Mewtwo's Lair

[Shiny Phantump]

"I see. Your idea of power, then... is the ability to bring about, or inhibit, change. To protect what you want, to change what you want. Influence."

"I, too, believe in the power of influence. The ability to control, manipulate, and command."

"What? No, that's..." Gladion cut himself off. He knew better than to finish that sentence. Telling this Mewtwo guy to his face that he sounded like the other kind of powerful person Gladion'd been talking about in his own base feemed like a bit of a social faux-pas.

"I'm not sure what I'd get from training with either of you two in particular."

What was Mew doing? Gladion almost wanted to accept on the stipulation he trained with Mew, but it would make it seem too much like he was suspicious of Mewtwo in particular, and either way it was probably best not to get too deeply involved with the duo. Plus it wasn't as if he could ask Mew questions without an intermediary, so there wouldn't be much point.

 

[Ambyssin]

"Quite fair." Nova slowly nodded at Mew and Two. "Suppose even strong psychics need their catnaps." And it was said with as straight of a tone as anything else Nova had come up with so far. In the back of his mind, though, Nova pretty much had everything he needed. He didn't believe much in coincidences. Maybe Forlas was fucking with him. But the way they acted. It was way too similar to the memories he'd sifted through so very long ago.

"And you've got your legitimate business to run and all that," he continued. "Like I said, though, I think both your methods will yield the best results. It pays to be... well-rounded." This was counter to the other null, of course. Nova didn't expect Gladion to understand the mask thing, since it sounded more like a necessary restraint for the one he knew.

 

[Tetra]

The helmets definitely seemed like they would be... uncomfortable, to say the least. But the way Gladion spoke about it was nothing like how Nova did. He still had questions. Why did they work so differently? Why did they know about pokemon like Gladion?

The followup offer drew all his attention. Train with them? Train with a legendary? Easy answer. "I would be interested in learning from you both as well, if you'll have me." He was filled with both eagerness and conviction. He continued, speaking more carefully. "But I have some more questions too, that I'd hope you might answer if we return."

Like how Mewtwo had gotten here. And how this Mew had gotten here. Between what they'd learned about Owen in the team meeting, and the way this place was decorated... he felt more and more convinced now that somehow they were both human.

 

[Phoenixsong]

Was that really it? She'd guessed it was late, but not that it was, like, late-late. There was still so much they didn't know—not where the poké balls had come from, not even what the training was actually going to be—and it was all going to get cut short by... bedtime, apparently.

Ugh, fine. Far be it from her to get between a cat and his naps. "If you're really willing to help, then I'm up for seeing what you've got to offer," she said. (Why were they willing to help? She didn't want to """"annoy"""" Mewtwo any further by asking—just yet, at least, damn straight they had more questions for when they returned—but he'd tossed the offer out there really quickly after his big show earlier. And Mew, well, he seemed super nice, but all they'd actually done for him was disturb his bulletin board work. Was there something else going on?)

The others seemed... mostly interested. Of course Nova would've been, and Koa seemed excited. But... "Are you sure?" she asked Gladion. "What if it does help with getting the mask off? Even if it's not the same as Nova's, you've got to want it gone, right?"

 

[Namohysip]

Mewtwo chuckled. "Your skepticism is... understandable," he said to Leaf, noticing her body language, perhaps. "I assure you, my intentions are very transparent. I want to grow my power and influence over this world as... a test. I want to see how easily I can get into the inner workings of this world with this power of... friendship. It was a bet that my partner had given me that I intended to carry out. That I would get further with the power of friendship than any of my old methods.

"So far, the results are not clear. Perhaps that will change. But what has happened so far is very, very... curious." Mewtwo continued to grin evilly, studying them all.

Mew rolled his eyes and flew to all of them, placing their Poke Balls in front of them.

However, Mewtwo addressed Koa directly. "Now. What were your questions? We have to get up early tomorrow for another bulletin board swap, so let's not take too long with them. I'll allow you... two questions tonight." He held up most of the fingers in his right hand.

 

[Tetra]

Koa rolled the pokeball back and forth under his paw as he considered. Two questions. He had to make them good, in case. There was so much he wanted to know... Mhynt claimed she knew Owen, and other humans seemed to speak of ending up here other ways. Had Mewtwo been summoned before them?

If Mewtwo really planned to try and help somehow... Could he be trusted? Every time he spoke it unnerved Koa, but then Mew trusted him, and the things Mewtwo did speak of were good.

"How exactly did you get here to Forlas?" he said finally. "And where did you learn so much about their species?" He nodded toward Gladion.

