Here it is, the sixth chapter in my latest Hearts Universe side story 'Problems of the Heart' released a week late unfortunately due to getting sick right after the I posted the last chapter and only just fully recovering. This is the third of the three Anabel chapters and as with the last one this is out of chronological order being set between Misty II and Misty III in the Problems timeline. For those curious, this takes place after the Indigo Conference arc in Dreams so between Parts LXXVIII and LXXIX and does contain some spoilers from the Indigo, Grand Festival and Cremini arcs in that story so you have been warned. That is all the administrative stuff I have for this note and as there were no questions or guest reviews to respond to please time to sit back and get ready for the sixth Problem of the Heart.
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon.
Anabel III
Anabel walked up to the front doors of the Saffron Gym excited to see Sabrina again. It was a few days after the Indigo Conference, which Anabel had attended and support her friend and unrequited crush Ash Ketchum in, and had a great time during it. She'd even made the news by dressing as a cheerleader in a cute lilac outfit to cheer for Ash when he was in the final at the request of his girlfriend Dawn.
That was something she was looking forward to talking to, or more accurately confronting, Sabrina about. The psychic gym leader had faced Ash in a full battle earlier in the year and it had delayed Sabrina's annual visit to Cremini Town. Of course, in the process of telling Anabel about Ash, Sabrina had realized that Anabel had a crush on him when Anabel gushed over Ash, and they'd discussed him at length when Sabrina came to visit several weeks after their battle.
However, one thing the older woman hadn't told her was that the Sinnoh native he was traveling with, something Sabrina only revealed a few days into her visit because the person was a coordinator, was not only a girl, not only was she also in love with Ash, but she was actually his girlfriend. That had been a painful shock for Anabel when Ash and Dawn had crossed her path rather spectacularly shortly before the Cremini Contest that Dawn would go onto win.
Fortunately, Anabel had been able to deal with her pain quickly even if she had to take a few extra moments to comprehend the improbability of a girl somehow getting Ash to notice her in that way. She'd long accepted that Ash and she would never work out because of their different natures and life goals. Ash couldn't stay put and Anabel loved her job as Salon Maiden too much to quit it for a chance to be with him. Sabrina's visit had really helped further her acceptance with where Ash belonged in her heart as it gave her a chance to truly talk about her feelings for him.
That didn't make seeing him again any easier as her feelings swiftly flooded to the surface, but she reigned them in and had a lovely chat with Dawn later that night that was mature and productive. Then they battled because it felt right, and it helped them became friends. She'd then cheered Dawn on in the Cremini Contest and again when she watched Dawn win the Grand Festival though she couldn't attend it in person due to a challenger the day before the final.
She could attend the Indigo Conference which Anabel did and was part of Ash's supporters throughout it. It all culminated in Dawn gathering her, Misty, Angie, and May, the four rivals Dawn had faced in regard to Ash up to the point, together the night before the final having made each of them a personal cheerleader outfit in the most appropriate color for them. It was a lot more feminine and less modest than what Anabel was used to, but it was the perfect shade of lilac for her, and it was for Ash, so she agreed to wear it and be part of the cheer section for Ash in the final.
After the final, which didn't end as she had hoped, Anabel had left the next morning to head straight to Saffron City. This was the best time for her to come visit as the Battle Frontier was closed and with the Indigo Conference having just ended there weren't many gym challengers so she could come and hang out with Sabrina for a bit.
Well, that and she had to make sure that Sabrina was going to come to Ash's party in a few weeks' time. Dawn had already sent Sabrina an invite, but Anabel was going to make sure she came. That and she needed to have one more chat with her friend about Ash now that she'd seen him again and learned the truth of his relationship with Dawn.
"Anabel, you're early, I wasn't expecting you for a few days." Sabrina said, coming out of the gym just as Anabel reached it and breaking her out of her thoughts. "Everything is ready of course, you just caught me by surprise when I felt your mind nearby."
"I was broadcasting my arrival to you so you knew I would show up, I do know how your telepathy works so I thought I'd make sure you had a heads up." Anabel replied with a smile as she hugged Sabrina outside the gym. "And I made good time on the way. Scott gave me a lift as he wanted to check in on Greta at the Battle Arena which is near here so that's why I'm early. Plus, he needed to chat to me."
"This wouldn't have anything to do with that adorably cute cheerleader outfit you were wearing for Ash in the finals." Sabrina teased as she let Anabel into the gym before they headed to the underground part where the battlefield and Sabrina's apartment was but not before the gym leader noticed a faint blush grace Anabel's cheeks. "Because isn't the Battle Frontier not supposed to play favorites like that."
"We are a private institution so we can do as we see fit." Anabel said defensively. "But yes, it was unexpected for me to be so open about my support and in such a way that brought attention to me. It certainly took Scott by surprise. He doesn't like us showing off who we are supporting, but Ash is a Frontier winner so technically has the right to become a Frontier Brain should he want to, though he doesn't, so it was ok."
