The Mewtwo Chapter

Act 1, Scene 2: Gym Badges

 

      Primerose, Skitty and Bulbasaur had to stop back home before they could leave Pallet Town. Once inside her large room, she sent out her old Pokemon.

      “I’m sorry guys. You have to stay here.” She said, a tear rolling down her pale cheek. “Only Skitty and Bulbasaur can come. Speaking of which, Bulba, I think I’ll name you Ivy. It suits your vine whip attack.”

      “Bulba!” it smiled as it liked the name.

      “Dratini?” her Dratini slivered over to her, begging to go as well. “Well… Alright, a rare dragon won’t hurt.” She put Dratini in its pokeball and then into her bag. The others looked at her, especially Vibrava. “The rest of you are free to do as you wish. I’m not releasing you, but you can go free if you want.”

      Snorunt, Misdreveaous, Murkrow and Vibrava looked at each other shook their heads. “Vib! Vibrav! Vibrava!”

      “No! Of all Pokemon, you should leave.” She said, more tears falling. Primerose was petrified of Vibrava and Flygon, after nearly being eaten by one.

      “Vib…” Vibrava looked depressed and hurt. It went back into its pokeball and stayed there, refusing to come out. Primerose left the ball on her desk.

      As to the others, she bid them all farewell and asked to keep an eye on her room. They sadly nodded and watched as she left for her first journey.

 

***

After a short, peaceful walk with Skitty and Ivy, Primerose made it through Route 1 with minimal problems. She had to fight off an angry Spearow, but it wasn’t a challenge to Skitty.

Viridian City was soon in view.

“Halt!” a shriek stopped the three in their tracks. Skitty jumped on Primerose’s shoulder, Ivy getting closer to her legs. The source of the voice was Officer Jenny, a blue haired cop.

“Um…” Primerose didn’t know what to say.

“There is a lot of criminal activity going on in Viridian City lately. I need to see ID, kid.” Jenny said, showing her badge. Her Growlithe growled loudly from the motorcycle seat it shared with its trainer.

“I just became a trainer… I’m not sure what would work…” Primerose sighed. When with Daddy, she never had to worry about anything. Now she was on her own, and had no idea what was what.

“No ID at all? Where did you get your starter from?” Jenny asked, taking out a pad, writing quickly.

“Professor Oak, in Pallet Town.” She pet Ivy. “This is my starter, Bulbasaur.”

“I see. Any Pokedex?” Jenny asked, taking more notes.

“Yes, I have one.” She took her red encyclopedia device out. Jenny took it and pushed some buttons. The Pokedex started to talk:

“I am Dexter, the Pokedex created by Professor Samuel Oak. My owner is Primerose Romania V, born in Viridian City, raised in Pallet Town. Starter: Bulbasaur. Seen: 3. Caught: 3.”

“Very sufficient data. You should come with me to the station for something quick though.” Jenny said, offering a seat on the cycle. Primerose looked at her Pokemon, and went onto the motorcycle. What could she have done wrong?

At the station, there was a bustle of activity. A picture on the wall was of her mother, Narcissus.

“You’re a Romania, right?” Jenny asked. “The name is involved with mafia-style activity. I trust you are okay, but your mother is wanted for questioning.”

      “Why?”

      “Elite 4 leader Lance has been tracking her down, and finally is coming to the law for help. She is involved with a criminal organization known as Team Rocket. Lance says she is forcing radio waves to evolve Pokemon, namely Magicarp. Do you know anything at all about that?”

      Primerose tried to think. The name Lance sounded familiar, but she couldn’t recall from where. “Lance sounds familiar. I’m trying to remember.”

      “Take your time.” Jenny said, sipping a cup of greasy coffee.

      “Can I have some tea? It’s tea time for me.” Primerose said. Jenny rolled her blue eyes and got a cup of tea, which was almost as greasy as the coffee.

      “Wealthy are you?” Jenny snapped.

      “Extremely. Narcissus is my mother. Giovanni is my father.” Primerose said proudly. She sipped the tea, and nearly spat it out. She put the cup down to Ivy and Skitty. Ivy found it tasty, and licked at it with its long tongue.

      “Oh? Then you must know a lot. I won’t arrest you for any information you give us. We’re trying to shut Team Rocket down. What are they planning? Want fresh tea? Hey, Riley! Go to the coffee shop and get a fresh thing of tea!” it was a change of tune, but that’s the hold the power of information had on people.

      “Tea first, then I’ll talk. Also, may I have a crumb cake?”

      “Riley! Get crumb cake too! The informant is hungry!” Jenny yelled. Riley was a thin runner boy, and gave a salute and ran out.

