A bright flash blinded me and before I knew it, it was gone. My heart pounded sharply as I spotted Sabrina and her Haunter.

Me, June, and Kiwi were back in Sabrina’s Gym.

The possessed Gym Leader stood in her position at the battlefield.

Her Haunter floated next to her, his smile wider than ever, a hungry look in his eyes.

“I knew you’d be back,” Sabrina said coldly.

“Sabrina!” I pleaded. “Please! Listen to me!”

“Mean Look,” Sabrina said, ignoring me.

Haunter floated forward and his eyes started to glow purple.

June and Kiwi gasped at the same time a sudden chill swept around my body, causing my arms to jump out and wrap around me.

“There is no escaping now,” Sabrina stated. “You all belong to me.”

Haunter laughed as I glared at him, shuddering from the cold before it started to fade.

Sabrina laughed along with her Pokemon.

We were now stuck in the Gym. We either succeeded in this mission, or die.

“Sabrina! Haunter is controlling you!” I turned to Haunter angrily. “You have to stop this!!”

“Attack.” Sabrina pointed at us as Haunter flew quickly.

I prepared for the worst, narrowing my eyes tightly as Kiwi and June screamed behind me.

“Kadabra!” Kadabra appeared in front of us in a series of lights. His eyes glowed red.

Haunter was outlined in red, frozen in place. He glared at Kadabra, no longer smiling.

“Sabrina!” I pointed at Kadabra. “This is your Kadabra! Don’t you remember him? He was your first true friend! He came to you as an Abra when you-!”

“HAUNTEEEEEEER!!!” Haunter screamed, and somehow broke free of Kadabra’s psychic grip. His eyes went completely black and he sent black beams at Kadabra.

Kadabra cried out as the Night Shade sent him tumbling on the ground where he stopped in a heap.

“Kadabra!” I yelled out.

Kadabra got up and started to glow yellow, using his Recover. With a yell, Kadabra raised his spoon and as his eyes glowed a dark red, multicolored, circular rays shot out at Haunter who cried out in anguish as he fell back against the attack.

“That’s Psywave,” Kiwi whispered.

“No, Psybeam,” I corrected her. Not that it mattered. Our lives were at stake on this battle.

Haunter shook off the damage. His hands cupped for a moment and then he opened them and fired several beams of black and purple circles at Kadabra.

Kadabra suffered badly from the Dark Pulse attack, his naming crying out from his throat as he flew back through the air and landed at my feet.

I knelt down to the weakened battler. “Kadabra!” My hand rested on his back. “Kadabra, try that Recover attack again. Build back your energy. Please! We’re counting on you! Don’t give up! We need you!”

Kadabra groaned as he managed to stand up, leering at Haunter.

Haunter floated over quickly and used Lick attack on Kadabra, his tongue sliding along the front of Kadabra’s face.

Kadabra groaned in disgust and used Teleport to the other end of the field and then used Recover. “Kadabra!” He looked a lot better now. He raised his spoon and his eyes flashed red.

Haunter laughed heartily and flew at Kadabra. His speed picked up all of a sudden and his body was outlined in a sinister black color right before he slammed into Kadabra, interrupting the Psychic type’s next move.

“Whoa!” June and Kiwi both exclaimed behind me as Kadabra slid on his face along the floor.

“What was that?” I raised my Pokedex up.

Sucker Punch. This Dark type attack strikes before the opponent if they were going to use a damaging move.

“A Dark type attack!” I cried. “Noo!”

Kadabra was a Psychic type, which was weak to Dark moves. That attack Haunter used delivered a powerful blow. “Kadab...” Kadabra’s body shook hard, and shortly after, his head lifted quickly. He leaped up to his feet and his eyes started to glow blue. A wind passed through the room as Kadabra prepared his Future Sight attack.

Haunter held his hands in front of his face and charged up a Shadow Ball, tossing it excitedly at Kadabra. Then he tossed another. And another!

Back to back Shadow Balls were being launched Kadabra, who dodged them by Teleporting around the room.

Haunter began to make the balls faster, flinging them rapidly, laughing the entire time, Sabrina joining in with him.

One finally caught Kadabra and he slid across the floor, landing at Sabrina’s feet.

Sabrina stared down at Kadabra.

Kadabra returned his Trainer’s stare. “Kadabra?” His eyes widened as he looked back at Sabrina. The hand that wasn’t holding his spoon reached up to the woman shakily. “Kadabra...”

