Chapter 18: To the Victor
Mewtwo listened to his son hum a tune as they flew just above the clouds toward New Island. It was early morning, and even though the air was cool, he could feel the rising sun warm his back and tail. Little Two was beside himself. The Gumdrops had won the music competition the night before and the grand prize were tickets to see Unovan Gym Leader Roxie and her band perform at half time during the championship games at Indigo Plateau. The tickets included a meet and greet with the Gym Leader herself afterward. Little Two wasn't necessarily Roxie's number one fan, but it was his chance to shake hands with a real rockstar. Mewtwo was both delighted for his kitten and dreading what might happen when he went.
Little Two did a few loops then a barrel roll and pulled up beside Mewtwo. So where are we going?
I'm going to show you our new home.
We aren't staying with Aunt Sabrina and Uncle Bill?
We will still visit them, but now we have a place to call our own. Including your own room, maybe even a couple of your own rooms.
Little Two slowed his pace, his good spirits dampened a little by the unknown, but his father had mentioned "rooms" and not "caves" so that was already a relief. He soon started humming again and remained at his fathers side until the land stopped and blue ocean appeared below them. Mewtwo began to slow, then descended as the Palace appeared on the horizon. Little Two noted his drop in speed and matched it, then saw their destination. We're going there?
Yes, that is our new home.
They drew close enough to make out architectural details. The windmills, towers, windows and balconies. Little Two slowed to a stop. "The whole thing?" he asked.
Mewtwo nodded. "The whole thing."
Little Two squealed excitedly, then zipped downward and flew into the main hall. Mewtwo made a more graceful entrance, and landed on the smooth stone while watching his kitten dart from room to room and circle around pillars, then out to the gym floor. When he saw that Little Two was starting to slow, he lifted off the floor and began to lead Little Two upward. "Our rooms are up here," he flew through the double helix of the central spiral sculpture in the main hall and entered the main tower of the Palace. Here there were three floors with floor to ceiling windows, and a fourth upper floor that he used for his own living space. He stopped on one of the floors and let his weight settle on the stone. "This is your floor."
Little Two landed next to him and looked around. He could see the blue of the ocean beyond, the sun beaming off the waves and a sky full of inviting clouds. He walked around the room, noting the same view out of each window with one exception of a stunning view of the gym floor. "Dad, are we the only ones here?"
"For now. I have rooms reserved for some of the others of our kind in case they want them, like Copycat."
Little Two suddenly sighed and looked toward the ground. "Do you hate me?"
That wasn't a comment that Mewtwo had been expecting. "No...no of course not," he knelt so he was on eye level with his kitten. "Why do you ask that?"
Little Two gestured around him. "Because…" his big blue eyes began to well up with tears. "Because we are all alone here, just like Clarity Lake. Its pretty and its big, and yeah having a whole floor to myself is cool and all, but there is no one else here! Aunt Sabrina's house might be small, but it's happy. Jamie is there, and there's always people coming and going from the gym, and the city is right there…and there's Pokémon, and...all I see here is water."
This was far from the response he had been hoping for. Mewtwo scooped Little Two up and hugged him tightly. "You're right. This Palace is empty now, but it will be filled soon enough with both people and Pokémon. This is New Island Gym, and I'm the New Island Gym Leader. There will be trainers and Pokémon visiting, and Jamie and Sabrina and Bill will visit. It won't be empty all the time," he braced Little Two on his hip, even though he was getting a bit too big for that now. Mewtwo pointed out a window toward the north. "Just two miles that way is New Harbor. It's a small town that gets a fair amount of tourists in the summer, so it has beaches and a boardwalk, and lots of little shops and places to see and go. A ferry comes to the island twice a day, once in the morning, and once in the evening," he set Little Two down. "And I wanted to show you this floor empty with no walls, so we could make plans together on how you wanted to decorate it, and set it up," he knelt so he was on eye level again with Little Two, then gestured toward the eastern side of the floor. "I had been thinking, that this area over here, after we put up a wall and run some electrical, would make the perfect music studio."
Little Two wiped the tears from his eyes. "M...music studio? I can have my own studio?"
"If you want to keep practicing, you will need a place to do so. You sing very well, and you make me proud."
The bounce returned to Little Two's step, and his eyes brightened back up again. Mewtwo knew that he would do anything just to see that smile on his kittens face. He began to show Little Two all of the different features of the Palace, where the kitchen was, the many bathrooms, the guest rooms, the Poké-guest rooms, and the makings of the small Pokémon center off the main hall. Little Two took it all in before both of them decided to give it a rest for lunch. They flew toward New Harbor and ordered take-out to carry back with them to the Palace. Once they had settled on the main balcony overlooking the ocean, Little Two began to open up with ideas for his room and music studio. Mewtwo listened to them all and tried to ignore the ever-growing price tag associated with his sons hobby. He eventually managed to talk him down to a more reasonable starting set-up of a sound-proof room and a computer with a few microphones. Eventually as Little Two took a bite of his last piece of pizza, Mewtwo dropped the other bombshell he had been withholding.
"When I went out yesterday, before your concert, I had gone to the Orange Islands to the south of us."
Little Two nodded. "Aunt Sabrina told me that you were going to visit a scientist to figure out why the other mewtwos get sick. Did you find them?"
"Yes I did. And I found someone else along the way. Another mewtwo, a fem."
"Did she escape from Woodland Labs too?"
"Kind of. She didn't escape that night it blew up, she had gotten out earlier and was badly injured. That's why Professor Ivy and Brock never told me about her. But I met her yesterday, and got a surprise."
"Good surprise or bad surprise?" Little Two sat on the balcony railing and swung his feet over the side.
"I'll let you decide that," Mewtwo said softly. "She's the fem that gave birth to you, your mother."
Little Two stopped swinging his legs and looked over his shoulder at Mewtwo. "My Mom? I have a mom?"
"I only just found her yesterday. She wants to meet you, but its up to you if you want to meet her," Mewtwo couldn't quite read what his kitten was feeling, perhaps Little Two didn't know himself. Ever since Little Two had been old enough to ask and to understand, Mewtwo had told him that he had been found before Woodland Labs was about to explode, that their kind had been scattered to the winds, and while they were all mewtwos, some of them would be lost and afraid, or angry, and some would be friendly. They had to use caution when meeting new mewtwos.
Little Two looked back over the ocean. "What is she like?"
Mewtwo found himself at a loss of words for a moment, and instead opened his mind a little, allowing Little Two a peek at what he had seen of Esper. Little Two took in this new information thoughtfully, then asked. "She can't see?"
"No, at least not that I know of. But she can hear and smell and has a strong psychic presence."
"Can we visit her soon?"
"Yes, I'll call ahead and make plans. And if at any time you don't feel comfortable, just let me know," Mewtwo then joined his kitten on the balcony rail. "You are my son. I love you more than anything. I will fight for you and support you in all you want to do, no matter what. I don't know what the future holds. If you and Esper want to spend more time together to get to know each other, I will support you. If you decide that the situation is a little too strange for you, then I will support you. I may have found your birth mother, but you are still my son."
Little Two smiled. "I love you Dad."
