Sunbeam's Quest (Part 1)

I sat by the pond and watched the three Eevees coaching the five kits, the oldest of whom wouldn't be a kit for much longer.  Bolt had taken over for Espeon in teaching the kits with Umbreon, as the mother herself was now busy training Sunbeam about being an Espeon.

Bolt was showing off his electrical abilities and teaching Two through Five about Jolteons.  Umbreon looked like he was keeping Bolt in line just as much as his kits.  "Bolt, we know that you can summon lightning," or, "Bolt, you've been glowing since this lesson started, they know you can do it," and one time, "Bolt, if you use Charge Beam on me again, I will hunt you down and trap you in the shadow dimension!"  This particular outburst elicited giggles from the assembled Eevees.

I turned to watch where Espeon was coaching One, no Sunbeam, on the ways of the Espeon.  "Now, Sunbeam.  There are very large array of Psychic abilities for an Espeon to be good at.  Usually, you excel at one, are very skilled at another, and while you can use the rest, you may not be as good."

"What are your skills, Mother?" Sunbeam asked, already acting like an adult.

"My best skill is my telekinesis, with my telepathy and teleportation also being very good.  I can manipulate emotions, or make someone see things that aren't there, but those are not my best skills." 

I thought Espeon was underselling herself.  She was a very powerful Pokémon.  Frankly, so was everyone in the Clan, in their own way.  Surf and Umbreon were strong fighters, but didn't much show just how powerful they were unless the situation demanded it.  Bolt and Inferno were both deeply connected to their element, and though they liked to show it off, that didn't mean they were all talk and no show.  They were probably some of the best fighters in the Clan.  Snow and Clover both had perfect control over ice and plants respectively, but their strength was not only their abilities and quick thinking, but strong personality and resilience.

Sensing my drifting thoughts, Espeon looked in my direction.  "You're powerful, too, Splash.  Don't forget that."

"Thank you, Espy," I said with a smile. 

Just then, Surf, Clover, and Inferno returned from their hunting patrol.  Snow was keeping watch after I had smelled a familiar Mightyena.  I had told no one, just to keep Clover and the rest of the Clan from panicking, but I asked that we resume watches.  Just to be safe.  Espeon probably knew, but if anyone could keep a secret and not panic, it was her.

As the hunting party divided up the prey, Inferno trotted up to Espeon and Sunbeam.  "Hey!  How's training?"

Sunbeam answered.  "Pretty well, Inferno."

The Flareon got straight to the point.  "Where are you going to go for your Power Quest?"

I walked closer as I asked the question that Sunbeam was clearly about to.  "What's a Power Quest?"

Inferno tilted his head at me.  "You never went on a Power Quest, Splash?  It's when, either after or when you evolve, you go somewhere that helps you get in touch with your new type.  Like, I went to a volcano!"

I thought about it.  "Well...  I sort of did.  I guess.  I went to the ocean after I evolved...  That's where I met Surf, actually.  He had been living in the ocean until he met me."

Espeon and Sunbeam smiled nearly identical smiles.  Inferno rolled his eyes at them.  "So where are you going to go, Sunbeam?"

"Umm..." the Eevee stammered.  "I don't know.  I don't know about any Psychic places."

"I do!" Clover shouted from behind and making Inferno and I jump.  The excited Leafeon dashed over and sat down next to Inferno.  "I heard someone tell a story about it.  There's this big tower called Bell Tower in a human city, but no one is allowed to go there.  It's very tall and deeply connected power of every type.  It's nine stories tall, and at the very top, Ho-Oh, the King of Legendary Pokémon, is said to perch."

Everyone was amazed by the prospect.  I was the first to ask a question.  "But what does that have to do with Psychic Pokémon?"

Clover hesitated.  "Well...  Nothing directly.  But it's said that the closer you get to the top, the more connection you feel to the world, your surrounding, and your own mind.  I thought it sounded pretty close..."

Espeon nodded thoughtfully.  "That is what one needs to truly master Psychic power..."

A hopeful smile spread across Sunbeam's face.  "Can...  Can I go to Bell Tower?"

Espeon considered it, then responded slowly.  "...I suppose...  But only if you evolve first."

Sunbeam barely gave her mother time to finish speaking before tackling her in a hug.  "Thank you, Mama!" she cried happily, slipping back into her Eevee name for Espeon in her joy.

 

The next week was spent furtively training Sunbeam to Evolve.  Mostly, Espeon did the teaching, but today, she asked me to step in and teach her more advanced battle tactics.

 

"Ok, Sunbeam.  This is probably the best way to win any battle.  The easiest way to win is not to get hit."

 

"That make sense," she said with a shrug.

 

"Now, you have an edge that few Pokémon do to help you dodge."

 

"My mind reading," she said with a smile, not even letting me finish my thought.

