Toraeru's Plan
Prologue
Preparation (Toraeru)
Thin, bony fingers run slowly through a soft white fur, the hairs of which are so fine they appear to blend together.. from a distance a person unable to tell the beast is covered in a fur at all. The partner of the hand absently running over the scalp of the creature lifts as the boy's frame is wracked by a cough. He draws his hand back across his lips before his fingers lift to his glasses, adjusting them over calm blue eyes.. the gaze of those eyes were trained forward upon the city which was perhaps a mile from his current position.
"Wait here." The boy's voice was soft, a light rasp within its tones from the dryness of his mouth, as he spoke toward the beast at his side. A slow, feral growl was his only reply before he moved forward and away from the beast, beginning to step along the trail leading down to the city before him. Behind him, the taller figure and the beast simply watched before turning to rest beside a rock, hunkering down to wait for the boy's return..
Chapter One
A Normal Day (Dusty)
Dusty looked to his left, then to his right. And sighed. This place was pretty boring compared to the stuff he'd been doing for the past six years. Dusty smiled as memories of adventures flooded his mind. The Pokemon he'd caught, the people he'd battled, and the prizes he'd won. Yep, those were the days......
"Get your butt off that stool and help these customers, Rick! It's a wonder you still keep this job! I mean, who do you think you are, Dusty or something?
Dusty sighed as he got up and headed toward the front desk. He had been a prominent Pokemon trainer for six years now, so good in fact that his name had become something of a legend. Now, Dusty knew that if anyone knew that the Pokemon trainer Dusty was in their town, he would never get a moment's rest. People would be swarming over him, just itching to get an autograph or to shake his hand or something like that. No, Dusty didn't want that at all. So, in order to disguise himself, he had been going under the alias of Ricky.
Unfortunately, people weren't inclined to give free shelter and sustenance to a random guy on the street, so, in order to pay the apartment rent and for groceries, he had to get a job. Since he loved Pokemon so much, he decided it would be great to get a job at the local Pokemart. Since he knew so much on Pokemon, the manager hired him almost immediately to be a cashier. After all, it paid better than some other jobs he could have gotten.
The job turned out to be kind of boring, actually. He was only 16, just old enough to get a job. The job almost never required any of his Pokemon expertise; most people that dropped by were there only for a Super Potion or Revive or something simple like that. The manager was kind of cranky, too. "I'll bet if he knew who I really was, he would be nicer to me," Dusty thought as he walked down the hall that led to the front desk. However, Dusty knew that he could never tell anyone his true identity. He had fought the urge many, many times.
Eventually Dusty reached the front desk, where a line of customers, four he counted, were waiting.
"May I help you?" he asked the first customer. "My Pokemon is hurt," said the customer. "What do you have?"
Dusty sighed again. Sighing was his way of expressing frustration. Trainers could get their Pokemon healed at the Pokecenter down the street, he thought. Nevertheless, the customer is always right, so Dusty told the customer, "Well, we have Potions, Super Potions, Revives, Burn Heals, Ice Heals, Paralyze Heals, and soft drinks for humans." "I'll take 3 Super Potions," said the customer. Dusty went to the back to get the merchandise, then emerged and exchanged the goods for the money and stuck the money in the cash register, giving the change to the man. "Thank you, and come again," Dusty said to the man. The man smiled, and walked out of the store.
"Well, at least he was polite," thought Dusty as the next customer came up to the desk. He was about 18, with long shaggy hair, a tie-dye shirt, and beach shorts. Yep, he was definitely a surfer. Probably a water Pokemon trainer. "Dude, what do you have in your store, dude?" he said. Almost like a recording, Dusty spieled it out: "Well, we have Potions, Super Potions, Revives, Burn Heals, Ice Heals, Paralyze Heals, and soft drinks for the humans. What would you like?"
"Uhhhhh......" The hippie\surfer dude seemed lost in thought. "Uhhhhh..... dude!! do you have any Super Potions?"
Dusty put his head into his arms, gritted his teeth, sighed deeply, and tried not to release his Pokemon on him. Some people can be so stupid, he thought. He pushed his anger deep down inside him to vent out later. He rose, and told the surfer, "Yes we do, would you like one?"
"Nahhhhhh...... I just came here to look, dude," said the surfer as he walked out.
Again Dusty sighed and gritted his teeth. He's not a Pokemon trainer at all, he thought. Probably just finished surfing at the nearby beach. After all, this was a coastal town. What a jerk.
He sighed again as the third customer approached. It was a man of about thirty, kind of indifferent. "Hello there, young man," he said.
Dusty knew a conversation was coming. He REALLY didn't want to start one right now, so he quickly said "Hello. May I help you?" The man got the hint, and asked what the store had. Dusty spieled out the menu once more, and the man answered, "MMmmmmm......I'll just have a soda, thanks."
Dusty went to get a soda for the man and brought it back to the counter. They exchanged drinks and money and the man left.
Dusty looked at his watch. 3 minutes until his shift ended and he could go home. The last customer, a little girl, approached the desk. "May I help you?" he said. "Well, mister, I'm ten years old and I got my first Pokemon three days ago. It fainted, and I was wondering if you knew how to make it all better again." She brought out her hurt Pokemon, a Bulbasaur. Dusty eyed the Pokemon, and figured it to be around level 7. "Well, we have Revives. Feed it a Revive and it will wake up with half its health back. Or, you could take it to the Pokemon center down the street."
"Well, if my Pokemon is hurt in the middle of nowhere, there won't be a shop, so I think I'll have 5 Revives."
Dusty happily took her money and gave her five little vials of liquid with the word, "Revive" labeled on it. The girl thanked Dusty politely and left the store. It's little trainers like those that make this job bearable, Dusty thought. Dusty thought of his first days as a trainer. He had been given a Charmander by Professor Oak himself. He had raised it, used it to capture other Pokemon, and repeated and repeated until he was where he was today, a Pokemon league champ.
"Hey, Rick!" called the boss from the back room. "Your shift is up. We're closing. You can go home for tonight. Be here bright and early tomorrow."
Dusty happily threw off his clerk apron with the words "Hi! My name is Rick" printed on it. He walked over to the manager with an expectant look on his face. "Yeah, Rick, what do you wan.... Oh! I almost forgot! Here's your paycheck for the month."
As soon as the manager gave him his paycheck of 500 P, Dusty raced out of the door towards his apartment in the west part of town. All the while he smiled because his Pokemon were the only things in his life that really mattered. He had raised them carefully and beaten countless other trainers to get his Pokemon team all up to level 100. He had roamed the countryside for six years searching for Pokemon until he had all of them except for one, that legendary Pokemon the press had dubbed Mew. Most Pokemon studiers had already denounced its existence, but Dusty knew it was out there, somewhere, just waiting to be owned by him. That was one reason he was traveling all across the countryside. The other reason was because he was an adventurer. As soon as he gathered all the information and experienced everything in one place, he moved on. He had only been living in this city for about 3 months, and there was already lots of stuff for him to do.
