Bidding farewell to the plains that carried the beautiful promise with Butterfree, Ash, Misty, and Brock finally arrived at the bustling metropolis of Saffron City.
This city of towering skyscrapers was world-renowned for its highly developed culture of Psychic-type Pokémon. Their destination was the Saffron Gym, situated in the heart of the city, which possessed an atmosphere that was exceptionally heavy and solemn.
"Is this the Saffron Gym? It feels… so quiet. Quiet enough to be scary." Misty looked at the building, which stood in a style so different from its surroundings that it seemed isolated from the surrounding clamor, and she unconsciously hugged her arms.
"They say the Gym Leader, Sabrina, is a powerful Psychic with a… very unique personality." Brock flipped through his travel guide, his brow furrowing slightly. "The guide says she rarely appears in public, and challengers rarely succeed. Moreover… there are many rumors about challengers becoming a bit strange after going inside."
Ash's Aura Power sensed a strong feeling of oppression in this place, along with a deep, cold psychic aura that carried a trace of chaos and loneliness.
He took a deep breath, his eyes determined. "No matter what, we must get the Marsh Badge. Let's go."
Pushing open the heavy doors of the gym, the interior was dimly lit and exceptionally spacious, yet it was completely empty.
The only person there sat at the other end of the battlefield: a girl with long, straight black hair wearing a red dress, clutching a doll in her arms. She sat quietly on a high-backed chair, her eyes gazing at them vacantly.
This girl was the Saffron Gym Leader Sabrina.
"Challengers?" Sabrina's voice was cold and clear, without any fluctuation. "The rules are simple: defeat me. If you lose, stay and play with me."
The doll in her arms suddenly moved its eyes eerily and let out a giggling laugh.
Misty and Brock instantly felt a chill run up their spines.
Ash stepped forward, meeting Sabrina's gaze without a hint of fear. "I am Ash from Pallet Town, here to challenge the Saffron Gym!"
Sabrina said no more. She merely raised her hand slightly, and a Poké Ball floated silently into the air. When it opened, an Abra emerged.
"An Abra? Then…" Ash was about to send out his Pokémon when Sabrina's psychic powers suddenly flared. Amidst a burst of light, Abra instantly evolved into a Kadabra! Powerful mental energy surged, filling the entire arena.
"It evolved directly! Such powerful psychic energy!" Brock cried out in surprise.
Ash's eyes narrowed as he felt the force Kadabra had been forcibly pushed to achieve, as well as the cold will Sabrina had infused into it.
He had originally planned to send out Pikachu or Scyther to counter the Psychic type, but at that moment, he changed his mind.
His Aura Power clearly perceived that Sabrina's true self was not so much the girl sitting in the chair, but rather a collective entity formed by her and the doll, which was possessed by a portion of her soul and emotions.
Simply defeating Kadabra would likely not count as a true "victory" over her.
"It seems a special response is needed." A faint, barely perceptible curve appeared at the corner of Ash's mouth as he pulled out another Poké Ball. "I choose you, Gastly!"
"Hehehe~ The Great Me makes his debut!" Gastly emerged from the Poké Ball with a weird laugh, contorting his face into various mischievous and spooky expressions in mid-air, attempting to interfere with Kadabra.
However, Kadabra remained completely unmoved under Sabrina's absolute control, and a powerful Psybeam shot straight toward its target!
"Gastly, dodge it! Then use Hypnosis!" Ash ordered.
Gastly nimbly dove into the shadows, evading the attack, while his eyes glowed with an eerie light in an attempt to hypnotize Kadabra. But Sabrina's mental barrier was incredibly strong, and Hypnosis had little effect.
"It's useless," Sabrina said flatly. Kadabra attacked again, sending waves of Psychic energy surging toward Gastly like a physical tide.
"Gastly, don't try to tank it! Use your specialty Illusion!" Ash shouted. "Recreate the thing she cares about most deep in her heart!"
Understanding the command, Gastly emitted a hazy light from around his body. In the next moment, a blurred scene suddenly materialized above the battlefield a young Sabrina, sitting alone in an empty room surrounded by scattered toys.
She was hugging a doll, looking longingly at the silhouettes of other children playing outside the window, while her parents stood far off in the distance, their faces filled with worry and even… a trace of fear.