      When Riley returned, she was presented with decent tea and fresh cake. Primerose ate her small share, and left the rest of the cake to Jenny. “Alright, best I can recall with Lance was a few years ago. He interrupted her preliminary testing. Daddy is also the gym leader of this town. I wanted to visit him when you stopped me.”

      “Your father… Is the mysterious leader?! Well, I have no reason to arrest him as gym leader. He had to earn that title. Go on, tell me anything else. Anything is useful.”

      “Narcissus wants me dead.”

      Jenny fell silent. “Do you… know why?”

      “I’m prettier than she is.” Primerose said, tugging at her hot pink hair.

      “…That’s it? That’s the big reason?” Jenny took the cake and passed it to another officer. The conversation was over.

      “Well, thank you. I’ll keep our eyes on the gym for any further strange activities. Good bye.” Jenny all but forced the pale girl out. Primerose didn’t care. It was sunset now, her hair glowing gold in the sunlight. She was off to her father’s gym.

      The gym was a large building with marble columns, and two guards dressed in ancient Kanto warrior styled armor. “Who goes there?” one called out to her.   

      “Primerose.” She said. Her daddy only had to look at them and they would trip over themselves to open the door. She had to introduce herself. Hopefully one day, that would change. People everywhere would know her one day, she hoped.

      The guards remembered her from past visits with her father, so they opened the door. The doors shut quickly behind her, Skitty and Ivy. The stadium where challengers met her father was empty and dark. But Primerose knew the secret way in. Once inside the inner chambers, she found that her father was at his office, working on a computer. His Persian looked up as she came in, but he did not.

      “Who did you pick?” he asked.

      “Bulbasaur. Gary picked Squirtle. Alanna picked Charmander.” She said softly. Unlike most people, she was at ease with her father.

      “Good choice, my child. Come look at the computer for a moment.”

      Primerose went around the mahogany carved desk and saw a picture of a weird creature. It was white, with a purple tail that was connected to its chest. It had weird hands, with only three fingers with giant balls at the tips.

      “This… is the world’s strongest Pokemon. Mewtwo. It is currently growing in the labs far away from here. But, it is almost ready.” Giovanni said.

      “So… Is it really a Pokemon?”

      “Yes. We got DNA from Mew, the world’s rarest Pokemon. And we modified it… It is wholly Pokemon, and soon to be unleashed onto the world.” Giovanni then reached into his jacket pocket, and put something small into his hand. “Take this badge, Primerose. It makes all Pokemon obey you without question. I know we did not fight for it… But, I am proud of you. One day, you’ll be gym leader. One day, Team Rocket and everything I own will be yours… Now, go out there and make me proud!”

      Primerose hugged her father, who then slipped a credit card into her hand. It was black in color, indicating its status. “Unlimited money. Use it as you see fit.” He said.

      Primerose grinned. Oh, she could do with unlimited money quite well. On the desk was a Master Ball. She took it, knowing no one was going to stop her from her last gift. Who knew when she would ever need the ultimate pokeball, but better safe than sorry.

      Once she left the gym, Giovanni sighed. “I hope I’ve done the right thing…”

 

***

      The Viridian Forest wasn’t so scary if you stayed on the path. Along the way, Primerose and Ivy managed to capture a rare Nidorina. Shortly after that, they arrived in Pewter City, where Brock the rock type gym leader was.

      The town was full of stones, the only thing of interest was a museum that apparently held all sorts of neat artifacts. Gary would have loved this place… Primerose thought with a sigh. She missed Gary, but did not miss the fact that he was surrounded by screaming fan girls in a red sports car. Primerose could have had a limo driver, but she wanted to do this the traditional way the first time.

      The gym was easy enough to find. A tanned teenager, almost in his twenties was meditating on the rocks. He had slanted eyes so they didn’t appear open. He looked up as she opened the door and the lights went on.

      “Who are you?” he called.

      “I am Primerose Romania from Pallet Town. I came to challenge the gym leader.” She said, a bit nervous, but still confident in her abilities.

      “Huh. A pretty girl like you wants to challenge a rock solid gym leader like me? Aren’t you more cut out for the fashion modeling industry?”

      Primerose growled. “A future plan of mine, but right now, let’s focus on the challenge at hand.”

      Brock’s lips twisted into a smile acknowledging her focus. “Very well. It shall be two on two, and only you can substitute Pokemon. Go, Geodude!” Brock threw a pokeball, and sent out the leg-less boulder that had two arms, eyes and a mouth.

      “Dude, geodude!” it cried out.

      “I choose you, Ivy!” Bulbasaur ran into the rocky field. “Grass types have the advantage, I believe.”

