Rocket Intermission: Mommy Knows Best!

In a small valley tucked away in the hills that formed Kanto's northernmost border, great things were afoot.

Despite their recent losses at Mt. Moon, Team Rocket had hit the ground running. A hidden base camp had already been established long before the mountain had exploded, with large, black tents set up in orderly rows while Grunts ran to and fro, engaged in dozens of different tasks. Various vehicles stood at the ready, belts with pokeballs full of powerful Pokemon were handed out, while more conventional weapons were checked and dispersed. Meanwhile, refugees and supplies from the now destroyed Mt. Moon base were quickly assimilated into the already underway operation. The loss of the base was unfortunate, but Team Rocket was nothing but adaptable. And in that loss, opportunity had presented itself, opening up a wealth of supplies and manpower just in time for their latest endeavor.

Not that any of that meant much to four of the Rocket agents that had just disembarked from one of the helicopters. After all, their presence was sheer coincidence, and being dropped into so much hustle and bustle was proving to be bewildering.

"So…" Cassidy said as she looked around at the organized chaos happening all around her. "What exactly is going on?"

"Yah tink dat dey'd give us like a pamphlet or somethin'," Meowth observed.

"Hey!"

The four of them instinctively snapped to attention at the gruff, commanding voice.

A short, heavyset man with a thin beard and wearing a Grunt Captain's uniform bustled over to them. "What're you three just standing around for?" he demanded. "Where's your unit?"

The three humans all exchanged quick glances. Meowth sighed.

"We, uh, came from Mt. Moon-" Cassidy began.

"Oh, more of you?" the Captain groused. "Fine, fine." He pointed to a large tent. "Report to the commander in that tent. He'll find something for you to do."

Cassidy was now even more lost. It was clear that there was a large-scale operation underway, but she wasn't sure how she felt about being mistaken for one of those stationed at Mt. Moon. After all, they weren't even supposed to be there. They were supposed to-

Then she sharply inhaled, sucking air through her teeth.

No. Wait.

This was perfect.

"Uh, we're actually-" James began to say.

Thinking quickly, Cassidy jammed her foot into his, shutting him up. "Yes, sir!" she said, saluting. "We'll get right on that!"

"Get to it, then," the Captain growled as he hurried away, no doubt already having forgotten them.

James yanked his foot away. "What was that for?" he demanded. "That hurt!"

"You were talking back to a commanding officer, idiot," Cassidy hissed as she began heading for the tent that they had been ordered to. "I stopped you before you did something that could get us in trouble."

"Yeah, but he ain't our commandin' officer," Meowth remarked as he and the other two began following.

"Of course he is! Team Rocket needs all available Grunts for this mission, and that includes us! We've been reassigned, that's all."

Butch shot her a quizzical look. "But don't we already have orders?" he said. "What about those brats?"

"Forget them," Cassidy responded. "This is perfect. We'll just…do what we're told and fade into the background. When all is said and done, nobody will even care about those little runts. They probably got crushed when the mountain exploded anyway."

James was aghast. "But what about Jessie? Wasn't all of this about her?"

"Yeah, I'm wit' the dumbo," Meowth added. "Jessie might be a braindead bimbo, but she's our braindead bimbo!"

"You mean she's yours!" Cassidy countered. She swung a finger due south, in the general direction of Mt. Moon. "You want to go sift through that mountain's rubble, then you can go right ahead! Me and Butch are going to do our jobs!"

Butch's brow creased. "Cassidy, I ain't one to question your logic, but maybe they have a point. We already have a job, remember? What's Archer gonna think if he finds out that we just up and quit?"

Cassidy sighed. "Butch, if there's one thing I've heard about command, it's that they only think about Grunts like us when we're right in front of their faces. I guarantee you: nobody back in Viridian City even remember us."

…

One thing that most people truly failed to comprehend about beauty was just how fleeting it was.

Oh, they claimed to understand. After all, all things must age, must die, must rot. The world's most gorgeous supermodel would one day become a shriveled old hag, the most awe-inspiring piece of artwork would one day become nothing more than moldy mulch, and even a perfect gemstone was one day doomed to become nothing but dust. Decay came for all.

However, it also went beyond that, in that people's ideas of the definition of beauty was also only for a time. Things such as aesthetics, beauty standards, and attractiveness came and went, and could vary wildly across borders and cultures. What one people considered the peak of physical beauty could be repulsive to another. What one generation held as an ideal was old-fashioned and trite to the next. One generation favored plump bodies and pale skin, and the next idealized the fit and tanned, and the next reversed things. Perceptions changed, and trends came and went.

But there were a few standards of beauty that remained consistent. The beauty of youth transcended time period and culture, as did the beauty of purity. Those were constants that were always universal.

And Lusamine intended to keep it that way.

From her place seated on the acceptably expensive couch in the acceptably expensive quarters provided for her and her family by Team Rocket, Lusamine leaned forward as she carefully examined the naked genitals of the trembling child standing before her.

One might mistake her interest in the young girl's most private of places to be motivated by something base, something crude, such as lust and perversion. But nothing could be further from the truth. The child was her own daughter, after all, and as a dutiful mother, it was her sacred responsibility to look after her precious daughter's purity, especially when living in a world that seemed so eager to despoil her.

And to Lusamine's satisfaction, Lillie's adorable little snatch was as lovely as ever. She admired how the creamy whiteness of her thighs warmed to a pale rose, to how the perfect little pearl of her clitoris lay nestled comfortably between the two slightly puffy lips of her labia, to how her silky-smooth skin remained unblemished by any sign of hair. Her daughter was the embodiment of childish perfection.

"Lovely," Lusamine murmured as she traced her fingertips around the slope of Lillie's mound, as if she were caressing the bud of a rare and breathtaking flower right before it blossomed. "Simply lovely."

