Author's Note: I'd once again like to thank everyone for reviewing the last chapter. In a few of the reviews I was told I had gotten the order of the Unova Elite Four wrong, but in my defense I was under the impression that the Elite Four could be faced in any order in the games. Also, to my special guest reviewer, lord destroyer, thank you very much for the offer in your last review but I'm afraid I'm not interested (if you wish to know why you can go ahead and skip to Revenge of Noir Mask).
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. If I did, Mewtwo and Sabrina would've appeared more (why did I mention Sabrina? You'll find out soon).
Chapter 54: Psychic Queen Caitlin
Ash suddenly awoke from a deep sleep upon feeling a strong familiar presence in his room. He shot up in his bed to see Mewtwo standing in front of it. The psychic cat merely stared back at him, eyes glistening in the moonlight pouring in from the window. Pikachu and Lucario had also woken up to Mewtwo's presence. Ash had the feeling that something serious was going on for Mewtwo to come into his room in the middle of the night.
"What is it Mewtwo?" Ash asked drowsily as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
"I sensed the arrival of two who have powers similar to my own." Mewtwo explained. "And both of them are human."
"Wait, do you mean human psychics?" Ash asked, suddenly becoming a little more alert. He didn't like where things were going.
"Yes. I did not think it possible for humans to possess the sort of power I have." Mewtwo replied. "And so close to my level as well. One of these humans is very near."
Ash closed his eyes to see the Aura of everything in the surrounding area. There was one light just down the street from the Pokemon Center where he and the others were staying. The Aura belonged to a human and was somehow oddly bright, which Ash took to meaning that the person did indeed possess psychic powers. The Aura was similar to Mewtwo's in a way. As Ash looked closer at the Aura an image of a very familiar person came to his mind that caused his eyes to shoot wide open.
"Sabrina!" Ash identified.
"You know this human?" Mewtwo asked.
"I sort of had a gym battle with her in Saffron City." Ash explained as he got out of bed. "It was probably the toughest and weirdest gym battle I've ever had."
"You seem quite concerned about this human's arrival." Mewtwo observed.
"Trust me, Sabrina's psychic powers are no joke." Ash assured the psychic cat as he scrambled to get dressed. "You wouldn't believe the stuff she did when I fought her. And she was cold and emotionless at the time. Of course it seemed like she changed after that, but it's been a few years since than. So who knows what she's like now?"
"So you're going to confront her." Mewtwo deduced.
"Right after I tell Misty and the others." Ash confirmed. "I'm not facing her alone."
"I will go with you then." Mewtwo decided. "This Sabrina you speak of interests me."
Only a few minutes later, Ash woke Misty and the others and told them what was going on. As soon as they were all dressed they went to go face Sabrina. Mewtwo followed them from the air.
"I still don't get why this Sabrina is so scary. What exactly did she do?" Bianca asked.
"For one thing she turned me and our friend Brock into dolls." Misty revealed. "She was one scary gym leader."
"Oh c'mon, you're pulling our legs, right?" a skeptical Chili assumed.
"Trust me Chili, this is no joke." Ash gravely assured him. "Brock, Misty, Pikachu, and I would probably be living in a dollhouse now if it wasn't for the Haunter I made friends with in Lavender Town and that photographer."
"Ash, that guy you thought was a photographer was Sabrina's dad." Misty told him.
"Oh… right. I knew that." Ash replied with a look of embarrassment.
At last the group reached their destination. Standing before them was a woman with long dark-green hair wearing a black leather jacket with a red shirt and a short black skirt. A very serious expression was on the woman's face.
"Ash Ketchum, we meet again." Sabrina coldly greeted.
"She looks the way she did when we first met her." Ash whispered to Misty.
"Yeah, but she doesn't have that creepy doll with her." Misty quietly pointed out. "Remember? That doll was the form her bottled up emotions took or something like that."
"Oh yeah, but still…" Ash replied, not willing to let down his guard.
"So, you're the gym leader from Saffron City in Kanto." Chili cut in. "You know Ash and Misty were just saying you could do stuff like turn people into dolls. Not that I believe that for a second."
"Oh really." Sabrina replied indifferently.
