CHAPTER 10: DIVISION
Although the noise of the crash of the hot air balloon beyond their cave awoke them, it was Meowthtwo was scurried into their chamber who alerted them to the situation and the fact that Pikatwo, scouting ahead of the others, had gone to intercept the intruders. Instantly alert, Mewtwo rolled from his bed, his frame startling and his eyes narrowed into a fierce glare at the notion that humans had invaded the basin and were but a matter of yards from his home and the members of his pack. Briar, though somewhat less swift, soon rose to her feet and placed a hand on his arm, attempting to sooth him, to remind him that not all humans were malevolent—these could merely be foolhardy tourists who'd been swept up by the storm—and deposited on their front door. Yet the small feline ended that argument—they were merely the first of many, the main force of which was crossing the mountains as they spoke. Mewtwo swiftly turned his monitoring system on, the screen tracking, and displaying the image of a fleet of zeppelins and helicopters heading their way—by dawn they would be in position to strike at the pack if they so choose, and given that Mewtwo recognized the flight vehicles and formation as that of combat squad, he had few doubts concerning their intentions. Whoever they were, they were here upon no benign mission, and his mind spun with possibilities, each more nightmarish than the last. His pupils narrowed into slits and an agitated growl filled his throat.
A part of him wanted to hope they were making a routine flight, and intended no attack or seizure of this land and its inhabitants—but as this area was a natural park, and the airspace above it illegal to fly over in fear it would disrupt the pokémon here (that, and it was dangerous for pilots at best from the severe, unpredictable weather). No, these people intended something malignant and vile—perhaps they sought tot clear the region of wild pokémon and forcibly take the spring, which possessed healing properties likely coveted by greedy humans. Perhaps they meant to test weaponry in this isolated place, so far from potential human causalities; weapons which might level the mountains or eradicate species. Or perhaps they had simply come in force because they sought to reclaim what lay in the heart of this place: Briar, a human servant of pokémon, who, if she was their intended prize, they might view as endangered and abused here. As that thought chilled him, his eyes swept over her, resting momentarily upon her swollen abdomen, the evidence of her unlikely pregnancy. They could not find her here, she must be moved someplace safe…she was virtually defenseless against armed invaders, unlike the rest of the pack with their special abilities. And if the nature of their unborn child was uncovered…!
"You must join Nidoqueentwo and Rhyhorntwo by the spring, Briar. For not it is the safest place beyond the underground caverns, and if we are invaded, you will have access to escape routes from that central area. If it appears as if we cannot hold, you will lead those two and their children from here—swim across the lake if you must, but you all must not be captured."
She shook her head. "No, I should be with y—"
He interrupted her firmly. "If it was merely you, I would allow you to stand by my side. However, the safety of our child must come first—if these people intend us harm, it will be most at risk due to its heritage. You must not allow them to seize you, and by extension, the being you carry, so do whatever you can to reach safety. I will come for you after this is over…but I cannot afford to fear for either of you as I war for our sake. Go hide, run if you must, but be safe…and take this."
He raised a hand, and in a flash of light teleported into his hand a hunting knife. He had meant to give it to her well before now and attempt to teach her how to use it, but there had seemingly never been time. However, he trusted she knew enough to thrust it into another if they dared get too close without her consent—she was human, after all.
As he began to turn away, he thought of saying the words to her, but refrained. Perhaps now would be the time if there was a chance he would not return—but he would come back to her and their son or daughter, and so as he left, he urged her again to be safe, and with relief sensed her journeying to the spring as directed. So long as he could focus on protecting the island, she would be safe…so long as she remained undiscovered, no harm could come to her.
He made his way to the shore in time to stop Pikatwo from attack the rodent he recognized to be the clone's genetic donor. Startled to find the being in this place, he looked down the shore, finding Meowthtwo's counterpart and the being's human owners, who seemed just as bewildered to see him as he was of them. How could this be? What were the odd? Astronomical, to be sure, but if that Pikachu was here, surely the boy and his companions were nearby? He cast out his senses and certain enough, they and a pair of researchers, one of whose signatures he recognized as the bus station woman's, were on the other side of the lake. It was impossible…and yet if they were here, might not the enemy also prove a remnant of the past?
