It was a cold, clear morning.
The hills of Kanto never looked more beautiful in the season of autumn.
The Pidgeys were flying, and there were bountiful amounts of Magikarp and Goldeens in the sea.
It was a peaceful time in the Ether Valley.
But the brook running through the valley was becoming disturbed.
What?
It seems like something large is stirring...
Something ALIVE!
In the split of a second an enormous being with a tall, burly figure arose from the brook, causing the valley to shake. What was this creature?! The villagers of Ether Valley panicked.
Everybody looked to the wizened sage of the valley for an explanation. This sage knew every tale and legend of Kanto.
It was the legendary Mewtwo! Many had heard the legend, but why now was this great being appearing?
Mewtwo was now fully visible as he continued to rise in the air. He was encased in a large sphere of energy that glowed a bright purple. His arms were risen to form a T with his body, his feet pointed at the ground. But his eyes remained shut. Though his head was level, Mewtwo seemed to be unconscious. He and the energy sphere slowly lowered to the bank of the river.
As Mewtwo continued to approach the river bank, the sphere of energy began to flicker. It flickered more, more, and more. Then it broke. Mewtwo collapsed, still unconscious, on the grass. The bewildered villagers rushed forward.
What were the people going to do?! Should they take him in and save him? What if he was dangerous? The sage moved forward to check if he was all right. "He will be okay and wake up soon," he said with relief. The villagers were very confused.
"Are you sure?" asked one of the spectators. "Nobody just collapses like that and is all right." Some of them nodded in agreement, eyes of concern on Mewtwo's unconscious form.
The sage frowned and said "If my verdict does not satisfy the masses, then I can call upon my Alakazam for an examination. He will be able to tell you."
The crowd murmured among each other until they reached the resolution to call Alakazam. The sage summoned Alakazam from a majestic Pokéball. He moved forward toward Mewtwo.
"Tell us everything you can, Alakazam," the sage said. Alakazam nodded and began his examination. From all angles, Alakazam checked Mewtwo's state, even bringing his nose to within an inch of Mewtwo's body. He murmured in strange tongues, thinking aloud to himself.
When the examination was complete, Alakazam turned to the sage and nodded. Then as if the sage could understand everything Alakazam said with his eyes, the sage spoke. "Mewtwo is simply energy deficient and will awaken when he absorbs more energy from the earth. Come now, we will bring him inside."
The small crowd was bewildered by the exchange, but trust in the sage erased much of the doubt in their minds. Two medics from the Ether Valley Pokémon Center dashed off to fetch a stretcher. The two returned shortly with the stretcher, gently lifted Mewtwo onto it, and made their way to the Center.
The sage turned to the nervous crowd and said "I believe that is all that you fine people can do. Thank you for bringing this to my attention." The finally reassured onlookers dispersed back to their houses.
Mewtwo lay on the stretcher feeling as weak as a Caterpie. "Where am I going?" Mewtwo wondered wearily. He was too weak to move or glance at who was carrying him. He tried to move, but simply fell back into a peaceful sleep.
The medics arrived at the Pokémon Center bearing their odd cargo, drawing curious looks from those in the lobby. They approached the reception counter where the forerunner of the two spoke directly to Nurse Joy.
"Patient priority level 1. Get him into an ICU as quickly as possible. No need for a procedure, but regular healing isn't going to work. We need him in stable condition."
Nurse Joy moved quickly calling for more staff. "I need data samples of his blood work and condition now! We need to keep him under control." Nurse Joy was surprised gazing down on Mewtwo. He was the most unusual patient she has ever dealt with. She wanted as much information as possible.
They wheeled the stretcher down the sweeping hallways of the Center with Joy in the team's wake. While the mass seemed like a cluster of confusion, everyone knew their role, even if they didn't know the patient's condition. They all entered the ICU and went to work.
Mewtwo was diligently moved to a proper bed to rest on while materials were collected. Blood samples were drawn and taken to analysis while Mewtwo's condition was quickly stabilized.
Meanwhile, the sage traveled to the village library to think. He knew Mewtwo would be fine, but the question was what to do with him or what he would do to them. Now that Mewtwo was among them, the question was determining the next step. The sage began reading different books that may provide an answer.