"Yeah. I mean no human could possibly have that kind of power." Chili scoffed.
"Never underestimate the power of the human mind." Sabrina told Chili as her eyes suddenly began to glow with a blue light.
In an instant Chili's form began to shrink and distort slightly, and in seconds he had changed into a small doll that dropped to the ground. Bianca let out a shocked scream.
"Sabrina, change him back right now!" a furious Ash demanded.
"That will not be necessary." Mewtwo interrupted as he descended to the ground. Suddenly the doll glowed with a faint blue aura and Chili was returned to his original form.
"Was… was I just a doll?" a very freaked out Chili asked.
"Uh-huh." An equally freaked out Bianca confirmed.
"What sort of Pokemon are you?" Sabrina asked Mewtwo.
"I am… Mewtwo." The psychic cat answered.
"It seems you have a handle on transmutation." Sabrina observed.
"I have dabbled somewhat." Mewtwo admitted. "How is it that a human could have powers on par with my own?"
"I was born with psychic powers and spent a great deal of time refining them." Sabrina explained. "You seem to think that I am just as powerful as you are. But perhaps I am even stronger."
"You doubt my own powers?" Mewtwo asked in a slightly offended tone.
"I'm saying I don't know enough about them to make an accurate comparison to my own." Sabrina explained. "I would very much like to test them."
"Then test them you shall." Mewtwo replied as his eyes began to glow blue.
Sabrina's eyes began to glow in response and suddenly there was a kind of pressure around both of them. The ground beneath both of them was starting to crack and small pieces of it were rising up in the air and disintegrating. Veins were starting to bulge on the foreheads of both combatants as they fought an invisible psychic battle. Blood was starting to trickle down Sabrina's nose. In moments the damage to the ground beneath both of them was quickly beginning to spread. It seemed like their battle might destroy the city.
"Hey! Cut it out, both of you!" Ash told them. Neither Sabrina nor Mewtwo seemed to hear him. "I said cut it out!"
Again, there was no response. Desperate for a way to stop the conflict, Ash waved his arm and formed a spherical barrier of blue light around Sabrina. The psychic gym leader suddenly reacted like she was hit in the jaw and fell to the ground. Mewtwo stopped his attack and Ash lowered the barrier. After a moment, Sabrina started to get back to her feet as she held her head. Suddenly rushing onto the scene was a man who Ash and Misty knew very well. It was Morty from the Ecruteak Gym.
"Sabrina! Are you okay?" a very worried Morty asked.
"I'm fine darling." Sabrina replied as Morty protectively put his arms around her. "Things just got a little out of hand."
"Darling?" a surprised Ash and Misty repeated together.
"Yes, Sabrina and I have been going out for the past few months." Morty confirmed with a hint of anger in his voice. "Now why did you attack her?"
"This isn't their fault Morty. I started the conflict." Sabrina admitted. "Ash was only trying to prevent me and his Pokemon friend from accidentally destroying the city."
"This isn't all on you Sabrina." Misty assured her. "This probably wouldn't have happened if Chili hadn't opened his big mouth."
"Uh, yeah. I guess I should've had a more open mind." Chili admitted.
"Plus we were a little afraid of what Sabrina might do to us because of what happened when I challenged her to a gym battle." Ash added. "Real sorry about all this."
"Dear me, what happened?" a voice interrupted.
Ash and the others looked to see a fairly young man with black hair with a wide yellow streak in the middle. He was wearing glasses and a tuxedo with a black jacket, purple pants, and white gloves. Hanging from a chain the man had what looked to be a very expensive gold watch.
"It's okay Darach." Morty assured the gentleman. "There was just a little misunderstanding."
"What's going on here Morty?" Ash asked.
"What's going on is that we need your help Ash." Sabrina answered.
Moments later the group returned to the Pokemon Center with Morty, Sabrina, and the man known only to them as Darach. They all went to the waiting area so Sabrina could sit down. She was still a little worn out from facing Mewtwo. Almost immediately after they sat down a Pokeball at Sabrina's belt opened and bursting out was a floating purple shadowy creature with a large fanged mouth, three spikes on the sides of its head-like body, and a pair of detached floating claws.
