Realized too late that I could have started off the year 2023 with chapter 23.
After visiting some of the other cities around the Kanto region, Ash thought he knew what a City should look like. Big, some tall buildings, lots of people.
All of these descriptors technically fit Saffron City but failed to do it any true justice.
Even as they approached it an aura of largeness seemed to enforce itself on them. It had more skyscrapers than the other cities, the streets were packed with people, and a vast myriad of sounds and smells immediately assaulted the travelers as they neared its borders.
"Woah." Ash spoke with the elegance of an unpoetic person.
"You know, that sums it up pretty well. Woah." Pikachu agreed with him. Not even sassing him for once!
"I haven't been here in years." Misty mentioned nonchalantly as they walked the sidewalk in the afternoon sun. "I remember it being bigger and looming over me more. But I guess I've grown bigger since then."
"Speak for yourself…" Sunny muttered, glancing up at one of the towering edifices to their side. The term 'skyscraper' certainly fits.
Selene seemed less frightened and more awed by the buildings around them. "These are taller than the ones in the last city. They must be almost as tall as Mount Moon!"
"Hmmm." Pidgeotto trilled. "I'm not sure they're that tall, but they are taller than most of the others we've seen."
"I wonder, what makes a city a city?" Ash asked, not just his Pokemon but his human companions too. "Because Cerulean was big and had a few tall buildings but it felt more like a big town, and Pewter was more built up in the middle but was more broken up around the edges. Viridian was like Pewter but kind of just stayed the same throughout and Vermillion had some big buildings and the harbor and lots of businesses…"
"I guess the only thing that makes a city a city is if people decide it's a city?" Misty considered. "I know I should stand up for Cerulean but you're right it's more of a town than a city."
"Maybe it's based on whether it has a gym or not?" Pidgeotto suggested and Ash translated for the group.
"That works for Kanto but other regions don't follow that. Mahogany Town in Johto has a gym for instance, and that's just one." Karen supplied.
"You've been to Johto?" Ash asked her. "What's it like?"
She considered. "A lot like Kanto in some ways but it feels older and a bit more traditional. It has cities like Goldenrod but overall it feels less modern. It's cozy in its own way."
"Cozy is a weird way to describe a whole region." Misty pointed out. Not quite a biting remark but perhaps unneeded.
To her credit, Karen didn't rise to the bait. She just shrugged. "I can't think of another way to describe it. If you go there yourself you'll probably see what I mean."
They wandered the streets a bit, passing storefronts and businesses and apartment buildings. Karen took the lead, having been to the Pokemon Center here before, albeit a few years earlier.
"Are you going to challenge the gym today Ash?" Misty asked him as the Pokemon Center came into view.
"I've been thinking about it," Ash announced. "Honestly, I want to go today but I also think we should get some proper rest." He was feeling a bit more reluctant to take risks even if they were minor.
"Ehh…" Pikachu said. "I guess I get it but I want to fight it today too."
"It's not like taking a day to rest and prepare is going to hurt anything." Eevee claimed, backing up Ash's point.
"Maybe a light training session so we're at our best and then we can get a good night's sleep," Pidgeotto suggested. "We can head to the gym once we eat something tomorrow morning."
"That makes sense to me." Sunny agreed and with no further dissent from Pikachu and no concerns from Selene the plan was made.
Getting checked up at the center, however, did raise some concerns. It didn't technically affect their plans but it gave them a hint at what they might be in for the next day.
There was another trainer at the desk ahead of them. He looked thoroughly disheveled and on the verge of collapse.
"They're all okay right?" He practically demanded Nurse Joy. Despite this, his voice was filled more with worry and fear than scorn. "They're still themselves, right? All their limbs still on and their eyes and- and-" He started hiccuping and hyperventilating.
Nurse Joy sounded only slightly annoyed. "Young man, I've told you already, they're just a little banged up and shaken. If you still don't want a check-up yourself then just sit down and rest please."
"I can't rest. I- she'll see me. She said she wanted to play more. I don't want to but she'll make me!" He backed away from the desk and his eyes started darting around the room, flinching at shadows and dark corners.
"Young man please!" Nurse Joy spoke more firmly. "Take a seat! Other people are waiting in line."
He whirled on the group, his eyes wide and erratic. He took barely a second to survey them. "Leave!" He ordered them hoarsely. "If you're here for the gym just leave! Find another one to challenge! This one's not worth it! It's not… not…" His eyes grew distant and he seemed to be somewhere else.
