Chapter 6: Evolution! The 3-Star Beedrill! Terrifying Base Stats!
All that remained on the sofa was the hollow, pale-yellow shell. The inside was completely empty.
Kenji's mind went blank. Where was his Beedrill?!
"Bzzzzzz—"
Suddenly, a loud buzzing vibrated in the air behind him. Kenji spun around toward the source of the sound.
Hovering there was a Pokémon about a meter tall. It had a slender, hornet-like body with a yellow-and-black striped abdomen that tapered down to a wickedly sharp stinger. Two pairs of transparent, intricately veined wings beat rapidly behind it. Its large, ruby-red compound eyes were fixed on him with a cold, piercing stare.
This was a far cry from the cute, affectionate Weedle he had known. Evolution had transformed it into a cool, ruthless-looking creature, its gaze sharp and fierce. It was the natural change from a docile, plant-eating larva to a deadly, carnivorous hunter.
Beedrill (3-Star)
Gender: Male
Level: 11
Type: Poison / Bug
Base Stats: 515 (395 + 60 + 60)
Abilities: Swarm (When HP is low, Bug-type moves are boosted by 50%), Huge Power (Hidden)
Moves: Poison Sting, String Shot, Bug Bite, Fury Attack, Fury Cutter, Focus Energy
Held Item: Last Whisper
Potential: D-
Kenji stared at the stat panel, his breathing growing ragged.
A Beedrill with 515 base stats!
Did that even make sense? A normal Beedrill's Mega Evolution—its ultimate form—only had a base stat total of 495!
This was monstrous.
Just as Kenji was lost in awe, his phone, which had fallen to the floor, started ringing. He picked it up. It was Leo.
Kenji answered, and Leo's slightly panicked voice came through the speaker.
"Kenji, are you here yet? We're about to leave!"
Kenji blinked, then glanced at the time on his phone's screen.
It was already 7:50 AM. They were scheduled to leave at 8:00. He only had ten minutes.
"Crap! I'm on my way!"
Kenji cursed, hung up, and regretfully recalled his magnificent new Beedrill. He threw on his clothes and bolted out the door.
At the meeting spot, Leo hung up his phone. Just then, a boy with glasses adjusted them on his nose and walked over.
"Leo, where's Kenji?" asked Lyle, the class president.
Leo stuffed his phone in his pocket and rubbed his nose. "Hey, Prez. Something came up last minute, but he said he's almost here."
Lyle nodded and turned to the other students. "Kenji's running a little late, so we'll wait a few more minutes. You can all get on the bus first."
For this trip, Lyle had gone the extra mile and rented a large tour bus. At his word, the students who had been waiting by the roadside began to file on.
"You should get on too, Leo. Go save a seat for you and Kenji. I'll wait for him out here," Lyle said kindly, patting Leo on the shoulder.
Leo thanked him and ducked onto the bus, choosing a pair of seats in the very back.
"Seriously? Some people are always so eager to show off, but when it actually matters, they're late."
"Tch, he probably got a Weedle and is too embarrassed to even show his face."
Leo had barely sat down when he heard the snide remarks coming from a group of boys near the front. They weren't even trying to keep their voices down.
"The hell did you say? Chase, talking trash behind someone's back? Have you no shame?" Leo, who was never one to back down from a fight, immediately shot to his feet and pointed at the one who had spoken.
Chase just sneered back. "Who asked you to eavesdrop? Besides, did you hear me say any names?"
"I'm not deaf, you moron," Leo shot back. "And don't get all passive-aggressive with me. If you've got something to say, have the guts to own up to it. What kind of man are you? A coward."
"You better watch your mouth," Chase growled, his face darkening at Leo's verbal assault.
Chase's family had some influence in town—his father was a moderately successful trainer—and with his little group of followers, few students dared to cross him.
Clearly, Leo was not one of them. You can be whoever you want, but you don't get to insult my friend. Not happening.
"That's enough, both of you."
A new voice cut through the tension. This time, it was a girl who stood up. She had shoulder-length hair and a sharp, commanding gaze that swept over the two boys, radiating an air of authority.
It was Melody, the undisputed idol of Edgecliff High. She had the grades, the looks, and most importantly, a powerful background.
How powerful? Put it this way: the Edgecliff City Gym Leader shared her family name.
"Sorry, I'm late!"
Kenji arrived, panting heavily. He looked a bit disheveled from his rushed journey.
Lyle simply smiled. "No problem. Now that everyone's here, let's get going."
As soon as Kenji boarded the bus, he could feel the tense atmosphere.
"What's going on?" he whispered, leaning close to Leo after he sat down. He wasn't a fool; he could tell something was off.
Leo quickly filled him in on what had happened before he arrived.
After hearing the story, Kenji wasn't surprised. He glanced toward the front of the bus where Chase was sitting. Some people's animosity just seemed to come out of nowhere. Or, not exactly nowhere. Kenji knew why Chase had it out for him.
He was first in their year, reasonably good-looking, and came from a poor background. That combination of traits had somehow made him Chase's self-proclaimed rival.
Kenji looked away and patted Leo's shoulder. "Don't worry about it," he said in a low voice. "Let him have his moment."
To prevent wild Pokémon from entering the city and endangering civilians, a massive Perimeter Wall encircled the entire urban area.
The bus passed through a checkpoint in the wall and drove for some time before turning off the main highway onto a dirt road. As the bus moved further from the city, the forests on either side grew denser, and all traces of human construction vanished.
As signs of civilization faded, the presence of Pokémon became more and more apparent.
"Look! Is that a Sewaddle?"
"Over there! Under that big leaf, isn't that a Metapod?"
"Hey, look! A Spearow and a Pidgey are fighting!"
The students on the bus were buzzing with excitement, chattering and pointing out every Pokémon they saw.
A short while later, the bus slowed to a stop in a large clearing.
"Alright, everyone, we're here," Lyle announced.
They hadn't gone too deep, stopping just at the outer edge of the vast forest surrounding Edgecliff City.