This is not the Pokémon world that I remember.

Which if I was in the time period I thought I was in, then made sense. The longer I lived here, the more the differences stood out.

In the Pokémon cartoon there was friendship, fun, and wonder that boggled the young imagination of children from all over the globe! Yeah, there was times in the show when the Pokemon were depicted in ways that would make them dangerous to the protagonist (AKA Ash), but in the grand scheme of things it was pretty safe and peaceful world that was portrayed.

In this new world though…

Violence and Domination ruled with an Iron fist.

The Pokemon of this world where Primal! Savage! And overall not that friendly to each other, let alone humans like me.

It was a Mon eat Mon world. Survival of the fittest was not a note in a book about the past, but in the very life that thrived over this vast and untouched world. Where you had to struggle and fight for the right to live day in and day out. Where if you have even one laps in your thoughts at any moment, it could be your very last.

But..

“DRAIK!!” A shrill childish voice rang out over the cliff face. Echoing over a young boy with wild blue hair sitting cross legged in a meditative position.

It wasn't all bad.

The boy in turn, opened his scarlet ringed blue eyes and turned his head to stare at the perpetrator of the end of his me-time.

The boy, with a fang filled grin, proceeding to stand as a blur of gold slammed into his chest. The momentum almost causing him to topple over, but with his quick reflex’s, was able to keep upright.

“Woh there Tia!” I yelped in shock, spinning to bleed off the momentum. After we came to a stop, I looked at the little culprit of this surprise.

“Haha!! You almost made the both of us fall of the cliff!” I hug the golden noodle that was in my arms tightly, chastising her but not really taking it to serious.

The Dratini in question, looked up at me with that mischievous little face and proclaimed, “Well, you never fall over anyway!? So what’s the big deal?”

I roll my eyes as she slithers onto my shoulders, wrapping my neck in her golden self like a scarf.

“Well, I might not always be able to you know? Some day I might not catch you right and might just go for a tumble!” I explain to Tia, trying and probably failing to get through that dense skull of hers.

“That will never happen!” She tells me in my right ear, “Because if that happens…” She looks into my eyes with her ruby ones and confidently proclaims.

“Ill just catch you instead!”

Sigh..

Little Sisters are always a handful.

Over the last ten years Tia and I have been inseparable. If I was doing something, you could bet your sweet oran berry that she would be there tied around my scruff like a golden neck tie. Thankfully, her scales where soft so it didn’t really bother me as she hugged my nape.

“Yeah, yeah. Say that when you actually have the arms to do that and not before.” I flick her on the snoot as she giggles and lays her head on my right shoulder.

I start walking down the hill towards our home when I remember something important.

“Tia?”

“What is it Draik?” She tilts her head in a questioning way.

“What are you doing up here? You are suppose to be at the nest with Mama for your daily training?”

She closed her ruby eyes in thought, then a second later they bulged out in remembrance as she squealed, “I remember now!”

She whirled her head around and faced me eye to eye exclaiming, “We have to hurry home right this instant!”

Tia’s flip from relaxed to exited caught me off guard as I stumbled a few steps before righting myself again.

“Why? What so important that it has you screaming my ear off?” I say as I rub my right ear of the tinnitus my sister gave me.

Shaking, she screamed, “ITS YOUR COMING-OF-AGE TRIAL!”

It took a minute for her loud words to finally wrap around my brain, then it hit me like a Thunder punch to my skull.

Oh…

OH SHIT!

I total forgot that was today!

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

I started to sprint at full power back home, Tia screaming in Excitement the whole way home.

—

The Ceremony of the Rising Dragon was not that complicated. It was simple really, not that hard of a concept. Hell, its so easy even a Dratini can do it…

But thats the problem.

Im not a Dratini, I am Human.

So, originally this ceremony would be a wyrmlings first ever hunt. You would be sent into the wilderness with nothing but the scales on your back and the brain between your frills to kill your first prey.

Thats right..

Kill.

There is no fainting and being brought to the nearest pokecenter. No, This was do or die, or as my adoptive mother says “Show your fangs or neck!”.

