The sky over Black Cloud City was perpetually gloomy, as if it would press down on the ground.
Ash looked up at the heavy dark clouds, their impenetrable grayness making him frown.
"This place certainly lives up to its name," Xiao You said, opening her umbrella to block the sudden raindrops.
"They say it rains three hundred days a year in Black Cloud City."
Brock flipped through the travel guide in his hand: "The book says this is due to a special geographical location that causes warm, moist air currents to gather and linger here."
He looked up at the sky. "We should head to the Pokémon Center first; Pikachu looks like he needs some rest."
Pikachu, perched on Ash's shoulder, indeed looked exhausted, his ears drooping, and faint electric sparks occasionally flickering from the electric sacs on his cheeks.
"Pika..." he weakly cried out.
"Hold on, Pikachu!" Ash gently stroked his back. "We'll be at the Pokémon Center in no time."
The three walked through the wet streets, where streetlights were on even during the day, adding an eerie glow to the cloud-shrouded city.
Pedestrians hurried along, seemingly unwilling to linger for another second in the dreadful weather.
The red roof of the Pokémon Center stood out in the gloomy city, but upon entering, Ash immediately sensed something was wrong.
The lobby was so dim he could barely see, with only a few emergency lights providing faint illumination.
"Is anyone here?" Ash called out loudly, his voice echoing in the empty lobby.
After a long while, a pink-haired woman in a nurse's uniform slowly emerged from an inner room.
"What is it?" she asked with a yawn, not even bothering to look at them.
"Nurse Joy, my Pikachu needs treatment!" Ash urgently handed Pikachu over.
Nurse Joy finally bothered to lift her head, glancing casually at Pikachu. "Just put him over there; I'll look at him when I have time."
She pointed to a table in the corner.
"What?" Ash's eyes widened in disbelief. "He needs treatment now! Look how bad his condition is!"
Joy impatiently waved her hand. "All the Pokémon here are like this. Who can be in good condition when they're wet all the time?"
She turned to leave. "If you want treatment, put him there. If not, feel free to leave."
Brock quickly stepped forward to mediate: "Nurse Joy, we are Trainers from Pallet Town. Pikachu's condition is really not good. Would you mind..."
"Pallet Town?" Joy finally stopped, turning to scrutinize them. "Oh, that little town that produces Champion candidates every year?"
She suddenly put on a perfunctory smile. "Alright then, give me the Pokémon."
Ash reluctantly handed Pikachu over, watching her carelessly place Pikachu into the treatment machine, directly activating it without even a basic check-up.
"Is this really okay?" Xiao You whispered.
Ash clenched his fist. "Of course not! She's not treating him seriously at all!"
After the treatment, Pikachu's condition did improve a little, but it was far from the effect achieved after treatment at other Pokémon Centers.
Ash suppressed his anger and took Pikachu to their room to rest.
"This Nurse Joy is outrageous!" Ash couldn't help but complain as soon as he closed the door. "How can she treat Pokémon who need treatment like that?"
Brock sighed. "Perhaps the environment here has affected her work attitude. People can easily become negative when they don't see sunlight for years."
Xiao You pulled back the curtains, revealing the same impenetrable dark clouds outside. "We'll rest here tonight and leave first thing tomorrow morning."
As night fell, Black Cloud City became even more eerie.
Streetlights formed blurry halos in the rain, and hardly any pedestrians could be seen on the streets.
Ash lay in bed, listening to the incessant rain outside, unable to sleep.
Suddenly, all the lights in the city went out simultaneously.
"What's going on?" Ash sat up abruptly, the room plunging into complete darkness.
He fumbled in his backpack and pulled out a flashlight.
Urgent footsteps echoed in the corridor, followed by a knock on the door.
"Ash! The power's out!" Xiao You's voice came from outside the door.
The three gathered in the Pokémon Center's lobby, where other travelers also huddled in a panic.
This time, Nurse Joy seemed quite nervous. "Where's the backup generator? Quickly, start the backup generator!"
A staff member ran over to report: "Nurse Joy, the backup generator is also broken! All medical equipment is inoperable!"
"What?" Joy's face turned pale. "What about the Pokémon currently undergoing treatment...?"
Ash immediately thought of the worst-case scenario: "Pikachu is still in the treatment room!"
He didn't care about anything else, rushing towards the treatment room with his flashlight.
In the treatment room, several life-support devices had stopped working, and the condition of several critically ill Pokémon was worsening.
Pikachu lay in one of the treatment pods, breathing faintly.
