Chapter 23

Kanto Route 15

2 Epombria, 20 Zenoheld / April 2, 20—

The taste of a Sitrus Berry brought Lars Lion back to consciousness. As the Shinx's eyes regained focus, he noticed a bright white light coming from behind him. As he slowly turned around in Volt's arms, he found the source of the light: Apollonir. Lars Lion's eyebrows furrowed as he watched Apollonir—a Pokémon supposedly lower-level than he!—begin to gain size and definition, his claws lengthening, his muzzle becoming more angular, more mature, more intimidating.

When the light faded, Volt gingerly laid Lars Lion on the ground, then joined Maya to take a closer look at the newly-evolved Pokémon.

"Wow, Volt! I didn't know that your Charmander was this close to evolving!" Maya said.

"I don't think that picture in the Pokédex did you any justice, Apollonir," Volt said, patting his new Pokémon's head.

That should be me being gawked at by the humans! Lars Lion thought with a growl.

Volt took Dextra out and pointed it at Apollonir.

"Charmeleon, the Flame Pokémon, and the evolved form of Charmander. If it encounters a strong enemy, it becomes agitated, and the flame on its tail flares with a bluish white color."

"Congratulations, Polly!" Maya said.

Apollonir rewarded her with a puff of smoke to the face. "A-pol-lo-nir. It's really not that hard."

That should be me being admired like that! Lars Lion thought as he fought to get upright. Master Volt should be adoring me! He should be stroking my new mane, gawking at my claws, taking in my features!

But instead, this Charmander…!

After a few moments of struggle, Lars Lion finally got to his paws. "You!" he roared.

"Lars Lion!" Volt gasped, struck at the vehemence in his Shinx's cry.

"You!" Lars Lion cried again, stalking towards the Charmeleon. "So that was your plan all along, wasn't it, Hephy?"

The Charmeleon canted his head at the strange name. "Are … you OK?"

"Don't you 'are you OK' me, Hephaestus," the Shinx replied as he made his way towards the Charmeleon. "Oh, you got me good, with that 'adoring fan' act. That was your plan all along, wasn't it?

"What am I saying; you were always like this! 'Leonidas is supposedly Level 23, but he's still just a Shinx. He should be some easy experience.' And to think that I started to believe that you'd become a different Pokémon nowadays."

The Charmeleon stepped back, acting as if he had no idea what the Shinx was talking about. From the way the Charmeleon's mouth opened and closed, it was clear that a multitude of questions warred for release. The one that finally won out was, "Who's Leonidas?"

"Well guess what, Hephy?" Leonidas said, uncaring of his companion's apparent confusion. He stalked around the Charmeleon, continuing to speak despite some humans chattering in the background. "I'm not little Leo anymore. I have a new master now, and I'm not gonna be any Pokémon's punching bag any more!" He crouched and prepared to attack, but then—

"HAOS LARS LION!"

Leonidas turned towards the interloper. "WHAT, human?"

"I know you're not talking to me with that tone of voice," said the human ("Master Volt,"said something in the back of Leonidas's mind), also crouching slightly; Leonidas thought he looked like a Fighting-type preparing to throw its opponent. "Stand down! Or are you going to try to pounce at me as well?"

Lars Lion came to his senses and fell to his haunches. "Master—"

"You battled, you lost, and Apollonir evolved. These things happen," Volt said as he warily approached his Shinx. "I saw you after the brawl with Chansey; Apollonir was thanking you for the victory! And you're just going to turn on him now because he happened to beat you once?"

Turn on him? Lars Lion looked again at Apollonir, who released a breath the Shinx didn't know he'd been holding.

"Now why don't you calm down, and let's see about getting you back to 100%, alright?" Volt said.

But the Shinx barely heard Volt; another human's voice was echoing inside his head:

"How pathetic! A poor fighter, and a sore loser! What am I going to do with you, Leo?"

As the Shinx looked around, he saw Volt, an obviously fake smile on the human's face. He looked at the other Pokémon, who were clearly thinking that he was going insane, talking to Pokémon that had long parted ways with him.

"Lars Lion?" Volt called again. "It's all right. I'm not upset with— Hey! Come back!"

With a Quick Attack, Leonidas sped past the human and slipped into the trees.

I am higher-leveled than Apollonir, the Shinx thought as he slinked through the trees. I should have been able to beat him.

In fact, I had him ... until he blasted me with that second Dragon Rage!

