33rd Poke: To Leave

Visit Mewtwo? I hissed, …what for? I asked in snappy whisper. Mew pulled out that one face that always gets to me the wrong way, Why indeed he flipped in the air, giggling, it's awful how our main key doesn't know a thing, huh? Mew posed. My nose twitched in irritation, Do you even think for a second that we are clueless only because you've always been so confusing? My eyes narrowed.

The feline pokemon merely laughed, flipping and twirling around, making his own attraction up in the air, Oh, Green…I don't know how to put this, but a poke is really all it takes to egg you on he chided. There was more to that than he let on, but I let that one go. Whatever, can you be clearer just for once? I managed a frown –a frown on Pikachu? Gee, I wonder how that would convey how I actually feel. Mew sat on the air –invisible chair- tapping his paw on his cheek, Think about it for a bit, he said, we don't have the full set we need to gain Mewtwo's trust so we can cross Red from the list of member to meet Mewtwo right now. You're the only one who's fit to visit Mewtwo and maybe convince him to stall his hands from breaking the one and only law us, pokemon has.

Why not anyone else? I suggested, the abrupt conclusion left me uneasy.

Mew's eyes narrowed and for once, I'm glad I'm not on his opposing side, We, pokemon makes decision among us through democracy. Sure, Mewtwo makes sure everything went smoothly, that there'll be no conflict between our race and yours, a weak smile graced Mew's lips, and I could feel a tug of pity on my chest, we've done so much for you, humans, haven't we, and their answer was to capture and pitted us against each other. Mewtwo told us to go with it, that it was what the humans want and we can tolerate that.

That's-

I stopped.

Mewtwo would be pissed at the sight of a human, entering his lair. The creature who had caused pokemon to…

There was nothing I can say to defend humans. We always have been using pokemon to test our strength in battle, maybe as a way so we, humans don't hurt one another. We made others do the dirty job for us. Mew saw the conflicted look in my face and let out a giggle, Do you realize how stupid you look right now, Green? He plopped himself on top of Sire's back, don't worry about that! Aside from the cold hard fact that we, pokemon chose this way of living, humans have done their best to make us feel loved as well. Beside, living alongside humans makes us…he stopped, glancing at Red's sleeping face with a wistful look on his face.

Your old partner, my mouth said before my conscience caught up, What happened to them?

Mew didn't look offended nor angry by this question so I did not feel the need to apologize.

He died.

That was blunt. I almost said.

There was an accident, I finally remember when Giovanni broke the seal to my memories, he spoke, he sent all his strength to me so I can save the Tree and dissipated into air. Mew took a deep breath as his bright blue eyes stared hollowly into the air, as if he could see the scene unfolding before his very eyes over and over again. A burden he couldn't leave and will always be tied to him. Dissipated into air? I asked, again, my morale refused to work properly. Aura is a force that only selected few can control and he's one of the rare case he supplied, when he used all the aura that makes up his life force, of course he died, disintegrated back into nature.

The life cycle, I thought immediately.

Is this why you choose Red?

Mew shook his head, Like I said, it's a rare ability that only a few people can do, Yellow can do it to some extent, all of Viridian's Born can. They could only manipulate it to touch our thoughts though, nothing else. With that, Mew huffed as if this entire conversation tire him, Red can't use aura he concluded.

Then why. You never told us specifically why you all decided that, yes, this little boy is going to be our key to save the world I pressed.

Because there's also you.

I blinked, What?

Red is not alone. He would never be alone because you are there as the force to push him through everything. You are our actual key, Green. Without you, Red would never leave, would never have that urge to pursue the same goal as yours. The thought of having you as his rival drives him to his goal. He admires you to bits and he wants to become stronger to be your equal. His fire is fanned by your action, spurred into existence by your passion. The very reason I chose him is caused by his desire to be with you.

That's-

Mew tsked, Ridiculous? Hilarious? He snorted, I don't think so.

But then. Then why would you turn me into a Pikachu. Aside for the purpose that is to watch over Red and to keep him going by the promise that I would come when this journey end. What else?

Of course it's to keep you with Red all the time Mew provided easily. It's good to hear that Mew won't give me any cryptic answer anymore and was being honest, but that was not the answer I expected. You are the key, no, our key, Green. But, like I said before, it's awful that our main key doesn't know a thing about its lock. If the key stays that way, what will it unlock? You have to learn about Red better, you have to know him inside out, you have to see pass your pride and learn that Red and you are equal, that you don't need to be one step ahead of him all the time to prove yourself.

His words rang heavy inside my skull, leaving me speechless as my head tried their best to unravel the meaning etched in his words. Pride. It is one of the traits that stayed constant as I grew. Looking after Red, being praised by him, and protecting him from the sideline. Trying to convince myself that I am stronger than Red and that he is so weak. Too weak to protect himself. But grandpa said I was wrong. Said that Red is strong. That…

I, no, what-

Who is Red to you, now, Green? Do you still see him the same way as you see him in the past? Do you still want to cling onto that perception? Are you that convinced that you should be stronger in every aspect and will constantly push yourself in fear of being overcome by Red?

Who is Red to me?

A childhood friend?

A weak little brother I have to protect?

A fellow trainer?

A worthy rival?

No, no. There are no correct answer.

To me, Red is just, well, Red.

He'll be anything and the title will only grow in numbers as we grew up. He's a friend, a little brother, a trainer, a rival, he'll be anything I view him to be. This time, Mew wanted one answer. One single answer that will unite everything that Red is to me. It was on the tip of my tongue and it felt really nice when it rolled off my mouth.

