At first, this was going to be 4 years later when Ash starts his journey, but I had reviews asking if I could show Mewtwo growing up and, I really loved the idea. Sorry this took so long to write out. I kept hitting a "wall" so to speak.
Chapter 2: Growing up Mewtwo
Mewtwo awoke with a yawn as he flipped onto his left side and stretched out with his tail wagging lazily as Ash turned and sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Mewtwo floated out of the bed, and landed on his feet before stretching out on all fours and standing back up.
"Morning Mewtwo!" Ash said, jumping out of bed himself and yawning slightly.
"Good morning." Mewtwo greeted back, before his head tilted slightly, "Are we going to play more?"
"Of course!" Ash said with a huge grin, before it faded, "But the champion wanted to see what moves you can learn first and we of course need breakfast!" With that, both their stomachs growled making both of them laugh. Both human and Pokemon smiled at each other before Mewtwo floated out the door as the young boy got dressed. Mewtwo waited outside of Ash's bedroom and as soon as Ash was fully dressed next to him, they glanced at each other before racing down the stairs. Mewtwo won due to the fact he could float down the stairs without having to touch them, but Ash wasn't far behind. Both young children laughed as they ran to the kitchen table. Delia was cooking some pancakes with a side of hash browns and both Mewtwo and Ash sat at their seats next to each other and smelled the food as it was cooking. Mewtwo blankly stared at a spoon and lifted it with his psychic powers before Delia snatched it from the air.
"You'll have to wait until it's done mister." She said teasingly as Mewtwo pouted. Some minutes later, three plates were set on the table as Mewtwo bit into his first pancake. It was plain, but had a hint of butter. Ash was pouring some syrup onto his pancake and Mewtwo watched that in curiosity before Ash noticed and smiled as he handed him the syrup container. Mewtwo let a drop spill onto a section of pancake he ripped off with his psychic powers and tasted it. His eyes widened at the sweet taste and soon had covered his pancakes in the syrup and was devouring them. Delia watched, eating slowly so she could laugh at the two kids' faces becoming covered in syrup as they ate. When all three had finished, she wiped Ash's face clean with a wet washcloth. Mewtwo backed up slightly seeing this.
"What's wrong?" Delia asked, "You're messy, so you have to be clean. You'll feel better with the sticky syrup out of your fur." Mewtwo groaned, but floated in place as Delia cleaned off his face. Once his fur was cleaned off, and he had moved it back into place with his hand and psychic powers, Mewtwo moved to the door and floated in a loop by it.
"Bye Mom! The Champion wanted to see Mewtwo! After that we're going to play!" Ash said, opening the door as Mewtwo floated out of it and spun in the air and followed Ash to Professor Oak's Lab. Upon entering the building, he saw Champion Lance talking with President Goodshow and Professor Oak, with a container of disk like devices on a desk.
"Ah! Ash, Mewtwo. Glad to see you two are doing well." President Goodshow said cheerfully as Mewtwo blinked before offering a small smile.
"Hello." He telepathed quietly.
"We brought in some Technical Machines to see which ones are compatible with Mewtwo." Lance said as Mewtwo floated behind Ash nervously, "It's alright. I've used TMs on my Pokemon and it doesn't hurt a bit." To that, Lance released one of his trademark Dragonites who nodded; having listened in from within his Poke Ball.
"It...doesn't hurt?" Mewtwo asked the large dragon Pokemon, who shook his head.
"From what I could tell from his blood work, Dragon, Steel, and Fairy type TMs aren't compatible." Professor Oak said, "Which means that's a small chunk we don't have to bother with."
"How will these moves be...tested for compatibility?" Mewtwo asked.
"The blood contains essential DNA which told me what you are capable of learning as you age and gain experience." Professor Oak said, "These moves are Laser Focus, Psywave, Confusion, Disable, Safeguard, Swift, Future Sight, Psych up, Miracle Eye, Psycho Cut, Power Swap, Guard Swap, Recover, Psychic, Barrier, Aura Sphere, Amnesia, Mist, Me First, and a new move called Psystrike." Mewtwo was sitting there in shock as Ash was writing down the "cool moves" his friend could learn.
"This is a good move pool for a psychic type." Professor Oak said, "While it may have you not being able to learn Hypnosis to put foes to sleep and then steal health by using Dream Eater, Recover is a powerful tide changer. Plus there are moves to take advantage of stat changes and ways to decrease or deflect the damage from enemy attacks. Yet, the variation of moves you can learn is...limited." Mewtwo crossed his arms and looked away as he sulked.
"This is a problem that many Pokemon have." President Goodshow said, making Mewtwo look at him, "That's why Technical Machines were made. They teach Pokemon moves they have the Potential to learn, but can't learn by gaining experience. We can even let you choose a couple moves to actually learn afterwards."
