And so, the second edition of Apples in a Nutshell, featuring Anomaly! Yes, everyone cheer and clap now! Be amazed, by anticipating and excited!

So, warning for this chapter: Again, lack of beta reader due to time contraints, so apologize for any tiny mistakes. Got rid of all the glaring ones though. I think.

Second warning: The toughest character for me to write was... Ellie. It sucked, because I feel like I couldn't get in her head as much as I could. I read the chapters, went through and revised, so now it's better, but at first I just couldn't get her. shakes head Not like Mew and Anti who give me lots of material to work with. Hehehe... Actually I think the easiest character for me to write was Mewtwo. Though maybe Aeri-chan wil disagree. If anything I almost made him too cruel I think...

Bah, what am I thinking with this stupid... psychobabble. shudders Gotta find a way to get out of that. Read! Hurry, read like the wind!

I'll see you all this coming fall, in the big rock candy …

It was quiet in the cave with only a single soul to fill it. A small golden flame cast a soft glow to battle the shadows of the rock hollow, revealing the odds and ends upon the stone wall shelf and on the floor. A single used hair brush, two ribbons and a mirror crossed upon each other, waiting to be picked up with interest again. The only life beside the white candle was a human girl with glinting curls of honey bark, and shining eyes of mahogany. The other two usual occupants were outside, in that one training program that was supposed to help Eve. Anti was keeping watch outside, and Mew was… who knew where Mew was. Ellie had to resort to distracting herself by reading her book for the millionth time. Not that it would be a problem, but she wanted to actually go out and do something today. Which conflicted with her orders to stay inside. There was nothing fun to draw, she had brushed and played with her own hair for long enough, and she was not hungry, so could not use that excuse to go out and do something. So now she was stuck here, doing her best to be a good girl. It sucked being the only little human with nothing to do.

"Ellie!" a mental voice singsonged. "Oh Ellie!"

The little girl looked up from her book at the telepathic call, recognizing Mew's voice instantly.

"Would you come out here please?"

"Coming!"

Ellie smiled eagerly at the request. Finally, something to do to get out of here. The bookmark slipped in, the book plopped down and she hopped up eagerly. She skipped out of the round room, and down the hall. The vines at the top of the crude staircase parted for her and she stepped through into the dappled forest light.

"Yes?"

Mew and Anti both floated next to each other in the shade of the foliage, their faces and posture eerily in complete synchrony. Both were floating, and slightly bent over with their paws behind their back. Even their tails were swishing in perfect harmony. It made them appear as though they eager, and knowing. About something. It made her more curious and excited. The clear gray kitten face scrunched in a serious gaze as he swung forward.

"Hey kid, you been good? Not getting into any trouble?" Anti asked solemnly.

The child shook her head quickly in denial.

"Nope, I've stayed inside and quiet, just like you asked me." She crossed her hands behind her back. "Can I come out yet?"

"Not yet kiddo," Mew assured, "We know you've been good, and we wanted to give you a reward."

"A treat?"

"Not this time."

"Another story?" she stood on her tiptoes eagerly.

"Nope, something even better."

"Really?" Her young face scrunched in thought, before it brightened, "You're gonna take me to a Legend!"

Anti burst into snorting giggles at the earnest joy at the guess. "Not that much better. Oh Me, I love this kid."

Without Further ado, Mew brought around what he had hidden behind his back. "Ta-da!"

A bright, clean, slicked and resting tiny Pichu hung from his arms. A little blue bow tied loosely around his neck to display his status as a gift. Ellie's lightly disappointed expression brightened instantly and she cooed. She held out her hands and Mew gently let the creature down in her hands. He slept on obliviously to the trade taking place with its life, even as her finger stroked the soft head.

"It's so tiny…" She looked up. "Where's it's mama?"

"At a football field ready to interrogate Mew for his whereabouts." Anti snickered.

"Hey, if I'd have told her the truth she never would have let go." Mew leered at the snickering counter part before he sighed and shook his head.

