The Secret of Draganta Island

NARRATOR: Once again, we find our heroes traveling among the Orange Islands. So far, Ash has won three badges. All he needs is one more badge before he can qualify for the Orange Island League. Ash, Misty, Tracey, Pikachu, and Togepi were indeed back on the ocean, riding on Lapras. Ash was admiring the three badges he already won: the Coral Eye Badge, the Sea Ruby Badge, and the Spike Shell Badge. "Ash! Hey, Ash!" Misty shouted. "Huh...what?" Ash stuttered as he closed his jacket. "Would you stop staring at your badges and watch where we're going?" she asked angrily. "You're just jealous 'cause I have these cool badges, and you don't!" Ash retorted, crossing his arms. "I am not!" Misty yelled. "Pi-ka, pi-ka," Pikachu groaned, shaking his head as the arguing continued. "Toge-toge," Togepi exclaimed. "Stop fighting, you two," Tracey told them as he looked through his binoculars at the surrounding ocean. Ash and Misty reluctantly quieted down. "Do you see anything yet, Tracey?" Misty asked. "There's a small island about three miles east of us," Tracey explained. "All right! Head toward that island, Lapras," Ash instructed. Lapras squealed happily as he turned right and headed toward the small island in the distance... The gang was now on the stretch of white sand surrounding the island. "Thanks a lot, Lapras! You deserve a rest," Ash replied as he held up the Pokéball. A red beam was emitted and Lapras was instantly transported into the Pokéball. As Ash put the Pokéball away, Misty asked, "What island are we on, Tracey?" He was looking over a map of all of the Orange Islands. "I'm not exactly sure," he muttered thoughtfully. "There are so many small islands in this area that it's hard to tell which one this is." "CHU!" Pikachu shouted, jumping up and down to get Ash's attention. "What is it, Pikachu?" Ash asked. "Pika, pi!" Pikachu exclaimed, pointing at something further inland. Ash looked up and laughed. "Hey, guys! Look at that!" he exclaimed. pointing at a large wooden house. "How about we go up there?" "That's a good idea, Ash," Tracey admitted. "Perhaps the people living there can tell us what island we're on." "Let's go!" Ash yelled, running as fast as he could toward the house, with Pikachu at his heels. "Ash! Wait up!" Misty shouted as she picked up Togepi and tried to keep up with him, along with Tracey... Unknown to the three trainers, someone in the woods was watching them. "It's those brats again," Jessy muttered as she watched them through a pair of binoculars. "Let me see, Jessy!" James complained as he tried to snatch the binoculars from his redheaded companion. Jessy knocked James on the head with her fist, leaving a large noticeable bump on his head. "Knock it off, you two numskulls! Now's out chance to swipe Pikachu," Meowth reminded them. Jessy and James nodded as they each grabbed a piece of fern. Using the ferns as not-very-concealing camouflage, they snuck off into the woods, followed by Meowth, who was shaking his head in disappointment at his human partners-in-crime... Meanwhile, Ash and Pikachu were far ahead of Misty and Tracey. They reached a long wooden staircase leading from the beach to the back of the house. Without hesitating, Ash ran up the stairs, with Pikachu at his heels. When he was halfway up, Ash stopped dead in his tracks. The stairs ended at a spacious wooden porch. Standing at the railing, with her back facing Ash, was a young girl around his age. She was wearing a lilac tank top with black cargo shorts and black boots. Her long chestnut hair was held back by a lilac bandanna. The young girl also had on a black fingerless glove on her right hand. "What are you standing there for, Ash?" He was startled by Misty's question. "Umm...I was waiting for you guys to catch up," Ash stuttered nervously. Misty looked behind him and noticed the girl on the porch. "Are you sure about that?" she asked suspiciously, with her eyes narrowed. Tracey noticed the girl as well. "Maybe she can help us out," he muttered thoughtfully as he continued walking up the stairs, followed by Ash, Misty, and Pikachu. "Excuse me, miss?" Tracey asked as he stepped out on the porch. The young girl turned around and faced the three kids. "May I help you?" she asked as her deep violet eyes studied them. "We've been traveling for some time and we're a bit lost," Tracey confessed. "Can you tell us what island we're on?" "You're on Draganta Island," the girl replied. Tracey gasped when he heard this news. "You mean, this is the island owned by Alexander Draganta, one of the greatest Pokémon researchers in history?" he asked. "Yes. He was my great, great-grandfather," the young girl admitted. "I'm Violet Draganta." "A pleasure to meet you, Violet. I'm Tracey Sketchit, and I'm a Pokémon watcher," Tracey introduced. "I'm Misty," Misty introduced herself. "I'm studying water Pokémon, and this is Togepi." She giggled as she held up Togepi so Violet could see him better. "Wow! He's so cute!" Violet replied. "I know," Misty admitted. She elbowed Ash, who was obviously staring at Violet. "What's wrong with you, Ash?" Introduce yourself!" she retorted. "Umm...I-I'm Ash Ketchum," Ash stuttered. He cleared his throat for a moment. "I'm gonna be the world's greatest Pokémon master!" he boasted. "Oh, boy," Misty groaned. "Will you be competing in the Orange Island League Competition this year?" Violet asked. "You bet, and I'm gonna win!" Ash bragged. "Don't be so sure of yourself, Ash," Violet warned him. "The Orange League is very difficult." "Hey, I only need one more badge!" Ash yelled. Violet gasped when she heard this. "You mean you have three badges already!" she exclaimed. Ash nodded proudly as he opened his jacket, revealing the three badges he won. "See for yourself," he remarked. "Impressive!" Violet admitted as she looked at the badges. "The Coral Eye, the Sea Ruby, and the Spike Shell. You must be an excellent Pokémon trainer to get