Psychic Master of Fear, Chapter 14
Morning came, and once I was outside the Pokemon Center, everything seemed a bit brighter. What happened yesterday was behind me, but certainly not forgotten. I would never forget what I saw that day; that unspeakable act of cruelty by Giovanni. People like him didn't deserve to command Pokemon.
Giovanni wasn't my problem, though. He managed an escape last night, and now it was up to Lance to finish tracking him down. My newest challenge was the Saffron City Gym, and its mysterious leader. While the tense air around the city wasn't there anymore, I couldn't help but feel uneasy about this latest battle. Fortunately, Vulpix seemed to share in my hesitation, so I wasn't just being paranoid. Another little help was the fact that, once I turned a corner, I ran right into the little girl from the picture.
I stood there, frozen to the spot before her. She smiled underneath the large white hat she wore, but I couldn't see her eyes. After a small giggle, she turned around and ran away. I looked down at Vulpix, and she looked at me. By the time we both turned towards the direction of the little girl, she had disappeared. There were no turns for her to take to disappear from our line of sight the way she did. She had just vanished into thin air.
Well, after that little episode, I had to carry Vulpix the rest of the way to the gym. Couldn't blame the her for being spooked by the girl, but if Sabrina resorted to tricks like that to scare off challengers, I wasn't going to fall for it!
~o~
Within minutes, we were in front of the gym. After taking a deep breath, I reached out for the door, only to have it swing open on its own. Vulpix, like the chicken she was, tried to scurry out of my arms, but I held her down. Setting foot into the gym, the door closed behind us, which only scared Vulpix more. Maybe her Pokemon senses were telling her something I couldn't understand, or want to, but so far all Sabrina had proven was that she could press a button for automatic door openings.
The hallway towards the arena curved around, with plenty of doors along the way. All of them were locked, though, so she probably enjoyed funneling her challengers to her. Why else would she have so many extra doors there? Well, finally we arrived at a pair of large double doors, which also opened on their own to reveal the arena. Sitting on the far end, as was the routine, was Sabrina. The little girl in the white dress and hat was sitting on her lap.
I walked to the edge of the arena, placing Vulpix down. She growled at Sabrina for a moment, but then suddenly stopped. I could've sworn I felt a breeze pass me by, and after that Vulpix just scurried behind me and didn't say another word.
"Hello," I said, giving her a slight bow. "My name is Star. I've come to challenge you for a badge."
"State your conditions for battle." Somehow, Sabrina's voice carried throughout the room.
"My conditions? Isn't the gym leader supposed to make the rules?" This time, the little girl's giggle echoed throughout the arena.
"I know what you're afraid of," she said, her sweet voice echoing all around me. Short of them having a microphone, I couldn't see how that was possible.
"Wh-What are you talking about?" I stuttered. Seeing as how I wouldn't be naming my own terms for the battle, Sabrina spoke once more.
"The rules are as follows: your Pokemon, versus mine. You may use however many you wish to achieve victory." I was taken aback.
"As many as I want? Isn't that a bit unfair to you?"
"There is more: should you achieve victory, the Marshbadge will be yours. However, should you lose..."
"...you get to play with me!" The little girl finished Sabrina's sentence. By far the most bizarre conditions for a battle I'd ever seen, but it was Sabrina's rules. I looked down at Vulpix, but she certainly didn't want to battle now. Since Sabrina used Psychic Pokemon, I couldn't go with Mankey, either. For starters, I'd use Clefairy.
"The battle has begun." The little girl in Sabrina's lap released the Pokeball in her hands at Sabrina's command, and out came a tall yellow Pokemon. It was a Kadabra.
"Clefairy, Sing!"
"Confusion."
Clefairy stood there, was lifted off the ground, and thrown as fast as possible towards the ceiling. After crashing on it, and back down to the ground, Sabrina called her next attack.
"Psybeam."
Kadabra pointed at Clefairy, and several rainbow colored waves shot forth towards Clefairy. Before she could even move, they sent her flying all the way back at me. I managed to catch her in my arms, sparing her another bruise from the attack.
"Clefairy, are you alright?" I called out to her. She made a sound, but then passed out entirely.
"Choose your next Pokemon," Sabrina called out, though she didn't budge an inch from her seat. I put Clefairy back in her Pokeball, and reached for my next choice. Vulpix tugged at my dress, shaking her head at me. She didn't want me to continue the fight. All the same, I released Eevee next.
"Eevee, Tail Whip!"
Without even giving Sabrina a chance to order her next command, Eevee wagged his tail at Kadabra, throwing the Pokemon slightly off balance. Sabrina didn't say anything, but her Kadabra pointed at Eevee, and out of no where, he just froze in place.
