Pokemon Paldea [293-294] (Patreon)

Chapter 293: Three Legendary Birds vs. Three Legendary Birds

On the left, the thunder bird whose feathers gleamed like poured gold, crackling with electric sparks: Zapdos.

On the right, the ice bird whose icy-blue plumage seemed the most beautiful thing in the world, every motion exuding frosty allure, its body wreathed in chill: Articuno.

Overhead, the fire bird whose wings burned with fierce, brilliant flames, guarding Lucas's side: Moltres.

They were—without a doubt—the same species as the three legendary birds Lawrence III was trying to capture.

"...Who exactly are you?"

After a brief silence, Lawrence III stared hard at Lucas, as if trying to wring flowers from stone just by looking.

Even if these three birds were decisively weaker than the special trio he was after, the fact remained: they were of the same species.

This man—was he the trainer of the three legendary birds?

Inside the cages, the pained Moltres and Zapdos opened their eyes. Seeing their suddenly appearing kin, shock filled their hearts.

"Why won't you listen to me?" Lucas shrugged and looked at Lawrence III, advising kindly, "Release the Fire God and Thunder God, then go turn yourself in."

Lawrence III snorted. "Why would I turn myself in? Do you take me for a fool?"

Mewtwo, who had been silent, withdrew its gaze from the stone tablet. Its telepathy echoed: "You abducting the three birds is the same as personally triggering the collapse of the world's climate balance. That stele at the center of your airship—did you not decipher it?"

Lawrence III said impassively, "I did. So what?"

"My target isn't them. Once the other party shows up, I can simply return them to the wild. Compared to what I truly want for my collection, they're not particularly precious—just slightly special birds with titles like 'Fire God.'"

"As for you, that was telepathy just now, wasn't it? And you can teleport to ten thousand meters up? I'm very interested. How about becoming part of my collection?"

Lawrence III extended his right hand and directly invited Mewtwo.

"I'll grant you a status in my collection second only to the Sea God."

"I refuse."

Mewtwo looked at Lawrence III like he was an idiot, utterly speechless.

Where did this self-narrating lunatic come from?

Why were there always such arrogant humans in this world—whether it was those Rocket scientists, or Giovanni with his empty promises, or now Lawrence III?

Just seeing them made Mewtwo feel irritable.

Compared to them, Lucas suited Mewtwo's taste far more.

"I'll repeat this one last time. Release the Fire God and Thunder God."

Looking at Lawrence III, Lucas emphasized it one final time.

To him, Lawrence III posed no threat.

What he had to be wary of were the Fire and Thunder Gods who would surely go mad once freed, and the Ice God whose whereabouts were unknown.

How to handle them—he still had no definitive answer.

"Hmm, looks like negotiations have broken down. A pity. I was magnanimous enough to want to invite you uninvited guests to be the audience for my collection of the Sea God. Sigh."

Lawrence III shook his head, turned his back on Lucas, Mewtwo, and the three birds Lucas had released.

Even now, he remained at ease.

"Throw the man out. Capture that Psychic-type Pokémon. As for those three not-so-special birds, take them too—they should fetch a good price to offset expenses."

He issued the order blandly to the control console.

But instead of a response from his loyal AI assistant, what answered him was a massive explosion overhead.

The entire airship lurched. Snow filled the screens, the AI assistant fell silent. The ship itself didn't seem physically damaged, so—

"De-li~!"

At that moment, Delibird flew back, tugging its own tail, starry-eyed at Lucas, face begging for pats, as if asking for praise.

It did well, right? The timing should be perfect~

Lucas patted its head and praised generously, "Well done."

"What... did you do?"

Lawrence III ground his teeth, staring daggers at Lucas.

He had entertained Lucas, Mewtwo, and those three ordinary birds with confidence precisely because not only did the exterior of the airship mount anti-bird cannons, but internal defenses and armaments were also impenetrable—practically a flying fortress.

Anti-Psychic jammers, energy barriers deployed through the seemingly ordinary floor to cover every inch of the interior, and laser weapons concealed beneath the deck to blanket all internal areas...

