26: Misty vs. Sabrina

The happy mood from the previous day still lingered as Misty woke up in the pokemon center dorm. Last night's local festival had been so fun. A fresh shower only brought her mood up more. Glancing in the mirror revealed she was really clean and put together, quite the difference from all the recent time spent traveling through the wilderness, or being sunk in the ocean...

...Misty wouldn't let those memories get to her that day. Going into the cafeteria of the large city's spacious pokemon center, Ash was quickly found. "Pikachu pi!" Pikachu greeted Misty happily, then looked back, nibbling on the scrap of a wrapper.

"Good morning!" Misty said as she sat down with a tray. "Huh?" She noticed Ash's demeanor. Quite the contrast from her and everyone else, he just stared at the table, not even eating, a frown on his face. "Come on, Ash. You didn't see Sabrina beating you coming?" Misty asked, fighting a giggle as she recalled his sure defeat from the previous day.

"Morning," Brock said as he sat next to her. "Hey, Ash, what's up?"

"...It's not like no one ever beat her," Ash muttered.

"Oh, you're still down about that?" Brock asked. "You really should have joined us at the festival! Pikachu had a blast."

"Pikachu knew it was outmatched. No need to sulk about one loss, right Pikachu?" Misty said, poking the electric type pokemon.

"Pika?" Pikachu tilted its head. As Brock put pokemon food down in front of it, it raised its arms. "Pikachu!" it called happily.

"I didn't know she kept that kind of win ratio with even letting challengers have more than one pokemon. There's no way I could do that!" Misty lamented. "I never heard of anyone doing that before, either."

"I haven't either," Brock said. "I guess if her win ratio was a perfect one, that might be a reason to question her status as a gym leader. We're supposed to act as a challenge for those wanting to enter the league, not a barrier for everyone."

"Yeah," Misty agreed. She frowned. "It seems like she gets to choose her own win ratio, if you put it that way."

"Could be," Brock said with a chuckle. "If she's that good, I wonder why she doesn't enter the league herself - maybe even go for champion status."

Misty shrugged. "I guess she chose that too," she said before taking a bite of the breakfast. Chewing it, she had another thought. "I wonder how much else she can choose."

"Maybe the winner of the league? I'd be curious how many winners have her badge," Brock mused.

A passerby boy stopped at their table. "Ash!" he said. "You're here too?"

"Huh?" Ash looked up. "Oh, hi," he said to the newcomer, perhaps perking up a little.

"Hi Gilbert," Brock greeted. "You know Ash? Oh, right, you're both from Pallet Town."

The boy nodded. "Yeah. Ash, you want to battle?"

"Maybe later," Ash muttered.

"Why don't you just go battle?" Misty pushed, nudging his shoulder with her hand. He'd probably cheer up if he did. "You always want to."

"I'm thinking right now," Ash said.

"Hehe, really?" Misty teased, fighting the urge to make a joke.

"Yeah," Ash confirmed, folding his arms. "I've gotta find a way to beat Sabrina."

"No, no, you won't," Gilbert said loudly, speaking over the conversation around them as he sat down next to Ash. "Not even Gary could beat her."

"Not even..." Ash paused, sitting up straight. "You think I can't because Gary can't?!" he demanded.

Misty definitely had to fight back laughter then. At least this would help Ash get out of his funk.

"Um, you know how good Gary is. I only have two badges, but-" Gilbert began.

"I have three!" Ash declared, showing the inside of his vest where he kept them pinned.

"The Thunder Badge?! Wow... Um, anyway, Gary has four. But he still couldn't get the Marsh Badge from Sabrina. So just try another gym," Gilbert suggested with a smile on his face.

Ash shook his head with a smile, standing up from the table. "Soon I'll have four badges too," he bragged in advance. "Including the Marsh Badge!"

"Maybe you could beat her with a ghost type," Gilbert considered, staring out the window. "Do you have one?"

"No. Why a ghost type?" Ash asked.

"Their same type attack techniques are super strong against psychics. I dunno why," Gilbert said. "Maybe because only psychics can see ghosts?" He stood up as well. "They're hard to find, but you can see a bunch of them at the tower at Lavender Town."

"I thought you couldn't see them at all," Ash said.

Misty sighed as the boys went back and forth. It seemed Ash decided to go to Lavender Town. Was it to try and get himself a ghost type? Would that be enough? Misty didn't give it that much thought, stirring some sugar into her hot tea as Ash ran outside with Gilbert, apparently deciding to battle after all.

