This side-canon movie was very powerful and emotional, especially with Mewtwo struggling to find his place in the world because he's a cloned Pokémon. I just want to give him a big hug.
Disclaimer: I do not own any Pokémon characters! I only own my OCs!
Chapter 24: Mewtwo Returns
We were getting closer to Ecruteak City after our reunion with Gary a week ago. The weather was getting warmer as it was close to June now. We only had one major obstacle left on our path and it was a huge crater of a dormant volcano, which was now a mountain called Mt. Quena located in an area called Purity Canyon. We reached that area just now and were in awe of the huge mountain.
"That's Mt. Quena?" Ash asked Brock who had his nose in the Johto guidebook.
"Piiika…", Pikachu stared in awe at the scenery.
"Yep, this is it", Brock confirmed with a nod.
"It's enormous", I gaped in awe, trying to take a mental picture of the mountain.
"How do we get across it?" Misty asked.
"Togi?" Togepi chirped.
"The guidebook says it's almost impossible on foot because of the sudden change of weather, especially in summer", Brock explained. "The only means of transport is a bus that comes once a month."
"Once a month?" I gasped in disbelief.
"I can't wait a whole month now that we're so close to Ecruteak City!" Ash exclaimed irritably.
"Does the book say at what time the bus comes?" Misty asked.
"Let me check…", Brock flipped a page of the book. "Lunchtime today."
I picked up my PokéGear and checked the time. "Lunchtime is around 12 and it's almost 12…", I mumbled before I realized the situation. "We're going to be late!"
"Hey, guys! Look!" Misty shouted as she pointed at a cliff on Mt. Quena. "That must be the bus!"
And, indeed, there was a small bus driving on the cliff side. I had no idea if it was coming or leaving, but whatever the reason we had to catch it.
"C'mon, let's run!" Ash shouted and ran ahead with Pikachu on his shoulders. "We've gotta catch it!"
"Wait for us!" I shouted and ran after my twin brother.
We ran as fast as we could on the dry path. It was a good thing we had the sun on our side this morning, but before I knew it the sky turned grey by sudden clouds and it started pouring like crazy.
"No! Now it has to rain?!" Ash complained as we got soaked in seconds.
"I love water, but now's not the time!" Misty shrieked behind me.
"Don't worry, guys!" Brock shouted from far behind. "The bus should slow down when the weather gets bad! We might catch it!"
"Let's hope so!" I nodded.
The wind also started getting violet and blew our hair. I knew the weather could change dramatically on mountains, but I had never experienced this before. Not even when we were on the Victory Road where we met Elite Four Bruno. My hair had gotten a little longer for the last few months, so the wet hair strands got stuck on my face and covered my eyes. I had to constantly brush them to the side to see.
We were all almost out of breath when we spotted the bus by a bus stop. We were still far away from it, but perhaps we could make it. There was somebody standing outside of the bus probably thinking whether to enter the transport or not.
"HEY!" Ash screamed as loudly as he could to get that person's attention. "HOLD THE BUS!"
His voice was barely heard in the midst of the powerful winds. The bus drove away just as we made it down a hill. I was out of breath and my legs burned by the running, so I had to stop and recover while the others ran to the bus stop. The wind calmed down briefly before it picked up again, nearly blowing me off the ground.
It was too dangerous to be outside. We had to take shelter.
After I regained my breath, I dashed to the bus stop where Ash and our friends were talking to the stranger clad in a pink raincoat. "H-H-How…", I panted coarsely and rested my hands on the knees, feeling like my heart was about to leap out of my chest.
"You okay, Ashley?" Ash asked worriedly.
"Y-Y-Yeah…", I kept panting, my lungs burning and the harsh wind made it worse.
"Let's hurry inside the cottage behind me", the female stranger said. "You're all soaked and dirty. We can talk about the bus once we're inside."
Thunder crackled in the sky just as we made it inside the warm cottage. The weather really got bad in seconds, so it felt safe to be indoors. We quickly changed into clean and warm clothes and hung up our dirty ones on a rope by the open fireplace. The stranger had introduced herself as Luna Carson, a Pokémon naturalist. She served us some hot tea while the rain rattled against the windows that shook by the harsh wind. I got a little scared fearing the wind might break the windows in any second.
"You four had awful luck with the bus", Luna said. "It was already packed when it left. The next bus will come in a month."
"But we can't wait for a whole month!" Ash said. "Is there another way to cross the valley?"
"You can take a canoe at the base of the canyon and get across that way", Luna suggested.
"I'd love to use a canoe, Luna!" Misty's face lit up in joy. "I love water-type Pokémon and water itself!"
"Well… If you love water, you've come to the right place", Luna smiled.
"What do you mean, Luna?" Brock asked before he took a sip of his hot tea.
"I'll show it to you when the storm's over", Luna replied. "I study the water that runs in Purity Canyon and I've made a few discoveries after taking some samples."
"Is the water here…different?" I asked as I blew my tea to cool it down before I drank it.
"Yes. You'll find out when you drink it", Luna smiled with a soft wink.
It didn't take long before the storm disappeared and our clothes were dry again. Once we changed back, Luna led us outside of the cottage to a mechanical well. A bucket dropped down to the bottom of the valley before it got pulled up, now full of clean water. Luna grabbed a mug and filled it with that water before she gave it to Brock. "Here, Brock. Try it."
"Umm… Is it safe to drink it straight?" I asked.
"It is, otherwise I wouldn't have offered it", Luna replied.
"Hmm…", Brock hummed before he drank some of the water. He suddenly lit up like he had gotten a big boost of vitamins. "Oh boy! This water is delicious! I feel like I'm ten years younger!"
"What?" Ash and I said simultaneously, surprised by Brock's weird behavior.
"Let me try it now", Misty said and took the mug from Brock. She sipped it slowly before her face exploded like she had just seen the most beautiful Pokémon. "This water is so pure, refreshing and makes me feel alive!"
