The evening sun was casting a beautiful golden shine on every object in sight. The lengthened shadows added to the splendor of the scene. Mewtwo couldn't believe that it was only evening. Leaving the Pokémon Center just this morning felt like several ages ago.
"We have to get moving, or we'll miss the intercept window," Alder said, jogging along with the group. "Allen, do you have any Pokémon of your own?"
"No, sir," Allen replied. "I've been thinking about trying to acquire some, but college has been getting in the way too much for me to put forth a serious effort."
"Hmm," Alder said thoughtfully, "I think there'll be a way around that. It's always a good idea to have a Pokémon with you, just in case something unexpected comes up."
"If you have time sometime soon, will you please help me with that?" asked Allen.
Alder turned to look at the young man jogging alongside him and grinned, "I think the real question is when you have the time, good sir. I have an abundance of it, but the college life can get a bit overwhelming, right? So tell me when you are available, and we can go from there."
Allen returned the toothy smile with a grin of his own.
"Ahh, thank you so much, Alder! I've been meaning to get this done for quite a while, you know—"
Just then, Mewtwo heard another voice overlap Allen's, causing the latter's to be tuned down slightly. But the new voice didn't seem to come from anywhere around them.
Mewtwo, can you hear me?
Mewtwo jumped violently, but his position behind Alder and Allen meant that the involuntary reaction went unnoticed.
The voice wasn't coming from anywhere near them; it was in Mewtwo's own head!
Mewtwo was looking around frantically for the source of this and met Alakazam's gaze. The same voice spoke again.
You can hear me, yes?
Mewtwo was utterly flabbergasted. But he did the only thing that seemed sensible, and responded without speaking.
Yes, I can hear you. But what are you doing? How is this happening? He heard these words in his head as though his own voice had been magnified. He instantly knew that he had responded correctly.
I'm using telepathy! Mewtwo heard as he saw Alakazam smile benignly. Most Psychic Pokémon are able to do so, you know.
Mewtwo shot him a quizzical look and responded, Telepathy? Is that really a thing?
Of course it is! Now, I understand that you need a crash course on proper battling techniques, right?
Yes, thought Mewtwo, relief passing through his body as he turned forward again. Are you able to help me?
Certainly! He heard Alakazam's voice say with excitement. Are you ready right now?
Yes! Mewtwo responded quickly. But we don't have much time. What can you tell me? The party had just passed a welcoming sign to the village proper, and a commotion could be heard in the direction of the square.
The most important thing to remember is control. If you are lacking control during a battle, there's a strong chance that collateral damage will be dealt. Nobody wants to see that, I'm sure of it. Because you do not have a trainer, nobody will be giving you instructions as to what or what not to do. Your judgment will be crucial. I can render assistance if you ask for it; I know you've been out of practice for a while.
Never heard a more truthful statement, my friend, Mewtwo responded, and Alakazam chuckled at the comment.
Don't worry, just keep a cool head and we'll be able to defeat these Pokémon with no problem. Alakazam's voice softened just as Alder's had back at the cottage. Like young Allen said, have faith in yourself. You'll be just fine.
Mewtwo swiveled around to face Alakazam as he began to trot backwards, Thank you, Alakazam. I really do appreciate it.
Alakazam smiled as he looked Mewtwo in the eyes. Anything for a friend, Mewtwo. Anything for a friend. He nodded to something behind Mewtwo's back. Step lively now! We're approaching the square! Mewtwo turned around again as the party continued to move forward.
Control, Mewtwo thought to himself, I just need to control myself, focus, and move. Mewtwo glanced over towards Alakazam, who nodded to him with understanding.
Cries of mishap pierced the ears of the Party as they approached closer and closer to the square. Villagers were scrambling with their Pokémon to the safety of their homes, and any shops were closing up quick. The sounds of destruction began to ring closer, as the party could almost see the culprits. Shadows rushed by surreptitiously and with great speed. They seemed to be enjoying the chaos that was being caused, but sibilated when it was evident their actions were being watched. It was difficult to recognize the Pokémon wreaking such a mess, but once their movements were pinpointed by that of Alakazam, the others were able to clearly see who the culprits were.
As Alakazam identified the rogue Pokémon, they no longer remained as shadows, but gained a true form when he pointed directly at them. The first to be identified was Seviper. It was darting around the square, slamming into walls and leaving deep gouge marks in the pavement with its tail.