 

[Namohysip]

Mewtwo's smirk was a little wider at first. "I know about their kind because artificial weapons such as them are... commonly known across worlds," he explained. "They are powerful, or have the potential to be powerful. And how I got here to Forlas... Hmhmhm..." He turned his head away, looking entertained. "Very clever. Already deduced that I'm not of Forlas at all. Fine. I'll give you a simple answer.

"Mew and I were once... rivals, of a sort. I caused problems. He solved problems. We both became stronger from it. He and I are not from the same worlds... but we intersected after a happenstance of fate. Times change. And I have become very good at... interpreting Mew's way of speaking.

"We eventually found our way here. I'll admit... that part of my memory is foggy. It may have been a mishap. But Mew suffered far more than I."

Mew seemed a little somber in response, glancing at his hat.

"While I was allowed full mental capacity, the same cannot be said for my partner. His body and physical mind is not at the same level as yours. Behind his eyes is the soul of a brilliant fighter. But it is imprisoned behind the capacity of a wild creature."

Mew adjusted his hat.

"...He still talks just as much, though. He's much less... encumbered than I would have been. Perhaps that is the result of my natural fortune."

 

[Ambyssin]

Nova followed along like an unmoving statue. "Interesting. A buddy of mine knew someone like you once," he said. "Minus the, y'know, traveling between worlds, possibly maybe isekai'd into a science experiment cat thing stuff." He looked at the ceiling. "I've heard musings that people who have to change forms when they come here end up in something that resonates with them. So, if you haven't always been like that, you must have a connection to mewtwo. Or living weapons in general."

 

[Namohysip]

"An interesting... similarity," Mewtwo replied. "Well, I suppose you aren't wrong with that, either. I have familiarity with the species, of course. I know how they work and how powerful they are, But everyone can tell at a glance how true that is."

Mew silently yawned, rubbing his eyes.

"Mm. It looks like it's about time for us to send you on your way. Mew still needs to make the trip back."

 

[Ambyssin]

"Right. Tomorrow, then." Nova glanced at his ball. "Suppose I'm gonna camp out for the night. You guys are free to go back home." The null walked over and nudged it. That familiar drifting emptiness quickly engulfed him.

 

[Shiny Phantump]

They were offworlders, then? Gladion would have to add can add Mewtwo to his list of engineered species that shouldn't be compatible here, without being any closer to knowing how that could be. He'd run into a dead end.

"Alright then, let's get out of here..."

The sooner, the better...

 

[Tetra]

The beginnings of a frown tugged at Koa's jaws as as he listened. Mewtwo's answer had been... interesting, but he wished he had more time. There was so much ambiguity and...

A thought that had lingered in the back of his mind for the past couple minutes began to resurface. Perhaps Mew and Mewtwo were legendaries here. But if they were summoned or ended up here and changed bodies then... For a moment, he stared at his own blue-furred paw.

Shaking his head he glanced back at them one last time. "Thank you for bringing us here," he said to Mew earnestly. For a moment he almost considered asking if Mew wanted to hang out sometime (maybe Mew could teach him to understand) but decided it would be far too weird. "I'll see you later then," he said to the both of them. With a nod, he tapped the button on his pokeball and returned himself to the comfortable space.

 

[Phoenixsong]

Mew had... become wild? Something in between wild and thinking? So he was kind of like Nidoran, then. (Had Nidoran also been brought here from somewhere else?)

She tried to set that aside for now, but it was just replaced was torn between her hackles going up with the way Mewtwo talked about his plans or about "causing problems", and appreciating that he'd finally said literally anything straightforward. Who the hell was this guy?

Either way, all this was just magnifying the throbbing at the base of her horn. Getting some rest, or more specifically just getting away from Mr. Headache over there, seemed like a good idea. Like geez, even Mewtwo back home knew how to chill the heck out with the pressure when they weren't actually battling or something. He was probably just showing off, because of course he was.

Whatever. They were being asked to leave, so they'd sort it out later. "Sounds... good, then. We'll see you later and get started, I guess." Man, the zen floatiness of the ball was gonna be a huge relief after this.

 

[Namohysip]

Mhynt stared at Mewtwo for a while longer before sighing. This was something to discuss later. Addressing things directly at Mewtwo... That was more questionable in terms of useful outcomes.

So, with another nod, Mhynt tapped her ball and disappeared inside. One by one, others followed.

As promised, Mew carried them out and away, Teleporting to make it harder to trace where they'd gone.

The team made a few new allies in this outing... assuming they could be trusted. But with one mystery solved--who ran the bulletin board--so many more cropped up...

