Soon, the "contract" between Cain and Arbok was formalized. Arbok would work for Cain for seven days, and during that time, Cain would take care of healing its wounds, restoring its former strength, and teaching it how to become stronger.
The witnesses to the agreement were Cain's "employees": Slowpoke and Sneasel.
Of course, if Arbok disobeyed or did anything against Cain's will, the contract would be terminated immediately.
Once Arbok stopped worrying, mentally and physically exhausted, it collapsed on the ground and fell into a deep sleep.
Cain returned it to its Poké Ball to let it rest well. Before it fell asleep, he gave it a common Pokéblock. Although it wasn't as effective as a specialized one, it was much better than nothing.
By that time, the sun was already touching the treetops in the west, and in an hour, night would fall.
Cain, accompanied by Slowpoke and the others, entered the cave that once belonged to Arbok. The stench that had previously permeated the place had mostly dissipated, though a bit of the smell remained.
The ground was covered with mud, moldy fruits, decaying carcasses, and exposed droppings. The place was truly in a deplorable state.
It seems this is how many wild Pokémon live.
Already accustomed to Grimer's smell, Cain didn't find it too difficult to tolerate the cave's environment.
Though he could withstand it, if he had the choice, Cain would rather not live in a place with that smell.
"Slowpoke, use Water Gun and control it with your psychic powers to clean this place. Consider it training for combining your psychic and water abilities," ordered Cain.
In an instant, a torrent of water filled the cave, carrying all the trash away with Slowpoke's psychic power.
The water, originally a light blue, turned black and murky, filled with waste, which Slowpoke then manipulated to eject from the cave.
The place became much cleaner, but the smell lingered, and the damp environment wasn't habitable.
"Now, Slowpoke, use Flamethrower to dry and further clean the cave," Cain continued.
Though Slowpoke was less skilled with the Flamethrower move, after a few seconds, it managed to release the move.
While the strength and size of the Flamethrower weren't optimal, it was enough to dry and purify the cave.
Soon, the place was thoroughly scorched; even the mud solidified, and the rock walls hardened.
However, the temperature inside the cave was now very high, making it difficult to stay inside.
"Murkrow, fan with your wings. Sneasel, use Icy Wind to cool the place, but control the temperature; don't cool it too much. Nights in the forest tend to be cold, so it's better to keep the cave somewhat warm."
Cain continued assigning tasks to his Pokémon.
Then, Cain released Miltank, Skorupi, and the others.
Gyarados, upon emerging, immediately dove into the nearby river, and Cain let it enjoy itself. Tropius lay on the ground, a bit inactive due to the lack of sunlight.
Fearow was sent to keep watch from above, securing the perimeter.
Cain left Tropius and the others in the cave and went out hunting, accompanied by Slowpoke and Skorupi.
Though he had a lot of food stored, if conditions permitted, he preferred to hunt directly, as food in the storage space wouldn't spoil and was ideal for emergencies.
Near the water, there were both wild Pokémon and wild animals. Cain walked a few minutes along the shore and found a group of mountain goats drinking from the river.
Cain signaled to Skorupi.
Skorupi understood immediately and burrowed underground. Moments later, its tail emerged among the goats.
It quickly released toxins that paralyzed six of the goats.
Now able to control the venom dosage, Skorupi had rendered them unconscious without killing them.
Cain, seeing the goats lifted into the air by Slowpoke's psychic power, couldn't help but smile in resignation.
The number of Pokémon in his team was increasing, and so was the amount of food they needed.
Though Pokéblocks were effective, nothing beat the food prepared by Cain.
Usually, the Pokémon filled their stomachs with the food Cain prepared, using the Pokéblocks as a supplement.
For other trainers, Pokéblocks were a luxury food, but for Cain's Pokémon, a reasonable amount was enough. However, nothing was as satisfying as the food their trainer prepared.
Of course, Cain's Pokémon didn't skip their daily ration of Pokéblocks, as these were specially formulated by Cain for their tastes and types, making them a delight in terms of flavor.
When the Pokémon saw Cain return with six goats, they were immediately excited, even Tropius, who had been pretending to sleep, opened its eyes wide.
It flapped its wings eagerly, flying over to Cain to pick up the goats that Slowpoke was holding with its psychic power and carry them to the cave entrance.
Now, the cave was completely clean, with no smell or dirt.
Sneasel, after finishing cleaning the cave, approached and began preparing the food. With its ice blades, it skillfully skinned, cleaned, and dismembered the goats.
Sneasel worked efficiently, removing all remnants from the goats without damaging the meat.
After completing the process, it tossed the clean goats into the air, and Slowpoke caught them with its psychic power, using Water Gun to wash them.
Once cleaned, the goats were placed on palm leaves prepared by Tropius, where Miltank seasoned them with various ingredients and spices, using her strength to ensure the flavors penetrated the meat well.
Then, Cain grilled the meat on his barbecue, while Murkrow used its wings to control the fire under his orders.
All the Pokémon worked in perfect harmony; clearly, it wasn't the first time they collaborated in preparing food, performing each task with speed and efficiency.