Radioactivity's Quest (Part 1)

Questions flooded my mind, though I could only stammer parts of them.  How?  How did he evolve?  Where was the thunderstone that he would have needed?  Why Jolteon?  Was it just the color?  He didn't seem the Jolteon type.  When did he decide this?  Was it just in the 10 minutes that he had been talking to Jayna?  How could he have made such a huge decision AND chosen a name that quickly?

Radioactivity just tilted his head at me, his smile shrinking slightly.  "...Did I do something wrong?"

"N-No," I continued to stammer, trying to organize my thoughts.  "I'm just...  uh...  When did...?"

"I decided a while ago, actually...  I just wasn't completely sure.  I mean...  I'm not like Uncle Bolt.  I'm not really hyper or like to run or climb or anything..."

I sat down and curled my tail over my paws.  "Then why did you choose it?"

Instead of answering, he closed his eyes and focused.  At first, nothing happened.  "...Sorry...  I'm still getting the hang of it..."  Finally, his color faded slightly to a more natural yellow, the familiar, buzzing glow that surrounded him as an Eevee fading into view once again.

I smiled.  "You can control your energy!"

He nodded, matching my smile and letting his aura hang.  "Yeah!  Sunbeam helped me figure it out.  We thought that, since Uncle Bolt isn't bothered by it, maybe having Electric Type powers might help me control it.  And she was right!  I can pull it in, if I want to!"

I shook off my apprehensions about his sudden evolution.  All he wanted to do was learn to control his radioactive energy so that he could be close to other Pokemon and not hurt them.  It wasn't about being a Jolteon as much as being a friend.  "That's great, Four.  I mean, Radioactivity."

More rapid pawsteps dashed up from outside, then stopped short.  Bolt's voice came from behind the new Jolteon.  "...Uh..."

Radioactivity stepped aside quickly and returned to his mock shiny state as I walked closer.  "Bolt, Four came home."

He stepped into camp and stared at Radioactivity, unsure of what to say or do.  Radioactivity just smiled.  "Hi, Uncle Bolt."

That was all the older Jolteon needed.  "FOUR!  You evolved!!  And you made the best choice!  How do you feel?  Isn't it awesome?  Have you tried running really fast yet?  You should!  It's the best part!  Well, that and the lightning.  Lightning's cool, too."

"Slow down, Bolt..."  Radioactivity was already looking overwhelmed.  I had to move Bolt's energy elsewhere...  "Where's Surf?"

"Coming.  He told me to run ahead."

"Seems about right.  Ok, can you go get the search party before they get too far?"

Radioactivity looked up sharply.  "Search party?"

I nodded.  "You suddenly vanished.  We were worried.  Everyone went to look for you."

"Oh..." he trailed off, looking at the ground.  "I just went back to the place where Three, Five, and I found the bag of stones...  When Sunbeam and Moonlight chased the trainer off, we left the bag in case he came back..."  So that's where he had gotten the thunderstone.

I shook my head.  "It's okay.  Bolt just needs to bring them back so you can show them what you look like now," I said, giving a pointed look at Bolt.

"Roger that!" he shouted and blasted out of camp.

Radioactivity watched him go.  "...I love Uncle Bolt and all, but...  I don't have to act like that now, do I?"

I laughed and bumped his shoulder.  "No.  You can do whatever you want to.  I think the fact that you're a Jolteon now proves that.

A few minutes later, everyone was gathered in camp, including Zan and Jayna, who were shocked that Four had apparently decided on his evolution with their unknowing help.

Radioactivity was currently trying to keep up with the torrent of questions being aimed at him.  "It was what you said about the shiny Jolteon moving electricity instead of absorbing it.  It wasn't that you told me about the color.  Well, I mean, it was sort of that, but Sunbeam had thought my color would match a shiny Jolteon already..."

"How had she known that?" Zan asked.

Sunbeam answered for her younger younger brother, as she put it.  "I know Future Sight.  I can get really strong visions."

Both looked impressed.  Jayna spoke quietly.  "That's amazing for such a young Psychic."

Sunbeam blushed as Five leaned against her.  "Sunbeam's reeeeally cool!"  I smiled.  Five was always so sweet...

Moonlight directed a question at her brother next, still ignoring the looks that the Meowstics were giving her, especially now that she knew about their research...  "How did you figure out how to move your glow?"

"From you, actually."  Moonlight looked surprised.  "I asked you how you could turn your rings on and off, and you said it's like a mental switch.  Slide it down and relax to let myself glow, move it up and focus a bit more to keep it on the inside.  It's not hard..."

