Time for Evolution!

It was impossible to explain the situation without surprises and even shouting: Dylan got nervous; Mina and Rose screamed, but managed to calm them down; Zack didn't get used to his new body for a few minutes, because he had to walk on all fours; but, without a doubt, the funniest to see was Luke, because since he now had both wings and legs, he did not remain stable.

"Damn, and I always liked to be in the trees," he said, "I didn't think I'd turn into a bird."

"A Pidove," Rose clarified, trying to straighten the leaf on top of her head, "Someone tell me it's a nightmare."

"If it is, it's shared," Zack said, "Hey, how did you manage to stay on all fours?"

"It's easy, you just have to move one at a time. I have seen it with my dog"

"The last thing I want is to stay in this shape," Mina said, "How do we get out of this dream, nightmare, or whatever?"

"I'm almost sure I once dreamed something similar…" Rex said, trying to remember better.

"And did you know how to wake up?" Dylan asked.

"That was a dream, this is true. I have already tried everything that is done to check when one sleeps"

"Great, now what do we do?" Luke asked.

Rose thought of something and looked at her old cell phones. However, they were a bit far from her now four Chikorita legs, how was she going to reach them herself? She wanted to have hands again and, instantly, some vines came out of her body and extended like her arms.

"Woah, are those the vines of a Grass Pokemon?" Dylan asked in surprise, "How did you do it?"

"I just… I wished I had new hands and this happened" she excused herself, "Let me see if…"

With a movement, she picked up her old cell phone, which was now painted a green color.

"These things…" she said as she examined them with her new 'arms', "They were our cell phones, they brought us and transformed… can they change us again?"

"I don't know..." Rex said as he grabbed his and tried to push a few buttons to no avail, "They don't seem to work now."

At that moment, Kandia entered the room carrying a basket with berries of different colors and shapes.

"You must be hungry little ones" she said, "Here, eat something while you solve your problems"

"Thank you Ms. Kandia" almost everyone said.

"Thank you, Aunt Kangaskan," Rex said. The others looked at him with great surprise. However, they looked back at the berries: they didn't know whether to eat them or not.

Without anyone saying anything, Rex picked up a berry and ate it.

"Umm, yummy!" he said.

The others took a berry too and ate it: their taste exploded with sweet and slightly sour flavors. For berries, they were delicious.

"Now tell me, what's wrong with you?" asked Kandia, "You look surprised with everything, and that you are a little older"

"Well, you see," Dylan said, "we're... human."

There was a minute of silence. Then, Kandia looked at them strangely.

"Humans?" she said, "That's impossible, humans are just a myth. And even if it were true, they all look like Pokemon."

"We come from the human world," Rose explained, "We received a message about a mission. Then there was a flash of those devices and we arrived here "

"Umm"

They were slow to explain everything in great detail, including their names. Once everything was said, the Kangaskan was thoughtful for a moment, but after about five minutes, she began to search among the books that were on the shelf. Then, she came back with a big red book.

"I have to admit if I don't know if I believe them or not" he said, "But there is a legend that tells of some chosen kids turned into Pokemon, that they come when the Pokemon world suffers a serious threat, and they will be in charge of protecting all forms of life and solve that problem"

"Chosen kids?" Mina asked, "You mean us?"

"I'm not sure if it's you. But perhaps you will find answers if you go to see the author of the prophecy that is written in this book: the wise Alakazam"

They all looked at each other, it was not because of Alakazam's name, but because of what that book said: a prophecy? some chosen kids? This seemed like a story, but there they were. Even so, the guy was a wise, if they weren't the so-called 'chosen' they could at least ask him other things.

"Well, I think that would be a good idea," Luke said, "where can we find it?"

"Unfortunately, he lives in the town of Azurview, which is at least a week of journey from here. And you have to cross the sea "

"One week?" Mina asked, "How far do we have to go? Isn't there a faster way?"

"No, there is no other route"

"Calm down Mina" Dylan said, "We'll all go together…"

At that precise moment, a noise sounded from outside the cabin: a loud bang. Kandia's face changed from friendly to terrified.

"Oh, no...them again"

"Who is it?"

"A gang of evil Pokemon. They come here to order food and if we don't give them they start a riot that tears the place apart. Stay here, for your safety."

Kandia came out in great despair. The friends were puzzled to see the shocked face he made.

"Should we help her?" asked Rose, "He seems too serious for her to deal with on her own."

"But what if it's dangerous?" Mina asked.

