บท 71: A Pokemon's Purpose

The Seafoam Islands.

They were a chain of islands located between Fuchsia city and Cinnabar island, mostly tropical in nature, but also home to the mystifying ice caverns that were home to most of the ice type Pokemon in Kanto. It was also the home of the cult of Articuno, also known as the Lady of Ice.

But now there was nothing tropical about the islands, as arial footage showed us both islands and sea completely covered in a sheet of ice so thick, that both people and Pokemon were walking on it.

"This could only have been the work of the very legendary that the people here worship, the Lady of Ice herself, Articuno!"

"We have yet to receive any kind of comment from Elite Four Lorelei regarding the incident, not only as someone born on the Seafoam islands, but also as the head speaker for the cult of Articuno as well!"

"People are demanding answers though as teams work to free those trapped by the ice, such as what provoked such a devastating attack? And why would the Lady of Ice turn on her own believers like this?"

No matter the channel, the attack on the Seafoam Islands was all anyone was covering as they discussed why they had been attacked, the status of those on the island at the time, and even possible retaliatory measures to take against the Lady of Ice.

"This is what happens, when we allow such powerful and dangerous Pokemon to run free!" One man on a talk show exclaimed dramatically.

"These so-called 'legendaries', are nothing more than extremely powerful Pokemon! But because people decided to see them as 'gods', they are given free reign to do whatever they so please, even if their actions cause the slaughter of thousands in the process, on the low side!

"Well I say enough is enough! I say the League NEEDS to do something about them! But they won't!

"The League refuses to do anything about the legendaries that threaten our very lives, and the lives of our children! One of them is even the Speaker for the cult that worships the very same legendary that did all of this! Well, you can see where her loyalties lie other then her people!"

"This guy's an idiot!" May exclaimed irritably.

"Except he's the most dangerous kind, an idiot that people are starting to agree with." I replied as I looked up this guy's site on my Pokenav, only to see that the number of visitors was reaching the tens of thousands.

It wasn't too surprising though, as there was the Mt. Moon incident a few days ago, followed by an actual attack on a populated area.

The problem was that even if humans could somehow bringing a legendary Pokemon to heel, it would only do more harm than good in the long run. They were NEEDED to maintain balance in the natural order of the world.

Unfortunately most people didn't realize that, as they only cared about the fear mongering and lies that were being spread now.

"And now, get this folks, officials are trying to say that TEAM ROCKET is involved now! So rather than facing the 'inconvenient' facts, the League would rather point the finger at a group of small time thugs only capable of stealing the Pokemon from old ladies and children!

"When does it END folks!? When do we say we've had enough of the lies and excuses, and DEMAND they do something about the obvious threat!?"

By that point one of the Nurses Joy changed the channel with an irritated frown on her face, which matched everyone else in the Pokemon Center. We all trained and raised Pokemon, so there wasn't a single person present who agreed with the guy in the slightest.

But still, the way that guy was talking made me think that either he might've been on Team Rocket's payroll, or he should be.

And then there was Team Rocket themselves.

For Articuno to start moving now worried me. Especially since I already confirmed Mewtwo was still aligned with them. And if Team Rocket was making a move on the legendaries already, then we were all royally fucked.

***

Giovanni entered the room they had assigned Mewtwo with a gleeful smile on his face, and a spring in his step. Even his Persian was purring so loudly beside him, that all of the scientists within the room ceased what they were doing to look up him upon their entry.

Mewtwo meanwhile had numerous cords and cables plugged into the different segments of his robotic armor, allowing them to download all of the data from his most recent battle with none other than the Lady of Ice, Articuno.

"Leave us." Giovanni ordered, and the scientists quickly exited the room despite their eagerness to examine the data from Mewtwo's suit, knowing better than to try the patience of their Boss.

"How did it feel combating a fellow legendary?" Giovanni asked him.

"It was interesting." Mewtwo answered truthfully.

It was in fact his most stimulating fight yet, being leagues different than even his experience against Ace's Pokemon and the Dragonite.

"That's good." Giovanni said, excited that Mewtwo was proving to be worth every single Pokedollar he invested into his creation. Though in actuality he was worth a thousand of what he'd invested, easily.

"Once we ensure Articuno is completely under our control with the new and enhanced control collars, we can start making plans to move on the other legendary birds. After them will be the three great dogs, and then we'll move on to Lugia and Ho-Oh themselves! Soon the legendary Pokemon of the entire world will learn their rightful place!"

"And what place is that?" Mewtwo asked Giovanni with his eyes narrowing under his helmet.

"At my feet of course!" Giovanni readily answered.

"And mine as well. Right, partner?"

"Of course." Giovanni answered dismissively. And while he could tell there were things Giovanni was leaving unsaid, Mewtwo didn't know what they were since he was always accompanied by three powerful ghost type Pokemon that shielded his mind from any psychic attempts to read it.

Instead he asked, "do you mind if I ask you something then, since we're partners?"

"What is it?" Giovanni asked him.

"Why did you put a bounty on Ace Ketchum when I decided not to kill him."

For a moment there was silence as the two looked at one another analytically.

"Why are you asking me that?" Giovanni asked while keeping as calm as possible. After all, Mewtwo already knew that he wanted Ace Ketchum dead.

"Because, in all the time we've been working together, I have never once done anything of my own volition. Yet, the first time I did so, you decided to go behind my back to have him killed anyways." Mewtwo stated as if it were obvious.

