"Battle Bond?"
All three cried out in surprise, their faces a mixture of astonishment and dawning understanding.
Hearing the Ability's name and connecting it with the Bond Phenomenon Chen Shi had just mentioned...
It was as though a light had switched on in their minds. They immediately grasped the general purpose of Battle Bond.
Clearly, barring any surprises, achieving the Bond Phenomenon...
Required more than an extraordinarily powerful bond between a Trainer and their Pokémon.
The other essential condition was probably the Battle Bond Ability.
"So you're saying they can undergo the Bond Phenomenon just like Dragapult?"
Cynthia rubbed her chin, studying the two Froakie thoughtfully.
"Not necessarily." Chen Shi shook his head. "It mainly depends on whether we can become one in mind and spirit with them later on."
"Otherwise, Battle Bond won't do anything."
"Think of Battle Bond as a Mega Stone, and the strong bond between Pokémon and Trainer as a Key Stone. Neither one can be missing."
Cynthia nodded slightly, understanding what Chen Shi meant.
In other words, their bond would have to become strong enough for their minds and spirits to unite before they could achieve Mega Evolution.
If they couldn't manage that, Battle Bond wouldn't be of much use.
Still, with Chen Shi and Dragapult as a successful example, Cynthia felt certain she and Frog Sister could do it too.
At the thought of Dragapult, Cynthia suddenly fell silent, then gave Chen Shi a meaningful look.
"If I remember correctly, your Dreepy has Infiltrator, right?"
At those words, Steven and Diantha caught on too.
Dragapult had appeared many times during the Pokémon World Championships.
Everyone knew Chen Shi's Dragapult could ignore moves like Protect. That was clearly the work of Infiltrator.
Yet Chen Shi had just said that achieving the Bond Phenomenon required both