Catch Me. Save Me. (Seq. to What Am I?)

Children

Following Jen—On the other side
        Jen had fallen asleep while resting on White’s shoulder. Jen didn’t know when she had drifted off, but being outside in the fresh air and bright sunlight had helped lull her to sleep.
        A soft nudge woke her.
        Jen blinked her eyes open and looked over at White. She rubbed her eyes and smiled at White. “Sorry for falling asleep on you. How long was I out, White?”
        “A few hours.”
        “What is a few?” Jen asked.
        “A few.”
        “Not helping, White.” Jen noticed Ninetails and Gengar sleeping beside them. “How long have they been asleep?”
        “They fell asleep not soon after you did.” White replied.
        Jen smiled, but a troubling thought came to mind, causing her good mood to fade. “Why were you sent out here, White?”
        “I was sent to retrieve you, but you wanted to stay.”
        “So you disobeyed Mewtwo?” Jen giggled. “Good.”
        White shook her head. “He allowed you to stay out here as long as I was with you.”
        Jen’s shoulders sagged. “You were babysitting me?!”
        “You prom--”
        “No. I…grr…he is still watching me through you, isn’t he? And be honest with me, White.” Jen hissed as she stood.
        “He told you earlier that he didn’t want you out of his sight, but he is not--”
        “White, please hush.” Jen groaned as she knelt down beside White. “Mewtwo, please let her go. Don’t use her like this.”
        “He is not using me the way you think he is. I am watching you on my own…if that makes sense.”
        “Or so you think.” Jen muttered.
        “You’re still mad.”
        “Of course I’m mad!” Jen cried. “Eh…not with you, White.”
        White nodded slowly. “He wants to talk to you.”
        Jen just about screamed. “Well I still don’t want to see him, let alone speak to him. If he wants to speak to me, then he’s going to need to wait.”
        White nodded solemnly.
        A shadow passed over them, followed by a group of differently shaped shadows. Jen and White’s Pokemon looked up to see a large handful of clone Pokemon flying towards the stadium. Some of them looked like they were carrying non-flying types with them.
        “…More clones are coming in from the mainland. I wonder if they are from Kanto…” Jen thought to herself.
        “We need to go back.” White stated dryly as she stood. “My master wants us to return.”
        Jen’s jaw locked as she leapt to her feet and cracked White in the arm.
        White grabbed her arm and looked at Jen. There was a small hint of confusion in her expression, but it was just barely visible. “What was that for?”
        “Don’t. Call. Him. That.” Jen growled through clenched teeth.
        “Sorry…”
        Jen looked back up into the air to see the last of the clones flying into the stadium. “They didn’t even notice us. I guess that’s good.”
        “We still need to return.” White said as she started walking again.
        “I thought Mewtwo wanted to keep my being here a secret from his friends.” Jen muttered.
        “You look human. The clones whom you did not see earlier do not know about you. They could mistake you and attack you.” White explained. “If you are with him, then they will be less likely to attack you.”
        “I can defend myself if I need to, but you, White, you are human. They could hurt you!” Jen cried. “What has Mewtwo done to you?”
        White didn’t reply. She was heading back to the stadium with Gengar and Ninetails at her side. Jen reluctantly tailed her silently.
        It didn’t take them very long to reach the stadium. One of the large, double doors opened by themselves for the two girls. White didn’t hesitate to enter into the stadium, but Jen, on the other hand, stopped just outside the doorway.
        “What’s wrong?” White asked when she noticed Jen had stopped.
        Jen looked up at the fortress grimly before turning her gaze back to the sea. “I want to stay outside a little longer. Kay?”
        White wanted to allow her to stay out a bit longer. In fact, she wanted to join her alternate, but she had orders that were rather difficult to disobey at the moment. “We…must return.”
        Jen crossed her arms and pouted. “Why so urgent? There really isn’t a rush to go back.”
        White turned away and headed into the large hall.
        Jen groaned as she looked up into the sky in annoyance. She was about to call for White, but froze when she caught sight of Mewtwo staring down at her from atop one of the stadium lights.
        She instantly spun on her heels and headed back for the island’s edge. She still wasn’t in the mood to speak or be near Mewtwo.
