Much like yesterday morning, I was the first to wake up. Kaorah was still asleep when I did. A gentle nudge against her arms with my hands, told her to let me go so I could get up. It was quite early like before, but I was fine with letting her sleep in. I went through my morning routine, silently, even if it was in the dark, before grabbing Solais's ball and letting her out. The Absol stretched, and quietly yawned. I signaled with a hand to stay quiet, as Kaorah was still asleep.
Thinking ahead, I quietly pulled a personal notepad from my bag, and a pen I carried in case I needed to write something. --Solais and I have gone out. We'll be back in a little bit, and I'll bring you some breakfast.-- I set the note on the table beside the bed. I gave Kaorah a soft kiss, in the same spot as always, smiling at her quiet grunt, and the soft smile that appeared on her face. Then Solais and I left the room.
I locked the door behind us, and stored the key in my left pocket. "You really love her, don't you?" I answered Solais's question with a nod. "Yes, I certainly do. We've known each other for quite a long time."
"I'm glad that your love is genuine. There are those who…condition it. Who make the their Pokemon believe that they love each other, when it's not actually there. It's good to see, even if you're the first case, that there are those who have a genuine romantic bond." I didn't miss the look in her eye. She must've had a bad experience in the past. I feel as though I shouldn't ask her about it.
"That aside, shall we go get breakfast?" At her nod, we started for the Pokemon Center's dining hall. The front desk wasn't occupied, indicating that Nurse Joy, the one who runs this Center, anyway, was likely still asleep. Or, just hadn't gotten to her station yet.
Turned out to be the latter, as Solais and I saw her at one of the tables in the dining area. I waved at her, then went on to fix my breakfast. "Where's Kaorah at?" I see that my team's nicknames were starting to catch on, already. "She's still asleep. When Solais and I finish eating, we're going to take her breakfast back with us, when we go."
Solais and I sat down at a table, and I also let Pidgey out of his ball. Allowing him to go and grab a berry. The three of us took our time with breakfast. When I finished with mine, I started fixing something for Kaorah to eat, which I'd give to her when we returned to our room.
Once I got the plate, and had cleaned up our spot, we started back. Kaorah should be up, by the time we get back.
??????, Unknown Location.
A red-eyed form watched as the Human and his Pokemon got up from their table. "How very…interesting." He spoke to himself. The small portal he watched the human from, faded from existence at his will. The massive, shadowy form flew up and around the mass of land that represented the City known as Pewter, with its smaller buildings, and the short ring of forest surrounding it. A pair of red eyes focused on the exact spot where the Pokemon Center was.
He had sensed the Human, and his team, when they first crossed into that odd pocket dimension. He didn't know how they made the thing…or, for that matter, how they were able to open that portal so easily, without his aid. The huge shadow wondered if his brothers or even…his father…had also sensed the unusual Human.
The shadow opened another portal. One that watched as the Human opened the door to his room with one hand. He saw the last member of the team, the Garchomp, had just stood up from the bed she was left to sleep on. He'd seen how close the Human and the Garchomp were. He didn't remember if his…father (How he disliked referring to HIM as such, after he'd sent the shadow to this black void.) had said anything about if it was right or wrong, to hold such a relationship.
The shadow let out a snort. He didn't care, so long as that love was genuine. He could tell it was, easily…even if love wasn't an emotion that came to him easily, especially with how long he's been alone in this damned void.
Oh, he could EASILY leave, he could leave at any time. But dearest FATHER would be displeased.
The shadow growled and fired off a Shadow Ball, which struck the floating island that represented the Viridian Forest. He saw the Human and his team stumble as the ground shook lightly. "Oops." The shadow assessed the damage he had unintentionally caused, with another portal. Nothing too bad, other than a decently sized crater, and quite the cloud of dust…as well as a swarm of frightened Pokemon.
He let off another snort, shaking his head. Someone else could deal with that. He shifted his focus back to the one who had caught his interest. When the Human slowly started to turn to face his mirror, the shadow wisely closed the window which he had created. "Continue to amuse me, Human." The shadow's deep voice rumbled within his personal world. "In time, we shall see if you are worth a proper visit."
Zeryph, Pewter City.
I continued to stare at the spot on the mirror, for a little while longer. The rather abrupt explosion likely startled a lot of people and Pokemon. As for the mirror, I had an odd feeling that something, or likely…some ONE, was watching us. I have a guess as to who…but I doubt that he'd take interest this early on, unless the use of the Instant Dungeon spell drew his attention. And if he was interested, the others likely would be, too.
"What…are you staring at?" I was snapped out of my stare by Solais. "Sorry, just…felt like I was being watched." She gave me a look, like she thought I was crazy, or something. "Are you feeling OK?" I answered with a nod. She continued to give me an odd stare, before shaking her head, apparently deciding to forget it.
"Just so you're aware, fast travel has now been enabled. You do not need a Flying or Psychic type for it. Just bring up your map and pick a city. Fast Travel does not elapse time. Don't use it too much…as you might attract attention." Cool…it means I can do something I neglected to try, yesterday. And also, thanks for the warning.
"I've just been told that I have fast travel, now." My whole team responded with questioning glances. "Basically, it means we can go anywhere we've already been, in the time it takes to snap my fingers. I'm going to go…see something, right quick. I shall be back shortly." When they, eventually, nodded, I brought up the map and chose to fast travel to Viridian city.
Break.
The world blurred for a moment, and when my vision returned, I was right in front of the Viridian City Pokemon Center. I immediately started to head for Viridian City's gym. Unlike Ash, though…I was able to time my return just right, to run into him. Team Rocket's boss, Giovanni. A use of Observe told me the important thing that I wanted to know…that HE was on the man's team. Mewtwo's spot on the team was marked with ????, yet I know who it is. However…he wasn't actually present, currently.
