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Chapter Text

When the Aoyamas arrived at Pallet Town, they made a beeline towards Professor Oak's laboratory. The new equipment he requested would guarantee more successful results in his continuous research. After parking their car near the lab, Kisa Aoyama disembarked first. Oliver was the next to hop out, before pulling a box out of the trunk. Their daughter, Leaf, searched the car for her backpack before she climbed out.

Leaf took a moment to scan her surroundings, staring in awe at the laboratory, standing in the middle of such a small town. If they were lucky, maybe the people of Pallet Town would accept her and her family with open arms unlike the people back in Viridian City. Cleffa jumped out of the car and skittered towards Leaf, causing her to smile at it while her dad strolled to the front door.

"See?" Leaf chirped, "we didn't have to sit in the car all day!"

"Cleffa," Cleffa nodded in agreement.

Professor Samuel Oak had been working in his lab for the most part of the morning, typing the notes he gathered on Pokémon into his computer to save and load them into this portable encyclopedia device he spent so many years designing. The memory card of the aptly named Pokédex couldn't hold as many data files as he wished, so he had to add only the basics about Pokémon as the appearance, the size, the weight, their sounds, and a little description on their behavior or origins. Hopefully with time, he'd be able to include a much bigger memory card to hold much more data.

"Gramps! Gramps!" a voice called for him as an eight-year-old boy with spiky red hair appeared at the door, "there's a car coming up here!"

"Oh, it must be the Aoyamas," Samuel Oak merely said without looking away from his computer, "I told you we were expecting their visit this morning, Gary."

"Yeah, but you didn't tell me what their business here was," the boy stated, crossing his arms over his chest.

In reply, the professor of Pokémon, as Samuel Oak was called at times, sighed.

"I didn't know I had to justify myself to you, my grandson," he said, finally looking up to stare at his grandson who recoiled a bit, "if you so want to know, I met Kisa Aoyama when she was still studying psychology at the university of Celadon City where I taught for some years. And now, she is coming here to bring me some important equipment that I require. Is your curiosity satisfied?"

"Yes…thank you, Gramps," Gary sheepishly replied.

As he was about to go on his way…most likely in the garden when the Professor kept the Pokémon he had gathered from the time he was a trainer, his grandfather's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"I believe they are bringing their daughter along. It'd be nice if you could be nice and show her around while I talk with her parents," Samuel asked Gary, leaving his computer on standby and, going to leave his laboratory, standing right in front of his grandson.

This made Gary grimace.

"Come on, Gramps…I'm no kid's babysitter!" Gary complained.

"Oh, come now," he thought for a bit, "if I'm not mistaken, she should be around your age. Who knows? Perhaps the both of you could get along nicely."

Professor Oak started making his way to the front door.

"Pfft," Gary simply glanced away with a scoff.

This made his grandfather smile when he looked back at his grandson.

"It'd be best for you if you could get down off your pedestal and be nice to others," Samuel sternly advised.

"Fine," Gary reluctantly said.

"Mr. Aoyama! Kisa!" Samuel greeted his guests with a bright and wide smile, holding out his hand to Kisa's, "I am so pleased to see you. I hope the trip went well."

Kisa grasped the professor's hand and shook it.

"Of course," she agreed, "the trip went smoothly."

Gary blinked twice as he noticed Leaf slowly swaying her torso from side to side. Her Cleffa stared at him from behind Leaf's leg.

"Feel free to come inside," Professor Oak offered.

"Thank you," Kisa nodded with a smile.

"How long has it been since I saw you?" the professor asked, "here, let me take this."

He took the box out of Oliver's hands and gestured them to the living room sofa to indicate they could come in while he placed the precious box on the dinner table.

"Pray, sit down, make yourself at home," he added, pointing at the sofas.

In front of them were cookies, tea and coffee ready for the guests.

"I believe it has been fifteen years?" he suggested, "you were quite a bright young lady, if I had to believe your psychology teacher. Oh, here is my grandson, Gary."

He had just spotted the red haired boy who thought he could escape to the garden.

"Won't you say hello to our guest?"

Gary rolled his eyes though still went to greet Mr. and Mrs. Aoyama and just waved at Leaf.

"Don't mind him. He's not the best at manners," Samuel sighed with a frown to his grandson, "yet I'm sure he'll be delighted to show the various Pokémon species that we have around here, won't you, Gary?"

"Fine," Gary grumbled.

While Professor Oak went back to his conversation with the parents, Gary gave Leaf a brief awkward glance.

"Well," Gary offered, "want me to show you the way?"

Leaf nodded sheepishly before she lifted Cleffa into her arms.

"That…would be great," she answered.

Gary sighed before he led Leaf out of the living room. He didn't wait for her nor made sure she was following him. He just crossed the corridor, opened the back door and walked out onto the vast backyard. Beyond the fence of the backyard led to a grassy field which spread as far as the eye could see. Only a dark green line…the rim of Viridian forest on the horizon stopped the field.

The weather was just fine. Not as fine as it had been when Gary was still in Johto, but still, not as bad. The same sun cast its strong and warm rays on him, the few white clouds occupying the sky as a flock of Mareeps, a soft breeze, just enough to cool the atmosphere. Everything screamed of peace and heaven in that remote place, much to Gary's dismay when he compared his life here with what it had been back in Goldenrod City.

The only good thing here was that he could be in contact with Pokémon much more than he had been back in Johto. The downside was that he still didn't have his own Pokémon. And now, his grandfather had asked him to stick with a girl that already had hers. Speak about justice…

He emitted a low whistle and a tall Charizard, growling loudly from up in the sky, flew down towards the young boy. That would impress Leaf and show her place, Gary thought with a smirk.

"Oh?" Leaf warbled, "that's so cool!"

Gary shrugged before shifting his gaze towards her Cleffa.

"Yeah," Gary agreed, "he sure is huge compared to that little Cleffa of yours."

Gary started scratching his grandfather's Charizard's rough scales. The big dragon-like Pokémon, though it wasn't part of the dragon type category, seemed to be enjoying the human's touch.

"Where'd you get that little guy, anyway?" he asked.

Cleffa shivered nervously as Leaf gave it a pat on the head.

"I…rescued it back at school," she blurted.

Gary didn't pay attention as Leaf started wandering around the fenced-in garden, her Cleffa cooing as they admired a few Nidorans playing with a ball in the yard. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle gathering around food bowls. Squirtle was happily munching down on lettuce while Charmander gnawed at a piece of meat and Bulbasaur chomped down some berries. Leaf was initially content with just watching them eat, but then the three Pokémon stopped and turned to face her.

"Uhh," Leaf stammered, "hello, guys."

Cleffa trembled nervously as Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle stared at it.

"Bulba."

"Char."

"Squirtle!" the Squirtle happily waved its hand.

"Not that I care," Gary added, "I'm just surprised your parents let you have a Pokémon. You don't seem the kind of kid to be able to handle it."

Leaf froze in her tracks and grimaced as she lowered her head. That familiar phrase she heard from before stirred something painful she didn't want to relive.

"What'd I say?" Gary blurted.

Leaf turned for the back door.

"I'd," Leaf muttered, "I'd better head back inside."

Cleffa sighed as it waved goodbye to Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle.

Gary gave Leaf a confused stare as she stepped back into the house and made her way back to the living room. She started searching for a place to sit when Professor Oak tilted his head towards her.

"Oh?"

Leaf allowed Cleffa to jump out of her arms and land onto a sofa cushion.

"I assume you pulled her out of the school, yes?" the professor mentioned.

Kisa nodded.

"Her homeroom teacher, Mr. Gibson, didn't do jack in solving the bullying problem," Kisa explained.

Professor Oak rubbed his chin as he sighed.

"Well then," he replied, "I assure you the smaller school we have here will be much more accommodating to your daughter. Perhaps she could get along well with my grandson along with another boy his age."

Leaf blinked twice.

"Who?" she paused.

"That would be Gary's friend Red," he gently smiled at her, "they balance each other out and I'm sure they'd be willing to keep an eye on you. They're what you might call friendly rivals."

Leaf smiled nervously as she hugged her arms to her chest. She found herself daydreaming of what the new school would be like. Perhaps she could meet a teacher who was willing to respect her like her parents did. Maybe she could have better luck interacting with the kids here than back in Viridian City. Her smile then turned into a small frown as she thought of the one friend who she had to say goodbye to. Maybe one day, they'll meet again at the Indigo Plateau. She snapped out of her thoughts when Gary stepped into the living room.

"Hey, gramps!" Gary waved his hand.

All eyes except for Leaf's focused on the redhead.

"Ah, welcome back," Professor Oak smiled, "my grandson!"

Gary made a brief glance at Leaf.

"Hi, again," he nodded at her.

Leaf nervously waved her hand before she stood up.

"Gary," the professor requested, "why don't you do the young lady a favor and show her around Pallet Town?"

Gary rolled his eyes and folded his arms.

"Oh gee, I'm some tour guide now?" he groaned with a sarcastic tone, "thanks, gramps!"

"Now, Gary, she'll need to know how to get to the school at least, and you can teach her the shortcuts."

Gary sighed as he grabbed a fistful of his hairs with both hands.

"Fine," he grumbled, "if you insist."

Oak shook his head to himself and turned back to Kisa. Gary started making his way to the door, so Leaf followed him out of the lab. Gary glanced back at her every now and then, walking around the basic path of the small town. As they began strolling past the residential houses in the neighborhood, Leaf made a brief glance at each one, wondering which one she and her parents would be living in. Gary stopped by one particular house and scrambled for the front door, ringing the doorbell. Minutes later, the front door opened and a black-haired boy emerged from the house. He smiled in recognition at Gary and glanced at Leaf, nodding shyly.

"Morning, Gary," Red greeted, "is that girl new here?"

Leaf's face reddened nervously as she waddled over to the front door.

"Yeah," Gary answered, "Leaf just moved here and I'm just showing her around."

"Need a second tour guide?" Red quipped.

Once Red closed the door behind him, he gave Leaf a bow of respect. She returned the gesture before she swayed her torso side to side.

"You're Red, right?" Leaf paused.

"Yeah," Red nodded, "nice to meet you."

Leaf shifted her weight between her feet.

"Are you going to show me where the school is?" Leaf clamored.

"Yeah, I can do that," Red nodded, "where have you been so far?"

"Uhh," Leaf stammered, "Viridian City."

"I mean here in Pallet," Red corrected.

"I know she's visited grandpa's lab," Gary remarked.

Red led Gary and Leaf from the front yard.

"Where've you moved to?" Red asked, "that place by the lake?"

Leaf scratched her head as she took a moment to think. Would she have to wait until she got back to the lab to ask her parents? She figured out the answer on her own when she spotted her parents parking the station wagon in front of the house across from Red's.

"Oh, cool," he commented, "short walk to the school from here."

Red, Gary and Leaf turned at a corner and walked down a few blocks. To their right, the young girl noticed a school building smaller than the one in Viridian City.

"So that's the school," Leaf said to herself.

Red glanced over his shoulder.

"Yeah, that's it," Red answered, "you excited about it?"

Leaf nodded sheepishly as she hugged her arms to her chest.

"I guess so," she said, "I wonder who my teacher is…and what he's like."

Gary scratched his head.

"You get ours," the redhead answered, "boring old lady. Well, I think she is. Red thinks she's nice."

Red burst into laughter.

"You do!" Gary nudged his rival.

As Leaf, Red and Gary circled the perimeter of the school, the young girl found herself growing fond of the boys guiding her through her new surroundings.

Maybe Leaf would do more than just thrive in her new home…perhaps she hoped to fulfill her dream of exploring the world when she grew up.

Chapter Text

Four years have passed and today was the day Leaf was going to begin her Pokémon journey.

She checked her messenger bag in her bedroom. While Cleffa sat next to her on the bed, she took the time to examine her wallet and her Pokégear before sliding each of them into the pockets of her bag where she could access them easily. She scooped several Poké Balls and stashed them into one of the exterior pouches of her messenger bag. She packed a few Potions in her bag's medicine pouch before she closed it.

She reached for a hairbrush and brushed the knots out of her waist-length brown hair. After she set down her brush, she slipped out of her pajamas and put on a sleeveless turquoise shirt with a black trim around the collar and hem. She slipped into a red miniskirt with pleats on its back. She reached for a pair of loose turquoise socks and slid them on her feet before she grabbed a pair of black wristbands from her bed to put onto her wrists. To finish the look, Leaf grabbed a white bucket hat trimmed with a red stripe embellishing the Poké Ball logo. Her brown eyes locked onto Cleffa and she brushed her hand along its head.

"You wanna come down for breakfast?" Leaf asked.

"Cleffa!" Cleffa jumped up and down happily, "Cleffa!"

Leaf slung her messenger bag over her shoulder and left her bedroom with her Cleffa following close behind. They descended the staircase and made their way to the dining room, where Kisa was sipping coffee with a piece of toast on her saucer and Oliver was preparing some congee in a pot.

"Morning, dad," Leaf fluttered her hand happily.

Her dad made a brief glance at Leaf.

"Morning, Leaf," Oliver replied, "I just finished your congee and it should be ready."

"Thanks!" Leaf chirped.

Leaf sat down at the table and gave her bowl of congee a little stir, relishing the sight of mushrooms, soybeans and fish, her favorite congee toppings. Cleffa sat down on the booster seat attached to a chair next to her. It was only minutes later when Oliver finished cooking his serving of congee and poured the contents into his bowl, sitting down across from his wife. Leaf noted another bowl of congee and nudged it towards her Cleffa.

"Careful, buddy," she advised, "it's really hot."

Cleffa sniffed at its congee with diced Hondew berries mixed in while Leaf blew at a spoonful a few times before taking a bite. As they savored the meal together, Kisa reached for the envelope and nudged it towards Leaf.

"This came from the school this morning," Kisa explained, "I'm sure the professor's waiting for you at his lab."

Leaf took a moment to open the envelope. She smiled when she pulled out her Trainer's License.

"I-I'll be sure to…stop by the lab," she replied as she rocked back and forth.

Leaf didn't take much long to finish her breakfast. She tilted her head towards Cleffa and smiled as it rubbed its sated belly. She took a moment to tuck her new license into her wallet.

From there, Leaf followed her mom straight to the front door. Stepping down onto the genkan, the young girl put on a pair of white slippers embellished with a red stripe and dark grey soles.

"Now," Kisa told her daughter, "you have your Pokégear with you, right?"

"Mm-hmm," Leaf nodded.

She turned to give her mom a hug.

"Now once you're done visiting Professor Oak," Kisa added, "you'll come back here to say a proper goodbye before you set off, ok?"

"Ok," Leaf smiled, "I'll be right back!"

Kisa released her daughter from her embrace, so Leaf stepped out of the house and wandered through Pallet Town. It didn't take long for them to find the laboratory. They set foot inside, only to notice two boys standing before Professor Oak. She watched curiously as the professor handed them each a Pokédex.

"Hey," Gary grinned, "thanks, Gramps!"

Finally, he had it. Gary couldn't help but stare at the Pokédex he had in his hand. He had seen his grandfather work on it whenever he wasn't showing Leaf how to take care of the Pokémon out in the yard. Red, who was now standing at his side with his own Pokédex in hand, made a brief glance at Leaf and smiled at her.

"M-Morning, Red!" Leaf chirped nervously.

Professor Oak then focused his gaze at the young girl.

"Why, hello," he greeted, "you're just in the nick of time as I'm handing out these wonderful Pokédexes."

Leaf tilted her head slightly.

"Pokédex?" Leaf paused.

Leaf approached Professor Oak as he reached for another Pokédex and handed it to her.

"These encyclopedias, which you can call a Pokédex, will help you along in your travel," Professor Oak explained, "they'll give you the type of Pokémon you meet, and they'll give you information about the moves the Pokémon you catch know. Take good care of it."

"Sure," Gary promised, just as Red did.

He certainly was glad to have the Dex, and his license his grandfather handed him the day before, though it wasn't going to be the highlight of the day.

"But before you go," Samuel added, "you three need to pick your own Pokémon. I can't let you go on your journey without a Pokémon to accompany you."

Leaf happily fluttered her hands, still keeping a firm grip on her Pokédex. The Pokémon professor turned his gaze to the oblong table holding three Poké Balls.

"When I was young," he continued, "I used to be a serious Pokémon trainer. But now, in my old age, these are the three I have left. As such, you may pick only one."

Gary tilted his head towards Leaf and winked at her.

"Ok," Gary proclaimed, "ladies first!"

Leaf stashed the Pokédex into her messenger bag before she approached the table. She examined each Poké Ball and read the labels in front of them. She reminisced on the days when she could see them during her visits at the lab during the weekend. Then again, there was one particular Pokémon that she felt drawn to the most.

She soon grabbed the Poké Ball containing a Bulbasaur.

"Seriously?" Gary sighed, "Bulbasaur?"

Red elbowed Gary in the side.

"Don't question it," he grumbled.

While Leaf took a step back, Red strolled over to the table. He examined two of the Poké Balls in a moment of silence before he picked up the one in the middle.

"I'll pick this Charmander," he said.

With that, Gary smirked. The instant his rival took a step back, the redhead bolted for the table and grabbed the last Poké Ball.

"Thanks for the opportunity for me to pick this Squirtle," Gary teased.

The redhead aimed the Poké Ball at his rival.

"Hey, Red," Blue beckoned, "why don't we have a battle right now?"

Professor Oak facepalmed while Leaf gave the boys a blank stare.

"Not in the lab, boys," the professor scolded, "take the battle outside."

Red and Gary returned their gaze to Professor Oak.

"Fine," Gary muttered.

Gary trudged out of the lab with Red following close behind. Professor Oak sighed before he and Leaf walked side by side to the front door. Setting foot outside, they watched as the boys made a battle stance in the town square.

"Am I actually going to see a Pokémon battle?" Leaf blurted, "for real?"

Leaf fiddled with her Poké Ball until it opened up and summoned the Bulbasaur. The grassy amphibian stared deeply at her new trainer while she crouched to the ground.

"Morning, Bulbasaur," Leaf greeted with a smile, "I'm excited to travel with you. Are you?"

A moment of silence passed as Bulbasaur blinked twice.

"Bulba!"

Bulbasaur pulled out a vine and offered its tip, allowing Leaf to shake it.

"I'll take good care of you," Leaf added, "and we're going to have lots of fun!"

"Saur!"

Leaf scooped Bulbasaur into her arms and stood up before she returned her gaze to Red and Gary, who sent out their Charmander and Squirtle respectively. A middle-aged man standing near the town's welcome sign glanced over his shoulder and noticed the two boys, so he stepped over to the edge of the town square.

"Hey," he called over, "are you two battling?"

Gary and Red made a brief glance at the middle-aged man.

"Well, duh," Gary shrugged.

Red smirked and shook his head to himself.

"This a good spot, sir?"

The middle-aged man nodded as the boys returned their gaze to each other.

"All right," he proclaimed, "let's begin this challenge with Satoshi Akai, aka Red, versus Gary Oak of Pallet Town."

The makeshift referee extended his arm forward.

"Begin!"

Gary pointed to Charmander.

"Let's go, Squirtle! Get it!"

Squirtle didn't hesitate to charge at the fire lizard, who was scratching the ground in anticipation.

"Use Scratch!" Red commanded.

As soon as Squirtle got up close, Charmander swiped its claws hard.

"Tackle!"

The Squirtle blocked the claws with its shell before lunging towards it. With a heavy blow, Charmander crashed into the ground, but quickly got back to its feet, growling at its opponent. The fire lizard taunted Squirtle to come at it with its claw.

"Char…"

"Tackle again!"

Squirtle charged towards it obediently. Charmander jumped out of the way before Squirtle could ram into it again. The fire lizard then swiped its claws at the water turtle, leaving welts in its head. It yelped and attempted to lunge at it again, withdrawing into its shell briefly. Charmander thought over its strategy for a few seconds before it moved the tip of its tail closer to Squirtle's shell. After a few seconds, Squirtle popped its head out in an attempt to bite the tail, but the fire lizard quickly yanked the tail out of the way before its opponent could get the chance.

Squirtle realized its mistake and tried to roll, tucking back into its shell and seeing if it could lunge for another Tackle. Charmander leapt up and landed onto the water turtle's shell, though Squirtle stayed tucked in once he felt the contact. The fire lizard kept a tight grip even as Squirtle started spinning. Gary smirked at Red.

"Slam him into the ground!" Gary commanded.

Squirtle attempted to keep spinning. Not a second later, the water turtle leapt up, head and limbs emerging from his shell and rammed Charmander into the ground. He jumped back after the impact to watch the lizard. Red grimaced as his starter Pokémon growled in pain.

"Come on, Charmander," Red encouraged, "get up! We can do this!"

After a matter of seconds, Charmander slowly staggered back to his feet and let out a harrumph. Squirtle glared at his opponent as he scratched the ground, waiting for his next command.

"Tackle again!"

Squirtle charged at Charmander.

"Scratch," Red instructed, "and break his defenses!"

Squirtle turned until his shell faced Charmander, but the fire lizard kicked his opponent in the side. Charmander then swiped his claws again, landing successful hits on the water turtle. Squirtle bit one of Charmander's arms, but realized his mistake when the fire lizard landed another successful Scratch on him. The water turtle tried to scramble away, but another Scratch from Charmander knocked him down for the count.

"Squirtle is unable to battle, Charmander wins!" the referee announced, pointing at Red as the victor.

Gary's eyes widened in shock and disappointment, withdrawing his fainted Squirtle into his Poké Ball.

"What?!" Gary exclaimed, "did I pick the wrong Pokémon?!"

Red crouched down and gave his Charmander a pat on the head.

"Nah," Red remarked, "it's just a matter of luck."

Professor Oak ushered Leaf, Red and Gary back into the lab shortly after the first battle was concluded. The professor took Charmander and Squirtle over to the healing machine.

"I'm sure that was a great learning experience for everyone?"

Red and Gary nodded while the redhead scratched his head.

"I'm…amazed Charmander beat Squirtle," Leaf admitted, "even if Squirtle had the type advantage."

"Can't accuse you of cheating," Gary huffed, "can I, dude?"

Red simply shrugged. Leaf took a moment to adjust her hat. After a few minutes, a beeping sound came from the healing machine, so Professor Oak handed Charmander and Squirtle back to the boys.

"Now, you three need to listen carefully," Professor Oak warned, "right now, Team Rocket is at large."

"Team…Rocket?" Gary paused.

Leaf froze and her eyes widened. She lowered her gaze to the floor, trying to hide her fear.

"Are they that bad?" Red pondered.

"This is serious," the professor insisted, "we have more and more reports of Team Rocket activity. Even though their actions take place in the entire region, they seem to be elusive to the point the police can't do anything to stop them."

Leaf hugged her arms to her chest.

"They will attack any trainer unprepared and steal their Pokémon," Professor Oak continued, "but that's not the only thing they could do to you."

Professor Oak noticed as Leaf shivered in fear.

"Especially Leaf," the professor added, "she's much more vulnerable than the both of you."

Red and Gary shared a brief glance to understand what the Pokémon professor meant. They did recall the times they noticed Leaf's odd habits and strange ways she processed the world in her head. The Bulbasaur studied his trainer and huddled up to her reassuringly.

"Saur?"

Leaf snapped out of her thoughts and glanced down at her Bulbasaur, giving her gentle pats on the head.

"I see what you mean," Red assured Oak, "we'll stick together, and that's a promise."

"I'm sure you three will make a great team," the professor nodded in agreement.

"Fine," Gary groaned as he facepalmed.

"Of course," Professor Oak continued, "while your Pokédex can record plenty of details of Pokémon you see, it's a matter of deciding which Pokémon you think you have the capacity to care for. When that happens, you'll have to catch said Pokémon, right?"

"Yeah, that's right," Leaf nodded.

Leaf opened up her messenger bag and showcased the supplies she managed to stock up, eliciting befuddled looks on Gary and Red's faces. Professor Oak guffawed at the sight.

"My," he commented, "aren't you well prepared, young lady?"

"Dang," Red nodded as his expression changed to hint how impressed he was, "nice."

As Leaf closed her messenger bag, Professor Oak stepped towards the desk and pulled out ten Poké Balls, handing five of them to each of the boys.

"Now," Professor Oak continued, "when a wild Pokémon appears—"

"It's fair game," Gary interrupted, "I get it. You weaken it first, and then you catch it with a Poké Ball."

Leaf sighed as she facepalmed.

"No, idiot," Red shook his head, "you can't just go charging into the fray."

The Professor turned his gaze to Leaf.

"Would you like to give us your input?"

Leaf thought over the question as she tapped her foot.

"I guess," she stammered, "you start by approaching it with caution so you don't startle it?"

"Yeah, you don't want it to run," Red agreed, "you gotta get it interested in battle, preferably without triggering its territorial or egg-protective state."

Professor Oak nodded as he placed his hand on Red's shoulder.

"I'm glad you kids have a grasp on what I could ever ask of you," he said, "I'll wish you good luck on your journey."

Leaf took a moment to enter Professor Oak's number into her Pokégear while Red and Gary accepted a handful of Potions from the professor's assistant. Once Professor Oak waved goodbye to the three new trainers, they made their way outside of the lab.

"Hey," Red asked Leaf, "you wanna stop by your house and say goodbye to your parents?"

Chapter Text

With her Bulbasaur following close behind, Leaf made a beeline for her house and removed her shoes at the genkan.

"Hey, mom!" Leaf called out, "I got my starter Pokémon!"

Leaf waited until Kisa entered the front hallway.

"Oh, well done!" she smiled, "have you given them a nickname?"

She knelt down and held out her hand, allowing Bulbasaur to sniff it.

"N-Not really," Leaf shrugged.

Bulbasaur chirped as Leaf's mom pet her head. After a moment, Kisa stood to her full height.

"A package came in while you were away," Kisa told her daughter and it's waiting for you in the living room?"

Leaf's eyes lit up with intrigue.

"Really?" Leaf blurted.

Kisa nodded as she led Leaf and Bulbasaur into the living room. While Kisa's Xatu was preening Cleffa on the couch, the young girl took notice of a Pokémon Box Link sitting on the coffee table.

"That looks cool," Leaf gasped softly.

Leaf picked up the high-tech canister the size of a thermos. If she remembered correctly, this was a recent invention, made so trainers could access the Pokémon Storage System on the go. The young girl turned her gaze towards her mom.

"Thanks, mom!" Leaf smiled.

The Bulbasaur perked up, staring at the machine curiously.

"Anytime, my dear," Kisa nodded, "this was different compared to several years ago, when trainers had to go to the Pokémon Center to use the Pokémon Storage System. With this device, it should be easier for you."

"Yup!" Leaf chirped.

Leaf stashed the Pokémon Box Link into her bag just as Cleffa jumped off the couch and approached Bulbasaur.

"Cleffa?"

Bulbasaur sat and examined Cleffa carefully.

"Bulba?" Bulbasaur raised her brow.

"Cleffa!" Cleffa happily waved her hand.

Kisa placed a finger on her chin as she watched the two Pokémon interact. Bulbasaur let out a vine and waved.

"You'd think they knew each other. How interesting."

Cleffa soon turned her gaze towards Leaf.

"Cleffa," Cleffa requested, flapping her arms, "Cleffa Cleff!"

Leaf's eyes widened in surprise.

"You wanna come, too?" Leaf warbled, "for real?!"

"Cleffa!" Cleffa begged with a nod, "Cleffa?"

Leaf took a moment to think before she nodded.

"Ok," Leaf sighed, "I just gotta make sure you grow stronger before you're ready to battle. Is that cool?"

Cleffa grinned and jumped up and down with excitement.

"Cleffa! Cleffa!"

Leaf reached into her bag and pulled out a Poké Ball. She knelt to the floor and held it before Cleffa, who touched its release button. Soon enough, the Poké Ball pulled it inside and shook until the release button flashed a green color. Leaf let out a soft sigh before she returned her gaze to her mom. She followed her back to the genkan where she put her shoes back on.

Kisa reached her hand forward and brushed a stray hair out her daughter's eye.

"Now," Kisa continued, "I understand this kind of change is overwhelming for you, and if you're nervous, that's ok."

Leaf nodded even as her eyes avoided her mom's.

"But your father and I will support you on this important decision in your life," Kisa added, "if someone tells you they don't like the way you are, they're not worth your effort. You have no obligation to please anyone at your expense. You with me so far?"

"Uh-huh," Leaf nodded.

Leaf's hand reached for the doorknob.

"And lastly," Kisa said, "if you feel lost, don't be afraid to call us. I'm sure you can take good care of your Pokémon, right?"

Leaf nodded before she gave her mom a hug.

"See you, mom," Leaf stammered, "I'll miss you."

With tears of joy starting to stream down her cheeks, Kisa ran her hand along her daughter's head.

"Good luck and stay safe, sweetheart."

Kisa released her embrace, so Leaf left the house and made a beeline for the entrance to Route 1, where Red and Gary were waiting for her.

"Ok," she announced, "I'm ready to go!"

Red bowed slightly and waved her onwards.

"Ladies first."

From there, Red, Gary and Leaf began their hike through Route One, with the trio getting the hang of using their Pokédexes to record wild Pokémon, examining Rattatas and Pidgeys they passed by. Leaf spotted a Bellsprout frolicking in the sunlight and smiled as she took out her Pokédex.

{Bellsprout, the Flower Pokémon. Its bud resembles a human face, and it's rumored to be a type of legendary mandrake plant. It's a carnivorous plant that traps and eats bugs. It appears to use its root feet to replenish moisture. Bellsprouts prefer hot and humid climates and their thin and flexible bodies to let them bend and sway to avoid any attack.}

With that, Leaf couldn't help but grin.

"Hey!" Leaf called over to Red and Gary and waved her hand, "do you guys wanna catch a Bellsprout?"

Red and Gary paused before they made a brief glance at the Bellsprout.

"Pass," Gary declined.

Bellsprout made a brief glance at Leaf and retreated into the grass, much to her disappointment.

"So much for that," Leaf muttered to herself.

"We'll get the next one," Red shrugged, "I wouldn't mind one."

With the three new trainers meandering through the tall grass, Red took a moment to record a Rattata into his Pokédex. When Leaf passed by a tree, she didn't notice a Pidgey observing her from a branch. Without warning, the small bird flew down and perched on top of the young girl's hat, making her freeze in her tracks as she felt its weight.

"Huh?" Leaf blurted.

Leaf and Bulbasaur exchanged glances. The girl's grass starter fixated her eyes on the tiny bird.

"Saur," Bulbasaur pointed her vine at Leaf's hat.

"You see something?" Leaf paused.

The Bulbasaur waved its vines as though mimicking a bird and the Pidgey peered into the bag, looking for any easy-to-grab food. Leaf took a moment to think of the potential Pokémon flourishing in Route 1. She carefully removed her bucket hat, only to notice the Pidgey still perched on top of it.

"Oh! Uhm, sorry little guy," Leaf stammered, "I don't have any berries for you."

Pidgey narrowed its eyes at Leaf in disappointment. Bulbasaur looked around for any potential food, pointing with a vine at some hidden berries behind some leaves.

"Bulba? Bulbasaur?"

Leaf tilted her head upwards.

"Well, Bulbasaur," she asked the grass amphibian, "you think you can reach up there?"

Bulbasaur moved closer to the tree and stretched her vines carefully, trying to get the stem of the berries more than anything. While Leaf waited nervously, Pidgey made a brief glance at Red as he spotted another Bellsprout in a patch of tall grass. He readied his Charmander, making a slow cautious approach.

Soon enough, Bulbasaur managed to yank a bunch of berries off a branch and she pulled them down. Leaf smiled as she plucked the berry bunch from her starter's vine.

"Ok," Leaf sang, "here's your snack!"

Pidgey chirped happily and pecked at the berries in Leaf's hand. As the young girl watched the tiny bird eat, she wondered if it ever learned to forage on its own. Was it still young like Cleffa? Once the Pidgey finished up all the berries, Leaf carefully put her bucket hat back on. Though, the tiny bird still didn't move.

"You think this little guy's persistent?" Leaf whispered to Bulbasaur.

"Saur," Bulbasaur whispered with a nod.

As Pidgey began preening its feathers, Leaf and Bulbasaur tiptoed away from the tree and back onto the dirt path. They kept an eye on Red as the Bellsprout shifted its gaze towards him and flapped its leaves.

"Wanna battle?" Red beckoned, "gonna catch you!"

"Sprout!"

Upon cue, Red sent out his Charmander. Bulbasaur perked up and moved to watch the battle, sitting down. While Leaf sat down next to her starter Pokémon, Gary emerged from another patch of tall grass.

"Charmander, Scratch!" Red instructed.

Charmander swiped his claw at the wild Bellsprout, but the walking plant dodged and sprayed a poisonous powder at the fire lizard. Red grimaced as his fire starter began coughing.

"N-Not good," Leaf stammered.

Gary was about to make a comment, but then noticed the Pidgey still on Leaf's head.

"Uhh, Leaf?" Gary pointed out, "I think you have a little guy on top of you."

Leaf made a brief glance at Gary, but she avoided his eyes.

"I already know what you're talking about," she replied.

Pidgey glanced over at the two humans and nodded, looking around for more berries.

"Bulba?" Bulbasaur asked the tiny bird.

Pidgey turned her head towards the grass amphibian and chirped at her.

"What are they chattering about?" Gary scratched his head.

Leaf observed as Red rushed to his Charmander's side. The Bellsprout kept its stare fixated on them.

"Are there any Pecha berries in the area?" Leaf asked, "I don't have any antidotes with me."

Leaf carefully removed her bucket hat again and stared at the Pidgey.

"As for you, little buddy," Leaf continued, "if you're not going to leave, are you thinking of coming along?"

Gary pulled out his Pokédex while Bulbasaur began searching for a Pecha berry tree. The tiny bird seemed to chirp and stare back at her.

"Prrj?"

Gary activated his Pokédex and held it at Leaf's level.

{Pidgey, the Tiny Bird Pokémon. It usually doesn't like to battle, but it won't hesitate to attack if provoked, and it chases off enemies by kicking up sand with its wings. It likes to hide in tall grass and bushes, foraging for small bugs.}

"You gonna catch this guy, then?" Gary asked her.

Leaf immediately reached into her messenger bag and grabbed a Poké Ball.

"Good thing you asked that question," she remarked.

Leaf held the Poké Ball just above Pidgey, allowing it to examine the device. It studied it, tilting its head left and right before preening itself and pecking the button.

"Charmander," Red pleaded, "you ok?"

Charmander coughed a little more before he straightened his back.

"Char!" Charmander let out a determined growl.

Just as Red stood back to his full height, the fire lizard spewed a small ember out of its mouth which struck the Bellsprout. At the same time, Leaf tapped the Pidgey with the Poké Ball. It opened up and absorbed the tiny bird inside it before it shook in her hands. After the third shake, the release button flashed green. Leaf grinned as she put on her bucket hat and stood to her full height. She spun around and flapped her hands.

"Yay," Leaf chirped, "I got a new buddy!"

Red noticed Leaf and smiled, knowing that was her 'happy dance'. He gave her a thumbs up before focusing back on the battle.

"Good job, Leaf," Red praised, "I think you might have more potential than us."

Red returned his gaze to Charmander.

"Charmander, did you just learn Ember?" he exclaimed.

"Char!" Charmander chirped before he coughed again.

With Bellsprout weakened by the ember, Red chucked a Poké Ball at the walking carnivorous flower. As soon as the Poké Ball sucked it inside, it dropped to the ground and started rolling. The instant the release button flashed green, Red let out a sigh of relief.

"Bulba!"

Leaf turned her head and noticed her Bulbasaur carrying a bunch of Pecha berries with her vines.

"Oh," Leaf warbled, "so you did find some!"

"Saur!"

Bulbasaur trotted over to Charmander. Red picked up the Poké Ball and smiled at the grass amphibian.

"Thanks, Bulbasaur."

Red picked out a Pecha berry and held it out in front of Charmander. The fire lizard munched on it without hesitation. In a matter of seconds, the purple spots in Charmander's face faded and he no longer felt nauseated. Bulbasaur sighed and went to pass the Pecha berries to Leaf.