Though part of him was in fact bugged by Giovanni trying to have Ace killed, it was the complete disregard for what his partner wanted that bugged Mewtwo the most. If they were truly 'partners', then there should've been no problem with Giovanni letting him have his way one time. Right?

But literally a few minutes passed as Giovanni seemed to contemplate something, before saying in a quiet tone, "there's seems to be a misunderstanding."

"And what would that be?" Mewtwo asked as his eyes narrowed dangerously, before Giovanni pulled a remote out of his pocket.

*CLANG!*

"!!!"

Instantly the pieces of armor on Mewtwo's hands clamped together above his head, while the same happened with the boots on his feet as they were pulled together by powerful electronic magnets.

"You seem to be misunderstanding your place here." Giovanni said slowly as he approached Mewtwo, his Persian strutting alongside him.

"I recall you asked about your purpose when we first met. What your existence means. Well, I have an answer for you." Giovanni said as he seemingly began to ramble on.

"You are a Pokemon. And as a Pokemon, you exist to serve humanity. Namely me of course. It's only right since I PAID for your creation, which means that I OWN you."

"..."

Mewtwo was silent as Giovanni rambled on, even as his shadow came alive as it crept towards him unnaturally.

Right as it reached his feet, Giovanni's shadow split and came alive to reveal that it was the three powerful ghost type Pokemon that Giovanni always had on him. A Gengar, Dusknoir, and Spiritomb, all alphas that dwarfed all others of their species in sheer size, and had lived for centuries.

As they separated from Giovanni's shadow, all three ghost type Pokemon enveloped Mewtwo's body within their own as they cackled and snickered menacingly, suppressing his psychic powers in an attempt to render him helpless along with his physical restraints.

"Don't worry, we're not going to do anything untoward towards you." Giovanni said with a smirk. "I'm just going to remind you of your place."

Mewtwo watched as a robotic arm appeared from the ceiling that was holding a control collar, telling him that, along with the restraints in his armor, they had been planning this for a while.

He watched as the arm extended towards him with the collar in its grip, before it was fastened around his neck with a final 'click'.

"This is the same type of collar we tested on the True Alpha Beedrill, and are applying to Articuno. Since True Alphas are on the border of being Legendaries, and Articuno has shown no resistance to it as a legendary herself, then I'd say it's safe to assume it'll work on you as well.

"And for your first order, I command you to go and kill Ace Ketchum yourself before bringing his Pokemon to me."

Giovanni smirked as he brought Mewtwo fully under his control, turning on his heel to leave the room and check on how the team containing Articuno was doing. When suddenly...

"I think not."

Giovanni halted when he heard Mewtwo's voice, making him slowly turn back to look at the captured legendary.

For some reason, a cold sweat began to drip down Giovanni's back that confounded him. Mewtwo was restrained, his powers suppressed, AND he had their most powerful control collar around his neck. And yet, for some reason, Giovanni couldn't help the growing sense of foreboding building up within his body.

*Snap!*

The collar on Mewtwo's neck was suddenly torn off as it went flying arose the room, before being crushed to destroy it completely.

Meanwhile the psychic energies within Mewtwo's body began to increase as his power skyrocketed, scaring even the ghost type Pokemon that had lived for centuries, and were supposed to be a direct counter to him.

Their fear growing, all three tried to flee from Mewtwo, only to be seized and prevented from escaping by that very same psychic energy.

*CRASH!*

Next the robotic pieces of his armor exploded as he overwhelmed their circuitry, freeing his limbs before Mewtwo pointed one of his rounded fingers at the Gengar menacingly.

It's fear growing, the Gengar tried desperately to flee, but was prevented from doing so by the powerful psychic energies as they began to unravel it's very existence.

When had it last felt pain?

The Gengar itself didn't know the answer to that question, but it was feeling massive amounts of pain now as Mewtwo shredded every single thing holding it together.

As a poison/ghost type it didn't have a physical body to destroy, but as its life was snuffed out, a puddle of toxic sludge formed under what had once been the Gengar that was all that remained of its existence.

Next was the Dusknoir, who's massive figure was destroyed in a similar manner as the Gengar to reveal thousands of red wisps that had been contained within its body, but were now all free as they dissipated through the floor, walls and ceiling.

The last one was the Spiritomb, who was given the same fate as the previous two as Mewtwo destroyed the fabric of its very existence, leaving only an empty keystone that clattered to the ground before shattering.

Now there was just Giovanni, his Persian, and Mewtwo left in the room, as the latter turned his attention to both of the former silently. And for the first time since he joined Team Rocket, Mewtwo was able to read Giovanni's mind.

And what Mewtwo found there, was disappointing.

All Giovanni was was a vain and self centered man, who believed the entire world revolved around him and his money. Realizing this made Mewtwo disappointed that he'd ever listened to him.

"Persian, Bite!" Giovanni ordered frantically, as he desperately tried to salvage the situation.

"Per!" Persian roared as it leapt at Mewtwo, it's lethal fangs bared as it amassed dark type energy.

But it was child's play for Mewtwo to catch it in midair with his psychic powers, before twitching his finger slightly.

*CRACK!*

Mewtwo snapped the Persian's neck without a second thought, before tossing its body back to Giovanni emotionlessly as he now turned his attention to the leader of Team Rocket.

"Now Giovanni, it is time YOU learned YOUR place."