However, Lillie's perfection was owed largely to still being within the fullness of her youth. The girl had yet to bleed, and her body would eventually succumb to the ravages of womanhood. There was beauty and perfection to be found in maturity, of course, with Lusamine's own body standing testament to that. But it was an ugly process, and not all handled the evolution with grace. Care would have to be taken to ensure that her daughter handled her body's evolution as she had been brought up to.

Also, care had to be taken to ensure that her purity was preserved along with her beauty, until the time was right.

Grasping Lillie's thighs with her hands, Lusamine pressed her thumbs into her daughter's vaginal lips and spread them wide, exposing her bright pink insides. Above her, Lillie couldn't help but twitch and squirm at her mother's intimate touch. She let out a small whimper, but remained standing the best that she could, like the good girl that she was.

Lusamine smiled when she saw the light gleaming off the surface of Lillie's hymen. "And you have been keeping yourself pure for Mommy, I see! Well done."

She leaned forward and planted a loving kiss over Lillie's clit, rewarding her beautiful daughter for her chastity. Lillie let out a small squeak.

"I'm so proud of you, sweetie," Lusamine said as she drew back. She gave Lillie an affectionate pat on her bare buttocks. "I know how difficult it is to remain unspoiled in this day and age." She cast an eye over to her other child, who was sitting stiff and still in the nearby high-backed chair with his hands folded in his lap.

"I haven't done anything," Gladion pointed out.

"And I never accused you of such," Lusamine said as Lillie hastily pulled her panties back up and straightened her skirt. "Try being a little less defensive. Besides, I've seen how you look at her. Lust is quite unbecoming in a young man."

"I-I don't-"

Lusamine sighed. "The tent in your lap and the blush in your cheeks says otherwise. Dear, I know boys your age are often helpless to the whims of your hormones, but if you are going to insist on staring lustfully at your little sister's pussy, then you might as well be honest about it."

"Mommy, you told him to watch," Lillie said in a small voice.

Lusamine smiled. "Ah, but I didn't tell him to leer, now did I?" she said, giving Lillie's cheek a silly little pinch. "Now, give Mommy a kiss."

Lillie's petite little body tensed up, but she obeyed, leaning in to touch her lips to her mother's waiting mouth.

Lusamine tsked. Lillie knew better than that.

She reached up and firmly grasped the back of her shirking daughter's head and pulled her into a deep and passionate kiss. Lillie made a muffled sound, probably one of thanks, but said no more as Lusamine's tongue invited itself in.

Lusamine drank deeply from her daughter's mouth before finally releasing her. "Remember, Lillie," she chided, tapping an admonishing finger against the panting girl's nose. "We don't hold back from Mommy."

Cheeks red and eyes watering, Lillie gave a brief nod.

Smiling in approval, Lusamine caressed Lillie's blushing cheek. Then she turned her attention over to her other child.

As instructed, Gladion had sat still and watched the whole process. However, his control was disappointedly less than Lillie's. Despite not having been touched, his body was trembling, and he was red in the face. Sighing, Lusamine walked over to him.

Gladion tensed up as she approached, but at least had the self-control to not look away.

"I know you enjoyed it," Lusamine said. "Now, stand up."

Gladion winced, but he did as he was told, rising up off of his seat. His hands remained clasped over his groin, however.

Lusamine tsked. "Hands down," she said. Her son hesitated, but dropped his hands to his sides.

"Just look at you," Lusamine chided. The front of Gladion's lap was bulging out. "Such a dirty little boy, all worked up over your darling little sister."

"Mommy, it's not his fault," Lillie protested.

Despite the act of defiance, Lusamine was more charmed by her little girl's attempts to protect Big Brother. "Perhaps. Biology is what it is, after all. But even so, precaution must be taken."

With that, she pressed her palm against Gladion's stomach, fingers splayed out and facing down, and slid it down into the hem of his pants. Her son stiffened, his eyes going wide at the sudden invasion, but he bit his tongue and tolerated his mother's admonishments, as he should.

"Yes, I feel you there," Lusamine said as her fingers found Gladion's thick, twitching erection where it was bound up tightly inside of his briefs. She gave it a squeeze: not hard enough to actually hurt him, but just enough to leave an impression. "Remember, Gladion. It is not yet time for that. One day, the time will come for you to take your little sister's purity, to mix it with your own for the preservation of our family, and she will be yours. But until then, that purity must be protected, and I will not have you spoiling her. Do you understand?"

Her fingers tightened, as did Gladion's jaw. "Yes, Mother," he said with a small nod.

"Good."

Lusamine withdrew her hand and walked to the kitchen. She ran the hot water at the sink, pumped a few squirts of creamy white soap into her hands, and ran them under the steaming water, washing her children's musk off of her fingers. "Remember, my dears, our base impulses betray us. The body merely wants. It does not understand. It must be controlled. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Mommy," Lillie murmured. Gladion nodded.

Lusamine arched an eyebrow. "Gladion?"

"Yes, Mother," her son said.

Lusamine sighed. It would have to do.

Then the transmitter on the wall beeped. Lusamine paused, and then grabbed a washcloth. Drying her hands, she walked over to the transmitter and pressed the answer button. "Yes?" she said.

"Lusamine, it's time," came the voice of Arlo. "The helicopter from South America has just returned. It's landing now."

Lusamine blinked. "What? Already? But I thought-"

"It's here, Lusamine. Shuttle leaves in five minutes."

Mentally cursing Arlo for his obstinance, Lusamine smacked her palm against the transmitter, killing the call. "I am needed elsewhere," she said curtly as she hurried for the door. "You know how to behave."

With that, she was gone.

…

Despite the finality of how the door slammed shut, Gladion and Lillie didn't budge from where they were standing until several seconds had passed by. Mother had at times returned soon after leaving, having forgotten some important item or another, and it wouldn't do to let their guard down too early.

