Chapter Seventeen: Jeopardy! Sanachi's Terrifying Power!
Morning broke on the peaks of Mt Pazou and the early morning air wafted through the area. The sun slowly rose into the sky, creating a wonderous view to behold as it lit up the landscape in beautiful orange and yellow light, reflecting off of the early morning dew that was clinging onto the land's flora.
The dawn of a new day was beautiful to spectate, too beautiful in fact, almost as it was ignorant of what had transpired last night. Ash's first battle...
...And his first kill.
That was on the minds of every resident of the Son household as the awoke from their restless sleep. They were so worried about Ash's condition that it was difficult to get any shut-eye at all.
This was especially apparent for Pikachu, since it was only because of Goten that the electric type could even get any sleep in the first place.
But tiredness was the last things on their mind right now as they were supposed to do something very important today.
In the clash of Ash and Xero, half of West City got demolished and hundreds, perhaps thousands of innocents were killed. And with Ash currently being treated at Capsule Corp, there was only one thing they could do right now.
Collect the Dragon Balls and use them to resurrect all those who died in Xero's assault on the city.
It was, by no means, a difficult task, as long as they had the Dragon Radar that Bulma had developed of course. It would only take, maybe about half a day, if that, to gather them all up.
It wouldn't even take that, since everyone was helping out too. Bulma did have spares of the radar that could make the job go much faster.
Everyone had agreed to meet up at Capsule Corp. to receive the devices. It was near impossible to locate the magical spheres without them.
So, after a quick breakfast, the Sons were ready to go. Chi-Chi was staying behind however, as she couldn't fly and she'd just slow them down.
However, with Goten and Gohan having already left, and with Goku just about to, Pikachu on his shoulder, Goku's wife stopped him.
Turning to look at her gave them both a view of her stern, but also worried expression.
"Chi-Chi...? What is it?" Goku asked.
Pikachu facepawed, it was quite obvious what Chi-Chi wanted to talk about, her face said it all.
"Goku, a-about Ash..." Chi-Chi started, gaining Goku's upmost attention.
Goku's face fell. "...Yeah...?" His expression was noticeably more forlorn now.
"I-Is it true...? Was...was he...?" Chi-Chi was unable to finish, the thought of Ash needing to kill clouding her ability to continue with the sentence. However, she didn't need to, as Goku and Pikachu nodded solemnly.
Chi-Chi grit her teeth behind her frowning lips. Coming from a world where death was almost a non-existent topic for him, then being forced to do the dirty deed himself was...awful to think about.
"He's pretty crushed, Chi-Chi. I don't think that he'll get over it soon, if I'm being totally honest," Goku said.
Pikachu nodded again sadly as the thoughts of how Ash reacted after the fight was over ran through his head.
"I can imagine. Just...Just promise me that, no matter what, we can pull him back out of the darkness that he's trapped in," Chi-Chi requested.
Goku nodded as he put a hand on Chi-Chi's shoulder.
"I don't really know how he thinks of us, but I like to think of ourselves as...well his parents...in this world at least," Chi-Chi said in a quiet voice.
Pikachu's ears perked up a little, and a genuine smile made its way up onto his face.
"Yeah, I know. I feel that too..." Goku started, closing his eyes.
He then surprised Chi-Chi by slowly moving his hand from her shoulder to the back of her head. He bent down a little and gently pushed Chi-Chi's head forward towards him, so their foreheads were connecting.
Chi-Chi gasped a little and her face turned slightly red as Goku kept his eyes closed. Her husband was never this affectionate,
"For now, then, he needs both his mother and father in this world to help him through this. You'll help, right, Chi-Chi?" Goku asked.
"Hu-Huh? Yes...Yeah, I will..." She replied dumbly.
Goku grinned as he separated their foreheads and made his way outside.
"We'll go there tomorrow, and we'll bring the Ash we know and love back. I promise!" Goku declared as he then flared his ki before shooting into the sky, soon vanishing into the distance.
Chi-Chi stood, frozen to her spot for a few good minutes. Her first motion when she got her movement back was slowly raising her hand to touch her forehead in the spot where her and Goku's foreheads were connected.
Her lips slowly curled into a smile as she brought the same hand close to her heart.
"Yes...I know we will..." She whispered, looking up at the sky.
The declaration that her and Goku made together was something they would both follow through with. They both swore that on their lives.
Meanwhile...
It was a relatively peaceful time at the Mt. Quena range. The peaks were rumored to be almost as high as Mt Silver, but not nearly as cold. The mountain was surrounded by steep cliffs that were practically impossible to scale to all but the most dedicated trainers or pokemon. At its top lay a serene forest, with a large, freshwater lake that made for a near-utopia for all the Bug Pokémon living there.
