Even though the uniforms worn by Rocket Admins were made from rare, durable, and expensive materials, after the havoc in Mt. Moon, Sabrina's was tattered and torn in many places. She may have always come across as emotionally distant and indifferent, but that didn't mean she was ignorant of basic decency or the differences between men and women—there was no way she'd allow herself to be exposed in public.

"…You failed?"

Giovanni sat calmly behind his office desk, speaking to Sabrina who stood before him.

"I apologize, Boss Giovanni. My failure caused severe losses to our Cerulean branch. I'm ready to accept punishment."

Sabrina's pale, beautiful face was smudged with grime. She hadn't even taken time to clean herself before coming to report. Her disheveled appearance made clear how brutal her defeat had been.

Giovanni waved his hand slightly. "No need to say more," he muttered.

He'd already received a detailed report from the few survivors who had escaped from Logan—specifically from "Unit 050." He knew the rough outline of what had happened.

"To be defeated… even when your opponent didn't use Mewtwo. Sabrina, that's something you'll have to reflect on."

Sabrina remained silent, her head bowed. She offered no excuses, no protests. She was just as cold and unreadable as ever—but deep inside her mind, the memory of that boy surged forward again.

The moment she saw his face in her thoughts, anger flared uncontrollably. She wanted to burn those memories to ash.

Giovanni's words carried gravity, but deep down, he almost felt a trace of schadenfreude. After all, he too had been played like a fool by Logan back in Mt. Moon. The difference was—back then he'd been alone, and no other Rocket members had witnessed his humiliation. He had salvaged some dignity.

But Sabrina? Her defeat had been public. The whispers within Team Rocket had already begun.

"No punishment. Go back and rest. Get ready to begin our next plan."

"…Isn't it too soon, Boss Giovanni?" Sabrina asked, lifting her eyes.

"Sometimes, overplanning only becomes a hindrance. I've decided—we're activating the Legendary Bird Plan."

Giovanni's voice was low but resolute.

"…Understood. I'll begin preparations immediately."

With a small nod, Sabrina turned and walked out of the office.

Once she was gone, Giovanni finally relaxed, leaning back against the chair. He reached for the cigar on his desk—but thought better of it and set it back down.

"That kid… I didn't expect him to grow this quickly. Failing to crush him while he was still nothing—that's Team Rocket's biggest mistake."

He coughed violently, clutching his chest. It felt like his lungs would burst. After catching his breath, he whispered:

"…Before this body completely fails me… I have to finish what I started."

As Sabrina left the Rocket HQ, countless high-ranking members looked her way—some with admiration, some with lust, others with contempt or mockery. She ignored them all, expressionless, and returned to her home in Saffron City.

She might be an ice queen—but she was still a woman. And she couldn't stand feeling this filthy. The first thing she did upon returning home was to strip off her torn uniform and head straight into the shower.

But no matter how hard she scrubbed… she could only remove the dirt from her skin.

She couldn't wash away the stain he left on her mind.

Wrapped in a towel, she returned to her room without even drying her long hair. She collapsed onto her bed, hoping to fall into dreamless sleep.

But every time she closed her eyes, the events in the psychic realm would return—like maggots chewing at her sanity. She wanted to cast those memories into the void, to never recall them again… but even her psychic powers couldn't erase them. In fact, the more she tried to forget, the more they haunted her.

"Huff… huff… huff…"

She shot upright, gasping for air. Sweat clung to her flawless white skin. The blanket slipped off, revealing her silk-smooth body glistening under the moonlight.

She glanced down at the sheets—damp.

Sabrina's face flushed with shame and rage. She clenched the covers around her. Her body… it wasn't hers anymore. It betrayed her. It acted on instincts that she couldn't control.

Curling up in bed, she buried her head beneath the blankets. Arms wrapped around her knees, she felt like the girl she used to be—isolated, feared, abandoned.

Alone.

Back in Cerulean City, Misty awoke in her bed with a dull ache in her body. Sitting up groggily, she noticed that her wounds had been treated. Someone had even changed her into fresh sleepwear. With some rest, even the scars would soon fade.

Looking around at the familiar room, she realized she was home.

Descending the stairs, she spotted Logan lounging on the sofa, casually flipping a golden badge between his fingers.

"That's…?"

"Something I took from Sabrina. The Golden Badge. Proof of my victory."

He flicked it into the air and caught it again. Glancing up at her, he added, "You good now? Feeling alright?"

Misty nodded. "I'm fine. I've had worse on past journeys. But what about you, Logan?"

"Me? Please. Compared to you, I barely got scratched."

Truth be told, most of his injuries came from his own Gabite's Sandstorm—the stinging particles had torn at his skin like needles. It hurt like hell.

"In a few days, Cerulean City's Gym Challenge Tournament begins. You think your body will be up for it?" Logan asked.

"It's just a league-sponsored event to scout talent, not an actual Gym Leader battle," Misty shrugged. "Why? You planning to enter?"

Logan smirked. "I would've skipped it if you just gave me the badge. But you won't, right? And during the tournament, you're not allowed to use your main team. Careful—I might mop the floor with you."

"Just don't finish me in a few seconds like you did Brock," Misty grumbled.

"Haha, fine. For you, I'll stretch it out to twenty seconds!"

Logan chuckled.

Misty paused, biting her lip.

"…Logan, were you the one who brought me back home?"

"Who else would it be? And before you ask—your clothes were changed by the maids. Same with your wounds. Trust me, with a body like yours, I'd rather strip myself naked and look in a mirror. At least I've got something to admire!"

Misty's brain snapped. Whatever gratitude she felt evaporated. Blushing furiously, she screamed,

"YOU WANNA DIE, DON'T YOU?!"

"Whoa, whoa! This is your house—don't you dare let your Pokémon out in here!"

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T/N:

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