My brother and I shared a glance at our friends' behavior about some water. "How is it that good?" I wondered.
Misty pushed the mug into my hands. "Try it and you'll know, Ashley!"
I checked the water. It looked clean and had no signs of dirt and other stuff. It didn't smell bad, so I guessed it was safe to drink. I took a few careful sips, swishing the water around in my mouth to taste it before I swallowed it. "It tastes…different", I commented, feeling normal. "It almost tastes like refreshing lemonade."
"Normal water tasting like lemonade?" Ash repeated confusedly with a raised eyebrow. "How good can water be?"
"You should try it to figure it out, Ash", Brock encouraged my brother.
I passed the mug to Ash so he could drink it. He had some sips before looking even more confused. "It…tastes like something's been swimming around in it."
Misty and Brock actually took offense of Ash's comment. "Only you would say something like that, Ash!" Brock shouted at him.
"You know what your problem is?!" Misty growled.
"You have no taste!" both former Gym Leaders exclaimed simultaneously.
"Well, maybe I have different kind of taste buds!" Ash retorted before he glanced down at Pikachu and Togepi. "You wanna try this too, Pikachu?"
"Pika!" Pikachu nodded.
Ash passed the mug to Pikachu who took a sip of the remaining water. He became almost enchanted like Misty and Brock acting lively. Even Togepi took a sip and chirped happily dancing around with the mug.
"The majority has spoken!" Misty grinned victoriously. "The Purity river water wins over one negative vote."
"Umm… Doesn't mine count as neutral?" I asked. "I didn't exactly get the same reaction as the rest of you."
"But you said the water tastes refreshing, right?" Brock said. "That means it's one positive vote."
"Oookay…", I drew out the "o", feeling a little uncertain.
"Well, enough talking!" Misty exclaimed. "We've got a canoe waiting! Let's go!"
XXXXXXXXXX
We had borrowed a canoe from the cottage and paddled quietly through the river that went through a thick forest. Unfortunately, we had to turn back because lots of bug-type Pokémon showed up and they scared Misty so much that she got the strength of three paddlers and paddled back to the cottage. It was late night when we returned and Misty was exhausted.
"You should've told me you don't like bug Pokémon", Luna told the water-type Trainer after she learned about the ordeal.
"S-Sorry…", Misty panted. "Bugs are my nightmare…"
"Do you happen to know another way where we can cross the valley, Luna?" Ash asked.
"Maybe…climbing up Mt. Quena?" I suggested as I stared at the huge crater.
"I was just about to suggest that too", Brock nodded.
"I'm afraid it's not a good route, guys", Luna said.
"Why's that? Is it dangerous?" Ash wondered before he looked at the natural structure.
"Mt. Quena is the highest mountain in the whole Johto region, even higher than Mt. Silver", Luna explained. "At the top of the mountain is Clarity Lake. It goes on for miles and the water is incredible clean and clear. It's never been explored by humans before because of the extreme weather, so they've decided to preserve it as a nature reserve. The only living creatures that can live there are wild Pokémon that thrive in extreme conditions."
"Maybe some rare Pokémon live there, so we should go see them", Ash said.
"But we can't catch them, Ash, if they're part of a nature reserve", I reminded him.
"I never said I want to catch them, Ashley", my brother corrected me. "Just seeing them is enough for my memory."
"Pika!" Pikachu chirped. In the next second, a horde of Butterflies flew past us and up toward Mt. Quena, their wings releasing glittering pollen to fertilize the nature.
"Look! It's beautiful!" Ash smiled widely at the sight.
"Some Butterfly flocks like these often come by to lay their Eggs on Mt. Quena", Luna explained. "In fact, many bug Pokémon live around here because of the clean water."
"That explains all the bugs…", Misty mumbled.
"To see Pokémon live in harmony with nature…is amazing", Brock smiled. "And sights like these makes the traveling worth it."
Ash, Misty and I nodded silently in response, full heartedly agreeing with him. We watched the horde until the last Butterfly was gone and only the moon and the stars were glowing in the night sky. The silence broke when a knock echoed from the front door followed by a girl's giggling voice.
"Good morning~!"
"Coming!" Luna called and hurried to open the door.
"A visitor at this hour?" Ash commented confusedly.
"It could be a wanderer", Misty said before we followed the adult.
Luna opened the door revealing a man around her age and a girl with blonde curly hair looking like she was a couple of years older than Brock.
"Sorry I said good morning!" the blonde girl smiled. "I thought if I said good night, it might feel a little awkward!"
I immediately felt something was off with her. I couldn't describe it, but my senses told me she was a danger even though she seemed to look like a nice and cheerful girl. I stood behind my brother and grabbed onto his jacket, which he noticed. He gave me a silent glance that told me we needed to talk later.
"I'm sorry we're disturbing you this late", the man spoke up. "We were exploring around the valley and needed a place to stay for the night. By the way, my name is Cullen Calix."
"I recognize you!" Luna gasped. "You're that famous researcher in professor of medicine!"
"Yes, and you must be Luna Carson", Cullen replied with a smile. "I've read your research reports about the Pokémon living here in Purity Canyon."
Luna stepped to the side and opened the door wider for the duo. "Come inside", she nodded as Cullen and his female companion stepped inside the cottage.
The blonde girl shrieked in joy at the sight of Luna and acted like one of Gary's old fangirls. "I can't believe I get to meet you in person, Luna Carson! I'm a big fan of yours! I want to be just like you when I grow up!"
Luna got a little surprised by the blonde's reaction. "Sure, um… May I ask who you are?"
"This is Domino", Cullen introduced her. "She works for the Pokémon Institute."
"Hi, everybody!" Domino waved her hand to us with a big smile. That smile felt now creepy and I hid behind my brother. She noticed my shy behavior and smiled even wider. "You don't have to be afraid of me, little Cutiefly! I don't bite!"
I made a weird noise from my throat when I got called like that. It should be a compliment, but it felt more like an insult.
