Well, there's another birthday to celebrate and it's this story's birthday this time. February 6 was when Tale of Stardom, sequel to From Servant to Stardom, was first published on the site. Now let's take a moment to celebrate this story's first birthday…
So now, please enjoy…
"We'll be boarding Vermilion City within a moment, ladies and gentlemen, so be sure to prepare your belongings and hang on for a while longer," the captain's suave voice over the ship's PA system echoed across the deck and to the rather quiet port city. The ship had let out a long foghorn blare to alert the crew in preparations for docking at Vermilion City. The process itself was easy, if not rushed, for the various burly worker clad in white and blue sailor outfits and their assisting Machop, Machoke, and Machamp. "We've arrived at our destination. Please leave with only items belonging to you as we won't be held responsible for any items left behind. And now as captain of this ship, we hope you enjoyed your travels under the S.S. Aqua. Feel free to use us again for your travels across regions."
"Why don't you give it a rest already, old man?" a dark voice muttered, walking within line among the passengers parting from the ship. "It's not like things will get better any time soon, at least that's what I believe." He briefly sighed in irritation from the minor headache he received over the booming loudspeaker, rubbing his forehead with one hand as he made his way down the bridge. There were less people than expected, but he considered that the fact that the world was still in danger of a shadow beast suddenly coming up and swallowing the entire Kanto region whole had still existed. He was well aware of it; in fact, it was one of the many reasons he made his way to Kanto to find a certain expert that was behind such a monstrosity.
"Wait up, Kamon!"
Damn it!
Before the cryptic, red-haired individual could have escaped from the ship and Vermilion City entirely, Kamon's temporary companion from the Johto region managed to catch up to him. She ran down the bridge, hurrying to his side before he knew it. He was hoping to do his business alone, but he recalled the dilemma he was previously placed in just for him to travel to the Kanto region in peace.
"Kamon, there you are!" May huffed, slightly upset that he nearly left without her. Kamon spared her a tiresome glance. "You should've known better than to just ditch me within a crowd of tourists."
"There weren't that many people on that boat anyway," Kamon replied, rolling his eyes dryly just for her. "Explain to me why you have to come along for the ride. I'm capable of taking care of myself since I've been self-reliant for most of my life, so I don't need anyone, especially you, to look after me like I'm some sort of helpless child."
"That's not the reason why I came with you!" May retorted heatedly, literally fuming out of her ears. "I even had to leave Max in the care of my friends just for the good of our group."
"Our group…?"
"Oh, come on!" May cried, pouting. "You don't even remember the discussion we had back at Olivine City?"
"I remember," Kamon sighed, looking away from her in vexed impatience. "Unfortunately…"
"Olivine City! We made it!" Max exclaimed. The Johto group had finally advanced into the famous Johto city with a lighthouse as a huge landmark that saved many lives. May smiled at her little brother's enthusiasm, Kenny and Dawn looked around in awe of their newest discoveries together in the Johto region, Barry was frantically searching for the Olivine City Gym for a good battle, and Kamon, ever the black Mareep and lone Mightyena by choice, remained impassive over his past memories of traveling Johto.
"It's not that big of a deal; this place was kind of plain and boring to me anyway," Kamon spoke out, much to the other's disappointment to his dark negativity. He began to trek forward into the city without facing anyone. "I'll see you all around."
"Hold it!" Dawn demanded, grabbing the back of Kamon's red hair, much to his extreme displeasure. "We can't have a delinquent like you running loose in the streets doing who-knows-what."
"Ex-delinquent," Kamon corrected curtly, slapping her hand off of his hair. Dawn recoiled her hand in anguish, rubbing the temporary sore spot the angst-ridden Trainer struck at. "Look, I told you all already that I've changed for the better. I treat my Pokémon better. I'm less rude to people. I even have to hold smiles every time you warranted me, even though I die a little inside each time. What more do you want from me?"
"If you have changed as much as you said, then why do you still have that horrible personality?" Max inquired. "It's like you're Paul or something!" Before anything else could have been said, Kamon violently reached out and grabbed Max by the collar of his shirt, hosting the younger Trainer up to his level.
