Hard Enough - Chapter 209 - Diplomacy (Patreon)

To say that the room was more nervous than a Persian in a room full of rocking chairs would be underselling it. I couldn’t imagine a more tense situation.

I certainly hadn’t helped things by allowing Empress to fight Mewtwo but I wasn’t trying to fool myself. That fight was going to happen, with or without my blessing. As it was she’d… given it a good fight, sadly, that had resulted in consequences for me.

Mewtwo floated towards a long table with chairs that were fused to the ground. They reminded me somewhat of egg holders with their shape, but the large sloping back support made them feel more like chairs you’d find on some alien mothership. 

No one moved to follow Mewtwo. There was a tense standoff taking place between us and Team Aqua. 

Honestly, it would have been weirder if we’d all moved to sit down and forgotten the last few minutes of attempting to destroy each other.

Koga cleared his throat. “Mewtwo, you say you wish to talk, some of us… have injuries that require tending to. I fear I cannot sit idly while they deteriorate.”

The Aqua commander straightened at this. “I too have many injured,” he said, shooting us a glower. 

I felt the ghost of a smirk play out over my lips. Part of me wanted to say that if they couldn’t handle the heat they really shouldn’t enter the kitchen, but I didn’t. I was too busy fretting over what Mewtwo was doing with Don and Empress. 

…

Unlike the others, I had a potentially viable idea.

It all came down to if the cloning machines were actually operational or merely a gimmick from the Pokemon movies. If Mewtwo needed backup at all, I suspected we’d find out. Then again, his clone balls managed us rather well as it was. 

Mewtwo rotated in the air and considered the injured. Annabelle glowered up at him weakly while some of the Aqua grunts looked like they were merely hanging in while their fellows saw to them.

Mewtwo hummed. “You may withdraw your injured along with one other for each injured person you have,” he said with a dismissive wave of his hand.

I held in a hiss. I could already see an issue with that, at least from our standpoint. Team Aqua had been ambushed and we’d basically had them on the ropes, now they were going to, mostly, be able to slink away and lick their wounds. 

I caught the flash of relief on the Commander’s face as he bowed his head in an attempt to hide his smirk. “Thank you for your wise actions,” he simpered. “Might I suggest you detain—”

Mewtwo held up a bulbous finger and a pink glow appeared around the Commander silencing him as he was levitated up and towards Mewtwo. When they were of a level Mewtwo spoke. “I am aware of what you are and who you represent. Do not mistake my mercy for weakness, or naivety. I know the depravities mankind can cause,” he said firmly. 

The commander swallowed. “I… see,” he said. 

Mewtwo lowered the man to the floor and the Commander barked orders to have the injured taken away. One of the Grunts spoke up. “What of the injured pokemon sir?” 

The commander shot Mewtwo a fearful look. “We… we will see how negotiations proceed. For now take the injured and depart. Tell Commodore Amber what we’ve encountered on this island,” he said as his eyes darted from us to Mewtwo.

I clenched my teeth and looked to Sabrina, who was our best chance of getting Mewtwo to understand our point of view. She shook her head minutely and I had to repress the urge to sigh as Annabelle was lifted up and escorted away by Tiffany. 

The young channeller shot Agatha a look only for the older woman to wave her off with a nod. 

Reports would also be spread around for our group and a potential recuse might start to be set up. 

I worked my jaw. If I was being realistic, more people entering Mewtwo’s domain while he had the clone balls up might just be a terrible decision. It would be like feeding a Snorlax. Mewtwo would only become a bigger threat with access to more pokemon.

Mewtwo waved his hand. “I will not ask again.” Some of the Team Aqua grunts that had been trying to edge towards the exit with the injured were suddenly yanked towards the table and chairs. Mewtwo’s tail lashed behind him. “Sit, and we shall talk,” he commanded while himself remained hovering in the air at the head of the table. 

I shared a look with the other Guardians and we nodded. I swallowed down the bitter feeling and followed Agatha and Koga as they led us to our side of the table. Sabrina squeezed my hand and nudged me into a position next to Agatha while Sabrina took the seat to my right. 

