CH56 (117), Let’s Talk About Evolution Everyone

After that slightly somber affair, I decided to stop our exploration of the cave for the day, because I was not really in the mood anymore. So, we went to a nice area on the transition zone of the beach where everyone could choose if they wanted to fiddle with sand or stay on regular ground.

I called out QueenBee and Weedle. Still, thinking that the topic should be heard by everyone and not wanting to leave out the Magikarp as well as Remoraid, I decided to move everyone inside my space instead.

I placed us in front of Remoraid's pond where he and the Magikarp were staying. Hearing the commotion of our arrival, they swam up and looked over. I gave them a wave and the other greeted them as well.

Afterward, I took out a few blankets, and some food as well as drinks for everyone. Once I saw that everyone had gotten comfortable, I addressed a topic I knew would interest all of them.

"Alright, I want to talk about something you all find interesting, evolution." Once I said that I could see and feel the excitement in all of them even in Xatu, Mothra, as well as Butterfree, who had already completed their conventional evolution path.

"Except for Xatu, Mothra, and Butterfree, all of you still have some regular evolutions in front of you." I began and I could feel the slight disappointment in the aforementioned trio once the sentence left my mouth.

'Can't let that happen can I?' I thought to myself before I decided to change the order I was going to hold this conversation.

"Now, that does not mean that the path of evolution is closed for you three." I could feel their disappointment disappear when I said that giving way to excitement.

Especially, for Mothra, whose eyes started to sparkle in a manner I only thought possible in anime. It seemed I had gotten too distracted by Mothra's twinkling eyes because I was pulled out of my thoughts by Xatu.

'The hell, bro. Why did you stop at the best part? You trying to build up suspense or what? Keep talking, don't leave us hanging.' He broadcasted telepathically, and everyone nodded along.

I had to laugh at Xatu's antics. How a member of the serious psychic type ended like this will be a mystery, but he was great and I wouldn't want him any different.

I couldn't wait to see how the interaction between him and the next psychic type I caught was going to go down. Shaking my head I focused back on the topic.

"Sorry. *ahem* As I said at the beginning that is the case for regular evolution, but I want you to know that there is still more after that. Like it happened for Mothra if you unlock certain genes you can augment your strength and your form will change a bit." At that, everyone focused on Mothra which caused her to react both shy and proud.

How she managed to portray to nearly opposite emotion at once I did not know, but it looked adorable. Still, once I resumed talking they focused back on me.

"Yeah, through a lot of training, and I mean a lot, special supplements, as well as some luck anyone of you could unlock those. On top of that, all Pokemon species seem to have an extra evolution that only the best and strongest of their species can achieve. At least as far as I know it's for all of them."

When I said that their excitement went through the roof and they began chattering among themselves excitedly. I cleared my throat to regain their attention, and it worked. They calmed down a bit, so I continued.

"Yeah, those genes and the extra-evolution are the reason I always ask you guys to wait until a certain point before evolving." When I said that I could see all of them gaining an enlightened look.

They had not complained when I told them to do it, but this was the first time they heard why I did it. I heard Seb addressing me through the telepathic link Xatu had established.

'Big bro, can you tell us where those points are?' He said and the others agreed with him just as curious as he was.

"Sure, I was going to mention it anyway. The reason for the evolution delay is to get the most out of all your forms/evolution stages. Depending on the number of evolutions a species has, the evolution condition/trigger, or even just the species, the optimal evolution point changes."

I felt them hurrying/urging me with their gazes and got amused by their zeal.

"For those with one (regular) evolution, this happens at the (high) bronze stage." I felt a twinge coming from Xatu's direction accompanied by slight sadness and disappointment since he had evolved once he settled into the (mid) bronze stage.

I sent him a measuring look before sending him a private telepathic message that he did not have to worry since the small bit he had missed out on, was being covered by his limit-breaking as well as copious use of supplements with that purpose. Once I felt him settle down I continued.

"Those with two (regular) evolutions, obviously have two such points. The first one was for their first evolution and happened to be at either the first limit break of the (high) iron stage or at the (low) bronze stage. The second one was for their second evolution and happened to be at either the first limit break of the (high) bronze stage or at the (low) silver stage."

As soon as I said that I felt a great wave of sadness coming off Butterfree, and felt as well as saw the pity the others felt for their friend who had slumped a bit at the information I had just shared. He was the only one of my Pokemon who was (negatively) affected by that info after all.

Mothra did her best to comfort him and sent me a pleading look once she noticed it not really working. The others looked over to me as well, especially Xatu whose face seemed to say whatchu gonna do now, bro?

I stood up and made my way to him, sitting down beside him. I softly put my hand on top of his head to stoke it, but besides a twitch, he didn't react.

"Butterfree," I softly called out to him, and he looked up to me from his slumped position.