"Guess we should get ready for Lavender Town," Brock commented.

"It's kind of nice here," Misty commented, taking a sip of her tea. "And you and Ash will just come back, right? So maybe I'll just stay."

"Aw, really? Well, there's several things wrong with Ash's plan, anyway," Brock said, shaking his head as he ate his own breakfast.

"Pikachu?" Pikachu questioned.

"Don't worry, we'll be fine," Brock assured, patting Ash's pokemon on the head before it went back to its meal. "It might be a good place to train, anyway. What will you be up to, Misty?"

"There's a few things I want to see," Misty said. Of course, Saffron City was fairly large. She had a variety of activities to occupy herself while Ash was off spooking himself at some haunted tower. But there was one thing on her mind above all - finding out why who was easily the most powerful gym leader in the region hadn't yet intervened when it came to Team Rocket.

"Excuse me..." Misty whispered as she stepped in through the ornate wooden doors of the psychic institute. Of course, much of the building was open to the public, so she wasn't that weird in coming there. But entering this gym without an excuse like watching Ash's battle still felt strange.

"Welcome."

Misty shuddered in surprise. She glanced around before seeing who had spoken. It was a boy about her age in a dark robe, sitting at a table she hadn't noticed before. "You surprised me," she said with a sigh. "I didn't notice you there."

"I've been repressing my aura, and it's already naturally unnoticeable by most," the boy explained. "My name is Hart."

"Nice to meet you." Misty approached the boy, sitting at the chair in front of him. "I'm Misty. Are you a trainer? Are you going to challenge Sabrina?"

"I have a drowzee, and we help each other, but I'm here to train my own psychic abilities," Hart explained.

"Oh, right," Misty realized. He did seem a bit eccentric. That robe was too much for a traveling trainer. Besides, this building wasn't just a pokemon gym, it was an actual institute for psychics to learn. The idea was amusing, but at the same time, everyone here seemed to take it completely seriously. Their institute was fairly large and elegant as well. It really didn't seem like they were playing. "So Hart," Misty began. "Is anyone here really a psychic? Are you? Is Sabrina?"

"I am!" Hart declared with a smile, sitting up in his chair as he pulled back his hood slightly. "Sabrina, psychic beyond other psychics, identified me as one. She doesn't recognize many." Hart began to shuffle some cards, looking around the hall. "She can throw people around with psychic powers, telekinesis, and knows everything that happens, here and everywhere. I'm okay... But I'm gonna be like her too someday." Hart placed the cards on the table. "So, wanna hear your fortune?"

"Sure!" Misty chirped. She stared at the cards in Hart's hands. "Is it going to tell my future, or-"

"Hm." Hart picked up the top card and stared at it. "The High Priestess. Are you about to meet up with a master of intuitive skills? It must be Sabrina." He flipped the next card. "The Tower. It's sure to be a terrible loss for you. But don't be discouraged."

"Huh? How did you come up with that?" Misty demanded.

"Well, I mean, it's not unusual. Most people lose here. Don't let it get to you, just try another gym when you're done." Hart shrugged, flipping the cards back over on top of his deck.

A woman in a robe that had been passing by stopped nearby them. "Hart!" she shouted, hands on her hips. "Did you just give this girl the High Priestess, Tower reading again?"

"If it's right... Who cares how I got it?" Hart said.

"What's going on?" Misty looked from the woman to Hart, who glanced away from both of them, frowning.

"Are you using your intuition if you guess? You won't improve much that way. Besides, I don't think I saw a girl signed up to challenge Sabrina today."

"That's right," Misty tried to confirm. "I'm just here to watch."

Hart's face turned pink, and he pulled his hood back down lower again. "It's not like I can't read her," he said. "I was just taking a shortcut."

"Well, it was wrong. Why don't you give it a real try?" the woman suggested. "If it's fine with you," she said to Misty with a nod.

"It's fine," Misty said. If Sabrina wasn't battling yet, this was something to occupy her time. "I just probably won't take it that seriously."

Hart nodded. He picked up the cards and shuffled through them again, more thoroughly this time. He then cut the deck and pulled the top card without hesitation. "Huh." His mouth fell open as he stared at it, and then looked back at Misty. "It's Justice in reverse," he said.

"And so?" Misty said.

"Um..." Hart hesitated, frowning. "I think it's wrong, I'll just get the next one."

"No," the woman next to them put hand on the deck, stopping him from doing so. "Just give your first impression."