My equal, we stand in the same ground. Neither him nor I is stronger than the other. He keeps me going just as I keep him.

Mew gave me one of the brightest grin I've ever seen, There you, go, my key, you have your answer.

So…where's this Mewtwo and what should I do when I find him.

I asked once everything settled down and Mew was relaxed once again, slumped against me. There's a cave in Cerulean. No one can get in without raising suspicion…the mischievous glint was back on his eyes, that doesn't apply for us though.

Clever, I teased.

I can guide you there, but you should be the only one who speak with him, try to gain his trust and appeal for Red, I was about to ask whether Mewtwo should know that he will be speaking with a human-pokemon when Mew added, I told him about you already so he'll know you're a human and he'll be quite spiteful. Try to be convincing but not forceful, okay. I nodded, not thoroughly convinced that I could pull this off. Making speech is not something I'm good at, but this was not the right time to hesitate.

When do we leave?

Mew had the audacity to grin, Right now he replied. I pulled away from him before he could do anything. The feline pokemon floated, giggling when he saw my reaction. That's not funny I said bitterly. He apologized, fixed me a long look, But I'm serious though…we should leave as soon as possible.

Yes, we don't have the luxury that is time.

Before we go, Mew, can you do me a little favor?

Writing last will? Sure, I can help you with that~

It involved writing but not that kind of letter I fiddled with the pendant resting on my chest Red should know one thing before I leave.

I sure hope it's not your identity, warned Mew, Red should be kept in the dark of who you really are for everything to work. His only drive right now is your unknown location and the hope that you'll come when everything ends and he's raised up to the peak.

How did you kn-

It's easy to read Red. When he wants to help someone, he'll help right in that moment. He does things earnestly and he admires you to bits. One might think that he's shallow, but he thinks far ahead than anyone else. What if his journey as my partner ends? Will he be on the top then? Will Green come to him then? Will Green admit that he is strong enough to be worthy of his rival? Those kinds of thoughts, you know…

Somehow, a smile wormed its way to my face, …That idiot…

You should see your own face, Green…

I know…I glared at him, trying to relay the word 'shut up' to his face. Mew just laughed.

Anyway, back to the favor I want you to do…

There was a single letter on the ground.

On top of it is a pendant.

Hey, where do you think that human is?

I don't know, is our pursuers-

They are not here, I guess they didn't bring any pokemon that knows surf.

Good…good, can we get to land now? Hate to break it to you that I despise water.

That's funny.

No it isn't, shut up!

You know what, how about we just go home and report all of this to him?

And start a pokemon war? Great, go ahead, I'll be here, submerging myself in water.

He wouldn't like it…

There must be something that we can do except to kill! I mean, I don't think lord Ho oh would like us as roamers of land to actually murder a human.

Mewtwo isn't our leader.

It's a favor.

What would lord Ho oh do if we told him?

Kanto is too difficult for me to understand.

Screw this…let's just get out of this water first…

"…I don't think this is the right time to sleep, yes?"

Red rubbed his eyes, trying to rub the drowsiness out of his eyes. The sun has risen and his pokemon are bristling around him. Vyi had a few of his vines out, Lady was hissing through clenched teeth. Sire stood in silent, but alert while Slumber…well, Slumber just slept on as if nothing happened. And Green…

"Huh?"

He found no sight of his Pikachu anywhere. Instead, where Green was previously slept, there was a letter and a pendant. He blinked at the combination dumbly before he grabbed both and placed them inside his bag, noting to read it as soon as possible. Now, he needed to focus on what's in front of him. Literally.

Right in front of him, seated on top of a dragon pokemon was a young man with orange hair. His cape fluttered behind him as he leapt to land in front of him. A tight frown tugged on the young man's lips as he walked on to approach him, "…Red, is it?" he asked nonchalantly. Red nodded hesitantly, anxious.

"You can't go to Viridian" the young man said, "…I will make sure you won't ever enter that town…"

Hey, Mew…

Yessshh?

What kind of pokemon is Mewtwo?

The kind of pokemon who won't listen to human, I guess?

You…guess?

He tolerates human to some extent, but any further than that and he will, hurt them. He seeks to protect pokemon after all.

So that only law that he wants to break is-

To hurt humans, yes, you are correct.

This is…bizarre…

What is it?

To think that I would feel a sliver of hate toward humans now that I've seen the world in pokemon perspective.

Funny isn't it? You change your world by changing your glasses.

But Mewtwo is wrong in one thing.

Red.

Yes, Red. And everyone else who tries their best to make their pokemon happy. They who see the pokemon as a friend, even as their child. Mewtwo should know that not every human is Giovanni.

Conveying that won't be easy. Mewtwo has always been narrow-minded. His only purpose is the one given to him after all. He takes pride in that. Keep in mind that your negotiation with Mewtwo will start on the account that all humans are Giovanni to him.

…This is getting harder to do the more you disclose everything to me…

Tough luck, Green. Now, concentrate on lighting that lamp.

I'm baaaaacckkk T_T

Have an expositional chapter.

There's a bunch of thing I have planned for them and yes, I am so excited to see how Green will convince Mewtwo about Red (as a writer, though, I'm so nervous to see how that will be written *sweatdrops) . Finally, the character growth for Green is finished and he finally knows everything about his role in this whole mess, yaayyyyy~ the next chapters might be focused on Red instead of Green since, yes, he can't enter Viridian. Everyone wants to postpone Red meeting Giovanni for as long as they can after all.

So how will he get his last gym badge? Hummm…

Anyway, expect me to (maybe) write soon. I hope I can squeeze another chapter before Tuesday, but…*shrugs

See you next chapter~