51 Chapter 51:

The ground beneath their feet was slick with moss, causing a distinct "squelch" with each step Cain took, as they made their way deeper into the cave. One misstep could send him tumbling, so he had to be cautious.

Suddenly, Slowpoke let out a piercing cry, his eyes blazing blue as he prepared for attack. Cain was instantly on alert, his senses heightened by the eerie stillness that pervaded the air.

Unlike the previous cave, this one was not as chilly, but rather, a warm, damp and humid environment that many a Pokemon called home. Yet, as they ventured forth, not a single Pokemon was in sight.

Then, from the shadows emerged a strange, black creature, its body no bigger than a ball. Two large, glowing eyes took up most of its face, with fangs bared in a menacing grin. A purple gas surrounded it, casting an eerie aura.

It was a Gastly, a mischievous Ghost and Poison-type Pokemon, always up for a practical joke. Slowpoke, a Psychic-type Pokemon, had felt its presence before and warned it away.

Murkrow flapped his wings, clearing some of the gas as it stood guard in front of Cain. As a Dark-type Pokemon, it held a natural aversion to Ghost-types.

Gastly, however, was not intimidated by the warnings of Slowpoke and Murkrow. Instead, it let out a maniacal cackle, followed by a wide grin.

"What recklessness," Cain sighed, watching the Gastly's antics.

Slowpoke was ordered to capture it, and with a flick of an invisible hand, the level 16 Gastly was caught. It was shocked to be trapped, for no Pokemon had ever touched its gaseous form. The sensation of the invisible grip was foreign and uncomfortable, like fire meeting water.

Gastly let out a series of pained cries, its haunting screams echoing through the cave. "Jie Jie~" it cried out, over and over again.

The deafening screams of Gastly filled the air as a new Gastly materialized, its glowing eyes fixed on Cain, Murkrow and Slowpoke. Despite its hostile gaze, it hung back, seemingly repelled by the mysterious energy disturbances radiating from the group.

As more and more Gastlys gathered, Cain's grin widened. "Who'd have thought we'd stumble upon a Gastly lair?" he exclaimed.

Fearless in the face of their overwhelming numbers, Cain was confident in the protection offered by Slowpoke's psychic-type moves and Murkrow's dark-type moves, not to mention their capacity for teleportation.

Murkrow let out a warning caw, while Slowpoke's cute exterior belied the ferocity he displayed when confronted by Gastlys. Even the leading Gastlys quailed at the sight of the fearsome duo.

Suddenly, the Gastlys parted, making way for a distinctive Gastly to approach. As it floated forward, the rest fell silent.

"Greetings, young human boy," a wise ancient voice echoed in Cain's mind. He was taken aback to find that the Gastly was communicating telepathically, its eyes alight with a faint black light.

"Is that you speaking?" Cain asked.

The Old Gastly nodded, and Cain heard its voice once again in his head. "Human, your companions are powerful but it would be unwise for either of us to engage in combat."

Cain listened intently as the Old Gastly spoke, nodding in agreement as he scanned the data before him.

Pokemon: Gastly (Yellow)

Gender: Male

Level: 28

Type: Ghost + Poison

Ability: Levitate

Held items: None

Egg moves: Scary Face, Disable

Basic moves: Mean Look, Curse, Night Shade, Confuse Ray, Sucker Punch, Payback

Taught moves: Astonish, Psywave, Smog, Foul Play

Technical Machines (TMs): None

As Cain gazed upon the Gastly before him, a thought crossed his mind. "Level 28 and still a Gastly?" he mused quietly.

"I must venture inside to find something," Cain announced with a serious tone. "I'll leave as soon as I've found it."

There was no need to beat around the bush with the elderly Gastly, so Cain spoke his intentions plainly.

"We can grant you passage if you do us a small favor, and we can even assist you in your search," Old Gastly proposed. "Fear not, it shall be a simple task."

Cain considered the offer, for the cave was dark and vast, and he had no idea how long it would take him to locate what he sought.

Still, Cain declared confidently, "If I wish to enter, you cannot stop me."

Old Gastly weighed the consequences of a potential battle before finally replying, "We can reward you generously..."

Having lived for nearly a thousand years, Old Gastly was well-acquainted with the greed of humans. He believed they would do anything for a hefty reward.

"No," Cain declared, clearly not interested in a bribe.

Before Old Gastly could say more, Cain interrupted, a smirk playing at his lips as he motioned to Slowpoke, "Rather than that, teach him telepathy."

Old Gastly was taken aback. He expected the human to demand a hefty sum, not this strange request.

Telepathy was a difficult skill to master, even for a ghost-type that had lived for millennia. But Psychic-type Pokémon were a different story. They were among the most intelligent species in the Pokémon world, possessing both immense psychic powers and a wisdom comparable to that of humans.

The Gastly knew that the pink Slowpoke next to the human was a Psychic-type, and its psychic talent seemed formidable. So he was puzzled as to why it couldn't use telepathy.