The next day at the Palace was busier as the ferry arrived with a few workmen, inspectors, and other boats that made use of the docks to deliver supplies. Little Two excitedly watched all the comings and goings, then mewed with delight when Sabrina, Bill and Jamie arrived to help with some of the detail work. Little Two immediately snagged Jamie and began showing her around, then levitated her up to his new room. Sabrina watched a little anxiously as her daughter was lifted into a gap in the ceiling to parts unknown, but trusted Mewtwo and his son enough to not go into full adult panic. You sure got the atmosphere down, Two. She commented.
Mewtwo gave his friends a tour of the Palace, and ended back in the main hall to watch the workmen finish out the Pokémon center. It was practically League law to have a Pokémon center close by a Gym, and New Harbor fell just outside of the acceptable radius. Mewtwo fixed the problem by allotting an alcove in the main hall to be used as a small Pokémon Center. That also meant that he would have a Nurse Joy living in the Palace to tend to the Center. Mewtwo made sure that her apartment would be comfortable and suited her needs, and the needs of her Pokémon, and that any time she needed off, either the Gym would close or another Nurse could be arranged to cover the Gyms needs.
Mewtwo sensed another boat pull into the docks, then grinned. Ah, good. They've arrived. I'm glad the both of you are here to be the first to see them. He traveled down to the docks to meet the boat. Sabrina and Bill followed along, curious as to what Mewtwo had in store for them. As they arrived at the docks, a man and his Machoke was just wrestling a crate off the ship. The Pokémon set it down and the man held out a clipboard to Bill to sign. Bill shook his head, then pointed to Mewtwo, as did Sabrina. For a moment the man was confused, but then held out the clipboard to Mewtwo, who signed the receipt.
"Do you have anyone to move it for you? Its heavy," the man asked.
"No need, but thank you," Mewtwo made a slight gesture with his hand, and the crate lifted. With another gesture it levitated upward and out of sight. Mewtwo gave the clipboard back. Man and Pokémon hurriedly boarded the boat again. Bill gave a wave as he watched the boat shove off and the returned to the main hall.
Sabrina groaned upon taking the stairs one more time. "I am so out of shape. So are you going to tell us what's in the crate, or are you going to keep up the suspense a bit longer?"
You'll see. Mewtwo smirked. The crate had been deposited on the balcony, and Mewtwo eagerly popped the wooden top. Sabrina and Bill finally caught up, then joined their friend beside the crate.
Inside the crate were more boxes, and inside those were yet more boxes, but these were long and narrow cases, like the kind of box one would receive a jeweled necklace in. Mewtwo removed one of these and opened it. Inside were twelve small purple roses in full bloom, carved from amethyst. Mewtwo removed one and held it up to the light. These are my badges, the Rose Badge. Each one has my signature laser etched on the outside petal, and a serial number near the back.
"Those look expensive," Sabrina commented.
I don't expect I'll be giving out many. Mewtwo put it back in the case and then levitated the entire crate inside and up into that mysterious hole in the ceiling that Jamie and Little Two had disappeared in nearly an hour ago. I'll be throwing an opening gala, you two should receive invitations in a few days.
"I look forward to it...and I've been wanting to ask you, how do you intend to run the Gym? So far you're the only Pokémon I see in here." Sabrina said. "I know you aren't planning to participate in every battle by yourself."
I will of course battle as often as I can, and I'm inviting some of the other Pokémon that I had cloned to participate as well. They will have the opportunity to come and go as they please. I am also extending the invitation to the other mewtwos that had been found, in case some of them wish for more training or exposure to the human world beyond Team Rocket. Mewtwo stepped out onto the Gym floor. Participation in this Gym is by appointment only, and they must have eight badges, either from one region, or a combination of regions.
"How many appointments a day?"
Six. I could take more, and perhaps will in the future, but I and the other Pokémon will need a chance to rest between matches. Mewtwo put his hands behind his back and looked up at the grey and purple walls rising on either side of the bare arena. I never thought I would end up back here, at the place of my creation. I had always assumed that I would keep exploring and pushing my limits in new lands against new Pokémon and people...but now that I'm here, I realize circumstances are different now. I have a family, good friends, and a place to finally call home.
A day after the finishing touches had been put on New Island Gym, Mewtwo and Little Two were once again airborne. This time seated comfortably in a helicopter that belonged to the Kojiros. Bill, Sabrina, and Jamie sat across from them on another bench-like seat, looking out over the ocean as the helicopter took them to Valencia Island. The two of them had insisted on coming, and Mewtwo wasn't going to argue that more people meant less chance of awkwardness. Little Two held a large bouquet of flowers in his lap, a gift for Esper, and one that he put a lot of thought into. It wasn't the most beautiful bunch of flowers, but each one had a unique and prominent scent. Mewtwo was proud of how considerate his kitten had become, and felt a little shamed himself that he didn't think of it first.
The helicopter began to descend, then landed in a clear patch of tall grasses a short walk away from Professor Ivy's main homestead. As the blades cycled down, one of the pilots stepped out and opened the rear cabin for their passengers. Brock and Ivy were already there to meet them, Ivy was wearing a wide straw sun hat and a large smile. Beside them was Esper, her demeanor and stance was much more relaxed and curious than the first time Mewtwo had met her. As Mewtwo stepped out of the helicopter he paused. Esper's almost white coat appeared to shimmer in the sunlight, creating a wonderful contrast to the areas of her fur that blended into violet. He suddenly looked away, hoping that no one had noticed he had been staring. Little Two hopped out of the helicopter after him, and once all of the passengers were a safe distance away, the helicopter took off and headed back toward a larger island.
"Welcome to Valencia!" Ivy said cheerfully.
Sabrina put on her tight grin and nodded back. "Hi Ivy...Brock." She quickly glanced at Esper, then back at the pair of guilty researchers. "How about we let the mewtwos catch up with each other...and the rest of us can go talk?"
Some of the humor dropped from Ivy's grin. "Of course, this way please." Ivy began to lead Sabrina and Bill toward the house. Jamie remained in place for a moment, confused on which way she should go, but ultimately decided to run after her parents.
Esper remained standing in the tall grass, her tail moving back and forth indecisively. Mewtwo didn't make a move or a sound either. Little Two stepped out from behind his father, and Esper's demeanor changed. Her ears picked up and her tail dropped lower, almost into a fighting stance. Little Two half walked, half floated through the grass and stopped before her. Mewtwo noticed that Esper had lifted one arm and made a slow sweep in the air before her, well above Little Two's head, as if she were looking for something. She then knelt, almost on eye level with the kitten. "Here, I got these for you." Little Two held out the bouquet. Esper gently closed her hands around the paper and bundled stems, then nearly buried her face in the blooms and took a deep breath. Little Two giggled at the sight, then slowly placed his hand over hers.
Esper set the bouquet aside, and held his hand. "You must be Little Two...thank you for the flowers."
Little Two giggled again, then took her hand and put it on his nose. Her fingertips then lightly ran over his features, up his ears and down his cheek, then finally rested on his shoulder. Mewtwo watched silently as the two of them bonded. Esper was beside herself with joy, and Little Two seemed equally delighted. He caught small glimpses of psychic conversation between them, and with each one, it seemed their bond grew stronger. He hadn't expected them to take to each other so quickly. Maybe it was something unique to mewtwos and their psychic nature? Esper stood, still holding Little Two's hand and began to lead him away from the landing site, kitten on one side and a miss-matched flower bouquet on the other. A thought came to his mind.
