The Rainbow Gang
Chapter 7 - Price of Victory
By Mega Raichu

Pikachu stood in his usual spot, in front of the ruined reactor, but this time, he was not lost in his thoughts. This time his mind was stuck on the wonderful thought that his plan was working. The Voice had even congratulated him on his fine work, and that pleased Pikachu even more. He was totally at ease. Nothing could upset his mood.

"Um, sir?" Pikelle's voice from behind him asked. "Boss Alakazam is here to see you."

That could upset his mood. Pikachu sighed. He knew this would happen and had planned ahead. His psychics had given him a mind reading shield. Not even Alakazam could read his mind. Pikachu followed Pikelle to the meeting room. Alakazam stood as the two mice entered. Pikachu dismissed Pikelle with a wave of his hand. She left the room and closed the door.

"What's the meaning of this?" Alakazam asked, getting right to the point.

"I have no idea what you are talking about." Pikachu replied, suppressing a smile.

Alakazam slammed his fist on the table that separated them.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about! You're building an army!"

"My dear friend." Pikachu said in an all-innocent tone of voice. "I am not building an army. I am merely providing a home for the less fortunate. Those bug gang members were more than happy to accept my invitation."

"Invitation?"

"I merely extended an invitation for them to join up with a neutral force so they would not have to worry about Blastoise hunting them down. You know as well as I do how he can be."

Alakazam had been secretly trying to read Pikachu's mind, but he found nothing incriminating. It angered him, but Alakazam hid the emotion from Pikachu.

"You're hiding something."

"I most certainly am not. How long have you known me? I've never hid anything from anyone."

"Understatement of the year." The Voice quietly remarked.

"Hmpf." Alakazam muttered. "There's no way that my gang is going to go out to a rumble just so you could have a chance to gather some of my forces."

Pikachu smiled.

"Don't you dare." The voice interjected.

"Don't what? I want to call his bluff." Pikachu thought.

"That's what he wants you to do. If you call his bluff right now, then he will probably call you out for a rumble. You aren't strong enough to face him yet. Let him have his way for now."

"If I do, he may end up being called out anyway and will have no choice but to fight in a rumble, I see."

Pikachu focused on Alakazam.

"Alright Alakazam, have it your way."

Alakazam almost fell back. He wasn't expecting Pikachu to give in like that.

"You've changed Pikachu."

"How so?"

"Before you would have not thought twice about arguing with me."

"Well, I guess I've grown up a little."

"Then I suppose my business is concluded here."

Alakazam stood, and teleported out. Pikachu stood and left the room. Pikelle was conversing with some of the other female gang members, but she quickly ended her conversations and rushed over to Pikachu. Pikachu and Pikelle headed toward the front of the compound.

"It's been a long day Pikelle. I think I'll go home." Pikachu said.

"Yes sir." She said.

"Quit calling me sir. My name is Pikachu." Pikachu said.

He opened the door, and smiled at her before closing it behind him. Pikachu started walking down the path to his home.

It wasn't long before Pikachu saw Alakazam again. Only a few days had passed since their last meeting. Alakazam sat in the same chair, in the same room they had conversed in earlier.

"Now Charizard wants to rumble." Alakazam said.

"So? Why bother me?" Pikachu asked. "Looking for support? Well I'm sorry. I'm neutral remember?"

"It's not that. I want you to stay away from the rumble."

"I'll do as I please Alakazam. I can go anywhere and do anything as long as I don't interfere with the battle."

"Hmpf. Just stay out of my way." Alakazam said as he teleported.

"Do you think he knows?" Pikachu thought to the Voice.

"Its not possible. But he's probably just guessing your motives. As long as he doesn't find out that he's right, that little bit of doubt will remain in his mind. So he can't really do anything to you as long as that doubt is there." The Voice said.

"Good enough for me."

"You are going to the battle right?"

"Of course. I need to be there to extend my invitation."

"Oh, good."

"Why do you ask?"

"Curiosity."

Pikachu shrugged and walked out of the room.

Once again, the battle lines were drawn. This time the fire gang stood at one end, and the psychic gang at the other. Pikachu, his two brothers, and the younger Raichu's children stood on a hill, watching as the two veteran gangs prepared themselves for battle.

"This will be better than the last rumble huh papa?" One of the Pichus piped up in an excited voice.

"Much better." Raichu said.

"These two gangs have been around for as long as I can remember." The older Raichu said.

Pikachu overheard the conversation, and had to admit that he too was excited about seeing this battle. Memories of the rumble between the electric gang and the psychic gang flooded into his mind. He was curious to see if the psychic gang had improved over these past few years.

"What about you Voice? Are you excited about this battle?" Pikachu thought.

The Voice did not respond. Pikachu turned his attention to the upcoming battle, ignoring the Voice's odd silence. Soon it seemed as though the two gangs were ready to fight. Alakazam moved to the front of his forces and Charizard made a similar move. Alakazam stared at Charizard, reading the fire lizard's mind. Charizard stood, completely unaware that Alakazam was poking around in his mind, and wore a completely obvious expression of overconfidence on his face. Alakazam pointed forward issuing a silent psychic command to his troops. The psychic gang surged forward. Charizard let out a monstrous roar and the fire gang rushed towards the advancing psychic pokémon. The two armies clashed in an explosion of fire and raw psychic energy. The two armies battled on for what seemed like an eternity. As the battle raged on, Pikachu began to feel a twinge of pain in his head. It only started out as a small annoying pain, but soon it grew into a migraine. He began to rub his temples. The eldest Raichu looked over and noticed Pikachu's predicament.

"You okay?" Raichu asked.

"Umf… Just got this awful headache." Pikachu said. "I'll be fine."

"Must be from all that psychic energy being thrown around. Let's go home." Raichu said.

Before Pikachu could argue, Raichu looked over to the younger Raichu, who was totally engrossed in the battle, as was his children, who were rooting for different sides.

"Hey!" The older Raichu shouted.

The younger Raichu turned to face his older brother.

"Pikachu's not well. I'm taking him back home. You deal with things on this end." The older Raichu said.

The younger Raichu gave his older brother an affirmative nod and turned back to the battle at hand. The children cheered as the battle raged on. The older Raichu led Pikachu back to the Rainbow Gang headquarters.

Back at the headquarters, Pikachu's migraine only got worse. Raichu was getting worried. The gang's doctor, a Chansey, looked him over and announced that there was nothing wrong with him. Some of the gang's psychics tried to tell what was wrong, but came up blank.

"Bah! Leave me alone!" Pikachu declared as he pushed his way towards his usual spot.

His older brother watched as Pikachu walked away. Pikachu tried to shake off the pain with a head shake but it did not help any. The pain was bothering him so much that he did not notice that Pikelle was following him.

"Pikachu?" She asked.

Pikachu jumped.

"Oh it's you." He said.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

He turned back towards the ruins, trying to clear his mind. They stood there for a long while. Pikachu could hear the voices of Raichu's children as they entered the complex. Pikachu smiled as he turned and left the ruins to greet his brother.

"Oh but if it were really that easy." The Voice suddenly said.

Pikachu blacked out.

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