#psygrasshipping

   Not for any fault of its own, of course. Erika was simply content with her department stores back home and the mom and pop restaurants. Saffron City had a very different vibe despite the two of them being the east and west of the same route. Saffron City was a whole lot more mechanised, urbanised, it rolled through on cement and asphalt, didn’t have a lot of greenery and the people…

   Well, Erika doesn’t want to admit it but she found the people of Saffron City to be uncommonly standoffish and aloof. Worse still, it was home to the Saffron City Gym which had a terrible reputation for ruthlessness surrounding it. The hostile takeover of Psychic unto Fighting allowed a peculiar and cruel woman to come to power and Erika didn’t find that boded well for Saffron City or the Pokemon League at large.

   It was good to be powerful and respected but that shouldn’t come at the cost of kindness or humility. Not to mention, in her personal opinion, Erika was not fond of Sabrina on account of finding her scary.

   She was quite the intimidating woman, especially with her psychic powers that swirled around her. A shiver was sent down Erika’s spine, and she could feel her part Poison Type Pokemon quiver in their PokeBalls as she stood in front of the Gym and stared it down.

   It was only polite! She was doing her due diligence as a neighbouring Gym Leader, or so Erika tried to convince herself. She was weak in the knees and her teeth were chattering. No one would know if she turned tail and ran away. Only she would and she wasn’t a sore loser so it wouldn’t be any chip off her pride.

   However, though technically Erika didn’t have to, she could feel the duties she had agreed to when she signed a contract with the Pokemon League so it was obligatory to at least go and say hello.

   So, she sucked it up and took a breath. She felt her chest expand and she finally found the courage to open the door - only for it to swing open from the other way for her.

   “Eek!” Erika squealed.

   Erika jumped out of her skin and leapt back. Her skin prickled and her eyes went wide as… a friendly man opened the door.

   “Ah, Erika, it's good to see you!”

   Erika blinked and she settled down. She stepped closer and placed her hand over her heart in some semblance of comfort. It beat so fast beneath the breast of her kimono. She looked closer at the man who was greeting her at the door. She didn’t recognise him and yet, there was a familiar edge of his black hair which looked almost blue.

   “Sabrina’s been expecting you.” he said. “She had a vision of a kindly visitor from the League and here you are.”

   Erika laughed awkwardly, “Here I am…”

   “Oh! I forgot to introduce myself,” the man realised and he seemed shocked at his own carried away rudeness, “I’m Sabrina’s father, I’m also her new doorman.”

   “I see.” Erika said and she calmed down somewhat at the introduction. She smiled courteously and bowed forward slightly. “It’s good to make your acquaintance, though you already know… I am Erika of the Celadon City Gym. The pleasure is all mine.”

   Sabrina’s Father grinned, “You are every bit as sweet and polite as Sabrina said. Now, this way if you please.”

   “Of course.” Erika replied.

   She placed her hands in front of her and followed after Sabrina’s Father deeper into the Saffron Gym. He made cheerful small talk and Erika obliged him but wasn’t overly focused on the chat. Her eyes were too busy wandering along the interior of the Gym.

   It was so dark and gloomy here. Not to sound like she photosynthesised herself but would it kill someone to open a window? The blood red walls and violet, velvet furniture was so foreboding and ominous. The air was so hot and stuffy, as well, Erika found herself sweating as she passed by the grandstands and main match area.

   There were no Gym Trainers and certainly no Gym Leaders here, either. Erika couldn’t blame the former as this place was so eerie and oppressive. That did not excuse Sabrina and if she was psychically expecting her, then there was no reason to be late or absent.

   Except to intimidate.

   Erika began to brew with dread and anxiety. And beside her, Sabrina’s Father was entirely oblivious as he held down his cap then looked left and then right.

   “Huh… Sabrina was here a minute ago, I wonder where she went. I’ll go check backstage.” he said.

   “Thank you.” Erika replied.

   Though she felt anything but grateful.

   He ran off and she was left alone in this terrible Gym. She rearranged her sleeves and collar of her kimono in some vain hope of letting some air in but her fidgeting just made it worse. Erika chewed her lip. She weighed up her options of staying or going but it was absolutely too late now to run away.

