Pokemon Chronicles of Darkness

Chapter 12

Two days passed in a blur for Cain and Murkrow. As they went about their dull but busy routine, the greatest change was evident in their appearance. Murkrow, having feasted on a week's worth of Sitrus Berry Pokeblocks, had finally emerged from the depths of malnourishment, his body now a sleek and shining mass of black feathers. And though Cain couldn't be certain if Murkrow was at his very best, the bird seemed content.

Murkrow now stood at a striking sixty centimeters, a full ten centimeters taller than the average of his kind. His powerful wings, honed by daily exercise, now embodied an explosive force, enabling him to execute Gust with precision and even touching the threshold of the mighty Hurricane move. Despite his larger size and increased weight, his speed had only increased, making him a formidable opponent in both attack and defense.

As for Cain himself, the changes were not as obvious, but he could feel the strength in his body and the clarity in his thoughts. He kept pace with Murkrow during their daily exercise, and though his appearance remained rugged, his eyes shone with a newfound vitality.

Even their humble abode in the Zubat cave had undergone a transformation. The cold, hard ground was now covered in soft straw and leaves, and shelves lined the walls, filled with berries that Cain had collected on their journeys. A rudimentary cot lay flat on the floor, covered in the warm fur of some unknown creature.

"Murkrow, the effects of the Sitrus Berry Pokeblocks have fully manifested and the seven-day period has ended. Continuing to eat them won't have much of an effect. You can now consume the Black Bolt Pokeblocks that you've been craving," Cain said with a smile, as he watched his companion groom its feathers.

At the mention of the Black Bolt Pokeblock, Murkrow immediately stopped moving, recalling the taste, and unconsciously gulped while staring at Cain intently.

As Cain looked upon his companion, he couldn't help but laugh helplessly. He reached into his storage belt and retrieved the Black Bolt Pokeblocks he had crafted a couple of days ago, placing them in a rice bowl specially designed for Murkrow's food.

"Go on, indulge yourself. It's quite filling," Cain said, as he watched Murkrow's anticipation grow. Unlike the Sitrus Berry Pokeblock, the Black Bolt Pokeblock was able to subtly improve the Pokemon and was brimming with dark and flying-type energy. The more Murkrow ate and absorbed, the better it would be for him. This pokeblock would be a staple in his diet for quite some time.

In fact, as an intermediate pokeblock, the energy it contained was so great that even Murkrow, who usually ate a lot of fish, felt full after just a few pokeblocks. Reflecting on the perfect taste, Murkrow silently smacked his beak and would have wanted to eat more if he hadn't been so full.

As Murkrow enjoyed his lunch, Cain also quickly finished his. The afternoon was spent fighting and exploring the forest. The Team Rocket base lay to the west, so there was no need to explore that side. Over the past two days, Cain and Murkrow had spent their time traversing the forest to the east, encountering many different Pokemon and learning about several Pokemon groups. They had come across a Spearow flock eight kilometers away and a Pidgey flock fifteen kilometers away, bitter enemies who often fought each other. However, because of their huge numbers, Cain did not dare to interfere. There was also a level 22 Fearow in the Spearow flock and two level 21 Pidgeotto in the Pidgey flock, making the two groups very similar in strength.

Today's goal was to explore towards the south. With Murkrow's size today, he could no longer stand on Cain's shoulders, so he now hovered above Cain's head, keeping a keen eye on the surrounding area as they ventured forth.

Cain was uncertain of the true expanse of Trial Island, but it must have been vast, for in all the days since his departure from Team Rocket's base, he had yet to encounter a single soul. Though, not all of his peers were constantly out and about, like Xander, who only ventured into the forest during the day and returned to the base before sunset.

But today, that may be about to change. After wandering three kilometers to the south, Cain and Murkrow stumbled upon a trio of trialists, who were resting under a tree after exploring the area together. Murkrow was the first to spot them, and after informing Cain, the two approached the group discreetly.

The three were sitting and conversing, with their Pokemon by their side. The chubby teenager in the middle appeared to be the leader of the trio, and his Pokemon, a Koffing, stood beside him. There was also a short teenager with an Oddish, and finally, a plain-looking youth wearing a green t-shirt, whose Pokemon was a Zubat.

"Jack, are we headed in the correct direction?" The short teenager, Tim, queried, his voice laced with uncertainty.

The chubby leader, Jack, glanced at him and grinned, "What, you still don't trust me?" Disdain was evident in his eyes as he looked down on Tim.

"How can you say that? We trust you. After all, you achieved a remarkable tenth-place finish in the first test," The boy dressed in green, John, exclaimed, quick to offer his praise.

Jack's face lit up with satisfaction at John's sycophantic words. "Hmph, if it weren't for my Koffing not being adept at this type of direct attack, I would have easily secured a higher rank," Jack bragged, his voice ringing with self-assurance.

Tim stumbled over his words as he realized the error of his questioning of Jack's leadership. In an effort to make amends, he lavished Jack with praise, "You're absolutely right, Jack. With your strength, you'll definitely make it into the top three next time." He had been assigned an Oddish, a mild-mannered creature with relatively weak combat power at low levels. Moreover, he had little knowledge of how to train it. He knew that his only chance of success in the trials was to align himself with a powerful trainer like Jack.

Jack, the self-proclaimed leader of the group, looked on with satisfaction as Tim came around to his way of thinking. He knew that although Tim wasn't strong, he was obedient, making him a valuable asset to have by his side. He pulled out a treasure map he had acquired from the exchange center. "As you can see," he said, "the Rattata nest we encountered earlier is marked on this map, a sure sign that we're headed in the right direction."

Not everyone in the trials had a clear plan like Cain. So Team Rocket had placed a plethora of treasure maps, some real, some fake, at varying prices in the exchange center for those willing to take a gamble. Jack was one such individual, eager to test his luck.