Mewtwo had soon awoken, but kept his eyes shut. It didn't feel like he had been asleep for long. He didn't want to get up yet, so he willed himself to drift back off to sleep. The trouble was that a breeze was causing some sort of whistling nearby. The wind was blowing a little too strongly over him to allow Mewtwo to stay comfortable. It agitated him and caused him to roll over and over in attempts to get back to a comfortable position.
This surface was much firmer than he recalled…
And why could he feel the breeze? Weren't the windows shut?
Something wasn't right...
Mewtwo's eyes snapped open.
He was no longer in his bed; rather, he found himself lying down on hard pavement outside a well-kept building. It was still night out, where the sickle moon hung high overhead. How did he get here?
Mewtwo rose to a sitting position and looked up. There on the front of the building was a sign that read "Lavender Town Pokémon Center."
Lavender Town?
"Oh dear," Mewtwo whispered.
He quickly got to his feet. Through the glass doors of the Pokémon Center, there was only darkness. He tried to open the door, but it remained firmly locked. Obviously the Center was closed.
Now Mewtwo was baffled. This scene strongly reminded him of the encounter with Giovanni, and he had no desire to repeat the experience. Should he wait for something to happen? Or should he try to escape if this was indeed another memory?
Almost in response to his question, the high-pitched whistling he heard earlier became clearly audible. Mewtwo located it to be coming from behind the Pokémon Center. He walked around the building to investigate the source of the noise.
As he cleared the corner, another building caught his eye, one that was far taller than the Pokémon Center. It stood at least ten stories taller than the surrounding buildings, but looked much older as well. The windows of the building were grimy, boarded up, or simply missing or shattered. It was from one of these holes in the wall that the whistling was coming from.
But one of the rooms at the very top of the tower was ablaze with light. Mewtwo could see the light flickering as shadows were cast on the walls from movement.
Someone was up there…
As if the tower gestured for Mewtwo to examine closer, Mewtwo felt the sensation that he had to delve through and upwards to the top of the tower, and uncover the secret concealed by this archaic structure. Mewtwo maneuvered his way around until he found the entrance; two cracked, concrete doors stood cold and firm before him. Mewtwo took a breath of the heavy air around him, and pushed the doors open.
The atmosphere became extremely dense, and he felt an unexplainable weight on his shoulders. Surrounding the darkness of the room, gray figures loomed into view. At a closer glance, the gray figures were revealed to be worn gravestones. Each grave was meticulously carved with the name and year of a beloved Pokémon. As his eyes adjusted, more and more gravestones appeared from out of the darkness. Stones of all sizes, each with its own past and careful creation, fell before Mewtwo's eyes. As Mewtwo gazed upon these stones, a sense of grief welled within him. The gravestones, though broken and plain, seemed to cry out their sorrows. Mewtwo stood in silence for a moment before taking the initiative to continue onward.
Mewtwo slowly walked towards the staircase located in the far right corner of the room. He glanced back towards the graves one last time, and then proceeded to climb the fragile stairs. Step by step, Mewtwo continued to climb what seemed like an endless staircase.
Forty steps… Sixty steps…
A strange sound had reached Mewtwo's ears. It sounded like someone was yelling in pain… something he had hoped to never hear again. He quickened his pace.
Eighty… One hundred… One hundred twenty…
Now he could hear raucous laughter from the stairs far above him in response to these cries of pain. Mewtwo began to run as he again increased his pace.
One hundred forty… One hundred sixty… One hundred eighty…
A thunderous crash shook the whole stairwell and sent dust everywhere. In response, Mewtwo sprinted, taking the steps three at a time. He was going flat out, trying not to trip in his haste.
Mewtwo burst onto the top landing, breathing hard, his legs worn out from the huge climb. In the narrow hallway, a door on the right stood ajar, casting a long sliver of light onto the floor and the opposite wall. Mewtwo cautiously approached, listening to the laughter in the room. The yelling had stopped.
And then a horribly familiar voice spoke…
"Now, I'm going to ask you again. What is the secret?"
Mewtwo crept right up to the door and peered through the small gap.
From what he could see, the paint on the walls was peeling and cracks were visible in some places. A single light bulb hanging from the ceiling lit the room, leaving the corner he could see relatively dark. Mewtwo pushed the door slightly and had to suppress a gasp.
Gengar was leaning on the left wall, looking at something in the middle of the room. A wild smile lit his face as his eyes glowed that heinous scarlet hue. There was no pity in his gaze.
The muttering that reached Mewtwo's ears was indistinct and nearly inaudible, but whoever said it and whatever they said wiped the grin from Gengar's face to be replaced by a frown.
"Very well then."
Gengar nodded to something out of sight, shortly followed by a shuddering gasp and a loud thud.
Desperate to see what was going on and why, Mewtwo opened the door.
