ZZZZZZZTTTTT—CLAP!
Raikou's mouth opened wide as its body crackled with electric energy, arcing and snapping like a wild storm contained within a single Pokémon.
A massive bolt of blue electricity formed and, in one swift motion, the Zap Cannon shot forward in a jagged arc toward Hisuian Zoroark, leaving a trail of static in its wake as it vibrated with raw voltage.
It was so fast that before Allen, Muddy the Marshtomp, or even Hisuian Zoroark could react, a blur of electricity shot toward them, streaking through the air.
"Zooorrr~!"
Hisuian Zoroark growled, immediately lowering into a defensive stance. A shadowy blob materialized in front of the Zoroark—a Shadow Ball. The ghostly sphere expanded and surged forward to intercept the charging Zap Cannon.
BOOM~CRACK!
For a brief moment, the two powers collided in a spectacular stand-off. Then, the Shadow Ball, swirling with darkness, struggled to contain the overwhelming force of the Zap Cannon. With a violent burst, the electricity exploded free, scattering in every direction like a storm unleashed from a bottle.
Sparks flew wildly, ricocheting off the ground and the air, as the electricity surged uncontrollably. Hisuian Zoroark, using its incredible agility, darted and weaved through the chaos, narrowly avoiding the crackling bolts of power that threatened to overwhelm everything in their path.
"MUDDY!!!"
Allen's voice cut through the chaos as his eyes darted to the unconscious Combee and Vespiquen nearby. He shouted urgently, "Mudshot—now!"
Marshtomp sprang into action, its powerful legs propelling it forward.
It fired a high-pressure stream of mud from its mouth, the muddy torrent shooting out in a wide arc. The stream slammed into the ground beneath the downed Combee and Vespiquen, quickly forming a protective barrier.
Without hesitation, Allen rushed forward, pulling his Marshtomp back toward the safety of the barrier.
The mud acted as a natural conductor, grounding the electricity before it could reach the unconscious Pokémon.
The crackling bolts of electricity surged across the barrier, but the thick layer of mud insulated the Combee and Vespiquen from harm, channeling the raw energy safely into the earth.
"Holy fuck!"
Allen froze, his heart racing as the sound of repeated clapping—clap, clap—echoed against the barrier. His breath caught in his throat as the sound reverberated through his bones, making his skin crawl.
The noise finally faded, leaving behind an eerie silence.
Allen slowly turned his head to look at his partner, who stood by his side, its eyes wide with a mixture of confusion and curiosity.
"Is it safe now?"
"Marsh~" Muddy responded, the sound more like a murmur of reassurance than anything else.
Allen nodded slowly, trusting it, but still, his unease lingered. After a deep breath, he finally gathered the courage to look outside, only to be taken aback by the current state of the forest.
It looked ancient and ravaged, as if countless battles had taken place there.
The ground was dry and scorched, with no vegetation left on the slopes. The mountain appeared to have been burned by flames or struck repeatedly by lightning, and the air was thick with the lingering smell of smoke.
"YOKAI!!!"
The current Hisuaian Zoroark... Didn't stand a chance.
Right now, Yokai was gasping for breath, exhausted after its battle with Raikou.
He quickly tossed the Pokéball toward it, who currently looked like he was in dire need of recovery. He was worried about this guy, as in the game, Hisuian Zoroark HP was often pitifully low.
Thankfully, Raikou didn't seem to mind. But suddenly, a chilling sensation crept over Allen. His body tensed, and before he could react, a voice—if it could even be called a voice—echoed in his mind.
[...Human...]
Allen's blood ran cold as he whipped his head left, right, up, and down, searching for any sign of where the voice had come from. Only then did he realize.
'Legendaries...' Allen's mind raced. 'They're so ancient, so intelligent, they've transcended the need for spoken language. This is telepathy.'
He was also confused. The Shaymin he had met previously hadn't communicated with him like this.
[...Don't worry, I will not hurt you. By the way, is this despicable thing your partner?...]
Allen gulped. "H-Hello," he started, then continued, "Yes, these two are my Pokémon partners." He pointed to Marshtomp and Hisuian Zoroark.
'Partner? So they know about human and Pokémon.... But talking to Legendary is so exciting,' Allen tried to calm himself the best he could, as it was his first time talking to a Pokémon.
[...Human, every action has a consequence. You are aware, aren't you?]
Raikou's voice echoed in Allen's mind, its tone measured and heavy with wisdom.
[You have summoned a Pokémon who has long passed from this world. Do you understand the weight of what you've done? You may have drawn from something beyond the physical realm. Be careful what you awaken, Human.]