"I thought I told you to drop that subject," Kamon snarled darkly, creating as much discomfort for the young know-it-all squirming for air until Kenny and Barry were forced to pull them apart, which was mainly ganging on Kamon in order to get him to let go of Max's neck.
"Well for one reason or another, you aren't really subtle or sincere when dealing with other people, Kamon," Kenny explained bluntly, slightly rubbing the side of his neck as though it had been through some sore experience.
"And you have a really violent temper, too!" Barry added. "I think I still have that bruise on my head from when I tried to fine you when you gave me another bruise before that when I tried to… Wait, what was I talking about again?"
"That I need some time to get away from it all and that whatever I'm up to is no one's business," Kamon declared austerely upon turning his back to them, his sharp tone intimidating the skittish group. "I'll see you when I see you."
"Wait!" May intervened before Kamon made his first step forward. The aggravated Trainer turned around to see an even angrier brunette Coordinator glaring outright at him. "After what you did to Max, I'm not going to let you off the hook that easily."
"Don't try me," Kamon advised coolly. "Even if it was all of you against me, I'd still wipe the floor with all of you without breaking a sweat."
"Maybe you can," May sighed, abruptly calming down much to Kamon and everyone's surprise. "But I'm still not going to let you go without an explanation of what your plans are." The others quickly nodded in equal concurrence. Kamon had casually shrugged as though he was unaffected by the unanimous decision, but he would sooner lose to them than lose to his own pride on how much he had reformed from the coldhearted bad boy he once was.
"Okay then, fine," Kamon grumbled, gesturing the others to come closer while showing that he would not mean any harm to them. As the others warily approached the red-headed Trainer, he folded his arms and glared at each one of them, from May to Barry. "Listen well because I really hate repeating myself. I'm going on the next boat to the Kanto region and tie up some unfinished business concerning my father's surviving underling."
"Then what? Conquer the weakened Kanto region in the glorious name of Team Rocket together?" Max jested before having his head forcibly shoved down into the earth by his own sister.
"Max, show some respect!" May scolded harshly.
"Okay! Okay! Sorry!"
"As I was saying, I will be arriving in Vermilion City as part of the destination of one of Olivine's ships," Kamon explained indifferently. "From there, I'm going to Pallet Town to settle some last business with Namba."
"Why are you doing this now?" Kenny asked.
"I've been putting this off for too long," Kamon replied, straight-faced. "Consider the family business completely dead. The pathetic Team Rocket will end with me now that my bastard of a father is now dead to the entire world because of his own utter stupidity and weakness and Namba completely helpless."
"Kamon, you shouldn't do something so reckless!" Dawn warned with such a look of shock on her young face.
"Dawn's right, you know," May concurred, an invisible, peculiar wave of concern strangely washing right through her body. "We'll still need your power and expertise to help us plow through Shadow Pokémon along the way to Cianwood City and that includes the Whirl Islands."
"I swear you still need me to hold your hand for dealing with Pokémon that contracted my father's pathetic mistake in combination with Reverse-Cipher?" Kamon smirked in arrogance. "If you want me to come back, just tail me to make sure I do come back." It was unfortunate for him, though, that his scathing sarcasm remained undetectable for the most part.
"Great idea!" May exclaimed suddenly; Kamon's eyes widened in shock. "I'll be the one to follow you. After all…" She leaned in close to the dark Trainer that was sheepishly trying to back away from the extreme close-up, grinning rather sinisterly. "You hurt my brother and I'm going to make sure you pay us back… with interest."
"I've really got to learn to shut my trap," Kamon muttered, his fate ultimately resigned and decided.
"And that's how I'm here with… you…?" May stopped, glancing around the dock as she finally spotted Kamon heading into the heart of Vermilion City. "Kamon?"
"I'm not going to waste any more time at the docks listening to your life story," Kamon replied from the distance without turning around. He knew May was listening, which meant that it would have been unnecessary to face her anyway. "If you still want to tail me to Pallet Town, then you'd better quit wasting valuable time. I'm not here for pathetic tourism." He departed again, provoking May to run up and catch up to him.
