Given a free moment, Mewtwo said; (Giovanni is leading them. I can feel it. But how did he survive? We destroyed the building with him in it!) Candy replied, "Just as we were flying out of there, I picked the brain of one of the low-ranking guards in the building. Apparently Giovanni was out doing an on-site inspection of a secondary facility at the time we broke out, so nothing happened to him." Mewtwo groaned, (How many times do we have to kill this stupid jerk before he finally gets the point and dies?) Candy replied, "Beats me all to heck, Mewtwo. That dirty rat seems to have more lives than us, doesn't he? Goodness knows we all want to see him dead, but I don't know when or if we'll ever succeed at it." Mewtwo slapped himself over the head, stomped around a little bit, counted to ten and sighed. He said, (Okay. I think it's about time we got this junk started.) Adam quietly came up beside him and said, striking up a rather dynamic yet ridiculous little pose as he spoke, "So it's to be a war now, is it? Check this out, Candy! Comrades in battle, to the skirmish must we hence." Candy replied with a big smile, striking up a ridiculous pose as well, "Indeed. Let us hence." Mewtwo interrupted impatiently, (Oh, let's not waste any more time sitting on the 'hence'. Time to prepare for battle, 'Twos!)
Cuddles and her twin sister Darling were the ones who first raised the proximity alarm, which all the other Mews quickly took up with all their might, making an awful psychic din as per the master plan. A group of small, fast ships were coming in from the east. And there were also dozens of large helicopters coming in, also from the east. The helicopters would have to land on the front lawn, where the carefully rigged underground traps would take them all out in less than an instant. But the approaching ships were probably going to be the real problem. Their occupants, an extremely well-trained Team Rocket invasion force, would most likely scale the cliff and commence the attack from there. All the Mews already knew how to shield themselves and make energy balls, not to mention how to wreak severe telekinetic havoc wherever they wished, whenever they wished, on whomever they wished, and all on a mere whim. Under Mewtwo's specific orders, the Mews stayed hidden in their pigeon disguises and the 'Twos stayed well out of sight as the helicopters, having been prevented from making their planned landing on the roof by some unknown, unseen force, landed right on the lawn in front of the mansion. They were perfectly positioned over the booby traps. They all watched the scene below with blazing eyes and brightly burning rage as their archenemy appeared on the battlefield. Giovanni hopped out of the leading helicopter and looked up at the mansion with an expression of pure anger written all over his face. His subordinates quickly gathered all around him, patiently waiting for him to give his orders. The helicopters were still running on neutral and some of the others were still just getting out. Just then, he had a flash of intuition. He said to himself softly, "It's way too quiet here. I smell a rat with this whole setup. It can't be this easy. Nothing's ever this easy when dealing with those accursed Mewtwos. It's gotta be a ruse. Spread out fast, men! Be ready for absolutely anything, no matter how strange it may be! Prepare to enter the building on my orders!"
Just then, Mewtwo said in a tightly focused psychic burst, (Release the tunnel supports!) The 'Twos who had been assigned to that task promptly did exactly what they were told to do. Outside, carnage rapidly became vastly prevalent. Giovanni and his subordinates leapt aside like a group of oversized frogs in business suits as the helicopters were caught in an avalanche of mysteriously collapsing ground and, one by one, exploded in flashes Since the helicopters had been rendered worthless, the boats were far more necessary.
The Team Rocket soldiers scaled the high cliff in no time flat and then patiently awaited Giovanni's orders. They were quickly sent in to seize the mansion by force. They were supposed to try to capture as many 'Twos as they possibly could and just plain kill all the rest. But, unbeknownst to them all, the 'Twos were more than ready for it. One of the soldiers thought he almost saw a faint flicker of motion in one of the many windows as someone or something drew backward, out of all sight. They had the uncanny sensation of being watched by the eyes of untold hundreds. Even the multitudinous pigeons sitting high atop the mansion roof seemed to be watching their movements with great intensity. The feeling that took hold of them was a sense of foreboding, as if they were in danger.
The psychic archer 'Twos at the windows were constantly sending in their reports of the soldiers' movements in a great, unceasing stream of images. Mewtwo heard them all and saw what they saw as they saw it themselves. He then ordered; (Now! Begin the battle! All archers, open fire! Mews, it's time to go!) The 'Twos stationed at the windows began heaving energy balls out at the soldiers. Some of the more adventurous among them tried using bolts of lightning. Their shields were up at full strength and they didn't even bother to stay out of the soldiers' sights any more. So what if the soldiers saw them and were able to lock onto them? They were protected from bullets and physical things like that! The huge flock of pigeons up on the roof simultaneously flashed a bright pink and, an instant later, in their place was a vast flock of flying white-furred kittens enveloped in big balls of hot pink light. Mews! The Mews floated around on erratic courses, almost seeming to circle the shocked soldiers playfully. Wherever the Mews passed by on their wavering circular movements, there was pure carnage and total pandemonium. Machines malfunctioned for no apparent reason, things moved around of their own accord and all sorts of strange accidents happened. Could telekinesis be the force that was at work here?
Meiwa, the 'Two manning the corner window on the top floor, got really adventurous and decided to use her own particular talent to aid in the fight against Team Rocket. She teleported from her vantagepoint at the window and quickly appeared on the battlefield. Teleporting over and over, moving to the rhythm created by the beating of her heart, she daringly taunted the increasingly irritated soldiers and challenged them to try to hit her. Carnage ensued as all the soldiers simultaneously went after the golden-furred 'Two. Three little Mews quickly left the rest of the rapidly circling Mew group and then fell in line behind her, alternating between taking out the offending Team Rocket soldiers and protecting Meiwa from any and all dangers that managed to get past her already strong defenses. She rapidly zigzagged through the lines of soldiers toward Giovanni himself.
