A sleek figure darted swiftly through the forest, moving so quickly and gracefully that it was nearly impossible to discern its outline. Suddenly, it halted on a large boulder.
It was a strong Doberman, its eyes glowing with a hexagonal white light. The green patterns on its body blended seamlessly with the surrounding trees, and a scarf-like ornament studded with gemstones encircled its neck. Under the sunlight, its body seemed to shimmer slightly, almost as if it were undergoing photosynthesis.
"My power?" the Doberman thought, puzzled, as it gazed into the distance.
Just moments ago, it had sensed a disturbance within its cells—no, more like a tremor in its DNA. But as it concentrated, it couldn't detect anything unusual. Everything seemed normal; there were no signs of anything amiss.
This was too strange!
"Send Number Ten to investigate," the Doberman resolved.
In the end, the Doberman decided to personally check the place that could potentially harbor its power. If it were one of the playful or sleepy creatures, like the mythical ones, they might not care. But as an ecological monitor, a guardian of natural order, it couldn't ignore this.
After all, it might be its own power.
A streak of green light shot across the sky.
The scene shifted back to Havenport, Fairfield.
Carl put away his newly evolved Infernape, not planning to attempt a Bond Evolution just yet. The reason was simple—he was hungry and needed breakfast first.
"Morning, Serena," he greeted.
"Morning, Lillie," he added, acknowledging both girls. Noticing that Sabrina hadn't arrived at the dining room yet, he felt an inexplicable sense of relief. Dealing with that enigmatic girl could be quite stressful at times.
"Good morning, Carl. Did you not sleep well last night?" Serena asked gently, noticing the dark circles under his eyes.
"Maybe I stayed in the hot springs too long," Carl replied offhandedly.
He couldn't exactly say that he got too engrossed in their conversation or that Sabrina's figure had kept him awake with wandering thoughts, unable to meditate properly.
But Serena looked puzzled, "Does soaking in hot springs keep you awake?"
Contrary to Carl's experience, she had fallen asleep quickly after the hot spring session, without any of her usual strange dreams.
Lillie had decided she would soak in the hot springs daily. "It really improves sleep," she remarked. Usually, she struggled to sleep well, uncomfortable with new beds and pillows, but after the hot springs, she slept soundly.
"Could it be a difference between men and women?" Serena and Lillie both looked at Carl, curiosity in their eyes.
Carl tensed up, worried that his little secret might be found out. Just then, Evan Cross's loud voice boomed from the courtyard: "Carl! Carl!" A round figure rolled in quickly.
"Carl, are you okay?" Evan peered at Carl with squinted eyes, scrutinizing him. Once assured that Carl was fine, he relaxed, "Good, you're okay."
Accepting the tea Serena offered, Evan thanked her eagerly, "Thank you, Serena." Serena looked puzzled, unsure of the meaning behind this strange address. He then thanked Lillie, who handed him a tissue, "Thank you, Lillie."
Lillie blushed instantly, sneaking a glance at Carl, hastily clarifying, "We're not like that—I'm just Carl's apprentice."
"I told you not to address us that way." Serena's voice carried clear displeasure, unsure if it was the address or the implication. Evan half-heartedly apologized, "I'll be careful next time."
Carl looked helplessly at his trouble-prone friend. He sensed a wave of tension from upstairs—Sabrina seemed annoyed. While he didn't know the exact reason, managing to irk three girls at once was quite a feat for Evan.
Evan's antics weren't over yet. "Carl, you'll never guess…" he continued excitedly.
After gulping down his tea, Evan turned pale and announced, "Yesterday afternoon, back at the company, I bumped into a woman in red—a ghost!"
"A ghost in red?" Carl raised an eyebrow.
Serena, who was getting breakfast, immediately hugged Lillie, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and curiosity.
"My office is on a high floor, and the door was locked. How did she get in if not a ghost?" Evan rubbed his arms as he continued, "Her skin was so pale, it glowed—people don't look like that! She even made me float in mid-air, and I couldn't speak. Before I passed out, she was muttering your name."
Carl glanced behind Evan and cleared his throat, "Could it be…a psychic woman?"
"Hahaha!" Evan laughed, slapping the table, "Carl, you're hilarious! If you said it was a Ghost-type Pokémon, I might believe it. Be honest, did you do something shady? Why else would a ghost be after you?"