"Um. I think... Well, it seems like there's an overall influence... You know, of things that happened in your past. A lot of things that really didn't seem right. You've been through a lot." Hart frowned and fidgeted. "But you seem happy and stuff, and that could be anyone, so-"

The woman observing lifted her hand. "Now try the next one."

Hart flipped it over. "Oh!" he said, his eyes widening. "It's the Knight of Swords. Is it you? Even though it's a man. It might be someone else too. I don't know, but-"

"Just give your impression," the woman goaded.

"Yeah," Hart continued. "I think... Even with what happened before, you'll be able to take action. Or maybe someone you influenced. Now, let's see..." Hart looked to the woman observing, who nodded, then picked up a third card. "Oh." He frowned.

"What is it?" Misty asked.

"It's the Tower... For real this time. Sorry. I think there'll be some major tragic event or something. But it's a while from now, so don't worry. Or, um, I dunno." Hart squeezed his hands together as he frowned.

Misty fought the urge to laugh. This guy really did seem to be trying. She stood up and tapped him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, you're not too far off, on some things maybe. Keep trying!"

"Yeah. Thanks." Hart looked back up and smiled.

"Now," Misty looked down the hall. "When's Sabrina's first battle?"

Just as she asked the question, the door opened, and a boy in a cap and worn jacket who certainly did look like he might have been out training in the woods walked in. "In just a few minutes, I believe," the woman who'd been observing Hart informed.

"Thank you," Misty said. She waited for the trainer to go by, then followed him in at a distance. When he entered the battle room, Misty did as well, taking her spot in the small-ish spectator's area.

Sabrina seemed to watch the battle's only viewer enter, but then her full attention was on her challenger. As curtly as with Ash, the resident gym leader declared a 1 against 3 match, and demanded the boy begin the battle.

Then she beat him. The success didn't seem to be from pure power. Sabrina gave short commands for where her pokemon should go - up to avoid a butterfree's string shot, left to dodge a mankey's punch. She shouted these commands at a rapid pace, before Misty noticed that was where the opponent's attack or pokemon had been going. Was this part of her psychic abilities, or was the 'psychic' gym leader just practiced enough to predict what was going to happen?

The battle was fairly intimidating for Misty to watch as a gym leader. But as Brock had said, Sabrina's performance seemed to go well beyond the level expected of them. Someone like this would typically certainly want to seek out more, as an elite trainer or champion perhaps, or at least someone who ranked high in the league. So why didn't Sabrina?

As her challenger left, Sabrina glared into the observer's area, empty other than Misty. "The battle's done," she informed the obvious.

"Um, r-right!" Misty said, trying to stand up straighter. "I was happy to watch it. Great job!"

Of course someone like Sabrina wouldn't need someone like Misty to compliment her, but she couldn't think of anything else to say. The woman didn't respond to the offhand comment, which only made things even more awkward. Sabrina paced nearby her, before going back and sitting on her crystal-laden throne. "There's something you want to ask me, isn't there? The next challenger isn't here yet, so why don't you say it now and get it over with?"

Ask her? Misty had a number of things she might like to ask, though Sabrina seemed too intimidating for her to get the words out. "Well, um..." Misty began. "I came to see you battle. I'm a fellow gym leader, you know."

"I know," Sabrina said, closing her eyes and furrowing her brow.

She knew? How? They'd never met before, and hadn't introduced each other when she'd battled Ash. Of course, there were multiple ways she might know. Or was she just trying to play up the psychic thing?

"I also know that you came to ask a specific question. So just spit it out!" Sabrina shouted.

Misty recoiled at the harshness of the other gym leader's voice. Coming to watch Sabrina, she actually did have a specific question in mind, along with all of the other random ones that popped up watching her. However, she hadn't told anyone that at all. There was no reason she'd know. Toying with someone with make believe wasn't nice. "If you already know the question, why don't you just give me an answer!" Misty dared.

Sabrina stared back at her unflinchingly, still with that harsh expression. "If you don't have the nerve to ask it yourself, you're not getting an answer. So just leave."

Again, this woman went from admirable to just annoying, spitting out an order like that. "I'm here to watch you battle today. That's all," Misty said, turning to the door as they waited for the next challenge to come in.