Though the books did not provide a definitive answer, the sage drew a general map of Mewtwo's physical, mental, and emotional characteristics. He knew that Mewtwo had been subjected to serious upheaval in his past. He also knew that Mewtwo was the strongest Pokémon ever created and was therefore very dangerous. But his future was what could be most easily affected. He concluded that Mewtwo was to be treated as a human being; not as a Pokémon.
With a resolution in mind, the sage decided it was best to listen to Mewtwo the moment he awakened, and find out what he desires. The sage began to head for the hospital. He prepared a mental summary of the past few years, in case Mewtwo would be in a dazzled state of confusion. It must feel very intimidating to be asleep one decade and wake up in another, the sage thought.
Back at the Pokémon Center, Mewtwo was stabilized by the staff and left to rest peacefully. The blood tests were still being analyzed but anticipated to come back with results shortly.
The sage entered the Center and approached Joy who had just returned to the front desk.
"Hello! Welcome to our Pokémon Center! How may I assist you?" Joy noticed the lack of Pokéballs on the sage's belt and had a feeling that what he wanted wasn't going to be normal.
"I'm here to see a patient that's been recently acquired by the Center. I believe that I can help with his current condition, even though it's not medically based."
Nurse Joy gave the sage a strange look, but decided to comply with his request. She led the sage into the room where Mewtwo was being held in stable condition. "Just be careful," Nurse Joy spoke softly, "We don't know too much yet." The sage nodded and waited for Nurse Joy to leave the room.
The sage drew up a spare chair to sit next to Mewtwo. He noticed that Mewtwo was hooked up to many devices, including a heart rate monitor, an IV, and oxygen on standby. The sage knew that Mewtwo was likely to awaken extremely confused, so he thought of a way to prevent Mewtwo from possibly reacting violently.
Mewtwo awoke slowly and gazed around. He spotted the sage looking down on him. Confused, Mewtwo spoke softly, "Who are you and what are you doing? Why am I here?"
"My name is Alder. I am the sage of Ether Valley, and I believe that you may need to stay here for a little bit while I explain what's happened."
"Ether Valley?" whispered Mewtwo. "Why am I in Ether Valley?" He tried to sit up but immediately felt blackness close his vision, forcing him to slump back to his former position.
Alder opened his mouth to speak but stopped. He realized that Mewtwo's energy deficiency could have triggered a loss of memory.
Alder decided to start from the basics before he made any mistakes. After all, any mistakes made dealing with Mewtwo could be costly. "What do you remember before you were unconscious?" he asked.
Mewtwo dizzily tried to think. "I was fighting… I believe. But I don't remember who or what. Then I was asleep."
Alder's brow furrowed as he continued to watch Mewtwo. What happened that forced Mewtwo to go unconscious like he did in the middle of a battle?
"And you don't recall anything after the battle?" Alder asked.
"Nothing."
Alder leaned back in his chair and sighed deeply. This was going to be much more difficult than he anticipated, not helped at all by amnesia. Mewtwo remained laid back with his eyes closed, evidently trying to prevent from going unconscious again. Alder allowed his gaze to travel over Mewtwo's form.
Barely had he let this happen did he notice something that he hadn't back at the banks of the river where Mewtwo first lay unconscious. There was a long, thin line of discoloration that traveled from the left side of his torso to his out-of-sight back. It looked much like some sort of scratch mark that hadn't healed properly; like a scar.
Frowning, Alder leaned forward to get a closer look, but Mewtwo's arm was obstructing the rest of the mark.
"Mewtwo, can you lift your left arm up?" Alder asked quietly.
"Be my guest." Mewtwo said weakly, obliging and removing his arm to across his chest instead.
Alder immediately saw the full effect of the mark. It was instead a collection of three scars, each mark spread apart a few inches and traveling in the same direction. He recognized this as a slash mark made by a Pokémon's claws, but couldn't identify the Pokémon that made them. The marks looked very deep.
Alder gasped, which hardly went unnoticed by Mewtwo.