   Yet she turned around regardless. Just in case she wasn’t as far away from the entrance as she thought she was. She turned her clog at her ankle, looked over her shoulder and boo!

   Erika screamed in surprise. She stumbled back and collapsed on the ground. Laughter at her fear echoed through the room.

   A Haunter?!

   Erika rubbed her eyes and no, they did not deceive. That was, in fact, a Ghost-Type in the Psychic Type Gym. It grinned so jolly with a tongue that lolled and bounced up and down in the air where it hovered, grappling the air and Erika fumed.

   “N-Not funny.” Erika mumbled.

   “Apologies, he is… inappropriate from time to time.”

   The cool, calm voice of a young woman sent a chill down Erika’s spine.

   She looked over her shoulder the other way and she felt vertigo as she looked up the figure of Sabrina. She loomed over her, from underneath that blunt fringe of hers and her posture was prim.

   Until she bent at the knee. 

   She knelt down and offered her hand to Erika but did not smile. Nor was there a glint of kindness in her eyes from what Erika could sense. Pure obligation, possibly even pity was all that fueled Sabrina.

   Yet Erika accepted the gesture, nonetheless.

   Her kimono was tight and her head was still spinning from the double assault of surprises. She would appreciate the help and Sabrina did loan it in spades. More than just pulling Erika up, Sabrina steadied her with her other hand until Erika was standing at full height again.

   Erika huffed and she dusted herself off. She was suspicious as Haunter floated closer and bobbled laps around Sabrina’s head. At such silliness of Haunter’s seemingly blithe soul, Sabrina did crack the smallest smile and that scared Erika too.

   Creepy paired too well with creepy. It unsettled Erika.

   “I’m still training him but he is a dear friend to me, I’m glad you can make his acquaintance, Erika,” Sabrina said, “I have been expecting you.”

   “Your Father mentioned as much…” Erika replied.

   “Mm, he is very helpful. I’m glad to have him around.” Sabrina said and Erika noticed it.

   A light in Sabrina’s eyes when she was talking about her father.

   “I have been restructuring my Gym as of late.” Sabrina said.

   “That would explain the Haunter, pivoting to your previous ace’s weakness? How bold.” Erika observed.

   Sabrina shook her head, “No, not quite. Psychic Types are still my favourite, whom I resonate most with. This Haunter is my friend. I don’t have many of those. I want to change that. Change who I am. No more, shall I let loose my selfishness I had mistaken for ruthlessness. I recently saw the error of my ways, how arrogant and cruel I had been. Do you think I have been arrogant and cruel, Erika?”

   Erika erred with precaution.

   The answer she wanted to give was a complete and resounding yes.

   She recalled the first time she had met Sabrina.

   It was quite some time ago, in truth. Close to the beginning of both their careers in the Pokemon League and as such, they had met at the head office. There had been a gala and Erika had done her best to impress. She loved socialising, and loved parties, with their mingling and their finger food. She believed that was called extraversion but to her, it was her calling as someone who dreamed of being an immaculate maiden.

   However Sabrina was not quite the social Butterfree. She was more introverted, more closed off than Erika who found it easy to make small talk. At first, Erika assumed such reluctance was shyness but she realised quickly, that was not the case when the first person to speak to Sabrina without her indiciating she had permitted them to got quite the lashing.

   Glasses of orange juice smashed against the wall. An unexplained wind blew and an aura of electric blue surged. The person who invoked such a response was hurt: not with a hand but an unseen force, it left a welt upon her face.

   Due to such commotion, people shouted and screamed as a storm brewed and plates broke under the pressure. All of it was caused by Sabrina and that was no secret as she glared, as she made it known that none of her threats were empty. 

   And that person who had been the brave fool to try and mingle with Sabrina? It was, of course, Erika as she had not been warned in advance that Sabrina was difficult. Let alone gifted.

   Such a first meeting left an impression on Erika, and it was not a good one.

   However, she believed in being the bigger person, in olive branches even. She had to. It was part of her job. Not merely because of her own good graces as a forgiving soul. Such an occurrence made her wary around Sabrina and Sabrina must know it.

