I do not own Pokémon. Credit goes to Satoshi Tajiri and Game Freak.
Also, credit goes to Laurleen aka Emi-Xstitch on DeviantArt for co-writing the first four chapters and then RubyDaSquirlz on DeviantArt for the successor chapters starting at chapter 5.
With each of them having earned the Thunder Badge, they made their way back to the Pokémon Center. While Mewtwo settled himself in the lounge area, Leaf, Red and Gary hung out at the counter while Nurse Joy carried the trays holding their Poké Balls to the healing station. As they waited in a few minutes of silence, Leaf rocked side to side. Soon, Nurse Joy withdrew each tray and handed them to the misfit trainers.
"Thank you for waiting," she smiled, "your Pokémon are restored to full health."
Nurse Joy gave a deep bow as the misfit trainers stashed away their Poké Balls.
"We hope to see you again."
Red nodded at Nurse Joy before he led Leaf and Gary to the lounge area.
"Man," the professor's grandson placed his hands behind his head, "I'm getting hungry. Can we get some lunch before we head out?"
Leaf felt her stomach grumble as intense as a Whismur's Uproar. Red glanced to his right and observed the cafeteria nearby.
"Well, we could all go for some food," he nodded.
Gary grinned as he shuffled over to the cafeteria. Leaf glanced over her shoulder and locked eyes onto Mewtwo like a nervous Skitty.
"Helios, would you like anything?" Leaf asked Mewtwo.
Mewtwo glanced over his shoulder and took a moment to examine the menu from a distance.
"I'll try the tempura udon this time," he answered.
"Got it," she nodded with a soft smile.
Leaf, Red and Gary made their way to the cafeteria and stopped by the counter. Leaf didn't hesitate to order chicken katsu with rice, mushroom sauce and shredded romaine lettuce for herself. Red ordered a bowl of miso ramen while Gary ordered okonomiyaki. While the young trainers made orders for food dishes for their Pokémon, Leaf proceeded to order tempura udon. Once the chef brought out the trays to the counter several minutes later, the kids took turns making their payment at the counter. They carried their lunch orders back to the lounge and sat near Mewtwo before they sent out their Pokémon. Shortly after that, they started eating.
Once they finished lunch, they wrapped up and left Vermilion City. Mewtwo, Leaf, Red and Gary didn't get pretty far in Route Eleven when they reached the entrance to Diglett's Cave. While she carried her Squirtle in her arms, Leaf examined the cavern entrance and rocked side to side.
"You know," Gary pointed out, "we could always take Routes Five and Six back to Cerulean City."
Red gave Gary a blank stare in a moment of silence before he returned his gaze towards his Pokégear, reading the latest text message from Professor Oak.
"I'm more interested in what the professor has in store for us," Red remarked.
Mewtwo placed a finger on his chin.
"Is he waiting for us?" Mewtwo asked.
Red simply shrugged. They didn't say much else as Mewtwo led the trainers through the entrance to Diglett's Cave. The feline psychic Legendary noticed a ladder leading down a hole, so he hovered over and peered inside. During the moment of silence, Pikachu hopped off Red's shoulder and peered down the hole. Mewtwo shuddered when he smelled a poisonous gas ascending from below. He didn't hesitate to grab Pikachu by the scruff of his neck. The electric mouse let out a startled yelp while the Genetic Pokémon moved away from the hole.
"That was close," Mewtwo muttered.
While Mewtwo saw the Poison Gas rising from the hole, he set Pikachu down on the ground. Gary scanned his surroundings and started stepping towards the hole. The psychic Legendary thought fast and gripped the professor's grandson's shoulder.
"Hey!" Gary exclaimed.
Squirtle hopped out of Leaf's arms and glared at the hole, scratching at the ground with his front claws.
"Squirt, Squirt, Squirt…"
"Is someone down there?" Leaf blurted.
Mewtwo glanced over his shoulder and nodded.
"If we're going to confront whoever is at the bottom," Mewtwo warned, "I suggest you prepare for battle."
Red nodded and shifted his baseball cap until its visor faced the back.
"Well, I'm ready," he said.
"Pika!" Pikachu added.