"It was also free publicity for the Battle Frontier." Sabrina pointed out. "The commentators all made it clear who each of you were, or at least the ones they could identify."
"That is true, it was good for the Frontier." Anabel admitted. "It got a lot of people interested so Scott will be able to find some good recruits pretty easily. I think that Sinnoh guy in the semis, Lucas, is going to challenge it this coming season so that's a big name for Scott to land and someone I'm looking forward to facing as he was probably third best in the entire Conference behind Ash and Brendan."
"See it all worked out well in the end." Sabrina said. "And you looked great in it, you all did. I watched the whole Conference; I just couldn't make it because of my problems with crowds but I wasn't going to miss a second."
"It was fun to dress up like that for the final." Anabel said with a small smile. "Shame it didn't go as we wanted it to."
"I did want him to win but sometimes it doesn't fall the way you want." Sabrina said with a sigh at the memory of how the Indigo Conference had ended and how heartbreaking it must have been. "Oh well, here we are. Just drop your bag off and meet me in the play room, I'll get the tea. You must be thirsty after your journey."
"Sounds lovely." Anabel said as Sabrina opened to door to her spare room that Anabel staying in when she was here before heading to the kitchen. "I could use some tea, thank you."
Anabel put her bag on the bed and quickly used the restroom to freshen up a little before she left the room and headed down the corridor to where the play room was. Opening the door, Anabel had to repress a shudder at the room that greeted her.
It was a literal play room for a little girl complete with doll house, shelves of kid's books, and other items from Sabrina's childhood. Worst of all was a really creepy looking doll in a dress and sun hat that sat on a shelf. The only thing that wasn't childish was the small, adult sized, table for four in the middle of the room.
Anabel sat at the table and made sure that her back was to that doll. She knew what it was and what it signified. It was the doll that Sabrina had spoken through after her mind split in two when she was at her worst before Ash had helped her regain enough control to begin her recovery. Anabel knew Sabrina kept the doll and looked at daily as a reminder to never go back to that state.
It was also likely why she never changed this room, the reminders kept Sabrina on the straight and narrow. Still, it always unnerved Anabel and reminded her just how damaged and mentally scarred Sabrina really was from the abuse she'd put herself through.
"So, I have this new tea I got in Vermilion the other day when I went there for some beach time, it comes from Galar and apparently the only thing they can do there as well as curry is tea." Sabrina said coming in, holding a tray in her hands with a teapot, teacups, and a plate of freshly baked cookies. "I was saving it for when you got here as I've never had it before. I have yet to visit Galar so I can't speak to their odd culinary tastes, but I figured this was worth a try."
"Thank you, it sounds lovely." Anabel said with a smile as Sabrina set the tray down, the door glowing blue as it shut on its own behind her. "I see your telekinesis is doing well."
Anabel knew how powerful Sabrina was and how that power had taken hold when she was a kid when she'd abused it in her obsession to perfect it. It had taken her 3 years to regain control and even to this day Anabel knew that Sabrina rarely used her power because of how afraid she was of returning to the state she'd been in 7 years ago. That was why it was always an odd sight to see Sabrina use her telekinesis.
"Yeah, the mental training I do everyday really helps." Sabrina said as she poured the tea by hand. "I will always feel a slight pull to use it more and more whenever I use it but for little things it is easy to ignore, and a small usage helps keep the worst urges at bay. My power is part of me so I am different from most addicts in the sense that being sober isn't something I can do when it comes to telekinesis and telepathy. I can avoid using it, but it is hard, so little things help with control and keep me from snapping and likely relapsing."
"I see I guess that makes sense." Anabel said as she took the tea, it was darker than she expected and watch Sabrina put in a few cubes of sugar and splash of milk to sweeten it though Anabel avoided that as her tastes weren't as sweet as Sabrina's. "I'm always amazed by your strength and how well you are doing these days. I never knew you at your worst, but I am glad to know you now."
"Well, it is a daily struggle, but I have the control over my powers at last, not the other way around." Sabrina said as she took a sip of her tea and grimaced. "Wow that it bitter even with the sugar, I'm going to have to go full Kalos on this to make it palatable. No wonder they recommended drinking it with milk and sugar."
"Makes sense." Anabel said taking a sip and agreeing with Sabrina about the absurd bitterness of the tea and putting in a cube of sugar and a fair amount of milk to dilute it. "Galarians are known for their odd sense of taste but this isn't drinkable without additives."
"I mean Kalos has its own oddities." Sabrina said adding more sugar than Anabel thought was appropriate. "They really like things sweet when it comes to pastries and beverages but slimy or weird when it comes to meats. I picked up a taste for their sweet things, but I never got a taste for the meats they liked over there."
"Regional tastes are always different." Anabel said taking a sip of the tea and deciding it needed one more sugar cube to be properly drinkable. "It's part of the fun of traveling, not that I have done much of it lately."