When they were reasonably certain that she wasn't coming back, the two siblings finally allowed their tense bodies to relax. Gladion just about slumped back into the chair. His skin was crawling, especially where Mother had touched him. He hated it when she did that. It always made him feel so gross.

However, he couldn't collapse just yet. Over by the couch, Lillie had started sniffling.

Sighing, Gladion crossed across the room and took his little sister into his arms. Grateful for the comfort, she wrapped her own arms around him in turn, clinging desperately to him as she cried softly into his chest.

"It's okay," he murmured as he gently stroked the back of her hair. "She's gone. It's over."

Lillie whimpered. "Un-Until she d-d-does it again."

"Yeah," Gladion sighed. "Until then."

There was a pause, and then Lillie drew back to look up at her older brother with big, wet eyes. Already knowing what she wanted, Gladion dipped his head to kiss her softly on the lips.

It was different than when Mother kissed either one of them. Her kisses were dominating, possessive, and controlling. But when they kissed each other, it was soft, it was sweet, and it was out of love.

Gladion often wondered what would happen were Mother to learn of the intimate relationship that her children had with one another. After all, she had only ordered him to not take his sister's virginity, and he had not done that. Besides, they were from Alola. That sort of thing was common on the islands.

But Mother was so unpredictable and so inconsistent in what she did or did not want from them, that they were very careful to not let her find out. This was the only comfort that they had. They couldn't risk losing it, or each other.

They kissed for a long time, taking solace in each other's lips. Gladion protectively held his sister's tiny, frail body against his, feeling the frantic beating of her heart. She was still whimpering, but now they were happy whimpers, rejoicing in the love of her big brother.

Finally, the kiss parted, and Lillie laid her head on his chest. "You're still so worked up," she said, rubbing one hand over the crotch of his pants.

"It's nothing," Gladion said.

"Don't be silly. It's because of me, isn't it? Then let me help you."

"Lillie," Gladion protested as his little sister nudged him down onto the couch. "I don't…"

"It's fine," Lillie said as she knelt down in front of him and pushed his legs open. "I want to."

Gladion silently watched as Lillie undid the front of his pants and drew his briefs down, letting his throbbing dick spring out.

Letting out a long sigh, Gladion laid his head back and let his eye close as his sister's fingers closed around his girth. Just like her lips, Lillie's hands felt so much different than Mother's. There was no meanness in how she touched and stroked him, no implicit warning. It was all love for her brother.

Then the wet warmth of her tiny mouth closed around his glans. Gladion was too big to fit all the way in, but it didn't matter. This was more than enough.

"Lillie, I…" he groaned as she bobbed her head up and down, hands, mouth, and tongue working in tandem to bring her big brother to the precipice. "Lillie!"

His hips bucked as he came, semen squirting into Lillie's mouth. Well accustomed to the taste of her brother's cum, Lillie didn't even flinch, taking it all.

Lillie carefully licked Gladion's deflating penis clean before gulping it all down. Gladion slowly breathed in and out, enjoying how the tension seeped from his body along with his fluids.

Finally, Lillie stood up and wiped her mouth. She smiled.

However, though he was still floating along the afterglow, Gladion still noted her thighs rubbing together in discomfort. "Do you need some help?" Gladion asked. Lillie hesitated, and then nodded.

Gladion had suspected as much. He pulled his briefs and pants back up and redid the button. Now decent, he patted his thigh. "Okay. Come here."

Lillie wordlessly hitched up her skirt, exposing her white cotton panties. She had never been one to get very wet, even when fully aroused, but there was still a tiny drop of moisture darkening the fabric. Hooking the waistline with her thumbs, she pulled them down and stepped out of them.

Straightening up, Gladion took her hand and helped her climb onto his thigh. Legs straddling him to either side, she settled herself down, laying herself up against him with her arms draped around his neck and head resting against his shoulder.

Once Lillie's full weight had settled against him, Gladion reached both hands beneath her skirt, one of them looping around her waist to caress her cute little butt, while the other slipped in between her thighs to close around her pussy.

Lillie's soft whimpers grew louder as Gladion drew his fingers over the soft, smooth flesh of her vaginal lips. Her hips began moving, unconsciously grinding her crotch into his palm. With his thumb, he rubbed the top of her slit, teasing out the bead of her clitoris.

They had to be very careful whenever they made love. If Lillie's hymen were to ever break, then there would be hell to pay. Fortunately, Lillie was very sensitive, so he didn't have to do much.

"MmmmMMMM!" Lillie hummed as her perfect little pussy trembled against Gladion's palm. She tensed up, only to abruptly collapse against him, all of her muscles going slack.

Gladion carefully removed his hands from his sister's rear and crotch and wrapped them around her waist, holding her against him. Soon, they would have to get up and clean up all evidence of their lovemaking. Mother might come back early. They have had close calls in the past. But for now, they were content to just hold one another, enjoying a few moments of peace.

…

Lusamine hurried through the corridors of the Viridian City Rocket HQ, almost breathless with excitement as she headed for the shuttle bay.

She felt like a small child on Christmas, about to receive a long-awaited present. Finally! After literal decades of waiting, searching, praying, despairing, and hoping against hope. It was finally in her grasp! The light that had eluded her for so long was finally hers!

She had been pursuing that light her entire life, ever since that day when she had glimpsed the Child of God, the Mother of all Life. Obsession had driven her to throw herself into research, and she had been shocked to find that it had a name.

A myth, the books had said. A legend. A fairy-tale. But they were wrong. She had known what she had seen. She had known in her heart of hearts that it was real.

And now, the light was hers. At last.

Reaching the doors to the shuttle bay, Lusamine hastily scanned her ID card, cursed when the machine informed her that she had swiped it too quickly, and tried again, this time having it accepted. The doors slid open, and she power-walked inside.

