Pokemon: A Gym Leader's Rise(SI)

When Gladion finally reached the baby Zapdos, he wasn't prepared for what he found. Instead of a majestic legendary Pokémon, he found what could only be described as a feathery bundle of chaos throwing an electrical tantrum.

[WANT MAMMAAAAA!] the baby screeched, making Gladion wince. [WANNA PLAY ZAPPY-ZAPPY PIDGEY GAME!]

'Great,' Gladion thought, 'I've risked my life not for a baby legendary but for a legendary toddler.' "Listen, little one—"

[NOT LITTLE!] Lightning crackled around the baby Zapdos. [AM MIGHTY STORM BIRD! FEAR ME!] This declaration was somewhat undermined by the baby tripping over its own feet and face-planting with a squeaky "peep!"

Gladion couldn't help but snicker. "Oh yeah, totally terrifying. Look, your mom sent me—"

[PROVE IT! MAMA SAYS NO TRUST HUMANS!] The baby puffed up its fuzzy feathers, trying to look intimidating. [MAMA SAYS HUMANS TRICK! EXCEPT WHEN THEY BRING SNACKS. YOU BRING SNACKS?]

"I... what? No, I didn't bring—"

[NO SNACKS? SUSPICIOUS!] The baby hopped around him in circles. [REAL FRIEND BRING SNACKS! LIKE AUNT ARTICUNO!]

Gladion pinched the bridge of his nose. "Kid, your mom is literally fighting an army outside to protect you. We need to—"

[MAMA FIGHTING?] The baby's mental voice suddenly went from demanding to worried. [MAMA OKAY?]

"She will be if we get you somewhere safe." Gladion knelt down. "I promise I'll explain everything, but right now we need to move."

The baby Zapdos tilted its head. [PINKY PROMISE?]

"You don't even have... you know what? Sure. Pinky promise." Gladion held out his little finger, feeling slightly ridiculous making a pinky promise with a legendary Pokémon.

[OKAY!] The baby hopped onto his shoulder, its static electricity making Gladion's hair stand on end. [BUT IF YOU LIE, MAMA WILL ZAP-ZAP-ZAPPY YOU INTO NEXT WEEK!]

"Story of my life," Gladion muttered, gathering his psychic energy. "Hold on tight, kid. We're taking the express route."

One teleport later, they materialized five kilometers away from the power plant. The baby Zapdos immediately started bouncing around. [AGAIN! AGAIN! LIKE TELEPORT GAME! MORE FUN THAN PIDGEY-ZAPPING!]

"This isn't a—wait, what exactly is this Pidgey-zapping game?"

[OH! MAMA TEACHES ME! FIND PIDGEY, GO ZAP! PIDGEY GO BOOM! VERY FUNNY!]

"...Your mom might need to attend some parenting classes."

Their conversation was interrupted by a massive thunderclap. The adult Zapdos, now free to fight without holding back, rose into the storm-dark sky. Her wings spread wide, drawing in storm clouds that hadn't been there moments before.

At the power plant, the Team Rocket commander grabbed his radio. "Sir, target is showing unexpected power levels! We need to—"

His transmission cut off as Zapdos unleashed her fury. Lightning rained down like divine judgment, each bolt precise and devastating. The commander's last words to Archer were: "The mission is fail—" before static claimed the channel.

Zapdos looked at the carnage before flying towards her son and Gladion.

Back at the safe point, baby Zapdos was using Gladion as a practice target.

As he saw his mom flying towards him, he excitedly shouted [LOOK MAMA! I CAUGHT A SUSPICIOUS HUMAN!]

"That's not how catching works," Gladion protested, dodging another playful spark. "And would you please stop—OW!"

[TINY ONE FUNNY!] The baby bounced on his head. [CAN WE KEEP HIM, MAMA?]

The adult Zapdos landed gracefully, she was pretty amused [NO, LITTLE STORM. HUMANS ARE NOT PETS.]

[BUT MAMAAAAAA!]

[NO BUTS. THOUGH...] Zapdos turned to Gladion. [THIS ONE HAS EARNED OUR TRUST. AND MY DEBT.]

"Glad to help," Gladion said diplomatically, still trying to get his hair to lie flat. "Though maybe we could discuss this debt thing when your kid isn't using me as a lightning rod?"

[ZAP-ZAP!] Baby Zapdos cheerfully shocked him again.

[LITTLE STORM,] Zapdos scolded, though Gladion could feel her amusement. [WE DO NOT ZAP OUR ALLIES.]

[BUT IT'S FUN! HIS HAIR GOES FUNNY!]

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up," Gladion grumbled. "Just remember, next time you need someone to save you from evil organizations, maybe don't deep-fry them first."

[SILLY HUMAN!] The baby nuzzled his cheek, giving him another static shock. [NEXT TIME BRING SNACKS!]

Zapdos gathered her child with one wing. [WE MUST GO, BUT KNOW THIS—YOU HAVE DONE US A GREAT SERVICE. WHEN THE TIME COMES, CALL UPON THE STORM, AND I SHALL ANSWER.]

"Thanks," Gladion said sincerely. "Though maybe next time you need a babysitter, try calling first?"