      “True, but I didn’t become leader without making up my weaknesses.” Brock said smugly. “Geodude, use Defense Curl!” Geodude wrapped its arms around itself, and it glowed bright green for a few seconds, indicating an increase in its defensive stats.

      So that’s his big plan? Make himself untouchable… Not if I can help it! Primerose thought, although she wasn’t sure of what to have Ivy do first. She opened her Pokedex, and looked over her Pokemon’s moves. Vine Whip, Stun Spore, Razor Leaf and Leech Seed.

      “Aren’t you going to make a move Primerose?” Brock taunted. “Geodude, use Rock Throw!” Geodude flung itself at Ivy, who got hit by the body slam. Ivy looked at Primerose with its large red eyes, as if to ask her to hurry up and make a move.

      “I can’t decide what to do…” Primerose whispered. Skitty looked at her, at her feet. She was worried. This was Primerose’s first trainer battle, she had no experience.

      “Well, sorry, but I won’t be waiting on you!” Brock called back. “Geodude, Rock Throw again!” Geodude flung itself… But suddenly, time seemed to slow down and Primerose could see a strategy appear right before her eyes.

      “Ivy, use Stun Spore now!” Ivy sent out a goldenrod sparkling cloud of dust, which made Geodude stop in its path. The golden dust caused paralysis, and Geodude couldn’t move its muscles to continue its launch. It fell with a loud crash, creating a creator in the floor. When the dust from impact settled, it was clear Geodude wasn’t going to get up. Brock held out its Pokeball and recalled it.

      “Well, well. You really did surprise me with that. A move that causes no damage ended up being the key move to victory. But… that won’t ever work on… Onyx!!” Brock threw a Pokeball, opening up, and releasing a large snake made of pewter colored rocks. It towered over, nearly touching the ceiling, and it looked down upon Ivy, Primerose and Skitty. They shuddered. Who knew Pokemon could grow so big?

      “Onyx, Rock Throw!” Brock was not going to waste time like before. He wanted to get rid of Ivy and fast.

      “Ivy, dodge that!” It was hard, with Onyx taking up a large portion of the field, slamming its rocky body around. But Ivy was somehow fast enough to manage evading it. “Now, try Leech Seed!”

      A small, tiny seed was launched from Ivy’s bulb, and was sent flying onto Onyx’s body. Nothing happened. Brock snickered. “Onyx, use Bind!” Ivy wasn’t fast enough – it was trapped in the tail of Onyx, being squished.

      It was bleak for Ivy. But just then, the seed started to sprout, and vines grew all over Onyx’s body, causing Onyx to roar with pain. It spread its tail out, allowing Ivy a chance to escape.

      “Onyx, what’s the matter? Shake the vines off!” Brock called out.

      But the seed continued to spread until Onyx’s body was completely covered. And then the plant started to suck energy from Onyx’s body in the form of red shocks. Onyx’s body glowed red, until finally, the giant rock snake fainted.

      Brock was out of Pokemon.

      Primerose and her two Pokemon looked at her, surprise and excitement in their eyes. They jumped into each other’s arms, happy. Brock raised an eyebrow but smiled. He had a hunch this was their first battle, and it was one well played.

      “You really are something else. I think you’re strategy is spontaneous. You do whatever comes to mind. Am I right?” Brock asked, coming over to her, after recalling Onyx to its Pokeball.

      “I guess, but this is such an exciting day!” Primerose said cheerfully. “I am one of the best trainers ever!”

      Brock laughed. “You got a long way to go before you can make such a claim, Primerose. I bet after all this it was a fluke that got you victory. But, whatever, rules are rules. Here is your Boulderbadge.” He handed her a pewter colored badge shaped like a stone with facets, not unlike a diamond or a worn down boulder. She put it in a case next to the green feathered Earthbadge.

      Brock snuck a peak at the case when it was opened, and was surprised to see the Viridian badge already in her case. He heard rumors of that gym leader. He was the toughest in the Kanto region, and generally no one faced him unless they had seven other badges. How did she get it? Brock felt he’d never get his answer. He decided to drop the matter.

     

***

      After leaving Pewter City, Primerose and her team went through Mt. Moon. They found a very rare Moon Stone on the way, which gleamed midnight black. Nidorina seemed fond of it. Upon looking up Nidorina further in the Pokedex, it was revealed to Primerose that Nidorina evolved with a Moon Stone, thus explaining its fascination. She kept it far away. Primerose wasn’t ready for a Pokemon as advanced as Nidoqueen yet.