"Excuse me?" Ash interrupted, "But how do we know if a TM is compatible?"
Professor Oak smiled at the young boy, "The TMs have a little light on the top, when put against a Pokemon it lights up green if it is compatible, and red if not compatible. Then the TM is placed on the Pokemon's head and a button near the light is pressed to download the information into the Pokemon's DNA and mind. I'd explain how, but it is a confusing process."
"Might as well get it over with." Mewtwo grumbled, laying down on Ash's lap as his tail twitched in irritation.
Hours later, the list of compatible TMs was finished by Professor Oak. They were Psyshock, Calm Mind, Toxic, Hail, Bulk Up, Hidden Power, Sunny Day, Taunt, Ice Beam, Blizzard, Hyper Beam, Light Screen, Protect, Rain Dance, Safeguard, Frustration, Solar Beam, Thunderbolt, Thunder, Earthquake, Return, Psychic, Shadow Ball, Brick Break, Double Team, Flamethrower, Sandstorm, Fire Blast, Rock Tomb, Aerial Ace, Torment, Facade, Rest, Low Sweep, Round, Focus Blast, Energy Ball, Fling, Charge Beam, Brutal Swing, Will-o-Wisp, Embargo, Giga Impact, Stone Edge, Thunder Wave, Psych Up, Bulldoze, Rock Slide, Poison Jab, Dream Eater, Grass Knot, Swagger, Sleep Talk, Substitute, Trick Room, and Confide. This was 57 of the 100 TMs Mewtwo could learn!
Of course, deciding what ones to actually learn was tough, and Mewtwo talked with Ash as the adults watched the Pokemon/Trainer bond growing stronger. President Goodshow saw potential in him, especially since this young boy was treating the young, newly registered Legendary as another Pokemon and friend. Too many trainers were obsessed with power at any cost, and their poor Pokemon were often in poor shape.
"We've decided what moves to learn!" Mewtwo telepathed, "Flamethrower, Ice Beam, Poison Jab, and Low Sweep."
"That's alright, but why those moves?" Lance said as Professor Oak sorted and drew out those four Tms and started loading the first one said to Mewtwo.
"Poison Jab, Professor Oak said Fairy Types were weak to poison and steel moves. Low Sweep is for Rock and Dark types. Ice Beam is for...Dragon Types, and Flamethrower for Bug types." Mewtwo explained.
"So you're learning moves to deal with new Pokemon and your weaknesses." Lance stated.
"I...I want to be ready if the people who made me try to take me back and use me for whatever they want...I don't want to leave my friend." Mewtwo said, sniffling slightly as he dabbed a tear away from his eye with his hand.
Ash placed a hand on Mewtwo's shoulder. "I won't let that happen! We're a team of best friends!" He said, holding out his hand and Mewtwo smiled and grabbed Ash's hand with his own. After the adults had used the four TMs, Mewtwo shook himself and blinked around as he processed the new information. "Come on! Let's play!" Ash quickly shouted as he turned and shouted a quick thanks to the adult and ran out the door as Mewtwo twirled in the air and flew upwards and did a few flips while laughing.
"I have a feeling those two are going to go far." Charles Goodhow said proudly, watching the two young beings laugh as they ran to the forest.
"I must say, it was quite refreshing to see such interactions between human and Pokemon." Professor Oak said, "I was beginning to worry that human and Pokemon cooperation and relations were declining. Of course, it is a child that proves me wrong."
Ash and Mewtwo arrived in the woods where Mewtwo had met him. Rattata scurried away as Mewtwo landed, making the feline Pokemon pout. Three sets of eyes watched him and Ash as they started playing tag. Without warning, the bushes shook and three Pokemon that looked very familiar to Mewtwo emerged. There was a Charmander with red stripes, a Squirtle with darkened rings on the back of it's shell, and a Bulbasaur with light splotches on it's body.
That was where the similarities to Mewtwo's deceased friends ended. While he was young, the clones of Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle had been slightly accelerated in the growth of their bodies; making them child in mentality while closer to "adult" (in terms of first stage evolution lines) in body; about the size new trainers received. These three were newly hatched.
Ash soon had the three new Pokemon in a hug, making them cry out in worry. "It's alright! We're all friends here!" Ash said, as the three Pokemon looked up in hope at the word friend. Mewtwo, his mind had been running a mile a minute seeing them, and was now gently probing their minds to see if his friends had been reborn for the lack of the better word. He found nothing of the friends who did not survive the cloning process besides their appearance, but he did find one thing...one thing that made him both nervous and angry.
"Ash...their parents abandoned them due to their...different markings." Mewtwo telepathed, and the three "starter Pokemon" looked down sadly.