Sabrina didn't respond. Glancing back at her revealed a scowl on her face. Sabrina acted like someone watching her battling was annoying, and that was what was really annoying. Gym leaders could expect to have spectators. In Misty's gym they were often regulars to her and her sisters' shows wanting to see more, or just tourists that couldn't catch a show. There were also hangers-on of popular traveling trainers that challenged the gym, traveling trainers that lost and wanted to try and form a strategy, or just aspiring trainers wanting to watch battles to make notes for when they'd get to train their own pokemon. Plenty of people would watch for various reasons, the spectating area even being crowded at certain times. So why was Misty the only one watching the famous psychic gym leader in Kanto's most populous city right then?

The next challenger entered. Sabrina beat him too, just with more of the same. Misty stayed and watched her for the next three trainers, each a speedy win for the gym leader. All the victories really did seem easy for the resident gym leader. As she watched, Misty shifted her weight from one foot to the other, starting to get tired of just standing. Having seen Sabrina's skills and now predictable wins, maybe she should just leave. But she'd come here for a reason-

And that was to ask Sabrina a specific question, just as the psychic had declared, though Misty hadn't even asked it when invited to do so. At this point, staying was mostly just for spite, and that was a waste of time. Maybe the question really should be asked, after this next battle was done. Of course, Sabrina was seeming more and more like the type that would grouse in response. Right then, Sabrina sat in the only chair in the room, her fancy regal-like throne adorned with white crystals. It was pretty rude not to have a place for guests to sit, yet something so posh for herself.

As the defeated trainer left, Sabrina's eyes traveled over to Misty again, a slight smirk on her face. "Are you getting uncomfortable just standing there?" she said.

"Of course I am!" Misty shot back in response. Was she acting like she could read minds by saying something that could be so easily inferred?

"And the floor there isn't clean enough to sit..." Sabrina muttered, closing her eyes before opening them and staring right at Misty in an intimidating fashion. "So, you've decided to ask your question, and then move on?" the psychic mused. Misty tensed. Though that had been what she'd been thinking, suddenly she felt too nervous to spit it out. "Oh." Sabrina turned away. "Perhaps you'll just leave without saying anything."

That wasn't about to happen. With Sabrina's semi-invitation, Misty stepped onto the field to address the other gym leader better. "So you're a really, really powerful trainer, huh Sabrina?"

"Above average," Sabrina admitted.

How humble, might show some decorum, except being so humble trampled on the reputations of the trainers that had just been defeated without breaking a sweat. "No need to be polite," Misty said through her teeth.

"The same for you. That's not what you really wanted to ask, is it?" Sabrina said.

"How would you- Are you really psychic or something?" Misty asked, though she didn't believe it.

"If I say yes, will you ask me to prove it?" Sabrina said.

"I..." Asking such a thing seemed rude, but even so. "I can't just accept something like that just because you say so."

"So don't accept it and don't ask," Sabrina said bluntly, gripping the arms of her throne. "That isn't what you wanted to know either, is it? Why don't you ask your real question."

What did Sabrina think she'd ask? For that matter, how would Misty even put the question in her mind. "Well," she began tentatively. "Have you heard of Team Rocket?"

"They're the bad guys," Sabrina said plainly. "They steal pokemon."

"Well, more or less," Misty said with an awkward laugh. That saved her some explanation. "Their boss runs our organization of gym leaders," she added.

"I know this as well," Sabrina said, seeming entirely unconcerned by the fact.

"Well then... Why haven't you done anything?" Misty asked.

"Hmph." Sabrina smirked, resting her hand on her fist as she stared at Misty from her large throne. "There's your real question, right?"

"Th-that's right!" Misty said, stamping one foot forward. "And you said you'd answer it if I asked."

Sabrina shrugged, her eyes traveling to the ground. "There's no exciting answer, if that's what you're seeking. I just don't see any need to do so."

No need? Misty was momentarily at a loss for words. "Of course there's a need!" she shouted after a moment's silence. "If Team Rocket steals pokemon, the trainers we battle suffer! That's your main business here, isn't it? And then the whole gym system will collapse! And that's just the least of what will happen, probably..." Misty frowned, clenching her fists and looking downward. Maybe she'd just been focused on the gym system because that was the glaring problem in front of her, but if Team Rocket got what they wanted, including control of all, or at least most pokemon, a lot worse than that might occur.

"So?" Sabrina said.

"So... Just what I said," Misty continued, staring back at the abrasive gym leader she'd formerly admired in disbelief.

"You still didn't explain why I might put my energy into this," Sabrina said.

"You have the power to stop Giovanni, don't you?" Misty said.

"You want me to solve your problems?" Sabrina accused. "You haven't offered to solve any of mine. For example, there's an annoying spectator in my gym who just won't go away even now that the matches have ended."