A Haunter was positioned to the right of a toppled figure that lay in the middle of the room. The figure was a person that had fallen sideways along with the chair he was sitting in. And when Mewtwo saw who the person was, all time seemed to have stopped.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Mewtwo sat bolt upright in his bed, awoken as suddenly as if someone had slapped him. He was still screaming to the heavens and only stopped when he found himself in the dark room he had never left. Cold sweat covered Mewtwo's forehead, and the haunting image was burned into his vision to help keep the experience horribly fresh in his mind.
Mewtwo turned his head to the right and read the luminous clock that sat on the nightstand beside his bed. The clock read 4:00.
Without preamble, Mewtwo sprung out from under his covers, wretched open the door, and sprinted through the halls of the Pokémon Center.
He came flying into the moonlit lobby and didn't stop until he reached the front doors. Grasping the handle and yanking hard in his haste, he didn't expect the door to be locked. Mewtwo had already thrown all of his weight behind the pull, resulting in his hand slipping from the handle. His inertia quickly carried him backwards into and over a low coffee table. The resulting crash was loud enough to awaken the whole village.
Mewtwo hit his head very hard on the floor. It felt like his skull had been split in two. Small lights popped in his eyes, which, in combination with the dark room, temporarily blinded him. He clutched the back of his head, eyes watering from the sudden and intense pain.
Still on the ground, Mewtwo heard hurried footsteps enter the lobby. The lights turned on and the same footsteps quickly approached Mewtwo.
"What on earth are you doing?!"
Mewtwo opened his eyes and managed to look up. Nurse Joy was standing over him in a pink bath robe, hands on her hips, and what looked like a stare of death in her eyes.
"It's four in the morning, and you just caused enough noise to awaken the dead. Explain yourself, or we go straight to Officer Jenny."
Mewtwo took a minute to catch his breath.
"I'm so sorry… It's just…" Mewtwo stuttered, thinking carefully of how he could place his words. "I had a horrific nightmare, and my body just subconsciously reacted the way it did. I didn't mean to cause so much trouble. I really did not intend to."
Nurse Joy stared straight into Mewtwo's eyes for what seemed like a long time before heaving a large sigh.
"Well, it must have been quite the dream then. Will you be all right for the remainder of the night—err, morning, before we officially open up for the day?"
Mewtwo's heart pulsed extremely quickly from both the intense nightmare and his guilt for causing Nurse Joy such trouble. The last thing he wanted was to abuse the kindness that had been offered to him.
"I'll be okay," Mewtwo finally responded. "Once the sun rises, I will take my leave. I appreciate all you have done for me, really."
Nurse Joy finally broke a tired, slight smile.
"Of course. Now do not let all your troubles get the best of you. Rest easy, and preferably quietly, before taking off again. You are still welcome here, and everyone here is willing to help you if needed. I'll be off to check up on some of the patients, but let me know if you require anything."
Mewtwo nodded and thanked her once more. As Nurse Joy closed the door behind her, Mewtwo found himself sluggishly making his way back to the bed. He was not tired, but drained of energy. He needed to make sense of everything that has been occurring around him. Gazing outside the window and into the black sky, Mewtwo knew he had to formulate some plan of action. But first, he needed to get back to sleep.
He returned to the entrance of the hallway, turned off the lights to the lobby, and made his way back to his room. He re-entered the room, now very dark compared to the bright lobby. He had to walk slowly and feel his way back while waiting for his eyes to readjust.
Mewtwo finally found his bed and slowly got in. He gingerly placed his head on the pillows and closed his eyes. The back of his head was pulsing a nasty tattoo, and, combined with the recent events, prevented him from thinking clearly.
What did he have to do? The obvious answer was to save Allen, but right now wasn't quite an option, considering that he was locked in the Center until dawn. He felt like he had to do something. He wanted to take action immediately, but it would be a betrayal of Joy's trust if he broke out of the Center himself.
If he broke out of the Center himself…
Himself…
And then it hit him.
Mewtwo opened his eyes again and sat back up. He wasn't entirely sure if this would work, but it was still worth a try. Concentrating on Alder, Mewtwo hoped he would be audible and thought.
Alder, can you hear me?
Like yesterday, Mewtwo could clearly hear his own voice in his head, and knew that it had worked. He could only hope for a reply.
Sure enough, a few seconds passed and Mewtwo heard the worn and slightly irritated voice of Alder.
Mewtwo? Is that you? This is a bit early for a wakeup call, don't you think?
I'm very sorry, Alder, but I need to tell you something.
Well, I hardly have an excuse not to listen. Please go on.
Slightly taken aback by the response, Mewtwo continued, I just had a nightmare where I found Allen in the Pokémon Tower, held captive by that Gengar we fought yesterday. It was sharp as reality, and I think it was some sort of vision.
Alder's voice quickly tensed, Really? Then we must go immediately!
Are you sure? Mewtwo questioned, Can we go right now?