"Eevee? What's wrong?" I yelled.
"Confusion."
Again, Kadabra pointed at Eevee, and I had to watch as he threw my Pokemon up to the ceiling like a ragged doll, and back down to the ground. Eevee still couldn't move, like he was frozen somehow. Sabrina hadn't even issued an order, and Kadabra fought back. How was that even possible?
"Psybeam."
Yet again, Sabrina's Pokemon pointed at Eevee, blasting it with another powerful psychic blast that sent him flying into my arms. Though Eevee wasn't out, he still couldn't move. I put him away, not wanting him to suffer anymore. Sabrina remained silent and still in her chair, the little girl in her lap giggling away.
"Do you give up?" The little girl mocked, holding out the Pokeball on her lap. She'd make that horrible Pokemon go away if I said yes, but I couldn't give up yet. It wasn't over. Vulpix still didn't look willing to battle, but willing or not, she was up next. I needed to start chipping away at Kadabra's health.
"Go on, Vulpix, you're next." She shook her head at me, not wanting to go out on the field. I couldn't blame her, after seeing two of her friends get pummeled like that, I wouldn't like to be next, either.
"Choose your next Pokemon," Sabrina called out. "Or forfeit the match."
"Vulpix, please, get out there." She didn't budge, shaking her head furiously. Finally, I lost it.
"GO!" This time, my voice echoed throughout the room. Vulpix silently marched out onto the arena, no longer looking to defy my orders. It hurt to have to yell at her like that, but I needed her best out there against Kadabra.
"Confusion."
"Vulpix, run!"
I didn't know if it was possible to outrun being pointed at, but it couldn't hurt to try. Vulpix darted to the left, while Kadabra tried to keep his finger locked on Vulpix. It didn't take more than a few seconds, before she was lifted off the ground. I needed a different strategy.
"Use Ember, quick!"
As Vulpix was launched into the ceiling, she let loose dozens of small fires over Kadabra, a few of which landed on him and broke his concentration. Vulpix fell back to the ground, just barely missing the ceiling beforehand. I wasted no time.
"Flamethrower, now!"
She opened her mouth, and covered the Pokemon in fire. The battle was starting to look up. After the attack ended, Kadabra was left tired and heavily burned. I couldn't risk any last minute attacks, so I ordered up the final blow.
"Vulpix, Quick Attack now!"
"Recover."
Vulpix dashed toward Kadabra at extreme speeds, but just as she tackled the Pokemon to the ground, every burn and trace of damage on its body vanished before our eyes. If psychic Pokemon were capable of healing themselves, just how was any trainer supposed to beat them?
"Psybeam."
Vulpix being so close to Kadabra this time, he had no trouble locking on to her. I shouted for her to start running again, but it was too late. The colorful waves smashed into her, sending her flying towards the wall on the other end of the gym. She tried to get up, but just fell over. Forgetting the rules, I ran over to her.
"Vulpix! Are you alright?" She was just knocked out, but that attack probably hurt. I reached for a potion in my bag.
"You have forfeit the match by entering the arena. I am the victor." Sabrina's words didn't matter at that moment, only Vulpix did. I sprayed the potion on her body, hoping it would help her rest easier. I heard the Kadabra be recalled into its Pokeball, and the giggle of the little girl. I picked Vulpix up and turned around.
"You lost," she said, now standing behind me. "Now you have to play with me."
"I'm sorry, but I have to get to the Pokemon Center," I told her, starting towards the door. When I got to them, they slammed shut in front of my face. I tried opening the doors myself, but they were locked tight. I turned around, and there was the little girl again.
"Please, Sabrina!" I called to the adult on the other side of the room. "I have to get Vulpix there as soon as possible!"
"The rules were clear," she said, not moving from her chair. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"Vulpix is hurt badly, and you want me to play around? Are you crazy!?"
"You shouldn't be so mean," said the little girl in front of me. I looked down at her, but she wasn't looking up at me. "I know what you're afraid of."
"I'm afraid that Vulpix might be hurt, and you two won't let me out of here!" She shook her head.
"You're not afraid of Vulpix dying, you're afraid of me." I took a step back, ending up against the door. It was true they were really starting to creep me out, but it didn't change the fact I was scared for Vulpix more.
"What are you talking about?"
"You're afraid of losing, of falling behind your friends," she said, her voice somehow getting louder with every word. "You're afraid of being left behind, that you're not on their level."
"Please, just let me go." I said, my voice getting quieter.
"You promised to play with me if you lost," she said, not moving from her spot. "I want you to keep your promise."
"Sabrina! Please!" I yelled back to the adult on the other side of the arena. Her face didn't move, it was almost like she wasn't even breathing.
