Catch Feelings, Not Just Pokemon

In the whole of Paldea, there was probably no place more off the radar — so hidden that even Jiraiya's intel network couldn't find it — than the location where Sabrina was now being held.

Only the faintest sliver of light filtered through the high-set transom window, casting dappled shadows across the damp, moldy walls. The air was thick with the smell of mildew and dust, a cold that seemed to seep all the way to the bone curling through every corner.

The room's walls, long surrendered to time, had begun to shed their plaster, revealing the cracked, weary brick beneath — the building itself exhaling the long sigh of age and disuse.

There, in the dim light, Sabrina was reenacting the classic bound pose of the legendary Marika — arms outstretched, suspended, gazing upward at the window, waiting in vain for rescue from her comrades.

Unfortunately, there was still no sign of salvation. If anything, the expression on the man before her only seemed to be growing more and more wicked.

"Earlier, when I said I was going to peel off your tights, it was just idle talk,"

Haru murmured, leaning in close.

"But now... don't you think I actually could?"

They were so close he could practically smell the subtle scent lingering on her.

And yet, Sabrina still refused to show even the slightest hint of fear or surrender — like a captured knight in one of those fantasy stories who would never bow to her captor. She held fast to her pride.

After the earlier chaos, Haru had received a message from Principal Clavell.

Given that Haru had only recently left Area Zero — practically a wild man with no fixed address — the original plan had been to place him in a teacher's dorm on the Naranja Academy campus. It would make his three weekly vocational training sessions easier, after all.

But then the Pokémon League stepped in and offered Haru a detached house instead — one with its very own basement.

The house itself was likely a symbol of how seriously the League took him. As for the basement... well, its purpose hardly needed to be explained.

Clavell's message even ended with a gentle reminder: "Please try to exercise some discretion in how you use the basement."

Hmm. Hopefully dear Miss Sabrina would enjoy her new "home."

Guess that's just one of the perks of power — even dragging home a dangerous Rocket executive, and someone still ends up cleaning up after you.

"Let me go right now, or Team Rocket won't forgive you!"

"Don't think this means you've won!"

Sabrina struggled and rattled her chains — the cold metal clinking against each thrash. But with her powers suppressed, all she could feel now was… weakness. A weakness like never before.

She felt exposed — as if she were hanging there completely naked, like a roast duck in a butcher's window.

For someone as proud as Sabrina, that alone was humiliating enough.

Even if her voice spat venom, it was clear it was just a front — a thin veil to cover her mounting unease.

"You really won't let me go, huh?"

Haru gently picked up a lock of her long black hair, a strange smile playing across his lips.

That smile… it gave her a bad feeling. Like something terrible was about to happen.

"Well, from Giovanni's point of view, of course not," he said calmly.

"The fact that I have Mew alone is enough to make me Team Rocket's enemy."

"To complete his Mewtwo project, Giovanni needs Mew's genes."

"But as a crime boss, he rarely acts directly. He usually sends his underlings to do the dirty work."

"But what if those underlings start slacking off? Pretending to follow orders, but really sabotaging the mission?"

"I mean, Giovanni's never been the type to punish failure too harshly. Even those three clowns are still on the payroll. Slacking off a few times doesn't mean much."

"And worst-case scenario — what if I just gave them a single hair from Mew, to appease them?"

"What are you getting at?"

Sabrina's eyes snapped upward — only to bump right into Haru's hand, which then rested lightly on her head.

"Don't you get it yet?"

"Why would someone from Paldea — someone who's never been in contact with Team Rocket — know so much about you?"

"Why would I know about the Mew capture project?"

"Why, when your so-called 'comrades' escaped, didn't I give chase?"

"What do you think would've happened if I'd used Earthquake at that moment? You can't tell me you didn't imagine the result."

His hand trailed down to her waist, fingers brushing the edge of her tights.

"There's only one answer left. Don't tell me you still haven't figured it out?"

"How pitiful, Miss Sabrina of the Saffron Gym."

"..."

Yeah, even setting everything else aside, the moment Haru called out "Sabrina" the instant Proton appeared-it was already more than a little suspicious.

And the Mewtwo Project… that was a top-level secret. How could someone from Alola or Paldea know about that?

As the saying goes — once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.

"You mean… someone betrayed me?"

Sabrina murmured, finally falling into the trap Haru had laid.

"Congratulations. That's correct!" he said cheerfully.

"Or to be more precise… you were their payment."

"I've always been quite interested in you, so rest assured — I'll make sure to 'cherish' you properly."

"Especially that expression — so full of confusion and fury. I love it."

"But… why?"

Sabrina still couldn't understand.

"You're a villainous organization! I mean, some backstabbing for power is expected, sure, but—"

"Who knows? Maybe your teammates have seen you as a thorn in their side for a while now."

As he spoke, he actually tugged her uniform armor down a notch — sending a chill straight up her spine.

"W-Wait a second. This isn't right."

Now Sabrina was truly stunned. She wanted to resist, but like this? She had no strength to fight back.

"Didn't you say you were interested in my powers? Why are you—"

She had originally assumed Haru was only after her psychic abilities. In this world, battle strength and skill were everything — compared to that, romantic or physical interest hardly mattered.

But now… it really felt like Haru might actually go through with it?!

"Powers? Please."

"What's so special about psychic abilities? They're nothing compared to my Mew."

"You need to have more confidence in your own charm, Miss Sabrina."

"Besides, just forcing myself on someone wouldn't be any fun. I'm not that tasteless."

"So, Mew… what do you think we should do next?"