Chapter 7: New Allies and New Questions
Welcome back to another chapter of The Other Trainers of Pallet! I'm so excited to see how everyone responded to the last chapter, specifically the big finale. I love dinosaurs so it was my favorite part to write. Also thank you to everyone who commented or voted in regards to Togepi. Hopefully you are happy with the outcome.
Not much to say other than thanks again for all your support. Now on with the reviews!
NibberWithAHardR- Not totally sure what you mean by this. Dory used Dragon Rage, not Hyper Beam.
Uberzilla- Great suggestions for Loki, and yes I know it was an obvious name, but I liked it. Kind of what I was planning for his future. I do have a few ideas for team mates and yours aren't bad.
Enormtpucko- Thanks so much for saying so! Appreciate your kind praise J
Aselo- Maybe that's the point? Such is a growing mystery…
Renegadestarforce- Really? That's great and hope you did well on the exams! Yeah, I'm trying to encompass the world of pokemon to make it feel a bit more real so remembering those exist is a must.
XXX
"A Pokémon egg? In Grandpa Canyon?" Came the baffled voice of Professor Oak from David's Xtransceiver. He had been calling the professor nonstop after discovering the Pokémon egg beneath a small pile of rocks in the middle of nowhere.
To be fair, it was Thalia who actually discovered it, something she would be holding over Deku's head for a long time to come if her current attitude was any indication. David felt a little sorry for his starter, but maybe this would get him to start trusting Thalia more.
All of his Pokémon were currently off to the side while David talked with Professor Oak after investigating the new object. In his lap sat the warm shelled egg. His fingers gently traced the white exterior, noting how smooth and fragile it was.
After bringing it back to their camp, David gave the egg a cursory checkup using the limited skills taught to him by his mentor. Pokémon eggs were notably durable, but nowhere near as much as actual Pokémon and if anything happened to the egg, it could cause serious problems for the newborn.
The last thing he wanted to find was a major crack threatening the unborn baby's health and safety.
There didn't appear to be any damage to the shell that would indicate trauma. David let out a sigh of relief after confirming, which left him nothing to do other than decide on the egg's future as he waited for Professor Oak to pick up the phone.
He knew from the moment he'd laid eyes on it that this was the Togepi egg Ash would have discovered, should have discovered, upon reaching Grandpa Canyon.
"Yes, buried under some rubble. I think it might have been trapped by the seismic activity or something," David explained, leaving out the cause of said recent activity. Professor Oak hummed in agreement.
"I suppose it's possible. Togetic and Togekiss, the evolved forms of Togepi, can fly and often build their nests high on cliff sides or in trees to protect them from predators. They are quite rare, so even just an egg would be considered highly valuable. Such a tragic fate for it to be separated from its family. Arceus only knows what might have happened to it if you hadn't come along first."
"Yeah, who knows…" David trailed. He knew exactly what would, should, have happened. The egg would have rested comfortably under the stone until Ash and his trio of bumbling stalkers woke up the fossil Pokémon they'd narrowly escaped, creating a major incident that nearly ruined Bill and the League's cover up.
Some good to come out of the insanity was that Ash's Charmeleon would evolve into its final form and Ash would find the egg.
That egg would then hatch into a Togepi who would form a strong bond with Misty and go on to travel with the gang for years to come. Years of being a cute traveling companion that constantly got lost and was in need of rescue.
At least that's what might have happened. For all David knew, his actions underground could have moved the egg from its original spot, leaving it trapped and hidden from all until either it hatched or… something worse.
In all honesty, David thought Misty always treated Togepi like a baby. Too much of a baby would probably be a better description as in the beginning it was a newborn child, but Pokémon developed much faster than humans, especially when raised in the right environment.
It's how they survived in the wild. Loki couldn't be much older than a couple months, maybe close to a year, and he was already tough enough to battle, if not experienced enough.
Even Ash's Phanphy began battling shortly after hatching and it was even younger than Togepi, but spike ball Pokémon never got to that level. It was coddled and kept to the sidelines, any potential within it wasted.
"So what do you plan to do with it?" Oak's question broke David out of his stupor. "You could choose to leave it and hope the parent's return, but honestly I think that is very unlikely. You could also drop it off at the next Pokémon Center you visit. Nurse Joy would be more than happy to take it off your hands."
"I was… thinking about keeping it," David answered softly, but honest. Oak nodded along with a knowing smile.
"I had a feeling you'd say that. Caring for a Pokémon egg is a big responsibility as is caring for any Pokémon, but I think you are more than able to handle the task."
"Anything I should know now?"
"I'll send you more specifics later today. Right now you should simply keep the egg warm and secure. Do that and the Pokémon within should hatch in no time. Talking to it also helps or so I've been told. I'd also recommend picking up some incubation equipment in the next city. You are near Saffron, correct?"
"Uh, yeah. I am," David replied with a moment's hesitation. "But I'm actually closer to Neon Town."
"Then that should be your next stop," Oak determined. "Though I'm less than thrilled to have you near that… industrious location. I'd rather you skip it entirely and head to Saffron, but I prefer to be on the cautious side when caring for a Pokémon egg. Elm would never let me hear the end of it if I recommended anything less and we don't want to risk an accident?"
David nodded, fully agreeing with the professor's point. He hadn't actually heard much about Neon Town other than it was loud and overcrowded, but it had to be better than what he expected from Saffron. Their conversation ended there after a few pleasant goodbyes and a promise to check in soon.
The pink eyed trainer stared down at the egg in his lap. Doing this would certainly change a few things, but David felt it wouldn't matter in the long run. Besides, this was his life and his choice. Togepi would be well cared for by him and his family and have the opportunity to really grow under his watch.
A vine snaked its way over David's shoulder and he turned to find all his Pokémon looking at him. Thalia and Loki were at his sides with Deku while Spirt and Dory loomed overhead.
"Hey everyone," he greeted quietly before turning to face the group. None were really looking at him. All eyes were focused on the egg resting in his grip. "Say hello to our newest family member."
The reactions were instantaneous. Spirit raised his head with a loud whinny and Dory rolled side to side instead of flopping around as she would have used to. David was just thankful she hadn't tried to nuzzle them and risk crushing both him and the egg.
Deku allowed his vines to lightly trace the shell while Thalia and Loki sniffed it with their heightened sense of smell. All three of the smaller Pokémon smiled and cheered, a rare moment where Thalia and Deku were on the same page.
In that moment David felt he had nothing to worry about. His team would be there to help him no matter what challenges his decision brought upon them.
They finished eating their meals with David tucking the egg in a throne of blankets to keep it safe while they ate. He contemplated the best way to travel with it and ultimately decided to go on foot.
The egg wouldn't be secure in his bag, no matter how much room there was given the physics defying nature of the Silph Co item. It's how he carried all his supplies at once, including Spirit's saddle when it wasn't hooked up. Placing the egg in there was asking for something bad to happen.
He couldn't carry it while riding his Ponyta either. All that motion and jostling would make it easy for the egg to slip from his grasp. Even riding as Spirit walked put the egg in danger.