"His family is gone. They were flushed out by a construction team's Houndoom. They'll start tearing down his home soon enough."

"How awful…" Ellie saddened for the little Pichu's sake. "Are they all okay?"

"They didn't hurt anyone, just scared them all out. It shook him up pretty bad though."

"Which is why it's up to you to help him." Anti swerved in front of Mew- though it did not conceal the pink kitten anyway- and looked to the human child gravely. "Ellie, will you do your utmost to help this poor little Pichu?"

Ellie nodded determinedly.

"Will you keep him with you at all times, and keep him safe?"

She bobbed her head excitedly. "Yes."

"Do you swear-" he drew himself up straight and tall in mid-air, and his voice resonated with authority, "- to train him to become the most powerful Pichu this world has ever seen, and to protect him with life and limb?!"

"Yes!" she promised and straightened as well, eager for the following order.

"Alright, then we're good." Anti relaxed. "Just don't let him out on his own."

"Sheesh, and people call me dramatic." Mew muttered.

"You are, you just get to be more exciting in a few years." Anti grinned.

"I'll take good care of him and make him happy again." Ellie promised and brought their attention back.

"Good, we knew we could count on you." Mew smiled. He sighed, "Now, I'm back of to my errand to return the equipment… and face Pika's questions. His name is Charlie by the way."

"Have fun!" Anti called as the white light of teleport engulfed the pink body. "Well, you take him in now, while I go see what's taking those two so long. If Mewtwo pulled that stunt again, so Arceus help me I'll-"

Ellie was already inside.

The cherubic human smiled at that little patch of yellow that was even more vibrant than her shirt. Lying stomach down on the cold rock floor with her chin rested on the back of her hands, she kicked her feet back and forth in the air while her head swayed back and forth rhythmically. Charlie breathed softly and slept contently on the worn quilt bundled on the floor. Ellie was sure the other psychic cat would not mind, given the circumstances. She just wanted the little guy to be comfy, and not risk him rolling off the bed accidentally.

"Charlie…" she mused to the critter, and smiled, "what a cute name."

Candy mountain…Candy mountain… you fill me with sweet sugary… silkness?

Yes, silkness. And tightness. There was something silky and tight around his neck. His little paw scratched at it, and found it did not initially come off. He scratched a little harder.

"Hey little guy."

The startled mouse flipped to his feet and stared at the face before him. Angelic, young, soft, sweet and-

"HUMAN!!" He shrieked.

"Aw, you're awake." Ellie grinned, unaware of the terror laid out before her.

She reached out her hand to pet him- and he shot forward to avoid the child's fingers to reach a region of safety. Well, he tried anyway. The heavy quilt did make him trip a couple times while the hand slowly chased him. The critter scurried forward, looked behind him to see where the human was, and ran smack dab in the middle of a wall.

"No wait, don't worry I won't hurt you, I wanna help."

"Liyeas…" he warbled.

Slowly Ellie rose to her knees and crawled forward. Charlie swayed and stumbled in his attempt of running off. Momentarily he paused and shook his head, then made another mad dash. Around the giant he hurtled, straight onto a spiky deathtrap that had been hidden by the giant's body. Tripping and crashing over it rather grandly, it was a moment before he got back up. He winced.

"Ow…"

"Oh no, I forgot to put Eve's brush away. Are you okay?"

Eep! No time to be hurt! Away he dashed once more, to the door that led to darkness.

"No wait, don't go out!"

Obviously Charlie would pay her no mind. Instead he rushed out the round opening in the rock, looked down the halls, and shot up the crude rough stairs, with Ellie coming close behind him. The vines caught him in his jump and Ellie caught him by the tail in trying to pull him in. The yank triggered his electric current and he let out his mini lightning. Ellie squeaked and released him, escaping the bolt sprinkle, though Charlie was not so fortunate. The little shout of 'Piiiii!' was the signal to his own pain the attack caused. The yellow puffball managed to pop out of the vines after another moment of wriggling and burrowing through.

