After Haunter's explosive interruption to Ash's battle with Sabrina, a day-long reprieve was taken from their awaited match. The following morning, Ash found himself back atop the indoor city's highest platform. It'd taken him a moment to adjust to the dark skies, and neon lights. But, that wasn't going to slow him down; he was in the zone. He inhaled and exhaled, adjusting the brim of his cap. Before him was his obstacle - the powerful Gym Leader, Sabrina, and her telepathic powers. He smirked in the face of his budding excitement. "Let's do this, Sabrina!"
"You look to be in good spirits." Sabrina smiled in turn. A Poké Ball orbited lazily around her, without her moving so much as a muscle. "Your time off put you back in a battler's mindset."
"Did you read my mind? Or, do I just have a really crummy poker face?" Ash joked.
She nonchalantly shrugged, playfully leaving her answer a mystery.
The nail-biting battle was about to get underway. Up in the stands, though, Prinplup's attention was anywhere but the field. Big blue eyes were narrowed, fixated on his trainer, sitting beside him.
"Lup." He nudged Dawn's side with her wing.
"What now, Prinplup?" Dawn frowned.
"Prinplup!" He squawked, pointing at her yellow bag sitting beside her.
"I said no! Drop it."
Prinplup rolled his eyes. The point of contention sat in her bag; something they'd been arguing over, all morning, whenever Ash and Pikachu were out of earshot. Dawn clearly wasn't listening, so he took it upon himself to bring the problem to light. Strategically waiting for Dawn to look away… he dove forward, snatching the bag. "Prin!"
"You…!" Dawn hissed quietly, yanking her bag back from her starter. This was probably making such a scene. She desperately hoped Sabrina and Ash weren't paying attention. Quickly glancing back to the field, she saw them exchanging banter. What a relief.
...But, that brief moment of distraction had given Prinplup the edge! He yanked something out of the bag, victorious. An outfit made up primarily of hot pinks and whites complete with frilled pompoms.
"I said…! No…!" Now a furious red, Dawn hissed through her teeth, forcefully shoving the contents back into her bag. Her latest cheerleading outfit, yet to be used, but prepared ahead of time. "There isn't even a place to change, here," she hushed.
Her partner rolled his eyes, knowing full-well that Gyms tended to have locker rooms; a lame excuse. Behind a string of other lame excuses, this was the nature and source of their feud. "Prinplup!" What was wrong with Dawn!? This was a rematch - it was time to give Ash and his team an encouraging push forward, after yesterday's disaster! It was practically tradition.
"I know we should." Dawn pouted, leaning in to whisper to her starter past her hand. "But, Sabrina's right there! And Ash is right there, and. Ugh!" She groaned. The thought of her recently budding feelings for her friend making it to the forefront of Sabrina's mind made her want to slink under the bleachers. What if she blabbed? What if Ash found out, before she had the confidence to throw it at him!? That was no way for Dawn Tsumura's feelings to come to light!
...Which reminded her, to her horror, that the mind-reading, loud-mouthed Rosa was sitting next to her. Before Dawn could lose all color in her face, she was relieved to find that the pup was entirely focused on the two competing Pokémon entering the fray.
"...Right! The battle's starting." She forcefully snapped her bag shut, turning towards the field. "So, let's focus on cheering Ash on! Got it? Good."
Prinplup rolled his eyes, and obliged.
During Dawn and Prinplup's squabble, Sabrina had called on an entirely new Pokémon; Hypno. Realizing that he couldn't fall back on scouting her strategies from the other day, Ash went with the tried and true counter to sleep; Heracross. The blue beetle chirped, eager to fight.
Although he was raring for battle, himself, Ash noticed something was amiss. Hypno's eyes took on a bright, white glow. It was no execution of Psychic; Heracross looked to be just fine. "Now, that's weird." Ash said, as he pointed his Pokédex at Hypno. It beeped to life.
"Hypno's ability: Forewarn. It determines and alerts the user to the opponent's strongest move."
"Dang It." Ash frowned. "That means they already know about Hyper Beam."
A low laugh of amusement caught Ash's attention. Sabrina had to have overheard him, only smiling in response.
"Well, if she didn't know, now she sure does!" He slapped a hand reflexively over his mouth. 'She can communicate with Hypno, anyway, so I guess it's no big deal. But, I should REALLY be more careful to keep our secrets to myself.' Putting the mistake behind him, he pointed forward. "Use Megahorn, Heracross!"
Buzzing his wings, Heracross took off, shooting a straight path for Hypno. His horn started to take on a green glow, only to immediately fade, as he crashed into the field, face-first.
"Heracross!" Ash called out, with no response from the bug. "Hypnosis. He's asleep, already." With no tip-off from Sabrina whatsoever, either, he could assume that she was sticking to her promise of battling telepathically.
"Hypno… Hypno…!" Hypno rhythmically chanted, as a red wave fired from his hand, encompassing Heracross. The move's victim writhed in its sleep, muttering something unpleasant.
'Dream Eater,' Ash identified. "Sleep Talk, now!"
Heracross beat his wings and stood upright, even in his unpleasant slumber. His horn pointed towards Hypno, and fired a barrage of green needles. Swarming around the Psychic-type, they converted, blasting away in an explosive barrage.
Dream Eater was interrupted, and Hypno was sent tumbling back, with marks and bruises all over his fur. It groaned, struggling to sit up.
"That Pin Missile…!" Dawn exclaimed from the stands. "I could practically feel those hits, up here!"
Watching their firepower on display, Ash smirked. 'One thing Sabrina probably doesn't know is that Heracross has Guts! You can leave him wide awake, or take even more damage when he's asleep. Doesn't make a difference to me!'
But, it wasn't as if Hypno's arsenal ended with Hypnosis and Dream Eater. A bright glow snatched up the sleeping stag beetle, making him levitate above the battlefield. Then, he was brutally smacked against the floor.
"Cross!" Heracross croaked out, as the wind was knocked from his lungs. Lucky him, having a sturdy exoskeleton.
"He's awake, again!" Ash noted. "But, he's still stuck in that Psychic… Use Pin Missile!"
Still suspended, Heracross aimed his horn and fired another barrage.
Hypno's eyes shone a brighter blue, and brought the projectiles to a halt. Meanwhile, Heracross was dropped. He landed on his feet, shaking his head to regain his bearings.
"He's free!" Ash said. "So, all of that Pin Missile and Heracross were too much to hold onto, at once. Good to know." Not that Ash had much time to celebrate, as Pin Missile turned from an earthy green to an eerie blue, flying back towards the stag beetle.