"That's…" Misty covered her mouth.
Sabrina's originally hollow eyes flickered for an instant, and Kadabra's movements stuttered.
Clearly, this vision had touched her long-buried memories.
"Now, Gastly, Dark Pulse!" Ash seized the opportunity.
Gastly condensed a ring of energy filled with malice and slammed it hard into Kadabra, whose defenses had weakened due to her emotional turmoil! The attack was super effective!
Kadabra let out a pained cry and was sent flying back, losing its ability to battle.
Sabrina's body trembled slightly, and the doll in her arms let out a piercing cry.
She lifted her head, and the gaze she directed at Ash was no longer empty; it was filled with confusion, anger, and a flicker of panic at having her inner heart seen through.
Powerful psychic energy began to surge uncontrollably around her, causing the entire gym to vibrate slightly.
"You… how dare you…" Sabrina's voice trembled as she seemed ready to unleash an even greater power.
"Sabrina!" Ash shouted loudly, his voice infused with his own Aura Power, acting like a cool spring attempting to soothe the violent psychic vortex.
He walked toward Sabrina step by step, his eyes clear and steady, devoid of any hostility.
"I saw it," Ash's voice softened, filled with understanding and warmth. "You don't actually want to hurt anyone. You're just… too lonely, aren't you?"
Sabrina froze, and the violent energy surrounding her came to a standstill.
"Psychic power is a talent, not a curse. It shouldn't be a wall that separates you from others." Ash continued speaking, his Aura Power operating at full capacity. This time it was not meant for confrontation, but was instead like warm sunlight, attempting to penetrate Sabrina's closed and icy heart, transmitting thoughts of acceptance, understanding, and friendship.
"Your parents love you; they just didn't know how to get along with you. The world outside isn't scary, either. There are many people willing to become your friends, including us." Ash gestured toward Misty and Brock behind him, who both nodded vigorously.
"Try… to step out and see for yourself, okay?" Ash reached out his hand, not as a challenge, but as an invitation. "Use your power to protect and to connect, rather than to shut yourself away. I believe the real you isn't someone who just wants to turn people into dolls to keep you company."
Sabrina gazed blankly at Ash, looking into the pure sincerity and warmth in his eyes, feeling that life-filled Aura energy that shared the same source as her psychic power yet was completely different.
The heart-walls she had built up over many years developed cracks at that moment. The eerie smile on the doll in her arms gradually faded, replaced by a peaceful expression, before it finally transformed into a streak of light and merged back into Sabrina's body.
The coldness and emptiness that had always existed in Sabrina's eyes vanished completely, replaced by a clarity of relief and a… barely perceptible shyness. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she lowered her head and whispered, "I… I understand. Thank you… Ash."
She stood up, walked over to Ash, and gently placed a golden badge into his hand. "This is the Marsh Badge you deserve. You… you and your Gastly are both very impressive. And not just in battle…"
[Ding! The host has defeated the Saffron Gym Leader, Sabrina, and obtained the Marsh Badge. Reward: 500 World Origin Points.]
[Ding! The host successfully used tactics and heart-to-heart communication to resolve Sabrina's inner obsession, significantly changing her destiny. Reward: 1000 World Origin Points.]
[Ding! The host has established a deep connection with the Psychic Sabrina. Aura Power and Psychic affinity have increased.]
[Current World Origin Points: 11,300]
Ash took the badge and smiled. "Thank you, Sabrina. If you have the chance in the future, you can come and travel with us to see the world outside."
Sabrina nodded gently, her gaze lingering on Ash. In those eyes, besides gratitude, there was clearly a trace of hazy affection and reliance.
As they left the Saffron Gym, Misty leaned closer to Ash and whispered, "Hey, Ash, don't you think the way Miss Sabrina looks at you is… a bit strange?"
Ash looked bewildered. "Huh? Really? She just went back to normal, right?"
Brock stood to the side, stroking his chin with a meaningful smile. "Oh my, it seems Ash is not only charming when it comes to catching Pokémon, but he's not bad at 'capturing' hearts either…"
Ash: "…What are you guys talking about?"
Pikachu: "Pikachu~" (shrugs)
Winning over Sabrina is a long-term arc; I will see about having her make guest appearances later.
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