In short, the instant Lucas entered the ship, he became a turtle in a jar—at Lawrence III's mercy.

Yet things were nothing like he expected. Neither the unresponsive AI assistant nor the signal-dependent weapons systems functioned; all were disrupted by some unknown force.

"Did you really think I'm stupid—charging into your stronghold unprepared?" Lucas looked at Lawrence III oddly, almost laughing. "What exploded above the airship was an EMP bomb—one that just dismantled your tech fortress."

"As for Moltres and the others, they're just here for show. You didn't think they were my trump card, did you?"

Lawrence III flung his right hand, face twisting with denial. "Impossible! I prepared for electromagnetic interference. A conventional EMP can't—"

"Who said it was conventional?"

Lucas smiled slightly and glanced at Mewtwo, whose tail swayed, face calm yet somehow oozing pride.

When they were prepping to depart, once Mewtwo heard from Lucas that Lawrence III had a fortress airship, it used the materials on hand to handcraft a few black-tech EMPs right in front of him.

It was pure technical superiority.

Mewtwo said coolly, "No matter how advanced and precise technology is, it cannot escape its greatest weakness. A slight external perturbation can plunge it into ruin."

"Checkmate, human."

From the deck seams stuffed with high-tech modules, heat buildup and short-circuits spread under the black-tech EMP's influence. Sparks crackled everywhere within the ship.

Without AI control, the engines driving the airship began to fail. It wouldn't be long before this crystallization of human technology plummeted into the vast ocean below—

Trouble never comes alone.

With clattering thuds, the rings binding the Fire and Thunder Gods fell powerlessly to the floor in Lawrence III's wide eyes.

Moltres and Zapdos set down on the deck. Before they could thank Lucas, Mewtwo, Delibird, and their three kin for the rescue—

The impulses suppressed by Lawrence III's magnetic restraint exploded like a long-stifled volcano.

Blood-tinged eyes; reason dragged into the abyss. The Fire and Thunder Gods shrieked, beating their wings skyward.

One spat flame, the other loosed lightning, bursting through the airship's hull.

At that moment, only one thought filled their minds:

Battle! Destroy! Vent their fury!

The overcast sky was lit by fire and lightning. With no AI to control defenses, Lawrence III's airship—almost as if begrudged by the Fire and Thunder Gods—took several brutal hits.

Black smoke billowed as the airship fell faster.

With Mewtwo's Psychic help, Lucas barely stabilized himself. Moltres and the others took flight, exchanging baffled glances.

Why did those special kin Lucas had just freed suddenly go berserk?

This wasn't how you repay kindness.

Elsewhere, Lawrence III, thrown to the floor by the violent shaking and clinging to the railing, was on the verge of madness.

His airship fortress—nearly all his life savings—was about to crash into the sea. Just looking at the Fire and Thunder Gods' "collection room" said enough about the price he paid to build this fortress.

"Tch, so it turned out like this after all? We're pulling out!"

Lucas frowned. He'd anticipated it, but seeing Moltres and Zapdos lose all reason just a second after their eyes had been clear and grateful—he still wanted to rage at this damned plot correction force.

Mewtwo nodded. Psychic power wrapped Lucas, ready to take him and the Delibird in his arms out through the hole torn by the raging birds.

"Save me—"

Lawrence III's pleading voice rang out.

Without the AI, a crash was inevitable. He'd be turned to charcoal in the exploding fireball.

Facing death, Lawrence III promptly threw Lugia to the back of his mind—he just wanted to live.

As long as he lived, there was hope.

Lucas originally didn't plan to care, but Mewtwo sensed a powerful presence rapidly approaching under the sea. Remembering some scenes, Lucas fell silent for a moment. "Mewtwo, take him too."

Mewtwo: ?

Though puzzled, Mewtwo didn't argue. Psychic energy surged, and it dragged Lawrence III out of the airship.

Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno also flew out in turn. Watching the airship trail smoke as it fell, Lucas told them, "Go destroy the cannon-like things."

