----
Following the narrow pathway, Kai and Sabrina reached the deepest part of the cave.
The space was vast and dazzling, with crystalline formations covering every surface.
The light streaming through a crevice above refracted off the crystals, illuminating the cave in a mesmerizing array of colours, making it feel as though they had stepped into a magical palace.
"Wow, this place is incredible!" Kai muttered, his voice tinged with awe. "Honestly, if I ever go broke, I might just start mining these crystals. I'd probably be rich in no time."
Sabrina, standing beside him, raised an eyebrow at his comment, her usual stoic demeanour briefly giving way to a playful smirk. "The former Indigo League Champion reduced to a miner? I'm sure that would make quite the headline."
Kai laughed, appreciating her rare humour. Their banter aside, he turned his attention to the underground lake at the centre of the cavern.
A steady stream of water trickled down from one of the walls, feeding the lake's crystal-clear surface.
The lake's serenity was deceptive; there wasn't even a ripple to suggest any Pokémon presence. Kai frowned, scanning the water. "Strange... could it have left to hunt? Or maybe someone else already captured it?"
"No," Sabrina said firmly, pointing toward the lake. "I can sense something there. It's hiding, but it's definitely watching us."
Haunter floated closer to the lake, its ghostly body trembling slightly. "She's right! Something big is hiding in the water it's trying to blend in, but it can't fool me!"
With Sabrina's psychic abilities and Haunter's keen senses, it was clear that the Crystal Onix was near.
Kai grinned and pulled out a peculiar mask from his bag. The Gengar Mask, a modified piece of equipment he had acquired and customized, allowed him to see through invisibility and detect hidden Pokémon.
As he slipped on the mask and turned his gaze to the lake, he spotted it immediately a massive, serpentine figure with a translucent body shimmering beneath the water's surface.
The Crystal Onix was staring directly at them, its gemstone-like eyes glinting in the filtered light.
"There you are!" Kai whispered excitedly, gesturing for Sabrina to prepare.
The Crystal Onix let out a low, rumbling growl as it emerged from the water, its enormous, crystalline body glinting like a diamond.
It towered over them, its segmented body reflecting the surrounding light in a dazzling display.
Sabrina's eyes widened slightly. "It's... beautiful," she said, almost to herself. "I didn't think something like this could actually exist."
The Crystal Onix, though similar in structure to a regular Onix, was vastly different in appearance. Its body, entirely composed of crystal, shimmered with a light blue hue.
It was clear that its unique physiology was tied to the crystalline environment of this cave.
Kai quickly assessed the situation. "Okay, time to test it out. Haunter, stay back for now. Let's see how it reacts. Jolteon, you're up!"
The agile Electric-type appeared with a flash of light, its sleek body crackling with energy. At Kai's command, Jolteon unleashed a quick Thunderbolt, sending a surge of electricity directly toward the Onix.
The electricity arced through the air and struck the Crystal Onix... but nothing happened. The Onix stood unfazed, its crystalline surface refracting the energy harmlessly into the lake.
"Electricity doesn't affect it, even in water," Kai noted, narrowing his eyes. "Just like a regular Onix, it must still have the Ground typing."
The Crystal Onix let out a deafening roar, its patience clearly exhausted. With a flick of its massive tail, it sent a barrage of rocks hurtling toward the group—a Rock Throw attack.
"Watch out!" Kai shouted, but Sabrina was already ahead of him. With a wave of her hand, her Alakazam's psychic power froze the rocks mid-air, gently lowering them to the ground.
"Good work, Sabrina!" Kai said, nodding. "Blastoise, your turn! Use Water Gun!"
Blastoise stepped forward, unleashing a powerful jet of water directly at the Onix. The attack struck its crystalline body, but instead of dealing significant damage, it seemed to merely wash over the Onix's surface.
"Water moves aren't as effective as they should be," Kai muttered. "Even though it's a Ground and Rock type, its crystal body must give it some kind of resistance to water. Fascinating."
The Crystal Onix roared again, rearing back to launch another attack. Kai, however, was already strategizing his next move. He knew that capturing such a rare Pokémon would require a delicate balance of strength and precision.
"Blastoise, fall back! Jolteon, prepare for a quick strike. Sabrina, keep an eye out for any surprises!"
----
Don't forget to drop some Power Stones!
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