Sabrina didn’t say a word. She stared down at her Kadabra coldly. Finally, she pulled her foot back... And kicked Kadabra!

Kadabra shouted out as he was sent away from Sabrina and dropped to the floor facedown.

June and Kiwi let out shocked gasps of disbelief at this.

My wide eyes went from Sabrina to Kadabra. He’s more than physically hurt, I knew, swallowing hard. He must be emotionally damaged from that.

Kadabra looked up and I saw his eyes looking glassy. Tears were building up.

Haunter laughed and began to toss more balls to Kadabra.

Kadabra was hit again and remained still on his back, his arms sprawled out at either side of him.

“Kadabra, get the hell up!” Kiwi ran up to me and stomped one foot down, her fiery eyes on Kadabra. “GET UP! GET UP! GET UP NOW!”

“Please! Kadabra, pleeease! We need youuuu!!” I begged.

Kadabra couldn’t just give up. Kadabra had to keep his spirits up and fight back! He had to save Sabrina and us, too!

“SABRINA NEEDS YOU, KADABRA!!! USE YOUR TELEPORT!!!” I screamed as loud as I could as Haunter threw another Shadow Ball.

Kadabra’s eyes opened as the ball neared him. The hand holding his spoon rose up and the Psychic Pokemon caught the Shadow Ball! The spoon that all Kadabra carry had actually caught the Shadow Ball attack!

Everyone in the room gasped at the same time.

Even Haunter backed up in surprise.

Sabrina backed up at the same time.

“No way!” Kiwi gasped.

Kadabra shakily stood back up. He pulled back his hand holding his spoon and the Shadow Ball and tossed the attack back at Haunter!

Haunter was hit by his own move! The Ghost took the major damage attack, soaring through the air before he stopped himself and shook his head. With a vicious, raging shout, Sabrina now screaming viciously with the Pokemon, Haunter shot forward at Kadabra in an angry rage.

Kadabra stood still, watching Haunter get closer.

Haunter suddenly stopped and stared at Kadabra. He was now smiling.

Neither Pokemon moved, their eyes locked on each other.

Haunter then reached out and grabbed Kadabra, pulling him off his feet and swiftly swapped places with him!

Kadabra barely could react when, from out of nowhere, a rainbow colored beam appeared from above and crashed into him! The Pokemon took the powerful blow, wailing out as Haunter laughed hysterically.

Sabrina cackled just as evilly.

“W-w-w-what just happened?” June asked, her voice quaking.

“Haunter tricked Kadabra,” I replied. “He was waiting for that Future Sight to land. Then Haunter swapped places with Kadabra at the last second and made Kadabra take the attack instead.”

“But... Kadabra!” Kiwi whined.

Kadabra was down, his hands under him trying to push himself up, but he fell forward on his face again. He pushed himself up again, squinting weakly up at Haunter.

But Haunter was gone!

Confusion came over Kadabra’s face.

“Behind you!” I pointed.

Kadabra turned quick as Haunter hit him with Lick attack again. Kadabra used Teleport to get away, but as he reappeared far away from the Ghost Pokemon, his arms couldn’t hold him up and he dropped.

My mind suddenly reflected on when Haunted had used Lick on me. I recalled that terrifying feeling of having my very life drained from my body. This isn’t just a battle, I realized in fear. Haunter isn’t just attacking to win a fight. Haunter is sapping Kadabra’s health! He’s killing Kadabra! Only one of these two Pokemon are going to leave out of this Pokemon battle alive. But, can you kill a Ghost Pokemon?

Haunter cupped his hands and threw several beams of purple and black dark energy at Kadabra.

“Kadabra, it’s another move! Get up! Teleport!” I urged.

Kadabra vanished in a flash light and reappeared again, this time on his feet. As more beams of energy came towards him, he raised and lowered his metal spoon to block the attacks flying at him from various directions, wrapping both of his hands around his tool. His body began to glow yellow again, Recovering his energy.

Haunter started laughing, but his smile then faded to anger, and his laughter got more evil. Lower. The twisted Pokemon began to charge up Shadow Ball again. He threw the attack at Kadabra and followed up with several more of them.

Kadabra soon began batting them away like he was playing baseball or tennis, swinging his spoon and sending them right back to Haunter, who dodged the Shadow Balls as they returned to him, smiling and laughing, seeming truly entertained by all of this.

It was a barrage of Shadow Balls flying across the room.

