(NOTE: This is the third book, of a total of six in this series. Please take your time to read the first two books, in order to become familiar with the events leading up to this story.)
Rated: T
Genre: Adventure, Romance, Angst, Hurt/Comfort
Extended Summary: Two years after the climactic battle for Kanto, Ash and Misty are once again living a life of harmony with each other. But when Giovanni stumbles by chance upon a photograph of a long-forgotten psychic Pokémon, he sets out on a quest of tyrannical domination in collaboration with Team Galactic, threatening the liberty and lives of millions.
List of Shippings: Pokeshipping, Rocketshipping, Mangashipping (Brock & Sabrina), minor Handymanshipping (Tracey and Daisy), one-sided Diamondshipping (Giovanni & Delia), one-sided Altoshipping (Ash & Latias).
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. Pokemon is the property of Nintendo Entertainment, and the proprietors of the Pokemon anime.
Character Ages: Ash & Misty, Gary: 24. Tracey, Brock & Sabrina: 29. Jessie & James: 34. Delia & Chris: 43. Professor Oak: 64. Giovanni: 44. Domino: 27
The Chosen One, Book III
Beyond the Great Void
Chapter 1
Dark Ambitions
(Team Rocket Kanto HQ)
(Giovanni's POV)
"Damn it!" I roared in anger, hurling a glass of whiskey across the room and against the wall, shattering it into pieces. The liquid seeped through and into the expensive carpet, leaving a stain. But I didn't care in the slightest degree, as I continued to rampage within the boundaries of my own office. Swinging my right hand around madly, I flung documents which had been sitting in neat piles on my office desk, sending them flying with a flutter into the air. I then slammed my palms down onto the top of the desk, looking down in anger. All I could ever think about at the present, was…
"Those Legendary Pokémon…" I growled behind gritted teeth, as Persian sat and looked up at me intently from beside the desk. "I should never have held back…I should've just attempted to capture them, then and there!"
"Nya~aar?" my pet feline came up to me, looking at me with curious eyes.
Deciding that there was nothing more I could have done to change the events which had taken place two years ago, I stroked the top of my Pokémon's head, before starting to walk to my private quarters. "Come, Persian. This is a matter which will have to wait for another da-"
I stopped in both speech and movement, as a particular document caught my eye on the floor. Peering down, I caught a glimpse of a picture – that of the same feline psychic Pokémon who had sparked my interest with its tremendous display of power during the colossal battle, two years ago. I crouched down to collect the document, standing up again to examine its contents. The photograph displayed the Pokémon being held in a physical conditioning cell, along with other identification details.
Creation date: 12th of March, 1994.
Pokémon Gender: Unclassified.
Experiment no.: 5B20.
Pokemon classification/specifications: Psychic. Legendary. Feline, 5'08'', 175lbs. (*)
Specimen Codename: Mewtwo.
"Mewtwo…" I murmured. The name seemed somewhat nostalgic to me, as if it was something which was encrusted within the deepest confines of my mind. And then, it happened.
Memories began to flood my mind like a torrential stream of water, causing me to grip my forehead due to an excruciating pain. The flashbacks…they seemed so real…
(Start Flashback)
As the helicopter descended upon New Island, I saw in the place of our former laboratory, nothing but smoldering ashes, fire and smoke. 'Hmph. So this is the true extent of my new servant's power…this shall prove amusing…' I thought, stepping out of the craft. 'From this wreckage, it is clear that it wishes to exercise and make known its false newfound…'freedom'. But no matter, as I know exactly how to entice and enslave such independent thinkers.'
Indeed, Mewtwo was powerful. As I looked to my right, I saw a labcoat still burning like tinder against a mound of rubble. Walking past the blaze of flames, I coolly approached the powerful psychic Pokémon, with the sole intention of playing on its ambitions of power, to achieve my own ends. "Those fools thought you were a science experiment," I smirked, referring to my former underlings who had now outlived their usefulness, as it turned around to face me. "But I…I see you as a valuable partner."
"…partner…?" it questioned, with a slight tone of distrust in its voice.
"With your psychic powers and my resources, together we could control the world," I sought to persuade it.
"I do not need your help for that, human," it snidely and arrogantly retorted, as if it sought to belittle me. But still, I knew better…
"A wildfire destroys everything in its path. It will be the same with your powers, unless you learn to control them. I can help you do that…"
"…how?" it asked, intrigued. Mewtwo would soon be mine…
"Trust me, and I'll show you a way to focus your powers, that will make you invincible," I smiled gleefully.
"Show me," it unwittingly dedicated itself to my grand design. This would prove interesting…
Hours later, Mewtwo was completely fitted with a series of metal plating and cords, within its maintenance room. I watched on, as it looked upon its new armored suit in perplexity.
"You say this armor 'protects' my body…yet it suppresses my powers…" he observed.
"Your powers are not being suppressed, they're being focused. Learn to use them, to accomplish your purpose," I stated.
"…what is that?"
"Patience, my friend. Your purpose will become clear…" I smirked, before leaving it alone. For a psychic Pokémon, it was sure oblivious to my ultimate plans for it…
After months of effortlessly defeating challengers for the Earth Badge and aiding in the capture of powerful Pokémon, Mewtwo was now immersed in a state of thought, pondering what its true 'purpose' in life was. The time had now come, to allow it to know the truth.
"Now, I've fully perceived my power…but…what is my purpose?"