Agatha shot me a look that spoke volumes about how I was to sit down and keep my mouth shut. Apparently, she thought I’d done enough and I… couldn’t find it within myself to refute her. 

I’d been expecting Mewtwo to… what? Respect or recognise Empress’ spirit? Or her anguish?

Mewtwo didn’t have the reference for that, not unless Sabrina— who had an extremely atypical childhood— was able to convey the importance of motherhood. Sabrina was many things but she wouldn’t have been able to convey that to Mewtwo with their last exchange. 

We approached the alien-like chairs and I sat. My knee bounced and I swept my gaze up and down the table to find that there weren’t enough seats for us, on our side or for Team Aqua on their side, resulting in some people standing behind others. On our side, Koga, Agatha, myself, Sabrina and Karen filled out the Guardians. 

For Team Aqua, there were a few men and women wearing some form of sailing outfit while the commander took pride of place with a large coat draped over his shoulders. 

I shifted in my seat. They really weren’t the most comfortable of chairs. Then again that might be because I was sitting on the edge and not laying back in them like others. 

Mewtwo didn’t deign to sit with us. Instead, he kept hovering at the head of the table. His gaze slowly swept over each and every one of us. 

Karen and Agatha narrowed their eyes and bristled. 

Heh, it was just like being called into a principal’s office after getting in a… I narrowed my eyes at Mewtwo and considered him. This… wasn’t what I would have expected from Mewtwo. 

His actions were very… human. 

If another pokemon had found a group —pokemon or people— they would attack and drive them out. And New Island was in effect, Mewtwo’s den, or home perhaps. Mewtwo after all was extremely human-like in his mannerisms. 

Even the closest comparison, of Alakazam or Gardevoirs as social psychic pokemon usually lived in the wild with a cluster of an extended family group of their fellows. 

Was it that Mewtwo was a Legendary pokemon? Or that he was all alone?

“So, I have returned to my home and found you…” he paused as his tail lashed about him and his fists clenched. “Humans, fighting within my halls.” 

His tail continued to lash. “Why should I not simply crush you all for this trespass?” he said, lifting his chin.

One of the grunts scoffed and whispered. “If it wasn’t for them freaky black pokeballs we’d wreck this stuck-up Psychic.” His words, in another setting might have gone unnoticed. 

With the architecture, and the lack of anyone actually talking, his words reached everyone’s ears. The young grunt then made the mistake of stiffening as the realisation of what they’d done set in. 

If you hadn’t been able to pick her out before, you could now. Mewtwo flicked his hand and the woman rose into the air only to be launched out an open window. She screamed the entire way out. 

Sabrina pursed her lips and tracked the woman. “She will impact the water near the main Aqua vessel,” she announced. 

Mewtwo shot her an annoyed look but Sabrina merely met it cooly, not at all bothered by the heat of his gaze. She’d faced stronger after all. 

Sabrina instead chose to take the thread of conversation and address the Donphan in the room. “Our group was aware of your claim to this island and we were also aware of Team Aqua’s approach. Our hope was to limit any destruction they might cause—”

“We hadn’t taken any aggressive actions!” interrupted the commander with a raised finger. “We were merely exploring this island before we were assaulted by them!” 

Agatha scoffed. “Terrorists and military groups like Team Aqua shouldn’t attempt to hide behind such transparent truths,” she said. “You have been mapping out the Orange islands and preparing for a strike on Kanto! You have no other reason to be here! Your organisation is criminal and a threat to our way of life!” Agatha refuted. 

“Bold words from a group that happens to have some of Kanto’s strongest! Are you claiming to not be a military group as well?” sneered the Commander. 

I flicked my gaze back up to Mewtwo, who was watching on with a neutral expression. Agatha and the Commander glared at each other while Sabrina stayed focused on Mewtwo. 

I felt something ripple past me that set my skin tingling. I flicked a glance towards Sabrina and found her eyes glowing. Mewtwo paused in his tail lashing and his eyes drifted towards Sabrina.