those." Ash blushed a bit from the comment. "Well, I don't like to brag," he boasted, "but I was also in the Pokémon League Competition at the Indigo Plateau!" "Really? How far did you get?" Violet asked. "Umm...I was in the top sixteen," Ash grumbled. "That's still pretty good," Violet admitted. "One of my cousins was in that competition as well, and he only got to the third battle before he was defeated." "Violet? Who are you talking to?" a male voice asked from behind them. Ash and his friends turned around and saw a man standing behind the screen door. He had long dirty blonde hair tied back in a ponytail and sparkling ocean blue eyes. He was wearing a sky blue Hawaiian shirt decorated with clouds and palm trees, long khaki shorts, and brown sandals. "Hello, Dad," Violet greeted. "We have some unexpected visitors." She gestured toward Ash, Misty, and Tracey. "This is Ash, Misty, and Tracey. This is my father, Tom Draganta," Violet introduced her father. "You can just call me Tom. Everyone does, except for my daughter," Mr. Draganta insisted as he opened the screen door and stepped onto the porch. His eyes studied Ash for a minute. "You're Ash, right?" he asked. "Yes," Ash replied. "Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town?" "How did you know that?" Ash asked nervously. "Well, Violet and I went to the Pokémon League Competition at the Indigo Plateau a few months ago," Tom admitted. "We were there to cheer for my nephew. Even though he was defeated in his third battle, we stayed around for the whole competition. I believe we watched your battle on the Grass Field. That was an excellent battle you fought there, Ash. I especially enjoyed that one round between the Scyther and your Bulbasaur..." "Dad, Ash is trying out for the Orange League now, and he already has three badges," Violet interrupted. Tom looked at his daughter accusingly. "Excuse us for a minute," he told Ash and his friends as he pulled Violet aside. "For the last time, Violet, don't bring up the Orange League!" Ash barely heard Tom whisper sternly. Violet nodded slowly. Tom returned his attention to the three visitors. "Why don't you three come inside and have lunch with us?" he offered with a pleasant smile on his face. "Thanks, Tom!" Misty exclaimed. "Right this way," Tom indicated as he opened the screen door leading inside. The four kids and Pikachu followed Tom inside the house... "This is excellent!" Ash exclaimed as he wolfed down his second bowl of shrimp and rice. Violet returned to the table with a bowl of Pokemon food. She placed it between Pikachu and Togepi, who were sitting on top of the table. "Toge-togeprrri!" Togepi purred. "Pika-pi, pikachu!" Pikachu exclaimed as he helped himself to the food. As Violet took her seat between Tom and Ash, Misty asked, "So, Tom, can you tell us about Alexander Draganta? Who was he?" Tom chuckled a bit. "My great-grandfather was the most highly respected Pokémon researcher that ever lived in the Orange Islands," he admitted. "What kind of Pokémon did he study?" Misty asked. "His specialty was water Pokémon," Tom told her, "but it was a discovery outside of that field that made Alexander highly noticed." Ash stopped eating when he heard this. "Discovery? What kind of discovery?" he asked curiously. "Alexander Draganta was the first Pokémon researcher to discover the three types of dragon Pokémon," Tom admitted proudly. Ash and Misty gasped when they heard this news. "From what I heard, he made the discovery by accident, right?" Tracey asked. Tom nodded his head. Before he could continue, Ash asked curiously, "How do you know about this, Tracey?" "Everyone who lives in the Orange Islands knows the story of Alexander Draganta," Tracey explained. "Of course, I wouldn't mind hearing the story from one of his descendants." "Go ahead, Dad. Tell them," Violet encouraged her father. "All right," Tom agreed. He cleared his throat. "Over a hundred years ago, my great-grandfather, Alexander Draganta, was out on the ocean in his rowboat," Tom began. "He was observing the migration patterns of a pod of Lapras when a wild Gyarados suddenly attacked him. Alexander was trapped inside a massive spinning tunnel of water from the Gyarados' ultimate attack: Dragon Rage. When he woke up, Alexander found himself on a small deserted island. He still had all of his notes, but no boat, however. He was stuck there. "Alexander decided to explore the island. He followed a small creek, hoping to find a source of water for drinking. The creek led to a large lagoon. Alexander was ready to head back to the beach when he saw something moving in the water. He sat perfectly still on the bank, and a few minutes later, twelve to fourteen blue heads popped out of the water. He noticed that there were actually two different types of Pokémon in that lagoon, although they looked very similar to each other." Tom stood up from the table and approached a mantle in the living room. "Alexander believed that the more slender, longer dark blue Pokémon with small wing-shaped ears, which we now call a Dragonair, was the evolved form of the smaller light blue Pokémon, which we now call a Dratini," he continued. Tom took three small picture frames down from the mantle and returned to the table. "That same day, Alex made these sketches." Tom handed two of the frames to Ash. Misty and Tracey leaned over to see the pictures. In one frame was a pencil drawing of a Dratini, and the other frame had a pencil drawing of a Dragonair. "Impressive!" Tracey commented."A couple of days after he was stranded on the island, Alexander was discovered by some fishermen passing by," Tom continued. "Exactly one year later, Alexander returned to the island so he could continue studying the Dratini and Dragonair. After a few years, my great-grandfather witnessed a Dragonair evolving into a Dragonite. He made this drawing soon afterwards." Tom handed the third picture frame to Ash, which had another pencil drawing