Chapter Eight: Pichu Chase

A Luxio stared at the door, thinking about what to do. She was trying to breath slowly while also trying to look totally normal for Bolt. She had nothing on her body besides her normal bright yellow bag, and a very red face, but she was planning on doing something fun with Bolt today.

...assuming he said yes that was.

Lucky looked back to see her two friends hiding behind a large bush far away from the house, so that Bolt wouldn't see them unless he thought that the bush always had ears, coming from the Emolga that was waving her arms, and had her mouth open as if she was screaming to motion Lucky toward the door, while the Manectric gave Lucky more of a calm nod.

The lion gulped, and slowly made her way to the door. She then raised her paw to knock, but then stopped for a second. She just just couldn't move her paw anymore! It felt frozen! She closed her eyes and thought about all the scenarios that could play out. What if Bolt said no? Or what if he said yes? Either way, that was only the tip of the iceberg.

Ha, ha iceberg. It's funny because she said her paw was frozen, so to think about something like that was-

*Knock knock knock knock*

Lucky's eyes shot open to see Evergreen with a huge grin, and a wink on her face. "You're welcome." She teased to the lion as she flew back into the bush in a flash.

Lucky really wanted to yell at her friend for knocking on the door for her, but she knew that it really wouldn't be good if Bolt heard her yell at somemon. She just had to try and delay the inevitable, didn't she?

She just held it all in, and looked at the door expecting Bolt, or at least somemon to answer it. She was a nervous wreck, and ever second spent sitting her just made her worst...

...

But it was taking a little too long for somemon to come and open the door, so much so that Lucky herself started to knock on the door. But even after all of that, no mon came, or even made a sound inside the house. Lucky then took a sigh of relief. She didn't know if this was a good thing or bad thing. All she knew was that no mon was home.

"Heyyyy, why isn't anymon coming out?" The Squirrel called out looking a bit let down by the outcome.

"I-I don't think anymon's home now." Lucky answered with a relieved look as she walked back to her friends. "Let's just leave and head over to my house."

"Well, that IS good plan, except for one flaw: You got to try this again." Rachel pointed out.

"Ya, but I think with the experience I'm getting, I'm better at not being as nervous. So, there's that at least to take away." Lucky said as she started to walk a head of the other two Pokémon.

Evergreen opened her mouth. She wanted to say how she spent a good minute with her paw inches from the door, but she was then hit by Rachel's leg before she could let out her feelings. "Ah!"

"Huh?" Lucky wondered as she turned around to see Evergreen with a panicked look.

"Nothing! Let's just do what you wanted. We'll pass the time at your house." Evergreen answered as she started to rub her chest.

"Ya, that sounds good. Let's hurry!" Lucky said trying to keep herself happy. The Luxio then walked away from the two, giving time for Evergreen to look at Rachel with a mean look.

"What was that for?" She asked.

"You shouldn't get her hopes down! It'll just make things worse for her!" Rachel said.

"She was standing at the door, for several minutes!" Evergreen yelled.

"Shh!" Rachel said as she placed her paw up at the Emogla "Fine. Let's just see how the rest of this day goes." Evergreen said as she started to jump and glide in the air. The Manectric then sighed at her friend's response, but went to follow them both.

"But if nomon's home, then where are they?" Rachel thought.

*Crunch!* A sound of a newly bitten into berry was heard as Sparks, was having a prefect Oran Berry on the newly named Lapras and friend, Melody. The two were continuing down the current for about an hour... maybe? Well, at least that was how long Sparks was awake for.

Sparks didn't really know how long they were moving, as Melody had sung a song around dawn to put Sparks to sleep, so besides being on the current he told Melody to go on, he didn't 100% know where they were! But that wasn't as bad as you'd think. As Sparks had always planned to go back home by taking something from Treasure Town by using his Poke savings, due to him fearing Wild Pokémon that could attack him, besides Melody of course.