He widened his empathic range further, and discovered the one signature he could find and recognize among billions: Giovanni Rocketto was within one of those vehicles. With building clarity, Mewtwo understood the situation, for the pieces fell into place; this was the reason behind the increased military presence in the south: Giovanni, as a prominent force in the Kanto government and the head of a private military organization, could occupy true military bases if the security of the nation was at risk. Such was a part of his duties as a gym leader, and with his seniority over a majority of the leaders in Kanto and Johto, as well as his power base, his pursuits typically went unquestioned and the foreign government would bow beneath his will. Hence, provided an official reason could be fabricated (and the capture of potentially dangerous pokémon to society qualified as an appropriate alibi) and pockets lined, Giovanni could do whatever he wished—even invade an area largely banned from human involvement and exploration.
While the presence of the children and the rather dramatic thugs continued to perplex him, he comprehended why his once master was here: to reclaim him. How did the saying go? "Absolutely power corrupts absolutely." And the clone had once given him a taste of a power he could not resist pursuing.
"The fleet which approaches belongs to an organization and a man which are a plight on the world—if they capture any of us, you can be certain the torture you meet at their hands for simply being what you are will make you long for death. We are faced with a difficult choice, my friends: on the one hand, we may remain in this place we have considered out home for the past year and battle to defend it from these outsiders. We can stand our ground, quite possibly against forces which largely outnumber and outgun us, and attempt to retain what is ours. If we do this, we may be destroyed—or we might hold them off for a time, we cannot know. If we decide on the other path, we must abandon this place immediately and destroy the evidence of our presence here as best we can—we cannot afford to be idle and allow them to overtake us. Even then, we may be apprehended, or we may escape—again, we cannot know."
Pikatwo, suddenly appearing torn, shouted, "What will you do? Will you stand and fight or run?"
Their alpha answered truthfully. "If this merely concerned those closest to me and myself, I would run. However, Nidoqueentwo and Rhyhorntwo, and more importantly their children, cannot so easily evade this foe. For their sake, I will remain and employ all of my powers to defend this place, or at the very least, hold the invaders off as long as possible to five the family a chance to escape. If anyone else chooses to remain, I am confident my protection will cover them as well, at least for a time."
"You mean we have a choice?"
He was uncertain who had asked it, and after a moment replied, "Yes, you have always had a choice. I cannot dictate how you choose to live your lives. I can merely attempt to advise and protect you. And let me make this perfectly clear: if you are captured, these invaders will kill you in cloning experiments, vivisection perhaps being their kindest form of torment. Whatever path you chose, you must not allow them to take you."
He wanted to say more, to tell them to remain under his defense—but they must decide on their own, because while he could ask them to face life with him, he could not request that they face death with him when they might avoid it if fate blessed them with an escape from the encroaching danger. And so, as he walked to the cliff, he heard the pack begin to argue—what should they do? If they stayed, they risked losing everything—if they left, they faced the same. Should they face this threat as a pack like they had the others, or use this as an opportunity, a justification for splintering and heading out to escape death and find life? In the end, the group was split in two—the group which would stand with Mewtwo, clinging to them home and accepting his protection, and the group which sought to acquire their own lives independent from their maker and evade the approaching reaper. Neither group made their choices easily—even the strongest advocates on each side were tortured over the decision. In another time, a time of peace, this choice would be made gradually and the separation prepared for and kind farewells exchanged. Promises of reunions would be made, and their journeys blessed, but terror forced hands and broke hearts, and so no actions could be taken to ease the process and sooth the pain. Through fear, the pack, the family, was torn in half—and this, soon enough, would give Giovanni all he needed to accomplish his goals.