"Sorry about my sister", Ash apologized on my behalf. "She's not used to strangers."
"I however would love to get used to you, Domino!" Brock went straight into flirt mode. "How about we go outside on a lovely night with a picnic under the stars and see if we are compatible?"
"U-Umm…", Domino kept smiling, but I could tell she didn't feel comfortable with Brock's attempt to flirt with her.
"Get back here, Brock!" Misty grabbed him by the ear and pulled him away from the blonde. "Can't you tell she's uncomfortable with you straight in her face?"
"I unfortunately have bad news, Cullen", Luna spoke up. "The bus has already left and won't be back for another month."
"Oh, I'm not here for the bus", Cullen shook his head. "I'm here to study the water in Purity Canyon."
While the adults were having a small discussion, Ash pulled me to a corner so we could talk alone. Misty and Brock had no reaction since they knew what we were doing. Domino asked them where we were going, which felt a little intruding.
"Okay… What's the matter, Ashley?" Ash asked once we were out of sight.
"Pika?"
"It's Domino…", I replied, rubbing my arms. "There's something about her…that raised a red flag in me."
"You too, huh?" Ash responded, which caught my attention.
"You sensed it too?"
"Yeah, as soon as I saw her. And if we both feel the same, then we should stay cautious around her."
"Pika pika?" Pikachu looked a little confused about this.
"Our gut feelings have mostly been on-point, so we should listen to them", Ash nodded, referring to the warning signals.
I nodded with a hum as answer. We walked back to the group and heard the last part of the conversation of how Luna feared that mankind would disrupt the peace on Mt. Quena and pollute the water if it turned out it contained minerals that could positively affect the health of both Pokémon and humans alike.
All of the sudden, firecrackers erupted from the balcony of the cottage. We turned around and got greeted by a familiar trio.
"Team Rocket's back!" the trio sang happily.
"Team Rocket?! How'd you get here?!" Ash shouted angrily.
"Pika!" Pikachu snarled at the bad guys.
"You don't have to worry about that, twerp!" Jessie retorted.
"But what you need to worry about is your Pikachu!" James said before he showed us some weird plastic rope. He threw it like a lasso and caught Pikachu with it before pulling him to the trio.
"Pikachu!" Ash yelled as Pikachu fell into Team Rocket's hands.
"Converse your energy, twerps!" Jessie laughed.
"PikaCHUUU!" Pikachu released a Thunderbolt, but none of the trio got electrocuted.
"The rope absorbs electricity, so you can't shock us, Pikachu!" Meowth laughed just as Team Rocket's iconic hot air balloon floated up from the valley.
"You won't get away with this! We've burst your balloon so many times before!" Ash shouted.
"Not this time, though, twerp!" Jessie laughed and pointed at the balloon. It was actually equipped with a pair of rockets on both sides of the balloon. "You won't be able to catch us once we activate the rockets!"
"Wait! It's too dangerous to even fly around in Purity Canyon!" Luna warned them.
"Luna's right!" Cullen stepped in. "The air current can swiftly change and we might never see you again!"
"Oh, how kind of you to worry about us, sir!" Jessie called out as she, James and Meowth climbed onto the basket of the air balloon. "I would love to give you my heart, but my heart already belongs to Team Rocket!"
"What is she talking about…?" I mumbled to myself. "Is she…acting?"
I never got an answer as the rockets were activated and the air balloon was launched off to the sky with Team Rocket's cries blending in with the roaring engines.
"PIKACHU!" Ash screamed as we watched the balloon fly toward the top of Mt. Quena. Another thing we noticed was new grey clouds was coming and the wind was picking up again.
"This is terrible!" Luna commented seriously. "Taking off with a balloon like that is careless and irresponsible!"
"Those three are brainless…", Domino mumbled behind me, which gave me the shivers down my spine.
"I must go after them!" Ash exclaimed. "Pikachu's my Pokémon and I won't stay here and do nothing! I'm going after Team Rocket!"
"If you're determined to save Pikachu, then I'll go with you", Luna nodded. She ran inside the cottage and grabbed some tools and got dressed for the weather. "I know Mt. Quena pretty well, so I'll lead you there! I'm ready when you are!"
"We're ready!" Ash, our friends and I nodded once we grabbed our backpacks.
"I'm going with you too!" Cullen announced.
"I'm a little too scared to stay behind in the cottage alone, so I'll go with you!" Domino smiled with a bounce.
XXXXXXXXXX
The wind was violent as we climbed up the mountain to get as close to Team Rocket's balloon as possible. The mountain had become steep, so we could only climb by rope. At one point, we saw Team Rocket and noticed they had lost control over their balloon. It kept flying up and down and left and right with the air current.
Before I could even register, I was holding onto the rope for dear life. Why? Because the hook Luna had tied the rope onto the mountain wall had come loose and got stuck on Team Rocket's basket. We were literally flying in the air as the balloon got thrown up to the top of Mt. Quena by the wind.
My arms were starting to burn by how I clung onto the rope, even when I had my legs wrapped around it. All of the sudden, the wind stopped blowing and I could see the top of the mountain. There was a huge lake in the center and at the very center of it laid a small island. The rest of the area was covered by forest untouched by man. If it weren't for the circumstances, it could actually be a lovely sight.
The balloon flew closer to the island by the mild wind, but I couldn't see any Pokémon roaming around. It was quiet. Eerie quiet. I felt a new shiver run down my spine as I sensed something powerful and yet familiar coming from somewhere close by. Was it…a Legendary Pokémon? I did get a similar feeling before when I saw Articuno and Moltres before, so was a Legendary Pokémon hiding on Mt. Quena?
The next thing I knew, Domino climbed up the rope like a skilled Mankey and climbed onboard the air balloon basket. "Domino!" Cullen shouted from below. "What are you doing?!"
"C'mon, let's climb the rope while the weather's calm!" Luna called.