Teleporting herself with each second, keeping time to a double beat that only she heard, she took out Giovanni's guardians before anyone could even begin to react to the shock of her sudden presence. Then she stood before him, her tail swishing with excited, happy pride. She smiled, then winked at him and giggled. In less than an instant, she swiftly stepped forward and grabbed him. Before he could even think of reacting to her presence, she swept him off his feet and kissed him on the mouth. Being kissed by a 'Two, the very creature he hated with all his heart and soul, took him aback. Her kiss was like a powerful toxin, paralyzing him just long enough for her to clasp his limp body tight against her and rapidly teleport the both of them back to the mansion. The soldiers tried to stop her, but she was far too quick for them. Not to mention the three loyal little Mews, helping her to escape from them. Soon she was back inside the safety of the mansion…along with her new captive. She said to the three Mews, "Cuddles, Fuzzy, Fluffy… Could you take over for me here for a little bit? Call up Darling and have her help you out with this! Get Sweetheart and Cutie to come, too! Get Pixie, Kitten and Fairy to help out! Just get some help for yourselves!" The three Mews quickly chirped their assent, took up their positions at the window and began hurling energy balls one after another. Meiwa left her post to the Mews and ran to the mansion's interior to show Mewtwo her catch. She ran swiftly down the stairs, taking them two by two in her haste, and sprinted down the wide hallways. As she neared the front center window, where Mewtwo waited in reserve, she began to shout, "Hey there, Mewtwo! I just pulled a major coup on those Team Rocket boys out there! Look what I got!" Mewtwo turned and saw that she held his hated enemy in a faux-love embrace. He exclaimed, (Whoa! What did you-How did you-) She opened up her mind to him and let him see just what she had done to apprehend Giovanni. Once he had seen into her memories, he blurted out, (You kissed him? You really kissed that scum?) She replied nonchalantly, "Yeah, I kissed him. But this was not an ordinary kiss, you see! It was a kiss of purest venom, meant to paralyze him and ensnare him! And it worked, too!" Mewtwo said, (That was good work, Meiwa. You should go clean yourself with a strong disinfectant after the fight. We wouldn't want his stupidity to infect you, would we?) Meiwa giggled and left to return to her post and continue the fight. The Team Rocket soldiers were badly demoralized by the abrupt loss of their leader. Giovanni's sudden capture had shaken them badly. The Mews and 'Twos who were waiting around and within the mansion pressed the advantage. Jumping, levitating and teleporting, they all left the shelter of the mansion and stood upon the battlefield, showing their superior numbers to the soldiers. The air fairly crackled with the energy released from their psychic shields. With a huge flash of electric blue light, Mewtwo himself took the lead position. He said, (Soldiers of Team Rocket. Hear our words and know this is the end. We have you outgunned, outclassed and outnumbered. We also have your leader. You have lost. But we, the rightful owners of New Island, shall be merciful. Leave this island now…or die.) There was silence over the battlefield. None of the 'Twos moved a muscle or even spoke, nor did any of the Team Rocket soldiers. Not knowing what else to do and certainly not about to trust their inhuman opponents, the soldiers suddenly opened fire on the lot of them. Their reactions to the soldiers' rash actions made instantaneous look slow. Although it was completely unnecessary for him to do so, Mewtwo commanded, (Return fire!) Energy balls once more bridged the gap between the ranks of Team Rocket soldiers and the ranks of mutant cats and fairy kittens. The soldiers inexorably retreated toward the cliff and the Mews and 'Twos relentlessly advanced, all the while rapidly throwing out energy balls as they came relentlessly onward. Twelve 'Twos were struck down and were out of the fight, having been shot in various places. The nimble, quick little Mews dodged all the shots with room to spare. Although Mews and 'Twos usually weren't killers, the soldiers died for what they had done and what they had tried to do. Peaceful little Mews quickly became bloodthirsty murderers. Even the meekest of the 'Twos went on the warpath with slaughter in mind. Even the sweet and gentle Mewthree, who normally wouldn't even dream of hurting a fly, killed with wild and mad abandon, brutally slaughtering any and all soldiers unlucky enough to venture within her reach and laughing wildly with pure bloodlust as she did so. None of the 'Twos really cared much about the atrociousness of their behavior. They just wanted the invading soldiers gone as soon as possible. No amount of violence or killing could ever possibly be too much to expel the hated invaders from their home territory.
Soon the Team Rocket soldiers were back in their boats and speeding away as fast as they possibly could. The 'Twos hurled energy balls after them although they were out of range, loosing their deadly energies as a warning never to return. The Mews had already begun the victory celebration, pirouetting through the blue sky and mewing with pure happiness. Most of the 'Twos didn't join in the victory celebration, although a few did. They couldn't do it just yet, because they had to tend to the wounded. Amber was one of the injured, having been shot in the arm. T.C bandaged her arm with what had once been a towel. Everyone watching could see the seeds of budding romance blossoming with each touch and each look they gave each other. Others talked about their experiences in battle. The leader of the previously dead 'Twos, whom Mewthree had quickly named Lazarus, stomped around and complained that he hadn't seen any action. With each passing second, he was acting more like a normal 'Two and less like a spaced-out zombie. Mewthree sort of floated through the crowd, asking how everyone was doing. Ana had hooked up with Frost, who was very badly shaken, and was comforting her. Frost had also succumbed to blood lust as the others had, and it had terrified her to no end. She had killed the Team Rocket soldiers without mercy and now she felt guilty about it. Mewthree was shocked to find that she actually didn't mind what she had done.