Now that he thought about it, what would Melody think if he left? I mean, he was sure she could take care of herself, but then again, she got very scared when Sparks only wanted to jump into another rock.

"...how would she feel?" He whispered. Sparks needed to leave her eventually, right? Did he? Sparks started to have his head down.

"Okay?" Melody asked Sparks. The Pichu looked at her, and took a while to answer.

"Um...Ya, I'm okay." Sparks swallowed down his berry and decided to ask Melody some questions. "Can I ask you something?" Sparks asked.

"Hmmm?" Melody wondered.

Sparks rephrased his question. "I want to know you very good."

It clicked for the Lapras, who said, "Oh, umm...yes."

"Your home have other Pokémon?" Sparks questioned.

Melody thought about it for a while, she then turned her head halfway to Sparks. "Many Water Pokémon."

"Do they live with you, like bigger Lapras'?"

"...When I was little. But they gone."

Sparks lowered his ears after hearing that last answer. "So, do you live with somemon?"

"No, but have Popplio. She nice." She said with a smile. Sparks sighed knowing that she wasn't alone, and he was going to ask another question, however Melody turned her head away from him and looked down the current.

"You have Pokémon?" She asked. Sparks' left ear went up. He then thought about the question.

"Yeah, I have a Raichu Dad and a Luxray Mom!" Sparks said.

"Dad...Mom...those Pokémon?" Melody said as she looked back again.

Sparks, a bit surprised that she didn't know what a mom and dad were, shook his head. "No, it just means...oh, boy. It's like...a bigger boy and girl Pokémon who take care of you."

Melody didn't seem to fully understand that. "We'll work on that later." Sparks said with a smile. "I also have a brother Luxio."

Melody put her head down. "Bolt?"

"Yep-" Sparks stopped realizing that Melody actually remembered Bolt. "Wait, how did you know his name?" Sparks asked as he climbed over to Melody's head.

"He stopped me at ship." She said sounding a little rude. "I got hit with whip after that, Bolt bad Pokémon."

Sparks' ears went down. Sure, he did do that, but he still was his brother after all. "No, he's not a bad Pokémon, he's just...just..." Sparks stopped as he remembered the last time he was really with Bolt, and what had happened there.

"I always knew you were a pain around me, but the moment I tell Mom and Dad about your secret, they're going to be so mad." Bolt speaks with a huge grin on his face.

"And you want to know why I'm going to do that? BECAUSE. I. NEVER. LIKED YOU! Ever since you were able to travel with me, you've been nothing but a pain to have! Because you've always been nothing but a STUPID! SELFISH! ANNOYING LITTLE BRAT!"

Sparks put his paw right where Bolt had held him down, as it started to tingle because of his memory. "...I don't ever want to see your face! GOT IT!?"

Sparks had nearly forgotten about Bolt, which just made more questions come up. Did Bolt tell Mom and Dad already? What were they going to do when he got back home? Would Sparks' life ever be the same again? ...Do Mom and Dad think the same way of me as Bolt?

Sparks blinked, and then shook his head. Mom and Dad would never hate him! Why would that be! He's kind, cute, and their son! Who ever heard of a parent that hated their children?! Sparks seemed to look proud, but then he slowly went back into doubt.

...But that still doesn't mean they'll be mad at him for breaking out a Lapras from a friendly Captain. What are they going to do to Sparks when he finally gets back? I mean at this rate, it seemed clear that Sparks wouldn't make it back until way after both Mom and Dad got back home. That may not happen, but those were very small odds. So, what-

"You okay Sparks?" Melody asked again, as she turned to face Sparks. Sparks finally broke out of thought, "A... y-ya! I told you I'm fine! Just got lost in this view!" He said with a fake smile.

Melody, however, didn't seem to be fooled. She started to slow down and turn her head to Sparks more. "What's wrong?" She said again, but this time firmer, as if she wanted a better answer.