But how can I show my face to Master Volt now? Apollonir was nice to me—nicer than Hephaestus ever acted—and I still tried to attack him? Plus I ran off like a scared kitten after Master Volt tried to fix things. … I may as well find a safe place to—

"Lars!"

"Lars Lion!"

"Where are you?"

What? Lars Lion thought. I must be hearing things.

"Haos Lars Lion, where are you?"

"Lars Lion? Please come back!"

Master Volt? Apollonir? Lars Lion thought. What do they want with me? Why are they seeking me out?

"Lars Lion!"

Despite his doubts, Lars Lion found himself beginning to reply: "I'm over he—"

— only for his cry to suddenly get cut off by a gloved hand clamping over his muzzle.

"Haos Lars Lion, where are you?" Volt cried out as he scanned the trees. I should have opted for those tracking courses when we were still colonizing New Vestroia.

By his side, Apollonir was also calling out for the Shinx. "Me-ee! Charmeleon!"

Maya was also near him, searching for Lars Lion. When Volt asked her to help him search, she had called on her Misdreavus. The Pokémon did not take kindly to being woken up in the daytime, but with a bit of prodding, the ghost Pokémon flitted through the trees, searching for Lars Lion. The remaining Pokémon were recalled to their Poké Balls, lest someone get lost in the search.

Before long, Misdreavus rushed back towards the two Trainers, pointing at something behind it. "Misdreavus, misdreavus!"

"Did you find Lars Lion?" Maya asked.

"Misdreavus," Misdreavus replied, nodding, then added hastily, "mis misdreavus! Misdreavus!"

"What's gotten you so riled up, Misdreavus?" Maya asked.

"Prepare for trouble! We'll answer that!" a voice called out.

"And make it double: in ten seconds flat!" said another voice.

"Not those guys again," Volt groaned.

"To infect the world with devastation!" Cassidy said, entering Volt's sight range.

"To blight all peoples in every nation!" Butch said as he also came into view.

"To denounce the goodness of truth and love!"

"To extend our wrath to the stars above!"

"Cassidy!"

"And Butch!"

"We're Team Rocket, circling the Earth all day and night!"

"Surrender to us now, or you'll surely lose the fight!"

"Raticate!"

"Whaddya want, Team Rocket?" Volt demanded.

"It's quite simple, Bolt-boy," Butch said. "We just happened to be in the neighborhood when we ran across this little bundle of joy here."

A modified Frisker robot wheeled in between the two. In the robot's chest cavity, a window showed Lars Lion attached to a bunch of wires. For some reason, the Shinx appeared to be walking in place.

"Imagine our surprise when we heard you twerps calling its name," Cassidy said. "Score!"

"Our demand is quite simple," Butch said. "Boring-Titties for Lars Lion."

"So now you've stooped to taking hostages?" Volt replied.

"And what a kind hostage he's been!" Cassidy said. "It's been graciously powering our Frisker robot for quite some time—though I don't think that being so generous will be good for it in the long run."

"So you see here, Jolt," Butch said, "you could struggle, but you'll only be hurting your precious little Lars Lion as our Frisker sucks all the juice from its itty bitty body to keep itself running.

"No wonder they call you 'Butcher,'" Volt replied.

"The name is 'Butch,'" Butch answered calmly, "and you are stalling. Tick-tock, Lackluster! What are you going to do?"

They have Lars Lion in that contraption. Volt thought. And I don't see any reason for them to be bluffing; those Team Rocket jerks somehow turned him into a battery for that Frisker of theirs.

"Volt, why don't you just hand your 'Boriates' over?" Maya said. "Whatever it is, it can't be worth Lars Lion's health! And my father has connections with the Kanto PD; we can easily get it back later."

Volt barely heard Maya. If that is what they are doing to Lars Lion, then the sooner I get it out of there, the better. But there has to be another way!

"Besides, it's not like our Pokémon can knock it out in one hit, can they?" Maya added.

Wait a second. Maya had helped me out with the first Frisker, and my Pokémon have certainly gotten stronger by then.

The worry left Volt's face. Hang on, Lars Lion. I'm gonna get you out of there.

Volt pointed at the Frisker. "Apollonir, use Dragon Rage to break Lars Lion out!"

"You're not getting away that easy, twerp!" Butch replied. "Houndoom, tank that hit!"

At once, Butch sent the Dark Pokémon out into the path of Apollonir's Dragon Rage. Once projectile hit Pokémon, Houndoom slammed into the Frisker, but the robot itself was unfazed.

"Houndoom, deal with that Charmeleon! Frisker, go get 'Oh-I-hate-thee' from Volt!"

