This is the first of four chapters today.
At the next junction, turn left.
Ash and friends duly did so, and then stopped at the sight before them – a route that was barely a track, winding off up a hillside and disappearing as it went.
"Are you sure?" Ash asked, looking dubious. "We were headed straight for Ecruteak, right?"
"Yes, I think so," Houndour contributed. "I've been looking at the landmarks, and I think I know where we are..."
We have an appointment, Dexter said cryptically. Best to get a move on.
He emitted a ping noise, and a Pokéball emerged. Ah. It seems Pidgeot has arrived.
"What appointment?" Ash asked, scooping up Pidgeot's Pokéball. "Where are we going?"
You should remember this one, Dexter said pointedly. We're only a few miles from Mount Quena here.
"...oh, right," Ash said, nodding. "That other other time I met Mewtwo. It'd be nice to visit, you're right."
"You met who?" Houndour asked. "Two Mew?"
"No, only one of them is Mew," Ash replied. "The other's Mewtwo."
"...no, I still don't understand. Who is Mewtwo?"
"Ash, remember," Misty pointed out. "We haven't talked to Houndour about everything yet – we simply haven't had the time."
"That's right," Brock agreed. He started walking again, and the others fell in around him. "Well, Houndour, Mewtwo is a clone of Mew created by scientists working for Team Rocket. He's a very powerful Psychic Pokémon who-"
"Hold on," Houndour said, even more confused. "Why isn't he just another Mew, then?"
"...actually..." Ash admitted, slowly. "I don't think any of us know?"
"He might," Misty said. "But he never mentioned it to us."
"Okay..." Houndour decided to move on from that for a moment. "So, is Mewtwo a Legendary?"
"Yeah!" Ash confirmed.
"What's he the Legendary of?"
"Come to think of it, what's Mew the Legendary of?" Pikachu asked.
"I think Mew's the legendary of... evolution?" Misty said, uncertainly.
"I'm pretty sure that'd be Deoxys," Ash said. "They seemed kind of like DNA..."
Deoxys suggests a DNA connection, yes – Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid is the chemical name for DNA.
"What about that Genesect you met once, then? That's got gene in-"
"Hold on, hold on!" Houndour looked from Ash to Brock to Misty. "Okay – how many Legendary Pokémon have you met? I mean, Dexter said you'd... but- how many?"
Ash frowned. "Well, all the ones I've heard of, which is nearly fifty... if you mean how many have I actually befriended, that's..."
Mewtwo, Mew, Lugia, Ho-Oh, Suicune and possibly her brothers, Celebi, Latias, Latios, Jirachi-
"Okay, I get the idea!" Houndour interrupted. "I repeat my Absol comment."
"I think we got a bit distracted." Ash hefted Pidgeot's Pokéball. "Why did you request her from the Professor?"
At that point, they topped the low hill, and saw Purity Canyon.
Well, it's that or go rock climbing again, Dexter pointed out unnecessarily.
"Yeah, good point," Ash agreed. He released Pidgeot. "Hey, girl."
"It's always nice to see you, Ash," she said, chirpily. "Now – I assume you want a lift?"
"Yeah," Ash nodded.
"All three at once? I can, but it might be a bit slow..."
"Might be easier to go one at a time," Ash agreed. "I'll go first, and show you where to land."
"I've been here before," she reminded him. "Climb on."
Pidgeot flew down, landing in a storm of wind from her powerful wingbeats.
Ash jumped down and collected Pikachu. "Thanks!"
"Never a problem," Pidgeot assured him. She let him get a few feet more clearance, and then took off again with a single downbeat.
The two watched her heading back over the crater wall, on her way to pick up first Misty and then Brock.
"Oh! Hello!"
They turned, and saw a Riolu approaching them at a jog.
"You're... Ash, right?" the Riolu said. "I didn't know you were coming here."
Ash snapped his fingers. "Oh, right! You're Riolutwo, right?"
Riolutwo skidded to a stop just in front of them, and nodded. This close, they could see the mottling over the top of what a normal Riolu looked like – darker patches, irregularly shaped and distributed, on the bluer parts of his fur.
Ash took a Pokéball from his belt. "You know, my Riolu evolved a few months ago – so I guess you're not exactly the same any more."
"We never were," Riolutwo said. "No more, nor less, than two Pidgey are the same."
"...yeah, good point," Ash agreed. He opened Lucario's Pokéball.
"Greetings," Lucario said, kneeling down to his once-copy. "Are you well?"
"I am," Riolutwo confirmed. "As are the other clones."
The clone looked up at Ash for a moment, as Pidgeot dropped off Misty in another miniature hurricane. "Oh – the Rockets are here as well."