"Well, I'm not going to sit around while someone is in danger," Rex declared and went after her.

While it was a selfless act on her part, it could be somewhat dangerous as they had assumed. However, they all agreed that they should at least know about the situation. Wasting no time, the others followed.

Leaving the place (which looked like a cabin), they found what looked like a small village with houses built with simple materials: wood, bamboo, clay and stone, some reminiscent of those Japanese houses.

There were also several Pokemon: an Azumarill was protecting what looked like its younger siblings (an Azurill and a Marill), a Fletchling was fluttering around asking for help, a couple of different colored Keckleons were hugging each other in fear, and a Goomy was looking away.

And they had a good reason to have such attitudes: a Zangoose, an Arbok and a Gourgeist was fighting against Kandia, who was already somewhat exhausted. This Pokemon trio didn't look anything like the others, it seemed as if they were the bandits of the town.

"Have you had enough, Kandia?" asked the Zangoose, "The entire town must pay us without exception"

"They already have everything we gave to you..." she answered tiredly, "Please..."

"Not enough," the Gourgeist laughed, "You must pay as much as Arbok can be consumed."

"Yes, my appetite must be sated" said the Arbok with that serpentine tone, "Maybe I can eat some child you have…"

"Leave the children out of this…" Kandia replied trying to get up.

The boys understood the situation, but they did not consider themselves fit to help. Their parents always said, "stay out of adult business." However, it seems Rex either wasn't shown it or simply didn't know what he was dealing with and ran towards them.

"Hey, leave her" he yelled at them.

The three Pokemon turned to see what they thought was just a small Charmander yelling at them to leave Kandia alone. The next moment, they laughed.

"Hahaha," the Zangoose laughed, "Don't make me laugh, kid. Go home before you get hurt. Or better yet, do you fancy being Arbok's lunch?"

"I think I feel like eating a Charmander, Zango," Arbok declared, "You don't mind, do you, Kandia?"

Aunty Kangaskan was fighting the pain, but she was pleading:

"No, leave him alone" then she turned to Rex: "Rex, please get back to the house..."

"I can't do it Mrs. Kandia…" answered this determined one, "I've been teased before by bullies at school and they are bullies too. This time, I won't let the innocent get hurt…"

Before he finished his sentence, the Arbok slid towards him with great speed, Rex barely had time to react and he dodged it by a hair (if the Charmanders had it) almost taking a bite. But before he could glorify himself for dodging an attack, a flick of Arbok's thick tail knocked him off his feet.

"That will teach you, little boy, not to meddle in the affairs of the..." the Arbok began to say as he approached him.

But Rex hadn't given up: before he finished speaking, he had jumped up and slammed his flaming tail right into the Arbok's face.

"What were you saying to me?" Rex taunted, as Arbok stepped back, its face stinging from the blow.

"Damn brat!" it yelled and in one movement, it entangled him.

"Rex!" Luke yelled, pecking at Arbok.

"Don't mess around, kid!" the Gourgeist stopped him.

Using his move, Shadow Sneak, it cast a shadow that held Luke back and hit him with invisible motions.

"Luke!" Rose yelled, "Now you'll see…"

Using his new vines, she attacked the Gourgeist, but it used a shadow of its to decoy and dodged.

"Nice try, but your movement is very childish" it told her.

The Gourgeist began to glow and a Shadow Ball appeared in front of it. The next instant, it throw it to Rose. Dylan, trying to help, pushed the Chikorita aside, but still the impact caught both of them and knocked them.

"Friends!" Zack yelled, getting angry. Instantly, he felt electricity run through his body, but this was his friend. Realizing this, he remembered that now he could launch electric attacks.

Charging energy, Zack unleashed a Thunderbolt that rocked the Arbok, freeing Rex. Now, they were both together again. But it didn't last long: a tail strike from Arbok knocked Zack aside and it took Rex prisoner again.

"No, please…" Kandia said, "Let them go…"

"Oh!" The Zangoose told her very angrily and used its metal claw to hurt her.

"Not!" Rex yelled upon seeing the scene. If something bothered him, it was seeing the injustices of the bullies: his greatest motivation was to defend others.

Suddenly, something inside Rex lit up…literally. His body began to give off more heat than a human's, so much so that Arbok released him: it burned like metal that had been red-hot for hours. Released, the young Charmander rise up.

"I will not allow injustices..." he said without realizing that his body was beginning to glow, "I... will defend the innocent..."

