Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon.
-l-l-l-
Day 16
[Ash Ketchum…we meet again]
Able to move again, Ash crawled to his feet and looked up. Standing over 100 feet away was a vaguely humanoid figure with several feline features. The figure was tall – well over six feet – and completely covered in grey skin, barring a purple belly which led into a long, royal purple tail. Intelligent indigo eyes were set in a cat-like face devoid of a mouth, and the creature possessed hands and feet which only had three rounded nubs for digits. Two short extensions – almost like stunted horns – were the creature's ears, standing only a couple inches above its skull, and a tube-like piece of flesh connected the base of its skull to its spine. "Mewtwo!" Ash exclaimed.
[Ash, Misty, Brock] greeted Mewtwo, [Welcome to New Island]
The trio looked around. They were in a huge room with a domed ceiling hundreds of feet above their heads. Pillars bearing light were spaced every 50 feet, and several pools jutted out from the walls, their contents spilling out into a network of water streams. Mewtwo stood on a large circular slab of concrete in a pool positioned in the middle of the room. "How did we even get here?" Misty asked.
[That would be my doing] A small metal discus came shooting into the room, levitating 10 feet above the ground in front of Mewtwo. The device created a projection which extended to the floor, displaying Ash's battle in the abandoned Power Plant. Ash, Misty, and Brock watched as Kingler caught Zapdos' beak and slammed the Electric-type into the ground. The screen flickered to an aerial view of Charizard versus Articuno, where the lizard-like Pokémon threw the bird into a wall and then hit it with a burst of fire. The image changed again, depicting Snorlax's final crushing victory over Moltres. Finished, the device zipped away from where it came. [I have been keeping an eye on your battles. When I saw you had captured Moltres, I teleported you here] Mewtwo explained. [I am quite impressed with how you defeated Zapdos, Articuno, and Moltres]
Ash opened his mouth to say something, but a resounding thud shook the floor and caused the three humans and Pikachu to jump. They whirled around to see Snorlax, flat on his back and snoring peacefully. A large sweat-drop rolled down Ash's temple before he recalled the large Pokémon to his Pokéball.
"Wait a minute," said Brock, recovered from Snorlax's collapse. "To have planted those devices you must have actually gone to all those places." Mewtwo nodded. "Then you're the one who planted that electronic locking mechanism in the Power Plant," he concluded matter-of-factly.
Misty caught on quickly. "The thin ice in Seafoam Island! That was you too, wasn't it?" she accused.
"And Magby being trapped under the boulder," Brock rounded out.
Mewtwo remained silent for a long moment. [Yes] he admitted, [I will not deny that I played a role in each of those scenarios. I installed the locking mechanism in the Power Plant. I made the path through Seafoam Island more treacherous and challenging. And I used telekinesis to place that boulder on top of Moltres' messenger]
"…But why?"
Mewtwo's gaze shifted to Ash, whose voice had gone soft. [Tests] he said finally. [Tell me, what do you know of this challenge you've embarked on?]
Ash shrugged. "Not much…just that I've been allowed the opportunity to go around and face all the different Legendary Pokémon."
[While an accurate assessment, there are more agendas here than meet the eye. Let me enlighten you as to some of the more hidden depths of this challenge.
[It seems to be clear that you are the Chosen One, the human destined to bring peace and unification to this chaotic world in which we live. However, there are several skeptics among the Legendaries who don't necessarily believe that you deserve the title of Chosen One, or in fact are even that human]
"Are you one of them?" Ash interrupted.
Mewtwo shook his head. [No. From the information I have gathered and from my own experience and observations, I believe you have the capabilities that would be required in the Chosen One]
"Then what was the purpose of these so-called 'tests'?"
[Allow me to explain something of the hierarchy of the Legendaries. Within each region there are the renowned Legendary Pokémon, creatures of power and abilities who are viewed as deities of sorts by their citizens. As you well know, here within Kanto people worship the trio of Legendary Birds – the icy Articuno, the fiery Moltres, and the electrifying Zapdos – and Mew, container of the DNA of every other Pokémon. However, there is still a pecking order that exists]
Mewtwo seemed to pull himself up proudly, straightening his spine just a fraction. [I happen to be the elected leader of the Kanto region. Ho-oh is at the top of the Johto Legendaries, Rayquaza is in charge of Hoenn, and Cresselia oversees Sinnoh. At the very top is Arceus, who has proven himself capable of exerting the most control over all of the others. It was Arceus' idea to set forth this difficult challenge. After deliberation within our respective spheres of influence, Ho-oh and I voted in favor, Rayquaza against, and Cresselia remained neutral.
[As I have already told you, I believe that you are the true Chosen One. That said, I tested you for two purposes: to see how sharp your skills were and to see if you had changed from the teenager I met so long ago.
[I must warn you that Rayquaza's negative vote means that you are likely to undergo many challenges in the Hoenn region; the same may hold true with Cresselia's neutrality, though probably to a lesser extent. Back to your question though – I revitalized and reprogrammed the electronic lock leading to Zapdos to test your ability in dealing with unexpected obstacles; though I'll admit that befriending a Magnemite whose assistance you could use to bypass the system was…unplanned.
[There was very little I had to do within the Seafoam Islands. Articuno keeps its realm very perilous as it is. I had Articuno help me cover up some small pitfalls and create false trails to test your navigation and physical prowess]
"That was hardly a small pitfall we fell through!" Misty shot at him.
[Ah, well, unfortunate though that situation was, I'm afraid that it was also a complete accident. All of the traps that I had planned were set later on down the path]
Brock's eyebrow twitched violently at this revelation – he had stumbled upon all of those traps with Pikachu while they traveled down to the basement of Seafoam to meet Ash and Misty.
"What about Magby?" Ash asked, quite intrigued with the explanations.
[My own, personal test] Mewtwo conceded. He seemed to take a great, shuddering breath of air, the sound echoing in Ash, Misty, and Brock's minds. [A long time ago, when we met, you proved yourself to be a unique individual who cared about any Pokémon – cloned or not – that you met. I wanted to know if you still possessed that capacity, and so placed the boulder on top of that Magby to test your personality]
There was a long moment of silence as Ash digested all he had just been told. "Okay," he said at last, "let's say that I believe that your intentions were all good. Why did you bring us here? I had to find and travel to Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres on my own; why not you too?"
[Did you have any idea where I was?] Mewtwo asked, bemused.
"Well…no, but –"
[Then it only seems logical that I bring you to me. I have judged your worth, Ash Ketchum, and you are the only one with the capacity to ever claim to be my trainer. And it only seems fitting that our last fight takes place at the location of our first meeting]
"First meeting?" chorused the trio. "But we didn't meet you until Mt. Quena," continued Ash, confused.
[Yes, about that…] Mewtwo pointed one three-fingered hand at the trio, his eyes glowing a deep blue.
"What are you –" Ash began, but then broke off as images flashed before his eyes.
A great storm raged as three trainers – a boy on a Pidgeot, a girl on a Dewgong, and a second boy on a Gyarados – braved the torrential waters to reach their destination.