Alakazam turned to his left and identified the next Pokémon; a Nidoking. He used his brute strength to completely upend cars parked around the square, adding loud crashes to the din in the area.
Alakazam looked right and pointed again to a third shadow, which gained form at once. The Weezing did laps around the circle at high speed, smashing as many shop windows as he could and sending broken glass everywhere.
Quickly, Alder and Alakazam exchanged glances, and prepared for battle. These Pokémon were obviously ignoring the prescience of the party, and had to be dealt with swiftly. Mewtwo was puzzled by the rogue Pokémons' actions. Why were they doing such a thing? He tried desperately to read into the atmosphere, but the aura in the air just couldn't be placed right. Mewtwo took a side next to Alakazam, waiting for the right time to strike.
Alder spoke up to the attackers,
"What is your purpose in wreaking such havoc? You must stop this nonsense at once! This village has been at peace for many years now. What are you accomplishing?"
Seviper was the first to turn and slither closer towards Alder, Mewtwo, and Alakazam. His movements were circumspect, his eyes glowing with a sensational red pigment. His fangs looked as if they were drenched in blood, and his crooked smile showed malignant intent. Mewtwo's gaze fell directly in sight with Seviper's. The eye contact demonstrated an awry feeling.
Something just wasn't right.
Seviper silently continued staring at Mewtwo, then glancing to gaze at the others. The cold, deadly eyes glided smoothly as they scanned what was presented before them. The background buzzing of Nidoking's and Weezing's mischief seemed humdrum as the glare continued towards them. Then all of a sudden, in the blink of an eye, the tension was broken. Seviper was… laughing. A small giggle at first, but that giggle soon evolved into maniacal laughter. Mewtwo, Alder, and Alakazam exchanged puzzled, suspicious looks. As Seviper continued to laugh, Nidoking and Weezing paced their way to be by Seviper's side. Seviper's manic laughter rang throughout the square as Nidoking and Weezing joined in the laughter. Something was wrong, something was not making sense.
Mewtwo stood there at a loss of what to think. What was going on?
He looked back into Seviper's eyes, those cold, cold eyes that filled him with a chill. They were burning with a scarlet hue that had intensified since Mewtwo first saw them. But the intensity had reached such a point that Seviper's eyes began to glow.
"The eyes!" Mewtwo gasped, pointing at the three Pokémon, "Look at the eyes!"
The others looked at where Mewtwo was pointing and gasped in unison. Indeed, Seviper's eyes were actually casting light in the shadows of the evening sun. And even as this happened, the eyes of Nidoking and Weezing also began to glow, giving the three an appearance of being thoroughly demented. The effect was quite scary.
This is not normal, said Alakazam in Mewtwo's head. No Pokémon's eyes are naturally colored like that.
Then what does it mean? asked Mewtwo in response.
It means that they are being possessed! said Alakazam in a panicked voice. They are not thinking for themselves now. Mewtwo, you mustn't do them lasting damage; they are victims of mind control!
But who's doing the mind controlling? asked Mewtwo.
As to that, I don't know. But the sooner we find out who it is, the better.
Everything seemed to be getting more complicated, but Mewtwo knew he needed to act for himself now. He thought back to a trick he had once learned; a move that would damage any Pokémon, but never completely knock them out. False Swipe was what others referred to the trick as, and Mewtwo remembered just the right way to execute the move.
Mewtwo glanced back to Alakazam with a prepared look, and Alakazam nodded accordingly. Mewtwo faced back towards Seviper, the closest one to him, and darted towards him with great speed.
Left, right, forward, side-step. Mewtwo's speed was unmatched, and Seviper was unable to lock on to Mewtwo's movements. With a split-second slash of Mewtwo's fist, Seviper screeched with immense pain. Seviper snapped back at Mewtwo with his large, poisonous jaw, but Mewtwo dodged swiftly. Mewtwo charged with another attack, which seemed to stop Seviper's movement.
Seviper's agony was showing, and he did not have the energy to attack again. Seviper became extremely weak, and stopped in his tracks to regain strength. Mewtwo took a minute and stared at Seviper. He did it. He was able to handicap Seviper, but not damage him to a fatal blow.
My first attack in years, Mewtwo thought to himself.
Watch yourself, Mewtwo! Alakazam bellowed into his head.