One family ready to go.
Mewtwo shook that thought away as well. Esper was an attractive fem, he would give her that, and Little Two seemed to like her, that was also good. But he couldn't bring himself to think of her as a mate. Besides, there was much more to courtship than one or two pleasant meetings. Were they compatible in other ways? Would she even want him after everything she had been through? Would it even be acceptable for the "First" to choose a mate from those that were created after him?
"Dad!" Little Two said impatiently. "I called you like ten times."
"Sorry, lost in my thoughts."
"We're going for a walk on the beach, are you coming? Ms. Esper wants to hear about the music contest I won!"
Mewtwo caught the slight hint of a wince on Esper's features. Little Two was just trying to be polite. Copycat was called Uncle and Cherry was Aunt. Even though Esper and the kitten had hit it off, it might be a while before Little Two felt comfortable enough to call her "mom." Esper took in stride though, and led the kitten down the hill and toward the dunes.
One family ready to go. Mewtwo tried to push those thoughts away, but they kept floating back on the tides of his mind. He started after them, feeling his heart simultaneously break and heal as he saw them walk together. He watched the gentle curve and sway of her hips and tail as she moved through the tall grass. He then noted something that pulled him from his thoughts completely. Just under her shimmering fur, he could make out the dark shape of bruise that spread along her lower back. He didn't need to ask where she got it, the answer was already plain to him.
Like the other escapees from Woodland Labs, she was affected by the mutations as well. And even with Brock, Ivy, and almost every other Pokémon scientist and researcher working on it, the cure was still a long way off. In that moment, Mewtwo made a decision, if for nothing more than the sake of his son. Esper's time on this world was limited. Their lives were short and precious, and he would do anything to keep that smile on his kitten's face. He flew after them, then landed and rested his hand on the small of her back, over the bruise. Esper paused a moment as Mewtwo used a light Heal Pulse to soothe and heal the damaged tissue. Esper took Little Two's hand and smiled broadly at Mewtwo, then ran down the sand dune to the beach.
"One family ready to go." Mewtwo whispered.
The moon had just peeked over the edge of the water when Mewtwo set Little Two into Ivy's guest room. The kitten had played hard all day with Esper and Jamie, collecting shells on the beach or searching for Pokémon with alternate colorations. He ate at least one of every kind of berry on the island and swam in nearly every stream he could find. The kids had finally fallen asleep at the bonfire on the beach, Little Two with his head on Mewtwo's lap and tail looped over into Espers. The kids were given a room to share while the adults stayed up at the bonfire talking. Mewtwo closed the door to the guest room and went to the porch with the intent of rejoining his friends at the bonfire, but was surprised when Esper met him at the door.
Esper, Is everything okay?
Yes. She answered back, a wave of pleasant emotions behind that one word. But I wanted to talk you, in private if possible.
Mewtwo stepped onto the porch. Of course.
She led the way to the cliffs, down below they could see the light of the bonfire and smell the woodsmoke on the wind. I wanted to thank you for taking the risk and letting me visit and get to know my son. He's such a wonderful and caring kitten, you have raised him well. To be honest, I was worried that he would become like his other parent, but I am happy that I am wrong.
Mewtwo didn't know much about Big White, and all the things he had heard had the trappings of myth around them. He let her speak, sensing that there was still more she wanted to say.
It hurts to make this confession to you. It feels selfish and as if I am dodging responsibility...but I don't think I can raise Little Two. This island is not the place for him. I don't know if it was your intent to give him to me, but I cannot give him the life he deserves. You can. I still would like to be part of his world, maybe arrange visits between us, but I cannot be the mother he needs. I am still sick, you sensed that earlier, and the Heal Pulse was much appreciated.
Mewtwo placed his hand on her shoulder. As far as I'm concerned, Little Two is our kitten. And you do have a place in his life. I will not keep him from you, but it still has to be his choice. As for your illness, I am doing everything in my power to find the cure. Not just for you, but for the others who are affected.
Esper covered his hand with her own. I forget sometimes that I must be strong for more than just myself.
There is a whole world out there, I encourage you to discover as much of it as you can. My home is always open to you.
Where is it?
Mewtwo moved behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders, then turned her toward the northeast. This way. If you fly for half a day, you will be able to sense my presence, and that is my and Little Two's home.
Esper nodded, then turned in his arms and embraced him. Thank you, for everything.
For a moment, Mewtwo didn't know how to respond. He then settled for lowering his arms and hugged her back. It was a strange feeling, being so close after having been alone for so long. It wasn't like the friendly hugs he and Sabrina shared. This was different. She was so soft and trusting in his arms. So pleasant and warm. He held her for a moment longer, then let go. She also let go and took a half step back. Almost instantly Mewtwo wanted to grab hold of her again, feel her warmth against him, enjoy the scent that was unique only to her.
Could I trouble you with one more selfish request? She asked.
The moonlight made her fur look silver, and she carried the smell of wildflowers on her skin. Mewtwo answered by giving her hand a gentle squeeze. Go on.
I would like to give Little Two a proper name. He won't be a "little 'two" forever.
That was a bridge he had been meaning to cross for a long time. Even now, Little Two wasn't so "little" anymore. Perhaps that is something you and Little Two could talk about in the future. It's his life, and it would make sense he would want his own name.
Esper smiled sheepishly. You must think I'm such a demanding fem.
You? Let me tell you about one of my best human friends, Sabrina…
Butch reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the invitation he had received a week prior. It was a simple thing, a plain black card with markings that resembled a Gym floor, and a small hololens in the center. When he had first activated it, a woman resembling Nurse Joy and wearing a brown dress had formed from the hololens and relayed the information that a new Pokémon Gym was opening on New Island and to celebrate, Gym Leaders from all over Kanto were invited to an opening gala. When she finished relaying her message, a small map appeared marking the location of the Gym. The invitation hadn't been delivered to him directly of course. His agents had removed it from the mail box of Viridian Gym after a Dragonite had delivered it. And as the sole Gym Leader of Viridian, he was bound by League etiquette to attend. So this was Mewtwo's plan now? Open a Pokémon Gym and put himself squarely in the public eye? It was a good play, it wouldn't last long, but it was a good play.
With invitation in hand he stepped out of the back of the limousine and toward a chartered yacht waiting at the dock in New Harbor. The sun had gone down and the night was dark, made all the more ominous by the cold breeze coming off the water. His assistants formed up around him and boarded the yacht along with him. They traveled in silence as the yacht bounced over the waves toward the glowing yellow and purple Palace that was New Island Gym. The yacht pulled up to the newly renovated docks at the base of the Gym, and Butches assistants and security force formed up around him. As he stepped off, he snapped his fingers and Storm appeared at his side, Butch then leaned in and whispered. "We may never get another chance like this. As soon as we get to the inside, I need you to start looking for that kitten."
"Sure thing Boss," Storm gave a slight nod.
As they climbed the stairs, they could hear music playing and the sounds of ongoing Pokémon battles. The atmosphere was surprisingly jovial for such a foreboding place. They arrived at the main balcony and the double doors were open wide, revealing a golden-lit hall and a party in full swing. Gym Leaders from all over Kanto and Johto were present, as well as high ranking trainers and the Elite Four. It was a who's who of the Pokémon sport.
