Chapter 20 - "Encounter With Legend"
Part Two: The Favor
We continued en route to Olivine City. Flamefox and I rode on Tauros' back, as always, while my other Pokemon freely roamed alongside us, and Scyther flew above. I started to become more and more intrigued with the legend I had read about Suicune and Ho-oh back in Ecruteak City. I realized we probably wouldn't be in this vicinity again for a long time, and I'd really like to go see these legendary towers. I brought the idea up to my Pokemon. "I know it's a couple days journey out of our way, but I'd really like to backtrack and see these towers. Is that okay with you guys?" I asked them. They seemed as curious about them as I was, and were all for going back to see them. So I said, "Let's head back that way, Tauros!"
We travelled a couple days back towards Ecruteak, and began to head northwest from there, in the direction of the Burned Tower. On the way, as we walked, I heard a boy yell, "Hey!" I had Tauros turn to look at him. "Are you a Pokemon trainer?" he asked. I looked around at my six Pokemon from up on Tauros' back. "Wherever did you get that idea?" I asked him, sarcastically. He asked, "How about a Pokemon battle?" I jumped off Tauros' back and said, "You're on!" For his first Pokemon, he released Sandslash. "Go, Tauros!" I commanded. Sandslash came at my Tauros with a slash attack, but it was no match for Tauros' take down, which sent Sandslash crashing to the ground in defeat. My opponent recalled his Sandslash and released Venonat. "You're up, Firestorm!" I said. Venonat used stun spore. "Firestorm, burn up that spore with your flamethrower!" I ordered. He did so, and hit the Venonat, as well, and knocked it out! The trainer released his final Pokemon, Teddiursa. "Your turn, Flamefox!" I said to my Vulpix. "Teddiursa, use fury swipes!" he ordered. "Flamefox, use fire spin!" I commanded. Before Teddiursa could even reach my Vulpix, Flamefox's body was glowing and his eyes glowed bright white as he released the tornado of flames from his mouth, wrapping up Teddiursa. When the flames dispersed, it collapsed, knocked out! "Excellent, Flamefox!" I shouted, and ran over to hug my little fire fox. As I held Flamefox in my arms, I said to the trainer, "Thanks for the practice!" He recalled his final Pokemon and walked away, sulking. Flamefox and I got back up on Tauros, and the six of us continued ahead towards the Burned Tower.
As we proceeded, a storm came up, out of nowhere. Torrential rains just fell from the sky in buckets! I recalled all of my Pokemon except Flamefox, who I kept under my jacket - only his head and two front paws stuck out under my chin from the collar of my jacket, as Tauros sprinted us ahead, as fast as he could, through puddles and mud. We had to find shelter. Eventually, we came across an ancient temple. "Take us inside, Tauros!" I said to him. We entered, and I got off Tauros' back so he could shake off. I let Flamefox out from under my jacket, released the rest of my Pokemon, and said to them, "We should be able to dry off in here and wait out the storm." We began to look around inside the temple. With Flamefox and Firestorm at my side, I admired the ancient architecture and the carvings on the walls, which were illuminated only by the light of many candles. "It is quite beautiful, isn't it?" came a familiar voice from behind us. I turned around. "Sage Li! This is a surprise!" I said to the sage I had met back at the Sprout Tower. He then said, "I knew you would be coming here." I asked him, "How?" He replied, "The universe speaks to us if we are willing to listen. It told me you would come and help." I was a little confused and asked him, "Help with what?" He went on, "You are familiar with the legend of Suicune?" I replied, "A little, but only in passing. Just what I read about in Ecruteak City." He said, "Then you only know part of the legend. I will tell you the rest. Suicune roams the earth freely, but if he is ever disturbed by being summoned, he will bring about the eternal rains that will flood the earth. Suicune can only be summoned at the Burned Tower, using the Clear Bell. Thousands of years ago, my order was put in charge of the Clear Bell and the Rainbow Wing, to make sure they never got into the wrong hands. But there was a great war, and the original temple was destroyed. The Rainbow Wing, we managed to save. But the Clear Bell was lost, we assumed it had been destroyed. However, now I believe it has been found." I asked him, "How can you be sure?" He took out an object, a wing, carved out of crystal, that changed colors as it glistened in the light of the candles. "This is the Rainbow Wing. It is made of crystal unlike any known to exist in the world. It is said to glow in the center if Suicune is ever disturbed. Look into it" he said, as he handed