Tryst with Destiny: The Beginning of the End (Main Story)

27 : Enter the Dragon

<Author's Note Begins>

Congratulations on making it so far. Now that the chessboard is set. Finally, the pieces can start moving about. For now, the real story begins. All chapters up to now have been rehearsal, the real performance is about to begin. Hold on to your horses and grab your popcorn. Things are now going to take a more unexpected turn for all the mystery I promised you in the starting of the book is now going to come together.

Till now if you haven't been playing the music inserted in the chapters. It's fine. But from now on, it's a must. I repeat it's a must. You must listen to the music while reading. If you can't then listen to the music completely then read ahead and visualize the scene with the music in the background till you reach a fresh music video track.

<Author's Note Ends>

As Ash, Serena and Clemont walk cautiously through the woods they hear a man's voice, "Well done Raichu."

Ash grabs Serena's hands and puts a finger on his lips to indicate to everyone to stay quiet. All of them silently crawl and hide behind a bush as they see a man, not too older than them, giving commands to a Raichu. Ash upon looking closely realizes that this it is the same man with whom he had an argument back in Santalune city.

"What is he doing here?" Ash quietly remarks, annoyance clearly reverberating in his tone.

"He?" Serena and Clemont whisper as they look at Ash with puzzlement.

"Do you know that man Ash?" Serena whispers.

"Yeah," Ash replies as he proceeds to tell them of his brief encounter back in Santalune City.

"What is his problem?" Serena whispers in a scoffed tone, clearly annoyed at the fact someone actually had the nerve to talk to her, the Kalos Queen's, boyfriend like that.

"Don't know, don't care. But let's watch carefully for a moment. Looks like this man is doing some kind of training," Ash replies while again gesturing to both of them to stay quiet.

Both Clemont and Serena nod as all three of them silently observe what is happening.

"Alright, Raichu. Quick attack into Iron Tail." the man commands.

His voice has a softness in it but reverberates with power at the same time. Ash watches as Raichu vanishes from his view the very next instant. Within a matter of seconds, several trees come tumbling down in front of the man. On cue, Raichu reappears in front of the man. Ash, Serena and Clemont stare in utter shock at the display for they have never seen a Quick Attack that fast and an Iron Tail which sawed through those trees without making so much as a sound.

"Now Raichu, use thunderbolt at 5% power," the man commands.

Raichu lets out a thunderbolt which immediately burns the cut down tree logs to a crisp. Ash, Clemont and Serena's jaw drops as they see their eyes remain transfixed at the now smoking pile of ash where the tree logs were a few moments back.

"Did my ears deceive me or did he say 5% power? That has got to be the biggest fucking Thunderbolt I have seen in my entire life!" Clemont remarks as he pinches himself to make sure he's not dreaming.

"How can that be 5% power? It completely burnt those logs to a crisp!" Serena silently replies as both of them proceed to look at Ash whose jaw is still hanging wide open with his eyes rapidly blinking in disbelief.

Ash slowly turns to face Serena and Clemont before shrugging his shoulder. All three of them bite their lips before they turn towards where the man and his Raichu were standing.