of a Dragonite. "I have a question, Tom. What would they be doing in a shallow lagoon? I thought dragon Pokémon live deep in the ocean," Misty asked. "They do, Misty. It turns out that dragon Pokémon travel to shallow saltwater every spring in order to lay their eggs," Violet pointed out. "Dragon Lagoon is the only place that has been discovered as a dragon Pokémon breeding spot." "Dragon Lagoon?" Ash asked. "That's what Great, Great-Grandpa Alex named the lagoon when he moved here with his family. This is the same island where he discovered the dragon Pokémon." "Are they still here?" Misty asked excitedly. Violet nodded as she stood up. "Can we see them?" Tracey asked. Violet looked up at her father. "Is that okay with you, Dad?" she asked. Tom smiled. "Go ahead, Violet. Take our guests down to the lagoon," he approved. "Besides, it's around feeding time for them." "This way," Violet instructed as she headed back on the porch. Misty picked up Togepi as she, Ash, Tracey, and Pikachu followed Violet outside. "One other thing. You're more than welcome to spend the night," Tom added. "We have plenty of room." "Thanks for the offer, Tom," Ash thanked him. As the foursome headed down the staircase, Violet explained, "I have to get the Pokémon food for the Dratini and Dragonair before we head for the lagoon." She headed for a small shed next to the stairs. She soon emerged with a bucket full of Pokémon food. "This way," Violet instructed as she headed down a dirt path leading into the jungle. "This is so exciting!" Tracey exclaimed. "Very few people have seen dragon Pokémon in the wild. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!" "It must be hard to protect them," Misty remarked. "A lot of Pokémon trainers would just love to have a dragon Pokémon." "That's true, Misty," Violet replied. "Grandpa Alex knew that by announcing his discovery, the island would be swamped with Pokémon researchers and trainers. So, when he announced his discovery to the board, Grandpa Alex requested for the dragon Pokémon to be protected during their egg-laying season at the lagoon. They even allowed him to live on this island with his family. It's okay to capture a dragon Pokémon out in the wild, but since this is the only known breeding spot, it would be illegal to capture a dragon Pokémon in Dragon Lagoon." Misty nodded her head. She gasped in awe as a small group of Butterfree flew overhead. "This island sure is beautiful," Misty exclaimed. "Don't you think so, Ash?" He didn't respond. "Ash?" she asked. Misty noticed that he was once again staring at Violet. There was a strange, yet familiar look on Ash's face. Where have I seen that dopey look before? Misty thought to herself. Oh, yeah! That's the same goofy look Brock would get whenever he fell in love with some girl...No way! ASH? IN LOVE? She looked up and noticed that Ash was now walking right next to Violet. "Violet, can I ask you something?" Ash asked. "Sure thing, Ash. Ask away," Violet insisted. "Why didn't your dad want you to talk about the Orange League?" Ash asked. Violet hesitated for a moment. "It's a long story," she replied. "You see, I want to be a Pokémon trainer and, like almost everyone else in the Orange Islands, I want to compete in the Orange League. My dad had no problem with it, at first. Matter of fact, he was encouraging me! But over two years ago, my mom died..." She trailed off. Ash could see tears brimming up in her eyes. "Sorry," he muttered. "It's okay, Ash," Violet assured him as she wiped away the tears with her free hand. "After her death, my dad wanted me to stay at home to help him out around the house and with the Pokémon as well. I already missed a chance to get into the Orange League. The upcoming one will be the second. I keep asking him if I can go, but the answer's always the same." She hung her head down and sighed deeply. "I don't get it," Ash muttered out loud. "You are old enough to be a Pokémon trainer, right?" Violet nodded her head. "The age requirement here is ten, and I'm already eleven." "That's the same back in Pallet Town," Ash remarked. "It's probably the same everywhere," Violet muttered. "And it's not like I'm unprepared. I have five Pokémon that I caught from this island, and extra Pokéballs, too," Violet added. "You do? What kind?" Ash asked. "How about you wait till we have a Pokémon battle to find out?" Violet asked with a small smirk on her face. "Okay! When?" Ash asked. "How about after we leave the lagoon?" Violet suggested. "There's a field not far from here that we can use as a battlefield." "Okay!" Ash yelled. "Speaking of the lagoon, we're here," she announced as she pulled aside a huge fern blocking the path. All three gasped when they saw the lagoon. It was the size of a large pond, with a small waterfall pouring over a jagged ledge, and water as clear and blue as the ocean. "Wow! It's gorgeous!" Misty exclaimed. "Pik-a-chu!" Pikachu exclaimed, tugging on Ash's pants. "What is it, Pikachu?" Ash asked as he kneeled down. "Pika-pi!" Pikachu exclaimed, pointing at the opposite shore. Ash looked up and gasped when he saw the light blue Pokémon coiled up in a ball with its eyes closed. Mist gasped as well. "Is that a Dratini?" she asked. "It sure is, Misty," Violet told her. Ash stood up, pulled out his Pokédex from his pocket, and pointed it at the sleeping Dratini. "Dratini: the dragon Pokémon," the Pokédex replied. "Dratini take the longest out of all known Pokemon to evolve." "Is that true, Violet?" Ash asked. "Uh-huh. Wild Dratini take a full year, depending on how much fighting experience they gain from defending themselves, to evolve to the next level," Violet replied. "Trained Dratini don't take as long since they battle more often, but still, you need to have a lot of patience when training a Dratini." She took out a silver whistle from a chain on her neck and blew hard. Ash and his friends watched as the Dratini opened its eyes. It yawned as it slowly