Moonlight shrugged as Inferno ran over my question about Radioactivity's name choice.  "So?  Where are you and Bolt going for your Power Quest?"  What was it about Inferno and Power Quests?  The only thing he talked about more since Sunbeam's are himself and food...

"Um..." the glowing Jolteon stammered, faltering.

Luckily, Bolt picked him up.  "I was thinking the power plant!  ...I don't know what we'd do there, but we could see what happens!"

Moonlight shrugged again.  "I'm the last one who would say this normally, but it's true.  It just happens.  You'll figure it out."

"Although," I said, tilting my head, "maybe try not to have this one endanger your life?"

Radioactivity shrugged and Bolt grinned.  "We'll both come back safe, but no promises about heroics."

Traces of Radioactivity (Part 3)

I took a breath, trying to stay calm and leaderlike.  "Ok...  What happened?  When did you last see him?"

Sunbeam closed her eyes tightly, trying to think.  "We...  Were talking to Jayna.  She was telling us about shiny Eevees."

"Ok, where?"

"Right here."

"Where are Jayna, Three, and Five now?"

Espeon answered this one.  "Three and Five are in our den, Jayna is with Clover and Umbreon."

I now remembered why she was such a good friend of mine.  "Thanks for taking charge...  What about Surf?"

"He's with Bolt.  They're looking for Four."

"Perfect.  I just sent Snow and Moonlight to find them...  Hopefully, they'll split up and make two search parties..."

Espeon nodded as I looked back towards the bush den.  "...I have to speak to Jayna," I said tersely as I rose to my paws and padded away from the Espeons.  Neither said anything, though I could feel Sunbeam's worried gaze at my back.

I slipped into the bush den to see Clover sorting through her herbs with Zan sitting a few steps behind her, Jayna on the other side of the den, and Umbreon standing near the entrance, looking both scarily intense and insanely worried.  It was a little crowded with 5 Pokemon in here, but it would have to work.  I went straight to Jayna.  "What were you telling Sunbeam and the kits a few minutes ago?"

She seemed a little thrown off by my confrontational manner, but I was past being polite at this point.  "Just about the four shiny Eevees that we know about..."

I sat down across from her, and I could sense Umbreon hanging on our every word.  Four wouldn't just get bored with a conversation and wander off on his own.  Any of his other siblings might, except maybe Sunbeam, but not Four.  He was too quiet and too polite.  "Give me details."

"All right...  I'm not sure why you want to know about this, but...  I told them about the skills and colorations of a shiny Vaporeon, Jolteon, Espeon, and Leafeon.  We've only met the Vaporeon and Leafeon."

I nodded slowly.  This had to have something to do with Four, but what...?

Jayna continued.  "I told them about what made being shiny different for them...  Oh!  I was about to ask Three the standard practicality questions when Four asked a question."

Umbreon took a quick step closer.  "What?" he practically barked.  Zan watched him closely, worried about his sister, but unsure of what to do about the angry father.

Jayna gave Umbreon a wary look.  "Just how we knew what colors the Espeon and Jolteon were if we hadn't met them.  I said we actually knew all of the colors through the database..."

"Database?" I asked.

Zan answered this time.  "Yes, it's one of the human resources we have access to."  Clover flinched almost imperceptibly.

I gave her a brief reassuring look before returning to Jayna.  "Did you tell them about that?"

"Yes, I said it was a small book somewhat like a Pokedex."

I leaned back and closed my eyes.  Umbreon looked over at me.  "What?  Splash, what are you thinking?"

"I hope I'm wrong, but I think I know where Four went..."

I burst out into camp, Umbreon hard on my tail.  "Espy?  Who's left in camp?"

"In terms of evolved Clan members, just the 5 of us."

I nodded and thought hard about what had to be done where.  Sunbeam stood up.  "Splash?  What happened?"

"Jayna said that there's a shiny Pokemon database.  It looks like a smaller Pokedex.  Four is always asking about different colors of shiny Pokemon, and since the only place where he knows he can find books are-"

"My library!" Sunbeam shouted, either putting the dots together or reading my mind.  Probably the latter.  "But he can't go there alone!"

"I know, which is why I'm going to organize a search and rescue party.  Umbreon, Sunbeam, start heading toward the library.   Espy, track down Surf, Snow, Bolt, and Moonlight.  Tell Snow and Moonlight to catch up with Umbreon and Sunbeam to help them look.  I want Surf and Bolt back here, Bolt so that he can help watch the kits, Surf to help Clover with the Meowstics."

Espeon nodded once, stood up, and raced for the camp entrance.  Umbreon went to follow her, but Sunbeam hesitated.  "What about you, Splash?"

"I'm going to stay here and hold down the fort until Surf and Bolt get here.  Then, I'll see where else I need to be."