Yes, yes, never mind the time! Our friend is in danger! We must act!
But I'm still in the Pokémon Center, locked in until dawn. Can you do anything about it?
Alder's impatience was showing as the conversation continued. Of course. Alakazam will waste no time with the task as I prepare to journey. I will meet you in front of the Pokémon Center while Alakazam helps you out.
Mewtwo breathed a sigh of relief, Thank you Alder. Again, I'm sorry to awaken you so early.
Don't worry about it. Some things are more important than getting an early wakeup call.
Mewtwo again jumped out of bed, opened the door, and sneaked out to the lobby.
In each corner of the lobby, shadows of furniture, books, and small objects covered the entire area. Mewtwo slowly crept his way through the darkness, his footsteps as light as a feather. A large shadow appeared, presumably the shadow of the front entrance. Mewtwo awaited a signal from Alakazam. Within a few moments, he heard the lock of the door click. Mewtwo approached the door handle and proceeded to open the door. With a slight creak, the door swung wide.
Thank you.
Mewtwo stepped through the doorway, finding Alakazam outside. Mewtwo closed the door quietly behind himself, and Alakazam relocked the door. Together, they waited for Alder to join the two of them.
Once Alder made his way to the front of the Pokémon Center, Alakazam prepared for transport by offering his hands to Alder and Mewtwo. Alder took the proffered hand, but Mewtwo didn't. Confused, he looked up to Alder.
"Wait… what exactly is going on here? Shouldn't we be leaving for Lavender Town?"
"We are. Alakazam is able to teleport us straight there with no obstacles. Convenient, isn't it?"
Mewtwo's eyes widened,
"Really? That must take an incredible amount of skill! Alakazam never ceases to amaze me."
Mewtwo took Alakazam's hand as Alder asked, "Are you ready, Alakazam?"
Alakazam nodded in response and closed his eyes.
Immediately, Mewtwo felt a warmth start in his right hand and spread throughout his body. The moment it reached his fingers and toes, everything melted around them. The scene dissolved into blackness momentarily before reforming around them. The surrounding buildings came into focus. The moon sharpened in the sky and cast its light onto the surrounding area. Mewtwo turned around to look again at the well-kept Pokémon Center of Lavender Town. A swooping feeling swept through his chest as he recalled the nightmare, still very fresh in his mind despite the passing of time.
Alakazam released his grip and turned to Alder, who spoke in little more than a rumble.
"Well done, Alakazam! That shortened our journey considerably."
"Indeed," Mewtwo agreed.
Alder stepped in front of the two and looked at them.
"Now, Mewtwo, you said that you saw Allen in the Pokémon Tower, correct?"
Mewtwo nodded quickly in response.
"Then we have no time to waste! Let's go!"
As they hastily walked, Mewtwo continued to notice the uncanny atmosphere of the area. The contorted trees and dark buildings were extremely similar to those in the nightmare, and it was not long until the three stood before the dreaded Pokémon Tower. A chill traveled down Mewtwo's spine as he gazed upon the familiar building. He was well aware that he would once again need to traverse the countless steps, and even experience the horrors that may await. But now he was not alone. This time, he would have Alder and Alakazam to help him through it all, to guide him on the right path, and experience what was to come with him. Mewtwo turned back towards Alder and Alakazam before he opened the doors. He wasn't alone. The doors creaked open, and Mewtwo began to lead the way towards the top of the Tower.
Once again, the darkness of the room compressed their vision. Mewtwo stood there, trying to allow his eyes to adjust. But Alder made his opinion heard.
"Why are we all standing in the dark? Mewtwo, can you give us some light?"
Mewtwo held up his hands and quickly conjured a small, bright ball of energy. The room was immediately relieved of dark and instead became bathed in purple.
Having not seen the sea of tombstones before, Mewtwo heard Alakazam draw a sharp breath in response to the sight. Mewtwo turned and spoke to him directly.
"Know that these Pokémon rest easy now. I'm sure that they all lived good lives and were loved by their owners."
With what looked like a hard face in the semi-dark, Alakazam nodded stiffly.
Mewtwo meandered through the graves toward the far corner with Alder and Alakazam right behind him. And again, the staircase with no end stood before him, winding up and out of sight.
"Well," Mewtwo said, "here we go."
And they climbed.
And climbed.
And climbed.
One foot after the other, the ascent seemed even longer than in the dream. However, no sound reached Mewtwo's ears this time. As this observation ran through Mewtwo, it concerned him far more than the wails of pain or the laughter had. He felt the urge to start running, and obeyed it without hesitation. Alder and Alakazam were in his wake, matching him step for step.
When they finally approached the landing to the top, Mewtwo turned once again to the others. The glowing ball of energy in his hand lit his face quite eerily, but his eyes were alert. Mewtwo made only one motion before extinguishing the light; he raised a finger to his lips.