        Mewtwo, however, thought otherwise.
        Jen felt the ground vanish as she stepped into open air. She gasped loudly as she fell about a foot through the air, but quickly caught herself before she could drop any farther. “What was that for?” Jen hissed bitterly without turning to face him.
        “You’ve been on your own with your alternate long enough.”
        “Who gave you the authority to decide that?” Jen snarled as she spun in the air to glare at him. “I don’t want to be anywhere near you!”
        The words felt like acid on her tongue, but she was not going to let this Mewtwo control her. Jen started flying towards the sea, but was stopped by a blue aura that surrounded her being.
        “Mewtwo!”
        Mewtwo drifted into her view, but Jen looked away with a scowl. “I understand why you do not want to be near me, but let me apologize for insulting you earlier.”
        Jen flinched as she slowly looked back over at him.
        “I am sorry for offending you. I did not mean to do so, but meant only to find out the true intent as to why a human would travel with you, a hybrid. Are his intentions as true as you believe them to be or not?”
        “I know Kenji all too well to know that he is not using me. I can trust him and so can you.” Jen growled, but she let her expression lighten a little. “Thank you for the apology.”
        Mewtwo nodded.
        “Why do you care if Kenji is trustworthy or not? You and I are from two different worlds so…why do you care?”
        “Have you no concern as to who discovers what you are? There are humans who will claim to be your friends and partners, but in the end, you will only be a possession to them.”
        “Kenji is not like Giovanni. Trust me.” Jen said lightly.
        “Which one?”
        Jen frowned. “Huh?”
        “Your world’s Giovanni or my world’s Giovanni?” Mewtwo teased.
        Jen narrowed her eyes at him as a hint of a smirk appeared on the corner of her lips. “Very funny, Mewtwo. You know which one I’m talking about.”
        Mewtwo chuckled.
        Jen couldn’t help, but feel a bitter tugging in her chest as she listened to him laugh. His laughter was her Mewtwo’s laughter.
        “What is it?” Mewtwo asked when he noticed the forlorn look in her eyes.
        Jen blinked and shook her head. “Nothing. I…spaced out.”
        Mewtwo raised a brow at her.
        “I promise. I’m fine.”
        “You’re lying whenever you say that.”
        Jen flinched. “You were in White’s head again?”
        “It was a fact that I had learned earlier. I have not read her mind since then.”
        “…” Jen cocked her head to the side. “You stopped reading her mind? Why?”
        “Do I need a reason?”
        Jen shrugged. “I don’t know…I’m curious? Umm--”
        Mewtwo leaned forward before Jen could finish her thought. “Why did you kiss me?”
        “I already told you. I panicked. I was--”
        “I’m not talking about the first time anymore. Why did you kiss me earlier? I’m curious.”
        Jen’s lips formed a thin line. “I was mad. I guess I…I don’t know. Charizard and Blastoise showed me their memories of the day we met…a few minutes after I disappeared. You looked disgusted afterwards, so I figured you wouldn’t like it if I kissed you again.”
        Mewtwo didn’t respond.
        “Hey, Mewtwo, you coming?” One of the clones cried from the stadium’s entrance.
        Mewtwo and Jen looked over at the Pokemon clone. It was a Pikachu. A Meowth raced over to the Pikachu’s side and stared up at them.
Mewtwo descended towards the two Pokemon with Jen behind him…still enveloped within his telekinetic grasp.
        “Who is that? Is that the Halfling? We thought she was in the hall with the psychic human.” Pikachu said. “Who’s the look-a-like?”
        “She’s my alternate from this world.” Jen replied. “Is she alright? Uh--”
        “Alternate?” Meowth asked. “Cool! Yeah, your alternate is alright. She’s with the psychic. Does that mean your alternate is a Halfling too or is she a human?”
        “She’s a human.” Mewtwo replied.
        “Then why are you allowing her to stay? She’s a human. I thought the only exception was the psychic.” Pikachu pointed out.
        Mewtwo didn’t respond out loud, but Jen could sense him speaking telepathically to the two Pokemon clones. She would have tried to eavesdrop in on the conversation, but Mewtwo made sure to block her from listening in.
