Albert's days grew longer, filled with endless recordings, calibration checks, and cross-comparisons.
His resonance instrument, now sensitive enough to capture the faintest fluctuations, had become an extension of his own hands.
He divided his study into two groups.
The first were Pokémon who had never known a trainer—those shipped under Professor Oak's supervision, such as the Snom, Budew, and Chingling.
Their resonance grew gradually, sparked by safe environments, food, and companionship, but the slope of increase was steady and linear.
The second group was Pokémon with established trainers: Riolu, Buneary, and Cleffa among them.
For these, Albert noted something extraordinary.
After each video call with their trainers, the resonance readings spiked sharply, jumping far beyond what food, toys, or play alone could generate.
It wasn't just happiness—it was an anchored bond. The emotional tether to a trainer created a multiplier effect, compounding every other joy they experienced.
Albert pressed his pencil against his notebook, writing in brisk strokes:
Intrinsic happiness is steady, independent, yet fragile.
Anchored happiness is volatile, accelerated, and remarkably resilient.
He underlined the last phrase twice. "This… this explains why some Pokémon evolve suddenly after years of companionship. The anchor accelerates the resonance into thresholds we haven't quantified—until now."
Steven, sitting nearby as he tossed a ball for Woobat, tilted his head. "So, if I'm understanding this right…a trainer isn't just there to battle with them. They're also a catalyst."
Albert's lips quirked into the smallest smile. "Exactly. An anchor of the heart."
Over the following days, Albert tested the theory further.
He intentionally withheld video calls from certain trainer-bonded Pokémon for short periods.
The resonance dropped, but not catastrophically. Once the calls resumed, the energy rebounded almost explosively, as though the Pokémon's emotional anchor had reignited.
It was during one of these resurgent moments that the first sign appeared.
Late one evening, while recording Riolu's resonance post-call, Albert noticed an unusual spike—higher than any charted baseline.
The instrument needle jittered violently, straining against its limit.
"Steven—look at this," Albert gasped, pushing the device toward him.
Before Steven could respond, Riolu began to glow.
A brilliant, searing white enveloped its small body, flooding the yard with radiance. The light lasted only a few seconds before fading, leaving the Pokémon visibly unchanged—yet its resonance reading had shifted.
Steven blinked. "It didn't evolve… but it's like it almost did."
Albert, heart pounding, scribbled notes. "A false-start resonance spike. It's proof—the bond energy is nearing the threshold. Happiness can drive evolution, and we're on the brink of proving it."
Other Pokémon soon exhibited similar anomalies: Budew glowed faintly one afternoon while basking in the sun, Igglybuff shuddered with light after a play session, and Snom emitted a brief pulse during feeding.
Each time, the resonance meter surged beyond its predicted range, validating Albert's models.
Joseph, who had been following Albert's progress in silence, finally broke the silence during one review meeting.
His expression was calm, but his eyes betrayed astonishment. "Albert… you've managed to quantify something we've only spoken of in theory for decades. If you continue this, you may not only redefine evolution—you may redefine what it means to be a trainer."
Albert lowered his pencil, staring at the glowing data logs stacked across his desk.
For the first time since the project began, he allowed himself to feel the thrill fully. "It's happening. Evolution guided by happiness. Soon, we'll see it with our very own eyes."