Chapter 7: Pichu Chase.

Bolt just stood in place, looking at an open window for about a minute or more thinking, just thinking about what he had just done.

"He...he's really gone..." Bolt couldn't stop thinking those words, they just kept flying around his head again and again, teasing him with that phrase.

He didn't know what to do. His little brother ran away all because he yelled at him.

Bolt closed his eyes, just wanting this to be some sort of rude trick Sparks was playing with him.

This couldn't be real. This could not have happened, this could not have been his fault. It was his brother's fault, right?

...

"It really is all my fault." A thought sank into Bolt's mind.

Bolt opened his eyes and saw a tear on the ground, his tear. Bolt looked at it hard. As he failed to remember the last time he ever cried, or even felt like he was being outplayed and bullied.

Wait...

He then wiped his face with his paw, and thought more about the random idea. And the more he thought about it, the more his idea changed about Sparks, and his heart hardened.

"No, it's his fault! Not mine!" He said to himself. "He was the one feeding that wild Pokemon, he's the one who broke the law! He should be in trouble! But now, he's gone because he wants me to be the one who gets into trouble!"

Bolt looked back at the open book, and Bolt started to come up with more ideas. "He's going to Treasure Town because he knows that if I told Mom and Dad what happened, they wouldn't allow him to go there!" Bolt told himself.

He then stood in place without moving, mumbling those words, coming up with more reasons, until he could convince himself that was what really happened. But then finally, he looked up and turned toward the window.

"Think you can try to outplay me with your big head, huh Sparks? Well, I'm gonna get you back." Bolt said. "I'll track you down before Mom and Dad find out, and then make you REALLY sorry you tried to run away and blame me for your problems!"

Bolt then stood up, proud of his plan, knowing that he was no longer scared or sad about Sparks, but turned all of that into burning anger for determination.

...Now, how was he going to find Sparks in such a short time? Bolt blinked a few times and sighed, right.

Bolt looked down to Sparks' book. Treasure Town, and after being reminded about where he knew Sparks was going, he then started to run into his room to get some of his stuff.

"Alright, I know he's going to Treasure Town." He thought as he looked up to his bed, where he saw a picture of the sea.

"He may have taken a boat!" He realized. He then quickly loaded his Poke, two- no, five berries, and Sparks' book into a small brown bag, and then strapped it onto himself.

Then took a moment to smile at himself, as he planned on what he was going to do. Bolt then started to dash to the front door. "To the dock!" Bolt told himself as he opened the door, then Quick Attacked as fast as he could out of sight.

Bolt dashed down the dirt road, made his way across several blocks without even giving anymon a hello (for those who were even able to see Bolt), and just focused on getting from point A to B as fast as he could by always keeping his head looking forward.

Bolt ran the fastest in his life for what felt like minutes, and by the time he saw the water from the docks he finally started to slow down to catch his breath.

But only then, when he reached the Cafe, he gasped at what he saw. He looked down toward the water and saw Gator's ship still at the dock!

"I thought Gator said he was leaving for those 'Red Currents' at dawn earlier today." He told himself. "He made that very clear to both Sparks and I yesterday."

He was just about to question why Gator was still at their hometown, when he looked closer and saw that the sailors seemed to be fixing the ship. "Huh, what happened here?!" Bolt wondered as he started to make his way down to the ship.

"Is that all?" An Electvire asked a more annoyed Captain Gator.

"Yes, that's all. Just take it." Gator groaned as he handed over the Poke from his blue coat.

"Pleasure doing business with you. Just be careful with how you use that cannon!" The Electric-Type then walked down the dock, and right by the smaller lion.

"Whoops! Sorry kid!" The Thunderbolt Pokemon said.

"Umm, it's alright." Bolt said as he squeezed his way past the Pokemon. Bolt walked up toward the Water-Type, but with a little more fear in his steps as he got closer to the Captain. Seeing that he didn't look so happy compared to yesterday.

The Captain then turned his head toward the fearful Luxio, and sighed seeing the smaller Pokemon. "Oh, hello Bolt. I can imagine that you didn't expect to see me today...or the rest of my ship like this for that matter."

