"What's wrong?" said Gary. "Is she dead?"
"No, but we're gonna be if we go in there," replied Brock.
Timmy went to open the door, but Gary stopped him.
"Wait until Brock tells us the problem," Gary said.
Pikachu looked up at everyone. It had been tagging along silently and wondered why everyone had stopped.
"OK," said Brock. "There's a monster in there. And it's big."
"Exactly how big?" asked Gary.
"A blastoise?" asked Timmy.
"As big as a blastoise. And it's got a flame on its tail. I think it's got wings. And a very large snout. I bet it'll have sharp claws and teeth too."
"Don't assume what you don't know," said Gary.
"He sort of does know," said Timmy.
Gary looked questioningly.
"Is it like those dragons in children's stories, Brock?" said Timmy.
Brock nodded. "I reckon it'll breathe fire, too."
Gary snorted. "How can a monster breathe fire? Won't it burn itself up?"
Ash, who had been listening silently, said, "Then how do you explain the scorch marks on the walls?"
"What scorch marks?" said Gary.
Timmy lifted up the lamp and they looked at the walls. The stones were blackened here and there as if by bursts of flame. A silent apprehension settled on the group. Was Brock right? Was their mission over so soon after it started?
Suddenly Pikachu became agitated. It pointed towards the door.
"What's wrong, Pikachu?" asked Ash.
It didn't take long for them to figure it out. There was a vibration coming through the floor, like a sound too deep to be heard by the human ear.
"It's growling," said Brock. "We've woken it up."
He opened the door a crack and peeked inside. He shut it quickly.
"It's awake. The flame on its tail is bigger too. I wonder if that means something."
There was a momentary silence. Ash gulped.
"It's up to me."
"Ash," said Gary, "that's no pikachu in there."
"You said pikachu were dangerous." Ash paused at the door. "Just tell Mom I love her."
Ash opened the door, slowly. He stepped inside. Pikachu came to the door and looked on, its ears perked up but a worried look on its face.
The monster was curled up in a sleeping position, but its eyes were open and its tail swayed from side to side. The tailflame cast a long, swaying shadow of its body that seemed to tease him as it approached then moved away. The monster was large, its snout fearsome. It growled audibly now.
"Easy does it, nice monster," said Ash softly.
Who was he kidding? That was one mean monster. He wouldn't put it past it to roast him and have him for supper.
"Look monster, I know you're mean and strong, but we need your help."
It raised its head and snorted. Grey smoke came out of its nostrils.
"It's no fun you being stuck here, is it? But you know, it's no fun Misty being stuck here either. I've come to ask you to let her go."
Was it any use? It probably didn't understand him anyway.
The monster projected its head towards Ash and snapped its jaws in the air.
Ash flinched, but stood his ground.
"If I could free you too, I would you know. I bet it's terrible stuck in this tiny room. Can't spread your wings."
Ash thought he saw a softening in the monster's face. Was it the eyes, slowly shifting, or did he imagine it?
Just then a door at the far end of the room creaked open and light broke into the room. Ash glanced a look. It was a person, a young female figure, holding a lamp. From her posture it appeared she was only half awake.
"Tell you what, let me take Misty out, and I swear I'll come back and free you too."
"Chaaar...," it growled.
"So you'll let me free Misty?"
"Chaaar...," it growled again.
Ash had no idea whether he had somehow miraculously struck a deal or whether the creature was just growling at him. He could assume the best, and try to get to Misty, but if he was wrong, he was sure the monster would kill him.
Maybe if he moved slowly...
He took one step towards Misty.
It all happened so fast. The monster roared. It opened its wings and lashed out towards him. Misty screamed.
"Pikaaa!" shouted Pikachu.
The monster stopped, its head tilted, its jaws astride Ash's waist. He could feel its burning breath, choking him as it rose to his nostrils. Ash stood petrified. Any move would be his last.
"Pikaa! Pikachu! Pikapi!"
The monster withdrew, looked at Pikachu, and snorted.
"Piikaaa! Pikachuu! Piikaapii!" it repeated in a pleading tone.
Ash was frozen to the spot. The monster was focused on Pikachu, but he had already seen the reflexes of its strong, lithe body. If he had not been terrified for his life, he might even be admiring the awesome creature.
The monster snapped forward again, at Pikachu this time.
"No!" yelled Ash.
The jaws snapped shut.
"Pika!" yelled Pikachu, clearly still alive.
It was unbelievable. The yellow monster must have darted out of the way at an imperceptible speed. Ash had no idea his little friend was capable of such a move.