Moltres acknowledged, and with Zapdos and Articuno, circled the falling airship, demolishing the exposed cannons.

Lucas's reasoning was simple: he remembered the movie, where Lawrence III took a cheap long-range shot at Lugia. To be safe, he wouldn't just deny Lawrence III a chance to control the ship—he'd make sure the ship had no means to strike Lugia, the birds, or himself and Mewtwo.

Everything had to be handled meticulously.

Mewtwo, annoyed by the hassle, knocked Lawrence III out with Psychic. Whether the man would become dull from the shock wasn't Mewtwo's concern.

Holding Lawrence III with telekinesis, Mewtwo frowned. "The Fire and Thunder Gods are gone. Where did they fly off to?"

Within a few kilometers, their auras had completely vanished.

Just as Mewtwo was about to expand its search, Lucas stopped it. He didn't bother to hide it and pointed in a direction, decisive: "They went there. The exact coordinates are—"

Better not waste Mewtwo's Psychic power at a time like this. The system could point the way anyway.

Mewtwo looked deeply at Lucas and said nothing. After Moltres and the others finished the demolition, and they watched the airship crash into the sea and explode into a towering flame—

Mewtwo closed its eyes. Psychic power surged. Space rippled. They vanished from that airspace.

…

At that moment, Lorelei was a bit battered.

If her opponent were only the Ice God, her Pokémon could barely stall one who borrowed nature's power, letting Professor Oak and Ash find a way to soothe it.

But not long ago, the Fire and Thunder Gods appeared out of nowhere. Specializing in Ice- and Water-types, she lost over half her battle power under the trio's assault.

Even the composed, intellectual beauty Lorelei couldn't help cursing, "Damn it, are they trying to kill me?!"

Lapras and Cloyster fell one after another to the Fire and Thunder Gods' cheat-like area attacks. Only her ace Slowbro remained, barely holding off the three birds bolstered by nature.

Just when despair surfaced on Lorelei's face—thinking that if they weren't drawing on nature's power, she might not even lose—searing flame, violent thunder, and frigid currents came crashing down on the overtaxed Slowbro, too late to defend.

Lorelei gritted her teeth, staring at the beams lancing down.

But the expected pain never came. Instead, the three birds shrieked in furious, piercing cries.

Lorelei's vision blurred for an instant. Looking up, she froze.

A surge of Psychic power walled off frost, flame, and lightning. A humanoid Pokémon with a swaying violet tail gazed down at the enraged birds with disdain.

And three birds nearly identical to the trio in the sky were beating their wings, blocking their path.

A man on a Dragonite sat with his back to Lorelei, a Delibird fluttering beside him—along with an adorable Pokémon she'd never seen before.

As for the unconscious Lawrence III? Lorelei ignored him.

"Was it... you who saved me?"

Asking into the sky, Lorelei's voice reached the newcomer.

Lucas, who had just teleported in, turned and found Lorelei battling the birds. Surprise flickered in his eyes but quickly hardened into resolve.

Why was Lorelei here too?

A confident smile tugged at his lips. "You've worked hard, Elite Lorelei. Leave the rest to me."

"Oh, and here's a gift—the mastermind behind all this."

With that, Mewtwo flung Lawrence III to the ice before Lorelei.

That resounding thud must've hurt.

Lorelei: "..."

She felt like she knew this man. Not long ago, she'd discussed him with her colleagues.

She remembered: Chairman Goodshow had specifically gathered them to watch a demonstration battle.

It was a one-sided fight. Even the proud Dragon Master Lance was shocked by the opponent's strength. Critic like Agatha praised that Paldean League had produced a good seedling, and battle-hungry Bruno wanted a chance to fight him.

With that reference, memory rushed back. Lorelei's pupils shrank as she recalled who stood before her.

A champion-tier trainer from far-off Paldea, who crushed Unova Champion Alder with overwhelming force—

Champion Lucas!

Chapter 294: A Birth Without Lugia

Not long ago.