"Good morning." I decided to play it nice, and not hint that I knew who was on his team…and definitely not give any clues as to knowing who he really is. "Good morning." He fished his keys from his coat's pocket, and started to unlock the Gym's doors. "Are you here for a challenge?" I shook my head. "Unless there's not any number of required badges for your Gym, I am not." I replied, leaning over against the wall.
"Very well. So tell me, are you the one with the…Garchomp, was it?" I wonder how you know that. Although, I already know, I'm not going to let onto the fact I do. "Yes, sir. That's me. So…how are you aware of that?" He shook his head, then slid the Gym's door open. "Not here, please. Come in. This discussion requires privacy. And, if you can, bring your team along. I promise you that nothing will happen to them, while you are in my presence."
"I'll need to go get them. It will take just a moment." I used the fast travel system, again. Reappearing in the spot that I left from, originally. Fortunate, since it means that there's a recall function. "Did you find what you're looking for?" Kaorah was the one that spoke. "Yes, more than that. We have a meeting opportunity. They've asked me to come and get you guys."
"What's going on?" Solais. "We'll figure that out. It's something important, as far as I'm aware. Come on, best to not keep him waiting."
"Alright, let's go." Kaorah's ready. "I'm not sure about this, but if you're willing…we'll go." And Solais has given her agreement. I brought up fast travel again, only this time, I chose to take them with me. An option that was there before, but I chose not to. Pidgey flew over and settled onto my shoulder as always, just before we teleported.
We arrived at the exact spot I intended. Giovanni spared little more than a raised eyebrow. "So, what was that, then? A Psychic type?" I shook my head. "It's something meant to be kept secret."
"Very well. Please, follow me." He opened the Gym's doors, and we all went inside. We bypassed the actual battlefield, going to the back wall, opposite to the door. Giovanni held up a hand and placed it on the wall. I heard the sound of a running scanner, and then, with a hiss, a spot on the wall sunk in and then slid away.
"Right this way, please. I must ask that you speak nothing about what you have seen here, today. I am taking a large gamble in revealing this to anyone who is not a part of Team Rocket, as a whole." We continued, through several hallways, before finally coming to our destination. A locked down room with a heavily armored door. A small window on the door let us see within. "Here we are. Please, stand aside."
I stepped away from the door. "Before we enter, I must answer your question, from earlier. As to how I know of your team and its members, apart from her." He gestured towards Solais. "You know of Team Rocket, but you do not know of our true size. Although the three you have encountered are members, they're only a small squad. They're…far from our best." So I've noticed.
"However, most of the team tries to keep operations secret. We have yet to gather enough suspicion in any of the areas we have hidden bases, such as this one." He began to key in several numbers. I made it a point to not look at the keypad. I didn't want to create any belief that I had been trying to memorize it. If the leader caught onto such things, then the code would surely be changed.
The door made several clicking noises, before finally sliding open, slowly. The small room on the other side looked like a cell, mixed with a lab. Sitting on what would be the cell's bed, with his knees pulled up to his chest and his head rested on his arms…was Mewtwo. He had quite a bit of wires hooked up to him, and some pretty heavy restraints too, likely to keep him from moving around much. A collar on his neck, with cabling hooked to his head, likely to dampen his powers.
I have to wonder…why did he show me this? My CHA and reputation stats definitely aren't high enough. Maybe it's a random event, or a quest opportunity. I don't think it'll stop the events of Mewtwo's debut movie. "Subject, your attention please." He grunted, before opening his eyes. "What do you want…" His eyes focused on me. "You. You aren't one of them. What are you doing here?"
"I have brought him here, for a reason. You, Zeryph, I believe…I am entrusting our subject to you, for the time being. Even if you are a new trainer, your Garchomp alone, has shown a sign of the effectiveness of your training. I want you to give the same training to this one." That certainly surprised all of us. However, the popping of a quest, made it a deal that was impossible to refuse.
Quest Added! Request From The Boss-man. (Recommended Level: Any)
The leader of Team Rocket, Giovanni, has given you a request. You have been asked to take on Team Rocket's top secret creation, Mewtwo, and train him. He will be difficult to work with at first, but you can do it.
Objective 1: Take Mewtwo and train him (Completes at any time)
Objective 2: Share recorded training data with Team Rocket scientists (0%/100%)
Optional objectives: Spend a year or more working with Mewtwo. The longer you spend, the more rewards you get. Help Mewtwo learn how to Mega Evolve on his own, without a Mega Stone.
Failure conditions: N/A.
Rewards: 1000 EXP, 50,000 cash. Large reputation boost for Team Rocket. Giovanni will positively support your skills as a trainer. Team Rocket owes you a favor in return. You can call in this favor at any time
Bonus Objectives: Extra payment depending on how long you spend. Mewtwo's actions for the events of his debut movie, may change.
That really sweetened the deal. I couldn't help the smile that appeared. Thankfully though, Quest notification screens seemed to temporarily freeze time. Until I accepted them, anyway. The Level Up screen did, too. My team however, wasn't frozen. "So girls, and Pidgey, what do you all think?"
"I haven't known you long enough to really give an opinion. But it's your call." Solais was the first to speak. Pidgey nodded in agreement. They've only known me for one and two days, respectively. We all turned to Kaorah. "I say…go for it. Your training's been amazing for me, and is part of the reason we managed to get through that Dungeon and its Zoroark boss. But understand this, if you decide to develop more than friendship, you had better let me see the results of it." I felt my face heat up at her comment. It's not too likely, but it depends on how us bonding goes.
"Kaorah…what have I said about your mates' discussions?" I let out a short laugh at Solais's reply. "It's fine, she's only joking I'm sure." Kaorah nodded, though her eyes said something different. I shook my head with a smile. Even if I said what I did, that was my past life. Things can always end up different in this one.
