Mewtwo's Benediction

Mewtwo's Benediction

25 June 2001

It is ironic, is it not? The icy woman who seldom gave love back even to her parents. The girl who made her mother into a paralytic toy and drove her father into hiding. Who would have predicted she would use love to turn aside the great Mewtwo and short-circuit the amorality of Team Rocket? But it is true – Sabrina the cold-hearted Sorceress of Saffron relied on an emotion almost entirely alien to herself to "win" her battles. Love is indeed a kind of psychic power. I watched Jessie and James passionately hugging each other as Meowth reluctantly handed Koga a paralysecureberry. I tried to avoid Koga's steady, benevolent gaze and felt my face become uncomfortably warm. Jessie caught my eye over James' shoulder, her eyes widened and she silently mouthed the words, "Tell him now!"

But how could I? He was about to tell us his plan to get us out of Mewtwo's lair. I could hardly interrupt his train of thought now. It [i]was[/i] true that I was in love, I couldn't avoid facing that any longer. Koga filled my mind. His kindness, his rugged but pleasing face, his honesty, his dedication to his Pokémon and his craft, and his regard for an alienated, bitter and unfeeling woman who had not realized how much she needed acceptance and admiration. As Jessie said of James, how could I [i]not[/i] love this man?

But how could Koga love me? My doubts almost drowned me. I'm not very pretty with my limp hair, lack of a figure, and bland poker face. Perhaps his attachment had more to do with the woman inside the shell, but how could a man who hadn't developed his psychic powers see inside me? Besides I'm not sure the inside is any prettier than the exterior, I have a great talent developed at the expense of a personality or social skill. For goodness sake, I spent my teens enduring paranoia and multiple personalities! I looked at Koga again and couldn't think of a thing to say.

"I can't say I've come up with anything terribly original," Koga announced. "But unless Mewtwo returns here soon we need to go looking for him. If we make a move to escape he's likely to stop us. I imagine he realizes that others will soon follow us, therefore a new stronghold in a different place will be a necessity. If we reason with him I believe he will allow us to leave in peace. Sabrina – your Alakazam should be able to teleport us to the entrance."

"How did you know that?" I asked.

"Jessie informed me about how you two got here after you passed out," Koga replied. "Our appearance at the gate will attract Mewtwo, that will be our chance to bargain with him."

"Sounds good ta me. Anybody else got anythin' better ta offer?" said Meowth.

"I'm all for it," James chimed in.

"You can count me in too," Jessie added.

"Very well," I murmured. "Go Merlin."

Merlin popped out of his ball with a bright red flash and looked expectantly at me, "Merlin please teleport us to your last position."

Almost instantaneously we rematerialized outside of the metal doorway in the cave. A deep voice sounded inside my head, "Such hasty leave taking by honoured guests. You are most unkind."

Mewtwo stood in the darkness beyond us surrounded by a pale blue psychic fire. Koga spoke, "Surely you didn't expect us to await your return for much longer, could you now?"

"I had my reasons for waiting. Some of the events I had foreseen have yet to come to pass. They must happen while you humans remain here," Mewtwo's voice sounded in our minds.

"What events?" Koga demanded.

"Sabrina has something to discuss with you."

Koga's intense gaze fell on me and I quickly turned away to shun his glare, but I felt his eyes piercing my soul. I felt a bit queasy, and stared fixedly at the cavern wall, "Go ahead Sabrina. What is he talking about?"

I spoke to the wall in a small broken voice, "Well...I've never felt very strongly about anyone, even my parents. That is, until the last few days. You've been so kind to me. When you finally opened up to me you were honest, and you treated me as an equal and a friend not like some freak or monster. You even considered me pretty. Then when you were hurt and taken from me...the burning behind my left breast never stopped, it was so...painful. Entering Jessie's mind showed me the heat of her passion and I discovered such a passion burned in me too." I finally turned my brimming eyes to him, "I want your company now and always Koga. I feel secure and happy when I'm with you. Will you have me?"

He looked at me with sympathy and concern, "I was afraid you wouldn't have me. I'm old enough to be your father."

I almost laughed through my tears, "Oh Koga, that's not important! Even when I'm not reading minds I can always detect the essence of others. Your essence is strong and youthful, however old the flesh. I love you, and that's all that matters!"

"And you have my heart Princess of the Mind," Koga said as he bowed humbly to me.

"Ah, this is excellent. Two powerful and worthy humans form a strong bond. Sabrina, reminding me of my time with Ai made me understand that it is my destiny to promote a stronger and more symbiotic relationship between Pokémon and humans," Mewtwo mused.

Koga turned to look at our host, "I presume you will be moving your base of operations elsewhere? Others will surely be attracted by the same rumours that drew us here. Your peace is not secure."

"Of course. I will be gone from here very soon."

"Where will you go?" I asked.

"That is not important. If I revealed the secret to all of you it would cease to be one. I shan't erase your memories, I believe your experience of me may prevent the prudent from seeking me. The less prudent...well," and his gaze fell on Team Rocket, "that is why I must have secrecy."

His eyes settled on Meowth, "I have a special task for you talkative one."

"Whatcha want wit me?" Meowth sputtered nervously.

"I believe if humans could speak with Pokémon they might be more inclined to treat them as colleagues and less inclined to simply exploit them. For instance, Sabrina can form a psychic bond with her partners and they have been her closest companions until now. However most humans are only dimly aware of their psychic powers, speech is needed for them to communicate effectively with the Pokémon they live with," Mewtwo explained.

"Yeah, I s'pose ya want me ta teach some Pokémon ta talk. Is dat it?"

"Quite so. I have cloned a female Meowth from southern California. I hope you might teach her to speak so that she could become your mate and start a line of Meowths that teach their hatchlings human language."

"Now wait a minnit big guy. What makes ya think I'm gonna give up bachelorhood dat easy?" Meowth retorted.

"Hold your decision until you meet your intended," Mewtwo cautioned.

"OK, where is she?"

"Come forth and meet Giovanni's Meowth small one," Mewtwo commanded, and a pretty Meowth scampered out of the darkness.

"Ya gotta be kiddin' dat's Meowsie!" Meowth gasped.

"Her clone actually. She's physically similar, but her experience and upbringing is entirely different form the original still living in Los Angeles with an alley Persian."

"If it ain't her...I dunno," Meowth stammered, "Hey kiddo do ya think I'm a freak? Couldja talk like me?" Then he lapsed into his own Pokémon dialect, "Meowth, yowth, yow?" The female Meowth answered quickly.

"Wow, she thinks I'm pretty cute!" he said grinning, "Maybe we could hit it off. Ya gotta deal Mewtwo I'll teach 'er human lingo."

"Thank you Meowth, yours is the beginning of a great line," Mewtwo's thoughts intruded, "Well, it is time we parted. I shall teleport you to Viridian City. I already took the liberty of moving your vehicles there. Farewell humans, and thank you for showing me some of the road to enlightenment."