The newly arrived trainers and Pokemon shared a bemused look. Being told a gym was tough was one thing. But this was… different.
"I'll see if I can sit him down," Karen told the two younger trainers. "Go get checked up with Nurse Joy."
She carefully touched the distraught child's shoulders and led him to the seating area as Misty and Ash stepped up to the desk.
"Is he okay?" Ash asked as he began returning the teammates who were okay with being in their Pokeballs.
"Hopefully." The nurse sighed. "He's not the worst off I've seen after challenging the gym but he's still pretty bad."
She shook her head. "I should call the league about getting a therapist or something here. A counselor at least."
"You mean he's not the only one who's come in like that?" Misty sounded slightly horrified.
"Far from it." Nurse Joy sighed. "Sabrina is good at her job. A little too good. I'm not sure anyone has actually beaten her in the last three years. Or if they have they didn't brag about it to me."
That… did not bode well for Ash's chances. But they had trained for this and he wasn't about to give up at the first sign of trouble.
He'd dealt with one jerk of a gym leader. He and his team could deal with another one.
The light training session went fine. No one miraculously manifested any new moves but they had the ones they'd spent the last day or so training down.
After a bit of exercise and bellies filled with a full dinner everyone headed for their rooms.
"That trainer got me a little nervous." Sunny admitted as they settled in for bed that night. "He seemed upset."
"That's an understatement." Pidgeotto agreed. "Distraught might be more accurate. Possibly traumatized."
"I mean Surge made that one guy… Mac?" Pikachu tried to remember the boy's name, "cry, but he seemed fine when we talked to him later. A bit roughed up but he and Machop seemed ready to try again."
Eevee disagreed, "This seemed different. Mac was just upset at getting beat. This one seemed, terrified. Afraid for his life almost."
"Like Pidgeotto when she sees water. Or dragons." Selene nodded and Pidgeotto aimed a light peck at her noggin. "Ow!"
That… wasn't inaccurate now that Ash thought about it. Something had happened to that kid while fighting Sabrina. The Zorua could easily admit he wasn't looking forward to finding out whatever it was.
Still, this was no time to start second-guessing themselves or their plan for the next day. He dropped his illusion and his gear and climbed onto the bed. "Get some rest guys, I don't know what we'll be in for tomorrow but let's get some sleep first."
"That's a reasonable suggestion." Selene agreed and flopped facefirst onto one of the pillows. Claiming it before Pidgeotto could form her makeshift nest.
As the team slept dreams of what they might face tomorrow conjured in their minds. Powerful Pokemon, devious trickery, and cruel laughter echoed through their dreams.
All except for Ash, who had not dreamed at all.
The team woke up better rested but still worried about the coming battle. While their dreams had been creepy none had been true nightmares and like most dreams faded as they woke. Just a lingering sense of dread remaining.
They quickly ate a healthy if light breakfast and set out for the gym. Misty was tagging along like usual and Karen decided to join them on the trip to the gym.
"I wasn't going to watch but whatever happened to Roark spooked him and I'm a bit curious." She explained her reasoning. "When I came through here… oh wow, four years ago now, there was a fighting-type gym. I want to see what's going on with this new one."
"You don't want to see how well we do?" Ash asked her, a bit disappointed.
She shrugged at him. "No offense but I'm not that interested. Don't get me wrong I'm sure you and your team have come a long way but I'm a bit higher level than you guys. The only one I'd be interested in seeing in a battle is you."
Ash made a face at her words. She had a point but it still stung a bit.
"You know, you could just go to show your support." Misty pointed out coyly. "It doesn't have to be about whether you find it interesting or not."
"Implying you don't?" Pikachu snarked at her and she glanced at him.
"I'm pretty sure that was aimed at me, anything bad?" She asked Ash.
"He mentioned the way you worded it sounded like you weren't interested in our battles." He felt kind of neutral if that was the case. On the one hand, it was a bit sad she wasn't impressed by their battles but the fact she came anyway was touching.
"I didn't mean that!" the girl immediately stated. "I find them plenty interesting! In case you haven't noticed we're not too far apart in skill. I'm picking up loads of little tricks watching you fight, not to mention how the gym leaders battle too."
"Tricks?" Ash wondered. "Like what?"
"Well…" Misty started. "Something I've noticed is that you seem to alternate between two different battling approaches. Sometimes you switch it up in the middle of the fight but you seem to either go for the direct attack approach or a more deceptive approach. Like with Surge, you had Sunny use Smokescreen to keep him hidden during his battle. And with Selene, you had Defense Curl, which is normally a purely defensive move, used to turn her into a ball of death."