Hmmm, I suppose that’s one way to make yourself heard over the rabble. Simply talk in a manner they can’t interrupt. 

“—concerned citizens!” snapped Agatha, her shadow roiling despite Gengar not being even in it. I eyed it thoughtfully before flicking my gaze towards the white-faced Team Aqua Commander who was looking at Mewtwo like he wanted Mewtwo to step in. 

What was he expecting? Mewtwo to call a foul or something?

Mewtwo, for his part, scoffed. “I see, so that is your version of events,” he said aloud and everyone paused. They then tracked Mewtwo’s gaze to Sabrina.

Everyone but myself and Koga who continued to watch Team Aqua. I noted that Koga was reclined in his chair with one leg curled up. 

If you didn’t know Koga well you’d think him like a lazing Snorlax.

The thing about Snorlax’s is they can strike extremely quickly when they want to. It takes a lot of people by surprise how quickly the lumbering giants can go from placid to extreme violence when threatened.

His eyes were shaded due to the angle he had his head resting at, so he could be tracking anyone on Team Aqua’s side. It was impressive how he’d judged the angles of the room and adjusted his position to adapt. 

Then again, Koga had a number of skills that took you by surprise despite knowing he was a ninja, so it really shouldn’t be that surprising.

Team Aqua stiffened as they realised what had happened. The Commander stood, turning to Mewtwo. “Sir Mewtwo! I swear we were merely investigating this island! We are just an exploratory force.”

“That is part of a greater military force,” Mewtwo added on pointedly. Mewtwo lowered himself for the first time since his fight with Empress, to meet the commander’s gaze. 

“I will make this clear,” he said, his words echoing out and filling everyone’s mind. I winced at the projected force and flooded my mind with dark energy to mute the feeling. His next words while still powerful didn’t hurt as he pushed them upon us. 

“I do not care for the incidents of humans! I have had enough of being a part of such things. You, and any others will leave me alone,” he said, slowly rotating to glare at us Guardians. 

Karen snarled. “Is that the thanks we get for protecting you from this bunch of Carvannagh?” she snapped. 

Mewtwo jutted his chin. “I did not ask, and I did not need it! You humans are the ones who arbitrarily decided to insert yourselves! Now I am drawing a line. You will not intrude upon my island again! Is that clear?” he said. 

The difference from Mewtwo here and now and to the Mewtwo I’d been expecting to encounter based off the movies was like night and day. Drawing a line? What was his plan?

Silence met his demands and he narrowed his eyes. 

I felt the same psychic energy pass me by as Sabrina attempted to talk to Mewtwo, or calm him down. Mewtwo’s gaze snapped to hers and something flashed in his eyes.

When Sabrina flinched I clenched my fist. I was about to rise up out of my seat only for the situation to assert itself to me once more. 

I remained seated, annoyed at my inability to do anything.

Mewtwo turned his full gaze upon Team Aqua. “You have learned what is here and now you will follow my commands, or I will seek you out and destroy you and any of your followers.”

 Mewtwo clenched his fist and around the room debris from our battle rose up with psychic energy. I likened it to another pokemon’s threat display. I had to admit to being impressed with the sheer scale of items and their collective mass being raised up casually.

 “You will do this, or I will destroy you!” Mewtwo said, making sure that the consequences of crossing the line was well known.

I worked my jaw, annoyed that we were being lumped together with Team Aqua of all people in Mewtwo’s mind. He turned to our group. “The same is true for you,” he said hotly. 

I bared my teeth. “Really? After how we helped you and all you’ve done to us in the past—”

“I will not have those situations held against me!” Mewtwo snarled and I felt Psychic energy build up around me. 

In response, I flexed my dark energy. 

Just like Empress had shown him, I would show that while weaker, I had teeth.

I met his gaze and for a moment I recalled the time he’d grabbed me by the neck. My pulse began to race even as my mouth continued to work. “Consider the situation at least! You might not have been in complete control of yourself but you can’t ignore that you were part of it.”