As he neared his apartment, he thought about how his Pokemon were doing without him on the weekdays. Because of his job, he hadn't been giving them as much attention as usual. He would have to give them a treat or something tomorrow.
Dusty walked up to his apartment, unlocked the door, and walked in. He plopped down onto the couch and called for his Chansey.
Chansey popped out of the Pokeball on the nearby table and began to cook supper. "Eggs, again, PP Killer?" he asked his Chansey with the nickname he had given it. "Chansey!" PP Killer squealed as he put the eggs on the frying pan. Dusty went over to the stove to turn it on, but nothing happened. The stove was broken. "OOOHHHH Come on, you dumb stove!" Eventually Dusty had to ask his Charizard, FlameDragon, to cook the eggs. Charizard obliged, for it liked eggs, and soon dusty and his six Pokemon were sitting around the room eating egg salad. Since Chansey could make eggs, and they were free, the group had been having different forms of egg dishes almost every day. Egg salad one day, egg with Salisbury steak another day, well, you get the picture. Chansey eggs are very nutritious, so they could get away with eating them and not getting fat. Dusty looked around at his Pokemon team: his Charizard, FlameDragon, his first Pokemon in evolved form, his Chansey, PP Killer, who was anything but a killer, his Zapdos, Lightbird, who lighted up the house at night to not waste electricity, His Articuno, Freezebird, who Dusty thought was the most beautiful Pokemon when properly groomed, his Moltres, which was good buddies with FlameDragon, for obvious reasons, and his Mewtwo, Deathcat, one of the rarest Pokemon, was actually pretty soft-tempered. He remembered when he first caught Mewtwo, about two weeks after the only lab to ever create Mewtwos had a security breach and they all escaped into the wild. There were only around 20 known Mewtwos still alive, thought Dusty.
The group finished eating, and everyone put away their dishes while Dusty and Freezebird helped wash them. No one in the group considered ownership over one another, they all thought of each other as family.
Chansey came up to Dusty with today's mail, two letters. One was from the tenant, who was wanting payment for the rent. Well, Dusty had his paycheck, so he would pay his bill in the morning.
The other letter had no return address. It read:
"I cannot tell you who I am, but I will tell you this: he is watching you. Be very careful of him. He can be your best friend, or your worst enemy. His name is Toraeru. Toraeru Hito. Beware. He is near.
Signed,
JJ
Dusty stared at the letter, dumbfounded. Who was JJ? He had never heard that name before. Also, who was Toraeru Hito? The name rung a bell, but he had never met anyone by that name. And, worst of all, why was he watching? Was he after Dusty's fortune? After all, he had won gobs and gobs of money fighting trainers and collecting prize money. He kept his fortune very secret, lest someone steal it or even worse, learn his true identity.
Dusty wasn't worried, however. He had not told anyone his true identity for three years. Plus, if anyone had been following him for three years, he would have known about it by now. And, if anything went wrong, he would have his trusty Pokemon to fight any Pokemon battle that was needed. His Pokemon were very loyal to him, and they would never back out of a fight.
Dusty decided to let it pass for now and go to sleep. After all, he had to get up early tomorrow to go work at the Pokemart. He bid his Pokemon goodnight, crawled in bed, and slept soundly.
An.. almost.. Normal Day (Toraeru)
A light bell sent it's sweet music flowing through the interior of the Pokemart to signal the entrance of a new customer, the gradually dying sun of the late evening sending it's rays of light through the windows. Light catches upon the lenses of the thick glasses worn over the boys eyes as he steps calmly into the Pokemart, thin hands hidden within the pockets of the long white dress shirt. The shirt lies unbuttoned over a simpler black t-shirt, tucked into the similarly black jeans. Slowly, he clears his throat as he takes his time to search the shelves and take note of their merchandise, awaiting the appearance of someone who would sell the wares to him. Toraeru slowly pulls out a simple, brown leather wallet and opens it up, flipping through the bills that had been dubbed whimsically by younger trainers "Pokebucks," a currency used almost exclusively by the populous who purchases things from these Markets for Pokemon. He takes count of his current fundings, glancing up as he awaits the appearance of a store worker.. anxious to purchase what he needs and get on with his personal goal..
(Dusty)
Dusty looked to the left, then to the right. Looks like another boring day, he thought. It was a cloudy Thursday, and it looked to Dusty like the only thing that would be going on today would be waiting for Friday, the last day of the week before the weekend, when he would be able to do something for his Pokemon. He felt that for all they've been through, they too could use a weekend away from home. He had already planned it out. Tomorrow he and his Pokemon would travel to the town two miles north of where he was. Apparently that town was famous for its "Pokefest" they had each year, which was a gigantic festival that was fun for Pokemon and their trainers alike. It also had workshops on Pokemon training. Not that he would attend one. He had already made an announcement that Dusty the trainer himself would be leading a workshop. Ever since Dusty had decided to go under the alias Ricky, he had been enjoying this alter ego stuff quite nicely. He would go to Pokefest with his Pokemon as Rick, then go into a bathroom or something, change into something wealthier, then go to the workshop as Dusty, probably flying in on Lightbird so no one would suspect. It was foolproof. Dusty started daydreaming on how much fun it would be to eat the food, look at others' Pokemon, meet old trainer acquaintances.....
"Rick! This is the third time this week! Let's get some service to the customer! He's been waiting for five minutes while you've been sitting on that stool twiddling your thumbs! Let's move it! Move it now!"
Dusty sighed. Reality calls, he thought.
Dusty walked his way over to the counter where an impatient customer was waiting. "Sorry to keep you waiting. My name is Ricky. How may I help you?" said Dusty hurriedly, not bothering to look at the customer because he was setting the desk up.
When the customer did not answer, Dusty looked up at him. "Umm, sir, do you need anything?" asked Dusty. He studied the man. Actually it was a boy about Dusty's age, with glasses so thick you could see the spectrum through them, wearing black pants and a white dress shirt. When the customer still not answer, Dusty began to feel a little impatient. He sighed. "Well?" he asked.
A Meeting of Experts (Toraeru)
The wallet is closed as he hears the voice, the boy Toraeru finding that he should have just enough funding for the rather large order he has. One hand slides the wallet back into his pocket, the other lifting to adjust the extremely thick glasses which hide his eyes. Studying this boy who's nametag proclaims him to be "Ricky," he arches an eyebrow and immediately begins to speak, neither awaiting nor offering a greeting.
"I need fifteen of each of the following. Full Restores, Revives, and Full Heals. I have the money right here," he pats his pocket, "and I'd prefer to get them as quickly as possible." He gazes steadily, almost coldly toward the simple boy (though he is a year older than himself) who watches this particular Pokemart. His thumb unconciously lower to one of the six Pokeballs upon his belt, rubbing slowly upon it in an absent, impatient gesture he is not even aware he is doing. The six Pokeballs (though two of them have a small light blinking slowly upon the release button, signalling those two to be empty) are oddly hued.. not the red of a simple 'ball, nor the green of a super, nor blue of ultra. And of course not the (ugh) purple of the prototype Master ball which was given to only a few. His Pokeballs are custom made, a shining silver on top and the typical white below. Engraved in flowing script upon the silver plated 'balls are a single word for each, presumably the name of the Pokemon within. As his thumb runs along the word "Zapdos" absently he continues to watch the boy fairly impatiently, awaiting the fulfillment of his order.
