Only sixteen days remained until the Williams family event.
Initially, Eric hadn't paid much attention to the invitation. High society gatherings and networking with aristocratic heirs didn't interest him. But his battle with Red in Saffron City had completely shifted his perspective.
Even though their match had ended in a draw, Eric felt the sting of defeat. Red's Eevee had displayed a level of movement maneuvers that outclassed his Haunter, and its subsequent evolution into a Quasi-Gold potential Espeon, boasting a Peak Grade 4 Psychic energy, was a wake-up call.
Red and Blue were moving like rocket ships, and Eric had no intention of being left in their dust. To survive in this world, and to protect the Pokémon he had taken responsibility for, he needed to maximize his strength as quickly as possible.
The first step was resolving his team's growing imbalance. While Haunter was a lurking catastrophe, Poliwhirl and Fearow were starting to lag behind.
To bridge that gap, Eric needed to evolve Poliwhirl.
'But I can't just use any standard stone,' Eric thought as he scrolled through the secure, online black-market databases on his phone.
(Only regular customers with a reputation are given access. Eric has it because of how frequently he visits and how much money he spends there. Sort of a VIP customer.)
Evolution was the absolute best window to upgrade a Pokémon's potential. Poliwhirl had already reached Blue potential upon evolving from Poliwag, but if Eric could secure a top-quality Water Stone, he had a real chance of pushing Poliwhirl's core into the Purple tier.
The problem was the cost.
A high-quality Water Stone in the Redwood or Celadon black markets went for a staggering 15 million Pokédollars. But top-quality stones, the ones completely devoid of impurities, weren't even up for open sale. If one did appear in an auction, it would easily command 50 to 60 million Pokédollars.
Eric had pocketed a massive 12 million from his last black-market trade, but after purchasing advanced resources, specialized food, and medical supplies to stabilize Gardevoir's core, he couldn't afford a sum like that.
'I need a shortcut,' he decided.
He boarded the bullet train back to Pewter City. There was only one person he knew with the connections to source such a rare resource.
"A top-quality Water Stone?"
In his private study at the Pewter City Breeder's Guild, Rudy removed his glasses and stared at Eric in sheer disbelief.
"You really don't do things by halves, do you, kid? Do you have any idea how rare those are? Even Elite trainers have to spend some effort to get them."
"I know," Eric said flatly, sitting opposite him. "That's why I'm asking you. If anyone I know has a lead on one , it's you."
Rudy sighed, leaning back in his leather chair. His disciple sure likes to move fast. Then, a sly smile appeared on his face.
"I actually have one in my private vault," Rudy said, crossing his arms.
Eric's eyes narrowed slightly. "What's the catch?"
"Hahaha! Straight to the point, as always," Rudy chuckled. "I don't mind giving it to you. But I do have one condition."
"Speak."
"Three months from now, the international Breeder's Association is hosting a grand exhibition in the Kalos region," Rudy said, his expression turning serious. "It's a massive event where the top breeders from all over the world showcase their techniques, custom Poke blocks, and research. I want you to accompany me as my primary apprentice and representative."
Eric remained quiet, calculating the risks. Travelling to Kalos would temporarily take him away from his gym challenge in Kanto. However, Kalos was a goldmine of information, especially regarding Mega Evolution. With his system, he could absorb an unimaginable amount of data there.
More importantly, a top-purity Water Stone was priceless.
"Deal," Eric said, extending his hand.
"Excellent," Rudy smiled, shaking Eric's hand.
He then reached into his spatial device and pulled out a velvet-lined case. He opened it, revealing a stunning, translucent blue stone. It was perfectly spherical, and inside, a swirling vortex of deep blue energy looked like a miniature, living ocean.
Just looking at it made the moisture in the air of the room spike.
"Take it," Rudy said, handing the case to Eric. "Make sure you don't waste its potential."
Renting a training room for himself, Eric locked the door and let out a deep breath.
He released Poliwhirl.
The bipedal water-type emerged with a soft splash, his spiral chest turning toward Eric. His eyes were bright, brimming with the raw, stubborn fighting spirit that Eric respected so much.
"We're doing this now, Poliwhirl," Eric said, opening the velvet case.
The moment the top-quality Water Stone was exposed, Poliwhirl's eyes widened. He could feel the incredibly dense, pure water-type energy radiating from the stone, calling out to his core.
Eric opened his system, pulling up Poliwhirl's status one last time.
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Pokémon: Poliwhirl
Gender: Male
Level: 33
Type: Water
Ability: Swift Swim
Held Item: None
Potential: Blue
Energy Grade:
Water type - Grade 3 (Initial)
Moves: Water Gun (I), Hypnosis (B+++), Mud Shot (B+++), Pound (B+++), Bubble Beam (B+++), Muddy Water (B+++), Water Pulse (B+++), Protect (I), Rain Dance (B++), Ice Beam (B), Surf (B+), Brick Break (B+)
---
"Touch the stone," Eric commanded softly. "Absorb every single drop of its energy. Don't let a single unit of it go to waste."
Poliwhirl nodded solemnly. He stepped forward and placed his gloved hand onto the swirling blue stone.
Instantly, the stone dissolved into a liquid-like blue light, flowing rapidly up Poliwhirl's arm and entering his chest.
Hummmmm—
A brilliant, blinding white light erupted from Poliwhirl's body, illuminating the entire training room. The air grew heavy with the scent of the sea, and a dense, high-pressure tide of water-type energy began to warp the space around them.
The evolution had begun.
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