Chapter 33
"Surprises"
I did not know that Mews evolved from anything…What did you evolve from?
"……Meww…" I muttered.
'……Human…'
What!? But humans aren't Pokémon!
I shrugged.
"Mewww…Me-ew, meww…"
'I don't know how it happened…It just did…'
……So you evolved from a human…and I was created by humans……
Something like that…
…You don't like talking about it?
I shrugged.
……How long ago was it? Mewtwo asked.
What?
Your evolution.
…Um…I don't know exactly…An hour or so, I guess…
Really!?…Wow, you really meant it when you said that you just evolved, didn't you?
Uh-huh.
………What did you mean……when you said that you knew how I felt…about having to leave…?
……Let's just say I left a few times…
From what?
……The 'boss'…
……Giovanni?
Yeah, I guess so…
…Wait a sec…How did it…?
How did you know that?
He was the one who ordered my creation.
I didn't know what to say about that…
…The same man who had……He did a lot of things…
……Giovanni Ketchum…
Mewtwo said it so casually, I almost missed it…I felt as if it had slapped me across my back and upside my head. I completely lost my concentration, and in doing so, I lost my ability to float……I didn't notice that I was falling towards the sea…
…Mew?
Before I knew it, I was very wet. That pulled me out of whatever I was in and I swam up to the surface and took a gulp of air.
…Are you alright?
…I think I misheard you… I said.
…Misheard what?
Mewtwo floated down to the surface but didn't come in.
I thought for a second that you said 'Giovanni Ketchum'. I laughed loudly.
But…Mew……I did.
Water filled my mouth and this time I didn't do anything about it…Mewtwo did though. It pulled me out of the water by the scruff of my neck. When I realized that I wasn't underwater anymore, I shook myself dry and spat out the saltwater.
…Are you okay? Mewtwo asked.
No… I answered, I keep hearing this voice in my head…
…That's me.
I shivered and willed myself back into the water, but it didn't work. Mewtwo had a firm grip on me.
…Is something the matter?
……My last name is Ketchum… I said quietly.
Now it was Mewtwo's turn to be surprised. It dropped me and I landed back in the water. I floated up and sat on it. I waited for Mewtwo to say something else.
…Um…Maybe it's just a coincidence……Lot's of humans have the same last name, but they're not all related…
…Right… I said, relieved to find a loophole.
……You didn't know his last name?
I shook my head.
…Did he even tell you his name?
…No…
……I wonder why…?
I floated up so we were eye-level.
Let's not worry about that. I want to go home…
Back to the humans' world?
Uh…No…First of all, I am a human, and second of all, we all live on the same world.
……You don't look like a human.
Mewtwo had ignored me enough before, so I decided it was my turn to ignore it.
Let's keep going, I said.
Mewtwo shrugged and we continued on our way.
* * *
I wasn't sure whether to go to Viridian or Pallet. They were pretty close to each other…but I had to choose one or another…
…Pikachu was with…the boss last time I saw it…It should've gotten back to Dr. Gray's by now……Maybe it got farther than that…?…We should probably check Viridian first…
…Viridian? Mewtwo asked.
Uhh…Yeah……How'd you…?
…You said you knew Giovanni…He lives in Viridian, doesn't he?
…Yeah……He does…
…Viridian's also the closest city to Pallet Town…
I shoved that thought out of my mind and we headed to Viridian. Once we got pretty close, Mewtwo spoke up again.
We'd better keep a low profile…
Why? I asked.
We're the two rarest Pokémon on earth. If anyone saw us running wild, the word would be all over town in a flash.
……Right…
The last thing I needed was to have someone try to capture me…
Taking Mewtwo's advice, we traveled lower to the ground, and I led us to Dr. Gray's house. I really hoped they were all there…
This way.
I glanced back at Mewtwo. How would it know which way to go?
…Why?
Just trust me on this……Humans are very unreliable creatures…
……I resent that…
I followed it anyway. It floated down into the nearby woods and crouched there, watching the house. I did the same, but less willingly.
Um…What are we doing? I asked.
Sh…You'll see.
I figured that was all I would get out of it, so I just waited.
…I don't see anything, I sighed after a while.
Mewtwo didn't answer me.
………This is boring. I'm just gonna go knock on the door…
No, wait! Don't do that!!
I left our hiding place and floated up to the door. Since I didn't think they would be able to hear a knock, I rang the doorbell.
…Mew! Get back here!
My name is Ash, I said, looking over my shoulder.
Whatever! Don't just…float there though…They'll see you!
That's my plan.
…But-!
Well, Mewtwo did have a point, though. Floating was a little tiring, so I decided to stand.
After a little while, I heard footsteps coming and the door opened. It was Dr. Gray. He looked around.
"Hello? Who goes there?" he said, not seeing me.
I tried to cover up a laugh.
"Mew," I said.
'Me.'
…Mew, you are in so much trouble… Mewtwo warned me.
Oh, be quiet. You sound like my mom.
…I guess your mother has more sense than you do.
Dr. Gray, who hadn't heard our conversation, of course, looked down. I saw his eyes widen, and he jumped about three feet into the air and backwards. His glasses got unhooked from one ear and he rapidly tried to straighten them and failed.
"…I can't believe it," he gasped, "A Mew…Right here on my own doorstep…"
…He sounds surprised, I commented.
You would be too, in his position…You'd better make your move while you still have the chance…
…Right.
"Hey, doc? Who is it?"
Misty…
I froze. Suddenly I couldn't remember what I was doing.