uncoiled its body. When it saw Violet standing on the other bank, it squealed happily and dove into the water. "Hey! Where did it go?" Ash asked. "You'll see," Violet replied as she kept her eyes on the water. A few moments later, the same Dratini they saw earlier popped its head out of the water. To Ash, Misty, and Tracey's surprise, four more Dratini appeared. "This little guy here was just telling the others that it's time to eat," Violet told them as she patted the Dratini on its head. "Incredible," Tracey muttered as he was sketching the small group of Dratini in his sketchpad. Suddenly, a thin blue Pokémon with big white ears jumped out of the water and dove back in. A second one that looked just like the first one did the same trick, followed by a third. The three Pokémon surfaced and swam toward the shore. "That was great!" Misty admitted, applauding for the Pokémon. "Hmm...I wonder what those are?" Ash wondered as he pulled out his Pokédex and pointed it at the three new Pokemon. "Dragonair: the dragon Pokémon. The evolved form of Dratini. Many of Dragonair's attacks, such as Agility and Dragon Rage, take advantage of its long, sinewy body," the Pokédex replied. "Wow! That's awesome!" Ash exclaimed. He looked up and noticed that Violet was feeding the Dratini and Dragonair. The Pokémon willingly opened their mouths, and she was just simply tossing the biscuits into their open mouths. "You wanna help, Ash?" she asked. "Sure," Ash exclaimed as he kneeled down next to Violet. She looked at Misty and Tracey. "Do you guys wanna help, too?" Violet asked. "I'd love to," Misty exclaimed as she joined Ash and Violet on the bank. "No thanks. I'll just sit here and make some observations," Tracey explained without looking up from his sketchpad. "He's sure dedicated to his job," Violet muttered out loud. "So, how does this work?" Misty asked. "It's simple," Violet replied. "Just watch." She took a biscuit from the bucket and tossed it to a Dratini. It caught the biscuit in its mouth, swallowed it, and squealed happily. "Okay, lemme try," Misty exclaimed. She picked up a biscuit and tossed it to another Dratini. Like the one before, it caught the food in its mouth, swallowed, and squealed. Misty giggled a bit... Unknown to the four trainers, they were being watched from the surrounding jungle. "I can't believe my eyes!" Jessy whispered excitedly as she looked over the lagoon with her binoculars. "There's Dratini and Dragonair in that lagoon!" "Wow! What a haul!" Meowth exclaimed a bit too loud. Jessy hit him over the head with her fist. "Keep your big Meowth shut!" Jessy whispered harshly. "You'll blow our cover!" "If we turn all those dragon Pokémon over to the boss, he'll give us a raise!" James exclaimed. "Or maybe even a promotion!" Jessy suggested. "Quit daydreaming, you two!" Meowth told them. "First, we have to catch the Pokémon, then we'll worry about how the boss will award us." "We need a plan," Jessy muttered. "How about we wait till those kids leave, then snatch the Dratini and Dragonair?" James suggested. "It'll be better to wait until it gets dark," Jessy argued. "Let's head back to da sub," Meowth suggested. "Right," Jessy and James agreed simultaneously as they picked up their so-called camouflage and snuck away... Misty looked up and gasped slightly. One of the Dragonair was on the bank and was sniffing Togepi. "Toge?" Togepi squeaked curiously as the Dragonair slowly circled around him. Misty was obviously scared for Togepi, since she didn't know what the Dragonair was going to do. "Should we do something?" Ash asked. "Don't worry," Violet assured them. "Dragonair has never seen a Togepi before. She's just checking him out, that's all." The Dragonair slithered toward the bucket, took out a small biscuit with her mouth, and placed it on the ground in front of Togepi. "Toge-togeprrri!" Togepi exclaimed in excitement as he picked up the biscuit. Misty let out a sigh of relief. "Well, we're done," Violet announced, showing Ash and Misty the empty bucket. "All right! Now, we can have our Pokémon battle," Ash exclaimed. "The field's this way," Violet told him, indicating another path leading away from the lagoon. "Let's go!" Ash exclaimed. Tracey stood up and stretched his arms, and Misty picked up Togepi. As they started down the path, Tracey looked behind him and noticed that the same Dragonair that made friends with Togepi was following them. "Hey, Violet!" Tracey shouted. "This Dragonair is following us." Violet turned around and saw the Dragonair. "It's okay, Tracey," she told him with a smile. "She follows me around a lot." Tracey looked at the Dragonair and noticed that unlike the other Dragonair, this one had deep violet eyes. "This Dragonair is quite unique," Tracey added as he bent down to take a closer look. "What do you mean, Tracey?" Misty asked. "Dragon Pokémon normally have dark brown or black eyes, but this Dragonair has violet eyes," he explained. Misty looked at the Dragonair's eyes and realized that he was right. "That Dragonair, she's definitely one of a kind," Violet admitted. "Come on! I wanna battle!" Ash yelled impatiently. "Calm down, Ash!" Misty yelled back. "Antsy guy, isn't he?" Viole whispered to Misty before she joined Ash. "Right this way," she told him. The two young Pokemon trainers went further into the jungle, followed by Misty, Tracey, and the Dragonair... "We'll use three Pokémon each," Violet suggested. The four trainers were now standing on the field. The sun was just starting to go down, making the field appear golden-orange. Ash was standing at one end of the field, with Pikachu by his side. He was facing Violet, who was on the opposite end, and Misty, Togepi, Tracey, and Dragonair were watching from the side. "Fine by me," Ash agreed as he flipped his hat backwards and took out a Pokéball. "Bulbasaur...I choose you!" Ash shouted as he threw the Pokéball. The Pokéball hit the ground, opened up, and Bulbasaur emerged