Black Pokéballs materialized from thin air, roaming the room they were in and capturing all the Pokémon present.
A cloned Pikachu followed Ash's Pikachu, continually slapping him and crying for the real one to fight back, to put up some sort of defense.
Memories hit Misty and Brock like a lightning strike: both could clearly recall a young Ash running in-between a clashing Mew and Mewtwo, taking two psychic blasts head-on and turning to stone. They remembered the emptiness of thinking their best friend had suddenly perished in the midst of a war he wasn't part of; the joy of seeing the petrified body turn into tanned flesh once more as tears of all the Pokémon revived the boy.
As all three – and Pikachu – watched memories from 15 years past, the wall behind Mewtwo split apart and opened outwards. It revealed another huge room with the typical battlefield design – a large rectangle with a Pokéball design in the center – embedded in the ground. [Let the conclusion of this first stage of your challenge begin!] Mewtwo boomed.
The trainers all moved forward to enter the second room, minds preoccupied with their returned memories. Mewtwo moved to the trainer's box on the opposite end of the field, prompting Ash to awareness. "Wait…I'm not fighting you?"
[Perhaps] he replied. [It depends on how you perform in my challenge]
Ash groaned. "I thought I just passed your challenge."
Mewtwo's mouth quirked upwards in what could be considered a smile. [That was to see if you were still the same person that I remembered you were; a personality test, you could say. This –] he spread his arms wide, [– is my battle challenge]
"Fine," huffed the Frontier Brain, "Whatcha got for me?"
[Fifteen years ago, I believed that Pokémon were foolish for allying themselves with humans. As a result, I cloned all the Pokémon that were available at the time, with the intention that they would defeat the originals. It was argued that in barring their special abilities, the originals would defeat the clones, but that obviously did not pan out]
The Genetic Pokémon smirked. [I'm curious to see how the rematch would go]
"…You want to fight clone versus original?" Ash checked.
[Yes] confirmed Mewtwo. [Three on three, no substitutions. I have already decided who we will use. Our battle will depend upon your performance during this challenge]
Ash nodded. "Fine," he agreed. Misty and Brock took up places just behind Ash as their friend reached to his belt. "I guess it's your move."
A hole opened in the floor, the mechanical whir of a rising platform sounding in the arena. When the platform settled even with the ground, a small blue Pokémon with darker blue spots and a large green bulb on its back sat in the middle of the battlefield. "Bulba!" cried the Pokémon.
Ash grinned slightly. Provided that the memories Mewtwo had returned were indeed true, the Psychic-type had only cloned Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charizard, all of whom had grown much stronger since they were copied 15 years ago. The trainer grabbed his own Bulbasaur's Pokéball and tossed it out onto the battlefield. The Seed Pokémon appeared with a cry and then sniffed the air. A confused expression crossed his features and he turned to face Ash. "Saur bulbasaur, bulba," he told his trainer.
"I know," Ash told the small dinosaur, "that's your clone." The Grass-type shot him a skeptical look but didn't say anything else.
[Brock, would you be willing to referee the match?] Mewtwo inquired.
"Sure," shrugged the breeder. The darker-skinned male stepped around Ash and walked the boundary of the arena to the midpoint. He glanced from Mewtwo to Ash and then back again. "Begin!"
"Bulbasaur, Vine Whip!" Ash commanded. Two thick green vines appeared from under the bulb on the creature's back and rocketed forward. The other Bulbasaur copied the move, sending out two vines which met in the center of the field and nullified the attack. "Razor Leaf," he called. This time, a mass of leaves appeared from under the bulb; the other Pokémon repeated the movement, and the leaves clattered to the floor, shredded.
Ash growled in frustration, and he could hear his Grass-type echoing his own feelings with a growl of his own. Testing a theory, Ash chose not to give Bulbasaur a command, waiting a full minute to see if his opponent would do anything. When Bulbasaur's clone didn't move, Ash's temper rose. "Hey!" he shouted at Mewtwo. "You can't just copy all of my Pokémon's moves!"
[I'm not doing anything] Mewtwo informed him. [The cloned Pokémon I'm using are not under my command. Rather, they fight with what they already know or observe. If Bulbasaur is copying your techniques, then he is doing it removed from my control. Enjoy]
This new information caused Ash to scowl. If all of the clones copied his strategies, then the battle would surely result in some form of a stalemate. That, however, seemed to defeat the purpose of the challenge…especially since Mewtwo must hold the belief that on some level Ash had the capacity to win.
Unfortunately, Ash would have to use his attacks with a decent amount of cunning, something that he wasn't sure he could do. Sure, he had learned over the years how to battle better with his Pokémon, but plotting moves two or three steps ahead of time was still something he was not known for excelling in, let alone desirous of doing. He gave out the Strategy Symbol to trainers who could successfully utilize the environment to their advantage, not to those who could plan ahead. And on the flat, boring battlefield upon which Ash was currently engaged, that advantage was all but null.
Bulbasaur, known more for his stubbornness and fighting spirit, was apparently tired of waiting. With a battle shout, he launched another Razor Leaf at his clone. This time, instead of countering with another Razor Leaf, two vines shot out and dispersed the leaves before continuing towards Ash's Pokémon. The Seed Pokémon cried out in surprise as the vines wrapped around his body and proceeded to slam him repetitively into the ground. "Bul-ba, bul-ba, bul-ba," he grunted with each new impact.
"Ash, do something!" Misty cried.
"I'm thinking!" he snapped back. "Use Leech Seed, Bulbasaur!"
Despite the beating, Ash's Pokémon concentrated long enough to shoot a glowing brown seed across the arena. It hit the clone on his trademark bulb, sprouting springy vines with leaves which wrapped around Mewtwo's Pokémon. Bulbasaur's clone cried out as the vines glowed crimson and began to suck energy from him. The surprise attack was enough to end the modified Vine Whip/Slam combo, leaving a bruised and angry Bulbasaur on the ground.
"Are you okay?" Ash asked him. The dinosaur shook himself off and responded in the affirmative, prompting Ash to think. The move the other Bulbasaur had just pulled off resonated within him, drudging up the memory of a strangely marked Venusaur doing the same thing – only it ended the battle by throwing a normal-looking Venusaur against the wall.
The only answer Ash could think of was to have Bulbasaur – and subsequently, his other Pokémon – fight essentially by himself. By allowing his Pokémon to fight their own battles, perhaps instinct mixed with Ash's prior influence would prompt them all to victory. He sighed before telling the grass starter, "You're pretty much on your own, buddy. Do your best."
"Bulba!"
By this time, Bulbasaur's clone had used Razor Leaf to dispatch the Leech Seed. Two pairs of red eyes stared each other down across the field. Bulbasaur pawed the ground before letting out a shout and charging. Bulbasaur's clone also charged, both Grass-types meeting in the middle and butting heads. There was a cry from both parties as they jumped apart, growled at each other, and then attacked again.
