SLACKERS

EPISODE XXIII

SINS OF THE FATHER

CHAPTER NINE - REVELATION

Misty said nothing as Mihalis, her boyfriend and father of her unborn child, emerged from the penthouse elevator and stomped directly to the balcony. She knew he had been feeling tense ever since the phone call, but since then, she had been leaving him alone. One thing they had in common was the way they handled their problems. It was rare for one of them to ask about the other's issues, normally one of them would approach the other when they were ready to talk about it. In this case, though, Misty wondered if Mihalis would ever be ready to talk.

In her mind, he still hadn't let himself rest over the fact that the boss of Team Rocket, the largest crime syndicate in the world, was his biological father.

After days of brooding, and minutes of letting him have his space alone outside, she joined him. She found him leaning against the wall, overlooking the city. She had seen him like this before, but the absence of a cigarette between his fingers made him far more approachable. Maybe he had previously smoked outside just so people would stay away. That didn't matter right now. If he hadn't learned how to deal with the situation by now, she was about to make him deal with it. And with him, she almost always got her way.

She decided this wouldn't be any different.

"Hey," she said as she leaned on the balcony wall next to him.

He quickly looked over his shoulder.

"Hey," he responded.

"You've obviously got a lot on your mind right now."

"What could possibly have given that away?" he asked sarcastically, as he turned his gaze back to the sprawling metropolis in front of him.

She said nothing, only waiting for him to continue.

"I'm annoyed," he said.

"You're always annoyed," she responded.

He scratched the back of his head, hating how right she was. He didn't like being called out, but he wouldn't deny how accurate her gaffe really was.

"I'm worried about my mom. And Mew. I haven't heard from him in forever. Then there's the phone call. And me being stupid enough to nearly kill myself trying to outsmart Wario. Wario!"

"Hal, calm down..." she interrupted, using a nickname rarely used, and only by herself.

"No, I won't fucking calm down! It's like I'm letting all this get to me way more than it should, and then I feel guilty, then I get so pissed..."

"Screaming about it isn't going to help anyone, you know," said Misty.

Enraged, Mihalis took one of his patio chairs and knocked it over so hard, it slid six feet across the balcony.

Misty stood back.

She got scared.

She didn't know who she was witnessing right now. Her partner, or the son of Giovanni.

He looked at her, saw the fear in her eyes, and collapsed. He fell to the ground and put his face in his hands.

"Missy... I'm sorry..."

She took a moment to breathe, relieved that his hard-learned sense of self-awareness was finally taking over. She sighed, then slowly sat on the floor next to him. Only a moment ago, she wouldn't have dared said anything like this, but now that he was aware and vulnerable, she seized the opportunity.

"Mihalis, I love you. You know that. I'll always support you, but you need to hear this. Right now, you're acting like Giovanni."

"I know..." he said as he heaved within his hands. "I swear, I never want to be like him. I can't turn into that. I know emotions can be passed down, but... I'm not him. Right?"

"Of course not," said Misty.

"I can't live like this anymore, Kasumi," said Mihalis. "I hate that I'm always so irritable and stressed. I have an easy life. A good one. So what the hell is wrong with me? Am I just angry about Giovanni?"

"You still haven't fully processed it yet."

"Then when will I? When will it all be okay? I need it to all be okay. Especially before..." he couldn't finish his sentence. Misty knew, though.

"I know you won't be that kind of father," she said.

He finally brought himself to look up and gaze into the eyes of the love of his life.

"You really believe that?" he asked.

She put an arm around him and said, "Absolutely. You shouldn't need to even ask something like that. You may have been unlucky enough to have some of his mannerisms in your genes, but you are not, and never will be him."

His head sank again, and tears began streaming down his face as Misty put an arm around him, pulling him close.

Inside a cave on an island thousands of miles from civilization, a small, pink Pokemon contemplated the news he'd just received. He knew he had to respond to such a revelation in a dignified, composed, and polite manner.

"Bullshit."

...or not.

"I know how your mind works, Mew," said Mewtwo. "I know you believe me, you simply don't want to."

"Why would I not want to?"

"Because for the entirety of your life, at least the part you remember, the secrets of your past have been completely unknown to you. Your mysterious origin has become a part of you, and your mind finds it difficult to accept the alternative. That there is an explanation for it all."

"Riiiight. And you're saying that there is, in fact, an explanation, and you happen to know it."

Mewtwo nodded. Mew blinked. Again, he sensed no deception coming from across the flames.

"Wait... you actually know about my past?"

"Yes. Everything."

"How?!"

"Years ago, Team Rocket operated a secret research laboratory. In it, I was created with a sample of your DNA. An eyelash, to be precise. I later returned to the site of the lab and recovered any surviving documents about the specimen they had used. That research contained everything they had discovered about you, including your date and place of birth. I destroyed all of it so your power could never again be used by those whom would abuse it, and as a result, I am the only one with the answers you seek."

"But... how? You said Giovanni made you, and you're saying I randomly shed somewhere, and he found it and used the DNA to create you? Then why are you so different from me?"

"I'm aware of your familiarity with Sakaki and his criminal enterprise. I also know your former trainer is his illegitimate son."

Mew decided he had enough of trying to find out why Mewtwo knew so much. His trademark patience (or lack thereof) finally showed its true colors. At this point, he figured it'd just be easier to accept it and move on.

"Yeah, Mike's not too crazy about being reminded of that," said Mew.

"What would you like to know? I'm prepared to share everything. It's only fair that you know as much about yourself as possible."

Mew looked at Celebi, whom was just as curious as he was. He turned his attention back to his supposed doppelganger.