We began climbing up the rope just as I noticed some movement from the corner of my eye. The sound of multiple engines filled the air as several airships flew toward us. I decided to focus on the current situation and managed to climb up to the basket and held onto the edge next to my twin brother. The others pushed their way up and clung onto the basket, much to Team Rocket's surprise.
"Domino, what are you doing?!" Cullen asked the blonde girl who had grown silent.
"Domino?" James repeated confusedly as he stared at the girl.
"Is that your real name?" Jessie asked her.
"I go by many names so I can never reveal my true name", Domino giggled as she peeked from under the hat. "But my elite name in Team Rocket is known to all!" She ripped her clothes off, revealing a Team Rocket uniform that had a different design compared to Jessie and James'. She held onto a support beam of the balloon and played with a black tulip in her other hand. "My fellow agents call me 009 or Domino. But my enemies know me best as the Black Tulip."
I held back myself from exploding and saying that I knew she smelled danger. Ash and I shared a quick glance, confirming to each other that our sixth sense had been right again.
"You're with Team Rocket?!" Cullen gasped, looking sincerely surprised by Domino's true identity. "But you said you work for the Pokémon Institute!"
"I do, and there are many fellow agents who work in many institutes across the world for Team Rocket's common goal", Domino revealed before she glanced at her fellow trio allies. "But you three have been slacking off because of your obsession with this one Pikachu, so Boss is getting a little impatient."
"But we've caught Pikachu now!" Jessie argued. "We can deliver it to Boss right away!"
"Boss looks forward to it…but he's decided to give you a small punishment for making him wait for so long", Domino said. "I hope you're ready for a night swim! Bye-bye!" She jumped off the balloon and threw the tulip like an arrow at the balloon, making a hole in the thin material.
I couldn't see where Domino was, but that was the least of my worries. The balloon flew around like an out of control carousel as we all held onto the basket for dear life. I had lost all the strength in my arms, so my grip slipped by one powerful yank. I fell through the sky down into the lake along with my friends and brother. I quickly covered my face to hold my breath for as long as I could and not get a panic attack. Even if the lake was calm and peaceful, just being underwater could trigger my trauma.
Misty swiftly called out her water Pokémon so they could help us swim up to the surface. I held onto Poliwhirl with Ash as we broke through the water. I took a very deep breath to fill my lungs with fresh air just as the others joined us. Luna and Cullen held onto Staryu while Brock was carried by Goldeen and Misty by Chinchou.
"Is everybody okay?!" Luna called out.
"Yeah, I think so!" Ash responded.
"Did anyone see where Team Rocket's balloon crashed?" Brock asked.
"Yes, I think I saw them crash on that island", Cullen replied and pointed at the single island of the lake.
I started feeling a little cold and took in the surroundings. We were actually closer to the mainland, so Misty's Pokémon swam to the shore so we could get out of the freezing water.
"Thank you for your help, everyone", Misty praised her Pokémon after she had checked Togepi's wellbeing. She had put away her baby Pokémon in her duffle bag before we had started climbing up the mountain. "Take a good long rest", she added before she recalled the Pokémon to their Poké Balls.
"Your Pokémon really saved us there, Misty", I told her as I removed my wet jacket and wringed it.
"We need to save Pikachu too!" Ash exclaimed and started walked back into the lake, determined to get to the island.
"Wait, Ash! You can't swim through the lake! We don't know how deep it is", Brock stopped my brother before he could do something stupid.
"I have an idea", Luna called out and nodded at a fallen tree trunk. "We can use that trunk and build a canoe out of it. With that size, it should fit every one of us."
"But it might take the whole night if we build it ourselves", Misty pointed out.
Ash ran back to the shore and snatched two Poké Balls from his belt. "Then let's have our Pokémon help out!" he nodded. "Ivysaur, Chikorita, I choose you!"
With the help of Ash's Pokémon and some teamwork, we successfully built a canoe and oars to row across the lake. By the time we were out in the water, clouds covered the late night sky and forced the moon to vanish, leaving everything in the darkness. It felt eerie to be out in a lake like this, but my main focus was on the rescue mission. My brain was so loaded that I didn't feel as tired or sleepy like I used to be. Besides, I couldn't afford to listen to the signals from my head. I had to endure the resistance until we were back to the cottage or could take a long well-deserved break.
There were no signs of wild Pokémon when we silently rowed to the island. The only things we noticed in the sky far away were those Team Rocket airships and helicopter. They must be here for a reason, but we had no idea why. Maybe hunting for the rare Pokémon on Mt. Quena like how they had hunted for the Slowpokes close to Azalea Town for their tails? If so, maybe we had to battle against an army to protect the wild Pokémon and the environment.
We found a cave so we rowed over there to hide from plain sight. We worked together to pull the canoe out of the water and hide it among some boulders along with the oars. The inside of the cave looked natural, but one thing that stood out was a staircase that looked like it had been carved out by something or someone. We ran up those stairs, hoping we would find Pikachu at the end of it.
Instead of finding Ash's Pokémon, we got greeted by one of the most beautiful sights I've ever seen. It was like a green paradise surrounded by a huge wall with the moonlight shining upon us. A spring reflected the moonlight with its crystal clear water. The air was fresh and clear with the scent of flowers blooming and fresh fruit growing on trees.
"What is this place?" Ash wondered.
"I wonder…", Cullen walked to the lake and took a sample of it before he used a device to do some measurement with the water. The device beeped like an alarm clock, so it must have found the jackpot. "I knew it! Luna, this spring must be the source for Purity water! The water's chemical makeup is astounding!"
"I had a feeling it would be…", Luna mumbled concernedly. "This place is untouched by human, so the wild Pokémon living here must be very healthy. Even the nature is healthy with no signs of illness."
"But…if the water does get touched by man, it could end up polluting the water and that would be the end of all life in Purity Canyon", Misty commented.
"You're right, Misty", Luna nodded. "We must keep it quiet."
"Still, it's a marvelous discovery of medical history", Cullen said. "If we can study the molecules of the water, we might be able to find solutions on how to purify water across the world so everybody can stay healthy."
