My Pika-pi is finally moving around without hurting. I'm even able to climb onto his shoulders once more! That's lucky because if I couldn't I don't think I'd be able to keep up with him . . . He's supposed to be hurt . . .still he's been tearing around this place like there's a race on.

Still . . . it is pretty interesting. Although the buildings are mostly ruined there are places where smell has lingered. At night when I sleep on Pika-pi's chest I can smell past trainers and their Pokémon . . . Raichu and Pikachu like me . . .

In the morning when we wake we have a busy schedule. First off Pika-pi has to get up and go outside to the ruined tower where Charizard has pretty much taken over. We say good-morning to Charizard and talk for a while . . . until Yuuji comes to tell us it's time for breakfast. After breakfast Matisse-san and his Raichu-- he left it here so he could look for Satoshi without being identified -- teach me and Pika-pi how to battle. This is tough. Matisse and Raichu are both very strong. However at least we're gaining endurance . . . my Pika-pi says I'm improving every day. While we battle the other Pokémon that have decided to follow my Pika-pi watch. They try and train too . . . although Matisse-san doesn't like Pika-pi to battle with them. He wants Pika-pi to try and concentrate on the lightning types like me . . . I know he's fascinated by them. I am too . . . the Voltorb and Electrode's habit of exploding mid-conversation took a bit of getting used to but I'm used to it now . . . and I do wish the Magnemite would stop following me around . . . but Yuuki's Jolteon is good company as are the other Pikachu. More arrive every day with their trainers. Raichu told me Matisse-san and Yuuji have been working on finding out any one with Storm-clan blood for years and developing a hidden clan. Once Matisse-san found my Pika-pi they had the leader they wanted. I wondered why Matisse-san didn't tell Pika-pi right away, or bring him here as soon as he'd found him. Raichu says it's because he wasn't sure that Pika-pi could be a storm-clan samurai. He saw my Pika-pi's affinity for Pokémon but was worried that he took more after his mother's kin than the storm-clan . . . I could have told him the answer to that! Pika-pi likes the others, really care's about them . . . but he's MY human. Even Charizard won't dispute that and he's the most contrary Pokémon I know . . . Raichu reckons it was me finding him that changed Matisse-san's mind. They'd heard about it you see when they returned to the inn and found Pika-pi gone . . . they had a very merry chase round the countryside trying to find us again! Several poison clan samurai are no more . . . I can't say I'm terribly sorry.

But after our little training session Pika-pi and I have a history lesson with Victor, a very old human with a Pikachu almost just as old --Pika. She's got blue eyes and some of the other Pikachu think she's weird . . . I like her. She's calm, and being around her makes me feel calm too. While Pika-pi struggles with dates and clan-leader's names I talk with Pika . . . then it's lunchtime, after which we help Yuuji feed all the clan's Pokémon.

Yuuji like my Pika-pi has one parent Storm-clan and one parent not. His father was a member of the Dragon-clan so he has other Pokémon too . . . in fact most of the trainers who have returned do. They are the ones Sakaki missed- missed because most of them were staying with other clan's when it happened. Only a few of the older trainers like Matisse are fully storm clan trainers . . . He doesn't like it. Victor does, reckons our diversity gives us an edge in battles. We can tackle enemies who are strong against us lightning types.

We then slip away to explore what's left of the Storm-clan fortress, until Matisse-san finds us. Then we have to train some more with Matisse, talk talk talk with the older trainers and then our evening meal. Pika-pi usually manages to sneak off then to spend time with Bulbasaur, the Squirtle, Caterpie and Meowth. We're teaching them all we learn from Matisse-san . . . When we finally get to bed we're pretty tired.

Still it's pretty good. I didn't expect to find a home with a trainer and others like me . . . I don't think Pika-pi did either. He's happy . . . but there's something.

I sigh as I follow him down the stairs for our early morning talk with Charizard. I think it's part of the reason my Pika-pi is so fond of Charizard . . . the big lizard may not listen to him much but he's a connection with Shigeru . . .

I have mixed feelings toward the fire trainer. On the one hand he has a sort of trustworthy smell, if he is a bit withdrawn. Arcanine is crazy about him and Charizard respects him so I know he must be a good trainer. Pika-pi likes him too . . . or well he did . . . I recognise this as being one of those people issues that Meowth is constantly complaining about.

Not that he isn't constantly complaining about something . . .

"Pika?" I say in surprise as we reach the outside. There's a new scent on the air . . . someone has been here before us.