Mewtwo, tail lashing with angry excitement, watched the ships disappear over the horizon. He thought to himself, Good riddance. Adam sidled up next to him and said, "Team Rocket doesn't forget this stuff. They'll retaliate. You can bet on it. I picked Giovanni's brain right after Meiwa got him and I learned this: They don't want us to go public with our accusation. They will kill to stop us from going public. Believe me." Mewtwo replied, (But you're forgetting one thing. We have their leader. Judging from what little I know and what I can guess, every important decision in Team Rocket has to be made by him and him alone. If we take him down to Washington D.C and make our accusation on the White House lawn with him in tow, we'll be home free and then some. They'll be unable to stop us once we're there and once we're there stopping us will be a moot point. We're almost home free! We've almost won it!) He was interrupted by the sudden arrival of T.C, who slowly came up beside him and said, "We have to get them to a hospital quickly. Everyone's been bandaged up as well as can be expected, given our meager supplies, but Amber and Subzero, not to mention Mercury and Ana and eight others, are all bleeding pretty badly. They need professional medical help." Mewtwo said, (Okay, then. Let's go to Washington D.C and take them to a hospital there. That way they can get medical attention while we go public with our accusation against Team Rocket.) Adam said, "That's a very good idea, Dad. I'll go spread it around and tell everybody to get ready to go." He turned and waded into the milling crowd, yelling, "Hey! We're going to be moving out pretty soon, everyone! Get ready to help float the injured! We'll be moving out in just a few minutes! Get the wounded over to the middle right now!" The Mews and 'Twos responded to his shouted commands with great speed.
Sure enough, they were in the sky in a few minutes, going at Mach 3. Amber, Snowfall, Mercury, Ana and the other eight wounded were at the center of a cloud of Mews and 'Twos. T.C floated from one injured 'Two to the next, checking on them and seeing if they needed anything. He checked on Amber most of all. He loved her. That much was plain. T.C asked Mewtwo when they would arrive, relaying the question to the nearest 'Two, who relayed it to the nearest 'Two, who relayed it to the nearest 'Two…and so on. Mewtwo replied, (We're here!) They swooped downward to cruise over the capital of the United States. They saw big buildings, massive monuments and huge expanses of open grassy parks. But they didn't see a hospital. Then Mewthree realized that none of the 'Twos knew what the heck they were supposed to be looking for. So she quickly took charge of the bewildered group of cats. Using her psychic power to enhance her visual range, she looked all around. Then she said, "I see a red cross symbol. It's right over there. This way!" Meiwa asked, "How are you so sure that the symbol you see means a hospital?" Mewthree replied, "I used to be a human. I know this stuff like you know your fur. I worked at a hospital all through college and even for some time after that. We all rallied around the Red Cross at times like these. So believe me, I know this kind of stuff." They swooped down out of the sky to land at the hospital's front door. The 'Twos all milled around, and the Mews just sort of hovered nervously. Mewthree said loudly, "Yo! You guys just stay right out here and wait for us. I'll take them all into the hospital myself. Okay now, I want everyone to keep a sharp and constant lookout for anyone or anything that might possibly have even the remotest connection to Team Rocket. We have to protect ourselves, even though we have Giovanni as our prisoner. I want all you Mews to get your furry little butts out of the sky and just plain keep the 'Twos company. Everybody's pretty darn scared here. Just try to stay calm, everyone. Mewtwo, you're in charge of keeping the peace out here. Focus on staying calm. Heck, wander around the place a bit. Go check out the memorials and the parks and some other stuff like that. Just one small thing, though. Be back here on Mewtwo's summons. If you're not all back here in precisely five minutes after he calls you back, I'll send a Mew after you with specific instructions to give you a huge tail wedgie upon finding you. You guys got that?" Everyone nodded in agreement. The wounded were gently herded toward the sliding twin doors, where Mewthree waited. Once they were standing together at the front of the huge milling crowd of mutant cats and fairy kittens, she slowly led them on into the building.
The antiseptic stench, cream-colored linoleum floors and barren whitewashed walls made Mewthree feel like she had come home. She'd always liked working at hospitals. The environment took her back to her college years. Folding her wings tightly against her furry back, she walked up to the receptionist's desk and rang the service bell. The receptionist strolled in, saw her and froze with eyes the size of saucers. Mewthree said, "Hi there, miss. I am Mewthree and I have twelve gunshot victims behind me here. Nobody's in really bad shape here, but they're all bleeding and we have serious risk of infection from these wounds. For those who aren't in-one-end-and-out-the-other, I'd recommend removing the embedded bullets, applying disinfectant, then stitching up the wounds and adding more disinfectant. For those who don't have bullets embedded in their bodies, I would recommend plain disinfectant and stitches. And yes, I am a high level doctor. Now please get someone to help me with this." Finally seizing upon something she actually knew after being confronted with the unknown, the receptionist quickly sounded the high-priority case alarm. Doctors came running in seconds. As they began to work on the shooting victim 'Twos, Mewthree promptly jumped in to help them.
About half an hour later, Mewthree had finished her job. Everybody had gotten the care they had needed. All they needed now was a bit of rest. After checking out and letting them know where she was going, she then walked back outside and sought out Mewtwo.
When she finally found him, she said, "I'm gonna go up to New York for a little bit. It's just about half an hour from here when you can fly around as fast as I can. That's where my parents live now, or so I've heard when I checked out the residential listings back at the Pentagon. I intend to enter their home and let Mom and Dad know I'm alive. They probably thought I died with the others on New Island when you did your thing." Mewtwo asked, (But why didn't you go contact them after I rescued you? You had two years to do it!) Mewthree replied, suddenly crying, "I… The pain was so bad… I couldn't. I just couldn't bring myself to face them…tell them that their son, my brother, was dead. Please, Mewtwo. I really have to go do this." Mewtwo understood her pain, so he said, (Go right ahead and go see them, Mewthree. Adam just went and called a huge press conference at the hospital. The news crews should be arriving here any minute now. The world at large will know of our existence and our many accusations against Team Rocket within the hour. We've got things pretty much held down here and stuff's pretty much been taken care of. Go see your parents.) Charging down the sidewalk a few long steps, loitering 'Twos quickly clearing a path before her, she swiftly took to the air, spread her milky-white wings, circled high overhead once and then rapidly flew off. As she flew north toward her parents' new home, she remembered her previous life as Laura Meisenheimer. She tried to push the memories away and concentrate on flying. But she just couldn't do it. Her thoughts were far too turbulent for her to push away for very long.
