Chapter 35: Clouded Futures
"So the capturing of Lugia went well." Miror B. snickered.
"That's not funny." Eldes said dryly. "We have a huge issue on our hands. With Agent Ryoko going rogue we're at a huge security risk. He could leak all our plans and security protocols. Not to mention all our men that were detained."
"The children spearheading this plan were pretty well connected too. Dozens of the strongest trainers all over the world would gladly take up arms alongside them." Miror B. was actually impressed by this network of trainers.
"Why aren't you taking this more seriously? If that World Champion brat gets his way, we could be annexed and have all our documents seized. Cipher is in jeopardy if that happens." Eldes was starting to lose his temper with B.
"Oh calm down, you really think if they wanted to they would have done so already. You need to have more faith in Snattle. Though, he is surely in one heck of an upheaval right now." B. chuckled. "As for that naughty boy Ryoko, we'll take care of him. As long as we have his dear Haruka and Mei, he'll come back. No doubt trying to recruit them to his foolish cause." It was rare to see Miror B. so cold and calculated, but he didn't get to be in the position he was in by goofing off all the time. The sound of loud footsteps comes rushing down the hall. "Speaking of."
"Miror B.!" Mei threw open the door as she shouted. "What is this I've heard about Ryoko turning traitor?" Mei was livid to hear those rumors. True or not.
"I'm afraid it's true my little Mei. Our Ryoko has surfaced as a traitor. Dear Haruka is very distraught." B. regretted having to inform her of this. It was a sad reality. One that would reflect worse on Ein since he spearheaded the program to begin with.
Mei couldn't believe what she was hearing, Ryoko, her best friend turned traitor. Nothing about that made sense to her. Mei balled his fist and ran out the door.
"Poor girl," Eldes sympathized with her, "it'll be hard on both of them. We will need to make sure they don't follow suit."
"Mei's loyalty to Cipher is unwavering, she is one of our best agents. Truly she is. You know this. Plus, someone let it slip that she's the prime candidate to receive Shadow Mewtwo." Miror B. gave a devious chuckle.
Mei stomped down the hall, every agent was smart to avoid her. Mei needed to blow off some steam and she knew just the simulation to do it. She headed right to the simulator, slamming the door open. Aiden nearly fell out of his chair, by this point he figured he'd be use to this.
"Morning sunshine." He groaned. "Sim's already for you."
Mei entered without a word and booted up the sim battle. Mewtwo stared her down. The program, nothing but a bunch of ones and zeroes, but she still felt like it was mocking her. She hated it so much. She saw her own inadequacies in it. She felt the gut wrecking betrayal eating away at her.
"Thunderbolt Lanturn then quickly dodge. Mewtwo is going to come right for us with a Psystrike!" Mei had become an expert on out predicting Mewtwo's strategies. Though it was just a simulation, Mewtwo's sim A.I. was actually pretty advanced. Everyone else who tried battling it was crushed in horrible defeat. Even more elite agents were beat without much of a fight. Mei was the only ones who could last any more than a minute against Mewtwo. Literally hundreds of battles later she has yet to beat the sim.
Mei wasn't going to get discouraged though, at this point there would be no sense in it. After the countless hours of trying Mei was going through to beat Mewtwo. She had to. She now more than ever had something to prove. Ryoko betrayed them, she could not forgive that. She'll get stronger and show him the strength Cipher has and why he was a fool for abandoning them.
Mewtwo did exactly what she'd expected, Mei was ready this time. "Alright, Lanturn let's get out of the way because Mewtwo's probably going for a Psychic. Since a close up approach wasn't getting Mewtwo anywhere it'll probably try attack from a distance. The second it does give it another Thunderbolt." Mei was trying to keep her feelings in check since she knew if she let her anger get the better of her, then she'd lose.
Mewtwo did just as she expected, striking with Psychic from a distance. Lanturn narrowly avoided the attack and hit Mewtwo with another Thunderbolt. Mei just had to play it safe and be smart. This had been pretty obvious to her in all her previous battles. Mewtwo was unfortunately smart too. Quickly shifting its plans to a more direct approach. Overwhelming Lanturn with speed and raw power. Something Mei's Lanturn didn't have.
It was uncanny how strong Mewtwo was. Still, Mei couldn't get discouraged. "Okay Lanturn hang in there and use Surf." Lanturn was hanging in by a thread, but once Lanturn got the opportunity it took it. Surfing to wash away Mewtwo and travelling on the water to create more distance. "Now Thunder!" Lanturn drenched Mewtwo making it a much easier target for the wild and hard to control attack.
Lightning came crashing down on Mewtwo, but the legendary Pokemon stood tall. Charging in for one final Psystrike, knocking out Lanturn.
"Swalot use Toxic!" Mei sent out her Swalot who did just as she requested. Unfortunately, Mewtwo annihilated Swalot with a Psychic second later. Still, Mei got what she needed. Toxic badly poisoned Mewtwo.
