"Tar..."
Tyranitar whimpered softly, his deep voice carrying an unexpected vulnerability. To an outsider, it might have seemed like the cry of a much smaller, weaker Pokémon.
Aoki gently stroked Tyranitar's arm, feeling the smooth texture beneath his fingers. Unlike the usual rough, stone-like hide of a typical Tyranitar, this one was polished—likely from years of consuming diamonds as part of his diet.
"Don't be too sad," Aoki reassured him through Telepathy. "You still have a future ahead of you. But never forget—you had a great mother. Carry her love with you always. She was a powerful Tyranitar, and I know she wouldn't want you to be weak. Neither she nor your species would accept anything less than strength. That's why I decided it was time for you to learn the truth about how difficult your survival truly was."
Tyranitar remained silent, but Aoki knew he was listening. Memories flashed through his mind—of the tiny Larvitar that had first hatched from its egg, small in stature but surprisingly heavy. Back then, Aoki had needed all his strength just to lift him.
As the youngest member of Aoki's team, Tyranitar had been doted on by the others. He had been carefree, mischievous—a little troublemaker. And Aoki, as his Trainer, hadn't rushed him into training. Instead, he had given him time to grow, to play, to enjoy his youth. Every small step of progress had been met with encouragement.
Now, seeing Tyranitar lost in thought, Aoki reached into his storage space and pulled out a small red backpack—the same one Larvitar had always carried.
Tyranitar's breath hitched.
The bag was exactly as he remembered—bulging with diamonds he could never finish, snacks Larvitar had hoarded away. Every time he ate, he would stash a few inside, saving them for later. But he never ran out, because Aoki always replenished them.
Seeing the little red bag, Tyranitar's lips trembled. His eyes welled up.
A true warrior didn't cry easily—but grief was different.
He turned to Aoki, who had once seemed as towering as a mountain, capable of solving any problem. Now, standing beside Tyranitar's massive form, Aoki seemed small. And yet, in Tyranitar's heart, his presence had never been greater.
That's right.
He had survived because of his mother's sacrifice—but he had thrived because of Aoki. Because of his care, his patience, his training. And now, he had achieved his final evolution.
Seeing the shift in Tyranitar's expression, Aoki knew his words had reached him. His mother would always be a soft spot—but never a weakness. If anything, her memory would drive him to grow even stronger.
With a smile, Aoki patted Tyranitar's armored hide. "Alright, you're a grown-up now. Look at you—this tall, and still crying? A little embarrassing, don't you think?"
Tyranitar immediately scrubbed at his face with a massive claw. This would be the last time he shed tears.
His expression hardened—the look of a true sandstorm titan.
Pleased, Aoki opened the little red backpack, revealing the remaining diamonds inside, and handed it over.
"These are the last of my reserves—saved just for your evolution. From now on, you'll face tougher opponents. Harder training."
Tyranitar nodded eagerly, taking the diamonds and crunching them down in one bite.
Crunch—CRACK—
For Larvitar, these diamonds had been a challenge to chew. For Tyranitar, they were nothing.
As he savored them, his spirit burned with determination.
GULP.
Swallowing the last of the diamonds, Tyranitar couldn't contain himself.
"CLASS—!! CLASS—!! CLASS—!!"
Three earth-shaking roars tore from his throat, releasing all the emotions he had held inside.
Aoki could feel their bond strengthening.
On the surface, his words had been simple—just facts, nothing poetic. But they were the culmination of everything Aoki had built with Larvitar and Pupitar over the years.
Now was the perfect time.
As Tyranitar roared, Aoki stood and pulled out a Key Stone.
"What do you say, Tyranitar? Ready to try Mega Evolution?"
Tyranitar's roar cut off mid-cry.
His eyes widened.
Mega Evolution.
After seeing Aggron, Blaziken, and Gengar undergo the transformation, how could he not want it?
And now—it was his turn.
CLASS!!
He nodded furiously.
Aoki's expression turned serious.
"Tyranitar—Mega Evolve!"
As he spoke, his psychic energy surged into the Key Stone, drawing out the swirling rainbow energy of Mega Evolution. The power twisted through the air, connecting to the Tyranitarite embedded in Tyranitar's armor.
Grains of sand lifted from the ground, caught in the energy's current, spiraling around Tyranitar like a miniature storm.
"ROOOOAR—!!"
The Mega Energy flooded into him, and his body began to change.
The first Mega Evolution was always the most intense. Both Trainer and Pokémon had to synchronize perfectly, adapting to the transformation of body and power.
For Tyranitar, the changes were immediate.
BANG—!!
Like an explosion, six jagged spikes erupted from his back—his body could no longer contain the surge of raw power.
It was like switch that had been flipped, and Tyranitar's Mega Evolution...
Has begun!