No, walking was his safest bet. Once he got the incubator, they could revisit other traveling options.
It took David only an hour before he began to regret this decision. His legs were burning and he'd taken multiple breaks to cool off beneath the shade cast by large rocks, yet there was still an endless path to follow. His Pokémon all took turns walking alongside him, but each one quickly grew weary under the sun's heat and needed a break. Even Deku, who thrived in sunlight, eventually grew uncomfortable.
Thalia had tried sitting on David's head to avoid the warmed stone path, but ended up tiring even quicker due to the rays from above.
Spirit tried several times to offer a ride, but David remained strong and carried on, distracting himself by taking Oak's advice and talking to the unhatched egg until finally emerging at the edge of Neon Town after another two hours of walking. He was just thankful to have ridden Spirit the majority of the way beforehand.
While a welcomed change from the dry atmosphere of Grandpa Canyon, the cooler area had its own share of problems. David knew Neon Town was a noisy place, but didn't expect the constant blare he ended up encountering. The town was a busy nightmare with twenty four hour casinos on every block and local business taking advantage of locals and tourists alike.
They weren't all ages casinos either like the famous one in Celadon and David wasn't allowed in any, even to ask for directions. It was no wonder the people here never slept. How could they with all this activity?
His ears were still ringing by the time he located the Pokémon Center.
David dropped his Pokémon off for a quick check up and asked Nurse Joy about purchasing some equipment to care for a Pokémon egg.
The Neon Town Joy wasn't as irritable as the other townsfolk, probably because not many trainers traveled through her territory so the chance to rest came to her a tad more often. His Pokémon were mostly left in the care of the resident Chansey while his egg was seen by Nurse Joy personally.
The examinations took another two hours with Dory and the egg being held longest. The former was due to her massive size so Nurse Joy had to adjust her usual process.
David didn't dare leave the Center out of fear of being accosted in the street without his Pokémon to come to his defense. It was also the safest place to escape the noise, at least to a degree.
"There we are. You're Pokémon are all in fine health." David smiled as the pink haired nurse returned his five pokeballs and egg, now contained inside a cylindrical container.
"Thank you Nurse Joy. How was my egg?"
"Your egg is in perfect condition," she replied in a cherry mood all her family seemed to share. "I ran a few extra tests given what you told me regarding its discovery and I am happy to report there are no signs of any lingering issues."
David let out a sigh of relief.
"That being said, I'd suggest keeping an eye on the Togepi after it hatches. Eggs born in the wild are less predictable than those in captivity, so we can still miss things no matter how thorough I am. Keeping the egg primarily in this case will prevent any future problems however. It's secure enough to put in your bag and strong enough to handle a Ryhorn stepping on it."
David thanked Nurse Joy once more before carefully placing his newly incubated egg into the bag. Half an hour later he was on the road again and left Neon Town as far in the distance as his, then Spirit's, legs could manage.
XXX
With their great underground adventure behind them, David found the journey became much more mundane. For a little over a week he walked and rode onwards towards Saffron City with nothing much out of the ordinary occurring.
A few trainer battles here and there, but nothing that pushed him or his Pokémon to their limits.
Training proceeded as usual with Loki in particular growing stronger every day. The younger Pokémon learned quick thanks to the support of this team and improved even faster than the others had when they were just starting out.
It was clear he wanted to be just like them given how invested he became during any of their battles. By the time they reached Celadon and their next gym battle it would be time to push his training to the next level and start teaching him something new.
Loki walked alongside David as Saffron City came into view down and through the treeline a couple miles out. All of David's other Pokémon had been returned for the time being so as not to draw attention as they approached the city limits.
David had no plans of crossing that line for the time being. His plan was to simply avoid Saffron all together, skirting as close as possible to cut down on travel time without stepping one foot into Sabrina's territory.
It took him some time to successfully map out the exact boundaries of Saffron City, trying to switch between a map and the actual terrain. If he stayed just outside the city limits, the psychic gym leader wouldn't be able to pick up on him or his unnatural thoughts as it was said she could "hear" everything happening within her range.
At least, that's what he hoped.
With what David knew from his non-memories, he believed it. Having Loki out was another precaution David put into place. Dark type Pokémon had a natural advantage against psychic types.
Psychic Pokémon gained their immense power through manipulating natural energies that not only exist within their bodies more commonly than others, but also within the world itself. No one is exactly sure where this supernatural energy came from, but wherever it originated it appeared to empower psychic type Pokémon in ways beyond that of any other type.
While other Pokémon could gain bursts of power under the right conditions or hard training, psychic Pokémon were uniquely able to wield this energy as if it were their natural right, increasing their strength based on honing the connection.
It was the reason why psychic Pokémon were considered one of the most powerful types and possessed so many abilities and varied uses.
Other Pokémon could unlock these powers too, but often never to the same true extent of a natural born psychic. The same was said for humans, which is why psychics like Sabrina existed in the first place.
The only three exceptions and threats to a psychic's power came in the form of Bug, Ghost, and Dark type Pokémon. Ghost Pokémon were from another realm entirely, so it made perfect sense that psychics wouldn't be able to affect them as easily as those born of this world.
Dark types were of a similar nature. Their bodies were born here, but as psychic Pokémon naturally absorbed this supernatural energy, dark types naturally shunned it, which made Loki's use of Extrasensory all the more impressive.
Bugs were an odd weakness, but it turned out the energy produced by bug type attacks was also able to disrupt psychics. David theorized it was because most bug Pokémon often shared a single, hive mindset that only diminished when separated from their swarm or under the command of a trainer. This made it hard for psychics to influence them.
As for ghosts and dark type Pokémon, they didn't just disrupt, but could completely shield themselves from the view of psychic Pokémon. That didn't mean they literally stopped existing, though some ghosts could do that for a laugh. What it did mean was that Pokémon relying on psychic energies to pinpoint their target would have trouble doing so for a ghost or dark type.
This is why Loki was out now. Small as he was, David hoped the little dark type could hide him from the psychic gaze of anyone peering out from Saffron. The Zorua took Thalia's usual place on David's head as they teetered near the edge of the city, starting the long trek around instead of through.
Everything was going well and after making it nearly a quarter way around the city, David felt they were in the clear. As if only to prove David wrong, the moment he thought so is when someone unexpected approached.
Approached was not the right word as the individuals didn't so much as walk up to David, but appeared out of thin air. The only warning to their arrival was a minor distortion in the air accompanied by a bright flash of light blue energy.
Now standing before David were two men dressed in lab coats similar to what he'd seen Professor Oak wear. Both wore hospital masks and stared down at him with the same piercing gaze. It was clear they had come with a purpose.
Behind them was a single Pokémon, a tiny Abra. It sat on the ground, snoozing the day away, but David knew this was just a deception. Even in their sleep, the Abra line was dangerous despite their cute look.
"Are you the one they call David Amara?" The brown haired man asked. David tensed as Loki jumped in between him and the two strangers. His cute growl did little to fix things.
"Who's asking?" David replied, not willing to give himself up, though he guessed they were only asking to be polite. Internally he was desperately looking for a way out of this potential mess.