"We have to do something!" Ash said anxiously.
Nurse Joy finally showed a hint of professionalism. "I'll go check the power plant. If the problem is there, we might be able to make emergency repairs."
"I'll go with you!" Brock immediately volunteered, his eyes sparkling.
Ash and Xiao You exchanged a helpless glance.
"We'll go together too," Xiao You said. "More hands make light work."
Joy nodded. "Then I'll trouble you all. I'll go get some tools first."
While Joy went to prepare, Brock excitedly rubbed his hands. "To be alone with Nurse Joy, what a rare opportunity!"
"Brock..." Ash rubbed his forehead. "We're going to solve a power outage crisis, not go on a date."
"I know, I know," Brock waved his hand. "But work and love aren't mutually exclusive!"
After preparing the necessary tools, the four set off in the heavy rain towards the power plant on the outskirts of the city.
The closer they got to the power plant, the more bizarre the surroundings became.
"Look over there!" Xiao You suddenly pointed to the bushes by the roadside.
Several Magnemite and Magneton were fleeing frantically from the direction of the power plant, their electric glows flickering erratically, looking very panicked.
"Strange," Ash frowned. "Electric-type Pokémon usually prefer environments near power plants."
Continuing forward, they encountered more fleeing Electric-type Pokémon: Electro Ball, Electrode, and even a few rare Electabuzz.
They were all terrified, as if something dreadful was inside the power plant.
"The situation is worse than I imagined," Joy said with a solemn expression. "The abnormal behavior of these Pokémon indicates that the electromagnetic field inside the power plant is completely chaotic."
When they finally arrived at the power plant gate, the entire building was enveloped in an eerie silence.
The huge factory building, which should have been humming with operation, was now as quiet as a tomb.
"Be careful," Ash whispered. "Pikachu, prepare for battle."
Pikachu jumped from his shoulder, the electric glow on his cheeks poised for action.
Pushing open the heavy iron gate, the four cautiously entered the power plant.
Intricate pipes and cables formed eerie shadows in the darkness, with only the beams of their flashlights drawing flickering circles of light on the walls.
"The main control room is over there," Joy pointed in a direction. "We'll go check the control system first."
Just as they were about to move forward, a blinding flash of electricity suddenly erupted from deep within the factory building, illuminating the entire space.
It was followed by a deafening cry, as if thousands of birds were screaming at once.
"What is that sound?" Xiao You covered her ears.
Ash's heart pounded. "I think I know what it is..." His eyes sparkled with excitement. "Follow me!"
Ignoring the others' dissuasion, Ash ran towards the direction of the electric flash.
After passing through several doors, they arrived at the core area of the power plant—the enormous turbine generator room.
And the sight before them made everyone hold their breath.
A giant yellow bird Pokémon hovered above the generator, its outstretched wings flashing with dazzling electric light, its sharp feathers pointing like swords in all directions.
The crest feathers on its head stood tall, and its eyes gleamed with a wild light.
Powerful currents were continuously being absorbed into its body from the generator.
"Zapdos!" Ash exclaimed, his voice trembling with excitement. "The legendary Electric-type Pokémon!"
"Zapdos?" Xiao You's eyes widened in disbelief. "Isn't that a Pokémon that only appears in legends?"
Brock quickly flipped open his Pokédex: "Zapdos, a legendary Electric and Flying-type Pokémon, said to control thunder and lightning, the embodiment of electricity and storms."
Zapdos noticed the intruders, letting out a warning cry, and the electric light around its body became even more violent.
"It's absorbing the generator's electricity!" Joy exclaimed. "That's why the whole city is blacked out!"
Ash's eyes were fixed on Zapdos, his heart pounding like a drum.
He could feel the immense power of this legendary Pokémon and hear the voice within its heart—a pure craving for electricity, like a desert traveler's thirst for water.
"Ash, we have to find a way to make it leave," Xiao You said nervously. "Otherwise, the city's entire power system will be drained!"
But Ash's thoughts were completely different. "No," he said firmly. "I'm going to catch it!"
"What?" Brock looked at him in surprise. "Ash, you need to be careful; legendary Pokémon are very strong!"
Ash had already pulled out a Poké Ball: "Gardevoir, prepare for battle!"
A flash of light, and the elegant Gardevoir appeared before everyone.
She sensed Zapdos's powerful aura but still stood firmly in front of Ash.
Zapdos was enraged by this sudden challenge.
It let out a sharp cry, flapping its wings violently, and a thick bolt of lightning shot directly towards Gardevoir.
