Forest of Shadows lived up to its name.
Despite the bright, sunny weather outside, the moment they stepped inside, a chill filled the air. The temperature dropped noticeably.
"Umbre~"
As soon as they entered the forest, Sato released Umbreon, while Joseph had Kirlia walk alongside him.
Umbreon seemed perfectly comfortable in this environment.
Kirlia, on the other hand, appeared uneasy and displeased, instinctively moving closer to Joseph.
Umbreon watched as Joseph gently picked up Kirlia, its crimson eyes lighting up as it softly cried toward Sato, filled with expectation… 'Pick me up too! Pick me up too!'
"Stay alert."
Sato scanned the surroundings, occasionally checking the map in his hand, not even glancing at Umbreon.
"Umbr..." Umbreon's ears drooped in disappointment, turning to Kirlia with a playful but mischievous grin.
"Kir!" Startled, Kirlia clung tightly to Joseph.
But to Umbreon… that looked like a challenge.
"Enough, Umbreon. Go scout ahead. Be careful."
"Umbre!"
Umbreon immediately turned away, its long black ears standing tall and alert before darting swiftly into the bushes ahead.
'That… weakling, only knows how to act cute! No way I'm stooping to that level!'
With this thought, Umbreon vanished into the shadows.
"We'll rest here and wait for Umbreon. According to the report, there's a large Murkrow flock ahead." Sato spread out the map, pointing to a small red marker.
Joseph examined the crude map with a frown, but in the end, he chose to trust Sato unconditionally.
"Yeah, sounds right!"
Sato glanced at him briefly, choosing not to comment, and instead sat down on a bare rock to rest.
"Perfect timing! I made some fresh pastries¹ this morning. Great for a break!"
Joseph's excitement kicked in immediately.
With impressive speed, he unpacked a collapsible table, a tablecloth, and foldable stools, carefully arranging several 'delicately' crafted pastries.²
"Enjoy!"
After a brief moment of thought, Sato realized the stool was more comfortable than the hard rock beneath him, so he moved over.
"Kirliaa~"
By now, Kirlia had settled comfortably into a special elevated seat, happily nibbling on a cookie.
"I kept them chilled at the perfect temperature, this is the best way to enjoy them! Try some!"
Joseph placed a strawberry cake in front of Sato, speaking with excitedly.
Sato glanced at the cake, then at Joseph… not wanting to ruin his enthusiasm, he picked up the fork.
"Delicious!"
Unable to resist, Sato took another bite.
It really was good!
As expected, a top-tier Pokémon Breeder also had exceptional cooking skills.
The two Trainers and their Pokémon enjoyed a relaxing tea break, waiting quietly for Umbreon's report.
A few minutes later, Umbreon came dashing back, eyes shining with excitement!
It had spotted many Murkrow perched on the trees. Had it not been for its stealthy movements, it might not have made it back safely!
Feeling proud of itself, Umbreon had rushed back expecting a reward… only to find the two Trainers and their Pokémon casually drinking tea and enjoying pastries while waiting.
"Umbr... Umbre..."
Umbreon froze, staring blankly at the scene, feeling utterly betrayed.
Since it hadn't bothered to hide its presence, Sato noticed Umbreon immediately.
Seeing it hesitate, he simply called out, "Umbreon? Come here."
Umbreon sulked toward them, only to suddenly notice… a half piece of untouched strawberry cake waiting for it.
"For you."
Sato placed the cake in front of Umbreon, then turned away indifferently.
"Umbre!"
Umbreon immediately perked up, sitting obediently. Its crimson eyes sparkling with excitement. 'Sato is so cool!'
----
With the break over, Joseph packed everything back into his spatial bag.
Taking the opportunity, Sato carefully asked for information about the road ahead. And learned that nearly a hundred Murkrow lived in the area.
He couldn't help but feel excited!
Murkrow were naturally social Pokémon, but their groups usually resembled small family units, rarely exceeding ten members.
For over a hundred Murkrow to gather in one place, there had to be a strict hierarchy. Which significantly increased the chances of finding one with high potential!
Sato had long wanted a Murkrow as part of his Dark-type team. He had encountered several during his travels, but none had met his standards.
At the very least, a Pokémon he captured personally needed to have one type reaching Pseudo-Elite Four level!
Additionally, after deciding to establish his Gym in Shadownight Town, Sato preferred using local Pokémon.
Houndoom, Umbreon, Murkrow, Weavile, and Tyranitar were his best options!
Of course, Johto's Dark-type Pokémon selection was extremely limited. Even these five barely formed a complete team!
If this Murkrow flock didn't have a suitable candidate, Sato was prepared to venture deeper... even if it meant going further into the wilderness just to find the right Murkrow!
…
"Kroow! Kroow-kroow!"
There was no denying it… Murkrow had an awful cry. As Sato and Joseph ventured deeper, the harsh, grating calls echoed from a distance.
Kirlia remained on high alert, constantly scanning the surroundings.
Meanwhile, Umbreon cautiously led the way, keeping its guard up at all times.
Before long, the first Murkrow appeared before them. And at the same time, it noticed the unfamiliar outsiders.
"Kroow?"
The Murkrow tilted its head, seemingly unbothered by their presence. Perhaps because they were on its territory, it showed no hostility, only curiosity.
Still, just because it wasn't attacking didn't mean Sato wasn't on edge.
Flock-based bird Pokémon often foraged together. If this Murkrow called for backup…
Sato thought for a moment and decided: No need to alert the entire flock.
"Gengar, Hypnosis."
A dark purple shadow slowly emerged from Sato's own, revealing a pair of piercing golden eyes: Gengar!
Since the Gym Leader Qualification Tournament, Sato had transferred Gengar back to his team.
In this kind of environment, Ghost-types dominated!
Gengar had not slacked off in the past six months, its Hypnosis was so refined that it didn't even produce a visible red glow, yet it effortlessly put Murkrow to sleep!
Of course, that was just luck. If it had Insomnia as its Ability, Hypnosis would have been useless.
Sato had already checked. This Murkrow was ordinary and didn't meet his capture standards.
---
As they ventured deeper, more Murkrow appeared. And they were growing more cautious.
Suddenly, one unaffected Murkrow let out a sharp screech!
In an instant… the entire forest erupted into chaos!
------------------------------------------------
¹. That's soo Kalos…
². Wester 2.0