"Buh-Bulbasaur?"

"Thanks, Bulbasaur!" Leaf chirped.

Leaf smiled as she grabbed the Pecha berries one by one and tucked them into her messenger bag. Once she finished, she scooped Bulbasaur into her arms.

"So how many do we all have?" Red asked, "two for me. Two for Leaf? Gary?"

Bulbasaur blinked at Red, unsure if he knew about Cleffa.

"I'll catch a Pokémon if it's cool enough to add to my team," Gary retorted, pointing at Red.

Red turned his gaze north.

"Well, let's get going," he beckoned, "it'll be a while before we get to Viridian City, but it'll be worth it."

Chapter Text

The hike continued on for a few more hours, but Leaf, Red and Gary finally reached the outskirts to Viridian City. The first thing they saw was the Pokémon Center with its distinctive red roof standing out from the rest of the buildings. The inside was just like they had been shown when studying to get their Trainer License: big, clean, with a resting and waiting area, and a counter standing right in front of the entrance with a nurse wearing the usual white cap with the pinkish red cross on it and a Chansey at her side.

When Red, Gary and Leaf set foot inside the clinic, the boys gazed around in awe at the size of the lobby.

A few people were in the waiting area, some chatting happily with their Pokémon at their side while others were merely reading while waiting for their Pokémon's checkup to be done. Red did spot a young child who was sobbing quietly while an older child—most likely his brother, if Red had to guess, was trying to comfort him.

Red, Gary and Leaf approached the counter, stopping before Nurse Joy, who held a welcoming smile.

"Welcome to Viridian City Pokémon Center," she greeted, "how can I help?"

"Got some buddies to heal up," Red answered.

Nurse Joy pulled out a tray and Red deposited his Poké Balls into the spherical recesses. Gary put his Squirtle's Poké Ball on the tray as well. Leaf withdrew her Bulbasaur before depositing the Poké Ball onto the tray, doing the same for Cleffa and Pidgeys'.

"It will only take a few minutes," she placed the tray onto the machine which hummed and glowed around them, "are you new trainers?"

"Just started today!" Gary grinned.

Leaf watched as the healing machine scanned all six Pokémon combined, their profile images appearing on the large overhead screen. Upon seeing Cleffa's image, Gary scratched his head.

"Is that your Cleffa from home?" Red blinked.

Leaf giggled as she placed her hand behind her head.

"She insisted that she come along with me," Leaf clarified.

"That's adorable," Red smiled, "so you're in the lead."

"Pfft," Gary scoffed and folded his arms.

After a few minutes, the healing machine made a ding sound, so Nurse Joy retrieved the tray and placed it on the counter. Red, Gary and Leaf took turns to retrieve their Pokémon.

"Thank you for waiting," the nurse smiled, giving a deep bow, "we've restored your Pokémon to full health. We hope to see you again."

"Should we arrange rooms for tonight here as well?" Red glanced between them.

"Of course," Nurse Joy nodded, "do you three want the same room or individual ones?"

Leaf took a moment to think as she adjusted her hat.

"Is there a room available for the three of us?" Leaf asked.

"Of course, I'm happy to set that up if you all agree."

"I dunno," Red shrugged, "Gary snores."

Leaf raised her eyebrow as she swung one leg back and forth.

"So does my dad," Leaf quipped.

Red folded his arms.

"I'm ok with sharing a room," he snorted, "what do you think, Gary?"

Gary gave Leaf a puzzled look before he rolled his eyes.

"If you insist," the redhead sighed, "yes, please."

Nurse Joy nodded and tapped away on a computer.

"I've made you a reservation," she told them, "whose name do I put it under?"

Gary patted his chest.

"Gary Oak," he winked.

Nurse Joy tapped on the keyboard.

"And…done," she proclaimed, "if I've switched out with the night shift by that point, you just need to give her the name."

"We'll remember," Red nodded.

Nurse Joy pulled out three keycards and handed them to each of the trainers, allowing Red, Gary and Leaf to take them from her hand.

"Take care, ma'am," Gary said.

Red led Gary and Leaf up the stairs to the door leading to the room they reserved. Inside, three twin-sized beds lined up against the wall and a TV screen hung on the wall across from the beds. To their right, a door led to a bathroom with the toilet behind a single stall. Leaf sat down on the bed near the window and peered out to survey Viridian Forest at the horizon while Red and Gary surveyed the details of the place.

After Red, Gary and Leaf settled into their rented room, they stepped out of the Pokémon Center and made their way down a block until they stopped at the door to a restaurant named Hiroshi's Noodle Bowl. Leaf recognized the sign and flapped her hands with excitement.

"Hey," Leaf clamored, "can we go there for lunch?"

Red and Gary gave Leaf a puzzled look in a moment of silence, the former glancing the sign over.

"Sure, looks good," Red shrugged, "you like it?"

"They make many kinds of noodle dishes," Leaf elaborated, "like udon, ramen, soba and so on!"

"Yeah, that sounds good, too," Gary scratched his head, "I've worked up an appetite."

With a grin, Leaf led Red and Gary into the restaurant. They waited for a few minutes until the host led the trio to a table. As soon as they took their seats, they sent out their Pokémon, allowing them to sit at an adjacent table next to them. Red and Gary carefully read their menus while Leaf ran her hand along Bulbasaur's head, eliciting a happy trill out of her.

"What would you recommend today?" Red asked Leaf.

"I'm not sure," Leaf shrugged, "I usually get my favorite udon dish."

"What would that be?" Red raised his eyebrow.

Before Leaf could answer, a waitress approached the table, catching Leaf, Red and Gary's attention.

"Good afternoon," she greeted, "I assume you three would like some chowder for your Pokémon as well?"

"Yeah please," Red clamored, "how much extra will that cost?"

"A trainer gets half the price for a whole team of six Pokémon," the waitress explained, "so each Pokémon will be a sixth of that half price."

Leaf pulled out a calculator to enter a mathematical equation to determine the price of meals for three Pokémon, satisfied with the results seconds later.

"Great!" Leaf chirped.

The waitress nodded while she examined each of the Pokémon on the adjacent table, jotting down her notepad.

"We'll bring plates to match their natural diet," the waitress told them, "in the meantime, did you already decide to order?"

Leaf felt pumped upon hearing that question.

"Can I have the oyako udon without the onions?" Leaf requested.

"Of course, ma'am," the waitress nodded, turning his gaze to Red, "what about you, sir?"

Red took a moment to adjust his cap.

"I'll have the kitsune udon," he replied.

The waitress continued jotting down on her notepad while glancing at Gary.

"I would like the tonkotsu ramen," Gary shrugged, "with some chili powder sprinkled in."

Bulbasaur and the others watched the humans drooling with excitement, the three starters having worked up their appetites. Soon enough, the waitress finished jotting down on her notepad.

"I will see to it that your lunch is done to your liking," she nodded at the trainers, "feel free to serve yourselves some free drinks."

The waitress gestured to the drink station before she returned to the kitchen. Leaf, Red and Gary took turns approaching the drink station to browse their option. First, Leaf served herself a glass of lemonade. Second, Gary poured himself a glass of ramune. Finally, Red grabbed a glass of matcha tea before they all returned to the table. While they waited for their lunch, Leaf pulled out a marble maze to keep herself occupied and noise-cancelling headphones to reduce the overwhelming sounds. Bulbasaur watched her trainer play with her marble maze with keen interest.

Several minutes passed before the waitress returned with a tray carrying three bowls of noodles. Another waiter carried a tray of dishes filled with assorted foods to match their Pokémon's different diets. Pidgey drooled at the sight of mealworms in one of the dishes.

"Here you go, kids," the waitress smiled.

While the waitress placed the bowl of noodles in front of their respective trainers, the waiter began placing the food dishes in front of their Pokémon. Leaf made a brief glance at her Bulbasaur and nodded at her. Once the waitress placed the bowl of oyako udon in front of Leaf, she gave the trainers a bow.

"Enjoy your lunch," she said.

"Thank you for the food!" Leaf, Red and Gary chirped in unison.

The three trainers and their Pokémon started digging into their lunches while the waiter and waitress left. Squirtle happily munched down on some lettuce while Charmander gnawed at some meats. While Leaf slurped some udon noodles with chopsticks, she watched her Pidgey pecking at her mealworms. Bulbasaur happily chewed on her roots and leaves, glancing at Cleffa as she munched down on some berries. They all took their time to savor their meals until they finished half an hour later. From there, Leaf withdrew Cleffa and Pidgey while Red withdrew his Bellsprout. Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle followed their trainers to the front counter.

Shortly after Leaf, Red and Gary paid their checks, they left the restaurant. They made a beeline for the Poké Mart to stock up on supplies. Leaf took a moment to purchase three Berry Pouches while Red and Gary shopped for Antidotes, a few Paralyze Heals and water canteens, TM Cases, and EXP Shares. After they paid for their items at the cash register, Leaf shared the Pecha berries her Bulbasaur gathered for herself, Red and Gary to stash into their new Berry Pouches.

Shortly after leaving the Poké Mart, Red paused for a moment and glanced over his shoulder.

"Hey, Leaf?" Red mentioned, "this city has a gym, doesn't it?"

Leaf stiffened slightly for a moment.

"Y-Yeah," Leaf stammered, "it does."

"Is it a high-level Gym?"

Leaf nodded sheepishly.

"Well, no harm in going to look?"

Leaf closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I'll show you how to get there."

Leaf led Red and Gary down the street and passed by the school with Charmander, Squirtle and Bulbasaur following close behind their trainers. Ugh, she wished she didn't have to pass by that dreadful place. Even when she kept walking, she felt her chest tighten and she clamped her hands over her ears. That still didn't stop the barrage of voices echoing in her head to the point she almost started crying.

Wow, you're such a freak!

I'm not annoying you, you're the one annoying me!

Stop complaining. You're disrupting the class.

The boys noticed as Leaf lowered her head.

"Leaf?" Red paused.

Gary made a brief glance at the school and read the sign at the gate.

Graduation Day Tomorrow

He glanced at the sign and then returned his gaze to Leaf before he looked around thoughtfully.

"Maybe there's another way to the Gym?"

Leaf shrugged.

"I-I doubt it," she stammered, "the sooner we move past the school, the better."

"It's ok," Gary reassured Leaf, "I'm sure the kids aren't there to recognize you."

"I hope so," Leaf muttered.

They turned the corner of the school grounds when Leaf's starter Pokémon paused in its tracks all of a sudden.

"Bulba?" Bulbasaur let out a confused chirp.

Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle focused their gaze to the southwest, which caught the attention of their trainers.

"Squirtle?" Gary paused, "is something the matter, buddy?"

Leaf lowered her arms and turned her head in the direction Bulbasaur faced, only to notice a bluish beam of light shooting out from the gym. As she stared in disbelief, thoughts swam in her head as she tried figuring out what could be going on over there. A matter of seconds later, the beam of light gave way to a massive explosion. The roar rattled her ears and Leaf covered her head with both hands and steeled herself for a shockwave. Bulbasaur moved as though to protect her trainer as if she was going to have any impact on the shockwave, watching the beam. Red and Gary also stared in disbelief.

"Whoa!" Gary exclaimed, "what happened over there?"

Red dug his hand underneath his cap and scratched his head.

"Beats me," Red observed, "whatever's going on over there is anyone's guess."

Bulbasaur held out her vine, allowing Leaf to gently grasp it as she tried relaxing herself. Focusing her gaze on the explosion, she noticed a strange figure flying out of the wreckage and heading north.

"That's going towards the forest," Red frowned, "isn't it?"

Leaf led Red, Gary and their starter Pokémon up the street and passed a few more blocks. To their right, they could see the spot Viridian Gym used to stand now in rubble and flames.

"Maybe we should check the forest," Red suggested, "make sure it doesn't catch on fire…"

Leaf took a moment to think as she heard sirens from an incoming fire truck. Bulbasaur rubbed her head along her trainer's leg, snapping her out of her thoughts. Taking her moment to pull up her socks, the young girl scooped the grassy amphibian into her arms.

"Let's be sure to make it back here by evening, ok?" Leaf nodded.

From there, Leaf, Red and Gary made their way to the northern exit of Viridian City and began venturing through the southern section of Route 2. As they ventured along the dirt path, they took notice of a smaller patch of tall grass near the gate up ahead. Well, there were only a few Rattatas foraging in the tall grass, so the trio didn't pay much mind to them. Once they were close to the gate, Red took a few steps ahead and pushed the large doors open, allowing Leaf and Gary to follow him in. Bulbasaur perked up and sniffed the new foliage through the door on the other side of the short hallway.

"Good thing we decided to check out Viridian Forest today," Gary remarked, "we can see if we catch some cool Pokémon."

Red continued to lead Lead and Gary across the hallway before he pushed at the door.

"We're not catching Pokémon today," Red corrected, "we're just checking on whatever landed in here. We can at least do some scouting before tomorrow."

Once Leaf, Red and Gary entered Viridian Forest, they all stared in disbelief as Weedles, Caterpies, Beedrills, Oddishes and Bellsprouts wandered the forest in swarms.

"What the—?" Gary gasped.

"Char…" Charmander growled.

A few Weedles and Beedrills made a brief glance at the three trainers and glared at them. Bulbasaur growled and raised her vines, squirming slightly. Leaf lowered her grass starter to the ground while Squirtle scratched the ground in anticipation.

"Squirt, Squirt, Squirt, Squirt…" Squirtle repeated.

"Well," Red commented, "I guess we're going to move past these guys to move forward."

Leaf nodded while she sent out her Pidgey.

"Hey, Pidgey," Leaf chirped, "you up for playing defense?"

"Prrj!" the tiny bird hopped up next to Bulbasaur.

"Yeah, she should have a good advantage against these guys," Gary agreed.

Chapter Text

Leaf, Red and Gary began venturing through Viridian Forest as Charmander, Bulbasaur, Squirtle and Pidgey kept a vigilant eye on the wild Pokémon waiting to jump them. Pidgey would use Gust to scare away a horde of Weedles while Bulbasaur whacked at an angry Caterpie with Vine Whip.

"Do you think they're agitated because of whatever landed here?" Red pondered.

Gary shrugged while Charmander shot an Ember at a Beedrill charging at Leaf. Once the aggressive bee Pokémon retreated, Leaf adjusted her hat and sighed in relief.

"That was close," she whispered.

Pidgey shooed away a swarm of Caterpie with another Gust before perching on Leaf's head. Red paused for a moment and turned to face Leaf and Gary.

"Is everybody ok?" he called over.

Red took a moment to analyze the conditions of their Pokémon.

"Char!" Charmander gave a salute.

"Squirtle!" Squirtle gave a thumbs up.

"Bulba!" Bulbasaur nodded while flexing her vines.

Pidgey spread out her wings.

"Pijoo!"

"Ok," Red nodded, "let's carry on, then."

As Leaf, Red and Gary continued to meander through the forest maze, Bulbasaur turned her head to her left and narrowed her eyes, almost as if she sensed something.

"Saur," Bulbasaur muttered.

Leaf paused for a moment and blinked twice.

"What is it?" she asked.

Bulbasaur carefully moved towards a bush. There was a rustling over the boys' head and a blur of yellow fell from a branch with a screech, followed by Beedrills. A few of the large, aggressive bees flew too close to Leaf to the point she screamed and scrambled backwards, eyes widened with terror. Bulbasaur attempted to Vine Whip the Beedrills away, calling for the Pidgey to help. The tiny bird jumped off the girl's hat and launched a Gust at the incoming Beedrills.

Red glanced towards Leaf's scream, looking for her as he walked towards where the yellow blur had been seen.

"Leaf?" Red called.

Gary paused for a moment as he surveyed their surroundings.

"Yeah," Gary muttered, "the sooner we deal with what the Beedrills are doing, the sooner we can start finding her."

Red nodded as he and his rival tailed the Beedrills. A Pikachu could be seen trying to dart away from the flock. Red gritted his teeth before he nodded at Charmander.

"Ok, Charmander," Red instructed, "get 'em with an Ember!"

"Char!"

Charmander launched an Ember at one of the Beedrills, scaring it off and catching the attention of the other Beedrills.

All the while, Pidgey managed to scare off the few Beedrills save for one, which landed a Poison Sting on the tiny bird, much to Leaf's horror. She withdrew the tiny bird to her Poké Ball and turned her gaze to her Bulbasaur.

"Bulbasaur," Leaf pleaded, "lead the way! Hurry!"

"Bulba!"

Bulbasaur and Leaf began sprinting through the forest, the young girl following her starter Pokémon as they attempted to outrun the Beedrill chasing them. Bulbasaur kept glancing back to both check on her trainer and where the Beedrill was. Running past patches of tall grass and trees, they took notice of a piece of what appeared to be armor on the ground. Bulbasaur dodged around them, clearly confused but still in a half panicked state.

Soon enough, Leaf and Bulbasaur set foot into the forest clearing and stopped to catch their breath. The young girl collapsed to her knees and lowered her head, her heart still pounding rapidly.

"Is it gone?" Leaf stammered, "did we lose it?"

Bulbasaur took a moment to survey their surroundings before trodding towards her trainer.

"Bulba-Bul."

Leaf fixated her eyes on Bulbasaur and sighed, gently running her hand along the grass amphibian's head. After a moment of silence, the young girl brought out her Pidgey and rummaged through her messenger bag until she pulled out an Antidote.

"Are you ok, Pidgey?" Leaf whispered.

The Pidgey was puffed up, breathing fast and looking around in a panicked manner, staring at the Antidote warily. Leaf gently nudged the tiny bird to open up her beak before she sprayed the Antidote into her a few times. She shook her head in disgust but the fluff soon calmed, allowing her to preen. The young girl waited nervously as she gently ran her hand along Pidgey's head. She gently pecked at her hand reassuringly.

"Prr-prrj."

Leaf couldn't help but smile.

"What a relief," she cooed.

Bulbasaur scanned their surroundings once again and tensed the instant she heard strange noises from a distance.

"Bulba!"

Pidgey perked up and darted to a nearby tree, peering through the foliage. Leaf snapped out of her thoughts and turned her gaze in both directions.

"W-What is it?" Leaf blurted.

Her eyes widened when she spotted a strange figure emerging from the shadows and floating down onto the forest floor. The instant the strange creature landed mere inches in front of her, Leaf kept her eyes locked onto it.

The creature's head was almost feline in shape but rather alien. His deep violet eyes gave both Leaf and her Bulbasaur an intense gaze. His smooth light-grey skin didn't have fur, which made it easier for the novice trainer to examine his musculature. She noticed a tube extending from the back of his skull and attaching to the top of his back. Her eyes wandered to his defined chest and shoulders which took the form of a protective breastplate. She briefly examined his thick thighs when she noticed his thick purple tail swaying side to side, extending from its matching belly. Apart from his sleek yet muscular arms, she noted his feet had two toes in spherical tips and his hands each had three fingers, which also ended in spherical tips.

Bulbasaur backed up and stood in front of her trainer again, vines raising to an attack position. Pidgey fluffed up again and flew back to Leaf, ready to defend them. The creature narrowed its eyes at her as she hugged her arms to her chest.

"W-What do you want?" Leaf stuttered.

"I could ask the same of you," a deep voice spoke into her head.

Leaf's face reddened as the creature studied her. She took a moment to readjust her hat and brush a few hairs out of her eyes, trying to resist the urge to gaze into its eyes.

"I-I don't wanna fight you," she whimpered.

Anxiety flooding her mind, Leaf fluttered her hands. The strange creature raised its brow as her habit piqued its curiosity.

"Your Pokémon are underpowered," the deep voice boomed, "so it would be a waste of energy on all parties' counts."

Bulbasaur and Pidgey could tell fury was coursing through the creature, but was attempting to use this time to calm down. It glanced at the helmet and batted it away with its tail as though it disgusted it. Leaf tilted her head up until her eyes met the creature's, figuring out it didn't move its mouth when she heard its voice. There could only be one possible explanation.

"Telepathy?" Leaf whispered to herself.

The creature nodded slowly.

"Correct."

Leaf gripped the hem of her skirt.

"I-I became a trainer today," Leaf tried to explain, "I'm still getting used to it. Are you…some kind of Pokémon?"

The creature drew its tail to its back again.

"The most powerful," the creature nodded, "you have a long way to go before we can have anything of a reasonable battle, if you were so tempted. Perhaps I should leave you to your training until then."

Even Bulbasaur seemed confused and lowered her vines, sensing the lack of anger and willingness to battle from the being. Perhaps it just wanted to be left alone. She started to look around for berries, figuring she might as well offer a peace treaty. Leaf noticed what her grass starter was doing and rummaged through her messenger bag for her Berry Pouch, pulling out a Pecha berry.

"Well," Leaf asked nervously, "are you hungry?"

The strange Pokémon gave Leaf a confused look as she held up the Pecha berry.

"Hungry?" he paused, glancing between the two.

"I-I mean," Leaf fluttered her free hand with a nervous chuckle, "no one can fight on an empty stomach, right?"

He blinked, flinching when the Pidgey went to land on the berry and take a couple of pecks out of it, chirping.

"Oh, to eat. I see. I suppose not? Does eating indicate I wish to battle…?"

Leaf shook her head nervously, reaching her hand for another Pecha berry since her Pidgey took the current one out of her hand.

"I guess everyone needs food for energy," Leaf shrugged, "I'm not sure if it has anything to do with battling."

The strange Pokémon exhaled softly before plucking the berry out of Leaf's hand. The Pidgey chirped and continued to demonstrate eating. The Pokemon hesitantly nibbled the Pecha berry, perking up in surprise. Bulbasaur nodded encouragingly at it.

"Bulba?"

Leaf shifted her sitting position to the point she crossed her legs, having calmed herself a little.

"So," Leaf asked, "what do you call yourself?"

The strange Pokémon blinked twice.

"Mewtwo. I understand humans have individual names despite all being the same species. Correct?"

Bulbasaur loafed beside her as she perched her hands on her lap.

"I'm Leaf Aoyama," the young girl told him, "I'll be turning 12 on June 11th."

Mewtwo leaned his head a little closer to the young girl.

"So," Mewtwo clarified, "you're a…what is a young human called? A cub?"

"A child," Leaf corrected, "though technically, I'm actually a preteen."

"Thank you," Mewtwo closed his eyes briefly, "I'll try to keep that in mind."

Mewtwo slowly sat down as he nibbled the berry. Leaf pulled out her Pokédex and flipped it open before she held it before the catlike being.

{Pokémon unknown. No available data.}

Sighing, Leaf stashed her Pokédex back into her bag.

"What was that?" Mewtwo raised his brow.

Bulbasaur stared into Mewtwo's eyes.

"Bul-Bulbasaur."

"A Pokédex? I see."

Leaf huddled her arms to her chest.

"Professor Oak invented it," Leaf explained, "and he studies Pokémon. He's pretty nice, though."

"Interesting," Mewtwo commented, "I can't say I'd trust him to study me, however."

Leaf blinked twice in confusion.

"W-Why not?"

Mewtwo lowered his head.

"So far, my experience with grown humans has been…unkind."

Bulbasaur and Pidgey exchanged confused looks as Leaf's expression softened in her eyes.

"How bad?" Leaf clamored.

Leaf noticed as Mewtwo shuddered, his tail swaying behind him quickly.

"I-It's ok," Leaf stammered, fluttering her hands, "you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

Mewtwo stared into Leaf's eyes for a moment before he sighed.

"Only two groups of humans," he admitted, "the group on the island and Giovanni, leader of Team Rocket. Giovanni seems to have done more damage as I was under his enslavement until today. I'm not sure how long I was in that position, but I won't allow it to happen again. The first group disregarded me as a living being and simply wanted to keep me as a specimen in the laboratory they created me in."

Mewtwo noticed he was clenching the Pecha berry and tried to relax his hand.

"I-I see," Leaf muttered.

Leaf nodded before she lowered her head. She recalled the warning Professor Oak gave her about Team Rocket being at large this morning. She remembered seeing news headlines on TV of incidents of Team Rocket grunts assaulting unsuspecting trainers to steal their Pokémon.

Without warning, a painful memory resurfaced in her mind and she didn't expect it. Leaf squeezed her eyes shut as tears welled at the corner of her eyes.

I have had it, Leaf! I told you multiple times that you need to be on your best behavior!

She felt her chest tighten as she recalled the throbbing pain in her wrists and ankles from the zip-ties restraining her to a chair. The image of her old teacher appeared in her mind, though his face was blurred save for the frigid blue eyes that glared at her.

All this time, you've been getting your way and disrupting the class constantly. Do you want me to call Team Rocket to take you away?!

Leaf clasped her hands over her ears and let out a weak sob. Mewtwo stiffened as he kept his eye on the girl.

"Leaf?" he paused, "are you…alright?"

Bulbasaur stood up and perched her front feet on her trainer's leg, nuzzling her elbow.

"Saur?"

Leaf snapped out of her thoughts and opened her eyes. She glanced back at Mewtwo, tears still trickling down her cheeks.

"I-I'm sorry," Leaf bleated, "I didn't mean to make you…uncomfortable."

Leaf could feel a nagging question linger in her head. If Mewtwo was supposed to have trust issues, then why would he admit them to her when she hasn't told much detail about her time at the school in Viridian City to Red and Gary herself?

"You didn't. You've concerned me however," Mewtwo told her, "should I see you to the town? Or did I trigger that discomfort in you?"

The Bulbasaur carefully wiped her tears with the vine tips.

"Saur?"

"Not really," Leaf assured Mewtwo, "I just feel bad for you."

Leaf stood to her full height, so Mewtwo followed suit. That was when a small reminder popped into her head.

"I still have to get back to my friends," Leaf mentioned, "I got separated from them by angry Beedrills."

He blinked and turned his head towards Red and Gary's location.

"I believe I heard them over in that direction," he answered her, "shall I assist your reunion?"

Leaf wiped the remainder of her tears from her face before she nodded.

"That would be great," she answered, "I would have to introduce you to them, though."

"If you don't believe they'll attempt to capture me, I'll put my trust in you."

Leaf took a moment to withdraw her Bulbasaur and Pidgey and stash the Poké Balls into her bag. She returned her gaze to Mewtwo as he scooped her into his arms. Holding onto her hat with one hand, she hung her other arm over his shoulder. He lifted off and carefully maneuvered through the trees towards the boys, where Red was tending to the injured Pikachu. Gary tilted his head up and his eyes widened in shock.

"Red!" Gary shouted, "incoming!"

Red looked around and Mewtwo landed near them, setting Leaf down as he studied them. Charmander and Squirtle perked up and jumped in front of the boys, staring at the psionic cat intently. Leaf pulled up her socks and adjusted her hat before turning to Red and Gary.

"Leaf, where have you been?" Red asked her, pointing at Mewtwo, "and…what is that thing?"

Mewtwo blinked patiently, making a brief glance at the Pikachu.

"Is he alright?"

Gary scratched his head while Leaf clasped her hands in front of her.

"This is Mewtwo," Leaf gestured to the psionic cat, "I stumbled upon him when I was outrunning the Beedrill."

"Mewtwo?" Gary paused.

Leaf blinked twice when Red took a moment to check Pikachu's pulse.

"I think this Pikachu got hurt really bad," Red sighed, "I have no idea why the Beedrills would even go after him."

Leaf slowly approached Red and examined the fainted Pikachu carefully.

"Perhaps it was a territorial reaction," Mewtwo spoke into Leaf's mind, rubbing his lower jaw.

"Should we take it to the Center?" Red continued.

Leaf nodded without hesitation.

"Yeah, better safe than sorry!"

Leaf returned her gaze to Mewtwo.

"But then," Leaf mentioned, "I'm worried about. If he comes with us to Viridian City, other people will stare at us."

Gary placed his hand behind his head.

"Any chance he can shapeshift or use a disguise?" Gary suggested, "7 foot Pokémon's hard to hide…unless he wants to go in a Poké Ball."

He tensed when Mewtwo glared at him.

"Ok, ok, no Poké Ball," he groaned, "you're one of those. Got it."

Chapter Text

After Mewtwo and the kids left Viridian Forest, Red scurried his way back to the Viridian Pokémon Center. The psionic feline hovered a few inches off the ground as he followed Leaf and Gary down the street. They ducked into an alleyway and the professor's grandson rummaged between crates on the ground. He found a discarded brown piece of cloth lying on top of one of the crates.

"I'm unconvinced this will help me blend in," Mewtwo folded his arms.

Gary glanced over his shoulder.

"Why?" Gary tilted his head, "is it too small for you?"

"No, but wouldn't it simply draw attention regardless?"

Leaf leaned her back on the wall and crossed her left leg over her right shin.

"Should we head over to the Poké Mart again?" Leaf asked.

Gary lifted the piece of cloth off the crate.

"I'm sure this can be made into a cloak," Gary insisted.

Mewtwo sighed and levitated it around himself. He fiddled with the cloth for a minute or so until he managed to form a makeshift hood. He fiddled with the cloth a little more until he was able to conceal his tail.

"Should we get some kind of fastener?" Leaf fluttered her hands.

"That sounds like it would be appreciated," Mewtwo mumbled.

Leaf checked her messenger until she found a safety pin and held it out before the psionic feline.

"Will this work?"

He studied it before telekinetically picking it up and applying it to the cloth.

"For now," Mewtwo proclaimed, "I believe it will be sufficient. Thank you."

Leaf smiled before she followed Mewtwo and Gary out of the alleyway and down the street. They passed several blocks and turned a corner or two before they set foot into the Pokémon Center. The professor's grandson spotted Red sitting at a couch in the waiting hall, who turned to his right and waved at them.

"The Pikachu's in the emergency care unit," Red informed.

Leaf and Gary approached the couch and sat next to him while Mewtwo simply hovered close by.

"How long will it take for him to get better?" Leaf asked.

Red tilted his head towards the ceiling.

"Nurse Joy estimated maybe a couple of hours," he shrugged.

Leaf glanced around the large room until she spotted a tap water station at the corner of the room. She pulled out her canteen and sprinted towards the tap water dispenser. Holding her canteen beneath the faucet, she activated the dispenser until her canteen filled up with water. Once she finished, she carried it back to the couch and stashed it into her messenger bag. Mewtwo watched them silently, seeming to realize he probably needed to drink as well as eat. Gary noticed as the cloaked psionic feline surveyed the room until he noticed a cafeteria.

"You hungry, bud?" Gary asked.

Leaf pulled out her Pokégear to check the time.

"I'm not sure," Mewtwo replied, "I've not had to eat in the time I've been alive. I don't truly understand hunger and eating yet."

Red tilted his head and gave him a confused look.

"You've never eaten anything?" Red paused, "how long have you existed?"

Mewtwo gave Red an intense stare.

"I believe you would say it's been at least over a decade," Mewtwo answered, "as I recently heard."

Leaf stood up as Gary scratched his head.

"It's still a few hours before dinner," Leaf offered, "but I can get you a snack."

"I will take recommendations," Mewtwo nodded, "I assume I need to eat to blend in."

Leaf stood up from the couch and led Mewtwo towards the cafeteria, where they stopped at a shelf displaying rice balls with assorted fillings, ranging from umeboshi to tsukudani. Mewtwo raised his brow when he spotted the rice ball filled with tuna and mayonnaise.

"That one looks intriguing," Mewtwo pointed out.

The second Leaf noticed which rice ball Mewtwo fixated on, she grabbed a package of it from the shelf and sprinted to the drink display.

"Hydration, right?" Mewtwo clarified.

Leaf nodded as she grabbed a bottle of matcha tea and walked over to the counter.

"Hey," Leaf called to the cashier, "I'd like to buy these."

Leaf set the items onto the counter.

The cashier scanned each item before walking over to the cashier.

"Certainly, miss," he replied, "is this everything?"

Leaf nodded as she pinched the rim of her hand.

"Yup!"

"Alright then," the cashier informed her, "that'll be…300 PokéYen altogether, please."

Leaf took out her wallet and offered the money to the cashier.

"Thank you, ma'am," the cashier smiled as he took the money and put it into the cash register, "enjoy."

Leaf grabbed the matcha tea and rice ball before she led Mewtwo back to the waiting hall. Sitting down at the couch, the young girl offered the items to the psionic feline.

"Here you go!" Leaf chirped.

Mewtwo carefully studied the packages.

"Thank you," Mewtwo spoke in her mind, "I may need assistance learning how to access them."

Upon cue, Leaf took a moment to open the package of the rice ball and twist the bottle cap open before she let Mewtwo pluck the matcha tea and rice ball out of her hands.

"Thank you," Mewtwo gave a shy smile.

Red winked and gave Mewtwo a thumbs up.

"Gotta learn from somewhere," he quipped.

While Mewtwo started eating the rice ball, Leaf pulled out her canteen and took a sip of the tap water.

"Interesting," Mewtwo mumbled as he chewed silently.

Putting away her canteen, Leaf pulled out a fidget spinner and fiddled with it while Mewtwo gave the matcha tea a taste test. He processed the flavor in his mind for a few moments before he nodded.

"Pretty enjoyable, this one," Mewtwo mused.

Mewtwo raised a brow as he noticed Leaf spinning the lobes of the fidget spinner.

"What is that?"

Leaf blinked as she turned her gaze to Mewtwo.

"A fidget spinner," she explained, "it helps with stress relief so I don't get overwhelmed."

"I see. Apologies for interrupting."

Leaf simply smiled before returning her focus to her fidget spinner while Mewtwo went back to eating his rice ball. They all sat in the waiting hall until a couple hours later, a ding sound could be heard from the intercom. Red perked up before he stood up and approached the counter.

"Red?" Nurse Joy asked, "do you have a moment?"

"Yes, ma'am," Red nodded, "is he ok?"

Nurse Joy closed her eyes for a brief moment.

"The treatment was a success," Nurse Joy informed him, "but Pikachu will have to stay overnight to rest. By morning, I'll let you figure out if you want to release Pikachu back into the wild or let him travel with you on your journey. Is that fair?"

Red placed a finger on his chin as he processed the information in a moment of silence.

"Completely fair."

Later on that evening, Red, Leaf, Gary and Mewtwo settled into the guest room. Once the young girl closed the curtains, the psionic feline removed his cloak.

"Thank you," Mewtwo sighed, "I apologize for imposing on you."

Leaf, Red and Gary searched their bags to pull out their pajamas while Mewtwo sat down on one of the beds.

"That's ok," Red told Mewtwo, "I guess we oughta figure out where you're going to sleep."

Gary tilted his head as he counted the number of twin-sized beds in the guest room.

"I can float in a corner," Mewtwo assured the boy, "I'll be fine, thank you."

Leaf relaxed her shoulders in relief as she carried her pajamas into the bathroom. Red and Gary sent out their Pokémon, with Squirtle jumping onto his trainer's bed to knead the mattress. Mewtwo stretched and huddled into a corner. After a few minutes, Leaf emerged from the bathroom clad in her pajamas and carrying her day clothes. From there, Gary entered the bathroom to change clothes while the young girl brought out her Bulbasaur, Cleffa and Pidgey.

"Cleffa?" Cleffa called over to Bulbasaur, jumping up and down on the pillow while flapping her arms, "Cleffa!"

Bulbasaur bounced gently in response.

"Bulba Bulbasaur!"

Leaf smiled softly as she scooped up Bulbasaur off the floor and set her on her bed. She reached into her messenger bag again and pulled out a Togepi doll, hugging it closer to her chest. After a few moments, Gary finally emerged from the bathroom and tossed his clothes onto the top of the dresser. Red shook his head at his rival's untidiness and went to change, day clothes messily folded when he came out. While the boys tucked themselves beneath the covers, Mewtwo took a moment to browse a nearby bookshelf. He raised his brow upon spotting one particular title The Origins of Battling. He levitated the book off the shelf.

"Ok, guys," Red announced, "good night!"

Leaf switched off all the lamps save for one near Mewtwo before she tucked herself under the covers, her Cleffa, Bulbasaur and Pidgey huddling close to their trainer.