But thats not what’s bothering me. Ive lived here for ten years, I’ve got used to blood and viscera from all the meals Mom and Amrin have given us over the years. There’s no delusion in my head that I will not have to kill to make it in this new world…

The real problem you may be asking?

Well that’s simple..

Im not a Pokemon.

Or more specifically, I’m not a Dragonite.

That little fact has made it very hard for me ever since I was introduced to the others in the Den.

At first, they wanted me dead to rights. But none where strong enough to make that a reality, thank Arceus for that. Momma was fierce in her deceleration of me being her child, never once even batting a eye to anything any of the elders would say to get rid of me.

Then after some time, they started to tolerate me. Before they would glare, now they just act disinterested at my very being.

But that was before they found out that I was going to partake in the Ceremony of the Rising Dragon.

To save a lengthy summery..

They were livid.

“YOU WANT A OUTSIDER TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR MOST SACRED TRADITIONS!” A ancient looking Dragonite with wrinkles that made up most of her body shrieked at my family and me. Her glassy blue eyes stared down my giantess of a mother, as her gnarled walking staff slammed into the rocky floor of the Great hall. The carved walls shook with the barely held furry of the 5 elders of the Den.

“Grrr!”

A beastial growl ripped through the noise of the hall, silencing all the elders in one go.

“You forget yourselves..”

The entrance of the Great hall exploded with dust as a giant blue figure walked out of the cloud behind us. I turn, recognizing who the voice belonged to instantly. I smiled as Amrin stalked his way past us, sparing me a glance and a almost imperceptible smirk. Then it vanished like it never existed, his ruby eyes glowered as they locked onto the elder that dare yell at Mom.

“C-C-Chief?!” The hornless humpbacked stammered, fear evident in her voice as she gulped audibly. The others did the same..

All but one that is.

He was another Blue variant of Dragonite. He was larger than the others, back strait and eyes as piercing as Amrin’s. Though he was wrinkly, he was covered more in scares and muscle than anything else. But all that didn't compare to the major feature of this old dragon.

His left arm was completely gone. The only thing left from his lost appendage was nothing but the nub of his shoulder. I could only imagine what fierce beast that took his limb.

I certainly did not want to meet it.

The den fell into a tense silence as Amrin made his way over to his seat at the middle of all the seated elders. The throne was made of solid carved black rock covered in different symbols and pictures that seemed like a language, but one Ive never seen.

He flopped onto the throne, causing the ground around it to shake a little.

“Now..” He looked to all of us, “Why where you screaming like a enraged Mamoswine who lost its tusks?” He looked over to the angry granny with a glare that beggared no stupidity.

“W-Well..” She stammered, “I was just bringing up the point that this..” She jabbed her gnarled staff at me and continued. “Outsider! Has no right to soil our proud and ancient tradition with its filthy blood!” She finished by stabbing the stick into the ground.

“You!..” My mother growled out as she smashed her foot into the floor causing a quake. “You piece of Munroch shit!” Indigo lightning rolled off Momma like a cloak made of a storm cloud. The violent dragon energy started to scorch the ground as she spread out her claws, readying herself for a very dangerous strike.

Before it escalated any further, Amrin calmly cooed, “Peace mother, Ill handle this.” He said softly.

It was good enough for Mom to calm down, the aura of domination slowly dissipated. But, she stayed in the same position waiting for a reason.

“Now.. Apala.” He turned to look at her wrinkly hide, “Draik has been apart of our Den for ten full seasonal cycles.” He said while he pointed to Mom, “My own Mother has claimed him as her own wyrmling..” He then shift his claw to point to my eyes, “And he is already drenched in our power, look at his eyes and fur!”

As he finished his points, Apala decided to speak.

“That matters not!” She vigorously shakes her head, causing all her loose skin to sway side to side, “Even if he was another Dragon, he would still NOT be a Dragonite!”

Tia huffed in my ear “Says the pile of wrinkles and bones..” She whispered.

That caused me to snicker a little, alerting the old hag to glare down at me.

She must have been angry, smoke was flowing out her nose.

“Little thing doesn’t even have the decently to stay quite as the adults talk!” She growled, “How do you expect it to even take Our traditions seriously!”

Before anyone could retort, a new voice entered the fray.

