Chapter 65 – Psychic Disturbance
I was in a dark and creepy woods. I could hear a little girl giggling. As I walked ahead, there she stood – she wore a white dress, and had a big white hat with a pink bow. The rim of the hat overshadowed her eyes. She was bouncing a ball up and down. "Hello" I said to her. Then I asked her, "What are you doing here?" She continued giggling. Suddenly, I was surrounded by darkness. The girl continued to giggle, and a woman's silhouette overshadowed her. All I could tell from her silhouette was that her hair was long and flowing. Suddenly, a voice came from the silhouette that said, "So now… time for us to play" and her eyes began glowing red. And then… I jolted awake with a gasp! May also awoke and asked, "Are you okay?" I collected myself and said, "Yeah… just a bad dream" as Flamefox and Firestorm ran over to lick my face while I sat up. The sun was just rising above these dark woods just outside Saffron City. Redfur and Fiona were nuzzling each other, happy to be together. We had actually reached the outskirts of Saffron yesterday, but decided to stay in these woods just one more night. I kind of wished we had just gone, since it was only 2 more miles and I did not like the feeling I had in these woods. I still felt we were being watched, but by 2 distinct parties. I even thought I heard a gasp! I just wanted to get into Saffron as soon as possible.
At the same time, unbeknownst to us, a mysterious man with spiky hair and a hat, further off in the woods from us, was watching all of us with his 2 Sneasels. Suddenly, he felt something behind him, turned around and gasped loudly! "Who are you and why are you watching them?" a voice in his head asked, as he looked upon an angry, large blue and white beast, with long hair flowing from it's crest. He answered, "A friend! Those 2 are important to me, and I just want to make sure they stay safe! They're heading for Sabrina's gym, and I'm very worried about what she'll do to them!" The creature, Suicune, replied, "I think you underestimate them. They seem to be quite capable of taking care of themselves. But I can see that in your heart, your intentions are honorable. Those 2 are important to me, as well as a few friends of mine. I, too, check on them occasionally to make sure they are safe." The man said, "Please don't mention this to them – I don't think they would understand." Suicune nodded and said, "Very well. It will remain between us." He said, "Thank you." Suicune then said, "Until next time we meet" and disappeared. The man said, "Until then. It was an honor meeting you."
After a bite to eat, we entered Saffron City. It was a very large city, and since May hadn't been here before, we decided to go to the Pokemon Center first and find out where the gym was, as well as have our Pokemon checked out. Knowing that Sabrina was a psychic type, it stood to reason she'd use a psychic Pokemon. These were the days before dark types were included in Kanto battles – in fact, their ability to damage psychic types was still being researched at this time. For now, I was relying on Flamefox. In fact, I was counting on him for this battle! In the past, he always amazed me with his ability to anticipate where a target might suddenly appear – it was almost as though he was psychic, himself! I decided that this ability would come in handy, especially versus a psychic type that's very likely to use teleport. Soon, Nurse Joy came from the back room with our Pokemon, who were all as happy and healthy as always. "Your Pokemon are all in top shape!" Nurse Joy said. We said, "Thanks Nurse Joy" and then I asked her, "Where is Sabrina's gym?" A familiar voice behind us said, "I will show you!" May and I both turned around and May said, "Sage Li!" I said, "This is an unexpected and pleasant surprise! What are you doing here?" He didn't answer and instead, asked, "So, you've come to challenge Sabrina?" I replied, "Yes, I have." He said, "You are quite brave. She is a most formidable gym leader, and a very powerful psychic!" May said, "I heard rumors that she's turned trainers who have lost to her into dolls! Is this true?" Sage Li smiled, "Perhaps." Then he looked at me and said, "I understand that you have recently been made aware of your own limited psychic ability." I replied, "Yes, but how did you know?" He just smiled and said, "It might just be enough to help you defeat her." I replied, "I doubt that. All I can really do is pick up on things – like I can feel what Pokemon are saying, at least, to a degree. I get impressions. It's hard to explain. But