"Night, dudes," Gary added.

With the three novice trainers dozing off with their Pokémon following suit, Mewtwo started to read the book in his hands, floating at the corner of the room while keeping one eye on the kids.

He took note of discussions of the distant past when Pokémon fought over territory, food and the like. The battles in question became violent to the point some unfortunate Pokémon ended up dead. Humans weren't so lucky either when they got caught in the crossfire. Over time, the destruction from the Pokémon fighting one another made the entire world hostile to everyone. Humans got fed up with the violence and destruction, so they started coming up with ways to tame the Pokémon.

Initially using nets and other forms of traps since Poké Balls didn't exist back then, humans resorted to trial and error in taming the Pokémon despite their lack of experience with dealing with them. Once some humans understood from the Pokémon's perspective and realized making them suppress their powers was counterproductive, they tried out engaging them in competitive battles. Though, instead of fighting to the death, these battles were a matter of letting out their harnessed energy, which would benefit humans and Pokémon alike. From there, Pokémon battles became a sport and the monetary gain from this new sport allowed humans to repair their homes. Over time, laws were passed to ensure no Pokémon were killed in each battle, thus humans coexisted with Pokémon as natural habitats recovered from previous destructive events.

Mewtwo ingested all of this mentally and slotted it along with his personal life experience so far. It made sense now how these Pokémon seemed to care about their trainers, even if they were only a day bonded for the majority of them.

The following morning, Red stopped by the counter to retrieve the Pikachu, who had been discharged, and offered to carry the electric mouse back to Viridian Forest. Leaf, Red, Gary and Mewtwo took another trip to the Poké Mart where the girl purchased a sewing kit and a sturdy button before they returned to the Pokémon Center. Once she took some time to sew the button onto the cloak and create a buttonhole with some scissors, they all left the Pokémon Center to continue their journey. Leaf stayed close to Mewtwo as they walked past the school while Gary made a brief glance at a limousine parked near the school's front gate. Red glanced at it curiously but remembered Leaf's reaction to the school last time.

"So, uh," Red reminded, "we going back to the forest for a proper run-through?"

"Yeah," Leaf muttered, "definitely."

"To the forest, then," Mewtwo agreed.

Out of the corner of her eye, Leaf spotted the limo car open. She stiffened and gritted her teeth when a girl the same age as her stepped out of the vehicle. She flipped her pink shoulder blade-length hair with her hand and her purple eyes sparkled with radiance and beauty. She wore a white floppy hat with a short brim, pink sash and bow and her modest pink dress reached below her knees. Her designer white jacket was fastened by a bow and a heart-shaped brooch. She walked gracefully through the front gate in her maroon short-heeled pumps with ankle straps and she had a pearl necklace and pearl earrings to finish her look. Leaf averted her gaze. She remembered that girl from anywhere.

She silently hoped that girl wouldn't notice her. Mewtwo glanced between the two girls, sensing Leaf's distress in her mind.

"Would you like to stand by my other side?" Mewtwo spoke into her mind.

Leaf didn't say anything as she skipped over to Mewtwo's other side, concealing herself from any eyes from students entering the school. Much to her relief, they left the school's perimeter. Red and Gary made another brief glance at the Viridian Gym still in ruins while a few fire trucks parked nearby. Luckily, the flames were already extinguished and the nearby buildings were left untouched. Mewtwo tensed up and huffed as they moved past the gym.

"Ehh," Gary shrugged, "I guess it'll be a while for the gym to be fully repaired. No offense."

"Too high-level for us, anyway," Red agreed, glancing down at the Pikachu in his arms.

Chapter Text

Once Leaf, Red, Gary and Mewtwo arrived in Viridian Forest, they stopped for a brief moment so the boy with the baseball cap could set down Pikachu. The electric mouse gave Red a blank stare for a brief moment before he began sniffing along the ground. Red took a step back and observed carefully, waiting for the Pokémon to scamper off. After a moment of silence, Pikachu returned his gaze to Red and stood on his hind legs.

"Pika?"

"Go on, then," Red persuaded, "go home. You're all healed up, though."

Pikachu surveyed the area ahead of him, shuddering at the sight of the tall grass. He narrowed his eyes, anticipating a Weedle to jump out at him. As the moment continued on in silence, Gary gave Leaf a puzzled look.

"Hmm," Gary pondered, "do you think maybe we should take it closer to its nest? Maybe it doesn't know this area."

Another moment of silence passed before Pikachu turned around and pounced onto Red, eliciting a startled yelp out of him. He quickly recomposed himself seconds later as the electric mouse nuzzled his face.

"Oh, you're welcome," Red blurted, "is that you saying you want to come with us?"

Pikachu stared into Red's eyes and waved his paw.

"Pika!" Pikachu chirped with a nod, "Pi-Pikachu!"

"Oh, ok," Red replied, "cool, then."

Red fumbled for a Poké Ball.

"Uhm," he continued, "here."

Red tapped the Pikachu with the Poké Ball, capturing the electric mouse with the release button flashing green after a few shakes.

"Huh," Red mused, "I heard that was a hard Pokémon to catch."

Mewtwo folded his arms and chuckled softly.

"I guess I gotta help him with battling," Red added with a shrug.

Mewtwo tilted his head.

"Perhaps he's young enough that he needs the guidance," he mentioned, "and you've happened to earn his trust by saving him."

Red laughed nervously as he placed his hand behind his hand. Still, they began their stroll through the forest.

Much to their relief, the entire forest seemed to calm down as the wild Pokémon continued on with their lives. As they navigated the mazelike forest, bug Pokémon could be seen either hanging from the trees, like Kakuna or Metapod, other crawling such as Caterpie and Weedle, laying low so they didn't attract predators' unwanted attention and a few Butterfree were happily gathering pollen or nectar.

"Come here!" a childish voice sounded in the forest.

And soon enough, Leaf saw a young boy with a net running after a Butterfree. Unfortunately, as he was focused on the Bug Pokémon, he didn't see the root of the tree and fell flat on his face, and the Pokémon used it to fly out of the young man's path.

"Aaagh! It's the second one who escaped me!" he growled, getting back to his feet.

Looking to the side, he caught sight of Leaf.

"Hey, you! It's your fault I fell!" he yelled while he pointed at her, "I demand a battle!"

Leaf couldn't help but grimace. Gary, Red and Mewtwo also stiffened at the bold accusation.

"I-I'm just an innocent bystander," she objected.

The young bug catcher trainer huffed and reached for his Poké Ball.

"No excuses!" he shouted, "go, Caterpie!"

He tossed his Poké Ball, sending out a Caterpie which took its battle stance. Leaf couldn't help but sigh as she sent out her Pidgey.

"String Shot!"

Caterpie opened its mouth and started to take aim. Leaf steeled herself as she clenched her fists.

"Dodge," Leaf ordered, "then Tackle!"

"Caterpie, move out of the way!"

But of course, even though the Pidgey was slowed down by the String Shot, it was still fast enough to hit the Bug Pokémon, injuring it pretty badly.

"Caterpie!" the young trainer called, "get up and use Tackle!"

Slowly, the Caterpie managed to get back on its little feet, just as Leaf's Pidgey flew high in the sky.

"Pidgey, use Gust!" she commanded her bird.

It dove into the air, gathering speed and moved its wings at a fast speed, creating a small tornado right where the small green Pokémon stood. It rose with the wind, clearly scared, and when the tornado disappeared, releasing the Caterpie, it crashed on the ground and remained motionless.

"Caterpie…" the young boy called his Pokémon back into his Poké Ball and rushed out of the forest, tears in his eyes.

"Geez," Gary sighed with a shrug, "what's his issue?"

Leaf made a brief glance at Mewtwo as he frowned beneath his hood.

"I can see why trainers are restricted to being almost teenagers," he observed, "you need to earn your maturity."

Leaf shifted her gaze towards her Pidgey as it landed in front of her and chirped happily.

"Great work, Pidgey," Leaf praised.

She knelt down and gave her Pidgey a pat on the head before taking some time to remove the sticky web from the tiny bird. Gary shrugged at Mewtwo's comment.

"I never got it," Gary remarked, "shouldn't they be safely in school instead of wandering about out here?"

Leaf didn't give much thought as she withdrew her Pidgey and they continued to meander through the forest. Along the way, Leaf recorded a Metapod into her Pokédex while Red recorded a Butterfree and Kakuna into his Pokédex. At the same time, Gary would search a few patches of tall grass to see if any rare Pokémon flourished. Leaf spotted a Caterpie nearby, so she crouched down and held her Pokédex before it.

{Caterpie, the Worm Pokémon. Its short feet are tipped with suction pads that help it tirelessly climb slopes and walls. Its voracious appetite compels it to devour leaves bigger than itself. From its antenna, it can release a strong odor to repel predators.}

"Aww," Leaf cooed as she flapped her hands, "such a cute Caterpie!"

Gary rolled his eyes and curtly flicked his hand.

"Pfft," Gary scoffed, "Caterpies are lame. Weedles are better."

For a brief moment, Leaf and Gary stuck their tongues out at one another, eliciting a sigh out of Red.

"Are you two going to stand there making faces all day?"

Gary and Leaf froze before they recomposed themselves, the young girl standing to her full height while the Caterpie slithered back into the tall grass.

"Perhaps I should retract my statement on maturity?" Mewtwo mumbled, attempting to try out sarcasm.

Leaf's face reddened and lowered her head in embarrassment.

"Sorry about Leaf, bud," Red informed Mewtwo, "she just perceives the world differently. Besides, Gary's actually more immature than she is."

Irritated, Gary snapped his head towards his rival and pointed at him.

"Hey!" Gary furrowed his eyebrows, "I'm the grandson of the great Professor Oak, I'll grow into my brain eventually and you'll get all sorts of wisdom from me."

Mewtwo studied Leaf's expression for a brief moment.

"That's alright," he said, "I'd like to hear a variety of perspectives."

Upon seeing Mewtwo's reassuring smile, Leaf relaxed her shoulders.

"I guess so," she replied.

Leaf, Red, Gary and Mewtwo went back to venturing through the forest. But once they passed by a few trees, the professor's grandson spotted a nearby Weedle. With that, his face brightened with a grin.

"Hey, finally!"

Gary sent out his Squirtle as Mewtwo watched with keen interest.

"I should get used to your different approaches."

The Weedle took notice of Squirtle as he scratched the ground with his front claws.

"Squirt, Squirt, Squirt, Squirt, Squirt, Squirt…"

Weedle narrowed its eyes before it slithered towards Squirtle.

"Weed!"

"Squirtle," Gary held out his hand, "Tackle!"

Squirtle charged at the Weedle and rammed into it. After the stinging larva recuperated from the impact, it rolled away a little and stood up tall. Gary tensed as the Weedle was preparing to launch a Poison Sting.

"Dodge!" Gary instructed.

Squirtle jumped out of the way the instant Weedle spewed a Poison Sting. The bee larva went to prepare another attack. The water turtle rammed into Weedle once again, but the larva sprayed a String Shot at him. Squirtle growled at Weedle as the silky thread tied his arms to his body. Without warning, the water turtle blasted the larva with a Water Gun. Weedle rolled away again, but struggled to get up. Gary perked up and scrambled to grab a Poké Ball from his bag.

"Here…goes…nothing!" Gary declared.

Gary threw the Poké Ball which captured the Weedle and dropped to the ground. A few shakes and the release button flashed green.

"Yes!" Gary cheered, raising his fist into the air.

"Impressive," Mewtwo nodded.

After Gary picked up the Poké Ball, he helped remove the silk threads from his Squirtle. Red smiled and wondered if his newly caught Pikachu wanted to try training. Seconds later, one of the Poké Balls from his belt opened up and the electric mouse emerged, taking a moment to stretch his limbs, eliciting a gaze of curiosity from his trainer.

"Say," Red asked, "you wanna brave the wilds?"

Red crouched to the ground and offered his hand, allowing Pikachu to sniff it. The electric mouse then shifted his gaze between Gary, Leaf and Mewtwo.

"These are my friends," Red gestured, "Gary, Leaf and Mewtwo."

Leaf tilted her head and waved her hand slightly. Pikachu perked his ears up and wagged his tail.

"Pika?"

Leaf slowly approached the Pikachu and crouched down while the electric mouse stared back at her. After a moment, she reached out and tapped the electric mouse's nose with an index finger, eliciting a giggle out of him as he rubbed his cheeks.

"Are you not worried he may have shocked you?" Mewtwo tilted his head.

Leaf glanced over her shoulder as she stood up.

"Don't worry," Leaf assured the psionic feline, "he didn't."

Pikachu jumped up and down.

"Pika!" Pikachu chirped, "Pika!"

Pikachu circled around Red a couple times before he turned his gaze forward.

"Pi-kachu!" Pikachu pointed forward with a wink.

With Pikachu sorta leading the way, Red, Leaf, Gary and Mewtwo continued to venture through the Viridian Forest. While Gary observed a swarm of Caterpies from a distance, Leaf engaged in a challenge with a Lass trainer and her Rattata. The young girl managed to win the challenge with Bulbasaur's clever experiment of her Vine Whip, in which the Lass gave Leaf a Heart Scale to congratulate her.

Well, the trip continued on when all of a sudden…

"Excuse me!" they heard.

Red spun around and jumped with a startled yelp at the sight of a katana aimed at his throat.

"Hey," Red demanded, "what's the big idea?!"

Leaf, Gary and Mewtwo froze when they laid eyes on a boy dressed in samurai armor and a pair of shorts. She swore he looked the same age as them.

"Greetings," the boy said, "are you, by any chance, the Pokémon trainer who comes from Pallet Town?"

Red couldn't help but shudder.

"Y-Yeah," Red admitted, shifting his gaze between Leaf and Gary, "but I'm not the only one."

Leaf furrowed her eyebrows at the strange boy and put her hands on her hips.

"Watch where you're pointing that thing," Leaf raised her voice, "you idiot!"

The boy sighed as he lowered his katana and slid it back into its sheath. The psionic feline narrowed his eyes at him, even when he was impressed by Leaf's bravado.

"Geez. Who are you, anyway?" Gary paused, scratching his head.

The boy straightened himself and gave the Pallet Town trainers a bow.

"I go by Samurai," he answered.

Red folded his arms.

"Are you a guardian of Viridian Forest or something?" he asked.

"No," Samurai reached for his Poké Ball, "but I'm here to challenge you, trainer of Pallet Town!"

When Samurai pointed at Red, Pikachu folded his ears and entered a battle stance on all fours.

"Pika Pika!"

"Seems like he is, too," Red nodded, "ok, bud! Show me what you can do!"

Samurai sent out a Pinsir, and Gary gasped in awe. As she huddled closer to Mewtwo, she pulled out her Pokédex.

{Pinsir, the Stag Beetle Pokémon. It digs burrows with its horns to sleep at night. A Pinsir's movements turn sluggish at cold temperatures, so it hides deep in forests. When its powerful horns clamp onto an opponent, it won't let go until it's torn in half. Otherwise, it'll toss its opponent.}

Leaf couldn't help but grimace upon hearing the last two details from the Pokédex.

"Brutal," Mewtwo frowned.

Gary shrugged before he stood at the edge of the makeshift battlefield, eyes focused on his rival and the challenger.

"I don't know how many Pokémon Samurai has here," Gary declared, "but whoever knocks out all their Pokémon first wins!"

Gary extended his hand forward.

"Go!"

"You know Quick Attack, bud?" Red asked.

Pikachu glanced behind him.

"Pika!" the electric mouse nodded.

"Pinsir, Vise Grip!" Samurai ordered.

Pinsir charged at Pikachu, but the electric mouse jumped out of the way before the insect Pokémon could grab him with its pincers.

"Quick Attack, then," Red instructed, "keep dodging, otherwise."

Pikachu rammed into the Pinsir with a Quick Attack before dodging its pincers. Samurai tensed up and clenched his fists.

"Come on, Pinsir," he directed, "Focus Energy!"

Pinsir paused to breathe and focus as it closed its eyes. Pikachu charged at the tough insect again, only for it to grab him with its pincers without warning. Red stiffened and gritted his teeth.

"Now, Seismic Toss!"

"Shake it off with a Thunder Shock!"

"Pikaaa…" electric sparks developed around the mouse's cheeks.

Pikachu squeezed his eyes shut as Pinsir tightened its grip on him and leaned back, as if it was ready to throw the electric mouse.

"…Chuuu!"

Pikachu enveloped the Pinsir with a Thunder Shock. It screeched in pain as it loosened its grip and collapsed to the ground. The electric mouse shook a little before he went to lick his paw.

"Pinsir is unable to battle," Gary announced, "Pikachu wins the round!"

Pikachu spun around and jumped up and down, waving its paws at Red.

"Pika!" Pikachu chirped, "Pika Pika-pi!"

"Nice one, Pikachu!" Red gave Pikachu a thumbs up.

Pikachu scurried towards Red as he crouched down to give the electric mouse a pat on the head.

"You wanna take a break?" Red asked.

"Pika!" Pikachu nodded.

While Pikachu stepped out of the battlefield, Red rose to his full height, watching as Samurai sent out a Metapod.

"Ok, Charmander," Red reached for a Poké Ball from his belt, "you're up!"

Red sent out his Charmander, who widened his stance.

"Char!"

Leaf noticed as Samurai's forehead sweated nervously.

"You think that's all the Pokémon he has with him?" Leaf whispered.

"The scent of his nerves is overwhelming," Mewtwo nodded.

"Metapod, Harden!" Samurai commanded.

Metapod stared at Charmander intently as it began hardening its shell.

"Get 'im with Ember!" Red ordered.

Charmander spewed a few Embers at the Metapod every few seconds and the cocoon Pokémon fainted. Samurai gave Red a dumbfounded look.

"Metapod is unable to battle," Gary gestured to his rival, "the victory goes to Red of Pallet Town!"

Red smiled and knelt to pet his Charmander.

"Way to go!"

"Char!" Charmander chirped happily.

Samurai let out a sigh as he withdrew his Metapod. With the battle over, all eyes were on him as he gave them a bow.

"Thank you," Samurai told Red, "that was a commendable showing. Perhaps I'll seek more Pokémon types if I am to challenge future trainers."

Leaf tilted her head.

"And your katana?" Leaf mentioned, "is it really a real one?"

Samurai paused for a moment before he unsheathed his katana, simply holding it out for everyone to see.

"It looks well made," Red mumbled, not wanting to point out the blade appeared to be made out of wood.

"Thank you," Samurai nodded as he sheathed his katana again, "good luck on your journey."

And with that, Samurai turned to leave.

Chapter Text

Once Leaf, Mewtwo, Red and Gary left Viridian Forest through the northern gate and arrived in Pewter City, they made a beeline for the Pokémon Center. The psionic feline sat on the couch in the waiting area while the Pallet Town trainers took turns healing their Pokémon at the counter. The Pokémon who happened to be out of their Poké Balls in the room gazed at Mewtwo and kept their distance but otherwise paid no mind to the unnatural stranger as long as he didn't provoke their beloved humans.

Minutes passed and Nurse Joy pulled the tray out of the healing machine, allowing Leaf to retrieve her Pokémon.

"Thank you for waiting," the nurse smiled and gave a deep bow, "we've restored your Pokémon to full health. We hope to see you again."

"Take care," Leaf smiled.

Leaf led Red and Gary to the couch, where she sat next to Mewtwo. The psionic feline relaxed at her proximity, seeming to get a sense of safety around her as he'd been trying to ignore the gazes of the other Pokémon. He was more worried about their trainers provoking him first.

"Say," Gary asked, "is anyone hungry?"

Pikachu heard his stomach rumbling as he rubbed his belly.

"Pika," Pikachu drooled.

Leaf glanced behind her shoulder and observed the cafeteria.

"Well," Leaf suggested, "I think we could all go grab some lunch before we check out the city."

Leaf gave Mewtwo a pat on the head, causing him to give her a confused look.

"I'll get something for you, too," she assured him, "don't worry."

"Thank you for your consideration," Mewtwo spoke into her mind, "but I'm rather confused about this gesture."

Leaf tilted her head with a puzzled look.

"You never received gestures of affection like this one?" Leaf paused, "not even a hug?"

Mewtwo lowered his head.

"No," he admitted, "others have been too scared to be this close. Your lack of fear is confusing, but it…reassures me."

Leaf smiled upon hearing those words and fluttered her hands.

"We'll be right back!" Leaf chirped.

When the Pallet Town trainers made their way to the cafeteria, Leaf ordered a plain pork cutlet sandwich and a can of lemonade, Red ordered an egg sandwich and a soda pop, and Gary requested a grilled cheese sandwich and a bottle of fresh water. They included an order of free food for their Pokémon while the young girl included an order of a bottle of matcha tea and a bowl of fresh yakisoba. They made their payment and returned to the couch to set the food onto the coffee table. Pikachu proceeded to eat his meal while the trainers brought out their own Pokémon. Leaf then handed the matcha tea and yakisoba to Mewtwo.

"Here you go!" Leaf chirped.

"Thank you," Mewtwo replied.

Mewtwo studied the bowl and picked up the chopsticks with his telekinesis. While the psionic feline learned how to slurp up the noodles, Leaf, Red and Gary nibbled on their sandwiches and their Pokémon began digging into their chow. He smiled to himself as he savored the meal, intrigued that he could eat more human food. Bulbasaur and Cleffa shared the dish of berries while Pidgey happily pecked at the mixture of seeds and mealworms. Charmander chewed on a meatball while Bellsprout scooped up pellets with its seeds. Pikachu nibbled on berries from his dish. While Weedle nibbled on a leaf, Squirtle happily ate his specialty salad.

Red was the first to finish eating, so he approached the counter to make guest room reservations while Gary nodded at Leaf.

"So, what do you wanna do here?" Gary asked, "they've got a museum and everything."

Mewtwo raised his brow.

"What is a museum?" Mewtwo asked.

Gary gave Mewtwo a confused look.

"I haven't had much contact with anyone outside of Team Rocket," Mewtwo spoke into Gary's mind, "so my exposure to your world is limited."

Gary stiffened as he shifted his gaze to Leaf.

"Leaf," Gary muttered, "you knew?"

"Kinda," Leaf nodded sheepishly.

Gary sighed with a shrug.

"Well," Gary elaborated, "Pewter City has the greatest science museum in the Kanto Region. I've been itching to see it for myself since I was younger."

Mewtwo lowered his head.

"Science museum," Mewtwo commented, "I may decide to leave you to enjoy it. Otherwise, it sounds intriguing."

Just as Leaf and Gary finished their lunch, Red returned to the waiting area.

"Ok," Red announced, "I got a guest room reserved for us!"

"Pika!" Pikachu jumped up and down.

Mewtwo simply gave the boy a polite nod. Some more time passed before the psionic feline and the Pokémon finished up their lunch. Leaf and Gary stood from the couch.

"So," Red offered, "you wanna check out the city?"

Leaf nodded as she fluttered her hands.

"I guess I could give the museum a visit," she smiled.

"I'm ready to leave when you are," Gary added.

Leaf withdrew Cleffa, Bulbasaur and Pidgey while Gary withdrew Squirtle and Weedle. Red withdrew Charmander and Bellsprout while Pikachu hopped onto his shoulder.

"Ok," Red proclaimed, "let's go!"

Red led Leaf, Gary and Mewtwo out of the Pokémon Center as they began exploring Pewter City a little. Passing by some blocks, they arrived at the entrance to the Pewter Museum of Science. Pikachu tilted his head upwards and stared in awe, impressed by the size of the building, while the young girl tilted her head.

"Uhm," she whispered, "are you sure you don't want to go in?"

Mewtwo examined the attempted hidden building next to the museum. It carried the same sort of scent as the lab, making his skin crawl slightly.

"I'll go in if you wish," Mewtwo spoke into her mind in a soft tone, "but I can't promise I'll want to stay, as I told Gary. If I may be honest, I detect Rocket scent emanating from this side building and I'm already uncomfortable. Humans do remarkably poor jobs at hiding secret plans."

Leaf slumped her shoulders with a sigh, aware of what he meant.

"Ok then," Leaf offered, "if it gets too much for you, I can take you outside. Is that fair?"

Mewtwo nodded.

"Much fair, thank you," he told her, "may I tap you on the shoulder as an indicator I need to leave?"

Leaf nodded with a grin.

"It's a deal!" she winked.

Red, Leaf, Gary and Mewtwo stepped into the museum and paused at the counter where the curator stood.

"Afternoon, kids," he greeted, "are you here to have a look at our wonderful exhibits?"

Red stepped closer to the counter.

"Yeah," he nodded, "how much for tickets?"

"All right, then," the curator replied, "it'll be 50 PokéYen per child 12 and under."

The curator raised an eyebrow at the hooded figure behind the Pallet Town trainers.

"And adults?" Red rifled through his wallet.

Mewtwo averted his gaze.

"100 PokéYen," the curator simply answered.

Red didn't hesitate to pay the entrance fee for all four of them.

"Thank you," the curator smiled, "please enjoy yourselves."

Leaf, Red, Gary and Mewtwo set foot into the main gallery exhibit with the young girl staying as close to the psionic feline as possible. Gary sauntered over to examine a statue of a fossilized Kabutops while Red allowed his Pikachu to examine some fossils in a glass case display. Leaf dug into her messenger bag and placed some noise-canceling headphones over her ears before she readjusted her hat. The young girl spotted an accurate sculpture of an Aerodactyl out of the corner of her eye. Sitting next to the model, a glass display held a large fossil of an Aerodactyl.

Mewtwo watched Leaf curiously as he followed her around, examining the displays they passed by. They examined a few rows of fossils in a case, reading the labels next to each fossil, the psionic feline rubbing his chin with intrigue. By the time the Pallet Town trainers finished viewing the exhibit on the first floor, Red approached the stairs.

"Hey," Red called over, "there's a space exhibit upstairs! Who wants to join?"

Gary brushed a stray hair from his eye and sprinted up the stairs ahead of his rival. Mewtwo focused his gaze on Leaf for clarification. With a smile, she led him up the stairs to the second floor. The first thing they noticed was a display case hugging the wall while holding a Moon Stone and its larger cousin. Mewtwo's eyes wandered until they found Gary standing next to a little boy examining the Moon Stone.

"A Moon Stone, huh?" Gary commented, his finger on his chin.

"What's so special about it, anyway?" the little boy shrugged, "looks like an ordinary rock to me!"

Mewtwo sniffed at the air slightly and moved closer to the stone, staring at it. He seemed to have picked up something within the rock. Perhaps it was a scent undetectable by the human nose. Red came up to the boy's other side.

"Well, it's supposed to be from space," Red drawled, "maybe it's a secret spaceship, for all we know?"

The little boy ignored Red's response and skipped over to a display of a model space shuttle.

"What do you think, Gary?"

In the meantime, Leaf focused on a holographic projection displaying the map of the universe. Mewtwo glanced at her and moved back to stay close to her, studying the technology which projected the hologram as well as the hologram itself. Something far away in his mind was nagging at him the stars were missing. He couldn't remember how he knew about stars, though. The moon seemed familiar, too, though he wasn't sure why.

Mewtwo snapped out of his thoughts and glanced over his shoulder when he heard footsteps from the stairs. Strangely enough, a young man with dark spiky hair arrived at the second floor, his eyes never seeming to open for some reason. An elderly man standing in front of a poster displaying the origins of the universe shifted his gaze towards the young lad and his face lit up.

"Ah," he marveled, "if it isn't Brock?"

Red almost gave himself whiplash turning so fast.

"Brock as in the Gym Leader?" he whispered to Gary.

Pikachu gave an expression which amounted to just as amazed. Mewtwo studied him briefly, sensing his powerful aura. He heard others talking about Gyms and Badges, and perhaps this was one of the suppliers. He placed his hand on Leaf's shoulder, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"W-What is it?" Leaf asked softly.

"I have a feeling things are about to get hectic, I believe a local celebrity has arrived," Mewtwo explained, "also the smell is in here too and I'm starting to have too many thoughts to concentrate on staying calm for much longer."

Leaf tilted her head when she laid her eyes on Brock.

"So you wanna leave now?" she whispered.

Red took a breath and started to walk over, Pikachu at his heels.

"Hi, Brock, sir?" Red greeted.

Brock paused in his tracks and shifted his gaze towards Red.

"Well, nice to meet you," Brock greeted, "what's your name?"

Red grinned before he bowed his head.

"You can call me Red," he greeted, "and I come from Pallet Town."

"Pika!" Pikachu squeaked happily and waved his hand.

Gary harrumphed and walked over to stand next to Red.

"And I'm Gary Oak," Gary added, "what brings you here?"

Brock smiled at the two boys.

"Just taking a break from battling," he explained, "just need to look at stuff other than the rock field, y'know?"

"I may as well before the crowds gather," Mewtwo nodded, "you're welcome to return and I'll wait outside."

Upon cue, Leaf led Mewtwo downstairs and gestured him to the front door.

"Stay safe," Leaf advised softly, "ok, bud?"

The psionic feline gave a small smile and nodded.

"And you," he replied, walking over to the door.

From there, Leaf made her way back upstairs and stood closely behind Red and Gary as they and Brock observed the holographic projector. The Pewter Gym leader raised his eyebrow when he spotted Leaf out of the corner of his eye.

"Oh, this is Leaf," Red nodded at her, "we're all traveling together."

Leaf waved her hand nervously and kept her gaze glued to the floor as Brock folded his arms.

"Cool, I expect I'll see you all in battle at some point," Brock said, "for now, you get a little behind the scenes of a Gym Leader's relaxation."

Red turned his attention back to Brock.

"Let us know if we're bothering you."

"No, not at all," Brock reassured them, "it's nice to be remembered as a normal person that leaves the Gym once in a while."

Leaf smiled as she brought out Bulbasaur and Cleffa.

"Hey, guys," Leaf chirped softly, "wanna see some cool stuff?"

Bulbasaur perked up and nodded.

"Saur!"

"Cleffa!" Cleffa jumped up and down, "Cleff Cleffa!"

Leaf scooped Cleffa into her arms while Bulbasaur peered at the holographic galaxy. After a moment, the young girl and her starter followed Red, Gary and Brock as they went to examine a model of a space shuttle and then a case displaying a few meteorites. Bulbasaur tried standing on her hind legs to see the meteorites, which caught Red's attention.

"Hmm," Red pointed out, "they should make it so smaller Pokémon can see from underneath…or something."

When Leaf overheard a few words from Red's sentence, she set Cleffa onto the case while she scooped up Bulbasaur, letting her starter get a closer look at the meteorites. Bulbasaur nuzzled her gratefully and looked over the cases, mumbling curiously.

"Yeah," Red shrugged, "that works, too."

After a minute, Brock led Red, Leaf and Gary over to the case displaying the Moon Stone, Bulbasaur following her trainer close behind while Cleffa relaxed in the young girl's arms.

"Is this as fascinating to you guys as it is to me?" Brock asked.

Cleffa's eyes lit up in excitement before she smiled and clapped her paws together.

"Cleff Cleffa!" Cleffa chirped.

Brock laughed gently upon seeing the tiny Pokémon's enthusiasm.

"Glad to hear it, little guy!"

Leaf smiled softly as her torso swayed side to side.

"Well, Cleffa," Leaf proclaimed, "I'll be sure to help you grow strong and healthy so you can become a wonderful Clefairy. Right?"

"Maybe even a Clefable," Brock added, "that explains her excitement."

Leaf nodded in agreement, not paying attention as Bulbasaur tilted her head and narrowed her eyes at the stairs.

"Bulba," Bulbasaur whispered.

Outside, the scent had strengthened in Mewtwo's vicinity and he was attempting to stay discreet while he searched for the source. At the moment, he hid behind a thick tree. The psionic feline fixated his gaze on the badly hidden building. A moment passed before he heard the sound of shattering glass from within. Mewtwo growled quietly to himself and flew towards the entrance. With any luck, the humans would be too preoccupied to notice. Making his way inside the museum, he snuck past the curator's counter. He spotted a few Team Rocket Grunts stashing some Moon Stones in a lightweight crate while the scientists on staff watched in horror. He moved to stand behind the scientists, eyes glowing with anger at the Rockets. At the same time, Bulbasaur could be seen racing down the stairs with Leaf following her.

"Bulbasaur," Leaf called, "wait! Where are you going?"

Red, Gary and Brock showed up downstairs seconds later. The scientists glanced over their shoulders as they noticed Mewtwo emitting a purple glow. The psionic feline levitated the Grunts off the floor and immobilized them, their eyes widening in horror. Leaf, Red, Gary and Brock noticed the commotion behind the counter.

"Is that…Team Rocket?" Red gasped.

Pikachu folded his ears back.

"Pika," Pikachu growled.

"Hey!" Brock yelled, "put those back!"

While Brock sprinted to leap over the counter, Mewtwo glanced over his shoulder as he continued to hold the Grunts in place. The Pewter gym leader sent out a Geodude to knock the box out of one of the Grunts' hands. Mewtwo moved to block the window and let them drop, having started to feel the strain from holding up several people. Brock reached up and caught the box midair. The Rocket Grunts stared at the hooded figure, eyes widened in fear as they scrambled backwards towards the wall. He continued to glower at them, waiting for any indication of authorities coming to contain them.

After handing the box back to one of the scientists, Brock made a beeline for the phone on the desk.

"Drop anything else you may be holding," Mewtwo threatened, sending the telepathic message into the Grunts' minds.

Without hesitation, the two Grunts reluctantly emptied their pockets. Mewtwo huffed approvingly, shifting his gaze to Brock. The Pewter gym leader nodded and dialed the emergency number.

Chapter Text

Leaf, Red, Gary and Mewtwo left the museum and waited outside. The psionic feline leaned against a tree, taking deep breaths while Leaf sat next to him and comforted Bulbasaur and Cleffa in her arms.

"Are you alright?" Mewtwo asked Leaf.

Leaf nodded sheepishly.

"That was close," she sighed.

"Yeah," Gary added with a shrug, "I'm amazed they didn't notice us."

"I believe they were too focused on me," Mewtwo pointed out, lowering his head, "I apologize if I put you in a dangerous situation."

Pikachu lowered his ears at the sight of Mewtwo's shaking paws.

"Pika…"

Red walked over to Mewtwo and tilted his head slightly.

"Hey," Red reassured Mewtwo, "you have nothing to apologize for. If anything, we're lucky we were at a safe distance."

Mewtwo relaxed his shoulders.

"Thank you," he sighed, "for not being afraid of me."

It wasn't long before they heard oncoming sirens from a distance. Minutes later, Brock emerged from the museum. Mewtwo hid his paws just as the Pewter gym leader turned his gaze to the Pallet Town trainers.

"Don't worry," Brock assured the kids, "the officers will be here, soon."

Gary made a relaxed smile as he brushed a few hairs out of his eyes.

"I assume I sufficiently scared them," Mewtwo nodded.

Brock tilted his head when he focused his gaze on the hooded figure, but Mewtwo averted his gaze.

"So," Brock began to ask, pointing at Mewtwo, "do you know this guy?"

Red glanced over his shoulder before he nodded.

"Yeah," he explained, "he's just tagging along."

Mewtwo nodded silently. Brock placed a finger on his chin.

"Does he have a name?" Brock asked.

Leaf, Red and Gary stiffened before they exchanged glances. Well, the young girl didn't even bother to gaze directly into the boys' eyes. Mewtwo blinked twice.

"I do have a name," Mewtwo intoned with a huff, "Gym Leader Brock. It's Mewtwo."

Brock and the Pallet Town trainers returned their gaze to Mewtwo. Leaf's forehead sweated nervously, worried they might have much bigger targets on their backs if more people knew a powerful psionic feline was traveling alongside three young trainers from a small town. The Pewter gym leader straightened his spine and placed his hand behind his head.

"Well, I'll be heading back to the gym soon," Brock proclaimed, "in an hour, I might be able to accept at least two challengers today."

Leaf withdrew Cleffa before she stood up with Bulbasaur in her arms.

"One at a time or two trainers at the same time?" Leaf clamored, swinging one leg back and forth.