"No, we're supposed to stay inside!"

The giant fought through the vines too to try to catch him before he went away, though they were tightly woven and difficult for someone of to work through. For once his size aided him. If he had looked back he would have noticed the vines opening up abruptly enough for Ellie to fall through in a surprised heap, thanks to helpfully genetic super clone that was wondering just what the heck was going on.

Needless to say, Charlie did not look back, nor did he listen. Scuttling along the forest floor, he managed to reach more level ground, and put more distance between himself and his captor. He knew he had to hide and get away. Ah, the trees would be perfect! Unfortunately for him his claws had never truly grown in, but he was fast and little paws could still get a grip in rough bark. He circled around a tree and hopped onto one of the silver roots and jumped up. A shame this tree was not like other trees. He went so fast he did not notice the initial shudder that went through the not-so-arbor structure. His little paws grasped onto the smooth furry bark of the thick trunk with a little more danger of slipping than usual, but if he could make it into the purple leaves toward the red fruit, surely the human would lose interest in… wait a second…

The more prominent shaking of the tree was harder to ignore… and the voice as well. Two of the three fruits disappeared, and one of the knobby branches moved toward where they had been to muffle… giggling?

"Stop," a great and powerful voice resonated through the trees, "that tickles!"

A purple tendril much bigger around than Charlie's body knocked him off the silver trunk and sent him sailing in the air. He cried out as he sailed through the air, doomed to the inevitable break onto the hard ground below. The distraught human saw this, and lunged forward. Just before he landed in something not painful, the human jumped and skid on the hard grassy floor to catch him with her hands, just in the nick of time. Relief Charlie felt turned into confusion when he was pressed against something big and soft. Glimpsiing two huge pale arms, he realized with horror it was the human. Tiny whimpers escaped as he was cuddled and held against her breastbone.

"Careful Eve, he's just a baby." she pleaded.

The baby Pichu pressed his eyes together and his ears over his head at the volume, even when the words vibrated throughout his own body. He even went so far as to bury his face into the arm.

"It's not like I meant to harm him, he surprised me."

Charlie tilted his head up and opened his eyes only to instantly freeze at the sight in front of him. Standing on the dirt and grass carpet, two long massive feet attached to two thick legs that were curved and spring loaded for a high jump. The muscled thighs gently curved into a slender belly and up into a chest that reminded Charlie of the armor of the scary Pokemon he saw earlier. The tree branches were actually lanky arms, and the leaves were a fluffy curled purple mane that waterfalled behind her plated shoulders. There was an apple that she held by her gently curved feline jaw, though the other two 'apples' he saw earlier were actually the irises in her trigonal eyes. Blood Diamond. His own eyes widened. The leonine creature before him stood calmer and ready now, with that massive purple tendril- that he could see now was her tail- rubbing down the itchy trail on the her feet, up her thigh and along her side. She bit into her apple again as the human child cooed and stroked the yellow rodent in her grasp.

"What's that?"

Charlie instantly looked around. Where had that voice come from?

"It's a Pichu, the pre-evolutionary form of Pikachu." Ellie helpfully informed. "Anti's letting me keep him!" She scratched between the ears, making Charlie stiffen. "My first Pokemon…"

Evetwo swallowed her bite and rolled her eyes, and Charlie looked back at the movement. He relaxed enough to stare in awe and wonder, seeing that he was not being maimed.

"I know that, I mean… what's he doing here?"

"Oh." Ellie's wide brown eyes turned beseeching and she switched her grip on the critter in her hands and held him up to Eve. "This poor little guy lost his family, and Anti told me I had to take care of him and make him happy again. I'm worried because I've never taken care of a Pokemon before, but I've read and seen a lot about it and learned a few things from my brother so I think I'll be okay."