Mistymistymistymisty……She's not gonna recognize me……What do I do??
…Mew…? Are you okay? What happened?
…It's Misty.
…Who?
Misty…
"Misty, you won't believe it until you see it! There is a Mew on my doorstep!"
"A what?"
More footsteps…They were coming to see me…
…Mew…Those humans aren't going to be very open-minded about a rare Pokémon in their midst…
…What do you mean…?
They'll want to capture you.
What!? They can't do that! They're my friends!
…They don't know that.
It's right…
"Oh my gosh!! It's so cute!" Misty exclaimed when she saw me.
…She just called me cute…
I wasn't sure how to take that…
"Yeah…but what is it?" Billie asked.
"It's a Mew…" said Dr. Gray, "I thought they had all gone extinct…"
Misty came closer and knelt down.
"Aww…I bet Ash would love this……"
Eh…hehheh…
Misty eyes widened and she stood up suddenly.
"Uhh…Did you guys hear that?" she asked.
"Hear what?" said Richie.
"…PIKAPI!!!"
'…ASH!!!'
Before I could blink, Pikachu had tackled me and we were rolling down the steps and onto the ground.
"Mew! Me-ew!!" I cried.
'Pikachu! What are you doing!?'
"Pikapi…!"
'I'm so glad you're back…!'
"…Mew…" I smiled.
'…Me too…'
"Uh…Looks like Pikachu likes that Mew," Misty said.
I suddenly remembered that they were there. I broke away from Pikachu and grinned at them.
"Mew! Mew?"
'Hi guys! Remember me?'
You fool. They can't understand that!
Shut up, I know what I'm doing, I snapped.
…Don't get on my bad side…
I gulped.
…Um…Hi guys… I said to the humans.
They all blinked in unison. It would have been funny if I hadn't been so tense.
"Um…Did you guys just hear that?" Brock asked.
"Yeah…What about you?" Billie said to Misty.
"I heard it, but……"
"…Didn't it sound…?" Richie began.
It sounded like Ash, Taper said, saying what the others didn't want to admit.
They looked down at my Pokémon.
"…It did…" Misty said quietly.
"But that's impossible," Richie said, "Ash isn't here. How could it have been him?"
Now they were just getting annoying.
Hey you guys! Look over here! See the cute little Mew? That's me!
They all looked over at me. I frowned at them.
Hey! Don't you guys recognize me?
"I've…never seen you before…" Misty said.
Now she had completely ticked me off. I flew up and knocked her on the head.
"Ow!" she exclaimed, "What was that for!?"
That's for all the times you knocked me on the head when I said something stupid, and all the times I should've done the same to you.
"…Yep. That sounds like Ash, alright!" Brock laughed, "…Didn't know he was that bold though…"
I knocked him on the head too.
I am Ash!
"Oww…Okay, okay…If you insist…" Brock groaned.
You want me to prove it? Okay…A year ago, I got Pikachu, Misty fished me out of a river, and now I owe her a bicycle. Brock, I got the Boulder Badge from you by using Pikachu, but then the sprinklers went off, so I quit the match. You gave it to me anyway…Misty! I got the Cascade Badge with Butterfree and Pidgeotto, but Team Rocket interrupted right when I was winning-
"You weren't winning! I was!"
She clapped her hand over her mouth suddenly.
"……Ash…It is you…" she gasped quietly.
I dropped to the ground.
Right. How many times have I said that?
Misty knelt down to see me better.
"Wow, you sure have changed……What happened?"
Um……I evolved?
"…But humans don't evolve."
Well, I did! I huffed.
…That's certainly what it looks like, Taper added.
…Thanks, Taper, I said.
No problem.
Persian finally said something.
"Perrrsiiann…Persiann…"
'Ash did evolve…I was right there when it happened…'
"……So…this Mew……It's really that boy that was here before?" Dr. Gray said.
Billie looked like she was about to hit him, but thought better of it.
"Yeah. That Mew is Ash," she said.
"So…Oh, my! This is quite an amazing discovery! When the world hears about this-!"
No!! I cried.
"…Huh? What's the matter?" he said.
Don't tell the whole world! If I want them to know, I'll tell them myself. You can't do that for me!!
…I told you there would be trouble… Mewtwo said.
I jumped. I had forgotten all about Mewtwo…
…What do I do now? I asked.
Don't ask me. You know these humans better than I do.
Rr…
It's right…
"…Ash? What are you going to do now? Can you change back?" asked Misty.
Change back?
I'd never thought of that…
I…don't know… I admitted.
"Well you can't stay like that forever! I've never heard of a Pokémon becoming a Pokémon Master! You're still gonna do that, aren't you?"
Well…uh…
"Misty…Pokémon can't un-evolve…" Brock said, "Once they evolve, they're stuck like that unless they evolve again."
…Stuck?
Mew…Please do something else. My leg's falling asleep.
Mewtwo…
Do you want me to make them leave or something? I asked.
I don't know. I just need to stand up. This is getting really uncomfortable.
I grinned.
I told you it wasn't a good idea to hide back there…
And I told you not to ring the doorbell.
Yet another good point…
…Hey you guys…D'you mind letting me in? Isn't it kinda awkward to just stand in the doorway?
"Uh…Yeah, I guess so," Brock said.
"Come on in," Richie added.
I went inside, and Brock shut the door behind me. Mewtwo was still outside…but I think that was fine with it. It probably would've been nervous with all these humans around anyway…
I hope…