Gary reached for his bag and sent out his Rattata. Mewtwo swayed his tail nervously.
"Shall I lift you down?" Mewtwo offered.
"We can climb down," Red assured Mewtwo, "don't worry."
Leaf nodded in agreement just as the poisonous gas dissipated. She took the hint and sprinted over to the ladder. Mewtwo watched as the trainers climbed down the ladder one by one. When Pikachu, Squirtle and Rattata climbed after them, the psychic Legendary floated his way down the hole. Once Mewtwo met up with the trainers at the bottom, he scanned his surroundings, hoping to find the source of the Poison Gas. Rattata's fur stood on edge as the purple rodent fidgeted nervously.
"Piikaaa," Pikachu shook anxiously.
Squirtle let out a soft sigh and patted Pikachu and Rattata on the heads in an attempt to soothe them. As Mewtwo adjusted his hood, Gary and Red shuddered when they heard rumbling from a distance.
"Did you hear that?" Gary whispered.
Red nodded. Mewtwo tensed as he felt the ground with his feet. He squinted into the darkness in search of any sudden movements. Seconds later, they started hearing distant sounds echoing across the tunnel.
"Diglett Dig, Diglett Dig, Diglett Dig, Diglett Dig!"
"Trio! Trio! Trio!"
Leaf spotted one Diglett pop up from the ground, followed by another. Mewtwo didn't hesitate to lift Leaf into his arms, eliciting a startled yelp out of her.
"Mew…Helios?" she blurted.
"Such anger," Mewtwo muttered, "something's happened up ahead."
Shaking nervously, Leaf perched her arms over Mewtwo's shoulders and stared into the distance. Before long, wave after wave of Digletts start emerging from the ground as they gathered around Mewtwo, Red and Gary. Pikachu, Squirtle and Rattata leapt into a battle stance in front of them as the swarm stared back at them. Red took a moment to pull out his Pokédex.
{Diglett, the Mole Pokémon. It lives one yard underground and feeds on plant roots. Farmers raise some Digletts as they till the soil for crops when they burrow through the field. But, Digletts have the capacity to be considered a pest when they feed on the roots of crops, so farmers deter them by planting a specific tree. Their skin are thin to the point exposure to sunlight can heat up their blood and weaken them, so they come to the surface at night.}
Gary spotted a Dugtrio among the swarm of Digletts and recorded it in his Pokédex.
{Dugtrio, the Mole Pokémon. This evolved form of Diglett can dig through even the hardest of ground to a depth of over 60 miles. The heads are triplets that emerged from one body. As a result, each triplet thinks exactly like the other two triplets, cooperating to burrow endlessly.}
"Helios," Gary begged, "plans?"
"I'll see if I can calm them," Mewtwo suggested, eyeing the Dugtrio, "there's too many to battle efficiently. I wonder if that Dugtrio is their leader."
With Leaf still clinging onto the psychic Legendary, Mewtwo gestured to the Dugtrio in the middle of the swarm. Little did they know, Pikachu felt the ground rumble underneath him. When the Dugtrio laid its eyes on Mewtwo, he shifted his arms so Leaf could perch in his right arm.
"Take a moment to calm yourselves," Mewtwo requested, "tell me what happened."
"Trio! Trio Trio."
Red and Gary exchanged confused glances as the Dugtrio scooted towards the psychic Legendary.
"Uhh, what's going on?" Gary paused.
"Trio Trio Trio, Trio!"
Mewtwo hummed as he nodded.
"I assure you we mean you no harm," Mewtwo tried to reassure them, "we're merely passing through."
Dugtrio shook its head.
"Trio! Trio!"
"Wait," Mewtwo paused, "you mean…?"
Before Mewtwo could finish interpreting the Dugtrio's speech, Pikachu let out a startled shriek as a hole opened up beneath him and he fell in.
"Pikachu!" Red panicked.
Mewtwo snapped out of his thoughts and glanced over his shoulder. Squirtle and Rattata peered down the hole while Leaf stared in disbelief. The young girl slid out of the Legendary's arms and sprinted over to the hole before she sent out her Nidoran and Sandslash.
"Leaf?!" Gary exclaimed.
Leaf knelt before her Nidoran and Sandslash.