"Oh hey, it's the Haunter I left with you." Ash recalled. "How're ya doing buddy?" Haunter responded by giving Ash a cheerful wave.
"Haunter, could you go find me something to drink?" Sabrina requested. Haunter nodded and floated off.
"So what's going on here you guys?" Misty asked.
"To put is simply, we need Mr. Ketchum's help to break through to Lady Caitlin." Darach explained.
"Wait, Caitlin as in Psychic user of Unova's Elite Four?" Ash asked.
"That's right." Morty confirmed. "But before becoming a member of the Elite Four she was the head of the Battle Castle in the Johto Battle Frontier."
"I was Lady Caitlin's valet and battled challengers to the castle in her place." Darach added.
"Why did you battle instead of Caitlin?" Misty asked. "I mean if she was strong enough to become a member of the Unova Elite Four why didn't she battle the challengers that came to the battle castle herself?"
"Because things would get a little… out of hand when Lady Caitlin would battle." Darach answered.
"Caitlin is psychic like myself." Sabrina revealed. "But it seems that back when she ran the battle castle she did not have very good control over her powers."
Ash suddenly recalled that Mewtwo had sensed two humans with psychic abilities when he woke him earlier that night. And Caitlin was to be the first member of the Elite Four he was going to face. Needless to say, Ash was starting to have a bad feeling about the coming battle.
"But it seems like Caitlin can control her powers now if she's a member of the Elite Four." Bianca pointed out.
"Yes, but it came at a cost." Morty revealed.
"What do you mean?" Chili asked.
"When I first learned how to control my own psychic powers I shut out own emotions." Sabrina explained. "It seems that Caitlin has done the same. Instead of controlling them she's simply repressed them."
"I met with Lady Caitlin last month to see how she was doing." Darach informed them. "She seemed far colder than she used to be, and her eyes seemed lifeless. It was at that point that I became quite concerned. I had always hoped that Lady Caitlin would gain control of her abilities, but not at this cost. That's why I came to Ms Sabrina for help, as she went through the same thing."
"But what do you want me to do about it?" Ash asked.
"You were able to break through the wall I had put up around my emotions. We were hoping you could do the same for Caitlin." Sabrina explained. "If you don't, well… you remember very well what I was like."
Ash shuddered a bit at the implication that Sabrina made. The last thing the world needed was a ruthless psychic human, let alone one who was an Elite Four member. At that moment Haunter came back with a bottle of soda in his right hand and a small box of mints in his left.
"I only asked you for something to drink." Sabrina told Haunter.
The Ghost Pokemon merely chuckled and in one swift motion removed the cap from the soda bottle and inserted a mint into it. The mint caused a chemical reaction that caused the soda to burst out of the bottle. Haunter aimed the bottle at Sabrina so that the stream would hit her in the face. The room fell silent after the spray stopped. From the expression on Sabrina's face it seemed like she was going to try and beat Haunter to a pulp. But suddenly she burst into a fit of hysterical laughter. Ash and the others looked on with surprise while Mewtwo simply quirked his brow at the scene.
"Oh wow, I was not expecting that." Sabrina commented as she calmed down. "You're always thinking Haunter."
"I guess you really are different from before Sabrina." Misty observed. "Sorry we thought otherwise."
"It's quite alright." Sabrina assured her. "But the reason I have changed is because of Ash. So I'm sure he can get through to Caitlin."
"Well, I have no idea how I can help. But I'll do my best." Ash assured them.
The stadium of Higaki City was packed with fans eager to see Ash's battle with the first member of the Unova Elite Four. Yet none of those fans knew just what was at stake in this battle. With Ash's victory came the chance of saving Caitlin from herself. While her defeat would only serve to bring forth a great and terrible power into the world. Misty, Bianca, and Chili waited down on the sidelines along with Darach, Morty, and Sabrina. Mewtwo was there as well, wearing a tattered brown hooded cloak to hide his true appearance.
"I really hope Ash put together a good strategy to deal with Caitlin." A worried Misty told the others.
"Relax, I'm sure he's got everything under control." Chili assured her. "I mean he stayed up the rest of last night working on it."
"But what if Caitlin suddenly goes, you know, postal?" Bianca asked. "If she really does have psychic powers she could tear this whole place apart."