"Slaking use Hyper Beam!" Mei wasn't going to stop. She had to win. Hyper Beam hit, dealing a nasty amount of damage, but Mewtwo continued fighting on. Truant came back to bite them both as Mewtwo took the opportunity to lay into Slaking with a Focus Blast while it recharged and rested. It was nothing short of a miracle that Slaking survived that attack.
"Again!" Mei ordered. Knowing this would undoubtedly be the last chance Slaking got to strike before being beaten down by Mewtwo. The Hyper Beam was especially powerful, blasting Mewtwo dead on at a critical range. With a powerful blow back, Mewtwo slide back and paused. Finally showing signs of fatigue. This was quickly replaced with pure aggression as Mewtwo finished off Slaking.
"Mewtwo is still cutting through my team." She was now down three Pokemon and it was just now showing signs of fatigue. The poison was Mei's only hope at this point. Stalling enough and doing some hard hitting damage. A true battle of attrition.
"Go Slowking, we need to do this. Use Shadow Ball." She wanted to save Slowking, her trump card. She could have tried getting more Ghost and Dark Types or use more Ghost or Dark Type moves, but she wasn't going to alter team. She stayed true to this strategy. Shadow Ball followed Mewtwo as it tried avoiding it. Taking a hit to its back. Mewtwo was definitely in a pinch now. Poison was taking its toll on it.
Mewtwo retaliate with a Shadow Ball of its own. Mei smiled, "Perfect. Slowking use Protect!" She had it. Mei's call was executed perfectly, Slowking protected itself right as the incoming attack drew near. A bit too close for comfort, but she made it count. "Now Shadow Ball!" Mei responded with zeal. Slowking manifested a Shadow Ball and launched it. Hitting Mewtwo squarely in the chest. What followed was a huge discharge of dark energy exploding against Mewtwo.
When the smoke cleared Mewtwo stood hunched over clasping its chest. Finally, a sudden jolt of pain afflicted Mewtwo causing the legendary Pokemon to drop to its knees and fall prone. "We… won?" Mei couldn't believe her eyes. She and her Pokemon had beaten Mewtwo. "We won!" She cheered.
"Mei, I can't believe it." Aiden was amazed. It was like a dream. No one had even come close. Honestly, Aiden would be surprised if anyone else would. Mei was a Cipher elite through and through. "I'll report this to Miror B."
Mei nodded, "Yeah, I can finally start training using Mewtwo now. There's one other thing I want to take care of first."
"What's that?" Aiden was curious.
"It's a more personal matter, I'll see you later." Mei joyfully walked out. She walked the streets of Phenac. Agents nodding and occasionally greeting her. Mei just kept walking until she turned down an alleyway. "Abra." She called out a transport Abra. "Teleport me to the gate of Aragite Town."
In a flash Mei was there. The town was actually quiet and tranquil. No one really paid Mei any mind as she teleported in. The population definitely had decreased since all the Cipher agents had been run out. A few people who didn't recognize Mei smiled and waved warmly. It was a friendly little town without Cipher around.
"Rebels come out!" Mei shouted. The call echoed throughout the town, startling a great many people. Deafening silence followed for a good few minutes. Until a vaguely familiar face Walked up.
"Well ya got our attention blondie." Cary was the first to approach, "So what brings Cipher a knockin' without any backup?" He was cocky, but still a bit confused. Which had him on edge. Was Mei just the first in a long line of assaults? Why did they decide now to take back the city?
"I'm here to reclaim Aragite." Mei stared Cary down. Recalling their last encounter at the Realgam Tower.
"Uhh… by yourself? I mean not for nothin, but there's like five of us and only one of you. Plus, the others in town can kinda battle too." Cary honestly didn't think it was a fair fight so he kind of wasn't too excited by the idea.
"Mei?" Wes saw her and started to panic. "What are you doing here?"
"Your girlfriend wants to reclaim the whole damn town herself." Cary rolled his eyes. Clearly some sort of farce on Mei's part. Still this didn't seem like her usual methods. At least not when the odds were completely against her.
"All by yourself?" Wes chuckled. "Sorry, but where did you suddenly get the idea that you could do this all on your own?"
Mei called out her Slowking. "I was able to beat a legendary Pokemon is Cipher's simulations so you guys shouldn't be an issue." Mei justified.
"Wow, you hear that Wes. Dis chick beat a program. We don't stand a chance." Cary laughed aloud. "Look, I'm sure you're feeling proud of this, but what are you doing here?"
"Yeah Mei, this is a losing battle. You're smart enough to know that. This isn't like you at all." Wes acting like the authority on her.
"You don't know me! I am doing this, because some has to do something! I'm tired of sitting around while Cipher's slowly crumbling!" Mei's frustration was growing by the second. Her anger was very misplaced in her mind.