I looked over my shoulder when I heard some tiny chirps. A small group of baby Growlithe and Vulpix, four of each, walked toward the spring to have a drink. They looked so fluffy and adorable I just wanted to grab one and cuddle with it, but I couldn't. A large Arcanine and a Ninetales were watching us from a hill not so far from the spring, obviously the baby Pokémon's parents.
"Ooh, they look so adorable!" Misty smiled as she cradled Togepi in her arms now that we were in a safe place.
"Togiprii!" Togepi chirped happily at the babies.
"Wow! Even without the help of a Pokémon Breeder, they sure look very healthy", Brock commented happily.
"It must be thanks to not only their parents' love and care, but also the spring", I said as I nodded at the adult Pokémon. Ninetales' coat glowed even brighter than Zane's Ninetales, which could be the result of the clear environment.
"That and they live in a place with clean air, food source and water", Luna nodded. "But we better get going. The parents might get nervous with us around their babies. We need to find Pikachu."
"I hope Pikachu's somewhere safe and warm…", Ash mumbled sadly.
I gave him a hug and rested my chin on his shoulder. "Pikachu will be safe… I promise", I spoke in his ear.
"Thanks, Ashley", Ash hugged me in return before we walked away from the spring and the baby Pokémon that had begun playing and wrestling.
We couldn't find any other path that the one we found, so we ran down the stairs to return to the canoe and row to another part of the island. Everything seemed to go well until each one of us got hit by some weird snares that trapped our arms to our bodies.
"Hey! What's going on?!" Ash shouted in surprise.
"How unfortunate you are here", Domino spoke up as she saw her and a bunch of Team Rocket grunts at the bottom of the stairs. "You being here right now are quite inconvenient for us. We cannot let us go until we're done with our objective."
"Team Rocket!" Ash growled at them.
"What do you want from this island?!" Cullen yelled angrily, probably still hurt that Domino had tricked and betrayed his trust.
"The Pokémon obviously", Domino giggled as she walked to us with her comrades right behind her. "The Pokémon living here…are part of the type of group our boss have been looking for."
"What do you mean?" Luna asked.
Domino walked straight to the female adult and nudged her chin with a black tulip. "The fewer questions you ask, the more safe you'll be", the blonde responded.
"You're going to hurt Pokémon again…", I growled beneath my breath.
I didn't realize Domino had heard my words because she grabbed my chin and forced me to look at her. Our faces were so close that it made me weirdly nervous like the few times I've seen a girl who I thought was pretty. How could I think about that of an enemy whose heart was so ugly?
"Keep your mouth shut or else you'll get a sniff of my tulip", Domino threatened as she waved her tulip in front of my face.
"Get your hands off my sister!" Ash demanded angrily.
"Hrm!" Domino scowled and let go of my face. "Let's get moving! Don't let the intruders escape!"
"Yes, ma'am!" the grunts responded.
XXXXXXXXXX
It was awful witnessing how cruel Team Rocket acted against the wild Pokémon. Domino had electrocuted each one of them with her electronic tulip before the evil organization used the same snare they had used on us to catch the Pokémon instead of using Poké Balls. She didn't even spare the baby Pokémon and that hurt even more when I heard their painful cries. There was nothing we could do to call out our Pokémon and stop Team Rocket since we couldn't move our arms and we were constantly under watch by some grunts.
And none of the Pokémon Team Rocket caught included Ash's Pikachu. Where could he be if he weren't here? And where were Jessie and James? Shouldn't they be with their comrades and assist them?
I actually overheard Domino reporting to Team Rocket's boss Giovanni that her group had caught every Pokémon and called them clones. That brought my attention and it somehow activated a few gears in my brain. Where did I hear the term "Pokémon clones" before? It was like a memory that had faded away over time, a memory lost in the past.
While Domino left to meet up with Giovanni, we were left alone with the grunts and the captured Pokémon by the spring. Everyone was quiet and the Pokémon were too weak to attack the evil guys. I took my time to check every Pokémon to see if any of them got extremely hurt and needed help. I found a Venusaur and a Charizard with odd marks on their bodies, which also felt awfully familiar.
"Hey…", I whispered to the weakened Venusaur. It opened one eye as an Ivysaur cradled next to the fully evolved Pokémon. "Have we…met before?"
"Saur…", Venusaur rumbled, but it didn't shake or nod its head. That left me with more questions than answers.
"Everybody, get up!" one of the grunts shouted. "We're changing location!"
"Changing location?" Ash repeated confusedly.
"No questions! Get moving!" a second grunt shouted aggressively.
We were forced to walk down a new tunnel with the Pokémon, going to who knew where. None of the Pokémon resisted their restraints and quietly walked without putting up a fight. We walked past another tunnel where new Pokémon were forced to join us. Among them were two Pikachu who collapsed due to their weakened conditions.
"Pikachu!" Ash shouted and rushed to them, recognizing his partner and the mysterious Pikachu. My friends and I ran after him as he picked up the two Pokémon to the best of his abilities. "Pikachu! You both look terrible! What happened to you?!"
"Piiika…", Ash's Pikachu groaned weakly.
"They got hurt by Domino", Team Rocket's Meowth walked up to us with another Meowth, both of them restrained by the snares.
"Meowth? Why are you here?" Misty asked.
"I'd rather not answer…", Meowth sighed.
"Meow meow meow", the other Meowth meowed, walking on all four paws.
"The Pikachu need the Purity water", Cullen said. "Luna, can you grab the tube with the sample from my pocket?"
"Sure", Luna nodded and began digging her hands in Cullen's jacket. She found the tube and Cullen helped her remove the cork. The woman crouched down next to Ash and gently poured some water into both Pikachu's mouths. "This should revive them."
We waited anxiously for a few seconds before the two Pikachu were lively and healthy again, jumping out of Ash's arms. "Pika pikachu!"
"You look great again!" Ash smiled, relieved to see them full of life.