"Y-ya, what happened here?" Bolt slipped out of his mouth.

The Captain gave Bolt an annoyed look, but then took in a deep sigh and answered him. "Our ship was attacked a bit after midnight. It seemed to be a bunch of Wild Pokemon coming here to break out our Lapras."

"What?! That's what happened? Does that mean the Lapras is gone?" Bolt exclaimed.

"Didn't you see the big amount of damage at the back?" Gator said as he pointed toward the back showing a few sailmon working on the holes and other things that were damaged. Bolt just found himself staring at the huge mess, knowing that the Lapras, was indeed gone.

"Wild Pokemon, sometimes we think so little of them one day, but they're able to catch us off guard the next. They came without warning, and overtook us all and Sleep Powdered me. So if Sparks thought he'd be able to see the Lapras today, tell him he can't. I'm sorry."

Gator then looked around Bolt. "Say, where's the little guy, anyways?"

Bolt froze and gulped at once. He then finally looked away from the ship, and turned toward Gator.

"A w-well. That's kind of why I'm here." Bolt started, only to immediately regret speaking. Gator narrowed his eyes, which made Bolt rethink what he was going to say or if he should even say anything else. He couldn't just tell anymon about Sparks! He just couldn't risk all of them knowing, right?!

Bolt really couldn't take his eyes off of the giant Pokemon in front of him in fear, but maybe it would help if he told Gator? That could make things easier to use his ship, or at least somemon's. Besides, he already started talking.

...

"Bolt, are you okay?"

"Huh!?" Bolt exclaimed. He was so much in his thoughts that he had forgotten about Gator.

"Sparks? Your brother? We were talking and I asked where he was?" Gator reminded the lion.

Bolt took a breath in, and decided to tell Gator the truth...some of it at least.

"Well, Sparks always wanted to go to Treasure Town, and..." Now it was time to stretch the truth. "...our Mom and Dad said no to him, saying that he was too little to go there."

"A huh." Gator said, with his eyes getting narrower.

Bolt started to put together his lie better as he slowly continued. "I thought he was fine with it, but then earlier today Sparks must've ran away to go there, because both Mom and Dad are gone right now." He said as he looked toward the sea. "So I think he wants to see Treasure Town, and now I have to get him back home before my parents return."

Bolt looked back up to see the Captain close his eyes, thinking about what he had said. It seemed like he believed the story.

He finally opened his eyes. "So, why are you here?" Gator asked.

"Well, I was wondering if Sparks went on your ship at dawn when you weren't looking, but..."

"Heh. Ya, well to tell you the truth, we've been up since a bit before dawn when the...Lapras broke out, and we haven't seen your brother. Believe me, we would've seen him go on a ship, but we haven't. I'm sorry."

Bolt's ears went down as Gator continued, "I think you should just wait for your parents to come back."

Bolt's ears shot right back up. "N-no! I got to find him right away! Mom and Dad will be mad at me if they know Sparks is gone! They'll blame me for it, no matter what I say!"

Gator looks at Bolt and asks, "Blame you? Why would that be?"

Bolt freezes in fear, but still answers. "It's because I was supposed to watch him." He says with his head down. "Could you at least take me to Treasure Town so I can find him?" Bolt then puts his head up, and looks at the ship. "..Or at least tell me somemon who could?"

Gator then takes a deep breath, and thinks for a while. And for a moment Bolt sees the Big Jaw Pokemon smirk, but he doesn't think twice about it.

"You asking a lot from me right now." Gator begins saying, as he looks back at his ship. "But I know for sure that this ship won't be up again until, at quickest, sometime tomorrow, and I don't think I know anymon who'd be able to take you there on such short notice."

Bolt's heart sank fast as he says, "B-but I need to find him now! He can't just run away! He-"

"Let me finish." Gator said as he put his claw up. "I can't take you, but what if I told you that the water isn't the fastest way to get to Treasure Town?"

Bolt's ears went up. "What do you mean?"

"Come, follow me." The Captain said as he turned away from Bolt but moved his claw to tell the Luxio to follow him, as Bolt did with little hesitation.