Carl rolled his eyes, looking skyward.
Guess I better prepare my will…an urn should suffice.
"Same time next year, I'll burn you a famous actress," Carl sighed.
Meanwhile, Serena grew more intrigued, quietly tugging Lillie's sleeve, "Lillie! Do you think he really saw a ghost?"
"Huh?" Lillie, who was silently mourning Evan, hadn't caught up.
"Let's go check out the scene! I've never seen a real ghost!" Serena's voice trembled with excitement. "We should bring Sabrina—she's both a psychic and a trainer. She can protect us."
Lillie's eyes widened.
Is she not catching on to the ghost's real identity? And now she wants Sabrina as a bodyguard? This is going to be a disaster.
Carl glanced at Serena, both exasperated and amused. Scared yet adventurous, with a penchant for drama and a tendency to lose her wits at critical moments.
If he could hear this, Sabrina certainly would too. Without quick action, they'd be in a world of trouble.
"Evan, look behind you," Carl prompted.
"Behind me? What for?" Evan turned his head, grinning, "Could the ghost be…"
"Oh my!" Evan jumped as if electrocuted, cowering behind Carl, his voice trembling, "It's a ghost! Out in broad daylight?"
Carl rolled his eyes again. And you call yourself brave?
"Ah!" Serena suddenly shrieked, "Sabrina is the ghost!"
Carl was utterly exasperated.
"Lillie, try explaining," he suggested.
"Someone just mistook Sabrina for a ghost," Lillie tried to clarify.
"A mistake?" Serena finally caught on, sighing in disappointment, "Oh, I see."
Lillie facepalmed, this girl was hopeless.
"Evan, actually…" Carl took a deep breath, attempting to help his friend out of the situation.
"No mistake!" Evan interrupted, "That ghost must be here to get you! Carl, I'm sorry—run while I hold it off!"
Seeing Evan step up, Carl couldn't help but laugh.
"Give me a break?" Carl looked towards Sabrina.
He couldn't save his friend, but he could at least say something for someone else.
"Sure," Sabrina agreed effortlessly.
Carl was a bit surprised by her reaction.
The next moment, Sabrina raised a finger and nonchalantly said, "Make him my companion."
Just as Carl was about to intervene, Sabrina's eyes glowed blue, her hair floating. In a blink, Evan's robust form shrank rapidly, transforming into a doll on Carl's lap.
"Oh my!" Lillie and Serena covered their mouths. They had heard of this ability last night, but witnessing it firsthand was utterly chilling.
"Spared from death, but punishment is inevitable." Sabrina withdrew her finger, looking at Carl with meaning, "Someone has to play the devil, right?"
Serena clung to Lillie nervously. Carl wisely kept silent—he understood this was a reminder of last night's events.
"I fully support your decision," Carl pretended to rally, "It's necessary to give a lesson to those who speak out of turn."
Sabrina ignored him, turning her gaze to Serena.
"I'll go get the special persimmon cookies!" Serena suddenly remembered, rushing to her feet.
Sabrina gracefully adjusted her dress, seating herself with precision as if the chair had been pulled by telekinesis. "I'm looking forward to it," she said softly.
Having witnessed her turn someone into a doll, Serena was relieved for the moment. She hurried into the kitchen, leaving the dining room in brief silence.
Breakfast concluded in a somewhat tense atmosphere. Carl cleared his throat, looking at Sabrina enjoying her tea, "Um… how long is he going to stay a doll?"
Sabrina's gaze flitted over to the doll on the table, replying, "What kind of day do you think today will be?"
"I'd say a wonderful day," Carl mimicked her tone.
Sabrina set down her teacup, "Seems you're not fully awake yet."
After a moment of silence, Carl spoke earnestly, "While I can't foresee the future, being with you is happiness I don't need to predict."
Sabrina frowned slightly, "That sounds familiar."
Carl internally griped: Of course it does, that's your usual artsy tone. Outwardly, he remained calm, "I guess heartfelt words are similar. To deal with an artsy girl, you have to play to her tastes."
Sabrina's eyes flickered, her toes curling under the table, almost tearing her stockings.
"Say another," she requested.
"Huh?"
"Say more!"