Heracross tucked his head and crossed his arms over his chest, bracing for the worst. Explosions blasted away at him, making him dig his claws into the field's surface. A bit of ground was lost, but he shook the attack off with a battle-cry. "Cross!" A Bug-type move wouldn't do him in!
The smoky aftermath started to morph into a fiery orange, burning away and parting for an unexpected charge by Hypno, who smashed a fiery fist squarely between Heracross' eyes.
Ash's eyes widened, his lips knitting together, as Heracross bounced back, catching himself upright. He chirped angrily, wiping soot off of his forehead. 'Can't say I saw a Fire Punch coming... or, any physical move! Now, I have to worry about Hypnosis, Psychic, and a physical attack. I can't get into Sabrina's head… how can we outsmart her?'
Naturally, there was only one answer to outsmarting someone who's smarter than you, he thought, lips picking up into a coy smile. "Let's pay them back double, Heracross! Megahorn!"
Heracross buzzed a straight path for Hypno, aiming his horn straight-forward. Like any straight-forward attack against a prepared opponent, it fell victim to a countermeasure. Hypnosis lulled Heracross out of consciousness and into a cozy slumber, where he crash-landed, sliding right in front of Hypno.
Ash's smirk widened into a grin. "Use Sleep Talk, Heracross!" He ordered confidently, as the sleeping Pokémon hopped back onto his feet. This was the answer; a Sleep Talk, powered by Guts, at point-blank range! Hypnosis was the obvious answer to a frontal assault, leaving him wide-open.
Judging by the Gym Leader's widened eyes, Ash reasoned that she'd been caught. Confident in her own answers, she'd failed to consider Ash's approach: assuring the smarter individual that they were, indeed, a step ahead. Now, Hypno was wide-open for a Megahorn, or a Pin Missile. Perhaps even a powerful Hyper Beam-
"...Close Combat!?" Ash recoiled, as Heracross swung at Hypno repeatedly, punishing him with furious punches. 'Of course,' he grumbled to himself internally. 'Sleep Talk is random; there's no guarantee it won't pick a move out of the four I want… Crap! Now, we're locked into our fourth move, too.'
Ash was caught in a compromising position, and so was Heracross. Hypno retaliated to the melee with a Fire Punch smashing straight into Heracross' abdomen. The bug tumbled onto his back, still fast asleep.
After Fire Punch, Hypno immediately resumed with Dream Eater. Red light sapped away at a writhing and muttering Heracross.
"Another Dream Eater." Ash frowned. "And, Hypno's gonna get all its health back. We'd better find a way out of this bind, soon…!"
As if responding to Ash's wishes, Heracross sat up; interrupting Hypno's feast, much to the latter's visible chagrin. "Cross!" Heracross cried, struggling to stand, before stumbling forward. Despite his great reputation for being a durable and reliable fighter, two Dream Eaters stacked on top of a Psychic and two Fire Punches, one of them critical, were plenty cause for concern. Even with the likely strength gap between himself and Hypno.
'We're getting low on chances,' Ash thought to himself. But not short on ideas, seemingly, a glint of mischief appearing in his eye. "Alright, we're on the ropes here, Heracross. It's do-or-die! Got it?" He pumped a fist, and his Pokémon responded with the same. "Use Megahorn; full power!"
"Cross!" Heracross picked up on his trainer's enthusiasm, showing a determined expression with narrowed eyes. He sprinted towards Hypno, sending bug-type power surging through his horn for a finishing blow. He'd strike first, this time! He'd bash through that swinging pendulum… that alluring, shiny object, swinging back and forth. No matter how hypnotic it was, he'd… he'd…
He would collapse on the floor, right in front of Hypno.
Easy pickings. The psychic-type's eyes glimmered red, once more.
"There it is." Ash muttered, and cupped his hands around his mouth. "HEY, BULBASAUR! IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU!"
A deafening silence passed over the skyline. Sabrina stared at Ash, blinking. Even she seemed lost, without making the effort to pry his mind.
"Has Ash lost it?" Dawn frowned, clutching her bag. "He's not one to cave under pressure and crack. Definitely not in a situation like this!" Beside her, Piplup nodded.
~I don't feel Uncle Bulbasaur anywhere,~ Rosa piped up matter-of-factly.
For all of the confusion, Ash looked perfectly confident. Pikachu, too, smiled knowingly.
Hypno ignored the odd distraction, and used Dream Eater, to sap the dozing Heracross of his tasty dreams… though, they weren't coming to him, at all. The red beam encompassing the bug fizzled out! It was hardly a fair warning, as a horn smashed brutally into the psychic's jaw.
Heracross was halfway upright, grunting as he brought the full force of Megahorn onto Hypno, ending the attack with an uppercut. "Cross!" He cried, sending it flying towards Sabrina.
A Poké Ball tactfully floated in front of Hypno's path, recalling him to his ball immediately. Ash could only assume that Sabrina sensed a knock-out, through her deep bond with Hypno. She stared at the teenager, head tilted. "...It would be cheating if I pried your mind for what just transpired," she settled on saying.
"Well… not to give away all my secrets." Ash smiled to himself, looking as if he was taking a bit too much joy in his boasting. "But, I had a feeling that you'd want to rely on Dream Eater, if I gave you an opening, since Hypno would have to face my next Pokémon fresh, even if he did win. So, healing up felt like the move you'd make!"
"Not a bad reading of my strategy," Sabrina admitted. "Are you sure you're not a budding telepath, yourself?" Sabrina asked, in what Ash could only assume was a joke.
'You have no idea how right you are…' Ash shook off the thought.
"And, of that call for Bulbasaur…?"
"Well, that one's simple," Ash smiled to himself. "You have a deep bond that allows you to understand your Pokémon. My bond with my Pokémon allows me to know them like the back of my hand, too! I knew Heracross would respond to that."
Up in the stands, Dawn tilted her head, frowning. "I seriously feel like I'm missing something, here…"
Sabrina stared at Ash, likely not understanding his vague boasts, but accepting them. The topic was left behind, as another Poké Ball hovered into the fray, calling on her second Pokémon.
"Wobbbb!" A shrill-sounding Wobbuffet, sporting lipstick, saluted Ash and Heracross.
"A Wobbuffet," Ash said. 'Heracross is stuck with only physical moves, now. If he stays in, we'll be seeing nothing but Counter, if Team Rocket's Wobbuffet is anything to go by.' With that settled, Ash recalled Heracross. "Return, Heracross! You've done a great job. But, let's leave it to Misdreavus!"
"Mis~!" Misdreavus spun her way around the battlefield, parking herself in front of Ash.