        Jen pouted as she waited for their discussion to end. “Why did Mewtwo decide to let Sabrina live, especially as a puppet? Not that I’m complaining or anything. I’m really happy that he has kept her alive, but…why? It seems a little strange.”
        She caught sight of Meowth smiling at her. “What?”
        “What’s your world like?”
        “Uh…just like this one, kind of. The only difference is that there are Pokemon and people living on the surface.” Jen shot a miffed glare at Mewtwo. “And he’s not a jerk.”
        Meowth laughed at this, while Pikachu glared at Jen.
        “Take that back! You should be grateful that he is letting you and your alternate live.”
        Jen reluctantly looked over at Mewtwo. He shook his head as if to silently say, ‘you don’t have to’. Jen was taken aback by this gesture.
        “But she--” Pikachu began.
        “She doesn’t have to say anything.” Mewtwo interrupted. He looked towards the hall before drifting into the enormous hall.
        The Pokemon and Jen (still being kinetically dragged) followed. Almost immediately as they entered into the hall, the group was greeted by a handful of small Pokemon. Young Pokemon.
        “Mewtwo! Mewtwo!” They all cried excitedly as they crowded him.
        Mewtwo smiled at them and knelt down to their level. He spoke to them in a soft and caring tone. The young Pokemon beamed at him giddily.
        “Still think he’s a jerk, Halfling?” Pikachu asked icily.
        Jen waved her glowing blue arms in the air. Both Pokemon snickered at her comical motion.
        Jen put her arms down as her gaze moved towards Sabrina and White, along with her Pokemon, standing off in the shadows of the hall. Mewtwo must have ordered them to stay out of the way while the clones were visiting.
        “Halfling!” A deep voice boomed. “You finally decided to show up. It’s been a while.”
        Jen gasped as a vine wrapped around her waist and lifted her towards the clone who had just spoken. She looked over her shoulder to see Venusaur and Blastoise grinning at her smugly.
        “Wow. Is that a clone of the human we saw earlier?” One of the young Pokemon asked when they noticed Jen.
        Mewtwo glanced over at Jen. An amused grin appeared on his face as he watched her face scrunch up in frustration as she attempted to free herself from Venusaur. “No, she is not a clone.”
        “Is she just a human?” Another asked.
        “Does that mean she has to go away too?”
        “Go away? Is that what they’re told when humans are cloned and killed? They ‘go away’?” Jen wondered to herself.
        “She looks nice though. Can she stay, please?”
        “Can we play with her? Please?”
        “Huh? Play with?”
        “Absolutely not!” One of the parent Pokemon snapped. “You promised that no human would be let near the children, Mewtwo. Not unless they are clones or a thrall like the psychic.”
        “She’s not a human. At least not completely.” Venusaur teased, but Jen wasn’t paying attention to him.
        “Whadja call Sabrina?” She growled under her breath.
        “Sorry. Didn’t hear that. Can you speak up, Halfling?” Blastoise asked, while putting a hand to his ear.
        Jen narrowed her eyes at him. Was he only teasing her or could he really not hear her? “No, he heard me. I spoke loud enough for at least Venusaur and him to hear me.”
        “She can’t understand you.” One of the parents huffed.
        “Oh!” Jen cried, finally understanding what Blastoise was trying to get her to do.
        Both the children and the parents looked at her oddly.
        “She’s funny.” One of the little ones giggled.
        Jen smiled at them, but remained silent.
        “Please, can we play with the not completely human human?” Some of the children begged.
        One of the little Pokemon, a Riolu, without waiting for an answer, walked straight up to Jen. With a brave smile, the little Pokemon asked aloud. “Can I play with your hair?”
        “Honey, get away from…the…human?” A Lucario, most likely the father, trailed off when he saw Jen kneeling down to face his child. She did her best to swing all of her hair to one shoulder so Riolu could play with her hair.
        “SShe understood her…How?” A Serviper asked, stunned.
        “Like we said before, the Halfling isn’t completely human.” Blastoise responded. “She’s leaving out the best part though. Aren’t you going to tell them, Halfling, or are you, Mewtwo?”