from the open Pokéball. "Bulbasaur!" Bulbasaur yelled. "Hmm...a grass-type Pokémon," Violet muttered thoughtfully as she selected a Pokéball from her pocket. "I choose you...Butterfree!" A Butterfree with a dark pink body and crimson red spots on her wings emerged from Violet's Pokéball. "Free! Free!" the Butterfree squeaked. "A Butterfree, huh?" Ash muttered. "This wil be easy!" He looked up with determination in his eyes. "Bulbasaur, Razor Leaf!" Ash shouted. "Bulba!" Bulbasaur grunted as several leaves flew from his body. "Butterfree, use your Whirlwind to repel Bulbasaur's Razor Leaf!" Violet instructed. "Free!" Butterfree squeaked as she rapidly flapped her wings. The powerful Whirlwind scattered the leaves all over the battlefield. "Wow. She's pretty good," Misty admitted. "Toge-toge!" Togepi squealed. Ash growled in frustration. "Bulbasaur, Vine Whip, now!" he shouted. "Bulb-a-saur!" Two vines went flying towards Butterfree. "Butterfree, look out!" Violet shouted. The bug Pokemon barely managed to avoid the pair of vines. "So, you wanna play rough, huh, Ash?" she muttered to herself. "Butterfree, Psybeam attack!" "Free!" Butterfree squealed as she emitted a bright beam of light straight at Bulbasaur. The beam nailed Bulbasaur right on the head and the grass Pokémon hit the ground. "Bulbasaur!" Ash cried out. He lifted up the Pokéball and yelled, "Bulbasaur, return!" Bulbasaur was instantly transported back to its Pokéball. He removed another Pokéball from his belt. "Squirtle...I choose you!" Squirtle was instantly transported onto the battlefield from his Pokéball. "Squirtle, squirtle," he replied. "Squirtle, use Water Gun!" Ash ordered. "Squirtle!" Squirtle shouted as he shot out a powerful beam of water. Squirtle's Water Gun nailed Butterfree in the chest. "Oh, no! Butterfree!" Violet gasped. "Return!" She held up the Pokéball and Butterfree was transported back inside. She pulled another Pokéball out of her pocket and yelled, "I choose you...Raichu!" "Rai-rai!" Raichu exclaimed as he appeared on the battlefield. Ash and Squirtle gasped at the sight of Raichu. "Thunder Bolt, Raichu!" Violet ordered. "Rai...CHUUUU!" the Pokemon screamed as a massive bolt of lightning headed straight for Squirtle. "SQUIRTLE!" Squirtle yelled in pain as the electricity surged through his body. He fell to the ground in exhaustion. "Squirtle, return!" Ash ordered as he brought up the Pokéball. Squirtle was immediately transported inside the Pokéball. Ash looked down at Pikachu. "Ready, Pikachu?" he asked. "Pika-pika!" Pikachu replied as he ran onto the field. He stopped a couple of yards away from Raichu. "Rai," Raichu growled with electricity surging from his yellow cheeks. "Pi-ka," Pikachu growled back with electricity surging from his red cheeks. "Pikachu!" Ash shouted. "Raichu!" Violet shouted. "GO!" they yelled simultaneously. "Hold it!" a familiar voice shouted. Pikachu and Raichu stopped dead in their tracks. "Dad!" Violet exclaimed. Sure enough, there was her father standing on the field, with his arms crossed. "Call back Raichu, now," Tom told Violet sternly. She groaned as she brought out the Pokéball. "Return, Raichu," she whispered as Raichu was transported back into his Pokéball. "Violet, we've been over this before. I don't want you fighting any more Pokémon battles," Tom told her. "I'm sorry, Tom," Ash replied. Tom and Violet looked up at Ash. " What are you sorry for, Ash?" Tom asked him. "I challenged Violet to a Pokémon battle. I didn't know it would get her in trouble," Ash explained. Violet had a puzzled look on her face, as well as Tracey and Misty. "That's okay, Ash. No harm done," Tom replied. Violet let out a silent sigh of relief. "Time to head back now. Dinner's ready," Tom announced as he headed toward a large yellow jeep. Violet reluctantly climbed into the front seat. She smiled a bit when the Dragonair crawled into her lap. Ash, Tracy, Misty, and Pikachu got in the back of the jeep as Tom started the jeep and drove away from the field... It was now nighttime at Draganta Island. Everyone was asleep at the house. Ash, Misty, and Tracey each had their own rooms. Ash was fast asleep, with Pikachu curled up at the foot of the bed. Suddenly, a thin beam of light poured in from the hallway through the crack of the door. Pikachu's ear twitched slightly. He could hear light footsteps walking down the hall. Pikachu sat up at focused on the slightly opened door. "Pi?" he murmured curiously as he watched Violet sneak past the doorway. Pikachu jumped off of the bed and stuck his head out through the door. He watched as Violet slowly opened the screen door and stepped onto the porch. "Pika?" Pikachu walked down the hallway and stopped at the screen door. Looking out at the porch, Pikachu could see Violet sitting in a chair, with the Dragonair curled up at her feet. "Pikachu!" he suddenly heard Ash whisper. Pikachu turned around and saw Ash standing at the end of the hallway. "Pikachu, what are you doing?" he asked in a loud whisper. "That you, Ash?" he heard Violet's voice ask. Ash jumped nervously, not knowing where her voice came from. "Over here, Ash. I'm on the porch." Ash looked up and saw Violet standing on the other side of the screen door. "What are you doing up, Ash? You're having problems sleeping?" Violet asked. "Uhh...no. It's just that Pikachu wandered out of my room and..." Ash trailed off. "Could you come here for a minute? I need to talk to you," Violet requested as she opened the screen door. "Okay," Ash agreed a bit hesitantly as he and Pikachu stepped onto the porch. It was well lit up by the full moon and stars. Violet sat back down in her chair while Ash pulled up another chair and sat down. "So...what did you want to talk to me about, Violet?" he asked curiously. "I never got the chance to thank you for what you did for me earlier," Violet explained. "Thank me? For what...Oh, yeah," Ash muttered as he recalled the interrupted Pokémon