Chapter 31

In the span of an hour.

When Noraima got home, Caleb received the material his grandfather meant to give him from her.

As they finished their dinner, Caleb couldn't contain his excitement any longer as he immediately dash towards the living room under the amuse gazes of his parents.

Still, they joined him inside the room since they were a little curious, and mainly because they wanted to see if Caleb knew what he was doing.

Caleb unclipped the pokeball that was hanging on his neck. Then press the button on the red-white sphere.

Releasing Magby, who looked at Caleb as he appeared on the carpet.

"Magby?" Magby tilted his head to the side slightly, as he wondered why his trainer released him. He sniffed around wondering if it was dinner time already.

Smelling no food from his senses, he looked at Caleb again.

Caleb explained to his starter. "The item grandpa promised to give us is here." As he revealed a box which he grasp with both hands.

Magby glanced, and was instantly intrigued when he felt a strange aroma coming from the box which attracted it as his eyes landed on it.

Caleb opened the box that was made by some unknown silver material. Revealing a red flower.

Inspecting the floret, Caleb began studying it oddly.

The petals of the flower appeared to be not unlike a rock with crevices that has red-lava like liquid flowing in the interior. But as Caleb touched it, surprisingly it felt soft to the touch but warm enough to make his callused fingers tingle.

The stem was colored white, with not a speck of any other tint on it.

He thought for a second before uncertainly saying. "Is this an item called 'Ashstone Fire Lily'?"

According to the details on one of the books he had read from his grandfather's library. It seemed to be the case.

Clint, who was on the side with Noraima smiled as he nodded. "Good eye. It is the 'Ashstone Fire Lily'. One of the elemental lilies that formed the; 'Lily Typing Compendium'."

"For which, every single lily flowers that were written are extreme incitement to their corresponding typing which for your Magby, the 'Ashstone Fire Lily'. Mostly because of the type suitability."

Clint shook his head as he laughed in elation. "I didn't expect father to give you such precious material. I was expecting something like an ore or something like a tonic that would equally stimulate the inborn potential of your Magby. Although those stuff has it's downside as it would limit some aspects to your pokemon."

"But, an 'Ashstone Fire Lily'? Father really dotted on our sons too much."

'Opps.' Clint couldn't react on time as he used the plural form as he addressed his words.

Noraima didn't seemed to have noticed though as she smiled beamingly on their son, as she also recognized the flower which has notable scarcity.

Clint heaved a sigh in relief, he really doesn't want to sleep on the couch tonight, fortunately she was too distracted to notice. He thought.

"Does this stuff really contained so much value, father?" Caleb was eager to know the effects of the plant. Even though he knew the appearance and the environment it grows on, he forgot or haven't read the detailed effect this flower would bring to his Magby.

This time Clint wasn't the one who answered, but Noraima who slowly approached near her son.

"The presence of the flower itself is a great nourishing object, son. Not only does it not result to a pokemon receiving any known side effects when consuming it. When in complete harmony to a suitable pokemon type, which are fire-type pokemons."

"It would act as a natural stimulant that will unquestionably raise a pokemon's potential, you can also see an increase margin of strength boost to your Magby and the most significant of all, there are chances for your pokemon to evolve."

Hearing this, Caleb's eyes shot out of his sockets. "E-evolve?! Magby will evolve with this puny flower?"

"Yes, but like I said. 'Chances' so don't get your hopes up."

Clint thought for a moment, he hesitated before saying. "Even if your starter met that chance, don't make it evolve."

"Why?" Confused Caleb asked.

"Your Magby still haven't reached the maximum potential of it's phase as a 'Magby' yet, trust me son and listen, don't ever let your Magby evolve when it haven't reach the bottleneck in it's first form. This would greatly waste the chances for your Magby to achieve greater growth on a long run."

Caleb blinked. Before remembering a certain item and situation, the Everstone. A item meant to be held by a pokemon to prevents a it from evolving while holding it. It also is an important item to certain trainers as they have various reasons they wouldn't like to disclose to the public.

Hearing Clint's words made Caleb understood a certain insight.

And that was, the more he delayed his pokemon's evolution, the more he could extract the potential from that form. For example, some pokemons wouldn't be able to learn certain moves when they evolve because the criteria for it was that it required for the pokemon to learn/master a move before evolving.

A Raichu couldn't learn Volt Tackle because it needed for them to learn it as a Pikachu in prior. It required a Pikachu to form a sack of electricity in their abdomen, which would act as a fuel that they would extract inside them and release currents within the body to form a coating that the move Volt Tackle needed in it's display of destructiveness.

Similarly, his Magby also have certain things to develop more before thinking of evolving it.

"I understand father." Caleb nodded gratefully, fortunately his father reminded him of that. Or else, he would have wasted Magby's growth because of ignorance as the trainer.

"This here is an 'Everstone'. It's a quite common item, and it isn't that hard for us to get one. So have one of mine for your Magby to hold while you fed the flower to it."

Caleb received a pebble from his father, it has multiple small shallow holes on the surface. 'So this is the everstone... It looked more like a normal rock to me.' He thought.

"Now then. You should begin, the looks of your Magby's face is funny enough to look at."

Magby was salivating on the carpet as his eyes was locked on the flower that was on the box.

All this while they talked, Magby was tortured to watch a appetizing looking flower from it's place. A few times Magby just thought of snatching the thing out of his pokemon's hand. But, he held it in. 'Patience, patience, patience...' The normally boisterous fire time repeated on it's mind like a matra.

Caleb and his parents laughed as they watched the fire-type pokemon hilariously.

Then, Caleb looked at the flower on his hands, the more he look at it the more pleasing it was to look at.

But then, Caleb felt conflicted.

Hearing the words from his father and mother, he instantly knew without further explanation how scarce this material his grandfather had given him judging from his parent's expressions and tone.

For them to react this way to a material already speak for itself. His family were wealthy so seeing them like this made Caleb thoughtful.

Naturally he was filled with borderless gratitude. But, this also entailed he should work much much harder lest he'd let down the faith Cesar shown him.

He clenched his fist on the silver box that he held. "I will not disappoint grandfather. I can't, I'll certainly will show him I have what it takes to partake in that rookie competition. I'll make him proud... Of course, I'll also make you guys proud, mom and dad!"

Clint and Noraima were startled, they blankly stared at their son. Seeing the fire in his eyes made them shocked, but also held expectations and at the same time contentment on his display of confidence.

"We trust that you will, son..."

Obviously, they were happy for Caleb, the increase of his Magby's potential were also a form of protection. In a sense since it would elevate his pokemon's reliability on their future journey when the moment arrive. Additionally, seeing Caleb's character they were satisfied to say he was matured enough to be on one as well.

"Now then, you should really start. Magby looked as if he's ready to wrestle you, son."

"Heh, alright."