Epilog
Cheers. A battlefield. Darkness broken by bright lights. It was that dream again. Tim was walking out into the arena, the crowd surrounding him and screaming with excitement. Another trainer waited on the other end, holding a Pokéball that glinted in the light. The trainer tossed it out, but Tim's eyes weren't on his opponent's Pokémon. He was holding no Pokéball. But when he called, Mewtwo descended to the arena, silencing the crowd with his mere presence, drawing more awe and admiration than any champion could ever earn.
But it wasn't the admiration of the crowd that Tim savored. It was the teamwork, the bond, the understanding between them. The journey that they travelled together, coming so far, and yet, still could go further.
Tim.
Tim jumped awake, blinking in the sunlight, and his body strongly informed him that it did notwant to get up yet. Tim flopped back onto his bed, blinking hazily. When his vision cleared, he saw that Mewtwo was standing beside his bed, staring down at him with bright, intelligent purple eyes.
You father is awake,Mewtwo told him. It is best that you get up now.
"Right," Tim mumbled, shuffling back under the blankets and letting his eyes slide closed again.
Despite not seeing it, Tim got the distinct feeling of Mewtwo rolling his eyes. He heard the door flick open across the room, and then Mewtwo's footsteps as he walked across the floor.
Tim felt like only one second had passed in which he got to go back to sleep, but then he heard Mewtwo's voice in his head again.
Tim. You will be late to the station.
"I'm getting up, I'm getting up," Tim responded aloud. He pushed off his blankets and struggled to get ready. They had stayed up too late last night, even though they didn't have to be at the station until later today. Mewtwo had been surprisingly intrigued by detective movies, and had managed to figure out who the killer was before the end in all three of the films they had watched. He had turned down coffee after one sniff, but had decided to help Pikachu pop the popcorn. He hadn't burned it at all.
When Tim walked into the kitchen, Mewtwo was watching Harry cook with attentive interest. Tim wondered if Mewtwo had ever cooked before. With the way Mewtwo was watching the process, they might get an experimental meal sometime soon.
"Morning, sport," Harry said, flipping the pancake. "I thought I would have to wake you up." Tim shot a pointed look at Mewtwo, who might have smiled. It was difficult to tell when Mewtwo lowered his head, hiding his mouth.
Tim sighed and rubbed his eyes. "I think I'll have some of your coffee this morning," he muttered. Tim generally didn't like coffee. Since moving in with his Dad, he had tried to avoid it. Occasionally he had one small cup, but he still didn't drink nearly as much as Harry did.
"Nowyou're thinking like a detective," Harry said proudly.
"Pi, Pikachu!" Pikachu welcomed.
Tim slid into his seat, and Pikachu hopped onto the table. "Pikachu?" the Pokémon asked curiously, tilting his head and blinking his wide brown eyes. Tim just smiled and scratched him under the chin.
Mewtwo, still standing by the counter to watch the pancakes, looked over his shoulder back at them. Pikachu is wondering if you may be sick, Mewtwo translated. Then, to Pikachu, he said, The boy is fine. Only tired.
Tim's smile widened, touched by Pikachu's concern. "It's just taking me a little while to wake up, Pikachu." Pikachu relaxed and leaned into Tim's hand as he petted him.
Tim looked up at his Dad as he flipped another pancake. "Dad, they look done. You're going to burn them."
"I am not," Harry objected. "They will be as flawless as Reshiram."
"More like Zekrom,"Tim shot back.
"Very funny," Harry grumbled. He flipped a pancake, but as it went into the air, the pancake flung itself across the room. A plate from the cupboard leapt up by itself and followed after the pancake, landing before Tim just before the pancake did. It took Tim a solid three seconds to remember that there was a psychic in the room.
"Thanks, Mewtwo," Tim said cheerfully.
"Cheater," Harry accused, but with no venom. Tim didn't start to eat his pancake, waiting for Harry to finish cooking his. At some point Mewtwo summoned his own pancake and Pikachu's from the pan, placing them on the table as well. The clone stayed put, though, watching as Harry roasted the final pancake.