The monster drew back its head. This time it opened its mouth and expelled a burst of flame. Ash covered his face with his arm to protect himself from the heat. When he could see again, Pikachu had moved again, and was doing something even more amazing.
Arcs of lightning from its cheeks extended to the other monster's head. Bolts and flashes of yellow light were playing around its huge, scaled body. They only lasted a couple of seconds, but they seemed to have slowed the monster down. Its movements after that it were slow and strained. What else was Pikachu capable of?
"Pikachu! Pika pika!" Pikachu kept "talking" to the other monster.
"Chaar... chaaar!" it replied.
"Piiikaaa... pikapi pikachu."
"Chaar..."
Pikachu came up to Ash while the monster turned around on the spot, facing its rear to him. It shifted its tail to its left side. Pikachu pointed to the monster's rear right leg. There was a huge shackle on it, attached to the thickest chain Ash had ever seen. Pikachu grabbed Ash's leg and pulled him closer to the monster. Ash allowed himself to be moved, but his feet shuffled. He felt like he was heading to his execution.
It took Ash a while to figure it out, but it looked like Pikachu had arranged a deal. Ash had to free the monster first.
He came closer to the monster. He touched the leg above the shackle. It felt warm, the scales dry and smooth. He moved his fingers down. The monster jerked. Its leg must be pretty sure under the shackle.
Ash examined the shackle. There was a joint on one side and a metal bolt holding it shut on the other. Ash pulled on the bolt as hard as he could, but it wouldn't budge. He felt underneath. No, there was no nut. Maybe if he tied twisting it...
He gripped the head firmly with both hands, braced his body and tried turning the bolt. It gave a little, his body jerked forward, and his forearm struck the monster's leg.
It gave a roar of pain and swished its tail around. It struck Ash, burning his arm with its tailflame and casting him to the ground.
Misty gasped. "Are you all right?" she asked.
"Yeah, I think so."
Ash felt his arm. It was in pain, but he was still in one piece.
"Easy monster," he said. He patted its other leg. "We'll get you out. It might hurt a bit, just be patient." But in fact Ash had run out of ideas.
"What's the problem?" asked Brock.
"There's a bolt holding the shackle. I can't get it out."
"Take this sword. Maybe you can lever it out."
Ash realized there was a small gap between the head of the bolt and the shackle. He took Brock's sword and came back. He tried it. It fit neatly in the gap. Ash leant on the sword, and the bolt slid out readily. He dropped the sword and gripped the two halves of the shackle. They were stiff, but with enough effort, they came apart.
Carefully, he extricated the monster's leg by moving the shackle away and put the latter down.
"You're free," said Ash, with a light slap on the monster's thigh.
The monster turned around, found it could move its leg freely, and spread its wing. It turned to face Ash. What was it going to do now, fry him for freeing it?
It merely grunted. Ash supposed that that was the closest he'd get to a word of gratitude. Ash felt the urge to reach out his hand towards the monster's face, but stopped short in fear of the consequences. It snorted, and turned its face side on.
It was daring him. Was Ash going to be brave and risk ending up its dinner, or chicken out and lose its respect forever? Bracing himself, he made his choice. Cautiously, slowly, Ash extended his arm. Bracing himself for the test, he touched the side of its head and stroked it. This was the most amazing monster he had ever seen.
"Will you let Misty go now?" Ash asked.
It raised its head and bellowed a mighty roar. At the same time, its tailflame burst into a blaze. Ash and Pikachu ran out of its way. It ran towards the window, smashing the glass and timber into shards and splinters. It rammed into the metal bars, but they didn't budge. It poised on its hind legs, reared its head, and poured out billows of fire. When it stopped, the bars were glowing. It struck the red-hot metal with one of its front paws, ripping them apart like cobwebs. It mounted the sill, squeezed its body through, and jumped.
At first Ash thought it would plummet three stories to its death. A moment later, he saw it flapping its wing, soaring up into the star-studded sky.
Misty ran up to Ash, holding her lamp.
"Hurry," she said, "the noise that thing made will've woken the whole palace."
Ash took the cloak out of his bag.
"Rose told us to give you this."
Misty put it on, Brock retrieved his sword, and they left through the corridor without exchanging any more words.
They reached the bottom of the upper set of steps. Soldiers appeared out of nowhere. The group made it to the next set of steps before the soldiers did. Brock and Gary readied their swords and took the rear position in case they had to fight.
Before they were halfway down, more soldiers appeared at the foot of the stairs. Ash and Timmy took the lead. Timmy put down his lamp and lifted his sword, but did not look like he wanted to use it.
They looked back, but the soldiers were already at the top of the staircase.
"Surrender!" shouted one of the men. "You're surrounded."
