Pokémon: I Am a Dragon Tamer!

Ryuuske pinned Sabrina to the bed, gripping her wrists firmly. Their positions were intimate, their breathing uneven, yet the air in the bedroom carried no trace of romantic tension. 

"Not saying anything, Miss Sabrina? Could it be you're moved by my confession?" 

Sabrina didn't move. She turned her head away, eyes shut, as if still steadying herself after having her deepest vulnerabilities exposed. The raw honesty of Ryuuske's words had left her shaken—terrified, even—of the helplessness that came with being so thoroughly seen. 

Her parents had indeed loved her deeply, nurturing her with boundless devotion. But they weren't psychics. While they could provide material comfort and emotional support, they couldn't fill the void in her heart. 

Sabrina was a person without faith, without conviction—a soul hollowed by emptiness. 

And it was this very Sabrina that Giovanni, with his keen insight into human nature, had discovered. Under the overwhelming force of his charisma, his compelling words, she had found something akin to belief—a purpose to follow. 

She had no interest in Team Rocket's goals, nor in power or wealth. She simply needed someone to give her direction, a reason to move forward. 

Giovanni hadn't exploited her. Their relationship was transactional—one provided the path, the other walked it. 

But now, that hollow heart of hers had been laid bare, scrutinized from the inside out. It was more terrifying than any mind-reading—every weakness laid open, every frailty exposed. 

Ryuuske gazed at her delicate face, so close to his own, and an impulse surged within him. He lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers. 

Her kiss was cold, like the fragrance of a snow lotus—aloof and intoxicating in its isolation. 

Unlike in the psychic realm, this was a real, physical first kiss. Sabrina didn't resist, though her movements were stiff. Even with all her experiences in the mindscape, her body lacked muscle memory—she couldn't replicate those sensations in reality. 

But that was as far as it went. Ryuuske didn't push further. Not only were they still in enemy territory, but he knew full well that if he tried anything more, Sabrina would fight back—and their fragile alliance would shatter. 

The fact that she hadn't resisted at all was surprising enough. Matters of the heart were best approached gradually. 

During their earlier psychic connection, Ryuuske hadn't managed to breach Sabrina's memories again to uncover Team Rocket's plans. But he had sensed that something was coming—something big. 

Only by defeating Team Rocket, by crushing Sabrina's convictions completely, could he claim her entirely. 

A psychic whose mind had been fully invaded could never hide their thoughts or weaknesses again. 

"Let's just lie here and rest for a while. Recover some energy." 

Ryuuske murmured, closing his eyes as he held Sabrina close on the small bed, as if drifting into sleep. 

Sabrina, too, seemed to accept the suggestion, lying motionless like a fragile porcelain doll. 

—— 

The next morning, when Ryuuske and Sabrina made their way downstairs after freshening up, they found Agatha had already prepared breakfast for them. Exchanging a glance, the two wordlessly took their seats and began eating. 

The night had brought them closer—if only slightly. Though they remained enemies, bound to clash eventually, the tension between them had softened. 

Strangely, Sabrina found that within the suffocating void of her heart, a faint shadow had crept in. 

It unsettled her. 

But she didn't entirely hate it. 

She had never been one to refuse. 

Deep down, she had always yearned. 

"That's how young people should be. No matter how big the conflict, as long as it doesn't involve principles, don't let it fester overnight." 

"I won't lecture you further. The entrance to the 'Tower of Prayer' is to the north. You'll see it once you head through town." 

Agatha chuckled, seemingly pleased by the change in their dynamic. After breakfast, she even saw them to the door, lingering until their figures vanished from sight before finally returning inside. 

"Hah…" 

The moment they were out of Agatha's line of sight, Ryuuske and Sabrina both exhaled in relief. 

"You recognized her, right?" 

"One of the Kanto's Elite Four—Agatha." 

Sabrina's tone was as cool and detached as ever, her arms crossed, her eyes downcast—as if nothing interested her. But at least she was responding to Ryuuske's questions now. 

"She definitely recognized us too. And she knew we recognized her. But if that's the case, why go through all this? It's pointless. She could've just attacked us outright, or kept hiding and let us walk into the 'Tower of Prayer' blindly. Instead, she exposed herself for no reason." 

Ryuuske frowned, baffled. 

"...And that house was weird. I couldn't figure out what was off about it, but something just felt wrong the moment we stepped inside." 

He had asked Mewtwo, but even its response was vague—the house felt false, yet the exact anomaly remained elusive. 

"Maybe Agatha's just senile. That would explain her nonsensical behavior." 

"Huh?!" 

Ryuuske stared at Sabrina, as if unable to believe those words had come from her. 

"Hmph." 

Sabrina ignored him, quickening her pace with a dismissive sniff. 

This woman… She's actually kind of tsundere?! 

In a town where most buildings stood no taller than three stories, the 'Tower of Prayer' was impossible to miss. Seven stories high, it soared over a hundred meters into the sky, its base sprawling wide enough to rival a stadium. Each floor seemed at least twenty meters tall, and gazing up at it from below evoked a solemn, oppressive weight. 

"Look at the diameter of this thing. It's practically a colosseum—seven stacked arenas in one. Whoever built this had way too much time on their hands." 

Ryuuske clicked his tongue. 

"...And I'm betting every inch of it is rigged with Agatha's traps." 

"Scared?" 

Sabrina threw the challenge at him as she strode toward the tower's entrance. Thanks to the recent disappearances, the area was completely deserted. 

"Why would I be? As long as I'm with you, Miss Sabrina, I'd charge into a dragon's den without hesitation." 

Ryuuske hurried after her. A pulse of psychic energy rippled through the air as Sabrina linked with her Alakazam, its power blasting the heavy doors open with a telekinetic surge. 

Creak— 

With the groan of rusted metal, the tower's interior was finally revealed.

To be continued…

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