Her parents had to think she was dead. They knew of the destruction of New Island and she hadn't contacted them since then. The more she thought about it, the more certain she became that she had to tell them that she still lived. But would they recognize her in her new form? She would face that problem when she came to it. She'd never tried to go see her parents since the accident on New Island, much less tried to reach their home by air. It would be a very hard trip. She hadn't been good at finding a location when she was on the ground. Doing it from the air would be even harder. She just hoped she could do it. When she finally saw the light tan-shingled roof, the sky blue siding and the harshly whitewashed trim, she knew she'd found the right place. By that time, it was the middle of the night and she was glad that her vision was twice as sharp as any true cat's. Her silken wings barely stirred the night air, making no sound whatsoever. She could fly just as quietly as an owl, if not even more so. She landed between a big tree and the door and then folded her white wings behind her. For a long moment, the female psychic feline stood utterly motionless on the lawn, pondering her turbulent past. Then she slowly moved toward the front door. She reached out and tested it ever so gently. It was firmly locked. It appeared that her mother was just as safety-crazed as she had ever been. The thought made her smile, but then she got down to the business at hand. She wouldn't even try to get in that way. She thought she didn't stand a chance of getting in that way. Instead, she quietly moved toward a window and looked at it, thinking of how to get into the house. The screen was latched tightly and the window was fully closed. That couldn't stop her for very long, though. She, after all, had naturally strong psychic powers, just like her beloved Mewtwo. She stood stone still, feeling a gentle heat on her furry cheeks as her eyes began to blaze a bright, icy blue. The screen and the window latch both began to glow faintly, seeming to reflect the color of her eyes. As if moved by unseen hands, the screen slowly unlatched and then raised up. Then the latch of the window itself slowly turned and released, and the window raised up as well. Her chosen way into her parents' house was now open to her. She carefully crawled in through the window and then found herself standing in the living room. Her enhanced vision allowed her to see every last detail of the room, even though it was dark. There was a large wooden desk on one side of the room. There were several small candles on it, but the candles weren't what captured her attention. In the center of it all was a photograph of her former self, Laura Meisenheimer. It was a memorial to her. Mewthree slowly stepped closer to it, feeling the old, familiar pain stir within her heart. Next to the picture of her former self was an old newspaper clipping about the strange accident that had annihilated New Island. The date… It was dated seven years ago. "Seven years," she whispered softly, "God, has it really been that long since New Island happened? Feels like yesterday, but it's been seven years… Seven years since…Jim…" The thought of her dead brother hurt terribly.
She then picked up the photograph. Holding it up before her eyes, she lightly traced the contours of the face that had once been hers. Staring into the image's eyes, their vibrant glimmer exactly the same no matter what shape she wore, she solemnly shook her head and said softly, "Laura… Mewthree… Human… 'Two…" Her face contorted in utter pain as a flood of tears came to her big blue eyes. She sobbed, "Two very different women… Two very different lives… But which one am I? God, can't I ever be a whole person again?" The pain crashed in on her again, making years feel like seconds and her new life as Mewthree seem like only a shadow of a dream. Crumpling to the floor, she clutched the picture tightly to her chest and wept both for her brother and for herself.
The darkness exploded into light as a familiar voice shouted at her, "Who's there? Show yourself!" Mewthree knew that voice very well. It was… "Daddy?" The bald man standing at the top of the stairs paused. Mewthree slowly stood up, folding her wings behind her. The man took a small step back and gasped, "You…you're not…" Mewthree smiled and finished for him, "Human? Of course I'm not human. I am called Mewthree. It is what I am, and it is my name as well. But I have another name too. My real name is Laura. Mom… Daddy… It's me." A middle-aged woman stomped forward and snarled at her, "How dare you profane our dead child's memory, you…you animal!" Mewthree giggled at that and said frankly, "Same short temper as ever, huh, Mom?" The man cut in abruptly; "If you're so sure of your identity, creature…then I dare you to prove it to us."
Mewthree swished her tail and then said, "Do you remember when Jim was born? How everybody was so scared? I cried and cried. Grandma stayed with me. Just after midnight, Daddy called to tell us that I had a baby brother. Grandpa drove home and took us to the hospital. When I first saw Jim…he looked so fragile that I didn't even touch him until he was three days old. I thought he would shatter! But he was a strong boy. The nurses knew it. They…they called him Jaws! When he got older, Daddy and I called him Weasel Boy because he was a total nut. We all called him Jimmy. Jimmy Jim James, you know." The woman said, "That was our little secret. No one outside the family ever knew it. That has to mean…" The man said in a tiny voice, "Laura?" Mewthree nodded ever so slowly.
The next thing Mewthree knew, she was caught in a huge hug. Her father said, "We though you were dead for seven years! Why the heck didn't you tell us you actually survived the New Island disaster?" Mewthree stepped back and said, her voice shaking, "I just couldn't, Mom. I couldn't bear to tell you that Jim had been killed there…" Her mother interrupted, "But he wasn't killed at all! The debris fell just so, and it shielded him from any and all harm! He was badly burned and he got electrocuted somehow, but Jim is alive! Everyone believed he was the only survivor of the New Island disaster!" Mewthree jumped straight up, nearly hit the ceiling, then grabbed her and put her face close to her mother's and said in a strained voice that was almost an incredulous yell, "What? Hold the phone! Say it again, please! Wait just a darn minute there, Mom… Jim is actually alive?" Her mother slowly nodded to her. Mewthree let go of her, shouted for joy and did a victory dance right then and there, whooping wildly and cheering. Then she fell down and wept with relief and confusion. "My brother is alive," she sobbed, "And I don't know how to act. Will he know me? Heck, you didn't know me! After all the pain he went through, how can I face him again? How can I face him when I've changed so much? How can I just come back into his life again after so many years have passed? What right do I have to waltz back into the picture after he thought me dead for so long?"