Finally Harry was satisfied with Flamethrower-ing his breakfast, and went to the table, Mewtwo following suit.
All seated and with food before them, Harry waved a fork. "Bon appetit,"Harry sang, and then they dug in.
Tim cut into his pancake and, embarrassingly, found it was quite underdone. It was actuallyas white as Reshiram. While the edges were edible, the center held uncooked batter. Tim frowned; he had been sure it was done. Trying to placate himself, he looked up at his Dad for comparison. Harry was trying to keep his face from screwing up in disgust at the bite he had just taken, but his eyes watered. His pancake was almost completely black.
Harry noticed Tim watching and forced a smile. "Mine's great! Yours?"
Tim smiled affectionately and cut out a piece from the center of his pancake. He lifted the wet, floppy dough with his fork. "Perfect," he offered.
Then they both burst out laughing.
When Tim calmed down, he noticed Mewtwo had only taken one bite of his pancake, having stopped to watch the two of them. Pikachu, on the other hand, had gobbled his right up.
"How's yours, Mewtwo?" Tim asked.
Mewtwo wordlessly pushed his plate to the center of the table for display.
…It was absolutely flawless. The color was practically gold,it was impeccably round, even the cut where Mewtwo had taken a bite was symmetrical.
Both Tim and Harry stared at it in awe. A professional chief couldn't have made a more perfect pancake.
"Holy Miltank," Harry muttered.
"Mewtwo," Tim said wonderingly. "Is there nothing you can't do?"
Mewtwo scoffed. Of course there is, the clone said. Then a little smile came onto his lips. But very little.The clone lifted a hand, and then his pancake floated up off his plate. It split itself directly down the center, and each half flew to Tim's and Harry's plates. Mewtwo then stood up and strolled to the kitchen. I shall make more.
Tim straightened up. "You don't have to do that, Mewtwo." But Mewtwo was already focused on his work. Batter, eggs, oil, and milk floated their way into a bowl, mixing themselves together while Mewtwo inspected the stove.
Harry looked skeptical as well, but he looked back at Tim and shrugged. "If he wants to, let him." Harry then leaned back. "Tim. I think it's a bad sign that neither of us is the best cook in this apartment. Let's agree never to tell anyone."
Tim nodded. "Sounds good to me."
"Pika-chu,"the little Pokémon muttered.
Tim began to dig into Mewtwo's pancake, but hadn't taken one bite before Harry slid the day's newspaper over to him. Tim dropped his fork at the title; 'Mewtwo Returns! A LEGENDARY Story.'
Well, it wasn't nearly as bad as 'Mewtwo's Attraction,'but Lucy had sure been quick on picking up this story. Tim may had given her a heads up, but a quick skim of the paper showed a lot of research and details. But still…it'd be better if Mewtwo didn't see this. Exchanging a look with his Dad, Tim flipped over the paper so the front page wasn't visible, turning to the comics section instead. Harry took an innocent sip of his coffee.
Strikingly fast, Mewtwo had found the perfect balance of heat for the burner, and cooked up four more perfect pancakes. Tim and Harry had just finished the halves Mewtwo had given them when full ones landed on their plates.
"Thank you, Mewtwo," Tim said earnestly. The clone merely inclined his head, telepathically maneuvering the silverware to eat. He couldn't use his orbed fingers, of course.
"Five out of five stars, Mewtwo," Harry offered, pouring on some syrup, berry jam, peanut butter, Honeycomb Honey, andFresh Cream onto his plate. "You should start a restaurant."
"They're the best pancakes I've ever had," Tim praised. "Where did you learn to cook?"
Mewtwo didn't look up, but circled his hand in the air to twirl the tea he had found. Tim hadn't even known his Dad hadtea…or had ever drunk it. Here and there,Mewtwo answered vaguely.