Sparks looked at Melody's blue, mother-like face. She knew something was wrong, and she was not going to stop asking until she heard the real answer.

Sparks let out a sigh and began. "I could be in trouble when I go back home..." He took another deep breath as he looked out toward the canyon. "I'm just scared what'll happen when I come back..."

"Not many Pokémon like Wild ones like you. They may not understand me, when they find out! My life...could change for the worst!" Sparks then put his head down to the water, with some drops started to fall into the water. Everymon could hate Sparks for what he did. Even his own family.

He really just jumped without looking doing all of this.

Suddenly, he felt Melody come to a complete stop. Which made Sparks' head look up again. "Hear." Melody said. Sparks just stood still, thinking that Melody would give him something, but then he heard the Lapras clear her throat, and Sparks realized that she was getting ready to sing a song. Sparks did his best to get comfortable on the shell, it took a while, but he eventually found himself in a good position. And it was just in time too, as Melody had just lifted up her head.

"Life flows, like a current." She started.

"Life cries, like a stream."

"Life flows, from here and there as it seems..."

Sparks eyes widened. It was...in English! Clean English, like, the language Sparks spoke! Even though Melody was a Wild Pokémon! How does she know this song?

"It never goes straight; it barely says still..." She continued. "No mon even knows, the water's will."

Sparks was just sitting in amazement, seeing a Lapras sing for him in front of his own eyes! And now, because this wasn't supposed to make Sparks fall asleep, he could enjoy the whole thing.

"The always moving, the...never ending! Currents of Change." She said as she finished, and it was beautiful.

Something then bumped into Melody's fin. Sparks looked down to see something in the water.

"Hello?" He asked, a tad bit scared.

"Mudkip!" A blue face said as it appeared from the water. And Sparks recognized it as a...well Mudkip, the Mud Fish Pokémon.

"Piplup! Pip?" "Osha!" "Squirt?" Sparks' ears picked up more sounds, and saw even more Water-Types coming up, and it looked like they were all small Wild Pokémon, who were all drawn in by Melody's music.

Sparks smiled to himself, this reminded him of some events back at home. It suddenly made Sparks feel a little closer to home. Sure, he was gone, and somemon may not like what Sparks did with running away or him breaking out Melody. Now that he thought about it, he didn't need to tell anymon about this...right?

Sparks looked at all of the Wild Pokémon, they really aren't so different than most mon' think. Maybe...but who knows, there could be somemon who'd understand Sparks. Because he definitely didn't want to keep this to himself.

He wanted everymon to see Wild ones, for who they really were: Other, normal Pokémon.

"Take this!" A loud yell sounded as a bolt of lightning shoot through the sky, causing a sizable blast when it clashed with the ground, and a huge cloud of dust headed straight for the Luxio. Bolt covered his eyes with his left paw, and held his covering stance for a few seconds before looking. Bolt looked and saw nothing in front of him.

"Where did that thing go?" Bolt scoffed, as he started to look around. Then suddenly he spotted the yellow Pokémon he was fighting, and it was charging at him with a wildly angry look on its face, with its drill having a dark shade of purple on it. Bolt almost let out a scream as he jumped out of the way just in the nick of time. The Beedrill then drilled its drill straight into the ground, right where Bolt was standing a split second ago. Bolt tried to not think about what would have happened if he didn't get out of the way in time, as he would rather focus on totally destroying that Pokémon!

Bolt had been running for almost...two, three hours? Well, Bolt didn't fully know, he was going to finally take a break by a newly found berry bush, so he could relax for a bit. That was until a stupid Breedrill appeared and started to attack him, and the battle was a bit difficult with Bolt already being tired from running, but thankfully, Bolt had trained with his dad for moments just like this. And finally, it was all going to pay off.