In darkness, they entered the narrow hall. The door was ajar, exactly as it had been in the dream. But there was no light in the room beyond it. Mewtwo crept up to the door and put an eye up to the gap. He couldn't see anything at all.
In one slow, smooth motion, Mewtwo grasped the handle and gently pushed the door open.
What little light that was filtering through the grimy windows appeared to have shown an empty room. The squares of moonlight that fell on the floor revealed nothing to the eyes.
Mewtwo's jaw fell open at the sight.
Alder saw this and whispered, "What? What do you see?"
Mewtwo turned his head to look at Alder in the pitch black.
"Nothing. Absolutely nothing."
Alder gasped, "No! Let me see,"
Mewtwo stepped into the room to allow Alder and Alakazam to enter. Alder quickly glanced around and breathed, "I don't believe it! Why isn't he here?"
"I don't know," Mewtwo whispered.
Alder meant to lean on the back wall, but jumped quickly with a cry of pain.
"Ouch! What was that?" He peered closely to where he leaned. "Oh! It's a light switch!" He reached towards it and flipped the switch.
Mewtwo quickly looked to the center of the room to see if the lights would turn on as they did. But what he saw made him convulsively react in such a way that made him trip over his own feet.
Allen sat in the middle of the room, his hands tied behind the chair that he occupied. He was leaning forward so that his face was not visible. But his jeans were torn in several places, blood staining the rips. His right leg was bent at an odd angle and was not pleasing to the eye.
Mewtwo scrambled to his feet and skidded to his knees beside Allen. Now that he was level, he received the full blast of Allen's injuries.
"Oh my God…" Mewtwo breathed, "What did they do to you?"
It was horrible. Gashes covered Allen's face, some of them looking very deep. Blood was gently flowing from some of the deeper wounds to stain his face and drip into his lap. Mewtwo quickly found Allen's wrist and searched for a pulse. For a heart-stopping moment, Mewtwo thought he couldn't find one, but he then felt a very faint beating in the depths of Allen's wrist.
Alder and Alakazam moved forward, their faces showing nothing but appall at the scene.
"Who would do such a thing?" were the words that came out of Alder's mouth.
Alakazam had bowed his head and closed his eyes. He put a hand up to his eyes, but no sooner had he done that did he collapse to the floor. He caught himself with his right arm and leaned heavily on it to support his weight. Alakazam's face was tinged green, and it looked like he was close to fainting.
Alder turned around, caught sight of Alakazam, and rushed to his side. He skidded to the floor and put an arm around Alakazam's shoulder. He looked to Mewtwo and said, "We need to move quickly. I don't know how long Allen's been there, but his injuries are undoubtedly severe. Try and awaken him first." Alder then turned his attention back to Alakazam, coaxing him to try and lay down flat.
Mewtwo swiveled on the spot back to Allen and said clearly, "Allen, can you hear me?"
No response.
Mewtwo repeated himself, louder this time, "Allen! Tell me if you can hear me."
Still no response.
Mewtwo took hold of Allen's shoulder and gingerly shook him.
Allen opened his eyes blearily and turned to look at Mewtwo. He seemed to be looking through a thick haze of pain, and had trouble focusing on Mewtwo.
"You came… you're here…"
Mewtwo bent around to the back of the chair and quickly untied Allen's hands. They, like his face, were shining red with blood. Allen rubbed his wrists, still slumped forward and apparently unable to sit up straight. He looked around again.
"How can I ever thank you?"
"You can't," Mewtwo said, "I'm the one that got you into this mess. But now, I'm going to get you out."
Allen smiled weakly in response. "You are the most courageous being I've ever had the fortune to meet, Mewtwo."
Mewtwo responded sadly, "I only wish it was so."
Mewtwo put his arm under Allen's and helped him upright in his seat.
"Can you stand?"
Allen shook his head heavily, "I don't know."
Mewtwo slowly raised Allen off the chair, but stopped quickly. Allen's right leg was shaking violently and would not take his weight. He set him back in the chair.
"Allen, I think your leg is broken."
Allen looked at it with interest and whispered, "Well, that might complicate things."
Mewtwo looked back to Alder and Alakazam. Alakazam had risen to a sitting position, his head on his forearms which were resting on his knees. Alder turned back to Mewtwo.
"I think it was just shock that caused him to collapse. He should be back to standing shortly."
"While he recovers, I need help to move Allen. His right leg might be broken, so he can't put any weight on it," Mewtwo said.
Alder whispered something to Alakazam, who nodded in response. Alder stood up and approached Allen's right side. He put his own arm under Allen's and helped him to a standing pose.
Mewtwo's height forced him to stoop slightly and allow Allen to comfortably support himself against Mewtwo's shoulders. Together, they moved slowly towards the door as Alakazam rose to his feet.
Please, I don't want to spend any more time here than we have to.