Nidoking and Weezing were charging at Mewtwo with full force. Two at once! Mewtwo needed more time to think, and began to panic.
Control! Mewtwo thought, Control! Mewtwo was about to strike once more when Nidoking and Weezing dropped to the ground instantly, skidding a spectacular distance due to their momentum. Both Pokémon were fast asleep before Mewtwo's feet. Mewtwo looked back towards Alakazam.
Hypnosis, Alakazam answered.
Alakazam proceeded to put the weakened Seviper to sleep, and smiled towards Mewtwo.
"All right you two, that should do it, no need to overdo it. We should be able to move these guys to a safer location without doing more damage, and maybe we will be able to find out what all this chaos was about," Alder exclaimed. He walked towards the sleeping Pokémon, and tied them with a length of cord that he had brought along with him.
Mewtwo sighed with relief. He paced slowly back towards Alakazam and Alder. The battle was relatively quick, but in Mewtwo's mind, everything was moving at a slow pace. Looking back to Alder and Alakazam, Mewtwo realized that years of being dormant took a toll. He needed more battle practice, and more experience in general. Mewtwo was about to speak when his jaw dropped. This entire time he was focusing on the battle and listening to Alakazam, but where was Allen?
"Err… Alder? Where did Allen go?"
Alder, who was busy securing the downed Pokémon, turned his head.
"Hmm?"
"Where's Allen?" Mewtwo repeated.
Alakazam turned this way and that as his eyes widened with fear. Alder was still squatting on the ground, having not moved an inch.
"He's not here? But—but he was standing right behind me for the last five minutes!"
Alakazam began to backtrack the route they had taken to the square, searching everywhere. Meanwhile, Alder was dumbstruck by the news.
"I swear he was right with us!"
But Mewtwo suddenly remembered; he hadn't seen Allen since they entered the square.
"Alder, I don't think Allen has been here since we got here and battled those Pokémon…" Mewtwo said slowly, motioning to the sleeping Pokémon on the ground.
"But why? He wouldn't just skive off like that, he'd at least tell us he was leaving… right?" Alder said uncertainly as he straightened himself.
Alakazam re-joined them as they both heard him communicate.
He's definitely not here. I just checked where we came from, and I didn't see any sign that he left.
"Oh, dear," said Alder, "What happened to him?"
Alakazam could only shake his head.
I think he's been kidnapped. But why anybody would do that is beyond me.
Mewtwo hung his head and covered his eyes with his hand. He couldn't believe that he didn't keep track of Allen.
"I can't believe this just happened" Mewtwo said, his voice heavy with guilt.
Just then, a sudden chill swept through the square. It wasn't a chill that he could associate with the wind, but instead felt like something much more sinister. It made him shiver, and, glancing at the other two, saw that they had done the same.
The atmosphere emitted a harsh sensation almost impossible to place. Seviper, Weezing, and Nidoking, although fast asleep, began to twitch slightly. Alakazam noted these movements, and faced Alder and Mewtwo.
Something must be coming.
In an instant, the area surrounding the three became dark. A shadow approached in the distance, coming closer. A round body was outlined with a smirk on its face. Red, despicable eyes pierced through the darkness.
"Those eyes," Mewtwo whispered, "they have the same glare as Seviper, but it does not appear to be a forced look. His mischievous eyes seem absolute."
The darkness, being caused by the figure, spread away from where he was standing, revealing a ghostly form. The smirk that was outlined previously grew bigger, more sinister.
"I am the Great Gengar."
The voice that issued from the figure was deep and rough, which in itself sent chills down Mewtwo's spine. Although he spoke relatively quietly, the three could still hear as though Gengar was standing right next to them. Combined with Gengar's appearance, Mewtwo's heart began to beat faster out of fear.
Alakazam spoke,
This is the being that kidnapped Allen! We must defeat him if we have any hope of recovering our friend.
"What did you do with Allen?!" Mewtwo shouted across the square a lot more bravely than he felt.
Gengar's vicious smile unfolded with the statement and tone of Mewtwo's question.
"He seemed… interesting. That young man, there is something about him. Some acquaintances and I deemed it necessary to administer a few tests, and he may prove useful."
Mewtwo shot a look of disdain at Gengar. Alakazam began to scan the area, formulating a plan of action. Alakazam, being of Psychic nature, always came across troubles with Ghost Pokémon; it was quite the conundrum to counter one who was the counter to yourself. He spoke again,
Mewtwo, keep calm. We need to formulate a battle plan to stop Gengar as well as find out Allen's whereabouts. Any ideas?