But that was hardly the most unusual thing that the mountain housed.
Spread around in areas all over the peaks, the forests and the lake were all different sorts of pokemon, most with peculiar markings on their bodies. It would be quite the sight to see, if you could only get past the guardian of the paradise that pokemon resided in. Judging by who he was however, that wasn't likely.
Atop one of the peaks, sat the only pokemon of his kind.
He had a bipedal, humanoid creature with some feline features, almost like a cat. His colors ranged from a dull purple to grey.
On top of his head were two short, blunt horns, and he had black pupils with deep purple irides.
The three digits on each hand and foot had spherical tips. His long, purple tail was thick at the base, but thinned before ending in a small bulb.
A strange tube extended from the back of his skull to in between his shoulder blades. His chest was noticeably different as well as he had one that resembled a breastplate.
This pokemon's name, was Mewtwo, the most powerful Psychic type pokemon in the world, and he, was a clone of the legendary Mew.
A lot of the pokemon that lived on Mt. Quena were clones too. and they were living here under Mewtwo's watchful eyes and were protected by him.
Mewtwo casually levitated from his sitting position and snatched a Sitrus Berry from a nearby berry tree. Though he'd never admit it, he was a sucker for these things. Mewtwo may had been one of the strongest pokemon in the world, but he was just that, a pokemon, and they loved their berries.
He turned the yellow fruit over in his hand a few times to validate its ripeness. Giving a small nod to himself to confirm that it was edible, he brought the fruit up to his mouth and he opened it to take a bite out of the berry.
His jaws however, did not meet the satisfying taste of the Sitrus Berry, but they instead met each other, creating a clacking sound.
At first, Mewtwo couldn't comprehend what had happened. Where had the berry gone? It was right in his hand a second ago!
It wasn't until then that he heard a chuckle coming from behind him, one that sent shivers up his spine. Slowly, the psychic type turned around to face whoever was behind him.
His eyes widened when he saw a single person standing behind him, garbed in a black cloak, almost absorbing the light around him. The clothing covered his entire body and the top half of his face, showing only his mouth. He was wearing black combat gloves and boots with dark grey soles. It was like staring directly into a void.
It took a lot of self-control for Mewtwo to not let his jaw hang open. This guy had just snuck up on him; without him noticing at all! His vision trailed to the yellow fruit that lay in the newcomer's hand. Mewtwo was then able to deduce what had happened to his snack.
A sickening sneer was on what could be seen of his face as he tossed the Sitrus Berry Mewtwo was about to eat in the palm of his hand repeatedly. Obviously, he had somehow stolen the fruit from Mewtwo's grasp, but how?
Any normal person, or pokemon would've been justifiably intimidated and maybe tried to flee. However, Mewtwo, with his strong psychic prowess and calm mind, stood his ground against the cloaked person.
"Who is this person? How did he get here? How did he sneak up on me?" Questions ran through Mewtwo's head.
He took a second to empty his mind. He needed to think rationally about this.
There was no way that an ordinary person could've snuck up on him, so this person had some kind of special ability that could hide his presence from others, perhaps? But that smirk on his face, and the obvious intention he had to gain Mewtwo's attention didn't really make it seem like he was interested in hiding.
The stranger chuckled as he took a bite out of the berry that he stole from Mewtwo. The crunch was very audible as he chewed it up.
"What are you doing here, human?" The Genetic pokemon finally asked.
Taking a moment to finish what was in his mouth, the cloaked figure replied.
"Sanachi, surely you must know of me?"
Seeing the confused look on Mewtwo's face caused the now named Sanachi to sigh.
"I guess if you live up on a mountain, ignorant of the world below, things can slip by you."
"Answer my question, human!" Mewtwo narrowed his eyes as he unleashed some killing intent to unnerve the person.
However, the person chuckled in reply. Mewtwo's glare was not affecting him at all.
"I thought I told you..." He started. Sanachi's gloved hand trembled for a fractured second and the fruit in his palm burst into pieces from the grip, making Mewtwo's eyes widen.
In an instant, at speeds Mew's clone could never comprehend, Sanachi rushed...no that word wouldn't do the insane speed justice.
He warped from his position and landed a solid punch in Mewtwo's abdomen, before he could think of putting up any sort of psychic barrier.
Mewtwo let out a gasp in pain, and his eyes widened to even greater proportions as the agony registered in his brain. That punch had insane strength behind it. The cracking that followed made him aware of his now broken ribs, making him wince.
Mewtwo was not the easiest pokemon to hit, but if one were to land a blow on him, he could just brush it off. He was tough as well as he was strong and could take a lot of punishment.
So, how in the world had this guy managed to cause this much damage to him with a single hit? It was practically impossible!
