rain." Ryder stated. He walked over to a tree and sat down at the base as Frogadier sat down beside him and Purrloin curled up around his neck. Zorua walked over to him and curled up in his lap a small smile on his face. Ryder stroked the small creature's head getting it to move more into its hand. Leaning against the tree Ryder allowed the soft patter of the water eventually lull him to sleep.

    Ryder woke up and the rain had stopped but the darkness had set in. He moved, and noticed the Purrloin was curled around his neck as Frogadier was partly leaning on him. The zorua was sleeping and stretched out on his lap.

    "Hey, guys. We should try to find the others." Ryder stated as he got up as Frogadier sat up and Purrloin gave a small purr.  Knocking zorua he looked up at Ryder almost confused about why he was being woke up.

    "Sorry." Ryder muttered as his legs gave underneath him as he nearly collapsed. Frogadier caught him before helping him back down to the ground.

    "I'm fine, Froga-" Ryder's eyes fell shut getting Purrloin to freak out climbing onto his lap. She shook him as Frogadier touched Purrloin to get her to stop.

    "Froga?"

    "Pur..." Purrloin looked at Zorua for a few moments before climbing down near the fox as he lowered his ears. Purrloin sniffed Zorua before giving a growl and scratching the fox.

    "Frog?" Frogadier grabbed Purrloin by the waist and pulling her away from zorua. Frogadier then got the scent of what got Purrloin all angry, the scent of poison on its fur. Frogadier pushed, zorua away from Ryder and purrloin. 

    "PURR!!!" Purrloin yelled as she attempted to get at zorua again. Zorua's ear's dropped as he backed away from the three as Frogadier, grabbed a pokeball from Ryder's side. He clicked the button releasing Leafeon as he shook his head and looked at them. His eyes locked on Ryder as he nudged his hand attempting to get a response. He didn't respond which only got Leafeon to react by looking at the rest of the group.

    Leafeon spotted the zorua beside them as he began to growl. Frogadier held tight to purrloin as she kept trying to claw at the zorua. Leafeon picked up on what purrloin was saying and Leafeon rushed forward. Aiming to strike the zorua as Frogadier grabbed Leafeon by the tail.

    "Froga. Frogadier!" Frogadier yelled as he held Leafeon off the ground. Leafeon puffed a breath as he looked up at Frogadier and as he put him down. Leafeon looked over at Ryder again as he looked over at zorua giving him a glare before rushing off into the woods. Frogadier put Purrloin down as she crawled back up onto Ryder in an attempt to get another response.

    "Purr?" Purrloin whimpered. Leafeon returned carrying a berry in her mouth as Frogadier began to dig through Ryder's bag.  Attempt to find an antidote inside it.

    Leafeon dropped the berry down on the ground as he jumped up grabbing a large leaf from the tree. Setting down the leaf he looked up at Frogadier as he used ice punch on the leaf creating a bowl out of the leaf. Picking up the berry, Leafeon dropped it into the bowl as Purrloin climbed over to him as she pulled the stem off it.

    Frogadier disappeared after a few moments as the other two were able to get the berry into a type of paste. Returning a few minutes later, Frogadier landed holding another leaf filled with water. He poured the water into the iced leaf. Mixing the water into the paste it made it almost soupy, and once it was good Frogadier picked up the bowl.

    "Froga." He stated as Leafeon took off down the road to find the others. He was able to get Ryder to drink some of the mixture as he coughed.

    "Purr..." Purrloin whimpered as she looked around, noticing that zorua had left. Her ears perked up as Leafeon returned with the three others following.

    "Ryder?" Emma asked before seeing him leaning against the tree. She sprinted over to him and knelt down feeling his head.

    "Poison." Emma stated as Jack took his arm and draped it over his shoulder, before pulling him up to his feet.

    "How far away is the center?" Jack asked as they walked out to the road.

    "Down the road a bit." Emma said as she took Ryder's other arm and wrapped it around her shoulder. The group quickly got to the center and Ryder was taken into a room as his pokemon followed him. Emma, Jack and Izzy sat down in the lobby all a bit worried about their companion. They didn't even notice the pair of eyes that were watching from the entrance to the center.

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