"Okay..." she responded anxiously, looking back at her father.  Umbreon nodded encouragingly, only resuming his run into the forest when he knew his Psychic daughter was behind him.

I sat in the middle of camp.  Three and Five had orders from their mother to stay in their den, but those two were the most hyper of the five...  Maybe I should sit with them to be safe.  They were probably worried about their brother.  I stood up again and padded towards the log den.  Knowing Espeon, she'd have Bolt at least back here in a few minutes, tops.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few minutes later, as I was lying in the entrance to the log den, pawsteps caught my attention.  They were too big to be Four's, but light.  Something like Bolt's but not nearly quick enough.  And it wasn't Surf, either...  I knew what he sounded like by now.

I tilted my head back towards Three and Five, not taking my eyes off of the camp entrance.  "Kits?  Stay there.  I'll be right back."

The two bundles of silver and brown fur both nodded, huddled together in Espeon's bed.  As quietly as I could, I stood and crept out of the den.  The owner of the mystery pawsteps wasn't trying to be sneaky, but wasn't trying to attract notice, either.  It sounded familiar somehow...  But I couldn't place it exactly.

Finally, the owner of the pawsteps slipped into camp.  It was a Jolteon.  A shiny Jolteon.  He was somewhat small, so younger, definitely...  Something seemed familiar, but I had never met or seen a shiny Jolteon before.  At least, not that I knew of...

The Jolteon looked around the camp quietly, then perked his ears up when he saw me and smiled.  "Splash!"

I could only stare.  That voice...

"Well?  What do you think?"

The steps, the voice, and the color.  It all fit.  "...Four?"

"Actually...  It's Radioactivity now."

Traces of Radioactivity (Part 2)

Most of the listening clan members tensed up at Jayna's words, Clover retreating to her den as quickly as she possibly could.  None of Espeon's kits were old enough to remember the traumatic incident that left Clover able to sort of fly, but also terrified of nearly all humans, Liepards, anything that made her feel trapped, and of someone finding out about her abnormal ability.  The word "study," when used with other Pokemon, usually meant humans were involved.

Sunbeam, naturally, was hooked at the word "study," rather than alarmed.  "Really?"

Jayna nodded, apparently oblivious to the sudden tension in camp.  "I want to know what causes the phenomenon, Zan tries to find out if the status gives them any extra abilities or boosts in any way."

Sunbeam sat down and leaned closer, fascinated.  "What have you found out so far?"

"Nothing much.  Despite you having two shiny siblings, they are very, very rare and hard to find.  We don't have much data to go on."

Three spoke up.  "I'll help with your research!"

Jayna smiled at him.  "Thank you, that's very helpful.  Do you think your sister might assist me, as well?"

Sunbeam made a face.  "Not if you tell her you're studying her...  But I might be able to offer some help."

"I don't know how much, but thank you.  I'll be discreet in watching her."

"Again, just...  be careful of that."

I finally approached the pair.  "Um...  When you say "study..."  Do mean with humans?"

"Yes, why?"  The mood in camp immediately darkened, Umbreon watching Jayna's every move.  This time, the Meowstic noticed the sudden change.  "Oh, don't worry!  They're more of a resource than they are trainers or anything like that!  I wouldn't even think about telling anyone about your clan!"

I looked at Umbreon.  Was she telling the truth?

He nodded.  I sighed quietly in relief, along with a few other clan members.  Clover still did not come out of her den.

Sunbeam just looked confused.  "How did everyone make that jump?"

I searched for words that wouldn't bring Clover's name into this.  "It's..."

Umbreon walked up to his daughter, giving me a brief glance before returning his vigilant gaze to Jayna.  "We'll explain later.  It's too long of a story to tell now."

If the Meowstic could sense our unwillingness to explain, she didn't say anything about it.  "I'm sorry about that.  Zan and I do mostly research on our own, we just occasionally enlist human aid to find more shiny Pokemon."

I nodded and let Sunbeam return to her many questions, her three unevolved siblings sitting and listening intently.  Finding Umbreon again with my eyes, I flicked my fin towards Clover's den, silently asking if he would watch her in Snow's absence.  He nodded and touched noses with Espeon briefly before padding silently to the spacious bush den and slipping inside.

I looked back at Jayna, now asking Three a bunch of questions, about a third of which Sunbeam was actually answering.  I wasn't sure how I felt about this.  Umbreon gave me the OK as far as my clan's safety went, but I was definitely warier of the newcomer now.  On the other paw, if Snow and Moonlight found Zan, he might start questioning Moonlight, and, well.  I didn't need Sunbeam to tell me how wrong that scenario could go.  But that left me with a dilemma.  Should I stay and keep an eye on Jayna, trusting Snow to keep Moonlight in line, or should I track the trackers down before Moonlight took something the wrong way?