For divided, the opposition fell-that was among the simplest truths in war.
After the primary invades were locked away in the cellar that had once contained Briar, and as such rendered harmless, Mewtwo watched with growing anxiety as the dispersers travelled across the lake and the fleet approached. As the human crafts swept past the island, those beside him howled and released a volley of elemental attacks which fell just short, a warning not to fly any closer. However, the airborne force appears to ignore them—they were heading for the opposite shore where the deserters now were. Across the distance the alpha called out a warning for them to take cover in the forests, but before they could sprint into the foliage, the fleet opened fire: blasts of debilitating electrical energy rained down upon the group, stunning all but a few, namely the lightning types, who use their agility and their own enemies to counter the effects, effectively shocking their fellows from their stunned statuses.
As the clones regained their bearings, they began firing barrages at the hovering vehicles—although the hides of the machines could not be penetrated by mere slashes and bites, fire and ice weakened the structures and brought two of the vehicles down. As they crashed into the cliffs and forests, the denizens of the basin erupted from the trees in fear and fury, assisting the clones in their battle. Mewtwo and his companions watched it all with growing unrest, spying how the assault from the fleet began to intensify and mount in violence. With merely paralyzing blasts limited in usefulness, the humans began to employ projectiles and explosions, soon cutting down and cremating the hordes of insects that had once proven so peaceful. The clones, endowed with advanced endurance and special abilities, managed to evade the worse of the blows, sustaining only minimal injuries. Of the wounded, they were carried into the depths of the wilderness by their healthier fellows, finding safety in the wild landscape. Yet many, too many, continued to battle—especially as the Rocket Gang purposefully flung flammable substances across the trees and lit them aflame, beginning a forest fire, which began to spread, steadily and dangerously, though the trees beyond the shores.
With this, Mewtwo realized he could not remain idle any longer. By beginning this blaze, Team Rocket not only threaten to demolish the whole basin and the lives who lived within it, but they also endangered the pack members who fled in those emerald depths and those who remained fighting. Between the blaze and fleet, the battlers were pinned, and even now succumbed to the firepower of Team Rocket as he watched. He must go to their aid…yet if he left the island would be vulnerable, and even as he contemplated that the fleet split its force, knowing the battle of the forest was under their control and they could afford to turn their attention to their true goal: the clone stilled trapped on the island. The alpha was filled with dread—if he left, he risked the safety of the remaining pack members, the spring…and the person who was most dear to him, but if he stayed, he would doom the others who sought only their freedom. As he hesitated, he watched as his companions fell and were restrained in shackles which bound their limbs to their bodies and prevented motion and escape. If he abandoned them, they would be shipped away to their deaths…and he could not allow that!
Knowing that his departure would risk the downfall of the islanders, he gave them strict orders to defend the shores and fall back into the caves for covers if overpowered. He would attempt to return as soon as possible to assist them, but for now he must save the others. They gave their affirmatives and fell into fighting stances, glaring and growling at the airborne machines which approached. Giving them one final look, his eyes linger on the land entrance into the complex, the alpha teleported across the lake to a world of terror, rage, fire and blood….
And meanwhile, struggling across the lake, a group of children and two adults entered the caverns through the watery entrance and began to climb the stone staircase. They made their way into the heart of his home, the lost Eden, in an attempt at rescue which would result in the exposure of secrets making should not know…and all in vain, for the friend they sought to save was on the other shore, fighting to protect strangers who nonetheless deserved to exist, despite their unnatural nature. He was a solider prepared to lay down his life for what was right…and as his injuries began to take their toll, he wondered if that would indeed be the case, if today might be his last on Earth….
Yet even burning, he supposed there was worst places to die in the world than this. A light flashed far above in the manifestation of an archangel, and soon the waters of the lake erupted and the winds roared over the sounds of screams and wicked flame and gunfire.
The alpha had joined the fight. Now the war for Mount Quena and its denizens would truly begin.