Allen was taken aback. 'What does it mean?' His photographic memory kicked into gear as he pieced everything together—until finally, a clue surfaced in his mind.
History class, second grade, chapter four, page fifty-six: Johto's Guardian of the Skies.
One: Ho-Oh came across barren land, scarred and broken. It asked its brother Lugia to bring good winds and pure rain to nourish the lands. When asked what Ho-Oh would do, it responded by razing the land with its holy fire. Wherever the flames touched, flowers and trees would grow. Soon, humans and Pokémon alike would move into the once-dead land. And thus, the nation of Johto was born.
Two: A blacksmith was praying for a creation that would make him famous. In response, Ho-Oh appeared and burned all the trees around the blacksmith's shop. The blacksmith asked why it did that, and Ho-Oh explained that new trees would grow to replace the ones it had burned. On those trees would grow a magical fruit, and the blacksmith was to use that fruit to forge hollow balls that would capture even the mightiest of beasts. The blacksmith did as Ho-Oh asked and became the greatest blacksmith in Johto. This legend is the mythical origin of the Azalean Apricorn Ball crafters.
Three: Five hundred years ago in feudal Johto, an evil warlord sought to take control of Ho-Oh for his own desires and sent his army to invade Ecruteak City's sacred Brass Tower to seize it by force. The ensuing battle between the warlord's army and the tower's guardians was so violent that the tower itself was burned to the ground.
After the tower burned down, three Pokémon perished in the collapse. In an act of mercy, Ho-Oh resurrected the three Pokémon that had died in the carnage, transforming them into its earthly avatars.
Entei, the embodiment of the fire that consumed the tower, was charged with spreading and controlling its flames across the land.
Suicune, the avatar of the North Wind, was tasked with racing across the world, bringing the wind wherever it is needed.
Raikou, born from the lightning that struck the tower, carries its thunderous roar to the farthest corners of the earth.
In other words, both Raikou and Hisuian Zoroark were resurrected, but their methods of resurrection were different.
"No, no, no! You misunderstood!" Allen waved his hands frantically, glancing around—even though he still had no clue where Raikou was actually hiding.
But panic quickly gave way to instinct.
Just like the bedtime stories he used to tell Marshtomp back when it was still just an egg, Allen took a deep breath and launched into storytelling mode.
"So, once upon a time in the freezing lands of Hisui," he began dramatically, "there was this super edgy, super fluffy fox Pokémon named Hisuian Zorua. Total loner. Big tragic energy. Anyway—"
Before long, Marshtomp was sitting at his feet, completely enchanted. Its eyes sparkled like a child at a puppet show, gasping dramatically and letting out the occasional "Maaaarsh~" like the perfect little audience.
When the story came to an end, a heavy silence settled over the forest.
"..."
Before Allen could say anything else, a voice echoed telepathically in his mind—deep, calm, and thoughtful.
[...So, it was them...]
"..."
Allen's thoughts raced, trying to decipher Raikou's words. Then, the legendary spoke again, its tone softer this time:
[...You've given good karma...]
[...The chosen one...]
Allen blinked in surprise. "What do you mean?"
[...Go to the Bell Tower. You will find your answer there...]
"..."
"Bell Tower? Johto?" Allen frowned in confusion. "What am I supposed to do there?"
"..."
"Hello?"
"..."
"Is it gone?" Allen muttered, looking around.
Then—suddenly—a shadow loomed behind him. Instinctively, Allen turned.
Raikou stood behind him, its eyes locked onto him—a solid, serious red that glowed faintly even in the brightness of day.
"[...Cough, do me a favor, would you? Help me take care of the unconscious Pokémon over there, will you?...]"
Only then did both Allen realize—
The Combee and Vespiquen!
Wait, how could I take care of all those Combee?
Thankfully, help arrived soon after.
"ALEEEEN!!! WHERE ARE YOU?!"
"Gabite~!"
Cynthia's voice then echoed through the air, cutting through the tense atmosphere.
"[...Human, I owe you this time...]"
Before Allen could respond, a sudden clap of thunder rang out. Without warning, he watched in awe as Raikou leaped effortlessly into the air, its powerful legs propelling it hundreds of feet above the ground.
A small, dark cloud began to form beneath its paws, swirling into existence, thickening like miniature storm clouds. For a brief moment, the sky seemed to darken further.
Raikou leapt again, and with each bound, a new cloud appeared under its paws, forming a path through the air. It was like a staircase made of thunderclouds, each jump creating a flash of electricity that cracked through the sky.
With every leap, the storm intensified—plasma lightning arced through the clouds, lighting up the surroundings in blinding flashes, until finally, Raikou vanished into the sky. The storm slowly dissipated, leaving the sky clear once more.