"What is it?" the latter breathed.
"These scars… they—you were bleeding—but—" Alder stammered, trying to stem the flow of information that just hit him.
"Alder, what are you going on about?" Mewtwo said wearily, trying to look at what Alder couldn't look away from. But again, blackness pressed his vision, forcing him to close his eyes and return to his former position.
"Mewtwo, you must have been attacked from the back. There's no other explanation. Otherwise you could have conjured resistance to the attack. You were bleeding from these slash marks when you engaged in fighting. I think your body shut down mid-fight to avoid bleeding out, encased you in a ball of energy, and deposited you in the river that flows in the Ether Valley. The sudden shut-down must have caused you to forget much of what happened leading up to and during the battle."
Mewtwo took a minute to absorb the information he had just heard. He did not enjoy being in the dark about his decisions. He wanted to know why he went to battle, and with whom. Mewtwo reached towards the scars on his back to touch them, but flinched. "In a few days, once I'm in better condition, I will need to do some research. I will need you to provide me with a few essentials."
Alder again leaned back in his chair. Clearly, Mewtwo had to know what happened, but neither was aware as to what had happened. Considering that the fight likely took place more than ten years ago and was fought without anybody's knowing about it, to trace this story would require quite a bit of work.
Both sat lost in thought, but were greeted by the return of Nurse Joy and the results of the blood samples drawn earlier.
Nurse Joy began to speak, "These samples are the most unique I've seen. Definitely a Pokémon, but the type of blood is ancient and almost human-like. Almost... genetically engineered. But the most important thing is that you seem to be in a stable condition and may leave within a few days of rest." Nurse Joy then proceeded to leave the room, giving Alder and Mewtwo more time to talk.
Mewtwo's eyes narrowed as they followed Joy out of the room. "Genetically engineered?" he said with a trace of disdain in his voice. He turned his gaze to Alder instead. "What does she mean by that? Am I not... not..."
"Mewtwo, you must understand something. You've been unearthed from over a decade of rest after barely surviving an encounter that even I can't tell you about. Please, just keep calm. There's plenty of time that we have to go over everything that's happened." Alder took a pause and questioned how much more he should say. There was so much more to the issue at hand, but the day's events prevented him from pressing the subject further.
Mewtwo was astonished, suspicious, confused, and most of all exhausted. Everything was just too much to think about. He didn't even know anything about this one called Alder. Why should he work with this village? But then he thought harder; who was his enemy? This village definitely seemed suspicious, but he was sure his body would have remembered an evil feeling even if his mind hadn't. As he was thinking, he noticed Alder staring at him, almost with a sorrowful look.
Alder broke the silence first.
"Please, Mewtwo, get some sleep. I know that today has been extremely confusing for us and the village. But please don't let that stand in the way. I've lived here for many years, and I can safely say that nobody wishes to harm you. Know that you have a clean slate with these people, and they to you. I care about your well-being along with the Pokémon Center's staff and the villagers."
Mewtwo's exhaustion was getting to him, so he complied willingly. As Mewtwo began to fall asleep, he mumbled something inaudible. Alder quietly made his way out of the room. The first step was complete; he now needed to speak with the villagers in order to avoid any misunderstandings.
Alder asked for permission to hold a town meeting from the mayor. In light of the recent events, the mayor authorized immediately and put out Alder's wish to all residents of the village.
Within thirty minutes the small community had gathered in the Ether Valley Fire Hall. Some were eager to hear what Alder had to say, some were nervous, still others were downright scared. But when Alder stepped up to speak, the hubbub died away very quickly. Alder garnered a great amount of respect from the villagers.
Alder mustered the correct words to explain the scenario they were in. "Everyone," he began, "I know that since Mewtwo has arrived, all of you have been feeling nervous, scared, confused, or even intimidated. But I can assure you all that you are not the only ones to be feeling this way. Mewtwo has been asleep for ages. Waking up so suddenly is an enormous shock to him as well. It is of the utmost importance to show Mewtwo we are willing to help him, not destroy him.