"Shadow Ball!" Ash ordered, and Misdreavus followed, firing the projectile towards Wobbuffet. It crashed into the Patient Pokémon, but not before a rainbow sheen coated her body. The main, punching bag-like portion of Wobbuffet caved, only to bounce back Shadow Ball with twice the force - and a greater blast radius to match.
"Dodge that!" Ash ordered, as Misdreavus ducked under the returned fire. "Payback!"
Misdreavus expelled a dark ring of energy, which was inexplicably a physical move; no Mirror Coat would bounce it back. But perhaps the orange glow around Wobbuffet would.
"That's Counter," Ash identified, as Payback slung back at Misdreavus, knocking her away into a pitiful fall. It was hard to imagine how he was supposed to outsmart those moves… simply attacking would just their attacks bounced back at them. "Use Power Gem!"
Misdreavus corrected herself, firing several shimmering, red projectiles at Wobbuffet. Meanwhile, Ash's eyes were glued to the latter, as Mirror Coat's glow appeared. "Now; use Psychic to pin Wobbuffet down!"
"Wobb!?" The Patient Pokémon was yanked up by Misdreavus' will, and mercilessly tossed down into the ground. The surface, which was painted to look like a glass ceiling, cracked. Far too disheveled to maintain the Mirror Coat, she took Power Gem head-on.
"Yes!" Ash triumphantly snapped his fingers. If they could keep Wobbuffet off-kilter, there'd be no defending from their attacks. "Follow it up with Shadow Ball!"
Misdreavus cooed happily, firing another sphere, black as the night, into the debris. The shock on the little ghost's face was palpable, when a larger Shadow Ball shot back out; she was bowled over by the counter attack, unable to defend.
"Another Mirror Coat!?" Ash grimaced, gritting his teeth. "That was fast… Payback, Misdreavus!"
For all of her power and prowess, she was growing weary, having trouble maintaining her swift and whimsical patterns. She was equally irritated, though; getting those attacks reflected constantly was annoying, cowardly, and frankly, downright rude! A vengeful wail unleashed Payback.
Wobbuffet braced herself with a coat of orange, bouncing back Payback, which Misdreavus narrowly hopped over.
"Back to square one." Ash frowned, tightening a fist at his side. If the upset provided by Psychic couldn't throw Sabrina off her game, then there was one last trick up his sleeve he'd have to rely on. "Shadow Ball!"
Misdreavus summoned another Shadow Ball with her mouth, slinging the malleable shadow at Wobbuffet.
"Dodge that!" Ash commanded, as Mirror Coat bounced Shadow Ball back. Misdreavus ducked. "Now, use Spite!'
Misdreavus hovered over Wobbuffet, looking down on the Pokémon with disdain. She'd had quite enough of her attacks bouncing off her opponent, like they were made of rubber! Her glowering stare was accentuated by the floating pink tufts on her head, meaning to rob Wobbuffet of her will to deflect.
But, what was that misty green glow…?
Ash grimaced. "That's…!"
"It's Safeguard!" Dawn exclaimed. "I've seen Togekiss use it enough times to recognize it."
~What's Safeguard?~ Rosa asked, looking up to Dawn.
"It's a move that protects Pokémon from moves that don't do damage. Last time, Spite made Mr. Mime unable to use Barrier. So, Ash was trying to do the same to Mirror Coat. Now that Safeguard is in his way…"
"...Spite is a no-go." Ash frowned, wiping sweat from his brow. "So, we're stuck with Mirror Coat and Counter… damn it! As long as I'm shouting commands, Sabrina will see it coming, a mile away! And, we already tipped off Spite, last time. At this rate…" His closed fists dug into his palms. Things were looking grim.
"Hold on." Sabrina interrupted, drawing Ash's attention. "I'm bringing my full power to this battle. Why aren't you?"
"Pika…?" Pikachu tilted his head, puzzled.
"What do you mean?" Ash asked, not liking the implications. "There's no way I'd give you anything less than my best!"
"And yet, I'm the only one making the most of my abilities," she frowned. "If I'm reaching out to my Pokémon, there's only one answer to making this battle fair. Use your Aura to make your inner voice heard."
"My Aura!?" Ash stared at Sabrina, taken aback. The question of how she knew about this almost slipped past his lips, before he registered the obvious. "But, that's…" He frowned, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. "I haven't been training that, all that long. I don't really know how to do that, even if I wanted to."
"The key to your abilities is already with you," she replied. "You should call on your Riolu."
Ash turned his attention to the stands, where the Riolu sat. "Rosa…?"
~Me?~ She pointed towards herself, head tilted.
"If you can't bridge the gap between yourself and your Pokémon, then she, herself, can serve as that bridge. You can do that, can't you?"
~...Maybe? I think.~ Rosa blinked. ~I've never tried, before!~
Ash scratched his cheek. He shouldn't have been surprised that Sabrina knew about their powers… "Riley did say something about an Aura Guardian's partner linking them to others... But, wait! Isn't calling another Pokémon for help cheating!?"
"Is it any less legitimate than my own supernatural link with my Pokémon?" Sabrina asked.
"I… guess not," Ash resigned. She had a good point, but he couldn't shake off the discontent he felt in his gut. "But, that'd be interrupting the battle, again! Doing something like that, now… and the thing from yesterday, too! Hell, even our battles back then…"
"You know," Sabrina resumed, cutting off Ash's tangent, "a long time ago, I was ashamed of my own abilities. They were feared, and seen as unnatural. That fear and disdain I built for them, myself… shall I say, lead me to ugly places."
"Ugly places…?" Dawn frowned, puffing out her cheek. Being out of the loop was annoying! "What's she even talking about? And what's Ash talking about?" Was there some secret behind his past battle with Sabrina…? Or, did he say 'battles?'
"I'm totally lost, here."
Swallowing, Ash nodded. The mental image of being doll-sized and nearly flattened by a rolling ball was one that he found difficult to shake. "So, what's your point?" He asked, quite confident that Sabrina didn't want to air her dirty laundry out to Dawn, so to speak.
"My point is, I learned to channel them towards defining myself as a trainer. There's no shame in using your inherent gifts to the end of bettering yourself. You cherish that bond you share with Rosa, don't you?"
"Of course I do," Ash answered reflexively, before Sabrina even finished her sentence. He looked off to the stands, where his ruby-eyed bundle of joy stood.
~C'mon, Papa!~ She shouted into his head, drowning out the yip that came out of her mouth. ~If I can help you out, I want to!~
"...Right! But…" Ash trailed off, racking his brain for excuses, but he came up short. He wanted to fall back on the official Pokémon League rules, but was there even a rule against that!? He'd never seen one…
"You're letting your pride cloud your judgment," Sabrina replied. "If you continue battling like this, you'll lose. Or, you could put that pride aside to help your Pokémon succeed, and better yourself. The choice is yours, of course. I can only guide you, as a Gym Leader."