"To serve your master," I declared, walking into the chamber, my heels clicking against the solid steel floor. "You were created to fight for me. That is your purpose."
"That cannot be. You said we were partners. We stood as equals!" it answered back in mild outrage.
"You were created by humans, to obey humans," I stated. "You could never be our equal."
"Humans may have created me…but they will never enslave me…this cannot be my destiny!" it cried out in outrage, proceeding to shatter its restraints.
"Stop this, now!" I ordered.
"I was not born a Pokémon – I was created. And my creators have used and betrayed me. So…I stand alone!" it declared, levitating and releasing devastating rays of blue light as I hastily retreated out of the room and fled the facility, just in time before the enraged Pokémon caused it to explode with its great power. It would be a long time until I encountered it again, deep within the location of Mt. Quena…
(End Flashback)
"That's it…" I smirked, dropping the files onto my desk. Persian looked up at me again with confused eyes, as I stroked its head before walking over to the large, arched window and looked outside. "Mewtwo…you shall be mine, once more. But this time, there shall be no escape for you. You shall eventually learn to serve me unquestioningly, as you were created for. And if that does not come by your own free will, I shall personally see to it that your will is shattered, and never pieced together again. Not only that, but I will soon devise a way to bring all Pokémon – legendary or not – into my grasp….even the great Arceus, himself…"
The full moon glowed ominously amongst a sea of stars, reminding me of the times when Delia, Chris and myself would sit together and watch the night sky every time there was a full moon, when we were young. I still remember the pale moonlight shining on Delia's smiling face, further emphasizing her peerless beauty…
"Come, Persian. Let us retire," I promptly turned around, not wanting to distract myself, as I started to make for my private quarters. But then my mind turned to a matter of great importance. To achieve such aims, I would need all the resources that I could acquire, and also one of my very best agents…
Seating myself, I called for my secretary, waiting for brief moments before the holo-screen projected upwards from an electrical panel within the desk. "Yes, sir, how may I be of assistance?" she answered.
"Alert every single one of our agents spread around the globe to return to HQ immediately, and if they cannot, belay my order to them, to make contact with me immediately in the coming day," I commanded.
"Yes, sir. I will contact them all, at once," she nodded. "Are there any more details that I must know?"
"Indeed. Before you contact anyone else, contact senior agent Miyamoto. I have just recently received a new report from her, stating that she is currently undertaking a reconnaissance mission, north of the Unova region."
"As you wish, sir," she affirmed, although with a slightly shocked expression. I had kept the details Miyamoto's new report secret from all, until now. "Shall I also contact agents Jessie and Ja-"
"There is no need for them. They have not reported in for more than two years, and frankly, I'm glad that I finally got to see the last of them. They have wasted an astronomical amount of resources and capital on their worthless 'projects', all to capture one weakling Pikachu," I grunted, as I began to recall a saying which stated, 'like mother, like daughter'. How I wished that was the case – for the latter's expertise and worthiness to match that of the former…
"Yes, sir. I shall begin to contact all of the agents at once."
"Alert all grunts and agents within HQ at this point in time, that we will take five squadrons of units to Cinnabar Island at midnight, tomorrow. And inform Domino, that she and a few other agents shall accompany me to New Island in the morning. I have some…unfinished business there. And one last thing…" I raised my right index finger, just as she began to move her mouth in order to ask for further orders. "…make contact with the remnants of Team Galactic, who are lingering in the Sinnoh Region."
"Huh? Team Galactic?" her eyes widened. "Sir, what could you possibly intend to do with them?"
"I have need of their ability to reach out into the vast expanse of space. Alert our most elite saboteur agents currently located in Sinnoh, and tell them that they must infiltrate the maximum security center where the former admins are being held, and extract them immediately in order to bring them here. Secondly, they must leave no trace behind them, so that we shall not be suspected. Also, in her most recent report to me, Miyamoto has informed me that she has caught sight of one of their former admins, Charon, who is now in hiding within Mt. Coronet. I intend to extract him also, and bring him here. I shall explain the rest, given time," I smiled, "But for now, obey my command."
Her bewildered expression softened as she nodded once more. "As you wish, sir. I'll carry out your orders right away."
And with that, the screen dissipated, and once again I walked in the direction of my private quarters to rest. I have no intention of co-operating with Team Galactic on equal terms at all: I shall exploit them, and use them to achieve my own objectives. And then, like many, I shall discard them once they've achieved their purpose and are of no further use to me, absorbing all in their ranks and conscript them into my service. And once I've seized control of all Pokémon around the world, even Team Magma, Aqua, and the fledgling Team Plasma shall kneel before the indomitable might of Team Rocket.
Team Rocket's moment of glory, and my greatest ambition, will soon be fulfilled…
(End of chapter 1)
A/N: I was originally going to make this opening chapter longer, with Giovanni actually going to New Island and Cinnabar in the later parts, but decided to shift it over to the second half of the next one. Chapter 2 will begin with Ash & Misty, Brock & Sabrina, and Jessie & James together with their children at James' family estate.
Please leave your reviews for this first chapter, as well as those that follow. : )
(*) – Although Bulbapedia has Mewtwo's height and weight as 6'07'' and 269.0lbs respectively, from observing him in the anime as he stands next to Giovanni, Mewtwo is significantly shorter than him, and would hence naturally weigh less than 269.0lbs.