Chapter 75:

Logan cut a striking figure as a quasi-elite, and his Houndoom radiated raw, animalistic strength. Just as Slowpoke summoned its energy to Teleport, a blast of searing flame burst from Houndoom's jaws, zeroing in on Cain and his companion.

"Murkrow, Gastly, use Protect!" Cain commanded, and his faithful Pokemon sprang into action, materializing in front of him with lightning speed and thwarting the inferno with their shields.

Houndoom proved to be a formidable foe, as the shields crumbled under the intense heat in mere moments. But it was enough time. Slowpoke had already activated Teleport, whisking Cain and his companions away from the forest just as Houndoom's flames slammed into the trees behind them with an earth-shaking boom, igniting a blazing inferno that reduced the forest to ashes.

Logan cursed in frustration as his target vanished before his eyes, leaving him to seethe with anger as he retreated from the burning forest, Houndoom in tow.

The Saffron City police arrived soon after, led by the renowned Officer Jenny, as the city's sirens wailed in the distance.

In a spacious room, a woman floated in mid-air, her long purple hair and red robes making her look like a sorceress. The room was filled with dolls, lending a whimsical air to the eerie scene.

The woman's eyes snapped open, emitting a cyan light as she frowned in confusion. "What is this feeling?" she muttered.

If one were to know her, they might have gasped in shock. Sabrina! The Gym Leader of Saffron City, one of the three Senior Executives of Team Rocket!

Cain and his Pokemon found themselves transported to a secluded corner of the black market. It was a location that Cain had asked Slowpoke to mark, a precautionary measure for such an emergency.

"Well done, Slowpoke," Cain praised, patting the creature's back. "You're becoming quite the master at utilizing Teleport."

"Ya dong!" Slowpoke's cry echoed, its effortless Teleport not draining too much energy.

Suddenly, Slowpoke, who had been basking in contentment with its eyes closed, shot upright. Its relaxed body tensed and trembled, a change that Cain immediately picked up on. He had never seen Slowpoke so disturbed before, and it seemed as though it had encountered its natural enemy.

"What's wrong, Slowpoke?" Cain asked in a low voice.

Slowpoke couldn't answer, its trembling growing more intense. Murkrow fluttered its wings, attempting to take flight, but found that its body was beyond its control. Gastly was affected the most, its purple gas rapidly dissipating as it struggled to return to the shadows but realized it couldn't.

"Was it this Slowpoke? How fun!" A clear voice rang out, though its source was unseen.

"Who's there?!" Cain looked around, scanning the area, but found no one.

A ghostly figure materialized in the air, a young woman with a serene smile floating before them. Her gaze was fixed upon Slowpoke, as if she were examining a new toy.

Cain's pupils contracted, fear gripping him as a name echoed in his mind. Sabrina! She must have sensed Slowpoke's Teleport fluctuations and followed its trail to this very spot.

This explained Slowpoke's trembling, Murkrow's inability to fly, and Gastly's rapid dissipation. Sabrina, the Psychic Queen, was a formidable talent, her power rivalling that of an Elite Psychic-type Pokemon.

Ignoring Cain's question, Sabrina drifted towards Slowpoke, looking down at it and asking with a playful lilt, "Little guy, do you want a new trainer?"

"Ya! Dong!" Slowpoke's body was still rigid with fear, but its stubborn eyes and the two syllables it spat out revealed its unwillingness.

"Hmm?" Sabrina's smile faded as she heard Slowpoke's voice, cyan light gathering in her hands. Her blood-red robes flowed, even though there was no wind.

It was the first time Sabrina, who had always got what she wanted, felt such strong rejection.

"Ya dong!" Slowpoke's voice grew louder, its fear fading as it adjusted to Sabrina's aura and spoke with ease.

Finally, Sabrina cast her gaze upon Cain, her voice cold as she asked, "You're its trainer?"

Cain felt Sabrina's chill gaze upon him, like a sharp dagger pressing against his flesh, causing his hair to stand on end.

"Miss Sabrina, Slowpoke is my companion," Cain declared resolutely.

"You know me?" Sabrina was a well-known figure in Saffron City, but few could recognize her after years of seclusion in the gymnasium.

Cain tore away his black cloak, revealing the Team Rocket uniform underneath and retrieving a black, cloud-shaped medal from his Team Rocket belt.

Sabrina was only slightly surprised by the revelation of Cain's Team Rocket affiliation, but when he brandished the medal, a symbol of membership in the Shadow Unit, her expression betrayed a flicker of shock.

"What is your connection to the Shadow Unit?" Sabrina asked, the frost in her voice thawing slightly.