Chapter 99: Clash Of Minds (5)

Gladion stood with a grin. Across from him, Sabrina recalled Noctowl, her face a mask of icy resolve, though her clenched fists betrayed a flicker of strain. Three of her Pokémon were down—Girafarig, Starmie, and now Noctowl—leaving her with a poisoned Slowbro,Exeggutor, and her ace, Alakazam.

Gladion still had three powerhouses waiting: Mystique ruled the field, while Guy and Colossus loomed in reserve. He also add another Pokemon that he could use between Zeus or Blastoise.

The odds were grim.

Sabrina's mind churned, a storm of calculation and defiance. 'He's got me cornered,' she admitted silently, her gaze flicking to Mystique's elegant form.

'That Milotic alone could sweep what's left—Slowbro's a liability, Exeggutor's too slow in this muck. And Gladion's still got his Machamp and Pupitar—monsters I can't underestimate.' Her pride stung, a sharp jab in her chest. She'd spent years honing her team. To lose now, to this infuriating man with his smug grin? Unacceptable.

'But I'm not done,' she vowed, her internal voice rising like a war cry. 'If I'm going down, I'll make him bleed for it. Every step, every move—he'll feel the weight of my will. Gladion Vortex, you think you're so far ahead? Enjoy your little lead, because I'll claw my way back. Next time we clash, I'll have you trip over your own ego trying to keep up. And if Alakazam faints, I'll just prop him up with my bare hands and yell 'Spoon harder!' until he wins out of sheer embarrassment!'

A flicker of absurdity crossed her mind—imagining herself chasing Gladion with a levitating spoon—and she nearly smirked. 'Focus, Sabrina. Crush him first, laugh later.'

Gladion watched her, oblivious to her inner pep talk but sensing the shift in her aura. He'd stacked the deck in his favor, thanks to his social media empire—Pokegram, Poke-Twitter, Pokebook—raking in cash faster than his Prism Scale business ever had.

Just months after launch, he'd splurged on TMs, arming his team with an edge. Mystique, for instance, wielded Ice Beam and Icy Wind alongside her Water-type arsenal, though he'd kept her TM training focused. He'd avoided overloading her with other tms including Dragon-type TMs beyond her natural Dragon Tail that she could learn—Pokémon could only handle so many moves, and he wasn't about to muddy her elegance with excess. 'Quality over quantity,' he mused. 'She's a masterpiece already.'

Sabrina's hand moved to her belt, her decision made. "Alakazam, go!"

The Psi Pokémon materialized in a flash of light, hovering above the water and ice with an air of quiet menace. His mustache twitched, spoons glinting in his hands as he surveyed Mystique.

Sabrina's ace—her partner since toddlerhood—radiated power, his psychic presence a palpable weight. Gladion's grin widened. 'Here comes the big gun.'

"Alakazam, Calm Mind," Sabrina ordered, her voice steady.

Alakazam closed his eyes, a faint purple aura flaring around him. His Special Attack and Special Defense surged, a mental fortress rising. Gladion didn't wait. "Mystique, Hydro Pump!"

Mystique trilled, unleashing a high-pressure torrent from her maw. The water roared toward Alakazam, but Sabrina was ready. "Teleport!"

Alakazam vanished in a blink, reappearing meters away as the Hydro Pump splashed harmlessly into the flood. Sabrina pressed her advantage. "Future Sight."

Alakazam's eyes glowed, peering into the threads of time. A ripple pulsed through the air—an attack set to strike later, unseen but inevitable. Gladion raised an eyebrow. 'She's buffing him up.'

"Mystique, hold steady."

Sabrina's next command came sharp. "Psycho Cut!"

Alakazam slashed his spoons, sending crescent blades of psychic energy slicing through the air. Mystique coiled, scales gleaming. "Protect!" Gladion called.

A shimmering barrier flared around her, deflecting the Psycho Cut with a resonant ping. The crowd murmured—her elegance was matched by resilience.

"Psyshock!" Sabrina snapped.

Alakazam thrust a spoon forward, psychic force condensing into a tangible blast. The attack hammered Mystique's barrier, shattering it and slamming into her. She recoiled, a soft hiss escaping her as scales bruised. Gladion frowned—Mystique's Life Dew was on cooldown from her bout with Noctowl, but she had tricks left. "Recover!"

