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The easiest way of picturing the relationship between Keith and his Raichu is to imagine the Raichu in a parental role, albeit without the hierarchic implication - Raichu does not expect Keith to listen to it any more than Keith expects Raichu to listen to him. They each have their points of expertise - Keith can boss Raichu around during gym battles, Raichu can boss Keith around during visits from the Legendaries or the Arbiter. They know when they need to defer to each other.

Raichu is intensely protective over Keith, having no tolerance for any sort of threats made against him. It would give its life to protect him. Interestingly enough, this isn't reciprocated - Keith would be very upset to lose Raichu but would avoid doing anything suicidal in an attempt to save it. Beyond that, he takes very good care of it and it spends most of its time out of its pokéball, partaking in his every day life.

Having seen so much of its domesticated time in actual real time, Raichu is one of the most intelligent pokémon on Sehto as a whole, likely only surpassed by the Legendaries.

Ordered roughly from positive to negative, Keith's Raichu…

• …has a parental instinct and unconditional love for Keith Sirius.
• …is fiercely loyal toward the Legendary Council.
• …is fiercely loyal toward Jagdish Tsukinaka.
• …is friendly toward Dakarai N'Sehla.
• …is friendly around the people of Kzye City.
• …is sceptical but cordial around travellers.
• …is deeply sceptical of pokémon trainers, especially those on the Sehto gym circuit.
• …resents Vendetta.

Keith's Raichu began its life with Keith as a bred Pichu when he was in his early teens. Initially, their current roles were reversed, but by the time Keith went on the Sehto gym circuit, Raichu had already established itself as a guardian angel. It's always battled fantastically at his side and almost enjoys the practise (if certainly only on a meta-level). In Taqnateh, it battled Vendetta and gave the psychic pokémon a significantly harder time than average, but ultimately lost - and the rest of Keith's line-up was chewed through far more effortlessly. Knowing Vendetta's stance on its voluntary obedience, it hates him, a sentiment that's certainly mutual.

It certainly understands that most pokémon are not as lucid as it is about their position, however, and even brief discussion with Jagdish Tsukinaka made it defer to the Legendary Council once it learnt that Keith would be allowed to live. It has, though, refused to inform itself about the details of his punishment and prefers to (emotionally) pretend none of it occurred, having avoided Keith during the same and while he recovered from it, simply because it's aware its ties to Keith would have made it act in ways that would serve no one and probably result in its own death at the hands of Vendetta.

Since Taqnateh, Raichu has promised to keep a firmer eye on Keith and offered itself as personally responsible for his good behaviour, something it believes applies not only to pokémon but to humans as well, which has granted Jagdish Tsukinaka a deep respect for its (unfortunately unusual) wisdom.

In its entire lifespan, it's never seen the inside of a pokéball except as a form of stasis post-battling, ideally fortunate in that regard (as opposed to no experience with pokéballs, which in pokémon battling is excessively cruel; and as opposed to constant stasis but for battling, which is similarly ridiculous).

• ThunderShock
• Charm
• Tail Whip
• Thunder Wave
• Sweet Kiss
• Growl
• Quick Attack
• Double Team
• Slam
• Thunderbolt
• Agility
• Thunder
• Light Screen
• Iron Tail
• Focus Punch (invalid, Gen III)

(italics: inferred (as opposed to canonically RPed); bold: same-type attack bonus)

Collected from Arsaga:

As they are a few steps away from the PokéCenter's entrance, something abruptly uncurls into their view, uttering a threatening half-growled: “Chu-u-u-u!”, its small forearms pushed together tensely, a long, wirey tail attaching it to the drain pipe at edge of the roof, it dangling at height of their heads, a blob of black and brown striped fur, electricity sizzling across its cheeks, its eyes narrowed. It's a Raichu, expression distorted by a snarl.

But it doesn't seem to be attacking - and it's tail unhooks abruptly from the piping and it twists itself upright in midair, landing on all fours infront of the PokéCenter's door, its eyes still narrowed - evidently not in the least intimidated by the other two pokémon that just appeared.

The Raichu's tail lashes at the air, its gaze passing across the four of them as though in aggressive suspicion. The short fur covering its shape is standing on end, bristling dangerously, its small, pure white teeth showing past its sneering lips. It 'says' nothing, merely standing protectively before the PokéCenter like a makeshift guard.

As Nikki backs a step, the Raichu takes a tiny leap forward, widening the 'defended territory' a touch, tail corkscrewing slightly before unwinding again in an idle, aimless, but certainly restless lash at the air.

The Raichu regards Nikki with a stern glare, then nods once, simply, as she recalls the massive pokémon and it vanishes in a glare of red. “Rai, rai, rai-rai, chu!” it suddenly utters a barrage of 'words', tone aggressive, but simmered down from before. Its cheeks have stopped sparking, though, so despite there being no change in the rest of its demeanour, it seems a little less hostile now.

As the group makes motions indicating taking their leave, the Raichu's eyes narrow briefly, almost analytically, before it takes a step back itself in gesture of goodwill. It's still 'guarding' the door and its 'wish' has evidently remained the same - that they leave - but it's now quite noticably simmering down. A few moments later, it's shifted its weight into something more casual, almost a sit, its long, thin tail curling around its shape, tip idly clattering against the ground.