All this ran through Mewtwo's mind in the split-second Sanachi's fist was dug into his gut, before he was shot back into the cliff, creating a crater and throwing up dust.
It was clear to the Genetic pokemon now. This person was dangerous!
Grunting, he managed to pull off a Recover to heal his broken body. His ribs snapped back into place and his torso soon became void of damages. Hopefully that strike was a one-time thing due to him being off guard, because if he was that strong and fast all the time, then...
He shook his head of the thoughts, what was he thinking? He couldn't lose faith in himself now, not with a guy like this.
He grabbed the crater walls and crawled out, meeting the now grinless Sanachi. Getting into a battle position, Mewtwo built up his psychic powers, ready to engage the threat.
Sanachi also took up a battle stance, curling his right fist to his hip and holding his left arm above his head in a horizontal fashion.
"You don't know what you're getting yourself into..." Sanachi warned. The tone of the voice caused shivers to plague Mewtwo's body, making his battle stance falter a little.
"I-I can't believe someone like this exists...He's making me tremble by his mere presence alone...!"
Mewtwo retook his battle stance, not focusing on the thought. He had a fight to focus on.
"You know...we don't have to do this..." Sanachi suddenly commented.
Mewtwo's eyes narrowed.
"Clearly we do. You have invaded my home and attacked me. You're looking for a fight, obviously..." Mewtwo replied.
Sanachi chuckled.
"Oh, believe me, clone...this will be no fight..." He said ominously, also bringing up Mewtwo's status in an attempt to unnerve the pokemon.
Sanachi's attempt did not succeed. Mewtwo had accepted his role as a clone, and an addition to the pokemon world. Instead of getting angry, he remained calm, and stared at his opponent.
"You underestimate me...You believe you can come into my home for no reason and I can't retaliate? You're foolish to think that," Mewtwo replied.
"Oh no, you've got it all wrong. I have a reason for coming here, all right," Sanachi replied.
That gained Mewtwo's attention.
"And that reason is...?" Mewtwo asked.
Sanachi's grin grew slightly. "I'm looking for someone, someone that I'm aware that you know."
Mewtwo was put on edge by this guy's grin, it was clear that Sanachi wasn't trying to find this person for a friendly chat...
"Who...?" Mewtwo asked.
"Heh...Ash Ketchum..."
"..."
A single, simple breeze blew by...
"..."
Both of them remained silent.
"..."
And then, for the first time since his redemption, Mewtwo acted out with irrationality.
"RAAAGH!"
With a cry of determination, Mewtwo suddenly teleported right in front of Sanachi, a three-fingered hand already curled into a fist. Sanachi easily dodged out of the way, a grin still on his face.
Sanachi sprang forward, his fist preparing for another punch.
Mewtwo, with his hand glowing a bright purple, deflected the blow, though it was clear he had a hard time doing it.
Mewtwo then shot his front leg up in a knee-strike blow that Sanachi twisted around by millimeters. The hooded assailant spun, his foot scything upward toward Mewtwo's head.
The Genetic pokemon's tail whipped around, attempting to cancel out the kick, but Sanachi simply jumped over it with no effort at all.
Mewtwo quickly initiated a Teleport to enter Sanachi's blind spot. He then swung his fist into the side of Sanachi's head, expecting to land a blow.
He did not expect for his fist to simply pass through his body and hit nothing but air. Mewtwo's eyes widened, before his instincts screamed at him to move.
He teleported away from a roundhouse kick that came from behind. It would've been devastating if it had hit.
"He's fast enough to leave an afterimage? Impressive," Mewtwo thought as he retook his stance.
He did not expect, when his focus on Sanachi was regained, to see three perfect copies appear next to the original. Mewtwo's first thought was Double Team, but they didn't show any flickers around their bodies like an ordinary Double Team would.
"This is the Multi-Form Technique," one Sanachi informed.
"They're not as strong as the original me..." Another one started.
"...But they should be more than enough for you," The third one said.
Mewtwo grit his teeth. This battle had just become a whole lot tougher. He bet that the clone thing was just a stunt to spite him as well.
"You can spare yourself this if you just tell me where Ash is," The original Sanachi said, stepping forward.
Mewtwo instantly shook his head.
"Over my dead body! I will not betray the one human whom I completely trust with all my heart!" He shouted, preparing himself for the next bout
Mewtwo then cried out in determination as he rushed the clones.
Over at Capsule Corp, everyone had arrived. Goku and his sons were among the final ones to show up, since they had a late start.
Bulma, who had swapped her casual clothes to a scientist coat, had wasted no time once everyone had gathered. She handed out a Dragon Radar to each person who was willing to find a Dragon Ball.
A Dragon Radar was handed to Goku, along with Gohan and Vegeta.