“Brock,” Sabrina said, laying a hand on me to calm me down. 

I didn’t pull my arm away from her despite wanting to. I didn’t stop glaring at Mewtwo.  

Mewtwo’s tail lashed about again and I heard some fixtures within the room screeched and grind as Mewtwo tore them from the walls or floors. 

I continued to stare up at him. 

Sabrina squeezed my hand. “Brock, you’re letting your fear for Don and Empress cloud your thoughts right now and lashing out. Mewtwo was the victim,” she whispered to me. 

“Mewtwo might have been the victim, but he shows no remorse for what he did and refuses to acknowledge the damage done.”

“That is still victim blaming, he didn’t know better back then,” Sabrina said, urging me with what I knew to be a morally correct argument. I was victim blaming. I couldn’t say I’d ever encountered someone as heavily restricted, or even raised into criminal actions quite like Mewtwo, but it still rubbed me the wrong way to know how much damage he’d done only for him to deny any part in it. 

Is that what I wanted though? Remorse? Or perhaps it was the lack of empathy on his part that stuck in my craw. 

I wasn’t sure what I wanted, but I wanted something.

I clenched my jaw and held back from saying anything else. 

I’d done enough to muddy the waters to a reasonable outcome already with my words and Empress’ fight. 

I couldn’t bring myself to regret saying what I’d said or allowing Empress to fight. 

They had needed to occur, now I just needed to find a way forward. I swallowed and inhaled before slowly exhaling, showing that I was making an effort to calm myself. 

Sabrina squeezed my hand again in thanks and directed her gaze back to Mewtwo. Once more her eyes glowed and once more she made contact. Mewtwo didn’t rebuff her this time and Mewtwo remained quiet for a time. 

Around us, the others, barring Koga, shifted in agitation gazes flicking between Sabrina and Mewtwo. Eventually, Mewtwo jerked his head and scoffed. 

“I will hold to my initial demands,” he said firmly. “You will all leave my island,” he said. 

The commander nodded and stood. “Very well, we shall depart.” He bowed with a smarmy smile towards Mewtwo before turning and smirking at us. “We shall be in touch,” he said and I turned my glower upon him with the rest of the Guardians. 

Notably, a few of the Grunts remained in their places.

 “Sir… what about our pokemon?” they asked nervously. 

I raised an eyebrow at the dichotomy on display with the people who hadn’t cared and the people who had. 

The Commander stiffened and scowled at them like they were an annoyance instead of people raising a serious issue. The Commander turned back to Mewtwo with all of his group watching him. “Sir Mewtwo, may we have our pokemon returned to us?” 

A quip about them most likely not being their pokemon emerged on my lips before I stifled it. They weren’t Team Rocket for all that they were a criminal organisation. I might want to deny them their pokemon but that might result in our own pokemon being taken from us. 

And there was no way I was leaving here without my pokemon.

An equally firm expression appeared on Koga, Katarina and the other’s faces. All of them had lost one or two pokemon each. Annabelle had lost her entire team.

Everyone held their breath. Mewtwo was within his rights to demand we leave having set himself up on this island, but if he wanted to detain our pokemon we were going to come to blows. 

Mewtwo tilted his head and for a moment I thought I saw a glint of something cruel enter his eyes. Then the moment was gone and he nodded his head leaving me to wonder if I hadn’t just imagined it. 

“Your pokemon shall be returned to you,” he announced grandly. He snapped his fingers and from the staircase leading down a torrent of clone balls rose. Several appeared before each Team Aqua member while only a handful appeared on our side. 

The two clone balls in front of me warbled for a moment and Mewtwo gestured at them. “I suggest you return your pokemon if they were already not bound within their pokeballs,” he said. 

I raised up Don and Empress’ Greatball and Luxury ball respectively.  When the cloneballs released them I didn’t wait for them to gather their bearings, I simply returned them. They’d be confused later on but it was better they have murky recollection.