"You see, by water we need to go around the entire island to get to Treasure Town, but if you follow a river, you can go through the entire island, as long as you run fast that is."

"Wait, I need to walk there?" Bolt questioned.

"Yes, but it really shouldn't be that bad." The Ferailgatr answered as he laid down his map on a table in front of both of them. "Look, right here is the river, as you can see it's far too small for any ship, but Water-Types have an easy time traveling down there, and so can you if you just follow the river to Treasure Town. My guess is if you run fast, I think you could get to Treasure Town before night happens."

"Run?" The Luxio asked

"Well," Gator sighed as he turned toward Bolt. "I say that just because that's the best option, doesn't mean it's easy, unless if you want to wait-"

"I'll do it!" Bolt exclaimed. He was a bit let down that he can't use a boat to get there, but as of now, he was willing to do anything to make sure Sparks didn't get away from him. Even if it meant running the whole way.

He then turned away from Gator. "Thanks for your help! Good luck with your ship!"

"Now, wait a moment Bolt!" The Water-Type called out. "I know you're in a hurry, but I want to give you a few things first!"

Bolt stopped for a moment, but then walked back to Gator. "Well, what is it?"

"First thing's first, you should take this map."

Bolt blinked twice. "Don't you need it?" He asked.

"Trust me, I have at least a couple dozen of them on the ship. Besides, I wouldn't want you to get lost." Gator cleared up as he handed over the map to the Electric-Type.

Sure, Bolt already had a book to help him, but he really didn't want to say no to somemon who only wanted to help him.

"Thanks." Bolt said as he put the map in his bag.

"I also want you to have this as well." Gator said as he put his claw in front of Bolt. Bolt's eyes widened and stared into his claw and saw something small, shiny, circular, and silver.

A compass, but what Bolt wondered about most was that this one also had some sort of blue stone inside it.

"A compass just to make sure you really don't get lost." Gator said with a smile. He then noticed Bolt staring at the stone. "And do you know what that blue stone is there for?" Gator said with a small chuckle.

Bolt looked away from the compass and to Gator. "Um, to make it look pretty?" Bolt said with a tilted head.

Gator lets out a laugh. "I guess that also true, but it's something more. It's a brand new thing they call an Aura Stone, it helps us talk to each other from miles away! Of course something like that is wanted across the island! So I got plenty of them for deliveries."

Bolt's eyes got wider as Gator said that. "No-I can't take this!" Bolt said with his paws up.

"You need it." Gator said as he put the compass into Bolt's paw. "You can call me when you've found your brother. Just make sure to give it back to me when you come back, or if you can buy it for yourself." He then chuckles at the last part.

"Thanks, but how does this thing work?" Bolt asked as he stared at the stone. "You can call me by putting your paw on that blue stone." Gator said as he pointed his claw to the stone.

Bolt gave Gator a small smile, and then put the compass in the bag. "Thanks for your help Gator! Now I really gotta go now! Bye! I'll talk to you soon!" Bolt says as he Quick Attacks away.

"Glad I could help! And watch out for any Wild Pokemon!" Gator called out to the lion.

He then chuckled to himself and picked up the map. He then walked back toward where his crewmates were loading up the newly ordered cannon by using pulleys and ropes. "Careful with that!" Gator called at them looking at their struggle.

"We're trying!" A crewmate answered back.

"Captain!" A familiar voice calls out from behind Gator. The alligator turns around to see Wave the Wartortle coming towards the captain.

The captain smiles. "What do you have?" He asks the smaller Pokemon.

"Well, first, I think that cannon will be a good way to make sure the Lapras won't ever go against you." Wave says looking at the size of the cannon. "Second, I think I have some ideas where the Lapras and the thief went, if he's still with the thing that is. And I'm just getting ready to-"

"Yeah, about that, I already know where they're headed." Gator says as he shows Wave the map. "Right down this current toward Treasure Town." Gator said as he dragged his claw right down the same path he showed Bolt.

Wave looks at the spot. "Well, that is one of the spots where I think they could be, because it's too small for our ship in enter it, and it's a quick way for Water-Types to go to the other side of the island, but how can you be so sure about this?"