Clearly these were Sabrina's people. He didn't know what she might want with him, but if his non-memories were correct, then it probably wasn't anything good, especially if she picked up on the secrets swirling in his head.
"Our lady wishes to have words with you," the other man in glasses answered, confirming David's fears. "She sensed your presence and desires an audience at once. You should feel honored. Not many are granted such the privilege to converse with the great Sabrina. Even fewer than the number of challenges that have managed to defeat her in battle."
"Honored is not the word I'd use," David snarked, knowing it wouldn't help his case. He didn't like being caught by surprise, nor unprepared after all his carefully laid plans fell to pieces.
"Lady Sabrina made her instructions very clear. I'd suggest you come along with us now if you wish for this to be over with sooner rather than later. I promise no harm will come to you or your Pokémon. You have my word."
"And what about Sabrina's word?" David asked and the brown haired man didn't respond.
"I sense you believe us to have dangerous intentions," Glasses spoke again. "Believe me, if we wished to harm you, we could have easily done so by now, even with your pathetic excuse for an abominable guardian."
Loki snarled at the insult and David was a hairs breath from joining him. Before he could do something admittedly stupid, however, the brown haired accomplice stepped forth.
"Enough of this. Why must you provoke everyone outside the gym Jayce?"
"Because I can't fathom a reason why our lady would waste her time on this runt," the other replied as if it were obvious. "Only those with a talent for the mystic arts or a battle prowess equal to our leader should be given the right. You know this Izac."
"So you're just jealous about not being teacher's favorite?" David was satisfied to see the man grow red in anger. He didn't get to respond as the other man, Izac, spoke first.
"We only ask that you please accompany us back to the gym, nothing more. If you wish to ignore us and leave you are free to do so, but I ask you to reconsider. You are taking on the gym challenge correct?" At David's curt nod, he continued, "then you can agree that declining our invitation now is only a temporary measure, unless you plan to be one of the many half-baked trainers that earn their way into the League defeating lesser gyms."
David didn't know if this guy was using some psychic mind games or just knew how to read people, but his assumption was right on the mark. Trying to play on his pride was a nice touch he had to admit.
"What exactly does your lady want with me?" David asked in a more accommodating manner. If this was going to happen one way or another, he might as well try to use his words rather than jump to violence. "Or is it not your place to question her will?"
"Lady Sabrina simply wishes to speak with you. Despite the great power she wields, she is not one to cause unnecessary harm to those that have not crossed her."
The lingering implication was clear and it made David truly question his options. If what they say is true, then maybe Sabrina is more tame than her non-memory counterpart. He'd seen other versions of her that came off much less intense.
It would also make sense considering she was a gym leader, which while a privileged position, still placed her under a high level of scrutiny. Turning trainers into dolls and kidnapping them definitely broke a few laws that the League wouldn't overlook to protect their image.
A defiant part of him still wanted to say no and fight his way out, but David had to admit that wasn't a good plan. He had no idea how powerful these two could be. Even if they were push overs, simple messengers doing their master's bidding, the fact they found him here meant Sabrina must know his location too.
Fighting might only bring her and her wrath to him faster rather than the other way around. Loki pawed at David's pants leg and shot him a questioning look.
"Alright," David relented after a moments thought. "Let's go see the great Sabrina."
"Watch your tongue you insolent…" Jayce wanted to say more, but Izac silenced him with a glare. Instead of telling his partner off or offering instructions, Izac began walking back towards the city with the Abra bobbing after him. Jayce sent David one more glare before following along.
"Come along David Amara," he called back. "We don't want to keep our lady waiting long."
"Wait, aren't we going to teleport or something?" David asked incredulously. Izac glanced back and even with his mask on, David could tell he was smiling.
"Teleportation can be disorienting for first time users. We'd rather have you cognizant enough to hold a conversation than puking your guts out in a bucket."
David stared at the man, unable to tell if he was joking before chasing them down with Loki nipping at their heels.
XXX
Their trip through the city was a quiet one as no one uttered a word. The only action on any of their parts was the obvious looks of distain Jayce sent David's way, not that he was paying any attention as the sounds of the city welcomed them.
Horns blared, people shouted, Pokémon made all kinds of cries, and those were only a few of the noises reaching David's ears.
What did make him a bit woozy was the mixed city scents of freshly cooked meals and noxious smoke that filled the otherwise sun filled air. Perhaps he'd been away from civilization for too long and grown soft.
Loki wasn't a big fan of the crowded city either and quickly retreated into David's shirt for safety.
The trio escaped the busiest sections of Saffron's commercial districts and finally arrived at the gym. It sat near the edge of the city that was far more open than the majority. Vast areas filled with greenery and people enjoying time outdoors.
There were a lot more Pokémon here too, not just city dwelling ones like the stray Meowth or Murkrow. Small flocks of Pidgey ate worms and Pokémon food thrown by elderly citizens and groups of Growlithe puppies chased after each other on the grass. David caught an Aipom entertaining a bunch of small children on a large playground set.
Not exactly the aesthetics one would expect to surround the gym ruled by an all-powerful psychic.
The gym itself was also very plain, even more than Surge's, which had a cool lightning bolt for a sign and the added extra of Surge as its leader. If he didn't know better, David might have mistaken it for a place of worship. The building down the street looked much more like an official gym should, thought more in the sense of an actual gym for working out than training Pokémon.
Inside the gym was even worse. After entering with heavy steps, David felt the temperature around him drop a considerable degree. It was similar to his experience in Lavender Town, but there he knew the ghosts didn't actually want to harm anyone.
Lamp fixtures lined the white tiled halls as David was led by the two psychic followers. Everything was too clean and even, coming off as unnaturally perfect. As they walked their footsteps echoed as the trio passed by several rooms full of people, but David didn't think it wise to stop and break away from his guides.
Loki, however, let curiosity get the better of him and jumped from his trainer's arms and scratched at one of the doors with a frustrated whine.
David was quick to snatch his dark type back and hug him tight. He didn't want to know what might happen if his Pokémon managed to escape and cause any sort of mischief. The momentary pause provide him the opportunity to peek inside the nearest room.
There was a classroom full of people young and old, some wearing similar outfits to Jayce and Izac while others dressed in causal gear. All of them were focused on a woman at the front of the room lecturing them about something he couldn't hear through the door between them.
He caught sight of a spoon in her hand before his shoulder was yanked away by an irritated looking Jayce.
"Didn't we tell you to stay in line?" He asked in a much more aggressive tone than needed.
"What's going on in there?" David voiced, ignoring the man's question. Despite whatever worries plagued him, he couldn't deny his interest in learning the gym's secrets.
"That's none of your business," Jayce answered as he tried to pull David rather forcefully. Loki didn't appreciate the larger human's actions and proceeded to sink his tiny fangs into Jayce's hand, causing him to let go with a yelp.
Jayce growled not unlike a wild Granbull while Loki stuck out his tongue in victory.