'Guide you as a Gym Leader.' Those words echoed in Ash's mind. Was this the 'nugget of wisdom' to obtain from Sabrina that Gary and Brock spoke of? "...Hm. What do you think, Misdreavus?"
The floating specter had kept her eyes on Ash, the entire time. She chirped up without hesitation. "Mis~!"
"So, that's a yes…" Ash laughed to himself. "I've been outnumbered, haven't I? Alright. Rosa!" He grinned, turning to the stands to hold out a hand. "Come on down!"
~Yes!~ Rosa cheered, hopping down the bleachers to land on the "building's" edge. With one, nimble leap, she cleared the gap between platforms, and sprinted to Ash. With his arm extended, she hopped upon it, standing atop his shoulder, the same way Pikachu tended to. Grinning, she pushed her cheek against his. ~Let's get 'em!~
Ash laughed. "Hey, hey, easy! Now, here's our game plan. If you can reach into my noggin and hear what I'm telling you, I need you to send out commands to Misdreavus as I think 'em. Got it?"
The Emanation Pokémon nodded furiously. ~Got it!~
"Good!" Ash smirked, turning his attention back to his opponent. "Alright, Sabrina. Time to show you our combined power!"
Sabrina gave a whole-hearted smile, levitating once more with her hands held out. "I look forward to it."
'Power Gem!' Ash thought, and Rosa nodded. Misdreavus received the message, and fired a red gem towards Wobbuffet. As Mirror Coat bounced it back, another command. 'Payback!'
Misdreavus narrowly dodged Power Gem, floating directly over Wobbuffet. With a wail, she unleashed the darkness of Payback. The latter barely had the time to summon Counter's glow.
'Psychic!' By Ash's will, and then Misdreavus', Counter was interrupted to stretch and bend Wobbuffet, ending Counter in a complete misfire that slung Payback at the ceiling. Ash was satisfied to be seeing progress, but they couldn't let up there. 'Shadow Ball!'
The now airborne Wobbuffet was subjected to another Shadow Ball, which met a desperate Mirror Coat. From down below, Ash kept an eye on Sabrina. Her expression was stern, eyes narrowed in what he could assume was concentration. Now, she had to guess his moves, just as much as he did; in fact, this put her on the back foot. Her response to his own moves was predictable; they had to match every move he unleashed.
Misdreavus and Wobbuffet disengaged, after the last exchange. Now, it was time to bewilder the telepath, for real. 'Hear me out, Misdreavus. Now, you're going to close in, and make it look like you're about to hit 'er with Power Gem!'
Through Rosa, Ash could feel a touch of confusion on Misdreavus' part; it wasn't unlike when he was privy to Rosa's own thoughts and feelings. But, with that lack of understanding came unquestioning loyalty, and Misdreavus zipped in.
Swooping along the arena floor like a shadow, Misdreavus coped, lighting the jewels around her neck with a glistening red. At that moment, Wobbuffet preemptively used Mirror Coat.
'Now, fire it at the ground!'
Power Gem crashed into the arena floor, flooding the skyscraper with red-tinted smoke. Ash heard a startled, coughing Wobbuffet through the disarray. 'Now's our chance. Get up close!'
An inky presence slinked through the smoke, and suddenly appeared before a startled Wobbuffet. There, she heard Ash's order - Spite! - and gave Wobbuffet her grief.
The Patient Pokémon shuddered. Sabrina seemed to notice when the smoke cleared, as Safeguard's glow basked over her Pokémon, once more.
'We've got 'em, now!' Ash grinned, seeing victory before his eyes. 'Use Shadow Ball!'
"Miiiisss~!" Misdreavus cried, happily firing off a Shadow Ball, crashing decisively into Wobbuffet.
"We got 'em!" Ash pumped a fist. "Good work, Misdreavus!" He praised, his giddy expression falling when the ghost gave him no response. She was just… floating there. Then, she sank towards the ground, lying with swirls in her eyes.
~She's out!~ Rosa exclaimed the obvious.
"But, how…? We were the ones who landed a hit on them! Unless… Destiny Bond."
Recalling Wobbuffet, Sabrina smirked, confirming it. "A great counterattack. But, I wasn't going to give you a free victory, no matter what."
"Hah. You're something else, you know that?" Ash brushed his index finger over his nose, amused as much as he was intimidated. "And, we got ourselves all hyped up. Thank you, Misdreavus," Ash recalled the ghost. "You put up an awesome fight."
"I hope you haven't lost your enthusiasm," she playfully replied, before taking on a more serious tone. "Your Riolu seems to be trembling."
"Yeah. I noticed. You feel like you're fatigued," Ash observed, turning an eye to Rosa. Towards the end of the battle, he'd felt a touch weary, even though he hadn't done much to exert himself.
Rosa quickly shook her head. ~I'm fine!~
Ash squinted. "It won't do you any good to over-exert yourself. Especially if this is your first go at it."
~I said I'm fine!~ She argued back. ~We still have a battle to win!~
Making Rosa's point for her, Sabrina called on her last Pokémon. The familiar, daunting Alakazam.
"Alakazam!" The Psi Pokémon grunted, opposing Ash.
"Well, against you, I might need all the help I can get." Ash smirked. He hadn't once overcome Alakazam in battle, past or present. It was time to fix that. "Alright, Rosa. You win!" He answered, as he threw his third Poké Ball into action. "Crawdaunt! I choose you!"
Crawdaunt appeared, giddily snapping his pincers. "Craw! Craw!"
"We've practically had this match-up, before." Ash smirked. "Remember, Crawdaunt? Against Anabel's Alakazam?"
The crustacean turned back to Ash, blinking, seemingly coming up short until his memory caught up with him. Looking jolly, he waved a claw affirmatively. "Crawdaunt!"
'Even better, this time, now that his Dark typing is backing him up,' Ash considered. 'I don't imagine Sabrina's stronger than her, but that doesn't mean I can take this for granted.'
"Anabel. The Frontier Brain, correct?" Sabrina asked, eyes wide, as if she'd read his mind, once again. Given that they were in the middle of the battle, he dismissed the idea. "If you've defeated her, once before, I have quite the shoes to fill to surpass your expectations."
Hearing humility, of all things, from Sabrina was something of a shock to Ash. But then, the Brains had their reputations for a reason. "And knowing you, I should expect you will, right?"