Garnet eyes blinked at the wide-eyed Pichu in her face. So this is what Anti meant when he said there was a surprise waiting back at home. That at least explained the bow. Take care of him and make him happy again… Uh-huh. She was gonna go out on a limb here, and say it was more likely just to give the child a distraction. Obviously it was working. But if this little guy was quick enough to get away from Ellie and even travel half way up her body without realizing… She eyed him warily, finally becoming unnerved by his wide-eyed, gaping stare.

"What?"

"Are you…" he lowered his voice to a whisper, "are you Mew?"

…

There was a few moments of silence. Ellie could not understand the tricky Pichu dialect, Charlie was waiting for the answer of what was obviously the legendary Ancestor of all Pokemon, and Eve was still surprised at the completely unexpected question. Sure, she had been called a legend before, but never actually confused with Mew.

"Um, no." she finally answered.

"…Really?" his round little head tilted to the side, "then how come I can hear you all around me?"

She sighed. This was Ellie all over again. Well, if Anti brought him here already, then her divulging basic information should not have to be a problem. And she had to clear him up anyway. Mew indeed.

"It's a psychic thing, I'm in your head, not all around you. My name is Evetwo. Or just Eve."

"Yeah-" Anti popped from thin air in between them, "You don't really wanna meet Mew anyway. He's not nearly as fun, good looking, or as powerful as me."

"YUWAH!" Charlie bristled in terror, "GHOST!!"

Evetwo and Ellie jumped at the cry, and the unwitting shock from the creature made Ellie drop him. As soon as he stopped rolling he scurried away.

"Ah, I wouldn't go that way," Anti warned and adopted a lisp. "I tought I thaw a putty tat."

Charlie, for some strange reason took this information to heart, and tried to skid to a stop to change direction, but that objective quickly became forgotten. The mud cratered into a trail behind him until he halted. The little round head tilted back, and his jaw dropped. The button black eyes shot open in alarm and his jaw dropped. There were five simultaneous pops as round red apples that had been floating in the air burst in chunks of fruity pulp. (Actually, four were floating, and the fifth was Eve's. She was not pleased about this in the least. There was a facial twitch forming from her aggravation actually, however her response was drowned out by the perpetrator's antics, so thus had to be ignored for the sake of dramatic affect.) A tree that had been close to the Pichu snapped and exploded in a salvo of wood splinters under the sheer force of the enormous purple tail that whipped against it.

At first there was only an ebon silhouette that towered against the enflamed sky and orange glare of the dying sun- a bipedal Arcaean creature with purpurean light conveying menacing power from the stretched deltoid eyes. Even with the earthquake the fallen tree caused, the diminutive rodent did not remove his eyes, and stared hard enough to take in the more identifying features of the monstrosity before him. Enough to take in each locked, trembling muscle; enough to take in each stretched and prominent vein; enough to take in each tendon struck out from under the skin as the enormous body clenched in a suppressed tumult of rage. The light of the sunset shone to highlight the sleek silver and purple fur on the outline of the shape, giving a stark contrast to the darkened color from under the shadows. The gentle jaw line was rigid, the four bulbous fingers on each small hand were clamped, and the slender arms were unyielding- but the monstrous tail perpetually wrenched and lurched behind him. The Sartorius beast made Charlie's entire body quake even when petrified. And the creature was not even looking at him, but at the Pokemon and human behind him. If they had made eye contact, he might have died on the spot.

"I did!" Anti 'jumped' for joy, "I thaw a putty tat!"

"What. Is. This?"

Contralto throbbed through Charlie's already rippling mind and body. Eve and Ellie managed to both perfectly portray the image of meek innocence. Mainly because Mewtwo's obvious temper was enough to make them speechless. Both could feel the tingling of their minds being assessed, Mewtwo far too impatient to wait of answers. It was such a brief skim that Eve could not even attempt to pull up a barrier.

"Well, that's a Pichu. The pre-evolutionary form of Pikachu." Anti informed helpfully. "Hardly worth breaking a tree over."