Impatience (Dusty)
Finally the boy began to speak. "I need fifteen of the following. Full Restores, Revives, and Full Heals. And I'd prefer to have them as quickly as possible," said the boy impatiently as he fixed his glasses for the umpteenth time.
Dusty sighed. "I'm sorry, sir, but all we have is Potions, Super Potions, Revives, Burn Heals, Ice Heals, and Paralyze Heals. However, my boss informed me today that we are now carrying Antidotes," said Dusty, almost like a recording.
Dusty rested his elbow on the desk, awaiting the boy's reaction.
Frustration (Toraeru)
The young boy bit his lip in frustration and his glare went unnoticed only thanks to his bad eyes and the glasses meant to correct them. After a moment he began to speak again toward the boy.
"Well then ask your boss where a place is that I can purchase these things. It's imperative that I get them quickly." He nodded simply and stared toward the boy, his thumb still absently rubbing the silver of the pokeball in his impatience, waiting to speak with the manager of the 'mart.
Violence (Dusty)
After the boy had made his remark, Dusty sighed. Some people can be real jerks, he thought. Dusty nodded and went to the back of the store.
"Hey, boss, there's a guy waiting to talk to you at the front desk," said Dusty. After all, the boy wanted to talk to the manager, why should he deal with it?
The manager cursed quietly, then disappeared into the hallway of the Pokemart, while Dusty sat on his stool in the supply room. He started daydreaming about the fun he was going to have at the Pokefest in two days. He had already planned out the whole thi....
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" A scream from the front desk suddenly pierced Dusty's ears. It caused him to fall over on the floor in surprise. "Now what has my boss done?" mumbled Dusty as he quickly got up onto his feet and ran toward the front desk.
However, standing at the doorway grimacing wasn't his boss, it was the boy from a few minutes ago. His boss was lying unconcious on the floor with a bruise over his head. Dusty couldn't help but laugh for a few seconds, then got serious for a sec and told the boy, "Look, I know my boss is a big @#!?>%, but did you really have to knock him out?"
The boy did nothing but change the expression on his face from grimacing cold stare to smug and egotistic cold stare as he played with something in his hand and fixed his glasses again.
Misunderstanding (Toraeru)
The expression on his face, cold, arrogant, smug.. was more to hide his own feelings inside. He hadn't really planned to hurt the guy, but when he was being cursed out for demanding to know where to find what he needed he got a bit.. irrational. He had pulled one Pokeball from his belt and released the creature within.. directly into the man's face, startling him and causing him to fall backward, striking his head upon the countertop. He immediately called the white furred creature back to it's temporary home, and was still holding the Pokeball when the boy who worked at this mart returned.
"It wasn't my fault." Was Toraeru's simple, calm testimony to what happened as he turned to the door and began to head out.. then noticing a flyer upon the wall. His fingers touched upon it, and seeing more of the flyers about the 'mart he tore it from the wall, figuring that one "Pokefest" flyer would not be missed. He then exited the 'mart and began to head up the path to the hill, studying the peice of paper as he went..
Not a Normal Day, a Fun Action-Packed One, Maybe, But Not a Normal One (Dusty)
Dusty looked to his left, then to his right. Ah, what a glorious day it would be! Dusty sighed, but out of happiness. He was at the Pokefest, a great day of celebration for Pokemon and their trainers alike. It was Saturday, and Dusty and his Pokemon would soon be having a great time. There would be a lot of Pokemon plays written by Pokemon themselves where trainers dressed up as Pokemon and acted out the play. Of course, only psychic Pokemon were smart enough to learn a language and write a play, but no one really cared. Some were funny, some were serious.
However, Dusty would not be participating very much today in the festivities. He was to make an appearance as Dusty the famous Pokemon trainer at a training workshop late this afternoon. He was currently operating under the alias of Ricky, so no one would bug him in everyday life. Some people remarked on the interesting resemblance that the "two different people" had, but no one gave it more than passing thought. It's pretty easy to fool people, Dusty thought.
To prevent from anyone discovering his true identity, Dusty had already made plans beforehand with his Moltres, Flamebird, to fly out with him in tow of the grounds quickly, go to a nearby gas station to change into some wealthier clothing, then fly him back and make a dramatic appearance at the workshop, where he would explain tips to less talented trainers and answer any questions they might have.
However, Dusty wasn't thinking about that now. he was busy enjoying himself with the festivities. He saw people he recognized from earlier adventures, plus he saw two of the Elite Four doing a singing contest not too far away; Lorelie's Jigglypuff against Lance's Psyduck. It wasn't too hard to figure out who would win.
Dusty was wary today as well, though. He had not forgotten the ominous letter that he had gotten on Wednesday about the man named Toraeru Hito that was supposedly watching him. Again he looked to the left, then to the right.
A FEW HOURS LATER
"Oh, geez, it's 30 minutes until the workshop begins!" Dusty yelled out. No one took notice, for many people were already lined up at the tent where it would take place. Dusty headed toward the park exit, exited the grounds, went into a nearby thicket, and pulled one of the Pokeballs from his belt. They were custom made, too. Blue, white, and green stripes on top and bottom.
Each ball had the nickname of a Pokemon on it.
Dusty procured the one that said, "Flamebird" in red lettering and quietly pushed the release button in the middle of the ball. The Pokeball popped open, and a ball of red light emerged. The red light formed itself into a pretty strong looking red bird with flames dancing around it.
"Shhh, Flamebird, we don't want to attract attention. Let's get moving to the gas station I showed you earlier." Flamebird nodded its head, then lowered its back so Dusty could climb on. It wasn't hot, after all, Flamebird was tame for him alone. Anyone else that tried to climb on without Dusty's consent would soon be a charred mass of skin and bones.
Dusty got on Flamebird, then lifted off. They soared over houses and lakes for about a minute before they touched down at the gas station that was predetermined. A man came out of the station. "Hiya Ricky, or should I say Dusty!" he yelled. This man was the only man to know Dusty's secret. They were close friends, despite the age difference, and this gas station was owned by him. The owner's name was Jim Jardin. "Hiya, Jim!" Dusty yelled back. "You can change in the back. No one's looking." They had already discussed the plans earlier. "By the way, an interesting looking fella came by about two weeks ago, looking for you. Said he had something to discuss or something. Don't ask how he knew I knew you, I don't know."
Dusty disregarded that, as Jim was always telling stories on how people were looking for him. Dusty went to the men's bathroom in the gas station and changed into the clothes he got out of his backpack. He redid his hairstyle another way, and took off his contact lenses that make his eyes look brown. Soon all you could tell between the alter egos was the face, and lots of people's faces look alike.
