Avalon had been afraid of this. Two out of the three people he loved most in the world were about to have a go at each other. This wasn't going to be pretty.

Mikial formed a ball of mustard yellow-colored energy in the palm of his hand. Blind had the look of utter surprise pasted on his face. He immediately put up his hands in defense.

"Hey man, I don't wanna fight you. Not if you can do magic stuff like that. That ain't a fair fight anyway. Even if I am a cold-hearted Rocket I still like things being fair."

Mikial glared at him. "Only if you're the one with the underhand." He said, his voice that of a man who will stop at nothing to do what he came to do. He hurled the ball of energy at the silver haired man. But he had to make it take a detour because Avalon had stepped right in its path. Avalon then took a lung at Mikial and managed to wrestle him to the ground.

"Blind! Get your ass out of here or he's gunna kill you!"

Blind put his hands in his pockets. "Aight, hon. Just know that I ain't worried. This is how its gunna be the rest of my sorry life. I can protect myself most of the time. No more jumping in front of my attackers, you hear me? I can face'em just as good as you. I dun want you getting yourself killed over me."

"Quit squawking and get your ass MOVING!" Avalon shouted. Mikial threw him off just as Blind disappeared. Mikial cursed him and then turned to Avalon.

"You're more than just friends! I heard exactly what he said! What kind of perverted two-timing freak are you? I don't want anything more to do with you!" Mikial spat and stomped off. Avalon sighed and watched him go.

"Well. . . that went well. . ."

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Avalon went back home to find the bathroom door lying on the floor minus its hinges. Mark came out of the kitchen looking like he'd met a gang in a dark alley the previous night.

"Heh. . . that Blind guy is something else. . . I don't look too bad, do I?" Mark said when he saw Avalon's expression.

Avalon had to keep himself from tripping over the door as he ran to Mark. "What the hell did that guy do to you?"

"I wouldn't let him leave like you told me. I had to fight him to keep him here. . . but you've probably figured out what happened. He tied my hands with his hair thing and locked me in the bathroom."

Avalon stared into Mark's face as if he could find the solutions to straighten out his conflicting relationships.

"Avi?" Mark questioned. Avalon didn't answer. He turned away and sat on the sofa, putting his head in his hands.

"Mark, have you ever had two really great friends that are just fine and dandy with you but they hate each other?" Avalon asked, not looking up.

"No. . . I haven't. . . what happened?" Mark said, plopping down next to Avalon.

"Blind and Mikial met."

Mark bit his lip. "And?"

"Kial went berserk and made to kill Blind but I jumped him. Blind got out of there but now Kial hates me even more. . . I'm not letting Blind back here though. Not after this." He said, gesturing to Mark's black eye and split lip. "Why didn't you psych him?"

"Didn't want to ruin the furniture."

Avalon smirked and messed up Mark's hair, err, fixed it a little. "I love your modesty."

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

TWO YEARS LATER

Hey dad! Wake up! You promised! The little green Mewtwo squeaked, shaking her father's arm.

I did. . . I did. . . I'm awake now. Stop yanking my arm around. Mewtwo grumbled. He sat up, rubbed his eyes, and scratched his ears. The little Mewtwo flew around his head in circles until he stood up. He caught her by the tail and pulled her into his arms. She giggled and licked his chin.

Are you really going to take me outside? Huh daddy?

I am. Mewtwo said, a small smile daring to appear on his lips. He flew through various tunnels until he got to one with a light at the end. Aiji asked him what that white circle was up ahead. He told her it was light. They emerged to the surface in a thin wood. Aiji complained about her eyes hurting at first, but she soon got used to the light. She asked Mewtwo about everything. Trees, flowers, sky, clouds, grass, it was all new to her. All she had ever known was dark, dirt, and Sandslash. Even the other pokemon were new to her.

Daddy?

Yes dearest?

Can we stay here forever?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

"Hey Mark! Take a look at this!"

I followed Avalon to the lab. He led me inside to a large glass cylinder. Inside it floated a black form.

"What is it?" I asked.

"A new and improved clone of mew. Meet Mew Squared." Said Sycamore's "apprentice." She gave me a proud smile.

"Doesn't look like much of anything to me." I said. Avalon hit my arm. "What?"

