Breaking the Mold

10

'Are you all right?'

'You feel bad.'

'You make us feel sick...'

'Sorry.' Knot grimaced. 'I feel awful. I'm on a ship, headed for Kanto. I'm not sure how far away I am.'

'What's wrong?'

'It's the rocking of the ship. It's like my stomach and brain are trying to switch places...'

'But why should the motion make you sick? Pokemon and humans run and jump all over without feeling sick.'

'I don't know!' the lone Mewtwo snapped, curling around his stomach. 'It just happens, apparently.'

'You don't feel well,' another said consolingly. 'It's natural to be irritable.'

Knot breathed a sigh. 'I'm noticing that, yes.'

'You feel stronger, though,' a quieter one spoke up. 'Did something happen recently?'

'I've been using more of my power!' Knot managed a painful smile. 'I have a lot of practicing to do, but I can fire off blasts of energy.'

'Is that a safe way to start? We began by moving small objects.'

'Large blasts do sound rather extreme.'

'You're probably right. But that's the way it is,' Knot said with a mental shrug.

'Be careful...'

'Come to us soon! We miss you!'

'...Why are you Knot? What – I don't understand.'

'Oh... Someone called me that,' Knot explained, slightly embarrassed without really knowing why. 'It's become my name. Because of the mark on my ear.'

'You were named? That seems so... undignified.'

'It... made me feel more real at first. And gave my friends something to call me. Don't you call each other anything?'

'Brothers,' supplied one. 'We. Us. Why should we need names when we know who we are?'

'I see your point,' Knot agreed slowly. 'When my name was suggested, I did not know. I was in need of an identity.'

'...But you know now.'

'Yes. But now, it's a part of me.'

'You're right,' said one, mystified. 'It is. It's as if you can change yourself at will...'

That startled Knot a bit. 'Well yes,' he said. 'Of course I can. So can you. Anyone can.'

'We? I don't think so... We are what we are.'

The loud blast of the ship's horn dragged Knot out of his trance. The same thing had happened before the ship stopped at the Battle Zone Island. This must be Kanto.

The Mewtwo clambered awkwardly to his feet, and over to the wall of captive pokemon. He began by tossing (or dropping) all the pokeballs. A number of large pokemon appeared.

'Let the others out,' Knot instructed. They were apparently accustomed to obeying orders, because they began attacking the locks and cage bars without questioning why. Knot kept a watchful eye on the hold doors, glancing back now and then to make sure things were going smoothly.

'Keep it down,' he said. 'You'll want to charge out all together if the humans open a door. That will keep them confused.'

'Why?' asked a large Empoleon, eying Knot suspiciously. 'Humans are good. Our masters, our partners, our friends.'

Knot hesitated. '...If you want to stay, then stay. But don't get in our way.'

He and Empoleon stared each other down. Then the penguin pokemon turned away.

'Not my business,' it muttered.

'No,' Knot agreed. 'And what you do is none of my business.' He turned to the rest of the pokemon.' 'If you want to get out, come with me.'

There was some shuffling. About a third of the pokemon stepped forward.

'If all of you didn't want to go, why didn't you say something before!?'

'You said to let all out,' a big Kangaskhan reminded him.

'Why did you do it, though?'

'You said,' clarified a Growlithe, as if this explained everything.

Mewtwo snorted in disgust. 'Okay, fine. Thanks for your help.' He moved towards the main door. The others followed him.

'We want to form a kind of arrow, with the larger pokemon on the outside,' he said. 'Mamoswine should be at the tip, I think. Break through all obstacles and just run as far as you can. Those of us who are smaller will form the interior of the triangle. Ride someone larger if you can, but don't weigh them down or encumber them too much.'

The pokemon shuffled into a rough triangle. The Mamoswine at the front point nudged the loading door lightly with her huge tusks.

'Once I'm sure we're securely docked, can you push this open?' Knot asked. 'We should hear some kind of noise first.'

The giant pokemon shook her tusks and grunted eagerly.

'Good.' Knot grinned slightly, then turned to survey the others. Small pokemon clung to Mamoswine's shaggy fur. A few straddled a Steelix, Rapidash, and Stantler.

The Mewtwo stepped up to a Venusaur with an especially large bloom on the lead Mamoswine's right flank. 'Excuse me,' he said hesitantly. 'I'm not the fastest or most coordinated runner. Could I... ride on you?'

The large blue creature sized him up critically. 'You heavy? Can hold on?'

'I'm not too heavy,' Knot promised. 'And I'll hold on.'

With an indifferent grumble, Venusaur lifted up her leaves. Knot awkwardly clambered up a hind leg and wrapped his arms, legs, and tail around the thick trunk on her back.

They waited. The remaining pokemon whispered among themselves on the other side of the hold.