Dusty emerged from the bathroom, said goodbye to Jim, then flew off with Flamebird to make his appearance at the Pokefest. He appeared inside the tent in a minute, because Moltres could create makeshift rocket boosters that let them fly around 150kph, or 100mph. As Dusty the famous Pokemon trainer flew into the tent on his bird, everyone in the tent applauded. Security guards were stationed in places so to prevent fanatics from going up onto the stage.
Dusty began his speech.
"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Nidorinos and Nidorinas(at this point everyone sort of chuckled)I welcome all of you and your Pokemon to this festival that has been going on today."
Several of the people inside the tent had their Pokemon out of their 'balls sitting with them, so it was kind of crowded and noisy.
"Many of you are trainers that are having problems training your Pokemon. Many of you are people coming here just to listen to my advice. And, the rest of you are probably here to get into the shade and rest. That's great."
"The first thing I will talk about today is the basics. Many problems with training occur here, in the beginning. When you interact with your Pokemon, do not interact with them in such a way as to make them think you're the boss. Trust me, I've had a boss before, and he wasn't very nice.
Think of your Pokemon as your friend, your companion, your trustworthy chum, you know, the kind you tell your fellings to. And, Pokemon, this part is for you-be kind to your trainers. Most of them are probably good people working very hard to train you to fight, to be the best Pokemon you can be. So, if your trainer isn't the best trainer around, be patient and try to understand."
At this Pokemon and their trainers applauded. Dusty liked doing this sort of thing. It helped him reach out to trainers like him and their Pokemon, which he loved.
"The other thing I would like to talk with you about today is trading. Pokemon trading is all well and good, but many people are worried about the ethics of it all. Do Pokemon dislike being with a trainer that treats it well for ten or more years, then gets traded off to some complete stranger who treats it like dirt? Of course not! Pokemon out there, how many of you have been traded at least once?"
At this many Pokemon raised their hands\tentacles\etc. "All right then, how many of those Pokemon were better off in that trade?" Only a few Pokemon raised their hands. "Trainers," Dusty said, "when you trade a Pokemon, don't trade solely for profit or prestige. Pokemon have feelings too. Before you trade, carefully weigh the decision. If at all possible, take the Pokemon to meet its new trainer before you trade. And Pokemon, if you are traded, treat your new owner with respect. Treat your new trainer the way you yourselves would want to be treated, no matter how mean he or she is."
The people and Pokemon in the tent applauded loudly as Dusty said, "Well, that's the first half of my speech, are there any questions from anyone?"
"Dusty! Dusty!" a middle aged trainer stood up.
"Do you have any info on the new Pokemon product that's being released?"
Dusty racked his brain. "Oh, yeah! Professor Oak himself called me a few weeks ago to tell me about it. Apparently he wanted me to advertise it here. It's a new Pokeball out on the market. It has a higher catch rate than the Ultra Ball, but it's not as good as the Master Balls. They've been dubbed Super balls, and they're black on top and white on bottom. I'm going to get them soon myself when they debut. Any more questions, anyone?"
"Show us your Pokemon, Dusty!" a girl out of the crowd yelled. At that, many people started chanting that same statement. Dusty sighed. Everywhere he went people wanted to see his Pokemon. He knew that was a good thing, so people could see what their Pokemon could grow up to be.
"All right!" Dusty said. He pushed the release buttons on each of his six Pokeballs, sending them out one by one. Everyone oohed and aahed when they got a glimpse of them. He introduced them all to the crowd, and right after he was finished intro-ing Deathcat, his Mewtwo, a boy stood up to raise his hand. Dusty immediately recognized him as the boy from the store back in Seaside(the name of the town where we began our story)who beat up his boss. His boss was in the hospital, so Dusty had to mind the store fully on Friday. Dusty hoped the boy wouldn't recognize him.
"Yes?" asked Dusty, looking directly at the boy.
Pokepalooza (Toraeru)
Bright and early in the morning, Toraeru has arrived in the Pokefest.. the crowds had not yet drawn, and so the gaunt teen did not cause too much of a splash as he moved through the streets of this city hosting the 'fest. However.. his presence was just that. The teen, his gaze downward as he walked, has a presence about him of cool togetherness, seeming completely sure of himself and arrogant as he walked. The presence was not at all hurt by a rather ominous figure following behind him, cloaked completely in black.. he stood at two meters, but nothing about him was able to be seen. He had swiftly made his way, almost as though knowing exactly where it would be, to a merchants stand, requesting from him the same things he had requested from the boy and his overtempered boss, but with different results. The teen had pushed the many things into a voluminous, empty backpack, soon filling it completely with the fourty five items. For the rest of the day he decided to enjoy himself, taking in the many events and shows, and to finally begin his plan the following day. After all, noone can live without a little fun in their lives. So for the next few hours the boy moved among the crowds, taking in the various plays, events, seminars, training sessions, battles, what have you. The throngs seemed almost to part from his thin form as he walked, the hood of the figure behind him tilting to the sides as it watched, studied the multitude of trainers. As Toraeru and his companion took in a rather ludicrous magic show that was obviously set up with a Psychic Pokemon causing things to fly around, they caught wind that there would be a booth run by the esteemed "Dusty" starting within the hour. A soft smirk touched upon his lips upon hearing this news, and he turned away from the show, the crowd moving aside in that unconcious way of just wishing to avoid the fairly creepy pair of the thin boy and tall figure.. they made their way to the place where the seminar was to be.
A crowd had already gathered to view the prestigious Dusty, and many of them had their Pokemon out to hear his speech. Toraeru was not one of these who brought out their Pokemon.. it was not out of cruelty, or any particular wish to keep his Pokemon in the confines of their homes (Although confines would not be appropriate- the interior of the Pokeballs was actually very spacious, much like a home for a human is), but simply because his Pokemon, his only friends, were far too powerful.. it would draw attention to himself. Dusty may have loved the attention of the crowds, the fame of power and prestige. That was not for Toraeru, who was at the least the equal to Dusty. But fame.. no, Toraeru didn't want that. He wanted no attention. Leave that to those who loved it.. for now, Toraeru was content to stand behind, unknown and unnoticed. Currently, he had a seat close to the stage that would within the hour house the famous Dusty, the tall figure seating itself beside him.
Indeed, the show soon did start, with a (in Toraeru's opinion) gaudy entrance atop a Moltres, one of the rarest Pokemon to be found. Feh. It was almost like a little kid showing off his rare baseball card. He shook the thought away and continued to watch the beginnings of this seminar. He listened calmly to the speeches, to the announcement of the new items being made, to the questions being asked. And then.. something clicked in his mind. He recognized Dusty. Not from the fame, the pictures he had seen. He.. couldn't place it. Something about the way he stood, his voice. He knew him. But didn't remember from where. He shook his head again.. and then stood up rather suddenly, his hand lifting.
"Yes?" the famed boy sent in his direction.. studying him rather closely, Toraeru thought. He must recognize me from somewhere, was what ran only briefly through his mind as he lowered his hand, that thought soon eliminated.