   “I do.” Erika replied at long last. “I can forgive a small faux pas but your behaviour that day, and since, was inexcusable.”

   “I realise that now.” Sabrina said.

   She turned shy. Genuinely shy. Small, even. Her Haunter noticed and looked confused as Sabrina withered under the weight of her own shame and guilt. She held herself, literally, her hand clamped to her other arm but she had to hold onto more.

   To her old self who wailed beneath the surface of her tempestuous mind. That electric blue aura surged again but Sabrina grit her teeth, she held herself tighter and that caused that colour to die down again. 

   “I’m sorry.” Sabrina said.

   There was probably more to it than that but for now, she was sorry. She was sorry and she was too stubborn to say the more that she needed to say but Erika exhaled. She smiled.

   “I forgive you.” Erika said. “I can tell. You have turned over a new leaf.”

   She giggled at her own little allusion to her preferred Grass Type. Sabrina found it trite and yet, she said naught. Instead, she smiled a tiny bit more: to the absolute jubilation of her friend Haunter.  It giggled and guffawed, it pat Sabrina atop of her head. Her hair bounced underneath its gaseous claws.

   “You can count me a friend now, too, I promise.” Erika said.

   Sabrina shivered. Her body language opened up: her shoulders pressed back, she let go of her arm.

   “Thank you, Erika. That means a lot to me. To have my first friend in… in…”

   Forever? The Pokemon League? Erika’s heart skipped as she found a way to more elegantly convey the gratitude that Sabrina was grappling with.

   “My first friend.” Erika corrected her.

   There was no point in quantifying it, she believed. It was an important milestone, it didn’t matter how late in life it had come or if it ought to be attached to professional matters. She was Sabrina’s first friend and for that, she felt quite honoured.

   “You are a sweet person, Erika.” Sabrina complimented her.

   “And it is clear to me, you are a happier person now.” Erika said.

   “I am. I feel happier of late.” Sabrina confessed. 

   “I’m proud of you.” Erika replied.

   Sabrina turned her head and met Erika’s gaze. Sabrina’s expression was melancholy.

   “Sometimes, all it takes is facing your fears head on, with open arms instead of lashing out.” Sabrina added.

   “Y-Yes, I suppose it does.” Erika stammered.

   Sabrina glanced at her and Erika avoided Sabrina’s gaze. She was inelegant and obvious in her demeanour as she tried to think about anything else but there was no hiding her thoughts when she was standing next to an ESPer. She fidgeted guiltily.

   “You had every right to be concerned but I think you have earned the commendation considering you, too, have faced your fears in visiting. Despite, all of us being… Well…”

   “Yes.” Erika agreed.

   She didn’t need to be a mind reader either to know that Sabrina was alluding to not one, not two but all three scares that Erika had here. None of them had been good for her ticker. She was such a low blood pressure kind of young woman but she had endured them all and now, it was for the better since it had allowed reconnection and reconciliation with Sabrina. 

   Erika swallowed and she glanced curiously to Sabrina, “So, um, if you don’t mind me asking… What was the fear you faced that became the catalyst of your change?”

   “It was all thanks to this recent Gym Challenger I had who gifted me this Haunter. He taught me that laughter is the best medicine, that people respond better to kindness than to cruelty.” Sabrina added.

   “A recent Gym Challenger, you say?” Erika echoed and she wondered. “Hm, I had a mischievous young man through recently, too.”

   “The very one.” Sabrina confirmed.

   “Interesting.” Erika giggled.

   At the prompt of her laughter, Haunter came closer. It made a pleading face at Erika and Sabrina gave her a nod of her head; non-verbal encouragement to further the theme of facing fears. With a nervous exhale, Erika lifted her hand. Along the edge of her slender fingers, there was a noticeable quiver as she raised it to the dome of Haunter’s head. She patted it. 

   And she was surprised by how soft Haunter was. There was a little ruff of peach fuzz at the top of its head, anything further down was gaseous but that too was soft like a cloud. It enjoyed the attention, too, Erika realised. 

   It loved the touch of her hand, too. Haunter nuzzled into the palm of her hand as though forcing Erika to give it even more head pats and made a happy noise which was grizzled at the tone.

   “Ah, so cute…” Erika murmured.