Aries

Heart Scale

"We should go here." Steven tapped his Pokenav insistently where the label for Evolution Mountain was. "They are having a party for evolving stone-based evolutions. It'd be good experience to battle the trainers!"

"Ooh, yeah. And it gets us on the road towards Cinnabar." Brock observed. Ash was already walking in the direction, with Pinwheel proudly riding his shoulder. After what seemed not even that long travel, they had made it to the mansion. Outside, a younger boy held his Eevee nervously as what looked to be his older brother ushered him into the back garden. Ash followed the two, looking around.

Tables with white cloths strewn across them were scattered about, with different food and snacks spread out amongst them. Trainers of all different ages, along with their Pokemon, were hanging out, holding different Evolution stones. The young boy with the Eevee followed the brother, who walked along with a Vaporeon, to where Ash stood. He looked at Pikachu.

"You're evolving your Pikachu? Looks like a tough Pokemon!" The guy grinned. "I'm Rainer."

Pinwheel sparked at that notion. He was perfectly happy as a Pikachu, in fact, he took pride in the fact he believed himself stronger than most Raichu. Ash knew this. They had a little heart-to-heart, once, over the matter - that ended in Pinwheel getting him to do the same for every other member of his team. "Actually, Pinwheel wants to stay as one. He's very strong, I don't think you have to worry about him."

The guy snorted. "But Evolution makes your Pokemon stronger. We're trying to convince Mikey to evolve his Eevee into a Vaporeon, Jolteon or Flareon."

Mikey, presumably, shrank at that. Ash looked a little uncomfortable. "Not every Pokemon wants to evolve, though?"

"But this Eevee does want to! He is constantly starry-eyed watching Vaporeon and the others." Rainer claimed, gesturing to where two other boys and their Eevolutions chatted to a different party-goer. "So we want him to evolve, duh."

A voice that Ash didn't even anticipate cut in.

"Well, maybe that Eevee wants to be an Espeon, or Umbreon, or Glaceon, or Leafeon. Or maybe a Sylveon." Gary commented. He held a Growlithe in his arms. His Umbreon chirped in agreement by his side, nuzzling his leg. "Maybe he just likes his evolved form."

Rainer blinked at the newcomer. "Ah, but, we're in Kanto. Kanto Eevees cannot evolve into-"

"That's actually a very common misconception. The reason people don't ever see Espeon or Umbreon in Kanto is far simpler- it's because the usual training style rarely focuses on a personal relationship between trainer and Pokemon. Blacky isn't just my Pokemon, she's a trusted friend."

Mikey hugged his Eevee tightly. "Yeah! That's what Eevee is to me! But... how do I get it to evolve into Espeon? Or Sylveon?"

"You surely don't want to evolve into that sissy evolution." somebody snorted. Judging by appearances, Ash guessed it was another brother. "Sparky, check this out. He wants a Sylveon, what a joke. Are you a Kimono girl now?"

Gary watched Ash's expression carefully - how he was barely concealing his anger at the boy, when the kid called Sparky continued. "Literally. Rainer, why are you entertaining this idea?"

"Did you know that Red was rumoured to have an Espeon?" Brock asked. He tapped his chin. "When I battled him back in the day, he didn't have one, but that was at the start of the journey. Apparently, it easily crushed Bruno's entire team, though."

Gary snapped his fingers. "Yeah, I know that Espeon. Red kept his Pokemon at my grandpa's lab, and my brother sort of knows him. I met it before, actually. It's terrifying."

Blacky nodded at that notion, shuddering slightly. It was one thing for a trainer to be afraid of a Pokemon, but for a dark type to be afraid of an Espeon was another.