Chapter 5

"Herdier!" snapped the Plasma Man as the brown and black sheepdog-like Pokémon rushed towards us. "Use Bite!"

"Look out!" I yelped, and leaped aside as the dog approached with its mouth open wide.

The Raikou didn't move, but faced down the approaching Pokémon. The Herdier clamped its teeth on the young Raikou's front leg and tore into the bandage carefully wrapped around it.

The Raikou let out a shriek of pain which chilled me to the bone. It was pure pain and I never wanted to hear that sound come from the Pokémon ever again.

The dog Pokémon let go of the Raikou and bounded back to stand beside its trainer. The bandage on Raikou's front leg was in tatters and it was favoring it heavily.

I scrambled to the Pokémon's side. "I'm sorry," I mumbled as I placed an arm on its neck.

I realized my mistake.

The implications that I knew nothing about how to battle were crashing down on top of me. I didn't know what attacks Raikou knew. I didn't know how to get it to move out of the way. I was supposed to be nursing it back to health, not hurting it more. I knew only one thing for sure. I was not going to let them have this Raikou if it was the last thing I did.

"Ha," barked the female Plasma grunt. "Sweetie, doesn't even know how to battle. Not our fault … or maybe it is." She shrugged with the air of indifference.

"Herdier," commanded the man. "Use Take Down!"

The dog-like Pokémon charged at us again. This time, although I wanted to leap aside, I stood my ground and guarded the Raikou. I braced for impact and was hit in the stomach by the dog's shoulder. I was thrown backwards into the Pokémon I had been guarding as pain exploded within my torso.

We collapsed into a pile and I felt a jolt go through my body and my muscles seized up. Probably a mistake on the yellow Pokémon's behalf, but it made me remember the first time I'd received that particular feeling earlier that morning. My mother had used a name for it … what had she called it again?! The pain wasn't helping me remember.

The Herdier bounded away from us as I struggled to my knees. Even if breathing was getting hard, I wasn't going to give up.

"Raikou?" I asked as I met its eyes. I could tell it was in pain, but there was something else there that I couldn't quite identify. Something new and wonderful. Something I hadn't seen before. "I'm sorry for not being a trainer, but I promise I will use my last breath defending you if I need to. They'll have to go through me first to get to you."

"How touching," remarked the woman as she shifted in her weight to her other leg and examined her fingernails. "Finish him off, Sweetie."

"With pleasure," said the man. "Herdier. Thunder Fang, go!"

The air crackled loudly and a curious smell permeated the area. The Herdier opened its mouth wide again and charged me. I closed my eyes and braced for the worst as best I could. I would take this blow, and if it was the last one, then at least I could do it protecting this young Raikou.

I was hit, but not from the front. My eyes flew wide open as I lurched sideways. I could see the brown and black dog Pokémon streak past me, barely missing. As I landed sprawled on my side, it fastened its fangs on the Raikou's front leg again.

The yellow Pokémon cried out again in the beginnings of pain as it made eye contact with me. I continued to watch as the look of pain evolved into a look of confusion, and then one of amazement. Its red eyes changed into a glare of anger as it stood up straighter and growled at the enemies. Most of the wounds around its fur were starting to close before my eyes. Somehow, Raikou was miraculously being healed!

I glanced at the Team Plasma members and they didn't appear to have expected this. The man had his mouth open and the woman was no longer leaning against the tree in a pose of boredom; her back was rigid.

The Raikou continued to glare at the Herdier clamped on its leg. The yellow tiger-like Pokémon opened its mouth and clamped down on the dog's back. The Herdier yelped and let go. Raikou flung it back towards the two Plamsa members.

"Hmmm," said the woman in calm indifference. "It has the Hidden Ability Volt Absorb. That makes it even rarer than before."

"Herdier," commanded the man. "Use -"

Whatever he was planning to have the Pokémon use, was interrupted as the Raikou yowled loudly and a single bolt of lightning shot from its cape just behind its neck and struck the sheepdog-like Pokémon on the head. The dog yelped loudly and collapsed to the ground with a twitch.

"How?!" exclaimed the man in outrage. "He beat me!"

"Hardly," replied the woman as she uncrossed her arms. "Recall your defeated weakling and let me finish him off."

The man scowled and pointed his Pokéball at the twitching Herdier as tendrils of smoke rose from its dark fur. In a flash of red light, the defeated Pokémon vanished.

"Go," stated the woman calmly as she tossed a ball that was blue and red on top and white on the bottom into the air.

There was a flash of white light and a dark purple Pokémon with amber spots all over its fur appeared before us. It looked like a big cat, just a bit bigger than Raikou, but its demeanour was nothing like the young tiger.

There was something in its green eyes and posture that I immediately didn't trust. This Pokémon was conniving. It would probably attack you while you were too busy admiring it and then be done with you once it stole all it could. Either way, it was working with the woman, and I didn't like her either.

"Lieparrrrrrrrrd."

I managed to get to my knees beside the Raikou. "You think you can take this thing on?" I asked softly.

It continued to glare at the other cat with a low growl.

"Rrrrrrrr."

"Liepard," said the woman in a strong commanding voice. "Shadow Ball."

The purple cat opened its mouth and darkness formed in front of it. It swirled with a glowing purple hue before the Pokémon released it directly at Raikou.

It struck the yellow Pokémon head on, and the Raikou yelped in pain before it shook off the attack and continued to glare at the Plasma members.

"It's going to be a very short battle since you don't know any of Raikou's moves," taunted the woman. "Liepard, Scratch."

I held my breath as the purple cat bounded straight for my Raikou with its claws extended. I remembered my mother mentioning only two moves, but I couldn't remember the name of one. The other was one Raikou apparently didn't know. The Liepard was getting closer and I had to do something.

"ROAR!" I bellowed as loud as I could.

The Raikou inhaled deeply and opened its mouth as the Liepard landed in front of it. The purple Pokémon raised its paws in preparation to strike.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIR!"

A blast of noise, which sounded very much like a clap of thunder, erupted from the young Pokémon's mouth. I could even feel the sound through the ground beneath me.

The Liepard was hit in the face with the force of the move. Its green eyes widened in shock and fear. Its fur stood on end and it screeched in protest. I didn't hear its shriek over Raikou's roar, but I could tell it was making one. It turned tail and ran straight past the two grunts and deeper into the forest.

The man and woman turned in anger and alarm and ran after the fleeing Pokémon as well. The noise Raikou was making was hitting them directly. From beside the Raikou, I could tell the sound was so loud I could feel it in the center of my chest, and that was with it being aimed away from me.

The yellow Pokémon's roar died down and it closed its mouth as it stopped. I continued to stare in bewilderment at the trees the Plasma members had run away into.