 

I nodded and continued.  "Right.  It's much easier to dodge a physical attack than a special attack, so we'll start with that, then move on to special attacks after."

 

"Do you know any physical moves, Splash?"

 

"...No, but let's pretend I do.  Let's say... Iron Tail."  I had been thinking of Surf and it was the first move that came to mind.

 

If Sunbeam picked up that thought, she didn't say anything.  "Ok.  Whenever you're ready, Splash!"

 

I froze on my paws, waiting to try and catch her by surprise.  Even if I did hit her, it wasn't with a move, and wouldn't do much damage, but it would still hurt.  Nevertheless, she needed more experience.  I pounced unexpectedly, or so I thought.  I swung my tail wide, but she jumped out of the way easily.  I came at her again with the same result.  "Good!" I shouted as the chase continued.  "Now try and hit me back!"

 

It took her a few tries before she landed a hit with Bite, but I was never able to touch her.  She was sharp.  After she scored a few more hits on me, I called a halt to the battle.  "Good job!  All right, we'll take a break while I try and explain dodging special attacks."  Sunbeam nodded and sat down, so I continued.  "Usually, dodging a special attack is like dodging a physical attack, except without the verbal cue.  All you'd need to do most of the time is tell when the attack is coming and move out of the way."

 

Sunbeam tilted her head, more like an Espeon than an Eevee.  "But some attacks don't work like that."

 

"Exactly," I nodded.  "Some attacks, you can't avoid, or they chase you, which is when teleportation is handy.  But other attacks just have a very wide range."

 

"Like Surf and Blizzard!" she called out, naming my moves.

 

"Right.  If that's the case, you need to find a safe zone, somewhere that you won't get damaged.  It's harder, but not impossible."

 

"Try me!" Sunbeam shouted, jumping to her paws again.

 

This time, I leapt at her without warning, using "Iron Tail" again, but she dodged just as easily as the first time.  I moved on to Stone Edge, targeting specific areas that she could jump away from.  I didn't actually want to hurt her.  After a few tries, she hit me with Tackle, so I stepped up my game and started using Surf and Blizzard.  Showing just how attentive she was, she held still until right when the large wave of snow and ice was coming at her, then used Quick Attack to avoid getting hurt, and jumped into surrounding trees to dodge Surf.

 

She caught me with a few more attacks before I finally caught her unaware.  I let her use Quick Attack on me, then used Surf immediately.  She clearly knew it was coming, but couldn't dodge fast enough.  The water carried her squealing into a nearby bush, and I stopped my attacks.  She was probably going to jump out and attack me the second I came close, but better safe than sorry.

 

I walked closer, dropping my attack stance.  "Sunbeam?  Are you ok?"  The foliage waved wildly in response, followed by a snarl that definitely did not come from and Eevee.  Suddenly, Sunbeam burst out of the foliage, running for her life and hiding behind me just as a large Mightyena exploded out of the bush after her. 

 

I squared my stance as Sunbeam quivered behind me.  "I can't read its mind."

 

"I know, it's a Dark Type, you won't be able to use Psychic abilities on them.  Just use what you know and attack!" I yelled, using Stone Edge to block the Mightyena and hit from below.  Sunbeam mustered her courage and jumped out from behind me and prepared to fight alongside me.  I couldn't read her thoughts, but she could read mine.

 

I used Surf as the Dark Type rushed Sunbeam, sweeping it off of its paws but missing Sunbeam herself.  Pairing with my attack, she darted in while her enemy was off balance and used Quick Attack, darting away before it could retaliate.  I used Stone Edge again, which Sunbeam complimented with Tackle.  We fell into a rhythm.  Hit, hit, dodge.  Hit, hit, dodge.

 

Suddenly, vines snared the Mightyena from below as it tried to attack Sunbeam.  Snow and Clover rushed in at top speed, firing attacks on their own wavelength.  With four Eevees attacking it, the Mightyena stood no chance and fainted.

 

Panting heavily, the two best friends turned towards Sunbeam and me.  Snow spoke first.  "Nice job.  We were tracking him after we caught his scent on patrol, but it looks like you handled it well enough."

 

Clover nodded in agreement.  "Yeah, you did great, Splash!  We'll tell Espeon how well you defended Sunbeam!"

 

I glanced down at the Eevee.  "Actually, she did a pretty good job defending herself!"

 

Sunbeam nodded proudly.  "Yeah!  I..."  She stopped suddenly as she started to glow bright white.

 

Clover lit up.  "Sunbeam, you're evolving!"

 

We watched in amazement as the brilliant shape of an Eevee shifted, reforming to have wider ears, a thin build, and a long split tail.  The light finally died down, revealing the new Sunbeam, complete with thin pink fur and a red jewel on her forehead, nearly a perfect mirror of her mother.

 

Sunbeam looked over her new form with a smile.  "...I'm an Espeon!"