"I promise you I'll do my best to help you make up for your "early" evolution. It may take a long time and a lot of effort on both our sides, but we'll make sure you make up for it." He looked me in the eyes and I could see the hope germinating inside them.

I stop stroking his head and hugged him instead. The others swiftly joined us and it turned into a huge hug pile. My Magikarp and Remoraid were, unfortunately, unable to join the hug mountain, so they decided to shoot a solitary (weak) Water Gun towards the air.

I had to chuckle a bit seeing that since it made me remember the parade shots that were done in my past life. I knew it would be extremely difficult to make up for Butterfree's early evolution, but I was going to try to keep my promise anyway.

I felt how the sadness began to lift off of Butterfree and get replaced by determination instead. He nodded at me and thanked Mothra and everyone else for trying to comfort him.

Seeing the situation defuse, I decided to continue. When the others saw that I was going to continue, they dissolved the hug mountain and everyone went back to their places.

*Ahem*

"Anyway, those were the two main evolution groups. There are naturally exceptions, with the major ones being the pseudo-legendaries like Dratini and the species that need an external trigger to initiate their evolution."

When I mentioned the pseudos no one reacted, but once the trigger evolution was mentioned I felt the focus in some eyes increasing in intensity.

"As far as I know all pseudo-legendaries have two (regular) evolutions, but compared to others with two (regular) evolutions, their optimal points appear later. The first one happens at the (high) bronze stage, while the second one happens to be at the (low) gold stage."

I saw that while they thought that the snippet of knowledge was interesting they were much more interested in the next piece of information. So, being the benevolent person that I am I decided to not make them wait any longer.

"This leaves us with the external trigger group. I think the name is pretty obvious, but I'll still elaborate to make sure everyone gets it." I snickered a bit because many of them pouted when I said that.

"All species that require an outside trigger to begin their evolution progress fall under this category. All kinds of conditions fall under this, it's not limited to the evolution stones." When I said that Seb and Gaia perked up.

"It could be the time of the day, an item, like a claw or scale, that is needed, or even the presence of another Pokemon. No matter what species it is, as long as the evolution gets triggered by an external factor they fall into the external trigger group. All species that belong to this category reach the optimal point at the (high) silver stage."

Once I said that I observed Nyx and I could practically see the gears in her head moving. The moment she realized that she would have to wait until the (high) silver stage to evolve was a bit funny, at least for me it was, so I had to chuckle a bit.

Surprisingly, friendship evolution alone did not move one into the external trigger group for some reason. No species that evolved because of the power of friendship stayed in either the 1-evolution or 2-evolution group and followed their optimal points.

Maybe it was because they could initiate the evolution whenever they wanted one the condition was met, just like with the strength condition. So, Pokemon like Munchlax fell into the one-evolution group, while Riolu fell into the trigger group.

Surprisingly, there were species like Feebas that changed groups depending on the method of evolution they used. If Feebas used the beauty factor and confidence to evolve it belonged to the one-evolution group, but if it used the Prism Scale it belonged to the trigger group.

My theory was that the Prism Scale used some of the capacity/potential of the Pokemon that the other version didn't, which meant it took longer to reach the optimal point when one wanted to use Prism Scales.

Slowpoke were even more complicated. I shook my head since I got lost in my thoughts again.

"Among all of you, Seb, Gaia, Nyx, and once he hatches Growlithe as well need to reach the (high) silver stage to be ready for their evolution." When I said that I only felt resolution and determination from those three.

There was no way they were going to miss the optimal evolution point just because they wanted to evolve earlier and their feelings and body language proved as much.

All three of them gave a loud shout along the line of we'll do it and Ooooooo. They were full of determination like some shounen characters before a training arc. I had a hard time not laughing at that thought because I did not want it to look like I was laughing at their resolve or anything.

Still, I could understand their need to hype themselves up, knowing that they had to wait the longest to evolve.

"QueenBee, Weedle, and Pidgey belong to the group with two evolutions, and as soon as you reach the first limit break you can initiate your first evolution. The second one will have to wait until you reach the first limit break of the (high) bronze stage."

The three of them just smiled and gave an affirmative waggle and chirp respectively.

"It won't take too long for anyone of you three to reach the first point, so congratulations on that." I praised them and they were happy with just that.

I looked around, making sure to look into the eyes of everyone while doing so.

"As for the rest of you, you only need to reach the (high) bronze stage to evolve, and many of you are not too far off from achieving just that. Good job." Everyone concerned was happy and I could see them all imagining their future forms.

With that semi-serious topic out of the way, we spent the rest of the time before dinner just relaxing, playing together. You know, classical bonding stuff. Once it was time I left the space with Xatu and we returned home.

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I wish everyone a happy new year.

May all of you have a happy, healthy, and safe year.

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