"I know that you fine people are all compassionate towards Pokémon and always care for their well-being," Alder stated, glancing at those that had brought their Pokémon along and to the Pokémon themselves. Officer Jenny and her Arcanine both nodded in unison to Alder's words.
"However, Mewtwo is, in some ways, not to be treated as a Pokémon." Alder said. "He is very much capable of actions that would be deemed heinous against humanity and Pokémon alike. He is only capable of these actions if he is not treated with the kindness and respect that he deserves, as do you and I. Mewtwo is currently unaware that we are meeting about his future. Therefore, I ask each and every one of you to recall the Golden Rule; to treat others the way you wish to be treated. I believe that, with your help, Mewtwo can become the most important being to aid humanity."
The crowd shifted and nodded with agreement. Alder continued, "Our village has been given the opportunity to make Mewtwo a wonderful part of humanity. We have heard the stories of corrupt thieves and beings abusing Mewtwo's powers, but we will not represent humanity to Mewtwo in this way. We will show him the good in humans, and in turn he will show us his potential. Now, aside from displaying kindness, you all must keep open ears. Listen for the legends and myths that have spread to possibly discover who Mewtwo was actually fighting. We must understand his situation in full to help him."
"That is all for now. I will provide updates as I receive them. I do hope that we can assist Mewtwo in uncovering his mysterious past. Thank you for your attention." Alder stepped away as applause broke out amongst the crowd. The old sage smiled, confident that he had the village of Ether Valley behind him in his endeavors.
A few days passed, and Mewtwo was finally in condition to leave the hospital. Alder had previously visited Mewtwo again and offered to show him around, but he declined. Mewtwo wanted to see and feel the village for himself. He wanted to make judgments without any outside influence for the time being. Mewtwo remembered an old human custom, and gave thanks to Nurse Joy for his treatment before taking his first step out of the hospital.
The mid-morning sunshine warmed his face as Mewtwo smiled, breathing in the fresh mountain air. Like he wished, he wanted to explore the village and experience everything for himself.
As he walked down the High Street to the square, he expected to at least draw curious glances from pedestrians. On the contrary, none came his way. Those that did pass him smiled with a casual "Good morning" or a wave to accompany. This surprised him. He was being treated... normally!
Mewtwo was feeling extremely pleased. Whether it was the illustrious weather or the mood of the town, much of Mewtwo's negativity was beginning to fall behind him. This is all very... interesting, he thought. He wove his way through the town and made it in front of the library. "I'll be able to do some research here," he whispered.
And so he entered the library, where the noise of the town died away the moment he closed the front doors. He proceeded towards the receptionist's desk. The librarian looked up, closed the book she was reading, smiled, and said "Hello. Welcome to the Ether Public Library. How can I help you?" In a half-glance, she saw the scars that marked Mewtwo's side. Being amongst those that attended Alder's discussion a few days previously, she refrained from the topic.
"Hi," Mewtwo started, "can you direct me to the Pokémon section? I'm trying to find information on the Pokédex and possibly about trainers and gym leaders of the Kanto region."
The librarian smiled, "If you turn left over there, you'll find section P101. That should be of help to your topic." Mewtwo nodded and made his way over to the Pokémon section. He watched the people and their tranquility in reading. He had yet to ever experience such warm presences while he was ever around. As he began to be absorbed into the peaceful environment, he snapped back into reality. "Research," He mumbled. Mewtwo continued forward.
Being quite a bit taller than an average human, he could easily look at the books on the highest shelf. He browsed the rows of books, where titles jumped out at him: Electric Pokémon and Their Powers; Rock Solid Training; and Birds: A History of the Flying Type were some of the titles that he saw.
Mewtwo crouched to examine the lower shelves and spotted a handsomely bound book. The title proclaimed The Kanto Pokédex.
He immediately removed the book from the shelf and carried it in his right hand. He quickly spotted another book in his excitement; Trainers and Gym Leaders of Kanto: A Study. He removed this book from the shelf as well and carried both to an empty table.
He began carefully reading each book. He knew the answers would lie in these books. His mind was fuzzy, but he could still remember his situation was largely affected by Kanto. Someone... someone important in Kanto was up to something. Mewtwo tried to recall in his memory as he read anything he could. As he read, someone sat down next to him casually and interrupted his reading.