The exchange of attacks went on for awhile, Ash silently gritting his teeth the whole time. Leaves littered the floor from failed Razor Leaf attacks, and both Bulbasaur were wearing themselves out with constant Tackles and Double-Edges. Ash knew that if his Bulbasaur could pull of a Solarbeam, the fight would probably be over. Unfortunately, with no sunlight in the room, the time it would take to gather the energy for said attack would be too long without having the Grass-type's clone interrupting.
Gazing at Bulbasaur's trademark bulb, Ash had an idea. "Bulbasaur, try shooting a Sleep Powder as high as you can!" he called. The Seed Pokémon grunted in confusion but did as he was bade, sending a glittering blue cloud of the powder high into the air. "Now grab him with your vines!" The two thick green creepers lashed out and grabbed the cloned Pokémon. Wary, the other Bulbasaur wrapped his own vines around the original, putting the two at a stalemate.
Ash thought quickly. "Sweet Scent!" Bulbasaur tried angling his body, building up enough slack in the vines to aim his bulb closer to his opponent's head. An eruption of pink powder hit the cloned Grass-type in the face. The vines holding Ash's Bulbasaur loosened as a dreamy expression crossed the other Pokémon's face. "Now Bulbasaur, throw him through the Sleep Powder and as far away as you can!"
"SAAAAUUR!" yelled Bulbasaur, giving a mighty heave and doing as his trainer bade. Mewtwo's Bulbasaur flew through the sleeping agent and across the battlefield.
Bulbasaur breathed in and out as Ash gave the command to jump back (to avoid the falling Sleep Powder) and charge up a Solarbeam. White energy collected at the small opening in the bulb on the Pokémon's back. Ash watched in tense silence as the opposing Bulbasaur struggled to stand through the combination of Sweet Scent and Sleep Powder. His gaze drifted to his own exhausted Grass-type, Bulbasaur's breath coming in short pants. If Solarbeam doesn't work, Bulbasaur's not gonna have enough energy to continue battling. I hope this works.
The cloned Bulbasaur got to his feet, releasing a salvo of Razor Leaf at the original. Ash's Bulbasaur jumped into the air, unleashing the built up solar energy. He fell to the ground with a cry as his Solarbeam connected with his clone. Smoke engulfed the battlefield from the collision.
When the dust cleared, Ash's Bulbasaur could be seen with several cuts, having been clipped by multiple leaves from his clone's last attack. His opponent was struggling to rise to all fours. Ash's heart leapt into his throat as vines emerged from underneath the bulb and moved towards Bulbasaur. Partway there, the creepers stopped moving and the Grass-type collapsed, the culmination of attacks proving too much for him.
"Bulbasaur is unable to battle! Ash and his Bulbasaur win!" announced Brock.
[You need not be so obnoxiously announcer-like] Mewtwo jabbed with a tiny smile. [This hardly constitutes an official Pokémon League battle, let alone a Battle Frontier challenge]
"Sorry," Brock apologized, "force of habit I suppose." The Genetic Pokémon nodded, his eyes glowing blue in conjunction with the cloned Bulbasaur's body before the small dinosaur disappeared from the field.
His opponent gone, Bulbasaur slumped to his belly and moaned; Ash smiled lightly. "That was great buddy, you deserve a long rest." Bulbasaur disappeared into his Pokéball with a half-hearted grumble of appreciation. "So who's next?" he demanded, fingers twitching next to Charizard's Pokéball.
The mechanical sound of a moving platform sounded again, Ash mentally debating between Charizard and Pikachu. His jaw dropped slightly when the Pokémon that appeared was a white- and tan-colored bird with red tail feathers and a large red and yellow crest atop its head. It stood proud and majestic atop its talons, preening a wing without a care in the world.
Ash pointed at Mewtwo in a mixture of surprise and anger. "You never cloned my Pidgeot!" he accused. "In fact, my Pidgeotto didn't even evolve until after I met you!"
[True] agreed the cloned Pokémon, [however, one of the other trainers rode a Pidgeot to the island when we first met. And I'm aware that you have a Pidgeot on you. While I'm sure watching two Charizard battle it out – again – would be highly interesting, I have little doubt that yours would win. On the other hand, I'm curious to see how you face this new, unexpected challenge]
"Fine," Ash growled. "Pidgeot, go!"
The Bird Pokémon appeared in a flash of light. "Pidjoh!" she crowed. Pidgeot glared fiercely at the cloned Pokémon, her sharp eyes entering a staring contest with the other bird. On the ground, Ash could see that his Flying-type – topping out at a surprisingly tall 5'9" – outclassed the cloned version by almost half a foot. Ash wasn't sure if the size difference would come in handy, especially considering he hadn't had a chance to battle with Pidgeot yet, but he supposed he'd take whatever theoretical advantage he could get.
Brock's head swiveled from one Pokémon to the other. "Round two, begin!" At that, both aviary Pokémon spread their wings and took flight.
Ash decided that perhaps directing Pidgeot would be better than letting the bird fight for herself. Bulbasaur had been under his guidance long enough that he had learned to fight strategically; Pidgeot had not, and he was afraid that instincts might only get her so far in this battle. "Alright Pidgeot, start off with Tackle."
The Bird Pokémon flapped twice and sped towards the clone with a screech. The cloned Pidgeot's wings spread wide and then glowed white, a storm of white feathers cascading from the appendages and striking Ash's Pokémon. Under the assault of the Featherdance, Pidgeot was forced to veer off-course to avoid taking more of the attack.
Ash hesitated momentarily as Pidgeot righted herself. "Try again," he told his Pokémon. Pidgeot moved in for a second Tackle, the cloned Pidgeot preparing another Featherdance. As the feathers neared his Pokémon, Ash called, "Blow 'em away with a Whirlwind!"
Pidgeot flared and beat her powerful wings, sending a strong gust of wind at her opponent's attack. The Featherdance was disrupted, prompting Ash to shout, "Use Tailwind, then hit it with a Wing Attack!"
The Bird Pokémon crowed in reply, her tail feathers glowing white. With a burst of speed from Tailwind, Pidgeot rocketed forward and struck the other Pidgeot with a wing before the clone could react. Pidgeot soared away, but the clone recovered, flapping its wings and sending a Gust at the larger Pokémon. Ash tried calling for his Pokémon to dodge, but the wide range of the Flying-type attack prevented Pidgeot from fully evading the strike.
Ash grimaced as Pidgeot regained equilibrium in midair and hovered there, awaiting further instruction. Okay, so it looks like Pidgeot could land a hit so long as we rely on speed. The bad news is that using Tailwind again might not be a viable option, now that the other Pidgeot knows about it. Add that to the fact that Featherdance lowered Pidgeot's attack – her second best asset after her speed – and the Wing Attack probably didn't do as much as I would've liked. Time for a new strategy. "Alright Pidgeot, let's try an Air Slash!"
As Pidgeot formed a blue sphere of condensed wind, the Pidgeot clone shot towards her, faster than Ash expected. The Frontier Brain did some rough analysis of the impending impact, and realized that Pidgeot didn't have time. "Attack now!" he cried desperately. Pidgeot loosed the partially-formed Air Slash, sending an attack slightly larger than Ash's head at his foe.
