That day, I recall telling Lilly that I was going to the Sevii Islands to do some exploring. However, upon arriving at Isle Four I began to wander more than explore the area; I already knew it like the back of my hand.
It was then that I finally decided to address the decision I had been ignoring for the last few weeks.
I am healed by this point, there is no longer a need for me to stay there, I considered as I levitated toward the shore, unseen.
But . . . that incident with Cassidy . . . did she know?
The thought was enough to make me stop moving forward.
What if they figure it out once I leave, and come after her?
Lilly had run-ins with Team Rocket before I came along, but she was able to demonstrate her prowess as a trainer and earn Giovanni's respect when she beat him at his own gym. They laid low after that, but our encounter with Cassidy told me that approaching her was no longer something they worried about.
Surely, Lilly can fight them off with her Pokémon, or else she would not have told Ash she could protect me . . . right?
While deliberating that, I suddenly recalled that they were successful in killing one of her Pokémon in the past; if they grew suspicious enough that I was with her at some point, what was to stop them from doing it again?
Then, if that is a possibility . . . I cannot leave yet, I resolved at that moment, not until I determine that she can protect herself in a situation like that. Once I help her learn to use her powers, I can go on my way.
Satisfied with my decision, I thought of somewhere else I wanted to go and teleported.
I reappeared next to Ash. It was a little past midnight in Hoenn, and he was fast asleep against a tree. His Pikachu was sleeping by his side, along with a Treecko; but I was not there to see him at the moment. Once I gathered my bearings, I took off west for what I was actually searching for.
After flying for an hour or so more over several cities and a long stretch of ocean, I found what I was looking for: the entrance to Evergrande City. Even now I do not know why it is called a city; there are no other inhabitants there aside from the Elite Four.
The lack of human light pollution permitted me an incredible view of millions of stars; they added an element of majesty to the area that was absent during the daytime. I spent some time lazily wandering along the brick path, stopping to admire the design of each arch as I passed under them. I tried imagine a younger version of Lilly walking up these very steps to take the challenge for the first time.
Perhaps one day, I can see her take on this Pokémon League again in person.
Even I was surprised at myself for thinking that.
A few minutes later, I found what I was looking for; a field of flowers near the entrance to the Pokémon League building. Lilly once described these to me as her favorite flowers. I did not understand at first because they sounded quite basic. But in that moment, it began to make more sense to me; brilliant blues and bright pinks gently swayed in the wind under the gradually fading moonlight, they were indeed lovely to look at.
I scanned the fields and selected a few of the best ones I could find, snapping them from the earth and bringing them to myself, then remembered that it was growing close to dinner time back in Kanto. I teleported myself and the flowers back into Lilly's house.
When I arrived, the house was darker than I expected it to be. Though the sun was not visible through the thick clouds outside, I could sense that twilight would not arrive for another hour or so.
That is odd . . . perhaps I am a little early. Though I could have sworn Lilly said she was staying home today, I thought to myself, somewhat perplexed.
I floated there for a moment with the flowers still in my hand, half expecting Lilly to walk through the front door with a bag of take-out or a pizza box in her arms. When that did not happen either, I began looking around for some kind of clue as to where she would have gone.
It was when I glanced at the coffee table that I saw it; a piece of notebook paper clumsily folded in half with a Pokéball next to it. On the front was scribbled the words:
For Mewtwo
My confusion mounted as I levitated the note to myself and began reading. Lilly's handwriting was never neat to begin with, but this handwriting was hardly legible at all. After my first read-through I was not sure that I read it correctly, so I read through again.
And again.
And a third time.
My eyes darted over the piece of paper repeatedly as I tried to make sense of the message she wrote, which read:
Team Rocket is coming. I kept the phone number from Cassidy and have been talking to her. She paid me to keep you in one place until Team Rocket could come up with a plan to catch you. They sent the money to me today and will be here soon, I'm telling you in case you wanted to leave before they get here.
I gently alighted on the ground, dropping the flowers and taking the paper into my hands.
She . . . no, it cannot be that she . . .
I was so preoccupied by what I just read that I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard the sound of a draw closing upstairs. This was followed by the sound of small feet running down the hallway and down the wooden staircase. I stared at the steps as Lilly came down; she still did not realize I was standing there. When she finally looked up, she gasped and dropped her grey duffel bag.
I stared at her wordlessly for a second, waiting for her to say "just kidding" or something similar, but the look on her face was a mixture of shock and fear.
"I . . . I thought you wouldn't be back until . . ."
Her voice trailed off, unable to finish her thought.
"Lilly," I said quietly, showing her the piece of paper, "what is this?"
She averted her eyes, knowing fully well what was on that paper. Her thoughts were incoherently screaming over each other, the sound was grating on my ears.
"Tell me!" I roared, instantly incinerating the paper with my mind, "I deserve an explanation!"
She flinched, but still made no attempt to explain herself. Her breathing slowed and became focused, and the thoughts in her head grew increasingly quieter until they stopped altogether. I quickly realized what she was doing and became furious.
"What are you hiding from me?!"
I tried to push past the barrier anyway but was met with a searing pain in my skull. I gasped and put my hands to my head, growing angrier with each passing second.
"What the paper said is true," she said calmly, ignoring my discomfort, "I thought it would be fair to give you a head-start since I already have the money."
She bent down to pick up her bag as she finished with the words, "You should leave now, while you still can."
"You betrayed Ash," I said plainly, recovering from the burning sensation.
"I had to, for the money," she reminded me, her voice still quiet, "I need to start over in a new region, it isn't cheap—"
"You betrayed Ash, and you betrayed me," I continued, my voice rising with each word.
I did not know that I was walking toward Lilly until I realized that my face was inches from hers. Though she was doing her utmost to remain composed, I could see fear flickering in her green eyes.
"You lied to me!" I bellowed, finally losing my temper and tearing the kitchen cabinet doors off of their hinges, smashing them against the wall and floor.
She screamed and put her hands over her ears.
"How dare you . . . you selfish brat!"
I looked toward the dining room and levitated the nearest chair, smashing it into the table and sending splinters flying.
"I knew I never should have trusted you—"
I did not finish my sentence before I saw the red light envelop my body; I was immediately pulled into the Pokéball Lilly had first captured me with. Seething, I forced my way out and turned to look at her. The Pokéball was on the floor a few feet away.
Nobody moved for a moment, but then she took a step toward it.
"You DARE—!"
Without even turning to look at the Pokéball, I lifted it and tore the hemispheres apart with my mind. Then I lifted her with my psychic energy and slammed her against the kitchen wall. She began to cry, but I had already lost all patience.
"You seem to forget . . . just how many people I had to kill to win my freedom . . ."
I levitated a shard of glass from one of the cabinet doors on the floor and held it close to her throat.
"Shall I add one more to the tally today?"
Lilly's eyes were screwed shut as tears continued to stream down her face, and her breathing was shallow.
"Why did you do it?" I asked quietly.
I tried to search her mind again, but it was still no use.
"Answer me!" I screamed through the pain I felt in my head, pressing the glass to her skin.
She cried out and opened her eyes, which immediately darted down to the shard of glass.
"D-Don't do this," she sniffled quietly, still avoiding my gaze, "just go now, I . . . I have what I wanted."
"FINE!"
I dropped her and the shard of glass to the floor, where she curled up against the wall and began sobbing loudly.
"I should have known that you were no better than any other greedy human," I growled with contempt before standing up.
I walked out the front door and slammed it with all the force I had behind me, smirking to myself as I heard the glass crack and break.