Pokemon: A New Path-Chapter 524: Articuno: So, what’s the price?

Far away, in the Kanto region, two identical islands stood side by side on the deep blue sea, known to travelers as Twin Islands.

Soaring through the sky, a large avian Pokémon with sharp, piercing eyes and jagged yellow feathers glided effortlessly on the wind.

It was Zapdos, the Legendary Pokémon of Thunder.

This was its destination.

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After parting ways with Naoki and the others, Zapdos had embarked on a journey of its own, searching for the remnants of its fellow Legendary Birds.

And now, after a long flight, it had finally arrived at its first target.

Articuno was here.

If it could find Articuno, Naoki would be able to use its feathers to craft special Mystic Dumplings—a delicacy known to enhance Pokémon's strength significantly.

Not just Articuno—Moltres was somewhere out there as well.

But that was a journey for another day. For now, Zapdos focused on the icy cave ahead, where it could sense Articuno's presence.

Flapping its powerful wings, Zapdos dived toward the cave entrance and disappeared into the cold, dark passage.

Inside the Ice Cave, the air was thick with frost. The deeper Zapdos ventured, the darker and colder it became.

But this didn't bother the Thunder Pokémon. Its keen eyesight pierced through the shadows, allowing it to navigate the frozen labyrinth with ease.

And then, it found it.

An ice spring, surrounded by jagged icicles, emitting a faint, eerie glow.

Hovering above the spring, its body covered in beautiful blue feathers, was the Legendary Bird of Ice—Articuno.

The majestic Pokémon spread its wings gracefully, its crystal-like tail trailing behind it like a banner of frost. The three dark blue prismatic feathers on its head shimmered under the cave's dim light.

With a quiet elegance, Articuno's piercing gaze met Zapdos' fierce eyes.

...

At the bottom of the Ice Cavern on Twin Islands, waves of milky-white frost continuously rolled off the surface of the frozen lake, shrouding the area in an eerie, chilling mist.

Two Legendary Bird Pokémon hovered at opposite ends of the lake, their gazes locked in midair—one crackling with electricity, the other wreathed in an aura of frost.

"Chiuu!"

Zapdos let out a sharp cry, its jagged wings bristling with electric energy. Its piercing gaze bore into Articuno, radiating an unmistakable sense of dominance and intent.

Sensing the hostility, Articuno's instincts immediately flared in alarm. It narrowed its icy-blue eyes, its regal posture unwavering.

"Arti?" (What are you doing here?)

Zapdos' response was swift and confident.

"Chirp!" (Come with me—leave this place! I'll take you somewhere better. A place where you'll be reborn.)

Articuno blinked in surprise, momentarily thrown off by the peculiar offer.

Leave? Rebirth?

It studied the Thunder Pokémon warily, noticing something strange—the familiar yet foreign energy radiating from Zapdos.

A flicker of doubt crossed Articuno's mind.

Had something changed?

"Arti?" (What's gotten into you?)

Zapdos' voice crackled with excitement.

"Chirp!" (It's nothing—just some incredible treasures I want to share with you and Moltres. Come with me, and you'll gain unimaginable power!)

Articuno's cautious nature kept it from answering immediately. It had lived for centuries, long enough to recognize when something was off.

Feigning disinterest, it huffed, flapping its powerful wings.

"Arttti!" (Not interested. Leave.)

Zapdos frowned slightly.

It had fully expected Articuno to jump at the opportunity—but instead, it was rejecting the offer?

But soon, Lightning Bird figured out one thing.

To make steamed buns, you don't need the Pokémon themselves to be present; all you need are their feathers!

Zapdos' hesitation vanished. It let out a piercing screech, and in an instant, bolts of lightning erupted from its body, illuminating the ice cavern with blinding yellow light.

Electricity crackled and surged, condensing into a single, towering beam—a devastating Thunderbolt attack aimed directly at Articuno.

A roar of thunder echoed through the cavern.

BOOM!

The ice trembled under the sheer power of the attack.

Recognizing the threat, Articuno reacted instantly—crossing its majestic wings in front of itself, preparing to withstand the incoming surge of electricity.

The moment the attack struck, sparks danced wildly around the Ice-Type Pokémon, engulfing it in a blinding storm of electricity.

Articuno winced.

It could feel the sheer intensity of the energy surrounding it.

This… this was not normal.

Zapdos had always been strong—but not like this.

Articuno's heart pounded.

Had Zapdos been telling the truth after all? Had it truly gained newfound power?

As Articuno reeled from the shock, Zapdos suddenly ceased its relentless electric assault.