When she calmed down, her mother asked, "What changed you so? Why aren't you human anymore?" Mewthree replied, "It was an accident, but I really like it a lot. I can fly now. See my wings? They're not just for decoration. And look what else I can do!" She looked down at the picture she still held and said, "Now watch this." She held it up a bit, then once again felt the gentle heat on her furry cheeks as her eyes began to blaze bright, icy blue. After a few seconds, the picture began to glow as well. Then it zipped up and out of her grasp. Soon it hung motionless in the still air. She then said, "Hey, Mom! Catch!" The floating picture shot toward her mother and fell into her hands. Then she said, "Did you see that, Mom? Isn't that just so cool? I have power now! Psychic power!" They stared at her in pure wonder. Mewthree paused, then said, "Here's another major league bombshell for you. I'm a married woman now, and I am also a mother. Mom, you're a grandma! In a while, I will introduce you to my husband. His name is Mewtwo. I have a son and a daughter, too. Their names are Adam and Eve. I'm also the mother of two whole new species! You ever heard of a little white kittenish creature that's called a Mew? Well, you will! And then there are the 'Twos. Ah, such wonderful creatures they are… Mewtwo was the first ever, and so he is the father of the race, just as I am the mother. And I love him with all my heart and soul." Her mother tested the new name, unsure, then said, "Oh my God, no!" Mewthree started. Her father said in a terrified voice, "Jim left here, not even two hours ago! There was a news report with the cat creature that you spoke of as your new husband-Mewtwo-on it. He struck out for Washington D.C right then and there, saying he'd avenge the death of his sister even if it killed him! He's sworn an oath of death and destruction to Mewtwo!" Mewthree gasped in sheer horror, then said in a shaky voice, "God help us all. I have to get going now. Jim wants to kill my husband and I gotta go stop him! Goodbye, Mom! Goodbye, Daddy!"
Mewtwo quietly loitered in the hospital waiting room, waiting for Mewthree to return. All of a sudden, he felt a strange presence nearby. A brown-haired man stood in the hallway. The man said coldly, "You… Are you the one they call Mewtwo?" He replied, (Yes. Yes, I am.) The man said in a vicious snarl, "I remember you very well, Mewtwo. You were the one who destroyed New Island that day. You killed my sister then. Now the day of retribution has come at long last." He took a step closer and raised a gun. Then he said harshly, "I am James Meisenheimer, and I have come to kill you as revenge for the death of Laura!" Mewtwo replied, (But I didn't kill her at all! She's alive! She's a winged version of me and her name is Mewthree!) Jim snarled at him, "Lies. All lies. First you killed her in cold blood for no reason at all, and now you actually have the audacity to claim that she is one of you? You monster!" He raised the gun and prepared to fire at Mewtwo's heart. He continued, "I dedicated my entire life to finding you again. I sold my soul to see you die by my hand. I can only hope and pray that Laura can see me from her place in heaven, and that she is pleased with me for this final act of revenge."
There was a sudden crash of breaking glass and a female voice screamed, "Jim! Stop!" He paused for a millisecond and a winged duplicate of his foe soared in through a broken window to swiftly land between the two of them and shield Mewtwo with her own body. Mewtwo exclaimed, (Mewthree! It's you! You're here!) She just ignored him completely, turning instead to her angry brother. He was the problem and she would solve it. She said in a soft, reassuring voice, "Jim. Jim, it's me." He shook his head and snarled hatefully, "Impostor! Liar! You die too! Now!" She cried out, "No, Jim! Wait! I can-" He fired.
The shot echoed in the small room. Mewthree made an ugly sound of shocked pain. She stayed there for a moment, staring at Jim with a look of total amazement. A psychically generated image hovered over her body, and James saw, instead of a winged feline, his sister. He gasped, "No!" An instant later, she fell backward like a ton of bricks. Blood flowed from a wound to her shoulder, shockingly red against her soft white fur. He knelt by her. A psychic voice screamed, (CURSE YOU FOREVER, HUMAN! Why? How could you do this to her? How could you kill the woman I love? Mewthree is my wife!) Jim looked up into the blazing blue eyes of an utterly enraged, crying psychic feline. Mewtwo had lost it completely, ready to kill Jim on the spot. Totally undaunted by the sight of his foe in full blood rage, he replied in a rumbling growl, "Well, Laura is my older sister! Seven years ago, she died trying to save me from you! I don't know how you made her into this…this monstrosity, but she's my sister and I love her! Curse your soul, I thought you had killed her on New Island!" Forming a huge near-white energy ball and barely holding it back, Mewtwo snarled in insane fury, (You stupid, stupid human! She chose this transformation over being one of you! Do you have any idea what we meant to one another? How much we cared for one another? She saved my life on several separate occasions! And she…she… Have you no idea what Laura did in her spare time at New Island? Have you no idea how she truly felt about the project she worked on with you, the project that created me? Have you no idea what she has done for you, for me, for us all?) Focusing his power in a tightly coiled burst, he let loose his fury on Jim with great force.
Jim suddenly found himself floating high in the air over a vast storm-swept sea that boiled and churned with all sorts of dirt and debris. Before him floated the same winged feline that he had seen before, and had shot. Her eyes shone a bright sky blue and her tail waved lazily in the still air as she hovered. Then she clenched her paws into fists and screamed out in a voice that he recognized all too well… "I should have stopped them earlier! I should have taken a stand!" Then he saw her hovering with tears in her eyes. She said softly, "I knew it was wrong. That was why I made plans to steal you away from there right after you awakened…and why I sang lullabies to you in that tube. I talked to you, I told you stories, I pretended you could hear me… On some level, I think you responded. Even though you weren't awake, I had the feeling that, somehow, you were glad I came." The image then shifted to show him standing in a darkened room, standing before a tiny newborn baby 'Two, who was obviously speaking his very first words ever. The baby 'Two was held in the cat creature's arms, and, from the way it cuddled up to her, he guessed she was its mother. She stood before him and cuddled the baby lovingly, looking like she had just awakened from a deep sleep, saying to him with a drowsy little smile, "He's related to you. How could he not be cute?" The image then once again shifted to show the same cat creature, only this time she stood enveloped in a soft, gauzy, dreamlike haze, smiling at him with great affection and saying, "I love you, Mewtwo."