Harry noticed the tea, too. "Oh, be careful with that," he warned. "That tea was a gift…from, like, yearsago. It was from someone who wanted me to back off the coffee." Harry snorted. "As if."He took a long, savory sip from his mug. It said, 'World's Best Pika-Dad.'
It is fine, Mewtwo said, taking a taste.
Tim frowned. "We'll buy you some more next time we go shopping."
Harry leaned forward. "I'mmore curious as to where you, an anti-social superior Pokémon, learned to cook."He smiled at Tim. "Sounds like a mystery for two world-class detectives."
Tim smiled back, but he no idea where to even start. His Dad often instructed him to look at the facts first, and then start stringing them together. "Mewtwo has told me that although he doesn't like people,he's fine with human environments."
"Hmmmm," Harry lifted a finger to tap his chin. "Did you ever find an abandoned cottage in the woods that you investigated?"
Mewtwo was watching them with interest, as if curious if they could figure this out, or even amused. Anywhere that might have humans, I tended to avoid, Mewtwo said shortly.
"Did you watch campers?" Tim asked.
Mewtwo shook his head no.
"Pika-Pikachu?" Pikachu joined in.
Mewtwo inclined his head to the little Pokémon. Fair guess, although wild Pokémon rarely let me come close. Even if they did, there is little I could have learned from them.
Tim gave his Dad an apologetic look. "I'm stumped."
Harry huffed and leaned forward, his elbows on the table. "Have you just always had a secret culinary wish, Mewtwo?"
Mewtwo stared at him dully. Have you always had a secret wish to be a comedian? Because I can assure you, you have no hope.
Harry lifted a hand to his chest in mock-hurt. "Ow."
Tim snickered, wondering if this is what it would always be like.
I suppose I should indulge you, lest you come to false conclusions,Mewtwo said casually, ignoring how Harry still looked mortally offended. Shortly after my creation, there was a human nurse who I lived with for some time. I had her teach me many things…Mewtwo's eyes became unfocused, briefly, in memories that seemed to cause him pain. Tim tilted his head, wondering what thismeant to Mewtwo. Proper food preparation was among them. I have kept up with practicing the skill since.
"Huh," Tim said. He realized that Mewtwo had almost certainly erased the memory of this nurse, whoever she was. But he didn't quite feel like breaking that to his Dad at the moment, so he kept quiet about it. "I'm surprised you bothered with it," Tim said instead.
Mewtwo paused, hand hovering mid-psychic stir over his mug. I may not need as much nourishment as people or Pokémon, he said slowly, but when I do require it…I prefer sophisticated tastes.
"HA!" Harry barked. "Mewtwo's a foodie! Who knew?"
Tim smiled back at his Dad. "Guess we didn't have all the facts."
Harry smothered his giggles as Mewtwo leveled a glare at him. "Can't catch 'em all."
They finished breakfast, and Tim and his Dad insisted they clean up since Mewtwo had cooked for them. They tossed out Harry's failed attempts, while they listened to Mewtwo have a funny conversation with Pikachu.
Of course not all humans are bad, I had merely meant that mosthumans are bad, the clone said patiently to Pikachu.
"Pi, Pikachu!"
Yes, I'm coming to see that as well. Do not get too arrogant, Electric Mouse.
"Pikachu. Pika, pi."
You did notdefeat me. I clearly remember holding you several stories above the ground. Any hits you had managed to get in were only because of Howard Clifford's incompetence. I do notlose battles.
"Pika!"
Human technology is not the same as battle. I would like to see youface off against those machines.
"Pikachu…"
…Fine. I suppose I will admit that, among Pikachus, you are fairlystrong.
"Pikachu!"
I've met stronger ones, however.
"PI!"
Tim was distracted from listening in when Harry's phone buzzed. Harry turned in a confused circle for a moment, his hands soapy but Pikachu was across the room. Then taking Tim completely by surprise, Harry reached over and wiped his hands on his shirt.
"HEY!" Tim barked in alarm, backing up hurriedly. "Use your own shirt!"