However, having received their approval, I accepted the quest, and time around us resumed. It gives us plenty of time to think over quests, since it freezes like that. "I accept. We'll take care of him." Giovanni responded with a nod. "Very well. Please, take your time to introduce yourselves. I shall send someone to wait outside the door. They will escort you out, when you are ready to leave."
Giovanni pulled Mewtwo's ball from his belt, and handed it to me. "I leave him in your care. Do not make it seem as though my trust was misplaced." He then left the cell, and its door slid shut and locked down. Although I could easily fast travel out of here, that would raise some serious alarms.
I sat down on a chair, placed to be opposite to the bed. My teammates took up spots on either side of me. Mewtwo's focus remained on Solais longer than the rest of us. I wonder if he knew about Type advantages, and was able to figure out she was a Dark Type. If he can't sense her, then he likely already knows.
"She's a Dark Type, if you don't know." He grunted softly, and then closed his eyes. "Not interested in talking…that's fine. I'll give you all the time you want." [Hn.] I was surprised by the presence within my mind. [How interesting…forgive my abrupt intrusion. They are listening…they are, always listening. Do not speak out loud, especially if you plan to reveal anything particularly sensitive.] I nodded.
[Very well. And what about watching?] I asked. [Corners of the room. Either side of the door, cameras are in those spots. However, I have managed to blind the cameras, even with this damned collar. Telepathic communication still works. I speak out loud when THEY are in here. I did not want them to dampen my ability to speak privately with someone.]
"Why aren't you saying anything?" Mewtwo and I both heard her speak. [Telepathy. I can't form a connection with the other Pokemon. But you, your trainer, and the Pidgey, I can form this link. We can speak privately this way.] He said to us. [Solais, that's her name. She's an Absol, from the Hoenn Region. They're Dark Types.] Mewtwo responded with a barely visible nod.
[I understand. Her immunity to Psychic Types, means that she can never hear me, like this.] He changed positions, to one where he was actually sitting normally, now. Apparently trusting me enough to relax, at least a little. I could tell that his guard was still up. I felt an invisible force, against my mind. Gamer's Mind activated, as it should. I felt it again, softer this time. It was a silent request to see my memories, and so I let him, but I kept out anything I wanted private.
I saw the slight movements in his eyes, as though he were reading from a book or a paper. I saw slightest change in his expression as he discovered different things. I saw Kaorah suddenly frown. "Let him." I whispered as quietly as I could, so she could pick up on it, but the bugs in the room wouldn't hear. "Let him learn from what he finds…it will help with trust. You can keep anything private to yourself."
I saw her frown lessen, and much like with my own memories, Mewtwo began to scan through hers. I had seen the same things he did. He was looking through my memories with my Pokemon, but I saw memories of my family come up, too. Mewtwo stopped his mind diving for a moment, and fixed us both with a curious gaze. I knew the silent question, so I gave him a single nod. Kaorah's own confirmed it.
He didn't give us any indication on his thoughts, refraining from sharing them with us, too. He must not have known such a thing was possible. Or even, that there even was such a thing as Human/Pokemon relationships. His search of Pidgey's memories was much shorter, as Pidgey and I only knew each other for two days, now.
[So…what all did you look for.] Mewtwo smiled. A genuine smile, too…I think it might've even been his first one. Which got me to form my own smile. [I was looking to see how you handle Pokemon. I don't, normally, trust anyone. However…for you, based on what I have seen…I'll give it a chance.] His voice echoed within my mind. [However…if you do anything to break that trust…I will not hesitate to hurt you and your team to ensure I can get away.] I nodded in understanding.
He hesitantly held out a hand. I knew his intention, because I reached out and grasped it with my own, in a handshake. "Welcome aboard. We'll make a proper friend out of you, yet." I spoke aloud, because I knew that the guards wanted to hear that. Almost on cue, the door began to unlock. Mewtwo hastily killed his emotions, becoming machine-like again within an instant. I felt the smallest amount of pain, emotionally. While I didn't have much in the way of empathy in my past life, and I don't believe I do, now…seeing Mewtwo shut down his emotions, did hurt, in a way.
[Emotions aren't forbidden, you'll be free to express yourself the way you wish to. I promise.] There was the briefest semblance of a smile, before he hid it behind his emotionless mask. Two guards and a scientist entered the room. "Stand back, please." One of the guards had us back away. The other took up a position at the door, so its sensors wouldn't cause it to automatically shut and lock again. The scientist walked up to Mewtwo. "Subject, your arm." Mewtwo complied, robotically. He lifted his right arm.
The scientist put something on. "This will record any and all data from your training." That was directed at me. "It will not do him any harm, you have my word. The screen will tell you how much data is stored. When it is full, you are to leave it in one of the city's dead drops. When we receive a card directly, we will send someone to deliver a new one to you." I nodded. "I understand." The scientist nodded, and then she started to slowly unhook each of the wires from Mewtwo's body. I saw him wince as some of them came off. Apparently fearing the possibility of something painful. Electric shock, possibly. I didn't miss the prod on one of the guards' belts.
As the last wire came off, the guard fished a key from one of his uniform pockets, and began to work on Mewtwo's restraints, while the scientist carefully pulled the collar off. I felt Mewtwo's psychic pressure begin to weigh down on us. I saw the faintest sign of an apologetic glance, and the pressure on myself and my team, lessened until it wasn't noticeable.
The last thing to come off, his restraints, made a fair bit of noise as they touched the ground. I realized in that moment they were long enough he could sit up, but short enough that he couldn't actually stand. That one definitely hurt, to me. Being as tall as I am, my legs get uncomfortable if I can't stretch them out in some way.
Yet somehow I can sit cross legged with my arms in my lap for hours on end, and be fine…I guess what matters is how I'm comfortable. Moving on.
Mewtwo stood and began to spend several minutes stretching. The Rockets gave him his space. He then began to flex his psychic power, getting used to having that limiter off again. By both levitating himself, and moving some small objects around with his mind, through telekinesis.
