Sabrina climbed onto one knee and bowed her head, throwing her arms outstretched at her sides as her two Pokémon swirled around her, creating a shimmering Barrier. The prismatic shield seemed to grow and shrink with the leader's ragged breaths.
Looker could tell something was awry. These battles were often rigged from the get-go, and the detective presumed this one was as well. After all, who in their right mind would allow a child, even the granddaughter of the Madama Banshee, to have an actual fight against the most powerful gym leader in Kanto? But looking down from above, seeing the sweat beads drip down Sabrina's face on the monitors, Looker saw something unusual. An emotion.
With blinding speed, the psychic trainer launched forth, Abra and Kadabra blinking out of existence and following invisible behind her. Leaf stomped the ground and Ivysaur did the same, and a massive root ripped up from below, bending back toward the little girl's body, ready to crack across the psychic's body like a whip. Sabrina pulled back her arm to throw a psychically powered fist, but like a shock, she felt her body seize; Paralysis.
With a sharp report like a Sonicboom, the root smashed into the gym leader's body and flung her backward at high speed. She tumbled unceremoniously before catching herself on her feet, her companions reappearing at her side.
Now Looker could see that Sabrina's teammates shared her concern.
"Night Shade!" Leaf roared as she sprinted toward the fallen trainer, and again, Leaf and Bulbasaur faded into a black cloud; shadow consumed Sabrina, Abra and Kadabra as the sound of choking filled the stadium.
Even the emcee sounded shaken. "L-ladies and gentlemen, what a brilliant show! Leaf Kohona truly is the granddaughter of the Madama Banshee!"
The darkness suddenly broke, revealing Leaf and Ivysaur standing tall over Sabrina's hunched form as Abra and Kadabra lay rigid on the ground, occasionally spasming because of the Stun Spore.
"I said, 'DO YOU YIELD?'" the little girl yawped. The floor beneath Looker shook and for a moment, it felt as though the whole stadium would collapse in cacophonous triumph.
"I can't believe BC is missing this," Looker said excitedly. He hadn't felt such a thrill in a long time.
But just as it seemed that the tide might turn in Leaf's favor, a sinister glint appeared in Kadabra's eyes, and its psychic aura intensified, becoming tinged with a malevolent energy. With a swift riposte, the psychic turned its attention to Ivysaur and took control of its body.
Leaf gasped as she felt her control over Ivysaur slipping away. Her loyal companion, usually gentle and nurturing, now turned into a relentless and vicious force under the corrupted influence of Kadabra. The once harmonious bond between trainer and Pokémon shattered, replaced by a nightmarish struggle for dominance. Blood burst out of her nose as a hallucination of Sabrina's face took over her vision.
Ivysaur's attacks became erratic, wild vines lashing out uncontrollably, striking the surrounding clay and causing the earth to tremble. Leaf's heart sank, torn between the fear for her Pokémon's well-being and the desperation to break free from Kadabra's sinister control.
Sabrina watched with an unsettling calmness as the chaos unfolded. Her manipulative psychic influence had achieved its desired outcome, sowing discord and destruction on the battlefield. Her eyes locked with Leaf's, and a wicked grin spread across her face, reveling in the torment she had inflicted upon the young girl.
Just as it seemed that all hope was lost, a soothing voice echoed in Leaf's mind—the telepathic connection she once shared with Ivysaur. Through her blurred vision and trembling hands, Leaf extended a hand towards her corrupted partner, a tear streaming down her cheek.
"Ivysaur, fight it! We're here to win this!" she pleaded, her voice quavering. "I believe in you!"
The psychic grip around Ivysaur's mind faltered, and a glimmer of recognition flickered in its eyes. The struggle intensified, Kadabra's malevolent influence pitted against the bond of friendship and trust that Leaf and Ivysaur had built over their journey together.
With a final surge of willpower, Ivysaur broke free from Kadabra's control. Its eyes regained their warmth, and the sinister energy dissipated. The battle had taken its toll, and Ivysaur collapsed, exhausted but free.
Leaf rushed to her Pokémon's side, holding Ivysaur close, her heart heavy with relief and sadness. Gastly burst forth from her shadow as she coddled the froglike beast, positioning itself between Leaf and Sabrina.
"Photon Geyser," Sabrina intoned into the microphone, and suddenly, Gastly's expression turned from one of confidence to one of utter fear. In a split second, the ghost's molecules were torn apart; its eyes bulged and its teeth clattered to the ground as its final wail filled the air.
"Gastly, no!" the little girl cried, but it was too late. As she reassured her Ivysaur, Sabrina appeared beside her and placed the heel of her knee-high boot on Ivysaur's head. She pointed a finger at the creature and whispered maliciously into her microphone.
"Do...you...yield?"
Leaf's act of defiance defeated, she bowed her head and unclipped a Poké Ball from her belt.
"I yield."