"Do not toy with me," the tail cracked and the eyes literally flashed with his flare of anger. "The Pichu itself is irrelevant. Can I not turn my back for a second before you constantly add more nuisances for me to look after?"

Eve gave an affronted scowl, and Elllie flinched at the flare of emotion as Anti shrugged.

"Didn't I ask you to not get mad? The kid was lonely. Things are getting busy and she needs company."

"And I suppose he will need a companion to prevent him from becoming lonely too? And maybe the two young Pokemon will pine for some paternal figure to help look after them when the human proves unable to care for them." His brow and head scrunched further down. "Where is the limit? How many are you going to risk bringing in before you finally deem it as unsafe?"

"We won't have to worry-" Anti swerved up to be more level with the over-six-foot-tall feline, "-even if he did run off and try to tattle, he's just a baby, no one would believe him."

"He is not an infant, he merely has stunted growth. He is matured enough to look after himself, regardless if you removed him from his homeland."

"Hey, he ran away. Come on, look at this guy-" he pointed to the still shivering and petrified Pichu below, "does he really look like he'd fare out in the wild?"

The towering titan whipped his gaze down the pointing paw to the tiny creature at his feet. The second the glowing lilac eyes made contact with the black button ones, Charlie's fluttering ceased. His lungs stopped working, his body straightened and locked in place. The stiffened body swayed, and toppled over, without unfreezing from it's position.

"No, Charlie!" Ellie ran forward with no thought of consequence, ignoring Eve's psychic hiss of "Ellie!" and cradled the little Pichu. She begged up to the Pokemon before her: "Let him go please, he won't hurt anyone else, promise!"

Now what was the human going on about? It took a moment for Mewtwo to figure out through his building emotional storm what the human was implying. The momentary silence increased the growing tension so much, that Anti started to focus his energy in preparation for a barrier or attack. When Mewtwo did eventually figure it out, he blinked, and the glow diminished to reveal his neutral amethyst irises, immediately dislodging the nervous tension.

"I did nothing."

"…You didn't?"

"No." the purple tail behind him slowed its jerking into a more natural sway, "He was so startled he unconsciously induced self-paralysis."

Ellie blinked up at him. Mewtwo stared back.

"His fear triggered the instinctual desire to remain still."

Ellie actually tilted her head slightly. Mewtwo's eye twitched.

"He froze."

"Oh. Why didn't you just say that before?"

Oh honestly. "I did."

Ellie looked down at the frozen Pichu with no reply. Her finger nudged the Pichu's head. Little tears sprung from his eyes.

"See? Mewtwo's so scary he makes babies cry." Anti frowned. "Poor widdle thing…"

Mewtwo ignored the specter while Evetwo snorted. Deeming it safe again, she followed up behind and looked at the tearing rodent. He sniffled.

"I'm gonna die, aren't I?" He whined. "Mama, papa…"

"What's he crying about?" Ellie asked up.

Eve even felt her inner Kathryn tug at her heart at the pitiful sight. She answered: "He misses his family."

Little Charlie curled up on himself and the little paws rubbed at his eyes.

"Now come on, you can't say you're not moved by that." Anti said, "You'd have to be a cold heartless bastard to not be affected by that."

Mewtwo leered. "I'm not."

Anti was exasperated. "Oh come on!"

"He wouldn't be so miserable if you put him back with his family."

Anti sighed. Of course this would come up. His eyes flashed, and he whispered to him: "His family's dead, Mewtwo. The kid can't remember because he can't cope with it right now. We can't send him back, he'd just break, not with the trauma he just went through."

This time, both Eve and the girl frowned at the two older psychics. What were they talking about that could not be said aloud? Mewtwo had gone over Mew's explanation a few moments before in Ellie's mind, but had honestly forgotten about it in the emotional seconds. He peeked into the sobbing kit's mind to see what trauma Anti referred to. This explained their newest deed a little bit. Still did not excuse it.

