"Hello, Welcome to Veilstone's Pokemon Center! Will you eight be checking in?" Nurse Joy cheerfully asked the group. Gary nodded as they were led down a hallway. Rae held back.

She went over a PC and turned it on. She typed in the code, and her mother popped up.

"Rae? What's going on?" She asked, her eyebrows together. "I was called to the Pokemon League by Flint and Volkner. Why aren't you at school?"

Rae sighed. "Mom, they'll explain everything to you." She gulped. "Things are getting bad."

Gardenia looked at her in shock. "Are you in danger?"

Pausing for a moment at her mother's direct question, she nodded. "I am. But don't worry, I'm with some of the best trainers in their respective regions." She said as she curled a piece of her hair around her finger.

"Hey, everyone's upstairs and Gary was getting worried so I thought I'd come check out-" He stopped once he realized she was talking to someone. He waved to her mom in the screen. "Is it okay if you come up?

"Sure!" She said as she said her goodbyes to her mother. She followed Ash through a pink hallway and up a flight of stairs. She walked into the room and automatically sat down next to Gary. "What's the plan?"

She examined the room around her. Gary and her were leaning up against the bed, Drew and May sitting on the couch, May half asleep. Dawn sat on the edge of a bed while Paul stood beside her. Misty and Ash were both laying on a bed, talking.

"Well, everyone vetoed your plan which was walking in and demanding a battle with Drake." Drew said as he flicked his hair out of his eyes. "And then we vetoed Gary's version which was locking you here in the building and battling Drake himself."

"I just don't see how we will be able to avoid a battle with him." Rae said as she picked at her hair. "I say, we storm the building when he doesn't expects it."

"And what, Rae? Walk in and go 'Battle me for who gets to be Head of Team Thunder?'" Gary said sarcastically. Paul snapped his fingers.

"That's it. Drake's crazy, right?"

"No. We are not doing this." Gary stated cutting him off.

"Right! If I walk in with you guys saying we want to join but I want to become the leader through battle, and defeat him, it'd be perfect! He would be a coward if he didn't, and I can defeat him if he does!" Rae said jumping up. She was pulled down by Gary.

"No. There's no need for her to just waltz in. I'll do it." Gary said as he stood up. "I'll battle him."

"Trainers!" A girl of about eleven yelled as she knocked and opened the door. Everyone jumped, the boys automatically blocking the girls from the unknown intruder, until they realized it was just a girl. "Someone is attacking Veilstone! They had these ridiculous yellow and black uniforms, and they have the legendary bird, Zapdos!" She looked as though she was going to cry. May, the closest to her, knelt down.

"We'll get on it." She said as she ruffled the girl's hair. Dawn smiled next to May.

"Yeah! There's probably no need to worry!" Dawn exclaimed. "You just leave it to us!"

Drew looked out the whistled. "Who's got a big, scary flying type that won't mind helping me catch a Zapdos?" He said jokingly. Rae gave a grin from the doorway.

"I'm so in." She said as she ran out the door, into the hall. Gary jumped up and chased after her. "You are so not going up there alone!" He called as he caught up to her, grabbing her arm. She spun around, facing him.

"Why does it matter to you, Gary?" Rae asked, pulling her arm out of his grip. He held his arm there for a moment, then dropped it.

"Because I don't want you hurt, alright!" He hissed. "I care about you in a way I haven't cared about anyone in awhile. I don't want to lose you when I've barely gotten to know you!" He stared at her as her eyes widened in surprise at what he said.

She was at a loss for words, so she did the first thing she could think of: kissing him on the cheek. "As do I, but I've got to do this. They're calling me out. Maylene is off at a meeting we sent her to and can't defend the city."

He pulled her closer to him and breathed in. "Then let me take Charizard or Salamence up there with you." He said with a smile. "Or I'm not letting go."

She squirmed in his grasp, but he was true to his word. "Fine." She said while handing him Charizard's Pokeball. "We'll do it together."

"Aww!" They heard Dawn squeal as the two jumped away from each other, blushing. "That's so cute!"

"Hmmph." Paul said as they walked towards them. Paul handed her a Pokeball. "Take care of Gliscor. He'll be able to take Zapdos' attack- they won't work on him." He glanced up at the ceiling."We'll try to take care of them down below."

Rae nodded as the four of them ran out of the Pokemon Center. She gasped and felt butterflies in her stomach as she looked upon what she had to face.

The bird was black and yellow- just like Team Thunder. It had electrically charged wings in the shape of lightning bolts. It glared at the two as they watched it flying around. She wordlessly let Salamence and Gliscor out of their Pokeballs, cringing as a Thunderbolt was sent out them, being saved by Salamence's Protect at the last moment. She tried to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat. She got on her Salamence, and felt him push off the ground. She could hear Charizard's powerful flaps behind her as Gary climbed altitude with Gliscor at his side.