"What makes you think you have the *right* to keep that Pokemon with you? There are perhaps twenty people in the world who know the origin of such a creature, and you flaunt him so openly, like a prize poodle. The Mewtwo are endangered, Dusty," and the name was spoken with a quiet undercurrent, cold, "and they are not to be held by some common trainer, nor even one of your own fame. The Pokemon League higher ups may take note of Deathcat as you name him.. and they may reclaim him. What have you to say in your keeping this endangered creature?" And an arrogant smirk took his lips.. this boy Dusty who he had been watching, following after under the knowledge that he had one of the very Pokemon he seeked to protect, and he had finally had the chance to speak his mind toward him. In front of a crowd no less. This was bound to end up in his favor in the end.. behind him the tall figure stood, gently glowing blue eyes training upon Dusty though there was still nothing that could be seen beneath the black hood. An odd thing about Toraeru's speech was that while his speech was soft, almost to the point of inaudible to Dusty and impossible for everyone in the crowd to hear, his words seemed to echo within the minds of everyone gathered. Toraeru's thin, bony finger was pointed toward Dusty as his smirk continued, his accusation hanging in the air as he awaited the reply..
The Answer (Dusty)
Dusty stepped back at the boy's question. He probably would have gotten angry, but this was a workshop, existing to educate people, so Dusty summoned up the best answer he could come up with:
"Well, I just have to say that I caught this Mewtwo fair and square. I found him shivering cold in a cave, so I decided to capture him and train him. Would not you have done the same? If you are the protector of Mewtwo that you say you are, would you leave one suffering on the ground to die? Keep in mind all of the Mewtwo came from a lab, with almost no instincts for survival. If I would have left it there, it would have died. Very simple. And, even if it didn't, it would probably have a better life trained than wild, which is the case for all Pokemon. Deathcat could leave me anytime he wanted to, and I wouldn't be able to stop him."
"Also, you say I have no right to train this Pokemon. Well, I say to you, who gives YOU the right to say that to me? The Pokemon League does not regulate the training of Mewtwo, does it? Therefore I DO have the right to train this Pokemon, just like anyone else does. Zapdos is a very rare Pokemon, almost endangered. Why not criticize me for training Lightbird? And why not criticize everyone who trains a rare Pokemon?
Heck, why not just completely ban Pokemon training altogether? You see, you cannot exclude a Pokemon from training simply because it is rare."
"And, about my "flaunting my Pokemon about like a trophy" or whatever, you forget I have only made four or five public appearances, the last one being almost a year ago. I didn't have to come here. I wanted to come here so I could help out Pokemon trainers like yourself. Do you find anything wrong with the advice I've given? If you do not like what I say or do, then you don't have to participate."
At the end of the speech, almost everyone sat apeechless. I wish people would stop holding me in such high esteem, Dusty thought. I'm just a regular trainer like everyone else. Dusty sighed and started to walk off stage after packing up his Pokemon in the 'balls.
The last thing Dusty remembered before he was clobbered over the head and knocked out was a figure in a dark hood with evil-looking glowing blue eyes.
The Beginning (Toraeru)
Toraeru seethed as he listened to the retort of the boy who he had just accused of the capture of the Mewtwo. As he was about to make a hot retort of his own he shook his head, knowing there was a much better method. Just take the 'ball and go. In Toraeru's eyes, this was not stealing.. he had petitioned at the league for the protection of Mewtwo, letting them prosper before any trainer just came along to catch one. He turned from the crowd as Dusty turned to leave the stage and simply pushed through those who remained speechless, some throwing hard glares in his direction as he shoved them away from his path, the cloaked figure following steadily behind. They walked around the stage and the boy ran a hand through his hair slowly, watching Dusty's progress from the stage and waiting until he was out of sight of his "followers" who had hung on his every word. And at that moment the large figure stepped in front of him, raised it's hand, and Dusty simply fell unconcious, the mental assault feeling as though he had been slammed across the head.
A small smirk illicited from Toraeru's lips as he beckoned the figure toward Dusty's belt, and more importantly the Pokeballs. The names engraved on them, as they were on his own, made it a quick task for the figure to find the ball housing Deathcat, and pick it up in the three fingers of his hand. The boy then nodded to his partner, turning and walking calmly through the streets of the city on his way to the exit of the festival. After all, they'd be bound to find the unconcious body, and they'd of course suspect the one who accused him so soon before the incident. He wouldn't be around for that. He stepped through the gates of the city and turned onto a small path, beginning to make his way toward the city of Cerulean, some miles in the distance. It would be simpler to fly the long path upon Zapdos, but no.. he would not draw attention to himself the way a rare bird in flight so near a city would. He nodded toward his own thoughts, continuing to trudge the path slowly..
Dreams (Dusty)
Dusty was in a world of black. Everywhere he looked was black. The blackness was overwhelming. Dusty began to panic. AAAAAHHHH!!
(How's that for a panic?) Calm down, Dusty, he thought. Wherever you are, you can leave. Just think real hard........
For some unexplainable reason, Dusty began to see images....familiar images...from his childhood...
Dusty was a very smart person. He was reading at age two, and could do math at age three. His IQ was well beyond anyone else in his class. He started school early, and skipped two grades. He was, shall we say, a genius. Bored in all his classes, he decided to find a hobby. He knew about Pokemon training and that almost everyone who did it liked it a lot. It required skill, intellect, strategy, and a love for animals, all of which young Dusty had in plenty.
Dusty was elated when he turned 10, the minimum age for training Pokemon, for he had finished high school by then, and now he could start. Professor Oak himself had given him a Charmander, and Dusty took care of it well. He used Charmander to get all his badges, defeat the Elite Four, and collect all known 150 Pokemon. Dusty was very fond of one particular Pokemon, his pride and joy, his Dragonite, SuperDragon, he named it. But one day the Pokeball it was in was stolen, and Dusty never saw his precious SuperDragon again.....
Since then, Dusty made a vow....to never ever let anyone get away with stealing his Pokemon, and to find his lost Pokemon, no matter what the cost...
Suddenly the world around Dusty brightened to white, and Dusty began to make out objects....
"Hey! You're awake, Dusty!" said a familiar voice. It was Jim from the gas station! Suddenly Dusty became aware of a sore on the top of his head. Dusty got up, groaning and sighing.
"Whhhaaat haappppeennnned?" Dusty mumbled, closing his eyes tightly, for he had a nasty headache. "Ughhhh...."
"Hey Dusty, can you hear me?" asked Jim. "Sure," replied Dusty. "What happened?"
"You've been unconcious for about three hours, Dusty," explained Jim. "I saw the whole thing. After you finished talking to that boy, he stepped off the stage and took that friend of his with him, and that friend of his in the black cloak knocked you down without even touching you!"
Only a psychic Pokemon could do that, thought Dusty. And no psychic Pokemon was that tall except for Mewtwo.