"Man! Sure is convenient that you made a lot of these. Now Dragon Ball hunting can go much faster!" Goku exclaimed as he gave the blue haired scientist a thumbs up, to which she returned with a wink. Pikachu didn't really know much about Dragon Balls, aside from what he'd been told yesterday, but he still nodded in agreement to Goku's comment.
Piccolo took the fourth Dragon Radar. To this day, he was still amazed that a piece of technology could detect something as magical and exalted as the Dragon Balls.
Krillin took the fifth one and switched it on. Doing so led to the device turning on and orange blips appearing on the screen.
"This thing's been a lifesaver for us!" He commented, chuckling a little at just how literal that statement was.
Videl also got one, but she was a little confused on how to use it since she'd never done so before. But thanks to Gohan, she eventually figured out the workings of the device and was able to operate it effectively.
The last radar was given to Trunks and Goten, both whom were eager to find a Dragon Ball. It was a rare pastime for them, and they either went together, or not at all.
"Alright you guys, remember to meet back here once you've found a Dragon Ball each. Then we can summon Shenron and restore the lives of the people who died." Bulma instructed,
Everyone missed Vegeta's look of deep thought as he glimpsed at the window of room A-18...
"Alright everyone, let's go!" Goku called out as he took to the sky, his comrades soon following suit. They all split up into different directions in search of their Dragon Balls
Bulma sighed and looked up into the sky to watch the warriors fly off. It was a lovely day...too lovely for what had gone on last night.
After Ash's episode of panic, he had been kept firmly sedated for fear that he would run off again. He had been in a state of sleep for a while now, and, harsh as it was to say, it was probably better that way, until tomorrow at least.
The poor boy had obviously been having nightmares about his first kill. The strain on his mind about what went down in the final moments of his first battle weighed heavily on his shoulders, far more than a simple teenager should be made to bear.
Trying to get her mind off of Ash, she went inside to begin work on a new Capsule Corp prototype. Gadgetry was a good way to occupy her mind and pass the time.
She went inside the large building and walked down the halls of Capsule Corp, eventually coming to a thick metal door with the words "Authorized Access Only!" written on it.
She dug a card out of her coat and swiped it at the keycard scanner on the wall next to the door. The electronic lock beeped twice and the door opened for her, allowing her entry to her private workstation. Bulma walked up to a wooden desk in the corner of the room and unrolled some blueprints.
She took a few minutes giving them a stern look over and then rolled them back up.
"Right, let's get to work..." She told herself as she reached for a screwdriver.
Then froze...
Bulma's eyes widened as a feeling penetrated her body. She shuddered with a sensation that she didn't even know it was possible to feel.
It was a ki signature! But she could feel it...how?
She wasn't able to sense power levels or any ki at all, The only exception was when the ki was almost unimaginably monstrous, and even then, it was more of a feeling then a sense.
"Wh-Wha-What is that...?" Bulma whispered to herself in disbelief as she collapsed to the floor. The air was so thick with this insane power that it felt like she was breathing it in!
Soon however, the insane power quickly faded away, and Bulma felt her heart rate and breathing slow down. It seemed like that incredible energy she felt just vanished...or was hidden, since that was something everyone could do.
But before she could even pick herself up from the floor, a beeping red light came from her custom Capsule Corp wristwatch.
Her eyes widened in alarm as she noticed this, as the flashing red light on her watch indicated one thing.
An unauthorized person had tripped a motion sensor in a public restricted area.
The alarm was silent, so it sent a signal to Bulma's watch as well as to the multiple security guards to notify about stuff like break-ins or undesirable company activity. So, whoever tripped the alarm would be apprehended in a matter of minutes.
Bulma began to stand up from the floor and talk into her wristwatch, which also served as a communicator for different personnel around Capsule Corp.
"Bulma Briefs here, a motion sensor has been tripped in an area where unauthorized persons are not permitted. Find the suspect and take him into custody, over!"
Normally, when she made calls like this, it was customary for the head guard to reply, to confirm the order he'd been given.
It was understandable that she began to get worried after ten seconds without any response on his part.
"U-Uh...A motion sensor has been tripped in an-"
"I heard you the first time...Bulma..."
Bulma gasped as she realised the person on the other end of the line was NOT the head guard.
Taking a moment to compose herself, she brought her shaking arm closer to her face.
"Wh-Who are y-you...And why are you on this line?" She asked nervously. Oh, why did this have to happen when everyone was gone?
"Sorry...can't say who I am...I borrowed this thing from the head guard. Don't worry, I only knocked him, and the rest of the guards out. They'll wake up soon." The voice said on the other end quietly.
"Why...Why are you here...?" Bulma asked fearfully.
"I'll be gone soon...you don't have to worry..." The voice replied. Then the connection went to static.
