Chapter 146: Negotiation

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"It's truly a Zapdos!" Julian felt as if kissed by the goddess of luck; this was incredibly exhilarating. Could his fortunes be turning?

However, Kalia and Sean had deeper concerns. Sean mercilessly shattered Julian's fantasy, saying, "Having a real Zapdos might not be fortunate at all. Legendary Pokémon do not easily accept a master, and you lack the capability to nurture such a creature. Even if you capture this Zapdos, you won't be able to protect it."

Kalia agreed, "Sean is right. A Zapdos egg is extraordinary and wouldn't leave its side without reason. It's possible that the Zapdos itself is searching for its lost egg."

Lian observed the mini Zapdos, which had now fully emerged. Curiously looking around, it then began pecking at the eggshell.

Crunch.

After consuming the shell, the miniature Zapdos turned towards Julian, feeling most familiar with him. Suddenly, it unleashed a Thunder Shock directed straight at Julian.

"Ouch!"

Julian jumped in pain. Despite being newly hatched, even a young Zapdos possesses strong electric energy, making the Thunder Shock quite painful.

"What should I do? Should I just abandon it? This is the Pokemon egg I purchased, and I really don't want to throw it away." Julian hesitated, acknowledging the validity of Sean and Kalia's points. However, owning a Legendary Pokémon wasn't necessarily advantageous for him at this stage.

But could they just abandon it? The little Zapdos seemed unable to fly yet, and releasing it without knowing when someone else might capture such a vulnerable creature wasn't ideal.

Suddenly, Zapdos lunged towards Julian. Having been constantly handled by him during its time as an egg, it had grown familiar with Julian's scent, feeling quite comfortable around him.

"Let's keep this secret for now," Sean suggested. "Hide the Zapdos first; otherwise, chaos will ensue." Several people were already drawn by the commotion, watching their direction. If discovered, it would be disastrous.

News of a young Zapdos appearing would cause a massive stir, as most people were unaware that Legendary Pokémon could lay eggs.

Lian extended his claws, wanting to gently touch the mini Zapdos. The tiny version was incredibly adorable, resembling a cute yellow chick hopping about.

Zzzt!

Sensing Lian's approaching claws, Zapdos unleashed a Thunder Shock. However, for Lian, the zap was negligible.

"Let's go inside the ship cabin; we're too exposed out here," Kalia quickly advised. It was crucial to keep the existence of Zapdos hidden from others, as human nature is unpredictable—no one knows how individuals might react upon encountering a Legendary Pokémon.

"Agreed."

***

Meanwhile, as Zapdos hatched from its egg,

high atop a distant mountain peak enveloped by storm clouds, known for perpetual thunderstorms and continuous rumbling of lightning, it was believed to be inhabited by Zapdos. This place was aptly named Thunderbird Peak.

From deep within the cloud layers, a sharp bird cry echoed, followed by a yellow figure bursting through the clouds, breaking free - unmistakably a Zapdos.

Immediately after Zapdos emerged, another flying bird Pokemon covered in flames soared out alongside it, revealed to be Moltres.

The two Legendary Pokémon flew together in tandem towards a specific direction, capturing the attention of many observers. With both Legendaries present, it was impossible not to notice their presence.

"Zapdos and Moltres?"

"I can't believe I'm seeing two Legendary Pokémon at once! Am I dreaming?"

"Two Legendaries appearing together, is something significant happening?"

Their flight undoubtedly drew considerable attention, including that of the Pokemon League.

"Let's go, chase after Zapdos; we'll find the missing Pokemon egg," moments later, near Thunderbird Peak, three mysterious individuals mounted Staraptors and swiftly pursued Zapdos.

Surprisingly, the speed of the three Staraptors matched Zapdos', rapidly closing the distance as they trailed closely behind Zapdos and Moltres.

Simultaneously, the sudden movement of these two Legendary Pokémon prompted the Pokemon League to react, dispatching Trainers to investigate.

***

Kalia, Julian, and Sean gathered inside the ship's cabin to discuss how to handle the Zapdos chick.

At present, capturing it seemed unwise and could even invite trouble. However, releasing it outright was not an option either; they couldn't bear the thought of someone else forcefully taming the Zapdos.

"Do you have any suggestions?" Julian had given up on capturing Zapdos, realizing it was increasingly unlikely. Still discontented, he felt his luck had simply run out.

If he were already a high-level Trainer, possessing Zapdos wouldn't raise eyebrows, as his strength would deter others from coveting it.

"Why don't we hand it over to the Pokemon Academy? Our academy is part of the Pokemon League, and they will ensure the Zapdos chick's protection, allowing it to grow safely. They might even find its mother," suggested Sean.

While listening to their discussion, Lian entertained the Zapdos, finding it incredibly amusing. Its spiky feathers prickled pleasantly under his touch.

Lian noticed that Zapdos had grown larger, likely due to consuming the eggshell fragments. The shell contained substantial energy, providing nutrients that accelerated its growth.

Zapdos clearly couldn't speak yet, only emitting soft chirps unintelligible to them, much like a baby babbling.

Gradually, Lian bonded with Zapdos, and it stopped releasing electric shocks at him. Considering its low level, energy reserves were limited, making continuous Thunder Shocks unsustainable.

After playing for a while, Zapdos seemed hungry. Lian retrieved an energy cube from Kalia's backpack and offered it to Zapdos' beak.

With its sharp beak, Zapdos nibbled delicately before devouring the cube swiftly. Despite having a small, pointed mouth, its appetite was surprisingly large, finishing the entire energy cube in no time.

Once done, Zapdos chirped, indicating it wanted more. Cleverly, it even approached Kalia's backpack on its own, seeking additional energy cubes.

Lian was taken aback; indeed, Legendary Pokémon possess remarkable intelligence, able to independently search for food.

Concerned that Zapdos might puncture Kalia's backpack with its sharp beak, Lian hastily retrieved another energy cube beforehand.

While Lian played with Zapdos, Kalia, Julian, and Sean decided how to handle the situation. They agreed not to release it immediately but rather find the right location.

Sean mentioned Thunderbird Peak within the Overseas Archipelago, suspected to be a habitat for Zapdos. By bringing their Zapdos there, if other Zapdos were present, they would likely appear and take it away.

This was deemed the best approach; if Thunderbird Peak lacked any Zapdos, they would resort to their second plan and hand it over to the Pokemon League for proper handling.

"Zapdos, I'll really miss you, sniff sniff."

Julian felt reluctant, as he had spent over 700 Alliance Coins on this Zapdos, hoping to acquire a rare Pokemon. Little did he expect it to be exceptionally rare, turning out to be a Legendary Pokemon's offspring.

Unaware of the situation, Zapdos leaped towards Julian with enthusiasm. Having finished its meal, Zapdos regained energy and started playing around again.

As the ship continued its journey, after several hours, the sky suddenly darkened. Dense clouds gathered in the distance, signaling an impending storm.

Passengers on the deck noticed the abrupt shift from clear skies to ominous clouds, finding it peculiar. They quickly retreated indoors to avoid getting drenched.

"Something is approaching!" Someone spotted something flying towards them, but due to the dimming light, couldn't immediately identify what it was.

With a sharp bird cry echoing, some passengers finally recognized the incoming figure—a startling sight of a full-grown Zapdos!