"Do not worry. If that happens I will step in and face her myself." Sabrina declared.
"As will I." Mewtwo added.
"I really hope it does not come to that." Darach told them. "I would be devastated if something happened to Lady Caitlin."
"You really care about Caitlin, don't you?" Misty observed.
"Well, of course." Darach replied with a blush as he straightened his tie. "After all, I was Lady Caitlin's trusted servant for a long time."
"It's more than that though. You're in love with Caitlin, aren't you?" Misty deduced.
"Don't be absurd." Darach denied as his face turned redder. "It would be improper for me to have feelings for Lady Caitlin. After all, I was her servant."
"That shouldn't matter." Misty told him. "If you really do have feelings for her you should tell her."
"Your reasoning does seem flawed." Mewtwo agreed. "I do not pretend to know about human customs, but it seems that the difference in your social status should not matter."
"Well, obviously the two of you do not understand the way things are in high society." Darach told them.
"Whatever." Misty said to herself as she rolled her eyes.
Ash waited in the corridor leading out to the stadium floor along with Pikachu and Lucario, waiting to be called out. He had kept going over the strategy he had prepared over and over again. Before Ash was psyched to be facing such a strong opponent, but with everything that was riding this next battle he could not afford to lose.
"Seems like you're landed yourself quite the difficult opponent in your first Elite Four battle." The spirit of Riley observed as he appeared with Ghost Lucario.
"Have any advice?" Ash asked.
"Just this. The move you used on Sabirna last night, you shouldn't use it on Caitlin unless you have no choice." Riley told him.
"What is it that I did to her?" Ash asked.
"You used Aura to reflect her psychic power back at her." Riley explained. "It's a good thing she and Mewtwo were just getting warmed up with that battle of theirs. Otherwise Sabrina might've been killed."
"I, I didn't know." A shocked Ash replied. "I just acted on instinct."
"It's okay Ash. I should've gotten around to teaching that move sooner. The important thing is no one was seriously hurt." Riley assured him. "Just be careful, okay?"
"Okay." Ash replied. "Thanks Riley."
"Good luck Ash." Riley wished him as he and the spirit of his Lucario vanished.
The crowd roared with excitement as a man with stylish lavender hair wearing purple sunglasses with yellow frames and a tuxedo with a glittering red jacket walked onto the field. It seemed that the battle was just about to start.
"Good day to you all ladies and gentlemen!" the man said into the microphone in his right hand. "I'm your MC, Chet Flash, and welcome to the first day of a very seldom seen event, the Unova League Elite Four Challenge!" He paused as the audience cheered again. "Now then, without further adieu, let's get this party started. Our challenger is a young trainer who stared his journey in the region of Kanto, but has since traveled the world and won many gym battles. And he recently won this year's Pokemon World Tournament! Pleas welcome Ash Ketchum!"
Ash walked onto the field with Pikachu and Lucario, waving to the cheering audience a little. Though at the moment he wasn't very concerned with what the audience thought about him.
"And now," Chet continued as the cheers died down, "the first member of the Elite Four our intrepid challenger will be facing once ran the Johto Battle Frontier's Battle Castle, but has since honed her skills and has become this region's most powerful Psychic Pokemon user. Please welcome the girl they've been calling the Psychic Queen, Caitlin!"
The audience thundered with cheers and applause as Caitlin walked out onto the field. She was a young woman who looked to be about sixteen with fair skin and long blonde hair that went down almost to her feet. Her massive amount of hair was being held up at the ends by two small light-pink butterfly-like ornaments that seemed the float in the air. Ash could not tell if they the ornaments were floating due to Caitlin's psychic powers or if they had some sort of internal power source. The rest of her outfit consisted of a light-pink cylindrical cap with a light-pink dress and a cape made of some sort of transparent fabric. Right away Ash noticed the cold emotionless expression on Caitlin's face.
"You do not seem very strong." Caitlin indifferently commented. "I doubt you will provide us with much of a challenge."
"Try me." Ash dared.
"Okay!" Chet continued as he stepped to the side of the battlefield. "In addition to serving as MC, I'll also be acting as the referee. Now then, this match will be a three-on-three battle! Both challengers may switch Pokemon at any time during the battle. And… begin!"