Bolt stared at the helpless Pokémon, who was still trying to get its drill out of the ground. "Now I'll show you real power!" Bolt yelled at the Pokémon as he charged up electric on his fur. He then dashed at the Breedrill with Wild Charge. Bolt then slammed his head against the Pokémon, right into its chest. And then its fainted body flew up in the air, and then landed somewhere down into the canyon.

"Serves you right!" Bolt cried out toward the water. He then turned away and walked back to the bush. He then put his nose up against a berry, and smelled it.

"Wow, this berry is as fresh as it can be!" Bolt said as he licked his lips. He then opened up his bag, Bolt looked at his front right paw, and noticed that it was a little dirty. He then brushed it on a rock a few times, then picked off some of the berries with it, and placed them into his bag. But then, as he picked off his last berry, he took a big bite from it.

He then closed his eyes as he felt the juice wash through his dry mouth and later down his just as dry throat. Bolt let out a sigh of delight. As he took another bite. He then looked toward the sun and saw that dark storm clouds were starting to come in.

"Oh, dang it." He groaned. He needed to find Sparks fast before that storm can come and cause him trouble. Bolt then quickly closed his bag, put it back over himself, and started to run down the current toward Treasure Town...again.

But while Bolt was running, he suddenly remembered something. He didn't pack something like a tent. "Double dang it!" Bolt yelled to himself.

Sparks had his eyes closed, still listening to the sweet music.

*Crack!*

Sparks' ears when up in total panic, losing any sign of peace. He then looked up toward the sky, and his eyes widened as he saw a few huge black clouds coming right over them.

A thunderstorm was coming, and they needed to get to someplace safe.

"Uhhhh...Melody?" Sparks asked.

"Thunderbolt." He heard her mumble. Sparks looked back down to Melody, and saw her already start moving to protect the smaller Pokémon.

"Melody, we gotta find shelter! Quick!" Sparks called out. The small Water-Types then suddenly looked at Sparks, and then started to get in attacking poses. Sparks was suddenly horrified. They weren't going to fight him, were they?

"W-wait! I'm not here to hurt you!" Sparks cried out. His cry, however, didn't seem to work, as the only thing that changed were just confused faces. They probably didn't understand what he when saying.

Sparks heard his heart pounding, and his eyes got smaller when he saw a Oshawott grab his white shell, and But just when Sparks thought it was going to jump right at him, Melody shot a small ice beam in front of the Oshawott, and then spoke to it in the same wild language that she spoke to that one Pokémon just last night.

Now that Sparks thought about it, with Melody's help, could he speak to wild Pokémon? Huh, maybe one day he could ask Melody about teaching him.

The Lapras kept talking to all of the small Water-Type and after a few seconds, all of the Water-Types talked back to her. Sparks then slowly walked up on Melody. "What did you say?" Melody looked down to Sparks.

"Said you not hurt them."

"Did they...listen, though?" Sparks said without looking away from the Oshawatt.

"Yes." She said as she pointed toward the Pokémon, who were now all calmed down. Except for the Oshawott, who still had his shell in his hand.

*Crack!* Sparks' let out a small yelp as he had forgotten about the thunderstorm.

"M-Melody, we need to-"

"Protection, I know." Melody said rather quickly. She then made a small cry to callout to the Water-Types. And before Sparks knew it, all of the Water-Types made their way onto Melody's shell leaving less room for Sparks. The tiny mouse started to struggle to keep his room on it, due to the amount of other Pokémon already on it. And they all started to stare at him again.

But then somemon stepped on his tail. "Ow!" Sparks cried out. He then looked behind to see the same Oshawott.

Sparks gulped, "A...could you maybe move just a little bit?"

"..."

"Please?"

"Lapr." Melody told the Otter, and only after a moment it stepped off of Sparks' tail. Sparks then looked around her shell, just looking at all of these Pokémon. He didn't know how to feel on one paw, he was seeing more Pokémon than he had ever in a while, but on the other paw, he had the feeling that they could attack him at any moment.