At last, there was a series of loud clanks from the other side of the door. The waiting pokemon tensed.

'...Now!' Knot commanded.

'Go!' echoed Mamoswine. She charged the door. Curved tusks bounced off cold metal, leaving a dent. The wall creaked and shuddered. Mamoswine backed up, pawed the ground, and struck again. Steelix and Venusaur joined it. Knot clung to Venusaur's trunk for dear life, the impact shaking him to the bone. With a resounding CLANG, the hatch fell open. Dock workers shouted and scattered.

The stampede was an unstoppable force. Mamoswine seemed to take special pleasure in knocking everything in her way aside – structures, humans, and pokemon all fell before her assault. Most living things took one look at the fast-moving horde and fled. The pokemon dispersed as they reached the forest.

********************************

The sun beat down on the rolling waves. A gigantic Wailord could be seen making its way across the open ocean. It was far from any pod, and it kept strictly to the surface. Two men sat on it, back to back. The paler one with red hair faced forward, squinting against the glare from the water. His dark-haired companion was curled around his knees and had his eyes closed.

"You know," said the man in red and black, almost conversationally, "If word ever got out that the mighty leader of Team Aqua gets seasick, you'd never live it down."

"You wouldn't," moaned Archie.

"Of course not," Maxie assured him. "But you have to admit, it's odd."

"No it's not," Archie protested. "Why do you think our base was on land, and we walked everywhere? Why do you think I didn't go become a real sailor, instead of just dressing like one?"

"Imagine how unhappy you'd have been if your plan with Kyogre had succeeded."

"No worse than you if Groudon had done what you wanted."

"But really, what would you have done?"

"There would've been at least a few mountaintops left above water."

"You're ridiculous," Maxie informed him.

"And you're in a suspiciously good mood today. Why?"

The red-haired man turned slightly to look back at his friend. "You know," he said quietly, "I like the ocean. A lot."

Archie was silent for a moment, then he began to laugh, louder and louder. Maxie elbowed him after a minute, but he couldn't seem to stop.

"Whew!" he finally managed to get out.

"And just what is so hilarious?" Maxie demanded icily.

"You!" Archie burst out. "You love the ocean. And I get seasick! Heheheh..."

"Apparently we were each on the wrong team," the taller man said stiffly, looking out over the waves.

"Probably."

There was a long silence.

"Saturn really seemed like he wanted to come," Archie finally said. "You think we should've let him?"

"No. He might have helped, but he's got an organization to run. Without the benefit of competent subordinates that we have. Not to mention, he's almost young enough to be my son. Or even yours. No, he can do far more if he stays home."

"He's not THAT young, Maxie."

"Maybe not, but he's close enough. How fast can this thing go?"

"This fast," Archie said firmly, patting his Wailord. "And no faster."

"So we can expect to arrive in about five years?" Maxie asked dryly.

"Shut up. I'm about to hurl."

***************************

After an exhilarating and terrifying ride, the Venusaur finally slowed to a stop. Knot slid down to the ground, not even bothering to try to get his legs to support him. Every muscle was on fire.

'Th – thank you,' me mumbled, in a daze.

Venusaur grunted, and ambled off to the north.

Mewtwo lay where he'd landed, fighting to catch his breath. He looked back at the wide swath they'd carved through the forest. He wondered where he was.

When he was finally able to breathe normally again, he tried to get to his feet. And failed. His arms, legs, and tail felt like they had been stretched and pulled to triple their size. His developing muscles had turned to jelly. And he couldn't stop shaking. He could feel the world rushing and whirling even now. He rolled to his back, and lay flat.

'That was scary...'

Knot's head whipped to the side. A small yellow form leaned against him. It hadn't been there a moment ago.

'What do you want?' he asked the Abra.

'Just wanted to find you. 'M tired.' The smaller pokemon yawned.

'And you think I want you here? Why don't you go find somewhere else to rest? This is my spot.'

'I like it here. I didn't want to come back to Kanto, so if I have to be here, I'll stay with you.'

Knot groaned in annoyance. 'I could kill you with one shot.'

'No. You're not fast enough.' The Abra turned to the right and snuggled into Knot's side. 'Ever been to Kanto before?'

'No,' Knot said, frowning. 'And I'm not sure I plan on staying.'

'Good, me neither. I can guide you, though. I know most parts of it.'

'How well?'

'...Well enough. My trainer took me to most of the cities.'

'Your trainer? Why are you here if you have a trainer?'

'Had. I had a trainer.'

'And?'

'And he took me to Sinnoh to try to sell me, but they've got Abras of their own there, and they can do more than just teleport. And I'm past evolving level. So he gave me away as a research subject. Or a breeder. I don't know.'

'Oh... Fine, then. As soon as I can walk without falling down, you'll take me where I need to go.'

'Sure!'