"Teleport to dodge!" Ash shouted.
Gardevoir's figure flickered, disappearing from her spot, and the lightning struck where she had just stood, leaving a charred crater on the ground.
"Such a quick reaction!" Brock praised.
Gardevoir appeared behind Zapdos's side. "Dazzling Gleam!" Ash seized the opportunity to command.
Rainbow-colored light erupted from Gardevoir's hands, striking Zapdos's wings.
Zapdos cried out in pain but quickly retaliated, a flick of its wings sending dozens of small lightning bolts raining down.
"Protect!" Ash quickly shouted.
Gardevoir put up a protective shield, blocking most of the attacks, but a few lightning bolts still penetrated the defense, causing her minor injuries.
Zapdos gave no quarter, flying high, its body gathering electricity, preparing to launch an even more powerful attack.
Just at this critical moment, the azure flute on Ash's chest suddenly emitted a dazzling light.
This mysterious pendant was a gift he received from Arceus, and it was now responding to his inner desire.
"That's it!" Ash grabbed the azure flute. "Gardevoir, Mega Evolution!"
Rainbow-colored light connected Ash and Gardevoir, and powerful energy enveloped Gardevoir's body.
When the light dispersed, Mega Gardevoir appeared in a new form—her skirt became more elaborate, the horns on her head extended into a crown-like shape, and powerful psychic energy surrounded her.
"Amazing!" Xiao You exclaimed. "No matter how many times I see Mega Evolved Gardevoir, she's always so beautiful!"
Zapdos sensed the threat.
It no longer held back its power, its body surging with electricity, illuminating the entire generator room with blinding electric light.
"Thunderbolt!" Ash could hear Zapdos's battle cry in his mind.
A massive current poured down like a waterfall, striking Gardevoir directly.
"Double Team!" Ash quickly commanded.
Mega Gardevoir instantly split into dozens of duplicates; Zapdos's attack only hit the illusions.
The real Gardevoir had already quietly appeared directly above Zapdos.
"Now, Moonblast!" Ash shouted.
Gardevoir condensed a huge pink Energy Ball in her hands and slammed it hard onto Zapdos's back.
The shockwave of the explosion shook the entire factory building, and Zapdos let out a painful cry, falling from the air and crashing heavily to the ground.
"It worked!" Brock cheered.
Zapdos struggled to get up but was clearly out of strength.
Ash knew this was the best time to catch him.
He took out a special Poké Ball from his backpack—an Insulator Ball, specifically designed for catching Electric-type Pokémon.
"Go, Insulator Ball!" Ash threw the ball with all his might.
The Insulator Ball arced through the air, accurately hitting Zapdos.
The ball opened, sucking Zapdos in as a red light.
The ball shook violently after landing, once, twice, thrice...
"Ding!" With a crisp sound, the capture was successful!
"Awesome!" Ash ran over to pick up the Poké Ball, excitedly raising it above his head. "I caught Zapdos!"
At this moment, the power plant's equipment suddenly restarted, the turbines began to spin, and lights came on one after another.
In the distance, Black Cloud City's lights also gradually returned, and the entire city came back to life.
"The power's back on!" Joy said in surprise. "After Zapdos stopped absorbing electricity, the system automatically restarted!"
Xiao You ran to the window, looking at the city gradually lighting up in the distance. "It's amazing! Ash, you not only caught a legendary Pokémon but also saved the entire city!"
Brock patted Ash's shoulder. "Well done! But..." He turned to Nurse Joy, his eyes turning into hearts again. "Nurse Joy, now that the crisis is over, can we...?"
Nurse Joy, however, had already reverted to her previous lazy demeanor. "Ah, since the problem is solved, I need to go back to the Pokémon Center. There will definitely be many Pokémon needing treatment tonight."
She yawned and turned to leave.
Brock was petrified in place, as if a few fallen leaves were blowing past him in the background.
Upon returning to the Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy's attitude, though still lazy, at least began to treat Pokémon seriously.
Ash checked Pikachu's condition, confirming that he had fully recovered.
"Tomorrow we'll set off for Fuchsia City," Ash told his companions, tightly gripping the Poké Ball containing Zapdos in his hand.
"With Zapdos joining us, our team is even stronger!"
It was late, and the rain outside continued to fall, but the lights of Black Cloud City were brighter than ever.
Ash lay in bed, listening to Pikachu's steady breathing, looking forward to tomorrow's journey.
Zapdos's Poké Ball lay by his pillow, occasionally flashing with a hint of electricity, as if responding to his anticipation.