"Jiji!" (On Articuno's account, leave now and I'll let bygones be bygones!)
Zapdos trilled from its beak. Current crackled over its body; golden lightning hammered the alloy floor around it black.
Arcs danced as its sharp gaze swept slowly over Grey, Articuno, and Sabrina.
…Something felt off.
The thought flashed through Zapdos's mind, but it dismissed it as overthinking. It had just been a while since it last saw humans.
A mere man and woman—and a domesticated Articuno.
Compared to a veteran of a thousand battles like itself, they were nothing to worry about.
Keh-keh-keh…
When Grey made no move to leave, Zapdos's whole body flared. A brilliant lance of gold blasted down to the floor before him.
"Jiji!" (Well? Scared yet!)
Zapdos spread its wings and climbed, looking down at the Articuno rising to meet it.
Sure, types countered each other.
But don't forget—this was the Abandoned Power Plant!
Its home turf!
"Doesn't feel great having to scrounge for electricity everywhere, does it?"
Grey cut in, aiming straight at the heart.
"Jiji!" (Wh—what are you talking about? As if I, the great Zapdos, would stoop to hunting for stray current!)
Its cry rang loud. Its face visibly flushed.
Because Grey had nailed it.
Ever since it was born, it had roamed the wilds hunting for power.
It had found this plant on a recent sweep and came by to skim a rich haul.
"The city I live in has pretty solid power. The Electric-types there say they eat their fill every day. I also know an Electric-type trainer I might be facing soon," Grey went on, casually name-dropping Lt. Surge. "From what I hear, his Electric-types are strong. As feeders… maybe the taste hits different?"
"Jiji?" (Different how—no, wait, I'm Zapdos. As if I'd drink man-made current!)
For a moment Grey almost had it licking its beak—but then pride snapped back. A Legend living in a human city?
An insult to legend.
"Sounds familiar. Articuno, didn't you used to say something like that?"
Grey smiled and needled the bird above.
"Kyrii." (Said what? That was when I was young and dumb. Now I'm Bird Grandpa. Some run-of-the-mill Zapdos doesn't get to compare itself to me. If it won't come, fine. I'm the one who wouldn't take it—too weak.)
Articuno spat. The spittle froze midair into icy gravel and shattered on the floor.
Just a Zapdos. With Articuno's current strength, one Blizzard would settle it.
"Jiji!" (You *#@%!)
Zapdos lost its temper.
Normally it did the cursing. Today a domesticated Articuno had chewed it out.
How was it supposed to stay rational?
"Want me to act? This Zapdos isn't that strong. With Exeggutor and Alakazam I could probably pin it for a bit," Sabrina offered, psychic power rising around her like a breaking sea.
"No need. It's a Zapdos that isn't even Elite-tier. Articuno's enough. Thanks, though."
Grey shook his head, then stepped forward with his hands in his pockets and let out a slow breath.
White steam curled from his lips as he gave the command: "Blizzard."
Opening with a finisher—the strongest move Articuno knew.
"Kyrii!" (Spiky pigeon—come taste your grandpa's Blizzard!)
Articuno flung wide its wings. Snow erupted between them.
In a blink, countless ice crystals flashed into being and wove with a howling gale into a sky-filling net of frost.
WhoooOOO—
Its wings hammered. Polar wind freighted with ice and snow became a surging torrent of rime.
Air froze in its wake; even the plant's rusted beams glazed white as the Blizzard slammed toward Zapdos hanging beneath the roof.
"Jiji!"
Zapdos refused to yield. Lightning burst outward; a blade of white-hot current gathered from its ragged quills and snapped forward to lash the oncoming storm—
Thunderbolt!
KR-BOOOM!!!
The Blizzard barely even paused. The instant it met that white lash, its irresistible weight ground the Thunderbolt down into spray-fine sparks!
Then it roared higher still, bleaching rebar as it rose. Metal creaked and nearly shattered to grit.
"Jiji?!" (What the—how is this domesticated thing so damn strong?!)
Zapdos's breath hitched. Blizzard filled its pupils, seconds from impact.
It couldn't believe how powerful this storm was.
Even its proud Thunderbolt couldn't check it at all!
"Jiji!" (Fine. Let me show you the savage power you earn by surviving the wilds!)
Zapdos threw back its head; black thunderheads boiled like ink around it.
Cloudbanks rolled in, heavy with violent light.
Purple-white serpents rampaged across the ceiling, snapping and booming.
Rrrrrumble—
A blinding pillar tore the clouds and crashed into the onrushing Blizzard!
Thunder met Blizzard midair, trading blows. Concentric shockwaves rippled out and set off volleying detonations!
"Jiji!" (Evenly matched!)
Zapdos parted its beak. Seeing the skills hold each other in place, its knotted gut almost unclenched.
But—
"Kyrii!" (Who told you it was even!)
Articuno beat its ice-sparkling wings again. A fresh gleam shot out; the Blizzard swelled to several times its previous mass.
From the start, Articuno hadn't used its full strength.
Just a spiky thunderbird—unworthy of the strongest Blizzard it could muster.
"Jiji?!" (What?!)
Thunder buckled, driven backward—then vanished. Only a few straggling arcs testified it had ever been there.
The Blizzard, unspent, crashed into Zapdos. Golden needles of feather iced over; its wingbeats slowed.
Finally, Zapdos fell.
Only its proud "Legend" will kept its eyes from closing as it struck, stopping it from blacking out on the spot.
//Check out my P@tre0n for 20 extra chapters on all my fanfics //[email protected]/Razeil0810