Well, you can figure this out for yourselves. It is short, but it is mainly only to set up the next few Episodes. Anyway, I finally get around to doing what I had been meaning too for ages. Shameless advertising!

I urge you to read Anomaly, by Dark Magician Girl Aeris (overwise known as the ToF fangirl) seeing as it is set in the same timeline as this. Hell, it explains a few of the loose ends I've left. And explains Mew's eccentricness a little more. Now go to it, or you will not understand the next few arcs...

Episode 144: Unrivalled Hatred

"You must be the Charmander known as Flame that the grunts are all talking about," the Human boomed down, Fervo took a step back and as actually looking afraid.

"He is," came another Human voice and I glanced over my shoulder to see the two Rockets from the tower blocking off the door. I smiled at the sight of bandages wrapped around their heads and chests; they hadn't made it out unscathed.

"Everyone talks about you as though you are some sort of super being, yet you are no different to all of the other Charmander that I have seen. Small and insignificant in the grand scheme of things," the boss of them continued, causing my anger to flare up again.

Fervo sensed my changing temperament and took Mew from me, wrapping his arms around the psychic's shoulders and propping him up that way while I stared at Giovanni with as much venom as I could muster. He laughed.

"Nothing special at all. Barely worth the trouble. Well, we could always use more test subjects so we can perfect our newest experiments," he chuckled, which froze me on the spot. Untill my anger burst through the shock.

"You want to put me in a tube, come and fucking get me!" I yelled as loud as I could, the mental dam breaking under the force of my rage, before spinning around and blasting the two Rockets' with a stream of fire. They'd been sneaking up on me and Mew. With needles. They deserved it.

Giovanni laughed again as the two grunts ran away, the male on fire, "fools. I don't need you alive. Even Mew is obsolete now."

"I don't like the sound of that," both Mew and Fervo muttered, simultaneously. I wasn't bothered; I could see Scyther right behind the Human with blades ready.

However, just as Scyther pounced, a purple energy ball blew him away and he shot over the railing before hitting the floor that I was standing on. A good three meter drop, head first.

"Ouch," Giovanni muttered as Scyther lay prone, "even I felt that one. But, that is what our enemies get."

"Correct," a second voice echoed in my head, a very familiar voice.

"That wasn't me, I can't even do telepathy anymore," Mew said as he was passed back to me, Fervo decided to go check on Scyther.

The Rocket boss laughed again, this time it even made me a little fearful. Then, a small purple feline appeared by his shoulder. Floating in midair, flicking its large tail around as it stared at us all.

"Wow déjà vu," Mew muttered.

"Unlike the 'Two projects," Giovanni chuckled, "Mewthree is a pure clone. Nothing tampered with. We only dyed his fur so we could tell him apart during our planned combat test, scheduled for tomorrow morning."

"Against me," Mew said, glancing across at me, "sorry. Looks like I led you into a trap."

"Shame really. Beating a weakened version of myself is no fun. I was hoping you would have called upon Mewtwo. Now, that would be a match worth fighting."

"He'd have trouble taking me, but you would be no match for him. Too young, even if they accelerated your growth."

The 'Mewthree' glared at Mew and an energy ball formed.

"Can I kill them now?" He asked the Human, who smiled.

"Amazing really. Pure clone, which actually follows orders," he laughed.

"Pure clone, my arse!" Mew said loudly, despite it obviously hurting him, "I know for a fact that I am not ugly, he is. Yeesh, purple is so not your colour."

I shoved Mew down and dived to the side as an energy ball show through the space that we had occupied only seconds earlier.

"Mew, stop pissing off the bad guys!" I yelled as I got back up.

"You do it all the time," he coughed, "I wanted a turn."

"At least I always have someone to pull me out of trouble. We don't have that here!"

"Are you two finished? I really want to get this over with."

I glared at Mewthree as I pulled Mew up.

"We're not going to die here," I growled, clenching my free hand and launching a fireball at the psychic cat.

The fireball was easily blocked by a barrier that formed as Mewthree waved its hand, before lobbing a second attack at us. It was coming too fast; I didn't have time to react properly. I managed to throw Mew out of the way, but the attack was too close for me to dodge it myself.

I evaded my downfall as a second barrier formed, in front of me this time, and the energy ball exploded harmlessly. Mewthree stared with wide eyes.

"How the hell?" His voice echoed in my mind, "Mew has no power. Who could block such an attack?"

"My little brother," Mew replied as I pulled him up again, "you did want to fight him so much."

"What?"

"Mew," a second voice formed in my head as another feline-like creature appeared. It was taller than all of the Humans I had met, and had a massive tail. Three fingers on each hand flexed as it looked up at Mewthree, "never call me that again."

"It sounds cooler than Mewtwo."

I gawped at this, trying to figure out what was happening.

"So, the original clone decides to come back?" Giovanni laughes, "I remember the last incident now. This time, I'll just kill you. Then find the other 'Two, she has to be nearby."

"I will make sure I destroy everything this time," 'Mewtwo' replied, "including you."

"Flame?" Mew whispered, "we better get out of the way. This could get real messy."