"Holy shit! How did he Mega Evolve?! Quick, teach me, teach me!"
Before the researchers could even come in to take measurements, Jace came charging in first, completely fired up, running his hands all over Mega Charizard X.
Mega Charizard X glanced at Auron. A bead of cold sweat rolled down his forehead, but he didn't resist Jace's antics. After all, this was his trainer brother's partner.
Auron sighed helplessly and stepped forward, pulling Jace away. Only then did the researchers finally begin their measurements on Mega Charizard X.
"Alright, wipe the drool off. Aren't you embarrassed? I'll teach you in a sec."
Auron shot Jace a glare. In front of everyone, his drool was practically getting all over his Charizard. That was too much.
"Mm-hmm, sure thing!"
Jace grinned from ear to ear, fondling the Poké Ball containing his Charizard. He looked like a total fanatic.
Watching him like this, Auron helplessly pulled a Key Stone from his pocket and handed it to Jace. "Here. This is the key to Mega Evolution."
"Mega Evolution?"
"Right. It's the latest research from the Dragon Country research institute. Remember not to let this slip for now."
"Got it."
Jace nodded and took the Key Stone from Auron.
"Hm??"
Jace looked at the Key Stone in his hand, then back at Auron, and asked with confusion, "Isn't this the one you had me buy outside the secret realm back then?"
Auron looked at him with a perfectly matter-of-fact expression. "Yeah."
Jace was speechless. Just like that, no shame whatsoever?
"Don't worry. I'll reward you with a set of Luxury Balls when the time comes."
"I'm not saying this is about... Luxury Balls? Wait—what did I just say?"
Jace had been about to say he wasn't looking for a reward, that he just wanted to know what was going on—but before he could finish, the words "Luxury Balls" hit his ears and completely derailed his train of thought.
After handing Jace the Key Stone, Auron went back to the box at the research institute where the Mega Stones were stored and fished out a Charizardite Y, then handed that to Jace as well.
"This is also a necessary item for Mega Evolution. Send out your Charizard first and put this on him."
Auron then pulled another device from his pocket—a held item portable mount that his dad had designed during his research—and slotted the Mega Stone into place.
After Jace sent out his Charizard, he asked, "Charizard, where do you want to wear it?"
Charizard glanced at the held item portable mount in Auron's hand, then without a moment's hesitation, gave his tail a swish.
Seeing Charizard's gesture, Auron couldn't help but smile. His own Charizard had done the exact same thing—chosen to wear the portable mount on his tail.
"Then go ahead and put it on him."
"OK!"
Jace took the held item portable mount with an excited grin and fastened it onto his Charizard, who curiously twisted around to watch his own tail.
"Want to try it out?"
"Hold your horses. Wait until my Charizard reverts from Mega Evolution first. Then you can go."
"Sure thing."
What followed was a stretch of time in which Auron got to fully witness what it looked like when someone was desperately waiting to do something they'd been itching to do.
Tsk tsk. It really was like having bugs crawling all over his body. The guy couldn't stand still for a single second.
Finally, after Auron's Charizard reverted from its Mega Evolution state, Jace couldn't wait a moment longer. With an eager cry, he charged forward.
"Auron! What do I do?!"
"Keep it down! I can hear you! Just do what I did before!"
"Do I need to strike some kind of special pose?"
"No!"
"Got it!"
After the shouting match ended, Auron finally let out a long breath, watching as Jace moved in to Mega Evolve his Charizard into Mega Charizard Y.
Jace put on a deadly serious expression as he stood before his Charizard. Key Stone in his right hand, he swept his right hand in a wide circle, his left hand tracing a loop, then lifted his right hand above his head with absolute solemnity before bringing his left hand into a sword-finger point and pressing it sharply against the Key Stone.
"Charizard, transform!"
Watching Jace go through this entire routine, Auron felt so embarrassed his toes curled hard enough to furnish an entire mansion.
"Uh, don't mind him. He's just like this—he's completely obsessed with tokusatsu shows. He's not stupid. Really."
Feeling everyone's eyes on him, Auron couldn't just let it hang in the air. He couldn't allow it to become established fact that he was friends with an idiot.
So with no choice, he did his best to explain and reassure everyone—including Grandpa Ashford and Grandpa Flint.
Only then did everyone stop staring at Jace and turn their attention to the Charizard currently in the middle of evolving.
Auron wiped the nonexistent cold sweat from his forehead and silently cursed Jace up and down in his head. Social butterfly syndrome didn't mean you had to pull stunts like this.
"Holy shit!!"
"Quick, quick—record this! What are you all spacing out for?!"
When the taro-purple Mega Charizard Y appeared, everyone present froze on the spot.
"An error evolution?"
"That's possible!"
The two old men beside Auron erupted into an excited discussion, practically itching to rush over and run their hands all over Mega Charizard Y.
Unfortunately, they needed to make their assessment first. After all, between the two of them they were seasoned veterans—when it came to abilities and typing, they could make a judgment that was nine times out of ten accurate.
"Why couldn't it simply be a second evolution path instead?"
"Hm?"
Both old men turned simultaneously to look at Auron.
"Well, my waveguide told me. The two Mega Stones are different, which is why I had Jace try it."
Flint Jonas furrowed his brow. "But they both Mega Evolve because of the Mega Stones themselves—that's precisely why they take different forms, isn't it?"
(Among the evolutions currently discovered are Sanado, which doesn't require an evolution item, and Airuredo, which does require one, as well as Bawanghua which evolves with a Leaf Stone and Meilihua which evolves with a Sun Stone.)
Auron smiled and pointed at the Mega Stone on Charizard's tail. "But these two Charizard are carrying different Mega Stones, aren't they?"
Flint Jonas slapped his own forehead. "Right! How did I forget what you just said? Ugh, getting old really does make you useless."
"Not at all. Grandpa Flint can keep working for the country for many more years yet."
Hearing Auron say this, Flint Jonas felt pleased inside, but still laughed and scolded him. "You little runt. Your Grandpa Flint wants to retire, you know. I'm not going to keep at it forever."
Auron grinned. He was just about to continue when Ashford Vale suddenly cleared his throat. "Ahem. Pay attention to the Charizard. Work is important."
"Tch."
Flint Jonas shot a satisfied glance at Ashford Vale before finally turning his attention to examining Mega Charizard Y's ability and typing.
"The ability should be Sunlight."
"Obviously. I can see that for myself, you know."
Ashford Vale flicked his eyes upward without missing a beat. There was a giant little sun right on top of it—who couldn't see that?
After a while, Mega Charizard Y's Mega Evolution time ran out. He began reverting back into a regular Charizard.
But Jace still hadn't had his fill. Before Auron could even call out to him, he was already striking up his earlier opening pose again.
"Charizard! Transform!"
Everyone froze. Then they all turned to look at Auron.
Auron helplessly pressed his face into his hand and waved the other dismissively.
"Actually, I don't know him. I really don't."