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."