All of a sudden, Jim found himself back in the hospital waiting room, once again staring at an enraged Mewtwo. Mewtwo fairly shrieked, (There! Do you see now? Do you see what you just tried to take away from me?) Jim replied, "I didn't know. I didn't think… The dreadful, hated, monster Mewtwo is a family guy? You're not the same Mewtwo I met in the laboratory that day…" He gathered the inert Mewthree up in his arms and held her close. He now knew her to be his sister. A moment later he looked up at Mewtwo again. His eyes were shining with tears. He said, "I never stopped hating you. I hated you nonstop all these seven long, long years. But now…somehow…I…can't…" He then burst into tears. Mewtwo took a small step closer and said, (First you say you want me dead, and are willing to gun down an innocent 'Two to do it… Now you weep over the body of my wife?) Jim cried, "She may be your wife, but I don't give a care about any of that! Before Project Mewtwo was even started, when I was only a little baby, she was my older sister! What you say I tried to take away from you was what you did take away from me for seven years! Seven whole years! She was my world, my best friend, and my constant supporter… I adored her! I idolized her!" His fury dying out ever so slowly, Mewtwo cut in; (She was the same for me. The center of my universe, my best friend… She was behind me all the way, and she was always there for me. My journey of life has been long, but I always had her. I love her. She is the foremother of two entirely new species, the Mews and the 'Twos. She gave life to hundreds, and someday she will have given life to untold millions! But that isn't why she is so important to me. She is my wife and the mother of my children.) Jim gasped. He said, "Not just married but a mother too? She's come so very, very far since New Island! Her children… What have I done?"
Just then, Adam came on the scene with little Eve in tow. Adam saw his mother's crumpled, bloody body and cried, "Mom!" Eve reciprocated, "No! Mommy!" They both ran to her side. All four of them were crying, three 'Twos and one lone human. Adam sobbed, "My mom!" Eve cried, "My mommy!" Mewtwo wailed, (My beloved!) Jim whispered, "My sister!" A small, barely audible voice cut in, "Excuse me, you guys… Could I possibly trouble you for some surgical implements, disinfectant and a bandage? I'm in a world of hurt here, so would you mind leaving off your bawling for a moment?"
Mewtwo exclaimed, (Mewthree! You're alive!) She just remarked wryly, "Technically, anyway." Adam said, "Mom, you're okay!" She sat up and replied, "Not exactly okay, Adam. Do I look okay to you? I mean, look at me." They did so. Blood was flowing rapidly from a huge wound in her left shoulder, tracing swift little crimson trails in her normally white fur. Her left arm was totally limp. The trauma had temporarily rendered it useless. Eve then dove into her arms and fairly bowled her over, sobbing hysterically, "Mommy! Mommy!" Mewthree yelped in pain, then said, "Ouch! Please be a little more careful with me, Eve. I'm hurt, remember?" A pair of hands gently picked the little 'Two up. It was Jim. Eve squirmed in his grasp as he hugged her gently. He said in a soft voice, "Don't you worry yourself any, small lady. I won't hurt you. My name is James and I'm your mommy's brother. I'm your uncle. Your name is Eve, right?" She nodded and said, "Put me down, please." He did so. Mewthree looked up at him and smiled, then said, "You're gonna make a very good uncle, Jim. But, then again, you always were good with kids. Well, Jim…welcome to the family." He replied, "Thank you so much…Laura." Mewthree nodded to Mewtwo. She said, "See? He's really okay. His name is Jim and he's my little brother. I told you about him in the New Island incident. You remember that? You have to meet Mom and Dad sometime. I'm sure they'll like you a whole lot."
A few short seconds later, everyone, including little Eve, was working together to wash Mewthree's wound. While they did, they talked. Mewthree asked, "Where's Giovanni at now?" Mewtwo replied, (I took him to the nearest jail right after the press conference ended. Near as I can tell, he's gonna be in there for a very long time.) Adam cut in, "They may even give him a life sentence, or so I heard. Looks like Team Rocket is going to be out of business for good." Jim interrupted, "Wait just a darn minute! You guys are even involved with Team Rocket?" Mewtwo replied, (They're our worst enemies, kid. We were at war with them for quite a long while, and we took Giovanni prisoner in our last battle.) Adam interrupted, "And now that war is over for good. Hey, Dad! You know what?" Mewtwo replied, (No, what?) Adam said, "I think we won it!" Mewthree finished with a giggle, "You're both nuts, the pair of you." Adam said in a whiny voice, "Mom…" Mewtwo cut in, (Just let your mother talk to her little brother for a little while, Adam.) Adam settled down a little bit, but said, "But Dad, she just said that we were both nuts!"
Just then, a strong, strident female voice called out, "Yo! Mewtwo, my friend, we have arrived!" Jim looked off to the side and saw a huge group of 'Twos standing in the doorway. Some were squashed up against the opposite wall. Others were piled on top of each other. More were being stood on. Many more were sitting on the shoulders of other 'Twos. Many Mews hovered up above their heads, making the ceiling appear to be white, furry and moving. Seeing Jim, Candy stepped up a bit closer and said as she hatefully sneered at him, "Who's the puny little human, Mewtwo? You want I should…take care of him for you?" Mewthree snapped at her with a furious snarl, "This human is my little brother and don't you dare insult him or threaten him in my presence." Candy promptly shut up and glared daggers at Mewthree. Everything seemed to be very tense and rapidly nearing the breaking point. Everyone felt the tension in the air beginning to build up.