Red leaned closer to Leaf.

"I think he means one at a time," Red mumbled, "tends to be a bit unfair otherwise."

Leaf sighed as she lowered her head.

"Ok," she said.

Still, Gary grinned and waved his hand at Brock.

"Ok," Gary declared, "see you at the gym!"

Brock nodded and waved back.

"Take care, kids!"

Brock turned to leave. Leaf gave Bulbasaur a few more pats on the head while Red sent out his Charmander and Gary sent out his Squirtle.

"Welp," Gary proclaimed, "I guess we'll have to figure out which of the three of us will be challenging him first."

Gary winked at Red.

"How about we race for it?" Gary suggested.

Leaf and Red gave Gary puzzled stares.

"To the gym?" she paused.

Red placed his hand behind his head before he nodded.

"Ok then," Red remarked, "challenge accepted!"

Mewtwo watched them and blinked at Leaf.

"I assume it's alright if I keep to my own pace and meet you there, given I am not partaking in this battle challenge?"

Leaf took a moment to adjust her hat.

"I might want some more practice, anyway," Leaf shrugged, "so my Bulbasaur can be ready to take on the gym."

Red and Gary ignored Leaf and Mewtwo's conversation as they started sprinting down the street.

"Shall we both go at our own pace, then?" Mewtwo offered, "I don't mind if you wish me to accompany you to supervise practice."

"Sure!" Leaf smiled and clasped her hands together.

Leaf sauntered down the street at a casual pace with Mewtwo floating close behind. Turning at a corner and walking down a few blocks, they spotted Red and Gary hunched over at the entrance to Pewter Gym as they were in the middle of catching their breath. The professor's grandson glanced over his shoulder.

"Sorry, Leaf," Gary panted, "Red's going first."

Leaf swung one foot back and forth.

"I hope the gym has a place where my Bulbasaur can practice for my first gym battle," she replied.

Red lifted his cap for a moment and brushed some hairs from his eyes.

"Then let's go in and find out," Red suggested.

Pushing through the front doors, Leaf, Mewtwo, Red and Gary set foot into Pewter Gym. Inside, rows of bleachers sat on two sides of the gym while the large court had sand covering the surface and large rocks decorating the arena. On opposite sides of the court's length stood rectangular platforms for the trainers to stand on. Red folded his arms while Leaf examined her surroundings. On the far end of the room, Brock stood on the opposing platform. To her left, the young girl noticed a receptionist counter in the lobby.

"Hey," Leaf reminded, "isn't there something we should do first before we start taking on gym battles?"

Gary gave Leaf a confused look while Red placed a finger on his chin.

"Do we need to register so we can actually collect the badges?" Red paused, "do we even have cases for them?"

"I mean," Leaf mentioned, "we can get the cases here."

Leaf led Red and Gary over to the counter which caught the clerk's attention.

"E-Excuse me?" Leaf stammered, with a tone of attempted confidence, "do you hand out badge cases here? We're here to start our gym battle journey."

Leaf fluttered her hands while she awaited the clerk's answer.

"We do indeed, miss," the woman behind the counter nodded with a smile, "we even have a selection of colors to pick from. 50 PokéYen each. I assume you'll want to register for the League as well?"

"Yes, please!" Leaf nodded.

"Me, too!" Gary added.

"So do I," Red grinned.

The clerk reached for a drawer and pulled out a bunch of badge cases before she placed them on top of the counter. She scanned their trainer cards and added the information to the computer. Leaf picked out a green case while Gary picked up a blue case. Red took a moment to examine the remaining cases before he settled for the red one. From there, they took turns paying for their new badge cases.

"All sorted," the clerk nodded, "good luck against Brock, champs in the making."

"Thanks!" Red smiled.

Leaf, Red, Gary and Mewtwo made their way to the large stadium. The young girl led the psionic feline and the professor's grandson up the bleachers while the boy in the cap stepped onto the stadium's terrain. Mewtwo sat next to Leaf and peered over the banister.

"So is collecting the badges a tradition for trainers?" he asked, "I hadn't had a chance to ask."

Leaf gripped the hem of her skirt.

"Gym challenges here are an essential part of the Pokémon League," Leaf explained, "for most of the world, that is."

"In every region," Gary continued, holding up an index finger, "there are eight gyms scattered about. When you get all the badges from each gym, you head off to a destination where the region's Pokémon League is held. You challenge the Elite Four, and if you're lucky, you get the chance to take on the Champion."

Mewtwo blinked twice as he processed the information.

"I see," he commented, "is there one champion per region, or an overall worldwide champion?"

"Each region has its own champion," Gary answered.

Leaf watched as Brock sent out a Geodude while Red sent out his Bellsprout. Mewtwo noticed as a referee stood from the bleachers and stood before the railing.

"The battle between the Gym Leader of Pewter City, Brock," the referee announced, "and Red from Pallet Town will begin shortly! Both sides may use only two Pokémon, but only the challenger is allowed to use substitutions."

Leaf brought out Bulbasaur and allowed her to sit on her lap.

"Ok, Bulbasaur," Leaf said, "let's see how a gym battle plays out."

"Bulba!" Bulbasaur nodded.

Red extended his arm forward.

"Bellsprout," Red commanded, "use Vine Whip!"

"Defense Curl!" Brock countered.

Geodude wrapped its arms around itself. Leaf, Gary and Mewtwo watched as Bellsprout swung his vines at the rocky Pokémon, even if the blows simply chipped away tiny specks of rock. Leaf didn't pay attention to any of Red and Brock's commands as she focused on the Pokémon in the arena. Geodude uncurled its arms and tackled into Bellsprout. The walking pitcher plant countered with another Vine Whip. Wrapping the sentient rock with his vine, Bellsprout slammed it into a makeshift stalagmite, knocking it down for the count.

"Geodude is unable to battle," the referee declared, "Bellsprout wins the battle!"

Brock sighed before he withdrew his fainted Geodude and sent out his Onix.

"Bellsprout," Red called, "are you still good to go?"

"Bellsprout!" Bellsprout flapped his leaves.

As Bellsprout shifted back into his battle stance, Gary waved his hand at Leaf.

"If you want," Gary suggested, "there's a practice arena in a side door of the lobby."

Leaf's eyes lit up as she fluttered her hand.

"For real?" she blurted.

Mewtwo made a brief glance at her.

"I'm intrigued to see your style of battling," Mewtwo told her, "but I don't wish to put pressure on anyone. I'm already seeing differences between you three at your novice levels and those I've battled, and I'm seeing the appeal as an outsider now."

Leaf nodded as she rose from her seat with Bulbasaur in her arms, prompting Mewtwo to do the same.

"In case Red finishes his battle," she advised Gary, "tell him where I went, ok?"

Gary gave her a thumbs up, eyes still fixated on the battle below. Mewtwo and Leaf left the main stadium while Onix tried restraining Bellsprout with Wrap. When they stepped out into the lobby, they turned their gaze to locate a side door to their right. The young girl and the cloaked psionic feline pushed through the door leading to a smaller arena where a few trainers could be seen supervising their Pokémon practicing their moves. A thick glass window allowed the trainers inside to catch the view of the larger arena and a sliding door adjacent to the window.

"I wonder if these are all Gym Leaders in training," Mewtwo observed, "or if they're simply preparing to face the leader."

"Your guess is as good as mine," Leaf shrugged.

Leaf approached a camper trainer, which caught his attention.

"Afternoon, ma'am," he greeted with a wave of his hand, "my name's Liam. Can I help you with anything?"

Leaf paused for a moment as she set Bulbasaur onto the floor and fluttered her hands.

"I was hoping my Bulbasaur would get some practice so she can be ready for her first gym battle," Leaf explained.

Liam tilted his head.

"Don't you have a second Pokémon as backup?" he mentioned.

Leaf sweated nervously while she placed her hand behind her head.

"I can't send out my Pidgey for obvious reasons," Leaf blurted.

Leaf paused for a moment as her hand went to Cleffa's Poké Ball. Dread seeped into her veins as a reminder rang off in her head that Cleffa has never been in a single Pokémon battle before. How would a baby fairy Pokémon stand a chance against a Pokémon as large as Onix? Would Cleffa have moves that might weaken Brock's Pokémon a little bit? The young girl sent out Cleffa without hesitation, who waddled up to Bulbasaur.

"Cleffa?"

Bulbasaur returned her gaze.

"Bulba."

Leaf nervously adjusted her hat.

"I-I guess I made up my mind after all!" she chirped.

"Interesting choice," Liam commented, "do they know Magical Leaf? That'll help a lot."

Liam made a quick show of looking to the main arena doors.

"But don't tell Brock I suggested it," he whispered.

Mewtwo tilted his head at the playful behavior, wondering if the little one would need any reassurance from him too.

"O-Ok," Leaf nodded sheepishly, "I won't."

Cleffa tilted sideways.

"Cleffa?"

Liam sent out a Geodude.

"Geo!" Geodude flexed its arms.

Mewtwo hovered away from the field as Liam focused his eyes on the baby fairy.

"Little buddy's never been in a battle," Liam said, "ever seen a battle, Cleffa?"

Cleffa paused for a moment before she shook her head.

"So, basically, you're trying to avoid getting hit or knocked out by all attacks, and trying to knock out the opposing Pokémon," Liam continued, "however, and I know it'll hurt and I apologize in advance, I'm gonna have you take a few basic tackles to see if that sparks up any of your instinctive attacks back, so you get a feel for them, ok? If you find you don't wanna battle, you're welcome to run back to your trainer. But we will be as gentle as possible just to teach you."

Liam glanced at Leaf for approval while Mewtwo crossed his legs to watch.

"It's ok, Cleffa," Leaf cooed, fluttering her hands, "it'll take a bit to get used to."

Cleffa relaxed her arms in relief before she nodded, turning to face Geodude.

"Cleffa!"

"Just throw back anything you feel spark up," Liam advised, "ok, Geodude, Tackle."

Cleffa squeaked as Geodude charged after her. The baby fairy jumped to the side before the sentient boulder could collide with her. She turned around and slammed her arm into Geodude's arm.

"Good dodge, good Pound," Liam complimented, "go again, Geodude."

Geodude rammed into Cleffa, eliciting a pained cry out of her. She crashed into the ground, but she slowly got back to her feet. Rising to the tip of her toes and raising her arms, Cleffa gave Geodude a charming wink.

"Cleffa?"

Geodude tilted his body, clearly pleasantly taken aback.

"Huh, Charm, cute."

Bulbasaur nodded at Cleffa in approval.

"Saur, Bulba!"

Cleffa turned and waved back. Bulbasaur focused her gaze on her trainer.

"Bulba."

Leaf blinked twice.

"You…wanna practice, too?" Leaf blurted.

"Bulba!" Bulbasaur nodded.

Liam took the hint and sent out his Sandshrew while Geodude grabbed a nearby boulder before placing it in front of Cleffa. Mewtwo heard the door open all of a sudden and spotted Red and Gary setting foot into the room. The psionic feline stood up and floated over to the boys, eliciting a startled yelp out of the professor's grandson.

"Geez, big guy," Gary exclaimed, "you startled the crap out of me!"

Mewtwo huffed, seemingly amused at the blast of fear.

"Apologies. Who won?"

Red slumped his shoulders while his Pikachu drooped his ears.

"Pika," Pikachu sighed.

"I lost," Red admitted, "we're just checking out this place before we have to head to the Center."

All the while, Cleffa watched Bulbasaur as she swatted the boulder with her vines.

"It'll still be here when you get back," Mewtwo remarked.

Gary made his way towards a nearby bench while Red stepped back through the door. Cleffa returned her focus to Geodude while Leaf observed Liam fiddling with another Poké Ball at his belt.

"So," Liam asked Bulbasaur, "do you wanna spar freely with Sandshrew?"

"Saur!" Bulbasaur nodded eagerly.

Upon cue, Liam sent out a Sandshrew.

"Ok, Bulbasaur," Liam beckoned, "let's see what you got."

As the sparring session went on, Leaf fidgeted in anticipation while Bulbasaur and Cleffa got the hang of the moves they currently had, hoping they would soon be strong enough to learn new ones.

She wanted to whisper a prayer to Arceus that her practice would pay off tomorrow.

Chapter Text

Leaf, Red and Gary woke up early the next morning and made their way to the Pewter Gym. Red made a beeline for the practice arena while the others crossed the lobby and set foot into the main stadium. The professor's grandson offered his fist, letting the young girl give him a fist bump.

"Ok, Leaf," Gary winked, "break a leg."

Leaf nodded as Gary and Mewtwo made their way to the bleachers.

"Why do humans use such violent-sounding statements to be positive?" Mewtwo asked Gary.

"Beats me," Gary shrugged, "I can find you a book on idioms if you want."

Leaf shuffled over to the edge of the stadium, her gaze avoiding Brock's eyes.

"Morning, miss," Brock greeted, "Leaf, is it?"

Leaf nodded.

"Morning, Brock," Leaf proclaimed, "I'm ready to challenge you!"

Brock folded his arms.

"I'm looking forward to this," Brock nodded to the referee.

Brock sauntered his way to one platform overlooking the arena while Leaf made her way to the other platform. The young girl sent out Bulbasaur, who landed gracefully on the makeshift terrain before widening her battle stance.

"You can see," Brock proclaimed, "just by looking at my Pokémon how rock hard my willpower is. My Pokémon are all hard as rock and have true-grit determination! You have what it takes to show me your best?"

Leaf didn't bring herself to gaze into Brock's eyes, but she still nodded.

"Y-Yeah," Leaf nodded sheepishly as she rocked side to side, "I'm ready to give it a go."

Brock reached into his utility belt and pulled out his own Poké Ball. Leaf made a brief glance at Mewtwo, who gave her a reassuring look from a distance.

"Then show me your best," Brock beckoned, "go, Geodude!"

Brock tossed his Poké Ball and a Geodude emerged, taking a battle stance.

"Geo!" the Geodude cried out.

The referee from yesterday stood up from the bleachers and approached the railing.

"The battle between the Gym Leader of Pewter City, Brock," the referee announced, "and Leaf Aoyama from Pallet Town will begin shortly! Both sides may use only two Pokémon, but only the challenger is allowed to use substitutions."

Leaf kept her breathing steady as she felt her spine stiffen. All she could hope for was her progress to pay off. She took a moment to scan her surroundings, figuring out how her Pokémon could use the terrain to their advantage.

"Begin!"

Brock widened his stance.

"Geodude, Tackle!" Brock commanded.

Bulbasaur ducked behind a stalagmite, bringing out her vines awaiting her trainer's command. Geodude kept searching for the grassy amphibian, swinging its fists back and forth. Once it reached a certain spot…

"Vine Whip!" Leaf ordered.

Bulbasaur charged from cover and swung her vines at Geodude from behind. The rock Pokémon flinched and crashed head first into the ground. It slowly struggled to get up while Brock stared in disbelief.

"Did you," Brock exclaimed, "did you just land a critical hit?!"

Leaf stared in awe as Bulbasaur glanced back at her and gave her a wink. Still, the Geodude returned to its battle stance. The Bulbasaur didn't celebrate for long as she stepped out into the open, eyes fixed on the Geodude.

"Bulba…"

"Tackle again!" Brock called out.

Geodude charged at the Bulbasaur without warning. The grassy amphibian didn't have enough time to jump out of the way as the rock Pokémon collided into her, sending her tumbling into a large boulder before she slid the ground. Leaf flinched and tilted her head to the side for only a brief moment. When she made a quick peek at her Bulbasaur, she was flailing her legs, having landed on her side.

"Come on, Bulbasaur," Leaf pleaded nervously, "you can do it!"

After a moment of struggling, Bulbasaur rocked a little before rolling onto her belly, pushing herself up with her limbs. When Geodude charged at the grassy amphibian again, Bulbasaur grabbed the rocky Pokémon's arms with her vines.

"Nice one, Bulbasaur!" Leaf commanded, "now swing it about!"

"Saur!"

Bulbasaur lifted Geodude and thrashed it around using her vines.

"Steady, Geodude!" Brock instructed, "harden up!"

Geodude tensed up as Bulbasaur raised it high and then slammed it into the ground, kicking up dust into the air. Leaf waited for the dust to dissipate. By then, she noticed Geodude on the terrain, knocked out for the count.

"Geodude is unable to battle," the referee announced, "Bulbasaur wins the round!"

Releasing Geodude from her vine restraint, Bulbasaur's face lit up and happily jumped up and down. Brock didn't say anything as he recalled his Geodude. He reached into his belt pouch and pulled out another Poké Ball.

"Pretty good, kid," Brock praised, "but I'm just getting pumped up! I choose Onix!"

Brock tossed his Poké Ball and sent out the massive rocky snake. Without warning, Onix let out a loud roar which echoed across the gym. Such a loud noise pierced Leaf's ears like a knife and she let out a pained groan while she covered her ears with both hands. Mewtwo cringed against the noise but stood when he saw Leaf's reaction. He glared at the rock snake and commanded with telepathy.

"Silence!" Mewtwo thundered, "do not cause the human more harm or I will intervene."

Seeing Mewtwo's eyes flicker, Onix growled softly at the psionic feline while Bulbasaur shook her head to clear the noise and looked back at her trainer with concern. The roar having already died down, Leaf took a moment to rub her ears.

"Let's go, Bulbasaur!" Leaf proclaimed.

"Saur!"

Bulbasaur started charging at the Onix. She paused and eyed Brock silently as the gym leader focused his eyes at Onix.

"Try and catch it in a Wrap!"

The Onix moved surprisingly fast for its size and tried to wrap the giant rocks around the grassy amphibian and trap her. Mewtwo watched it and stiffened, multiple scenarios running through his head. Wasn't it likely that Pokémon could die in scenarios like this? Bulbasaur spun her head as the rocky snake's body started closing in on her. The grassy amphibian stared straight into Onix's eyes before she thought fast and jumped up. The Onix made a surprised noise and tried to follow Bulbasaur's movement. Brock also gave the grass Pokémon an intense gaze as she landed on top of a boulder.

"Onix, Tackle!"

The Onix positioned itself to headbutt Bulbasaur, both Pokémon facing each other.

"Razor Leaf!" Leaf commanded.

Bulbasaur raised her head high and summoned sharp curved leaves, launching them at the large rocky snake. Onix retreated and attempted to slither away to attempt another tackle. Bulbasaur jumped onto another boulder, panting heavily as she stared down the rocky snake. After a moment, the rocky snake Pokémon charged forth and collided its head into the boulder, the impact causing it to crumble. Bulbasaur quickly jumped to escape the collapsing debris.

Once the dust dissipated, the Onix shook its head to rid the specks of rock from its face as it reared up again, the other rocks shifting and grinding against each other. It also started panting as it searched for its opponent.

"Do you think that Onix is about done?" Gary bit his lip.

Mewtwo placed a finger on his chin, carefully observing Onix from a distance.

"It's at least halfway," he mumbled.

An idea popped into Leaf's head as Onix leaned its head back a little, waiting for its master's signal.

"Leech Seed!" Leaf directed.

Bulbasaur leaned forth and launched a seed from the bulb on her back. It landed squarely on the rocky snake's neck and vines grew from the seed, spreading around Onix's body and causing it to growl in shock. Still, Brock was not done yet as he clenched his fists.

"Don't give up, Onix," Brock ordered, "let's switch things up! Rock Tomb!"

Onix shook itself to clear its head and used its tail to pick up rocks, throwing them at the turtle to entomb him. Bulbasaur watched and quickly crouched, hoping she wouldn't have any of her delicate hide touched by the moving rocks. Mewtwo couldn't help but tense up again, but he knew he shouldn't interfere by going out of his way to protect the grassy amphibian. It was only a second before the rocks trapped poor Bulbasaur inside. Leaf stared in disbelief and shuddered as the rocks remained still.

Bulbasaur waited for everything to stop moving before crawling carefully, making the gap between two rocks bigger and moving to stand unsteadily. Her legs began wobbling as she struggled to stand tall against Onix. The seed embedded into Onix sapped its energy, causing it to roar in pain as Bulbasaur regained stamina. Mewtwo tapped his tail against his back as he waited silently, tensing against the noise and gazed at Leaf. She glanced over her shoulder and gave the psionic feline a thumbs up before she returned her gaze to Bulbasaur.

"Bulbasaur, jump on!" Leaf instructed.

"Bulba!" Bulbasaur nodded.

Bulbasaur charged towards Onix and jumped up onto its tail before she started climbing up its body.

"Tackle it off!" Brock commanded.

Onix leaned its head back in preparation to strike.

"Vine Whip!" Leaf called.

The second Onix charged its head after Bulbasaur, the grassy amphibian slammed its head with a Vine Whip. In a matter of seconds, the Onix collapsed to the floor while the small plant Pokémon jumped off and landed gracefully on the ground.

"Onix is unable to battle," the referee announced all of a sudden, "the victory goes to Leaf Aoyama from Pallet Town!"

While Red and Gary cheered enthusiastically, Leaf didn't make any sound but she couldn't help but smile as she fluttered her hands and twirled on one foot. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Brock sighed while he returned his Onix into its Poké Ball.

"Well," Brock let out an amused chuckle, "it seems I underestimated you, kid. You might have potential in the Pokémon League."

Leaf's face lit up.

"Y-You really think so?" Leaf stammered as she blushed.

Brock nodded as he stepped off the platform, making his way towards the young girl. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a badge.

"As proof of your victory," Brock declared, "take this official Pokémon League Badge…the Boulder Badge!"

Even as Leaf avoided staring into Brock's eyes, she still smiled as she held out her hand, allowing the Pewter Gym Leader to place the badge on her palm. She carefully placed her newly earned badge into her badge case. Mewtwo relaxed his shoulders and rose to his feet. As Leaf and Brock descended the platform side by side, Bulbasaur waddled over to her trainer and happily bounced around her.

"Saur!" Bulbasaur chirped, "Saur! Bulba Bulbasaur!"

Leaf smiled and crouched down, pulling Bulbasaur into a gentle embrace.

"You did great, Bulbasaur," she praised.

Leaf rose to her feet with Bulbasaur in her arms while Mewtwo and Gary descended down the bleachers.

"You've done well," Mewtwo told her, "how are you feeling?"

Leaf shifted her gaze to Mewtwo and smiled.

"I feel lucky today," Leaf chirped, placing her hand behind her head, "I guess Cleffa can always have a chance to shine later."

Shortly after Leaf lowered Bulbasaur to the ground, Brock gave her a TM labeled Rock Tomb.

"Whichever of your Pokémon learns this," Brock said, "it could come in handy against some tough Bug and Flying types…even slow them down."

"I'll keep that in mind," Leaf nodded.

Leaf took a moment to stash the TM into her case before she gave Brock a bow of respect.

"There are all kinds of trainers in this huge world of ours waiting for a challenge," Brock added, "I'll wish you luck on your next gym challenge in Cerulean City."

Leaf nodded as she and Brock parted ways. The young girl joined up with Gary and Mewtwo as they all made their way to the lobby. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Red emerging from the door to the practice arena.

"Hey, Red!" Leaf waved her hand, "how'd practice go?"

Red paused as he shifted his gaze to Leaf, Mewtwo and Gary.

"Liam offered a couple TMs prior to practice," Red explained, "Charmander now knows Brick Break and Pikachu knows Iron Tail."

"Well," Gary remarked, "at least Charmander would stand a much better chance against Onix this time."

"Those sound reasonable," Mewtwo nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, yeah," Red sighed with a shrug.

Red took a moment to readjust his cap while shifting his gaze to Leaf.

"So," Red asked, "you going to heal up?"

Leaf nodded and placed her hand behind her head.

"Yeah," she answered, "and maybe explore the town a little while I wait for you guys to take on the gym."

Red and Gary shuddered and exchanged glances.

"Will you be ok on your own?" Gary asked.

Mewtwo placed his hand on Leaf's shoulder.

"If she wishes," Mewtwo answered, "she has her own Pokémon, so she won't be alone."

Leaf shared a glance with Mewtwo, even if she avoided looking directly into his eyes.

"Would you like me to accompany you?" he offered.

Leaf's face lit up with a soft smile.

"Sure thing!" she nodded.

Leaf took a moment to wave her hand at Red and Gary before she and Mewtwo left the gym. From there, they made a beeline for the Pokémon Center. She withdrew Bulbasaur into her Poké Ball while she approached the counter.

"Good morning, miss," Nurse Joy greeted, "do you need to rest your Pokémon?"

"Y-Yeah," Leaf stammered, depositing the Poké Ball into the tray.

Mewtwo stood nearby, fixated on the TV while he waited for Leaf to finish what she was doing. He couldn't help but notice the small queue of trays steadily going through the healing booth. Perhaps a lot of them were from the Gym or training for the Gym. Leaf waited until a few minutes later when Nurse Joy removed the tray holding Bulbasaur's Poké Ball from the healing machine.

"Here we go," Nurse Joy smiled, "your Pokémon has been restored to full health."

"Thanks!" Leaf chirped.

Leaf grabbed the Poké Ball from the tray and stashed it into her bag.

"Have a good day, ma'am," Nurse Joy gave a bow, "we hope to see you again."

Upon cue, Leaf led Mewtwo out of the Pokémon Center and took a moment to stretch her arms.

"So," Leaf quipped, "you ready to go have a look around?"

Chapter Text

Leaf had all day to wait for Red and Gary to take turns challenging Brock, so she made her way to the central flower garden with Mewtwo accompanying her. She let out Pidgey, Bulbasaur and Cleffa so they could also relish in watching the flowerbeds. He stayed close to her and tried to relax. Clearly if any of the Rockets in the town were aware of him, they would have attacked by now. He remained intrigued by the casual, calm, harmless human life. Maybe they really weren't like Giovanni. They weren't all battle hungry.

Leaf examined a bush holding red and white camellias and leaned closer to sniff at them, relishing in the relaxing aroma they emitted. Mewtwo imitated her movement, tilting his head as the next strongest smell he had in his memory flashed up only to be replaced. The image of the lab filtered out to this new calm moment and he relaxed in the bubble shielding them from the fear and stress in the air. Pidgey perched on the fence to relax in the gentle breeze while Bulbasaur brought Cleffa a camellia she pulled towards her with her vine. The psionic feline watched Pidgey and hesitantly reached a hand towards her, resisting the urge to hold her in place with his telekinesis. He wasn't sure why he was doing this. Perhaps he wanted assurance that Pokémon, even wild Pokémon, weren't feared by him— that he was one of them.

"Have you ever smelled flowers before?" Leaf asked, her eyes locking onto Mewtwo.

Mewtwo shook his head.

"Not purposefully like this," he admitted, "only in passing. I hadn't realized they were so relaxing."

Leaf took a moment to pull up her socks.

"My dad likes to plant sunflowers in the front of my house just before summer begins," Leaf mentioned.

"I can't say I know much about flowers," Mewtwo shrugged, "do they smell pleasant?"

Leaf placed a finger on her chin.

"I don't know of any flowers that have an awful smell," she replied.

He tilted his head as he thought over the Pokémon he'd seen.

"Surely there must be some, as a defense mechanism?" Mewtwo pondered, "much like a Gloom?"

Leaf glanced over her shoulder and stiffened at the sight of the girl from yesterday, still in the same outfit nonetheless. Two boys walked alongside her while she carried a well-groomed shiny Eevee in her arms, dressed in a lavender chiffon scarf tied in a classy knot and embellished with a ruby heart-shaped gem encrusted in a golden heart-shaped brooch. A pink hair bow decorated the shiny Eevee's head. Leaf grimaced before she withdrew Cleffa and Pidgey, catching Mewtwo's attention.

"Leaf?" Mewtwo paused.

Leaf shot a brief glance at the psionic feline.

"We gotta go," she urged.

Bulbasaur paused and turned to give her trainer a concerned look. Mewtwo turned his gaze towards the three kids making their way to the garden. He edged closer to Leaf to prepare a stealthy escape, assuming the boys were doing their best to be bodyguards. Children could be strange sometimes, and what in Helix's name has that girl done to her Eevee? Leaf scooped Bulbasaur into her arms and made a leap over the fence, landing on her feet from a short fall. Mewtwo floated down the stairs and gave her a nod.

"Steady, Leaf," Mewtwo spoke into her head, "deep breaths."

Leaf nodded silently as she scanned her surroundings. She remained close to Mewtwo's proximity as they slowly tiptoed past the rich girl and her two henchmen, whom Leaf could recognize. They hoped to slip past them unnoticed.

Unfortunately, luck wasn't on their side.

Just as they were about to turn a corner, the pink-haired girl made a brief glance at Leaf and made a smug grin.

"Oh my goshies!" the pink haired girl teased, pointing at Bulbasaur, "is that a Bulbasaur? That's the lamest Pokémon to start with!"

Bulbasaur narrowed her eyes at the pink-haired girl while Leaf shuddered and hugged her grass starter protectively to her chest.

"Bulba," Bulbasaur growled.

Mewtwo huffed, moving to block their views of each other.

"She can talk, with her Normal-type," Mewtwo assured the grassy amphibian, "it wouldn't be very effective against Brock's crew. You've proven yourself a worthy starter, Bulbasaur."

"Saur!" Bulbasaur chirped.

The pink-haired girl narrowed her eyes as she stomped her way towards the young girl and the hooded feline Pokémon.

"Excuse me," the shrill girly voice demanded, "you don't get to just walk away from me! Look at me when I'm talking to you!"

The two boys followed close behind. Mewtwo turned to shield Leaf, using his tail to spread the cloak to hide her where needed.

"She's not a Pokémon," he growled, "you have no command over her. Leave her be."

The pink-haired girl paused in her tracks, placed one hand on her hip and tilted her head.

"I never said she was a Pokémon," she retorted, "you're over-exaggerating."

One boy with spiky blond hair and a blue scarf folded his arms.

"So where'd you two come from?" he mocked, "a freak show?"

He and the other boy with turquoise-hair and a green headband burst into laughter. Leaf gritted her teeth.

"Don't you have something else to do, Ellie?" Leaf snapped, "whatever it is, leave us out of it!"

The pink-haired girl's face reddened and scowled before she stomped her foot.

"How dare you call me that?!" she screeched, "my name is Eloise Suzanne Flora Prudence Labelle, the Beautiful Baroness from Kalos!"

Eloise's loud shrill voice caused Leaf to flinch as she tried placing one hand over her ear.

"Aren't we out in public?" Mewtwo reminded, "you should know full well it's rather impolite to shout when you're introducing yourself. Now leave, all of you."

Eloise huffed and clenched her fists.

"Hmmph! Boys!" Eloise commanded.

Upon cue, the blond boy sent out his Growlithe while the turquoise-haired boy sent out his Mankey.

"Growlithe," the blond boy commanded, "use Flamethrower!"

Growlithe spewed out a blast of fire hurtling towards Mewtwo. He thought fast and scooped Leaf into his arms before leaping out of the way, the young brunette cradling Bulbasaur protectively.

"What a coward," Mewtwo growled, "using other humans to use other Pokémon to fight her battles."

Mewtwo's expression softened when he gazed upon Leaf.

"Are you alright? Where do you want to go?"

He kept an eye on them, ready to throw them aside if needed. Leaf may have felt a little shaken, but took a deep breath.

"Anywhere that's a safe distance from her will do," Leaf suggested, "I'll tell you more about her, Blake and Omari."

Mewtwo nodded. As he shuffled a little to prepare for a quick escape, Eloise caught a brief glimpse of Leaf's face and a sudden realization hit her like a ton of bricks.

"L-Leaf?" Eloise blurted to herself.

Mewtwo glared at Eloise again and braced for another attack. His eyes glowed from beneath the hood in warning. Blake and Omari exchanged confused glances as they waited for her orders, when all of a sudden…

"Eloise, darling!" a distant jovial voice called, "the cameramen are here!"

Eloise paused and composed herself before she turned around and skipped merrily towards her dad dressed in a fancy business suit and combed back hair. The bratty baroness looked over the cameramen briefly before she excitedly jumped up and down.

"Yay!" Eloise squealed in joy, "thank you so much, daddy! You are the absolute best!"

Mewtwo carried Leaf away and made a beeline towards the Pokémon Center.

"What a conflicting human," Mewtwo sighed, "is Bulbasaur alright, too?"

Just as Mewtwo stopped at the entrance, he lowered Leaf to the ground. She took a moment to examine her Bulbasaur, who let out a happy chirp.

"Well, she's unscathed," Leaf answered, "that's for sure."

"Good," Mewtwo nodded, "I'll follow you in."

Mewtwo and Leaf made their way inside the Center and settled into a couch at the lobby. While Bulbasaur perched next to her, the young girl brought out Cleffa who sat on her lap.

"Cleffa?"

"Hey, Cleffa," Leaf sang softly, "how you doing?"

Leaf gently patted Cleffa on the head. Mewtwo sat down next to her while he drew the cloak around himself. The young girl blinked twice before she shifted her gaze to Mewtwo.

"Uhmm," she paused.

"I don't mean to pressure you," Mewtwo told her, "I'm simply waiting for you to be ready to tell me about those three."

He glanced at her briefly before turning his gaze to the floor. Leaf took a moment to think before she took a deep breath.

"I used to go to the school in Viridian City," Leaf began to explain, "before my parents and I moved to Pallet Town four years ago. Eloise, Blake and Omari were my classmates."

Mewtwo nodded in acknowledgment, unable to keep from remembering her reaction to seeing the building.

"Remember when Red mentioned that I see the world differently?" Leaf continued, "well, those three kids would tease me and make fun of me for being different. And my homeroom teacher didn't lift a finger to stop them."

Leaf hugged her arms to her chest and lowered her head.

"They would call me names, laugh at me and agitate my sensory issues," she added, "but when I try to stand up for myself, my homeroom teacher would get me into trouble for disrupting the class."

Mewtwo frowned in concern, the cloak shifting as he curled his tail underneath. His own fists clenched, tucked out of sight.

"There was even one time when Eloise would falsely accuse me of stealing her lunch," Leaf elaborated, "and Mr. Gibson has believed her claims more than whatever I have to say. He would then threaten me into giving Ellie my lunch."

Mewtwo took a moment to read Leaf's mind as she was recollecting her thoughts for this moment.

"Yet," Leaf continued on, "when either of those three pull some awful prank on me or trip me onto the floor, and I try to tell my homeroom teacher about it, he calls me a liar."

Mewtwo took and released a deep breath as he watched her memories, trying to keep his anger from presenting uncontrollably.

"I'm sorry they continue to be so cruel," Mewtwo assured her, "I'll keep you away from them."

Leaf blinked twice as she gazed into Mewtwo's eyes.

"T-Thank you," Leaf stammered softly, "you're such a good friend."

Leaf reached out to place her hand on Mewtwo's shoulder. He hesitantly lay his tail on her hand through his cloak and gave her a small nod.

"Thank you for trusting me," Mewtwo smiled.

The tranquil moment continued on until a couple hours later when the Pokémon Center doors opened up and Red and his Pikachu stepped inside, rousing Leaf's attention.

"Hey, Red!" Leaf called over, waving her hand, "how'd the gym challenge go?"

Making a brief glance at Leaf, Red pulled out his badge case and flipped it open, displaying the Boulder Badge inside.

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu chirped, his paw gesturing a peace sign.

"You should've seen Gary's face when Pikachu unleashed Iron Tail on that Onix!" Red added.

Bulbasaur tilted her head as Pikachu scampered over to the couch. Mewtwo nodded with a soft smile.

"Well done," he praised.

Red grinned and closed his badge case before he went to sit to Mewtwo's left.

"Say," Red offered, "would you like some lunch?"

Leaf's face lit up and nodded.

"Sure!" she chirped, "is Gary joining us?"

"Nah," Red shrugged, "but I can bring something to him."

Leaf and Red stood up before they made their way into the cafeteria. The brunette picked out a pork cutlet sandwich and a Nanab nutrishake for herself before picking out a rice ball and matcha tea. Red grabbed meals for himself and Gary before both trainers went to the counter to pay for their food. Bringing along additional food for their Pokémon, they returned to the couch where Mewtwo was still sitting.

