Goodra took Weavile's punch directly to the face.
But since its entire right leg was still frozen to the ground, even though the pain shook it, it didn't fall down.
Crack, crack...
Cracks began to open in the ice around its leg.
"Gooo...draaa!"
Goodra, now reacting, realized it had been tricked.
With one leg immobile, it spun its body forcefully.
Its tail lashed once more in Weavile's direction.
As a dragon, the strongest part of its body was still the tail.
But Weavile, who had suffered from it once already, would not fall into the same trap again.
It immediately ducked low.
Goodra's tail only brushed past the red fur on Weavile's head, without causing any damage.
At that moment, however, a sensation emanated from Weavile that was reminiscent of Blaziken.
Aerial Ace!
It spun around and instantly appeared behind Goodra.
That style had been learned directly from Vigoroth.
Not even Blaziken had managed to copy it so well; if he could use it, then so could Weavile.
Though the sequence of moves that followed was different, to the eye they looked similar.
While spinning, Weavile gathered a large amount of ice crystals in its claws, striking Goodra's back and sending it upward.
Crack, crack.
The impact was so strong that even the leg trapped in ice was freed as the frozen blocks shattered.
Goodra was launched into the air.
A move very similar to Blaziken's Sky Uppercut.
But Weavile did not leap after it. Instead, it raised its arms, and at once, five enormous icicles appeared above Goodra.
In the air, without support, Goodra couldn't stop them.
Icicle Crash!
Weavile opened its hands and pulled forcefully downward.
In an instant, the five icicles plunged straight down, dragging Goodra with them.
Boom!!!
The crash shook the snow as they smashed into the ground.
The icicles shattered, but Goodra failed to rise from the crater.
Goodra had lost the ability to fight!
Weavile was somewhat stunned, stood up, and looked at its own claws.
Without realizing it, it had already reached that level of power!
Cain floated with the aid of his psychic powers to Weavile's side, looked at Goodra in the nearby crater, and smiled.
He stroked Weavile's head and said: "Well done! From now on, always keep confidence in your own strength."
"Weell!" replied the Pokémon, nodding firmly.
Cain took an empty Poké Ball from his pocket and threw it toward Goodra.
Although there was a strong chance it was still bound to its former trainer's Poké Ball, he wanted to try.
After all, there was nothing to lose.
What if he actually succeeded in capturing it?
A pseudo-legendary dragon-type Pokémon at Elite level was priceless.
Many would be willing to pay fortunes for it.
The Poké Ball struck Goodra's body.
Paf... crack...
It opened, releasing a red beam that absorbed the Pokémon.
"Can I really capture it?" murmured Cain in surprise, watching the Poké Ball now lying in the crater.
It was clear that, when it had been abandoned, its former trainer had had the decency to break the link with the original Poké Ball.
Even so, being a Pokémon that hated humans so much, Cain knew it would be impossible for him to use it himself.
Its greatest value would be in trading it for resources.
As for that hatred of humans... it would be the buyer's problem to deal with.
The Poké Ball shook a few times and then went still.
With his psychic powers, Cain pulled it into his hand.
With Goodra under his control, the trip was already worth it.
The Pokémon that had been watching around, seeing Cain take Goodra, could do nothing.
Sadness was reflected in their eyes.
That was their fate: humans captured them when they wanted, abandoned them when they felt like it.
The worst part was that there were still Pokémon who chose to trust humans, to fight for them, to give up everything for them.
They themselves, in the past, had been like that too... until they were betrayed. Then they had understood the true face of humans.
Cain put the Poké Ball with Goodra into his pocket and took out several spray potions to treat Weavile's wounds.
Although it had won and taken only one direct hit, that single blow had caused severe damage.
Weavile let itself be treated, with a look of relief on its face.
The Pokémon around stared in bewilderment.
This wasn't how they had imagined it.
Didn't all humans treat Pokémon as mere tools?
Why did this human show such a close bond with his Pokémon, carefully healing its wounds?
Just as Cain finished applying the treatment, a rumble shook the sky.
Tyranitar and the others immediately rushed to his side.
That sound, like that of a steam locomotive, grew louder.
Cain showed no surprise at all.
After all, the battle with Goodra had been far too noisy; attracting attention was inevitable.
High above appeared a Pokémon with a completely red body.
On its back were two large pipes that expelled steam downward, allowing it to remain aloft.
Cain narrowed his eyes, murmuring as he saw it: "So it's you... Volcanion!"
Probably only Cain recognized this Pokémon.
His memory of it came from a movie he had seen in his previous life on Earth; he had never actually seen it in person.
A legendary Pokémon: Volcanion.
Volcanion was considered a legendary Pokémon, though Cain did not know exactly what its role was among the legendaries, nor even if this one before him was truly "the" real one with divinity.
He only knew there was a Volcanion here.
Its strength didn't seem as overwhelming as other legendaries.
Not that it lacked potential or power, but in Cain's impression, this Volcanion of the Nebel Plateau was not one that could crush everything in its path.
Perhaps it was simply another of its kind, like the multiple Moltres, Zapdos, or Articuno.
Of course, there was also the possibility that this very one was destined for divinity, simply not yet developed.
Everything would depend on what Cain discovered as he approached.
In fact, even knowing about the Nebel Plateau, Cain would not necessarily have come here.
But now he held an extremely powerful card in his hand.
Boom!!
Volcanion descended abruptly, slamming into the ground and opening a massive crater.
The pipes that had been spewing steam downward folded back onto its back.
It began to advance with firm steps toward Cain.
"Human!" it roared. "You are not welcome here! Release Goodra at once and leave the Nebel Plateau with your Pokémon, or I will not be kind to you."
No one knew why, but Volcanion could speak in the common language of humans.
(End of chapter)