“How about we have a compromise then?” the stern voice declared.

We all turned to see the one who spoke up.

It was the one armed blue dragon. Gazing at me with his scarred eyes, he continued.

“What if instead of letting the child choose his own prey like is tradition..” He finally looked away to Amrin, “We instead choose a target for him to hunt. If he can achieve to kill the mon that we all collectively choose…” He looks to Apala’s grumpy face. “Then no one can say that he is not apart of our Den anymore. He will have all the rights that any other wrymling has and will become a full fledged adult.”

He looked back to me and ended the thought with, “And if he can’t… Then he will be exiled from our Den to never return.”

The hall was silent once more, everyone internally deliberating on the new offer the old drake thought of.

I knew this day would come, the day where Ill have to leave the Den… My family.

But now, I’m getting a chance! One were I wont have to be separated from my family. If I can defeat whatever Pokemon these elders decide on, then I can achieve a dream I never new was possible!

My fists tighten as I firm my conviction, I step forward.

Declaring with my chest puffed up as I square my shoulders, I stare the elders down.

“I accept your challenge!”

My mother turns to look in surprise and fumbles out, “Draik! You don’t have a clue what your agreeing to!” She slumped down in a squat and looked at me in the eyes.

“Son..” she nods her head towards the elders, “They could give you a impossible hunt! One that would guarantee your expulsion from the Den…” Her eyes started to tear up, “Or worse..”

I reach my hand up to wipe the buildup of tears as I place it on her cheek. I smile softly to my mother.

She was my rock in this hellish world, my tree that protected me from the harsh storm of life…

But I can’t keep relying on her.

“I know Mom.. I know..” I say as I lean my forehead to touch against hers.

“But Im not going to be able to be under your wings for all my life.. If I do not face it now..” I leaned back to look into her watery sky blue pearls.

“Then how will I ever be able to fly on my own, or conquer my own mountain to lay claim to?” I give her my best sharp toothed grin and lower my hand.

She closed her eyes, rubbing them clean with the back of her paw. After she finished, she looked back at me with love and pride.

“My little fang is becoming so grown haha..” she laughed, “Where has the time flown.”

She firmed up her face and looked to the elder that gave the idea.

“Long… We except you offer.” Mom stated.

Long just nodded in respect and then looked at the other elders.

“What say you my kin? Do you accept my proposal?”

The others nodded once in acceptance, though Apala was the last and most reluctant.

“FINE!” She yelled, “But I will not let the Beast be a easy pray you hear!” She turned away and waddled towards a entrance to another room, followed by all the elders.

Amrin still sat, staring at the backs of the retreating dragons until they all filed out.

“Sigh..” He lets out.

“I swear, why can’t they just get over there stubborn traditions.” He mumbled

“If you would let me smack them around a little, maybe they'd change there tune!” Mom huffed out, still irritated it seems.

“I wish it was that easy… Sigh.”

I walk over to Amrin an ask, “Do you have any ideas on what they will choose?”

He shaked his head in the negative as his antennas twitched.

“I have some Ideas on what it may be.. but I do not want to give you false information before the hunt…” He looked up in thought as he scratched his chin before saying to me, “If I was you though, I would prepare for everything you can..”

He rolled forward off the ebony throne and walked to where the elders left.

“I have to go, I have to be part of these talks unfortunately..” He stopped and turned to smile at me, “If not, they would probably have killed each other long ago.”

We laughed, and turned to leave before Amrin called out.

“Hey Draik..”

I look back, “Yeah, Amrin?”

He stared into my eyes, with a mix of emotions I have never seen on his blue face before. It was hard to read, but there was one emotion that was more prevalent than any other..

He was worried.

“Just be careful, okay.”

I beamed at him, “I will!”

His eyes closed and nodded with relief. He then turned and stalked away.

I turned back to see my mom waiting.

She smiled at me with the same smile she always has.

“Don't worry Draik!” My sister said from my shoulder, rubbing her little stout on my cheek in affection. “You’ll do awesome!!” She cheered.

“Yeah.. I will!”

I will conquer this trial!..

I will prove my worth!..

And I will ascend!..

To become a Dragon!