Dusty asked Jim. "Were you hiding or something?" "Yeah, I hid behind a box," answered Jim. "That's strange. If that was a Mewtwo behind that hood, it would have sensed that you were there," said Dusty.
Jim thought about it. "Yeah, you're right. Maybe it didn't care I was there. After all, I'm probably like an ant to it. It probably thought I wouldn't do anything, so it didn't care."
"What about that boy it was with?" asked Dusty. I recognized him at the seminar." "Oh, him? He's that guy that was looking for you at the gas station two weeks ago. I figured you knew him, if he was looking for you. Said his name was Toraeru Hito."
At that, Dusty's headache became ten times worse. "ARghhhh!" I should have known! I shouldn't have been parading around like that!"
Jim spoke. "You didn't know his name? You didn't get that letter I sent you?"
It clicked. JJ. Jim Jardin. Hmm. "Why the secrecy, Jim?" asked Dusty.
"I always write like that. Makes letter writing more interesting."
Oh. Figures, thought Dusty. IQ of 258 and he couldn't figure it out. Oh well.
"By the way, seems like one of your Pokemon is missing, Dusty." said Jim. Dusty looked down at his belt, and sure enough, the ball that was for Deathcat was missing. "OH GEEZ NOOOOOOO!!!!"
Again the memory of SuperDragon flashed in his head. He took my Mewtwo, thought Dusty, why didn't he take my other Pokemon as well? He must have some sort of plan for it. Ha. Toraeru's Plan. That was so cliche that it could have been the the title of a movie or a RP message story or something.
Anyway, he had already made a vow to all of his Pokemon to find them, plan or no plan. He would deal with this Toraeru! But first, he had to go home to his apartment and think up a plan. Dusty bid goodbye to Jim, then trekked off toward Seaside.
A Revelation (Dusty)
Dusty still was feeling terrible as he got back to his apartment in Seaside. He knew how to combat this. He pressed the release button on Chansey's Pokeball, and out popped Chansey. Chansey was looking rather sad. "Yeah, Chansey, I know. I miss him too. But we'll get him back. In the meantime, though, could I please have a healing egg? I've got this real nasty headache." "Sure," said Chansey. Chansey brought out an egg from the pouch in its stomach. "Thanks, Chansey," said Dusty. Dusty ate it, and his headache went away almost immediately. He went into the bathroom to change his clothes, when something clicked. "Umm, Chansey, did you just talk to me?" asked Dusty. "I always talk to you, Dusty," said Chansey. Actually, Chansey said "Chansey, Chan Chan Chansey," but Dusty's brain heard it as "I always talk to you, Dusty."
"It's weird, Chansey. It seems like you're talking to me in my language." "That's weird," said Chansey.
Dusty was trying his best to soak all this in, but he wasn't succeeding very well. He tried an experiment. All his other Pokemon with him spoke to him as well. This is odd, thought Dusty. Maybe I need to go to the shrink.
So, Dusty took a little trip to the local psychiatrist, checked himself in, and proceeded to tell the doctor what was happening.
"Well," said the doctor, "it seems you have a very rare condition, Ricky." Dusty was still operating under his alias. "It's called psychic feedback syndrome, and it's permanent."
"Permanent?" asked Dusty. "Is that a bad thing?"
"No, actually it's quite good, Dusty. This condition is very rare. It occurs when very smart people are in contact with psychic Pokemon for a long time. Apparently the emotional bond a psychic Pokemon has with its trainer sometimes causes them to have a psychic bond as well. Psychic Pokemon read brain waves of people and Pokemon alike, and when a psychic bond forms between a psychic Pokemon and a human trainer, the trainer gains the psychic power of the Pokemon, under certain conditions."
"Conditions? What conditions?" asked Dusty.
"Well, first," said the doctor, "psychic bonds are more likely to appear in smarter people."
"Well, I've got an IQ of 258," said Dusty.
"That would do it. And, the other condition, well, how can I explain this, human brains aren't equipped to handle extrasensory perception, or ESP. For a person's brain to gain ESP, a catalyst is needed in the brain, such as a tumor, brain surgery, or..."
"Or a blow to the head, right?" said Dusty.
"Yes. A sharp blow to the head can also do the trick. In other words, Dusty, you have ESP."
"Ummmmmm, I do?"
"Yes. People with ESP can do many extraordinary things, like reading minds, telling the future, or moving objects with their minds. Heck, you're probably reading my thoughts right now and don't know it. I suggest you develop this ability, Dusty."
"And you say this is permanent?"
"Oh, yes. Theoretically, once a person's brain gains ESP, it never loses it. You're stuck with it, Dusty. Make the most of it."
"Uhhhhh......"
"You should feel lucky, Dusty. Many people have tried to duplicate the conditions you have done and gotten themselves killed in the process."
"Uhhhhh....."
"I know this is hard to absorb, Dusty. You see, I have ESP as well. I too gained the ability from my psyduck. That's why I'm a psychiatrist."
"I think I'll be going, now."
"Not until you pay the bill, Dusty."
So, at that, Dusty paid the bill of 150 P, then went back home to his apartment. Well, Chansey, Dusty thought, it looks like we can talk telepathically now. That's pretty cool, thought Chansey back at him.
"Hey, Dusty," thought Chansey at him, "this is serious. We heard that boy Toraeru talking, and he's going to Cerulean City. We'll do anything we can to bring Deathcat back."
"Cerulean City, eh?" Dusty said out loud. "Well, Toraeru, I'm going to catch you and get my Mewtwo back at any cost!"
"Go for it!" thought his Pokemon at him.
On The Road (Toraeru)
During the time that Dusty has been unconcious and learning of his newfound ability brought on unwittingly by the Mewtwo in conjunction with his IQ, Toraeru was heading away from Seaside as quickly as he could. He had long since turned from the direct path so as to make him harder to spot should someone come flying by in search of him, though this change of course made his going a bit more rough than it would have been before.. ever silent, Aku Tenshi padded along behind him, pointing out the best courses to travel through the hilly landscapes as he kept watch upon the stolen Pokeball which held within one of his brethen. The Mewtwo was intelligent.. probably more so than both Toraeru and Dusty, but he was loyal to only one of those two. He walked with Toraeru, intent on seeing the plan carried out, the flourishing of his species. Unfortunately, he could see that the more famous trainer would never come to accept that his kind needed to be in seclusion for a span of years..
..if it became too drastic he would simply have to do away with him. So too might he need to deal with his current "trainer," but that was not a part of his planning as long as Toraeru moved on.. beneath the hood Aku Tenshi smirked. The boy still believe he had thought of the whole thing.. what would he do if he were to learn that his plan was nothing more than the manipulation of thoughts that otherwise would have lead to a life much like the one Dusty now leads? These things never would be revealed to the boy, and the Mewtwo felt that he would never miss the lost chance of fame. Breaking from silent reverie to concentrate his thoughts, a whispery, calm voice echoed in Toraeru's mind.