"Go Musharna!" Caitlin called as she threw a Pokeball.
Emerging from the ball was a floating taper-like creature that was curled up as if sleeping. The front half of its body was pink while the rear half was purple. Emanating from the top of its head was a strange purple smoke.
"Go Cofagrigus!" Ash called with his own throw. The sarcophagus Pokemon flew out of his ball. "Use Will-o-wisp!"
"Reflect!" Caitlin commanded.
With one of his tendril-like arms Cofagrigus threw a small ball of purple flames that hit the floating taper in the back and left a burn mark. A split second later Musharna raised a golden-yellow barrier of light around itself that vanished almost as soon as it appeared.
"It looks like both of them are starting out with a defensive strategy." Chili observed. "This first battle could go to either of them."
"True, but Ash is using a Ghost-type, which has an advantage over Caitlin's Psychic Pokemon." Morty pointed out. "Plus he was able to inflict a burn on Musharna with Will-o-wisp. It might only be a matter of time before Musharna goes down."
"Use Calm Mind!" Ash commanded.
"Attack with Charge Beam!" Caitlin ordered.
Cofagrigus' eyes glowed with an eerie purple light as Musharna changed position in the air. The taper Pokemon fired a ray of yellow electrical energy that hit the coffin Pokemon in the chest. But the attack seemed to do little damage.
"Use Shadow Ball!" Ash ordered.
"Yawn!" Caitlin commanded.
Cofagrigus brought his arms together and threw a ball of crackling black energy that hit Musharna in the back right where its burn was. After revovering from the attack it let out a big yawn. Cafagrigus yawned in response and suddenly seemed to become drowsy.
"Not good! That Yawn attack is going to cause Cofagrigus to fall asleep soon!" a concerned Chili observed. "If that happens, Ash might be in big trouble."
"Use Shadow Ball again!" Ash ordered.
"Charge Beam!" Caitlin commanded.
The floating taper zapped Cofagrigus in the chest with another electrical beam. Cofagrigus quickly recovered and threw another black sphere at Musharna, once again hitting it where its burn was. Right after his attack though Cofagrigus' eyes closed and he drifted off to sleep.
"It seems Yawn has taken effect." Caitlin coldly observed. "Now we have you right where we want you. Musharna, use Dream Eater!"
"Use Shadow Ball one more time!" Ash commanded.
Musharna suddenly began to glow with a red aura and soon an ominous red beam began to form towards Cofagrigus. But the sleeping Ghost Pokemon suddenly bit down on something and his eyes shot open, causing the red beam to shatter.
"What did you do?" a slightly surprised Caitlin asked.
"I gave Cofagrigus a Chesto Berry to hold before the battle." Ash explained. "It wakes up a Pokemon if it falls asleep during battle. I thought you might try something like this, so I came prepared."
"Impressive, but it will do you no good." Caitlin declared indifferently.
"We'll see about that. Do it Cofagrigus!" Ash ordered.
Cofagrigus threw another Shadow Ball that hit Musharna in the face. Suddenly the taper Pokemon fell to the ground completely unconscious.
"Musharna is unable to battle!" Chet declared. "Round One goes to Ash and Cofagrigus!"
"We are not amused." Caitlin told Ash as she called back Musharna.
Ash then noticed small cracks form on the ground Caitlin was standing on. It seemed that she really was displeased about her first defeat. Yet rather than showing her anger it seemed that it was coming out in a very dangerous way. Ash's bad feeling about the battle was getting worse.
"Go Renuniclus!" Caitlin called with her second throw of the match.
Bursting out of the ball was another floating Pokemon, one with a light-green almost humanoid body surrounded by a thick green protoplasm-like substance. This protoplasm was formed into long three-fingered arms at the sides, each with a series of small spheres inside to form the bones.
"Use Psychic!" Caitlin commanded.
Renuniclus raised its long arms forward and Cofagrigus began to glow with a faint blue light. Using its mind the cellular Pokemon threw Cofagrigus up into the air and flung him back to the ground with incredible force. The coffin Pokemon recovered after a moment and floated back up into the air.
