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Z is for Zapdos
(w i n t e r k i t t e n)

The Power Plant. Ah yes, the Power Plant.

The building which fell into ruins after the humans abandoned it. They think they can waltz in, flatten the homes of numerous Pokemon and build a power plant for their own uses.

Unfortunately, they can.

The humans used the Power Plant, evicting countless innocent Pokemon. And then they get up and leave, for no reason other than that they maybe found a better location somewhere else. And what happens to the Power Plant? No one cares. No one except us, the Pokemon.

The humans are clever. They have made the walls resistant to Pokemon attacks, so we cannot tear down the walls and attack while they are inside. But what happens after they leave? A perfectly fine plot of land, wasted by the existence of a ruined building.

However, we Pokemon adapt fast. With my own wings I have led the Pokemon in the area through the walls. Some dug holes, others worked together to tear through the ceiling, the ingenious ones found a way to unlock the doors. Electric and non-electric (but mostly the former) Pokemon alike have found a home in the dusty confines and the broken machines. Something most humans cannot achieve.

I am Zapdos.

It was here in the Power Plant that I roosted. Lying low for the sake of myself and the Pokemon that resided with me. We remained undiscovered. And all was well. Until…

For some time I had heard rumors from the electric Pokemon that a human was in the vicinity. A human with Pokemon on his side, a human who helped these Pokemon get stronger. A Pokemon trainer, they are called. I have seen many over the years, and all who saw me made an attempt to capture me with their new-fangled capsules. Each trainer had different personalities and intentions for attempting to catch me, but I evaded all their attempts. It was no surprise that this new threat brought out a wave of contempt and wariness in me. As the days passed the Pokemon decided to temporarily evacuate, leaving a select few to protect the Power Plant. They assured me that they would return once the danger had passed.

A series of disrupting noises one afternoon alerted me to his presence. Clanging, various determined cries of the remaining Pokemon, the sound of heavy footfalls and frantic screaming. I ruffled my jagged golden feathers and shot a few bolts from them, feeling the tension in the air.

And finally he came.

Skidding against the artificially smooth floor, the male teenager fled into my chamber with a Charmeleon hot on his heels. One of the Voltrob rolled after him in a rage, glowing with a dim yet dangerous aura. The trainer was panting, the Charmeleon was panting, but I intended to make my presence known whether they liked it or not.

"WHO DARES TRESPASS INTO MY DWELLING?" I shrieked in a cold, furious caw, unfurling my gold-and-black wings. The trainer looked up and his eyes widened. I saw flashes of horror, shock, admiration, a bit of longing that was quickly pushed back. The male Charmeleon quickly bobbed his head in respect.

"I didn't mean to trespass! I'm sorry, honestly!" The trainer stuttered, holding his hands defensively up, palms facing me. "Hephaestus here-" he gestured to the Charmeleon, "said he had a Bulbasaur friend here-we just wanted to visit-"

I clacked my beak, cutting the trainer short. "The grass-type populations around here are no more. After your kind built the Power Plant, they couldn't adapt fast enough to the change. They migrated away. The grass-types cannot thrive like electric-types can here. They need to feel the grass under their paws, inhale fresh breezes blowing in from the sky." The Charmeleon's face fell.

"Oh. I'm sorry." The trainer was speaking more to the Charmeleon than I. The Voltorb, known for his impulsiveness, decided to act there and then.

The dim aura grew strong. He activated Self-destruct.

The impact was enough to blow another hole through the ceiling and set one of the machines on fire. And in the residence of electric Pokemon, the air was bone dry. The fire spread, and fast.

With a hard downstroke of my wings I shot into the sky, my feathers trailing thunderbolts. I saw with satisfaction that the Pokemon swiftly evacuated, leaving the coast clear for the trainer to run. But he did not. I swooped down again to see that the Charmeleon had been trapped underneath the swiftly collapsing machine parts.

"Hephaestus! Hephaestus, can you hear me?" The Charmeleon could not; he was unconscious.

"Run," I cawed, "Run, and don't come back. Ever."

"I can't leave Hephaestus!" The trainer insisted, his eyes blazing with determination as he tried to pull the Charmeleon from the wreckage. I knew it was futile.

The flames hungrily licked the air, eager to consume and burn down the whole building. Personally I would not care if the Power Plant burned to the ground; it would be an opportunity to rebuild a safe haven for all sorts of Pokemon. But I felt a sense of pity towards the trainer who refused to leave his Pokemon. A trainer who proved to be unfalteringly loyal until the end…

The fire continued to ravage the Power Plant. I made a split-second decision.

With a thunderous roar to the heavens I released every bolt of electricity I had to the skies. The expanse of blue was set alight by the sudden burst of electricity; storm clouds started to gather, the air turned humid. The sky went dark, flashing with the occasional streak of lightning traversing across the sky. I breathed in the moist air and felt my feathers tingle with every bolt of lightning that illuminated my avian body. This was the most alive I'd felt in years.

Drop by drop, water spilled from the clouds. The refreshing wetness flowed through my waterproof feathers. I opened my beak and let the water flow down my throat. Ah.

The trainer quickly disappeared, and came back with a rucksack. Taking out a red and white capsule he pointed it at the Charmeleon, and the red reptile was sucked within.

He looked at me, eyes brimming with moisture I was sure wasn't caused by the rain.

"Thank you"

I nodded, and beat my wings against the cool air. Staying would attraction unwelcome attention; I understood the need to flee and made a beeline for the horizon.

I was aware that this stunning display was sure to attract attention. And I didn't want to be caught. I was lucky today, in more ways than one, meeting a trainer that didn't want to catch me. He was living proof of what I'd wanted to believe in; the existence of humans that cared for Pokemon, humans with a good heart. Humans that treated Pokemon with respect and deserved the same respect from Pokemon.

I knew, deep in my heart, that the trainer would not rat the Power Plant off now that he saw I was leaving, so the Pokemon here would be safe. I knew, deep in my heart, that the Pokemon would be alright on their own.

Arcing through the darkened sky, I cried my farewells.

"Take Care!"

I thought I saw a flicker of understanding in the eyes of the trainer as he waved back, even though he shouldn't be able to understand my cries. I cawed again, enjoying the feeling of my voice reverberating through the air. Thunder resonnated along with my cries; lighting cleaved through the stormclouds, signalling my departure as I flew confidently into the unknown.

"Zapdooooos!"

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this one-shot! Zapdos flees from the Power Plant, probably happening between the Gen I and II storylines. It may have been better, I dunno, I typed it on the spot.

Hope you enjoyed Pokemon ABCs in general! ^.^