An ambiguous atmosphere lingered amidst the jagged rubble, carrying an indescribable scent that stirred the imagination.
Sabrina leaned against the corner of the ruined building, her tattered Team Rocket uniform barely covering her snow-pure skin, now smudged with grime. Her cool, complex gaze fell upon Ryuuske, who stood at the fractured edge of the building, surveying the entirety of Saffron City.
Every girl dreams of finding a man she loves and who loves her in return. Even Sabrina was no exception—she harbored the same longing and yearning for love as any ordinary girl.
In fact, her desire was even more intense.
Her icy exterior did not reflect an equally cold heart. Instead, it concealed a fervent passion, like a soul trapped in hell gazing up at heaven, desperate to break free from its frozen shackles.
Precisely because of her childhood experiences, precisely because she had so little contact with others, she yearned even more deeply for the things most people took for granted. In a way, Sabrina was no different from Caitlin—except Sabrina's inner strength was greater, allowing her to endure that sorrowful period entirely on her own.
Meeting this man—was it her fortune or her misfortune?
Would he lead her to the heaven she longed for, or plunge her into an even deeper hell?
Sabrina's emotions were in turmoil.
Back in that cave at Mt. Moon, she had already known she would never be able to forget this man for the rest of her life. He had planted the seeds of his existence deep within her spirit and heart, inescapable unless she could defeat him in every way and make him succumb in turn.
But she had failed.
The more she interacted with him, the more Sabrina—though she refused to admit it—realized she had developed feelings for this person who straddled the line between boy and man.
A girl's heart is always poetic. The deeper those emotions sank, the harder they were to uproot, until even her actions defied her usual logic.
Even if she had once sworn to make him pay, even if she had vowed to fight to the death—when the moment truly arrived, Sabrina found herself unconsciously surrendering.
If, during Ryuuske's battle with Giovanni, Sabrina had commanded the three legendary birds to attack him relentlessly, he would never have escaped with such minor injuries. He might even have lost half his life.
But instead, she had bypassed him entirely, concocting flimsy excuses to battle Red and Green instead.
Having already defeated Lt. Surge and Koga, their Pokémon were exhausted. With the three legendary birds' agility, Sabrina could have easily ignored them and joined Giovanni in attacking Ryuuske directly.
Yet she never did.
It was only after Giovanni fled that Sabrina finally fought Ryuuske in earnest with the legendary birds—because by then, she knew she stood no chance of truly defeating him.
She fought him precisely because she knew he wouldn't lose.
What was this? Was she being tsundere? Sabrina herself didn't understand.
Because of her inside help, Team Rocket had easily seized Saffron City. And because of her leniency toward Ryuuske—Giovanni's greatest enemy at the time—Team Rocket's plans had collapsed once more.
She had gained nothing. Yet in the end, just as Ryuuske had said, she had personally destroyed her own hometown.
If her parents, if all those who had treated her kindly knew of this, they would surely be deeply disappointed.
The heart is made of flesh, after all. Sabrina was, in the end, just an eighteen-year-old girl—not a true doll.
She regretted it.
The setting sun cast its desolate glow over the ruined city. At this time in the past, Saffron would have been bustling—workers heading home after a long day, nightlife just beginning. Though life was exhausting, laughter and joy would have filled the air.
But now, sporadic explosions could still be heard in the distance, accompanied by flashes of fire and lightning—the last struggles of the remaining Team Rocket holdouts.
"What are you doing?"
Watching Ryuuske rapidly tapping on his Pokédex as if messaging someone, Sabrina bit her lip and couldn't help but ask.
Her voice had never sounded so fragile.
Though losing her first time in such a ruin was anything but romantic, Sabrina—her spirit at its weakest—now clung to Ryuuske like a child, treating him as her sole reliance. Her voice trembled with grievance, like a little rabbit afraid of being abandoned.
She feared Ryuuske would turn and leave, treating her as nothing more than a disposable plaything. That would drive her utterly mad.
"Good news…"
Noticing Sabrina's unstable emotions, Ryuuske closed his Pokédex with one hand and turned.
"A friend just informed me of the League's decision. They've chosen not to pursue any action against you for this incident—as long as you cooperate with their investigation and accept temporary surveillance."
"Though given your status as a powerful psychic, even monitoring you would require significant manpower. They'll probably drop it eventually. The League has decided to pin all the blame on Giovanni alone."
"Do you have contact info for Koga and Lt. Surge? Pass this message along. If they're willing to leave Team Rocket, they can return to their respective cities for questioning. If not, they'll end up like Giovanni—wanted criminals."
Though the League's authority was limited, and most powerful trainers disregarded their decrees, in situations like this, only the League's resources could manage the aftermath.
Ryuuske didn't mention that this message had come from Erika. No need to complicate things.
Hearing Ryuuske finally speak to her, Sabrina's anxious heart slowly settled, a faint hint of relief coloring her expression.
As long as he was still willing to talk to her, that was enough.
Biting her pale lips, Sabrina nodded softly.
"...I'll notify them. I can't speak for Lt. Surge, but Koga will definitely submit to questioning."
"Oh? Why's that?"
"Koga has mentioned his daughter multiple times before. But because of his Team Rocket affiliation, he's avoided getting too close to her, afraid of dragging her into danger."
Sabrina took a deep breath.
Ryuuske understood.
Lt. Surge, with no attachments, could go either way.
But Koga, for his daughter's sake, would never choose to live as a fugitive. He wasn't Giovanni—his strength wasn't enough to disregard the entire world.
The League might issue a warrant for Giovanni's arrest, but they would never actually send forces after him. They stood no chance—it would be a suicide mission.
Even if the Elite Four united against him, taking down Giovanni would come at an unimaginable cost—if any of them survived at all.
Such was the power of bonds. They could drive people to incredible feats—or force them into compromise.
"Hm?"
His Pokédex vibrated again. Ryuuske glanced at it—Erika was asking where he was now.
He looked at Sabrina, his brow furrowing slightly.
To be continued…
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