September 9.
Lumiose City, Sycamore Pokémon Lab.
Having Ash and Greninja undergo Mega Evolution
had been Professor Sycamore's suggestion.
Still, Li Wei was interested too.
Mega Evolution and Ash's Greninja's Bond Phenomenon had one thing in common-a bond.
Both forms of evolution relied on the emotional connection, trust, and bond between a Trainer and their Pokémon.
Without a strong enough bond, even a successfully Mega-Evolved Pokémon would refuse to follow its Trainer's commands.
Korrina and Lucario were one example.
It wasn't that Lucario didn't want to listen to Korrina.
The sudden surge in power could overwhelm Lucario's will, causing Lucario to lose control.
Likewise, Metagross, Tyranitar, and Salamence could face the same problem.
But this was Ash, and even though he and Froakie had only been together for two months...
Li Wei still felt their bond was strong enough.
An air of anticipation filled the analysis room.
Steven, Li Wei, and Professor Sycamore stood to one side, their eyes fixed on Ash and the Greninja beside him in the center of the room.
There was a reason Ash's Greninja had evolved so early: Greninja hadn't been a beginner Pokémon to begin with.
Back when Greninja was still a Froakie, Froakie had already abandoned several Trainers.
And while the other Froakie played,
this Froakie had kept training hard.
Greninja's level had already been quite high.
Professor Sycamore handed the deep-blue Evolution Stone to Ash and said solemnly,
"After extensive analysis and energy comparisons, we can now confirm that this is Greninja's Mega Stone."
"Ash, you're the first person in the Kalos Region-no, perhaps in the entire world-to use it."
Even without finding a Greninja, Professor Sycamore had other ways to determine which Pokémon the Evolution Stone belonged to.
But the process was rather complicated.
Li Wei and the others wouldn't understand