The shuttle bay was like a large bus terminal, with several small vehicles waiting at several bay doors that opened to several different tunnels. Several members of Team Rocket were bustling to and fro, loading and unloading supplies, merchandise, and contraband of every kind.

Despite the hurry that she was in, Lusamine still had to take the time to admire the efficiency of it all. While the competency of many of their field agents was called into question, there was no denying that here at their central headquarters, Team Rocket functioned as a well-oiled machine. There was a beauty to that as well, to see so many loyal soldiers carrying out their tasks with such-

"Ah, Lusy! In a hurry, are we?"

And then there was this cunt.

"Sierra," Lusamine said icily to the insufferable Rocket Executive. "Off on a trip?"

Sierra was, as always, accompanied by her "daughters." Or rather, single daughter and a myriad of clones. They were all lined up behind their mother, nine naked young women, ranging in ages from their early teens to early twenties, each of them the splitting image of their "mother," at various points in her life. Each of them was holding onto a purple suitcase. Sierra herself was seated upon the back of her eldest daughter, the real one, who was on her hands and knees.

"I am, actually." Smirking, Sierra leaned back and crossed her legs, one hand on her daughter's rump to steady herself. "The transfer I've been waiting for just came through. You're looking at Kanto Region's newest Gym Leader."

That actually gave Lusamine pause. That would imply that another city had fallen under Team Rocket's control. She didn't really care much about their political aspirations, as how could simple territory disputes ever compare to the history-shaking magnitude of her work? Still, Sierra as a Gym Leader? That was a twist.

She almost asked Sierra exactly which city was going to have to suffer her presence, but it was then that she saw the shuttle waiting for her. Arlo, Dr. Zager, and Dr. Namba were already seated, along with a number of Grunts.

"Glad to hear," Lusamine said. "Tah-tah, have a lovely time."

She bustled over to the shuttle. Both of the doctors nodded and greeted her respectfully, but as expected, Arlo was less than chivalrous.

"And there you are," he said. "Cutting it close, aren't we?"

"Shut up, Arlo," Lusamine said as she took her seat. "Let's go."

…

The shuttle arrived at the Rocket's private section of the Viridian City Airport just as the helicopter was touching down on the helipad. The helicopter was huge, a large, sleek black with two rotos attached to a pair of wings that stuck out at either side, and a fat cargo bay. Lusamine anxiously fidgeted as the back of the cargo bay opened, the door tilting down and becoming a ramp.

Down the ramp a steel crate about the size of a motorcycle was wheeled, two Grunts on either side. As soon as she saw it, Lusamine felt her heartbeat hasten. This was it! They had it; they actually had it.

The crate was loaded onto the back of the shuttle and strapped down. As soon as the Grunts backed away, Lusamine immediately lurched toward it, but found herself stopped by a hand on her shoulder.

"Ah, ah," chided Arlo. "Not yet. Be just a little more patient."

Though the young man was right, Lusamine still rankled at the touch. "Keep your hands off me," she growled, wrenching her shoulder away from him.

"Then keep your hands off the highly sensitive merchandise until it can be safely opened in a controlled environment," came the unapologetic answer. That only rankled Lusamine further.

"It is not merchandise!" she snapped.

Arlo smiled, but did not respond. Lusamine made a conscious effort not to slap him.

The crate was soon securely fastened, finally allowing the team to reenter their seats. Lusamine of course sat at the back. It might be too early to unpack its precious cargo, but there was no harm in laying her hands on its container for the duration of the trip.

"I must say, Lusamine," Dr. Zager grunted as he settled into place. "Your attachment to that creature borders on the devoted. You're not a true believer, are you?"

Lusamine favored the old man with a humorless smile. "There is nothing religious in my adoration. But no true disciple of the scientific arts would not feel some kind of awe at what we have now taken into our care."

"Frankly, I'm surprised that nobody managed it sooner," Dr. Namba remarked. The shuttle rumbled, and then began the journey through Viridian City's underground tunnels. "According to the reports, it was right where our satellites said it would be. It didn't even make any attempt to escape!"

"Well, no one else had one of its hairs to act as a guiding light," Arlo responded.

"That doesn't explain why it didn't even attempt to defend itself."

"I don't know. Maybe it was hibernating."

"It's still early spring!" Dr. Zager pointed out.

Arlo shrugged. "Then it was taking a nap. It does not matter. What does is that we have it."

For once, Lusamine agreed with the slimy little prick.

They reached the shuttle bay, and the scientists hastily unbuckled themselves and got out of the shuttle as the Grunts carefully moved the crate back onto a new cart. From there, the procession headed for the laboratory.

Though they did not have far to walk, for Lusamine every step was torture. She was so close, so close to finally seeing it for herself, but the trip seemed to insist on extending itself. If that crate were made from cardboard rather than metal, then she would have to be restrained to keep from tearing at it with her fingers.

Finally, they reached the lab. The Grunts moved the crate onto the large metal table and wheeled the cart out. The door shut behind them, finally leaving those with importance alone.

"Well, my dear," Dr. Zager said, eagerly wringing his weathered hands. "I don't know anyone more appropriate to take the next step. Care to do the honors?"

"With gratitude," Lusamine breathed. She reached over press a series of numbers on the control panel set into the crate's side. It beeped, and the small screen at the top lit up. Lusamine pressed her thumb against the glass, causing it to beep again.

With a hiss of hydraulics, the crate unlocked and unfolded, its sides and top coming apart to lay flat on the table. Inside was a cage of steel and glass. It was off a humped shaped, its sides slanting inward, the thick, bulletproof glass fogged by the sedation gasses inside.

Lusamine eagerly pressed in, hands against the glass as she peered inside. Through the fog, she could make out the sight of a small, plump creature, one with a vaguely feline body and a long, thin tail that bulged at the end.