"Everything, I guess," said Mew, part of him still feeling like he was in some bizarre dream. "Where did I come from?"

"Very well, we'll start with the beginning. When I studied the research created regarding your information, I discovered that your egg was hatched underneath Kaieteur Falls, an enormous waterfall in the region of Guyana. This took place in the year 417."

Mew was stunned.

"So... that would make me..."

"One thousand, six hundred and five years old," answered the studious Celebi.

The speechless Mew watched as Mewtwo continued.

"26 years ago, Sakaki's organization, Team Rocket, was at its peak level of growth. At that point, he was no longer interested in merely producing strong trainers and Pokemon. At that point, he wanted global dominion."

"When I met Giovanni, it seemed he wasn't after direct control, he just wanted to influence those who were in power," said Mew.

"Yes, his philosophies have changed repeatedly over the years. At that time, he indeed wanted direct control of the world, but he knew he would be unable to accomplish his goal without the appropriate strength supporting him."

"So he decided to find a trace of the world's most powerful Pokemon, and make an even more powerful clone?" asked Celebi.

Mewtwo nodded. "The team spent years looking for Mew, even a trace of him. When they found a sample of his DNA, they set to work creating me. I was grown in the laboratory I mentioned, and when I awoke, they made it no secret that I was only the successful result of their experiment, and nothing more. No one cared for me, my well-being, my upheaval upon learning I had a purpose so void. I... went into a rage and destroyed the lab, as well as the people inhabiting it."

Mew and Celebi felt their chests sink.

"I regret my actions that day," said Mewtwo solemnly, "the loss of life among those simply following orders was not worth unleashing the agony I was experiencing. Shortly after the destruction, Giovanni discovered me, and promised we would work together and coexist as partners. I remained at his side until he revealed that he had merely created me for the sole purpose of serving him."

"That's horrible," said Celebi.

"I couldn't accept any of those options as being my destiny. I therefore decided to create my own. I set out to prove that engineered clones were superior to naturally-born Pokemon, if only to validate to myself that I was better than those whom had wronged me. I constructed a new laboratory and a stadium on this very island, determined to prove my point. I dispatched invitations to the world's trainers, and only a handful were able to arrive at my doorstep. I seized their Pokemon and cloned them with the intention of wiping out all life forms in favor of my clones. That's when I finally met you, Mew."

"Why don't I remember any of this?"

"You were set on proving to me that natural Pokemon were, in fact, superior to my clones. We clashed in battle for a long time before a young trainer interfered and made a sacrifice. We watched idly as he was resurrected by some sort of power born out of love from all involved: humans, Pokemon, and clones. You and I set aside our differences to talk, and we decided that the circumstances of one's birth were irrelevant. It was what we chose to do with the gift of life that set us apart."

"So then what happened?"

"I decided it was best if everyone involved abandoned their memories of the entire event. I took my clones with me to another location, and sent everyone born naturally to where they had been the previous day with no memories of what had occurred. That included you."

"So you wiped my memory?"

"You were so much more powerful than anyone or anything else there. I was able to override your power with my own, but it not only removed your memories of the day. You were effectively reset to Level 1, and apart from your basic skills, your memories from anything before that day were gone. It was not my intention to completely erase your life, but I couldn't bear the thought of you remembering the atrocities I had committed. I apologize, Mew. From the bottom of my heart, I am sorry I caused you to forget your life."

Mew thought on this for a moment.

Then he responded, "You know... it's okay. Really. I have no idea what my life was like before then, but I guess it doesn't really matter. I'm actually really happy with the life I have now. I've got Mihalis and Misty, all my friends, and a loving partner. I've got everything I could ever want."

"Oh, Mew..." said Celebi.

Mewtwo sighed.

"The clones have all gone on to live natural lives among others, and I have been here in solitude ever since. I reset this island to its natural form, before it was touched by Team Rocket and myself."

"What have you been doing all this time?" asked Celebi.

"Reflecting on my life, on my actions, and my purpose. My reason for being still isn't clear to me, but I'm not short for time when it comes to discovering these things. When the time is right, when I know what I can do to improve myself and everyone in this world, I will reemerge. But until then, you must keep secret your discovery of me."

"Why?" asked Mew.

"I know it is difficult to be unaware of the fundamental aspects of life. You deserve to know everything about your own, it is no one's to take away. But I cannot be discovered before I am in complete control of myself. If Giovanni were to discover me again, he would likely have learned how to control me by now, and would stop at nothing to force me to use my powers to bend the world to his will. I cannot allow that to happen."

Mewtwo looked sternly at Mew.

"I therefore request... no, I beg... that you will reveal to no one of your discovery of me."

"I know, but... Mike. He and I don't keep secrets from each other. He's my brother, my best friend. Yes, he's Giovanni's son, but he deplores everything the man stands for."

"That is exactly why you must not tell him. I cannot take any risks that would allow Giovanni to discover me. I don't believe he knows I still exist. I must keep it that way. Promise me, Mew. Please."

Mew looked down as Celebi rubbed his back. Then he gave his answer.

"Alright, Mewtwo. Your secret is safe with me. You... you may have done some truly awful shit, but you did answer all the questions I've been trying to solve for a really long time. I owe you that."

No other words were spoken. A moment of silence, then the pair of legendary Pokemon emerged from the cave, bound once again for Hyrule.

Mew wanted so badly to tell Mihalis he had finally figured everything out. Everything. And now he couldn't.

He had no idea what he was going to do.

You know, it's a good thing I'm taking forever to post these. It's amazing what some wording changes and a spellcheck can do. I'm sure I'll catch something post-publishing anyway. Oh well.