Evolution Trials

The Lightning Trial

~Jolteon, the Lightning Pokemon. Its lungs contain an organ that creates electricity. The crackling sound of electricity can be heard when it exhales~

The remaining seven trial participants headed up the stairs, muttering amongst themselves on what the next trial would be like.

"Do you think that we'll see different pokemon in the other trials or would it be just us?" Maple said.

"Well, this is a place and event only for Eevee so I don't think that we'll see any other pokemon," Artemis replied. "Or at least not for a lot of the trials if there are others involved. Maybe like one or two but even those kinds of chances are kinda slim."

Once they had reached the next floor, they were greeted with a dirt track that formed a large circle around the room. Like the first floor, there was a locked door on the opposite side where they were. The walls were painted to make it seem like they were in the middle of a storm with all the dark clouds and lightning.

Waiting for them on the track in front of them was a Zebstrika. Around his neck was a golden key with white lightning patterns drawn all over it.

"Hello little ones." the Zebstrika greeted with a smile.

"Guess there can be other pokemon in these trials..." Xander muttered mostly to himself but then gave his attention to the ThunderBolt Pokemon.

"This trial is a race against me. Three laps around this track. Whoever is first to complete three laps is the winner and the reward is this key. Now, who wants to be my first opponent?"

At the mention of the race, Dash stepped forward with no hesitation.

"I'll race against you," he announced with a grin. He slipped his goggles over his eyes and bounded next to Zebstrika, more than ready to start the race as soon as possible.

"Very well then. May the best pokemon win. May one of you count down from three to make sure there isn't any head starts?"

Flick slowly came up. "Yeah, I can do that." he waited for the two racers to prepare themselves at the starting line before starting.

"3...2...1...go!"

Immediately, Zebstrika used Agility to get a boost of speed. Dash was taken aback slightly before he refocused and used his own Agility to catch up.

'This guy is fast...really fast.' he thought. Dash glanced at Zebstrika's face. He was calm and completely focused on the race at hand. 'I need to show him how fast I can be!'

This time, Dash used Quick Attack to get him just a little bit ahead of his opponent. He heard his friends cheering for him as he passed them, which boosted his morale a little bit. Dash couldn't help but grin knowing that he was in the lead for this match. 

'Two more laps. I got this in the bag!'

"You are doing well young Eevee, but how will you fare against this."

"Huh?"

Before he knew it, Zebstrika was ahead of him, his entire body was engulfed in flames for a moment or two before the fire had died out. It was then that Dash was glad that he placed the goggles over his eyes before the race started as bits of dirt had landed square on his face, causing him to slow down slightly to shake the dirt off. Some of it even got in his mouth. Dash was almost certain that his opponent had just used Flame Charge.

'I'll never tell anyone to eat my dust again...'

He was far behind by the time Zebstrika finished the second lap. Seeing his opponent that up ahead, he wasn't sure how he was going to be able to catch up, let alone get ahead and win the race.

"Come on Dash, you got this!" Ellie shouted. "Don't let a little dirt stop you from winning this! You've always said that you would be just as fast as lightning one day! Show Zebstrika that you're the fastest!"

He looked back at his friends and nodded before turning to face the track once again.

'She's right. I gotta win this and show him that I'm the fastest Eevee here!'

Dash used Agility and slowly began catching up. Once he was at Zebstrika's hind legs, he used Quick Attack to boost himself ahead. He wasn't sure if he felt the ground underneath his paws when he did that but at the same time, he didn't bother to dwell on it. He had a race to win.

The sound of his friends cheering him on was getting louder and louder the closer he got to the finish line.

Dash wasn't sure if he somehow predicted it or if it was just a coincidence, but right as he used Agility, Zebstrike used Flame Charge. The two were neck and neck and the finish line was approaching fast.

'This is not ending in a tie!'

With a final push, Dash used Quick Attack as he continued using Agility, the boost practically flying over the finish line. Zebstrika, accepting his defeat, slowed down and eventually stopped right at the line as Dash stumbled a bit a few feet ahead of it, having trouble stopping himself without falling on his face. Once he had regained his balance, he looked up at Zebstrika who was now offering the key to him.

"Congratulations on defeating me. You and your friends may move on."

"T-Thanks." Dash quickly took the key and went over to the locked door, everyone else following behind him. The door swung open the moment he unlocked it.

The room they entered was a cave-like area, similar to the one after the Water Trial. But instead of Water Stones, Thunder Stones were embedded in the walls.

A Jolteon spirit stood before them, a Thunder Stone set at his paws. Dash took a shaky breath before stepping up to greet the spirit, who smiled down at him.

"You were as fast as lightning, young Eevee," it said, pushing the green stone to Dash. "Take this Thunder Stone as proof of your victory. May your speed lead you to a righteous path."

Dash nodded and placed his paw on the Thunder Stone, letting the bright blue light cover his body. When the light died down, Dash's appearance mirrored that of the Jolteon in front of him. He turned back to his friends and grinned.

"Yeah we all figured that you would be the one to evolve into Jolteon," Hailey said as she laughed a bit. "It suits you."

"You'll be faster than ever now," Xander added.

"The rest of you continue onward to the next trial." the Jolteon spirit said as it gestured over to the stairs behind it. "Good luck."

"See ya later," Dash said to his friends. "I'll wait at the top for you with Cora."

The remaining six nodded and ran up the stairs, prepared for the next trial ahead of them.