"It's nice to see a happy moment in such a situation…", I sighed in relief.
"The water here is incredible…", Cullen mumbled in disbelief.
"Get moving!" Domino spoke up when she joined us. "We've got new orders, so you need to stay in a place that you won't be able to escape!"
"And where's that?" Brock asked, narrowing his eyes at the blonde.
"A prison we found here", Domino replied with a giggle. "And we found two useless members of ours that will put up with good work as punishment."
"Jessie and James…?" I mumbled, finally getting one of my questions answered.
We were forced inside a prison cell that barely fit everyone including the Pokémon. Domino and the grunts left us alone after they set up a security alarm that would set off if we attempted to escape and removed the restraints from us. Once we were left alone, we sat down on the ground to come up with a plan to escape and get to the bottom of as of what was actually happening.
"Meowth, can you tell us what the heck is going on here?" Ash asked.
"Well, it's a long story, so I'll try summarize it", Meowth replied. "Pikachu got saved by a Pokémon called Mewtwo."
"Mew…two?" I repeated, feeling like I had heard that name before.
"I've never heard about a Pokémon called Mewtwo", Misty said.
"Me too", Brock nodded.
"That's 'cause Mewtwo…", Meowth hesitated and turned to the other Pokémon, as if he was silently asking for permission. The other Pikachu and Meowth nodded, answering his question. Meowth turned back and took a deep breath. "…Mewtwo is a Pokémon cloned from Mew."
"A cloned Pokémon?" Luna gaped softly in surprise.
"I've heard about reports of scientists attempting to clone Pokémon, but the known experiments have failed so far", Cullen spoke up.
"Apparently, Mewtwo was a secret project that…my boss Giovanni had ordered many years ago", Meowth confessed and turned to the clones. "But Mewtwo escaped and created these Pokémon that are also clones and they've been hiding from humans ever since."
"Pika pika", the cloned Pikachu nodded to confirm the truth.
"Mewtwo wants to protect them from Team Rocket and other evil humans who might discover their real nature and conduct experiments on them", Meowth continued the tale. "But some of the clones want to live just like any other wild Pokémon and explore the world instead of staying hidden in the shadows. They don't want to get treated…like outcasts."
That struck my heart to the core. I knew what it felt like to be treated like an outcast just because I was different compared to all the normal people. I could have chosen to stay at home when I turned ten and not go on a journey with Ash, but I want to see the world and find Pokémon and people who could treat me like I was one of them. Sure, the world was still a scary place, but I wasn't alone because I had my friends and family with me.
"Mewtwo…must have gotten hurt badly by Giovanni…", Ash growled as his body shook by anger. "How can he hurt a Pokémon…a living creature that has the right to live just like everybody else?!"
"Where's Mewtwo right now?" I asked.
"He…submitted to Giovanni to protect us", Meowth replied. "He's being held captive by my boss who tries to harness his power."
"We need to save him!" Ash exclaimed as he jumped up on his feet.
"Pika!" his Pikachu climbed up on his shoulder, ready for action.
"But we can't get out of this cell without setting of the alarm", Misty reminded my brother just as we started hearing noises that sounded like construction work.
"No! Don't tell me Team Rocket's building here!" Cullen exclaimed worriedly.
"If they pollute the water, all life here will die!" Luna added.
"Unless the other wild Pokémon will respond to the construction", Brock said. "We know clean water attracts bug-type Pokémon, so there's a chance they might get aggressive with Team Rocket for polluting their source of water."
"Ugh…!" Misty gagged and covered her mouth, looking a little green on her cheeks. "Bugs… But…I hope they can help us."
"Prii?" Togepi chirped worriedly.
The next thing we knew, explosions echoed across the island. The ground shook in response of the detonations, making us alert of the circumstances. An explosion was triggered close to the cell and engulfed us in thick smoke. I held my breath until the soot cleared up, thanks to the few openings on the walls where we got fresh air, revealing the cell got destroyed by the force of the explosion. The security alarm got demolished, so it didn't set off any noise.
"The cell's broken! We're free!" Misty exclaimed.
"C'mon, everybody! Let's stop Team Rocket and save Mewtwo!" Ash shouted and ran ahead.
"Let's go!" I shouted and ran after my brother along with the Pokémon and our friends. The Meowths and Pikachus ran ahead to show us the way where Mewtwo was held captive. We luckily didn't encounter any grunts, so we made it outside where the sun was now shining. I could see the construction Team Rocket had managed to build so far, but now half the island was on fire because of the bug Pokémon's interference. The cloned Pokémon took off to different parts of the island to deal with Team Rocket for intruding on their territory.
We found Mewtwo hovering in the sky trapped in a pink force field that got created by a pair of machines that were cemented to the ground. He really looked like an adult form of Mew, and seeing him made my head throb in pain. Have I seen him before too?
"Pika! Pika pika!" the cloned Pikachu shrieked and got Mewtwo's attention.
"I am glad…you are safe", Mewtwo spoke through telepathy. "But I…I cannot hold on much longer…!"
"Mewtwo…", Ash spoke up, worry in his voice.
"How…do you know my name?"
"Meowth told us and he said you saved Pikachu", Ash replied. "What can we do to help you?"
"Stop these machines…!"
We rushed to the machines and inspected them, trying to find a compartment or an ON/OFF button. "I can't find anything!" Misty called, her Togepi tucked away safely in her bag.
"Can't we use our Pokémon to destroy the machines?" I wondered.
"It might put Mewtwo in danger", Brock responded.
"Then there's only one thing left to do!" Ash yelled and tackled the red machine. "We need to knock them down! Maybe if it's off balance, it might lose its grip on Mewtwo!"
Misty and I stepped away from the machines and watched the boys and Pokémon tackle one of the machines until it was off its feet. The main source where it projected the force field could change the angle, so that did nothing to stop it.
"We can't stop the machines, Mewtwo!" Brock yelled.
