Chapter 149: Zapdos
With no time to investigate further, the woman urgently ordered her subordinates to attack. Dozens of Pokémon launched their moves at Moltres simultaneously. Just before impact, Moltres swiftly took to the air, unleashing a Flamethrower that blocked most of the attacks—but there were too many, and some got through, like a Magmortar’s Blast Burn and a Crobat’s Air Cutter.
"GRA-OOO!" Moltres’s pained cry echoed through the night sky. It glared down in fury at the Rockets and their Pokémon below.
"Glares won’t help you, Moltres—you’re falling into Team Rocket’s hands tonight!" Athena, one of the Four Generals, stepped forward from the crowd, staring up at Moltres. She tossed the Poké Ball in her hand.
"Come out, Zapdos—reunite with your old friend!"
"ZAAA!!!" With a flash of light, a yellow-feathered Pokémon, its body crackling with electricity, appeared on the scene.
[Pokémon: Zapdos]
[Level: 80 (Time until next level: 3998 days.)]
[Talent: Legendary]
[Friendship: 0]
[Ability 1: Pressure]
[Ability 2: Static]
[Gender: Genderless]
[Moves: Peck (120%), Thunder Wave (120%), Thunder Shock (120%), Quick Attack (120%), Agility (120%), Ancient Power (120%), Charge (120%), Drill Peck (120%), Roost (120%), Discharge (120%), Rain Dance (120%), Thunder (120%), Detect (120%), Magnetic Flux (120%), Light Screen (120%), Thunderbolt (120%), Swagger (120%), Hidden Power (120%), Wild Charge (120%), Zap Cannon (120%), and more...]
[Description: This is a legendary Pokémon. Its ability to control lightning and manipulate the weather has earned it the title "Thunder God."]
The moment it appeared, storm clouds began rolling in overhead.
"Zapdos—Thunder!"
"ZAAA!!!" A massive bolt of lightning struck down from the sky, aimed directly at Moltres’s head. Moltres flapped its wings hard, enveloping itself in a Flame Charge that allowed it to endure the Thunder.
"GRA-OOO!" Moltres let out an enraged cry and fired a Blast Burn at Zapdos—but it wasn’t just facing Zapdos. Dozens of Level 40–50 Rocket Pokémon also attacked. Blast Burn was blocked by Zapdos’s Zap Cannon, leaving Moltres vulnerable to the other attacks. It dodged seven or eight, but couldn’t avoid them all.
Its pained cries echoed across Mt. Ember.
Offshore, Rio frowned. "Zapdos is that obedient? Why the huge difference between legendaries?"
Raikou’s voice immediately rang out: "What do you mean by that, kid? Am I not obedient?"
Rio shot Raikou a sideways glance, smiled, and said nothing. He had to use talk-no-jutsu and make a bet just to get this free-spirited Raikou to occasionally lend a hand. But Zapdos seemed to follow orders without question.
Whenever Moltres tried to attack the Rocket Pokémon, the red-haired woman ordered Zapdos to intercept—and it did. Its obedience was remarkable.
Then Rio noticed something odd through Greninja’s shared vision—a black iron rod was embedded in Zapdos’s head.
Is that why it’s so obedient? Rio wondered.
"GRA-OOO!" Another Zap Cannon from Zapdos sent Moltres shrieking in pain, nearly crashing into the sea.
"I can’t just watch anymore—Raikou, go help!"
With Zapdos’s presence, Moltres was at a disadvantage from the start. If he did nothing, Team Rocket would capture it with minimal losses.
"ROAR!!!" Raikou answered the call, riding its thunderclouds toward Mt. Ember. Its deafening roar reached the Rockets before it did. They all turned—and saw a saber-toothed tiger-like Pokémon charging toward them on storm clouds.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Multiple lightning bolts struck the Pokémon attacking Moltres. One hit was enough to take down several of them.
"Raikou!" Athena stared in shock at the sudden arrival.
At the other side of the summit, Giovanni watched Raikou approach, a flicker of surprise crossing his usually impassive face. "Why is it here?"
Raikou’s appearance shattered the Rockets’ numerical advantage over Moltres. It intercepted most of the attacks aimed at Moltres, its dark purple thundercloud cape flashing as lightning rained down on the Rocket Pokémon, forcing them to focus on defending themselves.
"GRA-OOO!" — Brother, I’ll remember this favor! Moltres cried out in gratitude, now free to go all out against Zapdos.
Raikou grinned but said nothing—already imagining the expression on Moltres’s face when it eventually got caught in a Poké Ball and found itself standing beside Raikou.
"Beedrill—Poison Jab!"
A command rang out.
"Bzzz—" Raikou, still lost in its fantasy, sensed danger and turned—just as a Beedrill shot toward it at terrifying speed. There was no time to react; it slashed across Raikou’s chest with its poisoned stinger.
Pain surged through Raikou’s body. "ROAR!!!" Its cape erupted with electricity as it fired Discharge at Beedrill—but the attack stopped midway. Raikou’s body stiffened, and blood leaked from its mouth.
It had been poisoned.
A few kilometers away, in the dark sky, Rio watched in horror. "Is that... Giovanni’s Beedrill?"
The speed of that single strike was something even Greninja, boosted by Geomancy, couldn’t match. Rio desperately wanted to see Beedrill’s stats—but Greninja would have to expose itself to get a clear view, making it a target.
Rio hesitated. Then Beedrill attacked again—using Fury Attack to circle Raikou, stabbing it relentlessly like a storm. If Raikou hadn’t countered with a Wild Charge to force it back, it might have been stung to death.
"Damn—I knew Giovanni’s Beedrill was strong, but this is absurd. It’s toying with Raikou!" Rio muttered in disbelief.
"I can’t stay hidden any longer—if I do, Raikou will fall before Moltres."
With a flash of light, Rio released Charizard, Munchlax, Annihilape, and the Red Gyarados.
"Brothers—charge! Today, we have only one goal: destroy Team Rocket!"
"Roaar~"
"Ka~"
"Annih~"
"ROAR!!!"
"Gengar~"