"Shush, Tim, I'm in a call," his Dad waved off, answering his phone. "Goodman here," his Dad spoke into it as Tim tried to smooth out his shirt and remove the bubble before it got too soaked. "Yeah, I know we're late, I just got distracted…" he trailed off.
Tim paused, watching his Dad's eyes widen with worry.
"What!?"Harry shouted, making Tim jump and Mewtwo and Pikachu look up.
"What is it?" Tim demanded, but Harry held up his hand for silence.
"You're kidding—seriously?" Harry demanded into the phone. Another short pause. "I'm on my way." He then turned off the phone and rounded on Tim, looking almost fearful. "Domino's escaped. And that other agent with her."
Tim winced and looked over to Mewtwo, expecting the clone to look angry and to spitefully declare the ineptitude of humans. But Mewtwo seemed more relaxed than any of them. I do not find that surprising.
"It gets worse," Harry groaned. "It seems Domino…freed Ms. Norman."
"The Ditto?"Tim cried.
Harry paced over to the wall and grabbed his jacket. "They're both out there. But if we hurry, maybe we can still follow their trail and find them."
Tim looked over to Mewtwo. "Do you think you can track them psychically?"
I do not know their minds,Mewtwo said. Their psyches are no different to me than all the other humans and Pokémon in this city.
"We still could really use your help on this one, Mewtwo," Harry said, now hopping up and down to get his shoe on. "Those two agents were our only lead on Team Rocket. And that Ditto is dangerous."
I am sure my abilities will be quite useful in tracking them, Mewtwo said with a nod. I have no intention of letting them walk free.
"Then consider this your first case," Tim said. As bad as the situation was, he couldn't help lightening up a little at that prospect. Mewtwo paused to look at him considerably, absorbing that idea.
"We gotta move, Tim," Harry said, scooping up Pikachu and nabbing his car keys. "Mewtwo, follow us best you can."
Tim hurried back to his own room to grab a shirt—he'd change in the car—and followed his Dad out the door, glancing behind as Mewtwo headed for the window.
When he'd come to the city, he'd found a lot of unexpected things. His Dad as a Pikachu, his own excitement to be a detective, and a manmade legendary Pokémon. Now, it appeared he had his Dad, and his own Pokémon partner, at his side.
Outside Ryme City…
"What a week," Dr. Richard muttered spitefully. "We get investigated by some nobody 'detectives.' Dr. Drew up and abandons us, taking several Pokémon we were studying along with him. And now, Ryme City is in a panic, again,making it harder for us to sell our medicine. Just when they had started recovering from the fiasco with Clifford."
"No use complaining," Dr. Alexis said cheerfully. They both were in the lab, examining a Lilligant's petals. With cautious, gloved fingers, Dr. Alexis lifted its stamen to observe. "What's done is done. We just have to make do."
Dr. Richard sent her a withering look that could have wilted the Lilligant's delicate flower if he wasn't careful. Dr. Alexis ignored it, as well as his biting tone. "You are naïve. You clearly don't understand what's at stake."
Dr. Alexis chuckled softly. "You forget, Peter, that this technically myresearch laboratory." She smiled at him kindly. "I know what I'm doing."
He snorted, but didn't have a response to that. Taking his silence as a victory, Dr. Alexis gave the Lilligant an affectionate pat and began to take off her gloves. "Speaking of which, I have to head back to my office. Keep up the work here."
Dr. Richard did not bid her goodbye or even look up as she walked out. She rolled her eyes to herself once she was out of the room, and headed down the hall to her office.
Inside, she took a moment to stretch. As much as she put up a cheerful face for Dr. Richard, it hadbeen a stressful week. It had taken a toll on her, but not for the reasons he thought.
Cracking out the knocks in her neck, Dr. Alexis went to the Lileep lamp in one corner of the room. Reaching her hand into its 'mouth,' she pulled out a small, black flash drive, with a red Rprinted on its front.
She returned to her desk, opened her laptop, and plugged the drive in. It took a moment for the laptop to boot up, but once it did, she was met with an intimidating face that immediately made her steel her own.
