Saffron Gym.
Ash and his group approached the Gym entrance with extreme caution, constantly glancing around as if every rustling leaf were an ambush.
Just as Nurse Joy had said, the plot of land next door was completely bare—clearly the spot where the former Fighting-type Gym had once stood, before Sabrina crushed it into a ball and tossed it out of the city.
The city's atmosphere was deeply unsettling. There were no pedestrians in sight.
Rumor had it that ordinary residents lived only outside the two circular zones, rarely setting foot anywhere near them.
In fact, Brock and Misty had originally planned to stay at the Pokémon Center—drinking tea, chatting, and waiting calmly for Ash's victorious return.
Ash patted them both on the shoulders and grinned.
"We're brothers and sisters here. Without your cheers, I can't win!"
Thus, the two were dragged along—reluctantly—to bolster his courage.
As for why they came despite being unwilling—
Simple.
They weren't strong enough to resist.
"It's fine," Ash reassured them. "I'm totally solid today."
Left side: Gengar.
Right side: Metapod.
Middle: Butterfree.
All three had type advantage.
As long as he followed the sacred art of type matchups—
Guaranteed victory.
Taking a deep breath, Ash pushed open the Gym's old, weathered front doors.
Creeeak…
Inside was pitch-black. Only faint beams of light cut through the darkness, dust motes drifting slowly in the air.
Kanto was an old region, and there were far more than just eight Gyms in its history. After hearing recent rumors about Saffron City, many Trainers had simply given up on challenging this Gym altogether.
A Gym that might kill you?
Maybe next life.
Ash swallowed hard and continued forward, pushing open the second inner door.
Creeeak…
After walking several dozen steps, the space suddenly opened up.
This time, the scene was completely different.
A vast battle arena lay before them, the floor covered in red velvet carpeting. Golden crystal chandeliers hung overhead, bathing the room in lavish light. The redwood walls were adorned with priceless-looking paintings—clearly masterworks.
Honestly, it looked less like a Gym and more like a banquet hall for high society.
"Hiss—"
All three sucked in a breath.
As expected of a big-city Gym—pure extravagance.
"Heehee. Welcome, three Trainers, to the Saffron Gym."
A voice echoed through the room—female, mechanical, and oddly segmented.
The trio instinctively turned toward the sound.
At the far end of the arena sat an elegant velvet chair. A black-haired woman rested upon it.
Her jet-black hair flowed straight down her back, neat bangs framing a refined face—beautiful yet distant, noble yet mysterious. She wore a dark red, form-fitting outfit, and her cold eyes were fixed on them.
Her crimson pupils were unnervingly deep—staring too long made one dizzy.
The three shuddered instinctively, shaking their heads as goosebumps crawled up their backs.
Then they realized—
The voice hadn't come from the woman at all.
In her arms was a half-meter-tall princess-style doll, its round wooden eyes staring directly at them.
The atmosphere instantly turned eerie.
Most people had at least some fear of dolls.
Ash and the others were no exception.
The black-haired woman was none other than Sabrina, Gym Leader of Saffron City.
She was only a few years older than Ash, but from the moment she was born, she had displayed psychic powers far beyond normal humans—becoming famous throughout Kanto at a young age.
In terms of Pokémon command, she might still fall far short of Champion Lance.
But in hand-to-hand combat?
She could crush ten Lances without breaking a sweat—like snapping ants between her fingers.
Ash knew he couldn't lose momentum before the battle even started. Pokémon battles were all about presence.
He slapped his chest and shouted:
"I'm Ash from Pallet Town—"
Before he could finish, something at his waist suddenly began to vibrate, emitting a familiar mechanical tone.
"Beep. I am the Pallet Town Pokédex. Are you a GG or an MM?"
The Pokédex flashed red as it announced.
Before anyone could process what that meant, the doll in Sabrina's arms responded mechanically:
"Heehee. Is this your first day on the internet?"