Mewtwo's Pidgeot performed a barrel-roll, avoiding the weak attack and homing in on its opponent. It struck the larger bird's chest in a clash of feathers, and Ash could hear his Pidgeot screech in pain. Neither bird broke away, instead engaging in a fierce tussle of talons, beaks, and feathers in midair. Ash tried telling Pidgeot to stop, calling to her several times, but the Bird Pokémon refused to listen.
A gentle hand rested on his shoulder. "Pidgeot's too incensed to listen to you right now, Ash," Misty said quietly. "I think it's more a battle of pride now. Let Pidgeot fight the battle on her own."
Ash's eyes strayed from the aerial battle to Misty's hand, the smooth, creamy appendage resting comfortably upon his nearly-bare shoulder. "Okay," he agreed softly, raising his head and meeting her soft cerulean orbs with his own. She smiled at him, and a strange bubbling sensation rolled in his belly. The moment to ponder the sensation was lost when he noticed Misty shiver; chocolate eyes raked over the arm nearest him and saw gooseflesh. "You're cold," he noted.
Misty seemed to take notice of this as well, quickly withdrawing her hand and hugging herself. "Yeah, a little. As good as a swimsuit is for comfort in the blazing hot paths of Mt. Ember, it's not really designed for air-conditioned, spacious hideouts," she mentioned wryly.
Ash knelt down next to his bag, rooting around inside and standing up with his lab coat. "Here," he said, placing the article of clothing around Misty's shoulders. The red-head grabbed the edges of the coat and held it snuggly so it covered her body. She immediately felt warmer, whether from the extra clothes or the heat rising to her face from Ash's gesture she wasn't sure.
"Thanks," she whispered, looking up slightly to see his face. The raven-haired trainer found he could only nod mutely. They might have stayed in that position for awhile if Misty hadn't caught sight of the aerial battle out of her periphery. "Oh no, Pidgeot!" she gasped.
The bird's trainer snapped to attention; Pidgeot was currently plummeting to the ground in free fall while her opponent remained airborne, if worse for wear. "What happened?" Ash asked aloud.
[Ah, so you're no longer blinded by your mate] commented Mewtwo loftily. Ash and Misty both flushed slightly at the insinuation, but Mewtwo continued talking before either could retort. [Your Pidgeot broke off and started firing Air Slashes at mine. In return, my Pidgeot dodged them by using Agility and then tackled yours while she was forming another attack. And then you returned to the battle]
"Wake up Pidgeot!" Ash pleaded. The Bird Pokémon's eyes snapped open and she spread her wings, catching herself and alighting clumsily on the ground. Ash heaved a sigh of relief. That could've been worse. Pidgeot adjusted herself, settling into a sitting position before her body glowed green. Ash grinned. I forgot about Roost! "Alright Pidgeot, keep it goin'!"
Unfortunately, the cloned Pidgeot wasn't going to give Ash's Pokémon the opportunity to heal. The smaller bird flapped its wings several times, creating a might tornado which it directed at the healing Pidgeot. The Twister caught Pidgeot in the middle of roosting and swept her up with a screech of indignation and pain.
Trapped in the vortex, Pidgeot could do nothing as her foe prepared a large Air Slash and threw the blue sphere straight at her. It drove through the Dragon-type attack and struck Pidgeot squarely, causing the bird to shriek, "Pidjoh-joh-joh-joh-joh!" as her body was battered by the Flying-type attack. Ash watched with sad eyes as the winds died down, allowing Pidgeot to succumb to gravity and hit the ground with a thud.
Brock raised his left hand. "Pidgeot is unable to battle, so Mewtwo and his Pidgeot win."
At this announcement, Mewtwo teleported the Pidgeot clone from the field as Ash returned his Flying-type to his Pokéball. "You gave it your all. Thanks Pidgeot."
[It appears that we are tied] Mewtwo stated needlessly. [This battle shall determine whether or not you pass my challenge. Are you ready?]
Ash gulped; he wasn't sure what would happen if he failed Mewtwo's challenge, but he was sure he didn't want to find out. He had insurance which might counteract any of the cloned Pokémon's plans, but without knowing what those were it was hard to gauge how far said insurance would go.
Mewtwo seemed to take the trainer's silence as a yes. [It is time] Mewtwo called. A third motorized platform rose to reveal the very sight Ash dreaded seeing: a Pikachu.
It wasn't necessarily that Pikachu couldn't defeat his clone – Ash had great confidence in his best friend as far as that went – but if the memories Mewtwo had returned were anything to go by, Pikachu was very unwilling to attack his clone.
Surprisingly enough, Pikachu jumped into the arena. "Pika, chu pikachu pi-chu pi?"
"Pi-ka, chu-pi-pi, kachu," responded the clone, letting off some sparks from his cheeks.
Pikachu turned around and shot Ash a thumbs-up. "Chu, pikapika!"
Misty nudged Ash lightly. "What'd he say?"
"Pikachu says that the other Pikachu is doing this because he wants to, not because he's being forced to like last time. So Pikachu's okay with battling him," Ash replied, somewhat awed. He quickly shook it off and pumped his fist high into the air. "Alright Pikachu, let's show Mewtwo just how much we've improved since we met!"
"Pi-ka!"
"Begin!" sounded Brock's voice.
Ash wasn't even able to get a word out before the other Pikachu released a Thunderbolt. Pikachu jumped to the side to avoid the bolt, stood on his hind legs to avoid the second, and then twirled and bent awkwardly to dodge the third. The Mouse Pokémon gasped in surprise with each missed attack, and Ash was torn between smiling and frowning.
Like Bulbasaur, Pikachu possessed the capacity – and it could be argued an even greater capacity – to battle without Ash's direction. All things considered, it was a fortunate ability to have, especially considering the maneuverability Pikachu was being forced to pull off in lieu of his clone's continuous attacks.
Ash watched as Pikachu got stuck in a position where he couldn't dodge. "Turn it into a Thunder," Ash advised. Pikachu absorbed his opponent's attack into his tail, flinching as he did. Electricity danced along his body and built up in the red sacs in his cheeks. "Chuuuuu!" he cried, unleashing the powerful attack from his body. Mewtwo's Pikachu dodged the majority of the electric attack, but several of the outlying bolts struck him. Both of the Electric-types were forced to pause as they recovered from the other's assault.
In retrospect, Ash had had better ideas. Electric attacks wouldn't be as effective against either Pokémon, but there would still be some residual damage. Unfortunately, with such a small time frame to consider his move, Ash hadn't had any better thought than to have Pikachu take the attack head-on and convert it to his own attack to reduce its effectiveness.
Pikachu's clone zipped forward in a blindingly fast Quick Attack. The original split apart into a ring of copies with a chorus of "Chu," sounding from each one. A smirk crossed Ash's features – it had taken a long time to help Pikachu develop his Double Team starting with Agility as a basis, but it was definitely paying off. The cloned Pokémon charged through the first Pikachu, revealing it to be an illusion.
