The Raikou Took Over

Fire Emperor stopped.

Dongshu also spotted Raikou not far away.

Raikou's gaze swept over him with a hint of scrutiny and wariness, then turned to Fire Emperor.

Fire Emperor carried a basket of Berries in its mouth. It didn't speak to Raikou, but simply walked into the cave and set the basket down.

Raikou stood at the cave entrance, looking inside. Its eyes were as sharp as lightning, and the cave was small enough that it could take in everything at a glance.

A nest made of fallen leaves, a basket full of Berries...

Raikou's brows drew tightly together. At last, it spoke.

"You really did adopt this one!"

"Little One, get down and go play by yourself for a while." Fire Emperor bent down, letting Dongshu slide off its back. Then it turned to Raikou, its gentle voice now tinged with authority.

"This has nothing to do with you. You've always misunderstood humans. Little One isn't the kind of human you say he is. No... he's already learned Pokémon Language and lives just like a Pokémon. He isn't human. He's one of us—a Pokémon."

"What? You even taught him Pokémon Language?"

Raikou was stunned. It stared at the human child over there in disbelief. How could a human... learn Pokémon Language?

[Raikou was deeply shocked that you had mastered Pokémon Language. It believed humans could never learn Pokémon Language, just as humans could never understand Pokémon.]

[Shock Points from Raikou +50!]

Dongshu watched the two big cats silently communicating through telepathy.

At first, he'd been curious about what Fire Emperor and Raikou were saying.

But soon, he saw the notification flash across the panel and understood.

So Fire Emperor was telling Raikou that he'd learned Pokémon Language!

Just then, Raikou looked over at him.

Dongshu grinned at it in a friendly way.

Raikou's breath caught. It quickly looked away and turned back to Fire Emperor.

"Fire Emperor, have you forgotten the mission we bear?!"

"I haven't forgotten!" Fire Emperor denied.

Raikou's voice was low, as though it held the fury of a thunderstorm.

"Oh? Then do you know what's happening out there? I've been traveling across this land, and I've seen those wretched humans hurting Pokémon again!"

At those words, Fire Emperor's gaze sharpened. Pokémon hunters again?

Each of the three Legendary Beasts had a different duty.

Suicune's duty was to purify the world's polluted waters. Riding the north wind, it raced across the land in search of places where clear water flowed.

Raikou was solitary by nature. Distrustful of humans, it usually roamed places far from civilization, appearing during thunderstorms or when Electric-type Pokémon were in danger.

And Fire Emperor's duty was to use the Sacred Fire it bore to burn away all evil in the world and rescue Pokémon from the clutches of evildoers.

Fire Emperor had been furious at Raikou's accusations and doubts, but the moment it heard that evil people had appeared again, its anger faded.

Raikou looked coldly at Fire Emperor. "And you're staying here, living comfortably in a cave with this cunning, evil human child!"

Fire Emperor remained completely calm.

"Where did they show up?" it asked.

"Silver Mountain," Raikou replied coldly.

Fire Emperor took a deep breath.

Though it hated to leave, it knew it had to go.

Before it left, it had to make sure Little One was taken care of.

Fire Emperor looked at Raikou and pleaded, "I can't leave Little One here alone. Raikou, while I'm gone, I hope you'll take my place and look after him for a while, until I return."

What?!

Raikou was shocked and angry. It wanted Raikou to look after a human child?

What a joke!

"Impossible. Absolutely impossible!"

"You brought this one back from outside. I already tried to talk you out of it, but you wouldn't listen. No matter what you say, I won't take care of him!"

Raikou flat-out refused, twice.

"Little One's parents died protecting Pokémon. We have a responsibility to look after their child. Besides, if we don't, he'll die!" Fire Emperor looked at Raikou and promised, "I swear, as soon as I drive those evil people away, I'll come straight back."

Raikou fell silent.

As far as it could remember, this was the first time Fire Emperor had ever pleaded with it so humbly.

Raikou gazed at its companion.

"Is it worth it?" it asked.

To go this far for a human.

"Little One is different." Fire Emperor shook its head.

"Mm..." Raikou closed its eyes, a low sound rising in its throat like a resigned sigh. A moment later, it opened them again and said,

"I'll protect his safety, and nothing more. The rest is none of my concern."

"Thank you." Fire Emperor thanked Raikou. As for everything else, it planned to ask Marshadow for help.

With that, Raikou turned and left. After a few powerful leaps, its strong, agile form disappeared from Fire Emperor's sight.

Fire Emperor breathed a sigh of relief and returned to the cave. Little One was sitting on the pile of leaves, gazing at it expectantly.

Fire Emperor came over and lay down behind Dongshu as usual, then began licking his fur.

"Fire... Emperor?" Dongshu's voice sounded very young.

"Mm." Fire Emperor replied through telepathy, then continued, "That was Raikou."

"Raikou?"

"I have to leave Heavenly Green Mountain. There's something very important I need to do out in the world." Fire Emperor nodded and looked down at its Little One. "For a while, Raikou will take my place and look after you."

Fire Emperor was leaving?

Dongshu's eyes widened at once.

He'd lived with Fire Emperor for nearly five months. All this time, Fire Emperor had looked after him, taken him out for walks, played with him, and slept beside him at night.

Now that he'd suddenly heard Fire Emperor was leaving, a powerful wave of anxiety and reluctance surged through him.

Then Fire Emperor saw its Little One's eyes grow red.

"Don't go!" Dongshu instinctively didn't want to be separated from Fire Emperor.

Fire Emperor sighed helplessly and pressed its big head against Dongshu's side, its voice low and soothing.

"I'm not leaving for good. I'm just going out to take care of something. I'll be back soon. Be good, Little One."

Dongshu hugged Fire Emperor's big head and asked in a muffled voice, "How long?"

He knew he couldn't stop it. The three Legendary Beasts each had their own mission.

"Not long," Fire Emperor promised. "As soon as I'm done, I'll come back to you."