"Here you go!" Leaf grinned, holding out the rice ball and matcha tea.

Mewtwo smiled softly and took the food from the girl's hand.

"Thank you."

Leaf sat down next to Mewtwo and began eating her sandwich. The psionic feline took a bite out of his rice ball as he studied their surroundings.

"Do they ever change the tannoy music?" Mewtwo raised his brow.

Leaf and Red exchanged confused glances.

"I…never really thought about it," Leaf admitted, her free hand fluttering nervously.

Mewtwo shifted his gaze between the two young trainers.

"I apologize if I've sparked a start to disliking it," Mewtwo sighed, "was it not something you ever noticed?"

"You didn't spark anything, really," Red placed his hand behind his head, "I guess they change music sometimes."

Red went to take a bite out of his lunch while Pikachu licked his chops after downing the last of an Oran berry. He relaxed and continued to eat at his steady pace, keeping an eye on the front doors. Just as Leaf finished one sandwich, the doors slipped open and Gary stepped in. Bulbasaur and Pikachu paused in their eating and widened their eyes in surprise.

"Pika?!" Pikachu exclaimed.

Mewtwo perked up his brow as the professor's grandson made his approach.

"Hey!" Gary casually waved his hand, "you guys having lunch already?"

Red lifted his head and gave his rival a puzzled look.

"I thought you were going to wait for us at the gym," Red commented.

"You're welcome to join us," Mewtwo replied.

Red sighed and handed Gary a bento box he purchased.

"Go ahead and dig in," he persuaded.

The professor's grandson took the bento box and the can of calpis soda before he plopped down next to Red and sent out Squirtle and Weedle. Mewtwo finished eating soon enough and set the empty container aside. Leaf finished her lunch next and Red finished his bento box minutes after that. He smiled as he saw Pikachu and Charmander rubbing their full bellies while Bellsprout nibbled the last pellet on its plate. The young girl focused her gaze on Bulbasaur, Cleffa and Pidgey just as they were finishing up their meals.

"Was it yummy?" she chirped.

Bulbasaur tilted her head up and grinned.

"Bulba!"

"So," Mewtwo asked, "what's your plan?"

Leaf and Red took a quick moment to dispose of the empty containers while Squirtle kept his eyes locked onto the professor's grandson.

"I'm sure you know I have a gym match coming up soon," Gary winked, "you wanna come watch?"

Chapter Text

Later on that afternoon, Leaf, Red and Mewtwo returned to the Pokémon Gym to watch Gary challenge Brock to a match. The young girl stared nervously as Squirtle faced off against Onix in the arena. Just as the Onix charged at Squirtle, the tiny turtle leapt out of the way. The giant rock snake followed it with its eyes and tried another Tackle, spreading across the field.

"Try another Wrap!"

Onix started to move its tail to try and catch the turtle between two sections of its body. The attack didn't work as Squirtle jumped up fast shortly before Onix coiled itself.

"Ok," Gary instructed, "get him with a Water Gun!"

The Onix tried to shield its head with its tail, though the sharp edges of its rocks grew duller as its health depleted rapidly. Squirtle jumped onto the tip of the rocky snake's tail and sprayed water at his opponent's head. In a matter of seconds, the Onix collapsed to the floor while the tiny turtle jumped off and landed gracefully on the ground.

"Onix is unable to battle," the referee announced, "the winner goes to Gary Oak of Pallet Town!"

Leaf's face lit up as Red stood from the bleachers and raised his fist into the air briefly.

"All right!" Red cheered, "way to go!"

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu happily hopped up and down.

Mewtwo couldn't help but smile as he nodded in approval.

"You've all learned well," he commented, "I'm impressed."

Leaf stood up before she, Mewtwo and Red made their way down the bleachers. They watched as Gary placed his first badge into his badge case before making his way to the door.

"So, do we just head back to the Center?" Leaf mentioned.

Gary placed his arms behind his head.

"Only to bring Squirtle back to tiptop shape," Gary answered, "maybe we can head on to Route 3."

Red placed a finger on his chin while Leaf shifted her weight onto one foot.

"Will we have enough time for that, though?" Leaf pondered.

The Pallet Town trio and Mewtwo stepped out into the lobby.

"I'm sure we'll reach the Pokémon Center near Mount Moon before nightfall," Gary assured her, "no sweat."

Even when Pikachu stayed close behind his trainer, he twitched his ears when he made a brief glance at Eloise, Blake and Omari at the receptionist's counter. The electric rodent tilted his head in confusion as the Kalos Baroness's face reddened with seething anger.

"What do you mean all the matches are booked for today?!" Omari demanded, "we want to challenge Brock now!"

The receptionist let out a disappointed sigh.

"I'm sorry," he replied, "but I don't make the rules. You'll have to come back tomorrow, alright?"

Eloise folded her arms with a huff.

"Well," Eloise protested, "I'm not here to challenge the gym leader. I just want the gym badge."

"Pika?" Pikachu blurted.

Red glanced over his shoulder and noticed that Pikachu paused in his tracks.

"Hey," Red called over, "what is it, buddy?"

Leaf turned her head and felt a chill down her spine the instant she spotted Eloise.

"Her again?" Leaf muttered under her breath.

Mewtwo huffed before he hovered around to shield Leaf.

"I'm sorry, ma'am," the receptionist declined, "league rules say badges are given by the Leaders after they lose an officially supervised battle. Trainers don't earn these things on a silver platter. You can't face him today, but you're more than welcome to see if there's a slot open in the training room to pass the time."

Eloise's frown turned into a smug grin while she coyly lowered her arms and clasped her hands.

"I'll give you money," Eloise persuaded in a singsong voice.

The receptionist couldn't help but facepalm.

"They're not for sale, ma'am," he insisted, "just come back tomorrow."

Eloise furrowed her eyebrows and her hands balled into fists.

"Ugh, you are so stupid!" Eloise whined, "my precious little Eevee is not supposed to be fighting Pokémon battles! I don't want her to get dirty!"

Leaf covered her ears with her hands to shield against Eloise's shrill voice as the brat stomped her foot.

"Rules are rules, ma'am. Flinging insults isn't going to get you anywhere. Carry on like that and we won't let you earn it at all."

Mewtwo nudged Leaf with his concealed tail. Just as Pikachu jumped up onto his trainer's shoulder, she took the hint and led him, Red and Gary outside the gym. She lowered her hand and sighed in relief.

"That was close!" she exclaimed.

"Are you alright?" Mewtwo asked her.

Leaf shifted her gaze towards Mewtwo and nodded while she adjusted her hat.

"We're lucky they didn't spot us this time," she told him.

Leaf, Mewtwo, Red and Gary continued their stroll to the Pokémon Center.

"Well, Red," Gary pointed out, "I think we have seen the next contender of the most immature trainer out there."

Red ran his finger along Pikachu's cheek, letting the rodent nuzzle into his touch.

"Didn't we see them back in Viridian City?" Red asked.

"We had a run-in with them while you two were taking turns challenging Brock," Mewtwo spoke.

Gary's eyes widened while Red frowned.

"So…what happened exactly?" Gary pondered.

Leaf hugged her arms to her chest as they passed another block.

"Ellie thought it was funny to make fun of my Bulbasaur," she explained, "before she had Blake try to use me for his Growlithe's target practice."

"So you do know them!" Red gasped, "were they your bullies from back then?"

Leaf nodded sheepishly.

"Sheesh," Gary drawled.

Mewtwo lowered his head.

"I fear I may have revealed myself a little too much in an attempt to scare them off before removing us from the situation," Mewtwo sighed, "considering she was struggling to cope with that loud noise the other girl likes to use. Was she protected when she was around you two?"

"I don't think we know much about them," Red shrugged, "all we know is that she attended the school in Viridian with them before she moved to Pallet Town four years ago."

By then, they turned the corner and headed through the sliding doors into the Pokémon Center.

"Gimme a moment to heal up, ok?" Gary said.

All Leaf, Mewtwo and Red could do was wait while Gary approached the counter and deposited his Poké Ball onto the tray. A few minutes later, the professor's grandson returned while holding the Poké Ball nestling a fully healed Squirtle inside.

"So, you wanna do a last minute supply run before we go?" Gary grinned.

After a quick trip through the Poké Mart, Leaf, Mewtwo, Red and Gary set off into Route 3. Mewtwo was attempting to relax since he didn't have to worry about being in a human area, and would occasionally crouch to examine different types of flowers. Granted, Leaf squared off against a lass trainer where her Pidgey defeated the lass's Oddish rather easily before they continued further into the route.

So far, Leaf documented an Ekans and a Mankey into her Pokédex, though Gary meandered into the tall grass, ready to send out his Squirtle as soon as he spotted a wild Pokémon. Red also had the same idea, but he had a specific wild Pokémon in mind.

While the boys searched the patch of tall grass together, Leaf pulled out an extra water canteen she purchased from the mart and filled with water and held it out before Mewtwo.

"Hey," she called over, "are you thirsty?"

Mewtwo blinked before he gazed into the brunette's eyes.

"I was starting to feel that way," he admitted, "thank you."

Mewtwo levitated the canteen towards himself, taking a moment to examine the lid. Leaf pulled out her canteen and unscrewed its lid before she took a sip of water. The psionic feline imitated her gesture before he took a drink.

"There are some lovely flowers here," he spoke.

Leaf took a moment before laying her eyes on a few red flowers nearby.

"Maybe I should get you a book on flowers," Leaf smiled softly, "that way you can identify the different types out there."

Mewtwo blinked twice before he slowly nodded.

"I suppose a book would be nice."

Pushing some tall grass aside, Gary spotted a male Nidoran nibbling a berry on the ground.

"Nido?" the Nidoran perked his head up.

Gary grinned and sent out his Squirtle. The tiny turtle widened his battle stance and scratched at the ground.

"Squirt, Squirt, Squirt, Squirt, Squirt…"

The male Nidoran narrowed his eyes and shifted into a battle stance.

"Ok, Squirtle," Gary commanded, "let's get 'im with a Water Gun!"

Squirtle sprayed a quick blast of water which flipped the purple Nidoran onto his back. Gary took a hint and tossed a Poké Ball at it. Once the Poké Ball opened up and captured the stunned Pokémon, it dropped to the ground. The professor's grandson shook nervously as he watched the Poké Ball shaking rapidly. After it shook three times, its release button flashed a green color. Gary scooped up the Poké Ball and raised it high into the air.

"Yes!" Gary cheered, "another Pokémon joins the team!"

"Squirtle!" Squirtle happily jumped up and clapped his hand, "Squirtle!"

Red paused in his tracks to lock eyes onto his rival.

"I assume you mean your team, right?" he remarked.

Gary folded his arms while tilting his head.

"Then maybe you should quit dawdling and get a move on if you want to catch a Pokémon from this route," Gary teased.

Red narrowed his eyes in annoyance while he clenched his fist.

"And what makes you think I'm not searching the tall grass?!" he retorted.

Leaf watched Red and Gary with a blank expression as both boys lobbed obnoxious remarks at one another.

"There they go bickering again," she sighed as she closed her canteen.

Mewtwo took a moment to close the canteen in his hands, making a brief glance at Red and Gary before returning his gaze to Leaf.

"Are you hoping to find another Pokémon for your team?" he asked her.

Leaf tilted her head as she took the canteen out of Mewtwo's hand. She took out her Pokédex and took a moment to review her entries.

"I want to make sure I find one of a different type before I make up my mind," she admitted, swaying her torso side to side, "I guess I just like to diversify to cover type advantages."

"A reasonable tactic," Mewtwo agreed, observing the rustling blades of grass around them.

All the while, Pikachu was keeping vigilant when he spotted a Mankey swinging tree to tree until it perched on a branch, staring at Red's backpack with an intense stare. The electric mouse sniffed their air and twitched his ears while Mankey curled its tail. After a brief moment, Pikachu scampered towards the tree and perched his paws on the trunk.

"Pika! Pikapi!"

Red and Gary paused in their minor squabble and focused their eyes on Pikachu. The professor's grandson tilted his head in confusion while his rival approached the tree.

"Hey, Pikachu," Red called, "is something the matter?"

Taking a few more steps closer to the tree, Red didn't have enough time to look up when the Mankey pounced off the branch and grabbed hold of his backpack to break his fall. The boy let out a startled yelp as the weight of the assailing Pokémon yanked him backwards. His eyes widened as he struggled to regain balance. Pikachu spun around and tried to tackle Mankey off his trainer's backpack. The electric rodent may have rammed into the pig monkey and made it nearly loosen its grip, but not before Mankey undid the fastenings of Red's backpack.

"What the—?!" Red warbled.

Gary rushed over and grabbed his rival's hand before he could fall over, pulling him to his feet. Red glanced over his shoulder as Mankey pulled out his berry pouch and leapt off of him.

"Hey!" Red shouted, "you give that back!"

Mankey made a brief glance at Red only to blow a raspberry at him before it climbed up another tree, clutching onto its prize. Pikachu narrowed his eyes and sprinted after Mankey as electric sparks began generating around his cheeks.

"Pika…"

Leaf and Mewtwo rushed towards the boys, having noticed the commotion already. Mankey paused before it could open up the stolen berry pouch and frantically glanced around in search of a quick escape route.

"Chu!"

Pikachu launched a Thunder Shock which sent a painful jolt onto the Mankey, loosening its grip on the berry pouch before it fell out of the tree and crashed into the ground. Mewtwo and the three young trainers stared as the mischievous monkey Pokémon slowly staggered to its feet, angry eyes locking onto the electric rodent. Mewtwo's eyes glowed as he levitated the berry pouch off the ground and pulled it towards him. Red made a brief glance at the psionic feline as he held out the berry pouch.

"Thanks!" Red smiled.

Red took back his berry pouch and stashed it into his backpack just as Pikachu leapt out of the way before Mankey could land a Scratch on him.

"Now tackle!" Red ordered.

Pikachu charged after Mankey, but it leapt out of the way. Without warning, the electric mouse covered his head with his paws as the pig monkey battered him with a series of Fury Swipes. Less than a minute later, Mankey paused to take a breath. Pikachu used this chance as his tail glowed white and he slammed the Iron Tail onto the pig monkey hard. Now that the mischievous Pokémon was stunned, Red reached for a Poké Ball.

"Poké Ball," Red declared, "go!"

Red threw the Poké Ball at the downed Mankey, its body materializing into particles which allowed the Poké Ball to pull it inside before it fell to the ground. Leaf watched carefully as it shook slowly, gesturing her hands to count in sync. Three more shakes and the release button flashed green.

"Finally!" Red let out an exasperated sigh.

Red sauntered over to pick up the Poké Ball while his Pikachu licked his fur.

"Thanks, Pikachu," Red smiled, "maybe we can teach this guy some manners."

"Pikachu!" Pikachu agreed with a wink.

Leaf sighed in relief while Mewtwo relaxed his shoulders.

"Now," Mewtwo asked, "do you need the berries replaced?"

Red took a moment to check the contents in his berry pouch. He returned his gaze to Mewtwo and shrugged. All the while, Leaf spotted a nearby bush with ripe Oran berries, so she went to gather some which caught Gary's attention.

"I might want to grab some more myself, anyway," Gary said.

Mewtwo smiled softly as Red and Gary joined up with Leaf in gathering some Oran berries. Pikachu picked one off the bush and started nibbling on it. By the time they finished, they stashed their berry pouches back into their bags while returning to Mewtwo's side. Leaf reached for her Pokégear and opened up its map, taking some time to read the topography.

"So, how much longer before we get to Mount Moon?" Gary raised his eyebrow while he looked over Leaf's shoulder.

Leaf paused for a moment as she adjusted her hat with her free hand. Mewtwo shifted his gaze between the map and the area around them, trying to calculate the time and distance in his head.

"We kinda got a bit to go to reach the slope at the end of the route," Leaf stated, swaying her torso from side to side, "maybe even come across some more cute Pokémon along the way."

Chapter Text

Mewtwo followed close behind Leaf, Red and Gary while they climbed the slope leading into Mount Moon. By late afternoon, they could see the Pokémon Center a short walking distance ahead. Red sighed as he crouched to his knees.

"Finally!" he exclaimed, "my legs are reaching their limit already!"

Gary tsked at his rival while wagging his index finger.

"Now now," Gary chided, "you can still use those legs to get inside the Pokémon Center."

Red tilted his head up and gave Gary the stink-eye.

"Since when did you become the voice of reason, huh?" Red retorted.

Leaf took a moment to lean down and pull up her socks. She reached into her messenger bag and pulled out the Poké Ball before she brought out Cleffa. The baby fairy blinked twice as the young girl held out her arms. Cleffa jumped into Leaf's warm embrace as she rose to her full height.

"Hey, Cleffa," Leaf chirped softly, "we made it to Mount Moon! Do you see it?"

Leaf allowed Cleffa to turn around and gaze upon the mountain towering over them. The tiny star-shaped fairy's eyes lit up as she listened to some faint distinct sound coming from within the mountain.

"Cleffa!" Cleffa squeaked happily, "Cleff Cleffa!"

Leaf smiled at the sight of Cleffa's excited expression.

"I'm sure we'll find your relatives," Leaf told the baby Pokémon, "when we explore Mount Moon tomorrow."

Mewtwo raised his brows at the young Pokémon as he turned to listen for sounds within Mount Moon.

"I imagine they're somewhere within," he agreed.

Leaf gave Mewtwo a wink as they both strolled towards the Pokémon Center. Pikachu perked up his ears and tugged at Red's pants to grab his attention.

"Pika?" Pikachu reminded his trainer, "Pikapi?"

Red and Gary paused as they noticed Pikachu pointing at the Pokémon Center.

"Oh, right," Red blurted, "we should get going."

Red allowed Pikachu to hop onto his shoulder before he and Gary followed Leaf and Mewtwo through the sliding doors leading to the lobby. The psionic feline sat down at the couch and waited as the Pallet Town trio took turns placing their Pokémon on trays. One by one, Nurse Joy fed the trays through the healing station behind the counter.

"Thank you for waiting, we have fully restored your Pokémon to full health," Nurse Joy smiled, "now, would you like a room to stay for the night?"

Leaf was the first to take her Poké Balls out of their tray.

"Of course!" Red nodded, "is there one available to hold the four of us?"

"And all your Pokémon," she sorted one out and handed him the room key, "2B, available until 2 pm tomorrow."

"Thanks!" Red grinned before he went to retrieve his Pokémon.

Once Gary grabbed his Pokémon, the three young trainers made a beeline for the cafeteria. While Red and Gary bought meals for themselves, Leaf ordered tomato soup with a grilled ham and cheese sandwich for herself, along with a burger steak with a baked potato and two cups of lemonade. Shortly after making their payment, the Pallet Town trio sat down near Mewtwo and brought out their Pokémon.

"Ok," Red sang, "who's hungry?"

"Pika!" Pikachu happily waved his arms.

Red placed dishes of assorted foods for his Charmander, Pikachu, Mankey and Bellsprout. Leaf and Gary did the same for their own Pokémon before the young girl handed the plate of burger steak and baked potato to Mewtwo.

"Here you go," Leaf chirped.

Mewtwo gave Leaf a quizzical look while he took the plate out of Leaf's hands, peering at the food.

"What is this one?" he asked her.

"Hamburger steak and baked potato," Leaf explained, "you can add some butter to the insides."

Leaf pointed to the small dish of salted butter on the coffee table. Mewtwo levitated the butter knife, only to pause for a moment and scan his surroundings. He grasped the knife in his hands as soon as he stopped his telekinesis, trying to handle the utensil with his clumsy fingers.

"It does smell good," Mewtwo told her.

Leaf smiled as she watched Mewtwo shakily buttered the insides of his baked potato. While she sipped a spoonful of her soup, Pidgey perched on the coffee table to peck at her seeds. Once he finished buttering the potato, the psionic feline went to cut the burger steak into smaller bites with a fork. He blew on a bite of it to cool it down a little, and then popped it into his mouth and chewed on it. He seemed to savor the rich meaty flavor.

"And it's quite a pleasant taste," he added, "thank you."

Leaf smiled at him while Gary nibbled at his prawn tempura and his Squirtle happily munched on his specialty salad. Red ran a finger along Pikachu's head while sipping his soda pop.

After dinner, they all deposited their trays onto the table, and Red scooped them into his hands, making his way back to the cafeteria. After disposing of the trash, he returned the trays, plates, glasses and utensils to a counter before he began strolling back to the lobby. Along the way, he passed by a salesman with a white t-shirt and a white headband supervising a small fish tank who glanced over his shoulder.

"Psst," he whispered, "you have a moment, boy?"

Red paused in his tracks.

"Huh?" he blurted.

Mewtwo tried not to let his anxiety rise again as he looked around at the center.

"Question," he asked Leaf telepathically, "the nurse who gave us the key gave us a room for three…I notice most nurses don't seem to count me as an occupant. Do you suppose they think of me as one of your shyer, more exotic and rare Pokémon? I've resisted the urge to dig into brains since I started going along with you."

Leaf gave Mewtwo a confused look as she rocked side to side.

"I…I'm not sure, really," she stammered with a light shrug, "I guess so? Maybe?"

"As long as they believe I'm not some stranger tagging along for nefarious reasons," Mewtwo turned his head towards the cafeteria, "Red seems to be taking his time. Do you suppose there's a queue?"

After a brief moment, Red approached the salesman with caution.

"Evening, sir," Red greeted, casually waving his hand.

The salesman grinned as he placed his hand on a small tank with a Magikarp swimming in it.

"Why hello, lad," the salesman greeted, "have I got a deal just for you! I'll let you have a secret Pokémon…a Magikarp…for just 500 PokéYen!"

Red gave the salesman a puzzled look.

"A…Magikarp?" he paused, "is this some kind of joke?"

Pikachu tilted his head while Gary, Leaf and Mewtwo spotted Red from the lobby.

"Oh, come on, boy," the salesman insisted, "this is no ordinary Magikarp! This is a really special Magikarp that's like no other!"

Red folded his arms, giving the salesman a stern look.

"Define special," Red objected.

Mewtwo took a brief moment to peek into the salesman's mind, only to find no specific detail of his claim.

"Well," the salesman prattled on, "this Magikarp can learn more moves than usual, you see."

Red glanced over his shoulder for a brief moment, taking notice of the concern in Mewtwo's narrowed eyes. The salesman cleared his throat, catching the boy's attention.

"So, you'll buy it," the salesman persuaded, "am I right?"

Red held out his hand and shook his head.

"On second thought," Red declined, "I'll catch my own Magikarp. Good day."

Red made a beeline for the couch to meet up with Leaf, Mewtwo and Gary, leaving the salesman stumped.

"Oh, come on," the salesman muttered, "I'm only doing this as a favor to you…"

Once Red sat down, Pikachu immediately hopped onto his lap.

"Pika," Pikachu chirruped, "Pikapi?"

"Yeah," Red agreed, "someone's bound to catch on eventually."

Red ran his hand along Pikachu's head. All the while, Mewtwo raised his brow.

"That human confuses me," Mewtwo commented, "there are more honest ways to make money."

Gary sighed and slumped his shoulders.

"I dunno if that applies to everyone, though," he shrugged.

Leaf withdrew all her Pokémon and rose to her feet.

"Anyways," Leaf clamored, "you wanna go check out the room now?"

Shortly after Red and Gary withdrew their Pokémon, Leaf happily led the two boys and Mewtwo up the stairs and down the hallway to the door leading to their guest room. Red used the room key to unlock the door before they headed inside. Leaf took her hat off and placed it on the dresser before she peered through the door leading to the ofuro.

"I call dibs on the bath!" Leaf declared, raising an index finger in the air.

Red and Gary stared at Leaf dumbfounded while Mewtwo blinked at her curiously. Setting down her messenger bag and grabbing her pajamas, she stepped into the bathroom and shut the door, where she began showering and scrubbing off the sweat and grime in preparation to soak in the tub. With the boys having to wait, they brought out their Pokémon. Squirtle waddled up to a pillow and kneaded at it with his paws. Mankey glanced up and hopped towards the curtains, only to curl its tail around the curtain rod while perching on top. Pikachu drooped his ears and folded his arms with an annoyed expression on his face.

"Pika…"

Mewtwo tilted his head as he hung up his cloak.

"Would you like to be up there?" Mewtwo offered.

"Pika," Pikachu shook his head.

The electric mouse jumped up onto the bed Red was sitting on and curled up on a pillow. His trainer removed his cap and set it on a nearby nightstand while Gary arranged his shoes near the door. Mewtwo surveyed his surroundings in search of a bookshelf. Raising his brow, the psionic feline levitated a book with the title "Clash of the Weather Trio" into his hands. He sat against the wall and started reading it. The professor's grandson smiled as he saw his Weedle perching atop Nidoran. Bellsprout hopped onto the nightstand and relished in the light radiating from the lamp.

The tranquil moment continued on until Leaf emerged from the bathroom in her pajamas and carrying her day clothes, brushing a few damp locks from her eyes.

"Ok," she announced, "I'm done!"

"Finally!" Gary sighed in relief.

Gary stood up from his bed and lifted his shirt up when he noticed his Weedle started glowing, catching everyone's attention.

"Oh?!" Red warbled.

Pikachu twitched his ears.

"Pika?"

Charmander and Squirtle exchanged curious glances.

"Intriguing," Mewtwo mused.

A few seconds passed before the light faded away, revealing a yellow cocoon with black triangular eyes. Leaf set aside her day clothes while Red reached for his Pokédex.

{Kakuna, the Cocoon Pokémon. It is almost incapable of moving and it hides from predators under leaves and in nooks of branches while it awaits its next evolution. This is evident from the heat it emits when touching it. When endangered, it may stick out its stinger and poison its enemy.}

"Man," Gary commented with a grin, "bugs like these sure evolve fast, don't they?"

"You could say that again," Red tilted his head.

Leaf pulled the Poké Balls from her bag, sending out Pidgey, Bulbasaur and Cleffa. The brunette carried the grassy amphibian over to her bed while Pidgey flew up to the top of the curtain rod, perching next to Mankey.

"Welp," Gary proclaimed, "time for me to get changed!"

Gary grabbed his pajamas from his bag before stepping into the bathroom and closing the door behind him. Leaf and Mewtwo shared a brief glance.

"Would you recommend I try this bath?" he asked her, "or is it a human activity?"

Red gave Mewtwo a puzzled look.

"You never bathed before?" he paused.

Mewtwo shook his head.

"Not to worry," Red offered, "I'll show you how to use a bath once Gary gets out."

"Thank you," Mewtwo smiled.

All the while, Cleffa waddled towards the window and jumped up, perching on the windowsill while she gazed at the grandeur that was Mount Moon looming over the center. The tiny baby fairy's eyes twinkled with awe as she continued to sense the wonderful energy emitting from the mountain…almost like she was yearning to meet the rest of her kin soon. Mewtwo couldn't help but smile upon seeing Cleffa's excited expression.

"Soon," he agreed.

Several minutes later, Gary emerged from the bathroom in his pajamas.

"Ok, Red," Gary announced, "your turn!"

Red gave Pikachu a pat on the head before he stood from the bed.

"Mewtwo," Red called, "you ready?"

Upon cue, Mewtwo placed the book on the dresser.

"I am," he nodded.

Red led Mewtwo into the bathroom, where the boy showed the psionic feline the shower, tub and the soaps on the rack along the wall.

"Basically," Red elaborated, "you first get yourself wet with this shower head. Then you scrub your body with the soap here, and you rinse off. And when you're done with all that, you soak in the tub to relax for a while. You with me so far?"

"Which one are you using?" Mewtwo replied.

Red reached for a bar of soap and pointed to a bottle of shampoo.

"You don't seem to have any fur," Red mentioned, "so I recommend a bar of soap for you."

Red handed Mewtwo the bar of soap before he checked the tub, taking care to fill it up with some hot water with the turn of the faucet.

"Make sure not to get any soap in the eyes, ok?" Red advised.

"Should be easy enough," Mewtwo carefully rubbed the soap over himself.

While Mewtwo grabbed the shower head, Red carefully stepped out of the bathroom. He took a couple of minutes to enjoy the feel of the warm water, carefully waving his tail in glee. When he was clean and made sure his feet especially were washed off, he curled up in the bath, resting his head on his arms on the side.

"I can see why you called dibs, Leaf," Mewtwo mused to himself, his chest rumbling with deep purrs, "this is enjoyable."

Chapter Text

The following morning, Red returned the room key before he, Leaf, Gary and Mewtwo left the Pokémon Center, making their way east towards the entrance leading to Mount Moon. Out of the corner of his eye, Mewtwo spotted a Meowth taking a nap on top of the stony entrance. He narrowed his eyes at the Meowth and listened to the inside of the cave, hating the silence that obviously came as the aftermath of fear and chaos.

"Pika?" Pikachu called out to Mewtwo.

Mewtwo snapped out of his thoughts and tilted his head towards Pikachu. Red glanced down at Pikachu as well.

"Yeah, buddy?" Red said.

Mewtwo blinked and moved first into the cave, wanting to survey the immediate surroundings for danger before they could continue. Leaf stepped inside next followed by Red and Gary. The surroundings sounded quiet even with Zubats hugging the ceiling of the cave, yet Leaf spotted a Geodude out of the corner of her eye. She took out her Pokédex and held it above the rocky Pokémon.

{Geodude, the Rock Pokémon. They're commonly found in mountains and caves. They tend to sleep by burying themselves halfway into the ground, making them indistinguishable to other boulders. People have frequently reported tripping over them.}

Leaf kept her eyes locked onto the sleeping Geodude as she tucked away her Pokédex.

"Ok," Leaf chirped, "have a nice nap, buddy!"

Continuing her stroll in the cave, Leaf slipped past the Geodude without disturbing it. Mewtwo noticed Leaf's behavior and was careful not to disturb any of the Zubats with his height. Red smiled at her comment and shook his head slightly. He also slipped past without disturbing it. The last thing they needed was a cave-in caused by a grumpy rock Pokémon.

As they meandered through the cave, they kept an eye out for any Clefairys and Clefables. To their dismay, they didn't have such luck. Leaf, Red and Gary would pass by an occasional ladder. The female trainer often climbed down such ladders only to return with items she found in the chambers.

"I swear," Gary commented as Leaf handed him a Paralyze Heal she found, "these travelers can be negligent with their stuff sometimes!"

Leaf didn't reply as she handed Red another Potion.

"Did you find anything besides these?" Red asked her.

Leaf sighed as she lowered her head.

"I still have yet to find a Clefairy," she shrugged.

Mewtwo scanned their surroundings, wanting to keep himself from disturbing anything.

"I'm picking up a general aura from them," he pointed out, "but nothing concrete."

Leaf's face lit up.

"How much farther?" she clamored, fluttering her hands with anticipation.

"I'm not sure," Mewtwo closed his eyes, "they seem to be scattered and moving a lot. I believe something has them scared."

Once Red finished counting the Potions, he handed one back to Leaf, allowing her to stash it into her messenger bag. As they continued their journey, Red battled a bug catcher while Leaf faced a trainer battle with a lass who had an Oddish and a Bellsprout. Gary and Mewtwo kept a vigilant eye out in case a Clefairy might be nearby. While Leaf took the time to administer a Potion to her Pidgey after her battle, the professor's grandson stood next to the cloaked figure. The psionic feline wondered whether he might recognize him from any stories his grandfather might have told him, given Oak's participation in his creation. Gary crouched down and brushed his hand along the ground, pulling out a Moon Stone.

"Lucky find," Gary winked, "even if we still hadn't found any Clefairys."

"At least one must be nearby," Mewtwo replied.

Leaf closed her messenger bag and recalled her Pidgey before she sent out Bulbasaur.

"Ok, Bulbasaur," Leaf chirped, "you up for a walk?"

"Bulba!" Bulbasaur grinned.

Red and Gary took the hint to send out their Charmander and Squirtle. The three starters and Pikachu darted for the next ladder, the electric mouse sniffing at the hole in the ground. Pikachu perked up his ears and glanced over his shoulder.

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu chirped, his paw giving the thumbs up.

"I believe it's safe to continue," Mewtwo nodded, "after you all."

Red climbed down the ladder first, followed by Leaf, then Gary, and then Mewtwo floated down. They ventured a little farther until they stopped to take a break. Leaf handed the extra water canteen to Mewtwo while Red and Gary set down water bowls, filling them with water for Pikachu, Charmander, Bellsprout, Mankey, Kakuna and Nidoran to quench their thirst. Leaf brought out her own bowl to set down and fill it with water. She brought out Pidgey and Cleffa, who joined Bulbasaur as they went to drink. He scanned around, bringing out the canteen from one of the cape folds and taking a drink too. Leaf sat on a boulder as she took a sip from her canteen, tilting her head upwards and gazing at the sleeping Zubats.

They all relaxed in the seemingly quiet environment, save for the water dripping from the stalactites at intervals as Mewtwo continued to focus on his superior psionic senses. For a brief moment, Leaf glanced over her shoulder, only to wince as she noticed a strange man wearing a black cap staring at her. She hugged one arm to her chest and reached for Mewtwo's cloak. But by the time the psionic feline gazed at her, the stalker quickly vanished into the shadows.

"Uhh, Mewtwo?" Leaf stammered.

"What is it? Show me," Mewtwo glanced around for a brief moment, "if you'll allow me to read your memory."

Leaf nodded without hesitation and lowered her head, trying to relax her mind a little. Mewtwo studied her memory and tensed when he saw the figure.

"We may need to leave," Mewtwo declared.

Red and Gary turned their gaze towards Mewtwo with baffled expressions in their eyes.

"Uhh," Red paused, "what are you talking about?"

Gary scratched his head.

"Back to the Pokémon Center?" Gary protested, "seriously?"

By then, their Pokémon had finished drinking up their water, so Leaf withdrew Pidgey and Cleffa before scooping Bulbasaur into her arms.

"They're here," Mewtwo warned, hovering closer to Leaf, "want me close?"

Leaf nodded sheepishly as she clung herself to Mewtwo.

"They?" Red paused, "you mean…Team Rocket?"

Gary felt a chill down his spine as he recalled Kakuna and Nidoran.

"What could those guys be up to, anyway?" Gary grumbled.

Pikachu stood on his hind legs while he lowered his ears.

"Pika…"

Mewtwo wrapped his tail around Leaf.

"I'd rather not find out," Mewtwo answered, "is everyone present?"

Red and Gary nodded.

"We still have to get to Cerulean City, right?" Red reminded, "maybe if we just keep an eye out and sneak past Team Rocket, they wouldn't bother us."

"And if they do insist on bothering us," Gary added, giving a thumbs up, "we just fight back!"

Mewtwo placed his hand on her head.

"Do you want to go forward?" he asked her.

Normally, Leaf wouldn't want to make eye contact with humans. But as she knew Mewtwo was technically a Pokémon, she tilted her head up and gazed into his eyes.

"I-I know I'm scared," Leaf admitted, "but I want to keep going. Besides, I could be safe if I stay close to you, right?"

Mewtwo raised his brows as Leaf smiled softly at him. After a moment, he gave a small nod.

"As you wish," he told her, "you may hold my tail if it helps. My hands need to be free."

Mewtwo returned his gaze to Red and Gary.

"Now who's leading?" Mewtwo asked.

Red placed his hand behind his neck while Gary scratched his head.

"You can sense danger better than we can," Gary suggested, "so, you lead the way."

Leaf, Gary and Red followed Mewtwo as they ventured deeper into the caves of Mount Moon. Mewtwo took extra caution, taking the lead and listening ahead. He would perk up every time he heard voices, especially human ones, but they always seemed several steps ahead. Red's Pikachu seemed to have the same idea as Mewtwo and took up the rear to make sure no one unsavory followed them. Along the way, Red sidestepped a Paras and Leaf found a Star Piece on the ground while bypassing a crater.