      Outside of Mt. Moon, Skitty ran ahead, as if for no reason. Primerose groaned and recalled Ivy to its Pokeball. It wasn’t exactly the fastest runner. When Primerose ran, her silky pink hair flowed in the wind, and she had to put a hand on her white hat. Under her red mini skirt, her underwear was on display from behind, had anyone been around to look. The only part of her properly covered was her icy blue, sleeveless top.

      When she found Skitty, she saw it was looking at a red sports car, full of cheerleaders. She then spotted…

      “Gary?!” she cried out in shock.

      “Well well, its little Primerose, I’m surprised you didn’t run home to daddy yet.” Gary said smugly.

      Primerose growled. Gary was such a flip-flop. And it was all Ash’s fault, yet again. A few weeks before they went on their journey, Ash and Gary got into a fight over who’s fishing lure they had. That provoked Gary to using his large allowance (but nowhere near the word unlimited like Primerose’s) to buy a sports car, driver, and a cheerleading squad. I should have used a limo and had a cheerleading squad, a marching band and a secret police force to escort me. That would get him to notice me.

      Primerose wasn’t sure why, but Gary seemed to do everything because of Ash. Primerose also secretly knew it was Ash’s lure that they fought over, because she saw the incident from afar with Alanna.

      “How many badges do you have, Rosey? I bet you only got one, but probably had to throw a temper tantrum to get it!” Gary said laughing. “I won my Boulderbadge the traditional way, right girls?” Gary asked the cheerleaders.

      “Oh yes!” all seven of them said at once. “Gary is the best, better than all the rest!”

      “Psssh, please. I got two, and didn’t throw a tantrum for either. I actually earned them.” Primerose took out her case as Skitty climbed her shoulder to get a better look at Gary.

      Gary seemed to be a bit nervous of the Earthbadge. Could Rose really have…?

      “Well, that’s good, you really showed me up.” Gary said in a sudden calm. Best not provoke a girl who was able to get an Earthbadge before earning any other badge. Plus, Gary still had feelings for Primerose. He remembered the day they graduated, and they kissed deeply in the yard. After that, things were okay, until Ash and his stupid fishing lure. Gary had to make sure Ash didn’t impress Primerose by being able to boast superiority. But he kept that part to himself. He thought Primerose was still crazy with love about him, despite no affection being shared for quite some time.

      Primerose thought the relationship dead before it even picked up off of the ground, her sadness about it evident in her eyes, and a fire burning inside of her, telling her to outshine Gary’s cheerleaders and be more impressive than anyone else.

      As the two crushes stared into each other’s eyes, Gary hypnotically walked out of the car and played with a strand of her hair.

      Primerose blushed, and without warning, smashed her lips onto his. Gary, was surprised, but could not allow his love to get in the way of outdoing Ash. Ash could not be allowed to get ahead, even by a hair, because Primerose would lose attraction. So, he pushed her away instead.

      Primerose stumbled back a few steps. Before anyone could say anything, she ran off in the direction of Cerulean City, tears flying into the wind.

      Gary watched and then stamped his foot. “Damn it girls, I thought having all of you around would impress her!”

      The driver spoke up, lowering her sunglasses. “Maybe it was you pushing her away that caused her to run.”

      Gary couldn’t speak, his mouth had gone dry with worry at what he had just caused, all in the name of trying to keeping her attracted to him.

 

***

      Needless to say, thanks to Ivy again, the Cascadebadge was quickly earned against the Sensational Sisters. Daisy had been her opponent with a Golden, Horsea and Staryu, and all three lost easily. Lily and Violet were watching but didn’t really participate.

      Before she cleared the outskirts of town, she swore she saw a red car in the streets and Gary was going into a PokeMart. Primerose dashed off towards Vermilion City before he could see her.

      Once at Vermilion City, she used Nidorina in battle, but in the middle of the match against Lt. Surge and his only Pokemon, Raichu, she tossed out the Moon Stone from before, evolving Nidorina into Nidoqueen. The larger, monster rabbit-like creature was now part ground type, and was able to Body Slam and endure electric attacks until victory was hers. With the Thunderbadge in hand, Primerose was now halfway done with her quest to the Pokemon League achieving fame. If she won, that would really get Gary’s attention, right?

 

***

      Back in the Viridian Gym…

      Giovanni looked at Mewtwo, who was now ready for testing battles.

      “Soon, my friend, we will be ready…”

      Whatever… I still don’t understand any of what you have to do with me.

      Giovanni still found it confusing how Mewtwo was able to talk, but had no real complaint. It made understanding it much easier.

      “Patience. Everything will be revealed in time. Now, I must go to Celadon City to oversee some operations there. You should come with me. And see what our future as partners holds.”

      Alright.

      Giovanni gave a small chuckle to himself. Manipulating Mewtwo was so easy.