anyway, I'm using Flamefox in this battle! His experience in anticipating targets is my key to victory! Right Flamefox?" Flamefox replied, "Vulpix!" Sage Li said, "This battle will require much more than great anticipation. You will need to use your ability in order to become one with your Vulpix." I asked him, "How do you mean?" He smiled again and said, "You will see, when the time is right. Now come." We followed him out of the Pokemon Center, accompanied by the 2 fire foxes, 2 fire dogs, Inferno, and Firestorm. Sage Li looked so out of place in his robes, but I felt a strong sense of reassurance. As we walked through the city, I noticed someone sitting on a park bench, a man – he wore a sh00b hat and sunglasses, and when he saw me looking at him, he covered his face with a map. He also had a guide book with him, and a Golduck sitting next to him on the bench, Pokedex and Pokegear visible from backpack, and a book on psychic Pokemon. There was something familiar about him and I whispered, "May!" She asked, "What is it?" I said, "That guy! Doesn't he look familiar?" May answered, "He's just some tourist! Come on, let's keep following Sage Li!" I followed May, but Flamefox, Firestorm, and I gazed at the man as we all walked away. Yes, there was definitely something familiar about him! Anyway, after walking for almost an hour, we stopped in front of a large, odd shaped dome structure. "This is it?" I asked. Sage Li nodded. "Impressive" May said. Then Sage Li walked up to the doors and asked us, "Are you coming in?" I was taken a bit by surprise, and I asked him, "Are you going to watch my battle?" He nodded and said, "Yes. I know you are both afraid of Sabrina's powers, but I can assure both of you that while I am with you, no harm will come to you." May and I, with our 6 Pokemon, walked up to the large glass doors and entered with Sage Li. The inside hallway was lit only by torches which hung on pillars that arched together. Along the hallway were doors, with windows. We peeked inside and saw people sitting at various tables. Some were doing ESP tests, others were using psychic ability to bend spoons – it was really quite fascinating. "So other psychics come here to train?" I asked Sage Li. "Yes" he replied, "In order to control a psychic Pokemon, you must also be psychic." I said, "That's why my Kadabra chose me. He sensed my limited psychic ability." May interjected, "I don't think you had much control over him. Most of the time, he was nowhere to be seen. But he did listen to you in battle, so maybe there was a psychic connection." We all walked down the hallway up to 2 large doors, which opened. Inside, there was a battlefield drawn out on the floor, but the room itself looked more like a temple than a Pokemon gym. It was lit by torches, as well, and had a marble floor. There was a small stairway which led to another 2 doors which looked to be constructed from bamboo. Sage Li said, "Announce your challenge." I said, "Oh" then said, "Sabrina, I am Joe from Crimson Town and I have come here to challenge you for a Marsh Badge!" The doors parted, and I heard giggling. It was the little girl from the dream! "You!" I said. She was sitting in a chair, but soon I realized she was sitting in someone's lap. Out of the darkness, I could see a woman with a red outfit, blue eyes, and dark greenish hair. The girl said, "I'd like to have a match, but if you lose, you have to promise to be my friends and let me play with you!" I was confused, and asked, "Is she really Sabrina?" Sage Li replied, "They both are." May said, "I don't understand." The girl repeated, "You have to promise to be my friends and play with me if you lose!" I replied, "Okay, sure! We'll play with you after the battle!" Suddenly the adult Sabrina had an angry look and said, "So now… time for us to play!" and her eyes began to glow! The doors slammed shut behind us and the 2 of them literally floated down to the battlefield! I realized that she was the one in my dream – and she knew we were coming all along! The adult Sabrina then said, "This will be a one on one battle, agreed?" I replied, "Agreed!" Then she said, "Come out, Abra!" Abra materialized on the floor, apparently sitting in meditation. I said, "Very well, then! Flamefox, go!" Flamefox yelled, "Vulpix!" as he ran onto the battlefield. Abra did not move. I said, "Flamefox, start things off with a quick attack!" Flamefox ran quickly at Abra! Suddenly Abra's eyes opened and glowed, as did Sabrina's. "Teleport" I heard her say, and Abra vanished before Flamefox hit. "Okay, Flamefox, you