"Controller, you must retrieve the treasures representing the three deities from the shrines on the three islands, bring them to this temple, and have the maiden play the Song of Soothing. Only then will the Fire, Thunder, and Ice Gods' anger be calmed."

The Slowking wearing a Shellder crown atop its head addressed the group, speaking aloud as they stared in shock.

Professor Ivy looked at Slowking like a rare specimen, muttering, "Not telepathy, but vocal cords... Could this be an evolved ability of the Shamouti Island Slowking?"

Sighing at his junior's occupational habits, Professor Oak considered the "controller"—Ash—and Delia, whose face had gone pale at the thought of Ash risking himself, clutching him and refusing to let go.

Misty, Tracey, and Melody fretted at the side, while the accompanying reporter quietly streamed the group's agonizing decision.

Strangely, though the helicopter had crashed due to the Ice God's wide-range attack, their camera remained intact...

Watching Delia and Ash, reason told Oak they should heed Slowking and send the controller to retrieve the treasures to appease nature and the gods.

But emotionally, Oak understood Delia. As she had cried, "Without Ash, there is no world"—it wasn't about anything else. It was a mother's pure worry.

After a brief silence, seeing the Fire and Thunder Gods flying toward the battlefield against the Ice God and Lorelei, Oak knew things would only get worse. Lorelei couldn't hold out long against three gods wielding nature.

He had to decide.

Oak stepped forward, resting a hand on Delia's shoulder to draw her gaze, then withdrew it. Hair white, face stern, he said, "Delia, I'll go with him. Even if it costs this old life, I'll keep him safe. Will that do?"

Delia hesitated. "But Professor Oak—you're a researcher, a civilian. How can you go on an adventure..."

Sensing her wavering, Professor Ivy pressed, "Miss Delia, you may not know—when he was young, Professor Oak was an excellent trainer. He was even once close with the Ghost-type Elite, Agatha. Safety can be ensured."

"I..."

Delia faltered, unsure if she should believe them.

Then, as if to prove it, Oak took out a scuffed red-and-white ball. "I'll be counting on you today, old friend."

A sturdy Charizard with a strong frame and a flame that burned bright yet bore the signs of age appeared among the flowers.

Unlike Ash's sharp-edged Charizard, this one's aura was restrained, seemingly gentle. But the scars on its claws and horns told a different story: this Charizard was no simple creature.

It had likely weathered countless battles and trials—exuding the aura of "Though I am old, my arrow is still keen." A veteran Charizard, no doubt.

This was Tracey's read as a Pokémon watcher .

And Delia was cowed by the Charizard, larger than her son's.

Ash's Charizard looked like an underdeveloped kid next to a towering adult.

She could no longer object. Since Oak had said as much, to keep arguing would be unreasonable. In the end, she could only admonish Ash repeatedly to be careful and not act rashly.

Charizard bowed its head, enjoying Oak's petting.

"Ash's Charizard hasn't carried people—there might be danger. If it's him, would you carry him?"

Oak's voice softened, tinged with reminiscence.

Ever since evolving from Charmeleon, his old friend had grown proud, rejecting anyone but Oak from riding it—even Agatha was refused.

But Ash was different. He had history with Oak and Charmeleon...

Charizard sniffed Ash, catching a familiar scent, recalling younger days. It nodded slightly.

This human and that yellow mouse could ride on its back.

Wings flared, a wind pressed the flowers flat. Charizard rose steadily as Ash, Pikachu, and Oak mounted, looking down at those remaining at the temple.

"We're off!"

"Safe travels—stay safe!"

Framing their figures in her shot, the reporter said solemnly, "People of the world, the brave have departed. Perhaps the future of the world now lies in their hands."

…

"Comfey, go help that woman below treat her Pokémon. Delibird, protect Comfey."

Lucas assigned Comfey and Delibird to aid the nearly spent Lorelei, then turned his eyes to the three raging gods facing his own trio. He sighed inwardly—this scene was rare.

The Fire, Thunder, and Ice Gods did not suppress their fury. With ringing cries, they unleashed Flamethrower, Thunderbolt, and Ice Beam at Lucas's birds.