"Neither." Sabrina said taking another sip and finding it much better now that she'd added the average amount of sugar a Kalos tea would have naturally in it. "But there is more on your mind then small talk Anabel, isn't there?"
"You are the one person I can't hide thoughts from." Anabel said with a chuckle. "And they were at the front of my mind when I arrived."
"You know I suppress it as much as possible when you're here, but I did hear the conflict as you approached." Sabrina said. "So, what is it? I have a feeling I know but I want you to say it aloud."
"You kinda touched on it when I arrived but again you didn't mention it directly." Anabel said. "But I know you know."
"What those cute cheerleader outfits you and the other girls, and that one dude, wore to support Ash." Sabrina said with a smile as she sipped her tea and Anabel knew that her friend was having fun with her by skirting around the subject at hand. "I was complementing you on it. You did look great in it. It was the first time I saw you look so feminine; it was a nice change."
"You did talk about it but without mentioning who clearly made them." Anabel said looking Sabrina in the eye. "The girl in the middle who no doubt wore something similar when she was in Saffron. You never told me who Dawn was or what her relationship with Ash happened to be. Don't deny it Sabrina, you knew long before you came to Cremini Town that Ash had a girlfriend."
"Of course, I knew." Sabrina said with a Cheshire cat smile as she put the cup down. "And you clearly met her as I expected when I heard that there was going to be a Cremini Town Contest, fate is like that, and you clearly got on well with her."
Sabrina had expected that Anabel would meet Dawn that year the moment that Anabel had mentioned that Cremini Town was hosting a Contest that year. The world just worked like that and it had in this case. Dawn had, according to her profile that was shown during the Grand Festival when Sabrina watched it, been upset in the finals of the Gardenia Town Contest when she went for her 5th ribbon and had ended up getting it in Cremini Town. Once Sabrina saw that she knew that Dawn had met Anabel.
That was confirmed during the Indigo Conference final rounds when the camera panned to the audience during them, and Sabrina saw Anabel's distinctive lilac hair sitting near Dawn in her pink cheerleader outfit during Ash's battles. Add in what happened during the final and Sabrina had a good idea that the girls had become friends which was good. It was also nice to see Misty there with them meaning that the Cerulean Gym Leader was still on good terms with Dawn as well, just as Sabrina had hoped after Misty's amends to Dawn.
The others Sabrina did not know but she theorized that at least two of the girls, the ones closer to Dawn in red and green, were other rivals of hers, a huge sign of maturity that Dawn had gotten all of them together to support Ash in such a way. Sabrina wasn't sure about the last girl, the one in light brown, and she was certain the guy was just a friend who'd been 'persuaded' into joining them, but it was still an interesting sight to see a full cheer section for Ash.
"You did, did you?" Anabel asked her eyebrow raised.
"Of course, it was obvious the moment that I heard of a Cremini Town Contest that you'd meet." Sabrina said knowing also that Anabel would discuss this with her and was already prepared for it. "That's how the world works."
"And why didn't you tell me about Dawn?" Anabel asked. "I'm not upset just curious as to your reasoning for hiding that fact from me."
"I have a few that I will elaborate on." Sabrina said. "First and foremost because I didn't tell Dawn about your crush on her boyfriend when we discussed you during their stay here because of how you had helped me with my recovery. Ash remembered you and your abilities, he was impressed by them, and talked about them when I told them I'd gone to see you for my last year of control. Dawn was naturally suspicious, but I didn't confirm it because it wouldn't have been right to do so in that situation and it was the same reason why I didn't tell you, well the first one."
"And the others?" Anabel asked though she couldn't stop herself from blushing at the thought of Ash praising her abilities. "What were they?"
"Well, I also didn't think you would meet at first but that turned out to be wrong as fate doesn't work like that." Sabrina said. "And I knew Dawn would somehow end up in the Cremini Town Contest the moment you mentioned it, so I felt it best to let the meeting be natural."
"And." Anabel said her eyebrow raising again.
"And I was in Cremini to talk with you about Ash and how he made you feel." Sabrina said simply. "And to make sure that you were doing ok given your acceptance of not being able to be with him. Why would I add to it by mention a girlfriend to our talks. I had to ensure that you were good and had come to terms with your feeling for Ash and how they would likely not be acted on."
"Oh, well, thank you." Anabel said touched by Sabrina's words and that week had helped a lot in finally accepting where Ash was in her heart and how special he was to her. "It was useful. I was able to relive my feelings and know my acceptance that we wouldn't work out was right. It did make meeting Dawn easier because I had already known I couldn't be with him, seeing Dawn just confirmed it."
"How did you meet her?" Sabrina asked curious as to how the meeting had happened.
"Oh well I was just going for a walk and next thing I know I hear a few angry Beedrills." Anabel said.
"Because of course there were Beedrills involved." Sabrina said. "Put Ash near a Beedrill and he will set it off apparently."