The next two passes also proved to be illusions, but the clone shot off electricity from his cheeks which destroyed the two fakes beside each target as well. Upon taking down the fifth, sixth, and seventh copies, Mewtwo's Pikachu turned around and darted for the next target. His original was forced to dodge sideways to avoid being shocked from the mild pulse of electricity emanating from his cheeks.
The purpose of Double Team nullified, all of the illusions faded away as Ash's Pikachu became the target of another Quick Attack. "Counter Shield!" Ash shouted. Pikachu spun, simultaneously releasing a cage of Thunderbolt which defended him from the assault.
To Ash's surprise, the Pikachu clone drove through the defense, absorbing some of the whip-like attack-turned-defense. Electricity crackled along his body, sparking around his tail as he turned and slammed the appendage into his opponent. Pikachu's own electric attack was channeled through his body, and he abruptly cut off the Counter Shield to bounce away from his clone.
Both Pikachu were panting hard. Some Electric Pokémon – Jolteon and Electivire, for instance – were capable of easily converting outside currents into their own energy. For others, using electricity from their own body was one thing, but it was much more difficult to convert an opponent's charge to be used against him. Apparently the continuous exchange of electric attacks and conversions was taking its toll on both Pokémon.
"Quick Attack!" Ash shouted. Pikachu blazed towards his opponent, leaving a white afterglow in his wake. The other Electric-type copied the move, and the two rodents banged heads in the center before breaking apart with a cry. "Try using Iron Tail!"
"Chuuu-Pika!" cried the Pokémon, racing forward and slamming his temporarily white tail into his clone. The second Pikachu squeaked in pain, but grabbed on to the tail to send jolts of electricity into the original.
The two broke apart again, both appearing close to their last legs. Sparks leapt from their cheeks in a show of intimidation before the clone ran forward. Ash's Pikachu began the charge as well, but he coated himself in the golden electricity signifying Volt Tackle. The two met in the middle, Volt Tackle versus Double-Edge, and there was a fierce clash as each Pikachu fought for dominance.
As the two powerful attacks collided, Ash knew the battle would be over. Recoil damage alone from either attack would do enough damage to deplete what little stamina either of the Mouse Pokémon had; combined with the injuries they'd sustain from their opponent's attack, Ash wasn't sure what the outcome would be.
The ensuing backlash of the attacks sent the two rodents flying in opposite directions. Both Electric-types ended up laying face-down on the ground, battered and bruised. "Come on, Pikachu!" pleaded Ash. "Get up, please get up!"
Slowly, with Ash's support, Pikachu managed to climb wearily to his feet, gritting his teeth in sheer exhaustion. Brock looked between the barely standing Pikachu and the still-unconscious form of his clone before raising his hand and declaring Ash the winner. The Frontier Brain immediately ran out onto the field and gathered his most faithful Pokémon into his arms just as the creature collapsed. "You did an amazing job Pikachu," he murmured to the mouse, "I owe you so much. Take a long rest."
He reached his trainer's box and exchanged a look with Misty; it was such a pitiful gaze that the red-head's heart went out to her friend. She nodded in answer to his unspoken question. Ash deposited Pikachu into Misty's arms, petting the Electric-type one last time before his eyes turned steely. "Alright Mewtwo," Ash began, turning around to face the Genetic Pokémon, "I participated in your little challenge and won two of the three battles. Now it's you versus me."
[…No]
"What do you mean 'no'?"
[I was unaware of more than one definition of the word. However, since you need clarification, it is not you versus me]
"But…but I faced your challenge head-on!" Ash protested. "I passed the physical challenge in Seafoam, the personality test on Knot Island, and I beat your clones fair and square! What else is there?"
[I am not disputing any of these facts] Mewtwo acknowledged, [However, you and I are not destined to do battle]
Ash looked like a man on the brink of an aneurysm, so Misty stepped in. Cradling Pikachu in her arms while holding Ash's lab coat close to her body, she laid a hand on Ash's shoulder and suggested diplomatically, "Why don't you let Mewtwo explain."
[Thank you. As you have so astutely pointed out, you have passed all of the challenges I have presented you with…which is precisely why I am not going to be your opponent]
"…Huh?"
[There is your opponent] Mewtwo stated, pointing at a figure floating high above them. The creature was pink, with small arms and disproportionately large feet. It possessed a long rope-thin tail – over twice as long as its body – which ended in a somewhat oblong shape. Feline features pointed to some sort of relationship to Mewtwo, though the playful nature it exhibited by chasing its own tail was a stark contrast to the Genetic Pokémon's rather stoic demeanor.
"Huh," Ash uttered again, more in surprise than confusion.
"That's Mew…" Misty managed, stunned.
Mewtwo seemed to sigh. [You humans seem to have a knack for pointing out the obvious. However, Misty is undeniably correct. You see, Ash, the purpose of the battles was to determine whom you would fight. Since you won the match – thereby proving that your originals were stronger than the clones – you shall have the pleasure of fighting my original. I would hate to deprive you of a challenge.
[And if you defeat and capture Mew, I will come along as well]
"That's…an interesting proposition," Ash commented slowly.
[Yes, I believe so too. You'll need this] he added, materializing a black Pokéball with two grey ridges and an eye design – yellow sclera, red pupil – on the front outlined in grey. The ball levitated across the field and landed in Ash's palm.
The Frontier Brain stared at the ball for a moment before looking at Mewtwo. "You used these to capture and clone all our Pokémon the first time. Isn't this equivalent to a Master Ball?"
[Normally, yes. However, I have specially designed this ball so that it will only capture Mew when it has been sufficiently weakened. Oh] added Mew's clone, [I forgot to mention that you can use six Pokémon, but three of them would have to be the ones you've already used. Now Mew, it's your turn]. While there was no difference in Mewtwo's speech to any of the others present, Mew apparently heard this last part, for it turned its head towards its clone.
"Mew?" squeaked the pink Pokémon. It moved from the ceiling to the field, hovering just above the ground. The New Species Pokémon twisted its head in curiosity, flipping over its tail and examining its surroundings. Brock watched it maneuver in the air before glancing at Ash, giving him a look that plainly said to choose a Pokémon.
Ash caught Brock's look and scowled, though it wasn't directed at his friend. Mewtwo's latest restriction meant that Ash's choice of Pokémon was greatly restricted. With Pidgeot knocked out, both Bulbasaur and Pikachu practically unconscious with exhaustion, and no break after fighting Moltres to heal Kingler and Wartortle – let alone the snoozing Snorlax – Ash was royally screwed.
Mew settled on the ground, supporting itself with its large feet. Ash bit his lip before grabbing a Pokéball and chucking it into the arena. Tauros appeared in a flash of light, legs spread wide and mooing. Brock barely finished announcing the beginning of the match before Ash ordered an Earthquake.
Tauros reared back and slammed his hooves against the floor, powerful vibrations radiating from the point of impact. Mew let out a curious sound before levitating above the Ground-type attack.
