Chapter 38:

"BANG!" The sky erupted with a clap of thunder as a streak of lightning sliced through the blue expanse above.

As if summoned by the storm, a dark cloud appeared on the horizon, gradually growing larger and larger until it consumed the entire sky.

Slowpoke, always attuned to changes in weather, turned to Cain and tugged at his trousers with his stubby, pale pink hand, yapping "Ya dong, ya dong" as he pointed at the sky, signaling that a heavy rain was on its way.

"I know, we need to find shelter," Cain said, understanding the urgency of the situation as the thunder boomed again.

Slowpoke's eyes lit up with an idea and he tugged at Cain's trousers again, "Ya dong, ya dong."

"Oh? You know where we can take cover?" Cain watched Slowpoke's movements and, as always, was able to understand his Pokemon's message.

"Murkrow, come on. Follow Slowpoke to find shelter," Cain called to Murkrow, who had been training nearby.

Slowpoke, now mostly recovered from his injuries, floated gracefully as he led Cain and Murkrow to the waterfall. As the rain began to pour, Pokemon, including Magikarp, Poliwag, Poliwhirl, Goldeen, Seaking, and others common to the Kanto region, surfaced from the water.

Cain paid little attention to these mostly Red and Orange-aptitude Pokemon, as Slowpoke led them to the lake below the waterfall. The humidity was suffocating, and even a short stay made them feel damp. Murkrow, with his glossy black feathers now soaked, struggled to flap his wings as they stuck together, making him feel as though he were underwater.

"CAW!" Murkrow flapped his wings in irritation, trying to shake the moisture from them, but the water vapor clung stubbornly.

Slowpoke, noticing Murkrow's disgust, floated over to the waterfall and pointed at it, shouting "Ya dong."

"Are you saying there's a cave hidden behind this waterfall?" Cain asked, looking at the waterfall with newfound interest.

Slowpoke nodded, and a blue light flickered in his eyes as he used Confusion to create a path through the waterfall, large enough for only one person to pass through at a time.

Seeing Slowpoke's strained expression, Cain and Murkrow quickly made their way through the newly created passage and into the cave behind the waterfall.

Once inside, Slowpoke relaxed his control and allowed the waterfall to crash down on him, the impact feeling like nothing more than a slight sinking sensation.

"That was incredible, Slowpoke. Thank you for your hard work," Cain praised the psychic-type Pokemon as he and Murkrow ventured deeper into the cave.

Cain, always eager to explore unknown areas, suspected that this was where Slowpoke had been living all along. It wasn't uncommon for him to discover new places, as he often ventured out of the water.

Unlike the humid environment outside, the deeper they went into the cave, the drier it became, likely due to the waterfall acting as a barrier, keeping the water vapor out.

Murkrow, now free from the oppressive humidity, rushed through the cave to dry his feathers.

As they explored, the sound of rain and the roar of the waterfall created a natural symphony in the wilderness. The Pokemon in the lake and on the shore became more active as the rain fell.

Cain approached the waterfall, but found it difficult to see outside clearly, so he turned to Slowpoke and requested that he use Confusion to create a small opening in the waterfall for a better view.

Amidst the common Pokemon such as Magikarp and Goldeen, one stood out in particular.

"Is that..." Cain exclaimed in wonder as his eyes fell upon the Pokemon swimming by.

With colorful, iridescent scales covering its slender body and two long tentacles adorning its head, it was hard not to be awestruck by the creature. Its fan-like tail glimmered in the rain, adding to its majestic appearance.

"Milotic! I never expected to find a wild Milotic here," Cain said, his mind racing.

Milotic, the evolved form of Feebas, could only evolve if the Feebas held a rare Prism Scale. As these scales were extremely hard to come by, it was extremely unlikely that an average Feebas with low combat power could obtain one, making the appearance of a wild Milotic almost impossible.

Cain remembered that no one in the entire Pokemon Association had yet discovered that Feebas could evolve into the beautiful Milotic, and many believed that such an elegant Pokemon couldn't have an unevolved form as hideous as Feebas, which couldn't even be compared to a Magikarp.

For a moment, Cain felt a pull towards capturing this Milotic. Though he didn't know its level or talent, he knew that any Pokemon that could evolve in the wild couldn't be ordinary.

But as quickly as the impulse arose, he suppressed it.

Cain knew that if he were to attempt to capture this revered Milotic in the rainy conditions, without even knowing its level, he and his Pokemon would be rushing to their deaths.

Shaking his head and letting go of the idea, Cain continued to watch the other Pokemon in the water.

Aside from the stunning Milotic, there were a few other rare Pokemon that caught his eye, but the ones that impressed him the most were the Squirtles.

Cain was taken aback to discover a colony of wild Squirtles on the island. The Association had always closely guarded the three starter Pokémon unique to the Kanto region and would swiftly move in to capture any wild colonies to prevent them from spreading.

However, despite the Association's efforts, there were always some wild colonies that managed to evade their grasp, and occasionally a trainer not affiliated with the Association could come across a starter Pokemon in the wild, but it was incredibly rare.

Cain realized that, as this was Team Rocket's hidden island, the Association wouldn't be able to intervene, so it was not unusual for a colony of wild Squirtles to live here.

Determined to take advantage of this opportunity, Cain decided that after the rain stopped, he would search for this colony of Squirtles and, with any luck, catch one with exceptional talent.

With Slowpoke, Cain was not worried about the resources needed to raise a new Pokemon. After this trial, he would return to his old profession as a Pokemon Hunter and, with the help of the system, he would be able to earn more than enough resources.

But this peaceful scene was soon interrupted by the arrival of another Pokemon.

"ROAR!!!" A deafening dragon's roar echoed as a massive Pokemon, a Gyarados, appeared in the lake, creating a powerful current in its wake. Its 'Intimidate' ability sent the other Pokemon into a panic.

"Milo~~" Milotic hurriedly swam in front of the other Pokemon, trying to calm the enraged Gyarados.

But Gyarados paid no attention, his nap having been disturbed by the cheerful Pokemon and he needed a fight to vent his anger.

"ROAR!" A yellow light gathered in Gyarados' mouth as it prepared to unleash its devastating 'Hyper Beam' attack.

Milotic bravely fought back, creating currents of water as it deflected the attack.