No problem, Mewtwo responded, I agree that we have to leave as soon as possible.
But before they could take another step, an intense cold rose from Mewtwo's back to his shoulders. His muscles seized up in response and caused him to fall forward, almost dragging Allen and Alder with him. He had been struck by a Lick attack.
Alakazam's eyes widened in fear as he took several steps back towards the door. Alder, thoroughly confused, asked, "What? What's happened?"
Alakazam's voice shook as he responded, It's Gengar! He's back!
Mewtwo's muscles relaxed and allowed him to spring back to his feet.
"He's here?! Now?!" shouted Mewtwo, looking everywhere in the room.
"Of course I'm here; you need to open your eyes more often, Mewtwo."
The echoing voice came from the opposite end of the room. Not long after the statement was made, Gengar materialized from shadow and vapor. His wicked grin was still present on his face, his eyes burning scarlet.
Immediately, the atmosphere became exceedingly still. Mewtwo's face dropped with the appearance of Gengar. Various emotions enveloped him at once; anger, fear, and a sense of vengefulness among them. That smirk on Gengar's face repulsed him; one glance was enough to churn his stomach and tighten every muscle in his body.
"Why?" Mewtwo scowled under his breath. "Why did you do this to him, and how could you have the nerve to bring your face back here?"
Gengar's vile grin grew larger as he spoke,
"When we took in Allen, he was—oh, how should I say it... a little resistant to our interrogations." He seemed to relish these words as they were spoken. "We tried to persuade him to divulge what we wanted, so some—ah, forceful handling was required. Shame that you came, really; I gamble that a few more hours would've broken him. But it wouldn't have been the only thing that broke."
Mewtwo was completely and utterly sickened by Gengar. How could anyone be so naturally monstrous? Mewtwo's composure was slipping by the minute. He glanced back towards Alakazam and Alder with eyes conflicted as to which action to take, but then his glance fell back upon Allen. Allen was first priority, despite any situation.
Please, take Allen to safety. I'll handle Gengar.
Alder and Alakazam gave a look of concern, but nodded in agreement. With quick pace, the two made it to Allen's side and prepared for teleportation.
"Oh?" Gengar enquired. "Leaving so soon?"
"I advise you look this way Gengar," Mewtwo said boldly, jabbing a finger into his chest. "I'm your opponent."
As Gengar turned to face Mewtwo, Allen, Alakazam, and Alder teleported. Mewtwo's voice lowered to somewhat of a growl.
"It's just you and me, Gengar. You and me."
Gengar closed his eyes and hung his head, but did not remove the smile.
"For your sake, I hope you've learned to control your emotions; last time was just far too easy. Do you really want to battle, knowing that the same thing will happen?" He looked up again. "Just know that this building will not withstand the kind of damage you inflicted yesterday."
Mewtwo's face hardened with resolve.
"Whether the building falls or not, my only priority is stopping you. You've done enough damage to the innocent. I will not allow you to hurt anyone else as you did to Allen."
Gengar began to laugh.
"It's funny, really. You try to act like the hero, but deep down, you're the same as I am. If anything, you've hurt countless more people than I ever have." Gengar paused for a moment. "Stop me? How can you have any hope of stopping me when you can't even stop yourself?"
The words made Mewtwo twitch, for he knew they held some truth. But he mustered his courage to deflect the statement.
"I've learned a lot since yesterday, and I'm sure it's more than you've learned in a decade. When have you last shown compassion? Respect? Remorse? Have you learned from your mistakes? Because if you've never made a mistake, then you've never had a chance to learn."
Gengar's eyes reduced to slits.
"You're the one that should be learning from me! We've all seen how bad you are at battling. You're only using Alakazam as your crutch while he does all the work! How can you say you've learned anything?"
These words did not sting Mewtwo, for he knew better than to take the bait and get angry. He adjusted his stance and readied himself.
"There's more to learn in life than battling, Gengar."
Gengar mirrored Mewtwo's movement, his hands curled into fists.
"Then why don't you show me?"
For two seconds that lasted an eternity, they stared directly into each other's eyes, the violet into the red and the red into the violet. Mewtwo knew that he must not allow himself to lose control this time, especially because of this building's poor state. The consequences could be catastrophic.
Then the tension broke, and both made a move at exactly the same time.
Mewtwo struck with a burst of energy from his hands, but Gengar was too quick. He sidestepped the attack and allowed it to hit the wall behind him. The impact sent cracks running from the point of impact to join those that were already there. Gengar raised his hands still curled into fists and swung a left hook into thin air.
A heavy blow to the face caught Mewtwo completely off guard. It carried him into the wall, causing him to hit it with great force. Head miraculously clear, he quickly ensured that everything was still working properly before retaliating with his own psychic move.
He misjudged the attack, and instead of mimicking Gengar's punch to the face, Gengar had his legs taken out from under him, rather like he had slipped on an invisible banana peel. He hit the floor with a thud before scrambling back to his feet.