Mewtwo took a moment to gather his thoughts.
We need someone to draw his attention. It'll be much easier to weaken him when he has to keep track of more than one target.
Alakazam nodded and said, I think I should do the actual distracting. I can go on the defensive while—
But the thought was interrupted by a whistle from Gengar.
"Yoo-hoo! Hey! Looking for this fellow?"
And from behind Gengar rose a silhouette, its limbs hanging limply as he appeared to be laying down in mid-air. For a second, Mewtwo was completely bewildered. Then it hit him.
It was Allen.
A wave of hatred swelled so rapidly that Mewtwo didn't realize that his hands had balled into fists, his teeth had clenched, and his brow furrowed so that his eyelids formed little more than slits. And, without any forethought to his actions, his heart pumping pure fury throughout his body, Mewtwo charged.
"Mewtwo! Stop! Don't—" Alder began to cry out, but it was too late. Mewtwo's charge rushed with such speed that it could not be stopped.
Gengar grinned and proudly spoke out into the night, "Yes, Mewtwo, let's play for a bit. I've always wanted to have this kind of match with you."
"I'll destroy you..." Mewtwo muttered through gritted teeth. Mewtwo's punches quickly struck at Gengar's face, but Gengar was not to be underestimated. Gengar was one of the fastest ghosts around, and dodged Mewtwo's fists swiftly. Gengar then moved on to fading into darkness, before countering Mewtwo with an intense blow. Contact, however, only made Mewtwo's anger grow. His control faded, leaving an open wound and mindset of the past to surface to the top. A dark, heavy aura poured around Mewtwo as he gathered more strength to take on Gengar.
"That's it—achieve your revenge…" Gengar cooed menacingly.
Alder faced Alakazam.
"We need to stop Mewtwo! He is completely out of control; I understand that we must stop Gengar and save Allen, but not in this way!"
Alakazam shook his head in response.
Alder, Mewtwo must learn to find control himself. If we stop this battle now, then Mewtwo will never be able to break free from the chains that bind him to the darkness. Believe in him; keep the faith strong as I am now, and things will turn out for the best.
"Alakazam, I will trust your judgment, but to witness Mewtwo falling is heart-breaking. Isn't there anything we can do?!"
Alakazam began to whisper something to Alder. Alder's eyes widened, yet he nodded with agreement.
"Ah yes, I see why we must wait for the battle to be finished. Alakazam, you are brilliant, and I will follow the path you are setting forth."
Mewtwo gathered the energy from his emanating aura, and blasted Gengar with a shocking sphere of explosive energy. Gengar was taken back from this hit. His nimble footsteps stumbled in an unlikely, bruised manner.
"Impressive," Gengar teased. "And here I was thinking you had no fight left in you. Your little friend tried to defend you until his last conscious breath, saying nonsense like 'You would never destroy anyone,' and that he would be as strong as you. He fell unconscious after that; what a wonderful conclusion to his miniscule speech."
The thought of Allen once again crossed Mewtwo's mind, and gazing up to that limp body in the air intensified the rage towards Gengar. He had to avenge Allen, he had to; it was the only way he would get him back. Mewtwo's eyes glistened with hate, and he prepared for an extremely powerful attack. Energy built up in the palms of Mewtwo's shaking hands as all control was lost. He aimed at Gengar, and struck as quickly as a lightning bolt strikes the sky.
Vile, heinous energy dispersed from Mewtwo's hands with incredible speed. The sound was deafening, reverberating off of the surrounding buildings to shock every bone in the body. The ground flashed red hot and cast deep cracks where Mewtwo stood. Debris scattered across the open square, smashing into nearby windows. The burning glass scathed the ruptured ground, carving marks of collision. Dust from the terrain lifted and churned with the air, almost as if the two dissolved into one.
Silence. After the explosive attack, there was silence.
The impact damaged the entire surrounding area. The grass before their feet had scorched from the outward energy, and smoke lingered with the stirring dust. The damage was hindered from reaching town buildings, however, as a direct hit consumed the blast. Damage only surrounded what was near the center of impact.