Salamence and her became face to face with the electric legendary bird. She studied it, as it studied her. "Salamence, Flamethrower!" She said, pointing at the Zapdos. She saw Gliscor shooting off a Night Slash, hitting the Zapdos back a couple of feet. Zapdos flipped through the air and dove down below, she saw Gary and Charizard diving after it as she raced above the two of them.

Professor Oak set down the hammer in his workroom at the lab. He'd been working all night on the newest version of the Pokedex for Professor Juniper. He paused and picked up the remote, tuning in to the Global News Network as he poured a glass of water with his back turned to the television, and could make out the sounds of a battle. He continued to drink his water as the announcer's voice finally came on.

"Folks, it's official. The Legendary Bird Pokemon, Zapdos, is indeed above Veilstone City. Alleged members of a new team, Team Thunder, have said they had let it loose to terrorize the city. Until Officer Jenny can get flying reinforcements in, it has been comfirmed that the two trainers flying on a Charizard and Salamence are none other than Gary Oak, the grandson of the very famous Professor Oak, and Rae Song, daughter to our very own Gardenia, Eterna City Gym Leader." Professor Oak spit out the water, wiping his mouth as he turned around to face the television.

He watched and listened as the off screen news caster updated him on the preceding. "Gary Oak has the Charizard send a Flamethrower attack at the Zapdos, barely missing it and the Salamence as Gliscor absorbs a Thunder meant for Charizard. Salamence and Rae Song attempt to dodge a Brave Bird attack sent by Zapdos, which we are not sure if it hit Rae like it looks like it did."

Professor Oak shook his head. "Gary, what have you gotten yourself into?" He muttered.

Rae wordlessly raised her hand to where she felt something tear her through her jacket. She felt something sticky make contact with her fingers. She slowly pulled her hand away from her shoulder and examined it, blanching at the red blood she saw on her hand. She looked at the Zapdos who was watching both her and Gary. They had been at this for at least an half an hour, and she knew her Salamence was tiring out.

"Salamence, use Dragon Claw." She said tiredly as she tightened her grip around her Pokemon's neck. She braced herself as she felt air rush around her. She felt Salamence spin around and looked up, seeing the Zapdos nowhere. She looked over at Gary who shrugged and motioned for her to land. Nodding, she told Salamence to land and Gliscor followed her down. She dismounted her Salamence carefully, wincing as her shoulder made contact with her Pokemon.

"Rae?" She heard someone question as she took a step. She could barely see, and stumbled as she took steps away from Salamence. She reached up to grab her shoulder, which pained her as she moved and was wetter than she had remembered. The last thing she remembered was the ground rushing up to meet her.

"Rae?" Misty asked as she watched the girl get off her Pokemon in a zombie like trance. She saw the girl stumble, putting a hand to her shoulder where the jacket had ripped. "Rae!" She yelled as she sprinted to catch the falling girl before she hit the ground. Ash, seeing what was happening had gotten there before her and gently laid her down on her back.

She could hear footsteps running behind her as she carefully removed the girl's torn coat to find her purple tank top strap had turned maroon. She swallowed as Ash moved the strap down her shoulder to reveal a jagged cut on her shoulder. Gary knelt next to Ash, grabbing her hand and taking her pulse.

"She's still got a pulse, and is still breathing." He said, quietly, almost to reassure himself. "Drew went off to get Nurse Joy." He said, still hanging onto her hand.

"Gary, what happened to her?" Misty asked, watching the brunette carefully.

He swallowed. "Zapdos must have gotten her with its claws when she was dodging its Brave Bird attack." He heard footsteps behind him, and spun on his feet to look behind him. He sighed in relief as it was Nurse Joy and Drew with Nurse Joy's Chansey following. Nurse Joy knelt down to Rae and examine her cut. She motioned for them to back away. He slowly let go of her hand and obeyed.

"Chansey, come here and use Healing Wish on her cut." Nurse Joy ordered, as Chansey obeyed. Its hands grew a bright white and Gary had to look away. When the light disappeared. He looked to see where the cut was, but all that was left of it was a light grey scar. Nurse Joy patted her Chansey. "Great job!" She said cheerfully. She turned to Gary. "If you can, carefully carry her to the Pokemon Center. She'll be out for about a couple of hours, but will come to completely fine."

Gary picked her up carefully, cradling her in his arms. He followed Nurse Joy as the video camera a man was holding got everything. The next to the camera waited until Gary, Rae, Ash and Misty disappeared, then walked in front and spoke. "Thanks to the work of Miss. Song and Mr. Oak, the city is safe again. We would like to tell the viewers to not worry, Miss. Song is perfectly alright, just knocked out for awhile." The camera cut and he looked over to where the four of them had walked off.

"They've got a long road ahead of them." He muttered.