The sun had dipped below the horizon, casting Dewford Town in a soft, fading light. Inside the small, cozy kitchen of their home, Rion and Ryker sat across from each other at the worn wooden table. The air was thick with the weight of the conversation they were about to have. Rion knew that if they were going to move forward with their plans, he had to lay everything out. His uncle, who had seen enough to believe in him, still needed to hear the full truth.
Ryker placed two steaming cups of tea on the table, his eyes never leaving Rion's. "Alright, Rion," he said, his voice steady but tinged with curiosity. "You’ve proven you know more than any normal person should. But it’s time you told me everything. What exactly do you know about evolution methods, rare Pokémon, and everything else you’ve been holding back?"
Rion nodded, feeling the gravity of the moment. This was his chance to not only prove his knowledge but to gain his uncle's full trust. "Okay, Uncle. I’ll start with what I know about evolutions—specifically, the ones that aren’t widely known."
Ryker leaned in slightly, his curiosity piqued.
"First, there are Pokémon like Primeape that have unique conditions to trigger their evolution," Rion began. "For example, some Pokémon evolve through the use of special evolutionary stones, and then there are the trade evolutions."
Ryker looked puzzled for a moment. “What do you mean by trade evolutions?”
“Isn’t that how you evolved your Machoke?” Rion asked, tilting his head.
Ryker’s brow furrowed. “Not quite. It’s not about trading but about proving its worth to other Fighting-type Pokémon.”
Rion looked intrigued. “Proving its worth?”
Ryker nodded. “Yes. Machoke needs to earn recognition from a number of strong Fighting-types. It’s about respect and acknowledgment. The actual evolution into Machamp happens when Machoke has truly demonstrated its strength and earned its status as a champion among Fighting-types.”
Rion’s eyes widened in understanding. “So, it’s not the act of trading that triggers the evolution. It’s the process of proving itself through battles and challenges.”
“Exactly,” Ryker confirmed. “And it’s not unique to Machoke. Many Pokémon have their own specific conditions that need to be met for evolution.”
Rion nodded, taking this new information into account. “That makes sense. And what about evolutionary stones?”
Ryker’s eyes softened with understanding. “Evolutionary stones are rare because they form in specific places where elemental energies are naturally concentrated. The families who control these areas—like the Clearwater family with their Water Stones—keep this a secret. They don’t want others to know that these stones are a renewable resource, forming slowly over time as the elemental energies accumulate.”
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Rion’s eyes widened. “That would explain why the Clearwaters were so protective of their springs. They always said the stones they gave out were from a ‘private collection,’ but if they knew that these stones would naturally regenerate…”
“They would have a steady supply of them,” Ryker finished. “The Ironwoods probably do the same with Metal Coats, controlling places where Steel-type energies are concentrated.”
Ryker sat back, his mind clearly racing with the implications. “So you’re saying that if we could identify these places, we could gather our own evolutionary stones—or at least understand where they come from.”
“Yes,” Rion said, his voice firm. “And that’s just the beginning. If we can figure out the locations of these elemental concentrations, we can start helping people train their Pokémon more effectively without being beholden to these powerful families.”
Ryker was silent for a moment, thinking. Then he looked at Rion, his gaze sharp. “You realize that this kind of knowledge is dangerous, right? The Ironwoods, the Clearwaters—they won’t take kindly to anyone else getting their hands on this information. If we start acting on this, we could become targets.”
“I know,” Rion said quietly. “That’s why we have to be careful. We can’t just challenge these families outright—not yet. We need allies, people who are already dissatisfied with the way things are.”
Ryker’s eyes narrowed as he thought it over. “You’re talking about the Bluewaters.”
Rion nodded. “They’re one of the founding families of Dewford, but they’ve been overshadowed by the Ironwoods for years. They’ve been vocal about their dissatisfaction, but they don’t have the power to do anything about it. If we share some of our knowledge with them—show them how to train their Pokémon more effectively, or where to find rare Water-types—they could regain some of that lost power. In return, they could help us push back against the Ironwoods.”
Ryker considered this, his expression serious. “And if the Bluewaters use their influence as one of the founding families, they could potentially oust the Ironwoods from their position. But it won’t be easy. The Ironwoods have strong connections, and they won’t go down without a fight.”
“We need to be subtle,” Rion said. “We offer the Bluewaters just enough information to gain their trust, to make them see the value in what we’re giving them. But we keep the most valuable information to ourselves until we’re sure they’re fully on our side.”
Ryker slowly nodded. “It’s a risky plan, but it could work. The Bluewaters have been looking for an opportunity to regain their standing, and if we give them that opportunity, they’ll be more than willing to take on the Ironwoods. But we have to be careful. One wrong move, and we could end up in over our heads.”
“I understand,” Rion said, feeling a renewed sense of determination. “But if we succeed, we’ll be one step closer to changing Dewford—and maybe all of Hoenn—for the better.”
Ryker looked at Rion with a newfound respect. “You’ve got a good head on your shoulders, Rion. If we play this right, we could really make a difference. But we need to be smart, and we need to be patient.”
Rion smiled, feeling a renewed sense of purpose. “We will. First, we need to make contact with the Bluewaters and gauge their interest. If they’re willing to work with us, we can start planning our next move.”
Ryker stood, his expression determined. “I’ll reach out to them. We’ll arrange a meeting, somewhere private, where we can discuss our proposal. But remember, Rion—we have to be careful. One wrong move, and everything could come crashing down.”
“I understand, Uncle,” Rion said, standing as well. “But together, I know we can make this work.”
Ryker placed a hand on Rion’s shoulder, his voice filled with resolve. “Then let’s get to work. The future of Dewford—and maybe even all of Hoenn—depends on it.”