it to me. I put it up to my eyes, and at the center of this crystal wing, there was a bright white light, gradually growing larger. "That's amazing" I said. Sage Li then continued, "The only way to stop the eternal rains is for someone to summon Ho-oh to create her rainbows around the world. To summon her, the Rainbow Wing must be brought to the Tin Tower, northeast of here." I asked him, "If you believe this legend is true, why don't you bring it to the Tin Tower and summon her, yourself?" He answered, "I fear that whoever summoned Suicune may have captured him. A fellow sage who was meditating at the Burned Tower a few days ago said that it was overtaken by men in black outfits. He and a few others were tied up in a room. They saw the men leaving with a strange pokeball in their possession. We know that Ho-oh must be summoned, but whoever did this may be watching us. That is why I decided that this task must be given to an outsider, one we can trust. The thought of you came immediately into my mind. This is a great task and it may put you in grave danger, but the fate of the world depends on you. Will you help?" I looked at my Pokemon, and they nodded at me. I looked back at Sage Li and said, "We'll do it!" He replied, "I knew we could count on you. You must hurry! The rain has already begun!" I then recalled all of my Pokemon except Flamefox and Tauros, and we got up on Tauros' back. I said, "Okay, Tauros! To the Tin Tower! Let's go!" He ran us out into the pouring rain, his hooves splashing through the mud puddles as he ran. Sage Li said, "Good luck!" As we ran ahead, I had the oddest feeling we were being watched.
Suicune felt drawn to this temple. Whoever was inside had the Rainbow Wing, the only means of summoning Ho-oh. He watched intently, remaining hidden in the shrubs. Eventually, a boy with a Vulpix, riding on a Tauros, came out of the temple. He could feel the energy of the Rainbow Wing on his person, and the 3 of them were heading in the direction of the Tin Tower. He must follow them - they would lead him right to Ho-oh.
We got soaked as Tauros ran, between the torrential rains and the muddy water Tauros was splashing up as he ran. I kept Flamefox as dry as I could, under my jacket again. Luckily, Vulpixes don't have external flames, so getting wet from swimming or rain doesn't bother them. Attacks from water Pokemon, on the other hand, are a very different story. Anyway, it took us a couple hours of running through the soaking rain as we followed the long route to the Tin Tower. I had pulled my headphones out to listen to the radio, and there were reports of worldwide flooding everywhere - it had begun, just as Sage Li told me.
We finally reached the Tin Tower and we were saturated. My clothes were soaked, and poor Tauros was dripping with water. Flamefox, however, was pretty dry from being under my jacket. I recalled Tauros to rest in his pokeball, and released Firestorm to accompany me and his brother. We started to climb the long staircase to the top of the ancient tower. When we reached the top floor, there was an altar to the side of the room, and in the center of the room, there was a 12 foot statue of Ho-oh. Between her two feet was an impression, carved into the floor, that matched the shape of the Rainbow Wing. I took the Rainbow Wing out of my pocket, and it was glowing brighter than ever! I held it up to the impression. "It looks like it will fit perfectly, Flamefox!" I said. I placed the Rainbow Wing into the impression, and let go of it. It stayed in place and glowed brightly, and lit up the room. Flamefox, Firestorm, and I looked around in amazement. Suddenly, the statue began to glow brightly, and the eyes opened. We watched the statue turn from stone to life. When the glowing stopped, Ho-oh stood before us. She had a crest of yellow feathers on her head that resembled a crown, and her head was orange with a yellow band around her neck. She had dark orange eyes, which were surrounded by dark blue feathers, but the rest of her face was orange. Her wings were orange,white, and yellow on top as well as underneath. Her belly was white, she had white legs, greyish-blue feet, and her long, yellow tail feathers protruded in all directions. She gazed at us with her orange eyes. I felt a little bit intimidated by this 12 foot bird that stood in front of us, but I nervously said, "Ho-oh, I've been sent to summon you. The eternal rains have started, and only you can stop them." She responded to me, in my mind, and said, "Don't be afraid. I will begin to calm the rains at once." Suddenly, Flamefox and Firestorm leapt over towards the window behind the altar and began growling. "What is it, guys?" I asked. Then, a blueish-white figure leapt into the window and stood before the 4 of us, in a battle ready stance. "Suicune!" I said.