Pokémon: I Am a Dragon Tamer!

Why are you always targeting me?! If you have issues with Professor Oak, go find him! 

Professor Oak spends most of his time at his lab in Pallet Town—it's not like he's hard to track down. If you resent him so much, go bother him! Aren't you one of the Kanto Elite Four?! 

I'm just a kid! 

Ryuuske screamed internally, though his expression remained perfectly pleasant, betraying none of his inner turmoil. What frustrated him most was that Sabrina actually nodded in agreement when Agatha posed her question. 

Are you a Husky or something? How did you and the criminal reach a consensus so fast?! 

Ryuuske didn't even know how to begin dissecting this situation. 

But his thoughts quickly turned to Gary. Given how deeply Agatha seemed to resent Professor Oak, he couldn't help but worry—had the Ghost-type master already dismembered Gary and buried him somewhere? 

After lecturing Sabrina at length on how to identify scumbag men, Agatha finally seemed tired. 

"...Getting old means I don't sleep as much, but I also can't stay up like I used to. I'll be heading to bed now. There's a room prepared for you upstairs—rest when you're tired. If you're hungry, there are some ingredients in the fridge. You'll have to cook for yourselves." 

"Please, go rest. We'll sleep when we're tired." 

"Only one room?" 

Ryuuske and Sabrina spoke simultaneously. 

Ryuuske just wanted the old woman to leave as soon as possible—preferably without saying another word. Meanwhile, Sabrina was hung up on the number of rooms. 

Typical woman. 

"There's only one spare room. You're a couple, so sharing shouldn't be a big deal. I know you're trainers—you came here for that tower. No matter how much I warn you, you won't listen. If you want to go to the 'Tower of Prayer,' head there first thing tomorrow." 

Agatha chuckled before slowly shuffling out of the living room and disappearing into a dark hallway. 

Ryuuske wasn't the least bit excited about sharing a room with Sabrina, nor did he expect anything to happen. With such a formidable enemy lurking around, falling asleep would be a miracle. 

"Why are you looking at me like that? One room is fine—we'll be safer together. If something happens, we can watch each other's backs." 

Noticing Sabrina glaring at him with a mix of embarrassment and irritation, Ryuuske rolled his eyes. 

"Hungry? I haven't eaten since noon. Forget what that old woman thinks—filling our stomachs comes first." 

"I don't cook!" 

Sabrina sat stiffly in her chair, eyes closed, utterly unashamed of her lack of culinary skills. 

"That's fine. I can cook. You just need to eat." 

Ryuuske waved her off and headed to the fridge. Though the ingredients were sparse, there was enough to make a decent meal for two. 

The kitchen was fully stocked with pots and pans, confirming Agatha's claim that she had lived here for at least a month. 

Before long, Ryuuske whipped up two dishes using berries he carried as seasoning. The aroma alone was enough to make Sabrina's stomach growl—apparently, she hadn't eaten since noon either. After cautiously taking a bite and confirming the food was actually good, the two silently devoured their meals without exchanging a word. 

Once finished, Sabrina made no move to wash the dishes. With a sigh, Ryuuske cleaned up after them. 

From the memories he'd glimpsed in her mind, he knew Sabrina wasn't like Caitlin—a sheltered noblewoman—but she'd still grown up comfortably. As a child, her uncontrollable psychic powers made her isolated and withdrawn. Expecting her to handle household chores was wishful thinking. 

Even after learning to control her abilities, she never shook off her habits. She still rarely spoke, leaving chores to her Mr. Mime. Even as the Gym Leader of Saffron City—Kanto's most central metropolis—Sabrina lived like a doll, drifting through life without purpose. 

Until she met Giovanni. 

The charismatic leader of Team Rocket, who saw right through her. 

After dinner, the two retreated to the guest room Agatha had prepared—a modest 20-square-meter space with a desk, chairs, and a small bed by the window. Outside, the storm raged on, the relentless downpour and thunder casting a heavy mood over the room. 

Sabrina sat at the head of the bed, back against the wall, her long legs crossed as she remained silent. Ryuuske sat at the foot, staring out at the rain. 

"Lavender Town's storms sometimes last two or three days straight. Who knows if it'll stop by tomorrow." 

Ryuuske murmured, but Sabrina didn't respond. 

Being alone with him in such a confined space made her inexplicably restless. 

"Why did you join Team Rocket?" 

Again, Sabrina refused to answer. 

"If your parents found out you joined an organization like Team Rocket—that you became one of its top executives—they'd be devastated. Their daughter, a criminal... They've always loved you, ever since you were little. Even when your psychic powers destroyed things at home, even when you were isolated with no friends, even when you made mistakes—they never stopped patiently comforting and guiding you." 

"...When you couldn't go to school, your mother quit her job to teach you. She studied subjects she didn't know just so she could pass them on to you. That's why, even after all these years shut inside, you never completely lost touch with society. They never asked you to become a trainer, let alone a Gym Leader—they just wanted you to grow up safe and happy. But you did well, Sabrina. Becoming the Gym Leader of Saffron and Celadon isn't easy. Your parents must be proud." 

Ryuuske kept his gaze fixed on the window, listening to the rain as he deliberately provoked her. 

This time, Sabrina snapped. 

Her eyes flew open—dark irises tinged with violet, now bloodshot. Her pale cheeks flushed crimson, a mix of fury and terror flashing across her face. She lunged from the head of the bed, seizing Ryuuske's arm with a death grip. 

"...Shut up. If you keep talking, I'll kill you." 

Her voice was a low, seething hiss. 

This was Sabrina's greatest fear. After her defeat in the psychic realm, her mind had been laid bare—her past, her memories, all of it exposed. She had no secrets left. Nothing was hidden from the man before her. 

That was why she hated him so much. 

Her nails dug into his arm, but Ryuuske didn't flinch. 

"...I don't have parents." 

It was the truth. Since coming to this world, he had been alone. 

Sabrina stiffened. 

From her memories, Ryuuske knew she deeply loved her parents. She was grateful for everything they'd done. Precisely because she'd grown up isolated, she valued their bond all the more. 

Sabrina was just a girl—seventeen or eighteen at most. But a life unlike anyone else's had shaped her into the cold, silent person she was now. 

Her grip on his arm loosened slightly. 

Ryuuske flipped their positions, pinning her beneath him. Their faces were close now, breaths mingling, the faint scent of her filling his senses. They already knew each other's bodies intimately. 

Sabrina's legs shifted restlessly, an instinctive reaction. 

Though this scenario had been orchestrated by Agatha, her presence meant Ryuuske couldn't act recklessly. Besides, if he wanted Sabrina to truly submit—to stop resisting—he'd have to defeat her properly. 

"Miss Sabrina, you're really beautiful. I think I like you." 

"Sweet talker." 

With her wrists pinned, Sabrina turned her head away, suddenly recalling Agatha's words.

To be continued…

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