Separated from the exciting, intoxicating prospects that Miusha's presence provided, I was able to plan a little more effectively for the future. Why not take a proper vacation, with all the paid time off I'd accumulated unused over the years? I'd always told myself that I was needed, that my witless coworkers would be lost without me, but truth be told, they could certainly hold the fort at the very least. With pokeball production, the worst they could mess up would be accidentally capturing each other, and having to be set free... I chuckled at the thought and shook my head as I settled in at my computer, entering in all of my accrued time for three consecutive months away from the towering research and development building. It would mean waiting for a week or so for approval, but it would be far more worthwhile, I figured. I'd forgotten to ask Miusha whether she had any sort of time limit on her quest, but on the same note, she hadn't mentioned one.

"What's so funny, Asaki?" A playful nudge to the shoulder brought my attention up to my old colleague, Gerald Pataskin, the fearless rube who'd volunteered as the first test subject of the Human-ball. He flashed me a hopeful grin and surreptitiously stole a glance at my screen. "Ah, finally taking a break from us, eh Max?"

"Yeah," I nodded and chuckled again for his benefit, "Just thinking of all the trouble you'll all get up to without me to keep you in line. You're second in command, think you can handle things around here for a few months?"

Gerald's eyes nearly bugged out of his head, "Months?! You kiddin'? By the time you come back, we'll have those Masterballs on the assembly line, and twelve other modules to boot!" He crossed his arms confidently and threw me a wink. "But no, it's about time you took a break for yourself. What's the occasion?"

I adjusted my glasses to peer up at him with one eyebrow lifted, trying to figure out just how truthful I could afford to be. "I uh... met somebody. She needs a guide, and I figured it's a good excuse as any to put my language training to use."

"She, huh?" Pataskin shot me another wink, this time more exaggerated than I would have preferred. "Well, my boy, I wish you the best of luck!" He laughed heartily and gave me a light slap on the back before heading over to spread the news to the rest of the department.

I watched after him and sighed, "Yeah... I'll need it."


"What luck!"

"What a gift! A chance! Nay, an opportunity!"

The scientists could no longer contain their excitement, whooping and dancing in jigs around the lab tables, and even roping in the odd bemused Rocket to rejoice with them. "We're finally back on track! With a new Mewtwo project, no less!" Gathering around the main console, the team of five genetic engineers and three bio-medical experts poured over the emails and documents which had flooded their account shortly after the All-Hands meeting had dismissed. "It says we'll be getting a shipment of harvested DNA from the original and second projects, as well as a fully-mapped code of the original fossilized genetic material. Why, with this much of a sample, we could make ten- no, twenty viable clones!"

"We should keep a video journal, in the tradition of Dr. Asaki and Fuji."

"Absolutely. Let's get this lab spic and span, then make a recording."

The scientists scattered, flicking on lights and testing machinery and assembling the giant tube tanks which would be filled with the primordial embryonic fluid for enhanced growth. They shouted back to the lead scientist, who took detailed notes and compiled a list of required materials and equipment before sending it back to Ardanio. By the end of the day, eight exhausted scientists and their supervising/helping hand Rockets gathered back at the main console to take a breather. With no-less-excited grins, they surveyed their work and huddled around the webcam.

"May 14th, 2019. This is the initial gathering of the team which will be heading the third iteration of the Mewtwo project. At the behest of our benefactor, we will be working to create multiple clones which will be integrated into the ranks of our staff, and instilled with a sense of belonging and loyalty, in order to prevent any further escape attempts. Rather than naming each clone with the previous convention of Mew-Two, Mew-Three, Mew-Four, etcetera, we will move to a system of letters. Our first clone will be mA, then mB, mC, and so on. In addition, we've been asked to focus on the enhancement of Pokémon type isolations, in the same way that Mewthree was enhanced in the use of Dark type attacks for protection from Mewtwo. Thus, each subsequent clone will focus on a different type, starting with those to which we have the most immediate access."

At a nod from the speaker, two of the scientists drew back to send out their partner pokemon, a sneasel and a houndoom respectively.

"Starting with the Ice and Fire types, thus we commence the Type Clone development project. Our real work begins tomorrow."


From atop the Silph Co. building, I watched and waited, just barely within range to keep a weak psychic link to Maxwell's subconscious. Only once did I sense a brief panic regarding my appearance into his life, and the moment passed quickly enough without incident. The rest of the building, and even the rest of the city at large, seemed largely oblivious to anything but their own day-to-day concerns, much as I'd found to be the case previously. This "money" concept seemed to be the most pressing, and I reluctantly resigned myself to learn more about it in order to better understand humanity. I could only hope Mew would appreciate the effort.