"I want a playmate," the girl said, looking up at me for the first time. "Or would you prefer to be the plaything?"
I felt Vulpix getting heavier in my arms, and my bag as well. I tried to keep both in check, but before I knew it the bag was touching the floor, and Vulpix was just too big for me to carry anymore. The girl was now the same size as me, or rather, I was her size! I put Vulpix down next to me bag, realizing I had somehow been shrunk. Trying to make sense of it all, I looked at the girl again, her eyes still hidden underneath that hat. Ignoring her for a moment, I turned to Sabrina.
"I want a rematch, Sabrina! Right now! I still have some Pokemon left!" I screamed in desperation.
"You're not old enough to challenge me. I suggest you make good on your promise first."
I felt my heart stop for a second. Now, I wasn't just smaller in size, but my clothes were too big on me! She had made me into a little kid again! The little girl walked up to me, a ball in her hands.
"Let's play catch!" Before I could react, she bounced the ball towards me, but I ducked for cover instead of trying to catch it. Whatever these two were doing to me was too much, and I just wanted to get out. I scurried to my bag and Vulpix, but tripped on my dress. The little girl walked up to me.
"She's too little to play with me, now. I want a dolly instead!"
"No, please! Don't hurt me anymore!" I cried out, tears welling up in my eyes. If they had the power to shrink me, they could probably even turn me into a doll or some other toy. I covered my head, crying, hoping they wouldn't do anything else to me. For a moment I felt my body get lighter than a feather, and then all I saw was a bright flash.
~o~
"Are you alright?"
The voice was familiar, but it wasn't Sabrina's. I looked up, seeing Nurse Joy. We were outside the Pokemon Center. I looked at my body, and breathed a sigh of relief; I was back to normal. Next to me was my bag and Vulpix, still out cold.
"Could you take Vulpix in? She's hurt, and my Pokemon, too!" I gave her my belt, and then Vulpix in her arms. She ran back inside the center. The day was still quite pleasant, so I was finding it hard to believe everything that had just happened. Then, as if to remind me, I heard that giggle once more. I turned around, and there was the little girl again.
"I don't like crybabies," she said. "Next time you come to my gym and you lose, don't expect to go back on your promise."
Before my very eyes, the girl vanished. The silence of the city now wasn't as pleasant. I grabbed my bag and ran inside the center. There were a few people inside, everyone going about their business. Behind the counter, Nurse Joy gave me a sign that my Pokemon were getting treated. I took a seat, trying to get my thoughts together.
Just what was that little girl? She could vanish, move around without being seen, even change people's sizes and ages. Sabrina just sat there the entire time, staring at me as I begged for help. Or maybe she was the one doing it all? When I asked for a rematch, she said I wasn't old enough, and then I instantly turned into a little girl again. So who was the little girl in the white dress? A ghost?
I could go for days trying to piece together everything that I had seen in there, and it still wouldn't do me any good. If I was going to challenge her again, I'd need to go in with a foolproof strategy. Like the little girl threatened: I wouldn't get away again.
I pulled out my encyclopedia, flipping to the page about Kadabra. The only way to truly beat one was to finish it in a single attack, otherwise all your work would just be undone by Recover. I saw that Vulpix wasn't strong enough to beat him in one blow, so I'd have to find some other way of winning. I closed the encyclopedia and sat back in my chair. How could I do enough damage in a single shot to win this fight?
Then it hit me!
I'd been battling differently against Sabrina, so I almost forgot my own style. After piecing together a few details in my head, I ran up to the counter to collect my Pokemon. Like the battle with Surge in Vermillion City, I wasn't even going to give Sabrina a chance to rest up. Our next battle wouldn't be a repeat of the first.
~o~
"The same rules apply. Use as many Pokemon as you desire to achieve victory. Loss carries the same condition as before."
"I understand," I said, reaching for Dratini's Pokeball first. Once my Pokemon was out, the little girl on Sabrina's lap released that Kadabra again. The fear that once kept Vulpix at bay was gone now, and with it my own fear. I would not be made into her plaything a second time.
"Confusion." As I expected, Sabrina wasn't changing her battle plan.
"Stay still, Dratini!"
This time, I saw a hint of emotion in Sabrina's eyes. Kadabra pointed towards Dratini, lifting him off the ground.
"Thunder Wave, now!"
The nub on her head started to glow, and despite being launched into the ceiling, Dratini managed to shoot the wave of paralysis towards Kadabra. Because he was in the middle of the Confusion attack, he could not evade the attack. Paralyzed, Kadabra had no choice but to drop the Confusion attack and let Dratini go. She had still taken a bit of a beating from the ceiling, but she'd be alright after some rest. I called her back, and released Clefairy next.