"It's not done maturing yet, hon." She said, raising an eyebrow.

I tapped on the glass. "What's it going to be able to do that's better than Mewtwo?"

"It's about two and half times stronger than the original Mewtwo and has a variety of new attacks and defenses."

"How much longer until it's done cooking?"

Avalon snorted at that. Ms. "Apprentice" shot Avalon a look.

"Three months, four days, and nine hours about."

I glared at the form. "Even you have to bare my unlucky number, don't you?"

A large hand appeared on my shoulder. "What's this about unlucky numbers?"

"Hi dad."

He ignored me and turned to Avalon. "You've been keeping him out of trouble, haven't you?"

Avalon smirked. "More like he's been keeping me out of trouble."

Giovanni smiled. "Did you ever get your reward for turning in Laurell Del Monte?"

Avalon shook his head. "No sir."

"I'll have to see about that."

"Dad, you know that was a year and a half ago right?"

"And you point is?"

"Just making sure you knew. I don't know. Do you always take that long to get your employees their rewards?"

"I can take as long as I want."

I shrugged, dismissing the issue. "Hey BJ let's go see if Grey has anything for us to do." I grabbed Avalon by the arm and dragged him out into the hall.

"What was that?" He asked.

"Nothing. I just don't want to be in the same room with that guy." I jammed my hands into my pockets and started down the hall.

"You and your pappy having a fight?" Avalon jeered.

"Don't start with me."

"I wasn't going to. It was Slithers fault. See."

I turned around to find the giant purple snake just inches from my face.

"Tcha!" It hissed with a happy face. I half smiled at it and stroked its scaly head.

"How's it going Slithers?"

"Tcha bok tcha!" It hissed, wrapping its self around me in a friendly way.

"Gorgon is going to be angry with you, you know."

"Tcha. . ." It said with a sigh.

"This is the fiftieth time this week. I've been counting."

It hissed a laugh and gave me an evil look. Avalon twitched.

"I ain't never seen an Arbok do that before."

Slithers coiled his self around my head and shoulders. I started to walk again.

"I don't see how you can just let that thing do that to you." Avalon said with a shiver, keeping his distance.

"He's harmless! Look at him! He's the sweetest thing!" I said, stroking his head again. Slithers rubbed against my hand affectionately. "I'll bet he likes me more than he does Giovanni."

Slithers spat and bared his fangs at my father's name. Avalon widened the gap in between his self and I. I laughed at him.

"So. . . what's up Slithers?"

Slithers just made a happy face and squeezed me gently.

"He just likes scaring me." Avalon stated grimly. "I'm gunna go visit Blind. Come get me when that thing leaves."

The Arbok hissed at Avalon for insulting him and slithered away into the shadows. I went with Avalon to the prison floor. Yes, even a kingdom of thieves has a jail house.

"Knock knock." Avalon said when we arrived outside of Blind's cell.

"Tell me again. How much longer?" Came Blind's voice. He sounded like the whiney little kid in the back that asks "are we there yet?" every five minutes.

"Six more years Blind."

"I'm starting to wish he just woulda offed me. I'm gunna go crazy before this year is out!"

I leaned against the wall and listened to them talk. Before long Avalon had stuck his hand inside the little barred window. I honestly didn't want to know why. . . probably something to do with Blind's hair or maybe he had a tick on his neck again. Blah, I don't want to think about it.

I waited until he was finished and we started heading for Grey's office.

"Have you gotten back together with Kial yet?" I asked.

Avalon frowned. "I saw him last week. . . he's engaged."

I gave him a sympathetic look. "Well, there's plenty of other people in the world. . . see anyone worth while yet?"

He smirked, a good sign. "Yeah. . . I've had my eyes on him for a while. . . you know, just in case something like this happened. . ."

"And?"

"Well. . . I'm not so sure about him. I mean, I know him real well. . . it's just that. . ."

"You don't think he'd like you that way?"

He nodded. "Exactly."

"So who is it? Maybe I could sorta ask him about you. . ."

His smirk widened into a smile. "I appreciate it Mark, but I like to do things myself. . . so anyway, do you have any plans for tonight?"

"I was going to see Sabrina. . . it's been like six, seven months since I last saw her."

"Ah, I see. I suppose you want to go alone then?"