"Stop it both of you," Izac's raised voice echoed above their argument. "You are wasting valuable time. Jayce, stop antagonizing out guest and David, please return your Pokémon to its ball."
"Fine," Jayce grumbled out, refusing to meet Izac's stare.
"Sorry about him," David said with more sincerity as he complied. Jayce's hostile attitude aside, it wasn't right to stoop to his level. Neither had given David any reason to believe he was in serious danger, yet. "We got a little distracted."
"I can see that, but please try to keep up. It wouldn't do well for you to get lost in this place."
"So what is going on in there?" David asked again, unable to contain himself. Unlike Jayce, Izac was more than willing to answer.
"Lady Sabrina offers her gym not just to Pokémon trainers looking to test their skills, but to psychics such as herself looking to hone their unique abilities. Many wishing to specialize in psychic type Pokémon or simply learn to control their natural gifts come here to attend classes and practice in a safe environment, all under our leader's watch."
"So Sabrina teaches other people to use psychic powers?" That didn't sound like the girl obsessed with her own strength. David's initial qualms were quickly fading, though not entirely.
"No. While Sabrina does offer her help periodically, she is far too busy under the weight of her own duties as gym leader and Saffron City's protector. What she has done is made it possible for those much like herself to study and learn of their power without fear of rejection."
"Who would you be rejected by?"
"There are many that find people with abilities such as ours to be unnatural," Izac said with a waver in his voice. "Not just humans with psychic powers, but several other phenomenon exist where humans demonstrate skills more akin to Pokémon and that scares some."
"That's just stupid," David said immediately, ignoring Jayce's huff. "People shouldn't be afraid of something just because they don't understand it."
"And yet that's how much of the world is," Izac lamented. "It is a trait many share whether they are aware of it or not, but while humanity is capable of many wonderous things, we can all fall victim to our baser instincts. Sabrina has helped protect many here and continues to encourage others to join. Her power is enough to keep even the most vocal objectors quiet."
Izac's sentiments made David frown. He hadn't heard anything about people with powers facing persecution. Their world was already filled with magical creatures that could bend space and time to their will, breath fire and create massive storms that spanned continents.
While some of these feats were thought as nothing more than legend, no one ever expressed a negative view of the Pokémon responsible.
Why were humans that slightly differed from the norm such a problem then? Thinking on it further, David felt a bubble of guilt in his stomach as he recalled all of his own thoughts towards Sabrina. Sure, he had more information than most thanks to his non-memories and so far they'd proven very accurate regarding other things, but that didn't make them infallible either.
Instead of even trying to learn or seek out answers, he had been easily willing to believe the worst of Sabrina based on rumors and memories not his own without trying to discover the truth until now, when it was practically forced upon him.
"We're here." David's head popped up and found Jayce and Izac stopped before a large ornate door. "Lady Sabrina will see you now."
"Good luck. You're going to need it." Without another word, both departed before David could ask a single question. They vanished around the corridor bend and all was quiet, as if they were never there to begin with.
David thought about chasing after them, but knew it would just be him delaying the inevitable. He was here, so he might as well face Sabrina head on and see what came next. A dense gulp accompanied his hand as it knocked thrice against the metal door frame. On the third bang, a mechanical cranking shook to life and made David jump.
The single body split apart as the door opened with slow, monotonous cranks. When both sides came to a halt, David was greeted by a mostly empty room. The majority was taken up by a battle field, one made of simple dirt and not much else to make it stand out compared to other gyms.
There was a small row of stands where an audience might sit, though David doubted anyone ever came to observe Sabrina's matches. At the far end of the field was a set of stairs that led to a podium that housed a decorated chair with red lining.
In that chair sat Sabrina, leader of the Saffron gym and the world's most powerful human psychic.
She was far more beautiful than David expected, even after seeing her in his non-memories. Her pale skin glowed under the gym's florescent lighting and her silk green hair folded elegantly over her shoulders. Her eyes ruined that image or possibly added to it as they held a dangerous energy that could make the most powerful Pokémon hesitate.
Those green eyes were now locked with David's pink and he did his best to meet her gaze. He managed to avoid looking away, though just barely. His efforts failed when Sabrina suddenly stood up, rising to her full surprisingly tall height.
"Welcome David Amara to the Saffron City gym," she greeted in a cold voice that held little emotion. "I've been expecting you." Said trainer's legs locked up and he found himself unable to step any closer. Whether this was Sabrina's psychic powers or his own nerves David couldn't tell.
He definitely knew she was using them when her body rose off the ground and hovered across the field much like the Abra from earlier. She landed a few feet away from the stunned David.
Sabrina kept on staring with those powerful green eyes, her lips creased into a thin line. Just as David found the courage in him to speak up, Sabrina did the unthinkable.
She smiled.
"Am I coming on a little strong? Sorry, it can be hard turn it off once I get going." Her admission was accompanied by a full range of human emotions from teasing to embarrassed that judging from her entrance did not normally have any place here.
"What?" It was the only thing David thought to say after seeing the intimidating persona of Sabrina crumble away, her blank look softening into a sincere grin.
"Am I not what you were expecting, not all doom and gloom and an actual person?" She asked with arms open wide. Seeing his uneasy expression shift, she added, "I don't have to be psychic to tell what you're thinking."
"Why did you bring me here?" David forced out. His mind was still playing catch up to what his eyes were telling it.
"I think you already know the answer to that. You and I have more in common than you know." Sabrina began walking back towards her stand. Instinctively David followed. What the hell did that mean?
"What the hell does that mean?" He practically demanded. His voice was raised as was his confusion. Did she already know about him and his visions? How was that possible if they'd never met?
"No, we haven't met before," she answered his unasked question. Her head shifted and Sabrina sent an apologetic look. "Whoops was that a private thought? Sorry, you were just projecting so loudly."
"Then how do you know about me?" David asked again.
"Because you and I are two of a kind. People not of this world with knowledge that goes beyond any one lifetime of experience."
"Wait, so you're…"
"Gifted with memories of another world? Yes, I dare say that I am." To say David was floored would be an understatement. His palms were sweaty and throat tight as Sabrina sat down in her chair. "I can't honestly remember much about my previous life or if I ever had one. All the other memories came flooding back in when I or Sabrina turned about six."
"The same thing happened to me!"
The conversation David had been dreading actually turned into one he was desperately eager to have. Sabrina was nothing like his non-memories portrayed her as because this wasn't the same Sabrina at all. She was just like him!
Both began sharing the stories of their lives before and after gaining their newfound knowledge.
Before her "awakening", Sabrina remembered being just like the Sabrina he expected. Cold, unfeeling, and focused only on growing her powers. Her parents were at their wits end and even her father, who also possessed similar abilities, had no clue how to handle her as she quickly eclipsed him.
He had taken over the position of gym leader a year before, earning the title from the previous fighting type dojo that once held the role through right of conquest after the family moved from Unova and ran afoul with the old leader.
Apparently he was one of those prejudice people and attempted to run them out of town, only to lose everything instead. It was the only time in recent history an original pillar of Kanto had changed leadership under this ancient rule.