<><><>​

 

[Namohysip]

Mew waited for the Wayfarers at the usual secret location further away from the bulletin board. After those familiar with the process explained to the others what had to be done, they were captured in Poke Balls and transported to Mewtwo's lair. Knowing that it was Giovanni left several of them feeling nervous and leery... but despite everything, something about this Giovanni was different. Perhaps that was something they could ask him later...

They were soon deposited in the underground lair's main lobby. Mew gave them all a quick nod, and the pure Pokemon understood that he meant, 'wait here while Mewtwo arrives.'

That gave the Wayfarers some time to discuss, quietly, what they planned to do.

 

[Ambyssin]

Even if Nova knew it wasn't going to do him any good if Giovanni had the same slew of powers Gene did, Nova had still slotted in the dark-type disk. His glowing parts were instead jet black, fitting somewhat in with the mood lighting of Giovanni's mysterious lair.

"Well, I got my biggest question answered," Nova said. "Gerome's son is... probably something we ought to cover. Though he mentioned some higher authority yesterday, so we could just... go right for the big stuff."

 

[Cresselia92]

Finally, the time of truth had arrived, and Silver didn’t really know if he felt ready for the meeting, despite his mental preparations and weak attempts at self-reassurance.

Mewtwo and Giovanni were undeniably the same guy, and it pained him to admit that he hoped the outcome would have been different, that perhaps it was all just a series of unsettling coincidences. But when has life ever been fair and just to him, huh? Yeah, he knew that his brain was slapping a hyperbole on his face, but it was still a tough Wailord-sized pillow to swallow…

So, even though that wasn’t all too obvious from the outside, underneath his carefully held neutral expression, there was an ongoing chain reaction of raging feelings. Some of those emotions surfaced as a wary glare when he was told he needed to be caught to meet Giovanni, and he would have protested fiercely if he wasn’t the only one who hadn’t gone through that process already.

Finding himself vastly outnumbered and not wanting to ruin his chances, he reluctantly complied. But only the gods and beyond knew what would have happened if it was Mewtwo himself who attempted to capture him…!

As soon as he emerged from his Poké Ball, Silver immediately studied his surroundings, getting in as much information as he could. The lighting, the heavy air, the thick walls… yes, that was pretty much how a Rocket Lair would have looked and felt like if it were built by a Pokémon version of Team Rocket, or at least close enough. It almost felt like his second, more twisted home!

“…Hmph, yeah. We should try to find out what kinda biz he has in this world and what he’s aiming at,” he agreed with Nova, glancing briefly at him before looking at the other teammates. “Not sure if your worlds have a Giovanni or not, but I know that my… well, the Giovanni from my world has always been someone who pursued relentlessly any goal, as soon as he set into one.” He crossed his arms and held a serious expression. “Whether or not this Giovanni is trustworthy, it won’t hurt to have a good peek at his agenda and the deal with these allies of his. Y’know, in case he or them try something not-so-funny in the future or whatever.”

If someone paid close attention to Silver’s tone, they would have noticed that his voice didn’t waver nor falter once. It was clear that he was talking from experience, or maybe even from familiarity…

 

[Namohysip]

Much of the lair hadn't changed very much. It seemed clear that there was no way out or in very easily aside from the air used to keep the place from being suffocating. The ventilation was well thought out...

And still, he didn't appear. Not yet. Perhaps he liked to keep them waiting, or perhaps he was spying on them from some hidden camera or other Psychic trickery. He would be there soon.

In the meantime, Mew arrived and put a plate of simple foods for them to enjoy--it was early in the morning, and many of them may have skipped breakfast to come here.

 

[Tetra]

Koa sat still, his mind racing as he tried to prepare mentally for what might lay ahead. Mewtwo had already revealed his name to them, so he wasn't trying to lie.

But what was his goal? He didn't want to trust him, but could this Giovanni be different? After all the bizarre things he'd seen, was a Giovanni who was different possible? Doubt and worry and a hundred other emotions he couldn't name swirled through him.

He glanced around. Silver sounded wary and on edge. Nova didn't seem overly worried. Had everyone in their little group known a Giovanni? "Have any of you ever met a...helpful Giovanni?" he asked quietly. A good one? Probably Giovanni was listening to them right now, but he didn't care.

After a moments thought he took some food from Mew to distract himself.

 

[Ambyssin]

"I never even got to meet my world's Giovanni." Nova shook his head. "Pissed off Necrozma and got what he deserved. But the 'higher authority' stuff..."

His fur bristled. "I've heard whispers of powers like that. Especially in my dreams back home. They're the kind of group that can rehabilitate folks you'd never think could be rehabilitated."

Nova doubted it'd be the same. At least, he sure hoped not.