"Boss, this place is a goldmine."
"Not tonight. Take notes, but we only came for one thing," Butch reminded. "Find that kitten at all-"
"Can I check your invitation please?" came a young voice.
Butch turned from Storm and looked to see the source of the voice and felt any reply dry on his lips. It was the kitten. White with a blue tail, blue eyes, and wearing what looked like a fake shirt collar complete with bow tie.
"Found him Boss."
"Shut up."
The kitten held his hand out and Butch gave him the invitation. The kitten then flipped it over and studied a few markings on the back, and gave it back. "Huh, I didn't know Viridian Gym had two Gym Leaders. Welcome to New Island!" The kitten then hopped away into the crowd.
"He's kinda cute Boss."
"Don't let it fool you. That creature has the power to rip continents apart with only a thought." Butch sneered, then quickly turned it into a smile when he saw some of his investors. He gave one last instruction to Storm. "Be as discrete as you can, get a layout of the place." Stormy gave a subtle "affirmative" and slipped into the crowd. Butch went to join his investors while his other assistants went to their respective posts. So many Pokémon had been let out of their Pokéballs and roamed the hall freely, mingling with the humans and eating food from other tables. Butch had to bob and weave between and around some of the larger ones. The whole thing reminded him of a Ryme City fundraiser. As a lean, brown-eyed servant in a neat uniform passed him he selected a glass of champagne from a tray and smoothly joined a discussion in progress.
"What a time to be alive eh? A Pokémon running a Gym."
Butch laughed good-naturedly. "It seems the League will try any gimmick. I don't see it anywhere, has the creature made an appearance yet?"
"Not that I've seen, but it's still early."
Butch sipped his champagne and glanced toward the double helix spiral sculpture/staircase in the center of the room. He knew that if there was anything Mewtwo had learned from Giovanni, it was how to make an entrance.
Little Two landed in the doorway outside of his fathers room. He did love that he could fly freely in their new home, but still tried to be polite and not go flying through doorways into private rooms. He was eager to rejoin the party downstairs, the pounding of the music combined with the deep vibrations of the bass sent shivers of delight through the kitten. This was how he wanted to live, surrounded by music and friends, not in some cold cave far away from everything else. Inside his fathers room (or more accurately, floor) he could hear the voices of Aunt Sabrina and Uncle Bill, as well as Aunt Jesse and Uncle James. The kitten knocked lightly on the doorframe before stepping in.
Mewtwo was in the center of the room, on a slightly raised dais surrounded by his closest friends who were dressed in their finest for the party. Hovering around the room were holoscreens depicting various security camera feeds from around the island. Little Two hopped over. "Hey Dad, I didn't know that Viridian Gym had two Gym Leaders."
The good humor in the room faded. Jesse then turned to look down at the small kitten. "Two? Well this is going to get interesting."
"We can't afford interesting," Sabrina grumbled.
Mewtwo began pulling up security feeds on the holos around him. Butch was easy enough to spot, plucking a glass of champagne from a tray ferried around by Copycat disguised as a waiter, but the other was nowhere to be found.
"I'll keep an eye on Butch and make sure that he doesn't start trouble." James said, then stepped out of the room.
"I'll go with him and make sure it isn't double." Bill said and followed James out.
Sabrina sighed heavily. "Just couldn't resist could you?"
Little Two moved forward and stood between Jesse and Sabrina. Jesse wore a blue gown and Sabrina had chosen a red one, the kitten ran his hand along the delicate fabric and exclaimed, "Both of you look so pretty! Like Princesses!"
"Well thank you, and you are quite Princely in your bow tie," Jesse couldn't resist and gave the kitten a pat on the head. "You've gotten much bigger since I last saw you."
Mewtwo folded his arms and studied the screens for a moment. In the midst of the people were just as many Pokémon, three of which were the Charizard, Venosaur and Blastoise that he had cloned all those years ago. They had agreed to work with him during any battles this evening. He knew most of the human faces, but some were a surprise to even him. Sons and daughters of the Kanto league, high-ranked trainers and even a few visitors from Leagues in other lands. Of all these, Mewtwo hadn't expected Butch to make an appearance. Ghosts from the last time he threw a party in this very Palace rose in his mind. That had been ages ago, in another lifetime. Now that it was almost time to join the party, he had to admit that he was just a little nervous, the slightest sway of his tail betraying his thoughts.
"Hmmm..." Jesse mused as she circled Mewtwo. "Do you want to try something?"
Mewtwo gratefully came out of this thoughts, turning from the holoscreens to cast a glance at Jesse. "Try what?"
"A little bit of make-up."
"Why would I want to do that?'
"Theatrics mainly. I could darken the underside of your eyeridges just a touch, contour your cheeks and temples just a bit to give you a very sinister and serious appearance. Its up to you, how do you want to appear?"
Little Two bounced up and down. "Do it Dad!"
Sabrina shook her head. "Don't do it, you don't need make-up Two."
Jesse smirked. "Say again Lady Bellelba?"
"That was a long time ago, and I needed the money!" Sabrina snapped.
Mewtwo pulled up a holo to use as a mirror, Little Two was practically giggling with the possibilities. "Sure, do it."
Jesse clapped her hands. "You will not be disappointed."
Butch looked up from his musings with his investors as familiar face approached them. "James!" he forced a smile. "I didn't expect to see you here!"
"Likewise," James shook his hand, his grip a bit tight for comfort. "How have things been?" He slipped easily into the role of a professional interacting with a client. So polite, so fake. "Good to see you, have you met my acquaintance here? Bill?"
"No, I can't say that I have," Butch almost let the mask slip. He turned to his investors. "If you'll excuse me gentlemen," he stepped away from the group and closed the distance between himself and James. His expression and demeanor changed to a low growling whisper. "You have a lot of nerve to approach me like this. You have betrayed the Team and you have betrayed me."
James was about to snark back with his own reply, when a fourth person joined their tight group. "Now, now Butch. If anyone knows anything about betrayal, it would be you," a familiar voice and arm looped through his own, pulling him tightly against a soft yet athletic body. Butch slowly turned his head to see Cassidy on his arm in an old familiar way. She wore a deep red gown with exposed shoulders and a low cut that made the best of her figure. She smiled at him sweetly, the light in the room gently touched a pair of earrings peeking from her hair. Earrings he had given her many years ago and as far as he knew, she never wore. Butch tried to shake her off, but she held fast. The smile never faded. "We are here, as the Gym Leaders of Viridian Gym, to celebrate the opening of another Gym," she gave him a playful tap on his nose. "We can always fight later." Butch couldn't take his eyes off her chest. It was perfectly fine. He had shot her, he saw her go down, he saw the amount of blood that had been on the floor. Even if somehow she was able to recover from a bullet to the heart, there would be a scar or a bandage or something. But she was fine, better than fine even. The light wrinkles that came with age were gone, her eyes were bright and alive. She had her youth back.
Butch pulled his arm free of her slowly, and she let him go. Her point had been made, she and the rest of Team Rocket wasn't going down easy. He said only one word. "Blackwell?"
Cassidy nodded. Butch spun on his heel and walked away quickly. Bill then spoke up. "What did I just miss?"
