Want to read ahead. You know where
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Lumiose City – Professor Sycamore's Laboratory
The warm afternoon sun poured through the glass dome of Lumiose City, its rays reflecting off the silver spire of the Sycamore Laboratory.
Trainers and assistants bustled in and out, carrying stacks of research papers and Poké Balls.
Inside the sleek facility, the sound of footsteps echoed as a tall young man entered, with calm eyes and a steady expression.
"Professor Samuel! Welcome, welcome!"
A man in a white coat rushed forward with a bright grin.
His neatly trimmed stubble gave him more of an artist's charm than that of a scientist.
This was Professor Sycamore, the renowned Pokémon Professor of Kalos, known for his research on Mega Evolution.
"I've heard so much about you," Sycamore said eagerly, shaking Sam's hand with enthusiasm.
"It's an honor to finally meet you in person!"
"The honor's mine, Professor Sycamore." Sam smiled politely, his tone modest.
"I hope my visit isn't a disturbance."
"Disturbance? Nonsense! I was thrilled when you contacted me. Please, come in!"
Sycamore guided him deeper into the lab, past glass tanks where Pokémon rested and machines hummed quietly.
They soon sat across from each other at a small coffee table surrounded by piles of research notes.
After exchanging a few words of courtesy, Sam got to the point.
His eyes sharpened slightly.
"Professor Sycamore, I came here to seek your insight… about Mega Evolution."
At that, Sycamore's interest clearly spiked.
"Ah, so that's it," he said with a knowing smile.
"Mega Evolution, my life's obsession. What would you like to know?"
Sam leaned forward.
"I want to understand how you discovered it. Or rather, where it originated. What's the source of Mega Evolution?"
Sycamore paused, tapping his chin thoughtfully.
He rose from his seat, walked to a nearby cabinet, and began rifling through stacks of files.
"A few years ago," he began slowly,
"I came across a peculiar stone, purely by chance. At first, I thought it was just a gemstone. But after some analysis, I realized it wasn't from this planet."
He pulled out an old folder, dusted it off, and placed it on the table in front of Sam.
"I didn't pay it much mind at the time," Sycamore continued.
"That is, until something… unexpected happened. One day, my Salamence brushed against that stone. There was a flash of light, and it transformed."
Sam's expression remained calm, but a flicker of curiosity gleamed in his eyes.
"Transformed?"
"Yes," Sycamore nodded.
"It became something entirely different, stronger, fiercer, as if it had evolved again beyond its limits. That event changed everything. It's what led me down the path of researching Mega Evolution."
He opened the folder, revealing a faded page filled with ancient symbols and sketches.
"As for the true source," Sycamore went on, "I still don't have a definite answer. But according to this old record, there once existed a mysterious stone, or rather, a massive boulder, said to hold immense energy. The energy that triggers Mega Evolution may have originated from it."
Sam studied the document silently.
The old parchment was brittle, the ink nearly faded, but the image of a radiant boulder was clear.
"My theory," Sycamore said, folding his arms, "is that the so-called Mega Stones we find today are fragments of that ancient boulder, scattered across the world over time."
For a moment, the room fell quiet except for the faint hum of the lab equipment.
Sam finally set the document down, his gaze deep and unreadable.
"Interesting… That aligns with something I've suspected myself."
"Oh?" Sycamore tilted his head, intrigued.
"You've noticed something similar?"
Sam gave a small nod. He didn't explain further, but his eyes flickered with a knowing light, the kind that came not from discovery, but from memory.
To Professor Sycamore, it was curiosity.
To Sam it was confirmation.
He had known of Mega Stones' origin long before he ever set foot in Kalos.
He simply needed to see if the truth here matched what he remembered.
Sycamore, unaware of Sam's deeper thoughts, smiled warmly.
"It's always inspiring to see another researcher so passionate about the mysteries of Pokémon."
Sam nodded politely, hiding the faint amusement in his eyes.