"So, that's it, then?" Arlo said, peering in over her shoulder.

"Yes," Lusamine breathed. She could scarcely believe it. "That's Mew."

"A bit plain-looking, isn't it?"

Despite her reverence, the disrespect still stirred her ire. "Of course it is!" she snapped. "It is literally the progenitor of all life on Earth, untouched by evolution!"

"Our ancestor, as much as it is to all Pokemon life," Dr. Namba noted.

"Exactly. All life, human and Pokemon alike, were born from this creature."

"The distinction might be redundant," Dr. Zager said. "If the theory that mankind is nothing more than an offshoot Pokemon species ourselves."

"A conversation that I am sure has thrilled academic conventions throughout history," Arlo sniffed. "But for now, we have work to do. Lusamine, one side, please."

Bristling, Lusamine stepped aside as Arlo approached with a pair of cables. These he plugged into the waiting dockets in the cage's instrument panels while Dr. Zager headed over to the nearby terminal.

"And there we go," Arlo said, tapping at a few buttons. "In a moment, we will have everything we need. Lusamine, feel free to resume your childish gawking."

Lusamine was too taken with the sight of the Mother of all Life to take offense. If anything, she was more offended that Arlo wasn't overcome with a sense of awe. Her hands brushed over the surface of the fogged glass. The light was hers. At last, the light was hers…

Then Dr. Zager frowned. "Hang on," he said, studying the readouts. "Is this right?"

"What?" Lusamine said in alarm. "What's wrong? Is it sick? Injured?" Oh, please don't let that be the case. If Mew were somehow harmed…

"No, I don't believe so, but this…" The old man's fingers flew over the keyboard. "If this is correct, then I'm picking up three heartbeats in there."

"Three?" Arlo said. "It has three hearts? No, that wouldn't make any sense."

"Well, that's what this says! Which could only mean…"

Dr. Zager fell silent, as did Arlo. The four Rocket scientists exchanged looks as realization dawned on all four of them.

"It's not possible," Dr. Namba said at last.

"How do you know?" Arlo demanded. "Logically, it must have happened at least once before."

"Yes, but that was at the dawn of time! This is…"

Lusamine slowly turned back to the cage and laid a trembling hand at its side. "This…This changes things," she said. "This changes everything."

"This changes nothing," Arlo countered. "The Mewtwo Project does not have maternity leave!"

"Idiot!" Lusamine hissed. "Do you know what this means? Mew is pregnant! The progenitor of all life on Earth is pregnant! What else could possibly be more important?"

"That's not for me to decide. It's up to him."

"Well, when he comes back, he can voice his disagreements to me personally. Until then, the Mewtwo Project is now officially on hold!"

…

There were few places that Lillie and Gladion were allowed to wander unsupervised. Certainly, they were not permitted to walk about the base, and thus had to spend most of their time cooped up in the apartment that they had been given.

Thankfully, the Viridian City Botanical Gardens sat right above the base, and by accounts was exclusive to the city's wealthy elite, most of whom were under Team Rocket's thumb. On occasion, Mommy would instruct one of the guards to take her two children to the garden for some fresh air.

Lillie had come to look forward to those trips. The gardens were large and beautiful, containing plants from various different regions. It was far sight better than sitting around all day.

Even so, Gladion had impressed upon Lillie that just because they were allowed to wander the garden as they pleased, that was not the same as freedom. The gardens were likely under heavy surveillance, with their every move being recorded by hidden cameras, and so they still had to be careful in what they said and did.

Perhaps so, but Lillie was used to that. At least here, she could get some fresh air and enjoy the sights and smells of the plants. It almost reminded her of home.

If only Gladion wasn't always such a downer about it.

"Look, Gladion!" Lillie said, tugging on his hand. She pointed toward a grove of trees up ahead. "Palm trees! These plants are from home!"

Gladion looked the small display over and snorted. "Right. More Alolans taken from their home and locked up by Team Rocket."

Lillie bit her lower lip. "Well, I think they're pretty."

"That's because they don't have a choice. They'd be happier back on the islands."

Perhaps so, but Lillie was still thankful for this small bit of familiarity. "Do you think we'll ever go home?"

"No," Gladion said. "Mom saw to that." He gestured toward the cluster of Alolan foliage. "This fake display is the closest we'll ever get."

Lillie growled in frustration. "Do you have to be such a wet blanket about everything? I'm just trying to look on the bright side here!"

"There is no bright side," Gladion said in a flat tone. "The sooner you realize that, the better."

"Gladion," Lillie sighed. She did love her brother, and knew that he was only looking after her, but sometimes his dour mood could be a little much.

Gladion huffed.

Then he abruptly turned.

"I have to use the bathroom," he muttered as he headed for the nearby small, squarish building that housed the public restroom. "Wait outside."

"But-" Lillie sighed. "Okay, fine."

Feeling both dejected and annoyed, Lillie lingered close to the door to the Men's Restroom. She hoped that Gladion wouldn't be long, but unfortunately, she had a feeling that Gladion didn't actually have to use the bathroom at all, but instead just wanted to sulk. If that were the case (which it almost certainly was), then he probably wasn't going to be out for a while.

Sighing, she looked around at the Botanical Garden. The really annoying thing was that Gladion's bad attitude was working. At first, she had seen the beauty of the trees and flowers and how healthy and alive everything was. But now she saw how carefully cultivated everything was, all pretenses of wildness kept away, with orderly paths and small placards in front of every plant. She saw the artificiality.

Lillie sighed again. Darn it, Gladion. Couldn't she just have this at least?

Then Lillie paused.

