Blending in, with a Difference

Another holographic Dark-Type met it's end at Mewtwo's paws as the colossal Feline crushed the snarling Houndoom's windpipe with a swift jab, not bothering to watch the defeated Canine fade away in a faint glimmer of white light as he whirled around and smacked an attacking Charizard across the face with a powerful swipe of his long purple tail.

The youthful Psychic was using his usual training routine to take some time out to think upon the previous day's events, or more specifically, the fact that his alter ego was now the most publicised story in Kanto. According to Laura, who was exceptionally calm considering the enormity of what had occurred in the last twenty four hours, the proof of the Shadowed Avenger's existence was the only story being broadcast by every major news network.

'Just what I need...' Thought the tense young Cat as he parried the Charizard's vicious 'Slash' attack with a well employed elbow block, making sure to avoid the hologram's artificial yet still very much lethal claws before following up with a swift left hook that fractured the Fire-Type's non-existent jawbone.

'With my secret out, things are bound to get much more dangerous for me on patrol... And there's no conceivable way to make it appear a hoax with so many witnesses... Not to mention the authorities will now attempt to 'bring me to justice'...'

Mewtwo inwardly snorted at that thought as he snapped the draconic lizard's neck with a single fluidic movement, believing that no Human could, or ever would be able to defeat him in combat, trainer or no.

'Humans... I'll never understand them...'He concluded as he finished off his remaining holographic opponent, a lone Hitmonlee, with a couple of quick jabs followed by a crude, yet effective roundhouse kick to it's left side, splintering it's ribs and rupturing it's spleen. Well, if the Hitmonlee were real at any rate.

Mewtwo's free time consisted of little else other then honing his skills, save for spending time with Laura of course, in the training room that the aforementioned Rabbit had built for him as a gift a little over ten years back. The large oval shaped room, if it could be called it a room, was on a hidden level beneath Laura's complex. At forty feet wide by fifty feet long, with a ceiling over twenty feet from the floor, the room was far from small. Though spacious, it was perhaps not the most welcome of rooms; it was made up completely of titanium and was a lifeless dull grey in colour. What made this training room so special however, was the technology that Laura had installed in it's construction. The room featured one of Laura's most incredible technological breakthroughs, one that she had not made public, nor had any intention of doing so. The room had more than a few of her 'unique' Holo-Emitters.

Though more basic devices were used throughout the world by others, Laura's Holo-Emitters were beyond what most people, and Pokemon for that matter, would be able to conceive. Instead of simply projecting moving holographic images, they were able to create solid holograms. Even of people or Pokemon. The potential of such technology was literally limitless!

Mewtwo was beyond grateful when Laura presented him with such a monumental gift. It enabled him to master and perfect his, at the time anyway, less then effective hand-to-hand skills. Up until then he had merely relied upon his superior speed and strength to combat criminals. That, and his natural talent to pick up on things rather quickly, was all that gave him an edge in the early days of his career as the Shadowed Avenger.

Once Laura had given him the 'Holo-room', as she liked to call it, he was able to expand his physical combat skills, learning better ways to bring down his enemies, cataloguing the physical weaknesses of Humans and many different types of Pokemon, as well as ways of incapacitating his foes with both lethal and non-lethal force from the programs that Laura had installed. Programs which Laura dutifully continued to update and improve upon even to this day.

Mewtwo learned a great deal from the art of Ninjutsu, it's employment of concealment and stealth proved invaluable once the already formidable Psychic had mastered them. However, believing the assassin style of combat that Ninjutsu employed to be better suited for stealth and concealment rather than an actual fight, Mewtwo decided to stick with what he already knew.

Whilst Mewtwo's lightning swift blows and agile blocks looked like a martial art of some form, they were merely improvisation on the young Psychic's behalf. Mewtwo was built to be the best; he was a weapon, pure and simple. While his moves lacked precise technique and the discipline that comes with it, the battered state of the tall Feline's many enemies were proof that they were effective nonetheless.

With his workout completed, Mewtwo paused to take in a deep breath. Calming himself after such an intense session. The tall Feline had been at it for the last two hours, having arisen before dark as per usual. His insomnia had been kinder to him than the day before; he had been able to have a full six hours of uninterrupted sleep, something the young Psychic rarely received, after Laura had insisted that he stay the night.

'Ugh, damned hormones...' Mewtwo complained as his thoughts took a sudden nosedive into the proverbial 'gutter', his increasingly rebellious mind making an unwelcome connection between Laura and the bed that he slept in a few hours previous, resulting in an irritated yet flustered growl from the flushed Feline as he forced said thought/daydream to the back of his mind, along with that annoying voice in the back of his head, which 'ironically' chose this moment to pipe up in an annoying singsong voice.

'So, how long does it take for that body of yours to fully mature? Oh wait, that's right... No idea, seeing as you killed your creators, who might've been able to answer that for you... So, you've got one choice; Get over yourself and screw the rabbit, Dumbass!'

The now considerably disturbed Psychic shook his head with considerable force, his eyes wide and his heart racing as he mentally vowed never to watch the television again, recognising the voice from a rather lewd advert that popped up in the commercial break whilst he and Laura sat down to watch a film one time. True to form, Mewtwo was sufficiently mortified enough to pretend a crime was taking place on the other side of the city! Forgoing using the window entirely as he instead teleported from where he sat, trying to keep his features schooled into a serious look, whilst also trying to ignore Laura's knowing smirk!