"Well..." Gator says with a smile. "Let's just call it a gut feeling." He then stands up tall. "Now then, tell everymon to fix this ship as fast as they can! I want to make sure we can cut them off right here!"

Wave then looked at the map one more time, but then looked at Gator. Knowing that he shouldn't talk back to the Captain any more, he went back to tell the crew the news.

Gator then looked at the crewmates finishing loading up the huge crate into the top of the deck. And smiled, knowing that things could very well be starting to come back together.

"This'll teach them not to make a fool out of me." He said as he cracked his fists.

He still had his eyes closed, until a light shined into his left one, causing the mouse to turn to his side, but had his face pushed into a...wall?

Sparks' eyes started to open, and a gray post was indeed in front of his two eyes. Sparks put his paw up and rubbed his eyes. What was he doing? Where was he? The last thing he could remember was the-THE BREAKOUT!

Sparks then had a small amount of energy inside of him and turned his body to face the other way and saw a long blue neck. The Lapras.

He then looked around at where they were. Judging from the tall rock hills and the sizable path of water they were on, Sparks could tell that they were on some sort of water current. Sparks continued laying on the ground on his side, but then opened his big mouth to let out a huge yawn, causing the Lapras to turn her face toward the Pichu.

"Hello." She said to Sparks.

"Good morning." Sparks replied as he started to stretch his body out on the Lapras' shell.

The Lapras blinked a few times. "Good morning?"

Sparks then started to get on his paws and turned to her. "That's like 'hello,' but to somemon waking up. Like I woke up now, so Pokemon say good morning to me."

The Lapras then started to have a smile on her face. "Oh, then. Good morning!"

Sparks smiled back at her, and then stretched a little bit more. Sparks then looked around himself, and saw his bag on one of the posts, but he was also admiring the wonderful view of the canyon. With the large size of some boulders, the blue water, and the clear sky, the view was completed, and it was pretty.

"Sleep good?" The Lapras asked.

Sparks' ears went up, he then looked back to her. "Ya, I slept very well! Your shell is surprisingly comfortable!"

The Lapras then looked at Sparks in a weird way. She probably didn't understand some of the words Sparks had said. "Yes, I slept good." Sparks cleared up. Sparks continued to look around. "Did you see any crewmates come after us?" Sparks asked.

"No, Wild Pokemon stop them. I see no crewmates ever." She responded.

Sparks then had an idea of what they could do, now that they were all alone. "Well, if they're no crewmates around, or anymon chasing after us, then that means we could work on talking if you want."

The Lapras started to fill up with joy. "Yes, can talk, but not much cost." The Lapras said as she nodded her head.

"Oh, boy." Sparks thought to himself. "This is going to take some time."

"Help talk now?" The Lapras asked.

The Pichu then took a breath in and started. "Ya, I help you talk now. Let's start with names."

"Names?" The Lapras wondered. "Ya, um..." Sparks really need to talk simple now, didn't he? He let out a sigh trying to figure out how he could phrase this. "You know words like Zigzagoon, right?"

The Ice-Type nodded, so he continued, "Well, that's a name. And that's what that Pokemon is. And your name is Lapras, because Lapras is what kind of Pokemon you are."

"A-and Pokemon you are...is...is..." The Lapras tried to figure out what Pokemon Sparks was.

"I'm a Pichu! The Tiny Mouse Pokemon!" He said happily.

"Pichu The...T-Tiny Mouse Pokemon. Big name." She said in a confused tone.

"Well, I'm just 'Pichu'" Sparks cleared up. "And that's only what Pokemon I am, I have another name, or a nickname."

"N-nick-"

"It's what other Pokemon call me." Sparks says.

"Oh. You have lot of names." The Lapras says.

Sparks chuckled a bit at that last sentence she said. He then saw a small rocky shore near the water. "I'm going to go on that rock, okay?" Sparks told the turtle as he pointed to the small shore, but she started to shake in panic.

"No leave!"

"It's said like...well, I'll save that one for later. The point is that I'm not leaving you! I'm just going over to the rock to help you with names!"

"Oh." The Lapras realized.

Sparks then hopped off the shell and onto the shore, and then turned toward the Lapras, who had just placed her fins on the shore so she wouldn't drift away from her teacher.