        The adults and children looked between Jen and Mewtwo, waiting for one of them to explain. Mewtwo looked at Jen questioningly, but she was too busy having her hair braided by the little Riolu.
        “Wow. Neither one of you wants to tell them? Should we just tell everybody?” Venusaur asked, hoping to encourage either Mewtwo or         Jen to start explaining.
        Jen glanced up at Mewtwo, who was still staring at her, but wound up looking away just as he turned his attention away from her.
Riolu looked up at Jen and cocked her head to the side. “Is it bad news? You’re not in trouble, are you?”
        “Uh…depends on how you view it, I guess.” Jen replied.
        Riolu recoiled as Jen responded to her question, but quickly recovered with a wide grin. “You really can understand us. Cool!”
        Some of the young Pokemon slowly crept over to Jen with growing courage and curiosity. “Are you part Pokemon or something?”
        Jen nodded.
        “Whoa!” They all gasped in unison.
        Jen couldn’t help, but giggle at their reaction.
        “What type are you?”
        “What Pokemon are you?”
        Jen could hear Blastoise, Venusaur, Pikachu, and Meowth chuckling as the children continued to bombard her with questions. She noticed Mewtwo standing again out of the corner of her eye. “He’s probably not going to tell them.”
        The silence from the children suddenly caught Jen’s attention. She looked back down at them. They were all staring at her with wondering eyes.
        “I’m a psychic type and…Mewtwo can tell you the rest. I’m getting kind of tired of repeatedly explaining this.” Jen muttered. Honestly, she really was getting tired of telling people/Pokemon her secret, and besides…IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A SECRET!! “I shouldn’t even be telling them this.”
        Mewtwo frowned and scowled at her. “Hybrid.”
        “Please?” Jen begged with a pleading puppy-dog look.
        The little Pokemon gasped and looked up at Mewtwo. “She used the magic word.”
        Their parents and the other clone Pokemon chuckled, but Mewtwo wasn’t amused. However, he did answer, but he did so only to humor the children. “She is another Mew, but not completely. The hybrid possesses the DNA of Mew and my own, and is able to--”
        “Another Mew?” A Litleo asked abruptly.
        “Shush! Mewtwo was talking.” Some of the other children snapped.
        “Oops. Sorry, Mewtwo.”
        Mewtwo nodded understandingly.
        “She’s part Mew? Clone or non-clone?” A Salamence asked.
        Both Mewtwo and Jen nodded.
        Some of the children whispered to each other and giggled, while the adults continued to question Mewtwo.
        “What?” Jen wondered aloud to the little Pokemon in a light-hearted tone.
        The young Pokemon stared at her before giggling and whispering hushed conversations to themselves again.
        Jen’s expression contorted to one of complete confusion. “What are they up to?” “What are you guys whispering about?” She asked curiously.
        Riolu looked at Jen, beaming wildly. “Since you and Mewtwo are both Mews, does that mean you two will have little Mews of your own together?”
        Jen’s face instantly turned bright red. “Uuhh…”
        The young Pokemon snickered at her astonished reaction and turned their attention to Mewtwo. “Hey, lookie. Mewtwo heard us too.”
        Jen slowly turned her head towards Mewtwo. There was an expression on his face that Jen didn’t recognize. However, she and the others could definitely tell that the children’s’ question had caught him off guard like it had done with Jen.
        “How about you all go with Chansey Joy while the adults talk?” Lucario said to the children.
        “Chansey Joy? I wonder how they came up with that…”
        “Okay, daddy. Come on, Halfling. Let’s go play.” Riolu smiled as her paw reached out and grabbed Jen’s hand.
        “Yeah. You don’t want to hang around here when the adults start talking. They only talk about boring stuff.” Litleo giggled.
        “We can play tag first. Do you know how to play, Halfling?”
        “We’ll teach you!”
        Their childish innocence brought a soft smile to Jen’s face. The children reminded her of her friends; of Mew, Latias, and her Pokemon. Always willing and wanting to play and have fun.
        “She must stay here.” Mewtwo interrupted.
        The group of youngsters simultaneously groaned.
        “Go on. We won’t be long.” Serviper said reassuringly.
