"Slowking," Cain called.
Slowking understood immediately. Using his psychic powers, he directly pulled out the differently-colored Bulbasaur hiding among the herd.
The other Bulbasaur could only watch helplessly as their companion was dragged away. Desperation filled their eyes.
The Shiny Bulbasaur stared at him with her large eyes. Though she trembled in fear, a faint trace of curiosity could also be seen in her gaze.
Cain's system instantly scanned the Bulbasaur's information:
Pokémon: Shiny Bulbasaur (Dark Blue)
Gender: Female
Level: 10
Types: Grass + Poison
Ability: Chlorophyll
Held Item: None
Egg Moves: Charm, Petal Dance, Power Whip, Grassy Terrain
Basic Moves: Tackle, Growl, Vine Whip
Learned Moves: Worry Seed, Snore, Synthesis, Seed Bomb
TM Moves: None
Considering that both parents had Blue-grade coloration, having a child born with a Dark Blue quality was quite rare.
And on top of that, for her to be a Shiny Pokémon... now that was unusual.
Given that Slowking was also a Shiny Pokémon, Cain thought that if he could one day awaken her hidden power, she might even learn some particularly special moves.
However, for now, Cain didn't have high expectations for new Pokémon.
But a Shiny specimen couldn't be wasted just like that. She at least deserved some training. She might prove useful in the future.
Cain took out a Poké Ball.
Upon seeing it, the Shiny Bulbasaur began trembling violently and trying to resist, although thanks to Slowking's psychic control, her resistance wasn't very evident.
Fear filled her eyes completely.
After all, she had seen it all—those small spheres had effortlessly captured her powerful parents.
Since she didn't understand what those things were, her fear was only natural.
Cain was a little surprised by the Bulbasaur's reaction, but quickly understood.
If he wanted to win over the entire Venusaur herd, he couldn't rely on strength alone. It would be very difficult to be accepted through violence alone.
Understanding this, he changed his strategy.
He had plenty of experience in the art of capture.
He put the Poké Ball away. Immediately, the Bulbasaur began to relax her resistance bit by bit.
Cain took out a special Pokéblock—the kind that Grass-type Pokémon love—and placed it in front of her.
Bulbasaur sniffed gently, and as the delicious aroma of the Pokéblock reached her, her eyes lit up.
Cain brought the Pokéblock within a safe distance. A small vine extended from the seed on her back, and gently took it from his hand.
Before bringing it to her mouth, she looked back at Cain, as if seeking approval.
Cain smiled and nodded.
Crunch!
Bulbasaur ate it in one bite.
As she savored the Pokéblock, her eyes sparkled more and more. Soon, she began to eat eagerly.
Afterward, Cain instructed Slowking to release her. Then, he summoned the three Venusaur he had previously captured, including the two defeated leaders.
In front of all the Bulbasaur and Ivysaur, he began carefully healing their wounds.
This noticeably softened the expressions of the younger ones.
Thanks to Cain's care, the sturdy bodies of the Venusaur quickly began to recover and awaken.
Seeing Cain and his Pokémon, their expressions showed a mix of complexity and acceptance.
They knew full well, after that intense battle, that they couldn't win.
Still, as wild Pokémon used to ruling their territory, surrendering so easily hurt their pride.
But in nature, the law of the strongest always prevails. Submitting to a stronger being is also a basic survival skill for wild Pokémon.
Cain connected telepathically with the two Venusaur and explained the essentials: his plans, his goals, the benefits, and how they could fit into his future.
He offered them reasons, advantages, and a dignified way out.
After thinking it over and some initial resistance, they finally accepted Cain as their new leader.
The good thing about wild Pokémon is that once they surrender from the heart, they rarely betray—unless they're naturally treacherous or are treated terribly by their trainer.
And Venusaur weren't that kind of Pokémon. They were calm, loyal, and noble. They would hardly rebel of their own will.
When the other Venusaur, Ivysaur, and Bulbasaur saw their leaders accept Cain—and with the tempting mountain of Pokéblocks he offered—they were all captured without much resistance.
The Shiny Bulbasaur, of course, was the most talented of them all.
After this masterstroke, Cain captured a total of seven Venusaur, two of them Elite-level, three Quasi-Elite, and the other two at Advanced level, just a step away from the next rank.
He also gained twenty Ivysaur and thirty-two Bulbasaur.
For a group of starter Pokémon, this was an exceptionally large one.
Even if he didn't train them, just selling them could bring him a fortune.
And that's not even counting the two Elite-level Venusaur.
With this massive group captured, Cain felt he could now retreat peacefully—as long as he reunited with Steven and Phoebe.
And as if that weren't enough, this herd had a special trait: they all knew the move Grassy Terrain!
He carefully stored the Poké Ball of the Shiny Bulbasaur. The rest he'd deal with once they left this place.
He only kept the two strongest Venusaur outside. He still had a few questions for them.
Cain had noticed something strange: all the Venusaur in this place were abnormally large.
All of them. Not just one or two. Which meant there had to be something unusual in their territory that was constantly providing them with energy.
He connected his mind to the Venusaur.
"Is there some kind of special resource in your territory that constantly gives you energy?" Cain asked.
"Saur?" the male responded with some doubt, looking at his mate as if to say: "Seriously? I didn't know anything about that."
The female Venusaur fell into deep thought.
It was clear she was in charge of internal matters, while the male was likely responsible for external defense.
"Saur! Saur!" the female suddenly exclaimed excitedly, remembering something.
Cain smiled. He wasn't surprised.
Of course there had to be something special here. Otherwise, they wouldn't all have evolved to this point.
Cain began to levitate and stood atop the male Venusaur's head.
"Take me," he said calmly.
Both Venusaur nodded. They began to move.
Though their steps were slow, they were steady.
They advanced, guiding Cain toward that mysterious place that held the secret to their strength.
(End of chapter)