"Kamon, wait up! Can't you see that I just want to help… you?" May called out, slowly finding that her voice faded off at her last word. Kamon could not comprehend her entire question, so he continued without stopping to think about what she could have said. For some reason, the brunette Coordinator felt more depressed rather than angry at Kamon's aloof personality. You've already suffered enough, Kamon, so why do this…? The more May thought about this, though, the greater the sympathy she felt for Kamon. She was a kind-hearted individual, simply put, that merely wanted to get the renegade to reopen his heart since his main source of strife from the past was finally gone.
"You coming or what?" Kamon yelled over his shoulder, momentarily slowing down just to take pity on the girl. May broke out of her musings, shaking her head to clear herself and went off to catch up to Kamon.
Well, at least I'll be able to see Brock, Drew, and Zoey for the first time since ever…
"Silver, what's with the sudden change of plans?" Ritchie asked, tightly hanging onto the back of his Charizard, Zippo, as he flew alongside his elder mentor on his Salamence several feet high up in the lackluster skies of the Kanto region. His Pikachu, Sparky, remained on the young Trainer's shoulder, grasping tightly onto his shirt as to not fall several feet from the air into the cold, hard ground down below. "I just don't understand."
"It's not meant for anyone else to understand, half-pint," Silver replied, his hardened gaze focusing upon the direction ahead as the wind blew against his dark hair. The Chikorita on his shoulder matched his expression, completely unfazed by the high elevations and strong winds at their altitude. "This is my business, and I told you before that you're free to go whenever you want."
"But Silver, I've learned so much about Pokémon and your own philosophy behind it," Ritchie reasoned. "I've gotten to see so much from under you and though Ash has become a Pokémon Master in everyone's books, I still have much to learn before I could follow up on our agreement."
"Which was…?"
"From the time we left each other after the Indigo Plateau Conference, we both promised to each other that we'd be Pokémon Masters no matter what," Ritchie explained, smiling fondly upon the replaying memories in his mind. "I had the bigger brain, but Ash had the bigger will. If his Charizard back then would have obeyed him, I would have definitely lost for sure."
"We all had dreams of becoming the best of the best, one way or another," Silver replied gruffly. "For me, that was finding Moltres and challenging it at its full legendary strength."
"But Moltres isn't even close to where we're going now."
"There were some priorities in life that I took above others, including my personal happiness," Silver sighed, a melancholic look softening his face as he looked down upon his Salamence. They were closer to their destination than they realized. "Even I have weaknesses, and my greatest one was also my main drive as a Pokémon Trainer: becoming the best, no matter how long it took to do so. It's time I stopped avoiding them and take them on like a real man. Ritchie, I hope you understand that this is something I must do, considering the current state of the world right now."
"The worse has yet to come, I mean—."
"Just give me peace of mind and wait for me outside," Silver interrupted calmly.
Salamence and Zippo began their gradual descent, large wings flapping at regular intervals as to ensure their absolute safe landing. They landed at the front property of a quiet household within an equally quiet town. The front garden looked like it was regularly tended to, bringing out the beauty of nature and the sincere dedication of the owners of the garden. Silver scanned the area around, noting that not much had changed since he had last visited this place.
"Wait a minute," Ritchie mused, a memory ringing loudly within his mind. "Silver, this place… isn't this…?" Silver had already gone to the front door of the house they arrived at, having recalled his Salamence just before anything else. Ritchie kept his thoughts to himself, recalling Zippo while keeping out of sight as he promised. He watched from the corner of the house's wooden fence that Silver knocked upon the door three times with a steady fist. It only took a brief moment for the doorknob from the other side to jiggle open, revealing a fair brown-haired woman in her thirties. Yet upon closer look, she would have been perceived to be younger and possibly quite the beauty. Ritchie's eyes had widened out of disbelief; he wondered how this visit was related to Silver's past regrets in any shape or form possible.