One flew directly for Sabrina’s head. She dodged it swiftly at the last second, laughing hard with Haunter.

I watched this back and forth of Shadow Balls as Haunter and Kadabra kept up with it, neither giving in, both fighting for their lives, Kadabra looking serious, Haunter continuing to laugh throughout, Sabrina mimicking his laugh.

A Shadow Ball flew past me and I heard a scream from behind me.

Kiwi on the floor, against the wall, bent over.

“KIWI!” June ran over to her and sat by her. She tried to sit Kiwi up to see if she was okay. “Kiwi!”

Kiwi resisted her touch and moaned in agony.

I started to run to Kiwi’s aid.

“No!” June shouted as I took a couple of steps towards them. “I’m with her. You have to stay there! Give Kadabra the support he needs. He needs you, Gary! Be there for him!”

Our eyes stayed on each other.

I didn’t fully understand why I couldn’t check on my injured friend, but deep down, I trusted what June was telling me and knew she was right, and I gave her a strong nod before turning back to the battle.

The flurry of Shadow Balls continued to fly back and forth.

Haunter stopped making Shadow Ball attacks and dodged the remaining balls that Kadabra tossed back at him. As he dodged them, he kept his eyes trained on Kadabra.

“Kadabra, pay attention!” I told him. “That thing is up to something!”

Before I even finished my sentence, Haunter flew at Kadabra and punched at the air. A black fist shot out from Haunter’s punch and hit Kadabra in the face.

Kadabra was dropped to his knees by the Shadow Punch, his eyes closed as he shook his head repeatedly.

“Kadabra, watch out!” I warned him.

Haunter’s eyes glowed red. His hands reached out and a red orb appeared in front of both of them. The Pokemon and Sabrina both laughing, Haunter put both orbs together to form one. The giant orb began to fire smaller red orbs rapidly around the field.

Kadabra began to Teleport as best as he could to avoid this odd attack.

I reached for my Pokedex.

Hypnosis. If this move hits the opponent, it will be put to sleep.

“Hypnosis?” I muttered. “It looks so different than how I’ve seen it used before...”

Kadabra kept trying to dodge the orbs, but the orbs flying from the giant orb were shooting out faster now.

“Kadabra, your spoon!” I shouted.

Kadabra continued to Teleport, unable to get a moment to use his spoon. Or maybe he just didn’t think using it was the best defense for this kind of attack.

Haunter began to get that angry look on his face again, getting frustrated with Kadabra.

Sabrina was now also sneering at her Pokemon.

Haunter began to use Shadow Ball rapidly, sending the balls flying across the Gym like mad. It didn’t even seem like he was aiming at Kadabra anymore. He was just flinging them wildly.

Sabrina easily dodged any of the balls that flew towards her.

I dropped to the floor and covered my head.

June and Kiwi were screaming behind me.

Kadabra was Teleporting as well as taking the time to throw back as many of the Shadow Balls back to Haunter as he could.

Some hit Haunter, but he shook it off and continued the onslaught of attacks on Kadabra.

Kadabra took a few hits but didn’t give in, either.

Finally, the attacks ended.

Haunter and Kadabra were face to face now, breathing heavily, hand in hand, growling at each other, furious looks on each of their faces.

I stood up from the floor and gazed back at June and Kiwi for a second.

June was covering Kiwi with her body, holding her close and keeping her safe.

Kadabra raised one hand in the air, letting go of Haunter. His hand glowed bright and he punched Haunter in the face.

Psycho Cut. The user deals physical, Psychic damage to the opponent.

Haunter didn’t take kindly to this Super Effective hit and used his now free hand to attack back. He balled a fist and a shadowy fist shot out from it, hitting Kadabra.

Kadabra groaned angrily but didn’t let go.

Both Pokemon’s eyes started to glow blue and they both attacked with Psychic.

Kadabra, being a Psychic type, didn’t take too much damage, but still looked ready to fall out at any moment.

Haunter, being part Poison, took the damage tremendously and hit the floor. His head shook, an unpleasant look on his face, and then his eyes opened. Somehow, he managed a smile and laughed loudly, pointing at Kadabra.

Sabrina also burst out laughing, pointing at Kadabra.

I couldn’t believe how strong Haunter was. He had to have been exhausted, but he seemed to be in better shape than Kadabra.

“Kadabra, use Recover!” I insisted.

Kadabra didn’t budge. He completely ignored me. He just bared his teeth at Haunter as he laughed at him, Sabrina echoing the noise.