"Please place the subject within his Pokeball." I lifted Mewtwo's ball up to return him. [I'm so sorry about this. I promise, I will let you out as soon as I possibly can.] I returned him, and set the ball on my belt, locking it in place. I made very sure it was in clear view of all of the guards. It was the first Master Ball to be in my presence. It was meant to keep him from escaping, whenever he was being transported.
"Subject secure. Beginning escort. Please, follow me. Do not look around." One of the guards ordered. My team and I complied without question. My team and I kept our eyes on the floor, but made sure to at least keep the guard's boots in our field of view, save for Pidgey, who didn't need to walk or fly.
If they caught on to our display, I do not know. By doing this, we were showing that we weren't interested in learning what the true scale of their operation here was. And also, that we weren't a risk, as we wouldn't see things they wanted to keep classified, by their standards.
When we emerged into the Gym again, through the secret hatch, the guard waited for it to slide shut before he began to speak. "We have exited the base. You are free to look around now." I made straight eye contact. "Terms are to be set. You have been trusted with classified information. You are to keep this an absolute secret. You are not to share what you have seen or experienced here today, with anyone at all, even other members of Team Rocket. Failure to comply will result in targeting for elimination. Do you understand?"
"Yes, I understand." The guard's eyes scanned my face for even the slightest sign that I might've been lying. As he found no sign, he nodded. "Terms have been set. You are free to go." He walked right past us and back into the hidden entrance for the base. As soon as the wall closed off, my team and I began to leave. Giovanni, surprisingly, was also present here.
"I trust everything went well." I answered with a nod. "Excellent. You have already accepted the terms to the agreement, so you may leave." There was a 'Mrrow' from his Persian. "We'll be waiting for any reports you can send us. This does not make you a member of Team Rocket. You will not be personally welcomed into any of our other bases." I nodded, understanding what the Persian had said.
"An interesting bit of information. That shall be filed away for later." I'd revealed that I can understand Pokemon, directly. "Such information will make the delivery of data drives much easier."
"Question, before my team and I depart…what about the squad with the talking Meowth?" I asked one last question.
"I figured you would ask. Jessie, James, and their...unusual Meowth, will be…informed, that you are to not be targeted for any more of their…operations." I replied with a nod. "However, this does not protect your cousin from being a target.But, do feel free to intervene as you see fit. And, rest assured…your family will not be under any threat, should you break the agreement, unless you reveal information to them, directly."
That's a relief. It takes care of any worry I would've had. "Now, go…and I look forward to seeing how our partnership progresses. Oh, and…should your task go well, you may keep the subject for your team, permanently." I nodded, and then with a snap of my fingers, my team and I were back in Pewter City, just outside the Pokemon Center. We headed for our room as soon as we arrived. I had the key in my pocket, fortunately. Aimed for outside, because the indoor space was too small for all of us.
Break.
As soon as we were here, I released Mewtwo from his ball. He quickly realized that we were not in any of Team Rocket's bases, and I heard the quiet sigh. "Finally…free from that team's grasp." He lifted the arm with the data device on it, and sighed again. Much louder, this time. "Mostly…at least."
"Zeryph, won't your cousin be arriving, today?" Pidgey asked. Oh yeah, that's right. "Yes, he should be. Come on, we'll go to the edge of the Viridian Forest, and we'll wait for him there." We started to leave. I stopped when I noticed Mewtwo not following. "Something wrong?"
"No…just…don't worry about it. Let's go." I decided it would be best to go along with what he said. We all headed out, and I locked the door behind us. When we got to the foyer, Mewtwo's eyes met with Nurse Joy's. She let out an audible gasp, which ended up drawing my attention. [Don't try to go through her mind. It can be taken as an invasion of privacy. And…don't stare so intensely, you might frighten people.]
[Fine.] He responded. I saw his gaze soften. "Who's…that Pokemon?" Nurse Joy finally spoke. "He's…Mewtwo. The circumstances for acquiring him aren't something I can explain. He's part of my team." Nurse Joy quietly nodded, and started to register Mewtwo for my team's record. [What's she doing?] I heard his voice in my mind.
[She's adding you to my team's file.] I answered. [You seem to have gotten a rather quick grasp on telepathy.] It's not hard. I just have to think of what I want to say. [It wasn't hard to get used to. It's simply speaking by thinking of what I want to say, rather than saying it out loud.] I responded. "All done, he's registered now. Are you guys coming back for another night, later?"
"We are." I answered her. "There will be two more with us when we do. My cousin, and one other." Nurse Joy nodded, stating that she understood. We started for the Viridian Forest path, where Ash and Misty would be coming from. Mewtwo's gaze was all over, constantly. Taking in everything that he could see. People would look our way, trying to get their own looks at the unusual Pokemon gathered in my company, though they focused on him, the most.
I continuously had to give indications for folks to not stare. I don't want him to feel uncomfortable, if at all possible. We all found a place to sit down, by the Viridian Forest path, when we got there. I had Kaorah sit somewhere that she wouldn't be resting her head on my shoulder. I know she disliked the idea, but we still did have to keep that a secret.
"So, Mewtwo, if you're going to be on this team, you, just as the others, have a right to know of my unique abilities." I pulled a potion from my inventory, having it appear in my hands. I hadn't let him see those abilities, earlier, as I prefer to reveal them personally. His eyes widened in surprise. I stashed it away and pulled out the bag for my tent, for camping, then switched it again, for a Pokeball, which I stashed away shortly after.
"That's just one of them. The full scope of the abilities is summed up in two perks. Gamer's Mind, and Gamer's Body. The former of those two is part of how I got such a quick grasp on telepathy. Both perks double as skills which are always active, though I control what they can do. Basically, I live my life as though I'm the protagonist of a video game. An RPG, to be more specific. Now, here's the thing. Due to a setting, any attributes I gain, are shared to my team. Yourself included."