Below, as Comfey treated her team, Lorelei saw the overwhelming barrage and worried.

To her eye, Lucas's trio lagged far behind the gods in strength—only Moltres looked notably strong; as for Zapdos and Articuno, Lorelei was confident she could beat them one-on-one.

"The power gap's too big. Why doesn't he send his own Pokémon—like that Dragonite..."

Just as Lorelei frowned, already envisioning Lucas's birds losing the clash and being injured—

The small Pokémon by Lucas's side flitted into the battlefield, perched atop Moltres's head. A golden aura erupted. Moltres felt boundless power flood its body.

Victini, eyes shining, pointed ahead.

"Vee-mee~ vee-mee!" (You're buffed—go!)

Having felt Victini's power before, Moltres glanced at the outwardly fierce but inwardly panicked Zapdos and Articuno.

Moltres scoffed. Flames gathered at its beak and erupted into a firestorm that seemed to swallow half the sky, sweeping toward the three enraged gods.

As for their seemingly mighty Thunderbolt, Flamethrower, and Ice Beam—they were devoured by the firestorm without leaving a ripple.

Zapdos, Articuno, Lorelei: ?!?!

What the heck was that?!

Zapdos and Articuno stared at Moltres like they'd seen a ghost. Was that really a move Moltres could use?!

Lorelei noticed a clue: the unknown tiny Pokémon seemed to be a support specialist. But even then—this level of buff was ridiculous!

Within the inferno, the three gods jolted momentarily to clarity by the heat, then were swallowed again by boundless rage. Their auras exploded as they burst free, soaring high.

Moltres, Articuno, and Zapdos matched their speed, and a dogfight began.

Three legendary birds vs. three legendary birds!

Moltres fired another Flamethrower, swelling into a firestorm to suppress the trio. Zapdos, who'd been coasting, couldn't resist—it shamelessly invited Victini onto its head, eager to try the little one's power.

Victini, who never refused a chance to savor the taste of victory, happily obliged.

Empowered, a vast thunderstorm crashed down. Aside from the Thunder God, the Fire and Ice Gods were battered by a type-advantaged deluge.

Seeing the gods so bedraggled, Zapdos grew ecstatic. A "mere" legendary like itself threatening the true "gods" of its species—what a rush!

Articuno also set aside its pride. With Victini's help, boundless chill shackled the trio's movements.

Even so, the Fire, Thunder, and Ice Gods showed no sign of calming.

As the battle raged above, Lucas's expression said "just as expected."

If beating them could snap them out of it, Lugia would have done so in the movie, instead of defending and shielding Ash the whole time.

Lucas didn't believe Lugia lacked the power. Just a glancing Aeroblast from an enraged Lugia knocked the Ice God out cold.

"So we really have to follow the steps to soothe them... what a pain."

Lucas looked to Mewtwo, who had remained still with eyes closed, hoping for a miracle. "Found a way to stabilize the climate?"

Mewtwo opened its eyes and shook its head, thoughtful.

"No. Even if I spread my Psychic power through every inch of space around the Shamouti Islands, I can't calm it. I could make it worse, though..."

Lucas: "..."

Please don't.

"Then we stick to the plan. I'll keep the Fire, Thunder, and Ice Gods busy. You go to the three islands, retrieve the treasures, take them to Slowking, then head to Shamouti Island and 'abduct' the maiden to play—the flute or whatever—play the tune that calms them."

Lucas patted the Dragonite beneath him and prepared to help his birds. For now, it looked like they were suppressing the gods, but once Victini hit its limit, the field would flip.

He had to join in to lighten Victini's load.

Unfortunately, the two trios had climbed to thousands of meters. Only Dragonite could intervene; otherwise, sending out Luxray and the others would be much easier.

"Wait. Someone's coming."

Mewtwo stopped him, sensing newcomers.

It shared its vision via Psychic.

A Charizard, an old man in a lab coat with white hair, and a boy in a cap with a Pikachu... That combo—

Professor Oak, Ash, and Pikachu!