Right on cue, Surf leaped back out of the pond, bringing as much debris with him as possible.  I trotted over to him before he could dive back in.  "Hey, Surf?  Could you keep an eye on things here while I go help Snow and Moonlight?"

He looked at me in confusion, then back towards the newcomer.  "...How long was I under?"

Oh.  "...Only a few minutes..."

Espeon stepped over to us.  "I'll explain.  Splash, Inferno is getting the last of the debris out of camp and Bolt is checking how stable all of the nearby trees are."

"Of course he is...  All right, I'll go find Snow and Moonlight, then look for Bolt.  Just to be safe."

I found Snow and Moonlight with perfect timing, just as they had tracked the still-unconscious male Meowstic down.  Running as fast as my awkward Vaporeon gait would allow, I skidded to a stop next to Snow.  "Hey!"

"Hey," both responded simultaneously.

"This him?"

Moonlight shot me a look.  "Well, seeing as this is the only other Meowstic I have ever seen or heard of, then it's probably the right one."

Snow gave the young Umbreon a stern look.  "Hey.  Not only is she older than you, she's your clan leader.  Show some respect."  Moonlight rolled her eyes dramatically and just grabbed one of Clover's Revival Herbs.  I sighed quietly and sat down.  It wasn't so much that she had taken an attitude towards me personally, but that she repeatedly did things like this to everyone in the Clan.  I'd smack her over the head with my tail if I thought it would do anything.  But it wouldn't, and would probably backfire on me anyway.

Aided by the Revival Herb, Zan groaned and blinked awake.  On the upside, his injures weren't nearly as bad as Jayna's had been.  On the downside, his gaze flicked quickly over me, then Snow, then stopped dead on Moonlight.

I quickly thought as loudly as I could, SAY NOTHING ABOUT HER BEING SHINY.  Jayna told us about your research, and she would not take survey questions well.

He glanced back towards me.  "...You are?" he asked, his accent identical to his sister's.

"I'm Splash, and this is Snow and Moonlight."  Snow nodded politely.  Moonlight said and did nothing.

"Nice to meet you three...  You've seen my sister?"

Snow nodded.  "Yes, she's the one that sent us to look for you.  She's back at camp with our healer."

"Healer?" he asked, quickly becoming concerned.  "Is she all right?"

"She's fine," I assured him.  "Clover just wanted to be sure.  She's just staying until we find you and make sure you're both fit for travel."

He nodded, looking mostly assured.  "All right...  That's good to hear..."  He glanced briefly back at Moonlight again before returning his gaze to me.  This time, she noticed and narrowed her eyes slightly.

I decided to take this off track before something (meaning Moonlight) exploded.  "Why don't you come back to camp with us?  Clover can check you over and then you and Jayna can go back to wherever it was you were going."  Secretly, I hoped that Clover had recovered enough with Umbreon's help to check the other Psychic over by now.

Zan nodded.  "All right.  Lead the way."

Moonlight needed no further encouragement, trotting ahead and leaving us to trail behind.  Zan watched her every move, now that she couldn't see his eyes on her.  After only a few minutes of walking, however, a distant voice caught my ear.  "Where are you!?"

All three members of my Clan stopped, instantly recognizing the call as Bolt's.  Who was he calling for...?  I quickly took charge.  "Moonlight, Snow, go find Bolt and see what's going on.  I'll take Zan back to camp and hold down the fort."

Moonlight nodded curtly, taking the order without question.  "Got it," she said before dashing ahead, not waiting to see if Snow was behind her.

I looked back at Zan.  "Do you feel up to running?"

"If I have to, I can."

"Good.  Keep up with me."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We burst into camp a few minutes later, Zan far more winded than I was.  Sunbeam was in the middle of camp with her mother, apologizing profusely over and over again.  What happened?

I turned back to Zan.  "Clover, the Leafeon, is our healer.  She's probably in the bush den over there," I said, flicking my fin towards it.  "Just let her look you over.  Ask if you can come in first!"

"Okay..."

I barely waited long enough to make sure he was headed in the right direction before dashing over to the pair of Espeons.  "Hey!  What's going on?  What happened?"

Sunbeam turned towards me, looking panicked.  "It's my fault!  I wasn't paying attention!"

Espeon tried to soothe her eldest daughter.  "It'll be fine.  You'll see."

"What'll be fine?" I asked again, getting more and more concerned by the second.

Sunbeam spoke two words that I was hoping not to hear.  "Four's missing!"