"Then I have to the remains of my power…", Mewtwo grunted. "Either I will destroy them…or they'll destroy me!" He began screaming as his body got engulfed by his psychic powers. It was horrible to watch and hear him cry in pain as he tried overloading the machines.
"We must help him!" Ash said. "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt on one of the machines!"
"But, Ash-!" Misty said before she got interrupted by me.
"We must do something to help him!" I argued.
"PikaCHUUU!" the two Pikachu fired their Thunderbolt at the red machine that absorbed the electricity. Perhaps with dealing with two moves, it could cut the circuit and break down.
The red machine exploded into pieces, the force field now gone. Mewtwo crashed onto the ground as the other machine went haywire and faced the same fate as its twin.
"Mewtwo!" we shouted worriedly and ran to the weak Pokémon.
"Are you okay?" Ash asked.
"No… I can feel my life force…fade away…"
I held back a choke, fearing Mewtwo was about to die. The two Pikachus cried and tried pulling Mewtwo to get him somewhere. Meowth translated what they said to us.
"They're saying Mewtwo needs to get to the spring and fast!" Meowth said.
"The spring might revitalize Mewtwo just like how it revived Pikachu", Brock nodded.
"Then we're going there", Ash nodded before he grabbed one of Mewtwo's arms and wrapped it around his shoulders.
"I'll help", I said and grabbed Mewtwo's other arm.
"You won't go anywhere with my Mewtwo", a familiar voice called out.
I gasped when I saw Giovanni. He hadn't changed since I saw him last time in Saffron City. He unfortunately wasn't alone. He not only had a Persian by his side, but Domino and the other Team Rocket grunts were with him as well. They must be over thirty if not fifty of them and I was certain they had Pokémon that were ready to battle.
"Mewtwo is my Pokémon, therefore I will decide its fate", Giovanni declared.
"Not under our watch!" Misty shouted and threw her Poké Balls.
"Go, everybody!" Brock yelled and called out his own Pokémon along with Misty's, creating a shield between us and Team Rocket. The former Pewter City Gym Leader turned to me and my brother as we carried Mewtwo. "You two go with Mewtwo to the spring!"
"Right!" Ash nodded as we hurried to the cave that led us to the spring.
"Be careful!" I shouted over my shoulder, hearing the sounds of multiple Pokémon showing up to join the battle. Echoes of intensive battles roared behind us as we walked up the staircase with both Pikachu running ahead.
"Why…are you helping me?" Mewtwo asked, even though he should save his energy.
"Because you saved my Pikachu", Ash replied. "That's one of our reasons."
"The second reason is we love Pokémon and we don't want to see them being hurt", I replied as I gently caressed Mewtwo's arm. "You are a living creature who smiles when you're happy, cries when you're sad, screams when you're in pain and more. We can't leave you alone when you need help."
"You two…are unique… One of a kind…"
"We've been told that a lot", Ash chuckled as we made it to the top of the stairs, the green paradise being untouched by Team Rocket.
"You're one of a kind too, Mewtwo", I smiled, feeling comfortable with him now that he was opening up a little, even though he must have shut his heart close after being hurt by Giovanni.
"Everybody is", Ash added.
"I do not know what I am…", Mewtwo chuckled weakly as he tried keeping his eyes open. "And it might not matter…soon."
"Don't talk like that", I told him, trying to hold back my tears. "You will find your place in this world, Mewtwo."
"My place…", Mewtwo mumbled before he grew silent, body going limp in my arms.
"Mewtwo?" I called worriedly when he didn't respond.
"We're almost by the spring! Stay strong, Mewtwo!" Ash yelled as we were meters away from the spring.
"Pika pika!" the two Pikachu were waiting for us by the water.
Luna and Cullen had run off earlier and now we found them by the spring doing some tests of the water. They looked up when the Pokémon cried out and saw us and Mewtwo.
"Ash! Ashley!" Luna sighed in relief.
"Is that Mewtwo?" Cullen asked, nodding to the cloned Pokémon.
"Yes, but he's very weak and needs the Purity water or else he's not gonna make!" Ash nodded as we pulled Mewtwo to the spring.
"Wait, Ash! It might contaminate the whole spring with its unnatural molecule structure!" Cullen intervened. "This spring has minerals humans needs!"
"Who cares about that right now?!" I yelled at the adult. "Mewtwo needs help or he will die!"
"Mewtwo may be a clone, but he's a living creature built by the same molecules like everybody else!" Ash yelled as we prepared ourselves to throw Mewtwo into the spring. "He needs Purity water more than anybody else right now!"
We used all our strength to throw Mewtwo into the water. He fell into it like a rock and didn't float up to the surface. We waited anxiously to see him come up, but nothing happened. What if… No. Maybe it takes more time for him because he's by the death's door.
A helicopter flew down and hovered above the spring, a cannon firing grenades around us, destroying the nature. Giovanni stood on top of the helicopter with a microphone in his hand. "Tell me where Mewtwo is!" he demanded.
"Stop it!" Cullen yelled. "You can't come here and destroy the spring!"
"I have all rights to", Giovanni responded. "This spring belongs to me!"
"No, it does not!" Ash yelled back.
"Pika…!" the two Pikachu growled with their cheeks sparkling, ready to battle for their lives.
A fountain on water sprayed up from the spring, surprising us all, before it evaporated and revealed Mewtwo in his former glory. His body was healed and had no traces of his condition moments ago.
"You have no rights to defile this place!" Mewtwo spoke, his voice strong after he got revived. "It does not belong to you! Any more than I do!"
He activated his psychic powers that engulfed us and probably the rest of the island. The ground trembled as Mewtwo prepared himself to use his power to put an end to this war with Team Rocket. The next thing I knew, everything turned white before it slowly became dark.
XXXXXXXXXX
I grunted softly as I opened my eyes, realizing I had lost consciousness. I sat up and rubbed the back of my head before I looked around. We were in a cave with the cloned Pokémon and my brother and friends. There were no sights of Giovanni or even Luna and Cullen. I got up from the hay bed and walked to the crowd of Pokémon relaxing next to a cave lake that glittered in the same way as Purity water.