"Hello? Hello?!" Bulma cried into the watch with a panicky voice.
After a few moments of yelling into the watch, she hung her head down.
She suddenly realised that another motion sensor went off as her watch began flashing again.
She lifted her trembling wrist up to her eyes and she looked at the location where the alarm was triggered,
Her eyes widened and her heart nearly stopped.
Room A-18...
A few thousand kilometers away, both Vegeta and Goku, Pikachu in tow had met up in the sky, both having collected their Dragon Balls, Vegeta with the fifth one and Goku with the seventh.
Their meeting with each other spurred their natural competitiveness as both saiyans and rivals. So, they had agreed to a race back to Capsule Corp, a rare thing as these two almost never agreed on anything.
"Right, Vegeta, first one to get there..." Goku paused as he began to think of a reward for the winner.
"Gets bragging rights against the loser for the remainder of the month, now let's get this started, Kakarot!" Vegeta answered.
Goku and Pikachu smiled, although the latter sweatdropped. For the past year, it seemed like Vegeta had been slowly opening up more and more. The orange clad saiyan was almost 100% sure Ash was behind it.
The two saiyans grinned as they both prepared themselves for hypersonic flight. Neither of them wanted to give the other the satisfaction of bragging rights.
However, before they could take off, something akin to a piercing sensation flooded their senses. Both their eyes shot wide open as well as their jaws as the energy they were feeling washed over them.
For the first time in a while, the two rivals felt...small...humbled. This power was so potent, that there existed almost no words to describe it. That ki...was beyond unreal!
"Wha...What is this power...? It...It's on a whole 'nother level!" Goku thought.
"Who...? What...? What kind of power is that!? It surpasses Kakarot easily!" Vegeta mused as thoughts ran through his head.
Even Pikachu could feel it, despite the fact that he had no aptitude for ki sensing
Soon though, the power that they felt; so divine it felt godlike, quickly vanished until they could barely sense it at all.
"What...What the hell was that...?" Vegeta breathed out, still in a state of shock.
"Beats me..." Goku replied, just as in a state of disbelief as his rival.
The saiyans were stunned...for a small moment there, when the power hit them, they felt like ants.
It wasn't like Majin Buu, who was able to just simply beat them down, no...that wave of power towered above their own and made them feel like they were being stared in the face by something...omnipotent
They stayed in that shocked state for a good few minutes, before something underneath Vegeta's left glove started beeping.
"Huh, what's that?" Goku asked, pointing at the Saiyan Prince's wrist.
Vegeta also took notice of the beeping after a brief moment and rolled back his glove a little to reveal the same watch that Bulma was wearing.
"It's a communicator that Bulma insists I wear when I go out in case I'm needed...honestly..." Vegeta huffed as he pressed the button on the side of the watch to answer the call.
"What is it, Bulma?" Vegeta asked, once the connection had been established.
Neither Goku nor Vegeta were prepared to hear the anxious voice on the other end.
"V-Vegeta! Thank goodness you picked up! We-We have a problem, a really big problem!" Bulma cried in a voice so fast that it was almost lost to Goku and Vegeta.
"What? What kind of problem?" Goku asked, leaning into the communicator so he could be heard, much to Vegeta's displeasure.
"Goku? You're there? Even better! Hurry, use your Instant Transmission and get Vegeta and yourself over to Capsule Corp!" Bulma instructed.
"Bulma! Calm down...now, what's going on?" Vegeta asked sternly, unnerved that Bulma was this panicky.
They heard Bulma take a few deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself down.
"Okay...Okay..." She replied, taking a breath between both okays. She paused for a bit, as if thinking of what she wanted to say. Vegeta and Goku and Pikachu waited anxiously for her reply.
"There's...There's a guy that broke into Capsule Corp. He took out security with no trouble and...and..."
"...And...?" Vegeta asked, urging for the blue haired scientist to continue.
"...And...I think he's here for Ash..."
"WHAT!?/PIKA!?" Both the saiyans and Pikachu cried in alarm.
Bulma winced at the volume of the three cries but continued.
"He triggered a motion sensor outside Ash's room, but there's no security cameras in that room, so I can't see what he's doing." Bulma informed them.
"Just...Just hold on for a moment, we'll be right there!" Vegeta replied in a slightly concerned voice, before he shut the communicator off.
"Kakarot!" Vegeta yelled frantically.
"I'm on it!" Goku replied, already having his fingers on his forehead and holding out his hand for Vegeta to take.
Briefly grumbling about how humiliating it was, Vegeta quickly put his hand in his rival's.
Goku closed his eyes and began to focus for ki signatures in the direction of Capsule Corp. Pikachu sat anxiously on his shoulder, praying that his best friend was alright.