When Sabrina didn't answer, Ash assumed he was getting the silent treatment, once more. A silence that was interrupted by a screech in his ear. ~Are we done talking!? C'mon! Let's battle!~
'Easy, girl,' Ash thought, wincing at the sudden noise. 'If you're that impatient, though, let's finish this quick.' He hoped that any deeply seated thoughts about wanting to resolve things before she exhausted herself didn't reach her notice. 'Crabhammer!'
~I am not!~ Clearly having caught him, Rosa argued, which Crawdaunt paid absolutely no mind to, as he charged Alakazam, swinging his mighty claw at Alakazam. The attack passed through thin air, smashing a crater into the field.
'It disappeared,' Ash thought. 'That must've been Teleport.' Instantaneously, The golden Psychic-type appeared in front of Ash. 'Crawdaunt, behind you! Use Crunch!'
Crawdaunt turned as fast as he possibly could, lunging to snag Alakazam in a merciless grip. His pincers clamped down on nothing.
'Focus Blast, at 2 o'clock,' Ash warned. 'Knock it away, with Crabhammer!'
A bright, blue blast was sent flying towards Crawdaunt, coming dangerously close to impacting him. The Rouge swung in a backhand motion, meeting the powerful attack with plenty of resistance. With a grunt, he sent it flying through the colorful lights guarding the platform.
'We'll have to get the drop on them with speed. Aqua Jet!'
Crawdaunt was immediately propelled towards Alakazam, smashing into the Psychic-type with the watery veil before his reflexes could catch up with his much more powerful mind. Alakazam groaned, bouncing off the field.
'Toss it, with Crunch!' Ash's thoughts were an easy task to follow, with Aqua Jet already giving Crawdaunt momentum. Alakazam had no time to recover, and his arm was snatched in a brutal snap of Crawdaunt's claw. He yanked the Psychic-type around and tossed him away.
'Now, let's finish this quickly! Crabhammer!'
Crawdaunt vaulted off the gym floor, raising his mighty, glowing pincer.
Ash watched the scene play out; as long as Alakazam didn't find the time to Teleport out of the way, the match was theirs… though, it was back on its feet by the time Crabhammer was prepared. 'Why hasn't he vanished, yet!?'
Alakazam stayed put, instead opening his mouth to fire a bright yellow flash.
'Crap! Crabhammer on the ground, Crawdaunt!' Ash urged. But, the crustacean showed no signs of changing his trajectory. 'Crawdaunt! Didja hear me? Come on!' Desperately urging Crawdaunt, Ash watched Alakazam's attack consume him. "Crawdaunt!"
"Craw…" The Rouge Pokémon fell back, wincing in pain. His body sported several burn marks, and static clung to his exoskeleton.
'What's the matter, Crawdaunt? Can't you hear me?' Ash relayed, only for his Pokémon to ignore him. 'I don't think he hears me… ' That could only mean one thing.
Atop his shoulder, Rosa was holding the side of her head with her paw, gnashing her tiny canines together. Either she was in pain, or just completely exhausted. "What's the matter, girl?"
~ It…- … orking!~ Her scratchy voice passed through Ash's mind, in only fractions of a sentence. ~Can…. No more-!~
"...Huh?" Ash frowned. "It's… not working? You can't talk, no more?"
The Riolu shook her head, confirming his guess.
This was a concerning sign. Ever since she'd learned to project her voice, Ash had never heard her fail like this. "You must be really tired." Ash gave a half-smile. "Don't worry. I'll take it from here." He lightly tapped Rosa's forehead with her Poké Ball, and pocketed it. "Alright, Sabrina. Rosa was a big help, against you. But, I think I can handle the rest on our own."
"Providing a bridge between you and your Pokémon must have been a lot of work for a pup," Sabrina replied. "With time, her powers will grow, as will yours."
"And, I'll look forward to that day! But, for now, we have a battle to win! Isn't that right, Crawdaunt?"
"Craw…?" Crawdaunt looked back to Ash, and raised a claw. "Crawdaunt!"
Alakazam answered their challenge, conjuring a large, teal Focus Blast between his spoons.
"What's with that Focus Blast? It's huge!" Ash exclaimed, as it fired towards Crawdaunt. "Crabhammer!"
Crawdaunt smashed his claw into the Focus Blast with all of his might. Despite his efforts, he couldn't simply swat the move away; it was making him lose ground quickly. At the rate it was going, it was liable to explode. With a great deal of effort, Crawdaunt flung the blast beside and behind him. "Craw!"
"That was a big power-up from the last one… Maybe it had something to do with the move she just used?"
"You've figured it out," Sabrina spoke up, much to Ash's surprise. "Charge Beam is an Electric-type move; as far as the wider battle scene goes, I hear it's fairly new. While not terribly powerful, it increases the user's special attack, after it connects."
"I thought you were gonna leave all the guesswork to me." Ash replied with a smirk.
"You'd figured out the mechanic, already," she replied. "The details were mostly trivia."
"Suit yourself," Ash replied. 'You've made a big mistake, though, Sabrina. Now that I know what that move is, I can figure the rest of your strategy out. You showed your fourth move, yesterday, with Psychic. And, that won't work on a Dark-type like Crawdaunt. So, I've locked you into Teleport, Focus Blast, and Charge Beam! As long as we keep the momentum, we'll win!'
That would be a great reason to feel confident, on Ash's part, if it were true. Alas, a yellow glow coating Alakazam's body was the attention, and then his disappointment. The glow faded, and Alakazam's bruises faded away as if they'd never been dealt.
"Recover!?" Ash recoiled, a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead. "But, he already used Psychic… Unless he-!" The switch flipped in Ash's head, as a seemingly innocuous piece of trivia from months gone by came back to him.
"The most infamous case of a Pokémon breaking the four-move tradition is Gym Leader Sabrina's Alakazam. It knows six moves."
"That figures… Dexter was giving me a heads-up, all along," Ash smirked. A muffled voice inside his jacket pocket responded to him.
"That is the Pokédex's intended purpose. You would do well to take advantage of it."
"Look, I appreciate the lip, but I've gotta focus." A brief pause passed, and Ash briefly considered the fridge horror of the artificial intelligence in his 'dex having consciousness of some kind. "Thanks," he added. "Now, I'm back to square one… Once again, let's finish it in one go! Swords Dance!"
Crawdaunt entertained the command with glee, prancing and spinning with enthusiasm that very few others would find in a simple power-up. (Ash had one other Pokémon that shared that love, but that was besides the point.) Vigorously dancing, he bathed himself in red, increasing his attack power sharply. And his merriment was done just in time for another huge Focus Blast to encroach on him.
"Crabhammer! Let's give it another try," Ash commanded.