But in truth, his reason for seeking Mega Evolution ran much deeper than academic curiosity.
The mysterious, ancient boulder that Professor Sycamore spoke of lingered in Sam's thoughts long after their discussion.
A rock overflowing with energy… hidden away in secret.
If his guess was right, that very boulder wasn't lost; it had been taken.
Hidden by none other than Lysandre, the man behind Team Flare.
'So the pieces really fit together,' Sam thought quietly.
'Sycamore's information matches what I suspected all along.'
But what the professor said next caught him completely off guard.
Sycamore tapped a finger against his notebook, eyes glinting with curiosity.
"You see, through studying Mega Evolution, I started forming a new idea."
Sam raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"Pokémon can change form in many ways," Sycamore continued.
"Regular evolution is the most common. Then there's Mega Evolution… and even Gigantamax transformations."
He leaned back in his chair, eyes half-lidded in thought.
"But there's something else I've noticed. In different regions, the same Pokémon species can evolve to adapt; they change appearance, typing, and even abilities. Evolution, Mega Evolution, regional forms… all different expressions of one truth: Pokémon are capable of limitless growth."
Sam listened silently, intrigued by the professor's excitement.
"Then," Sycamore said suddenly, "what if that principle could apply not only to Pokémon themselves, but to their moves as well?"
That made Sam's eyes narrow slightly. "You mean… like the Z-Move phenomenon from Alola?"
Sycamore shook his head.
"No. Something stronger. Z-Moves are powerful, yes, but they're still bound by the Trainer's bond and a single surge of energy. What I'm talking about would be beyond that, a transformation that could amplify a move to an entirely new level. I call it… the Mega Z-Move."
"Mega Z-Move?" Sam repeated the unfamiliar term rolling off his tongue.
Sycamore gave an embarrassed chuckle, scratching his chin.
"It's just a rough idea for now, pure theory. I haven't found any solid evidence that such a thing can exist."
Sam's curiosity flared, but he didn't press further.
Instead, he rose from the sofa and smiled faintly.
"Professor Sycamore, thank you for sharing your research. I've already learned more than I expected today."
"Oh? Leaving so soon?" Sycamore asked, disappointment flickering across his face.
"You won't even stay for dinner? I could show you some of my Mega Stones in the collection."
Sam chuckled softly and shook his head.
"Your words have already given me more than enough to think about. I'd like to test something on my own while the inspiration's still fresh."
Sycamore's expression softened into a proud smile.
"Then I wish you success. If my small discoveries can aid your research, that's already an honor."
"Thank you," Sam said sincerely.
He turned toward the door, his coat brushing against the light breeze coming in through the lab's automatic entrance.
"Professor Sycamore," he said over his shoulder, "please stay. I'll take my leave here."
Sycamore nodded, waving warmly.
"Take care, Professor Samuel. May your research bear fruit."
Sam gave a brief nod, then stepped outside.
The sunlight was beginning to fade, painting the city in hues of gold and crimson.
He took a Poké Ball from his belt and threw it high into the air.
"Silver," he called softly.
A powerful gust of wind followed as the legendary Pokémon emerged, wings spreading wide with a majestic cry.
The few people nearby stopped to stare, awestruck by the sight of the silver guardian gliding above the rooftops of Lumiose.
Sam climbed onto Lugia's back with practiced ease.
"Let's go," he murmured.
Lugia gave a low rumble in response and took off, cutting through the clouds as the city shrank below them.
As they soared through the sky, Sam's thoughts drifted to a memory, his last encounter with Olympia, the psychic-type Gym Leader of Anistar City.
Before he left her observatory, she had closed her eyes, her voice echoing softly in his mind through psychic transmission:
"There is a place where the truth sleeps, beneath the city's bright heart. Seek it when you're ready, Lysandre's secret lab."
That was the address she had passed on to him, through thought, not words.
And that was exactly where he was heading now.
The wind rushed past his ears as Lumiose's shining towers faded into the distance.