Don was just as likely to become aggressive and there was no way I could get away with another battle with Mewtwo. 

Not that I rated Don’s chances alone.

I rolled the balls around in my hand after I shrank them. We’d only been talking for a few minutes.

…

Had that been long enough for Mewtwo to clone them? 

I glanced towards the staircase leading down. If he had the capacity… or rather the facilities to do it, it would be down there. 

It was probably best I assume he had the capacity to perform such feats. Meaning he now had many powerful pokemon at his beck and call. 

If anyone tried to pressure him they were in for a shock.

“You may depart now,” said Mewtwo to us and the Team Aqua group closed up on each other and made for the exit with only a few glances shot our way.

I caught a few mutters and whispered comments as they departed. 

“We have our pokemon back, do we want to try them? We know to avoid the blackballs this time!” whispered one idiotic Team Aqua woman.

“No!” snapped the Commander. “Just make a note of who was here for their group. We need to report that Kanto has another Legendar—”

“Brock, Sabrina, time to go,” said Agatha. 

I blinked, realising I was one of the only people still seated. Sabrina was standing but her eyes glowed once more. 

Mewtwo and her stared at each other and I had never quite wanted to be gifted psychically as in that moment. Oh to be able to listen in on that conversation. 

Then again it was probably a lot of intuition and information. True Psychic conversation afterall didn’t rely on merely words but impressions, emotions and attached thoughts. Or at least that had been the one time I’d had a much younger Sabrina attempt it with me lowering whatever Dark energy shield I had around me. 

Mewtwo twitched and Sabrina nodded, turning away. “Let’s go,” she said, agreeing with Agatha. 

Agatha for her part eyed her uncertainly. I suppose she didn’t really know what to say right now. I didn’t expect that to last very long. 

Sabrina surprised us all when she released her Alakazam, Hypno, and Xatu. “Let’s depart, Annabelle will need us to catch up to her to get her to a doctor,” she said, indicating the six pokeballs that Karen had claimed for her friend. 

Karen nodded and started to open her mouth only for a blinding flash to take us all by surprise. 

I blinked when I appeared within the Fuchsia Gym’s garden. 

A rustle of leaves instantly swept through the garden as though a wind had rushed through the place but I knew it to be ninja reacting to our sudden presence. A quicker inspection of our group revealed that Sabrina was missing. 

I glanced around double checking for her. I caught sight of Koga making a hand sign that had the rustling leaves dying off. Sabrina was noticeably missing, had she stayed behind to talk with Mewtwo?

A second later Janine appeared before Koga. Her eyes swept over her father’s form. 

“You have returned… where is—” she started to say only for another flash to sweep through the gardens. 

I blinked and relaxed when I caught sight of Sabrina. 

She nodded to Koga. “I caught up to Annabelle and Tiffany; they are now at the Fuchsia hospital.” 

Karen relaxed. “Good, I... better go check on them,” she said with what sounded like worry in her voice. 

I flicked a glance around. “So, that was… eventful,” I summarised. 

Agatha snorted. “You are a master of understating things Brock,” she said, eying me. “What possessed you to allow your pokemon to fight Mewtwo!?” she snapped. 

Her cane lanced out but I wasn’t about to let her bully me, even half-heartedly. 

I caught the cane and locked gazes with her. I flexed my hand and the cane groaned a little as I gave a small warning that she would lose her cane if she pushed her luck. 

She drew the cane back and I allowed it to go. Tensions were obviously high and I took a moment to breath in. “That…” I said carefully, thinking my words over before I spoke. “That was a situation where my pokemon wouldn’t back down even if I’d ordered her to,” I said.

Agatha’s jaw worked before she nodded, accepting my response. It didn’t stop her voicing her thoughts. “You need to work on her more, that was a delicate situation as it was and I think it could have spiralled out of control with that… demonstration,” she said. 

I grunted, not really feeling up for commenting on what had gone down. It was true even if I couldn’t see a situation where Empress wouldn’t throw down against one of the parties in charge of the destruction of her nest. She wasn’t the only one I needed to work on. Don’s attitude had cost him. I’d let that go on for too long, I needed to curb his antics.