"Giovanni?" Ash asked, startled.
"No, not him. The ones who helped you help Mewtwo."
"Oh," Ash said. He exhaled, relieved. "Good thing it's them, not Giovanni."
"Sounds like a reunion," Misty said, dusting herself off.
A call drew their attention overhead. "Hi!"
Togekisstwo spiralled down to greet them. "It's lovely to see you. I'll go let Mewtwo know you're here!"
Twelve miles off and ten thousand feet in the sky, a weather balloon floated serenely amidst light, fluffy clouds.
Domino steadied her long-range camera. "Sir?"
"Yes?" Giovanni replied, through her mobile phone.
"I have eyes on the targets. Two main concentrations – one I can't see all of, but it includes Mewtwo and several verified clones. The other is in the open – sending images now."
The camera whirred as it zoomed in closer, and then transmitted.
Giovanni examined the result for several seconds.
"Sir?" Domino asked, after the silence stretched. "Should I order the combat unit to close in?"
"...no," Giovanni said, softly. "Stand down."
Domino blinked. "Can you repeat that, sir?"
Giovanni did. "Stand down, agent Domino. Do you recognize those humans on the shoreline?"
The Black Tulip examined the image on her camera screen. "...I'm afraid not, sir."
"The boy is the biggest worry. His Lucario and Pikachu confirm it – that is Ash Ketchum."
Giovanni chuckled. "I am not so foolish as to oppose him."
"Pardon?" Domino said. "You're willing to oppose Mewtwo, but not a pre-teen boy?"
"Domino, my agents have reported that he fought Mewtwo. He won the Indigo League, he was at Shamouti, he fought and beat Hunter J – twice. And that is just the tip of the iceberg." Giovanni paused, then spoke again. "I have no desire to see Team Rocket broken."
Another dry chuckle. "Besides, if Mewtwo truly is hostile, then that boy will stop him with ease. And if he is not... yes, that could work to our advantage."
Domino heard a chair being moved. "Remain on station, agent Domino, but have the combat unit stand down. I'm going to have the press division draft a carefully-coordinated leak implicating us in the creation of Mewtwo – and suggesting that we discovered how the scientists we hired had gone against our wishes, and that we let him go once he made his wishes clear."
Giovanni's voice became faintly whimsical. "It's even true, if you look at it one way..."
So, you see, Mewtwo said steadily. It is a question we have all had to contemplate. Are we real? Do we deserve to exist? What is our purpose?
He reached up to Mew, hovering overhead, and touched the tail of his friend. And the answers I found were – we are real. Everything deserves to exist. And to exist is a purpose in itself. All that is necessary is to be, not to do.
"...nice words," Cubone agreed. "I do see some of what you mean – most people don't fight all their lives – but... if I was sent back, why? Why did I live, and my family die?"
I do not know, Mewtwo told her. For my part, though, I am glad.
"Why? I mean, why specifically?"
Because, if you had not been at New Island last year, I would have killed all of Ash's friends. Mewtwo shook his head. I regret every death I have caused, and to more than double the number is a prospect which I most certainly do not relish.
"...I suppose." Cubone shook her head. "But – if I survived this time, why not last time? What purpose did I have last time – or, if I didn't, does that mean I died?"
These are questions I cannot answer easily, Mewtwo said.
Cubonetwo looked up at her alternate. "Do they matter? I mean – you're alive. Why not make the most of it?"
"It matters to me," Cubone told her. "I... my family died. And I didn't. I want to know why." She slammed her club into the ground. "I refuse to believe they died for nothing."
No-one dies for nothing, if they have lived at all. Mewtwo raised a hand. There are young Pokémon on this island – born from clones, created in a laboratory – and they are alive. If they never fight a battle, if they live their days without ever deciding to leave... is that a worthless life? They will still live, still love.
I kind of wish we had a quick answer for you, Mew added. I know, none of this is very happy or simple... but it's the best we've got.
"Maybe Togekisstwo could help, she always seems to know what to say," Cubonetwo suggested. "Where is she?"
Mewtwo's eyes glowed for a moment, and he blinked. Well, that's convenient.
"What?" Cubonetwo asked – though she got her answer a moment later.
"Hello, everyone!" Togekisstwo called, swooping overhead and circling down into the shade. "Ash, Brock and Misty are here!"
Meowth gave a translation.
"Really?" James blinked. "Are we about to see that girl from Hoenn show up?"
"Wouldn't surprise me at this point," Jessie agreed.
Ash, it is good to see you. Mewtwo nodded. Perhaps this time we will be able to talk without the pressure of time hanging over us.
