Steelix

"Grandpa, do we have any Fire-type resources at home?"

Grandpa Chen thought for a moment, then said, "We do have a few high-grade Fire Stones. I'll have Gardevoir bring them to you later."

"And I'll have your grandma make a special Pokéblock formula for Charmander. I'm sure he'll get better soon."

Chen Shi was overjoyed. "Thank you, Grandpa and Grandma!"

The two elders simply smiled without saying a word.

They couldn't have been happier that their grandson had found such an exceptionally gifted Charmander.

To them, this little favor was nothing at all.

Then Chen Shi sat down beside his grandma with Charmander in his arms.

"Grandma, I'd like to give you my Fairy-type Pokéblock formula."

"I'm not skilled enough. So far, I've only managed to develop intermediate-grade Fairy-type Pokéblocks."

"Could you see if you can improve them?"

"Oh?" Grandma Chen's eyes immediately lit up. "Tell me about the formula."

Chen Shi thought for a moment before saying, "80 grams of Pecha Berry, 7 grams of Persim Berry, 30 grams of Mago Berry, 100 grams of Charred Aroma Berry, 25 grams of Wepear Berry, 5 grams of Tanga Berry, and 5 grams of Thunderbolt Berry."

The more Grandma Chen listened, the more astonished she became. This Pokéblock actually used a blend of seven kinds of Berries.

That many kinds of Berries would be enough to make top-grade Pokéblocks.

Seemingly embarrassed by his grandma's astonished gaze, Chen Shi scratched his head and offered an explanation.

"I originally wanted to make high-grade Pokéblocks, but I'm not sure whether the problem is my technique or the order I add the ingredients."

"Whatever the reason, all the Fairy-type Pokéblocks I make are only intermediate-grade."

At that, Grandma Chen began furiously thinking through ways to blend these Berries.

Chen Shi ran upstairs again and brought down one of the Pokéblocks Florges usually ate for his grandma to examine.

After taking it, she bit off a small piece and carefully tasted it.

Finally, Grandma Chen said, "I've never made this kind of Pokéblock either. I'll need to study it some more."

"Bring me a few more."

Chen Shi readily agreed. He even took the Pokéblock maker out of his backpack and gave his grandma a demonstration.

Grandma Chen immediately set off for her laboratory to research this new kind of Pokéblock.

Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, Chen Shi reminded her, "Grandma, don't forget about my Charmander."

"Remember to make some Pokéblocks for him too."

Without even turning her head, she waved a hand to show that she'd heard him.

Grandpa Chen chuckled. "Your grandma always gets like this when she finds something that interests her."

"Don't worry."

"If she doesn't make your Pokéblocks, I will."

Chen Shi had only said it as a reminder. He wasn't really worried that his grandma would forget.

His grandparents always gave anything involving him their utmost attention.

While grandfather and grandson were chatting, a figure suddenly rushed through the front door.

"Brother Chen Shi, I caught an Onix!"

"An elite-level Onix, too!"

Looking at the disheveled Pheobe before him, Chen Shi asked with concern, "You didn't run into any danger, did you?"

Pheobe wiped the dirt from her little face and said casually,

"I'm fine. This Onix just loves burrowing, so finding him took a lot of work."

"Brother Chen Shi, look, now that I've caught Onix too..."

"Could you..."

Pheobe trailed off and looked at Chen Shi expectantly. Her meaning was obvious.

Chen Shi sighed helplessly. "I don't have the money on me. I'll give it to you later."

"Yes, yes, yes!"

Pheobe immediately nodded like a chick pecking at grain.

Then Chen Shi took the Poké Ball, went outside, and released Onix.

A flash of red light passed, and a barely breathing Onix appeared before him.

Chen Shi said to him, "Onix, I brought you here because I'd like your help with something."

"I know how to evolve you. All you have to do is cooperate with me."

"I'll heal your injuries, then release you once you've evolved."

"What do you say?"

Onix looked at the human before him in confusion, unsure whether to believe his words.

"You're already my captive anyway. There's no reason for me to lie to you."

Onix thought it over. That did seem to make sense.

He'd already been caught. Whatever happened, he couldn't escape, so he might as well trust this human for once.

Then Onix nodded in agreement.

Chen Shi smiled, sprayed him with a little Potion, then asked Gardevoir to use Life Dew on him.

Onix immediately looked much better, and his pained expression eased.

After recalling Onix into his Poké Ball, Chen Shi took the Metal Coat and followed his grandpa into the underground laboratory.

This was where his grandparents made medicines and Pokéblocks. Every afternoon, Chen Shi came here with his grandpa to learn.

Grandpa Chen led him to the Link Cable in the corner.

Without further ado, Chen Shi took out his camera, began recording, and released Onix.

Onix couldn't stretch out at all in the cramped space. The moment he emerged, he gave Chen Shi a puzzled look.

"Here, hold this in your mouth!"

Chen Shi tossed the Metal Coat to Onix for him to hold in his mouth, then recalled him into the Poké Ball.

Next, Chen Shi placed the Poké Ball in one of the Link Cable's slots.

After setting their own Link Cable as the destination, Chen Shi activated it.

A moment later, the Poké Ball vanished from the Link Cable's slot and appeared in another.

Then Chen Shi opened the Poké Ball, and the light of evolution immediately radiated from Onix.

Standing nearby, Grandpa Chen was astonished. He hadn't expected there to be Pokémon in this world that needed to be transferred to evolve.

How had these Pokémon evolved before Link Cables were developed?

A short while later, a Steelix with a metallic sheen appeared before them.

He had a gray body, red eyes, and a tail shaped like a nail.

After turning off the camera, Chen Shi asked Steelix,

"How do you feel?"

Steelix twisted his body, feeling better than he ever had.

The space was simply too small for him to stretch out. If only it were bigger.

Without waiting for Steelix to answer, Chen Shi recalled him into the Poké Ball.

He could already see the satisfaction in Steelix's eyes.

Grandpa Chen walked over and said, "I never imagined this was how Onix evolved."

"It's truly incredible."

Hearing that, Chen Shi smiled. "Pokémon themselves are incredible."

Steelix