"It's been a while, Delia…"
"How much longer is this going to take, Mr. Looker?" Angie groaned, fatigued from walking within the mist-covered Spring Path. Her Shinx shared the same exasperated look; the Flash Pokémon looked like it was limping rather than walking. "Are you sure you know where you're going within this insane maze?"
"I can assure you that this is the right way," Looker replied, continuing to lead the pair deeper into the thick fog that blanketed the trees. It had taken between two to three days have passed since their travels through the Spring Path. The detective had carried enough supplies and food to take care of himself, Angie, and Shinx. However, from the days they had set up camp, it did not feel for Angie that they were making any kind of progress on getting out of the forest.
"Oh, really? Then why doesn't a pillar of light just come out and shine in my face that we're finally out of this place?" Angie remarked sarcastically, shrugging nonchalantly for emphasis over the believed nonsense she had gotten herself and Shinx into.
"You should listen to him; after all, he is right about the path he's leading you through," an enigmatic warning resonated up ahead.
"Yeah, but if he knew what he was doing, we'd…," Angie stopped, realizing that she had begun talking to a completely different voice; it was either that or her frustrated mind was starting to play some sort of illusion on her. "Please tell me that it was you who said that, Mr. Looker."
"Uh, it was me who said that?" Looker repeated, feeling somewhat perplexed by her request when he knew who really spoke out to her. However, Angie was not totally aware of the powerful presence that required her assistance in dire matters. Her Shinx was different as the hairs all over its body stiffened and stood on end to make the Flash Pokémon look formidable as possible, having sensed the unknown power up ahead.
Looker opened up a final path after brushing past the last pair of tree branches in the way. In what seemed to be an eternity to Angie, light had finally seemed to pour out from the opening up ahead. The uncovered light became too bright for the normal human eye to bear, causing the Solaceon caretaker to cover her eyes with both arms as she continued walking forward. Though as she advanced forward slowly one step at a time as to avoid tripping herself over anything that might possibly be in her blind path, the light itself started to dim down enough for conditions to be visible and bearable for her bare eyes. From that point, Angie was able to make out that they had arrived at a lake where a strange being cloaked in a large brown cape with a hood over the head floated at the center of the placid waters. The light had mysteriously originated from the creature.
"Welcome," the same voice from before greeted the guests. The mystifying individual was the one confronting them, speaking mostly to Angie as they reached the lake. "This place is known as the Sendoff Spring, otherwise known as Sinnoh's fourth lake that was kept a secret due to public safety."
"D-Did you say this is the Sendoff Spring?" Angie repeated, trembling upon the thought the legend of the secret fourth lake reemerging fresh in her mind. "My parents once told me in a tale that beyond this hidden lake was a cave where dimensions are distorted. One of the worlds that was said to connect to ours is called the Distortion World, a dimension of antimatter that would otherwise keep our world in balance as it is a place where time doesn't flow and the laws of spatial physics don't apply."
"So you have acute knowledge of the legends of the Sinnoh region then; I'm not surprised since you do dwell in this region, after all," the cloaked creature replied knowingly. The being slowly hovered forward to the land where Angie, Looker, and Shinx were, waves rippling upon the water beneath its feet. "The Distortion World is also said to be home to the guardian of distortions and antimatter, also known as the rebel of time and space. You might recognize it as the legendary Giratina."
"That is what is according to the latest research of Newton Graceland, the latest person who managed to traverse the Distortion World and see Giratina with his own eyes, Master," Looker added. Angie's head suddenly jerked towards the detective's direction.
"Wait a minute! 'Master' is what you called it?!" Angie shouted, palpably outraged as realization of her current situation had dawned upon the Solaceon tomboy. Looker stepped back from shock, scared of her unleashed fiery wrath. "You led me on! I could be home by now and I'd have nothing to worry about."
"Except for the destruction of our world if I don't acquire your assistance in this matter," the creature intervened, holding out a hand of three rather bulbous fingers from underneath the brown cape. It demonstrated its psychic prowess by freezing Angie's body in place, much to her furious dismay.
