" You're just a plain old grandpa!"

Oak raised a brow. " Plain old grandpa?!"

" I told you to stay in your room until it was safe!" Dora exclaimed as she balled her fists. " Sorry, that's Crystal, she's my little sister."

Crystal crossed her arms. " Did ya tell them it was ME who found the fossil egg or are you grownups sucking up all the credit."

Gary sheepishly scratched his head. " We told them- kinda."

" Speaking of the egg, we have to go find it before it wreaks chaos!" Oak said as he turned to his grandson.

Then he looked around the room. " Where's Tracey?"

They heard a yell from outside. Gary ran to the window.

" Uh, grandpa?" He said in a nervous tone. " Your assistants.... riding the Aerodactyl. Rather, clutching its.... leg."

" What?!" He ran to the window and pushed Gary aside.

" Come on!" He exclaimed. " We have to help him!"

They ran out, to find the poor boy looking down, hos arms wrapped around the flying Pokemon's leg.

"This isn't good!" He exclaimed. " Would you mind flying a little lower?!"

The Pokemon turned, and realized there was a boy on his leg. It freaked out, and flew faster.

" wait, wait, wait!" Tracy yelped. " I said lower, not faster!"

The group on the ground were running behind him.

" Tracy!" Gary yelled.

" Don't let go!" Oak added.

" WHAT DO YOU THINK I'M TRYING TO DO?!"

Gary turned to Oak. " We might need Ash."

Oak sighed and took his phone out. " I was just going to suggest that."

" Ash?" Crystal said. " As in Gary's nemisis?"

Gary nodded as Oak put his phone to his ear. " Come on, come on...." He muttered.

Ash's tired voice came from the other end. " What's wrong?"

" Ash, there's no time to explain!" Oak shouted. " Gary revived an Aerodactyl!"

Ash sighed. " Professor, no offense, but this is his battle."

Gary snatched the phone. " Tracy's on it! Holding onto its leg!"

Ash gasped. " What?!"

" Yeah!"

" I'm coming!" They heard him get up, and patter of feet. " Misty, Brock, I have to go, okay? I'll be back, promise."

They heard Misty yawn. " Bye, Ash."

" Bye!"

The phone dropped, and Gary handed the phone back. " It's gonna be a-"

Suddenly, there was a string gust. Everyone shielded their faces.

Ash jumped from his Pigeotto. " Pikachu, thunderbolt! Piggy, get me up there!"

" Hello-"

" Hi, Professor and Gary and people I don't know! No time!" HE exclaimed as he  hopped onto his Pokemon and it took off.

Crystal stared. " Does he ever think?"

Gary shook his head. " No."

Tracy, meanwhile, was slipping when he noticed Ash. 

" HEY ASH!" He yelled. " DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME I'M FINE!"

Ash shot him a look. " GOOD TRY! HOLD ON!"

Piggy swooped by, and Ash grabbed Tracy by the waist and pulled him on the bird. 

" Piggy, return, Charmander, I choose you!"

They stood on an orange dragon.

" Tracy, you take control!" Ash said as he gripped onto Charizard. " 3... 2.... 1.... NOW!"

Before Tracy could ask, Ash jumped, and grabbed the leg of the Aerodactyl.

" ASH!" Tracy yelled.

Ash shot Charizard a look. " TAKE 'EM TO SAFETY!" he yelled.

The pokemon nodded, and swooped down.

" Tracy!" Oak exclaimed as he ran to his assistant. " Are you okay?"

Tracy managed a smile as he stood up. " Next time I'll think before grabbing onto a prehistoric Pokemon."

Then he looked up. " What do you think Ash was thinking?"

" He wasn't thinking at all!" Gary exclaimed. " This is bad, this is bad!"

" Gary, calm yourself. We'll find a way to rescue him." Oak reassured.

Meanwhile, Ash was gripping on while closing his eyes and muttering, " Don't look down, don't look down...."

The Aerodactyl let out a loud moan, and ash yelped. " Could you PLEASE slow down? And maybe let me on your back so I don't almost fall?!"

The Pokemon saw him, and immediately swooped up and down, causing him to lose his grip.

HE began to plunge down to the ground.