There was a man sitting on a nearby bench, an old man with a small, pointed beard and a bristly mustache. He was wearing a simple thin black jacket over a grey sweater, black pants, brown shoes, square sunglasses, and a grey plaid cap over his balding head. Seated on the seat next to him was a large feline, a Persian, which was casually grooming itself.

Lillie couldn't help but stare. She had never seen a Kantonese Persian before. The ones back on Alola tended to be chubbier in the face and darker of fur, while this one was sleek and pale. But more to the point, she had also never seen this man before. Was he with Team Rocket, or was it just some local guy out for a walk, unaware of who owned the park? Was that even allowed?

If the man was at all aware that he was currently sitting within criminal territory, he wasn't the least bit bothered. He was sitting back with his legs crossed and one arm thrown over the back of the bench while the other tapped along to a tune in his head on his knee, while his foot bounced along to the same tune. He seemed like he was having a good day.

The man must have noticed Lillie's staring, at he turned to her and favored her with a warm smile. "Ah, hey there, young lady! Never seen you around here, before."

Lillie blushed. "S-Sorry," she said, walking closer. "I'm new. I wasn't expecting to see anyone else here."

"Well, it's been a while since I was around," the man said, lowering his leg to the ground. "I was on a long trip and only just got back. And I needed a little peace and quiet before heading back to work. You know how it is." Then, before Lillie could respond, he let out a hoarse laugh. "Ah, what am I saying? You're far too young to have a job! Unless that job is Gym Leader. You're not here to take my job, are you? Because you're welcome to it!"

"Your job?" Lillie said, blinking.

The man nodded. He pointed to the large gym at the front of the park. "Edwin A. Rochester, at your service. But you can just call me Rochester. Viridian City Gym Leader, at least when I'm around, which isn't enough for most people's tastes from what I hear. But, ah, what can you do? A man can't be tied down by just one thing."

"Oh!" Lillie exclaimed, her mouth making a perfect "O" shape. "So you're the Gym Leader?"

Rochester smiled. "I know, I know. A bit of a surprise to see me here. Believe me when I say my frequent absences have good reason, despite what some people might think."

"I wasn't thinking anything bad," Lillie said.

"Well, you would be the first."

Lillie felt that she was coming very close to intruding on adult drama, which was the last thing she wanted. To change the subject, she asked, "Are you a dark-type?"

"Eh?"

Lillie pointed at the Persian. "I mean, is your gym for dark-types?"

Rochester looked over to his Persian. He laughed again. "Ah, no, ground-type, actually. And Persy-here is a normal time, actually."

"Oh!" That was right. Mommy had mentioned how some Pokemon could have different typings in different regions. "The ones back home are all dark-typed."

"Ah, Alola! Wonderful region. Beautiful scenery," Rochester said, giving Persy a scratch between the shoulders. "Regardless, I would never use Persy in a gym battle. She's my friend. Had her since she was a kitten!"

"Oh! Well, she's lovely!"

"That she is," Rochester said with a smile. "You can pet her if you want."

Though Lillie didn't care for the idea of touching strange Pokemon, especially ones that could probably remove all the flesh from her arm if it were annoyed, she knew better than to offend a grown-up. She slowly extended her hand, ready to quickly withdraw it if the Persian were to show the slightest sign of aggression.

Instead, Persy seemed to like the feel of Lillie's hand as it settled on her head. Purring, she turned her face this way and that, rubbing her cheeks against Lillie's palm. Lillie giggled.

"Yeah, she's a loving sort," Rochester noted with a smile. "Always has been. She likes it when you scratch behind the ears, by the way."

"She's so pretty!" Lillie said as she gave the Persian her desired scratches. "And so different from the ones back home in Alola!"

"Ah, yes! Alolan Persians. Fascinating, isn't it? How two variations of the same species can see such radical changes depending in their environment? Over in Galar, it's even more extreme. There, Meowths become a different kind of Pokemon entirely, one called Perrserker."

"They do?" Lillie said in surprise. "Why?"

"Evolution," Rochester responded. Then, seeing Lillie's frown, he clarified, "Evolution is more than a stage in a Pokemon's development. There is the other kind as well, the slow genetic adaptation of various lifeforms to their environment, brought along by minute mutations spread across eons. A Meowth lives upon a peninsula, and a flood turns that peninsula into an island, separating them from the other Meowths. Centuries later, and those Meowths are very different from the ones that they left behind."

Lillie had never thought about it like that before. Of course, she knew of Pokemon short-term evolution, and she was also aware of long-term evolution. There once had been dozens of Pokemon species that were no longer around, with most of them having slowly evolved into the kinds that people knew today. However, it had never occurred to her that two Pokemon of the same species could differ enough to have two different short-term evolutionary lines.

"And it goes even further beyond that," Rochester continued. "Once upon a time, Qwilfish had a second evolutionary stage, but now does not. A Kanto FarFetch'd is forever a FarFetch'd, but those from Galar can become SirFetch'd. Curious, isn't it?"

"I guess I never thought about it before," Lillie admitted. "Why do some Pokemon evolve and others can't?"

Rochester beamed with all the pride of a teacher whose prized student had solved a particularly difficult equation. "Why indeed!" He leaned forward. "Actually, I have a better question for you. Why can Pokemon evolve, but humans cannot?"

Lillie blinked. "I, well, because we're not Pokemon?"

"Are we not? What is it that distinguishes Pokemon from people?"

To this, Lillie had no response. It had never occurred to her that there was a definitive answer. Until now, it had simply been the way things are.

"Did you know that there is a school of thought that claims that humans really are just Pokemon ourselves, one that evolved beyond the need for short-term evolution?" Rochester pressed. "After all, we can catch other people in capture balls."

Well, that much was true, but…"

"Only girls, though," she pointed out.

"Ah, but there is evidence that boys were once caught as well!" Rochester countered. Then, seeing the surprised look on Lillie's face, he nodded and said, "Yes, there did use to be both PokeGirls and PokeBoys. And before that, no catching was needed. We simply were PokePeople."