*drip.* A drop of water fell onto Sparks' head. Followed by another, and then several more. And before anymon knew it, it was pouring, and Sparks, like many other Electric-Types, hated getting rained on. He just never liked it when water was still in his fur, then that would make any electric hurt worse if he used or got hit by it.

"Osha! Osha!" "Lap. Ras. Lapras." Sparks heard Melody's Wild language again.

He wondered what they were saying, but he just decided to be quiet, and let them talk. Sparks looked at the water to pass the time, when finally, after a few seconds he heard Melody call out. "Cave!"

Sparks looked toward where Melody was looking and saw the same thing. He saw some big boulders on both sides around it, the gray tunnel that only got darker inside. It looked like a big enough spot for all of them. But then Sparks remembered one thing his dad always told him.

"Always be mindful of caves, Wild Pokémon mostly live there for the same reason you're going in there for."

Sparks looked up to Melody, and tried to find his way through the crowded shell. He carefully "Wait, what if somemon mean is in there?" He asked.

The Lapras turned her head to Sparks. "It's okay, it'll alright." Sparks then started worry a bit more, but trusted that she knew what she was doing. Even if it was kind of hard to do that.

"Oh." Melody turned her head again. "Don't talk, stay quiet, or talk 'Pichu.'" She added.

Sparks nodded, and looked at the gray rocks as they came right up to the entrance. The Pichu then felt Melody slow down and stop.

"Laprrrrrr!" She cried out, and right away the Water-Types started jumping of the shell and went into the cave. Sparks got right onto the ground and took a look into the cave, and saw the Water-Types get farther into the cave without a care of what was in there.

Sparks looked at Melody again, but she directed her head toward the cave. "It's ok." She said with a warm smile. Sparks gave her a little smile back and started to go under the cave to get out of the rain, but only a few steps in he once again turned to the Lapras, but this time, for a different reason.

"Aren't you, coming? The cave's big enough for you to get out of the storm." Sparks asked as he began drying himself off.

Melody's surprised by the question. "Hm? No. How could I?"

"Well..." Sparks said while brainstorming. "Do you know the move 'Surf?' The one where Pokémon ride on big wave?"

Melody thinks for a bit. She then looks at her fins and starts to move them in small circles. "Umm...Yes. But, why?"

Sparks grins in excitement, "Well, maybe you could try to use that move so you could a... fly here?"

"F-Fly?!" Melody exclaims. "I can't fly!"

"Well, not 'Fly' fly," Sparks clears up. "But more like, just floating over ground."

Melody looked back to her fins with a confused look.

"I mean, you may need to use another move to help you out with 'floating,' but if other water types can 'fly' with some other Water-Type moves. Maybe you'd-"

*CRACK* Sparks looked up at the sky and remembered the huge storm above their heads. "On second thought, how about we talk about it later?" The Pichu admitted.

"Yes, we talk later." The Lapras agrees. Sparks then walked into the cave, and once he felt dry enough, he started to have small sparks of electric go around him to help light up the way, Another trick his dad taught him and Bolt. Sure, it felt like he was continually being hit by thunder wave all around his body because of the small drops of water around him, but just much weaker, and it helped Sparks see inside of the cave.

He then started to think more about the 'floating,' to take his mind off of the slight pain. "Could she fly? I mean, if Water-Types know Water Jet they fly in the air for some time." Sparks paused. "Then again, not every Pokémon knows the same move. I know Lapras can learn Surf. But I don't remember if it knows Water Jet. But even still, would that be enough? Or would she need to know a different move?"

Sparks' ears went up as he heard some of the Water-Types down the cave.

"Osha!" "Piplup!" "OshhhA!" And it didn't sound too good.

Sparks let out a sigh. "I'll think more about that-" *Thwack* "Agh!"