Lucas's eyes widened. Honestly, he hadn't expected Ash to appear on Shamouti Island. He'd planned to handle everything himself.

Seeing their beeline toward Lightning Island, Lucas knew they were going for the treasure—and would likely meet Lorelei on the way.

If so, Mewtwo could be freed up for other tasks...

In a flash, a new plan surfaced. With Mewtwo linked to his mind, Lucas shared it: "Then you handle suppressing the battle's spillover. If the boy is after the treasures, the gods may try to stop him."

This time Mewtwo didn't stop Lucas. Watching him and Dragonite blaze into the sky, Mewtwo's figure vanished, reappearing in open air.

Its Psychic power spread. If it couldn't stop the climate imbalance, it would at least dampen the aftershocks of each strike that worsened it.

…

"Elite Lorelei!"

On the way to Lightning Island, Ash spotted Lorelei below, treating her Pokémon.

Charizard landed steadily. Lorelei looked up at the boy calling to her, surprise flickering.

She remembered—Ash—who had once challenged her. Why was Professor Oak with him?

"Ah! Why is there a Delibird here—Elite Lorelei, is that your Pokémon?!"

Hopping down, Ash and Pikachu pointed at Delibird, stunned.

They would never forget that distinctive Delibird—the one that crushed Pikachu and then flew off. If not for the unfitting circumstances, they would have demanded a rematch.

So it was Lorelei's Pokémon—that explained its strength.

"Deli~?"

Delibird tilted its head. Why were the kid and the electric mouse here too? Wherever trouble was, they always showed up!

Delibird was baffled. Comfey, perched on its head, didn't understand why Delibird was patting itself either.

Just then, after exchanging intel with Oak, Lorelei said gravely, "Three treasures... Understood. My Pokémon have roughly recovered. Let me escort you."

Oak frowned. "What about the three birds? Their trail vanished."

Lorelei smiled slightly. "There's someone more reliable than me stalling them. Don't waste the opportunity that Champion created—let's collect the treasures in one go!"

With the goal set, they didn't waste time. Leaving a Pokémon to watch over Lawrence III, Lorelei summoned the League's flying mount and, with Ash and Oak, sped toward Lightning Island.

Perhaps thanks to Lucas tying up the gods, the way was clear.

When the three retrieved the round, transparent treasure with lightning sealed within from Lightning Island's shrine—

High above, the Thunder God led the trio, eyes blood-red, as if sensing something. They exploded with greater force, drove back Lucas's birds, and dove beneath the clouds!

Just then, Dragonite cut off Moltres with even greater speed. Lucas smiled. "Your opponent is me. No deserting the field."

Moltres glared at Lucas, gathering violent fire in its beak. A scorching lance twisted the air as it lanced toward Lucas and Dragonite.

"Hydro Pump."

Lucas murmured, and Dragonite—now serious—put on a deceptively cute scowl. A moment later, a massive column of water erupted, colliding with the flamethrower.

Energy churned the clouds into chaos. Amid boiling steam, Lucas's voice—deliberately provoking—rang out: "Just Flamethrower from start to finish? Why not use anything else—don't you know how?"

Already enraged, Moltres now seethed. It forgot the thieves below aiming for its treasure.

All it saw were Lucas and Dragonite. It wanted to tear them apart and burn them to ash, to show the fate of those who offended a god.

With a piercing cry, the firebird raked at Dragonite with sharp claws. Dragonite didn't flinch, shaping dragon energy into great emerald talons to trade blows.

Seeing Moltres fully locked onto him, Lucas glanced down.

Considering Lorelei's presence, he'd let the Thunder and Ice Gods go rather than the one who threatened her most: the Fire God. With Moltres, Zapdos, Articuno, and Victini's support, they should safely gather the three treasures.

But after all this fighting—where was Lugia, the recluse of the deep?

If Lugia joined the escort, with Lawrence III already neutralized at the root, clearing this would be a sure thing.

Why wouldn't the key force, Lugia, show its face?