"It's not just my problem, it's yours too!" Misty shouted.

"Kadabra. Alakazam." As Sabrina spoke, the two pokemon appeared in front of her. She stood, patting them on the head, even giving a brief smile before she turned back to Misty. "They won't get my pokemon. Look at these two - they're too powerful for me to be overcome. So no, it's not my problem."

"But other people-"

"I couldn't care less about humans. I hate them," Sabrina spoke bitingly, not flinching as she kept eye contact with Misty. "I'm not out to harm them, but I'm also not here to solve their problems for them. Their pokemon can be stolen, their society can fall apart, they can seethe and sob, and I won't care a bit."

Misty stormed forward. As she did, both of Sabrina's pokemon teleported closer, blocking her way. Misty peered around, glaring at the resident gym leader. "You've really pissed me off!" she said. "How about I beat you in a pokemon battle? Then will you get off your high horse?"

"Normally you'd have to sign up on the schedule. But I suppose for a fellow psychic pokemon trainer, I can make an exception. That kind of battle is always interesting." She walked forward closer to Misty. "Move," she said, and her pokemon teleported away.

"I'm not a psychic," Misty said, peering away as the woman stood right in front of her.

"That much is obvious. You just have a psychic type pokemon," Sabrina informed.

"I really don't-"

"Your pokeballs," Sabrina goaded. Misty took them out. "That one." Sabrina pointed to Starmie's pokeball.

Oh. Of course, Misty had known already that Starmie was classified as secondary psychic type, it was just never at the forefront on her mind. Starmie didn't know any psychic type attacks or anything, so the typing hardly seemed to make a difference.

And how did Sabrina know? Misty's mouth gaped open as she realized the rumored psychic had not only known about Starmie, but picked it from three very similar looking pokeballs. Misty shook her head as she put her other pokeballs away, knowing there could be some kind of trick to this as well. Such a thing wouldn't throw her off. Misty gripped Starmie's pokeball with determination. If Sabrina wanted to go against this specific pokemon, there was no issue with that. As a fellow psychic type, it could buffer the other pokemon's psychic attacks, wouldn't it? "Let's battle," Misty dared.

"Fine." Sabrina walked back to her throne. "One against one."

"That's what I expected. Go, my steady, Starmie!" As the pokemon appeared and spun in its pose, Misty posed herself, waving her hand dramatically. "Shining star of Cerulean City, shine bright here as well!"

"Alakazam," Sabrina directed her most evolved pokemon. It teleported in front of her. "Psywave."

"Starmie, water gun!" Misty shouted.

"Left," Sabrina said, speaking almost under her breath. Alakazam moved to the side, dodging the stream of water as it performed the flashy psywave attack. Starmie called out as it was hit. "Again," Sabrina said.

"Starmie, bubble beam!" Misty shouted. "Go down!" she said. They could both play at dodging. Starmie's bubble beam hit Alakazam, who couldn't dodge it at such a close range, while getting out of the way of the visible psychic energy of Alakazam's more flashy attack. "Alright!" Misty cheered. She wasn't invincible, after all. "Let's go, again, bubble beam!"

"Psychic."

Alakazam summoned the mass of psychic energy and performed the attack the instant Sabrina gave the calm, controlled order, interrupting Starmie's performance of bubble beam right in the middle. Alakazam took the weakened attack unflinchingly as Starmie seemed to struggle from the psychic attack, eventually floating backward. "Starmie!" Misty exclaimed. "Just keep trying! Bubble beam!"

"One more should do it," Sabrina said. "Psychic, and then recover."

In a repeat, Alakazam took an only partially completed bubble beam, already not Starmie's most powerful attack, before hitting its opponent with the very powerful psychic attack. Sabrina's pokemon then glowed in recovery, likely returning to perfect status.

"Starmie!" Misty shouted as the visible energy of the psychic type attack faded and her pokemon seemed to float toward the ground in a knockout. Sabrina smirked her way. Misty clenched her jaw in her apparent defeat before her pokemon suddenly stopped midair, bringing itself back upright in a fighting stance, its gem flashing. "Starmie?" Misty questioned.

Sabrina's expression went cold again. "Alakazam-"

"That's enough," Misty said, approaching her pokemon and patting it. "It's okay, Starmie. I see how hard you tried, but it's basically over. I turned into a little hot head challenging this one. But you did your best." Her pokemon responded in a singing call. Misty smiled and patted it again to comfort it.

