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With Zapdos successfully captured, Liam's next target was, naturally, Articuno.
Speaking of Articuno, Liam had already fought it once before. Though the outcome of that battle was inconclusive—neither could truly be said to have won or lost—they had at least crossed paths. Given that, this time's capture shouldn't be too difficult.
.....
Three days later, a cargo ship bound for Cinnabar Island let out a loud horn as it cut swiftly across the vast ocean. The steel hull sliced through the waves, sending sprays of seawater high into the air as it sped forward.
Liam stood on the ship's deck, leaning against the railing and feeling the salty sea breeze on his face. The fresh, open air helped lift his spirits considerably.
"Wow~ the weather's really great today! If only I had a fishing rod right now—I could try what it's like to fish from a ship! Don't you think so...?"
Liam looked down at the school of Magikarp leaping out of the waves beside the hull, a little regretful that he hadn't brought a fishing rod. After sighing about it for a bit, he turned toward the small yellow creature perched on his shoulder.
"...Elee-elee..."
The Elekid was busy gripping his shoulder tightly with its short legs, struggling to stay balanced on the swaying ship, completely ignoring him.
Liam sighed. "Come on, Elekid, don't you like the ceremonial nickname 'Thor' I gave you? It's the name of a thunder god from legend! You should know how much I expect from you. You've got to train hard and grow strong—don't let me down, alright?"
Since the little one hadn't responded, Liam picked it up and held it in his hands, smiling brightly.
"Elee...elee-elee!"
Elekid finally glanced up at him, but after hearing Liam's words, its round face twisted in clear disgust. It lifted its stubby arm and tapped the plug-like horns on its head, pointing to the odd device strapped to them, and let out an irritated cry.
"Huh? Elekid, you don't like the gift I gave you? This recorder is top-notch tech! Durable, waterproof, shockproof—and it can store over a thousand voice messages! I went through a lot to get this for you. And remember—you're not allowed to take it off without my permission!"
Seeing Elekid tap the voice recorder attached to its head, Liam instantly panicked, swatting its hands away and grabbing both the recorder and Elekid's head protectively.
"Elee-elee-elee!!"
Having its head grabbed so roughly made Elekid furious. Sparks crackled over its body, and with an angry cry, it unleashed a strong burst of electricity that enveloped both itself and Liam!
"AHHH! I'M FRIED! I'M FRIED!!"
Liam collapsed to the floor, smoke rising from his mouth, limbs twitching uncontrollably.
At that exact moment, the recorder on Elekid's head activated—apparently triggered by the electric surge. It began to play a loud recording of Liam's own altered voice, echoing across the entire deck:
"I AM THE GOD OF THUNDER—THOR!!!"
The booming voice left the deck in stunned silence. Elekid's expression darkened, the veins of anger pulsing on its forehead as it sparked again, the buzzing of electricity filling the air as it stalked toward Liam.
"Wait! Elekid, calm down! Calm dow—!"
"Elee-elee-elee!!"
"AHHH! NOT AGAIN!!"
Another jolt struck, and Liam once again collapsed to the deck, charred black.
But as soon as he fell, the recorder once more blared across the deck—
"FOR THE HONOR OF PALLET TOWN!!!"
...
[Pokemon Information]
Pokemon: Elekid
Type: Electric
Species: Electric Pokémon. It generates electricity by rapidly spinning its arms. Energetic and mischievous, Elekid loves battles and often appears during thunderstorms to absorb electricity from the air.
Ability: Vital Spirit
Nature: Adamant
Gender: Male
Moves:Quick Attack, Thunder Shock, Low Kick, Swift, Shock Wave, Thunder Wave, Electro Ball, Light Screen, Thunder Punch
Egg Move:Ice Punch
Base Stats:
HP: 45/45
Atk: 63/63
Def: 37/37
Sp. Atk: 65/65
Sp. Def: 55/55
Spd: 95/95
Evaluation: Excellent! Having long lived in areas full of electrical energy, its potential has been fully awakened. It can display tremendous strength in battle—highly recommended for training.
...
Liam had always liked Electric-type Pokémon. He'd dreamed of one day having a Pikachu as his partner—but Pikachu weren't exactly common, and getting one would take some serious effort. Still, with Elekid now by his side, Liam felt more than satisfied.
The little guy was full of energy, always charging toward his Garchomp during sparring matches, and from that moment, Liam knew—he would train it to become truly powerful.
...As for the nickname "Thor"?
"Hey, the god of thunder's supposed to be cool! What's wrong with the name?"
That was Liam's only lingering thought as he lay sprawled out, electrocuted on the deck.
...
The cargo ship sailed further out to sea. The air gradually grew colder, and before long, snowflakes began drifting down from the sky.
"Sir," said the ship's captain, approaching, "your destination—the Seafoam Islands—is just ahead. It's far too cold beyond this point, so for the sake of my crew, we can't venture any closer. But as promised, we've brought you as far as we could. I'll also have my men prepare a small kayak for you—it should help you reach the island."
As snow began to fall more heavily, the cargo ship slowed to a stop. A few sailors hauled a sturdy kayak over to Liam's side as the captain spoke apologetically.
Liam smiled faintly. "You've done more than enough, Captain. I'm very satisfied with the trip. But there's no need for the kayak—I've got my own way to reach the island."
He waved a hand, tossed a PokeBall forward—
"ROAR!!"
With a flash of light, the massive form of Aerodactyl landed heavily on the bow, spreading its wings wide and bellowing into the sky.
"Haha, don't worry—this is my Pokémon. It's not dangerous! You've all worked hard. I hope we can travel together again someday. Until then... farewell! Let's go, Aerodactyl!"
"ROAR!!"
Liam climbed onto Aerodactyl's back, returned Elekid to its PokeBall, and waved to the astonished crew before him.
Then, with a mighty flap of its wings, Aerodactyl shot upward, slicing through the snowy air and soaring toward the distant Seafoam Islands—his next destination in search of Articuno.