"Cerulean approaches.. we have perhaps three miles still to trek. But it grows late, and we should prepare for camp.." were the words spoken into his mind, causing Toraeru to start a bit, having been used to the silence. He nearly shook his head, wanting to reach Cerulean before midnight. But a glance at the position of the moon told him it was too late for that, and he then nodded his consent.
"Alright.." He spoke simply, slowing and then sitting in the short grass, lowering himself. He needed little for making camp, content to sleep beneath the stars atop the grass. He was thankful for the stop just then, for almost immediately he fell into sleep, a dark, dreamless void..
Chapter 2
Conversation (Dusty)
Unawareness (Toraeru)
The conversation between the stolen Pokemon and it's master went on unnoticed between the unwitting boy and his Mewtwo, though the latter had a suspicion that something was happening. Psychic energies were concentrated far too highly around the Pokeball clutched in his fingers for Deathcat to be merely sleeping. Something was wrong there... but a barrier would not let him find out just what. Puzzling. The Pokemon didn't want him to know something, and there was no way to tell what it was. Perhaps it was cluing it's "master" into the matter of the Substitute. Perhaps he was becoming paranoid. Aku Tenshi shook his furred head as the boy beside him slept on. The Substitute had left him a tad weakened. Night was quickly ending though, and no sleep had come upon him yet. The Pokemon lay upon his side to catch what little sleep he could before dawn..
The day broke, and the journy began anew. Toraeru rose from his rest and fixed breakfast from what little food he had in the side pockets of his backpack, half going to Aku. After the small meal they rose, and continued on toward Cerulean city.. and soon enough, it loomed in their sights. Along with the Unknown Dungeon, no longer quite so Unknown, which was their final destination.. for now.
Puzzle (Dusty)
Prelude to a Showdown (Toraeru)
The Showdown (Dusty)
Dusty concentrated on the Mewtwo hard. "Sorry, Dusty, the Barney trick won't work on me," said Aku Tenshi smugly. "Darn," muttered Dusty. "Guess I'll have to do this the old fashioned way." Just then Chansey appeared with Deathcat's ball, so now Dusty could start the fight.
(Cue boss music)
-Aku Tenshi wants to fight!
-Dusty sent out Flamebird!
-Aku Tenshi sent out Aku Tenshi!
-Aku Tenshi used Psychic!
-Flamebird's special fell!
-Flamebird used Fire Blast!
-Critical hit!
-Flamebird fainted!
Dang, thought Dusty. He's good. Let's wear him down a bit.
-Dusty sent out PP Killer!
-PP Killer used Minimize!
-PP Killer's EVADE rose!
-Aku Tenshi's attack missed!
Ha ha! We've got him on the run!
-PP Killer used Softboiled!
-PP Killer's health returned!
-Aku Tenshi used Swift!
Uh, oh, thought Dusty. He knows Chanseys aren't really good defense-wise.
-PP Killer used Seismic Toss!
-Aku Tenshi used Recover!
-Aku Tenshi's health returned!
Darnit! thought Dusty. If he keeps this up, we'll never beat him! Hang in there, PP Killler!
-PP Killer fainted!
"Oh, @%#$!!" shouted Dusty.
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha!" laughed Aku. "You are mere ants compared to me!"
-Dusty sent out FlameDragon!
-FlameDragon's SPECIAL fell!
-FlameDragon used Fire Spin!
-Aku Tenshi can't move!
-FlameDragon's attack continues!
-FlameDragon used Fire Blast!
-FlameDragon used Earthquake!
-FlameDragon fainted!
"AAARRRGGGHHH!!!"
-Dusty sent out Lightbird!
-Lightbird used Thunder!
-Lightbird's attack missed!
"Ha, ha!" laughed Aku Tenshi again. I've got you now....oh, shoot, I'm out of Psychics! Dang the 10 Psychic limit!"
-Lightbird fainted!
Dang it again, thought Dusty. He's powerful even without his Psychics, and I'll bet he's got lots of recovers left, too!
-Dusty sent out Freezebird!
-Freezebird used Blizzard!
-Freezebird fainted!
Dusty sighed again.
-Dusty sent out Deathcat!
"WHAT?!" shouted Aku Tenshi. "How did you..."
-Deathcat used Psychic!
-It's not very effective.....
-Aku Tenshi's SPECIAL fell!
Hey, how come he always gets the critical hits? thought Dusty.
-Deathcat used Recover!
-Deathcat's Recover failed!
"WHAT THE.......RECOVER NEVER FAILS!!!!!!!"
"Ha ha ha ha!" laughed Aku Tenshi. "Now for the finishing blow!"
I should have known.....
-Deathcat fainted!
-Aku Tenshi defeated Dusty!
Dusty sat down, dejected. Can't even beat one Pokemon, he thought. Just as he was about to give in, Toraeru stepped up behind him. "Need a hand?" he asked. Dusty brightened. "Sure!" answered Dusty.
The Showdown.. continued (Toraeru)
Toraeru watched in silence for a time as the two fought.. he noticed Aku Tenshi getting a bit weaker with each attack pulled off, something he hadn't noticed while training as he was constantly changing Pokemon for another in his battles. But the weakness had already affected his Psychic abilities, and he probably didn't have more than nine Swifts in him, by his count.. then all he would be able to do would be create a few substitutes and recover. It wouldn't last long. Then, the music from nowhere began to pipe in once more.
- Toraeru's hand flew down to a Pokeball, quickly unhooking it from his belt loop and tossing it forward just after his thumb released the catch. It released the creature in mid-air, Death I, his first Pokemon. "Death I, Psychic" he said quietly, but there was little effect toward Tenshi.
- Aku Tenshi calmly lifted his hand, and generated his Chi into the Swift ability, unleashing another flurry of glowing stars directly into the Alakazam with a light grunt of effort, causing the opposing Pokemon to stagger a bit.
- "Death I, again" And again, a not very effective wave of mental energy struck the weakening Mewtwo. Pokemon never had to fight one expert trainer right after another.. it gave them that advantage.
- Aku Tenshi did all he could, but it was nothing more than another swift. However, this seemed more powerful than the last two, and the Critical attack was too much for the Alakazam, who fainted.
- Grumbling, Toraeru brought back Death I even as he threw a Pokeball, releasing his least powerful Pokemon, still in training. It didn't even have a chance. So after it fainted, he brought out another. This time it was his Zapdos, one of his lesser trained Pokemon. "Zapdos, Fly."
- Already having generated his Chi, Aku Tenshi let fly another swift which careened harmlessly into a wall.
- Zapdos then came down like a hawk with a screech, talons raking long furrows down Aku Tenshi's chest, along with causing a bit of electricity to jolt him.
- With a growl, Aku Tenshi flashed as his form Recovered, wasting his chance at an attack.
- And again, Zapdos used the hit and run tactic, Flying up and away.
- Aku Tenshi lifted his hands then, shimmered, and fissioned off into two Mewtwo. He darted off to the side in the cave, the Substitute looking up to the Zapdos
- The Zapdos came down hard on the opponent, knocking the Substitute to the ground, though unbroken.