"You guys wanna bet Team Rocket is here?" Leaf asked.
"That would explain the poison," Mewtwo agreed, returning his gaze to the Dugtrio, "we'll get them out. You can leave it to us to deal with them."
The Digletts exchanged glances while the Dugtrio nodded at Mewtwo.
"Trio! Trio!"
"Diglett Dig, Diglett Dig, Diglett Dig!" the Digletts chirped with confidence.
Mewtwo blinked twice in a moment of silence.
"Thank you," Mewtwo spoke, "I appreciate your assistance. In this case, would you lead the way?"
The Dugtrio exchanged glances with the surrounding Digletts, so a few Digletts burrowed their way towards the hole. Leaf stroked Sandslash and Nidoran's heads with both hands and smiled at them.
"You can find Pikachu," Leaf said, "right, buddies?"
"Slash!" Sandslash saluted.
"Nido!" Nidoran added.
"Should the rest of us continue forward?" Mewtwo asked.
Sandslash and Nidoran jumped into the hole with the few Digletts following close behind.
"Maybe we'll find Team Rocket along the way," Red replied.
"I have no doubt," Mewtwo agreed.
Leaf stood to her feet and took a moment to crack her knuckles.
"Mewtwo," Leaf pointed out, "you can sense them underneath us, right?"
Mewtwo nodded.
"Then let's go!" Leaf announced.
Upon cue, Mewtwo led the way with Leaf, Red, Gary, Squirtle and Rattata following close behind. The crowd of Digletts scrambled aside, allowing them to pass through. As they ventured deeper through the tunnel, Mewtwo examined his surroundings through his psionic senses to keep track of Nidoran and Sandslash as they burrowed farther underground. He perked up when he detected the metal of the ladder ahead. He couldn't help but wonder if it led to the surface or down below.
After sprinting a few more feet, Gary spotted a ladder out of the corner of his eyes. They recognized Jessie standing at the bottom of the ladder as her Ekans emerged its head out of a hole. Meowth stood nearby and scanned his surroundings when he locked eyes onto the misfit trainers.
"Oh, crap!" Meowth exclaimed, pointing at Mewtwo and the kids, "it's the twerps again!"
Jessie and James snapped their heads towards Leaf, Red and Gary. By then, Ekans pulled out a glass prison capsule with its tail while Pikachu struggled inside.
"Pikachu!" Red shouted.
Without warning, the swarm of Digletts managed to catch up with Mewtwo and the trainers. Jessie and James shuddered and widened their eyes when the burrowing moles glared at them.
"It would be wise for you three to release that Pikachu," Mewtwo folded his arms underneath his cloak.
Meowth widened his stance and flexed his claws.
"Fat chance, psycho freak!"
Leaf took a couple steps and pointed at Meowth.
"Then what did you do that pissed off these Digletts?!" Leaf demanded.
James gulped while Mewtwo examined the Meowth shaped hot air balloon outside the cave.
"Whatever the reason," Mewtwo proclaimed, "they're not getting away."
Mewtwo didn't hesitate to prepare a Shadow Ball in a matter of seconds before he flung it at the ladder. Jessie and James yelped and jumped aside while the ladder fell to the ground. Seconds later, Nidoran and Sandslash popped out of the hole and tackled Ekans. James gritted his teeth before he sent out his Koffing.
"Koffing, use Smokescreen!" James ordered.
"Oh no, you don't," Gary barked, pointing ahead, "Rattata, use Crunch!"
"Squirtle, Water Pulse!" Leaf added.
Squirtle and Rattata leapt into action. The purple rodent bit at Koffing hard. The tiny turtle unleashed a pulsating blast of water, leaving the Poison Gas Pokémon dizzy. Sandslash broke the glass container open with his claws, allowing Pikachu to jump out. The electric mouse skittered along the ground while Mewtwo prepared another Shadow Ball. Sandslash and Nidoran leapt over as the Digletts swarmed towards Jessie, James and Meowth, eliciting startled yelps out of them. The Rocket trio recalled Ekans and Koffing before turning to run, but not before the psychic Legendary flung a Shadow Ball at them, sending them flying.
"Team Rocket's blasting off again!" the Rocket trio cried out.
