NOVEL WEB Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Becoming More Impressive
Hearing Maki's explanation, Sabrina's expression finally softened, though she still seemed a little annoyed.
Leaving me here to accompany another man—what was Maki even thinking?
Not wanting to linger, Maki took Charmander to the training grounds within the gym. Sabrina, clearly bored out of her mind, begrudgingly followed.
The spacious gym was perfect for Maki's needs. Even with Charmander running around, there was plenty of room for their physical training regimen, much to Sabrina's disinterest as she yawned repeatedly.
Maki turned to her and asked, "Why not join in and get some exercise? With those thin arms and legs, if not for your psychic powers, you'd lose to a child in terms of strength—forget about competing with me."
Sabrina decisively shook her head. "Exercise? Not happening. Why bother training when I have psychic abilities? That's just self-inflicted punishment."
Maki didn't mention the events from Saffron Forest to Sabrina. Since Giovanni himself was handling it, there was no need for them to worry. Instead, they could focus on preparing for what lay ahead.
...
The next day.
"Charmander, use Fire Fang to finish it off!"
Charmander dashed forward, sinking its fiery teeth into the yellow fox-like Pokémon, knocking it out of the battle.
A red beam of light shot out as Abra was withdrawn into its Poké Ball—unsurprisingly, it belonged to Sabrina.
"I'm done," Sabrina said with a slight frown, setting the Poké Ball onto a nearby healing device before turning to Maki. "You really need to work on your training level."
Since Maki had promised Sabrina he'd stay at the gym today, he couldn't go back on his word. To keep himself and Charmander occupied, he asked Sabrina to select one of the gym's psychic Pokémon for a sparring match.
As expected, Sabrina's battle tactics were almost nonexistent, and her experience was virtually zero. During the fight, she acted like a novice Pokémon player—spamming the move with the highest power without a care for strategy.
Though the Abra was only a Pokémon used for apprentices, it had undergone considerable training and was stronger than Charmander. But Sabrina's guidance—or lack thereof—made Maki cringe.
Abra, despite its small stature, is quite powerful—an archetypal glass cannon.
Its base stats total 310, comparable to Charmander's. However, it boasts 90 Speed and an astounding 105 Special Attack. While real-world Pokémon battles aren't strictly governed by base stats, these values do highlight a Pokémon's innate potential.
Take the Chansey line for example. No matter how a trainer trains a Chansey, its physical defense will never surpass its special defense—its hallmark trait as one of the bulkiest special defenders in the Pokémon world.
Abra's Confusion hit Charmander hard, even without a type advantage, inflicting significant damage. However, Charmander's Crunch attack was enough to KO Kadabra in one shot—its frail defenses were its undoing.
"If I used my psychic abilities, do you think you could beat me?" Sabrina asked, leaving Maki momentarily speechless.
"Still, this is a Pokémon battle. What if your opponent's Pokémon is even stronger than your psychic powers? What would you do then?"
Sabrina lowered her head in thought before responding earnestly, "That would mean my psychic abilities aren't strong enough!"
Maki: "…"
She wasn't technically wrong, but that wasn't the point! Sabrina didn't win battles because her Pokémon were strong—she was just stronger than the opponent's Pokémon.
"Any idea when Agatha will arrive in Saffron City?" Maki asked, changing the topic.
The most concerning figure in this operation was undoubtedly Agatha, the Kanto region's Ghost-type Elite Four member. Even Lance would need to tread carefully around her. Maki needed to keep tabs on her movements.
"She should arrive in Saffron City the day after tomorrow," Sabrina replied.
"Agatha is unpredictable. Who knows if she'll show up earlier? Starting tonight, I won't be coming to the gym. We'll keep in touch via communicator—don't let her catch us off guard," Maki advised.
Maki's concern wasn't unfounded. As a League investigator, Lance had already arrived. While Agatha's scheduled arrival was official League information, she acted entirely on her own whims. It was better to be cautious.
"I'll have someone keep an eye on things," Sabrina replied reluctantly. Still, Maki shook his head.
Agatha's oppressive presence was unnerving. Just knowing he'd have to face her made Maki instinctively tense up.
Seemingly taking Maki's advice to heart—or perhaps simply bored out of her mind without psychic training—Sabrina had a large TV installed in the gym.
Given the gym's spaciousness and the fact that this wasn't an urgent matter, the League acted quickly, setting up a relaxation room in no time.
"Is this what life as a Gym Leader is like?" Maki remarked upon reappearing, cradling Charmander.
"Handling many issues can be troublesome," Sabrina replied with a glare, though she didn't deny his statement.
After all, Gym Leaders typically had numerous responsibilities (Sabrina being an exception). The perks had to balance out the workload; otherwise, who would want the job?
Before long, Maki and Sabrina found themselves watching TV in the gym—Maki holding Charmander, and Sabrina hugging a plushie of the "White Demon."
As evening approached, Maki bid Sabrina farewell before sneaking out through the gym's back door, heading for the arena.
Although Sabrina's demands had slightly altered his plans for the day, there was still time to find a few opponents at the arena and grind out some experience.
He glanced at Charmander, who was wiping tears from its eyes, and sighed.
"Come on, it was just a TV show. Was it really that emotional?"
The storyline had been bizarre, to say the least. It followed a male Pikachu pursuing a female Pikachu. After much effort, the male Pikachu finally succeeded, only to evolve into a Raichu and be rejected.
Maki wasn't sure where to begin critiquing it. If not for the adorably cast actor playing the trainer, he wouldn't have bothered watching.
Charmander, however, was moved to tears.
"Don't worry," Maki consoled. "When you evolve, you'll only look cooler!"
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