"Oh joy..." Mewtwo sarcastically intoned aloud. "The Mating Season rears it's unwelcome head AGAIN... Just great..."

The irritated Feline growled deep in the base of his throat as he turned towards the door, suddenly recalling that Laura wanted to show him something after he was done in here. As he neared the rectangular doorway, he recalled the memories/hell of last year's mating season, and the ones before it, feverantly hoping that such events would not occur this year as he spoke once more, addressing the computer this time as he passed through the already opening door.

"End program."


"Zaraki...? Zaraki...? Earth to the silent blue one, can you hear me?"

Yoruichi was NOT a happy woman as she sat beside her disturbingly silent companion within the waiting room of Viridian's Police Dept, her already foul temper growing steadily worse as she stared irritably at the depressingly plain blue walls either side of her, shooting Zaraki a particularly venomous glare as she tried for what felt like the twentieth time that evening to get his attention.

"Damn it, Zaraki. You sure picked a fine time to meditate didn't you?"

The oddly silent Lucario in question was indeed meditating as he sat crossed legged upon the seat to the right of his irate companion, his usually bright red eyes firmly closed with a faint silvery shimmer surrounding his short form, his Aura sensing appendages standing at full attention either side of his head as he mentally reached out into the Aura.

"Tch." Came Yoruichi's dismissive snort, crossing her legs and folding her arms across her chest as she glanced around to something to occupy her time, frowning irritably as she came up short and instead settled down for what looked to be a long wait.


Laura's brow was furrowed as she sat slightly hunched over her desk, a small but expensive looking grey cylindrical device in her right hand and what looked like a slightly outsized watch in her left.

'Careful... Just have to connect the field generator to the battery and it'll be finished.' The young Rabbit thought as she expertly angled what turned out to be a small laser into the odd looking watch's unusually extensive circuitry, carefully connecting the two components with a thin blue beam of energy.

Setting the laser to one side, Laura positively beamed as she closed the top part of the watch with an audible 'snap'. A deep black lined with a rich amethyst, the watch was certainly rather large but not overtly spectacular, at least not to the untrained eye...

With an exaggerated sweeping gesture, Laura quickly rose and bowed to an invisible audience with the watch clasped firmly in hand, grinning broadly like the Glameow that swallowed the Pidgey.

"Thankyou, ladies and gentlemen, thankyou for coming to bear witness to the greatest technical breakthrough of this century! Laura proudly proclaimed, punching the hand which held the watch into the air with a flourish. "Not only have I made history, not only have I proven wrong just about every other scientist out there... But on top of that, I have created a device which will allo-!"

"Laura,-" Interrupted a rather amused sounding deep voice from the doorway now directly behind the young Lopunny, whom had just frozen to the spot like a Stantler in the headlights, "-what are you doing?"

Moving with all the speed of an asthmatic Snorlax, a now scarlet Laura turned to find Mewtwo leaning against the doorway with his arms folded over his chest, a clearly amused smirk plastered to his lips as he repeated his question when the aforementioned Lopunny wasn't forthcoming.

"Uhh... I... I was..." Laura stammered as she tried frantically to think up some sort of rational answer to the big Cat's query, failing miserably as her cheeks darkened further as if to heighten her humiliation, her arms lowering themselves to her sides in defeat.

"I was talking to the air. Happy?" The blushing Lopunny admitted with a sigh.

"Ecstatic." The now grinning Feline replied, his amethyst eyes twinkling down at her in barely repressed mirth.

"Yes, good for you." Laura said before clearing her throat, eager for a change in topic. A wish that Mewtwo granted the red faced Rabbit as he noticed the 'watch' clasped tight in her hand.

"What's that?"

Grateful for the change in the conversation, Laura grinned before holding out the oversized watch to the big Cat's curious gaze, letting him take in the device's slightly unusual characteristics as she began to explain.

"This Mewtwo, is the breakthrough of the century. Say hello to the world's first and only Image Inducer!"


"Found him." Zaraki suddenly proclaimed, surprising the almost asleep Yoruichi to his right as he quickly got up off his chair and strode purposefully towards the door without a backwards glance.

"Mmmh, Say what?" The tired Aura master groaned in response, sleepily rubbing her eyes as Zaraki paused at the door and turned towards her, an unusually impatient twinkle in his ever alert gaze. "You've been out for hours, Zaraki. They still haven't discharged us yet, so we can't go anywhere. And found who?"

"Who else?" Zaraki chuckled, noting his friend's tired demeanour abruptly vanish at his words, her golden eyes widening as she pointed an accusing finger at him, her tone disbelieving.

"You didn't...?

"I did." Zaraki innocently intoned. "Now come along, Sub Commander. It's time we go and properly introduce ourselves to our 'dark' friend in need." He finished cryptically, doubtlessly being cautious in case they were overheard, before he turned on his heel and strode through the door, ignoring the complaints of the officer who insisted that he sit back down.

Yoruichi bite back a grin before hurrying after her friend and mentor, shaking her head in bemusement as Zaraki pretended to be deaf and told the now goggle-eyed officer that it was time for bingo and if he wanted a lollipop he'd best behave himself!