Chapter 296

As Luke turned back around, he couldn't help but notice the slight purple tinge now covering Sirfetch'd's feathers.

"It's poisoned," Sabrina commented matter-of-factly as she stood up, her expression calm and unbothered.

For Luke, training Poison-type moves came with these risks, so he didn't panic. He simply pulled out a sweet Pecha Berry he'd brought along, popped it open, and gently placed it in Sirfetch'd's yellow bill.

"Ga~" Sirfetch'd let out a small, dazed sigh as the berry's sweetness flowed through him, lifting the poison's effect. Slowly, his feathers began to return to their usual white.

"You licked the whole leek, didn't you?" Luke asked with a raised eyebrow, amused and a bit surprised. "Didn't know you were training that hard!"

Sirfetch'd looked up at him with tired eyes, letting out a small, defeated "Gah…" as if to say he hadn't exactly planned on things going this way.

Luke watched him thoughtfully. Maybe Sirfetch'd wasn't just training out of necessity—he wanted to keep up with the rest of the team, to prove he was just as capable as any of them. That determination stirred something in Luke.

"Don't worry," he reassured with a warm smile. "I'm not letting you lose to Togepi."

Sirfetch'd blinked in surprise. "Ga? Σ(°△°[|])︴"

The little shock was enough to shake off his grogginess. With renewed focus, Sirfetch'd took up his leek, determined to master the poison technique and show he was here to stay.

The training was moving along smoothly.

Gengar, always the standout, was showing incredible progress. Luke watched, impressed by the Ghost-type's natural knack for technique and his strict self-discipline. Under his focus, Gengar's Sludge Bomb was already forming into something formidable.

"Kou Jie~" Gengar cackled, holding two ominous spheres of toxic sludge in his hands, aiming them at the training target. He hurled them with gleeful intensity, the scene turning unexpectedly… surreal.

Luke's mouth twitched. "This… this isn't banned in tournaments, is it?"

"Actually, Muk's Sludge Bomb relies more on smell," Sabrina replied, her face just a shade paler. "But for Gengar… it seems we only need to work on the range of his toxins."

Luke nodded, holding back a grimace. "A combination assault on the senses… That's actually… a lot."

Meanwhile, Sirfetch'd had set his sights on his own training goal. With a determined "Quack!" he clutched his leek in both wings, charging at the training dummy with the seriousness of a knight charging into battle.

"It won't be long before he gets the hang of Poison Jab," Sabrina remarked approvingly.

Luke glanced at her, then up at the sky, imagining the future. Knowing my team's knack for progress, maybe it'll only take a day… or a night?

He cleared his throat. "Actually," he added, "I'm planning another new move for Sirfetch'd."

Sabrina raised an eyebrow. "Is it for the fighting competition coming up?"

"Exactly. The others already have a few moves from my 'training books,' but Sirfetch'd is still catching up. Can't have him falling behind." Luke smiled. "I'm just trying to make sure he's got all he needs to shine."

Sabrina's expression softened, and she nodded, catching his meaning. "You really do put your heart into this."

Sabrina gave a rare smile, adjusting her long, sleek black hair.

"By the way," she said casually, "how many badges have you collected so far?"

Luke blinked, surprised. "Why do you ask?"

"Curiosity," Sabrina replied, a bit too straightforwardly. "With your strength, how long will it take you to reach the top of the Kanto League?"

Luke chuckled, feeling a mix of pride and humility. "So far, I've got five…"

Sabrina nodded thoughtfully. She knew Luke's habit: every time he defeated a Gym Leader, he somehow inspired them to join his circle of friends. That also meant that any Gym Leader who hadn't joined their group chat… probably hadn't faced him yet.

After a moment's silent calculation, her eyes lit up with resolve.

"I understand," Sabrina announced.

"What do you understand?" Luke asked, confused.

"Don't worry." Sabrina smiled, tucking her hair behind her ear and meeting his gaze with rare warmth.

"I won't let you down, mentor."

...

By the afternoon, the progress with Sludge Bomb and Poison Jab was already over halfway complete. Luke felt hopeful that Sirfetch'd would master these moves soon. But with the upcoming fighting tournament, he knew that Sirfetch'd — proud as ever and always ranking first in culinary battles, not combat — would be challenged.

