Cain didn't hesitate for even an instant, and his Pokémon also reacted quickly: Tyranitar and the others retreated swiftly, supported by Slowking's psychic power, which facilitated the joint withdrawal.
Gengar, for its part, immediately sank into the shadows.
Self-Destruct!
However, Volcanion's Self-Destruct was very different from that of other Pokémon.
Its explosion resembled more of a "Steam Explosion," but instead of being released through the two cannons on its back, it compressed the energy to the limit and expelled it through multiple openings and cracks all over its body, achieving an effect comparable to that of a great self-destruction.
BOOOOM!
A deafening roar erupted from the place where Volcanion stood.
Immediately, a powerful shockwave of energy swept across the entire field.
The sand, which had originally been dancing chaotically in the storm, was suddenly dispersed by the force of the explosion, spreading in all directions with Volcanion as the epicenter.
The grains of sand traveled at such speed that hitting the body felt like receiving a painful shock. Slowking created a psychic protective field around Cain and itself, blocking the impact of the sand.
The other Pokémon could only withstand it by relying on their own abilities.
When the shockwave dissipated, the sandstorm had completely vanished. In the place where Volcanion had been, there was now a huge crater: more than ten meters in diameter and several meters deep.
The intensity of that self-destruction perfectly explained how it was capable of blowing an entire mountain into the air.
And the most terrifying part was that it hadn't even been with its full strength. Volcanion still had combat ability, though momentarily exhausted.
Cough, cough...
Cough, cough...
From among the sand emerged two silhouettes, struggling to rise, coughing nonstop.
It was Tyranitar and Aggron, who had barely escaped.
Thanks to the sturdiness of their bodies, they had endured, because the shockwave was not something just any Pokémon could withstand.
Cain swept the surroundings with his psychic power and located Gengar.
With Gengar's speed, it was impossible for it to have been injured; hidden in the shadows, it had remained unscathed.
Without delay it appeared before Volcanion, extended its hands, and locked eyes with it.
Hypnosis again!
At this point, Volcanion almost coughed up blood in frustration.
The three blue orbs in the cannons on its back had already turned completely red, a sign that its water reserves were depleted; it could no longer use Water-type moves.
But that didn't matter, because Gengar's Hypnosis, against an exhausted Volcanion, proved effective.
Its eyelids began to grow heavy.
Cain glanced at Slowking, who understood instantly.
It teleported into the crater, close to Volcanion, and blew a bubble that burst right in front of its face: Yawn.
The final straw.
Zzz... Zzz...
Snores resounded.
Volcanion had fallen asleep.
Cain, however, did not order Gengar to use Dream Eater. Instead, he summoned Mismagius.
To deal with a stubborn giant like that, the most effective method was... to forge a dream!
And the content of the dream was very simple: flowers, grasslands, and... Magearna.
...
Cain placed one hand on Slowking and the other on Mismagius. Together, they wove the dream.
Volcanion would never listen to anyone... except Magearna.
When they opened their eyes, Cain and the others were already inside a vast meadow, with a small lake at its center, a strange tree by the shore, and a field of flowers nearby.
Volcanion slept peacefully by the lake. In front of the flowers, an unfamiliar figure worked delicately.
A body of silvery white metal, a head shaped like a gear, red eyes, and on its torso a piece of red and blue colors. Beneath its frame it wore a sort of metallic skirt adorned with fine and elegant patterns.
It was Magearna, the Pokémon Cain so longed to find.
At that moment it held a small watering can, pouring water over the flowers.
"Damn humans!" growled Volcanion, suddenly waking up and glaring furiously around, only to be stunned at the scene.
"Megarr... Megarr..." said Magearna, approaching with a curious expression.
At the sight of her, Volcanion's gaze immediately softened.
"Magearna, have you seen anyone strange pass by here?"
Magearna shook her head, and as she moved, her metallic body emitted a mechanical creak.
It was natural: her entire being was forged from a special metal.
She asked what had happened.
"It's nothing, maybe I just had a weird dream," murmured Volcanion, while scanning the surroundings once more, finding no trace of Cain or his Pokémon.
The scenery felt both strange and familiar to him.
Suddenly, Magearna's hand transformed into a bouquet of flowers.
At that sight, Volcanion let out a resigned sigh.
"I told you I'm allergic to pollen... A-achoo! A-achoo! A-achoo!..." he began sneezing nonstop before finishing his sentence.
Magearna, covering her mouth, laughed sweetly.
The scene was so harmonious it resembled a tale of "Beauty and the Beast."
At a certain distance, Cain, Slowking, and Mismagius smiled. The rest would be left in the hands of the Ghost-type Pokémon.
...
Back in the real world, Cain gazed at Volcanion, now sunk in a peaceful sleep, with a faint smile on its face.
For a moment he hesitated.
He turned his palm, and a Friend Ball appeared.
He had prepared it in advance, before embarking on that mission.
Volcanion was defenseless, offering no resistance. If Cain wanted, he could capture it at that very moment.
He had managed to exploit its weaknesses with unorthodox methods, but in the end, a legendary Pokémon was still a legendary Pokémon.
What Volcanion relied on was fighting purely with physical power, without techniques or tactical awareness. For as long as it could remember, its overwhelming strength had always been enough to win.
That was also the source of its arrogant temperament.
Cain pondered, and slowly put the Friend Ball away again.
It wasn't just that he had the feeling that, in trying to catch it, an invisible gaze would fall upon him, as if eyes were watching from somewhere. That intuition grew stronger the instant he pulled out the Pokéball.
Nor was it only that.
The real reason was Volcanion's temperament: even if captured, it would never obey.
What value would a legendary have if it didn't follow orders?
Worse still: after being captured, it might even rebel against its own trainer.
It was better to leave it.
Cain had many other Pokémon with potential that were more worthwhile to cultivate.
Catching Volcanion wouldn't only bring difficulties, but would undoubtedly cause him serious problems.
It was the unequivocal premonition of a psychic.
The costs would far outweigh the possible gains.
Cain chose to renounce.
(End of Chapter)