"Oh totally." Anabel said. "And he'd pissed off 5 this time, I think it was 5 though I didn't get to count them. I was just watching and next thing I know two people ran into me, literally. We were all thrown into the lake. First time in years that happened. Only Pikachu avoided it as he saw the lake coming and sent a Thunderbolt at the Beedrills to send them away."
"Somehow that is exactly how I'd imagine your reunion with Ash playing out." Sabrina said with a laugh. "Such an Ash thing to do from what I understand. Course then you saw him for the first time in years which must have been a shock."
"Yeah, and he was the last one who fell into the lake with me as well." Anabel said with a chuckle. "The moment I saw him, it all came back, and I hugged him as we sat in the lake."
"A little forward of you." Sabrina teased. "You're usually so much more reserved."
"I was just excited to see him again and all the feelings came flooding back at the sight of him." Anabel said blushing again. "Then I met Dawn."
"That must have been tough." Sabrina said somberly. "Not the ideal first meeting."
"It was but the moment I shook her hand I felt her love for Ash, and her jealousy towards me, and knew she was his." Anabel said. "It hurt but I knew I couldn't be mad that Ash had found someone who could be with him in a way I could never be."
"That's good." Sabrina said with a smile. "Really mature of you."
"Yeah, plus I know all about Dawn's many flaws." Anabel said with a grin. "Her Piplup is very vocal, and he helped humanize her to me."
"I met him, he's adorable and got along really well with my Haunter for some reason." Sabrina said recalling the small, blue, water type starter Dawn had. "No wonder you talked to him."
"Yeah, he was thrilled that this disaster had been in water, so he wasn't hurt unlike almost every other time and got to have a nice swim." Anabel said with a chuckle. "He didn't want to get out, but I told him we had to. That was when he realized that soon I understood him he unleashed a diatribe about Dawn."
"What did he say?" Sabrina asked.
"I won't repeat it, but it was a long speech on all of Dawn's many faults." Anabel said. "I think he was happy someone was finally listening to him about all the indignities he claims to have suffered. He also mentioned how much he loves her and how protective he is of her. Their bond is tight but as a starter that is understandable. He was a character for sure."
"I can see that." Sabrina said. "I know how strong my bond with Kadabra is, so it makes sense."
"I'd say Dawn and Piplup's bond is as tight as mine is with Espeon." Anabel said. "Though Piplup also has an ego twice the size of any Pokémon I have ever met, and I've met Pokémon that compare themselves to Arceus, who Piplup swears he's faced in battle before."
"Damn." Sabrina said. "That large?"
"Yup it's impressive." Anabel said with a laugh. "Piplups are known to be prideful but Dawn's takes it to a whole new level."
"Well at least he helped alleviate the situation." Sabrina said.
"Totally, he and Dawn have a unique relationship that I loved learning about, same with her bonds with her other Pokémon." Anabel said. "After that I invited them to the cottage to dry and stay before the Contest. There was still pain but I got over it and knew I needed to talk to her so inviting them to stay was the best course of action."
"That is the wise and mature thing to do." Sabrina said. "So how did that go? The talk I mean."
"Therapeutic." Anabel said. "Dawn knew I had feelings for Ash, she saw them the moment I hugged Ash, so I was honest with her about them, and we talked it out. Really put everything on the table between us, well the carpet as we were sitting on the floor in front of the fire. I told her how I fell for Ash and how amazing I thought he was, and she did the same. We discussed a lot, it was nice. We even groomed our Espeons together. That was a surprise to learn that Dawn had one as well."
"Oh yeah Dawn's Eevee evolved into an Espeon, didn't she." Sabrina said recalling how excited she'd been when she'd seen Dawn's Espeon in the semifinals of the Grand Festival. "I met her shiny Eevee when she was here and wondered what it would evolve into. Kinda nice to see it be a psychic type given how it's my specialty and that green color is gorgeous on it."
"Oh, she's beautiful and she knows it." Anabel agreed. "She loves Dawn deeply; it is why she evolved into an Espeon as it felt the time was right one to her evolve. Mine finds her a little flashy but he's not big on style the way a coordinator's Pokémon would be."
"He is your best and does love to battle." Sabrina said. "So that makes sense."
"Yup and he got the chance to face Dawn's Espeon in battle." Anabel said. "Which I know he really wanted."
"Ah I was wondering if Dawn would have the guts to challenge you to a battle." Sabrina said. "She has a habit of battling her rivals apparently. Those get heated from what I heard. Something about throwing a Gyarados into a ceiling shows how intense they can get."
"I heard about that from Misty up on the Plateau." Anabel said. "Ours wasn't that destructive at least."
"I bet." Sabrina said as she poured herself another cup of tea and added her immoral amount of sugar to it again. "You are a lot better than Dawn when it comes to a straight battle. That is why I am still amazed she decided to battle you."
"I proposed it, but Dawn wanted it, it just felt like we needed to have it to truly become friends." Anabel said waiting for Sabrina to take a drink to add. "And then she beat me so convincingly that I had to forfeit the last battle without using a single move which gave Dawn the win. She out strategized me perfectly and exposed my flaws in the process."
