I stared at the Budew, lying unconscious on the rocky ground, then at Gible, standing beside me, with that fierce pride radiating through our bond.
Level 3. Two levels gained from a single battle. The system's experience scaling was far more generous than the flat formulas I'd memorized from the games.
"Come on," I said to Gible, gesturing back toward the main terrarium. "We've done enough for today. Time to let Grandfather know you're officially battle-ready."
"Gib-gib!" Gible trotted alongside me, occasionally hopping excitedly. The little dragon's energy was infectious.
When we reached the terrarium entrance, Oak and Elara were waiting. Oak looked pleased, while Elara was practically vibrating with barely contained questions, her tablet clutched to her chest.
"Level 3 already?" Oak said, having clearly been monitoring through the terrarium's sensor network. "That's remarkable progress for a single encounter."
"The experience gain scales with level difference," I explained. "Fighting opponents above Gible's level gave significantly more experience than the standard formula would predict."
Elara's fingers flew across her tablet, taking notes. "Yes, that is accurate across what we have."
"Which is exactly why I'm going to give Gible a break from active training," I said, cutting off what was clearly about to become an extended scientific discussion. "Two weeks to rest, bond, and prepare. I need to handle some administrative work anyway."
Oak nodded approvingly. "The article about the Prism Transformation. Yes, the sooner you submit that to the Research Consortium, the better. Discovery rights are time-sensitive."
"A wise use of time," Oak agreed. "Gible will benefit from recovery and conditioning. Not every day needs to be a battle."
Beside me, Gible looked slightly disappointed but didn't protest. The little dragon understood that rest was part of training.
That evening, I sat at the desk in my bedroom, staring at the computer screen. The Oak Estate's network had access to the Pokémon Research Consortium's entire database.
Decades of papers, studies, and documentation on every discovered species and phenomenon.
I needed to write the article on Prism Transformation, but first, I wanted to see what else was out there.
Had anyone ever documented something similar? Were there other cases of spontaneous type changes or genetic transformations that might give me insight into what the system was actually doing?
I started broadly, searching for terms like "genetic transformation," "type change," and "variant evolution."
Most results were predictable—papers on regional variants, such as genetic mutations over centuries, studies on evolution-triggered type additions, and research into breeding mechanics. Nothing that matched what had happened to Gible.
Then I narrowed my search. "Spontaneous transformation." "Hidden potential." "Genetic awakening."
That's when I found it.
A paper from forty years ago, archived in the older section of the database. The title caught my attention immediately:
"Observations on Pokémon Potential: A Phenomenon of Destined Greatness"
Author: Red
No last name. Just "Red."
I clicked on the article, and the abstract loaded:
"During my travels across Kanto, I have observed a phenomenon that defies conventional understanding of Pokémon development. Certain Pokémon, regardless of species or initial strength, demonstrate capabilities far beyond statistical norms. These individuals are not merely well-trained or genetically superior—they possess something fundamental that sets them apart from their peers. I propose that some Pokémon are, for lack of a better term, 'destined for greatness.' This is not mysticism but observable reality. The challenge lies in identifying these exceptional individuals before their potential manifests."
I leaned closer to the screen and read faster.
"Traditional assessment methods—genetic analysis, behavioral testing, combat evaluation—prove insufficient for identifying these Pokémon in advance. The phenomenon only becomes apparent retrospectively, after the Pokémon has already demonstrated exceptional growth. However, I believe there exists a method of early identification that transcends conventional science. Trainers with heightened perceptive abilities may recognize these Pokémon through means not yet understood by the research community."
The paper continued with case studies—Pokémon that Red had encountered who showed "impossible" growth rates, unusual adaptations, or capabilities beyond their species' known limits. He documented everything meticulously but offered no concrete explanation for why these Pokémon were different.
And he never mentioned seeing anything like a silver glow or having a system.
But the parallels were unmistakable. Red had encountered Pokémon with extraordinary potential. Pokémon that shouldn't exist based on normal parameters. Pokémon like Gible.
'Was Red the previous system user?' I wondered, scrolling through the rest of the article. 'Or did he just notice the results of someone else using the system?'
The paper was published forty years ago. Red would have been... what, eighteen? Twenty? Young enough to be starting his journey, old enough to have encountered enough Pokémon to recognize patterns.
And then he'd become Champion. And then he'd disappeared.
The timeline fit too well to be a coincidence.
I saved the article to my personal files and made a mental note to ask Oak about Red later. For now, I had my own article to write.
"Prism Transformation: A Novel Genetic Phenomenon in Gible"
Author: Samael Oak
I spent the next three hours writing, revising, and documenting everything that had happened with Gible. The article needed to be thorough enough to establish discovery rights but vague enough to protect the system's existence.
Abstract:
"This paper documents the first observed case of spontaneous genetic transformation in a Gible specimen, resulting in complete type reassignment from Dragon/Ground to Dragon/Steel. The transformation, termed 'Prism Transformation' due to the distinctive silver luminescence observed during the event, represents a previously undocumented phenomenon with significant implications for our understanding of Pokémon genetics and potential."
Methodology:
"Subject: Male Gible, age 6 months, previously assessed as developmentally deficient. Observation: Subject displayed a faint silver luminescence visible to the observer but not detected by standard scanning equipment.
Intervention:
Direct contact and bonding attempt.
Result:
Spontaneous transformation event lasting approximately 10 seconds, characterized by intense silver light emission and complete restructuring of the subject's genetic profile."
Results:
I included detailed before-and-after measurements:
Type change: Dragon/Ground → Dragon/Steel
Coloration: Blue-gray → Crimson red
Weight: 45 lbs → 80 lbs
Scale composition: Standard keratin → 60% organic, 40% metallic compounds
Muscle density: +180% of species average
Bone density: +165% of species average
Behavioral changes: Significant increases in energy, confidence, and combat capability
Discussion:
"The Prism Transformation appears to unlock latent genetic potential that exists within certain Pokémon but remains dormant under normal conditions. The silver luminescence observed before transformation may serve as an identifier for Pokémon possessing this potential. Further research is needed to determine if this phenomenon can be replicated, predicted, or induced in other species."
Conclusion:
"I propose the classification 'Prism Pokémon' for specimens that have undergone this transformation. While currently limited to a single documented case, the existence of a single Prism Pokémon suggests that others may exist undetected. This discovery opens new avenues for research into Pokémon's potential, genetic expression, and the fundamental nature of type assignment."
For the accompanying photo, I chose an action shot I'd taken that afternoon—Gible in mid-Tackle, scales gleaming, eyes focused and determined.
The image showed both the physical changes and the personality shift.
I uploaded the article to the Research Consortium's submission portal, attached the photo, and hit submit.
[Article Submitted Successfully]