        The children reluctantly followed behind Chansey Joy, but they didn’t do so quietly. Jen could just barely make out soft grumblings.
        “I wanted to play with her. No fair.”
        “Why can’t she come along? She’s really nice.”
        “We were going to have fun…”
        Jen watched as the children disappeared from the hall before turning back to Mewtwo and the adults. All of the parents were staring at her. None of them looked happy. They remained silent as they telepathically conversed with Mewtwo.
        Jen began picking at her nails as she sat on the ground and waited for the conversation to end. Meowth and Pikachu seemed to join in on the conversation as they made their way over to Mewtwo’s side.
        Blastoise and Venusaur, however, remained with Jen, not that she needed them standing over her. She wasn’t going anywhere or anytime soon.
        The hall remained silent a little while longer before the adults and Mewtwo turned back to face Jen. They seemed a little more at ease, but there was still a bit of concern in their expressions.
        Mewtwo walked up to her and gestured for her to stand. Jen obeyed, but did so cautiously. She glanced at Meowth and Pikachu for some sort of hint as to what was going on, but they didn’t look at her. They were watching Mewtwo and the adults, who were now looming over Jen.
Jen watched and waited in silence as they studied her. She felt…weird. The adults remained soundless as they continued to speak to Mewtwo via telepathy.
        Some of the adults started to nod in a soundless agreement.
        “What are they nodding about? What did Mewtwo tell them?” Jen wondered as her fingers brushed over the gem that was still around her wrist. “I can’t leave. They may kill White and the others. Wait…that’s not what they are agreeing to, is it?!”
        Most of the adults began walking in the direction that Chansey Joy had led the children towards, while some of the others stayed behind.
        Mewtwo looked at Jen and the two gigantic clones on either side of her. “You can let the hybrid go now.” He said to Venusaur.
        The vines unwrapped themselves from around Jen and retreated back into the tree on Venusaur’s back. Jen and the two larger clones stared at Mewtwo as the remaining parent clones watched her. Jen wanted to know what was going on, but at the same time, in a way, she didn’t want to know.
        Mewtwo rose into the air and began heading back to the lookout room. Jen grimaced, knowing that he wanted her to follow. She too rose in the air and flew for the top of the staircase.
        Before she entered through the hole, Jen caught sight of the remaining parents watching her. They looked like they were waiting to see if she was going to follow and obey Mewtwo.
        Jen avoided their gazes as she flew hastily into the lookout room. She landed a few feet away from Mewtwo’s chair and grimaced. “Um…mind me asking what you said earlier to the parents?”
        No reply came from the chair.
        Jen sighed heavily and sat with her back to the chair. He was being frustratingly stubborn again. “I wonder what would have happened if I stayed down in the great hall?”
        She waited for the sound of the screens turning on, but all three remained quiet and dark.
        “What is he waiting for?” Jen wondered. “Mewtwo?”
        Silence.
        “Is he in his chair? I’m gonna feel like an idiot if he isn’t.” Jen thought to herself as she climbed to her feet. She checked over the back of the chair to see it empty.
        Jen narrowed her eyes at the chair and groaned. “Not there…which means I’m an idiot. So where’d he go?”
        She made a quick sweep of the room for Mewtwo, but he was nowhere to be seen. Jen’s eyes shot up to the ceiling just in case he was somewhere along the ceiling.
        Nope.
        “So much for always keeping an eye on me.” Jen chuckled quietly to herself.
        Not knowing exactly what to do next, Jen sat back down and shut her eyes. She concentrated on the floors below her and let her mind’s eye roam.
        She found White and her Pokemon with Sabrina down one of the hallways. They looked like they were…cleaning. They were maids…
        “I guess it could be worse?” Jen thought to herself as she pulled away and began mentally maneuvering herself throughout the fortress.
        There were a ton of different rooms, mostly used for any clone who may want to stay the night. Though, the rooms’ original purposes were probably to give the newly created clones a place to rest while Mewtwo’s storm destroyed everything.
        Her mind continued to wander as her mind’s eye casually drifted down the strange hallways. She navigated herself towards what was probably the basement level of the fortress. She wasn’t looking for anything in particular. She just wanted to do something. Explore a little.