'Mystique is the underestimated tank of my team. She can learn three recover type moves naturally i.e. recover, life Dew and Aqua Ring.' Gladion thought with a smirk

Mystique glowed, her body mending as psychic energy knit her wounds. She flicked her tail, preening despite the hit.

[A mere blemish on my perfection,] she huffed.

Gladion groaned. "Yeah, you're a real diva. Now heal faster, or Alakazam's spoons'll be your new makeup brushes!"

Sabrina gritted her teeth, her patience fraying. 'He's still joking? Insufferable.'

She'd had enough—time to end this. Through her psychic bond with Alakazam, she reached deep, pouring her own energy into him. Her eyes glowed faintly, mirroring his, and the stadium seemed to hold its breath.

Winds whipped up around Alakazam, dust spiraling as his aura flared. His spoons bent slightly under the strain, psychic power surging like a storm. The water below rippled, waves crashing against the barriers of the arena as the air thickened with energy.

Sabrina's hair fluttered wildly, her face etched with determination and something deeper—love, trust, a bond forged over a lifetime. 'You've carried me this far,' she thought, her mind entwined with his.

'Since we were children, stumbling through psychic games, you've been my strength. I won't let you fall alone—take my power, my will. We'll show them what we're made of.'

Alakazam's emotions surged back through their link, raw and vivid. He remembered their toddler days—Sabrina, a tiny girl with too-big eyes, giggling as he levitated her dolls. She'd been his anchor when his powers overwhelmed him, her voice a lifeline in the chaos.

'She's grown so strong,' he thought, his mental voice soft yet resolute.

'Always pushing me, believing in me. This power—it's hers as much as mine. I'll wield it, even if it breaks me, because she's my heart.' His spoons trembled, not from weakness, but from the weight of their shared resolve.

Gladion's jaw dropped, a mix of awe and disbelief. 'What the hell is this?' The scene was straight out of an anime—Alakazam powering up like some psychic Super Saiyan, Sabrina's energy fueling him.

He'd read and seen about Mega Evolution in his past life, a phenomenon yet undiscovered here.

This wasn't it—not quite—but it was close. It was something like Ash-Greninja but without any transformation.

Sabrina was channeling her psychic might directly into Alakazam, amplifying him beyond his limits. 'She's breaking the rules of this world,' he thought.

'And it's awesome.'

"Alakazam, Psybeam!" Sabrina roared, her voice echoing with power.

Alakazam thrust both spoons forward, unleashing a beam of psychic energy so intense it warped the air. The purple light blazed, wider and fiercer than any Psybeam Gladion had seen. He snapped out of his awe. "Mystique, Hyper Beam!"

Mystique reared back, her maw glowing as she fired a blinding beam. The two attacks collided mid-field, a cataclysmic clash of light and sound.

The stadium shook, water splashing as the beams wrestled for dominance. For a moment, it seemed even—then Alakazam's Psybeam surged, Sabrina's energy tipping the scales. The psychic blast overwhelmed Hyper Beam, engulfing Mystique in a torrent of power. She shrieked, her elegance shattered as she crashed into the water, unconscious.

The referee's flag rose. "Milotic is unable to battle!"

But the victory came at a cost. Alakazam wavered, his spoons clattering to the ground. Sabrina's psychic surge had pushed him past his limits—without training to harness it, his body couldn't cope. His eyes fluttered shut, and he slumped, fainting in a heap.

"Alakazam is unable to battle!" the referee added. "A double knockout!"

Sabrina rushed forward, dropping to her knees beside Alakazam. "You idiot," she whispered, her voice cracking as she cradled his head. "You didn't have to push so hard." Tears welled, but she blinked them back, her pride warring with her grief.

'We gave them everything,' she thought. 'And it still wasn't enough.'

Gladion recalled Mystique, his grin fading to a respectful nod. "You're insane, Sabrina. That was… unreal." He paused, then chuckled. "Guess Alakazam couldn't handle your drama-queen energy!"

Sabrina shot him a glare, but her lips twitched. "Says the one with a Milotic who thinks she's a runway model."

------Author Notes------

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