"That'd be nice," Ash agreed. "I mean... we were passing by, and we thought we'd drop in. I hope you haven't had trouble with Team Rocket?"
No, none at all. I make sure to give interviews two hundred miles away.
Excuse me? Dexter materialized. Is that exactly or approximately two hundred miles?
"Huh?" Ash asked. "Does it matter?"
I assumed it didn't matter, Mewtwo admitted. Why?
Because if you're going two hundred miles every single time, it defines the edge of a circle. It would take fairly basic analysis to pinpoint your location.
I see. Mewtwo looked annoyed. I wish I'd realized that. That might be a problem.
"Don't worry about it," Ash recommended. "You may be a bit of a recluse, but that's a lot better than last time – people know about you now, and they know you're a good guy. You can get help!"
He grinned. "Besides – I'll help. Call me if you need me."
I will. Thank you, Ash.
Mewtwo turned, his arm taking in the gathering below – many of the Pokémon were discussing things with their clones or the evolved forms thereof, and those Pokémon who were never cloned were looking around with some astonishment at their body doubles.
Except for one – Cubone, still looking depressed and aloof, all but ignoring her clone and the others trying to draw her into the general enjoyment.
It would be ideal if we could just spend the afternoon in quiet, with friends – but we can't do that just yet, I'm afraid. Jessie's Cubone is quite badly depressed.
Ash winced.
She came here, to me, in the hopes that I and the other Pokémon of Quena could help her. I believe it has helped – a bit – but she is still not as she could be.
Mewtwo glanced back at Ash. I believe, however, that you know an Aura technique which might help her.
"If she agrees to needing it, sure," Ash said readily. "I should probably make sure I've got who I want to take in ready, though..."
That would be advisable, yes.
"Everyone okay to help?" Ash asked.
Pikachu nodded. "Of course. She needs help, and we can give it to her."
The others nodded or otherwise confirmed what Pikachu had said, and Ash smiled.
"Thanks, guys. And – wait. She's got that reality marble, right?" He looked between them. "Lucario – you were in it once?"
"I was. It's... quite impressive. It is like her inner world made real. A field of bones, under a stormy sky."
"So, by the sound of it, that's what we'll find in there..." Ash groaned. "And she's a ground type. Great."
He pointed. "I can't take you, Pikachu... Lucario... Quilava's not a good idea either..."
A sigh. "Okay, who's good against Ground types?"
"I am I am I am!" Totodile said, jumping up and down. "Pick me!"
"I'll come too," Bayleef added. "Ivysaur's part Poison, so he's out of the running."
Pidgeot chirped an affirmative.
"Sounds like a fine game," Noctowl offered. "The poor lass needs a right good pep-up, and we're the chaps and chapesses to do it."
"Don't let her hear you calling her a poor lass," Lucario advised.
"A touch, a touch, I do confess." Noctowl looked among the group. "Sorry, old bean, you're contraindicated too."
"Isn't it Bayleef who's a... bean?" Houndour shrugged. "Point taken, though. I'm part-Fire, so I'm no use here."
"Right." Ash took a breath. "And Heracross?"
The Bug nodded.
"Maybe I should grab Kingler, too."
"Of course you can have Kingler," Professor Oak assured Ash. "Actually, he's about the most well behaved of your Pokémon, so in a way I'm sorry to see him go."
"What about Snorlax?" Ash asked.
"Mealtimes," Oak said with a wince.
Kingler was duly collected, and sent off to Mount Quena.
"Thanks, Professor!" Ash said, and rang off.
A moment later, Scizor tapped on the door frame. "Professor?"
Damos beeped. Scizor appears to want help with our new guests.
Oak blinked. "Guests?"
Gary yawned, walking into the main room. "Hi, Gramps. Man, I feel better after that cup of coffee..."
He took in the worried expression on Scizor's face – and that of Tracey, as he appeared in the door behind his Pokémon.
"What is it?" he asked, yawning again.
Behind him, Umbreon walked into the room. "See?" she said, looking behind her. "I told you you'd like it."
Furfrou licked her lips. "It's a bit sweet."
"That's just how I, personally, like it." Umbreon shrugged. "Experiment, I say."
"Uh, Professor?" Tracey said, nervously. "Some Pokémon just showed up, asking for a lift to Johto."
Oak blinked. "What?"
Tracey stood aside, letting the Swords of Justice into the room.
"Wait." Gary pointed. "Were you in Kalos a couple of months ago?"
"Uh..." Keldeo nodded. "Yes, we were. Why?"
"Back in a moment!" Gary darted back to his room.