"Beep. Then can I add you as a contact? My Trainer owns a house in Pallet Town."
"Heehee. One restroom here costs ten houses in Pallet Town. I'm going to shower now. Bye-bye, 886."
"Beep. Then I'll wait for you."
Both the doll and the Pokédex fell silent.
Ash, Misty, Brock: "..."
Sabrina: "?"
The atmosphere became… strange again.
But this time, it was a different kind of strange than three minutes ago.
The interruption broke Ash's tension completely. He straightened up and looked Sabrina in the eye.
Raising his Poké Ball, he declared proudly:
"Hey! I'm Ash from Pallet Town, here to challenge the Saffron Gym!"
Sabrina didn't respond immediately.
She was still contemplating what her doll had just said.
She wasn't a ventriloquist. The doll spoke because prolonged exposure to her psychic radiation had granted it partial autonomy—
It represented a fragment of her will.
But… what did "add as a contact" mean?
Then—
"Pallet Town?"
Sabrina raised her head. A strange red light flickered in her eyes.
Yesterday's Trainer had also been from Pallet Town, hadn't he?
And he'd been surprisingly competent.
Her interest in Ash grew.
"Heehee. Saffron Gym rules: If you win, you get the Marsh Badge. If you lose—"
"You stay and go on a date with me."
The doll spoke again, its tone unsettling.
"Stay…?"
Misty and Brock both inhaled sharply.
They'd heard that many Trainers entered the Saffron Gym and never came out.
So that's what happened to them?!
Terrifying!
But Ash, standing at the front, laughed confidently.
"If losing means going on a date with you—then I absolutely won't lose!"
"Beep. I can stay and go on a date with you directly."
The Pokédex chimed helpfully.
Everyone: "..."
Sabrina: "..."
The situation grew delicate once more.
Soon, Ash took his position at one end of the arena.
Sabrina didn't even stand up.
Her eyes glowed blue, psychic energy enveloping both her and the chair as they floated gracefully into the air—before settling at the opposite end of the field, facing Ash.
"So that's psychic power… convenient," Ash muttered, sweat trickling down his forehead as he braced himself.
Sabrina's eyes glowed again.
A Poké Ball lifted itself from her waist and flew forward.
Pop!
A golden-yellow Pokémon appeared, sitting quietly on the ground.
It resembled a fox, eyes tightly shut as if asleep.
It didn't feel powerful at all—almost fragile.
But that narrow slit of an eye somehow felt… familiar.
"Beep. Abra, the Psi Pokémon.
It sleeps for eighteen hours a day, but can battle even while asleep.
There's a chance children who don't sleep properly may turn into Abra."
The Pokédex announced automatically—then added:
"Beep. Little GG, are you done showering?"
The doll and Sabrina: "..."
Ash immediately stuffed the Pokédex back into his pocket.
This was a Gym battle—no time for distractions.
If he lost, he'd be forced to stay and "date" Sabrina.
Absolutely unacceptable.
Even though the opponent didn't look strong, Ash planned to send out his strongest ace right away!
Pop!
Red light flashed—
And a single sheet of white paper drifted down.
On the left was a crudely drawn Gengar.
In the middle were the numbers 1 and 0.
On the right was a crowd of Gengar and a series of rectangular buildings labeled "Saffron City."
Ash: "..."
Damn it! He ran off again!
Ash was seconds away from tearing Gengar apart.
When a Pokémon's level was way too high compared to its Trainer, this kind of nonsense always happened!
Seeing the terrifying red glow returning to Sabrina's eyes, Ash swallowed hard and hurriedly threw another Poké Ball.
"Go! Metapod!"
The moment Metapod appeared, its battle spirit skyrocketed. White evolution light burst out instantly, nearly erupting.
Ash's hands moved at lightning speed, slamming the Poké Ball button again.
"Come back, Metapod!"
Stay calm.
Sabrina: "..."
The red light in her eyes flared dangerously as well.
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