"Low blow, Mewtwo… Low blow."
In truth, Mewtwo did feel that the attack was way below the belt compared to his standards, but if cheap tactics could secure a victory, then so be it.
Mewtwo paid for his hesitancy in pressing the advantage. Gengar had cast a dark shadow, extinguishing any and all light in the room. He dissolved into the darkness, but Mewtwo knew better than to think he had gone. Mewtwo quickly encased himself in a luminous ball of energy in attempts to protect himself. The darkness was impenetrable, but what had become trapped in his protective sphere had mysteriously melted, as it couldn't stand contact with the energy. This gave Mewtwo an idea.
Gengar's voice echoed throughout the room, "You can't hide forever, Mewtwo! Sooner or later you'll have to come out!"
"Look who's talking," Mewtwo growled.
Concentrating with all of his might on the darkness, Mewtwo pushed his sphere of energy away from his body with lightning speed. The shade of night was successfully driven from the room without harming the building's fragile structure.
But Gengar got caught up with the dispersal of energy, and was propelled upward and away from Mewtwo. Without the cover of darkness, Gengar became visible again as he was smashed against the ceiling. A massive crash shook the room, letting loose dust and chunks of debris from the ceiling. Gengar fell freely into the floor, producing another room-shaking contact.
Gengar did not get up immediately, but rose slowly and unsteadily to his feet, weaving drunkenly to try and steady himself. His eyes had crossed, having trouble getting Mewtwo into focus. It seemed like the impact had unseated him. In response to this show of weakness, a small voice, not Alder's or Alakazam's, but his very own, spoke.
Don't kill Gengar.
I know, Mewtwo told the small voice. I wasn't planning on it.
Good! said the voice. But you must weaken him further to prevent him from striking back. Confusing him will do the trick!
He could not remember using the Confusion move before, but he had an idea of how it worked. Putting all of his faith into the next move as well as the little voice in his head, Mewtwo made his move.
A weird rushing started from what felt like inside his head and moved forward rapidly, taking with it a tailwind that blew against Mewtwo's back. It seemed as if he had unleashed the power of the winds upon Gengar. But it was clearly much more significant than a simple blow of the breeze.
The invisible rush fell upon Gengar, making his whole form shimmer vibrantly from the attack. He stood stock still with his eyes closed, both of his hands rising up to grab his head. He bent over double, looking like he was about to be sick. Gengar's breathing intensified so that he was drawing deep, increasingly rapid breaths.
"No… No… Please…"
The words came out in a moan. He seemed to be talking to someone that only he could see. He sank to his knees, still clutching his head.
Mewtwo was utterly bewildered. He didn't think that Confusion would do this to his opponents. He took a tentative step forward when Gengar spoke again.
"No… Stop… I—don't want…"
Now Mewtwo was panicking. Gengar's voice was no longer rough, but had a note of desperation in it. To Mewtwo, it was emotionally devastating to see his attack go so wrong.
Gengar's hands now covered his whole face, his head hanging to face the ground. The pleas continued to pour forth as his voice rapidly rose to a shout.
"S—stop! No... I'll do anything! Just don't… don't do it—please! No—NO!"
Gengar began to tremble on the ground. Mewtwo ran forward but was stopped in his tracks by an awful yell.
"No! Don't hurt her! Hurt me instead! Just—don't hurt… No… It's all my fault, all my fault…"
Tears poured from Gengar's still closed eyes. It appalled Mewtwo at how wrongly the battle was going. But from the looks of it, he didn't think there was anything to do except wait out the effects.
"No more! I beg of you, please! No more!"
There had to have been a better way than this. There just had to.
And then, just when Mewtwo though it couldn't get any worse, Gengar unearthed the loudest scream yet, one to make Mewtwo's blood run cold.
"KILL ME!"
It reverberated around the room, making the scream infinitely more terrible to hear. Mewtwo stood speechless over Gengar's shaking form, unable to say, think, or do anything.
But Gengar wasn't finished yet.
"AAAAAAAAAAUGH!"
The piercing scream spiraled horribly throughout the room, echoing in Mewtwo's ears and throughout his own body, jarring his heart, turning his insides to ice. On and on it went, Gengar screaming as if he were on fire.
He gave one last, shuddering gasp before falling face first onto the floor.
"No… No! Gengar! GENGAR!"
Mewtwo was in complete distress. He dropped to Gengar's side and rolled him onto his back. His eyes were closed and his mouth was slightly open. He seemed to have gone unconscious.
Mewtwo grabbed his shoulders and shook. Gengar's tongue lolled around unpleasantly, still unconscious. Mewtwo took hold and dragged him over to the left to sit against the wall. Gengar's limbs remained limp as he was propped into a sitting position.
"Come on, Gengar, stay with me!" Mewtwo said desperately. He used the back of his hand and rapped the wall to create some noise.