"A long story, one that you can live a happy life without knowing." Cassidy sipped her glass of champagne and watched Butch slither through the crowd back to his investors.
The music suddenly stopped and the lights in the hall dimmed. A single shaft of light illuminated the double helix sculpture from above, and a figure began a slow, floating decent to the ground. As the figure drew closer, the gathered crowd could make out features; a long tail, horn-like ears, and glowing blue eyes. As Mewtwo set down, the room filled with applause. The lights slowly grew brighter but one spot remained on him. When the applause slowed, he began to speak using his psychic voice to reach everyone present. I want to thank everyone for coming to the grand opening of New Island Gym. Twenty-seven years ago, I was created on this very island, and while the circumstances of my birth may have been less than ideal, the support and love of many of the understanding people that are here this evening have helped me to overcome my past. In honor of them, New Island is not just a Gym, but a place of learning. My vision is to have a place where humans and Pokémon work together to achieve great things and to foster strong ties between us. I thank everyone here from the bottom of my heart and I look forward to many years and many happy memories. Welcome. To New Island Gym!
The applause began anew. The lights came back on fully and the music began to play again. Mewtwo began to work his way around the floor, greeting his guests and doing his best to answer any questions. As the night wore on, battles began to take place on the Gym floor. Mewtwo participated in some, but most were friendly matches. James and Bill kept an eye on Butch and Cassidy, but didn't let that run their evening. Little Two bounced happily around the hall, talking to guests or watching battles. Toward the small hours of the morning, the guests began to depart. Some on personal yachts or boats that had been docked below, others such as Lance, climbed aboard their Pokémon and flew away. Mewtwo, Sabrina and Bill bid them all a good night and sent them off with a small gift. Shortly afterwards Mewtwo dismissed the hired staff he'd arranged to take care of the food during the party. Soon the only guests that remained were Sabrina, Bill, Jamie, and the Kojiros, allowing Copycat to shed his disguise as part of the waiting staff.
Jesse and James helped with some of the clean-up. Both had changed from their evening wear to uniforms that wouldn't look out of place in a janitorial service. At first Mewtwo didn't know what to make of the pair when they would show up in uniform or costume for some event, but now he just accepted it as their way of having fun with each other. They enjoyed the role play aspect of it and spent a good portion of their lives on study and practice of the multiple roles humans took. It became sort of admirable when he looked at it that way. Jesse and James tackled the kitchen while Sabrina and Bill put away the food in the main hall, Copycat assisted by ferrying loaded and empty trays back and forth between them. Mewtwo went to see if any glasses had been left in or around the Gym, and while searching found Little Two and Jamie snoozing soundly in one of the side rooms under the bloom of his cloned Venosaur. From the spread of plates and glasses around them, they had retreated to this room to eat and play on their phones while still remaining close to the party. Mewtwo thanked his Venosaur then collected the children and flew carefully up to Little Two's room so as not to awaken them, then set them both in Little Two's hammock bed. He carefully removed the little shirt collar from Little Two, and set Jamie's shoes on the floor. He covered them with one of the blankets Cherry had made and gave each a light nudge goodnight.
He had just out of the room and closed the door to the stairs when he encountered Jesse in the hall. She had shed her janitors overalls, and now wore a butler outfit complete with a stick-on mustache. Mewtwo would bet almost any amount of money that James was elsewhere dressed as a maid. Jesse stopped at various points in the hall and brushed items with a feather duster. Mewtwo lifted a finger to his lips in a "shhh" gesture, and she responded by gesturing to an empty room. With a sigh he followed her in. Jesse dusted a piece of furniture and spoke softly. "I had been wanting to ask you something all night, but the party wouldn't have been the best time to bring it up."
"You have my full attention now."
Jesse paused, as if searching for the right words, then pulled off the fake mustache. She wasn't playing a role now, she was coming to him honestly. "James and I...are planning to adopt Sarah, Giovanni's daughter. She's a teenager now and has spent the last few years of her life in a long-term care facility."
That was a name that Mewtwo didn't think he would hear again. The last he had seen of the brat she had just pulled out a freakishly large gun for a kid to be holding and used it to nearly kill Esper. He rubbed his forehead, he didn't want to think about that trip to Indigo. "And, you wanted to warn me?"
"No, I want to ask if you could help her recover. Lets face facts, Indigo that year was a bad experience all around. You Psyburned a ten year old to the point that she has been in a fugue state for the past seven years."
"After she pulled a gun out, shot Esper in the head, and tried to kill me too. Not many ten-year-olds are capable of doing that. And now she's nearly an adult," Mewtwo hissed.
"Then give her false memories. Make it so she knows me and James as her parents. The poor girl has suffered her entire life, I watched how her father treated her and the destructive things she would do to get his attention. After her mother died, Gio married me to play mommy to her, but I could never reach her. But that doesn't mean that I have given up on her. Bring her back around, and me and James will do the rest." Jesse set the feather duster down. "If I could go to someone else I would. I asked Sabrina and she stated that I would need to talk to you. Besides, there is also another reason I'm trying to get her to come to her senses."
"And that would be?"
Jesse glanced up for a moment and sighed heavily. "Humans are messed up creatures. We do horrible things for very primitive reasons. I want to adopt her to protect her. Whether she is in a fugue state or not, she is still Giovanni's daughter, and the heir to Team Rocket. As soon as she turns eighteen, it will be a free-for all on the poor girl because whoever marries her will inherit Team Rocket once Giovanni dies. Giovanni, the other person you Psyburned into a coma, is still holding on. I don't know how. By all rights he should be dead, but something is keeping him alive. They've pulled the plug on him twice, and he's still with us. At this point I don't know if its a grudge or divine intervention that's keeping him from passing on. But Sarah...she is still young and has a chance to recover. If I adopt her, she will no longer be the heir to Team Rocket then Butch and Cassidy can go back to their squabbling. Sarah has had a hard enough life as is, she doesn't deserve this. Please, I know your pain, I was there too. But if anyone knows what it means to be given a second chance, its you."
Mewtwo took a deep breath and let her words sink in. That had been a regret bouncing around his mind for the last few years. He had attacked a child. A child with questionable innocence, but a child all the same. A child that thought nothing of pulling out a gun and shooting at whatever displeased her. "I want to say yes, that I will help you. But it's not as easy as you think. I can't just give her fake memories, and I can't just wipe her mind completely, that would require scrambling all her neural pathways and would cause more harm than good. Psyburn affects recently used neural pathways, bringing on confusion and disorientation. What I did was wrong, yes. But the mind is complicated. I could try to implant false memories, but in the end she would discover her previous memories anyway. Think of your mind as a room, filled with all the things that make you what you are. What I did was remove the door to that room. But everything is still there, and one day she will create her own door. I want to speak to Esper first, as she was the other one affected by this event. And depending on what Esper says, then I will contact you."
Jesse nodded. "I suppose that's as good of an answer as I'm going to get today. Thank you for hearing me out Two."
Mewtwo reached out and pulled Jesse close. "I know it was hard for you to ask. It's getting late, will you and James be staying the night?"
"No, we're heading back home soon," Jesse hugged Mewtwo back. "All in all I'd say it was a successful party." She let go and stepped back, pulling the feather duster from her pocket once more. "Here's to many happy and successful years, Gym Leader Mewtwo."
