"Sir, this way, please."
Shortly after Aomori entered the Saffron Gym, a research assistant in a white lab coat greeted him.
Walking along the dark, deep passage, Aomori saw several laboratories along the way, where people in similar white coats were researching something.
The research assistant noticed Aomori's scrutinizing gaze and proactively explained, "These are the Awakening Labs. Our researchers at the Saffron Gym have been conducting studies on the human awakening of Psychic power. If you are interested, I can take you on a tour, provided we get Ms. Sabrina's permission."
Research into awakening Psychic power? This looks much more reliable than the man in the baseball cap's 'secret manual'. Aomori nodded and withdrew his gaze.
They reached the end of the passage. After pushing open a door, they entered a spacious room.
"This is the dedicated battlefield arranged for Trainer challengers. Please wait a moment while I consult with Sabrina-san."
The research assistant apologized to Aomori, then hurried over to the elevated platform with its high-end-looking chair. He knelt on one knee and said, " Sabrina-san, a Trainer has come to challenge you."
A long while passed. Just as the research assistant's kneeling posture was becoming stiff, the figure of a woman finally appeared on the high-end chair.
The research assistant sighed in relief and quickly bowed out, remembering to close the door tightly behind him.
Only two people remained in the room.
Aomori looked up, carefully examining the woman seated on the chair.
Long, straight, dark-green hair, wearing a red cinched dress, black thigh-high boots, and holding a small girl doll—the image matched the one in Aomori's mind. Only...
Sabrina said nothing. Aomori focused on observing her. The room fell into a prolonged silence.
After a long time, the little girl doll moved, letting out a clear voice: "You've come."
Aomori raised an eyebrow and replied, "I've come."
"You still came."
"I still came."
"You shouldn't have come."
"But I still came."
"Why did you have to come?"
"Why couldn't I come?"
The little girl doll fell silent.
Startled that the tone of the conversation was going sideways, Aomori quickly brought up the main topic: "I am Aomori, and I would like to challenge you, Sabrina-san."
"Oh."
"Then I propose a two-on-two battle. Both sides send out one Pokémon, and you and I, as the Trainers, must also participate in the fighting. How does that sound?"
"Fine."
"If I lose, I'm at your mercy. But in return, if I win, you must help me train so I can learn Psychic power."
"Mm."
Something is wrong!
Aomori increasingly felt that this version of Sabrina was a bit off. He cleared his throat and tentatively asked, " Sabrina-san, why are you covering your face with that doll from the very beginning? Did you do something wrong to me, and now you can't face me?"
"I did not!" The little girl doll flailed its arms and legs, saying angrily.
What Aomori didn't know was that Sabrina had used Future Sight last night and saw what was going to happen today.
Feeling indignant about losing to him, Sabrina subsequently used Future Sight 108 times. The result of all 108 times was that she lost.
Of those, 17 times were because her concentration lapsed, allowing Aomori to seize the opportunity; 83 times were due to Aomori's powerful last-minute surge, turning defeat into victory; and in the last 8 times, after she had cornered him, she inexplicably took the initiative to embrace him, leading to her loss.
45 cheek pinches, 36 head pats, and 27 'Princess-Carry-embraces'; these actions, for Sabrina, who rarely interacted with others, were no less shocking than watching 108 adult movies, with her as the female lead.
Coupled with being up all night and suffering Psychic exhaustion, her appearance was far from her usual self. No wonder Sabrina refused to face Aomori.
"Well, it's just a minor issue, I suppose." Aomori put his hands in his pockets, his aura fully erupting, and spoke coldly: "However, can the battle finally begin?"
Sabrina didn't speak. She merely floated down from the chair and stood opposite Aomori. The little girl doll sighed and threw out a Poké Ball, releasing Abra. "Come on."
"It's decided then! Darkrai, I choose you!"
"Then, let the match begin!"
Entering battle mode, Aomori quickly discarded all distracting thoughts. Seeing that Sabrina and Abra were slow to make a move, he instructed Darkrai: "Darkrai, first use Double Team, then use Shadow Ball!"
Darkrai used Double Team, filling the entire field with countless copies, all charging Shadow Balls and hurling them toward Sabrina and Abra.
The real Shadow Balls, hidden among the countless fake ones, landed near Sabrina. She controlled the resulting stone fragments in mid-air. Aomori, seizing this opportunity, instantly appeared in front of Sabrina and raised his wicked hand.
To his surprise, Sabrina neither dodged nor avoided his attack; she simply stood there stunned.
"???"
Aomori, confused by the situation, snatched the little girl doll away. He finally saw Sabrina's face, but she was wearing sunglasses.
"??? Your father and daughter have such similar tastes. Or is this a common preference among Psychics?"
After the little girl doll was snatched away, Sabrina remained silent, merely pursing her lips tightly and pressing her hands to her cheeks. With Aomori's eyesight, he saw that Sabrina had closed her eyes, adopting a posture of resignation.
"???"
She had left Aomori completely speechless. He had prepared for such a long time, expecting an earth-shattering battle, and this was the result? Just this? She just gave up?
It had been a long time since he'd encountered something so utterly baffling.
Surely she wasn't just completely captivated by my charm upon first sight.
Aomori shook his head in silence. He bent his finger and flicked it hard against Sabrina's smooth forehead.
"Ah!"
Sabrina cried out in pain and quickly crouched down, pitifully clutching her red, throbbing forehead.
She's just a young girl after all. I suppose that counts as a successful rescue.
"Sabrina-san, I won this battle, correct?" Aomori switched to a sunny, gentle smile and asked warmly.
"Mm." Having lost 108 matches in Future Sight, Sabrina had given up struggling.
"Then when do you plan to make good on your promise?"
Sabrina glanced at Aomori, stood up, and used her original, cool voice to say, "Tomorrow. I need to prepare."
"Alright. May I visit your Awakening Lab?"
"You may." Sabrina paused, seeming to communicate with someone, then continued, "Someone will come to take you there shortly. Please wait."
With that, Sabrina recalled the slacking Abra, and both she and the little girl doll vanished.
She returned to her bedroom, burrowed under her blanket, and rolled around several times, touching her swollen forehead.
"I'm so embarrassed..."
By the bed, the small girl doll blinked its adorable big eyes and silently sighed.
————
You can read the ahead chapter on Patr-eon if you're interested: p-atre-on.c-om/Overgod [Just remove the hyphen to access normally]