They considered it a miracle when she seemingly changed overnight, opening up into a young girl that had the capacity to feel like everyone else. Since then, she was just a normal girl with an abnormal level of psychic potential.
From there her skills as a psychic and trainer grew with her learning everything and more from her father until he eventually passed over the title of gym leader to her after her starter evolved all the way to an Alakazam. Both had to deal with the occasional challenge from the fighting dojo in vain attempts to reclaim their lost honor, but if Sabrina's father was strong, she was untouchable by comparison.
"It truly was a shock to wake up in a world I recognized as both real and fictional at the same time, though I suppose there were definitely worse places to end up. Being a powerful psychic didn't hurt either."
"I can imagine. Having all that extra info crammed into your head really hurts sometimes."
David let out a laugh as he drank from the glass Sabrina's attendants had brought during their talk. He had also shared some bits and pieces from his journey, confirming key elements of their world Sabrina hadn't known beforehand despite her own visions and psychic power.
Currently they sat in a room adjacent to the gym floor, hidden behind her throne. Any sense of hostility David had picked up on before was replaced by an overwhelming comradery, especially when the subject of Ash came up.
"So you did try to make them your toys?" David repeated gapping, making Sabrina laugh. She crossed her legs and sent him a proud look.
"Well I don't want to completely ruin the kid's adventure," she reasoned. "I usually put on that creepy psychic queen act against jerky challengers and when it helps keep Saffron safe. Most people think I'm some vindictive monster that could appear at any time anywhere."
"You shouldn't have to do that to keep the peace," David argued, but Sabrina shrugged in response.
"When you're my age David, you'll understand that sometimes it doesn't matter what's fair or not. Based on what you've already told me you have a good idea of that concept already."
David didn't have an answer, at least not a good one, so he opted to nod.
"Do you plan on letting him win because he makes you laugh?" Came his obvious attempt to shift topics.
"Possibly," she continued without fighting the change. "I know you said you're trying to help him, but based on what I saw Ash isn't ready to take me on in a serious match. I may play up the act, but I never use my psychic powers to battle unless it's life or death. He lost to my Kadabra because he came at me without a real plan and I expect the same with Haunter, but I don't want to mess with things too much."
"But you don't have to let Ash win just to keep him happy," David said, a little indignant that Ash would get special treatment for being the "protagonist". "I made that same mistake being too passive and it cost us greatly."
"It's worked out well so far given how you've handled things." Sabrina's words made David's head snap back. "I mean you've been filling your role just like I have."
"What do you mean filling my role?"
"I mean based on what you've told me you've been taking care of Team Rocket in all the key places. The St. Anne, Lavender, and I assume Celadon's game corner is next right?"
"I thought you weren't reading my mind?" David growled and Sabrina blinked owlishly.
"I'm not. I'm simply thinking about the events that we both know are destined to have and will occur. I'm fulfilling my place as Sabrina and you are filling the role…"
"As Red? Do I look like some silent color based hero to you?" David jolted up from his seat, slamming his hands on the table. "Destiny isn't making me do anything. I chose to help where I could and it definitely isn't as easy as those visions make it look."
"Apologies," Sabrina offered in a calm manner. "I didn't mean to offend you. Perhaps I worded things poorly. You are not this Red and I have no knowledge of who you were in this world before these memories plagued us both. I simply meant that you are doing well to act during these moments, as someone should, instead of allowing them to take place. Call it destiny, call it luck, but the fact is you are taking the role on purposefully or not."
"Well it's hard not to when information keeps popping up wherever I go. Kind of makes it hard to ignore imminent disasters on the horizon."
Now it was Sabrina's turn to look confused.
"Wait a moment, what do you mean pop up? Are you saying you've been gaining new information?"
"I, yes, don't you?" Sabrina abruptly stood up and rounded the table. Her intense aura was back and this time David could tell it was no act.
"No David, I don't. When my memories surfaced, they were finite. I learned about how our world is perceived across the multiverse and limited amounts of my own role with snippets of a life lived by myself or someone else in a different reality all together. I haven't gained anything new regarding our current world except for my own experiences. Are you telling me that you can call upon new visions at will?"
"Or they're triggered when I think hard on certain topics," David said quickly, unable to control his own voice. Before he could protest, a thin energy extended from Sabrina's hand as her eyes glowed an icy blue.
David felt this psychic power wash over him as he knew Sabrina was attempting to break into his mind. It only lasted a few seconds as another feeling cropped up in David's head. It was something familiar, yet foreign that quickly fought against Sabrina's unwelcome touch. His head felt like it was being torn in two as the seperate energies vied for dominance. A flash of pink overwhelmed Sabrina and David, knocking them both to the ground.
The pink eyed trainer recovered first, groggy, and scrambled over to the fallen gym leader. Green eyes snapped open and the taller girl shot up, immediately regretting it as she placed a hand on her throbbing head.
"Are you ok?" He asked as the world tilted slightly to the right. "I'm so sorry. I don't know what happened."
"Yes, I am unharmed. That was… something." Her voice was slurred, but still held that mystic quality. "I'm sorry for my lack of permission, but I never meant to pry too deeply. I certainly never expected to encounter such a force. It seems whatever is giving you these new visions doesn't want anyone prying."
"So you couldn't access my mind?" David clarified, still not totally over her unprompted attempt.
"Not all of it. Your basic thoughts are still easy to hear, but diving any deeper is too much. Perhaps you have some latent psychic powers yourself, subconsciously defending your mind. Your eyes seem to suggest as such."
David looked away from Sabrina and stared at his reflection in the table. His pink eyes stared back and David could have sworn they were glowing with some otherworldly energy. When he looked back, Sabrina had regained her footing and was brushing off her red coat.
"I suppose that whatever the cause behind our shared connection isn't as similar as I first thought. I hope you are able to uncover further answers in the future as I search for my own. It's a very curious situation indeed."
"You and me both," David whispered. "So now what? Where do we go from here."
Sabrina was silent for a minute. She didn't even meet David's gaze as she looked off into space, clearly still shaken by her experience in his mind.
"Despite this little roadblock, I think it would be best for us to stay in touch. Whatever forces are at play, we will need to stick together. You're not actually the first person I've met that shares our common problem."
"Wait, you've met another person like us? Who is it? Someone I know?"
"No, nothing so special. He is more of a nobody than you, no offense." David let her words slide, by, understanding her meaning. "The man's name is Simon and he is currently traveling on his own journey of discovery. Perhaps one day you'll meet him too." Sabrina's serious business face dropped into a more charming smile. "But before that, how about I make up for my rudeness with a battle."
"You don't have to… a battle?" David thought he misheard Sabrina, but found the green haired woman was already walking back towards her field. Another person was there prepping the psychic barriers and in the referee box, most likely called telepathically during their conversation.
Looks like Sabrina was planning ahead.
"It is your intention to earn the Marsh badge, correct? You planned to wait due to a reasonable fear of me, but with your worries now proven unfounded, there is no reason to postpone. I'll be using the same team I used against Ash, though he only saw one of my Pokémon. This is your fourth badge too. What do you say? You game?"