"Well that's stupid! They look awesome!" Ash said, as the three Pokemon climbed into his lap and rubbed their faces against his, before running over and rubbing against Mewtwo in a friendly manner. Butterfree fluttered around while Pidgey chirped as the four Pokemon and human played together. As the sun descended, Professor Oak arrived with President Goodshow, Champion Lance, and Delia Ketchum. The four Pokemon had dog-piled Ash and everyone was laughing.
"Look at him, he doesn't care that they are considered rare...he's really got an affinity for Pokemon." President Goodshow said, and the young Pokemon and human looked up with a sheepish expression while they got up. The three starters clung to Ash's legs as they hid behind him at the sight of the grown men.
"It seems they are imprinting on him." Professor Oak said, as Delia cooed at their cuteness. "Perhaps with these four, I won't have to worry about getting an extra starter Pokemon in four years."
"You mean...they will be my starters?" Ash said with starry eyes as he sat down and hugged them close to him and they rubbed affectionately against his chest.
"It isn't unheard of for trainers to start with Pokemon they befriended with confirmation from their regional professor." The elder Oak said.
"Would...Would you like to come with me on my journey in four years?" Ash said, somewhat shyly, "I can understand if you don't want to...oof!" He didn't get to say anymore as the starters leaped into his arms.
"I think that answers that." Professor Oak said, walking confidently over while using his body language to let the young starters know that he didn't mean any harm. With that, Professor Oak gave Ash three Poke Balls and a specially colored Premier Ball. The Premier Ball had a purple stripe replacing the red one a normal Premier Ball had. The Poke Balls had an engraving of a flame, a water drop, and a leaf. "President Goodshow had the Premier Ball custom made for Mewtwo. This will allow you to catch him and keep him safe."
"Catch...me?" Mewtwo asked, tilting his head in curiosity.
"Pokemon often confront trainers for a multitude of reasons." Professor Oak tarted to lecture, and Ash listened closely, "Some is to defend territory, others want to defeat experienced opponents to get stronger, but they all test a trainer's skill to find out if the trainer is worthy of training them. Outside of a type of Poke Ball, a Pokemon is considered 'wild' and can be caught by anyone. Having Ash catch you will prevent the Poke Balls of other trainers from working on you."
Ash held the Premier Ball hesitantly. "Are you sure you want this?" They young boy asked the Genetic Pokemon.
A three-fingered paw pressed the center button and was sucked in by a red beam, the Ball letting out a dinging sound.
Hidden by the forest, above the line of sight of the humans; a small, pink feline Pokemon with a long tail and beautiful blue eyes watched the scene with interest. "Mew".
Ash was holding an updated Poke Dex from Professor Oak at home as the starters ate custom PokeFood suited for their types and Mewtwo ate some Tauros Ribs with sauce getting all over the fur around his mouth. Ash had already finished eating; the excitement of the day taking a toll and making him just want to lay down.
"Mewtwo? Did you find out anything about their parents?" Ash asked quietly as to not upset the starters.
"Bulbasaur's father was an out-of-region Pokemon named Roselia. Apparently he had been passing an area with a female Ivysaur. Charmander's father was a flying out-of-region Pokemon named Hydreigon. He had been migrating and encountered a female Charizard. Squirtle's dad was a migrating out-of-region water-type Pokemon called Clauncher. It ran into a female Wartortle." Mewtwo telepathed directly into Ash's mind. Ash pointed his Poke Dex at Bulbasaur and a mechanical voice droned out of it.
"Bulbasaur, the Seed Pokemon. The seed on its back is filled with nutrients. The seed grows steadily larger as its body grows. This Pokemon is male and knows the moves Tackle, Magical Leaf, Giga Drain, and Leaf Whistle." Ash looked at Bulbasaur in excitement as Bulbasaur looked up and posed proudly as he saw his trainer's excitement. Ash then pointed the Poke Dex at Charmander.
"Charmander, the Lizard Pokemon. The flame on its tail indicates Charmander's life force. If it is healthy, the flame burns brightly. This Pokemon is female and knows the moves Scratch, Growl, Crunch, and Dragon Pulse." Charmander puffed out her chest and Ash gave her a bright grin that she then slightly turned away and poked her claws together at shyly. Ash then pointed the Poke Dex at Squirtle.
"Squirtle, the Tiny Turtle Pokemon. The shell is soft when it is born. It soon becomes so resilient, prodding fingers will bounce off it. This Pokemon is male and knows the moves Tackle, Aura Sphere, Aqua Jet, and Dragon Pulse." Squirtle made a proud pose, before spotting something and grabbing a pair of sunglasses and putting them on and crossing his arms. Delia laughed and took a picture of this.