"Hi," the stranger said, somewhat breathlessly. "Do you mind if I join you? I saw that you were reading some books on Pokémon. I'm doing the same thing, and I thought that we might be able to help each other out if we need it."
Mewtwo took in the stranger's appearance. He wore round spectacles and a red and white knit beanie on his head, under which shown brown hair. His hair was flipped up slightly as it escaped the beanie, suggesting that he wore this hat quite often. He had a white shirt with the University of Cerulean logo printed on the front; a large Blastoise holding a letter C in front of its body. His jeans were a little rumpled and worn but retained an appearance that they were well cared for, as did his hat. The moccasins he was wearing had deep creases, showing that he was one that preferred to walk. He looked like a college student in his early twenties.
Slightly taken aback, Mewtwo said, "Umm... yeah. Go right ahead."
He smiled and began to open the books he had grabbed from the shelves. "I'm Allen; it's a pleasure to meet you." Mewtwo took another minute to look at the boy.
"They call me Mewtwo," Mewtwo responded slowly.
Allen spotted the page Mewtwo was on and pointed, "Ahh, Viridian City! There's a gym there, but the gym leader never really shows himself much. Oh, what was his name?" Allen thought for a moment.
Mewtwo looked back at the page he was on, and tried to shake some of the frostiness from his voice.
"The gym leader of Viridian..." Mewtwo responded, attempting to find it. But even when he searched the entire topic, he could not find the name of the gym leader.
"Huh!" Mewtwo exclaimed, "This book doesn't seem to have his name." He continued scanning the page, even when he knew it would not yield the answer he was looking for. "Sorry Allen, but I don't know."
Allen shrugged. "Ah well, maybe some time we can take a trip to see for ourselves. That's my goal; to travel all across Kanto. But of course I need to know what I'm getting into before I run off. Why are you researching Kanto? I mean, if you don't mind me asking."
Mewtwo's heart beat uncomfortably at Allen's words. He hadn't planned on revealing his research to anyone yet, and now didn't feel like the best time to do so. But Allen didn't seem to have malicious intent, merely trying to make friendly conversation.
Mewtwo decided to tell him at least part of his plan; he sensed that Allen would likely become his friend, where he could tell Allen more of the story at a later date.
"I'm researching the trainers and gym leaders of Kanto." Mewtwo said as he lifted the book for Allen to see the cover. "I was curious about their history, and wanted to learn more."
"Sounds fun," Allen responded. Allen began to scan the books once more before speaking again. "You know, the world is so big and beautiful, it's a shame that some people never get to see all of it. You try so hard to make people see, but sometimes it's fruitless." Mewtwo noticed that Allen seemed to be having a recollection of some sort, a sad memory. Mewtwo felt obligated to say something, but Allen shook himself out of his state. "Oh sorry, I was just rambling on about nothing. Anyway, there's a beautiful light festival happening right here in Ether Valley in a couple of days, it may be worth your while to come and watch. There are quite the beautiful Pokémon that come out as well." Allen smiled.
"A light festival?" Mewtwo asked with great interest. "That sounds like a lot of fun. When is it?"
Allen pulled a small planner out of his backpack and looked up the date. "It's the twenty-sixth of October, on a Saturday. So it's one week from today. The show starts at nine. No entry fee either." Allen looked up at Mewtwo with a grin. "Want to go together? I bet it'll be a lot of fun."
How could he say no? The idea sounded great from the beginning.
"Certainly!" Mewtwo said with enthusiasm. "I would love to go to the show."
"Sweet! Hey, can I have your phone number? I'd like to keep in touch with you." Allen paused, an eager look on his face.
"Err…" Mewtwo hesitated. "Well, I—I don't have a cell phone," he finished lamely.
Allen started to laugh without restraint. "A bit in the dark ages are we?" Allen teased with a smirk. "Why don't we go get you one? Not right this moment, but maybe tomorrow? We can meet up again here. Don't worry; I'll bring you back to this century soon."