Shortly after Jessie, James and Meowth disappeared into the sky, Mewtwo made a brief glance at Red as Pikachu snuggled in his trainer's arms, chirping and nuzzling the boy's cheek. Gary knelt before his Rattata and scratched behind the purple rodent's ears until it started glowing.
"Huh?!" Gary exclaimed.
The Mouse Pokémon grew in size, its ears gained ragged edges and its tail uncurled while its incisors grew. Once the glowing faded, Gary reached for his Pokédex.
{Raticate, the Mouse Pokémon. This evolved version of Rattata uses its whiskers to maintain balance. Their feet are webbed which enable it to swim across rivers. A Raticate's incisors are constantly growing, so they need to gnaw on logs and rocks to maintain their teeth.}
"Nice!" Gary grinned, "good work, buddy."
"Rati!" Raticate squeaked happily.
Gary recalled his Raticate while Red turned towards the Digletts gathering around them.
"Diglett Dig! Diglett Diglett Dig!" they chorused in unison.
"You're welcome," Red smiled.
Mewtwo smiled as the Digletts dispersed. Leaf shared the same smile, wanting to celebrate by seeing if she could find more marbles in the tunnel. No sooner did she pull out her Itemfinder and turn it on, the device started beeping and the antennae swiveled to her right. Leaf turned in that direction and took a few steps until the Itemfinder beeped rapidly. Mewtwo floated over to her side and examined the ground.
"Let's see what could possibly be here," Leaf muttered to herself.
Leaf made a brief glance at Mewtwo as he crouched to one knee. He placed his hands on the ground, feeling for whatever was buried underneath the dirt. Once he found softer soil, he nodded at the young girl, so she sent out her Sandslash and Nidoran.
"Hey guys," Leaf asked, "you mind helping us?"
"Nido!"
"Slash!"
Mewtwo, Leaf, Sandslash and Nidoran started digging into the ground before them. After a few minutes, the trainer brushed off a layer of dirt which revealed a skull. The young girl yelped and reeled back while a nearby Diglett stopped in its tracks and gave them a curious stare. Mewtwo, having noticed the trainer's sudden reaction, examined the skull in the ground.
"Uhh," Leaf stammered, "is that a fossil?"
Nidoran and Sandslash gave Leaf a brief confused stare before they continued digging. Once a few minutes passed, they managed to unearth the rest of the skeleton. Strangely enough, the skeleton happened to be a neck shorter than Leaf. Mewtwo lifted the skeleton into his arms while Red and Gary approached him from behind, Pikachu perching on the former's shoulder.
"Yeah," Red commented, "that doesn't look like a Pokémon at all."
"Pika," the electric mouse agreed, his ears twitching.
"Whatever it is," Gary shrugged, "at least we know those two didn't do it."
Mewtwo nodded before standing up while Leaf recalled her Squirtle, Sandslash and Nidoran.
"Let's just go," Leaf suggested.
Here, I'll list some of the Japanese Dishes mentioned:
Okonomiyaki is a savory pancake and there are some varieties of okonomiyaki. The Osaka/Kansai equivalent has the batter consisting of shredded cabbage, green onions, pickled ginger, flour, eggs and water. When this variant is frying on the pan, you place strips of pork belly on one side and flip it. Once it's done cooking, this variant is drizzled with okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise, and sprinkled with seaweed flakes (aonori) and bonito flakes (katsuobushi). The Hiroshima okonomiyaki includes fried noodles but its cooking method is different from that of the Osaka variant.
Tempura Udon is a noodle soup consisting of thick wheat noodles in a broth consisting of soy sauce, dashi and mirin. The toppings are often dipped in tempura batter and deep-fried.
Chicken Katsu is a variation of tonkatsu, which that in itself is a pork cutlet coated in panko and deep-fried. It can be served with shredded cabbage or on rice.
Miso Ramen is a type of ramen dish in Japan with miso blended into the broth.
Anyways, feel free to drop a review, because Mewtwo and Leaf could use some emotional support!
Mewtwo and Leaf would also like to see any memes or fanart you can come up with related to this fanfic!
Be sure to remember to boycott Autism Speaks. ;)