Instead off doing anything with my pokemon however, I turned my attention to Sabrina. 

I raised an eyebrow quesitoningly and she sighed. The others joined me at gazing at our resident Psychic specialist. 

“I was able to make contact with Mewtwo somewhat. He is still extremely cagey about interactions with humans. Rightfully so considering his past,” She said, earning a nod. “Overall I’d say that was handled… in as good a manner as can be expected,” she said. 

I snorted and was about to disagree when Sabrina shot me a look. “You’ weren’t going to be objective with Don and Empress on the line.”

I grimaced and looked away. Surprisingly my eyes landed on Koga who looked like he was offering me a look of commiseraiton. Ah, right, he’d also had Charizard taken, hadn’t he? We shared a nod befoer looking back to Sabrina.

She shot me an apologetic look. “He also didn’t react well to you reminding him of his time spent under Giovanni and Team Rocket.” 

Agatha shot me another look and the hand holding her cane twitched but I shot her a glare. 

If she tried that again tonight I was breaking that damn cane. In fact, no, if she tried it ever again with me I’d break it, I vowed to myself. 

Agatha restrained herself as I gave Sabrina’s words some consideration. I could only nod my head and sigh. “Yeah I know he was raised and… conditioned to do what they asked him but… I don’t know, I guess I just wanted some empathy, but that’s not something possible for him right now.”

Janine fidgeted. “Why is that?” she asked innocently. 

Sabrina sighed. “Mewtwo is incredibly smart, but… he lacks much life experience. He has been taken advantage of in the past so that makes it harder for him to interact in a positive setting with humanity.” she smiled woodenly at me. “He was not raised either so much as created. Team Rocket have encoded numerous obedience orders into his very flesh.” 

I grimaced and nodded feeling a twinge of pity for him. Urgh, I wish this could be more straightforward. If Mewtwo had been like his movie counterpart this might have been easier but instead he was a pokemon that was still finding his feet. 

“Also, as a Legendary there will be people that will still attempt to capture him,. By drawing a line in the sand he will stave off some of these,” Sabrina said. 

I nodded, knowing Sabrina’s words were bang on the mark. After all, hadn’t there been that one adaptation of pokemon where the main character made it their goal? 

If people like Tobias had access to a Darkrai and Latios in the cartoons then surely it was possible. Even if such an idea was terrible. 

Sabrina coughed to nudge my wandering attention back to her before she continued her explanation, “Mewtwo is quite lacking in… emotional understanding and awareness. This makes him come across as extremely blunt. He is trying to raise walls as he feels threatened due to what happened.”

Sabrina licked her lips and her eyes darted away from me. I knew I wasn’t going to like what she said next. “I have offered to act as a… guide for him to learn and experience more of the positives that life has.” For some reason she looked at me with a fond smile when she said this. 

I stiffened alongside the others. I’d been right. I really didn’t like the idea of Sabrina having Mewtwo simply drop in. I grimaced after a moment’s thought as I realised that Sabrina was in a way ‘paying it forward’ like I’d once done with her when she was a child.

Koga and Agatha both spoke up at once. “That is entirely too risky to do alone!” “You foolish girl, a Legendary pokemon is not to be underestimated!” 

Sabrina stood tall. “I know that, and I know there are risks. I don’t have to do it alone, and I will be careful, but giving Mewtwo more reasons to dislike us is not the way forward. Mewtwo can be reasoned with and shown a better way.” Sabrina looked to me for support and I swallowed my misgivings. 

“I think… out of all of us,” I said carefully. “Sabrina’s probably the one with the best shot. Who knows?” I said with a laugh, “He might just like her enough to help out when we’re in a pinch,” I said. 

If Spenser, a man from the Kingdom of Rota, and Brandon could work with Legendary pokemon, I didn’t see any reason why Sabrina couldn’t work with Mewtwo. 