"So you resign?" Sabrina asked.

"Obviously," Misty said. "I didn't really think I could beat you anyway. I just didn't want to stand still like you are."

"Aren't I terrible?" Sabrina spoke without any emotion.

"Pretty much," Misty said. Now that she'd met Sabrina, it was obviously there was no way the psychic trainer could be relied on, powerful as she was. "Starmie, let's-" Misty began, raising her pokeball.

"A psychic type pokemon should really have a psychic trainer," Sabrina said, approaching Misty's pokemon. Starmie floated toward the psychic gym leader and called out a response. "Oh? This one wants to stay with you. Suit yourself." Sabrina flipped her hair over her shoulder, turning away.

"It told you that?" Misty said.

"More or less," Sabrina explained as she sat on her throne. "It took my words as an insult toward you. I was just stating a fact."

"Thanks, Starmie," Misty said, returning her pokemon to its pokeball before she turned to the door. "Sometimes just saying the truth is rude," she informed as she started to walk out.

"So I've heard. You'll be done with me, then?" Sabrina said.

Misty didn't even feel like responding. She went to open the door, finding it already opened a crack. As she pushed it the rest of the way, she found Hart standing on the other side, hood down, revealing a distressed expression. "Hey," he said to Misty, fidgeting with his hands and looking away. "I saw your battle, I mean, a little. I guess my prediction was right after all."

Misty chuckled. "You already said it wasn't your psychic prediction," she pointed out.

"Yeah," Hart admitted, looking to the ground. "I just thought it would happen. I didn't use any psychic intuition or anything. Sorry." His lip curled up and his eyes got watery as he spoke.

"Hey, it's no big deal," Misty consoled. "You still got it right, didn't you?"

"You lost your pokemon."

Misty jumped in surprise. Though she'd thought Sabrina was back on her fancy throne, the woman had approached her and spoken from behind. She was about to deny Sabrina's guess, when Hart nodded, a single tear falling from his eye as he frowned.

"I suppose you want me to solve your problem," Sabrina said.

"I just, um, I just..." Hart wiped his eyes, forcing a smile as he tried to stay calm. "I mean, I don't have more pokemon. And they have a lot of pokemon, these guys, dark uniforms, with-with a big letter 'R'. They're gonna beat me."

"Team Rocket took your pokemon?!" Misty said, shaking her head. Hart silently nodded. This wasn't that surprising. Though she hadn't seen any sign of them recently, they claimed to be everywhere in Kanto, wanting to steal everyone's pokemon, if not then, eventually. If they affected trainers traveling through Cerulean City, why not a big city like this?

"Don't come crying to me," Sabrina said.

"How can you be so cold?!" Misty demanded. "He just had his pokemon stolen. He might not ever see it again!"

"That could be the case," Sabrina said. "Except Hart is a talented psychic. He has an especially strong connection with his drowzee, and should be able to locate it easily. That's what he should be doing, instead of coming and whining to me about it when he knows I'm busy."

"Can he really-" Misty stopped herself. Everyone here certainly believed in psychic abilities, so she shouldn't get into an argument about if they existed or not. Besides, Sabrina knowing exactly what was wrong with Hart when Misty hadn't at all gave credence to the claims she had them. "Team Rocket's really powerful," she said. "Some kid without pokemon can't just go and demand something from them. I'll just go-"

Misty's drive to play the hero screeched to a halt as the context behind what she'd been saying really hit her. Just one kid. She was alone. Ash and Brock had left the city and probably wouldn't be back for a while. What had she been thinking, sticking around on her own when there was even the possibility of running into Team Rocket? The memory of being accosted after defeating Giovanni in a formal battle came back to her. Not only did they beat her pokemon, but they'd threatened her, personally. That was the consequence of having one's pokemon defeated or taken away, wasn't it? Who's to say that wouldn't happen to her if she tried to help Hart? And there could be many of them, like she'd thought there had been in Cerulean Gym. That hadn't been the case, but Misty's thoughts then turned again to when she'd seen the large group of Team Rocket agents on the St. Anne. How many were there? There was no way she could have beaten all the ones on that ship, even with Ash and Brock! They'd managed something somehow, before they'd sunk to the bottom of the sea, everyone assuming they'd stay there forever. They'd all almost died. Without pokemon, which Team Rocket wanted to take away, they certainly would have.

Misty's thoughts changed back to the present, her breathing slowing as she realized she was being jostled by the shoulders. "Stop it!" Sabrina shouted.