Out of the corner of his eye, Mewtwo spotted a woman with long red hair and a man with short light purple hair as they dug into the terrain in search of…something. He narrowed his eyes when he recognized their Team Rocket uniforms, but they're colored white instead of the usual black. A Meowth sat down behind them and sorted through a pile of rocks, tossing them aside one by one. He was surprised they hadn't noticed them. Red followed Mewtwo's gaze and rose to his feet before he stepped over to the trio. Pikachu followed close behind and shifted into a battle stance, narrowing his eyes at Meowth.

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu barked.

Meowth snapped out of his thoughts and glared at Pikachu.

"Go away!" Meowth snapped, "we're busy here!"

Red and Pikachu shuddered when they heard the Meowth talk. Strange how that catlike Pokémon didn't use telepathy at all.

"What are you guys doing here?" Red demanded.

That was when the Team Rocket duo froze in their tracks and glanced over their shoulders.

"Don't have anything better to do than interrupt people like that, you twerp?!" the purple-haired man snapped.

"Go play somewhere else, kids!" the redhead chided, glancing them over and staring at Mewtwo for a moment.

Pikachu's cheeks sparked.

"Pika Pika Pika!" Pikachu pestered.

Just then, Gary and Leaf recalled their Pokémon before they followed Mewtwo, approaching Red from close behind. Leaf kept her breathing steady and fluttered her hand to ease her tension while she glared at the duo, not bothering to look into their eyes.

"I bet you guys aren't the only members of Team Rocket here," Gary pointed out, "so where are the others?!"

The redhead gritted her teeth before she and her partner rose to her feet.

"Oh, so that's how you're going to play?" she growled.

The duo turned on their feet and stared down the three trainers.

"Prepare for trouble!" the redhead started.

"And make it double!" the purple-haired man added.

"To protect the world from devastation," the redhead continued.

"To unite all peoples within our nation!" the purple-haired man raised his fist in front of him.

"To denounce the evils of truth and love," the redhead emphasized.

"To extend our reach to the stars above!" the purple-haired man added.

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket, blasting off at the speed of light!" Jessie announced.

"Surrender now," James warned, "or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth," the Meowth chirped, "that's right!"

Gary and Red shifted their bodies into a battle position while Mewtwo clenched his fists.

"Whatever, just answer us," Red raised an eyebrow, "did something happen to the Clefairys?"

Mewtwo resisted the urge to pin them against the wall and narrowed his eyes, trying to see what they knew just by making eye contact with them. James folded his arms.

"For your information, twerp," James answered, "we're not involved in that operation!"

"Yeah!" Meowth added, "the boss assigned us to just find rare fossils for him!"

"Fossils? Here?" Mewtwo nodded slightly, "they're telling the truth. How strange. Why have underlings here in such a hostile environment? Distraction?"

Jessie, James and Meowth shuddered upon hearing the eerie telepathic voice and scanned their surroundings. Mewtwo blinked and stared them down.

"Leave before you become the next victim," Mewtwo threatened.

Jessie glanced towards the group.

"Who's doing that?!" Jessie insisted.

Leaf made a brief glance at Mewtwo while she held Bulbasaur close to her chest. Jessie followed Leaf's gaze and stared at Mewtwo who made his eyes glow at her, sending Meowth's pile of rocks shattering against the wall. Meowth screamed and clambered up James' leg.

"What is that thing?!" James exclaimed, eyes widening in shock.

"Who cares?!" Meowth cried, "let's blast on outta here!"

Jessie grabbed her partner's arm and darted around the group with them. Mewtwo huffed and looked to the rest of the rocks.

"Can we move on through here?" Red insisted.

Leaf nodded as Red and Gary sighed in relief.

"Yeah," Gary answered, "that was a close one."

Mewtwo noticed Leaf lowered her head.

"Didn't they mention something about an operation?" Leaf stammered.

Red and Gary stared in disbelief before they exchanged glances.

"They did," Mewtwo nodded, "any theories before we move on?"

Leaf took a moment to adjust her hat and pull up her socks.

"Whatever it is," Leaf replied, "I hope the Clefairys are ok."

From there, Mewtwo led Leaf, Red and Gary farther into the cave and descended another ladder leading to a lower floor. That was when they noticed a nearby hiker conversing with a brown-haired scientist with glasses and a Pokémon Ranger. He tensed briefly at the coat but relaxed a little on seeing a lack of Rocket logo.

"He's safe," Mewtwo told the kids.

Leaf nodded in agreement, but she couldn't help but listen in on the conversation.

"All right, Dr. Seymour," the Pokémon Ranger instructed, "I need you to take deep breaths and we'll walk you through the details of what happened, ok?"

When the hiker gave Seymour a pat on the shoulder, the scientist inhaled slowly and let out a sharp exhale.

"I was on the search for Moon Stones when a startled Geodude woke up the Zubats," Seymour began to explain, "I held onto my notes as best as I could when I made a run for it. The next thing I knew, I ran into those three Grunts. Their Koffing unleashed a Smokescreen long enough to swipe my notes under my nose and make a run for it."

Leaf blinked twice as she took a step closer to the conversing trio, catching Red's attention.

"Uhh, Leaf?" Red paused.

Pikachu tilted his head up and noticed unusual light bulbs on the cavern walls…almost as if they were installed quickly without efficient reinforcement. Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle noticed the Paras in the cavern chamber plucking their mushrooms off their backs and planting them in the ground.

"We're in the middle of pinpointing the base of operations as we speak," the Pokémon Ranger assured Seymour, "they won't be evading us for long."

Seymour smiled softly at the Pokémon Ranger and the hiker.

"Thank you," he said, "the sooner we can save those poor Clefairys, the better."

Out of the corner of her eye, Leaf spotted several Sandshrews splaying on their bellies, panting in exhaustion.

"Oh no," Leaf stammered.

Leaf scampered towards the Sandshrews and knelt beside one of them.

"Hey," Leaf cooed, "are you ok, little guys?"

"Sand," the Sandshrew cried weakly.

Mewtwo hovered towards Leaf, holding out the canteen.

"Do they need water?" Mewtwo asked her.

Sandshrew lifted his gaze and shook his head. Leaf removed her hat and swiped it back and forth, creating cool air that breezed in the shrew-like Pokémon's direction. It was that moment when Seymour, the hiker and the Pokémon Ranger paused in their conversation and focused their gaze on the three young trainers and the psionic feline.

"Excuse me," the Pokémon Ranger called out, "but what are you kids doing out here?"

Red and Gary shuddered as they returned their gaze.

"Uhh, we were just passing through," Red placed his hand behind his head.

Mewtwo used his tail to flap his cloak at the other Sandshrews while switching gazes between Red and the Pokémon Ranger. The psionic feline used his hood to shield his face from the light.

"Right now," the Pokémon Ranger told them, "we are dealing with an emergency here. Not only have these lights here been interrupting the way of life of these nocturnal Pokémon, but Clefairys have been disappearing since yesterday. We suspect Team Rocket is at hand."

Gary sighed as he shrugged.

"That's just great," Gary remarked, "you guys want our help?"

Leaf stammered incoherently as the nearest Sandshrew stood back up and stretched his arms.

"I don't think so," the Pokémon Ranger declined, "this is not a matter for you kids to get involved in."

Sandshrew perched his paws on Leaf's knees and blinked happily.

"Sand!"

"Oh!" Leaf chirped, "you're welcome, buddy."

Leaf rose to her full height while Pikachu sniffed at the cords connecting the unnatural lights.

"That's fine," Red told the Pokémon Ranger, "is there a shortcut to Route 4?"

The hiker nodded and approached the boy.

"Of course, boy!" the hiker answered, "first, you gotta traverse through the tunnel to your left. Next, you climb up the ladder in the middle. Then, you traverse the small chamber and climb down another ladder. And finally, you take the tunnel to your right and the exit is a short walking distance from there. Think you can remember the way?"

Just as Mewtwo successfully fanned the Sandshrews in the room, he noticed one of them gripped Leaf's leg.

"It looks like you got a new friend," Mewtwo informed Leaf.

Leaf glanced down and smiled at Sandshrew, before she scooped him into her arms.

"O-Ok," Leaf proclaimed, "we'll be on our way, then."

The Pokémon Ranger nodded in approval.

"Stay safe out there."

Chapter Text

With the advice from the hiker, they were able to find a ladder leading to another lower floor. Shortly after Gary reached the bottom of the ladder, Pikachu scampered ahead and scanned his surroundings. It wasn't long before his ears twitched.

"Pika!" Pikachu called over.

Red sprinted over to Pikachu and knelt to his eye level.

"Pikachu," Red asked, "did you find anything?"

"Chu!" Pikachu pointed ahead.

Mewtwo scanned ahead as he peered around the corner.

"They're all culminating near here," Mewtwo told the kids, "it's as if the Rockets are strategically cornering them."

Red straightened his spine upon hearing this revelation.

"Should we alert the Pokémon Ranger?" Red asked, "with reinforcements, they can put a stop to whatever they're doing."

Gary groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head.

"Red, we are not backtracking!" Gary chided, "the exit is not too far from here, remember?"

Before Red could say anything, Leaf noticed her messenger bag shaking until one of her Poké Balls opened up and Cleffa popped out.

"Cleffa?" Leaf warbled, "Cleffa, what are you doing?"

Cleffa gave her trainer a worried expression.

"Cleffa! Clef Cleffa!" Cleffa insisted.

Leaf's eyes widened when she noticed Cleffa pointed around the corner.

"No, Cleffa, we can't!" Leaf protested, "it's too dangerous! They'll do really bad things to you if you get caught!"

Cleffa stiffened for a moment before she put on a brave expression and darted around the corner, much to Leaf's disbelief.

"Cleffa!" Leaf shouted.

With dread seeping through her veins, Leaf frantically sprinted after Cleffa. Not surprisingly, Mewtwo flew after them, trying to grab the two of them in his telekinesis.

"No, little one," Mewtwo warned Cleffa.

By the time Leaf scooped Cleffa into her arms, she stared in disbelief as she stood at a cliff overlooking a large cavern chamber with a hole in the ceiling, sunlight illuminating a massive Moon Stone in the center. She softly gasped in horror as Team Rocket Grunts were corralling Cleffas, Clefairys and Clefables into large sturdy cages. Other grunts were patrolling the cages while a man with short turquoise hair observed the giant Moon Stone.

"N-No way," Leaf whimpered.

Mewtwo stood next to Leaf and held her from the edge with his tail.

"Go back to the others," Mewtwo advised, "I'll meet you in Cerulean."

"Be careful," Leaf nodded.

Leaf turned for the tunnel entrance, only to pause when she spotted a Golbat blocking the path.

"Hey, you!" Leaf snapped, furrowing her eyebrows, "out of the way!"

Golbat didn't listen as it flapped its wings with all of its strength, sending a powerful gust of wind which pushed Leaf off the ground, sending her over the edge of the cliff as she let out a panicked yelp. Time seemed to slow for Mewtwo in his moment of panic as he watched her fall towards the Rockets, and dove after them with telekinesis blaring in her direction, knowing he would be seen but her safety was more important. Much to his relief, Leaf landed safely on the ground with Cleffa still in her arms, even if she landed on her behind. Her eyes widened and tears welled up as several Team Rocket grunts focused their eyes on her. A few more, however, turned their gaze to Mewtwo. The psionic feline landed in front of the girl while he glared at them.

"Are you hurt?" Mewtwo asked Leaf.

Leaf spotted her hat nearby, so she grabbed it and put it back on. She reached out her hand, allowing Mewtwo to pull her to her feet. A grunt sweated nervously as he turned his head towards the Rocket executive.

"Archer," the grunt whispered, "orders?"

Archer curtly flicked his hand as he took a few steps away from the massive Moon Stone.

"We've been looking all over for you, Mewtwo," Archer said, "it's such a shame we didn't prepare any traps for you."

Archer then locked eyes onto Leaf.

"But your friend will have to give up that Cleffa if she values her life," he continued.

Leaf gritted her teeth and held Cleffa much closer to her chest.

"You can't have her!" she barked.

Mewtwo extended his hand towards Archer.

"You won't touch either of them," Mewtwo threatened, "if you value your lives, release the fairies."

Archer scoffed and shook his head.

"I cannot do that, Mewtwo," he objected, "now come quietly before I make things worse for you."

Without warning, Archer sent out a Houndoom. Leaf and Mewtwo flinched as the canine growled at both of them. The psionic feline held out his tail protectively. The brunette winced as grunt after grunt sent out their Rattatas, Grimers, Koffings, Zubats and Ekans. Still, she steeled herself as she sent out her Sandshrew.

"Sand?" Sandshrew perked his head up.

"You, ready to do some damage control, little guy?" Leaf stammered.

Sandshrew nodded with fierce determination in his eyes.

"Sand!"

One of the grunts beckoned his Zubat to close in on Leaf, who took a moment to check her Pokédex and study her Sandshrew's moves.

"Zubat, Supersonic!"

"Dodge," Leaf countered, "and Sand Attack!"

Leaf flinched as the Zubat emitted a blast of sound waves. Sandshrew thought fast and leapt out of the blast before it kicked into the ground, spraying sand onto Zubat's eyes and eliciting a screech out of it. Meanwhile, Mewtwo avoided Houndoom's Fire Fang before he countered with a Brick Break. The psionic feline gave Leaf a quick reassuring glance before returning his gaze to the Houndoom. He'd held up a herd of Tauros before, dealing with everyone here would be a piece of cake, suit or not.

"Leech Life!" the grunt ordered.

"Rollout!" Leaf commanded.

Sandshrew curled up into a ball and charged along the ground until it leapt up and rammed into the Zubat before it could even shake off the sand. All the while, Archer extended his arms.

"Enough games," Archer directed, "Foul Play."

Just as the grunt confronted Leaf recalled his fainted Zubat and sent out an Ekans in his place, Leaf stared in horror as Houndoom emitted a dark aura and barreled after Mewtwo. When the dark canine rammed into the psionic feline, he felt his assailant using his physical strength against him. He let out a groaned pain as he then collided into the cavern wall.

"Mewtwo!" Leaf panicked.

Mewtwo tried not to strain as he tried to stand back up quickly. Yet, that move had taken a chunk of his energy as Archer smirked.

"Show no mercy, Houndoom," Archer commanded, "Crunch!"

Cleffa, who had been whimpering in Leaf's arms, saw the stunt Houndoom pulled and didn't hesitate to wiggle out of her trainer's arms.

"Cleffa?" Leaf warbled.

Cleffa landed gracefully on the ground and focusing quickly, she unleashed a Disarming Voice that knocked Houndoom off balance briefly before it could close in on the psionic feline. The dark canine snarled as it turned its gaze towards Cleffa. With Houndoom distracted, Mewtwo took a moment to focus his energy to envelope himself in healing energy emitted by a Recover.

"Cleffa!" Cleffa shouted, "Clef Cleffa!"

Archer widened his eyes at the sudden attack from Cleffa before he narrowed his eyes at her.

"Thank you," Mewtwo told Leaf.

The psionic feline regained his balance and readied his Focus Blast. Houndoom frantically switched its gaze between Cleffa and Mewtwo, unsure who to attack. Once Mewtwo unleashed his Focus Blast, Cleffa launched another Disarming Voice. Archer gritted his teeth as both attacks pummeled Houndoom hard, causing the dark canine to collapse. Leaf returned her focus to her challenger as the Rocket executive recalled Houndoom.

"Sandshrew," Leaf directed, "Swift!"

"Poison Fang!"

Sandshrew avoided Ekans' poison charged fangs before he launched star-shaped projectiles with his tail. The poison snake Pokémon hissed as the projectiles pelted it without missing. Mewtwo hovered towards Cleffa, keeping his eyes narrowed at the grunts.

"Well done, little one," Mewtwo praised.

"Cleffa!" Cleffa chirped as she waved her arms.

Cleffa suddenly stiffened when she noticed the Golbat flew off the ledge and began diving down towards her. Before it could open its fangs wide, a bolt from a Thunder Shock struck it and stopped it in its tracks as electric particles enveloped it. Leaf and Mewtwo looked up again, only to see Red and Pikachu standing at the ledge.

"Hey!" Red called, waving his hand at the brunette and the psionic feline, "you guys ok?"

Leaf gasped in awe as her challenger recalled his fainted Ekans.

"Red!" she exclaimed.

"Some assistance would be appreciated," Mewtwo answered.

Red nodded as he and Pikachu jumped off the ledge and slid down the slope.

"Gary should be here with backup soon," Red told them, "until then…"

Red sent out his Charmander while Leaf sent out Pidgey and Bulbasaur. The young boy locked eyes onto Archer.

"There's more of you?!" Archer snarled.

Red widened his stance and pointed at Archer.

"You're so going to regret messing with the Clefairys soon!" Red proclaimed.

"Char!"

"Pika!"

Just then, two Team Rocket grunts approached the young trainers and sent out their Rattata and Koffing while Archer sent out a Wheezing. Cleffa widened her stance while Pikachu scratched at the ground.

"Cleffa, use Pound!" Leaf commanded.

Leaf watched as Cleffa leapt forth and slammed her paw onto Rattata hard. She heard coughing from Pikachu and tilting her head, she noticed Red's expression of disbelief as Pikachu shook his head while coughing after he got hit with a Koffing's blast of smog. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed as Mewtwo took down a Wheezing with his Psychic before he swept his cloak at the smog, fanning it back at the Team Rocket grunts. Leaf relaxed her shoulders a little as the affected grunts began backing away, so she returned her gaze to Cleffa, with Mewtwo turning his attention to the other Pokémon the grunts had already sent out.

"Pikachu, are you ok?" Red called.

Pikachu rubbed his face and glanced back at his trainer.

"Pika!"

"Let's counter with a Thunder Shock!"

Pikachu eagerly rubbed his cheeks until they began sparking electricity.

"Pika…"

"Koffing," the grunt ordered, "Poison Gas!"

"Chu!" Pikachu cried out.

Pikachu unleashed a Thunder Shock which enveloped the opposing Koffing. Meanwhile, Leaf grimaced as the Ratatta charged at Cleffa and bit her arm hard, eliciting a pained cry out of her.

"Come on, Cleffa," she pleaded, "shake it off quick!"

Cleffa regained enough coherent thought to smack the Ratatta with her other hand, causing the purple rodent to withdraw.

"Now use Disarming Voice!"

Cleffa unleashed a Disarming Voice which made the finishing blow on the opposing Rattata. While Mewtwo observed the battles, Bulbasaur, Pidgey and Charmander approached the psionic feline.

"Saur," Bulbasaur called, pointing the tip of her vine at the cages, "Bulbasaur?"

Mewtwo nodded at the Pokémon gazing upon him.

"We can all make short work of setting them free," Mewtwo agreed, "let's go."

Red and his Pikachu turned his focus to the next Team Rocket grunt while Leaf sent out her Sandshrew to give Cleffa a chance to catch her breath. This gave Mewtwo a chance to lead Charmander, Pidgey and Bulbasaur as close to the cages as they could. The trapped lunar fairy Pokémon noticed the approaching psionic feline and began calling out to them. Mewtwo held out a hand which caused them to quiet down before he studied the faces inside.

"Is anyone injured?"

One of the Clefairys lowered its head and sniffled, its voice hinting at fear. Mewtwo nodded before his eyes began glowing, using his Psychic to bend the cage bars wide enough for the captive Pokémon to escape. Charmander approached another cage and used Ember to heat up the lock while Bulbasaur and Pidgey teamed up to open yet another cage. He glanced at the battles once the cage was open enough, waving them out with his tail. The Clefairys inside filed out of the cage without hesitation.

Just as Leaf knocked out a Zubat with help from her Sandshrew's Rollout, she spotted another Team Rocket grunt sneaking up on Cleffa. The instant she scooped Cleffa into her arms, the grunt snarled before he began charging at her. She let out a panicked yelp as the grunt tackled her to the ground and kept a firm grip on her arms.

"Let go!" Leaf shouted.

"Just hand over the Cleffa or things will turn nasty for you," the grunt threatened.

"No!" she shook her head.

The grunt narrowed his eyes at her as he tried prying her arms apart. Mewtwo heard the girl's cry and turned back. He waved his arm, trying to reel his anger back in.

"Leave her!" Mewtwo warned the grunt.

The Team Rocket grunt made a brief glance at Mewtwo but then he went back to pulling Leaf's arms apart, her Cleffa trembling in fear. Mewtwo narrowed as his eyes began glowing again. The Team Rocket grunt let out a startled yelp as a Psychic aura enveloped him and levitated him midair. With a flick of his arm, the psionic feline threw the grunt at Archer, the colliding impact sending them tumbling down the platform holding the massive Moon Stone. Mewtwo flew over to Leaf, crouching down at her side and shielding her behind his cloak.

"Are you two hurt?" Mewtwo asked.

Leaf could feel her heart pounding rapidly and her breath quickening as she stared into Mewtwo's eyes.

"I…I was scared," Leaf stammered.

Leaf slowly sat up while Cleffa nestled closer to her chest. Mewtwo carefully examined her for any signs of blood before glancing at where the Rocket executive landed. Archer slowly staggered to his feet, eyes narrowed at Mewtwo as blood trickled from the side of his face. All the while, Red ducked behind a boulder while he pulled out a Potion to administer to his Pikachu.

"It's ok, buddy," Red assured, "you're doing pretty great out there."

"Pikapi," Pikachu squeaked softly.

The remaining Team Rocket grunts noticed as Charmander broke the lock to one of the cages.

"Hey!" one of the Grunts shouted, "our prizes are escaping!"

Bulbasaur and Pidgey paused before they scurried to form a protective stance in front of Charmander. Before Archer could even give an order, he spotted a Squirtle leaping off the ledge and withdrawing into his shell. The tiny turtle spun and bounced around as he knocked over some grunts one by one. Leaf, Mewtwo and Red tilted their heads up just in time to see Gary standing on the ledge.

"Just in the nick of time," Gary grinned with a wink, "don't you think?"

Archer's eyes widened in shock as a few seconds later, several Pokémon Rangers stormed into the chamber, sending out their Pokémon to battle the remaining grunts. Mewtwo slumped his shoulders in relief as he pulled his hood back up.

"Help has arrived," Mewtwo told Leaf, "do you need anything?"

Leaf stood back up before she met up with Red and Gary. They and Mewtwo proceeded to open up the cages while Archer made a reluctant retreat. While some grunts followed suit, the others couldn't make their escape as the Pokémon Rangers apprehended them. By the time the chaos died down, the lead Pokémon Ranger noticed as the cloaked psionic feline and the three young trainers opened up the last cage, freeing the Cleffas inside.

"Is that all of them?" Mewtwo asked as he healed the Cleffas with a discrete Recover.

Leaf nodded. Red and Gary shifted their gaze towards the lead Pokémon Ranger who waved his arm at them.

"Excuse me," the Pokémon Ranger called over, "do you kids have a moment?"

Leaf shuddered as she brushed the dust off her hat before putting it back on. Red and Gary exchanged brief glances before they and the young girl approached the lead Pokémon Ranger.

"I should thank you for letting me know where Team Rocket was running their operations," the Pokémon Ranger praised Gary, "we'll get to work taking down the lights in no time."

Gary nodded as he folded his arms.

"Anytime, sir," Gary winked.

Mewtwo kept his head bowed while the other Pokémon Rangers noticed all of the cages were opened.

"Now," the lead Pokémon Ranger continued, "what brought you three to get involved directly and meddle in Team Rocket's affairs?"

Leaf nervously fluttered her hands, focusing her eyes on the lead Pokémon Ranger's hat instead of his eyes.

"It wasn't my idea," she admitted.

Leaf turned her gaze towards her Cleffa, watching as the other Cleffas, Clefairys and Clefables danced around and chattered to her, seemingly congratulating the young pink fairy Pokémon for coming to their rescue.

"I see," the lead Pokémon Ranger commented, "you might consider yourselves lucky you're still alive. If you want, I could have a fellow Ranger escort you to the exit."

Cleffa waved goodbye to the Clefables and Clefairys before she skittered towards Leaf, the young girl scooping her into her arms.

"N-No thanks," Leaf shook her head, "we'll find our own way out."

Chapter Text

The rest of the journey through Mount Moon continued on smoothly until they passed by a teenage boy with shoulder-length black hair and glasses as he was looking over a pair of fossils he discovered. Pikachu curiously tilted his head.

"Pika?"

The teen let out a startled yelp and snapped his head towards the psionic feline and the young trainers.

"Don't scare me like that!" he chided, "I'm trying to think!"

Red and Gary shared confused glances.

"Think about what?" Red asked.

Mewtwo studied the fossils on the ground, tensing slightly.

"I'm just trying to decide which fossil to take home," the teenage boy explained, "my backpack here only has room for one."

Leaf gasped in awe as her face lit up with a burst of understanding.

"Is that what it's all about?" Leaf commented.

Leaf took a few steps closer and crouched down while she and Cleffa scrutinized the fossils.

"Now what are you doing?" the teenage boy demanded, "I found those first!"

Leaf tilted her head sideways.

"You gotta chill, fella," Leaf assured him, "besides, Team Rocket's been taken care of already, so you don't need to worry about them stealing your fossils."

The nerdy teenage boy narrowed his eyes as his face reddened.

"F-Fella?!" he corrected, "I'll have you know that my name's Miguel!"

Mewtwo huffed in amusement while he looked away. Red couldn't help but facepalm.

"Geez," Red scolded, "you don't need to be brash about it."

"Well then," Miguel groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose, "what am I supposed to do?"

Red, Leaf and Gary glanced between one another in a quiet moment of silence. That was when Leaf had an idea pop into her head like a Foresight.

"Why don't we share fossils?" Leaf offered, "I could take one and let you have the other!"

Miguel took a moment to think as he quickly eyed Cleffa, who cheerily waved her arm. He then made a brief glance at Pikachu as the electric mouse tilted his head.

"Pika?" Pikachu said, "Pikachu?"

After another silent moment, Miguel let out a sigh.

"Ok, fine," Miguel slumped his shoulders, "I'll share them with the girl!"

Leaf grinned as she gave a wink before standing to her feet.

"Since it's no good being greedy," Miguel told Leaf, "I'll let you take one."

"I'll be sure to think about my choices," Leaf replied.

Leaf briefly switched glances between the fossil with the helix shape and the fossil with the dome shape. After another moment of silence, the young girl crouched down and picked up the Helix Fossil.

"I'll pick this one," she proclaimed.

Miguel felt a bit of relief as he picked up the Dome Fossil.

"If that's what you're interested in," Miguel declared, "I'll take it as a fair deal. You guys can go on now."

Gary gave Leaf the thumbs up while Pikachu happily waved his arm.

"Pika!"

"Thanks, Miguel!" Red smiled.

Leaf glanced over her shoulder and smiled at Mewtwo as she stashed the Helix Fossil into her messenger bag.

"Let's see what becomes of that choice," Mewtwo smiled back.

Mewtwo, Leaf, Red and Gary continued to venture through the tunnel until they climbed up two more ladders. Just as they could see the exit up ahead, the professor's grandson stopped in his tracks, much to Red's confusion.

"Gary?" Red paused.

Leaf stroked Cleffa's head before returning her to her Poké Ball.

"Hey, Mewtwo?" Gary pointed out, "aren't you a little worried about your identity going public?"

Mewtwo raised his eyebrow while the professor's grandson gave him a confused look.

"If you'd like to give me a human name, I'll allow it," Mewtwo offered.

Red nodded slowly and examined Mewtwo.

"I guess…Murphy, maybe?" he tilted his head, "nah, too similar."

Leaf swayed her torso side to side while she thought of some options.

"Will Helios work?" Leaf suggested.

After a moment of silence, Mewtwo nodded.

"Interesting. I approve," he smiled.

Mewtwo led Leaf, Red and Gary outside, setting foot into Route Four. They simply moved to the side as officers emerged from the police cars. Officer Jenny sent out a Growlithe before stepping over to the exit of Mount Moon, leading the other officers inside.

Red and Gary jumped off a ledge while the former carried his Pikachu in his arms. The four travelers continued down the route until they reached an open field next to a large patch of grass surrounded by trees. Leaf sighed as she crouched to the ground, bringing out her Bulbasaur. She pulled out her Pokégear to check the time. They hadn't reached Cerulean City yet and it's almost noon. It didn't help that none of the three trainers brought anything for lunch.

"How much longer before we get to Cerulean City?" Leaf called over.

Gary simply plopped down onto the ground.

"Most likely an hour," Gary complained, "but I'm already starving!"

Mewtwo looked around for anything they could use.

"If you want, I can teleport us to the town," Mewtwo offered, "save you some walking?"

Bulbasaur already started to check bushes she could reach for berries. Red answered by sitting down and reaching into his backpack. Pikachu tilted his head upwards and sniffed the air. He perked up and trotted over to watch a distant picnicker and camper setting up a table. Mewtwo looked around and spotted him, tilting his head.

"Pika?" Pikachu chirped.

Mewtwo smiled at the Pikachu, kneeling down and patted his head. Bulbasaur glanced behind her when she smelled the aroma.

"Bulba?"

Bulbasaur waddled over to Leaf while carrying a few Leppa berries she found. Her trainer rose to her feet and led her starter over to Mewtwo. The next thing she knew, she saw the Pikachu scurry over to the field, stopping just inches before a pair of Nidorans.

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu greeted while waving his hand.

While the camper trainer pulled out a package of mixed mushrooms, the picnicker shifted her gaze towards the Pikachu.

"Oh my gosh!" she smiled, cupping her cheeks with her hands, "there's a cute Pikachu over here!"

Red heard the distant voice and jumped to his feet, sprinting over to Mewtwo's left.

"Oh, shit," Red muttered, "I hope she doesn't try to catch him."

In the meantime, the camper set down the package of mushrooms and walked over to the Pikachu.

"Hi, little guy," the camper greeted as he extended his hand, "are you hungry?"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu nodded before he pointed at Leaf, Mewtwo and Red.

The picnicker made a brief glance at Red and Leaf.

"Oh!" the picnicker blurted as she waved her hand, "good afternoon, guys! What are you doing out here?"

Leaf stammered nervously as she lowered her head.

"We…just traveled through Mount Moon," Leaf answered.

Red glanced over his shoulder and locked eyes onto Gary whose Squirtle perched in his lap.

"Gary?" Red called over, "I think we got invited to lunch!"

Gary raised his eyebrows.

"Cool, what are we contributing?" he called back.

Mewtwo shook his head and gestured Leaf to go first, offering his hand. While Gary stood up with Squirtle in his arms, Leaf strolled over to the camper and picnicker, focusing her eyes on their chins instead of their eyes.

"H-Hey," Leaf stammered nervously as she gestured to Bulbasaur standing next to her, "I'm Leaf Aoyama, and this is my Bulbasaur over here."

The camper and picnicker gave Leaf a confused stare.

"Ok," the camper drawled.

Pikachu focused his eyes on Bulbasaur and smiled at her. The grassy amphibian smiled back as Mewtwo approached Leaf from close behind.

"Also," Leaf gestured to Mewtwo, "this is my friend Helios."

The camper gave Mewtwo a confused stare while he tilted his head sideways.

"Why does he have a…cloak on?" he asked.

Red and Gary sauntered over to where Leaf and Mewtwo were standing. Red knelt down to pet his Pikachu.

"He's one of these types sensitive to sunlight," Red improvised, "can't remember the condition name, though."

The picnicker sighed and shrugged.

"Of course," she replied, "I think we might have enough ingredients to serve all of us. Wanna take a look at the options?"

Leaf and Gary nodded eagerly, so the camper reached into his backpack and pulled out more ingredients such as a boiled egg and coconut milk. Bulbasaur raised the Leppa berries into the air with her vines, catching the picnicker's attention.

"Oh," she blurted, "sorry, Bulbasaur. I'm allergic to Leppa berries."

Mewtwo gave the picnicker a confused stare as Bulbasaur lowered her head.

"Saur…"

"How come?" Mewtwo asked.

"Last time I ate one," the picnicker explained as she slumped her shoulders, "I had to be hospitalized."

Leaf knelt down and scooped up the Leppa berries before stashing them into her berry pouch. Mewtwo nodded as he rubbed his chin. Interesting that humans could eat what was technically classified as Pokémon food, as Pokémon could with human food to some extent, or even be allergic to it. He watched the camper pick out the ingredients. He was interested in trying more human food, given it currently didn't seem to have any negative effects on him. Red, Leaf and Gary examined the berries and ingredients on the table as the picnicker went to prepare the rice cooker.

"So," the camper asked, "what do you think?"

Leaf smiled at the key ingredients on the table before she examined the berries.

"I-I really can't stand Spelon berries," Leaf admitted.

The camper blinked twice as he glanced at the Spelon berry on the table.

"Really?" he blurted.

"T-They give my mouth a…feeling as if it was being burnt to a crisp," Leaf tried to explain.

The camper sighed and stashed away the Spelon berry.

"Other than that," Leaf added, "the Chilan berry, the Lum berry and the Hondew berries are ok."

The camper nodded before he started to open the packages of the boiled egg and mixed mushrooms.

"What recipe would be made out of this?" Mewtwo asked.

Red got out water bowls.

"We're making curry," the picnicker explained, glancing over her shoulder.

Gary stepped over to the large pot sitting on a frame above a campfire. Leaf sent out her Pidgey, Sandshrew and Clefairy while Red sent out his Charmander, Bellsprout and Mankey.

Once the picnicker started up the rice cooker, she stepped over to the table and started cutting up the berries.

"Who wants to volunteer for when we start cooking the curry?" the camper announced, "the more, the merrier!"

Red nodded as Gary sent out his Squirtle, Kakuna and Nidoran.

"I'll give it a shot," Red proclaimed, placing his hand on his chest.

Gary ushered his Pokémon to gather near Red and Leaf's Pokémon as they played with the Nidorans. With Leaf engrossed in observing the wild Pokémon from a distance, the camper carried the ingredients to the large pot while the picnicker pulled out fans from her bag, distributing them to each one.

"Ok, Charlie," the picnicker gave her friend a thumbs up, "release the ingredients!"

"You got it, Blanche!" Charlie nodded.

Camper Charlie deposited the ingredients into the large pot filled with sauce and finished by pouring in the coconut milk. From there, Red, Gary, Charlie and Blanche fanned the campfire underneath the pot until the flames burst to life. Once the flames started heating up the mixture, the four trainers set aside the fans and retrieved stirring spoons, moving in before they started stirring the curry. Red would make an occasional glance at Gary to remind him not to go too fast, making sure the curry didn't spill. The steady stirring went on for several minutes before all the ingredients were properly cooked and the curry well heated.

The curry emitted an enticing scent which excited the Pokémon within the campsite. Several minutes later, the four trainers finished the curry, so Blanche made her way to the rice cooker while Charlie brought out plates. Leaf scrambled to fetch drink orders while she settled for lemonade. Mewtwo also pitched in as he served the curry onto each plate and distributed the servings among the trainers and Pokémon. He soon got a serving for himself and another for Leaf.

"I'm impressed with the variety of human food," Mewtwo spoke into Leaf's mind.

Leaf smiled at Mewtwo before they both sat down next to each other at the table. When the other trainers and Pokémon sat down with their drinks and servings of curry, they started digging in. The Legendary couldn't help but savor the curry with each bite. Leaf's Bulbasaur happily chowed down her serving of curry and smiled at her trainer.

"Bulba!"

"This is great!" Gary complimented between bites, "thanks for inviting us to lunch!"

"Anytime, Gary," Charlie replied.

As everyone continued to savor their lunch, Mewtwo observed such a tranquil moment to the point it eased any nervousness for once. After lunch, Charlie and Blanche started packing up their equipment while Leaf, Red and Gary recalled their Pokémon.

"I guess we'll be heading out soon," Charlie told Red, "we could travel through Mount Moon, but I'm worried about running into Team Rocket."

"Well, the police are in there and I think we already dealt with Team Rocket, so it should be good," Red answered, observing the mountain, "you might even be able to get an escort through."

"Thanks," Charlie sighed in relief.

While Pikachu climbed up to perch onto Red's shoulder, Leaf scooped Bulbasaur into her arms before she met up with the boys.

"So," Gary winked as he brushed some stray hairs out of his eyes, "should we head to Cerulean City?"