" ASH!" Tracy and Gary screeched as they ran to where he would fall.

Ash gripped his hat as he looked at them. " I'LL BE OKAY!"

" NO YOU WON'T!" Gary bellowed.

Ash frowned slightly. " Uh.... okay..... maybe not my best move..... uh...."

He looked at the trees. " If I try to steer myself there, I might have a chance!"

He started to inch his way there like an earthworm.

" WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Tracy yelled as the two watched his anactics.

" NOTHING! PIGGY, I CHOOSE YOU!"

The bird swooped out and caught Ash.

" Piggy, fly me up there again!"

The bird looked hesitant.

" Piggy!"

The pigeon sighed but obeyed, flying up as Ash got ready to jump.

" DON'T DO IT, ASH!" Gary yelled.

Ash did it anyway, jumping and gripping its leg.

The Aerodactyl let out a deafening roar as Ash clung to its leg once more, his fingers slipping slightly with each wild movement of the prehistoric Pokémon. "This is fine... totally fine!" Ash muttered through gritted teeth, trying to steady himself. "Come on, big guy, just... work with me here!"

The Aerodactyl, however, was having none of it. It flapped its massive wings harder, taking sharp dives and swift ascensions in an attempt to shake Ash off. Below, Tracy, Gary, and Professor Oak watched in a mixture of awe and terror.

"He's doing it again!" Tracy cried, his eyes wide. "Ash, let go before you—"

"—plummet to the ground again!" Gary finished, pacing in frantic circles. "I swear, if Ash doesn't stop acting like a hero, one of these days, he's going to—"

"Calm yourself, Gary!" Professor Oak interrupted, though the concern in his voice was evident. "Ash knows what he's doing... I hope."

"HE BETTER!" Gary retorted, clutching his forehead. "This is insane!"

Meanwhile, high above, Ash was struggling to maintain his grip. The Aerodactyl swerved to the right, sending Ash swinging wildly. He grit his teeth, trying to pull himself closer to the creature's body. "Alright, think, Ash... You've gotta calm this guy down." He glanced at his bag, which miraculously had stayed strapped to his back throughout the chaos.

He smirked. "Alright, buddy... If there's one thing everyone loves, it's a good snack." Ash carefully unzipped his backpack and pulled out the last thing he'd grabbed before their wild chase: an apple.

"Okay, Aerodactyl, you like fruit, right?" Ash called, trying to sound more confident than he felt. He tossed the apple toward the Pokémon's head, hoping to distract it.

The Aerodactyl's sharp eyes caught the movement, and for a brief second, it hesitated, lowering its altitude slightly. Ash took the opportunity to inch his way up its leg and finally settle onto its back.

"Gotcha!" Ash grinned, patting the Aerodactyl's neck. "See? We can be friends."

The Aerodactyl let out a softer cry, its flight stabilizing as it munched on the apple Ash had tossed.

Down below, Gary and Tracy watched in disbelief. "Did... did that actually work?" Tracy asked, shaking his head.

Gary blinked, rubbing his eyes to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. "I don't believe it... Only Ash would think to offer a snack to a prehistoric Pokémon mid-flight."

Ash waved from above, now securely sitting on the Aerodactyl's back. "We're coming down, guys!" he called, sounding triumphant.

The Aerodactyl slowly descended toward the ground, landing gracefully as Ash patted its head. "Thanks for the ride, big guy."

The moment Ash's feet touched the ground, Gary rushed over. "Are you crazy?! You could've fallen, like, ten times!"

Ash laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, but I didn't! It's all good, Gary."

Tracy looked at him in awe. "You... you actually tamed a prehistoric Pokémon by feeding it an apple..."

Ash shrugged nonchalantly, though a bit of pride flickered in his eyes. "What can I say? It's all about trust."

Professor Oak approached, shaking his head with a smile. "Ash, you continue to surprise me. Well done."

Ash grinned, picking Pikachu up from the ground and placing him on his shoulder. "Just another day in the life of a Pokémon Trainer, right?"

Pikachu squeaked in agreement, while Gary, still frazzled, muttered under his breath, "Next time, maybe let me handle the prehistoric Pokémon, okay?"