"Shinx Shinx-Shinx!" Shinx growled; blue static crackled all around from the standing fur on its body. The powerful psychic being redirected the hand to the Flash Pokémon's direction while still maintaining a mental bind on Angie.
"I have no wish to harm any of you, but I will not hesitate to defend myself," the being explained calmly, its tone sincere and somewhat benevolent despite the darkness that shrouded its true nature. Shinx ceased the static, but remained wary and distrustful of the strange creature.
"E-Excuse me, but what do you need my help for anyway?!" Angie demanded, struggling against the psychic binding upon her thin body. "Who or what in the world are you?"
"I will tell you my true purpose of having Officer Looker lure you here once I reveal my identity, but first I sense some interlopers among my fog," the being answered. Its piercing eyes hidden underneath its large hood glowed brightly, utilizing more of its psychic power upon the bushes behind the group. Frantic screaming was heard as two humans and a Meowth were forcibly pulled out from their hiding spot and right in front of Angie.
"It's those three from before," Looker remarked, surprised to learn that they had managed to follow him and Angie without getting lost in the creature's defensive mist.
"Team Rocket?! What more is there to the madness I've fallen into?" Angie screamed, exhaling her frustrations loudly as an effort to calm down. Indeed, the stubborn remnants of the disbanded Team Rocket huddled together out of fear until they spotted Looker nearby.
"Hey, it's dat Boxed-Lunch Guy!" Meowth exclaimed.
"So we did manage to follow him and the Daycare twerpette after all," Jessie concurred with a smile.
"Oh, joyous reunion at last!" James cried in glee.
"I must apologize, but what do you need me for?" Looker asked. As though they were prompted, the trio came before him with heads low and bodies bowed before the bewildered agent in great humility.
"Oh, Boxed-Lunch Guy, please listen to our piteous pleas," Jessie pleaded, her tone dramatically sorrowful.
"Our Boss, or ex-Boss, has actually done the unthinkable and renounced the glorious name of Team Rocket," James continued, slightly lifting his head up to see Looker's reaction, hoping to receive some sort of sympathy.
"And we've come to give ya our help wit watever it is you're doin'," Meowth concluded, his expression in rather exaggerated tears. All together, the trio grabbed the agent's legs, ready to beg for their lives.
"We're desperate to be given a purpose, so won't you please find it in your heart to employ us?" the Rocket trio requested, tugging at Looker's pants and coattails relentlessly unless he gave them his answer.
"Oh, give me a break," Angie sighed, her attitude skeptical over the trio's behavior, given their description from Ash sometime in the past. "This is probably some trick to use us before running off with something valuable."
"No, they're telling the truth of their desperate sincerity," the being of the lake spoke before the Rocket trio could argue back at Angie. "I sense no deceit in their hearts. Their bodies are functioning without any sort of influence aside from their own. Team Rocket has dealt with an evil even greater than they were. The disbandment was the ultimate result. By now, your 'Boss' is wallowing in his own regrets, a punishment rather fitting for him." The trio ridiculously sobbed together upon the mention of their beloved Boss, much to Looker's chagrin as their tears were soaking his attire. And to think, I didn't even have to punish that fool myself. It was probably for the best as what I could have done, I would have regretted it regardless…
"How do you know all about Team Rocket and everything else that's going on? And who are you anyway?" Angie queried relentlessly. "What's going on?" Questions were being asked all over the place. Truths were still masked and unknown as various statements and facts were thrown about, much like the Spring Path underneath the creature's power.
"Very well, the time comes close that I shall reveal my true intentions," the being announced; the commotion from Angie and Team Rocket came to a complete halt. The creature pulled off the hood while allowing a tiny portion of Psychic power to rip off the brown cape that adorned its entire body, exposing the powerful being for what it truly was. "I… am Mewtwo."