Butch stood on the deck of his yacht, looking across the water at New Island. Storm was near the bow, a pair of night vision binoculars over his eyes as he watched the waters around New Island. All of the other guests had departed, and he was waiting for the final helicopter to leave. The machine finally lifted from its landing pad and Storm called back to Butch. "And that's the last one. Should I signal the strike team?"
"Give it a moment. There are still some lights on in the domestic areas of the Gym. I want to wait for those to go out," Butch said, then settled into a deck chair. Over the next half hour, the lights in the area of the kitchen went out, then a few of the bedroom lights, and finally the Gym floor stadium lights themselves went off. Butch pulled a cell phone from his pocket and tapped the screen. He lifted it to his ear and heard the pickup at the other end. "Good evening Commander…it looks like you will be able to take that new weapon of yours out for a test run. I only want the kitten, any others you find you may do with at you please." He lowered the phone from his ear and slipped it back into his pocket. "Take us back to the dock, it wont do us any good to sit here."
Across the water, a dark shape emerged from below the waves close to the pillars that supported the Palace of New Island. The top hatch of the submarine opened and several figures clad in black wet suits climbed out. Assault rifles were strapped across their backs and night vision goggles rested on their foreheads. Some jumped into the water and swam to other pillars, two of them rode the submarine to the closest pillar and through the use of spikes on both hands and feet, began to climb their way to toward the Palace. Inside the submarine, the Commander set his cell phone down on an instrument panel, then opened several holoscreens around him that depicted visual feed from his troops. At the rear of the sub sat his second-in-command, the Captain, and their newly "calibrated" mewtwo, Victor.
The Captain held a control circlet in his hands and Victor wore a matching one around his head. Just as Dr. Laurent had promised, that one was anchored to Victors skull so that it couldn't be removed easily. For the moment Victor sat still, the scars across his cranium were still freshly healed and stood out glaring white against his purple fur. When the Commander had turned to study the holoscreens, the Captain placed a reassuring hand on Victors shoulder. "I'll do my best to guide you, like we practiced. The League may be blind to the threat the kitten poses, but not us. Do what you gotta do. This is necessary. We are on the right side of history here."
Victor nodded slowly. He had never fought one of his own kind before, and wasn't looking forward to a confrontation with the First. Butch was trying to correct a wrong, why couldn't anyone else see that? He lifted his head as the Commander spoke up. "Okay, we're in. Captain, prep Victor."
"Ready?" the Captain asked.
Victor nodded and closed his eyes. The Captain put the circlet on his head and Victor felt his own give a subtle vibration in return. He felt a rush to his senses, almost like falling backward into a deep warm pool. The Captain relaxed beside him and sank deeper into his chair. At the front of the submarine the Commander saw a shift in the mewtwos personality. His very presence went from passive to assertive, and even right to aggressive. Victors eyes began to glow and he rose to his feet, then his feet left the decking and he hovered in place. "There's the blood-thirsty bastard I hired," the Commander sneered. "I'll be damned Butch, you did it. Alright Victor, I know you can smell him or sense him or whatever it is you freaks do. Don't touch my boys unless they get in the way. Go let that reject know there is a new sheriff in town."
Victor crossed his right hand over his chest and gave a slight nod. The closest thing he would come to a salute, then floated out of the top hatch into the night.
Mewtwo turned off the stadium lights on the Gym floor, then made one last lap around the Palace to ensure that whatever needed to be put away or secured had been taken care of. All of the leftover food had been stored or packed up and given away. Trash had been rounded up and placed on the barge down by the docks to be hauled back to land and disposed of properly. His Pokémon were healed up and settled in for the night, Bill and Sabrina had retired to their room, Copycat was in his, and Jamie and Little Two were snuggled up side by side in Little Two's room. Mewtwo was looking forward to a long hot shower after the battles of the evening. He smiled to himself knowing how out of shape he had become since his Team Rocket days. He would be giving away a lot of badges until he got back into the habit again. His shoulders and back were sore and he was a bit lightheaded from the poison attacks he had endured earlier while battling against Koga's daughter. Still it was nothing that rest and a bit of exercises couldn't overcome.
He shut the doors from the main hall to the Gym floor, then felt a rush of cool sea air at his back. Mewtwo sighed and began to turn around. How did the main doors blow open? He had locked them not moments before and-
Hovering in the center of the doorway, framed by the night and barely illuminated by the few lights still on in the main hall, was a mewtwo. Its coloration was similar to his own, just slightly darker and its torso was thicker. Mewtwo shifted a foot backward, already on the defensive. Who are you?
The other lifted a hand and a black sphere began to form in its palm. That spoke loud and clear enough for Mewtwo. Even before the energy left the others palm, Mewtwo knew that so far he had been lucky. That the other mewtwos he had encountered just wanted to be left alone to heal and live their lives. It was only a matter of time before one with either a grudge or ill intentions drifted into his life. He had gone to Purity Canyon to prepare for this moment, to train and regain his skill. And now, at the end of a long day of playing in the human world, he was right back on the field of battle again.
Mewtwo raised a barrier and then summoned his own Shadow Spheres, his mind working to develop tactics and mentally prepare himself for whatever attacks the Other could throw at him. The trespasser tossed the black sphere at Mewtwo, but instead of the energy coming into contact with his barrier, it stopped just short and hovered in the space for a moment, then with a sound of rushing wind, it began to draw all energy and light into its center. Mewtwo's barrier ripped apart, and Mewtwo felt a drain on his own energy level. The Shadow Spheres he had summoned dissipated and he could see trails of the light sources in the hall as the light itself was being drawn into the others attack. Water and loose stone were pulled from the fountains in the hall along with stray bits of furniture and sucked into the sphere.
A miniature gravity well!? Mewtwo scrambled backward, fighting against the pull of the sphere. The Other then closed his fingers into a fist, and the gravity well ceased to draw energy and matter in. Before Mewtwo had a chance to recover his psychic strength, the gravity well reversed and now projected that gathered energy and matter outward. The resulting explosion threw Mewtwo into a column then through the double doors leading to the Gym floor. Mewtwo hit the ground, tumbling and rolling before hitting the opposite wall. Before he could gain his feet, he felt a foot strike his face, slamming his head back into the concrete wall. His vision filled with bright bolts of color. His opponent was already upon him, only backing away long enough to deliver a nearly-point blank Psyblast that sent Mewtwo through the concrete, the supports for the stands, and into the open air beyond.
Mewtwo fought back confusion as his body began to fall toward the dark waves below. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a dark humanoid shape scaling one of the pillars underneath the Palace. This wasn't just one lone mewtwo out for blood. This was an organized attack on his home, and the stakes suddenly became that much higher. Mewtwo righted himself in mid-air and felt a kind of serenity come over him. He had something to fight for, and while he had taken a few good hits, he was nowhere near down yet. He needed to alert the others. Bill, Copycat, Sabrina!