Ash could only sweat-drop. Right…Mew can fly. Not so much with the thinking on that one. "Try a Zen Headbutt." The three silver studs embedded in Tauros' head glowed blue. The Wild Bull Pokémon lowed loudly before dropping his head and stampeding toward Mew. The Psychic-type floated a little higher, performing a back flip and avoiding the incoming bovine. "Use your tails!" Ash called as his Pokémon ran right under the Legendary.
Tauros' three tails whipped up with a suddenness that apparently caught Mew unaware. One tail managed to grab Mew's own long tail, while the other two wrapped around the New Species Pokémon's body. Mew let out a gasp of surprise as Ash grinned. "Bring Mew to the earth!" Ash cheered.
His Pokémon made a loud noise of agreement at this, bringing the Legendary into a hard meeting with the ground with a deft flick of his tails. Just before impact, Mew created a shield of psychic energy which minimized damage from the modified slam. With a chirp, Mew used its psychic powers to wriggle free of Tauros' hold. The small Pokémon put some distance between it and Tauros, tilting its head in curiosity as the bull turned around to face it. "Mew?"
Silence reigned for several moments as the Psychic Legendary observed Tauros. Finally, Mew lowered itself to the ground. It stood there for a second longer, appearing to ponder its options before it glowed a myriad of colors.
Ash brought a palm up and slapped his forehead in frustration, allowing the appendage to slide down and cover his face in its entirety. "Shit," he muttered.
[This should be interesting] commented Mewtwo, sounding mildly amused.
Standing in Mew's place was a Tauros, its three tails whipping ferociously. Ash's Tauros looked momentarily surprised at this transformation, but recovered quickly, snorting in challenge and pawing the ground with his front hoof. Mew repeated the action, prompting Tauros to moo loudly and lower his head slightly.
"Shit shit shit," Ash repeated. "Now Tauros, just calm down. Relax buddy, don't do anything –"
Tauros and Mew charged, the echoing of their hooves against the floor unnaturally loud.
"—rash," Ash finished uselessly. "Shit."
"It's kind of ironic to hear you tell someone not to do something rash," Misty informed him.
The Frontier Brain glanced at her, grinning crookedly. "That's true. Still, this would've been a good situation to take the advice."
"Oh, right," retorted Misty, "as opposed to all of your smart rash decisions. Interfering in Mew and Mewtwo's battle, riding a Lugia into the middle of Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres' fight, taking on an Entei –"
"Fake Entei," Ash corrected hotly, "and I see your point: I've made some stupid decisions. Still," he digressed, turning back to the battle, where Tauros and Mew had locked horns in combat, "now that Mew's transformed, Tauros isn't going to listen to me."
"A Tauros as bull-headed as his trainer. What're the odds?"
"…Oh, you're hilarious."
[The irony] Mewtwo interrupted, [is that Mew is merely playing around]
"…You're joking."
[No] Mewtwo smiled. [It makes this clash rather funny to an outsider's perspective]
"Well isn't that just peachy. I'm so glad that you're being entertained."
"I think it's funny too!" called Brock.
"Not helping!" Ash returned.
[Your banter is also rather amusing to listen to]
"Shut up, you," Ash added, his tone lacking venom. He attempted reaching his Pokémon once again. "Tauros, back off!" The Wild Bull Pokémon didn't listen, unlocking horns for a second before ramming them together again with a moo.
The clash of wills – and horns – lasted another 10 minutes before Mewtwo spoke up. [Mew, this is a pointless battle. Finish this up so we can move on]
Mew-cum-Tauros looked up briefly, taking Ash's Tauros' Horn Attack to the chest. It lowed painfully before backing a fair distance away, transforming again into its standard pink, feline form. "Mew," it agreed. The New Species Pokémon encased itself in a glowing pink sphere. Tauros tried charging Mew, but the Psychic-type released the gathered energy before the bovine got close enough to actually hit.
Tauros was thrown against the nearest wall with a bellow of pain. He managed to clamber awkwardly to his hooves, but once upright began to headbutt the wall. Ash grimaced; apparently Mew's psychic attack had left Tauros confused. The Wild Bull Pokémon always seemed extremely susceptible to confusion, and if caught, it normally signaled the end of his match. With a heavy sigh, Ash held up Tauros' Pokéball and recalled the Pokémon. "Good try, Tauros."
Ash didn't even hear Brock call the battle. Mew was busy doing cartwheels in midair, seeming more interested in playing around than actually battling. The raven-haired trainer hesitated; Charizard was still fresh, not to mention strong enough to combat a Legendary Pokémon. The problem was that Charizard had an extremely competitive spirit, and combining that with Mew's dexterity and flexibility, Ash wasn't sure he was an optimal choice for battling this Legendary.
Option two then.
"Muuuuuk," cried the Poison-type, appearing from its Pokéball and moving to smother Ash.
"Hey Muk, I'm glad to see you too. I need you for this battle though, so maybe we can do meet-and-greet later, yeah?"
The Sludge Pokémon paused in its hug, choosing to slither off its trainer and take its place on the field. Mew stared at it, squeaking in mild confusion. "Sludge Bomb!" Ash ordered quickly once Brock started the fifth round. Muk opened its large maw and shot multiple dark globs of sludge at Mew. The New Species Pokémon dodged, but Ash told his Pokémon to keep up the assault. Muk complied, barraging Mew with a continuous barrage of brown-black sludge at its opponent.
Mew, in an impressive display of aerial agility, appeared to dance around and in-between the sludge pellets. "Okay Muk, stop for a second." The Poison-type obeyed, and Mew shot it with that same curious look it had used on Tauros. Floating lower to the ground, Mew's body underwent the technicolor glow that symbolized its Transform. Ash grinned. "Now Muk, use Disable!"
Muk's body became outlined in a blue aura, and pulsating rings of psychic energy emitted from its sludgy mass. Mew became frozen a foot above the ground, just about ready to undergo its transformation. Capitalizing on the Psychic-type's immobility, Ash shouted, "Gunk Shot!"
With a belch, a veritable mass of purple sewage emerged from Muk's mouth and washed over Mew. A squeak could be heard from the pink Pokémon as it was engulfed by the poisonous deluge of gunk. After several seconds, Muk stopped the assault.
Ash watched as Mew emerged from Muk's attack, a blazing pink aura surrounding it and a serious expression on its face. This new side of Mew scared Ash slightly; the Psychic-type had displayed only playful innocence so far, and seeing such a fierce expression on such a small and gentle Pokémon was rather startling. "I'm screwed, aren't I?" he murmured to Misty.
"It's possible."
Mew's eyes glowed pink, and with a cry of its name, it sent out a wave of psychic energy. Ash hastily shouted, "Minimize to dodge!" A silvery sheen overtook Muk's mass, and the Poison-type's body constricted upon itself, making it a much smaller target. Unfortunately for Ash, the nature of Mew's attack meant that, provided its target was still visible, it would still hit.
Muk gained a pink aura as Mew's attack swept over it before it was lifted into the air and then bodily hurled 50 feet. The purple Pokémon folded over itself as it landed, bouncing back with a groan of its name. Ash let out a relieved breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.