“Kadabra…” I said in a low voice.

Haunter suddenly disappeared and then reappeared in Kadabra’s face and gave him a Lick attack again, draining Kadabra of his strength and life.

Kadabra used Teleport to get away again, but didn’t get far at all. Only a couple of feet away did he reappear and then drop, held up by only one hand.

Haunter laughed even more with Sabrina and floated towards the weakened Kadabra, a devilish grin on his face.

“End this now,” Sabrina smiled wickedly in a voice that made my blood freeze.

Her voice pushed me over the edge, infuriating me. The anger didn’t build; I just went into a rage instantly. “HOW CAN YOU DO THIS??” I exploded as loud as my voice would go. “HOW CAN YOU ALLOW YOUR FRIEND TO DIE LIKE THIS???” Losing all control, all sense of reason, a roar tore from within me and I ran onto the battle arena, past Haunter, past Kadabra, aiming straight for Sabrina.

“GARYYYYYY!” June screamed.

I didn’t know what I was going to do to her, but I had to do something.

It wasn’t just about the survival of Kiwi, June, and myself.

It was also for Kadabra.

For Sabrina herself. Kadabra loves Sabrina and Sabrina had to understand that.

I had to remind her somehow! I wouldn’t let it end this way! My fists balled as I neared Sabrina. What was I gonna do? Punch her???

Sabrina looked to me in shock.

I screamed loudly and took a strong leap, tackling her to the ground.

“GARY! DON’T!” I heard June.

I held the Gym Leader down, unsure of my next move.

Sabrina’s angry eyes glowed yellow.

I was lifted high in the air. “Hey!! What?!” Higher. Higher. And then I slammed into the ceiling! “OW!” I could see the entire room!

Haunter and Kadabra were both looking up at me.

Don’t worry about me, I thought to Kadabra. BATTLE THAT HAUNTER!!

“Kadabra!” Kadabra said.

I wasn’t sure if he had read my mind, but he looked back down to Haunter. As Haunter turned to face Kadabra, Kadabra’s eyes glowed blue. His entire body started to glow blue and Haunter stopped moving.

Haunter seemed stuck.

Disable attack, I recognized.

“KADABRA!” Kadabra screamed, raising his arms in the air as they glowed white. He struck Haunter repeatedly with Psycho Cut, punching away at his opponent with fist after fist.

Haunter couldn’t get a chance to launch an attack!

Kadabra continued to attack Haunter as I watched from the ceiling. A swift uppercut was delivered to Haunter, a flash of white shining briefly as he was punched, and to my great surprise...

To June’s great surprise...

To Kiwi’s great surprise...

Even to Sabrina’s great surprise...

Haunter wearily fell. On the Gym floor, he remained silent.

All eyes were on Haunter.

He was unconscious. Fainted from exhaustion. The Pokemon had been defeated.

Kadabra had won. The victor walked closer to his foe. “KADABRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!” Kadabra arms glowed white as he raised them and he continued to slug Haunter’s body with Psycho Cut. “Kadab! Kadabra! Kadabra! Kadabra!” he grunted with each blow.

June and Kiwi were huddled together, watching and whimpering in fear.

My own heart was pounding non stop.

Sabrina was just watching silently, blankly.

Kadabra was beating up the defeated Haunter without stopping, clearly worn out. Each punch made it known to everyone that he was filled with so much anger. So much pain. That was what drove him on to continue his onslaught, tears rolling down his cheeks. “Dabra! Kadabra! Kadab! Dabra!” Punch after punch after punch. “Kadabra! Kadabra! Kadabra!”

Haunter didn’t react to the hits.

Kadabra finally stopped punching Haunter and stepped back one step. His eyes glowed red as he lifted Haunter into the air with his Psychic abilities. Nobody moved, watching Kadabra hold Haunter up, but not seeming to do anything to him.

A couple of minutes had passed before Haunter’s eyes opened and he instantly let loose a horrifying scream.

Sabrina grabbed her head and began to scream.

Haunter and Sabrina screamed at the same time, their voices getting louder.

“AAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!” I shrieked in terror as the floor suddenly rushed to me. I was falling from the ceiling!! Trying to think quickly, I considered landing on my shoulder, but at the last second I tossed Hoothoot’s Poke Ball towards the ground. “HEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLP!!” I fell faster than the Poke Ball, dropping right past it as it opened and Hoothoot came out. Reaching up to my bird Pokemon, I grabbed his foot, taking the owl by great surprise.