Bill was going over the last few edits for his book when he heard the rumbling come from the Gym floor downstairs. He had written it up to late-night training until his mind filled with the sound of Mewtwo's mental voice. Not a moment later he saw a pair of humans clad in black and carrying firearms rush down the hallway. Bill quickly stood from the table he was working at, then approached the door, keeping close to the wall and hiding from view in the hall. He heard more near-silent footfalls pause, then come back up the hall and pause outside the study. Bill looked around, then grabbed a statue of an Espeon that had been a housewarming gift for Mewtwo off a nearby bookshelf. He held his breath when he saw the barrel of a gun enter the room, followed by a man. Bill brought the statue down on the mans head, and found himself in the crosshairs of a second gunman. Before Bill could react, the second man was tackled to the floor by a Rhyhorn with pink stripes. Bill then turned and brought the statue down on the first man again and took his gun from him. He leaned against the inside of the door and caught his breath.
"Bill." Copycat whispered. "You okay?"
"Yes, a bit rattled, but okay. Are you?"
"Yeah. First time in a while I've had to go from asleep to full alert. Armed men are swarming the halls. They're not Team Rocket though, they'd have brought more Pokémon."
Bill slowly peeked out of the room to find Copycat in the hall, having Transformed back into a mewtwo, tail raised and ears on alert. "Do you mind a team-up?"
"If only to keep watch over you, sure."
"Can you change into a Vaporeon?"
"Easily enough," Copycat nodded, then transformed and took a place at Bills side. "Already have a plan?"
"As close to a plan I'd make with my own team," Bill said. "Follow me to the kids room and use Ice Beam on the hall. Build a wall of ice that they will have trouble getting through. Then use water gun. Get the floors good and slippery. After that, change into a Jolteon. We can zap anyone that comes close."
In her room, Sabrina woke from a deep sleep at Mewtwo's call. It felt as if he had reached through and into her dreams, pulling her back to the land of the living. Any weariness was quickly replaced by adrenaline when she saw a dark outline of an armed man climb over the balcony outside her room and through the open door. Another was already in the room, an assault rifle pointed at her in the bed. "You ain't gotta move miss," the man said when he saw her eyes open. "Wouldn't want to get the sheets all bloody."
Two thoughts went through her mind at that moment, the first being where her husband was and if was he okay. The second was sheer indignant rage. Her family was being threatened by some unknown force, and her general lack of empathy for the human race was only compounded by the presence of a firearm in the room. It had been a long time since she had let loose with her power, and by the Poké-gods, these morons were going to feel the full impact of it.
Her aura flared blue as her eyes took on a flaming orange tone. The man at the end of her bed fired, and she shifted her head just in time to see the pillow nearly explode. He managed to squeeze off a few rounds before Sabrina wrapped her psychic influence around the barrel of the gun and twisted it. The cartridges jammed within and he dropped the weapon. Sabrina levitated up from the bed as the pillow filled the room with drifting downy feathers. She was far from done. She glared at the man just climbing in through the window, sending a psychic bolt through him rendering him paralyzed for the moment. She then settled on the bed in a kneeling position, her satin nightgown granting her just a little modesty. The first one came at her with a knife, which just like the gun bent harmlessly as soon as it came near her. She narrowed her eyes and his body began to glow, steadily shrinking down smaller and smaller until all that remained was a crude little rag doll. Sabrina smiled. "Still got it," she then turned her attention to the intruder near the balcony.
The man had fought through the paralysis enough to point the business end of the gun at her. Sabrina bent it just as she had the other. Before he could react, his body was engulfed by a blue glow, and he began to shrink in size. He fell to the ground, his body and soul now confined to a helpless little doll dressed in a black wetsuit and goggles. Sabrina picked the pair of dolls up, walked through the door onto the balcony and held the doll over the railing. "You picked the wrong fight," she dropped the dolls and watched them fall to the waves far below.
Two? She called out. I'm up. With a thought, she levitated out the door and into the hall. I'm heading for the kids room, where's Bill?
With Copycat. Mewtwo answered. He flew close to the pillars, and plucked off the human he had seen climbing up. The man didn't have time to pull his gun or knife before Mewtwo placed his palm flat on the mans chest and used a Psyburst to propel him at speed away from the island toward the mainland. Mewtwo then turned his attention upward and flew into the Palace He could sense the Other just as plainly as he could Sabrina, Bill, or Copycat. Little Two and Jamie were still up in the central tower. Mewtwo caught line of sight to the Other through the open doors of the main hall and into the Gym. This wasn't going to be a fair battle. There would be no turn taking or grandstanding. The brawl wasn't going to end until one of them was a smear on the wall.
The Other caught sight of Mewtwo, and formed another gravity well in its hand. Mewtwo wasn't going to fall for the same trick again. He raised a barrier in defense, and found something to hold onto, then expanded his awareness. Before the Other could reverse the attack, Mewtwo's grumpy and now awakened Charizard came roaring in from one of the towers. Mewtwo used this moment of distraction to bat the gravity well sphere away and out over the water where it exploded harmlessly. The Charizard bathed the Other in flames, and as soon as that attack let up, his Blastoise then attacked with Hydro Pump. Mewtwo rushed in and broke through the wall of water and grabbed the other by the face, then felt a sense of dismay come over him. A control circlet. The Other was wearing a control circlet. Mewtwo had firsthand knowledge of how insidious the device was.
That brief moment of hesitation gave the Other the opening it needed. It punched Mewtwo square in the jaw, then followed that up with a Mega Kick to his lower leg. Mewtwo felt something give way, either a bone or a joint. He raised another barrier as the Other quickly charged and used Psychic. The raw energy burned against Mewtwo's barrier. His attention was stolen by the sight of more armed humans in black running up the side stairs toward the central tower. Sabrina!
Bill and Copycat had established a post outside of the kids room using overturned furniture and blocks of ice. Bill didn't know the first thing about guns, and settled for hiding the weapon. He had called the authorities and kept the phone close by just in case. He wasn't sure what good it would do when the Palace was already under attack and help was across the bay. Copycat had shifted into a Jolteon and waited behind an overturned table along with Bill. They listened to the battle down on the Gym floor, each curious as to what was going on, but reluctant to step out of hiding. From Bills vantage point he could see the door to the room he shared with Sabrina, and his lovely wife was making short work of any of the men she came across. He caught her attention and she nodded, then began floating up the hall toward them. As she reached one of the set of stairs, a group of ten men crested the top, stepped into the puddles on the floor and then turned guns on her.
"Copycat! Thunder!" Bill shouted.
Copycat arched up and sent a wave of electricity through the puddles of water, giving several of the men a good zap in the process. He followed it up with a Pin Missle attack and managed to incapacitate more. Sabrina repeated her bent gun barrel trick, then turned the ones that hadn't been effectively paralyzed into dolls. Copycat shifted back into his mewtwo form once the dust and electricity had settled, blinking in surprise at the scattered dolls laying on the stairs. "That's.. a very unique trick Sabrina, didn't think psychic powers could do something like that.."
Sabrina floated along the hall, then embraced Bill. "I was worried. Are you okay? Is Jamie okay?"
Bill nodded. "She's fine. No one got into the room. I don't even know why the Palace was attacked."
Copycat stepped a few feet up the hall, then peeked over a mezzanine that gave a view of the Gym floor. "Is that.. another mewtwo? I don't think I've ever seen him before."
Sabrina joined Copycat at the railing and felt her power rise once more. "I don't know, but he's in for it now," she floated in place with the intention of joining Mewtwo in battle, and Copycat was ready to climb over the railing and do the same, already planning out his opening Transformation.