I gave him time to process the information I had shared. I felt a small pressure against my mind, so I let him explore all that I knew on The Gamer's abilities. Including letting him see the character creation process. I felt his presence withdraw from my mind, apparently his curiosity has been satisfied. "I understand, now. It seems like it's going to be pretty helpful."
"I'll push memories of the first dungeon we did to the front of my mind, if you want to see it. We'll be using them for training, primarily." I saw him nod. I brought the memory to the front of my mind, and I let him access it. It was soon after that Ash and Misty appeared in the distance. I lifted a hand and waved to them, but my focus was elsewhere.
It was when they got closer that they finally registered the two new members of my team. Mewtwo's focus was still elsewhere, so he hadn't noticed them yet. "Hey guys, good to see you've caught up." I greeted them. "Zeryph…who are they?" Ash had tried to scan them with his Pokedex. I'm glad the national dex works…mostly. It identified Solais's species, Absol, without issue. But, much like it did with Gary, Ash's Pokedex didn't have any data on Mewtwo, at all.
"Huh? No data? What does that mean?" Misty seemed surprised, too. "No data?" I guess Ash had given her a brief explanation of the Pokedex, or, Misty knew what it was already. "Yeah, he's…not going to show up in any Pokedex. I'll need to take him to Professor Oak so we can get a file set up." Mewtwo suddenly frowned, noticeably. He looked irritated. Going by the snort that Kaorah let out, she must know exactly what part he's at.
That was probably one of the most annoying fights I'll ever have.
"What's wrong, all of a sudden?" I held up a hand to stop them from getting close. "Don't. He's doing a mind dive currently. I'm sharing a memory related to training with him, and he's quite vulnerable while he's watching it." We'll have to work on this weakness. If we can get him to the point he can read minds while in battle without having to focus on one or the other, he'll be very dangerous. If I can combine it with some magic training, he can be a really great caster for the team. Especially in dungeons.
It took a few more minutes before he came back to reality. [That Zoroark seemed incredibly annoying.] Kaorah snorted, again. I also nodded, in agreement. "What did he say?" Ash was the one to ask.
[Something from your cousin's training, Ash. Nothing you need to worry about.] My team all shared a short laugh at Ash's reaction to Mewtwo's reveal of telepathy. "Yes, I can speak to you through your mind, but I can also speak out loud for those who I can't do such a thing with." Fortunately, telepathy has helped him to learn English, too, it seems.
Ash and Misty both understood what he said. I can tell that they did. "Well, Ash…shall we get you to the Pewter City gym? I know you're going to want to challenge it. You'll need to register first, of course."
When he nodded, my team got up, and Mewtwo offered to help me stand up, which I appreciated. He must've seen from the dungeon, when Kaorah and I sat down, that I have issues getting up from the ground when I sit down, with how tall I am.
Height's both a blessing and a curse. Blessing- you can reach things that are high up, which most that aren't your height are unable to. Curse- low ceilings and doorways suck. Having to get under short things for cover, also sucks.
We stopped by the Pokemon center for Ash to get himself registered for the Gym challenge, including his three Pokemon. I smiled when I'd seen that he caught his Caterpie and his Pidgeotto. Although, his team was at a disadvantage, when it came to facing Brock. Pikachu would be able to deal with Geodude, but Onix was going to be a problem.
I let Ash and Misty leave ahead of me. We'd catch up with them. "I'm glad you waited around, because I wanted to ask if we could run a general checkup on him, right quick." She was referring to Mewtwo. I felt the discomfort from him. He sent me a pleading look. "It'll be okay…I promise." I switched for telepathy. And I put a hand on one of his shoulders, with a look into his eyes. [They're medical staff. It's just her and a few other Pokemon. They won't hurt you here, I promise.]
Pidgey was able to act as support here, too, as he'd been under the care of a Pokemon center, too. Mewtwo gave in with a sigh. [Fine, but…I want you to be with me.] I smiled at him and nodded. "Is everything OK?" I nodded. "Yes, it's fine. He just…had a bad experience is all, prior to me acquiring him for my team. He wants me to go back with him."
"That's alright, since it's just a general check we're doing. Come on." We went into the Pokemon Center's medical bay. She took us to one of the beds. "Sit down here, please." He sat down, being mindful of his long tail. A Blissey brought up a chair for me, and I thanked her for it, then sat down, next to the bed. Not close enough that it would block Nurse Joy or the other Pokemon from working.
[Here…if it helps you.] I offered one of my hands. I felt one of his grab on. "It would be best to avoid using any cables that have to attach to him. That might set off his memories. He's got incredibly strong psychic power…and he might seriously damage the room if his fight or flight response gets triggered." I felt his hold on my hand tighten. I rubbed the back of his hand with my thumb, gently.
[It'll be okay…just relax. If you have to, just keep your eyes closed, if you don't think you're comfortable. Just listen for her instructions, that's all you need to do.] I saw Mewtwo nod, but he chose to keep his eyes open. He likely held even less trust for what he couldn't actually see, even if he could still sense the presence from others.
"Pidgey, could you go tell the girls, and Ash and Misty, that Mewtwo and I are going to be a little bit? Let them know they can go get lunch, and Mewtwo and I will catch up when we're done here?" Pidgey nodded, then took off from his usual spot, and flew away. It wasn't too long before Nurse Joy, and some of her assistant Pokemon, returned with checkup equipment. Mewtwo didn't show his discomfort, visibly…but I could definitely feel it. His psychic pressure was starting to weigh down on us.
[It's okay…calm down. You can do it.] I reassured him, again. "He's really uncomfortable, isn't he?" I heard the concern in Nurse Joy's voice. I answered her with a nod. "Yes, he really is. Please, take it as slowly as you can, and don't crowd around him." I said to her, but inwardly, I was saying something else. [Deep breaths…for me. Deep, in for five, hold for a moment, out for five, and repeat. It's something that has helped me calm down in the past.]