Sparks ears went up again from hearing something behind him. He carefully turned around to see...Melody? Both of Sparks' eyes were wide open seeing the Giant Turtle right on the rocky ground, with all of her fins spread out across the cave's path. Here was him thinking that Melody could go over land, and here she was, doing it! ...kind of.

Sparks tried to say something. But he was so in shock, that the only words that came out was, "A...are you, ok?"

Melody grunted, while trying to move her fins. She tried moving them for a bit, and eventually, she started move slowly toward Sparks. "Yes. Hurts fins, but not shell." She says with a weak smile.

Her eyes then widen when she sees Sparks with electric around him. "Are you ok?"

Sparks looked at himself. "Oh ya! I'm fine. Pokémon like me do this to help see in the dark. But what are you doing here? You don't need to be in here if it hurts. Just go back into the water." Sparks told the Ice-Type.

"No." She replied. "Want get out of storm and help small Pokémon." She said with a determined face as she continued to drag herself to the back of the cave. The two Pokémon then walked toward the end of the cave, with Sparks in front, doing his best not to shock Melody with his own sparks. After a few moments, Melody and Sparks got to the end and saw the Oshawatt and Piplup arguing about a few berries, while the Mudkip and Squirtle looked like they were trying to rest at the other corner of the cave.

But then they all then looked at Sparks with confused, but also amazed faces. Sparks laughed at them. "Guess you've never seen something like this before, haven't you?"

"You move away? Need to get there." Melody asked Sparks.

"Oh sure!" Sparks said as he got to a corner of the cave.

"Thank you." Melody said. She then moved across the cave, and to the two fighting Pokémon. Sparks just looked at her and let out a small smile, as Melody started talking to the two Water-Types. He then looked at the other two Pokémon across the cave, who looked like they had just a good spot to sleep. Sparks let out a small yawn, maybe it wouldn't be so bad to wait out the storm like that.

He then stretched out his body and laid down on his back. He then opened one eye to see Melody talking to the Oshawatt and Piplup, who are surprised to see Melody out of water in the first place.

Sparks then smiled and felt all of his energy leave him, as he fell asleep.

"What th-"

"Ag-"

Sparks eyes shot open as he was horrified on the sudden noises he heard. Sparks then lite himself back up, and turned to see if everymon was alright. And to be fair, it looked like the three Water-Types were just as scared and confused as he was.

Wait three Pokemon, but there were four, plus him and-?!

Sparks then looked at the Pokemon. He saw the Mudkip, Squirtle, Piplup...

"Figures." Sparks murmured. Seeing that the small fighter wasn't with them made too much sense. Sparks looked across the cave and saw that Melody also wasn't there...which made even more sense.

"Osha! Osha!"

"You...get- Ag!" Sparks then heard almost the same thing he woke up from. And apart from hearing that again, he heard somemon else's voice. Sparks started to panic with his thoughts on who that could be.

The mouse then quickly ran down the cave to see what was going on. He ran down the cave and saw both Melody and the Oshawatt standing in front of something.

"What's going on?" Sparks call out to them. The Otter turned toward the Pichu, revealing its now black body.

"Osh, oshaosha, OSHA!" It said as it pointed in front of them. Sparks' eyes widen as he saw the damaged body, he then slowly walked past it to see was they were looking at.

"Wow!" Sparks exclaimed as he saw a crystal light blue frozen Pokémon in front of his eyes.

He then turned to Melody. "What's this?"

Melody grumbled. "That bad Pokémon again." She said without looking away from the block of ice. "It thunderbolt Oshawott."

"B-bad?! Thunderbolt? AGAIN?!" Sparks panicked. He then looked back to the Water-Type's body, and saw that it indeed looked fried from lighting. Sparks then turned to the frozen figure, and looked closer at it.

He then noticed something about it. Sparks saw a four-legged, light blue body. And his eyes went wider when he saw some familiar things about it. Like a lion-like build, and a brown bag. Sparks couldn't believe it, but that figure, was his brother.

"Bolt?!" Sparks cried out.