Chapter 7

“I can’t believe she made us a part of the Inner Circle,” Ash said. “Do you really think we’re ready for something like that?”

“Well, she must have a lot of faith in us,” Misty replied.

“I have to agree with Ash,” Brock argued. “We don’t have experience in things like this. Maybe we should have a long talk with Sabrina before we leave.”

“Guys, this is her greatest moment!” Misty insisted. “We can’t just refuse her now!”

“Better we tell her now than make a wrong decision in the future,” Ash pointed out.

Misty sighed. “Okay, fine. But at least promise you’ll break it to her gently. Sabrina went through a lot of trouble to treat us as her honored guests!”

“Don’t worry, Misty,” Brock told her. “Sabrina’s our friend, too. We’ll just tell her the truth: we’re not ready for all this responsibility.”

Sabrina had just left Lance’s guest room when she heard a deep voice.

“You’re mine now, beast. Know this and accept it!”

Sabrina quickened her step and made it to the end of the hallway.

“I am your master now. You will obey only me!”

She took a deep breath and peered around the corner. There was a strange blue light coming from the door on the left. Sabrina suddenly remembered that this room belonged to none other than the leader of Team Rocket, Giovanni.

“Hear me, creature! Hear your master’s command and obey! Go forth and destroy!”

Before Sabrina could even think of moving, there was a stabbing pain in her head. She screamed and fell to her knees, even as the door was blown off its hinges. The pain was so intense, Sabrina could barely focus on what was in front of her. However, she did see two large pairs of feet walk into the hallway, followed by a heavy blue mist.

By the time her vision cleared, the feet and their owners were gone. Sabrina slowly stood up and massaged her temples. Whatever had come out of Giovanni’s room had immense psychic power, more than any Pokemon or human could ever hope to contain. More than that, whatever had left Giovanni’s room was evil in its purest, most chaotic form.

Ash and Pikachu had just left the hotel room when they bumped into Sabrina. Literally. She hadn’t been watching where she was going, and seemed as if she were going to faint at any moment. Her skin had taken on a very pale look, as if she’d just seen a ghost.

Instantly forgetting what he had come to tell her, Ash gently touched her shoulder. “Sabrina, are you okay?” he asked, the concern apparent in his voice.

Sabrina blinked and strained her eyes, forcing them to focus on his face. “No, Ash. I’m not feeling very well right now.”

“What happened?”

She shook her head. “It’s...hard to explain. Have you seen Mewtwo recently?”

Pikachu suddenly piped up and pointed down the hall.

“Pikachu says he say Mewtwo go that way a while ago,” Ash explained. The words were barely out of his mouth when Sabrina pulled away from him and ran down the hall. “Hey, wait!” Ash shouted, running after her. He caught up with Sabrina just as she reached the corner. “No offense, Sabrina, but I don’t think you should be running around in this condition.”

Sabrina shook her head. “Ash, something is very wrong here, and if I don’t find out what it is, we could all be in great danger.”

“So it’s got something to do with Mewtwo?” Ash asked.

She sighed. “I don’t know for sure, but I have to speak with him.”

“What would you ask, child?” Mewtwo asked as he stepped around the corner. He was followed by Mew, Golduck, and Alakazam.

Ash blinked in amazement. “How did he do that?”

“My comrade has a psychic link with the child,” he said, gesturing to Mew. “She sensed the girl’s anxiety instantly.”

“Sabrina, what’s wrong?” Mew asked, hopping onto her shoulder. “When you cried out like that a few minutes ago, I was worried about you.”

“I sensed a great evil,” Sabrina whispered, “somewhere in the hotel.”

“I bet it’s Team Rocket,” Ash muttered, pounding his fist into his palm.

“Giovanni wouldn’t dare try anything with me around,” Mewtwo stated. He seemed very sure of himself. Behind him, Golduck and Alakazam looked at each other and nodded.

Alakazam placed a paw on his friend’s shoulder. “Perhaps we should still be cautious, comrade. I wouldn’t put it beyond Giovanni to try something. The Psychic Pokemon Alliance will provide great competition for Team Rocket.”

Mewtwo pulled away from him. “He can not hope to defeat me.”

Golduck quickly ran forward and raised his clawed hand. Before anyone could stop him, he dove upon Mewtwo struck, leaving three long scratches in the cat’s back.

Mewtwo kicked Golduck away and unsteadily rose to his feet. “I will not tolerate betrayal, comrade,” he said.

Golduck and Alakazam stood side-by-side, ready for his advance.

Ash merely watched the fight. “Should we stop them?” he asked.

“No,” Sabrina said quietly. “Psychic types sometimes pick up things humans don’t.”

“Comrade!” Golduck shouted at Mew while he avoided Mewtwo’s attack. “Scan him! You will see the truth!”

Without hesitation, Mew hopped down from Sabrina’s shoulder. Her eyes glowed bright pink as she stared at the other cat’s back. Then she gasped in shock. She tackled the cat to the floor and drove her paw into his back. When she pulled it out, her hand was caught in a dense mess of wires and gears.

Mewtwo kicked her off and made a final attempt, going for Golduck’s throat. Alakazam blocked his path and simply said, “Kazam!” Mewtwo’s body jerked and became stiff. He suddenly rocketed into the air and slammed into the ceiling. After a few seconds, he dropped to the ground, his body shattering into an explosion of broken gears and long wires.

“A robot,” Ash whispered, picking up one of the gears.

Pikachu nodded in agreement, a worried look on his face.

An hour after the fight, Sabrina called an emergency first meeting of the Silk Circle. Once everyone had arrived, she began.

“I know this is sudden, but I suddenly realized I’ve made a big mistake. The Alliance will continue to function, but it will have to do so without me. As well, Ash, Misty, and Brock have decided to resign from their positions in the Circle. Certain members of my family will take their places. Also, as you must know by now, Mewtwo was never truly a part of the Circle at all. Though they have decided to keep their membership in the Circle, Mew, Golduck, and Alakazam have already left to search for their missing comrade.”

She paused briefly. “This concludes the first meeting of the Silk Circle. Thank you.”

The End.