As the legendary Pokémon prepared to depart, baby Zapdos sent one last look towards Gladion [BYE-BYE FUNNY HAIR HUMAN! NEXT TIME WE PLAY PIDGEY-ZAPPING!]

"There won't be a next—" Gladion started, but they were already gone, leaving only the smell of ozone and his thoroughly frazzled hair as evidence they were ever there.

"Note to self," he muttered, trying to smooth down his static-charged hair, "when legendary Pokémon offer you favors, ask for specific terms. And maybe invest in rubber insulation."

His Pokémon, who had watched the whole exchange with varying degrees of amusement, finally broke their composure. Guy was doing his best impression of Gladion's electrified hair, while Mystique was making sparking noises that sounded suspiciously like laughter.

"Oh, shut up," Gladion told them, but he was smiling. "Let's go home. I need a shower, a nap, and maybe some rubber gloves. Not necessarily in that order."

Just as Gladion was about to leave, Zapdos's came over again [WAIT, TINY ONE. WE HAVE... WHAT DO HUMANS CALL IT? AH YES, A PARTING GIFT.]

[MAMA GIVING SHINY ROCKS!] Baby Zapdos bounced excitedly. [MAMA HAS LOTS! MAKE GOOD NEST DECORATIONS BUT TOO HARD FOR SITTING!]

Zapdos made a follow me gesture to which Gladion compiled with.

Zapdos led them to a hidden alcove in the power plant's ruins. Inside, Gladion's jaw dropped. Scattered across the makeshift nest were dozens of evolution stones, their surfaces gleaming in the dim light. Thunder stones dominated the collection, but there were others too—Water stones, Fire stones, and even a few Dawn and Dusk stones.

[OH NO!] Baby Zapdos suddenly wailed. [MAMA! YOU GIVING AWAY MY SPARKLY TEETHING TOYS?]

[THEY WERE NOT FOR TEETHING, LITTLE STORM.]

[BUT THEY MAKE GOOD ZAPPY FEELINGS IN BEAK!]

Gladion's business mind was already calculating the value while trying not to show it on his face. Evolution stones of this quality could sell for thousands each. "This is... extremely generous, but—"

[TAKE THEM,] Zapdos insisted. "THEY ARE MERELY PRETTY ROCKS TO US. THOUGH..." There was definitely amusement in her mental voice now. [MY LITTLE ONE DID USE SOME AS TRAINING TARGETS.]

"That explains the scorch marks," Gladion muttered, examining a slightly singed Thunder stone.

[I HELPED!] Baby Zapdos proclaimed proudly. [MADE THEM EXTRA ZAPPY!]

[COLLECTING SHINY THINGS IS A HABIT FROM MY YOUNGER DAYS,] Zapdos explained. [NOW THEY MERELY GATHER DUST. AND OCCASIONAL TOOTH MARKS.]

[NOT MY FAULT! THEY LOOKED TASTY!]

Gladion carefully gathered the stones, trying not to think about baby legendary drool. "Thank you. This is... well, this is actually incredibly valuable."

[VALUE IS RELATIVE, TINY ONE. TO US, THEY ARE NEST DECORATIONS. TO YOU...]

Zapdos's mental tone turned sly. [WELL, I SENSE YOUR THOUGHTS OF PROFIT. CONSIDER IT INTEREST ON MY DEBT.]

"Can I at least ask why you collected so many Thunder stones?" Gladion couldn't help but ask.

[MAMA SAYS SHE WAS GOING THROUGH COLLECTING PHASE!] Baby Zapdos chirped. [LIKE ME WITH PIDGEY FEATHERS!]

[IT WAS A PHASE,] Zapdos said defensively. [EVERY YOUNG LEGENDARY GOES THROUGH ONE. ARTICUNO COLLECTED SNOWFLAKES. MOLTRES HOARDED CHARCOAL. I... MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN CARRIED AWAY.]

Gladion tried to imagine a teenage Zapdos bringing home every shiny rock she found. [That's... actually kind of adorable.]

As if Zapdos had read Gladion's thoughts, she let out a warning crackle of electricity [CAREFUL, TINY ONE.]

"Right, sorry. Majestic. Very majestic rock collecting phase."

[CAN I START COLLECTING HUMANS?] Baby Zapdos asked hopefully.

[NO.]

[BUT MAMAAAAAA!]

[I SAID NO. REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE PIDGEY COLLECTION?]

[WAS JUST TRYING TO MAKE PIDGEY ARMY...]

Gladion quickly packed away the stones before this conversation could go any further. "Thank you again. Both for the stones and for, you know, not zapping me into next week."

[YET,] Baby Zapdos added cheerfully.

As Gladion left, carrying his huge bag of evolutionary stones, he couldn't help but smile. Who knew legendary Pokémon went through collecting phases? Though he made a mental note to never, ever mention this to anyone. He had a feeling Zapdos's reputation might not survive the story of her rock-hoarding teenage years.

"At least it wasn't bottle caps," he muttered to himself. "Imagine a legendary Pokémon collecting bottle caps..."

Somewhere in Alola, a certain cosmic lion sneezed.

------Author Notes------

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