Gengar's head began to move slowly from side to side as though he was struggling against bonds holding him to the wall. Mewtwo shook his shoulders again in response.
Gengar's eyes opened sluggishly. They were still unfocused and glazed over, but Mewtwo immediately noticed something. Though his eyes were still red, they were no longer glowing a luminous scarlet. They were instead colored darker and resembled more of a burgundy. Mewtwo also realized that the eyes had become softer and less... less angled. It was hard to put his finger on how, but the aura around Gengar seemed to be lacking in hostility compared to Mewtwo's previous encounters with him.
Gengar gave his head a little shake and sat up straighter. Blinking several times, his eyes finally focused and locked right into Mewtwo's gaze.
Gengar instantly cried out in shock, startling Mewtwo.
"Mewtwo! I—oh no... No, no, no! It wasn't me, I swear it! I didn't do it! Don't—"
Gengar was cowering against the wall, arms held out in front as if attempting to push Mewtwo away. Pure terror possessed his eyes.
"Don't kill me! Please! I want to live!" He covered his face with his hands and his body began to shake from fear.
"No… Gengar, listen. I'm not here to kill you." Mewtwo said weakly, placing his hand on Gengar's shoulder. Gengar opened his eyes and lowered his hands slightly.
"You're not?" he asked timidly.
"No, of course not, and I don't have any intention to do so."
"But—but what are you doing here then? Where's Giovanni?"
"I—what?" Mewtwo asked, distracted by the second question.
"Where's Giovanni?" Gengar repeated, trying to see around Mewtwo.
A vivid image, sharp as reality, flashed in Mewtwo's vision. The man in the suit… tall, proud, and menacing, the insane smile on his face. He could see his lips forming words…
This won't be the last you see of me; mark my words.
And as suddenly as the image had come, it was gone. Mewtwo found himself staring blankly into Gengar's wide, fearful eyes. He mentally shook himself and responded.
"I don't know."
"You don't know?" Gengar responded disbelievingly. "He's always with you! How did you get away from him?"
Mewtwo was flummoxed. What was he talking about?
"Hold on—slow down a second," he said, trying to regain a grip on the conversation. "What do you mean, 'He's always with you?'"
Gengar looked equally confused, and took a moment to respond. He said slowly, "The two of you together; your acts are legendary! Nobody speaks your names without fear striking their hearts."
But Mewtwo got hung up on one word that Gengar said. His acts are legendary?
Something was rubbing Mewtwo the wrong way. He felt like Gengar was behind the times; fifteen years behind, to be exact.
He decided to test his suspicions.
"Gengar, what's the date?"
Gengar was taken aback by the sudden topic shift, but promptly answered, "It's the second of July, 1998."
So it was true; Gengar had absolutely no memory of the past fifteen years. He had suffered from some sort of memory loss, just as Mewtwo had, before right now. But that doesn't explain his actions Mewtwo witnessed since yesterday.
He needed to know more.
Something from Mewtwo's thoughts must have shown on his face because Gengar asked, "Why? What's wrong?"
Mewtwo sighed deeply.
"Today is not the second of July. It's not even 1998. Today is the twentieth of October, 2013. We're at the top floor of the Pokémon Tower in Lavender Town. I was here along with some of my good allies on a rescue mission. The person we managed to rescue was being held captive by you not very long ago."
Gengar's jaw dropped in response to this information. He stared in total disbelief back into Mewtwo's eyes.
Mewtwo strengthened his grip on Gengar's shoulder.
"I know it's hard to believe, but it's true. I went through something similar just yesterday, so I know how you feel. If you come with me, we can put the pieces together as to what's been going on these past fifteen years."
Gengar mouthed wordlessly in response. It seemed like the shock was still weighing heavily on him. Mewtwo waited a minute before lowering his voice.
"Let me help you. Please. I want to help you."
Gengar closed his mouth. Mewtwo saw doubt in Gengar's eyes, and he knew he could not continue unless he could erase this doubt.
Mewtwo removed his hand from Gengar's shoulder and held it out for Gengar to take.
"Trust me. I'm telling the truth. I would never want to hurt you."
Gengar hesitated. There was still some doubt in his eyes, so Mewtwo pressed on.
"Trust me." he repeated.
Gengar slowly took Mewtwo's proffered hand. Mewtwo gave a grin as he pulled Gengar to his feet. Gengar looked up shyly at Mewtwo.
"Do you really think we can find out what happened?" he asked in a quiet voice.
Mewtwo kneeled back down so that Gengar's eyes were level with his.
"I know that we can find out what happened, but I'm going to need your help at some point." As he said this, he glanced out the windows that lined the opposite wall. The approaching dawn had lightened the sky to a beautiful blue, with gold lining the eastern horizon.