- Aku Tenshi jumped up suddenly from behind the Sub, knocking it away just as it released a flurry of swift, the attack devestating to the weaker Pokemon and causing it to faint.
- Toraeru recalled Zapdos to his Pokeball, beginning to run down.. but he had faced much worse odds than this. He whistled and Death, the feral Mewtwo, bounded from his side toward Aku Tenshi, growling deep in his throat. The fleshy tube at the back of his neck glowed as his eyes turned a deep blue, a Psychic ripping out into Aku Tenshi who had broken his own Substitute. Death had a good chance.. the fact that he had come off wrong had given him a slight edge in a fight despite being unable to communicate, so that he could pull off Critical Hits more often.
- And this was just one of those occasions, Aku Tenshi stumbling back and panting, already a bit weakened from the Sub creation, but lifting one hand and flashing again as he Recovered.
- Death again, relentlessly, attacked with a Psychic which slammed powerfully against the opposing Mewtwo, forcing him backwards.
- And once more, the powerful slams forced him to Recover his energies, all the while glaring toward the Mewtwo he couldn't control currently.
- Death reared back and lashed it's hands forward, the brightly channeled energy of Swift streaming into Aku Tenshi, though it wasn't as powerful as the other hits.
- Aku Tenshi channeled out a Swift quickly, another critical hit, sad to say, and slammed Death back a bit.. and using that little time he managed to control the Mewtwo just enough to make him faint.
- Toraeru gaped a bit, not quite sure how Death just fainted like that but positive it was cheating.. and with a slight snort he grabbed his last Pokeball and released the catch, calling out his command. "Psychic" and the little white creature ran toward Aku Tenshi, the Mew's Psychic, almost overwhelmingly powerful, ripping through the Mewtwo's form. (Ok, so maybe not that powerful in the game, but this isn't the game)
- Aku Tenshi staggered again, lifting his hands to Recover.. and it failed. He had thought it never failed. Then he remembered that he had caused Deathcat's to fail at a critical moment, and his glowing blue gaze had swung toward the other Mewtwo... and they were concentrating. Blocking his abilities at the sight of their "creator," a Mew. Aku Tenshi could only growl as..
- ..the Mew leapt forward, small hand channeling down with almost impossible quickness and strength, a Pound augmented by the psychic energies in this small creature. And Aku Tenshi stumbled backward, slumping to the floor as his eyes closed..
And Toraeru only stared, having taken a last resort and actually having had it worked. He chuckled slightly and shook his head in disbelief, glancing to Dusty..
"Thanks.." He nodded simply after speaking, then recollecting his Mew and beginning to wonder what should be done with Aku Tenshi..
A Solution (Dusty)
"You're welcome." nodded Dusty. He was unable to believe his eyes. He had been searching for this cat Pokemon for a very long time. All of the experts had already denounced its existence. And yet, here it was, a Mew. Dusty took his eyes off of Toraeru and set them on the white-furred Mew. He seemed lost in a trance. Dusty suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of awe. It stared up back at him with very cute looking eyes.
However, now was not the time. "What should we do with Aku Tenshi?" Dusty asked Toraeru. Toraeru simply looked away. Evidently Toraeru did not want anything to do with Aku anymore. Or was there a more complex reason? Dusty couldn't know. There were probably many secrets in Toraeru's brain that would never be known by Dusty.
Dusty decided to leave Aku Tenshi there. After all, it would probably think twice about attacking Dusty again, especially in its weakened state. But, there was the more pressing question: what to do with all of the Mewtwo in the Unknown Dungeon that had taken up residence in the cave?
Dusty looked to Toraeru for assistance, but he was still locked in that trance of his. Now that Aku wasn't feeding thoughts into his brain anymore, Toraeru was beginning to feel feelings he had never felt before. He probably needs some time alone with his new thoughts, Dusty thought. Dusty walked over to the Mewtwo, who had all been watching the recent battle.
"Mewtwo that are gathered here, listen!" shouted Dusty. "All of you are now free to go. Whoever does not want to live here anymore, you may go now. No one will stop you. The rest of you who want to stay here, you are in good hands. From what I've seen, Toraeru here is a very competent Pokemon trainer, and he is the only one besides me who knows of you all. He will most likely continue to preserve this place."
After Dusty was done, about five or six Mewtwo got up and left the cave, eager to search for their trainers that they had been taken away from. The rest of them stayed where they were.
"Well, Toraeru, until we meet again," said Dusty as he waved farewell to Toraeru and left the cave. No Pokemon dared to fight Dusty as he exited, they too had been awed by the experience. Dusty left the cave, healed his Pokemon at the center, moved out of the apartment, left his job at the Pokecenter, and flew off on Zapdos.
"Well, Lightbird, let's be off. We'll go check on our buddies down at Fuschia City." At that Lightbird smiled (or did whatever birds do when they are happy) and took off, flying off into the horizon, where the sun set the sky afire with its glory.
Epilogue
As Dusty flew away, Toraeru eventually came to grips with what had transpired... and simply subvocalised something, inaudible to any human ears. A singular Mewtwo came forth, and he beckoned toward it, speaking nearly silently to it to learn what would become of Aku Tenshi. However, the creature did not know, nor did any of the other Mewtwo. And so Toraeru pulled Aku Tenshi into a Pokeball, a place he dearly hated, and gently returned Myuu as well. Calmly then, he released Zapdos and awakened him with one of the items in his backpack, and flew toward Cinnabar Island..
It had been a while. The Mewtwo colony in the cave was beginning to show progress, and before too long the creatures would no longer be so rare was they were. Toraeru went back to Indigo Plateau for a time, and wrote his report over the events that had happened. He retained his "Enforcer" position but applied for no more such projects. When at Cinnabar Island, the scientists in the new lab were able to "brainwash" Aku Tenshi, with the drawback that all his training was for naught. And so Toraeru was left with a Mewtwo no smarter than perhaps a four year old, and he began his training once more. He returned to Kaibutsu, and re-opened the Gym he had started a time ago, and currently he re-trains Aku Tenshi, determined not to allow the Mewtwo to become wicked as he had before. And he plans to leave before long, to find Dusty again. After all, they'd never actually had a Pokemon match against one another. It could be fun. Toraeru shrugged to that and looked to the doors of his gym as they opened, and stood to prepare for the latest challenger.
THE END
Notes from Toraeru: �Welp, here's Toraeru's Plan in almost completely unedited format. �I kept the Post names at the top of each post as you can probably tell, and put the name of who posted them next to that. The midi is Kaze to Isho ni, from Mewtwo Strikes Back. The Midi was composed by Seraph Janus. �Those are pretty much the only changes I made. �Also, most of you probably didn't catch this inside joke. �During the battles with Aku Tenshi, Toraeu's Mewtwo got a lot of critical hits. �Well, whenever I fight Dusty in RL, I usually win due to a stroke of luck involving my Mewtwo getting Critical Hits. �So it's something of a joke between us. �^_^ �That's about it for now. �See you next time.