Crawdaunt swung his pincer around with gusto, smashing it into the raw energy bundled into Focus Blast. The attack still made his claw tremble, but with an extra push, he found the former far more malleable. Focus Blast caved in, losing its solid structure, and slung back at Alakazam.
Predictably, Alakazam vanished with Teleport. Ash scanned the field for the Psi Pokémon, until he was spotted, hovering overhead. He opened his mouth, sparking a bright light.
'Charge Beam,' Ash identified. 'Sabrina probably wants to up the ante, and overpower us with Alakazam's special moves, again.' If she continued to pile those on, even the stubborn Crawdaunt would end up falling prey to them. As Charge Beam fired, Ash decided his course of action. 'Then, we'll meet them head-on! Charge right into it, with Aqua Jet!'
Crawdaunt boldly charged into the coming beam with a torrential rush pushing him forward.
"They're charging right into it!?" Dawn exclaimed, leaning on the edge of her seat as Aqua Jet crashed right into the wave of electricity. "Is Ash crazy!? That's a super effective move! But… oh, look at it," she cooed.
Before her eyes, Crawdaunt cut through Charge Beam, giving Aqua Jet the appearance of a soaring comet. Gold sparks danced around the blue veil, coming to a head at the crustacean's star-like crest. He collided with Alakazam, and five bolts of lightning shot astray from the star to cut away at the battle field.
"It looks like a whole contest combination!"
Alakazam hit the ground with a groan. Since it hadn't levitated back into an upright position yet, Ash could assume that he'd taken a great deal of damage, and needed a moment to recuperate. Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one.
"Craw…" Crawdaunt huffed out, supporting himself on one claw.
"Crawdaunt," Ash called out. "Are you alright!?"
The Rouge Pokémon turned to his trainer, sporting a look of determination. Even from a distance, though, it was easy for Ash to spot his heavy breathing.
'That may've been a risky move. I was counting on Crawdaunt's durability to last it out, but really, he looks just as hurt as Alakazam! And, with that big guy still in the game...'
Alakazam confirmed Ash's fears, cast in the healing light of Recover.
"Tch." Ash grimaced. "Swords Dance!"
Crawdaunt gathered his strength, and used Alakazam's downtime to the fullest. Fierce snaps of his claws coated him in a lively red, and his attack power increased exponentially.
"Now, we have the power to finish this in one shot," Ash muttered. "Crawdaunt! Use Aqua Jet! I'll be your eyes and ears, for this one!"
"Craw!" In a roaring burst of water, Crawdaunt took off. His bolstered speed carried him right to Alakazam, who unfortunately vanished at the last possible second. Unbeknownst to him, Alakazam re-appeared on Ash's end of the battle field, hovering quite an altitude over Ash's head; or at least, close enough to him. A huge shine expanded between his spoons, which parted to allow for its new width.
"There's a Focus Blast coming in behind you!" Ash warned. "Pull up!"
Aqua Jet pulled up into a skyward arc, the trailing mist behind him vanishing into a cloud of smoke and dust when Focus Blast detonated below him. Much more powerful than the previous, thanks to Charge Beam, this one sent chunks of the battlefield flying in all directions.
Ash, Dawn, and company even braced for impact, spared by a sudden freezing of the debris. Sabrina exerted command over the excess, each fragment outlined in a gentle blue, before they fell to the wayside.
'Alakazam hasn't moved,' Ash observed, after he was spared a nasty collision with the debris. 'He doesn't know where to look for Crawdaunt! And since he's a dark-type, he can't read his mind, either.' Bearing all this in mind, Ash shouted. "Turn it into a loop; a total 180!"
Inside the waning smoke, Crawdaunt heard his trainer, pulling into a skyward arc.
Floating overhead, Alakazam grunted in frustration, scanning the cloud for any signs of the Rouge Pokémon. The cloud finally broke, and a torrent shot out of it. Teleport allowed Alakazam to vanish, once more, landing just in front of his trainer's opponent. His spoons clashed together, conjuring a crackling, teal light.
"Forget the Aqua Jet," Ash urged, "he's right down below! Use Crabhammer on the ground!"
A glistening mist dispersed around Crawdaunt, highlighted with the futuristic shines of pink, blue, and teal from below. He dropped from the charge, swinging a claw at the ground with a mighty cry.
"Craw!" He smashed the surface, aiming his claw in Alakazam's direction. A rippling quake ran through the platform, disheveling a pained Alakazam.
"Zam…!" Focus Blast misfired, missing Crawdaunt completely to collide and detonate against one of the lower 'building' platforms.
"There's our chance!" Ash exclaimed, and threw a pointed finger forward. "Use Crunch!"
There was little Alakazam could do to resist the tremors rattling through his physically frail body; even his fortitude made concentrating on basically anything impossible, let alone acting on it. And when a powerful pincer chomped down painfully on his arm, he was helpless to it.
The gallant and stubborn Crawdaunt snagged Alakazam. He leapt high above the field, yanking a disoriented Alakazam with him. Whipping his claw around like a lasso, he swung the Psi Pokémon around, and returned to earth with a brutal lash against the field. Cracks spread throughout, leaving a blinking Sabrina stunned.
"Ala…!" Alakazam lay belly-up, with swirls in his eyes.
"He's out…" Ash blinked, hardly believing it, as he was still mentally submerged in the battle's intensity. "...We did it! We won!" Letting his uptight nerves settle and fall to the wayside, he punched a victorious fist in the air. Before any post-victory words could be exchanged, though, he was suddenly tackled to the ground with a thud.
"Oof…!" Ash found himself pinned beneath the impressive weight of a very weary-looking, but very cheery Crawdaunt. "Aha," he laughed, voice strained by the Pokémon standing directly on his ribcage, "you were awesome, big guy." He saw Crawdaunt's pincer extended, and avoided a painful squeeze by shaking the width of the claw with his own hand. "Thanks for going all-in. You look like you could use a real rest, though," Ash smirked, and tapped him with his Poké Ball.
"Pika-chu…" Pikachu laughed off, giving his trainer a sympathetic smile.
"He did it!" Dawn celebrated, clapping her hands together. "Alakazam was really tricky… I can't believe he found his way around all that sneaky teleporting."
"Prinplup. Prin-Prinplup," Prinplup prattled off matter-of-factly, shrugging a wing. As if to say 'Of course he did. It's Ash we're talking about!'
"Yeah," Dawn agreed, her smile growing wider, as she caught the general gist of her partner's reply. "You're really not wrong."
After being bowled over, Ash prepared himself to push himself back on his feet. But, as he willed his muscles to set him upright, they didn't. In fact, he couldn't move at all, but his body felt light as a feather all at once. He might have questioned this, or even freaked out, if he hadn't just been magically placed back on his feet. Looking across to Sabrina, he acknowledged the lift as a courtesy, and smiled politely. 'Those powers STILL freak me out...'
