Absol brought over a shimmering, multicolored stone, placing it before the campfire. Maki carefully examined it, and faintly, deep within the stone's core, he could make out a familiar double-helix pattern—something resembling DNA.
A Key Stone!
One of the two essential items required for Mega Evolution! Its rarity was undeniable; even within Team Rocket, only a select few high-ranking members possessed one. In the Pokémon League, most Trainers only learned about Mega Evolution after becoming Gym Leaders.
Maki never expected to come across a Key Stone in a place like this. Although the Key Stone was slightly less valuable than a Mega Stone, it was still an incredibly precious find.
Unfortunately, he didn't have a Mega Stone on hand, making the Key Stone unusable for now.
But if a Key Stone could be found here… could that mean a Mega Stone was also nearby?
Despite being a technique mastered by many elite Trainers, the origins of Mega Stones and Key Stones remained a mystery. No one knew where they came from or how they came to be.
However, Maki knew the truth—Mega Evolution was linked to Xerneas, the Legendary Pokémon from Kalos mythology said to govern life itself. After all, Mega Evolution was the process of unlocking dormant life energy hidden deep within a Pokémon's DNA.
Ordinary Pokémon couldn't achieve this on their own. They needed the power of a Mega Stone and a Key Stone, or more accurately, the unbreakable bond between Pokémon and Trainer. In essence, the Key Stone and Mega Stone acted as a bridge connecting their hearts and energy.
Since Key Stones and Mega Stones were created in a similar manner and had a special connection, finding one often meant the other wasn't far away.
Absol, unaware of the Key Stone's significance, simply smiled at Maki's fascination. It had picked up the stone only because it looked beautiful and glowed faintly at night.
Maki turned to Absol. "Have you seen any similar stones nearby? They'd be much bigger than this, about… this large, and shaped somewhat like this."
He gestured with his hands, outlining the approximate size of a Mega Stone.
Unlike a Key Stone—small enough to resemble a glass marble—a Mega Stone was about half the size of a clenched fist, making it much more noticeable.
Absol shook its head. It hadn't seen anything like that in the area where it had found the Key Stone.
Maki sighed. "I see…"
Although a bit disappointed, he wasn't too upset. Finding a Key Stone alone was already an incredible stroke of luck—he couldn't ask for too much more.
"Sa~"
Hearing his response, Absol tilted its head in thought before speaking again.
It hadn't found a Mega Stone near the Key Stone, but… it might have seen something similar elsewhere.
Maki's eyes widened. "Wait—really?! Where did you see it?"
Was he seriously just joking about Mega Stones earlier, only for one to actually exist nearby?
Even if it wasn't the Mega Stone for Charizard or Mawile, it was still a valuable find. Any Mega Stone was worth investigating—it would be a huge win regardless.
Absol flinched slightly as Maki leaned in excitedly, but it continued speaking.
"Sasa~ Sa."
Apparently, the Malamar in the area also liked to collect shiny objects. Absol had once spotted a Malamar carrying something similar to a Mega Stone, but it hadn't gotten close enough to confirm.
Maki smirked. "Alright, everyone—how about we pay those Malamar a visit tomorrow and raid their stash?"
He turned to the Florges and Absol, making his intentions clear.
Initially, Maki had only helped Florges and its group on a whim, thinking of bringing them along if things worked out. If not, he wouldn't have pushed too hard.
But a Mega Stone was different. He had to get it.
Absol: …
Wait… didn't he just say they'd leave tomorrow if Malamar didn't come looking for trouble? Now he's planning to storm their territory instead? That was… fast.
Florges and Absol exchanged glances, silently weighing Maki's proposal.
"Fla~"
One of the Florges hesitated, speaking timidly.
If the Malamar didn't cause any trouble, was it really necessary to confront them?
Clearly, even with Maki's training and strategy boosting their confidence, Florges and its group still struggled to break free from their fearful mindset. Being bullied for so long had left them deeply afraid of Malamar.
Maki, however, shook his head firmly.
"You've let those Malamar push you around for too long. Haven't you ever thought about fighting back?" His voice was steady but sharp. "If you don't beat them down properly, they'll never stop treating you as easy prey. Malamar are the type of Pokémon that take advantage of weakness—the more you back down, the more they'll keep coming after you."
His main goal was still the Mega Stone, but this was a perfect opportunity for Florges and its group as well.
How had they even survived in this mysterious realm for so long with such timid personalities? There were far worse predators than Malamar out there.
Maki had no qualms about his intentions—he wanted that Mega Stone. But that didn't mean his reasoning was wrong.
Absol, unlike Florges and its group, wasn't weak-willed. It nodded in agreement before turning to encourage the Florges.
Fortunately, Florges and the others were still somewhat open to persuasion. Perhaps it was precisely because of their timid nature that they tended to believe what others told them.
Honestly, they were lucky to have run into Maki. If it had been any other Rocket Grunt, they would've been tricked and exploited in an instant.
After further discussion with Absol, Maki finalized their plan and settled in for the night, preparing for their next move.
The next morning.
Maki woke up early and took a moment to gather himself. After a quick round of feeding Mawile and the others with Pokéblocks he turned to Florges' group.
"Alright, everyone," he said with a smirk. "Let's go pay the Malamar a visit."
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