Chapter 40

Magby's eyes flashed with mischievousness. It was an abnormal expression considering the words Caleb has uttered.

Normally, most pokemon would be delighted for their evolution. Since not only could the pokemon have a qualitative change on their physic, disposition of their mind and acquired knowledge of their movesets, but evolution would also result in an increase of their typing disposition. Which would improve a pokemon's body to a more altered new species of their evolutionary line that can further handle the 'type constraints' that they felt from their previous form.

Which only meant one thing, Caleb and Magby have something up their sleeves.

"Do it now, Magby!"

That's the cue as Magby carefully unstrapped the band on his left forearm. As soon as the everstone strap was removed, Magby roared as flames and glowing white light bathed his body. The evolutionary energy channeled throughoutly outside and inside his body.

Nicolas who was seeing this immediately realized that Magby was evolving, he didn't interrupt the process as he ordered his Mime Jr. to stand down and watch. He was feeling confused and at the same time puzzled. As a trainer he knew how crucial a pokemon's evolution was, so he wasn't expecting for Caleb to evolve his pokemon in the heat of the battle. 'There are some areas for his Magby to still improve in his current beginning phase though, is it because he wanted to win?'

At that thought, Nicolas sighed in negativity, 'He apparently wanted his Magby to evolve even though the fire-type obviously still isn't perfectly trained at his current phase. Well, supposedly the species evolutionary line of Magby isn't that complicated except for the evolution from Magmar to Magmortar, but still, he should have took his time and trained his Magby's shortcomings so they wouldn't take more time adjusting after.'

He shook his head and close his eyes as he clearly wasn't agreeable on Caleb's decision, but still it wasn't his pokemon so why should he care? He had just met the dude anyways and offered his help on their training.

However, this was a mistake on Nicolas's deduction.

The moment Nicolas lowered his guard on the battle, Caleb saw this and hurriedly called out. "Magby, now!"

Magby who was bathed with white light, heard his trainer's signal. He picked up the brand from the dirt ground and wear it on his body, stopping the process of his evolution.

Nicolas still have not felt the odd scene occuring on the field as he still had his eyes closed with his mind elsewhere. At that moment, his eyes shot open when he heared a yell: "Use Flamethrower on the ground. Then, slam Mime Jr. down with a Fire Punch!"

"What!?" Nicolas was shocked. "Why you... Was that a diversion all along?"

Caleb didn't responded as he focuses his attention on the now ongoing battle.

Once again, Magby made his move swiftly as he can as he took a quick deep breath on his mouth gathering flames and roared it on the ground below him.

Nicolas immediately realized that the fire-type was probably going to propell itself towards his pokemon, in a slight panic he reacted. "Mime Jr. defend yourself with Reflect!"

Two wonderous rainbow wall of light was put up in front of Mime Jr. who had his hands outstretched. Clearly, the move was close to intermediate-level proficiency, since the psychic/fairy-type was already able to put up two.

Caleb wasn't expecting for Nicolas's pokemon to know another defensive technique move which added up to two, Light Screen and Reflect. The former for the purpose of Special Attacks and the latter for physical defense coverage.

But, he didn't panic since there are only two. "Shatter those down Magby!"

Magby got to work as he rocketed himself with impressive speed towards his opponent, suddenly he was already upon Mime Jr. who had just finished channelling the two-layered Reflect much to the startled baby pokemon's shock.

Mime Jr. braced himself as he tightened his tiny body on the ground firmly as Magby's two claws cleched into a fist which began to glow and flame up with a fierce, fiery, blazing fire.

Rasing the claws upwards, Magby swung his right one first as the powerful Fire Punch was launched downward, heavily impactive the Reflect.

Magby felt weird as his fist made contact with the transparent Reflect. He felt his Fire Punch's physical attack damage reduced by about half. He felt uncomfortable about the sensation but the power behind it was enough to shatter it. Which leaves only one transparent light left defending Mime Jr.