Mewtwo looked up from the Gym floor and saw his friends lined up at the balcony rail on the mezzanine above. Stay there! Don't come any closer, this thing can use-
The Other grabbed hold of Mewtwo's second neck and pulled him back, hard. Mewtwo hissed and swung his fist at the Other. The Other instead used this leverage to swing Mewtwo around and slam his head into another wall. Mewtwo fought to gain his footing, and realized that his one leg was indeed broke. The Other changed its grip and took of Mewtwo by the back of his head, lifted him from the floor. He began flying, grinding Mewtwo's face against the wall on its way back into the main hall. Sabrina, Bill, and Copycat all ran to the other side of the mezzanine to follow the battle. Mewtwo struggled against both the Other and the merciless abuse on his body. He reached out and grabbed a hold of the circlet, then sent a Psychic blast down his own arm and directly into the Other's skull.
In the submarine, the Captain shouted out loud as the Psyblast traveled through Victor and into him. He pulled the circlet off his head and tossed it aside, leaving Victor to fight Mewtwo alone. The Captain rubbed his forehead and shouted to the Commander. "Better pull back, this whole mission has been compromised." Moments later the submarine disappeared under the surface of the water, heading for parts unknown.
Mewtwo noticed the sudden change in his foe as the Other screamed and finally let go of his second neck, but Mewtwo wasn't done yet. His rage was practically overflowing. He had a kitten and dear friends to protect, and he would give his very life to preserve theirs. With a roar, Mewtwo pushed through the pain and pivoted midair and slammed the Other into the ground. The granite cracked under the impact and a chunk of the circlet ripped free. The Other tried to crawl away, and Mewtwo reasserted his grip on the remains of the circlet. He then began to kick and slam the Other's head into the ground, then picked it up by its second neck and threw it aided by a psychic boost across the main hall into a fountain. His cloned pokemon closed in, each with their own attack readied. Mewtwo, panting, growling, and hissing, climbed the fountain, his broken leg and ringing head be damned, then grabbed the Other by the neck and circlet and forced its head under the water. It began to struggle, trying to summon attacks even as it ran short of breath. Mewtwo placed his knee in the center of its chest and pressed down, pushing what little air remained from its lungs.
This creature had come here, with intent to harm his family, as the plaything of whomever these humans were, and it assumed it would leave with its life? Mewtwo held it under until it stopped struggling. Only a few moments more, and then this attacker would be no more. Just a few more moments...
(Do it.)
Mewtwo felt that voice enter his mind like a blade. Sanity began to return, the violent haze that had come over him faded away and he lifted his knee from the Other's chest. No, he couldn't do it. He couldn't kill another of his kind, that wasn't his choice to make. He was not like Big White. Mewtwo pulled the Other from the water and set it against the side of the fountain, then stood and watched as it coughed and regained its breath. Mewtwo telekinetically removed the remains of the circlet, then leaned in and readied another ten Shadow Balls at his back. The Other was frightened. It didn't have the same aura of bloodlust and determination it had before. The desire to do harm had belonged to whomever was on the other end of that control device.
Mewtwo wasn't going to kill it, but he wasn't going to let this intrusion go unpunished either. He leaned in and grabbed the Other by the corner of its chest plate and pulled it from the fountain, then slammed it to the floor. Mewtwo stood on his one good leg, his face scarred and injured, and radiating pain. "You…I don't care who you are," he hissed. "Leave. Get out of my home, and never return."
The Other scrambled backward toward the open doors. "I'm...I'm sorry...that wasn't me...I'm..."
"Get out. Get out before I have second thoughts and kill you."
(Whats stopping you?)
"And you," Mewtwo spun and shouted to empty air, "Shut up."
"Who are you-"
"OUT!"
Victor reached the balcony, then scrambled over the edge and fell to the waters below.
With shaky steps, half-floating to keep his weight off his injured leg Mewtwo followed the Others' path to the balcony, hard eyes trying but failing to spot the fallen mewtwo's form. Mewtwo then leaned down on the stone railing, breathing heavily and still clutching the remains of the circlet in his hand. He spat blood from broken teeth to the waves below, then turned and flew inside, past the holes in the floors and walls to Little Two's room. The hall was coated in ice and water, that could be cleaned, the door to his sons room was so close. Sabrina suddenly stepped in stopped him just before he could open the door. "The kids are safe."
"I want to see him," Mewtwo insisted.
"Not like that you're not." Sabrina carefully put herself between Mewtwo and the door. "You are covered in blood, and limping bad. This will upset him. Get down to the Center. Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny are on their way from the mainland. The kids are fine."
Mewtwo tried to push past her and she put a reassuring hand on his chest. He was still running off adrenaline from the fight downstairs, and only now noticed the bodies piled up in the hallway. Copycat and Bill had tied them up and were taking turns dragging them down to the main hall. But Sabrina had a point. If he entered the room as he was, it would frighten Little Two. "Then, just let me peek in at them."
"Just a peek," Sabrina asserted and stepped aside just enough to allow Mewtwo to float up to the door and open it just a crack. Little Two and Jamie slept soundly, nothing in the room had been disturbed. No humans in black hiding in the shadows, no one lurking outside on ledges. Mewtwo closed the door quietly, then sat down in the hall and started to laugh to himself. Sabrina knelt in front of him. "Two? You okay?"
Mewtwo wiped a tear and blood from his face. "Yeah, I was just thinking...that buying the high-grade insulation to sound-proof his little recording studio in there paid off. They didn't hear a thing."
It was sunrise when Victor came to on the beach of New Harbor. His body ached and his muscles told of the horrible fight and ordeal he had endured the night before. Scattered up and down the beach were small rag dolls dressed up like the team he had gone in with. He remembered blacking out as the control circlet had been engaged, then coming to his senses just in time for the beating of his life. Mewtwo didn't fight like the villain Butch had made him out to be. He fought like someone protecting their family, that is, using every trick and tactic he knew and coating it with a sense of desperation. The Commander was wrong about Mewtwo, and Victor felt sick for having been part of an operation to kidnap a child.
A failed operation.
Victor pulled himself into a sitting position and watched the sun peek over the ocean. He turned at the sound of footsteps and saw the Captain approach him with the control circlet in hand. Victor hunched his shoulders, getting ready for the inevitable disciplinary action. The Captain stopped at his side and remained quiet. Victor closed his eyes as he heard a snapping noise and winced, but when the expected strike didn't come, he slowly opened them again to see what had happened.
The Captain had broken the control circlet and left it in two pieces on the sand. He then knelt and rested a hand on Victors shoulder. "Run," he said gently. "Get away from this business, from this life as a weapon. This is your chance. I can report back that you had been killed. This is your chance for freedom. Are you going to take it?"
Victor slowly nodded. He didn't know anything about surviving on his own, the mercenary group was all he had known, but now he was being given the opportunity to leave it behind. If he went against Mewtwo again, he would be killed. If he stayed with the Commander, that was assured.
"Then get out of here. The Commander is coming this way. Something about these dolls."
Victor shakily gained his feet. He hurt all over, but he was alive. He ran. The sand between his toes, kicking up behind him as he went for the horizon. He ran free for the first time in his life. The world was his, and he wanted to experience every part of it. Mewtwo had set him free, and maybe one day they would meet again under better circumstances, but for now, he had a whole lot of living to catch up on.