"Okay Cofagrigus, use Will-o-wisp!" Ash commanded.
"Energy Ball!" Caitlin ordered.
Before Cofagrigus could make a move, Renuniclus brought its hands together and formed a ball of glittering green light. With a throw of the ball, Cofagrigus was hit in the chest and hurled into the stadium wall behind Ash. Once the dust settled, Cofagrigus was out cold.
"Cofagrigus is unable to battle!" Chet declared. "Round Two goes to Caitlin and Renuniclus!"
The audience roared with applause as Ash called Cofagrigus back to his ball. Ash knew that he probably wasn't going to win the whole match with just Cofagrigus alone, yet he wasn't expecting him to go down so soon. Still, Ash knew he had to stick to his strategy if he was to have any chance of winning.
"Go Golurk!" Ash called as he threw his next Pokeball. The ancient robot burst out of its ball with a thud. "Use Shadow Punch!"
"Use Energy Ball once more!" Caitlin ordered.
Just as Golurk raised its fist to attack Renuniclus threw another glittering green ball of light. Golurk was hit in the chest and stumbled, but quickly recovered and launched a large shadowy fist that struck the cellular Pokemon and almost flung it into the far wall behind its master.
"I don't know how long Golurk can hold out." Bianca told the others on the sidelines. "That Energy Ball attack of Renuniclus' is powerful. And it's a Grass-type attack, which puts Golurk at a huge disadvantage."
"It does seem like the battle has turned in Lady Caitlin's favor." Darach observed.
"Don't worry, Ash's Golurk is real strong. I'm sure it'll win." Chili assured them.
"Use Shadow Punch once more Golurk!" Ash commanded.
"Energy Ball, again!" Caitlin commanded.
Renuniclus hurled another glittering ball at Golurk, causing the colossus to fall to one knee. But the ancient robot got back up and struck Renuniclus with another shadowy fist. This time the protoplasmic Pokemon was almost knocked to the ground.
"Finish with Heavy Slam!" Ash commanded.
Golurk charged forward, its body giving off an eerie yellow aura. The robot tackled Renuniclus to the ground with a large thud that shook the ground somewhat. When Golurk got off of the fallen Renuniclus it was unconscious.
"Renuniclus is unable to battle!" Chet declared. "Round Three goes to Ash and Golurk!"
"You are starting to try our patience." Caitlin told Ash as she called back her fallen Pokemon.
Ash could detect more than a hint of irritation in her voice. Her voice seemed to have a slight echo to it. Not only that, Ash could feel an invisible pressure that was quickly building. It seemed clear that the dam Caitlin put around her emotions was coming close to bursting.
"I've seen this before." Darach told the others on the sidelines. "Lady Caitlin's powers are starting to run out of control."
"I thought you said Caitlin had her powers in check." Chili recalled.
"And she has ever since becoming one of the Unova Elite Four." Darach confirmed. "I had witnessed all her battles since that time and not once did she loose control. The only thing that happened was that she stopped expressing her emotions."
"Did Caitlin ever lose any of the battles she fought?" Sabrina asked.
"Well… no she didn't." Darach answered as a look of shocking realization came to his face.
"Caitlin's irritation at losing twice to Ash is starting to make her loose her grip." Mewtwo deduced. "It may not be long before she lashes out."
"Go Gothitelle!" Caitlin called as she threw her last ball of the match.
Emerging from the ball was a mainly black feminine-looking Pokemon with a cone-shaped body divided into four sections. On the front of each section was a white bow. Her arms were slender and had thick white bands around the wrists and tiny purple hands. Each side of her head had four flat circular extensions, and on the back of her head was another white bow. The Pokemon's face was purple and had two large blue eyes and a pair of large red lips.
"Use Shadow Ball!" Caitlin commanded.
Gothitelle raised her arms forward and launched a large black crackling ball. The sphere impacted Golurk's chest and knocked him to the ground on its back with a large thud.
"Golurk is unable to battle!" Chet declared. "Round Four goes to Caitlin and Gothtelle!"
Ash called Golurk back to its ball and pulled out the ball that contained his trump card. "Go… Spiritomb!"
The malevolent spirit Pokemon burst out of his ball and floated onto the field. Caitlin's face flashed with a look of surprise.