Now Lillie was utterly engrossed. Mommy talked a lot about evolution, but had never mentioned anything like this. "Why'd we stop?"

"Why indeed," Rochester mused, as much to himself as to her. "Life does seem to be full of those little mysteries and contradictions. Take PokeGirls, for example. Women who have had their PokePowers restored to them. Far more powerful than any normal human. And yet they are utterly subservient to their weaker masters. Strange, is it not? That the power of the Pokemon be granted to only one sex, and they be required to give up their freedom in exchange." Then he smiled, and let out a small, raspy chuckle. "But ah, listen to me ramble. This isn't something an old man like me should be talking to with a little girl."

"It's okay," Lillie assured him. "I know all about PokeGirl stuff. You know, since one day I'm going to become one."

Rochester blinked. "Well, that's a bit presumptuous. What makes you so sure?"

"Mommy told me," Lillie answered honestly.

That seemed to take Rochester by surprise. "Oh?" he said, sitting up straighter.

Lillie nodded. "Yeah. When I'm old enough. I'm going to become my big brother's PokeGirl and take care of him."

Rochester's brow knitted together. He suddenly seemed uncomfortable about something. What, though? Wasn't that what little sisters were for? "Ah. Alola," he said at last, and he seemed to relax a little. "Well, I would not go around advertising that, ah, family tradition. I've traveled far and wide and experienced all kinds of cultures, but many in Kanto might respond badly to that idea."

"Why?" Lillie asked in confusion.

Rochester shrugged. "It's just how it is."

Lillie now wore a frown of her own. Wasn't that the purpose of all little sisters? What did little sisters in Kanto even do, if not look after their big brothers? Granted, she supposed that there were big sisters as well, so maybe things were different for them.

But as odd as she found that, there was something else that she was more curious about. "Do you…Do you think that we can ever go back to how it was?" Seeing Rochester's quizzical look, she clarified, "I mean, with everyone having PokePowers without ever having to be caught?"

Leaning back on the bench, Rochester crossed his hands over his knee as he stared up into the sky. "Now, wouldn't that be something? Almost be a form of evolution in itself, wouldn't it?" He chuckled. "Heck, maybe one day humans can learn how to evolve the same way most Pokemon do!"

Lillie's eyes widened. She had never even considered that possibility! "Into what?"

"Into what, indeed?" Rochester mused. He seemed to have forgotten that Lillie was even there. "Into what, indeed?"

Before Lillie could ask him to explain, she heard her name.

"Lillie!" Gladion called. Her big brother hurried over to her, obviously in a big fuss "What are you doing? You know better than to wander off by yourself!" He seized her by the hand, threading his fingers into hers. "I was looking all over for you!"

Shame filled Lillie. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, her face falling. "I didn't mean to make you upset."

"I'm not upset; I'm worried! You know what the people around here are…"

Then Gladion's eyes fell upon Rochester, who was watching the whole exchange with a mixture of interest and amusement.

"Ah, um, I'm sorry, sir," Gladion stammered. "And I'm sorry if my sister was bothering you."

"Bothering me? Not in the slightest! On the contrary, she's quite the bright young mind!" Rochester smiled. "It must run in the family."

Gladion stared. "Run in the…"

Lillie tugged on his arm. "Um, Gladion? This is Rochester. He's the Gym Leader around here."

And then something very strange happened. Gladion was already flustered, but as soon as Lillie told him Rochester's name and job, all of the color drained from his face. It was like whenever Mommy was stern with him, only a hundred times more.

"Charmed, young man," Rochester said with a nod. He stuck out his hand. "Gladion, is it? So encouraging to meet such doting older brother."

Gladion seemed frozen in place. Worried that he would end up being rude, Lillie nudged him with her hip. Gladion blinked, looked down, and slowly took Rochester's hand, though his shook.

"Hello, sire," Gladion said as the two exchanged the limpest handshake Lillie had ever seen. "N-Nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Rochester said, not taking his eyes off of Gladion's face.

Gladion swallowed. He quickly withdrew his hand. "I-I'm sorry, um, sir. But we need to get home soon."

"Of course, of course," Rochester said. "Lillie, it was lovely speaking with you."

"You too!" Lillie said. "Goodbye! And bye, Persy!"

Persy gave her a classic smug Persian looked and contently started licking her paw.

"Lillie, let's go," Gladion whispered. He hastily pulled Lillie away from the bench and back to the base's entrance.

As they hurried away, Lillie looked up to her big brother in confusion. "Gladion, what's wrong with you?"

Gladion stared down at her.

"What?"

"Lillie, how…how did you even meet that guy?"

"I was looking around and he was sitting on the bench," Lillie answered honestly. "Why? What's wrong with Rochester? He was nice!"

"Nice?" Gladion let out a slightly crazy sounding laugh. "Lillie, do you have any idea who that was?"

…

From his seat on the bench, the man known as Edwin Rochester watched as Lusamine's children hurried off. He had to say, they did inherit some admirable qualities from their mother, with the girl obviously gaining the Pyroar's share of her scientific curiosity, while the boy had landed himself with her sharp eye and commandeering presence. In fact, they might just be suitable for…ah, no. Now was not the time to think on those terms.

He stood to his feet. "Persy? Come," he said as he headed off. His faithful Persian dutifully hopped off the bench and strolled along, shadowing her master's steps.

The back of the Viridian City Gym bordered the botanical gardens, with the gardens practically serving as its backyard. The building itself was an elegant structure, styled after ancient Romanic architecture, with columns and sidings of white marble, brown walls adorned with relief carvings, and an asymmetrical half-circle roof, with one half higher than the other. And, as always, a small gaggle of trainers milled about, hopeful that the Gym Leader might be in while completely failing to heed the posted dates of operation.