"What's going on?" Zephyrine walked up with Ebony.
"My, my, if it isn't Cipher's attack dog. What bring you here today dear?" Ebony did not expect this, but she wasn't really phased by it either.
"I will take you all down." Mei growled.
"With what? Six Pokemon against our twenty-four. Thirty counting Takumi's?" Cary chuckled again.
"That's enough Cary." A deep, but calm voice quieted Cary. He walked up to Mei and the rest with a weary look. "So we finally get to meet, Mei. It's been too long." He said with almost a smile.
"Who are you?" She demanded.
"You know who I am. I'm sure someone's told you about me." Takumi wasn't naïve. He knew Cipher kept her in the loop. Question was, how much?
"You're Takumi, head of the rebellion." It was fairly obvious. His name had starting coming up a lot recently. "Some say you're a traitor." Mei glared at him.
"Is that all they've told you? I guess it makes sense. Probably don't want anything to do with my contributions. Most of them anyway. Fine with me. I let that part of my life go when Cipher ruined my life." He looked off in the distance as he spoke. "You've become quite the trainer. A beautiful, young woman as well. You and Haruka both."
Mei was taken aback by this, "What the hell are you talking about you creep?"
Takumi gave a weary chuckle. "So they kept you in the dark about that too. What do you know about the Cipher Initiates Program?"
"It was the program set up to raise me and my friends. What do you know about it?" Mei turned the question around on him.
"Everything. Ein will never tell you this, but you were the original subject. Cipher had no intention of continuing beyond watching your development." Takumi shed some light on the program. Information Mei was not expecting.
"That doesn't answer my question. Did you help Ein in the program?" Mei demanded further.
Takumi shook his head. "I was the one who started it. I was there the day you were born Mei. I personally saw to your initiation and monitor your growth. I quit not long after. The project ended there. Until Ein started it back up. Haruka and Ryoko were not a part of the original goal."
Mei growled, "I don't want to hear that traitor's name. I don't even want to think about him right now."
Takumi's eyes widened. "Ryoko turned traitor?"
Mei stammered, "I said too much. I'm here to battle you."
Takumi all of a sudden walked up to her and placed a hand on her head. Musing up her hair. "You're just like your old man was. The spitting image of your mother too."
Mei froze. "My… parents?" Mei felt a weird yearning. "You knew my parents?"
Takumi scoffed, "They didn't even tell you about your poor mother? Have you ever looked in your personal record?"
Mei glared back at Takumi, "Of course I have."
"The one's they don't keep on display. The ones hidden in Cipher's mainframe for admin's eyes only?" Takumi figured their database architecture isn't the same as it once was, but with enough digging she could find it.
"Sounds to me like you want me to snoop where my nose doesn't belong." Mei wasn't going to play fetch so easily.
"I'm not telling you to do anything." Takumi explained plainly. "Just know there is a lot Cipher isn't telling you. If you knew the truths behind their actions, the whole truths. You would leave them like Ryoko did. Cipher's history is soaked in more blood than you could imagine. Cipher took my family from me. That's why I fight."
Mei wasn't sure how to respond. She knew Cipher was corrupt. That didn't bother her. Hearing Takumi's resolve. That was what bothered her. She could almost sympathize with him. She would fight tooth and nail against anyone who would do the same to those she saw as her family. "Why did Ryoko betray us?" Her voice waived as she began to shake.
"You'd have to ask him that question. What was his last mission before disappearing?" Takumi posed the question.
"Stealing Mewtwo's data. Maybe all that exposure to Kanto got to him? That's why he tried stopping us when Haruka captured Lugia." Mei wondered aloud.
Takumi didn't respond. He was very shaken by this news that Cipher now had potentially two legendary Pokemon in their arsenal, but that wasn't his concern right now. Without a word her put his arms around her. One hand soothingly rubbing her back. The other, holding the back of her head as he pressed it against his chest. "Go home Mei." He said quietly.
Amazingly, Mei agreed. With a soft nod she pulled out a Pokeball and called out Abra. She stepped back and looked Takumi in the eye. "Teleport." Abra teleported them both away in a flash. No final words or resistance on either side.
Ebony walked up with a smirk, "Good job planting the seeds of doubt Takumi."
"I just told her what she wanted to hear." He turned and walked away. Not bothering to address the situation or new information that had come to light.
Big things were in motion. Takumi could sense the winds of change picking up. He had a new objective, find Ryoko. If anyone was going to be instrumental in Cipher's downfall it would be him.
Thank you all for reading and I hope you all enjoyed. Please don't forget to leave a review with your thoughts on the chapter, the series, and the Pokemon Sagas Universe as a whole. We learned a bit more about the history of Cipher and Takumi's involvement. A lot of things are slowly coming to a head, and it will be climatic I can guarantee you all that.