Jim asked, "Hey. You guys got a plan as to what you want to do next? I mean, you just defeated your ultimate enemy and established yourselves as a full-fledged species. What comes next for you?" Mewthree considered it for a while, then said, "I, for one, plan to gather all the Mews and 'Twos together to go forth to storm all the remaining Team Rocket outposts and rescue any and all captive 'Twos they may still have in their possession. And if there are any more free 'Twos still living anywhere out there in the world…we will find them. Would you care to join us in the worldwide hunt, Jim?" Jim said, "Yes. I'll join you on your quest to find other 'Twos, Laura." He paused for a moment and continued, seeming to revert to a childish state, "…Or I would join you, if I knew my Humanity wouldn't just be a liability to you guys. I wish I had strong, cool psychic powers too. I… I… I wish I was a 'Two! If you're not going to be Laura anymore, then I wish I were no longer puny old James, but a mighty 'Two just like you." Mewthree looked at him, just thinking. Then she knew exactly what to do next. She said softly, "Give me your hand, Jim." Jim held out his right hand to her. She grabbed him by the wrist and said, "Scalpel." One was promptly placed in her hand. In one smooth, swift motion, before Jim could even react, she sliced a deep gash in his palm. He cried out in pain and jerked his hand out of her grasp. He fairly yelled at her, "Jeez! Why the heck did you do that to me?" Mewthree's paw blurred into sudden, swift motion. She grabbed his wrist again and said, "Relax, Jim. Calm down and let me do this, okay?" She pressed his cut, bleeding hand against the bloody wound in her shoulder. After a few minutes of just holding him there, she released her his cut hand, whereupon Adam came forward and quickly bandaged it up for him. Mewthree's wound was bandaged up as well. Jim said, "I asked you before, so I'll ask you again. Why in the heck did you just do that to me?" Mewthree replied cryptically, "You'll see why in time, Jim. You'll see…" She paused, and then said, "On another note, here are some simple instructions for you, and you had best follow them. Don't remove the bandage and don't wash your hand. If you do that, then this will all have been for nothing." Jim replied, "Right. I'll do what you say." Mewthree turned to face Mewtwo and said, "Do you think it'll really work?" Mewtwo replied, (I'm sure of it. As a matter of fact, I can feel it starting already.) She said, "Already? So individual non-genetic factors influence how long it takes to happen? Now that is a very good thing to know! If it's already starting, then it won't be all that long now." Frustrated, Jim fairly shrieked, "Why won't you just come out with it and tell me what's going on? What won't be long? What's good to know?" Mewthree shrugged nonchalantly and said, "Give it time, Jim. The first stage will probably take a few hours. Natural strength will bear you out during the hardest part. It won't hurt a bit. It'll just feel a little bit weird. But when it's all over and done with, everything we've said up to this point will make perfect sense to you." All of a sudden, Jim wavered and nearly fell over. He put his good hand to his head and said, "Wait just a minute. I'm starting to feel all funny." Mewthree leaned forward intently and asked, "Really, Jim? Please tell me… How is it that you feel right now?" Jim shook his head and said, "Well, for one thing, I feel totally overloaded in the brain department. It's like being blind all my life and suddenly being able to see everything at once. I've never experienced anything like this before in my whole life. How exactly can I deal with it? I'm feeling things I've never felt before in my life. There's new information coming into my head even now. I can feel…echoes of things that weren't said. I hear words…and people aren't saying them!" Mewthree raised a fist high, then reared back and crowed, "Jim, that's perfect! My, your development is accelerated! Let's see… If it took three days for a first manifestation and then seven days more for the full thing to hit… And it took you three minutes for a first manifestation…" She snapped back to attention and fixed James with a piercing gaze. She said urgently, "Jim, I'd say you have precisely seven minutes before things really go out the window for you. Get ready for an incredibly wild ride. Hold on to your butt."
After waiting for a few minutes, Jim screamed, "Too much! Help me!" Mewthree cried, "Jim! Focus! Visualize it! Try! Please try!" He couldn't hear her. The sudden explosion of extrasensory awareness was too much for him. Mewthree turned to Mewtwo and said, "He can't handle it alone. I'd better get in there and help him. Two minds are better than one, even if I can't intervene directly. I can show him the way." Not giving him any time to reply, she put her paws on her brother's face, closed her eyes and entered his mind.
Jim was drowning in a vast sea of thoughts and memories. He struggled and cried out for help, but to no avail. Then he heard a voice. "Jim! Jim, I'm coming in there!" All of a sudden, Mewthree was floating over his head. He cried out, "Help me!" She replied, "I can't help you. This is one battle you have to fight." He said, "How can I? I'm just a stupid good-for-nothing geek! I can't win!" She replied, "You have to fight this battle yourself, but you don't have to do it alone. I can't fight alongside you, but I can show you how to win this fight by yourself." Jim said, "Okay, then! Show me what I have to do!" She replied, "I will do just that, Jim. Just hang on for a minute, okay?" She fluttered down behind him and put her paws on his temples. "Be calm, Jim. I'm here. Close your eyes," she said, "And just let your mind go blank. Relax." He slowly relaxed in her arms, trusting his older sister completely. She said to him in a soothing voice, "Don't fight the chaos. Give yourself over to its influence and just go with it. See where it takes you. Feel the power burning bright inside your soul. This is what was given to you when we mixed our blood. It is the innate power of a 'Two. Right now, it's inside you, but it's still a thing that is separate from you. Do you feel its presence within your body? Feel how it is calling to you? Hear it beckoning to you, calling for you to accept it? It is yours, Jim. It is the birthright of a 'Two, and it is your birthright, now that you have been reborn. Now…" She paused, then said in a soothing voice, "All is peace. All is calm. From within the silence of yourself, reach out…and claim it." There was a flash of light and the sea of thoughts was gone. It was just Jim and Mewthree, floating alone together in the darkness.