"Anything, Mewtwo! Anything at all to help," Gengar said, the note of desperation suggesting that he desired repentance for his actions, even though he wasn't responsible for them.
"Okay," Mewtwo started, "what we're going to do is—"
But the rest of his sentence was drowned out by a loud rumbling, almost like a freight train was passing. Both turned their heads to the far corner of the room where the sound was originating.
The walls in the corner were rapidly cracking, spreading and crisscrossing across the surface. Then, the corner completely collapsed, taking the ceiling directly above with it.
But it didn't stop there. The ceiling continued to fall, quickly spreading and approaching the two as they stared transfixed at what was happening. Then Mewtwo's senses finally kicked in; if they remained in this room, they would be crushed by the falling rubble.
"Oh sh—MOVE! NOW!" Mewtwo bellowed. He sprung up from the ground and fled for the door, Gengar hot on his heels.
Mewtwo stopped for only a fraction of a second to thrust open the door and run into the unlit hallway. His mind on autopilot, he conjured another luminous ball of energy and bolted to the right, knowing that the staircase would take too long to escape. If they had to jump, he knew what to do.
The thunderous noise of the falling ceiling pursued them through the hallway. Mewtwo's body was going into overdrive as he moved faster than he ever thought possible.
A door that was ajar on the left suddenly became visible. Without thinking at all, he threw his shoulder into the door so hard that it bounced back off the wall it was framed in. He burst into the room to discover that it was lit by natural light pouring through the glassless window frames. He moved to these window frames and turned to Gengar, who had remained behind him the entire time.
"Gengar!" he shouted over the rumbling. "If we have to jump, do you trust me?"
Gengar looked terrified, but nodded vigorously in response. Mewtwo put one foot on the nearest sill, thankful that the frame was so low and so large as to permit his body to fit. He turned around and offered his hand to Gengar, who quickly took it. Mewtwo helped Gengar up to stand in the frame and shifted his gaze to the far wall, waiting for the cue to jump.
He didn't have to wait long. The wall he was eyeing cracked, then buckled under the falling ceiling, which cascaded into the room they were occupying. Waiting no longer, he looked into Gengar's eyes with determination.
"Okay! JUMP!"
They did it, both of them, just as the floor beneath them crumbled out of sight.
Because the two were so high up, Mewtwo had more time to complete his actions. He first used the energy still in his hand to surround Gengar with another protective sphere. After he ensured that Gengar was well-covered, he put his feet first, aimed a hand toward the ground, and braced for impact.
Mewtwo hit the earth hard, causing dust and leaves to race away from the point of impact. But because of his stance, he wasn't injured from the contact despite freefalling more than one hundred feet. He straightened up just as Gengar was deposited beside him. Gengar had been decelerated significantly by the energy sphere before reaching the ground, allowing him to safely travel the same distance that Mewtwo had. Gengar rose shakily to his feet, his breath quite shallow.
"Goodness me," he said in a quivering voice. He had a hand clutched to his chest as he tried to steady himself. The rumbling had ceased from high above them, and white dust was beginning to settle around them like snow. "What was that all about?"
"I'm not sure," Mewtwo said, starting to walk along what was still standing of the tower and motioning for Gengar to follow, "but I'll have to explain later. We don't have time right now."
"Why not?" asked Gengar, falling in step beside Mewtwo.
"We need to get back to Ether Valley as soon as possible," he said, glancing down at Gengar, "and you need to come with me."
Gengar nodded and said, "Right, of course, but why are we going to Ether Valley?"
"I'll explain later," Mewtwo said shortly.
They rounded the corner of the tower and nearly tripped over piles of cinder blocks and concrete.
"What the—?"
Mewtwo's head snapped upward to look at the Pokémon Tower.
The top three floors of the tower had collapsed entirely. Some portions had fallen further, creating a gaping hole into the other floors. The concrete columns that supported the building on the upper levels were either severely cracked, partially destroyed to reveal the steel reinforcement, or simply missing. The structural integrity of the building was undoubtedly compromised.
Not long after observing this, Mewtwo heard a commotion behind him. He turned to see the Pokémon Center ablaze with light. Shadows were flurrying about inside.
"We can't stay here," Mewtwo said in a hushed voice. "It might—awkward questions…" he mumbled. He turned to Gengar and said quietly, "Gengar, we're going to teleport. Are you ready?"
"Yes," Gengar whispered.
"Give me your hand, please," Mewtwo said, holding out his own. Gengar took it.
Mewtwo closed his eyes and concentrated every particle of his mind on the Ether Valley Pokémon Center. Praying that this would work, Mewtwo took a deep breath, relaxed his muscles, and pictured Gengar and himself standing in front of the Pokémon Center.
A sudden warmth that started in the depths of his brain spread throughout his body, recalling a similar sensation from earlier when he had teleported with Alder and Alakazam. He heard a sharp intake of breath from Gengar and knew his teleportation effort was working properly.