35 11. In debt

Robert was currently in his room at the Pokémon centre looking out the window at the view. It had started to get late so Robert booked his room and said goodbye to Joel. He had just finished showering and was almost ready for bed when he got a message Margret was on her way up.

After a couple more minutes of waiting, he heard a knock at the door. Robert quickly raced over and opened the door. When Margret saw Robert answer the door in his pyjamas, she raised a brow. "You answer the door in your pyjamas" Robert shrugged and said, "if they knock after I'm ready for bed, then yep."

Margret was rendered speechless. It sounded rude but she really couldn't argue with his point. It took longer than she expected to track down those inspectors and she made sure they suffered for all the extra work they made her do. She couldn't leave this till the morning either. All the kids for the Junior League would leave in the morning for the last meet up with the kids from Kanto before heading to the Junior League itself.

Mariah walked in and sat down at a chair that had a table next to it in a corner of the room. After she sat down and placed a small black box on the table, it was big enough to cover her palm and had a metallic sheen. Roberts's eyes shone as he looked at the box. "This is what you have been waiting for, the item that will boost your Magikarp's talent when it evolves. The reason I couldn't tell you before now is that it relates to how the Junior League works, truth is I shouldn't say as much as I'm going to but I have special authority to make a few minor exceptions."

Margret pointed at the box on the table, "giving you this would be putting a stretch on those privileges, however." Roberts's eyes shone brightly as he looked at the box. Going off what Margret said this was most likely a rather incredible item. Robert sat down on the chair opposite Margret and looked at her, "what do I need to do."

Margret smiled "Quick-witted when you want to be, eh. This is how it relates to the workings of the Junior League. At the Junior league, money has no use. Instead, they use something called credits. Accommodation and food for you and your Pokémon will be provided for but anything extra will cost you in credits. For instance, this." With that last word, she tapped her finger on the box.

Robert had a thoughtful look, "you're saying that if I want this item, I will need to use those credits as well as any other item I will need for my Pokémon other than basic necessities. So how am I supposed to use these credits if I don't have any yet, do I just write an IOU."

"In a manner of speaking, yes." Margret grinned at Robert's shocked face. "I will give you 2 years to pay me back and if you haven't, then you will have to leave the Junior League. I will warn you that this item is remarkably expensive, even among the collection of items you will have access to at the Junior League."

Robert thought about the deal that Margret was proposing. Judging by the tone of her voice this item truly was incredible and truly expensive. She gave him two whole years but still made seem like it would be difficult to pay it back in time. On the other hand, it sounded like he normally wouldn't get access to something like this later, not to mention he would be needing it soon.

"Alright, I accept." In the end, Robert didn't believe Margret would give him an impossible task. He also believed that his Pokémon would be much stronger in two years, making these credits easier to get.

Margret smiled when Robert agreed, "good, I believe you will be able to do this. You will just have to work harder." Truthfully, Margret could get in trouble for using her authority to withdraw this item, but it was the best one she knew of that suited a Magikarp.

"Well, why don't you have a look at what your loan has bought you." Margret smiled as she slid the box over to Robert. Robert happily took the box and took a deep breath to calm his building excitement. Going off how much Margret was exaggerating this thing it must be amazing.

Robert slowly opened the box and out shone a heavy watery red light. Sitting on the silky blue interior of the box was a red raindrop shaped gem. The watery red light was radiating from this gem. The moment he opened this box, whatever was radiating from this gem made his skin prickle and he couldn't take his eyes off it. "snap". Margret closed the lid on the box, snapping Robert out of his daze.

"what, what is that." Robert thought that he would be able to recognise most things. This weird red gem however he had no idea. It would seem he had still underestimated this world. "This gem was made through some special means with some rare items, I'm sure you know that there are different grades to evolution stones."

Robert nodded his head, "yes there are two, the normal grade stone, then the high-grade stone. Normal grade stones will only raise the talent of Pokémon below Silver phase. High-grade stones contain much more energy and are said to be able to even raise the grade of gold phase Pokémon."

"that's all correct but there is also a special kind of energy in evolution stones. This energy is why Pokémon like your Vulpix need a firestone to evolve and something else simply charged with fire energy can't make them evolve. This special energy also makes it easier for a Pokémon to assimilate with larger amounts of energy during evolution. I'm sure you know certain key parts of powerful Pokémon can also be used to boost your Pokémon's talent. What you might not know is that unless this part is from a Pokémon of the same evolution line, most of that energy is wasted. Even if it is of the same line there is still some wastage."

Robert had a troubled look on his face as Margret said that last part. He had heard that things like the hearts, brains, weapons etc. of powerful Pokémon could improve a Pokémon's talent, he didn't like the idea of it. he had always been looking for a high-grade water stone or a mystic water even. The only evolution stones he had seen in stores were standard stones.

"I can see you don't like the idea of using Pokémon parts to make your Pokémon stronger, this isn't a bad thing to a point. The more often you do it the less effective it becomes. However, this is something that you will have to face if you want to become a truly powerful trainer. Remember Pokémon will do this themselves in the wild, we just make the way they absorb the energy more efficient."

After saying that Margret then pointed at the box on the table. "Lately they have started to use evolution stones and mixing them with the essence of powerful Pokémon parts. Making something entirely new. This red gem is one such item. It was made using three high-grade water stones and the heart of a lv95 Gyrados. With the help of the stones, you're Magikarp will be able to assimilate more energy while evolving and it will be able to slowly absorb any leftovers after it evolves."

Robert widened his eyes and looked at the box in shock. He only wanted one high-grade stone and this thing was made using three. Unfortunately, it was also made using a Gyrados's heart. Robert looked at the box with missed emotions for a while but eventually, he steeled his resolve. Margret was right, he couldn't avoid things like this forever. Gyrados in particular was an aggressive apex predator Pokémon, and he couldn't possibly stop it from ever eating or killing any other Pokémon. Even if he tried it would most likely turn around and eat him.

This was a road he chose, so now he was going to have to walk it. no matter the thorns that blocked his way.