"Yuuji?" Pika-pi says surprised as we see that Charizard has another visitor.

Yuuji takes a moment before replying. He's older than my Pika-pi, confident, assured.

"Good morning Satoshi. I was just getting acquainted with your Charizard."

"He's not my Charizard," Pika-pi says.

"Are you sure?" Yuuji asks. "I know a lot about dragon types. I've trained a fair few." That's true. I've seen his Dragonite . . . the thing is immense.

"That's right. You come from Wataru's clan." Satoshi scratches Charizard on his head, a gesture few can manage without being char-grilled. "That must have been interesting. Being in charge of the law and stuff."

"We merely protected the clan regulations, monitored treaties and such like as well as enforcing the law when that was needed," Yuuji explains. "We weren't really in charge of the law. Things like that were decided by the clans themselves."

"Oh."

Yuuji smiles as he turns to us. "You're also looking good Pikachu. Your training must be working!"

"Pika!" I chirped --okay, so I'm not exactly immune to flattery. Pika-pi smiled too, he loves to hear me praised.

"We've both been working hard."

"I know. Matisse-san has been pushing you but he's had good reason. The full clans are meeting tomorrow and we are leaving to be there today.

"We are?"

"Pika-pika?" I repeat. I hate it when we're not told things.

"Of course. Matisse-san thinks now is the perfect time for us to regain our status. In front of all the clans, with the document signed by the former lord, you and Pikachu, nothing Sakaki can do stop us! The clans will have to recognise and reinstate us."

Pika-pi laughed. "So is everybody coming?"

"I don't think that's wise," Yuuji says. "Matisse-san and I discussed it. He thinks the poison-clan will try something . . . so only the people who must go will attend. That means you and Pikachu, and Matisse-san and myself to protect you."

"Pikachu!" I declare. Really it's beginning to annoy me the way Matisse-san treats us like babies--hasn't he seen the way I can take care of Pika-pi?

"We don't need protecting," Pika-pi says. "But . . . I guess we do need friends. And you and Matisse know a lot more about this whole meeting thing than we do . . ."

"I'm glad you approve," Yuuji smiles. "Now we must ready ourselves for the journey."

"Char."

I stay behind as Pika-pi and Yuuji leave. Charizard wants to talk to me.

"Pika?"

"Charr." Charizard stamps his foot firmly. "Chhhhaaaarrrr."

"Pi . . . ka . . ." I don't know. Charizard wants to come with us but I don't know how Matisse-san and Yuuji will feel about this . . . well I know Yuuji won't mind. But Matisse . . . "Pika-pika! Pikachu! Pika-pi, pika."

"Charr." Charizard agrees.

"Bulba?"

"Squirt?"

Oh here come the others. They want to know what we've been discussing. I fill them in knowing they won't be happy . . .

And sure enough . . .

"Squirtle! Squirt! Squirt!"

"Youse ain't sciving off and leaving us behind! Pika-pi . . . I mean da kid needs us to take care of him!"

"Bulba!" The grass Pokémon sounds resolute.

"Preee!" Caterpie firmly states his intention of going along too.

"Squirtle! Squirt!

"Squirt!" Looks like the Squirtle have joined the party too . . . I sigh and resign myself to the inevitable.

"Pika, pikachu!"

"I don't know . . . " We all jump. How long has Pika-pi been watching? "I can't decide whether to be amused that you guys seem to be deciding my life for me, cross that you think I can't even manage a simple journey by myself or happy that you all want to come with me," he smiles patting Bulbasaur and hugging little Caterpie.

"Preee!"

"I guess I'm happy . . . now you guys want to come and help me give Matisse-san the good news?"

Matisse-san is NOT happy. Raichu manages to talk him into it. We are to leave that afternoon.

"You are to wear these," Matisse-san says to my Pika-pi handing him a bundle of cloth. "Get ready. We'll be leaving soon."

"I wonder what's so special about these," Pika-pi grumbles as alone in our rooms he pulls on the new robe. "Hmmm."

I jump onto his shoulder so I can get a good look at the finished effect.

"Pika-pika!"

"If you say so." Pika-pi gives the robes another long look. "I feel like a vampire."

"I take it no-one informed you that like red is the distinctive colour of the fire-clan, and white the ice-clan, black has always been worn only by the Storm clan." Victor has come by with a bundle. Pika as usual sits on his shoulder.

"Oh . . . I guess that's all right then." Pika-pi tries to make his hair sit flat. I snicker. It doesn't work.