        There was an open room that caught her attention as she passed it by. Jen stopped herself and did a quick peek inside, but what she saw caused to immediately lose concentration.
        Her mind was violently yanked back to the lookout room. Jen managed to stop herself just before her mind could painfully reunite with her body, or so she thought it would be painful. Her mind had rushed back rather speedily.
        “Ouch…” She groaned. “What was that machine? And what were supposed to be in those tubes? Was that Mewtwo’s cloning machine?”
        Jen looked at herself and chuckled. It looked like she, her body that is, was sleeping. “You look so weird, Jen.” She said with a smile.
        Her body cracked a similar smile.
        Good. She was still well connected to herself.
        “What are you smiling at, hybrid?”
        Jen’s mind’s eye spun to look at Mewtwo. He was standing a little ways away from her. How long had he been standing there, let alone where he even went off to in the first place, was unknown to Jen.
        Mewtwo edged closer to Jen when she didn’t respond, but paused when he noticed her eyes were shut and her being was slumped over.
He watched her for a moment before moving quietly towards the chair.
        The three screens turned on, but Mewtwo didn’t sit down. Instead, he glanced down at Jen.
        Jen looked from Mewtwo to herself, and then back to Mewtwo. He looked like he was mulling over something. She moved beside her body, ready to reunite with it if Mewtwo tried anything. “…”
        Mewtwo knelt beside her and held a hand out to her forehead. Jen could just barely feel Mewtwo trying to see into her mind. No, wait, he was trying to see into her dreams.
        Jen’s mind quickly reunited with her body before Mewtwo could find out that her mind was roaming. She breathed deeply and began to ‘stir’. She slowly blinked and looked over at Mewtwo, but he was gone.
        She rubbed her eyes and looked around for the grey Legendary. Jen leaned on her side and glanced up at his chair.
        Low and behold, he was sitting, staring at the screens, pretending rather well that he had not been at her side moments ago.
        “Where’d you go?” She asked with a mock sleepy tone.
        “Hmm?” Mewtwo asked without looking at Jen. “I was in the other room. When I came back in you were fast asleep. Did you sleep well?" He turned towards Jen when he asked this.
        “Huh?” Jen asked, clearly caught off guard. “It was alright? Why do you ask?”
        “Just curious.”
        Jen blinked disbelievingly. What was going on? “What were you and the parents talking about earlier?”
        “I was explaining why you were here and why I am allowing you to stay.”
        “Allowing me to stay? You’re making it sound like we have the ability to leave. Need I remind you that you’re holding White, her Pokemon, and I here against our wills?” Jen snapped.
        “You’ve always had the ability to leave, though you have been wise not to do so. However, if you do leave, don’t bother returning. Your alternate and her Pokemon will be executed and there will be no sanctuary for you in this world.” Mewtwo replied matter-of-factly.
        “The exiled part I can live with, but White and her Pokemons’ deaths, not at all.” Jen grimaced. “Well aren’t you the evil leader? What’s your Team’s name?”
        Mewtwo’s jaw clenched as he looked away from her. Jen turned away as well with a smug grin on her face. Unfortunately, her moment of victory was short lived as she was absorbed into the Pokeball Mewtwo had her in earlier.
        “Not fair!” She cried as she hovered in the darkness again. “Plus, this is a sore loser move, Mewtwo!”
        Outside of the Pokeball, Mewtwo stared at the black Pokeball that hovered beside him. It was amazing how quickly she could get under his skin.
        He had tried to look into her dreams to see if there was anything that he could learn and use against her later, but he hadn’t been careful enough…or so he thought. Her teacher on her side must have taught her to protect her mind at all times.
        “Her teacher is very wise.” Mewtwo stated as he narrowed his eyes at the hovering Pokeball.
        He couldn’t sense Jen trying to reach out like she did earlier that day. She was being completely silent, and she would probably remain that way with him for a good while.
        He turned back to the screens that were lit up before him, but his mind just wouldn’t focus. It kept drifting back to Jen’s reaction to his laughter. “Why did she look at me like that? She seemed bothered by my laugh…why?”