[Put a hand on your chest, and feel for your heartbeat. You'll feel it slow down as you continue to do this. That is a good thing. It means you're doing it right. When you feel you're as calm as you can get, you can stop.] I finished speaking. I sensed the slow, mental nod.
Mewtwo remained totally silent, but I saw him start to breathe. I counted out the seconds for him through telepathy. [There you go, that's it. Another.] In…hold…and out. I felt the trembling in his hand, starting to settle. He, slowly, started to relax. I continued to coach him through until he had visibly relaxed. "Good…there you go. That's it. Do you think you're ready?"
"Yes…I think I am. Just…one thing at a time, and don't crowd me, please." Nurse Joy smiled at him, softly, and she nodded. I saw a very faint, yet genuine, smile appear on Mewtwo's face, for the briefest of moments. "Okay. I'm going to do your blood pressure first. I need your right arm, please." I put my free hand on my upper right arm, showing him where she was going to wrap the band. "Right there, just hold still. Moving your arm could mess with it." Mewtwo slowly nodded.
Nurse Joy put the band around his arm, tightening it so that it would fit snugly, and then she stepped aside. An Audino took her place. Mewtwo seemed to relax just a little more. He must've known an Audino when he was in Team Rocket's clutches. It seems that even in places like that, trust for healers is universal. Even if it's slight.
Audino extended one of her feelers from her ear and set it gently against Mewtwo's arm, then she started to squeeze the pump, causing the band to inflate. [You're going to feel your arm pulsing from your heartbeat as it tightens. Just let it happen.] I saw Mewtwo's slight wince as the band tightened to the point it was squeezing his arm. He squeezed just a little tighter on the hand he was holding.
Audino let the band slowly deflate. Nurse Joy was watching its gauge, as well. She wrote it down, when Audino gave her species' equivalent of a thumbs up. She retracted her feeler. "We're going to do your heart rate and breathing next. Would you rather let me do it, or let Nurse Joy do it?" Audino asked us. I shared the mental image of a stethoscope with him.
He showed a little discomfort, but I smiled when I heard his answer. "Let…let the Nurse do it…"
[Good…that's really good.] I gave praise, through telepathy. I saw the small smile. "You heard him. Just remember what I said." Nurse Joy grabbed her stethoscope and put it on. "Would you like to hold it for me? Normally, we have to do this ourselves, but if it helps with his discomfort, I'll let you do it."
"It's his choice." I responded. [Let her do it…I can't get over the harder parts of my…past, if I don't work to do it.] I flashed him a grin. "He says you can do it." Nurse Joy nodded, then set to work. I was going to ask about why they had some tools normally used by doctors for human checkups, but I figured some of the tools were here, because of Pokemon who had more humanoid forms.
I kinda wonder what doing a checkup for a Ditto would be like. I'd imagine it would be oddly funny, in some way. "You're doing great." Nurse Joy's comment broke me out of my thoughts. I could see Mewtwo tense each time that she touched his chest. "I need to do your back now." He nodded slowly. It helps that part of this is being asked to take deep breaths.
"Good. We're done. Next will be your height and weight. Come with me please." We got up and followed her. [Do you think you can do this without holding my hand?] I asked him. Slowly, he released his grip. "Just step onto the scale, please." I gave him a reassuring nod. He did as he was asked. It's fortunate that his time in the lab hadn't been more like Grimlock's, in Fall of Cybertron.
He would've been a much more dangerous case, if it had been. "Let's see, weight…122." Not the system I'm used to. But I know the conversion. 269 lbs. "Now for your height, stand up straight, and tilt your head down, so the top of your horns are level." I helped him get the proper positioning. This information would be going into the Pokedex entry, too.
"Height is…two meters." That puts him at 6'07", an inch taller than I am. That puts my team at three six foot giants…at least by the average height standards for humans here. Just about everyone I met so far, I had a good bit of height on. It had carried over from my past life, which was something I'm actually glad about. Even if it can be an issue at some times.
On the plus side, the height helped for myself and Kaorah, as we've demonstrated before.
"Anything else we need to do, or is that it?" Nurse Joy shook her head. "No, that's just about it." Mewtwo looked relieved. "Oh, yes…his reflexes." A Blissey took care of that, by tossing a berry his way. He hadn't known she was going to, yet he reacted anyway, catching the berry before it got anywhere near him, with his telekinesis. I saw his eyes light up as he did.
He brought the berry over to his empty, free hand. He set the berry into his hand and lifted his hand to his mouth, and took a small bite from it. From his reaction, he definitely liked the taste. Not a surprise, Oran Berries are delicious.
"This is the best thing I think I've ever tasted. Thank you." The Blissey simply waved at him. "So, reflexes are good." I smiled. "Everything's done for today, so you can both go on. We'll get a file set up for him." Mewtwo finished the berry that he'd been given.
I nodded. "Thanks. He and I are going to go find the others and join them for lunch, then we're going to go to the Gym." Mewtwo closed his eyes, and I felt the soft energy pulse that spread out. [Found them. They've sat down at a restaurant, but only appear to have…drinks, I think.] They haven't ordered yet, then. "Good job. We'll go meet up with them. Nurse Joy, can you make a copy of his information for me? I'd like to have it along for a quick return trip to Palette, tomorrow. I'm going to take it to Professor Oak, for a Pokedex entry."
"Sure. I'll have it together, by later today." I nodded. Mewtwo and I, with that done, left and started to go to the restaurant where the others were. Ash was the one to wave us over. I felt Mewtwo grab my hand for a moment. [Hey…thanks…for helping me through that.]
[It's no problem. I'm proud of you, for getting through it.] Mewtwo's response was a smile. He and I joined the rest of the group at the table they claimed.
Break.