"I have something for you," Victor says with a quiet smile. "Here."

"Pika?" I worm my way into Pika-pi's arms so that I can share this surprise, whatever it is . . .

"Wow . . ." Pika-pi's uncovered a pair of sword blades. You only need to glance at them to recognise them as well made and old . . . "Are these . . . mine?"

"They belonged to the old lord. You are his only heir . . . " Victor smiles sadly. "Wear them to honour his memory."

"I'll do my best," Pika-pi promises solemnly.

"I know you will, Satoshi. We're all very proud of you." Victor pats my Pika-pi on his shoulder then opens the door. "Matisse-san will be getting impatient."

"Oh. Right," Pika-pi charges down the corridor as his usual breakneck speed. I shake my head about to follow but Victor speaks.

"Just please return safely . . . "

I start looking up at him. His face is grave, I think he hasn't noticed I'm still there.

My eyes widen . . . if Victor is worried . . . is it possible we have underestimated the danger Pika-pi might be in?

I hear him calling me and take off after him.

"Pikachu," he greets me as I jump up into his lap. We're taking Tauros Ethan has provided. We wave good-bye to the rest of the clan then set out.

"When do we get to eat?"

Even I sigh.

"Satoshi, you asked that question twenty minutes ago!"

"Has it only been that long?" Satoshi blinks. "I guess it's hard to judge time when your stomach's empty."

Matisse wondered under his breathe if my Pika-pi's stomach was not the only thing about him that was empty . . . the two of them grated on each other's nerves.

"Raaaichu," Raichu sighed,

"Pikaaa," I agreed. I sighed as our journey continued. I couldn't help but wonder if the human's bickering might not be their way of dealing with the uneasy feeling that lingered in the air. I was sure that even with their blunted sense they must be able to feel this . . . just the vague worrying feeling that something was going to happen . . .

"Attack! Wheezing go!"

Well. It looked as if our sense were right. "Pika-Pikachu!" I yelled, even as I readied myself for the fight. If they wanted an attack they were going to get one!

But instead I found myself choking as a thick brown gas began to choke me. I heard the humans choking too. "Yuuji, I'll take the electric Pokémon. You get Satoshi out of here!" Matisse ordered.

"Satoshi! Run! I'll cover you!"

The smoke began to make my head spin.

"No!"

"Pika?" I said shocked. Had he gone crazy?

"I'm not leaving my friends!"

"Pika? Pikachu!"

"Charizard . . . use your wings!"

"CHARR!" There was a moment then the cloud began to dim. Finally the full extent of our situation became apparent. Yuuji and Satoshi and us Pokémon were facing a force of warriors, all clad in the familiar purple we knew so well. And with them, a smirking Persian behind which stood . . .

"Sakaki!" Yuuji yelled. "I see you've finally decided to come clean about the poison clan's criminal activities!"

"We have no need to hide," the poison master sneered.

"Wait till Wataru-daimyo learns of this!"

"And all the other clan-leaders!" Pika-pi adds. Looks like Shigeru's lecture on how to act in front of despotic clan-leaders went down as well as any of Matisse-san's . . . which is to say not at all.

"The Dragon-clan will shortly be no threat to our power," Sakaki smiled. "As will the other clans. Now . . . give us what we want. Your lightning Pokémon!"

"Hah!" Yuuji yelled. "Matisse-san has already escaped with the electric Pokémon! You won't be getting your filthy hands on any of them!"

"Uh . . ." Pika-pi and I shared a look, then sidled over to each other casually. "Stay hidden," Pika-pi said, placing me in one of the saddle bags.

"It's true, Daimyo! Matisse-san took out left wing and is well away from here already! Shall we try and overtake him?"

"No, I don't think so," Sakaki-san said and the Persian purred. "Not when we have everything we need right here. Soon Matisse will be offering us any of the storm clan Pokémon we like."

I growled deep in the saddle bag. I did not like that smarmy Persian's tone at all, and liked even less Sakaki's confidence.

"Why would Matisse-san do that?" Pika-pi wondered.

Yuuji laughed. "You must be mad if you think we'd surrender our Pokémon to you!"

"You will have no choice," Sakaki nodded and purple-clad warriors began their advance, their swords drawn. "Not when I hold your lord prisoner!"

"Pi!" I gasped. He couldn't . . . not my Pika-pi!

"You're not getting Satoshi without a fight!" Yuuji yelled back.

"Dat's right!" Meowth proclaimed. "Say, why does dat sound so familiar?"