The panic left, replaced by annoyance. "Stop what? I'm just standing here," Misty said, still trembling though she managed to speak.

"What you're thinking about. You'll be useless, dwelling on things like that," Sabrina said.

Misty smiled wryly. This had to be the first time she'd been accused of thinking too loud. In her amusement, her thoughts did turn away from what she'd been thinking about before.

"Hart has no need for your concerns," Sabrina declared. "He'll get his pokemon back on his own. Won't you?"

Hart's shoulders raised up as Sabrina's attention turned toward him. "Uh, yeah," he said.

"You can use your own intuition. Find your own pokemon. Show me."

Hart nodded at Sabrina's request, walking down the hall, out of the institute, and into the city. Sabrina followed, and Misty decided to as well. Not because Sabrina was coming as well, she tried to convince herself, she just didn't want to leave the kid alone without any pokemon. Misty and Sabrina stayed at a slight distance as Hart paced from corner to corner, occasionally muttering "hmm" before moving onto the next corner. The actions seemed pretty comical to Misty, but both he and Sabrina were taking this kind of search seriously, so she hid that amusement.

Finally, Hart stopped in front of a nondescript door. "Here," he pointed.

"Don't just stand there. It's not out here, but inside, isn't it," Sabrina said. Hart nodded. His hand shook just a little as he went for the doorknob. It turned easily, and he opened up.

Inside a dilapidated looking lobby sat three uniformed rocket agents. "What's this?" one said.

"Thought we locked that door," another said.

"Um." Hart looked at the tray of pokeballs in front of the agents. "I'm just gonna take mine, okay?" he said.

"What's this? This that same weirdo brat?" the third rocket agent said.

"He's wearing that same creepy outfit."

"That's enough." Despite feeling some anxiety, Misty walked in the room, her own pokeballs gripped tightly in her hands. "I'll take back every one of those stolen pokemon!" she declared.

"Another dumb kid. Go, Rattata!" The rocket agent sent out his pokemon.

"We'll just get more pokemon. Go, Nidoran!" Another rocket sent out a male nidoran. The third watched, apparently not having one of his own.

Misty relaxed as the opponent's roster was revealed. Two pokemon, both unevolved and possibly unpracticed? Starmie, Staryu, and Goldeen, or maybe even just one of them, could easily handle this. "Alright," Misty began, deciding to begin with Staryu.

"You're all annoying," Sabrina began, stepping out in front of Misty before she could release Staryu. "I don't have time to watch a long, drawn out battle. We'll just be taking this back." Sabrina extended her arm forward, palm out. One of the pokeballs on the tray simply lifted up out of the air. The object followed Sabrina's palm as she moved before dropping into Hart's hands. The boy gripped the pokeball tightly, putting it into his robe pocket before dashing out of the room.

"Crap!" one of the rockets shouted. "It's that weird gym leader lady!"

"You think this is going to intimidate us when we have pokemon? Rattata, tackle!" another ordered.

Misty shouted out in surprise, though Sabrina still stood in front of her. Would a rocket trained pokemon attack humans though pokemon typically didn't?

It didn't. Rattata stood motionless in response to the command. Sabrina pointed her palm toward the small pokemon, then lifted it up, the panicked rattata following with the direction of her hand. Using that weird psychic ability, she moved it, dropping it on the trainer's head. It called out in a panic before the squinting rocket returned it after pointing the pokeball several places before he finally managed. As he regained his sight, Kadabra teleported in front of him. The rocket cursed and ran out, the others soon following him.

"Take care of that," Sabrina said, glancing it in their direction as she motioned toward the pile of apparently stolen pokeballs. "You will, won't you? It's a pain to deal with these kinds of things."

"I will," Misty said. "Are you sure you don't want to check to be sure Hart got the right one?" she asked.

"It was his drowzee," Sabrina declared without further explanation.

Misty nodded, deciding not to challenge her further as she went to the tray. The idea Sabrina really was psychic was starting to seem believable, between the psychic type gym leader's knowledge of things it didn't seem she should know as well as use of telekinesis. Misty had thought it might have been Alakazam during Ash's battle, but it didn't seem like the active pokemon had been using the skills, both then and with the rockets. Misty shook her head, deciding a firm conclusion wasn't necessary as she picked up the box of pokeballs. She carried them to the door, supposing she'd drop the lot of them off with the local police.

"They really are a pain, and it's not the first time," Sabrina muttered, still looking in the direction the rockets had gone. "Maybe I should be looking out for something to do to get them to back off."

