"Ms. Sabrina, wait! I still have a third ace!"
Ash hurriedly called a timeout, force-interrupting Sabrina's impending psychic rampage as he threw out a third Poké Ball.
"Mi—mi~~"
A pink Butterfree fluttered gracefully onto the battlefield. Its adorable wings scattered crystalline motes of light, dazzling and beautiful.
"Butterfree?"
Sabrina spoke her first sentence, her voice cold and distant. The crimson glow in her eyes tightened slightly, and her psychic surge finally subsided.
A special-form Pokémon… mildly interesting.
Seeing Sabrina's black hair fall naturally behind her head again, Ash finally let out a breath of relief and pointed forward.
"This is your first battle. You've got this!"
"Mi…"
Butterfree frowned slightly. Its pink wings fluttered nervously as it glanced at Ash, then at the unmoving Abra across from it.
First times were always nerve-wracking.
Seeing this, Ash had a sudden idea and immediately tossed out another Poké Ball.
"Piiidgeot—no, Pidgeotto!!"
"Pijyaa!!"
Pidgeotto spread its wings and circled Butterfree once before landing on the sidelines like a disciplined soldier, giving it a sharp, encouraging look.
Butterfree's face instantly turned red.
Looking at Pidgeotto standing tall like a proud rooster, courage surged through its heart, and it finally faced Abra head-on.
"Mi-mi!!"
The first time might hurt… but it has to be overcome!
Battle Start!
Ash thrust out his finger and shouted:
"Strike first! Butterfree—String Shot!"
"Mi?"
Butterfree turned its head like a Rowlet and gave him a completely blank look.
"…Tch. Then use Thunder Wave!"
"Mi?"
Same reaction.
Ash frowned deeply.
Since when do bugs not know String Shot or Thunder Wave?!
Sabrina and Abra still didn't attack. Ash quickly pulled out his Pokédex to check in the heat of battle.
"Beep. Sabrina's doll. Silicone material. Flexible body. USB-5.0 port at the bottom is compatible with all Pallet Town Pokédex USB connectors."
Pokédex helpfully announced.
Sabrina: "?"
She felt deeply offended.
Ash hurriedly apologized and awkwardly redirected the scanner toward his Butterfree.
"Beep. Mutated Butterfree. Trainer: Ash. Known moves: Tackle, Gust, Sleep Powder, Draining Kiss."
The Pokédex continued.
The first three were familiar. The fourth… Ash had never heard of before.
Must be that so-called Fairy-type move.
Whatever!
"Butterfree—Gust!"
Butterfree flapped its wings, generating a weak whirlwind that drifted toward Abra.
Abra didn't move.
The wind hit it directly.
Not a single hair stirred.
HP −0.
Ash: "..."
This Gust might as well be renamed Gentle Breeze.
It was weaker than a broken fan in midsummer.
"Ash! This Butterfree doesn't have the Flying type—switch moves!" Brock shouted from the sidelines.
Even as a mutated Pokémon, Butterfree had only just evolved. Its level was low, and without Flying typing, Gust doing anything at all was already generous.
Ash immediately changed tactics.
"Butterfree—Sleep Powder!"
"Mi-mi."
Butterfree flew above Abra and scattered dark green spores that enveloped it completely.
Abra fell asleep.
"YES! Nicely done, Butterfree!"
Ash clapped excitedly—then froze.
He remembered the Pokédex entry.
Abra sleeps twenty-five hours a day.
The battlefield plunged into awkward silence.
Ash rubbed his head.
"Doesn't matter if it's asleep or not! Butterfree—use your strongest move, Draining Kiss!"
"Mi-mi!"
Butterfree fluttered forward, pink Fairy-type energy gathering on its face, radiating a dangerous allure.
After being hit repeatedly, it desperately wanted to prove it wasn't just a pretty vase.
"…Hmph. Done playing."
Sabrina's eyes suddenly flared crimson.
At the same time, Abra's body was engulfed in eerie red light, forcing Butterfree to retreat half a meter.
When the light faded, the baby-like Abra had transformed into a tall, fox-like Pokémon holding a spoon, long whiskers framing its face, eyes sharp and vicious.
Kadabra.
"Evolved?!"
Ash and the others nearly had their eyes pop out.
Another Pokémon deliberately suppressing evolution?!
Butterfree froze mid-attack.
She could kiss a baby-looking Abra.
But a sudden transformation into a creepy old man—
I truly can't do it!
Especially with Pidgeotto's piercing gaze watching from behind!
Butterfree could only turn back with watery eyes, silently telling Ash that Draining Kiss was sealed.
Ash: "..."
Sabrina's patience finally snapped.
"Childish battle. Kadabra—Psychic."
"Ka!"
Kadabra raised its spoon. A powerful psychic force burst forth, pinning Butterfree midair.
"Mi-mi!!"
Butterfree struggled desperately. Psychic wasn't particularly effective against her typing, and both Pokémon were low level—this was a true bronze-tier slugfest.
"Hmph."
Sabrina snorted.
A massive blue psychic wave erupted from her body, shaking the entire arena before converging into Kadabra.
The psychic power solidified, trembling violently in midair.
Psychic instantly escalated into Psychic (high-output)—bordering on Psyshock-level intensity.
Butterfree was smashed out of the air and slammed into the ground, completely fainted.
"Cheating?!" Ash blurted out.
The Trainer can buff her Pokémon directly?!
The psychic pressure faded, and Sabrina's glowing eyes swept over them.
"Hee-hee. You lost… so you'll stay and play with me."
The doll in her hands laughed eerily.
Everyone instinctively stepped back.
"First—this one."
Sabrina's cold gaze locked onto Butterfree. Red light flared again, and a strange beam shot forward.
"BUTTERFREE!"
Ash lunged for his Poké Ball—
—but a black blur shot past him faster than lightning.
"Pijyaa!!
(My contingency plan shall not fail!!)"
Pidgeotto swooped in, grabbing Butterfree and trying to flee.
Whoosh!
The beam missed Butterfree and engulfed Pidgeotto instead.
"Bang!"
Purple smoke erupted.
When it cleared, Pidgeotto was gone.
In its place stood a half-meter-tall Pidgeotto doll, eyes vacant and lifeless.
"Pidgeotto?!"
Everyone gasped.
Psychic powers could turn people into dolls?!
So this was what "staying behind" meant.
Ash shivered, fear creeping into his eyes.
"What… do we do…?"
"Mi-MI!!"
A piercing cry rang out.
Butterfree—who should have been unconscious—suddenly surged back into the air.
Its pink wings spread wide, eyes glowing blood-red.
Panting heavily, it stared at the lifeless doll… then at Sabrina.
Pink energy began to spiral wildly around its body.
"This is…?"
Ash and the others stood frozen.
"MI!!"
Butterfree screamed again.
A massive pink energy sphere formed in midair, Fairy-type power flooding the arena.
"BOOM!!"
The sphere fired straight at Sabrina at full power.
Moonblast!!
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