With remarkable agility, the Frisker slipped out from behind Houndoom and sped towards Volt. As it did, Volt saw that Lars Lion's pace also sped up. I'd better get Lars Lion out of there, now.

At that, Volt rolled back his left sleeve, revealing his Gauntlet, and activated his energy blade.

As the Frisker continued to speed towards Volt, its six arms beginning to stretch out, Volt sidestepped to his left and swung at one of the arms. Volt managed to nick the topmost hand, while the middle hand glanced past Volt's jacket.

The Frisker turned around for another pass, and sped towards Volt again, its arms wide open to block any sideways movement. This time, Volt didn't move, but anticipated the charge. When the main body was inches away from colliding with Volt, the arms began to close in. At that moment, Volt swung at the Frisker's right arms, cutting them clean off.

The Frisker hesitated, giving Volt the chance he needed. Volt stabbed at the window and cut a horizontal slit along the top of the opening. As Volt cut, the blade sliced through the wires connecting the Frisker to Lars Lion. The Frisker's left arms gesticulated wildly.

When the last wire was cut, the Frisker slumped like a marionette with no strings. Volt shortened the energy blade and made three more cuts in the window, creating an opening from which he could take Lars Lion off of what he now recognized as a treadmill.

After Volt got Lars Lion out, he turned to Cassidy and Butch, the latter of whom had been occupied in battling Maya; she was once again commanding Apollonir.

"Team Rocket," Volt said, "I will only tell you this once. No one messes with my Bakugan and gets away with it. Now take your machine—" Volt kicked the Frisker towards the Rockets "—and leave me alone!

"Lars Lion, are you up to doing the honors?"

The Shinx looked up to its Trainer. "Shinx?" it said warily.

Volt nodded.

"Shinx, shinx!" it said, a determined smile on its face.

"Then use Spark!"

Lars Lion hopped down from Volt's arms and cloaked itself in electricity. It then slammed into the Frisker with all its might, and in the resulting explosion, Cassidy and Butch were ejected from the Route.

"Is it just me, or is Jolteon getting better at getting rid of us?" Butch complained.

"Are you trying to get his name wrong, Biff?" Cassidy replied.

"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!" the pair wailed as they sped away.

On the ground, after the smoke cleared, Volt said, "Good work, Lars Lion. I'm proud of you."

Lars Lion looked up at Volt. "I can't believe it. You came back for me."

"Of course we did!" Lars Lion turned to see Apollonir approaching, Maya not too far behind. "I don't know what happened to you, but you're still my friend." Apollonir then bent down and whispered,"And between you and me, you almost got me in that battle. It took quite a bit to hang on after that last Spark."

"Then don't think that things will be the same next time," Lars Lion whispered back, trying to force a smile.

Apollonir's tail flame briefly flickered blue. "I'd love to see you try."

At that moment, Lars Lion felt as if an explosion of energy was beginning to engulf him. Without a second thought, a beatific smile crossed the Shinx's face.

"Could it be?" Volt said, the white light reflecting off his body.

"Yes," Maya said in awe. "Lars Lion is evolving."

The three watched as Lars Lion doubled in height and gained muscle mass. Tufts of fur grew out from all over Lars Lion's head, and his ears moved up slightly. When the glow faded, Lars Lion roared his joy to the heavens: "LUXIOOOOOOOOOO!"

Volt pointed his Pokédex at Lars Lion. "Luxio, the Spark Pokémon, and the evolved form of Shinx," Dextra reported. "Strong electricity courses through the tips of its sharp claws. A light scratch causes fainting in foes. By touching friends with its front paws, Luxio is able to communicate through the sparks it emits."

"Wow, congratulations, Lars Lion. You evolved," Volt said.

Lars Lion looked at his paw. I wonder … He took a step towards Volt, but before he could move any farther, he felt his body begin to collapse. Oh. That robot must have taken more out of me than I thought. But at least I won one for Master Volt.

"Lars Lion!" Volt said as it collapsed in his hands.

Maya laid an ear on Luxio's chest. "It's alive. It's just sleeping. That Frisker must have done quite a number on it."

"Are we going to have to go back to Fuchsia City again?" Volt asked.

"Nah, he'll be good as new after some rest and a few Sitrus Berries. In my experience, a good grooming also helps after a dramatic battle."

"That's a relief," Volt said with a sigh. "In that case, let's get out of these woods."

Thank you.

Huh? Volt thought to himself. He looked down at Lars Lion, asleep in his arms. Must be my imagination. Still...

"You're welcome, Lars Lion," Volt replied.