"Recover."
By the time Clefairy was ready for action, Kadabra was finishing up its action. All was going according to plan.
"Clefairy, Sing!"
Clefairy's voice filled the room, lulling Kadabra into a deep sleep. Once again, Kadabra was occupied completing its previous command, and couldn't react fast enough to negate Clefairy's attack. I recalled her, and reached for the next Pokeball. I released Eevee, and noticed that Kadabra was just about to wake up. I had to move fast.
"Eevee, Sand-Attack!"
Eevee ran up to Kadabra, waiting for the moment when he just woke up. At that instant, Eevee kicked up a small blast of dust he scratched off the floor, forcing it right into Kadabra's eyes. The Pokemon stepped back a bit, trying to regain its vision. Again, I recalled Eevee, and released Dratini.
"Dratini, Thunder Wave!"
"Confusion."
Sabrina had enough of my swapping game, by the look of it. Kadabra tried to focus on Dratini, but couldn't get a clear shot at her. The nub on her head shot forth another electrical wave, paralyzing Kadabra again. And again, I recalled Dratini.
"No fair! You can't do that!" The little girl was also getting tired of the same strategy, but they couldn't do anything. Sabrina allowed me to use any Pokemon I wanted. I reached for the next Pokeball, Mankey. This was the last part of the fight. Once he was out, Sabrina took to the offensive again.
"Psybeam."
"Run, Mankey, and go in for the Karate Chop!"
Kadabra opened his eyes, trying to get a lock on Mankey, but was forced to close them again. Mankey ran around the yellow Pokemon, got up behind him, and delivered a powerful chop to his back. Kadabra fell forward, his body not used to taking direct physical blows. Mankey was at the disadvantage here, but Kadabra could hardly move at this point.
"Recover."
"Don't let him, Mankey! Low Kick!"
Kadabra raised its hand to activate Recover, but shuddered a bit. The paralysis slowed him down just enough for Mankey to deliver the final blow. Kadabra went rolling towards the center of the arena, no longer able to battle. We had won!
The little girl got off Sabrina's lap, and the gym leader finally rose from her chair as well. She recalled Kadabra. After a moment of expecting a second Pokemon, she declared me the winner.
"Congratulations, you've earned your Marshbadge." She produced the badge from her pocket, sending it my way via telekinesis. That surprised me a bit, but I reminded myself that it was only natural for Sabrina to be able to use psychic powers as well. Once the badge was in my hand, I attached it to the back of my trainer card. I looked over to recall Mankey, when I noticed he was glowing. Mankey was evolving!
After a few seconds, Mankey was no longer the short-tempered, furry friend I knew, but a much larger, shorter-tempered ape. He was now a Primeape. After giving my new Pokemon friend a hug, I put him back in his Pokeball, and finally met face to face with Sabrina. The little girl stood beside her, not saying a word.
"Can I ask you something?" She nodded.
"How did you do that, last time? How did you shrink me, or even make me a little girl again?"
"Psychic powers allow for many things," she said slowly. "But their greatest powers are that of the mind. You saw only what I wanted you to see. There is no power in the world to reverse age."
"So, you mean it was all in my head?" Sabrina nodded again, then turned and returned to her chair. There was still one question on my mind, though.
"Why that? Why make me think I was little again?"
"Only you can answer that. I only gave you a taste of your greatest fear: to be dismissed for what people think you are. I don't do it out of malice, only to help you see a clear path to victory. Go now, your task here is complete."
The doors behind me swung open slowly. Sabrina wouldn't say anything else, so I picked Vulpix up and walked out.
~o~
I left the gym, Vulpix galloping about, now that we were finally through with Saffron City. I gave another look at the back of my trainer card, seeing the five badges shining in the sun. I didn't linger on the badges, and instead looked at the picture on the card. My smiling face looked back at me, Vulpix covering up a part of the photo.
Sabrina didn't lie, neither did she just make up what she said. I hadn't wanted to admit it, but since the moment Deneb left for his Pokemon adventure, I had that nagging feeling at the back of my mind. The thought that everyone else was going off to grow up, leaving me behind. I was the kid sister no one wanted around, the brat that everyone left behind after bailing her out of a jam. Gary, Deneb, even Lance. My Pokemon journey wasn't about entering Victory Road, it was about proving I was old enough to do it.
I put my card back in my wallet. Vulpix stared at me, asking to be carried again. Instead, I pulled out the box from my bag, unfolding my bike and attaching the basket to the front. Once Vulpix had jumped in, I got on and started riding. Saffron City was one place I had no intention of returning to for a long, long time.