know what to do!" Flamefox waited patiently, then fired an ember attack in a seemingly random direction – the Abra materialized there and took the hit! "Whoa, that was good!" May commented. Flamefox ran at Abra again, and again Abra vanished. Flamefox once again waited patiently, and successfully anticipated its reappearance once more, hitting it with another ember! I said, "Good job, Flamefox! Keep it up!" Then Sabrina ordered, "Psychic!" Abra's eyes glowed, and an energy field surrounded Flamefox, so he was floating. "Uh oh" I said. Flamefox then stood up on his hind legs, turned sideways, walked on his hind legs for a while, then stopped. May said, "Abra's controlling him!" I said, "I know that! Flamefox, you've got to be strong! Resist!" I could see he was trying, but Sabrina's Abra was strong! Then, it slammed Flamefox against the ceiling! "No!" I shouted. Abra then slammed him onto the floor. I said, "This is bad!" May said, "Forfeit, Joe! Flamefox can't handle a psychic type that strong!" Sage Li said, "Joe, you know what you must do!" I nodded to him, and turned back to Flamefox. I focused my concentration on him. I could feel him – I could see what he was seeing and feel what he was feeling. We were psychically bonded! I said to him, "I'm with you, Flamefox! We're together! And together, we can beat her!" He replied to me, in my mind, "Yes, we can! I know we can." We stood up, resisting Abra's attack. We said, "Body slam!" and ran at Abra! "Teleport!" Sabrina replied. Abra again vanished, but together, we could both feel him, and track him, until…. "Flamethrower!" we said, and I could feel the heat of the flames coming out of our mouth as they were released, and they hit Abra as it re-materialized! Abra fell backwards to the floor, and I could see his psychic bond with Sabrina being weakened because she felt its pain! We quickly said, "Take down!" and ran full speed at the fallen Abra, hitting it hard and we sent it hurtling across the arena, and it hit the floor! It stood back up. Sabrina ordered it again, "Psychic!" I could feel the energy field surrounding us and lifting us into the air. "We have to resist, Flamefox! We can do it!" I shouted to him. He said, "Right!" We both focused, concentrating as hard as we could, and managed to form an opening in Abra's psychic energy field. "Now!" we shouted, and our body glowed brightly as we launched a fire blast at Abra! Since Sabrina and Abra were trying so hard to keep the psychic energy field up, it couldn't teleport and took the fire blast point blank! Sabrina yelled out as her psychic bond with Abra was severed and it fell to the floor, defeated! I, too, fell back, my mind in my own body once again, but May caught me before I hit the floor! Flamefox proudly stood up, overlooking his defeated opponent. Abra disappeared, and the little girl said, "You're no fun", and then both she and Sabrina vanished. In my hands, a Marsh Badge materialized! "We did it, Flamefox!" I shouted, and he leapt into my arms for a hug! May said, "That was outstanding, Joe! How did it feel?" I replied, "Very intense!" Sage Li just smiled. The doors reopened and we walked out of Sabrina's gym. Once we were outside, Sage Li said, "Congratulations! You are the first trainer to beat her in quite some time. Unfortunately, you are not the one who will save her, as I thought you might be." I asked, "What do you mean?" And May asked, "And why was Sabrina both an adult and a little girl?" Sage Li answered us, "When she was a little girl, Sabrina devoted herself to becoming a very powerful Psychic. She spent all of her time training in order to greatly develop her powers, but as a result, she never made any friends. Her parents tried to help, but she drove them away. When she grew up, she split into 2 separate selves and personalities - the ruthless psychic gym leader and the little girl who desperately wanted to make friends. Until her 2 personalities are put back together, she is lost." May said, "That's so sad." Sage Li said, "Someday, she will come across the trainer that can help her. But that day is not today." Then he said, "It is time for me to leave. You did quite well in there, Joseph. I will see the both of you again, when the time is right." We said, "Goodbye, Sage Li!" and I said, "Thanks!" With that, we headed to the Pokemon Center so Flamefox could be treated. Flamefox and I had many more battles together after that, but I never again quite felt the bond we'd had in this battle – except maybe during our battle with Giovanni. But that's another story for another day.