"Ash...what does it say about...me?" Mewtwo asked curiously. Ash then smiled at his closest friend and pointed the Poke Dex at him. "Mewtwo, the Genetic Pokemon. It was created by a scientist after years of horrific gene-splicing and DNA-engineering experiments. This Pokemon is male and knows the moves Laser Focus, Confusion, Psywave, Disable, Safeguard, Shadow Ball, Ice Beam, Flamethrower, Poison Jab, and Low Sweep." The three starters stared at Mewtwo in shock at the sheer number of moves he knew and Squirtle started bowing and saying something in the Pokemon language that made Mewtwo blush in embarrassment.
A year had passed and Mewtwo was now commonly seen flying around the Ketchum household as he played with the local Pokemon with Ash, Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle. Mewtwo would sometimes dive underwater at a nearby beach and look at the local habitat; once emerging with tears in his eyes as a Shellder clamped down on his tail. The games they played were mostly for fun; but also had the opportunity to level up when they came across the rare hostile Rattata or Spearow.
This summer night, the three starters, human, and Mewtwo were sitting in front of a tent in the Ketchum backyard, marshmallows on specialized sticks over a fire in a fire pit. Piles of chocolate and graham crackers sat on a blanket nearby. After a while, Ash took the marshmallows out and split the graham cracker in two, putting a piece of chocolate on one end and making the marshmallow squish between the two graham crackers and hand it to his Pokemon before making one for himself and putting more Marshmallows on the sticks. Occasionally, a Spearow, Pidgey, or Murkrow would fly down and Ash would hand them a graham cracker and they would fly off. Then, as Ash was making another S'more, Mewtwo froze in mid-bite with marshmallow and chocolate smeared all over his face.
"Mewtwo? What's wrong?" Ash asked him, following his friend's line of vision and freezing himself as he saw a Pokemon nearby.
"Mew?" The Psychic type asked, sniffing around and floating up to Mewtwo.
"What do you mean by...son? I was cloned from a fossil of your species..." Mewtwo said glumly as Ash hugged him and Mew cuddled up to the growing clone. Soon, hunger made Mew fly down and pick up the S'more Ash had forgotten and quickly eat it. Mew then worked on cheering up the young clone by forming a pink bubble from it's psychic energy and bouncing on it. Mewtwo then tried it, forming a blue bubble and bouncing slightly on it as Mew giggled at it.
Ash pulled out his Poke Dex. Mew looked at it, then giggled and poked it's nose as the device in curiosity. "Mew, the New Species Pokemon. It is so rare that it is still said to be a mirage by many experts. Only a few people have seen it worldwide. This Pokemon is female and knows the moves Pound, Reflect Type, Transform, Mega Punch, Metronome, Psychic, Barrier, Ancient Power, Flamethrower, Shadow Ball, Psyshock, Dragon Claw, Ice Beam, Light Screen, Thunderbolt, Energy Ball, Water Pulse, Sludge Wave, Focus Blast, Brutal Swing, Acrobatics, Bulldoze, Smart Strike, Payback, Shadow Claw, Drain Punch, Gyro Ball, X-Scissor, Fire Punch, Ice Punch, Thunder Punch, Dazzling Gleam, Signal Beam, and Amnesia." Ash's jaw dropped at the sheer number of moves Mew knew. Mew giggled at the boy's expression and at the wide-eyed look of Mewtwo and the starters.
Mew took a few more of the forgotten S'more and spoke to Mewtwo in it's native language, as the young Mewtwo smiled and Mew rubbed his head affectionately, grooming the fur around his mouth, before she flew off and vanished into the forest.
"You did it Mewtwo! You saw Mew!" Ash said as the starter Pokemon also joined in the hug Ash started.
"No...WE saw Mew...She...she wants to be my Meema!"Mewtwo telepathed excitedly, "She will help teach me things even you can't...I...I have a place in this world!"
The small group quickly put out the fire and went into the tent, going to bed while practicing for sleeping outdoors on their journey.
For the next three years, at the dead of night, Mew would approach Mewtwo and groom him while teaching him how to harness his powers. Not only that, she would also teach him a few moves Mew had picked up in her travels; such as Thunderbolt, Brutal Swing, Energy Ball, Aerial Ace, Bulldoze, Drain Punch, Fire Punch, Thunder Punch, Ice Punch, Psyshock, and Signal Beam. This was added to Mewtwo naturally learning Swift. Finally, after becoming accustomed to Mew's sudden appearances and motherly instincts to the young clone, both Ash and Mewtwo asked why she was doing this. Mew answered, though only Mewtwo understood it and had to telepath Mew's answer to Ash.
Apparently the bad guys who cloned Mewtwo were trying again, and getting other bad guys to help. She had been happy to see this Mewtwo find a place it belonged, and was worried for it in case any others that were made were brainwashed against Pokemon or to work for those bad guys. While she was doing a lot to avoid detection to keep those bad people off her tail, she couldn't bear the thought of a young Pokemon similar to her being unprepared because of her.
Finally. The day came as Mew vanished for what they thought would be the last time.
The day their journey began.