Ash had started using Muk because of the Poison-type's amazing resilience to physical attacks and certain special attacks. Despite Poison's weakness to Psychic-types, several of the latter's moves – notably Confusion and Psychic – involved manipulation of the body or other physical objects that Muk didn't have too much of a problem dealing with. It was perhaps one of the primary reasons Ash felt somewhat confident in using the Sludge Pokémon in this battle – that and the fact that Muk was one of his few Pokémon currently capable of battle.
Mew floated higher into the air, putting several stories of height between it and Muk. Then it began to move its paws back and forth, swaying its body in the opposite direction of its paws. Ash stared at the Legendary Pokémon, momentarily mesmerized by the movement before he realized what it meant. "Muk, stop that Metronome! Use Mud Bomb!"
Several brown pellets shot from Muk's mouth at Mew, but the pink Pokémon maneuvered its tail under its body and conjured a nearly invisible barrier which reflected the Ground-type attack. "Hit it harder!" Ash growled through gritted teeth. Metronome was a complete game of chance, and while Ash normally counted himself a lucky battler, he would prefer to not leave it up to luck. Unfortunately, Mew's power negated the one drawback of using Metronome – the startup time. With that lull gone, Ash's only choice was to drive through the barrier with sheer force.
Muk opened its mouth to follow through with the command, but Mew's middle fingers glowed white. The Psychic-type's mouth opened slightly and a jagged, frigid beam struck Muk squarely. It gave a drawn-out, shuddering groan as ice encased its entire being.
Ash stood on the sidelines, slack-jawed. Of all the – are you kidding? Ice Beam? And it froze Muk on the first shot?
As Ash continued to work through the logistics of the last attack, Mew swooped down next to the frozen form of Muk. It slapped the block of ice playfully with its tail before giggling quietly. Ash recalled his Poison-type, causing Mew to look at the previously occupied spot and question its emptiness with a curious chirp.
The sound of grinding teeth made its way to Misty's ears. She could tell that Ash was rather frustrated; while Muk wasn't necessarily the best battler on his team, she had thought (like him) that the Sludge Pokémon would put up a relatively decent fight. Being frozen by a random Ice Beam from Metronome didn't seem to calculate into Ash's plans in the slightest. Well, I guess it's Mew versus Charizard now. The Fire- and Flying-type was the only Pokémon left in Ash's party who could still fight.
"It's all up to you!" shouted Ash, throwing out his last Pokémon.
Brock stared at the materialized form in surprise. Whoa.
I stand corrected, Mewtwo mused to himself, this shall be an interesting battle.
Misty blinked. That's…not Charizard.
Indeed, the Pokémon that had appeared was not Charizard, but stood about five feet tall and possessed a staunch, rounded body with short arms and stubby legs. From the tip of its two spiked ears to its stubby tail its entire body was colored a deep purplish-black. Spikes protruded down its back from the rear of its head, and two semi-circular red eyes were set above a sinisterly grinning mouth. "Gengar," it rasped, its deep yet empty voice resounding throughout the room.
"When did –"
"Sabrina," Ash offered to Misty. "Apparently Haunter got into the fighting spirit and eventually evolved. When I came to see if Haunter wanted to come with me, Sabrina handed me this Pokéball. And now," he stated, turning his attention to Mew, "we can truly begin."
"Final round," announced Brock, "Gengar versus Mew. Begin!"
"Shadow Ball," Ash called instantly. Gengar brought its arms in front of its body and created a black and purple sphere of ghostly energy. The Shadow Pokémon launched the Shadow Ball at Mew, but the Psychic-type effortlessly dodged the attack. The Legendary paused to observe Gengar before it tried using Transform again.
Well that won't do, thought Ash. "Gengar, Shadow Punch!"
The Ghost-type's fist sparked with miniature purple lightning before it rushed forward and released a shadowy black fist in the direction of Mew. When the attack struck home, Ash's suspicions about Mew's transformation abilities were confirmed – it couldn't manipulate its psychic powers in the middle of using Transform, unlike when it had used Barrier while preparing Metronome.
Ash figured it didn't matter much anymore anyway, seeing as how Mew (slowly recovering from the super effective attack) probably wouldn't try to transform into Gengar again. Mew reformed the pink bubble of psychic energy that it used against Muk, this time diving straight towards Gengar. "Dodge it, Gengar," Ash commanded smoothly, and the Shadow Pokémon jumped up and to the side just before Mew struck the ground.
The New Species Pokémon extended its bubble, turning the cocoon of protective energy into a powerful Psychic attack. The wave of pink hit the levitating Gengar from behind, causing the ghost to grimace and close its eyes in pain; despite having the advantage over Psychic-type Pokémon, Gengar's Ghost/Poison duality left it partially vulnerable to the same attacks it was strong against. Ash knew he would have to play the remainder of the battle carefully.
"Gengar, you have to hold on!" he shouted. Gengar's crimson eyes shot open, and it quickly turned intangible, phasing through the floor. Mew cancelled its attack, the inability to locate its opponent prompting its ceasefire.
One minute passed, then two, and Gengar didn't reappear. Ash gazed all around the battlefield, as if his vision could pierce through Gengar's invisibility. The Frontier Brain was uncomfortably reminded of Haunter's disappearance when he had tried to fight Sabrina for the second time. Suddenly, Ash caught an awkward movement in Mew's shadow, and comprehension dawned upon him.
As a species, Gengar were renowned as pranksters – something that Ash remembered Haunter had been very apt at – and often hid within the shadows of other creatures to terrorize them. The trick was offset slightly by a Gengar's inability to regulate its own body temperature, which meant that if a Gengar was nearby, the ambient temperature would be several degrees lower than the actual clime. Fortunately, Mew had resumed its levitation high enough above the ground that it couldn't detect the temperature difference Gengar put off.
Gengar's trick put Ash at an advantage. Another minute went by, and Mew lost interest in its hidden opponent, choosing instead to chase its tail. Ash took the opportunity to strike.
"Dark Pulse!"
Two arms appeared from Mew's shadow, a ball of dark energy held between Gengar's hands. The Shadow Pokémon fired, a beam of black rings outlined in a purple aura striking Mew from below. Mew tried to defend itself from the Dark-type attack by forming a barrier, but Ash preempted the defensive maneuver by shouting, "Now use Night Shade!"
Gengar's face came into view, crimson eyes glowing an incandescent red. Two jagged pitch black beams with a red aura shot from the ghost's orbs, merging with the Dark Pulse and fueling the effectiveness of Ash's subterfuge.
The Ghost-type Pokémon finally ran out of energy for its attacks, halting the streams of darkness hitting its opponent. Mew, weakened by the combined attacks, began to descend to the ground. When the Legendary Pokémon floated five feet above terra firma, Ash heaved the ball that Mewtwo had given him.
To his immense shock, Mew found the energy to sweep its tail around and deflect the modified Pokéball. Ash raised his hand and caught the object, a slight scowl on his features. The Psychic-type was clearly running out of energy, but apparently the double onslaught of Dark Pulse and Night Shade was not enough to take it out of the match.