Sabrina had been taking a drink of the tea, cool enough now to enjoy a fair bit of the sugary liquid, when Anabel had said that Dawn had beaten her. Her reaction was spectacular. Sabrina literally spats her tea out and right at Anabel's face when she heard what Dawn had done.
Instinct kicked in and Sabrina's eyes turned bright blue as she grabbed the hot tea before it hit a startled Anabel and stopped it in midair, along with the cup she'd dropped and the tea spilling from it with her telekinesis. It was a tremendous display of precision and subconscious power and instantly Sabrina's fear of her power kicked in as the urge to use more flooded her and she almost dropped everything then and there. However, she pushed through it and brought the tea back and into the cup before mentally putting it on the table away from her and turning off her power.
Sabrina knew that she was shaking from the effort. She was sweating and could feel the tears falling as she looked in horror at the cup to her side. She'd acted on instinct to save her friend and she would do it again in a heartbeat, but it had been a long time since she'd used that much power in one go, it took more to be precise like that. She could still feel the pull in her mind, stronger than it had been in years, begging her to use more power, reminding her of how good that had felt and that she could have it again if she wanted it, all she had to do was activate it, but she fought it and kept trembling.
"Sabrina…" Anabel said worry in her voice at the wild look of fear in Sabrina's wide, almost vacant, eyes, but a Poke Ball opening distracted her.
A second later a Haunter was in front of Sabrina pulling faces for her and distorting his features into comical configurations. Sabrina's eyes went to him and she began to calm down as she watched her strange Pokémon's behavior. Then she chuckled at one and finally started to laugh at the ridiculous faces Haunter was now pulling just for her. As she laughed the urges and desires to use her power receded to a dull throb that she could suppress for the moment without much effort.
"Thank you, Haunter." Sabrina said laughing and rubbing her eyes with a napkin and ignoring the worry she was hearing in Anabel's head; her telepathic suppression had been broken by the use of her telekinesis like that. "You always know when I need you the most."
Haunter just laughed and nodded before disappearing from sight, but Sabrina felt his presence in the room. He'd reappear if she needed him. With a last laugh she turned to see a concerned Anabel looking at her with worry in her eyes that matched what was going on in her head. That touched Sabrina and reminded her that she had friends there to help her.
"Sorry about that and scaring you." Sabrina said swallowing as she suppressed her telepathy again in part to not hear Anabel blaming herself and in part to give her some sense of control over her powers again. "I was so surprised by what you said that I overreacted and instantly corrected it without a second's thought. It has been a while since I almost lost control like that, but it was for a good reason."
"I'm sorry Sabrina, that was my fault." Anabel said. "I should have predicted something like that would have happened."
"It wasn't your fault; you couldn't have predicted how I'd have reacted." Sabrina said shaking her head. "And as soon as I realized what I'd done I got back under control and put things away but once I stopped using my powers, I knew that I had pushed it and my mind was begging for more because it does feel good to use my powers like that. Haunter and I have a link because of how he saved me and being there when I needed him in my early days of recovery. That was why he came out and helped."
"I saw." Anabel said both impressed by the power, she'd never seen Sabrina's full power and if that was just a taste, she shuddered to find out the limits of her friend's powers actually were, and remorseful for what had happened. "I'm glad he was able to help you. Still, I shouldn't have surprised you like that."
"It's ok Anabel, you had an opportunity for a great reaction and took it." Sabrina said with a sigh as she began to return to what passed as normal for her. "You're good. I just know that I need more control, recovery is a constant process. I know you're looking forward to being here with me but I'm going to have to go to a meeting tomorrow. I need one after that to clear my head a bit."
"Of course, I completely understand." Anabel said. "I still feel bad though."
"I know but don't." Sabrina said with a reassuring smile. "It's not your fault that I reacted so dramatically to what you said. Please, tell me how on earth Dawn not only beat you but made you forfeit a matchup. That doesn't happen with you. It would require a near perfect plan, a lot of luck, and likely a specific Pokémon to pull off."
"And Dawn had all three." Anabel said glad for the switch in conversation but keeping an eye on Sabrina just in case though she could feel Haunter doing the same which was a good sign. "We had an official battle, I wanted it to be such for her sake and because Scott was in town so he could ensure it. That meant that she'd win the Ability Symbol if she won and she did that in spectacular fashion."
"Yeah, I still don't get how?" Sabrina said. "I mean she's good, I know that from watching her in the Grand Festival, but in a pure battle, can Dawn really beat you?"
"She did so she can, but I don't think she'll do it again." Anabel said. "She had the right team and moves to win it, but I know her tricks now so I could counter them if we had a rematch."
"Well, you are the final Frontier Brain, so I don't doubt you'd learn from a loss like that." Sabrina said. "How did the battle go so bad for you?"