"I am become death, destroyer of worlds." Selene quoted leaving the other who understood her to wonder where she picked that up from.
"Huh." Ash hummed in response to Misty's analysis. "I didn't think about it too much but I guess you're right."
His friend shrugged. "You're still a little new to this even if you have a few advantages so you have to work some things out still. But most trainers tend to work out a style for their team."
The disguised trainer mulled over that little bit of trivia as they continued walking.
As they approached the gym though they were stopped.
"I wouldn't challenge that gym if I were you." A man sitting on a nearby bench called. "You're in for a world of hurt if you do."
"What are you, the bouncer?" Karen snarked at the man.
He shot her a tired and annoyed look. "Just trying to give you some friendly advice. Sabrina doesn't battle the way you're used to. If you can call it that at all." He shook his head. "Turn back while you still have a chance."
Now, in light of being told multiple times that they should turn around and find another challenge, most people might have taken the hint that something was very wrong with the Saffron City gym.
Ash Ketchum was not like most people.
"Thanks but no thanks, we trained for this and we're gonna challenge the gym now. Have a nice day!" He waved at the man, careful not to dislodge Selene, and continued on his way.
The man watched him go. "That kid is either too nice or too stupid to deserve what's coming to him." He considered. "Possibly both."
As soon as they entered the threshold of the gym everyone in the group felt a shiver run down their spines. The hairs (or scales) prickled on the back of their necks like they were being watched.
Everyone that is, except for the resident dark-type.
The Zorua walked forward, completely oblivious to his friend's discomfort. At least at first. He soon felt Sunny shivering on his back and realized just how tense Selene was in his arms.
He stopped and checked in with them. "Are you guys okay?"
"Something feels off," Pidgeotto told him. "I can't quite put my talon on it."
"It feels like we're being watched." Eevee helped provide context.
The others nodded and Ash looked back at the humans who seemed reluctant to continue.
Misty shook herself. "It's weird. This pressure makes me not want to move. I feel like if I move something will get me and standing still is the only way for it to ignore me."
"I don't like this…" Karen hissed as she forced her legs to step forward.
Pikachu shifted on his shoulder. "If I see something come out of the shadows I'm blasting it, full power Thunder Bolt."
The spookiest part about this, for Ash at least, was how he felt none of this. All of his friends acted like they were being hunted or were about to be attacked but he felt fine.
He knew better than to think all of his friends were playing a trick on him. Not to mention the fact they seemed legitimately uncomfortable.
"What do you want to do?" He asked his team directly. Ash wouldn't make Misty or Karen stay if they were uncomfortable but he kind of needed his friends to challenge the gym. If they were against it then they would need to do some brainstorming on what their plan would be.
Some of them shared looks, as though judging each others' resolves. After a moment, Pikachu spoke for everyone. "We've come this far, might as well see it through."
Slowly and carefully they moved on, they passed through another set of doors into a large room with a battlefield filling it. Across the room sitting in a chair was a young woman holding something.
"..." Ash's friends jumped and looked around.
"What?" He asked in confusion.
"..."
Pikachu looked at Ash, "Are you telling me you don't hear the creepy little girl's voice?"
"What creepy little girl voice?" he hissed at his friend. He took another step forward only to get panicked gestures and protests from his team making him stop.
He looked at the woman in the chair across the room. She had dark hair and wore a red uniform. She sat straight and rigid in the chair, but now that he took a closer look Ash could tell what he had thought he'd seen her holding was a little girl sitting in her lap, all dressed in white.
This must be Sabrina he thought to himself. But who was the little girl? He squinted. Or was it a doll? It was a bit hard to tell from this distance.
The gym leader tilted her head at the newly arrived party. "Where is the challenger?" Her voice was firm, if slightly confused.
"I'm right here!" Ash declared, meeting her gaze.
She seemed startled by him, momentarily losing her composure and blinking rapidly. "No, you are not."
Ash… was not quite sure how to respond to that. He glanced down at himself to make sure he was still in his human illusion. He looked back up at her. "Yes, I am."
Her eyes narrowed. "No, you most certainly are not, and yet…"
"Psst." Misty hissed to him. "Maybe you shouldn't pick a fight with the creepy gym leader before the battle starts."
"I'm not picking a fight!" Ash protested to her. "I'm here and she said I wasn't how else am I supposed to respond?"
"..." Misty jumped without answering him.
"...and yet I do see." Sabrina's murmur echoed in the large room. "What is this?" She asked softly.