Leaf and Red nodded in unison. Gary tilted his head towards Charlie and Blanche, giving them a thumbs up.

"Smell ya later!" Gary called over.

Once Charlie and Blanche waved goodbye, Gary, Red, Leaf and Mewtwo continued their journey down the route. An hour later, they reached the edge of Cerulean City. To their right, they could see a bike shop and they were certain they would find a Pokémon Center here. They continued their stroll down a few blocks until they could see the iconic Pokémon Center one block before the Cerulean Aquarium. To their right sat a beautiful fountain with a statue of a Gyarados in the middle.

Mewtwo took in the scent of the sea and made a brief glance at a cavern entrance to his left. Squirtle scurried over to the fountain and admired the Gyarados statue. Even if he knew he couldn't evolve into that exact species, he still admired the power the beast surely had. Leaf and Mewtwo approached the fountain while Red made a beeline towards the Pokémon Center. Squirtle managed to climb up on the edge of the fountain and peered down at the coins, tilting his head with a curious expression.

"Squirtle?"

Gary smiled and gave Squirtle a pat on the head.

"Pretty cool," Gary remarked, "huh, buddy?"

In the meantime, Mewtwo examined the intricate details of the statue such as the crest and fins.

"You humans can put your passion into what seems like the simplest things," Mewtwo mused, "fascinating."

Leaf nodded as she leaned closer to Mewtwo, slightly swinging one leg back and forth.

"Thanks," Leaf smiled.

A moment of silence passed before Mewtwo sighed.

"Maybe we should head to the center," Leaf suggested, "my Pokémon could use some rest."

"I could use a break, too," Mewtwo nodded in agreement.

Chapter Text

Gary scooped Squirtle into his arms while Leaf led Mewtwo and the professor's grandson through the door to the Pokémon Center. Once inside, the Legendary made his way to the lounge and settled onto a couch next to Red while Leaf made her way to the counter, with Gary standing behind her.

"Welcome to our Pokémon Center," Nurse Joy greeted, "we restore your tired Pokémon to full health."

Leaf nodded before she deposited the Poké Balls onto the tray, allowing Nurse Joy to lift it into her hands.

"It'll take a few minutes," Nurse Joy added, "please wait patiently."

While Nurse Joy carried the tray to the healing station, Leaf sauntered over to the lounge and sat down next to Mewtwo. He was checking where he'd been hit with Foul Play, feeling slightly revitalised by the curry but mentally exhausted by the battle. The young girl tilted her head slightly as she held out her hand.

"Hey, Helios?" Leaf paused, "do you mind?"

Mewtwo blinked as he gave Leaf a puzzled look.

"Do I mind what?" Mewtwo asked.

Leaf's face reddened as she lowered her head a little.

"Uhh," she stammered, "how do I put this…? You seem a little tense."

Leaf rubbed her cheek with her index finger as her other hand twitched.

"I think I'm too used to being tense," Mewtwo replied, "I'm also feeling the after effects of that battle…especially that Houndoom's Foul Play. Are you trying to recommend a bath?"

Leaf nervously shook her head.

"You ever…got a…massage," Leaf stuttered, "before?"

Mewtwo blinked twice and shook his head, confused by her fluster.

"I have not," Mewtwo admitted, "is it a method of healing?"

Leaf was about to start thinking of ways of how massaging works when she heard the ringing bell over the intercom, snapping her out of her thoughts. She stood to her feet and scrambled over to the counter before she retrieved her Poké Balls from the tray.

"Thank you for waiting," Nurse Joy smiled as she bowed her head, "we restored your Pokémon to full health. We hope to see you again!"

Leaf stepped back over to the lounge and stood near the couch. Mewtwo checked the space on the couch to ensure she had room to sit.

"Are you all right?" he asked her.

Leaf sighed softly, hugging her arms to her chest.

"I guess I've been feeling tense, too," Leaf answered, "would you…like to go somewhere quiet?"

Mewtwo nodded without hesitation before he rose from his seat. The psionic feline and the young girl made their way to the front door of the Pokémon Center. Once they stepped outside, they meandered through the streets until they reached a fence overlooking a nearby stream. He glimpsed at the hill in the distance before he gazed back at her.

"May I ask what you're thinking? I don't wish to delve."

Leaf tilted her head as she clasped her hands behind her back.

"Do you think we'll get a better view of the ocean over that hill?" Leaf suggested, "it seems a bit of a way to walk."

Mewtwo nodded slowly as he scooped Leaf into his arms. The psionic feline checked his surroundings and once he assessed there weren't any current bystanders, he kicked off into the air, gliding over the stream. As he flew closer to the hill, he noted a lighthouse sitting at the end of Route Twenty-Five. A short time later, he found a clearing in the forest above the hills, where touched down. After letting Leaf hop off, he sat down on the grass, gently running his hand over it. The scent of the sea was much stronger up here, but it made the air smell fresher than it had been just among the trees. Leaf rocked back and forth as she also took in the scent. After a moment of silence, she sat down next to the psychic Legendary.

"There's something about that house," Mewtwo mentioned, "I don't think even if whoever's inside saw me, there would be any reason to worry."

Leaf didn't really say anything as her eyes stared at the ground. Mewtwo kept his eyes on her and stayed quiet, leaving her to her thoughts as he focused on taking deep breaths and calming himself. Since no one was around to interrupt them, Mewtwo removed his hood while his tail emerged from his cloak. He closed his eyes against the wind and let it run over his skin. He listened to the Pokémon noises echoing across the forest and started to relax. The next thing he knew, Leaf leaned closer to the psionic feline, perching her hand on his shoulder, eliciting a baffled expression out of him.

"Yes?"

"Has anyone hugged you before?" Leaf asked sheepishly.

"Not that I'm aware of," Mewtwo sighed, "is this to do with the massage?"

"I could show you what both are like," Leaf offered with a soft smile.

"I may as well know."

Leaf took the hint to rise to her knees as she gripped both of his shoulders, gently rubbing them with her thumbs in circular motions. Mewtwo made a brief glance at his tail as it swayed gently, otherwise trying to stay still.

"That's interesting," he said, "is it to loosen muscles?"

"Kinda," Leaf answered.

Leaf put a little more pressure through her thumbs, and the added pressure elicited soft purrs from the psionic feline. He closed his eyes again, relishing in the strangely affectionate touch. After a few minutes, Leaf paused only to wrap her arms around him, perching her chin on his shoulder. Mewtwo opened his eyes and turned his head towards the young girl.

"This one is a hug?"

"Mm-hmm."

"I can't say I dislike either of them," Mewtwo confessed.

With that said, Mewtwo returned the gentle embrace. He'd been hesitant at first, but it felt like the right thing to do.

"May I ask how you're feeling," Mewtwo asked her, "or if you wish to talk about anything?"

Leaf took a deep breath before she tilted her head towards Mewtwo.

"Well," Leaf started, "have you heard of…Autism?"

Leaf squeezed her eyes shut, worried of what kind of reaction Mewtwo would have. The psionic feline blinked twice as he rubbed his chin. He may have picked up that word when he first read her mind, but really didn't think much about it.

"Tell me more," Mewtwo persuaded.

Leaf's face lit up while Mewtwo stretched his legs across the ground.

"W-Well," Leaf continued to explain, "I remember my mom telling me I was diagnosed with it when I was four."

Leaf fluttered her hand to ease any tension in her mind.

"Diagnosed?" Mewtwo paused, tilting his head, "is it an illness?"

"N-No," Leaf shook her head, "it just means my brain's wired differently. I just see the world in a different perspective. Maybe there are pros and cons to that."

Mewtwo kept his eyes focused on her as he thought through the time he'd known her.

"I suppose that explains the…odd habits and moments of unanswered questions?" Mewtwo clarified, "not to mention the hearing sensitivity?"

"Yeah," Leaf agreed, "and having the sensory bit with food as well."

Leaf removed one arm from Mewtwo's shoulder.

"And when I'm stressed," she continued, "I'll do these tiny rituals called 'stimming'. It's useful for calming me down. But sometimes, even that doesn't work when my surroundings are way too overwhelming."

Leaf flapped her hand in demonstration of what she meant.

"Ah, that makes sense," Mewtwo mused, "I apologize if I've ever come off as judgmental in my confusion. How do I accommodate? Or…has what I've been doing been enough?"

"It's ok," Leaf assured Mewtwo, "I could tell you more about what makes me autistic in case it comes up later."

Leaf perched her hand on her lap.

"And if you ask me," Leaf added, "my homeroom teacher from Viridian City's school was much more judgmental than you'd ever be. He sees my being different as…burdensome."

Leaf lowered her head.

"At least my parents were more accepting of me than him," she concluded.

Mewtwo lay his tail around her again at the mention of her teacher…almost protectively.

"I would prefer to know so I have an idea what to expect."

Leaf took a deep breath as she closed her eyes.

"You can read minds, right?" Leaf offered, "you wanna check mine?"

"If that's what you're alright with."

Mewtwo hesitantly rested his forehead on hers. Leaf tilted her head up a little, allowing the psionic feline to peek into her memories.

He carefully focused, letting the time-tinged memories float into his own. He wondered who the new human was, and what this entertainment consisted of. Whatever it was, it seemed to please her, so he moved on. He recognized the next three as those they had met in the town before, and cast them aside quickly so as to not cause her too much recurrent trauma. He stared at the image of the older human, who should have known better, for a reasonable reaction to a provocation, then between the man and her parents. Did old age kill empathy? He couldn't help but wonder. He decided to bring back the memory of watching the TV show.

"Who is your companion," Mewtwo asked her, "and what is this?"

Leaf took a moment to reflect on the memory of a girl with short black hair, green eyes and a warm smile.

"Beth Chandler," Leaf answered, "she was a good friend from back when I was in Viridian. The show we loved to watch together is Miracle Asuna-chan. You could say it's a special interest of mine."

"Special interest," Mewtwo repeated, "I assume that's a unique term for something within your…bubble. Is it a way of saying you like something specific?"

"Yeah!" Leaf nodded, "I believe that anime is still ongoing. I'll show you what TV channel you can watch it on later."

"Thank you, I'd be interested to see what's so good about it," Mewtwo smiled as he lifted his head away from hers, "I believe I just realized my eyes are the only ones you've consciously made direct contact with. Is that a trust thing?"

Leaf tilted her head.

"I…guess?" Leaf paused, "direct eye contact like that with other humans usually stresses me out in some way. It makes it really hard for me to think of something to say."

"Interesting," Mewtwo commented, "I'm glad I don't stress you out."

Leaf went back to wrapping her arms around Mewtwo.

"Maybe it's nice to have someone who understands me," Leaf replied.

"I'm doing my best," Mewtwo agreed, "I'm open to corrections if needed."

Mewtwo hugged her back, resting his chin on her head as he started purring. He was again surprised by this new habit, but he was becoming accustomed to it. He felt even more happy to know Leaf was brave enough to come forward with some aspects of her own life. He relaxed in the ambiance, knowing she trusted him instead of fearing him for his alien appearance, and closed his eyes softly. They might as well let the peaceful moment linger on for a while longer.

A few hours later, Red and Gary made their way out of the Pokémon Center. They may not have enough time to face the Gym Challenge today, but they might as well check out the Cerulean Aquarium. They soon found Leaf and Mewtwo standing near the entrance. The psychic Legendary had his cloak back on, having resisted the temptation to go near the house despite some familiar energies he was picking up from it. He nodded his silent greeting at the boys.

"I assume you two had a nice time outdoors?" Gary grinned as he placed his hands behind his head.

"We did," Mewtwo nodded, "the sea breeze helped with that Foul Play impact."

"Good to hear," Red smiled softly.

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu added, happily waving his paw.

Red, Gary, Leaf and Mewtwo stepped through the door and entered the reception hall of the aquarium. He relaxed somewhat and studied the reception hall, listening to how the sound changed as his ears picked up on the humming of the machinery, some occasional splashing of water and the absence of wind. Red glanced at the receptionist.

"Hey, can I get four tickets?" Red requested.

The receptionist examined the four visitors before he nodded. Red didn't hesitate as he made the payment and passed along the tickets among his friends.

"Have a good time," the receptionist smiled.

"Thanks!" Red grinned.

Red led Gary, Leaf and Mewtwo through the door, revealing a chamber which had large tanks hugging the walls. Leaf stared in awe as she spotted a school of Poliwags in one tank.

"Oh, so cool!" Leaf whispered happily.

Mewtwo's eyes widened and he blinked in the calming blue light, proceeding to watch the fish in a mesmerized state. Pikachu scanned his surroundings with an excited expression, resisting the urge to jump off Red's shoulder.

"Pika-pi," Pikachu clamored, "Pika Pikachu!"

Red sighed as he scratched behind his Pikachu's ear. Red approached a tank and observed a few Krabbys and Kinglers at the bottom. Strolling through the aquarium, Mewtwo wasn't sure how to feel about these Pokémon seeming caged, but they were at least in a livable environment. He carefully put his hand against the glass, sensing the coolness and vibrations of the filters within. A Goldeen swam up to Mewtwo and stared at him in a moment of silence. He stared back at it, tilting his head slightly.

"Goldeen?" the Goldeen gave Mewtwo a quizzical look.

"Hello," Mewtwo greeted, "are you comfortable in there?"

Mewtwo tried as hard as he could to suppress his own flashbacks of his own time in a tank. At least this one was bigger and built for them. The Goldeen simply scoffed at the psionic feline and swam somewhere. Mewtwo sighed before shifting his gaze towards Leaf, watching as she brought out Bulbasaur and scooped her into her arms before they observed some Horseas and Seadras in one tank. Mewtwo stepped towards her and stood by her side. A red haired lady came from the other direction and stood by the tank, happily watching the Horseas and grinning when one came to see her, donking gently against the glass. Bulbasaur made a brief glance at the redhead.

"Bulba?"

Mewtwo raised his eyebrows as he observed the redhead.

"She must be a regular," Mewtwo mused to himself, "that Horsea is really happy to see her."

Leaf glanced over her shoulder and rose to her feet, eyes locking onto the redhead girl as she was talking quietly through the glass at the Horsea which reacted and made bubbles in response. Red glanced over his shoulder and did a double-take, nudging Gary.

"Psst, Gary," Red whispered, "the Gym Leader is here!"

Gary snapped out of his thoughts and glanced over his shoulder.

"Misty?" Gary paused.

Misty glanced over at them and smiled.

"Hi, were you wanting to challenge me?" she greeted, "I'm afraid the Gym's closed for the day."

Leaf and Mewtwo paused in their tracks and returned their gaze towards the Cerulean Gym Leader.

"Oh," Leaf blurted, "so…I guess you're visiting the aquarium, too?"

"Yeah, I like to see everybody before I go to dinner," Misty explained, "the gym will be open again tomorrow. Are you all coming in together?"

Leaf swung her leg back and forth.

"We'll be taking turns," Leaf nodded, "but yeah."

The Cerulean Gym Leader winked before she continued her stroll down the aquarium with Leaf, Mewtwo, Red and Gary following suit.

"I look forward to seeing you!" Misty waved her hand, "I'm sure that Pikachu will have the easiest time!"

Mewtwo smiled and looked back at the passing tanks.

Once Misty left the aquarium, Red and Gary shuffled to another tank to observe a Starmie. A Seel and Dewgong caught the Legendary's attention and he observed them swimming in the water. Leaf also approached the tank simulating a polar habitat for the Seels and Dewgongs.

"I see they're graceful," Mewtwo pointed out.

Leaf noticed one Dewgong swimming under the water when she peered through the clear thick glass. Mewtwo pressed his hand against the glass and felt the cold sensation from the water of the simulated habitat. Red stopped at a door which led to another chamber. He waited until Gary caught up with him before glancing over his shoulder and keeping an eye on Leaf and Mewtwo.

"You guys done back there?" Red called over.

Leaf and Mewtwo took a step back upon cue. The psychic Legendary glanced over the sign just before Red led the way into the tunnel.

Chapter Text

"Oh, cool!" Gary exclaimed.

Upon exiting the tunnel, they set foot into a large chamber, which had large pools holding larger water Pokémon. One had a Gyarados and another had a Lapras. Mewtwo gave the Gyarados an intense stare. He couldn't help but wonder to himself what he'd be able to do infused with Gyarados, if he was at all compatible. Still, what a majestic beast. Red grinned as he watched the Gyarados.

"So cool!" Red chirped, "I hope to get one of those!"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu nodded in agreement.

"Imagine going to Cinnabar on one!" Red added.

Mewtwo glanced over his shoulder and gave Red a blank stare.

"Why Cinnabar?" the psionic feline asked.

Red shifted his gaze towards Mewtwo.

"Cinnabar has its own gym," Red explained, "and I heard the gym leader there uses Fire types. Wouldn't hurt to get some Water type Pokémon ready to go, right?"

Mewtwo lowered his head for a brief moment.

"It certainly makes sense," Mewtwo nodded slowly.

Leaf meandered along the path and approached the pool simulating the habitat for Lapras. She smiled softly as one of the Lapras stretched its neck. Gary, who had brought out his Squirtle, made his way to yet another pool, watching some Mantines and Mantykes swimming at the surface. He didn't mind the fact they weren't from the Kanto Region. He jumped back a little when a Mantyke jumped out of the water just inches before him.

"Oh, geez!" Gary exclaimed.

Red, Pikachu and Leaf turned their heads towards Gary and burst into laughter. The Mantyke didn't stay in the air long as it splashed back in the water.

"And what are you guys laughing at?!" Gary demanded, having barely avoided getting splashed on.

"You avoiding making a new friend," Mewtwo smirked, "do we assume these are technically wild, without trainers?"

Gary harrumphed as his Squirtle clapped happily.

"Probably," Red nodded.

"I wonder if they ever get angry at their…placement," Mewtwo pondered.

Pikachu tilted his head and gave Mewtwo a puzzled look.

"Pika?"

Gary strolled to another pool and observed a Golduck swimming among Psyducks. He studied them, noticing how the Golduck was a lot more graceful than the Psyducks, some of whom just floated on their backs. Squirtle stared excitedly and waved his arm.

"Squirtle!" Squirtle chirped.

The Golduck noticed and swam over.

"Golduck?"

"Squirtle! Squirtle!"

All the while, Leaf placed Bulbasaur down before she grabbed a nearby stool, allowing the grassy amphibian to climb on and rest her front arms on the railing. The Lapras noticed and paddled over to greet her.

"Bulba!" Bulbasaur waved her paw.

Lapras gently splashed her and trilled. While Leaf smiled at the banter her Bulbasaur was exchanging with the Lapras, Gary sauntered over to the pool Gyarados resided in. It passed him and eyed him before swimming off. Mewtwo sighed and lowered his head briefly before returning his gaze to Pikachu.

"Containment," Mewtwo clarified telepathically.

Getting an idea, Pikachu hopped off Red's shoulder and trotted along the rail while he followed the swimming Gyarados.

"Pika!" Pikachu called, waving his paw, "Pika Pika? Chu?"

Gyarados stopped in its tracks and swam closer to the electric mouse. The giant dragonlike fish let out a calm growl in a tone indicating curiosity. Pikachu waved one arm at Mewtwo while he twitched his ears and then held out both arms towards Gyarados?

"Pi?" Pikachu asked.

Gyarados shifted its gaze between Mewtwo and Pikachu before it let out a happy growl, closing its eyes softly. The electric mouse felt a boost in confidence as he turned towards the psionic feline.

"Pika pi!" Pikachu put his paws on his hips.

Mewtwo raised his eyebrows at the electric mouse.

"I guess Gyarados seems happy here," Red shrugged.

Gary took a step back as Gyarados went back to swimming along the edge of the pool.

"Hey, Red?" Gary called over as he folded his arms behind his head, "I think I'm done here."

Red glanced over his shoulder.

"Ok," Red replied, "you can head on out and we'll catch up."

Gary huffed before he made his way through the door. Red raised an eyebrow and glanced at his Pikachu.

"What's his problem?"

"Pika," Pikachu shrugged.

Later on in the early evening, Red, Leaf and Mewtwo left the aquarium.

"That was quite an interesting experience," Mewtwo commented, "thank you."

"Anytime," Leaf smiled as she tilted her gaze towards Red's Pikachu.

The young boy started stretching for a brief moment.

"I'm gonna go get some dinner," Red told them.

Once Red left with his Pikachu, Leaf followed Mewtwo as they made their way back to the fountain. He stared up at the statue before looking down at the coins.

"Why leave money here?" Mewtwo inquired.

Leaf placed her finger on her chin as she took a moment to think. Wasn't there some sort of legend tied to this fountain?

"Let's see," Leaf mentioned, "I think I remember my dad telling me there's a legend tied to this fountain. From what I recall, if a trainer and a Pokémon each toss a coin into the fountain, they grow closer together."

Mewtwo swayed his tail gently beneath his cloak.

"Intriguing," he replied, "I wonder what other bonding rituals there are."

Leaf giggled as she clasped her hands behind her back.

"I'll bet there are lots of 'em out there!" she smiled.

Leaf scooped up Bulbasaur and placed her on the edge, allowing the grassy amphibian to watch the water flowing from the statue. The young girl reached into her wallet and pulled out three coins, holding one out before Mewtwo.

"Want one?" Leaf quipped.

Mewtwo blinked and hesitantly took it.

"Will it work if you're not my trainer?" he asked her.

Leaf allowed Bulbasaur to pluck another coin from her hand with her vine.

"I'm sure it would," Leaf assured him, "you know, as friends."

"I suppose it's worth a try," Mewtwo shrugged.

Leaf grinned while she held her coin between her fingers and thumb.

"Ready?"

Mewtwo nodded as he, Leaf and Bulbasaur focused their eyes on the fountain. After a few seconds of silence, Leaf, Mewtwo and Bulbasaur tossed their coins into the fountain in unison. The grassy amphibian squirmed when the water hit her and seemed to laugh.

"You doing good, buddy?" Leaf chirped.

Bulbasaur turned to face Leaf and smiled at her. Mewtwo sighed in content as Leaf lifted her starter into her arms. The psionic feline took another deep breath, continuing to enjoy the sea breeze.

"I guess we'd better head on into the Pokémon Center, huh?" Leaf remarked.

"I'm starting to get hungry again," Mewtwo agreed.

With that, Leaf led Mewtwo into the Pokémon Center to grab a meal from the cafeteria.

Leaf and Mewtwo stopped by the Poké Mart the following morning shortly after breakfast. Gaining enough revenue from her trainer battles and selling the Star Piece at a loot shop allowed her to stock up on Poké Balls, Antidotes, Paralyze Heals, Awakenings and an Escape Rope. When they strolled down an aisle displaying food items, Leaf grabbed a box of Lava Cookies. The psychic Legendary picked up a box to examine it with intrigue.

"Is this Pokémon food or human food?" Mewtwo asked her.

Leaf focused her eyes on Mewtwo with a grin.

"It can be both," she chirped, "the best kind of snack Lavaridge Town has to offer!"

"Lavaridge Town," Mewtwo mused, "I see."

Mewtwo put back the box, wondering where that town could be. There seemed to be so many places in this world—maybe he could fly to all of them. Once they made their way to the checkout counter, Mewtwo watched as Leaf paid for her items, studying the money more closely than he had before. After that, they left the store and started their stroll to the entrance leading to the Cerulean Gym. When they stopped inches before the doors, they waited until the doors automatically slid open. They stepped inside, setting foot into the lobby.

At the back of the lobby sat large windows giving a good view of the arena which took the form of a swimming pool. On a platform at the far edge of the pool, Mewtwo noticed sculptures which resembled a large seashell, seaweed and coral. He observed them with curiosity for a brief moment before he glanced at Leaf. She took notice of the small platforms dotting the pool, and she relaxed her shoulders, knowing there's something her Pokémon would stand on. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Red and Gary at the reception counter with the former booking a match with the gym leader on a datapad. The professor's grandson glanced over his shoulder and waved his hand.

"Yo, Leaf!" Gary greeted, "you waiting to challenge Misty today?"

Leaf shrugged as she and Mewtwo approached the boys.

"That depends," Leaf pointed, "do your Pokémon have any kind of advantages?"

Gary chuckled nervously as he rubbed his cheek with his finger.

"Yeah," Gary admitted, "I'm actually trying to figure that one out."

"Why don't we see what you have?" Mewtwo offered, "perhaps do some training?"

Leaf's face lit up as a quick realization hit like a Brick Break.

"Hey, Gary!" Leaf offered, flapping her arms with excitement, "how about I challenge you this time? My Pokémon could use a bit of warm-up."

Gary stared at Leaf dumbfounded in a brief moment of silence.

"For real?!" he exclaimed.

"I mean," Leaf mentioned, "Red got himself covered with his Pikachu and Bellsprout."

Red chuckled as he placed his hand behind his head.

"Yeah, that's right," Red agreed, "besides, my challenge is only a few minutes away now."

Gary held out his arms as he shrugged.

"You know what?" Gary sighed, "there's no way I'm refusing such an offer from you."

Leaf grinned as she turned her gaze towards Red.

"As for you," Leaf held up her fist, "I wish you luck!"

Red nodded as he and Leaf exchanged a fist bump. The boy then darted for the sliding door to the arena with Pikachu following close behind. From there, Gary led Leaf and Mewtwo into the practice arena, where the psionic feline leaned against the wall. The young girl didn't hesitate to send out Bulbasaur.

"Bulba!" Bulbasaur raised her head with pride.

Gary tilted his head sideways.

"Yeah," he deadpanned, "I figured you'd challenge Misty with your Bulbasaur."

Gary reached into his fanny pack and sent out his Squirtle. Immediately, the tiny turtle widened his stance and scratched at the ground.

"Squirt, Squirt, Squirt, Squirt…"

"Such a bummer that I don't have a grass type or an electric type," Gary continued, "but hey, I gotta improvise, ya know?"

Gary took a moment to crack his knuckles.

"Squirtle," Gary commanded, "use Water Gun!"

Squirtle began spraying water out of his mouth. Bulbasaur jumped back without hesitation, not amused with the tiny turtle's antics.

"Nice one, Bulbasaur," Leaf extended her arm, "now Razor Leaf!"

"Bulba!"

Bulbasaur unleashed razor-sharp leaves which pelted Squirtle until he withdrew into his shell.

"Oh, for Helix sake," Leaf grumbled.

"Rapid Spin!" Gary instructed.

Leaf grimaced as Squirtle spun in his shell and bounced around until he rammed into Bulbasaur. The grassy amphibian skidded along the floor until she dissipated the friction with her feet.

"At least having a water type means water type moves are less effective?" Mewtwo observed.

Gary made a brief glance at Mewtwo.

"You could say that again, Helios," Gary retorted.

With Gary distracted a little, Leaf nodded at Bulbasaur.

"Let's payback with a Vine Whip!"

Squirtle began charging at Bulbasaur again, but the grassy amphibian thought fast and restrained the tiny turtle with her vines, swinging him around and then slamming him into the floor. Gary stared in disbelief when Squirtle popped his head, limbs and tail out, eyes reduced to swirlies.

"Oh, great Helix!" Gary groaned, "seriously?!"

Mewtwo gave Gary a shrug.

"A shame Bulbasaur isn't a water type," Mewtwo commented, "I'm quite surprised water attacks don't seem to heal grass types."

Gary returned his gaze to Leaf.

"Thanks for reminding me I need to practice a little more," Gary drawled, "I guess I owe you a favor, don't I?"

Leaf giggled as she placed her hand behind her head.

"Maybe you can be in charge of spotting the next berry bush," she suggested.

Leaf withdrew Bulbasaur and Gary did the same for Squirtle. The professor's grandson sent out his Kakuna in his place.

"Well, go on," Gary beckoned, "who's your second Pokémon for your gym match?"

Leaf stiffened as she brought out her Cleffa.

"You sure you're going to be ok, Cleffa?" she asked.

Cleffa glanced over Kakuna before she gave Leaf a confident nod.

"Clef Cleffa!" Cleffa chirped.

"Kakuna, String Shot!" Gary ordered.

"Dodge and use Pound!" Leaf countered.

Kakuna fired a blast of sticky string, which Cleffa managed to dodge. She slammed her paw hard onto the cocoon, causing it to wince a little.

"Ok, Harden up!"

Leaf and Cleffa shuddered as Kakuna hardened its shell a little.

"Now Poison Sting!"

Kakuna began firing poisonous needles at Cleffa, causing her to scurry around the battlefield in an effort to dodge them. Leaf gasped the instant one poisonous needle struck Cleffa in the arm.

"Cleffa!"

Cleffa stopped and shivered in pain as she felt her body burning up from the inside. No doubt the poison was weakening her. Leaf found herself wishing she had sent out her Pidgey instead. Despite the young pink fairy's labored breathing, she straightened her back and gave Kakuna a fierce stare.

"Another Pound!" Leaf directed, her hand trembling.

Cleffa sprinted after the Kakuna while dodging more String Shots until she smacked the cocoon again. This time, however, Kakuna didn't flinch as much. Cleffa tried making a tactical retreat, but the cocoon fired another barrage of poisonous needles. Another direct hit and the young pink fairy was down for the count.

"Cleffa…" Cleffa cried out weakly.

Leaf lowered her head as her face reddened with shame.

"I-I'm sorry, Cleffa," Leaf stammered.

Leaf crouched to Cleffa's side and immediately administered an antidote. Mewtwo's expression softened in his eyes.

"It's all right, little one," Mewtwo assured Cleffa, "you did well."

As much as Gary wanted to gloat, he stared in awe as he saw his Kakuna beginning to glow. During the span of time, the glowing figure changed shape and he took notice of forming needle arms and wings. Seconds later, the light dissipated. A Beedrill tilted its gaze up and buzzed with confidence.

"I did it!" Gary gasped with joy, "I evolved a Beedrill!"

Beedrill flew over to Gary, allowing him to run his hand along its head. The professor's grandson made a brief glance at Leaf as she lowered head, trying to fight back her tears.

"Hey," Gary tried to reassure her, "take it easy, Leaf. We're just trying to make one another stronger, right?"

Gary removed her hat and ruffled her scalp, which caught her attention.

"Even if I should consider you my rival like Red does?" Leaf pointed out.

Gary shrugged while he gave her hat back, allowing her to put it back on her head.

"Well, you wanna call this a draw?" Gary asked.

Leaf nodded sheepishly.

"Yeah, I guess that's fine."

Chapter Text

Leaf and Gary made a quick return to the Pokémon Center to heal up their Pokémon with Mewtwo accompanying them. The psionic feline waited as the two young trainers took turns at the counter as Nurse Joy fed their Poké Balls through the healing machine.

"Thank you for waiting," Nurse Joy announced, "we have restored your Pokémon to full health."

"Thanks!" Leaf chirped, happily fluttering her hands.

Leaf grabbed her Pokémon from the tray before Gary went next. They both met up with Mewtwo at the door, who led them outside.

"So," Gary asked, "you going to challenge Misty next?"

Leaf smiled as she adjusted her hat.

"Yeah," she nodded, "you, too?"

Gary turned his head to face the bridge at the northern edge of the city.

"Nah," he corrected with a shrug, "I'm just going to find another Pokémon to catch."

"Your Beedrill can get used to her new wings," Mewtwo mentioned.

Gary gave Mewtwo a blank stare.

"Yeah," he shrugged, "maybe with some flying exercises, she might stand against Misty."

Gary sprinted ahead and stopped just at the steps to the bridge before he glanced over his shoulder.

"Smell ya later!" Gary waved his hand.

Gary darted off. Leaf and Mewtwo made their stroll back to the gym. Setting foot inside the lobby, the young girl made a beeline for the counter where she made reservations for the next match. The psionic feline noticed as Red stepped through the sliding door with a happy Pikachu perching on his shoulder.

"Success, I presume?" Mewtwo asked.

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu nodded as he made the peace sign.

Red flashed his Cascade Badge for a brief moment before he tucked it into his badge case and scratched behind Pikachu's ear.

"Pikachu and Bellsprout had some fun jumping on the platforms," Red mentioned, "and they managed really well in battle."

Leaf noticed Bellsprout fanning out its leaves to shake off the water droplets.

"Well done," Mewtwo praised, "I assume Misty is taking her time for her team to heal?"

Red took a moment to adjust his cap.

"That reminds me," the young boy replied, "I'd better go heal up my Pokémon, too."

Red withdrew his Bellsprout before he turned for the door.

"I'll be back to watch Leaf's match soon," Red added, "it shouldn't take me too long!"

While Red left the gym for the Pokémon Center, Leaf and Mewtwo sat on the bench in the lobby, waiting for her upcoming match. Several minutes passed before Red returned from the Pokémon Center and sat down on the bench with Pikachu in his arms. The psionic feline allowed his mind to wander a little, occasionally surveying their surroundings.

He watched the trees sway in the wind and wondered whether he could assist her with being the camp-sorter for the times they were outside. It was a larger wilderness than it looked on a map, after all. He carefully stretched his neck and shoulders after a few minutes, having been still and tensed the whole time he'd been sitting there. Why was he worried? He was powerful and could easily fight off any danger if necessary.

Mewtwo snapped out of his thoughts as the scrolling screen above the door flashed Leaf's name. Red happened to notice while his Pikachu perked up his ears.

"Pika!"

"Hey, Leaf?" Red called, "it's your cue!"

Leaf removed her noise-canceling headphones which were playing a song from GEL Project on her Walkman before she read the screen.

"Ok then," Leaf stashed her Walkman and her headphones into her bag, "here goes!"

Standing up, Mewtwo and Red followed Leaf into the gym's main arena.

"Should I find a seat and cheer for you?" Mewtwo asked her.

Leaf gave Mewtwo a smile and nodded at him.

Mewtwo spotted the redhead from yesterday from the corner of his eye just as she emerged from the locker room.

"Excuse me," she called over, "didn't I meet you at the aquarium?"

Leaf stiffened before she tilted her head towards Misty, cautiously avoiding her eyes.

"Y-Yeah," she answered, "Leaf's the name."

Misty had clearly just got changed into a sky blue swimsuit, and her hair was down from the ponytail it was usually in. She held three shrunken Poké Balls between her fingers, ready to be challenged.

"Nice to meet you, Leaf!" she greeted, "are you pumped for this match?"

Mewtwo carefully moved to sit over on the bleachers with Red sitting next to him.

"Yeah, I'm just excited to get started," Leaf answered.

Misty nodded and headed over to her platform, waiting for the referee. Leaf took a deep breath as she swung her leg back and forth. After she took the time to collect herself, she stepped over to the challenger's platform. She brought out her Bulbasaur and Cleffa, allowing the grassy amphibian to equip her Poison Powder and swap her Tackle into her reserves. Cleffa swapped out her Charm move so she can equip her Magical Leaf move.

"Ready to go?" Leaf asked.

Cleffa happily jumped up and down while Bulbasaur held her head up high.

Just as Leaf withdrew Cleffa, the referee appeared on the bleachers and approached the railing. Misty took another moment to stretch her limbs.

"The battle between Leaf Aoyama and Gym Leader Misty is about to commence. Both trainers will use two Pokémon. Are we ready?"

"Let's go, Bulbasaur!" Leaf called over.

Bulbasaur carefully hopped over the platforms and Misty sent out Staryu, taking out the other two Poké Balls.

"Let's go, Staryu!"

Misty sent out her Staryu which landed on a platform floating in the pool.

"Begin!" the referee announced.

"Staryu, rapid spin!" Misty commanded.

The Staryu launched itself towards the plant, spinning wildly.

"Jump out of the way!" Leaf called over.

Bulbasaur thought fast and jumped off the platform she was standing on.

"Follow it!" Misty ordered.

The Staryu attempted to turn like a boomerang and come back to meet with the grassy amphibian.

"Counter with a Vine Whip!" Leaf instructed.

Bulbasaur brought out her vine and whacked the Staryu with it. The Staryu soon crashed back onto its platform.

"Swift!"

After righting itself, Staryu pointed its gem forward and shot a barrage of stars at the plant. The knock-back sent Bulbasaur crashing into a platform, causing Leaf to flinch. Bulbasaur struggled for only a moment before it hopped back to its feet.