battle. "You took the blame for me," Violet continued. "No one's ever done that for me before." "Your dad, he's done that before?" Ash asked. Violet nodded her head. "Every once in a while, we have to go pick up supplies from another island. Every time we go, I always challenge one or two trainers to a Pokémon battle. You have to have your Pokémon battle so they'll become stronger, learn more attacks, and even evolve. My first Pokémon was a Pikachu, like yours, but after fighting several battles, he evolved into Raichu." Violet let out a deep sigh before continuing. "My dad tries his best to discourage me from becoming a Pokémon master. He interrupts Pokémon battles, like he did today, and he doesn't even want me to say a word about the Orange League." The Dragonair rubbed against her leg, squealing softly. Violet giggled a bit as she patted the Pokemon on the head. "Dragonair and my other Pokémon are my only friends here," she whispered loud enough for Ash to hear. "Don't you have any friends?" Ash asked curiously. "No," Violet admitted. "Does anyone come here to visit you?" Ash asked. "The only visitors we normally get are Pokémon researchers who want to study the Dratini and Dragonair," she replied. "If any of them have kids, they don't bring them along. That's another reason I want to become a Pokémon trainer, Ash. I'll be able to get off this island, travel around, and make new friends." "Well, you already have a new friend, Violet," Ash told her. "Well, actually, make that four new friends. There's me, Tracey, Misty, and, of course, Pikachu!" "Pik-a-chu!" Pikachu exclaimed. Violet giggled. "You're right, Ash," she agreed. "But, you'll be leaving soon, right?" "Don't worry, Violet. We'll see each other again," Ash convinced her. "So, you'll come visit me?" Violet asked. "Of course! And we'll also see each other at the Orange League," Ash proclaimed. "Aren't you forgetting something, Ash? Dad won't let me compete in the Orange League, remember?" Violet reminded him. "He will. Trust me on this." "But, how can you be sure?" Violet prodded him. "Look, your dad probably had it tough when you lost your mom," Ash explained. "I know my mom and I felt the same way when we lost Dad." He stopped for a moment before continuing. "Anyway, my mom was scared about letting me go on my Pokémon journey, probably 'cause I'm the only one she has now. Your dad probably feels the same way about you." Violet was quiet for a minute, thinking over everything Ash told her. "I guess you're right, Ash," she admitted. "But, you don't know my dad. He won't change overnight, you know." "Don't worry, Violet. He'll change some day, I know it," Ash tried to convince her. "I hope so, Ash. I really hope so," Violet replied as she looked up at the sky... Meanwhile, back at Dragon Lagoon, a whistle broke the silence. A Dratini popped its head out of the water and looked around at the darkness of the surrounding jungle. The whistle was heard once again, and the Dratini let out a long squeal. The four remaining Dratini and the two remaining Dragonair immediately appeared at the surface of the lagoon. All of the dragon Pokemon swam to the shore and crawled on the bank, expecting to see Violet waiting for them. Suddenly, a sparkling blue powder rained from the sky. The Dratini and Dragonair looked up curiously at the powder. One by one, the dragon Pokémon slowly closed their eyes and dropped to the bank, fast asleep. A bit further away from the lagoon, James' Victreebel was continually releasing its Sleep Powder. When it finished, Jessy, James, and Meowth stepped out from the bushes. "It's a good thing we put them to sleep first,"  Jessy muttered. "Dragon Pokémon have very powerful attacks." She turned around and looked at James. "You're actually getting better with Victreebel, James. I'm surprised." "Well, I guess I am," James boasted proudly. Just then, Victreebel screeched loudly and predictably swallowed James halfway. "Then again, maybe not," Meowth admitted as Jessy groaned. She approached Victreebel, grabbed James' dangling legs, and yanked as hard as she could. "James, will you stop squirming?" Jessy muttered through clenched teeth as she continued pulling. "Meowth, I could use some help here!" she shouted. Meowth grabbed Jessy around her waist and together, they managed to yank James out of Victreebel's mouth. "James, put that thing away," Jessy told him. James nodded as he lifted up the Pokéball. "Victreebel, return," he ordered. Victreebel was instantly transported into the Pokéball. "Let's continue with da plan," Meowth told them. "Right," Jessy and James agreed as the three of them headed back into the jungle... Meanwhile, Ash, Pikachu, Dragonair, and Violet were still on the porch. Suddenly, Pikachu perked up his ears and looked toward the lagoon in the far distance. Dragonair also lifted up her head and followed Pikachu's gaze. "What's the matter, Pikachu?" Ash asked. "Pi-ka," Pikachu muttered. Suddenly, an incredibly loud alarm went off. "Ahh! What is that?" Ash yelled as he covered his ears. "That's the alarm," Violet explained over the loud alarm as they all ran back into the house. "Dad had a silent alarm installed a few years ago around the lagoon to protect the dragon Pokémon at night." She stopped and gasped. "Ash, there must be Pokémon thieves at the lagoon! We better wake everyone up!" "Right," Ash agreed as they ran around the house, waking up Tom, Misty, and Tracey... A few minutes later, the yellow jeep arrived at the lagoon. As everyone climbed out of the jeep, Violet took her whistle from her pocket and blew it. There was no response. "Look! Tracks!" Ash exclaimed, pointing at some long indentations on the bank. "That's strange," Tom muttered. "The Dratini and Dragonair don't normally come up on shore at night. They usually sleep in the lagoon." "If they're not in the lagoon, then where could they be?" Misty asked. "Ha, ha, ha!" a female voice cackled from the jungle, which sounded