"What a strange human," Cobalion said. "Now – you are the Professor Oak which the Lapras mentioned, yes?"
"That's right, I'm Professor Samuel Oak." Oak blinked. "A Lapras told you about me?"
"Yes," Virizion said. "He just dropped us off at the waterfront about ten minutes ago – he said you might be able to help."
But... Cobalion, Virizion, Terrakion and Keldeo are Unovan Legendaries, Damos said. What are you doing here in Kanto?
"We're trying to get to Johto!" Keldeo told them. "There's a Pokémon there we want to meet!"
"I'll be honest, I for one had basically forgotten that," Terrakion muttered sotto voce.
"Aha!"
Gary came back into the room with a bag over one shoulder.
Keldeo's eyes lit up. "That's my bag! How did you-"
"I was in Kalos until, basically, yesterday," Gary explained. "I saw you guys fighting that forest fire, and this bag was lying around – I couldn't get to you to give it back, so I decided to take it and give it to my friend Ash."
Virizion blinked. "Why him?"
"He runs into every Legendary he comes within five hundred miles of." Gary returned the bag to Keldeo, who immediately opened it and checked the contents.
As he sighed with relief everything was still there, Cobalion spoke up. "You say you got here from Kalos? How?"
"I-" Gary's eye twitched. "Taught my Alakazam teleport, so he was able to whisk me over here. Since then I've been asleep from a combination of fatigue and jet lag."
He yawned, and scrubbed at his eyes. "But I should be okay for now. What help do you need?"
"That is very kind of you," Cobalion told him.
"Yeah, this kid's got the right stuff," Terrakion grinned.
"We want to speak to the Legendary Pokémon we heard of, Mewtwo," Virizion explained. "It took us a lot longer than we were expecting to get to the right country, though."
"You ready for this?" Jessie asked, worried.
"I said I will." Cubone nodded. "I... at this point, I mainly want to have some kind of peace. Answers would be nice, but... if this will work, then yes."
"It does," Misty assured her. "Worked on me – and on Sabrina, as well."
Ash nodded. "Okay, let's go."
Cubone took a breath, and nodded. She reached out for Ash's glowing hand-
-Ash found himself standing in a shallow depression, between rolling hills cloaked in dry, yellow grass.
"Guys?" he asked, looking around.
Noctowl landed on his arm. "Well, it's every bit as peculiar as you said it would be."
"Yeah," Ash agreed.
Bayleef nodded to him. "Let's go, Ash. Where do we look?"
Ash closed his eyes – then opened them, rubbing at the corners. "Ow. This place is... weird, under Aura Sight. It kind of gives me a headache."
He turned. "Pidgeot? Think we can get a look from above?"
"On it." Pidgeot spread her wings, and hammered the air – producing a blast of wind which ruffled the grass in a series of concentric ripples.
Ash took the opportunity to unlimber his staff, making it ready for use. A moment of concentration, and it flashed blue with Aura.
"Anything?" he called up to Pidgeot.
"I think so! I see-"
There was a crack, and something hit Pidgeot. She cried out in surprise and pain, and dove out of the way of the second speeding object.
"What was that?" Ash asked.
She landed next to him. "Rock Throw – it came from the top of a hill. That direction!"
"Right." Ash took a breath. "Guess this isn't going to be easy. Let's go!"
As they began to jog, however, the ground started to shift.
"What was that?" Ash closed his eyes to shift to Aura Sight, and then winced and opened them again.
Noctowl pointed. "Look!"
As they watched, a patch of ground shifted. The grass on it fell away, revealing a skeleton almost buried in rich brown soil.
Which moved.
As Ash and his Pokémon watched, astonished, a skeletal Grotle pushed its way out of the ground and turned to them.
"Oh... dear," Noctowl said. "'twould seem bones are the theme, here."
"Ha!" Heracross dove forwards, driving his horn underneath the Grotle. It thrashed at him, and scored a blow on his hard exoskeleton, but he then flipped it into the air and off into the distance.
"Nice work!" Ash said, grinning.
"Yeah, that was pretty neat," Kingler agreed. "What about all the others?"
They turned.
There were a lot more skeleton-Pokémon emerging from the rolling terrain, everything from Absol to Zubat emerging into the diffuse yellow light of the cloud-strewn sky. Dozens upon dozens were appearing, all over the place, and some of them were already preparing attacks.
"Run?" Ash suggested.
Everyone else agreed.
AN:
Mewtwo Returns! Or, er, doesn't. Everyone returns to Mewtwo's house?
Yes, the method outlined by Dexter is how Team Rocket located Mewtwo in this fic.