David opened and closed his mouth several times, but couldn't find a hole in her logic. He hustled back onto the battlefield and took his place across from Sabrina, ignoring the ref run through the gym's rules. It would be a three on three battle.
Instead he tried to figure out which Pokémon he would be using. David wished he'd had more time to plan, having put off any thoughts about his actual battle against Sabrina for later. Now that was coming back to bite him. He tried to follow Agatha's advice by identifying how the battle would probably play out and what he could do to cut off Sabrina's win conditions.
Psychic Pokémon were known for their incredible mental power and variety of moves they could unleash on opponents in many different ways, but most did not have much in terms of physical strength. There were exceptions to this statement, but he knew Sabrina would most likely rely on long range skills and maneuverability with Teleport to keep them playing catch up.
Their psychic powers were also somewhat trying and could be overtaxed rather quickly. David was sure Sabrina trained to minimize this, but it was something to keep in mind. His best bet was to take a page out of Nia's book and go on the offensive. If he could put them on the backfoot without allowing them to lead, David might be able to find an opening and strike.
Deku was definitely out. It didn't matter how strong he was or how many status moves he possessed, the fact was his poison typing was a liability too great to ignore. He may have been able to shrug off Loki's weak Extrasensory, but Sabrina's Pokémon were on another level.
Loki, in turn, was also out. Despite being the perfect Pokémon to counter Sabrina in theory, he was still too young and inexperienced to pull off the plays needed. Sabrina's Pokémon would be able to quickly overcome the type disadvantage and David didn't need the Zorua beaten down by a surprise Focus Blast in his first official battle.
With more time to prepare, Loki might have been the key player in this bout.
That left him with Spirit, Thalia, and Dory. None held any distinct weaknesses or advantage other than Dory having Bite. If they played things right and his Gyarados could hold it together, they might actually be able to pull off a win.
"If you're curious, I promise not to use my powers to read your thoughts. Like I said, I find it unsportsmanlike and unnecessary." David couldn't tell if she was just being honest or cocky.
Probably both.
Two flashes of light later and both their Pokémon appeared on the field. Kadabra let out low grunt in comparison to Spirit's loud neigh. The psy Pokémon wore a similar expression to its trainer's initial guise, cold and distant from the physical plane. Spirit didn't take that dismissal well and flared his mane for intimidation.
"Ember, catch it quick," David called as soon as the ref said go. Spirit had started moving before David opened his mouth and launched a hail of red hot cinders at the yellow skinned humanoid. Sabrina didn't say a word as Kadabra vanished from sight moments before the attack could land. It reappeared halfway across the field.
Things were already playing out how David feared, with Spirit chasing after Kadabra as it constantly teleported around without any instruction from Sabrina. He knew her game, now he needed to break it.
"Fire Spin! Fill the entire ring." Spirit's flames kicked into overdrive as they reached several feet away from their source. His head reared back and mouth opened wide as a massive spinning pillar of fire swept across the battlefield. The vortex incinerated the floor, leaving hot scorch marks in its wake.
Thankfully the psychic barriers were strong, otherwise the fire might have caused serious damage to the building.
David couldn't see Kadabra within the flames, only catching a glimpse of it teleporting away from Spirit's initial burst. He knew it had to be caught up in his Ponyta's attack since the fire horse's back was to the wall, leaving it nowhere left to hide.
That's when Spirit's flames began to shift. An unnatural blue light mixed with the red and orange fire as it condensed and twirled into a small cone that somehow contained all of Spirit's released fury.
Kadabra stood unscathed holding out the famous spoon its kind coveted, a small smirk under its moustache as the flames answered to psychic commands.
"Your friend tried a similar technique," Sabrina spoke up, actually making David jump. She'd been so quiet until now. "You'll find similar results."
Kadabra's eyes flashed and the fire held in place by its psychic power rose into the air before shooting back down towards David's side of the field. It morphed from a singular spear of flames into a more draconic like image straight out of some dark, twisted fantasy.
Instead of anger or fear, Sabrina saw David smirk.
"Flame Charge!"
Like a rocket Spirit took off, galloping at full speed towards the flame creature with a coat of dark red armor. In seconds the Ponyta collided with his own redirected fire and for a second he disappeared from view.
This changed as the blue energy controlling the fire was dispersed by a blast of dark flames from within. The regular fire was pulled in by some unseen force and Spirit emerged from the inferno with a literal wave of fire at his back.
Fire type Pokémon usually created their fire internally, either through a mixture of various chemicals, a flame sac, or simply generating flames through unknown means. Not many were able to manipulate that fire once it was expelled and even then only in limited ways.
Flash Fire was an interesting ability in that regard as it allowed some Pokémon to absorb external sources of fire and use them as fuel to not only regain energy, but increase their own fire based attacks.
Thanks to it, Spirit was able to reabsorb his own flames now enhanced by Kadabra's psychic powers, something he was used to given his use of Agility, something Spirit was currently doing in addition if the blue tint to his red coat was any indication.
Both Kadabra and Sabrina didn't know what hit them as the wall of fire called Spirit slammed into its frail body in a boom of fire and ash. The psychic type went flying back into the psychic barrier, falling to the floor limp and badly burned.
Spirit let out another neigh that matched his name, fire still burning bright as the flames wrapped around him like a cloak or fiery wings.
"Rise Kadabra," Sabrina commanded in less of a monotone. The psy Pokémon struggled to its feet, the stoic look it wore replaced by raw emotion, specifically anger towards the one who left it so battered and charred.
"Don't give it the chance to recover. Meteor!"
David's command came at the same time as Sabrina called for Recover, making his words as ironic as they were urgent. Already Kadabra's body was glowing bright white as the burns began to slowly fade away. This wasn't her true partner, but it certainly had good control over its mental powers.
Spirit wasn't about to let his hard work be undone and fired another Ember through his cloak, now the size of rolling tires. Kadabra didn't finish healing its wounds in time and was forced to put up a psychic shield that took the brunt of Spirit's attack.
It was clearly struggling from the hit and with a shout louder than before sent the barrier flying through the air at Spirit. The telekinetic blast blocked all of Spirit's fire balls and knocked the fire horse for a loop. He was only briefly stunned, but the break was all Sabrina needed.
"Psychic."
Blue energy surrounded Spirit and he was unceremoniously lifted into the air by Kadabra's power. Spirit cried out and struggled, but even his intense heat could do nothing under the psychic grip that now trapped him.
"Spirit, stay calm." David tried to console his panicked Pokémon, but knew they had to do something fast. If Kadabra kept applying the pressure it would push Spirit passed the breaking point.
"Ember again!" Spirit forced his mouth open against the psychic forces crushing it and rained down a shower of weaker embers. The attack wasn't very strong compared to his last attempt, but it did manage to connect with the motionless Kadabra, whose focus was solely on holding Spirit in place.
It was chip damage at best, but at least they were able to make it hurt while unable to heal itself.
Sadly this didn't have the desired outcome David was hoping for. Kadabra might not have been able to move or heal, but it could still attack. It slammed Spirit into the ground, causing his legs to buckle and without missing a beat, formed a large ball of water faster and larger than Dory could produce.