I chuckled at the blank expressions I’d gotten from my comment while Sabrina just shook her head with a faint smile. 

Agatha sighed, “We will need to do a debrief before we depart,” she said, her wrist turning over before she grimaced. “It is very early in the morning so let us get this done. We will need to consider what to do about Team Aqua going forward, as they will be aware that we know of them. They also now have faces and names, so see to your own home’s defences,” she said. 

Koga shot her a look that she ignored as the trees rustled. It was probably redundant advice for someone like Koga even with Fuchsia being one of the potential targets that a naval based military could access easily. 

“Team Aqua will most like dive deep into the ocean to evade any further detection. This is a standard MO for them. With their presence known they will be more careful. Their previous base will also likely vanish in the coming days,” Koga said with a sigh.  

Agatha waved her hands and a few ninja appeared with tablets for us to do up brief reports. I typed mine up quickly along with some observations. When I finished I spent a minute weighing up the benefits of mentioning my fears about Mewtwo possessing an army of pokemon cloned from those he abducted from today. 

I felt it was a bit of a stretch, but I did decide to lay out some logic with regards to it as a ‘potential threat’. If the others wanted to question me I wouldn’t be able to back it up, but I could at least bring the possibility to their attention. 

When I was done Sabrina and I shared a look before we teleported back home. We reappeared in my room only to find Billy curled up in my bed. The flash of the Teleport was enough to have him sitting up and blinking blearily.

I leaned down and rubbed his head, a small idea of why he was here forming in my head. “Hey buddy, sorry we missed you, there was an emergency, what’s got you in my bed?” I asked.   

He smacked his lips. “The bed is wet,” he said before laying back down. 

I sighed and nodded my head. “Yeah, of course that makes sense,” I said, moving to change out his mattress before it got ruined. Sabrina stopped me with a raised hand. 

Her eyes glowed and a few seconds later she nodded at me. “I changed his bed. He can stay with us tonight if he wants?” she said. She then telekinetically raised our pokeballs and made them vanish. “They need to rest,” she said. 

I gave her a thankful smile. I hadn’t been looking forward to trudging down to deposit them with Chansey. As it was she was probably going to get a bit of a rude shock with Empress being so wiped out.

That made me pause. I couldn’t have her running off in the morning when she recovered… if she recovered that is. I moved over to the computer earning a frown from Sabrina and a grumble from Billy as the light invaded on the dark room. I clicked through some security features before coming up on the medical bay. When it showed the various berths with pokebalsl within them I clicked on Empress’ Greatbal land locked it down, signalling for the machine to induce a medical coma. 

That would stop her running off along with making sure she was fully healed. 

I’d have to talk with her in the morning. I sighed and shut the computer down, deciding that could be future Brock’s problem.

I nudged Billy back into bed and made sure he was on my side of the bed so he wouldn’t kick Sabrina while she slept. 

I lay down in the middle of the bed and tried to relax. Sadly my mind was a little too amped up after everything that had happened in the last… I glanced at the clock and found something new to curse Team Aqua for. It was six o’clock in the morning. 

I sighed, knocking my head against the headrest. 

Damn… I could skip training with my team needing the rest. 

I wouldn’t, or rather shouldn’t, skip out on Greta and A.J.’s Gym battle with Kong.

And I really really shouldn’t skip out on Flint. 

I sighed again. Ah well, it wouldn’t be the first time that I’ve been tired throughout the day. 

I could deal. I nudged Billy into a more comfortable position on my side. This was nothing compared to when Flint had left. 

I yawned and let sleep claim me. 

I’d just have to manage with three hours.

Damn Team Aqua, next time I fought them I was totally having Sanchez blow them out of the water. 

And just for good measure, I was totally going to give them a taste of their own medicine with a Hyper Beam Barrage.

They deserved no less. 

________________________

A.N. Thanks go to my Patreons for your support! I hope these last two chapters have some theory crafting with what might happen going forward as I have some plans with Mewtwo acquiring a several pokemon of his own!

Thanks also go to Twmmy for proofreading this chapter