"Just while it's your problem, huh?" Misty said with a sigh as she put the pokeballs in her bag.

"You've been through worse than I have," Sabrina said, looking directly Misty's way. It wasn't a question, so Misty said nothing. "It's like a virus. If it's anywhere, it can spread here. I'll be looking for how I can stop the source."

"What's with the change of heart?" Misty said.

"I realized it's just a pain, you know," Sabrina said, turning away. "Not that I'm bothering with it right now, but I'll look out for something I can do."

"Hm..." Misty started to walk past her fellow gym leader. "Just 'look' for something? Whatever. You're just a selfish person, right? You don't care about other humans, you just take care of yourself. You can defend yourself easily, like you did just now, so this won't ever really be your problem. All human society can just collapse and that's good with you, right?" Misty turned back to the woman she'd decided not to put too much stock in, a smile on her face.

"Kadabra!" her pokemon called harshly as it teleported between the two. "Kadabra, kadabra, kadabra! Kadabra!"

"Kadabra, stop." Sabrina bit her lip as her pokemon followed her instructions. "She doesn't understand you."

Misty stared at the psychic type pokemon. "I think I get it," she said. As the psychic type gym leader turned back to her, she smiled. "I might not be psychic, but I can take hints... Kadabra really trusts you. It's saying I should trust you too, I bet. Well, I'll think about it, Kadabra. After all, I guess Sabrina did come here for someone besides herself." Misty grinned at the pokemon before turning to her fellow gym leader. "Maybe we'll talk again sometime," she suggested.

Sabrina nodded. Waving good-bye, Misty went to take care of the retrieved pokemon.

Kadabra floated nearby, hiding itself at a short distance as it always did when Sabrina was out on the town. When they reached the secluded front of the institute, it teleported next to her. "Kadabra," it called, expressing a sort of disdain for the young gym leader they'd just encountered.

"Don't get too caught up in human conflicts," Sabrina advised. Besides, she'd purposefully antagonized the girl, wanting her to go away after getting any accusations out in the open. Misty had then just parroted back only what Sabrina had said about herself.

But Kadabra? Sabrina paused, touching its head before they went back inside the institute. Kadabra had insisted its trainer was really a kind, caring person who sacrificed her needs and wants for those of others. It had declared its belief that Sabrina put aside what she wanted - for the psychics at her institute, and also for both her own pokemon and pokemon trained by said psychics. She'd given up a lot to be sure they had a place to learn and just be, including sacrificing a place for Sabrina herself to just be. How kind Kadabra was, having that kind of interpretation.

"Kadabra?" the pokemon questioned as Sabrina stayed next to it in silence.

"We might have a fight," Sabrina said before opening the door to the institute. Of course, it wasn't as simple as Misty might imagine, some powerful trainers just rushing in to battle and win. If those in Team Rocket really got angry with her and wanted to heat things up, all of the psychic trainers here together including herself could probably be overpowered by all of the rockets out there. Even winning wouldn't be without a cost. Avoiding that kind of conflict was best, and how to respond otherwise was complicated.

There were indeed a web of barriers in the way of anyone who stood up against Team Rocket. Giovanni had connections, blamed any misdeeds on 'counterfeits' or other rocket impersonators, and even had ended up being in control of most of the gym circuit's operations. Nothing they did was without a ripple of consequences.

Because of that, Sabrina had ignored things until they'd gotten this bad. She couldn't fix things on her own before. Could she even now? Others had always let her down, and yet she'd certainly have to rely on someone outside her circle for this, possibly many someones. Though that girl had looked up to her, Sabrina often felt just as powerless as her.

Even so, perhaps there was something she could do, as part of a group. They had the power, in fact, Sabrina knew well this Team Rocket man had infiltrated them partly because he saw the collective threat of gym leaders as an organized group of powerful trainers webbed throughout Kanto with connections to many others, including elites. Could they manifest the potential threat he'd seen? Now that her gym battles were complete and her student had his pokemon back, Sabrina could take a rest, maybe meditate on the problem a bit. Any potential solution would be complicated, and certainly not immediate.

End notes: Despite having some basic knowledge of tarot, I'm not especially into it. I know the interpretations and readings can get really detailed, and Hart isn't here. Of course, he isn't very confident and may be lacking in knowledge himself. Apologies to aficionados who have issues with anything he said, but just keep that in mind.

Next chapter: Charmander vs. Gastly