3rd POV

Suicune didn't know whether to thank his brother or drown him.

Granted, they'd all agreed to sharing the same mate if it ever came to that (Well, Entei hadn't necessarily agreed, so to speak. It was two against one, so the fire dog had been forced to back down on the matter), but Raikou had chosen without consulting any of his brothers first. It was rude.

"You say that like you don't like my choice."

That was beside the point. "Beside the point, Rai."

Beneath his black and yellow striped coat, Raikou's solid shoulders rolled. A shrug. "I like her."

Suicune fought back a slight smile. It was unfair that his brother knew him so well to the point of being able to spontaneously decide who his lifelong mate would be. So unfair.

"And don't pretend that you don't, just for the sake of scolding me, Brother," Raikou continued. He balanced easily as he walked across the thick steel railing of the fence beside them. "Let's not forget I'm well over a hundred years old. I know what I'm doing, bro."

"Get down from there," Suicune hissed. Then, a pause. "I don't forget. But then you go using human terms like 'bro,' and that's when I question your mentality."

"Whatever." Raikou slid off the railing. "Nobody's around here to see me."

"Always be cautious-"

"-even when it looks like the coast is clear," Raikou finished Suicune's quote. "You're boring."

"And you're irresponsible," Suicune fired back. "Did you consider what Entei will say?"

"Why are you even worried about that old downer?" Raikou whined. "You know what he said. His exact words, 'you two freaks can share a mate if you'd like. The one in your heads, of course.' He was practically asking for it."

Suicune rolled his eyes. Entei hadn't thought that their 'pact' would ever come to play. Boy would he be surprised.

"Fine," the water beast sighed. "I'll leave it alone. But don't come running to me to put the flames out when Entei catches you." 'I'll probably be too busy with my new mate.' He didn't add that part, though.

"Cool. Where the hell is that friend of yours, again?"

"You mean Dais." Suicune was feeling irritated at his brothers lack of care for the names of others.

Raikou wasn't picking up on his brothers irritation. "Yeah, yeah. The crazy one."

Suicune felt a headache coming on. "We ran all the way to Kanto and you don't even know where you're trying to get to?"

"I don't need to." Raikou's voice was as careless as his shrug. "You know, don't you?"

Suicune definitely felt the headache that came on.

MallePOV

As it turns out, the Pokémon inhabiting the lake are actually quite nice.

When the first horsea had broke off from its little group to come and sniff inquisitively at my legs, of course I was a little nervous. But then it bumped me with its snout, and I couldn't help but reach under the water to pet it. The other Pokémon heard its noises of pleasure and came to investigate.

One thing led to another, and now I'm stuck in the middle of a water fight. The scores are actually quite even, with seven to my side and eight to the other. The little horsea- who I've learned is a male- is on my side, sniping members of the opposite team with precision and accuracy that's surprising for such a small Pokémon. Looking closer, I can see that his projectiles are actually small balls of compact ink.

A large wave of water floats over my head, and I barely have enough time to throw my arms over my face before it crashes down on me. The force sends me falling backwards into the water.

A voice laughs in my head. 'Another one for the blue team, it seems.'

I resurface, panting, and then pout. "No fair. You're just the referee."

The lakes resident psychic, a slowbro named Dorian, laughed at me again. 'That doesn't mean that I can't get involved.'

The mayhem around me stops, the Pokémon involved in the water fight having tired out. I slide back into the water so I'm floating on my back, the sun shining down on the front of my body, warming me up. I had almost forgotten that I was naked.

The horsea, who had been watching me intently, mimics my actions so he is floating on his back beside me.

Dorian makes a noise of intrigue.

I blink, closing my eyes completely as I slide under the gentle waves. When I re-emerge, I give Dorian an inquisitive look.

'It's just strange, is all,' the slowbro began. 'How Sir Suicune brought a human to the lake.'

And, with those words, my whole situation comes crashing back. I cover my face with my wet hands and groan. "My mom's going to kill me."

Dorian, silent for a moment, speaks up again. 'I think I know what's going on.'

"Do tell," I grumble, half submerging myself in water. The horsea drifts around my shoulders.

'You must be here because of Sir Raikou, first,' Dorian starts with a slight laugh. 'As a result of his and his brothers' strange pact.'

"Pact," I muse, shitting so I'm kneeling on the shallow lake sand. "Can you tell me more about that?"

'Certainly. Ages ago, Lord Ho-Oh- you know who that is, correct?'

I nod.

'Well, Sir Raikou was lonely, to put it shortly. So was Sir Suicune, he was just less vocal about it.'

"And Entei?" I interrupt, curious. "What about him?"

Dorian just shrugs. 'Even I'm not sure about what goes through his head, and I'm psychic. Anyway, Sir Raikou somehow managed to get Sir Suicune to file a complaint with their master, Lord Ho-Oh.'

"What is this, a democracy?" I quote my mother with a brief snicker. Dorian gives me a long, unimpressed look. I shut up.

'Their collective complaint was that they were feeling lonely, and not in the friendship sense. They wanted a companion- one to love, to cherish, to protect.'

'And to fuck,' I add mentally.

'They couldn't find one on their own, simply because if they did, then he or she wouldn't last long. Humans and normal Pokémon don't live forever like legendaries, you see. Lord Ho-Oh felt bad for his children. So, using the majority rules excuse, he made a deal with all three of them. If they were able to find one mate to share, then Lord Ho-Oh would grant their chosen mate eternal life as long as the three beasts were alive.'

Eyes wide, I mouth 'holy shit' to no one in particular.

Dorian gives me a wry smile. 'Holy shit indeed, Miss…' his eyes seem to glow briefly. 'Grey.'

He continues his story before I can call out his mind reading.

'There was a catch, however. Even though a mate could be chosen by just two of the three brothers, all three beasts have to be in full acceptance of the chosen mate for Lord Ho-Oh to fulfill his end of the deal.'

"How does one show full acceptance?" I inquire nervously.

At this point, Dorian's facial fur seems to grow a tad bit darker. 'Well…' he looked away awkwardly. 'Acceptance is shown by the act of… copulation between the chosen mate and the legendary beast.'

My mind goes blank. "Well then, I guess Raikou sure 'accepts' me."

Dorian huffs. 'No need to share such information, Miss Grey."

I smile lopsidedly. "Sorry, Dor."

Horsea squeals, suddenly, and I jump nearly out of the water. Dorian begins to cackle like a madman, further confusing me. "What?"

'Oh, nothing, Miss Grey,' Dorian said through laughter. 'It's just that the young one here said something quite amusing.'

I look down at the small horsea, and he just gives me a doe eyed look.

"And what would that be?"

'He said that if you asked nicely, some of the local rapidash can give you riding lessons for free- for practice's sake, of course.'

"I thought you were innocent."