"Strategy and using Pokémon at the right times and place." Anabel said simply. "We started with our Espeons, that was an already determined given that we both had one and seen them when we had our mature fireside chat, but after that it was a surprise and Ash didn't say a thing to her about what Pokémon she would face against me."
"As it should be." Sabrina said. "So how did the battle go?"
"It started pretty normally." Anabel said remembering her battle with Dawn well. "She lost with Espeon against mine but then pulled out a Shuppet and as you know, ghost types are a problem for us."
"Yup it is the biggest bane for me these days, I have to teach my Pokémon ghost and dark type moves to counter them." Sabrina said with a nod before recalling the Grand Festival final and one of the Pokémon Dawn had used in it. "That Shuppet, it became a Banette, right?"
"It did, he evolved after he beat Espeon and that win over Espeon was the point that I lost." Anabel said surprising Sabrina. "As soon as Espeon went down, the battle was Dawn's, though neither of us knew it at the time."
"You lost with two Pokémon left?" Sabrina asked confused. "How?"
"Because that is where Dawn's plan to ensure that she faced all 3 of my Pokémon kicked in." Anabel said. "She needed to beat my Espeon with her Espeon or with Shuppet and she did so with the latter. With that she could guarantee that she'd reach my last Pokémon because her Banette knows Destiny Bond and she used it on Metagross."
"A Banette can learn that?" Sabrina asked confused. "I know it is a ghost type move but I have faced a fair few Shuppets and Banettes in my time and never seen anyone use it against me."
"Dawn and I spoke about it after the battle, and she said that Destiny Bond is an egg move for Shuppet." Anabel said. "Which means that it is inherited from its father via breeding, or well natural Pokémon relations in the wild. Based on what I was able to find out and what Dawn told me of her Banette, I believe the father was a Ghastly or one of its evolved forms as she first came across Shuppet in the Pokémon Tower out in Lavender Town."
"Ah that would do it." Sabrina said understanding. "So, what happened next. I take it you beat Banette with Metagross but because of Destiny Bond Metagross went down as well so that left you with Alakazam against…?"
"Spiritomb." Anabel said. "Dawn's secret weapon against me and the shock of my life when she sent it out."
"Oh shit." Sabrina swore as it hit her how Dawn won, she knew of Spiritombs and how bad they were for people like her and Anabel who specialized in psychic types. "That Pokémon is a ghost and dark type, the worst possible combination for specialists like us and there is no type that is super effective against it as far as I know."
"They are unbelievably rare and created by desecration or neglect of spiritual places, places that they haunt until no one goes near." Anabel said making Sabrina shudder at the description of how a Spiritomb was formed. "I'd never seen one before, let alone expected to face it in battle, and Dawn produced it then and there."
"She used it with Banette in the Grand Festival final." Sabrina said remembering the freaky pink thing Dawn had busted out to her shock in her Grand Festival final, it was so strange for her to have a Pokémon like that that Sabrina had temporarily forgotten that Dawn had one. "And I know you're Alakazam, it only knows psychic and fighting type moves so it couldn't fight it which is why you had to forfeit."
"Correct." Anabel said with a nod. "As soon as I saw it I knew I was screwed. I had to pause the battle to ask Alakazam if he could face it and he confirmed that he could not. It is why I forfeited. There was no point in fighting a battle I was guaranteed to lose."
"That is the smart thing to do." Sabrina said. "How can we deal with a Pokémon like that though? Sableye has the same combination so more likely to face but as far as I know there's nothing really good against them."
"Well, that isn't actually true anymore as the new fairy type that has been discovered, and was revealed by Ash because of course he'd be the one to do so, is but there are only two known moves that have been reclassified to that type." Anabel said reminding Sabrina of how Ash had used his Mr. Mime, a Pokémon she didn't know he had, to shock the globe in the quarterfinals. "But in that battle, we didn't know about the fairy type, only oddities surrounding it, and if I had either move, which Alakazam can learn one of, I would have thought it was a normal type attack and not used it regardless."
"I would have done the same as well." Sabrina said. "And Dawn has a Pokémon with the type combo that is ultra-strong against psychic types. I can see why you didn't expect it though. There can't be many trainers who have even seen a Spiritomb, let alone any who have caught one. Until you reminded me Dawn had one, I didn't know of any in use."
"I did some research after facing Dawn's and found out that hers is only the second in the last decade or so to be used in official battles." Anabel said surprising Sabrina that there was actually a second one out there. "I discovered that the only known Spiritomb prior to Dawn's belongs to Cynthia, the Sinnoh Champion and it's one of her top 6 Pokémon."
"That is some elite company for Dawn to be in." Sabrina said. "I saw it in action in the Grand Festival final and if I recall it was really good. I wonder what it is like to face?"
"Wouldn't know." Anabel said with a shrug. "As I said, I forfeited that match without a move. Alakazam only knows 3 psychic type moves and a fighting type move to counter dark types but Spiritomb's ghost type negates that. I had nothing that could fight a Spiritomb, so I didn't bother."