"Dr. Patricia Alexis," Giovanni greeted coldly. "Much has happened."
"Yes, indeed, sir," Dr. Alexis nodded her head. "Agent Domino passed through just a few hours ago. As planned, she met me out on the reserve, so no one saw us. She wanted me to notify you that she should be able to contact you in the next town, which she will hopefully reach by the end of the day."
Some of the crime boss's frigidness thawed, though he was still as cold as Kyurem. "Very good," Giovanni inclined his head in approval.
"I was also to let you know," Dr. Alexis continued, "That she picked up something at the police station." Dr. Alexis bit the inside of her cheek. "A Ditto, sir—one she believes will be quite useful. She kept it with her."
"I am familiar with the species." Giovanni's eyes narrowed. "But she did not have any of the chemical?"
Off-screen, under her desk, Dr. Alexis wrung her hands. "No, sir. It appears Dr. Drew was followed when he went for the transfer." She swallowed. "Agent Domino told me that she gave the chemicals to her other agents, but saw that they were retrieved and destroyed." Dr. Alexis swallowed. "She said…she said it was Mewtwo, sir."
Giovanni was quiet for a moment, and Dr. Alexis tried her best to read his inscrutable expression. Was he furious? Did he blame her? Would he cut her funding?
"I was already told as much by the other agents who had been with her," Giovanni said finally. Dr. Alexis's tense stomach loosened marginally. "It appears that he destroyed every last trace of the chemical." Giovanni leaned back a little, tenting his fingers before him. "And your research, doctor?"
Dr. Alexis shook her head regretfully. "Despite my attempts, I was unable to replicate Dr. Laurent's solution, or draw Mewtwo's cells out from it with satisfactory precision. I have a few scans, but I cannot understand the readings."
"Send those to me the moment you find a secure channel," Giovanni ordered at once. He then refocused on her and tilted his head. "Speaking of security…how are your coworkers." His voice was indifferent; it didn't even sound like a question.
Dr. Alexis paused and drew in a deep breath, preparing to state her observations which had been well-thought out. "I believe Dr. Drew could prove to be an asset to us; I instructed him what to do with the chemical, paid him well, and he asked no questions. He never even knew they were linked to Mewtwo. Besides a few…slipups, I think he is easily motivated. I know he's been imprisoned, and Agent Domino was unable to get to him, but I think getting him out would be a solid investment. Dr. Richard…" she hesitated. "…I have yet to be certain of. He seems frustrated with his current status, and yet follows rules and systems of order quite strictly. Should he prove an ally, I believe he will be a valuable one."
"Don't risk it for now," Giovanni instructed. "We have enough to handle as it is."
Dr. Alexis agreed with that. Her job was to give Team Rocket access to all her information, look into any little projects they wanted checked out, and scope for other scientists who might want a little extra funding, and were fine if it meant a little extra shade. Dr. Alexis needed the funding to keep her reserve as large as it was, to preserve the natural habitat from the expanding enterprise of Ryme City. Team Rocket's work was easy and simple. But then she'd been told to look into Dr. Laurent's lab a few months ago. The clever crime gang was apparently interested in a Pokémon that had been caught there.
Having known Dr. Laurent from college, she'd managed to slip in for a visit and get her hands on a chemical called 'R.' But she had had no idea what it was at the time. After the reveal of Mewtwo weeks ago, her supervisors had connected her directly to Giovanni himself. She had been unsure what the chemical was, but Giovanni wanted it quite badly. So, while waiting for the panic of the city to die down so Team Rocket could send someone to retrieve, she'd done her research and prepared it for transport. She had told Dr. Drew about it, expecting him to help slip it out eventually, but he had also swiped a few samples and sold them at battle arenas.She would have been furious if he hadn't also gotten some information about it there. About its true effects that the trainers had noticed. It was a bump in the road, but everything had still been going according to plan. But then that boy had shown up…
It had been a stressful few weeks, and Dr. Alexis wasn't sure how much more she could handle.