"Having a reckless paranoid Pichu with us is out of the question, not when he can escape from us so easily." Ellie disheartened at the implicate accusation, though Mewtwo did not glance her way. "Do you plan to keep him until you deem him strong enough to handle the news and send him back?"

"Oh no," Anti mewled aloud and grinned, "He's sticking with us. Ellie needs a starting Pokemon after all."

The glow was back, and the tail snapped. Eve put a hand on Ellie's shoulder to pull her back, and the child complied.

"You plan to make the child a trainer?!"

"Starting, not starter," he relented, "At least to give her a good defense, when worse comes to worse and no one else is around. Come on now, with the lifestyle you lead, it's bound to happen at some point."

Mewtwo's eyes glowed white instead of lilac, and Anti focused his power for whatever counter attack he would need.

"No, Charlie!" Ellie cried in despair.

Anti looked at the child's empty arms where the Pichu was, just a moment before. The wide brown eyes water and her lower lip trembled while Eve tried to pat her shoulder consolingly while leering up at her brother.

Anti glared at Mewtwo. "Arse."

"Hmph." Was the only reply he made before turning and looking for more damn apples.

Charlie squeaked as his backside landed on something hard. His tears ceased and he looked around startled and in confusion. And horror. Where was he, how did he get here? Thinking back he could remember… he was watching a group of big scary armored Pokemon in the mountains, and a ball headed right for him and then… he was at this strange place. There were humans everywhere, with mountains that were gray and shone in the increasing moonlight, and fires that were upside down and smooth. There was light coming from openings in these mountains too. Even directly in front of him, there was a curtain of light that poured over his tiny body. There was a huge sign overhead with funny designs, that was actually human for the words 'Pokemon Center,' but Charlie was not well versed in human so did not know this. All he knew was that he was in once again unfamiliar territory with humans as far as the eye could see. There was even a pair coming right toward the invisible barrier that was sliding open to greet him.

"YUWAH!"

Across the cement, across the asphalt, he flew like he had never flown before, the little blue ribbon all but forgotten around his neck. He weaved and zigzagged around pedestrians, no one thinking to catch him because they assumed he was already heading back for his trainer. He traveled surprisingly far, considering he was starving, nearly dehydrated and had spent the last twenty-four hours running like the wind. Adrenaline could do some amazing things. The little paws pitter-pattered on a wood ramp he came across, one of the few places that was not swarmed with humans and other Pokemon. Yes, there was a big metal cave, he could hide in-

BREEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOO…

Electric jolts shot from the rodent body in shock. The entire bridge and his body shook at the force of the great roar from the metal cave before him. He swayed and started to tumble back.

"Oh no!" a human gasped. "You poor thing."

Big hands scooped him up protectively. Charlie shook his head out to clear it and blinked at the human fingers. Tilting his head up revealed a pale but heavily freckled face with a great red mane with curls the size of his feet.

"Good thing I found you before we took off," the human was saying, "What would your trainer do if we left port without you?"

This she asked as she headed up the ramp with Charlie securely in her grasp. Oh bugger.

"NO!" Charlie called to the heavens.

Whoot! Heck yes, done and done!

...I'm sorry Eve! bows I tried to give more time to her, really, but you all see how Mewtwo is, he's so damn chatty and ominous and I really like dramatic text so I got a little overboard... I hope it was sufficient. sniff I tried...

So yep, my attempt at a tribute for Aeri-chan, my absolute idol. To have such an amazingly succsessful story with an original character with such a rich backstory... Absolutely amazing. A true inspiration, and the cattle-prod I needed to start my own project. Salutes Thank you!

Well, I could certainly become emotional and praise this entire works and just why I absolutely love it, but you alllove it anyway and didn't come for a personal ramble- wait, personal ramble... (after a moment on dictionary. referance. com) the wacky maunder. I like it... hah, beat that psycho babble, I have evaded ye!