Gengar was too clever to take the hit himself. Still holding Allen above with his energy, he released Allen to fall with speed like Mewtwo's attack. The action completed, Allen now acted like a shield against the attack fast approaching. As Mewtwo watched the horrors of his blast hit his friend, he screeched a bloody, sorrowful yell.
The air cleared, along with every shard of hate in Mewtwo's body. Any feeling Mewtwo had was shattered by the realization before him.
Allen. All thoughts were on Allen. Mewtwo rushed to the silhouette on the ground, appearing beside his dearest friend. Gengar began to back off slowly, being unnoticed. Mewtwo stared at his friend.
"I did this…" Mewtwo's voice quivered. "I hurt one of the people I would give my life to save. I lost control. I lost… you." Mewtwo stood with grief, unable to move. Alder stood speechless, about to make a move, until Alakazam motioned for Alder to leave Mewtwo be.
His thoughts went blank. There was no longer a sense of hatred; all that was left was remorse. Silence filled the entire area. Not a sound was made, not a pin drop was heard. That is, until the sinister, crazed laugh of Gengar shattered the air.
"Well done, Mewtwo! That was marvelous!" Gengar smirked with utter enjoyment. "You performed even better than expected! And to think such a silly illusion was enough to create and destroy such power, how fantastic!"
Mewtwo's eyes widened. Words tried to form, but the shock and confusion was too much.
"Well, I've had my fun. Let's remove the illusion, shall we? I'll vanish as well for now, but keep in mind that I'll be in your nightmares. I've promised some acquaintances a favor." In a flash, what appeared to be Allen vanished with Gengar.
The moment Gengar had disappeared, the air warmed and the late evening sunlight returned to full intensity. But nothing could change how Mewtwo was feeling. Even though Gengar had gone, he stared at the spot he had vanished on. The blank shock remained in his mind, leaving no space for thought.
Mewtwo's legs began to shake, then gave way entirely. He kneeled on the burnt grass and didn't bother to stand back up. He began to draw great, shuddering gasps, causing his entire body to tremble with grief.
For the second time, Mewtwo buried his face in his hands and wept.
Alakazam and Alder exchanged glances before making their way towards Mewtwo. Alakazam nodded towards Alder as he began to speak up.
"Mewtwo, there comes a time in life when all living, breathing creatures learn a life lesson. Sometimes that lesson is to speak with politeness, other times it consists of learning how to deal with life's trials. In this case, however, you must learn the art of forgiveness. Alakazam and I forgive your actions, as must yourself. Do not blind yourself from the stars because the sun is gone, but open your eyes wider to welcome its return. Allen has not vanished yet, and I assure you that this is not the end. Now, open your eyes and witness the occurrences before yourself. Take the situation into your own hands, and take control. The power is yours, and yours alone."
Mewtwo continued to sob, but Alder knew that he had heard these words. He knelt down and put an arm around his shoulder.
"Just remember; we'll always be here for you."
Alakazam took a knee on Mewtwo's right side and rubbed Mewtwo's back. He began to murmur in strange tongues, but the words that came out were soft and gentle; it sounded like a song.
Gradually, Mewtwo regained his composure. The combination of Alder's gentle pressure on his shoulder and Alakazam's song helped to ease the awful guilt in his stomach. His mind, previously filled with scattered thoughts, had soothed slightly.
He turned his head towards the three rogue Pokémon, realizing the truth to Alder's words. He could not just stop and wallow in sorrow. Action must be taken, and carried out swiftly. Mewtwo mustered the courage to speak, and expressed his new thoughts not with grief, but with determination.
"Those three Pokémon may awake soon; Let us head towards the Pokémon Center and keep them under close observation."
Alder gave Mewtwo's shoulder a quick squeeze and straightened up as Alakazam did the same. Mewtwo was slower to his feet, as the simple action seemed to be costing him great effort. He stepped slowly over to the Pokémon and bent down to untie them. The three were still asleep, no longer troubled by Gengar's presence.
Mewtwo gingerly raised Seviper and draped him around his shoulders; the creature's length made this method of transport easier. Alakazam used his psychic abilities to lift Nidoking and Weezing off of the ground. Mewtwo turned his head to look at Alder and Alakazam. Twitching his head forward, Mewtwo indicated that he would take the lead to the Pokémon Center.
And so, bearing their odd cargo, they walked.