Giovanni suddenly pierced her with a sharp, intense eye that caused all other thoughts to leave her.
"Tell me, doctor…" he said with deadly silence. "Do you think that Mewtwo is still in the city?"
Dr. Alexis swallowed again. How was she supposed to respond to that? How couldshe know? She offered what little information she had. "Before Dr. Drew made the trade with Agent Domino, he called me and told me that he had been attacked while leaving the laboratory. By Mewtwo…and a boy."
"A boy?" Giovanni repeated with interest.
"Yes, a young man who came investigating our laboratory," Dr. Alexis confirmed. "The boy believed that Dr. Drew was the only one of us who had anything to do with the chemical, and once he saw Dr. Drew escape, he no longer suspected any of us."
Dr. Alexis had no idea who the boy was or where he had come from. She had listed him off as just some meddlesome twerp, but then Dr. Drew had called, less than two hours from Domino's arrival, and said Mewtwohad been with the kid.
"This boy was with Mewtwo?" Giovanni pressed. He seemed very intent on this fact.
Dr. Alexis nodded her head again. "Yes. Dr. Drew told me the only reason he escaped Mewtwo was because Mewtwo broke off to save the boy."
Giovanni's dark eyes sparked with malice. "I see. Very interesting." Giovanni mulled this over for a moment, Dr. Alexis remaining silent, before he spoke again. "The other agents who were present mentioned a boy as well. It may be best for us to retrieve Dr. Drew to get the full story on this." He leaned back, slowly, deliberately. "So, if Mewtwo does indeed have an attachment to this boy…would he stay in Ryme City?"
Yet again, Dr. Alexis was maneuvered into answering that question. She had hoped that by stating the facts, Giovanni would reach his own conclusion, and she wouldn't be held accountable for however true or false that conclusion might be. But it seemed the crime boss wasn't so easily misled. For whatever reason, he was making her put her neck on the line. She had a feeling that Giovanni wouldn't be satisfied with a truthful answer of 'I don't know.'
So instead, she swallowed and answered, "I believe so, sir."
[And that's a wrap! Thank you so much for reading! I'm trying to practice stories that start with characters who don't get along at the beginning, and develops them into friends. How did I do this time? Please, comment and let me know your favorite parts.
I know I set up this story to have a sequel…but I'm afraid that it might not happen. I wrote an outline for this fic at the start, but at the beginning of chapter eighteen, I just couldn't write.For months. The trainers coming to the rescue wasn't part of the original outline, but that idea was just what I needed to keep going. I'm so glad for my policy of not publishing until I'm completely finished, otherwise the stress probably would have stopped the story permanently. Anyway, with how much this one fought me at the end, I am skeptical if I could do a sequel or not. If I did, it would be a while. But I do have imaginings of Mewtwo adapting to life in the city, Ryme City adapting to him, the triumphant return of the terrifying Ms. Norman, and the looming threat of Giovanni. So, there's definitely room for it.
Pokémon stands as one of my favorite fandoms, and Mewtwo is without a doubt my favorite character. I was stoked to find out he'd appear in Detective Pikachu, and was pleased with what they did with him. I dearly hope that they bring him back for the next one, instead of just moving on to another legendary. Poor Mewtwo has been fairly left behind in Pokémon lore—they keep hyping him up, but won't develop his character. I did my best to address that here, slowly poking at his perspectives and loathing towards humans, as well as his pride and refusal to accept help (no matter how much he may need it!).
Tim was also fun, though I admit his character was difficult to pin down at first. He's only in the one movie, and he's also swinging between different beliefs and attitudes. I hope my version was believable. Harry was also a blast, and his character was easy for me.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed my story, it was a pleasure to write. Special thanks to Dexter, an app that tells me every little detail I need to know about every Pokémon, to Copy Cat, a website that tells you EVERYTHING you need to know about Mewtwo, and to Dippygamer64, a friend who was a great listener for my ideas. And, special thanks to you, for taking the time to read my story! Farwell!]