Later on in the day, entering the early evening hours, we had gotten around to the main event, Ash's first gym battle. Interestingly, Flint hadn't come to talk to us. Misty, myself, and my Pokemon, all took a spot in the Gym's stands, after wishing Ash good luck. I felt Mewtwo's discomfort, and offered him a hand, much like in the Pokemon Center a few hours earlier. He grabbed the hand I offered and squeezed gently.
"Is he OK?" Misty asked, quietly. "He's had a bad experience in his past, before I managed to get him away from his captors. He'll pull through, though…even if it might take a while." Misty frowned, then spoke again. "Poachers, or…something else?" I shook my head. Not Poachers, and definitely not…THAT.
If it had been, Mewtwo wouldn't allow for any sort of physical contact. "No, as far as I'm aware. I think it was actually genetic experimentation, using genes acquired from a Mew. Hence him being called Mewtwo." Mewtwo visibly winced, and his grip tightened. [Sorry…I didn't know my guess would be that accurate…I won't bring it up if you don't want me to.] He answered with a nod.
I pointed out the Onix-shaped imprint, to them. "Take a look. That was the result of my challenge." Misty and Mewtwo looked where I was pointing "Wha…how did that happen?" Kaorah let out a short laugh. "Kaorah's how. She hit Brock's Onix with a combination of Dig, and a Dragon Tail uppercut. Knocked him off the battlefield, and into the wall. It also knocked him out. We did apologize, but it's something worth remembering."
"So long as you don't damage my Gym, in Cerulean, we're fine." Misty responded. We'll make an effort not to. Brock and Ash started their battle. Much like the original, Pikachu was able to beat Geodude, but Onix was a major roadblock, thanks to him being Ground Type. However, Pikachu had the speed advantage here.
I glanced at Mewtwo, to see his reactions to the battle below. He didn't show them but his focus was firmly on the battle below. I felt him slowly release my hand from his grasp, and I pulled it away when he did.
Ash seemed to catch on to Pikachu's speed advantage, too. However, Pikachu's attacks weren't doing much, if they were doing any at all. And he was starting to show signs of fatigue. I made a signal to switch Pokemon. Ash called Pikachu back, and then switched. His team didn't have any type advantage…but what he did have, was his Butterfree. And that Butterfree happened to have Sleep Powder.
He would have to be careful, because of Rock Throw. Which Onix managed to land. Though Butterfree wasn't knocked out by it, he was still grounded. Onix caught him in bind, which is when Ash's strategy was revealed. Sleep Powder started to rub off on Onix's rock body. Within mere moments, there was a thud as Onix fell asleep.
The battle definitely went differently to the original, as Ash didn't win the original. I lifted a hand and flashed Ash a thumbs up. Much like with my own battle, Brock met him in the center of the field to give him the Boulder Badge. Myself, Ash, and Misty all left the Gym, afterwards. My team filed out with us.
"Good job, kiddo." Ash and I fist bumped as he caught up with us. "Thanks. Let's go for supper." Good idea. Any ideas?" We ended up getting Pizza, by Misty's suggestion. The restaurant staff had to move some tables around, since I had my team out of their Pokeballs. They let us have the outside seating area, which was thankfully screened in. I don't know if this world has mosquitoes or not, but I'd rather not have to deal with those little annoyances. We all agreed on what kind we wanted, as well as our choices of drinks.
[How are you feeling, bud?] I tuned out the conversations around me, in favor of a chat within my mind. [Fine, so far…This has been the nicest day I've ever had, so far.]
[That's great. I'm proud of you. You made it through the day without any problems.] I took one of his hands in my own, this time, rather than offering. [Listen, this journey's going to be going for a while. I'm going to ask now, but I'll ask again later on. Do you want to stay with us, for good? If you're not sure, then you can take your time to think about it.]
[I will. I'll…let you know of my decision, later on.] I gave him a smile. [That's alright. I think our food's coming, so let's focus on eating.] I let go of the hand I grabbed. It'd been under the table, so nobody saw that. The staff set our order down in the middle of the table, a large meat lover's pizza. As well as some berries for Pikachu and Pidgey, as well as Butterfree. Misty hadn't let her Pokemon out because it would be much harder on them, since they were water types.
We all dug in with Kaorah and Solais having to figure out how to eat their slices. Mewtwo didn't seem sure what to do, so I showed him how to pick up the Pizza. He used his powers to help, since he discovered that it was a little hard to get a grip on, with how his hands were. He took a slow, small bite. Apparently, he liked it, since he dug in much like everyone else did.
[How is it?] He took another bite, after a sip of the water he'd been provided. [It's delicious. Especially compared to what I used to have to eat.Blocks, nutritious, but also…extremely bland.] I winced and nodded. [Especially compared to this…pizza, right?] I nodded, again. "Zeryph, you're oddly quiet." I finished the bite of pizza I'd taken during my mental conversation. "Sorry. Mewtwo and I were having a mental conversation."
"You keep holding hands like that and I might start to think of certain things between you two." Kaorah was teasing us, to be clear. She and I had already cleared up the idea of sharing. The other Pokemon, either missed her joke, or in Solais and Pidgey's case, caught on and laughed. Mewtwo didn't really seem to understand, but I felt my cheeks redden, a little bit.
"Hey, are you alright?" I nodded at Ash's question. "Sorry, it was something Kaorah said. It's something you're both too young to understand." I wasn't about to bring up that sort of thing with a pair of kids, especially when one's my cousin. Misty just shrugged, and went back to eating.
Break.
We had returned to the Pokemon Center after eating. Ash and Misty got keys for their rooms, while my team and I headed for ours. Once more, the surprisingly sturdy bed, that Kaorah and I slept on, was subjected to her weight suddenly settling on it. And I realized something, Nurse Joy never said anything about the device on Mewtwo's forearm. I guess she might've figured it was specially made for a mega stone.
