Catching Zapdos

Zapdos cried out and spread its wings, electricity flashing around its body. With a single Thunderbolt, it canceled out every attack.

Xia You could not help praising it. "You really do live up to your reputation as a Legendary Pokémon! Even outnumbered, you can still handle everything so calmly!"

Perhaps annoyed by his chatter, a bolt of electricity suddenly shot toward him. Xia You hurriedly ducked into the doorway, narrowly escaping being burned to a crisp.

Peeking out again, Xia You continued shouting, "Kirlia, find a way to stop it from moving!"

Kirlia raised both hands, surrounding Zapdos with invisible psychic power. But perhaps the gap in level, strength, and base stats was simply too great. Zapdos struggled a few times and broke free.

After gliding in a circle beneath the skylight, Zapdos suddenly began spinning. Its long beak glowed as it charged straight at Ivysaur.

"Oh no, that's Drill Peck! Charmander, use Smokescreen, quick!"

Drill Peck was a Flying-type move. Not only was it super effective against Grass-types, but at Zapdos's level, a direct hit would be enough to knock Ivysaur out.

Hearing the command, Charmander opened its mouth and expelled a cloud of black smoke, shrouding the room and hiding the others from sight.

Zapdos lost its target. A moment later, its attack veered off course, and its beak slammed into the floor. The force was so great that it not only punched a large hole in the ground, but seemed to shake the entire electrical room.

Having missed its target, Zapdos flew high into the air again. But amid the smoke, its crackling body stood out like a bright light bulb.

Suddenly, a stream of water and a jet of flame pierced the thick smoke from opposite sides, striking Zapdos at the same time.

Zapdos cried out in pain, then beat its wings and dispersed all the smoke.

Just then, two vines shot up from below, wrapping around Zapdos's wings.

"Ivysaur! Nicely done!" Xia You's eyes lit up as he shouted, "Pull it down, quick!"

Ivysaur strained with all its might to drag Zapdos to the ground, but Zapdos beat its wings, stubbornly holding its position in the air as the two reached a stalemate.

"Jolteon, use Quick Attack!"

Jolteon accelerated sharply, took a few steps up the wall, then leaped into the air and slammed into Zapdos.

Despite its name suggesting electricity, Quick Attack was actually a Normal-type move. The impact sent Zapdos off balance, giving Ivysaur the opening it needed to yank it straight down.

"Now!" Xia You shouted. "Everyone, attack!"

His Pokémon struck together, landing several more moves on Zapdos at once.

Taking the full brunt of the attacks, Zapdos let out an anguished cry. But it was a Legendary Pokémon, after all. Even under their concentrated assault, it did not fall. Instead, electricity instantly enveloped its body as it unleashed another Thunderbolt!

Violent, furious bolts of electricity rampaged through the electrical room, striking indiscriminately. Xia You's Pokémon scattered to dodge them, while the equipment inside the power plant was caught in the destruction as well.

When Xia You peeked out from behind the door again, explosions, thick smoke, sparks, and wrecked machinery had become the defining features of the room.

His gaze swept quickly over his Pokémon. Apart from Jolteon, all of them had suffered varying degrees of damage and looked battered, but thankfully, none had fallen. Even Squirtle had used Withdraw to protect itself in that crucial instant.

Zapdos beat its wings and soared high, staring down at the Pokémon it considered so feeble, its eyes seeming to burn with fire.

After such humiliation, it was now utterly enraged!

With an angry cry, dark clouds suddenly gathered above the power plant, visible through the shattered skylight. In just a few seconds, thick clouds blanketed the entire sky, plunging it into darkness.

Lightning flashed through the clouds from time to time, as though a terrifying thunderstorm were brewing within them.

Xia You swallowed and was just about to give an order when he suddenly received a call from Professor Cerise.

Without thinking much of it, Xia You answered and switched on the speakerphone. Professor Cerise's urgent voice immediately came through.

"Xia You, is everything all right over there? I thought I heard an explosion just now, and this whole area, including the laboratory, has lost power. What on earth happened?"

Looking up at the dark clouds, Xia You gave a wry smile. "Sorry, Professor. We've run into a little trouble here, but whatever the outcome, I think it'll all be over soon!"

As he spoke, a tremendous bolt of lightning crashed down from the sky, pierced the skylight, and engulfed the entire electrical room.

Thunder was an Electric-type move whose immense power and wide range could sweep up every enemy within it. Even if the damage was not enough after a hit, it still had a chance of inflicting paralysis.

Trapped inside the electrical room, the Pokémon had nowhere to dodge. Yet at that critical moment, a small figure actually leaped into the air of its own accord to meet the lightning.

It was Jolteon!

Before Xia You could call out, the lightning struck Jolteon with a deafening thunderclap, erupting in a brilliant flash that nearly blinded him.

Once everything settled, Xia You hurriedly looked toward Jolteon. To his astonishment, it stood there slightly out of breath, but the lightning had not harmed it at all!

He froze for a moment, then suddenly remembered his Jolteon's Ability.

Volt Absorb: Pokémon with this Ability are unaffected by Electric-type moves. When hit by an Electric-type move, they take no damage and recover a small amount of HP.

"Fantastic, Jolteon!"

In midair, Zapdos had not expected this outcome either. While it paused to catch its breath, Kirlia used Confusion and Ivysaur lashed out with its vines, trapping it with both moves at once.

"Don't give it another chance to fight back!" Xia You shouted. "Everyone, attack together and finish it!"

A colorful barrage of moves struck Zapdos simultaneously. This time, it could endure no more and fell from the air!

Now's my chance!

Seeing the opening, Xia You decisively pulled out a Poké Ball and threw it.

The Poké Ball traced a perfect arc through the air and struck Zapdos. A flash of red light drew Zapdos inside, but a second later, it immediately broke free!

It still has strength left?!

"Keep it up, everyone! Keep attacking!"

Several more moves struck Zapdos, drawing an anguished cry. Yet with the last of its strength, it managed to unleash another Thunderbolt!

Bzzzzzt!!

After the dazzling light faded, Xia You's Pokémon could no longer withstand the damage and fell one after another. In the end, only Jolteon remained standing!

"Damn it!" Knowing they had reached the most critical moment and that he absolutely could not give up now, Xia You gritted his teeth and shouted, "Jolteon, Quick Attack!"

Jolteon accelerated abruptly and slammed into Zapdos with the speed of a meteor!

This time, Zapdos had no strength left to resist. With one final, faint cry, it collapsed to the ground!

Xia You's heart was in his throat!

He pulled out another Poké Ball and threw it at Zapdos.

After a flash of red light, Zapdos entered the ball for the second time. The Poké Ball shook violently, then shook again, and again, until a few seconds later, it finally went dark with a click.

Slowly picking it up, Xia You stared in a daze at the red-and-white Poké Ball before him.

Did I really just catch Zapdos?!