"Squirtle, Squirt!"

"Bulba!"

Caterpie added a defiant "Preeee!" that made the Persian hiss. I had no idea the cute little fellow had such a dirty mouth.

"Charrr!"

"You guys . . . mean that? You'll fight to defend me?" I could tell by the sound of my Pika-pi's voice that he was getting teary.

"Squirt!"

"Well then, let's show them what a mistake it is to mess with us!"

There is a deafening roar as all our Pokémon shout their agreement. I itch to be out there with them . . . but no, I'm supposed to be keeping hidden.

"Get the boy! Destroy the others!"

There is the sound of metal meeting metal and the battle is joined. I hear Meowth shouting orders to the Ninja Squirtle, Charizard roaring (accompanied by lots of frantic screams) and sometimes the sound of my Pikapi shouting instructions to Bulbasaur, Caterpie and the Tauros upon whose back the saddle bag I'm in is tied.

Shouldn't I be helping? I wonder. If I go out there, Sakaki will have no reason to take my Pika-pi . . . but then he'll have the lightning Pokémon he wants. We don't know why he wants a storm type so much . . . but it can't be good. I questioned myself over and over while all the time the battle raged around me.

Then . . . "Victreebell! Sleep powder!"

"Weezing! Add smoke screen so they won't know what hit them!"

There is a lot of coughing. "Charizard!" Pika-pi calls dully.

"Char!"

"Oh no you don't! Muk! Sludge attack and put out it's fire!"

"No! Cha-ri-zard . . ."

Pika! Pika-pi doesn't sound too good. I risk a peek from the saddle bag . . . then the Tauros I'm on slowly collapses . . . luckily not on me. From my new position I see Weezing's smoke screen clearing to reveal Pika-pi and the others all prone.

"Nice work, Victreebell . . . no, don't attack me! We've finished the attack! Help! Help me!"

"You two secure the boy. The rest of you, start shifting these other Pokémon into the cages. It's quite handy, finding so many different types like this. Really, they might have been expecting us."

Sakaki sounds pleased and it turns my stomach. I can't bear to think what he might do to my Pika-pi. I jump out of the saddle bag and place myself between Pika-pi and the poison-lord.

"PiKAchu! PikaCHU!" I growl. I summon the power that lies at my command, and sparks crackle around me as I raise all the power I have at my command.

"The Pikachu!"

"Should we try to capture it?"

"Leave this to me," Sakaki steps towards me. I snarl, remembering that the humans have told me he was responsible for the destruction of the lightning clan-- which meant he was probably the reason I grew up without knowing anything of my herd or family.

"Piiiiii."

"I wouldn't be so hasty, little warrior," Sakaki circles me and before I realise what he has done has scooped up my unconscious Pika-pi.

"Pikachu! Pika-pikachu!" I screech.

"Now don't be hasty. After all if you attack me your precious master will get hurt. And we don't want that to happen, do we?"

"Pika," I hang my head in defeat. He has me -- I can't let Pika-pi get hurt.

"Wonderful. Now you will come with us and you will obey my orders understand?"

"Pika." I spit the words out.

The Persian spits at me. Sakaki however is not upset.

"Very good. Into the cage . . . " I complied sullenly, sulking as the door of the wicker cage was fastened behind me. Kojiro --take the Pikachu."

"Me sir?"

"Do I see any other Kojiros around here?"

"Uh . . ."

"He wasn't questioning that, O gracious lord. He merely wondered if he was really fit for such an honour."

"When I want your opinion Musashi I'll ask for it. You, take the boy."

"Pika!" I gasped.

"But . . . what do you want him for? You said you were going to use him to get the storm Pokémon and you have the Pikachu . . . "

"I don't need you to tell me what I said. No," Sakaki bent down to look me over. "This particular Pikachu has already put me to a lot of trouble. I won't take any chances. The boy will secure it's cooperation."

Now it was my turn to hiss. "Pikachu! Pika-pika! Pikachu!"

"See that you don't stuff this up," the two samurai gulped as Sakaki-san turned his attention back to them.

"Of course!"

"We won't let you down!"

"Good," Sakaki-san turned back to the rest of his forces. "Onward to the clan meeting."

I looked anxiously to where the pink haired samurai was tying my Pika-pi's arms and legs.

"Sorry about this kid," she muttered. "But an order is an order. Can't have you getting away this time."

"Pika-pi," I said sadly. Would he be all right? What was going to happen to us?

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