He fell fast and flapped his wings as hard as he could, trying to hold me up, but I was too heavy for him, especially for grabbing him so suddenly while falling.

I hit the ground very hard, but I knew it could’ve been a lot worse if not for Hoothoot easing the drop, however little. Ignoring the pain shooting up my body, I let go of Hoothoot, turning to Kadabra.

Sabrina and Haunter continued to scream even louder. It was a lot shriller now, and was sounding inhuman. And... inPokemon?

Kiwi and June covered their ears against the high pitched noise.

I just watched in shock. I knew what was going on. What I had suspected was going to happen was happening now. I was going to get my answer to the question I asked earlier.

The screaming was no longer tolerable anymore. It was terribly painful. It wasn’t even screaming at this point, but just raw noise. It was just... wrong! The sound was unnatural. Broken! Evil! There was no appropriate word to describe it. No sound could compare to it.

Even so, I didn’t cover my ears, too mesmerized by what was going on.

Haunter’s body suddenly became outlined in a purple color. He let out a scream as his body began to stretch and rip.

Sabrina and Haunter finally stopped screaming.

The Trainer collapsed to the floor.

Kadabra’s eyes stopped glowing red and Haunter fell.

Purple colored lights rose from where Haunter’s eyes were and floated in the air.

They hit Kadabra, who suddenly started to glow purple, and then he dropped.

“Kadabra!” I cried out. I returned Hoothoot to his Pokeball and ran to him.

With a high pitched shriek, Sabrina reached up from the ground and grabbed my leg!

I screamed, but my voice became much louder when I saw her!

Her entire body was that of a decaying skeleton! Her clothes were gone, small remains of thin, dying, stretched skin still attached to her, but most of it was gone! Maggots and disgusting insects were crawling all over her! The empty eye sockets of her skull contained large cockroaches which crawled in and out of her face. The once beautiful, alive, Gym Leader was now bones and decay and filth and death!

My scream was possibly even louder than Sabrina’s and Haunter’s had been. I kicked hard to escape from her grip, but for a dead person, she was incredibly strong and hung on to me!

She leaned forward and her jaw opened as she attempted to bite my ankle with her decayed teeth.

“KADABRA!”

Sabrina’s body glowed red for only a second and then exploded in a cloud of filthy dust and debris.

I backed away in shock, my legs shaking so badly I nearly fell. Managing to hold myself up, I turned around.

Kadabra looked up at me from the ground. His spoon fell from his hand. His other hand was outstretched in a tight fist. He looked at me mournfully.

I ran to Kadabra and knelt down to him. “Kadabra!”

Tears hit the floor around my knees from Kadabra’s eyes.

“Kadabra,” I said softly. “I’m so sorry. Kadabra.” I could only shake my head, tears filling my own eyes. My hand reached out to him, fully aware of what was happening.

He was so weak. He lifted his outstretched fist towards me.

I stared at it for a moment before opening my palm.

Kadabra opened his fist and something fell out into my hand.

A bright flash of light blinded me.

Sabrina, alive, was looking at Kadabra, smiling.

Kadabra smiled back.

She hugged Kadabra tightly, her Pokemon happily returning her hug.

“Kadabra, thank you,” Sabrina told him. “Thank you for sticking by me through everything. I’ll never forget the day we first met, when you were just an Abra. You stuck by me through everything. No matter what happened, you have never deserted me. I never thanked you for that. I owe you my life. You’re my best friend. You’ll always be my friend. And my family. Thank you. I love you so much, Kadabra.”

Kadabra hugged Sabrina, several tears rolling down his cheeks as he listened to his Trainer.

Sabrina also began to cry silently as well.

Soon, both Trainer and Pokemon were crying openly together, holding each other.

“I love you.”

A flash blinded me again and I looked around at the Gym, the memory I had been viewing now over.

Kadabra was on the ground, facedown.

Haunter was nowhere in sight. In his place was a pile of dark dust and a blackened smudge on the ground.

Behind me, Sabrina’s corpse was nothing more than dust.

Kiwi and June were huddled together, shivering in fear in each other’s hold.

I stood up slowly and walked towards them. The item Kadabra gave me was clenched in my fist.

The girls looked up at me with wide, frightened eyes, as if they didn’t recognize who I was.

“Let’s get out of here,” I told them, and I turned from them, heading to the only place I ever saw a door in this room.