With that he didn't dwell on the feeling any longer as he raised his other hand upwards and once again strike down with a equally powerful Fire Punch.

Mime Jr. groaned on his place as his last Reflect was shattered into multiple tiny lights.

Ever since the two pokemons, one defending, one attacking met, the loud impact sounded across the battlefield.

"Magby, give it all you've got! Flame Wheel, let's go!" Wrapping his feet in flames, the fire-type Magby flips onto his hands and spins rapidly, creating a wheel of fire around him. He was now much skilled with this move as Magby have no problems with his way of direction, and is capable of surrounding his immediate area with a circular wall of flames.

Mime Jr. Who was closely located on Magby's side bore the full brunt of the attack.

When the upside down wheel of flames heavily impacted his tiny body. The baby pokemon was sent flying with a cry of clear pain.

Seeing her teammate soaring to the skies, Deliberd disgarded the pompoms as she flaps her wings, intending to catch her friend so that Mime Jr. body wouldn't land on the hard ground.

However, Nicolas stop his pokemon as he calmly looked at the field with a slight chilliness within his eyes.

"All right!" Caleb pumped his fist on the air, but he didn't celebrate long as he followed up a command. "Launch Flamethrower at Mime Jr. while he is still in the air, bud!"

"*Sigh* Let's end this, it isn't ice fun anymore, Mime Jr. Psybeam."

Mid-air, Mime Jr. hummed a soothing voice and then his eyes glowed a light pink brilliance as it concentrated and quickly collecting psychic energy on his forehead forming a sphere of pink with rainbow lights surrounding it on the area.

At the same time, Magby who was channeling his flamethrower had already launched the attack from his mouth, which was speedily heading towards the psychic-fairy pokemon.

With the flamethrower rushing towards him, the opposing psychic type had enough time to fire the relatively small but deadly pressuring beam of pink light.

When both attack met, it was first pushing for dominance over the other pokemon's moves. However, it didn't took long before the Psybeam overpowered the flamethrower.

Magby roared and persisted as hard as he could, but it was futile as the beam of light landed on his body with an explosion.

*Boom!!*

The battlefield quited down. One could only hear Mime Jr.'s body finally impacting the ground, although it wasn't so bad since he tried to stabilize himself mid-air with his psybeam.

Magby was roaing in pain. As it tried to stand himself on the ground with his the support of his hands. Finally, after some time he was able to stand upright. However, he was unable to ignore the pain from his injuries, he plopped down on one knee onto the ground, claws clenched into the dirt pavement as he looked up and grit his teeth at the psychic/fairy pokemon with unmasked will to have another bout.

To Magby's credit, however, Caleb quickly took note of Mime Jr.'s slightly exhausted expression. Despite the obvious level-superiority, the opposing pokemon was still beginning to more clearly tire out from the usage of it's moves. Magby's Flame Wheel and their plan of diversion had not been for naught as some noticable bruises on his body were hard to ignore.

On the opposing end, however, Magby was currently more banged up than Mime Jr. was, that Psybeam clearly was trained to a high proficiency, and at least much higher than Magby's Flamethrower.

Caleb's face was glum as he said towards his pokemon. "Let's stop this battle, bud. We have already done our best... I mean you have already done your best, I'm sorry... Again, for not commanding you, and for you to show a much better fight. Let's return next time and challenge this avenue once again, we have already learned a few things from this mock battle."

Magby sighed. He knew his trainer was right, besides he felt that Caleb sincerity of emotions was difficult to ignore now that they are much closer. "Mag! Magby, mag." (Stop being so hard on yourself! Next time, we will surely beat this little clown and his dorky trainer, besides my stomach demanded some food...)

Caleb smiled as he felt much better hearing that. He returned Magby from his pokeball. "Get some much needed rest, Magby."

Magby snorted before disappearing in a flash of red light.

"Well, that took much longer and it's of course, much more surprising than what I expect." Nicolas commented as he strolled towards Caleb's place with the deliberd pokemon on his side.