all too familiar to Ash, Misty, and Tracey. Suddenly, a huge submarine on tank wheels that looked like a giant Magikarp emerged from the jungle. "Oh, no! Not them again!" Ash exclaimed. The hatch opened and Jessy and James popped out and stood poised on top of their submarine. "Prepare for trouble!" Jessy shouted. "Make it double," James added. "To protect the world from devastation." "To unite all people within our nation." "To denounce the evils of truth and love." "To extend our reach to the stars above." "Jessy!" "James." "Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!" "Surrender now, or prepare to fight." "Meowth, that's right!" Meowth chimed in as he landed in front of Jessy and James. "What have you done with the Dratini and Dragonair?" Tom shouted. "Don't worry about your precious dragon Pokémon," Jessy told him. "Our boss will take good care of them...as soon as he gets them." Violet gasped when she saw the Dratini and Dragonair bundled up in a huge net, dangling from the back of the submarine. "Don't worry, Violet. We'll get them back for you!" Ash assured her. "Pika, pi!" Pikachu added. "I don't think so," James retorted as he threw two black marbles at the trainers. The marbles exploded over their heads, revealing nets. One caught Misty and Tracey, and the other one caught Ash, Violet, and Tom. "Pikachu, Thunder Shock!" Ash ordered Pikachu. "Chu!" Pikachu agreed. "Not so fast," James exclaimed as he threw a red marble. When it exploded, a puddle of red goo landed on top of Pikachu, encasing him in a bubble. "CHUUUU!" Pikachu shouted, using his Thunder Bolt attack. "Try all you like, ya little rodent!" Meowth taunted as he picked up the red balloon with Pikachu inside. "There's no way you're getting out of that rubber bubble." "Chuuu!" Pikachu moaned. "Pikachu!" Ash yelled. Jessy noticed the Dragonair, who was trying to chew through the net that held Ash, Violet, and Tom. "Hmm, looks like we missed one," she muttered out loud. "I'll get it," James announced as he picked up a remote control and pressed a button. A mechanical arm was extended from the mouth of the submarine and headed straight for the Dragonair. "Dragonair, look out!" Violet warned the Pokemon. She skillfully ducked the mechanical arm. "Dragonair, use your Wrap attack!" Violet told Dragonair. She quickly wrapped her long body around the mechanical arm and squeezed with all her might. To Jessy and James' surprise, the Dragonair snapped the mechanical arm in two. "Fortunately, we have a backup plan," Jessy announced as she and James each lifted up a Pokéball. "Go, Arbok!" Jessy shouted. "Weezing, go," James shouted. "Arbok!" Arbok hissed loudly. "Weez-ing!" Weezing moaned. "Dragonair, use your Agiility!" Violet instructed the wild dragon Pokémon. Dragonair moved back and forth rapidly. Arbok and Weezing, along with their trainers, were shocked to see a dozen Dragonair surrounding them. "Arbok, Poison Sting!" Jessy yelled. "Weezing, Sludge attack," James instructed. As Arbok and Weezing tried unsuccessfully to nail the Dragonair, Meowth noticed that the real Dragonair was making her way to the net where the other dragon Pokémon were being held. "Over there, you numskulls!" he shouted. "It's trying to free the others!" Jessy and James turned around and spotted the Dragonair. "Ha, ha, ha! We got it now!" Jessy remarked as her Arbok nailed the stray Dragonair with its Poison Sting. James giggled maniacally as his Weezing also nailed the Dragonair with its Sludge attack. "Dragonair!" Violet screamed. To everyone's surprise, the Dragonair got back up. He skin was dirty and bruised from Weezing and Arbok's attacks, and she was gasping for air, yet determination was still burning in her violet eyes. "This Dragonair doesn't know when to quit," James admitted. "This one's definitely a keeper," Jessy remarked as she removed a Pokéball from her pocket. "Pokéball, go!" Jessy shouted as she threw the Pokéball at the weakened Dragonair. Before it could reach her, a small rock hit the Pokéball, causing it to hit the ground. "Leave Dragonair alone!" Violet shouted. "We'll teach you not to mess with Team Rocket!" Jessy shouted angrily. "Arbok, Weezing, teach that girl a lesson!" The Pokémon obeyed and steadily approached Violet, Ash, and Tom. Before they could reach her, however, Dragonair let out a long howl. She became bathed in a white light. "Is she...evolving?" Ash asked uncertainly. "I think so, Ash," Violet replied. The white light caused the Dragonair to expand in height and width, and she also sprouted arms, legs, and a pair of small wings. When the light faded away, standing in the place of Dragonair was Dragonite. Ash pulled out his Pokédex and pointed it at the newly evolved Pokémon. "Dragonite: the dragon Pokémon. The evolved form of Dragonair," the Pokedex stated. "With its number of various attacks, Dragonite is highly sought after by Pokémon collectors and trainers." "Arbok, Weezing, get that Dragonite!" Jessy ordered. Before the Pokemon could reach Dragonite, she flew up in the air, causing Arbok and Weezing to collide with each other. As she flew over the bewildered Team Rocket, Dragonite snatched the balloon containing Pikachu from Meowth's paws. "Huh? Hey, gimme back that Pikachu! We stole it first!" he shouted as he shook his fist at the Dragonite. She landed between the two nets and with her free paw, removed the nets and threw them away. "Thanks, Dragonite!" Misty exclaimed. Dragonite turned towards Ash, popped the balloon with her claw, and Pikachu jumped into Ash's arms. "Pikachu!" Ash exclaimed as he hugged his Pokemon. "Pik-a-chu!" Pikachu exclaimed. "Hold it! This isn't over yet," Jessy shouted. "We still have the Dratini and Dragonair." "You mean, you had them," Misty remarked. "Huh?" Jessy and James asked as they turned around and noticed that the net that was holding the Dratini and Dragonair was empty. Tracks indicated that they escaped into the jungle. "How did