The area was deadly quiet. The scalding winds blew across the deserted sandy plains, beyond the limits of civilization. One living being had started to stir awake as a result to the change of atmosphere, discovering himself to have been lying on his back on a flat rock surface. He gradually opened his eyes as to preserve the capability of vision he urgently needed for his survival, wherever he was located now. The dim light of the sun from above came into his sight, the burning sensation slightly irritating him. He slowly turned his head to the side to limit the light entering into his eyes; his blurred, weak vision managed to decipher three figures watching over him.
"Welcome back, Gallade," the larger silhouette of the three greeted softly. The voice was unmistakably young, matured, bold, sympathetic, and utterly familiar to Gallade. Upon instinctual response, he quickly sat up, vision restored.
"Master Ash," Gallade mumbled, looking at his former Trainer as they finally saw eye to eye since a long time ago. Pikachu and Lucario were around him as well, apparently worried. "What has happened to me? Where are we?"
"You're free from her control; that's good," Ash replied, turning his head around. Gallade glanced back to what he was looking at and discovered his new Trainer still dressed in her mistress attire and her Sun Pokémon remained unconscious upon the bedrock behind them. "You're the first to wake up, though I was hoping she would wake up soon so we could go back finding Paul and fighting Reverse-Cipher. We've already lost too much time as it is."
"That would change nothing," Gallade sighed, much to Ash's confusion. "You see, even if she were to wake up now, she would still be the same before you overpowered her… and I would wind up back under her dominant mental control."
"How can that be?" Ash inquired, panic struggling to burst out from his stomach. He felt it rise, but learned to suppress it and maintain his cool just for the better for situations such as these. "I defeated her and together escaped Pyrite Town. By the way, if I ever wanted to visit the Orre region for vacation, never recommend Pyrite Town or Colosseum as a tourist attraction."
"Duly noted, but I don't see what that has to do with our circumstances involving her now. You should have seen her after you left her heartbroken and alone, Master Ash."
"Oh…"
"Her growing despair overwhelmed her will to live, considering how you repressed her most cherished memories of you and her before you left her for the greater good," Gallade explained solemnly. "All living beings, including you, her, and myself, have a primitive, natural, carnal side that we would otherwise know of it as our 'dark side.' She had done a fantastic job with her self-control, putting her inhibitions and self-gratifying desires behind her. But her loneliness and the primal influences of the Pyrite populace were able to free her dark side and place her in control of the body."
"So she still exists then within her," Ash finished, contemplating the first available course of action. "If this was my fault, then I must fix this."
"How will you do so, Master Ash?" Gallade asked, his telepathic voice sounding hasty and worried. "When I was able to momentarily break out of her control, you barely stood a chance against her in battle. What could you do now that you had not done back then?" Ash stood up, steadying his posture before walking over to the unconscious young woman with lilac hair and a distressed expression frozen upon her pale face.
"It's a long shot, but if this can work then we should have the old Anabel back before we know it," Ash sighed, kneeling beside the wretched girl he took for granted. I'm so sorry. This was the biggest mistake I've ever made in my life. I really am as dumb as my friends said, but I thought… I thought… The young Aura Guardian slightly caressed her exposed face as an act of regret for the heartache and sorrow he gave her because of his own foolish doubts. He felt the damage, though it was not visible, upon the stroke of her pastel cheek. Gallade, Pikachu, and Lucario looked at him expectantly, waiting for his next decision to save the Salon Maiden's soul.
"Well, what is it that you're going to do?" Gallade demanded impatiently, but as politely as he could have mustered. The waiting tension had dragged on long enough.
"I'm going to enter her mind."
Happy birthday, Tale of Stardom!
So we have four different scenarios, each with a troublesome cliffhanger that will be continued the next time I update. And yes, I can be cruel when needed. Ah ha ha! Anyway, I felt like I neglected the side stories a bit, so I wanted to bring them back to memory, especially with the summary's promise for MirrorRivalShipping, even though Drew and Zoey have not appeared but were mentioned, and minor LithiumShipping. Anyway, these pairings are pretty good alternates if you don't favor the usual, more popular pairings. Just give them a try, that's all I'm saying.
I hope you will find the time to review this chapter. What are your thoughts, questions, and concerns about it?
Ciao!