There was a flash of light and life and knowledge. Memories began to come to the both of them from before the destruction of New Island, from when he and Laura were still working together on Project Mewtwo. Jim also saw Laura's little accident with the vial of Mew DNA, and then felt the strange, wonderful changes as they took place inside her. He saw her childish wonder turn sour upon the first failure of their experiment. As more and more deaths passed, he could feel the pain the unborn 'Twos felt as they died…through her. He saw her taking the dead 'Twos down to the place she called the Catacombs, and saw the funerals she performed alone. Then, at last, he saw the birth of Mewtwo himself, and felt her joy. Then he felt her horror as the carnage began, and saw her friends scream and die around her. He saw himself standing there, scared out of his mind. Then he saw himself fleeing for the door. Two sparking wires fell and…and… Sheer mind-crushing grief settled in on her shattered soul. Weeping wildly, she then found herself looking up at Mewtwo, who was holding a paw out to her. Flames surrounded them both. From there, the images shifted around as fast as lightning. He saw the shipwreck, the first confrontation with Mewtwo, the flight to the jungle, the capture, the breakout, searching for and finding Mew, the hurricane, life in the Pentagon, having her children, fighting Team Rocket. Then all went dark again. He said softly, "Oh, my… These images… Are these your memories?" There was a long silence as they hung in the darkness. Mewthree looked away and replied, "Words alone cannot express the suffering. Words alone cannot ease the pain. Beyond words lies memory. In memory, there is truth. Make this truth your own." There was a long silence. Then Jim said softly, "I understand now. You've been through so much in these past seven years. God, how could I ever doubt you? You've always been so strong…" Mewthree replied softly, "Jim… I'm not strong at all…" She couldn't meet his gaze. She continued in a shaky voice, "I was just doing what I do best…surviving. When I thought I lost you… I really wanted death. But…I cannot die!"
They awakened together. Mewthree looked around to find her beloved Mewtwo. He asked, (Why are you crying?) She lied, "I don't know." Then she turned to Jim…and gasped. Not only was he in 'Two form, but… "Wings," she whispered, "He has wings." After a few seconds of just gaping at him, she fairly shrieked, "Oh, screw me! Shouldn't have used my blood!" Jim asked, "Why is that?" She replied, "Look at yourself, Jim. You're not a 'Two, you're a 'Three." He cut in happily, sounding like a child, "Even better! Now I'm like you!" He paused, then said, "I can't call myself Jim anymore. Jim is a human name, and I'm not human anymore. I need a new name, so call me Shade!" Mewtwo replied with a smile, (Well, Shade, welcome to the family.) Shade, once James, said, "Thanks so much. But what do we do now? How do you propose we begin the hunt for other 'Twos out there in the world?" Mewthree replied, "I don't really know what we're going to do next. I hadn't really thought that far ahead." Shade smacked himself over the head and said, "You never did bother to plan anything in your life. I thought being involved in a war against Team Rocket would make you learn how to plan ahead, but I guess I was wrong. But I have an idea as to what to do. Everyone gather around me and listen up to what I have to say, okay?" The Mews and 'Twos came a bit closer to hear what it was he had to say to them. He said, "All Mews and 'Twos are naturally psychic creatures, right? If we all work together, everyone enhancing each other's innate abilities and pooling our powers, I think we might be able to send out a worldwide message. And we can use our powers to find the 'Twos who can't reply, wherever they may be hidden."
Mewtwo cut in; (His idea has more than enough merit to warrant an attempt. Let's try it, shall we?) Everyone gathered even closer, placing their paws on the backs of two other 'Twos and merging their powers. The Mews joined in, each landing on the shoulder of a 'Two and adding their powers to the effort. Their minds instantly became one vast psychic pool, and their combined awareness stretched across the globe. They spoke in one voice, their words like rolling thunder in the mind of any psychic creature that could hear. They said, (We are the free 'Twos of this world, the opponents of Team Rocket and the cause of their downfall. All 'Twos who can hear the words we say, sing out and make yourselves known to us. Make yourselves known to us and we will come to set you free.)
The message rolled out across the face of the planet. It went unnoticed by just about everyone, passing silently through cities and towns alike. But, in hidden places all over the world, secreted deep in the dark dungeons of Team Rocket facilities, the intended recipients of the message heard it. Their response was unanimous and joyous, and the locations of thousands of captive 'Twos were pinpointed in just a few short seconds. The response to the call, (Here! We're here! We hear! Light! Light! Bring us into the light!) There were even a few wordless, happy psychic cries from the world's rare wild Mews.
Mewthree mapped the locations in her mind and also catalogued them. Once the link was broken, she tore across the room like a frightened rabbit, threw papers and books aside in her haste until she found a world map. Using her psychic powers in her frantic haste, a red pen flew across the room and landed in her paw. Not even missing a beat, she began to mark spots on the map. She said, "Some in northern Canada, a lot on the Serengeti Plain, a large number by Ayers Rock in Australia, a bunch at the Cliffs of Dover, some in Chile and southern Argentina, more in African jungles, some around the Amazon, a few in Mexican ruins and some around Hawaii. In other words, we really got our work cut out for us this time." Shade cut in, "So why don't we get it started?" Mewtwo interrupted; (You have to learn to use your psychic powers first. That way you can fly and fight. I'll teach you energy attacks if you want.) Shade replied, "With these wings, I don't need to learn to fly. And I want to show Mewthree something." Mewthree turned to him and asked, "What do you want to show me?" He replied, "I already have an energy attack. You'll recognize it the moment I start. Let's go outside so I can show you what I mean."
To be continued in `Meet the Saiyans'. This is going to be a crossover between Pokemon and Dragonball Z. But the Dragonballs do not exist. BE PREPARED FOR RIDICULOUS LEVELS OF OOC-NESS!!!!!