David tried to shout a warning, but the Water Pulse hit Spirit before he even knew it was coming. It wasn't enough to take Spirit out, but his flames died down immensely.
"Come on Spirit. You have to get moving."
"Shock Wave."
David's eyes widened in horror as bolts of blue electricity sought out Spirit and struck him dead on. There was a loud cry as the unexpected attack engulfed him, made even stronger by the water that clung to Spirit's body. Moments later it was all over and Spirit collapsed to the ground, his fire dimmer than ever.
The referee declared Spirit unable to battle and David recalled his defeated Pokémon. It was upsetting to have one of his family taken down so quickly, but at least they'd dealt some serious damage in turn.
"I'll admit you put on a much better show than Ash did. Heck, better than most fourth badge level trainers, but sometimes you just get unlucky."
Again, David didn't know if she was mocking him or just being straightforward.
He didn't reply and wordlessly sent out Thalia in Spirit's place. The Pikachu looked around before locking eyes with Kadabra and shooting it a sinister grin. David caught Sabrina's eyebrow cock when his Pokémon took the field. She was probably wondering how his compared to Ash's.
"Thalia, he beat Spirit. Finish this quick."
Instantly Thalia's smile flipped into a frown. Her look still gave off a challenging vibe, but less for her amusement and more about getting revenge.
"Quick Attack!"
"Teleport."
David's command came first and Thalia lunged at the Kadabra with only one goal. Kadabra hesitated to follow its trainers commands, slowed by the amount of energy expended from its attacks and the culmination of its injuries.
Thalia slammed into Kadabra's stomach like a bullet, knocking the big tailed Pokémon onto its back and pinning it beneath her tiny body. Sabrina opened her mouth to offer instructions, but Thalia moved faster than either trainer could.
Red cheeks sparking, Thalia unloaded a vicious Thunderbolt on Kadabra. Their close proximity and contact made the move even stronger as the psychic type screamed in pain. David was almost concerned Thalia might take things too far, but before he could voice those concerns, Thalia's light show ended and she backed off the unmoving Kadabra.
Even Sabrina looked shocked, no pun intended, as her pokeball levitated next to her and a red beam pulled Kadabra back inside.
"Your Pikachu is certainly… unique," Sabrina said in a way that made it clear she wanted to use another word to describe Thalia. "I can't say I've ever seen one with such an… appetite for battle."
The Pikachu in question didn't pick up on this and puffed out her chest proudly. This made Sabrina snicker as her second Pokémon took the field.
It was an Espeon, one just like Bill's faithful companion Dawn, but had more lean muscles than the pampered researcher's. Its slick and thin pink fur bristled under the psychic weight that filled the gym. The red gem stone that rested on its forehead shimmered with stored power.
Thalia didn't look concerned. In fact, she looked thrilled. David knew that she and Dawn, while friendly, had had something of a friendly rivalry during their time with Bill. Defeating a copy would do her wonders.
David shouted a quick warning, reminding Thalia that just because they were the same species didn't mean this Espeon was anything like Bill's. Making the comparison between her and Ash's Pikachu helped reign in her more headstrong tendencies… he hoped.
The battle started off and once again Thalia moved at high speeds as she dove and darted around the field with Quick Attack. While Thalia opted to circle the Espeon, David kept a close eye on their opponent. It didn't show any reaction to Thalia's act, which only made David more wary.
"Pull back and test it," he whispered so Sabrina wouldn't pick up on his directions. No need to give the psychic a heads up. Thalia's ears twitched, his only confirmation, and she leapt away and fired a quick Thunderbolt.
The attack closed in on its mark when a yellow barrier appeared between it and Espeon. Light Screen, David realized. It blocked Thalia's attack so that only a sliver of the electricity could force its way though, doing very little damage. The yellow box around the psychic feline disappeared, but David knew it would be sticking around for the foreseeable future.
"Vanish, keep it guessing," David called, taking a more active role in the battle. Thalia's body flickered as dozens of copies covered the field. Espeon and Sabrina only spared them a short glance.
"Wipe them out," she commanded softly and the gem on Espeon's head began to glow. Suddenly a flood of blue psychic energy ripped the field apart, dispersing all of Thalia's clones in seconds. Both trainer and Pokémon looked surprised when the original was not among them.
Neither had time to question it as the earth beneath Espeon's feet broke and Thalia's small frame burst from the new hole, coated by a light brown aura. Espeon was knocked to the floor by Thalia's attack and quickly stuck by another close range Thunderbolt.
David cursed when the yellow screen of energy appeared again and blocked some of the attack. Still, he was glad to see a lingering electric current coat the Espeon's now disheveled fur.
The Espeon tried to land a Psybeam, but Thalia ducked and then leapt into the air, her tail glowing bright as gravity pulled her down. Epseon fired another beam of rainbow colored energy that collided with Thalia's Iron Tail.
"Quick Punch," David shouted right before the deafening explosion. Close range was their best bet to keep Espeon from gaining control of the battle. The more pressure they put on Sabrina's team, the less likely they'd be able to surprise them again.
Thalia landed evenly and took off, her body engulfed in a white energy with her front paws twice as much.
When Thalia jumped up to deliver a super speed Mega Punch, Espeon's gem glowed again. Another wall appeared in front of them, this time a pinkish purple. The sudden Reflect didn't fully stop the attack, but it did serve its purpose.
David paled as Thalia's momentum was slowed while having to contend with the defensive barrier that cut her physical strength in half. This momentary delay gave Espeon all the time it needed to finish forming a large Shadow Ball that consumed Thalia in its shadowy aura.
Thalia was shot back into the air with the ball, letting out a small cry when it engulfed her in an explosion, but didn't have time to recover as an icy blue energy grabbed the Pikachu and slammed her into the broken ground. David called out to Thalia though she couldn't hear him as the impact had knocked her out cold.
A nausea was beginning to build in David's gut as he returned Thalia to the safety of her ball. This was the first time his Pokémon had been consecutively beaten into unconscious and he didn't like seeing it one bit.
His grip on Dory's pokeball was painful as he released her onto the field. The giant sea serpent let out a mighty roar that made the psychic barriers wobble from the vibrations. Even Espeon and Sabrina, who through most of this battle had kept their emotions in check, were stunned by her reveal.
"I must say I wasn't expecting such a beast to be in the hands of a trainer with only three badges. I'm anxious to see how this next battle plays out."
Dory noticed the slightly worn out Espeon across from her and leaned down to greet her opponent. The psychic type stepped back, unsure whether to attack yet or not.
"Dory," David called, pulling the Gyarados' attention. "We're here to battle. They've hurt Spirit and Thalia."
The change was instant. Dory's pupils dilated and her opened mouth grin dropped into a menacing snarl. She rose up to her full height, looking absolutely terrifying. David just hoped she could stay in control.
Sabrina acted first this time, her usually cool thrown off by Dory's presence and sent Espeon dashing around the field with a Quick Attack reminiscent of Thalia's initial tactic. The new destructive aspects of Dory's personality shined through as she used her large body to block the Espeon at every turn.