"Use Will-o-wisp!" Ash commanded.
"Attack with Thunderbolt!" Caitlin ordered.
Spiritomb spat out a purple fireball that hit Gothitelle in the chest and left a burn. Gothitelle recovered from the attack and zapped the malevolent Pokemon with a bolt of purple lightning, but the attack did little damage.
"Man, that's one strong Spiritomb Ash has." An impressed Chili declared.
"Spiritomb is one of the strongest Ghost Pokemon out there." Morty pointed out. "And because it's also a Dark-type it has no weaknesses."
"Use Dark Pulse!" Ash ordered.
"Thunderbolt again!" Caitlin commanded.
Gothitelle zapped Spiritomb with another bolt of electricity. But the malevolent spirit recovered and fired a barrage of dark rings from his mouth. The rings hit, causing a large explosion. When the smoke cleared Gothitelle was still standing. But she had taken a good deal of damage.
"Dark Pulse one more time!" Ash commanded.
Spiritomb shot out another black ring barrage that hit the psychic Pokemon again. This time when the smoke cleared Gothitelle was unconscious.
"Gothtelle is unable to battle!" Chet declared. "Victory for the match goes to Ash and Spiritomb!"
The audience roared as Ash and Caitlin called back their respective Pokemon. Ash knew that the battle wasn't truly over though. The psychic pressure emanating from Caitlin had increased exponentially. Suddenly the bulbs in the stadium lights began to shatter.
"This… is… UNACCEPTABLE!" Catilin shouted with an echoing voice as her eyes started to glow blue and her body started to rise in the air. "HOW COULD WE LOOSE TO A WEAK TRAINER LIKE YOU?!"
Behind Ash, both Sabrina and Mewtwo began to rise into the air as well. It was clear that a psychic battle was about to begin, one that would probably hurt a lot of people in the crossfire. Ash couldn't allow that to happen, yet he didn't want to risk hurting Caitlin.
'Ash, trust your instincts.' Riley's voice called out.
In the end, Ash decided that he had no choice and raised his arm forward. An Aura barrier formed around Caitlin and the backfire of the psychic power she launched knocked her out. Ash dropped the barrier and Caitlin fell to the ground. A worried Darach ran out onto the field calling Caitlin's and went over to her side. The psychic queen of Unova slowly regained consciousness as Darach sat her up a little.
"Are you okay Lady Caitlin?" Darach asked.
"Darach? What are you doing here?" Caitlin asked weakly.
"I've been very worried about you." Darach explained. "In fact it looked like I almost lost you there for a moment. And losing you has made me realize that… that I can't hide my feelings for you anymore! I love you Lady Caitlin!"
"Huh?" a very confused Caitlin responded.
"Caitlin, I am Sabrina of the Saffron City Gym." Sabrina interrupted as she walked up. "And like you I possess incredible psychic powers that were once hard to control. If you wish I can help you control your powers properly."
"Uh Sabrina, this isn't really the best time to talk about that." Morty told her.
"Why?" a clueless Sabrina asked.
"Folks, could you take this off the stadium floor please?" Chet requested, holding his hand over his microphone. "We sort of need to clean up for tomorrow's match."
"Oh… yes of course." Caitlin agreed as she got back to her feet. "We can all discuss this further at my place."
"I shall go with." Mewtwo decided.
With that, Caitlin walked off with Darach and the others. Ash breathed a heavy sigh once they were gone.
"You okay?" Misty asked.
"Yeah. That was just one really tense battle." Ash answered.
"Look at it this way though. At least you got the toughest member of the Elite Four out of the way." Chili encouragingly pointed out.
"I'm not so sure about that." Ash disagreed. "I have the feeling that the battles are just going to get tougher from here."
Author's Note: I've done a fair bit of reading on the Unova Elite Four in preparation of this chapter. And when I saw that Caitlin had psychic powers that were once out of control I saw a good opportunity to bring back Sabrina, not to mention Mewtwo. Sabrina and Morty are also a couple in this little AU. I just sort of liked the image of those two together so I ran with it, just like when I got the image of Elesa and Skyla as a couple.
Please review and let me know what you think.