"That's okay, isn't it? You could. . . you could talk to that guy."

Avalon sighed. "He's doing something tonight."

"Oh. . ." We got to Grey's office and went inside. He had a mission waiting for us.

"DR spying." Avalon announced. "Someone stole the boss's Rhydon and handed it over to the DR."

"Gee, sounds like fun. . ."

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Aiji, I'm back. Mewtwo barely finished before the pastel green ball of never ending energy bounce up into his arms.

Did you find a new place for us to live, daddy?

I did. It's quite a long fly though. We'll leave in two days.

Is it pretty there, daddy? Like it is up there? Aiji asked, her eyes wide and glistening with excitement.

Oh, it is. It's very beautiful. You will love it there.

Aiji wound her small arms around her father's neck and nuzzled him. Can we go tomorrow?

Mewtwo smirked. We shall see.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

"M-mark! What. . . what a pleasant surprise!" Sabrina exclaimed when she opened the door, sounding very surprised indeed. She looked rather guilty for some reason.

"Hi. I'm not interrupting anything. . . am I?" Mark asked, going inside.

Sabrina shook her head. "No. No one else is here. . . I was just. . . cooking some dinner. . ."

Mark squinted at her in a worried way. "Are you sure? You're acting a little funny. . ."

Sabrina sighed. "Yeah. . . okay. . . come sit down. . ."

Mark followed her into the dining room and they sat down at the table. A black coat was draped over one of the chairs, so Mark picked a different one. Sabrina sat across from him.

"I guess there's really no point in stalling. . ." She said and put her hands out on the table. Mark examined them and noticed the expensive looking ring on her left hand. He half-smiled.

"You're engaged. . . congratulations." He said, sitting back in his chair. Sabrina puzzled at him.

"You. . . you're not angry?"

Mark put his elbows on the table and sighed. "I guess I expected this. . . I mean. . . I wasn't what you really could call a steady boyfriend. . . and well, I never really made an attempt to claim you as mine. I'm not saying I don't love you though. I do, really I do, but. . . doesn't matter a whole lot now. . ."

"We can still be friends right?"

"Sure. If your husband-to-be doesn't mind."

She smiled. "I don't think he will." Just then we heard the garage door open. A few minutes later the door opened and Mikial walked in.

"Hey Kial." I said.

"Hi."

"I thought you might like to know that Blind is in prison."

He raised his eyebrows. "Really? When's his trial?"

"He's in the Rocket prison."

"So. . .?"

"They beat him every other day with a leather whip and the days he isn't getting a beating they don't feed him."

He smiled at that. I guessed he liked the idea of him being tortured. "How long does he have to tolerate that?"

"They gave him eight years but he's already served about one and a half."

Kial snorted and went to the fridge to get a Coke. "So, did Sabrina tell you the news?"

"I was just telling him. . ." Sabrina said.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Man, I really hope Avalon is home. I fumbled around in my pocket for my keys and opened the door. Thank God! Avalon was sleeping on the couch with the TV on holding a bowl of popcorn. Some old western movie was playing.

"Hey! Black Jack wake up!" I said kicking the bottom of his boot. He startled awake and scratched his head when he realized it was only me.

"Whazzup?" He said sleepily. He rubbed his eyes and tried to look more awake. He sat up and put his feet on the floor. I sat down next to him.

"Sabrina's engaged."

Avalon, sensing the water works coming on, pulled me close to him.

"To. . . to Kial. . ."

"WHAT?"

"Exactly what I said. . ."

"Now that hurts. . ."

"Yeah. . . tell me about it. . ."

Avalon sighed and pulled me onto his lap. "What are we gunna do now?"

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Daddy? How come you never showed me this place before?

Because it is dangerous to come here.

Why?

There are humans looking for us, dear.

Humans? Are they pokemon too?

No, they are very different from pokemon. . . but not so different from us.

But aren't we pokemon?

Yes.

The how is it like that?

Mewtwo sighed. I will tell you when you are older.

But I want to know now! She whined.

You would not understand. Mewtwo pulled his daughter to his chest.

Are we safe here, daddy?

Mewtwo smiled and cuddled with her. We are. Let us sleep.

Aiji licked her father's nose and snuggled into his chest before falling asleep.