"My name is Sparks the Pichu." Sparks began. "Because I'm a Pichu Pokemon, and other Pokemon call me Sparks." Sparks said slowly as he was pointing to himself in different ways.

"Why not Pichu?" The turtle asked with a tilted head. Sparks put his paw on his head, and then thought for a moment to try and figure out what to say now.

He then put his paw down. "Well, there are many Pichu Pokemon right?" The Lapras nodded. "So I have another name...a nickname. So that Pokemon can know which Pichu I am."

"A nickname so that...um." The Lapras tried to figure out what word to say.

"To make me different!" Sparks said.

She tilted her head again. "Different?"

"It means...um." Sparks had some trouble thinking about explaining a word that everymon knows, well beside her...and probably many other wild Pokemon.

"I'm not the same as other Pichu." He finished.

"Not the same..." The Lapras mumbled to herself. Her eyes then opened wide with realization. "OH! So you not 'Other Pichu,' you 'You Pichu!'"

Sparks' ears went up. "Y-ya! You're right! You understand!" Sparks said as he jumped up and down.

"Want to be different!"

Sparks then stopped. "Huh?"

"Want nickname! Want To be 'Me Lapras'" She said with a smile.

Sparks' eyes widened as he took a step closer to her. "You want a nickname?" He asked to make sure.

"Yes. Yes yes yes!" She said with a smile.

Sparks then took a step back, and started to think of a nickname. "What do you do?"

The Lapras then blinked a few times. "No, name." She said.

"A nickname says who you are. My nickname is Sparks, because I run like electric sparks! Understand?"

The Lapras turned her head away, but looked like she was either trying to figure out what Sparks said, what to say next, or both. She then finally turned to Sparks again, and nodded. "I understand." She answered.

"Good! So what do you do?" Sparks asked.

"I swim in water.."

Okay, so maybe Current? No, that's not a good name.

"...I use Ice Beam..." She continued.

Freezer? N-no! That name wouldn't fit her! She's just too kind for something like that!

"...I sing." She finally finishes.

Sparks thought about that for a moment, but then lit up. Sing! Sparks' suddenly got an idea for a nickname that would fit her perfectly!

"I know! Melody! That can be your nickname!" Sparks said proudly to her.

"M-Melody?" She asked. "What Melody?"

"It means song! Or something like that. But it's perfect for you because you sing very well!"

The Lapras blushed a bit. "I sing very well?" She asked.

"Oh ya! Of course you do I fell asleep when you sang that...well, very good and relaxing song! And you're nice and sweet like one too!"

The Lapras continued to have a red face. "Thank you."

"Do you like the nickname Melody?" Sparks asked. The Lapras then mumbled the name multiple times, which made Sparks' heart thump with excitement.

What did she think about the name? Did she actually like it? Those were the thoughts going through Sparks' head as the Lapras thought.

She then finally put her head up and answered. "Yes, I like it. Me Melody the Lapras. So I am different now!" She said as she started to swim around in joy, knowing that she had a nickname, and Sparks just sat on the ground taking in every moment seeing the Lapras being so happy.

He just couldn't believe that the same Lapras who only yesterday was so sad, so scared, begging for Sparks' help, was now overjoyed with finally having a nickname, and it was all because Sparks helped her.

"Yes." He thought to himself. "Dad would definitely do this." Sparks then got up from his spot. "Now, I'm hungry. So I'm gonna eat some of my berries." Sparks said. "Could I have my bag back please?"

Melody looked at her shell and saw Sparks' bag hanging on one of her spikes. "You want bag?" She asked.

"Ya." Sparks then started to point to stuff again. "Could I. Have. My. Bag?" Melody looked at his paws pointing at himself and his bag, and she put the word together quite fast.

"Yes, you have my bag." She said as she swam toward the Pichu.

Sparks smiled as he grabbed the bag. He'd work on 'my and your' later, but for now, he wants something to eat.

Sparks then looked up at the blue sky, and smiled, but then lowered his ears.

Melody turned and saw this. "Okay, Sparks?" Sparks gave her a small smile.