"Well," Sabrina approached him, bowing her head in humility. "It seems you got the best of-"
"HAU-HAU!"
A chill ran through Ash, as if the life had been sapped from him. The cackling of the undead rang in his ears, and its perpetrator decided to appear before him, roughly and enthusiastically shaking Ash's hands with his own disembodied claws.
"Haunter…!" Ash laughed, recovering from his sudden interjection. "You gave me a scare, just now… You must've been watching our battle, huh?"
"Haun-Haun!" The purple, gaseous figure grinned, finally letting Ash's hands go. The difference in mood between today and yesterday was… well, night-and-day! But, that didn't stop Haunter from suddenly taking on an uncharacteristically serious demeanor. "Haun. Haunter! Hau-haun."
"Erm…?" Ash trailed off, tentatively.
"I think Haunter has a request for you," Sabrina interpreted. Though, any ambiguity in her voice was playful banter on her part, Ash figured. Being a mind-reader and all.
"He does?" Ash blinked, turning back to the ghost. His eyes widened in realization. "You don't mean…"
"Haunter was moved by your show of skill and strength," Sabrina affirmed. "I've enjoyed his years with me at the Gym. Truly. But, while he's been a great source of joy, he's had only so much room to grow, on his own. The timing may not have been right, when you and he first ventured to this city. But, I think he would now like to walk at your side… or float, as it were," Sabrina laughed at her own tame attempt at a joke.
Ash entertained her show of good humor with a laugh, though he hardly needed to pretend; he felt a great elation of his own, looking up to the ghost. "You mean it, Haunter? You wanna get stronger with us?"
Haunter did several tumbles in the air, returning to flash a large, toothy smile at Ash. "Haunter!"
"Well, if that's the case… then, count me in! Let's get stronger, together!" He beamed, holding out a hand.
Haunter reached and clasped it… only for a second chill to pass through Ash, as one hand slipped right through the other. Ash blinked, momentarily silent, before both of them erupted in laughter.
"If I may," Sabrina interrupted, "I'd like to honor this reunion with a helping hand of my own."
"Hm?" Ash tilted his head. "What do you mean?"
A few teleporting pads later, and Ash and Dawn found themselves led to a smaller room, lit by the same teal, technologically advanced paneling as the main hallway, with familiar fluorescent lighting wrapping around the walls.
In the center of the room, by Sabrina, was a large machine that the duo and their starters recognized. "A trading machine…?" Dawn asked, with a tilt of her head. "But, how does that…" Beginning to put what she thought were the pieces together, Dawn flicked her eyes between Ash and Sabrina, back-and-forth. "Ash, are you sure about this…?"
"I'm not really sure what's going on." Ash frowned, scratching his cheek. "You want to trade, Sabrina?"
"The trading is… a formality," the esper picked her choice of words, after a moment. "There's something you should know about the Ghastly line. You've seen each stage of them around, I'm sure." A rhetorical question, as she continued without waiting for an answer. "But, after evolving into Haunter, they have one of the more unusual evolution patterns. Gengar do occur in the wild, but it's often a very long process… An amount of time that a mortal human being can't afford."
Catching the implications of growing old and frail long before a ghost even finished its maturity, Ash shuddered. Though, given they were ghosts, he supposed it made sense that they had all the time in the world to choose their state of being.
"However, for reasons unknown, trading speeds up the process, and causes Haunter to evolve into Gengar. I'm not quite sure why that is…" She trailed off, turning back to smile at the group, and the floating Haunter behind them. "But, I thought it was suitable to nudge Haunter towards his first step to growing alongside you."
"So, the machine…! That's what it's for." Ash looked back to Haunter, and frowned. "But, I don't have any Pokémon that I really want to trade. Not to sound like a jerk, and all."
"Oh, that won't be necessary." Sabrina retrieved a Poké Ball, holding it out towards Haunter. "The modern trading machines offer a one-way transfer. It would simply transfer Haunter to you. If that's alright with you all?"
Ash considered the idea, and shrugged his shoulder. "Fine with me. How do you feel about it, Haunter?"
In response, the ghoul extended his tongue, snatching the Poké Ball away from Sabrina and wrapped it up. Subsequently, a red flash of light captured him into the ball, which fell into Ash's hand.
"Ew," he recoiled, sticking out his own tongue in disgust. "Here, you take it." He tried to pawn the ball off on Sabrina, who simply lifted it with her telekinesis.
"He has a bad habit of that," she sighed, and directed the ball to one of the trading machine's ports. With the click of a few buttons, the mechanism whirred to life, with several screens lighting up in succession. "Your Pokédex?" She requested.
Ash nodded wordlessly, and handed Dexter over, which Sabrina inserted in a groove in the machine. "This will formally register Haunter as yours," she explained.
On the main display screen, an image of Haunter crossed, but not before flickering into a new shape. Before it could be made out, it passed through to the other end.
Finally, the Poké Ball dropped into the other open groove. Feeling compelled to do so, Ash picked it up. He found a smile framing itself on his features. An ill-fated attempt at catching Haunter had brought them together years ago, but legitimately being partners had never crossed Ash's mind, after he stayed behind with Sabrina. Maybe now, they'd get a proper chance to be friends. To work together-
"Gehehehehehe!" A purple shadow slipped out of the Poké Ball's clutches, taking the shape of a large, bouncing blob of ghostly cheer, bearing a wide grin, spikes along his head and back, and glowing red eyes.
"Haunte- I mean, Gengar!" Ash pulled Gengar into a warm embrace after correcting himself. His laughter was echoed by the latter's cackling, and they pulled back. "Aw, man… I was about to do my signature catch pose, before you popped out!" He laughed, only halfway disappointed.
"Gen?" Gengar tilted his head, frowning. "Gar!" He bounced again, encouraging Ash - at least he could assume - to do the honors.
"Well, I guess that shouldn't stop us… Alright!" Grinning, Ash swerved around, holding Gengar's Poké Ball high above his head. "I just caught Gengar!" Naturally, Pikachu dashed up to Ash's shoulder, flashing a victory sign with his paw.
"Pi-Pikachu!"
Gengar slinked behind and then above the two, throwing out his arms and legs with glee. "Ge-Gengar!"
"Welcome to the group, Gengar!" Dawn greeted, echoed by her partner, Prinplup.
"Prinplup!"
After navigating a short labyrinth of teleportation pads, Ash and Dawn found themselves a little lost. Thankfully, Sabrina was courteous enough to escort them to the exit. With pleasantries and good wishes exchanged, they faced the front entrance, opposite of her.