"Did you hear the little girl that time?" Pidgeotto asked Ash.
"No what did she say?" He kept his voice down, hoping to keep it from echoing like Sabrina's.
"She said 'I cannot see you.'" Selene said in an abnormally quiet tone. "And well then the lady said that she does see."
This entire situation was just a little too weird for Ash. "I'm sorry but I'm a challenger and I really am here. I'd like to battle please?" He did his best to be polite.
"I do not understand this," Sabrina announced.
"..." The girl in her lap looked up at her and Sabrina cocked her head as though listening. "..."
She nodded. "Very well challenger who is not. I will battle you and then you will be mine to understand."
"Hey uh, quick heads up," Pikachu whispered to Ash. "The little girl said she would make us into toys when we lost."
What the heck did that mean? Ash shot his friend a bewildered glance and Pikachu nodded at him with a grimace.
On the other side of the field, a Pokeball appeared in the little girl's hands. "..."
"And now she's just giggling." Eevee helpfully supplied. As she spoke the girl lifted the ball over her head and launched it onto the field. It burst open and an Abra emerged, it floated a foot over the dirt.
"I think it's too late to back out now," Ash muttered and looked back at Karen and Misty who had not moved an inch closer since they'd entered the room. "If you two want to go now I won't stop you-" The doors slammed.
"No," Sabrina spoke. "The challenge has begun. I will be victorious.
"..."
"I don't like the idea of being anyone's 'toy.'" Karen snarled. "We're not even part of the challenge, let us leave!"
Sabrina did not answer her, instead, she looked back at Ash. "If you are here, send out your Pokemon."
"Don't ignore me!" Karen shouted as Ash looked at his teammates.
"Any volunteers?" He asked with a wince. The Zorua felt fairly secure in saying that this gym leader seemed a bit off of her rocker. He didn't particularly want to send any of his friends to fight her.
"I'll do it," Eevee announced. "This is what we were training for and I haven't battled in a gym yet." She looked at Abra. "Although I almost wish we were facing Surge again."
She hopped down but a clanging stopped her from properly entering the field. They looked and saw Karen yanking on the door handle. Misty had taken a step back with Staryu and Squirtle and watched as the older girl tried her hand.
"..." Karen whirled and stalked forward past Ash.
"Listen here, I don't know who you think you are but-" Karen vanished.
To their credit, no one panicked upon seeing the teenager vanish, but they did gasp and stare at Sabrina in horror. One of the woman's hands was raised, pointing at the spot Karen had been standing.
"Has the challenger chosen their Pokemon?" She asked as though nothing had happened.
"What did you do with Karen!" Ash demanded.
"I will not ask again." Her hand shifted slightly and was pointing at Ash and his team.
"Eevee, if you're having second thoughts…" Pikachu started.
"I am but I'm doing this. I'll Bite that Abra and then I'll Bite that creep of a gym leader." She declared resolutely and trot forward to battle.
"She'd make a good Umbreon." Pidgeotto thought out loud.
Ash took a deep breath to calm his nerves. He looked back at Misty, she was now holding Squirtle and Staryu stood in front of them protectively. She seemed to be alarmed but not quite on the verge of panic.
When she realized Ash had looked back at her, she hardened her gaze and met his eyes. "Kick her butt."
Three simple but agreeable words.
"Alright Eevee, let's go!" Ash cried out looking back to the field. "Any rules?"
"No," Sabrina said simply and suddenly Abra vanished.
"Wait what-" Eevee barely had a chance to voice her confusion before Abra reappeared next to her and blasted her with a wave of energy that must have been Psybeam.
"Eevee that Abra knows teleport!" Ash warned as he realized what had happened.
"I noticed!" the normal-type hissed in pain. "Ideas?"
"Your Dig isn't combat ready but it should be able to help you here. Get creative with it if you have to, use Quick Attack to keep up as much as you can!" Ash instructed.
Abra vanished again but Eevee was already digging under herself. The Psybeam hit nothing but air and Eevee launched herself out of the hole, the dark-type Bite already forming large teeth in front of her.
The bite came down on Abra and the psychic-type Pokemon wailed. Eevee was about to press her advantage when Abra vanished again. She whirled looking for him and Ash scanned the battlefield, a flash above and-
"He's above you Eevee!" His warning came just in time and Eevee managed to roll out of the way of the psychic attack.
"She's not giving any orders!" She noticed as she started zig-zagging around the field, trying to create a random pattern that Abra couldn't follow.