"Man, whoever this guy is, he can hide his ki like a pro!" Goku thought as he put in more effort to properly pinpoint this guy's ki. Several moments passed and Goku wasn't having any luck.
"Kakarot, what's taking so long?" Vegeta asked in an impatient voice.
"Give me a moment Vegeta, this guy's really good at hiding his ki..." Goku replied as he strained his senses to the maximum.
He could sense the numerous workers of the company, scurrying around with stacks of paper or trolleys with machinery on them, ignorant of the crisis going on. He could sense Bulma, who was still in her private workspace. He could sense Ash's ki, still lying in the bed that he had been treated on...
There! Standing right next to Ash! There he was! The ki was faint and almost untraceable, but he'd managed to find it, a small flicker of ki to Ash's side.
"Gotcha!" Goku exclaimed as he blurred away with Vegeta in tow.
Mewtwo panted hard. He'd been fighting for the past half an hour and was quickly reaching his limits. What once had been a peaceful field had now become a battleground, riddled with craters and broken pieces of earth and rock.
The clones had proved to be a pain as well. If there were any openings at all, they would be covered by another copy. Mewtwo was fortuitous enough to take care of one, but the others were still going strong.
Mewtwo quickly used his Psychic to throw Sanachi's clone into the second one. While he had been fighting, he'd realised that his psychic hold didn't work on the original but worked on his clones. That information really saved him a few times.
The original had stopped fighting a while ago as was content to sit back and watch as Mewtwo struggled against the clones.
Mewtwo grunted as he jumped over a bright purple orb that he found out Sanachi could use a little while ago. He needed a plan. It would really help if he could read his mind and get some ideas, but there weren't any opportunities to do that at all.
Wait a minute...
Mewtwo's eyes widened.
He quickly held up his hands, catching the remaining copies in his psychic hold.
He'd need to do this quick; he couldn't hold them for long.
"Psywave!"
Mewtwo's body became outlined in light blue, and his eyes also glowed light blue. He then fired a barrage of psychic rings at the two Sanachis'
Both of them grunted as they got hit by the attack. It was a minor inconvenience to them at most.
Suddenly, they both gasped as they felt their bodies growing weaker. They realised that they were destabilizing.
Mewtwo then threw one final Psywave at them, one large enough to hit them both, resulting in their destruction.
Panting, Mewtwo looked back to Sanachi, who was still smiling menacingly.
"Not bad. You realised that my copies were connected to me by a mental wavelength. You scrambled that wavelength with your Psywave, since that could run through their bodies and cut off that connection to maintain them. Smart," Sanachi complimented, something that Mewtwo didn't want right now.
He was extremely exhausted after taking out the three clones, and any kind of healing moves where he could use were more like inconveniences right now. Recover only healed physical wounds, and using Rest was way too risky.
Without warning, Sanachi came barreling at Mewtwo with a leg outstretched. Mewtwo grunted and put up a psychic barrier to protect himself, but even though it stopped Sanachi's approach, he was thrown back into the cliff face from the recoil.
He regained his bearings just long enough to lean his head to the right and dodge a punch that went deep into the rock.
It was then Mewtwo decided to go for broke. He was almost out of energy and Sanachi was still running on a full tank.
It was time to bring out his final, ultimate move. If this didn't work...he was finished.
Mewtwo used Teleport to get away from Sanachi's assault and quickly brought his palms together. His face gained a look of intense concentration and his body began to shake from the strain he was put under.
The sky darkened considerably and thunder began to rumble the heavens. The very mountain quaked under the pressure that Mewtwo was giving off.
Sanachi turned around to look and he had an awed look on the visible part of his face.
"I can sense your power rising...to think you had this much latent potential to make the elements shudder and this very mountain rumble. Not bad at all..." He mused as he watched the attack come into existence.
Waves of pink and light purple energy began to grow in between Mewtwo's palms. He didn't understand what Sanachi meant by "sensing his power rising," but he couldn't care less as he was leaving himself open, not even getting prepared for the forthcoming attack.
"He's either being cocky or stupid..." Mewtwo allowed himself to think before his focus was brought back to the attack he was currently creating.
The waves of energy forming in between his hands began to swirl together, condensing and undulating, like ripples in a pond. It formed an incredibly potent energy that spiraled in his hands, not unlike a galaxy.
Sanachi smirked as the attack neared its completion. He wasn't worried at all. Mewtwo was going to change that.
Lightning struck down in between them, Lighting up both their forms. The attack was so powerful that it was able to summon deadly bolts down upon the mountain. No part of the ground was left unscathed as the remaining earth was torn up due to the pressure.
"You're pretty good. You're the strongest opponent that I had so far. That attack is the greatest effort someone's put in to destroy me ever since I got here. I feel honored."
More vague wordings, just what did they mean?