As the hours passed with no change, I grew bored and lonesome on my own, and found myself falling into a light trance, watching the various consciousnesses of the humans below me skitter to and fro. Letting my mind drift further through the Dreaming, I focused back on the beaming pillar of Mew, and the dimmer signs of my parents not far from it. There, roaming through the forest on its own, was the tiny yet familiar pinprick of a soul which was my partner Meowth. With an effort of will, I focused solely on the Meowth and activated a teleport, spanning the distance between the Ancient Forest and Saffron City. Not nearly as practiced in the art as my father, it took a significant amount of time and energy to complete the task, but I was eventually able to pull Meowth through the space between us, letting it land on the smooth material of the roof on which I'd perched.

"Me-roww?!"

I blinked myself out of the trance and quickly called to the confused pokemon, "Here I am, Meowth. Sorry to bring you here so suddenly like this, but... I missed you." Glancing around, I found that the sun had moved nearly the whole way across the sky, with the lights shifting to longer shadows and tinted in reds.

Turning in place, Meowth brightened almost instantaneously upon seeing me, and immediately leapt into my lap to purr and rub its face against mine. I chuckled and returned the gesture playfully, wrapping the small feline in a firm hug.

"Are my parents well? And Mew? How is home faring without me?"

"Mrr, mrah myah nyah meowth. Miew nyah rawr."

I smiled at the news and petted slowly along Meowth's coin and whiskers. "Well that's good to hea- wait, pregnant?!" Meowth nodded and pushed its face further into my palm. "I'm going to be a sister! Meowth!" I grinned and held the purring pokemon at arm's length. "This is excellent news. I'll be sure to go home straight away, once I'm done travelling with Maxwell."

"Nyah nyaaah?"

"Ah yes, the human I've encountered. He seems amenable to keeping me a secret, and he works in this building. I'm waiting for him to finish work for the day." With a contented sigh, I stretched out on my back with my head on my arms, letting Meowth curl up to knead innocently at my chestplate. "We're going to go see the world together. I'd like to take you with us, too, we'll get you trained up and strengthened. Maybe even evolved, how does that sound?"

Meowth didn't respond, aside from an even louder purr. I chuckled and stroked at its head once more, relaxing for another few minutes before a faint mental call caught my attention. Miusha? Day's over. Heading downstairs now... I blinked, impressed at Maxwell's ability to use my constant scanning of his thoughts to contact me. I wondered if he'd guessed just how efficient it would turn out to be. What a clever human.

Cloaking both myself and Meowth, I quickly brought the both of us down to ground level just as Maxwell emerged from the front doorway. ((We're here with you,)) I told him bemusedly, and he nodded and started the walk toward his home, letting out Hypno shortly thereafter.

"We?" He cocked his head a bit and murmured in what he guessed must be my direction, hands shoved in his pockets.

((Myself and my partner Meowth,)) I answered, and quickly glanced around to make sure no prying eyes would see me decloaking the curious feline, who had crept along behind Hypno to bat playfully at its pendulum. The psychic type smirked and dangled the makeshift toy, and Meowth mewled happily and lunged for it.

Maxwell watched all this with a surprised expression, glancing around to try and spy me along with the Meowth which seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. "You have a pokemon? I... guess I shouldn't be so surprised."

((Meowth and I grew up together,)) I confirmed, keeping pace as Maxwell pressed onward into the setting sun. ((I brought it here to join us in our adventure.))

"Ah, about that..." Maxwell flinched and ran one hand through his hair, tousling it into an intriguing fashion. "I figured it'd be better to have a few months of travel, two weeks from now, rather than two weeks of travel right now. Does... that still work for you? You can stay in my guest room in the meantime, if you'd like." I caught a brief flash of excitement from the scientist's psyche, though for what reason I couldn't be sure.

Taking the time to ponder over his words, I shrugged to myself. Surely more time spent on this ludicrous journey would better facilitate its completion. ((That is acceptable.)) As we reached Maxwell's home, he held the door open behind himself to admit Hypno, Meowth, and presumably me. I took a brief glance around and closed the blinds on the windows before decloaking myself, allowing Maxwell to meet my eyes for the first time. He seemed a bit taken aback by my appearance in his house, though he quickly regained control over himself and led the way through a brief tour of his humble abode.

"...And here's the guest room, right next to my room. Feel free to just come let me know if you need anything." He flashed me a shy smile and gestured to each room in kind, loitering in the doorway of his sparsely-decorated bedroom.

"There was one thing," I returned the smile and tipped my head slightly, "Could you teach me about 'money'?"