In the next instant, the Thunder Pokémon flapped its jagged wings and lunged forward—its sharp beak gleaming as a concentrated white light burst from its tip.

A drilling streak of energy slashed through the frozen air.

Pluck!

"Artii!"

Articuno let out a pained cry, utterly caught off guard by the sudden attack.

A flurry of brilliant blue feathers was ripped from its body, drifting slowly to the ground.

For a brief moment, everything was silent.

Then—

BOOM!

A howling, bone-chilling gust erupted from Articuno's body, and cracks raced across the cavern's icy walls.

The entire Ice Cave trembled violently, responding to the legendary bird's fury.

A frigid avalanche of ice and wind surged toward Zapdos like a vengeful storm, the sheer force of it threatening to bury the entire cavern in an instant.

Realizing the imminent danger, Zapdos flapped its wings hard, propelling itself backward in a burst of lightning speed.

But Articuno wasn't about to let it escape so easily.

The two Legendary Pokémon weaved through the icy labyrinth, an intense game of predator and prey unfolding in the narrow tunnels of the cavern.

Sharp stalactites of ice hung precariously from the ceiling, while walls of frost formed tight passageways that made maneuvering increasingly difficult.

Yet, despite Articuno's relentless pursuit, Zapdos was simply faster.

It was a master of speed and maneuverability, using the cave's interconnected tunnels to its advantage—twisting, turning, and outpacing its opponent with masterful precision.

And then, it saw the opening it needed.

Zapdos suddenly doubled back, taking a shortcut through a winding passage.

Before Articuno could react, a blinding burst of electricity erupted from behind it.

100,000 Volts!

The massive electrical surge engulfed Articuno, crackling violently through the icy cavern.

"Arttiii!"

The sudden ambush attack sent Articuno crashing forward, shattering several large icicles before it finally came to a halt—its wings spread wide, its body trembling slightly from the force of the shock.

Zapdos slowly descended, its talons clicking against the icy ground.

It peered at Articuno, who remained still, watching warily.

Then, in a surprisingly gentle motion, Zapdos leaned down and picked up the scattered blue feathers—one by one, carefully gathering them in its beak.

Articuno stared in disbelief.

It had expected Zapdos to continue attacking—to try and force it into submission.

Instead, it was simply collecting its feathers?

As Articuno processed the bizarre scene, Zapdos pulled something from the satchel on its side—a small glass bottle filled with creamy, glowing liquid.

It placed the bottle of Life-Giving Goat Milk beside Articuno.

"Chiu!"

Articuno blinked.

It tilted its head slightly, its gaze shifting toward the satchel Zapdos was carrying.

It only took a second for the realization to hit.

That satchel—it was clearly human-made.

Articuno's eyes narrowed.

"Arttii!" (You… have been conquered by humans!)

Could it be that the "power" Zapdos spoke of wasn't something it had discovered on its own but rather something given to it by humans?!

Had Zapdos submitted itself to a trainer?

Was this what it meant when it spoke about gaining strength?

Zapdos glanced at Articuno as if seeing right through its thoughts.

For a brief moment, an image flashed through its mind.

A smiling Naoki, standing on the ranch, surrounded by Pokémon who chose to stay with him of their own free will.

Zapdos shook its head.

"Chiu." (No one has conquered me. He is a good person. I chose to stay by his side.)

Zapdos knew that Naoki had many powerful Pokémon at the ranch, so it couldn't help much.

But that was fine.

Unlike before, when it had to constantly fight for dominance, it now lived peacefully among the other Pokémon at the ranch.

Hearing this, Articuno was once again stunned.

Articuno had never seen it act like this before.

At this moment, a strange curiosity took root in Articuno's mind.

It suddenly wanted to know what kind of human could make the proud Zapdos willingly stay by his side.

However, before Articuno could press further, Zapdos had already achieved its goal.

Since Articuno wasn't willing to come along, there was no point in staying.

It was time to leave and track down Moltres.

With that thought, Zapdos turned around, spread its mighty wings, and prepared to take off.

But just as it was about to ascend—

"Artii!"

Articuno called out from behind.

Zapdos stopped.

Turning its head slightly, it asked in a calm voice,

"Chui?"

It didn't believe that humans would help them for no reason.

There had to be a cost.

What did this human expect from them in return?

"Artti" (So what's the price?)

Zapdos remained silent for a moment.

Then, with an almost amused expression, it shook its head and replied simply.

"Chirp." (Your feathers.)

Articuno: "???"

...

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