"Just wait. Soon, all you'll be feeling..." Mewtwo snarled.
The attack between his palms let out a repulse, throwing up debris everywhere. It was complete.
"...IS PAIN!" Mewtwo finished as he prepared to launch the attack.
"Either that, or disappointment." Sanachi chuckled.
"Go ahead..."
Sanachi got into a stance, still grinning confidently.
"...Flip that coin..."
"With pleasure..." Mewtwo thought.
"PSYCHIC..."
He launched the attack directly at Sanachi.
"...SUPERFLARE!"
The spiral shaped attack sped towards Sanachi, who remained bolted to his spot.
The Psychic Superflare was inches away. Sanachi was finished!
"Pathetic..."
With one swift movement, the hooded opponent raised his arms up...
...and caught the attack.
Mewtwo gasped in shock, he couldn't believe his eyes. This was unbelievable! He was so sure that his move would do...something. Not get caught at the last second! That attack could've leveled a city the size of Goldenrod! That was impossible!
This guy...
...couldn't be human...Nothing that could catch the attack with relative ease could be.
With a dismissive wave of his hand, Sanachi sent Mewtwo's last ditch effort soaring up into the sky, where it exploded into a colossal psychic wave of a beautiful magenta color.
"Heh, of course, saying that you're the most powerful being I've fought thus far is a little too flattering. In comparison to me, you're nothing but a fly." Sanachi taunted.
Mewtwo heart thumped rapidly in his chest, and the remainder of his strength finally left weary body. Mewtwo, despite his status being one of the world's strongest pokemon, had been defeated...no...he'd been pulverized. It was just like Sanachi said.
It was hardly a fight at all.
Mewtwo groaned as he collapsed to the ground, panting and huffing from the intense "fight" he went through. And in the end, it was all for naught.
He grunted as he felt a hand close around his neck and lift him up. It was strange being lifted up by someone shorter than him.
"You're done, Mewtwo. You've got nothing left." Sanachi said with a merciless tone. He squeezed a little tighter, making Mewtwo choke.
"Now...Ash Ketchum. Tell me where he is!" The cloaked person demanded as he tensed his hand around Mewtwo's neck, as if to say that he could squeeze tighter.
Mewtwo shut his eyes tightly. He had been beaten soundly and swiftly with no effort on the other's part.
"Just...Just how powerful are you...? Mewtwo choked out, still in disbelief.
In reply, Sanachi grinned and said the words that shook the Genetic pokemon to his core.
"In that little...quarrel we had, you didn't even make me go over a tenth of a percent."
Mewtwo gasped, this guy could defeat him with that little of his power? No...he had to be bluffing, right?
"You would know how powerful I was if you chose to not remain ignorant of the world instead of happily being oblivious on this mountain." Sanachi said, still holding Mewtwo by the throat.
He brought the psychic type's head closer.
"What do you say we make sure that doesn't happen again, huh?" He asked, deviance behind every word he spoke. Suddenly, Mewtwo felt a sudden sensation of weightlessness as he and Sanachi vanished from view.
When they reappeared, they were a good mile and a half from where their meeting place was.
With no mercy in his actions, Sanachi tossed Mewtwo on the ground, and then held up his hand towards Mt. Quena. The Genetic pokemon gasped as he saw a bright purple ball of energy form in the cloaked villain's hand.
"N-No!" Mewtwo cried out worriedly. It wasn't hard to figure out Sanachi's next plan of action.
His grin gone, now a cruel scowl, Sanachi turned his head towards the downed pokemon, dissolving the orb of energy in his hand.
"Ash Ketchum...Where is he?!" He shouted forcefully, making Mewtwo wince at the volume. With the last of his remaining strength, Mewtwo pushed himself off the ground and got into a standing position. He faltered at the thought of telling this guy anything about Ash, but he had to defend his home, and the pokemon that lived there. With a hung head, he finally replied.
"I... I don't know...I don't know where he is...I haven't seen him since he travelled through Johto, and that was a long time ago!" Mewtwo answered honestly. He looked up at Sanachi's hooded face.
Although it was covered, he could just feel the glare Sanachi was throwing his way.
"So...you're saying that you don't know...?" The voice that replied was oddly calm, and that somehow intimidated Mewtwo more.
"Heh. Heh heh...Hahahaha!"
Mewtwo's eyes were opened wide as he heard Sanachi laughing in reply to his answer. It took Mewtwo a few moments to process that he was shivering. He was scared...
"Wh-What's funny?" Mewtwo asked in an attempt to dissuade his extreme nervousness.
Sanachi took a few moments to calm down after Mewtwo had asked that single question.
"Oh...it's nothing...It's just that these guys said the exact same thing..." He replied ominously.