Dory coiled and wriggled to disrupt Espeon's movements, adjusting her position to avoid its Psybeams and forcing the smaller Pokémon to change direction without gaining any ground.
Amidst the struggle, Dory swung her up at an unexpected angle and clocked Sabrina's Pokémon hard in the side.
All of their practice helping Dory learn to maneuver her new body had been worth it to see the Gyarados display such finesse. David decided to see how far they could push it.
"Wrap it up, don't let it escape."
Dory roared as she charged across the battlefield at alarming speeds for something of her size. Espeon tried to jump away, but Dory stretched her body out to head off the pink feline, seizing it between her scales.
It wasn't an actual Wrap attack as Dory couldn't officially learn the move, but it basically was for all intents and purposes. Some people forgot that Pokémon were living beings and could do more than just what moves they had access to.
Dory's long body squeezed the Espeon so that it could not do anything other than struggle against her superior might as Dory sprayed a stream of Dragon Rage over the trapped Pokémon. Now all they had to do was wait until Espeon was unable to…
"Zap Cannon."
A horrible shriek escaped Dory as the Espeon's head twisted and it fired a powerful compressed ball of sparking yellow electric energy from her red gem. Immediately after connecting, a yellow surge consumed Dory's body, causing the flying/water type massive pain.
David shouted to Dory, but it was already too late. Her body spasmed and locked up as muscles contracted from the electric current. The short spasm was enough for Espeon to wiggle out of Dory's hold and bounce back towards its trainer, leaving Dory to writhe in agony.
"Dory, please hold on!"
His worries only grew worse when the electricity around Dory broke and David saw the red veins in her eyes pulsate with rage. Her earlier controlled rolls and turns were replaced by wild flailing and unrestrained or aimed aggression.
She finally started attacking after realizing the psychic barriers wouldn't let her escape, pummeling them with Water Pulse, Dragon Rage, and a myriad of Tackles to no avail.
"It seems your Gyarados needs more training," Sabrina acknowledged, much to David's embarrassment. He didn't have time to dwell as Dory finally remembered there was another Pokémon in the sealed off area and attempted to hit Espeon with another Dragon Rage.
Unlike before, her attack was well telegraphed and easily avoided. Espeon regained its graceful disposition as it skated around Dory's wild assault. Just when David considered calling Dory back as it was clear their training hadn't bore any fruit, Sabrina moved first.
Another Zap Cannon was called and fired in the blink of an eye, wrapping Dory in another field of harmful electricity. David could only watch as Dory flailed in pain again, crying out in anguish and rage. He was about to return Dory to her ball and end this farce of a battle when he caught something in her eye.
Amidst the pain and anger, Dory's eyes looked more leveled than before. Maybe… could it be the electricity…
"Dory," he screamed over the crackling of static. "Don't let that Espeon beat you so easily. You've got to strike back now with Bite!"
The Gyarados' eyes snapped into focus and she let out a enormous roar in response to her trainers call. Fangs glowing bright, Dory fought through the paralyzing waves of electricity surrounding her and dove head first towards Espeon.
The psychic type was caught completely by surprise and tensed to dodge, only to be struck by Dory's super effective Bite. Dust kicked up from the impact and blocked both Pokémon from view, but once it cleared, neither Dory or Espeon looked able to continue fighting.
"This match is over. The challenger David has lost three Pokémon while Leader Sabrina has lost two, making her the winner."
With a heavy sigh, David returned Dory back to her ball as Sabrina did the same. David took a step closer to the victor, but found he didn't need to as she teleported directly in front of him. Psychic powers sure were convenient.
"That was a spectacular battle. You really showed me a good time," Sabrina said with wink, but her positive attitude didn't erase the disappointment at his loss. For a moment he believed they might have stood a chance.
"Maybe next time I'll be able to win once my team is better prepared," he said with a sad smile.
"I look forward to our rematch David Amara. You certainly know how to keep things interesting." Sabrina returned his soft smile before gesturing to the door. "You should probably head to the Pokémon Center and have your team looked at. Before that…"
She trailed and took hold of David's hand in order to fiddle with his Xtransceiver. Once her number was added, she stepped back. "Like I said, it'll be good to keep in touch just in case one of us discovers something new."
"Thank you again for the battle and for… everything else."
David didn't waste time and followed Sabrina's referee out of the gym and towards the Pokémon Center, offering one last wave before departing. Saffron turned out to be a very different experience than David had expected, both filling him with newfound hope and a little sadness.
The Pokémon Center itself was thankfully not overcrowded and Sabrina's attendent left him with one more gift Sabrina had apparently wanted to share. It was a book, thick in build and bound with a golden case. On the cover it read, Psychic Powers for Dummies.
This time, David was sure she was both mocking and curious about whatever dormant power he may have. Maybe it was something to look into later. He always loved finding something new to read. Before that, David took some time to contemplate on his defeat at Sabrina's hands.
Overall David wasn't upset by his loss. He was thrilled that his team had performed admirably and managed to even defeat two of her team. Next time they battled, he would be more prepared and make sure Loki was ready to lead the charge.
The dark fox had been very angry to have missed out on a chance to shine, but Deku was able to calm him down after David explained the situation. They ended up playing with their favorite Frisbee in the nearby park to occupy themselves while David's other Pokémon were being treated.
After Nurse Joy returned the others to his possession, nothing was standing in his way of continuing on towards Celadon and yet another gym challenge. Unlike Sabrina, this time David would be more than ready to face the challenges ahead.
XXX
And scene! I hope you all enjoyed the newest chapter and are interested to see where this set up goes. I know it is a tad shorter than most of my others, but things in my personal life have gotten a tad busier with work and the holidays.
That being said, there is no danger of this story being dropped. I love writing it and have too much planned to stop. It does mean that my month to month releases may widen a tad.
Enough about potential delays. Let's discuss the chapter:
As I'm sure you can guess, an overwhelming number of people voted for David to keep Togepi. I'm pretty happy with the decision too as I have some interesting ideas to make use of the Spikeball Pokémon. I'm certain I can turn Togepi into a real character rather than a prop for Misty.
Speaking of Togepi, does anyone have a suggestion for its name? I have two ideas depending on gender, but am curious to see if you all have something better. Remember my theme is fictional character that match the Pokémon, but all names are welcomed.
I've also got a few ideas that involve interfering further with cannon captures, so any thoughts on that, particularly which ones you'd recommend are encouraged. Can't do any of the big ones like Greninja or Chimchar, as cool as that would be, but there are a lot of Pokemon in Ash's history that really did not get the respect they deserved.
Moving on to Sabrina, what did you think of my little twist? I've been planning it from the very beginning to try and add something new to her usual character, but also to coincide with much bigger plot lines I have planned out.
Hopefully their battle was an entertaining one where I tried to show off David's slightly new take on Agatha's advice.
Wishing everyone a happy Thanksgiving and look forward to the next installment where David takes on Celadon and all that city has to offer, both good and bad.