"Hang in there, Bulbasaur," Leaf called, "get it with Razor Leaf!"

"Dodge and use Psywave!"

The Staryu jumped to avoid the barrage of leaves and a pink barrier quickly pulsed from its body, enlarging the farther away it got. Bulbasaur stiffened and braced the pulsating barrier. The Staryu landed and watched as the barrier impacted with the plant. Once the Psywave dissipated, the plant still stood even when it panted heavily. Leaf took a moment to examine the water the platforms were floating on.

"Bulbasaur," Leaf said, "think you can swim?"

"Bulba!" Bulbasaur nodded.

Bulbasaur jumped off the platform and splashed into the water. Leaf stared in awe as the grassy amphibian floated at the surface while she paddled her stubby legs.

"Another Swift!"

Staryu started up another Swift attack.

"Get your vines ready," Leaf instructed, "I got an idea."

Bulbasaur brought out her vines and stared down the Staryu just as it launched out stars.

"Knock them back with the Vine Whip!" Leaf ordered.

Before the stars could hit Bulbasaur, she knocked them back with each whack from her vines.

"Rapid Spin!" Misty commanded.

The Staryu started spinning rapidly while it followed the stars. Before it could get closer, Bulbasaur thought fast and restrained the Staryu in her vines.

"Nice one, Bulbasaur!" Leaf cheered, raising her fist into the air.

Swinging her vines, Bulbasaur slammed the Staryu hard onto a platform. In a matter of seconds, the star-shaped Pokémon collapsed.

"Staryu is unable to battle," the referee announced, "Bulbasaur is the winner!"

Misty sighed and recalled her Staryu.

"Good job, Staryu, you did your best," Misty picked up another Poké Ball and tossed it, "go, Starmie!"

Once Starmie burst out of the Poké Ball, it landed on a floating platform and its gem lit up. Bulbasaur climbed out of the water, using her vines to pull herself up, before she turned to stare down the mysterious Pokémon.

"Ready to keep going?" Leaf clamored.

"Bulba!" Bulbasaur chirped.

Mewtwo watched, continuing to be silently impressed. He studied the purple star, feeling its psychic energy emanating into the surrounding area.

"Starmie, Water Pulse!"

"Counter with Razor Leaf!" Leaf commended.

Bulbasaur began launching razor-sharp leaf projectiles just as Starmie sprayed a massive powerful jet of water at the grassy amphibian. For a moment, Bulbasaur was able to hold the Hydro Pump at bay, but that soon wouldn't last. The powerful jet of water pushed through the leafy projectiles. Leaf stared in disbelief as the blast of water knocked Bulbasaur off the platform. The instant the grassy amphibian slammed into the wall, she collapsed onto the floor.

"Bulbasaur is unable to battle," the referee announced, "Starmie is the winner!"

Mewtwo flinched at the sight of the impact.

"Drat," Leaf muttered under her breath.

"Good job, Starmie!" Misty cheered.

The front half of the Starmie spun victoriously. Sighing, Leaf reached for the other Poké Ball and sent out her Cleffa. Misty's eyebrows raised.

"Oh, is that a Cleffa?" Misty gasped in awe, "that's so cute!"

"Cleffa!" Cleffa chirruped as she rubbed her cheeks.

"T-Thanks, Misty," Leaf stammered, placing her hand behind her head.

Mewtwo curled his tail slightly, staring intensely at the young pink fairy. This could be a big moment for her.

"But don't think I'll go easy on you," Misty warned, "Rapid Spin!"

Cleffa squealed as Starmie began spinning after her. The young pink fairy kept jumping from platform to platform, trying to avoid getting hit.

"Cleffa, hang on!" Leaf called over, "slow it down with Disarming Voice!"

As soon as Cleffa landed on a far enough platform, she turned around and unleashed a blast of swirls and hearts at the incoming Starmie. The purple starfish submerged itself into the water, leaving Cleffa on edge.

"Steady, Cleffa," Leaf fluttered her hands, "steady…"

Cleffa stiffened as she surveyed the water beneath the platform.

"Starmie," Misty commanded, "Psywave!"

Starmie leapt out of the water from behind and its core glowed as it fired a pink blast of energy that knocked Cleffa off the platform. She squealed as she fell into the water. Leaf hugged her arms to her chest as the young pink fairy emerged from the surface, her light weight keeping her afloat.

"Cleffa, you alright?" Leaf yelled.

"Clef Cleffa!" Cleffa held out her paw.

"Can you swim?"

Cleffa took a moment to think before she paddled over to the pole holding up a platform. Misty grinned as she clenched her hand into a fist.

"Dive underwater again," Misty instructed.

Starmie submerged itself back into the pool. Cleffa tightened her grip onto the platform pole like her life depended on it. From an angle, Leaf could see Starmie barreling its way towards the young pink fairy.

"On my signal," Leaf muttered to herself.

Mewtwo tilted his head curiously, making sure to keep Cleffa in better view.

"Starmie," Misty directed, "Rapid Spin!"

Starmie began spinning once again as it barreled after Cleffa.

"Magical Leaf!"

Just as Starmie was closing in, Cleffa waved her paw around and summoned magical dancing leaves which began pursuing the large purple starfish. Starmie had been caught off-guard as the leafy projectiles pelted it relentlessly and stopped it in its tracks. The young pink fairy climbed back onto the platform.

"Hang in there, Starmie!" Misty called over, "use Psybeam!"

"Dodge," Leaf directed, "and use Disarming Voice!"

Starmie and Cleffa launched their attacks at the same time. Leaf instinctively crossed her fingers as both blasts collided with one another, pushing back against one another. Mewtwo blinked, astounded by the young pink fairy's potential. For a moment, the Psybeam pushed itself a little too close to Cleffa as she sweated anxiously. Still, the young pink fairy concentrated harder and let out another cry, her blast of soundwaves and hearts pushing back and dissipating the Psybeam altogether. The psionic feline smiled and nodded proudly to himself.

"Magical Leaf again!" Leaf extended her palm, "make it count!"

Cleffa twirled around twice and summoned leafy projectiles, launching them at Starmie. The purple starfish didn't have enough time to finish recovering as the leaves relentlessly pelted it. Soon enough, the projectiles overwhelmed the purple starfish until it fell into the pool, floating as the young pink fairy stopped her move altogether.

"Starmie is unable to battle," the referee announced, "victory goes to Leaf Aoyama from Pallet Town!"

Leaf couldn't contain her excitement as she fluttered her hands and Cleffa happily imitated her trainer's movements. Mewtwo smiled and rose to his full height. All the while, Misty let out a disappointed sigh as she withdrew her Starmie.

"You did pretty good," Misty said, "get some nice rest."

Misty walked around the perimeter of the pool and approached her challenger while Leaf carefully stepped down from the challenger's platform. Misty pulled out a small box in her other hand, opening it to reveal the water droplet shaped badge.

"I believe this Cascade Badge is rightfully yours," Misty declared, "for beating me in a fair battle. Congratulations!"

Leaf smiled before she pulled out the Cascade Badge and placed it into a slot of her badge case.

"Thanks, Misty!" Leaf chirped.

Leaf offered her palm, allowing Misty to give her a high five. The Cerulean Gym Leader then gave her a TM labeled Water Pulse.

"This one's my favorite TM," Misty added, "you're welcome to try it on any aquatic Pokémon you have."

Leaf giggled nervously as she stashed her secondary prize into her TM Case.

"Well, I'd better find a water type to catch at some point," Leaf replied.

Leaf shifted her gaze towards Cleffa who began skipping towards her. She crouched down and spread her arms open, allowing the young pink fairy to jump into her embrace.

"Cleffa!" Cleffa chirruped.

"We did it, Cleffa!" Leaf smiled, rising to her feet and twirling around happily with Cleffa in her arms, "you were amazing out there!"

Red followed Mewtwo down the bleachers and stood by the door while the young girl turned towards them.

"We knew you could do it!" Red smiled.

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu added, waving his paw.

Cleffa waved back when she started glowing all of a sudden, eliciting a surprised gasp from Leaf. In a matter of seconds, the Pokémon in her arms grew in size and small wings sprouted out of her back. Her paw became more defined and her tuft of fur grew and curled a little more. Soon, the light faded, revealing a Clefairy. Leaf couldn't help but smile as the starry pink fairy flapped her arms.

"You evolved!" she chirped, "I'm so proud of you!"

Clefairy tilted her gaze towards her trainer and smiled back.

"Fairy Clefairy!"

Leaf shifted her gaze towards Mewtwo as the pink fairy continued to flap her arms.

"Did you see what just happened?" she asked him.

Mewtwo couldn't help but smile as he nodded.

"Of course," he answered, "well done. I'm rather impressed."

Leaf grinned as she ran her hand along Clefairy's head. The happy moment broke when they heard Red's stomach growling, so he rubbed his belly with one hand.

"You know what?" Red remarked, "maybe we should get some lunch after we stop by the Pokémon Center."

Leaf giggled as she recalled Clefairy into her Poké Ball.

"Yeah, that's true," Leaf agreed, "but should we get food at the cafeteria, or…?"

Red glanced over his shoulder as he and Misty exchanged glances, the gym leader folding her arms. After a moment of silence, she raised her index finger.

"There's an awesome sandwich place we can go to," Misty suggested with a wink, "I'll lead the way!"

Chapter Text

Leaving the arena, Misty, Leaf, Mewtwo and Red were about to cross the lobby when they spotted three girls older than the Cerulean gym leader surrounding Eloise. Leaf grimaced as she then noticed Blake and Omari booking their matches at the receptionist counter.

"Oh my goshies!" Eloise squealed with joy, "I get to meet the Cerulean City Sensational Sisters!"

The dark blue-haired girl clad in a green minidress clapped her hands together in excitement.

"And we're so honored to meet the beautiful baroness of the Kalos Region!" she added.

Eloise placed her hand on her brooch with pride.

"I am totally honored," she boasted, "I love to watch your synchronized swimming performances on television!"

The three girls exchanged brief glances before returning their gaze towards Eloise.

"That reminds me," the blond girl suggested, "we'll be putting on a show tomorrow. If you want, we could reserve a seat in the front row for you!"

Eloise let out an excited squeal, causing Leaf to stiffen and press her hands against her ears.

"Leaf," Red muttered with a hint of worry in his voice.

"I get to watch your performance live?!" Eloise shrieked with joy, "oh, yes! Yes! I want to come! Thank you so much for inviting me, Daisy!"

Red raised his eyebrows while Pikachu tilted his head.

"Daisy?" Red paused, "isn't that the same name as Gary's sister?"

Mewtwo placed a hand on Leaf's shoulder in an effort to reassure her.

"Let's get you outside, yes?" Mewtwo told her.

Leaf nodded as she huddled closer to Mewtwo. The psionic feline shifted his gaze to Red.

"Outside with minimal fuss," Mewtwo advised, "let's avoid her."

Red exchanged glances with Misty.

"Sorry about my sisters," Misty sighed with a shrug, "they can be such a pain in the butt. Let's go."

"Yeah, definitely," Red agreed.

"Pika," Pikachu added.

Of course, Leaf didn't need to ask Misty for the girls' names. Standing next to Daisy, she also recognized Violet and Lily from a poster outside the gym. Lily brushed a few hairs out of her eyes before taking a step closer to Eloise.

"Like," Lily requested, "can we take a picture with you?"

Eloise let out another gasp as her Eevee twitched her ears.

"Of course you can!" Eloise chirped.

Eloise curtly snapped her fingers, catching Blake and Omari's attention just as the latter finished reserving his match.

"Boys," Eloise commanded, "get the camera set up!"

Blake and Omari began searching their backpacks while Red, Leaf, Mewtwo and Misty continued to sneak along the wall opposite to the girls. But out of the corner of her eye, the Cerulean gym leader noticed Daisy pulling out a Cascade Badge and holding it out before the Kalos baroness.

"Oh," Eloise cooed, "for me?"

"Yeah, just take it," Daisy nodded, "a badge is a badge, right?"

Eloise eagerly took the badge and stashed it into her purse. Misty's face reddened as she narrowed her eyes at her older sister. Leaf, Mewtwo and Red paused in their tracks as they noticed the Cerulean gym leader stomping towards her older sisters.

"Daisy, what are you doing?!" Misty demanded, raising her voice to the point of yelling, "you're not supposed to give out badges to trainers that freely! She hasn't even reserved a match yet!"

While Eloise and the Sensational Sisters focused their gaze on Misty, Leaf stammered incoherently as she nervously flapped her hands.

"This isn't going to end well," she muttered to herself.

"Well," Lily smirked as she wagged her finger, "if it isn't the runt who prefers to battle the gym challengers around here."

Misty clenched her fists.

"Cut the crap," Misty snapped, "you know it's against the Pokémon League rules to give out badges to trainers who haven't defeated the gym leader in battle!"

Eloise caught a glimpse of Leaf, even if she huddled closer to Mewtwo.

"As for you," Misty pointed her finger at Eloise, "you give the badge back at once! If you want one so badly, reserve a match like everyone else!"

Eloise shook her head, much to Misty's frustration.

"Uhh, Misty," Violet tried to object, "you're standing before the Baroness of the Kalos Region. Give her some respect, will you?"

"Besides," Eloise added, pointing at Mewtwo, "Leaftard over there is the one being the spoiled little brat using her autism to get her way. Of course, she'd throw a tantrum to get a badge without battling."

Misty shook her head in disbelief while her sisters locked eyes onto Mewtwo and Leaf for a brief moment, the latter shuddering in dread.

"Leaf just beat me in battle," Misty corrected, pointing at Eloise, "and unlike you, she's earned her badge fair and square!"

Red took a protective stance in front of Leaf and Mewtwo just as Blake and Omari set down the camera equipment and approached him.

"Yeah right, you don't want to hang out with her," Blake told him, "she's a weak trainer, but she's a master at manipulation."
Mewtwo huffed, as he swayed his tail in agitation.

"You wouldn't know manipulation if it dragged you into a Poké Ball," Mewtwo hissed.

"Y-Yeah," Red agreed with a nod, "you leave Leaf out of this, punk!"

Pikachu hopped off Red's shoulder and widened his stance.

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu barked.

"Why should we?" Omari sneered, "is she your girlfriend?"

Red facepalmed as Blake and Omari snickered in unison. Eloise, Daisy, Lily and Violet joined in on the laughter seconds later. Mewtwo shook his head, resisting the urge to glow his eyes at them.

"Is immaturity the best retort you can come up with?" Mewtwo scolded, his telepathy reaching all the minds in the lobby, "it sounds as if you're all jealous of her honest skill. Her Pokémon did wonderfully. Grow up and back off!"

Eloise narrowed her eyes and gritted her teeth while Mewtwo turned his attention to Daisy.

"You, ma'am," Mewtwo continued, "ought not to disobey the rules set by those higher than you, even if they mean nothing to you. It sets a bad example. Your little sister is the leader, she has the final say as far as I'm concerned as a bystander."

Misty gave Mewtwo an astounded look while Eloise folded her arms.

"Hmmph!" Eloise scoffed, lifting her head in a smug manner, "why would I be jealous of Freak-Leaf, anyway? Besides, everyone loves me because my beauty can never compare to hers!"

Misty didn't hesitate to hold out her palm.

"You heard what whoever this guy said," Misty pestered, "now give the badge back!"

A moment of silence lingered while Eloise gave Misty a blank stare. The Kalos baroness frowned before she turned her head away.

"No," Eloise barked.

Red and Pikachu gave Eloise the stink-eye.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Red groaned.

"Pikapi," Pikachu facepalmed.

"Vanity means nothing, child," Mewtwo threatened, "if you won't, I will. You know what I can do."

Eloise gave Mewtwo a smug grin.

"Well, Mr. Hooded Freak," Eloise taunted, "you think you can stand a chance against my daddy?"

Mewtwo narrowed his eyes.

"I have bested many trainers, even leaders," Mewtwo warned, "I'm not even slightly threatened by the prospect of your father."

Mewtwo discreetly nudged Leaf towards the exit while his eyes started glowing. Misty suddenly noticed the unearned Cascade Badge appeared in her hand. The Cerulean gym leader stashed the badge into her pocket while she narrowed her eyes at her sisters.

"We'll be having a serious conversation later," Misty warned them, "got it?"

Daisy, Lily and Violet lowered their heads while Misty led Mewtwo, Red and Leaf out of the gym. After setting foot outside, they made a beeline for the Pokémon Center when they intercepted Gary near the entrance.

"Oh," Leaf blurted, fluttering her hand, "hey, Gary."

Mewtwo nodded at the professor's grandson while he took a moment to calm himself from his building rage.

"Heya, Leaf," Gary winked, "everything went alright at the gym?"

"Even better," Leaf nodded as she pulled out her badge case, "I actually got my next badge!"

Gary folded his arms as the young girl stashed the badge case into her messenger bag.

"Nice," he commented, "I bet that means I'm next."

Gary and Red exchanged glances.

"So," Red asked, "how'd your little adventure up north go?"

Gary grinned upon cue.

"Wait until you see the Pokémon I caught!"

Gary reached for his belt and sent out a Poké Ball, a small bipedal Pokémon with a black torso and a pale yellow snout emerging from the capsule in a matter of seconds.

"Abra," the Pokémon hummed.

Red and Pikachu stared with an astounded expression.

"Pika…"

Leaf pulled out her Pokédex and held it out to scan Gary's newest catch.

{Abra, the Psi Pokémon. They're known to sleep for 18 hours a day and will teleport whenever it senses approaching danger. They use extrasensory powers even while they're asleep.}

Mewtwo eyed the small psychic Pokémon and relaxed his shoulders in relief, knowing there was another psychic around.

"Nicely done," he praised, "I hear they're difficult to get ahold of."

Gary gave Mewtwo a thumbs up, "Thanks, are you guys going to heal up?"

"Yeah," Red nodded and took a moment to adjust his cap, "and we're going to grab some lunch after that."

"If you want," Misty added, approaching the door as it slid open, "you could join us."

Gary stammered as he scratched the back of his head.

"Sure," he agreed, recalling his Abra, "why not?"

Mewtwo followed Leaf, Red, Gary and Misty into the Pokémon Center and waited while they took turns handing their Pokémon to Nurse Joy, who ran the trays through the healing machine. Once they finished, they all stepped outside the Pokémon Center.

"All right," Misty declared, pointing to the southwest, "the sandwich place is this way!"

With that, Leaf, Mewtwo, Red and Gary followed Misty down the street and turned at a corner until they stopped before a single-story building with a teal roof and a sign that read "Sumika's Deli". The psionic feline sniffed at the air when they entered the sandwich restaurant. They all got into a line leading to the counter, where Leaf could read the menu above. She took note of the various sandwiches popular in Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh and beyond. Once they reached the counter, Misty was the first to order. Then Red placed his order followed by Gary. From there, Leaf was next in line.

"And what can I get you, miss?" the clerk asked.

Leaf took one more moment to skim the menu.

"I would like a tonkatsu sandwich with just mustard and a Nanab nutrishake," Leaf requested.

"And would you like ponzu sauce or sesame sauce to go with it?" the clerk replied.

"Sesame sauce, please," Leaf answered.

Leaf glanced over her shoulder for a brief moment, locking eyes onto Mewtwo as he loomed behind her.

"Can I also get a grilled cheese sandwich and lemonade for my friend here?" she added.

At that point, the gym leader and the Pallet Town trio took turns paying for their meal before Misty took a table number card. A minute later, a waiter delivered the drinks to the counter.

"Thank you, Leaf. I hope to enjoy your food recommendations," Mewtwo told her, "I apologize if I overreacted or overspoke in…her presence with her behavior."

"That's ok," Leaf reassured Mewtwo.

Now that they had their drinks, Leaf, Mewtwo, Red, Misty and Gary found an empty table near the window. The psionic feline sat more in the shade and stayed silent as he thought to himself. Clefairy pressed herself against the window to peer outside. The four trainers didn't hesitate to bring out their Pokémon, Red noticing as a Psyduck sat on Misty's lap.

"Huh, I don't mean to be rude," Red mentioned, "but I would've thought Psyduck was a little simple for a Gym Leader?"

"Ehh, Psyduck's quite a handful," Misty blurted, "he's honestly more of a companion than a teammate for gym challenges."

"Psyduck!"

"That's fine," Red shrugged, "everyone needs a cheerleader, after all."

In the meantime, Leaf began typing a text message in her Pokégear to send to her parents while tilting her head towards the TV screen. Her face lit up when she heard the familiar pleasant catchy song from the TV's audio and saw an anime character she recognized appear on the screen.

"Oh?" Leaf warbled, eyes sparkling with joy, "Asuna-chan's on!"

Clefairy perked up her ears and spun around to lock eyes onto the TV screen.

"Fairy! Clefairy!" Clefairy chirped as she happily jumped up and down on the table.

"Asuna-chan?" Misty raised her eyebrows.

"It's Leaf's favorite show," Gary shrugged.

Mewtwo looked to her and then to the TV, tilting his head. He didn't quite understand it, but he wasn't going to complain about whatever gave her happy sparks. Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle and Pikachu joined Clefairy's side. Mewtwo made a noise of acknowledgement, but otherwise quietly watched it to see what the fuss was about. The episode started with the heroine of the show, Asuna Sakuragi, delivering lunch to the greenhouse in Floaroma with her Cherrim floating alongside her.

"I bet something exciting is going to happen here," Leaf chirped to herself, "right, Clefairy?"

Clefairy winked at Leaf.

"Fairy!" Clefairy agreed.

Mewtwo glanced through the window again. He relaxed and let his tail lay on the seat next to him. Leaf and Clefairy were already engrossed at the antics of Asuna and her best friend Mika trying to figure out the whereabouts of the flock of Starlys, Staravias and Staraptors. The psionic feline raised his brow as Asuna and her Cherrim were talking with the stranded Starly in their care.

"How peculiar," Mewtwo commented, "another Pokémon that can speak without telepathy?"

"Oh, right," Leaf blurted, "Asuna's Cherrim has the ability to talk."

"Just like that Meowth we met in Mount Moon," Gary remarked, folding his arms.

"Beats me," Red shrugged, taking a sip of his drink.

Leaf heard a ping from her Pokégear, so she took a moment to read the text message from her father:

{Did you check out the fountain?}

Leaf smiled before she typed down her response in her Pokégear before sending it:

{Yeah, and the aquarium was great!}

Several minutes later, the waiter returned with the sandwiches on a tray.

"Here we go!" the waiter announced, "your sandwiches are ready!"

"Thanks!" Red smiled.

"You're welcome," the waiter winked, "enjoy!"

Red, Misty, Leaf, Gary and Mewtwo grabbed their sandwiches while another waiter placed dishes of specialty chowder before their Pokémon and they began digging in. Likewise, Misty took a bite out of her egg sandwich and Red happily munched on his falafel while Gary slowly ate his panini. Mewtwo took a bite out of the grilled cheese sandwich and found himself savoring the richness of the melted cheese. The psionic feline made a brief glance at Leaf as she dipped a tonkatsu sandwich into the sesame sauce before she took a bite. All the while, she returned her gaze to the TV screen.

By the time they finished their lunch, the episode of Miracle Asuna-chan ended with the stranded Starly finally reuniting with its flock and they continued their migration, which was enough to satisfy Leaf's curiosity. Mewtwo couldn't help but give Leaf a gentle smile.

"May I ask why you like the show?" Mewtwo asked her.

Leaf placed a finger on her chin.

"For one thing, it teaches basic lessons on how to navigate life and its challenges," Leaf explained, "and second, I find myself relating to Asuna-chan."

Mewtwo nodded, knowing her reason made sense.

"I can see why you have such a high interest in it, then," Mewtwo commented, "it seems important to you and I imagine it's taught you a lot."

"Pretty much," Leaf agreed.

Leaf, Red, Gary and Misty recalled all of their Pokémon save for Pikachu, who preferred to ride on his trainer's shoulder. Mewtwo led them out of the restaurant. Misty turned on her feet to face north.

"I'll be heading back to the gym," Misty waved her hand, "see you around!"

Misty ventured off while Red and Gary shared blank glances.

"So what'll you be doing?" Gary asked.

Red took a moment to take off his cap and brush some locks out of his eyes.

"I'll probably explore the city a little," he answered, "you going to challenge Misty?"

"Yeah," Gary nodded, "I'm hoping there's still a slot available today."

With that, Gary turned on his feet and glanced over his shoulder, giving Red and Leaf a thumbs up.

"Smell ya later!"

With that, Gary took off.

Chapter Text

With Red and his Pikachu exploring Cerulean City by themselves, Leaf and Mewtwo once again had some time to themselves. They strolled their way to the northern edge of the city and observed a long bridge which seemed to stretch across the river. They noticed five trainers standing along the edge of the bridge.

"Curious," Leaf blurted, "are those trainers hanging out or something?"

Mewtwo took a moment to read the sign next to the bridge. He took note of a schedule written beneath the name of the bridge.

"I don't think so," Mewtwo shook his head, "the schedule here has times when this comes into effect, look."

Mewtwo discreetly pointed their gaze towards the schedule.

"It appears to be some sort of challenge," he continued.

Leaf blinked twice before she double-checked the sign.

"Huh," Leaf commented, "is that why they call it Nugget Bridge?"

"One way to find out?" he tilted his head, "it would help level up your team, I suppose, if you would like to partake."

Leaf glanced at Mewtwo and smiled.

"Sure," she chirped, "I'll give it a shot!"

After taking a moment to adjust her hat, Leaf and Mewtwo started crossing the bridge. He kept his eyes down as they came to the first trainer. The bug catcher soon focused his eyes on Leaf and readied his Poké Ball.

"Hey, you!" the bug catcher yelled, "you have what it takes to beat us and win a fabulous prize?!"

Leaf stiffened before she tilted her head towards the bug catcher, not bothering to stare into his eyes.

"Sure," Leaf answered, "why not?"

He started by sending out a Caterpie.

"Ok," Leaf reached for her own Poké Ball, "go, Pidgey!"

Mewtwo stepped back, glancing over towards the cave again. At least he was near something of a safe spot, he considered as he listened to the battle.

"String Shot!" the bug catcher commanded.

"Dodge," Leaf called, "then use Gust!"

The Pidgey flapped her wings once and thick blades of air slashed towards Caterpie, sending it tumbling backwards. The bug catcher stared in disbelief as Caterpie fainted at that spot, so he recalled it before sending out a Weedle. The Pidgey hovered and glanced down towards Leaf, ready to make the next move.

"Poison Sting!" the bug catcher ordered.

Just as Weedle started firing poison needles, the Pidgey dodged with no trouble.

"Now use Gust," Leaf instructed, "again!"

Pidgey launched another Gust, flying closer to have a bigger impact.

"Pijo!"

The same move easily brought down the Weedle, so the bug catcher grimaced as he sent out a Metapod. Pidgey circled above them, waiting for a final command.

"Let's give it a Gust!" Leaf gave her Pidgey a thumbs up.

Pidgey nodded at Leaf before she flapped her wings. She sent the final attack at the Metapod, hoping it hadn't instinctively hardened already. The bug catcher gaped as Metapod dropped to the ground. Groaning, he recalled his Metapod.

"Wow," he rasped, "good stuff."

Pidgey chirruped and spread her wings wide before she started glowing. Mewtwo perked his head up and stared in awe. The bird grew in size and the draft coming off her wings increased in strength. She moved to land in front of Leaf, realizing she couldn't fit on her shoulder anymore.

"Pidgey," Leaf gasped, "you evolved!"

"Pijoo!" the newly evolved Pidgeotto chirped.

Floating off the ground, Pidgeotto gently touched her beak to her forehead and shook her head, looking to the trainer she defeated. Mewtwo smiled and walked closer to her.

"Ready to move on?" Mewtwo asked Leaf.

Leaf made a brief glance at Mewtwo and nodded.

"Yeah," she answered, "let's go."

Her confidence boosted tenfold since Pidgey's evolution, so her Pokémon continued to plow through the other four trainers with ease. Pidgeotto paused partway through to have a drink and quick bath from the river before going back to the two, playfully splashing Mewtwo and Leaf. Bulbasaur even learned Seed Bomb and Sandshrew learned two ground type moves. When they reached the end of Nugget Bridge, they stared down the last trainer. Mewtwo tensed upon seeing him and brushed Leaf's back warily.

"I don't like this one," Mewtwo spoke into her head.

Sandshrew seemed to jump from foot to foot eagerly, ready for another battle. The last trainer locked eyes onto Leaf and started strolling towards her.

"Congratulations!" he cheered as he spread his arms forward, "you just earned a fabulous prize!"

Leaf nodded sheepishly as she avoided the trainer's eyes.

"Yeah, whatever," she muttered, "what's the catch?"

The trainer didn't say anything as he placed the nugget into Leaf's palm.

"By the way, kid," he added, "how would you like to join Team Rocket?"

Leaf stiffened as her eyes widened and panic surged through her veins, taking a step away from the mysterious trainer.

"No way!" she protested, "I'm not joining you guys!"

The strange trainer furrowed his eyebrows at her.

"Are you sure about that?" he insisted, "we are a wonderful syndicate that specialize in Pokémon. Now come on, join us!"

Leaf shook her head.

"I'm telling you to join us!" the trainer began to raise his voice.

Flinching from the loud voice, Leaf stared at the nugget in her head, tempted to chuck it out of sight.

"Where'd you even get the nugget, anyway?" Leaf snapped, "did you steal it from someone?!"

Mewtwo growled quietly and pulled her closer to him, glaring at the suspicious figure as he let out a hiss. Sandshrew stopped at his trainer's tone and stared up at the young man, starting to growl as well.

"Stubborn girl," the trainer grumbled as he shed his disguise and put on his black cap.

The newly revealed Team Rocket grunt shifted his gaze towards the cloaked figure. Leaf let out a distressed moan as she embraced herself to Mewtwo, encouraging him to hold her close.

"Easy," Mewtwo assured her, "you're going to be ok."

"I'll give you an offer, Mewtwo," the Rocket grunt demanded, "if you turn yourself over to our leader now, he'll spare your girl's life."

Mewtwo blinked twice as he narrowed his eyes, extending his paw forward.

"I'll take you down with no effort if you move any closer," Mewtwo threatened, "no one will be any the wiser."

The Team Rocket grunt huffed before he sent out an Ekans. Sandshrew stepped forward to meet it.

"Sandsand!"

Leaf buried her face into the makeshift cloak.

"Sandshrew," Leaf called, "use Dig!"

Sandshrew quickly dug under the Ekans and waited to feel its heartbeat above him. Mewtwo kept his tail hidden under the cloak and wrapped it around her protectively.

"Steady, Ekans!" the grunt commanded, "move into position and get ready to strike!"

Sandshrew quickly moved underneath the snake and scratched at its underside after he burst out of the dirt. The Ekans let out a pained hiss before it plopped onto the ground. The grunt growling as he recalled his Ekans.

"Nice one, Sandshrew!" Leaf cheered, "you got this!"

The grunt sent out a Zubat. Sandshrew hissed and scratched at the ground, displeased at the grunt before focusing on the bat Pokémon.

"Leech Life!" the grunt ordered.

"Rollout!" Leaf countered.

Sandshrew curled up into a ball just as Zubat flew after the sandy pangolin. The small bat bit down on his hide, only to regret it as Sandshrew then began rolling in place and picking up speed. Zubat let out a screech as Sandshrew rammed into it hard. Seconds later, it passed out and dropped to the ground. The Rocket grunt snarled before he recalled his Zubat.

"I see you two don't know when to quit while you're ahead," he growled.

"Neither do you. Now leave before I make good on my warning," Mewtwo continued to glower at him.

As soon as the grunt turned and stormed off, Leaf and Mewtwo sighed in relief. She took a step back, allowing the psychic Legendary to lean forward and nuzzle her face.

"Are you all right?" Mewtwo asked, "I hope he didn't scare you too much."

"Yeah," Leaf nodded sheepishly, "I'll be ok."

Leaf wrapped her arms around Mewtwo without hesitation. Hesitantly, he patted her head while he surveyed the terrain beyond the bridge.

"Perhaps we should sit in that small field over there," he suggested, "take a rest. I'd like to congratulate those who battled and evolved, as you did well under pressure."

Sandshrew raised his head high and patted his chest.

"Sand!"

The instant Leaf nodded, Mewtwo scooped her up into his arms. With Sandshrew following him, he floated over to the field leading to Route 25, where he sat down. Leaf brought out Pidgeotto, Bulbasaur and Clefairy before she went back to embracing the psionic feline.

"If anyone would like a drink," Mewtwo nodded, "now would be an optimal time."

Leaf released Mewtwo from her embrace to set down a water bowl, filling it up with her canteen. From there, her Pokémon took turns taking a drink while Mewtwo glanced over his shoulder.

"The water from this river should be ideal to fill that later," he remarked, "I believe it runs all the way to Johto."

Leaf tilted her head slightly after checking the remaining water in her canteen, giving Mewtwo a confused look.

"Maybe for Pokémon," she told him, "but not for humans. My mom did tell me humans don't stand a chance against the germs in rivers and lakes."

"I see," Mewtwo commented, "I believe humans need to boil the water to make it safe first?"

Leaf raised her index finger.

"That," she added, "and we have treatment systems to purify water for all the towns and cities."

Mewtwo gave a small smile and nodded.

"Of course," he mused, "I keep forgetting things have changed in the last few decades."

Once Leaf's Pokémon finished drinking from the water bowl, she withdrew them back into their Poké Balls and put away the bowl. She and Mewtwo rose to their feet and they continued their stroll through the route. Mewtwo glanced around before levitating above the ground.

As they headed east, Leaf would occasionally make a brief glance at the river to her right. He tried to stop glancing over to the left, since the cottage at the edge of the route sent chills down his spine. The brunette trainer stopped in her tracks and tilted her gaze towards a berry tree to her left.

"Maybe I can find something helpful here," Leaf muttered to herself.

Pulling out her Berry Pouch, Leaf stepped over to the tree and inspected each branch, plucking out a few Persim berries. Mewtwo watched her and carefully floated up to see if any higher berries were ripe enough.

"Would you like more?" Mewtwo asked her.

Leaf took a moment to check her Berry Pouch.

"Maybe a few more will do," she answered.

Mewtwo spotted a few more ripe Persim berries and proceeded to harvest them, levitating them closer to the young trainer.

"Will these do?"

Leaf grabbed the floating berries and stashed them into her Berry Pouch. She took a step away from the tree while Mewtwo descended to the ground. Once they reached the edge of the route, Leaf sighed and crouched to the ground near a pond which had a bridge over it. The psychic Legendary simply stood by her side, scanning his surroundings in a moment of silence.

"Did you find something?" Mewtwo spoke into her mind.

Leaf simply shrugged before she glanced over her shoulder and locked eyes onto a cottage sitting next to the lighthouse on the other side of the pathway. Mewtwo followed her gaze and perked up his head.

"I'm getting that feeling again," Mewtwo told her.

Leaf lifted her head and gave Mewtwo a confused stare.

"What feeling?" she paused.

"Just…something familiar. May I investigate?"

He glanced back at her, well aware she wasn't his trainer but wanting to make sure she would be all right for a moment with whether she wanted to go inside with him or wait outside. Leaf reached into her bag and brought out her Bulbasaur who waddled over to Mewtwo and lifted her head up, gazing into the Legendary's eyes. He smiled and pat the grassy amphibian's head with his tail, keeping eye contact.

"You may follow me if you wish."

Leaf scooped Bulbasaur into her arms and stood to her feet. Mewtwo watched her and started to walk towards the cottage, moving to knock on the door. Much to their disappointment, no one answered.

"I guess nobody's home," Leaf shrugged.

He tilted his head and focused carefully.

"No, I can sense…something in there," Mewtwo corrected, staring into Leaf's eyes, "should I try the door?"

Leaf and Bulbasaur nodded in unison without saying anything. Mewtwo took the hint and his psychic energy danced from his fingertips, his telekinesis turning the knob and pushing the door open.