Mewtwo furrowed his brow in confusion, and was about to ask him what he meant.
Until he heard several light thudding sounds behind him.
Mewtwo's nerves were already shot by now, so he nearly saw that sound as another attack by Sanachi. He jumped back, almost collapsing on the ground again, and turned to the creator of the noise.
His blood ran cold.
Mew...
Celebi...
The Three Legendary Beasts and Birds...
Lugia and Ho-Oh...
Latias...
The Lunar Duo...
Shaymin...
Nearly all the legendary pokemon that Ash had come into contact with were sprawled out on the ground, all of them sporting different types of injuries. Both Ho-Oh and Lugia, pokemon so elusive, they were mere myths in the pokemon world, had noticeably broken wings.
Latias and Cresselia's stomachs had burn marks on them, indicating that they'd taken an attack from below.
Darkrai and Celebi were sprawled out on the ground, numerous injuries making them unable to stand up.
Even the childlike legendries, such as Manaphy and Jirachi weren't spared. Manaphy in particular was unconscious and whimpering for her "Mama" a sight that almost broke Mewtwo's heart. This guy was too cruel.
Mew was the only one still conscious as she had an X shaped scar on her back, as well as countless other wounds that made even talking painful.
"M-M-Mewtwo...S-Sanach-chi...too strong...I'm so-sorry..." Her helpless telepathic words rung in Mewtwo's head as said clone was looking around in horror at the downed legendries. He fell to his knees to see all his fellow pokemon in this horrifying condition.
The harsh reality hit Mewtwo; if Sanachi was able to have predicted and timed this, then he could've ended the battle between them at any time.
"He really was using less than a tenth of a percent of his power..." He thought in shock.
It seemed like the only ones that hadn't been subjected to Sanachi's wrath were the Creation, Golem and Lake Trios, and Arceus as well. They were all separated by different dimensional boundaries, and the Golems were able to meld with the environment, which was probably why they hadn't been found by Sanachi.
"The Tree of Beginning, Shamouti Islands, The Gracedia Flower Garden, The City of Altomare, Arborville, and The Sea Temple...All their homes taken from them because they didn't know where Ash is...It's time Mewtwo for Mt. Quena to join the list..." Sanachi said, the orb growing in his hand once more.
"No! All the pokemon there, you'll kill them" Mewtwo cried desperately, watching helplessly as he tried to save both the pokemon, and his home. For the first time in recent memory, tears began to fall from his eyes.
Sanachi ignored Mewtwo's pleas and held his arm up once more, aiming at the giant mountain range.
"You had one chance, Mewtwo..." Sanachi looked to the weeping pokemon and gave him one final, triumphant grin.
"...and you blew it..." He finished as he shot the orb straight towards Mt. Quena.
"NO!" Mewtwo's anguished cries echoed around the area, but were drowned out over the humming and buzzing of the attack.
Mew winced as a lump grew in her throat and tears of her own rolled down her face. Her home had been destroyed too, and she was helpless to do anything but watch as the tree and all the pokemon in it were obliterated. She knew exactly how Mewtwo felt.
Her clone watched in stunned silence as the orb finally connected with the mountain, first tunneling into the center of the range before finally detonating. The resulting blast was massive...
As the entirety of Mt. Quena was swallowed up in a massive purple light, the explosion created a loud boom sound as the resulting shockwaves traveled over the land, eventually reaching the wounded legendries. All of them got thrown back by the wave and were saved by trees behind them that barely stayed in the ground.
Devastation to both Mt. Quena, and to Mewtwo's heart were the only things that were left after the shockwaves stopped and the dome of energy that had been present where the mountain once was had now vanished, leaving behind a gigantic empty crater full of nothing but death.
Mewtwo couldn't tear his eyes away from the scene and gripped his fists tightly together.
"You...!" He spat out the word out venomously.
"YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT!" The psychic type pokemon screamed as hard as his lungs would allow as he frantically looked around the area for the cloaked sadist who had not only just ruined his life, but ended countless others.
However, Sanachi seemed to have vanished from the area, leaving no trace behind.
"No! He got away!" Mewtwo growled as he punched his fist into the ground, creating a small crater. Then again...and again...and again...At this point, he didn't care how much stronger Sanachi was then him. He was prepared to fight until he dropped dead.
"He just came into our lives for no reason...hurt us...wrecked our homes...and then the scum just leaves! I swear...he'll pay for this!" Mewtwo cried out as he punched the ground one last time.
He let out sorrowful sobs as the hurt pierced through his entire being.
Mew watched on the sidelines as she too wept quietly for Mewtwo's loss. She wanted to hover over there and comfort her clone, but she was far too weak.
With pain writhing around in her soul, she finally succumbed to unconsciousness.
Soon, Mewtwo did the same...