"No need to be so formal, I just want to see more of you," Carl replied sincerely.
Sabrina's eyes seemed to glisten, unseen toes curling tighter beneath her table.
"One more."
"I actually have a special ability," Carl continued immediately.
Sabrina turned, her eyes moist with curiosity—what ability she didn't know about?
Carl: "…"
Why just stare at me, ask already!
"Carl, don't you have the power of aura?" Serena interjected suddenly.
Nice save. Lillie facepalmed, exasperated.
Carl's sweet talk had both girls unnerved.
"Well said!"
Carl mentally gave Serena a thumbs-up, though outwardly he remained serious, "My special ability is that I really like you!"
Boom! There seemed to be a sound of something exploding.
"Ugh…" Sabrina suddenly buried her face in her chest, absentmindedly waving a hand toward Carl.
With a flash of blue light, Evan returned to his human form, kneeling and gasping for breath.
"It's resolved just like that?"
Carl was a bit surprised at how easy it was. He seemed to have discovered a weakness of Sabrina's.
"Sabrina, do you know what time it is?"
Carl wanted to test again. He had plenty of sweet talk ready.
Hearing him speak, Sabrina trembled slightly, then vanished into thin air.
"She actually used teleportation to escape?"
Carl was initially stunned, then broke into a playful smile. So the psychic queen was easily flustered?
In the guest room, Sabrina curled up under the covers, her legs tightly clasped around her hands, her gaze dreamy—a fitting description of her state.
Hearing Carl's strange words, her mind flashed with images she'd vaguely seen during meditation but had never been so clear.
Now, everything was clear.
Those words seemed like keys, unlocking her heart.
"Ugh…" she curled up, overwhelmed.
"This feeling…"
"It's too much."
Sabrina tossed and turned on the bed. Her psychic abilities made her senses unusually acute. As future images flashed, her body felt hot, strength waning, her ears and other parts itched unbearably.
This unprecedented feeling grew stronger. She inexplicably craved Carl's help, just like in those future scenes. But she knew she couldn't—after all, they'd just met.
"I got it!"
A spark of inspiration struck, and Sabrina vanished instantly.
Meanwhile, Serena and Lillie were chatting as they climbed the stairs.
"Serena, what do you think is up with Sabrina?" Lillie asked, concerned. They'd all noticed Sabrina's odd behavior earlier.
"What else? She got flustered," Serena's tone was tinged with jealousy.
Lillie disagreed, "Sabrina's not like you."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, Sabrina's so cool and collected, how could she get flustered over a few words?"
In Lillie's view, the psychic queen Sabrina was too cool to be swayed by corny sweet talk.
"Why not?" Serena wore a knowing expression, "Books say that unless you're gay, love makes everyone lose their senses."
"What books?" Though Lillie felt the topic veering off, she couldn't help her curiosity.
Mentioning books, Serena perked up, "The Overbearing Champion Fell for Me, The Shy Performer, The Champion's Angel Bride, The Gym Leader's Sweet Trap…"
Serena excitedly listed a slew of titles, ready to delve into them. Lillie was baffled, her eyes spinning from the bizarre book names.
These titles are so strange! Lillie could no longer take it, hurrying to the guest room door.
"Sabrina, are you there?" she knocked gently.
After waiting and receiving no response, the two exchanged glances and decided to check inside.
Upon opening the door, the scene left them stunned. The bed was in disarray, the covers trailing onto the floor, and most strikingly, a red leather skirt and torn stockings lay scattered on the sheets.
"The clothes are still damp," Lillie noted, touching Sabrina's garments.
"The stockings are ripped," Serena pointed out.
"Where did she go?"
Back in the dining room, Carl glanced at the restored Evan, joking, "How was the experience of being a doll?"
"You should try it yourself," Evan replied through gritted teeth.
"Sounds unpleasant. I should be careful not to anger Sabrina," Carl mused.
He might have avoided Sabrina before, but now with a strategy in mind, there was less cause for concern.
"I'll never provoke her again," Evan said, still shaken.
"Rare to see you admit defeat."
"That feeling of losing all senses, being locked away, is terrifying. It'd drive you mad if it lasted."
"I see." Carl picked up his phone and began typing.
"What are you doing?" Evan asked, wary.
"Nothing, just telling your dad about this great weight-loss method."