they get out?" James exclaimed. "When you guys weren't looking, the Dratini and Dragonair woke up and chewed a hole through the net," Violet admitted. "Well, I guess we'll have to settle for that Dragonite," Jessy told her. "Arbok! Weezing! GO!" she yelled. Dragonite simply punched Weezing, who collided with Arbok, and the two Pokémon went flying. Jessy, James, and Meowth scrambled to get back inside the sub, but it was too late. Arbok and Weezing landed right on top of Team Rocket. "Dragonite, Hyper Beam attack!" Violet shouted. Dragonite squealed as she opened her mouth and a massive ball of yellow light formed. She fired the beam of light straight at Team Rocket. Jessy, James, and Meowth had barely squeezed out from underneath Arbok and Weezing when they saw the Hyper Beam heading towards them. They screamed in fright as Dragonite's attack blasted the submarine into pieces and sent the pieces and themselves flying. "Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!" Jessy, James, and Meowth screamed as they disappeared into the horizon. Ash, Misty, and Tracey were astonished beyond words. "Good job, Dragonite," Violet congratulated the dragon Pokémon. Dragonite squealed happily. Violet noticed that her dad was watching them, while thinking quietly to himself. "Are you okay, Dad?" she asked. "You've been very quiet." "Violet, I've been thinking," Tom admitted as he stood up. "I've been unfair to you, not allowing you to compete in the Orange League. You're obviously an excellent Pokémon trainer. The way you handled that wild Dragonair, and even when she evolved into Dragonite..." Tom let out a sigh before continuing. "Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that you can go." "You mean it, Dad?" Violet asked with a hint of excitement in her voice. "Yes, Violet," Tom replied, placing his hand on his daughter's shoulder. "I've realized that I held you back too long." Violet smiled and then embraced her dad. Ash, Tracey, and Misty smiled as the sun began to rise... "Are we all set?" Tracey asked. Ash nodded as Misty climbed on Lapras' back with Tracey's help. Ash and Pikachu were about to get on Lapras when they heard a familiar voice shout, "Ash, wait!" The two turned around and saw Violet running towards them. She had a black-and-purple backpack on her shoulders. She stopped a couple of feet away from Ash and Pikachu. "Hey, Violet!" Ash greeted. "Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed. "Hey, Ash, Misty, Tracey," Violet greeted. "I'm glad I caught you all before you left." "Really? What for?" Misty asked. "I wanted to thank you all for helping protect the Pokémon, and for being my new friends," Violet admitted as she dug through her pockets. "I have something for all of you." She pulled out three necklaces from her pocket. Ash noticed that each necklace had a small metal pendant with a Dragonite carved into each one. "Wow!" Ash exclaimed as Violet placed the necklaces in his hand. "Thanks, Violet." "Hey, Violet! Where's Dragonite?" Tracey asked. "She's up there, Tracey," Viole announced, pointing up to the sky. Ash and his friends saw Dragonite flying towards them. She squealed as she landed next to Violet. "What's gonna happen to Dragonite?" Ash asked. "Believe it or not, Ash, she wants to join me on my Pokémon journey," Violet admitted. Dragonite purred deeply as she nuzzled her new owner's arm. Violet and Ash laughed. Violet removed a Pokéball from her pocket. "That's enough, Dragonite. Return!" Dragonite was instantly transported into the Pokéball. As Violet put the Pokéball away, Ash asked, "So, what are you gonna do now, Violet?" "Well, I have to get at least four badges so I can compete in the Orange Island League," Violet explained. "Dad will be here any minute with my jet ski." "Why don't you come with us?" Ash suggested. "Thanks for the offer, Ash," Violet admitted, "but I can't go with you. You only need one more badge, and I have to get four. I'd just get in your way." Violet noticed that Ash was staring down at the beach in disappointment. "Don't worry, Ash. We'll see each other again at the Orange League, and that's a promise," she told him. "Good luck to you, Ash." She extended her hand toward Ash. "Same to you, Violet," Ash replied as he took her hand and shook it. "Violet!" they heard Tom yell. Violet and Ash looked up and saw Tom on the beach. "Your ride's here," Tom announced, indicating the white jet ski, decorated with turquoise and magenta stripes, floating a few yards away from the beach. "Got eveything you need, Violet?" Tom asked. "Yes, Dad. I have extra Pokéballs, Pokémon food, food for myself, some clean clothes, a sleeping bag, extra blankets, a poncho, and some money for supplies," Violet replied. "Remember if you need anything, just give me a call," Tom told her. "Of course I will, Dad," Violet replied. "Your mother would be so proud of you," Tom admitted. "Good luck, Violet." "Thanks, Dad," Violet replied. Tom turned toward Ash. "And good luck to you, Ash. You have great skill and determination as a Pokémon trainer. I wouldn't be surprised if you win the Orange League Competition." "Thanks, Tom," Ash replied as he shook hands with Tom. "We better get going, Ash," Violet told him as she ran out into the water and jumped on her jet ski. Ash and Pikachu followed soon after and climbed onto Lapras. As they left Draganta Island, Tom waved to them. "Goodbye, Ash, Misty, Tracey!" "Goobye, Tom!" Ash shouted. "Thanks for everything!" Misty shouted. "Goodbye, Violet! Call me as soon as you can!" "Don't worry! I will! Goodbye, Dad!" Violet shouted as she waved goodbye to her father. She looked at Ash, Misty, and Tracey, who were still sitting on Lapras. "I gues I'll see you guys later," Violet yelled as she revved up the jet ski. "Goodbye, Violet!" Ash yelled as she sped off in the other direction. "Let's go, Lapras!" he told the water Pokémon. Lapras squealed as he swam further away from Draganta Island...THE END