With that thought in mind, he glanced toward the Fighting Gym nearby.

"Maybe we'll try there next time," he murmured. Though he recalled Sabrina's smile when he last left the Saffron Gym — a smile that made him shiver slightly — he brushed it off.

"Well, I'm their mentor at Team Rocket, after all. No reason to be scared of her."

Luke nodded, reassuring himself. "Worst case, I'll just pay her back with a venue maintenance fee or something."

As he walked away, Sabrina watched his retreating figure for a moment before turning and stepping into the shadows cast by the dim afternoon sun. She raised her phone, dialing an old contact.

"It's me... Are you free to meet up and chat?" she said, a faint, knowing smile crossing her face.

...

**Vermilion City, Wharf.**

Lt. Surge, a broad-shouldered, yellow-haired man in a camouflage uniform, cracked open a can of Coke with a sharp hiss. 

"Well, spit it out," he said, propping a booted foot on the table, his voice rough and uninterested.

Sabrina's expression tightened at his careless tone. "Mind your tone," she replied coolly.

Lt. Surge smirked, brushing her off. "What? Think I need to bow and scrape because you're some kind of 'star' now?"

"No," Sabrina replied icily, "but I'm here on behalf of my mentor."

Lt. Surge's smirk faltered, and he slowly lowered his foot from the table, taking a more guarded stance. "All right, I'm listening," he muttered, the slightest hint of respect creeping into his tone.

"You know the mentor is operating in the Kanto Alliance now," Sabrina began, placing her teacup down with precision. "I don't want to see you causing him any... interruptions."

Lt. Surge's scowl deepened. "Why should I care about what your mentor's up to? I'm not getting mixed up in anything with the Rockets."

The room fell silent, Sabrina's gaze cold and unyielding. Finally, Lt. Surge sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, relenting.

"Fine, what's the deal?" he asked gruffly. "What do you want?"

"When Teacher Luke challenges the gym," Sabrina replied, her tone clear, "I want you to give him the badge without resistance."

Lt. Surge raised an eyebrow, about to fire back when something clicked. "Wait—'Teacher Luke'?" he echoed, his eyes widening as realization hit. "No way… you're telling me that *Luke* is your mentor?"

Sabrina remained silent, her expression unreadable.

Lt. Surge took a deep breath, seeming to weigh the revelation carefully. "Listen, I don't know where you got your intel," he said, crossing his arms. "But even if it's true... I make my own judgments. If he's as good as you say, then he can prove it when he gets here."

Sabrina's expression hardened as she took his measure. "Are you serious?"

"Dead serious," Lt. Surge replied, his tone defiant. He leaned back, placing his boots up on the table again. "Now, you can see yourself out."

With a barely perceptible nod, Sabrina vanished, teleporting away in an instant.

Alone, Lt. Surge sat in silence, feeling the chill of the winter air seep into the room. He grumbled under his breath, folding his arms. 

"All right, Luke," he murmured, the corner of his mouth tugging into a smile. "If you really are this 'mentor'... I'll have a little surprise ready for you when you get here."

...

Friday, December 18.

Fighting Gym.

"Gah!" Sirfetch'd swung its leek like a blade, chopping down on three moving bricks with precise force.

"Ah!" Wu De, the Karate King observing nearby, couldn't contain his excitement. "The spirit of a true tile-splitter… I've only seen it in ancient masters!"

Sirfetch'd stood with a stoic expression, though silent tears threatened to fall.

Heavens! it thought wearily. Two days straight of training… I just wanted to be a bit lazy!

Luke glanced at the move list, seeing "Poison Jab" and "Brick Break" neatly checked off. Just as he was about to offer encouragement, he heard an enthusiastic "Kek ke!"

Togepi sprang into the air, its tiny hands glowing with energy. In one clean strike—crack!—it shattered the three bricks into neat halves.

Luke, Sirfetch'd, and Wu De all stared, slack-jawed.

Luke clapped Sirfetch'd on the back. "Looks like we'll need a little more practice, huh, Sirfetch'd?"

"Quack... (⊙_⊙)"