"You did the right thing and forfeited the battle and thus the match." Sabrina said, it was the right thing to do given the matchup as fighting on would have been cruel. "And Dawn won and earned an Ability Symbol from you."
"Oh, she earned it alright." Anabel said with a smile. "It was impressive. I have never forfeited as the Salon Maiden and not in a battle for years. Dawn shocked everyone multiple times during our match but sometimes that is just how it goes. She now wears the symbol in a special holder on her arm to remind her of the win just as her locket contains her Cascade Badge from an official gym battle win over Misty which occurred under similar circumstances."
"I know of that battle, Misty told me of it in great detail." Sabrina said. "Though not that Dawn keeps it in her locket. That makes sense, I guess. I did notice her new leather holder on her arm in the Grand Festival, but I didn't recognize anything in it at the time."
"Few would but one who did was Lucy, the Pike Queen of the Battle Pike." Anabel said. "She called the day after the final and said that she had seen it on Dawn's arm when her and her boyfriend watched the Grand Festival and demanded answers from me about, which I gave her even if she still refuses to tell me who her boyfriend is. I think she might seek Dawn out one day for a battle because of what I told her."
"After that story who wouldn't want to battle Dawn." Sabrina said. "She used that Spiritomb to outclass the final Kanto Frontier Brain and win the Grand Festival. If there a Pokémon to beat, that's it."
"True and I have already taken precautions if I ever get to have a rematch with Dawn or any pesky Sableyes I may face." Anabel said. "Well and Spiritombs but I was shocked that I met one that I doubt I'll face one that isn't Dawn's again."
"And those precautions are?" Sabrina asked. "I am going to need to know just in case. Us psychic specialists need to look out for each other."
"Dazzling Gleam is one of the two confirmed fairy type moves and I know that Alakazam can learn it." Anabel said with a grin. "It is super effective on Spiritomb because it is super effective on dark types and ghost types have no resistance to it. It was also how Dawn caught her Spiritomb thanks to Shuppet knowing it. I have already replaced a move with it for Alakazam."
"Interesting." Sabrina said thoughtfully. "I will have to look into it or getting a Ralts again. Mine ended up being male and wanting to be a Gallade so it is a psychic and fighting type which is fine, but I have always wanted a Gardevoir as well."
"These new fairy types have a lot of uses and some drawbacks." Anabel said. "You have a Mr. Mime though, so you have a fairy type already."
"I have looked into them a little because Mr. Mime is one but perhaps now a deep dive is in order." Sabrina said. "But that is for later. I take it that your battle with Dawn worked as you expected it to."
"Oh, it did, and it made me really respect her abilities and planning." Anabel said with a nod. "She outthought me and won with ease. She didn't know of my training mistake, but she still exploited it in the end as any good trainer should. I thank her for pointing it out and have taken measures to correct it."
"As you should." Sabrina said. "So, what happened after your battle with Dawn?"
"Right afterwards we went shopping for that leather holder she now wears so that she could proudly display her new Ability Symbol." Anabel said. "Then that night we had dinner and I confessed to Ash that I had a crush on him as he didn't get my confession earlier because it wasn't blunt enough for him. It was needed to really gave me closure on everything. Dawn is an amazing girl and Ash needs to treasure her."
"That he does." Sabrina said smiling at Anabel. "And it is good to hear that you are ok with everything between you, Ash, and Dawn. The cheerleading showed it, but I wanted the full story of how you met and became friends with Dawn to make sure you were good, which you are. That was one hell of an experience, but I wouldn't expect anything less from someone like Ash Ketchum."
"Tell me about it but yes Dawn and I are good friends now." Anabel said. "As she is with Angie, Misty, and May, the other three she's faced this year who like Ash the way she and I do. It was her idea to get us together to cheer for him knowing we would and as a way to show that we were all friends despite our feelings. Iris, the girl in brown who doesn't have a crush on Ash but helped point his on Dawn out to him, joined for fun and made Cilan do it as well as the pair of them had traveled with Ash in Unova."
"Ah that explains who everyone is and why they did it." Sabrina said with a nod. "May, she was a travel companion with him in Hoenn and his time on the Kanto Battle Frontier if I recall what I've been told about his adventures. Which one was she?"
"The brunette in the red outfit that was a little small in the, er, bust." Anabel said remembering how May had protested when she'd put the top on and realized it was a shade snug. "Dawn made them based on what she'd eyeballed and was a little off on May's chest size."
"They did look impressive." Serena admitted. "Ok so Angie was the green one then."
"Correct, she met Ash in Sinnoh at a camp and they formed a rivalry right off the bat." Anabel said. "Then he saved her life while risking his own as well and she fell for him because of that."
"Well, I guess I'll have to see if I can meet them one day and help them out if they need." Sabrina said surprising Anabel. "What? I've had a few chats with Misty about this as well as you so I feel like I could help given how different you and Misty were when it came to your reactions. Love can play with the head and while you're clearly ok, some might not be and if there is anyone here who knows what problems can arise from mental corruption it's me. It's a dark path that I wouldn't want anyone to walk down."