"Ash?" I called, seeing my brother stand next to Mewtwo.
"Ashley!" Ash smiled and embraced me when I got close to him.
I hugged him before and turned to Mewtwo. "How are you feeling, Mewtwo?"
"I feel revived…and alive", Mewtwo replied.
I turned to the lake seeing the water Pokémon playing and splashing each other. "Where are we?"
"In a cave beneath Mt. Quena. I have moved the lake and the spring to hide it from people who wish harm and use it for their own benefits."
"I can't wait to tell Professor Oak about this", Ash commented.
"Ash… I don't think that's a good idea", I told him.
"Your sister is right. You cannot tell anyone what has transpired here today. For the sake of protecting myself and the clones…I shall erase everyone's memories when you leave the cave."
"Erase our memories…?" I mumbled, getting a little worried about the process. Then again, if it was important to keep this a secret…
"You can't do that!" Meowth yelled as he jumped out from a corner with Jessie and James.
"Meowth, what are you doing?!" Jessie shrieked.
"Don't stick your nose into this!" James warned him.
"It's not about my nose! It's about the Pokémon's saying!" Meowth called. The other clones called out like he was agreeing with him.
Meowth walked over to the baby Pokémon and patted them gently on their heads. "One day these little ones will grow up and want to learn about their place of birth. But they won't get any answers to their questions…if you erase their parents' memories!"
Arcanine and Ninetales growled in response, nodding at Meowth's statement.
"Who cares if you were born or created? We're all living creatures!" Meowth continued sharing his wisdom as he walked over to the cloned Meowth. "You deserve to live and you deserve to know about yourself just like you and me! That's what we both think."
"Meoow!" the cloned Meowth meowed with a big smile.
"Meowth's right", Ash nodded. "We should remember this too."
"Things have already happened, so why forget about them?" Brock asked.
"And it's not like we'll go around telling people about this secret", Misty said as she cradled Togepi. "We promise not to tell anyone about you and the clones."
"Forgetting about yourself…is like removing a piece you can never take back", I added. "You need the past to build the future."
"Yes. They deserve to remember", Mewtwo nodded. "If we are able to look to the future as other Pokémon do, we must also be able to remember the past. The shame of that past is not ours. It belongs to those who used our past to set us apart. To ensure the safety of all my fellow Pokémon and of this healing place, I will clear only the memories of those who seek to destroy them." His eyes began glowing by his psychic power as he performed the memory erasing of Team Rocket and Giovanni. "Only they shall forget…"
Ash and I shared another hug before Brock decided to cook up a party for everyone. He made food for us and the Pokémon. After this long adventure, we were in desperate need to eat something and have a good rest.
Mewtwo used his psychic powers and allowed the cloned Pokémon to take off to the world in the middle of the night, leaving Purity Canyon to go on an adventure of their own and explore and find a place to call home. Once everyone had left, except for Pikachutwo and Meowthtwo, Mewtwo brought us and Team Rocket to a route so we were only a few hours away from Ecruteak City by foot.
"Thank you for everything", Mewtwo told us. "I will always remember you."
"And we'll remember you too", Ash smiled.
"If you ever see our balloon, stop by and say hi!" Meowth smiled at his clone.
"Meow meow!"
"Take good care of yourself, Mewtwo", Brock said.
"If you ever need a place to stay…you're welcome to our house in Pallet Town", I spoke softly.
"I shall remember that offer if I ever am in need of help."
"Mom will cook her best dishes for you", Ash grinned.
"Pika pika!" Pikachu chirped to Pikachutwo.
"Pika pi!"
"Look after each other, guys", Misty smiled.
"And we promise we won't tell about you to our boss and start this manhunt again", Jessie promised.
"What our boss did was despicable, but we shall remain loyal to Team Rocket!" James nodded.
"I entrust you with the secret of my existence", Mewtwo said before he and his clones levitated up to the air. "If you someday hear my voice, know that my spirit is watching over you through time and space."
The trio disappeared among the stars and the moon, leaving us in the forest with the other Pokémon sleeping peacefully, not aware of what had occurred in Purity Canyon. That was our memory to keep protecting Pokémon who had the same value as any other living creature.
"Well… This was a rollercoaster ride", Jessie said before she yawned loudly.
"Let's call a truce for now, twerps", James suggested.
"I agree", Ash nodded. "It's been a long day and we all need a break."
"If you promise not to steal our Pokémon, you can camp with us tonight", Brock said as he started preparing his sleeping bag.
"We'll keep our word…for now", Jessie cackled.
"I hope so…", I yawned and lied down on my sleeping bag, eyes closing fast before I fell into my dreams where I wished for Mewtwo to be happy and find his meaning in life.
Who knows; maybe we'll meet him again someday when he needs our help again.
XXXXXXXXXX
I replaced the Nidoqueen and Rhyhorn couple from the movie with Arcanine and Ninetales because for some weird reason, Nidorina and Nidoqueen are unable to breed in the games even back in Gen 2's Gold, Silver and Crystal. So how come Nidoqueen was able to mate with a Pokémon in the movie? Movie logic, I guess.
XXXXXXXXXX
Ashley's party:
Cedric the Larvitar (male)
Trica the Furret (female)
Hikaru the Flaaffy (male)
Mystic the Togetic (male)
Victor the Houndour (male)
Axel the Scyther (male)
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Ash's party:
Ivysaur (male)
Pikachu (male)
Chikorita (female)
Cyndaquil (male)
Totodile (male)
Shiny Noctowl (male)
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Ash's Pokémon at the Lab:
Heracross (male)
Wartortle (male)
Tauros (male)
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Misty's party:
Goldeen (female)
Staryu (genderless)
Psyduck (male)
Togepi (female)
Poliwhirl (male)
Chinchou (female)
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Brock's party:
Geodude (male)
Onix (male)
Golbat (male)
Pineco (male)