Time passed slowly at first, but as they traveled, the trek succeeded with no other obstructions. Mewtwo gazed up towards the Pokémon Center, breathing a sigh of relief. Alder held the doors open for Mewtwo and Alakazam to pass through with ease. The moment that they stepped through the open doors, all eyes were fixated on them and their strange situation. The spectators were extremely puzzled to see the three rogue Pokémon previously wreaking havoc to appear before their eyes. Despite all the attention, Mewtwo and the others walked towards the front desk, requesting the assistance of Nurse Joy. Within a minute, Nurse Joy stepped out from the back halls.
"How may I help you all today?" Nurse Joy enquired with a smile.
Mewtwo tried to return the smile, but only achieved a sort of grimace; the recent events had weighed his heart with grief and prevented him from performing the action. When he spoke, the words came out faintly and with little energy.
"We have the Pokémon that were causing all the chaos earlier," said Mewtwo. He motioned behind him to the rest of the party. "It turns out that they were not acting on their own free will, and instead were under possession."
Nurse Joy nodded slowly and glanced around Mewtwo to see Alakazam holding up Nidoking and Weezing with what seemed to be nothing.
"Thank you for bringing these three to us. If you'll follow me, we can get them accommodated for the night and restore them to full health in no time."
Alder's voice came from behind Mewtwo.
"You two go on ahead and follow Nurse Joy; I'll wait in the lobby."
Mewtwo and Alakazam nodded back to Alder in agreement before following Nurse Joy into the back hallways.
At the farthest end of the hallway Nurse Joy was leading the two down, there was a small, quaint room. Medical supplies lined the walls, and a dim light illuminated the room from the window as the sunset's last rays reflected. Before them stood three beds neatly prepared.
"We had a Dodrio stay here once," Nurse Joy began with a smile, "they each requested their own bed. What a trio those guys were."
Mewtwo and Alakazam glanced at each other before breaking the faintest of smirks. They could both see through Nurse Joy's attempt to lighten the atmosphere, but they appreciated the gesture all the same. Nurse Joy began to prepare the room for the rogue Pokémon, setting up the proper equipment. Once everything was in place, Nurse Joy gently transitioned Seviper from Mewtwo's shoulders to the first bed. She then signaled Alakazam to follow suit and place Nidoking and Weezing to a designated bed. Nurse Joy then spoke,
"I'll run a few tests to diagnose the state of their conditions, and keep you all updated as soon as possible. In the meantime, you both seem exhausted; care to stay the night? Of course Alder is welcome as well."
"Umm…" Mewtwo started uncertainly. He turned his head to Alakazam who gave a look that plainly said, It's up to you.
"Yes, Miss Joy, we'll spend the night here." He was about to continue when he stopped short. He forgot that Alakazam was not free to make his own decisions like he was. So he had to revise his statement.
"I mean, I'll spend the night here. I don't know if Alder will, so I'll have to ask him."
Nurse Joy bowed her head and said, "Certainly. I'll be conducting tests meanwhile, so I will join you momentarily."
"Thank you."
As Nurse Joy gathered a team of Chansey to assist her work, Alakazam and Mewtwo made their way back to the lobby. Alder sat waiting patiently for their return. Once Alder noticed their presence, he spoke up,
"Welcome back! How is the situation?"
"Nurse Joy is currently running tests, and we will be notified as soon as possible," Mewtwo said in the same tired voice, "Oh, and Nurse Joy offered us a night to rest in the Pokémon Center. What are your thoughts?"
Alder thought for a minute before responding. "Hmm, it would be a nice opportunity to stay close to those three Pokémon, but at the same time I must finish some work left unattended at my own abode. Especially after this sort of incident, it is necessary to keep the town at rest, and keep everything organized."
Mewtwo completely understood where Alder's point arose from; he was the village's most trusted resident after all. Mewtwo was about to speak, when he heard Alakazam interrupt.
Why not allow me to remain for the night, while you and Alder focus on village duties? If anything happens to develop at this Pokémon Center, I would be able to send a psychic connection to reach the two of you. This way, the tasks are handled appropriately.
Again, Mewtwo took a breath to speak but stopped. He looked outside the window and noticed that the sky was turning indigo in the east and a deep, bloodshot red in the west. His legs felt like lead, his eyelids growing heavier with the passing minutes. The aches of the day's events had completely worn him out. He just wanted to go to bed.
Mewtwo sighed, turning slowly to face Alder and Alakazam.
