A Storm of Rage (Part 2)

I practically fainted right where I stood.  Raikou, the Raikou, needed us for a job!?  Fortunately for me, everyone else seemed just as shell-shocked as I was. 

Naturally, Bolt was the first to recover.  "What on Earth could we do that you, the Great Raikou, can't?"

Raikou had returned to being all business.  "Save Entei and Suicune."  Once again, we were all speechless.

I stuttered for a moment.  "W-What happened?"

Raikou became very sad.  The lightning ceased and the rain just fell in a melancholy way, as if to reflect his mood.  "Men in black suits and masks.  They captured Suicune at one of his favorite haunts near Olivine City.  From what I saw from the cliff top, the men knew he was coming.  They got him in a Poke Ball, then threw it as far as they could.  When Suicune escaped, they repeated the process.  Entei and I followed, trying to intervene, but not wanting to hit Suicune or get into a battle ourselves.  They eventually got into a big building.  Off map, of course.  After an hour or so, when Suicune didn't come out, Entei grew so furious that he charged in, blazing mad.  He managed to blast through two or three walls before the same thing happened to him.  I barely managed to escape myself."

Bolt bravely stepped up to the Legendary and leaned against his leg comfortingly.  "Raikou, when I told you we were the best of the best, I meant it.  You can count on us."  I nodded in agreement.

Inferno's voice floated out from his den.  "Why would anyone go to such lengths to capture the three Legendaries?"

Espeon stood up and shook the rain off her fur.  "Power, I would guess.  According to the legends, which we now know are to be believed, Raikou, Entei, and Suicune all deem Pokemon and trainers worthy of their assistance, humans with particular hesitance.  These people might want to force the Great Legendaries to assist or choose them."

Raikou nodded.  "Not that any of the three of us would ever give in..." he said with a growl like thunder.

Umbreon stood up next to Espeon.  "Another theory:  The Legendaries only intervene in times of crisis.  What if someone wanted you three out of the way so that they were free to do whatever they wanted to or with other Pokemon?"

Raikou let out a slow breath.  A spark jumped between his fangs.  "A more disturbing, and probably correct, thought.  There may be the bonus of controlling Legendary power," he said, acknowledging Espeon's idea, "but I believe Umbreon has the root cause right."

"So.." Clover said slowly.  "...What do we do?"

"We take the job!" I said.  "Who knows what these greedy humans have in mind?  The Legendaries have always protected us!  Now, it's our turn to protect them back!  Let's write a new one for the legends and stories!"

Raikou grinned, while Bolt jumped up and down next to him.  "Yeah!  Now we're talking!"  He stopped bouncing and looked up at the Great Raikou.  "Don't worry.  We'll do whatever it takes to get all three of you out safely."

Raikou nodded diplomatically.  "And I appreciate that."

I peered at the map that Raikou had drawn in the dirt with one of his claws.  All I could think right now was Holy Miltank, his claws are big.  Raikou had made the rain stop so Inferno could come out and look at the map.

Raikou pointed to a big rectangle in the middle with one gigantic claw.  "That's the main complex.  From what I saw when Entei smashed the walls, there were hallways here, here, here, and here," he said, carefully drawing said hallways in the proper locations.

Snow stood up.  "How long ago did Entei break the walls?"

"Two days," Raikou said without looking up from the map.

"Then the walls will still be very damaged, if they're fixed at all," Snow reasoned.  "That would be a good place for us to enter."

"But if it were me," Surf said, thinking aloud.  "...I would make sure to put a guard there of some sort, knowing that that wall was a weak point."

Snow glanced downward.  "True..."

I stood up.  "But that's not a bad idea.  If we could draw the guard somehow..." I trailed off, drawing an X where the guard would be and an arrow leading away, "...That would leave the wall wide open."

Bolt cocked his head.  "What are you suggesting?"

Raikou looked down at him, then at the map.  "Either she's suggesting, and if not, I'm saying, that I'll run past and draw the attention."  He planted a huge paw in front of my arrow, leaving his footprint.  "They'll be expecting me, not a bunch of Eevees."

Bolt looked up at the Legendary in a huff, then stamped his own paw print above Raikou's.  "If you're going, I'm going!" he said stubbornly.

I was about to turn him down, when Raikou nodded.  "Good thought.  I'd like having a trusty sidekick."  Bolt was about to either faint or explode.

I gave him an encouraging nod, trying to retain laughter.  "Ok, we'll pair up.  Great Raikou with Bolt, Espeon and Umbreon, Snow and Clover, and finally, Inferno, Surf, and I."

The Thunder Pokemon looked at me curiously.  "Why these groups?"

"You and Bolt, obviously.  You two will draw attention.  Espeon and Umbreon are... perfect together in every way. I think they know each other better than they know themselves."  The couple in question blushed profusely.  "You two can help scout out the rest of the complex.  Se if you can find out their true motives."

Umbreon nodded.  "You got it," he said firmly as he and Espeon, in perfect sync, places their paw prints on the building.

I turned to the next pair.  "Snow and Clover are best of friends.  They know each other really well, too.  Snow is naturally quiet, and I think Clover has learned her lesson about stealth..."  The Leafeon in question looked away in embarrasment.  "...so I'm trusting you two with incapacitating the humans.  Don't rush into it, just..."

"Yeah," Clover finished.

"As for Inferno, Surf, and me, We'll go in and rescue Suicune and Entei.  Inferno, being the Fire Type, will bond with and free Entei, and either Surf or myself will do the same with Suicune."

Inferno looked intimidated.  "You say that like it's easy..."

Raikou turned to him.  "It is easy.  He'll be able to smell me on you.  He'll trust you in a snap.  As for Splash and Surf, Suicune would be more likely to trust the Water Type that has been entrusted with leadership."

All I could say was ".........Oh."

Surf just smiled at me.  "Just act your normal diplomatic and respectful self," he said with a smile.

"I'll try," I shrugged.

Raikou stood up to his full, imposing height.  "Are we all in agreement, then?"

"YES!" the whole Clan chanted at once.

I jumped and flipped in midair.  "Then let's do it!"