"I think she is though." Sunny seemed to realize something. "She's a psychic-type too right? What if she's telling Abra what to do in his mind?"
"...that's not good." Pikachu summed up.
No, it wasn't because just as Eevee was trying to keep her movements random, it seemed Sabrina and Abra were doing the same. Abra started teleporting all over the field, rapidly and seemingly without a pattern.
Ash's head went from side to side as he tried to keep track and shout out warnings to his teammate.
"Lef- no right! Behind you! Above! He's-" It was too much though, Ash couldn't keep up with their speed.
Eevee seemed to come to the same conclusion, they couldn't keep up. With this in mind, she developed a new strategy on the fly. She did it without consulting Ash but given the situation, she was sure he'd understand her reasoning.
She came to a sudden stop and once more burrowed underground. Her trainer guessed she had a plan but wasn't sure what she was thinking. Abra appeared over the hole and instead of firing a Psybeam, a glowing hue surrounded him
"Eevee watch out he's using Psychic!" Ash warned but it was too late to do anything. Eevee was lifted out of the hole. She kicked in midair but didn't say anything.
Abra held her in front of himself for a moment, most likely planning to throw her, or possibly slam her into the ground. Neither option was particularly pleasant to think about.
At this point, Eevee quickly did two things. First, she blinked and used Baby-Doll Eyes making her eyes dilate and widen.
Once Abra had been subjected to that, she coughed and spat out the mouthful of dirt she had scooped up in a workable approximation of Sand-Attack.
The rapid combination of these two attacks made Abra drop Eevee. Although its eyes were closed a faceful of sand was hardly a pleasant experience.
The normal-type had barely touched the ground before she leaped back up with a blur of Quick Attack, crashing into Abra.
The psi Pokemon crashed to the ground with Eevee on top of him. She then followed through with another Bite and it seemed like the battle was theirs!
Then Abra started to glow.
In a flash of light that left Eevee squinting and stumbling back, Abra stood on its own two feet. Then it grew bigger.
After a few moments, Kadabra now stood facing Eevee, glaring down at her menacingly.
"Well, that's convenient." It seemed even Sabrina had to admit that luck was on her side today.
"That's just not fair." Eevee protested and Ash could concur.
"Quick Attack now while he's still getting his bearings!" He shouted, desperate to not let their near victory be turned into a defeat.
Eevee lunged but was once more caught in the grip of Psychic. This time she didn't have a mouthful of sand to make use of though. She still tried Baby-Doll Eyes despite this.
Kadabra was having none of it though. Ash watched in horror and dismay as Eevee was slammed into the ground, once. Then twice. The battered normal-type was then thrown across the field. She rolled to a stop a few feet in front of Ash, unmoving.
"As expected I am victorious," Sabrina announced, sounding not quite smug but perhaps proud.
"..." The doll began to glow.
Ash reached for Eevee's Pokeball to return her but as he raised the ball she vanished, just like Karen. He gaped like a water-type for a moment before realizing that his arms were now empty and the now familiar weight of Pikachu, Pidgeotto, and Sunny was gone.
He twisted his head at lightning speed and saw that Misty and her teammates were now gone as well.
"What did you do to them?" Ash said quietly. This was an emotion he'd felt before but hard to describe. It first burned like when he had met AJ and then Damian but now it was mixed with a cold feeling that surged back to him. Memories of limping down an empty street rushed through his mind unbidden.
"You are still here," Sabrina noted. "Not a toy yet not seen. I have destroyed you now tell me what are you challenger? How do you exist yet not?"
"I said," Ash repeated himself, "What did you do to them?"
"You lost, they, and you, are mine to do with as I please." She did not react outwardly, retaining a calm and even tone.
He remembered the feeling now. Hopelessness. Feeling like he wasn't able to do anything.
But that was then.
The burning flame of rage met the cold chill and became something else.
"Give them back." He told her, forcing his voice to remain calm as he fought with himself.
"You do not-" Something snapped.
An aura of dark-type energies leaked out of Ash's illusion as he struggled to maintain it and eventually decided he didn't care.
"Give." He glared at Sabrina.
"Them." A spark of emotion finally crossed the gym leader's face.
"BACK!" Ash roared with absolute hatred in his tone. As he surged forward his deteriorating illusion fell into nothing behind him and a Night Daze already pulsing around him as he charged Sabrina.
See you guys Wednesday for a conclusion to this and responses to reviews for this chapter and the last.
Happy New Year by the way!
~FriTik
R&R