Albert Deford's laboratory within Devon Corp had become less a workplace and more a nexus of revelation.
The hum of instruments, the soft glow of the Deford Resonance Meter, and the lively chorus of Pokémon filled the air with an energy that felt both scientific and sacred.
Weeks of meticulous study had led Albert to a conclusion that was no longer deniable: Happiness, or Friendship Value, was quantifiable—and it governed more than just evolution.
Through thousands of controlled tests, Albert had charted an invisible spectrum of emotional resonance, which he now named the Friendship Value Scale.
Pokémon emitted resonance that could be measured and tracked, falling into five distinct tiers.
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Tier 1: Base Friendship (0–99)
Pokémon in this range showed no extraordinary enhancements.
They battled with the strength expected of their training, but nothing more.
Many wild-caught Pokémon and those under neglect lingered here, carrying the faintest glow on the Resonance Meter.
Albert noted that such Pokémon often displayed detachment, slower response times to trainer commands, and little extra motivation.
If forced into prolonged battle, they did not push beyond their limits.
"This," Albert wrote in his notes, "is the natural baseline. No bond, no extraordinary effort. A Pokémon here fights only because it must."
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Tier 2: Low Friendship (100–149)
Crossing into this tier marked the first signs of extraordinary effects. Pokémon here demonstrated:
A 10% chance of refusing to faint when struck by a finishing blow, holding on with just a sliver of health.
A small boost in growth—approximately 20% more experience gain after battles.
Albert observed these phenomena in a young Cleffa under Steven's supervision.
Though frail, the Cleffa clung to battle longer than probability dictated, surviving strikes that should have ended it. The meter readings spiked during such moments, confirming the link.
Experience gain, Albert had classified, as somehow more effective training and experience. Pokémon become more receptive to learning and training.
Hence, Albert classified this as the awakening of loyalty, when a Pokémon began to show it was fighting for someone, not just itself.
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Tier 3: Medium Friendship (150–199)
At this stage, effects became more pronounced. Pokémon consistently exhibited:
A 15% chance of enduring fatal blows, visibly pushing themselves past exhaustion.
Spontaneous recovery from minor status conditions, with a 20% chance of breaking free from ailments like paralysis, sleep, or burn without external aid.
The same 20% increase in experience growth was noted earlier.
Albert recorded these effects most clearly in a Riolu, whose aura visibly flared whenever its readings crossed the 160 threshold.
Once, in a test battle, the Riolu shook off drowsiness mid-fight, its eyes sparking with determination, before retaliating with a powerful Force Palm.
"Medium Friendship marks the point," Albert documented, "where bonds transition from sentiment into tangible survival power."
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Tier 4: High Friendship (200–254)
Pokémon in this tier radiated a steady glow of resonance, their bond nearly unbreakable. Effects included:
A 20% chance of enduring finishing blows, refusing to fall when it mattered most.
20% chance of recovering from status conditions without aid.
10% accuracy reduction to opponents' moves—as if the bond itself created a protective shield or aura of luck.
Continued 20% growth bonus in experience.
Albert tested these effects extensively on a Golbat.
Once mistrustful, after weeks of careful attention, it transformed into a loyal companion.
In simulated combat, it not only endured attacks that should have ended the battle but shrugged off paralysis with a piercing screech before countering with astonishing accuracy.
And most importantly, evolution via Happiness consistently triggered here at 220 or above.
Togepi became Togetic. Budew blossomed into Roselia. Woobat, Igglybuff, and others followed the same pattern.
Albert carefully logged each reading, establishing the 220 threshold as a universal law of Happiness-driven evolution.
"At high friendship," Albert noted, "the bond becomes a catalyst of transformation. The energy itself reshapes the body."
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Tier 5: Max Friendship (255)
The pinnacle of intimacy energy revealed its own miracles. Pokémon at this cap demonstrated:
A 25% chance of surviving finishing blows, often roaring or crying out as if refusing to leave their trainer's side.
A 20% chance of recovering from status conditions on their own.
The same accuracy shield against opponents, blurring the edge of probability itself.
An increased critical hit ratio—every strike from such Pokémon carried doubled odds of striking with pinpoint precision.
Albert personally observed this with a Togepi after months of careful nurturing.
In its final recorded battle before evolving, the Togepi radiated with joy, enduring blows that should have ended the fight and landing a critical strike with what should have been a harmless tackle.
Albert was awestruck. "Max Friendship is not simply loyalty. It is transcendence. Pokémon here are not bound by probability, but by will. Their trust in their trainer bends the rules of battle itself."
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From his past-life memory, Albert recalled moves tied to this hidden mechanic—Return, Frustration, Pika Papow, and Veevee Volley.
Now, with resonance data in hand, he confirmed their power scaled directly with the Friendship Value.
He carefully charted the correlation, turning vague anecdotes into measurable truth.
Return peaked in power at max friendship, devastating training dummies with force far beyond baseline calculations.
Frustration, inversely, grew lethal at low tiers, though Albert hesitated to deliberately lower bonds for extended testing.
Albert realized he was standing at the frontier of a new field. Happiness was not merely a prerequisite for evolution—it was an energy system with profound implications for battling, nurturing, and perhaps even the nature of Pokémon itself.
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Albert leaned back in his chair, staring at the reams of data compiled on his screens.
His Eeveelution papers had shaken the world months prior, but this discovery dug deeper. Happiness was not sentimental, nor was it just a hidden stat—it was the hidden heart of Pokémon itself.
With his past-life knowledge, he remembered how the games had downplayed friendship as a mechanic—invisible, secondary, rarely acknowledged.
But in this reality, it was palpable, measurable, and already changing lives.
"Happiness isn't just an emotion," he whispered. "It's one of the most powerful forces within a Pokémon."