"Look, I'm really sorry, but today has been an extremely long day. Can't we just… um…" Mewtwo struggled under the combination of mental exhaustion and finding the right words to finish the sentence.
Alder walked up to Mewtwo and patted him on the shoulder.
"It's all right. I agree, today has indeed been a tiresome day. Spend the night here in the Pokémon Center, and Alakazam and I can return in the morning to see you. There is no harm in a few hours of rest."
Relief spread across Mewtwo's face.
"Thank you," he said. "As soon as my energy returns in the morning, I'll be able to think clearly again."
Alder and Alakazam nodded with understanding, and prepared for departure. Alder withdrew Alakazam's Pokéball when Mewtwo quickly stepped forward and held up his hand to stop him.
"Wait… Alakazam…" Mewtwo extended the same hand. "Thank you for everything today. You are an extraordinary Pokémon with great skill, and I have learned much from you."
Alakazam grinned and shook hands with Mewtwo.
It was a pleasure working with you today, and I await the many great things to come. For now, I wish you a wonderful stay at the Pokémon Center. We will see each other again soon.
Mewtwo cracked a smile as Alakazam returned to Alder's Pokéball. Alder bid Mewtwo one final goodbye, then proceeded to leave the building. Mewtwo turned and walked toward the front desk, prepared to ask the one working about a spare room to stay. The attendant working the front desk directed Mewtwo to the available room on the far right of the second hall. After maneuvering through the halls, Mewtwo successfully found the empty room he would inhabit for the night.
The room was cozy, much like the room they had seen earlier. However, it was clearly prepared for guests instead of patients. Large, curtained windows made up much of the left side. A bed sat along the middle of the wall opposite the door, lit by lamps located on either side. A desk, complete with a comfy chair, desk lamp, and drawers were on the right side of the room. Mewtwo breathed in the smell of clean linens and felt the soft carpeting cushion his feet. He couldn't quite place how it came about, but he felt like he belonged in this room. It felt like he was at home, something that he could never remember before.
Mewtwo walked over to the windows to look outside. The sky was progressively getting darker, now turning to the deepest of navy as the sun no longer lit the sky. The lamps that were lit behind him made strong glares and allowed him to see himself in the glass. He studied his reflection for the first time in many years.
Analyzing himself, Mewtwo noticed small details about himself that were previously oblivious before. The curvature of his back, how he held his tail, and most notably, the scars on his back. The scars, slightly faded, still remained ingrained on to Mewtwo's skin, but the image now burned in his head. Mewtwo recognized that these scars are a part of who he is, but as he stared at them, he wondered what his life would be like without the scars. What life would be like without the power, without the fighting, without any of it? The scars molded him, but did he really want to be molded this way? His reflection as a whole, what did it truly mean? Who was he really? These questions flared in Mewtwo's mind like the start of a wildfire.
And suddenly, Mewtwo didn't feel exhausted at all. On the contrary, he felt wide awake. Though he now wanted to go help Alder with his work, Mewtwo knew that he should get at least some sleep. He reluctantly stepped over to the bed, got under the covers, and laid his head on the pillows. It was extremely comfortable in these fresh, clean sheets, and he allowed his eyes to close.
These scars were what defined him. Ever since he arose from his fifteen years of rest, it was the scars. But then he thought again about not having the scars. He remembered what Alder had told him about the evil organization. He remembered his experience with his past self, and how the other Mewtwo had behaved… Did he really want that?
The questions began to blaze even quicker and swirled around Mewtwo's head. Maybe he could he give it all up now? Make a fresh start and forget about the past, start a new life, and learn to live without the impressions of the scars. Learn to live with no regard to his past. Learn to live a happy, normal life. Learn to live… knowing Allen may never be seen again. Learn to live that it was because of his recklessness that Allen was taken, and possibly never return. Learn to live with the fact that he abandoned Alder, Alakazam, and all of Ether Valley when they needed him most. Life without the scars… would it truly make a difference? Whether he was involved or not, would that change the fact that people were in danger, Pokémon in pain, and evil organizations were destroying the tranquility of life? Mewtwo began to remember why he had the scars in the first place. The scars were not just a reminder of a dark past, but proof that he fought for his own future, against the control of anyone. He had fought for his own life; a life where he could enjoy the earth's beauty, and protect those he cared for.
And with that thought, Mewtwo finally fell asleep.