Then, his body began to glow at the same time that a small object came out making a hole of the same size: the converted cell phone emitted a glow that shot towards Rex. The boy's body then began to change shape…

"Charmander evolve to... Charmeleon!"

When the glow finished, Rex had evolved, from Charmander to Charmeleon.

"What?!" Arbok and Gourgeist were shocked. Zangoose, for his part, snorted, but he too was surprised at his sudden evolution.

His friends also watched in amazement at what was in front of them. Rex felt more powerful than ever.

"Oh my…" Rex said to himself, "I feel weird again, but strangely stronger… I like it… Now, it's payback time!"

"Don't think it's so easy kid!" Arbok yelled, "Poison Sting!"

"Flamethrower!"

The enemy Arbok watched in fright as his thousand poison stings were reduced to ashes by the fire, which also struck him and sent him crashing into a wooden wall. Fortunately, no fire was started, but he knocked out the poisonous one with a single blow.

"Damned!" Gourgeist yelled, "Shadow Sneak!"

Gourgeist's shadow moved towards Rex, but the fire from his tail gave off such light that the shadow couldn't get closer (as if the darkness couldn't stand the light). Gourgeist got angry because it couldn't get close either.

"Shadow Ball!"

A sphere of energy with a ghostly aura (as if the energy ball of the grass types had been combined with the ghostly type). But it was no problem for…

"Metal Claws!"

Rex's new claws stopped the sphere of energy, as if it were a sturdy wall of steel, and the energy scattered into small shards of energy. Gourgeist was even more stunned, as the increase in strength was much greater than that of a normal evolution.

"Flamethrower!"

Unaware of his thoughts, Rex attacked with his fire and knocked Gourgeist down. But Zangoose was different: he was unfazed by seeing his enemies felled. However, when Gourgeist was knocked down, he quickly attacked Rex... but he put a paw back to avoid being knocked down. Then, he attacked with his claws, turning into a riotous claw fight.

The next minute of clawing and dodging both combatants seemed to drain a lot of energy, but also the difference in experience showed through: Rex was looking more tired than Zangoose.

"My…I can't last much longer…" Rex thought as his view of Zangoose was blurring.

"Even though you have evolved, you still have a long way to control your powers…" Zangoose told him as he charged sinister energy into his claws, "Dark Pulse!"

A wave of sinister energy hit Rex hard and sent him rolling across the ground towards his friends.

"Rex!" they all said.

"It's useless" Zangoose boasted preparing to attack again (Arbok and Gourgeist) returned to his side, "One more hit and they'll all go to the same place…"

"I won't let you!" Kandia yelled, stepping between the children and Zangoose, "You'll have to take me down first before them!"

"It will be very easy Kandia…!"

"You will not do it!" Rex yelled getting back to his feet and walking weakly until he was in front of Kandia. He seemed very weak, but for some reason the intensity of his flame increased more.

Zack noticed and mentioned: "Blaze…"

"The ability of the fire starters?" Luke asked hearing this and seeing Rex, "Now I understand…"

The size of Rex's tail flame increased even more when he attacked:

"Flamethrower!"

For his part, Zangoose countered with his:

"Dark Pulse!"

Rex's flames and the dark pulse collided in the air with such incredible force that it caused a huge air storm around him… in short, their forces were equal. But Zangoose, stubborn and mean as he was, didn't want to let himself be beaten that way it meant exhausting himself completely.

"No evolved brat like you can beat me!" he yelled he.

But Rex didn't plan to lose either, because more important to him was defending others.

"You will not hurt them!" he managed to understand himself barely moving his mouth (you have to remember that he had his mouth open by the Flamethrower).

Then, Rex's fire surged into him suddenly and pushed the dark pulse back towards the bully. When he was about to arrive… the point where the attacks collided exploded and he hurled the trio of evil Pokemon into the air with such force towards the mountains ahead.

After the smoke cleared the other chosen ones found the weary Charmeleon panting with exhaustion. However, as they were reaching out to help him, his body glowed again and he shrank back and became a Charmander again. Before thinking why this happened, he almost fell, but Dylan caught him just in time.

"Rex! Are you okay?" he told him as he placed him on the ground and shook him to make him react.

"…m…st… ing.." his companion mused.

"What?!" almost everyone asked.

"I'm starving..." Rex said smiling, trying to open his eyes.

At that moment, everyone laughed with happiness to see that his partner was fine. However, all the Pokemon around him were shocked by the battle and how such a boy stood up to those bullies. And, like Kandia, they wondered why, having evolved, he became the same again.