The door where Sabrina had entered from.

The two didn’t follow me, staying where they sat, but I continued making my way past Kadabra.

Past the remains of Haunter.

Past the remains of Sabrina.

I barely saw the groove of the door in the wall as I reached it. Pulling the groove to open the door did nothing. With my other hand against the wall, I gave the door as strong of a tug as I could and it finally opened a little way, just wide enough for me to get through. I turned to June and Kiwi, who were still back on the other side of the room. “Are you two coming or what?” I said just loud enough for them to hear me.

They stared at me for a moment before looking to each other, and then they stood up slowly and shakily, holding onto each other for balance. Their eyes on the three on the floor, they started moving slowly, quickening their pace as they walked past Kadabra, Haunter, and Sabrina. When they reached me, they stopped and looked back.

June turned to me, her mouth open, her bottom lip quivering as she tried to speak. “Wh-wh-wh-wh-what about K-K-Kadabra?” she whispered.

“He’s dead,” I replied.

“What?” June whispered loudly.

“That battle was a battle to the death,” I explained. “Kadabra won. But Haunter’s Destiny Bond took Kadabra with him. Sabrina hasn’t been alive for years. Haunter took over her body and mind, and she eventually died. She was just a zombie, more or less. Kadabra destroyed Sabrina when she grabbed me.” I inhaled and grabbed the open door, letting out my breath in a sigh. “He killed his own Trainer. Or...” I hesitated, searching for the right words. “...destroyed what was left...” I stared firmly back at Kiwi and June. “The only one he ever loved... All he ever knew... Already dead. And then he had to be the one to finish her. I can’t imagine living with that.”

Kiwi and June didn’t say a word. They stared down, away from me.

Looking away, I walked through the door, and June and Kiwi followed.

We walked down the hallway only a couple of steps before the building began to show its true colors. It deteriorated and now looked crumbled.

Kiwi and June gasped behind me and grabbed my arms.

I stared in awe, but I wasn’t truly surprised. This Gym was an illusion, too, I thought. Just like the house Kadabra and Hoothoot went through during their battle. In reality, this place is just an abandoned old building. “Expect things to get a lot worse when we get outside.”

Soon enough, we were outside of the old, wrecked building.

Nothing in this suburban area looked nice anymore. Everything was dead. The houses were destroyed. The gardens were filled with dead weeds and dead flowers and other filth. The trees were a dead brown and leafless. Some trees had completely fallen over.

Voices were screaming from up ahead. People were running out of houses in horror.

“MY WIFE!! MY WIFE IS DEAD!!” one man screamed as he ran past us.

“MY HOUSE!!! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO MY HOUSE?!!” A man was distraught and confused, staring at his house from outside.

People from the city area of Saffron were running towards the suburbs while people from the suburbs were running towards the city. Everyone was in a huge panic.

The illusions had fooled everyone, I understood as the three of us moved through the chaos. People had built their entire lives around an illusion. Businesses, family, friends. And now, the city is in a panic as the truth is being revealed.

“NURSE JOY!!! SHE JUST DIED!!” A woman running from the city towards the suburb.

“His head just fell off right in front of me!! Call the police!!!” Another man shouting.

A city full of dead people and wrecked buildings, hidden so well, now so abruptly revealed for what it really is.

June, Kiwi, and I gasped at once, and I nearly threw up on myself as the most foul scent ever reached our noses. We raised up our shirts to block the smell, but nothing could possibly filter the scent of years old dead bodies that was filling all of Saffron.

“Please don’t tell me that’s-!” June started.

“We need to get out of here!!” I ordered. “COME ON!!” I led the way toward the city, running as fast as I could with my friends as I tore through my bag, looking for the Town Map.

Kiwi was screaming at the top of her lungs from the smell.

My eyes tore as fast as they could across the map. “THIS WAY!” I made an abrupt turn.

Kiwi and June turned as I led them out of Saffron City.

Away from death.

Away from memories that would forever haunt us for the rest of our lives.

We ran as fast as we could out of Saffron City.

As we ran, I held the item Kadabra had given me, tight in my fist.

Thank you, Kadabra. Thank you. And you’re welcome. You’re welcome. And I love you, too. Thank you for everything, my friend.

As me, June, and Kiwi ran, I gripped tight in my hand the item Kadabra had left with me.

As the three of us ran away from the horrors of Saffron City.

I squeezed tightly.

The Marsh Badge.