Mewtwo was taken aback by the sarcasm. He knew this was a form of communication, but he was never so experienced with it. Mewtwo took a minute before deciding to snicker at the sarcastic remark. "Okay, tomorrow then. I'll be here again a bit past noon."
Allen smiled. "Then I guess I'll see you then! I need to head back right about now."
"It was a pleasure meeting you, Allen." Mewtwo said sincerely. "I look forward to tomorrow."
Mewtwo picked up his books in his right hand and, knowing the proper gesture, extended his left hand to shake Allen's.
Allen took Mewtwo's hand in his own. But as he casually glanced at Mewtwo's hand, he noticed the slash marks uncovered by the extending of Mewtwo's arm. However much he wanted to ask about the scars, he refrained, deciding that this wasn't something Mewtwo was too keen on discussing.
Allen exited the study. Mewtwo stood there, his left arm swinging slowly like a pendulum. He couldn't believe that he had just made a friend. Easy as that!
Recalling Allen's words about seeing the world, he decided to take a walk in the mountains surrounding the valley after exploring the village. He thought that it would do him some good to get some fresh air and open space.
After replacing his books and exiting the library, Mewtwo decided to take a travel down the main road to see the surroundings. The atmosphere was a pleasant ball of sunshine; People chattering in front of cafes, children playing alongside local Pokémon, and the smell of fresh pastries and berries coming from the bakeries. He gazed upon all the sites with an intrigued look.
Where should he go first? The square? One of the cafes? Or maybe the bakery? The scent coming from the bakery drew him more effectively than just the sight, so he made his way towards the entrance, opened the door, and stepped inside.
Once inside, the aroma of all the sweets immediately hit his sense of smell. Mewtwo constantly ended up in new locations, so food always seemed so interesting. He made his way to the front counter and took a closer look at the delights. "What's the most recommended here?" Mewtwo asked casually.
"Ahh!" The cashier said excitedly. "There's a lovely blueberry Danish that customers rave about all the time. Would you like one of those?"
"Yes," Mewtwo started. Halfway through speaking, he recalled the word "please", and the fact that many people appreciated being addressed with this word. "Please," Mewtwo added, successfully achieving a sentence with no break in flow.
The cashier grinned. "Coming right up!" he said enthusiastically. Mewtwo watched as the cashier grabbed a fresh Danish from the bakery's oven. It was soft, fluffy and looked tasty. The cashier put the Danish in a bag, handing it to Mewtwo. "You are new to town, right?" the cashier began, "Then take this Danish on the house! As a welcoming gift, you know."
Mewtwo was surprised, but he smiled and said those words again, "Thank you." Mewtwo opened the bag and took a bite out of the Danish.
Now he understood why the customers raved about it. It was an explosion of deliciousness.
"Mmm!" he exclaimed. "This is wonderful!"
The cashier chuckled at Mewtwo's reaction. "I told you it was good, eh? Thanks for stopping by, sir."
Once Mewtwo was finished with the Danish, he continued on his exploration of the village. He decided that the Village Square might be the next best place; it was highly populated and full of events. There would be lots to observe! Mewtwo continued strolling along the road until he reached the Square.
A decorative fountain sat right in the middle of the square. The fountain was beautiful, elegantly carved to attract and flash sunlight as it gently trickled water. Surrounding the fountain were scores of people, moving this way and that. He saw some middle-aged women walking together, up for a day's shopping. There were two old gentlemen sitting outside the nearby café, squaring off in an intense match of chess. Some rowdy men were eating an early lunch outside the deli, laughing and arguing about the latest Pokémon battle tactics. The busyness of the square gave Mewtwo a surge of energy.
Mewtwo took a second to really take in what he was seeing. It was an interesting spectacle. Mewtwo thought for a minute what he should do, when his eyes passed over a flyer on the village bulletin. He walked toward the bulletin to read the various advertisements and news. He was surprised to see that there was the flyer about the light festival. The flyer beautifully portrayed a painting of the soon to be seen lights and a joyous mood. Mewtwo thought of Allen for a short second, but the business of the village made it difficult to think clearly.
