I finally stood before the Saffron Gym.
The building was wide and low-slung, dominated by a massive, distinctive purple roof that fanned out in sharp, elegant ridges like the petals of a dark flower. Its sleek white and blue walls gave it an ethereal, modern look, standing as a place where minds met in quiet power.
Meowscarada tilted her head, pink eyes narrowing slightly. Lopunny stayed close to my side, ears perked.
The sliding doors parted automatically as we stepped inside with a soft whoosh.
The lobby was cool and quiet. Polished floors reflected the overhead lights.
As we walked forward, I peeked through a large glass window into an adjacent room.
Inside, Dozens of people in white lab coats sat at long tables, their faces tight with agonizing concentration.
One levitated several Poké Balls in perfect formation, spinning them slowly mid-air.
Another bent a spoon with pure focus, the metal twisting without touch.
A third had cards floating around her, flipping face-up one by one as she predicted them.
Meowscarada's tail flicked curiously. Lopunny gave a soft "Lopuu~", ears twitching at the strange vibes.
I felt a chill. Powerful stuff. Sabrina's gym lived up to the rumors.
My grip tightened on Kirlia's Dream Ball.
This was it.
A voice came from behind us, calm and sudden. "They are practicing psychic abilities."
We turned.
Saw a tall figure standing.
He had long, dark red hair that flowed down his back, and a white medical-style mask covered the lower half of his face.
He wore a long, clinical white lab coat over a purple high-collared shirt, held together by a simple grey belt. He stood with an imposing, rigid posture, his hands at his sides.
I nodded and said, "I want to meet Sabrina."
"You wish to see great Sabrina?"
I nodded again. "Yes. I need her help with a psychic Pokémon who isn't waking up."
He looked at Meowscarada and Lopunny, his gaze lingering on their strong forms and the mysterious aura that seemed to surround them.
"Quite impressive Pokémon you have. Very well... follow me."
He led us down a windowless, sterile corridor.
At the end stood massive purple doors.
He pushed them open.
We stepped into a shadowy, temple-like chamber.
The room was vast and dimly lit.
Tall torches on either side of a central staircase held flickering orange flames.
They cast long, dancing shadows against the walls.
The floor was polished, cold blue stone that reflected the firelight.
At the far end of the room, past a set of steps, was a raised platform.
At the top of the steps was a large, wooden brown partition screen stood, completely obscuring whatever lay behind it.
The man in the white mask walked to the center of the room.
He knelt deeply on the floor, head bowed in total submission toward the platform.
"Oh great Sabrina," he spoke, his voice echoing in the hollow chamber. "This person here wishes to meet you."
The man stayed low, silent.
A moment passed in heavy silence.
Then a small figure appeared in view, standing just behind the thin brown slats of the screen.
Her face was partially hidden by the horizontal lines, but she watched us with a calm, unsettling stillness.
She wore a wide-brimmed white hat decorated with a large red bow. Her dark teal hair flowed down over a simple pink and white dress. Despite her small stature, her presence carried a cold, overwhelming power.
The man in the white mask rose quietly and left the room without another word.
The little girl stood there, silent, staring through the screen and waiting for me to speak.
I stared back, blinking in disbelief. A little girl? Could a gym leader even be this young?
Ignoring the shock I said.
"Sabrina... I need your help. Please."
I took out the Dream Ball and released Kirlia. She lay limp on the cold floor, eyes closed, breathing shallow.
The little girl spoke, her voice was high-pitched and childlike, but completely flat and emotionless.
"I will help you..."
She paused.
"But I have a condition."
My Pokémon tensed beside me.
"If you lose... you will belong to me."
I frowned, confused. "Belong to you?"
The little girl tilted her head slightly, her voice still high and flat, like a doll reciting lines.
"Yes. You will live with me and play with me. Your Pokémon will have to leave you."
Meowscarada's fur bristled instantly. A sharp "Nyaa!" escaped her as she stepped forward, claws flexing, tail lashing protectively in front of me.
Lopunny's ears shot straight up. "Lopuu!?" Her paw gripped my hand tight.
My stomach dropped hard.
Leave them? The thought twisted like a knife in my chest, sharp and cold.
Kirlia needed help... but at this cost?
No. I couldn't.
I shook my head firmly.
"I'm a living being. I can't stay with you forever. And I won't leave my Pokémon. You need to change the condition."
The little girl tilted her head.
"Hmm…"
A low hum escaped her, childlike and thoughtful.
Suddenly, the brown curtain slowly lifted on its own.
There sat a woman.
She was a young woman with a cold, piercing gaze and long, dark green hair that fell in a straight, blunt cut over her shoulders.
She wore a striking red tunic with a high collar and gold buttons down the front, paired with dark grey, thigh-high boots.
In her lap sat the small figure from before, the little girl with teal hair. She sat like a doll in Sabrina's lap, holding a standard red-and-white Poké Ball between its small hands.
I wondered if she was the real Sabrina, the actual Saffron Gym Leader, not that little girl sitting in her lap.
Her voice came out smooth, adult, and completely emotionless.
"How about this: for one full year, you belong to me. Every last drop of semen your body produces during that time is mine. Exclusively mine."
"Your Pokémon may stay by your side… but they will not receive a single drop. Not one."
My jaw dropped.
My Pokémon jaws dropped.
"What…?????"
"Nyaaaa…?????!"
"Loppuun…?????!