The clone of Mew had employed his powers immediately and created vast waves from the lake which flung themselves over the shores and washed into the trees, drowning the worst of the blaze. He then called upon the heavens, stirring the vapors in the firmament to bring forth a rainstorm, which would mutually quench what remained of the fire and make it difficult for the fleet to see and hence, properly pilot and attack. He then picked out the restrained clones, the two trained pokémon, and the injured wild ones upon the shores—focusing his energies on them, he teleported them to the spring, trusted that Briar would find a way to release their bindings and provide them each with the healing spring waters to jumpstart their ability to mend their wounds. After they vanished, he turned to the fleet surrounding him—he charged a sphere of psychical energy in his paws and launched them forward to strike the hulls of the vehicles. Of the seven, three succumbed, exploding in fireballs which fell into the basin in a whirl of splintered metal and ask from its occupants. The other four each aimed and fired at his simultaneously in retaliation—he erected a barrier, upon which the blasts impacted, harmless but for the bright light which momentarily blinded him. Once his vision cleared, he saw that three of the number had drawn back, leaving the fourth hovering menacingly before him. Then, carrying through the beats of blades and battle and rain, a familiar voice blared over a loudspeaker, sounding amused rather than dismayed at the destruction and loss of life all around him.
"Well done, Mewtwo! Here I had believed the battle had been in my favor, yet out of the smoke you appear, quite like the first time we met, and swiftly proved your prowess by turning the tide against me! I congratulate you—I daresay continued fighting on this shore would be senseless of me, so I will forfeit it to you."
"You will fair just as poorly elsewhere, Giovanni. Cease this assault against the inhabitants of this place and spare the valley from becoming a battlefield. If you refuse, I will tear you from the sky and provide you no mercy for threatening my home and my pack!"
Laughter sounded over the speakers. "Well you do have a mighty roar, my old friend, but I have tamed lions before, so I find you words do not sway me. However, my purpose here does not contain a need for ruining this area of eradicating its natural inhabitants, so I will allow you that reward for besting me here: neither will be harmed. Does that please you, little lion?"
It relieved him, but only just. He had not missed the man's emphasis on the term "natural," implying that the unnatural clones were yet in danger, and as such cast a worried glance to the island, around which flashes of elemental and synthetic energies marked a brewing battle between the rest of the fleet and his pack. Which a growl he asked, "And what is your purpose here? Do you intend to reclaim me and capture my brethren to use for your demented purposes? If so, we shall not come quietly."
"I surmised as much—and yes, you are correct, that is what I intend, but then, you always were a clever boy, weren't you? However, my force requires my guidance, so I find I must end this delightful discussion to go to their aid. I will see you on the island, Mewtwo—perhaps there we might negotiate a deal."
"Oh, and you best hurry—my force has landed, and very soon they will be ready to seize your little island complex. Your friends may not last long against their firepower—after all, their teams consist of the best hunters and mercenaries who money can buy. So I daresay they are a match for your enhanced little fighters."
On that chipper note, the four airships sped off towards the island, with Mewtwo in hot pursuit and attempting his best to take them down by force—but his telekinesis seemed to slip from them, as if they were coated in a substance which repelled psychical energies.
Only later would he realize the name of the machines which could so effectively cancel his psychological energies, and it turned against him, could contain him far better than the metal armor which had once suppressed his powers; for within the hulls of the fleet were the devices all psychics despised with the very fibers of their souls: the dark energy generators.
And these ones, as Mewtwo would soon discover, had been modified to suit him…and they would, with far more effectiveness than Mew, be able to take him down when the time came….
Yet as they raced towards the island, Mewtwo thought only of his endangered pack and of the woman he sought to conceal and save…a woman who now, with a sinking heart, glanced up from her dying patient to spot the sun rising from the east, its face no longer pristine, but bloodied.
The omen was not lost on any of them…for soon, the dreaded words arose as a messenger raced from the cavern entrance into their midst, heralding their doom:
"They've broken through our ranks—they're coming!"