He kept reading the flyers posted on the bulletin. The advertisements portrayed discounts, mainly on Pokémon trainer's gear. Sales for other stores were posted, but none as much as the ones for the gear.
Mewtwo withdrew from the board and kept on walking. A steeple dominated the western skyline of the town, attracting Mewtwo's gaze. What was it like in a church? Mewtwo wished to find out.
Down one street, up another alley, the church growing larger all the time. He soon approached the large street that the church was situated on, walked up to the front doors, and opened them.
An ancient sensation filled Mewtwo's body. The church must have been decades old, as the wooden pews were dulled in color and the spectrum of colors on the stained glass windows were faded. The church seemed like an antique; worn down but very valuable. The aged church did not seem any less beautiful in its current state. The air was silent, as villagers sat to speak to their God. There were faces in remorse, gratitude, peace, and faces in which their mood could not be told.
He paced slowly around the pews many times, taking in the atmosphere. The stillness of the air was a nice change to the hustle and bustle of the square. But as his hearing adjusted to the quiet, he soon became quite aware of his own body. He could hear his heart beating steadily, feel it thumping slightly with the rhythm. His breaths made his chest rise and fall slowly with each inhale and exhale. The footfalls on the old wood made small creaks as it took his weight. The palms of his hands began to perspire slightly.
He had to sit down.
Mewtwo took a seat in the very back of the church. He had not been paying much attention to himself; he was exhausted. He needed a few minutes to recollect himself. He was always going from place to place, but he hardly ever took this much time for real, genuine exploration. His head still felt a pang every now and then. It was a bit distressing to him that he could not recall everything from the past.
Sitting in the pew with only himself for company, he picked up his tail and began to play with it, twisting it this way and that and winding it around his hands. Mewtwo stared at the ground, his eyes unseeing and his mind buzzing. Before the awakening, what did he live for? What does he live for in the present? What will he live for? Does he stand a chance in this modern world, with no past to build on? As these questions reeled through his head, the world felt like it was falling sharply away, too fast for him to grasp and hold onto and left without a fighting chance. He felt hopeless.
Tears began to well up in Mewtwo's eyes, but he made no effort to wipe them away. They trickled down his nose and fell to the floor with an inaudible drip, drip, drip. His face grew hot, his limbs filled with a strange tingling. Chest constricted and a hard lump in his throat, he began to draw breath in sharp sniffs. Tears kept falling thick and fast down his face as Mewtwo closed his eyes.
Slumped over, head buried in his hands, Mewtwo cried.
The Earth began to shake under him. Mewtwo fully lost control of himself. The overflow of emotions was too much for him. He wept in sorrow and despair, forgetting his surroundings. Screaming could be heard in the distance, but were they village screams or Mewtwo's head screaming? He couldn't tell. Mewtwo felt himself falling deeper and deeper into an abyss, lost in a sea of darkness. 'There is nothing,' he thought. Mewtwo was almost unreachable, until he heard a voice. It was the old sage, Alder. Alder gazed down at Mewtwo with immense sorrow, but soon turned austere. "Mewtwo, you have only just risen. It is not yet time for your fall. Regain yourself; your questions can and will be answered. Do not give up so easily."
Mewtwo jerked his head up quickly, only to find that he was still sitting in the same pew. The villagers continued to pray or else converse quietly between one another. They noticed nothing.
Mewtwo leaned back in his seat, trying to regain his composure. It must have only been his imagination (and it felt unnaturally realistic). But the moment was not to be brushed aside. Alder was right; he couldn't afford to go to pieces yet.
He took a tissue from a box next to him and dried his eyes. Emotions, he realized, are very strong, and should be kept under control. But emotions couldn't be disregarded or ignored either. He had to take control and use them properly, or risk a lot worse than stern words.
Mewtwo gazed into Alder's eyes with understanding before rising from the pew. No words needed to be said. Slowly, Mewtwo left the church. The tranquil, silent air of the church was quickly replaced once again by the bustling crowds in the street. Mewtwo scanned the area once more, checking to see if he missed anything of interest. Further away from the village and situated in a position of overwatch, the cold mountain peaks caught his eye.