"That is true, and you helped me a lot." Anabel said. "I don't think I could have handled meeting Dawn as well as I did had you not allowed me the chance to talk about Ash again and really get that first step to full closure on my unrequited feelings for him. Knowing his wandering found him his love proves I made the right decision not to pursue him and force him to decide to stay if he liked me back."
"When you put it like that, that is a mature and noble thing you did." Sabrina said surprised by Anabel's rationalization. "And it can help you move on."
"Yeah, that's probably not happening." Anabel said shaking her head. "Seeing Ash again and become part of his life going forward has made me realize that I am probably in love with him. Add in that no one else has made me feel the way I feel around Ash and I am at peace knowing that I may never find someone. The Maiden title may be more than just about my youth."
"I didn't expect that." Sabrina said processing what Anabel was saying. "You are still young; how can you be certain? Misty I understand because of how deep her love for Ash runs but she traveled with him for 3 years, you didn't."
"It is how I feel, I can't explain it really." Anabel admitted. "It may have something to do with my empathy and how I feel emotions in a different way to normal people, but I don't really know. The others may be different, and you will get a chance to talk to them if you accept Dawn's invite to Ash's party as both May and Angie will be there. That is another reason why I am here. Dawn wants you there because you guys got on when they were in Saffron and you couldn't make the Grand Festival or Indigo Conference because of your telepathy so she really wants you at the party. I am here to make sure that you come."
"Oh that, yeah I was going to be there regardless as soon as I got the invitation." Sabrina said with a smile. "I couldn't make the tournaments, because as you pointed out, I can't handle crowds without a seizure, so I was going to go to this. You coming here was just a bonus and we can have a great time in Saffron until it is time to go and go to it together. I'll keep an eye out for May and Angie while there."
"Focus on May if you are going to do that." Anabel said. "Angie is staying in Kanto to challenge the gyms here, she told us when we were hanging out on the Plateau because Misty is a gym leader and she's already headed to Pewter City to face Forrest. You will get your chance with her when she shows up for a battle with you. May is joining Ash and Dawn in Kalos as she and Dawn are helping out with the inaugural Contest season there while Ash does his usual thing of facing gyms and trying to win a League Conference. This will be your best chance to speak to May."
"Alright I will reach out to May first when there is a moment." Sabrina said with a nod before her stomach rumbled. "But I think that is enough serious talk for now. It is almost dinner time and you know how much my mom loves you when you come around so please join us for family dinner and then we can have a chill night in."
"Sounds great." Anabel said with a smile as Sabrina got up. "And again, thank you Sabrina, for all you have done."
"I am just looking out for a friend; you'd do the same for me." Sabrina said and Anabel nodded in agreement before they headed out of the play room, Sabrina carrying the tray while Anabel got the door for her.
It had been a good and productive chat, other than the moment with the tea that is but Sabrina was going to a meeting tomorrow to talk about it with people who'd understand and up her training this week with Anabel to avoid a slip up like that again. Other than that, though, the talk had been great and surprising, and Sabrina was happy for how well Anabel was doing since meeting Dawn.
She couldn't wait for the next few weeks together with one of her closest friends in Saffron City before they headed to Pallet Town for Ash's party and a chance to get an update from Misty and see Ash and Dawn again before they headed out on another adventure. It was also a chance to help out another girl in May and Sabrina was now on a mission to help out all of the girls who'd lost Ash to Dawn, so long as she met them, as a way to make sure they were ok and still able to be friends with Ash because she knew he was important to them.
She'd already helped two, Sabrina wondered how many she'd end up helping in the end. Regardless, she'd help them all if they wanted it. She owed Ash so much for what he'd done to help her that making sure that his legendary density didn't ruin great friendships and these girls didn't fall down a dark path was the least she could do for him.
That could be bad, and Sabrina would do everything in her power to ensure that no one fell to the darkness like she did but those were concerns for when she met the other girls. For now, she was going to enjoy a nice family dinner with Anabel glad that her friend was in a good place. That was the last thing Sabrina thought about as they joined her parents and sat down for dinner.
That concludes Anabel's three parts in Problems with a nice update, some banter, and one of the more serious moments as Sabrina had a little slip up but thankfully she is ok. There will be other serious moments but I doubt any will be like that one. Anyway, as y'all can probably guess, the next chapter will be the first May chapter and is the last one that is currently drafted as it is the last one set before Ash, Dawn, May, and Max all go to Kalos. After the next chapter, all subsequent chapters will be released around when they would actually occur during the main timeline so updates will be more sporadic similar to how Luck was written and they will continue through Hearts 5 as the events from Problems are rather spread out. That is all I have for now and given the content all I will do is ask that if you want to read more that you favorite or follow it and let me know what you think of it in your reviews or PMs to me. Until next time.
Stringdog