"Again, it's been great, Sabrina." Ash saw off, giving the leader a friendly wave. "I'll keep your lesson in mind." Although his newly honed powers were still budding, there was still much to be seen of them, in the future. In the little capsule on his belt, Rosa, too, would continue to develop them, with him.
"I'd hope so," Sabrina acknowledged. "But, Ash. Dawn."
They stopped, even as the sliding doors opened in front of them.
"...I feel that I owe you a fair warning, before you leave. Or rather, a premonition, that I think you should both hear."
"A premonition…? You mean like, one of your visions?" Ash blinked, taken off-guard. "Well, thanks," he smiled, waving his hand. "But, if it's about when and how I'll become a Pokémon Master… Honestly, I don't want to know, that way. I want to find that path, for myself! Hearing it ahead of time just spoils the journey of it all."
"The same goes for me!" Dawn chimed in, flicking her bangs. "I wouldn't want anything about my journey to Top Coordinator being spoiled. Thanks, though!"
The Gym Leader spent a good moment or two staring at Ash and Dawn silently. They were… certainly their own brand of chipper and confident. "...While your confidence is admirable, it's not what I had in mind. I did tell you that it was a warning, correct?"
Dawn blinked, her bravado dissipating in the blink of an eye. "You make it sound like it's serious."
"Hm," Ash hummed, nodding with an altogether more stern expression. Something about this sent a chill down his spine. "What is it, Sabrina?"
"Ash. Your love for your Pokémon smashed my psychic abilities… The ability to love, I think, is also some kind of psychic ability, in itself."
Ash found himself short of any real understanding of what she'd said, when she didn't elaborate any further. He arched his brow. "Sure, I mean… My love for my Pokémon did play a big part in my victory. It always does. But, how is that a prediction?"
"Ah. I suppose it isn't. Sorry… My glimpses into the future are a little clouded. With these," Sabrina held up her hands, displaying her glowing wrist cuffs, "the awesome extents of my psychic powers are limited, to give me greater control of them. The downside is that they limit the clarity, and even the time span of my predictions, along with the rest of my powers. Forgive me, if I struggle to organize my thoughts."
"You mean to tell us that your powers get even crazier than what we've seen already!?" Dawn exclaimed. Ash started to stammer out a warning with a gentle tap on the shoulder, knowing all too well what Sabrina was capable of. She probably didn't want to share that.
"Even if my visions are incomplete," Sabrina continued, ignoring Dawn's question, "I can sense… peril in your futures. Yours and your Pokémon," she clarified, as her eyes drifted and landed on Pikachu.
Catching her deep, blue pools focusing on him, Pikachu shifted uncomfortably, with a flick of his tail. He sincerely hoped that her stopping on him was purely a coincidence.
Feeling Pikachu shift, Ash absently scratched his cheek, growing tense at the premonition.
"I sense that that peril will challenge you… your skills, your strength, your willpower... even your faith in one another. Heed that warning, but that's no reason to let your doubts rule you."
Dawn felt an unnerved Prinplup clinging to her leg. "This really does sound like some sort of prophecy… it reminds me of the old Sinnoh Myths I used to read about." She frowned, bundling up a fist, as to make a point. "But, none of that is going to slow us down! We've already been through some pretty crazy things. Right, Ash?"
"Right," he agreed. "All sorts of crazy danger comes and goes, when it comes to us. But, we'll never give up! Teamwork makes the dream work!"
"I'm happy to hear that that's your attitude," Sabrina replied. Though, concerningly enough, her grim expression didn't change. "Unity can build a castle, and just as easily crumble an empire. Maintain this, and you'll see your challenges through… whether they relate to my premonitions or not."
"Gotcha. Thank you, Sabrina." Ash bowed his head, and turned towards the sliding door. It opened for him once more, and he waved over his shoulder. "Don't you worry about us!"
"Pika-Pikachu."
"Yeah! Nice meeting you!"
"Prinplup!"
With a curt nod, the dark-haired leader turned, and returned to the ambient darkness of her Gym. The bright skies of Saffron City were a lot for the group to adjust to, after wandering the Technicolor maze. But, a breath of fresh air turned out to be seriously refreshing.
"What do you think of all that stuff?" Dawn asked, as they walked towards the closest Pokémon Center. "Do you really, like… believe all that? It sounded so ominous. Then again… premonitions usually at least mean something." Dawn reached for her wrist instinctively, finding it short of her beaded bracelet that she tended to fiddle within moments of stress. She quietly regretted leaving it at home as a fashion choice.
"Maybe…" Ash hummed, staring down at his feet. "But, maybe not! It could just be a big, creepy, practical joke!" Laughter accompanied his statement, perhaps forced a few octaves too high.
"Would she really do that!?" Dawn exclaimed, her face scrunching in annoyance, afterward. "There's nothing funny about pretending to have a prophecy. Think of the legends she might upset! Someone could hear her bunk, and make doubts for real warnings and stories!"
Ash stared at Dawn, blinking. Did she always have such a… Well, nothing superstitious, since the legends of the world were obviously real, per his experience. But, maybe a strictly respectful streak to her? She was normally extremely happy to run her mouth in a rude way, if provoked.
Shaking the thought off, he nodded. "Oh, yeah. Believe it or not, Sabrina had a pretty twisted sense of humor, when I met her… I bet she was just playing us! Seeing what kind of scary stories she could feed and get away with it, haha!"
"Hey, you know better than me! Besides, those warnings were scaring poor Prinplup," she smiled sympathetically at her partner by her feet. "Right?"
"Lup!?" Prinplup flinched, and quickly threw a fit of squawks and choice words, before proudly marching ahead of the group. As if he would be scared of some fortune teller's ramblings! She could've promised him a sushi buffet, he'd bet, if he threw a few Poké, her way!
The group chuckled in amusement at Prinplup's attitude, and marched on, unanimously leaving the warning behind. Ash was in a good mood, after all, after once more conquering one of the Gyms that he'd erroneously passed by, on his first journey. With some more experience gained, and Gengar at his side, he was prime for taking the next step of their journey!
Though, for a moment, the smile on his face twitched and gave. Pikachu seemed to notice, nudging Ash's shoulder. "Pikapi…?" Looking into his partner's eyes, Ash could tell that he was being read like a book. In a brief glimpse, they seemed to share the same thought and consciousness.
You're worried, aren't you?
Ash's smile returned, and he shook it off. "Don't worry, buddy. I'm sure it's nothing. We've just got to do what we always do, and keep moving forward!" That positive mantra was Ash's chosen mentality. The stronger they grew, the less they had to worry about any foe.