"Ahh…finally. Nothing beats settling down for the night after a long day." Kaorah received a hum of agreement from Solais.Pidgey, as always, was placed away for the night. Mewtwo had initially protested the idea, but Pidgey was the one to personally tell him it was okay, and that he'd be alright by morning. I guess the Master Balls don't have the same comfort as others do…assuming there even IS any comfort in one. Pidgey was always well rested after spending time in his, so I don't know.
Also, he and Ash's Pidgeotto really hit it off. I'd heard the paired talking, as Ash had let her out to meet us. She'd offered to give him a little bit of training, and since she evolved wild, she'd be a good early mentor for him. "Kaorah, shower?" She happily agreed to that idea. "You shower together?" I nodded. "It's easy for her, since…she can't pick up things without skewering them." Kaorah showed Mewtwo her claws. "We do a bit…more, than that, too. Those blank spots in my memories…and hers, that's what we didn't want to share."
A faint dusting of red touched his cheeks, but Mewtwo nodded. "I also…wish to experience one of these showers…sometime." Kaorah gave me a look. "It would…be a little on the awkward side, for me…at least for now. I'll…give you one, some day. But, not right now." I answered him. "I understand. Enjoy your…shower." We will. I helped him get the second bed in the room set up, so he could lay down. It took some adjustments for his tail, but he eventually got comfortable. That didn't take as long.
"Good night. I'll see you tomorrow morning." I reached over to turn the lamp off. "Good night…and…don't wake me up, suddenly. I…don't want to accidentally cause any harm." I nodded, and gently rubbed the top of his head. I then turned the lamp off. Kaorah had turned the bathroom light on, at least, so I could still see somewhat. "Try to keep it down, you two." Solais told us. "Soundproofing spell. It'll be fine."
At her nod, Kaorah and I went into the bathroom. We shut the door behind us and locked it, then I set up the soundproofing. I saw Kaorah getting up onto the counter, adjusting herself until she was comfortably seated. "There's not enough space in the shower for us, and you said last night that 'we'll go all the way tomorrow' so I don't need to tell you to keep your word."
I stripped out of my clothes, and set my pajama pants somewhere out of the way. "Of course. Want to do it in anthro, tonight?" She shook her head. "Not tonight. I think we need to save that specifically for bed." The counter was at the height where we'd be able to make it work, easily. "I want to introduce you to something, tonight. I could've done it last night, but chose not to." She gave me an interested look. "Let's have some buildup, first." I started placing soft kisses on her body, beginning at her shoulders, and slowly making a trail down her body.
I reached out to her arms and gently took hold of her fins, and started to softly rub them. The soft purr that she let out, told me she was liking my attention so far. I continued to trail lower, until I got to her hips, which is when I stopped. "I'm not done, just wait. You'll really like this, in a moment or two." I got on my knees, and pushed her legs apart, then I started to place a trail of soft kisses on her inner thighs, starting at her knees and slowly moving up. A glance with my eyes, and I saw her still watching intently, but she had started to gain a blush.
And when I reached my destination, and announced my arrival with a slow, soft, lick…she gasped, loud. I set to work, using my tongue to please her. I felt her arms settle on top of my head, and going by the sounds she was making, she was enjoying it. And because I had found out I had a spell that soundproofed the room I was in until I deactivated it, there was no way she was being quiet, tonight.
I stopped a little ways in, and got a disappointed whine, though sight of my hardness quickly set her complaints aside. I started to rub the length against her slit, earning a series of soft moans. "So…what was that you started with."
"It's called oral, where you please your partner using your mouth. I'd let you, but…your teeth." She understood, at least. "That aside, you ready?"
"Must you ask dumb questions?" I grinned at her snarky response. I grabbed my member and lined it up, then pushed it in without issue, her own arousal providing all we'd need. I grabbed her hips and started thrusting. Where on our first night, I'd been slow and gentle, I wasn't feeling it here.
The small room quickly filled with the repetitive rhythm of flesh smacking together, and her short moans replying to every time I thrusted. Her arms were around me in a tight embrace, less than a minute in. "I…ah…love…you…master." She managed to get out, though she frequently interrupted herself with the sounds of her enjoyment. "I love you too." I responded.
I started to use a little more of my strength in my thrusts. The change in her volume said enough. It seems that she values how hard I can give it to her, rather than just the pace that I set. I'm almost certain that her being a dragon was the reason for this.
"That's…ooh…that's…it. Harder…" I did as she commanded. The volume of the sounds made by our bodies colliding increased, though her moans were still louder.
"Ma-aaah…Master…I…am…c-close…" I wrapped my arms around her, much like she had with me, and we held each other tightly as she reached her climax with a loud moan. I saw her clawed toes curl, through her reflection in the mirror, and her inner walls tightened around me. With a growl, I joined her in the heights of pleasure, cumming inside her. Much like before, I didn't stop until she had rode out her orgasm.
We held each other, both of us working to catch our breath, although it didn't take too long. We released our embrace, and I pulled out, then stepped to the side and helped her to stand. She hugged me again, and nuzzled my cheek as soon as she did, and I replied by kissing her on the usual spot, the tip of her snout. "That was amazing, thank you for making me feel so good." I gave her another kiss. "Gladly. Now, want to shower…or would you rather give it another go?"
"Let's shower, now, then go to bed. Next time though, I'm in control of what's happening." I smiled at her, and we separated from our hug, then started our shower. It would seem also, that my END stat affected more than just how much damage I could take. Kaorah's heat season would be fun. On the plus side at least, unlike a real dragon, she can't produce eggs if the male isn't another Pokemon, because of genetic incompatibility. Doesn't mean the pair of us have to stop being lovers, by any means.
The pair of us finished a nice, pleasant shower, then headed to bed. I didn't bother putting my pajama pants on, since I'm pretty sure Kaorah wouldn't care either way. I felt like I forgot something, but in my time with my mate, I think I forgot what it was, exactly. Oh well…I'll find out in the morning.