Apparently though, Mew was not giving in so easily. Its body glowed white and it began to form the large, silvery orbs that Ash recognized as Ancientpower, firing and then creating them in rapid succession at Gengar. Without a word, Gengar quickly turned intangible and zoomed in a zigzag pattern around the field, belly just above the floor.
The Shadow Pokémon neared Mew and shot up, attempting to get close and finish the battle. Mew allowed the energy from its Ancientpower to dissipate and quickly expelled a psychic burst which pushed the dual-type Pokémon back. As Gengar recovered from the attack, Ash thought about a new strategy.
Mew was suddenly acting very aggressive, meaning that it was likely to continue relentlessly attacking Gengar. Ash supposed he could wear the Legendary Pokémon out, but it was more likely that Mew would defeat Gengar than pass out from exhaustion…which meant that he would have to find some way to attack Mew while under attack.
And suddenly, he had it.
"Gengar, get close to Mew again!"
The ghost zipped over the arena, dodging Ancientpowers as they were hurled at it. Gengar then rocketed upward at Mew, repeating its earlier maneuver. Just like before, Mew cancelled its attack and focused its psychic aura on repelling the Shadow Pokémon. "Sucker Punch!" Ash yelled.
Gengar's malevolent grin grew wider as it disappeared from view. Mew let out a startled squeak at this move and slowly began to turn around.
Too late.
The Ghost/Poison-type phased into existence behind Mew, a purple glow surrounding its hand. It swung forward, connecting the Sucker Punch to Mew's back and sending the Psychic-type crashing towards the earth. Using its psychic abilities, Mew created a pink bubble to bounce off of, but Gengar used Night Shade and Shadow Ball simultaneously to pop the bubble and propel its opponent into the ground.
When Ash threw the Pokéball this time, it easily captured Mew before floating over to the trainer and minimizing to the size of a ping-pong ball. Both Ash and Misty stared in disbelief at the sphere, as Brock belatedly refereed, "Uh…Mew is captured, so Ash and Gengar win the match!" The breeder walked over to his two friends and clapped the other male on the back with a hearty, "Congratulations, Ash."
Gengar too swooped forward with a cackle, gloating, "Gengar geng."
Ash laughed along with the ghost. "You did a great job, Gengar. I definitely couldn't have done this one without you. Take five." With that, Gengar disappeared in its Pokéball. The Frontier Brain turned to face Mewtwo, his two friends beside him. "So now what?"
Mew's clone walked towards the trio, leaving about ten feet of space between them. Another of the black Pokéballs materialized in Mewtwo's palm. He handed the object over to Ash. There was a moment of silence before Mewtwo said, [You should probably answer that]
Confusion overtook the all three humans' features and the raven-haired male opened his mouth to say something before the ring of his phone interrupted his question. He brought out the device and opened it, revealing a woman with a sharp face and magenta hair. "Heya twerp," greeted Jessie.
"Hi Jessie," Ash started slowly, a little confused, "didn't Brock say not to call unless there's an emergency?"
"Oh yeah, well, you've got a challenger here," she explained. "We told him we didn't know when you'd be back, but he's waiting here and we said we'd try to find out."
With the screen focusing only on Ash, Mewtwo choose to interject and advise the trio, [Tell her you will be back shortly], without interfering in the conversation.
Ash blinked. "Uh, we'll be back soon."
Jessie quirked one hair-thin eyebrow, but accepted the answer. "Okay then, see you soon." The phone screen went black.
"Explain," Ash demanded, refocusing on Mewtwo.
The Genetic Pokémon shrugged, the human gesture appearing strange coming from him. [I offer you my congratulations] he stated by way of explanation. [This Pokéball will be mine; while unnecessary, I feel the legalized ownership makes things more official. Mine has the number '2' inscribed on it, to differentiate between me and Mew]
Ash glanced at the ball, noticing that Mewtwo was right. "Neat."
[…You haven't seen the other Pokéballs, have you?]
"What?" Ash took out the Pokéballs containing the three Legendary Birds, scrutinizing them and realizing that each was inscribed on the red half with a small symbol: a lightning bolt, a flame that reminded him of the Volcano Badge, and an elegant snowflake. "When did –?"
[I put a little bit of my power within each Zapdos, Articuno, and Moltres, so that when they were captured, the power would leak out and identify the Pokéball. They're relatively artistic, are they not? Now, while capturing me was part of our bargain, I would suggest waiting 30 seconds or so]
"…Why?"
Mewtwo's eyes glowed blue, and the humans and their belongings all became outlined in the same psychic energy. [Prepare yourselves], Mewtwo warned. And then they all vanished.
The silence on New Island was deafening. In one of the darkened corners of the battlefield room, a small red light placed within the center of a metal discus blinked, then turned off.
-l-l-l-
Many miles away, hidden deep within the Five Isle Meadow on Chrono Island and disguised by multiple holograms, a nondescript man wearing black pants and long-sleeved shirt, a black beret, and silver gloves and boots finished writing something and pushed away from a computer console. He pressed a button on the equipment, ejecting a small disc from the computer. The man turned around, revealing a large red 'R' imprinted on his shirt, identifying him as a member of infamous Team Rocket. He exited the room and took a set of stairs leading up, leaving behind an empty room with a large screen showing the standard Pokémon battling arena.
The Team Rocket member reached a room with long rows of Pokéballs organized in small cubbies. He opened the glass case of one and removed the Pokéball there, releasing the creature inside with a flash of light. A large Fearow appeared, a small brown pouch hanging from its long neck. "Take this to the Boss," instructed the grunt, placing the disc and his handwritten note into the pouch. Fearow took off with a caw, flapping its large wings and leaving the island heading towards Viridian City.
The male watched the Beak Pokémon disappear. "Boss won't be too happy about this," he muttered. "Now we have to move our plans up." He spun on his heel and headed back to the video room, intent on looking through the video archives to find anything else useful. The interference of those three trainers into Team Rocket's plans was definitely going to prove to be both a setback and a hindrance.
-l-l-l-
Author's Note: Well, first thing's first, and that's a huge thanks to anyone who reviewed the previous chapter. There was a small number of you, so I really appreciate the time each and every one of you took to let me know how I did. Especially because I thought that was my best chapter to date...but I digress.
This was a real struggle to write, partially because school's being a pain, and partially because having two of the exact same Pokémon fight each other practically to a standstill is a HUGE challenge. I don't know how satisfied I am with this chapter (especially Pikachu's battle, which I just finished), though I feel like I did as well as I could with how I originally intended it to turn out. Please, let me know how you think I did in a review. I would appreciate it immensely...especially considering that this is the longest chapter to date - just about 11,000 words, without the Author's Note.
Next up will be a slight filler chapter showing Ash's role as a Frontier Brain and explaining the involvement of Team Rocket in this story. After that will come Johto, which'll end up being a couple of chapters. As for what happens with the Johto Legendaries, as well as the upcoming start of Ash and Misty's romance...well, looks like you'll just have to stay tuned! Again, don't be afraid to let me know how you think I did in a review! I'll be back when I get the chance (also, I do apologize about the chapter title, but I really couldn't pass up the opportunity).