"Dad, how's your research on the Mega Stones coming along?"
Auron Vale glanced at Gengar's awkward expression and smiled lightly, throwing the conversation a lifeline on its behalf.
Ashen Vale chuckled, rubbing Gengar's head. "If it were easy, we'd have results by now. Your grandpa wouldn't have spent so long on it."
"Maybe your approach is the problem," Auron said.
Ashen's interest sharpened. He studied Auron more seriously. "Did your aura give you some kind of premonition?"
Auron shook his head. "No. But I've been thinking about something lately—also related to evolution. I've got the beginnings of an idea. I'm starting to feel that evolution might not hinge on just one condition."
"Come on. Into the lab—we'll talk inside. When inspiration hits, you write it down. Otherwise, who knows when it'll come back."
Ashen strode toward his laboratory in long, eager steps, as if Auron's words had caught on something vital.
Auron hesitated, watching his father's back, then glanced up at the sky and sighed. "Gengar, you and Munchlax play with Charmander for a while, okay? I'll go bounce ideas around with my dad."
When Gengar and the little Snorlax both nodded their assent, Auron headed after Ashen toward the lab.
"If I'd known, I would've saved it for tomorrow. Looks like I'm missing dinner again," Auron muttered.
It wasn't the first time. When research came up, inspiration didn't check the clock; Ashen would dive into the lab on the spot. Especially during the period when he was investigating Milotic's evolution conditions—Auron only had to toss out a comment or two and, more than once, they'd both miss dinner and come home late, earning them an earful from Mom.
By the time Auron stepped into the lab, Ashen was already jotting things down. He didn't look up when he heard Auron enter; he simply said, "You've got a point. Evolution might not have a single condition. Take Milotic—there are two requirements. It's not just a matter of Beauty; confidence factors in as well."
"So we really did get ourselves stuck in a blind alley. That one sentence of yours just saved us a few years of research."
The more Ashen talked, the more animated he became. He kept writing as he muttered under his breath: "There's definitely evolutionary energy inside Mega Stones. But the old man tried so many different Pokémon and not one of them evolved. That means we're missing a condition. Something like how Espeon evolves during the day and Umbreon evolves at night?"
"Or maybe it's like Milotic and involves psychology? Or some other parameter analogous to Beauty?"
"No, Beauty shouldn't be it. Mega Stones come in many different kinds. That implies they correspond to different Pokémon. A Beauty-like condition can't fit most species. So is it psychological?"
"But that doesn't track either. Kommo-o, Gengar, Lucario—their psychological states are all over the place, and we didn't see so much as a flicker. Could the old man's hypothesis be wrong? Maybe Mega Stones aren't meant for fully evolved Pokémon?"
Cold sweat pricked Auron's spine.
He knew his dad had been in regular contact with Grandpa lately, trading notes on Mega-Stone research. What he didn't know—until now—was that Grandpa had already concluded Mega Stones were tied to a Pokémon's final evolutionary stage. If Ashen latched onto Auron's offhand comments and started doubting that connection—and then dragged Grandpa off course too—that would be a disaster. Ashen was a doctorate-level researcher himself, and those two had been butting heads over Mega Stones a lot recently.
All for the sake of getting Mega Evolution into the world sooner, Auron cut in quickly. "Uh, Dad—personally, I do think Mega Stones are related to a Pokémon's final form."
Ashen gradually calmed down. His writing hand slowed, then came to a stop.
Silence settled over the room.
After a while, Ashen let out a long breath. "You're right. Your grandpa's results also basically point to the final evolutionary stage. Mm. Right—what was it you said outside? You wanted to research something? Evolution-related?"
He'd finally worked through the snarl in his thoughts. Only then did he recall what Auron had mentioned: he'd been digging into some other evolution topic.
"Give me a sec—I'll show you."
Auron answered and moved to the lab computer, logging into his account.
He pulled up a file he'd saved earlier—an apocryphal historical entry about Politoed.
"Here—this. Take a look first."
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Ashen craned his neck to read the screen. There wasn't much text; he finished quickly.
"Poli…toed? Why does that ring a bell? Where have I seen that?"
Ashen sank into thought. That made Auron tense up. Don't tell me this evolution path has already been discovered. If so, that doctorate title might slip away…
Ashen pondered a bit longer, then winced and shook his head. He was right on the verge of remembering—but it wouldn't come.
He pulled out his phone and placed a call.
"Ring… ring…"
"Hello? Dad, have you heard the name 'Politoed'?"
"Politoed? Sounds familiar. Why are you asking?"
Ashen shot Auron a small, amused smile. "Your grandson's been looking into this Politoed. Found something in some unofficial record somewhere. It sounds familiar to me too, but I can't place it."
"Haha. All right, hang on—I'll dig it up."
"Okay."
A moment later, Ashen's computer chimed twice, and Grandpa's hearty laugh echoed over the line.
"Got it. I've sent it over. Is Auron there with you? Put him on."
"Sure."
"Here, your grandpa wants to talk to you," Ashen said, handing the phone to Auron before turning to check what Ashford had sent.
"Hi, Grandpa."
"Ah—my good boy. What got you interested in this all of a sudden?"
"No big reason. I happened to see something the other day, got curious, and figured I'd research it."
"Good. That's my grandson. Work hard at it—pick up a doctorate while you're at it. Three generations, three doctors—let's drive that old coot up the wall."
"Uh… okay."
Auron answered with a wry smile. He knew exactly who that "old coot" was: Grandpa Flint—Flint Jonas—who had recently come to Vantora City.
What Auron could never figure out was this: Ashen and Dax Jonas had grown up together and got along just fine. Auron and Jace Rowan were on good terms too. So why did Ashford Vale and Flint Jonas start sniping at each other the moment they showed up in the same room, each rubbing the other the wrong way at every turn?
"All right, I won't nag. But remember: your college entrance exams are your main priority right now. Don't put the cart before the Mareep."
"I know, Grandpa," Auron replied obediently.
"Good. Then that's that. Once you get into Shangqing University, come up to Shangjing—I'll have a surprise for you."
"Mm-hmm. Okay. Bye, Grandpa."
"Mm."
As soon as Auron hung up, curiosity got the better of him. He dashed to Ashen's side to look at what Grandpa had sent.
"'Politoed's first—and only—recorded appearance dates back to the Tang dynasty. It was first witnessed and recorded by a wandering Daoist priest. The appearance of Politoed brought long-awaited rain to the region. Later…'"
(End of Chapter)