Shaking his head, Rochester headed for the gym, not the large, ornate main doors, but the smaller staff door on the side. As he did, one of the trainers spotted him.

"Hey, wait!" he heard her call. "Aren't you-"

Rochester entered the gym and locked the door behind him.

Situated in the otherwise empty lobby was a desk of polished black granite, and seated at the desk was one of his PokeGirls, though few would know it just by looking at her. For one, her style of dress was both conservative and masculine, as she wore blue slacks, a white button-down shirt, and a black tie, an outfit more suited for a nine-to-five office worker than someone whose life ought to be revolving around sex and violence. For another, her features were quite androgynous, leaning more towards handsome rather than beautiful, from her hard-lined face to her husky voice to her leanly muscled body. Only her knee-length ponytail hinted at her sex, and it was easy to mistake her for a slender, long-haired man. At the moment, she was engaged in an animated phone call, no doubt exasperatedly explaining to yet another prospective badge-seeker that the schedule was the schedule, and no, the Gym Leader would not be available to battle on anyone's terms but his own.

Rochester waited until she had hung up before approaching the desk.

PokeGirls had an uncanny sense of when their master was near, and sure enough, she perked up even before he had stepped from the soft carpet to the polished stone floor. "Master!" she exclaimed as she shot to her feet. "You're back!"

Rochester nodded politely at her. "Hello, Rika. I see you have successfully held down the fort in my absence. Well done."

Rika beamed at the praise. Then she closed her eyes and pursed her lips in anticipation of being rewarded with a kiss.

Rochester ignored the gesture. It wouldn't do to let PokeGirls set the pace, after all. They might get spoiled and forget their place, after all. "Well, carry on," he said as he walked past her desk. "I suspect we both have much to do before the Gym reopens."

"Oh," he heard her say in disappointment. "Um, will that be soon?"

Without turning to face her, Rochester held up a finger. "Remember, Rika. The schedule is the schedule. We still have a week to go, and there is still much to do until then."

"All right…" she sighed.

Rochester continued on through the quiet and clean halls of the Viridian City Gym, past the mementos and trophies that adorned the marble walls, past the inert battlefield that sat beneath the building's central rotunda, through the black-and-white checkered hallways to enter a brown oak doorway at far end of the gym, entering his office.

His office was round, with the floor curving downward from all sides and his desk sitting in the middle. Shelves of books, mementos, and accolades lined the ways, and directly behind the desk was a wedge-shaped screen, bearing the symbol of the Earth Badge, his token of office.

Rochester descended the sloping floor and pulled the chair out from behind the desk. "Ah," he sighed as the chair squeaked beneath his weight, with Persy taking her spot at his side. "Good to be back." He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. Well, better get to work.

He reached up behind his naked head and dug his fingers into the flap of false skin and peeled off the rubber scalp that he wore. After that the glasses came off, along with the mustache and beard, all of them dropped into a drawer in his desk.

The man that now sat behind the desk was neither old nor infirm, but a man in the prime of his years and health. The lines of his swarthy face were firm and imposing, his full head of hair glossy black. He took the time to carefully slick it back and shone it up with a small cannister of grease. Then, after wiping down his hands, he pulled on a pair of black leather gloves.

Giovanni Razzo, leader of Team Rocket, criminal mastermind, and, though the world did not know it yet, enactor of humanity's next step of evolution, leaned back into his chair. With one hand idly scratching behind Persy's ears, he reached down with the other to press a button beneath his desk.

Slots opened up in the walls, and the shelves of mementos and trophies slid inside, replaced by steel walls. Behind him, the screen flickered, with the symbol of the Earth Badged being replaced by a sharp-edged R on a black field. There was a hum of hydraulics, and his office began to descend down.

Giovanni turned his chair around to face the screen. A moment later, the R had been replaced by the grim visage of one of his most trusted lieutenants.

"Archer," Giovanni said, his voice now lower and raspier, having discarded all of Rochester's jovial nature.

Archer smiled, though without humor. "Master Razzo, welcome back!" he said. "I trust your trip was productive?"

Of course, Archer would already know the answer to that question, having received a full debriefing upon his master's arrival. But there were always proprieties to observe.

"Satisfactorily," Giovanni responded. "In the meantime, I hear things have been moving in my absence."

"They have indeed, sir. Which would you prefer to address first: the debacle at Mt. Moon, or the new turns in the Mewtwo Project?"

That was a good question. Of course, the Mewtwo Project was by far the most important matter, perhaps the most important in recorded human history, and if what he had been told was true, then mankind stood upon the precipice of something truly great.

However, the situation was also, from his understanding, stable, whereas the Mt. Moon situation, paltry as it was in comparison, demanded attention right now.

"Mt. Moon," Giovanni responded. "Followed by the Gym Leader question." He leaned back into his chair, his fingers steepling in front of his face. "After that, we can discuss the god we have locked up in the basement."

…

A/N: Sorry to anyone who was looking forward to continuing the Jessie stuff, but we were long overdue for a peek back at what Lillie and the Rockets were up to.

Anyway, a little fudging with the timeline, since Rika's technically from modern times and the anime's basically in the 90's. Also, going for a very different take on the Mewtwo Project. Skewing a little closer to the games, where Mewtwo was Mew's natural offspring, only mutated, with a few twists of its own.

And I guess I can go ahead and add the various flavors of incest to the taboo stew I'm cooking up here. Hey, all that talk about what the Alolans get up to did foreshadow it, though it does come with a slight retcon of Lillie's original reaction to the idea, but stories just be that way, I guess.

Of course, now that incest has been introduced, no doubt some people are wondering, "Wait, does that mean Delia will…" To which I respond…mebbe.

Oh yeah. And Giovanni's here too. That's cool, I guess.