"Ya, just...wondering about home, and my Mom, Dad...and even Bolt..." Sparks said as he took a bite from his berry.

He knew that this was the right thing to do. He just hope that everymon else would understand.

Bolt's heart was racing, while also getting tired as he started to have some doubts about this path. He didn't even know how long the trip would be for!

But a few questions did go over his head, like why would Sparks even go down here? I mean, Bolt had only just started, as he had only been running on the top of what seemed to be a canyon with the current down below, for maybe a little less than an hour, and he was having to make a few jumps and balancing acts here and there, making him feel tired, snd Sparks was just a small baby Pokemon, Bolt was sure that if he was getting tired, then Sparks would be out of breath by now! So at least maybe Bolt could catch up to him.

But he also looked at his bag from time to time, wondering about that thing Gator gave him. Would it work? Maybe he should find that out now.

Bolt walked onto an open spot and grabbed his bag to pull out the compass. He took a nice look at it. It was just a normal compass besides the blue stone inside the thing right above the North symbol. How did he say he could call him? Just put the paw on the stone right?

He frowned. He should have asked Gator for more details, and maybe it wouldn't be a good idea to call him now. Gator could be busy right now fixing up the ship, but he would need to call him sometime to make sure it worked. Bolt took a breath and slowly placed his paw into the stone.

But when he did that, he felt a strange sense of energy go up his leg and dropped it! Bolt then shook his paw a few times, and looked at the compass. Maybe that was supposed to happen? Bolt didn't have a clue on what to do.

But after staring at it for a few seconds, he just decided to try it again.

As he picked up the compass, he felt the same energy go through him, only this time he didn't let go of it. He then spoke into the...stone? Bolt didn't know how this thing worked (or even if it did).

"H-Hello?"

...

...

He heard back nothing, maybe he did something-

"Hello, Bolt?" A voice asked. Bolt jolted as he heard the voice, who he knew was Gator's, but once more had the compass slipped from his paws.

"Is th-" The voice stopped once Bolt's paw was off the stone. Bolt's eyes then got wider, "How did that work?" He thought.

He then once more picked up the compass. "Say that again?" Bolt spoke.

"Oh, it is you," Gator began. "How are you doing?"

"Um, good." Bolt replied. "Just a little rough to get through, but I'm doing alright. Had some trouble figuring out how this thing works."

"Heheh, let me guess, there was some sort of 'spark' that went into you?"

"Y-ya, that's supposed to happen?" Bolt asked.

"I'm not fully sure how it works myself, but from what I can tell, this Aura Stone sends aura through your body and to other Pokemon's aura too, as long as they have another stone, somehow connecting both Pokemon aura to speak to each other."

Bolt paused and thought long and hard about that.

"Ya, I don't get it either, but it works, and that's what matters." Gator laughed. "So, have you found Sparks yet?" Gator asked.

"No, I haven't even seen Sparks. I just wanted to make sure this thing worked."

"Well, good thinking. Now, stay safe, and continue going down the current. I'm sure you'll find Sparks soon."

Bolt started thinking about continuing. "Well, I'm already getting tried, and Sparks is just a small Pokemon. I'm starting to think maybe Sparks turned around somewhere because of how long this trip would be, or because of Wild Pokemon."

"No, don't turn back!" Gator called out, which caught Bolt off guard. "If you turn back, then it may take longer to find out where Sparks is! I'll tell you what, if your brother is here, then I'll call you back okay? And if your parents come here and ask about you, then I'll tell them that I...asked you to deliver something to Treasure Town. Sound good?"

Bolt blinked a few times. That could work...for a while at least. "Ya, that sounds good! Thanks again Gator!" Bolt said.

"I'll hear from you soon!" Gator said as it seemed to cut off at the end, must have hung up. Bolt then put the compass back into his bag, and continued to move on.

It could be going better, but with Gator helping him out, Mom and Dad may not even get mad at Bolt if he was gone, solving a big problem for him. And as Bolt thought about it, he didn't have anything going on back at home. It was Sunday, so no mail to deliver, so all the problems he really had was just to find Sparks! Right?

Nothing was going on at home, but Bolt couldn't help but to wonder about that.