"Alright, stop throwing a tantrum." Roy stood up and walked over to Zapdos: "I know you're unconvinced and feel that a rookie Trainer like me isn't worthy of you."
Zapdos glanced at him without saying anything.
"But you need to know this." Roy held up a finger: "The people from those large organizations aren't trying to raise you when they catch you; they want to study you, use you, and squeeze every bit of value out of you."
Zapdos's eyes shifted slightly.
"I'm different." Roy smiled: "I caught you because I really want to help you get stronger. If you follow me, you'll be living the good life, your level will skyrocket, and who knows, one day you might even be able to take down a Legendary Pokemon."
Zapdos scoffed.
The electric arcs flickered even more intensely, as if saying: You?
Roy wasn't annoyed.
Although Zapdos was disobedient right now, at least he had caught it. This was a good start.
What he needed to do next was to raise Pikachu's level as quickly as possible.
Pikachu was currently level 52. Once it leveled up 3 more times to 55, it would be able to perfectly command Zapdos.
By then, he would use the Magnet item to increase their intimacy. With both methods combined, he should be able to make Zapdos obedient very soon.
As for building intimacy... well, affection grows with time. Spend more time together, battle more, and interact more. It would naturally go up.
Roy yawned.
He had been through a lot today and was truly exhausted. His physical strength had been drained significantly, and his Psychic power was almost depleted. He needed a good rest. He turned off the lights, closed his eyes, and quickly fell asleep.
...
The next morning.
It was rare for the sun to come out in Black Cloud City.
It had rained all night, and the dark clouds in the sky had all dispersed. Sunlight spilled down onto the wet streets. The air was exceptionally fresh, carrying the unique scent of soil after rain. That gloomy and eerie atmosphere had also gradually dissipated. The whole city looked much more normal.
In the lobby of the Pokémon Center, Joy stood at the front desk with a bright smile on her face.
It was like she was a completely different person compared to the lazy and listless version from yesterday. It was hard not to suspect that Joy was actually a sunflower in disguise—full of energy when there was sun, and wilted when there wasn't.
Roy, Delia, and Misty packed their things and came to the lobby.
"Joy, thank you for your care," Delia said politely.
"It was no trouble at all," Joy said, waving her hand with a smile. "You are welcome to visit Black Cloud City again next time."
The three of them walked out of the Pokémon Center. The sunlight shining on them felt warm.
Delia was wearing a white shirt today, with a light blue knitted cardigan over it. She wore beige trousers and flat shoes. Her hair was tied into a low ponytail, making her look very gentle.
Misty was still in her sporty attire. She wore a tight sports tank top with a thin jacket over it. On her lower body, she wore black tight sports leggings that outlined the lines of her legs, and sports shoes on her feet. Her hair was tied into a high ponytail, making her look very energetic.
Roy walked in the middle. On his left was a gentle young woman, and on his right was a youthful girl. This feeling... was actually quite nice.
"Roy, are we heading straight to the Fuchsia Gym today?" Misty asked.
"Yeah," Roy nodded. "Fuchsia Gym Badge! Here I come!"
...
Meanwhile, in a villa in the northeastern district of Black Cloud City, Yasuyo sat on the sofa in the living room, holding a coffee cup in her hand.
She was wearing a lavender dress today. The neckline wasn't very deep, but her collarbones were faintly visible. The dress had a cinched waist design, highlighting her slender waist. The hem of the skirt reached just above her knees, revealing her slender calves. She wore high heels. Her hair was draped over her shoulders, making her look very feminine.
A mobile phone lay on the coffee table. The screen was lit up, showing that the call had ended. Yasuyo put down the coffee cup and picked up the phone. She dialed a number. It rang a few times before it was answered.
"Hello, it's me," Yasuyo's voice was very calm. "How is the situation with Zapdos?"
The person on the other end of the line said something. Yasuyo's expression changed slightly.
"It failed?"
The person on the other end said they didn't know exactly who had taken it. They only heard some news that the person who took Zapdos had disappeared near her villa.
Yasuyo was slightly shocked. "Near my villa?"
She thought for a moment. The villa had been safe and sound last night. The guards hadn't noticed anything unusual.
Wait. A thought suddenly flashed through Yasuyo's mind.
That young man named 'Gary' last night! He had also appeared near the villa. Could it be that he was the one who took Zapdos?
Yasuyo frowned and recalled carefully. But immediately, she dismissed the thought.
Impossible. Absolutely impossible. He was a rookie Trainer who couldn't even afford to raise his own Pokemon; how could he possibly have the ability to suppress Zapdos?
Besides, so many organizations and Superior Trainers hadn't managed to catch Zapdos last night. As a poor kid, how could he possibly snatch a legendary Pokemon from so many powers?
It was probably just a coincidence. That kid was just there to steal food. It had nothing to do with Zapdos.
Yasuyo breathed a sigh of relief. "It's fine," she said to the other end of the line.
"We didn't lose many resources; it was just a favor anyway. Alright, that's it. Just keep an eye out for who caught it when you have time."
Hanging up the phone, Yasuyo put it back on the coffee table. She picked up the coffee cup and took a sip. The coffee was already a bit cold.
Her visit to Black Cloud City this time was actually just to assist a family in capturing Zapdos.
The main purpose was to do a favor and help pave the way for her daughter, Giselle, in the future.
But to be honest, she didn't really hope that they would actually catch Zapdos.
After all, if Zapdos fell into the hands of that family, Giselle would have one more strong opponent to face when she met them at the League Conference in the future.
Now it was fine. None of the organizations she was watching had captured Zapdos.
Zapdos had been taken by an unknown person.
For Yasuyo, this result was actually more satisfactory. This way, her daughter wouldn't have to face too powerful an opponent in the future. It would be easier for her to achieve results and establish a firm foothold in the family.
Yasuyo put down the coffee cup. She stood up and walked to the window. The sunlight shone through the floor-to-ceiling window and spilled onto her. She looked out the window, and the young man from last night came to her mind again.
The corners of Yasuyo's mouth curled up slightly. That young man was indeed quite interesting. He was handsome and spoke well. It was just that... he was a bit too mysterious and hard to read. But being mysterious was also fine; she could take her time figuring him out later.
Thinking of this, Yasuyo suddenly realized what she was thinking about. She shook her head and smiled.
Yasuyo, oh Yasuyo, what is wrong with you? Is that kid really that attractive? Uh... it seems he actually is!
But fortunately, they might not meet again in the future, so nothing would happen.
She turned and walked back to the coffee table. She picked up the phone, opened the photo album, and opened a photo of Giselle.
Yasuyo looked at her daughter's photo with gentle eyes. "Giselle, you must walk steadily on the path Mother has paved for you."
She turned off the phone.
She briefly looked at the final report about Zapdos.
Then she packed her things, ready to leave Black Cloud City.
It was time to go and make preparations for her daughter's next step.
Yasuyo picked up her bag and walked out of the villa.